Tag: New York City

Top of the Rock – Sun and Stars

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I have blogged about going to One World Trade Observatory, to the Empire State Building Observatory at sunrise, to The Edge at Hudson Yards, and to the new kid on the block, Summit at One Vanderbilt (comparing day and night visits). There’s one last observatory to mention, Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. I went once during the day and again after dark, to see how the view changed. Here’s some information about going, lots of photos, and – at the end – my own thoughts on how all of these experiences compare.

You enter Top of the Rock from 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. As you get checked in and head for the elevator, there are various facts about Rockefeller Center and about what you will see from the observation area (some, like the exact number of taxis and people you will see, seem unnecessarily and inaccurately precise!).

There are three observation decks, inside on the 67th and 69th floors, and then an outdoor deck on the 70th floor. This outdoor deck has stone barriers to above waist level, but then no obstructions to open air and open views.

One of the advantages to not being on the Empire State Building or One World Trade, of course, is being able to see the same!

While the daylight views were enjoyable, to me the real magic was going back at sunset and watching the lights come on as night fell on New York City

The experience of being there and witnessing the city’s transformation can’t really be conveyed in words and photos. The best I can do is this series of photos showing the Empire State Building first in a shot taken during the day and then in several more beginning at twilight and ending at full darkness:

Which observation experience is the best? Hey, I loved them all! If you live here, don’t think you are above going to one of these to have a great time; and if you are visiting, try to work in a few different ones if you can. The Edge and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt are certainly the “cool kids” of the bunch. One World Trade has the best “reveal” – the elevator ride up is an integral part of the experience, and then the way you first see the view is in fact breathtaking. The Empire State Building is the classic of course, with the disadvantage that you can’t actually see the Empire State Building while on it! Top of the Rock is a classic and you can see all the iconic buildings from it. One World Trade is far south, so a better view of the Statue of Liberty but a more distant view of the midtown skyscrapers. The Edge is far west, which is why the primary views are oriented east and south. SUMMIT, Empire State Building, and Top of the Rock are all in midtown, so your views are more balanced in all directions. And The Edge and SUMMIT have the most fun “experiences” – especially, I would say, SUMMIT, which is basically an immersive art experience with views.

Finally, there is the issue of going during the day versus at night. I suppose you could argue that you “see the city better” during the day, but to me, the city transforms into its essential self when the unbiased glare of the sun is removed. Then New York City is allowed to show itself as it wants to be seen – lighting what it wants lit, leaving in darkness what it prefers to hide. To love the city as I do means being able to do the same on a daily basis – choosing to see this place as its essential essence and in the light of my own romanticized gaze. The romance of seeing the lights of the city at night from a lofty perch is a win in my book – who wants to go with me?

Sondheim at NYPL: “No One is Alone”

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When Stephen Sondheim died on November 26 of last year, we lost a towering figure in musical theatre. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center quickly put together a pop-up installation of some of his correspondence from their archives, which proved to be so popular that they have recently enlarged it, adding set models from several of his musicals, and highlighting Sondheim’s interactions with collaborators. This exhibit will be on display through February 12, and if you are able to stop by, I believe it is well worth it (as with everything at the library, there is no charge). To me, the most interesting aspects were the way his playfulness and humor showed up in his correspondence with others. It’s easy to be so intimidated by someone’s talent that they seem more than human, but in this exhibition Stephen Sondheim’s personality and humanity shone through.

If you have never visited the Performing Arts Library, you need to put it on your radar. They often have very informative and entertaining displays about various areas of the performing arts. They also hold panel discussions and interviews with well-known artists. They are located just to the south of Lincoln Center Theatre. Bookmark their website!

The photos above show some of the additions made to the original display of Sondheim’s correspondence. The library has an interactive screen that allows you to go through and look at Playbills and production notes from many Sondheim musicals. In addition, they had an early design for a tree for Into the Woods, as well as early design sketches and models for the set design for Company and Follies.

On a screen, images of Sondheim with his collaborators, going all the way back to Gypsy and West Side Story, rotate through candid photos over the years.

The real heart of the display continues to be Sondheim’s correspondence, however.

Look at this thank you note to Broadway lyricist Betty Comden and her husband, “just A note” included!

I loved the personality shining through these notes to playwright Peter Stone and his wife, Mary. Given the date of the one on the left, he was presumably referring to A Little Night Music. After asking them whether they had seen it, he added,” If you adored it so much that you can’t keep away, come again as my guests. And if you didn’t like it, f*** off. Love, Steve.”

Here you can see lyrics written by Michael John LaChiusa in honor of Sondheim’s 80th birthday, and a congratulatory letter from Richard Rodgers to Sondheim on the opening of Company, with Sondheim’s reply (“no letter I have received on the show has meant more”).

I love these notes. In the upper right, he expresses thanks for the gift of a diary from Hal Prince and his wife, Judy, and then claims “I plan to do nothing whatsoever this year. Again.” In the upper left, he thanks them for a wire but says ” . . . we did get mugged. Surprise.” (Presumably, given the year, a bad review for Sunday in the Park with George?) And at the bottom, to Hal alone, notes on Sweeney Todd, which would have just opened a week before. After noting that the pies in the second act should look baked, and that the books coming down the chute when trying out the “special” barber chair should match the ones put in, he claims he dares not risk Hal’s wrath by giving the notes directly to the stage manager.

Stephen Sondheim won eight Tony Awards and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and has theatres named after him in both New York City and London. He died at the age of 91 on a Friday, after having seeing both a matinee and an evening show on Broadway on Wednesday, and celebrating Thanksgiving with friends on Thursday. A few days later – on a Sunday – the Broadway community gathered on the red steps in Times Square to celebrate his life (I was there, and posted a clip on Instagram that you can see here). As they sang “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George the word that rang out was “forever.” Just as the people immortalized in the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat will be viewed forever, Stephen Sondheim – the icon, and the man – has changed musical theatre and will be remembered with respect and affection forever.

A look back at NYC filming locations for West Side Story (2021)

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I saw the new 2021 remake of West Side Story last week, and it made me think of when they were shooting some exterior scenes in Harlem. This was in the “before times” – before COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions -in the summer of 2019, July 13 and 14th. It was hot when they were shooting “America,” with temperatures in the 90’s. They had (I believe) wrapped that scene earlier on July 14th, and it was shot on St. Nicholas Avenue between 111th and 113th. As with most shots on location, when not actively filming, you are free to be in the area and look at exterior sets and equipment.

Old-fashioned telephone booth.
Partially covered set pieces; vintage magazine rack.
Gorgeous old cars!
How they get those fantastic shots zooming up over the dancers!
Equipment.
So difficult to shoot on location, but the result is worth it!

On E. 131st between Fifth and Lenox, there was signage about demolishing buildings to make way for Lincoln Center:

The film was enjoyable on so many levels, one of which being seeing so many Broadway stars on the big screen. Ariana DeBose (“Anita”), from the original company of Hamilton and on to A Bronx Tale and Summer; Mike Faist (“Riff”), from the original cast of Newsies to Dear Evan Hansen; even Brian d’Arcy James (“Officer Krupke” – unfortunately not a singing and dancing role!). with a long resume including Next to Normal, Shrek the Musical, Something Rotten!, and Hamilton. Sentimentally, my favorite was David Alvarez (“Bernardo”), who won a Tony Award in 2009 as one of the three original “Billys” in Billy Eliott the Musical. I remember taking my daughters, who were a little younger, to meet and have things signed by the three young men. It’s fantastic to see him giving such a vivid performance now as a grown man on the big screen.

Looking back on these photos, two-and-a-half years ago but feeling like much longer, it’s clear that the 2021 release of West Side Story involves not only time travel back to the time of the show but also to the time of the filming. Even now, with the film in theaters only, not everyone feels safe seeing it on the big screen with vaccines giving protection but a new variant of COVID-19 running rampant. When you can see this version of West Side Story, however, I do recommend you check it out as I greatly enjoyed it.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, day and night

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When One Vanderbilt, a commercial office building next to Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan, was completed, it soared to 1,401 feet and became one of the tallest 30 buildings in the world. So – of course they had to create a public observation area! But, with the icons like the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, and newer competitors like One World Trade and The Edge at Hudson Yards, certainly the developers realized they needed to do something a little different when they opened last month. Having been twice, once during daylight and once after sunset, I can affirm that they succeeded in doing just that with SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt.

To get there, enter just to the east of the Grand Concourse at Grand Central Station. At this point (November 2021), there is a vaccination check before seeing a brief film and getting booties to cover your shoes (the reason for that becomes pretty clear once at the observation area). After scanning your tickets, you have two photos taken – one of your group as well as an individual photo of each. All digital photos are linked to a wristband with a QR code that you wear while experiencing SUMMIT.

You go up to the 91st floor in a very fast elevator, and immediately see what is different about SUMMIT once you walk onto the first observation floor. There are floor to ceiling windows and you walk on mirrors (when you reserve, they do recommend that you not wear a skirt, for pretty obvious reasons!). The experience of seeing up and down, seemingly endlessly, is striking.

And what can you see? First is a picture-perfect view of the Empire State Building to the south, and much farther south, One World Trade at a distance. To the east, you look DOWN (a bit disconcerting!) onto the Chrysler Building, and to the west you can look down onto the New York Public Library and the skating rink in Bryant Park, over Times Square, and toward Hudson Yards. To the north, you see Central Park and the super-talls on Billionaire’s Row. You can see the Statue of Liberty, and every bridge, from the Verrazzano-Narrows to the George Washington.

And for bonus activities, there is a room with Yayoi Kusana’s Clouds sculptures, a place to get your picture taken stepping out over the side of the building onto clear glass, with clear glass all around you (called, natch, Levitation), and a very trippy room filled with floating silver mylar globes called Air by Kenzo Digital (see some videos of what that is like here).

When you go up one more level, you can see down to the people entering on the mirrored floor in addition to seeing the views from one level up.

One more level up has a Danny Meyer cafe as well as an outdoor observation deck with clear barriers but open to the sky above.

Of course there is a gift shop!

But what is it like at night, and with the Ascent elevator and enjoying a signature Danny Meyer cocktail? I was back two weeks later for the entire experience.

I found the experience to be much more exciting and beautiful at night, so much so that I feel just posting some full-sized photos is enough to make my point.

I mean, a full moon didn’t hurt! Also, this time I was able to catch my face in the clouds (below), triggered by scanning your wristband and linking the individual photo you took earlier to a moving cloudscape in one of the rooms.

But what of the Ascent elevator? See above, for an extra price, you can stand in a clear glass elevator perched on the side of One Vanderbilt, go up even higher, have 90 seconds to take photos, and come back down. There is an enhanced ticket that you can get that includes the experience, the Ascent elevator, and a Danny Meyer cocktail (menu seen in a photo collage above). Did I enjoy the cocktail (I got the margarita) – of course, it was delicious! But do I think you necessarily need to pay for the Ascent plus cocktail to enjoy yourself? No – if you need to save a little money, just do Summit without any add-ons. Speaking of cost, tickets cost more at night than during daylight, with an extra surcharge for sunset times. There is a $5 per ticket discount for NYC residents. Find out more here.

I read a review of SUMMIT recently in Curbed (read it here) that called it “a ridiculous experience” and said it can’t replace enjoying NYC from ground level. Frankly, I think that misses the point. Of course the quintessential way to experience the city is to walk it (my first post was about just that). That doesn’t mean that it isn’t also tremendously enjoyable and exciting to see the city in a different way – and SUMMIT is a very different experience. Whether you are a New Yorker looking for a fun new sensory trip, or a visitor wanting to add to the ways NYC can wow you, I don’t think you will be disappointed if you decide to give SUMMIT a try.

Showstoppers! Broadway Costumes Exhibit

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As Broadway reopens after 18 months of pandemic shutdown, there is an exhibit on West 42nd Street that highlights the incredible costumes that light up the stage (and screen). Open through September 26, tickets are required (go here for more information and to purchase) but proceeds go to help the talented people in the costume industry whose financial stability has been devastatingly impacted by the shuttering of the entertainment business. Here are my impressions from going a few weeks ago.

For a time-limited exhibition like this, I thought the layout and design was excellent. The exhibit aims to teach the observer about the work and design elements going behind these elaborate costumes, while giving the opportunity to see the details of the costumes up close.

Here you see costumes from the Broadway productions of The Cher Show (Bob Mackie), Side Show (a particularly challenging costume) and Six (which was going to have opening night on the very evening that Broadway was shuttered).

Disney productions are represented here: Aladdin, The Lion King, and Frozen.

Wicked – it’s interesting to see Elphaba’s costume up close and see that it is not a matte black. Adding texture and some subtle color gives the dress depth on the stage.

Costumes from Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Cursed Child (Draco Malfoy).

Hamilton! I was fortunate to be able to go backstage before pandemic and see some of these costumes up close then. Apparently Lin-Manuel Miranda asked for Alexander Hamilton’s costume to be “the color of money” and after several tries this iconic green silk was confirmed. Being able to make the ensemble’s costumes able to dance in – without looking like stretchy dance clothes -is a particular challenge for most Broadway costumers.

I have also been backstage at Phantom and seen the costumes at close range. For solid black or white costumes like these for the Phantom and Christine, texture and small variations in color are used to keep them from appearing flat from the audience.

Costumes from non-Broadway productions were also highlighted. Here you see costumes from a cruise ship, from the circus, for a Broadway Cares production, from dance, and the iconic costume the Radio City Rockettes wear in the March of the Wooden Soldiers.

The exhibit also highlights the importance of cleaning and caring for costumes, with many from films being preserved since, unlike on Broadway where costumes wear through and are replaced constantly, a film is limited in time and requires fewer repairs or replacement of the costumes.

The exhibit ends on a positive note, with Broadway reopening happening on a rolling basis throughout the fall.If you are able to see the costume exhibit, it may improve your enjoyment of the costumes you see from your seat as you return to a Broadway theatre!

Immersing Yourself in Van Gogh

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Imagine living inside the bold colors, textures, and images of a Van Gogh painting – music swelling as the lush visuals move around you. It can be experienced rather than imagined, by going to the Immersive Van Gogh Experience in NYC through September 6 (tickets are limited and it seems to be sold out the last weekend, so act quickly), and in cities all over the United States and Canada over the next year. I went to the exhibit on the East River here in Manhattan recently, and some of my tips about visiting will be specific to the NYC exhibit while others are more general and should apply to other locations.

The NYC experience is at Pier 36 on the East River, closest to Montgomery Street and South Street on the Lower East Side, between the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges. The 75,000 square foot interior space was designed by Broadway set designer David Korins (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen), a collaboration unique to New York.

Tickets can be – and should be – purchased in advance, and prices range from $39.99-$69.99 depending on the day of the week and the time of day. Masks are required, and the numbers are limited to keep the experience uncrowded as well as covid-safe.

Before entering the immersive area, there is a reminder of the basic facts of Vincent Van Gogh’s life – his production, lack of success during his lifetime, and posthumous spectacular fame. When MoMA first reopened last year, it was eerily uncrowded, and I posted a selfie of myself in front of his “Starry Night” in part because you normally can’t get ever close enough to see it properly.

The first two rooms in the New York exhibit are smaller, and feature mirrored pieces designed by Korins to refract the larger projections on the walls and let you catch glimpses of yourself caught in the visuals. I noticed that many people got to the first room or two and stopped, and those rooms were more crowded as a result. My first tip would be that when you first enter, walk through the entire exhibit and see everything briefly before settling down to one spot. Also, visuals and music are on an about a 30 minute loop, so try to figure out where you are in the loop (if you see images from the asylum at Arles, with those crows of foreboding, you are near the end). Ideally you would see the entire “show” in one space, and in NYC the best space is the third gallery, which is enormous and has seating.

The third gallery in NYC also has an elevated platform, but my own personal experience was that being there felt less immersive that being on the floor. And what is the experience like? To me, I kept being reminded of an experience at the Rose Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History (no longer offered, sadly) called “Sonic Vision.” That show featured music from Radiohead, Moby, and others, and the music at Immersive Van Gogh is mainly original music by creator Luca Longobardi, but ranges from Thom Yorke and Edith Piaf to Handel and Mussorgsky (see the Spotify playlist here).The somewhat overwhelming experience of being immersed in visuals with music is trippy – I used to say that going to Sonic Vision allowed me to go on a psychedelic trip safely without having to take drugs. There is an element of that here – but with somewhat of a storyline to the experience, and the knowledge of what Van Gogh’s life was like, there was an emotional depth to it as well. You can stay as long as you would like, but I would suggest you need at least an hour – the time you figure out the space before another loop of the experience begins, the entire (about 30 minute) presentation, and time to go back and take photos or see things you might have missed in the first walk through. You can go back and forth between the galleries.

There is an extensive gift shop as you exit, and not just Van Gogh related (not sure why “I’m glad you are as weird as me” candles were included), before you exit and find yourself right on the East River on Pier 36, walking along the back of the building to get back to reality. The real world is discernibly less vivid – but Van Gogh lived in the real world and was able to create gorgeous hyper-reality with his imagination, so the exhibit serves as a reminder to dream in color. I have no idea what Vincent himself would think of this exhibit, and I did wonder that a few times while there, but what would life be indeed, if we had the courage – as he did – to attempt anything?

“Restart Stages” at Lincoln Center, Summer 2021

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As of mid-May in New York City, we feel on the very brink of real reopening as our vaccination rate increases and our covid positivity level decreases. Many limitations will be lifted May 19th, and Broadway tickets are on sale now for performances beginning this September. Lincoln Center launches its “Restart Stages” performance schedule tonight (May 10) and will be offering multiple opportunities to enjoy the arts through September (check out the calendar here). In addition, they have transformed the iconic plaza into a lush green space with real grass, courtesy of MacArthur “Genius grant” recipient Mimi Lien. Here’s what it was like to be there on the first day it was open.

If you want to visit, you need your mask, and to keep distance from others.
The entire plaza is covered in lush green grass, and it swoops sinuously up on the north and south sides.

There are occasional swoops of green added for extra places to sit or relax.

There’s even an upside-down swoop with free books and a shady reading space! There’s a pop-up sandwich shop for snacking as well.

My favorites were the grass-covered chairs and tables, though!

Elsewhere around the Lincoln Center campus, there are multiple outdoor performance spaces, some smaller and more intimate but others quite large like this one. Tickets are generally free, and can be won through an online lottery through the Today Tix app. Winners get a “pod” of two tickets – good luck and I hope to see you at Lincoln Center!

Empire State Building Sunrise Experience

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One of the things about living in a place like New York City is that often you don’t end up exploring many of the things that visitors consider a “must do” (unless, of course, you have visitors and accompany them!). But one of the silver linings of this pandemic time, when so many things are not available, is that you can find yourself drawn to figuring out what it is that you can do. One of my daughters discovered that the Empire State Building has an experience, limited to a very small group, where you watch the sun rise from the 86th floor observation deck. So, the day after Christmas in 2020, we found ourselves walking through the quiet city streets before dawn on a very cold and windy morning on our way to enjoy this experience.

Tickets are extremely limited – only 30 people – and on the morning we did it, there were only 18 (including ourselves). Our temperatures were taken, masks were required, and we filled out a health questionnaire upon checking in. Sunrise on Dec 26 was at 7:19, so we checked in at 6:30 and were allowed up (4 to an elevator) at 6:45.

We had noticed even while walking there that the sky was brightening toward the east, and when we walked out to the observation deck, there was a definite sense of dawn even though the Chrysler Building was still illuminated.

Being up there with so few people meant that often you had the feeling of having the deck – and the views – and the city! – to yourself.

From the deck, you could see not only the dawn, but the way the morning light hit buildings in every direction, giving them a pink glow.

I see many, many more sunsets than sunrises, so it was lovely to see the light slowly increase.

Finally, the sun appeared above a low bank of clouds on the eastern horizon! Over the next half hour, the morning sun rose and no longer gave a rosy glow, but simply illuminated the city – from One World Trade south to the entirety of Central Park looking north to Harlem. At 8AM, they were going to let regular ticket holders come up, so just before that, we left and were offered a private ride to the lower floor that held a display on the history of the building as well as a few fun photo ops. There were no other people there, and I can only imagine how crowded it must be usually (or how hard it is to get that perfect King Kong shot!).

Walking back home to make coffee at what would normally be very close to the start of my day, I reflected on the experience. It was expensive, but the privacy of being up there with virtually no one else there made it worth the cost to me. Would I have preferred it be sunset rather than sunrise? Well, yes – but I can see that there is no way for them to clear the observation deck for a private sunset experience like they can at sunrise by simply opening earlier to a small group. Would I have preferred for it to be less cold? Definitely, although in the warmer months the sunrise is earlier so you have to be there earlier as well (as early as 4:30 near the summer solstice). The ESB sunrise experience runs most days in the peak tourist season (and yes, that will come again!) and only a few days per month the rest of the year. For the price, you want to be sure the weather is good because the tickets aren’t refundable if it is rainy or snowy and you can’t see much. For this reason, I waited until two days before to book – and in more popular times, it is possible that all the slots are gone by then. So all in all, I was very glad I went and very happy with the experience of seeing my city welcome the sun from King Kong’s personal favorite perch.

2019 Dyker Heights Holiday Lights

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As we head into the shortest days of the year, we fight off the dark with celebrations of light. In previous years, I have written about how New York City celebrates publicly (see here for 2015 and here for 2016 posts, and here for last year’s post on holiday markets). Several years ago, I had access to a car regularly, and drove to Dyker Heights with my family to see the famed holiday lights (see that post here). This year, one of my daughters and I decided to take the subway (D train from midtown) and walk (about 20 minutes from the 18th Avenue stop in Brooklyn), and on a cold evening with some snow flurries, the lights once again did not disappoint – and I believe they have become more elaborate since the last time I was here in 2014. This tradition in Dyker Heights began in the 1980’s and since has increased every year, with many residents paying professionals $20K or more to deck out their homes. On weekends, traffic is bumper-to-bumper, and the sidewalks can be packed – so go on a weeknight if you can. The best viewing is roughly 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue, 83rd to 86th Streets. Here are some photos of what I saw this year:

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As we head into our own Roaring Twenties, I wish light and joy in the hearts of all!

Halloween on Governors Island

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I have written before about the experience of taking a short ferry ride from lower Manhattan and ending up on Governors Island, walking and biking around a little bit of country with killer views of iconic skyscrapers (read my previous report here). In addition, for years I have taken the drive up to the Historic Hudson Valley to see the Blaze, a massive display of carved illuminated jack o’ lanterns. This year I discovered, to my delight, that there is a Halloween ticketed event on Governors Island called Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns (also held in other locations outside NYC) so of course I needed to check it out.

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This year the experience started October 18-20, and will conclude later this week (October 24-27). The ticket is timed for the ferry you will take over, and you aren’t allowed to get on an earlier or later ferry, so be on time! The earliest time slot is 6 PM, and the latest is 10:40. There tend to be discounts for later times, and of course some time slots are already sold out. The ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Terminal, the same one that is used for regular ferries to Governors Island.

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At least in my opinion, some of the old houses left on Governors Island are a little creepy even during daylight hours, so being around them at night with mysterious music playing and thousands of illuminated jack o’ lanterns around is certainly enough to put you in the Halloween mood. I will say, though, that it is not particularly “scary,” so is appropriate for all ages.

All the jack o’ lanterns are hand-carved by artists out of real pumpkins, and the night I was there an artist was on site demonstrating the elaborate technique needed for such detailed compositions. Many are traditional spooky themes, but others reflect popular culture.

There were several in memoriam (see Luke Perry, above), plenty of Disney princesses and Game of Thrones tributes, as well as Harry Potter.

I loved the jack o’ lanterns themed to artists.

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I kept looking for a “She said yes!” jack o’ lantern near this one, but couldn’t find it. Erika, did you make it to the RISE and were you impressed?

The jack o’ lanterns are mostly on pillars raised up so that you can easily observe the details.

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One of the more surreal experiences on Governors Island is when you suddenly see the towers of lower Manhattan while immersed in this rural setting. Every now and then while viewing jack o’ lanterns I would glimpse One World Trade.

On the way back to the ferry there is an opportunity for unimpeded views of Lower Manhattan.  The views are terrific when seeing during the day on Governors Island, but the night time view is simply magical.

Those who don’t live in New York City might think that it’s difficult to experience a festive Halloween, but I definitely disagree! In addition to the RISE, Governors Island has trick-or-treating for children on October 26 (see details here). There are Halloween decorations all over the city, especially on townhouses (see a previous blog post on this topic here). The Cathedral of St. John the Divine has a marvelous Halloween Extravaganza every year that includes a scary silent movie accompanied by live organ music. And of course the famous Halloween parade takes over Greenwich Village the night of October 31.

I know I’m biased, but I do believe that New York City is the best and most fun place to live – any time of year!