The latest travel information plus insider event and sightseeing tips for New York City, Boston, Hawaii, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Bermuda.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween from TheInsider.com
In honor of all that is ghostly and ghoulish, we are pleased to present the Insider Halloween Playlist, a list of ten musical selections full of hauntings, monsters and more:
Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.
Monster Mash by The Mighty Echoes
Addams Family Theme by The AMC Orchestra
Thriller by Michael Jackson
X-Files (Main Theme)
Twilight Zone
Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell
Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
They're Coming To Take Me AwayHa! Haa!! by Napoleon's Ghost
On this day in1858, Roland Macy first opened Macy's Department Store in New York City. It was his eighth business adventure; the other seven failed. In time, Macy's went on to become "the world's largest store." If that doesn't prove the old adage "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" we don't know what does!
As Halloween approaches, it is time to think about ghosts, ghouls, and of course, scary stories. So settle down in a comfy chair tonight and click over to the American Folklore web site, where you'll find myths, legends and ghost stories from each and every one of the 50 United States. So no matter where your travels take you this Halloween, you can find hauntings and horrors that happened just around the corner!
Get in the mood for the eerie events to take place on Halloween by learning about Manhattan's famous ghosts and ghouls. Then, take advantage of all sorts of Halloween happenings in NYC the weekend of October 27-28: say "boo" at the Bronx Zoo; join the Pumpkin Festival in Central Park; enjoy the spine-tingling Maze of Horrors at Hudson River Park'sPier of Fear, or take in any of the other events described below. Want to get a sense of what real "magick" is all about? Then head out to one of the NYC magic shops that stock items for authentic witches. And when the big day comes, celebrate by visiting the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History'sAnnual Spooktacular before heading down to Greenwich Village to see the annual Halloween parade. Boo at the Bronx Zoo What: Wear your costume and enjoy magic shows, spooky tales and music, and "spooktacular" arts and crafts. When: Saturday & Sunday, 10/27-10/28, 11:30 am-4:30 pm; $8/Adults, Kids in costume free. Where: Bronx River Parkway & Fordham Road, The Bronx
Ghouls and Gourds at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden What: Dig up some fun with gourd musical instruments, tattoos, performances, and a costume parade. When: Sunday, 10/28, 12-3:30 pm; Free with garden admission. Where: 900 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn
Pumpkin Festival in Central Park What: Come see the largest pumpkin display in NYC's history; bring a carved pumpkin to help break the world record!. When: Saturday, 10/27, 12-8 pm; Free for all ages. Where: enter Central Park at 72nd Street, Manhattan
Grand Central Terminal Halloweekend What: Grand Central is going orange! From special pumpkin-themed treats at the Grand Central Market, to pumpkin carving demonstrations, to live performances by local musicians, to trick-of-treating in Vanderbilt Hall, there's lots of fun to be had throughout the weekend! When: Saturday & Sunday, 10/27-10/28, times vary with event. Where: Grand Central Terminal, 42nd Street, Manhattan
Pier of Fear at Hudson River Park What: Older children will love the Maze of Horrors while the more faint of heart will enjoy storytelling, face painting, games and fortune tellers. When: Saturday & Sunday, 10/27 & 10/28, 12-9 pm; Free. Where: Pier 54, West 14th St. & West Side Highway, Manhattan
Halloween in Prospect Park What: Celebrate Halloween with good old fashioned scary stories, creepy critters, and even a haunted carousel! When: Saturday, 10/27, 12-3 pm; Free. Where: Enter at Prospect Park Southwest & 16th Street, Brooklyn
The Great Pumpkin Party at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden What: Wear your costume and have your picture taken with the Magical Pumpkin, go trick-or-treating, hear scary stories, and participate in pumpkin decorating and face painting. When: Saturday, 10/27, 12-4 pm; Free. Where: Battery Park City, West & Vesey Street, Manhattan
American Museum of Natural History'sAnnual Spooktacular What: Don your costume to trick-or-treat with dinosaurs, mingle with favorite characters and do arts and crafts. When: Wednesday, 10/31, 4-7 pm; $9. Where: Central Park West & 79th Street, Manhattan
The Philadelphia Museum of Art'scurrent exhibit "Renoir Landscapes: 1865-1883" is a wonderful show for everyone who thinks Auguste Renoir is just about voluptuous nudes or society portraits. We're not the only ones who are saying good things about it -- both the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer had positive reviews -- and the resulting crowds (requiring timed tickets and velvet ropes everywhere) may make you want to wait a bit until all the excitement dies down. But don't wait too long to go -- the show closes in early January 2008. For more information and ticket reservations, visit the Museum's web site.
Tomorrow night (rain date Saturday, October 27th), experience HOWL NIGHT VIII at Wolf Hollow in Ispwich, MA -- just a 45-minute drive away from downtown Boston. Wolf Hollow offers a unique opportunity to view gray wolves in as natural a setting as possible. Come see how they interact with their pack members and live in a social unit very similar to human families. On this special night, there will be a wolf presentation, a chance to howl with the wolves, a costume contest for adults and children with prizes, plus other activities for children, and plentiful refreshments. The gates open at 6 pm. General admission is $8. For reservations, phone 978-356-0216 or email info@wolfhollowipswich.org.
Staying City-Savvy and In-the-Know (This Post Sponsored by Shecky's)
Since Shecky's covers many of the same locations TheInsider.com frequents, including New York City, Boston and San Francisco, it is hardly surprising that we cross paths all the time. What we like: their focus on nightlife, their "hot list" of noteworthy restaurants and bars, and their shopping and beauty events (famous especially for the bountiful "goodie bags"). Want to know know what's happening now and where the best scene is tonight? Shecky's got the answer, along with suggestions about what to wear and which lipstick to apply before you head out the door. Don't have time to search through their listings for the latest news? Not to worry! Simply sign up for their free emails, and you'll receive daily updates about new openings, great events, plus the hottest products and trends.
But as much as we admire Shecky's, we do have to admit that they do some things better than others. For example, the New York City site is full of listings, well organized by neighborhood and genre; but we find that some other cities are not covered as completely. And there is not getting around the fact that their upbeat, fawning tone can grate on you after a while. In the end, though, these are quibbles, really, for a site that for the most part, delivers on its promise to keep you "city-savvy and in-the-know."
People are always asking us at The Aloha Insider what the best time to visit Hawaii is. Frankly, we think Hawaii is a great place to visit any time of year! But here are some things to consider:
Although Hawaii's busiest tourist season is during winter (December to February), this has more to do with the weather elsewhere, since many visitors are snowbirds escaping cold winters back home. If cost is a major factor for you, think about visiting in the relative off-season of summer or early fall, since April through mid-December is when hotel prices are at their lowest.
Average temperatures differ very little from winter to summer. June through October is the hottest period, while rainfall is heaviest between December and March -- but neither extreme is worth worrying over. Daily temperatures in Honolulu average a high of 84F (29C) and a low of 70F (22C).
If you're a surfer, you won't want to miss the Christmas-time action around Oahu's North Shore, but if windsurfing or diving is more your thing, you'll find the waters at their calmest in July and August.
October is Fire Prevention Month. While most of us have thought at some point about possible escape routes in our homes, travelers need to make sure they are equally diligent about planning how they would deal with a fire in their hotel room. For starters, it's a good quickly review the information that is posted on the door, since it typically shows where the stairways are located (remember that getting in elevators is a bad idea). And keep a flashlight by your bedside -- having a little light can be especially helpful when you are in unfamiliar surroundings, particularly when you vision is clouded by smoke. Above all, remember the following:
GET OUT of the building and STAY OUT!
Crawl low under the smoke.
Feel doors with the back of your hand for heat, before opening.
Open doors slowly and be ready to close them if heat or fire is outside them.
If your clothes catch on fire: STOP, DROP, and ROLL until the fire goes out and cover your face with your hands.
Close any doors you safely can as you are leaving to keep the fire contained as much as possible.
There are a variety of fun activities taking place in NYC this coming weekend: CultureFest NYC 2007 The seventh annual CultureFest will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 13 and 14, from 11 am to 5:30 pm, rain or shine. Lower Manhattan's Battery Park will be transformed into a cultural playground featuring more than 125 of New York City's best-loved arts, cultural, historic and performance organizations. Take in exhibits, video displays and live performances; meet dancers, artists and museum representatives; enjoy educational and recreational activities for kids of all ages, and learn about New York City's coming arts season. It's your once-a-year chance to see and experience it all in one place, at one time, and plan your personal arts calendar for the months ahead. Best of all? It's all free!
Great Children's Read Head up to Columbia University on Sunday, October 14 for the Great Children's Read - a free day of fun and books, plus live entertainment, on-site children's bookstore, readings, book signings and giveaways. The list of children's book authors and illustrators on hand include Academy Award-winning actress Julie Andrews Edwards and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton, Cheech Marin and Michelle Knudsen.
But wait, there's more! The New York Times has partnered with children's librarians from the three public library systems of New York City -- Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library and Queens Library -- to establish the list of New York's Top 20 All-Time Favorite Children's Books. Celebrities from film, TV and Broadway will read from the 20 books on the list throughout the day -- click here to see the full schedule.
Fall Fair The Upper East Side's Lower Lab School is sponsoring a Fall Fair, with plenty of activities to amuse the kids: carnival games, bounce houses, rock climbing walls, crafts, face painting and plenty of food. Go for the fun; stay to show your support for NYC public schools.
We've always been fans of the evocative graphics in vintage travel posters. So we were delighted to find that the International Vintage Poster Fair is holding two shows that feature these classic images. Called "Around the World in 3 Days - Great Cities of the World," the show will take place in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion from Oct. 19-21 and in San Francisco in the Fort Mason Center from Oct. 26-28.
When it is harvest-time in Boston, there is no better way to celebrate the bounty of the season than by picking your own fresh produce from a local farm! This is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours on crisp autumn afternoon, and the quality and price easily beat those of the mega-market down by the mall. There are a number of Boston-area farms which offer pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. So whether you are looking for apples or pumpkins, you'll find a wonderfully fresh assortment. As a bonus, many farms offer special attractions, like petting zoos, fall festivals, and the like.
Mark your calendars for America's largest architect and design event, held each year in New York City! The 5th Annual openhousenewyork weekend will be held October 6 & 7. Sign up to discover new neighborhoods and experience NYC's most interesting architecture and design in all five boroughs through special talks, tours, performances and family-friendly workshops - all free of charge!
The Lobby Lounge on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (80 Columbus Circle at 60th Street) offers fabulous views of Central Park and mid-town Manhattan from its floor-to-ceiling windows. Whether you choose afternoon tea, an aperitif at sunset, or cocktails as the night sets in, the views are spectacular and the surroundings luxurious.
At this time of year, our thoughts often turn toward Oktoberfest events and the fabulous beer we can get at them. But in San Francisco, we can taste great beer all the time. Want proof? Take the free 45-minute tour of San Francisco's Anchor Brewery. (Important note: allow more time -- about 2 hours -- if you want to linger for the free tasting -- and you should!) Their original all-malt, handmade "steam" process was pioneered in 1896 and continues today. Click here or call 415-863-8350 for more details.
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