Some Tidbits

Today was a gorgeous day, so I went for a walk in the West Village. The West Village has very quiet, tree-lined streets so it was the perfect autumn stroll. While I was walking around I had to stop for a cupcake (of course) so I went to Magnolia, where I saw Monica Lewinsky!! I wouldn't have noticed her if it weren't for two middle-aged women standing near me who were loudly whispering "that's her, I know it is", as well as the bakers who were also looking at her and whispering. Poor Monica! It's a very small shop so she must have noticed.

Last night I went to the Village Halloween Parade, which draws an estimated 2 million people each year. It runs up 6th avenue from Spring Street to 21st Street. It was OK, but it was insanely crowded (at one point I thought I was going to be crushed to death), and it is the type of parade that is probably much more fun for the participants, rather than the bystanders. It is basically just hundreds of people dressed in costume who march along the street, with a few unimpressive floats thrown in every now and then, and some marching bands.

I was able to solve a mystery that had been plaguing me: how do New York kids, most of whom live in apartment buildings, go trick-or-treating? The answer: they go to stores! Every block has a ton of delis, laundromats, restaurants, etc so the kids just pop in and out of each store asking for candy. The stores expect it so they are prepared. I also read a disturbing article in the Times yesterday about the growing trend of "trunk or treating" in suburban areas. Parents load up their car trunks with candy, park in church or school parking lot, and the kids go nuts running from car to car. The Times explains the reasoning behind this thusly:

"Trunk-or-treating — also known as Halloween tailgating — solves the rural conundrum in which homes built a half-mile apart make the simple act of ringing doorbells require some physical fortitude. Where neighbors are strangers, these community events substitute family-friendly entertainment for the unwanted risks of what lies behind each door."

Unwanted risks? Physical fortitude? Sinister!