This is Halloween

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I love Halloween. I've always appreciated the creativity and craftiness of making my own costumes, and my everyday aesthetic could be best described as macabre. I wear ghost socks and decorate with skulls year-round, so October is the one month of the year where it all syncs up. 

I'm disappointed that this is the first year since 2013 that I'm not throwing a BooZy brunch. I moved into a studio and have literally no space for visitors. As much as I love living alone (seriously, it's the best), I felt a little lost this year not having party prep on the agenda. I did the next best thing, however, and channeled all of my Halloween energy into making a very complicated and unwieldy costume, which I will debut tonight at the Village Halloween parade (and hopefully it won't hobble me for days afterward). 

I did take all of my decorations with me in the move—they constitute an embarrassing percentage of my overall belongings—but they'll stay packed away until my next party (whenever that may be). Luckily, New Yorkers have been good about getting into the spirit(s) this year, and my walk from the bus stop to work every morning has been filled with ghoulish delights. 

I'm not sure what it's like in other parts of the city (decorations are sparse in my Harlem neighborhood), but residents of the Upper East Side take Halloween very seriously. It's also interesting to me to see literal multi-million dollar mansions covered in spiderwebs and severed plastic limbs, but that's exactly the kind of rich person I would be.

I have no concrete evidence of this, but they probably pay someone to decorate for them—like some of the Dyker Heights lights displays—and if so, how do I get this job?? Regardless of how they get there, I love all of the spooky kitsch—skeletons, tiny bats, elaborate mannequins—and will always appreciate the humor and effort behind it all.

Happy Halloween!

Sleepy Hollow, 2017

Before I ever moved to New York, I knew I wanted to visit Sleepy Hollow during October. I even put it on my silly list of things to do before I turn 30, and I crushed that goal. I'm now 32 and Sunday was my fourth (mostly) annual trip upstate to the village formerly known as North Tarrytown. 

I'm embarrassed to say that it took me far too long to read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow short story by Washington Irving. I don't know why I waited so long to pick it up—and the story is less than a hundred pages, so it only took me a day to read—but it definitely added to my enjoyment and appreciation of the area.

It might seem silly or pointless to revisit the same tiny town year, after year, but I'm always seeing something new. There is also a comfort to holiday rituals, and as soon as the leaves start to turn and I feel a chill in the air (something woefully missing this year—it was nearly 80 degrees on Sunday), I start looking forward to the fall pilgrimage. This year's group of adventurers included some newcomers, and it's nice to be able to introduce people to Sleepy Hollow and share the places that I've come to love so much. 

This year we spent the bulk of our time visiting two historic houses in the area—Washington Irving's Sunnyside and the Rockefeller estate, Kykuit—so we didn't have a lot of time to wander. We briefly peeked into the cemetery but unfortunately it had already closed for the day, and we ended the night screaming (and laughing) our way through the outdoor haunted maze, Horseman's Hollow. 

I love that the village of Sleepy Hollow has come to embrace their famous legend—the headless horseman is everywhere, showing up on their street signs, police uniforms, fire trucks and school mascots—and I would imagine that locals either absolutely love Halloween, or grow to hate the influx of visitors. Every year I find myself discovering a lovely house with a mansard roof, cornstalks tied to columns or pumpkins on a porch and thinking that it must be the most wonderful place in the world to call home—but living just an hour train ride away isn't too bad either. 

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Places to see: Kykuit // Sunnyside  // Lyndhurst // Union Church // Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

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Thing to do: Horseman's Hollow // The Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze

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Places to eat: Horsefeathers

Dyker Heights Lights 2016

This was the fourth year in a row that I've trekked to Dyker Heights to see the Christmas lights and displays for which the neighborhood is known. This year we went on the first weekend in December, which was great for the lack of crowds, but not-so-great when we noticed a few of our favorite houses weren't quite finished decking their porches.

Dyker Heights is located in between Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst in southwest Brooklyn. The majority of the Christmas displays are located equidistant from the D and R train stops, from 11th to 13th Avenues and 83rd to 86th Streets. I definitely recommend walking, if you can—the traffic always seems to be a bit of a nightmare as people slowly gawk at the lights.

The displays haven't changed much over the last four years, but that's part of the charm. We've come to look forward to specific houses—the good ones and the bad—even if we can't quite remember where any of them are actually located. Wandering around using the lights as a guide is a great method, and we've discovered new and wonderful things every year. It's also fun to look back on previous years and see how things change with time—plastic choir boys lose or gain an eyeball, baby Jesus's appear or disappear and every year inflatables (the laziest decorations, in my opinion) gain in popularity.

I will always appreciate how over-the-top the displays in Dyker Heights get, even if a lot of houses pay companies to decorate for them (how do I get this job?). I've never regretted moving to New York, but I do miss my Ohio (and Texas) family and our traditions most around the holidays—but it's comforting to know that new traditions can be just as wonderful.

Dyker Heights Lights2014 | 2015

Holiday Windows 2016: Bergdorf Goodman + Bloomingdale's

Every year Bergdorf Goodman hits it out of the park with their holiday windows. This year they are a bit underwhelming, but still leaps and bounds above any of the others. The theme this year is "Destination Extraordinary" with windows inspired by the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History.

The windows use mostly the same greenish color palette (how on-trend) and each depicts a different imaginary destination (has 2016 gotten to me, or does the primate window seem Harambe-inspired??). The details in the Bergdorf windows are always next-level, and this year is no different. It's a shame that the sidewalks on Fifth Avenue are so crowded—especially with "White House North" nearby—it's difficult to linger long enough to really appreciate all of the special touches.

Bloomingdale's always has a few good windows and a few head-scratchers. This year's theme is "Light," but despite a unifying topic, the windows are mostly very different from one another. Crystal-studded windows have been done better by Bergdorf's, but I appreciate any display that includes multiple mannequin heads, beautiful tile work and a huge octopus chandelier.

Holiday Windows 2016: Saks Delights

Despite the insane crowds that infiltrate Midtown at this time of year, I do like the holiday season in New York for the same reason it attracts crowds—it's impossibly charming. The Rockefeller tree is always smaller and more raggedy than I imagine, and five minutes of navigating the Fifth Avenue sidewalks is enough to commit anyone to Bellevue for observation.

But then you pass an intricate holiday window, or it begins to snow and it feels like you're living inside of a real life city snow globe. While we've yet to have our first real snow, the holiday windows have been revealed, and I went to check out my favorites this past weekend.

 By now it's tradition to gawk at the window displays (Bergdorfs, Saks and Bloomingdale's) and compare them to years past—I still maintain that 2013 is the year to beat, but maybe I'm just nostalgic for my first holiday season in the city. Saks Fifth Avenue always splits their windows, with a main theme featuring animatronic scenes (two years ago they did Fairy Tales, and the year before that featured the Yeti), with the side windows featuring Saks fashion. This year there was a candy theme to all of their decorations, although I think last year's icy theme was better overall.

The best part about the Saks windows is that they reflect the Deco beauty of neighboring Rockefeller Center, adding to that city-in-a-snow-globe feeling. The candy theme was a good idea, but the execution felt a little cheap—not something you expect from Saks—with large, shiny plastic lollipops and candy canes and... not much else. I do, however, very much appreciate that they set up barriers so you're forced to form an orderly line if you'd like to view the windows up close. They even have a bouncer to maintain order, which is something that other stores with holiday displays (especially Bergdorfs) should think about adopting.

Saks Fashion Windows: 2014 | 2015

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Balloon Inflation 2016

I've seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person two-and-a-half times now, and this will be my fourth consecutive Thanksgiving spent in the city (we visited a year before I moved and caught half of the parade). The parade will always feel nostalgic and so very New York to me—we watched it every year while I was living in Ohio, and finally seeing it in person was a life highlight. I'm definitely not done seeing it in person, but this year I decided to brave the balloon inflation instead.

Every year the balloons are inflated the night before the parade, in the streets bordering the American Museum of Natural History. The inflation starts at 3pm and viewing ends at 10pm—the later you go, the more inflated the balloons will be. I arrived at the beginning of the (incredibly long) line at around 4:30pm, and the balloons were entirely inflated when I reached them around 6pm. I was expecting and dreading a large (child-full) crowd, but I was prepared and stayed pretty zen as strollers nipped my heels.

Once we actually arrived at the balloons, however, the crowd loosened a bit and the views were incredible. I tried not to smile too outrageously—I was by myself—but I couldn't help but be giddy seeing the balloons so closely. The best views of the balloons can be had in the parade, of course, but most were repeats that I had already seen in previous years. It's also fascinating to catch a glimpse into the inner-workings of such a large event, and there were tons of workers in jumpsuits inflating, securing and keeping watch over the balloons.

I think I'm a little too old-fashioned (and maybe just too old) to care much about the new(er) character balloons—Trolls, Thomas the Tank Engine, Paddington Bear, Pikachu, The Elf on a Shelf, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Scrat from Ice Age—but the classic Macy's balloons—stars, pumpkins, elves, the hippo and the Harolds (policeman and fireman)—really feel like Thanksgiving to me. Seeing the balloons did make me a little bit sad that I won't be seeing the parade this year, but then I saw a man in a turkey hat taking a selfie in front of an elf balloon and realized just how thankful I am for this city and this life.

Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2013 | 2014

BOOzy Brunch 2016

For the third year in a row, I threw a BOOzy brunch to celebrate the High Holy Day, aka Halloween. It's the only party I throw all year, for a few reasons: it's a lot of work to throw a party, I go waaaayyyy overboard on everything, and Halloween is really the only holiday worth celebrating (if I had to pick just one).

I hosted a few Halloween parties when I lived back in Ohio, and some spooky treats are staples by now—spiderweb deviled eggs, mummy hot dogs, salsa-and-cream-cheese dip that looks like puke but tastes like heaven and loads of creepy desserts. This year my showstopper was a meat skeleton, an idea that I fell in love with the minute I saw it on Pinterest. My wonderful dude found the perfect skeleton for $9.99 at Walgreens (true love!) and my partner-in-snacks, Francesca, expertly arranged the meats ("Do you have any art direction?" "Just make it gross, I trust you.")

Some new additions to the repertoire this year included a (vile) veggie tray, "eye of newt" cake pops, Jell-OoOOo shots (in tiny cauldrons!) and jack (cheese and bean) o'lantern quesadillas. The only time of year when I really scour Pinterest is Halloween, but my favorite source for spooky snack ideas is still the Queen of All Things, Martha Stewart. I used to obsessively collect her magazines—the Halloween issues especially—and while Pinterest is very hit-or-miss (see the Jell-O worm debacle of '14), a Martha idea is always solid.

I probably own enough macabre everyday decor that I needn't buy a single Halloween decoration, but that didn't stop me from buying approximately every single thing in the Halloween department of Target this year. When I moved to New York I sold almost all of my decorations, which was heartbreaking, but rebuilding my collection has been fun.

My dude and I dressed up as Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz, which was pretty easy to pull off with my own wardrobe and allowed me to play with my long flowing locks all night long—it's funny how much difference a wig makes, especially when people are so used to seeing me with short hair. I've probably said this about every one of my Halloween parties, but I dare say this one was the best yet—there's only 365 days left 'til next Halloween!

Past BOOzy Brunches: 2014 | 2015

Recent Reads: Halloween Edition

I haven't done a recent reads post in a long time, but I've been on a fairly consistent reading streak this year that I'm super pumped about. I used to devour books as a kid but sometime after college I just sort of stopped reading for pleasure, with a few exceptions. However, when I moved to New York I found myself with loads of time to read—on the subway, eating in diners alone, waiting to meet up with friends, etc.—and I fell hard back into old habits. I don't read as quickly as I'd like, sometimes I take breaks and some books are just too heavy to carry on a daily basis (I realize this is why e-readers exist, but I'm a slave to the printed word).

Last year I started tracking everything I read through Goodreads, and it's been so fun to have a tangible record. It's immensely satisfying to login and mark a book as "read." I've finished 35 books this year, and I probably won't hit my arbitrary goal of 52, or a book a week, but it still feels substantial. I'm a bit of a book hoarder (pictured above is just a small portion of my "to read" list), but I also love the library—it's still a thrill to me that I can walk into a library and walk out with a book, for free! I function really well on deadlines, so having a set timetable in which to read a book is really helpful too.

Anyway, that's a really nerdy lead-in, but it's the most wonderful time of the year—can you believe Halloween is only a week away??—so I thought I would skew this post toward the macabre, which isn't hard because most of the books I read year-round fall into that category. Here are some of the more recent additions to my 'read' pile:

A Season with the Witch: The Magic and Mayhem of Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts, by J.W. Ocker

I'm actually in Salem as you read this (the magic of scheduled posts!), and I prepared by reading this last week. I've been to Salem once before, but ten years ago and in August.

For the past three years we went to Sleepy Hollow, but this year we decided we were ready to conquer Salem the week before Halloween. Immediately upon starting this book, I decided that my next chapter in life would be to move to Salem and finally live out my dream of owning a haunted house and living every day like it's Halloween. I may change my mind after braving the crazy crowded streets, but if you're considering a visit, I would recommend reading this book first. Ocker does a good job of looking at the history and how current-day Salem has mutated from a site of a shameful event to "Witch City."

Library of Souls: The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

I waited forever to read this series, but once I started I had to finish the trilogy as soon as I could. The first one is wonderful, the second one was ok, but I enjoyed this one the best. The story picks up right where the second one ends (major cliff-hanger alert), and I think that it's the most imaginative and emotional of the three. The ending is satisfying, and the photos are creepy, as always. I was somewhat disappointed with the movie (the last half, anyway) but with books this good that was probably inevitable.

Down Among the Dead Men: A Year in the Life of a Mortuary Technician, by Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams (no, not that Michelle Williams) impulsively applies for a mortuary technician job with no experience working with the dead, and details her first year on the job in this memoir. I will read anything and everything I can find about the funeral industry, and while this was an easy and entertaining read, it wasn't the best of the genre. She wrote a little too much about pubs and her boyfriend, and not enough about autopsies and dead men, but when she did get into the nitty gritty, I was entertained.

The Secret Poisoner: A Century of Murder, by Linda Stratmann

Sometimes I wonder what fellow subway passengers think about me based on my choice of reading material, but that didn't stop me from reading a 320-page book about poison with a skull-and-crossbones on the cover. Like Down Among the Dead Men, this wasn't the best of the "poison" genre—yes, I've read many and my favorite is The Poisoner's Handbook—and to be honest I sort of slogged through it but it's hard to be too dull when you're talking about secretive poisoners throughout history.

Elmer McCurdy: The Misadventures in Life and Afterlife of an American Outlaw, by Mark Svenvold

My friend Jim originally bought this book and asked if I'd be interested in borrowing it (duh). While filming the Six Million Dollar Man at an amusement park in California, a camera crew discovered that one of the funhouse "mannequins" was actually mummified remains, later identified as McCurdy. His journey from failed outlaw to the Los Angeles coroner's office is a strange one, and while the author diverges from McCurdy's life a bit too much, his story is just weird and (hopefully) unique enough to make this a worthwhile read.

The House of the Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Speaking of Salem, another thing I did in preparation for our trip was finally finish The House of the Seven Gables. I had picked up a copy at the gift shop when we visited ten years ago, and started to read it periodically since. I was never able to really get into the slow story and old-timey dialogue, but I was determined to get through it this time, and I did. I alternated between loving (and highlighting) Hawthorne's insanely wordy prose and wishing sentences, paragraphs and entire chapters would just end. It's definitely not an easy, breezy read, but it's one of those classics that I'm glad to have experienced until the bitter end. Sample sentence: "

Recognizing little Ned Higgins among them, Hepzibah put her hand into her pocket, and presented the urchin, her earliest and staunchest customer, with silver enough to people the Domdaniel cavern of his interior with as various a procession of quadrupeds as passed into the ark." 

I'm currently re-reading The Westing Game (for the many-th time), but I always welcome new book suggestions—macabre or not. And if you have similar tastes, be sure to also check out Kaylah's book posts because we might accidentally be the same person.

2016 Easter Parade: Dogs

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed at the dog content of this year's Easter Parade. The pug content, however, was definitely higher than last year so that sort of made up for the lack of other breeds. I also got to actually pet a pug—current favorite dog breed—for the first time IRL, so it was still a wonderful day.

I saw a few dogs that I had first met last year—including Chloe the pug and Charro the chihuahua, whose owners were very friendly and graciously allowed me to squeal with the unique delight that comes with seeing an already-adorable dog dressed in his/her Easter best.

May I mention yet again how cute the pugs were?? Blame Doug the Pug or Noodle, but my obsession has reached peak levels in recent weeks. Seeing a pug wearing a fleece bunny suit with his curly shrimp tail poking out did absolutely nothing to subdue my intense, primordial need to rub my face into a squishy pug face.

Right before we left, and after complaining about the lack of dogs, we hit the jackpot—a stroller packed full of six (six!) chihuahuas, all of which were dressed up in some way. The one wearing the dress seemed so proud to show it off (along with her painted nails!) and she was so nice that it was easy not to be jealous that she rocked a fancy Easter dress better than I ever could.

2016 Easter Parade: Bonnets

Last year I went to the Easter Parade for the first time and it was so much fun I think I've decided to make it an annual tradition. The parade—which isn't really a parade in the traditional sense—started in the 1870s with people congregating on Fifth Avenue after Easter mass let out. It definitely seems as if there are more photographers now than actual participants, and it can be quite a zoo, but it's still a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

I saw a few direct repeats from last year, including the guy with the carrot cigar and a pretty busted-looking Easter bunny, but most of what we saw was new. Some people take the traditional egg/basket/bunny ears approach, some get political and some just get downright weird.

Gatherings like this are prime spots for the type of person who has a wizard costume gathering dust in their apartment—while not seasonally appropriate or anywhere near "on theme," I have to give people credit for being creative and weird.

We saw less dogs this year than last, unfortunately, but still enough to warrant their own separate post. As with any creative showcase, my favorites were the ones that clearly took time and thought. There was a group of people with New York-themed bonnets that were really extraordinary, but the crowd around them was so overwhelming that we couldn't stay near them as long as I would have liked. I've already decided that I'm not only going to go to the Easter Parade again next year, but I think it's finally time that I get serious and participate.

2015 Easter Parade: Bonnets | Dogs

Dyker Heights Lights 2015

When I moved to New York in 2013, my first boss mentioned that I might like the insane Christmas lights displays put on by the residents of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. I took her advice, and it has since become one of my favorite holiday outings.

This was the third year in a row that I went, and although the displays don't seem to change much from year to year, I think this is one tradition I'll hold onto for a while. The houses of Dyker Heights are insane enough on their own, but when you drape them in garland, snowmen, pine cones, nativity scenes, inflatable snow globes and every color of light imaginable, well then you get something truly magical.

As with most things, I look for, and appreciate the creepy things the most. I especially love when beloved figures such as Santa or Jesus manage to take on a sinister vibe, whether on purpose or by accident,  it's always a delight. This year I revisited my favorite no-eyed choir boy (he had one eye last year)—and one-eyed choir girl—and was terrified by a teeth-baring Santa. But it was definitely the awkward animatronic Santa-and-child tableau that took the prize for strangest decoration of the night.

Of course I loved any statue that looked as if it came from the Magic Forest—a little old, a little busted, a little off—and the Jesus-holding-Christmas-lights was a personal favorite. I definitely recommend going to see the lights on a weeknight—the crowds can get quite overwhelming on a weekend—and definitely go by foot. I appreciate anything that's completely over-the-top on a very personal level (I'm pretty much Clark Griswold) and if you could declare a neighborhood as your spirit animal, I'd have a hard time finding a better match for me than Dyker Heights at Christmas.

Dyker Heights 2014

Holiday Windows 2015: Bergdorf Goodman

I mentioned in my post about this year's holiday windows at Saks that as expected, the Bergdorf Goodman windows are the clear front-runner. Every year I've spent the holiday season in New York, the Bergdorf windows have been leaps and bounds beyond all others, and this year is no exception.

This year's "Brilliant" windows comprise millions of Swarovski crystals in collaboration with the company to celebrate their 120th anniversary. My favorite is definitely "Crystal Ball," which features a crystal ball-gazing monkey, tarot cards, spinning wheels and palmistry hands.

In addition to the crystals everywherethere is also an under-the-sea themed window, "Treasured," made mostly of tiny pearls, and an amethyst-mining scene called "Hidden Gem." Bergdorf's packs so much detail into every scene and it's a challenge to see how much you can find in a single viewing. I love the bejeweled hammer and flying bat, and the purple glass stalactites need to be seen in person to be believed.

The "Glitteratti" window features a fantastic party, with crystal cakes, a pin the tail on the donkey game, ice cream cones (the same one I used for my Halloween costume), chandeliers and champagne. I like the birthstone connection, which just adds yet another layer of attention to detail that really is mind-boggling. The strings of thousands of beads that form the hairdo and lion's mane in the "Crown Jewels" window must have taken some intern the entire year to make—and I would take that job in a second.

Holiday Windows 2015: Saks

I spent Sunday morning checking out this year's holiday windows at Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany, Henri Bendel and Saks. In keeping with the last four years that I've been in the city for the holidays, the Bergdorf windows are definitely the best, and Saks is the respectable runner-up.

I definitely preferred the fairy tale theme of Saks's windows last year to their around-the-world theme this year, and I think the main windows are overshadowed by the secondary, fashion-focused windows. Everything was rendered in shades of white and silver—mannequins, wigs, dresses, shoes and tablescapes were all draped in frosty tones and sprinkled with glittery, powdery "snow."

Once again I took these photos during the day, with Rockefeller Center in all its deco glory photobombing any chance it could get. I love an icy winter theme—but I do think Bergdorfs did it better two years ago—and I'm hoping the weather gets its act together and gives us some actual snow soon.

BOOzy Brunch 2015

On Saturday I threw my fourth Halloween party—my second since moving to New York, and my second time having a daytime BOOzy brunch. It was my first time dressing in costume for Halloween since I've moved to New York, but I had been planning this particular costume pretty much since the day I arrived. I've also moved since last year, so it was my first party thrown in my Brooklyn apartment.

I no longer have a fireplace to fill with pumpkins (so sad), but I brought back some of my favorite spooky treats like eyeball cupcakes, spiderweb eggs and the drunk pumpkin—who managed to make some of my guests so queasy that they wouldn't go near the dip.

True to its name, this brunch was definitely boozy with most people BYOB'ing (or BYO-mimosa-ing). If drinks aren't your forte (*raises hand*) I definitely recommend this approach when throwing a party. Alcohol is expensive and can be very hit-or-miss. People have such varying tastes, and they'll never be disappointed if they bring what they like to share. Francesca definitely won the mimosa game with her beautiful, dangerously delicious and easy-to-make candy corn-inspired drink—I see it becoming a staple at all of my future Halloween parties.

I think the reason I love Halloween so much is that it combines and rewards people for being two things: weird and creative. For at least one month out of the year it's an actual asset to be both of those things—it's ok to be into cemeteries, to hang ghost paintings on your refrigerator and wrap your door in caution tape.

It's also acceptable to wear a giant ice cream cone on your head and walk through the streets of New York with all of the other people who are just as crazy as you, and some who are even more so—only 363 days until Halloween!

More Halloween parties: 2014 | 2011 | 2009

Sleepy Hollow, 2015

We recently went on our third annual day trip to the village of Sleepy Hollow—formerly known as North Tarrytown—which is located about an hour north of the city in the Hudson River Valley. Although Washington Irving published his classic short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820, North Tarrytown didn't officially adopt the name until 1996.

The village is very small, but they definitely embrace its association with Halloween, and have fully adopted the headless horseman as their village mascot. He appears on everything from the street signs to the fire trucks, sanitation vehicles and police badges—even the high school football team is called the Horsemen.

We started off the day by seeing the Chagall and Matisse windows at Union Church, which is located in the picturesque neighborhood of Pocantico Hills, northeast of Sleepy Hollow. Photos aren't allowed inside of the church, but it's definitely worth the trek (we took Uber) to see the incredible glasswork by two insanely-talented artists. The Matisse window is widely believed to be his last work and Union Church is one of only three places in the US to see Chagall glass.

We wandered around taking in—and taking photos with—the festive sights, drank pumpkin beers and hot cider, took a lantern tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, were scared and impressed walking through the creepy Horseman's Hollow and I came away with a floaty pen featuring the headless horseman—this is Halloween.

More Sleepy Hollow: The Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze | Lyndhurst | Sunnyside + Kykuit | Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Easter Parade, Part Two: Dogs

As much as I enjoyed the elaborate bonnets at the Easter parade, my favorite participants were by far the dogs. I've always considered myself a cat person, but I have to admit that lately New York has turned me more and more over to the dog side of things.

The main appeal of dogs is definitely the ability to dress them up—rain coats, boots, hoodies, hats, backpacks—New York dogs are way more fashionable than I'll ever be. That is especially true of the dogs that came out on Sunday decked in their Easter finest and I could have spent days photographing and trying not to smoosh all of their adorable faces into my face.

I tried to be respectful and ask the names of most of the dogs I was photographing and I had the pleasure of meeting Chloe, Charro, Fred, Pink Dog Frankie and Puccini. I like my dogs small and smooth/short-haired, so of course the pugs and chihuahuas were my favorite. I was disappointed that I didn't see at least one dachshund, which made me want one even more than I already do (to dress as an Easter ham perhaps?).

The tiny top hats, bonnets, pearls, boas, sunglasses and bunny ears just about killed me and it seemed like I was spotting a new dog every few minutes that would make me squeal with delight. Although I don't know how nice it is to dye your dog completely pink, most of them were pretty chill and didn't seem to mind all of the attention or the ridiculous outfits.

Although I still adore Mozart, I don't foresee her being cool with me strapping an Easter bonnet on her next year and pushing her down Fifth Avenue in a stroller—but if anyone has a dachshund they're not using, let me know.

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

Easter Parade, Part One: Bonnets

On Sunday JMP and I went to check out the Easter "parade" on 5th Avenue. I put parade in quotes because it's not really a traditional parade, but more of a huge street party. It was actually a little more chaotic than I was expecting with spectators out-numbering participants by a large margin, but once we embraced the craziness of it all it was really fun.

As with any costume-based event, there were some real stand-out bonnets, a lot of pretty good ones and some that made you wonder why the person even tried at all. I actually wish there were even more bonnets than the ones we managed to see but there's a good chance we missed some great ones in the crowd.

The whole scene was really a photographer's dream—with everyone posing constantly for photos—and it was really fun to feel zero shame sticking my camera wherever I felt like to get the shots I wanted. There were even moments when I thought it might be fun to go all out and make my own bonnet next year, but I don't think I could deal with the pushy crowds and all of the attention for very long.

Of course as with every public New York event, there were people who were dressed up in costumes that had little—if anything at all—to do with Easter. The cat-on-head guy is usually charging for photos in Times Square and you have to try pretty hard with your craft supplies to top a live animal bonnet. I heard someone ask the guy with the spiked cap how long it took him to make his elaborate costume and he replied "Oh, this? I just had it."

Holiday Windows 2014: Saks Deco

In addition to the Fairy Tale-themed main window displays, the rest of Saks Fifth Avenue's windows are more fashion-focused with an Art Deco style. Before we arrived at Saks, I had just been telling Jim that I really didn't understand fur as fashion. We had seen a few people walking down Fifth Avenue in absurdly ostentatious full-length fur, and aside from all of the ethical reasons why fur is wrong, I thought it just didn't look great. Then we came to Saks, where nearly half of the ensembles in the Deco windows included a fur piece of some kind (I'm not sure if it's real or faux, but I'm guessing if it's at Saks, it's real).

I had to admit that the mannequins looked stunning, although it's hard not to love the sparkles, the swirling beadwork. the golds and silvers and the classic glamour that is inherent to the Deco style. The New York Times would be pleased to know that I spotted at least two monocles on the male mannequins, which—along with the pencil-thin mustaches—helped them look extra sinister.

These photos also ended up having that interesting double-exposure look since they were taken in the afternoon, with Rockefeller Center serving as the quintessential Art Deco architectural backdrop. There were at least two actual Rockettes costumes on display (the skyline dress and the feather headdress ensemble), which were neat to see in person and reminded me that I need to get to the Radio City show next year. I am a huge fan of classic, Christmas-themed displays or the insanely intricate themes at Bergdorf Goodman, but I found myself really appreciating and marveling at the truly just-for-fancy fashions at Saks.