Halloween Parade 2007, Diane A Conlon, Origenart.com

Aleo (7 West 20th Street)- In Chelsea, right on the parade route, this popular Italian/Med (one of my personal faves) will be serving up devilish Mango Martinis by costume-clad bartenders.

Source: VintageTour1.com

Just an hour and a half outside the sparkling lights of Manhattan lie the lush green land of one of the largest growing wine countries in the U.S. If you haven’t had the chance to get to Long Island to visit the wineries, hop on the Jitney and join any of the wine tours offered in the area. I highly recommend Vintage Tours, where the owner, Jo-Ann, will be your best friend by the end of the day. She’ll pick you up and be your tour guide (and designated driver) along with less than 15 others.

It’s virtually impossible to research a sailing trip in NYC and not be inundated with ads of double-decker buses and cheesy harbor tours. Since the idea of what was virtually a Carnival Cruise ship that doesn’t make it past the Statue of Liberty, didn’t appeal much to me, I dug a little deeper and found Shearwater Sailing. The Shearwater crew maintains a 1920′s yacht and offers both private and public tours that leave from Battery Park City. The boat is intimate and the crew is laid back and fun. You can bring your own picnic and for an extra $20, unlimited beer and wine is available. You’re left to enjoy the uncompromising views and your company. Shearwater even offers fall foliage tours and provides cozy blankets to keep you warm on the brisk fall days. Ahoy, matey!

Rising like a misfit among the tenements and restaurant supply stores that line the Bowery, the New Museum rises above with the teetering stack of metal mesh-clad boxes that are finished with a cartoonish rainbow stamp that simply states, “HELL YES.” Very Japanese, yet… very New York. Tokyo design partners, SANAA brought their creation to what was once home to one of the seediest hoods in Manhattan. Although an unlikely choice for a museum, “new art and new ideas” seem to fit for this contemporary museum; or at least offer less resistance than the Whole Foods down the block. The seven-story building houses three main levels with a raw and exposed space for artwork. There’s also a theater, café and rooftop terraces. I’d highly recommend checking out the museum on Thursday evenings from 7-10pm and your visit will be free. Hell yes!

GOAL is actually an international humanitarian organization that responds to practically every man-made or natural disaster across the world. With the idea that every human has the right to the fundamentals of life – food, water, shelter, health care and literacy – GOAL has spent over $795 million dollars in the past 31 years fighting this cause.

Élan Barish, The Stash creator

“In these uncertain economic times, a little bit of luxury goes a long way,” says Élan Barish, creator of The Stash, a personalized consignment service creating the corridor between luxury and affordability. From Manolo Blahniks to a Kiton Mink Bomber Jacket, Barish has a stash of goods so great and guilt-free, you may never step foot in Bergdorf’s again. How can you get in on the action? Well, you can take advantage of Élan’s services in two capacities: seller and shopper.

Élan will come to your house and personally help edit your closet so you can sell the ware that you don’t, can’t or shouldn’t wear anymore. This is The Sort. With a discerning eye, Élan picks out the pieces that she knows will sell. Élan will then work with you to price the items and find them good homes through private consignment sales. At the very first Stash party, 75% of the seller’s items were sold.