Expressions of their owner’s creativity and flair, Tompkins Square Park was packed with dogs parading in force to celebrate the approach of Halloween. Dinosaurs, ballerinas, ladybirds, bumble bees, bats. An inquisitive Buzz Lightyear sniffing around a princess in a tutu. “And here’s Max, and his owner Terry, and Max has come dressed as Mutt Romney! Let’s hear it for Max!†Cheers. Applause.
“Here’s Mr Sniffle, and his owner Paul. And Mr Sniffle has come dressed as the Mars Rover! Let’s hear it for Mr Sniffle!â€
Outside the park, homeless guys with undressed dogs on bits of string watched as a gorgeous drag queen awarded a case of home cooked dog food to a dog dressed as an open top tour bus, and a woman loaded a puppy dressed as a lobster into a Luis Vuitton carry case.
Last year, when he saw it, Jon was pretty certain that this is what Rome would have looked like moments before the fall. This year, more immune to New York life, we sat on a bench in the Autumn sun drinking hot apple cider as yellow leaves drifted around us, and played dress up dog bingo. “That’s 2 dogs dressed as bats!†“I’ve got three as crocodiles!â€
Bobbing apple hot apple punch (6 + servings depending on glass size)
2 quart apple juice ½ quart cranberry juice ½ quart water ¼ cup brown sugar Peel and juice from 1 orange 8 small apples 20 cloves 15 allspice berries 4 cinnamon sticks 3 cups calvados (or 2 calvados and 1 of brandy) Â- Pour the apple juice, cranberry juice and orange juice into a pan or, better still, a slow cooker. Add the cinnamon, allspice, berries, sugar and 5 cloves and simmer everything really gently for 2 hours
- Preheat the oven to 375f
- Stud the apples with cloves, then bake for 30 mins until soft. Set aside.
- Once the juices have simmered for 2 hours, add the apples, the orange peel and the calvados. Keep warm in the slow cooker and let people help themselves