Brokelyn

For Halloween events, check the skint’s listing of 50 free/cheap creepy spooky events!

FRIDAY
6-10pm: a dozen bushwick art spaces stay open late for the sixth bi-annual ‘beat nite’ art-stroll/bar crawl, free. Read the rest of this entry »

While you’re perfecting your steampunk Vader costume in this week before Halloween, make sure to check out our calendar of free fall events to get you revved up for the big day: Not only is there a special screening 0f the first two episodes of the eerie Twin Peaks at Veronica People’s Club tonight, but the folks at the (spooky-sounding) Meat Hook are holding a (less spooky sounding) panel tomorrow discussing food sourcing and how you can affect the food industry. And for more All Hallow’s Eve related outings — from free haunted houses, costume contests and lantern tours, make sure to check out this list from the skint!

Selections from 2010 deal. This year's designs will be released Halloween day.

You’ve got two chances to save some money on a permanent reminder of your love of Halloween this year: Brooklyn Tattoo on Smith Street has already been doing $31 spooky tattoos all month; now Three Kings Tattoo in Williamsburg is back with its annual $31 sale on Halloween day only, from noon to 10pm. Patrons can choose a design from a flash sheet of seasonal images, which won’t be revealed until Halloween day. It gets packed, so make sure to get there early and get your name on the list. See the rest of last year’s offerings here. Rest assured that none of them will be as spooky as these tattoos.

photo by Flickr's Alain G.

Everyone knows Halloween is perhaps the busiest party seasons in New York City (sorry, New Year’s, you’re just not slutty enough). Every year we don’t even try to put together a list of the best free and cheap Halloween events because our pals over at the skint do it so well that we would look like the house giving out pennies next to a house that gives out full-sized Snickers. They run down 50 creepy spooky events you can do through Oct. 31: haunted houses, costume parties, 90s TV parties, pumpkin catapulting, candy & liquor pairings, movies and more. Check the full list or forever be haunted by missed opportunities.

FRIDAY
1-5, 6-9pm (+10/22, 27-29, 31): the gravesend inn, the high-tech haunted hotel created by city tech’s resident theatrical troupe, opens for its 12th year of tours at 186 jay st, brooklyn, $5 Read the rest of this entry »

If you work your way into the right hand-me-down loop, you won’t have to buy your kid clothes until at least age 5, when the castoffs start to get a little ratty. But Tuesday night at to the Old Navy outlet in Flatbush (a fave), the Halloween costumes were so cute they bear mention here. Dragons, hamburgers, strawberries, ice cream sundaes, some monkey-looking creature, all for $14.94, which is four bucks cheaper than you can buy them online. (All originally labeled $24.94). So much nicer than the garbage-y vinyl costumes they sell at drugstores. By the way, if you haven’t been to Old Navy (1009 Flatbush at Tilden), it’s worth a visit. They don’t seem to officially call it an outlet, possibly because some of the merch is full-price, but there are loads of wicked deals, especially among the clearance racks.

FRIDAY
4pm: rogue taxidermist takeshi yamada presents a show-and-tell of creatures from his museum of world wonders. nypl coney island, free.

7pm: cover band bonanza! hole, smashing pumpkins, prince, ac/dc, stp, sunny day real estate, fleetwood mac. bar matchless, free.

7pm-midnight (thru 10/31): meet ghastly ticket sellers, ride inspectors, and victims of an unfortunate roller coaster crash at ‘the ride inspector’s nightmare‘, a 45-minute ‘tour’ through the coney island sideshow back rooms. bonus: luna park rides will be open weekends during the run. coney island usa, $10. Read the rest of this entry »

Be prepared. Saturday night at the Masonic Temple

Werewolf Bar Mitzvah, spooky scary; boys becoming men; men becoming wolves… Ok, even if you don’t get the 30 Rock reference, you know what’s coming up. Halloween in Brooklyn is about zombies, scary drinks and, of course, Halloween event roundups! So, don the costumes, act out your frighteningly-realistic alter-ego and check out these free and mostly cheap parties heading into the weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

Lady Gaga: bizarre fashion, ridiculous lyrics—she’s the most decadent and ludicrous persona of this All Hallows’ Eve season and likely one of the most ubiquitous as well. My goal: to achieve Gaga-dom for a barely-making-rent budget. If you have safety pins and white undies, you’re already halfway there, and the rest can be purchased at thrift shops, fashion discounters and 99-cent stores. Stop on your way home from work, or try the places I visited on a Williamsburg/Bed-Stuy/Fulton Mall pre-Halloween costume blitz:

First stop: Williamsburg Salvation Army (180 Bedford St.).

11 a.m. I was skeptical about a thrift store on hyper-trendy Bedford Avenue,  but I had to compromise for my Manhattan-based shopping partner. Found a child’s hooded, white-fur vest ($3.99). Also grabbed a white tank ($1.99) on my way to the register. Also saw nice slips for less than $2, cute skirts, good belt selection… Read the rest of this entry »

BAD. You can do better

Still searching for that perfect glue-on mustache and calculator-machine-gun-combo to complete your stimulus accountability czar outfit? Maybe you’re just trying to figure out which version of Michael Jackson to be? (Our suggestion: there’s going to be plenty of Thriller-zombie-MJs. But will anyone suspect duet-with-Eddie-Murphy Michael Jackson?)

The next two weekends are loaded with various costume swaps that could be a cheap and quick way to get your gear together for All Hallow’s Eve, assuming you’re one of those people whose days are busy applying for jobs and working and stuff, not picking out how best to skank up your dog. Read the rest of this entry »