Friday, November 1, 2013

Treats

Williamsburg, 2013


When I was a kid, trick or treating meant scoping out the leafiest, poshest of D.C. neighborhoods where families went all out decorating their lawns. You made out with a giant pillowcase full of candy in just a few hours. It was the quintessential suburban American experience, and I remember it very fondly. You had to carry a flash light.

In Brooklyn, while there are tons of Halloween events here and there, kids trick or treat at stores and the occasional building lobby, since most people live in apartments and people without children are rarely home before 7 p.m. This always sounded a little lame and impersonal to me. For a few years, I'd defiantly buy some candy in anticipation in the hopes of costumed visitors, but no one ever knocked on our door.

Last night, Will and I took Axel trick or treating with his godmother and I finally sort of got what the urban trick or treating experience was all about. There were hundreds of kids walking up and down Bedford Avenue and there was a great buzz of excitement in the air. We bumped into friends and neighbors and chatted with local merchants and laughed at the insane costumes on display.

Axel is admittedly young to get much out of the experience, but we had a great time popping into yoga studios, coffee shops, juice bars, baby stores, and tattoo parlors to add a bit of candy to his little basket. Needless to say, some of the Williamsburg businesses went all out, like Mast Brothers, which gave out homemade chocolate truffles, and Oddfellows, which gave cones of cotton candy. The kids didn't seem to have the slightest clue that elsewhere in America you have to ring doorbells to get your mini Almond Joys.

Axel, 2013


Consider me converted.

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