A New York Scavenger Hunt for Halloween

This is the time of year for lots of out-door activity. It's crisp and the temps are on their way down. Time to think of hot cider and warm robust Fall flavors and activities.

Back in December of good old 1970, we threw a Scavenger Hunt Party, that had our New York guests running to all corners of the city in pursuit of answers to clues they were given. I think that it’s time to inspire another scavenger hunt party, for Fall or Halloween. Children or adults. 

My party was for adults. Think of it as "An Amazing Race". All you need to do is invite your guests. Be creative and make up your own clues wherever you live. Give two or more to groups of two or more adults. Some may need a car to get their items. Put one car couple in each group.

While you explain the rules and give them the clues, libations and a nibble is a good idea to fortify your guests, since you're sending them back outside. But be sure to let them know you will have dinner and wine waiting for them when they return.

 Tell everyone to go out and return with the evidenced items by a certain time. At this point dinner is served and tales are told accompanied with the accomplished loot. If you choose, prizes can be given to the guests in a variety of categories. Be creative. 

Arrange the food in a buffet style and have everyone seated in the same room, so that the show and tell is seen and heard by everyone.

Dinner can be something casual, and fun, like chili and tacos and all the trimmings, chowders, stews or pasta, a salad and dessert.

Let me explain our clues and then give you the answers.

Here are the clues presented to our 18 guests: You can find most of the places still exixt, while others have disappeared with time.
Answers to each clue at the end.

1          1.  There’s an Isle above Bloomingdale’s where the natives speak Italian and if you can find Mamma, she can help you get every last thing from the third table on the left.

     2. Whatever you’ve done lately, we’re sure it deserved headlines, so bring it back on tonights front page.

               3.    If it’s a clear night you can probably find a Moondog and if you do – prove it.

     

              4.    We don’t want a thousand year old egg but we do want an old Chinese recipe in English and on a brand new raw egg. 

    5.  Don’t check in but check out with a towel.

     6..  No smoking tonight without an Italian ashtray, a French ashtray, a Chinese ashtray, a Russian ashtray, an American ashtray and a Japanese ashtray. 

  7              7.     It shouldn’t take more than a quarter to give us a wallet sized smile. 

     3. . If you can find an oasis surrounded by Palms don’t stop for tea, but hurry back with a leaf. 

     9.   The Horseman chased the rabbit across the green. Find 3 pieces of luck in that if you can.

      10.      Make sure it’s good and there’s plenty of it- some of it pops, and one of them sounds like a New York Yankee. Another is afraid of scarecrows, one of them comes from Pennsylvania and another has Peter & Paul but no Mary- please don’t stay for the cartoons. 

            11.                 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s, it’s got to be Kitsch.

                12.     One old chief is worth 5 cents, a recent chief is worth 10 times that and one is pure silver.

  1            13.     We want you to come back hungry so get the menus and run back up town- start 50 blocks downtown.

               14.   We only want labels but you must find a red, a white, a rose and at least one drawing of a Chateau and one ’59 or ’61 vintage.

                 15.    Find something to sit in an evergreen or hang among needles. Pick one from the sky that we can set upon a high perch before the 25^th. 

   16.                Make a world tour and bring back a souvenir from each of 6 countries. 

  1             17.    You won’t need a  password but each of you must have one of the following: A policeman’s button, an entertainer’s autograph or a narrow tie.

.               18. Get a little culture or visit The Great   White Way- along the path pick up at least 6 programs. 

                      19.  We know where you can get a foot long hot dog tonight-do you?

               20.   10 feet of something.

  .                21.    A real New York Souvenir
      

         Answers-

Isn't it amazing that so many of the places still exist in New York.
The Isle of Capri http://www.isleofcapriny.com/ is a family run Italian restaurant that still stands on East 61th Street.

There are many news stands to be found for several evening newspapers.

Moondog used to stand at 56th Street and 6th Avenue .

Restaurant ashtrays, are of course, a thing of the past.

Photo booths are around somewhere, since they became popular again,
but I'm sure they are not 25 cents anymore.

Believe it or not The Palm Court still stands in The Plaza Hotel, even though Trader Vic's is gone.

The movie house candies I'm sure are still around. They are Babe Ruth, Black Crows, and Mounds Bar. If the movie house doesn't have them, I'm sure you can find them at a Dylan's Candy store.

I hope you have fun!!!