“Do you have your Halloween look picked out yet? With only one more weekend to go before the big day, it’s time to start shopping for the perfect face covering to go with your costume. Then again, if your face mask of the past seven months is also going to be your Halloween ensemble, there’s plenty of haunted houses and spooky attractions where you can go flaunt it.

But for this weekend, you can kick off the start of early voting in NYC, try Korean bingsoo shaved ice sundaes from a brand-new shop, find your new winter wardrobe at a curated vintage pop-up in Industry City, or take an eight-mile hike through the woods without leaving the five boroughs—we’ve rounded up actually fun things to eat, drink, see, and do in NYC.

Warm up at a ramen noodle pop-up

Friday, October 23, 6pm
Upper West Side
For one night only, ramen chef Shigetoshi Nakamura will be serving up piping bowls of noodles to warm your bones in this chilly weather. Only 100 bowls of torigara chicken, tontoro creamy pork, and spicy vegan sesame miso will be available, so make sure to get in line to slurp up the one you want. The pop-up starts at 6pm at comfort-food restaurant Good Enough To Eat and ends when the ramen runs out.  
Cost: Bowls start at $17

Get a jump start on early voting with a march to the polls

Saturday, October 24
Multiple Locations
October 24 kicks off the first day of early voting in NYC. Celebrate your constitutional right and make your voice heard by joining a rally with Plus1Vote, an organization dedicated to getting out the vote. If you’re in Brooklyn, you can join a 10am rally at Grand Army Plaza, then make your way with the crowd to the polling place at the Brooklyn Museum; in Manhattan, the gathering starts in Washington Square Park at 12:30pm and moves to the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts for the crowd to cast their votes. And check out our voting primer for more resources and tips to stay safe while voting.
Cost: Free

Eat your way through the start of Harlem Restaurant Week

Weekend-long
Harlem
The 11th annual Harlem Restaurant Week shines a spotlight on one of NYC’s best food destinations. Running until the end of the month, participating bars and restaurants are offering $25 prix fixe lunches and $35 prix fixe dinners, letting you take full advantage of the city’s extended outdoor dining (takeout and delivery are available, too!). Have a meal at a Harlem standby like Ruby’s Vintage Harlem or try out a new spot—it’s the perfect time to find your next neighborhood favorite. 
Cost: Prix fixe lunch is $25; prix fixe dinner is $35

Get the blues at an immersive light show

Weekend-long
Chelsea Market
To celebrate Classic Blue, Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year, the Celestial light show is bringing the blue hue to life. Made to be Instagrammed (wear blue to fit in with the theme, or a contrasting color to stand out), the newly-opened digital installation at ARTECHOUSE uses lasers and sound to create a totally immersive experience. All COVID-19 protocols are being followed, so get your timed entry ticket in advance to ensure your spot. 
Cost: Tickets start at $19

Take a hike without leaving the city

Sunday, October 25, 10am
Staten Island
You don’t need to leave the five boroughs to go on a brisk fall hike! Together with NYC’s Urban Park Rangers, this guided trail through the Staten Island Greenbelt starts at Willowbrook Park and ends at Great Kills Park, offering lots of opportunities for fresh air and leaf-peeping as you go. The hike is 8 long miles one way—or 16 miles round trip—so come prepared with good hiking shoes, clothes you’re willing to get dirty, and plenty of water and snacks. 
Cost: Free, but registration is required

Try new sandwiches from an LA fave

Weekend-long
Downtown Brooklyn
Molto Stretto, a sandwich shop that’s a favorite of Los Angeles sandwich connoisseurs, is opening up a Brooklyn location inside Livingston Manor bar. With sandwiches like the Ill Papa, made with mortadella, capicola, chorizo, manchego, giardiniera, and dijonnaise, and the Spicy Salami with Calabrian honey, arugula, and parm, they’re slinging the perfect sandos to soak up your weekend drinks. 
Cost: Sandwiches start at $10