More than a few restaurants and bars have staked a claim as New York’s original this or that, but The White Horse Tavern humbly asserts its status as the city’s second oldest tavern. All we know is that it’s pretty old, and that the writer Dylan Thomas perished right around this time of year in 1953 at the age of 39 after imbibing a few too many at this storied location. It’s said that his spirit might still haunt the place, rattling glasses and perhaps imbuing your very own manuscript with a bit of his signature style–and motivation to make it to a 40 under 40 list before it's too lateee . . .
Whether you believe that ghosts travel among us, or apparitions are the product of exhaustion, tricks of light or too many scary movies before bedtime, NYC has a handful of haunts to gin up your hackles and send your spine a-tingling this Halloween. Fortunately, a few of them also sell food and drinks to fortify your soul and provide a little liquid courage before you stalk back out into the even spookier real life night.