1. GET A CUSTOMIZED HAUNTED HOUSE: On Christmas, there are ginger bread houses. On Halloween, there’s…this. Bringing terror to neighborhoods everywhere, the NY-based Haunted Construction Co. (TheHauntedConstructionCo.BlogSpot.com) will build you a customized haunted house, based on your own house, but doll-sized. They also sell pre-made houses from your favorite horror films like The American Horror Story, Night of the Living Dead and Psycho.
2. MAKE A COMMITMENT CONTRACT: At Stickk.com, you can lose weight, quit smoking, pay off your mortgage, go to the gym or anything else you aspire to do. And if you don’t, you’ll be punished. Developed by Yale University economists to help people successfully reach their goals, Stickk involves incentives. When you create your commitment contract, you put money on the line, an amount of your choice, and determine where it will go if you fail—like an opposing political party’s campaign or someone you can’t stand’s bank account.
3. GET TIX FOR MY AMITYVILLE HORROR: For the first time in 35 years, Daniel Lutz recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975. This documentary reveals the horror behind growing up as part of a world famous haunting and while Daniel’s facts may be other’s fiction, the psychological scars he carries are indisputable. My Amityville Horror will have it’s NY premiere at Doc NYC at the IFC Center on November 10.
4. ATTEND THE REPTILE EXPO: Long Island’s largest reptile expo comes to the Huntington Hilton in Melville with more than 110 vendor tables featuring a huge selection of pet reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, and pet reptile supplies. Sure, all you have to do is step out your front door these days and come upon an alligator. But this is probably a lot less terrifying.
5. DOWNLOAD SPELL TOWER: From the creator of Halcyon, Bit Pilot, and Unify, this word game is part-crossword, part word jumble, and part word puzzle with a little bit of Tetris thrown in. Find and swipe words in five challenging modes—the longer, the more points—to clear extra letters and tiles from the screen.
6. MAKE PRESIDENTIAL BEER: In the spirit of the presidential election, Northern Brewer (NorthernBrewer.com) is selling a kit based on beer recipes recently revealed on the White House blog. The kits include all the ingredients you need to make White House Honey Porter or White House Honey Ale. Bottoms up!
7. TYPE ON A VIRTUAL KEYBOARD: So you’re typing away on your tablet or smart phone wishing you could pull a keyboard out of your bag when you need one, without having to lug it anywhere. ThinkGeek has a pretty awesome answer to your problem. The Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard is a laser-projected keyboard that works on any flat surface, simulated clicking sounds and all—and it fits in the palm of your hand.
8. TAKE A TEST DRIVE—ON THE RACEWAY: More than 15 top car manufacturers including Toyota, Honda And Ford will have more than 120 models available for test drives at the Riverhead Raceway this weekend (Oct. 20 & 21). The two-day event features three pre-determined tracks: a road course simulation for passenger vehicles, an off-road track for trucks and suvs, and for those who need more action or simply a rush of adrenaline, the event offers the once in a lifetime chance to experience selected models on the Nascar raceway.
9. SEE IF YOUR LIFE IS A LIFETIME MOVIE: Have you ever had an outrageous moment, day, week or even a year that has caused you to throw your hands in the air and say, “I can’t believe this is happening to me!” Depending on your experience, then congratulations, your life could be a Lifetime movie. Visit Press.AENetworks.com to see if your life is worthy of My Life is a Lifetime Movie, the network’s new unscripted series.
10. BUY HIPSTER DUST: Straight out of Williamsburg, Brooklyn comes this vegan spice mixture with a cult following used to flavor vegetables, soups, noodles and anything else you feel like. Visit HipsterDust.com for a list of recipes. A 2-ounce tin sells for $5, but if you’d like to try before you buy, you can get a 1-cent sample at Facebook.com/HipsterDust.
