57th and 7th

Practice, practice. Unfortunately, I'll be missing the West Indian Day festivities again this year. But anyone in New York on Labor Day weekend should consider it. Catch the Children's parade on Saturday, up where it starts (somewhere near Utica and Eastern Parkway) and walk the route to the BMA. Then get up very, very early on Monday morning, or just stay out and party all night on Flatbush (chuckling recommends) and participate in the Jouvert parade. Don't wear any finery though. You are likely to get painted or slimed in some way or other. Then, If you can really hold your liquor, get by on very little sleep and you are a masochist for over-commercialized crap that's not altogether uninteresting, go to the regular West Indian day parade on Eastern Parkway. If nothing else, you can always flip off Mayor Bloomberg. I usually miss that one, but I'm not saying you should. Just don't mistake it for the main event. When done right, I'd consider rating West Indian Day weekend as New York's number 1 experience, though of course there are contenders, more contenders, a hell of a lot more contenders -- it's fucking New York -- contender city, so you may have your own opinion. Still, it's definitely up there. Next year I'll make it a point to be in the city and show you.