Happy Halloween from Einstein and the rest of Princeton

Rather than sitting at home and waiting for the few children who come to our front door on Halloween, Don and I have taken to going out on Halloween. This year we decided to walk around Princeton, and have dinner at Tiger Noodle.

Right after parking our car, we saw this Barbie Photo Box. It is silly, but we asked the mom of a trick or treater to take our picture.

We then continued to Jefferson which has turned into THE Trick or Treating scene in Princeton. The police block the road to cars so everyone stays safe. I asked one of them why this street (after all it wasn't decked out like Thompson Street in Bordentown, or Union Street in Lambertville), and the best answer he could come up with was because it is in the center of town and it organically turned into the street (not to say trick or treating cannot happen in other neighborhoods). I should have taken a picture of the crowded street, instead this is just a duplex in Princeton. Note: Thompson Street did not decorate this year.

 

The real story about Halloween in Princeton dates back to 1933, two weeks after Albert Einstein moved from Germany to Princeton, NJ to join the faculty at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). Local legend has it when children knocked on his door saying "trick or treat," Einstein, unfamiliar with the tradition, opted for a treat: he played his violin.

This Halloween the IAS decided to recreate the tradition by having Adrienne Walsh dress up as Einstein and play the violin from 5:30-7:30 pm. Ms. Walsh played music that Einstein is known to have played while standing just inside the front door of 112 Mercer Street. It was a little nippy that night, so she moved inside to keep warm and dry. May the tradition continue.

To be more historically accurate, this should have taken place at his first home at 2 Library Place, but let's not be spoil sports.

Happy Halloween!

Lambertville's Union Street at Night

After checking out the Halloween displays on North Union Street in the daytime, I encouraged Don to return at night. Researching Dolores Dragan's house, I saw she uses a black light at night to give her creations a completely different look. This time I brought my DSLR camera, as well as my iPhone, and took more pictures. Since it was dark out, we drove rather than taking the tandem on the towpath.

They sing, too, just like at Disney

Some new displays since a few days earlier

One more look at the displays curbside

A little later would have been better, but the line had grown to longer than we felt like standing on it since we had already seen it in broad daylight and again at dusk. We satisfied our curiosity by seeing how the ones in front of the house transformed rather than standing in line for our turn to go into her backyard. I wonder how long before she convinces the owner on the other side of the duplex to let her expand her display to their backyard so there could be one way traffic. She has already taken over their porch and by the sidewalk.

When we went during the day a local artist was creating a painting based on one of the scenes. He was waiting for a small child to stop by so he could include the awe. He said he has made one painting each of the past few years. He sets up his tripod and spends many hours capturing the image. What a treasure! I would love to see his collection. I wonder if he gives them to the family? They would make a unique silent (or live) auction item for charity. Even though he was still working on it the Wednesday before Halloween, I could see it was going to be incredible.

Happy Halloween from Lambertville's Union Street

After learning that Thompson Street in Bordentown was not going to be decorated this year, I encouraged Don to check out Lambertville's famous N. Union Street Halloween displays.

Both newly not working, we loaded the tandem bicycle in the back of Don's Honda Element and started our trip from Washington Crossing, NJ. We rode seven miles to Lambertville where we parked the tandem by locking it to a traffic sign and walked down the street to enjoy the displays.

Fall foliage was at its peak. Being midweek, there was very little traffic on the tow path, or competition for parking spaces, making it an ideal day.

Even though Halloween was still nearly a week away, many of the houses were already fully decked out. Since we were traveling light that day, I only brought my cell phone to take pictures.

Here are some pictures from that afternoon:

Then we came to the famous 133 North Union Street home. In the late 1990's art teacher Dolores Dragan started creating Halloween scenes that are more in the style Nightmare Before Christmas than of Nightmare on Elm Street. Each tableau is a standalone work of art. Together it feels like a museum. It started with a few statues 24 years ago and now stretches from her backyard to the side yard, front porch, and curbside, and overflows into space belonging to the attached duplex. Some images are based on faces of people she knows. Sounds like the display changes some from year to year. She did take time off from 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but came back last year much to the delight of many. Her creativity has encouraged the rest of the street to join in the fun. I spoke with a former neighbor. The first year he moved in he asked about the number of trick or treaters and just about fell over when he was told 800. It has only grown from there.

The art teacher is now retired. Her husband handles media requests so she can concentrate on her art.

We saw a few more homes, and had some ice cream while in town.

We crossed the bridge into New Hope, PA and rode back on the Pennsylvania side, making the return trip about a mile longer than the way out (maybe only a half a mile longer).

May we have more biking adventures.