"Spooky score: ???????????? Dim lighting, mirrors everywhere, crisp white tablecloths that would suit a sheet ghost: There’s strong overlap between romantic and spooky at this famously atmospheric West Village landmark. With an average of two proposals a week under One If By Land’s chandeliers, New Yorkers more readily associate this place with Valentine’s Day than Halloween. But some have speculated that Aaron Burr’s former carriage house (which became a restaurant in the ’70s) has as many as 20 ghosts on the premises, including Burr and his daughter Theodosia (yes, her), who is said to swipe earrings off women sitting at the bar. Despite descriptions of flying objects and flickering lights, our meal was paranormally uneventful—except for the moment our beef Wellington arrived, and our EMF meter surged. We later sat at the bar for a moment, just to see what it felt like. Upon returning home, we were shocked to discover we’d lost an earring. It turned up later in a bag—but still." - molly fitzpatrick
