Things to Do in Passaic

It's hard to tell what's going on behind the metal grillwork covering the windows of the building that still bears the name Union Square Savings Bank carved into its stone. That's because of the blackout drapes—the vintage 1840 Greek Revival monolith with 40-foot ceilings has been a theater since 1996, when Daryl Roth took it over and got rid of all the dusty old money inside. The theater producer, who has staged seven Pulitzer-winning plays, has since opened up the unobstructed space to an array of other spectacles.

Argentina–born soccer enthusiast Gustavo Szulansky opened Super Soccer Stars to provide the boroughs with a program that championed the personal development of youngsters rather than solely a skill-based focus. Since its debut in 2000, it's grown throughout the city, helping countless youngsters learn teamwork, boost confidence, and decrease arguments during home games played on the dining-room table. This rapid growth is due in part to the positive values Gustavo instilled from the first class. His coaches are carefully selected for their ability to cultivate a noncompetitive, sensitive approach to learning the game, and they dole out their knowledge in both classes and camps.

Super Soccer Star's Kick & Play program features family-friendly classes that help tots 12–24 months old develop pre-soccer skills and physical skill sets simultaneously. During classes, a team of talented and enthusiastic instructors and an athletic duo of puppet friends named Mimi and Pepe buoy budding soccer players with positive reinforcement, individual attention, and the merry clickety-clack of cleated tap dances. Designed with the help of early-childhood specialists, each age-specific class helps players build skills at their own pace with positive reinforcement, individual attention, and engaging original music.

Blake Eastman, a psychology professor at the City University of New York, is like a lie detector that’s always on. When he meets strangers, plays poker, sits in on corporate negotiations as a consultant, or turns on the TV and watches politicians speak, he analyzes dozens of nonverbal clues and subtle behaviors that betray an individual's true feelings and intentions. "I've always been a natural at it," he says. "It's part of who I am." But through his education and independent research he’s gotten better and can now pinpoint every indicator that shows a person is hiding their emotions or outright lying––from their microexpressions to their wooden nose growing 2 inches.

During interactive group classes Blake outfits his students' observational tool belts with the knowledge to read body language, detect lies, or improve their dating lives. Classes engage with multiple activities that range from video analysis to role-playing. As images of apologetic celebrities and athletes flash across the screen, Blake pinpoints telltale microexpressions that crawl across each liar's face. In the game "two truths and a lie," students take turns trying to deceive each other as the class hunts for the lie and its tells. The skills in each class lay a foundation for what Blake calls a lifelong effort to learn what someone is truly thinking or feeling.

PishPoshPaints enlivens the walls of homes, restaurants, and hotels with hand-painted works executed by highly skilled, professional artists. Clients send in a picture of themselves, a family member, or a favorite landscape to a talented paintslinger who interprets the image through oil and canvas, leaving behind a one-of-a-kind piece suitable for hanging above a roaring fireplace or stuffing into a novelty-sized wallet. In addition to creating original masterpieces, PishPoshPaints' dedicated artists recreate public-domain works such as van Gogh and Monet landscapes, traditional Jewish artwork, and modern designs.

Founded by Queens native and the Late Late Show vet Steve Hofstetter, Laughing Devil Comedy Club lobbed its inaugural laughs in late 2011. Its debut on the city's comedy scene came after weeks of anticipation and attention in the New York Post, the Queens Courier, and Queens Tribune. Within its intimate, 70-seat venue, bartenders draw from a top-shelf drink menu to forge potions such as The Andy Kaufman's blend of St. Germain, Patrón tequila, and pineapple or pour drafts of Chimay Triple, brewed in the traditional manner by Belgian prop comics.

Busting a move you've never busted before—be it a contemporary ballet move, a jazzercise move, or a well-coordinated move to a nicer part of town and away from that mouthy opossum that keeps opening your mail—is a great way to get exercise, learn a new skill, and meet new and graceful friends. At Midtown Stomp, partners are encouraged to rotate, making the lessons as social as the open dance to help dancers learn new moves and catch the dance bug. Live music during the open dance will be provided by Phat Cat Swinger, a Hasselhoff-approved band that has toured the country and performed with Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, Royal Crown Revue, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, and The Coasters.