Things to Do in Paterson

Under the bright lights of the world-famous Madison Square Garden arena, four of the best women’s college basketball teams in the country will tip off in the Maggie Dixon Classic. The first game pits Baylor against St. John’s before DePaul takes on Tennessee to guess the number of jellybeans hidden inside the basketball. The undefeated Baylor Bears, ranked No. 1 in the nation nine games into the season, follow the lead of junior slam-dunk machine Brittney Griner. Pumped up from her placement on the Naismith Trophy early-season watch list, St. John’s senior forward Da’Shena Stevens will induce frustrated growls from Baylor as she makes them work for their points. With 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 23 years, DePaul’s squad enters the high-pressure match gracefully, and Tennessee confidently follows the lead of its celebrated coach, Pat Summitt, named Sports Illustrated’s Sportswoman of the Year for her more than 1,000 wins and ability to slam dunk while riding a unicycle.

Helmed by a team of passionate climbing coaches, both of The Gravity Vault's locations surround climbers with more than 13,000 square feet of climbing space. Walls tower past 35 feet, mimicking such natural rock formations as overhangs, keyhole arches, and slabs, and bouldering areas challenge climbers with a latticework of problems that—unlike most of life's—can't simply be solved with dynamite and a pair of roller skates. Visitors can choose from up to 60 top-rope stations, trusting either the trained staff or a certified fellow climber to man the ropes while they scramble to the summit. When not dangling from a hold or saving lost kittens from a rappel ledge, members can bulk up in the cardiovascular-training area.

Thousands of fashionistas flock to StyleFixx Premier Shopping Events to meet up-and-coming independent fashion designers and browse the latest styles. This year’s displays include the 2012 lines of Hivernage NYC, Bling Boutique, and Cimber Designs. In between shopping sprees, attendees may relax with complimentary beauty treatments such as hair services by Dellaria Salons, makeovers by Virginn Pure Mineral Makeup, and body wraps by good-natured mummies. Once pampered, refreshed guests mingle while sipping free cocktails and munching on samples from Finale Desserts and Haru Sushi, and each partygoer receives a StyleFixx Swag Bag loaded with product samples.

Timothy Haskell is no stranger to scaring folks: The Daily Beast considers his Nightmare series "one of the most frightening haunted-house productions in New York City." But when he teamed up with haunted-house vet Steve Kopelman, Timothy didn't want to keep populating creepy corridors with imaginary ghouls. At Nightmare: Killers, the duo tap into the true terror inspired by historical and contemporary serial killers to explore the monstrosity of their actions and the celebrity and cultural obsession surrounding them. The New York Times lauds the attraction as “a taut, assured production that knows exactly what it wants to do (scare the hell out of you) and performs its task with ruthless, coldblooded precision."

In the lobby, a gallery of artwork, memorabilia, and items from or about famous serial killers primes guests on the haunted attraction's theme and provides a glimpse into the warped minds of the killers in question. At the front of the line, personnel can mark any willing visitor’s forehead with an optional scarlet X, which will grant the actors permission to interact with those victims for the next petrifying 20–25 minutes. Inside the haunt, rooms depict scenes based on Ted Bundy and the Zodiac killer, with the occasional cameo from pop culture’s most fearsome fictional figures. To heighten heart rates even more, visitors will also have to navigate twists and turns, fog, and uneven footing as they desperately try to avoid becoming each psychopath’s latest victim.

BumbleBee Tennis's wide spectrum of tennis programs for juniors and adults nurture players at every step of game development. Skilled instructors helm a variety of lessons from Beginner Group Tennis classes to private one-on-one intensives. All teachers are trained professionals and most have played competitively at the collegiate level. While helping students focus on technique and making solid contact with the ball, instructors also attempt to ensure that everyone from youngsters to veterans enjoys the game and knows how to count all the way to love. Adults interested more specifically in the cardiovascular aspect of the game can enroll in Cardio Tennis, a 60-minute class comprised of high-intensity drills and games that elevate heart rates into the aerobic zone and subsequently evaporate calories.

Besides having the chance to sample the finest specialty coffees and teas from all over the world, you'll also get to partake in seminars that are just as eye-opening as anything you happen to imbibe. Tea specialist Yoon Hee Kim will take you on a world tour of teas in "From Garden to Cup: Tea 101". Marcela Zuchovicki, owner of Jalima Coffee, will lead an interactive discussion of the art of cupping and tasting coffee, while Chef Melody McGinley Whitelaw teaches you how to use both breeds of brew to prepare the decadent desserts in "Think Outside the Cup: Creating Coffee- and Tea-Infused Desserts". During the festival, you can also engage in chocolate tastings and Korean tea ceremonies, and learn how to both brew and find the best coffee in New York.