NEW YORK (Reuters) – A stalled economy hasn’t spooked Americans out of enjoying Halloween. Nearly three-quarters of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate, but will spend less this year on costumes and candy.

Although more people will be taking part in Halloween, the biggest non-gift giving holiday in the United States, this year than last, they will be economizing.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Higher education in the United States is not cheap but Sarah Lawrence College in New York, with total costs of $58,334 a year, is the most expensive college in the country, according to a new ranking.

For the second consecutive year the small liberal arts college in Westchester County north of New York City, with 1,300 undergraduate students, topped the Forbes.com list of priciest colleges.

ATLANTIC CITY (Reuters) – With 18 restaurants dotted around the United States and three more due to open soon award-winning chef Michael Mina says preparing memorable meals is all about balance.

The Egyptian-born chef and cookbook author, who is based in San Francisco, started his career as a teenager cooking in a local restaurant in Washington state and later studied at the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York.

ATLANTIC CITY (Reuters) – Atlantic City, with its miles of sandy beaches and cool ocean breezes, has been attracting visitors since the late 1800s.

It boasts the first boardwalk in the United States and was long synonymous with the Miss America pageant, which it hosted for decades. Charles Darrow, the creator of Monopoly, used the city’s street names in the original version of the popular board game.

ATLANTIC CITY, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Atlantic City, with its
miles of sandy beaches and cool ocean breezes, has been
attracting visitors since the late 1800s.

It boasts the first boardwalk in the United States and was
long synonymous with the Miss America pageant, which it hosted
for decades. Charles Darrow, the creator of Monopoly, used the
city’s street names in the original version of the popular board
game.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The spa industry is booming, particularly in China and India, as more men and aging boomers seek pain relief as well as relaxing and luxury treatments, including $1,250 facials.

Massage is still the most popular request, but people with deep pockets can opt for pricier treatments such as the ultra-expensive facial from New York skincare expert Dangene, who is booked months in advance.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – As the granddaughter of a butcher who ate a standard American diet as a child, cookbook author Sarah Matheny may not seem to be the most likely promoter of a vegetarian diet.

The Oregon-based former divorce lawyer started questioning what she ate when she was pregnant with her first daughter. After leaving her job to become a stay-at-home mother, Matheny started a blog that eventually led to her first cookbook “Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love,” which is published this month.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Whether it is Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq au Vin or Bouillabaisse attempting classic French dishes can be an intimidating experience for any cook.

But in his new book, “French Classics Made Easy,” Richard Grausman, a renowned culinary teacher, writer and Cordon Bleu graduate, takes the fear out of French cooking.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Although it’s known for its beautiful horse farms and as the “Thoroughbred Capital of the World,” Lexington, Kentucky has gained a new distinction — as the most sedentary city in the United States.

Along with Indianapolis in Indiana and Jackson, Mississippi it ranked among the most exercise-phobic cities in the nation, according to a new ranking by Men’s Health magazine.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Although it’s known for its beautiful horse farms and as the “Thoroughbred Capital of the World,” Lexington, Kentucky has gained a new distinction — as the most sedentary city in the United States.

Along with Indianapolis in Indiana and Jackson, Mississippi it ranked among the most exercise-phobic cities in the nation, according to a new ranking by Men’s Health magazine.