Bette Midler's halloween hoopla

T-minus one week and counting to my favorite psuedo-holiday of the year. I love Halloween. Think about it. It's the only time of year that it's OK to accept candy from strangers. In fact, soliciting candy from strangers is expected. It's also the only time of the year it's socially acceptable for those of us who aren't paid actors to dress up in costume and pretend to be something or someone we're not.

For more than a decade, Bette Midler has been throwing one of the best Halloween bashes around. I say best not because it's the biggest or the scariest. I say best because she throws the bash to raise money for New York Restoration Project, a nonprofit founded by Midler to clean, restore and revitalize New York City's parks. The group reclaims abandonded parks, plants community gardens and offers youth education programs aimed at greening up New York City.

In conjunction with the annual bash at the Waldorf-Astoria, the group also holds an online auction. Among the items available for bid this year are a day on the set of Wolverine with Hugh Jackman and tickets to Jessica Alba's next movie premiere. Sign me up for that one.

This year, they're also having "Wicked Day" on Oct. 28, complete with block party, performances by the cast of Wicked and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Friendship Gardens.

If only I lived in NYC and could find myself hanging around Friendship Park and the Waldorf doing some celebrity sightseeing. But alas, I will have to content myself with photos of costumed celebs from previous years while I wait for new shots next week. Plus, if you're still looking for ideas for your Halloween getup this year, you need look no further than some of Midler's previous guests.

Perhaps you like the hippie look, demonstrated here by Glenn Close and David Shaw.

Maybe the Britney Spears look worn by Dana Delany is more your style.

Maybe you want to play doctor to Midler's nurse, like Rosie O'Donnell did back in 1998.

Or perhaps you prefer dressing like a queen, as Joy Behar once did.

Costumes I know I'll be avoiding are Martha Stewart's surfer and Jane of the Jungle looks.

Is it just me, or does she always look just slightly stoned?