As you've probably already heard, Banksy's first stateside exhibit opened quietly in Manhattan earlier this week. For those not in New York (or unable to get here before Halloween), see the video below. As it turns out, the artist has an affinity for Chicken McNuggets:

"The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill," through Oct. 31 at 89 Seventh Ave. S., NYC, thevillagepetstoreandcharcoalgrill.com

Another one to file under bad timing: Saatchi Opus, an upcoming tome collecting work from the iconic London gallery's 23-year history. (Artists include Hirst, Whiteread, and Warhol; essays are by everyone from Steve Martin to the British Royal Academy's Sir Norman Rosenthal.) Only 950 will be made, with each copy costing $4,200—nearly 5 bucks a page (at 850 pages), though it does include a life-size poster of the shark head from Damien Hirst's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. The good news? It's out in February—by which time things might be looking up again.
For more information, visit saatchiopus.com

Fans of participatory art (or just noise) should head over to London's Barbican today, where Canada's Rafael Lozano-Hemmer just opened his first British solo show. Dubbed Frequency and Volume, the exhibition essentially consists of 48 radios that are constantly tuned and retuned by visitors' shadows on the wall. (The size controls the volume; the shape controls the frequency.) And should a trip across the pond prove unreasonable (or if you just doubt the concept), you can watch an earlier performance on the artist's Web site here.
Through Jan. 18 at The Barbican, Silk Street, London, (011) 44 020 7638 8891, barbican.org.uk

The art market isn't suffering quite as much as you might think—at least not if you consider this 1973 Helmut Newton nude of Charlotte Rampling, up for auction on October 16 with an estimate of $120,000 to $180,000. Sure, it's a little pricey for a photo of the British actress, but that doesn't mean it's hard to look at.
Viewing through Oct. 15 at Phillips de Pury & Company, 450 W. 15th St., NYC, (212) 940-1200, phillipsdepury.com

Electra's long been in the business of making stylish, commuter-friendly bikes, and its latest is no exception. The Sport 105 is the newest in the brand's popular Townie series, and comes with a lightweight aluminum frame and 20-speed drivetrain, which you'll appreciate if your commute includes actual hills. Also helpful? The pedals, which are flat on one side (for riding with your regular kicks) and have binding on the other (for clipping in your cycling shoes). The attractive frame doesn't hurt either. And despite dropping oil prices—under $87 at press time!—it's probably still a good idea to have a gas-free way to commute.
$1,300, available early next year, electrabike.com

In our ongoing effort to highlight the most important news items of the day, we're compelled to point out this story from today's Times: a mini-essay about the proper way to tuck your pants into your boots. Seriously, though, it's harder than it sounds: The aim, as the paper notes, is to "suggest a woodsy outdoorsman style," not anything too slick. See below for our slideshow of men who've worn the look well (and others who've just worn it).

Click for pics >

Sony's new all-in-one desktop PC offers pro specs, albeit at pro prices. The Vaio VGC-RT150Y is absolutely packed with power (8 gigs of RAM and two 500-gig hard drives) and loaded for bear (with Photoshop and Premiere Elements, among others). But it's the display that makes it clear who the brand's targeting: The computer features a 25.5-inch high-def LCD screen that comes with both HDMI output and input ports. Aspiring filmmakers, take note.
$3,999, available at amazon.com

SNL sprawls out to weeknight programming this evening with the first of three election specials, coanchored, of course, by Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler. (Bet somebody's regretting that Weekend Update nomenclature.) NBC has been coy with announcements, but you're darned right we expect Tina Fey's involvement; rumors suggest that Palin might make a cameo, too, but we're not holding our breath. (In case you somehow missed it, see the show's last spoof of Palin, below.) In other SNL-related news, the network also premieres Kath & Kim, starring Molly Shannon as Selma Blair's self-absorbed mother. The show revolves around a dysfunctional family obsessed with Us Weekly, shopping, and sex, but, thankfully, it's funnier than  that sounds. Expect caustic writing along the lines of AbFab, not Sex and the City.

SNL Weekend Update Thursday, 9:30 p.m.; and Kath & Kim, 8:30 p.m., NBC

Around our offices, there's a running dispute about which deity—God or the Devil—is in the details. They may not resolve the issue entirely, but we're inclined to think that Richard James' socks are an argument for the former. These vibrantly colored merino-wool versions, manufactured by Britain's historic Pantherella (it's been making hosiery since the early 20th century) and individually hand-finished, are amazing detail pieces that improve any outfit without undue pomp. You could say that $40 is a lot to pay for a pair of socks. But then again, you could also say that $40 is a pretty cheap way to treat yourself so well.
$40, available at helloblackbird.blogspot.com

Five things worth knowing today

- For those sad to have missed yesterday's London Bierfest, good news: The Great American Beer Festival begins today in Denver. It's a relief to discover that tasting the Rockies means more than just drinking Coors.
- Epicures back east can enjoy the New York City Wine and Food Festival. Slated to appear: Ferran Adrià, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio, and cocktail wizard Dale DeGroff.
- Procedural fans, rejoice: The ninth season of CSI premieres on CBS.
- Today in 2007, the Dow closed at an all-time high. Ah, memories...
- And today in 1964, visionary Mexican director Guillermo del Toro was born. Below, a typically grotesque scene from del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth: