International Kid-Friendly Food: Top 5 Jewish Recipes We Love

International Kid-Friendly Food: Top 5 Jewish Recipes We Love

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There are more than 1.5 million Jewish people living in New York City, bringing with them fantastic foods like old-fashioned bagels topped with lox, pastrami deli sandwiches, matzo ball soup, hand-rolled knish, hummus platters, and chocolate-hazelnut filled babka. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins the evening of September 20th so what better time to try something new?

We recommend taking one of the Lower East Side Jewish Food Tours, or checking out the best places for Jewish food in NYC, if you haven’t already. But, by far, the most meaningful way to explore new cuisine with your kids is right at home in your kitchen. Rather than shooing your littles out of the kitchen, invite them in! Roll up your sleeves and get a little messy with these five kid-friendly Jewish recipes.

Potato Kugel

From the NY Times

Itta Werdinger Roth grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community in Australia, but married an American and quickly became a New York City sensation, known just as much for her traditional home-cooking as for her all-woman Hasidic rockband. Jewish food differs vastly around the world, but “everyone knows potato kugel,” she told the NY Times, adding: “There are two kinds: good and bad. It’s like a savory cake; you bake shredded potatoes with eggs and onions, and the inside comes out so creamy you eat it almost like mashed potatoes.” Cooking with kids doesn’t get much easier than this recipe consisting of just potatoes, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, oil, flour, and baking powder. This version is rooted in Lubavitch Women’s Cookbook Publications’ “Spice and Spirit,” which is thee cookbook for traditional Jewish cooking. From there, the recipe has been tweaked with subtle variations to get the perfect crispy-creamy textures.

Get the recipe.

P.S. If your kids really love potatoes, consider taking them to the 9th Annual NYC Latke Festival at the Brooklyn Museum on December 18th!

Soup Dumplings with Minced Brisket

From Kosher Like Me

Liz Rueven is from Connecticut, but enjoys “probing the scene in NYC” for inspiration. Most of her recipes are kosher vegetarian, but this homemade kreplach recipe comes from the Ashkenazic Jewish cuisine her Nanny made. It’s a traditional dish enjoyed for Purim, the holiday commemorating the salvation of the Jewish people under Haman’s persecution in ancient Persia, but you can cook up this savory soup with the kids on any cool weather day for a satisfying treat. It’s a project, to be sure, but older kids enjoy the whole process of mixing and stuffing, so don’t shy away from this memorable experience.

Get the recipe.

Kookoo-e Sabzi

From The Sephardic Heritage Cookbook

The Sephardic Heritage Cookbook doesn’t necessarily have a New York connection, but it is one of the top-selling Jewish cookbooks, after all. The recipe itself just seemed to appeal to kids and adults alike. First, what kid isn’t going to love asking for “kookoo?” Parents will like this egg-based dish because it’s similar to an omelet or frittata, but gives you the chance to sneak in loads of healthy vegetables and herbs. And it’s versatile. You can serve it hot or cold, as an appetizer or a main dish. You can serve it with bread, feta cheese, or plain yogurt. It keeps well in the fridge for several days or you can freeze it in tin foil.

Get the recipe.

Braised Short Ribs with Squash Puree and Roasted Corn Salad

From Nir Mesika

Celebrity Chef Nir Mesika is the founder and executive chef of Timna, a modern Israeli restaurant in the East Village of NYC that was named “the best new restaurant” by USA Today in 2015. Braised short ribs was always his favorite Rosh Hashanah meal growing up, he says, because “the family was waiting for it all day long,” so dipping into the shared pot in the center of the table was so satisfying when the time came. Plan to spend some time on this recipe, but the melt-in-your-mouth textures and cozy flavors are bound to be a hit with everyone in your family.

Get the recipe.

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate and Pistachio

From Einat Admony

Einat Admony is the chef and owner of Balaboosta in Manhattan, Bar Bolonat in the West Village, and Taim, as well as a regular consultant to the Jewish Food Society, an organization dedicated to preserving traditional cultural recipes. She recalls this favorite Rosh Hashanah recipe fondly. “When I was a child in Israel,” Admony said, “the high holidays meant peeling two whole cases of pomegranates for our family’s holiday meals. Out of the two cases and the resulting 20 pounds of seeds, we would get only a few small jars of pomegranate preserve. It was tiring, detailed work, and I used to hate it, but it would end up as part of our dinner, so I knew it was all for a good cause.” You can serve four main courses or eight side dishes with this recipe – which, thankfully, only calls for half a cup of pomegranate seeds.

Get the recipe.

We hope you enjoy preparing these healthy, international dishes for your family. Contact us to learn about fun enrichment activities for your child, including cooking classes, our Health Nuts workshops, City Adventures, and more!

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

4 Ways To Savor The End of Summer in NYC

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Months of summer sunshine, pleasant weather, socializing at picnics and barbecues, traveling, and indulging in family fun are a breath of fresh air to a year of work and school responsibilities. By mid-to-late August, our shopping carts are filled with notebooks and folders instead of sunscreen and sand pails. We’re thinking ahead to carpool arrangements and sports practices. Where did the summer go?

 

At this point, it’s common to experience the “End of Summer” blues. If only we could slow down and hang onto summer a little bit longer! We’re all looking to pack a few more family memories in our suitcase before fragmenting into our own separate lives when school starts again. Here are four memorable finales for the summer that will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

 

1. Get your thrills at one of the pop-up summer playgrounds made for adults and kids.

Playgrounds have come a long way from the metal slides, swing sets, and harrowing teeter-totters of our youth.

  • The Bronx Zoo’s new adventure zone with zip-lines over the Bronx River, kid-friendly Nature Trek, and free public pools is worth checking out if you haven’t already.
  • The Terrace at Brookfield Place offers a rooftop Coloring Bar on Monday evenings, free movies and music on Wednesdays, and shuffleboard on Fridays, in addition to French fare, best enjoyed in their shaded picnic grove.
  • Rockaway Water Park features floating trampolines, rope swings, water slides, a Tarzan Boat, jet skis, and canoes in Jamaica Bay.
  • Adventures at Governors Island is a new play area boasting a 24-foot climbing wall, themed mini golf, the city’s longest slide, and double zip-lines overlooking the Statue of Liberty.

2. Find something for everyone with an end-of-summer festival.

  • Catch one of PuppetMobile’s Cinderella Samba free performances around the city.
  • This year’s super popular FringeJR festivities, geared toward the 5-12 crowd, will include: an exploration of Amelia Earhart’s legacy through circus acts and puppetry; a Fairy Tale Villain musical; pirate comedy; kings, queens, and dragons; as well as a fort filled with crafts and cool character meet-and-greets.
  • In September, the 31st Annual Queens County Fair offers a traditional celebration of pie-eating, pig racing, carnival rides, midway games, and blue ribbon livestock competitions.

3. Cram in one last getaway.

  • Schedule at least one more day at the beach and your soul will thank you! Some of the best spots for families to swim, tube, water ski, boat, and play in the sand include: Brooklyn’s Coney Island, Jacob Riis Beach or Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Long Beach on Long Island.
  • Camping is another scrapbook-worthy, end-of-summer event for the whole family. Take nature hikes, play a few board games at the picnic table, tell spooky ghost stories, and roast s’mores over the campfire. A few family favorites within a few hours of the City include: Hither Hills State Park in Montauk, Watch Hill Fire Island National Seashore, Floyd Bennett Field, Malouf’s Mountain Sunset Campgrounds, and Clarence Fahnestock State Park.
  • NYC is blessed with a number of ideal road trip destinations for day or weekend trips on a budget. Try Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA for the littles, Hershey Park for the amusement park lovers in your family, and Mystic, CT or Cape Cod to find timeless fun for all ages.
  • Staycationers can find plenty of family togetherness at home. The first rule is UNPLUG – pack those electronic devices away! Replace “the usual” with fun scavenger hunts, board games, crafting, swimming, dining out, outdoor movies, and backyard camping.

4. Volunteer with your kids to end summer with a humbling sense of purpose.

Worried your child will feel too self-indulgent or spoiled after all that summer fun? Ground them with a volunteer service project to wrap up the season with pay-it-forward kindness and generosity.

If you’re stumped for ways to transform a regular day into a memorable experience, we’re always happy to help with our wide range of pop-up classes, workshops, parties, and our Lighthouse Project. Contact us to add more fun, creativity, exploration, and fun to your summer. It’s never too late to slow down the pace, bask in the moment, and be a kid again!

 

Additional Resources:

 

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

How To Get NYC Kids Excited for the Great American Eclipse of 2017

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What are you doing August 21st? Space lovers will be offered a unique opportunity to revel in one of nature’s mysteries where the moon positions itself between the Earth and the sun for two-and-a-half minutes. During that time, viewers will notice the 10-15 degree temperature drop, the sun disappear, planets and stars shine like never before, and the thrill of anticipation as time seems to stand still. No other event comes close to capturing the awesome power of the universe and the fragility of man.

According to Joe Rao, an educator at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017 will be “one of the events of the century.” In fact, some people have been waiting for an eclipse to pass from coast to coast since 1932. Here are some ways to experience the event with your budding astronauts.

1. Get your solar viewing glasses and hit the road!

“Perhaps a hundred million people will see it,” estimates Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson. “In a day where everyone can travel, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have every single American in the path of totality,” he adds. For New Yorkers, the closest spot within the path of eclipse totality would be Columbia, South Carolina – 11 hours away. Lodging is still available at Hilton Columbia Center, Aloft Columbia Downtown, Hyatt Place Columbia Downtown, and the Holiday Inn and Suites. While you’re in town, visit the South Carolina State Museum’s antique telescope and state-of-the-art planetarium. The Soda City Eclipse Viewing Festival at the Historic Speedway festival grounds will feature food trucks, live music, and a viewing party.

Another option 11 hours from home is the viewing at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Clingman’s Dome is closed for exclusive media viewings, but the trail leading up to it should offer similarly expansive views over the pine forest canopy. Park staff will also be available at Cades Cove and Oconaluftee to serve as your informal guides to the big solar event. Nearby Bryson City, NC will be a flurry of activity all week long, with Farmers Markets, live music at Riverfront Park, petting zoos, bounce houses, bonfires, rafting, and many more activities.

2. Attend a local viewing party to feed off the excitement of a crowd.

Don’t despair if you aren’t in the market for a spontaneous getaway. New York City will still experience a 70 percent blockage of the sun around 2:44 pm. Even though it’s not as dramatic, our eclipse will still be something to see, and there are plenty of places to do so.

The Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, of course, will be thee place to be for the big viewing in NYC. They’ll be entertaining guests from noon to 4 pm with a NASA livestream broadcast, information on eclipses in the Cullman Hall of The Universe, pop-up talks by astrophysicist Brian Levine, and outdoor viewings at the Rose Center for Earth Space and the Arthur Ross Terrace.

Other eclipse viewing parties will be held at:

For a more intimate experience with your family at a less-crowded, scenic spot, try:

Experts say our eclipse won’t be dark enough to see stars, but (with the right equipment) you’ll spot the partial eclipse, as well as Venus — in the western sky below and to the right of the sun. In addition to the outdoor viewing, you can watch the official NASA livestream to see what other people are experiencing across the country.

Sunglasses are not strong enough for direct solar viewing. However, with advance planning and a couple dollars, you can protect your family’s eyes from permanent damage. NASA lists just four companies whose glasses meet international safety standards for the event: American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17. Glasses will have a globe logo with the letters “ISO” and the letters “CE” that certify the filters have been adequately tested for safe, direct viewing of the sun. Local libraries will be handing these out. Photographers will need “solar neutral density filters” to protect their camera lenses, too.

3. Have your own solar eclipse viewing party at home.

Here are some “mind-illuminating” activities for your little partygoers:

  • Learn about the eclipse with a free booklet from Bill Nye and the National Parks Service, geared toward kids ages 5-12.
  • Watch an animation of what the August 21st eclipse will look like from your zip code or precise street address at https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator.
  • Once you get your official glasses, you can have the kids decorate them in their own unique ways and share their creations on social media sites using the NASA-recommended hashtag #MyEclipseGlasses.
  • Make “Solar Eclipse Sundaes” by stacking a scoop of lemon sherbert, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a scoop of homemade Blue Moon ice cream in a clear glass.
  • Take the temperature every few hours to see how it fluctuates throughout a typical day. Compare these readings to the day of the eclipse. Plot the numbers on a graph.
  • Chart the family pet’s behaviors for a few days before the event, and watch what happens during the eclipse.
  • Talk to your older children about civics, business, and hospitality. Hopkinsville, Kentucky is destined to be the point of greatest eclipse. The town has a population less than 33,000, but they are expecting 50,000 people for the big day. How will they feed everyone? Where will people stay? How will the residents get to school or work with all the extra traffic? Have your child write a story about it, or design a tourism brochure explaining why people should come from out-of-town to celebrate in your
  • Encourage junior history buffs to read more about historic eclipses – such as the first discovery of eclipses by the Chaldeans in the 700s BC or how a total solar eclipse in 585 BC ended a war between the Medes and the Lydians. Mark Twain’s novel “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” features a time traveler who avoids being burned at the stake with his cunning knowledge of solar eclipses.
  • Create your own zany stories about “strange events that took place during the eclipse.”
  • After the viewing, ask the kids to describe what the eclipse meant to them in just six words. If you wish, you can send your entries into NASA to be included in their time capsule to be opened at the next total eclipse in 2024.

If you don’t see the August 21st Eclipse, you’ll have to wait until 2045 to watch the next coast-to-coast solar eclipse – possibly with your grandkids! The next total solar eclipse won’t occur in New York until 2079, but you can travel as close as Upstate New York to see a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Until then, shine on, you crazy diamonds!

Additional Resources:

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

8 Ways Kids Can Entertain Themselves at Your Fourth of July Party

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The best Fourth-of-July parties are entertaining for kids and adults. Here are some of our favorite open-ended party activities that will entertain and engage kids, while grown-ups enjoy cocktails and conversation.

Top 8 July 4th Activities

 

1.      July 4th Firework Crafts

Firework crafts are easy enough for older kids to do without supervision or for a teenager to oversee the littler ones. Simply cut the end of paper towel rolls into strips for a great firework template that can be dipped into glitter paint. The bounce and twist motion it takes to create “fireworks” encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor development, while kids use their imagination and combine colors. Another variation of this craft uses shaving cream, liquid water colors, and toothpicks. You can also use forks to make a circular pattern or dab a dish brush onto the paper for a similar effect.

2.      Independence Day Scavenger Hunt

Plan to pair younger kids with older kids, and make a patriotic-themed Scavenger Hunt around the yard or house before guests arrive. There are countless variations, but the basic idea is to write out a riddle leading kids to the next clue. An example might be: “An old fable says that George Washington chopped one of these down” – which, of course, will lead the sleuths to a cherry tree on the property. You could hide the American flags to be collected as part of a patriotic theme, or make printouts of famous patriots, places, and symbols from American history. To add a layer of intrigue, you could attach an activity to each discovered clue, such as “Do five pushups” or “Sing the Star-Spangled Banner.” An easier version can be made for younger kids by simply providing a list of hidden items to find. They can be very specific patriotic items / printouts, or broader items like “something fuzzy” and “something pretty.”

3.      Red, White and Blue Water Balloons

Water balloons are always a hit at any outdoor summer picnic. Of course, there is some liability that adult guests may get a little wet, too. Encourage structured games, rather than all-out warfare. The basic Water Balloon Toss involves two lines of people standing across from one another, tossing and catching small water balloons. Partners who drop and break the balloon are out. If the partners successfully complete the toss without the balloon breaking, they take one step back. Another fun game is Water Ballon Dodgeball where two teams are divided up and take turns hurling water balloons back and forth until one team is left standing. Buy red, white, and blue balloons to make it festive. When the sun goes down, you can bust out these glow-in-the-dark balloons recommended by a camp counselor.

4.      4th of July Bicycle Parade

The Fourth of July naturally lends itself to pageantry. Set up an Americana themed costume box with props and outfits like the Statue of Liberty, Paul Revere, George and Martha Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Colonial soldiers. Or you can ask young guests to come dressed as their favorite patriotic attire to compete for the “best costume” prize. Kids can bring their bikes to decorate for a “parade” around the block (or the driveway). Have streamers, flags, stickers, construction paper, markers, and spoke beads on hand for decorating.

5.      Independent Jewelry Making Station

Older kids can enjoy hours of making red, white, and blue bracelets and necklaces. Supply them with red, white, and blue beads, as well as beads shaped like stars or letter beads that allow them to write messages. Oriental Trading is a cheap place to find patriotic charms and supplies, or you could try Etsy.

6.      Capture the (American) Flag

Divide the team into the red team vs. the blue team, using bandanas to signify who is on which team. For team flags, you could use the American and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags. The object of this classic game is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to their territory. If you’re tagged by an opposing team member, you have to go to the designated “jail.” You can only get out of jail if your team member tags you. Each team typically divvies themselves up into “Guards” who try to tag opponents sneaking into their territory, “Attackers” who are on a mission to find the other team’s hidden flag, and “Scouts” who rescue team members from jail and support the other roles.

7.      July 4th on TV!

Electronic media is never our first pick, but what if it’s raining? What if the kids have been running around for hours and crave that little bit of “down time” to recharge their batteries? Our best educational TV pick for the Fourth of July is Liberty’s Kids, an entertaining-yet-educational series about the American Revolution. Other picks may include movies like: “Johnny Tremain,” “This is America, Charlie Brown,” “All Aboard America,” or “Ben and Me.”

8.       Stand up and Sing, Patriots!

What better time to brush up on everybody’s favorite patriotic songs that embody the very spirit of our independence? For a comprehensive list of all the most classic patriot tunes and lyrics, check out https://www.scoutsongs.com/categories/patriotic-songs.html. Or curate your own list of modern pop hits that celebrate what it means to “R.O.C.K. in the USA”, be an “American Girl”, or remind your favorite kid what a “Firework” he is. Or if you have a Broadway baby, why not host a Hamilton sing along!

Additional Resources: https://www.icanteachmychild.com/shaving-cream-fireworks/

Holidays are an exciting time for the kids, so be sure to put their boundless energy to good use. Have them work on easy table decorations, or inspire their inner “chef” by having them assemble these simple 4th of July snacks. While you are celebrating America’s independence, your little ones will be celebrating their growing sense of independence, too.

Have a sensational party!

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

5 Fantastic Ways To Spend Father’s Day in NYC

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New York City is a vast playground for engaged dads to explore with their children, whether they’re babies and toddlers or full-grown with children of their own. Some fathers enjoy sports and the great outdoors, while others may be artistically inclined and connoisseurs of fine food. Some dads thrive in big crowds, while others prefer something more intimate. There are parks and events that cater to all types in this big, bold city that we love. Here are a few options if you’re still undecided on where you’ll end up on Father’s Day.

  1. Cruise with brews. Hornblower Cruises offers a unique view of the New York skyline and landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge — from aboard an intimate luxury yacht. The two hour Father’s Day cruise serves up a delicious brunch buffet featuring omelets, eggs benedict, vegetable frittata, French toast, waffles, bacon, sausage, potatoes, salads, bagels, meat carving stations, and pastries. Live jazz music sets the atmosphere, while dad enjoys free-flowing beer in his official Hornblower mug. The cruise sets sail Sunday, June 18th at noon from Pier 40. After your cruise, you can take a free self-guided tour of Greenwich Village, check out the trapeze school, or explore all that Hudson River Park has to offer, from kayaking to mini golf. Young kids will enjoy the splash-park and carousel.
  2. Enjoy the finer foods in life. Foodies have many ways to celebrate this Father’s Day. The Museum at Eldridge Street in the Lower East Side is holding an Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas Festival to celebrate the area’s cultural diversity. Watch Peking Opera performers dazzle the crowd; listen to klezmer bands; learn how to make empanadas; take free language lessons; or play a round of mahjongg. The block party is free, but there will be plenty of Jewish, Chinese, and Puerto Rican food for sale. Or you can head on over to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for Smorgasburg, which the NY Times has called “the Woodstock of food” with over 100 food and super flea market vendors. Treat your tastebuds to everything from crispy pork belly on a stick and French steak tartare, to Nutella-dipped churros and spaghetti donuts.
  3. Explore Van Cortlandt Park with the little ones. Sometimes when you have young children in tow, you need a Father’s Day plan that doesn’t involve too much hassle. Van Cortlandt Park in the northwest Bronx is the perfect place to pack a picnic and stay the day. The Forever Wild Preserves offers nature trails ideal for easy hiking, biking, or horseback riding. In fact, kids ages 4-10 will enjoy free pony rides at Riverdale Stables from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday! There are four playgrounds, an Urban Park Rangers’ Nature Center, a historic museum, a golf course, two free outdoor pools, a toddler wading area, barbecue grills, fishing, and sports fields. It’s impossible to cover it all in one day, but the main attractions are conveniently located near transit hubs or parking lots.
  4. Promote family fitness with a father-and-tot Fun Run. Think N’ Fun is holding a special Father’s Day race for the whole family. Each father and child receive a commemorative medal for their participation. Age categories include Tadpoles (early walkers), Goldfish (2), Guppies (3-4), Starfish (5), and Young Runners (6+). Recovery snacks will be served after the race, while families check out the photo opp station and “make-n-take” craft station. Dads looking to really break a sweat can opt to take the optional adults race through Riverside Park after taking their jog with the kids.
  5. Give dad’s bucket list dreams wings. Get a bird’s eye view of NY, while experiencing the thrill of piloting a light aircraft designed for flight training. Experienced FAA Certified Flight Instructor Patrick O’Toole will give dad a one-hour flying lesson departing from Republic Airport in Farmingdale. When he lands, you can visit the American Airpower Museum, ride old-fashioned amusement park rides at Adventureland, hike the Adventure Park at Long Island, or grab a drink at the Barrage Brewing Company.

Father’s Day with young children may not be filled with “R&R,” but it can be the perfect excuse to skip the honey-do list for the weekend and spend it cooking up new memories, at play with his #1 fans.

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

10 Fun Things to do on Mother’s Day 2017 with the Kids in NYC

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Moms deserve to be celebrated every day, but if there’s one day that demands it- it’s Mother’s Day. With the big day fast approaching, the pressure is on to make the perfect plan. New York City is a vast playground, so we’ve narrowed down a few of the best options that go beyond the standard brunch.

 

  1. Go where the wild things are. The Central Park Zoo is hosting a family-friendly party for mothers and children ages 2-10 on May 14th. Meet zoo animal moms and babies, enjoy tasty treats, make Mom a special gift, and go on a scavenger hunt.

 

  1. Set sail. Sail out of Port 40 on a relaxing two-hour Hudson River cruise that includes a brunch buffet and dessert station, coffee, tea, “free-flowing” Mimosas and Sangria, and a live jazz band. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island, and the Manhattan skyline.

 

  1. Explore the city on a scavenger hunt. If “relax” isn’t really in your family’s vocabulary, you may love a Mother’s Day Scavenger Hunt. This three-hour event starts at Slattery’s Midtown Pub (8 East 36th Street) and leads you around the city with the ScanQuest app. It’s a fun, interactive journey that will challenge your party mentally and physically. Winners receive a NYC gift package.

 

  1. Create a work of art. Mother’s Day is the perfect excuse to visit the Children’s Museum of the Arts in SoHo. Moms enjoy free admission to watch their young artists create upcycled picture frames, painted portraits, spiky sculptures, tie-dye tissue paper composites, clay farm animals, dot marker cards, and more.

 

  1. Get your fill of thrills at Coney Island. Though the beach is closed, everything else is open – the restored B&B carousel and rides at Luna Park, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Coney Island Circus Sideshow (which offers kid-friendly attractions during the day). Grab a hotdogs at Nathan’s and ice cream at Coney’s Cones to enjoy the simple pleasures in life with the ones you love most.

 

  1. Have a picnic in Central Park. Picnics can be easy with pre-made picnic boxes by Perfect Picnic NYC, Picnic in the Park, or Chelsea Market. Park your clan anywhere in Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields, or the Pond and enjoy one of Manhattan’s most iconic landmarks.

 

  1. Enjoy nature at Wave Hill. The brunch always sells out quickly, but you can always bring a picnic lunch or reserve a basket from The Café. Wave Hill offers bird watching, open-air yoga classes, crafts at the Family Art Project, jewelry shopping, and a Family Nature Walk.

 

  1. Stop and smell the lilacs. This year, the New York Botanical Garden’s Mother’s Day Garden Party will show off the newly reopened Lilac Collection. You can watch dancers perform on the Daffodil Hill stage, play a game of Giant Chess, putt a few rounds of croquet on the green, take a guided walking tour, get professional photographs taken, and take the kids to the craft room to make homemade watercolor cards. Picnic brunch is also available by reservation.

 

  1. Roadtrip! Less than two hours from NYC is kid-favorite, Rocking Horse Ranch, an all-inclusive Hudson Valley resort that offers an indoor waterpark and an abundance of organized family activities. Other activities include horseback riding, miniature golf, bowling, ping-pong, archery, rock climbing, and more! Ask about their Mother’s Day weekend promotion where kids are 50% off.

 

  1. Spice things up with a private cooking class. Freshmade NYC teaches knife skills, kitchen safety, and how to prepare delicious, easy recipes. Book a private one-on-one cooking session with a chef or create your own cooking class if you have at least four children in your group. Recipes cover a wide range of different flavors, with items like: sweet and savory crepes, mini sweet potato and kale lasagnas, BBQ chicken-apple pizzas, wild salmon burgers, and baked falafel, to name a few. Family cooking classes are suitable for kids ages 2 to teen.

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Peanuts Forever!

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No One Welcomes The Holidays Like The Peanuts Gang

My first word in English was disgusting.  If someone gave me a quarter, I thanked him or her by saying, “disgusting.” Should I need to use the bathroom, I’d ask by saying, “disgusting?” And when I got into a fight at the playground, I screamed, “disgusting!” As an adult, I still haven’t the faintest idea why disgusting was so enticing, fun to say and well… magical.

Then I started to put words together. And my first phrase was, “good grief!” With my hand on my forehead I said, “good grief!” when my mother called me for breakfast. I resigned myself to the task of getting my father his newspaper from the living room with a “good grief!” And just before tucking into our dinner I prayed, “Good grief. Thank you for this food.” The Peanuts Gang was everything.

To this day, the only cartoon character I know how to draw is Snoopy, and that’s from sitting at my desk tracing the loveable dog for hours on end. Now as a pre-school teacher, not only are my students extremely impressed by my artistic talents, I feel no qualms about showing a Charlie Brown Special every now and then. From The Great Pumpkin in October to Be My Valentine Charlie Brown in February and everything in between, my class enjoys seeing their Peanut friends, quirks and all. And by the way, it’s not just us. The latest Peanuts movie grossed $246.2 million.

giphy-21It took some time for me to fully embrace my undeniable devotion to Charles Schulz’s characters. It was never just childish antics that attracted me; I had a deeper appreciation that is still intact. The first Charlie Brown special aired on November 20th, 1973 on CBS. To this day, it’s still going strong on ABC. I believe authenticity and smart dialogue has kept the Peanuts Gang relevant. Now associated with Thanksgiving and other holidays for more than fifty years, the show never assumes that its viewers are too young or immature to fully grasp its humor mixed in with a nice dose of hale and hearty lessons. As Schulz’ widow, Jeannie, once said on NPR, Peanut specials focuses on “our commercialism” of the holidays. “And it points that out with humor so we can laugh at them — laugh at ourselves.”

I still laugh when Snoopy enters a holiday light and display contest for the cold hard cash and Charlie Brown moans, “My own dog, gone commercial. I can’t stand it.” And my heart still stings with understanding when he tells Linus, “I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.”

I think we’ve all been there, Charlie Brown.

By Claudia Chung for Shine

Giving Thanks & Saving Room for Dessert

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November may not be the warmest of months, but the sensation that fills us is incandescent. The foliage is radiant in reds, glowing in oranges and electric in yellows. The sky is saturated in rich blues and soft clouds. Without even thinking of the times we are about to share with our family, November fills our hearts with its striking beauty.

Well, now it’s about to fill our belly. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we all know what that means: trying every dish that was brought to the table so your quirky aunt doesn’t get mad and listing to your loud uncles argue about who’s better, the Jets or the Giants. Since this day is known for overindulgence, have a plan before you start. Hamptons Wellness on Wheels is here to give you tips on how to make your day healthier and your appreciation stronger.

Happy November and happy Thanksgiving!

giving-thanks

By Sara Colletti, Hamptons Wellness on Wheels

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me Something Good to Read!

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Shine’s Picture Book Picks for a Fun and Spooky Halloween

 

Ever since I learned that one day each year, I can knock on a stranger’s door, yell “Trick or Treat!” and get a candy bar, I’ve been all about Halloween. My costumes varied over the years, but throughout grade school, they all had one thing in common: they all featured the dead! A dead prom queen, the corpse of 50s girl, and a bride that never made it to her wedding because, well… she was dead.

I just didn’t understand the pretty fairies, princesses, or kitty cats that weren’t dead. I mean, after all, it was Halloween. Weren’t we all supposed to be spooky? I have a vague recollection of going to my best friend Grace’s house to go trick or treating together. When she came to the front door, I was stumped by her costume. Grace was dressed as a doctor. And not the psycho kind that used a butcher’s knife instead of a scalpel, but the kind you go see when you have a tummy ache. Me? I was dressed as a dead Checker Girl.

While she had on a pristine white coat, I was dressed like a checker-pattern wearing hobo. Grace had a stethoscope around her neck. I had fake blood down the sides of my mouth. She was wearing pretty make-up that accentuated her delicate features. I painted my entire face with black and white checkers that smeared with my fake blood. But that’s the beauty of Halloween—everyone interprets it differently. No matter what you chose to be, it’s a holiday that can be full of magic!

Here are Shine’s Picture Book Picks for a Fun and Spooky Halloween:

halloween-reads

Creepy Carrots By Aaron Reynolds, illus. by Peter Brown

This Caldecott award winning book does it all. A spot-on-parody of 50s classic horror films, Jasper Rabbit suspects mean and spooky carrots are following him. He hears the “Soft… sinister… tunktunktunk of carrots creeping.” This Hithchcock-esque story for the 4-to-8 set is a good read all year round. You may even want to add the Twilight Zone theme music to your readings to take it to the next level.

Miss Nelson Is Missing! By Harry Allard, illus. by James Marshall

My childhood favorite, this was my first mystery book. The kids in Room 207 were the worst behaved class in the whole school. They were rude and nasty and they didn’t pay any attention to their sweet-natured teacher Miss Nelson. Then one day, Miss Nelson does not come to school! In her place is the nasty, mean, foul-tempered witch Miss Viola Swamp. Uh-oh…

It was only after reading this charming book over and over and over again that I realized how the story unraveled. It was thrilling to be in on the secret.

The Dark By Lemony Snicket, illus. by Jon Klassen

A match made in heaven. Snicket and Klassen hit all the right notes on—what else?—the universal kids’ fear of the dark. Laszlo lives in a house with “a creaky roof, smooth, cold windows, and several sets of stairs.” There is darkness everywhere! With an uncharacteristic end, this is a good introduction to suspense storytelling and what it means to confront your worst fears.

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? By Margaret McNamara, illus. by G. Brian Karas

If your families are not that keen on mysteries, thrillers or suspense, have no fear! How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin will do the trick. The smallest boy in the class, Charlie, has a teacher who presents the students with three pumpkins: small, medium and large. They predict how many seeds are in each one. Then the class does the messy but fun work of removing the seeds and counting the contents.

A sweet lesson intertwined with some good old fashion math, this pumpkin tale can easily come to life with real pumpkins and a little elbow grease.

The Monster At The End Of This Book by Jon Stone, illus. by Mike Smollin

I love Sesame Street in all kinds of ways. But I am afraid I am one of those teachers who steers clear from the overly saturated commercial characters—with the exception of one. The one and only truly successful Sesame Street book to touch the young hearts and minds of readers everywhere, Monster is a perfect Halloween book for fans of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems and for the younger set, 3 and up. It’s interactive, engaging and fun!

 

By Claudia Chung for Shine

All Kinds Of Love: Shine’s Picture Book Picks for Valentine’s Day

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At the tender age of four, I fell madly and deeply in love. His big brown eyes made my heart pitter, and his round button nose made it patter. My guy was warm, tender and fuzzy. And yes – he was a stuffed monkey named George. No relation to Curious George.

When George had to take a spin in the washing machine and dry out in the sun, I often sang to him knowing that the process of getting clean was a dizzying ordeal. Love is comforting. When the mischievous boy down the road tried to steal George away, I bit him and ran as fast as I could with George in tow. Love is fearless. And finally, when his plastic eyeballs fell off his face, I stuck them back on with black electrical tape and pretended they were super cool shades for my super cool guy. Love is blind.

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