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Celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the East End: Food, Family, and Fun

April 26, 2025/in Uncategorized/by Shine

Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day (that’s actually September 16th!), but Americans widely celebrate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While Americans were fighting for unity and freedom during the Civil War, Mexican forces at the Battle of Puebla were doing the same—defending their country against foreign control against all odds.

More than just an excuse for tacos, Cinco de Mayo is an opportunity to honor Mexican culture—especially its rich traditions of food, art, and music. For East End families, it’s also a great chance to step into spring with hands-on fun, meaningful experiences, and a little sunshine.

Here are a few family-friendly ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with kids ages 2–12 in the Hamptons:

Taste the Culture at La Fondita (Amagansett)

This vibrant, walk-up taqueria serves some of the most authentic Mexican street food on the East End. With its colorful picnic tables and casual vibe, La Fondita is perfect for families. Try tacos al pastor, fresh guacamole, hibiscus agua fresca, or a tamal special. Encourage the kids order in Spanish (“Me gustaría…”) or ask them to guess what ingredients are in their favorite dish (¿“Que es?”) Or, if you prefer to cook at home, try one of these 5 kid-friendly recipes for Cinco de Mayo.

Bilingual Books at (East Hampton)

Stop by the children’s section of the East Hampton Library and ask for books that celebrate Mexican stories, traditions, and authors. Or you can check out a few favorites at home: What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla, Just a Minute by Yuyi Morales, or ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raúl the Third. Reading together is a simple, cozy way to connect with another culture and spark conversations about language, family, and tradition.

Papel Picado + Guild Hall Art Walk (East Hampton)

At home, try your hand at making papel picado—traditional cut-paper banners that add color to any celebration. All you need is tissue paper, scissors, and string. Afterward, take a virtual tour of the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City and talk with your kids about how Mexican folk art often uses bold colors and patterns—what similarities can they spot?

Fiesta at the Beach

Make a Cinco de Mayo playlist with mariachi, cumbia, and Latin pop hits. Pack tortilla chips and salsa or churros and head to a quiet beach like Sagg Main for a sand-side dance party. Bring soccer balls, frisbees, and kites. It’s a great way to burn off energy and soak up the season.

Visit the Shine Studio (Bridgehampton)

At Shine, we believe culture is best explored through creativity. During May, we incorporate Mexican art, music, and language into our classes and seasonal workshops. Kids might sculpt brightly colored alebrijes (mythical animal figures), make their own mini piñatas, or learn simple Spanish phrases through music and movement.

We believe in celebrating culture beyond the calendar—helping kids build a joyful, lasting connection to the world around them. Hosting your own fiesta? We’ll bring the crafts, music, and activities, so you can relax and enjoy the moment. And all year long, Listillos—our signature art-based Spanish literacy class—offers playful, immersive learning for young language explorers of all ages.

Your Guide To A Perfectly Haunting Halloween Day from Dawn to Dusk

October 22, 2021/in Uncategorized/by Shine

Finally! Halloween lands on a Sunday! Forget the mad dash out of work, harried fast food dinner, and stress of getting your child crammed into costume just in time for trick-or-treating. This Halloween, you can really savor the fun with your little ones with this leisurely all-day agenda.

MORNING

Rise and shine! If you’re an overachiever mom or dad, you may want to dress in costume when you wake the kids; as long as it’s nothing too scary, they’ll think it’s a hoot! Surprise the kids further with a macabre breakfast of Spiced Ghost Pancakes served with a side of banana ghosts and clementine pumpkins.

Now it’s play time! Halloween games include “Pop Goes the Pumpkin,” “Spider Toss,” “Bobbing for Apples,” “Pin the Tail on the Black Cat,” “Doughnuts on a String,” “Witch’s Hat Ring Toss,” and “Dead Man’s Guts” for the bravest of the bunch. Every kid loves a good treasure hunt; these free indoor and outdoor printables makes riddle creation wickedly easy.

A Halloween craft is always a scream. KiwiCo has Halloween luminary kits easy enough for a 3-year-old to do. Older kids might like the puking pumpkin science or light-up haunted house. A cookie-decorating kit is equal parts fun and scrumptious. With construction paper, googly eyes, a glue stick, and a few old toilet paper rolls, you can make a whole cast of Halloween characters.

AFTERNOON

For lunch, try Halloween cookie cutter sandwiches or monster sandwiches. You can use a cookie cutter to make a pumpkin-shaped block of cheese. Then serve up green olive or grape “eyeballs,” toasted pumpkin seeds, and Halloween-shaped pretzels.

We’re all about resting and digesting, so time for a frightening film! A Halloween popcorn bucket adds ambiance and you might want to add slow-cooker mulled apple cider for a festive touch. Toddlers can watch Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, Curious George Boofest, or Monsters Inc. For elementary age children, Disney+ won’t steer you wrong with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Cruella, Monsters Inc, or The Muppets Haunted Mansion. You can always get nostalgic with Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, the Addams Family, Casper, or Garfield’s Halloween. Older kids might be prepared to transition from Hotel Transylvania to Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters.

After all that sitting, it’s time for a Monster Mash Dance Party! Turn out the lights, bust out the glowing jewelry, drop this bones-shaking playlist, and get down with your boogey bad self! Bonus: you can participate in the dance party while cooking dinner, though you should probably light a few candles so you can see what you’re doing!

EVENING

Quick and easy “ghoul-ash” should do the trick for a dinner that’s fast, hearty, and satisfying. For a finishing touch, try mummified garlic bread or spider bread on the side.

Now squeeze into costume, grab a flashlight, and out the door you go for trick-or-treat fun!

Top the night off with a pumpkin-scented bath fizzer and a Halloween read like Room on the Broom, Creepy Carrots, Snowmen at Halloween, or The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything.

Planning Ahead to Get Ready for Parenthood When You Have a Disability

September 18, 2018/in Uncategorized/by Shine

Being a parent is one of the greatest joys in life, from the everyday tasks of caring for your baby to the amazing moments like their first steps. For parents who have a disability, it’s normal to be a little worried about how you can do everything so you don’t miss out on any of these precious moments. It is entirely doable. The key to success is anticipating challenges and planning around them.

Physical Challenges

When it comes to getting your home ready for parenthood, your two main goals are safety and being able to care for your child independently. Everyone’s situation is unique, but these are some general safety considerations that also help with self-reliant parenting:

Daily care – The primary things to think about for daily care are eating, sleeping, bathing, and changing. You may want to start with a general list of baby-care items and think about which ones will work best for you and whether you want to modify your home to help with some childcare skills. For example, installing grab bars in tubs and showers can make it easier to assist in bathing your children. Parents with vision impairment often find that labeling children’s food with textured tape or braille labels makes meal preparation easier. The great news is that there are more options than ever that make baby care easier for parents with disabilities, like cribs that are accessible for parents in a wheelchair or lap belts that allow you to keep your child secure in your lap, hands-free. With a little research and planning, you will be able to find the solutions that work for your family.
Getting around at home – People with disabilities are already creative about making their homes accessible, but your needs for getting around safely may change some with a baby. You may want to do an extra safety check before your baby’s arrival, like going through your home and removing tripping hazards and perhaps using non-slip rugs and mats. Use a resource like Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood to search for your specific concerns and learn how other parents have made adaptations that work for them.
Getting around when out – All new parents are a little nervous about going out with their baby, but being able to get out of the house is so important! Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, so be sure to research your options. Some parents choose adaptive strollers that are made specifically for people with limited mobility, while others find that they can use a travel system with minor modifications. With that in mind, go to a store that sells baby gear and try some things out to figure out what will work best for you.

Social and Emotional Challenges

Dealing with prejudices – Even with adaptations that give you full capability of caring for your child, be prepared to deal with other people making unfair judgements about your parenting abilities. According to NetMums, fear of prejudice can make some parents reluctant to ask for help. The truth is that all parents need help, so make a point of surrounding yourself with friends, family members, and professionals who will give you the support you need without judging your abilities.
Parenting styles and communication – As you move past the baby stage and kids become more active, you may find that you use more verbal communication rather than intervening physically in day-to-day interactions. When kids are old enough to understand, keeping open communication and talking with them about your disability will help build the trust you need to have a strong relationship.

The great thing about having nine months of pregnancy (and many developmental stages throughout your child’s first years!) is that you have some time to plan and prepare for what’s ahead. Connecting to other parents with disabilities, whether online or in your own community, is a great place to start. Planning now will help you be prepared for obstacles so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready to jump right into parenthood and focus on your bundle of joy.