manhattan Archives - Jersey Kids

April 27, 2025April 27, 2025

Is Operation Mincemeat Approrpriate for Kids? Is Oh, Mary Appropriate for Kids?

We had a double in New York, seeing Operation Mincemeat one night, and Oh, Mary! the next, solely for the purpose of answering your questions: Is Operation Mincemeat appropriate for kids? Is Oh, Mary appropriate for kids? Read on.

Operation Mincemeat, a British show, is about a farfetched plot to divert Nazi troops from Sicily to Sardinia, so the Allies could invade and take it back. It’s a comedy and musical, and it’s shockingly a true story. I won’t get into many details, so as not to spoil it.

Operation Mincemeat – copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

April 27, 2025April 27, 2025

The Morgan Library With Kids

I can’t believe it took us this long to get to the Morgan Museum and Library. I can’t wait to go back. Have you gone to the Morgan Library with kids? The residence on the left is part of the complex, along with the Renzo Piano building in the middle and the annex on the right of it. The library is behind all this, in the far corner.

April 27, 2025April 27, 2025

Macy’s Flower Show

The Macy’s Flower Show runs today through Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Macy’s Herald Square. If you’re in NYC, stop in to check it out.

April 27, 2025April 27, 2025

Spring in Central Park

Central Park by the Wollman Rink, now pickle ball courts. Copyright

Spring in Central Park! It’s that time of year and Central Park is in bloom. You haven’t missed it yet! These are pictures from 2 days ago. I walked from the bottom of Central Park up to 105th street and back down again (meandering) and captured these.

March 8, 2025March 8, 2025

Sunset Boulevard With Kids

I went into Sunset Boulevard cold. My husband saw it in the West End 30 years ago with Patty LuPone. I didn’t know the story, and I only knew a little of the music. While he was eager to tell me about the differences between the shows at intermission (and after), he didn’t need to tell me much. The staging, which I knew ahead of time was different, was totally obvious.

Should you see Sunset Boulevard with kids? I’ll share more at the end.

Read on only if you don’t mind spoilers.

March 8, 2025March 8, 2025

Review: The Civilian Hotel and Bars

It’s time for a staycation! I’ve been to the Civilian Hotel numerous times for drinks in two of its fabulous bars, but we wanted to stay here as well. This stylized Broadway theater district hotel plays on that strength (see bars, later). But you just feel like a hip, trendy person when you go there. When you walk into the hotel, there are 2 desks down the hall – one is for dining/bar reservations (I think) and one is for hotel check-in. It was the smallest reception desk I’ve seen in my life, but it worked perfectly well and you can leave your luggage with them there if you need as well.

Cozy room at the Civilian Hotel. By Deborah Abrams Kaplan

December 1, 2024December 1, 2024

2024 NYC Holiday Windows

We made our usual trek into NYC on Thanksgiving weekend to check out the 2024 NYC holiday windows. I have to say, other than Bergdorf Goodman, they were a disappointment. I’ll start with Bergdorf Goodman’s, and then share Macy’s and one from Bloomingdale’s. I’ll share at the bottom more about Sak’s Fifth Avenue’s windows.

AND, scroll down to see the Louis Vuitton scaffolding – which is UNREAL. A highlight of the day.

Bergdorf Goodman – Toast of the Town

Bergdorf Goodman – *Ricky Zehavi Photography*

August 25, 2024August 25, 2024

Mercer Labs With Kids

If you haven’t heard of Mercer Labs, you’re not alone. Formally Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology opened in March, a collaboration between Israeli artist Roy Nachum and real estate developer Michael Cayre. The idea is to be a “place where the traditional hierarchies between art, architecture, design, technology and culture are dissolved,” the New York Times quoted from a news release (I couldn’t find the news release).

In the Limitless exhibit in this 36,000 square foot space, you’ll visit 15 rooms with multimedia and sensory experiences, climbing up and down stairs between the floors (of course there’s an elevator if needed). In the initial space, which was one of the least interesting, you’ll put on shoe covers and look at a digital moving object that looks like of like a space rock.

February 6, 2024February 6, 2024

Review: Tea Around Town with kids

Pop songs reconceived as chamber music are piped through the bus speakers as the children double fist sweet tea in travel mugs and miniature chocolate mousse pastries.

My girls, aged 5 years and 364 days, and 11, lounged against a banquet covered with a soft pink throw as the double-decker bus navigated the canyons of Midtown Manhattan. A tour guide shared a few factual tidbits, then broke out into song (and she could actually sing).

I don’t really remember what she talked about, and neither do the kids. The city information seemed beside the point on TopView’s “Tea Around Town” tour bus.

The upper deck of Tea Around Town. Photo by Anne Miller.

December 17, 2023December 17, 2023

New York Transit Museum Holiday Train Show

Something the kids and adults will all like: the New York Transit Museum holiday train show. It’s at Grand Central Station’s transit museum store through February 2024.

New York Transit Museum holiday train show. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

You’ll find a city within a city, with miniature electric railroads running over, through, and beneath some landmarks you’ll recognize. There are tracks at several levels, great for young kids who can see many of them from their own eye level.