Review: Mountain Creek Tubing

As I posted earlier this week, we went ziplining at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, New Jersey. As part of the package, we also went tubing at Mountain Creek. Last time we went tubing was probably 3 years ago, so we were quite excited to go.

Mountain Creek apparently has the largest tubing space in the United States, if all 30 lanes are open. They weren’t all open when we were there (I think I counted 15 open, but don’t hold me to that).

One of the tubing hills at Mountain Creek resort in NJ. It's empty because all the tubers go down at the same time, and they haven't shoved off yet. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
One of the tubing hills at Mountain Creek resort in NJ. It’s empty because all the tubers go down at the same time, and they haven’t shoved off yet. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

You book a 2 hour window for tubing. Reservations are highly recommended because apparently they sell out. But if you make a reservation and show up late, you still only get your reserved 2 hours. Just so you know.

Unfortunately we missed tubing with Juicy Joe and Teresa Guidice and family, who were there about a week before us. Bummer! I would have LOVED that photo op. Continue reading “Review: Mountain Creek Tubing”

A Night at the Races – Horse Races that is

Touch and Go. Trend Spotter. That’s Justice. The Pokester. Tricky Jakeskyscape. Get Jazzed. Marjorly Bad. Dinner Guest. Nathan Feelsgood. Ol’ Man River. He Rocks It. Get it Now. Golden Receiver. Betterthanlynx. Bullet Bob. Boiler Bob the QB. Bakin on the Beach. Fiftyshadesdarker. Fiveknuckleshuffle. Fool of Ideas. Fresh Dream. Midas Blue Chip. Musselsfrmbrussels. Mysterious Moment. Western Tsunami. Versado. Voice of Truth. Sonic Dancer. Sheer Desire. Sea Me Now. Saywhatuneedtosay.

Losers.
Losers.

Do you know where I’m going with this? Roller derby? Nope. Horse racing. We went. Should you?

Jockey Debbie sitting in a sulky. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Jockey Debbie sitting in a sulky. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

I didn’t really think that New Jersey would have horse racing – in JANUARY – at night, no less. But they do, at the Meadlowlands Race Track. We went a Harness Meet. Those of us not “in the know” called chariot racing or cart racing. Why? Continue reading “A Night at the Races – Horse Races that is”

Coming Up: Big Birthday Bash Expo – Union and Essex Counties

If you’re looking for birthday party planning ideas, you’ll want to check out the Big Birthday Bash Expo hosted by New Jersey Moms Guide in Union and Essex counties. (And check out our own Jersey Kids birthday guide). We have a 50% off code listed in the ticket section.

The Big Birthday Bash Expo will have more than 35 local businesses represented, offering birthday party venues, bakeries, stores, entertainment, and other types of vendors. Bring the kids because they’ll have free activities including a photo booth, face painting, crafts, music, dancing, balloon artists, princess appearances and birthday cake. Plus kids all get goody bags.

Here’s who is on tap for the Garwood event: Bath Junkie, Little Gym, Little Scoops, My Gym, Mr. Ray, My FairyTale Parties, Gigi’s Parties, Pure Dance Movement, Dancer’s Point, Peggy’s Cake Balls, Build N Blocks, Birthday 411, Jersey Party Services, Covered in Candies, Mad Science Birthday Parties, Screamin’ Parties, Photos by Lillie, Parti-licious, DoddleBugz, Preschool of Rock, and more.

Tickets: presale for the events are $10/person, $18/ 2 tickets. Or $35 for a family pack of 4. Use code “jerseykids” (without quotes) when checking out and save 50%.

Where/When:

Union County vendors: The Westwood (438 North Avenue in Garwood) is on Saturday, February 2nd from 1-4. Cake cutting is at 2 and 3.

Essex County vendors: Dancer’s Point (20 Millburn Avenue in Springfield) is on Sunday, February 24 from 1-4.

 

Review: Glassworks in Morristown

Our recent trip to Glassworks in Morristown was a resounding success, and now we can’t wait to go back. We went as a Girl Scout activity, and saw lots of families making crafts together. They have a party room set up as well.

The party room! You can see one of the tables holding holding glass pieces in the middle, by the cupcake. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

The space was quite large, with several tables seating 10 set up. We had a choice of three projects (set up with our troop leader ahead of time), so we all chose which item we wanted to make, and the staff person explained how to do it.

The table is set up for customers. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan

Continue reading “Review: Glassworks in Morristown”

Review: Ninety Acres – “Bring Me Food”

We’ve long wanted to try Ninety Acres, a culinary center located in a restored carriage house. My in-laws came to visit, and offered to take us for our birthdays. Ninety Acres is part of the Natirar (Raritan spelled backwards) resort in Somerset County. They have a private club, event/meeting spaces, celebration spaces, a farm, a park…quite beautiful and refined.

The Ninety Acres building, a restored carriage house

Ninety Acres offers locally grown and sourced foods when possible, When you eat at Ninety Acres, you choose between a regular menu and the “Bring Me Food” (BMF) menu, which was the source of much confusion for our family. With BMF you will not get a menu at all (well I got one, but that’s because I was taking notes, and they felt bad for me. So they brought one but made me promise not to look at it until the end). Continue reading “Review: Ninety Acres – “Bring Me Food””

Commemorating 9/11 2013

September 11th has a more intense meaning for us now that we live in New Jersey. The house we live in was once owned by a couple, whose husband perished in the Twin Towers. Living here is a daily reminder.

The 11th anniversary is upon us, and I just wanted to put out a few resources on where you can find information on how to discuss the day with your children.

The 9/11 memorial in Manhattan opened last year, on the 10th anniversary. The museum is not yet open, however there are lesson plans available. These were developed by teachers, through the New York City Department of Education, and the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. You don’t have to be a credentialed teacher to use them, of course. As parents, we’re all teachers. The site also has tips on how to talk to your children about 9/11.

The photo above is the Empty Sky memorial in Jersey City. It was dedicated last year to those in New Jersey who lost their lives on 9/11. It’s a beautiful memorial, and you can see steel from the World Trace Center in the foreground. The names of those lost are inscribed inside the walkway on the stone panels. The view? Well, yes. That’s where the Twin Towers stood.

MommyPopppins has  fabulous list of ways to commemorate the day with your family, with a lot of resources. Please check it out.

Our thoughts go to all who lost friends and family members on that horrific day, and to those who died in the aftermath of helping in rescue and clean-up efforts.

Review: The Inn at Lambertville Station

So it’s a little cloudy in this picture, but the hotel is next to the river

We recently spent a romantic weekend (away from the kids!) in Lambertville NJ/New Hope PA. We stayed at the Inn at Lambertville Station, which is right on the Delaware River, looking out over New Hope. (Read 11 Things to Do in Lambertville/New Hope here)

Overall it was a lovely experience, save for the loud, drunk wedding guests parading past our room from 11-11:30 p.m. on Saturday night. See WARNING below.

The hotel is behind a historic station house which is now a restaurant (and two bars). The hotel is not old, but it looks old inside (in a good way). The front desk has a nice looking key pick-up area and gift shop with food, drinks and lavender soaps (the type they have in your room). Continue reading “Review: The Inn at Lambertville Station”

Treat of the Day: Ralph’s Ices

We first discovered Ralph’s when in Staten Island, eating at Denino’s Pizza. Ralph’s was just across the street. Since we’re relative newcomers to the East Coast, the concept of Italian Ices was rather new to us too. Turns out that Ralph’s is quite popular in the area, with many NY locations, and many in New Jersey as well. On every trip home from Sandy Hook, we stop at Ralph’s, which is heavily represented in the Garden State.

It’s always a toss up between the water ices, the creme ices and the ice cream. Here’s why:

Water ice flavors: cotton candy, grape, blue Hawaii, black raspberry, Malibu bay breeze, root beer, red raspberry, sour cherry and strawberry margarita.

Creme ice flavors: cappuccino, canolli, coconut raspberry tart, crazy coconut, cremalata, mocha chip, peanut butter candy bar, peanut butter cookie dough, pina colada, vanilla fudge brownie and more.

Here’s what we ended up with:

2 malted milk shakes (black/white and chocolate), a java chip creme ice, and a brownie sundae. We felt a bit ill after finishing them all.

Ralph’s has lots of locations.

Treat of the Day: Little Scoops Ice Cream

This is the first of what will probably be many ice cream posts this summer – I have a big list of places I want to go! We went to Little Scoops in Cranford on the last day of school. We won a certificate for 5 free sundaes from a tricky tray (thanks, Little Scoops!) and thought that was perfect day to cash it in. Plus it turned out to be 250 degrees outside, and Little Scoops had air conditioning. Yay!!!

What we loved about Little Scoops wasn’t the ice cream (I’ll get into that later). It was the atmosphere and the staff. It looks like an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and the staff (including the owner, who came over to say hi) could not have been nicer.

 

Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Little Scoops Ice Cream”