Your Guide to Family-Friendly Day Trips in New Jersey, New York…and Beyond
We were visiting the New York Hall of Science, and took a break for lunch. We had already passed the Lemon Ice King of Corona while driving to the science center and made of note of it so we could come back. So we did.
Continue reading “Treat of the Day: Lemon Ice King of Corona”
My daughter and I were poking around the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market on a day when it felt like, well, hell. You remember that 100 degree (plus) day? Oh yeah, there were several recently. Well we were sweating buckets while looking at crap used items, and we came upon a very sweaty vendor with an adorable sign and tiny ice cream cart. It was Je and Jo’s organic ice cream. We had the good sense to stop and fork over $4/each for a scoop. Well, I forked over $4 for both of us ($4×2=$8) so we could each have our own.
Here’s what we had to choose from:
Okay, let’s start with the question most families with young kids have. Is Mamma Mia appropriate for kids? Well…..it depends.
THE PLOT
Let’s start with the plot, in case you’re in the dark ages and haven’t heard of it. A young woman (Sophie) is getting married and wants to figure out which of the three men her mom slept with (in a short time span), is her father. Therein lies the problem for kids. Continue reading “Review: Mamma Mia on Broadway – Appropriate for Kids?”
In its day (1832-1935), the Lower East Side (LES) was the largest Jewish community in North America. The Lower East Side is defined as from the East River to South Street Seaport, from Broadway to Lafayette to 14th Street. This was in an era where there was no Tribeca, no SOHO. The LES has always been an immigrant neighborhood, and is also associated with the Irish, Chinese, Poles, Ukrainians, and many others.
The Tenement Museum is a unique place where you’ll learn about the lives of actual families who lived (and sometimes worked) here. I’ve been to the Tenement Museum twice, once with and once without my kids, who are 8 and 10. I’ll share a lot of information here, and give you the thumbs up or down for the kids at the end. And if you disagree with any of the history I mentioned, feel free to leave a comment. The information came from my tour guide.
TENEMENT MUSEUM HISTORY
In 1988, Ruth Abram and Anita Jacobsen wanted to create a testament to immigration. They couldn’t find a worthwhile place, while looking for something that had deteriorated naturally and hadn’t turned into a crack house. The finally found this, where they also found 9,000 artifacts from some of the 7,000 people (from 20 countries) who lived here over 100 years. They later bought the buildings next to the museum and are converting those now as well. Read more about this history here. This is the first tenement to be individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The kids and I were filmed Monday for a segment on Good Morning America, called Sneaky Teacher. One of the beautiful things about living close to New York is that they need “talent” (in this case known as middle-American families) to film once in a while in their features, and if you’re within driving distance, you too can be considered. I can’t figure out how to embed the video here, so here’s the link to Good Morning America’s Sneaky Teacher segment with Jersey Kids.
Want to know how we were chosen? What’s it like to be filmed by Good Morning America? Read my personal blog post on how we got onto Good Morning America and what it was like shooting. 
As school draws to an end, I’ve been collecting lists of places to go and things to do this summer. Here are a few links to get you started:
—Summer Family-Fun Guide – fairs and festivals in the Garden State this summer (Star Ledger)
—Summer Camp Guide – in case you are still making plans (Star Ledger)
—New Jersey Summer Beach Guide (New Jersey Monthly)
—Jersey Shore – Guide for Summer Fun Activities (New Jersey Monthly)
–Shore happenings: The second edition of Jen Miller’s book Explorer’s Guide – The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May is being released now.
–I recently heard Kevin Woyce speak about Jersey Shore history – totally interesting stuff. He has a book out, Jersey Shore History and Facts – check it out.
–Head to a New Jersey State Park
–Go to a small amusement park (Mommy Poppins)
–Read Jersey Kids’ review of Land of Make Believe
Any helpful links you love? Add them in the comments!
The American Natural History Museum is so immense you just can’t see it in one visit. Or two. Or three. So here are 7.5 ways to explore it with your kids!
1. PICK AN EXHIBIT
Whether you choose a special exhibit or a permanent one, pick one and explore it in depth. Given the high cost of visiting the museum, newcomers to the museum might want to stick with the standard holdings unless there’s an exhibit you REALLY want to see. The special exhibits are add-ons, i.e. they cost extra.
Add-ons:
–Space movies
–special exhibitions
–Butterflies – (open part of the year, now through May 27, 2013)
–Our Global Kitchen (open through August, 2013)
–IMAX movies
For permanent exhibits, don’t miss the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life (that’s where the big whale is), Fossil Hall (with the dinosaurs), the Grand Gallery (the beautiful 77th Street lobby), or the gemstones.
Continue reading “American Museum of Natural History – 7.5 Ways to See it with Kids”
The I (heart) New York t-shirts are cute, but they’re so prolific you get a little sick of seeing them in all the tourist stores. So what kind of New York souvenirs do you bring when you visit friends and family elsewhere? Or where do you point your visitors to get something unique to take home? Here are some ideas:
How cute are these cookies from Eleni’s at Chelsea Market? Buy them individually, or get a boxed assortment – the ones below are 11 for $65. Continue reading “Unique New York: Souvenirs”
I’m not a big Toys R Us fan in general, but I do like the one in Times Square (Broadway at 44th Street). Not that I actually shop there, but it’s a fun place to hang out. Here are five things not to miss when you go!
The Ferris Wheel – You can’t miss this four story Ferris wheel, which is the first thing you see when you walk in. While waiting in line (you buy timed tickets) you can try to figure out which car would be the best for you – the Cabbage Patch Kids? The Scooby Doo car? The Little Tykes car? The Monopoly car? My Little Pony? Mr. Potato Head? The M&M car? The Toy Story car? The Rug Rats? At $4.50 a person per ride, it’s not cheap, but the proceeds do benefit the company’s charity.
Continue reading “5 Things Not to Miss at Toys R Us – Times Square”
If you are able to get to the Park Avenue Armory by March 30, you must go. Here’s why:
I dragged the kids and husband – who did not understand my desire to see quilts hanging from the ceiling. I tried to explain – it would be 650 quilts – all in red and white. They still didn’t get it. But once they walked into the fabulous armory (which itself is an architectural masterpiece), they were also awestruck.
Continue reading “Quilts Quilts Quilts – at Park Avenue Armory”
