| A Note From New York Family's Editor |
| Meeting Mr. Rogers: I couldn't stand teaching my daughter to ride a bike--she was falling and blaming me every three seconds--but fortunately (for both of us) I met a dad who could. This was in the spring of 2007, when she was 7 and his son, who was joyously weaving around the park on his bike, was only 4! The father's big insight was to teach children on a bike that is low enough for them to be able to easily plant their feet on the ground (so they won't be as scared about tipping). He then lent us his son's bike and, yes, she was riding on the third try. I was impressed, especially with his patient and pleasant manner with my distressed child. I ran into this dad again last week. He was walking his dog, and I was taking my daughter and my 4-year-old son out to dinner. Sure enough, in a matter of five minutes, he taught my children to enjoy animals in a way that I've never been able to. I wonder: Does he come by this gift naturally, or has he learned something about being a parent that I still need to learn?---Eric Messinger (emessinger@manhattanmedia.com) |
| Parenting Tip |
School Admissions For Infants! And Also For Tweens! Here are two great events to spread the word about. New York Family magazine is sponsoring a four-star Nursery School Admissions Seminar featuring three well-regarded school directors--Wendy Levey of Epiphany Community, Gabriella Rowe of Mandell, and Stephanie Katzman of Rhinelander-along with Roxana Reid of Smart City Kids, the city's premiere school admissions consultancy. Details: Monday, August 4, 6:30-8:30 pm, at Hunter College (The West Building, at the southwest corner of 68th Street and Lexington Avenue, 8th floor faculty dining room). $60 per person. The first 100 people to sign up can attend for only $50 and receive a $75 discount off of an initial consultation with Smart City Kids. For more info and to register, contact Stephanie Musso at smusso@manhattanmedia.com, or call 212-894-5441.
Now for parents with older children applying to an elite high school...The Princeton Review is sponsoring two-hour roundtables for parents of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in New York City. Discussion will focus on how to select a school, the associated standardized testing, and the best way to navigate the selection process. Details: The sessions are held July 23, July 24, and August 5, 8:30-10:30 am, at 2315 Broadway. Call 646-613-9500, or e-mail tarat@review.com to reserve a spot. |
| Joy's Shopping Tips |
It's Steak Time: Legendary steakhouse Morton's has created a recipe bible on how the restaurants choose and prepare their steaks and all the accompaniments. The book uncovers some of the restaurant's famous recipes from its menus. Most of the recipes are fairly easy, and they can be great for any of your summer soirees. The book also makes a great cocktail table piece that will have all your guests' mouths watering. $30.
Wholesome Yummies for Your Baby: Organic baby food is the latest craze for new moms, as it's healthy, nutritious and, of course, convenient. Petite Palate flash freezes its food to lock in all the nutrients. There are fruits, vegetables, grains and, by the end of the year, meats. Special culinary touches are the additions of ginger, vanilla, or thyme to take away the bland taste of regular baby food. Best yet, they are packed in paper cups, which are better for the environment. $2.50 for a 4-ounce cup; www.amazongrocery.com.
Toothy Treasure: The loss of your child's first tooth is a memorable one. Having a place to store it should be just as important. Tiffany's has a hand-painted limoges porcelain box with a yellow duck on it stating "Baby's First Tooth." There are also other patterns, such as a purple pig and a blue whale, to name a few. They are hand painted in Paris and a keepsake to cherish. $215; www.tiffany.com.
*Joy Sherwood is the Style Director of New York Family. She can be reached at jsherwood@manhattanmedia.com.
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| Activity Tips* |
Summerstage Family Day: Head to Central Park this Sunday to listen to music and watch a Brazilian-flavored puppet show at Summerstage's Global Family Day. The event will feature performances by the Little Maestros, Baby Loves Salsa, and the international visual arts troupe Big Nazo. Puppeteers from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre will perform "Cinderella Samba," an updated version of the fairy tale set in Brazil. All ages. Details: 3-7 pm ("Cinderella Samba" plays at 2:15 pm); free. Held at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, 212 360-2756, www.summerstage.org. Off With Their Facepaint! Heads will rock but not roll at this year's Bastille Day Festival, which commemorates the start of the French Revolution. This Sunday, families can partake of the cuisine of France and French-speaking countries, check out the Alliance Francaise's Kids' Corner, and try out the New York Health & Raquet Club's Tour de France cycling center. There will be performances by musicians and a raffle, with prizes including a trip to Paris. All ages. Details: 12-6 pm; free (food available for purchase). 60th Street between Lexington and Fifth Avenues, www.bastilledaynyc.com. Bemmelman Lives: A hip version of Ludwig Bemmelman with a 21st century sensibility, British artist Chris Long creates playful art that appeals to kids while playing to parents' taste for the retro. His new show, "This is Fun" at Gallery Hanahou, features bright renderings of kids playing in their natural habitats. Children who visit the exhibit can take home a free coloring book of illustrations by the artist. All ages. Details: Exhibit runs through August 29; free. Gallery Hanahou, 611 Broadway, Suite 730, 646-486-6586, http://galleryhanahou.com. *Activity Tips are from New York Family and GoCityKids.parentsconnect.com.
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| The Week's Bonus Tips |
Sandbox Series in Central Park: Kids can dance, sing, and listen to fairy tales during this summer's session of Sandbox Programs in Central Park. Every weekday through August 15, kids ages 3-8 can attend sessions with one of four artists. Moey of Moey's Music Party and the celebrated brass quintet Central Park Brass both host singalong sessions. GlobalArts to Go encourages kids to dance and sing while learning about the music of different cultures. And storyteller Dan Kitrosser spins multicultural tales of goblins, princesses, and regular folk. Details: Programs run 11 am-12 pm and 2-3 pm; free. For locations and schedule, call 212-860-1370 or visit www.centralparknyc.org.
Harvey Karp and More: Big City Moms is sponsoring two great events for families in the coming weeks. On July 24, parents and kids can attend an afternoon party at Kidville, complete with crafts, food, refreshments, as well as two special concerts by Rockin with Andy. On July 31, parents can check out two seminars with Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D., on preventing child meltdowns. One session is geared toward parents of babies, whereas the other focuses on parents of toddlers. Details: The Kidville party runs from 3:30-6:30 pm at 163 East 84th Street; tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door, and children ages 0-5 are welcome. The seminars are held at 5 pm (baby) and 7 pm (toddler) at Reidy Hall, 1157 Lexington Avenue. They cost $30 per person in advance and $40 at the door ($50 for both sessions). For more information, call 917-488-8542 or visit www.bigcitymoms.com. RSVP at events@bigcitymoms.com. |
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Play in the park with
Gymboree!
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 Got kids? Then
you know Gymboree Play & Music, the world renowned early childhood
educational program for families with children ages newborn to five
years. Join us this July & August at the park for some fun
under the sun. With the assistance of the park community
associations and the NYC Parks Department, Gymboree will host informal classes
for free at select NYC parks, from 10 to
noon. Participation is first come first served in your age group.
Adult participation is required. Sorry, no rain dates. Just look for our colorful parachute
& bubbles! Carl Schurz Park Playground - 84th &
East End Ave. Fri: July 18 &
25. Aug. 1, 8, 15 & 22 DeWitt-Clinton Park Playground - 52nd &
11th Ave. Wed:
July 16, 23 & 30; Aug. 6, 13 & 20
Hudson River Park - (near Pier 51)
Thur:
July 17, 24 & 31; Aug. 7, 14 & 21
Riverside Park -
72nd St. & Riverside Dr. Wed: July
16, 23 & 30; Aug. 6, 13 & 20 |
College Quick Jobs
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 College Quick Jobs
College
students are a great resource. CollegeQuickJobs.com has hundreds of students from Columbia, Barnard, and NYU available.
You can post a
job and view resumes online for free. The contact information of three of your
favorite students is $12.99. For a limited time, NYFamily readers can save 20% by entering the promotional code
NYFAM at checkout.
Click
here for more information.
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The Poppyseed Pre-Nursery
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 Where BIG things are happening for little people...
Receive $25 off for first-time enrollees
Music, Art, Gym and Play!
Mommy and Me classes for Babies, Toddlers, 2's or 3's
424 West End Ave at 81st St.
(212) 877-7614
Gail Ionescu, MSW Director
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TOP NEW YORK
CHEFS TAKE ON TOFU
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House Foods and the Gohan Society Present Summer's
Hottest Cook-Off Event in NYC
Four of New York's
hottest chefs will put their tofu technique to the test this July in a "Tofu Around the World" cook-off
event sponsored by House Foods America, a leading U.S. manufacturer of tofu and tofu
products.
The chefs are: Ed Higgins (Insieme), Wylie Dufresne (wd-50), Erik Battes (Perry Street), and Akinobu Suzuki (Sakagura).
Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 3pm - 5pm
Astor Center, 399
Lafayette St. at East 4th Street
This event is free of charge and open to the public!
To RSVP, send email to: housetofu@dcinyc.com
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Building Workers of the Year!
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 Manhattan Media & 32BJ SEIU present Building Workers of the Year
Nominate Your Favorite Favorite Doorman or Office Cleaner!
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