| A Note From New York Family's Editor |
Cheeseball: Through my early twenties, I was a basketball-playing fool; couldn't get enough of it. These days, I rarely exercise. Last Saturday morning, however, I managed to get myself over to the pedestrian pathway by the East River, with the intention of jogging several miles. But then, just after stretching, I ran into two moms from my daughter's school. We talked, we sympathized, we gossiped-- we stood in place for about an hour until it was time to return home after my non-workout. On rainy Sunday, after much pleading from my 4-year-old son, we made a family trip to the Chuck E. Cheese's in Hicksville. No one told me that Chuck E. Cheese's has one of those rapid-fire mini-basketball court games. I was a bad parent that day. As my wife chased the kids around, I played Hoops Lite until it was time to leave, and on the very last round, I actually broke the game's previous high score. My 8-year-old daughter was impressed, my son was indifferent, my wife amused. And now, when people asked me what I do for exercise, I know what to say. "I work out at Chuck E. Cheese's."--- Eric Messinger ( emessinger@manhattanmedia.com) |
| Parenting Tip |
| Junior Olympics: The Olympics provide enough sport and spectacle to keep kids of all ages entertained, but one way to really get a child interested in the games is to single out a few athletes and follow them throughout the tournament. Kids might like to root for Bronx-born swimmer Cullen Jones, for example, or track and field underdog shot putter Reese Hoffa. We recommend having them pick some athletes now before the games start so they'll be ready for the events. And don't forget to share the opening night ceremonies on August 8. |
| Joy's Shopping Tips |
Vote Your Soap: With the upcoming presidential elections approaching, kids can keep the importance of a clean democracy in mind with bars of soap stamped with the word "Vote." Not only could the soap spark discussions of politics ("What's a chad?") but it's also a cute and useful reminder of the importance of our basic rights. $7.50; www.wishingfish.com.
New Old-Fashioned Baking: Reminiscent of the Easy-Bake oven, the latest in fun cooking gadgets is the Girl Gourmet cupcake maker. Kids can make their own cupcakes from the mixes supplied and then decorate them any way they like. Use the special cupcake froster to create the perfect swirl. It's clever and safe and a great way to introduce them to the fun of cooking. $29.99; www.toysrus.com.
An All-Natural Clean: Hardwood floors are abundant in our city apartments and brownstones nowadays, but the question has always been how to best clean them without leaving a residue. The Steam Mop by Bissell is a chemical-free cleaner that uses the disinfecting power of steam to naturally clean floors without producing harmful fumes. The microfiber mop pads for the cleaner can be washed and reused, eliminating the waste of disposable cloths. $79.99; www.homedeopt.com.
*Joy Sherwood is the Style Director of New York Family. She can be reached at jsherwood@manhattanmedia.com. |
| Activity Tips* |
Where The Wild Things Are: If your child loves the American Museum of Natural History, be sure to check out "Walking With Dinosaurs" at Madison Square Garden. Based on the BBC television series, the show features 15 roaring, moving, larger-than-life-size dinosaurs acting out scenarios showing how the creatures ate, evolved, and fought. Details: July 30-August 3; ticket prices range from $35-$99. Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets, www.dinosaurlive.com.
Up, Up And Away: Through August 22, get a literal birds-eye view of Central Park from 30 stories up in the air during a hot air balloon ride meant to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the original design of the Park. Four passengers at a time ascend up to 300 feet during the rides, which last 10 minutes and take off from Cherry Hill in Central Park. Details: Rides are offered on a first-come, first-served basis from 10 am until 10 pm (no reservations are available). Only adults and children taller than 40 inches can ride in the balloon. Adults $25/children $17.50. Cherry Hill, Central Park at 72nd Street, West of the Bethesda Fountain, 646-827-6287, www.aeroballoon.com.
African Guitar Festival: Listen to some African roots music, sample tasty treats from the continent, and check out some homemade crafts at the all-day African Guitar Festival in Prospect Park this Sunday. There will be performances by Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits, Yossi Fine & Afrikan Bass, and Extra Golden, among others. The festival is part of the Celebrate Brooklyn event series. All ages. Details: August 3, 2-9 pm; free ($3 suggested donation). Prospect Park Bandshell, Prospect Park West and 9th Street, Brooklyn, 718-855-7882, www.briconline.org.
*Activity Tips are from New York Family and GoCityKids.com.
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| The Week's Bonus Tips |
Nursery Admissions Last Call: With the September deadline for applications to many nursery programs approaching, New York Family magazine and Big City Moms have put together a special admissions panel featuring some of the most well-regarded nursery school directors and admissions consultants in the city, including Wendy Levey of Epiphany Community; Gabriella Rowe of the Mandell School; and Stephanie Katzman of the Rhinelander School--along with Patti Wollman of Smart City Kids (the city's premiere admissions consultants). 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 enroll 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 visit www.newyorkfamily.com.
Pro Tennis for Kids: The US Open's annual Arthur Ashe Kids' Day features a full lineup of kid-friendly sports and music. This year, Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, and other stars will show off their skills during practice and exhibition games, and musical performances will be given by Menudo and "Camp Rock" star Demi Lovato. Player autographs, an obstacle course, face painting, and other activities are also part of the lineup. Details: August 23, 9:30 am-4 pm. Admission to the games on the outer courts is free; admission is $10-$20 for the concert and mainstage events. 1-866-OPEN-TIX, www.usopen.org. And for a more under-the-radar chance to see some pros play, you can check out the 2008 GHI Bronx Tennis Classic, benefiting the New York Junior Tennis League. And note these dates: from August 11 to 17 there will be free tennis clinics for children from noon to 3 pm; August 14 is a kids' fitness day featuring activities; and August 16 sees the NYPD play the FDNY in a tennis showdown. Details: August 9-17; admission to outer courts during the week is free. Finals tickets $10-$25 for adults (children under 12 free). Crotona Park, Bronx, 347-417-8129, http://nyjtl.org, www.ghi.com. |
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Build Your Own Gymboree Mini
Session!
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 Choose any 4 weeks of the next 7 and
come to two of Gymboree's famous play classes per week plus daily unstructured
playtimes. All that for just $149! Bring a friend and double the fun. If she
joins, too, you get $25 off Fall class fees.
Now
through Sept. 7 at all 6 Manhattan locations.
Ages Newborn - 5.
Also taking Fall registrations. |
College Quick Jobs
|
 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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Be
on TV with Circle Line Downtown
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 Friday, August
8th a morning news station will be on board our
speedboat ride SHARK.
Please
join Circle Line Downtown on board from 5:45am to 9:00am as we
cruise the New York Harbor to showcase The New York City Waterfalls on TV!
All
kids that participate will receive a free child and adult ticket to come back
for a later date.
To be a part of this exciting event, please email Kkusactay@circlelinedowntown.com
by Monday, August 4th your full name, address, phone number, email
address, how many kids and their ages. Please note that all kids must be at
least 40 inches tall and be able to sit in their own seat.
Cruise
departs from Pier 16, South Street Seaport
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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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