Pizza-Making 101 at Rossopomodoro in the West Village

Ask any kid their top 5 favorite foods, and pizza will undoubtedly be at the top of the list-- let's face it, pizza is practically its own food group at our house. So, when we got an invite to Rossopomodoro for a children's pizza-making lesson, the answer was an obvious no-brainer.

This West Village neighborhood favorite serves up classic Neapolitan cuisine in a warm & inviting atmosphere. The space allocated for children's pizza classes is semi-private, sunlit, and perfectly situated right next to their shiny gold brick oven.

The girls were given a chef's hat, apron and rolling pin when we arrived, and they got to work rolling out their dough under the supervision of Achille Confuorto, a GM Partner at the restaurant who also teaches adults how to make pizza at their location inside Eatily. As you can see from the pics below, it was a really fun and well-run class, and most importantly, the pizza was DELISH! Classes begin this weekend (for $27, your child will receive the aforementioned chef's hat, apron, rolling pin as well as their pizza masterpiece after it comes out of the oven). Call 212.242.2310 to reserve your child's spot!

 

Rossopomodoro will also begin using this space soon for birthday parties -- such a fun way to celebrate! Side note: had a look at their $10 children's menu, too, and will be adding it to my list of kid-friendly restaurants.




Disclosure: While this class was complimentary, all opinions herein are my own.

Birthdays & Bubbles at the Gazillion Bubble Show (& a discount!)

October is birthday month around here, which basically means it's a bit hectic for the first couple of weeks and culminates with everyone's favorite candy-fueled, ultimate dress up day of the year. Throw in a little pumpkin picking and a fall fair or two and you have one busy (but fun) month. Do I always utter a quick sigh of relief on November 1st? YES, indeed I do.

This year, we continued the tradition of an "experience" birthday celebration rather than a party, which works out well for us and is frankly a bit easier to plan and less expensive than renting a party space, etc. We took Vivian (turning 6!) and her sister and two friends to the Gazillion Bubble Show, an experience I'd heard about for a while now but never seen for myself. So much fun!

This show is fantastic for kids, and let's face it, Husband and I were entertained, too. Because BUBBLES! In all shapes and sizes! Doing all sorts of crazy things! There are not enough exclamation points to describe the situation.

A few points to consider: best seats in the house are definitely in the first 10 rows in the middle section. Worth it to make sure that's where you're seated, trust me. Also, don't decide to bust out your leather jacket or anything that stains easily for the occasion, as you will, without a doubt, get bubble soap on you (which is part of the fun, just go with it...). Lastly, in case your child isn't picked to go on stage, you can spend $20 after the show is over for your child to have their photo taken inside a bubble. It's the worth the money -- the party girls absolutely loved it!

The show, which is now in its 10th year, is currently offering tickets for as low as $45 (regularly $75) with code GBPOP101 -- you can purchase tickets online, on the phone (212-947-8844) or at New World Stages (a gorgeous venue!) using this code. While it's perfect for a birthday (they offer official party packages, too), it's a fun activity no matter the occasion. My girls are still talking about it!

Birthday girl & her crew

Disclosure: I was provided with tickets in exchange for discount promotion. All opinions herein are my own.

Children's Tea Time at The Russian Tea Room

Millie just turned 7 (SEVEN!), and while she floated many an idea on how to celebrate her birthday, she finally decided a tea party with a couple close friends would be a fun way to ring in her special day. I looked at several options for children's tea parties, and ultimately we decided on The Russian Tea Room, both for it's gorgeous, over-the-top decor that I knew the little girls would get a kick out of AND the fact that it seemed more reasonably priced (surprisingly) than other options.

photo credit: Husband extraordinaire

I'm happy to report that the birthday girl and her friends had a blast! The tea itself was delicious, the ambiance was amazing, and the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. Our waiter made sure we visited the Bear Lounge before we left, home of the Tea Room's famous dancing bear fish bowl and Faberge egg tree. While this certainly seems like more of a "special occasion" place to us, if you're visiting NYC or live here and have never been, all I can say is... GO. This NYC institution is quite the experience, and it's one my brand new 7 year old won't soon forget.

A Pirate-Themed Birthday with Bang & Boom Parties

While Vivian opted for a more low-key birthday this year, Millie was all about an actual par-tay to celebrate turning six (pardon me while I hyperventilate for a second... am mother to six year old... breathe, Ellen...)

Okay, I'm back. WHEW. This one will take a little while to digest.

And while I do like planning parties, I was a little unsure of how to proceed. October can be a bit dicey weather-wise, so having a party in the park didn't seem like the best idea. Instead, we opted for a shin dig in our tiny quaint apartment, keeping the guest list small so as not to be overrun with children, thus leading Husband to exit for "a pack of smokes" & never return. Also, not that I was phoning it in this year, but I just didn't feel like spending hours pouring over Pinterest planning a theme & all the little details like I have in the past. But of course, I wanted the party to look like I had -- HA!

As luck would have it, two mom friends of mine, Lizzi & Gaby, have started a truly thoughtful & creative party kit business called Bang & Boom Parties. Essentially, you choose a theme for your child's party & a box is delivered to your door with EVERYTHING you need except the kitchen sink (or cake, in this case). Inside, you'll find all the decorations (garland, banner, balloons, cake toppers), tableware, thank you notes, guest wearables, activities, a custom shirt for the birthday kiddo, party favors... even matches & candles. Last but not least, a cake recipe (as well as a gluten-free option) & plenty of tips to make your party a success. They've truly thought of everything so that you -- mom extraordinaire -- can put a party together in 20 minutes with no stress in sight.

Millie chose Bang & Boom's pirate theme, which was so much fun! As with all of their themes (check out Farm Fresh, their latest addition!), Lizzi & Gaby's attention to detail & creative flair comes shining through.

Party contents

Guest party favors

Cake or cupcake toppers

Pirate

Guest wearables: bandanas & eye patches

Coordinating tableware

Birthday kid t-shirt & "gold" treasure for each guest to find. Reward: birthday cake!

Always important to say thanks!

More decorations to hang... I let the birthday girl put them where she wanted. Aarrrr!

Skull & sword garland

Coordinating Happy Birthday banner

Party snacks before the pizza arrived.

Another party activity: treasure box decorating!

My big six year old. Waaaah!

Party was a total success & as you can see above, we had a happy pirate on our hands. Thanks to Bang & Boom for making me look like a rock star! Consider supporting this local mom-owned business the next time your child has a birthday.

And finally, I love reading this poem to my brand new six year old. Winnie the Pooh is truly the gift that keeps on giving!

"The End"

When I was One,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

When I was Three,

I was hardly Me.

When I was Four,

I was not much more.

When I was Five,

I was just alive.

But not I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

-- A.A. Milne

Disclosure: I was given a party box as a promotional thank you & for review purposes. All opinions herein are my own.

Turning 4 in NYC: Musicals, Cupcakes & Pizza, Oh My!

My baby girl (no longer my baby) turned FOUR years old last week. I'll spare you all the "How did that happen?!" questions combined with the desire to contemplate life's fleeting moments... for a hot minute. Because seriously, how did that happen?! Sigh.

Lucky for us, Vivian is growing up into a very sweet, caring, funny little girl, & for that we're super thankful. To celebrate her special day, we planned a non-party celebration with two of her buddies. Everything worked out perfectly, and I gotta say, if your child isn't into the idea of a party, it's all good. There are plenty of ways to celebrate in NYC!

First, we headed to a performance of Flight School, presented by the Vital Theatre, and showing this month only at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre on West 64th Street & Central Park West. The Vital is known for their dynamic children's productions, so I knew we wouldn't be disappointed. And truly, how could a show about a penguin who wants to fly not be adorable? The songs were peppy & fun, & all the girls had an opinion about which character was their favorite post-show. And SPOILER: the penguin does fly, with a little help from his friends. Loved the message! To purchase tickets, click HERE.

Afterwards, we headed to Columbus Avenue for two of Vivian's favorite things in this world: pizza & cupcakes. I handed out necklaces & "fancy" headbands & after we had lunch (at a little hole in the wall place -- the best kind -- with a table just big enough for all of us) we headed down to the street to Magnolia's Bakery, because um... cupcakes!

Magnolia's is STILL good after all these years, & it will always hold a special place in my heart. And no, not just because of Sex & The City. I ate banana pudding there on my very first day in NYC, so what can I say, it brings back a whole lot of memories.

I kind of like that it can be part of Vivian's memories now, too. Happy Birthday, my love!

A Fairy-Themed Combo Birthday Celebration

Having two children close in age (with birthdays eight days apart) has its pluses and minuses. The first two weeks of October are birthday central around here, and while it's nice to have all the celebrating happen at once, my oven is about as tired as I am. Turning 3 and 5 this year, I definitely hyped the joint birthday party idea to Millie and Vivian. Luckily, they were duped easily convinced. I am curious at how many years I'll be able to get away with this, though... I was talking to someone the other day who revealed he hated sharing his birthday with his little brother while they were growing up, so I'll definitely keep that in mind as the years go by.

How do you feel about the combo birthday party?

Luckily, the girls settled on a fairy theme pretty quickly, as it's all about fairies and magic at our house (we're still holding on to a dying plant that Millie is convinced is a beanstalk that's going to grow out our window). I worked with the amazing Chasing Fireflies, who sent me some adorable supplies from their Flower Fairies collection to compliment the party. I love this collection, which lends more towards woodland creature than Disney Tinkerbell (sorry Tink). One look and you can tell that the quality is a touch above... the cups/plates/napkins are super sturdy and strong, and we came home and hung up the garland in the girls room (such a fun memory from the party). They're still playing with the fairy centerpiece, too. 

I found wings for all the kids on Ebay, and headed to Michael's for "fairy houses" and painting supplies. Recipes and unicorn cake inspiration came from Pinterest (of course!), and music and face painting was provided by our neighborhood's party entertainer extraordinaire. Such a fun morning celebrating our little gals! Here are just a few pictures from the day:

Disclaimer: Chasing Fireflies provided me with product for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.