Big Apple Books: A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park

Happy publication day to A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park, written and illustrated by Ashley Benham Yazdani! I recently received this book for review, and it's a wonderful addition to my Big Apple Books collection (and not just because spring is in the air).

A Green Place to Be takes you back to the mid-1800s in New York City, when the city was rapidly growing in every area but sorely lacking in green space. Architect Calvert Vaux convinced the city to hold a design contest for a new park, which he planned to enter & win himself. He joined forces with  Frederick Law Olmstead, park superintendent, and together they created the plans for what we now know as Central Park.

My daughters have really enjoyed reading this book, picking up fun little discoveries along the way. Did you know that Vaux and Olmstead originally named the park Greensward? That when the Ramble first opened, there were musicians in boats floating around the lake entertaining everyone? What a wonderful scene that must have been! Our favorite section, however, is the description of "The Children's District," which was an area of the park designated for kids, including a dairy for fresh milk, a petting zoo (sound familiar?), croquet lawn and a field for playing baseball.

Yazdani's illustrations are so whimsical and dreamlike, they make you want to jump in the picture, Mary Poppins-style. And the writing is educational and informative without being dry, which we parents always appreciate. Meanwhile, I personally loved learning that Calvert and Vaux meticulously chose every plant, tree and flower and its placement in America's first large public park.

We loved learning about the history of NYC's most treasured outdoor space, and I highly recommend adding A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park to your own collection. I think I know where we're going to be hanging out this weekend... 🌲🌳

The Week in Photos: Spring Break

I have to admit I was slightly dreading Spring Break. I had a few things scheduled, but I always worry that too much free time leads to bickering and whining (which leads to wine consumption by parents, though that's not such a bad thing). Luckily, though, the girls behaved pretty well over the week and we had some fun in the midst of things. Vivian was sick off and on which was a bummer, but I do feel like we made the most of their time off from school. Will elaborate a bit more on a couple activities in future posts, but for now, here are a few pictures of our time off:

We kicked things off with a promotional party for #NationalSuperHeroDay & the PJ Masks at the New York Fire Museum in Soho. The girls hadn't really watched the show before, but saw a couple episodes which they really liked. If your kids are into this crime-fighting trio, check out these PJ Mask-related activities you can do online!

Windy days call for kite flying, wouldn't you say?

I am still trying to process the awesomeness that is Brooklyn Boulders. We checked out their Long Island City location, and I was so impressed with the space. Not to mention, the girls had a blast! More information on their programs coming soon...

Towards the end of the week, we checked out the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater's new production of Little Red's Hood (with a modern twist). Hilarious! One of my favorite activities for kids in the city. Afterwards, we hung out at the newly renovated Discovery Playground in Central Park (next to Tavern on the Green). Millie is rocking her new Chuck Taylor kicks from Converse, proving that what's old & classic is definitely new again.

How could I not mention Mr. Bo?!?! Mr. Bo is Vivian's class guinea pig and he has been with us all week. ALL. WEEK. LONG. The girls have loved having him and I will love returning him on Monday (we were in the midst of cleaning out his cage when I took this photo).

Ended the week with cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery. Because why not, right? More details on Brooklyn Boulders and Little Red's Hood coming soon. Have a great week!

Big Apple Books: Story Time in Central Park

I think it goes without saying -- Central Park is one of New York City's most beautiful treasures. And at 843 acres, it's one heck of a back yard, too. So it comes as no surprise that our favorite green space makes an imaginative setting for a children's book.

See below for my latest additions to Big Apple Books:

Lizard From the Park
Written & illustrated by Mark Pett

While Millie's love affair with dinosaurs has waned a bit in recent months, who doesn't love a good baby dinosaur story? The girls were transfixed by Leonard's discovery of a dinosaur egg in Central Park, and Millie has now asked numerous times if we can go and find one ourselves. Umm.... we'll see. This sweet story of an unlikely friendship, and Leonard's decision to do what's best for Buster (even though it makes him sad) is a real lesson in growing up and doing what's right. And just magical enough to make a little girl want to go looking for dinosaur eggs this weekend.

The Central Park Tales
Written & illustrated by Marcus Meesters

What a precious book... I was reminded of Beatrix Potter's stories as I read it to the girls. I just love the classic illustrations an adventures of Striped Tail Raccoon, the Mouse family, Mother Dog & all of their forest friends. Bringing urban-living creatures to life is a bit of a past-time for Meesters, whose first book, The Vondelpark Tales, is about the inhabitants of a city park in Amsterdam. He visits London with The Hyde Park Tales, which will be completed in 2016. From tea parties, to tunnel digging and searching for pirate treasure, the animals of Central Park are quite a busy lot!

A Spring Photo Shoot with Samantha Ruby Photography

Last Sunday, on what was arguably NYC's first truly beautiful day of the spring season, we met up with Sam of Samantha Ruby Photography in Central Park. It's been a while since we've had professional photos taken of our family, so this was a real treat. The girls are finally getting to the point where they like smiling for the camera again (well, to a point...), so the timing felt right, too. 

Sam put us all immediately at ease with her warm and friendly personality, and she even showed us a little hidden nook of Central Park that we didn't know existed. Inside the entrance on Central Park West and 103rd Street, we headed up a hill to find the most gorgeous view of the skyline... I mean, I couldn't have found a better backdrop if I'd walked the park for days. As you'll see from the photos below, it couldn't have been a better place to hang out for a bit and take some photos.

I'm so pleased with how the photos turned out, and I couldn't recommend Sam more highly. She was great with the girls, completely down to earth and really knows her way around a camera. 



                       

And I've got some exciting news! Sam would like to offer anyone reading this post $25 off a 45-minute family session if they book before June 1st. Just mention Baby Meets City and you'll be good to go. 

Here's to preserving memories -- enjoy!



Week in Review: Winter Break Survival

I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive going into Winter Break (NYC public schools get a week off in February every year), mostly because it has been unbelievably cold -- as everyone knows! -- and I was worried about cabin fever setting in on Monday at about 10:15am. Thankfully, I managed to keep us busy enough, with little outings on most days that kept everyone happy and entertained... and mama's sanity intact.

See below for a few photos from our week's adventures... from bathing-suit-mermaid-pretending in our living room to outings in Central Park. It was actually a lot of fun. Not perfect by any stretch (hair pulling, tattle tailing & copy catting, oh my!) but we made the most of our week, and for that I'm grateful.

How cute are these swimsuits from Garnet Hill Kids? I love a tankini for little girls, which makes trips to the potty SO much easier! Dreaming of warm weather over here, and these bright colored suits are helping a lot!

 Later in the week, we headed to one of my favorite spots in Central Park: the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre. "Jack in the Beanstalk" is performing currently, and the girls loved it!
Tickets are $7/children & $10/adults -- check their website for scheduling information.

And guess what? When you're walking in Central Park and decide on a whim that sledding might be fun, sitting on a plastic bag works remarkably well! There's my #parentinghack for the day, thanks to the friends who were with us.

Millie's class at school goes ice skating once a week, and she's really starting to get the hang of it this year.
I, on the other hand, have ice skated about three times in my life and wouldn't say it comes naturally. AT. ALL. The things we do for our children! I made it around Lasker Rink a few times while gripping the sides, and right before we took this photo, she told me it was okay if I fell. "You just get up and keep going, mama." Good advice, Millie.... good advice.



Back to regularly scheduled programming this week... 

a day in the park with stork sak (and a giveaway!)

I hate to jinx it, but I think spring may be in the air?! I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway. We spent a day in Central Park over the weekend and soaked up every last bit of the sun... the girls were so happy they hardly knew what to do with themselves. Here's hoping this warming trend continues...

 Our day in the park was also a perfect opportunity to use my new Stork Sak diaper bag. I'm loving my new "Bobby" -- Not only does it look great and isn't so obviously a diaper bag (always a plus), it's roomy with plenty of space for a day out. While the space and pockets are great, I also love that it's a lightweight material, so you don't feel like you're lugging around a suitcase all day. And here's one of my favorite parts... it comes with a matching insulated snack bag! So handy and perfect for our day's snacks. Lastly, I like that there are several ways to wear the bag, depending on what -- or who! -- else you are managing at the moment.

And not that I'm trying to rush forward in time, but I'm excited about the fact that this design can easily translate to a weekend bag after we're officially out of the diaper zone. "Bobby" and I have really hit it off, and I see us having a long relationship ahead... hee hee.

Fun news: I've teamed up with Storksak to give a "Bobby" bag away to one lucky reader (winner will choose color)! Check out the following (easy) ways to enter this giveaway on Rafflecopter. US residents only, please. I'll draw a winner next Wednesday (3/19). Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer: I was given a StorkSak bag for the purposes of this review (and a second one for a giveaway). All opinions expressed herein are my own.

a long winter in nyc... good thing there's plenty to do

Want the good news or the bad news first?

Okay, bad news: it's March, and winter is still going strong here in NYC. Snow falls about once a week, the wind and cold are thoroughly depressing and it takes an hour to get out of the house with small children (hats, shoes, snow pants, gloves... you know the drill). I think I speak for most of the country when I say we are ALL DONE WITH WINTER.

Snow... snow... and more snow.

Now to the good news. There is SO much to do in NYC with kids, and you can be kept occupied easily on the weekends without everyone in the family succumbing to cabin fever... and thank goodness for that! While Husband was out of town, I did my best to keep us all entertained. Here's a roundup of some of our activities:

Kidrockers at NYU's Skirball Center
The Big Red Chair Family series has joined together with Kidrockers and The Skirball Center at NYU to present a series of concerts that both adults and children will love. We had such a blast listening to two bands, Caveman and The Pizza Underground (the latter is a Velvet Underground tribute band dedicated to pizza. Incidentally, Macaulay Culkin is a member... only in NYC, people!). The Skirball Center is a beautiful venue, too, and right off of Washington Square Park.

The next show, which features Adam Green and San Fermin, will take place on March 29th. Tickets and more info can be found HERE. While the age recommendation is 3-13, Vivian at age 2 was rockin' in her seat!

Angelina Ballerina, the Musical
Not sure this one needs further explanation! If you have a little girl that fancies herself a dancer and wishes she could attend Camembert Academy, then this is the show for you. The Vital Theatre, on the Upper West Side, is convenient to get to and the show is the perfect amount of time without being too long for kids to start getting antsy. It's upbeat and charming, and the cast even comes out after the show so kids can get autographs. Really cute! Ticket and show information can be found HERE.

Yes, this is the best I could do in terms of photos that day.

"Bessie's Big Shot" at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Once again, the City Parks Foundation and its amazing puppeteers are putting on a charming show in Central Park's Swedish Cottage. I'm a big fan of the theatre (just love the history behind the building and the peaceful, "hidden away" aspect, right in the middle of NYC), and the storyline of "Bessie" is really heartwarming. Girls loved it! Tickets and more info can be found HERE.

I just realized that my children are in full winter gear in every photo. Ugh. Bring on spring!! In the meantime, have fun taking advantage of all this city has to offer (hint: it's a TON.)

a festive afternoon

Last weekend, the little gals and I ventured out to one of my favorite gems in Central Park, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre. I just love this quaint building that is filled with so much history (it's been in the park since 1877, people!) and offers such sweet and affordable entertainment for children.

Now through December 30th, you can catch "The Three Bears Holiday Bash" -- the perfect way to kick off the holiday season! Any show that asks for audience participation for "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is okay by me. And with an audience mostly filled with children, there is tons of laughter and silliness to go around. The girls were transfixed nearly the whole time and really enjoyed themselves, and we also liked when the puppeteer came out afterwards and showed how he makes the marionette dance around. Not as easy as it looks!

Tickets ($7 for children and $10 for adults) can be found HERE.

photo credit: Justina Wong

photo credit: Justina Wong

Afterwards, we stopped by Treat House (home of amazing Rice Krispy treats and what is apparently a super cool "tree house" seating area) but alas, that part was closed off. Another day! We then headed to Pinkberry, which was completely empty (note to self: frozen yogurt is a great place to hit in the winter, especially when the kids are along!) -- yummy goodness and fun times ensued:

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season thus far!

fall is beautiful. fall in nyc... spectacular.

We spent an absolutely perfect fall day in Central Park on Saturday. The weather could not have been better and the autumn colors balanced by the city skyline... seriously beautiful. No question about it, this was an "I love NYC" day (which is good, as I've been having quite a few "I hate NYC" days lately...)

First, we stopped by Belvedere Castle (Millie looked for dragons and princesses to no avail). Next up, a meander through The Ramble (it's impossible not to get turned around in there, but what a beautiful spot to get lost for a little while) and finally, we landed at Loeb Boathouse for a ride on the lake. SO happy we did this (you can find out more about row boating in Central Park here).

Lastly, I have to mention that I had the surprise of my life as we were waiting in line. I was approached by 2 actual FANS of this ol' blog (they also follow me on Instagram). Ummm... after I picked myself up off the ground, I had the best time chatting with Isabel and Kazmira. Never in my life did I think something like that would happen, but it truly made my day/week/month. Thanks, ladies!

In the meantime, happy FALL.

tourist in your own town: part 2

On day 2 of my cousin's trip to NYC, we hit the ground running.  Like any good NYer, we started the day off with bagels for breakfast.

Quick *sigh* sidebar: We really miss the Brooklyn Bagel Co.

now that we're up, up, uptown. Currently in search of a suitable replacement.

Fueled by coffee and carbs, we headed over to our first stop, the Empire State Building... otherwise known as Where Ellen said Yes. The weather, while hot, was sunny and basically perfect for checking out the NYC skyline.  Certainly a big improvement over the previous day on our wet adventure to the WTC and Statue of Liberty.  The line to get in wasn't terrible and we spent a good hour walking around and checking out the city from each direction.  I've heard Top of the Rock has an impressive view, but for my money, there's nothing that beats the romance and allure of the original Observation Deck.

After soaring 86 floors above the city, we came back down to reality and continued our day.  We stopped by the New York Public Library to say hello to Patience and Fortitude, which was especially fun for my cousin since "Between the Lions" was a favorite show of hers as a child. I often forget what an impressive building the library is, nevermind the precious contents held inside.  Next, we picked up lunch beneath Grand Central Station and took a quick peak at the main terminal -- the ceiling alone is worth a view if you're planning a trip to the Big Apple.

Photo credit: Antiques & Fine Art magazine

Carrying lunch with us with a plan to picnic in Central Park, we first took a quick subway ride uptown to indulge every teen's (and let's face it, every adult's) sweet tooth at Dylan's Candy Bar.  I had a feeling my cousin would love this candy store, and I was right!  Honestly, what's not to love... the store is just a happy place, filled to the brim with every candy imaginable.  Granted, if you're almost 7 months pregnant and handling a stroller like I was, you might find it challenging to navigate.  Powered by sugar in every direction, however, I managed to get around okay.  We all left with a major case of perma-grin.

Central Park, from Sheep Meadow and Belvedere Castle, to the picturesque beauty of ponds filled with row boaters and statues standing tall, is a no brainer when planning your trip to the Big Apple. While we hardly skimmed the surface of the park, I think my cousin saw enough to appreciate its beauty and, quite frankly, it's necessity for us urban-ites.  We took a ride on the carousel and strolled underneath the canopy of trees that makes up "the Mall" (personally my favorite section of the park).

Topping off the day, we headed over to FAO Schwartz, because really, what's not to love about a giant toy store (and we were already on a nostalgia kick from our trip to Dylan's). Toddler S picked up a Labrador puppy stuffed animal when we entered and didn't let it go for the entire visit -- naturally we left with it in hand because clearly Husband and I are a couple of suckers -- though not before first channeling Tom Hanks from the movie "Big."  Seriously, I need that giant piano.  So much fun!

Stay tuned for Part 3 (hopefully coming sooner than this one), and here's a teaser to boot: I'll be sharing my new favorite place in NYC!