Family Archives - The Culture Mom

04Jan

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Tour of New York City

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Photo by On Location Tours Disclosure: I was invited to review On Location Tours, but all opinions are my own. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, now in its third season, is one of my favorite shows of the last decade. Its depiction of a Jewish family in NYC in the late 1950s plus the writing by Amy Sherman-Palladino plus the acting plus the active chatter all resonate on a very personal level. I love the characters - they have spunk, charisma, charm, and a whole lot of Jewishness. The writing is also very unique, funny, and so very NYC - at least, the NYC Read More

31Jul

Where You Can Find Me: A Summer of Introspection (and of Course, Travel and Culture!)

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There has been a bit of radio silence here on this blog as of late. It's been an unexpected summer of introspection, and I've taken time out in very real way. My kids went to sleep-away camp for the first time in our lives, so there were a few weeks of utter bliss. I've also been quite the world traveler this summer - it started in Turks and Caicos back in May, which I wrote about here and elsewhere. I went to Boston and back, where my son was in camp, and spent time in Salem, Mass and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I also spent nearly a week in Texas, which Read More

22Jun

Restaurant Review: Kurry Qulture in Astoria, Queens, a Kid-Friendly Culinary Adventure

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When I think of eating out in Astoria, I think mainly of Greek food. My family loves taking trips to Telly Taverna for huge portions of spicy feta, salmon steak and moussaka. It's one of our favorite places in the city for food, and certainly one of the most accessible. It's easy to park and makes for a great evening out, strolling the streets and avenues, with every ethnicity represented by its restaurants and shops. So, when I was invited to dine at a fairly new to the scene (since 2015) Indian restaurant called Kurry Qulture, I jumped at the Read More

12Jun

Walking in the Steps of Women Who Made History in The Finger Lakes in Upstate New York

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Last week I took a trip through the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York and found a plethora of women's history to explore and trace. It was a pleasant surprise, given that I hadn't been to these particular parts of New York. Add that to my genuine interest in women's rights and human rights. It was amazing how in just a short few days, I would walk in the footsteps of so many incredible suffragettes' steps who changed the course of women's history forever. I started my journey in Syracuse where I visited the Matilda Joslyn Gage Home and learned about Read More

05Jun

What If Planned Parenthood Didn’t Exist?

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Watch the above video. Filmed by Joss Whedon in support of Planned Parenthood. UNLOCKED highlights the vital role Planned Parenthood health centers play in the lives of millions of women in communities nationwide. This video follows three different women through critical moments in their lives—and brings to the forefront what the world would look like if attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood succeed. Most likely you will relate to one. I have a few personal stories about Planned Parenthood. I grew up understanding its significance from a very young Read More

30May

The Power of Girl Power Movie Parties

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When I was younger, I loved watching classic movies with my mom. Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Vivien Leigh, and Ingrid Bergman were just a few of some of the actresses that I looked up to. I watched movies where they played women defying odds, wearing the pants in a relationship, while leaning on each other for support. They weren’t afraid to make things happen and they showed me the value of determination and courage. They were fearless; they were feisty; they defined the meaning of badass as well as girl power. Flash forward to 30 Read More

06Apr

Review: “Gifted” Movie Teaches Girls About Breaking Barriers

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The movie "Gifted," coming to theaters nationwide this Friday has a lot going for it. For one thing, it delves into the issue of having a gifted child and asks important questions: Do you keep these children in a regular school, surrounded by a variety of types of children and let them be ordinary kids? Or do you put them in a setting where their skills are nurtured so that they can prepare for an extraordinary life and career? The movie also features a great cast, has a lot of humor and offers several tear-jerking moments. Chris Evans plays Frank, a Read More

14Mar

Travel Items That Keep Me Sane

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I travel a lot, and I often get asked how I do it, how I keep up with life back home, how I stay sane. Here's a quick list that I take with me every time, whether I'm traveling with the kids or not. FitBit - This doesn't really need much introduction as it's so popular these days. It helps me track my heart rate, steps and encourages me to walk and climb stairs. A definite exercise motivator. Airport Express - Apple's Airport Express functions as a wireless base station in its own right. Just plug that Ethernet cable into the box and the box Read More

01Mar

Where You Can Find Me

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Well, I've gone quiet again. It has been two weeks since my last post. I must admit that since 11/8, my heart is in other places and I've become quite the activist. Between work, graduate school and my advocacy work (for refugees in particular), I am up to my ears but I am still the Culture Mom! I'm still going to shows, traveling on assignment (London, Boston, Washington, DC, and Orlando, Florida most recently - yep, Disney!), reading (currently A Man Called Ove), seeing films (most recently Moonlight and LaLa Land - twice for each and two Read More

05Dec

Parenting: Knowing What’s Important

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If you're following me closely, you know I just spent several weeks abroad. I combined my work with a bit of a personal exploration of Eastern Europe that you'll be reading about in various places, including right here on the blog. It ended up being very intense, as I delved into Jewish history and brought home very valuable lessons that tie in with our recent election and where we are as a country. I was gone a long time: 18 days. I'd never been away for that long. I left my family to fend for themselves. But please know my kids are older now - 12 Read More