The Culture Mom - Page 7 of 143 - Adventures of a culture & travel enthusiast

25Mar

A Mother-Son Weekend in the Catskills

My son and I recently spent some time in the Catskills. We basically jumped in our car and headed to the mountains for some R&R and a bit of bonding. He loves to ski, so knowing that was part of our plan was a big motivator for him. The Catskills is an interesting getaway choice because it offers so much to do for both children and adults, and we were both up to the challenge of checking it out. Equipped with a full tank of gas, we set out from Westchester for two days of adventure with a group of writers and their children. Where We Stayed Our Read More

22Mar

Review: HBO’s It’s Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise

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https://youtu.be/L5Hs_PabnW0 When Lena Dunham met Hilary Knight, famous for his Eloise drawings, she called it a very visceral, chill-inducing experience. She was meeting someone who's work had had a profound on her growing up. He, in turn, felt he had known her all his life. They bonded over their creative sparks and collection. He tells her that Eloise, "this little thing in this little dress" is himself and she feels Eloise is in his DNA. In the upcoming HBO documentary, It’s Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise, Dunham spends time with Knight Read More

20Mar

Week 2: Middle-Aged Personal Training at Encore Fitness

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This week I had my 2nd training session with Robert Lankard, one of the two founders at Encore Fitness. Like most working mothers, it took a bit of juggling to schedule my session, but after committing to this publicly, you can bet this middle-aged broad is getting to her work-out! So, how was my first week after the training session? I watched my weight more carefully and worked out more but I wouldn't say that I was completely moving toward my goal just yet. I need commitment and it helps having a trainer watching over me during these sessions and Read More

19Mar

Review & Giveaway: Honeymoon in Vegas on Broadway

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I'll never forget the film Honeymoon in Vegas starring Nicholas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker and James Caan. It was about a yuppie who promised his mother on her deathbed he'd never marry. This presented major problems in his relationship with his girlfriend, but after dating for five years, they take off to Vegas to get hitched but encounter a stumbling block. After an expensive, impromptu game of Poker with a wealthy gambler, he is forced to sacrifice his fiancee to the man for the weekend and what follows is pure madness. About the film, I remembered Read More

17Mar

A Chat with the Cast of HOME and a Giveaway

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When I was invited to view the film HOME and attend a press junket with the creatives involved that included Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin & Director Tim Johnson, I was thrilled. Such talent - such creativity - such legends. First I had to see the film to see for myself. So, on a late Monday afternoon, I ventured into the city for a screening of the film. The film is about Oh, a misfit from another planet who lands on earth and finds himself on the run from his own people. He forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who Read More

16Mar

Review: A Contemporary Pinocchio at New Victory

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I'm mad about the productions brought to the NYC stage by my friends at the New Victory Theater. I've been blogging about them since the beginning of TheCultureMom in early 2010. I always know I’m going to get high-quality, innovative and completely original programming and bring it into the creative minds of my children. Literally every production is mind-blowing. They ooze with talent and creativity, often from around the world. The New Victory Theater's latest production, PINOCCHIO, making its U.S. premiere at The New Victory Theater through March Read More

12Mar

Week 1: Middle-Aged Personal Training at Encore Fitness

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My body changed after I had kids. There's no explanation other than hormones, change of daily eating habits and a combination of having less time to exercise and take care of myself. For both my husband and myself, it's real work just to get to the gym. But you know how it is, the less you go, the lazier you get. It's just so much easier to stay in bed for longer periods or do something else - anything else - other than working out. But I know the importance of having a strict exercise regime, especially after enduring major health issues as I have Read More

11Mar

Explore India with Insight Vacations

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We recently attended a media event in New York City hosted by Insight Vacations®. That particular night they were promoting their journeys to India, Bhutan and Nepal. We were joined by Insight Vacations President Phil Cappelli and Global Brand Ambassador and Bollywood actress, Lisa Ray, and an exclusive group of media for an evening of authentic Indian food and inspirational travel conversations. The results were tantalizing and we can easily see the attraction of visiting India in 2015, and it's now on our bucketlist even more than it was Read More

10Mar

Giveaway: #LoveBlooms at The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

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If you saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I know you're as excited as I am to see the sequel. In addition to the fact that it's set in India (the part of the world that ranks highest on my bucketlist) and that it's a romance (my favorite kind of film), it stars a dreamy cast that includes Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel and Richard Gere. Does the word "swoon" sum it up for you? Here's the plot: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the expansionist dream of Sonny (Patel), and it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, Read More

09Mar

Kissing the Cold Away in Kissimmee, Florida (and Win a FREE Trip!)

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Last week I was invited to tour Kissimmee, Florida and I jumped at the chance. I was curious about the town neighboring Orlando and what it has to offer tourists. After all, how can one compete with the lure of Disney? I can honestly say I was surprised with just how much the city has to offer in terms of luxury hotels, great restaurants and a plethora of activity for families looking to do something other than amusement parks. Here's a wrap-up of what I did, where I stayed, where I dined, so you can plan your next visit to Kissimmee...with or without Read More