New York City – The Culture Mom

Theater Review: Transport Group’s “Three Days to See”

The Culture Mom — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 15:41:29 +0000

I grew up quite infatuated with the life and story of Helen Keller. Her intelligence, her accomplishments, and the obstacles she faced. I read and re-read the story of her studies with Anne Sullivan and when her story was captured on film in The Miracle Worker with Patty Duke, I was riveted.

So when I received an invitation from Transport Group to see a performance of Three Days To See, conceived and directed by Jack Cummings III, based on the words of Helen Keller, at Theatre 79, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue, I immediately accepted.

And I was not disappointed. I already knew that Helen Keller was amazing, but through the voices of seven actors on an off-Broadway stage, I learned so much about her life. She graduated from Radcliffe. She loved reading. She loved theater. She loved the movie “Gone with the Wind”. She wrote fourteen books. She was political. She was an advocate for the disabled. She was a feminist. Her story is heroic. She is brave. You will leave the theater with even a higher appreciation for her –and life — than when you walk in. The play will even make you think about what your own life would be like without sight and sound.

In addition to the dialogue, the play uses music and movement to tell its story. The cast of Three Days to See is Ito Aghayere (“Orange is the New Black,” The Liquid Plain), Patrick Boll (Mamma Mia, All the Way Home), Marc De La Cruz (If/Then, Allegiance), Theresa McCarthy (Queen of the Mist, Floyd Collins), Chinaza Uche (“Bintou,” The Day On Which a Man Dies), Barbara Walsh (Company, Falsettos), and Zoe Wilson. They are all powerful and clearly the words spilling out of their mouths have meaning.

All performances take place at Theatre 79, 79 E. 4th Street (bet. 2nd Avenue & The Bowery). Playing schedule: Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 3pm. For tickets, visit transportgroup.org/three-days-to-see.

Disclosure: I was given complimentary tickets to this play but all opinions are my own.

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Indulging the Kids on Broadway with Sugartooth Tours

The Culture Mom — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 14:05:14 +0000

I’ve been living in the NYC metro area for a long time now, but I’ve never fully experienced the sweeter side of the city. So when my kids and I were invited to join Sugartooth Tours on their newest tour, Bright Lights & Broadway Bites, I was intrigued. Broadway + desserts + a guide who’s an actual Broadway performer = right up my alley. If you read my blog regularly, you probably know I’m theater obessessed and I love taking my kids all over NYC, so this tour was an excuse to indulge my Broadway fixation and their sweets obsession.

When I told my kids about the tour, their level of interest was higher than usual. Sweets! Chocoalte! Broadway! Boom, it was a hit already before we even got there. Me? I thought I’d watch them indulge and I’d write about their reactions. Little did I know that the desserts would be so overwhelmingly yummy!

Allyson, a performer and co-owner of the company took us on the tour, providing quips about Broadway history along the way. We learned about Olive Thomas, a Ziegfeld showgirl and former winner of “The Most Beautiful Girl in New York City,” who reportedly began haunting The New Amsterdam Theater in 1920 shortly after her ‘accidental’ death, which occurred after she swallowed the better part of a bottle of pills. After she died, stagehands at the theater began telling friends that they ran into Olive backstage. Having just been in the New Amsterdam Theater a few days prior on another tour, we were thrilled to be hearing her story again as we ate our way through quintessential New York desserts under the bright lights of Broadway.

Junior’s

We met in Times Square at Junior’s at 1515 Broadway. Allyson provided menus, which outlined our 4 stops for the day (our tour was abbreviated, usually there are 6). We started with a slice of NY’s most famous cheesecake – yes, without crust. And it’s secret ingredient? Sour cream. My first indulgence.

Little Pie Company

Next we wandered through Shubert Alley to the Little Pie Company at 424 West 43rd Street for a slice of traditional sour cream apple walnut pie. The pie was out of this world, and I couldn’t believe I had not yet been there before. It’s owned by a Broadway veteran, Arnold Wilkerson, who was in the original cast of Hair. I felt so complete, knowing every place we were visiting had a musical influence!

Schmackary’s

Next stop was Schmackary’s at 362 West 45th Street. The owner, Zachary Schmahl, began on Broadway, of course! Allyson picked up a Kitchen Sink Bar, made of “everything but” including brown sugar, coconut, chocolate chips and more. It was scrumptious, to say the least.

Amy’s Bread

Last, we stopped into Amy’s Bread at 672 9th Avenue for New York’s famous black and white cookie. This was hands down my kids; favorite stop on the tour. How could I have walked by dozens of times and never indulged in one of their treats? They also offer a full selection of morning pastries, sandwiches and salads, cookies, bars, cupcakes, layer cakes, coffee and espresso beverages.

Find out more about Sugartooth Tours here. The tour was fun, educational and absolutely mouth-watering. I really felt like an insider than a tourist getting to know a part of NYC I adore.

Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary, abbreviated tour to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.

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Guest Post: The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters, the Musical Review

The Culture Mom — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 12:54:51 +0000

Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.

How many of us have to deal with our kids constantly nagging us for unhealthy snacks? It’s a non-ending battle, and as a parent you know that there is no perfect solution that fits all.

If you want to feel good about your everyday battle, take your young kids to see The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters, the Musical.

The musical combines three books, Bears Learn about Strangers, The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble at School, and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food.

The Berenstain Bear family will also teach your little ones in a fun way how to wash hands when they come home, not to talk to strangers, about responsibility to your sibling, the importance of homework, how not to keep secrets from parents, the importance of exercise and more.

Some might argue that the play should have focused on one book or one issue. I assert that the kids in the audience were able to tolerate all three books. They sat and listened for 55 minutes.

The play is a combination of entertainment and education. The smartest way to educate kids is not through lecturing, but through fun, stories and by example. The kids have fun with music and don’t even realize that they are being lectured, the main reason is because the story is told from a perspective of Brother and Sister Bear whom the kids can identify with.

Don’t be surprised if your kids will ask you to read The Berenstain Bears for days after the show.

If you are not familiar with the books, the series of books is about a family of Bears – Mama, Papa and their cubs, named Brother and Sister and their day to day problems and how they solve them . In the 1960’s and 1970’s, parents probably did not have many parenting classes as we have now. Rather they had children books.

The actors were very energetic, warm, real and were able to keep the young ones tuned throughout the play.

The kids; favorite part was when Papa Bear bends over and splits his pants, revealing his colorful underwear. Papa is doing what many parents will not admit. They do what they tell their kids not to do, especially when it comes to eating sweet.

The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters, the Musical plays at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center (MMAC), 248 West 60th Street between Amsterdam and West End Avenues. Tel: 866-811-4111.

Tickets are $34.95, $44.95 or $59.95.

Be sure to leave time for the post-show autograph from a cast members.

Disclosure: The Culture Mom recieved complimentary tickets but all opinions are our own.

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Edible Brooklyn: Pazzi Pasta in Carroll Gardens

The Culture Mom — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 15:08:51 +0000

Pasta is one of my kids’ favorite foods, but I generally try to limit their intake due to its high calorie and high carb content. However, since it’s usually on the top of their list, I’m always looking for ways to accommodate their request and I recently found one.

It’s called Pazzi Pasta, a Southern Italian restaurant in Carroll Gardens, one of my favorite parts of Brooklyn. “Pazzi” literally means “crazy” and I’m not kidding when I call their food crazy delicious! It’s rare to find a restaurant that is so intent on using organic, locally grown, heathy ingredients made with ancient grains while keeping the taste so original and flavorful. Even my kids were impressed, and that is no easy task.

Pazzi is family-owned and offers patrons a sense of friendliness inspired by the Campanile family’s Italian heritage. The restuarant is set up to offer families a sense that they are truly involved in the preparation of their meal. The pasta is made in-house and my kids were able to sneak a peek at the pasta being prepared and choose what their pasta, sauce, topping, a choice they loved taking ownership of.

We sampled a wide selection of pastas. I was so pleased to know that each of the noodle options contains up to 80% ancient grains for an abundance of phytonutrients and minerals, and the sauces—made from scratch daily from family recipes—include a multitude of heart-healthy vegetables. We also nibbled on nero de seppia with salmon gargonzola (cuttlefish ink), gluten-free pasta with puttanesca sauce & mushrooms, semolina spaghetti with bolognese sauce and grabbfed meatballs, mushroom squash ravioli with funghi boscaoiola sauce and farro ancient grain pasta with sauteed vegies and ricotta salata. Are you hungry yet? Each plate brought new, exciting flavors and aromas and my kids sampled everything before zeroing in on their favorite dishes. It was like taking a culinary adventure through Southern Italy, without ever leaving NYC.

As a vegetarian, there were plenty of options for me including veg-balls (zucchini, eggplant, ricotta, egg white, wheat breadcrumbs), pan-fried eggplant and zucchini and mixed forest mushrooms. And for my picky eaters (who became less picky with each new dish), there were options galore. We were all so satisfied and didn’t think it could get any bettter when it did: Dessert came!

Dan, one of the owners and members of the Campanile family, brought out a selection of desserts to try including dark chocolate almond caprese cake, sicilian almond cookies and chocolate lava-ioli cookies, all of which melted and tingled in our mouths.

The Campanile family are special, as exemplified by Dan’s earnest passion for the food he made for us. Inspired by the family’s Italian heritage and in particular by family matriarch, a gourmet chef in Italy, coupled with Dan’s ingenuity in conceiving the concept, Pazzi Pasta gives guests an interactive, healthy, family-friendly experience, all served at a New York pace. And we can’t wait to return.

In addition, Pazzi offers pasta classes ($55 per person). They’re offering a Gnocchi Class, Sunday, June 21, 2015 at 10 a.m. and a Ravioli Class, Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 10 a.m. Each class includes hands on pasta making, wine, lunch, and a take home of fresh gnocchi or ravioli and are available for purchase here:http://makepasta.splashthat.com.

The restaurant also hosts kids birthday parties and provides activities like “who can make the longest pasta dough” and more. Call 347.916.1076 for more info.

Here’s the low down on the restaurant:

PAZZI PASTA
227 Smith Street
(between Butler & Douglass)
Brooklyn, NY 11231

HOURS
Tues-Sun 12am-10pm

DIRECTIONS
F, G to Warren Street

CONTACT INFO
pazzipasta@gmail.com. 347-916-1076

Disclosure: My family received a complimentary meal to facilitate this review and others but all opinions are my own.

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Guest Post: Paper Planet at The New Victory Theater

The Culture Mom — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 13:20:48 +0000

Have you ever had this arguement with your husband? A medium size box comes in the mail and he wants to throw it out. You say, “No way! The kids will love playing with it. It’s big enough for three kids to go inside.” He replies, “I do not want junk in my house!” But you refuse to give up, he gives in and the kids play with the cardboard box for hours. Then every time he passes by them playing with it, he says, “I told you not throw it out!”.

The New Victory Theater believes in the theory of playing with junk and is trying to change the way we think of theater with the idea. When you book the play, Paper Planet at the New Victory , don’t think you are going to sit, relax and enjoy actors entertaining your family. Be ready to join your kids in the role as resident artist. This show is about interactivity, imagination and being creative.

During the show, you will witness many other parents working diligently with their kids folding, scrunching, cutting and taping paper and cardboard. For kids, it’s pure heaven with no one telling them what to do or how to do it or even to clean up. Together with their hands, paper and glue, they will let their imagination take them new places. They will make hats, butterflies, leaves, balls, rings and more. When (pretend) rain comes, they will enjoy taking cover under paper hideouts. The Australian cast will also indulge their love of paper by, you guessed, dressing in paper.

Paper Planet is for any age. Younger kids will enjoy the freedom to tear paper and glue. Older kids can make more sophisticated art. Polyglot Theatre has come all the way from Melbourne, Australia with the show, taking place at the New Victory Theater, at The Duke on 42nd Street until June 7.

With concept and direction by Sue Giles (Polyglot Artistic Director, Executive Committee Member of ASSITEJ International and a director of over 30 plays and events), sound design by Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey (Melbourne International Arts Festival Award) and installation design by Mischa Long, Paper Planet was originally commissioned by Federation Square in Melbourne, bringing creativity and theatrical play into the public space. The performing artists in Paper Planet are Nick Barlow, Tamekia Jackson, Bree-Anna Obst and Mischa Long. Glen Walton is the live sound artist and Emma Dodd is the associate producer.

Ticket information can be found here.

Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.

Disclosure: Liat received complimentary tickets but all opinions are her own.

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Review: Finding Neverland

The Culture Mom — Mon, 25 May 2015 20:06:10 +0000

This a guest post written by writer Lisa Gerstel-Zach: A diverse and seasoned executive who has spent her career in Children’s and Family Entertainment via Publishing, Live Events and Broadcast before stepping back to take a much earned reprieve from the Corporate world in order to reinvent herself and remember why she moved to New York. She lives in the latest hip neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

We seem to be in the midst of, or maybe just emerging, from an overload of reconstructed/deconstructed children’s fairytales being retold and reimagined for the screen, hence the timing of Finding Neverland is perfect, intentionally or not. As for me, I’ve been entertaining visitors non-stop since the beginning of May and, therefore, non-stop theater going. Strangely, all the stories have been based in England.

Finding Neverland is based in the London of 1904. Though it feels surprisingly modern, it is a refreshing reminder to step back, step away from the seriousness that surrounds us and join a band of pirates, chase a fairy, or just let our imaginations soar.

The show centers around the Author behind the tale of the boy who never wanted to grow up, Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie finds himself a celebrated playwright in London with all the trappings, yet none of the joy. He hasn’t composed a unique show in years, his marriage is lackluster, his creativity seems spent, and his Producer is threatening to bring in new talent…

Fortuitously, a troop of “lost” boys turns Mr. Barrie’s world upside down along with that of the theater’s full-of-themselves stuffy actors and an ulcer-ridden producer, all of whom have forgotten the true meaning of the word PLAY.

Matthew Morrison’s, (J.M Barrie) mere entrance on stage in the opening scene is enough to cause more than half the audience to applaud wildly. Fortunately, he deserves it. His voice is wonderful and his stage presence strong as be battles with internal conflicts. His portrayal of a “lost” man is complete, especially in the standout song “Circus of Your Mind” in which the entire cast participates.

Kelsy Grammer is terrific as the Producer and even more so as Captain Hook (was he channeling Captain Jack??). Regardless, the role suits him perfectly, so much so I wish we could have seen more of him as the Captain. He is always a pleasure to watch.

Laura Michelle Kelly (Sylvia) was lovely; she has a great voice and projected the “strength” of a heartbroken, overwhelmed and yet dedicated mother. Although I found a few of her lines a bit sappy, her death scene was amazing. In fact, much of the staging was “First Rate” (as they would say) – backdrops of row houses popped, swirling lights emulated the seas and of course pixie dust floated through the air in abundance.

Finding Neverland is the story of how sometimes it takes a band of “wild children” to allow yourself to dig deep and reconnect with the person you truly are…It is an inspirational departure from the bleakness of societal boundaries and expectations, overdone dinner parties and the insistence that we behave like adults just because…

My only reservation was that no fairy dust made it our way enabling us too to fly.

Finding Neverland plays at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater (205 West 46th Street). The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:30pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Tickets can be arranged online or by calling Ticketmaster at (877) 250-2929 or in person at the Lunt-Fontanne box office, located at 205 West 46th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenues. For more information, please visit www.FindingNeverlandTheMusical.com.

Disclosure: Lisa received complimentary tickets to Finding Neverland to facilitate her review but all opinions are her own.

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Guest Post: Pinkalicious the Musical Teaches Kids Tolerance

The Culture Mom — Tue, 12 May 2015 23:37:46 +0000

Liat Ginsberg is a mother and a former Journalist for the Israeli newspaper Maariv. She taught at the Film and Media department at Hunter College.

If you have read the book Pinkalicious to your children and are sure that you and your kids know the story by heart, you can add one more layer to the story, after watching the play Pinkalicious. The play gives legitimacy to boys who choose pink as their favorite color, legitimacy that society doesn’t give very easily.

I have 6 year old twins, a boy and girl, my boy always liked the color blue and refuses to change his color preference, but whenever he wished to play with one of sister’s pink toys, she took it angrily from him and notified him, “Pink is for girls! don’t dare to touch it” (good excuse for not sharing her toys). But two years ago, when my twins encountered a boy on their school bus who really loved pink, they both did not question his choice of color; they even liked it and found it amusing. The problem is that other kids did not like the idea of a boy liking pink and bullied him. I witnessed it a few times and my heart went out for the boy and his parents.

If you care to teach your kids tolerance, the play Pinkalicious is for you, if you don’t care and wish your young daughters to enjoy a girl who likes pink cupcake and turn to pink from eating too many of them that’s for you as well.

Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe – a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament.

The one hour musical, with book and lyrics by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, and music, lyrics and orchestrations by John Gregor, is based on the popular children’s book PINKALICIOUS by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann.

The character who charmed the kids was Alison, (Abby Bernbaum), Pinkalicious friend, she was authentic, credible, fun and very convincing, kids would have loved to have her as a girlfriend, ok, I admit, not only kids, we all would love to have a girlfriend who is funny, understand us and most important, forgives us. The acting was not always convincing, but kids don’t care so much for the perfect acting, do they?

Performances run Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm through August 30th, 2015. Tickets are $36.50 for regular seats and $46.50 emium seats. The show is appropriate for ages 2-7. For reservations, visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 579-0528. Culture Project’s Lynn Redgrave Theater is located at 45 Bleecker Street, just west of Lafayette Street near the Bleecker Street/Broadway-Lafayette Subway Trains 4,6,B, D, F, and M.

Disclosure: This writer received complimentary tickets to facilitate her review, but all opinions are her own, as always.

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Week 6: Middle-Aged Personal Training at Encore Fitness NY and a Giveaway

The Culture Mom — Sat, 09 May 2015 22:23:23 +0000

If you’ve been following my mid-life crisis fitness blog posts, you may have noticed a lull. I wasn’t avoiding my routine, but trips do seem to knock me off my momentum a bit. However, since my weight gain from week 4, I’ve been more determined than ever to keep everything I’m learning at Encore Fitness NY up, particularly while traveling. I’ve also managed to challenge myself to a few new forms of exercise to keep my body moving and my keen interest up.

So, when I walked into Encore the other day for my sixth session with Robert, I felt confident and hopeful that I had progressed in the weeks since I’d seen him.

And guess what? I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I’ve lost two of the four pounds I’d gained. I’ve also lost some body fat, and my cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance have shown “phenomenal” progression. I’ve also made progressions especially in the core strength area. The only bad news is that my neuromuscular control is still not it could be – but it will be!

Because you you know what? As a cancer survivor and a multi-tasking mom who can’t seem to DO IT ALL (can any of you – if you can, please do let me know how you manage), I’m happy with my progress. More than happy, to be honest. For the first time in a long time, I look forward to going to the gym. I rode nearly 50 miles in a bike tour around NYC last week. I started swimming laps. I plank on a daily basis.

Since I started training at Encore, I’ve shown myself what I’m capable of doing and I see the potential in my body strength and flexibility. If I keep working on it, progress will come. As my sessions at Encore are nearing the finish line, I see that it’s been a healthy, worthwhile experience seeing Robert at Encore Fitness NYC regularly.

Now I’m ready to start spreading the wealth! So, I’m giving away a free session with Robert at Encore Fitness NY!

To win, just comment below and tell me why you want to win a session at Encore Fitness NY.

About Encore (from their site)

Encore Fitness is a New York City-based private personal training studio. Our clients are given every opportunity and tool to successfuly and safely achieve those fitness goals. Together we can create an individualized program that will challenge and push you to the next level of fitness. Personal training sessions can be held at one of our personal training facilities or in your building’s fitness center. Let us help you get into the best shape of your life.

For an additional entry, tweet this:

I entered to win a #Fitness session at @EncoreFitnessNY via @hollychronicles! http://bit.ly/1DvRK1p #NYC #Exercise

Winner will be selected randomly. The winner will receive ONE free session with Robert Lankard at Encore Fitness NY (for 60 minutes). This giveaway will end on Friday, May 22nd at 9am EST. Winner will be posted here, on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this post but received complimentary sessions to facilitate my reviews. Giveaway is courtesy of ENCORE FITNESS NY.

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Our NYC Staycation

The Culture Mom — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 23:05:45 +0000

This past spring break was an interesting one. After living in and near NYC for a lot of years, I decided it was time for my kids to have a NYC staycation.

We stayed in hotels, went to museums on 42nd Street like Madame Tussaud’s, took a bus tour, ate in Chinatown and Korea Town, went to the top of the Empire State Building, visited the Statue of Liberty and toured Ellis Island, went to the 9/11 Memorial, explored the orchids at the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and had pizza on Arthur Avenue, indulged in cupcakes at Carlos Bakery, strolled through Soho, munched on hamburgers at Five Guys in Times Square…wow, I’m tired from reliving it all. But I want to relive it for you here, so I can wear you out.

Here are highlights from our weeklong staycation in New York City:

– We stayed overnight at The Westin New York at Times Square, where they offer a WICKED Night Out, an exclusive WICKED-themed hotel package. As fans of the show, the experience of seeing the cast perform in an intimate setting was a one of a kind, in addition to our fabulous views of the NYC skyline from our room. Find out more about our experience here.

The Westin New York at Times Square at Times Square is located at 270 West 43rd Street and you can get more info about the WICKED Night Out at their web site, www.westinny.com.

– We took a 3-1/2 hour bus tour of the film and TV sites in NYC via On Location Tours, along with an animated tour guide and a bus full of tourists. The guide mentioned sites used in Sex and the City, Gossip Girl, GhostBusters, Serendipity and to off the beaten path to Manhattan neighborhoods including SoHo, the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village, Tribeca and the Upper East Side. We were shown where Taylor Swift lives and driven by film and TV shoots. The guide gave out yummy black & white cookies and there were several opportunities to take quick strolls and get off the bus. It was a great way to see all sides of the city, even natives will enjoy it.

Information about On Location Tours can be found at http://onlocationtours.com.

– We went to see the extremely creative and utterly wonderful CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi) at the New Victory Theater, featuring the six young talents of Flip FabriQue, an up-and-coming troupe from Quebec City, Canada, whose members have performed with Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, 7 Fingers and more. It’s one of those fearless, fast-paced shows that takes athleticism and showmanship to new heights in a high-flying spectacle that highlights the artists’ (men and 1 woman) individual talents, including aerial hoop, aerial straps, banquina, juggling and trampowall, among others. Read the rest of my review here and check out the New Victory’s upcoming shows here.

The New Victory Theater is located at 229 West 42nd Street.

– We had lunch in Korea Town, not once but twice, at a place called Mandoo Bar. They make the dumplings in the window and then serve them sizzling hot and they’re divine. When you sit down, they bring salad and Korean pickles over. I lunched on Spicy Ramen Soup with Tofu, the kids had bibimbap, steamy delicious meat and veggies served in a hot stone bowl. The waiter adds hot sauce and rice and stirred it up in front of us.

Mandoo Bar is located at 2 West 32nd Street in NYC’s Korean Town. For more info, visit http://mandoobarnyc.com.

– We spent an entire day at the annual orchid show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Chandeliers are the theme of the NYBG’s 13th annual orchid show. Each year showcases a different design. Along with the show’s massive chandelier, the exhibit features hanging baskets and columns of orchids and plants and it was all ogle-worthy. The NYBG offers classes on orchid care, as well as gardens that are available all year. We rode a 25-minute tram around the park to take in all its offerings and look forward to future visits. Our visit also took us to nearby Little Italy where we indulged in the real thing – Italian pizza and pastries.“

The Orchid Show: Chandeliers” runs at the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory through Sunday, April 19. Price of admission varies, with tickets costing $20 for adults on weekdays. For more info, visit www.nybg.org.

– I hadn’t been to Madame Tussaud’s in years, since BlogHer 2010, so when my daughter asked to go during spring break, I was happy to oblige. I took both my kids and one of her friends, and we spent about 90 minutes taking the tour. There are six themed, interactive environments showcasing nearly 200 masterfully crafted, lifelike wax figures, that includes Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, Oprah Winfrey, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Donald Trump, Marie Antoinette, The Dalai Lama and Maya Angelou. The tour is historical and interesting for pop-culture lovers like my kids, who loved the new Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon fixtures.

Madame Tussaud’s is located in Times Square on West 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Ticket information is here: https://www.madametussauds.com.

– We also stayed over-night at Wyndam Garden Chinatown on Bowery, a hotel right in the center of Chinatown. The hotel is clean, cozy and gave us complete access to the area including Soho, LES, Tribeca and Little Italy.

The Wyndam Garden Chinatown is located at 93 Bowery and booking info can be found here: wyndhamchinatown.reservations.com.

– We each used a CityPASS for reduced admission to some of the city’s best attractions. It gives free entry to all top iconic places but also to many unique tours, as well as easy access. There are over 80 attractions to choose from. We went to the top of the Empire State Building, an attraction my kids had long awaited. They enjoyed going up 86 floors and looking down on a city they live near and love, but the crowds on the top were pretty intense. The CityPASS also took us to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, two places my kids had yet to visit, and a visit, which took a full day, and the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Information about the CityPASS is located at http://www.citypass.com. New York CityPASS is a booklet of admission tickets to 6 must-see tourist attractions in New York City. You’ll save 41% compared to combined regular box office prices.

– Other stops included Carlo’s Bakery in Times Square where we waited 45 minutes for a cupcake made by the Cake Boss chef; burgers and fries at Five Guys Burgers & Fries; Shanghai Cafe at 100 Mott Street for an authentic Chinese meal; Taqueria Tehuitzingo on 578 for high-quality, low-cost Mexican fare and Full Moon Pizzeria at 600 East 187th Street in the Bronx for real Italian pizza.

I want to emphasize what a treat it was to be a tourist in my own town. As a New Yorker, I saw the city through a slightly different lens and it was very impressive. It was also very crowded. We actually ended our tour at the 9/11 Memorial, which was fitting and a wake up call to the reality we are living in. We were also reminded that life has changed immensely since I first moved to NYC and went to some of these same sites for the first time by the extra-tight security at many venues. The security checks made the lines longer and added to the time at each venue and the tourists are certainly spilling in, but we just blended right in and I love New York even more than I did before. And that’s really saying something.

Disclosure: The CityPASS, On Locations Tour, hotel visits and Madame Tussaud’s were complimentary to facilitate the writing I am doing here and on other web sites, but as always, all opinions are my own.

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YMCA’s Touch-a-Truck Street Fair on May 22nd

The Culture Mom — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:44:46 +0000

One of my old stomping grounds in the city, the West Side YMCA, will hold its annual Touch-A-Truck Street Fair: A Hands-On Street Fair & Fundraiser for Kids on Saturday, May 22nd. Billed as an event to benefit the Strong Kids Campaign, it features NYFD fire engines, NYPD police vehicles, UPS trucks, bouncy castles, arts & crafts, food vendors and live music performances by AudraRox (who I adore).

The West Side YMCA’s annual Touch-A-Truck Street Fair & Fundraiser will be held from 10am – 4pm (rain or shine) on West 64th St. between Broadway and Central Park West. The hands-on, interactive event gives children the opportunity to touch, climb on, sit in and experience many of the trucks they see in their every day life, while meeting the local professionals who drive them. Vehicles include an NYFD fire engines, NYPD police cars, UPS trucks and many more. The day’s family-focused activities also include two bouncy castles, face painting, arts & crafts, raffles and two live music performances by kids rock star AudraRox at 11am and 1pm.

Many local restaurants and bakeries have contributed delicious items for sale, including O’Neals’ Restaurant, 63Bites, Magnolia Bakery, Alice’s Tea Cup, Soutine, Crumbs, Amy’s Bread, Eleni’s Cookies and Taste Cookies.

Called “the queen of the NY kid-rock scene” by Time Out New York Kids, AudraRox has been making music and teaching music classes to children for the last ten years. She is based in Brooklyn, and has appeared on Jack’s Big Music Show (Noggin/Nick Jr.) and Sesame Street.

Activities are variably priced, depending upon activities chosen, and can be purchased on-site. All proceeds benefit scholarships provided by the West Side YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign.

For further details about Touch-A-Truck, please visit www.touch-a-truck.o.

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