So, it is Mother’s Day weekend. What does that mean? In our home, it means I get breakfast in bed and to decide what I (or we) do all day. I have chosen to go to the Affordable Art Fair for the morning with everyone. I can’t wait to see some art with my hubbie while Birch takes art classes for free. (I get in for free by the way for Mother’s Day). I am considering going to the Mother’s Day Party too at NY Kids Club (um…tomorrow!) so I better hurry up and decide. I’m afraid if I don’t get to the Streb Catapault show this weekend, I might not get tickets for it for the next weekend (their last one). I might squeeze that in with just Birch. Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms. I hope you choose something to do that makes you happy and relaxed. Remember it is YOUR day. If you choose to spend it doing your own thing too- then that’s what you should do! Don’t forget to check the Google Calendar for oodles of daily events and any FREE demo classes. And, don’t forget to enter our awesome giveaway of a free semester of classes at Lango (language classes in French, Mandarin and Spanish).

PARK SLOPE: HEALTHY EATING FOR PREGNANCY

Wednesday, May 6 : 7 – 8:30p
Come here some advice and meet the author of “Feed The Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide .” Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, the author, has been the Senior Food & Nutrition Editor at Health magazine for over four years. You can also win various prizes too. Admission is free. Birth Day Presence www.birthdaypresence.net 917-751-6579 at the Pilates Garage at 291 8th Street, ground floor, between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope)

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS: MOTHERS DAY AND KIDS PARTY

Thursday, May 7th, 5:00-6:30 PM
Party at New York Kids Club in honor of moms. Really? You and your little ones (babies, toddlers, preschoolers) are invited, along with YOUR moms (or mother-in-law, or sister, or husband, etc…) to enjoy a performance from Rock-A-Baby, , open play in gym space, crafts/drawing table, pizza for the kids/snacks for the adults, complimentary photo-taking by professional photographer Nina Drapacz. Nina will photograph each child and mother and will post the photographs on a secure online gallery for parents to view and share with friends and family. All photos will be available for purchase after the event. NY Kids Club, 182 Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights. $20 per child (& family) in advance/$30 at the door ($5 per additional child over 6m). rsvp to [email protected] For full details go to http://www.babybitesnyc.com

PARK SLOPE: MOTHER’S DAY LUNCH

Friday, May 8: 12- 2:00 pm
Mothers and grandmothers, fathers, partners (anyone) can lunch with other new moms and their babies, and get photographed with your child by photographer, Karen Mordechai. Karen’s work has been published by Daily Candy, Real Simple, NY Weddings, The Knot, Conde Nast’s Brides, Town & Country and more. You will have the opportunity to purchase photographs after the luncheon. Space is limited. Lobo, 218 Court Street, Cobble Hill. $35 in advance, $40 day of luncheon. RSVP to [email protected] For full details go to http://www.babybitesnyc.com

DUMBO: BROOKLYN BLOGFEST

Thursday, May 7: 7 pm
Okay, so this may not be a “real” family event, but it will be a fun night to meet your Brooklyn bloggers, talk about your own blog or be inspired to blog! Believe it or not, Brooklyn is the bloggiest place in America. The Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest will be at powerHouse Arena in DUMBO. In addition to a WHY WE BLOG panel, this year Brooklyn Blogfest introduces BLOGS-OF-A-FEATHER, special small-group sessions, where you can meet with bloggers who share your interests. (I will be there on a parent bloggers panel with Melissa of HipSlopeMama.
powerHouse Arena 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Admission: $10
Brooklyn Blogfest after-party is at Galapagos Art Space 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (right across the street from powerHouse Arena) Cash Bar

FORT GREENE: FLEA MARKET

Saturdays, 10am to 5pm—rain or shine
From April to December, Brooklyn Flea takes place every Saturday from 10am to 5pm—rain or shine—at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, on Lafayette Ave. between Clermont and Vanderbilt Ave. We go to this every weekend and love it. This year, Blue Marble Ice Cream will be there every weekend along with all the other delicious food vendors. The Flea Market has great vendors- from local artists to vintage jewelry and clothing. We love bringing the children, checking out some used books, new art for walls and the fabrics. This is a must for everyone. For full information, visit the Brooklyn Flea website.

UPPER WEST SIDE: KITE FESTIVAL

Saturdays, May 9th: 10:30 – 4 pm (workshops from 10:30 am- 12:30 pm)
FlyNY Kite Festival
FlyNY in partnership with the New York City Parks Department presents a kite-flying event at Riverside Park’s Pier 1. Morning festivities include a kite-making workshop for families and children and a family friendly fly-zone where children can fly their designs. Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own kites to fly. Participants in FlyNY’s international kite design competition display their original designs in the afternoon. Visit the website for a complete schedule of events. Hudson River at West 70th Street. Rain date is May 10. Ages: All Ages [email protected] http://www.nycgovparks.org.

(thanks to www.gocitykids.com for this listing!)

PROSPECT-LEFFERTS: MOTHER’S DAY CRAFTS

Saturday, May 9, 2:30-3:30pm, Sunday, May 10, 2:30-3:30pm
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum always has a ton of events going on. I chose the one I thought would be the best. For more specifics go to www.brooklynkids.org for more info. Admission:$7.50 per person. Museum members and children under 1 free. All programs free with Museum admission.
I Love My Mommy: Preschoolers—come spend a lovely afternoon reading stories and singing songs with a special woman in your life. Create a beautiful flower and decorate a card to express how much you love her. Ages 5 and unde

PARK SLOPE: VAUDEVILLE SHOW

Saturday, May 9: 4:30 PM
The Brooklyn Lyceum is hosting a modern vaudeville with The Fun and Funny Juggling Show, Will Shaw’s award-winning blend of physical comedy and verbal wit and juggling. It takes place at the Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave (at Union St.), Park Slope, Brooklyn. Phone 718-857-4816 . Tickets are $10 but children under 2 are free. Tickets can be purchased online at brooklynlyceum.com/kids or at the door the day of the show.

WILLIAMSBURG: SAFE BIKE RIDING

Saturday, May 9: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
This is a great program to teach kids the basics of riding in a safe setting. Classes listed below are offered in association with City of New York Parks & Recreation. This is recommended for ages 5 and up. Bikes and helmets required. Pre-register at www.BikeNewYork.org/education.
McCarren Park, Driggs Ave. and Lorimer St. (handball courts)

WILLIAMSBURG: ARTISTS’ MARKET

Saturdays from 10am-6pm
Artists & Fleas, the 6-year old Williamsburg, Brooklyn-based artist and designer market will be setting up shop and showing their wares on opening weekend at the Market in McCarren. The Artists & Fleas Market in McCarren will be operated in partnership with the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn (OSA), a non-profit NYC Parks Dept affiliate. Artists & Fleas Market in McCarren will be open on Saturdays from 10am-6pm beginning May 2nd and will be located at the northern end of McCarren Park, adjacent to the McCarren Field House.Visitors to McCarren Park will also be able to enjoy a new weekend café set up outside the McCarren Field House complete with a menu of organic, locally sourced food and drinks as well as a variety of entertainment and weekend activities. Opening day will present The Hungry March Band, The Dead River Company and a live performance piece as part of Movement Research’s Spring Festival. The performance will start at 1pm and will run approximately 90 minutes. All events are free and open to the public.

MID-TOWN: SHADOW PUPPETS

May 1 – May 17
The Queen of Colors, which is presented by The New Victory Theater and will run at The Duke on 42nd Street from May 1 through May 17, is a story about choosing not to “color within the lines.” Based on the children’s book by German author Jutta Bauer, The Queen of Colors uses ingenious puppetry to weave a simple story about kindness and originality. The Court Painter, who is accompanied by a Court Musician, creates vivid backdrops for the feisty little puppet queen. We soon learn that while fun comes in all the shades of the rainbow, too much of a good thing can turn into a mucky, yucky mess. Winners of the Children’s Jury Award at the International Puppet Theater Festival (Synergura, 2002), The Queen of Colors is 45 minutes with no intermission. The show is best for ages 4 to 7. At The Duke on 42nd Street. 229 West 42nd Street. For tickets visit http://newvictory.org

MANHATTAN: AFFORDABLE ART FAIR & CHILDREN’S ART STUDIO

May 7 – 10th: check site for specific times
AAF NYC is where you can see (and buy) paintings, drawings, sculptures, video, photography and limited edition prints from good galleries, all priced from $100 – $10,000. They have lots of demos for artists and also a cool Children’s Art Studio, Sat and Sun, 12pm-4pm, put on by Claire’s Creative Adventures . It is for interactive art studio children 3 to 12 years old to attend while their parents enjoy the Fair. Classes will be held Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10 from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Programs include: Line and Shape Design inspired by Ellsworth Kelly, Patrick Heron and Mondrian; Vertical Art: Collaborative Group Murals; Famous Artist Coloring Station and a Jim Dine Hammering Station. For more details check out their site. In addition, special Mother’s Day programs include: Sculptural Roses for Mom and Me, Myself and I Pop Art Prints where children create a homage to their mother. It will be held this year in its new home at 7 West 34th Street this May. 7 W New York at 7 West 34th Street (b/w 5th & 6th Avenues) New York, NY 10001 http://www.7wnewyork.com/. $20 – General Admission, $15 – Student/Senior Children 12 and under – Free during Public Fair Hours, May 10th is Mother’s day – Children 12 and under get their Mothers in FREE!

GOWANUS: ETSY SELLERS BAND TOGETHER

Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10: 10 am to 4 pm
Etsy sellers are getting together to bring the Spring Handmade Cavalcade at the Bell House in Brooklyn. For more information visit www.HandmadeCavalcade.com for full directions and vendors list for both days. The Bell House, located in the Gowanus area of Park Slope at 149 7th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues

WILLIAMSBURG: STREB ACROBATICS

Ongoing Each Fri, Sat, Sun March 27 – May 17: check with location for exceptions.
Elizabeth Streb and her Action Engineers once again defy gravity with their spring home season show at SLAM (Streb Lab for Action Mechanics). Catapult! includes exciting new pieces in the lineup: Artificial Gravity, with a 20-foot spinning surface that launches intrepid performers in any direction;Translation, in which performers traverse a vertical wall as if it were a horizontal dance floor; and Polar Wander, partnering performers with a sleek spinning steel eye beam – like an airborne shark! All ages show. Fri 7pm; Sat 3pm & 7pm; Sun 3pm. Adults $20; Children (12 and under) $10 http://www.strebusa.org 51 North 1st Street Brooklyn, NY 11211

(thank you to www.gocitykids.com for this listing!)

PARK SLOPE: MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT AND ICE CREAM

Sunday, May 10: 3 p.m.
Musician Lloyd Miller of the Deedle Deedle Dees performs traditional songs as well as original music inspired by Prospect Park. Make ice cream the old-fashioned way and enjoy the results. Lefferts Historic House.

UPPER WEST SIDE: BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT

ongoing
AMNH’s wonderful Butterfly exhibit features up to 500 live, free-flying tropical beauties from Central, South, and North America in a 1,200-square-foot vivarium, a freestanding structure aflutter with activity. Wear layers – it gets hot in there! In the Hall of Oceanic Birds. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. 212.769.5200 http://www.amnh.org. Ongoing Daily 10/11/08 – 5/25/09; check with location for exceptions. Adults $22; Seniors & Students $16:50; Children $13

(listing is courtesy of www.gocitykids.com- thank you!)

LONG ISLAND CITY: SWIMMING POOL

From now until May 2009
A swimming pool…in winter? Well, yes. Artist Leandro Erlich is showing this cool installation at PS 1 Contemporary Arts Center. I can’t fully explain it here without sounding confused- but suffice it to say- he created the illusion of people walking under water. Kids will think it is so cool. I always find that getting to the museum is super easy- and a great fun day. Not easy to find food around there though, so plan on eating in their cafe or brown bagging it. There are 2 other exhibitions there too: one on reduction art and the other by a video artist.

QUEENS: AIR FUN

ongoing through May 10
The New York Hall of Science has a cool interactive exhibition called AirPlay comes to New York. You can play with “Air Cannon”, watch air through the world’s longest vacuum cleaner hose, float model boats across a table and more. The exhibition closes May 10

PARK SLOPE: HEALTHY PREGNANCY PANEL

Wed. May 13th: 6:30-9:00pm
Learn what a doula is, what homeopathy is, how to eat healthy, work out properly, how acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy and massage can help you through your pregnancy. Plus come see some great products on everything baby and mommy. Soulshine Wellness at 917 8th Avenue (btwn 9th and 10th ). These are theguest speakers I have heard or know and would recommend: : Physiotherapist Isa Herrera , Homeopathist Rebekah Azzarelli , Personal Trainer, Zoe Bowick Levine ACE C-PT , Acupuncturist Laurel Axen Carrol , L.Ac, Nutritionist Aisling Wharton . Cost of event is $10 per person. Register @ www.thepregnantnewyorker.com.

PARK SLOPE: MOM and BABY FITNESS/LIFESTYLE FAIR

May 17: 11 am- 4 pm
NY Fit Mama is a new organization that is holding, what I think will be, a high quality event. I am basing this on the presenters involved. The fair is designed to bring together moms and fitness and lifestyle experts for a day of fitness classes and discussions. You can try yoga, pilates, baby swing and listen to how you can find balance your life (yeah, sure!) and how to deal with physical issues post-birth. I have signed up to go and can’t wait to try the Mom and Baby class with Lara from Essential Yoga (she is supposed to be wonderful) and Charlotte Blake teaching how to workout with your baby. Willow is the beneficiary of all this! I’m truly bummed I will miss the Mom and Baby Pilates and “Sling Your Baby” though due to nap time. The NY Fitmama fitness classes are geared toward Moms no matter how long ago you gave birth. You can bring babies aged 6 weeks to pre-crawling. (Bring your own mat for classes and buy your ticket in advance, none will be sold at the door).

PARK SLOPE: CLOTHING SWAP

May 17th: 12- 3 pm
Oooohhh! A clothing swap ! I love love love these. Come exchange, look or buy baby/kids clothes, gear, maternity wear. It is going to be held at the Prospect Park YMCA. The event is also open to parents who do not have clothing to swap. All the proceeds go to the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign. All details, including how you can get involved, are on the website http://brooklynswap.weebly.com/

PARK SLOPE: VACCINATION SEMINAR

Wednesday May 20th: 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Papa Tree and I went to go hear Dr. Palevsky at Realbirth in Chelsea. He was informative without being alarmist or extreme. He is a board certified pediatrician. If you are interested in learning about his research and ideas on vaccination, this is worth going to. He also does consultations for children’s chronic illnesses in terms of holistic health.To learn more about him go to: www.holisticchildhealth.com . $40 per person or $70 per couple. At: BAX Brooklyn Arts Exchange
421 5th Avenue Park Slope Brooklyn NY 11215 . To buy tickets go to www.drpalevsky.com

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