Author Archives 
BabyCakes on how to color frosting naturally
by Karen on 3/10/10 | 2 Comment(s)
Babycakes NYC on the Lower East Side is a destination for gluten-free, vegan, health-concious sweet lovers. It has been a hit destination for anyone with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and all things “special” and alternative, and that, of course, has attracted celebrities. The owner, Erin McKenna, has written a book, BabyCakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) [...]
Art Projects to do at home
by Karen on 3/09/10 | 0 Comment(s)
There are plenty of days that I wish I had an art project I could do with the kids- and a guiding hand to take me through it. Well, I have found help. RADkidsART is the brain child of Rick Anthony Diaz, who has been a teaching artist in New York City since 1995. Rick [...]
Park Slope Doctor in drug ring
by Karen on 3/09/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Gothamist reported today, that an anesthesiologist, along with some residents at NY Methodist in Park Slope, were accused of running a drug ring.
The Park Slope anesthesiologist, Michael Hosny Gabriel, “was accused of writing Adderall prescriptions for phony patients, who filled them and sold the study drug on the streets. Gabriel, may have used his profits [...]
Date Night? Try “Dine In Brooklyn”
by Karen on 3/09/10 | 0 Comment(s)
I love “Dine In Brooklyn” week: though I have never been able to make the lunch special ($20.10) with kids in tow, I have taken advantage of the dinner special ($25). Both meals include 3 courses and you are promised, “Quality food, no attitude on the side!” There are over 175 restaurants on the list, [...]
Salmonella in food flavoring- which means a lot of your food
by Karen on 3/09/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Do you use Herb-ox bouillon cubes, Trader Joe’s creamy ranch dressing, eat honey mustard pretzels from National Pretzel, or other dips and chips? Chances are you might find it on the list that the FDA has recalled recently. The FDA reported that salmonella has been found in the Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) paste at Basic [...]
How much vacation and pay should your nanny get?
by Karen on 3/09/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Park Slope Parents wrote to tell me that their new “Nanny Compensation Survey” is out. Over 800 parents participated in the survey which included parents from these Yahoo list serves: Park Slope Parents (68%), Hudson River Park Mamas, DUMBO Parents, BoCoCa Parents and Flatbush Family Network. (All of which can be found in our Directory [...]
Looking for a swim class in Brooklyn?
by Karen on 3/08/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Now is the time to get in some swim lessons before the summer starts and NY’s public pools open. Many swim classes started last week or will start this week and will last through the spring. What kind of swim classes are you looking for? Those for a newborn or for a toddler? Try looking [...]
Toddler open sports at Park Slope Armory
by Karen on 3/05/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Ben Aaron from LXTV volunteers to help coach for Toddler Open Sports at the YMCA at Park Slope Armory. It gives you a sense of what TOS is like and what the tots do!
YMCA at Park Slope Armory
361 15th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(212) 912-2580
Iris Lingerie (and bra fitter) is having a sale!
by Karen on 3/05/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Iris Clarke (the bra fitter) at Kimera Bridal Store is a Brooklyn treasure. She can do everything, like fit you for a good bra, turn your regular bra into a nursing bra or shorten nightie straps, but mainly she can give your bust a boost. She has a sweet, little space inside Kimera Bridal Store [...]
Event Picks for March 5th and on….
by Karen on 3/05/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Among all the great events going on this weekend and early next week, some stand out:
Lingerie Sale
Lizards and Snakes: Alive! and Butterflies and Journey to the Stars at the American Museum of Natural History
Flybaby presents ‘Cabin Fever’ Disco
Ft. Greene Park initiative with Kids Programming
Crossfit with Lulemon
Peter Pan at the Movies
Pancakes Aplenty [...]
DOE 2010 – 2011 School Calendar, but you can skip the first day
by Karen on 3/04/10 | 0 Comment(s)
The Department of Education’s school calendar for 2010-2011 is out now.
However, you may just want to skip the first day of school.
School begins on Wednesday, September 8th, BUT there is NO school the next two days because or Rosh Hashanah. Hmmm…..sounds like another week of summer vacation to me.
Click here to download it.
Got milk? Yes, and delivered to your door!
by Karen on 3/04/10 | 0 Comment(s)
We used to have milk delivered when I was growing up. There was something special about that fresh, cold milk in those heavy bottles. If you are as nostaligic about home milk delivery, you are going to be thrilled with this news. The Manhattan Milk Company is now delivering to select neighborhoods of Brooklyn. You [...]
Cool Map Games for Kids
by Karen on 3/03/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Are you searching for a fun way to teach geography to your kid…and maybe brush up on it yourself?
Here are a few that I really like:
Rethinking Schools’ Map Game
This map game is easy to follow. Just drag a country’s name to its proper place. I admit I made quite a few mistakes- EEEK! If you [...]
Forward Facing Car Seat to Booster…and car seat giveaway!
by Karen on 3/02/10 | 10 Comment(s)
My girlfriend “L” wrote me last week, “Quick question: have you moved from a car seat to a booster seat for your older kids yet? Our son’s feet are touching the back of the front seats, so I’d like to move him, but he’s not quite 40 pounds, which is usually the booster-seat starting point. [...]
Babies in Bars: The debate roars on
by Karen on 3/02/10 | 2 Comment(s)
This debate comes up every month or so- whether it is on a blog, parenting forum like Brooklynian or a parenting list serve. Read all of the 1127 comments (as of 10:21 pm tonight) from the CNN article about Brooklyn bars and babies and you will find a lot of mean-spirited and vitriolic comments. Sigh…so [...]
Recall: Scooby, Tweety and Batman utensils from Peachtree
by Karen on 3/02/10 | 0 Comment(s)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Peachtree Playthings, today announced a voluntary recall of Children’s Fork and Spoon Sets by Peachtree Playthings. The recall is because the middle two prongs of the plastic fork can detach, posing a choking hazard to children. The company has received one report of a middle prong [...]
Supreme Court weighs in on Atlantic Yards
by Karen on 3/02/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Just in from The Fort Greene Association. (I am truly sad about this).
Yesterday New York State Supreme Court Justice Abraham Gerges dismissed a lawsuit challenging the condemnation of property needed for the Atlantic Yards Arena. Although there are other legal challenges pending, this lawsuit was the last legal barrier to construction.
On February 24 Forest City [...]
How to Clean Toys, Backpacks, Shoes and…just about everything!
by Karen on 2/28/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Real Simple Magazine had 2 articles on how to clean everything from cotton to backpacks. I found them incredibly helpful. Here are both articles melded together.
Both written by Sarah Stebbins
How to Wash Cotton
Made from the fluffy fibers of the cotton plant, most cotton fabrics are preshrunk, so “you really can’t mess them up,” [...]
School Deadlines, Tours and Info
by Karen on 2/26/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Joyce Szuflita, our School Expert, keeps us up to date on the DOE deadlines, school tours and any breaking school information. Below is information she sent to us that is also available on her blog. I would strongly suggest signing up for her newsletter AND reading her blog. You do need to check out both. [...]
Where to Sled in NYC and Brooklyn
by Karen on 2/26/10 | 0 Comment(s)
NYC Central Park now at 16.9″. This is approaching the top 10 snowstorms all-time there! 17.5″ total would get them there! Snow, snow, snow…..and that means SLEDDING!!!!! Whoo hoo!!!! I can’t wait to get out my new Costco sled and run it down the hills of Ft. Greene park.
Here are some of the best sledding [...]
Event Picks for Feb. 26th and on….
by Karen on 2/25/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Among all the great events going on this weekend and early next week, some stand out:
Math Midway at New York Hall of Science
New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival
NYC Arts has a list of great winter discounts for cultural institutions throughout NYC and the other boroughs. The discounts last only through February 28th. The deals [...]
Bake Sale: Doritos and Pop-Tarts, but not homemade brownies
by Karen on 2/25/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Recently, fund-raising food sales was banned in city schools, but today a city panel voted on amendment that student groups can sell “items like Pop-Tarts and Doritos during the school day, but not brownies, zucchini bread or anything else homemade”, the New York Times reported.
The New York Times explains that, “the new regulation is meant [...]
Brooklyn vs. Manhattan- what debate?
by Karen on 2/25/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Leave it up to Time Out New York to start a battle: today they asked, “Which one is better: Brooklyn or Manhattan?” I don’t think many Brooklynites will see any debate. As one reader pointed out to them, ” “The best restaurants are in Brooklyn, the best drinks are in Brooklyn, the sun is in [...]
Paperless party invites- that entice your guests to come
by Karen on 2/25/10 | 0 Comment(s)
Cool Mom Picks did a post today about Paperless Post. They were positively ecstatic about the site’s online invitations and the service’s new Children’s Collection. I had to go to Paperless Post’s site to check it out myself. And, yes, there is plenty to love here. Sending these stylish invitations online not only gets guests [...]
Germs, visitors and going outside with new babies
by Karen on 2/25/10 | 1 Comment(s)
Germs, Visitors and Going Outside
by Dr. Hugh Gilgoff
Who’s Allowed Near the Baby?
The birth of your baby is a time of utter joy and celebration. Friends, family, and even complete strangers on the street want to see and even touch your beautiful little one. The problem is that your baby does not yet have [...]
