THALALO

The Tate Modern in London is modern art mecca, both for kids and adults.  The space itself is wonderful – graphic, vibrant, and inviting.  On my visit, I was mesmerized by the art — Marcel Duchamp, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Kasimir Malevich and Richard Serra are but a few highlights — brillantly curated in a way that lures you from one installation to the next.

Start is a program that provides free art activity kits for kids (over 5) to accompany them on their visit through the museum.  While I was there, I saw a young boy huddled on the floor creating a collage, kids searching for clues in art installations, and a group playing a board game.  There is also the Interactive Zone, spread over multiple levels, featuring multimedia activities, a library, and video games.

The entire museum is incredibly directed at involving children, and yet manages not to impinge at all on the grown-up experience.

And when you leave, be sure take the river-side exit, and take the south bank walk along the Thames (head west).  This pedestrian path was a wonderful surprise to me.  It gives you a great tour of London – taking you past the National Theatre, the book market under the Waterloo Bridge, Jubilee Gardens (with its carousel in the summer), the London Eye, the Sea Life London Aquarium, and then ending at Big Ben and the Westminster Bridge.

Brand new and fresh out of the box – a beautiful playground just opened in Brooklyn (june 2010) and it is worth the commute over this summer.  We visited Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 playground last weekend, and despite drizzling rain — who cares in a water park — the kids went crazy for it.  It’s unlike any playground in the city.  It is vast, designed, and built into the landscape over 1.6 acres.   Also, which other public playground has a climbing teepee, super-sized rope swings, and a 6000-square-foot sand box?   The crowning glory is a water lab, complete with a stream, wading pool, fountains, and a slew of interactive water contraptions.

(Click here to see the interactive map to the pier.)

The only caveat to our visit was that we weren’t able come anywhere close to covering the park in three hours, so I had to promise to go back another weekend — for the entire day.  Good thing it’s shady.

While shooting this week in Miami Beach, I happened to wander into Books & Books on Lincoln Road, and found one of the last of the dying breed – the local independent bookstore.

The shop is not expansive, but it is well-designed with small, intimate rooms each displaying a carefully curated selection of children’s classics, coffee table tomes, travel books, art editions, and fiction.  The books are dislayed with a bit of reverence (quietly suggesting that whispering might be in order).

Visiting this non-virtual storefront was an unexpected pleasure, especially since most of my book purchases now come courtesy of amazon.com (and I’m pretty sure there’s a kindle in my future).  It was so nice to be able to touch books again, peruse shelves, and appreciate some wonderful book design.  I picked up a fresh copy of Gil Adamson’s Help Me, Jacques Cousteau and headed out to their outdoor cafe to raise a glass to one of the last of the great bookstores.

Closer to home, very happy to report that a new Books and Books is opening. Books & Books Westhampton Beach will open on July 1, 2010.  Just in time to pick up some summer reading.

This last Sunday the forecast was bleak – overcast, cold, chance of showers – yup, a perfect opportunity to go to the Bronx Zoo.

In general, attempting a weekend visit to the world-renowned Bronx Zoo in the spring/summer is a tough proposition.  Battling both tourists and locals, it’s tough to even get into the zoo parking lot much less into any popular exhibits.  So a dismal, gray day was our chance — and it worked out impeccably.

We arrived around 10:30am and the Southern Boulevard lot (the closest to the Children’s Zoo) was only about a tenth full.  We didn’t even have to wait in line for lunch or for the Bug Carousel, which never happens.  Our Sunday highlights – tons of random peacock spottings, Madagascar (the gorillas are so human it’s shocking), the giraffes (I just love them), and the Wild Asia Monorail (half tour, half amusement park ride).

Everyone knows about the Bronx Zoo, so here are just a few tips:
1.  The Zoo Shuttle, unlike at most zoos, is not a tour, it’s just a useful way to get little legs to the other end of the zoo.
2.  Plan to spend the day – it is HUGE, so start at the zoo, end at the zoo, don’t make other plans.
3.  Bring snacks, for adults as well as kiddies- there are acres and acres to explore, and it gets you hungry.
4.  Lastly, even if you have to drag your stroller out of storage, bring transport.  Those kids that are too old for the stroller are unfortunately not too old to be carried.  Come prepared.

If you or your kids have never experienced Cirque de Soleil, this might be the year that you need to splurge and go visit the big blue and yellow tent residing on Randall’s Island.

Ovo, this year’s show, is called “an immersion into the teeming and energetic world of insects”.  It is a mind-blowing experience combining (in no particular order) breathtaking acrobatics, clowns, contortionists, jugglers, tumblers, aerial performers, haunting music, and astounding costumes.  My favorite moment was the finale. Dozens of acrobats dressed as crickets bounce off trampolines up thirty feet onto a giant sculpted wall, in an insane, intricately choreographed insect ballet — I really cannot describe it properly, and as you are not allowed to take photos inside the big tent, I can’t show you either.

I’ll just say that for some odd reason (perhaps the state of the economy?), we were able to get great seats this last Friday for Saturday (but FYI there is never a bad seat in the house).  So grab the New York Water Taxi, try a family discount package, and go see Ovo on Randall’s Island.  We see the Cirque show every year, and this one, (perhaps due to it being directed by a woman?) may be the best one in memory.  You cannot compare it to a Broadway show, a circus, or any performance that you have seen before.   Run, with or without children, as the show ends on June 6th.

Last night we had a very civilized Sunday dinner at Colicchio and Sons, the new-ish restaurant in West Chelsea which takes the place of Kraftsteak (another family favorite).  The front Tap Room is a relaxed, elegant setting that is also casual enough for families.  Many of the tables are interspersed with small, comfortable couches – great for squirmy little bodies.  And the servers were endlessly patient with our kids, spreading out the crayons and paper, humoring their many requests, and putting maraschino cherries in their water.  My son even got a tour of the wine vault from the sommelier.

The dinner was delicious.  The kids devoured the herb-roasted poussin and the rigatoni.  My five-year-old later stated that ‘from now on this is the only place I ever want to eat pasta’.   And my grass-fed skirt steak with ramp chimchurri was some of the best steak I’ve had.   The final touch -  little cakes that were given as parting gifts, a tradition carried over from Kraftsteak.

We walked home along the High Line, where swarms of locals were taking advantage of the end of that rare perfect New York spring evening.

Last weekend we were in upstate New York visiting our very good friends in Woodstock, and the children got the chance to have some riding lessons at the Green Heron Farm.  My kids adore the place – especially feeding and petting the new foal, Green Heron Kerry.  Owner and instructor Roberta Jackson is a seasoned pro with children, and through her quiet presence they quickly learn to ride and develop a love for horses — it’s fantastic just to watch.  Even my two-year old daughter enjoyed a few pony rides around the farm…

See more photos from our visit here.

On rainy Sundays we always seem to find ourselves in New Jersey at the Liberty Science Center.  If you like science, gadgets or large snakes, this is the place.  Compared to many of the other local kiddie museums, this one is a step above (FYI also a bit pricier than the others).

Here are our favorite exhibits.  IExplore is a must for the 5 and under set.  Kids can build and race their own car, shoot balls through a crazy pulley system, paint with water, climb scaffolding, and play with rice (crazy but that’s actually the crowd favorite).   At Our Hudson Home, see lots of wildlife from the Hudson river (turtles, sharks, horseshoe crabs) and build your own dam.   And do not miss the live science demonstrations – in ‘Subzero:  States of Matter‘ they produce an actual cloud and we all learn that there are four states of matter.  Who knew?  I’m pretty sure that there were only three when I was in grade school…

Their latest exhibit, Diabetes: A Deeper Look, did not sound at all compelling, but was actually quite informative for those visitors who read.   For those who can’t, there are still some of the most entertaining high tech/interactive exhibits that we have seen.  There were carnival-like games,  an obstacle course with moving platforms, and a rapping refrigerator — need I say more?

Just back from spring break in Breckenridge which turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag.  Considering it was the beginning of April, the snow was still quite good, and we really loved the whole town.  The altitude, however, almost did us in…. but more on that later.

First off — the resort.  For kids, Breckenridge has a wonderful setup.  Both their ski school and childcare have been designed impeccably – separation quick and painless; enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and numerous teachers; and well-appointed facilities.  There is also a huge amount of terrain for beginners, so that my son was able to pretty much navigate around the entire base of Peak 9 and the Quicksilver lift without any worries (and it was only his third time skiing).  For us, we wish there was a bit more advanced terrain, as most of the mountains are beginner/intermediate except for the (very windy!) bowls at the top of the mountain.  But we were still quite happy exploring the semi-deserted runs of Peak 10.

The town of Breckenridge is fun with a bit of a hippy vibe, with plentiful shops and a wide array of restaurants, all within walking distance.  Also, everyone there is unusually friendly and helpful.

A few facts:  We stayed at the Marriott Mountain Valley Lodge, which was basic and efficient, but has a perfect location right at the base of the slopes (& ski school & daycare) and on the edge of town.  Our favorite breakfast spot was across the street at the Blue Moose Cafe – fast service and fluffy pancakes.  For equipment, there is only one place to go — Mountain Wave, by far the best expert service and selection.  And for a bit of decadence, try the Hearthstone Restaurant for dinner or cocktails (not great for small children).

The only caveat, and it was a big one, was the altitude.  Let’s say I learned a lot about altitude sickness, or as they call it, AMS (acute mountain sickness).  For my husband, it didn’t really have an effect, but my daughter and I suffered quite a bit.  Read more about that here.

Perhaps next year, we’ll try spring break in Vail — we were told that the resort is run by the same company, so they have the exact same setup for childcare and ski school — and my husband and I have always loved that mountain.

This last weekend in New York, spring came in unprecedented glory.  So I decided to take the children to my little secret spot, the Prospect Park Zoo.  I should have realized that the reason that the zoo was so ’secret’ before was that I always took the kids in the dead of winter.  And curiously, nobody was ever there.

Anyway, despite the crowds, I have to say that this is my zoo of choice in the city.  The Bronx Zoo is amazing, but gargantuan in scale, and takes an entire day to even begin to explore it.  The Central Park Zoo is also small and intimate, but the Prospect Park Zoo just has a flow that works perfectly for kids.

A few highlights:
1. They have several buildings with lively indoor exhibits (think meerkats and baboons) — which makes the zoo still a great option in inclement weather.

2. The Petting Barn – docile sheep and goats hang out and are easily fed even by two-year olds (bring lots of quarters in case the change machines are out of order).

3. The Discovery Trail (my favorite bit) – it takes the kids about an hour or so to wander along this scenic path while exploring various habitats — pretend to be a prairie dog, climb a spider’s web, feed the geese, see a kangaroo.  It’s a really nice bit of organized micro-wilderness where my kids can run, climb, and generally get a bit crazy.  And I personally like to see an otter every once in a while.

4. Lastly, the zoo ends at the historic Prospect Park Carousel — opening this year March 27th — always a crowd-pleaser.

Growing up in Vermont, my family always had a thing for Maine.  There is something very special about the string of small towns scattered along the Atlantic coastline — the stunning cliffs, the old fisherman, the lobster!, the night skies filled with fistfuls of stars, and, of course, the unforgettable smell of the ocean.

Last Memorial Day, we got the chance to spend a long weekend in Kennebunkport at the Colony Hotel (open only from mid-May through October). OK, it’s quite a long drive from New York City, so we had to stay overnight at a roadside motel on our way up.  But it was worth it.

The historic hotel is perched on a bluff over the ocean with beautiful grounds, an outdoor heated salt-water pool, a putting green, and a private beach.  Inside it’s classic New England, with rooms filled with grand old furniture, a sprawling dining hall extending to a covered porch, and and afternoon tea and cookies served in the regal sitting room.  There’s also a trolley that takes you from the hotel right into the ridiculously charming town of Kennebunkport.  When we were there, the entire town was celebrating Memorial Day, complete with a parade and a president (former president George H. Bush and his wife Barbara in attendance).

There is plenty to do here for families, so I would recommend spending at least five days if you can.  We are definitely going back for a lobster roll this spring.

Just back from a belated Valentine’s weekend in Paris — in a rare move, we went on a trip without children.  I felt strange all on my own at Newark, but it didn’t take long for me to adjust to having my two hands back to myself.

We had just only three days in Paris, so immediately after my red-eye landed on Friday, I put on my No.6 clog boots and started walking.  From our decadent Hôtel de Crillon at Place de la Corcorde (perhaps the perfect classic French hotel), I wandered past the Louvre, along the Rue de Rivoli, to one of my favorite museums, le Centre Pompidou.  From there I explored the winding, boutique-filled streets of le Marais, quickly over to Ile de la Cité, and then back to the hotel for a well-deserved nap.  My husband flew in later that evening.

Day two we slept in until noon (unprecedented!).  We also went to my husband’s favorite store, the always changing and unique Colette:  it’s part gallery, part bookstore, part fashion heaven.  We finished our exquisite day with another splurge, as our concierge was able to secure a dinner reservation at the Michelin three-star restaurant Pré Catelan.  Four hours and not quite sure how many delectable courses later, we stumbled out for a nightcap at a jazz club in St. Germain, Caveau de la Huchette.  For a few hours, we enjoyed watching the regulars trade partners, throw meaningful looks at each other, and dance the night away.

On our last day we wanted to visit Les Catacombes but instead ended up at the famous flea market, Les Puces de Paris.  It was a hectic scene, some areas eerily reminiscent of Canal Street, with street vendors selling fakes of every possible designer thing, from Hermès bags to Chanel perfume.  But after pushing through what seemed like miles of vendors, we managed to find ourselves in an intimate pedestrian market, the Paul Bert marché.  If ever in Paris, stop by to just see this –  hundreds of stands squeezed in makeshift pedestrian blocks, selling everything from old letterpress blocks, estate silverware, and antique toys, to sculptures, garden ornaments, and vintage chandeliers.

Paris is such an easy city to explore (especially by foot and metro), so three days was enough for a perfect little escape.  Back in New York and buried under piles of snow, I’m still glowing.  To see my happy snaps, click here.

Spending President’s Day weekend in San Diego once again confirmed what almost everyone already knows: San Diego is heaven for kiddies.  We go at least once a year to visit the grandparents, and every time the kids come home raving about the time they had.

Of course, there are many famous attractions, like the San Diego Zoo and Sea World, but here are a few of our personal favorites…

Legoland is fantastic because it is an amusement park with many activities that don’t involve standing in line for a two-minute ride.  There are dancing water fountains (Waterworks), a lego Playtown, and a giant tree fort (the Hideaways), to name just a few, and frankly each one could take up an entire afternoon.  Hint: go to their website to print tickets right from home, take advantage of discounts, and avoid the lines.

The San Diego Zoo’s equally brilliant sibling, the Wild Animal Park, is just 30 miles north in Escondido.  The Park offers an assortment of safaris, tours, and rides, but our favorite part is the very kid-walkable tour around their man-made lagoon, where children can see and feed ducks, flamingos, and lorikeets (which will happily land right on your arm).  And it doesn’t hurt that the tour ends at an animal-themed carousel.

We adore the happy-hippy-craziness at Mission Beach, where the boardwalk runs for miles, and centers around the lively Belmont Park.  Here you’ll find surfers, skateboarders, roller-skaters, cyclists, and all sorts of colorful characters co-mingling on a entertaining stretch of kitsch and beach.

Lastly, for a bit of well-deserved calm, we always take a day and go for a long hike at the wild and scenic Torrey Pines State Reserve.

For the last five years, my husband has been trying to convince me about the merits of summering in Fire Island.  It all sounded pretty good in theory – only an hour outside of the city, a skinny little island where each house is less than 5 blocks from the ocean or the bay.  No cars allowed, so everyone either rides a bike or pulls a wagon filled with their groceries, baggage, and children.  In walking distance, only one restaurant, a grocery, a wine store and an ice cream shop –

OK, being completely removed from civilization (in a civilized new york way of course) seemed a bit terrifying to me.  But I was convinced enough to take the kids last August for almost 3 weeks to rough it in Saltaire (along with Fair Harbor, Dunewood and Lonelyville, it’s one of Fire Island’s most family-friendly neighborhoods).

It takes a lot of getting used to, especially being a high-strung, consumption-oriented New Yorker.  The first week, I did some panic online-shopping and visited every restaurant that the water taxi would take us to,  but eventually I relaxed and fell into the lifestyle…  Wake up, leave the house without keys or money, hit the beach, return home to grill.  Nap, rinse, repeat.  Fall asleep with kiddies to the sound of nothing.

A few times I did think about leaving the kids to pull themselves home in the wagon (it is a very safe island), but really it was an incredibly special summer, and we spent more quality time together than we ever have.  Being forced to simplify and enjoy the basic is quite something.  Lastly, sunset in Fair Harbor is special – every evening it’s packed like a street fair; adults bring wine and kids run free.

Time to book a house for summer 2010.  Brokers in Fire Island are notoriously abrupt and capricious, but it’s because they know that they have a captive audience.  Still, here are a few realtors with great listings in our favorite family-friendly areas:  Fire Island Living, Kitty King Real Estate, and Sharon Deleasa.

Since childhood I’ve been a secret fan of amusement parks.  So I must admit that Atlantis, the super-commercial mega-resort on Paradise Island (Bahamas), has always intrigued me.  It’s like an amusement park within a resort, complete with water slides, dophin encounters, an inner-tube Lazy River Ride, as well as several quite nice beaches and endless pools.  True, all the big cruise ships stop there, and the food is quite pricey and not great.  But it’s a 3 hour direct flight from New York  — (and f.y.i. they do a great egg hunt on Easter).

I personally couldn’t imagine an extended stay at Atlantis, but for a kiddie-centric long weekend with a tan, even my husband admits that it’s kind of fun.  (He loves the Leap of Faith, a waterslide with a 60 foot, almost-vertical drop.)

Secret tip – for a cheaper getaway, stay across the street from Atlantis at the Comfort Suites Paradise Island.  The rooms are basic, but a fraction of the price, and you get full use of all Atlantis facilities – you can even charge things back to your room.  For me, that makes it a guilt-free adventure.

I used to be an avid snowboarder before children.  But for the last five years, I just couldn’t get past the idea of resort daycare or paying a sitter to watch TV with the kids while we traipsed up and down the slopes.

This weekend my husband overruled me.  His trial destination, Jiminy Peak, was not too much of a commitment, a mid-sized mountain just a three hour drive away.  We weren’t expecting much this close to the city, but we were very pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful little ski resort.

Jiminy Peak has a very efficient two-tier lift system, so we were able to stay at the top of the mountain most of the day, and to do a serious number of runs.  We barely waited in any lift-lines, which was impressive considering it was a holiday weekend.  There was a nice range of varied trails, inobtrusive snow-making, and for others… night-skiing and a smallish board park.

We stayed at the Country Inn, a modest ski-in ski-out hotel.  That feature was the true luxury, especially at the end of the day when we were carrying all the boards/helmets/skis/heavy children.  And it was a pleasure to be able to wander around the resort apres-ski and not have to drive anywhere.  The Inn was also very generous with their late check-out policy, a valuable bonus for a short weekend.

The SKIwee program for kids (4 and up) was great – they had a 1-3 instructor-child ratio with their own magic carpet slope, plus a novice lift around the corner.  The teachers were enthusiastic and knew just how to entice kids into the class.  By day two, our son was ‘pizza-slicing’ down a small green run.

Our two-year old went into Cub’s Den, a daycare program run by a slew of young ladies unfazed by legions of kids and babies.  And they give you a beeper for piece of mind.  My daughter was impressed enough that she separated immediately and even asked to go back.

The only downside to Jiminy was the slopeside dining; most restaurants had no availability during prime dining hours (it was a holiday weekend).  But we did find a sweet little tavern within walking distance called Powder Hounds.

Overall, it was a perfect three-day getaway, and it was a relief to find out that we could all co-exist at a ski resort.  Next time, maybe Utah.

One piece of advice for beginning kids or adults – book a private lesson.  Group lessons are great to get enthusiastic about the sport, but those few hours with a private instructor are critical when first learning how to ski or snowboard.

Our bi-annual voyage to Cape Town, South Africa, is always a source of great joy and consternation.  Just packing carry-on bags for 2 kids for 24 hours of flight time is intimidating at best.  But the lure of reunions with my husband’s family and friends, warm weather, plus a multi-ethnic, cosmopolitan city always wins out.

Cape Town is built between the famed Table Mountain and the ocean (the Atlantic and the Indian).  The area is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world, and it is difficult to argue, especially in December, when high summer is just beginning and the temperatures are 70-80 degrees most days.  The city itself is geographically blessed, with a range of scenic beaches, a few well-positioned mountains, and wine country a short drive away.  There is also great cultural significance in this vibrant, modern city on the tip of Africa.

This year we rented a house with a view in Camps Bay, with a pool and yard and close proximity to the beach.  The lifestyle in Cape Town is much more laid back than New York, so lunches and dinners spread out regularly over hours, and children are welcome to run around the sprawling lawns of many restaurants.  And at the house, there is always someone dropping by for a sundowner or a swim, so there is a constant hum of relaxed chaos.

This time we were pretty lazy, but there are endless adventures for everyone close by, including Stellenbosch (the wine country), Fairy Glen and other game reserves, Boulders Beach, the V&A Waterfront, World of Birds (a personal favorite), to name a few…

Renting a house in Cape Town is often the best answer for a family as you have lots of room, a daily maid (heaven), and it’s usually no more expensive than staying in multiple hotel rooms.  We found ours through Rentals Cape Town. The most direct and relatively inexpensive flights are through South African Airways via Johannesburg. We are often asked about personal safety in South Africa; we have always felt completely comfortable with the kids in Cape Town and environs, and find the people to be exceptionally warm and welcoming (and they love and are very tolerant of children).  Try to stay a minimum of two weeks as the flight is long, and there are infinite things to see and do there.

A month before Thanksgiving, we always find ourselves with a bit of the winter blues.  So it’s become a yearly tradition to celebrate turkey day somewhere in the Caribbean.  (It’s also a great time to go, as it’s just the beginning of peak season, and there are fewer crowds and more deals.)

I took a quick look to cross-reference which islands had reasonable direct flights from New York and which resorts Trip Advisor was recommending.  We found ourselves at the Crane Hotel in Barbados.

The Crane is a perfect resort for a family to decompress.  The toughest choice for us each day was where to start – beach or pool.  They have six pools in the complex, five of which are interconnected, with shallow areas for kids.  And the beach had warm water with gentle waves, and creamy, fine sand that turned pink at sunset.  There were also beach chairs to spare (which is rare) at both pool and beach.  The usual shopping trips/land tours/boat excursions were available, but we decided to just stay put and take it easy.  Four days felt like an eternity.

I fully recommend the Crane for families looking to unwind, with just one caveat.  The food I found to be a bit lacking, especially for children.  But perhaps with the ongoing renovations/expansion, that problem will be soon resolved.  It is also just fifteen minutes from the airport which, considering most island roads, is a definite plus.