There are a lot of family friendly steakhouses in Greater Hartford, including restaurants where you can bring the whole gang without worrying about breaking a wineglass (or the bank). Below I’ve rounded up steakhouses for the whole family and another list for those special date nights out. You might even want to start a steakhouse tour -- write back and tell us your favorites! (For other dining options check out our list of Greater Hartford restaurants.)

Across Litchfield and Fairfield counties, several family-owned farms and orchards offer pick-your-own fruit opportunities. Most offer many other attractions, as well: other kinds of fruits or vegetables, a neat, little farm store stocked with delicious goodies, farm animals, playgrounds or a variety of farm-themed programs. Some are especially good if you have toddlers in tow. Whichever place you choose to visit, you are guaranteed to find tasty, fresh fruit and memorable experiences appealing to everyone in the family and don't forget to check out our Fall Guide for more great fall ideas! 

How are you spending the last few weeks of summer break? My family and I are furiously crossing outings off our seasonal bucket list. We hope to still make it out to the Hamptons, Rye Playland and over to Brooklyn Bridge Park to experience the interactive installation Please Touch the Art before it gets too cold to enjoy those rooms made of water.

Of course, so many new attractions have opened recently, it's hard to keep up! The Battery's SeaGlass Carousel just started spinning, a new indoor play space in Woodside, Queens looks like a great bet for a rainy day and a Thomas the Tank Engine theme park in Massachusetts is weekend-trip-worthy for young train fans. But don't let the kids dictate all your destinations: family-friendly vineyards and wineries in nearby New Jersey offer plenty of activities for children and adults alike.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

New York City has long been home to a dozen carousels, but the brand-new SeaGlass Carousel in downtown Manhattan stands apart. 

More than a decade and $16 million in the making, this custom-designed ride that opens to the public August 20 is part of the Battery's ongoing overhaul (currently it's a bit of a construction zone), and its sea theme is a nod to the site's history as the original location of the New York Aquarium. No horses going round and round here; instead, riders step into 30 tall (some up to 13 feet!), iridescent fish that seem to swim inside a giant nautilus shell thanks to a quartet of rotating turntables. Glowing lights, soothing classical music and aquatic sound effects complete the virtual underwater experience.

While every news outlet has been raving about this just-opened, one-of-a-kind attraction, only Mommy Poppins has the scoop on everything families need to know before planning a trip to the SeaGlass Carousel, including tips on stroller parking and bathrooms, along with video that gives you a sense of just how special it is.

It's sad, so very, very sad: the kids are going back to school. Whatever will we parents do with our own free time that we can do whatever we want with now? Sure, we'll still have the weekends to fill with child-centric merriment.  Like this weekend for instance: there's a LEGO-inspired festival of bricks, a sing-a-long version of Frozen, (don't pretend you don't still know all the lyrics), two chances to learn what happened when The Crayons Came Home, and lots of free movies the kids will love.

Yes, school may have started (depending on your district), but the summer lives on! Which is really good, on the weekends, as long as the kids are in school, Monday to Friday. So go kite flying, watch an air show, look at the stars, do all manner of things that require looking up, but do them on the weekend. Because the weekdays are your time, Momma meant for your child's creative and intellectual development.

Speaking of which, you might want to consider looking into after school classes and programs. For even more Momma-me-time ways to give your kid every opportunity.

Got a few quiet moments to yourself? Why not use them to catch up on the laundry our favorite picks for this weekend....

Event not happening in 2017.

It can be hard to reconcile the adorable, innocent kiddo in the perfect costume, with the freakout factor of Halloween.  Where, exactly, are you going to take your lollipop lovin' cowboy, or scared-of-the-dark Little Red Riding Hood?  In Fairfield County, the answer is Fairfield's Burr Homestead.  For 20 years now, they've put on the Enchanted Castle, a Halloween-time event geared toward children ages 2-10. For even more ideas in your inbox, sign up for our weekly newsletter.  Check out our Halloween and Fall Fun Guide for lots of other great info!

How could this have happened? How could there only be two (or in some cases one) more weeks of summer left before school begins? Make the most of these remaining summer days by turning to our Event Calendar which offers lots of fun for Philly families.

Meet characters from Star Wars at the Please Touch Museum. Check out New Garden Flying Field's Festival of Flight Air & Car Show. Catch Media Theatre's Aladdin Jr. or Hedgerow Theatre's Beauty and the Beast as they close this weekend. Or, get outside to learn about bugs, butterflies and mushrooms. On the other hand, embrace that school is almost here and get some 'Back to School' deals at an area consignment sale.

Stay up-to-date on the latest fun by following us on Twitter and Pinterest, like us on Facebook and sign up for our free weekly newsletter which is delivered every Thursday. Have fun soaking up the last few weeks of summer fun.