Williamsburg: Not just for hipsters anymore

Ok, yes there are a lot of hipsters here but just forget about that for now…there are better things to worry about. Williamsburg is very trendy but it still has great energy. Hurry because it won’t have this feeling once the neighborhood is over crowded; there are a ton of new high rises (some 40 stories high) being built all along the East River and in its’ neighbor neighborhood Greenpoint. Williamsburg is a fabulous place to live or stroll in for a short (half or full-day) visit with family and/or friends.

Best things about Williamsburg, Brooklyn are: 1) that you are only 5-10 minutes from Manhattan on the L and 2) it makes you feel like raising your kid in the city is a great decision because you can enjoy city life and still have a “community” of neighbors that greet your child by name as you walk in and out of business.

The neighborhood is great because it has both coffee shops, bars, restaurants, deli’s for the single life –style AND enough family-friendly businesses, cool parks to play & picnic in to keep families busy. One can expose their children to Hebrew in South Williamsburg or Polish in Greenpoint. The following are some of the great places that one should visit while taking a trip to visit:

Mamalu Café Play & Munch Ground
Mamalu is one of the best reasons to be a parent in New York City. They welcome little boogers to their restaurant and kids’ food market with huge open arms. They offer organic and other healthy foods, really good coffee, and they are the only kids’ space surrounded by such impressive art. Mamalú hosts events for families like Friday Night Movie Nite, and they offer classes. (Recommendation: This should be your first or last stop. First- if you are hungry and want to enjoy your breakfast while the little ones run around and last- if you want to take a awesome bag of healthy kiddie foods home with you). In the kids’ mini-market they sell Applegate Farms Free-Range Chicken Nuggets, Frozen Edamame, Frozen Sweet Potato Pancakes, Annie’s Mac & Cheese, a ton of Kid Drinks and more.
Phone: (718) 486-6312
www.mamalunyc.com

Flying Squirrel
Want your kid to be a cool “hand-me-down kid” that knows how you help the environment? This would be the first place to check out. I recommend this fresh, nonchalant store to any parent that wants their kid in cute clothes but also wants to help the earth have less things in it. Flying Squirrel carries new and nearly new necessities for infants, kids and parents including toys, clothing and books by local designers, artists, smaller manufacturers and more. They have a pretty good book selection, great rain gear for kids, baby ergos and other carriers (new and barely used). And one can always find a “MUST” toy like tricycles, bicycle or bouncers that are expensive but your child will grow out of quickly. One will always walk out with a great item for a great deal! Check out their awesome statement about why the store exists on their website. Flying Squirrel is located at 96 North 6th Street between Berry & Wythe.
Phone: (718) 218-7775
www.flyingsquirrelbaby.com

Sweet William
Sweet William is nothing like Flying Squirrel but it is still a gorgeous store that I recommend visiting. Clothing from Sweet William will look amazing on any child. Your child will walk out of anywhere looking like he or she belongs on the cover of an Anthropologie catalog or in Cookie magazine. Sweet William carries American and European lines such as Tuss, Black Rabbit, Bluebird, Flora, Henri and Wovenplay and adorable stuffed animals from Hansa. I hear that they also serve tea! Clothing ranges anywhere from $20-200. Sweet William is located at 112 North 6th Street between Berry & Wythe.
Phone: (718) 218-6946

Area Kids & Mini-Mall
Area Kids has a store near you! Apparently an Area Kids store is in the surrounding neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill & Park Slope! Well, this Williamsburg-based store is located in one teeny “mini-mall” that has small mom & pop stores with super-cute products. Area carries cute casual clothing for babies and toddlers and a unique selection of toys. They have a lot of cool t-shirts. If visiting the neighborhood for the first time with your child you can easily spend 1-2 hours in this mini-mall. You can grab a bagel breakfast in the Verb café, take cool photo stickers in the hall of the mall, checkout art or children’s books at Spoonbill, the independent bookstore and finally hit the store that is in every Brooklyn family neighborhood. Area Kids also has a play table for kids to engage in puzzles while you shop. Area Kids is located at 218 Bedford Avenue near North 5th.
Phone: (718) 218-8647
www.areakids.com

New York Muffin
Everyone must come here and get a cupcake and then try the Vanilla Chai. This is the best coffee shop near the L Train and it has great tree benches outside where you can catch some sun and play cars with your toddler while the baby sleeps. Once my one year old got up at 4:30am and by 5 I had to get out of the house so we headed to Bedford on the bike, this was the only place open. Everyone there greeted us as if it was normal to be up so early and we had a great morning after that. (My recommendation is that one should head there in the AM before hitting Flying Squirrel and Sweet William then hit Area Kids, and save room to have yummy lunch at the last stop…Mamalu Café, Play & Munch Ground.) New York Muffin is located at 198 North Bedford at corner of 6th.
Phone: (718) 599-0202

Penny Licks
This is the best place ever! I could not believe it when I saw them here. They just opened at the end of May. Someone said, “they dropped here from heaven”. Penny Licks has organic ice cream, huge gumballs, chocolate covered pretzels, vegan brownies and more. This is going to be a kid’s paradise! Penny Licks is located at 158 Bedford Avenue between North 5th & 6th Street.
Phone: (718) 302-1810

Mini-Jake
Mini-Jake has fabulous modern furniture, gorgeous rugs and décor for children’s rooms. This is one of the best kids’ furniture stores in the city. They have sheek rockers, modern high-chairs and Alaxander Calder-like mobiles. They also carry very unique toys and have a great trains table for kids to play with while you shop. You can see great photos of their furniture on their site. Mini-Jake is located at 178 North 9th Street between Bedford & Driggs.
Phone: (718) 782-2005
www.mini-jake.com

Parks & Rec
McCarren Park for picnics and strolls is on the corner of N.12th Street & Bedford
McCarren Playground for play is on the corner of Lorimer & Driggs
McCarren Race Track for inspiration, fun time & exercise is on Driggs & Union
McCarren Dog Park & Green Dome Garden (which is a MUST) is on corner of N. 12th & Driggs
Grand Street Playground is also a great, not too big playground between Berry & Wythe.
Kent Avenue Park is under construction but great for picnics and views of “the future”.

To find out about the schools and daycares in the area write to mexicanamama@gmail.com