Philadelphia International Flower Show 2012: A Great Family Day Trip

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The annual Philadelphia International Flower Show has been on my bucket list for a long time and this year I decided to cross it off. Last weekend, my family and I drove down to Philly to check out the blooming buds.

Held at the massive Pennsylvania Convention Center every March, the Philadelphia International Flower Show is the world’s largest indoor flower show. This year's edition celebrates Hawaii with amazing displays of the state's tropical flowers and plants. As you can see in our slide show, the exotic blooms and greenery are interspersed with sparkling white sand, crystal pools of water and volcanic rocks, truly stunning sights. Other attractions include culinary demonstrations, a Man Cave, a Family Lounge, awesome eats and shopping, tons of gardening and agriculture workshops, and a huge Hawaiian marketplace featuring flowers and plants, delicious delicacies and indigenous crafts.

The Philadelphia International Flower Show continues through Sunday, March 11 and makes for a wonderful family day trip. Yes, NYC has the orchids at the New York Botanical Garden and Macy's upcoming annual Flower Show, but they can't compare to this incredible display. You'll feel like you took a trip to Hawaii!

Kids Playhouse: Astoria's Awesome New Drop-in Play Space

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Editor's note: This review was written prior to Kids Playhouse changing owners. My daughter and I are always on the lookout for places to play indoors when it's cold or rainy. And if the spot is really cool, we don't mind traveling a bit to get there. So even though we live in Brooklyn, we decided to make the inter-borough trek to Queens to check out Kids Playhouse, Astoria's newest drop-in play space.

Although it's an hour from our home, my daughter and I have already been back—twice. The last time we went, my preschooler spent two and a half hours running, climbing and sliding, and I still had trouble convincing her to leave. And as much as she loved the space—you can see how awesome it is by clicking through our slide show—I loved the price: Drop-in play is just $7 per visit.

Co-op Preschools and Nursery Schools on the Westside

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I'll be honest: when my kids were preschool age, I didn't think they needed school yet. I was full-time with them. So, hrmph. What could a nursery school give them that I couldn't? But I now know that whether or not they needed preschool, the truth is I​ needed preschool. Or, more specifically, I needed to be a parent at a coop nursery school. 

Whether or not you think you might, too, we bring you our series of greater Los Angeles cooperative preschools. We start here with the Westside, but we have similar shout outs to coop preschools in the Valleys and Hollywood/Los Feliz.

How To: Throw an awesome urban pool party

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A kids pool party is certainly not a new birthday party idea, but they are a sure-fire hit with kids, and you can rent out the pool at your nearest Y pretty reasonably (as NYC kid parties go). I always like to do home parties, however. It's not that I'm cheap (well, yeah, maybe a little), but I am also a homebody and a control freak. I like to do everything myself and have it happen under my roof (or on my roof). So pool parties are out, right? Oh, I may be a cheap, homebody, control freak, but I'm no quitter. So, here's how to throw an awesome urban pool party whether you have a pool or not. If you have any kind of outdoor space (roof, terrace, garden, sidewalk in front of your apartment...) you can do this party with a kiddie pool, or even two. Think creatively. Maybe you could even do it in the playground or park. If you don't have outdoor space you can always do your pool party at a public pool. A pool party can be a great, low-stress party. You don't need to hire entertainment and once the kids get going, the adults can just sit back and chill while the kids have a blast in the water.

Washington Montessori School Summer Camps in Litchfield County, Connecticut

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[UPDATED 3/9/13]

There are lots of great summer camps in Litchfield County and Washington Montessori School, a private pre-k through grade 8 school, provides a wide variety of options for different ages. The camps are open to the public and are a great way to meet other children in the surrounding area. There is such a variety that I thought it best to just list them all here in one place. Registration is currently open however some will fill up quickly. Cooking around the world, Camp Lego, Lacrosse and the Artist's Workshop are just some of the offerings. Read more for a full listing of the 2013 WMS Summer Camps.

Toyota Symphony for Youth Review: Holst’s The Planets

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You know what's funny? I thought I had already been to one of the Toyota Symphonies for Youth. Perhaps what I remembered was a World City, or a Drum Downtown, or one of the other wonderful programs the Music Centers offers for families. But the moment we arrived at the Disney Concert Hall on Saturday morning for Holst's The Planets, I realized that this was an experience I had not had.

Sprinkles Cupcakes NYC: Great Cupcakes and Fun Decorating Parties

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We're updating our Party Guide this month, so we decided it was the perfect time to write about Sprinkles Cupcakes on the Upper East Side. (Not like we need an excuse to post about new cupcakeries; trying treats is one of the big upsides to our job!).

Founded by Candace Cupcake Wars Nelson in Beverly Hills in 2005, Sprinkles Cupcakes soon expanded to other cities. The opening of Sprinkles' sole NYC outpost last year was much buzzed about by food bloggers. But the shop's biggest fan may be my daughter, who recently got the chance to try out a cupcake decorating (and eating!) party. Although at $3.50 a pop, the cupcakes are on the pricey side, Sprinkles Cupcakes offers relatively affordable decorating parties (in terms of Manhattan prices, anyway).

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