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Family Friendly Ethnic Meal Series - Spain

Submitted by Mary Beth Lawlor on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:08am

Eliza, a mother of 3 living in Litchfield County, had an inspirational moment one day while grocery shopping. Tired of the usual meatballs, burgers and Bolognese rotation, she has begun a quest to cook authentic ethnic meals from a different region each week. Last week was India, this week Spain and next week will be Israel.

With several family birthdays requiring special favorite dishes, I was only able to cook two Spanish meals this week but both were delicious. Similar to all other Mediterranean countries, the Spanish cuisine has two basic elements- olive oil and garlic.

Disney's "African Cats": Review

Submitted by Shari on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 9:00am

My daughter loves all things feline, so I was thrilled to take her with me to preview this film (opening today). She was hoping for adorable lion cubs and I was hoping for a great story, awesome cinematography and thrills/chills. I’m glad to report that Disney did not disappoint either of us. “African Cats” is a beautiful and moving documentary about the love of (cat) mothers for their (kitty) children. The expression “she’s like a mother lion” will make a lot more sense once you’ve seen “African Cats”.

Weekly Wrap Up: Carousels, Egg Hunts and Nature Activities for NYC Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:55pm

Happy everything! Easter, Passover, Earth Day and spring break all coincide this week, which means a lot of fun (and food!) for families through the weekend.

Of course, spring break lasts until next Tuesday, so be sure to check out our roundup of free and inexpensive things to do.

It's not all about the holidays around here, though. We wrote about a lot of other awesome activities and services for families over the past seven days. From giant dinosaurs to a doctor who only makes house calls, here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Weekend Events in NJ, April 23-24: Rain, Snow, Sleet or Hail, FREE Jersey Family Fun Prevails

Submitted by tsellinger on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 9:00am

So, the weather guys predict a cold and rainy weekend, but heck, when have predictions panned out this Spring? We say, don your Easter bonnets, pack for sunshine, rain or snow, and get the family going. Indoor experiments, outdoor planting, indoor performances, outdoor egg hunts–even a chance to make the Guinness Book of World Records for Diaper Changing. Turn off the weather channel. Sound the “We’re leaving in 5 minutes ” warning. And go, NJ.

Things to do for Connecticut Kids and Families April 23-24, 2011

Submitted by Mary Beth Lawlor on Wed, 04/20/2011 - 11:52pm

Here’s a roundup of all of the best bets this holiday filled weekend. Mommy Poppins Connecticut Event Calendar is filled with fantastic things to do so be sure to check it out.

Families can see the last performance in the 5th Annual Puppetry Festival series: Pumpernickel Puppets, “Peter Rabbit” at Washington Montessori School in New Preston. Max & Ruby are having a Bunny Party show at the Oakdale Theater this weekend and Goldie Locks is playing in the Downtown Cabaret Theater. Attend one of the many Easter Egg Hunts including the Easter Egg Roll at Pequot Library and the Egg Decorating Party at Gunn Memorial Library.

Hunt Hill Farms is providing a young chef’s Easter Bunny Brunch and who can resist the CT Trolley Museum’s Easter Bunny Fun Day.
Other great ideas for this weekend are the numerous Earth Day activities which you can find in the recent Earth Day post. There are plenty of nature walks and art activities as well such as the Local Wildflower Walk at Audubon Greenwich, the Make a Plein Air Painting on Sundays at the Florence Griswold Museum and Art Start for Preschoolers at the New Britain Museum of American Art. Have a happy, hopping holiday and a fun-filled weekend!

Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2011 in Connecticut

Submitted by Mary Beth Lawlor on Wed, 04/20/2011 - 10:57pm

We've come a long way since Earth Day was first established in 1971. Check out this link to see CT's environmental accomplishments over the past 40 years. Staggering to see what's been accomplished. And if you haven't already, why not plant a home farm this Spring and enjoy growing your own delicious veggies and herbs? Check out this site to find out more.

There are tons of Earth Day activities for kids going on this weekend and next, including green festivals, fun eco-art activities, educational workshops, beach clean ups and more.
Grab the family and have fun at one of these cool events.

Long Island Weekend Wrap Up April 23-24: Petting Zoo, Pretzel Making and Puppet Shows

Submitted by Melanie on Wed, 04/20/2011 - 10:36pm

Enjoying all the spring break activities this week? Or preparing to enjoy the spring break activities next week? Well, save some of that energy up for this weekend. We’ve got some fun activities and events for you and your family. Even though this weekend is loaded with Easter Egg Hunts, there are still many other ways to enjoy the time. From having a banquet with beasts to celebrating Earth Day, this weekend is sure to be jam packed with fun fun, fun!!

Things to Do for NYC Kids and Families April 23-24, 2011: Easter, Earth Day, Tribeca Film Fest Drive-In and More

Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on Wed, 04/20/2011 - 4:00pm

Earth Day, Passover and Easter, oh my! Talk about something for everyone this weekend.

Warning: Murphy's Law dictates that it must rain whenever the weekend is filled with outdoor fun. As of now, Saturday's supposed to be a washout and Sunday may be as well. So before heading out to an alfresco event, be sure to check its official website for any weather-related updates or cancellations.

Families can commune with nature at the Staten Island Zoo’s annual Earth Fair, celebrate Passover at the Museum at Eldridge Street or attend one (or many) Easter egg hunts around to, including our favorite: the rotten egg hunt at the Bronx Zoo, hosted by cast members from Broadway’s The Addams Family.

Another spectacular annual event, the NYC Easter Bonnet Parade, takes over Fifth Avenue on Sunday. (Click here to see our slide show of colorful photos from 2009.) And if you're looking to fill your little bunny's basket with treats, we've rounded up the best places to buy Easter candy, as well as ideas for what to do with all of those sweets post-holiday...besides eat them.

Other weekend fun includes the wonderfully artsy St. George’s Day Festival on Staten Island (which has an indoor plan in case of rain), Brooklyn Bridge Park's annual Spring Fling (which is rain or shine), featuring kid rocker AudraRox, and the Bronx Zoo's ongoing Animal Tales Extravaganza, starring Spider-Man this weekend. Dinosaur fans should head to the American Museum of Natural History for its brand-new World’s Largest Dinosaurs exhibit. Prefer Porsches to prehistoric creatures? Then hit the New York International Auto Show at the Javits. The Tribeca Film Festival's family programming also kicks off this week, with free outdoor screenings, including The Muppets Take Manhattan on Saturday night. Check the event's website in case of rain!

Below are additional best bets for the weekend, but don't forget to check out the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar, which is filled with storytimes, concerts, stage shows and more. Have a happy holiday, whatever you're celebrating!