Just in time for the upcoming days off from school (Election Day for some, Veteran’s Day, the Thanksgiving holiday) we’ve found a few new places for Boston families to make really cool things with glass, wood, beads, wax, pastry, clay – you name it. This is also a great time to start making truly special, one-of-a-kind gifts for the holidays. These three finds offer fabulous birthday parties as well. So, when you have a couple of hours to fill, a need for a really special gift, or a party to plan, check out one of these crafty places.

As our state struggles to recover from the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, it can be very difficult to think about having fun with your kids--it feels almost like an insult to those who are suffering in so many areas. But for those who have children who need a much-deserved distraction and for those businesses and venues that we love to regain their footing, it feels important to try. Although Governor Christie originally designated today as the "make-up" Halloween, many towns are not nearly ready, so we're left, once again, with kids that have no school and nothing to do. So if you have the desire--and the gas--here are a few of MP's favorite venues that are open Monday, November 5.

There's a reason Dyker Heights, Brooklyn feels like a swanky suburb. When it was originally developed in the late 19th century, it was marketed as exactly that, a community of stately mansions within commuting distance of the hustle and bustle of the city. Sandwiched in between the more commercial areas of Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, the neighborhood is primarily residential and is well known for its extravagant Christmas displays, which attract a slew of locals and tourists every holiday season. But whether you visit in December or at another time of year, Dyker Heights is a lovely area to stroll through with its large single-family homes and manicured lawns. It's hard to believe you're in NYC.

While you won't find a ton of family attractions in the area, there are a few cool spots for kids, including Dyker Beach Park, CityParks Junior Golf Center, a BounceU and a bunch of delicious restaurants, bakeries and markets. Since Dyker Heights is overwhelmingly Italian, it's a great place to pick up pizza, pasta and fancy pastries. One downside: It's quite a walk from the nearest subway stops (the N or the D, depending on where you're going).

Throughout November, we'll be covering all the things there are to do, see and eat in the nabe. For the purposes of our posts, our boundaries are Interstate 278 to 14th Avenue, 65th Street to Shore Parkway. Here are our top 20 things to do on a visit to Dyker Heights.

Oh, Sandy...what a week!  Much of Fairfield County is struggling with no power, limited resources and road access, and perhaps, most difficult of all, NO SCHOOL!!!!  With 5 days of no school down, and most likely several more to follow, my kids - and I - are starting to climb the walls.  

Now that we can safely leave our immediate neighborhood, we'll be hitting some of our favorite spots.  Below I've listed some parks, playgrounds and museums that are open, as well as some that have closed until they are restored to full operations. Our hearts go out to those who have lost more than power and a few trees in this storm. Life goes on and we hope that this list can provide a semblance of normalcy for those who are in desperate need of it.

All week, everything we've posted on our site and on our Facebook page has had something to do with Hurricane Sandy. What to do at home during the storm, what's open after the storm and how to help local victims. It's been exhausting and frustrating and devastating for everyone, to varying degrees. So many people are still in such dire need, and some are members of the Mommy Poppins family.

Our regional sites have been very quiet due to the hurricane. Most of our bloggers in New Jersey, on Long Island and in Connecticut are still without power, and some aren't even able to return to their homes. As the extent of the damage sinks in, we find ourselves with no words, so we're going to quote Shari, one of our New Jersey peeps: "Our thoughts and prayers are with you... I am writing this from a friend's home in Weehawken after having evacuated our home in Hoboken. I know that many of you are in a similar position and some, much worse. All the Mommy Poppins family send their thoughts and prayers to our readers and our entire state." To everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy in NYC and beyond, we are constantly thinking of you.

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

As you can see, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy our site has been pretty slim this week. Some of our bloggers were lucky enough to emerge from the storm unscathed, but many are dealing with lengthy power outages and at least one blogger has sustained significant damage to her home. Most of Long Island is still without power and I'm hoping you are all safe, and that the worst you are coping with is an intense overload of board games.

We aren't posting about events this weekend, as most businesses and areas are still without power at this time. If the power comes back up, please share news with us on fun things to do in our comments section, or on our Facebook page. I've included a few links below to help weather the wait. Please be safe everyone.

I am writing this from a friend's home in Weehawken after having evacuated our home in Hoboken. I know that many of you are in a similar position and some, much worse. All the Mommy Poppins family send their thoughts and prayers to our readers and our entire state. Obviously, there are very few venues that are even open this weekend, so we will not be posting our weekend events, but here is one of our most popular articles for stuck-in-the-house craziness, 99 Sensory Activities for Kids. For those who wanted to enter our Barefoot Books giveaway, we will extend the deadline to subscribe for another week. Please check our Facebook page for updates and we'll see you soon. You know we love you, NJ.