We continue our month-long coverage of Cold Spring with a look at restaurants and other eateries. Though Cold Spring is small, there's a reliable cadre of restaurants to choose from, most of which are on Main Street and all of which are within walking distance of the MetroNorth station. Outdoor seating is a staple.

You won't find changing tables in the bathrooms or kids-eat-free deals, but the places we've highlighted are all welcoming of children and very laid back. For those craving sweets, your best bet is ice cream, but be forewarned, there are several excellent spots for that, so you'll have to try them all! 

Read on for our top picks for dining with families in Cold Spring. Also, be sure to check out our Winter Fun Guide and Indoor Activity Guide for ideas to keep kids busy all season long. And if you haven't already, sign up for our FREE newsletters to have our latest content delivered right to your inbox. 

This week is filled with free classes and class demos all around town. Our picks include opportunities to try out cooking, music, or kickboxing – truly something for everyone! In performances, families can catch a Japanese-influenced adaptation of Pinocchio on Friday, and KerPlop! The Tale of the Frog Prince is still hopping on stage on Thursday and Friday as well. 

Plenty of libraries and book stores also offer sing-a-longs, concerts, and story times to liven up an otherwise dull winter day this week. In case you missed it, we recently shared 10 Things to Do in Boston with Baby in the Winter just in time for the big snow storm this week. Read on for our picks of the week, and don't forget to check out the full events calendar!

The New Year brings the same resolution for many of us--to work our more and live a healthier life. Easier said than done, though, when you have little ones at home. Between work and the kids, it can be nearly impossible for parents to find time to work out. But what if the whole family—including the kids—could take classes while you get fit? These five gyms offer something for children, whether it’s swimming lesson, fitness classes, birthday parties and more. It's a great way to get everyone involved in health and fitness, while also giving mom and dad some time to themselves (what an exciting idea!). And for more activities the family can enjoy together, check out our Long Island Events Calendar.

Wherever you sit on the issue of testing, standardized tests and the accompanying pressures are part of the American educational system. Our city kids are faced with high-stakes tests from an early age, from the G&T to the ERB to Regents to the granddaddy of them all, the Scholastic Aptitude Test for college-bound high school students.

In order to improve their score, many teens enroll in SAT prep programs during their junior year. These classes usually meet twice a week for a few months, cutting into after-school activities and precious study time during an already stressful school year. So when it came time for my 11th-grade daughter to face the SAT challenge, we opted for a different solution: a six-day summer intensive course and camp in rural Southern Maine. While SAT prep is the camp's main objective, the kids also have plenty of time for traditional summer camp activities. The serene Maine setting on Panther Pond was just the respite my stressed-out city kid needed.

Spending the summer at sleepaway camp can be an amazing experience for a child, and parents want to make sure they pick a destination and environment that ensures a summer to remember. For those who have been to Maine, you know first-hand what a beautiful place it is to visit. So it’s no surprise that more than 20,000 children from nearly every US state and 30 countries choose a sleepaway camp in the Pine Tree State each year. 

Of course, finding the right camp can be a daunting task. Every child has different needs and interests, and parents have their own checklists of features. The stakes feel higher with sleepaway camp, and Mom and Dad need to know that their kids are at a camp with a safe and nurturing environment. Our sponsor Maine Camp Experience makes the search easier, with a bevy of planning tools and information on 30+ premiere camps dedicated to providing children with the highest quality summer camp experience for generations.

As you can see from the pic of my kid with the Lego Olaf, my daughter is dying to build a snowman. She should get her wish this weekend: Not only are flurries in the forecast but the Parks Department is hosting its annual Winter Jam in Central Park featuring fresh blown snow courtesy of Gore Mountain. Of course, not everyone embraces winter. Personally, I've been dreaming about a warm getaway, like the 25 toasty winter family vacations we rounded up on our Travel site. Our New Jersey site has warmth on the brain, too, with its list of 10 ways to enjoy a virtual summer in winter—many suggestions are just a short drive from NYC. And of course, our Los Angeles peeps are always about sun and fun. Their list of 50 things to do with kids in San Diego, including Legoland, is making me seriously consider it for spring break.

But that's enough vacation fantasizing! Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

So, I'm confused. Have we suddenly shifted climates, in some kind of Bizarro-world counterpoint to global warming? Because sunny SoCal is seeing a heck of a lot of snow this weekend. It's snowing at the zoo, snowing in Lake Forest, even the ice has frozen over because, well, it's over, fini, kaput, so which is it? Dead of winter or the coming of spring? Strange magic is afoot...

As in Strange Magic, the new movie at the El Capitan (it's from Lucasfilm! Based on Shakespeare!). You like magic? How about all seven Harry Potter books condensed into one itty-bitty show? How about a magician's own magical journey to overcome his fears (spoiler alert: it's all Smoke and Mirrors).

And then there is that most powerful of magicks, the kind that holds both parent and child alike in its thrall. I speak of course of the ancient mystical power of The Cookie. Expect many full tummies (and spoiled dinners) round Pasadena way as devotees pay homage to the rounded dessert morsels.

Keep reading for some of our most frosty - and frosted - picks for this weekend...