We're back to school and it's full of surprise and promise. Inside find eco-friendly back to school tips, how to get a cool monthly surprise in the mail for your kids, where the new shake shack will be, places to take family farm vacations, the 400 top New Yorkers of all time, and Obama's message to kids (if you missed it).

Summer may be over, but the events are not slowing down at all. In fact, it’s almost as if everyone waited for summer vacation to end and planned all these absurdly cool (and mostly free) events for this weekend. From celebrating Henry Hudson’s 400^th anniversary, to county fairs, book festivals, motorcycle shows, films, and more fun on Governor’s Island (and you thought GI was done for the season…) there’s almost too much to do to fit it all into one weekend. Ease everyone's transition back-to-school by picking your favorite events and then heading out—there’s no time to waste!  
 

Don't forget we have more weekend activities in our event calendar and separate round-ups for Long Island and New Jersey on those pages. Or sign up to get our new Long Island and New Jersey newsletters.

Four hundred years ago Henry Hudson and his Dutch ship, the Halve Maen ("Half Moon") arrived at what is now New York Harbor. This week, from September 8-13, NY400 celebrates the anniversary of Henry Hudson's historic voyage with a sea of events culminating in NY Harbor Day on Sunday, September 13th. NY400 Week gives New Yorkers a chance to immerse themselves in Dutch culture, New York history and lots of fun stuff long the way. Here are some highlights:

We love Astoria as a family friendy destination neighborhood, but what do you do once you're there? Astoria is best known for its Greek culture and places to eat. Take the N/W train to the Broadway stop for the best kid friendly Greek food this side of the Mediterranean and some fun places to visit after your meal.

Happy Labor Day. Summer is officially over for New York City kids and that means back to school time. Check out some recipes and other useful information in our Back to School Guide.

It also means this is the last week of our summer-long Susie's Supper Club Dinner Party Giveaway. We've given away 9 dinner parties for 10 people and we have just one left to give away. In order to enter, just answer our short reader survey.

If Labor Day to you means preparing to apply to Preschools, maybe you've been checking out our Preschool Guide. We want to overhaul it and make i easier to use, so if you care to answer our ONE QUESTION survey we'd really love to get your input. Click Here to take survey.

Here's the rest of the news:

One of my favorite things is birthday cake, especially from a box and double especially covered in frosting. I'm not a fan of all the fancy buttercream frostings and fancy cakes. I like regular old moist and fluffy chocolate or vanilla birthday cake slathered in rich, sweet frosting. But knowing that your cake is filled with hydrogenated oils and trans fats really takes the fun out of it. Especially as a mom. How can we enjoy stuffing our faces with cake when we know how bad it is for us?

Thankfully, Nora Schultz, a New Jersey mom, has solved this problem with her Naturally Nora cake and frosting mixes, made from 100 percent natural ingredients. There are not even any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. (The confetti cake is colored with things like spinach extract and turmeric!). They are also dairy and soy free. But most importantly, for me, Naturally Nora mixes contain no trans fats or hydrogenated oils.

[UPDATED: OCTOBER 16, 2012]

New York City offers a wide range of theater opportunities for kids of all ages, from shows specially tailored to preschoolers to highly sophisticated offerings that even adults will dig. Many of your favorite places, like the New Victory Theater and Tribeca Performing Arts Center, offer subscriptions that make it exceptionally affordable to get a little culture. Not only do memberships cost less per show, they give you access to the best seats in the house and make you eligible for other special offerings and discounts. Read on for our top picks and sign up now!

2012-2013 season subscription information for family-friendly theater productions in NYC:

If you want to get out of the city for Labor Day weekend but you don't have a car, don't fret. You don't have to feel left out of the weekend getaway crowd, just because you don't have a car and loads of cash. There are several fun places you can go for the day or weekend using public transportation. These inexpensive getaways are fun for the whole family. Just hop on the bus or train and you're on your way to a world of fun.