Jody Mercier

Jody Mercier always dreamed of being a mom, and she's raised three wonderful kids in New York City. Since that job only pays in hugs, she’s spent her career as a journalist covering health, fitness, sports, and parenting for Sports Illustrated, espnW, and Mommy Poppins. Follow her family’s adventures on Instagram @momtakesmanhattan or reach her at jody@mommypoppins.com.

Latest posts by Jody

Slide Hill Opens on Governors Island with New Playground Fun

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 07/21/2016 - 12:00pm

The Hills are alive on Governors Island. July 19 marked opening day for the long-awaited addition of new green spaces and playground fun on this seasonal city play space. Judging by the throngs of people dashing up the granite scramble as soon as the ribbon was cut, we weren't the only ones excited to check out this new section of the island.

Made up of four distinct hills, the 10 acres of parkland include 70-foot-high Outlook Hill, 25-foot-high Grassy Hill, twin 40-foot peaks together dubbed Discovery Hill, and Slide Hill, which is undoubtedly the most family-friendly of them all, packed with four slides.

Morris-Jumel Mansion: Explore Manhattan’s Oldest House

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Tue, 07/19/2016 - 4:00pm

If you've ever considered visiting Manhattan's highest point, you've probably contemplated a trip to One World Observatory, but if you want to keep your feet on the ground and still find a spectacular view, your best bet is to head to the southern edge of Washington Heights where you'll find Manhattan's oldest house, Morris-Jumel Mansion, perched atop Sugar Hill.

Built in 1765 as a summer villa for his family by British Colonel Roger Morris and his wife, Mary Philipse, the mansion stands today as a museum and member of the Historic House Trust of New York City. A visit brings sweeping views of the city, a glimpse into New York City's rich history, and puts you just a wee-bit closer to the Hamilton phenomenon.

NYC Extends Pool and Beach Season Beyond Labor Day for 2016

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 06/30/2016 - 1:00pm

City kids hadn't even had a chance to dive into the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation's 55 pools before the Parks commissioner graced them with a special announcement: For the first time, many of the city's favorite swimming pools will remain open beyond Labor Day, closing the 2016 season on Sunday, September 11, and giving all New Yorkers an extra week to cool off.

The good news didn't end there, though, in addition to more time to enjoy the city's FREE pools, local beaches will again remain open past the traditional end-of-summer holiday. After last year's first successful extension of the beach season in 2015, the city's public beaches, specifically Rockaway Beach in Queens, Coney Island and Brighton Beaches in Brooklyn, Midland and South Beaches in Staten Island, and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, will also close for the season on September 11.

See New York City in a New Way with a Family Scavenger Hunt

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 06/23/2016 - 11:00am

My husband, who prides himself on his gift-giving, had quite a surprise for me this Mother's Day. While I had plans to meet close friends in Battery Park City, those plans were derailed when he made our family of five—toddler included—follow him to a bar in Midtown. My mood went from perplexed to pleasantly surprised when I learned the reason: He had booked a scavenger hunt for the day.

Splash Around at the Children's Museum's New Water Exhibit

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 06/13/2016 - 10:30am

The Children's Museum of Manhattan debuted a brand-new water play station, Dynamic H₂O, just in time for the summer heat. The interactive exhibit is the second new addition for the Upper West Side children's hot spot this year. Earlier it added the well thought-out Muslim culture exhibit, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

The new Dynamic H₂0 exhibit seriously upped the wet fun factor in the Sussman Environmental Center behind the museum, where it added 800 square feet of outdoor exhibits to the area previously occupied by City Splash. The old City Splash table still stands, but is dwarfed by the new exhibit's 16-foot, custom-made water table and accompanying displays. These new tools focus on the importance of water to a healthy life and on water's journey from the Catskills to our city faucets.

8 New Birthday Party Spots for NYC Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Sun, 03/06/2016 - 4:30pm

There's little that makes me sweat more than planning a birthday party for one of my kids.

One August, after I finished the exhausting task of throwing a DIY-birthday party for my 5-year-old, my 8½-year-old said, "Well, great, now that that's over, we can start planning my party." And so it goes that, as a mom of three kids in New York City, party planning seems to be a perpetual state of being. And whether you have one or three kids, or however many, it's easy to lose your sanity planning the perfect bash.

We've round up eight recently opened birthday spots around NYC for when that at-home, more budget-friendly fete isn't in the cards. So in the interest of surviving to celebrate many more birthdays, we're sharing these cool spots with you from STEM-centered parties, where kids can learn and have fun, to foodie adventures and active play spots.

Check out our Party Guide for more ideas like DJs who will host a karaoke bash.

Children's Museum Debuts Exhibit Dedicated to Muslim Culture

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 02/25/2016 - 4:00pm

The Children's Museum of Manhattan has long been my go-to spot for maximum tot fun, but when it comes to learning about art, architecture and other cultures, we usually headed elsewhere. The newly-opened America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far exhibit will change that.

Opened last week, the 3,000-square-foot exhibit takes up the entirety of the museum's first-floor exhibition space and provides a colorful, immersive window into Muslim cultures across the world. The exhibit has been extended through January 2018 and is the fourth in the museum's Global Exhibition Series, which previously highlighted the cultures of Ancient Greece, China and Japan. Read on for the scoop on this vibrant new exhibit.

See the Totally Revamped Nintendo NYC Store in Midtown

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Wed, 02/24/2016 - 11:00am

After witnessing several big-name kid stores shutter Midtown locations, we were happy to learn that Nintendo NYC took a different approach. The gaming paradise overhauled its flagship Rockefeller Center location over the last month, reopening on Friday, February 19 with lots of fun new interactive features, ensuring its place on our list of favorite indoor places to play for years to come.

The two-story, 10,000-square-foot Rockefeller shop also displayed a new name, going from Nintendo World to Nintendo New York, or Nintendo NYC for short. We visited on opening weekend (despite the epic lines!), and it's definitely a spot to add to the NYC must-visit list for gamers and nostalgia fans. Read on for the details like a 15-foot gaming screen, a display of Game Boys from years past and even a sneak peek at the latest Zelda.

Jody Mercier

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