Alina Adams

Alina Adams - NYC Writer

Alina was born in the former Soviet Union, spent her teen years in San Francisco, and came to New York City to work for ABC Daytime and ABC Sports. She spent her pre-marriage/pre-kid years as a figure-skating researcher and producer for the U.S. and World Championships, the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and various professional shows.

After learning that international travel and resentful toddlers don’t mix, she switched to PGP Productions and its soap operas As the World Turns and Guiding Light, where she wrote New York Times best-selling tie-in books and developed interactive properties like AnotherWorldToday.com.

The birth of her third child (and the process of enrolling her two older kids into NYC schools—a full-time job in itself!) convinced Alina that she was not, in fact, Superwoman, and prompted her to leave TV and turn to writing books, including romance novels (Counterpoint: An Interactive Family Saga, When a Man Loves a Woman), figure-skating mysteries (Murder on Ice, On Thin Ice) and nonfiction (Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama’s Greatest Moments).

In addition to contributing to Mommy Poppins, Alina blogs for Jewish parenting site Kveller.com and is in the process of turning her previously published backlist into enhanced e-books with multimedia features like audio, video and more. Follow her exhaustive and exhausting efforts to become a Mommy Media Mogul (is that a thing? If it isn’t, it really should be) at AlinaAdams.com and on Google+

Latest posts by Alina

What Causes Autism? A New Study Says Chemicals and Heavy Metals May Be to Blame

Submitted by Alina Adams on Wed, 06/27/2012 - 10:00am

For our second dedicated news post, we're taking a look at some new information about the possible causes of autism. With Playmate Jenny McCarthy getting press coverage for saying she knows what triggers the disease while various medical experts argue about its causes, it can be tough for parents to figure out who to listen to. While Time magazine recently reiterated that the study linking childhood vaccines to autism has been repeatedly debunked, its definitive cause remains a mystery.

However, some leading experts on autism, ADHD and learning disabilities have now published a list in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives of chemicals and heavy metals that they believe are more likely than even a genetic predisposition to trigger the onset of these diseases.

Million Dollar PTA Fund-raising: Is it Helping or Hurting Your Kid's Public School?

Submitted by Alina Adams on Thu, 06/21/2012 - 10:00am

In addition to our regular posts about activities, we try to keep parents informed about topics that impact the lives of NYC families. Now, on top of our biweekly roundup of news links, keep an eye out for posts about relevant news pieces a few times a week.

Our first installment touches on the hot-button topic of PTA fund-raising. A recent New York Times article investigated the budgets of some PTAs that raise surprising amounts of money. It's not a simple issue. Read on to find out what they're earning and both sides of the story.

Celebrate Juneteenth with NYC Kids: African-American History Comes Alive on the Anniversary of Emancipation

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 10:00am

When kids learn about the history of slavery in the United States of America, it is, of course, taught with a great deal of gravitas. But this month, New York City families can experience the jubilation of emancipation at various Juneteenth celebrations that commemorate the abolition of slavery.

A combination of the words June and nineteenth, the holiday of African-American independence dates back to June 19, 1865, when Civil War General Gordon Granger arrived in Texas to claim the state for the Union and make sure the slaves were freed. (This was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, believe it or not.) As of 2012, 41 states including New York recognize the occasion, and families can celebrate Juneteeth at various kid-friendly festivals and gatherings this month.

Older Mothers: NYC Mom Groups, Meetups and Resources for Parents Over 35

Submitted by Alina Adams on Sun, 05/13/2012 - 10:00am

Although the average age for first-time mothers in the U.S. is mid-20s, many New York City women are on a different schedule. In the city, it's not uncommon to see thirty- and fortysomething moms proudly pushing strollers down the streets—often double ones. Becoming a mom later in life has many potential advantages, like maturity and financial security. But there are challenges too, like connecting with your peers. Sure, you can make plenty of mommy friends on the playground, but if you're hoping to meet other parents who grew up on Sesame Street before Elmo, you may want to join a specialized playgroup or meetup.

We previously posted about general parent groups in NYC. In honor of Salute to Moms 35+ Week, which runs May 13-19, we've rounded up some of New York City's best resources for mothers with a bit of life experience under their belts.

Free National Train Day Celebration in Grand Central Terminal on Saturday

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 05/08/2012 - 10:00am

Yesterday, we shared some of our favorite train museums and other places for little choo-choo lovers in and near NYC. But hold on to your conductor hats: Today we've got details on a big bash in honor of National Train Day. This Saturday, May 12, families can head to New York City's most famous and fabulous station, Grand Central Terminal, to mark the 143rd anniversary of the creation of the nation's first transcontinental railroad with exhibits, hands-on activities and interactive displays. If your kid's into trains, you'll want to chug on by to this totally FREE event.

Star Wars Fun for NYC Kids: Lightsaber Battles, Storm Troopers and Other Ways to Get Your Geek On

Submitted by Alina Adams on Sun, 04/29/2012 - 4:00pm

Ever since my brother showed my three kids all six Star Wars movies within a week (upsetting my husband, who felt they should have been forced to wait years in between like we did as children), they've harbored one career ambition: to become Jedis. So I guess it's no surprise that our family will be celebrating International Star Wars this Friday, May Fourth at a big lightsaber battle in Washington Square Park. As we fans like to say, "May the fourth be with you."

Of course, since we live in New York City, we don't need to limit our Rebel revelry to one day. NYC has more Star Wars attractions than "you can possibly imagine," as Obi-Wan Kenobi would say. Here's where you can get your Jedi on throughout the year.

Dance Classes for Boys in NYC: Ballet, Hip-Hop and Beyond

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 9:00am

My now eight-year-old son had happy feet in utero, and happy (and apparently tasty) feet as a baby. As soon as he learned there was such a thing, he began asking for dance lessons. It seems he didn’t get the memo that, in America at least, dance is not considered a cool activity for boys. (Not that he would have cared—he’s very much a waltz to the beat of his own drummer kind of dude.)

In order to counter this attitude, lots of dance studios have launched special boy-centric or boys-only classes in the hope of appealing to all of the Billy Elliots out there. Bonus: Some of these programs are subsidized or even free!

Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in Harlem

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 03/19/2012 - 6:00pm

Over the past few years, Harlem has become a real foodie destination, with celebrity restauranteurs like Cedric Lecendre and Marcus Samuelsson opening up much buzzed about eateries. And even though Cedric Bistro and Red Rooster are better for date night than brunch with the kids, many Harlem restaurants do cater to families.

So we continue our month-long focus on Harlem with a roundup of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Harlem, all endorsed by local families. From old-school standards like soul food stalwarts Sylvia's and Miss Maude's to popular newbies like Lido and 5 and Diamond, here are our top 13 places to eat with kids in Harlem.