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

Pediatric ERs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx & Staten Island

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 07/07/2014 - 4:00pm

Back in December, we posted about the best pediatric ERs in Manhattan since the holidays are an accident-prone period. But as we noted at the time, you really never know when a medical crisis may strike—after all, by definition, an emergency is unexpected. So whether it's a sledding mishap in winter or falling out of a tree in summer, it's important to know where to find a pediatric ER near you year-round.

While there are eight of these special just-for-children emergency rooms in Manhattan, there are even more in the outer boroughs—so many in fact, we can't list every single one of them here. Instead, we picked the ones with excellent reputations or notable specialties. Of course our hope is that you will never need the information in this post. However, if your child does have an accident and a Band-Aid and icepack won't cut it, here are the best pediatric ERs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

DIY Kid-Lit Camp: Summer Fun Inspired by Children’s Books

Submitted by Alina Adams on Mon, 07/07/2014 - 10:30am

Summer is a great time to catch up on reading, and not just because many local libraries gives out prizes. Whether your kids are nose-in-book types or the sort that require a little literary nudge, summer has plenty of room for playing your way through some great kids' books. Check out my time-tested list of vintage classics, modern classics, and recent best sellers that inspire fun activities beyond their pages—and at very little cost.

Looking for more low-cost ideas for a summer of play? Mommy Poppins' 100 Summer Play Activities List is a great place to start.

News: Cedar Grove Beach Reopens, Arthur Ashe Kids' Day Concert Tix on Sale, Water Fountains on Governors Island

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 06/24/2014 - 1:00pm

Just in time for summer, we have lots of great seasonal news, including the addition of the first-ever water fountains on Governors Island, the reopening of a long-closed Staten Island beach and the scoop on tickets for one of summer's most sought-after concerts for kids. Plus, New York Comic Con expands, autism-friendly theater and an important heads up about hours for NYC public school students.

News: Pre-K News, Time for Kids Reporter Contest, Luna Park Discount for Good Grades & Reading Rainbow Set to Return

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 06/10/2014 - 2:00pm

Almost all of our NYC news is good news in this edition of our biweekly links post. We've got the skinny on a couple of cool new children's stores, a kids' discount at Luna Park, a kid reporter contest at Time for Kids and the return of an old childhood favorite. Plus, the latest on pre-K admissions, FREE coding classes for kids and a tearful goodbye to a 20-foot-long NYC legend.

Free Summer Play Streets Programs: No-Cost Sports, Arts and More for NYC Kids

Submitted by Alina Adams on Sun, 06/01/2014 - 10:00am

This page will be updated as the info for 2015 becomes available. So far this summer, we've rounded up free sports programs, free concerts, free movies and free things to do every day over school break. Now we've got the scoop on the free Summer Play Streets program, which kicks off on Monday, July 7. New York City kids in all five boroughs can enjoy old-school supervised outdoor activities at no cost, courtesy of the Police Athletic League.

News: New Amusement Park on SI, Free Football & Golf Classes, New Water Play Area in Prospect Park, .50-Cent Carousel Rides

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 05/27/2014 - 1:00pm

This edition of our biweekly news post is all about summer fun, most of it FREE. We've got the scoop on a brand-new water play area in Prospect Park, a soon-to-open mini-amusement park on Staten Island, .50-cent carousel rides in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and how to register for FREE kids' golf lessons and a two-day football camp. Plus, check out a few cool new kids' businesses and get the skinny on a great scholarship program that helps NYC kids pursue their passions.

Free Doughnuts Friday, June 6 and Our Favorite NYC Doughnut Shops

Submitted by Alina Adams on Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:00am

Ever since I learned that a doughnut has less fat and fewer calories than a muffin (as long as they stick to one), my kids have had an easier time convincing me to buy them these treats. And since Dunkin' Donuts, Krispy Kreme and a few other treat spots will be handing out FREE doughnuts this Friday, June 6 in honor of National Doughnut Day (no, I am not making that up), I'm sure we'll be indulging in a few.

But while the rest of America may run on Dunkin', in NYC we don't have to settle for mass-produced doughnuts. There are many local spots that serve delicious homemade doughnuts in a variety of exotic flavors. While we'll let the foodies argue about which NYC doughnut shops are truly the best, we've highlighted seven of our favorites. Read on for our picks and the scoop on how to snag your FREE doughnuts on Friday, June 6.

News: New Queens Culture Bus, Skip Lunch to Feed the Hungry, Washington Heights Renovated Rec Center, Scream for New Ice Cream

Submitted by Alina Adams on Tue, 05/13/2014 - 1:00pm

In this edition of our biweekly links post, you'll get the scoop on a brand-new bus giving you easy access to cool Long Island City culture spots, an overhauled rec center in Washington Heights and a new East Village ice cream parlor with super-funky flavors. Plus: a swanky crafts studio has significantly lowered its prices, the Metropolitan Museum has a new art scavenger hunt and find out how you can feed hungry NYC kids by skipping lunch this week.