Raven Snook

Raven is a writer, editor, performer and mom, who was born and bred in NYC, just like her husband, her mother and now, her daughter. As a writer, she's contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, the New York Post, TV Guide, Better Homes and Gardens, iVillage, AOL TV and Moviefone, Parents.com, and worked as an in-house editor for ParentsConnect.com and TimeOutKids.com. As a performer, she's appeared on many downtown stages (sometimes even for pay!), a couple of obscure films and TV shows, and The Maury Povich Show as a female drag queen. She's also the founder of Hot Mama Burlesque, the world's only all-moms burlesque show. After being the NYC editor from March 2011-March 2015, she is now happy to just be a blogger as she pursues additional writing opportunities.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

Brain Week NYC: Free Neuroscience Activities for Kids & Grown-ups

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 12:00pm

We're big fans of kid-friendly STEM activities and anything FREE. So put them together and you've got an event that we want to shout about. New York City's Brain Week 2015 kicks off today and offers neuroscience programs throughout March. Most of the kid-friendly ones take place this week and next, and include family favorites like the BioBus (of Ultimate Science Street Fair fame), and educational expos such as the NYU Brain Fair. Programming occurs in various locations (mostly Manhattan), and while almost all events are FREE, preregistration is often required. We've got the scoop on the top Brain Week events for families.

This Week: Free & Cheap Camps, Maple Sugaring Day Trips, Best Family Attractions in Naples, Florida

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/05/2015 - 4:00pm

This photo sums up the way I think we all feel about winter right about now (minus the expletives). A warm vacation somewhere would be the perfect cure, but there's school so you'll have to console yourself with our slide show of the best things to do in Naples, Florida with kids or try hitting a toasty indoor destination right here in NYC.

If you can bear to be outside, maple sugaring season is upon us and there are lots of places in nearby Westchester and Connecticut to see how the sweet stuff is made. If you're planning for summer (assuming it ever gets here), we've updated our Camp Guide, including our super-popular post about free and inexpensive summer programs.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Best March Events for NYC Families, Camelback Mountain Resort in the Poconos, St. Patrick's Day Celebrations for Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/26/2015 - 4:00pm

With ice and dirty snow piled up everywhere we turn, it's hard to believe that spring is just three weeks away. Our just published March GoList highlights balmy seasonal favorites like Macy's Flower Show and St. Patrick's Day Parades. And yet with temperatures below freezing for the foreseeable future, I bet we're going to be consulting our list of 50 things to do indoors with kids in NYC for a while longer.

But even though it feels like winter is going to last forever, it won't, so it's getting down to the wire for ice-skating, snow tubing and skiing. Our Travel site just posted a review of the popular Camelback Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains if you can squeeze in a last-minute winter day trip.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Skiing in New Hampshire & Vermont, Warm Winter Day Trips, Date Night Child Care, Awesome Weekend Events for NYC Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/19/2015 - 12:00pm

All of our bloggers have been so busy enjoying February break with their kids this week, we've barely had time to write! A few went skiing in Vermont and New Hampshire. Others are celebrating Lunar New Year. And my family and I finally got around to seeing the Paddington and SpongeBob movies, and Cambuyón at the New Victory Theater. We hope your family has been having as much fun as we have.

Since winter refuses to let go, the last few days of break are a great time for a warm getaway like an indoor water park or a food factory tour. Or embrace the season by going skiing, snow tubing or ice-skating—remember, spring reportedly starts in four weeks so there's not much time left for winter sports.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: February Break Fun in NYC & Beyond, No-Car Ski Trips, Mommy Poppins Night at the New Victory Theater

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/12/2015 - 4:00pm

All the talk in the schoolyard is about February break, which starts this Presidents' Day weekend. It's just about your last chance to book an enriching midwinter recess camp or plan a family vacation.

Of course, if you're sticking around NYC for a staycation like my family, you'll find plenty of fun things to do in our Winter Guide, which has a whole February break section filled with ideas for every day the kids are off from school, from Lunar New Year celebrations to warm indoor destinations to creative at-home activities. If you're looking for nearby seasonal getaways, our Snow Sports Guide is packed with great options like our just-posted review of Stowe, Vermont's awesome Stoweflake Resort and Spa along with nearer ski and snowtubing spots, including a few that don't require a car.

Want a kid-friendly way to celebrate Valentine's Day this Saturday? Then join us for a special performance of the percussive dance spectacle Cambuyón at the New Victory Theater, hosted by Mommy Poppins. Our readers enjoy a 20% discount on tickets and exclusive post-show cookie decorating with our friends at Cookie Party. I'll be there with my kid as will Stephanie so be sure to say hello.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: February Break Travel Deals, Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations, Maple Sugaring on Long Island, Mommy Poppins Is Hiring

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 02/05/2015 - 4:00pm

Well, at least the snow looks pretty. That's what I keep telling myself as my daughter and I try to navigate slushy corners and slippery curbs. We're hoping for a snow-free (or at least ice-free) February break when we'll finally have enough free time to check out all of the cool museum exhibits, children's film festivals and family theater shows we've been writing about.

If you just can't take winter anymore and need to get out of town, our Travel site has a roundup of last-minute February break getaway deals including Disney, the Berkshires and ski resorts. Don't want to stray so far? You'll find lots of day trip inspiration on our tri-state area sites, like maple sugaring on Long Island, great small towns to explore in New Jersey and 100 things to do with kids in Westchester.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Best February Events for Kids in NYC, Cheap February Break Camps, Winter Fun in the Adirondacks Near Lake George, Best Sledding Hills in NYC

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/29/2015 - 4:00pm

Well that was a wild week! Although Tuesday's snow day was milder than predicted, like most NYC kids, my daughter had a fun day off from school hitting our favorite sledding hills and doing some cool crafts at home. Clearly winter is going to keep us on our toes this year, regardless of what the groundhogs tell us on Monday.

Sunday marks the first day of February so we posted a brand-new GoList highlighting the absolute best things to do with kids throughout the month, including annual favorites like Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade. February also brings midwinter break for NYC public school kids. If you're thinking about a family getaway, we have lots of ideas on our Travel site like skiing and snow tubing in the Adirondacks near Lake George, plus our Snow Sports Guide featuring resorts throughout the tri-state area.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Best Ways to Escape the Cold from Indoor Water Parks to Tropical Vacations, Winter Deals & Free Summer Camps, Amazing Weekend Events

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 01/22/2015 - 4:00pm

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:

Latest posts by Raven Snook

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