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

This Week: Best Things to Do Thanksgiving Weekend with NYC Kids, Where to See Santa, Cut Your Own Christmas Trees in LI and NJ

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 11/28/2013 - 10:00am

There's a lot going on this holiday weekend in NYC beyond Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our Thanksgiving and Holiday Guides are packed with plenty of ways to celebrate the season including the best places to see Santa like Macy's must-see Santaland; festive Christmas tree and menorah lightings such as the big Friday night shindig at the South Street Seaport and the kickoff weekend for the jaw-dropping Dyker Lights displays in Dyker Heights.

There's lots of holiday fun in New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island and Connecticut, too. You can cut your own Christmas trees on LI and in NJ, see amazing holiday displays in Hartford, CT and check out tips for having an eco-friendly holiday from our Boston site, some specific to the area but easily adapted for families everywhere. Our giveaway this week is also good for families everywhere: one-year subscriptions to the meal-planning service Relish. Since we're giving away 20 of them, your odds of winning are pretty good.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week. We hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or whatever you're celebrating!

Save Big on the Holiday Train Show, Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train Stage Show, Let's Gogh Art Classes & More Deals for NYC Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 11/24/2013 - 10:00am

There's no denying that the holiday season is a magical time for families in NYC. It also tends to be quite expensive. From beloved annual attractions like the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show to special kids' shows like Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train—Live to posing for family photos for your holiday card, everything seems to designed to plunge you in to debt, and that's not even counting all the presents you need to buy!

That's why we're particularly excited about our latest roundup of great deals for families. Save big on lots of seasonal fun, including the aforementioned Holiday Train Show and Dinosaur Train—Live, (two of our top event picks for November), plus deals on family photo sessions, art, music and dance classes, cool kids' shows and more! Don't wait to take advantage of these great bargains. Deals this good will be gone before you finish those turkey leftovers.

This Week: Hanukkah Celebrations, the Nutcracker Ballet for Kids, Amazing Pics of the Inifity Rooms, Retro Thanksgiving Recipes

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 11/21/2013 - 4:00pm

Already feeling some seasonal stress? We hear you. I had a panic attack the other day when I saw that El Museo del Barrio already put its three kings out when Three Kinds Day is in January! While we can't do your holiday shopping for you we can tell you about the best ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah (which overlap next week) and Christmas with kids in NYC, New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut and beyond.

A big thank you to all of our readers who attended our Holiday Photo Event last weekend. (That's my daughter looking deceptively innocent in the Santa pic by Big Apple Portraits above.) If you didn't make it, that's okay since St. Nick is flying into town in just a week on the tail end of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Speaking of the parade, you can get a fantastic sneak peek at the brand-new floats debuting this year on our Facebook page. We've got great pics of Bloomingdale's recently unveiled holiday windows, too.

Outside of NYC, our Boston site posted a wonderful list of picture books about Boston inspired by the one we did a while back about our favorite NYC children's books. The site also has an excellent primer on how to start a babysitting co-op in your community. Closer to home, our Westchester site rounded up the top 25 things to do with kids in Scarsdale and our New Jersey site continued its series on Great Small Towns with a profile of Clifton, NJ. Both destinations make great day trips for NYC families.

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

This Week: Macy's Balloon Inflation Tips and Pics, NYC Holiday Train Shows, Last Chance for our Holiday Photo Event

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 11/14/2013 - 4:30pm

It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays in NYC. The Rock Center tree has arrived (though it's not lit yet), the ice-cream truck perpetually parked by my daughter's school is playing Christmas songs (no, I am not making that up) and we're furiously updating our Holiday Fun Guide to help you plan out your season. New holiday-related posts this week include everything you need to know about Macy's Balloon Inflation the night before the big Thanksgiving Day Parade, what's new at the annual Grand Central Terminal and New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Shows and turkey farms you can visit on Long Island.

Speaking of planning your season, are you coming to our Mommy Poppins Holiday Photo Event this Saturday on the Upper East Side? Cross holiday cards off your to-do list as the pros from Big Apple Portrait shoot playful pics of your kids with Santa or against a seasonal background. Other activities include cookie decorating, crafts and storytime, plus giveaways and discounts on cards. Although the morning sessions are pretty much sold out, we still have space in the afternoon so reserve your spot now!

We also have a super-awesome giveaway this week: Four tickets to see the musical Annie on Broadway. Enter now as the giveaway ends early on Friday.

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

7 Free Things to Do on Election Day with NYC Kids Besides Voting

Submitted by Raven Snook on Mon, 11/04/2013 - 3:00pm

Election Day is a big deal for the candidates and for NYC public school students. They may not have a say in who gets elected but they do get the day off! While we hope that voting is at the top of your to-do list on November 5 (with kids in tow, it's never too early to bring them), that's not going to fill up your day. So we've got some suggestions for fun family outings, all FREE. From a must-see display of "canned" art to a hands-on technology museum to no-cost ice-skating, here are seven great things to do with New York City kids on Election Day. Wherever you end up going, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you find out about all of the other cool things to do nearby.

This Week: Best November Events for NYC Kids, Where to Donate Halloween Candy, Mommy Poppins Holiday Photo Event

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 10/31/2013 - 12:00pm

All of those ghoulish decorations (like the Grim Reaper pictured) will soon be replaced by colorful twinkling lights. The period between Halloween and the holidays is always such a blur. So much seems to happen so quickly in those two months—especially this year with the mayoral election coming up next week and Hanukkah coinciding with Thanksgiving. We're not trying to stress you out! In fact, we want to help you get a jump on your seasonal to-do list by holding our second annual Mommy Poppins Holiday Photo Event early on Saturday, November 16. The awesome photographers from Big Apple Portraits will be snapping pictures of kids with Santa (or against a seasonal background), plus you'll get a $25 credit toward holiday cards and there will be fun crafts, storytime and other activities. Sessions are selling out fast so book yours today.

Speaking of planning ahead, many of our sites published their November Go Lists this week and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade isn't the only must-do tri-state area event. Find out about the best things to do throughout the month in NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Another theme across all of our sites this week? What to do with all of that Halloween candy. We've got lots of recommendations including repurposing it, using it for crafts and science experiments, bringing it to a dentist participating in a candy buy back, or, our favorite, donating it to worthy charities.

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

This Week: Halloween is Here, Best Places to Trick-or-Treat for NYC Kids, 5 Fantastic Fall Deals

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 10/24/2013 - 2:00pm

How many costumes will your kids be wearing between now and Halloween? My daughter has three outfits prepared for the many Halloween celebrations we'll be attending: Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck-It Ralph, Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas and Michael Jackson for when she goes trick-or-treating on October 31

By now, your calendar and closet are probably as full as ours, but if you're still looking for memorable ways to celebrate, many of NYC's best FREE Halloween events take place this weekend, including the Pumpkin Festival in Central Park, Prospect Park's Haunted Walk and a bunch of kids' costume parades. You can also turn your revelry into a day trip by hitting haunted hayrides and corn mazes on Long Island, trying an off the beaten path Halloween activity in New Jersey or joining our Mommy Poppins Westchester peeps at Ridge Hill in Yonkers on Saturday for HarvestFest 2013. We'll be there with a craft table and we'll be giving out treat bags so kids can hit all the stores for candy and other goodies.

However you decide to mark Halloween this year, we wish you and your family a fun and safe holiday. And we hope the Candy Fairy makes a visit to your home to take away at least some of those sweets! Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

5 Fall Deals for NYC Kids: Save on Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train Live, Let's Gogh Art Classes, Holiday Photos & More

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 10/20/2013 - 10:00am

Fall is in full swing and we've got some great seasonal deals for New York City families. Our generous sponsors are offering discounts on a variety of fun kids' activities for all ages and interests, including a live-action stage adaptation of Jim Henson's beloved Dinosaur Train (one of our top fall family theater picks), creative classes at Let's Gogh Art NYC, a holiday photo shoot from c'est beau photo, tickets to Quiet Clock, the Musical and the Zumbini™ music and movement program for tots. Don't wait to take advantage of these great bargains. Deals this good will be gone long before the first snow falls.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

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