Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Mine is a bowling family... not a bowling league with scores close to 300 kind of bowling family, but bowling is a thing we like to do. Living in lower Fairfield County, we check out the ultra hip Bowlmor Lanes in Norwalk.
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
One of the best ways to start off your Thanksgiving celebration is to run in a Turkey Trot. Fairfield County is full of these fun, 5K races. Kids love to participate and everyone gets a little exercise before the big meal. Turkey Trots typically raise money for local charities, so you can feel good about helping those in need while doing something good for yourself too. If you see that your local Turkey Trot has a Kids Fun Run, then you'll know there's a separate race with a shorter distance for the littlest kids (usually a mile or less). The best part about a Turkey Trot is that they start and end early, so you're home before you even need to preheat the oven. When you're sitting down to eat, you can give yourself permission to have that second (or third) slice of pie because you didn't let a little thing like Thanksgiving get in the way of staying fit. We've made a list of Turkey Trots throughout Fairfield County for you, so check it out!
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Thanksgiving is almost here, so let's talk turkey. Connecticut has some of the best local, pasture-raised turkeys around. Farm-fresh, never frozen turkeys are a little harder to come by than the endless supply of frozen turkeys at the supermarket. People in the know place their orders weeks, if not months, in advance to reserve a fresh bird for their main dish. If you didn't get in on the pre-ordering action, don't despair! You can still snap up a fresh turkey before they're all gone (hint: order it today).
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Call it the November 1st dilemma: Halloween was great, your kids looked adorable in their costumes and went to all that trouble to trick-or-treat, but now you're stuck with 10 pounds of candy. Your instincts tell you to get the stuff out of the house as quickly as possible, since keeping more than a few pieces on hand isn't ideal from a health standpoint, not to mention your future dental bills. Also, if you're anything like me, it's hard to resist the siren call of the Mini Twix. I'm here to tell you that you can actually do some good with all of that candy, right here in Fairfield County! So don't just toss it out, instead you should check out these great ideas for what to do with all those sweets.
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Fall is here with gorgeous, crisp weather and changing leaves. It's the perfect time of year to take your family on a hike. Hiking is a great weekend activity, especially if you've already picked your pumpkins and want to do something else before it gets too chilly outside. Fairfield County has something for everyone, including countless miles of hiking trails. Whether you're looking for an easy, flat loop or a challenging hike to the top of a ridge, you'll find it here. No matter what, enjoy the fall, unplug the kids, get outside and take a hike!
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Growing up, brunch was something we saved for special occasions like birthdays and Mother's Day. My sister and I would get all dressed up and head to a grand ballroom or some other lovely space and enjoy an endless buffet of every possible food (we still do this from time to time with our mom!). In my early adulthood, before kids, brunch was a leisurely, late morning weekend treat where I would meet up with friends and spend hours laughing and lingering over brunch-y foods and the occasional Bloody Mary. When kids entered the picture, brunch fell off my radar right around the time dining out with the kids became more about restaurant-crisis-management and less about eating. Now that we have the whole restaurant thing under control, I've come back around to brunch. Besides taking the kids out for pizza in Fairfield County, it's the perfect dining-out solution and, once again, my favorite weekend meal. My kids are fresh and ready for the day (no witching-hour meltdowns!), we love that there's something for everyone on the menu and it's a treat to eat good food in a nice setting. You might even discover that your favorite date night restaurant offers a family-friendly brunch on weekend mornings. Even better, brunch menus often let you sample some of the restaurant's specialty, whether it's barbecue, seafood or pizza. So instead of waiting for a special occasion, check out some of our favorite Fairfield County family-friendly brunch places.
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Every weekend, in cities and towns across Fairfield County, you’ll find kids competing in road races and triathlons. And why not? Racing is a great way to get outdoors and keep kids busy, focused and fit. A beautiful summer morning is even better when you spend it watching your child cross a finish line past a crowd of cheering people. Most races are tied to a charity, so in addition to fitness, you have the chance to help others while teaching your kids about the importance of raising money and awareness for a particular cause. Your child doesn't have to be a future track star, either. In most cases, the distances are short enough to hop right into a race without training, especially for the youngest kids. There are plenty of opportunities for more serious athletes to try longer distances, too. No matter what, nothing beats that smile of finishing something very challenging. Here's a list of races that you and the family can participate in this summer.
Submitted by Susan Isaak on
Earlier this year, we told you about science and technology camps in Fairfield County and throughout the state, but did you know that Apple and Microsoft offer FREE computer camp workshops at their retail stores? Spaces are still available for programs that range from movie making to game design. Kids can sharpen their computer skills with plenty of time leftover to head to the beach. Check it out!
