Susan Miele

Latest posts by Susan

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Winterfest, Chanukah Fun House, Gingerbread Festival & More, Dec. 6-7

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 12/04/2014 - 9:00am

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and that’s just what’s in store for you this weekend in Westchester! We’re in full-on holiday mode, with Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa upon us, so get ready for some festive, sparkly, wintry fun!

Several towns and villages come alive with holiday tree-lighting events and other festive soirees, like Tuckahoe's Winterfest. For added charm, take in any of several holiday spectacles in historic homes: Somers Holiday Celebration, Holidays at the Homestead and Gingerbread Festival, Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting or SPARKLE: Nights of 10,000 Lights. Also check out our holiday tree-lighting roundup for five more illuminating events taking place this weekend!

Several holiday performances take the stage including two nontraditional interpretations of the Tchaikovsky classic ballet--Danse Elite Performing Artists Presents The Nutcracker and The Nut/Cracked--and Community Holiday Musical "Christmas Every Day," an original, holiday-themed musical performed by talented local children.

For a fun twist on holiday shopping (regardless of your heritage), the Chanukah Fun House and Gift Shop combines a boutique experience with a surprising slew of fun stuff for kids.

Read on for further details, visit our December GOList for our top picks of the month and be sure to consult our Event Calendar, which is bursting with fun events every day of the week!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Turkey Run, Parades, Giving Thanks & More, Nov. 22 & 23

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 11/20/2014 - 11:00am

As we reach the final weekend before Thanksgiving, a few provocative events in Westchester are worth noting. Gospel Concert: Giving Thanks is a FREE performance sure to step up gratitude. And, as Thanksgiving is as much about Native Americans as it is pilgrims, The Lenape of Westchester will enlighten attendees about this tribe that used to inhabit our area. Another top pick is Turkey Run Peekskill, which combines both charity and comedy (and even calorie-burning). Also be sure to check out our roundup of other upcoming turkey trots in Westchester. If you’re ready to gear up for Christmas too, there’s the Annual Tree Lighting Celebration at Cross County Shopping Center.

Unrelated to holidays, there are two noteworthy performances taking place this weekend: Lily's Purple Plastic Purse and An Arabian Adventure: A Puppet Show. For a heads-up on upcoming holiday performances in Westchester, check out our roundup of some highlights.

Heading to NYC? Check out our exclusive Mommy Poppins reader event this Saturday night at the New Victory Theater. Readers get to enjoy a performance of 360 Allstars, a thrilling athletic spectacle, a post-show cookie decorating activity and save 20% on their ticket by using MommyPoppins1 at checkout.

Read on for more details about these activities and be sure to consult our Event Calendar for daily activities and the abundance of holiday events!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Turkeys, Santa, Silent Films, Bubblemania & More, Nov. 15 & 16

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 11/13/2014 - 9:00am

Mid-November is the time of year when multiple seasons seem to collide in Westchester. The weekend ahead features the continuation of autumnal events, like Brick House Harvest Festival; preparation for Thanksgiving, such as Turkey Scavenger Hunt and Gobble Gobble; as well as the arrival of the holiday shopping season, with Santa's Grand Arrival Event and “The North Pole Adventure”: A DreamWorks DreamPlace.

Other themes this weekend are silent movies Charlie Chaplin Shorts and Silent Film Series, as well as culinary offerings with Culinary for Children: Panzerotti and Pie Making. And for stimulating fun that’s FREE, register your kids for Bubblemania or STEAM Fest—but hurry, as space is limited!

While we’re talking turkey, be sure to consult our roundup of Turkey Trots—a listing of Westchester fun runs and walks that help people stay active around feast time and also, typically, support a good cause.

If you're planning on heading into NYC this weekend, 360 Allstars, a thrilling athletic spectacle at the New Victory Theater, opens this weekend. And check out our exclusive Mommy Poppins reader event next Saturday night at the New Victory Theater.

Be sure to peruse our November Go List for our top picks for the month, and visit our Event Calendar for daily listings of great activities for families!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Special Needs Expo, Spider-Man, Emergency Preparedness & More, Nov. 8 & 9

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 11/06/2014 - 9:00am

Three common themes dominate the Westchester events we’re highlighting this weekend: entertainment, classes and FREE.

For entertainment, there’s Family Concert: Washboard Slim and the Bluelights, featuring an eclectic array of musical styles (FREE); Spider-Man Double Feature—a staggering four hours of the beloved superhero (FREE); and Gone with the Wind—shown on the big screen, the way it’s supposed to be seen.

Opportunities to learn include Make and Bake Thanksgiving Treats, where kids can make their own apple treats (FREE); Being Prepared for Emergencies, which can help you feel confident in the face of an emergency; Special Needs Expo, where you can learn about numerous service providers in our area (FREE); and Kids' Classes: Learn to Sew, Knit or Crochet, which allows kids to sew their own creation in a single session.

But that’s not all! There are a lot of other options in our Event Calendar all week long, and if you check out our November Go List, you can plan ahead for more great happenings coming up!

SAT and ACT Prep: Free and Low-Cost Fall Workshops for Westchester Teens

Submitted by Susan Miele on Mon, 11/03/2014 - 8:00am

High-stakes testing is a controversial issue that has been fueled in recent years with an increased emphasis on standardized tests nationwide. Though some of these high-stakes tests are new, having been implemented in the last several years, the SAT and ACT tests conjure up memories from many a parents' own high-school days. The tests have changed over the years and if you now find yourself navigating the test-taking waters as a parent, you may find that you have just as many questions as your teen.

Fortunately, there are helpful resources here in Westchester. We've rounded up various workshops and events taking place this fall, designed to help prep your teen for the tests and answer any questions you may have about the process. Resources include proctored practice tests that simulate the real deal, test-taking strategies from the experts, advice as to whether to take the SAT or ACT and more. Best of all, many of them are FREE!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Day of the Dead, Skull-tastic, Fairy Tea Party & More, Nov. 1 & 2

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 10/30/2014 - 9:00am

Halloween may be on Friday, but the spooky fun continues this weekend around Westchester! Extend the All Hallow’s Eve fun with The Legend Behind The 'Legend', Scared By The Sound, Horseman’s Hollow and Jay Ghoul's House of Curiosities.

On the heels of Halloween comes Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican tradition and two local celebrations: Day of the Dead in Yonkers and Day of the Dead Performance & Reception.

Though Skull-tastic and Eerie Expo might sound Halloween-y, the first is a study of animals from the inside out, and the latter is a great opportunity to meet best-selling authors.

Other weekend highlights are an eclectic assortment of fun. Check out Antics Dance: Illuminated Manuscript, a storytelling and multimedia hip-hop performance or Watch Mr. Wizard, an interactive science event. If fairies are more your thing, drop in for tea at the Fairy Tea Party--a must for those who love to wear wings.

Be sure to visit our Event Calendar for other great events happening every day in Westchester and the Hudson Valley!

Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Halloween Happenings, Magic Garden, Picturing Stories & More, Oct. 25 & 26

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 10/23/2014 - 9:00am

Eek! It’s the final weekend before Halloween! Westchester cranks up the fun, so read on for some of our faves.

A don’t-miss event is the annual Tarrytown Annual Halloween Parade, whether you march in it or spectate. It draws a large crowd and culminates in a street party, with oodles of festivity in the air. Preschoolers will enjoy the abundant offerings at Harvest Moon Festival; FREE fun abounds at HarvestFest and Pumpkin-Carving Demo; a live Halloween-themed performance awaits at Grisly Kids: An All Hallows' Dance Review; a fun fall festival can be found at the Scarecrows and Pumpkins Parade; and for a Mexican twist on All Hallow’s Eve, take in Day of the Dead in Pelham. To turn the creepiness up a notch, check out our guide to Cemetery Tours.

Though it’s hard to pass up all the Halloween fun, there are a couple especially compelling events this weekend that don’t involve pumpkins or costumes: Picturing Stories and The Magic Garden.

Some of the recurring October events continue through next weekend, but Lasdon Park Halloween Haunted House & Train Show and Bear Mountain Oktoberfest wrap up this week. Last call!

With so much happening, we can’t fit it all in this roundup, so be sure to visit our Event Calendar for all the Halloween happenings and more through the end of the month!

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: ImaginOcean, ARToberfest, Hands-on Film Festival and More Oct. 18-19

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 10/16/2014 - 9:00am

A lot is happening in the world of cinema this weekend in Westchester: the YoFi Fest - Yonkers Film Festival is a weekend-long cinematic sensation, which includes special activities just for kids. In the spirit of Halloween, you can introduce your kids to old-school movies at Cartoon Cereal Party: Halloween Edition and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

The Halloween fun is on the rise this weekend with the addition of Jay Ghoul's House of Curiosities, plus the continuation of The Legend Behind the 'Legend', Horseman's Hollow, Scared by the Sound and Lasdon Park Halloween Haunted House & Train Show (see also our guide to local haunted houses). Many of the ticketed events sell out early, so be sure to pounce on anything you’re dying to do!

The much-anticipated Westchester Children’s Museum is hosting Explore-a-Thon, a big FREE event on Saturday that will surely whet your appetite for when it officially opens in Rye. Also on Saturday are two appealing performances, both in different veins: John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean and Oktoberfest of Music: A Night in Germany. For a different spin on Oktoberfest, try ARToberfest earlier in the day.

Sunday is a big day for fall festivals: There’s Sheldrake's Annual Fall Festival, Autumn Celebration, the Bronxville Children's Halloween Festival and Halloween Carnival and Ragamuffin Parade (see also our roundup of other ragamuffin parades happening in our area).

Believe it or not, that’s not all! Read on for our top weekend picks, visit our Event Calendar and check out our October Go List for our top picks for the rest of the month!