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November 30, 2007

December Giveaway: Music Together in the City

Music Together in the City is giving away one semester of classes, good for one child and their parent or caretaker!  Their new semester beings in mid January in over 10 locations. 
 

Singing, Dancing, Playing with TONS of instruments!  Sounds like fun, right?

"One of my dreams for my children was that they have a love of music,
and now they do! Someone in our household is always singing, either
with a recording or making up songs of their own.  I don't know if there 
is a sweeter sound than that of a child singing.  Thank you, Music Together.  We've taken ten semesters now -- that says a lot!"

What is Music Together?
• A community of families sharing songs, instrument play, rhythm chants and movement activities in a relaxed, playful, non-performance-oriented setting.
• Music learned through developmentally appropriate activities that support and respect the unique learning styles of very young children.
• Infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers participating at their own levels in family-style classes of mixed ages.
• Parents and caregivers contributing to the enrichment of their child’s music environment-regardless of their own musical abilities.
• A new song collection every semester for three years, featuring great arrangements of original and traditional songs in a variety of tonalities, meters and cultural styles.
Music Together® is for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents/caregiver. The classes include songs, rhythmic rhymes and movement, and instrument play activities that are developmentally appropriate for the children and easy for parents and caregivers, regardless of their own musical ability.

For more information please take a look at their website: www.musictogethernyc.com

Mom in the City members can enter simply by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Music" in the Subject line.  The winner will be chosen on December 31st.

Posted by kdc521 at 02:47 PM | | Comments (0)

December Giveaway: A Kid’s Life

One mom will win a family four pack of tickets to A Kid's Life 

"After a well received national tour, the new kid’s musical A Kid’s Life! will perform Off-Broadway at The York Theatre beginning Saturday, December 8 for an initial six week run (through Sunday, January 13) . 


A Kid’s Life! follows Zack, an adorable five-year old boy and his golden retriever and best friend, Starsky. Together, they embark on a fun-filled adventure through their hometown where they befriend Zoe, a spunky five- year old girl who is new to town and rather shy. Over the course of the day, Zack and Zoe encounter many new friends: from a talking clock who teaches them the importance of time, to a beautiful owl who reminds them that animals have feelings too, to an orange tree that gives them a deeper appreciation of nature. Mr. Sullivan, the corner store clerk, joins the fun by showing them just how wonderful A Kid’s Life! can be!       


A Kid’s Life! is a heart warming musical featuring contagious toe-tapping music, dazzling dance with a colorful cast of  larger-than-life characters and positive messages. This feel-good musical is sure to get you moving. A Kid’s Life!  is a delight for the whole family.


A Kid's Life! is playing at The York Theatre (619 Lexington Avenue)
Starting December 8 and Runs every Saturday and Sunday 10am and 12:30 until 1/13

Special holiday shows starting 12/22

Buy your tickets at 866-811-4111 Or check out more about the show at www.akidslife.com"


Mom in the City members can enter simply by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "A Kid's Life" in the Subject line.  The winner will be chosen on December 6th

Posted by kdc521 at 02:31 PM | | Comments (0)

December Giveaway: Guggenheim’s “Peter & The Wolf”

Works & Process at the Guggenheim is giving away a family four pack of tickets to a special holiday performance of Peter & The Wolf. The winner can choose from any of the dates listed below:
December 15, 4 pm 
December 16, 2:30 and 4 pm 
December 17, 10:30 am and 12 pm 
 

"Isaac Mizrahi. Juilliard. Peter & The Wolf 
 
Isaac Mizrahi and the Juilliard Ensemble bring Peter and his famous adversary to life as children learn to recognize instruments of the orchestra. A magical installation of paper sculptures and cutouts by artist Andrew Scott Ross illustrates Prokofiev's vibrant and engaging masterpiece. New York City Opera Music Director George Manahan conducts. 
 
Share this beloved classic with a special child in your life. 
 
Tickets are available now at 212 423 3587, M-F, 1-5 pm 
$35, $30 Members 
Recommended for children ages 5-10
Guggenheim Museum (5th Ave at 89th St)"

Mom in the City members can enter simply by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Peter & The Wolf" in the Subject line.  The winner will be chosen on December 6.

Posted by kdc521 at 01:52 PM | | Comments (0)

December Giveaway: Book Bundle

One member will win a bundle of three books:

Two new books, Listen, Listen and One City, Two Brothers, by Barefoot Books, an award-winning children’s book publisher.  Both books have received starred reviews from the American Library Association's magazine, Booklist.


 

The other book is a signed copy of Lisa Kothari's Dear Peppers and Pollywogs...: What Parents Want to Know About Planning Their Kids' Parties 

"What's to throwing kids' parties? According to popular media today, it's a complicated business full of perplexing problems. When your kid's party needs to be planned, all sorts of questions arise : 
  • How much should we spend on party presents?
  • What happens when my kid invites 50 guests to his party before the invitation list has even been drawn up?
  • How do you return the fish your child received as a party favor?
This is the book to pull out when you face party conundrums. With a succinct format, you will easily be able to find the answer to your question to help make your party planning less stressful!"

Mom in the City members can enter simply by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Books" in the Subject line.  The winner will be chosen on December 31st.

Posted by kdc521 at 01:28 PM | | Comments (0)

Special Offer: Care.com

Care.com (a new website which helps moms connect with caregivers) is offering a free 3-month trial for Mom in the City members to get to know their site.  Anyone who’s interested can sign up by going to this link.

Posted by kdc521 at 01:23 PM | | Comments (0)

7 Favorite Things for 2007 (December)

1. Nintendo Wii: I haven't been a video game person since Pac-man originally came out (wow, time is flying!).  Anyway, I gave this system to my husband for his birthday in November.  It is so much fun!  It comes with a sports bundle (golf, boxing, baseball, bowling) which I find to be a great workout on a cold, wintery day.  What's humbling is that my three year old has beat me in boxing by knocking me out the last two times that we played.  (I blame it on him being left-handed - I never see my demise coming!)

2.JJ COLE's bundleme:  I only hear raves about this product, including from a local mom at a library story hour.  I'm not a big stroller user, but I would definitely get this if they made them for front carriers like the Bjorn.  They are so much more attractive than what is currently on the market.
JJ Cole Original Bundleme Graphite


3. Ann Taylor Loft:  Back in my corporate days, I was an Ann Taylor woman.  Now, I lean more towards Ann Taylor Loft.  They offer a pretty nice selection of clothes at reasonable prices.  (Their shoe selection isn't great, but there are plenty of other shoe stores.)  Be sure to sign up for their email list, so that you can get discounts/sale notices in your Inbox.  Another good tip when doing your online shopping there is to type "Ann Taylor Loft coupon" in your google search engine.  There are usually percent off and/or free shipping coupons available.

4. PBS KIDS: I love that many of their shows are educational.  The show of the moment in our home is SUPER WHY!.  I like that it uses classic books to teach simple lessons.  (I also like that they have a multicultural cast, including a Black princess.)

5. Storybook Escapades: A new thing that I have started doing with my oldest son (inspired by SUPER WHY! and Kids Off the Couch ) is doing activities that relate to the books that we read.  I think that I enjoy our little "escapades" as much as (if not more than!) he does.  Recently, after reading Pinkalicious, we baked strawberry/pink cupcakes together (in the story, the little girl eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink).  It was so cute...my son kept saying, "I'm going to eat ALL of the cupcakes so that I can turn pink and then I'm going to jump out and say Pink-a-boo!".  It was a great bonding time.

6. Christmas in the City: As a teacher, my husband does not  work the week of Christmas.  We considered going away, but frankly, I hate the hassle of traveling during the holidays.  Besides, in my opinion, there's no place that I'd rather be for Christmas than NYC.  So we're going to "vacation in the city".  In other words, we're going to do several of the "touristy" Christmas things that people travel from all over the world to do.  If you're looking for Christmas activities, I have compiled a list here.

7. Huggable Hangers: I had never heard about these hangers before (even though they are Home Shopping Network's #1 selling product -- I don't watch HSN on a regular basis).  Then, I received a gift package of them.  They are great!  They are velvet covered (so clothes don't slip off) and thin (in order to maximize closet space).  They are also sturdy (so you don't have to worry about your clothes ending up on the floor) and cute (the ones that I received were black with chrome hooks).  Both my husband and my aunt-in-law liked the hangers so much that I gave some away.  Now, I have to get more for myself! 

Posted by kdc521 at 12:22 PM | | Comments (0)

Recommended Events (December)

There are several events that my family will be attending this month.  The ones that I'm especially excited about are the following:

-Divalysscious Moms "babes in toyland" event at FAO Schwarz on Sunday December 2nd (8am - 10am).  We can only stay an hour because we have a 9:30 commitment, but my husband and son (who have never been to FAO Schwarz) are so excited to be going. 

-CMOM holiday performances: This year, I really want to introduce my oldest son to a variety of holiday celebrations besides Christmas, so I'm looking forward to the Bananukah event on 12/8 for Hanukkah and the Magbana Drum and Dance event on 12/26 for Kwanzaa.

Posted by kdc521 at 12:11 PM | | Comments (0)

Recommended Books

In November, I skimmed several books but nothing really worth recommending on the adult side.
On the kiddie side, three books that both my son and I really enjoyed were the following:
-Pinkalicious (actually my husband enjoyed reading this book to my son a lot too!)
-Llama llama red pajama
and
-Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Posted by kdc521 at 11:58 AM | | Comments (0)

Two More Gift Ideas for Kids

Last month, when I did the holiday toy guide, I still hadn't found a digital camera for kids (one of the things on my son's wish list) that I could highly recommend.  Now I have.  It's the VTech Kidizoom Digital Camera for ages three to six.  After reading several positive reviews from other parents, we had the opportunity to test it out ourselves.  My son loves taking pictures with this camera and using the game mode (three preschool games) when he's not taking pictures.  It also has some fun editing options so that kids can distort pictures/add frames around pictures/etc. 
APPROX. RETAIL: $59.99
I didn't include clothing in my gift lists since I'm not the biggest fashionista.  (I left that to the experts at little biRd.)  However, I do want to recommend holiday clothing purchases from a great company that is a celebrity favorite and one of Mom in the City's giveaway sponsors, City Threads.  Recently, a new second-time mom/ Mom in the City member was gifted the super-cute "Big Sister" tee for her older daughter/proud new sister.
 

Posted by kdc521 at 11:36 AM | | Comments (0)

Work/life Balance Survey

In case you're interested...
Villanova University is doing a study about what mothers want from the workplace. They are specifically interested in what stay-at-home moms will need if/when they decide to eventually pursue work outside of the home (e.g., what will they need as they transition back into the workforce? Onsite childcare? Flexible work hours? Supportive boss?). 
If you're interested in taking their survey, click here.

Posted by kdc521 at 11:09 AM | | Comments (0)

November 16, 2007

November Giveaway: The Apollo Circus of Soul Tickets

The Apollo Circus of Soul is giving away a family four pack of tickets.


This is "an animal-free family entertainment event in the legendary Apollo Theater for the entire 2007 Holiday season featuring spectacular circus acts, live music, urban dancers, “American's Got Talent” winners, singers, acrobats, celebrities and surprises."

Mom in the City members can enter simply by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Circus" in the Subject line.  The winner will be chosen on November 30th.

Posted by kdc521 at 12:42 AM | | Comments (0)

How to shop for tech gifts…when you don’t understand tech!

Yesterday, I attended a Staples event for online media, “How to shop for tech gifts…when you don’t understand tech!” 
It was nice to put a face to the names of some women behind some of my favorite NYC area blogs/sites like SavvyMommy (who recently had her third baby and looks GREAT), Cool Mom Picks (Liz was very friendly, very cool), Alpha Mom (she really is an Alpha Mom – she doesn’t forget anything!) and Twins & the City (Paris is a very nice woman – I would join her group if I had twins).

It was also great to actually learn some technology tips. (I am so not a gadget girl!).  Also, who knew that you could get such cool things at Staples?!  Of the four areas covered (Digital Cameras, Digital Frames, Portable GPS and Laptops), I was most interested in the laptops and digital cameras.  I’m not a big digital photo frame fan because I find the shifting images distracting.  Currently, I don’t need a GPS because I don’t drive.  (Hopefully, that will be different this time next year.)  I already have a camera and a computer but I now know what I want when it’s time to upgrade.

As far as laptops, I learned the following terms:
-Integrated webcam: Many laptops feature an integrated camera conveniently located right above the screen that easily connects you to family and friends through the Internet.

-Bluetooth: This technology lets devices to share information wirelessly. Laptops with built-in Bluetooth allow you to wirelessly connect other Bluetooth devices such as cell phones, PDAs, printers and mice to conveniently transfer and sync data without an external adapter.

-LightScribe: To avoid the hassle of printing CD labels, look for a laptop with a CD/DVD\ burner with LightScribe technology. This burns your media, as well as text and graphics, directly onto the disc’s surface for easy labeling.

As far as digital cameras, I didn’t really learn anything new.  I did have fun playing with the Canon PowerShot SD750 (7.1 megapixel) though and I was happy to learn that it’s only $249…that’s pretty great for 7.1 megapixels. (I think that we paid that much for our 4 megapixel SONY a couple of years ago.)

In any event, you can find all of these gifts and more at  www.staples.com..

Posted by kdc521 at 12:40 AM | | Comments (0)

November 15, 2007

Tips for surviving the holiday season with your waist intact

Just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I have some tips from Charles Stuart Platkin, author of The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible: More than 1,000 Calorie Bargains in Supermarkets, Kitchens, Offices, Restaurants, the Movies, for Special Occasions, and More ...

Candied Sweet Potatoes vs. Mashed Potatoes
A cup of mashed potatoes has 240-300 calories. Candied sweet potatoes, however, also contain butter - as well as brown sugar and sometimes even marmalade, honey, maple syrup, marshmallows and/or pecans, which can add up to more than 450 calories for a one-cup portion.

Traditional Turkey Gravy vs. Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is not the winner! Gravy is the right choice. Per half-cup, cranberry sauce has 180 calories compared with only 80 calories for traditional turkey gravy.
 
Baked Country Ham vs. Turkey vs. Prime Rib
You're at the carving station of the buffet at your holiday party and you want to make the best choice. If you guessed the turkey is the best deal, you're right - white meat turkey without the skin has about 193 calories for 5 ounces. A country ham is made with brown sugar, apple cider and red wine vinegar and has about 340 calories for 5 ounces. And forget the prime rib - it's the worst of the three at 450 calories for a 5-ounce portion.

Pumpkin Pie vs. Apple Pie vs. Pecan Pie
The pumpkin pie is actually the best of the three, coming in at 270 calories per slice, but the apple pie is a close second at about 350. Pecan pie, however, is a dietary disaster at more than 700 calories. Whichever one you choose, definitely skip the whipped cream - it adds an extra 80 to 100 calories per serving. If you add a scoop of vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream to make it "a la mode," tack on another 270 calories.

Apple Cider vs. Beer vs. Wine
Apple cider has about 120 calories per 8-ounce serving, which is similar to many beers and wines. Alternatives: unsweetened iced tea with mint, water with lemon or diet soda.

Tips for surviving the holiday season with your waist intact:

Eat First: It may sound absurd, but if you are going to a holiday party, eat ahead of time. Plenty of people starve themselves before going to a party so they’ll have "room" for all the great food. They arrive - stomachs rumbling - and make a beeline for the high-calorie, high-fat appetizers and finger foods, easily eating more than a day's worth of calories. Instead, try eating enough healthy food beforehand so you’re full before you arrive. You’ll have much more self-control around those tempting party treats.
 
All or Nothing: How many times have you heard, "I've already ruined my diet, so it doesn't matter what I eat now." Who knows how the myth got started, but it can be hazardous to your waistline. The bottom line is, an extra calorie is an extra calorie - so eating a slice of pie shouldn’t give you an excuse to eat two more. Have you ever heard of cutting your losses? Well, the same rule applies to cutting your gains. It's never too late to stop.

Strategize: You might think that planning what you're going to eat beforehand takes all the fun and spontaneity out of the occasion, but that's just not so. You're probably thinking about what you're going to eat anyway, so why not make it work for instead of against you? In fact, practicing good eating behavior at special events could actually make you feel more relaxed and empowered, not frustrated or disappointed. It gives you the sense of being in control of your environment instead of being lured into the dark world of overindulgence. So plan what and how much you're going to eat at the event before you even get there - set limits and you'll feel better.

Watch Out for Food Pushers: How many times has a family member or friend told you that you'll spoil the party if you don't partake in the food festivities, or that it's bad luck not to have at least one slice of cake? Have your answer ready for those diet saboteurs. Mentally rehearse a few key phrases like, "Oh, no thanks. I couldn't eat another thing." Or try the truth: "I'm dieting, and that piece of cake will throw me completely off track."   

Recruit Your Friends: Getting the support of your friends and family is not always easy, but it’s worth a try. Talk to them about the healthy changes you’re making and enlist their help. The idea is not to have them police your behavior but rather for them to empower you by being encouraging and enthusiastic about your new way of life.
 
Balance It Out: Looking for a guilt-free way to enjoy your favorite holiday treat? Try consuming fewer calories the day before and after the holiday. It’s basically a matter of calorie balance. By consuming 500 calories less the day before and after a holiday, you’re leaving room for 1,000 extra calories. So a rich holiday dinner can be balanced by a lighter meal the day after.
 
Trade-Off: Do a "trade-off." Eating more during the holidays can be offset, at least in part, by a moderate increase in daily exercise. Keep in mind that every 100 calories is equal to about 25 minutes of walking.

Posted by kdc521 at 11:36 PM | | Comments (0)

A little biRd told me ...

Zoey from little biRd, a New York based personal styling and shopping company that focuses exclusively on children up to age 18, was kind enough to provide a list of the best places to shop for...

-Your baby: yoya, calypso enfant, bu and the duck, and lucky wang's

-Girls and boys to age 9: crew cuts, scoop kids, and h+m

-Boys: kid robot

-Tweens: infinity, all dressed up, berkley girl, and little marc (They cut generously so adults can wear some of their larger sizes for a fraction of the cost of marc jacobs runway.)

-Other people's kids: MoMA design store

and

-Other people's babies: bonpoint

Happy Shopping!

Posted by kdc521 at 11:27 PM | | Comments (0)