Brooklyn Archives - The Culture Mom

28Jul

Authentic Mexican Food at de Mole in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

Last Sunday happened to be the hottest day of the year thus far in New York City, but my adventurous family is always up for a good meal. There was no hesitation to get in the car and head out to Brooklyn for brunch at de Mole, billed as a "family-owned and operated Mexican restaurant with a storied mole recipe, passed down from generation to generation, taking three days to make using 26 different ingredients." We were all eager to check out the menu and try a few dishes. After all, the restaurant is led by Executive Chef/Co-Owner Jose Luis Flores, Read More

12Jul

What Brooklyn Families is All About

Posted by The Culture Mom 1 Comment

Brooklyn_Families_Tour_David_Bowie_is_20180623_DEV_152_Elena_Olivo_DSC_8813-General Use JPEG

A few weeks ago I received the most unexpected, marvelous invitation to the Brooklyn Museum to find out more about their program Brooklyn Families. Coming from Westchester, I knew the museum would be a bit of a hike very early on a Saturday morning, but my curiosity was peaked about what the museum is doing to engage families. I am always looking for ways to engage my own children in art. They pull me away from museums; I want to pull them in. Brooklyn Families Another big draw: a personal tour of David Bowie is, an exhibit about who was perhaps my Read More

07Feb

Restaurant Review: Brunch at Alice’s Arbor in Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

This past weekend my teenage daughter and I decided to take some time out of our daily routine and head to Bed Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for brunch. Our destination: Alice's Arbor. It had been years since I'd been to Bed Stuy, and I always knew even then it was on the brink of gentrification and change, so I was eager to make this particular trip from our home in Westchester. As a vegetarian, I can tell you that the menu, which is inspired by Chef Mike Franzetti, is diverse and wide ranging. Carnivores can have their share of meat, from chicken to ribs for Read More

28Jun

A Night Out in Williamsburg at Pearl’s Bake & Shark

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

Last week my 11 year-old son and I ventured to Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a night out of the suburbs. Our destination: Pearl's Bake & Shark, a Caribbean restaurant that specializes in jerk and other Caribbean dishes. It was a weeknight, and with school still in session, I'd say it was a little out of the ordinary for us to venture to Brooklyn, but I was excited....and hungry. My son was, too, so together we braved the traffic and drove to Brooklyn. Were we happy we went? You can say that again. Pearl's is exceptional, both in its quality of Read More

29Dec

A Brooklyn Discovery: Raaka Chocolate

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

If you're looking for something unique to do in Brooklyn with the kids, look no further than Raaka Chocolate. The home of "virgin chocolate," Raaka a factory where they make 20,000 chocolate bars a month and offer tours, as well as classes, where kids can taste raw cacao from different parts of the world and make their own creation. Raaka Chocolate On a recent Friday night, my family and I ventured to Red Hook, where the Raaka factory is based. Immediately upon walking in, we smelled the fermented cacao beans, imported from small growers in Belize, Read More

03Nov

Review: Brooklyn the Movie

Posted by The Culture Mom 1 Comment

© 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Every now and then a film comes along that offers a sense of connection and a reminder that it’s important to be happy where you are in life, with what you have, with whom you are. BROOKLYN the movie, which starts tomorrow, is one such film. It’s a story originally written by Com Toibin, with a deeper purpose, and its film adaptation by Nick Hornby does its story justice. I moved to New York City in my 20s, just as the main character, Ellis (pronounced Ay-liss) does. Her circumstances are very different to my own – I came to NYC as a theater lover who Read More

24Jun

Hanging Out in Coney Island & Brighton Beach

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

Last week my family and I went for a day out at the shore in Coney Island and Brighton Beach. A long time favorite haunt of ours, I was eager for a dose of this very Southern part of Brooklyn. These coastal towns may have a kitsch way about them, but they are some of the most uniquely fun parts of the five boroughs. After enduring a bit of traffic to get there, we finally found ourselves on Surf Avenue, in the heart of it all. Our first stop: Luna Park (Surf Ave at W 10 St; 718-373-5862, lunaparknyc.com. $35 for four hours of unlimited rides on Read More

10Jun

Edible Brooklyn: Pazzi Pasta in Carroll Gardens

Posted by The Culture Mom 4 Comments

Pasta is one of my kids' favorite foods, but I generally try to limit their intake due to its high calorie and high carb content. However, since it's usually on the top of their list, I'm always looking for ways to accommodate their request and I recently found one. It's called Pazzi Pasta, a Southern Italian restaurant in Carroll Gardens, one of my favorite parts of Brooklyn. "Pazzi" literally means "crazy" and I'm not kidding when I call their food crazy delicious! It's rare to find a restaurant that is so intent on using organic, locally grown, Read More

02Dec

Shakespearean Ecstasy with Julie Taymor

Posted by The Culture Mom 1 Comment

Julie Taymor is back. After disappearing for a short period following the Spiderman on Broadway collision (she recently settled in court with the producers), she has returned to her Shakespearean roots with A Midsummer Night's Dream in the recently built Polonsky Shakespeare Theater in the heart of BAM. The experience exceeded my expectations. Any theatergoer who is fascinated by Taymor's creative mind and passion will not be disappointed. Having just visited Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London, I was happy to be to find a similar space Read More

01Jun

Frolic-Palooza to Benefit Camp Brooklyn This Sunday

Posted by The Culture Mom Leave a Comment

Many children from low-income Brooklyn families seldom get an opportunity to leave their urban environment. The Camp Brooklyn Fund was created to give these children an opportunity to attend sleep-away camp and have the experience of a lifetime! Just $500 will send a child to camp for two weeks. Teamwork, loyalty, wholesome health habits, responsibility and personal respect and appreciation for nature are all a part of a child's education at summer camp. Intensive camp experiences can truly open up a world of opportunities to young people. Sending Read More