02Jun

48 Hours in Boston with the Kids

boston

This past weekend we spent a lovely 48 hours in Boston. The trip was primarily planned in order for our tween daughter to visit one of her camp friends, but we wanted to introduce both of our kids to the city of Boston. We had gone for a visit when they were very young, and we felt it was time to return to soak up its important history and classic vibe. Day #1 We started with the Hahvahd Tour (www.harvardtour.com), taking a tour of Harvard University. It's an hour tour walking through Harvard Yard, run by actual students (ours had just Read More

17Jan

Our Weekend at Woodloch Resort

woodlochresortview

When we were invited to spend some time at Woodloch Resort in the Poconos with my family in tow, I was suitably excited. I had heard so much about it from various friends, many who go back year after year, and I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Also, after living in an apartment for the past few months while undergoing massive renovations on our home, we were all eager to get up and out and sleep elsewhere. Woodloch is a mere two hours from NYC, so the drive was relatively short and easy until the last 15 minutes or so when we hit local, Read More

29Dec

A Brooklyn Discovery: Raaka Chocolate

chocolate

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

27Dec

Only in New York City: THE RIDE NYC

theride

On Christmas Eve, my family and I ventured into NYC for a day of holiday sight-seeing. We started at the tree at Rockefeller Center, went by department windows at Sax Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor, went shopping at Bryant Park market and idled in the fantastic lobby at the Algonquin Hotel. The Ride NYC But we had one thing on our mind: our 4pm reservation on THE RIDE NYC. I had a feeling it would be inclusive of everything I love most in life. For example, NYC is my oasis. I've lived here for years but never tire of the buzz this city radiates. Read More

10Dec

On Traveling with Tweens

tweentravel

If you've been reading this blog, or any of my writing over on the many sites I contribute to from time to time, you know I'm a HUGE traveler and have taken my kids pretty much everywhere. From the moment they came out of my belly, they became world travelers - at first because my husband and I love to travel and refused to let parenting stop us, and then later because of my work, both as a marketer and as a travel writer. Well, it appears that life as we once knew it has come to an end. Gone are the days where we could pick up and head to a place, Read More

09Sep

Our Family Vacation on Carnival Cruise Line

cruisepic

As a former anti-cruise goer, I am happy to report that the last (and first!) cruise my family took was a great success. We enjoyed seeing different parts of the world, the variety of entertainment and daily activities, the international staff and the fact that everyone found something to do. Our days were full of sunshine, sitting by the pool, riding the waterslide and spending quality time together. There was also plenty for my special needs child to appreciate. My cynicism was squashed and it was decided that cruises for us a family work. So this Read More

02Sep

A Family-Friendly Visit to Hip Austin

livelovepaddle

I'll say it upfront. I'll just get it out there before you go on so you know how I feel about Austin. I love this Texan city. On our recent visit, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd been itching to attend SXSW, an annual Austin trade show, as a marketer for the past 10 years and have ogled at the photos of colleagues and friends year after year, leaving a sense of curiosity and wander for what all the hype was all about. Would it truly be the land of the hipsters, as I envisioned it, and how would that go down with my kids? Well, fortunately enough, it Read More

03Aug

A Family Stay at Ritz Carlton Philadelphia Offers Historic Elegance

I recently spent a long weekend at Ritz Carlton Philadelphia with the kids. We jumped in the car, drove the few short hours to the City of Brotherly Love and landed at this historical yet extremely cozy hotel. Located right by City Hall, Love Park and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it's a reminder of a nation’s birth with its grand use of architecture. The building was originally Girard Trust Company, which became Girard Corn Exchange in 1951; Girard Bank in 1970; Mellon Bank in 1984, and finally The Ritz-Carlton in 2000. We felt the enormous amount of Read More

26Jun

A Family Trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania

hersheypark

For years my daughter has been asking to go to Hershey, Pennsylvania. She had a feeling it was going to be a place out of heaven, with its Hershey theme park and chocolate-related activities. So, mindful of the fact that she's 12 and has six summers left before turning 18 and venturing into the world, we spent last weekend in what's billed as "the sweetest place on earth," where Milton S. Hershey opened and ran his manufacturing factory. What we found was a weekend full of chocolate - and non-chocolate - with pure, unadulterated fun at the theme park, Read More

24Jun

Hanging Out in Coney Island & Brighton Beach

lunapark

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