New York Archives - The Culture Mom

10Apr

Week 4: Middle-Aged Personal Training at Encore Fitness

"Are you sure you want to know?" These seven words started off my forth training session at Encore Fitness NY this week. After a two-week hiatus, imposed upon me by the kids' spring break and then Passover, I had finally been able to return to my regular routine and to my weekly sessions with Robert. I was eager to get back on track. While I had been off schedule over the two week period, I had attempted to engage myself in deeper work-out sessions. I started taking short runs, planking when I had time during the day, and really pushing myself at the Read More

04Sep

A Last Summer Jaunt at Palisades Climb Adventure

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Last week before school officially started (woot woot!), my kids and I ventured to the Palisades Climb Adventure in Rockland County for an afternoon of adventure and climbing. I'm not kidding when I tell you that it's the world’s tallest indoor ropes course, standing 85 feet in height, and features 75 different challenge elements, designed for all ages and skill levels. My kids are brave, after all they've climbed the ropes in Atlanta's Stone Mountain course, but watching them climb four-stories was FIERCE. The course is located right in the middle of Read More

30Jul

A Visit to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

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On a recent visit to Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley, we took our son for a tour of Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. It’s a remarkable property was built over a hundred years ago in 1898 by Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. The tour took us to see about 15-20 rooms of the 50-room Classical style mansion. One of eight heirs to his family’s fortune, Frederick purchased the property in 1895 and hired architect Charles McKim to decorate a “country house” in which the family could entertain guests during the Read More

05Dec

A Trip to the North Pole in Saratoga Springs

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Do you know the story of the Polar Express? It's about a boy's journey to the North Pole to rediscover his belief in Santa Claus. It was book turned major motion picture starting Tom Hanks and is meant to teach both kids and adults that it is never too old to believe. Well, apparently Polar Express rides to the North Pole have become a tradition for many families and tickets are in huge demand. I had never heard of the rides until my family and I were invited to ride the Polar Express on the Saratoga & North Creek Railway last weekend. Right now Read More

14Jul

A One-Child Holiday at Mohonk Mountain House

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My trip was hosted by Mohonk Mountain House, but all opinions and thoughts are my own. Have you ever traveled alone with one child? A few weeks ago, I decided to take my son away for a few days. My other child was actually at sleep away camp, and since he wasn't having that experience (still a bit young), I thought I'd give him a different type of experience by joining me. I wanted to review a property in the Hudson Valley and thought about sharing the experience with him. After all, this was one my son could wrap his around: an all-inclusive resort Read More

21Feb

A Day at The Museum of the City of New York

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I wasn’t born in NYC but I became an official New Yorker on 9/11. I was in the city when the towers fell and from that day on, I was no longer an ex-pat. My accent got thicker, my roots got tighter and I set down my fort and never left. Just a few years later, I would bring two children into this world and they would inherit my fierce patriotism to the city we live in. Our passion for the city is universal and I never have to struggle to get my kids in for a dose of culture. So, during the February break, I decided it was time to visit the Museum Read More

29Nov

My Visit to the Rockaways: No One Should Have to Live Like This

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Today on my way home from spending the morning volunteering at St. Carmillus Church & School in the Far Rockaways, my head spun with torment. Torment for all the people living in poverty. Torment for all the people living in fear. Torment for the people desperate for a chance in life. Torment for the young children I saw come into the church for clothes to cover their small bodies. Torment for the mothers and fathers trying to provide for their children. Torment for all the people still living without heat. These people feel abandoned. I saw no Read More

28Jun

Summer Camp Away From Home

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A few months I made a decision to send my kids to the camp I grew up at this summer. It is still possible to visit my mother who is still living in the house I grew up in, which may or may not be for much longer. I have very vivid, happy memories of my time at this one camp and I wanted to give the same experience to both my kids: singing on the yellow bus that took me back and forth to camp, canoeing, archery, horseback riding, cooking, camping out in the woods, being a good enough swimmer to make swim team. Most of all, I remember the Jewish Read More

19Jun

Visiting Storm King Art Center with Kids

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Last weekend I finally managed to visit a place I had been longing to explore: Storm King Art Center, located at Old Pleasant Hill Road in Mountainville, NY. It's a short ride from NYC (1-1/2 hours) and makes a day trip from the city or from other parts of the Tri-State region. If you're a modern art fan, you've probably been to the Dia in Beacon. It's an equally satisfying visit and we met many NYC natives up for a visit. Storm King is a 500-acre sculpture garden that includes works from very famous sculptors and artists such as Henry Moore, Roy Read More

31May

Basic Family Fun at 1000 Acres Ranch Resort

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If you're looking for a truly unique and relatively inexpensive adventure this summer for you and your family, look no further than 1000 Acres Ranch Resort. Located on the banks of the Hudson River just over 200 miles from NYC, in the heart of the Adirondacks, this 70 year old resort is bringing back the traditional dude ranch and staying faithful to who they are. For my kids, who have never experienced a real cow boy, never experienced horse back riding, never experienced a real bonfire, there was much to fall in love with at this simple, but Read More