Weekly Wrap Up: Smurf Week, The Yellow Brick Road, Rubin Museum's New Education Center
Can you believe we say goodbye to July this weekend? Summer always seems to move so quickly. Already, the back-to-school push has started, and we're all counting down the remaining days of break. (My six-year-old is actually marking them on her calendar.)
But August has 31 days! How much fun can you pack into them? There's certainly a lot to do beyond the usual pools, water playgrounds and beaches. The Rubin Museum of Art just opened a new education center, Theatreworks USA's free musical The Yellow Brick Road plays through August 19 and you can always celebrate the season by reading a beautiful book about summer.
And if you have plans to travel to Boston, Los Angeles or Orlando, we have some exciting news: We're launching editions in each of those cities in August (the exact date has yet to be determined). To make sure you're notified when they go up, sign up for the newsletters now. We're also working on a Family Travel site, which will cover destinations all over the U.S.A... and beyond.
And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut.
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New York City
We kicked off the week with a visit to the lovely Indian Road Playground in Inwood Hill Park.
Though we usually don't write about super-commercial events, we couldn't resist telling you about all the cool activities going on as part of Smurf Week NYC.
Popular children's book blogger Jay Bushara shared his top ten tales of summer.
The family-friendly Rubin Museum of Art, which focuses on the art of the Himalayas, recently opened a new education center with lots of offerings for kids.
Looking to take the kids to a magical show? Journey down The Yellow Brick Road, a Latin-themed take on The Wizard of Oz playing in the West Village. Bonus: Tickets are free!
The debt ceiling isn't the only news fit to print! We shared info on the new public school teacher evaluation system, the in-the-works Bronx Children's Museum and Borders' liquidation sale.
The best things to do this weekend include the brand-new High Line Roller Rink, Great Jazz on Central Park's Great Hill and the Rockaways' annual sandcastle competition.
New Jersey
It's been a busy week across the Hudson. First, we rounded up info on the Garden State's six minor league teams.
One mom spent an awesome day at Space Farms Zoo and Museum in Sussex.
Our special needs writer shared info about support groups in Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
Best bets for the weekend include the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning and the annual Warren County Farmers Fair and Hot Air Balloon Festival.
Long Island
Over on the Island, we rounded up family-friendly restaurants with outdoor dining.
Weekend highlights include Baldwin Park's annual picnic with fireworks, a teddy bear picnic in Old Westbury Gardens and the Southampton Summer Fair and Festival.
Connecticut
We found great ways for families to get out on the water in Fairfield County.
The water fun continued with our list of six affordable CT beaches.
A health consultant gave parents tips on taking care of themselves, not just their kids.
Weekend events include the opening of Orchard's Sunflower Maze and Kent's Annual Sidewalk Festival.
Cool Deals and Giveaways
Our NJ site is giving away a $200 gift card to the Ann Taylor Concept Store in Short Hills Mall. Click here for details on how to enter.
At Poppins Perks, you can still save 50% on an annual family membership to Symphony Space, the go-to Upper West Side culture spot for kids (and adults, too!).
And there's also still time to buy our Hot List book, which offers more than $1,000 in savings on the best summer activities for NYC families. For just $4.95, you'll snag discounts to places like the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, the Art Farm and nearby water parks. Best of all: 100% of the profits will benefit NYC public schools.
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