Raven Snook

Raven is a writer, editor, performer and mom, who was born and bred in NYC, just like her husband, her mother and now, her daughter. As a writer, she's contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, the New York Post, TV Guide, Better Homes and Gardens, iVillage, AOL TV and Moviefone, Parents.com, and worked as an in-house editor for ParentsConnect.com and TimeOutKids.com. As a performer, she's appeared on many downtown stages (sometimes even for pay!), a couple of obscure films and TV shows, and The Maury Povich Show as a female drag queen. She's also the founder of Hot Mama Burlesque, the world's only all-moms burlesque show. After being the NYC editor from March 2011-March 2015, she is now happy to just be a blogger as she pursues additional writing opportunities.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

Weekly Wrap Up: Easter Bunny Photo Ops and Egg Hunts in NYC, Harry Potter Exhibit and More

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 4:00pm

It's been a busy week at all of the Mommy Poppins sites! Must be the time of year: April brings Easter, Passover, spring break, Earth Day and a host of popular festivals like the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair and Sakura Matsuri.

Don't worry: You won't need to try to cram all of those activities into one weekend. But since they're coming up, we wanted to give you a heads up, so you had time to mark your calendars.

Read on to see what else we covered this week on Mommy Poppins, in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Roald Dahl’s Dark Poems Come to Life in Revolting Rhymes

Submitted by Raven Snook on Mon, 04/04/2011 - 12:54pm

Ever since my mom read me James and the Giant Peach, I’ve been a fan of Roald Dahl. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, Matilda, I loved his fantastical stories and dark humor, which were so different than the happy, candy-colored kid lit I was used to.

Although he died more than 20 years ago, Dahl’s sensibility seems amazingly contemporary, which is why his children’s books endure today. But did you know that he also wrote poems, many of them skewed takes on old-fashioned fairy tales?

I admit that I didn’t. But I do now thanks to Revolting Rhymes, a new 45-minute musical being mounted by Atlantic for Kids. Find out why this show will make you laugh—perhaps even more than your kids.

Weekly Wrap Up: Easter Trains in New Jersey, Egg Hunts on Long Island, Spring Break Camps in NYC

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 5:21pm

We’ve been very busy here at Mommy Poppins, birthing new sites for families in Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut, while still keeping up with all the cool things going on in New York City. We know you’re busy too, and may not have the time to visit multiple sites. So for your convenience, we’re compiling links to our best weekly posts into yet another post. Yes, we do see the irony in that. But we really don’t want you to miss a thing. There’s so much to do all over the tri-state area!

From special Easter train rides in New Jersey to egg hunts on Long Island (yes, already) to a roundup of spring festivals in NYC, here are the highlights from the world of Mommy Poppins.

11 Great Shows for Kids in New York City: Culture Guide Spring 2011

Submitted by Raven Snook on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 4:49pm

It’s not just gardens that are blooming this season. NYC’s family theater scene is bursting with new, colorful stage productions. As a total theater geek who grew up going to Broadway spectacles (back when regular folk could afford to do that on a regular basis), I love taking my daughter to shows. Luckily in this town, the Great White Way isn’t the only option. There’s a ton of amazing Off-Off Broadway offerings for young audiences—and you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford the tickets.

While some shows play for a while, there are lots of worthwhile one-offs that come into town to play for a day, and then move on to another city. So be sure to look carefully at the dates when checking our recommendations.

From fractured fairy tales to page-to-stage adaptations of classic kid-lit to circus feats to cool original musicals, here are 11 shows to take your kids to this spring.

News: New Charter Schools, Pre-K Admissions, Healthy Public School Lunches and More

Submitted by Raven Snook on Wed, 03/23/2011 - 10:00am

It's been a while since we've rounded up links to important news and interesting stories we've come across online. Since many of these articles are timely—especially the ones about pre-k and charter school admissions—we figured it was time to share.

We also found an amusing post about the top ten reasons to have a baby in NYC, a celebration of public-school lunches and a writer who offers an intriguing defense of that mom who's suing a preschool for dashing her daughter's Ivy League chances. Read on for the scoop.

Easy and Reputable Ways to Donate to the Japan Relief Effort

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 10:00am

The devastation in Japan has been tremendous. It's hard not to be transfixed by the awful images and details. There are tales of hope (the one about the four-month-old rescued from rubble totally choked me up), but the main stories dominating the news (and our minds) are heartrending.

Just like the tragedy in Haiti last year, families want to help. Making a monetary donation is the easiest way to do that, but choosing a charity can be daunting. In fact, Slate and the New York Times ran articles encouraging people to give but to do it wisely. (The takeaway: Give but do so without restrictions; let the organizations figure out how to use the money.)

Instead of just posting links to the usual nonprofits (we figure you already know about the Red Cross, Americares and Doctors Without Borders), we've found some great articles with info about reputable organizations and donating tips. In some cases you can help just by liking a page on Facebook or sending a text!

Vital Theater's Awesome Allie Is Out of This World

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 03/15/2011 - 2:00am

And that's certainly appropriate, since it's about a little girl who becomes the world's first kid astronaut. Unlike Vital Children's Theatre's long-running hits Pinkalicious and Angelina Ballerina, this loopy musical, which is best for kids six-and-under, isn't based on a popular children's book. Scott Elmegreen's script does a great job of conjuring up a realistically kooky kids' world all its own.