Sarah G

Sarah Gonser - NYC Writer

Sarah is a Brooklyn-based health, education and parenting journalist. A former business reporter, she finds writing about parenting and kid-related happenings a whole lot more fun and engaging. She loves the flexibility of freelance writing as it leaves plenty of opportunities (between deadlines) to spend quality time with her two sons. With Prospect Park their daily stomping grounds and Manhattan just a few subway stops away, she and her husband feel lucky to be raising their kids in NYC.

Sarah's Latest Gallery Posts on Mommy Poppins:

Swindler Cove

Fort Tryon Park & Fort Washington Park

Crown Heights With Kids

Midtown West Playgrounds

New Williamsburg Play Space: Twinkle

New Drop-In Art Space in Bed-Stuy

Three Brooklyn Museums You've Never Heard Of

Fort Greene Clinton Hill: 35 Things to Do for NYC Families

Offbeat Art in a LIC Bank Building

Hiho Batik

N ew Toy Stores in Park Slope

Long Island City Museums With Kids

Latest posts by Sarah G

Washington Heights & Inwood Family-Friendly Restaurants: 12 Places to Eat with Kids in Upper Manhattan

Submitted by Sarah G on Sun, 07/28/2013 - 10:00am

We continue our month-long focus on Washington Heights and Inwood with a look at our favorite places to eat with kids in the area. While both neighborhoods are known for their hundreds of acres of parkland and fun things to do with kids, neither is considered a culinary hot spot. But there are some delicious kid-friendly restaurants if you know where to look, and many are owned and operated by local families. From a new soda fountain serving up retro treats, to a 24-hour Dominican mainstay to fine-dining with incredible views in Fort Tryon Park, here are a dozen family-friendly restaurants in Washington Heights and Inwood.

Crown Heights for Kids: Drop-in Culture Spots Where Families Can Play and Learn

Submitted by Sarah G on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 4:00pm

What's the one neighborhood in NYC that has not one but two children's museums? If you guessed the Upper West Side or Park Slope, try again. Crown Heights, Brooklyn is home to the super-popular and interactive Brooklyn Children's Museum as well as the lesser-known Jewish Children's Museum, which features an entire floor of games including an indoor mini-golf course. So while there may not be any traditional kiddie gyms in Crown Heights (yet—it's only a matter of time), there's certainly no shortage of places for kids to play and learn.

In addition to the aforementioned tot spots, there's the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum, which are both very kid-friendly and offer wonderful family programming year-round. Plus the historic Weeksville Heritage Center is about to debut its brand-new Education and Cultural Arts Building. We continue our month-long spotlight on Crown Heights with a look at everything these institutions have to offer families, including lots of opportunities for enriching drop-in fun.

5 Unique Mother's Day Brunch Ideas in NYC: More Than Just a Meal

Submitted by Sarah G on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 4:00pm

Mother's Day always feels like so much pressure. Where will you brunch? Will the kids like it? Will you ever be able to pay off the credit card bill? With Mother's Day fast approaching on Sunday, May 12, it's time for you (or your partner) to start planning (although what's the old adage? If you want something done right...).

Our NYC Kid-Friendly Restaurant Guide is filled with fantastic family restaurant recommendations in all five boroughs, including eateries with family entertainment. We even have two posts dedicated to traditional Mother's Day brunch options, both swanky spots and reader favorites. But if you're looking for a unique Mother's Day brunch experience, one that comes with more than just a meal, we have five offbeat ideas that include arts and culture, a cool waterfront foodie tour and fun at an iconic racetrack.

Take Kids on a Midtown International Food Crawl

Submitted by Sarah G on Tue, 04/09/2013 - 4:00pm

Our month-long focus on Midtown West continues with a look at some of the culturally diverse restaurants you'll find on Ninth Avenue. While we've covered other places to eat with kids in the neighborhood in the past—notably family-friendly eateries near hot spots Times Square and Rockefeller Center—a stroll down Ninth Avenue can feel like taking a trip around the world. Unlike other foodie strips that focus on a specific ethnicity (see Chinatown, the Bronx's Little Italy and Little Tokyo in the East Village), Ninth Avenue is filled with eclectic eateries—there's a reason it hosts NYC's annual International Food Festival every spring.

No children's menus or chicken fingers at these spots. Instead, Ninth Avenue is a great place to introduce your brood to delicacies from Thailand, Greece, Turkey, Brazil and others—way more options than we could ever list here. Our top picks are all casual and kid-friendly, and located on a 12-block strip. You could even grab takeout from a few of them and throw your own international family food fest in nearby Hell's Kitchen Park.

Forest Hills Family-Friendly Restaurants: 14 Places to Eat with Kids

Submitted by Sarah G on Sun, 03/10/2013 - 10:00am

We continue our month-long focus on Forest Hills with a look at our favorite places to eat with kids in the area. While the Queens neighborhood is filled with great restaurants, our picks all offer tasty food and a family-friendly atmosphere, plus a wide variety of cuisines that reflect the diversity of the community. Forest Hills also boasts a few classic NYC eateries, like old-fashioned soda fountain Eddie's Sweet Shop, famous thin-crust pizzeria Nick's Pizza and retro sweet shop Aigner Chocolates.

Family-Friendly Fort Greene Clinton Hill Restaurants: Where to Eat with Kids in Brooklyn

Submitted by Sarah G on Mon, 02/25/2013 - 4:00pm

Our month-long focus on Fort Greene Clinton Hill finishes up with a roundup of our favorite kid-friendly restaurants in the area. Whether you're looking to grab prepared dishes to bring to a simple picnic in Ft Greene Park, a great neighborhood joint where kids are welcome or a fancy family meal with options for picky eaters, the picturesque Brooklyn nabe has plenty of eateries to choose from, including some of my family's personal favorites. A few even host popular kids' events and activities.

Fort Greene Clinton Hill Kids' Classes and Drop-in Play Spaces

Submitted by Sarah G on Tue, 02/19/2013 - 4:00pm

We continue our month-long focus on adjoining Brooklyn neighborhoods Fort Greene and Clinton Hill with a look at our top spots for kids' classes and indoor play. One of the busiest and biggest romping spots in the area is the beautiful Ft Greene Park, which offers playgrounds, ball courts, and lots of open lawns, hills and a huge set of stairs to explore. But there are plenty of places for kids to play and get creative indoors, too.

True to the artistic spirit of the neighborhood, many programs are focused on movement, music and art, while the drop-in tot spots are great places for the younger set to work on their budding social and motor skills. There are also spots that accommodate the whole family with Mommy & Me sessions, play groups and all-ages swim times.

Places to Play in Tribeca for NYC Kids: Parks, Indoor Play Spaces and Kids' Gyms

Submitted by Sarah G on Wed, 01/23/2013 - 11:00am

<i>Pier 25 ofers a great playground, skate park and more.</i>

Tribeca may be a playground for adults with its upscale nightlife scene, but it's also a pretty awesome neighborhood for kids who want to run around, both indoors and out. We continue our month-long focus on Tribeca with a roundup of our favorite play spots for kids in the area. In addition to two great outdoor parks, we found a nice selection of indoor options, too, including drop-in spots, kiddie gyms and members-only play spaces.