Shari Simpson

Shari Simpson

Shari Simpson has Anna Fader and Mommy Poppins to thank for learning to appreciate her own state. Before she started editing Mommy Poppins NJ, Shari dragged her spawn into NYC for any type of "culture"; now she knows all the good stuff to be had in New Jersey and is not so fast to hop on that PATH train. In her other life, Shari is a comedic playwright ("Maybe Baby, It's You", Dramatic Publishing, Inc.), a humor blogger ("Earth Mother just means I'm dusty"), and a freelance writer. She is mother to four (two human, two pug) and resides in Hoboken, where she can be found jogging along the waterfront or dragging her Brownie troop of 30 crazy little girls around town.
You can also follow Shari on Google+.

Latest posts by Shari

Your NJ Weekend October 1-2: Octoberfest, Catoberfest, Other Fests and Lenape Indians, mostly FREE!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 09/29/2011 - 12:22pm

Welcome to fall, NJ Moms and Dads. Hopefully by this weekend we will be able to put away our shorts and tank tops and pull out our jackets. Or at least a long-sleeved shirt. Octoberfests abound (plus one Catoberfest), festivals are everywhere, and there’s even some Native American celebrations to round out the fun. Oh, and most of it is free. And “free” almost always equals fun, doesn’t it?

Your NJ Weekend September 17-18: Surfing Nuns, Clowns, Dinosaurs and Apples, mostly FREE!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 09/15/2011 - 9:26am

Yes, you read that right: surfing nuns. I know you're intrigued, so read on to find out about those ladies of the cloth and their saintly surfboards. If you'd prefer non-religious sports, try wending your way through the corn maze at Terhune Orchards on Apple Day. Or if you're looking for a good old fair, there are country fairs, folk fairs and a clown hoopla to choose from. And remember, the first official day of fall is next week, so enjoy your last weekend of summer!

"Bullying: Words Can Kill" on CBS News/48 Hours: Review

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Mon, 09/12/2011 - 10:49pm

I had the honor of being included in a preview and roundtable discussion of the CBS News/48 Hours special “Bullying: Words Can Kill” at CBS studios today. The special, to be broadcast Friday, September 16 at 8pm EST, bears its provocative title for a reason: the terrible statistic of more than 150 children in recent years having taken their own lives due to having been bullied. Despite this tragic number and the unsettling content of the show, the 48 Hours special is not gloom and doom—showcasing a Rhode Island middle school that has taken strong measures to address their bullying problem with a great deal of success.

Your NJ Weekend August 27-28: Fashion Shows, Flavor Fests, Kid Fondo, and Finding Clues, mostly FREE!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 08/25/2011 - 7:00am

Editor's Note 8/27: Check out the great Hurricane Irene post on our NYC site here-- has great links and stuff to do with kids while you're stuck in the house! Well, we can all make our fun weekend plans, but just know that there may be an extra visitor hangin’ with us—a little lady named Irene. We hear she has a rather stormy temperament, so let’s all be safe out there. And just in case the hurricane passes us by, there are lots of activities in NJ this weekend, from a 19th century fashion show to a jazz and blues festival to a kids’ bike parade. Have fun! (We hope).

Your NJ Weekend August 13-14: Ducky Derby, OMG! Tea Party, Peaches, and Inkalicious, mostly FREE!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Wed, 08/10/2011 - 10:40pm

Amazingly, it is the middle of August and there's only two weeks left of summer. Before you start crying into your mojito, remember that with September's cool breezes come... back to school for the small people. Which just might be cause to celebrate for some of us weary parents. Or maybe that's just me. In any case, there's plenty of fun stuff happening mid-August, like outdoor parties, fests, bug-eating, art, rubber ducks, surfing and so much more. Enjoy!

Weekend events in NJ July 23-24: More Fests! More Fests! Oh, and Fireflies, Baseball and Zoos too, Mostly FREE!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 7:05am

Had enough festivals yet? Of course you haven't! It's summer! Time for food on a stick and hot sweaty bouncehouses! There are fests in Hoboken, Middletown, Tenafly and the Shore this weekend, but if you don't feel like walking through ten thousand other people to get your Zeppole, you can also count fireflies for a scientific study, let your kid become a Junior Zookeeper, or watch a cool old-fashioned baseball game being played. We love summer, we really do. Food on a stick and all.

Weekend events July 9-10: FREE Fests, ‘Stocks, BBQ and Camp Muckalucka!

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Thu, 07/07/2011 - 8:15am

New Jersey is humming with summer activity this weekend, so choose your fest or ‘stock wisely. Do your festival tastes run more toward a giant sloppy barbecue contest or a much more dignified music and art offering? Are you up for Beachstock or Maplewoodstock? Or maybe you’d rather see T-Bone Stankus' hilarious one-man show or just eat ice cream all day. Choices, choices. That’s what summer is all about.

Best Summer Health and Safety Gear for Kids

Submitted by Shari Simpson on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 11:00am

It’s summer, and we all know what that means: barbecues, camp, parties, beaches—and sunburns, stings and sand in all your cracks.

To combat the season's little annoyances (bug bites) and major dangers (drowning), we've rounded up the best new health and safety products for your family. So have fun with abandon and leave your worry at home.