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Manhattan Munchies

Rosemary's: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, West Village, NY

October 15, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, West Village / 4 Comments

Freshly grown and picked fare is what you’ll get from Rosemary’s, an Italian restaurant with a rooftop farm in the heart of Greenwich Village. Created by Carlos Suarez, the owner of Bobo, Rosemary’s is named after Suarez’s mother and is inspired by both her home in Lucca (Tuscany) and the rich heritage of the restaurant’s Greenwich Village corner.

Walking into the restaurant I was struck by several things — the sheer size (it’s huge, even by non-NYC-standards!) the natural light (it’s a photographer’s dream), and the friendly hostess who made us feel welcome straight away with her kind words about Cheese, and with how discretely and obligingly she whisked our stroller away for us (STROLLER STORAGE!!).

Executive Chef Wade Moises serves seasonal Italian dishes that highlight the herbs and produce from the rooftop farm above the restaurant, as well as house-made pastas and a selection of focaccia — as an homage to the location’s predecessor, Sutter’s Bakery.

Not only was our offspring welcomed by the staff with big smiles, she was also handed a Lorax-themed coloring sheet, a children’s menu, and Crayola crayons (as opposed to the generic kind most restaurants offer, that don’t actually color when you try and use them). Fancy!

The food was delicious. Collectively, our table ordered the following: Salmone (smoked salmon on toasted focaccia, with mascarpone and lemon jam, $12), Orecchiette (broccoli rabe, homemade sausage, $14), Pollo Orosto (roasted half chicken, egg salad, asparagus, spring onion, spring onion, lemon, garlic crostino $20), Frittata (vegetables, herbs, stracchino cheese, $12), and the Caprese Focaccia (mozzarella, tomato, basil, $7) for Cheese. My frittata was a bit of a letdown — it was cold and not that remarkable.

I ended up carb-loading on the caprese focaccia instead. The focaccia was nice and salty and olive oily, the cheese was mild and light. Cheese wasn’t a fan, even though she usually loves all things bread — instead she ate a few Plum Organics baby food pouches (there’s no accounting for toddler taste). Side bar: Does anyone else’s toddler have a baby food pouch addiction?! It’s getting expensive and really frustrating over here . . . especially when we are going to the effort of trying to expose her to new tastes and cuisines.

Eating out with Cheese has been a hit-and-miss experience of late. The big question looming over every meal: Will she sit long enough for us to eat, or will we take turns entertaining her and eating? This meal we got lucky. Even though she didn’t want to eat the food, she loved coloring with the pack Rosemary’s provided, and, when that lost its appeal, there was always our best friend, the iPhone. Her current favourite thing to do is surf YouTube for Disney collector egg videos. Yes, it’s a thing. A very weird thing.

Upstairs is the rooftop garden. It’s great for little ones to climb up the stairs and run around in the sun while you’re waiting for your table or food. While the veggie patch is probably a hit with the older kids, Cheese is more into stairs (up, down, up down!) and trying to climb over the balcony edges. I’d like to say it was an educational experience, but in reality, it was more about trying to take super-cute pictures and preventing Cheese from injuring herself.

The metal chicken with flowers was a particular hit. “Bock bock bock!”.

Our meal wound to an end and we took Cheese for one last run in the garden before heading off to our next destination. As far as meals with a toddler go, it was pretty relaxing, thanks to the welcoming staff and easy-going atmosphere. We often feel harried after a whirlwind meal with Cyclone Cheese, but this dining experience was remarkably stress-free, and everyone, including the toddler who hates sitting down, left in a strangely cheery mood. I’d like to thank Rosemary’s for this happy dining experience.

Last bite: Rosemary’s delivers a delicious and relaxing dining experience featuring extremely fresh ingredients from their roof-top farm, and is great for parents looking for a hip eatery, without the snobby atmosphere.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Rosemary’s
18 Greenwich Ave (between Charles St & 10th St)
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 647-1818
Prices: $$$
Hours: Breakfast, weekdays from 8am-11:30am; Lunch, weekdays from noon-4:30pm; Brunch, weekends from 11:30am-4:30pm; Dinner, daily, 5pm – midnight

Top 5 Fave Organic Eateries In NYC

October 12, 2013 / East Village, Manhattan Munchies, Midtown, New York Food, SoHo, Upper East Side / 2 Comments

In a city as huge as NYC, it’s easy to find food to suit every dietary requirement. Delicious organic food is only a hop, skip and a Google away in most parts of the big city. As a major foodie (and vegetarian!) I’m all over restaurants and cafes where I can get fresh, locally-produced food to nourish my greens-craving body and introduce my toddler to healthy and delicious cuisine (Kale is delicious! Promise!).

Best dinner with friends: Angelica Kitchen (300 E 12th St, East Village, New York, NY)
Serving organic, plant-based food, Angelica is an East Village neighbourhood fave. They serve only top quality, organic fruits and vegetables (often served to diners less than 48 hours after being harvested). Note: Angelica Kitchen is vegan, and in addition to serving no meat, eggs, dairy or animal products, they also use no refined sugars or preservatives. Be sure to try their Southern Style Cornbread ($3.75), which Yelpers have written odes to. Gluten-intolerant diners are also well catered for at Angelica’s. No reservations, cash only. Bring kids on weekends – just be prepared to squish in, it’s tight quarters inside!

Best weekend lunch: Cafe Blossom
The Blossom empire includes Blossom in Chelsea, Cafe Blossom on the UWS and West Village; V-Note, an organic wine bar and vegan bistro; Blossom Bakery in Chelsea; and Blossom Du Jour, open in three locations (67th st, Chelsea and Midtown West). My personal favorite is Cafe Blossom in the West Village, where I like to go for special occasions like Mother’s Day or a date lunch with my husband. Their fresh ingredients come from local farms and small distribution companies, and every dish is free of animal products. My favorite dishes are the Salt and Pepper Garlic Fries ($6, they keep the toddler happy), Fried Cashew Cheese Dumplings ($11), and the Avocado BLT with smoked tofu, sunflower sprouts, mayo, cashew cheese on toasted whole grain bread ($13). As an added bonus, they’re super kid-friendly – kind staff help diners with families feel right at home.

Best working lunch: Sweetgreen (1164 Broadway)
This salad transplant from DC recently opened in the NoMad Hotel. It’s the hotspot for local business folks to hit up during their lunch break, so if you go during the week expect a long line (which moves pretty quickly). Sweetgreen is all about salads made with with local and organic ingredients. Choose a seasonal monthly special (September’s salad is organic arugula, shredded kale with local watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, organic mint, local feta, spicy sunflower seeds, champagne vinaigrette) or build-your-own (choose from bases like shredded kale or warm grains). With your kid? Go on a weekend to avoid the queues, and take your salad to nearby Madison Square park to let the kids run around while you enjoy your sweet Sweetgreen salad.

Best date night: Candle 79 (154 E 79th St)
The quiet, elegant atmosphere is perfect for a romantic date night. Diners enjoy vegan, seasonal and organic cuisine. Everything served is free of pesticides, chemicals, and hormones, and doesn’t include any genetically modified foods. Try the Live Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms ($24, with broccoli, cauliflower, corn, crunchy sprouts, cashew vegetable cheese, avocado sauce, pico de gallo) or the chef’s daily hand-cut pasta. Candle 79 is also a great place to take the family for a special early dinner out. The staff are friendly and accommodating to children.

Best food on-the-go: Whole Foods
As well as being a super-expensive supermarket that stocks produce and ingredients for every possible dietary requirement, Whole Foods also has an amazing selection of prepared foods and a salad bar to die for. All ingredients are natural or organic and as many as possible are locally grown. This means no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives or trans fats. I love to grab a salad from Whole Foods in the Time Warner building at Columbus Circle and take it to sit in Central Park for a delicious, reasonably-priced lunch. Whole Foods is an especially good respite when you’re out with kids. Great food and a casual dining area make for an easy, tasty place to eat, without the stress of going to a fancier restaurant.

Beauty & Essex: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Lower East Side, NY

September 24, 2013 / Lower East Side, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 3 Comments

Beauty & Essex is the type of restaurant you’d usually visit with a few friends for a champagne brunch — adult friends, I might add. I didn’t know this when friends suggested we go for brunch (a departure from my usual hyper-organized self).

We arrived to some confusion with our party of six adults and one energetic toddler for a Sunday brunch. We thought we’d reserved a table via Open Table, but it turned out the booking hadn’t gone through, and we were left table-less at peak brunch hour.

Even though they were fully booked, they quickly found a table for us and set up a high chair – not a squishy table out of the way, but a large, centrally placed table under a skylight, with plenty of room for our large party. Score. The stroller wasn’t an issue either – after we collapsed it, someone whisked it away and checked it with our other bags.

While the staff were setting up a table, I realized that we had a diaper “situation” that needed to be dealt with, and fast. Walking down stairs to the restroom, I was dreading what I might find there – picturing a tiny, dark bathroom (the kind you usually find at restaurants and bars on the Lower East Side) and wondering if I’d need to put my toddler, whose nickname is “Cheese”, on the dirty floor. Amazement doesn’t cover how I felt when I opened the door and saw a huge lounge room, with a giant chaise, perfect for our urgent needs.

Back at the table, our server introduced himself – and made a beeline for Cheese to say hello. While Cheese was a bit overwhelmed with the attention, our server was so welcoming to her that any doubts I had about bringing the only child under the age of 10 to this restaurant were immediately dissolved.

If you’ve never brunched at Beauty & Essex before, this is what you need to know: Brunch here is all about the shared experience. It’s really designed for groups to share a delicious meal together, and to enjoy the communal experience. The menu has lots of options to suit the fussiest of eaters, including the two vegetarians at the table, and a special gluten-free menu for another member of our party. Each plate is actually tiny, and arrives with enough small portions for everyone to have a taste. Some dishes you’ll need to order two of (the pancakes, for example, come in servings of three small pancakes. If you want a pancake each for a table of six, you’ll need to order two servings). Actually ordering the right amount of food requires a strategic approach, so designate one person to organise your group – and who can figure out the right amount of food for the table (two to three dishes per person) – more if you’re all big eaters.

The dishes come out in a special order — eggs first, followed by any other savoury dishes, and the sweet dishes last. They also have a dessert menu that looks amazing (but for which we had almost no more room in our bellies), so save room if you love the sweet stuff like I do.

We ordered the following dishes: Oven Baked Frittata (with grilled vegetables & goat cheese, $14), 3 Eggs & 1 Yolk (skillet baked, with grilled asparagus, roasted tomato, goat cheese, $14), Lemon Blackberry Pancakes (with sweet ricotta, $11), Vanilla Beignets (with raspberry jam, $8), Free Range Scrambled Eggs (with sweet roasted tomatoes & cheddar cheese, $11, with spicy merguez sausage +$3). The star dishes were the Free Range Scrambled Eggs, which were creamy, fluffy and flavorful, thanks to the roasted tomatoes; the Vanilla Beignets, which resembled tiny little donuts dusted in icing sugar, and the Lemon Blackberry Pancakes – light and fluffy, topped with a sweet ricotta, and with a surprise blackberry compote underneath the pancake.

We ordered a few sides as well: Skillet Roasted Potatoes (with roasted peppers, herb sea salt), Salt & Vinegar Fries, Roasted Sweet Corn (with avocado, lime, manchego), Lobster & Chorizo Hash (with peruvian potatoes, cilantro butter) and the Mac & Cheese (with pancetta, tomato, sicilian-style bread crumbs). The favorites among the sides included the Roasted Sweet Corn, with its perfect combination of sweet and tanginess, and the Skillet Roasted Potatoes, which has a great punch via the roasted peppers sprinkled over the outsides while they were baking.

This may seem like an insane amount of food, and at first we thought we had over ordered when we kept seeing dish after dish appear on the table. We devoured every dish, however, and each diner reported feeling perfectly satiated rather than overstuffed. The perfect brunch had been achieved.

What was our toddler doing, you may ask, during this parade of dishes? Cheese was on her best behaviour (lucky for us!) and was amused by new Elmo stickers, iPhone apps (her favorites are “Endless Alphabet” and “Beck and Bo”), the food (she inhaled my portion of scrambled eggs and loved the fries) and our obliging server, who repeatedly checked back in with us, not just to see how we were doing, but to specifically ask our toddler how SHE was doing.

The last happy surprise for the day was when the bill arrived. The menu had sounded expensive when we browsed it initially, but the total per person (including a cocktail for five of the six adults), was $33 each before tip. You really can’t do better than a restaurant that’s incredibly stylish, that serves decadent cuisine, that is welcoming to people of all ages, AND doesn’t put a huge dent in your weekly budget. Beauty & Essex — we will be back for more (especially more of those Vanilla Beignets!)

Last Bite: For a brunch venue that will please discerning adults and toddlers alike, Beauty & Essex delivers fine food for sharing fun.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes, but bring a stroller that folds. Our stroller was “checked” and whisked away somewhere magical.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No, but there’s a large lounge in the women’s restroom area that is perfect for changing babies if you need it.
Kids’ menu: No.

Beauty & Essex
146 Essex St
New York, NY
Prices: $$
Phone: (212) 614-0146
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-1am, Sat-Sun 11:30am-1am
Reservations: opentable.com

Freemans: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Lower East Side, New York

September 17, 2013 / Lower East Side, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

On an unexpectedly rainy day, I did something I NEVER do — I let my friends (without kids) choose a restaurant for brunch. My only prerequisite was that they have vegetarian options and that it was below Union Square so I didn’t have to travel much. Their selection was Freemans, a restaurant they discovered not long after they moved into the Lower East Side a few years back, and that they love so much that it has become their go-to place for a reliable, delicious (and somewhat hipster) brunch.

Sign number one that the restaurant you’re going to is probably hipper than you are — it’s hidden at the back of an alley, and the only sign of it is a chalkboard at the end of the alley way to guide you.

Down the alley way … would we really find brunch??

As promised, a super-stealthy (and adorable) entry awaited us — with the air of a secret club that you have to be invited into (wait — am I cool enough for this??? I HAVE A TODDLER).

Our friends made the reservation for our party of six adults and one cheesy toddler. I was travelling solo while I waited for Alec to arrive with Cheese after her nap, so my friends and I sat at the bar watching the bearded bartender in flannelette light drinks on fire (they don’t seat you until your entire party has arrived).

This was one of those restaurants that I walked into and immediately thought that it was NOT going to be the best choice for our family. I was happy to be mistaken. The creepy taxidermy on the walls actually entertained Cheese (“DUCK!!” “QUACK QUACK!”). Thankfully even LES hipsters are entertained by a cute, well-behaved toddler.

You could call the space “cozy”. There’s enough room to move and there are plenty of tables, but the layout is twisty and turny — little rooms lead into more little rooms with multiple bars. There’s an air of it being an exclusive party.

When Alec and Cheese arrived, we were sat immediately at our table, with a high chair. Menus and water arrived quickly, and after we ordered, the food was also fast to arrive. LOVE when that happens. Let’s move it along so we can GET THE TODDLER OUTTA HERE.

We ordered a few dishes, including the Poached Eggs with Roasted Tomato (with cheddar cheese grits & buttered toast, $12). The eggs were cooked to perfection, delicious tomato and toast, but not a huge fan of grits in general … must be because we’re Australian? I had to ask what grits were.

I ordered the Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes (with whipped cream, $12). The pancakes were a delicious surprise — light and fluffy, with a lot of juicy blueberries cooked into the bottoms of the pancakes.

Alec ordered the Open Faced Egg White Omelet (with charred zucchini, cherry tomatoes, basil and mixed greens, $13). It was delicious and had a very attractive presentation — but it wasn’t very filling. We also ordered the Hot Artichoke Dip with Crisp Bread, $11, for the table to share (it was devoured in minutes — highly recommend), and a side of fries for Cheese to eat and play with.

I balanced Cheese on my lap while we ate — she highly enjoyed dipping fries into tomato ketchup, and THEN into my pancakes. Yum? It was pretty noisy inside and the loud environment made her a little anxious, hence my lap and NOT the highchair being used.

Outside it was wet and dreary. It was much more fun inside our secret, cozy tavern.

Last bite: Nothing special for kids, but fast service and reliable reservations make this a great choice for a kid-friendly brunch that will impress your trendy friends.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes but minimal. Bring the umbrella stroller.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Freemans
Off Freeman Alley
191 Chrystie St,
New York
Phone: (212) 420 0012
Prices: $$$
Hours: Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am – 4pm, Brunch Sat, Sun & holidays 10am-4pm, cocktails & bar menu daily 4pm-6pm, dinner daily 6pm-11:30pm
Reservations recommended, but they also take walk ins. You can order the full menu while seated at the bar.
Book a table via opentable.com

Butcher's Daughter: Kid-Friendly Cafes Nolita, New York

September 10, 2013 / New York Food, Nolita / 0 comment

Being vegetarian, I was super excited to try out The Butcher’s Daughter, a new juice bar, cafe and “vegetable slaughter house”. The cafe treats fruits and vegetables as a butcher would meat: They chop, fillet and carve fresh produce into heathy vegetarian dishes as well as press them into pretty juices. The menu changes daily to reflect seasonal fruits and vegetables, and is 100% vegetarian and non-dairy. Most of the items on the menu items are vegan and gluten-free, and they are happy to prepare substitutions for most dietary restrictions (yay! Fussy eaters + special dietary folks rejoice!).

We arrived at peak brunch hour — 1pm on a Sunday. There were a few free tables and we were seated straight away at the communal table. The interior is pretty small (seating 35 people max). During the warmer months they can fit an additional 30 people outside.

While we were seated quickly, we had to wait a while for our server to realise that we needed menus, and again a while longer to be served water. Our server helpfully offered to give Cheese a smaller paper cup out of which to drink, but of course Cheese only wanted Mommy and Daddy’s huge metal cups (but it was a really nice thought).

Alec’s standard favourite brunch dish is eggs Benedict. He ordered The Butcher’s Daughter equivalent — the Smashed Avocado Benedict (two poached eggs, curried hollandaise, ripe avocado smashed with curry, mustard seed and lime, on a whole-grain English muffin, served with roasted potato hash, $15). Alec’s comments: “The bread was quite solid and dense, which balanced the light eggs and hollandaise sauce. The potatoes were quite lightly spiced too. Really tasty. The only odd note was the watermelon, but I didn’t mind it.”

I ordered the Egg Sandwich Platter (folded eggs, carrot cashew cheese, kale, tomato jam on toasted 7-grain served with roasted potato hash, $14). I was in absolute heaven. The eggs and carrot cashew cheese were creamy and flavoursome — but the big hit was the sweet and spicy tomato jam. It really gave a punch to the sandwich and elevated it to one of my top brekkie sandwiches (my other fave is from local Brooklyn cafe Ted & Honey).

Cheese was being a fussy bugger and only picked at a few things from our plates. We tried bribing her to sit still with the phone, but it only gave us enough time to scarf down our food at an indigestion-inducing rate, and to high-tail it out before we embarrassed ourselves in this super-hip joint.

Despite the high prices and slow service, The Butcher’s Daughter is my kinda place. There are a lot of vegan joints, but few (if any?) that are dedicated vegetarian, where you can still get things like eggs, honey and yogurt on the menu (you can have these items substituted for things like tofu eggs if you’re vegan). All the food is foraged from farms in upstate New York and Connecticut by Michael Geller of Mike’s Organics.

The Butcher’s Daughter also specialises in freshly-made juices and smoothies, plus a juice cleanse of varying levels that you can try (juice and raw food, juice and a bit of raw food, or just juice).

It’s worth noting that while this cafe is small, there is some room for the odd full-size stroller, especially near the bar area on the left side of the cafe. Your best bet is to bring an umbrella stroller or carrier.

Last Bite: A vegetarian and juice-lover’s heaven. Be prepared for a long wait and steep prices, but once your food comes out you won’t regret it. Kids are welcome although not catered to. Start your baby’s hipster training right here!

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Very little.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

The Butcher’s Daughter
19 Kenmare St
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 2193434
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun-Thur 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-11pm

Brunch Survival Guide: Governors Island Day Trip

August 27, 2013 / Animal Experiences, Brunch Survival Guides, Governor's Island, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Outdoor Play / 0 comment

Desperate to get away from the cement landscape that is Manhattan? Us too, especially on days when the heat radiates from the ground up. One of our favourite easy escapes is an afternoon trip to Governors Island. The 172-acre island is just off the southern tip of Manhattan, near Brooklyn. Governors Island was used as a military base for almost two centuries, before 150 acres were sold to the people of New York in 2003. (The remaining 22 acres of the Island was declared the Governors Island National Monument that is overseen by the National Park Service.)

Each year, Governors Island opens every Memorial Day weekend through to the end of September, and is chock full of fun events all summer long. With a young toddler, our choices are a bit limited —so this year the best bets for us were the FIGMENT interactive installations (including the treehouse pictured, above) and a mini-golf course (open summer-long, at the Parade Grounds) the Fête Paradiso and Compost Outpost. Older kids will love the Children’s Museum of the Arts Free Art Island Outpost Program, which is open all season from 11am to 3pm, at Nolan Park. Kids can enjoy hands-on workshops including painting, sound design, sculpture, animation and podcasting.

As well as enjoying the seasonal events offered, it’s also really nice to simply take a walk around the island. I love this walkway (above) through the middle of the park, with the towering trees on both sides, and the empty buildings that once housed military personal (which can sometimes make you feel like you’re in a ghost town). On a quiet day, it’s an eerie vibe. You can walk or bike (BYO bike or hire one when you get there) around the entire island, to take in an amazing view of the Statue of Liberty and southern tip of Manhattan.

The hot event to visit this summer has been Fête Paradiso, a traveling festival of vintage carnival rides and carousels, making its American debut. The collection includes attractions from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such as carousels, flying swings and a pipe organ. Not only is it cool seeing rare, museum-quality items in a setting as beautiful as the island, you can also ride most of the vintage attractions. Insider tip: The rides are a bit on the pricey side, particularly if you’re going with a toddler. If you’re riding with your kid, it will cost you each a ticket, even if you’re just holding your kid while they’re riding the carousel. The best value is a buying in bulk.

There are a lot of rides, mostly suited to adults and older kids due to lack of modern safety features. The best rides for small kids are the carousels.

A carousel with cars was the favourite among the junior set (vroom vroom!). The only problem? No seat belts to strap the kids in, so the merry-go-round presents a couple of challenges — a moving platform, plus a moving toddler ON the platform who wants to buzz from car to car to car. TOO MANY CHOICES FOR TODDLER BRAINS!

This miniature VW van was dubbed “the party bus” by the parents watching the chaos unfold, as all the kids scrambled to squeeze inside and take the wheel at once.

For a change of pace, calm everyone down at Earth Matter’s Compost Outpost (open all season, 10am-5pm, South Battery). Kids can get up close to chickens, goats, rabbits and worms, all of whom spend their days eating compost, care of Governor’s Island visitors. Older kids can learn about compost first-hand, by taking part in the daily composting.

Eating On The Island
When it comes to food, you have a few expensive choices. Fête Paradiso features an eatery inside a pavilion designed in 1900 for bumper cars. Food is available in a tent, catered by French eatery Le Gamin. You’ll be able to try some traditional bistro fare like Steak Frites ($15), Croque Monsieur ($8) Salade Nicoise ($8) and sweet crepes with Nutella, lemon sugar or jam ($5). Kid-friendly options include hamburgers ($8) and Rotisserie Chicken ($10). Adults can enjoy spirits and wine from the Languedoc region of France. There is also the King Island Food Court, featuring a variety of vendors and cuisines, and picnic tables at which to sit. For a really relaxing day, bring a packed picnic and blanket.

Tips to Know Before You Go:

There’s no drinkable water on the island (so no drinking fountains). You can buy water from island vendors and vending machines, but we’d advise bringing plenty of your own. Water bottles can be re-filled in the Governors Island Ferry Waiting Room at the Battery Maritime Building.
The only indoor bathrooms are located on the upper and lower level of Building 110, adjacent to the ferry landing. There are plenty of port-a-loos placed around the island if you can’t hold on to find these bathrooms.

Governors Island
Open every Sat, Sun and holiday Monday from 10am-7pm through to September 29. To get there, catch the East River ferry from Manhattan (from Wall St/Pier 11 ($4) or the free ferry from the Battery Maritime Building) or the free Brooklyn ferry from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6. Check out the ferry schedules before you go, and be prepared for a long line if you’re heading across from Brooklyn.

Popbar: Kid-Friendly Desserts, West Village, New York

August 26, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, West Village / 0 comment

One super hot day wandering through the West Village, my family and I stumbled into Popbar in a heat-induced daze. Desperate for something cool, I ordered my first hand-crafted gelato on a stick (mango!) and there it was: A delicious, cooling treat that took me right back to the summers of childhood, riding my bicycle around the neighbourhood and getting sticky hands from eating popsicles.

Popbar produces small batches of their pops (only 26 are made at a time), using natural and fresh ingredients. “The strawberries taste like strawberries, the snozberries taste like snozeberries!”.

Order your custom-made treat at the counter. First, choose your base flavor: PopGelato, PopSorbetto or YogurtPop. Then, either eat it as-is, or have it dipped in dark, milk or white chocolate. The last step is toppings – you can choose from a variety extras like crushed nuts, sprinkles and waffle cone to have your pop dipped in for the finishing touch.

The inside seating is limited to bar stools at the counter, so we usually sit on the bench outside, or walk across the street to the park and sit next to the fountain.

My favourite flavor is peach with milk chocolate and crushed waffle cone. Alec’s is strawberry with dark chocolate. A custom pop isn’t cheap. A basic pop starts at $4.50. Add 50c for dipping in chocolate and 50c for additional toppings. It’s worth it though – every bite is a taste of sweet, decadent heaven.

Last bite: A fast, sweet, customizable treat that will please the pickiest snackers in every family.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Popbar
5 Carmine St,
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 255 4874
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-11pm Sat-Sun 12pm-1am

Emack and Bolio's: Kid-Friendly Ice Creamery, UES, New York

August 20, 2013 / New York Food, Upper East Side / 0 comment

I’ve been known to walk a long way for ice cream. Such as this day, when I walked from the west side of Central Park, at 95th street, to 1st avenue and 82nd street just to check out Emack and Bolio’s and satisfy my ice cream craving. (Tip: I actually advise doing this as then your ice cream is totally guilt-free.)
This ice cream chain out of Boston specialises in wacky flavors, and are the originators of the “flavored cone” (think waffle cone covered in Fruit Loops, Fruit Pebbles or Oreos). I’m a huge fan of ice cream with big chunks of goodies in it, which is why, after reading a review describing them as similar to my long-time love Ben & Jerry’s, I badly wanted to check them out.

The flavors (they boast 100 per year) are indeed wacky. Flavors on the menu include “Caramel Moose Prints” (I’m guessing caramel … and moose?) and “Cosmic Crunch” (vanilla with caramel, choc chips, nuts, toffee, cookies pieces).

The staff were super friendly and happy to hand out as many samples as I wanted to try. I sampled “Purple Cow” (black raspberry with white and dark choc chips). It was delicious, but I was in the mood for something a bit more chocolatey, so I settled on “Serious Chocolate Addiction” (chocolate with chocolate chips and fudge chunks — single scoop, $4.25). I was told that these are two of their most popular flavors, and I can certainly see why. The chocolate ice cream had lots of big chunks of other chocolate goodies, swirled in a rich, delicious ice cream base.

We sat on stools and people-watched while we enjoyed our ice creams. Note: there are only bar stools at the window to sit on. No chairs and tables indoors. You can, however, sit outside on the bench with your stroller parked in front of you.

Last bite: A fun place to stop for some seriously funky ice cream. Delicious treats for adults and kids alike.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Emack and Bolio’s
1564 1st Ave
New York, NY 10028
Phone: (212) 734-0105
Prices $
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-10pm Sun 12pm-11pm

Children's Museum of Manhattan + Cafe Lalo: Kid-Friendly Activities, UWS, NY

August 15, 2013 / Cheese, Eat & Explore, Manhattan Munchies, Museums & Galleries, New York Food, Upper West Side / 2 Comments

On a stupidly hot day, we were dying for an indoor space with super strong air-conditioning, where Cheese could also run around. We caught the A/C train straight up to 81st street to check out the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM).

The CMOM is a five-story paradise for kids. Each floor contains either permanent or special exhibits, which are highly interactive, and suitable for children of all ages— from birth on up. Cheese, at 22 months, particularly loved the “PlayWorks” exhibit, featuring a fire truck, MTA bus and a giant talking dragon who “eats” letters.

Children's Museum of Manhattan - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Riding atop the letter-eating dragon.

Other exhibits of note included an outdoor water play area in summer, a mural wall for kids to play on, a sand pit, a soft play area for babies and a Dora The Explorer rainforest world (with a jungle canopy and play exotic animal exhibits for kids to discover).

We went on the 4th of July holiday and it was not overly busy, which you’d expect on a public holiday (maybe everyone was out barbecuing?). You’ll need to check your stroller at the entrance, so bring a carrier for kids who aren’t strong walkers. Also, there are easy-to-access bathrooms with change tables available.

After working up an appetite we ducked into Cafe Lalo across the street (which is worth a visit on its own any day!) for a snack.

Cafe Lalo - kid-friendly cafes, NY, via brunchwithmybaby.com — “Lalo’s Special”: frozen yogurt with fresh berries and an apple turnover.

Since it was so hot, we each ordered the “Lalo’s Special” ($11.50). It’s a bowl of frozen yogurt with your choice of berries, fruit or nuts, and a fresh-baked breakfast pastry of your choice. We both ordered ours with the berries and went with an apple danish and cranberry scone since they were only two remaining pastries. As always, the yogurt was perfect, with the fresh mixed berries giving sweet zings of flavour to the tart yogurt. While the pastries weren’t our first choices (I’d usually go for a pain au chocolat, and Alec a plain crossant), they were delicious. The apple danish was flaky with big chunks of apple, and the cranberry scone was densely packed with sweet bursts of cranberry.

We let Cheese share our dishes—she loved the yogurt and berries most of all.

Cafe Lalo is actually known for two things—desserts (they have over 100 whole cakes, pies and tarts available), and for a famous scene in the movie “You’ve Got Mail“, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. As such, it’s always packed, either with lovers of sweets like myself, or busloads of tourists—who showed up at just the same time we did that day. The tourists mostly stayed in the front of the cafe to order a dessert to go, so it wasn’t as obtrusive as you’d expect.

The interior—with its walls covered in Toulouse Lautrec-esque prints—is charmingly Parisian. If you block out the decidedly non-European voices around you, it’s easy to imagine you’re in a cafe in Paris.

Taking children to Cafe Lalo is a mixed bag. They’re not especially set up for kids, so come prepared for your visit —you’ll need to leave the stroller outside, and be sure to speak up and ask for anything you need for your child.

Last bite: Drop by for a snack or dessert for a touch of Paris on the UWS. Kids are welcome—order them a pastry or share a “Lalo’s Special” for a fun afternoon (or morning) treat.

Stroller storage: You can’t bring your stroller inside, but they’ll store it for you somewhere mysterious under the restaurant.
Easy access: No. Quite a few steps.
Change tables: No. The bathrooms are pretty small.
Kids’ menu: No, but there’s so much to choose from, from bagels and muffins to steamed eggs or homemade waffles.

Cafe Lalo
201 West 83rd St. (between Amsterdam Ave. & Broadway)
New York, NY 10024
Phone: (212) 496-6031
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Thur 8am-2am; Fri 8am-4am; Sat 9am-4am Sun 9am-2am. Holidays until 4am.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan
212 W. 83rd St (between Amsterdam Ave. & Broadway)
New York, NY 10024
Phone: (212) 721-1234
Hours: Sun-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 10am-7pm. Closed Mondays.

Vive la Crepe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, SoHo, New York

August 13, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, SoHo / 0 comment

Now that Cheese is always on the go and eating out is getting harder, we love to stop by Vive la Crêpe whenever we pass through SoHo. Sometimes we grab a crêpe to go, and sometimes we sit and eat if it’s not busy. Vive la Crepe satisfies all of our needs during this period of our toddler’s life—quick service and tasty food we can easily eat while chasing a dizzyingly fast kid.

Vive La Crepe - kid-friendly cafes, SoHo, New York — Cooking station.

I always order the same savoury crêpe—the Number 3 (Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil, $9). It’s huge, but not massively filling—the perfect meal for when you’re kinda hungry, but not in the mood to eat a heavy meal. The mozzarella is fresh and the batter is just sweet enough without being overly sweet and taking over the other flavours.

What’s great about a crêpe is that you can eat it with just one hand—either while seated (the luxury!) or while chasing a toddler who looks similar to the disheveled monkey below.

On this most recent visit we asked if they could make something for our toddler that was small enough for her to hold and eat by herself (since toddlers are all about being independent). They obliged by making Cheese her own complimentary plain pancake out of the crepe batter.

Cheese loved having her own crepe/pancake to hold and to chew on.

Last bite: As always, Vive la Crêpe is a fantastic place to grab quality food if you’re in a hurry and want to eat one-handed, or if you’re in need of a casual, light lunch while out with your kids.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No. There is a small space next to the counter where you can fold a stroller, or if it’s pretty empty inside you can park the stroller next to your table.
Easy access: Yes. One step to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No. But they do take special requests.

Vive La Crepe
51 Spring St. (between Mulberry St. & Lafayette St.)
New York, NY 10012
Price: $
Phone: (646) 484 6897
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-12am, Sun 9am-12am

Get directions.