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New York Food

Representing Your 'Hood: The Brooklyn Block Scarves

December 6, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Fashion, New York, New York Food, News, Product Reviews / 0 comment

One of the crappiest things about crappy weather is having to do all your usual toting around of your kid, but now with tons more layers and accessories. The one bright spot? Winter layers that have style and street cred, like these scarves from The Brooklyn Block.

The Brooklyn Block folks have created a line of scarves that represent different neighborhoods in Brooklyn, like DUMBO, Red Hook and Clinton Hill. The process is something to geek-out about: First, they take videos of the various locations across Brooklyn, then they process them into code to generate specific patterns. The generated pattern is then printed on a scarf, reflecting the colors, layers and textures of that particular neighborhood.

Since we’re full of Brooklyn pride, Alexis and I were eager to take these scarves out into our own ‘hoods; Alexis in DUMBO, and me in Clinton Hill.

Each scarf is its own little work of art. Notice how beautifully each scarf picks up the colors of the specific Brooklyn neighborhood it represents. In DUMBO, Alexis’s scarf picked up the mellow shades of blue and grey of a late winter afternoon. And in Clinton Hill, Christine’s scarf played off of the subtle purples of the brownstones, and the grays from the wrought iron railings on the stoops.

The Brooklyn Block scarves are currently available online. Current blocks you can wear are Clinton Hill/Fort Greene, Red Hook, DUMBO and Dekalb Market. No news yet on if Park Slope will make the cut.

Superheroes, Princess & Holiday Spirit: The Cute Outfit Gift Guide From Picnic

December 5, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Fashion, Guest Brunchers, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

Find the perfect gift for kids who love to dress up, rock out and get into the holiday spirit, thanks to Lindsey Engler, owner of Picnic, in Cobble Hill. Picnic is a Brooklyn parent’s go-to store for hip, playful, children’s clothing and accessory (they even have a little picnic table for the little ones to hang out on and where they can watch cartoons while you shop).

Picnic prides itself on outfitting kids for everyday adventures. See below for the Picnic gift guide to a little something for every kid on your Christmas list, from the superhero, to the kid with Brooklyn pride, and even the kid who is crazy for Christmas.

1. Fore!! Axel & Hudson, $30
2. Rowdy Sprout, $40
3. Babiators, $22

1. My Subway Ride, Gibbs Smith Publisher, $15.99
2. I’m So Brooklyn, $22
3. The ABCs of Brooklyn, Lynas Press, $16.95
4. Brooklyn Owl Hair Clip, $12
5. Tattly MTA Tattoos, $15

1. Jellycat, Dylan the Dragon, $32
2. Fluf, Lunch Bag, $22
3. Siaomimi, $22
4. Seedling, Make your own Superhero Cape Kit, $42

1. I Love Gorgeous, $124
2. Piggy Paint, $5
3. Wee One, $7
4. Pink Chicken, $92

1. Skylar Luna, $39
2. Giddy Giddy, Hair Clip, $8
3. Piggy Paint, Sometimes Sweet, $9
4. Seedling, Make Your Own Snow Globe, $30
5. Piggy Paint, Eat Your Peace, $9

What does the holiday season hold for Picnic?
Picnic is hosting its first ‘Decorate and Donate’ art project which it began in early November and runs through December 24^th. Children who visit the store are invited to sit down at the picnic table and decorate a cardstock mitten with stickers, crayons and gems. For each mitten a child decorates, Picnic will donate $1 to the Make A Wish foundation. Picnic also has the mittens hanging in the store for everyone to see! The kids are so proud that they are helping other children – and they love seeing their artwork on display!

Inspired by lazy afternoons in the park and hanging upside down on the monkey bars, Picnic is the brainchild of owner Lindsey Engler. Lindsey, a new mom and Brooklyn resident, had always wanted to open a small, neighborhood boutique and, after many years of work in Manhattan’s garment district, she decided to make the move shortly after the birth of her daughter.

Picnic
192 Amity St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Grinches and Goat Cheese Tarts: Children's Museum of Manhattan + Cafe Lalo, Kid-Friendly New York

December 3, 2013 / Cheese, New York Food / 1 Comment

We often repeated this dually awesome combination of play for kids and great food for everyone during super hot summer days. Now it’s the opposite problem. Hail, sleet, cold rain, and snow! Visiting the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and Cafe Lalo is still one of our best indoor bets, with some pleasant updates.

Cafe Lalo does desserts extremely well. It’s what they’re famous for, and the reason we usually visit. Our go-to item in the summer is the Lalo Special (frozen yogurt and berries, $11.50). Now that the weather has cooled waaaaay down, we’ve branched into the more savory items on their menu. One of the really fun things about Cafe Lalo is that they feature dishes from all over the world. This visit, we tried the Baked Salmon Salad ($14), Fresh Mixed Seasonal Berries ($7), Goat Cheese Quiche (served with Mediterranean Salad, $11), and the French Fries ($7). The dishes were solid. Not extraordinary but really good, warming dishes, perfect for lunch before playing with a toddler. The quiche had big chunks of tart goat’s cheese, with a flaky crust. The salad had great seasoning and super-juicy tomatoes. Cheese picked at the French fries and berries — both of which were absolutely delicious, by the way. Ripe berries, even though it was off-season.

I have to say, the desserts are still the winning dishes at Cafe Lalo — we dropped by again after playing at the Children’s Museum and took home some cheesecake. Hey, we had a big workout, okay?

We covered the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMoM) pretty thoroughly in our previous post. The CMoM has a new exhibition open for the holiday season that’s worth checking out — The Grinch’s Holiday Workshop. This exhibit is suitable for all ages, and runs through till December 31, 2013. Inspired by Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, kids can step straight into the pages of this Seussian classic holiday tale. The walls of the room are wrapped in scenes from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which is fun to see for adults and kids alike, who have grown up loving Dr Seuss.

In The Grinch’s Holiday Workshop, kids can try “sock skating” on the indoor rink (including playing games of “freeze” with CMOM staffers); pretend to steer Max, the Grinch’s “Rein-Dog” on an interactive sleigh; make Dr Seuss-themed crafts and join in on story time to hear How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and other classic books by Dr. Seuss. Check out the CMOM calendar for daily events.

The most fun for us was the “sock skating”, which was really more like slippery dancing. CMOM staffers make sure that not too many kids get on the “ice” at a time, so it’s a safe activity for the smallest of toddlers.

High Chairs: No
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)
Upper West Side, New York
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.

The Ultimate Gift Guide For Foodies Of All Ages, Thanks To Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

December 2, 2013 / New York Food, Product Reviews / 0 comment

Looking for a gift for the foodie in your house? Our friend Ann Cantrell of Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store in Brooklyn has rounded up the absolute ULTIMATE in foodie gifts for all ages, even babies.

Foodie Gifts For Dad
1. Mason Shaker: $34

2. Shake (Cocktail Book from Mason Shaker): $25
3. Tool Kit: $28

4. Brooklyn Slate Cutting Board: small 7″x12″ $26 or large 10″x14″ $30

5. Cheese Knives: $15

6. Brooklyn Brew Beer Making Kit: $40

Foodie Gifts For Mom
1. Edible Brooklyn: $18.95
2. Produce Bags: $11.50
3. Edible Food Wheel: $7.50
4. Easy as Pie Tea Towel: $25
5. Falcon Pie Set: $75

Foodie Gifts For Older Kids
1. I Cookie Cutter: $16

2. DIY Stamp Tea Towel: $32

3. Feed the World Cookie Cutter: $20

4. Frrrozen Hot Chocolate: $6

Foodie Gifts For Toddler

Kids Butcher Apron Butcher Apron: $45

Build your Own Epic Burrito: $22

Safari Cookie Cutter: $13

Foodie Gifts For Baby
Wooden Animal Face Plates (1. Rabbit or 2. Monkey): $18

The Foodie Gift For Everyone
Cheese Socks: $12

If you’re in Brooklyn, drop by the storefront in Park Slope (be warned, you won’t be able to leave empty handed!

Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store
232 5th Ave (Between President and Carroll),
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone:(718) 522 9848

Ann Cantrell - Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store — Ann Cantrell, owner of Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store.

Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store : a modern general store for a well lived life. We have something for everyone on your list!

Your Latest Squeeze: aden + anais musy mate Giveaway

November 27, 2013 / Giveaways, New York Food, Product Reviews / 28 Comments

It was a spin out moment when I realised that most of my friends are having second babies this year! Really? Already? I feel like I just emerged from the trenches. Or on second thought, I’m still in them.

I recently visited this five-week-old snuggly boy, who has a new best friend to help him cope with the tough life of a newborn — an aden + anais jungle jam musy mate lovey.

The musy mate collection from aden + anais features lovies made from cotton muslin, just like the swaddles I used two years ago, and LOVED when Cheese was a tiny baby. I wish they’d been around then! I would have felt much more comfortable with her snuggling up to one of these than with the other lovies we considered, and eventually passed on. Other lovies on the market tend to be made out of non-breathable materials. But since these are made with breathable muslin, you can rest a little easier when placing them beside your newborn, or when buying them as a baby shower gift.

Since there are no sewn-on eyes on musy mates, they are fine to be left with a little one while they’re awake. However, aden + anais recommend removing all stuffed animals/loose blankets from the crib before your baby falls asleep.

Musy mates are not only super soft and cuddly, they’re also machine washable just like the swaddle blankets (yay!), so no need to worry about getting spit up all over them.

GIVEAWAY
aden + anais is giving Brunch With My Baby readers the chance to win their own musy mate to cuddle or to gift, valued at $24.95. (Adorable baby not included.)

Giveaway is open Wed November 27 to 11:59pm Tues Dec 10 2013 EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entry open to US mailing addresses only.

Brunch With My Baby was given a product sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions are our own.

Four Thanksgiving Treats That Aren't Pie

November 25, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

Stand out at your Thanksgiving gathering (and fight off the hordes of hungry masses) by bringing a dessert that’s not a pie. You might want to buy extra — these Thanksgiving treats are so delicious they may not make it all the way to your party.

Georgetown cupcakes
The cupcake masters always have something special for the holidays. Order these babies online or stroll in and grab one for an afternoon (or morning!) snack. The Thanksgiving dozen includes three Pumpkin Spice cupcakes, three Caramel Apple cupcakes, three Chocolate Hazelnut cupcakes, and and Maple cupcakes. $29 a dozen or $2.75 each.
Georgetown Cupcakes: 111 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince) New York

Jacques Torres
It’s always the right time of year for chocolate! Move over, Easter Bunny, because you can now get a chocolate Thanksgiving turkey from Jacques Torres, in various sizes from the Giant Turkey (a five pound beast made from dark or milk chocolate and hand decorated with feather accents,$98), to the Small Turkey (molded in milk or dark chocolate, $4 each). Searching for an even more unique gift for your host? Try the Turkey Puzzle, made from milk and dark chocolate ($8.50).
Jacques Torres: various locations

Betty Bakery
Drop by this Brooklyn bakery to pick up hand iced and decorated cookies in the shape of turkeys, owls and pumpkins ($5.25 each). They also have Thanksgiving-themed cupcakes decorated with autumn leaf sprinkles ($2.95 each), and assorted small cookies in flavors and shapes like chocolate-almond leaves ($21/pound).
Betty Bakery: 448 Atlantic Ave (between Bond St and Nevins St), Boerum Hill

Treat House
Inspired by a charitable school bake sale, Treat House is a gourmet rice crispie emporium. Their Thanksgiving flavors are Pumpkin Spice, Maple Pecan, Caramel Sea Salt and Cranberry Orange ($2.25 per treat; $24 for 12 pack). And you can feel good about yourself while you’re chomping down on your treat: ten cents of every treat purchased is donated to the Food Bank for New York City.
Treat House: 452 Amsterdam Ave, New York

Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble gobble (all that chocolate)!!!

These Boots Are Made For Running: The High Line With Stride Rite + Giveaway

November 20, 2013 / Cheese, Chelsea, Giveaways, New York Food, Product Reviews / 28 Comments

Cheese is one active kid. She loves to run, jump and climb, and her favourite thing in the world is a playground. Because she’s so active, I’m really picky when it comes to choosing her shoes. I tend to go for practical first, and then style, because I want quality shoes that will fit her feet properly as they’re growing, and support her little feet in their athletic endeavours. Because of this, Stride Rite remains one of my top brands when buying shoes. They’re designed with the utmost care to fit tiny feet properly. They’re durable, made from top materials, and rigorously tested to ensure a high quality shoe.

This winter, I wanted a good pair of boots for Cheese, that would keep her feet warm and enable her to keep playing and running outside without hinderance. The Stride Rite Medallion Collection Roslin is the perfect boot for my busy little Cheese.

We took Cheese and her new boots for a spin on the High Line. The boots are great for an active toddler. Padded for comfort, strong but comfortable leather for long-term wear, and easy to get on and off. These boots are made for running, not walking! They get the Cheese’s tick of approval (ie she didn’t whine and yell “off, off!!”).

The High Line is a favourite place of ours to let the Cheese run wild. It’s pretty contained and in a long, straight line, so we can let her loose without worrying about her running into traffic or hurting herself in general. It’s lined with plants as well, which change during the seasons and provide Cheese with amazing leaves and flowers to discover on her eye level, that she can actually touch (we’re looking at you here, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens …). She really enjoyed the different levels on the High Line, with ramps, steps and viewing platforms, and loves peeking over the edge at the buildings, people and fire trucks down below.

There are actually multiple sections to the High Line, but we generally just enter it randomly when we get the urge (“Hey, there’s the High Line, let’s go up!”), and exit when we realise we’re kinda hungry/cold/tired/cranky (this may or may not be the toddler). That’s the best thing about it — it’s like a get-on-get-off bus ride through Chelsea, perfect for entertaining a crazy active toddler as well as yourself.

GIVEAWAY!
The generous people at Stride Rite are offering one lucky Brunch With My Baby reader the chance to win their own pair of Stride Rite shoes of their choice.

Giveaway open from Nov 20th 2013 to 11:59pm EST Tues 26th, 2013.

Open to US mailing addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How do YOU use Brunch With My Baby?

November 19, 2013 / New York Food, News / 0 comment

Clark's Restaurant: Kid-Friendly Diners, Brooklyn Heights, NY

November 19, 2013 / Cheese, New York Food / 1 Comment

I know, I know, diners, right? Not exactly a foodie destination, but as any parent to a child under five knows, it is integral to survival. Ok, maybe I won’t go that far, but I can safely say that it is comforting to have a low-key neighborhood place to go with the kids when you need to get out of the house and you want a fail-safe restaurant solution.

We have a standing breakfast date at Clark’s Restaurant with our dear friends (pictured), now that the kids’ schedules are not compatible for afternoon play dates. Even though it’s called a “restaurant”, Clark’s is really a diner, and it’s a super popular destination in Brooklyn Heights for families to enjoy breakfast. When we arrive at 8:30am, it’s already busy with plenty of kids and tired-looking parents.

In the past we’ve ordered the kids their own food, but since they almost always take a tentative bite and then forgot about it, on this visit we decided they could eat off our plates instead. Good move, since that day, both of the kids were only interested in eating toast, after slathering it with butter and Smuckers Grape Jelly.

The high chairs are the clip-on kind plus the normal ones. I love the clip-ons in the booths since they really fence the kids in so they can’t wiggle out and escape. We both always bring umbrella strollers and don’t bother to fold them because there is room at the front of the restaurant to park them, or you can bring them to the table. (My friend often brings her pretty large Bugaboo and parks it at the end of the table and no one complains). The staff couldn’t be friendlier or more welcoming. Everything, including the strollers, which are absolutely in the way, is “no problem”.

We order eggs with bacon and cheese on an English muffin ($9.25) and the Greek Omelet (with feta and tomato, $9.25) with home fries. The staff always gives us shots of complimentary orange juice, which I think were meant for the kids, but since we don’t give the girls juice, we drank it ourselves. They also give us small plastic cups for the kids with water in it. Cheese dumped hers all over herself on this particular day, so I guess we’re going to have to work on this at home before attempting it in public again.

The service is a little chaotic if you need attention, which we often do with two squirmy toddlers. When we need things like extra cutlery or napkins, it’s much faster and easier to get up and grab it yourself instead of flagging down busy staff and then hoping they remember to bring it back.

When the kids were about a year old, we liked going to Clark’s because it was a great place to take kids when we wanted to eat out but when a fancier restaurant wouldn’t have been ideal. It’s a great place to take your (high-spirited?) child to breakfast or lunch because even if they’re being the crankiest crank, and it doesn’t matter, because at Clark’s, no one cares.

As always, as we strapped our kids into their respective strollers and tried to wipe off some remaining crumbs from their clothes, the staff bid us all a cheerful adieu and we were already looking forward to our next breakfast together at Clark’s.

Last Bite: A classic diner with a huge menu, plenty of basic breakfast items, and delightfully friendly staff makes this a staple morning hot spot for families in Brooklyn Heights.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: No. There are a few steep steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Clark’s Restaurant
80 Clark St (between Henry St & Hicks St)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 855-5484
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 7am-3:30pm

Brunch Special: Brianne Manz, Stroller In The City

November 12, 2013 / Battery Park, Guest Brunchers, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

Today’s Brunch Special is courtesy of Brianne Manz, the writer/blogger behind Stroller In The City. She’s mom to three kids (Ryder, 5, Siella, 2, and Gemma, 7 months), and lives in Battery City with her husband, Jason.

Tell us a bit about your pre-baby career.
I was once a fashion showroom owner for women’s apparel. The showroom was based in NYC and represented about 10 designers. We sold the brands to stores all over country. When my son was born I wanted to focus on being a mom and sold my company.

How did you make the transition to writer/blogger?
The whole process happened organically. I started this little blog at the time to write about the adventures I was having while being out about being a mom. I was also determined to find clothing for my son that wasn’t baby blue. Now, five years later, things have changed dramatically in the fashion world for kids.

How has life changed with three kids?
It has changed 100%. Three has definitely been a game changer for sure! You just do not have enough hands. Plus I also did it the opposite way of most by having my second and third pretty close in age (21 mos). My middle daughter is full into her terrible twos, so I pretty much have my hands full. Not to mention the sleeping for all has been extremely hard for us because now the baby (7 mos) is teething.

Fashion-wise — you used to work in fashion, and always look amazing on your site. What do your readers NOT see?
Why thank you! I would say my readers do not see me sitting behind my computer catching up on work in my pj’s; which consist of non matching leggings, sweats, or tanks.

How hard is it to pull together a look now that you have three kids? What do you always make time for, what parts of your beauty and styling routine have you dropped?
I have a big archive in my closet from working in fashion for so many years, so putting an outfit together for me is easy, like second nature. Asking me to pick out furniture, is a whole other ballgame. Interior design is so hard for me.

As for beauty — this is so bad I know, but the one thing I really try to do for myself once a week is get a blow out. I was never able to blow out my own hair, and this is a little “me” thing that makes my life easier when I literally have 5 minutes to shower. I did however drop most of my beauty regimens, like facials or night time masks which I should totally make time for.

What are your key ways to dress stylishly when you’re with the kids — how do you put together an outfit that’s kid-friendly but still looks fantastic?
I think comfort is key especially when with the kids all day long. I am usually wearing comfy shoes or boots with little or no heel because pushing a stroller can take a huge toll on your feet. Summertime I live in long dresses and thong sandals; it’s easy yet chic.

Tell us a bit about your neighborhood: A few of your fave places to go with the kids.
We live in Battery Park. It’s like suburbia of NYC. We have so many amazing playgrounds here, it’s pretty easy to change up the scene. Some of our favorite parks include: West Thames Park, Pier 25 on the Hudson, and Washington Market.

We have so many restaurants down here now, and pretty soon even more will be opening. Although I do like to cook, some days its too much. The kids will usually choose Inatesso Pizza or Shake Shack.

Brianne Manz is a fashion shownroom owner turned mom and blogger/writer. She lives in NYC with her husband and three children. Her blog Stroller In The City boasts about city living, kids fashion and all things that are mommy. Follow Brianne on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.