A Child Grows in Brooklyn

Family Flat: Sleeps 8- Modern Catskills for spring break and summer

Karen — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:18:02 PST

Swan Lake vacation house rental

This stylish contemporary house provides a serene and secluded mountain retreat on 10 acres of scenic splendor, just steps away from crystal clear waters of Swan Lake. The house has 360 degrees spectacular views of mountain ranges, lake and an abundance of nature at its finest. Perfect for family reunion and romantic getaways. Adjacent to 250 acre 19th century bucolic farm with barns and grazing cows. Sullivan County boasts some of the best and most varied fall foliage in the Catskills. Pool stays open and can be heated till mid October. Beautiful vintage modern mixed with contemporary designer furnishings, art on the walls, asian accents, state-of-the-art Bosch and Jenn-air kitchen appliances, 1 large 12′X 30′ deck, overlooking pond on the property and dramatic view of clear waters of Swan Lake, reflecting the Catskill Mountain Range. Deck has large charcoal grill for BBQs, stylish deck furniture -great for outdoor dining and romantic dinners under large starlit skies.

Description House, 2500 sq. ft.,
3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8, 2 Bathrooms

Amenities lake, mountain, pool, balcony, pets considered, air-conditioning

Rates per property (USD)

$2,300/week

3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8
Bedroom – 1 Queen
Bedroom – 1 Double
Bedroom – 1 Double
Open Loft – 1 Double, No children under 12 allowed
3 furnished bedrooms + loft. Master bedroom has a queen bed. 2 bedrooms and loft have double beds. Can comfortably sleep 8. Master bedroom has attached bath, dressing and large cedar walk in closet. Crib can be made available upon request

Go to their web site to see all details.

Deck with mountain view

Pool deck

Master bedroom

View from pool

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Montessori Day School is moving!

Karen — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:54:12 PST

The Montessori Day School, located in Prospect Heights and Park Slope is moving to a new location this fall. Having visited their former and new locations myself, I can assuredly say that their new digs are a great improvement!
Their new site will be at 237 Park Place (corner of Vanderbilt & Park Place) where the International School of Brooklyn currently resides. The International School of Brooklyn moves to Carroll Gardens this fall.

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Carriers vs. Strollers

Karen — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:37:52 PST

at boing!, a baby shop in Brooklyn, talk about baby carriers and other subjects. For some, “wearing” a baby has taken on cachet. Béatrice de Géa for The New York Times Mothers

The New York Times goes on a “babywearing” trip to 2 of the biggest babywearing stores of NY and Brooklyn: Boing and Metro Minis. They report that, for a lot of these parents, the “last decade’s coveted Bugaboo or Maclaren stroller has been largely supplanted by baby carriers.” Has babywearing become fashionable? That’s what the article posits. As we see images of celebrity parents carrying their babies more and more, “wearing one’s baby has taken on a certain cachet.”

Sales of baby carriers have dramatically increased. “Between 2006 and 2008, overall sales of industry-certified carriers rose 43 percent to $21.5 million, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. The ERGObaby, a soft carrier structured like a backpack that was introduced in 2003, has seen sales rise 200 percent since 2007, according to Karin Buck, a company spokeswoman. The Moby Wrap, a length of stretchy cotton that attaches babies to their caregivers with a series of origami-like tucks and twists, has doubled in sales almost every year since it was introduced in 2003, said Marisa Frantz, a company spokeswoman, and it is poised to debut this month in retail locations of Babies “R” Us.”

Regardless of the upswing in sales, the Consumer Product Safety Commission believes that certain carriers are not safe. Specifically, bag-style slings have contributed to the suffocation of several infants. “On Tuesday, Inez M. Tenenbaum, the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a forthcoming warning about slings, saying that “we know now the hazard scenarios for very small babies” carried in them. Many specialty stores, like Metro Minis, do not sell bag-style slings whose safety has been challenged, and instructs buyers to position babies in any sling upright and tight against the caregiver.”

Will the “cachet of wearing your baby” supplant the stroller?

There are a group of parents who believe it should. This group defines themselves as “anti-stroller”, like these commenters on a mothering.com forum:

I have seen so many children crying and ignored in their strollers- never leaving the contraption the entire playdate. They are huge, expensive, and are EVERYWHERE anywhere you go.

admitt I am anti stroller. I have used them before, I am not going to lie.. But I am horrible now, I catch myself wanting to run over and talk about babywearing to stroller pushers sometimes, I think I tend to look down my nose a little at them which is snobby and wrong, but only cause they look at me like I have 10 heads for wearing my 16 month old on my back all the time..

Others see the advantage of using a stroller, like another commenter on the same mothering.com forum:

I personally never understood why people needed strollers until my daughter got heavy enough that my joints were affected on long walks (we walk as much as we can, to the grocery store, etc.). Slinging a 25-lb toddler is just too much stress on my knees and hips– it remains comfortable otherwise. The stroller has also proved to be a wonderful way for me to get some exercise. Walking slowly with a toddler on my back isn’t that strenuous, really (except to my knee joints), and I can get my heart rate up nicely while pushing the stroller.

I am happy to see babywearing catch on. It’s a tradition for many parts of the world and been done here for decades too. I don’t know why it has to be an argument about carrier vs. stroller. I own both and use them for different situations. Carriers are becoming more fashionable- and why not? Strollers have been going that way for some time. Whether we like it or not, fashion and design has become enmeshed in our lives. It’s only natural that it would spill into the design of the carriers.

P.S.- there is a Babywearing class this weekend, in Carroll Gardens at Madison Rose Maternity. Here are the details:

Babywearing Class: March 14th at 10:30AM, 313 Court Street between Sackett and Degraw.

This class is perfect for those who are new to baby wearing. They will go over the 5 different types of carriers (available for you to try on) and the specific brands available. From Mei Teis, wraps, ring slings, pocket slings, one shoulder vs. two shoulder carriers, soft vs. structured …They will concentrate on discovering the best carrier for you, your partner and your family’s needs. Class will be taught by Megan Davidson and Tanya Wills of the With Woman Doula Coop. To RSVP to the store through their website www.madisonrosematernity.com

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Post tags: babywearing brooklyn, boing, boing boing, ergo, metro minis, slings in the city

Top 21 Baby Stores in America for 2010

Karen — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:54:05 PST

Baby 411's book on bargains

It’s a bit disappointing that only 2 New York stores made the “Top 21 Baby Stores” by Baby Bargains this year. Second city Chicago has 2 stores on the list and the much smaller city of Boston has 2 also. So, here are a few more NY stores that could be on that list: (They are all listed in our Directory).

Albee’s
Brooklyn Baby World
Giggle (okay, so maybe a bargain store, but the most delicious store!)

. . . here are the 21 Best Baby Stores in America (in alphabetical order) from Baby Bargains World

Baby Furniture Warehouse (Boston)

Baby Love (Ft. Lauderdale)

Baby Super Mart (Broomall, PA)

Baby’s 1st (Houston)

Behr’s (Metro NY)

Berg’s (Cleveland, OH)

Galt Toys + Galt Baby (Chicago)

Georgia Baby (Atlanta)

Goores (Sacramento, CA)

Great Beginnings (Washington DC area/Maryland)

Ideal Baby & Kids (Miami); also known as La Ideal.

Juvenile Shop (Sherman Oaks, CA)

Karl’s (Philadelphia)

Kids Stuff Superstores (South Dakota, Nebraska)

Lazar’s (Chicago)

Lone Star Baby (Dallas/Ft. Worth)

Lullaby Lane (San Francisco)

Magic Beans (Boston)

Planet Kids (New York City)

Treasures Room (St Louis)

USA Baby (Milwaukee, WI location only)

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BabyCakes on how to color frosting naturally

Karen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:02:00 PST

Babycakes NYC on the Lower East Side is a destination for gluten-free, vegan, health-concious sweet lovers. It has been a hit destination for anyone with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and all things “special” and alternative, and that, of course, has attracted celebrities. The owner, Erin McKenna, has written a book, BabyCakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery with her most popular recipes with tons of great tips throughout. It’s also fun to look at for the pics of her and her sister and celebs eating their creations. I love this book so much that I am going to pull out some fun recipes and tips every once in awhile to share with you.

Babycakes on how to color frosting naturally:

“Because Mother Nature works mysteriously, color your frosting no more than a few hours before applying it, as the colors tend to change over time. And because each juice is concentrated differently, be sure to add coloring little by little until you reach the desired hue.

Pink/Red: Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, and beet juice all give gorgeous color.

Purple: Blueberry juice delivers a regal purple- the more you use, the deeper the hue.

Green: Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in most plants. You can find it in liquid form at your local health-food store.

Yellow: Tumeric is a plant in the ginger family that is usually dried and ground into a powder. Just a pinch will tint your frosting the yellow of a freshly opened Peep, and it’s completely vegan.

If you want to visit the bakery yourself, (I highly suggest), here is the scoop:

Babycakes NYC
http://www.babycakesnyc.com
248 Broome St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 677-5047
They deliver and ship.

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Post tags: babycakes, erin mckenna, Food and Drink, how to color frosting, natural frosting

Art Projects to do at home

Karen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:26:39 PST

FUNkidsART Issue 1: Spring 2010

There are plenty of days that I wish I had an art project I could do with the kids- and a guiding hand to take me through it. Well, I have found help. RADkidsART is the brain child of Rick Anthony Diaz, who has been a teaching artist in New York City since 1995. Rick has summer art classes, puts on art parties and does museum tours for kids. If you can’t make one of his classes or summer camps, Rick has put all his knowledge into a new magazine called “FUNkidsART” which you can subscribe to on his website. In his debut Spring Issue, he has 20 pages of art projects you can do at home. The difficulty and sophistication of the projects appeal to a wide range of ages: I want to do the “Crazy Collage” myself but I know my son will want to make a 3-D flower (and, yes, I’d like to do that one too!). The magazine is graphically appealing and colorful which can get any parent and kid enthusiastic about starting the crafts. For those of us who like easy-to-follow directions, this is your ‘zine. Rick has the projects down to 4 steps each.

I tried out his “Owl Pocket Pals” project. I made a felt “pal” and, with the addition of some long string, made it into a necklace. I am embarassed to say that, though it was meant for my daughter, I wore it all day. I’m hooked. There are also projects on how to make a: window collage, miniature book and doodle art and more.

Rick is also a new listing in our Directory under Classes- Arts and Crafts and Party Entertainment. (size of it has been reduced)

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Park Slope Doctor in drug ring

Karen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:19:47 PST

Dr. Michael Hosny Gabriel

Gothamist reported today, that an anesthesiologist, along with some residents at NY Methodist in Park Slope, were accused of running a drug ring.

The Park Slope anesthesiologist, Michael Hosny Gabriel, “was accused of writing Adderall prescriptions for phony patients, who filled them and sold the study drug on the streets. Gabriel, may have used his profits to fund a gambling habit. He “carried large sums of cash to Atlantic City” one informant told the Feds, adding that the medical man kept a gun in his bedroom. And though Dr. Gabriel was the Adderall ring’s kingpin, he had help: the Daily News says other doctors at his Brooklyn hospital are also implicated in the case.”

“The 33-year-old graduated from med school just four years ago, but since joining the staff of NY Methodist, he and his conspirators wrote fake prescriptions for more than 10,000 of the ADD pills. “The defendant, together with other residents at the hospital, writes prescriptions for Adderall with other members of the conspiracy,” said drug enforcement investigator Leslie Cason. More arrests in the case are expected and, according to a spokeswoman, the hospital is cooperating fully with the DEA.”

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Vitamin storage turns out to be, yes, important

Jill — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:03 PST

Looks like a Flintstone vitamin!

Where do you store your vitamins? We keep our vitamins in the kitchen and I know people who store them in the bathroom. The bathroom and kitchen seem two logical places to store them and for most of us, where we keep them is how we can remember to take them. Apparently then, most of us are headed down the path to scurvy.

Maybe not really, but a new study reported on WebMD notes that the high humidity and temperatures often found in bathrooms and kitchens can degrade the potency of vitamin C and shorten the shelf life of vitamin supplements. Most types of vitamin C are apparently prone to a process called deliquescence, in which humidity causes a water-soluble substance to dissolve. Researcher Lisa Mauer, associate professor of food science at Purdue University, said in a news release, “The humidity in your kitchen or bathroom can cycle up quite high, depending on how long of a shower you take, for example, and can get higher than 98%. “

Even with the bottles closed tightly, deliquescence can occur and vitamin C can be completely eliminated from the supplement. Researchers say keeping vitamin supplements out of warm, humid rooms can help prolong their effectiveness.

Brown spots are usually the first sign of nutrient degradation, especially on children’s vitamins. ”They’re not necessarily unsafe, but why give a vitamin to a kid if it doesn’t have the vitamin content you’re hoping to give them?” Mauer says. “You’re just giving them candy at that point with a high sugar content.”

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Date Night? Try “Dine In Brooklyn”

Karen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:42:46 PST

I love “Dine In Brooklyn” week: though I have never been able to make the lunch special ($20.10) with kids in tow, I have taken advantage of the dinner special ($25). Both meals include 3 courses and you are promised, “Quality food, no attitude on the side!” There are over 175 restaurants on the list, so you have a large selection. Some restaurants have an even cheaper deal they are running that week too: Brunch 2-for $20.10 Lunch 2-for $20.10 and Dinner 2-for $25.00. Check the site to find out which ones are offering this bargain! Make sure you call for reservations, the restaurants can get booked up fast. “Dine In Brooklyn” runs from Monday, March 15th through Thursday, March 25, 2010. To see the full list of the participating restaurants, go to Visit Brooklyn’s site and click on the “Dine In Brooklyn” image. *Prices don’t include taxes, gratuity or beverages.

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Salmonella in food flavoring- which means a lot of your food

Karen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:16:07 PST

Herb-Ox bouillon is on the recall list

Do you use Herb-ox bouillon cubes, Trader Joe’s creamy ranch dressing, eat honey mustard pretzels from National Pretzel, or other dips and chips? Chances are you might find it on the list that the FDA has recalled recently. The FDA reported that salmonella has been found in the Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) paste at Basic Food Flavors, Inc. in Las Vegas. HVP is a flavor enhancer and it is in a lot of processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings. As of today, the list is up to 101 products and is still growing.

“Our investigators were able to identify this problem before any illnesses occurred,” said FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. “While the investigation is continuing, the agency is supporting reasonable steps to continue to protect the public health.” At this time, there are no known illnesses associated with this contamination.

**Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be blood), nausea,vomiting, and abdominal pain. Most healthy people recover from Salmonella infections within four to seven days without treatment. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses, such as arterial infections (infected aneurysms), infection of the lining of the heart, and arthritis.

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Post tags: basic food flavors, herb ox, hvp recall, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, salmonella recall