FOOD
Wholesome Eats
Disguised As Treats
We’ve noticed a dessert trend popping up around the city,
and it’s one you don’t have to feel guilty about: bakeries and ice creameries
that specialize in vegan, kosher, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free,
you-name-it-free options. Friends Dan Dunbar and Christopher Hollowell recently
opened their Dun-Well Doughnuts shop
in Williamsburg with more than 50 delicious
all-vegan varieties. BabyCakes NYC™,
founded by Erin McKenna, uses agave nectar instead of sugar and offers
alternatives for those with wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and egg allergies. Eleni’s, a “No Nuts Allowed” bakery,
features peanut- and tree nut-free iced sugar cookies and cupcakes. And for
those who enjoy a frozen treat any time of the year, Simply Peeled serves up dairy-, gluten- and soy-free soft-serve
that uses only natural fruit, filtered water and organic cane sugar.
BOOK
Wanna Get
Stuck?
Has your child ever gotten something stuck in a tree? Has a
towering Central Park oak or maple swallowed your kid’s
kite or taken your tot’s toy? The scenario is hilarious and its comedic
potential is fully realized in Stuck (Philomel
Books, 2011) by Brooklyn-based author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers. In this
delicately drawn picture book, little Floyd uses a shoe, a bucket of paint, a
ladder, a whale—even the kitchen sink!—in an effort to free his kite from the
clutches of a gigantic tree. Let your children read all about out how Floyd
resolves the crisis with resourcefulness and aplomb.
BLOG
Green Living Online
Here’s a local and green-minded blog to add to your RSS
feed: AlexandraZissu.com. The
eco-obsessed writer provides parental insight into how to find safe everyday
products for families. From cosmetics for moms to cribs for tots, Zissu scours the
market in an effort to learn what’s clean and green, and what’s not. Informative
and enlightening, Zissu’s blog complements other great resources including her
co-written books The Complete Organic
Pregnancy and Planet Home, along
with The Conscious Kitchen.
APP
iKid In The
City
Are you an NYC parent on-the-go? There’s an app for that.
When native New Yorker Lara Serebrier Paul began navigating the city with her
new baby, she found it difficult to whip out her notes about the nearest subway
elevator or playground. Soon after, iKidNY was born. The app offers vital info in
five categories that city parents need most: Indoor Activities, Outdoor
Activities, Changing Tables, Subway Elevators and Kid-Friendly Restaurants.
With one-touch navigation, an interactive map with directions and auto-connect
to phone numbers and websites, all of Lara’s tips are at the tips of your
fingers.
THERAPY
A Therapist For
The Very Young
With the motto “empowered parents, happy families,” Dana
Rosenbloom, an expert in early childhood education and development, works with
parents and children to tackle family issues. Rosenbloom’s organization Dana’s Kids provides services in
Individualized Child & Family Therapy that cover an assortment of topics
for moms and dads (like bringing home a new baby and raising a child with
special needs) and for kids (such as improving play skills and decreasing
temper tantrums). Families can also work together with courses on sleep
training, dealing with sibling rivalry and more. Along with family therapy,
Dana presents her techniques at parenting programs and play groups.
For a daily dose of Scoop, visit www.newyorkfamily.com.