Picks of the Week: December 3-9

NYTB's The Nutcracker — Photo by Michael O' Brien

December has rolled around again, and you know what that means. It’s all-out holiday time, with a plethora of holiday happenings in Manhattan and beyond. Enjoy this week’s offerings!

Tuesday, December 4

Kid Row Holiday Extravaganza
Stores on 2nd Avenue between 73rd and 74th streets
2 pm-7pm
Who’s up for a holiday block party? Kids at Art, Cozy’s Cuts for Kids, Kids in Sports, and others are hosting their 1st Annual Kid Row Holiday Extravaganza. Kids of all ages are welcome to enjoy face painting, crafts, refreshments, goodie bags, and more. Parents can shop for clothing, shoes, and gifts, all on sale.

Thursday, December 6

Chanukah Arts & Crafts
The Plaza
4 pm-5 pm
Join Eloise at The Plaza for a special, one-hour arts & crafts party in honor of Chanukah! Participants will decorate their own dreidel and munch on delectable treats in the Eloise at The Plaza Shop. Fee is $50.

Friday, December 7-Sunday, December 9

Carnegie Hall Family Concert: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Carnegie Hall
2 pm
The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra is returning to Carnegie Hall for a limited holiday engagement. This celebrated youth orchestra will perform as part of the Hall’s Voices from Latin America series. A pre-concert activity will take place one hour before the performance and is free to ticket holders. An excellent concert experience for kids between the ages of 5 and 10. Tickets start at $9.

Sunday, December 9

“The Nutcracker”
Florence Gould Hall Theater
Various times
The New York Theatre Ballet will perform choreographer Keith Michael’s adaptation of “The Nutcracker” at the French Institute Alliance Française, just in time for Christmas. With a running time of 60 minutes, this shortened version is perfect for younger children’s attention spans. Suitable for ages 3 and up. Tickets are $40.

British Swim School - Manhattan

The premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults.&nbsp; British Swim School uses gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. British Swim School&rsquo;s safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Come see the British Swim School difference!

That's Mandarin

That's Mandarin is one of the oldest Chinese language schools in China. With a unique approach to language learning and our own in-house teaching methodologies; we aim to be not only the most experienced, but also one of the best Mandarin schools in China! We focus on providing the smoothest service and the best teaching experience to all our students; no matter whether they are studying Chinese online with our innovative online language learning system or at one of our Chinese language schools in China. Founded in 2005, That&rsquo;s Mandarin has been delivering excellence in Chinese teaching for over 15 years to more than 30,000 students of different nationalities. We now have schools in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen with plans to open more locations in more cities soon.&nbsp; &nbsp; COURSE INFO&nbsp; Learn Chinese online and enjoy private online classes with our professional native Chinese teachers anytime, anywhere. Our Online Chinese Course is perfect for students abroad who want to learn Chinese remotely. Besides, online Chinese classes are also a great opportunity for those who don&rsquo;t have enough time to come to our Mandarin school. By using That&rsquo;s Mandarin special learning platform, you can have online Mandarin classes with our teachers anytime and anywhere.&nbsp; &nbsp; We Offer：&nbsp; &bull; Standard Chinese Course&nbsp; &bull; HSK Preparation Course&nbsp; &bull; Chinese Course for Kids&nbsp; &bull; Chinese Course for Corporate Clients&nbsp; &nbsp; All lessons are private Chinese classes with certified native Chinese teachers with 24/7 access to our online system.&nbsp; For every new student we offer a free trial lesson with us.&nbsp; &nbsp; Online Classes Content:&nbsp; &nbsp; REAL-LIFE PRACTICE&nbsp; &bull; Communication skills&nbsp; &bull; Speaking practice&nbsp; &bull; Real-life situations&nbsp; &bull; Modern Chinese expressions&nbsp; &nbsp; LANGUAGE LEARNING&nbsp; &bull; HSK Vocabulary&nbsp; &bull; Daily Vocabulary&nbsp; &bull; Useful Grammar&nbsp; &bull; Set Phrases&nbsp; &bull; Slang &amp; Idioms&nbsp; &nbsp; CULTURAL ELEMENTS&nbsp; &bull; Chinese culture&nbsp; &bull; Natural wonders&nbsp; &bull; Famous sights&nbsp; &bull; Festivals &amp; traditions&nbsp; &bull; Classic literature, opera &amp; art&nbsp; &nbsp; HEATED DISCUSSIONS&nbsp; &bull; Discovering interesting topics&nbsp; &bull; Discussing global topics&nbsp; &bull; Social phenomena&nbsp; &bull; Cultural differences&nbsp; &nbsp; How&nbsp;much?&nbsp; The price starts at $24. &nbsp; When?&nbsp; The schedule depends on your availability as the course is fully customized.&nbsp; &nbsp; Where?&nbsp; We use our in-house digital platform NihaoCafe to help you connect with your teacher, review class notes, and schedule classes.&nbsp; &bull; Online Chinese Class content and teacher&rsquo;s notes automatically get recorded into the system, so it&rsquo;s easy to review your classes&nbsp; &bull; There&rsquo;s a huge teaching resource database, so you can prepare for your future online Chinese classes in advance&nbsp; &bull; There is an online course arrangement system that manages your booked Chinese classes &ndash; to guarantee that wherever you are, you and your teachers can stay informed about the online Mandarin class schedule and changes&nbsp; &bull; Teachers can also add their own courseware including webpages, PowerPoint presentations, videos, etc. into the system anytime&nbsp; &nbsp; &bull; Our professional IT team is online 24 hours a day, ready to solve any unexpected issues&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CONTACT: &nbsp; Website: https://www.thatsmandarin.com&nbsp; Email: [email protected]&nbsp; &nbsp; Phone: +86 10 8448 9799&nbsp;

Young Actors at Strasberg

Young Actors at Strasberg&nbsp;offers a comprehensive array of acting programs for students in grades 2 &ndash;&nbsp;12. Classes provide kids and teens with a foundation in Lee Strasberg's Method Acting and the tools to succeed in the professional industry &ndash;&nbsp;all while maintaining a fun and playful environment. Programs are tailored to encompass students at all levels, from those just beginning their acting journey to Broadway veterans and professional child actors. Young Actors at Strasberg alumni include Lady Gaga, Sophia Lillis, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson! Young Actors&nbsp;Programs are available online and in-person at our New York Campus, located in Union Square. Saturday, After-School and Online classes are offered during the traditional school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Monday through Friday day camps and intensives are held in&nbsp;July and August. About The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute: Founded in 1969 by Lee and Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg's work in its complete and authentic form. The Institute's goal is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. LSTFI is proud to have award-winning alumni from around the world working as writers, directors, and actors in all mediums.