Mama About Town: April 2019

kids craft items and tin box
Wonder Crate

Spring showers bring May flowers, and I am thrilled that April is finally here. It felt like a long winter for most here in New York City! Wishing everyone a happy Easter and happy Passover filled with lots of laughter, love, and staying off technology for a bit—always good to take a digital detox for yourself and the kids over the holidays.

If you are always unorganized, like moi, I invite you to elevate your organizational style with the Sundry Slides’ elegant line of bags (in all shapes and sizes). These bags keep essentials together in your most-coveted handbags, gym bags, and diaper bags. You can stow away your workout items neatly, and pack for your travels and work beautifully. They are also awesome for finding your keys and holding your toiletries and personal care items.

I can’t tell you how many times I get stopped in a restaurant when I take out my Sundry Slide, with its beautiful signature pearl design, in restaurants to take out my lip gloss and blush. The best part is, now I can find the items without digging through my bag!

They range from $9.99/case of five to $16.99/case of five. You will love organizing your essentials in elegance. Purchase yours at spiritledluxuries.com.

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My newest fabulous that I am obsessed with for the kids is Wonder Crate, a subscription box that introduces kids to inspirational role models, sparks their curiosity, and connects them to their own possibilities. Each month, they feature brave, forward-thinking role models that are making the world a better place, and the skills that they used to make a difference. Each box contains a book and fun activities to spark curiosity and connect kids to their own possibilities. Who they see shows them who they can be!

Subscriptions start at $23.96 per month, and the best part is that they donate $1 from each box sold to a kid who is making the world a better place. Spark your kids’ curiosity at wondercratekids.com.

Believe it or not, summer is almost upon us, and that means getting beach-body ready. Recently, I signed up for several pilates classes with Erin DeLucia-Benson. I really need to firm up my core muscles, and DeLucia-Benson’s Pilates and Holistic Health is a private, beautiful, quiet place to improve your health. She is a mother, dancer, MUTU Pro, Pilates instructor, and holistic health coach.

She offers private and semi-private equipment-based Pilates instruction, and specializes in prenatal Pilates, as well as postnatal restorative pelvic floor exercise. She studied and certified directly with Wendy Powell of MUTU System. DeLucia-Benson is also a certified integrative nutrition health coach; she studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and learned from the leading doctors, nutritionists, and health professionals in the field. She is very kind, caring, and extremely knowledgeable.

Erin DeLucia-Benson Pilates and Holistic Health [850 7th Avenue, between West 54th and 55th Streets. (585) 309–9267, erindeluciabenson.com].

There’s a new Off-Broadway show that I think a lot of moms are going to love. In “Fiercely Independent,” Julie and Robert have been married for four years. They are not getting along. They decide to spend 24 hours together in a hotel room with no television, no cellphones, no internet or computers to see if they can work things out.

But hurry up, you only have until April 7 to check this show out. “Fiercely Independent” at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between Varick Street and 6th Avenue. fiercelysoho.com).

Lyss Stern is the founder of Divamoms.com, bestselling author Motherhood Is A B#tch and If You Give A Mom A Martini, and a mom-of-three.

Relevant Directory Listings

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New Settlement Community Center

<p>Offering a host of healthy, fun and exciting programs for children ages 6 months and up, including ballet and hi-hop dance with Alvin Ailey, group and private swimm classes, mixed martial arts, youth technology, piano, violin and guitar lessons, and more.</p>

Instituto Cervantes

<p><span class="" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.</span></p>

Steps on Broadway Youth Programs

<p class="m_6201101365486487057m_1751229968981391907gmail-m-6447730382188674378msonospacing" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For 40 years, the Youth Programs at the internationally celebrated Steps on Broadway have nurtured young dancers, ages 18 months to 18 years.  Whether seeking a fun dance experience or comprehensive pre-professional training, there is a program suited for everyone.  Classes include ballet, tap, jazz, theater dance, hip hop, contemporary, modern, pointe and more.  Taught by a faculty of internationally-recognized concert, ballet, Broadway and celebrated guest artists, every student is encouraged to discover their artistic uniqueness, deepen their passion for the art form, while growing as dancers and individuals. </span><u></u><u></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 10pt; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #5a5a5a;">Classes are offered throughout the academic year and summer.</span><u></u><u></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 10pt; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #5a5a5a;">First Steps (ages 18 mos – 5 yrs)</span><u></u><u></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 10pt; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #5a5a5a;">Kids & Teens (ages 6-18 yrs)</span><u></u><u></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 10pt; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #5a5a5a;">Pre-Professional Program (ages 7-18 yrs, by audition only)</span></p>