NY Foodie Family

Westchester Weekly {January 13}

Posted on January 13, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Check out this week’s edition of Westchester Weekly to find out where to eat, shop and play in Westchester County this week:

Eat:

Dough On the Go: (Larchmont) Friday, January 15th is National Bagel Day and Dough On The Go is selling an Artisanal Smoked Salmon Bagel Sandwich for $10. This sandwich will only be available Friday and must be pre-ordered.

Downtown White Plains Restaurant Month: (White Plains) Enjoy the first White Plains restaurant month now through January 31. Select restaurants are offering Prix Fixe lunch ($20.95), dinner ($30.95) and 2nd Tier Dinner ($40.95) specials.

Flour Power – (Pelham) This bake shop is having the grand opening of their new Pelham storefront on Saturday, January 16th from 9 AM – 4 PM. Stop by and show them some love!

Shop:

Hilltop Hanover Farm CSA: (Yorktown Heights) CSA shares for 2021 are going on sale in mid-January. Small shares are available for $400 and large shares for $700. These are credits that can be used throughout the season. You choose how frequently you want to shop and what you want. Support local agriculture!

Kristen Speer Photography: (Irvington) Kristin is now booking for Valentine Mini Sessions. 15 minutes – proofing gallery and 3 edited digital images for $125.

Lile Boutique Spa: (Peekskill) Visit this recently opened Skincare Boutique in Peekskill that specializes in, “preventative care, corrective treatments, and graceful aging.”

Prosper IV: (Yonkers) This Vitamin IV spa in Yonkers is having a M.L. King Day special where all drips are only $150 and members will receive a free B-12 shot with a drip.

Play:

Basic Knife Skills Class with ZWILLING Cooking Studio: (Virtual) Learn the fundamentals of good knife skills from instructor Bernard Janssen. This class is being offered Friday (January 15th: 6 PM – 7:30 PM) and Saturday (January 16th: 1 PM – 2:30 PM). The class is free but registration is required.

Discover Bedford Scavenger Hunt: (Bedford) Created by Rock Paper Scissors Events, enjoy a drivable scavenger hunt around the town of Bedford. The scavenger hunt costs $10, with 50% of every sale being donated to the Community Center of Northern Westchester. The scavenger hunt is approximately 16 miles and takes about 35 minutes to complete. The route will be available through April 2021.

Family Art Activity at the Hudson River Museum: (Yonkers) This week at the museum enjoy drawing your own landscape on a postcard. This art activity is inspired by the works of Cynthia Daignault and other artists in the Landscape Art and Virtual Travel exhibit. Packets with supplies will be provided. The activity is free with paid admission.

Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden: (online) The Hammond Museum in Katonah is hosting a free virtual event, “A Sneak Peek at Japanese Art Highlights” tonight (January 13th) at 5 PM via Facebook. Register online.

House of Sports: (Ardsley) House of Sports is holding a Holiday Camp on Monday, January 18th from 9 AM – 3 PM. There is a multi-sports camp for K-2nd grade and Basketball and Soccer camp for grades 3-8. Full-day camp costs $70/child.

The Play Group Theatre: (online) The Play Group Theatre, a theatre for children and teens, is holding a virtual performance of Clue. Performances are Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets: $18/general admission, $36/family admission

Traditional Tea Ceremony at the Katonah Museum of Art: (Katonah) Discover the history and significance of a traditional tea ceremony. This is an in-person event with limited capacity. Tickets: $35/members, $40/non-members

Virtual Travel Through the Five Senses: Sound at the Hudson River Museum: (virtual) This virtual program is the second in a family program series that explores artwork through the five senses. This program’s focus is all about sound. Participants will explore a selection of Cynthia Daignault’s Light Atlas and then make a collective sound recording. The event is free, but registration is required.

Upcoming:

January 24th: Ramen Pop Up at Bread & Brine (Hastings) Other special menu items include roast peking duck, hot & sour soup, pork bao buns, cold sesame noodles and more. Pre order by Thursday, Janury 21st.

February 6-28: Young Artists 2021 at the Katonah Museum of Art. Enjoy viewing over 300 pieces of artwork created by high school seniors from more than 30 area schools.

December Reads {2020}

Posted on January 12, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for helping to support this blog!*

It’s a new year, with hopefully lots of good books in my future! I ended my year reading a total of 98 books, which surpassed my 2020 book goal of 75. I again set this year’s goodreads goal for 75 books, which seems doable. While December seems so long ago, I’m sharing my reads from last month. It was a mixed bag of different genres and mostly good reads. Here are my December reads that I’m sharing with Steph and Jana’s monthly book linkup:

3 stars:

Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam (October 2020, Suspense/Thriller) – A family leaves NYC for a week and rents a house out in a remote part of Long Island. A few nights into their stay the couple who owns the house arrive on the doorstep with news of a blackout in the city. Strange things start happening, but with no TV, internet or cell service, no one has any idea what is going on. This book was disappointing. I have no idea why it’s labeled suspense/thriller and even horror on goodreads. I’m not going to give away spoilers, but I hated the ending.

The Girl In The Mirror by Rose Carlyle (October 2020, Suspense/Thriller) – Two identical twins, one who has always been jealous of the other. Now she has the opportunity, to live her twin’s life and gain a huge inheritance. But can she keep the truth from being exposed? This was an okay, not very believable read for the most part. But it did have some interesting plot twists.

White Ivy by Susie Yang (November 2020, Contemporary/Suspense/Literary Fiction) – A coming age of story of a young Chinese girl who tries to fit in white suburban American. She develops a crush on a classmate, who ends up making a reappearance in her adult life. There are several plot twists, but I would not categorize this as a suspenseful read. In fact, it was such a slow read for me that I wish that I had given up on it earlier than making myself finish it.

4 stars:

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (October 2020, holiday/romance) – A young woman makes a plea to the universe, “Please. Show me what will make me happy.” At the annual family and friends holiday get together at a cabin in Utah, she ends up in a loop where she relives the same holiday vacation over and over. This was a cute holiday romance read. I hadn’t read a Christina Lauren book in awhile and think I’m ready to get back into some of their more recent books that I had skipped.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (October 2017, Middle Grade/Fantasy) – On the night she is supposed to die a young girl finds herself being whisked away to Nevermoor. There she discovers that she has been selected to compete for a spot in the exclusive Wundrous Society and must pass the four trials. This book has been compared to Harry Potter and I can vaguely see the connection. It’s a fun and whimsical read. I couldn’t interest my son in reading it, but I may continue the series.

When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal (July 2019, Contemporary Fiction) – A woman thinks that her sister is dead. But then she sees her on a news clip. So she travels from California to New Zealand to try to track her down. Will she find her? The book alternates between the two sisters POV as we discover their tragic past and secrets that they are keeping. This was an engrossing and enjoyable read.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (June 2020, YA/LGBT) – A poor, black teen has big plans to go to college to become a doctor and continue playing music. But financial aid is not providing enough money for her to attend. One of the few options she has is to try to win the scholarship for Prom Queen, despite the fact that there has never been a black or queer queen in the school’s history. This book portrays modern teen life in a realistic manner. I’m jealous of the diverse YA books available to teens today, so I have to read some of them!

Five on Friday {Such a Sad Week}

Posted on January 8, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! We are officially over a week into the new year. I don’t normally talk politics on my blog and social media. However, what happened Wednesday is despicable. I am sad that my children are growing up in a world where our “President” can incite an attack on our own country. I am hopeful that the young adults and children of our country can be agents of change.

On a personal level, I see good things in store for this year and am excited for all the possibilities. Here are five from the past week:

1. New Year’s Day Hike – New Year’s Day Dana and I took a First Day Hike at F.D. Roosevelt State Park. We weren’t the only ones who had the idea, as it was surprisingly crowed. It was nice to be able to get out in nature before the bad weather hit.

2. Snow Tubing – Saturday we drove up to Windham Mountain to go snow tubing. It was cold but fun. Luckily we got there when it opened because the lines were getting really long by the time we left.

bridgerton l to r regÉ jean page as simon basset and phoebe dynevor as daphne bridgerton in episode 108 of bridgerton cr liam danielnetflix © 2020 — Photo Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

3. Watching – This week I started watching Bridgerton on Netflix. I’m loving the Gossip Girl vibes it’s giving off, but in Victorian times. I’m only halfway through episode 3, so I have some weekend catching up to do! I didn’t realize that the show was based off a book series by Julia Quinn.

4. Snacks – Since the new year started I’ve been trying to eat more clean and healthy. I found these cute sprinkles tomatoes at the grocery store. I bought a couple and have been snacking on them at work. Other healthy snacks I’ve been enjoying are cucumbers with hummus, nuts and lots of fruit – berries, grapefruit and clementines. What are some of your favorite healthy snacks? I need some new ideas!

5. Reading – I have finished two books so far already in the new year. I set my goodreads reading goal again for 75 books. I recently started Family For Beginners by Sarah Morgan. This contemporary fiction book is a bit more serious than The Tourist Attraction, which I just finished and really enjoyed!

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I posted about Snow Tubing at Windham Adventure Park.

Wednesday I shared my Westchester Weekly post.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Westchester Weekly {January 6}

Posted on January 6, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Check out this week’s edition of Westchester Weekly to find out where to eat, shop and play in Westchester County this week:

Eat:

Bread and Brine: (Hastings-on-Hudson) The seafood restaurant is now serving brunch for dine in or take out every Saturday and Sunday.

Britt & Co. Bagels: (Online ordering, local delivery or pick-up in Greenwich, CT ) For Veganuary, Britt & Co. has made a vegan cinnamon roll bagel.

Shop:

Jane Street Sweets: (Online ordering w/delivery) Jane Street Sweets recently debuted their new winter menu which includes new cocoa bomb and cookie flavors. Order online for a Saturday delivery.

O2 Living Sanctuary: (Cross River) This day spa is offering 15% off juice cleanses and spa services now through January 16th.

Winter Farmers Market at the Jefferson Valley Mall: (Yorktown Heights) January 6 – April 7 the Jefferson Valley Mall is hosting a winter farmers market inside on the upper level near the food court. The market will take place from 1:30 – 5:30 PM every Wednesday through April 7.

Play:

January 8th – Trivia at the Jay Street Cafe: (Katonah) 7 PM enjoy trivia from Let’s Go Trivia.

Westchester County Parks Winter Scavenger Hunts: (throughout Westchester County) Visit one of Westchester County’s many parks and use their winter scavenger hunts as a guide for your hike/visit.

Snow Tubing at Windham Adventure Park

Posted on January 4, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Snow tubing is a fun, family-friendly winter activity. There are a limited number of places in the Hudson Valley where you can enjoy this activity (check out my post for a listing of them all). Over the recent holiday break, our family traveled to Windham Adventure Park in Windham, NY to go snow tubing.

Travel

Windham Adventure Park is located in Windham, NY. This is part of the Catskill Park in Greene County. The Adventure Park is .25 miles west of the Windham Mountain skiing resort. Living in northern Westchester County, Windham Adventure Park is a two hour drive. It is one of the farther snow tubing locations in the Hudson Valley, but is a doable day trip.

Tickets

When you arrive at the park you go to the lodge to purchase your tickets. Tickets for snow tubing cost $25 per person for a 3 hour tubing session. Windham Adventure Park is the only snow tubing park that does not take reservations or allow you to pre-purchase tickets. Their website states that they, “will not sell out of tickets….purchasing tickets is based on a rolling basis so your 3-hour time block starts upon your arrival time.”

You are given a printed ticket that must be affixed to your jacket, which has the date and time of your ticket purchase. Your tubing session ends three hours after the time printed.

The Experience

Windham Adventure Park has 5, 650-foot long snow tubing lanes. However, during our visit, they were only using 3 of the lanes due to social distancing. There were also only 2 employees at a time launching the tube riders on the 3 lanes, which slowed down the process. More staff were posted at the bottom of the run, the conveyor belt, and stacking tubes at the top. When you arrive at the parking lot, you’re already right near the lodge and ticket window. You are also at the top of the hill and can start snow tubing right away.

There are no height restrictions as long as a rider can sit in the tube by himself/herself. Windham Adventure Park only has single tubes. However, the employee will attach the tube straps together so you can ride with two, three and even four connected.

Before the employees give you a push down the hill, you will be asked if you want to go straight or spin. Depending on the employee, your spin may be more energetic than others.

After you tube down the hill, there is a conveyor belt “magic carpet” that brings you back up the mountain.

We recommend arriving for the 11 AM opening. We noticed that as the day went it got more crowded and the lines got longer. At 1:40 PM, the lines were the longest of our visit (pictured above). On average, it was almost a 30 minute wait per run.

We stayed for almost the entire three hours. We had a snack break (in our car) to warm up and a bathroom break. Our visit started at 11:20 AM and we got 5 runs in.

The Lodge

There are restrooms inside the Lodge. There is also food available inside at “The Drop Zone” for purchase. They sell pizza by the slice or you can order a whole pie. They also sell chicken noodle soup, beef chili, nachos chips with cheese, chicken tenders and fries and more.

At this time, they are only accepting credit cards for payment. There is also no indoor seating available, so be prepared to eat out in the cold or in your car.

Overall

We had a fun time at Windham Adventure Park. This is great option for a last-minute snow tubing excursion since they don’t pre-sell or sell out tickets. However, be prepared for crowds and long lines.

The Details:
Windham Adventure Park
360 County Route 12
Windham, NY 12496

*Call (518) 734-4300 for more information

Price: $25/person for a 3 hour tubing session

Dates/Hours: Open weekends now through February 21st and holidays. Fridays: 5 PM – 8 PM
Saturdays: 11 AM – 8 PM
Sundays: 11 AM – 4 PM

Tips:

*Dress warmly. One of the biggest complaints the kids had was that they were cold. We packed snow pants, but didn’t end up wearing them – which we should have. The tubes were snowy and wet.

*Try to arrive for the opening. They don’t start selling tickets until the opening time. As it gets later, it gets more crowded.

*Bring snacks/food if you don’t want to buy food from The Drop Zone. There are very few food choices in the vicinity.

The kids snowmobile track is currently closed. When available, children 6 and older and weigh less than 120 pounds, can ride Arctic Cat snowmobiles around an oval track for an additional cost.

Five on Friday {Welcome 2021}

Posted on January 1, 2021 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

*This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the blog!*

Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Welcome 2021! I’m sure we are all glad to see the end of 2020. We celebrated New Year’s Eve with the four of us. I had to work (sadly, the District Office of the school district that I work in was open!) and then we ordered takeout from Domino’s and had a family game night. Our traditional menu has been finger foods/appetizers for dinner. But there was no way I was doing all of that cooking when I got home from work!

It’s been two weeks since I did a Five on Friday post because…..Christmas. I hope everyone had a nice holiday! So, here are probably more than five from the past two weeks!

1. Cookie Exchange – The weekend before Christmas our Supper Club had our annual cookie exchange. We socially distanced at a local park for a quick catch up and exchanged cookies.

2. NYBG Train Show – We visited the New York Botanical Garden to see the annual Holiday Train Show. It was only open this year to members. It was so much less crowded which was really nice and as beautiful as always.

3. Untermyer Gardens – Before Christmas we also visited Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers for their Grand Holiday Illumination. Since entry was by timed reservation, this was also much less crowded than usual.

4. Christmas Dinner – Since it was just the four of us for Christmas, I didn’t want to go crazy cooking dinner. Christmas Eve Day Dana and I prepped a vegetable lasagna and egplant parm. I also started the dough for Pinch of Yum’s No Knead Bread. It was so easy to get dinner ready on Christmas and it was so good!

5. Reading – I am finishing up The Girl in the Mirror, a suspense read. This will likely be my last book of the year, putting my year end total number of books read at 98.

6. New Mug – I won this Rae Dunn mug from a giveaway that Steph and Jana (of the monthly Show Us Your Books Linkup) had.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I posted “Snow Tubing in the Hudson Valley.”

Wednesday I shared the newest edition of Westchester Weekly.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Westchester Weekly {December 30}

Posted on December 30, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Check out this week’s edition of Westchester Weekly to find out where to eat, shop and play in Westchester County this week:

Eat:

Brothers Fish & Chips: (Ossining) They have a couple NYE preorder takeout specials that include surf & turf, lobster tostones, fish cakes and a paella mixta platter.

The Cookery: (Dobbs Ferry) The Cookery is offering New Year’s feasts to take out. They have several different entree choices with a variety of add-ons.

Meraki Taverna: (Armonk) This Greek restaurant is open for their normal dinner hours on New Year’s Eve and opens at 4 PM New Year’s Day. They are serving their regular menu.

Meso Mediterranean Cuisine – (Rye) This restaurant opened in Rye earlier in December. They are open New Year’s Eve and will be serving brunch January 1, 2021.

Modern on the Rails – (Mamaroneck) Modern on the Rails is ringing in the new year at 8 PM on New Year’s Eve. They are serving their regular dinner menu. Reservations are requested.

OKO – (Rye) This Japanese restaurant is open New Year’s Eve with seatings between 5 PM – 8:30 PM. Takeout is also available.

Tredici North – (Purchase) They are offering both indoor and outdoor seating, takeout and delivery for New Year’s Eve dinner.

Z Prime Italian Steakhouse: (White Plains) Z Prime is serving a 5 course dinner with beer, wine and soda for $225/person. There will also be live entertainment. Reservations with a deposit are needed.

Shop:

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A post shared by Beascakes Bakery 🍪🍩🎂🧁 (@beascakesbakery)

Beascakes Bakery: (Armonk) Starting today they have special New Year DIY cookie decorating kits.

Longford’s Ice Cream – (Rye) is selling mini sundae bars to go that serve up to 10. Everything, from ice cream and four toppings to the cups, napkins and spoons, costs $35.

Play:

Amaze in Pottery – (Briarcliff Manor) open this week for walk-ins and pottery to go. Closed January 1.

The Cliffs – (Valhalla) Through tomorrow (12/31), The Cliffs is open from 10 AM – 6 PM for staff assisted climbs with free gear rentals. You need to book in advance.

Hudson River Museum – (Yonkers) Thursday (12/31) at 2 PM, enjoy a virtual family science project: Snowflakes in Spaaace! Registration is required for this free event.

In The Area:

Florrie Kaye’s Tea Room – (Carmel) Florrie Kaye’s Tea Room will be hosting a special New Year’s Day candlelight breakfast from 9 AM – 2 PM. There will be a special breakfast menu along with their regular menu. Reservations are required.

Snow Tubing in the Hudson Valley

Posted on December 28, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Winter has arrived in the Hudson Valley. The temps are cold and we did have some snow at one point! Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, you can still enjoy some outdoor winter fun. Snow tubing is a fun activity that requires no special equipment or skills, just warm clothes!

We were planning on going snow tubing this past weekend, but the Christmas storm melted all the snow! We are going to hold off on going until we get more snow. However, most of these places make their own snow and are operating. As always, check directly with the location for up-to-date information. Here are some of the places we found where you can go snow tubing in the Hudson Valley.

Holiday Mountain (Monticello)
99 Holiday Mountain Road
Monticello, NY 12701
(845) 796-3161

Holiday Mountain snow tubing sessions sell out quickly. Be sure to call (845) 796-3161 to book your session. Snow tubers must be 44″ tall.

Cost: $20 for a 2 hour session. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling (845) 796-3161.

Sessions: 2 hour sessions on Friday, Saturday, Sundays and holidays

Hunter Mountain (Hunter)
64 Klein Avenue
Hunter, NY 12442

Hunter Mountain has tubing lanes that are almost 1,000 feet long, the longest of any of the destinations listed. Children have to be at least 36″ to snow tube. Tickets have to be purchased 48 hours in advance of your intended date.

Cost: $25 for a single tube, available for any rider over 44″
$35 for a double tube, for an adult and child between 36″ and 44″

Sessions: 2 hour sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Mount Peter (Warwick)
51 Old Mount Peter Road
Warwick, NY
(845) 986-4940

Mount Peter has a multi-lane 600 foot snow tubing run with a carpet lift to get you to the top of the mountain. Riders must be at least 42″ tall to ride in a single tube. They have tandem tubes for those riders 36″ – 48″ that can ride with an adult. Online reservations/ticket purchasing is highly recommended. For children under 42″ tall, Mount Peter has a Little Tikes tubing hill.

We went snow tubing here several years ago and had a blast! You can read more about our experience.

Cost:
$35 for a 1.5 hour session weekends & holidays, $25 for the Little Tikes hill
$30 for a 1.5 hour session weekdays, $20 for the Little Tikes hill

Sessions: 1.5 hour sessions, Thursday – Sunday (check the website for sessions times)

Plattekill Mountain (Roxbury)
469 Plattekill Road
Roxbury, NY 12474
(607) 326-3500

Plattekill has two tubing lanes that are 500 feet long. A conveyor carpet lift to get you to the top of the mountain. Children have to be at least 3 feet tall to snow tube. Plattekill only has single tubes, but related parties can go tubing with the tubes together as conditions warrant.

Cost: $27 for a 2 hour session, $79 for a season snow tubing pass
Tickets must be purchased in advance online

Sessions: 2 hour sessions Saturdays and Sundays, 11 AM – 5 PM

Windham Mountain (Windham)
360 County Route 12
Windham, NY 12496
(518) 734-4300

Windham Mountain has six, 650 foot snow tube lanes in their Adventure Park. Enjoy a conveyor ride up the mountain.

Cost: $25/person. At this time, reservations and pre purchasing tickets is not available. It is recommended that you call ahead to check availability.

Sessions: 3 hour sessions, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays

Westchester Weekly {December 23}

Posted on December 23, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Check out this week’s edition of Westchester Weekly to find out where to eat, shop and play in Westchester County this week:

Eat:

Benjamin Steakhouse: (White Plains) The restaurant is offering a three course prix-fixe menu for $79.95 on Christmas. The menu is available for dine-in or takeout.

Risotto Restaurant: (Thornwood) Risotto officially reopened yesterday for dinner service. They are open this week from 4:30 PM – 10 PM, including Christmas Day.

Rory Dolan’s: (Yonkers) This restaurant is offering a 4 course Christmas dinner for $32.95/person. Open from 11 AM – 10 PM.

Sea Flame Restaurant: (Scarsdale) The restaurant is offering a four course dinner on December 24 and 25 for $79.95/person. Reservations only.

Whiskey River: (Peekskill) This restaurant is open on Christmas Day from 5- 10 PM for dinner and drinks.

Shop:

Branches of Beauty: (Scarsdale) This skincare boutique in Scarsdale provides facials, microblading, laser hair removal and so much more. They are currently offering a holiday promotion. When you purchase gift card of $100 or more, you receive another $25 gift card for yourself.

Double Barrel Roasters: (Yonkers) Buy their new limited edition holiday Cinnamon Chocolate Truffle flavored coffee. They also have limited quantities of their other holiday flavors like Candy Cane, Biscotti and Anisette. You can choose decaf or regular (caffeine). Orders are placed online via their website.

Play:

December 15, 2020 – January 4, 2021: (New Rochelle) Take a StoryWalk with the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District, the New Rochelle Library and the City of New Rochelle. Start at the New Rochelle Public Library’s Lawton Street Drop off/Pick up entrance windows. There you will find the first few pages of the classic children’s book, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. A map shows where the next few pages of the book can be found. Enjoy this free, outdoor, socially distant family-friendly activity.

December 24 – December 31: City of Yonkers Jingle Jangle Virtual 5K (Yonkers) This is a free virtual 5K to get people active and to raise community awareness. The run can be done inside or out. Head to the site to print up your participant bib.

December 28 – December 30: Holi-Daze Mini Camps at Teatown (Ossining) Teatown is offering mini camps for children ages 4-12 from 1 PM – 3 PM. There’s a different theme each day (December – 28 Reptiles, December 29 – Mammals, December 30 – Raptors). 11 AM each day there’s a 30 minute zoom session with the Animal Ambassadors. In the afternoon, there will be exploration in the woods. Members: $120, Non-Members: $150, includes morning zoom session.

Hudson Valley Holiday Events Guide

Upcoming Events:

January 2 – 31: Downtown White Plains Restaurant Week

January 25: Chappaqua School Foundation Virtual Dumpling Night with Dale Talde of Goosefeathers

Opening January 2021: Fusion Food Hall (Peekskill)

Five on Friday {Walking in a Winter Wonderland}

Posted on December 18, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! Did anyone else get hit with Winter Storm Gail?! Yesterday the kids and I enjoyed a snow day! It was nice to have a day off from school and work! Although I hate shoveling and the cold, it sure is pretty! This weekend is a busy one with our Supper Club cookie exchange, a virtual holiday party/White Elephant gift exchange and then a trip to the NYBG train show! I hope everyone has a great weekend! Here are five from this week:

1.Cooking – Last weekend I baked sugar cookies and the kids helped decorate them. Yes, due to poor planning on my part, we may have only had Valentine’s Day sprinkles! LOL!

Sunday night we celebrated Hanukkah, with a delicious dinner of homemade latkes and noodle kugel and matzo ball soup (from a box mix).

My husband made homemade jelly donuts too!

2. Reading – This week I finished Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. I rated this book 3 stars but it was more like 2.5 stars. I don’t want to give spoilers but let’s just say that I hated the ending.

The year is technically not over yet and I hope to finish a couple of more books. But I like the infographic that goodreads created!

3. Watching – This past week we watched Prom on Netflix. It’s the movie of the Broadway musical, which we had not seen. It has a great cast including Meryl Streep, James Corden, Kerry Washington and Nicole Kidman. My kids enjoyed it too, although they said there was way too much singing! LOL!

4. Eating – Chinese Food. Chinese is probably my favorite takeout. Plus, I love a night off from cooking! Dinner and movie nights are a rare time for the family to enjoy doing something all together at home!

5. Snow Day – Yesterday, in between shoveling snow, I made a snow angel!

Then I spent a good amount of time on the couch drinking hot cocoa (White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa Bomb from Jane Street Sweets) and reading In a Holidaze.

ICYMI this week on the blog: