NY Foodie Family

A Weekend in Corning

Posted on May 22, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Nicknamed “Crystal City,” Corning, NY is perfect for a fun family weekend getaway. Situated in the southern Finger Lakes region, there is something here for everyone. Last summer I visited Corning with my two children and we had a great time. However, the town will appeal to art lovers, wine connoisseurs, or couples looking for a romantic getaway as well. The trip to Corning is a little less than 4 hours by car.

Where to Stay:

Staybridge Suites Corning
Staybridge Suites Corning is located a short distance from the Corning Museum of Glass. This hotel is perfect for families. Our suite had a small kitchenette with a table and chairs and a living room with a television. The kids shared one bedroom and each got a bed all to themselves, while I slept in the other bedroom. Getting ready in the morning was made easier with a bathroom in each bedroom. My kids loved swimming in the indoor pool. Breakfast is included with your stay, which is always nice when traveling, to save on expenses. The buffet had a decent selection of hot and cold choices including oatmeal, scrambled eggs, waffles, pastries, fruit and more. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings the hotel hosts an evening reception with complimentary food and beverages.

What to do:

Rockwell Museum
The Rockwell Museum is located in the heart of Corning, on the corner of Cedar Street. The museum houses a diverse collection of art that tells the story of the American experience through the works of American artists. Open at 9 AM, this is a great place to start your visit in Corning. You can easily spend a couple of hours viewing the paintings, sculptures, photographs and other works of art. You can buy a combo ticket to the Corning Museum of Glass and take advantage of the free shuttle. Read all about why this museum is great for families!

Corning Museum of Glass
Most people associate Corning with the Corning Museum of Glass and of course it is a mandatory stop on your trip. The Corning Museum of Glass houses the world’s largest collection of glass art, with over 3,500 years of glass history exhibited throughout its galleries. During your visit you will also be able to watch live glass making demonstrations that are held continuously throughout the day.

Prior to your visit, be sure to make a reservation at the Studio if you want to participate in a Make Your Own Glass experience. For an additional fee, you can enjoy a memorable glass blowing experience and take home a souvenir of your trip. Because the glass needs to undergo a slow cooling process, it must remain at the studio overnight and can be picked up the next day or shipped to your house, for a fee. Read all about our visit to the CMOG.

Other Museums and Historic Sites
Located in or around Corning you will also find other museums including the Arnot Art Museum, Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, the Finger Lakes Boating Museum and the Erie Depot. History fans will also enjoy Mark Twain’s Elmira.

Watkins Glen International Speedway
Located approximately 30 minutes away is the Watkins Glen International Speedway. If you are into car racing, you may want to plan a weekend when a race is taking place. On specific dates, you can purchase a pass to drive your car around the raceway!

Shopping
The Gaffer District is home to over 50 shops. From clothing, jewelry, glass, wine, cigars, art and more, you will find something for everyone among the different shops.

Wineries & Breweries
The Finger Lakes is well-known for its wine trails. But did you know that the region is also home to many breweries and distilleries? While not something that I could partake in with the kids in tow, I can’t wait to return with my husband to enjoy the craft beverage trail.

Outdoor Fun
There are many different outdoor activities to enjoy in Corning. Depending on when you visit you can kayak, hike, bike, fish, boat and even horseback ride. No matter what season you visit, you should make time for a stop at Watkins Glen State Park. A short drive from Corning, this New York State park is home to 19 waterfalls, a couple of which you can actually walk behind! During our visit we kayaked, went horseback riding, and also visited Watkins Glen State Park.

Where to Eat:

Old World Café
Within walking distance of the Rockwell Museum is the Old World Cafe. It sits in the heart of the Gaffer District, and is a perfect place to grab lunch. You can enjoy the homemade soups, sandwiches and salads, but leave room for some Purity ice cream, served in the parlor.

Hand + Foot
Back in the Gaffer District enjoy dinner at Hand + Foot. The have a drink menu featuring an extensive list of draft beers. Their menu features sandwiches and dishes made with seasonal ingredients. The restaurant focuses on community and has one long table for seating, conducive for meeting the locals and making new friends.

Nickel’s Pit BBQ
After a hike at Watkins Glen State Park, visit Nickel’s Pit BBQ located on North Franklin Street. The restaurant is located in the historic Watkins Glen fire department building. It serves all kinds of delicious BBQ in a casual, but fun atmosphere.

Village Tavern Restaurant
Located approximately 40 minutes away in Hammondsport, near Lake Keuka, is Village Tavern Restaurant. This European style bar and restaurant serves award-winning wines and over 100 different beers. While the restaurant specializes in fresh fish and seafood, the lunch menu includes a variety of salads and sandwiches. This restaurant is seasonal and is open May through the beginning of December.

Note: Thank you Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes for hosting our visit. As always, all opinions are our own.

Duckpin Bowling {Family Fun}

Posted on May 17, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I’m sure many families have been bowling before. But have you tried Duckpin bowling?! Duckpin bowling is similar to the bowling that most of us are familiar with. However, there are some differences. First, although there are ten pins, they are smaller and lighter than those used in 10-pin bowling, making it more difficult to roll a strike. Second, the balls are smaller in size and do not have finger holes.

Our family recently visited the only local Duckpin bowling alley that we are aware of, Danbury Duckpin Lanes, in Danbury, Connecticut.

This is an old school bowling alley. There are no televisions or streaming LCD screens. The lanes don’t have automatic scoring or pin clearing. But there is lots of memorabilia and look at that clock!

When you check-in at the main desk you are assigned a lane and given a scoring paper and pencil. The time is recorded, as you pay by the amount of time spent bowling, not per game. Scoring is calculated the same way as regular bowling. Except in duckpin bowling, you roll three balls per frame.

After each roll you hit the floor pedal to clear the fallen pins.

Then once you roll your third ball, you hit the reset button to load the pins for the next player.

There is a bit of a learning curve to Duckpin bowling, mostly in getting comfortable holding and throwing the ball. The smaller balls were a bit hard to hold, especially for the kids. Although the bowling alley has bumpers available, we opted not to use them. They are the kind that have to be put in and everyone has to use them. My son wasn’t very happy about this, since many of his balls ended up in the gutter.

We spent an hour and twenty minutes bowling two games, with my husband winning both. Although there is a small snack bar at the lanes, we didn’t eat while we were there, as we had gone out to lunch right before bowling.

Duckpin bowling is a fun variation of ten-pin bowling. We had a great time at Danbury Duckpin Lanes and plan on visiting again soon!

The Details:
Danbury Duckpin Lanes
7 East Hayestown Road
Danbury, CT 06811
(203) 744-4505

Hours: Closed Monday & Tuesday
Wednesday & Thursday 3:30 PM – 6 PM
Friday 3:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Saturday 12 PM – 9:30 PM
Sunday 11 AM – 6 PM

Price: 3o minute minimum, price starts at $16 for 30 minutes
Shoes: $1.50/pair

*Credit cards are accepted.

*The snack bar sells food at a reasonable price: pizza $2.00, french fries $2.00, hot dog $1.75 plus snacks, beverages, ice cream and more.

Cooking Lately

Posted on May 14, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

If you’re a regular blog reader you may have noticed that I haven’t posted a weekly meal plan for the past two weeks. Believe me, I’ve still been cooking up a storm during the week. I just haven’t had time to post our meal plan here. So today, I’m sharing some of the meals that I’ve cooked over the past two weeks. Again, I hope this post helps you find something new to make for dinner. Mix up your weekly dinners and try a new recipe! You and your family might like it! So on to what’s been cooking lately:

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole from Broma Bakery – This was a family favorite and my daughter already asked me to make this again. My only criticism of this recipe is that it should be called Taco Tater Tot Casserole. After looking at some other “cheeseburger” tater tot casserole recipes, I noticed that the others had mustard, ketchup and pickles. This recipe had none of that but does have taco seasoning. I forgot to serve this with sour cream and it was still tasty. This is a hearty, comfort dish that I’ll save to make again in the fall once the weather gets cool again.

Cowboy Spaghetti from Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals – I’ve made this recipe before many years ago. Although it sounds like a weird combination of ingredients, somehow it works. I did not use beer in my recipe. The family enjoyed this meal and this is another recipe that I’ll likely make again, come fall or winter.

Instant Pot Sticky Korean Chicken from Half Baked Harvest – This was a quick and easy chicken dish. Instead of the gochugang sauce the recipe called for, I used a tablespoon of chili garlic sauce. Even that was probably a bit much, since the chicken turned out pretty spicy. My chicken ended up pretty saucy, which I didn’t mind because I spooned it over the rice. However, I used a pound of chicken and there was no leftovers and not even enough for seconds. Next time, I’ll reduce the amount of chili garlic sauce and double the amount of chicken. I served this with rice and veggies. This will be made again!

Cajun Chicken Alfredo Shells from Closet Cooking – This was probably one of the more time consuming meals to make over the past two weeks. The night before I was going to make these my husband pre-cooked the chicken for me in the Instant Pot. While the shells cooked, I made the sauce and got the chicken and broccoli mixture together. These were pretty tasty, but I think more work than it was worth. Luckily, there were leftovers which my daughter and I took for lunch the next day. I served these shells with a Caesar salad.

Wafflewiches from Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals – If you are looking for a super quick and easy meal, these Wafflewiches are it! It’s a different take on the Monte Cristo, using waffles instead of French Toast. My kids rarely eat a cold cut sandwich, but both enjoyed these wafflewiches.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw from Pinch of Yum – Shrimp are quick and easy to cook. The sauce and slaw was easy to throw together and it packed a lot of flavor! There was a bunch of slaw and sauce leftover, which we are using in fish tacos!

What have you been cooking lately?

Birchbox {April 2018}

Posted on May 10, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I’ve always been a fan of subscription boxes. There’s just something about getting a surprise package in the mail every month that’s just for me. I finally broke down and started a Birchbox subscription. For the rare few who may have not heard of Birchbox, it’s a monthly subscription that sends you five sample-sized beauty products. After hearing so much about it for so long, I decided to give it a go.

When you sign up for Birchbox you complete a Beauty Profile that covers your skin, hair and beauty style and knowledge. FYI, I’m very low-maintenance with barely any beauty knowledge. My almost non-existent beauty and make-up routine is very minimalist.

I was hesitant to try Birchbox because the products they send are sample-sized. However, I have to say that I was impressed with what was sent. The samples are big enough to get several uses out of each product. Plus, I also like that if you love one of the products in the box, you can purchase the full-size item through the website. And the best part, the boxes are only $10 a month! And aren’t the boxes themselves so pretty?! I plan on keeping these to store things in.

My April 2018 box included:

Beautaniq Beauty: Fill + Tame Brow Gel (full-size $12) – I have never used brow gel and have to admit that I still haven’t tried this. As far as beauty and makeup go, I’m a super minimalist and brow gel seems a little too much for me.

Dr. Lipp: Miracle Balm (full-size $16.50)- This product is one that would get a lot more use from me in the winter. That’s when my lips and especially my hands get super dry. This Miracle Balm is thick and has the consistency of petroleum jelly. I’ve only used it a couple of times on my lips, but so far, so good.

jane iredale: Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink (full-size $25) – I don’t wear blush or “cheek stain.” I also don’t normally wear lipstick during the week. If I wear lipstick before going out, I want it to stand out a little bit. I found this shade to be a little too light for me. The color was barely noticeable, but gave my lips a little shine.

Marcelle: BB Cream Golden Glow (full-size $29) – As I’ve mentioned, I’m late to the make-up game. Can I admit that I’ve never used a BB cream until now?! BB creams have become super popular because they are a multi-functional product. They moisturize, provide light foundation coverage and many also have sun protection. I received the Golden Glow shade in my box and have to say that I do like it. I think I’m a BB cream convert, but am going to experiment with some different brands.

Vasanti: BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator (full-size $34) – I have been using this a couple of times a week in the shower. I only use a pea size amount each time, so I’ve been able to get a number of uses out of this sample. I’m not sure I notice a big difference when I use this, so this is something I’d probably not buy the full-size version of.

As you can see, the price of the full-size products of some of these samples are a lot more than I’d be willing to pay to try a product and not know if I’ll love it. I also believe that as you rate and review your samples, Birchbox can get a better sense of what you like and don’t like. This will hopefully help your box get better and better each month! I’m planning on getting the May Birchbox but will likely put my subscription on hold for the summer.

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? What was in your April box?

April 2018 Reads

Posted on May 8, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy for additional information.)

It’s the second Tuesday of the month which means that I’m sharing my April reads with Jana and Steph’s Show Us Your Books linkup. It was a slow reading month for me. I only read five books, but all but one were great reads. Here are my April 2018 reads in least to most liked.

3 stars

Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver – This was my only non-fiction book of the month. After being diagnosed with MS, Carver reassessed her life and decided to live a more minimalist life. Her book gives tips and strategies on how to pursue minimalism. I found it to be too autobiographical and the advice was pretty basic.

4 stars

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The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth – This book is about Pleasant Court and three women, Essie, Ange and Fran, who live with their families there. When Isabelle, a single woman, moves into the neighborhood the women are on high alert. Each of the women, including Isabelle, are each dealing with their own struggles. While it appears to the others that their lives are perfect they are indeed not. The story line and writing style of this book reminded me of Liane Moriarty. While Hepworth has become a recent favorite author, this book had a different writing style/feel than her other books that I’ve read. It was still an enjoyable read for me though.

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The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah – Hannah has been a favorite author for awhile. I found this book to start off slow. At first, I was thinking this wasn’t my kind of read. However, once I got about half-way through I got really invested into Leni’s life, rooting for her and her mom.

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The Other Mother by Carol Goodman – Daphne meets Laurel at a postpartum mother’s support group. The two both have daughters named Chloe. Soon Daphne starts dressing and looking like Laurel. Their intense friendship has some drastic consequences. When I picked up this book, I realized that I had read one of Goodman’s books many years ago and wasn’t a big fan of it. So, I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy this book. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this was a decent suspense read.

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Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney – Amber wakes up in the hospital, unable to see or speak. However, she can hear everything going on around her. As the story unfolds between the past, the week before her accident and the present, we discover what really happened. I feel like I’ve read a couple of books recently where the wife was in an accident and can’t remember what happened prior to it and I wasn’t impressed. This book though had lots of twists and I found it to be an enjoyable read.

Five on Friday {May the Fourth Be With You!}

Posted on May 4, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for additional information.)

Happy Friday and Happy Star Wars Day! May started on Tuesday with a beautiful spring day and then decided to jump to 90 degrees. So, it’s been feeling like summer these past few days. I’m not quite ready for this heat, but I’m not going to complain. Winter lasted way too long. It’s been a busy couple of weeks here but we will hopefully have a relaxing weekend. Here are five from this week:

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1. Reading – I am in the middle of reading Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins. It’s a contemporary fiction book about Nora, a doctor who gets injured and decides to go back home to heal. I’m half-way through and am enjoying it.

The Greatest Showman poster.png Pitch Perfect 2 poster.jpg

2. Watching – Over the past two weeks we watched Pitch Perfect 2, Coco and The Greatest Showman. I highly recommend watching all of these movies! Pitch Perfect is one of my favorite movies. While Pitch Perfect 2 wasn’t as great, it’s still a fun movie. I’ve enjoyed getting to watch them again with my kids and am waiting for the third movie to come in from the library. Coco was surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting much from this animated kids movie but was pleasantly surprised! The Greatest Showman was great and I know why people are buying the soundtrack. There are lots of great songs from this movie!

3. Eating – We had our monthly supper club this past weekend and the theme was Australian. It was actually difficult to find “Australian” recipes. I made lamingtons, which is a type of cake with icing and then covered in coconut.

4. Family Fun – This past weekend our family saw the Cirque du Soleil show Volta. It was such an amazing show. It’s in New Jersey until this weekend and then it’s going to Long Island, Oaks, PA, Seattle, WA and then San Francisco and San Jose, CA. You can read my review of this family fun experience!

5. Subscription Box Fun (c/o STRONG self(ie)) – Do you have a tween/teen daughter? They will love this STRONG self(ie) subscription box! STRONG self(ie) kindly sent me a box to review and both my daughter and I loved it! This box is quarterly and is filled with items to help our daughters become their best self(ie). You can read my full review. If you use code “Foodie20” and receive 20% off your first box!

Sharing with Friday Favorites. Have a great weekend!

Westchester Weekend {May 5 & 6}

Posted on May 2, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Every weekend there’s always a ton of events going on in Westchester County and the surrounding area. Unfortunately, there are too many events to write about and I’m lucky if our family can attend even one event. However, I’m hoping to showcase some highlight events that you may want to try to attend. Here’s a quick look at some of the family fun and food events taking place in Westchester County and the surrounding area this weekend.

As always, please check with the website/venue for the most up-to-date information.

Saturday, May 5:

I Love My Park Day
Organized by Parks & Trails NY in a partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, this statewide celebration has volunteers helping to clean up and beautify state parks, public lands and historic sites throughout New York.

Pre-register for specific locations through the website.

K104’s 7th Annual Cupcake Festival
Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

Enjoy sampling cupcakes (for a cost) from local bakeries throughout the Hudson Valley. There are also family activities and local vendors selling goods.

1 PM – 5 PM

Free Admission
Rain Date – Sunday, May 6

May 5 & 6:
Hudson Valley Wine and Chocolate Festival
Patterson Recreation Center
65 Front Street
Patterson, NY 12563
(845) 878-7200

**This event is for adults only, 21+. This year’s festival has a Kentucky Derby theme! Sip wine, spirits and cider, sample chocolates

11 AM – 4 PM

Tickets: $30
Designated Driver Ticket: $10

Valley Con
Jefferson Valley Mall
Hill Blvd.
Jefferson, Valley, NY

The first Valley Con will include video game tournaments, meet and greet and panel discussions with celebrity guests, free movie screenings and more.

Saturday: 12 PM – 9 PM
Sunday: 11 AM – 6 PM

Free

Cirque du Soleil: Volta

Posted on May 1, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Cirque du Soleil for hosting NY Foodie Family. As usual, all opinions are our own.)

I have been a fan of Cirque du Soleil, ever since I saw my first show, Varekai, many years ago. For those unfamiliar, Cirque du Soleil literally means Circus of the Sun. However, this is no ordinary circus. The Canadian company is the largest theatrical producer in the world, and Volta, their newest show, is their 41st production.

Photo Credit – Benoit Z. Leroux, courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.

Volta is now performing at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment in East Rutherford, New Jersey until May 6. My family and I saw the show this past weekend and we had an amazing time! Although my kids have seen a couple Cirque du Soleil shows on DVD and television, this was their first live show. It was definitely an experience that they will not forget!

As soon as Volta starts you are in for a treat. The colorful costumes, the rhythmic sounds and the amazing acrobatic feats combine for an awe-inspiring performance. Volta, tells the story of WAZ, a guy who looks a little different than others, with his blue feathered hair. He hopes that the fame of performing on a popular game show will bring him love and acceptance. He is led on a journey with the Elites, the Greys and the Free Spirits as he comes to accept who he is.

Photo Credit – Michael Kass courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.

The show’s acrobatics focus strongly on street sports, with BMX, rope skipping, parkour, shape diving and more. There are also some comedic bits as well. My kids found WAZ’s story to be a bit vague and difficult to follow. However, they loved the acrobatic displays! During the shape diving act (pictured above), a couple of the performers knocked down the shapes during their dives. At the intermission, my kids asked, “Did they do that on purpose?” I told them that I didn’t think that they did it on purpose. But, we noted how the crowd was super excited for them when they landed their next dive. These minor mistakes showed my kids that these performers are human and we all make mistakes. As my daughter noted, “They were super brave to even get up there. I could never do that!” So, there were teachable moments during the show as well.

Photo Credit – Patrice Lamoureux courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.

The music for Volta was written and composed by Anthony Gonzalez, from the French music band, M83. As the musical director for Volta, he brings a variety of music styles to the stage. A band and singers perform live for each show.

Photo Credit – Michael Kass courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

As I mentioned, Cirque du Soleil shows are productions. This is not a short “circus” show. The show is broken up into two acts and was approximately two hours, with a 25-minute intermission. This is a show for everyone. The night we attended there were families with children of all ages as well as couples, young and old. Tickets start at $55 and are similarly priced to what you’d pay to see a Broadway show. There are two tiers of seating, with all seats having a decent view of the stage.

Get your tickets soon, as Volta is only playing in East Rutherford until May 6th. Then it will move on to Uniondale, Long Island with performances from May 17 through June 10. This is a fun experience that your family will LOVE!

The Details:

Cirque du Soleil’s Volta
Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment
1 Racetrack Drive
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

Parking: $20

Available Shows:
Wednesday May 2: 8 PM
Thursday May 3: 8 PM
Friday May 4: 4:30 PM
Sunday May 6: 1:30 PM and 5 PM

Tickets:
Start at $55, varies depending on the show and seat choice – can be purchased online or by calling 1-877-9CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783).

Tips:
*Doors open for the 8 PM show at 7:15 PM. There was a lot of traffic getting into the parking lot of the Meadowlands Race Track. You then have to take a shuttle bus to the circus tent.

*I recommend either leaving the show as the cast are taking bows or hanging out after the show for a little bit. The crowds after the show ended were crazy, as everyone had to wait to get a shuttle bus back to the parking lot. It just so happened that the night we attended it was raining and we didn’t have an umbrella, so we got a tad bit wet!

*Food and drinks are available for purchase. However, be prepared to pay a hefty price. A bottle of water costs $5 and a bag of popcorn (approximately the size of a medium movie theater popcorn) costs $12. Alcohol, including beer, wine and spirits, are available as well. We had an early dinner before we went to see the show and stopped on the way home for a treat.

*Flash photography is not allowed. If you are in an aisle seat in front of the stage, have your camera ready during the bows. The cast comes down off the stage and walks into the aisles – you may be able to get a close-up pic!

STRONG self(ie) Subscription Box Review

Posted on April 26, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(This STRONG self(ie) quarterly subscription box was provided to NY Foodie Family for review purposes. As usual, all opinions are our own.)

Subscription boxes are a lot of fun. In the past, we’ve received food-related subscription boxes that the whole family could enjoy (MunchPak, Empire Crate, Universal Yums). Most recently, I signed up for Birchbox and Ipsy as a fun treat for me. My daughter sees me getting these boxes in the mail and gets as excited as I do to see what’s inside. When I heard about the STRONG self(ie) subscription box for tween and teen girls, I was very interested.

I was first intrigued by the name of the box – STRONG self(ie). Just the name is very empowering. Co-founders and moms Kristen and Stephanie created this subscription box as a means to teach their daughters, “the importance of being strong, confident, and proud of who they are.”

The STRONG self(ie) box is a quarterly box that ships out during the first two weeks in March, June, September and December. There are two different box choices, BLOOM for ages 8-12 and BURST for ages 13- 17. Each box includes 4-6 products that inspire girls to be their best self(ie) in four different areas – smart(ie), funn(ie), health(ie) and beaut(ie). Based on the products we received in the spring box, it appears that Kristen and Stephanie try to source many of the products from small start-up and/or family-run businesses.

Each box also goes #beyondthebox and includes a card that showcases a STRONG girl. The spring box featured 13-year-old Nandi Weziwe Hildebrand and described how she fulfills the four different self(ie) areas. I also love the note cards included in the box. There were four cards (pictured above) in the parent envelope that I can give to my daughter, offering words of encouragement and positivity. There were also four note cards in an envelope for her, that she can give to friends.

The boxes cost $59.95 per quarter. But readers, you can save 20% off your first box by using code: “Foodie20”. You can subscribe or gift a box to your favorite girl. I think any tween or young teen would enjoy a STRONG self(ie) subscription!

My daughter just turned twelve and the spring BLOOM box was perfect for her! No joke, it’s like they made this box especially for her. The spring box included:

BOLD Bandz Headband – (BEAUT)IE – BOLD Bandz are non-slip headbands that don’t hurt your head. They come in a variety of designs and patterns. I’m not sure if the band that we received in the box is a child-size headband. Although the headband is not supposed to hurt, my daughter complained that it was a bit tight. I think these headbands would be perfect for girls who play sports and want to keep their hair out of their faces. ($8.99)

Fashion Angels: Organize & Chill Planner – SMART(IE) Since my daughter started middle school last year, organization has been one of her biggest challenges. I live by my planner and I’m hoping this Fashion Angels planner will help her keep track of her school assignments and after-school activities. I like that the planner isn’t dated. Since the school year is almost over, we are debating whether she should hold off on using this until September. ($12.99)

Hayden Girl Ruffle Jacket – FUNN(IE) Having a tween daughter, I can tell you that clothing shop is difficult at this age. I try not to even mention that I like something because my daughter will automatically not like it! I have to say that we are both fans of this Molly satin jacket. She likes the bomber style jacket, I like the feminine details like the ruffle and the color. This is a size 11/12 and just fits. She’d probably get more use out of 13/14 but they were out. I had not heard of Hayden Girls prior to receiving this box, but after checking out their site, I am LOVING all of their clothes! They have such stylish pieces that are reasonably priced! ($37.95)

Lovely Candy Company: Sour Honey Gummy Bears – (HEALTH)IE – Sour gummy candies are a family favorite. We all helped to devour this bag! Lovely is a family owned business and these sour honey gummy bears are one of the most recent additions to their candy line. These are all-natural gummies made with honey! So good! ($4.99)

Luv Ur Skin Face Skincare Set – (HEALTH)IE – My daughter has just started getting into the routine of washing her face and moisturizing. I hadn’t really taken the time to find a skincare line targeted for her age group and she’s been using whatever I use. This three piece skincare set includes a face wash, a moisturizer and a lip balm, as well as a cloth headband. My daughter has sensitive skin and had no problems using these products. I am impressed that the Australian-based company Luv Ur Skin was founded by a 13-year-old girl and uses all-natural ingredients! ($18.50)

Altogether, the value of this box totaled approximately $84, which is more than the $59.99 that you pay for it. Like I mentioned, my tween daughter was HUGE fan of the STRONG self(ie) box! Remember, use code “Foodie20” to get 20% off your first box!

Westchester Weekend {April 28 & 29}

Posted on April 25, 2018 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

As always, please check with the website/venue for the most up-to-date information.

Saturday, April 28:

Hudson Valley Mac and Cheese Fest
Brotherhood Winery
100 Brotherhood Plaza Drive
Washingtonville, NY 10992

Enjoy sampling over 15 different mac and cheese creations. All tickets include a self-guided tour of the winery. Soft drinks, wine and beer are available for purchase.

1 PM – 5 PM

General Admission: $30
VIP Big Cheese Ticket (admission at 12 PM): $50
4 PK General Admission Early Bird Special: $99
Kids 12 and under: FREE

Sunday, April 29:

White Plains Cherry Blossom Festival
Turnure Park
26 Lake Street
White Plains, NY

Experience Japanese culture while celebrating the cherry blossoms. Performances throughout the day include dance, taiko drumming, kendo, singing, traditional dance and more. Food is available for purchase.

11:30 AM – 5 PM

Free Admission

April 28 & 29:
Hudson Valley KidVenture
Mid-Hudson Civic Center
14 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

This is a two-day event that allows children of all ages to explore, discover and have fun. There are performances, demonstrations, hands-on activities, Touch A Truck and more.

11 AM – 4 PM

Tickets:
$8 in advance
$10 at door
Weekend Pass: $12 in advance
Children under 3 are FREE