Free Kids Stuff:

The Children's Museum of Manhattan (83rd b/w Broadway and Amsterdam) has a program where admission for adults and children (all ages) is free on the first Friday of every month. We took the pumpkin last month and she had a blast. As it gets busy fast, we recommend getting there as close to 5 as you can, especially if your little one is under two.

Target First Free Friday! (Next as of this writing: Friday, September 4, 2009)
Children's Museum of Manhattan
(212) 721-1234
Admission is free from 5—8pm

Extra bonus? During August's event, there was a Time-Warner ice-cream truck outside (that isn't a typo) selling cups and cones of soft-serve for a buck!*

* More info on that TW ice-cream truck: One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to nonprofit organizations that offer science, technology, engineering and math programs for kids. Cool, huh?

Bein' a dad isn't so bad (except that you gotta feed em')

Friday morning I saw a subway ad for "New York City Dads." It's a city program designed for (surprise surprise) dads in New York City. I figured, "hey that's me!" so I checked it out. The site communicates a message that's more and more prominent lately (or perhaps I just pick up on it more now): Reminding men that they need to be daddies and not just babydaddies.

I'd like to think that I am there for Pumpkin as much as I can be, but I could always be doing more. The site has a lot of great suggestions, including 100 free or cheap things to do with your child in NYC, separated by age group. "The Ultimate Playground Tour" certainly piques my interest; a toddler version of the pub-crawl, trying to monkey around on 21 central park playgrounds in one day. Oh I am so there... with Pumpkin, of course. Obviously.

If you're a NYC dad or know one who is, please share the NYC Dads site with them. And here are a few PSAs from fatherhood.org. The second one is pretty much my goal when I come home each day. :)

NYC Dads: www.nyc.gov/nycdads

(Title from the Loudin Wainwright song, "Bein' a Dad". Thanks, Curtis!)

Get a Free Pumpkin (and other great free activities on Saturday)

I'm beginning to think you should never have to buy a Halloween pumpkin in New York City!  The other day I posted about Central Park's Halloween Celebrations where you can get a pumpkin at the Pumpkin Festival (next Saturday, the 25th).  Now I find they're giving away pumpkins at the Madison Square Park's Fall Kids Fest 2008 sponsored by Time Out New York Kids.  It's tomorrow (Saturday, October 18th) from 10:30 - 1:30 and there are tons of great activities planned, including clowns from the Big Apple Circus (um, and free pumpkins).

If you missed touring The Little Red Light House during Open House New York you have a second chance.  The Park Rangers are leading a tour tomorrow (Saturday, October 18th) from 1-4.  You can find out more details here.

I wish we were going to be here for the Pet Parade!  Our little Pumpkin would squeal with delight at all of the pets in their costumes.  It's at Hudson River Park's Pier 84 at 44th St tomorrow (Saturday, October 18th) from 1-4.  There's nothing like pets in clothes to bring a smile to your face and make you forget the chill in the air!

Posted picture used under creative commons license from Flickr user Brit.

Halloween in Central Park, a spooky good time

Central Park is offering fantastic Halloween events starting... well, yesterday.  Here's the line-up:

Halloween Crafts for Tots 

Thursday, October 23rd,  12-3pm at the Chess and Checkers House

Seasonal arts and crafts led by the Chess & Checkers House staff 

Pumpkin Festival

Saturday, October 25th, 3-8pm at Bethesda Fountain, the Bandshell, Cherry Hill AND the 72nd Street Travers (hay ride anyone?)

When Columbia and I went several years ago, sans children, it was definitely organized with kiddies in mind.  Now it has been revamped, and made later in the day, to include activities geared towards adults.  Events include a pumpkin patch (yep, with free pumpkins), haunted house and the popular Jack O'Lantern Tower.  If you still think you need to have kids to attend, why not volunteer instead?

Spooks at Belvedere

Saturday, October 25th, 4-8pm at Belvedere Castle

Belevedere Castle as a haunted house!?!  This we have to see!  Then we'll stay for the showing of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.  

Halloween Night Hike

Saturday, October 25th, 7pm starting at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

The north woods at night?  Only with park Rangers leading the way and s'mores waiting for me at the end.  

Halloween Pumpkin Sail

Sunday, October 26th, 4-7pm at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away your pumpkin with me... and hundreds others.  There will also be storytelling, crafts, music and treats.  

All events are free!  Now if the Central Park Conservancy could just help me figure out Pumpkin's costume...

To Get Away or Stay: Celebrating Our Anniversary

Stella tries to be a stowaway in our honeymoon luggage.
October 6, 2005.

Columbia and I were married 3 years ago today. It was a wonderful day. To celebrate, each year we have gone to the Berkshires for the long Columbus Day weekend. We were not sure if we should go this year; we are trying to live on one income and vacationing is not so frugal. We thought there might be a way to pull it off. So we put our cheapskate hats on and came up with some ways to go away for our anniversary for only a little dough. Here's how we're doing it:

1. Renting a car from a cheaper location, even though it's not so convenient
   Columbia was debating where to rent a car in August when we visited my family in PA. The Enterprise in Yonkers is much cheaper than the rental car spots around here (and they except discount codes). While it's not the most convenient location (especially with an infant), we will save a lot of money by renting there. Columbia has off today for Yom Kippur (what a nice anniversary gift, no?) so we can get the car today. Pumpkin and I will pick up Columbia when he gets out of work tomorrow. While we're paying for an extra day to do this, the cost we are saving is significant. Plus, Columbia can pack up the trunk tonight so Pumpkin and I don't have to do it tomorrow. Sweet!
   
   
2. Staying 2 nights instead of 3
   We are not going away for the entire weekend. If we come back on Sunday evening we can return the car on Monday without rushing. It will still be a nice weekend and Columbia can have a day without driving a long distance before returning to work. We will save one night's accommodations plus meals for an entire day. It's a good way to save money and not need a vacation to rest after our vacation away.
   
   
3. Looking for free activities
   We could go to the petting zoo that charges $6 per adult or the one that is free! Pumpkin, in her 7 month old way, will not care if the $6 petting zoo would have been better. There are also tons of spots to go hiking and see the fall foliage. Free and good exercise!
   
   
4. Bringing some of our own meals
   Breakfast is included at the hotel and we are packing snacks and PBJs for the drive. We'll also bring water and some champagne to celebrate in our room... after our little girl goes to sleep. Food can be expensive, so the more we bring the less it will cost us in the end.
   
   
5. Utilizing the car and the location
   Living in NYC we find schlepping to be part of the package. We'll take advantage of having the car and get some item we wouldn't be able to carry easily, like kitty litter. It's bound to be cheaper at a discount chain than a local pet store. We'll also go to the fruit stands and markets to stock up on fresh produce.
   
   
6. Staying at a hotel, not a B&B
   We are not staying at the cheapest hotel possible. We thought about it, but we kept coming back to The Simple Dollar's post about saving money with a baby. There are some things not worth skimping on for the safety and welfare of your child. We thought a hotel fell into this category. We wanted a clean, safe place for Pumpkin. I didn't want to have to worry about bugs, or moldy tubs, or... . We found a moderately priced hotel that had excellent ratings and was very family friendly. There's even an indoor pool - it will be Pumpkin's first pool experience. The price is still cheaper than what we've paid the past 2 years to stay in a quaint Bed & Breakfast. And the hotel has a DIY waffle iron for breakfast!
   

While the anniversary weekend may not be as romantic as those in the past, it will still be a weekend away together. Knowing that we've found ways to make it more affordable will help us enjoy it more. Best of all, we will be together - all three of us - and that's worth celebrating!

Don't worry, we won't forget you! We've got several great posts scheduled for this weekend.

Leaving a tourism short list for visiting friends and family

My sister and her family are coming to spend the weekend at our apt for Columbus Day. We won't be here (more about that tomorrow) so we wanted to leave them a few neighborhood spots to visit. Here's what's making the list:

• Bagel Talk bagel shop
  It's not H&H, but it's not H&H's prices either. While a bit divey, the bagels are great (the ones that Zabar's buys even) and they have a huge selection of cream cheeses, including tofu.
  
  
• American Museum of Natural History
  Yes, it's a huge tourist destination, but there's a reason for that. It's AWESOME! It's also close by. As a "suggested donation" entry, it's the perfect spot to stroll around and pass some time on the cheap. I've also found that if you're not careful, you might just learn something. Consider yourself warned.
  
  
• Buttercup Bake Shop
  The cupcakes are delicious and reasonably sized at this West 72nd street cupcakery. We used to frequent Crumbs on Amsterdam, but you could choke a horse with their oversized $4 cupcakes. The cupcakes at Buttercup are about half the size, with a price that matches. Buttercup was a refreshing change, and they offer a 20% discount for teachers (which will come as a nice surprise to my bro-in-law).
  
  
• Riverside Park, during sunset
  It's such a beautiful stroll when the weather is nice. It's probably getting too cold now. As a reformed Long Island boy, my heart will always have a soft spot for beaches and waterways and after summer the park's groupies make their exodus.
  
  
• The playground at 77th and Amsterdam
  We've been itching to take Pumpkin here since before we were even expecting her! My 9 year old niece and 3 year old nephew are going to have such a good time!
  
  
• Arties
  Arties pseudo-authentic Jewish deli, that has some eclectic foods, great soups and enormous onion rings. It's is a fun place to go and has a little something for everyone. Plus, it's fun to sit in their solarium and watch the passers-by.
  
  
• Central Park
  Pack a picnic and find a patch of grass. Head over to the CP zoo, or just find yourself lost in this 843 acre oasis.
  
  
• IMAX Movies
  Who doesn't want to see a movie on a 7-story tall screen? If the weather punks out, it might be just the thing to do. Head down to 67th and Broadway on a Friday morning or weekend morning and see that first-run IMAX movie at a discount.
  
  
• Jeckyl and Hyde Club / Mars 2112 / Other theme restaurants
  While these aren't everyone's favorites (I think it's something New Yorkers or adults are too cool for) I would have killed to eat here as a kid! The closest I had to a theme restaurant as a child was Chuck E Cheese, a restaurant who's theme is "Mice"... Ummm, yeah, well we have some of rodent themed eateries too, I guess...
  

As I make this list, I realize there are so many more places to share and love in this great neighborhood and city! I'd love to hear what's on your short list for when company visits.

Free Museum Admission This Saturday

LifeHacker alerted us to Museum Day sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine- an annual event where many museums across the nation are free for the day. You don't have to subscribe to the magazine to participate, simply fill out this form then print your pass. Below is a list of the museums offering free general admission in NYC this Saturday. The Children's Museum of Manhattan is on the list, so if Pumpkin is finally over her first cold we might take her there. It's nearby and... well... free. I can see Columbia wanting to go to Cooper-Hewitt. Hooray for Museum Day!

Manhattan American Folk Art Museum
Asia Society and Museum
Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators
Museum of the City of New York
New York City Fire Museum
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the George Gustav Heye Center
South Street Seaport Museum
The Center for Book Arts
The Drawing Center
The Jewish Museum
The Museum at FIT
The Skyscraper Museum
The Studio Museum in Harlem
The Ukrainian Museum

Bronx Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum

Queens Flushing Town Hall
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning

Staten Island Historic Richmond Town
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Staten Island Museum
The Noble Maritime Collection

Brooklyn New York Transit Museum

The Luckiest Girl in the World

I thought I'd share with you a little bit about how Pumpkin came to be part of our family.




There we were in the operating room of Lenox Hill Hospital, looking back on the exciting morning of realizing "it's time!", finding a cab to take us to Lenox Hill, the epidural wearing off... and not taking again, then something was wrong with our daughter's heart rate. She wasn't recovering from the contractions as well as our doctor wanted (he really is the best doctor in the world) we were quickly going into the operating room. There wasn't time to call anyone. It was just Columbia and I, hoping Pumpkin would be okay.

She was. Turns out our DD had inherited the gracefulness of her parents and gotten the cord wrapped around her thigh. After we heard her cry and a quick clean up, she was handed to Columbia. He sat there beside my head, holding our daughter and smiling his real smile, not the one he usually has in pictures. Then he grabbed my hand, held it steady as I was shaking from the drugs in my system, and helped me caress her head. Swaddled in the striped blanket, she was beautiful, delicate, perfect, ours. It was no longer just the 2 of us, we were a family.

4 days later we brought Pumpkin home. In a cab. To the UWS. It's not much. It's not even ours. But we live here together.

Pumpkin and I spend our days playing, reading books, wandering around this neighborhood we love and making faces at each other. Around 5, the door magically opens and in walks the man who makes us beam. He gives us both a kiss, takes my hand and makes me realize that I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Getting our ducks in a row (planning ahead to live on one income)

Columbia and I have always thought we would want me to stay at home when we had children. When we started planning for Pumpkin (we apparently are not very spontaneous) we made some preparations for how I might be able to stay at home.

1 - Maxxing that Salary Columbia went back to school a year ago to reach the highest pay possible for his years in the Dept of Ed. To finish by this fall he took 18 credits over the summer. Was it hard? On all of us? Yes, but this was the simplest way to bring in more money continually, even if it meant paying out some in the immediate.

2 - Nesting We built our nest egg. Columbia laughed when I used that term recently, but it's what we have saved. At it's most, it was nearly 6 months of basic expenses. It has dwindled now, but mostly because of Number 1 above.

3 - It Pays to be Healthy I didn't take any sick days last year. Instead I saved them and was able to use them after Pumpkin was born. This was a huge help during our adjustment phase to single income living. Until school started this year we had only had 2 months of single income life. This was due to planning... and Pumpkins timing. =)

4 - Deducting the Kid... and the Wife Columbia and I had both been losing a huge chunk of our paychecks to taxes. I knew that we should change Columbia's W-4, but I wasn't sure to what. Thankfully the IRS's W-4 form has basic directions on it (who've thunk it?). By using an online withholding calculator we were able to see what the change would look like in take home pay. We'll get less back in April but we'll have it now when we need it.

5 - It's All Mental Mentally preparing ourselves for this adjustment made it much easier. We both grew up with frugal parents and were relatively frugal in our lifestyles. We knew that adjustments would need to be made and that we would be sacrificing some (many?) of our creature comforts. It's worth it to us. We may not be able to live on one income forever. We may not be able to live in Manhattan forever, but we are committed to raising Pumpkin here for as long as we can. For the next year, at least, we'll give her the best life we can in our home in the city.

Picture by Columbia at the CP Model Boat Pond.

Visit the Island... Governor's Island that is

This former military base is being revitalized as public space and you can visit on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until October 12th. There are free ferries to take you there (and bring you back ;) leaving near the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Battery Park. Another bonus is that you can see the waterfalls exhibit from the island and on the ferry, like in the photo above.

Governor's Island has a site full of information and historical facts. You can also find out the schedule of events. Here is what's going on this weekend:

Friday, September 19th – Sunday, September 21st: Free Bike and Kite Weekend

All weekend, visitors can borrow a bike for up to one hour entirely for free. Free Bike Weekend, like the Free Bike Fridays program on Governors Island, is sponsored by Transportation Alternatives. Bikes are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis. Also, the first 250 visitors each day will be given a kite to fly on the Island’s Parade Ground.

While Pumpkin is too small to fly a kite, she'd love to chew on it!

[photo used under the CC license. photo links to photographer]

$6 movies in Manhattan??

Long gone are the days of the $3 $4 $5 theater at 50th street at 8th avenue. Man, I loved that place. I just accepted the fact that movies are going to cost $10 $11 $11.75 in Manhattan. So imagine my shock when DW and I went to a movie one morning and it totaled $12. Did Manhattan suddenly get matinee prices??

Loews/AMC theaters (which is absorbing almost every theater in Manhattan) have a program called A.M.Cinemas, where films before noon on Friday, Saturday and Sundays (and holidays) are $4, $5 or $6 depending on where you live. First run movies are included -- and even the IMAX at 68th is reduced ($10 vs $16 I think).

The theaters are a little more empty (as you might imagine at 10am on the weekends), but this makes it a little more family friendly or accommodating to groups who have that pesky request of sitting together. (Anyone who's gone to a movie with one person and still had to split up knows the utter frustration there). Even new parents who might want to try to take in a movie needn't risk of dropping $24 to leave 15 minutes in should a crying fit set in. Just ask darling daughter, who accompanied us to the new Indiana Jones flick this morning -- and didn't make a peep! We considered this a successful test run in case any NYC-centered movie should come out next weekend... :)

link: A.M.Cinemas Program

DD in her bouncer

I'm hoping to get more time as school begins to wind down to post more often. I missed earth day, I missed, well, spring entirely... but I missed sharing the newest addition to the family! Here is DD, and since I'm so behind in posts I'll go straight to a video. The laugh at the end is too cute.



She's a real angel, this one. :)

A successful surgery, the party that wasn't and a fri-date

What a week. I had an interview, DW had two, and I've been hustling to try to get things finished up for the year. This Friday comes at the end of a infinitely long week.

DW's dad had surgery today, which had a successful outcome. It's added to the stress of the week (especially since she couldn't be there), but we're both just grateful it's over and he's alright. We'll probably take a trip out this summer to see them in western PA.

Today was also the end of the year luncheon for my technology team. Since my team is disbanding, it's also the final goodbye for a lot of those people. My sole office-mate of three years is moving to Las Vegas in August, so that's a goodbye of sorts too. We went out to meet with other Dept. of Ed. tech nerds to have a goodbye drink for him, but this year attendance was slim. It was a nice time to chat anyway, and say our macho, emotionless goodbyes.

I got home to a Fri-date! DW took me to a fine dinner (Gray's Papaya) and then to see a movie -- Knocked Up. Our favorite TV show is probably How I Met Your Mother (or heroes), and we fell in love with the DVD of Freaks and Geeks -- so if you are a fan, you'll recognize lots of familiar faces/talent. The movie was a little uneven*, and crass at points, but a cute enough movie for a Friday night. After the movie, we went to The View at the top of the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. We had never been, and had a gift card from Christmas. Nice date night. :)

I feel like I have other things to talk about (Jury Duty, interviews, Google and more) but I am exhausted. After a few zzzz's and my weekend omelet, I'll be back in business.


* We were called to see this movie maybe 5 or so times in pre-release -- I can't imagine how much was changed, as a few things made me think "this was the best take they got??", etc. I'll talk about how to see free movies one of these days too.