Prospect Park Zoo

Growing up it seemed as though I was surrounded by friends whose lives were full of cousins.  My best friend, whose aunts and uncles between her two parents landed in the double digits, left her with loads of them.  My best friend from college had 21 first cousins, all living in Franklin Square alone, where she lived!  It seemed as though these large families were blessed with offspring.  Built in friends.  More people to love.

I have three.

I do have five half cousins, but most of them are a lot older, and they all live in the midwest.  I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I have seen them in person.

The only unfortunate thing about my three are that one is in Florida (he is much younger), and the other two (our closest and dearest) have lived in Maryland for the past 20-odd-years.  The visits over the years have been relatively frequent, but they never seem to be long enough, and there is always much to say in between.  (One has since moved to New York, so we have been able to see each other more)!

When a letter came in the mail that spoke of cousin Eve (a “2nd” cousin) who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 15-month-old daughter, I jumped at the chance to get together with her.

The story has it that when Eve’s grandmother Doris (who is my grandfather’s sister) knew she was going to die, she told her husband to marry her friend.  Eve’s mother and aunts were young at the time, and therefore Eve never got the opportunity to meet her grandmother.  Her family spent more time with her new grandmother’s family, and the families seemed to fall a bit distant from each other.

Fast forward to receiving the well thought out letter that each member of the family found in their mailbox, and then onto our meeting at the Prospect Park Zoo one Saturday morning in June.

Driving there, I had the thought that this essentially was a blind date of sorts.  I felt compelled to text her to tell her what I was wearing.  I didn’t want to be that person, anxiously looking around for some friendly eyes to catch, hoping that it indeed was your person.

We did find each other, parking alongside the same stretch of road that travels up the side of the park.  Her husband Brett joined us as well, and their openness and kindness eased any anxiety I had.  They seemed to be as interested in meeting me as I had been to meet them.  Phew!

 

The Prospect Park Zoo is small and perfect for those with small children.  Created in the latter part of the 19th Century, the zoo grew out of the donations of animals by many rich individuals who lived in the area.  Donations of seals, buffalo, peacocks, deer, and a sacred cow began the zoo’s collection into an eclectic and varied group who called the Menagerie their home.  . The zoo was “modernized” a part of the revitalization program spearheaded by Robert Moses during the 1930’s.  The zoo saw as many as a million visitors annually prior to World War II.  Sadly, after the war, the zoo’s visitors declined and fell into disrepair.  It was even quoted as one of the “rattiest” zoos a writer had ever seen.  This was during the 70’s and 80’s, and as we know, the city was a vastly different place as it is from now.  Soon the Wildlife Conservation Society revitalized it into the beauty that it is to us today.

 

We began our visit, greeted by a peacock, and headed to the barn and garden to see the livestock, and caught views of one of their feedings.

The big excitement for us was watching the sea lion feeding, fed daily at 11:30, 2 and 4pm.

John enjoyed the shade in his stroller, though was starting to get a bit antsy to make his move to escape.

We brought our own lunch and ate on the tables outside of the cafe.  We ate quickly before heading to the Discovery Trail.  Daniel and Corinne had a great time feeding the ducks.  At 50 cents per handful, the enjoyment was endless, though unfortunately our change collection was not.  We quickly ran out of coins, but spied a veteran zoo go-er, his ziplock bag full of quarters.  We made a mental note to remember ours for our next visit!

We spent the most amount of concentrated time in the Discovery Center.  Perfect for very found kids, Daniel and Corinne were able to run around and play with the many hands-on activities they have there, and John was able to roam free with his crawling on a safe, carpeted surface.  It’s at this point in the visit when you’re able to take a step back and breath, knowing that everyone is confined to the four walls that surround you.

Daniel enjoyed seeing an x-ray of a snake.

Corinne and John enjoyed playing in and around the tepee.

I think John enjoyed himself here most of all.

We soon left and said our goodbyes.  We chose the worst possible time to get a picture of the kids, already half into their naps from their great day at the zoo.  We were happy to try though!

We said our goodbyes, and I took the boys up the street to the farmers market at Grand Army Plaza.  Their selection is never displeasing, and we scooped up a cookie and apple for Daniel, and an iced coffee for me while John slept.

 

A beautiful day and a wonderful experience.  We are looking forward to the next one!

 

 

Prospect Park Zoo

450 Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11225

(Open 365 days a year)!

November 4, 2013-April 4, 2014 Daily
10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
April 4, 2014–November 2, 2014 Monday–Friday
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Weekends & Holidays
10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Admission

Adults $8.00
Children (3–12) $5.00
Seniors (65+) $6.00
Children under 3 years old are always free!

http://www.prospectparkzoo.com

 

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

In the heart of Crown Heights, between the beautifully constructed Queen Anne homes, lies the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.  The first museum devoted exclusively to children at its conception in 1899, it was awarded the title of the first “Green Museum” in New York City.  A museum of firsts, it believes that through its green initiative that it will save New York City a total of around $100,000 annually, a wonderful thing to boast. We visited the museum first on a Monday.  We arrived to discover, as many other museums are, that it was closed.  We humbly turned around, silently cursing ourselves for not checking this fact, opting for McDonald’s milk shakes on the way home to somehow offset our blunder. Take two! We again arrived at the museum, the boys running up and down the length of the ramp along its entrance.  We entered the museum, getting in free due to our NY Hall of Science membership!  (Regular admission is $9, and free for children under one).  FYI, the museum is free on Thursdays from 3-5 and every third Thursday of the month from 3-7pm. We were directed past the school groups to the Totally Tots center.  A center for children 5 and under, its bright colors and plethora of age appropriate activities were a great treat for the boys.  Noah ran right to the music activity center and peered down at us from above. The boy’s favorite area was the Water Wonders.  Ben took a turn at the controls, shooting water through the maze of colorful objects on the wall. Never a dry time, Daniel and Noah refused the water protective smocks, and splashed and played without inhibitions. Not the best idea, after leaving the water center, the boys headed for the sand area. Their damp shirts a blue hue from the cerulean sand that stuck to their clothes. Ben took part in the story time and craft activity.  The girl who read the story was amazing and interacted wholeheartedly with the boys and girls she was entertaining.  Ben left before time for the craft, seeing his brother and cousins playing once again at the water center. Farther down, Daniel threw himself into the blocks yelling, “Woah, woah”! John, too, had a great time, though I think he may be starting to get sick of being a bystander in all the playtime activities! We explored the museum further before having lunch at the museum cafe.  A warning for those who want to eat there, school groups are there between 10:30 and 1, and have priority seating in the dining area.  We brought our food from home and waited until most groups and parties had left before finding a table to eat at. Our last stop was the level downstairs.  The ramp lit up in neon lights was fun enough for the boys, serving as their entertainment and exercise, each boy running up and down more times than I could count. There is a community “garden” on the bottom level, allowing you to “plant” a variety of vegetables in… …a Vespa to ride on…(you can tell that everyone was getting tired, as the blank stares were all I could capture in the pictures with Daniel)… …and an International Grocer boasting foods from all over the world.  It was reminiscent of the grocery store at the Please Touch! Museum in Philadelphia and a great place to play. We left around 2, hoping to beat the rush hour traffic slowly beginning to filter in through to the highways.  It was a great time and worth the return visit!   Brooklyn Children’s Museum 145 Brooklyn Avenue (at St. Marks Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11213 Phone: 718 735-4400 Admission: $9 (free for children under 1) REGULAR HOURS Monday Closed Tuesday 10 am—5 pm Wednesday 10 am—5 pm Thursday 10 am—5 pm (Free 3-5pm; Free every third Thursday 3-7pm*) Friday 10 am—5 pm Saturday 10am—5 pm Sunday 10 am—5 pm KIDS CAFÉ HOURS Monday Closed Tuesday 10 am—5 pm Wednesday 10 am—5 pm Thursday 10 am—5 pm (Free 3-5pm; Free every third Thursday 3-7pm*) Friday 10 am—5 pm Saturday 10am—5 pm Sunday 10 am—5 pm http://www.brooklynkids.org

Puppetworks

Finding ourselves on a rainy Saturday with a jewelry party to attend in Park Slope, and no babysitter to watch the boys, I did what anyone whose smaller piece of their life pie includes “interacting with people my own age” would do.  I googled “things to do in Park Slope on a Saturday”, packed the car, and off we went!

I usually try to avoid doing things on weekends, at any cost possible.  But, this day was different, and I needed that hour of “Bourban and Bling” as the party was named, (more the bourbon, less the bling), so did what was necessary to make that happen.

What we found was Puppetworks.  Reservations are encouraged and space was still available that morning.  The current production is Cinderella and we were overjoyed. We have been watching Cinderella on our DVR almost nightly for the past few weeks, so were excited that it would be something Daniel would recognize.

Puppetworks was created by Nicolas Coppola, a native New Yorker whose lifelong love for marionettes began for him as a third grader.  This love grew until he made it his life’s career to become a puppeteer for marionettes.  Many of the shows’ marionettes are created by Mr. Coppola himself.  It is worth noting that his love for the art of marionettes and puppeteering is quite evident in the welcoming and happy atmosphere of Puppetworks.

We entered the small theater to brightly colored surrounding walls and marionettes hanging by the armload.  There are small sets of bleachers, the most darling colored benches, varying in height to support viewing and a rubber mat close to the stage.  Daniel made himself at home as we waited for the show to begin.

It is a very relaxed atmosphere, allowing the parents and children alike to feel comfortable in the small space.  Perhaps maybe too comfortable, as the children tried for a “sneak peek” of the actors.

A puppeteer came out to introduce the show, the lights dimmed, and for the next hour the varying states of hushed silence, and the every growing restless excitement, made for a great show.

We mostly watched from the back.  Daniel walked back and forth from the benches to the mat.  John sat on my lap, intrigued by the bright and colorful images lit up in front of us. It wasn’t until the show was almost finished that Daniel developed the courage to walk to the front.  The mat left for a small walkway between the stage and the children, a requirement to leave that space clear for fire purposes.  Daniel, unaware and unable to comprehend these instructions, walked directly to the stage.  A boy, about 3 or 4, whose vision was marred by the small figure, took it upon himself to drag Daniel back, yelling, “get down”!, and threw Daniel down to the mat.  Holding John on one hip, and wrangling Daniel away from this rude child, I realized two things.  Not only was I now blocking half the audience’s view, but also, whosoever child this was, wasn’t doing a darn thing.  Indignantly, we snuck to the back and resumed our place on the benches.  I think Daniel was left more stunned than bruised, and we both forgot about it by the end of the show.  (obviously I didn’t, but what’s a mother to do, humph!)

The show, which began at 12:30 and we left home with only enough time to travel and not lunch before.  We left and headed down the block (on a local’s suggestion), to Snice.  My request from the local was for a place that has the option of not sitting, as I knew at this point the decision was needed to be made to either ensure food or sleep, the priority at this point winning out as food.  We ordered at the counter and ended up sitting down with a carrot cake muffin followed by lunch off the kids’  menu of grilled cheese, apple slices and a purple sugar cookie.

It was lovely to escape the rain and to sit down to enjoy some comfort food.  We soon gathered our belongings and headed to the car.

It was lovely to escape the rain and to sit down to enjoy some comfort food. We soon gathered our belongings and headed to the car.  Now that the boys were content, having been filled with entertainment and food, it was now time for some bourbon and some bling and off we went to meet the ladies.  A good compromise, we all enjoyed our Saturday.

Puppetworks

338 6th Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 965-3391

http://puppetworks.org

Snice

(Brooklyn location)

315 5th avenue @ 3rd street

Brooklyn, NY

718.788.2121

hours: 7.30am to 10pm

http://www.snicecafe.com

DUMBO and Jacques Torres Chocolate

Heading into Brooklyn on a frigid winter day, I almost cursed myself for doing so.  The temperature had dropped and our position under the Brooklyn Bridge exposed us to winds we hadn’t experience back at home.  The allure of chocolate and the invitation to cross over the bridge was too much to let go, so we made the trip anyway hoping to return once the weather turned nicer.

Our destination for the day was Jacques Torres’ chocolate shop.  Hidden under scaffolding, it’s DUMBO location could have been missed by the average passerby.  The warmth of the store, both in ambiance and temperature, called us from outside.  Unfortunately their ramp entrance was closed off due to the construction, and its a few steps inside.  Opening the door, trying to pull the stroller up the steps and coaxing Daniel in at the same time was a sight to see.  Not five seconds into this production did the woman behind the counter come running.  She had children of her own, she told me, and she “knows how it is”.

This was just the first statement in a line of positive energy that we experienced at the retail and small eatery location.  The people working there, each one more helpful than the next made us feel as though we had entered their home, and we were the honored guests.  Daniel had a giant chocolate chip cookie.  I drank a hot chocolate more chocolatey than I could have hoped for.  The inside of my mouth was left with a chocolatey film, prolonging each delicious sensational sip.

Daniel wouldn’t stop trying to get into their chocolate making room.  The lure of the machines with all their fantastic buttons was too much for him to handle!

We headed to the playground located at the pier.  Unfortunately for us this great playground was closed due to the snow that had fallen in the previous days.  We took in the great views of the bridge instead.

Another sight for us was Jane’s Carousel, a 1922 carousel restored by local DUMBO artist Jane Walentas in her studio.  A gift from Jane and her husband, Jane’s Carousel is truly a grand sight overlooking the water.  Tickets are $2 per ride.  Please check the website for their winter and summer hours.  We did not and alas was closed to us on that very cold Wednesday afternoon.

Walking through the park, there is a fantastic ice cream factory and outdoor seafood eatery.  We were too cold to partake in this delicious splendor, and reluctantly headed back to the car.  Our adventure was hindered by the cold, and we were hungry and headed for a warm place to eat.

What we found was Juliana’s Pizza.  This pizza place up the street from the docks was the perfect place to stop for lunch.  Daniel, John and I went on a little date, enjoying the delicious thin crust margherita pizza, served by the pie.  The staff was overly friendly, taking pity on us and humoring me while I ran out to feed the muni meter, leaving John sleeping in his stroller while I ran the 20 feet outside.  This place made the disappointment of the closed playground and carousel all worth it.   As luck would have it they serve ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Daniel was able to have some for dessert.

Our last and final stop for the day was to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.  I have only done this twice before and each time seems more exciting than the last.  We attempted to find a ramp for the stroller, losing that battle as well.  I put John in the Ergo, hoisted Daniel onto my hip, and trudged up the conveniently located steps a few blocks from the restaurant.  We followed a map given to us by the workers at Jacques Torres’.  Walking the bridge, Daniel was mostly interested in the traffic moving below us.  The constant honking of the cars and taxis speeding below was exciting.  It was very funny to him that we somehow were above all of this commotion and able to look down at it.

Shortly after beginning our journey across, Daniel’s legs started to tire, and we made our way back to the car to take a well deserved nap (for the boys only) and we called it a day.  A great, if not slightly too cold of a day, but wonderful to be out and about enjoying the life in DUMBO.

Jacques Torres Chocolate

(DUMBO location)

66 Water Street,

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Store hours:
Monday through Saturday 9am to 8pm.
Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

718-875-1269

http://www.mrchocolate.com/

Jane’s Carousel

Brooklyn Bridge Park,

Dock St, New York, NY 11201
(718) 222-2502

Home

Juliana’s Pizza

19 Old Fulton St,

New York, NY 11201
(718) 596-6700

http://www.julianaspizza.com/

Mast Brothers Chocolate, Brooklyn Museum and Ample Hills Creamery

Searching through my tv guide recently, the word “Chocolate” jumped out at me.  The word chocolate always jumps out at me.  I DVRed the episode of Food(ography), a show on the cooking channel, and was delighted when watching it the segment featuring Mast Brothers Chocolate came on.

Mast Brothers Chocolate, founded by brothers Rick and Michael Mast is based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  The brother artisan pair encapsulate the old idea of handcrafting food, using the finest ingredients, to create a product that speaks for itself.  Entering the shop is like entering an old world corner candy shop.  The love, the time and the effort are apparent in every detail of their creations.

They are one of the only shops that generate their chocolate from beans to bar.  The factory is within the retail space itself, so as a patron, you are able to get a peek at the behind the scenes process.

From bean to bar.

Inquiries into coming in for a tour were unanswered by the press coordinator of the shop.  I don’t know if I would have taken seriously an inquiry pertaining to a private tour for a 15 month old, but nonetheless, we made the journey to try anyway, (though a response would have been appreciated)!

Sampling some chocolate!

Beautiful hand wrapped bars.

Daniel couldn’t contain his excitement!

From here we met our good friend Lauren for a trip to the Brooklyn Museum.  It was a short walk from her apartment, and it was in the brutal heat wave we had a few weeks ago, so by the time we made it into the museum, we were thrilled to be in the air conditioning.

The museum has a suggested donation of $12.  We each gave whatever was in our wallets in small bills, about $8 each.  Daniel was free.

Happy to be in the air-conditioning!

We visited the exhibits and the floors we wanted to see, and ended up in the Beaux-Arts Court on the 3rd floor. This massive open space exhibits European paintings and was the perfect space for Daniel’s little legs to feel free and to wander.  The center of the court is reserved for the many special programs and parties that they hold at the museum, therefore the center is off limits, but the perimeter was the perfect inside roaming space for curious little boys.

Taking time to relax and enjoy the art. 😛

Pushing the stroller…ignoring the art.

We came just in time for the Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui.  Working from his home in Nigeria, the Ghana native converts found materials into his own interpretation of abstract art and performance.  Many of his works, created using liquor bottle caps (as seen below), are site specific in their appearance.  Their fluidity and movement change with each and every new place they visit.  It was very exceptional to be able to see their specific appearance here at the museum, and then watch the videos shown of them taking on new shapes elsewhere.

Looking through “Gravity and Grace”, work by El Anatsui

Gravity and Grace, exhibit by El Anatsui

Gravity and Grace, works by El Anatsui, using bottle caps.

Last, but certainly not least we visited Ample Hills Creamery.  Opened by science fiction film writer, turned ice cream entrepreneur, owner Brian Smith created something truly delicious when he began selling out of a cart at summer concerts in Prospect Park.  The name originates from the Walt Whitman poem, appropriately, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.  “I too lived- Brooklyn, of ample hills, was mine”.

Ample Hills Creamery

Lauren tells the story of when it first opened; hoards of hungry ice cream seekers lined the streets, so many in fact that they eventually ran out of ice cream on the first day.  Now, the line is always long, but the ice cream never ceases.  There is an adorable back section for those hungry little children waiting for their cones.  Each piece of furniture, each plastic kitchen pretend piece, and each book in their small library has something to do with ice cream.  Daniel, too intrigued by these new items, spent much of his alternating between playing and coming back for small bites of my Dark Chocolate and PB Melts With You scoops.

Ice Cream Books galore!

Serving up some Ample Hills scoops!

The shop hosts children’s  birthday parties, featuring a one of a kind bike/ice cream churner in one, that allows the pedal-er to churn their own ice cream with their excited legs.  Ample Hills also gives ice cream classes for those wishing to understand and learn how to create delicious flavors for the happiness of your friends and family.  Their website has a Flickr montage of the ice cream making process for those interested!

Overall, we had a very delicious and sweet day in Brooklyn!

Mast Brothers Chocolate

111 N 3rd St

Brooklyn, NY 11249

http://mastbrothers.com/

Food(ography)

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/foodography.html

Brooklyn Museum

200 Eastern Parkway

Brooklyn, New York 11238

Telephone: (718) 638-5000

Closed Monday and Tuesday

Suggested Donation: $12

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/home.php

Ample Hills Creamery

623 Vanderbilt Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11238

http://www.amplehills.com/