Mommy FTW

Cameron has always loved swimming.  When we were still living in Brooklyn Cameron and I spent many an afternoon at Clermont Pool at PS 20 cooling off.  Now that we are in D.C. we get swim at Cam’s grandparents house.  The most shallow area of the pool is 4 feet deep (unlike the indoor pool at the Wilson Aquatic Center which has a beach pool that starts at zero depth).  So, I knew I needed to get Cam something to help him swim on his own since I was going to have my hands full with our newborn.  I asked around to my mom friends to see if anyone had a floatie (life jacket, flotation device, etc) they could recommend.  I heard great things about the Sterns Kids Puddle Jumper – and the price seemed right so I went ahead and ordered it from Amazon.

The first time Cam wore the Puddle Jumper in the pool he was a little nervous, still clinging to me.  But as the time went one he became more and more secure in it.  By the end of our hour in the pool he was swimming on his own and jumping in the water.  The next day we went swimming again and he quickly was up to speed and making his way all around the pool.

I love the Puddle Jumper because it’s comfortable for Cameron.  Because of the way it fits around him, it can’t ride up.  It’s very easy for him to move around on his own and work on his kicking and paddling.  I feel confident that he is safe in the water.  It’s easy for me to guide him around with one hand holding the clip at the back to help him work on his swimming.  Overall, I couldn’t be happier – and I think Cam feels the same way!

Last winter my mommy friends and I were desperately seeking a place to take the little ones where they could have a little fun and we could do some socializing.  The word around Fort Greene was that Der Schwarze Kölner was a really kid friendly spot that we should check out.  So, slightly dubious, our playgroup headed over and Babies and Beer began!  The get together was a huge success and word quickly spread around the parent set.

This year Der Schwarze Kölner has really stepped it up and started an amazing playgroup called Stutengarten Brooklyn which meets Monday -Thursday 2.30-5pm.  All they ask is for a minimum purchase of $5 – or a donation.  If you are wondering what you can purchase there to satisfy this amount (besides beer, duh!) the kids love the chicken sausage (it’s very mild) and Cameron was always a fan of the pretzel as well as the cheese.

I asked Randi, one of the owners, and mom to Sophie, to send me some pictures of Stutengarten Brooklyn since sadly I’m in DC and can’t attend.  I was blown away at how baby friendly they’ve made the space – with playmats, toys, and lots of open space.  Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have always desperately needed a playspace, and while this isn’t exactly that, it certainly is a good option on a cold or rainy day.  So if the winter is stretching on endlessly – check out Stutengarten Brooklyn Monday -Thursday 2.30-5pm.  Have a beer, or not, and meet some neighborhood parents.

To learn more about Stutengarten Brooklyn check out their facebook page.  You can also learn more about Der Schwarze Kölner at their facebook page, or on their website.

Christmas is over and it’s time to recycle that tree (and help your local park in the mean time)!  That’s right – it’s Mulchfest 2011!  Fort Greene and Clinton Hill residents can take their trees to Fort Greene Park (Washington Park and Willoughby Ave entrance) on January 8th and 9th from 10am – 2pm and drop off their tree for chipping.  You can even take a bag of mulch with you for your garden or tree pit if you like.

Recyle your tree and help out your local park!

There’s tons of other locations all across the city – check the NYC parks website for all the Mulchfest 2011 locations.

*Please remember to remove all lights and ornaments before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site* For more information on Mulchfest 2011, check out the New York City Parks Department website.

Most of my Fort Greene readers know that I am huge fans of the local Beer Garden Der Schwarze Kölener.  The owners and the staff have always been so child friendly, and especially in the long winter months it’s a great place to take your little ones, meet some fellow parents, and grab a beer – of course!

Ho, Ho, Ho, Bring me a Bitburger!

Well this Sunday, December 5th, they are giving us one more reason to love them: Santa is coming to the Beer Garden!  From 3-5 pm Nikolaus (aka Santa Claus) will stop by with his big bag of presents. Recommended age 3-6 years, but younger kids are encourage to come and soak up the festive atmosphere.  I suggest you swing by, take some pictures, and relax!

FYI, as far as grub for the kiddos go, Cameron always loved the pretzel plate with cheese and pickle, and the chicken sausage is always a toddler crowd favorite.

Der Schwarze Kölner is located at 710 Fulton Street, Fort Greene/Brooklyn.  Even if you can’t make it this Sunday to see Santa, stop by some other time and enjoy some Babies and Beer!

DC Fans and Brooklyn Fans I’ve got you both covered for Saturday Halloween fun!

Fort Greene and Clinton HIll folks, The Conservancy presents the 11th Annual all FREE Halloween Festival in Fort Greene Park on Saturday, October 30th from Noon- 3:00pm

Free fun in Fort Greene Park this Saturday!

There will be hay rides, games, sack races, face painting, stilt-walkers, entertainers and free pumpkins to decorate – all FREE. Plus there will be a costume parade and spooky cemetery. The festival kicks off at 12 noon with a wild costume contest for dogs and their
owners, “The Great PUPkin,” sponsored by Fort Greene PUPS, the local dog-owners organization. Even if you don’t have a dog, this is really fun for kids to check out.

For the DC locals, there’s a Halloween Party at Forest Hills Playground (3200 Chesapeake St. NW DC) also on Saturday from 10:30 – 12:30pm.

Free fun for DC kids at Forest Hills Playground

Come celebrate Halloween at Forest Hills Playground park with all your friends. Events include: A magic show byThe Great Zucchini, a Bake Sale, a Costume Parade, and Arts & Crafts for the kids. It’s all free so go check it out!

It’s harder to get local fresh produce in the winter season, but for Fort Greene / Clinton Hill residents there’s a new CSA you can take advantage of.  I got an email in my Mommy FTW inbox from someone at Red Jacket Orchards with all the info:

Red Jacket Orchards is proud to announce a CSA for the winter season.  The winter fruit CSA will provide members with weekly shares of farm-fresh fruit from November til December.  Throughout the CSA winter season, Red Jacket Orchards harvests pears and over 25 varieties of apples.  Winter shares will also highlight our freshly pressed juices and our pantry items, such as Apple Butter, Apple Sauce, and various different flavors of jam.

A sample share from Red Jacket Orchard's winter CSA

This weekend Move About Myrtle is back and the weather is looking lovely (so there’s no chance of cancellation like last week!)  This week there’s a schedule full of fun stuff going on which you can see on the Myrtle Minutes section of the Myrtle Ave Partnership website.  But I wanted to highlight the FDNY Smokehouse which will be located on Myrtle between Vanderbuilt and Clinton.  FDNY Smokehouse is a life size fire safety unit, complete with crawl spaces and safety instructions.  My toddler is completely obsessed with firemen and firetrucks, so you can be sure we will be checking this out!

Cameron has fun with sidewalk chalk on Myrtle

Also this weekend is the Carlton – Willoughby Block Association annual stoop sale taking place on Carlton Ave between Dekalb and Myrtle on Sunday.  This massive stoop sale is worth checking out!  Last year over 20 stoops participated so there’s lots of treasures to be found.

Posted from New York, New York, United States.

I’m taking the weekend off, but I wanted to remind everyone that there’s fun stuff going on in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill today and tomorrow:

Today (Sunday) from 12-6 is the first of four Move About Myrtle events of September.  Check the Myrtle Ave Partnership website for more information.

Tomorrow (Monday) is the Habana Outpost Back to School Bash from 12-5.  Check out my previous post to get all the info.

Also, I noticed yesterday a sign outside of Who’s Your Doggy (at Adelphi and Willoughby) saying that on Monday they will be turning 4!  They will be having BBQ and Doggy fun, as well as FREE wash your own all day.  So for you pet lovers out there, stop in and check it out.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Posted from New York, New York, United States.

These last few days have been very fall-like!  I’m sure summer isn’t over yet – but more rainy and gloomy days are on the horizon, so I decided to do a re post / update on an old topic I visited last winter – Indoor Baby Friendly Places in the Fort Greene / Clinton Hill area:

The Booklyn Flea – On Sundays you can find the Brooklyn Flea indoors at One Hanson Place (the big clock tower) from 10am to 5pm.  The Flea is on the main floor and lower level.  According to one mom, the lower level has food options, and the upper level is where the sales go on.  She said the lower level is a great place to take kids and let them roam around, and that there is space for strollers.  So if you are looking for a weekend activity – check out the indoor Flea!

Story time at Greenlight Bookstore – Greenlight Bookstore is located at 686 Fulton Street and has a free story time on Saturday mornings at 10:30 AM.  Check it out for more weekend fun.  And for any day of the week – Greenlight has a great childrens book section – you can browse while your child plays in the cardboard house, draws on the chalkboard, and snuggles with the giant stuffed bear.

Story time at Brownstone Books – Brownstone Books is located at 409 Lewis Ave in Bed Stuy.  Story time happens every Wednesday and Saturday from 12-1pm.  Unfortunately this is smack in the middle of Cameron’s nap time, so I have yet to check it out.  The suggested donation is $5.  For more information, check out the Brownstone Books website.

The Clinton Hill Library – Not only does Clinton Hill Library (380 Washington Ave) have a great and free Reading for Babies program on Tuesdays at 11:00 as well as Toddler Time on Fridays at 11, it’s a great place to take your kid to let them roam around even when no scheduled activities are going on.  We spent many a cold winter day here!

Chuck E Cheese – Now this one, I never would have thought of!  One day a few of us moms and babes were hanging out at Der Schwarze Kölner and one of the moms said that she had just been at Chuck E Cheese with her little one.  She said that it was her nanny who had originally suggested it, and although she was skeptical – it turned out to be a great place for him to roam around, and it was free (since they aren’t playing any games).  Chuck E. Cheese is located in the Atlantic Terminal Mall.

Der Schwarze Kölner aka the Beer Garden – As I mentioned above I’ve been going to the Beer Garden (710 Fulton Street) with Cameron and some other moms + babies.  It is a great rainy day (or super hot day, or snowy day) option – and they are so welcoming and nice!  Read more about Der Schwarze Kölner at this other post I wrote.

Finally, there’s the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.  It’s not really in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill – but it’s just a short drive away.  I did a complete write up on the Children’s Museum here, so check it out to get all the news you can use!

If you have other ideas to share, please leave a comment!

Posted from New York, New York, United States.

Every Sunday from 12 -6pm in September Myrtle Ave between Hall and Clermont in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill will be closed to traffic – and open to fun!  It’s called Move About Myrtle – and of course, it’s free.  Here’s a little preview of the events that are scheduled:

September 5th: Back-to-School celebration with activities for the whole family!
September 12th: Brooklyn Food Coalition’s GRUB FEST featuring the biggest potluck ever, a Mac and Cheese contest, and fun for foodies of all ages!
September 19th: “The Case of the Curious Pedestrian” will offer playful public art installations, performances and surprises on all five blocks…and the FDNY Smoke House!
September 26th: It’s Bicycle Day, and our 2nd annual tree giveaway!

And every Sunday: kids activities and games, sidewalk cafes, free yoga and dance classes by Move With Grace studio, music and performances, merchant specials, free tastings, and raffle prizes!

I will add more info as it becomes available – so stay tuned!  And see you on Myrtle Ave in September!

Posted from New York, New York, United States.