Dear Edwina (Review)

(Cross-posted from Mom in the City)

The off-Broadway kids’ musical sensation, Dear Edwina (from the creators of Theatreworks USA’s popular production of Junie B. Jones) is playing at the DR2 Theatre in Union Square through April 19th.

(FYI: Dear Edwina is also a great idea for birthday parties. Groups of 10 or more pay only $29 for individual tickets (regular price is $39). Groups of 20 or more can also party in the downstairs D-Lounge for an hour following the show at no additional cost! For groups fewer than 20, there’s a small fee for the party space.)

Mom in the City member and reviewer Atireme Matos went to see the show last weekend with her daughter. This is what she wrote about the play:

“What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my five year-old boss!

This weekend she and I went to see Dear Edwina at the DR2 Theatre in Union Square. A small, intimate theatre, without a bad seat in the house, full of what I’d guess were mostly 5-8 year olds and their families. The space helped to create the perfect environment for a fun, relaxed, entertaining event.

Dear Edwina is about a young girl and her attempts to help others while finding a niche for herself with her own family and friends. Edwina, a self proclaimed expert advice giver, produces a musical advice review out of her garage with the help of five colorful friends and two siblings who provide drum and keyboards for each of the musical numbers. Comparing herself to one sister who is some sort of math wizard and her musical siblings, who win ribbons which are posted on their home refrigerator, Edwina hopes to claim some recognition and a space on the fridge by winning a spot at Adviceapalooza- an advice giving state fair (and talk show host preparatory camp in my opinion).

A wheel barrel filled with letters seeking counsel from Edwina on pressing childhood matters like how to set a table, and what to say to your crush, lead the ensemble into both touching and humorous musical numbers, through which the cast and song lyrics manage to impart useful guidance to the young audience without coming across as lecturing. The large colorful props and quirky choreography help to keep the younger ones entertained when the dialogue and movements become a little quick and garbled at times, but these few moments are quickly made up for by catchy choruses and meaningful messages.

Overall, the performance ran just short of an hour, which was great for my kiddo, and just about at the time when you could feel the other little ones stirring in their seats. Free lemonade after the show and warm greetings and autographs from the cast were a sweet way to end the experience and definitely merit a recommendation.

So, I’d say this is a great way to spend some time with your child, although I would emphasize that they be at least 5 years old- due to the quick language and movements. Edwina also shared some meaningful talk about saying “No thank you”. Immediately after the show, we took a walk over to Barnes and Noble, just two blocks away from the theatre, and shared a hot chocolate at Starbucks just across the street. It was a nice afternoon all in all and definitely worth the trip. Go see it!”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day & Inauguration Day Events

Next week will hold two very special days. On Monday, the 19th, the country will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On Tuesday, the 20th, the country’s first African-American president (Barack Obama) will be celebrated on Inauguration Day. What an amazing week it will be…celebrating an American dream that is one step closer to being fulfilled! As parents, let’s make sure that the historical significance of next week is not wasted on our children. To help, below are a few NYC area activities that you can do as a family.

-On January 17th, celebrate “Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day” at The Scholastic Store (557 Broadway) at 3pm. There will be themed readings and crafts that will help kids (ages 5+) learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. Participants will also learn more about the election and inauguration day at this free event. For more information, please call (212)343-6166.

-Central Park is also hosting a variety of free events in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On January 18th, there will be “I Have a Dream” Mural-making at Belvedere Castle (Mid-park at 79th Street) from noon to 3pm. Participants will discuss their dreams and create art to represent them at this free event. Artwork will be displayed as part of a collaborative mural that will be hung at the Castle throughout Black History Month. For more information, please call (212)772-0210.

-Barack Obama has called for a national day of service to take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He is asking Americans not only to serve on that one day, but also to make an ongoing commitment of service. On the Allstate-sponsored “Beyond February” site (http://www.beyondfebruary.com/), you can find out how to sign up for various local volunteer activities.

-On January 19th, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (212 W. 83rd Street) will be open for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will be performances for all ages by the Harlem Gospel Choir at 2pm and 3pm for all ages. For kids (ages 5 & older), there will be Harmony Paintings at 11, 12, 2, 3 & 4pm. Participants will listen to excerpts of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and explore paintings of his life as well as make their own related paintings. Both events are free with museum admission. For more information, please call (212)721-1234.

-On January 19th, there will be a “Martin Luther King Jr. Day Special Seneca Village Tour”. It will be held inside the Park at the southeast corner of 85th Street and Central Park West. (Seneca Village was Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners.) Call (212)772-0210 for directions.

-Children of all ages and their caregivers will enjoy the “STRAND FAMILY HOUR EVENT” on January 19th from 3pm to 4pm at 828 Broadway. The bookstore’s staff will read some of their favorite books about Martin Luther King Jr. at this free event. For more information, please call (212)473-1452.

Kids for a (Worthy!) Cause

NYU and Columbia students have teamed together to offer a childcare program that donates 100% of proceeds to charity. “Kids for a Cause” monthly field trips give parents the day off while their children are taken to wonderful NYC venues. Parents are invited to name their own price in the form of a donation – of which 100% goes directly to Baby’s First Home, an initiative to open one of NYC’s only shelters for homeless teen mothers.

The New York Aquarium, The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and The Museum of Natural History are hosting their next field trip on January 31st. If you live in the NYC area, please consider using this service. It’s for a great cause!

Public School Policy Problem

Like many other NYC moms, I received a postcard from the NYC Department of Education in the mail yesterday. It listed key dates for Kindergarten admissions.

Basically, families need to apply in person between January 12 and March 2 at every school they are interested in having their child attend for kindergarten, including their zoned school. (Even if your child is attending pre-k at the desired school, you need to apply again for Kindergarten.) Families will be notified about their assignment offers in mid-March and pre-register at their schools between March 16th and April 13th. (You can get more information on their site.)

Personally, I have no idea what to do. My dilemma is that we’re moving in the summer in order to be in a better school district for the fall. Should I just take my chances and pray that there will be an open spot in our future zoned school? Why is the NYC public school system so difficult - or is it just me?!

I refuse to stress myself out about this. Worst case scenario, I’ll homeschool Michael for Kindergarten and enroll him in a few group classes for socialization purposes (he’s such a social little boy!). One of my friends (an assistant principal in NYC) pointed out that Kindergarten is not mandatory in NYC anyway.

13 Ways to Take Adorable Baby, Toddler & Older Child Photos

Nikon currently has a webisode series called “Look Good In Pictures” featuring Carson Kressley, the star of Lifetime’s How to Look Good Naked. The series has Carson showing viewers how to look their best in various photo situations. As a mom, I was most interested in the work of Carrie Sandoval, a nationally known baby and children’s photographer. (Carrie also has a blog, Captured by Carrie.)

I asked Carrie for some tips on taking pictures of babies and young children and this is what she wrote…

For babies and toddlers:
1. Don’t over pose the baby. Have parents hold the baby as they normally would!

2. Use side lighting with a natural light source for the best contrast and exposure.

3. Babies look great in the buff, and don’t be afraid to get buff with the baby.

4. Make the baby comfortable by using a soft beanbag or bassinette. If they feel like they’re being held, they’re more content.

5. For a happy baby, keep them warm, relaxed and well-fed.

6. Black and white photos are classic and timeless. They are also a good way to mask a newborn’s skin discoloration.

7. Use a toy or prop near the camera to capture their attention and focus.

8. Make sure the background is clear of clutter and toys so the attention stays on the child.

9. Laughter is contagious - laugh with your children so the pictures are natural.

10. Take a picture at their level to give better proportions. A macro lens helps with close-ups.

For older children:
1. Take them outdoors to a beautiful park so they don’t feel so “contained” and they can take a break and run around if need be.

2. Have some knock knock jokes up your sleeve to keep their attention!

3. Ask them questions about their friends, their pets, sports… be their friend!

(This post was originally on Mom in the City.)

Free Antibiotic Access & Healthy Ideas

There are several companies that I love writing about and Stop & Shop is definitely one of them. I’m sincerely impressed by how much thought they put into meeting the needs of consumers. It is obvious that they want to help their customers stay (or become!) healthy during these challenging economic times. Recently, I learned of two new initiatives that they are taking which demonstrates this yet again!

1. They have started a FREE antibiotic prescription program. From now until March 21, 2009, interested shoppers will receive a 14-day supply of some of the most popular (36) generic antibiotics in nine categories for free. (All that is needed is a valid prescription from their doctor.) In addition, they have a generic drug program where shoppers can get a 90-day supply on over 350 drugs for $9.99. To learn more and to see a list of the antibiotics included in this program, visit www.stopandshop.com/antibiotics.

2. They also recently launched a “Healthy Ideas” program. In almost 400 of their stores, they have tagged over 3,000 items with their Healthy Ideas symbol so that shoppers can make smarter decisions about what foods to eat. They worked with a panel of experts including people from Harvard’s Medical School. The tags identify foods based on the USDA/FDA’s definition of “healthy,” the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid.gov. You can read more on their website here.

If you get a chance to see/use either of these initiatives in the Stop & Shop stores, please let me know your thoughts. (They still need to open one in Manhattan!)