Sunnyside Queens Field Trip

A couple of weekends ago a friend who lives in Sunnyside invited us to lunch in his neighborhood. We  met up at a restaurant called the Turkish Grill, and had a feast. Our friend is Turkish, so he knows his stuff, and it was fantastic. We way overordered because everything sounded so good--make sure you get the Shepherd's salad, and their version of pizza, which is called Lahmucun. The tea is a must.

After stuffing ourselves, we walked around the corner to what looked like a very unassuming market from the outside, but was so great on the inside, we would have made the trip just for it. 

It was a smoked meat lover’s paradise. We bought a ham hock, some venison summer sausage, and a selection of other things the Romanian owner recommended. They have their own farm in New Jersey, and smoke the meats themselves.

Just around the corner from Sunnyside Market was another market, that had an amazing selection of feta cheeses. And close by is a great spot to get coffee, Baruir's Coffee.

A couple of blocks away from there is the historical development of Sunnyside Gardens, where two story houses all have a common garden area in the back, and alleys you can walk through...very English style. There's also a playground in the vicinity, called Lawrence Virgilio Playground--we didn't go because we were too cold, but it looks nice. One of the most intriguing things about this area is that there's a members-only park which seems amazing. It's a real community spot for families--read the link--you just might consider checking out Sunnyside as an option for moving. You get a lot of space for what you pay, you're right off the 7 train, in the middle of one of the most diverse communities in the world, 10 minutes from La Guardia, but—the planes don't fly over Sunnyside, so it's quiet!

Dinner Spot Near Radio City Music Hall

Every year I get guilted into sending our daughter to the Christmas Extravaganza at Radio City Music Hall. I've gone twice, but now what I do is send her with a grandparent, and meet up with them for dinner afterwards. What that means though, is finding something in walking distance from the venue, because they are both starving, and it's past bedtime. If you've ever been around there, you know it's a zoo, and there are thousands upon thousands of families and shoppers who are in the same boat as you...so this is what I discovered. Little Brazil on W. 46th St. between 6th and 5th avenues (4 blocks down from Radio City), has a number of restaurants, and nobody is thinking about Brazilian, at least not in volumes. We like Via Brasil, and have gone there over the years--it's not the most epic meal you'll eat, but they make a mean caipirinha, have delicious stews and traditional fare (we just ask a lot of questions) and for kids that are picky there is plenty of rice and beans. I saw on NY Mag that people also like Emporium Brasil, and Ipanema. If you go on a weekend night, or are in a larger group, I would call ahead, although we just walked in on a weeknight. What's especially nice is that it feels like a special spot, which is exactly what you want after a special occasion.

NYC Secret Garden

Yesterday some friends invited us to come to this community garden that they belong to, in the East Village. I've walked by community gardens plenty of times, and longed to get on the other side of the gate, so I couldn't have been more excited to go. This particular garden, which is called 6BC Community Garden (because it's on 6th Street between Avenues B and C), is truly magical. So much so that I would say anyone who is in NYC with their children, between the months of May and October (it's closed the other months), needs to come for a visit. It's open to the public on weekends from 1-4 and on weekdays from 6-8pm. It isn't a typical community garden where there are vegetable garden plots—it has little paths leading to little nooks, places to sit, a couple of tables to even bring a picnic to, a little treehouse...and really, none of the uptight rules that the other gardens I've walked by have. Our friend who belongs to it told us that when it's closed to the public, they have a key, and are able to have dinner picnics inside! I'm so jealous!

(beware of the cat who doesn't like to be messed with!)

Afterwards, all the kids spent about 15 minutes just sliding down the "slides" on the next-door school's steps.

Close by is Sigmund's Pretzels (on Avenue B between 2nd and 3rd Streets), which was a lovely spot to get a treat afterwards. All kinds of pretzels, with all kinds of spreads to dip them into.

Tribeca Safe Haven

If you're at the new (and very nice) playground/park area on the West Side Highway, in Tribeca, and you're completely overstimulated and annoyed and hot and bothered, just a couple of blocks away, a 5 minute walk, is one of the nicest cafes I've been to in forever. Kaffe 1668. It's dark, it's cool (as in temperature, and in vibe), and the people who work there are friendly. They serve nice coffee, and good food, and they have wine in the evenings. Check it out.

And the park is actually great--there's miniature golf, a great playground, and even volleyball. It's just super crowded on a weekend, so it's good to have an escape to a place that couldn't feel more different.