New York Family - October 2022

Alexa Wilding

On being a cancer mom and a cancer survivor (who writes about her highs and lows @alexawilding) and shares about her rollercoaster journey to accepting her many identities and her take on the word resilience

Fall iS Here!

Our favorites for

Family Road Trips

Halloween Thrills

Pumpkin Picking

Bucket List Fun!

STorieS &

Autumn Arrives

New York is gorgeous in the fall. Even at the height of the pandemic, we had our windows open and could hear the rustle of the leaves as they changed with the seasons.

Now that we are all out and about, we are all in for Autumn 2022. We’ve got you covered this season! From our favorite picks for Family Road Trips (page 28), Halloween Fun (page 46), and Pumpkin Picking (page 42) to the pièce de résistance, our Fall Bucket List (page 36).

If you are a parent to an eighth grader,

you know it is decision time for high schools. Check out our helpful guide on High School Admissions (page 16).

Lastly, our cover mom this month, Alexa Wilding, is pure inspiration. Alexa shares about being a cancer mom and a cancer survivor who writes about her highs and lows on IG @alexawilding shares with NYF about her rollercoaster journey to accepting her many identities (page 48).

Donna and New York Family

ewYorkFamily.com

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Unlocking Student Potential Since 1904

Unlocking Student Potential Since 1904

Premier Boarding & Day School for Grades 6-12 + PG

for Grades 6-12

Phone: (631) 686-1600 ext 414

Phone: (631) 686-1600 ext 414

Email: admissions@knoxschool.org

Web: www.knoxschool.org

Email: admissions@knoxschool.org Web: www.knoxschool.org

541 Long Beach Road Saint James Long Island, New York

541 Long Beach Road Saint James Long Island, New York

Keeping Kids Healthy this School Year

BY DONNA DUARTE�LADD

Kids are back at school, and while we always worry about them picking up a cold or getting the flu, there are currently a few viruses to contend with. What sort of tips and good hygiene habits can we have kids implement to keep these viruses at bay?

We chatted with Dr. Sandra Bonat, Pediatric Physician Advisor at VIP StarNetwork, who shared her expert tips and shared why it’s essential parents should encourage their children to practice good health habits now that we are Back to School.

First, is this normal to have this many viruses circulating in the world? It feels like we are going backward health-wise versus forward.

Currently, we have a number of respiratory viruses circulating, including influenza and RSV, that we do not normally see a lot of activity from at this time of year.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, because of changes in people’s behaviors, including social distancing, mask-wearing, frequent hand washing and isolation, influenza, RSV, and many of the other respiratory viruses virtually disappeared.

The steps we took to limit our exposure to Covid-19 also limited our exposure to other viruses. Our immune systems need exposure to pathogens to keep up our memory response, and this did not occur during the first year of the pandemic. When we started taking off our masks and discontinued social distancing, viruses began circulating again, even though it was out of season, because the overall population immunity was low.

In addition, some of the changes in seasonality of respiratory viruses may also be due to the presence of the Covid-19 virus and how it interacts and possibly interferes with the replication of other respiratory viruses, causing a change in the seasonal transmission patterns of other viruses.

For the most part, many kids are vaccinated; how can parents be proactive in keeping their kids safe?

The best way to reduce the risk of both Covid-19 and Influenza is to get vaccinated. Both parents and children should complete their Covid-19 vaccination primary series and get their booster dose/s if eligible. In addition, parents and children should get the seasonal influenza vaccine. Good hand hygiene is essential to reducing the spread of infections.

Masks can also be worn for protection, especially during times of high community activity of Covid 19 and other respiratory viruses. In addition, if your child is sick, it is important to keep them home while they are ill, and parents should stay home from work when they are ill.

Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces at home, especially when someone in the house is ill, is also an effective way to reduce the risk of getting sick. Parents should encourage their children to practice good health habits such as eating a healthy

diet, getting a good amount of sleep, and being physically active.

When the kids are in school, what should they do? (for example: wipe off their books? Still, use hand sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer use and/or frequent hand washing are both excellent ways to prevent infection. Sanitizing frequently used surfaces is helpful in reducing infection transmission but can be more difficult in the school setting.

Parents should also encourage kids to try and avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth. Children should not share food or drinks at school. Parents can teach children to cover their mouth and nose with their el bows or a tissue when they sneeze. Masks can be used during periods of increased Covid-19 activity at the school and in the community.

Parents should keep their children at home when they are sick and get them tested for COVID-19 if they have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with Covid-19.

Monkey Pox looks and sounds pretty scary. Are kids able to get vaccinated for Monkey

Pox yet? Like the Covid vaccine, will kids be able to access being vaccinated for Monkey Pox quickly? Is it necessary?

Children have been mostly spared from the current outbreak of Monkeypox. To date, there have been only two children in New York that have contracted Monkeypox. Currently, there is a limited supply of Monkeypox vaccine, and it is only being offered to people that have had close contact with a person with a confirmed case of monkeypox and also to people from higher risk categories, including men who have sex with men and those who have multiple unknown sexual partners.

If a child has a family member or close

contact who has Monkeypox then it would be recommended for that child to be vaccinated. Otherwise, currently, the Monkeypox vaccine is not necessary for most children. The Federal Government and the state of New York are working to increase supply and improve access to the vaccine to ensure availability to anyone that may need it.

Dr. Sandra Bonat is a Pediatric Physician Advisor at VIP StarNetwork, a leading provider of mobile and onsite health services, including COVID testing and vaccinations. Dr. Bonat has almost 30 years of experience in the medical field and is leading her company’s efforts to safely vaccinate young children.

“The steps we took to limit our exposure to Covid-19 also limited our exposure to other viruses. Our immune systems need exposure to pathogens to keep up our memory response, and this did not occur during the first year of the pandemic.”

Amazing is coming back from surgery at Och Spine to play college softball.

Gabby Rodriguez had a dream to play college softball. But at 14 years old, she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis, with a 69˚curve in her spine. Suddenly that dream seemed almost impossible. Then she met Dr. Lenke from Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian. His team performed spinal fusion surgery, which corrected her curve. Now she plays better than ever as catcher for her college team.

Learn more at nyp.org/ochspine

family fun

ESCaPE RoomS!

Family-friendly choices in NY

By Kaitlyn Riggio

Escape rooms are the perfect activity for the entire family, especially if you’re a family that loves solving puzzles and working as a team. Generally, you’ll have an hour to follow a story, look for clues, crack codes and find your way out (don’t worry: you’re not actually locked in. You can leave at any time.). These rooms come in a whole range of difficulty levels and fun themes, so you’re sure to find some great options for your family and skill level. Even if you’re an escape room novice, it’s sure to be a fun choice for the whole family.

Beat the Bomb

255 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 917-983-1115

At Beat the Bomb in Brooklyn, you and your family will go on an hour-long mission to disarm the World’s Biggest Paint Bomb. Suit up in hazmat gear and do your best to crack the codes in time, or else you’ll be walking out covered in paint. It’s the world’s first im mersive social video game company, and the experience combines the best elements from classic escape rooms, gaming technology and 90s game shows. If you’re not interested in wearing a hazmat suit and maybe getting blasted by paint, be sure to check out Beat the Bomb’s immersive game lounges. Choose from their large selection of games. The mini mum age to participate in the Beat the Bomb escape room experience is eight years old.

The Escape Game NYC

295 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 917-970-1360

The Escape Game in Midtown Manhattan is a great choice if you and your family are looking for a classic escape room experience. They have five themed rooms to choose from ranging in different levels of difficulty. You can ask your game guide for as many hints as you need without penalty, so it’s a great option if this is your family’s first time trying out an escape room. Games here

are recommended for ages 13 and up, but younger players are allowed as well.

The Great Escape Room 62-33 Woodhaven Blvd, Queens, NY 11374 917-300-1680

Looking for a fun escape room experience for all ages? Check out The Great Escape Room in Queens! Their two classic rooms (Poker Night at the President’s Bunker and Escape Artist: The Final Séance) are great for people who love solving puzzles. Work together to break codes and crack open combinations to complete the missions. They also have a Sherlock Holmesthemed scavenger hunt room. This room is focused more on searching for clues instead of solving puzzles, making it perfect for families with young children or a range of escape room skills. See why the Great Escape Room was voted the #1 escape room across America!

Shipwrecked NYC

621 Court St 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11231 718-852-4653

Brooklyn’s Shipwrecked amusement center has three mini escape rooms for you and your family to choose from. In this adventure, you’ll have one hour to complete as many of Shipwreck’s mini escape rooms as you can. Some of the rooms are better suited for younger children than others, so be sure to scope them out and choose the best rooms for you and your family. While you’re there, check out Shipwreck’s other offerings, like the 18-hole miniature golf course with four themed areas or the huge arcade. There’s enough here for a full night of family fun.

Puzzle Break

80 Michael Drive, Syosset, NY 11791 516.307.0888

Puzzle Break in Long Island offers uniquethemed escape room experiences. Choose from rooms themed around midnight carnivals, Grimm fairy tales, a lost temple and more. If you’re looking for fun at home, check out the virtual edition of Puzzle Break’s rooms as well. A live game host will be online with you to help you through the room, and it’s a great way to have a family game night at home.

Just Escape

529 Broadway, Massapequa, NY 11758 (516) 809-8980

Just Escape is Long Island’s top-rated spot for escape rooms. Work with your family to find clues, solve puzzles and escape the room in under an hour. There are six rooms to choose from, each with a different level of difficulty. Build up your skills by working through the increasingly difficult rooms until you can conquer Cabin in the Woods, the hardest room on site. Plus, Just Escape has new rooms coming soon, so there’ll be no shortage of escape room adventures.

Hour to Exit

466 Main Street #206, New Rochelle, NY 10801 914-355-4272

Great escape rooms aren’t just limited to the city. Hour to Exit in Downtown New Rochelle is an unbeatable escape experience for you and your family, especially if you’re looking for an option in Westchester. Here are two escape experiences available for booking now: Elude the Illusionist, where you and your team have an hour to uncover a magician’s secrets, and Dorm Rules, where your mission is to swipe a key to a dorm common room before your RA gets back. There’s also a jewel heist-themed room coming soon and new adventures coming down the line.

Childhood mental health and learning disorders are real, common, and treatable.

OUR MISSION

At the Child Mind Institute, we provide gold-standard, evidence-based treatment to thousands of kids annually through our clinical centers and school programs.

OUR TEAM

We’ve assembled one of the finest teams of psychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists in the country.

OUR CARE

We perform evaluations that are clear and easy to understand. We set goals, track progress, and adjust course as needed to get each child back to their best life.

Don’t wait. Reach out to us today.

childmind.org/newyorkfamily info@childmind.org 212.375.3169

Visit Blaze

Check out the vibrant Blaze: Hudson Valley in Westchester

By Serena norr

One of New York’s beloved Halloween events is here. This popular event is now illuminating in Westchester and lasts until November 20th.

The Deets:

You and your family can admire over 7,000 illuminated and hand-carved pumpkins and original music at the historic Van Cortlandt Manor. The walk-through experience is around 45-minutes, where you can see bright and creative displays, such as the Statue of Liberty and the Pumpkin Planetarium.

New creations this year include an animated “Jack” Smith working in his shop with a hive of glowing bees.

Stay for the Treats!

After your fun walking tour, you can enjoy fall-themed treats, snacks, and drinks at their nearby cafe. There is also an on-site store with Halloween-related and Blaze items for sale.

Blaze: Hudson Valley Details

Van Cortlandt Manor

525 South Riverside Avenue Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

Times for the Blaze-Hudson Valley range from 7:30 pm-10:30pm. Tickets start at $40 for adults and $32 for children 3-17. Children 2 and under are free. All events are held rain or shine. Visitors should visit hudsonvalley.org/ covid for their current policies.

OPEN HOUSE EVENTS

We look forward to welcoming you to our

Navigating High School Admissions in NYC

By Vered Ornstein and dOnna duarte-Ladd

Parents in New York know that there are a few periods in their child’s education when they have to make big decisions. Childcare is usually the first education challenge we have. Then comes pre-k, perhaps a mid-season school change, Kindergarten, and if lucky, we will have a bit of a break during the elementary school years until Middle School has to be tackled.

When it comes to high school, our kids’ choices are pretty vast. Your child may have had an education primarily in public school, but now that you know more of your child’s strengths or what type of school you are looking for, you may decide to go private, charter, or stay the public school route. Here is the best part. Yes, we are looking at the bright side of this intense process. There are many options. Yes, picking the right high

school is a huge decision- and frankly, it is up there with college admission stress which is why we have broken down how the High School Admission process works, in hopes it helps you when applying for High Schools.

Breaking it Down

Last month, more than one million students returned to the New York City public schools, the country’s most extensive public school sys tem. Though the year is just beginning, middle school students are already considering the ap plication process for attending a New York City high school. In most school districts, students attend whichever public high school they are zoned to, with the opportunity to apply for a private or charter school if they choose. Be cause of the massive size of the New York City public school system, all students are required to apply for a high school while in eighth grade (current ninth graders who are not repeating the ninth grade can apply to a new school as

well). If a student does not submit an ap plication for high school, they will be offered admission to the closest program with available room. While the process can feel daunting, this guide to all things New York City high schools can be a tool to navigating this system.

Types of High Schools

There are four main types of high schools in New York City: public schools, private schools, religious/parochial schools, and nine Special ized High Schools. Any student who resides in New York City can apply to attend any charter, private, or Specialized School, or to a public school in their district zone, using a ranking system that lists up 12 schools or programs of interest in order of preference. Public, private, and charter schools admit students based on criteria that vary from school to school. These criteria can include middle school grades, income level, learning English as a second language, geographical proximity to a school, and position within a priority group. Who qualifies for which priority groups also varies between schools. Likewise, every program has a set number of seats available for students with disabilities (abbreviated as SWD) and for general education students (GE), and this number is noted when checking a school’s

eligibility criteria.

There are nine specialized high schools in the city that cater to different strengths and needs. They are The Bronx High School of Science; The Brooklyn Latin School; Brooklyn Technical High School; High School for Math, Science, and Engineering at City College; High School for American Studies at Lehman College; Queens High School for the Sciences at York College; Staten Island Technical High School; Stuyvesant High School; and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

To be considered for the one of the first eight schools, students must take the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT).

For admittance to LaGuardia, students are considered based on an audition for one of the school’s six programs.

Timeline

Regardless of what type of school a student is ap plying to, there is a timeline of necessary steps to take to achieve an offer letter from a school.

If a student wants to apply to a Specialized High School, they must register

and sit for the Specialized High School Admission Test, or prepare and submit an audition. Historically, the SHSAT has been administered in October. Still, due to ongoing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, dates are subject to change, so it’s essential to stay up to date with news from the Department of Education.’

By wintertime, students can begin sub mitting applications through MySchools, a school counselor, or a NYC DOE-sponsored Family Welcome Center. For the school year beginning in fall of 2022, high school applica tions were due by the 1st of March. In April or May, before the end of the school year, schools make offers of admissions to accepted students and place some students on their waitlists. (The Specialized High Schools do not have waitlists.) Once waitlists are open, any student can add their name to the list, but admission priority is given to waitlisted stu dents who placed the school on their original application ranking. If a student is unhappy with the placement they are given, they can appeal the decision or wait to see if they are offered a seat off of any waitlists. Once a

student accepts a spot at a program, they are ready to begin their high school journey and prepare for the school year ahead.

Private Schools

For Private Schools, most deadlines are in mid-January, but each school is unique; most Catholic Schools open Admissions on De cember 1st. Luckily New York offers excellent private schools, many of which provide finan cial aid, and we strongly recommend looking into this route. If you are interested in going the private route, once you have an idea of the school you’re interested in, contact this school immediately or go to their website for school tours or any informational opportunities that will help you make your decisions.

Take a deep breath. Since picking a high school in New York City can be just as complicated as applying to college, the process can be stressful and overwhelming for students and parents. Beginning research early, staying in contact with eighth-grade counselors, and utilizing MySchools(if going the public school route) are all steps to clarify the path to high school.

Bard college at s imon’s rock

84 Alford rd. Great barrington, MA 01230 413-528-7228 simons-rock.edu admit@simons-rock.edu

b ard c ollege at Simon’s rock is the only four-year residential college designed for students ready to start college after the 10th or 11th grade. Simon’s rock is ranked No. 4 for the most innovative school and No. 5 for best undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World report.

Buffalo s eminary 205 bidwell Parkway, buffalo NY 716-885-6780 buffaloseminary.org

S eM is a leader in girls’ education, distinguished by more than 170 years of excellence and innovation. today, S eM inspires young women from around the globe to join with those from Western New York to create a community dedicated

to preparing students to emerge from their high school experience as leaders, proud to shape society rather than be controlled or defined by it. S eM students learn to live and lead with energy, confidence, honor, and courage.

c athedral hs for g irls 350 e . 56th Street 212 688-1545 cathedralhs.org

Founded in 1905, c athedral High School is an all-girls

c atholic c ollege Preparatory school located in the heart of Manhattan. It is a community of students, teachers, staff, parents and alumnae committed to inspiring young women of all faiths and cultures to be their best. 100% of the students graduate and are accepted in the college or university of their choice.

c ardinal s pellman h igh school

1 c ardinal Spellman Place,

bronx NY 718-881-8000 x206 cardinalspellman.org admissions@cardinalspellman. org

c ardinal Spellman HS, a co-educational college preparatory school, offers college credit, Advanced Placement, regents, Honors, and elective c ourses. Located on a 13-acre campus with all-weather athletic fields and track, fitness room, weight room, and auditorium with professional stage and seating. Priding itself on small school friendliness with big school opportunities, Spellman graduating class earns over $48 million in scholarships.

Dwight school

18 West 89th Street

Main c ampus: 212-724-3630 Dwight.edu

An internationally renowned independent school (nursery-grade 12) committed to educating the next generation of global

leaders. regardless where in the world students attend Dwight, they are inspired to find their passions and receive the same high-quality I b education.

Dwight provides benefits and countless opportunities. travel and exchange programs, cross-campus curricular and creative collaborations, online learning programs, international athletic competitions, and global leadership conferences all foster the development of global citizens.

ef academy i nternational h igh school

New York c ampus (Grade 9-12) 582 columbus Ave, thornwood, NY 10594 efacademy.org/new-york

eF Academy is an international high school, offering day and boarding options for grades 9-12. Students live and learn with peers from 60+ nationalities and are offered pathways

A small school that’s BIG on inclusion

NYC’s only K-12+ independent inclusion school

Relocating to our new home in the Financial District in September 2023!

At IDEAL, we believe that differentiated learning is the key to academic excellence. We offer a supportive environment where all children are valued and celebrated.

www.theidealschool.org

Join us for an open house or a personal tour. Call us at 212-769-1699 x10105 or email admissions@theidealschool.org for more information.

Fall Open Houses

Lower School (Grades K-5)

Friday, October 14, 12-1 PM

Middle School (Grades 6-9)

Friday, October 21, 12-1 PM

High School (Grades 9-12+)

Friday, October 28, 12-1 PM

Upper School (Grades 6-12+)

Wednesday, November 9, 6-7 PM

Lower School (Grades K-5)

Monday, November 14, 6-7 PM

in the US High School Diploma and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs. Through diversified instruction, we empower the next generation of Global Changemakers.

German International School New York (GISNY) 50 Partridge Road, White Plains, NY 10605 admissions@gisny.org 914- 948-6513

GISNY.ORG

For over 40 years, GISNY, an independent, bilingual Pre-K through Grade 12 college preparatory program, has cultivated students to develop into curious, analytical, and conscientious global citizens. GISNY is the

only school in the tri-state area where graduates earn the NYS High School Diploma and the German International Abitur. No German is required for entering Pre-K or Kindergarten children. All nationalities are welcome!

The IDEAL School 314 West 91st Street, NY 212-769-1699 theidealschool.org

A small school that’s BIG on inclusion! The IDEAL School of Manhattan is NYC’s only K-12+ independent inclusion school. At IDEAL, they believe that differentiated learning is the key to academic excellence. They offer a supportive environment

where all children are valued and celebrated. Contact admissions@theidealschool. org to learn more about their unique inclusion program.

The Knox School 541 Long Beach Road St. James NY 11780 631.686.1600 knoxschool.org admissions@knoxschool.org

The Knox School is Long Island’s oldest established private school. An inclusive environment provides students with a broad world perspective and a wide range of skills to prepare them for success after high school. A Knox education unlocks every student’s potential.

St. John’s Preparatory School

21-21 Crescent St., Astoria, NY 718-721-7200 stjohnsprepschool.org

Paving the way for Leaders of Tomorrow for over 150 years, the school is dedicated to pro moting academic excellence and to instill the principles and values of the Catholic Faith in a positive, nurturing environment. A rigorous aca demic curriculum, an engaging spiritual program, meaning ful service experiences, and extensive extracurricular op portunities establish a strong foundation for life. Advanced Placement courses are offered in all subject areas. St. John’s Prep has an academic affilia tion with St. John’s University.

International High School

Oct. 21, 2022

10:00

Nov. 18, 2022 @ 10:00 am Learn more and register at GISNY.ORG

Open a world of opportunities for your child with a bilingual education that emphasizes the sciences at German International School New York, a Pre-K to grade 12 college preparatory program.

Entering Pre-K or Kindergarten children are not required to speak or understand German and build the foundation of being bilingual by first grade.

Join our Open House events and learn how we nurture independent thinkers and develop global citizens.

GISNY.ORG

White Plains, NY 10605

(914) 948-6513

The Benefits of Tutoring

By Vered Ornstein

As the school year begins again, the question of the effectiveness of tutoring comes to the forefront for many caregivers. As the education system begins to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are looking to tutoring to help fill in the gaps caused by lapses in in-person learning. Research shows that tutoring can lead to significant increases in school performance and grades, but these improvements vary depending on the tutoring method, grade level of the student, and subject area being taught.

Let’s take a deeper look at these factors to help you determine the most effective way to help your student succeed through extra learning opportunities.

Does tutoring work?

A meta-analysis published recently by the Poverty Action Lab titled “The Transforma tive Potential of Tutoring for PreK-12 Learning Outcomes: Lessons from Randomized Evalua tions” looked at hundreds of studies examining the impact of tutoring across grade levels and topics. It found that overall, students who en gaged in tutoring programs advanced nearly 16 percentage points when compared to students

who did not use tutors, which is considered huge growth by specialists in the field.

The key factors that make tutoring so effec tive, as outlined in the meta-analysis are: addi tional instructional time simply gives students who have fallen behind the opportunity to catch up with their peers; customization of learning and teaching strategies are theorized to work because they adjusts to a student’s individual needs rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all model of learning often present in a traditional classroom setting; and mentorship bonds be tween tutors and students encourage a positive learning environment, broadly speaking.

What type of tutoring is best? Every student is individual in the way they learn and retain information, and there is no one-size-fits-all tutoring method guaran teed to work. However, the research suggests several factors that are generally produce the best results. For one, it’s understood that professional or paraprofessional tutors, such as teachers or college students studying edu cation, yield better outcomes than nonprofes sional tutors like volunteers or parents.

The takeaways

When properly utilized, tutoring can be incred ibly successful and beneficial for students of all

ages. For literacy programs, tutoring is most effective when implemented at a young age. Math tutoring for older students can likewise be very impactful, and high schoolers who prepared for and retook standardized exams, with or without a tutor, generally scored better than students who did not prepare. For most students above grade 2, tutoring is most benefi cial when conducted three times a week.

Providing children with the support they need sets them up for success in school and beyond, and tutoring is an important step in ensuring they have the tools they need to thrive academically.

Loca L option

Prep for Prep

Admissions & Academic Programs: 163 West 91st Street, New York, NY

Leadership Programs: 328 West 71st Street, New York, NY

prepforprep.org

Prep for Prep develops ethical and effective leaders who reflect our diverse society.

Prep provides free academic prepara tion, mental wellness support, and career exploration for students from middle school through college. Life-changing opportuni ties for your child include arts and entre preneurship programs, paid internships, leadership retreats, college guidance, and access to highly accomplished alumni. Ap plications are available for public, parochial, and charter school students in grades 5 to 7 in the NYC metropolitan area.

Prep for Prep prepares students of color for admission to top New York City independent schools and boarding schools in the Northeast.

In addition, Prep scholars:

• participate In leadership development, internship, summer camp, and travel abroad opportunities

• receive social-emotional and wellness support from middle school through college

• build life-long friendships as part of a like-minded community of young leaders

If your child is currently a 5th-, 6th-, or 7th-grader attending a New York City public, parochial, or charter school, apply today

SUBMERGE: Hudson River Park’s Annual Marine Science Festival

New York City is home to more than eight million people, each with unique lives and stories to tell- and that’s only what’s happening above ground. Underwater, in the many aquatic ecosystems that surround the City, there are millions more stories waiting to be uncovered. That’s where SUBMERGE comes into play, the annual Marine Science Festival that aims to bring the mysteries of the marine world to surface level.

Friday, October 14, is a day for school groups to enjoy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 15th, the festival is open to the public, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, where they can join leading STEM and marine biology experts from across the state as they teach New Yorkers about NYC’s coastal waters. The two-day festival, taking place at Pier 84 at Hudson River Park (12th Ave between 43rd St and 44th St) provides fun, interactive, family-friendly activities that aim to educate

and engage people of all ages on STEM, marine biology, and coastal waters that shape New York City.

Festivalgoers will enjoy a large range of activities throughout the two days that are sure to entertain people of all ages, from sea soned scientists to inquisitive young minds looking to dip their toes in to the scientific world. Visit the interactive Discovery Lab for hands-on experience with aquatic wildlife, or watch a marine biologist perform a live experiment before your very eyes! Learn how to sustainably engage with our ecosystem by participating in catch-and-release fishing, and prepare to be amazed as scuba experts wow crowds with live dive shows and dem onstrations. You can be at the forefront of it all as scientists dive deep into the mysteries of our waterways and bring the depths of our aquatic ecosystems to the surface.

In recent years, the coastal landscape

of New York City has seen some drastic changes. Sightings of dolphins and whales in the Hudson River and beyond have increased significantly, puzzling New Yorkers and marine biologists alike. Scientists are still figuring out what makes New York City, the country’s most developed coastline, function the way it does. New discoveries are always just a wave away from crashing into shorebe at the forefront of marine research and breakthrough at SUBMERGE 2022!

SUBMERGE is a completely free event and accessible to New Yorkers near and far. Some events require pre-registration due to limited capacity, so be sure to check the Hudson River Park’s website as the day ap proaches for registration details. Volunteer opportunities and day-of shifts are available for those dedicated to educating the world about New York City’s marine life and bring ing STEM to everyone.

Fall in Love with Rockland County!

Explore our village shops and restaurants.

Experience the natural splendor of the Hudson Valley.

Enjoy fabulous fall golf, hiking, camping, and more!

For a Great Getaway that’s not far away, make your next... explorerocklandny.com

�al� RoadFamil� Trip�

BY MIA SALAS

Fall decor, pumpkin treats and farm festivals are finally here!

If you’re looking to make the most of the cozy season, have you considered planning a road trip with your family? Road trips are the perfect, quick escape from the city where you can dive into family friendly fall and winter festivities. Whether it’s apple picking or nature hikes, tractor rides or fudge tastings, your kiddos will have plenty of fun activities to do, all while exploring the history of unique towns. We’ve rounded up some of the best road trip destinations for your family this year. Get your train tickets or GPS ready, because these are fall vacays you do not want to miss!

Central Massachusetts

Antsy kiddos who could not last hours in a car? Not to worry– Central Massachusetts is a quick 30-minute flight away. In fact, there are 4 flights arriving daily from NYC, both from JFK and LGA, making it easier than ever to plan your getaway. Once you arrive we recommend you set up camp at a brand name or boutique hotel in Worcester, MA. You’ll be 30 minutes or less from a ton of family-friendly attractions, like the Southwick’s Zoo, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Old Sturbridge Village and the Ecotarium.

If you’re looking for some outdoor fun, we recommend you go on a family hike to Lookout Rock or the summit of Wachusett Mountain. But with 22 state parks in the region, you’ll have your pick of hiking trails. Central Massachusetts also has plenty of seasonal celebrations: you don’t want to miss KidsFest, AppleFest, BooFest, and Fall Food Truck Fest at Wachusett Mountain. The Annual Harvest Festival is also a family-favorite because of its well-loved scarecrow contest. And we can’t forget about Southwick Zoo’s Festival of Illumination, showcasing the stories of legendary creatures and fairytales through handmade Chinese lanterns. Add on all the usual fall classics–apple picking, cider donuts, and tractor rides– and Central Massachusetts is the place to be! Book your amazingly convenient flight today.

New Jersey

New Jersey is home to some of the most exciting family destinations in the Northeast - from the quaint shops of Cape May to High Point State Park in the Skylands. Families come back year after year for coolweather experiences and adventurous ways to enjoy every last one of those fall and winter days.

Enjoy the great outdoors, for New Jersey’s 130 miles of coastline deliv ers some of the most magnificent (and Instagrammable) views in the U.S. Visit mural-filled Asbury Park. Travel scenic byways for an impromptu leaf-peeping session. Hike serene nature trails. Go snow tubing in winter at Mountain Creek Resort and skiing at American Dream year-round. Enjoy the East Coast’s famed national and state parks like Liberty State Park, the Delaware Water Gap and Paterson Great Falls.

New Jersey is bountiful in the arts, history, culture and more. The New Jersey State Museum and The Newark Museum of Art are famous family go-tos. Princeton’s Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre provides unforgettable live music, dance and theater performances including American Repertory Ballet’s The Nutcracker November 25–27 and A Christmas Carol December 7 – 24. Dive in and discover over 15,000 aquatic animals and the Northeast’s largest collection of sharks at The New Jersey State Aquarium on the Camden waterfront. Also along the Delaware: Big Kahuna’s Indoor Water Park - always a huge splash with kids.

Looking for a quick 3-day family getaway? A road trip with stops at New Jersey’s top spots will do the trick. Choose the best journey for your crew including American Revolution, Scenic Byways, Anthony Bourdain

Food Trail and Black Heritage itineraries. Spend time together, learn something new, and see the best places to play, dine and stay.

Discover more at VisitNJ.org. Get your free Travel Guide and sign up for their informative e-newsletter.

Newport, RI

Only a few hours from NYC, Newport, Rhode Island brings fall festivities to the next level. Cider tasting and apple picking at Rocky Brook Orchard, named one of the best apple orchards in New England, offers eighty varieties of apples to choose from.

Next on your fall bucket list is The Pachet Brook Tree Farm for a family-friendly hayride that leads you to a pumpkin patch. Looking for more adventure, visit Escobar’s Highland Farm, and wind your way out of their 8-acre corn maze.

Experience more outdoor fun aboard a pedal-powered rail bike with Rail Explorers. The tour includes dif ferent experiences such as an evening lantern or fireside tours.

Newport isn’t short of sport or history; your family can visit the interactive Sailing Museum, Audrain Automobile Museum and Internation al Tennis Hall of Fame with just one ticket. Newport has family-friendly year-round events and activities, so be sure to check out the extensive cal endar of seasonal events at Discov erNewport.org.

Discover Newport

Frederick, Maryland

Location, location, location! This fall road trip includes the National Scenic Byways and historic downtowns. Once you arrive at Frederick, Maryland, you are a short drive from Baltimore, Washington, D.C, and Gettysburg, making this the perfect getaway. There are truly so many family adventures you can embark on here! And the best part? You can take your time by staying a few days at one of Frederick County’s 20 nationally-branded hotels.

There’s no shortage of fall festivals at the many farms and pumpkin patches in Frederick County, offering hayrides, apple cannons, corn mazes, arts & crafts, duck races, farm animals, and more. And if your kids are craving a sweet treat, Frederick has some of the best creameries with farm-fresh ice cream. For a blast to the past, check out Walkersville Southern Railroad and Monocacy National Battlefield. Little ones will also love saying hello to the many animals at the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, while older kids may enjoy a hike to the cascading waterfall in Cunningham Falls State Park. Last but not least, the food scene in Frederick is top-notch and super kid-friendly: don’t miss Pretzel and Pizza Creations, a restaurant where everything is made out of delicious pretzel dough, including the pizza crust.

Putnam County, NY

This gem in New York is easy to travel to, making it an ideal road trip. A must-first stop is the Tilly Foster Farm. Only Putnam County, NY, would have a farm that regularly attracts families from all over to come and visit during the fall season. What makes Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster, NY, special? There’s something for everyone in your family to enjoy! From candle making to farm animals, sculptures to fishing, fresh veggies to concerts, this farm is the talk of the season every year.

But beyond Tilly Foster Farm, Putnam County offers a spooky, kid-friendly musical, Hearts of the Hollow, that runs weekends through October 31. With 20 original songs, your kiddos will definitely be singing them all night long. And if you want to sneak in some apple picking on your trip, look no further than the Boscobel Heritage Applefest in Hudson Valley. Packed with cider pressing, apple preserving, arts & crafts, and sweet cider sampling, it’s a must-visit.

Visit Frederick

Jamie Martorano

FALL FOR NEW JERSEY ADVENTURES

Team up with cool-weather favorites from the sands of the Jersey Shore straight up to the Skylands. Enjoy pumpkin patches, apple picking and hayrides. Parks dressed in gold and crimson leaves. Discover iconic eateries and sporting events—from the grid iron to the greens. Plus, journeys like our Scenic Byway and Black Heritage itineraries. You’ll find hundreds of destinations worth falling for.

Get your free official travel guide and discover more at VisitNJ.org

Rockland County, NY

Just 30 miles north of NYC, Rockland County makes the perfect family road trip. Nestled among 32,000 acres of untouched parkland, you can expect lots of outdoor fun: hiking trails, mountain vistas, and plenty of fall foliage. There’s also exquisite waterfront villages along the Hudson River that feature world-class restaurants, art galleries, shopping, champion golf courses, historic sites, and more.

If you’re looking to get your fall fix, visit one of the many farms and farmer’s markets for fresh produce, pumpkin picking, and apple picking. We recommend Orchards of Conklin, the oldest working farm in Rockland County. You can pick your own pumpkins and apples, escape the corn maze, and shop homemade pies, donuts, and cookies.

And with all the nature surrounding you, it can be tricky to choose just one hiking adventure. One family-favorite is Buttermilk Falls, which has several trails leading to the falls and steam with

overlooks and areas for picnicking.

Take your time planning this trip, because Rockland County has natural, hidden gems you’ll want to explore for a while!

New York FamilY partN er

Discover Newport for Fall Family Fun

planning family adventures this sea son? Look no further than Newport, RI for the best of fall festivities: apple pick ing, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and cider treats. Newport is activity-packed during any season, but there’s something special about fall and winter that brings families back year after year.

Between fairs, festivals, and fall foliage sunset tours, Newport has no shortage of seasonal family fun. An annual favorite is the Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair, October 1-2. Little ones and bigger kids alike enjoy sack races, hay rides, mud pits, tug-of-war, live music, scarecrow competitions, and plenty of prizes.

Newport also offers top-notch farms for fall festivities, such as Rocky Brook Or chard: a family-run orchard that’s become one of the best apple orchards in New Eng land. When it comes to pumpkin picking, families love Pachet Brook Tree Farm for its fun hayride leading up to the pumpkins.

And for an epic corn maze, Escobar’s High land Farm is adored by kids. This year’s corn maze theme is “Field of Dreams”, promoting health, happiness, and love.

Another way to experience Newport’s fall beauty is by hopping on a scenic pedalpowered rail bike ride along abandoned railroad tracks. Rail Explorers leads 90-minute, breathtaking tours around the Narragansett Bay. Head over to Thames

Street afterwards for a sweet treat at one of the ice cream shops.

And for chillier days spent indoors, Newport has stellar sports and history mu seums. Conveniently, the Sailing Museum, Audrain Automobile Museum, and the In ternational Tennis Hall of Fame teamed up to provide access to all three with one ticket.

Check out the full Newport experience at DiscoverNewport.org.

Heighten

SENSES

Make moments that matter in hip & historic Frederick County, Maryland. Wander quaint downtowns where historic buildings host locally-owned shops. Indulge in world-class restaurants and embrace our lively arts scene. Venture outdoors in National & State Parks and experience our storied past at Civil War battlefields. Unwind at dozens of wineries, breweries & distilleries. visitfrederick.org • 800–999–3613

Fall

Bucket list

36 amazing things to do this season

By Jeannine Cintron and d onna duarte-Ladd

Out of all the seasons, fall is easily the most fun for families to enjoy together. The house smells like a pumpkinspiced dream, the leaves are changing and kids are mapping out the best spots for trickor-treat candy. What a season!

One of the biggest reasons to love fall is the beautiful weather! The just-right temperatures make for the perfect family day out – indoors or outdoors. That means there is no excuse not to check off everything on

your fall bucket list.

And we have plenty of ideas to get you started below!

1. Leaf peep at Central Park and check out the changing leaves (it happens later in the city than Upstate, whoo- hoo!)

2. Head to the New York Botanical Garden for their Fall-O-Ween celebration, featuring pumpkins and gourds galore

3. Six Flags Fright Fest is back with its signature ghoul parade, multiple haunted

walks and more chilling thrills. Bring the younger ones during the day for not-soscary activities and entertainment

4. Pick the perfect pumpkin without leaving the city! Queens County Farm Museum and Decker Farm in Staten Island each boast sprawling patches and festive fall activities on weekends in October

5. Best NYC views from 300 feet with special event opportunities at the Dream Wheel NJ! Tip: Park in lot C at the American Dream Mall and go to the 3rd floor.

6. Stop by Levain Bakery for a Fall Chocolate Cookie of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, mo lasses, chocolate and more

7. Catch a ball game without sweating through your clothes. Fall marks the start of football, basketball, and hockey season

8. Geek out at NY Comic Con, coming to the Javits Center Oct. 6-9, and meet your favorite stars up close. Don’t forget to snap a photo to impress your friends!

9. Check out Museum of The City of New York's Movies for Minis, a new series of monthly movies accompanied by an artmaking workshop for kids of all ages. Check dates at mcny.org

10. The mother of all Halloween parades winds through Greenwich Village on October 31, where spectators will view every kind of costume imaginable. This year’s theme is freedom!

11. Take the older kids (or brave tweens) to one of NY’s many haunted houses for a scary good time. Some top-rated ones include Blood Manor, Long Island’s Bayville Scream Park, and Bane’s Haunted House in Midtown

12. Spend an October weekend in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, to visit Phantoms by Fire light at Old Sturbridge Village

13. Go for a whirl around one of New York’s many carousels before they close for the winter. Some favorites include Jane’s Car ousel, Central Park, Seaglass Carousel and Bryant Park

14. Dress your pooch in their Halloween finest and join the costumed canine convoy in Tompkins Square Park (Brooklyn) on Oct. 22 for their famous annual dog parade

15. Head to beautiful New Jersey for fall family fun with apple picking to leaf peeping, and more; For all the fun fall things to do, check out VisitNJ.org

16. Pedal your way past colorful foliage on a scenic bike tour

17. From Spooktacular Night Walks to Bronx Zoo Mornings and School Break camps, WCS Education has something to offer for every family! Check out our programs at

18. Pack the family in the car or head out on foot to explore the over-the-top spooky decorations and local haunted houses. It’s not just us; they’re totally getting more elaborate (and terrifying) every year!

19. Take a fall walk on the Highline, and head to The Whitney afterward; kids are free!

20. Leave the kids with a sitter and head to Long Island to tour its many beautiful wineries, while you take in breathtaking autumnal views

21. Enjoy the fall air and see a movie outdoors or in a car at the Skyline Drive-in

22. Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at El Museo del Barrio

23. Long Island Aquarium has great events this season. Check out their website for all the

(Above) Discover Newport. (Left) Long Island Aquarium.

fun- including the Haunted Tree House all October. The Bats, Barnacles & Broomsticks Halloween Party is on Oct 29th and their Annual Wine Tasting Event - Fish & Sips on November 11th

24. Head to Central Park Lake (open until the end of November and weather permitting) and rent a boat or take a gondola ride

25. Take advantage of the Culture Pass and visit the amazing cultural institutions that participate

26. Hop on a ferry and explore Governor’s Island before it closes for the winter

27. Corn mazes are now a fall staple and there’s plenty nearby to choose from. The cream of the crop include Von Thun’s, Hank’s Pump kintown and Harbes, among others

28. Head to Hudson River Park’s SUBMERGE Marine Science Festival on October 15 (11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, at Pier 84. With live activities, SUBMERGE brings marine sci ence to life. This interactive science festival is open to the public

29. Take the kids to Central Park on Oct. 30 for a Halloween parade, kid’s activities and more. Be sure to head to the northeast cor ner at 6:30 for the annual Pumpkin Flotilla, when dozens of jack-o-lanterns are sent floating down the Harlem Meer in a stun ning procession that is not to be missed

30. Check out Palisades Climb Adventure

bronxzoo.com/learn/families

when the day calls for some winning

which is the world’s tallest indoor ropes course, standing 85 feet tall and featuring over 75 unique challenge elements designed for climbers of all ages and skill levels. For younger visitors, check out the Sky Tykes course, which allows for easy parental guid ance at any course level

31.Times Square is for families; discover kidfriendly attractions, family-style restaurants, immersive shops, free outdoor events, and theater. Explore the Times Square Family Fun Guide at tsq.org/families

32. An award-winning event, the Norman Bird Sanctuary Annual Harvest Fair, is one not to miss. Challenge friends to a sack race, scarecrow building competition, rope climbing, live music, and feast on delish fall food

33. Book a whale watching cruise for a chance to spot these peaceful giants before the water gets too cold

34. Go Brick-or-Treating at LEGOLAND New

York and join their Monster Party for live shows, attractions, character meet-andgreets and more

35. Head to East Rutherford, NJ to American Dream. Get your thrills in at Nickelodeon Universe, North America’s largest indoor theme park or enjoy the world’s largest in door wave pool at DreamWorks Water Park.

Shop at Saks Fifth Avenue, Zara, and more! End your day at Carpaccio, Bergen County’s #1 New Restaurant

36. Take your family on a picturesque fall hike at Garvies Point Museum and Preserve in Glen Cove, LI. Leading down to a quiet beach, this easy-for-kids trail is one of the most serene on the island

New York’s ORIGINAL

Halloween Event!

Dave & Buster's Times Square

The bes T paTches in and near new York ciTYPumpkin Picking!

By New york Family & k aitlyN riggio

October is here which means it’s that time again to go pumpkin picking. Head to one of these pumpkin picking farms in and near New York City to pick from a va riety of gourds, munchkins, and other pump kins. The best part is that it’s also apple-pick ing season, which means there will be plenty of apple cider, apple cider donuts, and baked goods for you and your family to enjoy as you roam the pumpkin patch, pet farm animals, and pick jack-o’-lantern worthy pumpkins to carve. We’ve even included the travel distance from Midtown so you know how long the journey will be. So find a weekend, and take a trip to one of these pumpkin patches and experience fall to its fullest.

Under One Hour

Demarest Farms

244 Wiermus Road, Hillsdale, NJ 07642 201-666-0472

(40 min from Midtown)

Demarest Farms’ pumpkin picking rolls out on Sept. 24. Make your reservation on their site and pick out the perfect pumpkin. Once you make a reservation, you will be given a date and time to arrive at the farm. The cost for general admission is $7, includes free parking, entrance to the pumpkin patch, petting zoo and hayrides available Saturday and Sunday; plus $12 for the largest pumpkin you pick. Children 2 and under can enter for free. Open 8 am to 5 pm, daily.

Queens County Farm

73-50 Little Neck Pkwy, Queens, NY 11004 718-347-3276

(40 min from Midtown)

As the longest continually farmed site in New York State, Queens County Farm opens their pumpkin patch up again this October for families to enjoy. Pumpkin month at Queens County Farm is full of excitement with autumn in the air. While the pumpkin patch

is open primarily on weekends, feel free to come during the week to purchase pumpkins in the Farm Store. Open to the public Oct. 1 to Oct. 29; 12 pm to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday; 10 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday. General admission is free to the public, except during special events.

Hillview Farms

223 Meyersville Road, Gillette, NJ 908-647-0957

(50 min from Midtown)

Pick your own pumpkins at Hillview Farms!

In October, you and your family can visit this family-owned and operated farm that has 53 acres of locally grown food. Hayrides are available every weekend in October! You can even visit their roadside market that has apples, pumpkins, vegetables, tomatoes, donuts, cider, and bakery items. Open 9 am to 6 pm (field closed to the public at 5 pm), daily.

One Hour to One Hour and a Half Secor Farms

85 Airmont Ave., Mahwah, NJ 07430 201-529-2595

(1 hr from Midtown)

Make picture-perfect memories at Secor Farms’ storefront pumpkin patch. Public Hayrides begin mid-September and cost $5. Don’t leave before browsing the farm’s market, full of fresh-pressed apple cider and homemade apple cider donuts. Open 9 am to 5:30 pm, daily. The pumpkin patch will be open through Oct. 31.

Outhouse Orchards

139 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY 10560 914-277-3188

(1 hr 15 min from Midtown)

Outhouse Orchards attracts plenty of families year after year — you can even bring your family dog! Choose from pumpkins, gourds and an assortment of Halloween decorations as you celebrate the fall season. Reservations are not required during the weekdays, but

book a reservation if you are visiting the farm on the weekend. Pumpkins are weighed by the pound, weekend parking is $15, and weekday parking is free. Open 9 am to 5 pm, daily.

Riamede Farm

122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ 07930 908-879-7762

(1 hr 20 min from Midtown)

You might know Riamede Farms for iconic apple orchards, but they also have a CutYour-Own-Pumpkin Patch! Cut pumpkins right from the vine in this pumpkin patch at the beginning of the season. Riamede Farm recommends that you bring your own cutting shears as well. Make sure to also grab some delicious apples, donuts, and baked goods during your visit. Pumpkin and squash fields open in late September. A farm pass is $7 and is required for any visitors 6 and older. It includes admission to the apple orchard, pumpkin field, and a free wagon ride on the weekends. Open 9 am to 4:30 pm, daily.

Stuart’s Fruit Farm

62 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs, NY 10527 914-245-2784

(1 hr 20 min from Midtown)

Not only a fruit farm, Stuart’s Fruit Farm fea tures the perfect pumpkin patch for families, and it’s family-operated! Enjoy the autumn air and the farm views as you survey the pumpkins and choose your favorite. You can also buy pre-picked pumpkins and gourds at the farm stand if you don’t have the time to

venture into the pumpkin patch. Open 10 am to 5 pm, daily. Cash or check only.

Alstede Farms

1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 07930 908-879-7189

(1 hr 20 min from Midtown)

Head to Alstede Farms to pick the freshest pumpkins with your family! There are plenty of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes to choose from: orange and white, munchkins, gourds, and assorted winter squash. Purchase a Pick-Your-Own ticket on their website prior to visiting, Corn Maze & Blooming Giants Sunflower Trail are included in the admission. Open 9 am to 6 pm, daily.

Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm

1335 White Hill Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

914-245-5111

(1 hr 20 min from Midtown)

Pumpkin picking opens Oct. 1 at Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm! Spend the day with your family in the patch as you search for your favorite pumpkin. Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm is also very well known for its markets: the bakery, apple farm market, and the country market. Purchase tasty treats, decorations, and, of course, pumpkins! They’re open 10 am to 4:30 pm, Wednesday to Monday (closed on Tuesdays).

Apple Ridge Orchards

101 Jessup Road, Warwick, NY 10990 845-987-7717

(1 hr 30 min from Midtown)

Looking for an educational and interactive experience at the pumpkin patch? Check out Apple Ridge Orchards for some family fun with pumpkins! Take photos in front of the custom farm displays, such as an old tractor and portrait paintings. You can also taste sweet treats and pet the farm animals as you visit the farm. No reservations needed. Pumpkins cost $13 regardless of size and general admission is $3 which includes free parking and entrance to the farm. Admission and pick your own payments are cash only. Open to the public 9 am to 6 pm, Thursday to Sunday and holidays. No reservations needed!

Lawrence Farms Orchards

306 Frozen Ridge Road, Newburgh, NY 12550

845-562-4268

(1 hr 30 min from Midtown)

Not too far of a drive from NYC, Lawrence Farms Orchards has a pumpkin patch with a

wide selection for families to choose from. Af ter you find your perfect pumpkin, browse the concession stand, which features apple cider donuts, pies, cookies, chicken tenders, paninis, hot dogs, roasted nuts, fries, pizza, nachos, ice cream, and more! Enjoy a morning out in the pumpkin patch and delectable lunch or snack afterward to celebrate the fall season. Arriving early is highly recommended if you’d like to gain entry into the farm. Pumpkin season starts in mid-September. Open 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is $7 per person Monday through Thursday and $10 per person Friday through Sunday and holidays. Children under 2 years old are free. Season passes available.

Over an Hour and a Half Apple Dave’s Orchards

82 4 Corners Road, Warwick, NY 10990 845-772-1242

(1 hr 40 min from Midtown)

Pick your own pumpkins at Apple Dave’s Orchards and choose your favorite pumpkins. While you are there, take a walk in the herb and flower gardens and enjoy lots of their delicious food. Browse the Country Farm Store on your way out, which has fresh apple cider donuts, pumpkins, jams, jellies, pure honey, and more. Open 9 am to 4:30 pm, Sept. 5 through late October.

Elwood Pumpkin Farm

1500 E Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 11743 631-368-8626

(1 hr 40 min from Midtown)

As Long Island’s most western pumpkin farm, Elwood Pumpkin Farm opens up pumpkin picking off the vine to you and your family this fall! Kids also will love the child corn maze and wagon ride around the farm. Pumpkins are priced by size. The 2022 season opens Sept. 24. Open 10 am to 5 pm, weekends; 3 to 5 pm, weekdays.

Dykeman Farm

31 Dykeman Lane Pawling, NY 12564 845-832-6068

(1 hr 50 min from Midtown)

This long-established farm has had pick-yourown-pumpkins since 1974! Pumpkin picking season will be starting Sept. 25 and will be open on weekends throughout October. With over 70 varieties to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect pumpkin to take home. There are also plenty of photo spots all around the pumpkin patch for you to take photos of your little ones as they pick pumpkins this year. They also have free hayrides! The farmstand is open 10 am to 5 pm, daily. Picking is open on September 25 on all October weekends, and Columbus Day.

is now part of

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Visit Mommybites.com; we can’t wait to see you there!

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Infant • toddler early childhood 3 locations on the Upper West Side

fun

Halloween Experiences

Spooky fun in & around NYC

By Shara Levine

H alloween in New York is an experience.

It is the perfect time to take advantage of Halloween parties, trick and treating, fall corn mazes, spooky decor, light shows and more. Here are some of the special events that are uber Halloween-focused.

NYC

Boo at the Zoo

Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx Oct. 1-30, Saturdays, Sundays, and 10/10, 10am-5:30pm

$41.95; $36.95 seniors 65 and older; $31.95 children 3-12; free for children 2 and younger. Advanced registration required. Explore the Zoo in your Halloween best and participate in a costume parade, make crafts, see pumpkin carving demos, magic, performances, and so much more!

Long Island

RISE of the Jack O’Lanterns USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts, 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights Sept. 30- Nov. 6 , See website for schedule $35; $25 ages 3-17. Advanced registration required.

Travel the longest Jack O’Lantern trail in the world featuring over 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins.

Spooky Fest - A Halloween Family Adventure

Center for Science Teaching and LearningTanglewood Preserve, 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Center

Oct. 7-30, Fridays-Sundays, 6:30-9:30pm $20 non-spooky attractions only; $25 all attractions. Ages 3-12 You decide your experience with the option of non spooky attractions featuring friendly displays and characters or choose to scare up some fun with zombie robotic dinos in The Spooky Woods.

Halloween House Long Island Smith Haven Mall, 313 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove

Oct. 1- Nov. 1, See website for schedule $19.99-$29.99. Advanced registration required This completely immersive, one of a kind experience, transports you to an all Halloween world filled with themed rooms, indoor pumpkin patch, and Halloween decor.

Rockland

Halloween Light Show

Demarest Farms, 244 Wierimus Rd., Hillsdale

Sept. 16- Oct. 31, Sundays-Thursdays 7-9pm; Fridays and Saturdays, 7-9:30pm. $35 per car Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of brilliant Halloween light displays, enjoy farm fresh goodies in the retail farm market, warm-up by the fire pits, make your own s’mores and hot coco.

Kids Boo Fest

Six Flags Great Adventure, 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson

Sept. 17- Oct. 30, Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-6pm

Starting at $49.99. Explore all your family favorite coasters and park rides together, travel the Trick-or-Treat trail, and more at this festive Halloween event.

Brick-or-Treat

LEGOLAND New York Resort, One Legoland Blvd., Goshen

Sept. 24- Oct. 30, Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-6pm

Tickets start at $67.99. Brick-or-Treat will bewitch LEGOLAND ® New York Resort with tons of candy, an allnew show line up, never-before-seen exclusive LEGO ® characters, and more!

Transform your legs this fall

cosmetic services. As with any medical procedure, recovery and downtime depend on each patient’s overall health, healing rate, sensitivity to pain and the size of the treatment area. Since the work is done under the skin, the surface of the skin is left intact and unharmed, which means the procedure will not scar the outer layer of skin in the treatment area.

When fibrous, connective bands in the skin become rigid and tighten, they cause the fat cells trapped within those tissues to bulge. These pockets of fat create a dimpled, orange peel appearance on the skin called cellulite. Cellulite tends to occur in women more often than men, and usually accumulates on the thighs, buttocks and abdomen. While weight gain, genetics and hormone changes can impact the appearance of cellulite, cellulite itself is actually the result of structural changes within the skin, and can appear on people of all shapes and sizes. Fortunately, at Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments of Manhattan, we offer our Manhattan patients Cellulaze to treat unwanted, stubborn cellulite.

What is Cellulaze?

Cellulaze is the first and only FDA-approved revolutionary laser treatment to reduce the appearance of cellulite. It is a minimally invasive, patientfriendly procedure that uses laser energy to target the structures of the skin that cause cellulite. Cellulaze melts away fat, disrupts fibrous connective bands and stimulates collagen production in the dermis to tighten and firm skin while getting rid of the dimpled, cottage cheese appearance.

Patients appreciate that they don’t have to undergo general anesthesia. Instead, local anesthesia is administered directly into the treatment area. This also means that the procedure can be performed in our office, not in a hospital, making it more convenient for patients. This procedure is great for patients who want to improve the look of their legs but don’t have time for more invasive

Most patients return home immediately after their treatment and rest for the remainder of the day. Some patients take the following day off work and resume normal activities on the third day. Strenuous activities and exercise should be avoided for a week. While you want to move, you also want to rest to give your body time to heal. Taking it easy in the early days following your Cellulaze treatment will mean a faster and better recovery.

You might think that followup treatments are necessary to maintain your smooth, cellulite-free legs. Fortunately for you and your pocketbook, just one Cellulaze treatment is effective at eliminating cellulite in the targeted treatment area. The three-pronged approach to treating cellulite – liquefying fat, eliminating the binding connective tissue and tightening the underside of the dermis –provides you with lasting results.

If you want to get your legs summer-ready, fall is one of the best times to undergo treatment. Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments of Manhattan has performed over 11,000 vein procedures and our experienced team has the expertise and know-how to bring out your best legs! To learn more about leg treatments, call our office today at 1-888-356-VEIN (8346).

Dr. Ronald Lev, MD

the Many sides of alexa Wilding

By Cris Pearlstein

As I sit here and write this story, it’s been a week since my conversation with Alexa Wilding (mom of 9-year-old twins Lou and West) and the cancer mom you probably know from the raw and honest writing she shares on her Instagram feed. It may have been a week, but I have not stopped thinking about our conversation for one second since.

We spoke for over an hour and a half, almost double the amount of time my interviews usually take, and we could have easily gone another hour. Alexa’s story is wild (no pun intended), painful, magical, horrible, and, at times, hard to believe. And although her story is riveting—after seeing her son Lou through choroid plexus carcinoma (twice!) a rare pediatric brain cancer for which West is not at risk, she herself gets diagnosed with breast cancer—it’s her take on the events and how she got through it all that really mesmerized me. She spoke about nature as medicine, about being present through the good and the bad, and about the many identities we as moms have that we maybe don’t allow ourselves to explore. Even if you don’t have a sick child, and even if you are not sick yourself, this interview will push your mind to see life through a fresh pair of eyes. Or at the very least, will help you see yourself anew— Alexa says we are all prisms, shifting and growing, our many chards of glass catching rays of light as we turn. I couldn’t think of a better metaphor.

CP: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

AW: I am a writer, a singer/songwriter, a twin mother, a cancer mom and now, a cancer survivor. It’s a very long byline, but they all are starting to inform each other. I was mostly born and raised in New York City, downtown to two very art-y parents so I had a

really fun upbringing. I left the city about 4 years ago to move upstate. I had gone to Bard College so I knew it was beautiful here, but leaving the city was such a big deal. Now that we’re here I can’t imagine being anywhere else. When you’re someone who doesn’t really have a connection to nature as a city kid it can really win you over and provide a lot of medicine, which I’ve needed these last few years. My husband works at Bard College’s contemporary art museum, and it’s been fun visiting him where I went to school, and really fun for my kids when shows are going up to run wild in the galleries. We’ve made a really lovely life for ourselves up here. The Hudson Valley completely exploded during the pandemic which was interesting, but I think there’s a lot of positives in that we saw a lot of families looking for the same thing. To feel more connected. And when you wake up and see the mountains you can’t help but just be turned into a Buddhist, a crazy New Age lady. I wake up, I have my coffee, I stand on my porch and say, “Thank you mountains, thank you for watching over me and my family, thank you for always being there.” It’s amazing what the move from city to country can do.

CP: That’s amazing.

AW: Yeah and it can really get you out of yourself. And for me getting out of myself has meant, I’ve had to both learn how to be super present these last few years as a mother, an artist, a wife and a daughter, but I’ve also been forced to hand a lot over. When you have a child with cancer in remission, when you yourself then become a cancer survivor, it’s like Buddhism boot camp that you didn’t sign up for. Nature has been the medicine for me, just seeing things on a daily basis, like the mountains, my daily hikes, the river, knowing that things exist that are greater than me and my story make

Alexa Wilding has had many titles on her byline: Daughter, Wife, Singer/Songwriter, Twin Mom, Cancer Mom, Cancer Survivor and now, Writer. Read on to hear how she’s learning to accept them all as part of the most important identity of all: Herself.

Photo by Yumi Matsuo

me feel much more secure in the unknown. That said, I do miss the city a lot (laughs).

CP: It’s funny how that works right?

AW: Yeah, and whenever I go in I’m seduced again. I’m like, black boots on pavement, I’ve got my coat, I’ve got my bag, I’m doing things, I’m going to pop into the Met, I’m going to go to the bookstore. And then I get back on the train and I’m like (takes a deep breath) I’m going home. I can breathe again. Leaving the city was a big part of our story and it was difficult because when we first got up here we were only here for a few months and then my son had a cancer recurrence. So we had worked so hard to make this big move and it was almost like the city was like, mmm we still have some work to do with you guys. So that was tough and I ended up commuting back and forth to be with both of my kids during that time.

CP: That’s so tough. It’s funny because when I asked you to tell me a little bit about yourself, you sort of hit on exactly one of the two main themes I want to talk to you about today: the concept of identity, changing identities. The first big change was going from maiden to mother. What was that like for you?

AW: It was a brutal process as it is for most moth ers, and we don’t talk about it enough because we’re supposed to be so blessed and happy with our baby, or babies in my case. I think we’re talking more about postpartum depression and that transition, but it’s still a fraught subject. For me it was a very wild time. I had spent over 10 years as a singer/songwriter, I was named one to watch in all the magazines, I got to tour with some amazing bands and I was so committed to this idea. I was going to be the next Stevie Nicks. I had all my eggs in that basket and I loved every second of it. I was a part of the Lower East Side music scene, I got to work with

Photo by Yumi Matsuo

some of my Indie Rock heroes. It was a very privileged, very fun time. And then the music industry itself was having an identity crisis and my rising coincided with the industry collapsing. One month I was one to watch, and then the next month my record deal fell through, no one bought the self-produced record, the band fell apart, and I was pregnant.

CP: What year was this?

AW: This was 2012. I knew I wanted to be a mother, but I didn’t know how it was going to work and when I got pregnant with my first pregnancy which ended in a miscarriage I was almost relieved to have an out. I felt very guilty about that. It was really interesting that that pregnancy ended—and again, miscarriage is another thing we don’t talk enough about, until you share you had one then five other women will be like, “Me too.” And that pregnancy that didn’t work out actually gave me a second to think about do I really want to do this and why am I doing this. And it gave us a few months, my husband and I, to really think on that. I always tell people, there’s never a right time to have children, it’s always going to be fraught, it’s always going to be com plicated. But I was ready, I was ready to take a beat from this identity that was suddenly feeling very punishing and wasn’t nurturing me anymore. Having that miscar riage gave me a second to really think and decide that yes, I really do want to be a mother. I was very lucky I got pregnant soon after with two babies.

CP: Was that a surprise?

AW: Total surprise. It was not IVF, identical twins do not run in my family. It was such a tender thing because I remember thinking how nice of God, or whoever is up there, how nice of them to give me two babies when I lost one. So I had these two little babies and I remember feeling a lot of guilt because I grew up hearing my mom’s story of when I was born: she felt love like she never felt, she looked in my eyes, blah blah blah. These two little creatures came out of me and my first thought, I mean, of course I loved them, but my first thought was Oh my God, how am I going to be enough for two babies? I’m ly ing here, I can’t even hold them, they have to put me back together. And that first year with them I didn’t think I needed any help. That was a very brutal year. When I see new mothers I always say to them, “You’re doing a great job,” because nobody knows unless they’ve been there how much it takes to get out for that walk, to get to that playground.

CP: The prep is longer than the outing.

AW: Yeah! So the next change was around seven or eight months, my son Lou stopped nursing. We couldn’t figure out what was going on, because West had a healthy appetite, and the months went on and he was declining. We couldn’t figure out what was going on, it was a horrible time. My husband was very busy at his job, I was alone. We did have a part-time caregiver at that point because I just really needed the help. That last month leading up to my boys’ first birthday still comes up in my memory as the most difficult initiation of my life because I knew something was wrong. But nobody could figure it out. We went through one pediatrician after the next, and that

last day, my friend Ben Lee, the Australian songwriter was in town and he asked me to open a show for him, and I was like, “Yes! I’m back!”. And I was like what kind of person am I that I just said yes to a show when I have a vomiting, listless baby at home? But I had to do this show. That morning I put my guitar and a bag with a dress by the door, and I strapped Lou to my chest to go see one last pediatrician. I really thought I was coming back for that guitar and I really thought I was playing that show. We ran over to Mount Sinai. While we were waiting for the sub way we ran into a photographer friend of mine, Jonathan Waiter, who took the last pictures of me before I became a mother. I saw him on the platform and he was bald and wearing a mask. At the time I didn’t know what cancer was, and he looked at me and he said, “Love”. I didn’t know if he was calling me love or what. It was this very mystical thing. I said, “I have to go, my baby is sick” and he said, “Oh I shouldn’t be around your baby if your baby’s sick,” and he ran off. I got on the train and I checked to make sure I hadn’t seen a ghost. It was so weird.

CP: I have chills!

AW: I know, I know. I was like what the hell, why is Jonathan bald? I didn’t put it together. We get to Mount Sinai, did all these tests, and I had that feeling that a bomb was about to go off. I’m holding this beautiful baby that I don’t even know and I was maybe about to lose him. Meredith Grossman at Mount Sinai was our new pediatri cian and she thought to measure his head and she figured it out. She said his head was swollen, something was going on. I remember standing on the corner of 98th and Madi son, she told me I needed to meet her in the ER, and it was out of a dream when you can’t move your feet. I knew the minute we walked through those doors we’d be passing into a new world. And I think about that corner so much. I unfortunately had to revisit it so many times, and for myself this past year which has been bonkers. We walked through those doors and I handed my child over. And the irony is, I became a mother when I released my child into the arms of someone else. That was a really profound mo ment for me. As mothers it’s the most unnatural thing to have to acknowledge that you alone can’t give your child what they need.

CP: And that can be interpreted in such a minute way or in such a cosmically huge way like you’re talking about. That is a metaphor for motherhood if I’ve ever heard one. You may have given them life but you alone in a vacuum can’t do it.

“ i realized my children, i brought them here but they are on their own paths. Being a mother is actually being of service and bringing them along on those paths, wherever those paths are going to lead.”

AW: No, and that was a big awakening for me. I realized my children, I brought them here but they are on their own paths. Being a mother is actually being of service and bringing them along on those paths, wher ever those paths are going to lead. And sometimes you get one that’s really complicated. And I did. That was my initiation. Of course I remember so much shame looking at this nurse and being like, “Are we going home tonight? I have a show.” It’s taken me all these years, my kids are nine now, to forgive myself for that and to see that I was asking for that show because it’s what I needed.

CP: But first of all, you didn’t know. Number two, I think you were asking almost a deeper question. It was, has my life just changed or has it not just changed?

AW: Exactly. It would be many years before I claimed the guitar and the dress at the door. Thus started this incredible year of saving Lou. It was really bad that first year, and complicated with two babies, one is healthy and at home, the other has a rare form of brain cancer and a tumor. So we saw Lou through this horrific time, he had a very complicated tumor, it was very complicated to remove. When I saw the looks on the team’s face I didn’t realize how close I was to losing my child. Next thing I know I’m Cancer Mom.

CP: Ok so let’s talk about that. You barely have a chance to grapple with the new identity of Mother, and now you’re being forced into this identity Cancer Mom. Can you talk to me about the push and pull between regular mom and Cancer Mom? Because you actually do have two children—you’re Regular Mom to one kid, and you’re Cancer Mom to another kid.

AW: Lou had to do 6 months of high dose chemo, and you basically live in the hospital when they’re that young because it’s too dangerous. I went to a girls’ boarding school and there were echoes of that because it was mostly moms and we were all living on the hall together. We’d have cocktail hour at 6pm, with hummus and pretzels and Cokes. It’s funny that I get nostalgic for that time because it was awful, but it was wonderful to have mirrors like that of all these mothers. We were all struggling to take care of our children through every mother’s absolute worst nightmare, trying to take care of ourselves. I will never forget those first mothers I met because we were all trying to survive and when you become a cancer mom you are immediately martyred. You’re immediately martyred because you are seen as the selfless caregiver who always has her fight face forward, who gracefully accepts the GoFundMe contributions, who gracefully accepts the visits from the social workers

and all the different people who come in. You become this hostess with the mostess of your hospital room. It was so funny because here I was in the hospital room decorating it with sheepskins and baskets, trying to make it look like a Domino spread. All of us had a secret life. We had things we were doing to stay alive. For me it was writing. My dear friend Molly is a big part of my story. She was a guardian angel and said, “You need to write and send me what you write.” So that was my secret life and I was writing about some really private things, things that I was doing to survive. There were moms who were shoplifting, there were moms with addiction issues, there was the dad I always talk about, the only dad on the hall, whose wife “couldn’t handle it” and we were fascinated by her. Like, who is this mom who doesn’t get to be here? I say all that just to paint a picture. But the push and pull can really be seen in two ways. I still have dreams about taking breaks from the hospital room and wandering those streets to get a coffee or being really bad and getting in a cab to go down to Strand.

CP: “being really bad” (gestures air quotes)

AW: Right? Or can I go take myself for a glass of wine? Is that ok? So there’s that push pull of taking care of my child and then I really want to go buy a book of poetry, I really want to go have a glass of rosé, I really want to go to that cafe on the corner with the really cute barista because I miss my husband and it’s complicated. But the push pull can really be seen that first Hallow een. There are two kids. West is invited to a Halloween party in our building. There’s a Halloween parade at the hospital, which we can’t be a part of because Lou has no immune system, so we can watch it from the room. In my mind I thought they all needed costumes. I find my self running out to Cheap Jack’s in the Garment District, got Lou a Superman costume and got West a boxing costume. I just remember standing there with one bag for Lou and one bag for West. First of all, the absurdity that I thought I had to pull off Halloween when my child is throwing up in buckets, but I didn’t know where to go first. And to this day I don’t know where I went first. But I have pictures of myself in both locations.

CP: I want to say you don’t remember because it almost doesn’t matter. That choice may have seemed pivotal in that moment, but ultimately you couldn’t be in two places at once and yet you ended up fulfilling both duties. You were there for both of them.

AW: Absolutely. And just like I had to hand Lou over on that first day, I learned finally how to bring the support in. We had my mom live in the apartment for a while, we raised money so we could have a full-time caregiver to help at home with West because I was going back and forth. I remember those nights being with West who must have been so confused, he was two. I would put him to sleep in his crib and go back to my bed. In the middle of the night I would work my way to his room, I’d sleep on the sofa because it felt a little closer. And by the end of the night I would be on the floor by his crib just wanting to make sure he knew I was there. It’s a heartbreaking push pull for twins. There was another twin mom at the hospital, Maria, who became my best friend and I had Molly. It was wonderful to have that

“ it took me a while to understand that if you’ve been through something extraordinary you can actually be of service, but you also have to be ready to be of service.”

support because the push pull is just a nightmare. They really got me through it. And by the end of Lou’s first treatment I had applied to an MFA program in writing, gotten in, and made and recorded my third album. I wasn’t trying to win the Supermom Award, it’s just that I had to do those things at that time to get through it. Now if we push forward to Lou’s recurrence four years later, I didn’t understand why I wasn’t writing my book and making records, but I was in a completely different place. It’s interesting what you need at different times to get through what life throws at you.

CP: So you went from Singer/Songwriter to Mom to Cancer Mom and now you’re morphing into this Writer identity it sounds like.

AW: Yeah and survivor. People start looking to you for wisdom. I was happy to share our story but I wasn’t really there yet. I think it was Cheryl Strayed who had that famous quote, “You can’t write from the wound, you have to write from the scar.” And I was very much in the wound, but I was trying. It took me a while to under stand that if you’ve been through something extraordi nary you can actually be of service, but you also have to be ready to be of service.

CP: But that goes back to your point of becoming a martyr. I think Cancer Mom is the type of identity that overshadows all the other identities and so no one can see past that and people don’t know what to do with the other parts of you.

AW: And if they’re shining really bright it’s really confusing. I’m sure there’s a lot of moms that can relate to this, but there’s always that mom that doesn’t like you on the playground. We’ve all experienced the mom that we just can’t connect with. There was a type of mom in the hospital that I definitely annoyed. It was the one that was really attached to the dark place and couldn’t get dressed in the morning and couldn’t get out of bed and couldn’t find herself outside of this new identity that was forced on her. I get it. I would wake up every morning at the hospital, put on a nice dress, put on some lipstick, that was my way of taking care of myself. But I’m sure she would see me and be like, What’s her problem? She thinks she’s so great in her dresses and her lipstick and her smiles. But that was just how I was going through it. I still have trouble sometimes with parents who can’t fathom how you’re showing up when you’ve been through maybe more than they’ve been through. It can sometimes make them feel less than and that’s a really awful place.

CP: How we perform as mothers is the most vulnerable thing and so when that is threatened we are sort of pitted against each other even when we shouldn’t be. You said you used your appearance as your coping mechanism, almost like dress for the day you want to have. But that’s not everyone’s coping mechanism so instead of just understanding that there’s a difference there, some people become so worried about their own performance as a mother.

AW: Absolutely, but I think those people that we rub the wrong way, or who rub us the wrong way, they’re our greatest teachers. The mom who couldn’t get dressed in the morning who always gave me a death stare, I realize

now that I was envious of her ability to just sit with how awful it was. I couldn’t let myself sit with it, and so it’s just interesting, after everything I’ve been through now, cancer twice with Lou and now myself as a breast cancer survivor, when I come up against that opposite person, whether it be at the playground or in school or just in life, I just want so badly to reach over the divide and say, We have so much more in common than you know. I need what you have and you need what I have.

CP: Do you have any advice for a mother or a parent who has just gotten the news of a terrible medical diagnosis regarding their child?

AW: My advice is twofold: You cannot do this alone, it’s not your job to do this alone. And to make sure that you have an out on a daily basis so you can experience those other parts of yourself. We are like prisms, we have all these different parts and at certain times in life one shard of glass hits the light and others don’t see the light. But we’re always turning and to deny ourselves those other parts is a huge disservice, but it happens so frequently especially as mothers who are forced into extreme caregiving. So my advice would be the minute you get that diagnosis you need to hand it over to as many people as you are comfortable. Call five friends, call your entire family, let them set up a GoFundMe or a meal train. It’s the most unnatural thing to not care for your family, but not only do other people need to take care of your family but they’re going to need to take care of you. I get a lot of DMs like, My best friend’s son was just diagnosed with leukemia. What can I do? And I find myself always saying that the

Photo by Yumi Matsuo

kid’s going to be fine, the kid’s going to have doctors, social workers, specialists, so get something for the mom. Venmo her so she can go get a pedicure, so she can go take a walk and get a coffee. If cash isn’t an issue, offer to go sit with that child so she can go to Strand and go buy that poetry book because that poetry book is going to help her get through the day.

CP: Tell me when Cancer Patient, your new identity, appeared. Were you ready to accept that?

AW: No. One day I didn’t feel like writing and I de cided to go get that mammogram I was supposed to get. When they told me it was like someone saying something in a new language.

CP: Are you in remission?

AW: Yeah, so I was diagnosed in November, it was supposed to just be early breast cancer, a lumpectomy, some radiation and we’ll be done. Days before my Janu ary lumpectomy they discovered a third lump and it was too far away. So I had 48 hours to prepare for losing my breast. And everyone was so worried about me and right fully so because to be retraumatized in the hospital now as the patient it was so far out.

CP: You can’t make this stuff up.

AW: No, it was ridiculous! There I was standing on the corner of 98th and Madison about to lose my breast, like what? What is this? When you Google “how to prepare for a mastectomy?” all these things come up, all these things you can buy, I didn’t have any of that stuff. It was very profound to be back on that corner. I left Ian and the boys up here in Hudson because I knew this was about me. I had my parents take care of me. My dad and his wife, my stepmom, still live in the city and I went in so I could be a daughter, and I could just be Alexa. Here’s another example of the prism turning. I have two wonderful parents, my mom is really special to me, but my dad is one of the most positive people in the world. You want him around when shit hits the fan. I’m proud that I think I’m carrying that lineage along. I was headed into the OR, I had this spiritual moment, and I just laid down. I felt this power that I’ve yet to feel since, but it was this wonderful reminder that despite it all I am a person, I am a body, I have needs and we’re going to take care of them.

CP: And you deserve to be cared for, too.

AW: And I deserve to be cared for, too. The lesson in the breast cancer experience which is hopefully going to be a brush, because yes they removed the breast, I’m can cer free, it was early, I don’t have the gene, it was a fluke,

we don’t know why this happened, it shouldn’t come back. The lesson was, it brought me back to myself. And we don’t have to tie up these stories with a fancy bow, and this is not a fancy bow. This is like a funny bow, it’s frayed and it’s gotten run over a couple of times (laughs), but it’s how I’m wrapping it up right now.

CP: It forced you to turn the gaze back onto yourself.

AW: One hundred percent. And I had felt so isolated up in the country, I hadn’t been to the city in over a year during the pandemic, and next thing you know I’m there every two weeks getting reconstruction, staying at my dad’s, being fed, watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, living with my parents like I’m 12. That first walk I took with my dad after my mastectomy in Central Park was just like when I was a kid. It was such a reminder how to be there for someone, just be there.

CP: The second theme that I wanted to touch on is resilience. What does resilience mean to you? And to what do you owe your resilience?

AW: Resilience is one of those words that we take for granted, we hear it so much. For me it’s not so much how we snap back but how we show up. There’s so much emphasis on snapping back and you don’t snap back. You are changed. There should be more focus on how you show up and the thing about resilience is it’s like a rubber band. To be truly resilient you have to give yourself the grace to not always show up the way you like to. There were times I showed up on that corner of 98th and Madison not my best, and there were times I showed up like let’s do this. Resilience is accepting all those different parts of ourselves.

CP: A rubber band is many sizes.

AW: And it can get stretched in different ways. Being diagnosed with breast cancer after seeing a child through brain cancer twice I was stretched to the absolute.

CP: So why didn’t you break? What kept you from snapping?

AW: The love of others around me. The friends that showed up. People always say, what can you do, how can you show up, and there’s going to be the people that show up with meals, that show up with cash, that show up with doctor referrals. Everybody can have a part of being a part of your support team, but there will be those few people that show up with love with a capital L. Love with a capital L is I see you, can you believe this? Can you believe we’re here? Can you believe we’re at 98th and Madison again? They don’t try to fix it, they hold space, they maybe have some ideas that can keep you grounded. Or my my dad taking me on that walk. My children after walking through that door, Lou said, “Where’s your boob?” (laughs) and just to be able to laugh. What keeps me resilient is love with a capital L and sometimes you have to look for it because if you’ve been stretched to a certain point it can be really devastating that not everyone can meet you over here. But the people who can are sometimes the last people you ever thought would. That’s what keeps me going. Those people will show up and in return you’re going to find yourself as one and that’s so cool.

“ for me, resilience is not so much how we snap back but how we show up. there’s so much emphasis on snapping back and you don’t snap back. you are changed.”

New Jersey offers some of the best commuter towns for NYC folks, and Westfield is a shining star among them. You’ll be only 22 miles from Manhattan– you could either catch the train right in town, hop on a bus from one of the many stops, or drive over.

Besides being a commuter’s dream, Westfield is also a dream for families– there’s a vibrant downtown, outdoor concerts and festivals, and beautiful parks and playgrounds. Kids might also like visiting the many sweet shops, snapping photos at Instagram-worthy hotspots, and doing kid-friendly yoga, craft, dance, or music classes. Add the fact that Westfield’s award-winning schools were recently

named one of the best school districts in NJ by Niche, this town checks all the boxes for families.

There’s a beautiful property listed by trusted real estate agent Frank D. Isoldi,

TheIsoldiCollection.com, Coldwell Banker on Sherwood Parkway with three beds and two baths. This home screams cozy! The first floor has an enclosed porch, dining room, and living room with a brick surrounding fireplace. The family room is super spacious and bright, opening to an eat-in kitchen. Outside there’s a deck and one-car garage. But the home is not even the main selling point– it’s conveniently located next to schools, parks, and shopping!

Home searches may be stressful, but they also can be fun as you begin to narrow down where you can see your family living. Sending support your way so you can find that perfect home this season!

Frank D. Isoldi, Coldwell Banker TheIsoldiCollection.com

FrankIsoldi@gmail.com

Cell: 908-787-5990 Direct: 908-301-2038

New York FamilY partN er

Making Pelham Your New Home

pelham is a favorite commuter town in Southern Westchester for its close proximity to midtown Manhattan. You will truly be just a hop, skip away from NYC. Not only is this fantastic news for your commute, but it’ll be super easy to bring your family into the city for any can’t-miss events.

Pre-warning, though–your kids might fall so in love with Pelham that they’ll never want to leave! Whether it’s a trip to Sunday’s farmer’s market for locally made goods, summer concerts at the Gazebo, or picnics and play at one of the many green spaces, there’s always lots to do. But it’s really the town vibe that attracts families. You might be surprised how fast your kids make friends and how

quickly you’ll get to know your neighbors. Pelham’s inclusivity is like no other, wel coming families of all needs: from a starter home to a more “you’ve arrived and you’re here to stay” home.

Oh, and did we mention the schools? Pelham is one of the only towns, with the exception of Scarsdale, that offers the International Baccalaureate to middle school students. Besides stellar academics, your kids can get involved in sports and art programs. In fact, Pelham proudly is hailed as NYS Champions in both Rugby and Ice Hockey.

To give you a feel for what kind of homes are here, April Monaco, real estate agent at Houlihan Lawrence, recently sold a 4-bedroom Tudor home on Park Lane. The home is a quick ride to midtown Manhattan, all NYC boroughs, and Long Island. She helped this client ensure they were the winning bidder in the tight market, and she’s ready to do the same for your family.

April H. Monaco, Houlihan Lawrence aprilmonaco.houlihanlawrence.com 914-548-8350

October 2022 | New York Family 55 The Joys of Living in Westfield, NJ

New York FamilY

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By shara levine

Sesame Street the Musical

WHEN: Sept. 8- Nov. 27, See website for schedule

WHERE: Theater Row, 410 W 42nd St., Midtown

AGES: All

WHAT: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, and the rest of your Sesame Street favorites appear in their very own musical featuring Sesame Street’s classic standards and new smash-hit songs by Broadway’s brightest songwriters.

WANT TO GO?: $31.50-135.50. 212-714-2442, bfany.org/ theatre-row/

Summer on the Hudson: Little Red Lighthouse Festival

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 8, 12-4pm

WHERE: Little Red Lighthouse

in Fort Washington Park, 172nd Beach in Fort Washington Park, Upper Manhattan

AGES: All

WHAT: Celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse with readings of the eponymous children’s book, fishing clinics, live music, food and art vendors, presentations, and activities.

WANT TO GO?: 212-870-3070, nycgovparks.org

78th Annual Columbus Day Parade

WHEN: Monday, Oct. 10, 11:30am-3:30pm

WHERE: 5th Avenue, 44th Street to 72nd Street, Midtown

AGES: All

WHAT: Celebrate Italian American heritage and culture at the largest celebration in the

United States.

WANT TO GO?: 212-249-9923, columbuscitizens.org

Family Saturdays: Balanchine for Beginners

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 15, 11am-12pm

WHERE: David H. Koch Theater, West 63rd Street and Columbus Avenue, Upper West Side

AGES: 5 and older

WHAT: From the world of Greek gods to the Scottish Highlands, you’ll see some of Choreographer George Balanchine’s greatest masterpieces and learn about the dance legacy he created for generations to enjoy.

WANT TO GO?: $22-$32. 212496-0600, nycballet.com/

Popovich Comedy Pet Theater

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 16, 1pm and 4pm

WHERE: Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St., Tribeca

AGES: All

WHAT: Gregory Popovich brings you his family-oriented blend of unique comedy and juggling skills featuring over 30 performing rescue animals.

WANT TO GO?: $30-$50. 212220-1459, tribecapac.org

Cookin’

WHEN: Oct. 14-30, Fridays, 7pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm and 5pm

WHERE: New Victory Theater, 209 W 42nd Street, Midtown AGES: 5 and older

Join l aurie Berkner Band for a Halloween Concert at the New york Society for Ethical Culture’s a dler Hall on oct. 29.

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WHAT: Working against the clock to prepare a wedding feast, four zany chefs make a manic menu of nonstop, highspeed action that whips up into an all-you-can-eat frenzy of martial arts and Korean samul nori drumming.

WANT TO GO?: $20-$50. 646223-3010, newvictory.org

The Laurie Berkner Band’s Monster Boogie Halloween Concert

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 29, 11am

WHERE: Adler Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St., Upper West Side

AGES: 3-8

WHAT: Kids’ music superstars will treat little tricksters to her brand-new Halloween song, “Halloween Train” along with familiar favorites.

WANT TO GO?: $44-$100 877987-6487, laurieberkner.com

Halloween Boo Bash

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 30, 12-3pm

WHERE: Randall’s Island Park, 10 Central Rd. , Randall’s Island

AGES: All

WHAT: Join RIPA for an afternoon of Halloween fun. Come in costume.

WANT TO GO?: 212-860-1899, randallsisland.org

B ronX

Boo at the Zoo

WHEN: Oct. 1-30, Saturdays, Sundays, and 10/10, 10am-5:30pm

WHERE: Bronx Zoo, 2300

Southern Blvd., Bronx AGES: All

WHAT: Explore the Zoo in your Halloween best and participate in a costume parade, make crafts, see pumpkin carving demos, magic, performances, and so much more!

WANT TO GO?: $41.95; $36.95 seniors 65 and older; $31.95 children 3-12; free for children 2 and younger. 718-220-5100, bronxzoo.com

Family Art Project: Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead

WHEN: Oct. 29-30, 10am-1pm

WHERE: Wave Hill, 4900 Independence Ave., Bronx AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate this special

Mexican cultural holiday while exploring nicho boxes, small shadow boxes filled with meaning and purpose that honor a lost loved one.

WANT TO GO?: FREE with admission: $10; $6 students and seniors 65 and older; $4 ages 6 and older. 718-5493200, wavehill.org

B roo K lyn

MasterChef Junior Live!

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 9, 7pm

WHERE: Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Ave., Flatbush AGES: All

WHAT: Watch Season 8’s win ner, finalist, and fan favorites as they take to the stage in head-to-head cooking demon strations and fun (sometimes messy!) challenges with an overall immersive audience experience fun for all ages.

WANT TO GO?: $25-$75. 718856-5464, mastercheflivetour. com

Harvest Festival

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11am-4pm

WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 334 Furman St., Downtown Brooklyn

AGES: All

WHAT: Celebrate the changing of the seasons with arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games and more—including their signature pumpkin patch.

WANT TO GO?: 718-514-7358, brooklynbridgepark.org

QU eens

Pumpkin Patch

WHEN: Oct. 15-29, Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-4:30pm

WHERE: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing AGES: All

WHAT: Make it a pictureperfect pumpkin outing with harvest-themed photo opps and friendly costumed nature creatures roaming the Farm!

WANT TO GO?: $14 admission per child includes 1 pumpkin; $10 adult admission. 718-8863800, queensbotanical.org

The Amazing Maize Maze

WHEN: Sept. 16- Oct. 29, Fridays, 12-4:30pm; Saturdays, 11am–4:30; Sundays, 11am–4:30pm; Monday, Oct. 10, 11am-4:30pm

WHERE: Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park

AGES: All

WHAT: Find your way through New York City’s only corn maze where you will find clues, solve puzzles, and make your way to Victory Bridge where the full vista of this 3-acre living labyrinth is revealed.

WANT TO GO?: $12; $8, ages 4–11. 718-347-3276, queensfarm.org

discover Balanchine for Beginners on oct. 15 at the david H. Koch t heater in l incoln Center.

at the

Presents ParentEd Talks

Top tips and tricks to level up your parenting game

Join us online to hear from experts on timely issues affecting families, educators and caregivers, and get top tips and tricks to level up your parenting game. Sign up for the entire 2022–2023 ParentEd Talks series for free, and then join any live talk you are interested in throughout the year.

Co-authors Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., and Robert B. Brooks, Ph.D. | Oct. 12, 2022

The Extraordinary Power of a Resilient Mindset

Author Lisa Miller, Ph.D. | Nov. 1, 2022

What the Neuroscience of Spirituality Reveals About Our Capacity for Health, Happiness and Resilience

Alison Gopnik, Ph.D. | Nov. 17, 2022

Curious Children, Wise Elders: How Childhood and Elderhood Shape Intelligence and Learning*

Author Julie Bogart | Dec. 6, 2022

Raising Critical Thinkers: Media Literacy for the Digital Age

Jeffery Robinson and Khalil Gibran Muhammad | Jan. 19, 2023

How to Talk to Kids About Race at Home and in the Classroom

Author and researcher Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D. | Feb. 7, 2023 Modeling a Loving, Equal Partnership for Your Kids

New York Times-bestselling author Edward Hallowell, M.D. | March 2, 2023

The Shifting ADHD/ADD Lens: Moving From Disability to Ability

Cultural researcher, parenting expert and columnist Jessica Joelle Alexander | March 22, 2023

The Danish Way: Insights Into International Parenting*

Sociologist and author Christine Carter, Ph.D. | April 18, 2023 The Habits of Highly Effective Adolescents

Trauma specialist and author Laura van Dernoot Lipsky | May 4, 2023 Transforming Trauma and Navigating Overwhelm

Behavioral scientist and author Elizabeth Jordan | June 6, 2023 The Perils of Permissive Parenting

*Attendees will be eligible to win prizes, courtesy of Happiest Baby.

Register for FREE at NewYorkFamily.com/NYParentEd Attendees will be eligible to win a $100 Amazon gift card at each ParentEd talk.

Attendees of the Nov. 17 and March 22 events will also be eligible to win a SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet (valued at $1,695) or a $500 Happiest Baby gift card, courtesy of Happiest Baby.