Laura Bennett may be best known publicly as the sophisticated clothing designer and finalist on season three of Project Runway in 2006. While NYC parents tend to share the Type-A gene in one area or another, Laura Bennett wins the gold.

Take, for example, that we all earn the ”parent” designation by having one child. Laura has six. Gold star. Many of us know how to sew on a button. Laura can sew her family clothes – from scratch. (And star in reality shows and clothe celebs too.) Gold star. Many would consider being employed in one industry as working. Laura has to decide which job she’s going to focus on that day:  architectural design, clothing design, comic strip writer, QVC saleswoman, or perhaps add book author to her list of employable skills . . . and she does it all in her signature classicly sophisticated style.  Someone please hand her a medal already!

When not selling her Laura Bennett Designs on QVC, or penning the Case Clothed comic strip for iVillage, Laura’s preparing to release her book Didn’t I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother’s Guide to Sanity in Stilettos this week. The book hits the shelves on April 6th, and I’m already contemplating what I’ll wear to her book signing at the Borders Time Warner Center Wednesday April 7th at 7 p.m.

The book  reveals a working mother’s philosophy on having a career, raising a family and enjoying life in The Big Apple. What some may consider a laissez- faire approach to parenting, others will read as a humorous and sane guide to having it all. I enjoyed reading  it: I felt more relaxed about my own parenting, and finished the book inspired to put some of my own goals higher on my to-do list. Then again, I love a book that I can relate to in parts, laugh through in others and easily breeze through for those short bursts of time that I actually have to read.

Last week I had the opportunity for a Q-and-A with Laura about parenting in NYC, and here’s what she said:

NYM: You’ve lived elsewhere, how has living in NYC affected your parenting style?

LB: Kids in New York come in contact with a lot of strangers everyday, in the subways and walking on the streets, so they have a different set of social skills than suburban kids. You have to talk a lot about the different type of people they encounter and how to handle them. In the end though, I find city kids to be tolerant and respectful of other’s circumstances.

NYM: So many couples decide to move to the suburbs after the second or third child arrives. What keeps you in the city?

LB: New York City is my lifeline. It makes me so happy to be out and about on the streets. I am afraid if I lived someplace else, I would be lost. With work and so many kids, most of my time is not my own, but the occasional hour I have to roam the garment district looking for fabric, or pop into a museum to see a mind blowing exhibit, makes that small amount of time energizing for me.

I also happen to think it is a great place to raise kids, especially teenagers because they are not driving. The biggest challenge is a financial one.

NYM: With six kids, are there NYC restaurants you visit as a family? What are your favorites to visit with your kids?

LB: Our group requires a quick in and out, before we’ve had a chance to bother any of the other guests, so we prefer diners. My kids love the classic Empire Diner on Eleventh Avenue.

NYM: In your book you mention finding your first Hermes bag at an upscale thrift shop; do you mind sharing a couple of your favorite Manhattan thrift shops you’ve visited over the years?

LB: I am a big Ebayer. You really have to be familiar with what you are buying, and if you are looking for something specific, you have to be patient, but I have yet to be disappointed. In New York my favorite store is Fisch For The Hip on 18^th Street. The second-hand Hermes bags are not cheap, but the selection is mind blowing, and if you are looking for a specific bag that they don’t have, the owner will track it down for you. She calls herself a “Bag Broker.”

NYM: You always look so fashionable, how do you handle your kids’ clothing choices? What fashion advice do you hope they take with them when they’re grown and on their own?

LB: I don’t get all up in my boys grille about what they wear. They usually look pretty scruffy, which probably makes me look good by comparison. We have a lot of hand me downs, and they seem fine with that. I do have an eight-year old son that has a suspicious interest in fashion, so he requires a bit of extra shopping, but for the most part they just find something that fits without too many holes.

NYM: You mention that there’s almost always someone playing video games in your home. Do you or your husband ever join your kids in playing? If so, which system do you like best: Playstation, XBox or Nintendo?

LB: We are definitely a Wii family. We have the system connected to a projector so the games take up an entire wall. My kids love the Resort Sports and Just Dance. I love the idea that they are not just sitting there. I actually had to build a platform for them to play on so all the jumping around wouldn’t bother our downstairs neighbor.

We used to have an XBox, but the kids were fighting in the car one day on out way back from the country and my husband put it on someone’s lawn, controllers, cords and all. Now we just have to say “XBox” and they work things out on their own. I think they fear for their cell phones. I don’t miss it at all. Some of the graphics are so realistic. I had little ones running through the room watching execution style murders. Even I draw the line there.

NYM: What do you use to accomplish everything: Blackberry, Droid or iPhone?

LB: I am so Blackberry. It makes working possible with all the running around that I do with the kids. I would probably be fine with an iPhone, I love the SAT vocabulary app, but my Blackberry works so well for me, I can’t get motivated to switch. We have an iTouch for the cool apps. I’m also counting the days until the iPad comes, but as much as I love all things Apple, I am tried and true Blackberry.

NYM: What mantra or vision gets you through stressful work/family life balance times today?

LB: I’m going to have to get cheesy on you here. I am actually so thankful for all the opportunities that I have, when I get stressed out, I just remind myself of that. I am also fortunate enough to be in a position where I don’t have to take on projects that I think I won’t enjoy. That is a major luxury.

I actually find the kids to be more stressful than work, so there I just remind myself how fast it all goes by. That little girl I moved to New York with fifteen years ago is about to graduate from college. There’s a real eye opener.

And if all that fails, a piece of Nicotine gum makes me eternally happy.

NYM: Do you ever look back on those initial “lean” years in NYC and wonder how you did it?

LB: When I was single and broke in New York I was where I wanted to be, so I was never unhappy. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family, so I’ve always had a knack for making do, and being handy with a sewing machine got me pretty far. At the moment, I have more than I ever imagined, but I could do a financial 180 and still be happy.

Looking at the straws and cups made from corn (entirely recyclable and compostable), the natural pebble flooring, and minimalist white décor flooded with natural light, it can be easy to wonder if the unassuming new pizza place in Wyckoff, NJ is more about eco-style over substance: it’s not. Open since December 2009, The Flatz Company makes a tasty and healthful pizza pie, and is one of my favorite new lunch spots.

The “flatz” are thin as tortillas, and crispy as crackers with creative pizza toppings on the menu like “The BLT” complete with chopped lettuce sprinkled on top; “Swimming with the Fishes” for the anchovy lovers out there; the “Jammin’  Banana Fruit” topped pizza flat, or even “The Prestige” with white truffle oil and shaved parmigiano reggiano.

The Flatz Co boasts their ingredients are “better than organic,” abiding by stricter standards than required for organic certification. For instance, the wheat flour used in the base of the flats is free from chemicals with nothing added and nothing removed. Which makes this mom’s heart go pit-a-pat – in a good, healthy way.  Served simply over paper on a reusable plastic tray, my kiddo actually likes to take care of the small amount of waste to use the  automated bin doors for recyclables or trash on our way out.

With each “flat” measuring about 12 inches in diameter, they’re more than enough for one person and easy for two small kids to share, and to that end The Flatz Co has a “Buy Two Flats, Get One Free” special on Mondays and Tuesdays. The three pizza flats should be about right for a family with two small children, as the three of us order three and end up taking about the equivalent of ¾ of one home. I also like their natural drink offerings like Boylan’s fountain soda, Mash sodas or Harney & Sons ice tea.

The Flatz Co plans to expand with four new locations in Manhattan and California over the next year. I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for one near you, but in the meantime, try it out the next time you make the journey over the GW Bridge into Bergen County.

The Flatz Co

314 Franklin Ave

Wyckoff, NJ 07481

201-560-0150

The night before Thanksgiving, while y’all may have been on a plane, prepping for a feast, or in line for a pre-parade glimpse of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day balloons, I was getting re-acquainted with an old friend: the holiday windows at our fabulous NYC department stores. It’s the only time my hubby doesn’t cringe when I say I’m heading out to “just look” as this kind of looking doesn’t cost a dime.

We started our window-viewing at Barney’s (Madison Ave and 61st) celebrating 35 years of Saturday Night Live (Coneheads, Weekend Update, etc.). No movement, but great art. They even feature a window of artwork along 61st Street of tiles for sale by students at the East Harlem School. We then walked the two blocks over to Bloomingdales (Lexington and 60th Street) to check out their holiday window displays. We could easily spot the building from blocks away as it appeared to be draped in a blanket of white lights. With a theme of “Wonderfun,” the windows were colorful,  and several were interactive: taking video of you on the sidewalk and putting it into a frame (we had to drag my four-year-old away from this!), transposing your smile into a whimsical mouth, etc.  My son really liked the “Dynamic Duo” window with full-size Batman and Robin characters in line with President Obama and Michelle to visit Santa.

Next we trekked over to Bergdorf Goodman (Fifth Avenue and 58th), where we spent the longest time studying each window – they were stunning and incredibly complex. . .and reminded me of the CW’s Gossip Girl. Their windows were inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll ( “A Compendium of Curiosities”). The sideways chess window and window-sized wooden doll house windows were remarkable – after the clothes and acessories of course. We had several great photo opps of holiday decorations down 5th Ave from here, with the huge sparkly snowflake strung in the intersection of Fifth Ave and 57th Street, Trump Tower holiday lighting, and several others all the way down to Saks in the distance. It was easy to spot Saks next with giant blue lit snowflakes cascading down the storefront. Their windows featured “Twinky” a twinkling snowflake, and the theme carried over to inside Saks’ with the walls decorated with falling snowflakes.

Up to this point, we’d spent about an hour and fifteen minutes on our tour, and our four-year-old was growing tired of walking, so we cabbed it down to a drive-by of Lord & Taylor’s windows on Fifth Ave and 39th Street. They featured old-school traditional holiday scenes and celebrations, but weren’t as exciting as what we had just seen. We saved Macy’s for last and it was a fantastic finale!

If you’ll view the windows with kids and won’t have time to hit all of the stores, I recommend breaking this tour up into three “family-friendly” visits:

1) Visit Macy’s on 34th Street with enormous, colorful windows filled with a lot of movable parts and recognizable scenes for children to identify. (i.e. Santaland, Mircale on 34th Street) Along Broadway, one of their windows features an interactive opportunity to ”write a letter to Santa” – scroll through options to complete your letter. The kiddos will likely beg to go inside to see Santaland. Do it. If you have time and energy, walk up 5th Ave to see the Lord & Taylor windows.

2) Visit Saks – they have a smaller stretch of active windows, and you can then step inside to see the twinkly winter wonderland lights, with falling snowflakes lit on the walls of the first floor. From here, you can cross the street to American Girl Place, and another block down is the Build-a-Bear Workshop which has been made over as Santa’s Workshop for the holidays. Or, head across from Saks’ to Rockefeller Center to enjoy the festive decorations, ice rink, huge tree, and even watch the trains inside the Lionel Train Store at 30 Rock (it’s on the side across from Radio City Music Hall).

3) Visit Bergdorf’s, Bloomingdale’s and Barney’s.

Because the holidays are filled with so many family-friendly traditions, I’d have to recommend the most child-friendly windows along the route this year in order:

1. Macy’s
2. Bloomingdale’s
3. Saks
4. Lord & Taylor
5. Bergdorf-Goodman
6. Barney’s

Spot any other visit-worthy holiday shop displays about town? Let us know! Leave a comment below.

When we’re celebrating a family event or in the mood for something different, one place on our short list is Mount Fuji in Hillburn, NY. A hibachi restaurant with a view (Oh, what a view!), it is a special experience from the second you see the sign and gigantic imperial red gate (Torii) to head up the spiraling drive to the restaurant atop the hill. (Imagine the ride up the mountain to visit the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.) If you’ve ever driven the NYS Thruway near the NJ/NY state border and wondered what the pagoda and large American flag are doing up there just off the highway, this is it!

Mount Fuji is a Japanese steakhouse serving sushi and hibachi with Japanese-inspired decor: complete with statues, a waterfall, koi pond, bridges, et al. I almost expect to see Roger Moore walk through the place, straight out of a 1970′s James Bond movie. For seating, you have a choice of a booth with an amazing first-hand view - which requires you to remove your shoes before sitting at the lowered table,  a seat at the sushi bar, or a more public hibachi table where you are usually seated with strangers to share the experience.

I’m not sure which I anticipate more: the spectacular views overlooking Ramapo Valley, or the hibachi show at our table. Dining with kids so often includes planning ahead to placate or occupy them while you wait to eat, so it’s nice to not have to worry about it as the Mount Fuji table-side chefs are experienced with tricks and means of entertaining kids and adults alike. Some of our favorites include catching an egg in the chef’s hat, the onion volcano and arranging the food to spell out “I heart U.” Everytime we’ve been there, the staff and service have been excellent. The servers are friendly and we haven’t had to wait for drinks to be refilled or answers to any questions that we’ve raised. They often include a special umbrella in drinks for the kids.

Perhaps what they are most known for are their expansive Sunday brunches which  usually fill up for the brunch holidays like Easter and Mothers Day. They also offer murder mystery dinners and honor birthdays or other celebrations with “Banzai” treatment including a server wearing a dragon mask and sparklers. Valet parking is mandatory and included in the experience.

While I mentioned taking children to Mount Fuji, the major drawback with taking children is the cost, with the children’s menu set at $19.95, and the hibachi entrees between $23-$45 each, which is why most people reserve this place for celebratory meals. Mount Fuji in Hillburn is a fantastic place to visit when you’re feeling on top of the world, or just want to be on top for a change.

Mount Fuji Restaurant & The Views at Mount Fuji

296 Route 17

Hillburn, NY 10931

845-357-4270

So back for Game two, where  having gone through the process the night before, it felt as though perhaps the night prior was just a run-through for Thursday night’s game. It just had to go better, right? Thank goodness for Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing “Empire State of Mind” to get things going before the game.  The crisp cool October air seemed to fuel NY pride and spirits, and the crowd, which somehow seemed smaller than the night before,  finally came alive after Hideki Matsui’s homerun in the 6th inning. THIS is what we were expecting at a World Series game! The crowd was on their feet cheering for strike out after strike out, and the electricity was back . . . this is how the Yanks 40th World Series appearance should be! Now you’re in New York . . .

If you’re looking for some family-friendly fall fun, look no further than Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ. Snaking through the tree-lined back roads near the esteemed university, you’ll feel fall envelope you as you drive past the colorful falling leaves. Then as you choose your parking lot on Cold Soil Road (deciding between the apple-picking entrance or the farm and pumpkin activity entrance), you’re welcomed to Terhune Orchards with crisp fresh air and gardens of choose-your-own wildflowers. Yep, you’re in the country now.

What Terhune does best is offer such a variety of fall activites that they have something to keep even the most picky or active child entertained. There’s a tractor-pulled wagon/hayride through the apple trees, flower gardens and pumpkin patch so you may enjoy the ride, or stop to pick your own. Then there’s the barnyard of ducks, goats (you may feed), ponies (you may ride one for $5), and on some days, alpacas too. Terhune Orchards has the usual wood-cutouts for photos – even a wooden cow with working udders that children can try their hands at “milking.” For active children, there are ride-on tractors and bikes, a corn maze and plenty of space to run around (a one-mile nature trail too) - even live music on the weekends for the kids to dance along to.

Perhaps your children are more interested in food and treats. No worries: caramel apples covered with M&Ms or Reese’s or nuts, candy apples, donuts, apple muffins, cider, hot dogs, soup, chili, and more are available to purchase and enjoy at picnic tables. Face-painting and a “Garden State” adventure barn are fun activities too.  Oh, and I didn’t even mention that Terhune Orchards offers some great backdrops for family photo opportunities while out at the farm.

The next three weeks, Terhune will be hosting fall festival weekends from Noon until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and is otherwise open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Mmmm. . .cider. . .donuts. . . candy-coated caramel apples. Excuse me, I have to go find my keys. . .

Terhune Orchards

330 Cold Soil Road

Princeton, NJ 08540

609-924-2310

Photo credit: Heidi Leder

From the moment the train whooshes to a stop at Mets-Willets Point on a game day, you can sense the excitement in the air. Even as autumn begins, the crowd still rushes from the LIRR and subway, up the steps to see what remains of the Mets inaugural season in the new Citi Field. I recently attended a New York Mets home game and had the opportunity to explore the park with my family. It can be pricey to take your family to a baseball game these days, and Citi Field has done a good job of providing experiences and options to keep your family happy and comfortable while creating lasting memories.

 Whether you have sons or daughters, it’s an awesome experience for your kids to be a part of the crowd at a ballpark, and at Citi Field it begins before you even enter the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. You can see the smiles erupt on their faces as you approach the steps to your seating, the field comes into view and they hear the dim roar of the crowd. Citi Field is no exception, and should the game prove too long to occupy them sitting in their seats, there are food, shopping and entertainment options to break things up. A simple stroll around the ballpark gives you a completely different view of the game. Even when walking around the spacious concession area, Citi Field provides few obstructions of the game, and there’s plenty of TV monitors installed to keep you attuned to the action.

If peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jacks from passing vendors aren’t what the kids are craving, then head back to the concessions and restaurants where you can find chicken nuggets, pizza and even carnitas. Lines move fairly quickly (always a good thing if you have a younger kids with you), and the variety goes far behind the standard hotdog fare, including barbeque, Mexican, and seafood options. Fair warning: the famed Shake Shack had just over an hour wait when we stopped by in the 3rd inning, but most people didn’t seem to mind. If you’re able to grab a table in the vicinity of the restaurants, it’s a great place to relax while still soaking in the atmosphere of the game.

Perhaps you want a change of scenery in a quiet venue with fine cuisine – we had access to the Acela Club located on the Excelsior Level. There a two story escalator escorted us up to a classy glass-enclosed bar and restaurant (easily spotted in left field), and offered a completely different view of the game. For those who want to enjoy a beer or cocktail, the wrap-around bar at the entrance of the club offers plenty of seating, and for well-behaved kids, multi-tiered seating is available further into the club at the restaurant.

If you walk behind center field, there is a small area carved out for kids to entertain themselves at the Mets 2K Sports Fan Fest. You’re first greeted with two video game kiosks, where you can play baseball on two wide screens. While the living-room like experience is fun, you need to fight it out with other fans for a chance to play. If you’re looking for something for your kids to do, the base running challenge is a fun way for older children (maybe 6-12 year olds) to demonstrate their batting prowess with plenty of on-lookers to cheer their efforts. For a more initimate baseball experience, they can entertain themselves at the two batting cages located nearby. Staff members can pitch to you, or they have a T-ball stand as well so younger kids can get into the fun.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty for kids to enjoy from their seats. Uh, the game itself for one. (How cool to see athletic and community heroes live in action?) There’s also watching for the home run apple to pop up, the between-inning trivia and sponsored animated races on the big screen, ballpark music, the traditional singing of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” and “Meet the Mets“ and of course trying to catch foul balls or home runs, or t-shirts from the throwers/launchers.

Editor’s Note: Last game for 2009 Season is on October 4th so get tickets now!

Photo credit: Heidi Leder

Labor Day ceremoniously marks the end of summer and beginning of the fall season for us, although the calendar doesn’t note the official start of autumn until September 22nd. When the screechy hum of the cicadas fills the air, the winds rustle the changing leaves on the trees, and the skies turn cloudy all day, it certainly feels like fall: time for family outings to the orchards near us for apple-picking and fun in the country.

We enjoy visiting Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, NJ in Bergen County – not because it is exceptionally fancy, but because it does a great job offering the basics of peach, apple and pumpkin picking. Beginning with a hayride past the peach trees to the apple orchard to pick apples, then off for cider and donuts back at the store, as well as a made-from-scratch soup and salad bar (some say the best in the county, made with homegrown vegetables and fruits), dried fruits, homemade ice cream, pies, decorations and treats to peruse during your visit. Demarest Farms has the experience down pat . . . and they should, considering that they’ve been offering apple-picking and hayrides for over 30 years, and have been an operating farm for nearly 125 years.

Demarest Farms is located near Route 17, about a half-hour drive from the GW Bridge. On weekends (and holidays), it costs $5 per person for the hayride through the orchards (kids under 2 ride free), and $7 per bag of apples. Each bag holds 12-15 pounds of apples.  During the week, the days are reserved for groups with hayrides and apple-picking open to the public from 3-4:30 p.m. daily, and at the deep discount of $5 per person and free bags. The store is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

So if the sound of simultaneous crunches from others biting into their just-picked apples is calling you, or maybe the sweet smells that attract the late-season bees to the fallen apples and sticky cider spills entices you, then perhaps we’ll see you at Demarest Farms this fall.

Demarest Farms

244 Wierimus Road

Hillsdale, NJ 07642

201-666-0472

I knew the first time I entered La Dolce Divas Bakery  in downtown Englewood, NJ  a year ago that I was in trouble. I threw caution to the wind as I gazed at the scrumptious cakes enclosed in glass domes along the counter, teasing me to try a slice of their moist, decadent goodness. I could hear the excited “oohs” and “ahhs” as customers stopped into the shop, followed quickly by their silence as they perused the shelves behind the glass counter trying to narrow their decisions on which luscious cupcakes and sweet treats to order.

Who can’t help but smile standing amidst the delightfully charming ambiance of the bakery with its customer moldings and chalkboard menus? It’s become a must-stop shop for us every time we visit the area, and is a great treat to dangle in front of my son while we’re shopping for clothes, gifts or furniture downtown Englewood. He rushes in to look at the latest theme-decorated cupcakes (currently back-to-school and baseball) and excitedly watches through the window to the kitchen where the concoctions are baked from scratch and decorated, then relays a play-by-play to me as I pay for our tasty treats.

La Dolce Divas celebrates a “back-to-basics” approach to baking. Native Jersey gal and co-owner of La Dolce Divas Bakery, Danielle Maschuci describes her baking philosophy as “butter, sugar and old school recipes.” Which explains the half-inch think buttercream frosting that indelibly winds up dotting the chins and cheeks of every child in the place as they cheerfully bite in and chew away.

Customers flock to the shop for their carrot and red velvet cupcakes (named best cupcake in Bergen County), though they offer others like peanut butter and jelly, mint chocolate, pistachio, strawberry, coconut, and cream-filled ganache. The cupcakes sell for between $2.25 and $2.80 a piece. Other cookies, bars, whoopee pies (three flavors – including red velvet!) and tarts range in price from $1.50 to $3.50 each. Cakes cost either $26 or $80 depending on size, and they can accommodate special orders for weddings or parties. La Dolce Divas serves bottled water, oragnic juices, tea, coffee and hot chocolate if you’d like to leisurely enjoy your treat at one of the bistro tables. (I can never wait long to bite into dessert, especially the vanilla-y, peanutty scent wafting from a chocolate peanut butter cupcake.)

Maschuci was inspired to open her own bakery while attending law school in NYC during the famed cupcake boom in Manhattan. Together with her aunt, Ava Okuniewicz, the two chose to open La Dolce Divas in Englewood when they were searching for a town near New York City in need of a sugary haven. While they prepared for the April 2008 launch of La Dolce Divas Bakery, they opened Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe on the Jersey Shore in 2007. Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe is a more traditional bakery retail shop offering breakfast breads and donuts in addition to the desserts found at La Dolce Divas.

La Dolce Divas Bakery is a charming dessert shop that caters to the kid in all of us, and is worth a visit if you find yourself along that part of Route 4 and in need of a smile.

La Dolce Divas Bakery is offering NY Metropolista readers an exclusive deal: purchase three cupcakes, and get one free when you mention this article on NYMetropolista!

La Dolce Divas Bakery

44 E. Palisade Avenue

Englewood, NJ 07631

201-871-1230

Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe

55 Main Avenue

Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

732-774-8235