This week, Baked by Melissa opened up a new location near Union Square.

Baked by Melissa offers miniature-stuffed cupcakes the size of a quarter. Whether you are looking to satisfy a sweet tooth craving or stock up for a party, Baked by Melissa offers 9 flavors that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Flavors include Cookies & Cream, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, Smores, Tie Dye, Red Velvet, Cinnamon, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Mint Chocolate Chip.

Prices range from $3.00 for 3 cupcakes to 100 cupcakes for $70.00.

Every cupcake was just plain yummy offering mouth watering flavor, all packed into a bite-size morsel that is guaranteed to cheer you up on any given day-good or bad.

Locations:
529 Broadway @ Spring Street
7 E. 14th Street @ Union Square West
212.842.0220
www.bakedbymelissa.com (for deliveries and orders)

Music Adventures at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music (58 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn) is a dynamic, innovative program that incorporates the physical and rhythmic aspects of music to start children on the path to not only learning music, but also to experience the fun and joy that music can bring into their lives. Celebrating 25 years with its 2009-2010 season, Music Adventures encourages creative expression through music, dance, and fun.

Although nestled in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn, Music Adventures is a nationally-recognized program. Lillian Yaross, former president of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, stated that this program “reflected a serious commitment to music education for the young children as an exciting and challenging experience” and that it is “one of the best programs I had seen in the U.S.”

Music Adventures is unique among music and movement programs for young children. Each entertaining and educational class is limited in size and many are team-taught by two professionals: a music specialist trained in the Orff and Dalcroze Eurhythmics methods, as well as a movement and dance specialist.

Established in 1984, Music Adventures is an Orff Schulwerk based program (created by composer Carl Orff in the 1920s) and is led by Ric Frank. In addition to being the Division Director of Music Adventures for the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music (a position he has held since 1988), Ric is also an award-winning musician and composer for stage and screen. In fact, he can be heard with his New Orleans brass band during the “wild rumpus” scene in Where The Wild Things Are. “While Music Adventures is designed for serious musical education, we teach with a sense of humor and make learning music fun,” he says.

The program begins with children as young as 18 months, helping them to develop musical awareness by responding to music with gestures, props, percussion instruments, and movement. As the students get older, the curriculum grows and challenges their musical development. In fact, Music Adventures is the first step in a lifelong journey with music, and that voyage can continue at the Conservatory in any number of ways, including lessons, classes, and ensembles. Kids can build on what they learn in Music Adventures without leaving the Conservatory, which was established in 1897. “With the wide variety of lessons and classes we offer, starting with Music Adventures and beyond, families can stay in one place and enjoy a lifetime of rich and varied music education,” said Aaron Felder, Executive Director of the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music. “As a parent, I know how valuable that kind of continuity can be to a child’s education and development.”

Music Adventures at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music offers rolling enrollment throughout the semester. To audit a class, or for more information including tuition costs and class schedules, call (718) 622-3300.

Nobody could be more surprised than I am that I’m writing this article about the Brooklyn Book Festival as a kids destination … I am so surprised, in fact, that I went to the festival without my kids!  I wanted to go to the festival as an avid book reader and aspiring author and my husband was happy to watch the kids for the day, so I thought I had devised the perfect plan.  Then I arrived at the festival only to find that in addition to all of the wonderful stands and presentations for adults, a large portion of the festival was devoted to kids!

There was a section of the signing tables and stands dedicated to children’s authors and another dedicated to youth authors.  Part of the children’s area held craft tables for young children to occupy themselves decorating bookbags.  The other part of the children’s area had a seating area filled with cushions where kids (and their adults) could read their new purchases or watch book readings and other entertainment.

Panel discussions and readings were held at several outdoor stages.  All of these events were free, but in order to get a seat, a reserved ticket was required.  Most of the venues, however, were set up so that patrons could easily stand behind the seating area and still hear the discussion, which is perfect for parents with strollers.  I sat in on one panel discussion at an indoor venue and sat next to a couple with a two-year old in a stroller who was very well behaved during (most of) the discussion.

Beyond the wonderful array of children’s books that were available, I came across two wonderful nonprofit projects that I’d like to share with you:

• “Books For Kids” is a project sponsored by the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice.  The mission of the project is to “promote literacy for children involved in Family Court cases in New York City.  The Books For Kids project accepts donations of virtually any type of book – particularly those for teenage clients.  There are drop-off locations in all five borroughs at the Juvenille Rights offices.  Contact information can be found in their directory.

• “Girls Write Now” is a mentoring program where high school girls with an interest in professional writing are partnered with women writers.  The pairs work together throughout the school year.  Each year, an anthology is produced and the girls participate in readings.

So, I’ve learned a valuable lesson from this experience.  Before deciding to leave the kiddos at home when attending an event like this, I need to do a bit of research to see if any kids activities will be available.  I could’ve easily alternated kid time with adult time if I had been on my own with the kids, or my husband and I could’ve taken turns with the kids if we had all been together.  You can bet that our book-loving family will all be there next year!

Photo credit: Sanja Gjenero on Stock.exchng

The school year is upon us.  Are you ready?  Have you managed to get all your kid’s books and all the supplies they need already? Well, if you have, you are officially a better, more organized parent than me.  I have yet to buy my kid a pen, a folder, a notebook. This is my life…and unfortunately, my kids’ as well. But this weekend, I will make it up to them.  Because while I go pick up some items that they need for school, they will be spending time browsing through colorful books, and educational toys, and taking part in some fun, kid-friendly activities in one of my favorite bookstores in NYC, The Scholastic Store.

If you haven’t been to the Scholastic Store in Soho, even if you haven’t been to the Scholastic Store in awhile, I suggest you take a ride downtown and visit them.

My kids love this store.  It is welcoming, cheerful, and has toys and other fun and educational materials not only for kids of all ages, but also for those who have made it their mission to teach them.  The staff is always smiling, super helpful, and tolerant of my energetic kids and their need to touch every toy and book in the store. Another thing I really enjoy, especially as a bilingual family, is that I can find our favorite books, whether for simple reading or educational, in Spanish.  In an effort to teach my kids Spanish, I like to buy the same fun books in both English and Spanish, and I can easily do this here.

And even when we don’t really need anything, though we rarely ever leave empty handed, we like to go for their Saturday events. Some times the events consist of story time, other times it could be a visit from Clifford The Big Red Dog or another beloved book character, or it could be arts and crafts.  There’s always something fun happening on weekends.

I haven’t done this yet, but am considering doing it for my youngest son’s 2nd birthday. And that is to have a birthday party there. There is a second level, overlooking the store, where you can arrange to have a party for your child.  The Scholastic Store offers different themes with features for every budget and really, all you have to do is show up.  I have seen the parties up there and the kids are always busy and happy.  I can’t wait to give my own child that experience!

In the meantime, I plan on taking advantage of the various back to school items they have available for my middle- and elementary-schooler and even my still at home toddler, while in the process, getting closer to being ready for the exciting school year ahead.