May the 4th Be With You: The Rise of Skywalker Exhibit and Everything Star Wars to Watch on Disney Plus

What better day than May 4th, in the midst of a pandemic and social distancing to sit and binge-watch all things Star Wars on Disney Plus?  Today the streaming platform is honoring the huge Star Wars fan community across the globe with the largest Star Wars content release since launching it's services last fall. We didn't get a chance to catch it in theaters but get excited because they've just added "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker". which made me reminiscent of roaming the streets of downtown NYC and visiting Dolby Soho for the interactive exhibit that opened to celebrate the latest installment. I figured I'd share some pics from the day, while I'm missing tour city adventures, along with a list of new adds that you must watch on Disney Plus. 

Random Reflections During a Pandemic: How is it already day 56?

Normally I don't write a ton of reflective pieces about the challenges of the world or in my personal life, but when you're starring out your living room window and tuned into the pandemic updates on CNN and hear your governor giving the world insight on the state of the city of New York on day 56, it's cause for reflection because how on earth did we get to day 56? Seriously, when did that happen?  

Literally, as I type this Mike must have looked up at the clock on the microwave while making fish cakes from his grandma's recipe and say's to me "how on earth is it 2:15 already?"

Anyone else finding that the concept of time is blurred?

Everything you need to know about Alvin Ailey Extension's Kids & Teens Sunday Dance Series

"To be who you are and become what you are capable of is the only goal worth living." - Alvin Ailey 

One of the things I appreciated most about my childhood was that my parents encouraged me to explore my interests and I involved myself in everything from chorus and poetry to track and field and JuJitsu. Being able to express myself both creatively and physically kept me driven in school and also enabled me to flourish socially, and I knew when I had kids of my own that I would want these experiences for them. One of the reasons I'm so torn about leaving New York is because I feel we live in such a diverse city where Mike and I can expose our kids to the arts and the cultures that make up this melting pot of opportunities.

There is no shortage of dance classes offered in NYC that teach varied styles to children and sometimes it's so hard to make a decision on the best program. Alvin Ailey Extensions Kids and Teens Sunday Dance Series is the perfect introduction to Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop. 

Our 2nd born Tristan is a ball of energy that never stops moving, I'm sure if you have tweens and preschoolers at home you'll agree it's pretty tough to get them to sit still. Fortunately, we've managed to keep him and his big brother unplugged and moving over the years with soccer, track and field and most recently flag football and hip hop dance. Honestly, he can't get enough of dancing and wishes that his Thursday class met more than once a week, so I figured an opportunity to try out another school and teacher's dancing style would be a fun learning experience for him. 

10 Restaurants to Celebrate a Birthday with a Group During NYC Restaurant Week

As a lover of good eats and great company, I am always looking forward to when NYC Restaurant Week rolls around. Often I joke that the universe really messed up by giving this foodie, a chronic autoimmune disease because I've always enjoyed a good meal! I'm the furthest from a food critic but I surely love to stuff my face and make recommendations on the best places to dine that will allow you to catch up with your tribe and belly laugh over drinks while you wait for dessert. Whether it's a girls day out in Williamsburg or a meet up with family at the Queens Night Market we're always keeping an eye out for places with cool vibes and a great menu. 

Folks message me all the time asking for suggestions on where to eat with a group of friends, for a family celebration or on a cute triple date-night. With dinner offerings at $42 per person and lunch options at $26, I figured I'd round up my recommendations for restaurants to celebrate a winter birthday while saving a coin during NYC Restaurant Week ! If you don't get to check these eateries out between January 21st and February 9th it's ok bookmark these suggestions because they're honestly great choices all year round. 

Immerse Yourself in the World of Dolittle: Imaginative Play and Adventure at the New CAMP Store

Look at that, the first full weekend of the New Year is behind us already! To celebrate the Dolittle movie coming to theaters on January 17th, this Saturday we were invited to immerse ourselves in a day of family fun at the new CAMP location at Hudson Yards. Despite it being an early morning, rainy day event we knew it was going to be a cool experience for my tween Tristan and my threenager nephew Q. 

We made our way downtown to 30 Hudson yards for a fun Dolittle-inspired day of crafting, balloon animals, singalongs and family photos.  PLUS we'd get to enjoy all the interactive fun CAMP has to offer! The boys and I had been to the amazing 5th avenue location twice so we knew we were in store for a good time surrounding the new adventure-comedy from Universal Pictures. 

8 Tips for Surviving the Pumpkin Patch with Kids and a Visit to Governors Island Pumpkin Point

Fall is probably my favorite time of year in NYC and it seems like we may just actually get to experience the season to its fullest this year. With cooler temps to jumpstart the day, it's time for fun fall activities and events for the entire family. A trip to a local pumpkin patch is probably one activity that’s on our list every fall, it's become a tradition. I'll never forget the amazing day we had visiting Governors Island Pumpkin Point with my youngest Lil' Monster, my sissy and my nephew Q.

Pumping picking is the perfect adventure for kids of all ages and we have a few tips and tricks you can use to help you get the most out of your next visit to the pumpkin patch so that everyone has a really good time.

Spread Love It's the Brooklyn Way! 6 Places to Celebrate Your Birthday in Williamsburg

"Stay Close to People that Feel Like Sunlight"

Unless one of us is out of town and traveling, birthdays are usually the ultimate reason for my three high school besties and I to get together to celebrate another spin around the sun! Of course, crazy schedules can sometimes make getting a date on the calendar difficult, whether it's an annual park picnic, a pop-up shop experience or good eats and cocktails, we love having a few hours together to catch up on the ups and downs of life as we age gracefully. Our tribe encompasses a family doctor, an architect and two work from home mama's so as you can imagine we don't need any excuse at all to want to get together for a night out but celebrating our girl Venesa's belated twirl around the sun was a perfect reason.

My girls, Natacha, Venesa, Marta and I met in the hallways of our high school Brooklyn Tech, so hanging out in BK is always a good time for us to reminisce on the good ole days while creating new memories. We can't ever seem to get over how much the neighborhoods have changed in the last two decades and although we're not a fan of all the gentrified changes we did enjoy spending a summer night in our favorite borough.  If you're ever in the neighborhood, here are a few fun ways to get out and celebrate while chilling in Williamsburg: 

Mama's Night Out on Broadway: Pretty Woman the Musical and Discount Code

Disclosure: This post is made possible by support from Pretty Woman: The Musical. All opinions are my own.

Meeting up with my wifey for lifey Erin back at our old stomping grounds of Times Square (where we taught preschool together) for dinner while catching up on life and then to see Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway were the makings of a fantastic early Mother's Day celebration. Clearly, growing up we were both fans of the cult classic 1990's movie starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere and wondered how this adaptation would translate on a Broadway stage. It can really be hit or miss trying to recreate such an iconic story to a live audience in a way that will allow viewers to separate the film from the show with an open mind and appreciation for any newer elements.

Everything You Need to Know About the Queens International Night Market

Spring in NYC means festival season is in full swing and NYC foodies and visiting tourists are going to get the most bang for their buck at the family-friendly Queens International Night Market. Growing up and raising children in Queens, New York has allowed Mike and I to expose our children to a diverse, variety of cultures that encompasses a beautiful mix of people, delicious flavorful foods and vibrant arts from around the world, without leaving the borough. 

Sneak previews began April 20th and 27th and because of the unexpectedly large turnout on opening nights their first two years, limited $5 tickets were sold to minimize traffic, congestion, and the impact on the surrounding community. At least 20% of the ticket proceeds will go to the charities New York Immigration Coalition and City Harvest. The Queens Night Market will feature 20 new vendors this year and will be free and open to all starting on May 4th and every Saturday night at 5pm through August 17th & from September 28th to October 26th. You can check out our video of the yummy experience we had last year and grab some useful tips on what you should know when you head to the market.

The Ultimate Guide to Unplugged Fun to Get Tweens and Teens Moving in NYC #LilMonstersinNYC #LilMonstersMove

Spring break in NYC is wrapping up but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop! The weather's warming, the sun shines brightly past 6pm and we're ready to get the boys out and about so they don't drive us nuts in the house with all of their energy. Who else can relate? We've got the ultimate guide to unplugged fun for your tweens and teens to stay active and off the gadgets and gizmos.

I'll be darned if we just sit at home and watch youtube stars have a great time experiencing cool things to do, from the sidelines of our sofa. We'll be adding along to this list periodically to help source places to go as Spring Break comes to an end, Summer fun (especially if you're camp mom), staycations and everything in between. So make sure to save this list to your favorite Pinterest boards for future planning and stay tuned for videos over on Lil' Monsters in NYC's Youtube channel.

A Simple Space: The New Victory Theater Show that Throws Inhibitions Aside to Entertain Kids of All Ages #NewVictory

Winter break is in session and literally, while I write this post my two crazy boys are giggling in the midst of flipping each other and tossing one another around on my bed. Jokingly I tell them all the time that they should join the circus and entertain the world with the their stunts. I've got to wonder if childhood antics like these are what inspired Australian acrobatic ensemble Gravity & Other Myths to create their incredible show A SIMPLE SPACE which is playing at the New Victory theater now through February 24th, 2019.

Disclosure: We were extended complimentary tickets to facilitate this review and opinions expressed are 100% our own.

A Cleaner Day: The NYC Wellness Crawl that Gave Us Mama's Life at Just $35 #ACleanerDay

First let me preface this with saying that this isn't a sponsored post and that this was hands down the best way to spend a weekend in NYC for less than $50. Bustle and bareMinerals — the creators of clean beauty — hosted a truly unique NYC experience that  rejuvenated our mind, body, and spirit and it was worth every damn dollar! 

Knowing I needed a moment to unwind without the kids, my Christmas gift to myself was a much needed day of self care with my boo Valerie of Mommy R and R to pull me out of my winter funk. A ticket to A Cleaner Day wellness crawl gave attendees full access to: meditation, a yoga session with superstar teacher Jessamyn Stanley, makeup applications, nail art, crafty fun, massages, and so much more! Yes, all of that for just $35, unbelievable right? 

Microsoft Gaming for Everyone: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion Among Gen-Z Gamers #MyXbox

Disclosure: We attended this event as media and opinions expressed are 100% our own.

So, how are you're Fortnite dance skills? If you're a parent of a tween or teen these days I'm sure you're all too familiar with your kids requests for more vbucks to purchase skins and their victorious, orange justice and flossing dance moves. Gaming is pretty big in our house, the common enjoyment of classic games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. admittedly was one of things that hubby and I enjoyed doing together when we first started dating. So it's really not a surprise to us that our boys countdown until Friday after-school so that they can power up their Xbox. 

African American consumers over-index when it comes to gaming consoles. Sixty-six percent of Black households in the US own gaming consoles, compared to half (51%) of the total population. However, Black gamers feel excluded, unwelcomed, and are disproportionately underrepresented in both video games and in the gaming industry.

Celebrate the Evolution of the Lego Brick with The Lego Movie 2 Mini Installation & NYC Screening Ticket Giveaway #TheLEGOMovie2 #AwesomeWeek

Can you believe that 61 years ago today an awesome patent was signed and the very first Lego brick was born? Those colorful bricks have encouraged countless hours of building fun and stop motion video creating among kids of all ages and although those tiny pieces are clearly the enemy of every parents feet, i'm personally grateful for the endless imaginative play and creativity they have encouraged in our home.  I bet just like my two monsters, your kids are counting down until they can check out The Lego Movie 2. Who would have guessed that these building bricks would have evolved into a tremendously popular series of Lego movies? 

Happy New Year: Catching Up on Lived in NYC Moments

Happy New Year! Lmao, I know I'm a bit late but I think you can still say this till the end of January right? I'm finally resurfacing from some much needed unplugged time away as we overcame what seemed like never ending coughs and colds and got into the holiday spirit later than usual. We all know December can be a whirlwind time of year, and it's typically tough for me to sit down and update you all here on the blog between the Christmas shows at the kid's schools, the holiday parties and major purging we do to make space and de-clutter.  

I'll usually just hop on Instagram and share quick posts, so we hope you're following our day to day over there at Dellahsjubilation and at lilmonstersinnyc. Hubby was sweet enough to gift me with a chromebook after my laptop crashed but I'd spent so much time away from writing because of my frustration with working from a tablet, soon the draft posts just started to pile up. For 2019 I promise to get a bit more personal on this space like I used to when I first started and loved to tap away at the keyboard just for the sake of sharing. But Before I could dive into all the exciting new happenings I always like to wrap up our last adventures, so here's a look at our December 2018 moments:

AILEY EXTENSION BRINGS DANCE TO KIDS AND TEENS WITH SUMMER WORKSHOPS & WEEKLY CLASSES

 Photo: Horton with Karen Arceneaux at Ailey Experience NYC. Photo by Kyle Forman

Our summers are usually a mix of outdoor sports with the City Parks Foundation, trips to the local zoos and museums and visits to some of the city's coolest & affordable drop in classes. Ultimately my goal for our boys is to try avoid summer brain drain & balance screen time while juggling being a work at home parent so we're always on the lookout for the latest happenings across the five boroughs. This summer, Ailey Extension is offering a variety of unique dance programs for young, aspiring dancers. With one or two-week performance intensives and weekly training classes taught by New York City’s premiere choreographers and instructors, kids and teens can enjoy developing technique, enhancing musicality, and releasing creative expression. All classes take place at The Joan Weill Center for Dance – home of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Ailey School.  

20at20 Off Broadway Shows for Kids of All Ages

Don't let this crazy frigid weather keep you from enjoying all the great happenings in the city right now! Cabin fever can definitely start to get to the best of us but this time of year is awesome because there are so many opportunities to enjoy what makes NYC one of kind with discounts on theater shows on and off Broadway. 20at20is a biannual event featuring $20 tickets to participating Off-Broadway shows 20 minutes prior to curtain. 20at20 is kicking off on January 23rd to February 11th, 2018 and there's such an adorable line up of shows to take lil' monsters of all ages to see. 

Sesame Street Live! Let's Party! Madison Square Garden Discounted Ticket Offer

Disclosure: Opinions expressed are 100% our own, we have partnered with MSG to receive media tickets to the show. 

Having raised both of our boys on Sesame Street, with them now being in 2nd grade and middle school it's so fun to have a our toddler nephew Baby Q in the house to tune into our favorite educational program to jump start our mornings. I'm a little biased, because Elmo and I share a birthday but seeing all of the fun loving characters like Cookie Monster and Abby come to life on stage is going to be such a fun experience for him because he loves to sing and show off his dance moves while learning. 

This February, families can jump to the beat with their friendly furry friends on Sesame Street! Introducing an all-new, interactive show that unfolds on one of the world’s most famous streets at the funniest party in the neighborhood… get ready for Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!

Celebrate the Season and Visit Godiva's Rockefeller Center's "Chocofeller" Tree

There's nothing more iconic in NYC during the holidays than the stunningly lit Rockefeller tree, but wouldn't it be beyond amazing if there was a version you could actually eat?  Personally, the holidays and delicious sweets go hand and hand during gatherings with family and friends so it only makes sense that GODIVA is celebrating the season in chocolate!  The GODIVA team paired its chocolate chef Thierry Muret with Chocolate Genius Paul Joachim  who created an innovative holiday storefront display at Rockefeller Center - a scale replica of the entire plaza and a life size Christmas Tree made entirely out of chocolate, complete with a 7’6” Chocofeller Tree (get it?), a 9’+ chocolate Rockefeller building made of petite fours, an ice-rink with skaters all lit with over 1,000 lights controlled through Twitter.  

The 91st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and A Grandstand FlashBack #MacysParade

Before we can even think about digging into my hubby's or mama's mouthwatering, food-coma inducing holiday meal for lunch {LOL, yes I said lunch because it's rare that we actually start eating later than noon and by dinnertime some of us may be on our third helping} there is one activity that is an absolute must and that's watching the magical Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

This year marks the 91st year and there's always new floats, balloons, and appearances to get excited about. Since the hubby isn't a fan of crowds and he prepares the holiday feast, he gets a pass on attending, so I'm left debating whether or not the boys and I will see it all up close or from the comfort of our pj's at home this time around.