Restaurants & Bars

A little Ailey, an early Nutcracker, a pre-Thanksgiving feast, a pop-up celebration and an Elmo library card. Hey, his show did just turn 40.

Do
CMOM’s Ailey Day of Dance
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is hosting an Ailey Day of Dance. Members of Ailey II (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s second company) will lead workshops teaching kids basic movements and exercises. Ailey II dancers will also perform an excerpt from Isba (choreographed by the great Alvin Ailey) a ritualistic celebration of courtship and marriage with African tribal influences.
When: Sat., 11/14. Dance workshops at 2 & 3:15pm. Isba duet performances at 2:35 & 3:50pm. Free with the price of admission, which is $10. Sign up for workshops one hour before start time at the Visitor Info. Desk. Tickets for performances are distributed one hour before showtimes at the Visitor Info. Desk.
(Ages 5 and up)
Where: CMOM, 212 W. 83rd St. cmom.org.

See
Dances Patrelle’s The Yorkville Nutcracker
Get your Nutcracker fix a little early. Check out an excerpt from Dances Patrelle’s The Yorkville Nutcracker at the Barnes & Noble on 86th and Lex. The beloved holiday classic is set in 1895 NYC. Dancers will be in full costume and available to meet and greet store visitors.
When: Sun., 11/15, 4pm; free. (All ages)
Where: Barnes & Noble, 150 E. 86th St. at Lex.

Go
Pop-up Celebration
Books of Wonder is hosting its fourth annual Pop-up Celebration honoring pop-ups and other books created through the art of paper engineering. Front and center will be seven authors, illustrators and paper engineers. The book line-up includes The Sound of Music, the three buggy pop-ups (Snow Bugs, School bugs, The Big Bug Book), Christmas Tree in a Box and A Pop-up Book of Nursery Rhymes. Unfortunately, the king of pop-up, Robert Sabuda, had to bow out of this year’s event, but Books of Wonder is selling signed copies of his books.
When: Sat., 11/14, noon-2pm; free.
Where: Books of Wonder, 18 W. 18th St., (212) 989-3270, booksofwonder.com.

Eat
Susie’s Supper Club
The online meal delivery service for busy NY families (and those of us too lazy to cook!) is having a tasting party on the UES. Sample some of Susie’s fall favorites: butternut squash pizzas, sweet potato fritters, apple pie bars and veggie soup shots plus cocktails and more. Nutritional counseling available. Kids can decorate cupcakes and learn some healthy eating basics with fun props.
When: Sat., 11/4, 2-5pm; free. RSVP to rsvp@susiessupperclub.com. Free.
Where: 103 E. 75th St.

Visit
BPL’s Sesame Street Family Day
A three-month long exhibit honoring Sesame Street’s big 4-0 kicks off this Saturday with Family Fun Day at Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library. Festivities include Sesame Street arts ‘n’ crafts, reading activities and a screening of The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. The library will be offering limited-edition, Elmo-themed library cards. America’s favorite red fuzzy guy will also put in appearances throughout the day. The special exhibit, Sesame Street: A Celebration of 40 Years of Life on the Street, features show scripts, sheet music, animal cels, behind-the-scenes photos and much more.
When: Sat., 11/4, 11am-4pm. Elmo will make appearances for 30 minutes, every hour on the hour. Free.
Where: Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn. brooklynpubliclibrary.org.

The butterflies are back in town as is Harold and a certain-colored crayon. The Shake Shack goes Bavarian while an African folktale goes hip-hop. Plus Boo at the Zoo for you.

Go
The Butterfly Conservatory:
Butterflies Alive in Winter
Twelve years ago, The American Museum of Natural History held what was supposed to be a one-time event featuring fluttering members of the Order Lepidoptera. The exhibit proved to be so popular that AMNH has hosted an annual exhibition of live butterflies ever since, explains Hazel Davies, Manager of Living Exhibits at the museum. The Conservatory’s butterflies hail from farms in Florida, Costa Rica, Kenya, Malaysia, Ecuador and Thailand. Because the butterflies typically live only two-three weeks, the museum receives about 500 pupae (AKA replacement butterflies) per week, via DHL and FedEx no less, during the run of the exhibit. They’re released into the vivarium once they emerge. Note: dress (undress) appropriately. It’s 80 degrees inside the vivarium with 75% humidity.
When: Starts Sat. 10/10 and runs through 5/31/10. (Open daily 10am-5:45pm). Time-specific tix for exhibit include general admission: $24 adults, $18 seniors/students, $14 children (2-12). Available online at amnh.org.
Where: American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St.

See
Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth
The Hip-Hop Theater Festival brings us a modern adaptation of classic African folklore. The plot: Zomo must perform three tasks before he can receive the ultimate power from The Sky God. Set in NYC, the story leads to the celebration of hip-hop culture.
When: Fri., 10/9 at 3pm; Sat., 10/10 at 3pm; Sun., 10/11 at 1pm. $20 per ticket, available at theatermania.com. (Ages 4 and up)
Where: Ohio Theater, 66 Wooster St., bet. Spring and Broome Sts.

Eat
Shacktoberfest
The Shake Shack is honoring Oktoberfest with specials inspired by the Bavarian festival. Think sausages done Shake Shack style, Apple-Strudel- and German-Chocolate-Cake-flavored Concretes (a super dense custard shake) plus seasonal beers. The Shack’s signature burgers and fries, plus all other items on the regular menu, are also available for your consumption.
When: Now through Sun., 10/11; 11am-11pm. shakeshack.com.
Where: Madison Square Park- SE corner of Mad. Sq. Pk, near Madison Ave & E. 23rd St.
UWS - 366 Columbus Ave. at 77th St.

Do
Boo at the Zoo
For the next four weekends, the Bronx Zoo is going all out for Halloween with the Haunted Safari, mask making from recycled materials, a hay maze, bats and cats, plus more. Kids ages 3-12 who come in a wildlife costume are admitted free with an adult who is paying a full-priced admission.
When: 10/10-10/12, 10/17-10/18, 10/24-10/25 and 10/31-11/1. Check bronxzoo.com for specific activity times.
Where: Bronx Zoo, Fordham Rd. and Bronx River Parkway.

Watch
The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon
As part of its 2009-2010 Target Family Fun series, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts presents The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on the book series by Crockett Johnson. The Enchantment Theatre Company’s production features life-size puppets, music, masks and magic.
When: Sun., 10/11 at 2pm. Runs approx. 50 minutes. $6 per ticket. Available online at brooklyncenteronline.org or by calling (718) 951-4500. (Ages 5 and up.)
Where: Brooklyn Ctr for the Performing Arts, Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College, 2900 Campus Rd. & Hillel Place (1 block west of “The Junction.”)

Photo credit (Butterfly): AMNH\D.Finnin.

Whether your kitchen is the eat-in kind with a shrine to the likes of Sub-Zero and Viking, or a little galley version used mainly to heat up Ramen noodles, chances are it doesn’t get as much of a workout as its non-urban counterparts. That’s because dining (or ordering) out is a way of life in New York.

One rite of passage for budding foodies here is a meal at The Four Seasons Restaurant. And what better way to partake in that ritual than by enjoying a free meal at the esteemed eatery. This Friday is Children’s Day. Kids ages 5-14 eat for free (two children per adult). Restaurant co-owner Alex von Bidder jokes that they didn’t always have these limits for Children’s Day. “We had no restrictions the first year, and so Manhattan parents would show up with their 35-year-old kids,” he recalls. “Or we had people show up with 10 or 12 kids. So we had to put a little fine print down.” The Four Seasons is offering an Almost Grown Up Luncheon in the Pool Room as well as a Junior Executives Dinner in the Grill Room. Kids can order anything from the a la carte menu, and the restaurant, as always, is ready, willing and able to accommodate picky eaters.

It doesn’t get much better. A free lunch at the home of the power lunch.

Where: The Four Seasons Restaurant, 99 East 52nd St. (entrance bet. Park and Lex.)
When: Fri., 8/21, RSVP soon to 212-754-9494, fourseasonsrestaurant.com.

You take pride in knowing your own kitchen is green. It’s an oasis of eco-friendliness. But what about when you go out to eat? It used to be that all bets were off. Not so anymore.

To celebrate its new bottle made of 50% recycled plastic, Naya Water
is sponsoring a limited edition Zagat guide listing green restaurants in New York City. The book’s 35 restaurants have all been certified by the Green Restaurant Association, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to creating an environmentally sustainable restaurant industry. To earn certification, the venues had to meet criteria related to water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable furnishings and building materials, sustainable food, energy, disposables, and chemical and pollution reduction. Zagat co-founder Tim Zagat (a man with one of the most mispronounced names in the world - it’s ZUH-gat) says that although the restaurant industry seems to be embracing this trend, it’s still an adjustment - just like the smoking bans and trans fat regulations. “Gradually people realize that many of these things are good for business,” he notes. “When you get a restaurant association that begins to start training people about sustainably raised food … and why it’s more profitable to use certain kinds of things rather than others, you begin to turn the whole world upside down.”

And what if this greening costs restaurant patrons more to dine out? That doesn’t seem to be an issue. Fifty-nine percent of Zagat surveyors would be willing to pay more for food that is sustainably raised, 55% for food that is organic. Head to the West Coast and the numbers are even higher.

BTW this limited edition green guide is so small it’ll fit in any clutch.

Guides available at waterforchange.org. They’re also being distributed today at 57th & 8th as well as 6th & 19th. 8/5-8/8 distribution sites are 53rd & 7th and Spring & Crosby.

You’re expecting out-of-town visitors (with kids), but handing them a Metrocard and a map won’t fulfill their desire to see the city.

The New Fodor’s Family guidebook, New York City with Kids, includes the best child-friendly activities for visitors (and locals in need of a few fresh ideas). Written by travel expert and mom Meryl Pearlstein, the book breaks down NYC into mini-travel guides for interests like dinosaurs (AMNH and Dinosaur Hill) or princesses (Alice’s Tea Cup and American Girl). Check out the top five lists broken down by neighborhood, freebie ideas and side trips to the other boroughs.

Here’s hoping they packed their walking shoes.

Available at randomhouse.com.

Sure there’s enough sorbet or sugar-free fro-yo for any summer day. But if you’re craving something a little more authentic (think homemade scoops and fresh gelato), try one of these spots — or head to your local fave.

Australian Homemade
115 St. Marks Place, 212-228-5439
All-natural ingredients make this East Village spot a guilt-free splurge.

Emack & Bolio’s
73 West Houston, 212-533-5610
81st St. & First Ave., 212-734-0105
389 Amsterdam Ave. bet. 78th & 79th St., 212-362-2747
Ice cream connoisseurs can indulge in Boston’s finest.

Grom
2165 Broadway, near 76th St., 646-290-7233
The first outpost of this Italian gelati chain on the UWS does it the old-fashioned way. Don’t miss the flavor of the month, with peach pulp and chocolate chips.

Il Laboratorio del Gelato
95 Orchard St., 212-343-9922
This LES “lab” develops unique gourmet flavors.

Shake Shack
Madison Square Park at 23rd St., 212-889-6600
366 Columbus Ave. at 77th St., 646-747-8770
The custard is worth the wait in line.

Yolato
418 Sixth Ave., 212-353-3681
2286 Broadway, 212-580-1635
This chain does fro-yo Jersey-style.

Your dining tastes are far too sophisticated to succumb to restaurants with picture menus, chicken nugget-fry combos and singing waiters once junior comes along. On some level, it is still about you.

At the new Yorkville Creperie, there’s no need for anyone in the family to compromise, especially when your little darling gets to top off his meal with crepes oozing Nutella, Snickers and marshmallow fluff. For starters, pack in some protein with a hummus, chicken, or ham and egg crepe. Also on offer: paninis, wine and various coffee drinks. Speaking of which, YC’s got the vibe of a Seattle coffee shop complete with comfy couches and a well-edited musical selection piping in (reminiscent of your pre-Wiggles days). Come put your feet up this summer on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11am for children’s storytime ($10 fee).

And cut the crepe.

Yorkville Creperie, 1586 York Ave. (bet. 83rd & 84th St.), 212-570-5445.

After months of diaper duty and late-night feedings, you’re finally ready to throw a grown-up party again — no sippy cups allowed.

Plan your cocktail menu with restaurateur Danny Meyer’s new book, Mix Shake Stir, which offers drink recipes and tips from his NYC eateries including Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park and Blue Smoke. Learn how to serve signature drinks like The Modern’s Modern Martini or the Pomegranate Gimlet at Tabla. Your first post-baby bash should also include Meyer’s must-haves for any host, from making cocktail-perfect ice cubes to choosing the right glass. Flip through the pages until a photo of sangria or a margarita catches your eye, or use the inspiration to create your own cocktail du jour.

And give your guests an even happier hour.

Available at bn.com.

What would New York be without a decent deli on every corner?

The city’s legacy expands with the new F. Martinella in Brooklyn Heights, a recreation of the old-fashioned deli decorated with NYC subway tiles and black-and-white photos that give kids a glimpse into the past. But the real focus is on the food, with a solid sampling of fresh sandwiches, salads, soups and wraps to eat in or take out (check out Chef Vinnie Massa’s signature stromboli). In between mouthfuls, take advantage of the very 2009 amenities — flat-screen TVs and free WiFi.

There’s no place like home.

119 Court St. (near State St.), Brooklyn, 718-858-6000, fmartinella.com.

Trying to find a decent, inexpensive place to eat near Times Square is an effort in futility. Rather than fight the crowds en route to a below-average chain restaurant, you’re usually ready to hop in a cab headed anywhere.

Next time you need a post-toy store or pre-matinee bite, try the newly opened Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen, at the base of the New York Times Building. Owners and brothers Andrew and Jonathan Schnipper, founders of Hale and Hearty Soups, moved on to the burger biz with an original recipe that may become your new favorite. The extensive family-friendly menu includes kid faves like chicken fingers, hot dogs and mac and cheese, but adults will also find plenty of options (beyond burgers) among the fig and blue cheese salad, fish tacos and classic BLT — all freshly made, of course. Little ones will get a kick out of the sleek decor reminiscent of a ’50s drive-in, but you’ll appreciate quick ordering at the counter, ample room to maneuver a stroller and plenty of tables.

Still not enough to entice you to touristville? Stay tuned for beer and wine…and delivery.

Open Mon.-Sat. 11am-9pm. 620 8th Ave. at 41st St., 212-921-2400, schnippers.com.