C H I L D ' S P L AY
PHOTO BY ROBYN POLANSKY
Kids in the Kitchen BY ANNE MARUSIC
ow that the cold weather is upon us, parents have a greater need to seek out indoor activities for their kids. Distracting them from computers, TV, and the Wii is no easy task. However, kids of all ages love to cook, and dinner needs to be prepared anyway, so why not call in the troops? But be forewarned: War stories abound. Take Jersey City mother Jennifer Greenstein. What started as a pizza party for her son’s birthday turned into a fiasco when the harried mom forgot to take the pizzas out of the delivery boxes as they were reheating in the oven! Fifteen minutes later, a smoky room, a brain-numbing fire alarm, and uninvited guests in the uniforms of the Jersey City Fire Department reminded Jennifer what all urban parents should know: Slow down, you move too fast! So who better to provide parents with practical cooking tips than Celeste Governanti, founder of Made with Love Organics, a downtown Jersey City bakery and café providing healthy and tasty baked goods and prepared foods.
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Celeste has been a presence at local farmers markets for a long time. When she opened her café two years ago, she had a strong following with local families, who were among her biggest fans. Soon she was asked to share her sweet and savory secrets in cooking classes. (Celeste also serves weekend brunches and reservation-only communal dinners.) For the past two years she’s offered classes for adults—and kids as young as two and a half. She limits the classes to 12 to keep the experience intimate and hands-on. Her most popular classes include funny face pizzas, cookie and cupcake decorating, and pasta making. Celeste finds that children are very creative and uninhibited. Her tips to avoid craziness in the kitchen include:
Be Prepared: Plan ahead and consider the child’s skills and abilities. If the kids are young, have everything pre-measured ahead of time. You can roll the dough on a floured board to control the chaos with young
palisade • hoboken & beyond
W E E K E N D G E TAWAY
FIRST NIGHT IN BOSTON.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GREATER BOSTON CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
besieged with queries. Only problem is, it’s under renovation, slated to open this summer. Boston is a haven for art lovers. The fabulous new Institute of Contemporary Art is a glass-and-steel stunner that cantilevers over the harbor, housing works by Louise Bourgeois, Cindy Sherman, Shepard Fairey, and myriad other art-world luminaries. The Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner museums are world-renowned for their collections which include everything from Rembrandts to Monets and Matisses. Shoppers, fasten your seatbelts! Not to be missed during the holiday season—or any time—is Faneuil Hall, a sprawling contemporary marketplace housed in three restored 19th century buildings, boasting 112 stores and 13 restaurants. It forms the backdrop for many street performances and seasonal events. Speaking of which, the city is famous for its First Night Boston weekend, which kicks off on New Year’s Eve. The festival of exhibitions and performances, created in Bean Town 34 years ago, has been copied by many other cities in the last three decades. The next day, check out the Boston First Day Polar Swim. The oldest polar bear group in the country, these stalwart—or crazy—New Year’s swimmers brave the frigid waters off Carson Beach. Why? You’ll have to ask them. If you visit in February, take in Boston’s Chinatown and celebrate The Year of the Rabbit on Feb. 13. In late December, enjoy a Menorah lighting on Boston Common. On a snowy winter’s night the common is a magical place, calling to mind a 19th century Currier and Ives calendar. Skaters circle the pond, yellow lights sparkle in the trees, and the steep, narrow streets of Beacon Hill just ask to be explored. They are lined with beautiful old brownstones and are haunted by the history of early America. Boston and winter, happy together.—Kate Rounds bostonusa.com U.S.S CONSTITUTION
palisade • hoboken & beyond
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