All ingredients listed in the recipe are estimates. Add or subtract according to your taste. One of the things that makes sangria so wonderful is its flexibility. Depending on the ingredients used, sangria can be a light thirst-quencher or a potent cocktail that can set heads spinning. Adjust the amounts of liquor according to mood and the guests. Taste the sangria the day before your guests’ arrival so you can tweak the flavors a bit (add additional juice, brandy, liqueur, fruit, or sugar if you want).

Yields: serves many
Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

2 (750 ml. bottles) dry white wine (Pinot Gris, Chablis, Chardonnay, Riesling, or Sauvingnon Blanc, chilled
1 cup fruit brandy (your favorite)
Fruit juice of your choice (I use fruit juice instead of sugar to add some sweetness)
Granulated sugar or Simple Syrup to taste (optional if not using fruit juice)
Fresh fruit (use whatever combination of fruit and berries that are in season), sliced*
2 cups club soda, 7-Up, seltzer water, lemon-lime soda, or sparkling water (optional)
Ice cubes
Mint sprigs, for garnish

*Any other seasonal fruit that tempts you may be added (berries, melon, grapes, guavas, mangos, apples, etc). Fruit juices may also be added. Let your imagination be your guide!

Preparation:

In a clean vessel, large enough to accommodate the wine, brandy, and fruit (pickle jar, sun tea jars, etc), combine the wine, fruit brandy, and fruit juices. Pour in the sugar or simple syrup, stir or shake the pitcher thoroughly to mix. Add the cut up fruits of your choice.

Add ice. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the fruits flavors to come through.

Serve the Sangria over ice in large wine glasses. Fill serving glass half full with ice. Pour the sangria over the ice. Add a few slices of the marinated fruit along with some fresh berries. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig and serve immediately.

Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and let cool.

When you step into Eddie’s Sweet Shop in Forest Hills, it is as if you have travelled back in time…..nothing has changed in this charming soda shop, built in the 1920’s it is a reminder of what this neighborhood used to look like. And folks, you are in for a real treat because everything here is home made rum the old timey flaovrs like rum raisin, to the whipped cream, to the caramel sauce. Egg creams and ice cream sodas are served in vintage glassware. Not sure who will love it more, your grandpa, your kids, or you! check it out tonight @ 9pm on NYC Life (ch 25 on all carriers except Cablevision, ch 22)

ok, call me the last to know, but Queens is home to the oldest continuously operating farm in New York state, appropriately called The Queens County Farm! and you can go there! feed the sheep, take a hay ride, buy local eggs, honey and WINE! check out the cows and watch the peacocks sneak peaks of themselves in your hubcaps. AND IT IS FREE!!!!!

in celebration of everything green, we headed over that way with a motley crew of kids, and our buddy Alison Lowenstein – writer extraordinaire (City Kid New York, City Baby Brooklyn and a frequent contributor to Time Out NY Kids).

we also headed to her favorite post farm hang, Eddie’s Sweet Shop – an authentic old timey ice cream store on Metropolitan Ave in Forest Hills. banana split so big and messy it took 5 kids (and me!) to devour it – and everything is home made from rum raisin ice cream to decadent whipped cream and caramel.

so, check out the show tonight @ 9pm on NYC Life! you will also get to check out my new electric Chevy Volt. just plug ‘er in and gooooooo! say buy-bye to paying at the pump! being green was never this cool!

i ate it. i was immediately a fan! had to share w/u! from their website:

Slice

Slice was born on october 27th, 2005 seeking to evolve the current pizza eating experience using fresh, all-natural and organic ingredients and deliciously innovative toppings. No pizza sits under a heat lamp ever. Everything is made to order and you are encouraged to exercise your individuality by customizing your slice or pie to your liking.

We don’t discriminate against people who can’t eat regular pizza. We have options for anyone with an allergy (dairy, wheat, gluten, nuts, casein, etc). Slice is the only pizzeria in America that uses exclusively 100% organic mozzarella cheese. Every crust, sauce and topping is made in our kitchen from scratch.

Our wine list features all local wines from the New York State. Our craft beers are unique and interesting. We recycle and use recyclable materials. We embrace our neighbors and donate to local schools and neighborhood programs.

We look forward to improving every last bite of your pizza eating experience.

The holidays are a magical time for children. Start the holiday season at one of these festive events in and around the city. From a Hanukah celebration at a Jewish Museum to touring a historic Westchester home with incredible fairy tale inspired holiday decorations, there are many kid-friendly ways to enjoy the holiday season.

NYC Police Museum
Dec 4th, 11am – 2pm
All Ages, Event is free with regular admission (adults $8, children $5, kids under 2 are free)
I’m sure the police won’t break up this holiday party! Celebrate the holidays at the kid-friendly, New York City Police Museum. Enjoy craft projects at this celebration that embraces all the holidays including Christmas, Chanukah, Eid, Kwanzaa and other celebrations. Kids can also learn about police from around the world and try on an International police uniform.

Hanukah Family Day
Dec 5th, Noon – 4:00pm
Ages 3 and up, Free with Museum Admission (adults $12, children under 12 are free)
Families can make a Hanukkah menorah from found objects, decorate a dreidel, and see a puppet show among other activities at this Hanukah party at the Jewish Museum. If you have older kids in tow, also visit the museum’s Houdini Exhibit, which is on display until March 27, 2011.

Fairy Tale Holiday
December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 and 26: A Fairy Tale Holiday
Adults and Seniors, $15; Children ages 6-12, $6; Children under 6 are free

Tour this stunning historic Westchester home this holiday season. Kids will love seeing the rooms decorated after various fairy tales. At the end of the tour, you can enjoy cookies and a cup of warm apple cider.

About Alison Lowenstein, CITY KID blogger!

Alison Lowenstein is the author of City Kid New York: The Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents with Kids Ages 4-12, City Weekends: The Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways in and Around NYC, and City Baby Brooklyn: The Ultimate Guide for Parents from Pregnancy through Preschool.

She has written for The New York Daily News, Newsday, Time Out New York Kids, New York Family Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Arrive, American Way,Wild Blue Yonder, TravelandLeisure.com, Babble.com, Grandparents.com, Cookiemag.com, among many other publications and websites. She is the featured expert and Ambassador for PBS Channel 13’s Kids Club 13 and was a guest in the New York Times City Room Taking Questions column. Her website is http://www.brooklynbaby.com. Alison lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two school-aged children.

Ok, so once again i have a house full of out of town relatives and being that the hubs can’t get time off of work…what’s a tv host to do? Take ‘em on a ROAD TRIP! I was working on my Rock And Roll Episode so, we loaded 7 of the Senecal/Shea clan into The Traverse and took off, heading to Bethel, NY to visit the site of the most famous concert of all time. You may not know that Woodstock did not actually happen in Woodstock. Originally, the idea was to create a retreat like recording studio in Woodstock, but then the idea eventually morphed into a live show. But….the questions remained….Why were The Beatles not invited? And why did Joni Mitchell drop out? Why did Led Zeppelin turn down an offer to play? Well, you are going to have to check out the show tonight to find out!

Also tonight, we are 1 on 1 with my Rock icon Joan Jett. Now, I think of her as a tough cookie, but what other Rock legend was she totally nervous to share the stage with? And who used to open for her when she was in The Runaways?

We sit down with our very own Little Steven who tells me about when he teamed up with The Boss, who at that time, believe it or not was a folk singer who was not experiencing much success….until that famous week of showcases at the legendary Bitter End. Well, you have to hear Stevie explain it himself, but let’s just say after those shows Bruce was on the cover of both Time and Newsweek with headlines proclaiming “Rock’s New Sensation” and “Making of A Rock Star”, respectively.

So check out the show tonight @ 9pm on NYC Life….Channel 25 unless you have Cablevision, then it’s Channel 22 xos t

Ok, we scored big time with this year’s drive and I NEED YOUR HELP! I am bringing my TV crew and we will be including this party in our Holiday Show and will get everyone’s mug on camera……We have well over 200 gifts to wrap!!!! We are meeting at Coogan’s Restaurant in Washington Heights & they have generously offered to feed us! Free coffee, hot chocolate, pastries, and bagels! We will even have a caricature artist on hand who will whip up a drawing of you for free! FUN!

Then we are off to St. Elizabeth’s Church to give out presents!  I’ll pick up the wrappings and trimmings but I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

Please “like” this post on FACEBOOK IF YOU ARE “IN”!

DATE: SUNDAY, DEC 5TH

TIME: 9AM

PLACE: COOGAN’S RESTAURANT IN WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

4015 Broadway

New York, NY 10032-1508
(212) 928-1234

SUBWAY 168th Street – Ind – Washington Heights

if yoy have any questions pls feel free to email me:
toni@tonionnewyork.com.

Puppet Theaters in and around the City

Check out these puppet theaters around the city. Seeing a puppet show is a fun way to introduce children to the world of theater and art. At most of the productions, you also get a chance to see the puppets and meet with the puppeteers after the show. Another plus, all of these shows have tickets that cost $10 or less, so it fits into holiday budgets. From holiday shows to classic fairytales, these puppet shows are sure to be a hit with the entire family.

Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre

November 16 – December 30

Reservations are required. Tickets are $8/adults, $5/children

http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/swedish_cottage.html

Built in the 1800’s, this historic marionette theater located in Central Park has been home to many stellar shows for the 3-9 year old set. This holiday season the Marionette Theatre performs The Three Bears Holiday Bash. You must reserve tickets in advance, either by phone or online.

Puppetworks

Tickets, $8/adults, $7/children

http://www.puppetworks.org/

Located on a residential street in Park Slope, since the 1980’s Puppetworks has hosted marionette shows like Cinderella and other classic tales.  Beauty and The Beast is playing at the theater until December 19th. In addition, Puppetworks also runs the puppet shows at Macy’s (on the 8th Floor). See a 30-minute, musical version of Miracle on 34th Street at Macy’s from November 26 – December 24, 2010, tickets are $5.

Long Island Puppet Theatre and Museum

Tickets are $10 per person

http://www.lipuppet.com/

This marionette puppet theatre in Hicksville, Long Island is less than an hour from the city and accessible by the Long Island Rail Road. This season it offers four amazing shows. Choose from a production of Meet Elmo and His Friends, Little Red Riding Hood, The Wizard of Oz or The Nutcracker Spectacular. They also have marionettes for sale.

Paper Moon Puppet Theatre

Tickets are $9 per person

www.papermoonpuppettheatre.com/

Located in New Jersey, about an hour from NYC, the Paper Moon Puppet Theatre has marionette shows for the family. Currently they are showing a holiday themed show, The Night Before Christmas and The Snow Queen, which runs from Nov 20 – Jan 8.

About Alison Lowenstein, CITY KID blogger!

Alison Lowenstein is the author of City Kid New York: The Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents with Kids Ages 4-12, City Weekends: The Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways in and Around NYC, and City Baby Brooklyn: The Ultimate Guide for Parents from Pregnancy through Preschool.

She has written for The New York Daily News, Newsday, Time Out New York Kids, New York Family Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Arrive, American Way,Wild Blue Yonder, TravelandLeisure.com, Babble.com, Grandparents.com, Cookiemag.com, among many other publications and websites. She is the featured expert and Ambassador for PBS Channel 13’s Kids Club 13 and was a guest in the New York Times City Room Taking Questions column. Her website is http://www.brooklynbaby.com. Alison lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two school-aged children.

Just because you have kids, doesn’t mean your family only has to listen to kid’s music. Turn off The Wheels on the Bus and turn on some Jazz. From Jazz brunches to visiting the home of a famed Jazz musician, there are many places to hear great music and learn about musical legends in NYC. Spend this weekend introducing your kids to the amazing world of Jazz in this musical city.

Family Concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center

November 20^th at 1pm & 3pm

Tickets: $12, $20 or $28

http://www.jalc.org/jazzED/s_jfypc09.html

Located in the Time Warner Center, this concert series is the ideal place to introduce your kids to the world of Jazz. The interactive concert combines music and stories to teach kids about Jazz. Each concert has a theme. This show’s theme is “What is Jazz?” and will address questions about all aspects of Jazz Music. All of the concerts are great fun. In fact, the last time my family went to one of the Jazz concerts, they had us swing dancing in the aisles.

Jazz For Kids at the Jazz Standard

Sundays at 1pm

$5 Donation

http://www.jazzstandard.net/red/index.html

On Sunday the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra performs in this Gramercy Park jazz club. Enjoy a musical brunch while listening to kids play jazz music. Families can order from the Blue Smoke lunch and kid’s menu (the restaurant is located above the Jazz Club).

Louis Armstrong House Museum

Adults $8, Kids $6, Kids under 4 are free

Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm

Saturday and Sunday 12pm-5pm

http://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/visiting/overview.htm

Older kids will appreciate touring the home of this Jazz Legend. Armstrong’s house museum gives fans an intimate look at this amazing musician. There is a gift shop that has many kid-friendly items, and is a great place to pick up a unique holiday gift for a young Jazz lover.

About Alison Lowenstein, CITY KID blogger!

Alison Lowenstein is the author of City Kid New York: The Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents with Kids Ages 4-12, City Weekends: The Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways in and Around NYC, and City Baby Brooklyn: The Ultimate Guide for Parents from Pregnancy through Preschool.

She has written for The New York Daily News, Newsday, Time Out New York Kids, New York Family Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, Arrive, American Way,Wild Blue Yonder, TravelandLeisure.com, Babble.com, Grandparents.com, Cookiemag.com, among many other publications and websites. She is the featured expert and Ambassador for PBS Channel 13’s Kids Club 13 and was a guest in the New York Times City Room Taking Questions column. Her website is http://www.brooklynbaby.com. Alison lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two school-aged children.