Spooky minyan in Harlem tonight....

OK, I don't think it's eally going to be all THAT spooky, but Harlem's oldest independent floating egalitarian minyan is holding Shabbat services tonight, Erev Halloween, at a new location. If you're interested in hearing more, visit www.harlemjews.com.

Halloween in Harlem

Tomorrow from 1:30 to 3, at 121st and Morningside Avenue in Morningside Park, there will be a HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, featuring a costume parade, balloons and treats. It would be great to see a nice turnout. (Please note that if it rains the event will be cancelled.)

If I hear of other kid-oriented Halloween events in Harlem, I'll be happy to post about them as well (so feel free to let me know).

Uptown Mom is not exactly a baseball fan, but...

... living where I do means living 5 stops on the B-Train from Yankee Stadium, so GO YANKEES!!!

KOSHER CUPCAKES IN HARLEM?!?

As you may have heard, we have a new cupcake shop in the 'hood. Uptown Mom was not looking for a new cupcake shop; she is pretty happy with Make My Cake, which is very close to her home. However, the new shop, Tonnie's Minis, has just told me on the phone that they are KOSHER. I cannot personally vouch for either the hashgacha of the store itself, or the quality of the food -- I haven't been by the store yet in person -- but their Greenwich Village location is under kosher supervision, and assuming the uptown cupcakes are made in the same location, that will suffice for Uptown Mom's purposes. Even better, people really seem to like these cupcakes. And the price point is fantastic -- $20 for a dozen, and they do a baker's dozen on request. (By contrast, I paid $20 the other day to celebrate a family birthday with 5 cupcakes from Make My Cake.) In the holy name of research, Uptown Mom has ordered a dozen of them to supplement the homemade cake and other goodies we're making for a birthday party this weekend. I assume that the cupcakes will turn out to be smaller than those at Make My Cake, but those are enormous, and I'm not fearful that they'll be itsy-bitsy, since it sounds like they make an extra-small size (and I don't believe that's what I've ordered).

Will get back to you on both the deliciousness and the kashrut post-party! And if you already can comment on this new shop, please do chime in.

Life goes on.

I see with chagrin that I have once again allowed this blog to lie fallow for far too long. For that I apologize, dear readers. All I can say is that something must have happened while I was busy making other plans.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the many new parents and kids of Harlem – some new arrivals, some not, and some newborn! – with whom I’ve become acquainted in the months since I last updated this blog. I look forward to seeing more of you in the streets, parks, playgrounds and shops of Harlem in the months and years to come.

As always, if you know of events or resources for kids and/or parents in Harlem that you would like to see featured on this blog – or you just want to say hi! – please send me a message and I will do my best to oblige. I look forward to hearing from you.