ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO ON EASTER IN NYC!

If you're planning to spend the Easter break in New York City, you're in for a treat. The city is buzzing with activity during this time of the year, and there are plenty of fun things to do. Here are 8 great ideas for things to do in NYC during Easter break:

1. Visit the Easter Parade

The Easter Parade is a New York City tradition that goes back more than 100 years. It's a lively parade where New Yorkers don their finest hats and parade along Fifth Avenue. It's a great place to people-watch and soak up some of the city's festive atmosphere.

2. Attend an Easter Egg Hunt

There are plenty of Easter egg hunts taking place all over the city during Easter break. Check out Bryant Park or Central Park for some of the best ones.

3. Check out the Cherry Blossoms

The cherry blossoms in Central Park are always beautiful during the spring, and Easter break is a great time to see them. Take a stroll through the park and admire the delicate pink blooms.

4. Take a Chocolate Tour

If you're a fan of chocolate, why not take a chocolate tour of some of the city's best chocolatiers? There are plenty of tours available that will take you to some of the city's top artisanal chocolate makers.

5. Tour the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a beautiful place to visit during the spring. It's home to a stunning collection of cherry blossoms, magnolias, and other spring flowers, making it an ideal spot to enjoy the season.

6. Explore the Met Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is always a great place to visit, but during Easter break, it's even better. The museum offers a range of Easter-themed events and activities, including egg decorating and scavenger hunts.

7. Visit the Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is a fantastic place to visit during Easter break. They offer special programming, including egg hunts, animal bingo, and animal-themed crafts.

8.Attend a Broadway Show

Broadway is always bustling with activity, and there's no better time to catch a show than during Easter break. From classic musicals to new productions.

What are some of your favorite activities you like to do during Easter break?

Unconventional Ways to Spring Clean Your Life

There is so much going on this month!

International Women’s Day, Daylight Savings, and St. Patrick’s Day to name a few.

It is also when Spring officially begins. The Spring Equinox brings renewal in every aspect, so take advantage of this energy to Spring clean not just your house, but also your life.

Read on to learn about unconventional ways you can clear out the old to welcome in the new!

You Got (Too Much) Mail!

Everywhere we go and every app we use now asks us for an email address.

People usually have at least two where one is for spams, deals, etc. It’s so easy to cross contaminate and get lost in the never-ending subscription emails that we didn’t even realize we signed up for.

So make it a point to clean out your inbox! Especially your main account. 

It will feel so nice deleting things you don’t need, unsubscribing to weekly emails that don’t help you, and clearing out junk so you don’t feel so daunted whenever a new email comes in.

End Recurring Charges

Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, YouTube, Costco, Amazon, gym memberships, apps, storage… You get the idea.

What are you continually paying for that you no longer use? Take a moment to sit down and go through your credit card statements to see what you’ve been paying for that you’re not even using anymore. End it or pause it until you’re ready to use the service again.

Less money being wasted means more money put towards things you’ll actually use and enjoy!

It’s OK to Unfollow

As social media grows, so do our time on the apps and our Following list.

Whether it’s following friends, celebrities, public figures, or some random person who makes comedy content, there’s a chance that there are content that show up on our feed that we just don’t align with anymore.

I’m here to let you know that it’s OK to unfollow (even if they’re friends and family members). You can even mute their posts from showing up.

If the content is bringing you down, makes you question yourself, or just not your cup of tea anymore, then it’s time to give your social media a good scrubbing!

Break Up with Busy-ness

You’re either going to like what I’m about to say or resist it - you are getting in your own way of achieving whatever it is you want to achieve.

One of the ways that shows up is filling up the hours of the day with meaningless or busy tasks that don’t propel you forward. These tasks make you think you’re being productive just for the sake of “doing something” and not looking lazy.

So really carve the time to sit down with yourself and get your priorities straight. Instead of writing down a checklist of random to-do’s, write out your goals and set clear activities you can do to work towards them.

Check out my previous blog on how you can stay on track with your New Year’s Resolutions. 

Which of these unconventional ways will you be applying to your Spring Cleaning this year? Let me know in the comments below!

Different Ways to Celebrate Love in February

When most people think of February, they immediately think of Valentine’s Day, love, red, pink, flowers, and heart-shaped candies.

There are many that are excited by this and there are many who are opposed to the whole idea.

When I think of February, I personally think of love. So if you’re part of the latter group, here are some different ways to celebrate love without any expectations or obligations that come with February 14th.

Show Yourself Self-Love

If we ever want to show love for others, it starts within ourselves.

Self-love is something you get to show yourself 365 days of the year! The more love you pour into yourself, the more you’ll have to pour into others.

Self-love comes in many forms and there’s no right or wrong way. It also looks different for everyone.

It can be forgiving yourself, giving yourself more grace, slowing down, resting, taking yourself out, treating yourself to a delicious dinner, allowing yourself to honor our boundaries, and so much more.

It’s ever-evolving, so give yourself what you need!

Speak your Companion's Love Language

Did you know there are 5 types of Love Languages and everyone ranks it differently?

You can make it a goal to figure out what your partner’s love language is and show them love in the way they receive love best!

It doesn’t have to be a bouquet of long-stem red roses, or a fancy dinner, maybe it’s just holding hands as you take an evening stroll.

It’s always a great idea to let our partner know how much we care and appreciate them for what they do for us. The more love you give, then more you get back!

Carve Out Time With Friends

As we get older, it’s easy to get lost in our own schedules, work, and family.

So one of the ways you can celebrate love is to check up on your friends and carve out some time to hang out with them.

Maybe it’s a 1 on 1 dinner date or a group going for wine-tasting together, I’m sure both you and they need a break from the routines of life.

Like they say, “a good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.” Like any relationship, they need tending to too.

Love goes beyond gifts and fancy demonstrations. How will you celebrate love this month? Let me know in the comments below!

Tips to Stay on Track With Your New Year’s Resolutions

It felt like the holidays were just days ago. Yet, we are almost done with the first month of 2023!

I get excited at the beginning of every new year. It feels like a fresh start every time. 

End of January usually means a time to check in with ourselves to see how we’re doing with the goals we set at the beginning of year. A couple of my goals include being healthier by opting for less sugar in my drinks and taking the girls to Asia for the first time this year!

Here are a few tips on how to stay on track with your resolutions.

Accountability is Your Best Friend

You can have great sounding goals and nice plans to get there, but if you don’t keep yourself accountable to sticking with them, then you might as well have not made any goals.

There are different ways to keep yourself accountable. Perhaps your goal is to drink 1 gallon of water everyday - you can keep accountability by utilizing habit trackers such as this one to see if you really are drinking 1 gallon of water everyday.

You can hire a coach to keep you accountable. They will ensure you stay on track and provide you coaching to shift your mindset about any limiting beliefs you may have.

Or you could even ask a friend who is also committed to their resolutions and become accountability partners.

Measurable and Tangible

Create goals that are measurable and tangible.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight, don’t just say, “I want to lose weight.” Instead, dictate exactly how much weight you want to lose or state the ideal weight you want to get at. “I want to lose 30lbs by December” and “I want to feel my healthiest at 140lbs” is much more effective.

Otherwise, even losing one pound would technically mean you met your general goal, but you know that’s not what you really mean.

So get clear and specific with your goals.

Ask Why, Not How

Figuring out how to get to your goals comes easy for some.

For others, trying to figure out how you’re going to meet your resolutions may feel overwhelming… which then can lead to inaction. If you knew how to get it done, then you would have achieved your goals already, right?

So if you feel like you’re the latter, try asking “Why?” questions. Why do you have this goal? Why is it so important to you? Why are you doing this?

It’s usually easier to answer these Why questions than coming up with how to get it done. Once you anchor yourself to your Why, it can be powerful enough to drive you to take action and figure it out along the way.

Write It Down

Did you know people are more likely to achieve their goals when they write it down?

One, it reminds you of the goals you have (because it’s so easy to forget things these days); two, you can visually see the goal and use visualization techniques; and three, it’s priming your mind to focus on reaching your goals.

So get out your favorite pen, write it out, and post your goal up somewhere you’ll be able to see it everyday. You can even put it on your phone lock screen!

And if you’re feeling inspired, take your written goals and create a vision board.

Reward Yourself

Something we get to do more of is acknowledging ourselves for the effort we’re putting in.

It’s important to also set rewards for yourself along the way. Make it fun. Don’t let it be all work and no play. You’ll end up burning yourself out and having a negative experience, which will deter you from achieving future goals.

Look at your goals and set some milestones with how you’ll reward yourself once you reach that milestone.

Don’t let your goals pass you by another year. Try these out and let me know what you think of them. Have a wonderful 2023 everyone!

Christmas Traditions That I Look Forward To

Christmas is just days away.

In addition to all the festivities, feasts, Christmas decorations, and cheer in the air, what I also love around this time are the traditions I have with my family.

Traditions give us something extra to look forward to. Here are a few of ours:

Always Spend Christmas Day Together

A tradition we always honor is spending Christmas Day together, no matter what. 

I didn’t have much growing up - there weren't a lot of gifts to go around during Christmas. What I did get was the gift of family time and I cherished that so much.

Now that I have my own family, I wanted to turn that into a tradition. The holidays are extra busy, but I make it a point to schedule things accordingly such that I can be available for loved ones on Christmas Day.

Wrapping Gifts Together as a Family

Some people see wrapping gifts as a chore, but I find a lot of joy in it!

The girls, Joe, and I would buy all the gifts for family, friends, teachers, and colleagues and then dedicate time together to wrap them all. We’ll pick out nice wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, or gift bags, and do as much as we can in one go!

Of course for the gifts we get each other we wrap in secret.

Watch a Christmas Movie

One of our favorite things to do is watch Christmas movies together once December hits.

We’ll gather snacks, hot chocolate, and blankets together and turn on the TV.

My favorite movie is Home Alone, the girls love The Grinch, and Joe loves watching Love Actually.

We would also watch new Christmas movies we find interesting in the mix.

Bake Cookies

If you follow my stories on Instagram, then you’ll know that we LOVE dessert!

So of course one of our traditions must include desserts somehow.

What we like to do is bake cookies. Our favorite is an all time classic - chocolate chip cookies!

The house feels so warm, not just from the heat coming out of the oven, but also the laughs and fun we have while baking the cookies.

We like to make little goodie bags with the cookies and gift them. Whatever is left (and we definitely bake extra), we enjoy our movie nights!

December 23rd Dinner Date

Another tradition I have may be uncommon, but I found it to be so necessary. Especially as a busy mom, influencer, and businesswoman!

Joe and I are together a lot, but that doesn’t mean our attention is towards each other. Our intentions are usually towards taking care of the girls or taking care of business. 

So what we like to do is have dinner by ourselves on December 23rd. Just me and Joe. 

This has been such a great tradition that I recommend for all couples who have kids!

What are some traditions that you have around Christmas time? Any of them uncommon, like the dinner date I have with Joe? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Celebrating Early Thanksgiving at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

There is so much to be thankful for.

I am blessed with my family, blessed to be doing what I love, and blessed with my health. I am grateful I am in a position where I can provide a better life for my kids and be able to take them traveling. 

I just took them to Maui, Hawaii where we stayed at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua as an early Thanksgiving celebration.

Here’s a recap of the highlights from that trip.

Spacious Suite

I have always been a fan of Ritz-Carlton properties because they have such beautiful rooms.

Our suite in Maui Kapalua had a big kitchen with a gorgeous marble island, a living room where we can relax together as a family, and a huge bedroom with a spacious en-suite bathroom! 

The suite also came with two lanais with a seating area, overlooking the lush green terrace of the resort.

I love how clean, beautifully decorated, and furnished these rooms are. Ritz-Calrton Maui, Kapalua really made our stay feel like home.

Dining With Maui Flair

There were many restaurant options to choose from at Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.

One of our favorite spots is The Banyan Tree. They have a vibrant new menu rooted in coastal cuisine inviting you on a journey to discover the bounty of the sea and roots of the land while incorporating the island's most unique and sustainable ingredients. We even got to enjoy sitting around their fire pit, snacking and drinking under the stars.

There are also kid-friendly places, such as The Burger Shack. The girls enjoyed their burgers while watching the surfers glide across the ocean waves.

What makes this location stand out from other RC properties are all the plants inside and around the restaurants. The array of colorful plants definitely elevates the dining experience. It feels like a tropical getaway everywhere you go.

Fun in the Sun

One of our favorite activities to do in Hawaii is to relax under the sun and play in the water.

The girls absolutely love water activities - they will stay in the pool or ocean for hours! 

We got a cabana at the resort where I got to unwind for a bit while getting some work done. It was great to see the girls laughing, playing, and relaxing themselves. Joe and I eventually got to spend some quality time, ordered some drinks, and caught up with one another.

I am grateful that I get to show my girls how they can create the life of their dreams and do what they love by being an example of it.

Stargazing and S’mores

Another reason (that I always rave about) why I love  Ritz-Carlton is because of how family-friendly the resorts are. There is something fun for everyone, at every age, as well as activities the whole family can enjoy together.

Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapala offers many activities under their Ambassadors of the Environment and I saw that they had one called Stargazing and S’mores.

This is where kids join them in the garden for a night of stargazing and s’mores while they learn the traditional Hawaiian star maps.

The girls loved it! They also got to make their own little ships, saw a lot of night creatures while immersing in stories that guided the original Hawaiians on their epic voyages across the seas.

It was such a wonderful experience for them to do on their own! I highly recommend it!

The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge at the Anuenue Room

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua boasts a newly reimagined club experience.

Club guests are able to enjoy a much more dedicated concierge service that combines comfort, exclusivity, and personalization. The relaxed lounge environment offers majestic views of the Bay Course.

The Club Lounge really redefines luxury. Here, they offer complimentary gourmet food and beverages throughout the day. At this particular location, the lounge also offers cocktail classes, cooking demonstrations, and Hawaiian cultural activities.

If you’re wondering if this is kid friendly, then you’re in luck. There are hands-on Hawaiian arts and crafts, along with classic board games, puzzles, chess, checkers, and cards to keep kids entertained. The Club Lounge also features cookie displays with delectable selections such as chocolate chip, pineapple shortbread, white chocolate macadamia nut, and lilikoi oatmeal. Perfect for both kids and their families to enjoy.

You can upgrade your stay to include The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounger at the Anuenue Room to create the ultimate getaway experience.

#RCMemories

Yet again, another vacation at Ritz-Carlton where we wished we stayed longer!

The views here are spectacular, the hospitality is incredible, and the memories are endless.

Maui was such a beautiful getaway and a wonderful destination to visit any time of the year. My family and I love The Ritz-Carlton, so I highly recommend staying at home away from home at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua!

Enjoy the holidays everyone. Remember to give thanks for all that you have.

10 of My Most-Loved Blogs Over the Years

The beauty of blogging is that you have an easy way to not just look back on photos through the years, but you can also remember what you were thinking. It’s already amazing to look back through my blogs during the pandemic – imagine what those will read like years down the road! I took some time recently to “scroll” down blog memory lane and thought I’d share some of my most-loved blogs with you today.

15 Things Readers Should Know About Me

Hello, I’m Rachel! I am thrilled you are on this mom life journey with me. While I can tell you that I am a Chinese-American mom and lifestyle blogger and I can show you all my fabulous finds, travel mementos, and delicious meals, there is more to me than what the Insta pics show. I am much more than a NYC mom blogger.

Do Your Kids Ask for Snacks All Day Long? Here’s What to Do.

Whenever the kids are home from school during the summer, it feels like a constant battle over snacks. They seem to want to eat all day long! They will literally ask for a snack thirty minutes after breakfast. First, they can’t possibly be hungry. Second, they will eat me out of house and home if I let them eat snacks every time they ask.

Why a Disney Cruise is Worth Every Penny

Over fall break, my family went on the Disney Fantasy Cruise. It. Was. Amazing! I know people often wonder if the price you pay for a Disney cruise in comparison to other family-friendly cruises is worth it. I am here to tell you that hands-down, a Disney Cruise is worth every penny! By the time you finish reading about our over-the-top cruise, you will want to start saving your pennies.

How I Make Kid-Free Travel Easier for Everyone

It’s no secret that I love to travel or that I love my girls. It is also not a secret that I strongly believe parents should take kid-free vacations. However, I realized that while I have told my readers the importance of heading away with their spouse and leaving the kids behind that I haven’t explained what I do to make it easier. Mom friends, I am here today to make it easier for you to leave the kids at home.

10 Festive Christmas Dates for Couples in New York City

During the busy holiday season, I think it is super important to spend time with my husband. It is too easy to get caught up in all the holiday busyness and stuff with my girls before I realize I haven’t had any good quality time with my man. Plus, the holiday season is romantic – why not take advantage of the added twinkling lights this time of year? I’ve gathered up ten wonderful Christmas date ideas for couples in NYC that will have you hunting for places to kiss under the mistletoe.

7 Tricks for Teaching Kids How to Budget

Financial literacy is so important, but unfortunately, it isn’t taught in many schools. That means it is up to parents to teach kids how to budget. Fortunately, this is much easier than it sounds. By giving your kids opportunities to practice budgeting, you are teaching them an essential lifelong skill.

How to Raise Glass Shattering Daughters

I came across the quote, “Teach your daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings.” It really spoke to me. I have two amazing, strong, intelligent, and beautiful daughters. I don’t want them to be held back by any glass ceiling. There’s a lot of talk about glass ceilings, and it is so exciting to be living in a time when women are shattering them right and left. But it still takes work. As their mom, I want to do all I can to help encourage my daughters to shatter glass ceilings. Here are some of the ways I am trying to raise my glass shattering girls.

The 6 Best Types of Birthday Gifts for Adults

I recently celebrated a birthday. Another long year and another long number added to my age. I believe birthdays should be celebrated – no matter how many birthdays you have had. Unfortunately, I have noticed that as we get older, we celebrate birthdays less and less. I’m here to say – no more! Birthdays are not just for kids or milestone birthdays! But, let’s face it. It is hard, as an adult, to decide how to celebrate an adult’s birthday. What do you give a woman who already has everything she needs? If you have a birthday coming up or are searching for ideas for a friend’s upcoming birthday, I proudly present the 6 best types of gifts for adults.

10 Wintry Ways for Families to Have “Snow” Much Fun in NYC

Do you remember when you were a kid and you were thrilled every time it snowed? If you are a New Yorker, that feeling has likely passed. But, if you are a mom, you have kids who are just as excited as you once were. The next time it snows, I hope you look for opportunities to embrace the magic of winter. To help you out, I’m listing ten of my favorite ways to spend a snow day in New York City.

A Few Ways to Keep Love Alive While You’re Busy Being Parents

I’d be lying if I said marriage is easy. It’s hard work, but it is work that is worth it. Who doesn’t want to be in love with their spouse? Yes, people fall out of love, but that isn’t what we are hoping for when we walk down the aisle. That being said, I know that it is hard to keep the spark alive when you are working parents. Here are a few suggestions to help you keep love alive while you’re busy being parents.

12 Trick or Treat Alternatives for Celebrating Halloween

As much as it breaks my heart, there will come a day when my girls don’t want to trick or treat. There may also be years when trick or treat just won’t work, like when bad weather blows in. Fortunately, just because you can’t trick or treat it doesn’t mean the fun has to end!

Check out these 12 trick or treat alternatives for celebrating Halloween.

1. Host a Halloween Party

No matter your kid’s age, a Halloween party is always a fun idea. Invite your friends or neighbors to come dressed in costumes. Put out bowls of candy and punch. Turn on some Halloween hits and let everyone enjoy the spooky evening indoors.

2. Have a Scary Movie Marathon

With all the streaming services available, it is super easy to plan the ultimate scary movie marathon according to your kid’s age. Head to Disney Plus for more family-friendly scares and HBO Max for more adult features.

3. Boo Your Neighbors

A new fad is to boo your neighbors. This means packing a bag or basket of Halloween goodies and leaving it on your neighbor’s doorstep. One idea is to “boo” the neighbors with the best decorated homes.

4. Get Spooked at a Haunted House

If trick or treating isn’t your kid’s thing and they want bigger frights, take them to a haunted house. Many of the haunted houses offer “do not scare” medallions that you can wear to alert the actors that you (or your kids) don’t want to be scared. This works well for families of kids of different ages.

5. Visit an Amusement Park

Many amusement parks offer special Halloween-themed events, such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, which are good for kids of all ages. You can enjoy the rides, as well as characters in themed holiday costumes and themed treats.

6. Carve Pumpkins

Spend Halloween decorating or carving pumpkins. Then, post pics to social media and ask your followers to vote for a winner.

7. Tell Scary Stories by the Campfire

If the weather cooperates, head outside to tell scary stories by the campfire and make s’mores. If you struggle with telling stories, ask your Amazon Alexa to tell you a few. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, cuddle up by the fireplace.

8. Find Your Way Out of a Corn Maze

See if you can find a corn maze nearby for your family to get lost in. Even better if you can find one that is open in the evenings. Some of these double as haunted corn mazes.

9. Take a Ghost Tour

Bigger kids may enjoy going on a ghost tour. There are many ghost tours in New York City, including Haunted Broadway and Candlelight Walking Tours.

10. Play Some Horror-Themed Games

Keep the spooky feeling going by playing a horror-themed board game. You can take Clue to the next level with games like Escape the Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment and Betrayal at House on the Hill.

11. Volunteer at a Halloween Event

With all the different Halloween events happening, there is a great need for volunteers. For example, if your kids are too old for Boo at the Zoo, sign up to volunteer at the event to make it enjoyable for the next generation.

12. Pass Out Candy to the Littles

When the day comes that your kids don’t want to go trick or treating, see if they will join you in passing out candy to the trick or treaters that show up at your door.

What trick or treat alternatives did I miss? Let me know in the comments!

How to Be There for a Friend When You Can’t Be There

The older I get, the more important my female friendships are to me. It’s hard to make new friends as an adult, so I try really hard to maintain those friendships I already have. But as we’ve gotten older, we’ve spread our wings and moved farther and farther away from each other. Fortunately, long-distance friendships are possible to maintain.

However, when my long-distance friends are going through one of life’s battles (cancer, illness, death, divorce, etc.), there is nothing I want more than to be there with her and give her a shoulder to cry on. But it isn’t always possible to actually be there sometimes. When I want to be there for my friend, but I can’t physically be there, here are some of the things I do.

1. Give Her Space to Talk

Sometimes all you need is someone to listen to – especially if you are going through a tough time. I try to give my friends the space to talk. I call or video chat after the kids are in bed or during lunch break in private, so I can give her my full attention.

2. Order Food

Food is much-needed sustenance, but if your suffering friend lives far away, you can’t drop off a meal on her doorstep or take her to a restaurant. But there are still plenty of ways you can her with delicious, nutritious food from far away. Consider ordering a meal for her via UberEATS or DoorDash. Order grocery delivery to her home address.

3. Send Funny Notes and Texts

Let her know you’re thinking of her by sending her texts regularly. Try to lift her spirits by sending her funny memes or jokes. Snail mail is also a great option.

4. Brighten Her Day with Flowers

Flowers are a wonderful way to show someone you care. In addition to ordering from an online florist, you can also use delivery services like DoorDash to pick up flowers from local supermarkets.

5. Mail a Care Package

Take time to assemble a package of items that your friend either needs or things that will simply show you know her and love her. For example, if your friend is going through cancer treatments, prepare a package with items that will make treatments easier. If your friend is going through a divorce, send her a package of items that give her a reason to remember she will laugh and love again.

6. Hire Someone to Help

If your friend is overwhelmed and can’t do everything she needs to do, find a way to provide assistance from afar. Does she have a dog she can’t walk? Look into hiring a dog walker via Rover. Does she need help with cleaning her home? See if you can find a house cleaning service. Is mowing the lawn too difficult? Hire a landscaping company to do a one-time cleanup.

7. Create a Playlist

A simple and easy way to show your friend you are thinking of her is to create a Spotify playlist just for her. Find songs that will inspire her and encourage her to keep fighting. Every time she plays it, she will feel a little better and will be reminded of her long-distance BFF.

8. Enjoy a Shared Interest

Take her mind off what she’s going through with a shared distraction. Suggest watching a new show together using the Netflix watch party feature. Find a book you can both read and then plan a time to discuss it with one another.

9. Help Her Relax

While you may not be able to go on a girl’s spa weekend with your friend, you can still help her feel pampered from far away. Put together a gift package full of at-home spa supplies. Or present her with a gift certificate to visit a local spa or nail salon for some much-needed R&R.

10. Don’t Wait for Her to Ask

My final tip is to not wait for your friend to ask for help. Too often, we have good intentions and say something like, “Let me know if you need any help.” The problem is that it can be hard to ask for help when you are going through something difficult. Instead of putting it on your friend to ask for help, look for ways you can help her and do them.

The Perfect Fall Day in New York for Families

Fall officially begins next week, and I am already itching to enjoy the perfect fall day in New York with my family! What I love about fall is that there are tons of activities to enjoy in the cooler weather. We simply have to find a free weekend day and we can experience all that has to offer.

So, then next time you have a free day and the weather is nice, use this as a basic planning guide.

Put on Your Cutest Fall Attire

The time has finally arrived to pull out your favorite fall fashion – boots, shawls, and boho chic. On the perfect fall day, you want to be picture-perfect for all the insta-worthy locales you’ll visit.

Start Your Day at the Farmer’s Market

Pick up a pumpkin spice from your favorite coffee shop and head to a local farmer’s market. In addition to picking up fresh produce and flowers, you can also enjoy a delicious fall breakfast of warm apple cider donuts. Fall doesn’t feel like fall until I taste it.

Head Out to Higher Elevations

After you’ve spent time wandering the farmer’s market, head up to higher elevations outside the city. The view of the beautifully changing fall foliage is worth the view. But I like to cap off my fall drive with a visit to one of the nearby apple orchards. We get a bushel of apples and take tons of pictures.

Stop for Pumpkins on the Way Home

As we head home, I like to stop at one of the local farms for pumpkins. We get several for carving and decorating. In addition to the fun of hunting for pumpkins, many of the local farms have other activities for kids to enjoy, such as hayrides.

TIP –If you are itching to decorate your pumpkin, choose to paint it instead of carving it too early.

Spend Time in the Kitchen

Take a break at home to do some fall cooking. Take some of the apples you picked and turn them into tasty treats. I love this simple healthy (and delicious) recipe for cinnamon apple chips. All you have to do is slice the apples, coat them in cinnamon and sugar, and bake them. Another simple healthy fall snack to make is roasted pumpkin seeds.

Visit the Illuminated Pumpkin Display

One of the best ways to spend an evening with your family in fall in New York is to visit The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Hudson Valley. These enormous, illuminated pumpkin display 9with over 7,000 pumpkins) lights up from September to November.

Curl Up and Watch a Spooky Movie

Finish the evening by curling up together and watching a spooky (or not-so-spooky) Halloween movie on Disney Plus. Don’t forget that Hocus Pocus 2 premieres on September 30th! Now is also the perfect time to enjoy some of the treats you made in the afternoon.

What perfect fall day activities have I missed? Let me know in the comments!