JENNIFER HUNG-ZANARINI
OCCUPATION: Managing Director at Nanny, Tata & Co. I find qualified nannies and other household staff for families worldwide.
MY STYLE IS: Classic chic with an ethnic touch. My everyday look is pretty much jeans, a white t-shirt, and a motorcycle jacket. I like to accessorize outfits with a je ne sais quoi layer of ethnic inspired jewelry and sexy, colorful heels. I love Vanessa Bruno t-shirts, J Brand cropped skinny jeans, and classic Hermès belts. And shoes by designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Guiseppe Zanotti, and Stella McCartney dominate my closet.
I LOVE NEW YORK BECAUSE: New York has a certain energy and style, I can run into a Gap Kids at 9pm and get a manicure at 11pm on a Sunday night. The city has an intelligent, motivating, creative and aspirational vibe that does not exist anywhere else in the world. I have seen this city evolve into an amazing place for families. Every neighborhood has parks, classes and activities for preschoolers—you have zoos, ice skating rinks, museums, FAO Schwartz, and of course Central Park… what more could a kid or parent want!
Gramercy Park Hotel
Gramercy Park Hotel was built in 1925 on the site of Edith Wharton's birthplace, and its opulent interiors live up to the standards of the foundation it was built on. The hotel’s fantastical and meticulous interiors boasts a lobby that practically doubles as an exhibition space for contemporary art heavyweights such as Julian Schnabel, Andy Warhol, and Damien Hirst. This along with the impeccable service available has earned the hotel five stars (as well as the keys to the private Gramercy Park across the street). Take in the view from the tree-lined Gramercy Terrace, or stay indoors and enjoy one of the hotel's two bars or award-winning trattoria, Maialino.
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The Lego Store at Rockefeller Center
The Lego Store at Rockefeller Center might as well be an amusement park. A jungle gym of events, activities, and model displays, it’s home to the nation’s tallest "Pick a Brick" wall—which allows little builders to find the shape and color to accommodate any Lego blueprint. Download the monthly schedule listing upcoming classes or enroll your kid in the in-store club for month-long building sessions that result in one amazing structure (and maybe some new friends).
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Fresh
The company’s name is the perfect description for its products—which range from facial and hair care, to makeup and fragrance. We love browsing the flagship location at Union Square—with its bakery display of soaps and an apothecary setup that allows shoppers to leave with a bespoke perfume. But if you prefer to leave it to the experts, the retailer offers ten distinct fragrances that are as intoxicating as they are fresh.
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Angelika Film Center
Angelika Film Center is an obvious movie night choice with its eclectic mix of Hollywood titles and indie gems. But the reels aren’t the only thing that make this SoHo theater special. Above the screening rooms is a lovely café, where patrons with or without a movie ticket can enjoy a full menu in a smart, cozy atmosphere. Grab a milkshake or a fresh brownie (a great alternative to Sno-Caps and Maltesers!) to take into the show.
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Balthazar
Getting into Balthazar without a reservation will undoubtedly require at least a small wait, but we promise the Michelin-recommended brasserie, bakery, and seafood bar is well worth it. Balthazar boasts mastery over French favorites like croque-monsieur, moules frites, and salade niçoise, to name a few basic items on the menu. The restaurant is an ideal lunch spot during a day of SoHo shopping, but all meals can be enjoyed in the restaurant’s inviting interior. Just be sure to leave room for desert—the bakery’s chocolate pot de crème, mango cheesecake, and tarte du jour should not be missed.
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Madison Square Park Conservancy
It’s hard not to love Madison Square Park. Not only is it home to the Shake Shack flagship (and situated next to foodie favorite Eataly), but it also strikes a delicate balance between children’s playground and mom paradise. Shaded benches offer a perfect view of the playground and rotating exhibitions of contemporary art offer something besides the swing set to admire. The conservancy also has an extensive children’s program—Mad. Sq. Kids—that hosts festivals, concerts, and art series. Check the park’s website for dates and details.
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MoMA
What to say about this New York institution founded in 1929 by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller and friends? Perhaps that it’s the preeminent museum of modern art in the world. Even non-art buffs will recognize plenty, as the building’s five floors are filled with iconic works by Modern and Contemporary Art masters: Dalí, van Gogh, Warhol, Picasso, Matisse, Lichtenstein, de Kooning, Munch, Rousseau, Chagall, Mondrian, Monet, Cézanne, Pollock, Wyeth, Kahlo…the list goes on. The relatively pricey admission fee of $25 is waived Friday nights, which makes the museum especially crowded. For something a bit more leisurely, bring the paper and sit in the lovely sculpture garden. It may be the best place to admire Yoshio Taniguchi’s structure, which is impressive and, yes, very modern. Photo courtesy of: Timothy Hursley/MoMA
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American Museum of Natural History
“All the bugs and animals keep my sons entertained for hours,” says Jules Reid of The American Museum of Natural History, the city’s scientific mainstay. Founded in 1869, the museum quickly outgrew its first digs before moving to its current location on Central Park West. We love the wide range of exhibitions and activities, catering to any field your child could possibly fancy. Don’t miss the life-sized replica of the blue whale in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, or the built-to-scale Tyrannesauras Rex, created almost entirely out of 65-million-year-old bones, in the Fossil Halls.
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Central Park Zoo
It’s easy to miss the zoo among the 843 acres of park that surround it, but to do so would be to pass up sightings of sea lions, snow leopards, exotic birds, and a wealth of other species not typically associated with the five boroughs. Check the zoo’s website for a list of exhibitions, current attractions and activities, and don’t miss a walk through the Tisch Children’s Zoo—a compact nature trail with a playground, a feeding station and a duck blind for the secret observation of pond animals.
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