Had my mother just gotten me some roller skating lessons, ice skating lessons….ANYTHING, I would have been able to make out with someone at Skate City in middle school, instead I sat on the bench- wearing skates, and playing Pac Man. At Chelsea Piers your inner kid could live for an entire DAY, skating isn’t all they offer….HOWEVER, if you’d like to make up for lost time and learn those moves you wish you’d known at all of the 7th grade birthday parties that would have helped seal the deal with So and So who ended up kissing someone else under the disco balll…..take some skate lessons here. Or just look like a jackass like I did while clinging to the sides of the wall, the entire time.

When I was little the only way that my parents could get me to eat dinner was by allowing me to eat ice cream first. We had a business deal, an understanding. I kept up my end of the deal, as long as I had my pick of vanilla or chocolate. I still get my cravings for a double scoop and at Cones, I’ve graduated from simple vanilla to a more adult flavor; coffee mocha chip. Feed your craving and let your inner kid have that extra scoop….come on.

Remember when you were little and your parents signed you up for EVERY ACTIVITY ON THE PLANET?? No? Oh, well let me just tell you….I was involved in tennis, soccer, painting, acting, knitting (yes. knitting.) and my favorite; dance class. Whether you’re a man or a woman there is a dancer in all of us, and the best part about it- you can take a beginner class so you don’t look like a complete A-hole. Put on your pink tights and wrap you hair in a bun (might I add then when I did this, I realized pink tights don’t look quite as cute on an adult body. That was a sad realization) or put on your tap shoes and “shuffle off to Buffalo” or something.

Till this day I make collages. Oh yeah, I have tape and glue sticks, feathers, beads and neon pipe cleaner. Anytime I was bugging my Mother she set me in front of the “craft table” and let me have at it….as adults, the only “crafty” things we do are hang up shelves in our homes or paint our kitchens, which isn’t so much fun as it is a pain in the butt. Little Shop of crafts feeds all of my crafty desires. Whether you want to bead a necklace, paint a wooden birdhouse or make a scrapbook. From all of the crafts I buy, Martha Stewart should watch herself….I’m coming up.

Peanut Butter, used to make me gag. I mean literally the sight of it had me gagging….it probably has something to do with the abundant amount of times my mother gave me spoonfuls of peanut butter for a “snack.” It has taken me years to actually enjoy it. When i found Peanut Butter& Co, I was seriously craving a Flutter Nutter Sandwich (marshmallow and peanut butter) and discovered not only could they cater to my needs in that way, they could also infuse a little white chocolate deliciousness with my nuts, oh man…perfection. Peanut Butter sandwiches remind me so much of my childhood and luckily, I’ve stopped gagging and have started enjoying the creamy goodness.

When I first saw Wicked I remembered when I made my grandparents play The Wizard of Oz on repeat every time I saw they babysat me. The story, the characters, all of it was so magical and when put into full Broadway production, the magic remains. It’s incredible how people can bring to life such a whimsical story, and make these characters that you grew up with seem incredibly real. Flying monkeys, people floating in bubbles, dancing munchkins, everything you ever thought a “Oz” would be. I’ve seen the show four times, it’s that incredible.

Last Christmas I decided to take my little sister to a baking class as a present. Truly, it was for my own selfish desire to eat cookies and cover my hands in batter…just like a kid. My favorite thing was learning how to cook from my Mom, Dad and Grandma, so as I became an adult and realized I hadn’t retained much of their teaching- I started taking cooking classes. Like a beginner, learning the tools for making a nice steak or decorating a cake. Teach your “inner kid” how to make something other than a good bowl of cereal.

Yes, I already included ice cream, but how could you deprive your inner kid of a nice BIG lollipop? Or five. The Sweet Life made me feel and act like, “a kid in a candy shop” literally. Not as intimidating as Dylan’s Candy Bar (which is still delicious), I went in a picked my treats without too much indecision. Sour gummy candy and swirly lollipops make you feel like you stepped on the set of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory…so, eat yourself into a sugar induced coma and don’t whine at Mommy and Daddy when you have a tummy ache, it was so worth it.