Rachel Brodsky

We've got a great three-day weekend ahead of us, and there's no shortage of ways to celebrate the unofficial start of summer! Governors Island celebrates its inaugural weekend with a featuring performances by Astrograss, the Maybelles and Arm of the Sea Theater, and kids can watch (or participate in) a grilled-cheese cook-off and a Slow Food--sponsored taco challenge, or cool off with some Van Leeuwen ice cream, at the . What's more, city beaches open to the public on Saturday, and Fleet Week is still going strong with tons of naval activities and tall ships in town for kids to enjoy. Families can likewise take a day trip back in time to Secaucus, New Jersey's brand-new prehistoric theme park, Field Station: Dinosaurs, which also opens on Saturday, or go for a ride on the historic Forest Park Carousel, spinning in Queens this weekend for the first time since 2009. Have a wonderful long weekend!

How many of you were at Randall's Island cheering on the players at last weekend's Quidditch World Cup? We took a ton of pictures from the game(s)—scroll through to see if you can spot your little witch or wizard! 

Every little New Yorker deserves to be treated like a princess now and then—and that's why we've compiled a list of the best places in New York City for little ladies to indulge their inner royalty. Whether they're eating dark-chocolate mousse at Alice's Tea Cup or having a Princess Adventure birthday party at Creative Dream Parties, there's no shortage princess-worthy places within the five boroughs. Read on for more of our favorite princess picks in the city. Have afternoon tea at Alice's Tea CupIf your tot has ever dreamed of sitting down for tea with the Mad Hatter and March Hare, then this restaurant is worth a trip down the rabbit hole. Tykes under age ten can sample Alice's special "wee tea," which includes tea, a scone, an entre and the appropriately oxymoronic "white rabbit" dark-chocolate mousse. (Feel free to bring baby along: The restaurant also offers a "pure of the day.") Next thing you know, your kids will be asking if they can have their next unbirthday party here.  Party like Eloise at the PlazaThe Plaza's most famous resident loves pink and black, so it's fitting that the 2,100-square-foot shop devoted to her is smothered in the color combination. Youngsters sink into pink bean-bag chairs to watch Eloise movies or read the classic books; drop letters to Eloise into a round, pink mailbox; and sip tea while perched on dainty, pastel-pink seats. Little princesses can also celebrate their birthday at the Plaza. The Essential Eloise package ($800) includes tea an

Families can celebrate the (almost) start of summer with the first ever Lemonade Day on Sunday, June 3. Hoping to help kids understand the value of starting, owning and operating a business, Lemonade Day, sponsored by the John & Amy Phelan Foundation and presented by Keller Williams NYC, invites kids to run their own lemonade stands at several spots around the city, including inside of a Fairway supermarket and outside of the Vinegar Factory on the Upper East Side (click here for a full list of locations). Kids and their parched parents can also stop by one of the stands to purchase a beverage and support our city's future entrepreneurs. While Lemonade Day may only lasts for a few hours, there are plenty of places around the city to enjoy a citrusy drink all summer long. Read on for some of our favorites. Astor Bake Shop Local families have flocked to this friendly, white-tiled corner caf since its June 2010 opening. In addition to a short savory menu and fresh-baked pastries (owner George McKirdy honed his skills at Tribeca Grill and Caf Boulud, among other spots), you'll find one of the most thirst-quenching bevvies around—the gingerade, an iced brew of lemon, ginger and anise, sweetened with honey. Astor Bake Shop, 12-23 Astoria Blvd at 14th St, Astoria, Queens (718-606-8439, astorbakeshop.com). Small gingerade: $2.50. BabyCakesBesides organic baked goods and sweets, BabyCakes offers agave-sweetened lemonade, a simple recipe of fresh lemons, agave nectar, cool water and ic

Memorial Day weekend is here, and there's no shortage of ways to celebrate the unofficial start of summer with your family. We found fun events for every day of the long weekend: Families can attend a festival on Governors Island, take a spin on a new carousel in Queens, see a life-size T. rex at Field Station: Dinosaurs, make cards for troops fighting overseas, kayak on the Hudson River and much more.

Having been to 175 countries, I’ve seen all types of metro systems. From rickety old wagons to state-of-the-art levitating trains, from the dodgiest of stations to ones that can be confused for museums. So how does the MTA compare?  The best parts about the New York's subway is that it runs around the clock and gets you almost anywhere.  There are less than half a dozen other systems in the world that run non-stop (more run 24 hours on the weekends) and with over 470 stations the NYC subway beats the next closest city (Shanghai with 364) by more than 100 stations! Though we’ve all had the confusion of, "How do I get across the avenues?" we can’t deny that you’re never too far from a stop. Compare this with Dubai where the main lines goes East to West and you must walk half a mile between the Dubai Mall Station and the actual mall! Though, rationally, we approve of the MTA constantly trying to improve, it’s still always a bit anxiety-inducing to see the infamous printed warning signs: “Weekend [Service] Update.” Sure, the MTA app is consistently updated regarding delays, but that hardly compares with the Tokyo Metro which runs late so rarely that when it does, it gives out apology slips. Another area where the NYC subway falls behind is with screens displaying wait times. These may by slowly expanding to more stations, but they're already standard for much of the world. The lack of these in some stations is a big surprise to visiting foreigners! The component where the subway