I have some friends who recently moved to Pittsburgh, and they tell me it’s like a diamond in the rough.  Head to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden, and you’ll see why!  From the LEED-certifed Welcome Center (the first of it’s kind in any public garden in the US), to the Giftshop that promotes the largest amout of fair trade items from Third World countries, the Phipps Conservatory is a green-lovers haven.  The Cafe serves locally grown, organic food with compostable servingware; and, of course, there’s the 13-room Victorian greenhouse and outdoor gardens.  Your kids will love to explore the hands-on activities in the Discovery Room, glimpse butterflies in the Stove Room, or take a crafts class in the Education Center.

Extra special this summer and fall is the Chihuly at Phipps: Garden and Glass exhibit.  If you’ve never seen Dale Chihuly’s glasswork in nature, please don’t miss this opportunity!  We went to see him last summer - kids love the enormous, colorful glass sculptures hiding among spectacular foliage.  Now go stop and smell the roses…

Tired of the old Sunday afternoon melty ice-cream outing? If you live in the New York metropolitan area, Habana Outpost is the way to turn a day with your kids into an adventure in green-fun!  Located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, (no pun intended) Habana Outpost is the first eco-eatery in New York City, meaning everything from the solar-paneled awning that powers everything, to the herb garden, to the sugar cane plates, will amazing and delight you.  Run, don’t walk to try the smoothie ‘Bike-Blender,’ powered by you!   Shop at the Weekend Open-Air Market, where you can find vintag-y goods and crafties galore!  And of course, check out the Kid’s Corner…”John the bee man” makes homegrown honey with his real bees!  Help water the garden with collected rain water!  There’s face painting, crafts, even demonstrations on composting and recycling, for kiddies only! 

I hear the food is amazing too…grilled corn and other Latin specialties, yum!  Check out the Calendar for Sunday night movie times, ASPCA adoption days, and more teensy fun!  Hit the Shop to find Outpost goodies!  Just go there already!