Ten years ago when Jason and I moved into our neighborhood, I could never have anticipated how it would change so drastically- luckily in our favor. This little sort of suburb of NYC has become quite the family friendly neighborhood, with incredible schools, innovative playgrounds, and a recently overhauled shopping mecca with the great restaurants. Our neighboring building, the World Financial Center formerly hosted a number of restaurants and shops, but after September 11th, many moved out, so after so many years, its exciting to see the institution alive again.
This past week, the Brookfield Mall debuted a number of new shops including DVF, J. Crew, Lulu Lemon, to name a few. First thing that morning, I took the kids to check out the new shops, new market and restaurants, Le District. The opening is major, and I almost feel like we are living in a whole new area. While rediscovering our new neighbor, we stumbled upon the lovely exhibit Soft Spin. The work features six large fabric forms gracefully swirling overhead, emanating the sounds of voices in song. The kids were so intrigued we could’ve stayed there all day.
Back in November, I became an ambassador for the Tobacco Free Kids Campaign, to raise awareness about the retailers who are still selling tobacco. Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the US, taking an enormous toll in lives, health, and medical costs. On behalf of my family, I have taken a stance to only shop Tobacco Free Retailers. As a mom to three young children, it is my job to make choices that will effect their future in a positive way. Since I have joined the campaign, I have seen retailers such as CVS, Target, Trader Joes, and Whole Foods sign on, along with new companies like Balducci’s and The Medicine Shoppe. I’m happy to see more and more retailers hopping on board.
If neighborhoods could change, so could retailers by going Tobacco Free. Ideally, more retailers will join the campaign. We can all show our strength on numbers by not supporting stores who continue to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products. Take a stand. Do it now, and do it for your children.
3 thoughts on “Neighborhood Modification”
As a person with asthma, I fully support stores who DO NOT tell tobacco products. Had to have my hotel this weekend move my room because someone had smoked in the first one they gave me and I instantly couldn’t breathe.
Gorgeous pics as usual too!
I support his, as a daughter of a heart attack victim (he survived). The only good thing that came out of his heart attack was that he had to quit smoking, something that we could never convince him to do. I support Tobacco Free shopping.
I love that more companies like CVS are going tobacco-free. I lost my Grandfather to lung cancer….but he stopped smoking in the 1970s and I am positive that extended his life so much longer…….he danced with me at my wedding almost 40 years later!!