Tara-Michelle Ziniuk

From skill-building to forging connections to—of course—chowing down, these food-focused organizations are making a difference in their communities
We all know food brings people together. Across cultures and communities, food is a frequent focal point for gatherings—which means kitchens often become a social hub within our homes. Lately, though, initiatives known as “community kitchens” are taking that concept public.
They’re all places where you can support your community through food, but ...

Sometimes I roll my eyes at anti-bullying efforts — campaigns on public transit, reports from school assemblies (because anti-bullying is weirdly often taught via puppets), TV plotlines. It’s terrible of me, but true.
For all that still needs to be done — and there’s lots of that — kids get a lot of messaging about bullying at home and at school through the media they consume. And through books, so many books.
I’m a writer and a parent, and books...

Chitwan National Park, in Nepal, is now known as a popular safari destination for tourists, offering and guided tours through the jungle, and boasting many, many plant and animal species. But this is also a park with decades — and beyond — of rich history.

Located in south-central Nepal, this 932 square kilometre (360 square mile) area is actually Nepal's first national park and was the first protected area in the country. It was declared a national park in 1973 — then at 543 square kilometre...

Activated charcoal: an unlikely ingredient for skin and hair care’that works!
Putting charcoal in your hair and on your face might not seem glamorous, but it’s proven to have many health and beauty benefits when used safely and properly.
Activated charcoal is not what’s used for grilling’though it is a medical grade version of what’s used in air filtration systems. Activated charcoal is administered in hospitals as emergency treatment for poisoning; as chemicals bind to it, it can help remove...

Women are feeling lighter and reinvigorated because of activated charcoal juice
Did someone say, charcoal juice? Indeed, a lot of people are saying it. High-end juice companies are adding activated charcoal to their products because the charcoal can absorb toxins from the body and leave you feeling renewed. You’re probably wondering if this seemingly odd idea can actually help purify and energize. It can. Once you’re over the look of a bottle of black juice, you’re well on your way.
Activated...

We take a look at some of the very delicious but possibly strange produce that's available during the summer months.

Fiddleheads
Fiddleheads are in season for a very short amount of time each year. They are the young leaves of ferns, before they become uncurled. Fiddleheads sold in stores and at farmer’s markets are a particular variety of fern. It is important to note that not all ferns are edible, and some are quite dangerous to eat. To cook fiddleheads, rinse the brown bits off in cold wat...

Moon Nightlight
This sophisticated moon nightlight design from Kikkerland works in any bedroom, or even bathroom or hallway. We can see this nightlight being a piece that is carried over way past when you're kids actually need a nightlight. There is also an Earth version available, if your little astronomer wants to keep things closer to home.
This sweet print is a quote from treasured book Guess How Much I Love You and with the fun rocket ship theme makes a great addition to a space bedroom....

Food trend predictions have been saying it’s going to be “the year of the cauliflower” for, well, years.

Whether it’s on-trend or not, cauliflower is nutritious, tasty, and surprisingly inexpensive. And yet it is still an underdog when it comes to commonly used vegetables. Pick some up and try one of these unexpected twists on cauliflower for your next family meal—you won’t regret it.

Cauliflower crust pizza
It makes sense to be skeptical about this one, but if you have a pizza lover in the h...

The story of a Brooklyn woman who offered motherly advice for $40 an hour went viral a little while ago. People seemed bewildered at the arrangement. The arrangement, as it were, is this: Nina Keneally, 63 and a mother “with 30+ years of experience” noticed that 20-somethings in the Bushwick area were mom-less. Often having relocated from smaller cities and towns, they were lacking a nearby mom perspective.
She also noted that even those with relationships to their own mothers would often app...

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Written by Tara-Michelle Ziniuk
Gone are the days of what we used to think of as school lunches: peanut butter and jam sandwiches and a pre-packaged baked treat. And that’s a good thing, which doesn’t always mean it’s easy to get inspired. While I’m a sucker for the Pinterest-board school lunches in sea and space shaped cut-outs, the truth is we all really want is to be packing healthy lunches our kids will eat. Here are some ideas for lunches that don’t happen between two piece...

How Much is that Puppet in the Window?

If you drive along Dupont St. near Symington Avenue, you may see something dancing in a shop window. This would be the ever-changing and ever-charming window display of Open Door Designs, a puppet specialty shop owned and operated by Joanne Bigham.
Step inside the small store and you’ll notice every type of puppet imaginable, from plush animals and traditional wooden marionettes to Muppet-like creatures and simple hand puppets. Keep looking and you’ll no...

It’s All About the Coffee

In October of 2012, Carlos Flores and Sandra DeSilva committed to a lifestyle change. They'd owned a café before but found brunches and baked goods a distraction from what they really wanted to be focused on: coffee.

The duo, who are partners both in business and in life, opened Café Con Leche on a sleepy strip of Dupont near Symington. While it was a bold move given the limited walk-by traffic, they also had no competition in the area. Carlos says the biggest surpri...

BY TARA-MICHELLE ZINIUK
As a queer parent, a single-parent-by-choice, a lower income and oft-underemployed parent, it’s rare that I see myself represented in the pages of children’s books. Mothers in kid lit are overwhelmingly straight, white, cisgender, thin, middle class, married and able-bodied. They are depicted with one gender presentation. But in the schoolyard, on public transit, in the library — in real life — this is such a small fraction of mothers.
So, in advance of Mother’s Day, I...

By Tara-Michelle Ziniuk
Photo by @breejohnsonphoto via Twenty20
Lately I’ve been posting old photos on Instagram. My daughter, Anna, as a toddler in a denim vest, in a firefighter helmet, in a fuzzy grey bear suit. As friends and acquaintances around me keep making babies — girl babies, in particular — I see similar photos posted: the tiny plaid shirts, the brown corduroy overalls, the space-themed sleepers. The implied “girls can be and wear anything they want” ever present.
But if the whole...