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How To Celebrate Mother's Day in New York City

By Rebecca Ngu | March 10, 2016 12:56pm | Updated on May 6, 2016 7:03pm
 Spend Mother's Day outside picnicking in the New York Botanical Garden.
Spend Mother's Day outside picnicking in the New York Botanical Garden.
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New York Botanical Garden

Have a picnic at the New York Botanical Garden, at 2900 Southern Blvd. in Fordham

The New York Botanical Garden's annual "Mother's Day Weekend Garden Party" on May 7 and 8 will be the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your mother while enjoying the spring weather. Park-goers can picnic on Daffodil Hill with nearby food trucks, paint watercolors, create Mother's Day cards, listen to poetry readings, watch tap or modern dance performances and tour the garden to learn about its flora and fauna. All-Garden Passes are priced at $30 for adults, $27 for students and seniors, and $15 for children (2 to 12). Children under 2 and members are free. 

Take her out for brunch

Sharing a good meal together is always a solid way to spend quality time, but finding the best brunch spot is an overwhelming task. We've picked out a few for you to choose from:

• Sage General Store, 24-20 Jackson Ave., Long Island City
The Sage General Store features traditional and contemporary American fare primarily sourced from small, family-run farms. For brunch, it features well-stuffed sandwiches and burritos, sprightly salads and specialty pizzas made from organic dough. Brunch patrons can indulge in all-you-can-drink mimosas, Bloody Mary's and select beers for $15. 

• ABC Kitchen, 35 E. 18th St. Union Square 
If you don't mind shelling out a little more for a restaurant long committed to serving locally sourced, fresh and safe food, try out the ABC Kitchen in Union Square. The farm-to-table restaurant features a detailed brunch menu that changes seasonally but maintains an eye for delectable details. 

• Penelope, 159 Lexington Ave., Murray Hill 
For a cozy and rustic affair, swing by Penelope in Murray Hill. A neighborhood establishment, it features comfort food such as mac 'n' cheese, risotto, fish and chips and chicken pot pie in addition to a wide array of soups, salads and sandwiches with homemade bread. 

• Alice's Tea Cup, Upper West Side and Upper East Side
If she's looking for something lighter, you could tickle your mother's whimsical side and go to Alice's Tea Cup, a fanciful tea house inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" that offers buttery scones, a an array of mellifluous teas, and adorable sandwiches. It has three locations in the Upper West Side, Lenox Hill and Yorkville. 

• Prune, 54 E. 1st St., East Village
This cozy restaurant, founded in 1999 by award-winning chef Gabrielle Hamilton, is a popular East Village eatery with quality fare. Their brunch menu ranges from sweet to savory, featuring Dutch style pancakes, classic eggs benedict, sausages and oysters and more. Prune also offers an extensive array of Bloody Mary's — over eleven kinds!

Gift her a spa treatment

For a day of complete relaxation, let your mother escape into the warm, steamy bliss of a spa or bath house. You can start looking for places by checking out our list of the best bath houses and spas to warm up in the city. 

• Oasis Day Spa, 1 Park Ave., Murray Hill
If you're looking for a good massage, you'd do well to check in to Oasis Day Spa in Murray Hill, which offers every kind of massage imaginable, from deep-tissue to aromatherapy, for 30, 60 and 90 minute intervals. Individual massages range from $70 to $220 dollars. Gift cards are available on their website.

• Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa at the Plaza Hotel, 1 W. 58th St., Midtown
If you'd prefer a quality facial, the Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa at The Plaza is famous for their unique facial and body treatments that incorporate grape products inspired by the Bordeaux region of France. The spa offers patrons wines and cheeses to munch on while getting pampered. People rave that its all-natural products and deeply cleansing techniques that leave you feeling radiant are worth the steep prices, which average a little over $100 for a 50 minute facial or body treatment.