How many children do you have? Tell me more about them!
I have 2 kids: Benji (3 years old) and Sophie (18 months). They are the best things that have ever happened to me. Benji loves Cars and Spiderman and is the best buddy to watch a movie and cuddle on the couch with. Sophie knows how to get a good laugh out of me. She is the happiest toddler, always singing and dancing and pushing around her princess dolls in a stroller. They are truly best friends and my heart melts every time they kiss, hug, and dance together.
Do you live out east year-round? If not, where do you live and why do you like it out east?
I live on the Upper East Side during the year, but love going out east. I grew up going to Punta del Este, Uruguay with my family, which is the South American equivalent of the Hamptons, and that’s where I have the best memories of my childhood. When I moved to NY from Buenos Aires, I started going out east in the summer and eventually realized there was plenty to do and see throughout the year. I love getting in the car with the family, sipping iced coffees, and listening to Disney soundtracks during the ride out.
Favorite beach for kids/families?
Long Beach in Sag Harbor
Favorite month to be out east?
September – weather is still great, and crowds are gone!
Best place to watch a sunset?
Sunset Beach in Shelter Island. If you go the weekend after 4th of July, there’s fireworks right after sunset.
Best place for day date?
Gurneys in Montauk
What restaurant do you feel is so busy and well known but 100% worth the hype?
Tutto il Giorno in Sag Harbor
Favorite children’s store?
Stevenson
Favorite women’s clothing store?
Love Shack Fancy
Favorite children’s clothing store?
Roberta Roller Rabbit
Best restaurant for kids out east?
Sag Pizza & post-beach gelato at Sant Ambroeus
Best summer day, what would it look like?
Early family walk, breakfast, pool, nap, beach, BBQ with friends
Favorite workout in the Hamptons? Other than chasing your kids around!?
Fred De Vito’s barre class at Exhale
Hardest part about being a mom?
Finding a work-life balance.
Best spots and tips in the Hamptons for kids?
The Children’s Museum yearly membership! They have so many activities year-round. We also love riding ponies at the Little Red Barn in Jamesport. And OF COURSE, the beach!
Anything you want our readers to know about you or mom related?
I am very excited to launch Broadway Bees summer camps this June at the Children’s Museum in Bridgehampton. Our long-term goal is to offer more weeks of camps and year-round classes.
After a decade of running after-school programs and camps in the US and around the
world, mom friends Valentina and Sofia created Broadway Bees, a safe space where
kids and teens can learn musical theatre while enjoying the process. Spend a week at
our musical theatre camps training with Broadway’s best teaching artists. Meet new
friends and have fun learning to dance, sing and act to your favorite show tunes. Our
camps are process oriented, we encourage collaboration, work ethics and respect while
fostering lifelong friendships amongst our campers.
Mention HAMPTONS MOMS and receive 10% before April 15th
I recently responded to these questions for another interview too if you would like to include any…
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
After becoming a mom, several mom friends asked me to start producing programs for locals. During a playdate with my business partner Sofia, we decided to merge her after-school program expertise with my camp experience, which developed into Broadway Bees, a safe space where kids and teens can learn musical theater, while enjoying the process.
What do you feel differentiates you from others in your field?
We have been working on Broadway for almost a decade and our programs are up to date with the latest techniques used on Broadway. We also offer theater programs in various languages, including Spanish, which is very valuable. We are both very nurturing and want our students to relax and enjoy theater like we do, without the pressure of having to be the best or having previous experience. We want our students to discover their personalities and who they are as artists by staying true to themselves and making new life-long friends.
What do you feel gives you longevity in this big city with so many options?
Quality and trust. We are experts in the theater education field and develop rich curriculums for each age group. We hire the best teaching artists and work very closely with them to plan each class. We both love what we do and that shows in our work and I think parents and students like and trust that.
How do you positively impact your clientele?
We always say that our work doesn’t end in the classroom. We hope that all the values and skills our students learn are transported into their day to day lives. Broadway Bees is a community and we hope that once students and parents join us, they become part of our family forever.