New things to try in the new year

There’s always something new and #FabULyss happening in New York City. I wanted to bring you a few of my favorites for the moms and tots.

There’s nothing more that I love than starting the new year off with a brand-new calendar. A new year means a fresh start! Are you ready to start 2015 fresh and organized — I wouldn’t want it to start otherwise. I found the most amazing organizer, Jodi Starr from Clarity. Decluttering, organizing, and breathing is what the business is all about. Her job is to do one thing: simplify your overwhelming clutter one methodical step at a time. By tailoring her approach to your specific needs, she will create the ideal environment to satisfy your aesthetic while also producing a lasting functionality. Regardless of the project — your home office, bedroom, closets, children’s room, kitchen, children’s schoolwork, paper management or a pre- or post-move situation — she will initiate a plan to make day-to-day living manageable and productive. Let’s face it, less mess is less stress! By taking simple steps created and taught by Jodi, you will feel like you can be organized once again. For more information about Clarity, visit www.clari‌tynyc.com.

Now at the legendary FAO Schwarz is Hiho Batik, an experiential retail store and art studio. The new shop on the second level of the famous toy store offers customers an opportunity to create one-of-a-kind pieces by participating in the batik process, which uses wax and dyes to create an image. Shoppers will be able to hand-paint their own T-shirts and tote bags, personalizing each item. The shop will also sell a special line of premade clothing and accessories, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags, created exclusively for FAO Schwarz. I took my younger son and niece to Batik and they had the best time. My son made a DJ T-shirt and my niece made a tote bag. If you are looking for something fun to do, make sure to visit the new shop. It’s also #FabULyss for children’s birthday parties.

Hiho Batik at FAO Schwarz [767 Fifth Ave. between E. 58th and E. 59th streets in Midtown, (212) 644–9400, www.fao.com/‌shop/‌index.jsp?c‌atego‌ryId=‌38105‌26, www.hihob‌atik.com]

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” Moms are always asking me about ways to keep their kids active and warm during the cold winter months. Fast Fundamentals, www.fastf‌undam‌ental‌s.com, is a wonderful program that keeps the kids active all year long. The program’s mission is to provide young and growing athletes with the opportunity to develop and strengthen a customized set of physical skills that will maximize their potential for a lifetime of activity. It prides itself on developing a proactively positive environment throughout all of its training sessions and promoting a philosophy of continual improvement rather than immediate performance when evaluating success. This type of environment is essential in motivating children to try new activities without a fear of failure. Your child will experience not only a noticeable improvement in his athletic performance, but also a huge boost in self-esteem and self-confidence. And besides training with the most wonderful coaches, you can also choose at which location your children will train. If you have a gym inside of your apartment building or belong to a gym, you can bring the coaches to your child. You can also have them meet you in a favorite park close to your apartment. They will work with your child’s needs and goals directly.

Breakfast, Babes and Blowouts is a new trend that DivaMoms started at the Louis Licari salon. New York City DivaMoms — and especially working moms — come early to the salon to get their hair blown out while the babies are entertained. Everyone is happy, mom and baby. Louis and I came up with this idea since I was bringing my baby to the salon since she was three months old. The salon is the most baby-friendly salon in the city. Everyone there loves babies. I felt so comfortable bringing my baby in tow that I of course started to tell all of my other mommy friends with babies to go. Most upscale salons tend to discourage clients from bringing their babies to appointments with them. We decided to embrace it! Make sure to visit www.divamoms.com for the next event. Happy moms equals happy children!

Breakfast, Babes and Blowouts at the Louis Licari Salon [693 Fifth Ave. between E. 55th and E. 54th streets Midtown, (212) 758–2090, www.louis‌licar‌i.com]

Lastly, moms and dads, do I have a spa for you!

We all want to look and feel our best from the inside out. It’s the new year and that means taking better care of yourself. DASHA, a luxury lifestyle brand and Manhattan-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness, is just the spot. The core of this approach is an understanding that a healthy lifestyle is a result of making positive changes in all areas of life.

DASHA is your destination for the health, wellness, and spa services that will have you standing tall, feeling healthy, and confident. DASHA’s integrated menu of lifestyle, and wellness services includes chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, Pilates, personal training, yoga, and a variety of fully customizable programs and packages. Whether you are an elite athlete or just starting your health journey, DASHA is the right partner for your path to wellness. This transformative process is grounded in its commitment to and confidence in all of its clients and the DASHA way of life. Enhance your well-being with DASHA. For more information please visit www.dasha‌welln‌ess.com. I know you will not be disappointed!

DASHA [115 E. 57th St. #520 between Park and Lexington avenues in Midtown, (212) 755–5500, www.dasha‌welln‌ess.com]

Lyss Stern is the founder of DivaLysscious Moms (www.divam‌oms.com).