Things to Do in Danbury

Public and private tours of NYC's top pizzerias by bus and on foot.

As the year Y2010K dawns, fear and ambiguity aren’t limited to wondering what happened at the party last night. But only one man knows for certain what the new decade holds—and his name is Joshua the Psychic. His predictions are certainties, his present is the future, his sight is foresight, and, for unrelated reasons, his sourdough is pumpernickel. For $45, you’ll get access to his intangible abilities for 45 minutes, a $90 value. You can get your reading either over the phone or in person at his Upper West Side abode.

With two European-inspired quarter-mile courses, Grand Prix New York's sanctuary for speed captures the thrill of karting in the country's largest indoor race complex. Racers rumble and roar over speedways that change elevation six times, careen cars around 14 turns, and boast a gravitational pull quadruple that of a black hole. Drivers race in championship-caliber Sodi RX7 gasoline-powered karts equipped with race-proven safety-wrap systems and 6.5-horsepower engines that reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Six custom tracks help racers curb repetition, and tyke-friendly Brownstone and Tunnel tracks give mini racers the opportunity to get behind the wheel. Apart from its karting specialty, Grand Prix New York houses a bowling alley, billiards room, arcade, and bounce castle. The onsite restaurant, appropriately named Fuel, serves up a menu of quesadillas, burgers, fajitas, buffalo-chicken spring rolls, and pasta. Fully enclosed and air-conditioned, Grand Prix New York shelters families from heat waves and summer storms, offering a comfortable arena for healthy competition or proving that six failed driving tests can be a fluke.

For three days, the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show turns the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center into the nation’s most exciting parking lot. Deluxe rides from the likes of Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche dazzle attendees with sleek lines and plush interiors, and innovative autos such as the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt show off their efficient electric engines. The newest models from more than 25 other manufacturers line the floor, doors open for guests to lean back in the seats or measure how large a ham can fit in the glove compartment. During daylight hours, a lineup of drivable cars idle outside to give curious patrons the chance to try their dream rides.

At Village Center for the Arts, director Sharon Kaufman and co-owner Jayson Roberts lead art classes that span the creative spectrum, layering in lessons that detail their respective specializations. Kaufman, a teacher for 19 years, uses the pottery wheel to shape most of her work, and Roberts excels in the art of wood building. To help maintain positive energy, the duo carefully selects teachers and staff members who can communicate artistic concepts in fun, engaging ways that don't require actual engagements or wedding DJ contracts.

The center's art classes, camps, and open studio hours put students in the same space as the painting and sculpting experts. And the studio itself—a large colonial house capped with a classical pediment—provides guests with the comforts of working in a home-like setting without home-like limitations of owning only one Bob Ross DVD or having plenty of face paint but only one grandmother.

My Gym, which currently has more than 200 international locations, was founded more than 20 years ago as a structured place for children to safely play, acquire new skills, and romp off a sugar buzz. Tots as young as 6 weeks can take a month or two of weekly classes, all designed to incorporate the latest physiological, psychological, and meteorological research. One-hour Waddlers sessions for babies and parents introduce tots aged 14–22 months to mobility, agility, and social skills as they build block towers and participate in puppet shows. Other classes include Tiny Tykes, a class for parents and babies that focuses on movement, as well as Mighty Mites and Whiz Kids, classes for more independently mobile children aimed at mastering motor skills to build strength, balance, and agility.

For older kids, independent gym classes such as Champions and Cardionastics build self-esteem, fitness skills, and muscles for future speed-texting showdowns. My Gym's energetic instructors are experts at using music, dance, and gymnastics to develop youngsters' strength while stimulating their giggle-plexes—carving out a place for creativity and face-to-face engagement in the face of technological temptations and giant robotic faces.