It makes me want to make

Feeding Taiyo has been a challenge lately. Last year when I started this blog it seemed quite promising. Taiyo was quite adventurous eater who would agree to eat at any restaurant, would try every vegetables and most foreign food, and would appreciate different flavors. I thought by now we would be enjoying even fine dining experience. But now, he hardly eat vegetables, especially something green, and doesn't even like most fruits he used to enjoy. So when we go out to eat, the category is usually limited these days. And even if the restaurant falls into his choice of categories, he may still have objection. On Saturday I asked him what he wants to go eat, the answer was pizza. So we went to look for a pizza place. I wanted to sit down and be served, but wanted to try some place new, so the choice was a bit limited. First choice I offered him was not approved. "I want some place cool," he said. "What's wrong with that place?" "It has numbers on it." True, it had numbers in the restaurant name, and somehow it wasn't cool to him. So we went down the street and he agreed to go in.

Nicoletta, on Second Ave at 10th Street, is more of a cool hang-out joint than a family-friendly pizza restaurant. I didn't ask, but there was no sight of high chairs, and we weren't asked if we need one. (We don't need one anyway.) But the place was nearly empty for late afternoon lunch (which was good for us) and the staff was very friendly to Taiyo (which is very nice) and Taiyo was immediately enchanted with the buttons on the table (which were for pizza stands.) He enjoyed rubbing two knives together like he was sharpening them, and messing with the blinds behind him. I ordered to small plates, chickpea fritters, and fingerling potatoes, but he only tried one chickpea fritter. He said it was good, but didn't have any more. We had a 'classica' pizza with mozzarella, pomodoro, and basil, and Taiyo made me pick out basil leaves off his slice. It was pretty good, but bready not so memorable pizza. Well, it was fairly pleasant experience but there was nothing really special that would bring us back there.

On Sunday we made it to Queens to the event I was looking forward to all year- Maker Faire at the Hall of Science. It is this amazing celebration and presentation of every creative talents. I think this event was really made for us.

Taiyo had encounters with robots of every size, shape, and task, was fascinated with every curious sculptures, objects and vehicles, yet kept asking to go play mini-golf which he has enjoyed in the past trips to the Hall of Science. "But you can play mini-golf any other time of the year! This fair is only once a year," I told him. And I was able to distract him with something interesting at every corner. I did feel that last year's fair was even better, but this year Taiyo was able to appreciate and participate more. They had pretty good food option, too. We were in the line for Gerard's Paella for 15 minutes. Taiyo kept saying he wanted something else, but when we finally got our paella and he agreed to taste it, he couldn't stop. He ate most of it, except shrimps. Later we also enjoyed a pupusa and empanada. We stayed til the very end of the event. We'll miss it for another year.