On sunday morning, we finally got it together to head out to attend "Bring Your Own Kid" concert at TribecaY. Or we thought. It was cancelled due to yesterday's early snow of the season, since the band was coming from Pennsylvania. Bummer. So we headed a few blocks up to the Children's Museum of the Arts, and did some drawing and drumming at the music time, which I think is the best thing they offer. Taiyo always goes fot the real djembe drum, not a kid drum. The museum was way too crowded with west side brats, as our first visit last earlier this month, and Taiyo was ready to head out again sooner than I thought. I was happy enough to leave the crowd.

We went a few blocks up on Hudson and found EN, Japanese Brasserie at Hudson and Leroy, open for brunch. This was the most chichi restaurant we've been to. Interestingly, this kid-unfriendly restaurant (spacious but no high chairs) had many tables with families with babies or kids. They did bring Taiyo a plastic cut with water, but didn't have any wooden bowl or smaller utencils- they gave him a nice ceramic bowl and large silverware neatly placed in a wooden box. Taiyo did enjoy looking around the pretencious interior, and didn't feel totally out of the place with the presence of other small people, so he comfortably and happily screamed in his highest pitch that echoed in the place. When I mentioned the red bean pancake on the menu, his mind was so set for the pancake, so that's what we ordered, along with o-banzai, kyoto style little dishes. When the plates arrived, he snatched up strawberry halves off the plate, and started digging into the pretty pancake. I cut up some pieces for him because it was really tough. Oh, boy, it was the toughest pancake we were served anywhere. It surely looked pretty, but the pancake was this dense blob- obviously they didn't know who much baking powder to add to the batter. Taiyo spit out some of it, but ate alot of it. Small dishes were wonderful and delicious- Taiyo enjoyed sweet potato shira ae, and I truly loved yuzu-flavored mushroom ohitashi. But I could not forgive them for serving us that most horrible pancake for $15. Service was also terribly slow- not recommended.

Later for dinner we tried the fairy new Japanese place on Clinton and Rivington, Hachenber. It's more like a drinking place than a restaurant, but Taiyo got comfortable stretching out in a booth. Service is pretty friendly, and it was pretty low-key on sunday night. They also had a pre-fix offering which included a drink for mommy, assorted appetizer, a choice of entree and ice cream for dessert for $15. Good value. Although the shumai on the starter plate was strangely tough and crusty (shumai is supposed to be steamed and soft!) Taiyo ate it. Peppered edamame was too cold for my taste, and scallion salad was tasty but too strong (left onion taste in my mouth for hours!). Our choice of entree, okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake) had too much sauce on but Taiyo liked it for the plenty of tonkatsu sauce and mayo. Service was friendly, but I didn't enjoy the food too much. Not recommended.

Halloween was low-key for us. Yuka was dressed up as a cute Big Bird, and Taiyo with Elmo hat. This year I felt this is a holiday a parent can fear for- your kid can collect as many candies as he wants! I was happy that Taiyo didn't want to dress up to go trick-or-treating. How am I supposed to keep him away from his winnings? Without a costume, he still scored a lollipop at the Chinese market and licked it for an entire hour.

The Halloween weekend started and the streets were filled with costumed people going off to Halloween parties. The haunted house across the street had long line all evening. I had one hell of a day with continuous lunch orders. People came to dine in, pick up, Lynne had to run back and forth for delivery orders, we had to receive weekly food supply, Taiyo made some new friends to hang out, made some play-doh noodles, my friend Tarja showed up vising NY from Helsinki. Then at the end of the afternoon, Lynne found Akiro from the salon next door stretched across the floor- he was conscious but too dizzy to get up. Other neighbors were already on top of the case, then we waited his friends to come help him to an emergency room. Of course we never got a chance to wheel Taiyo out to let him sleep, so he was running around hyper and emotional from exhaustion. So I totally didn't mind the evening rather quiet tonight.

I have to go back a few days and have to share a dining experience. We stopped at L'asso on Mott and Kenmare, thinking that no pizza place could be child-unfriendly. First, this huge column in front of the door made the entry a bit difficult with a stroller. It was fairly empty and we took a seat on a bench by the window. We always like a margherita pie. So this very nice pizza was served. With one plate. But there's two of us at the table. I tried to get an attention of the waitress, but with only two other tables occupied in the restaurant, obviously she was too busy to look our way. So I said fine. Taiyo can have the plate. He also didn't get any utencils. She thought he was my prop so something? But we did really like the pizza. Taiyo really liked the pizza. But this hipster joint even when it's fairly empty had something child-unfriendly in the air. We did savor the entire pie, and when I asked for a check the waitress immediately cleared the table, including the napkins, although Taiyo was still munching on a piece in his hand. Was he supposed to just lick his fingers clean and wipe his mouse with his sleeve? As a mom, I really can't recommend this place.

This is hardly an appropriate story for restaurant blog, but it was just way too absurd and disturbing not to share. Taiyo happily ran out of the building as usual. I followed. There it was. A huge rat was dead dangling from the side of the building's trash can. I screamed. Taiyo started crying. It was like 15 inches hanging down. It tried to escape from a small hall and got stuck and died. I walked around the other side, and his huge ass was was still on the other side of the hole. I saw Al, the super from our neighbor buildings, and ran to him down the street. Obviously he already saw it. Yeah, I tried to push it out with a stick, but couldn't get it out. He tried again, but couldn't get it out. The ass was way too huge go through the hole. People passing by also screamed. Then an exterminator guy happened to pass by and he yanked it out grabbing it's tail, which I really couldn't watch. Our neighbor Mike was sitting in his car across the street, and told me how the guy pull the monster out. Three-year-old Aslan in the back seat was laughing. He thought the whole ordeal was funny. I was glad that my camera was in service that I didn't have it, although I dare not to publish it here.

I had to send my little camera for repair and I feel a bit off-balanced. It also helps me remember the details of our day. It was another warm beautiful day. We were up little late this morning and missed a concert at Tribeca Y. So we started our day at OpenHouse New York's Family day at Center for Archtechture in Greenwich Village. We enjoyed doing some craft projects. Taiyo thought putting a cocktail umbrella on a little box was the greatest invention ever. Well, he just fell in love with the tiny paper umbrella period. Around the corner we stumbled upon Pizza Mezzalunaon Houston and MacDougal. It's a nice little Italian restaurant set up in a small space more appropriate for a pick-up pizza joint. There's only two tables for four, one table for two, and three seats against the front window. Taiyo quickly settled on a small stool by the window, but the seat was too slippery and he fell off it. Then we had to move to a small table anyway because three more people were coming in. Waitress brought him a plastic cup with a straw for Taiyo, and also plastic utencils. Very good kid-friendly service. We had margherita pizza and minestrone, and they were both so delicious! Especially minestrone was the best ever, and Taiyo had big satisfying laugh while enjoying it. Food was so great and kept Taiyo in his seat, but seating situation is difficult for very small customers. There's also no room for a stroller inside. If that can be acceptable, this place is highly recommended. Since Taiyo was still awake after lunch, we made it to La Mama's street fair on the way back on East 4th Street. It was La Mama's 50's anniversary. There were big pupperts roaming around, some wacky creature crawling around the floor, lots of crafts projects for kids, great music and even some free food. The crowd was interesting and it really had the feel of good old East Village. It was the best street fair we've been to. Taiyo crashed within a few blocks when we left.

It was still so beautiful out after a long nap. We headed out on bike again to Terakawa Ramen on Lexington near 23rd Street. I was recently tipped that they had great authentic ramen. Taiyo immediately loved the large red lantern hanging outside. We were able to get a table immediately, while a party of three was waiting at the door. The place was full, and after us there were always a few parties waiting outside. Service was fairly quick, although this busy restaurant was served by only two waitresses who were running back and forth constantly. Taiyo loved Takoyaki, and Terakawa ramen with delicious pork broth. They screwed up on our order and gyoza didn't arrive until the end of our meal. Taiyo was too busy working on the soup and didn't touch the gyoza. He laughed out again looking up to the ceiling to express his satisfaction while having the soup. The decor has quite authentic Japanese noodle joint feel, and they may be too busy to offer you one but there's high chairs available. Price is pretty good, and sunday was also a gyoza night for only $1.50! Recommended.

Of course the three-day long weekend off for me went by fast like just another weekend. On Sunday we spent a whole day at the Bronx Zoo. We don't get there often since the train ride is usually quite long, and the stairs from the high-elevated train station is agonizing for a stroller. This time we drove in a Zipcar- a Volkswagen golf, which seems like the last of 'normal' car I'm used to. The dashboard is where it usually is, in front of the wheel, there's familiar interface and even radio buttons are just like an old car- very easy to figure out. Nowadays, newer cars often have no ignition keys but power buttons to turn on, dashboard is somewhere over there under the front window and it's all digital and hard to grasp immediately. Taiyo is thrilled either way to take a ride. He held up the duration of the ride but fell asleep as we made a slow approach to the parking lot. It was a warm summer-like day and everyone was heading to the zoo as well. After relaxing on a comfortable bench for a while, I headed to the penguiins, which is the only animal he normally asks for at the zoo. I woke him up and there was a penguin. Just one penguin. Maybe because it was so warm out, other penguins were hinding in caves out of sight. Taiyo was happy to see the penguin, even though there was only one. We saw some monkeys, butterflies, got on a bug carousel of course, and he was super excited at the Mouse House. He also loved the sight of bears, and we finally made it to the monorail ride after a long wait in line. Half of the train ride was to stare at the trees, grass, and squirrels, but we also had some views of a tiger, elephants, rhinos, and lost of deers and gaurs (the world's largest wild cattles). I wouldn't do it again for such a long wait (40 minutes!), but Taiyo loved the train ride. They are going to close the ride during winter (Nov to April), so I was glad to finally make it this time.

Monday, another warm summer-like day, and we visited Chelsea Market. It is a great destination with kids, with lots of great Halloween displays that made Taiyo really excited and scared. There's lots of great food options there of course. Then we went up to the Highline, and had a snack at the Porch only food served actually on the highline as I know of. Their theme is 'sustainable food.' They had nice little selection of food using local produce, and also local wine and beer. Taiyo had to have the caramel covered pear, which he enjoyed just licking the caramel, and cucumber water. My mushroom quesadillas were tasty and fresh. It's a cute little spot, recommended although no high chairs and it can get really busy. Recommended because outdoor dining is always preferable for us. Or else there's plenty of intresting seatings along the Highline. You can pick up great food at Chelsea Market and have a little picnic on this scenic park. Unfortunately I spilled the wonderful cucumber water on my camera and killed it. Therefore no photos today.

Later, dinner at Natori, one of the surviving Japanese restaurant in East Village. This place has been there always since I got here twenty-one years ago. Now that we lost two Japanese restaurant Esashi and Yoshi, I thought about this little joint I haven't been to for a long time. Entry is not easy with a stroller because it's lower than street level. There isn't too much room for one either inside. But a fish tank was a good distraction for Taiyo. The place was nearly empty but the service was extremely slow, with waiter who was busier chatting with a guy in teh kitchen than tending to the customer on the floor. They were out of gyoza, which probably weren't home made anyway, so we ordered shumai, and the special broiled seabass dinner. For $20, we got tuna and avocado salad, spinach goma ae, cooked pumpkin, seabass, and rice and soup. I thought it was a great deal. Taiyo ate all the shumai, most of the rich and fatty seabass to my surprise, and some rice miso soup and broccoli. We didn't order this time, but they have a few aligator meat appetizers. Most other menues are standard with no surprises, including sushi and sashimi. Not a kind of restaurant you would travel to, but good to have in the neighborhood.

A long weekend has began! After a lazy morning, we took a bike trip across town to Fire Museum on Spring and Varick. It's a low-key touristy joint, but the little place had some beautiful old fire engines and artifacts. The museum was pretty quiet and empty, and Taiyo enjoyed running around for a while. There was no activities he could participate in, but being a big fan of fire trucks, I think he kind of liked the place.

We stopped for lunch at Hiroko's Place on Thompson between Spring and Broome. It's like a cafe that every Japanese town has, with non-traditional Japanese food. Menu had pictures on it, so of course Taiyo picked "Anpan-Man Omu Rice" which had his favorite Anpan-Man drawn with ketchup, a Japanese red-bean bun superhero. The young waitress brought him little kids utencils and small cup of water with hello kitty on them. Taiyo of course loved them. We were first served a little bowl of salad with carrot dressing, which he pretended to eat but didn't. He's not a salad kind of a guy (yet). While waiting for his main dish, his chair tripped backward because he was standing against the back. Then he started banging on the glass table top and we were moved to next table with no glass top. Taiyo's Omu Rice, omlette covered ketchup flavored rice arrived just as pictured. Being a ketchup lover, he first scooped up all the ketchup and then start digging into the rice. He didn't like potato salad or omlette covering, but ate all the rice inside, carefully eliminating chicken, onion, and green pepper pieces. My seafood doria, rice casserole covered with creamy sauce and cheese, was not bad, but a bit too heavy. The place is fairy kid-friendly, with the cute and anime-themed decore, but there's no high chair. Service was very Japanese and friendly, but they did one funny thing- each table had a basket of napkins, but ours was taken away before food arrived. A small diner always need extra napkins, and their napkins were tiny and thin to begin with. So I let extra mess around the table as Taiyo shook his spoon to spread the food. And the price was also Soho price for what it was. Not terribly recommended.

On a warm afternoon, we visited Caribou Baby in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with Lynne. It's a beatiful little shop full of very nice baby stuff- in the back there's a room where they offer many classes for moms and babies and toddlers, including the little movers Yoga movement class Lynne offers. Taiyo picked out a wooden fishing set with a little pole and various fishes, and also a training pants that he said he'd wear. Ever since he received a potty for his birthday, I'm looking forward to his diaperless day, but he seems not so ready. It's ok- he turned two only ten days ago. My friends tell me that it happens fast anyway.

We went down to Enids at Manhattan Ave and Driggs for late lunch. Taiyo immediately befriended our server Jody and ran around the spacious dining room. He worked on his utencil skills cutting up a buiscuit- which was the only thing he was interested in. Food was very nice and fresh afterall; I enjoyed the egg and cheese sandwich and tomato soup Taiyo didn't touch. The timing was perfect that it was before neighborhood hipsters arrived, and we all had good time. Taiyo also did some improve dance performance in the booth. Too bad we didn't have time to run around the McCarren Park across the street, where I used to come for a run.