It's been so hot, too hot, way too hot, and it's as if people lost appetite today- very quiet day at SOY so far, not like last Friday, not like last night! This afternoon I still had to do my "getting-my-baby-to-nap" walking tour of the neighborhood. I'm worried about this weekend-what are we going to do in this heat? Stay home and watch Elmo all day?

On Wednesday we stopped in for lunch at Cornerstone Cafe on Avenue B at 3rd Street on the way back from the post office. The wide doorway was open, providing us an easy entry. Inside is spacious and clean, and Taiyo immediately seated himself at one of the tables. The waitress offered us a high chair, but lately he really doesn't want to sit in it. It's a neighborhood cafe with sandwiches and salads and other usual suspects, which we can always count on when we don't feel too adventurous.

When the enormous meatball sandwich arrived, Taiyo went for the side of greens to my surprise. I've never seen him go for fresh greens like that, although he often picks cooked green vegetables off the plate. He was often getting frustrated that he couldn't pick the salad with the fork well, but he diligently continued working on his utencil skills. Eventually he picked some undercooked french fries and enjoyed dipping them in mound of ketchup, then also did like the meatballs from the sandwich. He kept asking for more but by then I finished most of the sandwiches. Overall, food was generously portioned and flavorful. Service was quick and pleasant. What else could we ask for? Recommended.

Later some aimless bike riding around town, I was going to try the Thai place on Clinton Street. But when we got off the bike Taiyo led me to El Maguey Y La Tuna, a Mexican joint on Houston between Attorney and Ridge. We've been there a bunch of times, since food is very good and they love Taiyo! Although we've never been there with a stroller, the entry should be smooth with wide doorway and lamp from the street. It's a no-frills homey Mexican joint, and they make great mole sauces that taste so authentic although I've never been to Mexico. As soon as the waiter brought us tortilla chips and mild salsa, Taiyo got busy. He ate the whole basket full of chips, offering me some in between, while dipping them in salsa. When my margarita arrived, he snatched a lime wedge and sucked on it. Taiyo can eat lemons and limes like any other citrus fruit- I think many babies do that.

His favorite black bean soup arrived piping hot, although I asked them not to make it too hot. Taiyo of course has hard time waiting to have it cooled, but eventually he enjoyed smearing it around his face. He did not forget to have some rice and beans, and liked chicken filling from my enchiladas.
Then he went around the little restaurant, charming other ladies, before stretching out on the floor to relax a bit. I think he feels the homeyness of this joing like SOY, and that's why we keep going back there. Recommended.

I just did a fairy entry long entry and lost it because of a 'connection problem.' Damn technology. Can't redo it tonight. Have a wonderful steaming hot summer night.

He was a thumb-sucking toddler when he walked (or carried) in to SOY nine years ago. Yesterday this little boy was already like 5-foot tall and I had to tell him to stop taking growth hormons. It's just too much! After all these years, he still worships my ginger lemonade, soy croquettes and salmon nameshi, and still eats his croquettes mushed up and smeared with generous application of Bulldog sauce.

Oh, yes, Taiyo already knows the taste of it. This sauce we love with many fried food, can be described as thick Japanese Worcestershire sauce. In eastern Japan 'Bulldog' is the brand, vs. Otafuku, in western Japan. When Taiyo doesn't have appetite, or isn't crazy about the food, this Bulldog sauce would completely change the scenario. Must have in a house, especially the one with a boy like Taiyo.

Today, though, he didn't need any bulldog sauce. As we approached Boubouki in Essex market, Taiyo clapped his hands, "Yeaaaay!" He just loves her spinach pie to death. Today he chugged down the whole piece and didn't even want me to cut it up; he simply didn't want to share! She also has wonderful sweet delights like almond cookie or pear cake. Taiyo elegantly enjoyed the cake, which didn't like to hang around on a plate too long, either.

I got ambitious this perfect sunny sunday morning, and decided to head to Brooklyn Children's Museum in Crown Heights. Over the bridge Taiyo was so excited to see the train tracks and passing subway cars. He shouted out possibly some obscenity (or words of wisdom) in baby language through South Williamsburg, then fell asleep. While enjoying a leisurely bike ride through the streets of Brooklyn, I was worried; he's going to be so cranky the rest of the day if he doesn't take a long enough lap. But his head was bobbing against my back, and he can't be so comfortable anyway. I passed the museum and went down to Eastern Parkway. I stopped at the bench under the trees, thinking he can just sleep a while in the seat. It was also a perfect time to trim his nails. Yes, I usually carry a baby nail clipper in my purse. Unfortunately he woke up soon and we headed back to the museum.

Before entering the museum, he munched on an onigiri rice ball I made before we left. It's a perfect little lunch or a snack to take along anywhere- and for me it's easier than a sandwich, and perhaps healthier, too. You can find seasoning packs at Japanese grocery store - mix them with rice and make tasty rice balls. Wrapped in nori seaweed, they are perfect food to eat by hand.

The museum was fairy empty when we went in- this beautifully designed amazing kid's museum is often overcrowded in winter months. Taiyo had the sandbox play area in tot's room all to himself for a while. Then we caught a rock concert by StarFish, and he jumped around to some rock music. Then there's so much more to explore at this place- Taiyo went crazy driving a bus, riding on a scooter, going shopping at the grocery store, and making imaginary pizza. Finally when I lured him out with a thought of getting some food hours later, it was steaming hot outside. Within a few minutes he fell asleep again to my surprise- he hasn't taken a second nap in 6 months. After 45 minutes of slow bike ride, he woke up on Delancey Street on our corner.

After a long road trip, we decided to go very local, and just went down the street to Antibes. Only a few doors down from SOY on Suffolk Street I often get my cappcino there, so Taiyo says it's a coffee place although we've dined there as well many times. It was actually the first restaurant he went at two-week old. Entry could be a little tricky with a stroller, since there's two steps down from the street inside the door. But there's also a few tables outside with very easy access. They do not have high chairs, but some room for a stroller to park. The servers usually know Taiyo already and they are very friendly to him. They had the winning food for him on special: carrot soup. This totally kept him in his seat, which was my lap, and he also enjoyed some risotto. Asparagus salad went almost unnoticed, but he saw enoki mushrooms and decided to try some. He wanted more but I was already finishing the plate. He chased the waitress cryhing when she took his finished soup bowl, and they gave him the second serving, which he also ate pretty much all of it while doing his victory runs around the restaurant. Food was delicious and beautifully presented, and they are very nice people I think they generally torelate company of young people. Althogh there's no obvious perks for kids or babies, moderately recommended.

Just shy of two months, Taiyo is seriously in the terrible-two's territory. He was in quite funky mood all morning, getting into fits everytime I turned off "Dora," refusing to change, fussing over milk, exploding when he couldn't put his croc on by himself. I managed to get him to the laundromat, and while doing the wash, went around the corner to Pause Cafeon Clinton near Houston. I said to Taiyo, "Let's go get 'oishi juusu(delicious juice),' then he chanted, "oishi juusu, oishi juusu." We always get a warm welcome there and the friendly owner gives him a baby size cookie. So it's pretty kid friendly, but stroller access is poor. There's a rather high step up from the street, and there's no room inside anyway. They also make nice sandwiches there, but today Taiyo's mind was set for juusu. We got apple, beet, carrot juice and he drank most of the 16oz on the outside bench. Then later we hit Hester Street Fair.
There's some food options available like pulled pork sandwich or lobster roll. We settled for a pork empanada by La Sonrisa. We had to wait for a few minutes since it was to hot, but this was another winning food. Not messy, and pretty tasty (although a bit too salty.) It's basically a large fried dumpling! But he refused to bite into it. He had to break off a little piece and eat it. He kept asking for more- so that was the verdict: a winner! There's usually not much room around the picnic tables at this popular Saturday market, but the co-op next door opens up their gate to a lawn area, and there's a plenty of outdoor eating area. There's bunch of interesting handcrafted stuff to browse around the market, from clothes, jewery to stuffed animals, and there's a nice spacious Seward Park for kids to run around afterwards. There's also an escalator up close to the ground at the nearby East Broadway F train stop.

Sometimes the simplest thing is the winner. Fresh asparagus yesterday morning was the thing for him. He didn't even bother to try my miso-mayo-tofu dip. He just kept munching on the steamed asparagus. Tougher bottom ends that I took off before cooking also provided him entertainment- he enjoyed snapping them for a while. After a long nap it was avocados. When he wandered into the kitchen I offered him a piece of avocado. He just couldn't have enough, living up to a moniker I gave him a long time ago: bottomless Taiyo. He kept asking for more, and ended up eating a whole big avocado. It's still hard to figure out what he may eat- some days he would spit out avocado I offer him. But today, it was the thing to die for.

This morning Taiyo let me take out a jogging stroller I haven't been able to use for a few weeks because he would protest it. He was a good coach trying get me back into shape- he called out, "Hashi, hashi (run, run)" everytime I slowed down and walked. We went to the Union Square market for some beautiful blueberries. On the way back we stopped at Chipotle at 14th Street and Irving Place.

This relatively new joint is spacious and clean, with lots of room for a SUV stroller we had to manuver around. This is definitely a better option among fast food, but to my suprise Taiyo showed no interest in colorful Burrito Bowl with chicken, corn salsa and extra topping of guacamole. He just kept drinking the apple cider from the market. I got him to taste a little, but only thing he liked and wanted was cilantro-lime rice. Meat was little spicy for him anyway. The little stool was low enough for him to climb on, and comfortable enough to sit on, and overall it was pretty good experience.

While he took a nap, I couldn't wait to cook up another prize from the market- beautiful golden chanterelle mushrooms. I sauteed with butter, little salt and soy sauce, and sprinkle of oregano. It was so delicious and I couldn't wait to have Taiyo try them, but when he woke up what he wanted was Chinese dumplings on Clinton Street: Prosperity Dumpling at Clinton between Rivington and Stanton. They make decent dumplings, and they are usually ready to be served. It's mainly a take-out joing, with limited seating area along the wall and the window, and there's no bathroom. Although I think the best dumplings in the neighborhood is found on East Broadway at a hand-pulled noodle place near the post office, Taiyo still loves this place's dumplings. It's pretty good deal: four dumplings for a buck.

Beautiful summer morning- the air was still cool and dry when we left the house. Since there was no uptown train at Delancey street, we hopped into a cab to the Central Park. Our first stop, an African drum and dance workshop at Tavern on the Green. It was just fantastic 'little' event, since main participants were little people. They practiced playing djembe drums and doing african dance moves in relaxed and intimate atmosphere. This was just a great place to hang out, because there were nice food trucks right behind. There, I found mommy's dream food.

Pera Turkish Tacos at Tavern on the Green
Among the few 'gourmet' food trucks there, this seemed the most interesting. Turkish tacos? They even offered alcoholic beverages! We had eggplant kofte & squash taco. Taiyo sat down at a table, and immediately began to devour the taco. It was the perfect size for him to hold, and when I realized that he wasn't let go of the taco, I went back to the truck and told the guy "I have to get another one, because he's eating the whole thing." This was magical food. It was delicious, healthy, not messy plus we were outside. Then we enjoyed more music wondering around the park. He really liked the lady with the violin.
On the east side we came upon this great band with fabulous name: The Dirty Urchins. Being an urchin himself, Taiyo very much enjoyed the music. Line was too long at the zoo and we gave up on the idea of seeing the penguins. We passed by the amusement park at Wollman Rink, but didn't investigate because they charged fee just to enter the park. Taiyo was too tired anyway. He was fast asleep by the time we left the park.

Evening outing on the bike: we headed to the west side and decided to stop in at Merchant River House. I was pretty sure this can be moderately kid-friendly because of the location. Surely, they offered a high chair immediately, although Taiyo refused to sit in it, and gave him a packet of crayons. We did like our table right across from the kitchen window. Most of the plates coming out looked nice and fresh. Our waitress wasn't very firendly, but this place seemed quite adequately staffed, things were pretty smooth. Our dinner: Merchant River House Pizza, and warm spinach and artichoke dip. The cheezy and rick dip was a big hit for Taiyo. He fussed having to have to wait a bit since dip was piping hot. He didn't care to touch pizza, which was a sad item. It was edible, but totally overbaked and crunchy. Taiyo was shouting jibblish in between, but staff were busy enough he went pretty much noticed. Then he began to run around a little, but his behavior was well tolerated and the manager trafficed the waiters off the little urchin runing by their feet. Overall it was fairy positive visit. I would just not order pizza next time. The rest of the evening, Taiyo seriously ran around like a bouncy ball here and there across Battery Park City for two hours. Finally I put him back into the bike and we biked through Battery Park to admire fireflies. Then he was fast asleep again.