Yum.

The new dessert bites offered at one of my FAVORITE local eateries.

I may devote a whole longer entry to the wonder that is Marrakich (a small Moroccan restaurant that opened recently in my 'hood). This is a pistachio, honey...something-or-other aka "YUM"

The downside: Service is soooooo SOOOO slow compared to New York standards. Seriously, even if you call in ahead of time - just sit down and get comfy, 'cause it's going to take awhile. 

The upside: EVERYTHING else. If you've been to Morocco - this will take you back. And the vibe is just like a small shop there. You feel like Grandma is in the back cooking. (You know? That could be the case - which would explain why everything takes so long.)

Definitely worth the time it takes to eat here.  We order all around the menu and, so far, nothing has disappointed. Thinking about it is making me salivate and I'm not even hungry!

AH New York: Summer...is that YOU?!!?!

Although I was born here in NYC, my family moved to Florida when I was still in elementary school. Growing up in the Sunshine State almost demands that I love summer. Thankfully that worked out alright for me. (side note: the only pictures I took on this entry are the ones that have my kids in them. ;-) )

I LOVE summertime. I love sunshine. I love the big, overly pompous summer thunderstorms.  I love EVERYthing about the beach, from the obvious: seashells, soothing sounds, immensity of the ocean...   To the not so obvious: I love sneezing salt water from my nose the day after (ha. sorry if that's TMI), I love finding grains of sand in my hair even after washing it a gazillion times.  Why? Because they are reminders that the ocean is still out there and I can go BACK as soon as possible.

Yet, in this season of life, you know what I love most about summer?  The vibe here in Hamilton Heights.  It's incredible!

The music gets turned up (at ALL hours of the day or night), and the people seem to laugh louder. Everyone's sitting on the steps in front of their buildings.

Old men bring their domino boards out and challenge all these young "whipper-snappers" with their pants down to their knees to a serious game.

And when it gets really hot people open up the fire hydrants. I remember my first reaction to seeing this: "Oh NO!! What about conservation?! This is soo baaaddd..."  But then, as the years/summers passed, I started to watch (without judgement) what happened when the hydrants were open. Enjoying the cold water running in the streets is not limited to the children. Old ladies bring out lawn chairs right at the edge of the sidwalk and let their feet run in the water. Men wet "trapitos" or little wash cloths and mop off their sweat. Cars passing by get free washes. Most people (well, everyone that doesn't own a  multi-million dollar townhouse/gorgeous brownstone) don't have central A/C. If they do have a window unit, it quickly spikes up their electric bills. So, because most people in the neighborhood are always trying to save a buck or two, they rarely use them. So where do they go for relief from the unrelenting heat?  Outside. In the shade. Hopefully by an open hydrant.

Yesterday, the thermometer read 90!!! I could smell summer in the air. The sidewalks in our little neighborhood were packed with people wearing a lot less clothing then they should have been wearing. I could feel it.....Summer - is that you?!?!  And then I saw it....

Please don't call Child Services, even though it seriously looks like my two girls are going to keep running to the right and into 4 lanes of traffic zooming up and down Broadway. They even hesitated when I told them they could walk across the street and get their feet wet. Their faces said, "Really? Our slightly over-controlling, borderline OCD mother is going to let us do something spontaneous?"

Finally I showed them where they could play in the water from a safer spot.

 

I loved hearing their shrieks and watching them muster up the courage to get more and more wet.  We sloshed our way back to our apartment, dried off and ate some ice cream. Maybe if we act like it - summer will stay around for a while.

I love this city.

Bits of my weekend - Volume 3: Face paint, flowers and sugar - Oh My!

Phew - what a weekend! Looking forward to exhaling tomorrow, that's for sure.

Friday night: I have to keep reminding myself that although he may get home at 8:00 PM most nights, piggy-back rides with daddy right before bedtime are gonna be some awesome memories for these kiddos.

On our way to ballet Saturday morning: Elasia said, "Mom! The sidewalks have DIAMONDS in them!! I LOVE NEW YORK CITY!!" I replied, "Me too, baby. I love it too."

During our walk we discovered that down these stairs are...

REALLY beautiful flowers. Elasia and I are both a little obsessed with flowers this spring.

Saturday afternoon: our ultra-exciting car ride to Queens to celebrate our friend Janelle's 3rd birthday.

                      There was face painting, a COTTON CANDY MACHINE (!!!) and the mandatory tattoo application that makes every party a big success. (It was SUCH a great time!)

Sunday morning: Amazing time at All Souls Christian Church.

a small peek at our picnic in Central Park. (Ultimate frisbee, LOTS of things for kiddos), and great company.

My watercolor artist extraordinaire. (with more face paint!)

Our fancy pink roses growing in the community garden right next to our apartment building. They were just SO beautiful this weekend particularly. It's like they all decided to bloom and show off or something.

And finally...

All the "in between time" this weekend was spent staring at this guy who was hard at work - changing the world socially AND saving the world's financial markets ....all at the same time, I'm sure. (Note the laptop AND blackberry in use. Busy busy busy guy.)

That was my weekend, how was yours?

Much Love from Hamilton Heights!

To check out other people's "Bits of My Weekend" (come on, you know you're curious...ha ha.) visit the incredible Michelle's Blog.

Bits of my weekend - Volume 2

With minimal narration - here's my past weekend!!

Saturday was Adam's birthday!! He turned 29! (I know, I'm such a cougar....I'll be 30 in June.)

 Good morning and Happy Birthday Daddy!! (early morning wake up and cuddles)

 

Ingredients to make Challah French Toast - special birthday breakfast

Yum. (and for the occasion - PORK BACON! double yum.)

I mentioned last week how the building where Elasia takes ballet classes looks like a castle. Here's a peak inside.

3 happy ballerinas and 1 grouchy little sister who's a little bitter at being too young to take classes.

Adam's birthday was also the same day as our block's first street closing. (we live on an AWESOME block with a rather organized association that "organizes" cool stuff.) The whole block was closed to traffic and everyone cleaned up the flower beds around the trees and planted new ones. Then afterwards, we all BBQ'd, drank some cold ones and let our kids run around using those toys we stuff away in our closet (purposefully singular) that only get used on such occasions or when schlepped to the park. (i.e. toddler tricycle, sidewalk chalk, beginners roller blades, etc.)

Qara watering newly planted pansies

It says "Adam is 29" :-)

Who's that HOT chef at the grill? Oh it's the birthday boy. Almost equally as attractive, my delicious grilled kielbasa....yum.

He was trying to get all Bobby Flay and grill honeydew melon to serve with the pork chops. Great idea!

Her skin was her preferred canvas. My cute little Avatar baby...

As a surprise, I took Adam to a ninja castle for dinner. Oh. my. word. What a hilariously great place for people like us. (read: LOVERS of cheesy themes particularly all things ninja and yet appreciative of sophisticated food.) And pre-teen boys. But that's another story...

It was really dark and ::MYSTERIOUS:: in there so the pics are pretty poor. (plus I'm afraid to divulge too much information and then get killed by a ninja in the middle of the night.) But this is a pic of a MASTERPIECE sushi roll that involved fresh crayfish, spicy peppers, and pop rocks. (yep. the candy) WOW. sooo good.

It was a multi-course affair (I lost track of how many as I inhaled everything and mumbled appreciation to our servers/ninjas throughout the meal) So I'm just sharing pictures of the few I was coherrent enough to take a photo of.  This is beef brisket slowly baked in a vidalia onion with pink peppercorns on watercress.  

Dessert: smooth chocolate mouse on rich chocolate cake, topped with a dark chocolate ninja star.

And oh the saki.....::sigh:: so good.

Sorry, no pics of Sunday.

It was a wonderful day. Fantastic church service, delicious fish and chips at a top secret harlem jewel of a place and a costume party for a dear friend of ours. (I'll try to ask around for pics of that - so hilarious!!)

Much love from Hamilton Heights!

Evita