A Rockin' Sandboxin' Saturday

Picturesque.

Central Park has a few enormous "sandboxes" in and around the place, and when the weather hit 70 degrees on Saturday, we jumped on the N for a few minutes (I love, Love, LOVE our proximity to midtown), walked a few blocks, and arrived to the coolest looking sandbox I have ever seen. We went with Gabe's school buddies Luca and Sophia, and while the kids played, Manny and I got in grown-up time with their mommies and daddies.  We stayed at the park for quite a few hours, until appetites kicked in around 5 and Sophia's dad, Rick, suggested we head to one of our favorite eateries on the Upper West Side, Good Enough To Eat. Gabe and I had been there before when we would go to the Children's Museum of Manhattan and then stop in for lunch. It was fun to later find out Sophia's mom, Ana, also loved it -- because her sister is a manager there. They were more than accommodating when the whole gang arrived - 5 adults, 3 toddlers and 1 baby. (Oh well!)

Our table for 9 was outside, to the left of the fence.

We ordered some appetizers and shared tapas-style, grabbed a few much-needed drinks (yum!), and Rick and Manny decided the night was right for an old fashioned barbeque. Moms and kids headed back to our place, while the dads went to a Brazilian grocery store. Ana was born and raised in Brazil, Luca's mom Helen is half-Brazilian, and if we keep hanging out with them like we have been, Gabe will be speaking Portuguese by the end of the summer! They picked up delicious Brazilian steak and sausage, some brewskies, and firewood. The day that began at 1 p.m. didn't end 'til 11, and I hope our Saturday outing is a sign of times to come this summer! 

All smiles.

To get Gabe to try the Brazilian steak, we told him it was Chicken Steak. Oftentimes, when I cook pork or beef or fish for dinner, we must disguise their true identities and call them "chicken" or else Gabe won't eat. While Rick grilled up the tasty meat, Gabe asked what he was cooking. When Manny told him it was Chicken Steak, Gabe misheard, and for the rest of the night told everyone he loved to eat "Chicken Snake." We repeatedly corrected him, but that Chicken Snake sure was good! I didn't find it to be much of a problem until I picked him from school on Monday and his teacher wanted to know what cuisine we were cooking at home, since she had never heard of Chicken Snake. On Tuesday, when we saw Rick picking up Sophia, Gabe didn't address him as Mr. B or even Rick. He didn't even say hello. Instead, "Are you coming over to make Chicken Snake again? That was really good!"

Sophia, Luca and Gabe, partaking in Chicken Snake.

It was a great day, and while I worked Sunday and into Monday, I kept thinking about how much fun we all had. Gabe has asked to have Chicken Snake every night for dinner since, so maybe this weekend we can work something out!