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Saturday we went to Coney Island for the Mermaid Parade although we didn’t actually stay for the parade since that was during prime Sienna naptime. We got there around 11:30 and walked along the boardwalk a bit and had Nathan’s for lunch. We did see a few parade people but I was not motivated enough to take their photo. I’ve been going to the mermaid parade since the late 90’s and it’s not really much different each year. I always long to get that great classic shot tho, which is probably why I want to go every year. I’ve gotten some decent ones in the past but nothing that was ‘it.’ We left just when it was getting most busy. We still had a nice day even without mermaids!

Sienna hasn’t been on the train in awhile!

Taking her daddy on a walk on the boardwalk!

Nathan’s wasn’t enough for her, she wanted to eat her shoe!

Pushing her stroller

She liked drinking from Mommy and Daddy’s bottle!

Her first time on the Coney Island sand! It was a little hot!

Leaving Coney Island!

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Saturday morning we left for a trip to the Poconos. Yves was assisting Jim on a wedding shoot for his dentist’s family. I thought it would be a nice little getaway for me and Sienna so we tagged along. I forgot how much you need to pack for the little one! It was too bad I was doing it only for an overnight trip! We had to find a new place to stay to bring Skippy along and we found these cute little cottages called Rimrock Cottages. It was interesting. We got one of the A frame chalets. It was cute, the downstairs had a double bed, sofa, fireplace, bathroom and little kitchenette. There was a loft with 2 single beds. I was a little perturbed about a couple of things. The main one being all the cobwebs! I know it’s the country and it’s rustic but they couldn’t bring in a little duster and do a few swipes? And then we seemed to be in the only cottage with a broken front door screen held in place on the bottom with duct tape, which Skippy promptly broke through. LOL I didn’t make a big issue of it since I didn’t think it was going to be cool enough to leave the door open. I was wrong! It was cool in the evening and the morning! And the AC was not cooling the place at all! I had to go upstairs in the loft, get on my belly and reach out to change the coolness of the AC. It was much better after that. Anyway, I guess I sound like a true city girl with all this complaining but in retrospect, it was nice and was nice to getaway for a day. We got there within 2 hours and was in the pool shortly after that! We had lunch back at the room and went for a little walk around the grounds after that. After a little nap, Yves had to go meet Jim and me and Sienna went to the outlets. I’m not an outlet person at all, I can’t understand the draw. The prices are not much cheaper and the selection isn’t any different. The only thing I bought was ice cream and candy! LOL. We killed a little more time at Kohl’s and had dinner at Red Robin, I haven’t been to one in ages! I have to say I was pretty impressed with all the different selections and healthy sides on the kids menu. I got a regular cheeseburger and Sienna got pizza and apple slices (she ate all the apples up!)

We managed to get back to the room without getting too wet. It was raining off and on since being at the outlets and really poured while we were in Red Robin and poured again when we got back.

We were on the road by 9 am.

In the pool by 11:30!

Took a walk around 1:30

I love this picture that Yves took!

I’m telling Sienna not to put a yucky stick in her mouth.

The outlets

Red Robin

We had breakfast at Friendly’s the next morning. Haven’t been to a Friendly’s in ages either!

Sienna took a 3 hour nap when we got home Sunday!!

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There has been an energy sucking heat wave in the mid-90s from Saturday through Tuesday. It wasn’t so bad in the backyard on Sunday when we blew up the little kiddie pool I got for Sienna. I do believe I spent more time sitting in it than Sienna did! Hey, if she doesn’t care, who am I to complain? It’s there for her to use! 🙂 We didn’t BBQ this time and just made sandwiches to munch on.

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Saturday we met the Michaleks for lunch in Queens. We met at Zam Stammtisch and I warn you, do not continue reading if you are hungry! 😉 I had an Open Faced Rueben Sandwich, Tammy and Yves both had one bratwurt/one knockwurst and Mark got the Weinerschnitzel (although he meant to order the Jaegerschnitzel). My dish came with a side of home fried potatoes so I shared that with Sienna, although she ate a pickle!

We didn’t think she would like the pickle but she ate it! Of course after I put the camera away, she gave the sour face. After lunch we went to the Eddie’s Sweet shop down the road from Trader Joe’s that me and Sienna went to last time. That was what I was really looking forward to!! Me and Tammy both got banana with hot fudge and whipped cream (homemade!) but Tammy also got marshmallow on hers. Mark got a root beer float (made from syrup not root beer soda! Impressive!) and Yves shared butter pecan with Sienna. YUM!!

Tammy’s with the oozing marshmallow!

Mine not so oozing

Sienna loves ice cream!

The happy couple!

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Last Sunday (Saturday was a rainy/muggy/Wii day) we went down by the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges to have a picnic. I made roast beef sandwiches and got a spinach pie for Sienna. What a beautiful day! Afterwards, we went to get ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream factory and looked over at the “telescope.” There were too many people huddled around it to even bother walking over to it.

As some of you know, we like to take self portraits and part of the fun of it is doing various takes and trying to get it right. This girl offered to take a picture for us since she saw us struggling and instead of explaining, I obliged. They always stand so far away.

I really wanted the Brooklyn Bridge in the background since so I took a shot of Yves and Sienna.

blurry but still cute!

Yves showing Sienna Manhattan

Once she gains confidence, she likes to roam free!

Yummy ice cream!

Sienna and the BB from Lisa on Vimeo.

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Last Friday me and Sienna went over to Park Slope. I had 4 rolls of color 120 film I wanted to develop and have been meaning to check out Accurate Photo (13th and 5th Avenue) on a suggestion from some flickr folks. I’m so glad I finally did! What a nice lady! I was getting develop only and she told me to come back in 15 minutes!!! I was ecstatic! I came back an hour later after lunch and was even more thrilled that I was charged just $3 a roll!! Woweee!! I’ll have to test out their B&W developing and scanning.

For lunch we went over to the Chip Shop. Something I’ve been craving since I discovered they opened one in Bay Ridge. The Park Slope one is the original and where me and Joy first tried deep fried twinkie and deep fried reese’s peanut butter cup (not a twinkie fan so I wasn’t thrilled with it but the peanut butter cup, YUM!) Of course I got the fish and chips! They are very kid friendly and not only did they have a hi-chair but also a diaper changing station in the bathroom!

Where’s the Morrissey/Smiths stuff?

After lunch and picking up the film, we discovered a community garden right by the car. We took a little stroll through it as Sienna enjoys walking. It was such a beautiful day out!

And she was getting a kick out of this flower. (E-mail or comment to get password)

The Flower Tickle from Lisa on Vimeo.

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Monday I finally took the time to make homemade pizza dough! I bought fresh mozzarella from the bakery and that is a very important ingredient for homemade pizza. I got the recipe from the Reader’s Digest Homemade book. It wasn’t very hard at all but with a slight Wii injury from playing yesterday, my right hand wasn’t the strongest for kneading. Overall the dough tasted ok. It probably would have tasted better if I put more salt but with my blood pressure, I always put a little less salt than recipes call for. Most of the time, it doesn’t make a difference but I guess since dough only has about 5 ingredients, it can make a difference. For the sauce, I used Trader Joe’s no salt added marinara sauce (which I love! better stock up!) and toppings were whatever we had left in the frig. this included meatballs, mushrooms, goat cheese, red onion and black olives. I had trouble rolling it into a perfect circle but I guess that takes practice. I decided to make personal sized pizzas so it would be easier for the toppings. Sienna seemed to enjoy it! I had extra dough after making 3 mini pizzas so made a little calzone too!

The dough

Rolling the dough

Circularly challenged pizza and a calzone

Ready for the oven!

Looks edible!

What is this Father? (photo by Yves)

I think Sienna likes it! (photos by Yves)

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Pete came over on Sunday to help us do a test run of the first ghetto BBQ pool party sans pool. We weren’t sure how well it would be since there isn’t any grass (hence the ‘ghetto’ term) but we got a nice shade umbrella and 2 fold up chairs with canopies. It’s been awhile since we had a BBQ but I think it turned out well! We kept it simple and just grilled hamburgers and I made potato salad and blueberry crumble! The potato salad required bacon and apples so I was a little leary of that combo but it was delicious! The blueberry crumble was actually a blackberry crumble recipe from Everyday Food but I didn’t have blackberries. It was so good I made it again later that week.

Waiting for Pete!

Checking out our canopy chair.

The Master at work.

The “enough with the pictures and gimme more food” face!

Pete also brought his Wii with him.

I would say the first ghetto BBQ of the summer was a success and it was a great day!

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Saturday we got Banh Mi sandwiches and summer rolls and had a picnic at Sunset Park. We haven’t done that with Sienna since last July, when she was just a little baby! 🙂 Hasn’t she changed?!

She will always try whatever you give her to eat. Even if she spits it out afterwards, she will still take it the next time. After the 3rd spit out of the summer roll, we figured she didn’t care much for it or at least for the texture of the rice paper.

There was no spitting out of Yves’ Banh Mi sandwich! He always gets the original and I always get the grilled chicken. Sienna really liked the original although she didn’t turn down my sandwich either!

Sienna smudging the camera lens.

It was a little chillier than expected and she managed to keep this hat on for just a little bit!

A little stroll with daddy!

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Saturday we took my parents out for dim sum for Mother’s Day. Sunday is normally a busy dim sum day so I can imagine how crazy it would be for Mother’s Day. We tried a new place in Brooklyn, which I failed to notice the name. It’s on 65th Street and 8th Avenue. Their dim sum wasn’t bad, wasn’t fantastic, but wasn’t bad. They had some dishes I never saw before, which I appreciate. And Sienna tried everything we gave her!

The carb lover in me enjoyed these noodles. I don’t recall seeing this before at other places.


All finished! Sienna claps at the end of the meal and really seemed to like the steamed roast pork bun!

Then on Sunday for Mother’s Day, we decided to stay in the neighborhood since I had a hankering for Mexican food. We went to La Villita for lunch, a truly authentic Mexican place with delicious food!

Sienna eating some chips.

She really loved the fried plantains!

I also bought myself a resin necklace from stoopidgerl on Etsy. I’ve been admiring her stuff for awhile and when I saw this latest necklace, I had to get it! I hope to one day make some resin stuff of the same quality as hers!

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