AROUND HERE

Well, so here is what all we've been up to these days.

Firstly. Bagels. I think one of the more important tasks among the new-to-a-neighborhood is the scoping out the of bagels situation. Eventually the goal is to settle on an "our bagel place" type of deal where the dudes know our order and don't have to ask every time if we want it toasted (we don't). I find that a heavy hand with the cream cheese is not necessary in an ideal bagel place relationship, although I also know that everyone feels differently on the matter, as is their right. I had the bagel scene on lockdown on the Upper West Side (Absolute, as well as the guy in front of ABC studios before noon on weekdays), and it is a little bit daunting to start from scratch like this. (I don't anticipate anyplace will be better than Absolute.  Such is life.) Any past or present Slope-types care to weigh in? Best bagel around here?

Not a bagel, but a taco. Sort of. I've been thinking about this goa taco for approximately nine hundred years since we got it at the mini flea on 7th a few weekends ago. Holy Hannah.

So there's a bowling alley down on 5th Avenue, right next to the Broncos Toncos. We went once with some friends (who just had their first baby!!! eeeep!) and Huck has been dying to go back ever since. It's on our short list of "save it for a rainy day" activities (along with, thank you, Chuck E. Cheese, Huck is obsessed). I promise he loved it way more than it looks like he loved it in these photos, hah.

Wait guys--Feet Shot.

This is probably what he loved best about bowling. Holy crap he's such a boy these days.

I keep on attempting to cook more at home and wouldn't ya know I keep on being unsuccessful. I blame this on bagels. Every now and then I achieve some moderate success. These carrots, for example. A+.

No reason at all except that it's called Tiny's Giant and I just think that's rather clever.

Oh! I made it to Russ & Daughters finally, speaking of bagels.

I don't actually know what a bialy is. Even though the other day on my birthday when we were in the lower east side and I was getting a creme brulee doughnut from the Doughnut Plant, I overheard a tour guide telling his tour group all about the famous bialy place next door. I was in too much of a rush for a creme brulee doughnut to actually listen, because you gotta get there fast before they sell out, and now I have bialy regrets. I mean, I suppose there's always Wikipedia. 

Feet Shot #2

Well, the sad tale of Blackie and Tee, Huck's goldfish babies. We've already lost Tee to the cruelties of mortality. Sigh. We planned to get him a beta, knowing that this would happen with a goldfish, but Huck was just really into the idea of a goldfish, and since the point is supposed to be to teach Huck responsibility and let him feel ownership for something, we decided to go for it. I'm sure we'll do the beta thing once Blackie finally eats it, too. Or else maybe Huck will have gotten "pet steward" out of his system by then? Huck wasn't the slightest bit upset when he found Tee floating belly-up last night, though he did express concern later on about "peeping on Tee" after we'd flushed him for a lovely burial at sea.  

I felt really bad about it, though. Poor Tee. He looked really happy until right up to the end.

Will you look at this though.

Thank you, Huck.

Just a few pretty things around our apartment that have been making me smile. You know. Nesty garbage. :)

I went all the way out to Greenpoint the other day to meet some friends at Bakeri for lunch. This place is adorable. And those jumpsuits! 

Hmmm. Not smart.

(We had pillows, cushions, and two spotters just out of frame. Promise.)

(I was really more concerned for our pipes!)

Feet Shot #3! Now that Huck is a grown gentleman, I've been going well out of my way to not match him anymore, ever. Mom sacrifices, you know. But match-y metallic silver/gold shoes, this is okay, if you ask me. It's hard because jeans and a tee is all either of us wears, so it's really easy to walk out in full twinsies without even meaning to. Anyway. He's four in three weeks (wow!) and all good things must come to an end. Another thing worth noting about this photo is it was so windy that day that it nearly blew our faces off, and Huck kept calling it "win-wind." Wind so hard it was winning? I like the way his brain works. 

I've just really been enjoying Brooklyn lately in all this buttery yellow autumn sunlight. 

Huck's been getting a sticker subscription in the mail the past little bit from Pipsticks. Half go in my bag for emergency boredom situations, the other half I give to Huck to do with as he pleases, which usually involves putting all of them on his face, all at once. A holdover from our days at the UWS Trader Joe's when he was a baby and I'd put all of the stickers we got at check out on my face all at once to keep him entertained while I paid. It's kind of heartbreakingly sweet, the way silly things like that still hang on. (If you'd like, Hey Natalie Jean readers can get one month free when you sign up for a 6 or 12 month subscription. Just use the code NAT10 at checkout.)

Okay. Final Fall Feet Shot The Last to take us out. Whew! 

The end.