Indian Summer in Brooklyn

Phew it's hot here!! It got up to high 80s today - nuts weather. Just as Joe took down the Air Conditioner and I put away all the summer clothes of course...

Anyway, took advantage of it and took the kids on a picnic to East River State Park which is about a mile away. It's gorgeous - I think I blogged about it in the summer. We got dinner from this fab place called Pies and Thighs which has amazing fried chicken and we all had just a marvelous late summer evening. Here's the pics to prove it!

Spencer future clothes designer??

I see a glimpse into Spencer's future.. he is obsessed with mixing and matching all his costumes. Here is a sample of his creations.

Sesame Place

Having a scorching September here in NY so me and Spence had a little mummy and me time and went to Sesame Place in Pennsylvania on Sunday. I don't know why they claim it's an hour and a half from the city because unless you go in a helicopter, I fail to see how that is possible. However, once you do get there, it's worth it. We had a blast. Spence loved the water rides and went on one ride 6 times in a row (the one in the background with the huge rubber duckie). We were drenched but had tons of fun. Apologies for the two of the same photos, am getting distracted with kids fighting over lollipops.

Afterwards we went to Pizzeria Uno which I haven't been to one in 15 years and now I remember why - gross! But here is Spence making his first pizza so if you want interaction over flavour with your food, this is the joint!

Spence in big boy school!

God how time flies, Spence started his new school last week. We got him into a great school in the hood and he seems to love it (apart from drop off where he is absolutely hysterical and tries to climb back into my womb)

Here he is with his new Ben Ten (of course) backpack and doing his first homework. Colouring in a celery. That's my kind of homework, Lord help me when it comes to calculus.
We also signed him up for STREB, this local gymnastics program and he is loving it.

Good times in Brooklyn!

Yizer, caught in a Tornado

This link describes the horror after last night's tornado. It was insane. I was in town after taking the kids to an art opening, and we missed the horrendous rain by about 2 minutes. However, moments before the tornado struck, I had a mini celeb sighting of Adrian Grenier, the guy who plays Vince in Entourage (and he is WAY more gorgeous in real life)!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1312848/NEW-YORK-TORNADO-One-killed-100mph-winds-rip-city.html

Fancy pants wedding soured by a theft

Last week we went out to Oheka Castle, this lovely old mansion out in Long Island for a friends wedding. It was a gorgeous setting for a wedding and we certainly had a great time, until the waiter stole our card from the table with $200 cash inside for the bride and groom - GRRR. Next time we are writing a cheque!! The manager was useless about the whole thing and it really bummed us out. I would recommend it for a wedding (if you have a huge budget!) but just advise your guests never to bring cash!!

The 'stations' of food before and after dinner were outstanding. Here is Joe at the caviar station, and after dinner you can see I did some damage at the profiterale table!!

New York Living at it's best... A RAT!!

So here we are, beautiful weather in NYC... And I decide to be earth friendly and hang the laundry on the line to dry... And lo and behold, what greets me.. A dead RAT.. Yep, a rat. I freaked. I dropped all the pegs, walked backwards and then screamed at my poor hubby who was trying to shower (therefore find 2 mins of solace).

Here is the dead little f****er that scared the sh****t out of me... My heart was pumping for about 4 hours after. Hideous.

thank god Joe's camera wasn't on the right setting so it's a kind of blurred vision, I would hate for you to be as traumatised as I was!

Doubles at the US Open

Sorry, only took the one picture, but pretty certain if you want a closer photo of Roger Federer it can be found elsewhere online!

Went on a double date with some friends to the US Open on Saturday. Gorgeous day, sat in row T - in the clouds pretty much. Surprise they don't give oxygen masks as were so far up! But lots of drinks made it a fantastic day. Best part was NO kids!! Babysitters rule!

Federer annialated his opponent, Mattieu - poor guy.. But always one of my most fun things to do as a New Yorker.

SHARK Boat!!

Yesterday I took Spence, and my part time babysitter, Betty, two girls on the Shark Boat out of South Street Seaport. Her girls had never been on a boat before!! She is a single mum with no money so never treats the kids to anything, makes me sad and I end up spending all my money on them!!

There was some crazy contorionist afterwards doing his thing so Spence has been thinking he can do this ever since...

James May Toy Stories

We have just wrapped up watched James May Toy Stories on BBC America, SO brilliant. I loved every one, but the long train track the best. Such good telly!! Now we are heavily into The Choir (again, a cry fest, especially with the mums) and Come Dine with me which should be made with American's and I'm going to submit Joe for it!

My gorgeous family

Here are Joe and the kids at the beach (Jersey Shore) meeting a friends new baby. How gorgeous??

Heatwave

Disgustingly hot here, 91 at 8pm last night...

Camping in the Catskills

We took the kids up to Andes, which is in the Catskills, super beautiful part of New York. However the rain was relentless so we ended up at a local motel instead. But here are the kids hanging in the hammock, naked as always, Margaux and Nate 'flirting' and me and my little lady.

Am such an idiot, my brother warned me

My brother told me if you leave your TomTom in the window, it will get nabbed. And it did. I had three kids with me and took them to the zoo, with another mum following me. Broad daylight, smash, my sat nav gone. And all my quarters for the parking meters. Wankers!!! Poor Margaux's car seat took the brunt of the glass so she had to go back in the other mum's car as we waited for the police which Spence and Denim thought was part of the entertainment.

Lesson learnt!!