The album release was a huge success on Tuesday! The special events room at the new Barnes and Noble was packed to overflowing with an eager and enthusiastic crowd that went crazy over the performances by the Our Time kids and celebrity artists. It was a dream come true for Taro and I know that the reception exceeded his expectations.
The Kiddo and I were able to snag plum seats in the front row, so when Taro went up on stage to introduce Our Time and kick off the show it was just too easy for the Kiddo to jump up there on stage with him. Hence, my two-year-old son became cohost of the event, a job that he seemed to savor almost as much as his dad!
After the CD signing, the three of us hopped in a cab and went to Dean's Pizzeria for a celebratory dinner. By the time we got home we were completely tuckered out from all the excitement. The next morning we were still pretty hung over, so Taro impulsively decided to take the day off from work and spend it recuperating and rejuvenating instead, bless his heart. So, yesterday was blissfully spent wafting from one chill family activity to the next, sans computers, phones, and clocks.
It's amazing how much you can do in a day when you're not trying to "do" anything! We started out by getting on the bus and heading downtown to the High Line, which the Kiddo and I have been raving about since our first visit last week, and which Taro was dying to check out. 
It was raining lightly off-and-on, so we spent several hours walking the length of the park, alternating with taking cover under one of the beautiful covered passageways and splashing about in sunny puddles. Watching the epic sky was a pastime in and of itself (you can see everything from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building and beyond).
When we finally decided we needed nourishment (beyond the delicious oatmeal cookies and lemonade available at the little City Bakery pushcart up on the High Line, we descended back 
The market has long been one of our favorite destinations in the city, but I can't remember the last time we spent hours there, drifting from one marvelous establishment to the next with no schedule or agenda. It is so fun to be aimless!
While the Kiddo was asleep in his stroller, Taro and I decided
to splurge on some homemade ice cream from Ronnybrook Dairy,
a local, all-natural farm that makes the most yummy, subtle flavors of ice cream (after liberally sampling the offerings, it was butter pecan for me, coconut for Taro). Later, we ate at a new little spot called Friedman's Lunch, which proved to be totally delish.
Once the Kiddo was awake, he made a b-line for the colorful wares of 
Imports From Marrakesh, with its piles of vivid leather poufs piled inside and out, the rainbow of Fez tiles covering the floor, and a dazzling array of glittering lanterns festooning the ceiling. The storekeepers were so kind and welcoming, interacting with the Kiddo, that we were lured right in and I decided then and there to put an end to my lifelong need for a pouf. After all, they were having a giant 50%-off sale! With the assistance of the staff, we perused every color available and sat on pouf after pouf, testing them out.
In the end, I got three small poufs -- one fuchsia, one orange, and one turquoise to scatter about the apartment. The quality is really excellent (the poufs are hand stitched in Marrakesh) and I am amped to have several nice little places to roost my increasingly cumbersome pregnant self when I'm playing on the floor with the Kiddo! Check out the store's website, here.
The last long stop on our market stroll was the recently-opened KicoKids store, which stocks the most adorable kid's clothing in a fun and inviting space complete with a play area. The Kiddo was in his element exploring the two playhouses and all the funky, kid-friendly furniture, until he lay down in the middle of a bright red rug and looked like he had passed out. We took that opportunity to move along, and carried him out of the store, indeed right out of Chelsea Market and on to the street, where we promptly headed home.
It was a glorious day in New York, and just the thing we needed to feel connected and refreshed after the recent peak of Our Time season. Today, Taro returned to work, but he will not be staying late for the first time in quite some time. And this Saturday and Sunday, he'll have his first real weekend (two consecutive days off!) in weeks. Hooray!
