Visiting Oma and Opa

The flight to Frankfurt was uneventful - which is exactly how I wanted it to be. Singapore Airlines surely lived up to its reputation as being one of the Top 5 airlines in the world. They had attentive stewards/stewardess and the service was efficient. S felt like she hit the jackpot in the kiddie Lotto with all the free "Spongebob"-themed goodies she got (stuffed Patrick, soft slippers, sun visor, puzzle). This was the first time that we were visiting P's parents since they moved to their new house less than a year ago, so we were pretty excited. P grew up in a 4-storied building (their store occupied the main floor) in the middle of their town's shopping district, so the only view I saw when I looked out of the front windows was the electronic store across the street. At least their fourth floor terrace offered a grand view of some rooftops and distant hills.

We reached their town after another hour's drive (thank goodness for the autobahn), and were not disappointed. His parents' house sat on top of a small hill and the view from the terrace was fantastic! I would soon find out that we could sit and watch the ever-changing sunset every night on this same spot. For S, the playground's close proximity was all that mattered.
When we arrived, a small table was set for coffee and cake. Ops, I had forgotten. It was time to change my eating habits again. P's mom is an excellent baker and would serve coffee/tea and a choice of homemade Strawberry Cheesecake or Rhubarb Cake between 3-4 PM. Every. Single. Day. I haven't eaten so much cake in such a short period of time...
Our bedroom also had a great view. There was another door that led outside to an outdoor patio. It was a great place to simply sun ourselves,

...or have an occasional BBQ lunch with P's family and friends.

LINK: http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att.net/autobahn.htm

Soccer Fever

After successfully defeating Argentina during the penalty kick shoot-out (4-2), Germany finally moved on to the World Cup 2006 Semi-finals.During the game, S donned the official (Germany) WC uniform and cheered on: GO DEUTSCHLAND!!

Trick Question

Which is bigger:
A lobster's claw or a child's head?You decide...

HIATUS

I've been busy-busy-busy this week. A few hours after S' Kindergarten graduation, we'll be flying off to Europe for a well-deserved holiday. I might pop in to post a couple of old drafts. But otherwise, I guess I'll be seeing y'all next month!!

"Tschuss!!"

NYC Event: Big Apple Barbeque Block Party

Now on its 4th year, its time again for the Annual Big Apple Barbeque Block Party! This event took place at Madison Square Park, 23rd-26th Street and Madison Avenue. By the time P, S and I arrived at the park, it was already packed. Aside from getting their hands on mouthwatering 'cue, people were there for the seminars, a film, book signings, merchandise, and lotsa freebies!!

On the Southwest corner was a stage where Jazz, Blues and Bluegrass bands performed all throughout the day. People brought blankets, folding chairs, mats and were lounging comfortably on the grass.... Dang! I should have brought my "banig"! (mat made of weaved dried coconut leaves).

Ten of the country's top pitmasters participated in the festivities and brought with them their portable smokers. Each one served their different specialties. There was Pulled Pork Shoulder, Spare Ribs, Whole Hog, Beef Brisket, Rib Tips, Baby Back Ribs, and Sausages. Each plate/order was $7.00 (excluding drinks). We were told that we should be prepared to wait in line. And so we did. We waited... And waited...

And waited...
We wanted to try what Michael Rodriguez of The Salt Lick BBQ (Driftwood, Texas) had to offer. He had this cool-looking cast-iron smoker that looked like a small house with a chimney.
After 45 minutes (no kidding!), we finally got our 3 orders of Beef Brisket, Sausage & Coleslaw.

The verdict? Well this little "piglet" just gave it a two-hooves up!!

Recipe for Salt Lick Smoked Beef Brisket & other Rubs: http://soulfusionkitchen2.blogspot.com/2006/01/big-apple-barbecue-block-party.html

LINK: http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

NYC Event: Children's Day and Fireworks

The first Children's Day Celebration was held at the World Trade Center's Austin J. Tobin Plaza in 1993.



Hundreds of PBS Kids, Noggin' and Cyberchase Central fans (including me and S!!) showed up yesterday at South Street Seaport, (which had been the events' venue since 2002) for this year's Target sponsored event.
The event was hosted by Roscoe Orman, better known as "Gordon", of Sesame Street. Also seen was NBC News' Weather and Feature reporter, Al Roker.

The kids were treated to a story narrated by Driver Daniel from Thomas the Tank Engine, about how Thomas was able to succeed in getting his own line.

LINK: http://www.childrensdaynyc.com/

The Performers

Pre-teens went gaga over all-girl group: HUCKAPOO.

LINK: http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/culture/features/10556/index1.html

Uber-popular group HI-5 also performed some of their songs.
LINK: http://www.hi5america.com/

Hi-5 cast member Kimmee Balmilero (in yellow shirt) is of Filipino descent.
For more about her, check out http://starbulletin.com/2003/02/25/features/story1.html

But nobody got more applause and garnered more high-pitched screams than this friendly purple dinosaur who is loved by toddlers (and secretly despised by a lot of adults): BARNEY!

We missed the performances of Rebecca Frezza & Big Truck and Teddy Geiger. The craving for Calamari and Fish & Chips was just too strong to ignore. Crunch. Crunch. Munch.

New York Aquarium

On the day that we decided to hang out in Coney Island's Boardwalk and Beach, pig out on Nathan hotdogs, and ride on the famous Cyclone rollercoaster (not necessarily in that order), it started drizzling. So we literally had to do a "rain"check for a later date. Left with minimal options, we decided to spend the rest of the day at the adjacent New York Aquarium instead.LINK: http://nyaquarium.com/nyahome?Preview=&psid=&ph=class%252525253dawc-148772/2/
New York Aquarium is located at Surf Avenue & West 8th Street in Brooklyn. Route is easy - just take the D train all the way to Stillwell Avenue. Or F or Q train to W 8th Station. There's no way anyone would get lost - it's the train's last stop.

We took in a very funny 20 minute show, courtesy of Otis - the California Sea Lion. Unlike Seals, Sea Lions can walk on their flippers and waddle quickly on land. Seals are better swimmers, though. Like me, Sea Lions love to gorge on squid and octopus. Unlike me, they can hold their breaths for as long as 40 minutes underwater in pursuit of fresh seafood.
There was a Touch/Feel/Learn section on Marshland animals wherein we met this interesting creature: The Horseshoe Crab, sometimes called the "Living Fossil".


It got its name from the fact that it resembles a horse hoof when turned upside-down. These arthropods may look like prototypes of some mini alien ship to me (when injured, they even bleed blue-colored blood!!), but they are totally harmless. Unless you're a clam. Or a very unfortunate worm.

Walrus & Sharks

We were lucky enough to get a good spot during their feeding time. An interesting Walrus fact: These bulls (males) could be a bit of a playa! They usually congregate in harems, with large bulls assembling numerous cows (females) into groups.
"Well, hello there! Would you care to be my Cow # 16?" Anyone got a spare pair of SuperDuperXXXXXL Speedos?
Strangely, this one below reminds me of a 2,800 lb... ...SLUG!!

One fun fact: Alll 360 Shark species are carnivores. Yep, every single one of them!
And it doesn't give me any sense of relief that there are fewer than 100 reported Shark attacks a year. There are a few rules to follow to avoid a shark attack: Stay calm. Always swim in a group. Don't splash a lot. Don't wear shiny jewelry.

Yada. Yada. Yada. Easier said than done. If I ever encounter a shark while snorkeling, trust me: This will be the last image that I would see.