More Mikaela’s Choice Day

After the Children’s Museum, we took the train back to our hotel. Mikaela was so exhausted that she fell asleep between the time I picked her up to carry her through the subway turnstile and the doors shut and I sat down on the 1 train headed downtown. She slept though the entire 45 minute train ride, plus the 15 minute walk in her stroller from the train stop to our hotel, and about another 15 minutes after we laid her on the bed back in our hotel room.

When she woke up, Mikaela was excited to go to the playground that is between our hotel and the Hudson waterfront. Not only did it have great stuff to climb on and fun slides, it also had both sand and water to play in! Mikaela was less than thrilled when I had to start giving her a countdown until it was time to leave. But we realized that we were going to have to get some kind of clean-up in before we could have dinner in any kind of public place – she was FILTHY. The combo of sand and water led to sand stuck all over every inch of her. And though she REALLY wanted a hot dog, Mikaela relented and allowed Aunt Bunny to take us out for a decidedly more adult meal.

While Miriam and I took Mikaela upstairs to get her hosed off, Bunny talked to the hotel concierge about dinner options. He printed out information for her about three restaurants, and after a highly scientific and critical analysis (which consisted primarily of Miriam playing “eeny-meeny-miny-moe”) we started the walk up West Broadway toward The Odeon Restaurant.

I don’t think I’m capable of adequately raving about how wonderful The Odeon was. As we started to walk into the restaurant, Miriam and I shot glances at each other that we both read as “oh crap, what did we just get ourselves into.” We noticed the white linen tableclothes, the soft lighting, and nary a children’s section to be found on the menu posted outside the door. We were sure that after a VERY full day, taking Mikaela into this restaurant was going to be a big mistake. But the staff of The Odeon couldn’t have proven us more wrong. They were amazingly friendly and accomodating from the minute they sat us – and they didn’t even try to hide us away at a table in the corner. Both the Maitre d’ and our waitress made a point of coming over to say hello to Mikaela. Once seated, we discovered that the tabletops were covered in white butcher paper, and waitress brought a cup full of crayons and encouraged Mikaela to draw on the table (we reminded her that was only allowed here at this particular restaurant). And when she’d colored about as far as she could reach, the waitress brought her more blank paper – we didn’t even think to ask for it. When it came time to order, Mikaela asked for “grilled cheese, please!” The waitress said no problem and never even batted an eye, despite the absence of anything resembling grilled cheese on the “New American” menu.

And it wasn’t just the friendly staff either. The food was outstanding.  My sirloin and Miriam’s skirt steak were cooked perfectly to order. Bunny was raving about her salmon in mustard broth from the first bite. Even Mikaela’s grilled cheese came out with the cheese perfectly melted, but with the sandwich at an appropriate temperature for a toddler to handle (this had been an issue at least twice already this trip, with food ordered from the children’s menu being served at temperatures that could injure a child).

We loved dinner so much that we all ordered dessert, despite all of us essentially feeling full. And we didn’t regret that either. I had an excellent classic creme brulee (which Mikaela tasted and instantly fell in love with); Bunny had the chocolate pudding, which was really more like silky smooth dark chocolate mousse; Miriam had the dessert special, which involved little puff pastries and a mango sauce that was light and divine. Mikaela devoured three scoops of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips in it – good to the last drop. As we got ready to leave, our waitress and the maitre d’ both stopped by to tell us how impressed they were with Mikaela’s behavior. They insisted on hugs on our way out. We already know how special Mikaela is, but it’s always nice to have our own perception reinforced. It was really a great way to conclude a fabulous day – even if it did mean that Mikaela didn’t get to bed until 10:30 pm.