Summer is Almost Over - Packing it in

Say it isn't so! Summer is almost over so we are packing it in over here. We've been enjoying more than a few good times this last week of Summer...
Went to the Tall Ships Festival last weekend where my son had a chance to see the largest rubber duckie and ring the bell of a battleship. 

cool battleship

We also are in the birthday party circuit with two soirees last weekend too - Frozen gymnastics and bouncing bowtique kind of fun.

We tried out Adventure City  on our 'take a trip Tuesday'. This was a first for us and I am was pleasantly surprised. Its perfect for the toddler set, complete without lines so you can go on the wild roller coaster back-to-back-to-back times and the admission price was SO reasonable, it was hard to get my son to leave. 

cranking good time @Adventure City

Our other fav Tues trips have been the Art Zone in Hermosa and of course the farmer's market in Manhattan Bch.

farmer's market face painting
always a treat & touching the tiger sharks - too cool!

Next up was the Long Beach Aquarium. We saw penguins, tiger sharks and had a chance to feel the bell of the jelly fish.

Rounded out the week with a pool playdate, our annual pilgrimage to Roger's Garden (one of the greatest garden stores) Halloween Boutique and finally Labor weekend would not be complete without a stop at the Fiesta Hermosa. Which a friend and I dearly call the arts & craps festival but truly it is a tradition with us and my son now like the carnie rides too.

Now this may seem random to add to the blog today, being with the end of summer and all but truly this new discovery for me of delicata squash makes me think of cooler days of fall (when will that be, Nov? So what better way to send off summer but with this new item. They are a great squash, more like an an acorn squash but even sweeter. I just cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (save and roast them with the squash), cut into 1/4 in slices and use olive oil spray or tbls olive oil and lil salt and pepper, bake at 400 degrees for 20 min, turning once 1/2 way through. You can even eat the skin which gets so tender. Serve with meat or fish or top a green salad.

Enjoy!!!