Hi there, we made it to Friday!
I hope you’re stopping by after a good week out there. I know that we’re all just doing our best to try and figure everything out one day and week at a time. That’s how things have been over here … but we’re hanging in there! Hehe.

The last week has been an eventful one (details below), and I am really looking forward to celebrating a special birthday this weekend. Skyler is turning THREE on Monday, and I don’t that I am emotionally ready for this milestone. (Right? This totally crept up!)

We are planning on having a very low-key hang at a local playground, and it will feel extra special after cancelling his birthday last year due to the start of the pandemic. It’s outside, it will be small, and everyone will be wearing masks and keeping their distance while the kids play (just like any other day), so we feel good about making the best out of another birthday during this unforeseen time. I’ll be sure to share the recap next week!
Today we’re covering the highlights of this week in a new edition of Friday Favorites. Thank you so much for reading, and here we go!
FRIDAY FAVORITES: WEEK OF 3/12

- Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Scott and I have been wanting to take Skyler to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum for over a year now, and I’m so glad that my mom mentioned it during her stay with us last weekend into earlier this week.
Things are a little different these days, and a lot of the hands-on exhibits were closed (understandably), but we felt comfortable venturing out with our masks on and practicing socially distanced protocols. There were capacity limits on certain enclosed areas and opportunities to sanitize at every turn.

I felt slightly crowded in some areas, but we were able to move around to other areas with lighter traffic as we pleased.

I was very happy to be there with the opportunity for Skyler to have fun in a new environment, explore and learn!

There are two levels in this museum, and the first floor has a Totally Tots area that is geared for younger babies and toddlers. Skyler LOVED the blocks room and spent a lot of time there, along with the water table and water play.

We also spent a lot of time going in and out of the play shops. Sky made his own pizza, went grocery shopping, baked, and we all learned about different cultures all over the world. It was cool!
His favorite part was probably a three-way tie between the water play, sand, and hands-on experience with the live animals. We happened to time it right when the staff was feeding the reptiles, so we were able to get up close and ask all the questions. Skyler even held a hissing cockroach and pet a snake! It was wild.

The upstairs replicated a typical museum layout with areas to lounge, read books and admire sculptures and artifacts. There was an elephant skeleton from Indonesia and an area for arts and crafts if you pre-register for classes. (We will make sure to do this next time!)
FYI, tickets were between $12 and $13 per person depending on age, and you could pick a 10am – 1pm or 2-5pm time slot, as they close for an hour in the afternoon to clean.

We all had so much fun and will definitely be back again with Scott!
- Ferrara Bakery & Cafe in Little Italy
My mom had never walked through Little Italy before this trip, so we planned to take a stroll in the area on her last full day here with us.

Everything looks less crowded right now, but it’s a popular neighborhood for both tourists and locals to visit. I have heard that the “real” Little Italy is up in The Bronx, but we have yet to visit. It’s on the NYC bucket list for sure!
Anyways, I wanted to include this on today’s recap because we always stop by the same bakery since it’s always worth it. The Ferrara Bakery & Cafe is located on the corner of Grand Street and Mulberry Street, and I’ve never tried something that I didn’t love.

We purchased a few things on our stop in and the best part was the sweet cashier on our checkout. She asked if it was okay to give Skyler a taste of gelato and came back with a small cup for free! It was strawberry flavored (his favorite) and even had a frozen strawberry on top. It was delicious and such a kind offer!
- Lil’ Frankie’s
I have probably mentioned this spot on the blog before, but it’s worth revisiting in today’s round-up because it’s one of my favorite places for great Italian food in the city.

Lil’ Frankie’s is in Lower Manhattan on the Bowery side, and is the perfect place for an old-school, chill atmosphere with great service. It’s cash-only, however, and I always forget this until we get there!
I have tried the pizzas and pastas along with several appetizers, and I’ve never been disappointed. This time, my mom ordered a simple Margherita pizza with arugula, and I ordered spaghetti with baby meatballs. We were surprised that the arugula came out on the side instead of cooked on top of the pizza, but I digress. The meatballs were fantastic and Skyler was in heaven trying and loving everything.

Everything is different right now, but I was thankful that we were actually able to eat indoors, far away from other patrons, and felt very safe. In normal times, the place would be packed and every seat would be taken with a long list of reservations following!
I’ve never had anything bad to say about Lil’ Frankie’s, and I’ll definitely be back with cash in hand, ready to go next time. So good!
- commercial shoot in Philly
If you followed my Instagram stories on Tuesday, then you already know that Scott and I spent the day shooting a commercial in Philadelphia! We rented a car and were in and out just for this purpose, but we both love to walk around that city and take in all of its history. It’s a shame that we couldn’t hang around longer.
Scott has been working as an actor and stuntman in this weird limbo season of the world’s entertainment and live events being shut down, and he has convinced me to cast with him from time to time. I mean, what do we have to lose, right?
Well, we have shot little projects here and there, but this was our first official commercial shoot set up together, on location, with a full camera crew, wardrobe, the whole thing. We spent the entire day inside of a hotel room getting shots of a typical hotel stay (us arriving, unpacking, getting ready for dinner, lounging, etc.), and it was a fun project to do!

(By the way, I’m wearing all clean but glam makeup and shared it all on the Life In Leggings – Beautycounter page!)
The client was an air purifier to pitch to a large hotel chain to provide in every room, so I’ll share more if they get the deal and/or if the commercial gets out to the public. Woo hoo!
- Gym Machine Workout – Seated Strength
I completed this workout on Monday and briefly shared it on my stories. It felt good after an unexpected few days away from workouts, and it worked my chest, shoulders, back, abs and legs. I have a feeling that it will get repeated.
Just in case you’re looking for somethings similar and have access to exercise machines, here are the details …

Complete 12-15 reps of each exercise in the circuit (separated in the graphic) for a total of 2-3 rounds before moving on to the next one.
EXERCISE BREAKDOWN
Be mindful in your weight selections. If the workout calls for 12-15 reps, you should be able to complete only 12-15 reps each time. If you could complete more, up the weight!
As always, please make sure you are cleared by a doctor to start any type of new physical activity and listen to your body for when to rest, and please reach out with any questions!
- favorite LIL posts
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This soup is loaded with protein and vegetables! You can make it vegetarian/vegan by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth. Grab your instant pot and get ready for a healthy and comforting recipe that your whole family will love!

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If you are working out consistently, but aren’t feeling challenged or seeing the results, this post is for you.

All right, I think we’re going to wrap things up there today. It’s absolutely gorgeous outside here in Brooklyn, so I am going to take advantage of it and take the scenic route in the errands that Skyler and I need to run later.
C’mon Spring sunshine, am I right?
Thank you so much for clicking over to read today, and I hope you have a wonderful day and weekend ahead. Take care and talk soon!
*Disclaimer: Friday Favorites posts may contain affiliate links. Also, I am a Beautycounter consultant and love what I do with the company. By using the links provided in this post to order products, you are supporting my business. I always appreciate you!

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