Why this blog?

When Arturo and I first married, we spent much of our time in Italy. In Rome, as in New York, we often went out to restaurants and bars. There was always the sight of little babies at dinner. Little babies in restaurants (this is especially true in Sicily), mamas ordering, the waiter holding the bambina, papas sipping wine, bouncing their child. This was normal and expected. As NYC bar business owners, we also occasionally saw little ones at Von, our place bar on Bleecker and Bowery. It was always a pleasure to see the babies out and about with their parents.

When Santuzza (her real name is changed for privacy) was born, I was hoping that we could live our lives in New York as we always had, with the occasional night out to dinner, just like we did in Rome. However, this doesn't seem to fly downtown. Often when we go out, we are met with strange looks that seem to convey some puritanical indictment ("how could you bring a small child out at night?"). I started feeling bad about it and foregoing the date. But we want to live with baby Santuzza fully involved in our daily lives. Why should we get a babysitter and keep the baby at home and away from us and away from a fun evening? Why would one think that a baby wouldn't enjoy a night out? Certainly Santuzza does. All those judgmental looks are about to change. The idea that babies don't belong fully in our lives: in restaurants, at gallery openings, at museums, etc. is about to be challenged. Santuzza is leading the way, going out (when she feels like it) and reporting back to you on the quality of the restaurant or event and rating the quality of food, service, and other stuff (including her own comfort factor). She will give each new place a rating based on the five "Nuk" system (that's her pacifier brand), five Nuks being the highest rating and zero Nuks the lowest. Stay tuned for each installment of Santuzza's night out!