Lion god

Several galleries in Philadelphia Museum of Art's Asian wing are devoted to Eastern gods, many of them animals. Ganesha, the dancing elephant, is one of Elliott's favourites, as is the lion in this photo. Elliott likes to run up to it and roar. Here, he has finished greeting his deity friends (Raaah! Moo! Neigh!) and is trying to remember where the Medieval fountain is. Because he fancies a swim.

Listening

Eeeeee-yaaaar-eeeeee-yaaaar! Elliott is fascinated by fire engines, ambulances and police cars. Fire engines are his favourite and listening for their sirens, which is what he's doing here, is a very serious business.

Grocery shopping

Elliott loves grocery shopping, particularly at the Whole Foods Market near Logan Circle. It's his favourite shopping destination for two reasons: the pint-sized shopping trolley and the demolition-site view (diggers! dozers! dump trucks! cranes!) from the eating area. We make a special trip once a week so Elliott can free-range and gather what he needs. Apparently, that would be (and this is exactly what he chooses each time, following the same route around the store) a banana, prunes in a purple canister that doubles as a drum, yoghurt in a little green tub with a sheep on it (baa!) and a pack of vegetarian sushi rolls. At the checkout, he takes his special red shopping bag with dinosaurs on it out of the stroller and hands it to the cashier. Once his purchases have been packed, he carries them to the eating area, selects the table with the best view of the demolition action (down comes the facility for wayward adolescent boys, up goes an art museum, got to love Philadelphia) and happily picnics on his bounty until the workmen take lunch.

Babycino & toy

Most Tuesdays, before story time at the Free Library of Philadelphia, we walk through the Art Museum District to Mugshots, a popular coffeehouse (American for cafe). In Elliott's view, it has much to recommend it: a very entertaining toy, crayons and paper for drawing, fine granola, pretty young ladies who are exactly his type and delicious babycinos. The American barista's repertoire does not include babycinos. They (like most Americans) have never heard of such a thing until we make their day by requesting one. Always interesting to see what comes out first time around. It's never a babycino. At Mugshots, it was a strong macchiato concealed beneath a generous layer of milk froth garnished with a squiggle of chocolate sauce, thus explaining why, as I placed the order, they were looking at me as if I were deranged. Now, they produce an excellent babycino -- their own take on the concept using layers of cinnamon and crunchy raw sugar. It's Elliott's second-favourite Philadelphia babycino. The one they've invented for him at Parc, where he's incredibly spoilt, is his favourite. It comes with a squirrel-shaped cookie for dipping.

Feeding Filbert

We're fortunate to live in the same neighbourhood as Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market. Elliott enjoys our regular visits to buy fruit and vegetables because once we've finished shopping (i.e. causing chaos as he free-ranges with a basket almost as large as he is) it is time to "feed" Filbert. E takes great delight in dropping small change, one coin at a time, into Filbert's mouth. The money collected is passed on to local charities that provide food for people in need. Change dispensed, Elliott likes to stick around to give Filbert some TLC.

Misappropriating

Elliott: Who needs toys when so much fun can be had misappropriating household objects for my nefarious purposes?

No pretzel

Nap time -- so much cleaner since the security guard in our building finished handing out her holiday pretzels.

Tricycles

Meandering through Center City's quirky and charming Society Hill neighbourhood yesterday we turned down a pedestrian thoroughfare and happened upon two dozen unattended tricycles parked in an alcove. Elliott was beside himself with excitement. A gentleman who lives in a townhouse adjoining the thoroughfare told us the tricycles belong to a pre-school in the neighbouring place of worship and that he was sure Elliott would be welcome to play with them.

Irish Memorial

Elliott was in poor health yesterday but a pit stop at The Irish Memorial Monument, and a game of "This little piggy" with a starving barefoot Irish girl in bronze, lifted his spirits.

Da plane! Da plane!

Elliott stands transfixed after spotting an aeroplane high above Center City on Christmas Day.

Nativity scene

Elliott's Christmas morning: a present, pancakes and an outing to the nativity scene with live animals outside the Old First Reformed Church in Philadelphia's Old City district.

Happy New Year!

Elliott celebrates the first day of 2009 at Philadelphia Museum of Art. He's in the Asian Art wing's Japanese teahouse and garden -- a peaceful and calming space. As you can see, it had a profound effect on him.