Family, Photolicious

A night out dancin’ and a day at the zoo

Posted by Sarah Mulholland on

Last night I saw Thievery Corporation again at Kool Haus, with my buddy Alice. They’re making a victory lap on the Radio Retaliation tour, celebrating the album’s Grammy nomination this year. It was virtually the same show that I saw at February, with the exception that last night was opened by Ocote Soul Sounds, another fabulous band I highly recommend. Thievery busted it out as always, and I was not disappointed! It felt so great to just groove to their incredible beats performed live. Their horn players and sitarist/guitarist especially stole the show.

With no rest for the wicked, Chris and I scooted off to the Toronto Zoo to meet up with our peeps to celebrate the birthday of Alice and Chris’s little man Calvin, who turned two years old! (BTW, visit the Toronto Zoo website to see an awesome treatment of their homepage in celebration of the return of the Polar Bears!)

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Calvin turns 2 at the zoo

We had cupcakes decorated like owls because Calvin is completely obsessed with them. Alice and I did them last night – mini Oreos for the eyes with icing brows. So cool!

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
They keep the seagulls at bay but are just as bad

The peacocks were mooching as bad as seagulls in the picnic area, but I guess they do a good job keeping the seagulls away so it wasn’t so bad.

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Abby and Calvin admiring the cichlids
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
The latest edition to the gorilla family (b. Sept. 2)

We got to see the newest edition to the gorilla family, a baby born September 2. They just held a naming competition.

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Arctic Wolves at the Tundra exhibit

The new Tundra exhibit was terrific. The Arctic Wolves were quite active on the hilltop, and the three Polar Bears were hanging out, one of them especially enjoying a good scratch right in front of the viewing window. We even got to see one swimming from the underwater viewing area, playing with a floating ball. When you see them up close through the viewing windows, you really get a sense how huge they are. Thank goodness for thick glass!

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Polar bears at the Toronto Zoo
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Polar bears at the Toronto Zoo
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Polar bears at the Toronto Zoo
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Polar bears at the Toronto Zoo
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Chris with his iPhone and a Bearded Dragon
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Green Snake
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Anemone at the Great Barrier Reef display

The Great Barrier Reef displays are also beautiful. The sea horses are amazing but the light was so dim I couldn’t get a crisp photo. Instead I got some lovely anemone shots and of course, the jellyfish.

Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Jellyfish at the Great Barrier Reef display
Calvin's B-Day at the Zoo
Jellyfish at the Great Barrier Reef display

It’s been more than 10 years since I’d last been to the zoo, and I remember feeling kind of sad for some of the big cats then, which were pacing their small enclosures, clearly bored. This time all the animals looked really happy and were behaving in a way you would expect them to, naturally. I know the Toronto Zoo is a leading institution in the world. I think last time I was there they were in the middle of constructing the Africa Pavilion, so maybe the cats were in temporary homes. Anyway, I hope to go again soon because we certainly didn’t see everything.