Sunday, April 23, 2006

Zoo reservations aside...

Pea's off whooping it up in San Antonio (urban planning conference). At first I thought 'how nice, 300 square feet all to myself (& gorilla) for a few days.' Really though, I miss the guy.

And I went to the zoo. Yep, yesterday pal Doug & I braved the rain (me being the bravest, so brave as to pass on the umbrella, real jacket, and sensible shoes) to experience Central Park's finest: monkeys (Petey's still pouting), penguins, sea lions, starlings, partridges, boa constrictors, hissing cockroaches (how creative)... All were dressed to the nines. Cases in point:













This guy's a Red-Handed Tamarin, and Doug's favorite.













Same guy, a bit closer. (Speaking of, Doug & I noted a tendency to refer to pretty much all zoo critters as male. What's this about? Just us? No?)













Hsssssss. Their eyes looked to me like perfect Tiger's Eye gemstones. One of these guys was piled all over himself, forming a really, really lax-looking heap that hung over either side of a branch. A common snake pose, I know, but the sight just made me squeamish. Can't explain.













WOOT! This had us busting up--do click to enlarge/read. What a life, what a life. (Takemetherenow.) The Colobus Monkey: stunning with a streak of thick, white hair that begins on the back and culminates in a terrifically long tail (the white breaks up his black outline so as to confuse predators). I didn't get a picture (damn reflection), but there was a baby! I promise, you've never seen a cuter kid (not counting you, Syd).













Words stick in my throat. I... uh... can't... These, see, are frogs. They never moved. They appeared hollow; empty shells of what they once were. Yet no, so were they always. My brain struggled w/ them.













A skink! The personality!













Best for last: the famed Central Park sea lions, dishing antic upon antic.













Not a ray of sun, but did they ever compete for space on those rocks.













Talk about personality. This guy's preferred means of expression was to hang his rear flippers over the edge of the tank, aligning the rest of his body w/ the wall. Disturbing considering my phobia, but I kept thinking of a bloated banana slug curled over the edge of a large Pilsner glass.













Aww...

Following our zoocapade, D & I hit up Mud for some of Gotham's best (best: this says absolutely nothing at all) and some satisfyingly meandering conversation. How I do love to meander. Anyway, I made it home a bedraggled mess, and all the happier for it.

Posted by princess kanomanom @ 9:22 PM