Out of Cortex

We Meet At Last!

A few days ago on Friday, Mike and I tried to go see the titan arum bloom in the Kenneth Post Lab Greenhouse on campus. It hadn't opened yet, but it was really beautiful to see. Still, we really wanted to experience the corpse-like smell of the plant. We got news that the plant had opened and was starting to bloom so we tried to go over there before closing at 11 pm. Alas, we were just a little late (we got there around 10:15 pm) and they had closed the giant line pouring out of the greenhouse and snaking across the sidewalk of Tower Road. Police were called for crowd control, to make sure the plant was safe. We were not giving up so easily, however, so we went back early on Monday morning, after a meeting with my Immigration Clinic Team. And there it was... 

 

 It didn't smell too bad either! But that's because the height of the bloom came the night we were turned away (the flower reached 44 inches across about about 66.5 inches tall! - the growth spurt was as follows: 3/4 (38 in), 3/8 (48 in), 3/10 (53in) 3/11 (55in), 3/12 (57in), 3/13 (59), 3/14 (62in), 3/15 (63in), 3/16 (64.5in), 3/17 (66in), 3/18 (66.5in)). Supposedly the smell permeated the hallway and was really quite something to behold (or breathe in) around 9 pm. People drove from miles away, coming in from Rochester and even visiting from Illinois. Apparently, this isn't it for the corpse plant that has become so popular. Next up in the pollination phase. Our plant is getting pollen from a plan that bloomed in Binghampton a few years ago, and pollination started around Monday when we were at the lab. Karl Niklas, professor of plant biology, has stated that graduate students are on pollen duties 24 hours a day. "We will continue to apply pollen, but it could be a few days until we know if we have seed. It is very nerve-racking," he said in and interview.  I hope it works!

Oh, also, we got to participate in a naming poll. The plant had three options, and here are the results (also posted on the Titan Arum Blog): 

• Big Red 14%
• Uncle Ezra 33%
• Wee Stinky 53%

Mike and I both voted for Wee Stinky, after a small stream on campus. Big Red is after our bear mascot, whereas Ezra was after our school's founder. Wee Stinky, to me, was the most fitting name. It was something uniquely Cornellian, while not being so broadly or generically used (as Big Red and Ezra are names and phrases used all over campus). As for more information on Wee Stinky from the Dear Uncle Ezra Q&A blog: 

It's located between Day Hall, Sage Hall, the Campus Store, and East Ave.  Although there are several theories for the origin of the name, the consensus is that you're right, it was literal. The adjective "stinky" no longer applies, however.

As to the former odor, some say it came from the Vet School's cows who once roamed near the actively flowing stream.  Where you have cows...well, you can figure out the rest.  Other sources say that storm drains near the Veterinary and Agriculture Colleges contributed foul-smelling fumes from sewage or other pollution. One of the archivists in Olin Library said he was here in the 1940's, at which time the aptness of the name was quite apparent...the smells emanating from the stream were severely malodorous. 

Today, the lovely and sweet-smelling creek still winds its way around campus for us to enjoy. The Glen is a beautiful spot to relax or have a quiet picnic on one of the sunny days that will soon arrive.

Anyway, Mike and I were elated that we got to take part in something so unique and magical. Just FYI, this titan arum is part of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory collection, and is temporarily located in Green Greenhouse 114, attached to Kenneth Post Lab on Tower Road just east of the intersection with Judd Falls Rd. 

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Today was quite the busy day! After meeting titan arum, Mike and I headed home to do a little work. After reaching a good point, we took a walk to enjoy the beautiful Ithaca weather (oh, how rarely we get to say that while we're here for school). Along the way, we met a plethora of twittering, crawling, bounding, and thriving life. The one of most note was our friend, Wooly (a wooly bear caterpillar), also known as the earlier form of the Isabella Tiger Moth, "Pyrrhartica Isabella." Mike saw spotted him, bustling along on the piping hot concrete sidewalk, in danger of 1) burning himself to death, 2) being spotted by a bird, or 3) being run over by man (via car or sneaker). So we plucked up him and he froze in fear. We settled him on the grass on a lovely hill where he shook himself back to his senses and hurried along.

 
 
Side note: Wooly Bears are the subject of common folklore, which has it that the forthcoming severity of a winter can be predicted by the amount of black on the caterpillar. In fact, the orange band will grow towards the ends of the body, with the black bands decreasing in size, as the larva matures. The setae of the Woolly Bear caterpillar do not inject venom and are not urticant—they do not cause irritation, injury, inflammation, or swelling. They will, however, play dead if picked up or disturbed (which is what our little guy did when Mike removed him from his dangerous location). Anyone with sensitive skin is discouraged from handling them because their bristles may cause dermatitis. I found these cute photos of them online: 

After this encounter, we continued our walk to explore Ithaca away from campus, but not too far considering we don't have a car. We eventually trekked out to Ithaca Falls, and saw some fun things along the way, including this lone smoke stack (what is it doing out here in the middle of nowhere, sticking up so high?).

 This was right over the parking lot leading toward Ithaca Falls, so we crossed the pavement (ugh, it was baking hot!) into the park. 

There were some people fishing (hopefully with a license) and it was kind of sad because I saw blood flowing out of one of the caught fish's mouths as the one of the fishermen tied it (using the line still hooked into its lip) to a tree root, presumably to keep it alive and as fresh as possible without letting it go. There were seriously dozens (perhaps fifty or more) fish, swarming in the water in the pool by the falls. The fishermen didn't come to these pools, where the fish were likely spawning, so as not to disturb the ones who made it safely up river. There were these stupid undergrads who waded in and tried to catch the fish with a plastic bag (idiots!). Poor fish. We also saw spiders galore, skittering and jittering around the rocks we walked over on the banks. Any given time, when we looked across the ground, we saw hundreds of tiny movements out of the corner of our eyes. Yup, spiders. It was such a nice day, lots of people were out and we met two dogs (not pictured), both of whom were SO cute.  

It was wonderful to be around nature so close to where we live. I think this is one thing I'll miss about Ithaca (although we didn't really get to enjoy this fact most of the during school because we left for the best times in terms of weather and we were otherwise too busy to enjoy it).   

Regardless, I can only imagine what the local falls (this one and others) would all look like in the summer, fall and winter! Actually, I had driven by Ithaca falls in the winter before with Mari when I did the Child Advocacy clinic. It looked magnificent draped in white snow and clear icicles. While nothing is very green yet, I thought this early spring look was still beautiful. Mike touched the water and it was crisp and freezing, and it must have felt as clean as it looked. We skipped a few rocks (Mike's throws were epic, whereas I did alright with a few skips here and there) and then started our trek back up. 

 On our way back up home, we stopped by the campus to snap a few photos of what we termed "our spot." We'd sit here during 1L year complaining about school while dragging ourselves to Olin or White or Uris Library to study. Those were good memories, despite the complaining! And the campus looked lovely. On the way, we saw a ton of robins (I counted about 12) and a woodpecker looking thing that was really pretty, with its black and white plumage and a red cap. We also saw a cardinal, but I didn't have my camera out at the ready for it's speedy introduction and departure.

What a nice and productive day! I had a meeting, I submitted yet another draft of my appellate brief, I smelled a titan arum, I met some new critters I didn't know much about before, I took a hike to Ithaca Falls, I met some dogs, I saw some family but no less interesting creatures, I remembered how stupid some undergrads were, and I skipped some rocks. While I didnt write much about it, I also helped Mike earn enough points in the Rayman game to make it to the final optional-because-it's-so-hard level (Land of the Livid Dead) and watched Hugo (which, by the way, is a poignant and wonderfully magical film). Most of all, I got to relax with my best (boy)friend Mike. All in all, a good day. Cheers!

Meeting Titan Arum

Today was the first day of spring break, and I had the chance in a lifetime and got to meet what I find to be a horticultural, botanical wonder reigning from the jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia: the Amorphophallus titanium. Mike and I heard and rushed over there, before the public hours ended at 3:00 pm. It was truly a sight to see, and although it hadn't bloomed yet (they think it will this week), it was wonderful. Anyway, we saw the vegetable state of the plant (immediately below, left) and the plant that is about to bloom (immediately below, right). Look how big this thing is! And the beautiful mottled pattern on the outer leaf (it looks like a ruffled petal). 

 For those of you who don't know much about the Amorphophallus titanium, it has many names. It's also known as  the "Titan Arum," "the Corpse Plant," "the Corpse Flower," and bunga bangkai in Indonesian (bunga means flower, while bangkai means corpse or cadaver). It is a very interesting bloom indeed. It's considered a carrion flower (it is pretty close to what it sounds like, although the one that Mike and I saw hadn't started smelling like much of anything yet...Still, we could detect an underlying odor waiting to be unleashed). It's related to a similar stinky, but no less amazing, flower called the rafflesia flower (it's lower growing, is more reddish, and looks a bit like a child's drawing of a daisy).

Anyway, the corpse flower grows to about ten feet in height, and has a base bulb that weighs up to 200 pounds (the heaviest such structure on the planet)! This flower also isn't actually just one flower. It's a structure with over 1,000 flowers in it (usually 450 female and 500-1,000 male), located at the base and hidden by the modified leaf (that's the big purple "petal"). Once it's time to bloom, the flower emits a rotting smell to attract carrion flies. The female flowers open first and are receptive for one day, whereas the male flowers open later. If pollination is successful, then the bright red fruits form. After that, the fruits are eaten by the giant Hornbill and distributed through its poop. This is such a perfect example of how interconnected the ecosystem can be, no? And what's mor, the corpse plant is thought to have originated in the late Cretaceous period. Wow! This natural wonder of the rainforest has survived quite awhile, despite mankind's best efforts to destroy its natural habitat.

Unfortunately, this plant almost never blooms... in one case, a plant did not bloom between something like 1889 and 1926! It also takes between 7 and 10 years for the plant to bloom for the first time; after that, it's up to anyone's guess. Sometimes a plant will only bloom once or twice more in its life. What's even crazier is that the plant only really blooms for about ONE day (see the series of photos below that goes from left to right, June through July). 

 

So rare is this event that even the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times has reported on it, in addition to more local publications such as the Huffington Post and the Cornell horticultral blog. We're really luck that we got to see this, because this flower came from a plant at the University of Wisconsin in 2002 and this is the first time it's blossomed!

Like I mentioned above, there is another sad note to this story: the corpse flower, along with so many amazing species of flora and fauna, are in danger, threatened by deforestation in Indonesia. Illegal logging and cultivation of oil palms are the main culprits. While it may not smell like a rose, I can definitely say that the titan arum is far more unique. It'd be a shame to lose such wonders for future generations. Either way, Mike and I hope it'll bloom this weekend and that it will be available for public viewing while we're still in town. We (strangely) want to take this once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to see what this smell is all about!

Weather Whack

We've been having strange weather lately... mostly, it's been that lukewarm kind of day where everything is brown, but it's cold enough not to have woken the flowers and green things from their slumber. And then randomly, the temperature dropped for a span of a day or two and it snowed. But then it got too warm for the snow to stick, so it melted away again. What is going on?!

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 Sunny and warm, then snowy. Sunny and warm, and then snowy again. Confusing. There was also this magnificent thunderstorm, with lightening leaping across the sky, as Mike and I walked home from campus one night. The rain was pelting down on us, and when we looked up, this bright blue streak lit up the atmosphere, and in perfect clarity, we saw the electric vein of lightening cut across the clouds. It was really something amazing. Sidenote: we were talking, at this time, about why "kissing in the rain" is such a popular romantic motif. We realized that Hollywood has cheapened the original meaning, we think, behind what kissing in the rain really represents. It doesn't just represent a certain "I don't care air" behind the kiss. It represents the "I am here, with you, no matter what, rain or shine." It means "the world can be going to shit, and I don't care, because I have you in my arms." (Of course, rain doesnt = shit, because I love rainy weather, but you get the picture. In a large world, where you can feel so small, having a partner in life makes you feel like you can stand all the crap thrown at you, I support. Although Neil DeGrasse Tyson has a different perspective on feeling small in this astounding world as he responds to the question “What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?”: 

Money: “When I look up at the night sky, and I know that, yes, we are part of this Universe, we are in this Universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the Universe is in us. When I reflect on that fact, I look up — many people feel small, ’cause they’re small and the Universe is big, but I feel big, because my atoms came from those stars.”

Whether the universe feels big or small, all I know is that there is so much more for us to discover. Like this mini, real-life dragon found in Indonesia. Notice the lines in the wings? Those are their ribs actually! They can expand their chests at will and glide. Amazing. Apparently only the females could be caught when they were laying eggs, or else they'd fly off. (I hope it didn't stress them out too much so that it affected their egg-laying...) 

My mom told me today that it's about 78-degrees in northern California, while it was about 19-degrees in Ithaca. It has barely snowed this winter in Ithaca, despite that one tiny stretch of two or so super cold days. I was hoping, strangely enough, that I would get to experience another giant snowfall, like last year. There's something about it that makes me feel like coming home, full-circle, before I say goodbye to Ithaca. And as I'm here wistfully hoping for the snowfall that will never come, I realize that beautiful animals, undiscovered and untouched by the sizzle and clank of industrialization, are being lost as the fire of humanity (the greatest parasite of the earth) spreads its nefarious clutches... well, everywhere. It worries and saddens me. Can we not hold ourselves back and save the wonders left on this planet? 

 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

Today Mike and I went ot the Monterey Bay Aquarium one a little day-date while we still have time to while away our sunny days. It was really nice and warm, surprisingly, because sometimes Monterey can be quite windy and cold in winter. It felt like a summer day! The first thing we did was buy a membership card, which is basically a donation to this wonderful institution. If I go one more time in 2012, I would have saved $10. I think it's worth it! The next thing we did was say hello to the otters, who were simply adorable as they frolicked about. After snapping a thousand blurry photos, none of which really turned out, we then headed over to the Kelp Forest. 

I've always loved octopi, and I think I want one as a housemate. They're so smart and interesting! I think it's be really neat to have one because they can literally taste their food by touching it. They use that same "tasting" ability via their suckers to identify their human handlers. Adorable. Afterwards, we headed over to the Shallow Seas.

Then we went to the darker parts of the ocean, the Open Sea exhibit, which is definitely my favorte. I am sad that they took down the Secret Lives of Sea Horses exhibit, but they still had plenty of Jellies, so that was nice. I love their giant tank with the 90-foot window into the ocean, as schools of tuna and sardines glide by and hammerheads lurk in the deep. I think the sunfish is always an attraction, as are the green sea turtles. Mike was filming a sunfish in the romantic, cool hall of the exhibit, when suddenly a cloud of something gross plumed out behind it. We realized that it was excreting... well, you know. Mike caught it all on tape and some little kid exclaimed "Mommy! What is that?!" Like I said, well, you know. A few moments later, a sea turtle swam through the now invisible line of sunfish poop and convulsed, vomiting all over the place and out his nose. Poor thing. I caught that one on camera as well. Ah, romantic, right? 

Overall, I loved it. I love this aquarium because not only are the animals so interesting, but even the art breaths conservation. For instance, one artist took photos of shark teeth and made a collage, titled "Ocean's Silver". The number of teeth represent the estimated number of sharks killed every DAY to feed the demand for shark fin soup (something I've banned years ago). Come on. This should be something all Chinese people ban, as the Chinese are likely the biggest offenders of the brutal way of killing sharks (slicing off their fins and leaving them defenseless and unable to swim in the ocean so they don't have to call the "weight" requirements for overfishing regulations). If everyone just said no to shark fin soup, things would be better for these beautiful creatures.

Really, it's quite sad when you think about it that so perhaps the next generation won't know what Great White Sharks are, or Polar Bears for that matter. And so many other species that are already entering extinction or have become extinct. The worst part is that non-humans are so voiceless in the way that voices are meaningful... that is, they don't have a vote or any political clout. Don't even get me started on how we treat man's best friend; not as a friend at all sometimes. When I am more financially able, I will definitely dedicate my time to Best Friends or some other organization, perhaps the humane society or the world wildlife fun. Worthy causes to publicize earth's cry for help. 

My dæmon?

I think that if I lived in the world of Lyra Belacque from the Golden Compass, my dæmon would be a cat of some kind. Or, if I were somehow an animorph or something, I'd be a cat. I was thinking about this as I have one more than one occasion (I know, weird, but I am really an animal person) and, in an exercise of extreme self-absorbtion, I started wondering what kind of cat I am. There is one big difference between me and cats, however... namely that I'm not agile like one. So maybe I'm something small, fiesty, but more like a wolverine (hm, maybe they're too fiesty)? Although, I guess cats are also notoriously lazy, so maybe I am catlike. Perhaps a margay, bobcat, lynx, caracal, or serval? I'm not really puma-like, or tigress-like (although that is my Chinese zodiac sign).

Anyway, I was thinking about cats and I came across this helpful little site.  It's missing the smaller wildcats (given it's about big cats), so it doesn't talk about servals, caracals, or oncillas.  But then again, the site discusses ocelots which I don't really think qualifies as a "big cat" anymore than the omitted species... In contrast to my daemon, I think Mike would have a dhole. Dholes are not as territorial as wolves. They are more social and have less of a dominance hierarchy, living in clans rather than packs. Interestingly, they let their pups eat first at a kill unlike most social canids but similar to African Wild Dogs. Given their size and the size of the prey they are able to bring down, they seem pretty tenacious. They are diurnal hunters and go through rituals before the hunt, taking about two minutes to kill a 50kg animal. They are really interesting creatures... beautiful, too, I think. What do you think, Mike? Fitting? See also: this!

(By the way, I know this post is a rather eclectic mix of randomness about animals, but hey. Some of these critters are naturally acclimated to the snow, where I am likely freezing right now so.... I guess there is some connection!). No worries, I am coming home soon from what I hope was a wonderful weekend of quality family time!

On another note, if you don't have time (or if you live in a place where it is impossible or inconvenient) to get any time with nature, bring the outdoors inside with The picNYC Table from Haiko Cornelissen Architecten.

The vegetation is very much alive, meaning the table requires constant care, but the reward is invaluable: all the picnic, no ants.

Cheers.

Week 7: JUSTIN CORREA!

Well, actually, it was an event-filled weekend even before Justin graced us with his presence. Mike and I went to the Hollywood Bowl with our coworkers from MHAS. By the way, Mike saw this GT2 and kind of geeked out about it for a second. We had a bit of a trip over, trying to meet one of our coworkers so we could park, get on the Metro, and subway it over to the Hollywood Bowl so we could skip all the traffic (at the end of the night, the trip was definitely worth it because traffic would have been terrible). We passed through Hollywood and saw the opening night pre-set-up-red-carpet-event for the movie Inception, which I am just DYING to see. (Oh and speaking of movies, I really, really want to see The Expendables too!!!) Anyway, the GT2 was that matte black on cars that I see more and more nowadays. I kind of like it, but it seems like it'd be hard to clean. Anyway, it was a Tuesday night, and Tuesday events are classical. The show was called French Passion? Whatever the name, the music was absolutely beautiful. The program was as follows: Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3,  Debussy's La mer , and finally Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe, Suite No. 2. Seriously beautiful, seriously. The violinist was amazing, as was this one amazing flutist. They hit the high notes without any of the sharpness or squeakiness you sometimes hear even with solid players. Plus, we got to enjoy delicious wine, hummus, flatbread, cheese (cheddar and jack, I think), creamy cheese spread, salami, edamame, green string beans, crackers, and tasty little cookies. Mike also wanted a hot dog, so he got one from the concession stand. I am so glad I got to visit the Hollywood Bowl. It was a beautiful night, not too hot, hot too cold.

Los Angeles Philharmonic - French Passion

Another great night :)

Then, on Thursday evening, Romerson and Cora came to town on their way to Romerson's home. My friend Steven also came down (for work) all the way from Seattle. Aw, it was so good seeing you! We were going to celebrate my birthday, belatedly, at Houston's, but they wouldn't make a reservation for more than six. The tables are apparently bolted down, so we would have to split up. Lame. So Mike made a last-minute reservation across the way at Rocksugar (think Pan Asian Cheesecake Factory; same owners). I really liked the crispy chicken samosas with cilantro yogurt (appetizer) and I LOVED the blood orange sangria made with champagne, Riesling, and blood orange. Delicious. For my entree, I had the Indonesian Cilantro Shrimp dish. Unfortunately, the corn was super salty even though the consistency was okay. Definitely not worth the price, this place. Plus, the decor is super "this is what Asia is like, only not, because we're just blowing everything out of proportion." Still fun though, I guess. Very Vegas feeling. Also unfortunately, the picture below cut out Sam and doesn't fully show Steven, but hey, waitresses aren't usually photographers too so whatever. Sam was super late, but I don't mind that she is. Moreover, she brought me a delicious chocolate ice cream cake! Thanks Natasha, Sepe, Sam, Eric, Steven, Romerson, Cora, and of course Mike, for coming!!! I feel like my birthday lasted forever. Thanks, everyone, for making every day of it so great. :)  

Group dinner at Rocksugar!

Natasha always looks beautiful, even in candids :)

It was so good seeing you, Steven!!!

Please zoom in on Eric's face

Then on Friday, Justin came to town all the way from Somerset, Massachusetts. Let me just say, Los Angeles (and almost anywhere in California) is way cooler. Just kidding, Justin! We spent his first night in Westwood area, showing him where the UCLA kids hang out and how that is vastly superior to Ithaca/Collegetown (as if he didn't know that). We (Mike, Justin, and I) went with Sam, Avi, and Eric for a chill and a pretty comfortable night (although the bartender at Brew Co. was horrible - he ignored us several times, walking by and making eye contact but refusing to serve us and going up to people that had just walked up to the bar or choosing randomly to ignore others who had been sitting around. I mean, come on, your bar is not crackin' enough for me to take that crap. You're a server; do your job and serve with a smile. Even if you hate your job, hate your life, or are just having a bad day, leave that crap at the door).

The next morning, we woke up bright and early (kind of) and headed over to Santa Monica to meet our coworker Jyoti and her friend Hillary (both from USC Law). We hung around Venice beach, which was a great place to go people watching. We found this bar with a nice, airy second-floor and just drank pitchers of margaritas while the cool breeze flowed in from beachy-windows (you know, the kind that remind you of ship portholes, but are square, and hook onto a bar or something in the ceiling to stay open? Oh, never mind!). Then we just lay around on the beach (well, I did) or threw the football around (Mike, Eric, Sam, and Justin did). What a lovely way to spend the afternoon. I got a tan!

At night, we decided to show Justin the Hollywood area. We wanted to show him the Avenue of the Stars, the Chinese Theatre (which is pretty iconic), and give him a feel of the vibrant nightlife there. But that was probably a terrible idea because Mike hasn’t really gone clubbing in Hollywood for awhile and we didn’t really know where to go. He remembered one place from a long time ago, so we headed over there, went in, and realized OH MY GOD THIS IS AN 18+ CLUB! Worst idea of the summer. We tried to have fun, but it was hard with teeny boppers screaming, awkward guys who felt like they had to prove themselves without having the option of social lubrication (liquid courage), and twitter posts projected all over the place about how “poppin’” this place was. I think it was called Level 3 at one point but it got joined together with some other venue. Let me just say: no good. And the looming question is: why were there so many people who were legally able to buy drinks at the bar lingering along the walls? Gross. Find someone your own age. At least we left pretty quickly with some shreds of our dignity left. After that, we wandered around a little bit and headed back to Santa Monica to have a sleepover bash at Eric’s house. Let me just say, air mattresses are not that comfortable and I woke up with a slight crick in my neck. But overall, it wasn’t too bad! Thanks for letting us stay, Eric! (Avi, you are lame for going home, you  debbie downer!)

Mann Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Still, at least he got to see some of the sites and glittering lights and whatnot. AND he got to experience the lame side of LA, so at least that's something.

The next day, we slept in pretty late and ate a pretty tasty breakfast at a small cafe in Santa Monica called Kafe K, which had really fresh food and friendly service. I had freshly squeezed orange and pomegranate juice (interesting, I know!), with poached eggs over wheat toast and delicious cheese and fresh veggies, with a mixed greens/arugula salad. Yum! Great way to start the day - with a healthy, but filling and delicious, meal with friends. Love it. Plus, we needed the energy because we were going to Huntington Library in San Marino, and there is lots to see there...

Driving by downtown Los Angeles

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY

The book that almost got Galileo killed

We got to the Library pretty late and didn't have time to see everything, so we went to see the rare books and manuscripts first (definitely something I love). The whole time I was practically drooling at all the wonderful items in the collection. Ancient 13^th Century Bibles? John Locke’s scribbled treatises? Isaac Newton’s developing theories? Darwin’s original work on his theory of evolution? A signed copy of the thirteenth amendment written on parchment? Frederick Douglass’s powerful arguments for equality? Moreover, there were all these beautiful (and sometimes terrifying) illustrations about the human body, animals, reproduction, and overall scientific advancement. I also loved the small end-room display of Huntington’s strange affinity for lighting fixtures (tons of light bulbs, which must have cost him a fortune to collect in his day and age because they were all hand-crafted with intricately looped filaments). Truly, it was an amazing display of one man’s interests, love for books, and ridiculous access to resources (i.e. he was a filthy rich oil tycoon). I was simply in love with the place. And it helped (just a bit) that it was baking hot outside and pleasantly air-conditioned and cool on the inside! 

Note: I really want to put some of these twinkle lights up in my room when I buy my own house. What an elegant, gentle light. But I guess that all depends on the style I'm going for... Regardless, they're pretty to look at. :)

Twinkle Lights

See what I mean about his mild obsession with lighting fixture? It was really interesting to see all the different light bulbs though, and to see how technology hasn't really progressed that much, because we're often really just building on the same model over and over again (basic idea, shape, size). It was definitely interesting to see the variety, though, and how much sturdier light bulbs are now in comparison.

When we walked outside, the dry air settled over us in a sunny, warm, and comfortable way at first, that slowly increased until it became more than pleasantly hot. Still, it was nice being outside and having an opportunity to enjoy the warmth of southern Californian weather. This has been quite the mild summer in LA, from what I can understand. Too bad. I was looking to get some color on my pasty self (and eliminate my horrible flip flop tan... ew) after months without light in Ithaca! As we enjoyed (or baked) in the heat and looked at some of the beautiful outdoor sculptures and gardens, we enjoyed the shade here and there so it wasn't too bad overall.

Beautiful day, isn't it!

This is almost exactly how Barley sits/sprawls!!!

There were way too many gardens for us to see all of them given our limited time at Huntington, but we focused on the newer places (the Chinese garden) and then zipped across the Japanese garden and through the rose garden before heading on the Jungle Garden path toward the lily pond and then back to the front of the Library past the Desert garden with the looming cacti. Great variety, I'd say, in just one fluid walk all the way around the premises.

My best friend and summer tour guide!

Greenery in LA? Impossible! (well, possible through wasting water)

I seriously love this place and I hope I have the chance to come back...one day.

One of my favorite shots from the Library

Love their structures/sculptures littered around the grounds, too. I think the hunting statues are just so full of life (and death), the movement is really striking. The stag and the boar are frozen in an eternal moment of struggle and fear... pretty powerful stuff and wonderfully detailed. In contrast, the Dionysian sheep heads on the vases look vaguely stupid and blank, and yet nonetheless kind of creepy... Maybe something lurks beneath that vapid exterior, no? Makes me think of Septimus from Neil Gaiman's book, Stardust, if you know what I mean. (I have a signed copy!)

After taking Justin to In and Out for his first true burger experience (I should have documented this epic moment), we took a little break (during which he hit up BevMo! for it's wine sale...buy one bottle on select wines and get a second bottle of that wine for 5¢!! I went ahead and bought two bottles, and Mike got a Suntory whiskey. Mike's mom had bought 12 earlier already) and headed on over to the Griffith Observatory with Mike's parents in tow (thanks for driving, Mr. Hsueh!). We hit some traffic because we forgot that the Hollywood Bowl was going on, but after a trek up from our parking spot, I'd have to say the time and effort was worth it. The view was really spectacular... kind of a romantic spot, too. Of course Mike would want to take Justin here...! You dweebs are going to have fun being roommates. Haha

On the trek up from our parking spot

The Griffith Observatory 75th Anniversary

I think the crowds were especially thick because it was the Observatory's 75th anniversary! Cheers to a legacy of stargazing, big thoughts, and amazing "new" discoveries that probably exploded eons ago and are only just reaching our eyes (telescopes) now. I loved astronomy... I wish I hadn't forgotten so much about it. At least I still have time to learn. One fun fact I gleaned from an astronomer at the Griffith is that the dispute over whether Pluto is a planet has been settled. It has been classified in a new category of planet-like-entities as a proto-planet. It doesn't fulfill certain requirements that make it an actual planet (such as traveling in it's own orbit, because it piggybacks on Neptune for a bit) while it has other ones (such as its mass and round shape). I wish it was less crowded and we had more time. :)

The view was spectacular. We didn't get to look at the moon through the telescope, but I've gazed upon her face up close before, so I enjoyed just hanging around outside the actual dome and avoiding the seething masses/lines. In doing so, I had a much more peaceful experience, I think. And the sky was this beautiful, rich and yet dusky blue...

Moon light, moon bright

You are the best host ever :)

I was surprised that the city lights didn't affect the view too much although I think there was some lingering effect that made it harder to see some of the more distant or indistinct stars with the naked eye. We did see the evening star, though, which is actually Venus. Mike's dad pointed it out and my camera could just catch the gleaming white dot in some of the pictures. Below, though, the moon shone in the distance, seemingly casting a gentle glow over the city. Everything seemed beautiful, cold, and surreal. Kind of lonely, but in a peaceful and content way. Really makes me think of the way somethings are described in Stardust. I think I'll have Mike read it with me... We finished reading Peter and Max earlier in the week. We started it on our way to and from northern California. I really like reading with him because we read at a comparable pace and we always have something different/interesting to share afterward. I digress. At the Grifftih, we also saw a memorial for James Dean (he shot part of A Rebel Without a Cause here at the observatory). Good way to do two touristy-things in one go, so that's nice. Anyway, it was a really fun and wonderful way to end the last full night of Justin's stay in Los Angeles. We were too pooped to do much when we got back but we did get to enjoy a nice night of sleep. Mike and I had work the next day, which also prevented us from going out.

Speaking of the next day... I felt bad for poor Justin. The next day, because Mike and I had to go to work, we dropped Justin off at the Peterson Automotive Museum. He loves cars and whatnot, so we figured he'd have a good time and we would just meet him for lunch. Unfortunately, I didn't know the Peterson is closed on Mondays! That was okay, though, because I figured if things didn't work out, the Peterson was across the street from the LACMA, and I gave Justin a free ticket too. But then, the LACMA didn't open until noon! Ok, ok. At least he could walk one block down to the La Brea Tar Pits, right? I guess. But by then he was tired and just hung around in the sun and read a magazine. Sigh, at least he had an easy going morning. THEN disaster struck again! Mike and I had to tour Twin Towers (prison with a mental health focus) for work so we couldn't do lunch. Oh well, we picked him up afterward and he hung around our office until it was time to go. And then we went to dinner in Sawtelle with Sam, because what is a trip to Los Angeles without any Asian cuisine? Justin finally got to appreciate un-cubicle tofu, which was a delight and which he actually found he enjoyed! Yay for delicious Asian food, for once. Ithaca just is NOT a good representation of that. 

Once Justin left, Mike and I needed to take a little breather from our exciting weekend, so we popped open a bottle of zinfandel that I got. It was really difficult, and Mike broke out in a sweat trying to get the bottle open. At long last, he got it and we ended the wonderful weekend with a tasty wine. Ahhh. Thanks for coming, Justin! Isn't California great? :)

 

Weekend 5: San Diego and the Best July 4th Ever

Last July 4th weekend, I had to work (for a time-and-a-half) at my retail job. That was fine, but working meant that I couldn't go do fun things, like sit on a boat in Tahoe or to a cabin with friends. I just stayed home and missed the fireworks, I think for the first time ever. So this July, Mike was absolutely AWESOME and planned a weekend in San Diego packed full of fun.

Day 1: We ate dumplings at Mike's before heading out. I felt super full, although I told myself that I wouldn't eat so much that I would look horrible in a swimsuit. I got one word for ya: FAIL!!! But there is a silver lining (unrelated) to this story which occurred at the same time... Mike bought me an early birthday present!!!! I've been wanting some cute sandals for the summer, because I've been traveling around the world in my trusty brown Rainbows. He's really into old American brands and work-durable leather, so he bought me these awesome, sturdy, but sweet and feminine sandals! It will help me (I hope) get rid of this awful Rainbows tan I've gotten over the years. Gross, I know. Please don't judge me. And, to treat himself for being such an awesome, AWESOME boyfriend, he bought himself a pair of Red Wings. :)

It's like Christmas in July!

After a great (early birthday which felt like Christmas) start to the weekend, we met up with John (Mike and Eric's high school bestie) and Sam at Eric's place. Of course, Miss Sam was late! But we didn't mind because she brought a ton of good food, including her famous guacamole!! Thanks, Sam. You are the sweetest. The drive over was nice too, full of Eminem blasting angry shit and not really fitting our mood but somehow working nonetheless. The best part was that there was no traffic, because we were leaving around 8:30pm, so the drive was not too long. When we finally arrived in downtown La Jolla, we loaded our stuff into Eric's place, a super nice condo, that is actually owned by his grandparents. It was just a beautiful place, with room enough for all of us to sleep, shower, and eat without getting into each others' way. For the first night, we just played King's Cup (Eric was a party pooper, and fittingly, he won the King's Cup!), snuggled into comfy beds, and planned on waking up early in the morning the next day.

 

Surprisingly, we were successful! We woke up around 9:00 am, went to Breuggers and Starbucks for some morning sustenance, and left for the San Diego Zoo at 10:00 am. It was slightly overcast, so we felt that our beach plans may be ruined, but at least we'd be able to see animals! Usually, zoo animals come out when it'z hazy and not too hot, so this would be a perfect time. And yes, ladies and gents, it was. SD Zoo is definitely a world class institution. It wasn't as run down and depressing as SF Zoo, and the animals seemed to have more space and freedom. I always say that I love and hate zoos. I love seeing the animals so close up, but I hate seeing them in cages, even in cages as nice as these. But, I tell myself that bringing the wonder of nature close to humans is what will keep conservation on our minds as a society. Go support your local zoo! Don't let it shut down (I think Woodland Park, in Seattle, did, which is horribly sad) and keep asking yourself what will happen to the animals (in the overarching sense and in that zoo)?

What an adorable couple!

Flamingo feeding her chick

Baboon or Boy?

A Tigress' Luminous, Piercing Eyes

Awesome trip-goers

Too zonked after the Zoo

The weather brightened up while we were finishing up our zoo extravaganza experience. We went back to change at Eric's place and ate a great lunch at Extreme Pizza. We played trivia (Mike won and got a free cookie, which was chewy and delicious) and had an extra large (5-6 people) pizza, half RAGIN' ROOSTER (Chicken marinated in a killer BBQ sauce, red onions, fresh cilantro, cheddar and mozzarella) and half YARD SALE (Everything in the house! Sausage, pepperoni, salami, fresh mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella). The cilantro of the Ragin' Rooster really made it for me. Yum yum yum. To top off the delicious meal, we had an awesome friendly server who was going home to Orange County for the fourth. He played trivia with us! He came in second. Good job, Mike, for beating him.

 

We didn't take too much time chosing Extreme Pizza, though, because we wanted something fast and convenient. We were trying to make it to Black's Beach, a nude beach that once was nude but isn't really nude anymore. Mike took us down the road less traveled....So instead of taking the easy paved road down to the sandy beach, we climbed an awesome path that really I don't really want anyone else to find or popularize. We had to dig into the sandy banks of a mini-canyon, cross this 2X4 beam over spiky weeds that Sam was terrified of (and of which I didn't take pictures of because two people were in line to cross behind us), and a grooved, open-faced "tunnel" that was comprised of groves made from passers-by over the years. Then Eric slipped at the only truly (kind of) dangerous part, and John, who is the good friend who is absolutely completely terrified of heights and who did not have firm footing himself (the precipice ... or, slope, rather...was made of loose dirt and sand), reached out a shaking hand and said "Take my hand, Eric!" intending to puill him up. Eric survived (weaksauce), tossed John the bag he was holding for Sam, and crawled up the banks leading to the drop unscathed. Seriously, this was just such a beautiful climb down. I say it was probably the best part of the trip . . . well, almost. Everything was unforgettable. Mike, you are the best.

Floating across the beautiful blue expanse

 

Our slow moving caravan

After making our way down to the safety of the beach (stop whining, you pansies!), swam in the cold-at-first-but-then-super-warm ocean. We also got to tan a tiny bit, only for about an hour or so, even though such a short time frame turned Sam into Polcahontas! It's okay, honey, at least you don't burn! Then, on the climb back up, John and Eric refused to go on the perilous path, so we took the windy paved road up. Mike and I stopped halfway and climbed up a steep rocky incline, so that made it to the 3/4 point up to the main entrance about a minute or two before the rest of the group...and which placed us in a unique position to enjoy the view. No risk, no gain, you scaredy cats! 

Bright light over high canyon walls

I love all the different textures!

Sam saving Eric's skin from sunny destruction

We went home, showered, dressed, and decided to get dinner at what turned out to be a great Thai place, Spice and Rice. The service was nice, but no nonesense and efficient. The food was great. It was just what I wanted after a day of walking, climbing, jumping, and sun-zapped-ness. But dinner wasn't the end of it. (I told you this weekend was packed!) We went to Pacific Beach afterward and stopped at Sinbad's for drinks and hookah. Let me tell you, PB is full of crazy drunk people, obnoxious college kids milling around (I guess they also fall under the category of drunk kids), and a small group of nice people at the table next to us who gave us their more secluded spot. Thanks guys! It was a nice, surprisingly calm experience amidst the madness. We left PB early to look for the Cliffs, but after driving shadily through a really rich neighborhood (we looked like criminals casing the place!), we didn't find it. We had a suspicion that it was this gated off entrance that was tiny and hidden and looked illegal-to-enter. Unfortunate, but I guess it's okay because I'd rather not get arrested for trespassing. Sigh. Maybe next time?   

 

Then, at last, JULY FOURTH! I think of this as my birthday holiday because it's so close to my birthday. We wanted to take it easy because we did so much the day before, so we got lunch at Pho Ca Dao (ok, keep it PG, kids, and don't try saying it fast many times in a row) near Mike's Mira Mesa house from when he went to UCSD. Then we went bak to La Jolla and just walked around to where Eric wanted to show us the seals (I think he meant sea lions?) but they weren't congregated at one particular spot, or so it seemed. They were frolicking through the water, popping their heads up and looking for all the world like Barley peeking at me over the waves! It was actually kind of scary, because near the place Eric wanted to show us, people were descending into the water, and I think the sea lions wanted to lay out on the beach but for the presence of the people driving them off. Some got frighteningly close to the waders, though, and because sea lions can be territorial, I kept thinking to myself that some unlucky tourist was going to get bitten.

Mike's old hangover haunt: Pho Ca Dao

It looks like Barley in the waters!

We found them at a different spot, by a deep cave (the Sunny Jim Cave)! This led us on an adventure through a gift shop, down to the water inside the cave (the entrance was in the gift shop!), with crashing waves and the sounds of sea lion barks echoing over the moss-slicked rocks. Awesomeness. :) This cave entrance through the gift shop has been open and run by the gift shop people for over 100 years, I think. You walk down 145 steps down to the water level and bam... you're in the this dark cave with water frothing right by your feet (only you're standing on a platform, so you stay relatively dry, although it gets muddy/sandy). It wasn't too much of an admission price, and it was a nice detour.

Get ready to enter the cave, troups!

CA Historical Landmark #288

Let the wind blow through your hair

Fuzzy baby Seagulls?

We are one, the seals and I.

Look at their adorable faces! :)

The cliffs were snowy...with poop.

On the way by shops and restaurants, we were discussing dinner plans and thought we'd just eat at the Spot, but we walked by George's and Mike decided hey, we're only here for Fourth of July once. We made a reservation for 5:15 pm, which gave us an hour to walk back to the condo, shower, change, and get back. The rush was well worth it. George's, I give you five stars. Some people might not agree, but I think the whole experience was just great. 

Eating a wonderful dinner at George's!

Let me give you a run down.... for drinks, I had the Xolo (grapefruit, agave syrup, Don Julio Anejo tequila, black salt rim) and split the beer with Mike. For my meal, I had the Niman Ranch Pork Chop (creamed Anson Mills farro, apricot-chipotle glaze, spring onions). Verdict: awesome. JOHN: drinks: Camisole (Belvedere vodka, strawberry, Drysack sherry, pink peppercorn) - he didn't like it, got sad, said liked mine and Sam's more, and got the patriot punch after. For his meal, he got the Muscovy Duck Breast (spring onions, grilled liver, pickled cherries, wilted greens, coffee scented jus. Yum. SAM: Patriot Punch (Michter’s rye whiskey, blackberry, carraway, lime). Meal: "Fish tacos" (which were actually breaded and fried avacados, with seared ahi tuna on top with thin fried onions and corn nuts type garnish?) and Chino Farms Corn Risotto (beans, guanciale, soft poached egg). MICHAEL: drinks: Maker's Mark Manhattan with sweet Vermouth, split (with me) an '07 crazy beer thing (Vertical Epic?) from Stone Brewery, a small local place that takes its brews very, very seriously. Meal: Bone in Halibut Steak (clam chowder, corn broth, bacon foam). I'm drooling. ERIC: drinks: Stone IPA, Arrogant Bastard. Meal: Pacifi c White Seabass (zucchini puree, ragout of artichokes, spring onion, fava beans, black olive sauce, dried tomato relish). I wish I could eat there tonight... sigh.

 

Then, we split a creamy, rich, delicious dessert: Warm Chocolate Tart (candied orange zest, chocolate fudge sauce, cocoa nib streusel, white mocha ice cream). And then, we got something on the house! The Trio of Seasonal Sorbets  (strawberry, blueberry [the best], and passion fruit): with fresh fruit accompaniments (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry), and a crumbly shortbread cookie. Thank you, George's!

Plus, Cory, our server, was amazing. He was friendly, attentive without being suffocating, accommodating, knew a lot about the drink list and the beers, knowledgeable about the food, gave us complimentary dessert, and then, before he even know how much we were going to tip him, he offered to take us to a good stake out spot ("the mermaid") to watch the fireworks!  He was just awesome. Thanks so much, Cory, for making the night so wonderful.

As we waited for the fireworks to start (we had almost an hour to kill), we met a bunch of people gathering up there to see the spectacle. John brought us some beer (thanks John!) while we waited. And when the fireworks finally went off, they scared this cute, one-year-old long-haired dachshund. Poor little bugger lost his wits and his mom/dad had to take him home! He was super sweet though; I know some dachshunds think they're big tough dogs and tend to bark and bite, but this one was so nice! Another note: the cormorants nesting by the water utterly FREAKED out when the fireworks went off, running in circles and ending up huddled in fright by the water. Sorry, but at least I enjoyed myself!

Waiting by the Mermaid for fireworks to begin!

To celebrate, we went back to the condo, played a few rounds of Big 2 (I think I had the best record!), and then headed over to Mike's favorite drunk-food spot: Roberto's.  The name on the outside changed to Rigoberto's or something.

Mike is overcome by the oily, fatty, spicy goodness

Sadly, on the last day, we had to go back to Los Angeles. The others went to Starbucks, but Mike and I craved pizza, so we went to Extreme Pizza again and tried THE BOAR'DER (shredded pork marinated in a killer BBQ sauce, red onions, fresh cilantro, cheddar and mozzarella). Still delicious. The only bad part of the whole weekend was the end/the drive, which was horribly long and the traffic was bad and terribly slow. Then, courtesy of Eric, we all got assigned nicknames: rock of korea (John), chinese flare (Mike), jewish assassin (Eric - kind of an ambigious name), Hsu bomber (Sam) ...and mine is still in the works, I think.

 

Thanks for a wonderful weekend everyone!!!! Like I said, this was the best July 4th ever!!!

 

Octopus! (I wish this was my own experience)

octopus steals my video camera and swims off with it (while it's Recording) from Victor Huang on Vimeo.

The Third & The Seventh

 

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Fullscreen it, please.

A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects are already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes surreal.

What's in Monterey? Lots!

Unfortunately, Natasha and Frankie left early (Natasha and Mike originally planned on staying up here until the sixth, but she got sick and went home to rest). So Mike was stuck with just me for the day. (Sorry buddy; I was hoping your stay would be more rowdy and fun. But I tried my best! And we got to eat good food, so worth it, yea?) I've been wanting to try breakfast/brunch at the Mariposa  Restaurant & Tea Room, but it is CLOSED ON MONDAYS! I didn't realize until we got there (poor planning on my part). Then we tried Matxain Etxea across the street. I heard interesting thing about Basque food, but never had the chance to try it. Alas, it was also closed! San Juan Bautista is too sleepy of a town. I should have known better. We decided to go hungry until we got to Monterey. The drive was beautiful and I realized how much I missed the rolling green hills of California. New York... you are so terrible sometimes. 

Mission San Juan Bautista

The Original El Camino Real

We finally go to Monterey and picked a place on Cannery Row. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. seemed good, since we wanted some seafood (I don't know if it's fitting or inappropriate, given that we were headed to an aquarium?). For drinks, Mike tried the Firestone (like a Sierra Nevada, with sweeter end-notes) and I had the Medal Margarita (delicious). We ordered the "Shrimp & Salsa Cocktail…Shaken, Not Stirred!" which included a hefty amount of chilled shrimp, cilantro, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and habanero chiles "shook" up and served with homemade tortilla Chips. Although my breath smelled like onions for the ensuing hour or two, it was delicious. In fact, it was arguably my favorite part of the meal, apart from good company. For my entree, I ordered the Captain's Fish & Chips: four large pieces of beer battered Mahi Mahi with a side of fries. The fish was moist and flaky on the inside, but just the right amount of crispy-ness on the outside. Mike got the Shrimper's Heaven, with a generous sample serving of each of the following: coconut shrimp, chilled cocktail shrimp, fried shrimp, tempura shrimp, fries, and an arrangement of dipping sauces. I liked the sweet and sour sauce and the Asian soysauce-withvinegar-and-cilantro one. Tasty! And the service was great. The hostess and the waiter were both conversational and friendly. The wildlife was also ... very outgoing. We had a small bird squawk, quite angrily and insistently, at us until I gave it some food. I know, that goes against my principles of feeding wildlife, but he was so angry!  I didn't want the situation to escalate. After he took his dues from our table, he moved on to bully the other diners as well. If he wasn't so cute, I would've given him a piece of my mind...

Filling lunch at Bubba Gump

Life is like a box of chocolates...

Sunny beach-side California, how I missed you!

The aquarium opened in 1984, and its current location used to house a cannery on Cannery Row (figures). It holds 35,000 plants and has animals representing 623 species. Initially, Packard of Hewlett-Packard backed the aquarium financially. He even designed several of the exhibits (he was a blacksmith, interestingly enough). His daughter, a marine biologist, is currently the executive director. If you look, a lot of the exhibits have placards thanking HP for donations. I think it's nice that they donate to such a good cause. The aquarium spearheads a lot of marine biology research and is at the forefront of sustainable seafood consumption. For instance, you can download a Seafood Guide for the region of the country in which you live, print it, fold it up and keep it in your wallet for when you order at restaurants. They have all sorts of exhibits on conservation to help educate the visiting youth about it.

Hope you had fun, Mike!

Just for some more fun facts, the aquarium pumps 2000 gallons per minute of Monterey Bay ocean water at all hours through the exhibit tanks, which number over 100. During the day, the water is filtered so that viewers can see the creatures more clearly. At night, raw and unfiltered seawater is pumped through the exhibits, bringing in the plankton that is food to so many of the animals. Waste ocean water from the aquarium is returned to the Bay. This design essentially makes the aquarium part of the ocean in the Bay ecologically, and allows the culture of organisms such as the Giant Kelp which cannot usually be done in other saltwater aquariums. Pretty neat, huh?

Schooling behavior is so interesting...

So beautiful and other-worldly

Moon Jellies

Jellies!

Although I miss the great white shark exhibit, I think visitors are not unsatisfied when they leave. (Don't worry... I think there have been four great whites that have made their way through MBA, but most if not all of them have successfully been released back into the wild...another reason I love MBA: so many of its animals are transitory because it is part of their mission to rehabilitate the injured or ill ones that it houses). Note: I also really miss the sunfish. There used to be a huge one, but it either passed away, or healed from its injuries (fishing lines) and was released back into the ocean. He was enormous and his eye was as big as a softball. It's probably the best aquarium I've been to, even in comparison to the one in Baltimore. I like that most of its creature inhabitants are from local waters (give or take one or two small tanks) and yet provide such a variety of life that it's amazing. In comparison, the one in Seattle is really small, although well-done. And the Maui Ocean Center in Hawai'i has beautiful fish from the tropics, but even given the flashy exhibits I'd say Monterey is better presented, more interesting, and more socially valuable given its conservation mission. I'm a lover of aquariums and I've been to quite a few but MBA is my favorite for sure (yay, California!).

This is how the ocean makes me feel.

Seahorses are so delicate

Some horses don't gallop; they bob and float

Just a note: the seahorse exhibit used to house the jellies exhibit. Now the remaining jellies have been moved to the Outer Bay section (still beautiful) and the seahorses have moved in. From the alcove designs, bench arrangement and door paneling, the new exhibit is amazing. Everything in it has to do with seahorses (and their relatives, such as leafy sea dragons and the pipefish). I'd say this is very, very well done and I like the availability of an E-postcard that you can send to the Governator to protest habitat destruction. If you go, please sign it! It only takes a few seconds.

We chose a good day to go because the weather was just perfect. Sometimes Monterey can get a little chilly, but it was warm and sunny. The breeze wasn't too strong and the air was clear (if a bit fishy). We saw pelicans and seals laying out in the sun. It was so beautiful! I wish it wasn't so far away, because if not for the drive, I'd go more often.

Taking flight

Aquarium from the back side

Cuttlefish are so neat.

I like that the Aquarium only has one or two small tropical tanks

Chirp chirp chirp

Quack quack quack

Sun Starfish are predators!

A Slight Misunderstanding and Crashing Waves!

Looks different with and without flash...

The sun is setting.

End of an awesome day in Monterey Bay. :) And, in keeping with all the conservation talk, we watched Avatar 3-D. Definitely worthy of a trip to the theater. The movie was visually breath-taking, and I could not believe so much of it was CGI. The floating mountains, the wildlife, the planet altogether (as a living organism) were so creative. I mean, this is what you see when you fall asleep at night and dream of wild, untouched jungles. Even the indigenous population was well-crafted, given its culture, its appearance, and its language. The storyline was a little lacking (I mean, remember Fern Gully and Pocahontas? There you go; that is basically the plot right there). But I don't think this tried-and-true plot detracted too much from the movie, which is strange to say because plot is customarily very important. The visuals were enough to sustain this movie, and watching someone grow to understand such a foreign culture and to identify so wholly with it is always fun. The most awkward moment was that of the alien sex scene. Um... perhaps unnecessary but at least it wasn't super graphic. But the hunting scenes, the ceremonies, the experience of the forest... just great. James Cameron, I salute you. Amazing. I am so glad I got to watch it over break without the specter of school hanging over me. I hope that once you take it off the big screen that it is still as enjoyable.