Play in the City : A visit to the Zoo

Going to the zoo has always seemed like a summer activity to me. Even though I've always known that the Milwaukee County Zoo is open 365 days a year, it never really occurred to me to go anytime except in the summer. Until today, that is. It had been a couple of years since we'd been to the zoo, so today we went and spent a few hours with the animals.

The sun was shining when we woke up, but by the time we got to the zoo this afternoon, it was cloudy and chilly. When we pulled in and walked into the park, I was really surprised at how crowded it was. I guess I didn't expect the place to be deserted, but it was really full of people. Mostly families, of course, because kids love the zoo. I remember being completely captivated by the zoo when I was little, and as a parent, it must be really fun to see your kids have that feeling. Going as an adult without any kids doesn't bring those same feelings of wonder and awe, but I still enjoyed our visit.

Dave is a huge animal lover and just felt bad most of the time we were there that the animals are being held in captivity. I definitely see this point of view, and it made me sad a few times, too, but on the other hand, I think that the zoo animals have it pretty good - being fed and cared for, and avoiding being hunted or becoming extinct for whatever reason. Some of the animals - the big cats, for one - don't seem to have quite enough room to roam around, but most of the animals appear to be content in their environment.

The new Big Cat Country was under construction the last time we visited the zoo, so being able to see the new area and the lions and tigers today was my favorite part. They are just the most beautiful animals. The lion we saw was just chillin, but the tiger was wandering around, coming up real close to the glass - and the little kids standing at the windows didn't even flinch! I just thought, man kid, if only you knew what that thing could/would do to you if that glass weren't there.

Besides the big cats, we saw monkeys, polar bears, black bears, wolves, sea lions, elk, camels, small mammals, moose, hippos, and elephants. We missed the giraffes somehow, and we didn't go into the bird area or the reptiles exhibit. But boy, did we see a lot of peacocks! They roam free throughout the zoo, and I think we saw at least 20 of them. Peacocks and children - I definitely got more than my fill of both of them today!

Despite all the people, the zoo is very quiet and peaceful. It's pretty expansive, covering about 200 acres, and the walkways going through the park make for a nice hike between the exhibits. It was a fun afternoon - I definitely look forward to taking my kids there one day and being able to see it all through their eyes.

The rest of the weekend was good ... This morning, Dave's parents came for a visit and we went to breakfast at Gil's on Downer Avenue. I've been there for lunch a few times - I especially enjoy being able to eat outside there in the summertime - but I didn't know until yesterday that they served breakfast on the weekends. I also didn't know they had an upstairs dining room, until they led us up there today! It was very bright and charming up there, and the breakfast was delicious. They serve omelettes and french toast and pancakes and eggs benedict ... I definitely recommend it!

Yesterday gave us a little taste of spring ... It reached over 50 degrees and the sun was shining, and so Dave and I decided to grill out for the first time this season. We had watched this show on the Food Network a few days earlier about the Build a Better Burger contest sponsored by Sutter Home Winery each year. We couldn't believe the amazing burgers we were seeing - we got some awesome ideas and vowed to try some of them out.

So last night we put a few of the ideas to the test - we made small patties with ground sirloin and put a wedge of Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese in the middle of two patties and molded them together - then we topped them with American cheese and onions caramelized in sugar, along with lettuce, mayo, and ketchup. Well, let me tell you, they were the best darn burgers I've ever tasted. The Food Network rocks! And while we were grilling the burgers, we made some margaritas and toasted - as seen below - to spring being almost here!

Just a few more weeks, folks ....

Ahhh, it's such a good feeling to be right on the brink of months worth of beautiful days!

Comments

I've never been to Milwaukee, and you make it sound like fun. And what a yummy meal! I want to learn how to make good homemade 'ritas. (Michele sent me!)

Posted by: surcie | March 12, 2006 at 06:08 PM