science rules

 Yesterday Amy, Ginger (top photo) and I spent many hours at the California Academy of Sciences where I spent a good deal of time when I worked at the deYoung. A freebie then and yesterday. We went to the aquarium, planetarium and then rooms full of photos and exhibits. Here on the bottom is the famous Claude, the albino crocodile, who was actually swimming around yesterday. Usually, he sleeps. Amy brought our lunch and it was a full day indeed. Lots and lots of families with 39,000 kids, so we kept our masks on when inside. Thanks for this, Amy!

what I'll miss

My museum badge gives me a lot of freebies and I got to know the
California Academy of Sciences across from the deYoung. Here you
can see that I found Nemo. But, good god, the place was packed (up
to the gills) with children yesterday and I spent less than an hour there.
I have loved working in Golden Gate Park these past eight years.

one of the work perks

I get comped at our neighbor the California Academy of Sciences and that is
a blessing since the tix are so expensive (like $35 each!). Yesterday I worked
at the deYoung until 1:30 when Husbando met me and we so enjoyed the small
and wondrous wildlife photo exhibit across the way. It's a little space of
sanity inside the Academy which is filled with families and noise. But we
were both delighted to see these glorious pictures (and then to leave).

people, fish, penguins

Write down your earthquake memories

Beautiful indeed

Mesmerizing

Two women, two penguins

How cool is this?

She was petting them at one point ~ so sweet

Outside Lands, the BIG music festival started yesterday and parking in
Golden Gate Park will be a nightmare all weekend. So I went in extra
early and toured the California Science Academy across from the de
Young. It is one of the perks of working there, my badge gets me into
many places free. The Academy is now v. expensive, $29 for an adult,
even though it's an all-day admission, that's a lot of money.

I skipped the Earthquake shaky demonstration since we've all experienced
the real thing and I spent most of my time with the penguins. Of course
I sat for a moment and watched fish, stared at the white alligator who
never moves and visited the gift shop. People who devote themselves to
animals impress me so much and obviously the penguin caretakers are
part of this elite group. A really nice morning, I'll do it again!

the Academy of Sciences, up close

Up on the roof, one of the 7 hills of San Francisco.

Lots of growth up here ~ some look like weeds.

Is Claude, the albino alligator, stuffed? He never moves.

Detail from the old Steinhart aquarium.

I like how they did the donor wall ~ our names are missing, however.

I think the miles and miles of fish and sea things are the best part of
the Academy, although we were able to be nose-to-nose with the
penguins because we hit the Academy at 8:30am on Tuesday. I gave
Husbando a membership for xmas and he often goes without me
because I usually work Tuesdays, but it was fun to have the time to
poke around. We finally enjoyed the Morrison Planetarium show, even
though I tend to get motion sickness when they fly through space.

The Academy is a huge success and because da deYoung is right across
the way, I hear lots of complaints about the crowds and lines, etc.
I bet in a year it will settle down and maybe they will limit the number
of school groups. I did, however, just read that they are having new
free days for San Francisco citizens based now on zip codes. Maybe that will help.

hello, neighbor

First, this isn't MY photo, yesterday was clear and sunny. There are
always l-o-n-g lines at the Academy of Sciences right across the music
concourse from me and I have never stepped inside the door until
yesterday. I gave Husbando a membership for xmas, and we went
yesterday at 8:30am for a child-free experience and it was really
quite wonderful. The albino crocodile (Claude) is in hospital, but
we saw the dark one enjoying their rock all by himself. I had to
scamper off to work, but we will return on Tuesday mornings to
have the place almost to ourselves.