Beau The Giraffe

Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Address: 1 Franklin Park Road
Date: Sept 2013
Website:  www.zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo

  Beau, the Masai giraffe, towers above the visitors to Franklin Park Zoo.  The zoo offered a chance to feed Beau and we were excited to take part.  Due to some signage issues, we missed the morning feeding but the staff at the zoo was helpful and squeezed us into the afternoon feeding.

  Beau the giraffe stands about 17 feet tall.  He is about three feet taller than his mate Jana.  The couple has a baby named Henrietta who was already 8 feet tall and rising.

  Henrietta and Jana were in the yard with Beau, but Beau was the star of the show. 

A special elevated platform had been built so that zoo visitors would be up at giraffe level for the feeding.  Henrietta was too small to reach up to the platform and Jana just wasn't interested in us.

    Beau was waiting for us as we walked around to the feeding tower.  As we got up nice and close we realized that he has an enormous head.  A giraffe head is about 2 feet long.  That also happens to be about the same size as their heart.

  Beau loved eating squash right out of our hands.  A zebra shared the enclosure with the giraffe family.  He looked like he would also be interested in a handful of squash.  He hung around just in case Beau dropped anything.  Sorry our little striped friend, but Beau easily got every last piece with his giant tongue.  A giraffe tongue is about 21 inches long.

  Beau also seemed to love sneaking up on people while they were posing for a photo with him.  He would give a big puff from his nostrils right on the back of their neck.  Giraffe are beautiful creatures and Beau had a great personality which endeared us to him right away.  He truly was a gentle giant.

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Map of Our World
Franklin Park Zoo (Giraffe Feeding)

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Post # 139

The Happiness Hotel

Location: London, England
Address: 134-136 Westbourne Terrace
Date: Sept 2015
Website:  muppet.wikia.com

  The second Muppet movie, The Great Muppet Caper, was filmed in London, England.  One of the locations used in the movie is just a short walk from Paddington Station.  Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo end up staying at a hotel called the Happiness Hotel where they meet the rest of the Muppet gang.

  The building looked to be in much better shape when we visited than it does in the movie.  The hotel was such a dump that the bus would not even stop there.  When Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo arrive the bus slows down and they get tossed to the curb.  The hotel is surprised that somebody else actually wants to check in.

 

  The next time Kermit The Frog and his friends arrive at the hotel they are driven there by Beauregard the cab driver.  Beauregard is best known as the janitor of the Muppet Theatre.  He apologizes that he can only take them as far as the lobby and then proceeds to drive the cab around the corner, across the courtyard and straight through the front door of the hotel.

  The Great Muppet Caper was a wonderful achievement in both puppetry and film and we enjoyed our brief visit to one of its real life locations.  The song Happiness Hotel is also one of the highlights of the movie's soundtrack.  

Well, welcome home to Happiness Hotel !!

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Map of Our World
Happiness Hotel

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Post # 138

Nuit Blanche Extended Projects 2016

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 100 Queen Street West
Date: Oct 2016
Website:  nbto.com

  Nuit Blanche 2016 took place in Toronto on October 1st.  Nuit Blanche is an annual event where art projects take over the streets for one evening.  It ran from 7pm October 1st and ended 7am October 2nd.  If you missed it you can still visit a few extended projects up until October 10th.:

Ocean

An ocean will be filling the rotunda inside Toronto City Hall.  It is made up of lights hanging from recycled strips of fabric from H&M.  We are guessing it consists of customer returns that they couldn't sell on clearance.  As the fabric sways above you, the lights glow and flicker.  Many people were lying on the floor being swept away by it all after a sleepless night roaming the streets.

You are also surrounded by the sounds of water mixed with what sounded like brief snippets of people sniffing and crying.  Below is a video sample of Ocean.

The extended hours for this project are from 8am until 6pm.

Death of the Sun

  As we emerged from the Ocean, a large white orb had been placed in the square.  It suddenly burst to life and yellow and orange clouds moved across its surface.  In about 5 billion years from now the sun will begin to die.  This project was meant to represent those final stages of the sun.

  A low droning noise could be heard rising above the crowds that filled Nathan Phillips Square.  As we moved across the square to get a nice photo from the elevated walkway, the sun became more orange and then turned a deeper red colour.  The dampness and fog gave an even more ominous feel to the night.

    When the sun does actually die be sure to check out our blog for the special Life is Better on Vacation post we have planned.  Until then enjoy a video sample of  Death of the Sun.

The extended hours for this project are from 7pm until midnight.

Pneuma

The last exhibit which is available for extended viewing is Pneuma.  It features images projected onto a water fountain at Nathan Phillips Square.  It will be running at the same time as Death of the Sun.  It will be located right next to the TORONTO sign and the giant globe.  You can't miss it.  Actually we did, as it wasn't running during our brief time in the square. But you shouldn't!

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This location is near Osgoode subway. Visit other Toronto TTC stations.

Map of Our World
Toronto City Hall
Nathan Phillips Square

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Post # 137