Byzantine Bembe’ October 13, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Byzantine Bembe, diaspora, Manny Vega, mosaic, murals, Museum of the City if NY, NYC, photography
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The Museum of the City of New York is filled with wonderful exhibits year round and I make it a habit of going several times a year. This last visit introduced me to the colorful, musical, artistic world of Manny Vega. He is an American painter, illustrator, printmaker, muralist, mosaicist, set and costume designer. His work portrays the history and traditions of the African Diaspora that exist in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. His mosaics and murals adorn street walls, subway stations, cultural centers, and business facades throughout East Harlem. Many of these works celebrate important figures—particularly women—in the history of the Puerto Rican and Latinx communities. His style has been dubbed “Byzantine Hip-Hop” for his uncompromising technical command that encompasses ancient Mediterranean mosaic-making and the electrifying lines of hyper-detailed Sharpie pen-and-ink drawings. As part of the Museum’s centennial year celebration, Byzantine Bembé: New York by Manny Vega explores his visual storytelling as it interweaves community stories with themes that range from African deities to urban mythologies. Deeply rooted in an idiosyncratic understanding of the diaspora experience, which in his case includes communities in El Bronx, El Barrio, and Bahia, Brazil, Vega’s worldview is colorful, danceable, passionately spiritual, complex, yet accessible. The show marks the Museum’s commitment to its thriving neighborhood as it looks ahead to its next one hundred years. Vega has been their artist in residence for this calendar year. This beautiful exhibit is on through December 8, 2024.
Flowers Make Us Happy October 6, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Artiste, Fleurs de Villes, flowers, Hudson Yards, nature, photography
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Flowers make us happy. We expect to see flowers in the spring but there is a special joy in seeing them pop up in fall. Hudson Yards once again presents the flower show Fleurs de Villes. This year the theme is ARTISTE – a floral series paying homage to remarkable artists spanning various disciplines. Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE features 15 fresh floral mannequins, each created by a different florist and inspired by accomplished artists from disciplines such as ballet, impressionist painting, literature, culinary arts, opera and more. From contemporary visionaries and trailblazers, to Masters throughout history, Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE celebrates art in all its forms. This beautiful display is on through October 13th on the first level at Hudson Yards. Go and smell the roses! 
September Visit to the National Zoo September 29, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, nature, photography, Sand cats, Smithsonian's National Zoo, travel, wildlife, Zoos
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Washington DC is a great town to visit. I am lucky that my friends live in the Watergate and I have open invitations to visit. And so I do. This three day visit included amazing art exhibits, yummy food, long walks (everything is further away than you think) and of course The National Zoo. Our zoo experience was abbreviated due to planning way too many things on our itinerary but an always fun visit. Enjoy my photos and see your tax dollars in action.
Who doesn’t love a red panda? September 22, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, Central Park Zoo, International Red Panda Day, Nashville Zoo, nature, photography, Prospect Park Zoo, Red Panda, wildlife, zoocation, Zoos
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Yesterday was International Red Panda Day. Their habitat is being destroyed by deforestation, agriculture, and human settlement, and they are also hunted for their fur and body parts. International Red Panda Day was initiated by the Red Panda Network in 2010 as a way to raise awareness and promote conservation efforts for red pandas.It is celebrated to spread awareness about a species that is near extinction. The day was launched by the Red Panda Network in 2010. At that time, 16 schools and a few zoos participated in red panda activities. Currently, more than 60 zoos around the world participate, with over 100,000 visitors on Red Panda Day. On our many zoocations we have come across lots of red pandas with Tennessee seeming to have the most. Other than being absolutely adorable it is almost impossible to take a bad photo of a red panda.
Day Trip and Fall September 15, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Four Freedoms Park, Nellie Bly, NYC, photography, Roosevelt Island, Tram, travel, Views
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It was Friday the 13th and my pal Robyn and I were off on another NYC adventure (what could go wrong)? We took the Roosevelt Island Tram and headed to what was supposed to be some type of pop-up flower/exhibit/sale event. I realized I hadn’t been to Roosevelt Island in over 20 years where my NYC Marathon buddies and I would train with its magnificent views. A lot has change in 20 years but the old smallpox hospital was still standing. Lots of new housing and the exceptional Four Freedoms Park dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt had been built. We took our time absorbing the stellar views of Manhattan heading towards the original flower goal. As we got closer to the flower part we realized the line was way too long. Neither Robyn nor I are good at lines so we decided to just circle the island. It was hot, but we persevered. Walking to the northern most part of the island we saw the wonderful Nellie Bly Park, public art and the old lighthouse. Heading back to the tram I somehow got tangled up in a wayward dog’s leash and down I went (just like Frazier)! Collective screams and curses could be heard. After assessing if anything was broken we got me situated and headed back to the safety of Manhattan. It was not exactly the day we had planned but adventures can be surprising in many ways. And really, what was I expecting on Friday the 13th? Enjoy the views.
The Great Elephant Migration September 8, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Meatpacking district, NYC, photography, The Great Elephant Migraton, wildlife
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If you watch the CBS Sunday Morning show you probably saw last week’s story about this exhibition and these wonderful animals. Well, they are now here in NYC (in the Meat Packing District) and they are a marvel. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you wander through this life size herd. You get close to — and even touch — 100 life-size sculptures of Indian elephants which are beginning a cross-country journey. The Great Elephant Migration traveling art exhibition aims to spread awareness about conservation efforts. The herd consists of replicas of real-life elephants personally known to The Coexistence Collective — the community of around 200 artisans in southern India who made them. Conceived a decade ago by The Coexistence Collective, a nonprofit that helps protect Indian wildlife, the sculptures were first shown in London and India before coming to the U.S. They were in Newport, R.I., before arriving in Manhattan last week. From here they will head to Miami, the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and finally Los Angeles.The organization is planning to sell the elephants off to raise funds for 22 conservation organizations around the country as the tour progresses. Organizers said 30 sculptures had already been sold off, with prices ranging from $8,000 for a baby elephant to $22,000 for the largest tusked specimen. Sales at each site also help support a local nonprofit organization; in New York, it is the Wild Bird Fund. The enormous, life-like sculptures are made out of lantana camara — a tough, invasive weed that’s been encroaching heavily upon the elephants’ natural forest habitat, pushing the animals onto tea and coffee plantations where they live in much closer proximity to humans. Ruth Ganesh, a trustee of Elephant Family USA hopes visitors will learn more about how important it is for animals and humans to negotiate shared space, as more places become uninhabitable for both owing to direct human destruction and the impacts of human-caused climate change. I am sure I will revisit exhibition many times before they move on October 20, 2024 to their next destination. I included a map to help you negotiate. While in that neighborhood you can easily check out the always terrific Whitney Museum and my favorite walk, the High Line. 
International Primate Day September 1, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Kansas City Zoo, Memphis Zoo, nature, New Zoo, photography, Potawatomi Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Staen Island Zoo, Toledo Zoo, wildlife, zoo babies, zoocation, Zoos
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Today is International Primate Day! The order Primates is one of the most species-rich groups of mammals, third only to Bats and Rodents. Over 500 species belong to the primate order, including lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes! Two thirds of all primates can be found in just four countries – Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Primates mostly live in the jungles of Central & South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. However there are a few unique species that live in temperate areas, where there are warm summers, but winters can become very cold and snowy. Most primates are found living near the equator. Primates, ranging from charismatic chimpanzees and the gentle gorillas to the elusive monkeys that share a unique connection with humans due to their striking similarities in behavior, intelligence, and genetic makeup. More than one-third of primate species are considered critically endangered or vulnerable according to the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature). Primates serve an important role in maintaining healthy forests and ecosystem, which is why protecting them is so important. It was fun putting together today’s montage and revisiting many of the zoos that we have been happy to visit. Enjoy today’s post my fellow primates!
World Painted Dog Day August 25, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Bronx Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, nature, Oregon Zoo, photography, Potawatomi Zoo, travel, wildlife, World Painted Dog Day, zoo babies, zoocation, Zoos
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Tomorrow is World Painted Dog Day. These majestic creatures are also known as African wild dogs or African hunting dogs, which are wild canines and natives of sub-Saharan Africa. Their prey is gazelles, impalas, wildebeests, warthogs, and other small animals. Painted dogs are extremely vulnerable to human encroachment and agricultural expansion, which has been destroying their habitats. They are quite social and intelligent. Within the pack, these canines have a unique social structure. They cooperate in taking care of the wounded and sick members, there is a general lack of aggression exhibited between members of the pack, and there is little intimidation among the social hierarchy. Today, fewer than 7,000 African wild dogs survive in the wild, and only 1,500 of these are adults. Their priority is always to protect their pack; pups get first feed after a kill, ‘aunties’ act as pup-sitters for other mothers, and if a wild dog becomes ill or injured, their pack-mates rally round to care for them. Wilde dogs have also been seen mourning lost family members. Loss of quality habitat and poaching represent the biggest problems. Unless we take action to address these threats, painted dogs will become extinct in our lifetime. All of today’s photos were taken at the following zoos: Potawatomi, Bronx, Oregon, Brookfield and Fort Worth.
World Orangutan Day August 18, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: nature, Orangutans, photography, travel, wildlife, World Orangutan Day, zoo babies, zoocation, Zoos
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Tomorrow is World Orangutan Day. I am fascinated by these beautiful, smart, strong apes. It was fun going through my old photos from visits to the Toledo Zoo, National Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, Cleveland Metropark Zoo and Sedgwick County Zoo to find my favorites orangutan photos. World Orangutan Day is a day every year when conservationists, wildlife organizations, and individuals around the world highlight the plight of orangutans and the horrors of the exotic pet trade and widespread deforestation. Here are 6 facts about these apes.
- There are three species of orangutans: Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli orangutans. All are critically endangered
- Orangutans mainly eat fruit and are essential for dispersing seeds across the rainforest, helping the wider ecosystem flourish. They are known as gardeners of the forest.
- For every captive orangutan sold in the exotic pet market, up to 11 other orangutans are killed while trying to protect the poached ape. Many captive animals also don’t survive the journey.
- Female orangutans only have a baby every seven or eight years, the longest time between births of any mammal.
- Wild orangutans use plants to treat joint and muscle inflammation, just like local people.
- Widespread deforestation, logging, oil palm plantations, human conflict, and the illegal pet trade are the most significant threats to orangutans in modern times.
Sleeping Beauties August 11, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Costume Institute, Fashion, Fashion as art, Metropolitan Museum, nature, NYC, photography, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
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If you have been to the Metropolitan Museum in the past few months you have seen the insane long lines to get into the Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. When I have visited the Met these past few months I refused to stand in those lines. However, when I visited a few weeks ago, I was one of the first people into the museum when it opened. I got their QR code for admittance to this exhibit and scrambled upstairs quickly. Luckily I was the fifth person in line and now I understand why these lines were so very long. They only allow a few people to enter at a time. This goofy protocol does, however, give the visitor a great experience. I was basically alone with one other man my whole visit. Continuous curved white walls give the show the feel of a lab, or a maze. The exhibition features 220 garments and accessories spanning four centuries, all connected through themes of nature, which also serves as a metaphor for the transience of fashion. Visitors are invited to smell the aromatic histories of hats bearing floral motifs; to touch the walls of galleries that will be embossed with the embroidery of select garments. The show is built on a base of 15 pieces from the institute’s collection that have become so fragile over time they can no longer be displayed on mannequins (the “sleeping beauties”), along with more than 200 hardier gowns and accessories reflecting organic themes such as roses, butterflies and beetles (nature also being fragile). Its curators seek to “reawaken” these items with a dash of technology and sensory overload: touch, smell and sound. The exhibition is on through September 2nd. Plan your visit accordingly and you will enjoy the creativity and quality of the curators. Factoid: The fashion industry funds the work of The Costume Institute, including its exhibitions, acquisitions, and capital improvements. Each May, the annual Gala Benefit, its primary fund-raising event, celebrates the opening of the spring exhibition. 
While at the Zoo 