National Zookeeper Appreciation Week – 2021 July 18, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: AAZK, Central Park Zoo, National Zookeeper Week, NYC, photography
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The third week in July is when we recognize and celebrate the dedicated zookeepers who keep our zoos and aquariums humming. Zookeeper’s faces may change from year to year but the hard work, resourcefulness and commitment remain the same. I salute you all and especially the staff at my home base, the Central Park Zoo. This past year was especially difficult due to COVID19 but the hard working zookeepers stayed loyal to their purpose. Thank you for allowing me to take your photos while you perform your tasks with good humor. We are open 365 days a year (except during this year’s COVID shutdown), thru rain, snow, summer heat and all holidays. National Zookeeper Week starts today. How about if you go to a zoo this week tell a zookeeper how much they are appreciated? I have been fortunate to stay in touch with many of our Central Park zookeepers who have moved on and it was fun to look at my past Zookeeper Appreciation Week photo montages to see all of those beautiful faces again. If you want to take a photo adventure back in time check out these great years. 2020 – 2019 – 2018 –
Remembering the Blizzard of 2016 July 11, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Madison Square Park, nature, NYC, NYC Blizzard, photography
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It has been a hot, humid, very rainy summer in NYC. For me – it is always a bad hair day. Since summer is a time of reruns I thought remembering other weather events might be fun and in this case…cooling. It was on January 24-26 of 2016 when 27.5 inches of snow buried NYC. The NYC blizzard kept most of us close to home (little did we know that four years later we would all be staying close to home due to the pandemic). Here are a few wintry photos from my neighborhood outing at the time. A citywide travel ban was in effect. It was eerily quiet out there except for an occasional snowplow. Our NYC zoos were closed for two days. Hope you all are ‘weathering’ this crazy summer and staying safe.
Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest June 27, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Madison Square Park, maya lin, nature, NYC, photography, public art
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I am a big fan of public art. Public art is visually and physically accessible to the public; it is installed or staged in public space or the public realm, usually outside. Public art seeks to embody public or universal concepts rather than commercial, partisan or personal concepts or interests. It is not commercial and is usually temporary. Madison Square Park is my neighborhood park and has been exhibiting public art since 2004. I have adored most of the previous exhibits and was usually sad when they left but I knew another project would be coming our way and looked forward to that. Architect Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest is a grand success. She explains it much better than I can in this four minute video and shows us how she conceived and built this new work. It is on thru November 13. 2021 and I encourage a visit. You can also have a Shake Shack meal in the original Shake Shack in the park. Eataly is directly across the street and the new Harry Potter shop is one block away for you non-Muggles. Another public art project is happening the city in August. Yes, the Cow Parade is coming back to NYC from August 18 to September 30. 
Happy Father’s Day 2021 June 20, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, Central Park Zoo, Happy Father's Day, nature, NYC, photography, wildlife, zoo babies, Zoos
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While most caregivers in the animal kingdom are mothers, there are some fathers who join in the role as caregiver. I salute some of those fathers out there in today’s photo montage. Coincidentally – tomorrow is also National Martini Day. Why not celebrate that special day today? The photo above today’s montage is of my father, sister and me (circa – the beginning of time).
Little Island June 6, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Little Island, Manhattan, NYC, photography, public space
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I have been a fan of this idea since inception and was not disappointed when I visited the opening this week. There’s a lot of info here about the design, concept and people behind this new NYC space that is close to High Line and Whitney Museum. “In 2013, Barry Diller, in partnership with Hudson River Park Trust leadership, embarked on the unique opportunity to envision a solution for the repair and reactivation of Pier 54, damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Diller chose to reimagine an entirely new type of public space for New York, one that would create an immersive experience with nature and art”. It is easy to find and is entered via West 14th Street. From my perspective, NYC is coming back better than ever. Here is a sample of one of the glowing reviews about this new public free space. Please go visit and enjoy. 
Kusama – Cosmic Nature at NYBG May 30, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, botanicals, flowers, KUSAMA, nature, NYBG, NYC, photography, sculpture
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Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at age 92 is still going strong. This fun, colorful exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden is on through Halloween – which makes sense since she has a great admiration for pumpkins..as do I. ‘Kusama reveals her lifelong fascination with the natural world, beginning with her childhood spent in the greenhouses and fields of her family’s seed nursery. Her artistic concepts of obliteration, infinity, and eternity are inspired by her intimate engagement with the colors, patterns, and life cycles of plants and flowers’. Along with the fun installations in the Conservatory, there are several walk through immersive installations throughout the garden. We had a great time and the beautiful weather day was like icing on the cake. I highly recommend this to all.
Tip Toe thru the Tulips April 18, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: nature, NYC, photography, Tulips
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Spring has definitely sprung in NYC. Walking around the city you cannot help but notice the tulips that are everywhere. There are over 150 different species in the Tulipa genus, with over 3,000 different varieties registered to date and more to come as plant breeders continue creating new hybrids. Lots of information about tulips here. If you haven’t heard of tulip mania in the 17th century here is more fascinating stuff. There was even a movie made about the tulip wars. 
Sunrise from the Empire State Building April 11, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Empire State Building, king kong, NYC, photography, sunrise, Views
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Now that we are all venturing out as we get vaccinated it is time to make up for the lost COVID year. Fresh from my adventure to the Edge a few weeks ago we decided to go to the 86th floor and watch the sun rise from atop the Empire State Building. it is amazing that this iconic building was completed in just 13 months. I hadn’t been to the ESB since I was a kid and my buddy, Amy had never been – so off we went. I was not expecting the most fabulous sunrise (as long as we did not have fog I would be happy). The city is quiet on a Saturday morning and it was great watching the hints of light and color on the horizon. If was a wonderful experience (if you don’t count that fact that I forgot to put the battery in my SLR camera). All of today’s photos were taken with my iPhone. If you can get up early you might consider trying this unique, fun adventure. Before departing the venue you should visit the second floor which is filled with history, interactive exhibits and of course – King Kong.
Spring at the Queens Zoo April 4, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, nature, NYC, photography, Queens Zoo, wildlife, Zoos
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I haven’t visited the Queens Zoo since the summer of 2019. Luckily, a work assignment brought me back this past week and it was definitely worth the trip. The Queens Zoo is an 18-acre zoo located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. The zoo features animals from the Americas, ranging from the American bison to the South American Andean bear. I had a fun visit and will not let so much time pass before my return.
Splash into Spring March 28, 2021
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Central Park Zoo, nature, NYC, photography, Red Panda, sea lion, snow leopard, wildlife, Zoos
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Spring arrived in NYC to the delight of millions this week. Friday was a record breaking 75 degrees. It felt really good. I captured some of our beautiful animals as I walked about my home base, the Central Park Zoo. I hesitated to buy some plants for my patio as the warning about frosts happening in the next few weeks is still out there. Keep washing those hands and I hope when it is your turn you will get vaccinated. A Zissen Pesach (Happy Passover) to one and all. Enjoy! 
While at the Zoo 