#42 September 11, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Central Park Zoo, Jackie Robinson, Jackie Robinson Museum, NYC, photography, Photography Workshop
6 comments
True story. I was at a Brooklyn Dodgers game at Ebbets Field with my father sometime in the ‘50s. We were in the parking lot going to our car when we met Jackie Robinson, chatted and then got his autograph. He seemed to me the tallest person I had ever seen and as it turns out…one of the nicest. The Jackie Robinson Museum opened last week and what a thrill it was to visit. There’s a whole lot to know about this amazing man. He was a family man, an activist for social justice, an incredible ball player and soldier. In a ceremony before the April 15, 1997, game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, the baseball commissioner declared that No. 42 – Robinson’s number with the Brooklyn Dodgers – would be permanently retired throughout Major League Baseball. It was also fun to speak to the other visitors about our experiences as Brooklyn Dodger fans (both old and young). Please visit – you will not be disappointed (even if you are a Yankees fan). Speaking of fun – after a two year hiatus, the Central Park Zoo is happy to bring back our photo classes. This time we feature my favorite – PUMPKINS! It is being held on Sunday October 23rd and you can sign up here. See you there!
Farm to Table September 4, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, farm to table, NYC, photography, produce, Union Square Greenmarket
11 comments
The Union Square Green Market has been around since 1976. I like to stroll thru the market even though I admit to not being a good cook and I am also a picky eater. That said, I still love the color, form and design found at all of the food and product stands. Enjoy!
The Cat’s Meow August 28, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, black footed cat, Brooklyn, Hamadryas baboons, nature, NYC, Pallas Cat, photography, Prospect Park Zoo, Red Panda, Sand cats, wildlife, Zoos
10 comments
If you love small cats as much as I do then trot on over to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Zoo. They now have Pallas, Black-footed and Sand cats. What a treat. The zoo suffered terrible damage last year during Hurricane Ida but it is now fully restored and open every day. You can also see their new red panda, new baboon troop and much more. I admit to some bias as this was the zoo of my childhood. Check it out for yourself – you will not be disappointed.
Rise and Shine August 21, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Chrysler building, Empire State Building, NYC, One Vanderbilt, photography, The Summit, World Photography Day
9 comments
To celebrate World Photography Day my pal Robyn and I attended a special sunrise opportunity at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. This was our third visit to this amazing observation deck. Getting there by 5AM was challenging but apparently hundreds of other photographers decided to do the same thing. I have never seen so much camera gear and accessories. It was a fun experience but we probably do not need to repeat it. Like City views? Check out our first visit in November of 2021 here. Still like views? Check out our second visit here. 
A Coney Island of the Mind August 14, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Coney Island, Nathans hot dogs, nature, NY Aquarium, NYC, photography, wildlife, Zoos
10 comments
“I once started out to walk around the world but ended up in Brooklyn, that Bridge was too much for me.” – I adore Coney Island. I have precious, fun memories of time spent at Coney Island and the New York Aquarium as a kid. I even recall when the NY Aquarium opened in its present location in 1957. The history of the NYAQ is quite interesting. I try to get to Coney Island every few months and never fail to go to Nathan’s for lunch. Ten years after Hurricane Sandy devastated the area the New York Aquarium is finally fully reopened and well worth your time to visit. Don’t forget to visit Nathan’s too. Yum!
34th Anniversary of the Central Park Zoo August 7, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: 34th anniversary, animals, baby animals, Central Park Zoo, Grizzly bears Betty and Veronica, Gus the polar bear, nature, NYC, photography, Snow Leopard cubs, Snow Monkey, wildlife, zoo babies, Zoos
14 comments
Tomorrow is the 34th anniversary of the Central Park Zoo. I am happy to say I have been associated with the zoo for the past 32 of those 34 years (that is probably how I know most of you). Thought I would share some photos of our wonderful animals both past and present. See how many you recognize. The zoo began in the 1860s as a menagerie. The zoo or menagerie (as it was called) started inside and around the Arsenal (built in 1848 – which now houses our WCS administrative offices and the NYC Parks Dept). The zoo was modified in 1934 as part of the WPA with the addition of many new buildings arranged in a quadrangle around the sea lion pool. In a contract with NYC, the zoo was completely renovated in the mid-1980s and with much fanfare, reopened on August 8th, 1988, replacing the old-fashioned cages with naturalistic environments. Check out some great photos from the early days of the zoo. https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/zoos/central-park-zoo. Come visit us soon and a very Happy Anniversary!
Stone Zoo in 2022 July 31, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, hyrex, photography, Porcupette, Sloth, Stone Zoo, wildlife, zoo babies
5 comments
Last month’s trip to New England also had us visiting the always improving Stone Zoo. We were lucky to discover a pre-hensile tailed porcupine mom and her baby porcupette who had been born the previous evening. Sometimes you just get lucky. It was a fun visit.
Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo July 24, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, Boston, Franklin Park Zoo, nature, photography, wildlife, Zoos
4 comments
Took a delightful trip to Massachusetts and few weeks ago to visit good friends. Among the fun things we did was visit the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. Our goal was to see their gorilla troop in their brand new outdoor exhibit. Sadly it was raining but I report that the new exhibit is terrific. Maybe next time?
National Zookeeper Appreciation Week – 2022 July 17, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Central Park Zoo, photography, wildlife, Zookeeper Appreciation Week, Zoos
13 comments
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. Thank you for allowing me to take your photos while you perform your tasks with good humor. We are open 365 days a year 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? 
Analog City – NYC B.C. (Before Computers) July 10, 2022
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Analog, art, art exhibitions, Museum of the City if NY, NYC, photography
8 comments
Ever wonder how anything got done before computers? I went to see this new exhibit at the Museum of the City of NY with a friend who is 25 years my junior. I recollected more than she did and we had lots of laughs, shared stories and generally recalled most of the treasures in this exhibit. Analog City: NYC B.C. (Before Computers) uncovers the array of tools, technologies, and lost professions that supported New York City as it exploded into a global metropolis in the pre-digital era. Focusing on the period between the 1870s and the 1970s, Analog City examines the technologies that enabled the city to reach its position as the “capital of the world” in an age before the speed and capacity of today’s digital technologies. Set against a contemporary backdrop of 24-hour news cycles and high-speed trading—in which questions about privacy, truth, and the impact of social media are increasingly pressing—the exhibition uncovers this bygone era of paper files and pneumatic tubes, of note cards and telephone directories, and examines how New York thrived as a center of finance, news, research, and real estate in an era before personal computers and the internet’. This exhibit is on thru the end of the year. Check it out and enjoy!
