Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Detroit Zoo making changes for the better

Have you been to the Detroit Zoo lately?  If not I highly suggest going.  Over the last few years the zoo has made several improvements to enhance your experience annd feed your hunger.

They have recently added an American Coney Island and several kiosks serving up everything from Dippin Dots to Popcorn.  The last time we ate there we ate at the Arctic Cafe and the food was better than what I was expecting.  If you are a must-have coffee fanatic, the zoo also carries Starbucks.

They have also added a boardwalk that takes you right across the wetlands area.  When you take a stroll across you can see ducks, swans, fish, frogs, turtles, and more.  If you need a break there are benches set-up to sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the area.  They have also fixed the lions habitat up and got rid of the moat and filled it in with grasslands, in an effort to get you closer to the lions.  All it did for us was get us closer to seeing them sleeping the day away.  The one downfall to the new lions exhibit is its harder to take pictures without getting a glare or reflection.

Some neat things that we have stumbled upon that you may not have known existed.  Did you know that behind the giraffe exhibit, you have the ability to go into their house?  They sometimes are in there due to weather, maintence, or illness and this way you can still see them.  Another tip is behind the rhino display is the rhino house.  They have always been out when I have been there, but its still worth a quick walk through to check it out (also,makes for a handy spot to dodge the rain and not be crowded).

There are more plans for improvement in the future and its definitely worth checking out.  One last tip, if you plan on going more than 2 times a year, it usually works out to be cheaper to get a membership.  The membership also allows you discounts on food and at gift shops, discounted admission at other zoos throughout the country,  free parking at the Detroit Zoo, and many other perks.


Hurry up and go enjoy the beautiful weather...

Friday, August 17, 2012

Pro athletes: what they should do more of

The other day I was going over my news feed on Facebook and a story caught my eye.  WNEM, a tv station for Flint and the Tri-Cities region, had a story about how a famous alumni member gave back to the Saginaw School District.  Current Pittsburgh Steeler, former Wolverine, LaMarr Woodley heard that the public school district he once starred in had to start charging student-athletes $75 in participation fees.  Local,officials reported a decline in the number of athletes this year, so LaMarr took it upon himself to donate $60,000 to eliminate the fees for all junior high through high school athletes in the district.

This is not the first time LaMarr has.went above and beyond what needed to be done to help his former high school either.  A few years ago he got the marching band hooded sweatshirts.  So while we continue to hear news stories about athletes getting in trouble with domestic violence, drugs, alcohol, weapons, etc. one has to question how come we don't hear more about these stories? 

So I am calling out more of today's pro athletes, what are you doing to help your former high school?  What about the school districts in and around the cities you play in?  While $60,000 is a lot for us, for most of these stars it is just a drop in the bucket.  LaMarr, I sure hope that others follow your lead and we start hearing about the good in professional athletes rather than who has more pre-season arrests.