Day Trip to the Detroit Zoo

Posted on July 29, 2019 by

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As a kid, I never went to the zoo very much, but as an adult, it’s one of my favorite places to visit.
I love the sights, the sounds and the whole experience in general. Zoo curators put a lot of time and
effort into the scenery, architecture, and foliage of each exhibit to make sure their animals feel right at
home. A couple weeks ago I went to one of my favorite zoos: The Detroit Zoo. I love this zoo for so
many reasons, and it’s not just because I am local to it. Most of the exhibits are open-air without cage
boundaries so it feels like you’re getting up close and personal with the animals. For those of you
that aren’t from around here, the Detroit Zoo is actually located in Royal Oak, Michigan and not within
Detroit city limits.

The Detroit Zoo is situated on 125 acres and features many naturalistic habitats, and is home to
more than 2,400 animals.

Detroit Zoo Exhibits include:

African Forest:
Here you will see the Great Apes of Harambee – chimpanzees, and gorillas as well as birds
such as flamingos, vultures, cranes and more.

African Grasslands:
This is where you will see all your friends who have been featured in Disney’s The Lion King from
lions and warthogs to zebras, giraffes (there is even an option to feed these guys!),
African birds, sloths and more.

American Grasslands:
Here you will find animals from North and South America which include wolverines (Go Blue),
grizzly bears (these guys are so much fun to watch when they play in the water), anteaters,
Chilean flamingos, bald eagles, prairie dogs and more.

Arctic Ring of Life:
This is one of North America’s largest polar bear habitats and one of my favorite attractions at the zoo.
Not only will you get to see polar bears up close and personal as they swim overhead, but you’ll also
see arctic foxes and seals. This facility has more than four acres of outdoor and indoor spaces you’ll
want to spend hours in this area alone.

Asian Forest:
Step inside the Asian Forest and see red pandas (they now have a fun exhibit you won’t want to miss),
Amur tigers, Japanese macaques, and camels – including a baby one named
Tula – who is just the cutest!

Australian Outback Adventure:
G’day mate and hop into the Australian Outback Adventure where you will find kangaroos and
wallabies. Since these cuties are allowed to roam free within the exhibit it allows visitors to come
face-to-face with them.

Butterfly Garden:
Home to hundreds of free-flying butterflies this is your chance to get an up-close
and personal look as you watch them eat and flutter around.

Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness:
This 2-acre naturalistic habitat features grassy hills, a flowing stream, den and more.
Unfortunately, it is now only home to one wolf, as the other recently passed away.
Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat:
This 9,000-gallon aquatic area provides these river otters with plenty of areas to explore including
a sandy beach.

Holden Reptile Conservation Center:
Home to 150 reptiles included the Chinese alligator, a rattlesnake, python and more.

Matilda Wilson Free-Flight Aviary:
Home to more than 20 species of birds that are free to fly, walk and roam around the lush tropical
plants. For those who are like me and birds freak them out, you end up in this area through the
butterfly house, but there is a nearby exit as soon as you enter that allows you to quickly get out of
the aviary.

National Amphibian Conservation Center:
Home to thousands of amphibians, here you will see frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and more.


Polk Penguin Conservation Center:
This is the largest center for penguins in the world and gives youthe opportunity to watch more than
75 penguins of four species explore their habitat while you get an up-close view. Two acrylic
underwater tunnels offer beautiful views of these guys as they swim aboveand around you.
For those of you that know the penguin exhibit asa stinky place, this one is NOT at all.
You can spend hours in it with no stink whatsoever! 

Coming to Detroit: The Last Ship Starring STING

Posted on July 23, 2019 by

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Detroit! Get excited, Sting is coming to town, and will be performing in his acclaimed musical THE LAST SHIP – featuring original music and lyrics by multiple Grammy Award®-winner Sting, will make its premiere in Detroit at the Detroit Opera House, April 22-26, 2020, as part of an international Tour. THE LAST SHIP will also have engagements in Los Angeles at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre; San Francisco at SHN’s Golden Gate Theatre; Washington D.C. at the National Theatre; and in St. Paul, MN at the Ordway.

 
Sting will star as shipyard foreman, “Jackie White,” and will perform the role at every performance. Additional cities and tour casting will be announced at a later date.
 

Tickets for the Detroit engagement will go on sale November 29.  For more information on the production and a video sneak peek, please visit thelastshipmusical.co.uk.
 
THE LAST SHIP, inspired by Sting’s 1991 album “The Soul Cages” and his own childhood experiences, tells the story of a community amid the demise of the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear, with the closure of the Swan Hunter shipyard.
 
When a sailor named Gideon Fletcher returns home after seventeen years at sea, tensions between past and future flare in both his family and his town. The local shipyard, around which the community has always revolved, is closing and no one knows what will come next, only that a half-built ship towers over the terraces. With the engine fired and pistons in motion, picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White (Sting) and his wife Peggy fight to hold their community together in the face of the gathering storm.
 
This personal, political and passionate musical from multiple Grammy Award®-winner Sting is an epic account of a family, a community and a great act of defiance. THE LAST SHIP features an original score with music and lyrics by Sting as well as a few of his best-loved songs; Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance.  It is the proud story of when the last ship sails.
 
The musical is directed by Lorne Campbell, the artistic director of Northern Stage, and has set design by the Tony Award-winning 59 Productions, the team behind the video design for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
 
THE LAST SHIP has a new book by Lorne Campbell, original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey, orchestrations by Rob Mathes, musical direction by Richard John, costume design by Molly Einchcomb, movement direction by Lucy Hind, lighting design by Matt Daw and sound design by Seb Frost. Other members of the creative team include dramaturg and associate director Selma Dimitrijevic, casting director Beth Eden and associate musical director (U.K.) Sam Sommerfeld.
 
THE LAST SHIP is produced by Karl Sydow.
 
“☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ TRULY AMAZING” – Daily Telegraph

“POIGNANT AND POWERFUL” – Sunday Mirror
 
“A ROUSING EVENING FULL OF HEART AND SONG” – The Guardian
 
“A THRILL TO WATCH” – The Globe and Mail
 
Sting was born Gordon Matthew Sumner on October 2, 1951 in Wallsend, North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, the eldest of four children of Audrey (Cowell) and Ernest Matthew Sumner, an engineer and milkman.
He grew up in the turmoil of the ship-building industry and wanted to become a musician very early having developed a love for the bass guitar. He played in jazz/rock bands such as “The Last Exit” and other various outfits, including a Dixieland jazz group, and in 1977, he formed the rock trio, The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. 
In 1984, he went on to record solo albums, and has evolved into one of the most prolific songwriters and musicians in the world. Throughout his illustrious career, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards®, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Academy Award nominations, a Tony nomination and has sold close to 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist. Following his critically-acclaimed album, 57th & 9th, his first rock/pop collection in over a decade, Sting and Jamaican musician, Shaggy released a collaborative, island-flavored album, entitled 44/876, that reflects the duo’s mutual love of Jamaica – its music, the spirit of its people and the vibrancy of its culture – and has spent over 20 weeks atop Billboard’s Reggae album chart and received the Grammy Award® for Best Reggae album. 
Sting, managed by The Cherrytree Music Company, has appeared in over 15 films such as Quadrophenia (1979) and Bring on the Night (1984) and has published a memoir entitled Broken Music in 2003, which spent 13 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list. He has received honorary Doctorate of Music degrees from Northumbria University in October 1992, Berklee College of Music in May 1994, University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2006 and from Brown University in 2018.
 
Sting recently released a new album, entitled My Songs, consisting of contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits. He is currently on tour in Europe with “My Songs” – a rollicking, dynamic show featuring the most beloved songs written throughout his prolific career. 
 
Next year Sting will also headline a Las Vegas residency, “My Songs,” set to open at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on May 22, 2020. The show will present a compendium of Sting’s songs with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations.  For more information, please visit: www.sting.com.  

Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo

Posted on July 19, 2019 by

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[thank you to the Visit Fort Wayne and the Fort Wayne Children\’s Zoo for hosting me, all thoughts and opinions are my own.]

You won’t want to miss a trip to “One of the Top 10 Zoos in the Nation”. With over 38 acres of animals, rides and beautiful landscaped grounds, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is sure to be a family favorite. Did I mention it’s only around 3 hours from Detroit? The short distance from Detroit makes the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo the perfect road trip for family, friends, significant others and more. Since it’s only three hours away you can even day trip it, if you’re just looking to fill some wanderlust in your life.

What sets the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo apart from others:

Affordable ticket prices, $15 for adults and $10 for children 18 and younger the zoo makes for an affordable day trip that’s jam-packed with fun for the whole family.

2019 Ticket Prices
Adults (ages 19-61) $15.00
Child (ages 2-18) $10.00
Seniors (ages 62+) $12.00
Babies (ages 1 and under) FREE

All Zoos are designed with children in mind, however, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo takes it to the next level by allowing kids to get up close and personal with several animals, including feeding the giraffes. Unfortunately, when I was around the giraffes they didn’t want to come to eat some yummy lettuce… maybe next time. As someone who is 4’10” it’s nice to not have to stand on my tippy toes in hopes of getting a glimpse at the animals – therefore I personally loved it being catered to children and their height.

There are four distinct sections of the zoo offering rides, hands-on experiences and of course amazing animals.

Begin your trip around the zoo in the African Journey area. Here you will find lions, hyenas, monkeys and more!

Hands-on experience: Hand-feed giraffes.
Take a ride: Hop on the Sky Safari (like a ski lift) and take a ride 38 feet in the air to get a bird’s eye view of lions, zebras and much more!

G’day mate! It’s time to head on an Australian Adventure. Here you will find kangaroos, the reef and more.
Hands-on experience: Pet a stingray.
Take a ride: Climb into your own dugout canoe and explore the Outback on the Crocodile Creek Adventure Ride. During this ride, you’ll see the life cycle of a crocodile while you float past kangaroos and dingoes.

Head to the jungle and come nose-to-nose with orangutans, tigers and more in the Indonesian Rain Forest.
Hands-on experience: Trek the Tree Top Trail.
Take a ride: Take a spin on the Endangered Species Carousel.

Don’t miss out on some of the newest exhibits located in the Central Zoo including Monkey Island and river otters.
Hands-on experience: Brush a goat at the Indiana Family Farm.
Take a ride: All aboard the Z.O.&O Railroad or take a pony ride.

What to Eat? 

When lunchtime comes around there are plenty of delicious food spots to stop at where you will find burgers, sandwiches, chicken fingers, wraps, cold drinks, Dole Whip and more. I decided to eat at Ray’s Barefoot Grill and went with an Italian wrap, bag of barbecue chips and ice-cold lemonade.

Don’t forget to add the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo to your summer adventure list. The Zoo is located at 3411 Sherman Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN, and parking is free!

Where to Stay in Fort Wayne – Hampton Inn Ft. Wayne – Southwest

Posted on July 18, 2019 by

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[thank you Visit Fort Wayne for hosting me, all opinions and thoughts are my own]

During a recent trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana I stayed at the Hampton Inn Ft. Wayne – Southwest. This hotel is located near the expressway, in a great location and is only a short drive from the main sightseeing attractions. When it comes to hotels the thing I care about most is that it’s clean – typically I am not staying for an extended period of time and I spend very little time in the hotel. All I really need is a clean place to stay and that’s exactly what I got at the Hampton Inn. After a long day of visiting the zoo, walking around the city and watching a TinCaps game I was thrilled to check into my hotel. The hotel staff was very personable and provided a warm welcome. My room had a comfortable king-size bed, where I was able to sprawl out watch TV and catch up on Instagram using their free WiFi.

The hotel is home to 118 rooms, all of which have a microwave and mini-fridge. There is also a business center, indoor pool and fitness center to keep you moving while you’re away. Oh, and you can’t forget the free breakfast in the morning.

In the morning, before hitting the road to head back to Detroit, I went downstairs for Hampton’s free hot breakfast buffet. Let me tell you this is not your typical breakfast buffet. While it had some quintessential breakfast essentials like waffles, bagels, toast, and cereal you could also find oatmeal with plenty of yummy toppings, turkey sausage, egg white omelets, yogurt, fresh fruit, a freshly-squeezed juice bar and much more.

If you’re headed to Fort Wayne I highly recommend booking your stay at the Hampton Inn Ft. Wayne – Southwest, you won’t regret it!

Restaurant Review: The Yummi Bunni

Posted on July 17, 2019 by

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Have you heard of The Yummi Bunni before? If not, don’t worry I have the inside scoop! The Yummi Bunni has easily become a favorite sweet spot in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Imagine, a freshly made chunky, deep-fried doughnut. Slice that doughnut in half. Put ice cream in between the slices and add your favorite topping – and this my friends is the Yummi Bun. Served in a handheld wrapper to make it easy to walk around the city streets while you indulge in the sugary goodness. The Yummi Bunni is located at 123 Main Street and is right next to Fort Wayne’s very own Famous Coney Island. Grab your all-American hot dog and pop and then head next door for your Yummi Bun. Besides serving up ice cream in its speciality “bun”, you can get a scoop in a cup. The Yummi Bunni features 16 flavors that rotate seasonally, and has a wide variety of toppings for you to select from including Captain Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, sprinkles and more. During my first Yummi Bun experience I decided to go with the Bun of the Week: S’mores. This bun featured fireside graham ice cream and s’more toppings – it definitely had me craving a fire by the lake. While The Yummi Bunni will definitely put you into a sugary coma, it’s definitely one stop in Fort Wayne you won’t want to miss out on.

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