Rochester is OK!

In my opinion the mark of any decent city is the availability of a zoo. I think zoos are pretty great, as they help bring a greater awareness to their communities about the state of the global animal kingdom, as well as the immense educational opportunity to present the people with animals they may never view in their native habitat.

I loved going to the zoo as a kid. I’ve always had an affinity for nature, and a timeless curiosity about animals and the world we live in. The realization that I may not ever have the chance to view white rhinos in their native habitat, simply due to just never making it there, or the fact that they may not have a native habitat for much longer. To be able to stand not more than 10 feet from one of these magnificent creatures is really quite profound. I wonder how many people that pass by them every day in their annual trek through the zoo realize how lucky we are to be able to do so.

How often will I ever be this close to a real tiger like that? The last few visits I’ve taken to the zoo, she’s been asleep atop her perch, so I was thrilled to see her up and moving about. That’s the great thing about going to the zoo. Every time is a new experience, and you never know what kind of mood the animals will be in. Some days will bear a disappointing sleeping Tiger, but on the day she’s active and so close to you, it is quite exhilarating. These animals in particular have faced a shrinking habitat over the years, and again, my chances of ever seeing one in the wild are few and far between (and some day I will make a concerned effort to try to see them in the wild), but at least I will have a moment in the sun on spring Sunday afternoon to be in this kind of proximity to such an amazing beast.

Since I was a child the zoo has grown quite considerably, and every year they make an effort to bring creatures in from other zoos to make that season’s trip even more special. I’m not sure what the plan is for this year, but I went last year to check out the Siberian Tiger, and while it was sound asleep it was still pretty cool. The elephant enclosure and the baboon habitat were also new additions in recent years, and it’s good to see that the elephants have a much larger area to roam.

The zoo is definitely a great place to spend a sunny afternoon, regardless if you have kids of your own or you’re just a big kid at heart. I’d also like to mention that it’s a good place to bring a date. They’re open year round, but their hours vary on the season. You can get all the details on their website, at http://www.senecaparkzoo.org/.

It had been some time since I last set foot into Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery. I would estimate over 10 years ago to be precise. I like to consider myself a patron of the arts. I appreciate fine art on a lot of levels, and I admit that I’m rather disappointed in myself for neglecting the MAG for so long. On this particular day, Bianca wanted to check out the latest exhibit, which unfortunately was also the last day of it as well.

The headlining exhibit, “Fashioning Kimono: Art Deco and Modernism in Japan” was actually pretty cool. I’m not particularly into fashion at all, but I do enjoy history and this gave a really interesting view into pre-war Japan. Most of the Kimonos on display were from the early 1900′s up until 1940. A lot featured detail work that was hand painted on, and while some were constructed via machine, many were hand made. The men’s kimonos were particularly interesting, as many hand intricate hand painted details, but these were displayed inside out. The outsides were generally plain black, with the details hidden on the coat’s interior, as the conservative nature of Japanese men didn’t like to be flashy. The children’s kimonos were pretty interesting too, especially in a pre-war context. A lot of the ones designed for young boys featured tanks and war planes, while others had puppies and automobiles. I can’t say I blame them, I was into the same stuff when I was a kid as well. Unfortunately as I write this, the exhibit has moved on, but if it ever comes out and you’re curious about early 20th century pre-war Japan, check it out.

I was unable to take any pictures, as security was constantly circling the halls. I tried to take a camera phone shot, but the security guy caught me and asked that I not do that. Busted.

Another special exhibit they have, and I believe is still available today, is an exhibition of etchings made by Rembrandt. These were particularly fascinating due to the process of how they’re made. Rembrandt would take a metal sheet, with a wax covering and engrave into the wax his design. The metal was then exposed to acid, which would eat away at the metal and leave a permanent impression in the metal. It would then be coated in ink and then pressed on the parchment. The level of detail in these is simply amazing, and it was cool to see that the MAG had something like this from an artist that is so well known.

In exploring the rest of the place, I found it interesting that they had several other works attributed to artists that I was familiar with and who are relatively well known, including works from Monet, Cezanne, and an original painting by Rembrandt.

The Egyptian room is also of note, as it contained a pretty cool sarcophagus, and a fully complete mummy.

Another cool discovery I made is the art of Wendell Castle, who I also found out is local to our area. He’s a woodworker and creates functional sculptures out of wood. There were many pieces of his displayed through out the museum, and it was really interesting to see how he created these pieces. I wasn’t familiar with his work before, but as an aspiring woodworker and artist, I want to see more of his creations. I found them to be quite inspiring.

I was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Gallery, and I say that in the context that I hadn’t visited in so long, and that when I last visited I apparently didn’t appreciate it as much as I do today. If you haven’t been in awhile, check it out. The museum’s hours are available here on their website.

How could this not be okay, a place that encourages you to be a kid and play. The Strong National Museum of Play is a spot that my family spends a lot of time. Several permanent exhibits make up the core of the museum. A mini Wegmans supermarket lets you shop, then scan your items into real registers. There is a true to life Sesame Street, you can pretend that you are part of the beloved children’s show. The Butterfly Garden is a great tropical escape even in the dead of winter, where else in Rochester can you see close to 800 butterflies flying free. The National Toy Hall of Fame is pretty cool in itself. It houses a collection of the most influential toys of all time. Inductees of note, The Big Wheel, Gameboy, GI Joe, and the cardboard box(a personal favorite).

The folks at the museum do a great job at keeping things fresh as well. There are a variety of traveling exhibits. The ones most recently have been targeted at the geeks out there it seems. For several months the museum featured an exhibit that was the history of electronic gaming. The centerpiece was a full coin op arcade featuring over 100 classics. I spent many lunch hours pumping tokens into the likes of Joust, Dig-Dug, and the classic vector based Star Wars. The exhibit is now closed, but I have heard there is a possibility that it may become a permeant fixture if the museum does an expansion.

Currently it is all about Legos. The Art of the Brick is the work of artist Nathan Sawaya. I have marveled at the pictures of his work online for some time and am very excited that Rochester is the only city in Upstate NY that secured this exhibit. You can cheek out his work online at brickartist.com or in person at the museum until March 14th.

Lego Castle Adventure has thrones, armor, dungeons and dragons all made from the little bricks of wonder. There are models of real castles that have been recreated, and a place to build your own castle. Go check it out while it is here.

This is a great place to bring a kid, or anyone who is a kid at heart. If you have not been there, or it has been a long time since you have visited, do you self a favor and spend some time at one of Rochester’s gems.