it's all happenin' at the zoo

Today is my last Wednesday totally off for a while. Chris started his rock-a-baby classes this morning and I have my first session for fall next week. I am excited but of course I will miss my day off. Having a day off is so great! Today I finally was able to use a groupon I got last month for the Astor Bake Shop near our apartment in Astoria and it was so effing adorable I wanted to hug it. First of all, I love our neighborhood so much and especially THIS part as opposed to the part we used to live. 30th ave is nice if you like... I don't know.... to be annoyed... but Ditmars is great if you love things that are adorable, which I definitely do. This cafe isn't really near Ditmars, but it's close enough to consider it not 30th ave. Anyway, the food was so good and they played the Beatles the whole time we were in there. The only problem was that they were playing a recording of Revolver in stereo and the playback was in mono... so we heard only half the vocals to most songs and almost no vocals on Yellow Submarine (which, of course, isn't the worst thing in the world for that song. We just enjoyed the ocean sounds).

Last Wednesday we went to the Bronx Zoo and had the BEST TIME!!!!! It was donation day, so we got in cheap but it was so great I'm planning on getting a membership for next year. The membership gives you entrance for 2 into all the NYC zoos and the Aquarium (including all the extras that cost more) plus 10% off food and gift shop and it's only $94. Considering the Aquarium costs $25 for one person by itself, this is a serious deal. The last time I went to a zoo (not including Animal Kingdom) was the San Diego Zoo which actually scared me off zoos because it made me feel so bad for the animals. They were all in such small cages and I remember seeing one of the big cats pacing back and forth continuously and it made me so upset because I felt like that cat had gone insane from being cooped up. This zoo was totally different and more like Animal Kingdom where it's a simulated reality for the animals. I loved it so much and the weather was basically perfect. The food was also surprisingly good. I got this big cup with lions on it that cost $9 but was refillable. We were exhausted at the end of the day but had such a great time.

I am so happy the weather has been more reasonable the last couple of days. We did have a few hot days last week, but it wasn't too bad. Of course, the weather also made me sick. It's nearing the end, but I've had a cold since Friday. Sunday was the worst. We went to this diner nearby because we had no food to cook and I couldn't taste my soup at all except when I blew my nose. It was annoying. I'm now in the backed up phlegm phase where I'm constantly clearing my throat and having to spit. Like a lady.

Tonight we are going to a haunted house for FREE! I haven't been to one since 2006 so I'm excited. It's going to be boo-riffic. And probably scary. I do really well at haunted houses (as opposed to scary movies where I just can't watch them at all) but I have a feeling that a New York haunted house is going to be REALLY scary. My sister is working at Cedar Point's Halloweekends again this year and she asked me what the scariest thing I've ever seen was. I told her it was the zombie ghost of a vampire werewolf dressed as a mummy. I can't wait for my birthday. :)