Toby Meets His Adoring Public

Posted on August 14, 2013 by silvermic

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Reporters aimed their camera lenses.   Heads craned at his every move.   Members of the media followed him wherever he went.

And three-month-old male seal pup Toby seemed completely oblivious to all the attention.

This morning, staff members at  Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific moved the young harbor seal into his new home.  Members of the public can now see him swimming with his mom, Shelby, and his sister Bixby, who was born last year.  Toby and Bixby are the first harbor seals born at the aquarium.

Aquarium Mammologist (animal trainer) Kristen Marshall, who was one of two staffers who brought Toby into his new home, talked about her charge.

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Everybody, This Is Toby

Posted on August 14, 2013 by silvermic

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The Aquarium of the Pacific has a new star.   And they’ve announced his name: Toby!

This morning, Aquarium staffers moved the three-month-old harbor seal pup into the main seal tank, and began getting him acclimated with the other Aquarium seals and sea lions.

Toby is the first male seal pup born at the Aquarium.  He’s also the second new arrival in two years, following sister Bixby, who was born last spring.   His name is courtesy of eight-year-old Lola Castorina, who came up with it as a combination of his parents’ names: Shelby and Troy.

At a press conference just prior to the doors opening for the day, Curator for Mammals and Birds Dudley Wigdahl talked about the Aquarium’s new resident.

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LBMA Lets the Dogs In

Posted on August 8, 2013 by silvermic

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You and your dog are cordially invited to the Long Beach Museum of Art.

No–you didn’t just misread that.

From now till September first, LBMA  hosts the West Coast premiere of the unique exhibition “Architecture for Dogs“.  And you’re invited to bring your (small, leashed) dog and come see how you might be able to improve life for both of you! Continue reading →

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“Yappy Hour” Happens Tonight at LBMA

Posted on August 8, 2013 by silvermic

dog park1When was the last time you and your dog went out socially?

Long Beach Museum of Art has an invitation for you to consider.

This evening (and every Thursday night till September 1), they’re hosting a “Yappy Hour”!   Dogs and their humans are invited to come and enjoy drinks and snacks, starting at 5 p.m.

The “Yappy Hour” is in conjunction with the West Coast premiere of the “Architecture for Dogs” exhibition, a concept by noted designer/architect Kenya Hara.  “Architecture for Dogs”,  currently on its world tour, is making its only U.S. stop at the Long Beach museum of art.

This unique exhibition incorporates designs by a total of twelve designers who, as  LBMA‘s literature says, created their structures “to bring a new level of joy in the relationship between a dog and human.”

Want to bring your own dog some joy this weekend?  These five structures outside LBMA aren’t just for show; they’re a mini-dog park your dog can explore! Continue reading →

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Where Every Day Is Hump Day

Posted on August 8, 2013 by silvermic

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What can you do in ninety seconds–that takes love, patience and understanding?

Gil Riegler knows the answer to that one.  And from now until the Orange County Fair closes on Sunday evening, he’ll be demonstrating how it works–as he milks a camel.

Gil and his wife Nancy co-founded America’s first camel-milking farm, the Oasis Camel Dairy, in  1998.  Currently, they have twenty-two camels–five of whom have come with Gil to this year’s Orange County Fair for daily camel-milking demonstrations. Continue reading →

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A Hundred Years of Tradition

Posted on August 1, 2013 by silvermic

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A fireplace nobody could assemble–at first.   A closet that’s bigger than most people’s homes.   A bathroom that almost made a Grand Marshal miss the Rose Parade®.

All of these are part of the Tournament of Roses’® Tournament House headquarters–and part of the lore of Tournament House, as the stately mansion celebrates its centennial in 2014!

After chewing gum magnate William W. Wrigley bought it from the original builders in 1914,  the house became known as the Wrigley Mansion.  It was then considered one of the more “modest” homes on Pasadena’s Millionaires’ Row.  (After all, it only has twenty-two rooms!)

Continue reading →

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