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So does this mean that all items on the kids’ menu come with fruit, or that you can order kids with a side of fruit?

If the latter, can you substitute fries?

American will be first cyclist to ride a vegan Tour de France

“Mostly” vegan: See the 8th paragraph or search the article for “salmon.”

Earlier this month, The Boyfriend and I took a day trip to Hood Canal and the town of Union. I had read a short blurb about it in the Yahoo! Travel feature, America’s Prettiest Cities.

Less than 2 hours (94 miles) from Seattle, Union is a very pretty town. Unfortunately, at this time of year, there is apparently nothing to do other than drive along the canal. And I do mean drive: the only pullout or scenic viewpoint on the canal side was Twanoh State Park … and it was closed for maintenance and/or the season. (The canal-adjacent part — with picnic areas and restrooms — was closed. The campgrounds and parking lot across the street {State Route 106} were open.)

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable trip and we hope to make a return visit during the spring or summer.

Dalby Water Wheel:

McReavy House:

Hood Canal Marina:

I finally made it to the Tropical Butterfly House at Pacific Science Center (PSC); it opened in 1998. I guess one reason I put off visiting for so long is because, as previously noted, I have ambivalent feelings about animals in captivity. My curiosity about the Butterfly House overcame any reservations I had, especially after reading about it on the PSC Web site.

I knew the butterflies would be amazing but for some silly reason, I didn’t expect the gorgeous plants.

If you go, tread very carefully; butterflies often rest on the walking path.

And sometimes they seem to try and find their way out of doors.

(If they had known how cold it was outside, they wouldn’t have bothered. Today’s high temperature was a chilly 43°F and felt even colder.)

These ‘flies had the right idea, basking in the tropical heat of their habitat and munching on fruit …

… or just enjoying the plant life.

Or should that be Zoolit, past tense?

The Boyfriend and I attended Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium‘s Zoolights on closing night for this season. Zoolights is an annual event beginning around the last week of November and ending around the first weekend in January.

As a longtime vegetarian/vegan for reasons related to animal welfare and rights, I have mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand, I don’t like to see animals — especially those such as lions, tigers, and elephants that are large and/or like to roam — in such confined spaces. On the other hand, zoos (in America, at least, and Point Defiance in particular) have come a long way over the past 40 years. The animals are safe and well cared for, and allowing the public to see them may help promote conservation.

Years ago, I worked at a newspaper in a department that produced special advertising/editorial sections. One of my co-workers, C.R., was assigned to write a story about the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. A fellow vegetarian, she found the assignment distasteful — she did not want to visit or write about the zoo. In principal, she was opposed to zoos for the usual “animals in captivity and confinement” reasons.

I talked with C.R. after she had completed her visit and interview, and her opinion had completely changed. She came away with an understanding of and belief in the zoo’s commitment to education and conservation.

I’ve seen firsthand how much the Point Defiance Zoo has changed in recent decades. I remember visiting it as a kid in the 1970s, when a lot of the animals were in small, iron-barred cages. Now the animals are in larger areas that feel less confining (to me, at least; the animals may feel differently). And those old iron-barred cages are gone, replaced by fences, moats, and other means of keeping stupid humans away from wild, potentially dangerous animals.

Anyway, here are some photos from Zoolights 2010.

I love that these flower boxes are in front of Ballard Sheet Metal; I didn’t expect to find colorful plants growing in front of a business that works with cold, hard metal.

The rest of these were in different gardens and therefore completely expected.

What I thought it said: Dork recliner
What it actually said: Dark recliner

(What it was: A “for sale” sign)

Creative Smart Car Advertising

My favorites are … actually, they all are.

By the way, Toxel is a fantastic source of design and tech p*rn.