san diego zoo: Recent San Diego Zoo renovations featuring young flamingos - 10/25/09 02:33 PM
Now that the new Elephant Odyssey is open, the Zoo is renovating the old exhibit areas where the elephants and some other large animals were being kept.
The giraffes now have a larger exhibit area, and some rhinoceroses have moved in as well.
Towards the back of what was once called "Hoof Mesa" is a new Flamingo Lagoon.
The Flamingo Lagoon at the main entrance is one of the most visited areas of the Zoo because flamingos are pretty and fun to watch.
To have another Flamingo Lagoon halfway across the Zoo is nice. The new Flamingo Lagoon features eleven flamingos … (10 comments)

san diego zoo: Need free tickets to the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park? - 10/24/09 10:59 AM
If you're coming to the 2009 Convention for the National Association of Realtors next month, Russel and I have various coupons available for both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park.
The Zoo is not too far from the Convention Center, but the Wild Animal Park is about 30 miles north near Escondido.
Here is what we have available:
Two guest passes good for free entrance to the San Diego Zoo. Two guest passes good for free entrance to the Wild Animal Park. Four "2 for 1" tour coupons. Buy one adult ticket for the Bus Tour at the Zoo or … (7 comments)

san diego zoo: San Diego Zoo's "Name the Panda" contest starts Saturday! - 10/07/09 07:09 AM
Not too far from Mission Valley in San Diego, California, is the world-famous San Diego Zoo, one of just a handful of Zoos in the world that have some giant pandas.
The San Diego Zoo has been at the forefront of working with China on research to try to save the giant pandas from becoming extinct, and the Zoo's results in breeding the pandas here has been nothing short of amazing, with several pandas being born here. Our newest giant panda arrived on August 5, 2009, although at a mere four ounces, he was anything but giant.
Following Chinese tradition, cubs are … (8 comments)

san diego zoo: Speechless Sunday at the San Diego Zoo: May I have a ride? - 10/04/09 08:48 AM

I like fish ponds, especially when they are stocked with koi.
The San Diego Zoo has a very large koi ponds right by one of the restaurants, so I guess one could eat fish while watching fish. Actually, I've never eaten at the restaurant there, so I don't know. What I do know is that the fish are fun to watch, especially since there are also are lots of ducks and turtles in the pond, too.
Recently, I guess one of the ducks needed a ride, so he called a Yellow Taxi:

**********
If you're looking for a great … (8 comments)

san diego zoo: At the San Diego Zoo with Realtor Jim Frimmer: Zebras - 09/06/09 10:19 AM
Some of the animals at the San Diego Zoo are rarely visible, either because they need privacy to live well, or they just don't like to have their pictures taken.
I've never been able to determine which one the zebras fall under, but they rarely are visible or close enough to see well.
So a good telephoto lens will help, as long as they are out in the open. If they are just a few feet from you, AND you have a telephoto lens, well so much the better. That's just what I found at the Zoo the other day, so … (6 comments)

san diego zoo: Mission Valley condos, San Diego CA: Sunday at the Zoo - Where's the snow? - 08/16/09 04:46 PM
Not too far from your Mission Valley condo is the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
I've often wondered how the many animals that one typically finds in the snow and in freezing weather get along here at the San Diego Zoo.
Along with the polar bears in Polar Bear Plunge, over in Cat Canyon are two snow leopards. I had never seen them -- ever! I have seen a couple of cat paws hanging off a ledge, or a long tail hanging off the same ledge, but never seen their faces or bodies. Until recently....
There are two of them, a male … (11 comments)

san diego zoo: Mission Valley condos, San Diego CA: Lazing on a Sunday afternoon at the San Diego Zoo - 08/16/09 06:43 AM
San Diego is a big city, which means that there's a lot of people running in the rat race.
Mission Valley is similar because of its central location in San Diego.
Most of the Mission Valley condo complexes are no different from San Diego or Mission Valley. Although many of the Mission Valley condo complexes are big -- perhaps that's why the word "complex" is in there. Unfortunately, the few smaller condo complexes that do exist rarely have a unit come on the market for sale.
If you need a little relaxation from keeping up with the other rats in the … (6 comments)

san diego zoo: Inspiration in unusual places - 08/10/09 08:19 AM
Before I had to start making a living to pay the bills, I used to spend a great majority of my day reading.
One of the first genres I was ever interested in was biographies. Every time I learned about a historical figure, I checked the library to see if there was a biography about him or her.
Recently, right here at our very own San Diego Zoo where donor names are plastered on a wall for all to see, are several inspirational quotations from famous people throughout the world. I had never seen the wall before because it's right at … (10 comments)

san diego zoo: Mission Valley condos, San Diego CA: Things to do - The San Diego Zoo - 08/09/09 04:15 PM
Once you buy your Mission Valley condo, I would suggest a trip to the San Diego Zoo as soon as you can get there.
Annual passes are very reasonable, especially when you consider that you not only get in FREE to the San Diego Zoo, but also the San Diego Wild Animal Park.
When you go to the Zoo, I can highly recommend going to bed early the night before your scheduled trip so that you can get there at 9:00 in the morning, when the Zoo opens.
The advantage of getting there early are manifold:
You'll get a prime parking spot … (8 comments)

san diego zoo: Mission Valley condos, San Diego CA: Pandas at the San Diego Zoo - 08/09/09 01:26 PM

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from your Mission Valley condo is the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Back on August 21, 1999, Bai Yun, one of the female pandas on loan to the San Diego Zoo from China, gave birth to a baby, Hua Mei. It marked the first time that a panda born in the United States had survived.
Bai Yun has been like clockwork since then, except that her clock is a two-year clock:
August 19, 2003, gave birth to Mei Sheng August 2, 2005, gave birth to Su Lin August 3, 2007, gave birth to Zhen … (5 comments)

san diego zoo: Am I that ugly? - 08/01/09 03:36 AM
Whenever I go to the San Diego Zoo, the first exhibit I visit is always the flamingos. I think they are my favorite bird, and fortunately, the Caribbean flamingos are right at the entrance to the Zoo. Unfortunately, every time I go, this is what I see:
    
    
I know I'm no Brad Pitt, or Pierce Brosnan, or Matt Damon, but am I really that ugly? Be nice in your comments or I'll have to disable them -- LOL.
… (11 comments)

san diego zoo: SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): ....but do you have to show it to me? - 07/26/09 02:20 PM
As part of my birthday weekend last week, I went to the San Diego Zoo.
I've been going about once a week, usually for just an hour or so as a way to simply relax in the middle of the hustle and bustle (and Russel?) that is San Diego.
On this particular day, one of the Zookeepers was feeding the Zoo birds at the Chilean flamingo lagoon where a lot of great white egrets and great blue herons also hang out. I supposed they aren't stupid, knowing that they can get a few left overs or, since they don't have clipped … (8 comments)

san diego zoo: SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): A good reason for being late - 07/12/09 09:15 AM
Russel Ray, who is my marketing guru, rewards his top five successful Marketing and Business Consulting clients with a trip to the San Diego Zoo at the end of each quarter.
Although Russel has always done my marketing for me -- for reasons obvious to readers in the know :) -- and I'm always qualified to go to the Zoo as one of his top Clients, I pass. I pass because, well, because I have an annual pass to the Zoo. Of course, I never miss an opportunity to go to the Zoo....
.... until today :( .
But it's not all … (7 comments)

san diego zoo: SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): Baby meerkat - 06/28/09 04:21 PM
Usually I plan my trips to the San Diego Zoo but today I went just because.
I always stop by the meerkats and was able to get this picture of a new little cutie at the Zoo:

I'm not sure who the daddy was, possibly the one in the picture, although he was in a group of four who really looked proud:

That's mommy's feet at the left in the picture.
… (13 comments)

san diego zoo: WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): San Diego Zoo tiger slide show - 06/24/09 12:28 PM
The San Diego Zoo has five Malayan tigers in residence, but they usually spend most of their time sleeping.
Unfortunately, their sleeping quarters are out of view of the general public.
A recent visit, though, found three of the tigers running and frolicking.
Well, maybe running and frolicking might be putting it a little too strongly, especially for one of them.
You'll understand.
Just enjoy the slide show that I've put together for you. If the slide show here doesn't work on your computer, click here to watch it at slide.com. And remember to put the Zoo and the tigers on … (13 comments)

san diego zoo: If you need help, don't be afraid to ask.... - 06/23/09 03:48 PM
I've found that the morning is the best time to go because the Zoo keepers are feeding and caring for their special friends, and with my trusty new camera in hand, I get to share with my ActiveRain friends things that are new or unusual for me.
Yesterday morning found me over at the new Elephant Odyssey where the elephants were getting pedicures. Elephant pedicure tools are similar to those used in human spans and salons, except perhaps a little bigger.
Elephants in the wild walk long distances, which helps keep their feet in good condition, whereas at a Zoo they … (3 comments)

san diego zoo: SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): I can too get up early! - 06/21/09 03:50 PM
My marketing guru got up very early the other day and went to the San Diego Zoo.
Without me!
Can you believe it?
Without me!
He claimed that I'm not a morning person. Well, okay, he's got a point there. However, he also told me that he discovered that the best time to go to the Zoo is in the morning when they first open because all the wildlife is being fed, or has been fed and is eating.
So he told me last night that he was going to go walking at the Zoo again this morning. Ha! Did I … (7 comments)

san diego zoo: WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): San Diego Zoo slide show - 06/17/09 02:33 PM
Since the National Association of Realtors 2009 Convention is coming to San Diego this November, I thought I'd take a lot of my unused San Diego Zoo pictures and make a slide show to help encourage you to come to San Diego, if not for the Convention, perhaps sometime this summer.
Although the San Diego Zoo is also an international arboretum, this slide show will focus on just the animals. I'll do another slide show in the future on the wonderful plants and flowers at the Zoo.
Other blog posts about the Convention can be found by clicking on NAR 2009 Convention … (22 comments)

san diego zoo: Wordless Wednesday: Let me help you.... - 06/17/09 09:02 AM
I was 9 when I first visited a Zoo, that being the Los Angeles Zoo.
I thought it was the coolest thing to see so much different wildlife that I had previously only seen in books or on television.
Since then, I've been to a good forty or fifty zoos, and since I live just fourteen miles from one of the world's greatest zoos, I maintain an annual pass so that I can just zip in anytime I want to see something specific, like babies or special events, or just to stroll around in order not to have to sit in … (17 comments)

san diego zoo: WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): San Diego Zoo peacocks - 06/03/09 01:26 PM
This has been my year to see the strutting peacocks at the San Diego Zoo. I've been going at least once a year since I was about 12, but I had never seen the peacocks in full display. This year I've been to the Zoo three times, and all three times I've been privileged to see peacocks putting on a show.
Last week was just supposed to be a quick one-hour trip to the Zoo to see the new Elephant Odyssey that opened at a cost of $45 million. What recession?
Elephant Odyssey covers almost eight acres and has more than … (17 comments)