Fort Worth Date Night: Quit monkeying around

BY MIKE BLOOMBERG

May 21, 2009

One of the greatest aspects of growing up in Fort Worth is all that it has to offer.  It has great restaurants, a diverse culture, warm people and for me, great memories. For some, many thoughts from the past are triggered by smells. For example, I clearly remember driving down Interstate-30 when Mrs Baird’s Bakery was still there. Rolling down your window was not necessary to smell that fresh-baked bread. If it wasn’t on a freeway, it would have been so great just to stop and smell the bread as if it was a bouquet of freshly picked flowers (or, since I’m a guy, a hot-off-the-grill burger from Kincaid’s).

Some smells are not as remarkable, but, still prompt the remembrance of great experiences. For example, depending on where you were around the Fort Worth Zoo, it would most certainly be better to be upwind than downwind. No need to go further into detail; I believe you catch my drift (pun intended). Still, it doesn’t mean that the zoo wasn’t a huge part of my childhood. And, many memories there are ones I’ll have forever.

Fort Worth has always had a great zoo. And now it is even better. Did you know that we have one of the top-ranked zoos in the country? The improvements and additions in the last few years make it difficult to pass up. The zoo is broken up into 12 different permanent exhibit areas:  Penguins, World of Primates, Asian Falls, Raptor Canyons, Cheetahs, Flamingo Bay, Meerkat Mounds, Australian Outback, African Savannah, Parrot Paradise, the Herpetarium and Texas Wild!

A favorite guilty pleasure is watching Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet. These animal shows know how to hook you. You’re flipping through the channels and before you know it, an hour later, you are expert on the reproduction of an African wasp. Meerkat Manordoes the same thing. These little critters are so cute, yet fascinating at the same time. Which is why I probably spend the most time at the Fort Worth Zoo watching the meerkats. Their exhibit is great. Where else can you practically get eye-to-eye with a family of them and be a voyeur into their fascinating world?

But let’s not forget the classics of the zoo, either. Elephants, gorillas, penguins, cheetahs, hippos and so much more. In Texas, the daily temperature is quickly rising. You may not want to be out in the heat in the middle of summer. Most animals sure don’t. So, right now, the Fort Worth Zoo makes for the perfect date.  There are animals for him and ones only she could adore. Block out a couple of hours and take a stroll through this great animal sanctuary that Fort Worth has shared with us. And, remember…bring a camera, pack sunscreen, turn off your iPhone and, ladies, you are not allowed to purchase and/or take home any of the tenants of the zoo.

For complete information on the Fort Worth Zoo, please visit their website. www.fortworthzoo.com