Last night Z-D and I went to dinner, and then to the zoo, with some people who Z-D knows through business. Technically it was a business event but these people aren’t in the least bit uptight, so it really was quite fun.
[Not all business events are, you know? Trust me.]
We went to a small, old-fashioned Italian restaurant for dinner. I’d heard of the place, but had never been there so I was psyched to try it. The restaurant was charming in that hodge-podge way of older establishments– rooms added every which way over the years and decorated in a mix of 1970s tables & chairs + fake plastic flowers + framed b&w photos + updated 2011 light fixtures. Unique, but very practical. Clean and friendly.
The menu was only Italian fare, and the food was good and plentiful. But what caught us all by surprise was that along with the usual Chianti and beer selections on the menu, this Italian restaurant offered flights of Bourbon. Apparently, they are known for having one of the best Bourbon tasting menus in the area. So, naturally we ordered one flight, lots of glasses and started tasting Bourbon.
[Bottom line: I like Bourbon and appreciate the differences in flavor of the various distilleries. But I feel that lasagna + bourbon are not a tasty combo. Either one separately is delish. Together– not so much.]
After dinner we went to the zoo to see all the holiday lights– 2+ million LED lights to be exact. The weather was dry (finally) and the temps were in the 40s so we were comfortable while walking around. Programmed music coordinated with the lights to create a fun series of colorful displays. And, of course, the little kids were fun to watch watching the lights. They were really into it.
Most of the animals looked tired and were trying to ignore the lights– and us crazy human beings wandering around after hours. That would be all the animals except those animals in the petting zoo who were very interested in the human visitors to their area. Especially the large herd of goats that live beside the 25¢ Goat Chow Dispenser.
Goats are born hungry, pushy, noisy– so I’m accustomed to seeing goats stand by their fence with their front legs on the horizontal supports and their skinny faces staring alternately at the dispenser and passing human beings. *bleat, bleat* Ever hopeful.
But what caught our attention and kept us laughing all night was one large fluffy sheep who had infiltrated the goat-herd. This sheep had adopted the exact stance of the goats, sticking its wide dopey head above the fence rail hoping to get a handful of Goat Chow. And then, oddly enough, eating the Goat Chow from the hand of a human being.
This I’d never seen before and it entertained me to no end. Not enough to squander 25¢ on a handful of Goat Chow, but enough to tip my hat to the one uppity sheep in the zoo.
Here’s to the crazy ones…
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
Wow it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a petting zoo. I’d go broke buying goat chow and feeding everything in sight. I’ve been to our local hatchery off season where you can feed the giant trout and the rats that live near the feed dispensers.
LikeLike
Zazzy, this sheep was doing a pretty good job of getting his fair share of chow. He just looked so out of place and goofy doing it. Made my night.
LikeLike
I’m with Zazamataz. I’d be shoving quarters in the dispenser all night until the staff dragged me away so they could turn out the lights and lock the gates.
LikeLike
Mike, you are, indeed, Notoriously Nice.
I don’t feed the goats at the zoo because everyone else is doing it. But at a small dairy not too far from here, I’ll feed the goats forever. No one feeds them from the dispenser there, so I take up the slack. Plus I like to feel their little goat lips munching up the chow off my hand.
LikeLike
When my parents visited me in Wyoming we went to tour one of the local buffalo ranches – where you get to eat the buffalo after you go out and pet their friends! Super giant buffalo tongues gently taking horse nuts from your hands. My dad wouldn’t touch them but I would have happily stayed there and fed them all afternoon.
LikeLike
No kiddng? You fed buffalo? That amazes me. Never heard of that before.
LikeLike
I like watching animals fed, but don’t like to do it myself. Maybe if I could wear gloves. 🙂
LikeLike
Margaret, feeding the goats isn’t for everyone. I was so surprised by the uppity sheep. It would of been fun to feed the sheep but everyone was crowding around him (her?) so I didn’t try.
Besides I’d already had my fun for the evening with the Bourbon tasting! Feeding a sheep might of been too much excitement for me to handle. 😉
LikeLike
I remember watching my younger daughter feed giraffes at the zoo in Colorado Springs(highest zoo in the world or at least the nation–forget its name) Their tongues were so slobbery and gross. Yuck. I don’t think I’ve ever had bourbon,although I occasionally enjoy some Canadian whiskey. I’m mainly a Hefeweisen girl with some micro brews thrown in there. 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve not fed the giraffes. You can do that here, too. The line is always too long for me wait around.
Bourbon is quite popular here. I never liked Canadian whiskey– tasted too strong to me. But then many ppl say the same thing about Bourbon! To each his whiskey [or whisky] own.
LikeLike
Pingback: My Daily Dose Of Spam « The Spectacled Bean