Vancouver Aquarium

Wasn’t planning on taking Charlotte here quite so soon, but the Olympic road closures squeezed us toward Stanley Park while en route to Spanish Banks. Charlotte was completely mesmerized by all the fish, bubbles and colours on display. We bought a family pass for the year and Mom will be back earlier in the week when it’s not so busy. They seem to have a strong focus on conservation and education and we felt good that the Orca program is no longer. The Ocean Wise fish program was in effect at the outdoor cafe and they’re using all sorts of biodegradable containers complete with composting and recycling stations. A gift shop makeover might be in order however, check the Beluga shot glasses, they don’t really fit the educational/sustainable vibe! I seem to remember the gift shop being all glass, looks like the glass walls have been replaced with wood panels (probably in the 80s!) There must be some old photos of the aquarium, might have to check the library.

Uprising Up the Hill

Essential maternity leave activity—walking the baby to your local coffee spot. We have a few good options in the neighbourhood including Uprising Bakery on Venables just west of Commercial Drive. By the looks of Mom with her coffee, Charlotte may be heading to French Immersion sooner than expected…

MOA

We took Charlotte up to the newly updated Museum of Anthropology today. Wasn’t sure what to expect and always get nervous when significant architecture gets messed with but the addition seems to at least respect the original design and materials. There’s a new gallery space and a somewhat generic cafe and gift shop along with a new brand identity. Charlotte was interested in the floating white boats installation, part of the Border Zones exhibit. I don’t think Charlotte was too keen on the the new identity or the building additions as she began to cry. We took her outside to enjoy the building from the front but she didn’t like that either (she’s a design purist). It was still great to see so many people enjoying Erickson’s masterpiece along with everything else that was happening inside.

Loft Time

Not a whole lot going on here, just a nice visual record of Charlottes’ afternoon doze, dated and archived on this blog. We’re told this phase of the child’s life goes by really quickly so I think it’s important to document the non-events.