All God's Creatures Great & Small

 

Photo by Paul Everett Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Wow! New year, new season, new vibe! It's been about four months since I last posted. Cincinnati weather is very bipolar this time of year, but thankfully, yesterday was in the low 50s and mostly cloudy, and I had been staying home for most weekends as of late, so I had to make myself get out of the house at least one day this weekend. 

I have been walking better since my knee injury in 2020, and I need to do more walking on weekends. I could not think of a better way to spend the afternoon than visiting the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

The second oldest zoo in the United States, the zoo was founded in 1873 and officially opened in 1875 and houses about 500 animals & about 3,000 plant species.

For about three years, USA Today has ranked the zoo the top zoo in the country. 

The entrance alone was all welcoming with flora and fauna from around the world, and the zoo itself was decorated with a plethora of flora & fauna. With all the grayness & negativity we all have had in the past two years, this was a more than welcome sight. 

Now, to the animals! I immediately made a B Line to Cat Canyon

The undisputed champion of the animal kingdom, the cheetah

Snow leopard

Now, my pick of the zoo....

Green-leaf cockroach-who said that all roaches had to be brown & ugly?

Domino roach

Peppered roach

Despite popular belief, of the 4,000 breeds of cockroaches in the world, only 20 are considered human pests.
                                               
Boss..

Antilles Treespider

My weight in insects-not telling ya how much I weigh IRL :)

Big Boss...

Brazilian White Knee Tarantula

Thorny Devil

A pint-sized predator...

Fire bellied newt

Emerald Beetle-Take me to China already!

Next, it was off to the Reptile House, the boldest zoo building in the United States!

Quince Monitor

Emerald Tree Boa

There's a very special surprise coming, but first, the rich African American history with this zoo.

In 1920, the Cincinnati Zoo unveiled a groundbreaking new attraction.  Along with the Zoo's many animal species, it also featured human species, one that can truly sing: the Cincinnati Zoo Opera was born. Among the many performers who performed there was American operatic soprano Martina Arroyo.

Born to a Puerto Rican father and an African American mother, Arroyo made here Cincinnati debut on June 24 & 27 1964 at the Zoo as Aida, becoming the first African American, and perhaps, the first Latine, to sing a major role with the Cincinnati Opera.

Arroyo recalled, in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, as she sang, a hyena laughed at the end of her Aria!

Now, back to the critters....

                                                   

  

More flora & fauna...

There are also a plethora of eateries to choose from, but I stuck to a Cincinnati classic...

                                          

Zoo shop

                                        

Of course, I had to add something to my wardrobe...

The awesome thing about this is purchases made at the shop goes right back to the Zoo.

                                     

Now, I wouldn't dare finish this post without a little something special...

                                   

The Royal Family, Tucker, Bibi, & Fiona!

                                                   

                                       

     

        

The princess herself, Fiona!

It's been decades since I have been to the Zoo. Things have really evolved, especially in the past two years. With all that's been happening, it's refreshing to take time out to appreciate God's amazing creatures! 

This has really put into perspective for me personally and for us as humans. If we don't learn anything else, we can learn from the animals the power of unconditional love. It's what we have to have now.

Sources:

Sampson, Carol & Tjepkema, Thea "The Presence of Latine and Hispanic Performers on the Cincinnati Music Hall Stage". the Friends of Music Hall, 17 Sept 2021

"The Zoo Opera Days". The Cincinnati Opera 9 April 2021

                                                  

Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer

 

This season has been like no other. We're still in a pandemic, but slowly and surely, we are getting back to normal. For the most part, arts organizations have welcome back live audiences in near to full capacity, and the sounds and action of the holidays have come back to life.

This past Friday, I personally kicked off the holiday season by enjoying the annual Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer concert at the Music Hall ballroom.

Before performances kicked off, I enjoyed a VIP experience with a small reception that featured an awesome appetizer spread from The Rhined (gotta go to this place in person as part of my unofficial "Un-Bucket List").

Performances kicked off with the featured organist of the night, Jelani Eddington, with "Winter Wonderland" One of the most sought after performers in the concert organ circuit, he won the American Theatre organ Society's Young Theatre Organist Competition and remains the youngest competitor ever to win that title.

During another performance, he synched the Steinway piano to play with the Wurlitzer. So revolutionary and mesmerizing!

Next, he gave a stirring rendition of "Thank You Very Much" from the musical "Scrooge"

Another great highlight was the Cincinnati Ballet Otto M Budig Academy Dancers' performance of Duke Ellington's jazz version of the Nutcracker. P.S. & BTW, Ellington made his Music Hall debut in the Greystone Ballroom in Music Hall on  Sept 9, 1931 with vocalist Ivie (Ivy) Anderson.

Husband and wife soloists Victor Okafor & Avery Bargasse gave stunning performances. Among the performances, Okafor gave her rendition of Bing Crosby's "Count Your Blessings" from the movie "White Christmas"

For me, the most exciting part of the night was that for the first time ever, Kenny Smith's Peace and Serenity Choir performed in the program, the first ever gospel performance with the Mighty Wurlitzer in the ballroom. The choir gave a shaking and stirring performance of "Go Tell it on the Mountain" & the finale, "Joy to the World" in true Kenny Smith style. Another tidbit: Smith graduated from the University of Cincinnati's College of Music, which was the site next door to Music Hall. The building then housed a Pipe Fitter's Union.

Another exciting portion of the the program was the unveiling of Annie Ruth's "Sisters of Legacy" artwork, showcasing some the the early African American female performers at Music Hall, such as Mamie Smith, Marian Anderson, & Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She also had scarves for sale, which I purchased at the August Classical Roots 20th Anniversary Concert, also held at Music Hall. These scarves add a classic and global pop of color to virtually any timeless wardrobe, so if any thing, purchase one or two.

That night, I left and went home with a new song and a new fervor for this holiday season and beyond. Music Hall has come a long way since its founding in 1878 by Reuben Springer. If you missed this concert this year, add it to your to do Christmas list for next year! This really adds spice, happiness, and well deserved relief to the busy season!

Let's Talk Kindred Souls

 

Halloween! All Souls' Weekend! Some look at it as a pagan holiday, while others let loose, break out whatever pop culture costume the can don, and wreck havoc in the 'hood, all for just a night full of sugar rushes. 

Yesterday was drizzling and overcast, which was the perfect setting for a field trip, along with my fellow Friends of Music Hall board members & volunteers, to the Union Baptist Cemetery. All the Halloween fun without the quintessential craziness that comes along with it.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, it is the second oldest African-American Baptist cemetery in Cincinnati, founded in 1864 by members of the Union Baptist Church.

Led by architect and historian Chris Hanlin, the tour of the cemetery integrated stories of our African American history as many civil rights leaders, ministers educators, athletes, musicians, and others are interred here.

Here are snapshots for you to either get spooked or enjoy! Happy All Souls' Weekend!

This building once housed a receiving vault. In the winter months, remains were housed in the vault until the spring thaw where they were ultimately transferred to regular plots.

Wallace "Bud" Smith. World Lightweight Boxing Champion who competed in the 1948 London Olympics. In November of that year, he turned pro with a first round knockout of Torpedo Tinsley at Cincinnati Music Hall.

Norval C. Vaughan. Invented personal armor to be worn under clothing. Also the first African American doctor to treat a patient at City Hospital (now UC Medical Center)

Beaty family plot. Powhatan Beaty, who fought in the Black Brigade, his wife, and son, A. Lee Beaty, district attorney of Southwest Ohio.

Myron "Tiny" Bradshaw. Jazz musician and composer.

Mushrooms

Dr. Darwin Turner. At age 16, he was the youngest person to receive a degree at the University of Cincinnati.

Porter family plot. Jennie D. Porter was the first African American woman to serve as a public school principal. Hays-Porter School, located in the West End, is named after her.,

Mother Magnolia Wyatt. First woman to be ordained in Georgia. She came to Cincinnati to serve as pastor of the Church of the Living God.

Wilbur Allen Page, WWI veteran and pastor of Union Baptist Church, 1919-1985. Around the corner from the church is Page Tower, senior building named after the pastor.

Charles E Hunt. Civil rights activist and Pullman Porter instructor

More mushrooms

Fountain Lewis. Barber to the elite. HIs clients included Kentucky Senator Henry Clay and Richard Mentor Johnson, U.S. Vice President under Martin van Buren. Lewis was also a major contributor to the construction of Music Hall and was on the board of trustees at Union Baptist Church. Read more about Lewis in this blog.