January Is The Door To The Year

I am not a big fan of this month, not normally, but it has been spectacular so far! Sun almost every day, temperatures in the 40s, and there is so much to do that I haven't even had that warm weather withdrawal that I normally get at this time of year. Hmm, weird. I hope I didn't just jinx myself since I usually get so sun deprived that I just want to crawl up inside a Tool video and die. Not this year, oh no!


So, we went out and about yesterday, first to a brunch of Dim Sum (not a huge fan, everything was too doughy) and then a trip to the Asian market. I cannot recommend these places enough. Their produce is dirt cheap, as is their tea. You can walk out with two heavy grocery bags for under $30, so needless to say, I'm a big fan. I am also a big fan of this beauty which is the first thing you see when you walk into the store-

Samarai is almost as big as his horse, yikes! Oh, well. When he breaks the back of his steed, he can always fly off on those wings of his. (??????) I know. I just ignore the silliness and concentrate on the fact that their cilantro is 50 freaking cents. Oh, and if you don't have a strong stomach, stay away from the fresh fish area. A tank full of angry looking frogs is not the nicest thing to start your day looking at. It made me keep imagining this:



From there, it was off to the Botanical Garden, which is a wonderful oasis of warmth and beauty in this grey, though sunny landscape.
More after the jump.

It's no secret that I love Orchids, and these smelled like a combination of vanilla and chocolate and musk. I wasn't sure if I wanted to eat them or have sex with them.

The Rainforest part of the gardens has a waterfall and a little stream, and they have the most spoiled little ducks living there. They just eat their grains and fruit, paddle lazily, and then fall asleep on moss. They are truly the 1% of the duck world.

Can you find him? Difficulty level- 2.


It seems that we arrived at meal time, as these two butterflies were noshing on rotten fruit. There's a joke in there somewhere but I am not going near it.

Let's play another game now! let's play 'spot the chameleon!
Difficulty level- 0. I put him smack dab in the middle of the frame.

He was in the desert part of the gardens which isn't nearly as fun or interesting. The hedgehog is always asleep, the turtles try to escape, and some young googly eyed volunteer tried to get me to touch some disgusting millipede thing she was holding. They also have these tiny birds that shoot around the room like Kamikaze pilots and miss your face by a hair's breadth. Speaking of hair, one butterfly found mine to be tasty. 

This one was just born. Little does she know that she, too is in the 1% of her species. There are no bats or frogs to eat her, no asshole insects to tax her nectar or threaten to detain her indefinitely in the box she was born in.

Also, there was this beauty. She followed us around for a while, and I couldn't help but tell her how impressed I was with her physical attributes. I mean, look at her! She's gorgeous. I practically sang to her, it got so ridiculous. It got so bad that if I were a Jezebel commenter, I'd be banned for placing too much emphasis on physical appearance.

Twas a lovely day, all things considered and we finished it off with mussels and french bread while watching Apocalypse Now in the sunroom at home. Yin and yang, I guess.


If you live here in Cleveland, I strongly suggest that you patronize this place. it just couldn't be more magical.