I believe every parent and child in the greater Fort Worth area was at the Fort Worth Zoo yesterday. We arrived around noon, and when we got there, all vehicles were being directed to park on the grass. There were annoyed teenagers in yellow vests orchestrating the process so they could maximize use of the grassy space near the overstuffed parking lot. We rolled in next to a big truck, and another big truck came in next to us on the other side, I sometimes wonder why so many people need so many very large vehicles, but I have a new theory, thanks to the Fort Worth Zoo.
Families need vehicles that large to transport what are, effectively, smaller vehicles. It seemed that every child at the zoo yesterday needed a non-walking option. The push-me-pull-you parade was out in full force. There were strollers of varying size and complexity, some of them almost too wide for the doors that their owners were trying to shove them through. Then, there were wagons. And we’re not talking about old school Radio Flyers. No wood or metal wagons like I remember from way back. These things were padded and had cup holders. Luxury wagons. And the kids were often far too large to be pushed or pulled around. I get that sometimes, mobility is a problem, and I suspect it’s easier to keep your kid from running off in a crowd if he is seated in a wheeled thing, but isn’t the whole point of taking a kid to a thing like the zoo that he gets to explore, burn a few calories, knock out some of that great kid-energy and sleep like a log that night? Ditch the luxury wagons, make sure his shoes are tied and let him actually walk around. It will make so many things easier- not the least of which being my ability to walk around the zoo at the same time.
The Fort Worth Zoo is a very good zoo. And as much as we actively chose to go there and as much as we really enjoyed it, we got to our far away car at the end of our adventure, closed the car doors and enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet. I told Cas I almost wanted to turn the radio off and sit in silence. He really likes having music on all the time, and I think he was considering it.
It was afternoon, and we had some space in our day between leaving the zoo and making it to our dinner reservation at 8:15. Also, there was a distillery in town we hadn’t tried out in any previous visit. Nothing like an out of the way spot where every person present must be 21 or older after the pure chaos of the Fort Worth Zoo during the last weekday of most folks’ spring break. We really liked the TX Whiskey Ranch. It’s both a very good distillery (yum!) and a beautiful place. They boast a beautiful sunset view, and if we had been around at that time, we certainly would have taken them up on it. The jury is still out on what our night looks like tonight, so it’s not off the table. But apparently, they are perfectly placed to view the sun going down behind the silhouette of the Fort Worth skyline. Sounds really pretty, and we kind of want to see that. Maybe this trip, though, and maybe another day.
All that remained on our agenda as we left the peace and tranquility of the Whiskey Ranch was our 8:15 reservation at the Reata. It’s a good restaurant we visit every time we go to Fort Worth, and it’s changed locations a few times in its history. Originally (at least when I started paying attention) it was in a building that got pretty badly battered by a tornado. That sent it to the spot we have been before, a corner location with a great rooftop bar. I guess their lease was up, so last night, we visited the newest Reata location, and at dinner, our server let us know that this, too, was temporary. They had plans to move to yet another spot in the future. Sheesh. I certainly hope the new spot has a rooftop bar again. That was pretty neat.
Cas and I shared a steak dinner, and even though we’re pretty sure they brought the wrong appetizer, we enjoyed that, as well. We ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp, and we got something else bacon wrapped, but it had peppers and crabmeat. No worries- it was good, too. I just hope someone at another table wasn’t too disappointed with our shrimp.
Cas and I walked back from the restaurant, briefly entertained the idea of heading to a piano bar, saw the line to get in and headed back to our hotel. The day was plenty full, as it turns out, and we were all tuckered out, If only someone could have dragged us around in a padded luxury wagon (with cup holders!), we would have had all of the energy. Alas, my fancy watch showed 15,000+ steps, and that was enough for me. Today, we have ideas about a trolley ride and maybe a few more adventures, then we head back to the house, then back to our jobs in our schools, which are often more zoo-like than they should be.
Here is a photo of me and Cas, in the zen-like, calm, barrel-lined space at the Whiskey Ranch:
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