Arts & Culture, Photography

NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences

If you think science is sexy, then the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco has the date night for you! Every Thursday, Cal Academy hosts NightLife from 6 – 10 pm for a 21+ crowd.

Not only are NightLife guests able to wander through the exhibits with cocktail in hand, but every week there is a different theme with special events and guests. So far I have heard Adam Savage speak, watched a movie with Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and watched Lower Dens play.

But my favorite part is how intimate each of the exhibits feels after hours.

The rainforest exhibit is a sealed off area that retains humidity and feels like a futuristic greenhouse

Butterflies flutter freely

Terrariums house amphibians and camouflaged reptiles

This is not a two headed monster: just a gecko and his reflection

Then there are the aquariums

And the dioramas

10 out of 10 recommend

Photography, Travel

Road Trip Travelogue Day 5: Last Day in Yellowstone

Once Philip and I found the best campsite in Yellowstone (see Day 4), it was hard to face that we would have to leave the park.

Here are some photos from our last full day, which we spent hiking and fishing. We had no luck with the fish, but we did spot a buck and wrangled a small snake!

Read my other Road Trip Travelogues here:

Photography, Travel

Road Trip Travelogue Day 1: 5 States

CA > NV > ID > MT > WY

5 States – 1 Day

Destination: Yellowstone National Park

Breakfast: scrambled eggs & homestyle potatoes

Departure: 5:30 something AM

First Stop: Black Bear Diner in Fernley, Nevada

Unplanned Stop: adjacent casino in Fernley, Nevada

Philip’s Winnings: $12

Number of Photos I Took in the Casino Before Being Told Photography Was Not Allowed: 6

The Best Photograph of Those 6:

Places to Pee in Nevada: Casinos

Places to Order Starbucks in Nevada: Casinos

Places to Lose Your Hope for Humanity in Nevada: Casinos

Where We Did Not Stop for Gas in Nevada:

The RV Model’s Name: “Honey”

How I Fought Boredom While Driving Through Nevada: eating sunflower seeds and spitting the shells into a paper cup tucked into my seat belt

Number of Prisons We Passed in Nevada: 3

Number of Hitchhikers Allowed to Pick Up: 0

How Many Snakes We Stopped for in Idaho: 2

My Impression of Idaho:

Where We Ordered French Fries in Burley, Idaho: MacDonald’s, Burger King, Jack in the Box

MacDonald’s: salty, greasy, too crunchy

Burger King: delicious when hot, too potatoe-y

Jack in the Box: perfect amount of salt and grease, good when cold

Winner: Jack in the Box

Camping Advice from a Walmart Employee in Chubbuck, Idaho: “Keep the fire going all night… Do you have a gun?”

Camping Reservations Made: 0

Arrival Time in Montana: 12:30 something AM

Number of Grizzly Bear Warning Signs at Lonesome Hurst Campground in Montana: 3

How Long it Took to Decide to Keep Driving After 18 Hours on the Road: split second

Arrival Time in Yellowstone National Park: 1:00 AM

When We Snagged an Empty Camp Site at Madison Campgrounds: 1:30 something AM

When We Learned We Would Need to Move Our Tent: 8:30 something AM

Follow my blog here on adrienneblaine.com for more posts about my 10 Day Road Trip!