Places

Walrus Ice Cream, Fort Collins, Colorado

walrus ice cream flavor board
Walrus Ice Cream Flavor Board

Now I haven’t been to Colorado, except for jaunts through the airport, at all I think. Well, that’s not true I think I went to a meeting to two in Colorado Springs back in the day… However, I have discovered a reason to go – to visit Walrus Ice Cream! Now, I notice a suspicious lack of clam-flavored ice creams, which should keep the amount of actual walruses down, but I certainly think that all walrus lovers should add this place to their travel bucket (cone?) list!

I love the menu, above, and if they sold T-shirts via their website I would have bought one already. One can only hope that they have them in the shop. I must make an excuse to get to Fort Collins soon, I suppose having family in Denver should be enough….

http://www.walrusicecream.com

About Fort Collins:

Located in northern Colorado, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University and an outstanding public school system. Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins offers exciting recreational opportunities, unique cultural offerings, and is a regional center for employment and shopping. Throughout the year, live music and entertainment, as well as great local dining, can be found throughout the historic downtown area. Fort Collins offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a larger city. If you are seeking the Colorado lifestyle and a community in which you can reinvent and reinvigorate yourself then Fort Collins is your city.

Visit the Fort Collins website here: http://www.fcgov.com/visitor/

It’s a Small World, but There’s Room for a Walrus!

I was recently in Disneyland with my son for a few days of spring break. Of course, I was on the lookout for walruses! Now, I know what you’re going to say – go to Alice in Wonderland, but to be honest – I totally forgot about that one, and plus, with a 17-year-old son in tow, “Alice” wasn’t exactly on our list of must-rides. However, we respect the old-school rides, and made a point to even brave the CRAZY spring break line for Peter Pan. Alas, no walrus to be found.

I have pretty much given up when we decided, on our last night that we had to hit up It’s A Small World, and accept the risk of having the song stuck in our heads for the rest of the evening. We cruised over late at night, after the fireworks and walked right on to the ride. Settling in for what is still one of the longest rides in Disneyland, we started… And found a walrus! 

Yes, I am happy to report that not only is there a walrus in the Eskimo scene on the ride, it’s literally the FIRST creature that you see! So keep your eyes peeled or you’ll miss him/her and you’ll have to go through the ride twice – and that will DEFINITELY stick that song in your head!

Here’s picture proof, and the link to the Disney parks blog post that features this photo.

“it’s a small world” ride-through. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

 

Here’s the link to the “The Cultures of ‘it’s a small world’ at Disneyland Park: North America” article on Disneyparks.com.

Walrus Heads on The Arctic Club, Seattle Washington

My son and I spent the day Saturday in Seattle, hanging out with my younger brother and his wife. Of course, the true walrus lover probably already knows where to find the walrus heads in the above picture. Yes, these are the sculptural head ringing the third floor of the Arctic Club building, downtown on Third and Cherry streets. Wikipedia tells us this:

The Arctic Building is a nine story building in Seattle, Washington located at the Northeast corner of Third Avenue and Cherry Street. The building was built for the Arctic Club in 1916 and was occupied by them from construction until the club’s dissolution in 1971. It is entirely faced with cream white terra cotta with submarine blue and orange-brown accents. It is particularly noted for the terra cotta walrus-heads lining the third floor of the building.

Here’s the link to the full Wikipedia entry.

The Arctic Club building is on the national register of historic places, and if you want the full info about this interesting structure, check out the Arctic Club page at the National Park Service’s Site, here. The Arctic Club was founded by veterans of the Klondike gold rush and members were those with Klondike or Alaskan connections. The building itself though is much older, and was once a theater. According to the blog I’m linking to in the next paragraph, the tusks on the walrus sculptures may have once been actual ivory, although this may be an urban legend.

And to keep things honest, I didn’t take this picture today – I stole it from the excellent and very interesting “Stories in Stone” Blog by David B. Williams, here’s a link to the scene of my crime, and the full blog post is worth reading. http://stories-in-stone.blogspot.com/2010/10/lions-and-tigers-and-walruses-oh-my.html

I love these types of decorative accents you find in city architecture. Next time you spend a day in Seattle, go on a walrus hunt!

The Walrus Restaurant, Bismarck North Dakota

Walrus Restaurant Logo
Walrus Restaurant Logo

So I’m rooting around on Twitter and I discover a link to a place called the Walrus Restaurant! Clicking through, ’cause how could I not, I found a nicely done website for what looks to be a great place to eat and drink! They’re in Bismarck, North Dakota. Yeah, OK that rules out a lunchtime visit (I’m in Oregon). Actually, I’v never been to North Dakota but if I end up passing through you can bet that I’m going to grab a meal and a beer or two at the Walrus!

Menu, hours, etc are on their site which I like very much:
http://www.thewalrusrestaurant.com

I gotta get a t-shirt from this place. I love their logo. Judging form their Facebook page, this is a well-loved establishment with lots of great food and drink offerings. Makes me want to plan a road trip!

They are on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bismarck-ND/The-Walrus-Restaurant/168002072851

And Twitter:
http://twitter.com/TheWalrusBiz