Spying at the Franklin Institute

                                                                           

Yes, my little zombie snacks, I do other stuff besides ghost hunting, Steampunk Events and writing about zombies. Sometimes, I head on over to Philadelphia and visit museums. A few weeks ago, I was at The Academy of Natural Sciences Bug Fest with my grandsons, and Nathan even got a chance to be a judge in the Cook Off; he ate bugs and liked it!

                                                                 

                                                   

This past Wednesday, my two friends and fellow renegades and I went to the Franklin Institute to see the new exhibit. Jean took her two granddaughters. We headed straight to the Spy Exhibit and had the best time learning about the original OSS organization that lead to what we know today as the C.I.A.

                                                                     

                               

                                 The girls and I even got to crawl through an escape hatch.

                                                                          

 

                                        We didn't get to see Maxwell Smart's Shoe Phone,

                                                                                   

We liked the kiosk that showed how the spies strapped cameras onto pigeons and sent them off to gather information.

                                                                                   

They had some weapons that even James Bond would have loved to use, like the items below.

                                                                                   

                                                                         

We were even able to make it to the Demonstration Theatre to learn about fireworks: how they’re made; how they work; why they’re loud.

                                                                                  

 The instructor was Al Bruno, and not only was he knowledgeable about the subject matter, but he made the whole demonstration fun for adults and children alike.

                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                     
                          Sunday, my sister Lucy and I are heading over to the Art Museum
             
                                                                                      

                                             I’ll try not to get yelled at again for touching the art.

                                                                                            

                                                                               

Boys, Bugs, and Bug Fest at The Academy of Natural Science

                                                                     

                                    Nathan and Granny getting their spider tattoos

 

On Sunday, 8/11/2013, I headed over to the Academy of Natural Sciences with two of the desperadoes to have fun at the Academy’s yearly big crawling Bug Fest. It was a lot of fun.

                                                                        

We visited the changing exhibit hall where Joshua, Nathan and I made believe we were captured fireflies.

                                                                     

 

Then we spent the day checking out all the amazing insects that the Academy had shipped in for this special day.

                                                                         

The highlight of the boys’ day was the cooking show in the auditorium. There were two featured chefs: Cajun Chef Zack Lemann and Chef Chuck Ziccardi of Drexel University of Culinary Arts. They were doing an on-stage cook-off with yummy bug recipes. They asked for volunteers and Nathan volunteered.

                                                                         

                                          Chef Chuck on the left and Chef Zack on the right

The selected recipes for this contest would include dragonflies, wax worms, and cicadas; yummy right?

                                                                         

                                                                      

Karen Verderame and Michael Kaczmarczik along with Jill Sybesma were busy collecting questions from the audience for the chefs to answer while they prepared the food to be judged.

                                                                

                                                   Karen is on stage and Jill is with Nathan

When the finale moment arrived for Nathan to judge the food, I was a bit worried that he would chicken out,

                                                                                     

                                   Nathan taking the first bite of bug polenta while Michael watches 

but he not only wolfed down every sample, but he wanted more. The other two contestants were just as pleased with the food. Chef Chuck won the cook-off and I might be calling him, soon; very soon. My grandson Nathan liked the bug polenta and the wax worm hushpuppies so much, he wants more! He wants me to learn how to make them.

                                                                               

                                                   Nathan wolfing down the good bug snacks

 

It might not be a bad idea to learn how to cook those tasty bug meals; you know, in case of a zombie apocalypse. We won’t ever need to worry about running out of food, and there are plenty of bugs for everyone! bon appetite