Food at the Aquarium of the Pacific, outside of a quick burger at Cafe Scuba, tends to be very much about what the residents eat.
So, inside the cafe? Pizza, chips, and such is what is snacked upon. In the rest of the Long Beach ocean-minded institution? Look for the food to consist of planktonic crustaceans, bull kelp, mollusks, flatfishes, and other goodies from the deep.
There is a night, though, where edibles are served beyond the aquarium's cafe: It's Sea Fare, a fish-fun fundraiser, and, nope, attendees don't have to swim for their crab or dive for kelp.
The food offerings, from some 25 local Long Beach restaurants, are actually presented on tables and small plates, people-style. If you want to place your appetizers on your abdomen, otter-and-abalone-style, and eat 'em that way, well... go for it? Not saying you won't get some side glances for other partiers, though.
Highlights of the Saturday, Oct. 18 evening include an open bar, a "Go Fish" opportunity game (c'mon, you rocked it as a tot, you can triumph again), and a live and silent auction. One highlight? You can bid on the chance to name a penguin chick.
Please. You'll visit that chick for years, bragging to anyone in earshot that you picked the name Cutie-Patootie-Feet. (Maybe don't pick that one, though, because the other penguins may not take him seriously.)
Cost? It's one hundred and twenty five dollars, and the funds fund sharky stuff at the Pacific-adjacent spot. Not just "sharky," of course, but all sorts of scale-and-gill-great programs and initiatives.
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Of course, the jellies don't have gills, nor do the mammalian residents, so we don't want to leave them out. It's a diverse and wonderful place, and one we can support.
Seriously, though: Forget we ever said Cutie-Patootie-Feet.
