The idea of night doesn't get much play on a day-to-day basis.
Then the end of the year comes, with its longest night of the year, which is soon followed by the latest night of the year -- that would be New Year's Eve, of course -- and suddenly our thoughts turn to the moon-filled half of the day.
A certain Long Beach aquarium was already way ahead of all of us in this regard, however. The Aquarium of the Pacific has extended its always popular Late-Night Discount through the holiday season.
What does this mean, exactly? Visitors showing at 5 p.m. or later pay $14.95 to enter. Arrive at 5 any night through Saturday, Jan. 5 and you'll have three-and-a-half hours to wander by the jellies and crustaceans and sharks and otters. (Meaning the aquarium will be open through 8:30 p.m. during its Late-Night Discount run.)
We rather like the idea of greeting the fishes early in the evening on Dec. 31 in our party-going finery. Figure the denizens of the aquarium see a lot of shorts and flip-flops but fewer sequins and tuxedos. And, c'mon; you know the penguins love to see a good tuxedo.
It's a fine outing if you still have relatives in town. Don't they always talk longingly about SoCal is so close to the ocean? Might as well show them that particularly nice slice of California life.
