Getting close (but not too close) to nature

We love the Houston Zoo, but we have to admit that it always irked us that the only way to see the lions and tigers (no, in case you're wondering, we're not going to say what you thought we were here) was through a thick sheet of cloudy, scratched Lexan. But no longer — the zoo has replaced the plastic with something much cooler: panels of "thin but strong steel mesh." Uh, yeah, we hope it's strong.

The new steel-mesh windows will let zoo visitors watch trainers work with the lions and tigers behind the scenes, which is cool; training demonstrations are done every day (twice on Saturdays and Sundays), so stop by and catch one.