It's easy to see why so many kids are fascinated by the furry prehistoric pachyderms called mastodons and mammoths.
Their look and story are both unusual.
And did you know that Wooly Mammoths were still alive at the time of the Ancient Egyptians, during the construction of the Great Pyramids, although the remaining members of the species lived far north in the cold of Siberia?
The Great Lakes area was also once a natural roaming ground for these lumbering giants.
Growing up, my oldest sister Carol's husband Bill, who works as an excavator was digging a pond in the late 1980s in Monterey, Ind., not far from Culver Military Academy, when he hit upon what he thought was a large stone.
It turned out to be the fossilized leg bone of a mastodon, along with the rest of the skeleton, perfectly intact.
And in 2005, workers digging a pond in near Hebron unearthed the bones of at least five mastodons. Mastodons were relatives of modern elephants that went extinct at the end of the last ice age.
At the time, Indiana State Museum paleontologist Ronald L. Richards estimated the bones, found along with assorted tusks and teeth, were between 11,500 to 20,000 years old.
It's natural to tie these trunk-sporting stars, who date back to the days of early humans, to a fun themed Chicago hotel package. Last week was the world premiere of "Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age," the new exhibit stampeding into The Field Museum now through September.
And to celebrate, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower is offering Ice Age enthusiasts of all ages an exclusive Mammoths and Mastodons hotel package.
Now through Sept. 6, the Mammoths and Mastodons package starts at $265 per room/per night and includes:
* Two VIP tickets to the Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age exhibit
* A Lyuba-inspired toy mammoth frozen in a "glacier" as an in-room amenity
* A Mammoth-sized Prime beef French dip sandwich at Café des Architectes, just off the hotel lobby
* Along with other luxurious overnight accommodations
So who or what is Lyuba?
During the Ice Age, colossal mammals roamed Europe, Asia and North America, with the gigantic mammoth and the massive mastodon towering over the animal kingdom of the time.
Lyuba is the best-preserved baby mammoth in the world. Since being found frozen in the "perma-ice" of Siberia, this amazing find is now on loan and on display as part of this new exhibit.
Visitors to this new exhibit discover what scientists have learned from her, while journeying back to the Ice Age through monumental video installations, and roaming among saber-toothed cats and giant bears to marvel over some of the oldest human artifacts in existence.
Exciting hands-on displays reveal the difference between a mammoth and a mastodon, offer what may have caused their extinction and show how today's scientists excavate, analyze, and learn more about these amazing creatures.
The design and display of this new Field Museum exhibit was one of the reasons the Sofitel Hotel decided each room in the themed hotel package should come complete with its very own Lyuba, in the form of a tiny toy mastodon magically frozen in a block of ice, representing a glacier, as a focal point to greet guests upon arrival.
By the end of the stay, guests have witnessed the "in-room glacier" melt, revealing their own "Lyuba" as a take-home keepsake to remember their discovery of a time when giant mammals ruled the Earth.
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel's Executive Chef Martial Noguier even helped plan the hotel's themed experience by creating a special mouth-watering "mammoth-sized" prime beef French dip sandwich that would make Fred Flintstone's mouth water!
It features truffle mayonnaise, shallot marmalade all atop fresh homemade brioche and accompanied by an au jus dipping sauce.
Designed by French architect Jean-Paul Viguier, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower blends modern design with the rich architectural legacy of downtown Chicago in a 32-floor prism of glass design, which boasts 415 rooms, including 33 luxurious suites.
The hotel is centrally located from many of the area's top attractions including Magnificent Mile, The Field Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and famed Michigan Avenue.
Reservations are recommended by calling (312) 324 4000 or visit sofitel.com.
As for the new mammoth and mastodon exhibit, admission, which includes basic admission to The Field Museum, is $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and students with ID and $13 for children 3 to 11. Discounts are available for Chicago residents. Call (312) 922-9410 or visit fieldmuseum.org.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.
Today's Celebrity Birthdays
Actress Sue Ane Langdon is 74. Actress Lynn Redgrave is 67. Musician-actor Micky Dolenz of the Monkees is 65. Bassist Randy Meisner (The Eagles, Poco) is 64. Singer Peggy March is 62. Singer Gary Numan is 52. Actor Aidan Quinn is 51. Guitarist Jimmy Dormire of Confederate Railroad is 50. Actress Camryn Manheim is 49. Fashion model Kathy Ireland is 47. Singer Shawn Mullins is 42. Actress Andrea Parker is 41. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. is 34. Actor James Van Der Beek is 33. Singer Kameelah Williams of 702 is 32. Singer Tom Chaplin of Keane and guitarist Andy Ross of OK Go are 31. Singer Kristinia DeBarge is 20.
