Dec 13, 2009 12:42 - By: Laura Charon
A cactus strung with Christmas lights in Arizona.
Hop in the car, take a drive around town, and see businesses and neighborhoods who have gone all-out to bring holiday cheer in the form of elaborate Christmas light displays.
The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona, hosts train rides among more than 100,000 lights and displays. Nightly from 6:30 to 9:00 running from December 11th through January 2nd, excluding December 24th, 25th, and 31st. Train rides are $2.00 and carousel rides are $1.00 each with children under three riding free with a paying adult.
The Red Rock Fantasy in Sedona, Arizona, is entering its nineteenth year. The festival is open each evening (weather permitting) from November 19th through January 2nd, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children aged 5-12 and free for children 4 and under. Dozens of southwest-themed displays and millions (yes, millions!) of lights make this one of the premier Christmas light festivals in Arizona. The route begins at the Los Abrigados Resort & Spa lobby under the lighted Red Rock Fantasy arch, and is clearly marked with reflective strips. It takes approximately 60 minutes to complete the tour by foot, and assistance is offered by the resort staff for those who are physically challenged.
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Dec 08, 2009 9:58 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Girls sing during the Andersonville St. Lucia Festival of Lights
Skip the glitz of the Magnificent Mile and head to Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood for the quaint, culturally rich yuletide excursion of the St. Lucia Festival of Lights. You’ll hear greetings of en riktig god jul (a very merry christmas) echo the area’s deep Swedish roots, of which the St. Lucia festival is the most dramatic. December 13 marks St. Lucia Day, the most significant celebration of the Swedish holiday season. Traditionally, Swedish Christmas officially begins on Sankta Lucia, the shortest day of the year. The eldest daughter of the household, dressed in a white robe with crimson sash and a crown of lighted candles, sings the Santa Lucia song and carries a tray of coffee and special saffron buns. The entire Andersonville neighborhood turns out to watch the glittering procession of white clad girls carrying candles through the darkened streets. Read More »
Dec 01, 2009 7:49 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Ice skating at Millennium Park
A dip in temperatures means that Chicago weather is moving back to its natural state but it also means that it’s the season for ice skating in Millennium Park. A Chicago tradition for 9 years, skaters can spin around the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink until March 14, weather permitting and it always does. Glide around the 200 feet long and 80 feet wide rink with the glistening Cloudgate “Bean” sculpture as the backdrop. Skate rental is $10 if you don’t bring your own. I defintitely recommend bringing a scarf, hat, mittens and thick socks to shield your skin against the notorious Chicago wind. Read More »
Nov 30, 2009 9:44 - By: Laura Charon
A view from the Apache Trail.
The Apache Trail – officially designated as AZ Rt. 88 – is forty miles of steep, winding, and mostly unpaved roads that connect the Arizona towns of Apache Junction and Globe, through the Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. It was developed in the 1800’s as a stagecoach trail running through the mountains, and named after the Apache Indians who originally used the trail.
The hike up to Tonto National Monument
Traversing the Apache Trail is tricky and not for the faint of heart, but travelers are rewarded with magnificent views of the mountains and local flora and fauna. It is along this route that some of the most dense forests of saguaro cacti in the state can be seen. There are several large lakes along the route for boating, picnicking, hiking, and swimming – Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Apache Lake all lead up to the Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Roosevelt Dam. Other attractions along the route include the Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, the Lost Dutchman State Park, Tortilla Flat (population six!), Fish Creek, and the Tonto National Monument, before finally reaching the town of Globe.
The Theodore Roosevelt Dam.
To get to the Apache Trail, take U.S. 60 east all to Apache Junction, to the turn-off for AZ88/Idaho Road. Follow the signs through Apache Junction toward Canyon Lake. Once in Globe, the ride back to the Phoenix metropolitan area is a quick drive north on I-10. It is NOT recommended to drive large vehicles or RV’s along the Apache Trail due to very narrow roads and switchbacks.
Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Apache Trail” by eflon on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “The Hike up to Tonto” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Theodore Roosevelt Dam” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.
Nov 29, 2009 15:13 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Poinsettias at Garfield Park Conservatory Holiday Flower Show
Grab some green during your holiday excursions and visit Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory for the annual holiday flower show, which runs through January 10. Nestled in a historic building on Chicago’s west side, the Garfield Park Conservatory is the nation’s largest “glass house” in the country and offers tons of earth-centered, family-friendly activities. Start with the holiday flower show, which features an explosion of color highlighting poinsettias, Jerusalem cherry plants, ornamental peppers, Christmas trees and more. Read More »
Nov 27, 2009 9:55 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Mexican folk art
Don’t think you’re stuck shopping for the same old gifts and stocking stuffers this holiday season. A visit to Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art’s Mercado Navideno holiday market will reveal all the colorful options to spice up your shopping. The Mercado Navideno runs November 27-29 and offers an array of authentic Mexican folk art gifts. Choose papier mache figurines, pottery, vividly-colored textiles, paintings, carvings or silver jewelry to thrill your friends and family. Don’t miss a visit to the overflowing gift store, Tienda Tzintzuntzan. Read More »
Nov 23, 2009 14:56 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Chicago's Christkindl Market in Daley Plaza
Gliding down the Magnificent Mile and piling up credit card charges might signal the start of the Chicago holiday season for some but for me, the official launch comes with the fresh stollen, gingerbread and hot spiced wine of the Christkindl Market. Considered one of the best German Christmas markets in the world, this open air, month-long event offers a more authentic (and cheaper) holiday shopping experience. Inspired by the famous Nuremburg Christmas Market that started in 1545, the Chicago Christkindl features an official November 25 launch by Nuremberg’s past Christkindl, a fairy-like character who wears a shimmering, golden robe with a crown perched atop golden locks. Read More »
Nov 17, 2009 16:56 - By: Laura Charon
The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
Twilight fans, get ready to get your squee on!!!
The next movie in the saga, New Moon, hits theaters this Friday. In anticipation of this august occasion, the town of Surprise, Arizona, is preparing a pre-movie party sure to whip all Twilight fans – adolescent and not-so-adolescent – into a frenzy of Team Edward and Team Jacob hysteria the likes of which the world may never fully recover.
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