You'll Cut Your Finger Off, Kid!

My son wants a pocket knife for Christmas.  He’s seven.  And while I certainly can’t recall how old I was when I received my first pocket knife I can assure you that I wasn’t seven.  “You’ll cut your finger off, kid!”  My words hung in the air over the forlorn look of absolute dejection that filled his little face.  He’s upset but he’s young.  He’ll get over it.

Our exchange reminded me of one of my all time favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Story.  Thank  God my kid has yet to reveal the dogged persistence of little Ralphie Parker.  Remember?  All Ralphie wants for Christmas is an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle  with a compass in the stock and a sundial to tell time.  And all he keeps hearing is, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

The movie is set in the town of Hammond, IN (where incidentally the writer Jean Shepherd grew up) but several of the scenes and locations are actually in Cleveland, Ohio, namely Ralphie’s House and Higbee’s Department Store.

A Christmas Story House--Cleveland, OH

The home was purchased in 2005 by an avid fan of the movie and painstakingly restored.  It sits on a quiet street near downtown Cleveland, 3159 W. 11th St, and is open year round for tours.  There is even a museum located across the street featuring original props and memorabilia.  And of course, a gift shop.  You know you want a leg lamp!

A Christmas Story House is open for tours daily Wednesday-Sunday with extended hours through the holiday season.  Check their website for specific details and hours or call (216) 298-4919 for more information.

The Higbee Building in downtown Cleveland, OH

The Higbee Building is located in downtown Cleveland at 100 Public Square.  This building is the department store where Ralphie first spies the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle  with a compass in the stock and a sundial to tell time.  It’s in the background of the Christmas parade scene and it’s where Ralphie makes his request to Santa and is told once again, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Higbee’s no longer operates as a department store, however it’s an excellent place to begin your visit to Cleveland as the building is now the home of Positively Cleveland, the convention and visitor’s bureau of the Greater Cleveland area.

Christmas Lights in Public Square downtown Cleveland, OH

You may just find a good excuse to stay in Cleveland for the weekend, or longer.  We saw pink bunny pajamas, a leg lamp and a broken pair of eyeglasses and I was able to reinforce a good reason not to get my kid a pocket knife for Christmas.

All photos by Ed Lamaze.

The only way I'll ever ice skate.

Most famously and traditionally, Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles plays winter this year until January 18.  The location is home to the Winter Holiday Festival on December 12 and 13.

No need to leave the Valley (San Fernando) if that’s where you’re staying.  This is the first year that Woodland Hills Ice operates at the Westfield Topanga Mall until February 2010.  Special events, birthday parties, and open until midnight on Christmas Day.

Over yonder on the West Side, there’ll be no swimming in the pool at the W Hotel for a while.  That’s because they ingeniously turned it into a skating rink!  The outdoor restaurant/bar will serve up wintry goodies, too.  Frozen until January 24.  In Santa Monica, meet your friends at 5th and Arizona for some ice skating by the ocean until January 31.

If you’re in more southern areas of Southern Cal, there are opportunities to trip the ice fantastic down there, too.  Seaside Ice Rink Redondo Beach boasts a large parking lot and proximity to the fabulous Portofino Hotel.

Photo:  Pershing Square website

Chicago Style Pizza

When the weather turns cold, which counts for about eight months of a Chicago year, it’s not only time to pull out the heavy coats and layers, its time to fortify yourself with a frost-busting meal.  In Chicago, that can only mean deep-dish pizza. Lots of tourists dabble at sampling Chicago style pizza during the summer months but this hearty fare is best experienced during cold, blustery weather.   Noted for its  thick crust and gut-busting  piles of cheese and toppings,  Chicago style pizza reflects  the city’s brash attitude and heavy Midwestern palate. This calorie dense treat is easier to digest over a couple of days  so schedule a leisurely weekend and dive into my recommendations for the best Chicago style pizza.

Start with Pizzeria Due. An iconic Chicago restaurant credited with  being one of the first places to serve Chicago style pizza, Pizzeria Due offers  expertly baked, authentic, deep dish pizza.  Due is the second restaurant that was opened because the popular Uno was constantly over-crowded. Due attracts large crowds as well so prepare for a wait and a  super-stuffed and satisfied feeling.  Next, head over to Giordano’s.  This is another famous pizzeria preferred by locals. Giordano boasts a half dozen  locations all over Chicago but the one at 730 N. Rush supplies the best people watching as well as excellent pizza.  End your taste tour with Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co., a less well known eatery but equally as memorable.  Oven Grinder creates a signature pot pie  that’s not to be missed.  Located in a charming brownstone in Lincoln Park, this pizza palace possesses an understated, stylish vibe, just like its neighborhood.  Since we’re focusing on high calorie Chicago traditions, you may as well top off your trip with a stop by Garrett Popcorn Shop to revel in the seminal caramel and cheese “Chicago mix.”  When you can’t move anymore, hole up in the nearby Best Western River North Hotel, where they provide a Chicago pizza and movie package that doesn’t require you to leave your room.

Photo courtesy of Girodano’s

Sunset over Hilton Head Island

You might know Hilton Head, South Carolina for its rolling golf greens and pristine beaches  but there’s more to this balmy paradise.  Hilton Head is also home to the centuries-old Gullah culture and the land was owned by Gullah people until 40 years ago.  The Gullah trace their roots to Sierra Leone, West Africa and have managed to preserve  their language, food and culture due to the Barrier Island’s isolation. To learn the fascinating history of  Hilton Head, grab a trip on the Gullah Heritage Trail Tours. Led by  Gullah historian and Hilton Head native Emory Campbell, the two-hour tour involves a 100-mile bus tour through  scenic  salt marsh waterways.

The tour features a stroll through Driessen Beach Park/ Burkes Beach, named for the Gullah families that once owned the property, a glimpse of the one-room schoolhouse built for Gullah children in 1937 and  sprawling  Gullah family compounds and cemeteries built on the waterfront. A special tour highlight is the rice-based Gullah cuisine served up at Dye’s Gullah Fixin’s.  Sample Gullah delicacies like low country boil, fried catfish, collard greens, hoppin’ john (a peas and rice dish) and sweet onion pie, all prepared with special Gullah spices.  The owner and chef, Dye Scott-Rhodan,  prepares every dish from scratch using family recipes passed down since the 1800s.  At the end of your Gullah culture excursions, relax at the Westin Hilton Head  Resort & Spa, which boasts stunning beachfront views.

Photo by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

The 45-foot rotunda tree in the Christmas Around the World exhibit

Experience the holiday traditions of over 50 different countries at the annual “Christmas Around The World and Holidays of Light” exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. A Chicago tradition for 68 years, the glittering exhibit showcases trees decorated to reflect the holiday traditions from around the world through January 3.  Anchored by a towering 45-foot tree in the Rotunda, the display also features intermittent snow showers. This year’s theme focuses on the holiday history of the White House, with White House-themed ornaments adorning the Rotunda tree and holiday cards signed by presidents and first ladies.

Learn holiday greetings like Hauskaa Joulua (Finland) and Shubh Naya Baras (India) and how the troll-like Yule men leave gifts in Iceland and  La Befana flies on her broomstick and leaves presents in Italy.  Browse through the exhaustive holiday displays ranging from Belize to Wales and then visit the Holiday Shoppe to snag similar handcrafted ornaments and gifts.  Skip the over-priced, fast food court and visit a Hyde Park institution, the nearby Medici 57 Restaurant.  This cozy cafe offers everything from baked goat cheese to steak burritos but most locals order the excellent deep dish pizza. Don’t leave without trying a hot croissant from the bakery, along with freshly brewed, fair trade coffee.

Photo courtesy of Museum and Science and Industry/ Scott Brownell

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.

Under candy-striped awnings and a sparkling Christmas tree in Daley Plaza, the market bustles with German food and handicrafts. Many local vendors like the Chicago institution, Dinkel’s Bakery, which sells delicate stollen holiday cake, occupy stalls but a good portion travel all the way from Germany, including Frank’s Bavarian Gift Shop, which offers marzipan, beer steins and wooden ornaments.  Browse the market for handcrafted nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks and hand-painted toys and then perform the requisite gorging with homemade schnitzel, strudel, bratwurst, sausages and pretzels, washed down with gluhwein or mulled, spiced, wine.   Once you’ve properly insulated yourself with food, sit back and catch choirs, dance troupes and Alpine brass bands performing.  I recommend staying at a nearby hotel, like the iconic Palmer House Hilton, so walking in the Chicago cold and lugging goodies remains an enjoyable holiday excursion.

Handcrafted wooden toys

Photos courtesy of  Explore Chicago

Iron Maiden torture chamber at Ripley's Believe It or Not!

I loved the Ripley’s Believe  It or Not! cartoon as a kid.  Learning about  Robert Ripley’s weird and wacky discoveries around the world was always intriguing.  So there was no way I’d pass up the strip of Ripley’s attractions on Ocean Blvd in Myrtle Beach.  I grabbed my reluctant 12-year-old and headed to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. I wouldn’t recommend it for children under 10 because the museum is filled with creepy and eerie artifacts. Once you walk past the  photos of the 8″11 tallest man of all time and the Egyptian barge made from toothpicks, the offerings grow scarier. There’s a whole wall devoted to medieval torture  devices and a gruesome “Iron Maiden”, a wooden, female -shaped, cabinet equipped with 13 spikes to pierce the eyes, throat and heart of religious heretics. 

For a lighter hearted -adventure, Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze is just a few doors down.  It’s a confounding  arrangement of 100  mirrors with lighting and digital sound that’s fun to figure out.  You can go through as many times as it takes, once you buy your ticket. Next door, Ripley’s 4D Moving Theatre features action-packed films and a ride that bumps, dips and turns along with it.  After hanging out with Ripley, head offer to the Sea Captain’s House, a Myrtle Beach institution serving up made-to-order shrimp salad and Southern charm.

A collection of medieval torture devices

Photos by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Local Wild Life at the Fair

While amusement parks and beaches provide great entertainment for your kids, entertainment is only one of the reasons to travel with children.  Travel is also a great way to introduce your kids to other parts of the world and how other people live.  My mother used to call it exposure.

As fun as Disney World may be, you don’t get a great sense of how different people live from an encounter with Mickey Mouse.

The next time you plan a family vacation, search for a local fair for a great opportunity to teach your children about local culture.

My family and I visited the Volusia County Fair in Central Florida this past weekend.  While we went for the funnel cakes and carousel rides, a trip through the exhibit halls reminded me of how much there is to learn at a county fair.

Prized Pineapple at Volusia County Fair

Locally Grown Star Fruit

In the horticulture hall, we saw rows and rows of pineapples, oranges and lemons.  We also found homegrown star fruit and sweet potatoes the size of my head.  The horticultural spread at the Florida fair was drastically different from the corn, tomatoes and soy beans we were accustomed to seeing at local fairs in Iowa.  It was interesting for the kids to see what kinds of plants and foods grow naturally in a different part of the country.

Florida Cows

Making Friends With Goats

We got another agricultural lesson in the livestock building.  Instead of rows and rows of cows and sheep, we saw cages and cages filled with a variety of chicken, geese and ducks.  While there were a handful of cows to see, there were ten times as many goats – and not a single sheep or pig in sight!

Of course, after you’ve taught your kids about what grows, lives and is eaten in the area, a county fair also offers plenty of entertainment value.

A mouthful of Fried Oreos!

Bumper Cars at the Fair

Local fairs are much easier on the wallet than a major amusement park as well.  An entire day at the fair for a family of four cost us just over $50 for admission, wristbands and a few pounds of fried sugar.

Photos by Britt Reints

]]> http://www.uptake.com/blog/family-things-to-do/family-vacations-local-fairs_7827.html/feed 0 http://www.uptake.com/blog/family_vacations/hollywood-send-up-with-kathy-griffin_7688.html http://www.uptake.com/blog/family_vacations/hollywood-send-up-with-kathy-griffin_7688.html#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:02 +0000 Kim Tracy Prince http://www.uptake.com/blog/?p=7688

Kathy Griffin performs at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MI

There are so many, many ways and reasons to make fun of Hollywood. I mean, just look at how much reality TV there is out there and the way it’s cheapened what we call “celebrity.” Not to worry – there are still genuine celebrities that are ridiculous enough to make fun of, and nobody does it better, in my opinion, than Kathy Griffin.

The subject of her own reality show, and let’s face it, a shameless publicity whore, Griffin will finally perform in her own town on Black Weekend. (Okay I know it’s really Black Friday but she’s performing on Saturday, too, so I’ve coined a new term. Unless somebody’s already coined that term in which case I borrow the term.)

The more she shoves her face into the spotlight, the bigger the crowds Kathy Griffin attracts to her shows. I am not ashamed to say that I am excited to see her live. This time she’s performing at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal Studios, so you can add this sure-to-be hilarious show to the end of a day at the theme park. Please note: this one’s not for the younger kids. If you have to bring them, cover their ears.

Photo from flickr courtesy of KC Starlight Theatre

Is Your Vacation Safe From Swine Flu?

It’s not just schools that are thinking about the spread of Swine Flu.

Travelers all over the world are talking about how safe their vacation plans are with the widespread H1N1 virus on the loose.  Theme parks are of particular concern for families as they debate whether or not to cancel their trips to some of the happiest places on earth.

Places like Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida are known for their rides and attractions.  But they are also home to thousands of international tourists, crowds and close encounters with other guests and costumed characters.  In other words, it’s a potential gold mine for germs!

Rest assured, park officials at most major theme parks are taking extraordinary precautions to keep their tourist havens safe.  Disney World has installed over 200,000 individual hand sanitizing stations across the parks.  Employees are being vaccinated and taught to closely monitor whether guests they come in contact with show signs of illness, and how to respond accordingly with things like costume changes.  (If you sneeze on Goofy, he’s going to be changing his shirt.)

Experts at the CDC say that theme parks aren’t necessarily any more dangerous than any place else, pointing out that there are numerous opportunities for people to catch the H1N1 virus during their normal day to day activities.

There are, of course, a few things you can do to help stay health while you travel.

How To Prevent Swine Flu On Vacation

1.  Consider getting vaccinated. The H1N1 vaccination is available and safe for most Americans.

2.  Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for Tamiflu before your trip. Tamiflu is a drug that can be taken after the virus is contracted to help combat the flu.

3.  Purchase Travel Insurance. If someone in your party does get sick before your vacation, protect your investment so there’s no hesitation about staying home for health reasons.

4.  Wash your hands frequently. This remains the best way to prevent the spread of Swine Flu.

5.  Carry antibacterial sanitizing gels.

6.  Stay away from sick people. No, really.  If someone is sneezing or coughing, step away from them.

7.  Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, eat right, and take your vitamins.  Keep your immune system as strong as possible so that it’s ready to fight off infection.

8.  Stay home if you’re sick. Not only will you help prevent the virus from continuing to spread, but you’ll fight off the infection faster by staying home and taking care of yourself.

The bottom line, officials say, is that you should take the same precautions on your vacation as you would in your daily life.

Photo Credit: cote on Flickr