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Post by angelina on Nov 12, 2007 6:45:10 GMT -5
beautiful pics, everyone!
lexi, I went to Italy a few years ago and loved it. I really hope I can go back one day.
ohnoagain, I haven't been to NYC during Christmas, but I did catch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade one year. That was an adventure!
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Post by lexi on Nov 12, 2007 8:43:36 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments on my pictures of Rome. I'm glad you all liked them. Surprisingly, I much preferred Ireland to Italy. Ireland is very reminiscent of Nova Scotia. I think I've had my fill of Italy. While I loved the architecture and history of Rome (I've never been more in awe!), the culture there is not for me. And the crowds! The city has what - 5 or 6 million people? I come from a city just under 1 million and with loads of space and everything here is huge (from restaurants to hotel rooms, etc). I found Rome too small (in terms of hotels, bathrooms, etc), crowded, loud and FAST for my liking. I couldn't breathe. If I were to return, it would be to the smaller villages. Now Ireland I'd move to in an instant!
And, Mtnme, I definitely want to see Lake Tahoe. Those pictures you just posted are gorgeous. It appears to be a very rustic place and that's my favorite type of design - rustic. How I'd love to live in a rustic log cabin along the water in the middle of the woods. That would be my dream place. Its no wonder you never want to leave there. Its also no wonder so many people flock there for vacation.
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Post by jennaceeta25 on Nov 12, 2007 11:22:18 GMT -5
Mtnme, Lake Tahoe sounds familar..maybe because one of my mom's friends moved out there. She doesn't like it very much but she went because her husband wasn't enjoying himself here. And their son is out in Nevada for College. They are seven hours away from him. But lovely pics!  |
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Post by mtnme on Nov 12, 2007 11:23:55 GMT -5
Toehold and Mtnme - can I come live with you? I'm living vicariously through y'all. I've always been a 'Rocky Mtn High' wannabe... Toehold, you freakin' wake up to that view every single day??? Do you live anywhere near Grand Lake and Rocky Mtn NP? Lori, Mr girl might have an issue if you permanently ran away from home. But you know you are always welcome to come for a visit.  I went to school in Colorado. If I recall, toehold is a few hours from Rocky Mountain National Park. I worked in Estes Park for a summer, which is right at the entrance to the park. Still one of my favorite places in the world and contains one of my favorite hikes. I'd love to go back and visit as I do have a few friends there. ...Lori- can you say "road trip"?. Well Ok, flying is better, but then we take a drive.... Ooops! gotta run. Lexi, I'll get back to you later..... |
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Post by lilyover76 on Nov 12, 2007 12:12:53 GMT -5
I've been gone most of the weekend, with family activities with the grandchildren. Saturday was an all-day trip down to the SAN DIEGO ZOO. Sunday, our two youngest grandsons (10 and 7) competed in a Judo tournament. They took first place and second place, respectively, in their weight and class! I'll post a few photos when time permits. lilyover70..loved all your pic's...I'm a birder, so love the eagles!! I work in the field of Developmental Disabilities...it does my heart VERY GOOD to see your grandson and the pride on his face! SO was intended to give folks a REAL opportunity to compete, grow, and discover the possiblities...that is a wonderful mission!! I know that SO is a tremendous source of pride for many with DD, and pride is not something often experienced by people with DD, if ever! SO is also branching out with something called Unified Sports, where people with disabilities have the opportunity to compete on teams with so called 'normal' folks!! That is a very positive step in my mind...BTW, not only Arnold, but Maria Shriver's mother Eunice, and the Kennedy's STARTED Special Olympics!!! Stepping off the soapbox... ...Thanks for your input regarding Developmental Disabilities, Special Olympics and Unified Sports. Maria Shriver was the main speaker at the Summer SO in Long Beach - 2006. Both she and our Governor *Arnie* were at a SO *day on the pier* - Santa Monica several weeks ago. Our grandson (bless him) was walking fairly close to the Governor, so Grandson touches the arm of the Governor, to say "Hello" to him. (I wouldn't have dared to do that! LOL!) The Governor graciously had photos taken with our *special olympian*! There is a program up at Mammoth Mountain called Eastern Sierra Disabled Sports. They have a great program of teaching skiing for a nominal fee; most of the ski/snowboard instructors are volunteers. We'll be taking Grandson up there during his Spring Break for his annual *couple days of private lessons* from *ESDS*... it's a wonderful program! Colorado Rockies is one of our fav places to visit! We've been to Estes Park twice... love that little community! We climbed up to a *survey marker* at the top of Rocky Mountain National Park (since I used to work for a surveyor). Mtnme... I showed your Truckee River photos to my daughter and she said they were at ALL of those locations this past summer! They spent the week at Squaw Valley (timeshare) and went rafting on the river. I told her to send me a few rafting photos so that I could post them here. The pics were taken by the rafting company and they had many fantastic shots! I love your photos of the Tahoe Tree Co., with all the Christmas trimming! In San Luis Obispo, there is the Apple Farm Restaurant and Hotel... they have a fabulous display during the holidays! Lexi... Thanks for sharing your Rome photos; I like that night shot of Trevi fountain... most pics (I've seen) are of daytime shots, and your shot was a nice change! Thanks again, everyone! |
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Post by ohnoagain on Nov 12, 2007 12:47:47 GMT -5
And I also want to spend Christmas in NYC. I live only about 5 hours drive from New York City, so that can be a reality maybe next year. I want to see the Rockettes, The lighting of the Christmas tree, the skaters, shopping on 5th avenue, and a carriage ride through Central Park. I've been to NYC twice, but want to experience the Christmas season there. Anyone ever done that??? Yeah, but mucho buckos too. Hotels would be oughta site. And the guilt. I always said I would do it when my kids were grown and gone, now my daugher says " you wouldn't be here to watch your granddaughter's open up their little dolls" as she pinches their little cheeks just enough to make a pouty face and a tear drop come down each one's little red cheek. ( ok, ok, I'm exaggerating here), she said it, but she didn't make them cry. She might as well have. But, I still might do it next year. Maybe stay for New Years Eve in Times Square. Always wondered what it would feel like to be squished next to 1million people and be thrown up on in different directions while kissing a bunch of different men. Sounds like fun, heh??  |
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Post by ohnoagain on Nov 12, 2007 13:03:52 GMT -5
Thanks Lori for your info on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Great reading, and I really appreciate it. Karma to you.
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Post by ohnoagain on Nov 12, 2007 13:06:41 GMT -5
beautiful pics, everyone! lexi, I went to Italy a few years ago and loved it. I really hope I can go back one day. ohnoagain, I haven't been to NYC during Christmas, but I did catch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade one year. That was an adventure! That's another thing I've wanted to do. How was that?? Did you like it and would you do it again?? |
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Post by mtnme on Nov 12, 2007 21:01:18 GMT -5
And, Mtnme, I definitely want to see Lake Tahoe. Those pictures you just posted are gorgeous. It appears to be a very rustic place and that's my favorite type of design - rustic. How I'd love to live in a rustic log cabin along the water in the middle of the woods. That would be my dream place. Its no wonder you never want to leave there. Its also no wonder so many people flock there for vacation. Some things are rustic, some are quite elegant. The building style at the moment is what I call "Frank Lloyd Wright meets the Mountains" (The newer Disney's hotel "The Grand Californian" is done in this style. Craftsman with a mountain elegance. In tourist towns, ambiance is everything. Why eat or stay at a place that looks just like where you live? ...and if you really do make it out to SLC for a short track race, realize Lake Tahoe is only a one hour plane ride away- so you can make it a 2-fer. You know you are always welcome!  LilyHow Fun for your family. I didn't realize they were here this summer. Squaw Valley has re-done their whole village area (In that Frank Lloyd Wright thing I mentioned above!) It's a destination in and of itself now, with some fine restaurants and shops. Rafting on the Truckee is always fun! I have stories- but we'll save them for another day.  |
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Post by lilyover76 on Nov 15, 2007 23:47:52 GMT -5
Mtnme, is the snow holding up at Tahoe and Truckee??? Mammoth Mountain opened on Nov. 8... on man-made snow, followed by natural snow this past weekend... "Hooray"!!!  |
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Post by mtnme on Nov 15, 2007 23:57:55 GMT -5
Mtnme, is the snow holding up at Tahoe and Truckee??? Mammoth Mountain opened on Nov. 8... on man-made snow, followed by natural snow this past weekend... "Hooray"!!! No, we just got a dusting here. I haven't heard a thing about the lifts opening. (Fine by me- It shouldn't snow until the day BEFORE Thanksgiving as far as I'm concerned!-and besides, I have to replace a couple tires first. They won't make it through another winter, at least not enough to keep me out of the lake while driving!)  That often happens though. The storms come in from the south, pound Mammoth, and we only see a weak front here. |
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Post by lilyover76 on Nov 17, 2007 12:58:24 GMT -5
No, we just got a dusting here... That often happens though. The storms come in from the south, pound Mammoth, and we only see a weak front here. Yep... the storms (usually) head right for Mammoth Pass, a slight break in the continuity of the Sierra Range and then dump a ton of snow on Mammoth Mountain! I've skied there on Memorial Day weekend and mid-June. My nephew skied there one year in mid-July, just before the Mountain closed for the season. We haven't had a hefty snow base for the past few years... I keeping my fingers crossed for this season... we need the water!!!  And I hope you get your new tires before the roads start to ice up! Stay safe, Mtnme...  |
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Post by angelina on Nov 18, 2007 5:04:00 GMT -5
ohnoagain, I haven't been to NYC during Christmas, but I did catch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade one year. That was an adventure! That's another thing I've wanted to do. How was that?? Did you like it and would you do it again?? Ohnoagain, it was awesome and I highly recommend it. The key is to stake out a place very early in the morning (I seem to recall getting there at 6 or 7 a.m.) so you can get a good view. Even after arriving there at 6 or 7 a.m., I remember not having such a great view (remember, I'm pitifully short), so luckily these two guys let us sit up on their ladders with them. They had brought two pretty tall ladders and placed a plank in between, to make a high bench. I thought that was genius. I'm not sure if I'd do it again (LOL) but it's certainly a great once-in-a-lifetime experience. Another of my favorite NYC memories is going to the U.S. Open in 2001. I hope to do that again one day, definitely. |
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Post by Lori on Nov 25, 2007 18:34:35 GMT -5
Mammoth Mountain opened on Nov. 8... on man-made snow, followed by natural snow this past weekend... "Hooray"!!! Lily, a few years ago took our sons and their friends snowboarding at Mammoth Mtn on opening weekend. I piled seven teenage boys (ages 14-16) into my van at 2am and drove to Mammoth, arriving when it opened, only to find that there was only one lift open and it broke down at 11am! *booooooooo*. So we went up to Yosemite for the afternoon before driving home. They did give us a coupon for half off our next trip, so we did the whole drill again a few months later. I have to say that 2 daytrips to Mammoth from L.A. pretty much 'cured' me of doing that again for awhile...  |
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Post by lilyover76 on Nov 26, 2007 22:44:12 GMT -5
Lily, a few years ago took our sons and their friends snowboarding at Mammoth Mtn on opening weekend. I piled seven teenage boys (ages 14-16) into my van at 2am and drove to Mammoth, arriving when it opened, only to find that there was only one lift open and it broke down at 11am! *booooooooo*. So we went up to Yosemite for the afternoon before driving home. They did give us a coupon for half off our next trip, so we did the whole drill again a few months later. I have to say that 2 daytrips to Mammoth from L.A. pretty much 'cured' me of doing that again for awhile... Lori... what a bummer! That used to be my worst nightmare...that Mammoth wouldn't be able to open at Thanksgiving (our first trip of the season when kids were in high school)!!! One year, there was a 12-inch base on Turkey day, then 10 inches on Friday and then 8 inches on the last day of that holiday weekend. The snow held up pretty well b/c the temps were so cold and we still had a blast. But... that was before all the snow-making machines were installed on the mountain. We usually go ski there the second week of Dec. but this year we decided to hold off and go to South Tahoe/ Heavenly Ski Area the second week in January. Our family trip to Mammoth is at the end of February. I'm glad they gave you discount coupons... that helps some! I've never taken *day trips* to Mammoth... I always wanted more days so I connived to get more days on the mountain... LOL!!! |
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~Lori