Vacation = Shows, snow, bustle, and Santa Penguin
Dec 22nd 2009
Karen RoseOn Writing!
I just took a vacation with the family to NYC. We normally do our vacations within about a 2 hour radius from our house. The last time we ventured farther from home was a 3000-mile, 3-week roadtrip in the family minivan about 3 years ago. It’s a wonder we didn’t kill each other after that one.
This time we took the whole family to the Big Apple and we had a ball! We did lots of NYC things – a few shows (Shrek, Phantom – love the 1/2 price ticket booth!), an interactive show called Accomplice (like Clue but you’re part of the show – fun!), plus just walking around the city, looking at lights.
We were hoping for snow, since we don’t see it often. We got some! On Saturday night we got 12 inches of snow. Mr. R was dancing in the street. Me, not so much. I now remember why I moved from Ohio. Snow is cold. Don’t like cold.
But an Irish coffee warmed me right up, so that was a fleeting discomfort. I have to say, though, one of my favorite experiences was taking my daughter to FAO Schwartz. We wandered around, then saw the ceramic painting area. Now, we have such a paint-your-own figurine place a mile from our house, but it was somehow more fun to do this in an awesomely huge toy store. Youngest daughter didn’t go. She said she was too old for toys. Sad. I’m obviously not too old for toys. I spent 2 hours painting a ceramic penguin.
Mr. R said, as we sat down to paint, “If you do a traditional penguin, I’ll be sad.” Of course, that was my plan – a traditional penguin penny bank for my desk that I’d made in NYC. But not wanting to make Mr. R sad, I decided to do SANTA PENGUIN. It’s not very good, and hopefully will look a whole lot better once it’s fired, but here it is. Those 2 hours of ceramic painting were some of my favorites of my vacation. Rather than the bustle and rush and DOING STUFF – which is fun, don’t get me wrong – we sat and chatted and did a low-key project that we can take home. For a few hours, I was a kid again and it was so much fun.
In case you’re wondering, Santa Penguin’s beard is black because he is a young penguin whose beard has not yet turned white. And I goofed when I was outlining with the black brush.
What kinds of things do you do on vacation? Do you see cool stuff or do you do stuff you could do at home? Do you ever just do a kid-thing, just for fun? What did you do? Do you like my Santa Penguin?
46 Comments »
46 Responses to “Vacation = Shows, snow, bustle, and Santa Penguin”
B on 22 Dec 2009 at 2:03 am #
It depends on what you call “stuff you could do at home”. I’m not gonna lie, when I’m on vacation, first thing I check out are the malls. Some people think malls are all the same, but they’re not, really. They structure of the mall, the placement of the stores, the variety of stores is very interesting to observe. It is.
When we went to Argentina in 2007 (my mom, my brother, my cousin and I), we decided to play tourist and walked a whole freaking lot checking out “El Obelisco” “La Casa Rosada” and “Plaza de Mayo”. So, we go, take pictures and are like: “Okay, we have seen the damn monuments, can we go back to the stores now?”
I like to go to amusement parks, everywhere. That could be considered a kid-thing. And, of course, if I’m in the US, I have to make a freaking Build-A-Bear. I think they’re adorable!
But, you know what? My very favorite part of traveling is observing the people. I am absolutely fascinated by different people and how they interact with the environment. I love traveling because I love seeing different people, more than different places.
Your Santa Penguin is cute!!
Trini on 22 Dec 2009 at 2:58 am #
Hi Karen, in Xmas holidays we always stay at home. It’s a time to be with family and friends, time to eat, to go out for dinner or take snacks, to go on shopping. In Spain bars, restaurants, pubs are always full of people…. There are a lot of parties…
Today (12/22) it’s an important day in my country because today it’s Xmas Lottery day. It celebrated since 1892. It’s a tradition, the 22 is an important day because they deliver a lot of million euros in lottery and give money to a lot of people. It indicates the principle of the school holidays and today we all awakened with the sound of the boys of Saint Ildefonso School singing the numbers. Someway also indicates the start of the Xmas… There is a lot of prizes delivered by all Spain, so today there is a lot of happiness and a lot of champagne “running” along the streets…. I really like this day… We say that today is the day of the hope, the illusion and the health (because if it doesn’t touch you everebody says that “the important is to have health”…)
By the way, your Santa Penguin is funny and cute…
I wish you all my dear Goddess a wonderful Xmas and a lot of happiness… I hope your dreams come truth.
evlqn on 22 Dec 2009 at 3:48 am #
Love the Santa penguin Karen. I want to go to one of those fire your own places. I used to clean green-ware
(the unbaked clay) and then have it fired and paint it. I have several of those pieces. The g-sons have both been to Brushfire and made things for us. Last year the 12 y.o. made me a dragon.
I haven’t been on a vacation in years other than the train-trip I took to Mn. summer before last. DH and i used to take mini-vacations to Vegas every six months. We would gamble, see the shows, wander around downtown and then come home. Years ago, boys were 5 & 7 we went from LA to Portland, Or. to Grand island, Ne; Fort Sill, Ok.; Sierra Vista,Az. To LA in a VW bug. We did it in 22 days, I am still amazed we had not left someone for CSI to wander about.
A couple of years ago my sister and I took the g-sons and a friend of her oldest g-son to Montana during Thanksgiving so we could visit her oldest g-son in Helena. This time we traveled in a van, much better for long trips with kids. The boys were talking about that trip recently, they had fun seeing all the snow (we hit a blizzard).
cail on 22 Dec 2009 at 6:53 am #
Karen, I was back home in NYC this weekend too! I wish I had know you were going to be there! Sounds like you had a great time. Isn’t NYC in the snow beautiful?
LoriHandeland on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:12 am #
I think the penguin is special, K-Ro. You’ll always remember where you painted it and when.
When we are on vacation we like to do stuff we wouldn’t do at home. And we always try to do as much of it as we can fit in.
I can’t remember the last kid thing I did. That’s sad.
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:26 am #
My favorite part of vacation is eating out. How bad is that? I just love not having to cook and having anything I want to eat at my disposal.
We do all kinds of things on vacation (last year we went to London!), but my favorite thing is the moments where we’re just chilling in a cool environment. Like walking down the Strand arm in arm with hubby. Or sitting on the deck of a cabin we rented in the Smoky Mountains. Or hanging out at the pool in the New Orleans hotel with Only Son. Those are the moments I treasure.
Love the penguin, Karen!
Michelle B on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:37 am #
Living away from our families we used to say we don’t take vacations, we call it “visitations” because every time we took a vacation it was to head “home”. However, over the years we have managed to fit in a few family vacations. Our idea of a vacation is to get away and relax, so we go camping, fishing, and canoeing. Lakes in Texas, Rocky Mountains, lakes in Ohio. We have the best time.
A couple of weeks ago DH and I were being kids when we were in Pier 1 looking at the stocking stuffers table. That table is so funny with rubber chickens, musical intruments, old fashioned toys and tons of cool stuff you just don’t see everyday. I think people were laughing at us, but it was a lot of fun.
TrishD on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:53 am #
Your Santa penguin is great! I love it!!!
I’m actually on vacation right now… and I’m enjoying a week at home with the family. Lately, when I take a vacation I stay close to home. I have family and friends who live all over the country and when they take their vacations they come back here to visit. It’s great! We spend time catching up, hanging out on the pontoon boat, eating ice cream and there is always time for the trip with my cousin to the bar for drinks and deep fried cauliflower. It’s become a tradition to make the trip at least once while she is in town.
My favorite vacation was back in the mid-90’s when I went to Florida with my best friend. We spend 10 days in the sun doing nothing more than lounging by the pool, searching the beach for shells and stuffing our faces with great food. The most strenuous activity we did was swimming with dolphins… and that was so peaceful that I was on an euphoric high for the rest of the trip.
I do enjoy sight seeing, visiting museums, shopping… but I never have any set schedule and I really don’t care for crowds so I usually just go with the flow.
Freshechelle on 22 Dec 2009 at 8:46 am #
Love your penguin. Watcha naming him? NY on snow fall days is beautiful. It’s the week of deep puddles and sidewalk slush afterward that stink. Makes for good taxi splash of the pedestrians.
Don’t have a standard vacation routine but wouldn’t hesitate to do kid stuff if the mood strikes. I mostly like to relax in a lounge chair and read. I get to see cities & malls as part of my job so that wears thin now. I like your idea of doing an activity where you actually make something. Makes a great story & souvenir that isn’t stamped “made in China”. Nothing against the folks in China.
Gannon on 22 Dec 2009 at 8:51 am #
I love your penguin, Karen!
Vacations are all about doing the things you wouldn’t do it home. I can remember having dessert for dinner a couple of times. Hey, it’s vacation, so the calories don’t count, right?
Barb Chansky on 22 Dec 2009 at 8:53 am #
Love the penguin! Plus, very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay in our fair city:)
Pesky on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:09 am #
I wish I could send you the picture of The Bombshell and I wearing reindeer ears and noses and santa hats when we were out shopping for Black Friday. We went into the holiday aisle, they were there, they needed to be tried on….and the nephew, aka The Squid, had his phone.
Basically The Bombshell and I have no personal dignity whatsoever when it comes to the holiday season. My BIL, aka, Mr. Corporate, just shakes his head and sends us on our merry way. The fact The Squid got photographic proof that we’re both nuts was icing on the cake for Mr. Corporate, he says he has next year’s Christmas Card.
NYC is awesome! And it gains just that little bit of extra magic when it’s coated in snow. I love wandering through central park during the holiday season. I’m so glad you had fun there!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:23 am #
Hey y’all!
Thanks for the sweet kudos on my Santa Penguin! LOL. I attracted the attention of several children while making him. They thought I was cool. And Oldest Daughter thought I was awesome, so that was nice, too.
Oldest daughter kept taking breaks from painting her cupcake (it’s a little box – the top comes off) to search for the giant Ugly Doll that was walking around the store. She got her pic with Mr. Ugly Dude. I’ll have to post all our pics on the forum.
B – I like malls, too. They are a microcosm of a different culture. I used to love amusement parks when my kids were small. I still do, altho they are making so many of the rollercoasters a little too extreme for me now. I like my neck the way it is, thank you!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:30 am #
Trini – I love hearing the tidbits about life in Spain! Love the idea of a lottery for Christmas! Much health and prosperity to you, too!
Evqln – Wow!! 22 days in a VW bug. (We had a bug when I was growing up and we did DC to Orlando in the thing when my sister and I were teenagers.) I’m surprised you didn’t leave a murder behind for CSI, LOL.
Cail – NYC in the snow was lovely – from inside with an Irish coffee in my hand! Snowflakes kept going in my contact lenses. And snow is cold. Just sayin’.
Lori – we should do a kid thing the next time we are together. There has to be kid stuff that would be awesomely fun to do in Nashville this summer.
Freshechelle on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:32 am #
Trini’s post makes me wish I were in Spain today. Enjoy Trini!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:37 am #
Sabrina, we used to go to the Smokies, mostly before youngest was born. We’d rent a cabin and I loved to just sit and look at the mountains. We’ll have to do that again. I love to try different restaurants when I’m out. Had some very good food here in NYC!
MichelleB – for years our vacations were also spent going “home.” We lived in OH and our families were all in MD, so we did that trip over the mountains in WV all the time. Then we had a second child, my folks retired to TN and everyone was in different places. We started spending Christmas at home, and while a bit lonely, it was so much more restful without all the running around.
We normally go to Disney for a day every few months. This is the first time we had everyone on a plane and on a long vacation! But we’re home for Christmas!
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:41 am #
TrishD – your FL vacation sounds exactly like my dream
I do love to do stuff and see stuff too, but hate schedules when I’m not working. DH makes the spreadsheets when we vacation! I just show up. I like that!
Fresh – I have no idea what I’m naming him? Give me some suggestions! I’d thought “Santa Penguin” but that doesn’t sound very exciting, does it?
I just finished a new proposal for several books and struggled over names for a few weeks. I’ll take your ideas for names for Penguin!
Gannon – calories don’t count. But then they do when vacation is over. And the plane seat seems a lot tighter on the way back, LOL.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:42 am #
Barb – I did like NYC! Very nice people everywhere!
Pesky – you need to post your pic on the forum!!!
SheridanLA on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:44 am #
The Santa Penguin is awesome!! What a fun memento from your trip!
If I am on vacation, I don’t do things I can do at home. If I can do it at home then why on earth would I pay to go somewhere else to do it. I like to see the cities/countryside, etc.. chat with locals and get interesting stories, hit the local restaurants to taste local fare… I avoid all the American chains that have invaded the planet…though I like to read the McDonald’s menus to see what local items are there (those are both when I leave the country)
Childlike things? All the time.. Kids have waaaaay more fun then adults most of the time.
I always have my little gnome with me, he is good for lots of silliness… We have bubble wrap smooshing when we get packages in.. I also buy coloring books and crayons, I love to color – childish but relaxing. Oh… and I head to Disneyland on most free weekend days (we all have passes)..
One of my fave Christmases was a few years ago. I wanted a white Christmas, so my friend and I flew to Banff for the holiday. It was perfect. We decorated a little tree in our room, wore reindeer noses and played carols. It was perfect. No drama, just enjoyed the holiday.
Alicia on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:44 am #
The Santa Penguin is definitely cool!
Actually Big Daddy and I haven’t went away on vacation since our honeymoon. (almost 8 years ago) Sure, we go and do a lot though. We don’t have any children so when the whim hits us….
He and I are big kids so we enjoy doing anything that has to do with toys, games, rides, etc.
I did spend two weeks in New Mexico with two of my best friends the summer before I got married. We did a lot of touristy things. My best friends husband (boyfriend at the time) was from there and we stayed with his parents.
SheridanLA on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:46 am #
Pesky, I am going shopping with you next year.. that sounds like fabulous fun.
Amy Scott on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:54 am #
I am with Sabrina, it’s the eating out for me! I like not having to cook and clean up, and I always get dessert!
The last trip hubby and I took was to Chicago, what a beautiful city! We took a boat tour, and went to Navy Pier, but my favourite part of the trip was a baseball game at Wriggle Field. I am not really a baseball fan, but for one gorgeous sun soaked day at Wriggle, I was. I drank beer, ate peanuts from the shell, and cheered on the Cubs, all while being burnt to a crisp! It was such a wonderful trip!
I love the penguin! I did a Santa candy dish when I was 12, and even though Santa’s beard is pink, I feel such pride when I get it out every year.
Alicia on 22 Dec 2009 at 9:58 am #
You should name Santa Penguin: Ho-Ho! LOL!!!
Madeline Hunter on 22 Dec 2009 at 10:14 am #
I love your Santa penguin!
I like to do things on vacation that I never get to do at home. Like eat food someone else has cooked.
Seriously, I am into two opposing modes on vacation—rotting and not moving under the sun, or packing in the sites. This is why I like cruises—- some days one, some days the other. I really don’t like to do everyday things. In fact, it drives me crazy when DH turns on the tv. (Stop wasting time! You can watch that stupid show at home!—- yes,I am a pain. Good thing he loves me, huh?)
Margaret on 22 Dec 2009 at 10:23 am #
Santa Penguin rocks, Karen! I love NYC. So much to do and never enough time. And you got to share in our big nor’easter that blew thru Saturday. I had about 14″ inches outside my front door. The snow came up to the door handle on my Dodge Stratus. TG for my next-door neighbor or I’d still be cooped up.
One of my step-sons & his wife took their 2 oldest boys up by train up to NYC the Saturday before you and your family. It was a perfect day. Sunny & mild. They had a blast. She put pictures on her Facebook and I was stunned to see Amy & #1 son hugging the Cake Boss! I was so jealous. I love Buddy. They said he was very nice & pleasant. They also did FAO Schwartz but I didn’t hear anything about ceramic painting. I don’t think my step-son could sit still that long. He’s a man of action. LO
All this makes me want to head up to the Big Apple, but not till spring. Lately, my vacations are spent ala large family down in West Virginia.
Margaret on 22 Dec 2009 at 10:32 am #
I had a bit of a road trip yesterday. That might count as a mini-vacation. My daughter moved last week and couldn’t take her black Lab with her. She found a Lab rescue group and they found a foster family for him. The fosters live in Pennsauken, NJ. Just across the bridge from Philadelphia. One of my favorite cities.
My daughter’s oldest daughter went with me. We were supposed to go on Saturday, but the ground was already 1-2″ at daybreak. No way was I going to head out down that way when Philadelphia was to really get hammered. They ended up with 23+”. So, we went yesterday to deliver Colby to some lovely people.
Coming back across the river, GD said she’d never seen the Liberty Bell. So, I hung a left after we crossed Ben Franklin bridge. The Liberty Bell was in the place where I last saw it! We finally discovered they had built a lovely museum and moved the bell inside out of the weather. Parking is dicey in Philly anytime. Snow made it worse. So, I let her go in and parked out front. Soon a cop was making me move. Later, we drove by Betsy Ross’s house. She wasn’t home, so we headed out for our own homes. With a service plaza stop for Starbucks & cinnamon rolls.
Margaret on 22 Dec 2009 at 10:34 am #
Madeline, my late DH used to do the same thing! Walk into a hotel room and turn on the tv immediately. God forbid we should have quiet in there. He would run a tv 24/7 if I had let him. Now that he’s gone, I find myself running it all night for company sometimes.
We humans is weird people.
Rachel Gibson on 22 Dec 2009 at 10:56 am #
Depends on where I vacation. But my favorite vacation is laying on a beach somewhere, the sun warming my skin and listening to the waves.
Kathy on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:13 am #
I have a stay-cation. I stay home or at least very close to home and completely veg out. reading, goiong for walks, heading to the local beach. luckily the city buses run near the beaches and seaside boardwalks here in my city. so I’m very happy. Sometimes I’ll go away but really only to the next province to stay with a sister or to the grandparents of the girls I used to look after- home of the Surivor games 2 summers ago. what’s not to like about spending time with my surrogate parents and swimming in a salt water pool and walking over the marshes to hang out on an island.
Trini on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:28 am #
Karen, Freshechelle… you and the Goddess have to organize a travel to Spain…. I’ll be waiting for you with the best things of my country….
Pesky on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:32 am #
Sure thing Sheridan. The More the merrier.
evlqn on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:36 am #
Karen so am I.Do you know how close I came to driving off when my DH stopped on the highway between Lubbock and Vernon, Texas to pick up a turtle??
Fiona on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:46 am #
Great Santa penguin, Karen. Sounds like you had a fun time in the Big Apple.
We like to try new things, or things we can’t do at home when on vacation. Trying local food, reading the local paper, going to gardens, museums and historic areas are some of our favorite things. We take a fishing trip every August, so I get to do a lot of reading and birding when we’re in Northern MN.
We like amusement parks, too. Disney is great. We go every few years and as our kids get older it’s as though we rediscover each park on every visit.
I love to take pictures on trips, and to sit in an outdoor cafe (or inside by a window, if the weather is frightful) and people watch. I love doing that at home, too.
My kids are the ones who love to shop when we’re on vacation, LOL. I always buy a Christmas ornament to remember our vacation, but they want tee-shirts and mug and anything else they can talk us into.
My kid-things happen at amusement parks. I keep threatening my kids and DH that I’m going to get a temp tattoo or get my face painted. Maybe next year at the state fair.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:50 am #
ack.on my cell right now and having issues..
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:57 am #
will try this again..
Sheridan- I like to color too. I do tbis at restaurants that give me crayons. DH does this more than me, and his coloring is always more interesting!
alicia- your NM trip sounds like fun!
madeline- after a day of runing I sometimes like to watch tv, too. especialy if i’ve been away from home for a long time. same reason I sometimes hit McD in another country- keeps me from getting too homesick. but I like cruises too. good balance of rinning and rotting!
elsiehogarth on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:58 am #
Karen, the penguin is so cute. I’m glad that you had a great time in NYC. One of my favorite things to do, in the city, is look at all the displays in the windows at Sak’s, Barney’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s etc. The window designers are so creative.
As a family what we really enjoy doing is playing games. We are all very competitive and all have a great time playing board games, cards etc. My favorite are Uno, Monopoly and dirty Scrabble(for adults only).
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 12:09 pm #
Margaret – you had quite a roadtrip! ha! Betsy Ross not home
.
Rachel, normally the beach vaca is my fave too. it’s a bit strange to be so cold and not sking…
Kathy – I like staycations too, but I find I fall into work if i’m home. of course I worked while in nyc too so I guess that argument fals flat LOL.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 12:12 pm #
fiona, I want to see you get your face painted!
elsie, the window displays are awesome! loved them!
Janae on 22 Dec 2009 at 1:48 pm #
We’ve flown to vacation destinations before as well as taken staycations and done things in LA and the surrounding environs. We like to see historical sites, while we’re on vacation. If we’re in an area where we had an ancestor who lived and died there, we like to make a stop at the local cemetery. The kids love looking for the headstones. We get to give mini-history lessons while they look. The really old cemeteries are the best. My favorite one so far is in Manlius, NY, which is over 200 years old. We got to talk history, science, and math.
I absolutely love doing kid things. I’m a docent for a local art program, where I get to do 5 art projects during the year, then teach them to my children’s classes. It’s just so freeing to do these projects with no worries about what it looks like, and when we’ve all done one, we display them at home. I love to play handball, swing, ride bikes, play the wii, uno (my 6yo dd seems to win most of the games), etc. Some of my most favorite children memories are playing card games as a family. I want my children to have similar memories.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 2:23 pm #
Janae – I love to visit cemeterires too. you get such a wonderful sense of personal history form headstones. fave cemetery was in williamsburg. very moving! I wish i’d done more art with my kids years ago. i’m making up for it now I guess!
LoriHandeland on 22 Dec 2009 at 3:14 pm #
You are ON, K-Ro. You and me a fun kid activity in Nashville!
LoriHandeland on 22 Dec 2009 at 3:14 pm #
that was supposed to be AND a fun kid activity. Sheesh.
Karen Rose on 22 Dec 2009 at 6:01 pm #
lori, i’ll bring a bucket, u bring a shovel.
Louisa Cornell on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:08 pm #
Your penguin is SO cute !! I have a coworker who would KILL for that penguin! In fact I got her name in our Secret Santa swap and as she is expecting I am getting her a stuffed penguin mama and baby.
My vacations lately have been to RWA conferences and while I didn’t do anything exotic or anything that could be considered a fun kid activity I had a ball !! Can’t wait for Nashville!
I do love to take my niece and nephews to festivals and on adventures just the four of us. They are all teens now, but we have been doing this for years. I took them to a local festival in Lochapoka, Alabama – the annual Syrup Sopping. They got to see syrup being made my mule-turned presses and got to taste fresh syrup and chew on sugar cane. There was a museum, arts and crafts, blue grass music and all sorts of activities. They had a ball.
We’ve attended a few powwows too and they have really enjoyed learning about our Native American heritage. We did learn to shoot bows and throw knives at one of those and as my nephew is now on his college archery team I think it was a great idea!
evlqn on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:41 pm #
Karen you want to name your penguin? How about Perry S. Pen-Guin? I think there was an explorer type hanging around his neighborhood a few years back named Perry. Not sure, will have to check my history.
Lisa G on 23 Dec 2009 at 1:34 am #
I love to people watch on vacation. I went to Florida in March and Miami is the best place to do that! I don’t think I would like to bring any of them home though!!!