This is Santa's Village, and it's only ten minutes from my house. It's been around since I was a kid, but ironically my first time coming here wasn't until I was an adult. Specifically, last weekend. As you can see, it's pretty adorable and magical. My sis and I spent most of our time ice-skating and drinking the most delicious hot cider (spiked with Maker's Mark since I had a nasty cold and whiskey is my DayQuil). The kids meanwhile ran around climbing rock walls and doing who knows what else.
You might be thinking I've lost my mind wanting to come here once a month in 2019. Adorable and magical is good and all, but why the heck would I want to visit a place replicating the North Pole in, say, July? But believe it or not, this place is actually open all year long, and that's because in summer the emphasis is on THIS:
Skypark! It's a bike park at Santa's Village with awesome trails for all levels of riders, ranging from beginning to expert. They have bikes to rent, or you can bring your own. Clint and I purchased mountain bikes last year and have been looking for some awesome trails around here, and I dare say it doesn't get better than this. The best part of it is the trails dump you out right into the village. Specifically, the bar (a very cute and quaint cottagy-looking bar). Which means I can finish my bike ride with a nice cold beer or refreshing margarita!
This is heaven to me, guys.
Oh, the village also has rock climbing for the kids, zip-lining, and a rollerskating rink (that switches to ice-skating in winter). So we'll have all sorts of entertainment.
So here goes:
New Year's Resolution #2:
I will get my lazy butt to Skypark once a month to enjoy fun, outdoorsy stuff with the fam.
It seems weird that I have to make something fun into a resolution, but I kinda have to. This past year or so I've become a huge home-body. I'm exhausted from working all week so the temptation to spend my weekends as a hermit is hard to resist.
To ensure I meet this resolution, Clint and I purchased our season passes last night. I can't wait for warmer weather! But cold weather is good too...that just means more ice-skating and spiked cider.
OMG! You have ALL the awesome stuff over there!!! I mean, really! I'm not a bike rider, but I'd love to go ice skating and maybe zip-lining.
ReplyDeleteHa! I have to make fun a goal sometimes, too. Lol! Perfect resolution. ^_^ One of these days, I need to make a goal of getting out of the house once a month. :P
It's crazy that we have to set goals to do things we enjoy, right? Every time I have free time, I'm like YES, I can finally write. But I forget how invigorating it can be to go outside once in awhile; to do things that aren't a daily norm. Life's too short to not live out those kind of moments too.
Delete(Crap, am I having a midlife crisis?)
(Let's not explore that)
That place is so adorable! My folks use to take us when Candi was small. We always enjoyed ourselves. Then I heard they closed it and was pretty bummed, but my mom mentioned to me it reopened a couple of years ago. She said it's a bit different now, and that it's more expensive. I don't think I'll ever make it there again, both because I am terrified of mountain roads and because my folks are moving to AZ at the beginning of next year, so I don't have any family in CA anymore.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your summer bike rides, that sounds like fun!
I’m not sure what the prices were when we were little Kristyn, but it's definitely overpriced now for a one-time visit. Lucky for us, my niece works there and got us season passes at a huge discount. And food and drinks within the park are actually very reasonable!
DeleteI didn't know your folks were moving! I'm sad that this means no more future visits to California. :-(
Hope you have a great Christmas!
I think it's important to have fun. A few weeks ago I ... gasp! ... watched a movie! (It was Molly's Game, by the way.) A few days latter I saw my shrink and he asked me how my week was. When I started to tell him, he stopped me and said: Whatever you are about to say, write it down. I haven't ever seen you look this happy.
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess I have official permission to watch movies. (I followed it up by watching the first season of The West Wing.)
Anyway, I totally get your resolution. Doesn't hurt that there is beer at the end, right?
Oh, and Merry Christmas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxD6QLEzsu8&feature=share
I’d ask for that movie permission in writing. ;)
DeleteAnd you have a therapist? I remember you talking to one in the past, but I didn’t know it was a regular thing. How often do you see him?
The video...so beautiful. I was just thinking about this song.
Have a very Merry Christmas Tom.
I know it's probably too late for you to see it this Christmas, but I only just found out that Aimee Mann released a Christmas album a few years back:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyBOS4t4AHA&fbclid=IwAR2A4AV4j93dKH18stnSKpQomzs35rQdOfOELebkx62mjWW-fUj2fAViIAY
I do believe she is one of my favorite musicians.
Here is a video PT Anderson directed of hers using the cast of Magnolia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWreWQNiR4U
It haunts me.
You have seen Magnolia, right? If not, please see it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnamcFv_N9Q
I haven't seen it in years... I still think about it. Tell me it's not as good as I remember it. It's too painful, sometimes, to think of all the things from my past.
I see my therapist every week. It's pretty much the low point of my week. Except, sometimes I stop for tacos on the way home. That and the whole "it's okay to watch movies" thing make it worthwhile.
I wonder if he'd let me watch Magnolia.
Aimee Mann is awesome. Her voice has that low, sort of throaty quality that adds emotion to her Christmas carols.
DeleteI watched the trailer for Magnolia and it looks amazing. Based on some of the comments, I'm afraid it might be as good as you remember it.
I'm so intrigued by the once-a-week therapist thing and want to know more about it, but obviously this isn't the time/place to ask, so I'll have to live in suspense. One question that's niggling at me right now (based on the idea that therapy is usually cathartic) is: Shouldn't the therapist be the high point of your week?
Tacos make everything better.
Here's another Aimee Mann song from the movie - perhaps my favorite.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csif5R8BcTg
Trivia time - P.T. Anderson wrote the movie around the opening lines of the song I linked to above:
Now that I've met you
Would you object to
Never seeing each other again?
Anyway, I broke down and watched the movie on my phone in 10 or 20 minute chunks. Not an ideal way to watch a movie, but I can now say that the movie is as good as I remember. It's still one of my favorites. Even the scene - I won't spoil it for you - which would be utter cheese in the hands of a lesser director still holds up. The whole thing holds up. Not a scene feels dated or tired. Some of it seems even better. I always liked Henry Gibson's character, but upon this re-watch, he took on a depth that I hadn't seen before. He's a fairly minor character, but on this watch I spent more time thinking about the character story arcs since I know the plot so well.
Please see it.
It is much better than a lot of multiple story-arc films. For example, I watched St Elmo's Fire recently. It just falls completely flat when compared to Magnolia. It did demonstrate how difficult multiple story-arc films can be. It definitely heightened my appreciation of Magnolia.
(If you do watch Magnolia, please keep your eyes open for Felicity Huffman. She's listed as Cynthia in the credits. I think she is the woman who works with the kids on the game show, but it was hard to recognize her on my phone. And I don't know if I have time to re-watch and verify my hypothesis.)
As to therapy... Well, I can't go into depth here, as you said, but it is anything but cathartic. He hands me a vision of life I know I should want. And yet, I don't want it. Perhaps I am just a rebel at heart.
I see you have a new blog post. I hope to read it soon.
Nice blog. I also like to explore many of places. It is really fun when you go on a long ride with bicycle. Carbon Wheels Uk where you can get the carbon bikes.
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