Paurian

July 9, 2007December 7, 2018

Flashback – Denver Art Museum : May 11, 2007

Last May I took my family to the Denver Art Museum. It was recently renovated and I thought it should offer some level of interest and cultural awareness to our family. Once we arrived at the area, it became apparent that we’d have to pay for parking. Personally, I hate paying to park my car, but it’s a must here so be prepared to shell out around $8 for it.

With that said – this has got to be the coolest family friendly art museum on the face of the planet!

Coming up on July 14th, 2007 they are having a full free weekend! Saturday or Sunday – you show up and it’s free admission. You could participate in the world’s largest paint by number and get bragging rights when someone opens the next edition of the Guinness book of world records.

Better than that, around nearly every corner is some activity that kids three years and older could participate in with some level of parental supervision. There’s virtual bubble popping, postcard making, art bingo, multimedia centers, an entire kid’s activity area where children can build a chair, chalk it up and sit in it, a creative drawing project where you can post your finished art on a wall and much more.

I know this sounds like an advertisement, but finding an inexpensive to moderately priced family friendly excursion for a family of 6 is no easy task and when the opportunity comes, it’s great to share a good thing with other families.

Here are a few penny-pinching tips for those who are trying to keep a tight budget.

* bring a lunch. Note: You can’t have open food or drink throughout the museum except in their beautiful cafe.

* go on a free day: Usually the first Saturday of each month, but check their site for specials.

* parking: sigh. I don’t think you can skimp on this unless you live in that area or park and ride the public buses. I suggest you shell out the dough and park at the museum parking lot.

If you plan a little, it’s easily under $10 for a day of cultural enrichment for your entire family!

June 29, 2007December 7, 2018

Little Wonders

In the small town of Richfield Utah on 101 main street there is a little green-roofed restaurant that if not for a classic storefront sign jutting over the sidewalk would be easily dismissed. But that red and white sign beaconed out. As it was approaching 1 and this looked like a salivary adventure, we took the opportunity to stop.

It wasn’t a stinky, oily fast food dump. It wasn’t a schmaltzy hotel cash sponge. It wasn’t on the side of the highway with a big plastic cow and wagon nailed to the roof. It was clearly a local diner with a home-town feel and full of locals and home cooked food.

On the other side of the building there is a dilapidated sign which looked as old as the founding date printed on it: Since 1929. Even the original Dick and Mac McDonald’s place didn’t open until 1940.

The potato salad is fantastic as are the burgers. You can substitute meat patties with veggie ones which is perfect for us.

What also drew our attention were hand crafted wooden signs posted around the walls:
“Stephen King sat here”
“Tommy Lee Jones sat here”
“Robert Wagner and Jill St. John sat Here”
“Kurt Russell sat here”
… and others

We inquired about these signs. The waitress mentioned with a smile that there are a good number of films made in Utah. Sometimes a private airplane breaks down or needs work and people end up in Richfield.

It’s easy to understand the almost magnetic energy that draws famous actors and actresses, directors and writers to such a restaurant. It’s quaint, it’s cozy and it’s personal. It’s full of imagination and inspiration … and as the sign says: “home-style food when away from home.”

June 29, 2007December 7, 2018

Freebie Friday

Freebies and the way of the internet have changed over time. For example, back in the mid 1990’s you could get free packages of JellyBelly just for filling out your mailing address (no email was harvested to be sold to spammers). JellyBelly doesn’t do that anymore, but that gesture still rings loudly for large family penny-pinching dads.

Most results when searching for freebies online take you to participation businesses. You sign up for 9 credit cards (along with your soul) and they (just might) give you an iPod. I’ve been instructed to be wary of such ventures.

Fortunately, there is a site which tracks down the old fashioned freebie forms, though most forms require eMail these days. Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder provides a list of sites where you generally enter in a short form and wait for the goods to roll in. Just like the good ol’ days.

It’s even cheaper than the $39 Experiment since you don’t spend money on postage, though Tom Locke gets double-snaps for his humor and creativity. Someday I’ll do the same with my children to teach them the value of humor and not being afraid to ask.

What makes Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder really stand apart is that it has a mixture of free Christian resources side by side with fizzy bath tablets, McGruff (the Crime Dog) Trading Cards and a Monkey Brains (oatmeal) goodies bag. Fun stuff for kids, useful stuff for families.

Read the instructions on each site for privacy policies and restrictions. For example, there’s a limit of one Monkey Brains Goody bag per household, but each child’s name may be submitted for the McGruff trading cards.

Have Fun!