Art – Page 8 – Paurian Café

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 27, 2007December 7, 2018

Antelope Canyon

Last week my family went on a circle tour of some great desert locations including a stop at Page Arizona. Page is nestled against the Navajo Nation reservation where the Antelope canyon and other slot canyons rest within wind carved sand dunes. We hired a Navajo guide to take us onto their land and had a great time taking pictures.

Several decades ago these slot canyons were open and free to the public. They had been discovered by sheep herders who would inevitably find their animals resting in the cool shade during the heat of the day within these slot canyons. Over time they brought friends in to see the canyons and ultimately closed them off from the public and started charging admission. This is usually anywhere from $15 to $45 per person depending on how duration and time of day the tour takes place.

Some tour guides don’t count their guests which means people do occasionally get left behind in the desert. Strange policies are in place which prohibit any tour guide other than the one who brought the guest to drive them out of the 5 miles of burning hot desert. For this reason alone you want a reputable tour guide. We used Robert and Carolene Ekis’ company as our guides.

It should also be forewarned that they are heavy on the guilt trips when wanting to milk high gratuities from you. This goes double if they think you are a professional photographer. Tips may go anywhere from $5 for a disgruntled look to $20 for a half-hearted “thank-you”. A general guideline is at least $5 per adult and $1 per child for a basic visit. If they’re very helpful with pointing out shot locations tack on another $5 or so. Professional photographers get some special treatment (don’t know what) and it sounded like they wanted at least a $20 tip from them.

For an Indian guide to retain rights to bring tours into the canyons they have to perform a ceremony within them each year. They give homage to the earth, water and sky. Not exactly sure what that entails.

It was great fun. If I return, I’ll make sure to get special permission to sell the photos. Without that certificate the photos have to remain free and for non-profit use only. Almost sounds like open-source photography.