COLUMN: Maybe next year
Ahhhhhh… the New Year’s Break. A chance to get away, to relax. Too bad it’s over. Mine was fabulous: California weather, a little skiing, some cultural exposure. It was great.
The Getty Center
I spent a happy two hours wandering the modern-looking Getty Center in Los Angeles. From the moment of arrival, the visitor is stricken with awe at the rock and glass panels that comprise the museum. There are 164,648 square ft. of exterior glass and 3,200 doors. It’s easy to think curves at The Getty Center. The buildings are flush with them.
Its current photography exhibits of “About Life” by Dorothea Lange and “The Grapes of Wrath,” by Horace Bristol enlightened me to the poverty and sadness that accompanied California’s migrant workers during The Great Depression. Bristol’s photographs were used as reference for the film version of John Steinbeck’s novel.
The Getty Center houses some exquisite decorative arts from France: beds, sculptures, etchings and paintings. Admission to the museum is free, but parking is $5 per car. More info is on www.getty.edu. But if that isn’t your style, check out the New Year’s celebration that could have been.
Caesars Pocono Resorts
Caesars Pocono Resorts offer a luxurious getaway for two. Try spending time with your loved one in a 7-foot-tall Champagne Glass Whirlpool Bath for Two. This sexy hot tub lets you get as close as you want while you wait for fireworks to go off at the start of the new year.
The champagne glass holds 125 gallons of water, and if it were to be filled with Dom Perignon champagne, it would be a $50,000 dip. These special whirlpools are only found at Caesars, and the resort houses 176 of them. They were invented by Morris B. Wilkins, the resorts’ founder who is now retired.
Check them out on the Web at www.caesarspoconoresorts.com.
Skydive City
Zephyrhills, Fla. is home to Skydive City, which has been open since 1991. Open seven days a week, Skydive City gives the New Year’s Eve extreme sports enthusiast the chance to sky dive into the new year. Picture yourself loading onto a plane and jumping out at 11:45 p.m. By midnight, you are floating safely to Earth, screaming “Happy New Year!” They are on the Web at www.skydivecity.com.
The White Pig
If I said you should head out to central Virginia for an all-vegan celebration at a bed and breakfast that also gives residents access to four miniature pot-bellied pigs, would you think I was crazy?
You might, unless you are vegan, of course. Maybe you just love pigs. Each of the guest rooms is named after one of the owners’ pigs, and the nearby Briar Creek Farm was once an inspiration for “The Waltons.” Hiking, birdwatching, meditation, stargazing and massages are all available at The White Pig.
The meals, as you would expect, are vegan and are prepared by Chef Dina. Here are some sample breakfasts:
* Organic granola with fruit-flavored soy yogurt and seasonal fresh fruit
* Scrambled tofu and organic vegetables with home fries and whole wheat toast
If you’re like me, scrambled tofu and soy yogurt are a bit scary. But to each his own. Nonetheless, with downhill skiing only 30 minutes away in Wintergreen, Va., winter can be just as fun as an idyllic spring or fall.
So if you think you need a little spice in your celebration, start saving now. Make next New Year’s Eve one to remember.
Joe Dougherty is the editor in chief of The Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to jmdo@cc.usu.edu.