They probably have more Christmas lights on display than I have ever seen before. At least 100,000 of them at the Houstonian Hotel. In addition to all of the Christmas decorations, they also feature amazing holiday treats and even local entertainment. On this particular night, area students were getting up and singing songs while the crowd sung along, tapped their feet and clapped to the music.
I've been to the theatre many times but never the ballet. I had no idea what to expect with the Houston Ballet. I read some reviews about the annual production of The Nutcracker and found out this is a "new" version of the old show. What exactly did that mean? I had no idea. But I did find out that it is a $5 million production. For the price tag alone I was excited to see what was in store.
It is hard to say in one breath (try it, I dare you) but we're at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Winter Flower Show and Light Garden: Holiday Magic. The place has been transformed into an indoor winter wonderland with lights and flowers everywhere. Do you know how many thousands of poinsettias there are here? Really, do you know? I had to ask. Check out the interview on the next page.
Who knew you could go to an outdoor amusement park in Pittsburgh in December? Kennywood (don't think it's like Dollywood -- name is a coincidence, I'm told) really does deliver in the winter. True story: There was a duet of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers playing when we got here.
At first I thought things wouldn't be very festive in Pittsburgh since there was no snow in December. But the outdoor Christmas market took me right into the holiday spirit. Was this my chance to finally see Santa? Keep reading!
I have to admit, the fog was pretty annoying as we approached the Duquesne Incline. The worry was that we won't see the sights high above Pittsburgh. As we started the journey upwards the fog actually made for some really cool pictures. We had the best of both worlds: a spooky fog setting and then a bright and clear sunny view of the city. There is a lot of historical information here. Lots of old signage to read. It's quite fascinating.
