Monthly Archives: February 2016

Feb25

Teen Talk: Episode #16

Posted on February 25, 2016 by LookingfortheSweetSpot

Ready for a snack?

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you another episode of Teen Talk. I assure you, everything you are about to hear is real and unedited. Please, do not try this at home. Unless you are Euell Gibbons.

One day, Teen confronted the Food Nazi (aka Mom).

Mom: “Did I tell you I am on the food committee for the post prom party?”

Teen: “Seriously?”

Mom: “What? I can make good snacks.”

Teen: “Sure”

Mom: “I can! I like sweets just as much as the next guy…”

Teen: “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa…let me stop you right there before you say something we’ll both be sorry for later.”

The End

For more Teen Views: Teen Talk

Feb8

Copenhagen in 7 Hours of Daylight: The Architecture

Posted on February 8, 2016 by LookingfortheSweetSpot

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Toy Boat

I would to like say that my prime purpose in taking photos of architecture when visiting a new city is purely random captures of beauty. But, the truth is, I know my brain. And while it has worked pretty well for me so far, it is not only fallible when trying to recall the looks of a city visited long ago, but sometimes downright negligent! Therefore, if I want to someday recall the look, feel and aesthetics of a city (and impress my kids by knowing where a particular movie scene was filmed), I must have photos to refer back to. To that end, I have begun to try to capture not only the historic aspects,

Marble Bridge & Christianborg Palace

Christianborg Palace Grounds

Frederik’s Church

Opera House

Amalienborg Palace – Residence of the Royal Family

But also, sometimes, just the beauty,

Round Tower

My favorite captures are the quirky architectural elements that I want to remember long after my brain tries to forget,

Short door anyone?

Purpose, please?

And sometimes, the architectural photos I take are just to remember the uniqueness of a city,

Crooked door

Window symmetry

The most interesting architecture is sometimes found in airports and train stations

Copenhagen Train Station

Copenhagen Airport

Sometimes, lets face it, it is just a good photo op…

Pizza in Nyhavn

And sometimes, it is just a photo begging to be taken.

Tall things in Copenhagen

Whatever the reason for the architectural photo, I am sure to remember Copenhagen – even if memory doesn’t serve!

Copenhagen in 7 Hours of Daylight: City of Art

Posted on February 4, 2016 by LookingfortheSweetSpot

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One of the intriguing aspects of travel, in my book anyway, is discovering the artistic sensibilities of a city. Separate and apart from the tourist attractions, historic buildings and popular sites, the art of an individual city can be found in many ways.

It is true, of course, that art can always be found in the local museums…

National Museum of Art

Viking Exhibit, National Museum of Art

However, my favorite forms of the artistic expression of a city are found just by walking down the street…

Christiania Grafitti Wall

New in front of old.

Sometimes interesting art can be found (even if it is puzzling) in store windows…

Some cities can even make an old relic into art…

Nyhavn Anchor

Sometimes the art is in the shadows…

And sometimes, to find the art in a city, you only have to walk into McDonalds…

McDonald’s Dining

McDonald’s Flair

For my part, it doesn’t matter how the art is discovered, as long as it is found.

Next time: Copenhagen – City of Architecture

Copenhagen in 7 Hours of Daylight: The City Walk

Posted on February 1, 2016 by LookingfortheSweetSpot

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Copenhagen…in the winter. There are definitely disadvantages to traveling during the off season – weather doesn’t always play nice and kids missing school. However, there are clear advantages – no lines, no crowds, cheaper hotels, and (depending on perspective) missing school.

On our recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark in December, however, we did encounter one slightly unexpected disadvantage – only 7 hours of daylight.

Copenhagen at 2:45 pm!

I mean, we knew to only expect barely 7 hours of light, but the reality didn’t really hit home until our first day at breakfast. There we were, at 7:00 am, ~~unable to sleep past 4 am due to jet lag time adjustment~~ up and raring to start our first day in a new city, awaiting sunrise…7:30 am…7:45 am…8:00 am…8:15 am…8:30 am…8:45 am…and finally the light began to peak through the darkness! We knew we only had until about 3:40 pm until darkness descended again – so the race was on!

We started in beautiful Nyhavn: