J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center

"The meek shall inherit the earth, but not its mineral rites."---J. Paul Getty

Charles Ray's sculpture of a boy proudly holding up a prize frog greets visitors to the Getty, and it is with the same pride that J. Paul Getty posthumously greets visitors to appreciate his amazing art collection accumulated over a remarkable lifetime.

Getty made a fortune in the oil industry, a feat many would dismiss as merely luck. After all, he was born December 15, 1892, into a wealthy family already established in that industry.

Upon graduating from college with degrees in Economics and Political Science in 1914, and having spent summers working for his father's oil company, Paul moved to Tulsa where he made his first million in two years. In 1917, he retired at age 25 to become a Los Angeles playboy, but two years later he returned to Oklahoma, where he made another $3 million during the Roaring '20s, a time he apparently enjoyed quite a bit.

By the time his father died in 1930, he had dismissed Paul as a wastrel unfit to oversee the family business, leaving him only 5% of a ten million dollar estate. Admittedly, a half million bucks in 1930 was a lot of coin, but by 1959 when J. Paul Getty moved to a Sutton Place, a 16th Century Estate in England, to live the rest of his life, he was one of the richest people who had ever lived.

He had taken advantage of the rampant pessimism of others to make shrewd investments in the 1930s and learned to speak Arabic to better negotiate oil contracts with Saudi shiekhs en route to his fortune.

While flying home when I was in the Air Force, I purchased his biography at an airport news stand a year or two after his 1976 death. Reading it, I became amused by many aspects of his life, especially his legendary thriftiness that belied his great wealth.

Because he felt like people were always taking advantage of him, he installed a pay phone at Sutton Place for his guests to use. For many years before that, he lived in posh hotels which he argued were less expensive than living in a staffed mansion. As you may recall, Mark Twain had a similar epiphany after he went bankrupt.

Infamy attached itself to his penny-pinching when he refused to pay the full ransom demanded by the kidnappers of his grandson, but in essence it serves as an example of the peril that comes with being outrageously wealthy.

Throughout his fascinating life journey that included five marriages and negotiating oil rights for 60 years on a seemingly unremarkable slice of desert in Saudi Arabia near Kuwait, Getty accumulated art, usually with the same parsimoniousness with which he approached the rest of his life.

I wonder how he would feel about the museum's purchase of Vincent Van Gogh's "Irises" in 1990. The painting, completed about three years before J. Paul Getty was born, sold in 1987 for $53.9 million to Alan Bond, who didn't have the money to close the deal. This led to the Getty buying it in 1990 for an undisclosed amount. I imagine Paul would have only wanted it at a discount. In any case, it is now valued at over $90 million, and it is the most expensive art on exhibit at the gallery.

Vincent Van Gogh undoubtedly would have been more shocked than Getty by the value of the painting he made in an insane asylum. During his lifetime, Vincent sold only one painting, and that being to his brother Theo, who we might surmise only bought it to give his crazy brother some sense of hope. A year after Vincent painted this impressionist picture of a patch of irises he found in the sanitarium garden, he killed himself.

Our guide did an excellent job explaining the museum highlights, including "Irises," in which she pointed out the purple outline of the leaves, which would never be found in nature. Art historians dispute the meaning of the vibrant painting, but I agree with those who say Van Gogh is represented, whether consciously or unconsciously, by the white iris that is the focal point due to the way the other irises lean toward it, almost as if they want to attack it. With the perspective of his popularity after death, perhaps the irises leaning could be considered a posture of interest rather than hostility.

We travel halfway around the world to appreciate remarkable palaces and exquisite art, but too often we ignore what can be easily found in our own back yard. The Getty Villa, which Julie and I visited earlier this year, and the Getty Center, are both beautiful palaces housing outstanding collections, a fitting monument to American royalty of the past century.

Like the Acropolis in Anthens, the Getty Center is perched with a commanding view of the surrounding area, including the city skylines, the beautiful coastline and even the artery pumping blood to the heart of Los Angeles, the 405 freeway. Getty bought the hillside in one direction to ensure no one would build on it. The person who sold the land for the museum to Getty kept a piece of land across the freeway, and his terraced vineyard brings another aspect of California within view.

Fourteen years after completion, the design by architect Richard Meier still feels modern or slightly futuristic, but more importantly, the design remains immentently functional as well as beautiful.

Upon arriving by tram at the museum from the nearby parking structure, we joined a free architecture tour, which briefly highlights different aspects of the structure, including how Meir used a combination of 30 inch squares and their multiples or submulitples to clad the structure in two materials designed to bring together ancient and modern, beige travertine and white aluminum. To placate neighbors whose mansions find the Getty in their direct sightline, Meir was forced to compromise his vision by painting some external aluminum beige. Because from the free the 30 inch squares would seem small, he made them 60 inch squares in that direction.

The architect included louvred panels in the gallery ceilings to allow natural light to filter through in order to see the paintings in the same light the artists saw them. The panels swivel to block direct sunlight from destroying the art. This type of thoughtful touch is included throughout the museum design.

Four galleries at the Getty Center house different periods between the Rennaissance and 1900, with primarily paintings on the second floor and three diminsional objets d'art on the bottom floor. More ancient art is housed at the Getty Villa in Malibu, and Getty disliked modern painting, so there is no permanent collection housed here or at the Villa, although on the outside modern sculpture enhances the architecture.

The fifth gallery breaks the rule against contemporary paintings with a temporary exhibit entitled Pacific Standard Time, featuring art from Los Angeles created between 1950 and 1970. There are some interesting pieces, including a huge canvas of stripes that start out dark on the bottom and become bright yellow on top which definitely caught my attention, but I'd say J. Paul Getty had good reason to disdain much of this "art" that honestly looks like poor attempts to re-create kindergarten paintings on large canvasses.

Then again art critics of an early Renoir impressionist painting now displayed at the Getty complained that the subject's dress looked like it was smeared with oil rather than conveying the impression of a beautful gown he intended.

For whatever reason, the temporary exhibit is the only section of the museum where photography is prohibited.

J. Paul Getty's generous endowment makes visiting the Getty accessible to everyone, with free admission, free highlight tours and, at least for the extent of the Pacific Standard Time run, free iPod audio guides. We really enjoyed both the architecture and art highlight tours, but we decided to bug out of the garden tour.

Parking is $15 per car, but you can forego even that modest cost by taking a city bus. We normally spend two or three hours at a museum, but the Getty enticed us to while away our day from 10 AM until 5 PM. The museum grounds include many lovely spots for meals and coffee breaks. We enjoyed a great Saturday.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum

"Just living is not enough, said the Butterfly. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower." ---Hans Christian Andersen

Copenhagen is one of those places you could return to repeatedly and find an entirely new experience each time.


While we essentially gave only passing glances to ostensibly its top attractions, Tivoli Gardens and the Little Mermaid statue, both of which are the brainchildren of the brilliant Hans Christian Andersen, a figure who undoubtedly influenced the great American Walt Disney, we nonetheless enjoyed an amazing visit. Perhaps the greatest surprise for us was the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum, which Julie called, at the end of our trip, the best museum she had ever visited.


Keep in mind that we previously have visited many more famous museums, including the Louvre, Getty and, on this trip, St. Peterburg's Hermitage. In terms of sheer size and scope, of course, the Glyptotek pales by comparison to the big boys, but for more casual art aficionados like ourselves, who spend only an hour or two in a museum, its accessibility and tastefully selected inclusions make it a great choice.


We always enjoy the work of French impressionist painters, and the Glyptotek has an interesting though certainly limited exhibit over a series of levels. Continuing to ascend upwards, we found ourselves upon a rooftop with a panoramic view of some Tivoli Garden rides and other parts of Copenhagen.

Of more interest to me than the paintings were the assorted works of my favorite sculptor, Auguste Rodin, including copies of The Kiss, The Thinker and The Burghers of Calais. I saw several more obscure Rodin pieces I'd never seen before, and lots of sculptings in a similar beautifully realistic style.

Despite having free admission on Sundays, the museum was uncrowded, even in the surprising central garden atrium which is a beautiful place to relax between museum wings. Neo-classical sculpture and lovely plants create a tranquil environment.

Even more surprising than the central garden were some tile arrangements I found in the Mediterranean exhibit. My wife and I were both drawn to their unique designs. Reading the placard, I learned these came from the walls by the gates to the ancient city of Ishtar, which brought to mind the quirky movie of the same name that I think only I, with my odd sense of humor, enjoyed. As I read on, I learned they had been commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar, a name I remembered from Sunday school classes long ago. It turns out that inside the gates of Ishtar could be found the Tower of Babel. I didn't take a photo for some reason, but you can see the tile lion in the middle of this video I found on youtube. (5/2/13-I just noticed that video is no longer available, so I substituted one that doesn't have the gates of Ishtar.)

For those of you who didn't go to Sunday school, you might wish to contemplate the following quote about the Tower of Babel that comes from Genesis Chapter 11:

4...“Come on! Let us build ourselves a city and also a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, for fear we may be scattered over all the surface of the earth.” 5 And Jehovah proceeded to go down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built. 6 After that Jehovah said: “Look! They are one people and there is one language for them all, and this is what they start to do. Why, now there is nothing that they may have in mind to do that will be unattainable for them. 7 Come now! Let us go down and there confuse their language that they may not listen to one another’s language.” 8 Accordingly Jehovah scattered them from there over all the surface of the earth, and they gradually left off building the city. 9 That is why its name was called Ba′bel, because there Jehovah had confused the language of all the earth, and Jehovah had scattered them from there over all the surface of the earth.

The Huntington

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino (near Pasadena) would be challenging to see in a full day, so annual memberships allowing repeat visits are appealing for those living in the area.  We visited following our breakfast and hike down Mount Baldy, so we didn't arrive until almost 3 PM and tried to experience the gist of it in an hour and a half.

While many people visit the great museums and palaces of Europe, we sometimes ignore treasures close to home.  We are blessed in Los Angeles County with some truly great museums, including the Getty Center and Norton Simon Museum.  Like The Getty Mansion, The Huntington is very much like one of the great castles of Europe in that the palatial library and museum are surrounded by acres of gorgeous gardens, carefully planned and and meticulously maintained.

Signs direct visitors to the diverse areas like the Desert Garden, Lily Pond, Japanese Garden and Rose Garden, but it helps having the free map available at the entance.  We wandered around the 207 acres, enjoying every section we visited.  For those interested in details, the plants are carefully identified by individual placards. Julie and I took in the overall beauty as a whole.

We reluctantly headed indoors within an hour, because we also wanted to see some of the art, including the museum's best known attractions, The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough (1770) and Pinkie by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1794), to which we were directed by a helpful staff member we encountered in the garden.  It is right that these pieces would represent the museum's permanent exhibits, because while there are some lovely bronze sculptures, landscapes and tapestries among the collection, it is dominated by portraits.  What for me is particularly interesting about portraits is how standards of beauty evolve over time.  You can assume that the artist did his best to portray his subject in the most favorable light possible to accentuate features considered beautiful within that time while at the same time keeping the subject identifiable to family and friends.

I was happy to find a beautiful painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart in our whirlwind tour of the Huntington Art Gallery.  Another highlight for me was the paneled library featuring many of the great books in the world.  Seeing leather clad, multiple volume sets like the History of Japan and the History of India, I realized how much I had never learned, but at the moment I wondered if I had read any, my eyes found Alexis de Toqueville's Democracy in America, which was required reading in a political science class long ago.  As I think about it, much of the best literature I have ever read was required by college classes, and I am grateful for having been directed to them.

There are more art galleries on the grounds, and the impressive Huntington Library itself, which is an entire building separate from the small library we saw. The Huntington Library holds many great works, including an original Gutenberg Bible, the first seven drafts of Thoreau's Walden, and the manuscript of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, which I happen to have recently read without being instructed to do so by a teacher.

However, we only had time to visit the vast expanse of green lawn lined by sculptures of which we caught a glimpse through a large window before the 4:30 closing time, and we'll need to return another day to see more. 

To get your money's worth out of the admission ($20 weekdays or $23 weekends), you should plan to spend an entire day there. 

By the way, if you were wondering, The Huntington was founded by Henry Huntington, the same person for whom Huntington Beach is named. Huntington worked with his Uncle Collis, a railroad tycoon, eventually becoming a real estate developer in Southern California as well as coming to dominate the streetcar market, including the well-remembered Red Cars, which served to supplement heavy rail for local transportation. That he divorced his wife and married his uncle's widow, who was about the same age as Henry, I will leave to the psychologists to contemplate, but as you can imagine it outraged the highbrow Pasadena community.

Simplifying Groups

Cruise lines love groups.  Groups fill ships by the dozens rather than by the room.

Hedge Maze at Getty Museum in L.A.

Even more, cruise lines love groups who work through travel agents, because any time decisions must be made by more than one person or a couple, planning can get quite complicated, with lots of questions and possible confusion.

For the same reasons, you should enlist a friendly, knowledgeable travel agent if you want to plan a reunion with family, friends and associates.  A travel agent costs you nothing, because while specific deals may come and go, cruise lines (and most resorts) won't undersell agents.  A travel agent saves you time, energy and frequently money while directing you to the best value on the cruise that best fills your needs.

If you want to build a group, just send an email to Wes@CruisePlanners1.com saying when and where you want to go, with any preferences regarding cruise lines or ports.  The more specific you are, the better I can help you quickly and accurately identify the best possible cruise or land vacation for you and your group.

Pool on Carnival Victory

For example, a valuable client recently contacted me about a 4 to 7 night cruise leaving in July or August for her family reunion.  I began by letting her know that prices tend to drop for the Caribbean as we move deeper into August, and so I needed to know what the latest acceptable date.  The response was through Saturday, August 22, 2015. 

I found an excellent value on a 5 night Western Caribbean cruise that I was sure fit their parameters. This cruise has great terms, including prices about 20% below current "lead rates" in select categories and zero money down for double occupancy rooms until full deposit of $200 per person is required on April 13, 2015.  The ship has relatively large standard rooms, with lots that will accommodate triple and quads. 

Wes and Julie at Margaritaville in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

While most groups require full deposit when specific staterooms are assigned, and for any triple or quad room a specific room must be assigned at the time of booking because not all rooms will accommodate more than two passengers, someone can hold a double with no money down and gamble that the triple or quad will be available when April rolls around. 

Easy destination for group cruise from So Cal?  Ensenada!

Or, if it is esssential that they have a quad room, they can hold it with a refundable deposit, forgoing the miniscule interest they would earn on that money in a savings account. The choice is for each individual family.

And if it doesn't work out?  There's not a penalty.

It turned out that they usually hold their reunion on the week of August 8, and therefore were really only interested in that week.  Not a probelm.  I'll find a different cruise for them and offer that group space I held to other lucky people, including you!  Just click the hot link above to get started.



La Fontaine Dining Room on Holland America Zuiderdam

Sometimes, you might have some friends who definitely want to join you on a dream cruise, but you doubt you will have eight rooms, which is the minimum size for setting up a group and possibly getting special group amenities or pricing.  I can hold a group and then work on selling extra staterooms, as with this terrific Panama Canal cruise (click on the hotlink to see if you want to get one of these discounted rooms). 

However, while cruise lines have attempted to simplify cruises, it can be somewhat confusing to explain to your friends, so you need an ally to help you out.

Better service leads to better trips, and that includes organizing your group so that you don't have to spend seven days a week doing it yourself.

By the way, if you want to combine a fun cruise with fundraising, we have specific group programs that make it simple to help your cause.

Conscious Capitalism Conundrum

I've been reading Conscious Capitalism, a book co-written by John Mackey, founder and co-CEO of Whole Foods, so it is somewhat natural that I decided to walk over to the Redondo Beach branch to see about buying dinner.

My prior visits to Whole Foods resulted in buying nothing in what seemed like a pricy grocery store, but my son, who also gave me the book, said he walks to the one in Brentwood on a regular basis to pick up a few items.

I  will grant Whole Foods several advantages.  The open layout and relatively subdued lighting do make shopping feel like a more laid back experience than the typical Von's or Target, which strive for maximum utilization of floor space along with bright lights which, as I seem to recall from a marketing class long ago, energize the customers to shop more rapidly and buy more.

 

Swimming with Stingrays

There are tasty free samples around the store, like the excellent French cheese I tried, which I assume was made from the milk of grass-fed cows from the Loire Valley during a full moon or something, and it was truly excellent, although at $15.99 per pound seemed a bit steep for my purposes. 

I have no doubt the animals who give their lives to be displayed in the butcher's case have been treated more humanely, and the produce may indeed have a bit more flavor or have a trace less of some negative afterproduct of petroleum-based fertilizers or pesticides.

For me, however, the obstacle remained: price. 

It didn't deter the other unrushed shoppers, all of whom, whether wearing stylish equestrian gear (presumably having recently ridden her stallion in Rancho Palos Verdes), tennis togs worthy of Serena Williams or dapper business attire, were quite attractive and moved with ballet-like grace, regardless of age.

A shopping cart whooshed by me, ridden like a skateboard by someone with a foot propped on the bottom rack and pushed with her back foot, just as I used to do it when I was a boy.  I was surprised to note she was gray-haired woman smiling broadly.  No one bought all that much, but apparently focusing on quality rather than quantity was paying off.

Germany

Seeing the cheapest boneless, skinless chicken breast on sale was $8.99 a pound, and most produce triple the prices at my regular grocery stores like Sprouts and Ralph's, I couldn't force myself to buy anything.  However, I do respect those whose budgets allow them to comfortably indulge their tastes and elevated consciousness regarding nurition and animal rights. 

I walked out and headed for Albertson's, where I bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $2.99 a pound, no longer that worried about the fact that I couldn't find them for under $2 a pound in any of the weekly newspaper ads as I usually do.  They too have more expensive "organic" options priced between their entry level and Whole Foods prices, but I personally tend to opt for the more cost effective option, if I deem the quality good enough based on visual inspection combined with past experience.  Once it is seasoned and cooked, I couldn't tell you where it was raised. 

Getty Museum Garden Maze
 

I can't help but compare this to selling cruises.





I have always striven to uphold the principles of Conscious Capitalism, even before I heard of the concept.  Unlike Whole Foods, however, my prices are essentially the same as competitors, even for premium quality.  I will educate you of the possibilities and refine the selection to the areas of greatest interest into your own customized "store."

I was shocked to read that only 4% of Americans polled think that travel agents offer the best pricing, which is a definite perception problem for me personally, because I don't charge any additional fees like many travel agents do. 

Apples to apples, I have no doubt that I compare quite favorably with web sites like Expedia and Travelocity, which in that same poll 48% of Americans said they believe have the best prices. 



Azamara Quest

If you believe that, know that I too have a strong consumer booking engine.  Simply use my web site or app to book.  Prices should be as good as Expedia or Travelocity. 

 I am happy to do my best to improve the deal after it's booked and provide the same follow through whether you had place the reservation with me in person or online.  I will also prepare you for your trip by advising you of activities in each port.

The difference of contacting me directly, beyond the fact that I will do the work of finding the best values for you, is that I might see some special that will be available in the near future, and I can help you sort through the different promotions, which can be confusing. With American Express as well as Cruise Planners giving me top producer pricing with all cruise lines, I am also happy to recommend a different cruise you may not have considered but might be a better fit for your needs.

To me, that is customer service, but apparently 45% consider booking online more convenient.  If that is you, I again recommend using my web site or app to book for pricing and convenience like Travelocity and Expedia.  Check it our for yourself.  Get the online price at CruisePlanners1.com and then check it against the others.  If you really want nothing more, book where it's cheapest.

And lest there be any doubt, the best value for your vacation dollar is cruising. 



However, if you want a land trip, I am happy to book that for you too.  I represent all of the top tour companies and vacation packagers, including companies like Pleasant Holidays that will price match any legitimate offer.  Then again, most times I will initially recommend better trips, where the air arrangements are more direct and at times that stretch your vacation and minimize flight fatigue, and include items like transfers and cancel-for-any-reason insurance that includes price protection if the rates drop, which comes in very handy when booking several months in advance.

And know that if you demand only the best, I will respect that wish and focus on that area for you. 

My Conscious Capitalism Conundrum is why you would choose to book anywhere else, but my biggest concern is:

Where in the world would you like to go?

Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!

In my annual Christmas letter, I focus on the positive changes and events, but sometimes a shadow of sadness must be reported.  This year, Julie’s mother Edna passed away in the fall after a long period of declining health.  She will be missed by all of us, but she was ready to make her transition.

At the other end of the life spectrum,  granddaughter Emma turned one in June, and she seems to already understand everything, or at least everything within her sphere of influence in the present moment.  We were fortunate to spend some time with her and her parents on several occasions throughout the year.  Daughter Gina brought Emma to California for an extended visit in November and December, which has been fantastic.  Gina worked at USC as part of her new five year grant project.  Securing that grant was the biggest headline for Gina this year, ensuring her position at Columbia University.  Gina continues to have a steady stream of public health articles published in prestigious journals, and she serves as an editor for American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Her husband Laszlo couldn’t join us in California due to his obligations as a computer teacher at the Museum School, a public high school in New York, but his mother Ria came for about the last three weeks to help care for Emma.

Jay’s big headline also related to work.  He secured a permanent position with Universal Music Group, the leading music company in the world.  He’s been enjoying all aspects of his job, which involves music placement within television and film soundtracks, and has been receiving lots of positive feedback from supervisors and associates.  Finding employment has been difficult for college graduates the last three years, but Jay managed to land one exactly in his preferred career path.  He loves his work, which utilizes his extensive knowledge of music, TV, movies and video games. His vocation is truly his avocation, and he has attended many concerts and screenings.  He still lives in the San Fernando Valley, where he added a new roommate who has become a good friend.  Jay has been hiking in the wilderness on weekends, frequently accompanied by his roommate or one of his other friends.  We're happy to say Jay still takes time to come visit Mom and Pop, whether for some homemade meatloaf or a happy hour at Patrick Molloy's.

Amy has been busy at UConn.  Amy started the year with Julie and Wes at the Grand Canyon, a preamble to cheering on UConn’s football team in Phoenix's Fiesta Bowl. UConn didn’t fare nearly as well on the gridiron as their basketball team did during their amazing run to the NCAA Championship.  Amy went with Honors students to help rebuild New Orleans over spring break.  For the summer, Amy landed a prized internship with Hearst Publications at Country Living Magazine, a job that prompted her to send e-mails saying, “Love love love my job!”  She stayed with Gina, Laszlo and Emma for the summer, which made it even more special.  She only came home for a weekend in summer, to attend cousin Kelsey’s wedding, an occasion that also brought Laszlo, Gina and Emma from New York to join the California contingent.  For Thanksgiving Break, Amy flew to Paris to spend the week with a UConn friend spending semester studying abroad.  In between, Amy managed to hold down a paid editor position with the Daily Campus and earn straight A’s despite a heavy load.

With Julie’s company of the last 10 years, CSC, announcing they would consolidate headquarters in their Virginia headquarters near DC, we balked at making the cross-country move, opting to stay in Southern California.  Julie officially leaves in early 2012, but she already landed a new position as Director of Corporate Benefits at Wyle Labs, which happens to be about a hundred yards from where she currently works.  She has high hopes, because she no longer will have 71 unions to juggle as she did at CSC.

Wes continued to work as a cruise consultant, helping lots of great people embark on dream vacations.  Jay, Amy, Julie and Wes took an amazing vacation to the Greek Isles, spending time exploring Rome and cruising to fantastic ports including Chania, the beautiful village on Crete where Julie’s grandfather Nick embarked for America about a hundred years ago.  We had the privilege of visiting the mountain village of Madaro, seeing the small stone house where Grandpa Nick was raised as one of eleven brothers.  We’re grateful to her cousins Nikos helped us make connections and Vasilis, who acted as both translator and guide.

Julie and I also flew to Connecticut for a week at the start of the school year.  We enjoyed a great trip visiting the Hartford area.  We even attended another UConn football game, which they again lost despite the home field advantage. Gina and Laszlo came up to join us for a weekend trip to Mystic, CT, along with Amy and Jordan.

Julie and Wes continued to stretch the wings of empty nesters, taking some weekend trips to places like Las Vegas or day trips to local landmarks like the Getty Museum.

We will end the year skiing in Big Sky, Montana, an annual trip we cherish courtesy of my sister Darlene and her husband Brooks.  It is always a highlight of the year for us to return to these gorgeous mountains and enjoy several days of great home cooking, comfortable accommodations and fantastic skiing. 

Enjoy a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!