Christmas Links > Silent Night Museum + Magic of Advent
November 3, 2006
The first one is about the “Silent Night! Holy Night!” Museum in Salzburg, Austria. Yes, exactly! There is a Museum about this world-wide famous Christmas song.
Visit the Museum’s web-site at: http://www.silentnightmuseum.org
The second link is again an Austrian one. The Magic of Advent in Vienna! Christmas in Vienna!
Visit the web-site at: http://www.christkindlmarkt.at
Disneyland Resort Paris > more
November 3, 2006
The most festive season of the year is celebrated all throughout the Disneyland Park with wonderful decorations, shows and parades creating an atmosphere of a come true true fairy tale christmas…
When the cold north wind comes down in early November and the last leafs are falling down, the weather may become less inviting, but Disneyland Resort Paris, the themeparks, the hotels and the Disney Village are then starting in the most festive and special season of all: Christmas that here traditional lasts from mid November till early January. All of the parks and the resort is decorated in seasonal-style, that can be found only during this special time of the year, and transform it into the merriest place in the world. So come on, step through the turnstiles of the Disneyland Park into a magical world… After crossing the Station Plaza the festive decorated Main Street U.S.A. will take you on a time-travel back to the Christmas celebrations at the dawn of the century. The snow powdered Town Square will catch your eyes with its winter forrest with numerous trees that has taken over Town Square and form the perfect backdrop for the Christmas Carollers. Guests taking a short detour into among the trees formin a real snow covered forrest feel like in a true winter wonderland - just likne in another world, deep in a cold forrest with no hassle and crowds anywhere near.
Having walked around or through this atmospheric opening for your day you will see the arches of the Lights of Winter above the snow covered Main Street - what right now, in the morning sun, looks a bit strange will become a marvellous illumination later on the day. But right now enjoy a walk toward the castle or a ride down the Main Street on one of the horse drawn streetcars or first automobiles. Not only the street and the buildings have put on their holiday-clothes below the white snow that is sprinkled across the roofs but also the two arcades, which are a welcome retreat especially on rainy or very cold days. The numerous shops have polished every doorknob and hung up garlands and all sorts of decorations. Nearly every store has put some seasonal products and great gifts onto its shelves even so the Bixby Brothers have seasonaly specialized their whole store with detailed decorations presenting the widest choice of christmas ornaments, plushs and everything you may ask for in this season.
But before you do your Christmas-Shopping take a minute or two to discover the stories of the 51 decorated shop windows toward the Main Street. Since the first Christmas-Season at Disneyland Paris in 1992 they are decorated each year to retell a different fairy tale or present a common theme with miniature models - the theme for 2004/2005 is “Fairy Tale Christmas” which is also the overall theme for the celebrations in the whole Disneyland Park the second year in a row… As each year there are countless fantastic scenes waiting to be discovered in the shop windows, so take your time to enjoy the special atmosphere which is further enhanced by the Christmas Carollers that walk around the Main Street and the two arcades and perform famous Christmas carols from all over the world in classical a-capella-style, as back in the Victorian times. So what about sitting down with a hot chocolate and enjoying this wonderful performance? And even if you miss the Carollers the soundtrack of the area with classic christmas favorites in new, powerfull but still enchanting renditions will add that magical extra to the atmosphere… And with a little bit luck maybe the magical snow fall sets in while you listen to the wonderful voices and the white snow flurries dance through the air soon covering all of the Main Street in white - a specatcle sure to awake childhood memories in the older guests and make the younger guests race around trying to catch a flurry, especially when happening at night…
Even the Christmas-shopping becomes less hectic in this atmosphere on the Main Street with its decorations covered in magical, glitzing white snow - but keep in mind that the shops in the other four lands of the Disneyland Park also have wonderful Christmas-gifts and seasonal products in store, even so the Christmas-decorations are a bit more reserved there. If you do shop on the Main Street you will find the stores especially crowded in the last hours before the park closes - so take advantage of the free shopping service, that allows you to do your shopping in the more relaxed hours during the day, when you also will be able to enjoy the decorations that continue all through the stores.
But first of all: lets continue our journey through the festive decorated theme park - having walked down the Main Street with its decorated facades and the Lights of Winter arches you will reach the Central Plaza with it’s snow covered surroundings featuring special decorations in honor of the most famous Disney Princesses. Over all of this the giant, 25 meter high Christmas Tree will tower decorated lovingly with over 7000 candles, sweets and garlands that measure over one kilometre in length! Not only children will marvel at this sight, which for the fist time since 1992 has moved from Town Square to a new location between the castle and the Castle Stage. The tree now compliments the snow covered wonderland that Central Plaza has become … and (another premiere) includes layers of snow on the castle itself!
At this magical world fairy tale world with its wonderful seasonal atmosphere the steps are easily diverted away from the castle further to the right, where Santa Claus’ workshop has sprung up among a snowy forest on the Castle Stage. Here Santa Claus greets children of all ages from a few months to more than 100 years and does his best to make the wishes come true! But again behind it the Chateau De La Belle Au Bois Dormant, that has been decorated in style for the season covered in snow, invitingly stretches its turrets into the sky. Why not walk right into the castle? The large hall and the gallery on the first floor have been decorated lovingly. Weather permitting you have the opportunity to step onto a balcony overlooking the Fantasyland and it’s Christmas-decorations from the first floor of the castle. Entering the castle from the Main Street you will also immediately notice the Boutique du Chateau on your right side. This all year-round Christmas-shop is now a definite must-see during the Christmas-season as even Santa Claus could shop here so unbelievable is the choice.
On your walk around the park to the centers of the Christmas-Celebration, that has transformed every corner of the park into a Christmas-Land with its heart in the Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland, you now could leave the castle and step into Fantasyland. The picturesque small buildings housing shops, restaurants and rides all shine in their Christmas-Decorations making it a wonderful area just to walk around and enjoy the special spirit of the season … especially as Fantasyland is the home of Bell’s Christmas Village, too. Located between Alice’s Curious Labyrinth and the Old Mill, right in front of the Storybookland, Belle’s Village from the animated classic has been faithfully recreated, including the marketplace with the famous fountain, which now is all covered with snow and ice glitzening in the sun. There, right at the frozen fountain, located on the terrace behind the Old Mill, guests can not only sit down to enjoy the unique atmosphere but also meet Belle and her friends to join them when Belle reads from her book. If this does not sound like the right idea in the frosty air - what about joining a dance at the fountain? Gaston, his sidekick Le Fou and the three Bibmettes, who always follow Gaston, will dance several times daily right onto the marketplace inviting guests to join their little impromptu parade which culminates in some joined singing and dancing (after which they will be happy to grant autographs too). These and other encounters with Belle and her friends from Beauty & the Beast, who invite every guest to celebrate Christmas with them, transform Fantasyland in a truly enchanted Christmas dream with small wodden huts where countless magical christmas surprises await the guest… as a puppet theater, a glass blower and all those yuletide fares that just have to be available - e.g. hot chestnuts, marshmellows, …
Having wandered around the village for a while and enjoying the atmosphere - hopefully including a visit to the storybookland at its far end to hop onto the circus train Casey Jr. for a fun ride - you should guide your steps to the right coming from the castle, bypassing Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups on your right till you arrive at It’s A Small World. Since 1999 this ride houses the Celebration of Celebrations From All Over The World during the holiday season. So board one of the boats and journey around the world to encounter children everywhere celebrating their most important festivities, from classical Christmas to the Moon Celebrations of Africa. This surely will heighten your festive mood.
Depending on how much time you did take yourself and which rides you already enjoyed now it may be already time for the Christmas-Parade, which walks down the parade-route through Fantasyland and Main Street, U.S.A., from It’s A Small World toward the Town Square (or the other way round). The Disney Christmas Parade with a unique christmas soundtrack presents the famous Disney Princesses and Princes on impressive floats as they celebrate the most festive season of the year together with their royal courts, all clad in white and golden coloured gowns - even the chimney sweepers of Mary Poppins have dressed up, not to forget the dancing wood soldiers, a towering nutcracker, Mickey, Minnie and their friends. As the final highlight Santa Claus himself greats the guests from up on a gigantic sleigh drawn by six majestic, real reindeer. This enchanting parade will let you forget even the cold winds of the winter, that bring the smell of nuts and sweets out of the many shops and restaurants to you. And thanks to the magical snowfall that sets in during the parade on the Main Street, one finally is transported away…
Still after standing next to the parade-route what about a little rest? This would be a great time for a little stop in one of the restaurants for a coffee and a piece of cake, that all are lovingly decorated inside, too. Or just to take a walk into Frontierland. The Chaparral Theater on the shores of the Rivers of the Far West invites you to see the daily show Mickey’s Winter Wonderland, a musical-winter-comedy which is great fun for children and adults alike and will warm up your heart with a bit of frosty winter-magic, love and some comedy. It tells the story of Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and Chip and Chap on a vacation in the snowy mountains for which the stage has been transformed into a scenic snow-landscape complete with a picturesque mountain-hut and a frozen lake in front of the snowy mountains with real live trees! Celebrating not so much Christmas but the season of winter this wonderful show of dance, song, ice-skating and comedy is a real must!
To see a real Christmas-Show you should come to the Fantasy Festival Stage in front of the Fantasyland Station. Take a seat under the glass-roof and start celebrating Christmas with Mickey and his friends in another musical-show called Mickey’s Christmas including all your favorite Christmas-Songs and a lot of Disney Magic. The show is already a traditional at Disneyland Paris as it is one of the most beloved shows each year since the first Christmas-Season in ‘92. So take some time to see what happened after Mickey and Minnie fell asleep while decorating their Christmas Tree…
Now you should have gained new strength to enjoy the wonderful decorated park for the rest of the day - as the sun sets down there is more magic awaiting you … so guide your steps back to the Main Street for another highlight of your day: the Christmas Tree Lightning Ceremony, taking place on Central Plaza. The most beloved Princesses and their Princes from the animated Disney classics join Santa Claus and his elfs in a moving, romantic ceremony full of song, dance and magic before a well known, small fairy arrives to sprinkle her dust all over the Christmas Tree from where the magic flows out into the park, moving along the darkened Main Street, letting the Lights of Winter arches twinkle till the whole Main Street shimmers and shines in magical light. Then, at least temporary, the end of the story is provided by the castle which is showered over and over by multi-color sparks, while magical snow flurries gentely fall all over the Main Street while in the distance soft childrens’ voices intonate the christmas song already heared during the parade.
The thousands of Lights of Winter forming arches above the Main Street create an unbelievable, magic atmosphere, letting the ice and snow crystalls glitter and shine, transforming the already festive settings to become even more fairy tale dream like … but also the smaller illuminations in the other four lands will make them even more festive. It’s a real joy just to wander around the park and enjoy the special feelings and spirits of the season in the more tranquil and enchanting setting of the evening and night.
The next highlight of the day can be enjoyed right below the magical Lights of the Winter: Disney’s Fantillusion Parade. Thousands of twinkling lights on floats and costumes will dance along the parade-route through the darkened park choreographed to the dramatic melodies recreating the timeless fight between good and evil in spectacular scenes! This special moment will be a treasured memory for all your live. But it gets even more magical with the last and final gem to crown your day at the Disneyland Park: a festive silver glistening fireworks display above the castle in its seasonal red and green light-appearance accopanied by a musical suit of seasonal favorites.
But even if you saw all the magic at the Disneyland Park there is still the world of glamour in the Hollywood Christmas at the Walt Disney Studios, or the mixture of an American pop christmas with european tradtions at the Disney Village to discover, not to mention the seven distinct christmas worlds the Disney Hotels have been transformed into.
But don’t let us tell everything - there is no such thing as discovering the magic of the merriest place on earth for Christmas yourself! In the season 2004/2005 the celebrations last from the 6th of November till 9th of January for a new edition of the most enchanted season of all - and as not all details have yet been revealed guests can expect new festivities to add to the beloved classics…
There will be daily performances of the Disney Christmas Parade, the all new Tree Lightning Ceremony, the Sparkling Christmas Firework and also the return Disney’s Fantillusion - with the later even scheduled daily till the 20th of March. The Christmas Carollers on the Main Street are back again too and definitely up for another season is also the hit show Mickey’s Winter Wonderland (closing on the 27th of February). The Christmas events start with the season on the 6th of November and last till the 9th of January. Only Mickey’s Christmas is opening late on the 04.12.
http://www.dlp-guidebook.de/ShowsAndParades/Xmas/Xmas_DLP.htm
Disneyland Resort Paris
November 3, 2006
For more than two months each year the Disneyland Resort Paris totally transforms itself into a true Christmas Wonderland.
A fairy tale christmas is celebrated in the Disneyland Park with special shows, parades, fireworks and even a snow covered Main Street, while the glitter and glamour of a star studded Hollywood Christmas shines at the Walt Disney Studios and an ever changing mix of Christmas styles and decorations is featured at the Disney Village and all the Disney Hotels. A dream come true for all ages…
Related Links >
The best festive wines
November 3, 2006
I can’t lie to you. I suffer terribly from CADDAD – Christmas Affected Doom, Depression and Despondency – and the festive season is my least favourite time of the year. I love it, however, so I can’t leave the country, and we do at least agree on the importance of a well-stocked cellar. Indeed, it is only the promise of a spectacular bottle or two that gets those of us in the bah-humbug brotherhood through the endless days of tinsel, holly and dried-up turkey.
For Christmas Eve > Tempting though it is to crack open your most sumptuous wines on Christmas Eve, it is important to keep your powder dry until later in the festivities.
You don’t want to run out of your finest bottles before Boxing Day, nor do you want to peak too early. The liver is a remarkably forgiving organ, but it is only fair to treat it gently so early in the proceedings. These wines will help you gear up gently for the big day and they provide a full card, from fizzy to fortified.
Good-value sparklers > 2001 Château Rives-Blanques, Blanquette de Limoux. A creamily delicious alternative to Champagne that won’t show you up in front of your guests. They were making sparkling wine here well before Champagne.
2003 Nivole, Moscato d’Asti. Sweet, sparkling and only 5.5 per cent alcohol, this is really charming and ideal for puddings or as a festive aperitif. Even the kids can have a slurp.
A zesty white wine > 2003 Saumur Blanc, Cave des Vignerons de Saumur and 2003 Ménétou-Salon, G Chavet. Two light, lean, citrussy and refreshing whites from the Loire, the former made from Chenin Blanc and the latter from Sauvignon Blanc.
Robust reds from South America > 2003 Finca Flichman Shiraz Reserva, Argentina. There is plenty of substance to this robust red.
2003 De Martino Legado Carmenere Reserva, Chile. Rejected in Bordeaux, Carmenere is now a hugely popular variety in Chile, and the de Martino family has fashioned a full-flavoured beauty here.
An unusual sweet wine from France > 2003 Domaine des Quarres Coteaux du Layon. A very well-priced alternative to more famous dessert wines, this goes surprisingly well with blue cheese.
Soft, mellow fortified wines > Blandy’s Alvada Five-Year-Old Rich Madeira. Ideal for a mid-morning sharpener with mince pies or to accompany a post-prandial coffee.
Warre’s Otima 20-Year-Old Tawny Port. A light and delicate port that would go down well after lunch. No need to bother with the palaver of decanting.
For Christmas Day > If you are doing the smoked salmon, roast turkey and Christmas pudding thing this year, I offer my commiserations, but at least you have the excuse for such delicious and traditional wines as these.
No point mucking around: nail your colours firmly to the mast and start with vintage Champagne. With Chablis, claret, dessert wine and port to follow, you can’t go wrong.
Fancy Champagne > 1996 Nicolas Feuillatte Grand Cru. I love the Nicolas Feuillatte non-vintage. This, the vintage, shows real class, and at a price that certainly shows goodwill to all men.
1996 ‘R’ de Ruinart. An absolute peach of a Champagne with a complex aroma of soft white fruits and mouth-filling scents of toasted brioche.
Decent Chablis > 2002 Tesco Finest Chablis. Bone dry, but with the faintest hints of honey on the edge; would go well with a fish starter.
2003 Chablis Premier Cru, Fourchaume, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet. Really stylish and luscious; characterful enough for those who like white wine with their roast turkey.
Classy Clarets > 2001 Les Tourelles de Longueville, Pauillac. The second wine from Château Pichon-Longueville. It has plenty of soft fruit on the nose and a long, supple finish. Really classy.
1998 Cloître Lescours, Grand Cru St Emilion. From a great year, this Merlot-dominated red (with a splash of Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon) is all soft, ripe fruit and drinking beautifully at the moment.
A sweet wine that tastes like nectar > 2002 Münsterer Rheinberg Riesling Auslese, Weingut Göttelmann. One of the most delicious sweet wines I’ve tasted. It goes well with Christmas pudding and vanilla ice cream, but if you have no room for pudding, it is utterly sublime on its own.
A good all-round port > 1986 Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port.
For Boxing Day > You may be jaded, but you will still need to be on form to entertain your friends and to face the cold turkey. The following wines are chosen to help you get through the day. A pink Champagne will lift your flagging spirits while the whites and reds have been especially chosen for their digestion-soothing softness.
A pink Champagne > Perrier Jouët Blason Rosé Champagne. A wonderfully festive pink fizz from a fine Champagne house.
Two great white Burgundies > 2002 Givry, Les Galaffres, Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire and 2002 Montagny, ‘Les Bassets’, Château de Carey Potet. Two soft, creamy, well-structured white Burgundies without any alarming acidity to disturb your digestion or too much cloying oak.
And a fabulous red > 2002 Santenay-Beauregard Premier Cru, Roger Belland. A superb red Burgundy whose soft mellow fruit and rounded tannins will accompany pheasant stew or cold ham perfectly.
An elegant Rioja > 1999 Viña Caña, Rioja Reserva. This smoky and subtle Rioja is a warming and comforting partner to cold turkey.
A sweet wine for the end of the meal > 2001 Château Pierre-Bise, Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu. A scrumptious sweet wine made from botrytised Chenin Blanc, this has a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
A hale and hearty port > Dow’s Crusted Port. A robust port with lots of peppery spice on the palate that would make a fine alternative to a full-blown vintage one.
And remember… > Shop around. Prices differ between wine merchants, and supermarkets often have heavily discounted promotions, a method used by distributors to raise the profile of their wines rather than to offload poor quality stock.
Most merchants will allow you to buy on a sale-or-return basis. This helps when calculating how much your guests will drink. I generally allow half a bottle a head for lunchtime drinks and a bottle a head for evening drinks or dinner.
Merchants and off-licences often have glasses available for hire, but reserve them soon before someone else bags them. They come free with a wine order and a deposit, or you might have to pay, in which case you are usually able to return the glasses dirty. I’d rather pay. Ask if you can keep the glasses until after New Year.
Don’t forget the drivers and other non-drinkers among your guests. Most non-alcoholic drinks are pretty grim, but elderflower cordial isn’t bad with fizzy mineral water. Not only is it refreshing, it also passes pretty well for Champagne when served in a flute, thus avoiding the inevitable, “Not drinking? Oh go on, it’s Christmas.”
To guarantee delivery before Christmas, most merchants and off-licences will need your order by December 10-16, but check this. You can also send presents this way, although delivery charges can mount up if they are going to several addresses.
Pop around the clock
November 3, 2006
How to open a bottle of bubbly
• Make sure the bottle is cold (45 to 55 F). To chill a bottle, immerse it in an ice-water bath for 20 minutes.
• Remove and discard the foil covering over the cork.
• Place a cloth napkin or kitchen towel over the cork and cage. Tilt the bottle away from yourself and others at about a 45-degree angle. Brace the bottle against your body.
• Gently untwist and loosen the wire hood so that it will not catch on the lip of the bottle. (You can also remove the hood at this point.)
• Grasping the hood and cork with the napkin or towel, bottle still tilted away, slowly twist the bottle, not the cork.
• As you turn the bottle, the pressure from the bubbles will push the cork out. Keep a firm grip on the cork. It should come off with a whisper, not a loud pop.
A glossary of bubbly terms
Sparkling wine is the generic term for wines that have bubbles. Sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France are the only ones that can be called “Champagne,” although many sparkling wines are produced using the same method.
Besides where and how they are made, sparkling wines are classified by how much sugar they contain, ranging from very sweet to no sweetness at all. Generally, those toward the sweeter end of the spectrum go better with food.
CAVA: Spanish sparkling wine, usually made using methode champenoise.
CHAMPAGNE: Strictly speaking, a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France using the traditional methode champenoise.
CHARMAT METHOD: Sparkling wine is bulk-fermented in vats to create bubbles.
CREMANT: A less-bubbly bubbly that some people prefer with food.
FERMENTED IN THE BOTTLE: This phrase means the second fermentation occurs in the bottle, but then the wine is filtered and rebottled.
FRIZZANTE: Means “lightly sparkling” in Italian.
METHODE CHAMPENOISE: Traditional French Champagne-making method. The second fermentation, which creates natural carbonation, occurs in the bottle in which the wine will be sold.
SEKT: German sparkling wine.
SPARKLING WINE: Generic term to describe wine with bubbles. People also call it bubbly or a “sparkler.”
SPUMANTE: The Italian word for sparkling wine. Prosecco is a popular grape for Italian sparkling wine.
SWEETNESS: Terms to describe sweetness also reflect what are called dosage levels — the amount of residual sugar in the wine. The sparklers with the highest sugar content are called doux (extremely sweet). From there, the sugar amounts and sweetness go down: demi-sec (very sweet), sec, dry (noticeable sweetness), extra dry (slight sweetness), brut (no perceptible sweetness), brut nature (bone dry).
VINS MOUSSEUX: French sparkling wines from other regions.
A Christmas Fair in St. Petersburg
November 3, 2006
Fair on the Square in St. Petersburg City Hall is to launch a Christmas Fair. The first annual event will be held between December 15 and January 15 on Arts Square.
“The fair will offer its help to Petersburgers and guests of the city in buying Christmas presents, and there also will be traditional Russian food and drinks at the fair,” said Alexey Sergeyev, the chairman of the city’s committee on economic development. Cathedral Restoration on St. Petersburg City Hall plans to restore Troitsky Cathedral, the main dome and cupola of which were largely destroyed in a fire in August.
“The conditions allow us to restore the dome using either wood or metal,” Dementyeva said. “But if wood, the original material used, is chosen, then the restoration will be considered a heroic deed,” she said.
This will be the first tender of its kind in Russia and the largest in Europe, St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko said. The estimated cost of building the Diameter is between 80 and 85 billion rubles. The toll road will connect the Northern and Southern districts of St. Petersburg.
Related Links > http://www.russian-st-petersburg.com/index.html
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
November 3, 2006
Tim Allen once again dons the white beard, red suit and considerable padding in “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” (Disney). Only don’t expect your belly to shake with laughter like a bowl full of jelly. More likely you’ll be looking for an escape clause or route of your own.
In this lame third go-round, Allen’s ad executive turned Santa is a bit stressed out, what with all the stuff that needs to get done by Christmas Eve. In addition to the seasonal demands of his job, he must find the time for a sleigh full of family responsibilities, including being there for a very pregnant Mrs. Clause (Elizabeth Mitchell); visiting in-laws Sylvia and Bud (Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin); teenage son Charlie (Eric Lloyd); and young Lucy (Liliana Mumy), the daughter of ex-wife Laura (Wendy Crewson), whom he divorced before taking on the mantle of Father Christmas.
Meanwhile, a jealous Jack Frost (Martin Short, who has fun in the role) plots to usurp Santa by sabotaging his North Pole operations and tricking him into giving up the red suit.
The movie’s sweet message about the importance of family and the power of love, unfortunately, comes wrapped in a slapdash script clumsily directed by Michael Lembeck, who, in rightly criticizing the crass commercialization of Christmas, forwards a secular view of the holiday that ignores its religious underpinning. At one point, the big guy exclaims, “Santa always delivers!” To bad the same can’t be said of this yuletide clunker.
The film contains brief mildly rude humor and a minor divorce theme.
