Category Archives: Musicals & Shows

Cody Rodeo – Family Entertainment on a Summer Night

  By Anne Patrone | October 6, 2011 - 9:20 am | , , , , , ,
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Bucking bronco at the Cody Nite Rodeo
One of the best things about staying at the Bill Cody Ranch was its proximity to Cody, Wyoming – the “Rodeo Capitol of the World” and home to the Cody Nite Rodeo.

My guys had never seen a rodeo and the Cody Nite Rodeo, a low-key rodeo held every night from June 1st through August 31st, was the perfect entertainment on a beautiful summer night.

This two hour rodeo had everything the larger ones had . . .

. . . an angry bull named “Diablo” ready to take on the cowboy brave enough to ride him . . .

Diablo ready to take on anyone

. . . bucking broncos and silly rodeo clowns (who told PG jokes) . . . 

Rodeo clown entertaining the crowd at the Cody Nite Rodeo

. . . barrel racing and calf roping . . . 

He got ‘em!

. . . and even a mad calf scramble that my kids participated in . . . 

Look for the bright orange shirt – that’s one of mine

And for those of you wondering what a “calf scramble” is . . . picture over 50 kids (age 12 and under) madly running around the rodeo arena chasing three calves with bandannas tied to their tails. It’s like “capture the flag” with a moving target! Kids from Connecticut, Michigan, and North Carolina won.

Last, but not least, the Cody Nite Rodeo had the perfect souvenir of our western trip . . . 
A “real” cowboy hat

. . . a “real” cowboy hat previously worn by rodeo participants. And while some people may have an “eww” factor at the thought of a “used” hat – the dents and dings in those cowboy hats meant more to my guys than a pristine hat from a shop ever would – especially after they saw the intense action that kids as young as six saw on bucking broncos and bulls.

Canyonlands Boat Tour at Sunset

  By Anne Patrone | September 13, 2011 - 9:00 am | , , , , , , , , , ,
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Colorado River at sunset

Sometimes when I plan our trips, I use a friend’s suggestion or a recommended tour in a travel guide. But sometimes I discover a tour or place completely by accident – a random click of my computer mouse.

Thank goodness for random luck because it was how I discovered Canyonlands By Night & Day as I clicked my way around “Things to Do in Moab, Utah.”

Tour headquarters

Offering a variety of tours (jet boat, Hummer, ATV, and horseback riding) that explore the beauty of southern Utah, Canyonlands By Night & Day was an unexpected surprise.

We chose their signature tour (and the one they’ve been offering since 1963) – an evening boat tour and old-fashioned light show along the Colorado River combined with a “cowboy” style dinner.

Relaxing on the Colorado River

Skip the dinner since the food was nothing special, but be sure to go on the relaxing and scenic boat tour which culminates in an awe-inspiring finale that, for us, was only marred by the clouds blocking the starry sky.

We started off near sunset with a gentle cruise on a pontoon-style boat down the Colorado River.

Our guide told us humorous stories about the Moab area and pointed out strange rock and shadow formations on the passing canyon walls.
Boat guide on the Canyonland By Night Tour

Then, as the sun dipped below the horizon, and night fell, we settled back into our seats to watch an “old-fashioned” light and sound show. 

Canyon walls lit by a spotlight on a moving truck

I wasn’t completely sure what an “old-fashioned” light show meant, but it turned out to mean a large spot light on a moving truck which lit up the canyon walls as we floated back down the river to where we had boarded. There was a narrated story which covered the geologic creation of the are, the Native American history of the area, and the settlement by the Mormons, before ending with an emotional rendition of “This is My Country” (a song that has always been my favorite amongst the patriotic ones).

We ended the cruise in darkness and silence with the boat gently spinning around. For some reason, our eyes naturally lifted to the skies and through the clouds we could just make out what would have a blanket of stars on a clear night.  

Mystere: Family-Fun Entertainment in Las Vegas

  By Anne Patrone | August 18, 2011 - 10:00 am | , , , , , , ,
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Mystere at Treasure Island Hotel

When I told my hubby we were going to Las Vegas, his first comment was “Why? It’s only for grown-ups.” And true, if you think of Las Vegas as only for gamblers, then he was right – it’s not very kid-friendly. But one of my earliest memories of a family vacation out west was a Las Vegas show that my parents took me to . . . and the image of Milton Berle getting smacked in the face with a pie.

Non-stop casino action

I was determined to find a kid-friendly show that I could take my boys to while we were in Las Vegas, but since we live so close to New York, I didn’t want a Broadway show (like The Lion King) that they had already seen or could see in New York.

I wanted something uniquely “Vegas” and chose Mystere, a Cirque du Soleil show that has run at the Treasure Island hotel since 1993 and had over 8000 performances.

Mystere was the first Cirque du Soleil show to have a theater built specifically for its performance and has been a major draw for Treasure Island hotel since its debut. It’s kid-friendly with a circus-like theme, no nudity, and silly characters that kids (and adults) can enjoy. Best of all, it’s a manageable 90 minutes (with no intermission) from start to finish.

The vote from my boys??

A solid four **** stars.

Performances are daily (except Thursdays & Fridays) at 7:00 pm & 9:30 pm. Check on-line for special packages and discounted prices.

Shakespeare and Summertime Picnics

  By Anne Patrone | July 22, 2011 - 9:00 am | , , , ,
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In our family, “summer” means a picnic -

A summertime picnic

Our family favorite is to head up to Garrison, NY and visit the Boscobel Mansion which overlooks the Hudson River . . .

View from Boscobel Mansion

 Across the Hudson River, we have excellent views of West Point . . .

Marshland across from West Point, NY

. . . and on our side, we enjoy performances by the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (celebrating its 25th year) . . .

Tent for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival

With the idea that Shakespeare is best enjoyed and understood when it’s performed, and the earlier you start, the better, my boys have enjoyed watching a rap adaptation of “The Comedy of Errors,” “The Taming of the Shrew” set in 1960s, and most recently a hysterical adaptation of Jules Verne’s “Around the World in 80 Days.”

Up next for my guys is “Hamlet” – a weighty play, but I think they’re up for it – I told them lots of people die!

Fun at the Fort Worth Stockyards

  By Anne Patrone | December 14, 2010 - 11:30 am | , , , , , , ,
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On a recent trip to Dallas, Texas, to watch the Texas Longhorns get beaten by the OU Sooners, we decided to make a side trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards, listed in Frommer’s 500 Places To Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up.

What a great day – the Fort Worth Stockyards provided a wide variety of entertainment options to keep us busy until 4 pm, when a herd of Longhorns (cattle, not the football players) was driven along the street in a traditional “cattle drive.”

We started off our visit to the Stockyards with lunch at Cattleman’s Steakhouse since we didn’t get much food on the plane ride and both my guys were hankering for meat.

Oh my.  Did they get meat.

“Are you sure you can eat that 10 oz. NY strip steak?” I asked my oldest. (And yes, the irony wasn’t lost on me – in Texas, eating a NY steak).

“Just watch me,” he answered.

And he did . . . plus the quarter of the hamburger his brother couldn’t finish.

Cowtown Coliseum

Outside we wandered along streets that are paved with bricks to the Cowtown Coliseum where rodeos are held every Friday and Saturday night.

It’s got an old-timey feel and I was definitely disappointed that we couldn’t stay to watch the rodeo that night (other obligations).

The Coliseum has a Rodeo Hall of Fame (basically pictures in tired cabinets with captions that don’t capture a rodeo’s excitement) and a tiny gift shop which thankfully my youngest was willing to pass through quickly.

The boys tried their hand at riding a mechanical bull – both agreed it’s harder than it looks.

Then, after a brief wait, the cattle drive began.

The cattle are driven down the center of the road as people/tourists are instructed to remain on the sidewalk.

Yes, you – the guy who’s insisting on standing in the street to get his “perfect shot” – get out of the way and back on the sidewalk like the rest of us.

Heh, heh, heh.

You should have seen him scurry out of the way when the longhorn known as “Diablo” snorted loudly and tossed his looong, pointy horns in his direction!

We finished up our day at the Fort Worth Stockyards with a brief visit to the actual wooden pens where the cattle were kept until buyers decided which ones they wanted shipped back East to fill the plates of hungry city people.

The Fort Worth Stockyards – a memorable visit and well worth your time -34 down, 466 to go.