Thanksgiving in Alaska

Fancy Moose Bar

November has flown by, and that’s okay with me because I’m leaving the state for a month. The beautiful white snow doesn’t seem as good as it used to because I’m not skiing these day, nor doing much outdoors at all. Swimming is still going great, but then you can swim anywhere. There’s a lot on the front burner, but the big thing was doing some turkey dinners along the way. I had three or four turkey dinners at various places, but the most memorable one was at the beautiful Millenium Hotel. I had a piano gig there, so spent the whole day watching the families, and couples, and strays attend. This is a truly Alaskan Hotel, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the ‘real’ Alaska. The lobby has mounted heads of all the wild animals, and the setting includes a huge stone fireplace, and adjacent bar which overlooks Lake Hood. For those who haven’t visited Anchorage yet, this is right at the airport, and there are planes on floats, or now skiis, lining the perimeter. From the hotel restaurant, you might see a plane land on the lake and taxi up to the restaurant for a quick bite. This may sound a bit like a commercial, but then, I’m trying to lure you up here for a visit. Black Friday was its usual confusion, as it was all over the country. Well, we survived that one, and now on to Christmas in Florida.

An Early Winter Reaches Anchorage

If you want an idea of what it’s like to go for a hike in Alaska in the winter months, you’ll enjoy http://community.adn.com/mini_apps/vmix/player.php?ID=2387443&GID= .  We also have a heap of spectator sports around, thru the high schools, and University. The Great Alaska Shootout was the first big tournament for pre-season basketball and attracted the big schools all over USA. However, competition has taken it’s toll, and ESPN no longer carries the games, and the attendance drop has been substantial. However, they still carry on, with the women playing the two days before Thanksgiving, and the men playing Thanksgiving, Friday, and Saturday. The Anchorage Aces have started their hockey season, and continue to attract a big follopwing. But remember, Anchorage is a big city now, and there’s a lot to do indoors, too. We don’t lack for culture here, and last night we had a great concert by Chris Botti, who’s a first-class trumpet whiz with a new album out called “Italia”. . . and with Thanksgiving, the Nutcracker Ballet continues to bring out the fancy attired children with their proud parents.

The Christmas bazaars have struck, and it seems that there’s one in every church (except mine) and shopping mall in town. Anchorage finally has a new Target store, which recently opened on the East side of town, and the complex will soon include the first Kohl’s store in Alaska, so it’s worth the trip out there … well, maybe.

Another big item in Anchorage is the deluge of restaurants that have sprung up in the past few years. A drive down “C” Street is quite amazing, especially if you are revisiting Anchorage after a few years away. It’s lined with hotels, restaurants, and office buildings that seem to have sprung up out of nowhere.
So come and visit, and don’t let the cold weather deter you!