It was a very pleasant but snowy winter day in Cleveland when I arrived from the UAE for 2 weeks of my Christmas break. My friend and were looking for something to do, and I dragged him to the "Christmas Story House." For those of you not in the know, "A Christmas Story" is a classic Christmas movie filmed in 1983 in Cleveland, Ohio -mostly.
Director Bob Clark sent location scouts to twenty cities before selecting my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio as the principal site for filming. Higbee's department store in downtown Cleveland was the stage for three scenes in the film. My favorite scene is Ralphie and Randy’s visit to see Santa, which was filmed inside Higbee’s, culminating with the classic refrain: "You'll shoot your eye out kid!"
The exterior shots (and select interior shots, including the opening
of the leg lamp) of the house and neighborhood were filmed in the Tremont
section of Cleveland's West Side. The house used as the Parker home in
these scenes has been restored, reconfigured inside to match the
soundstage interiors, and opened to the public as "A Christmas Story House".
My friend was not impressed, especially when he realized most of the interior shots were filmed on a sound stage in Toronto. Sorry.
We also visited the Cleveland Rainforest. The exhibit mirror the animals and climates of Asia, Africa and South America. I remember visiting there when it was first opened in 1992.
"Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is celebrating the birth of their first-ever Giant Anteater! The baby,
whose sex is still undetermined, was born on exhibit on November 25 to
mom, Pica, and dad, Kutter. The baby seems to be healthy and thriving.
For now, animal care and veterinary staff are keeping their distance and
giving mom and baby time to bond, as Pica is very protective of her
newborn. (We're told it was even tricky to snap a few photos!) Now
weighing about two pounds, the little Anteater will cling to mom's back
for several weeks as it develops."
Director Bob Clark sent location scouts to twenty cities before selecting my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio as the principal site for filming. Higbee's department store in downtown Cleveland was the stage for three scenes in the film. My favorite scene is Ralphie and Randy’s visit to see Santa, which was filmed inside Higbee’s, culminating with the classic refrain: "You'll shoot your eye out kid!"
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| The cold and the snow couldn't keep Clevelander's away from a taste of Hollywood. |
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| Fra-gi-le! Must be Italian! |
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| Leg lamps for sale in the gift shop. |
We also visited the Cleveland Rainforest. The exhibit mirror the animals and climates of Asia, Africa and South America. I remember visiting there when it was first opened in 1992.
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| Cute sloth checking us out. |
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| Capyberas -the largest known rodent in the world. |
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| A Roseate Spoonbill |
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| Mommy ant-eater and her baby on her back. I couldn't get a better picture. I found this announcement online: |
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| Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. |
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| Scarlet Ibis |
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| A reminder of why I don't like zoos. This baboon (or gorilla) just looked so depressed. He had friends and room to climb and play, but it made me sad to look at him. |
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