Doris & Jen's New Hood

After our long drive from Orange County, we made it to the home of Doris & Jen in the afternoon. This was our first time visiting them in their new house in Aptos, which is just outside Santa Cruz. Their home was so nice! (Not that we didn't think it would be).


The legendary cement ship in Aptos, CA. (12/30/2007)

The house is located on a charming street in the Seacliff neighborhood. The home is beautifully decorated with stunning wood floors, ample living area and lots of windows that fill the space with natural light. The neighborhood it was in had so much character. And only a short walk from the beach too!


The cement ship up close. (12/30/2007)

One of the first things we did was walk to Seacliff State Beach, where we saw the famous Cement Ship that's permanently docked at the end of the pier. The ship dates back to 1919 when it was constructed for use during World War I. Originally known as the SS Palo Alto, the ship was built from reinforced concrete, a common method of shipbuilding in the early half of the century. As it turned out the war was over by the time the ship was finished.


The adorable Snow White drive-in is walking distance from their house. (12/30/2007)

In 1929, the Seacliff Amusement Corporation brought new life to the ship when the company permanently docked the ship to its present location. The idea was to use the ship for entertainment purposes. The company retrofitted the ship by adding a dance hall, dining room, arcade, even a swimming pool!


This cute convenience store is a short walk away. (12/30/2007)

I guess the idea didn't go over so well, since the company went bankrupt two years later (I'm sure the Great Depression didn't help). To make it worse, the same year the ship also cracked in half! Ultimately it was abandoned where it primarily served as a fishing pier. A few years ago it was completely closed to the public. The only ones who use it now are the dozens of pelicans who use it as their hang-out.


Doris & Jon at Ciao Bella in Ben Lomond. (12/30/2007)

After our brush with local history, we headed back to Doris and Jen's to clean up before dinner. Our restaurant destination was Ciao Bella, a quirky Italian restaurant in the town of Ben Lomond, California. This was our second time there, having eaten there on our last Santa Cruz trip.


Blondie entertains us while we enjoy our dinner. (12/30/2007)

As it was last time, the restaurant was a riot! The place is decorated in high thrift-store chic, with vinyl LP albums on the walls and an assortment of street signs, piñatas, and just about anything else you can think of. Our waiter was a friendly guy named Jewly, and his young assistant Blondie, who managed to step onstage every now and then to entertain us with dancing and/or singing.


Doris and Jen pose with Jewly, our waiter. (12/30/2007)

Between the walk to the historic beach, and the unforgettable evening at Ciao Bella, it was definitely a day to remember!

Another Stop at Casa de Fruta

We've been meaning to visit our pals Doris & Jen at their new home in Aptos for a while now. After months of talking about it, we decided to do visit over the New Year weekend. But before we get to the Doris & Jen blog entries, we have to write about our favorite roadside fruit stand where we stop every time we go to the Santa Cruz area: Casa de Fruta.


Casa de Fruta, in Hollister, CA. (12/30/2007)

"Fruit stand" is hardly the term for it. Casa de Fruta is really more like a fruit emporium. Seriously. They've got an enormous fruit and vegetable section, an immense dried fruit section, a wide variety of nuts and seeds, an entire wall of olives, salsas and other pickled goods, a candy section, a gift shop and much more. And that's just in the first building!


Casa de Fruta: Home of great dried fruit like this. (12/30/2007)

And keep in mind, the fruit building is just one amid an entire compound of stores and attractions. There's Casa de Coffee, a 24-hour coffee shop and restaurant. Casa de Wine, a wine store and deli. Casa de Sweets , a bakery and coffee place. And while the grownups shop, the kids can entertain themselves by riding the Casa de Carousel and the Casa de Choo Choo narrow-gauge railroad. There's even a Peacock Inn motel, a 300-space RV park and a Chevron gas station on the grounds.


Tim shops the aisles at Casa de Fruta. (12/30/2007)

Casa de Fruta is located in Hollister, which is in the Pacheco Valley that runs between Monterey and Yosemite. The enterprise began in 1908 when a family of Italian immigrants started a fruit orchard. But things expanded in the 1940s when three young brothers opened a roadside cherry stand. That would eventually expand and grow over the years into the fruit empire that stands today.


Providing great produce for 100 years. (12/30/2007)

We stop there every single time we drive by, usually stopping for a restroom break and a bit of shopping for dry snacks to eat along the road. My favorites are always the dried fruits and the highly-addictive pistachios. Tim goes for the yogurt-covered pretzels. And our travel partners Jon and Amy got a few of their own goodies. It's not the cheapest fruit store in the valley, but the sheer volume of what's available makes it the best place to shop in our humble opinions.


We couldn't not buy the Gourmet "Atomic" Frog Balls. (12/30/2007)

This time we found a new product we hadn't seen before: Gourmet Atomic Frog Balls (spicy dill pickled brussels sprouts — not exactly the type of food you'd want to be eating in an enclosed car on a long drive if you know what I'm saying). We also got a jar of Good and Evil Pickles (pickles, garlic cloves and jalapeno peppers all pickled together). We haven't cracked open either jar yet, but if you want to try them the next time you visit, let us know.

Ryan & Laura's Post-Christmas Dinner Party

We were invited to a post-Christmas dinner party by Ryan and Laura. We hadn't been there since the time we helped them move in about two-and-a-half years before. What a change it was since the last time were were there!


Linda and Tim at Ryan & Laura's dinner party. (12/27/2007)

No longer was it painted in storybook colors, as the previous owner had it. Their home is now decorated in these rich, earthy tones. You could almost describe it as Zen-like. It was simply beautiful, and very much Ryan and Laura.


Ryan makes the salad. (12/27/2007)

Tom and Christine were there as well, as well as Tom's mom Linda who was visiting for the holidays from North Carolina. It was great seeing Linda again, since we don't see her very often. She always cracks us up.


Ryan and Laura's 20-lb. cat Pecos made a rare appearance. (12/27/2007)

The food was amazing. First course was an onion soup that was amazing. For the main course we had tri-tip beef, roasted potatoes with fresh chives, perfectly-cooked green beans and a fresh salad. For dessert, we had bread pudding topped with your choice of whipped cream or crème fraîche.


James, Laura & Mom play Taboo. (12/27/2007)

Afterward we played several rounds of Taboo, the electronic version. So fun! Thanks Ryan and Laura for hosting such a great night!

Friends Reunion at Café Mozart

One great thing about social networking websites is that it's a lot easier to get back in touch with old friends. For example, my old roommate and pal Melissa recently contacted me through Friendster. I also got back in touch with my old friend and co-worker Tanya through the magic of MySpace. And most recently, Tim and I re-connected with our gal pal Jeannette through Facebook.


James, Jeannette and Tim at Café Mozart in San Juan Capistrano. (12/26/2007)

I used to work with Jeannette in the mid-to-late '90s when I was working for a publishing company. The company had acquired some new magazines, and Jeannette came along with them. Interestingly enough, one of the titles that she had been working on was an annual publication called Death Row, which was kind of a yearbook for people on Death Row. It sounds terrible, I know, but you'd be surprised at how entertaining it was to read!

Although we didn't intend to, we just sort of lost touch with Jeannette shortly after she moved to San Francisco seven years ago. Although she still lives there now, we found out she was back in Southern Cali visiting family for the holidays, so we decided to meet up for a reunion dinner.


James and Jeannette reunited again. (12/26/2007)

We live in Orange (the city with appeal!), and Jeannette's family lives in Oceanside, about 60 miles south of here. So what did we do? We met in San Juan Capistrano, which is almost exactly the mid-way point between the two cities. For the restaurant, we selected Café Mozart, which is where we had the reception for Todd & Carolina's wedding.

It was great seeing Jeannette again. We instantly fell back into that comfortable groove, and we spent a lot of time catching up on everything and everybody. It was definitely a hoot!


Alligator tail thinly sliced and blackened, Cajun style. (12/26/2007)

One thing I can say about Jeannette is that, like me, she's adventurous with food. Sometimes that adventurous streak delivers like dominoes (i.e. the hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Redondo Beach with the amazing empanadas). Other times, you get cold dissed (i.e. the chicken leg tamales at the not-so-good Peruvian restaurant). So when my parallel food adventurer saw an alligator tail appetizer on the menu, she couldn't resist!

The first bite of the alligator tail was a little odd. You definitely knew it was different. A little like calamari perhaps. I don't think we really started appreciating it until bite #3 or so, when it started to grow on you. Once I got into it, it kind of reminded me of chicken-fried steak.


Tim's pan-seared crispy duck breast, red cabbage & spätzle. (12/26/2007)

Tim didn't go for the alligator tail, but for his entree he very much enjoyed the beautiful pan-seared crispy duck breast served with a cherry and black peppercorn sauce. It was served with red cabbage and homemade spätzle. Jeannette and I each had the beef stroganoff in a red-wine sauce, also with homemade spätzle. All the food was delicious, as well as the crème brûlée dessert we shared at the end of the night. Fun times!

What We Did for Christmas 2007

In this post, I'm going to answer THE QUESTION. You know, the question that is burning on the forefront of everyone's minds. The question to which thousands of people worldwide can't sleep without knowing the answer. The question: What did James and Tim do for Christmas?


Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree. (12/24/2007)

The answer: A whole lotta nothing! Actually that's not exactly true. We did head out to the desert to visit Tim's family. But once we got there, then we did a whole lot of nothing (apart from our Oatman adventure). Actually that was fine for me, because I got to relax, take afternoon naps and just chill out.


Like son, like father. (12/23/2007)

I will say that while we were in the Oatman area, we did stop to get lunch at Casa Serrano in Fort Mojave, which my co-worker Tina raves about (she and her boyfriend stop there every time they drive to nearby Laughlin). And aside from the somewhat uninspired dinner salad, the food was pretty darn good (of course the Margaritas we ordered didn't hurt). I'm glad we finally got to check it out.


Our delicious Christmas buffet. (12/24/2007)

For Christmas Eve, Tim's grandmother joined us for a delightful buffet that Tim's mom put together. Tim's mom brought out a sandwich meat tray, fresh rolls, deviled eggs (a particular favorite of mine), her always-delicious potato salad, and a variety of other tasty sides. Afterwards we opened presents and played games.


Dad, Grandma and Tim. (12/24/2007)

We got some cool stuff. Shoes. Shirts. A gift card for Chili's. Tim also got a very cool wristwatch from his folks. The big gift of the evening was the 10.4-inch digital picture frame we got for Tim's parents.


Tim tries out the Triflo II. (12/24/2007)

The most memorable gift Tim got from his Mom and Dad was the Triflo II, an incentive deep breathing exerciser (it was a gag gift). It's one of those things hospitals provide for surgery patients where they suck in air with the goal being to make all three balls float. Apparently after Tim's dad's bypass surgery a few months ago, Tim kept on badgering his dad to excercise his lungs with the Triflo II. And now it's Tim's!


Opening up the digital picture frame. (12/24/2007)

We concluded the night by playing our new favorite game, Apples to Apples. The following morning Tim and I were back on the road to Southern California, as we both had to be back at work the following day. On the night of Christmas Day, Tim and I exchanged presents.

I got him one share of Starbucks stock from OneShare.com. I figured he spends so much money there that he might as well try to get some money back! I also got him a t-shirt and a reversible hoodie from Tilly's.


Tim got one share of Starbucks stock.

And for me, Tim really went way over our pre-determined budget when he gave me two fifth-row center tickets to see Wicked at the Pantages, which we have not seen yet. We're going in Februrary. It's an amazing gift, and I can't wait to blog about it. Stay tuned!

Cute Olympic Mascots, Eh?

As you may or may not know, I am a total nut for the Olympics. I love 'em! In particular I love the winter games, but believe me, I get excited for the summer games too. So you can imagine my excitement when about a month ago the organizing committee for the 2010 winter games in Vancouver debuted the 2010 Olympic mascots!


Meet the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Mascots

I was enchanted from the first moment I laid eyes on Sumi, Quatchi and Miga. In fact, I've been itching to blog about this from day one, but with the holidays and everything, I just never seemed to find the time until now.


Sumi is part bear and part thunderbird.

Sumi is described as an "animal spirit" who "wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear." I envy Sumi because he is the only mascot who has the ability to fly. His home is in British Columbia, which is the only Canadian province I've been to more than once. He and I also share a love for hot chocolate.


Quatchi is the cutest sasquatch around.

I have to say, however, that my favorite would have to be Quatchi, a young sasquatch from the mysterious forests of Canada. Of all the mascots, Quatchi looks the most like me (rather, I should say that I look the most like him ... except with a lot less hair). Although we differ on favorite winter sports (his, hockey / mine, figure skating), we are both gastronomincally versatile. Meaning that like me, he loves to try all kinds of food!


Miga is a sea bear: Half bear, half killer whale.

The only female mascot of the bunch is cute little Miga. She is what you call a "sea bear," which means she is half Kermode bear (a rare white bear from British Columbia) and half killer whale. According to the website, Miga lives in the ocean with her family pod, out past Vancouver Island near Tofino, British Columbia. I think Miga is probably the most adorable of the whole bunch (and she and I both love wild salmon).

If the characters themselves aren't cute enough as is, then the plush toys that they're selling on the website are even cuter. Unfortunately, at this stage they're only shipping the toys to Canada. Apparently a U.S. store is on its way soon, but who knows when.

Olympic toys are notoriously hard to get your hands on when the games are in another country. Tom and Christine can attest to this, looking back at our ultimately unsuccessful effort to get our hands on the plush versions of the snowlet owls from the 1998 winter games in Nagano, Japan.


Cutest olympic mascots ever.

If you want to know more about the mascots, visit the official olympic mascot website. To check out the toys for sale, visit the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Store.

Historic Oatman, Arizona

Lately I've really been getting into day-trips. There's something fun about driving to the outskirts of town and looking for things that are interesting or historic. And that's exactly what we did while visiting Tim's family over the Christmas weekend. Our destination: Oatman, Arizona.


The historic gold mining town of Oatman, AZ. (12/23/07)

Set in Arizona's black mountains, Oatman's history dates back to the Western expansion of the mid 19th century. In fact, the town was named after Olive Oatman, a young Mormon pioneer girl who at the age of 12 or 13 was kidnapped by Indians and forced to work as a slave. She was rescued six years later, near the area where the town now sits.


The scenic drive to Oatman, AZ. (12/23/07)

The town never really amounted to anything until 1902 when gold was discovered. That same year the Oatman Hotel was built. It still stands today. Although Oatman was sparsely populated before the gold discovery, this burgeoning mining town swelled to 3,500 residents by 1915.


The elephant's tooth in Oatman, Arizona. (12/23/07)

Like all good things, the gold rush eventually fizzled out. In 1924 the town's main employer went out of business. But the town still managed to keep afloat from the 1920s to the 1950s due to the fact that Route 66 went right through the main street. This made Oatman a popular stop for people driving from Needles to Kingman.


Oatman Hotel, Since 1902. (12/23/07)

In 1939 the town got another huge boost when Hollywood stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard selected the Oatman Hotel as the locale for their honeymoon. They were married in nearby Kingman, but selected the Oatman Hotel due to its remote location, away from the public eye. When you go upstairs you can actually see their honeymoon suite (#15).


The bed inside the Clark Gable / Carole Lombard honeymoon suite. (12/23/07)

Another interesting sight inside the hotel is the room that proprieters claim is haunted by a friendly ghost named Oatie. Oatie was actually one William Ray Flour, an Irish miner who died nearby. FYI, I didn't see any ghosts while I was there.


Haunted room in the historic Oatman Hotel. (12/23/07)

Oatman's heyday came to a close in 1953 when it was bypassed in favor of a newer highway that was built between Needles and Kingman (kind of like what happened to Radiator Springs in the film Cars). By the time the 1960s rolled around, Oatman was all but abandoned. But Oatman did make another Hollywood connection when it was selected as a filming location for How the West Was Won.


The now-touristy Oatman, AZ. (12/23/07)

Due to the success of nearby Laughlin, NV, as well as the Route 66 resurgence, the town of Oatman has seen a re-birth of sorts. Today it is a full-blown tourist destination, with an entire strip of souvenir shops, gunfight re-enactments and most notably, wild burros that roam the main street looking for people to feed them carrots that you can buy for a buck a bag.


Wild jackasses looking for food. (12/23/07)

Tim and I also visited a dusty old museum at the edge of town (the one with a sign that says: "Debbie Reynolds and George Peppard walked through these doors in How the West was Won.") Another thing not to miss is the restaurant and bar on the ground floor of the historic Oatman Hotel. It has the distinction of being wallpapered entirely with dollar bills. We went inside, but didn't eat there (we'll have to save that experience for next time).


A glimpse inside the dollar bill bar. (12/23/07)

It was a fun little town. We didn't need to spend a lot of time there. An hour will pretty much wrap it up. Double that if you plan to have lunch at the dollar-bill-wallpapered restaurant. But if you're in the area, definitely check it out.

James' Top 5 Christmas CDs

Since we've been listening to a lot of Christmas music lately, I thought I'd take this opportunity to blog about my Top 5 Christmas CDs. Before I do, I'd like to explain my selection criteria.


Besides the tree, Christmas music is one of the best parts of the holiday season. (12/24/06)

First of all, these are favorite full-length albums, not individual Christmas tracks. If it were actual Christmas tracks, the list would A) be very hard for me to compile, and B) certainly include many songs that don't appear on these favorite albums. Secondly, I limit my scope to Christmas albums by a single band, artist or entity. No compilations!

Lastly, I only list my Top 5 (as opposed to my Top 10) because I felt the Top 5 were far superior than what I would have included in #6-10. I do give honorable mention to Tony Bennett's Snowfall, Clay Aiken's Merry Christmas With Love and Peggy Lee's Christmas Carousel, however I don't think these albums even come close to the quality and timelessness of my Top 5. So with no further ado, here they are:



5. Barbra Streisand — A Christmas Album

Sometimes the oldies really are the goodies. And that is certainly the case with Barbra Joan Streisand's classic 1967 release. This one ranks on several Top Christmas Album lists, and with good reason. It's dang good.


Barbra Streisand - A Christmas Album. (1967)

It's also incredibly diverse. One minute you're enjoying Babs' playful take on a highly-syncopated version of "Jingle Bells." Next thing you know, you're hearing "My Favorite Things" in full torch-song styling. And just when you're thinking it couldn't get more different, she knocks you out with her devotional covers of such sacred hymns as "The Lord's Prayer" and Gounod's "Ave Maria."

The album also contains what I believe is the definitive recording of "White Christmas," one of my all-time favorite Christmas tracks. It's funny to think that one of my favorite Christmas songs is sung by, and written by, two people of the Jewish faith (Irving Berlin was Jewish). It just goes to show that the magic of Christmas music isn't limited to those who celebrate it. (Although the same can't be said for Neil Diamond, whose Christmas album is one of my least favorites).

This is simply one of the best Christmas albums out there. Period. I am sorry to say, however, that my acclaim doesn't extend to Barbra's 2001 Christmas album, Christmas Memories, which was disappointingly average. It's not bad. But it's not great either. Sometimes the Christmas magic only strikes once.


4. Sarah McLachlan — Wintersong

Released in 2006, this is the newest album on my list. Although the album opens with a fairly ordinary cover of the John Lennon/Yoko Ono "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," it's when you hit track #2 that you realize this is a whole new approach to traditional Christmas music. McLachlan's re-melodization of the time-honored classic, "What Child Is This," is not only totally fresh, it's stunningly beautiful. The same can be said about her re-interpretation of "I'll Be Home for Christmas."


Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong. (2006)

She includes a beautiful cover of Joni Mitchell's "River," which I never really considered a Christmas song before. I know it mentions "Christmas" in the lyrics, but it just never seemed like it belonged on a Christmas compilation. That is until Wintersong came out.

The album also contains an original song, "Wintersong," which always scores points in my book. And it helps when the song is amazing, as is this one. Another facet I must mention is the soulful duet with Diana Krall on Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here," made famous in the timeless 1965 TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

But my absolute favorite track on the album has to be "The First Noel/Mary Mary" which after the first chorus, is completely different from the original melody, but just as beautiful. Definitely add this to your wish list for next year if you don't already have it.


3. Ella Fitzgerald — Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas

This album, the oldest on my list, is a toe-tapping, finger-snapping delight. Released 47 years ago, this album by one of the most influential jazz singers in American history, is simply timeless. Between Ella's crisp vocals and the amazing orchestration by Frank DeVol (who despite his many successes, is best known for having orchestrated The Brady Bunch series), this album is pure gold.


Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas. (1960)

The album comes out of the gate with Ella's bright and lively "Jingle Bells." She slows things down a little for "The Christmas Song," which really shows off DeVol's amazing ear for orchestration (gotta give mad props to to the guy who did that tight xylophone solo).

But the tempo comes right back up for Ella's delighful take on "Let is Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" Other favorites of mine include "Sleigh Ride," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and "Winter Wonderland."

This amazing album also contains what I think is the definitive recording of, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," which I believe is one of the most under-rated songs of the season. Go pick this CD up!


2. Celine Dion — These Are Special Times

Many of you who know that I idolize Celine Dion are probably surprised to see that this only ranks as #2 on my list. It actually was my #1 until 2000 when it was eclipsed by my current #1 choice (more on that later). Believe me when I tell you that picking my #1 was like choosing your favorite child.


Celine Dion - These Are Special Times. (1998)

This incredible album begins with Celine's melisma-infused "O Holy Night," which after hearing it hundreds of times over the years, still makes me tingle. To me, this is the best recording of "O Holy Night" there is. In addition, this album also contains my all-time-favorite cover of the equally beautiful "Ave Maria."

My favorite track on the album, however, just may be "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" which was rather startlingly written by Twisted Sister lead vocalist Dee Snider. It still amazes me that Dee Snider could have written something so melodic and enduring. Combine that great songwriting with Celine's angelic voice, and you've got some serious holiday mojo, baby!

Other great tracks include "Christmas Eve," which has a sort of mid '60s vibe. It reminds me of something that could have been written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. The album also offers a Diane Warren power ballad, "These Are Special Times." And I would be remiss not to mention "The Prayer," Celine's flawless duet with Andrea Bocelli.

Finally, I have to add that I simply love the recording of "Les Cloches du Hameau." I know it doesn't exactly showcase Celine, since it's sung by an entire choir, but it's such a captivating melody that I can't help but enjoy it every time.


1. Linda Eder — Christmas Stays the Same

Back in 1998 and 1999, I would have never thought another Christmas album would top the near perfection of Celine Dion's These Are Special Times. But in 2000 along came Linda Eder's equally perfect Christmas Stays the Same.


Linda Eder - Christmas Stays the Same. (2000)

By combining traditional Christmas songs, both sacred and secular, with the amazing voice of Linda Eder, you get an album that's pure bliss. It all comes together perfectly on tracks like "Here Comes Santa Claus/Santa Claus is Coming to Town." The big band swing orchestration on this track is the perfect backing for a big voice like Linda Eder's. Pay particular attention the tiny moments that pay homage to such musical icons as Benny Goodman's "Sing Sing Sing," Kander & Ebb's "New York, New York," and Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."

Constrasting starkly with the big band swing orchestration and vocals is the subdued "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which really highlights the purity of Eder's voice. Another favorite is "The Little Drummer Boy," which layers multiple versions of Eder's voice, highlighting the beautiful harmonies.

It's nearly impossible to pick just one favorite track from the album, but if I did, it just might be "Do You Hear What I Hear." Backed by a gospel choir and orchestrations that could fit just as easily on the Broadway version of The Lion King, this is perhaps the most joyous song on the entire album. "With a voice as big as the sea" indeed.

Although the classic Christmas songs are stellar, the brilliance really emerges with the three original songs written by Eder's husband-at-the-time, Frank Wildhorn, the acclaimed composer of such Broadway shows as Jekyll & Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel. The songs — "Christmas Stays the Same," "Christmas Through a Child's Eyes," and "The Bells of St. Paul" — add a whole new depth to the Christmas album. Like Lennon & McCartney, Gilbert & Sullivan and Quincy Jones & Michael Jackson, the combination of Linda Eder and Frank Wildhorn is true magic.

I simply can't say enough about this album. If you don't already own this album, it simply must be on your list for next year.

Shut Out From Celine Again

It's no secret that I love all things Celine Dion. Go ahead, make fun of me. I'm not ashamed. The voice. The accent. The over-the-top performances. I love every scrap of it.


I couldn't even see the movie theater broadcast. (12/17/2007)

Of course, when it was announced several months back that she would be closing her Las Vegas show in December, I really wanted to see it just one more time. I had already seen her show once, back in 2003 I think it was. But due to various reasons, I was not able to schedule a second trip.

Heartbroken, I accepted that fate. But I learned that I had another opportunity to see the final performance. As it turned out, a company called Fathom Events was broadcasting Celine's final performance at 200 movie theaters across the country. It was one night only, and I was determined to at least see this.

Unfortunately, fate handed me another cruel blow when I learned that the Celine movie theater broadcast was completely sold out at all the theaters in Orange County. I had found out about this event too late. Oh well. I guess I can always hope to find the DVD under the Christmas tree! :)

Disneyland Tour of Downtown Los Angeles

You've often heard us mention that we live 7.5 miles outside of Disneyland. As it turns out, that statement may not be 100% correct any longer. We recenty discovered Southern California doesn't just have one Disneyland, we have two of them! Or so reveals Charles Phoenix when we joined him for his acclaimed Disneyland Tour of Downtown Los Angeles.


Charles Phoenix leads the Disneyland Tour of Downtown Los Angeles. (12/09/2007)

I had read about this tour in the Los Angeles Times a while back and had wanted to take part for quite some time. So when I received his an e-mail notification from Charles Phoenix, I signed us up. And when we needed a birthday present idea for Amy's birthday, we decided to make it a foursome!

During this illuminating six-hour tour, we experienced "the charm of Main Street USA, the exotica of Adventureland, the wilderness of Frontierland, the magic of Fantasyland and the future of Tomorrowland," without ever leaving the vicinity of downtown Los Angeles. It was truly a unique experience to say the least.


Charles Phoenix welcomes guests on the Downtown Disneyland tour. (12/09/2007)

We knew we were in for a fun time when we first arrived and found the kitch-tastic Charles Phoenix clad in a bright lime green dinner jacket, white gloves, perfectly-creased burgundy slacks, a bejeweled plantation tie (think Colonel Sanders but with sparkles) and a set of personalized Mickey Mouse ears. With a personality as colorful as his attire, Charles Phoenix has masterfully transformed his love of Southern California '50s and '60s culture into a full-time business consisting of slide shows, coffee table books and tours.

And let me just say the tour was as fun as it sounds. The tour began at noon at the Downtown Disneyland train station. In this case we're talking about Los Angeles Union Station. Built in 1939, it was the last great train station to be built in the USA. Even though I've lived in Southern California since 1992, it was my first time ever setting foot inside of the building.


Union Station, Downtown Disneyland's main train station. (12/09/2007)

The detail in this place was spectacular. From the amazing marble floors, to the wood ceilings, to the leather chairs that don't appear to have been replaced in the nearly 70 years since it opened, the station was a true sight to behold. We even heard about the special acoustic tiles that were made from ground up corn cobs and old newspapers.


Union Station, America's last great railway station. (12/09/2007)

We also got a glipse of the station's original Harvey House restaurant (like the one depicted in the 1946 Judy Garland musical, The Harvey Girls, in which she famously sang "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe."). We didn't get to go inside, but you can still peer into the windows and see the original counter and decor.


The now-closed Harvey House restaurant in L.A.'s Union Station. (12/09/2007)

Next we took the Monorail (aka Gold Line) to the Chinatown Station, where we boarded a yellow school bus that took us to Adventureland (a themed area of Chinatown built by the city of Los Angeles in 1938). There we saw the Golden Pagoda restaurant (now Hop Louie), which has been a Chinatown icon since 1941. Phoenix described its 1950s decor best, saying, "If Lucy and Ethel were to go to a Chinese retstaurant, this restaurant would be exactly like it."


Hop Louie in Chinatown, Downtown Disneyland's Adventureland. (12/09/2007)

Again, it was my first time in Chinatown in the 15 years I've lived in Southern California. Other Chinatown highlights included stops inside the Munky King toy store, as well as Realm, a gift store inside of a converted 1940s Chinatown restaurant, complete with the restaurant's original bar still in tact. Very cool. I can't wait to come back when we have more time to shop, but we have more Adventureland to see.


Charles Phoenix discusses Olvera Street founder Christine Sterling. (12/09/2007)

Our Adventureland tour continued at Olvera Street, the city's first pedestrian mall (pedestrian as in "on foot," not as in "lacking wit or imagination"). Although the neighborhood dates back to the 1800s, it didn't become a marketplace until 1930 when a Mrs. Christine Sterling helped convert it from skid row to popular tourist destination.

While there we walked through the Old Plaza Firehouse, the first building constructed in Los Angeles as a fire station (1884), as well as Avila Adobe, the oldest existing residence in Los Angeles (1818). We also walked by the Pio Pico House, which at one time was the most glamorous hotel in town. We concluded Olvera Street when Phoenix bought everyone a beef taquito from Cielito Lindo Cafe, which was so good (especially since we were starving).


Amy, Charles Phoenix, James and Tim at downtown L.A.'s Clifton's Cafeteria. (12/09/2007)

But food was not far away, as our next stop was Frontierland, also known as the fabulous Clifton's "Brookdale" Cafeteria, which was amazingly decorated like a wilderness lodge(very Country Bear Jamboree). This place has been feeding hungry Los Angelenos since 1935, and it is a complete injustice that I had not ever eaten here before.


Inside the incredible Clifton's Cafeteria. (12/09/2007)

It's definitely a flashback in time. It's 100% cafeteria, where you pick what you want and pay for it at the end. And believe me, did we pick! By the time we walked away from the cash register, we each had an enormous tray of food that none of us finished completely. As hungry as we were walking in, that's how full we were walking out.


James, Charles Phoenix and Clifton's Cafeteria Jello. (12/09/2007)

We then toured the Broadway Arcade, Los Angeles' oldest shopping center (since 1922), as well as a one-time Dutch Chocolate Shop (1911) where we saw a great example of a Batchelder Tile interior. Batchelder tile was made by Ernest A. Batchelder (1875-1957). His tiles were hugely popular in their day, and today are coveted by owners of Craftsman-style homes.

Next, we toured the iconic Bradbury Building, a true architectural landmark set in the middle of Downtown. Built in 1893, this building is known for its spectacular lobby, which features cage elevators surrounded by beautiful wrought-iron grillwork. The lobby was featured prominently in the film Blade Runner.


The amazing lobby of LA's Bradbury Building. (12/09/2007)

We then walked through the nearby Grand Central Market, downtown's supermarket alternative since 1917. It's just across the street from the "shortest railway in the world," Angel's Flight, which is no longer in operation. But we did walk up the seemingly endless stairway to Tomorrowland, a water garden nestled beneath downtown's skyscrapers.

By 3:45 we were on our way to the Westin Bonaventure, the largest hotel in Los Angeles. We were there to check out the sweetest holiday display in downtown. It was a gingerbread cityscape decorated with thousands of holiday lights. At the top was an actual gingerbread version of the Bonaventure Hotel.


The awesome Christmas display at the Bonaventure. (12/09/2007)

At that point, we were given a five-minute bathroom break before heading to our next destination. That's when Tim and I quickly dashed to one of the Bonaventure's famous external glass elevators for a quick ride to the top so I could snap a few pictures. Tim, as you may or may not know, hates heights, so I have to give him credit for going up with me.


The view from one of the Bonaventure elevators. (12/09/2007)

Next stop: The Haunted Mansion, which was on Carroll Avenue. Charles Phoenix described this street perfectly when he said, "If Disneyland's Main Street had a residential district, this is what it would look like." And he was exactly right.


Tim in front of the Charmed house on Carroll Ave. (12/09/2007)

Carroll Avenue is Southern California's largest concentration of Victorian houses. While there we saw the house that is used in Charmed, the set-in-San-Francisco TV show that for some inexplicable reason Tim loves. We also saw the house used in the TV series Journeyman, another show set in San Francisco.


The Journeyman house on Carroll Ave. (12/09/2007)

Our final stop at 5:00 p.m. was to Fantasyland, which is found at Bob Baker's Marionette Puppet Theater. Built in 1961, this unique theater could easily fit into any mid-century decade. We experienced scenes from the Holiday Spectacular, followed by a performance by the master himself, Bob Baker.


Charles Phoenix in the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. (12/09/2007)

Bob Baker is a legend in the marionette field. He performed the marionette scenes in films such as the 1960 G.I. Blues with Elvis Presley and Leslie Caron, the 1954 A Star is Born with Judy Garland, and my childhood favorite, Escape to Witch Mountain in 1975. He was responsible for many of the effects in 1971's Bedknobs & Broomsticks, one of Tim's favorites. You can also see his work on Bewitched and Star Trek original series.

Still spry at age 83 (although looking at him you would think he's much younger), he re-created a classic tap-dance by Bill "Bojangles" Robinson using his Bill Robinson marionette. It was incredible. Afterwards we enjoyed strawberry and whippped cream cake and ice-cream cups — complete with wooden spoons — in the children's party room. While there we had a Q&A session with Bob Baker.


Bob Baker discusses the art of marionette puppeteering. (12/09/2007)

By 5:50 we were back on Autopia (the Freeway) for our 6:00 return to Union Station. Although we saw and did things that anyone can do on their own, I would heartily recommend the Charles Phoenix tour since it conveniently fits all these things into one afternoon. Plus he provides transportation, which would be a logistic challenge on your own. Most of all, however, his entertaining storytelling along the way made it a day well spent.