First visit to Disneyland, Day Two, Post No. 3

A few minutes later we caught another great performance--lucky for Sharon and me because we truly love live performances. The Red Car News Boys certainly performed very well. These first two photos actually show the action at the end of the performance. I very much like the expression on this young man's face in each of the photos.



I found a person's impression of the Red Car Newsboys' performance on the Internet.

Red Car News Boys

I always walk away from a performance by the Red Car News Boys humming one of the show's songs. It's hard not to be charmed by this engaging troupe of news boys (and one news girl), who roll up in a shiny new Red Car Trolley singing, "California, Here We Come!" Arriving in front of the Carthay Circle Theatre, they proceed to sing out the day's headlines in an effort to attract buyers for their papers.



Each headline is accompanied by a different song: "Take Me Out to the Ball game" for news about Babe Ruth; "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" for a story about Charles Lindbergh; "We're in the Money" for a financial headline. These songs provide every performer an opportunity to spend a moment as the lead. The performers also showcase their physical talents while they sing, such as dancing the Charleston or executing cartwheels.



(My observation, not the other Internet author: Mickey came out of the trolley car, too, then put his suitcase down and joined in the performance.)



(My observation: That's the News Girl Mickey appears to be pointing at, in the gold pants with the strange spots at her thighs.)
 

(More of what I found on the Internet.) Mickey's just arrived in town, and the news boys want to see if he really has what it takes to become "the next big thing." This is a Mickey we rarely see—shy, bashful, somewhat uncertain. (My observation: I didn't notice Mickey being shy, but it all happened pretty fast.)
 

(My observation: Mickey is such a cute little guy, even in this costume.)
 

(My observation: Mickey danced along, too, amazing to me in those huge shoes.)

(I didn't see this next part which makes me wonder if it has been removed from the performance.)

The show ends with the Newsies anthem "Seize the Day," and includes a novel encounter with one of the Citizens of Buena Vista Street. Molly the Messenger arrives with a telegram for Mickey Mouse, with news of a big audition. I love the way the show's creators pulled Molly—a character you see riding around Buena Vista Street throughout the day—into the show for a cameo. It gives the show a sense of place and immediacy, and it's really a lot of fun.



(My observation: The News Boys help Mickey down so that they can all leave on the trolley car once their performance is completed.)

(And here's the last of what I found on the Internet.)

While some (including this writer) feel that the thumping bass beat behind some of the arrangements is a bit too modern for 1920s Los Angeles, the era re-created on Buena Vista Street, the show has an endearing quality that makes me enjoy the performance, and willing to overlook an anachronistic musical choice or two. With concealed speakers built right in, the Red Car Trolley makes a great backdrop and rolling stage, though I've noticed that the acoustics seem optimized for the crowd gathered around the performance space; from elsewhere on Buena Vista Street, the vocalists do not seem to blend or harmonize quite as well. That means you should try to grab a front-row seat if you want to catch the Red Car News Boys in any of their six daily performances on Buena Vista Street.

First visit to Disneyland, Day Two, Post No. 1

Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney perpetually enjoy the sunshine at Disney California Adventure, the second park at the complex in Anaheim.



The plaque.



Sharon with Mickey and Walt.

First visit to Disneyland! Day One, Post No. 8

Mickey Mouse on his float, playing the drums. Minnie Mouse, such a cutie pie. Love that piano keyboard skirt and all the petticoats! The genie from Aladdin and some harem girls. Are they known as harem girls in that movie? I haven't seen it, so I don't know for sure. Aladdin is certainly handsome! Undersea creatures from The Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid herself! She kept that tail of hers moving, flipping it up and down, swiveling on that seat.

More from the parade tomorrow!

From the Disneyland Web site:

Fabulous Floats Watch as beloved melodies from classic Disney movies come to life through thrilling rhythms, Disney Characters and whimsical floats.

• Music in Motion Rhythmic beats hit Main Street, U.S.A at Disneyland Park!
• Mickey strikes up the band and leads the way with a syncopated drum line.
• Colorfully costumed musicians, energetic dancers and many of Mickey’s friends follow to amplify the fun with twinkling cymbals, steel drums and bold percussion.
• Each fantastic float has its own unique musical style, like crowd-pleasing Bollywood and South American rhythms.
• Best of all, you're encouraged to join the celebration for a giant jam session

A Symphony of Disney Characters

• Mickey leads this rockin’ parade, followed by many of his friends, including some royal Disney Princesses.
• Joining Mickey are Minnie, Goofy, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Pluto and Pals from popular Disney films, including:
• The Little Mermaid
• The Three Caballeros
• The Lion King
• The Princess and the Frog
• Aladdin
• Peter Pan
• Mary Poppins
• Don’t miss the medley of Royal Princess Romantic Melodies, where these 5 Disney Princesses make an appearance: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and even Rapunzel.

First visit to Disneyland! Day One, Post No. 3

Once we got off the Disney Railroad train and walked down the steps of the depot, Jenna noticed these beautiful blossoms. I am so glad that she did because I hadn't noticed them and would have missed the chance to take these photos. They are in a raised flower bed about mid-shoulder height which made it easy to take the photos, too. Jenna and Sharon, enjoying the sunshine and posing for a photo--after they'd taken mine with Mickey Mouse! See the castle in the background! I'm not sure how I focused this photo because I was just about overcome with excitement to be in this special place which I had loved since I was a young girl. Whoopee! The auto function on the camera took over for me! See, here I am with Mickey! At first, Sharon thought she was taking photos, but there were none in my camera, so gracious Mickey and others waiting for a photo with him allowed us to try again. Happy, happy, joy, joy! Our next stop, this refreshment stand in Main Street USA. I got a bottle of orange juice and a bag of grapes; I drank a bit and ate a few, then put the rest away for later. Fluids, the order of the day so that we fun-lovers could stay hydrated. The predicted high temperature for that day--88 degrees. I think that it made it, too! Later on we decided to eat a late lunch at the French Market Restaurant which is located in New Orleans Square. Turns out there is live music and pretty good food, plus it is next door to the Haunted Mansion. Lunch, sort of cafeteria style: Mighty fine beef and bun arranged as a French dip sandwich, good au jus, crispy chips and fresh grapes--I ate every bit of it and over the hour we sat there, enjoying our food and the music, I drank the entire large cup of Coca Cola on half a cup of ice and the smaller cup of water. Thank goodness there was a restroom nearby.

First visit to Disneyland! Day One, Post No. 2

When I realized that the train pulled to a stop at a station and our railcar stopped in the midst of the It's a Small World attraction, I just about lost it. I had no idea that the would happen. No idea. Naturally before we made it back to the station, I asked Sharon and Jenna if we could ride all the way around again, one more time. They agreed, thank goodness, because if you saw my post yesterday, that allowed me to get in a very short line for Mickey Mouse and my photo with him! Yea!

First visit to Disneyland! Day One, Post No. 1

12:32 p.m. and I have walked through the gates at Disneyland for the first time in my life. Automatically, I feel like a kid again. Well, mentally at least. I know my body is the age that I am, but who cares. I know that there will be benches and low walls and rides and such to allow me the chance to rest when I need to. My friends Sharon and Jenna have been here before, so they are my aces in the hole, so I know they'll keep me from making too many missteps as we spend lots of time here over the next four days. I bought those sunglasses at the Rain Forest Cafe the day before so that I could deal with that bright sun. Sharon and Jenna remembered to bring theirs from home--see what I mean about experienced travelers to Southern California? Our hotel sells not only bus passes but also Disneyland tickets! By getting our four-day-hoppers before we left the lobby, we avoided one line at the park. Eyes glued to the flower-filled Mickey Mouse on the slope that led up to the Disneyland Railroad depot, I would have missed seeing my first characters. Thanks, Sharon, for pointing out princesses! Belle and Cinderella? Yes! I Googled to check my answer. Not bad for an ol' lady! We rode the train around the park, twice, at my request. I just kept looking and looking and looking. When we got off at the station, I looked across the street and saw a few folks in line, looked to the left to see what had grabbed their attention. Mickey Mouse! I took off across the street and got in line. Yes, my first character photo is with the greatest mouse ever! What a good hugger he was, too! One photo I took while we were on the train--Minnie Mouse being so sweet with a little girl. Wow. My face had started to ache a bit from the full-time grin plastered on it. And I'm certain that the excitement level in every word I spoke, every thought I had soared to the stratosphere, just like a rocket in a Disney cartoon! P.S. I apologize for the fact that the photos may be loading slowly--I think it has something to do with a change made at Flickr. There is nothing that I can do about it. I hope you'll still visit the blog and enjoy the photos. Thank you.

Icons on Parade, one of my miniature art cars

Please scroll down to see today's dahlia, Papageno, from Swan Island Dahlias.

It's been a while since I pulled out all of my cars and toys and paints and glue. Here's one I concocted.

Homer Simpson and Tweety Bird.


Buzz Lightyear and Mickey Mouse, along with three teens who hitched a ride in the parade.


Today's dahlia, Papageno. Facts from Swan Island Dahlias--Bloom: 10" Golden Peach, Bush: 3 1/2'

ABC Wednesday – M is for M & Ms

Make Merry and Make Music with the Man in the Mickey Mouse hat!



Meet Working Kirk Reeves, who according to his business card is a TV Producer and a Trumpet Player. The card says he appears on a local access station Thursday nights, with a program called "Low Comedy TV Show." While I've yet to tune in, I've seen Working Kirk, purveyor of Low Comedy in the Land of the Trumpet, many afternoons at this entrance ramp to the Hawthorne Bridge.

He gave me his card and said to take all of the pictures I wanted to take for my blog, then he started pulling entertaining stuff out of his bag. Drivers waiting to merge onto the bridge handed him paper money from their car windows as he kept up a steady change of pace, from music to puppets to juggling, smiling all the while. Today after work I noticed that he was wearing an umbrella hat instead of his Mickey Mouse hat--intermittent showers filled the forecast but not the skies, at that moment anyway.