Decor – Tea Table Displays

Posted on March 26, 2015 by barbara

Several years ago on a trip to Asheville, NC I purchased a lovely antique tea table which is now placed in the corner of our formal dining room. Our dining room was already furnished with a beautiful dining table with 8 chairs and matching china cabinet. Also in the room was a tall cherry wood cabinet where I store silverware and table linens. I had been searching for a long time to find a piece of furniture to complete the room’s furnishings and the addition of the antique tea table was the perfect piece.

So what does a person place on a tea table? A china tea set of course!

The china tea set that I placed on the tea table was purchased several years ago when I worked in a small retail store that sold home decorative items and various collectibles. The white china tea pot has pretty pink roses and ivy, on the front are printed the words “And the greatest of these is Love”. The two teacups and saucers also feature pink roses and ivy, trimmed in gold. The words, “Love, Faith and Hope” are printed on the front of each teacup. I search and was able to find gold teaspoons that I placed on the saucers to match the gold trim. The saying on the teapot has a very special meaning to my husband and me because at our wedding we had the 1 Corinthians 13:13 verse read during the ceremony.

Hanging above the tea table are two framed items that will continue the story of our wedding and complete the decorations in this area of our dining room. The first is a framed print of the Marty Bell painting “Sweetheart’s Gate”. I love the vivid colors of print and if you look closely there are hidden hearts which Marty Bell painted into many of her paintings. Below that framed print is another framed item; it is the custom label from the wine served at our wedding. Before we got married my husband and I took a wonderful trip to the Napa Valley and toured several of the wineries. Knowing that we would be married in a few months we order several bottles of wine from a small winery in the area and had custom labels made with our names and the wedding date. I had a few extra labels and I decided to mat and frame one of the labels to create a unique wedding keepsake. (Décor Tip: When decorating an area of the home, think about displaying related items that tell a special story, this is what I did in the corner of our dining room)

As most of the readers to my blog know, I love to decorate for the different seasons throughout the year. In this post, I will show how I have decorated the tea table with various seasonal items.

Spring/Easter –

Shown below is a photo of the seasonal decorations I used for Easter. I keep the china tea set on the tea table and then placed a special holiday decoration. The used a white feather tree and placed it in a cute cracked egg white vase that I found in my local craft store. Then I decorated the feather tree with sparkle egg ornaments in pastel colors and for a little bit of whimsy I also added a few small white bunny wearing pastel colored tutus. For another touch of merriment I place a small stuffed duck into one of the teacups.

Fall/Thanksgiving –

Shown below are two different seasonal decorations for fall. The first photo shows a lovely floral arrangement of golden roses and greenery placed in a crystal vase, this arrangement usually sits on the dining room table. To add an extra festive touch, I added several peasant feathers to the arrangement. The second photo shows a unique decoration that I made especially for the year that we hosted Thanksgiving dinner for several family members and since the holiday season is a time of celebration and remembrance I wanted to create a special “Memory Tree”. I used a small tabletop artificial pine tree which I decorated with family photo frame ornaments, golden feathers and bronze jingle bells. (For complete instructions on creating a “Memory Tree” for your home, please click on the link)

Christmas –

Shown below is the special Christmas decoration that I made. Inspired by the cranberry topiary that I had seen in the Red Room on the HGTV White Christmas special a few years ago I decided to create one for the tea table in our dining room. It was very easy to make and I used two different Styrofoam pieces, artificial pine, pinecones and artificial cranberries. When I completed the decoration, I placed is on a silver pedestal to add height. (For complete instructions on creating a Cranberry Topiary for your home, please click on the link).

Several years ago on one of our antique shopping adventures I came across old sheet music of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”. I thought that it would look wonderful framed to match the other two framed sheet music that hang on the wall on either side of the china cabinet. So, for the Christmas season I remove and store the framed Marty Bell print and the framed wedding label that usually hang above the tea table. Also to match the other two framed sheet music, I add artificial pine boughs and pine cones placed above the frame.

2012 Christmas Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer sheet music

Travel – Grand Canyon National Park

Posted on March 24, 2015 by barbara

National Parks in the United States make wonderful destinations for family vacations and in this post I will discuss one of the most popular ones … the Grand Canyon National Park located in Arizona. I’m sure this has been said a thousand times, but a photograph does not capture the beauty of the Grand Canyon, it is truly is a wonder to see for the first time and to stand at the edge looking down into the vast canyons. So, I will start with a brief history of the park dating back to when the area was first established by the Native Americans, how it was discovered later by European settlers and how it was eventually made into a National Park. I will discuss how the canyon was formed and also give suggestions of things to see and do on a visit to the park.

A brief history of the Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon National Park is located in the northwest corner of Arizona. The canyon is 277 miles long, measures up to 18 miles at its widest point and reaches the depth of over a mile. The Grand Canyon was created hundreds of millions of years ago but geologists continue to debate about the exact process and timing of its formation. In fact, it was created by a combination of extreme weather conditions, seismic events, volcanic activity and water erosion. As the earth was being formed, this area underwent vast changes in weather conditions creating inland seas, swamps and then deserts. With each different climate condition, rocks and minerals formed layers of sediment deposited one on top of another. The next step in the process happened approximately 60 million years ago when the tectonic plates were sifting in the area that eventually became the North American continent. This seismic activity, similar to how the nearby Rocking Mountain range was created, caused upward rock and soil movement which formed the Colorado and Kaibab plateaus and as a result the Colorado River formed. Each subsequent seismic activity caused an increase in the uplift of plateaus allowing the river to flow faster. The movement of the Colorado River caused a process known as water erosion which started to carve the canyons approximately 2 million years ago. This period in the history of the Earth was known as the Ice Age when massive amounts of snow accumulated in the region. Then, as the snow melted with the change in earth’s temperature, the water of the Colorado River started to cause fissures in earth’s surface by carrying away rock and soil creating deeper and deeper canyons. Finally, one million years ago volcanic activity in the region created a final layer of rock from ash and lava. Today, these layers of rock which were created over millions of years ago tell the story of the geologic history of how the earth was formed. Nearly 40 different layers wonderfully preserved within the exposed walls of the Grand Canyon have been identified. (Travel Note: As visitors look out over the canyons from the rim and scenic overlooks or when venturing further into the canyons on hikes or mule trips, please take the time to look at the various layers of rock and appreciate what nature has created!)

Currently this part of the United States is known as the “Four Corners” area and it is where the four states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico borders all come together. Thousands of years ago a group of Native Americans, known as the Anasazi, lived in the area. The Anasazi are considered the ancient ancestors of the modern Pueblo Native Americans who considered the Grand Canyon a holy site that they named Ongtupqa.

The first Europeans to visit the area were a group of Spanish conquistadors, soldiers and explorers, led by Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas under the orders of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1540. The conquistadors and their Hopi Native American guides were in search of the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola. Their records indicate that they came to the South Rim of Grand Canyon, somewhere between the current area known as Desert View and Moran Point, noting that the canyon were deep and walls were high. 200 years passed before two Spanish priests, Father Francisco Dominguez and Father Silvestre de Escalante, accompanied by Spanish soldiers came to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon looking for a way into California in 1776. The route that was established became known as the “Crossing of the Fathers” and was located in Glen Canyon (currently the route lies under the waters of Lake Powell)

Almost a hundred years later, John Wesley Powell led the first expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon in 1869. Starting at Green River in Wyoming, Powell and nine men gathered in four boats and traveled down the Green River to the Colorado River navigating the uncharted river for future travel. The Powell group completed the 350 miles trip in three months experiencing difficult navigation and many hardships along the way. (Travel Note: Today, visitors can travel down the Grand Canyon on a variety of organized raft trips that explore several different parts along the Colorado River, trips are available in various lengths of time ranging from one day to several days)

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon on a trip through the area; he was a great sportsman and conservationist. In 1906 Roosevelt established the Grand Canyon Game Preserve which eventually led to the elimination of natural predators such as eagles, mountain lions and wolves. Later, adjacent land was added to the preserve and it became designated as a National Monument in 1908. Then, unfortunately land and mining interests blocked the area from being incorporated into the United States National Park system for the next 11 years. Finally, on February 26, 1919 the Grand Canyon officially became the 17^th National Park as signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.

Throughout the following years, the Grand Canyon National Park has experiences many changes and overcome many management problems. In 1963 the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam permanently altered the Colorado River and as a result the Grand Canyon ecosystem experienced many changes. Other problems impacting the Grand Canyon included disputes with various Native American tribal reservations adjacent to the park concerning water rights, increased air pollution levels caused by surrounding metropolitan areas and increased tourist air traffic created higher noise levels.

One remarkable achievement in recent years has been the reintroduction of the California condor into the Grand Canyon Nation Park. At one point in time the California condor ranged from Canada to Mexico and across the United States from the west coast to the east coast. Gradually with the settlement of North America it decreased their range to only the area along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Baja California. The population of condors dramatically dwindled at an alarming rate due to increased hunting and cyanide poisoning from predator traps, power line collisions and lead poisoning caused by the condors ingesting fragment of lead ammunition in carcasses. In 1967 the California condor was put on the federal endangered species list but by 1982 the total condor population was down to only 22 birds and the species was close to extinction. Then in 1983, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a captive breeding programing partnering with the Los Angeles Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Sadly, by 1985 the condor population had declined to only nine birds in the wild. In 1987, a controversial decision was made to capture all the remaining condors and included them into the captive breeding program. Eventually, the condor numbers dramatically increased to 177 birds and in 1992 the decision was made to release 127 condors into the Los Padres National Forest located north of Los Angeles and later in 1996 six condors were released into the Vermilion Cliff area 30 miles north of the Grand Canyon. Today, the total population of California condors is over 400 with half that number being from birds in the wild, currently there are five active condor nesting areas located within the Grand Canyon National Park and the Vermilion Cliff area.

Things to see and do at the Grand Canyon National Park

South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Village is located near Mather Point which is the place where most park visitors get their first look of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center located in the village is a great first stop for visitors to find park information regarding current climate and road conditions, get park maps and view exhibits pertaining to the park’s geology and animal inhabitations. The visitor center also shows a 20 minute orientation film, “Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder”, in the visitor center theater.

Most visitors travel to the Grand Canyon National Park by car but once they arrive at the park certain areas are restricted to private transportation and visitors are encouraged to take the park’s free shuttle buses to see the major points of interest. Some visitors that decide to stay outside the park boundaries will stay in Williams, AZ and then take the Grand Canyon Railway train into the park which arrives and departs from the train depot conveniently located in the Grand Canyon Village. (Travel Note: For more information about the Grand Canyon Railway and hotel accommodations in Williams, please click on the link to www.thetrain.com)

The Grand Canyon Village is also where visitor accommodations ranging from inexpensive campgrounds or moderate to expensive hotels are located in the South Rim area. The most luxurious lodging on the South Rim is the El Tovar Hotel built in 1905 and designed by Charles Frederick Whittlesley in a style that has become known as “National Park Rustic”, there is also a restaurant and gift shop located inside the hotel. A moderate price hotel also located in the Grand Canyon Village is the Bright Angel Lodge which was built in 1935. The original hotel was built by the famous Fred Harvey Company and designed by Mary Colter, an unusual feature is the fireplace which is layered with stones placed in the same sequence as those found in the Grand Canyon. (Travel Note: Be sure to make advance reservations if you are planning to stay overnight in the park)

A short walk away from the hotels and perched on the canyon rim is the Kolb Studio which was built in 1904 by Ellsworth and Emery Kolb. The Kolb Brothers guided visitors down the Bright Angel Trail taking photographs which the visitors could purchase of them standing in front the magnificent views of the Grand Canyon. In 1911, the Kolb Brother filmed their journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers which brought national attention and increased tourism to the area. The former studio building was recently restored and features a Kolb photography exhibit and an art gallery.

Located about 27 miles from the Grand Canyon Village is an area known as Desert View which offers even more spectacular views of the Grand Canyon and from this vantage point the Colorado River can be seen down at the bottom of the canyon. Adjacent to the parking lot is one of Mary Colter’s best known buildings called the Desert View Watchtower which was built in 1932. The structure was designed to resemble the ancient Anasazi watchtowers and the building stands 70 feet tall and is considered one of the highest points on the South Rim.

Located just over 3 miles from the Desert View Watchtower are the Tusayan Ruins and Museum which helps visitors understand how the Pueblo Native Americans lived in the Grand Canyon over 800 years ago. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the ruins or check the park guide for when NPS rangers offer more detailed guided tours. The Tusayan Museum is open daily with free admission and features exhibits which display twig figurines, pottery and other items of the Pueblo Native Americans.

These are just some of the things to see on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, for more information and other suggestions, please see the click on the Grand Canyon National Park website link, www.nps.gov/grca

North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is opened from May to October every year and closed during the winter months; it is usually less crowded than the popular South Rim. The distance from the bottom of the South Rim to the North Rim is a 21 mile hike. Travel time by car from the South Rim to the North Rim will take about five hours; it is 220 mile drive if you are visiting both areas of the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon Lodge is located at Bright Angel Point and it is one of the overnight accommodations within the North Rim Area of the park. Built in 1927, the Grand Canyon Lodge was designed by Gilbert Underwood and the main building is located near the edge of the canyon rim and features a restaurant and gift shop and there are also 23 deluxe cabins and 91 standard cabins. The Lodge was constructed from local limestone which blends beautifully with the rock formations of the canyon. For more rustic accommodations, there is also a campground within this area of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. (Travel Note: Be sure to make advance reservations if you are planning to stay overnight in the park)

A short walk from the Grand Canyon Lodge is the North Rim Visitor Center which is a great place for visitors to find park information regarding current climate and road conditions, get park maps or brochures and view exhibits; there is also a small bookstore.

Grand Canyon National Park activities

Travel Advisory: The weather at the Grand Canyon can be very hot, so please be prepared with plenty of bottled drinking water if you are planning any outdoor activities!

Most visitors that go to the Grand Canyon National Park drive to the vista points or walk a short distance along the rim to enjoy the views of the canyon or perhaps to catch a glimpse of the Colorado River far below. Some visitors come prepared for hikes into the canyon down the Bright Angel Trail that take all day or maybe longer hikes with an overnight at Phantom Ranch located at the bottom of the canyon on the banks of the Colorado River. (Travel Note: Please be check at the park visitor center to see if a backcountry hiking permit is required for the trail that you will be hiking on. Also, be aware that advance reservations are need for the Phantom Ranch if you are planning on staying overnight)

Listed below are a few more activities available in Grand Canyon National Park –

Mule Rides are an exciting way to see the Grand Canyon and are a very popular park activity that book up very quickly. The South Rim Mule Ride guests will be picked up by a bus in the Grand Canyon Village and taken to the mule barn located near the South Kaibab Trailhead. After a brief orientation, guides will accompany the riders and mules on a four mile round trip down into the canyon and out to the Abyss Overlook, the ride will take approximately two hours. There are also overnight trips available, the mule ride will follow the same trail out to the overlook point but then proceed further into the canyon to the Phantom Ranch. There is also a North Rim Mule Ride for guests staying in that area of the park. Visitors can reserve either a one hour ride along the rim of the canyon or the longer half day trip that takes visitors to either Uncle Jim’s Point or into the canyon down the North Kaibab Trail. (Travel Note: When planning a trip to the park, make reservations as soon as possible, visitors can book up to 13 months in advance. Also please be advised that there are physical limitations and age restrictions for the mule rides)

Colorado River Trips

Colorado River trips are another exciting way for visitors to see the Grand Canyon. Unlike the view from the rim looking down into the canyon, a river trip allows visitors to see the canyon looking up from the Colorado River. A search on the internet will give numerous companies offering river trips ranging from smooth water raft trips for the family to the more adventurous whitewater raft trips. The raft trips available can range in length from easy one day trips to more strenuous multi-day trips which require overnight camping or a stay at the Phantom Ranch. (Travel Note: This blog makes no recommendations for Colorado River trips but we do advise visitors to thoroughly research the river raft companies before making any reservations. For private trips, permits are required so please check the requirements and availability when planning a Colorado River trip)

Airline / Helicopter Tours

An airline or helicopter tours offer visitors another perspective for viewing the Grand Canyon. High above the canyons, visitors can see for miles and the views are spectacular. Much like the Colorado River trips, a search on the internet will give numerous companies offering helicopter tours available from 30 minutes to several hours in length and taking off from airports near the Grand Canyon to as far away as Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV. (Travel Note: This blog makes no recommendations for helicopter tours but we do advise visitors to thoroughly research the companies before making any reservations)

Craft – Easter Floral Eggs

Posted on March 19, 2015 by barbara

This Easter I wanted to create beautiful Floral Eggs to add to our Easter decorations. I had seen these types of eggs in magazines and I thought they looked different from the other Easter Eggs that I had previously made. When shopping in the local craft store I found several colors of small plastic flowers that would be perfect for the craft project.

Below is a list of supplies and instructions to make the Floral Eggs:

Floral Easter Egg supplies

Wooden egg (be sure to purchase one with a flat base)
Small flowers (when shopping for supplies calculate the amount of flowers required to cover the surface of the egg)
Paint (to match the color of the flowers selected)
Scissors (for clipping the flowers from the stem)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Sandpaper (optional)

Floral Easter Egg instructions

Start by sanding any rough edges of the wooden eggs (this is considered optional)
Paint the entire surface of the wooden egg with the exception of the bottom, let paint dry completely.
Prepare the flowers by snipping the flowers from the stems (be sure to clip the flowers as close to the bottom as possible, this will help the flowers sit flat against the wooden egg)
Start at the top of the wooden egg and glue the first flower, work down the surface of the egg placing each flower tightly together. (Craft Tip: when I first started this craft project I glued each flower one at a time. Then, I found a faster way but putting a one inch section of hot glue on the wooden egg and quickly placing several flowers at one time)

Other types of supplies can be used to create different Easter egg variations, simply following steps 1, 2, skip 3 and 4.

Pearls beads – white, ivory or a variety of colors can be used
Crystals beads – clear, aurora borealis or a variety of colors can be used

For additional ideas for decorating a home or creating a wonderful variety of decorated Easter eggs with complete instructions and supply lists, please click on the following links: Elegant Easter Eggs décor post, Faberge Inspired Eggs and Elegant Eggs craft post.

Travel – Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean

Posted on March 18, 2015 by barbara

Our family has been enjoying Disneyland for almost sixty years and we have so many memories of spending wonderful times at the park. One of the first things we do on a visit is head over to New Orleans Square to ride one of the most popular rides in the park … Pirates of the Caribbean. We also enjoy eating at the Blue Bayou which is the restaurant located within the ride and is famous for its Monte Cristo Sandwich. In this post I will discuss the history of the Disneyland attraction, the many changes to the ride over the years and some fun Pirates of the Caribbean trivia.

The history of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland

The idea for a pirate themed attraction dates back to the early 1950s, when Disneyland was being planned, and there was a ride concept for a walk-through wax museum featuring scenes with famous pirates for history, but that idea was put on hold and never built. Instead, at the time that Disneyland opened Anaheim, CA in 1955, there was a Pirate themed attraction located in Fantasyland and it was Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship Restaurant sponsored by Chicken of the Sea and later in 1960 Skull Rock from the 1953 Disney animated movie “Peter Pan” was added. Both attractions remained at Disneyland for several years until the 1982 refurbishment of the New Fantasyland, the Dumbo attraction now stands where the former Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship and Skull Rock where originally located. (Currently, Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship Restaurant and Skull Rock can be seen again in Adventureland at Disneyland Paris in France)

By this time, the Disney Company had a separate division that was responsible for the creation and construction of the Disney theme park; it was originally known as WED which are the initials of Walter Elias Disney. The staff of visual artists and engineers was collectively known as imagineers, a name meaning employees that combined imagination and engineering to design and build rides for the Disney theme park. Several years later, when Walt was considering creating a new “land” called New Orleans Square at Disneyland he decided the time was right to finally create a pirate ride.

When the It’s a Small World attraction was created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair it featured a new ride technology using water propelled boats but more importantly it was very successful in moving a large number of guests through the attraction in a timely manner and this was exactly what Walt needed for the new pirate ride that he envisioned. So, Walt and his imagineers decided to utilize the same boat ride system that would take guests through the ride to see various scenes featuring audio-animatronic pirates. The relatively new technology of audio-animatronics was basically a type of robotics that was able to make figures move in a realistic way, this was accomplished by means of pneumatic and hydraulic valves used inside the figures and controlled by sonic impulses with a vocal track recorded on a magnetic tape. With these two new technologies as the basis for the new ride concept the imagineers quickly moved forward with ideas.

Herb Ryman, the famous Disney artist that created the original drawings for Disneyland, drew some preliminary sketches that would eventually determine the overall design of New Orleans Square, another Disney artist named Sam McKim also helped with creating the final designs. The new pirate ride would be located in one of the buildings in New Orleans Square and this determined the amount of space allowed for the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Marc Davis, a former Disney animator, was now working as an imagineer for WED and he is responsible for the overall interior design of the ride and created numerous sketches, drawings and paintings depicting the various scenes of the pirates attacking, raiding and eventually setting fire to a village. The next step in the process of creating the ride was for the imagineers to utilize storyboards to create a cohesive storyline as guests would move from one scene to another scene; this same technique of storyboards was used frequently by the Disney Studios when plotting out their animated movies. The storyboards of the pirate ride were constantly being revised as scenes were added, changed or eliminated. Once the storyboards were finalized, the next step was to create working small-scale models of the various scenes which would be used for the ride. Using small inexpensive models was a better way to keep building costs down by making changes on the models instead on the more expensive full-sized structures.

Marc Davis developing Pirates concept boards

Now that the Pirate of the Caribbean ride designs where finished it was time to build. The new ride would be located in New Orleans Square which was designed with several antebellum-style buildings containing shops and restaurants. The main building where the ride would be located is a multi-level structure with the majority of the ride located under the building and streets of New Orleans Square. The first step in the ride construction was excavating a large area to accommodate the space for the ride’s various village scenes. The next step was laying the guide rails for the pirate boats that would take guests through the ride, eventually the ride would use 750,000 gallons of water to propel the boats and also create the scenic areas of the ride. Two 21-degree drops were required at the beginning of the ride to take guests underground and into the main show building located beyond the berm of the park. At the end of the ride, the boat needed to get back to the ground level and this was achieved by the guests remaining in the boats as a chain pulley system, similar to the technique used to pull a roll coaster uphill, was used to return guests to the loading/unloading area of the ride. (When the Pirates of the Caribbean ride was added to Walt Disney World in Florida, the boat path was revised so that guests unloaded before the ascent)

Please note that some of the photos of the New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean construction shown below were originally used on the davelandblog.com website.

As the building process was going on, imagineer Blaine Gibson was heading up a team to create the pirate figures for the ride. The look of the figures changed from fierce looking pirates to more whimsical ones to be used in some of the more humorous scenes of the ride. Before the figures could be added, the various ride scenes needed to be constructed. These scenes ranged from the quiet bayou scene located after the guest load area and before the two drops, to the dark and mysterious caverns after plunging down the waterfall, to the misty scene where the pirates attack the village, to the numerous scenes of the pirates pillaging the village just before the ride comes to a fiery end.

Then in 1966, as the ride was nearing completion, Walt Disney suddenly died. Walt’s health had severely deteriorated after years of smoking. Always concerned more for the good of his company then his personal health, Walt kept his condition as quite as possible telling only his family, a few close friends and co-workers that he need to be hospitalize to have one of his lungs removed. The company’s employees and stockholders were told that he was receiving treatment for an old polo injury so as not to effect the daily and long term operation of the Disney Company. Sadly, Walt died on December 15, 1966. After a brief period of mourning the work on the Pirates attraction resumed and was eventually completed three months later with an official opening date of March 18, 1967.

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction was a success from the day it opened and over the years it has become one of the most popular rides at Disneyland. Later, other versions were built in the Disney theme parks using different facades but always with the interior ride being very similar to the original one. The Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World) Pirates of the Caribbean ride opened in 1973, Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, Disneyland Paris in 1992 and currently one is under construction at the Shanghai Disneyland with a projected opening date of December 2015.

Pirates of the Caribbean ride trivia

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was the last Disneyland attraction that was personally supervised by Walt Disney from ride concept and design through to construction, he died three months before the official opening.
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride cost approximately $8 million dollars to build in Disneyland which is almost equal to the amount paid to France when the United States negotiated the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 which included the city of New Orleans.
The Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean ride is contained in two large show buildings covering a total of 112,826 feet. located beyond the berm of the park.
The ride uses 750,000 gallons of water which flows through the 1,838 feet length of the ride’s canals.
There are approximately 122 audio animatronic characters (68 pirates and villagers and 54 animals) used on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride
The façade of the main building to the attraction is said to have been inspired by the architecture of the Cabildo building located in Jackson Square in New Orleans, the building was the site where the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803.
Atop the tall tower of the main building of the Pirates attraction a 31 star United States flag can be seen, this corresponding to the 1850s which is the time period that New Orleans Square is supposed to be set.
The Laffite Landing sign which hangs over the Pirates of the Caribbean boat load/unload area is for the famous pirate, Jean Lafitte, who fought with the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans. (The name is spelled as the pirate originally used it and not the later English version which is how it is written in the history books)
The Pirate of the Caribbean ride features the memorable song, “Yo-Ho, a Pirates Life for Me”. The music is by George Bruns and the lyrics are by Francis Xavier Atencio. Bruns is best known as the co-writer of another Disney classic, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett”. Atencio wrote the theme song for the Haunted Mansion attraction, “Grim Grinning Ghosts”. Atencio voice can also be heard on the Pirates ride as the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones just before the boat plunges down the first waterfall.
In the battle scene of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride cannonballs seem to be flying over the guests as they ride through, but it is only a Disney illusion using recorded sounds and flashes of light are used to create the effect that cannon are firing from the pirate ship and also on land from the village fortress. A splash of water gives the effect that the cannonballs are missing their targets and landing in the water, recently puffs of air have been added to create the addition effect of the cannonballs flying past.
In the village pillaging scenes, the original version of the ride featured several pirates chasing giggling ladies, on was even seen chasing after a pirate! When guests complained about the “sexual implication” of the scene it was altered to reflect a more “chaise” behavior. The ladies now carrying cakes, pastries and other food items that the starving pirates want. An interesting observation is that the bride auction scene remains unchanged.
Toward the end of the ride, the pirates set fire to the village. The fire effect created by the Disney imagineers was so realistic that prior the attraction’s grand opening the Anaheim Fire Chief almost shut down the ride until he realized that it was only an illusion. (The fire is basically created by pieces of fabric, lights and fans!) The Anaheim Fire Department did request that the ride should be altered so that in the event of a real fire the simulated fire effect would automatically shut off.
On the upper level of the building of Pirates of the Carribbean building was originally planned for a private apartment for the personal use of the Disney family. Located at the front of the building, slightly to the right side, is where the front veranda for the Disney apartment would have been and there is a wrought iron railing which incorporates the intertwined initials of Walt Disney (WD) and Roy Disney (RD). The Disney apartment which was never fully completed was eventually converted into the Disney Gallery which was a retail store and showroom featuring Disney artwork and collectible items. In 2007, the space was refurbished and reopened as the Disneyland Dream Suite which is the only overnight guest accommodations located within Disneyland.
In 2003, Disney released the “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” movie which was inspired by the original Disneyland ride. Some scenes in the movie featured iconic ride scenes, such as the jail scene with the pirates trying to get the keys from the mouth of the dog. Even the famous “Yo-Ho, A Pirates Life For Me” song was used in the movie. The film’s world premiere was held at Disneyland and featured the longest red carpet in history; it went from Main Street to New Orleans Square. The movie proved to be very successful and additional sequels have been filmed, in fact the fifth installation of the Pirates of the Caribbean series is currently being filmed.
Following the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, several characters from the movies have been added to the ride. The character of Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, appears several times in various village scenes and Captain Barbossa, played by Geoffrey Rush, can be seen on the pirate ship as it attacks the village. Additionally, one of the most impressive effects of adding the movie’s character into the ride is when the faces of Davy Jones (from “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End”) and Blackbeard (from “On Stranger Tides”) were projected onto the mist before the second waterfall drop. Recently mermaids from “On Stranger Tides” have also been added to the ride.

A Cinderella Fairytale

Posted on March 13, 2015 by barbara

In honor of the new Disney “Cinderella” movie being released in March 2015, this post will discuss the history of one of the world’s most famous fairytales. For centuries now the Cinderella story has been the favorite story that little girls love to hear and they dream about someday the possibility that they could find their own “Prince Charming”. The versions of the Cinderella story that my generation fondly remembers are the 1950 Disney animated movie, the 1957 Rogers and Hammerstein television musical starring Julie Andrews and the remake that was televised in 1965 starring Leslie Ann Warren. Over the last few years there have been more modern interpretations, such as “Ever After” starring Drew Barrymore, “A Cinderella Story” starring Hillary Duff and “Another Cinderella Story” starring Selena Gomez.

A brief history of the Cinderella Fairytale

The story of Cinderella has been told throughout the centuries in different parts of the world and the lead character has been known by various names. The settings or the situations may also vary from one story to another but the basic plot is usually about a young girl who finds herself in difficult circumstances beyond her control which she valiantly overcomes.

The two most popular and well known versions date back to a very long time ago. The 1697 French story of Cendrillon was written by Charles Perrault and introduced such plot elements as the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage and the glass slippers. The story starts when a widower with a small daughter marries a woman with two daughters. The widower’s daughter is forced to work from dawn to dusk performing menial chores for the household and often falls asleep by the fireplace in an effort to stay warm. She frequently wakes covered in cinders and her stepsisters taunt her with the name of Cendrillon. Sadly, her father is completely unaware of the abuse and cruelty. Meanwhile, the King and Queen are planning on having a ball to introduce the Prince to the eligible young women in the hopes that he will find a wife. The stepsisters taunt Cendrillon by telling her that servants are not to be invited to the ball. On the night of the ball, the stepsisters leave dressed in their finest gowns. After they depart, Cendrillon starts to cry and suddenly her magical fairy godmother appears to transform Cendrillon’s rags into a beautiful gown and turns a pumpkin from the garden into a grand golden carriage with several mice turned into horses to pull the carriage. The final touch is a lovely pair of glass slippers to cover her bare feet but the fairy godmother warns her that Cendrillon needs to return before midnight which is when the spell will be broken and everything will return to its original state. She arrives at the ball and the Prince soon becomes enchanted with the beautiful Cendrillon and they dance together and quickly fall in love. But at the stroke of midnight Cendrillon suddenly leaves the ball and in her haste she loses one of her glass slippers. The Prince tries to follow but Cendrillon has vanished and all that remains is the glass slipper. The Prince vows to find and marry the girl who lost her shoe but won his heart! The Prince sets out find her and in his quest he travel across the countryside having all the unmarried women try on the shoe. When he appears at the home of Cendrillon, the stepsisters try on the shoe, but of course it doesn’t fit them. When it is Cendrillon’s turn to try on the shoe it fits perfectly. The story ends happily with the Prince marrying Cendrillon.

The 1812 German story of Achenputtel was written by the Brothers Grimm the plot is basically the same as the earliest version but in this one Achenputtel’s wishes are granted not by a fairy godmother but by a wishing tree that grows over her mother’s grave. The story starts “once upon a time” with Achenputtel’s mother on her deathbed making one last request which is that her daughter will always remain good and kind. A year later, Achenputtel’s father remarries a woman with two daughters who, despite the fact that they are beautiful, prove to be cruel. While Achenputtel’s father is frequently away on business he is unaware of the fact that the stepsisters steal Achenputtel’s clothes and jewels which forces her to wear rags and she is soon put to work in the kitchen as a common servant. Despite these troubling circumstances Achenputtel remains good and kind. Then the king decides to give a festival and invites all the women of the land to attend so that the prince could select one to marry. When Achenputtel asks to attend the festival, her stepmother throws a bowl of lentils into the ashes of the fireplace for her to pick up telling her that when she has finished the task she can go, meanwhile the stepmother and her daughters leave for the festival. Aschenputtel is deeply saddened about being left behind and she goes to her mother’s grave under the wishing tree and starts to weep. Desperate, she asks for help and a white bird arrives with a beautiful white gown and golden silk slippers and Aschenputtel can now go to the ball. The prince sees her at the ball and they dance together. But as the clock strikes midnight she must leave the ball before the spell it broken and in her rush to go she loses one of her golden slippers. The prince finds the slipper and vows to find the beautiful girl whose foot will fit the shoe. The next day the prince arrives at the house, first the eldest stepsister tries the shoe and it doesn’t fit and the other stepsister tries the shoe and it doesn’t fit. Then, Aschenputtel comes out of the kitchen and the prince has her try the shoe on and it fits! The prince has found her the story ends with them getting married and living “happily ever after”. (unfortunately, the story does not end well for the stepsisters and at the wedding their eyes are pecked out by the white bird).

Here is a list of some of the recent versions of the Cinderella fairytale –

“Cinderella” Disney animated movie

The Disney animated movie is probably one of the most popular and well known versions of the Cinderella fairytale. It was the twelfth Walt Disney animated movie and was released on February 15, 1950. At the time the movie was being made, the Disney Studios was experiencing some financial problems and was over $4 million dollars in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. Disney had high hopes that “Cinderella” would be successful enough to turn the studio finances around and luckily the movie turned out to be both a critical and financial success. The movie featured such memorable songs, such as “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes”, “Biddidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and “So This Is Love”. The plot of the movie followed the French version of “Cendrillon” by Charles Perrault and featured many of the same elements of the story such as the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage and the glass slippers. (The 1950 Disney animated version of the Cinderella story is one that most people will remember and it will probably remain a favorite version of the fairytale for the generations that will follow)

Rodgers and Hammerstein “Cinderella” musical for television

This version of Cinderella is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that has been written specifically for television and it starred Julie Andrews in the title role. The original broadcast was done live on CBS on March 31, 1957. It proved to be so popular with television audiences that it was remade in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren and again in 1997 starring Brandy Norwood. All three productions followed the French version of the “Cendrillion” story and featured original music by Rodgers and Hammerstein with songs such as” “In My Own Little Corner”, “Impossible, It’s Possible”, “Ten Minutes Ago” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?”. (The 1965 televised musical version of the Cinderella story is one that most of my generation will fondly remember from their childhood)

“Ever After” – 1998 movie

The 1998 “Ever After” movie is a romantic comedy drama starring Drew Barrymore in the lead role of Danielle and Anjelica Huston as the cruel stepmother. The movie treats the story as historical fiction set in France and eliminated all the plot elements pertaining to the fairy godmother, a magical pumpkin but keep the idea of the special shoes and made them more realistic instead of glass slippers. Cleverly, the story starts with the Brothers Grimm arriving to interview a woman to find out if there is any truth to an old family story. What makes the movie different from other previous ones is that even though the film is set in the Renaissance period, the interpretation of this version of the classic fairytale is very modern in concept and features a distinctive feminist theme by having Danielle save not only the Prince at one point in the film but also herself from a less than desirable fate toward the end of the film. The story ends with the couple married while the stepmother and stepsister are justifiably destined to live a fate similar to what they imposed on Danielle as that of a lowly servant. (Of all the recent Cinderella movies, “Ever After” is a personal favorite of mine. I think it is well written with a strong female lead character in charge of her own destiny and it is beautifully filmed with great actors!)

“A Cinderella Story” movie

The 2004 “A Cinderella Story” movie is aimed at the teenage audience. The movie stars Hillary Duff as Samantha “Sam” Montgomery, Chad Michael Murray as Austin Ames, Jennifer Coolidge as Fiona the stepmother and Regina King as Rhonda the co-worker that helps her out. The movie starts when an earthquake strikes the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, CA. Sam’s father is killed and he has left no will to provide for Sam after his death, so the house and diner go to Fiona. Then, jump ahead eight years later, Sam is now a high school senior and living unhappily with her stepmother and her two silly stepsisters while working at the diner to save money to attend Princeton University, the studious Sam earns the nickname of “Diner Girl”. In an internet chat room, Sam meets a boy known only as “Nomad”, which is really Austin the popular quarterback of the school. “Nomad” requests that they met each other at the school masquerade dance. Sam is dressed beautifully in a white gown and is wearing a mask to hide her identity while Austin is dressed as a dashing musketeer. The two meet at the appointed hour and they share a romantic dance but before Sam can reveal who she really is it is midnight and she needs to get back to the diner before her stepmother finds out that she is gone, in her haste to leave Sam loses her cell phone. Of course, when Austin tries to find out who the phone belongs to several girls, including Sam’s stepsisters, claim be the mystery girl. The stepsister’s find out that Sam is in fact the mystery girl and they tell Austin’s ex-girlfriend, a popular cheerleader, and during the school pep rally for the big game they reveal Sam as the mystery girl. Sam is humiliated and believes Austin betrayed her. Meanwhile, when the notice of Sam’s acceptance to Princeton comes in the mail, Fiona hides the letter and tells Sam her application was rejected and she now believes that she will be stuck working at the diner for a very long time. Eventually, with the help of Rhonda, Sam regains her confidence to stand up to Fiona and tells her she is quitting and moves in with Rhonda. Sam also finds the courage to confront Austin in the locker room before the game. Later, while out on the field during the game, Austin sees Sam in the stands and leaves the field to apologize to her. They kiss as the rain starts to fall ending the long drought that has plagued Southern California for so long. Later, Sam is back at her old home packing up her belongings and Sam finds her father’s will hidden in one of her children’s fairytale books. It seems that according to the will her father has left everything to Sam and not Fiona. At the end of the movie, Rhonda is now the manager of the diner and Fiona and the stepsisters are forced to work off the money they “stole” from Sam. The last scene of the movie shows Sam and Austin driving off together to travel to Princeton.

“Another Cinderella Story” movie

The 2008 “Another Cinderella Story” is another movie aimed at the teenage audience. It is a romantic musical version of the Cinderella story and stars Selena Gomez as Mary Santiago who is a high school student who has dreams of becoming a dancer. Like most Cinderella stories, Mary lives with her stepmother Dominique, played by Jane Lynch, who forces Mary to do menial work around the house. Joey Parker, as played by Drew Seeley, is a famous singer/dancer that has recently returned to finish his senior year at the same school as Mary. The two meet at a masquerade dance and Joey quickly notices Mary, but he doesn’t know who she is since she is wearing a mask, and they enjoy a fabulous tango. But as most Cinderella stories go, Mary must suddenly leave the dance at the stroke of midnight and rush home before her stepmother realizes she is gone. This time in her haste to go it is not a shoe that Mary leaves behind but a MP3 player. Joey finds it and takes it to school to search for the girl who lost it and eventually Joey finds out it was Mary. The movie ends with Mary winning a dance competition hosted by Joey and she gets into a prestigious dance school.

“Cinderella” – 2015 Disney live action movie

The latest version of the Cinderella story is being released in March 2017 by Disney. It is a live-action version this time and not an animated film. The story starts when her father unexpectedly dies and Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters, and she is forced to become their maid. Despite her circumstances, she refuses to despair. An invitation to a palace ball gives Ella hope that she might reunite with the dashing stranger (Richard Madden) that she had met in the woods, but her stepmother prevents her from going. Of course, she receives help from a beggar woman who has a magic touch for ordinary things.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

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