Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Medford Oregon Car Cruise 2015

A few weeks ago was the Annual Medford Cruise week!  The huge car event attracts car owners and enthusiasts all over the state and northern California. The event lasts through the course of a week and has various meet ups, drag races, live music, vendors, a karaoke competition, drive in movie (this year was a showing of American Graffiti), and lastly the event closes with a grand cruise through the downtown area.



We unfortunately were not able to attend the events that took place during the week other than Friday and Saturday.  Luckily the park where the car meet ups took place just happened to be a ten minute walk away from our house.


We spotted this Cadillac on our walk back to the house.  It was gorgeous!  We wish we had had a chance to speak with the owner.  




Dave's sister Debbie was in town to visit with us so it worked out perfectly that we could take her to the car show.  




We spotted another beautiful Cadillac.


I had to have a picture in front of this beauty!


Love that chrome and fins!





Dave and I have gone back and forth on what color we want to paint our Cadillac.  We had talked about using our wedding color (emerald green) or restoring it to its original pink/salmon color much like the car in the photo below.






Loved the color of this station wagon!


Dave in action!






 We ended the evening with a small drive to a nearby town, Jacksonville, and had dinner at our favorite German restaurant Frau Kemmling Schoolhaus Brewhaus.  The next day we woke up bright and early and went for a mini road trip with Debbie.  We drove through Ashland and then took Highway 60 on towards Klamath Falls.  Below are Dave and I posing in front of the Klamath Lake.



Dave reflecting!


Debbie and I.


We stopped in at a local Goodwill (where I found a couple goodies) and then headed back on our way.  We took the Highway 140 back and stopped in at Fish Lake and Lake of the Woods. 


We ended the day at home and ate dinner on the porch taking in yet another beautiful sunset. It was truly a beautiful fun weekend.


Till' Next Time,

Suz

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Tahitian Terrace Treasure

In 1962 the Tahitian Terrace opened in Disneyland which was just adjacent to the Enchanted Tiki Room and along side the rivers of the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland.  


Below is an excellent video of the "After Dark" Disneyland show that features some of the performances from the Tahitian Terrace.




The seasonal Polynesian dinner and revue was very popular and almost always had huge lines.  They offered live music as well as an array of performers who offered a sample of various Polynesian cultures to a beautiful waterfall backdrop.


The menu offered many of the traditional or standards you might see served at any touristy Luau or Polynesian revue.  It sort of brings to mind the menu at L&L Barbecue.  To view a better close up the their menu, please check out this link to Yesterland.com here. Those prices rock! Notice the Monte Cristo is available for $1.50!


Sadly in 1993 the Tahitian Terrace was removed and the Aladdin's Oasis show replaced it.  They offered dinner and a performance from Aladdin.  Today this area is used as extra space, and on occasion they have character greetings from Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie.  One of my favorite things about this area as it's a great shaded area to eat lunch as it's become a forgotten spot in the last few years.  I love the area music here; it's an Arabian take on some standard pop and oldie hits!  I wish Disneyland would bring back the Tahitian Terrace.  With the growing popularity of the Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki bar this would be surely be a missed opportunity if they don't in fact revive the restaurant to its original attraction.


 A few month's back there was an amazing auction presented by Van Eaton Galleries which featured Disneyana or early Disneyland park merchandise. Despite not having the funds to purchase anything in this auction I was quick to purchase the catalog (for $30) as I knew this would be a great source in the future to price point any vintage Disneyland items I currently own and items I may come across in my thrifting and antiquing adventures. The catalog is still available for purchase here.


There were so many fantastic items from Adventureland available and many amazing items from the Enchanted Tiki Room and Tahitian Terrace.  Below is a dress worn by a hostess at the Tahitian Terrace which sold for $3,500.

Last week I was looking up barkcloth dresses on eBay and stumbled onto a listing for a dress that was made with the same material as the Tahitian Terrace hostess dress as shown above.  I couldn't believe my luck!  It was priced under $50 and was advertised as my size.  I made the purchase and anxiously awaited its arrival.


Sadly the sleeves are too tight for my arms.  I am going to wait it out a year and see if my recently added diet and exercise plan will make a difference.  If after a year it still doesn't fit my arms, then I will likely pay someone to help me restructure the dress so that it will fit me properly.  I was hoping to wear this to Tiki Oasis this year.  We shall see.  I still have over two months to work on it.  This gives me even more of a reason to hit the gym everyday!

Till' Next Time,

Suz


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

The Enchanted Forest, Salem, Oregon

Spending a day at The Enchanted Forest, located just outside of Salem, Oregon, has been on my bucket list ever since moving to Oregon last August.  The park however is only opened on a seasonal schedule due to the cold winter weather and I have been waiting for the warmer weather to arrive so that I could attend the park.  My parents and I thought it would be so much fun to plan a day to take my niece to the park.


The park was opened on August 8th, 1971 as a small roadside attraction which initially just featured a Storybook themed walk through with concrete depictions of various fabled classics.  The park's founder, Roger Tofte, felt that there was little a family could do in Salem and thus his vision was formed.  The initial construction of the park was designed and built by Roger and his family and it would take seven years, after the purchase of the 20 acres of property, for the park to be opened to the public. He and his family are all still actively involved with the park's operations and have helped in the expansion of other attractions throughout the years.  All of the music you hear throughout the park was originally composed by Tofte's daughter and the addition of the comedic stage performance was also inspired and built for his daughter Susan who writes and directs all of their performances. Roger's son Ken is responsible for the animatronic additions in the park which were added in the early 80's.


Our first order of business when we entered the park was lunch.  They offer a variety of snack food items at very affordable prices.  Below is a photo of my Dad, aka Granddad, sharing his ice cream with my niece Paige.



Me in front of the castle.




Like Disney there are little surprises around the corner, such as this alligator swimming in the moat of the castle.


There are several aspects of this park that bear a very familiar appearance to some of the attractions that are at Disneyland.  It is pretty apparent that Roger Tofte was inspired by the Disney parks. The aura of kitsch is present throughout the park. Below is an example.  Doesn't this forced perspective sleeping beauty look familiar?!



Inside the castle. Not pictured is the Maleficent artwork that again is very much comparable to the Disney counterpart.  The lighting was not right unfortunately for a good photo.


Humpty Dumpty is definitely one of the park's most treasured concrete characters.  Last year Humpty Dumpty lived up to his fable and fell off the wall (due to two guest's defying incompetence) however Roger Tofte proved what no king's horses and no men could do; he put him back together again.  Well, a brand new one at that.








My niece Paige didn't know what to think of everything and at times seem to be in sensory overload. She definitely found some aspects of the park to be "too scary".


Just a small glimpse of the beautiful forest canopy that covered us for much of the day.








My mom, aka Tutu, and Paige.



Snow White's doorway was just perfect for Paige.


Animatronic Snow White and friends.



Dave doing his best to enjoy himself despite the pine pollen flaring up his allergies.



The Seven Dwarfs' Mine Cave.  This was very pretty but again, hard to capture in pictures.  That or I finally have another good excuse to get myself a newer camera.


The witch house is something that stuck with my niece.  My mom told me last night at dinner my niece, out nowhere, exclaimed "the witch's house is too scary!".





Paige wasn't too fond of these animatronic bears either.


Tutu, Paige and Granddad!


My Dad and I in the "Crooked Old Man's House".


Paige also found this house to be "too scary".



Finally we came across something that made her happy.  A huge slide!


Dave was the first brave one to venture down the slide.


Next was Paige and Granddad.


Followed by Dave and I.


And finally Tutu and Paige.


Tofteville, a western town.




Dave letting the heckling animatroic cowboy know who's boss.



Dave and Paige playing "make believe" boats.


I was not at all a fan of the caged killer whale.  Seriously this needs to come out! As do all the real life ones....but don't get me started on that.


More of Tofteville.




The haunted house was all originally constructed onsite.  There were rumors that the house was a real life haunted mansion that was brought to the property; however Mr. Tofte is quick to disprove this rumor stating that  he built it from the ground up.  We did not venture in as I knew, based on YouTube videos, that this was more of jump out at you and scare you kind of attraction which is something I'm really not a fan of at all. Besides, no haunted house will ever top the Disneyland Haunted Mansion for me!




Tofteville has a Hillbilly Shoot'n Gallery much like Disneyland's Shootin' Exposition.  For 50 cents you have a chance to hit various targets for an animated prize.





The log ride looked like there was no avoidance in getting soaked.  This would be great for a truly hot day but today was not that kind of day.



We then headed to the portion of the park that offers the kiddie size appropriate attractions.  This psychedelic colored train was something else.


The train track simply circled some beautiful hand sculpted and painted miniature fairytale village figurines that were all made by Roger Tofte.  Doesn't that castle look oddly familiar?!


Granddad and Paige enjoying the ride.


Next up was the "World Famous Kiddie Bumper Boats".  


Followed by a comedic performance of " The Emperor's New Clothes".


Sadly Paige is still too small to enjoy some of the park's bigger rides.  I can't wait to take her back when we can enjoy all of the attractions together.  Below is the Ice Mountain Bobsled ride.


We ended the day walking through the Old Europe Village section of the park.  I sadly didn't take more photos of this area. Think Fantasyland.


One of the main attractions in Old Europe Village is the Jolly Roger Water-Light Show.


We all had one more treat, ice cream, before heading home.


One last photo of Dave and I in front of the castle.


On our drive home we stopped in Eugene for dinner at McMenamins North which is home of the Kapu Hut.  This is the closests tiki bar to Dave and I.  It's a good three hour drive away unfortunately so we don't make it up here often. I ordered their ahi poke with wonton chips, a kalua pork slider, and a cup of their special tiki punch which was being served as a part of their special birthday menu as the restaurant was celebrating their 15th year in opperation.  I sadly did not get more photos of the bar as we were in a rush to head home as it was getting late and we had a toddler in tow.  We will definitely be back as I am still craving more of that ahi poke!


Here is one of the few photos I took of inside the restaurant.  It's definitely worth a stop if you are ever passing through Eugene. My suggestions however, for the tiki bar are less african art, more exotic music (All I heard were top 40's pop music playing), offer a custom mug option with one of your drinks, and more artwork from the tiki community!


Till' Next Time,

Suz