Hello Fabanistas! Hasn’t it been an exciting week? Well, that’s nothing compared to what’s coming up!

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I wrote this year’s ocregister.com Knott’s Scary Farm guide. Thanks to Mark Eades for suggesting me for the job and editorial suggestions.

Meese-ka, Moose-ka, Museum!

October 3 marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of The Mickey Mouse Club on television! To celebrate, a whole bunch of the Original Mouseketeers will be making not one but TWO appearances at the Walt Disney Family Museum October 3 and October 4 from 4:30 to 8PM. It promises to be an evening Bay Area Disney fans will never forget.

Click here for more information!

The moderator for the panel discussion, Lorraine Santoli, is the author of what is still considered THE book on The Mickey Mouse Club (aptly titled “The Official Mickey Mouse Club Book”), and there will also be two extra guests: Tim Considine and David Stollery – Spin and Marty!

After the theater presentation, there will be mix-and-mingle time with Bobby Burgess, Sharon Baird, Sherry Alberoni, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie, Doreen Tracy, Tim Considine and David Stollery as they visit from table to table, ensuring that everyone gets a chance to chat and get autographs. Bobby Burgess’ book, “Ears & Bubbles: Dancing My Way From The Mickey Mouse Club to The Lawrence Welk Show” and Lorraine Santoli’s “Inside the Disney Marketing Machine” will be available in the museum store.

It’s Gay Days!

Read all about the MiceChat.com Meets and plans here!

The fun starts at Disneyland on October 3rd and moves over to Disney California Adventure October 4th. Don’t forget to wear red!

The Mistress is the Minister

After the first day of Knott’s Spooky Farm is over, and as Knott’s Scary Farm is starting for the evening, something very special will be taking place in the Ghoul Time Theater: a wedding. Actress and model LeeAnna Vamp is getting married, and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, will be officiating the ceremony in the 2100-seat theater that houses her nightly Elvira’s Asylum Show. I’ll post photos if I can get them. This should be good.

Up With Downey!

If you’re in my neck of the woods while I’m down South October 3, head on over to the Columbia Space Center to see UP WITH DOWNEY and get some face time with Charles Phoenix!

“With his gracious sense of humor, unbridled enthusiasm, and keen expertise, Charles tells the stories and glories of the world’s oldest McDonalds, world’s first Taco Bell, Bobs Big Boy Broiler, Chris ‘n Pitts, secret “ghost town” remains of the “LA Co Poor Farm”, the Carpenters and their Only Just Begin and Close to You Apts, plus mom and pop businesses, mid-century architecture, local food, and Downey’s EPIC role in the race for space and so much more!

HOSTED BY the Columbia Space Center and benefitting Downey Conservancy & Downey Rose Float Assn.

LIVE MUSIC! … Inspired by recordings made at Downey Records in the 60s !!!

AFTER SHOW PARTY! After the show meet Charles and enjoy some “Pineapple Upside ‘Downey’ Cake” PARTY

BRING YOUR LOW LAWN CHAIRS AND BLANKETS this event is outdoors on the grass at Columbia Space Center

Festive dress is encouraged but not expected !!! …

Doors at 6pm
Live music 6:30pm
Slide Show 7:30 – 9″

That was Fast!

Sergio Iriarte already got his Aladdin code from Disney today:

The code and instructions are on the back of the card.

Palm Springs on a Sunday

Sunday, October 4, things will be swinging in Palm Springs! Join walking, talking, breathing, living epitome of Americana Charles Phoenix (yes, he’s a busy guy), master Muppeteers Mike Quinn and Terri Hardin (I hear she does a few other things too, like Imagineering, sculpting, watch box creation, storytelling, life coaching, pumpkin carving, writing and about a zillion more) for a fizzy poppin’ Sunday funday! The Event Details and Location are HERE. Grab the whole family and make a day trip to Palm Springs!

But wait – there’s more!

There will be a special after-party dinner at Melvyn’s Restaurant and Lounge! Celebrity Host Charles Phoenix, with Jason Evans of Rocket Fizz and Todd Regan and Brent Young of O-Zell will be there to discuss Palm Springs and all things effervescent! It’s a “Soda Tasting” dinner . . . like a wine dinner  . . . but fizzy lifting. Heck yeah!

Dinner and soda and celeb speakers and all that. It’s less than fifty bucks. Just less, but less. It’s going to be fun, The soda is damned good, the new flavors are incredible – Pineapple Whip and Cherry Jubilee – the guests are fresh and interesting, and the restaurant gets good ratings on Yelp.

Tickets are limited so get yours today! Please click here!

Anaheimland is Ahead!

If you, like me, can’t get enough of Charles Phoenix’ history-classes-disguised-as-funny-slide-shows, you’re in luck, Donald Duck! On October 11 at Anaheim High School’s Cook Auditorium, we’re going to learn not only about Disneyland, but about Anaheim…land!

The show will benefit the Anaheim Halloween Parade AND the Anaheim High School Alumni Club. I had a chance to chat with Charles about the upcoming events:

Anaheim, he says, is “…more than just Disneyland. Recently, this miracle happened, the Anaheim Packing House. It’s world class – How do I describe it to people? A gourmet food court. It’s the best thing that’s happened to Anaheim since Disneyland. It’s Anaheim’s other treasure.”

I’ve been there. He’s right, and I’d base that judgment on the lemonade alone.

“Anaheimland goes through layers of time. The second half is the Retro Disneyland Slide Show, but the first act is exposing, revealing, going in search of other attractions in Anaheim on a field trip adventure, like Linbrook Bowl, a Googie bowling alley, and the Home Savings – it’s a CHASE now – that had a mural showing the early history of Anaheim. You’ll see a greenhouse from the 1950s that had hanging trees – trees that were suspended, not the kind you hang people on!”

We’ll also get to see the giant tree that Imagineers studied while designing the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse for Disneyland and explore Pearson Park, with its famous cactus garden started by Rudy Boysen, who developed the boysenberry and then sold it to Walter Knott, and some early businesses like the Chicken Pie Shop, the Original Pancake House (Charles always asks for a face on his pancake), VANS, Doritos, and Mr. Stovall’s retro-futuristic motels, one of which still has an impressive menagerie of topiaries.

It’s obvious that Charles has a deep love of his subjects, that he is reverent, not mocking. He calls his presentations a tribute to excellence and uniqueness. To places he can’t find anywhere else.

He says: “Disneyland is completely IT in the whole wide world.” I think most of my readers would agree.

“I like to find something interesting around every corner,” he continued, “and Anaheim is no exception. I have a theme park sensibility. I see the whole world as a big theme park. Clifton’s is Frontierland.”

When Charles Saw The Anaheim Halloween Parade:

“I was completely, utterly and perfectly delighted in every way. There was such community spirit, such a retro feel, the roots are very deep. It’s been reinvented beautifully by Kevin and Jody and the army of people working. Last year, I had the privilege of riding in the ‘Flying Sasser'”. … “Your arm gets tired of waving and your face gets tired of grinning ear to ear but it’s real, I loved the smiles on the faces of the people. I recommend this parade as a destination event for people from out of town.”

For the show, festive dress is encouraged but not necessary, and Charles will likely have a few of his books available for purchase. Get in the know AND GET A TICKET at CharlesPhoenix.com

Looking Way Ahead

Sam Gennaway and Eric Lynxwiler will be giving some talks later this year. Just giving you a heads-up. I so dig this kind of stuff. You don’t even know, man.

Phew! Did I forget anything? I’m pretty sure I forgot something. If I did, email me and let me know!

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