My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

Saving Mr. Banks - a love story

The year was 1964 and my family had just moved from Florida to California. (Obviously, we've been here ever since, but that's not important right now.) I was nine years old.

One of the very first things we did was visit Disneyland. It had captured our imaginations from early on and we were so excited to visit the iconic park. Of course, as you know we fell in love with all things Disney at that point and pretty much never looked back. (Read about my mom's special Disney wish, made the year I was born.)

Another thing that happened in 1964, was the release of Walt Disney Pictures' Mary Poppins. My older sisters took me to see it in a theater in Westwood, as I recall. I can still even remember where I was sitting. The impact on my young imagination was immediate and visceral. I have never in my life had a theater experience like that one. I was completely captivated.

Immediately, I started begging for the long play album. In stereo. *sigh* The Disney magic is quite a force to be reckoned with. I played it and played it and memorized every song and practically wore out the grooves on that LP. Good times.

Recently, Lucy and I were invited to a pre-screening of the film, Saving Mr. Banks, which was being shown in the Frank G. Wells Screening Room on the Walt Disney Studios lot.

So, to clarify...we were going to see Saving Mr. Banks, which is about the relationship between Walt Disney and the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers and the making of Mary Poppins on the exact same lot that both pictures were filmed. If you've seen the trailers, you already know it's a beautiful thing. (Somebody pinch me.)

Having grown up during this specific time period, I can testify to the fact that Disney got the 60's look just right. Having been a lifelong Disneyphile (<--is that a word?) I was hardly surprised by how intensely I responded to the film. Almost the same reaction I had to seeing Mary Poppins back in 1964.

My favorite part of this clip is when songwriter Richard Sherman talks about how the film makers and designers did their job so well that he felt it was like watching a home movie.

Picture me and Lucy bouncing around the studio lot (seriously - there was bouncing) going from one spot to another. "Look at this! This is where that one scene was shot! Walt's office was up there!"

We had just seen the film and our emotions were still raw and the excitement was spilling out of us.

See what we did there?

A few days later, I was invited to the press junket for Saving Mr. Banks, which made me feel sooo accidentally cool and a bit stressed at the same time. Burning question: What does one do at a press junket? And where exactly did that word come from?

So I dragged Eric along with me to the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel where I would get to ask questions of the actors and film makers.

The List of People at the junket made my head spin.

• Tom Hanks ("Walt Disney")
• Emma Thompson ("PL Travers")
• Colin Farrell ("Robert Goff Travers")
• Jason Schwartzman ("Richard Sherman")
• BJ Novak ("Robert Sherman")
• Bradley Whitford ("Don DaGradi")
• John Lee Hancock (Director - he also directed The Blind Side.)
• Kelly Marcel (Writer)
• Alison Owen (Producer)

Seriously. Somebody pinch me.

I loved being a part of this day. The cast was brilliant as they patiently answered our questions. They were also were delightfully entertaining. I especially loved this moment when Tom Hanks describes the day he took his grandaughter to Disneyland. (Please excuse the herky-jerky, grainy, potato-phone video and enjoy the story.)

When the press event was over, some of us bloggers kind of rushed Tom Hanks for photos. He was very accomodating for a few minutes, but was being called to another appointment. We are all pushing to document the moment and get on camera with Tom Hanks.

Here's how this went down...

Me: "Tom! Selfie?"

Tom Hanks (starting to lean in)

Disembodied voice: "Mr. Hanks, we have to go now."

Tom Hanks look up to respond to the voice.

Marta snaps this shot.

I lead a charmed life, don't I?

My opinion of the film? Oscar worthy. Beautiful. Iconic. Magical. Not-Enough-Superlatives.

Emma Thompson is by turns electrifying and cringe-worthy as the fussy P.L.Travers. An amazing performance. Tom Hanks is the embodiment of Walt Disney himself. Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak are phenomenal as the legendary songwriters, Richard and Robert Sherman. Colin Farrell breaks your heart.

Full disclosure: I cried. Not just a single tear escaping the corner of my eye, but I wept. Openly and loudly. I guess you could call it "ugly" crying. Having said that, I encourage you to go see this film. Much the same way that Mary Poppins affected me back in 1964, my imagination has been captured and so has my heart.

Also, guess what's playing on a constant loop at my house right now?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

See the film. And take tissues. You've been warned.

Disney's Saving Mr. Banks opens everywhere on December 20th, 2013.

For the Love of Olaf

Remember that time I spent the day at the Disney Animation Studio in Burbank? Obviously, being an artist myself, and a techno-geek, and a lover of all-things-Disney made it a fantastically fantastic day for me. (Emphasis on the "fan" part.)

We had the priviledge of being immersed in the world of Disney's FROZEN, the latest animated feature from Disney Pictures.

Today I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite characters in the film. "It's too soon to have a favorite," you say. "The film hasn't even come out yet," you say.

I promise if you've seen any of the trailers, you too will already be in love with Olaf. He's the snowman.

 Allow me to introduce you to my new best friend, Olaf. Watch. And love.

Directed by Chris Buck ("Tarzan," "Surf's Up") and Jennifer Lee ("Wreck It Ralph"), Frozen is already shaping up to be a must-see Disney classic. And Olaf is one of the sweetest pieces of the story for me.

Kristoff and Anna face fierce weather, wolves—and a strangely familiar snowman named Olaf, who takes them—and the audience—by surprise. “When Elsa flees Arendelle,” says Lee, “she starts playing with the very magic she’s been hiding for so long. The snowman she creates comes from memories of the happy times she shared with Anna when they were young. Olaf represents that pure innocence and childhood joy. The minute we imbued him with that, he just took off. He’s funny in a way that children are funny. He’s completely unaffected by the world. He’s the one character who isn’t struggling with fear versus love. He is love.”

Remember that I got to spend a day with the Disney Animators and chat with them about the making of this film? (I know. I just wanted to say that again.) From the producer and directors to the animators to the actors who voiced the film, the consensus appears to be that Olaf is the most unique of Disney characters.

A snowman who has dreams of playing in the sun... Wait! That might have been an overshare, but that's not important right now.

There's so much more that I want to share with you, but I hope I've whetted your appetite enough that you're anxious to meet Olaf for yourself. He's a snowman after my own heart.

Disney's FROZEN opens in theaters everywhere on November 27th, 2013.

My Big, Fat, FROZEN, Cuban Family

The invitation read as follows:  

"Come experience some cool things heating up at the long lead Press Day for Disney's FROZEN."

In other words, how would I like to spend a day at the Walt Disney Animation Studios and meet the producer, directors, animation team, art directors, and tech geniuses behind the upcoming Disney animated film, FROZEN?

Umm...yes, please!

I have seen the iconic sorcerer's apprentice hat building many times while driving to Burbank. "That's the home of the Walt Disney Animation Studios." We always point it out. Always saying it in reverently hushed tones. "It must be magical in there."  Sigh.

So to be invited to spend a day here and witness the "making of" moments for an animated feature film? Seriously? Somebody pinch me.

We were treated to a sneak preview of the film, FROZEN, which is a stunning, big-screen, comedy-adventure inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen.

"Although ‘Frozen’ is inspired by Andersen’s classic tale,” says director Chris Buck ("Tarzan," "Surf's Up"), “our story is distinctly our own—fresh and new in spirit and style. It is wonderfully emotional, with plenty of action, adventure, magic and unforgettable characters.”


“A story that started as a very simple idea of the power of family has grown into something much bigger,” adds director Jennifer Lee ("Wreck It Ralph"), who wrote the screenplay. “It’s about fear versus love that’s told through a family’s journey—their struggle to overcome fear and find the true meaning of love.”

The preview did not disappoint. It has all the elements of the stuff that makes us love Disney films so much: stunning visuals, strong characters, fabulous storytelling.

We spent the day visiting with the talented folks who brought the story to life.

In the Rigging Lab with the Disney Animators. (I know. Shut up.)

My favorite part of the day was when we got to play on the computers in the Rigging Lab. "Rigging" is CG animation-speak for "giving the characters expression and really making the film come to life," but that's not important right now.

I want to stop and have you appreciate this moment with me.

I. GOT. TO. PLAY. ON. THE. COMPUTERS. WHERE. THE. DISNEY. ANIMATORS. DO. THEIR. MAGIC.

I'm obviously still geeking out just a little over this.

They created a new piece of software they call, TONIC. Tonic allows the artists to really work with hair to make it look and act like, well...hair. You can see all the strands and how they wind up together in intricate braids and hairdos. TONIC is also used for when the characters have a bad hair day. Genius.

Not only does hair have to be animated, so does clothing. So they created CLOTH. With the goal being for the cloth to not just behave like cloth, but to act in a very directed manner to enhance the performance of the characters. I know. Mind blown.

One of the sweet characters in the film is called, Olaf. He's a snowman.

“For the animation team, Olaf was like a giant toy box,” adds Buck. “He’s made up of three balls of snow that can break apart and come together in different ways. His eyes can move around, his nose can slide in and out and off. His stick arms came off. Animators could do anything with him.”

Olaf ice sculpture. And ice cream blizzards. Sooo apropo.

Producer Peter Del Vecho: “Olaf is one of the funniest characters in the movie, but he also has an innocent view of the world, which allows him to say things that go right to the heart very quickly.”

We spent the day interviewing these talented folks, visiting their creative spaces and playing with their tools. And, of course, geeking out over it all. The world of Disney FROZEN came to life for us in a beautiful and intimate way, and honestly, I'm having a hard time picking out the highlights of our day because, for me, the day was absolute perfection.

The film promises to be a true Disney technological masterpiece, with delightful characters and lots of drama and hilarity.

FUN FACT: One of Anna’s favorite phrases—“Wait, what?”—was added to the script compliments of Kristen Bell. I so love that.

Listen for the "Wait, what?" in this trailer.

We toured and played and ate and talked and spent quite the magical day immersed in all things FROZEN. There's so much more I want to tell you, but I think I'll save that post for another day.

A great big THANK YOU to the good people at Disney for including My Big, Fat, Cuban Family in your beautiful and magical FROZEN world.

Check out these 15 seconds of pure Disney-geek-wow-they-animated-this-for-ME awesomeness. Totally made my day.

It was just really cool to be a part of it all. (<--See what I did there?)

"Wait, what?"

Thanks for letting me overshare. It was truly a magical day.

 FROZEN opens in theatres everywhere on November 27th, 2013.

Lucy and The Wardrobe (and the Mamey Smoothie)

I was in Burbank with my girls recently. Our intention was to get a quick bite (and some provisions to bring home) from Portos. Portos is a divine Cuban Bakery that's not too close to where we live, but very drivable in a pinch. And we had business in Burbank so we weren't even cheating.

Of course we were deluding ourselves. A trip to Portos takes time and great care and planning. And we always spend lots of time enjoying all the wonderful Cuban sandwiches and pastries. It's a treat to be relished with great relish.

As soon as we walked in we saw... The Photo.

Mamey Smoothie? GUAT??

The world began moving in slow motion.
Must. Try. The. Smoothie.

So my girls and I ordered sandwiches (Pan con Bistec for me, Ropa Vieja for Lucy, Pan con Lechon for Amy) and, of course, mamey smoothies for all!

We were privileged to visit the Disney Archives a bit later. And we got to touch the wardrobe. You know THE WARDROBE. From "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe!"

So, just to recap: Mamey Smoothies from Portos and the Disney Archives all in one Magical Night. Oh, and the smoothies? To die for!

Everything couldn't have been more perfect. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised to step into the wardrobe to find La Calle Ocho on the other side. (Quick departure into that fantasy....makes me laugh out loud at the thought.)

Or maybe that was wishful thinking? Either way, we got our smoothies and a trip around the Disney Pictures Backlot. Win/Win.

What a wonderful way to spend a summer day. (And night.)

No run-ins with any Ice Queen either, but that's not important right now. Que Rico!

For the love of Belle - Beauty and the Beast in 3D

When my daughter, Amy Kikita was young, she was completely enamored with The Little Mermaid, as probably most 7 year olds were at the time. Ariel was spunky for a princess and went after what she wanted. I think she identified with those qualities.

Years later, Disney gave us Beauty and the Beast and when it was available on VHS, we promptly procured a copy and our sweet Lucy had found that Belle was a princess who had qualities she could admire.

My mom calls Lucy, "La Bella Lucy." And our Master Teacher throughout our homeschool years always called her "Lucy Belle." Coincidence?

I think not.

We had seen the stage show, Beauty and the Beast last year, but last week I was invited by Disney Pictures to the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood to experience Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 3D and I couldn't have stopped Lucy from joining me if I had wanted to. She was out-of-her-skin excited with the prospect of finally seeing the drama played out on the big screen. Not to mention that we just both happen to love being on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Check out the look on her face. Can't you just see her excitement?

Because it was Disney, and because it was at the El Capitan, we were treated to an amazing organist who played every song from the movie as we all took our places. (Totally made me happy.)

Then, Belle and the Beast came out to dance and welcome the audience along with canon blasts of rose petals. (Oh, yes!)

We got to don our 3D glasses, which I'm starting to kind of like. (I know. Shut up.)

And were treated to the new Disney short Tangled Ever After - The Rings, which was absolutely hysterical. Here's a preview:

When the movie began, we quietly sang along to each familiar song and even though we knew the movie by heart, decided that it was absolutely worth seeing it on the big screen. (The Tangled Ever After short was seriously laugh-out-loud funny. Almost worth the price of admission, but that's not important right now.)

And because I'm a big, sentimental uber-geek, I sat there thinking how cool it was to be sitting with a fully grown-up Miss Lucy Belle and enjoying that piece of her childhood as it came to life before us. And, okay...I might have wiped away a tear or two. (But I'll deny it if you tell anyone.)

I encourage you, if you've only seen the small screen version of Beauty and the Beast, or haven't seen it in all its glory, to find a theater playing Beauty and the Beast in 3D in your own town. It's playing in selected theaters opening this coming weekend, January 13th and runs through February 2nd. I swear you don't want to miss it.

And then, because the story is set in France....we ate crepes...

...and we lived happily ever after. ;-)

Did you see Beauty and the Beast back in the day? Are you planning on seeing it again this time around? Tell me.

{Disclosure: Disney Pictures invited us to the pre-screening of Beauty and the Beast 3D. The opinions about the show are my own and the crepes were delicious, but that's not important right now.}

The Circle of Life - Lion King 3D and Eternal Disney Uber-geeks

Back in 1994, I took Amy and Adam to the premiere of the Disney film, The Lion King at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. This was obviously before Lucy and Jonathan were born. We all loved the film so much that we couldn't wait to own it when it was released on VHS. (Yes, this is waaay back in the day.)

A few years later, when we added two more little ones to our family, our love for The Lion King never diminished.

When my son, Jonathan, was very little, he loved watching Disney's The Lion King on our VHS player. He's almost 16 now and I imagine that like most of his generation, they grew up watching Simba grow from cub to king and knew every moment of the film and every song by heart.

In the first scene, when all the animals come to the presentation of Simba, Jonathan would stretch his arms out for someone (usually me - Wait! Would that then make me the monkey??) to pick him up and "present" him. He would usually signal his older siblings to bow down, and to my endless astonishment and to their everlasting credit, they always did.

We've also enjoyed watching the live musical production of The Lion King. Seriously, so much love for this movie and show.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a preview screening of The Lion King 3D at the Walt Disney Studio Lot with my friend, Jana (The Summer House). 

We were wide-eyed and amazed and feeling sooo accidentally cool to be visiting the Walt Disney Studios. You can imagine what that was like for a Disney-uber-geek like myself. (Pinch me!) 

First of all, the film itself (even though I knew every line by heart) stands the test of time. It's completely as fresh and funny and poignant as it was so many years ago. The 3D effects make the scenes just that more thrilling (particularly the wildebeast stampede, but that's not important right now).

Having the privilege of seeing it at the Walt Disney Studios just gave me another thing to put a checkmark next to on my Bucket List. (I'll have to tell you all about it in great detail, but that's a post for another day.)

Do yourself a favor and GO. SEE. THIS. FILM. It's only in theaters for the next two weeks. In 3D, people! (Not the roller-coaster-stomach-churning 3D, the very cool-modern-the-characters-look-so-real 3D.)

Take your kids who were so little when it was released in theaters the first time, so they can enjoy the full effects. Encourage your teenagers and young adults to go see it again on the big screen so they can relive the magic. Seriously. You'll thank me.

As for Jonathan, who wants to one day be a film maker, well.....he just can't wait to be king. ;-)

Do you have some good memories of The Lion King? Please share. 

Fabulous Summer Fun - Disney Style

Last week I was privileged to be a part of the kick-off for some really amazing summer fun at the Disneyland Resort.

I feel sooo accidentally cool to be considered part of the "new media."

We got to preview the new Little Mermaid ride, Ariel's Undersea Adventure which was as cute and clever as you may imagine.

Sitting two clamshells behind me was the much-more-beautiful-in-person-than-on-Dancing-With-The-Stars, Christian de la Fuente. (Google him if you must.)

And much to my everlasting delight, there was a four song set, led by Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel. Yes, The Little Mermaid herself sang 'Part of Your World.' I cried. I did. (I know. Shut up.)

I loved everything about the day including that I got to share it with these beautiful Blog Friends.

Left to right: Liz from Disneylandia al Dia, Sandrini from Soy Fashionista, Me, Ana from Spanglish Baby.

There was the fabulous new parade called Mickey's Soundsational Parade which I loved, but let me tell you why:

• There was a flash mob. (Disney + Flash Mob = Genius.)
• The floats were super-amazingly colorful, the music totally fun and happy.
• Everything that I love about Disney parades were rolled into this one.
• Dancing Chimney Sweeps! ;-)

And then there was the new Star Tours - The Adventure Continues. It's now in 3D so you feel like you are RIGHT THERE. Truly as much fun as you imagine.

(Note to self: Skip the corn dog the next time you ride this. =D)

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, there was a wonderful poolside party with gourmet food from the Disney chefs, music and mermaids. Mermaids, people! (I always wanted to be a mermaid, but that's not important right now.)

The chefs prepared some of the new fare that's going to be offered at the new Paradise Garden Grill. They totally had me at "chimichurri."

We were taken on tours of the new Disneyland Hotel Signature Suites. I was torn between the Adventureland Suite and the Mickey Mouse Penthouse. (I have to admit that the MM Penthouse won because of the Red Leather Mickey Chairs.) Yes, it's quite the Mouse Pad.  Get it? Mouse Pad? *cracks up at her own joke*

Here's a video recap of my enchanting, beautiful, delicious, amazing, and magical day. And yes, there are live mermaids. It's as if all of my wishes had come true.

What a Perfectly Perfect Disney Day.

Thanks, Disney!

Are you planning on visiting any of the Disney parks this summer? Tell me.

[DISCLAIMER: I was invited by Disney Promotions to come and preview the new attractions and taste the food. I was not compensated, nor was anything required of me. The opinions of how fun and fabulous everything was are my own.]

A Pirate's Life for....you? - A Cool Giveaway

You know how much I love All-things-Disney.

And can I just tell you how ready I am for summer? Not just because I'll have lots of down time (yay!), but also because summer is Blockbuster Movie Season. Am I right?

First movie on my List of Blockbuster Movies I'm Looking Forward To: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES which will be released next week just in time for my birthday. (Thank you, Disney People!)

Here are my reasons (in no particular order):

• Johnny Depp.
• Penelope Cruz.
• The Fountain of Youth.
• I can wear scarves and heavy eye makup and no one will think it's weird.
• I have a Very Cool Piratey Giveaway.
• Best movie quotes EVER.
• One of Lucy's teachers from last semester, Tim Powers, wrote the novel that the screenplay was based on, but that's not important right now. (Notice the cool inscription, which reads: "For Lucy - Who will be signing books for me one day! Cheers, Tim Powers. I know. Shut up.)

 

So, here's what the generous folks at Disney Studios Motion Pictures are providing for this Very Cool Piratey Giveaway Pack: 

1) PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES T-shirt in adult sizes of S, M, L (winner chooses)

2) PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES bandana in black

3) PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES temporary tattoo (2 per winner)

I'm very pleased! This is some awesome pirate loot.

So, it's time to play along with me.

For a chance to win the Cool Piratey Giveaway Pack, please leave your favorite Cap'n Jack quote or dialogue from any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Only in the comments section of this post.Or just leave a piratey sounding comment.

I'll choose a winner on Monday, May 16th at 11 am PST.

The film debuts on Friday, May 20th.  (Yay!)

Just to get in the groove, I'm going to go “Like” PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/PiratesoftheCaribbean

Please enjoy the movie trailer. Then think of your favorite quote and leave it here for me.

Okay, I'll start:

Cap'n Jack Sparrow: We are very much alike, you and I, I and you... us.
Elizabeth: Oh. Except for a sense of honor and decency and a moral center. And personal hygiene.
Cap'n Jack Sparrow: Trifles.

Good luck!

TANGLED - A Winner.

I realize the times and dates of the TANGLED screening might not have been convenient for many of you, but thanks to those of you who entered the giveaway. The winners will receive One - Admit TWO pass to the pre-screening of the film.

I know that sounds confusing, but it still means that 2 people get in. So start looking for a friend to take!

Congratulations to the TANGLED winners in the following cities:

LOS ANGELES:

Denise Bidot said...

If I had 70 feet of hair, I'd gather all of my family together and get have the biggest group hug ever! I mean how else can you hug over 30 people at once, and then, when done I'd donete it all for the less fortunate :) my daughter would love to see it in Los Angeles

MIAMI:

Ody Fabregas said...

Marta,

With 70 feet of hair I can have 5 wigs made to help Children Battling Cancer. How awesome would that be?!!!
Can't wait to see Tangled in Miami!!!!

Besos!!!!

HOUSTON:

Marshall and the Movies said...

I am in Houston, and with 70 feet of hair, I would plop myself down in a barber's chair and give my hair to Locks of Love. That would be a whole lot of wigs for deserving cancer patients.

Marshall of "Marshall and the Movies"

CHICAGO:

The OC Josh said...

Chicago!
I would make a scarf to keep myself warm.

 

Congratulations to all you TANGLED people! Shoot me an email witht the subject line that says, HEY MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG and I will forward you your Pre-screening pass along with your local theater information.

I *heart* Disney. sigh

 

 

TANGLED - A Giveaway.

All four of my kids are grown now, but it wasn't too long ago that we religiously made plans to watch whatever new Disney offering was available. In fact, we haven't missed a Disney film yet.

You know that we love All Things Disney (especially Disneyland, see my Disney Scavenger Hunt as proof). That love affair started for me when I was very young and has continued through the recent release of Toy Story 3. (Yes, I wept copiously through the entire thing. Shut up.)

Today I am delighted to invite MBFCF readers to enter a drawing for the chance to win 2 Advance Screening Passes for TANGLED in 3D in each of the following cities:

• CHICAGO - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00 PM
• DALLAS - Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00PM
• HOUSTON - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM
• LOS ANGELES - Monday, November 22 at 7:00PM
• MIAMI - Tuesday, November 16 at 7:00PM
• NEW YORK - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM
• PHOENIX - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM
• SAN ANTONIO - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM
• SAN DIEGO - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM
• SAN FRANCISCO/SAN JOSE - Thursday, November 18 at 7:00PM

From the press release:

Walt Disney Pictures presents "Tangled," one of the most hilarious, hair-raising tales ever told. When the kingdom's most wanted - and most charming - bandit, Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi), hides out in a mysterious tower, he's taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn's curious captor, who's looking for her ticket out of the tower where she's been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief, and the unlikely duo sets off an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse (named Maximus), an over-protective chameleon (named Pascal), and a gruff gang of pub thugs.

Do we love just about anything Disney? Do we further love Zachary Levi?? (Chuck.) Umm....YES!

So we all agree this is a must-see? (I thought as much.)

Take a peek:

If you are available to attend the 3D Preview Screening of TANGLED at the time stated in your city, and you'd like to enter this giveaway which will Admit 2, please leave a comment on this post and tell me:

• What would you do with 70 feet of hair?
• Also, tell me what city you are in.  

I will choose a winner from each area (so tell your out-of-town friends!) on Saturday, November 13th at 11:00 AM Pacific Time.

I think if I had 70 feet of hair I would invest in  Brazilian Blowout product, but that's not important right now... ;-)

Getting the Party Started

The beginning of December (last week) always signals the countdown to Christmas. And as I've said before, we don't usually decorate our house or even put up a tree until closer to Christmas. (Yes, ours is the "dark house" in the neighborhood for most of the month, but that's not important right now.)

But just because we don't start decorating, doesn't mean we don't start celebrating!

We went to Disneyland last week with my BFF, Pam and her husband, Pastor Gene and their daughter, Mary and grandaughter, CJ. Our friends live over 250 miles away and we only get to see them when they come down to Disneyland which is, of course, the perfect place for us to hang together. In fact, Pam and I have been hanging out at Disneyland (particularly at Christmastime) for over 30 years now.

That's me, Pam & Gene. Circa 1977 on the porch of one of the facades on Main Street. I remember it was the year they opened Space Mountain and besides Christmas shopping, and taking our Christmas Card photo in front of the Disney tree, we went specifically to ride Space Mountain.

I have a pretty good memory for these things. Which is why I told Pam, "We need a photo right here on this spot."

She agreed.

I love that in spite of time and distance we are still friends. Disneyland friends. Best Friends, Forever. =D

We had such a great day. It was not too hot and not too cold and we rode rides and ate and watched parades. All the same things we used to do so many years ago. Only now, maybe a little slower. (Shut up.)

 

I think our kids love the thought that maybe we were both young once and they kind of like that sense of shared history. You know, like, "Mom was once young. Who knew?" =D

So we rode my favorite, the Jungle Cruise.

 

Pastor Gene and Adam braving the wild jungle adventures.

 

I do I love the Jungle Cruise. Except for the part where my kids like to point out that I'm as old as this particular elephant who has been showering here since Disneyland opened in 1955. Sheesh!

 

Which makes me think, "Hey, I look pretty good for my age...."

 

Here we are at the top of Tarzan's Treehouse. Somewhere I have videotape of us bouncing up those stairs to get there. This day it took us a while to catch our breath. Ha! But we got the photo!  (I just wanted proof I had done all those stairs.)

The day culminated with the lovely parade and the magical moment when they light the castle and shoot off fireworks and it snows! Can it get any more magical than that???

 

The fireworks! Stupendous! Made me cry. (they always do!)

How much more magic can I stand? We got to kick off our Christmas celebration at Disneyland with some of our favorite-practically-like-family friends. Adam bonded with their grandaughter, CJ. They were so cute together.

 

And of course, by the end of the night, I was able to get my four kids in a photo together rockin' the castle in the background. (Which was a main event for me.)

 

Aren't they just adorable? CJ liked how they looked away and wanted to do it too.

 

I like how the balloon happened to escape into the photo too. A nice touch. (Look at CJ's face, she was really working it!)

 

And of course, The Pensieros and the Castle.

What a practically perfect day.
Glad I got to share it with my best friend, forever. In my favorite place. With my favorite people. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Hi Pam! Love you MORE!

So you see, even if we don't have decorations up, the celebrations have already begun.

Merry Christmas!

Magical Summer Moments

Sunday, September 6, 1970. My very first concert.

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Their opening act was Little Stevie Wonder who had just had a big hit with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."

This was my very first concert. I found the ticket tucked away in my high school photo album. Thirty-nine years ago today.

 

I remember being a little salty still from the beach (Playa del Rey) earlier in the day.

I remember it was a double-date. My date, Terry, who was sixteen at the time (I was fifteen) had only had his driver's license for two months and drove an ancient red station wagon. Seatbelts? What?? =D

 

We drove up through the Hollywood Hills. You have to drive through a neighborhood of palatial homes to get there. I remember being shocked and surprised by this as only a wide-eyed fifteen-year-old can be.

But, ah... once we got into the Greek and found our seats...

The music was classic Motown. The air smelled clean and fresh as only outdoor concerts can. There's that roar and rush as the performers take the stage.

The lights! The sounds! The oh-my-gosh-they're-RIGHT-THERE-onstage amazement! Our favorite songs being performed live. They have never sounded better.

It was a magical night for me and one of my very fondest memories. My first live show. Notice the ticket price - $5.00. Wow.

I love that I can pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with live shows. There was nothing like it. NOTHING. The music seriously came alive in a way that couldn't be captured over the radio or through vinyl.

It was live. And I was alive. And I was THERE.

That feeling has never left me. I have been to dozens of live shows since. And am never disappointed.

I recently took a Facebook quiz and was able to list over 50 acts that I had seen live, not counting stage, plays, and musicals.

The first two will always be Smokey and Stevie. It was one of those definining moments in my life. Who knew?

1. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. *
2. Stevie Wonder.
3. Chicago.
4. The Beach Boys. *
5. Glady Knight and the Pips.
6. The Temptations.
7. The Four Tops.
8. The Grateful Dead. *
9. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. *
10. The Moody Blues. *
11. Fleetwood Mac.
12. Rod Stewart.
13. Linda Rondstat.
14. Carole King.
15. James Taylor.
16. Barbra Streisand.
17. Tito Puente.
18. Oscar de Leon.
19. Celia Cruz. *
20. Willy Chirino. *
21. Marc Anthony.
22. The Tubes.
23. Elvis Costello.
24. KC & the Sunshine Band.
25. The Monkees.
26. Tower of Power.
27. Johnny and Edgar Winter.
28. Bruce Springstein. *
29. J. Geils Band. *
30. Peter Frampton.
31. Boz Scags.
32. Michael Jackson.
33. U2. *
34. Chayanne.
35. Alejandro Fernandez.
36. Jethro Tull.
37. Huey Lewis and the News.
38. The Doobie Brothers.
39. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. *
40. Van Morrison.
41 The Allman Bros.
42. The Rolling Stones.
44. Brian Wilson.
45. Paul McCartney.
46. Peter Gabriel.
47. Loggins & Messina. *
48. Julio Yglesias.
49. The Go-Go's.
50. Jimmy Buffett.
51. Andy Garcia.
52. Gloria Estefan. *
53. The Marshall Tucker Band.
54. Lynrd Skynrd.
55. Charlie Daniels Band.
56. The Who.
57. Stephen Stills.
58. Warren Zevon.
59. Junior Walker and the All-Stars.
60. The Rascals.

(NOTE: There are many more. I keep remembering a few more each day...)

Even now, the excitement and fun of a live concert or show still calls to me. Of all the fun things we do now, going to shows is still high up there on the list.

 

These are programs and tickets from just this summer.

Amy and I saw Dirty Dancing at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

 

We have season tickets to the Orange County Performing Arts Center. This was for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

 

And of course, here we are in New York, on Broadway, waititng to see Wicked.

Las Vegas at the Wayne Brady Show.

Andy Garcia at the Conga Room.

David Copperfield at the Long Beach Arena.

 

Dana Carvey at the Orleans in Vegas.

 

We collected our favorite friends to accompany us to see Fiddler on the Roof (which coincidentally happened to fall on Lucy's birthday, but that's not important right now.) Go figure!

And of course, Disney's Electrical Parade.

 

We usually take the cheesy "I-was-there" photo. And even if it's blurry, we call it good. This was at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater where we saw the Pacific Symphony on their Rodgers and Hammerstein movie night.

 

That's us in all our Uber-Geeky glory.

We have passed on the love of the theater and live entertainment to our kids. In fact, we've taken to scouring ticket sales at the beginning of the summer to find the best deals.  (I know. Uber-geeks.)

But I was reminded that this is a love that started thirty nine years ago (today) in what was for me, a magical moment in time. And even though the ticket prices are way higher than $5.00(!) live theater and concert-going is still very much a part of my life and of my family's life.

And I have the ticket stubs and cheesy pictures to prove it. =D

Do you have a favorite concert or show? Do you remember your first one? Tell me about it. I want to know.

It's my blog and I'll whine if I want to

List of stuff that's stressing me out right now:

• We returned from our trip to Washington D.C. and New York a week ago and I'm still catching up on laundry.
• Lucy has a performance this coming weekend for which I am painting backdrops and overseeing costumes. Our first technical rehearsal was today and I'm pretty exhausted.
• Jonathan and I are working furiously to complete a scrapbook from our trip. (Digital, of course. =D) This is his end-of-the-year project and he's doing a wonderful job of mastering Photoshop Elements, getting historical details right and putting up with my perfectionism all at once.
• I am struggling with pain in both my knees (old cheerleading injury. *sigh*) which is making me fussy because of everything else I'm trying to get done so I'm going all Carly-Simon-"I-haven't-got-time-for-the-pain" about it.
• I haven't cooked a decent meal for about a week now. (While sometimes this is a good thing, right now I'm just feeling all slackery about it. I should add right here that my amazing husband has not complained even once and has even been helping to procure food for the kids and for us. Smart man knows he'd just be going hungry too, but that's not important right now. Thanks, E!)
• Did I mention that I helped launch ANOTHER blog?? Yes, I know. Shut up. (Go check out the Tiki Tiki here.)
• I'm old. {*big, fat, heavy sigh*}

List of stuff I have to be GRATEFUL for:

• We got to go to Washington D.C. and New York!!! (Umm... hello?!)
• Lucy is going to be wonderful as Mrs. Mae Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie next weekend. I can't wait!
• Jonathan is such a smart and creative kid. He's a delight to work with. (How many 13 year olds can you say that about?)
• My doctor prescribes vicodin. ;-)
• My husband is a golden god.
• I have had the privilege to launch another blog!! It's such a great project. I love it already. (Go check out the Tiki Tiki. I mean it!)
• I got to celebrate my birthday at Disneyland and yes, I'm actually as old as Disneyland, which makes me doubly cool. ;-)

See what I did there?

As Amy Kikita would say, "You just added some cheese to your "whine." 
Okay. I'm over it. Thanks for listening.

Tomorrow we'll be back to our regularly scheduled blogging....

"Snap out of it!"
~ Loretta Castorini, Moonstruck

Celebrate TODAY.

Disneyland. The Mandatory Mickey Face Picture. March 2007:

Disneyland. The Mandatory Mickey Face Picture. May 2008:

Disneyland. The Mandatory Mickey Face Picture. January 2009:

(I guess most people use a calendar to mark the passing of time. =D)

This is exactly why I am totally loving Disneyland's tag line for this year:

*HEAVY SIGH*

Disney Celebration just for ME? (you shouldn't have....) ;-)

=D

I feel so accidentally cool. (thanks, Helen!)

I've got some good news and some bad news...

I'll tell you the bad news first.

My camera died.
My beloved Olympus E-300 Evolt won't shoot anymore.
Yes, the one I use EVERY SINGLE DAY to document my extraordinarily ordinary life.

It was quite sudden, too.
It was working just fine.
And then it just stopped.
Just like that.

No more pictures for me, Precious.  (She said, in a sad, pathetic little voice.)  =(

I'm taking in in to the camera shop ASAP and I hope there's a fix for it.
Because I'm seriously feeling sad over this.
Like the death of an old and loyal friend.

Oh, but wait...there is good news.

This is the very last picture it took:

Like a final parting gift... *sigh*

(But, hey, how cute are we? And isn't the castle especially beautiful? =D)

Marta Darby's Day Off

Can you guess where we were today?

You know, just because we homeschool, doesn't mean we don't ditch sometimes.  ;-)

Okay, the truth is that Lucy had PSAT Testing and Jonathan had his Literature and American History classes. They've both been working really hard and they both were through at noon and well, it's Halloweentime at Disneyland and all the pumpkin decorations are SO STINKING CUTE. 

And no. I don't "do" guilt. =D

How an arcade game can double as a personality test or WARNING: Perfectionism can strike at any moment!

Our good friends, Gene and Pam were visiting this week, so of course we met them at Disneyland. ;-)

My entire goal for this trip, besides spending precious time with my BFF, was to experience Toy Story Mania, the newest attraction at Disney's California Adventure Park.

So, I call my niece:
"Helen, I'm going to meet Gene and Pam at C.A. and so I can finally go on the Toy Story ride."  (She had been telling me about how much they have enjoyed it, and it's been closed the last few times I've been there, but that's not important right now.)
"Tell me what time and we'll meet you there." (That response right there is one of the major reasons why I so love my family. Can you say, SPONTANEOUS?)

Anyway, through the technological magic of text messaging and cell phones, we all coincided at the attraction at once. How on earth did we coordinate anything before cell phones??

Then we had to make the monumental decision of the day: Who Rides With Who? (or is it Who Rides With Whom?)

Ben chose Lucy, of course.

Which left the other seven of us to pair off by twos.
Gene sacrificially chose to be the solitary rider. (He's a pastor. It totally fits his personality that he would do this, but that's not important right now, either.)

Here he is sporting the mandatory 3-D glasses:

So, Pam and I end up on the ride together. It's a 3-D arcade game. I was Player One (on the left).

The telling question:

What does the Final Score vs. Accuracy ratio tell you about our personalities?

Life would be so dull if we were all the same, wouldn't it? =D

I love you, my friend!

The Wish

I was born in May of 1955.  At the end of that summer, which my family was spending in Varadero Beach, Cuba, as usual, a friend of my mom's came to visit to meet the new baby. 

Her name was Conchitica.  [NOTE: "Concha" is the Spanish word for shell, as in a Conch Shell.]  This particular "Concha" was the third in that descendency to receive the ubiquitous family name.  Concha was the grandmother. Conchita, the mother. And this person was saddled with the hyper-diminutive Conchitica, or Concha The Third, but that's not important right now.

Conchitica had just returned from the opening of a brand new amusement park in California, USA.

An amusement park for children where life size animals existed and moved, yet they were not real.
A boat cruise through a real jungle!
A tree-house right out of Swiss Family Robinson.
There were real trains and fairy tales that had come to life.
A gorgeous carrousel.
A rocket to the moon.
A larger-than-life, but not-as-big-as-real-life castle. 

"You must take your children there!" She insisted to my mother, who was still recovering from the birth of her 6th and last child at the age of 41. 
"It's a magical place that must be experienced in one's lifetime."

"California?!" my mom balked. "I WISH!"  She imagined taking the baby in her arms to this magical place.

But no. Impossible. California was not only 3,000 miles away, it was in another country.  A foreign country. It was another world. A complete impossibility. She could only wish.

Because, you see, her life was set.  She was Cuban and Havana was her home. She had her husband and her six children and her life was set. She would never get to California, let alone the magical amusement park, but still she was fascinated.

Ah, but she had made The Wish.

And The Wish took on a life of it's own.

Fast-forward eighteen summers (and a lifetime!) later.  My mom and dad and the two youngest of the six children can be found living just blocks from the original Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, California. In fact, during the summers, all we had to do was to go sit outside on the porch at 9:20 each night to enjoy the fireworks from Disneyland.

But... that was impossible! California was so, so far from our island home. Not just geographically, but in our imaginations.

But now, as I write this, I've lived in California for the majority of my life. As my mother held me and listened to the stories Conchitica had to share, she couldn't have imagined it.

And yet, here we are.

As soon as I finish this post, we're going to Disneyland for a few hours for lunch and the parade and maybe to ride the Jungle Cruise.  It's my favorite ride.  (I know. Uber-dork.) Because as a very small child, I heard stories of a wonderful cruise through a life-like jungle that had captured my mother's imagination.

I swear that I get emotional when I ride that ride. Because I always think back to Conchitica and The Impossible Wish. And it makes me realize that we sometimes think that things are set in stone, but God has other plans. We can't imagine the life that awaits us.

At least I couldn't. And neither could my mom. And yet, here we are.
And life is good. Better than we could have wished...

"A dream is a wish your heart makes..."
                                                     ~ Cinderella   ;-)

Yo Ho, Yo Ho....

(Indulge me here while I delight in my grand-nephew, Ben, who is three years old today.)

And like most three year old boys he's got his ..... umm....... opinion about things.

Take Disneyland for example.
If you're a three year old boy and you're going to Disneyland, you must dress up.
Preferably like a Pirate. Your costume should include a faux-parrot which sits precariously on your shoulder.
Of course, the adults you're with will take you to dinner at the Cafe Orleans because that's where they will give you a Pirate-hat menu (they also happen to have the very BEST Monte Cristo sandwiches on the planet, but that's not important right now), and which you will wear the rest of the day at a jaunty angle and all will exclaim at your cuteness.

 

You must ride around the park on the Disneyland Railroad. This is totally fun because you get to yell, "ALL ABOARD!" at the top of your lungs for the duration of the ride and most everyone thinks it's cute. If you're the adult, do NOT yell anything at the top of your lungs. Just trust me on this one. ;-)

 

It's important that you go on all the rides that involve pirates or boats. This includes getting over to Tom Sawyer's Island to visit the Pirate's Lair, riding Pirates of the Caribbean (duh.), the Jungle Cruise, and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. As long as the ship is seaworthy...  Pirates are versatile that way.

You'll be pretty tired from all your Pirate activities at Disneyland....

But not too tired to have a Pirate Birthday/Beach Parrrty. (the arrr is Pirate talk, you see.)

When asked how old you are, you will focus intently and hold up exactly three fingers...

 

... or maybe you focus so intently that you screw that up and hold up six fingers instead, but hey....

"To err is human, but to ARRR is Pirate." 

=D

(okay, that was really fun.)

Happy Birthday, Ben!!