REVISED BOOK CLUB MEETING

DATE: November 8, 2008
TIME: 2 PM - 5 PM
MY HOUSE: 9820 Manzanar Avenue

I just randomly picked a day -- does this work for everyone still?

FIRST OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB MEETING

Date: November 15, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: My house -- 9820 Manzanar Avenue

The plan is that we will first discuss the book and then watch the movie -- so that we don't get the movie confused with the actual book.

Comments? Suggestions? We can see how it goes and modify as we go along if necessary.

Next book: Pride & Prejudice

Okay Now Back to the Book Club

Okay -- we're almost through October -- which was Sense & Sensibility. How are we coming along with our reading? If not finished, any thoughts on when you would be finished with the book? Some topics for discussion at the meeting about the book (so you can start thinking about how you feel about them) are [there are spoilers in the questions if you don't want to read them):

1. Critics have claimed that the whole plot of Sense & Sensibility depends on the tension between what is concealed and what is shared with others -- the private and the public. Do you agree with this statement?

2. What were the advantages and disadvantages of Austen's decision to publish this novel anonymously?

3. Although it ends with the marriages of the two main female characters, some readers have claimed that of all of Austen's novels, Sense and Sensibility has the saddest ending. Do you agree with this statement?

4. Do you find Marianne's decision to marry Colonel Brandon to be a plausible conclusion? Why or why not?

5. Elinor and Margaret's younger sister Margaret plays a very minor role in the novel. Why do you think Austen included this character? Does she further any of the plot? Does she shed light on any of the other characters?

(Part 2 later)

Also you might begin thinking of a time to have this meeting -- since we will show the movie -- 2ish hours and a discussion (1 hour) I'm thinking a Saturday afternoon some day in November -- any thoughts? Let me know.

Backstage Magic - Day 5

Okay today started horribly early with breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. You would not believe the food -- ice cream, PB&J pizza, cupcakes, creme brulee french toast, oh yes and eggs and bacon and ordinary breakfast stuff. I had a cupcake. Peter Pan stopped by and said I would throw all that good food under the table and go and get cookies and ice cream.

Then while we were all still numb from being up so early we plodded into DCA 2 hours before anybody else. Seeing the parks that early and complete empty of guests was astounding. Now I am REALLY spoiled.

Our first stop was Soarin' Over California where half the group got to go down under the screen and watch while the other half of the group rode the ride and then we switched locations. That is such an awesome ride. Then she showed us some IMAX film which is shown on a screen which is 60 x 80 feet and they showed us the crystals which blow on you during the ride fir, ocean and oranges. The orange smell is definitely the most prevalent smell and you can smell it everywhere on the ride in the line, in the backstage areas and coming out of the ride. But it is not an unpleasant smell so I guess it's okay.

Next was a private Turtle Talk with Crush -- CHAW DUDE!!! -- which was really fun. I don't know how they do it but Tom does so if you want to know ask him. But it was fun.

Next we went on Tower of Terror -- we all got in the elevator (there are 15 of us) and then all but 6 of us got off and walked down the stairs rather than ride the ride. I don't know if they gave us a special ride but it was awesome. I love that ride.

After that we were on our own so Tom was all energetic and wanted to ride on things and I was all bent and tired and cranky so we (I) crawled back to to the hotel and I took a nap for 3 hours and then I felt much better.

Then we went back to the Vineyard Room and ran into one of the people who run the Food & Wine Festivals and it was so nice to see her and then we went to our farewell dinner. It was amazing. The food was delicious and they had a Disney animator who attended and did a portrait for everyone of their favorite character. Since Tom didn't have a professed favorite I commandeered his selection and got a drawing of Maleficent AND the dragon. We'll frame it and hang it in the house. Then they showed us a slide show of photos which Robyn took during the trip and darned if it didn't make me cry.

Then we were going to have a private viewing area for the fireworks but we were walking out of the sound stage and I took a swan dive onto the pavement. Sometimes it is good to be chubby but a very nice young man came and helped me up (with Tom) and I am completely fine although I will report again tomorrow after I sleep.

We walked over and went to a new movie they have with Steve Martin to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland and ran into some people from our group -- they are very nice and we are going to miss them.

Then the fireworks. We got to sit in a private area and watch them. The fireworks were awesome but the part that made me laugh was when they told this woman that she had to move because she was blocking the walkway and she said "I'm not blocking I'm watching the fireworks."

We are almost through with the tour -- I believe that we have met some new friends who will always be friends probably through our mutual love of Disney.

We have one more breakfast at 7 AM tomorrow. Then we pack and go home. I do not know how I am going to go to work on Monday -- I'm exhausted. Yeah, yeah, I know you all feel really sorry for me. This has been an incredible tour. And when we get home our house should be clean and newly painted. Yay!!!!

Talk to you all soon!!

Love you!!
Christy

Backstage Magic - Day 4

Today started bright and early and as the pounding of the fireworks echo over my head this is what we did today:

First of all we went to breakfast but it wasn't just breakfast we went into Disneyland BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE, the park was completely empty of guests. We went to the Plaza Inn and met with the man who was the manager of the restaurant and we had a buffet breakfast that was amazing. In addition to the breakfast we also got to take pictures with Minnie (who allegedly cut the waffles out of dough), Chip, Dale, Tigger and Pooh and it was delicious.

Then we went to Indiana Jones and got to see a functional ride car and inspect the under carriage. Tom got to manipulate the car up and down and side to side. Then they went on the ride and experienced it first hand. I sat on the side with the chickens.

Next we went to the Petting Boo (not a typo) and got to feed the goats and an enormous pair of sheep at the Thunder Mountain Ranch -- we got to meet the handlers which turned out well for a reason best described later.

Next we went up and got a chance to see the roundhouse for the trains. Bill the
Engineer showed us how a boiler works and explained the naming convention for the trains. After that they took us through the roundhouse to the other side where we saw the warehouse for the costumes for the Disneyland Resorts and then we walked further on and saw the fireworks mechanisms -- apparently Disney is the first company to launch fireworks through air cannons which solves the black smoke problem.

Then we went to see the parade float warehouse and some floats that they were refubishing. We were as much of a curiosity to the people inside the warehouse as they were to us.

After that we went to the Circle D Ranch which is just outside the berm and where they keep all the live animals for the Disneyland Resort including goats, sheep, cows, the draft horses -- and explained the varieties. There are many including Clydesdales, Belgians, etc. I say etc. because I can't remember more of them. LOL

Then we went to Cafe Orleans to eat lunch. We had gumbo and I had the Monte Cristo and Tom had the blackened chicken caesar salad. After that one of the pirates who said he was radiently handsome took us on Pirates of the Caribbean. After that we went back to Main Street and got to ride the Lilly Belle (the VIP car on the train) and learn a little bit about the train system at Disneyland and then we got to see the apartment over the fire station where Walt and Lillian lived while Walt was constructing the park. The tribute to Walt was very nice and made me cry.

After that we got to sit in a VIP area to watch the parade and apparently Adam Sandler was there and was supposed to join us but he didn't. And while we were waiting Bono came by and some of our group didn't know who he was and part of the group was all twitterpated.

Then after the parade we went back to the hotel. Tom and I went to the Napa Rose for dinner. They have changed the entire menu for Fall and it was amazing. Then we went to Mickey's Trick or Treat Party but it was weak and very crowded and so we came back to the hotel and we can hear the fireworks while I type this.

So tomorrow we are going to get to do things at DCA including a Turtle Talk with Crush to ourselves and behind the scenes at Soarin' Over California. Tomorrow also begins at 7 AM -- what is this with obscene start times? LOL

Anyway -- still having a BLAST -- but it's almost over and will be seeing you soon!

Love, hugs and kisses,

Christy

Backstage Magic - Day 3

Sorry for the delay but we got back to the hotel room very late and were up to be at breakfast by 7 AM so anyway and here is a paragraph break for Jennie.

This morning we had a breakfast buffet from 7 - 8 AM while they removed the luggage from our rooms. The breakfast was so yummy -- eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles -- not Mickey of course -- and a smoothie -- which was new but also really yummy.

After breakfast we went down and got on our bus and drove over to Disney Imagineering which is not marked by anything other than a sign 1401 in a tag that looked like a Disney name tag. In we went.

First stop: bathroom break. Next stop: a room where they gave us the history of Imagineering from Walt Disney's first days as an animator to current days. Imagine our surprise when we finished the film and they opened the curtains and Lucky the autonomous anamatronic dinosaur was sitting there waiting to see us -- we had not seen him since his days at Disney's California Adventure and even then he was surrounded by a TON of guests but this time we got our own picture with him and got to touch him and relate with him. Tom and I were so so so so excited.

Then: we went into the sculpting room and he showed us how they made moldings and skin and how audio animatronics worked and then we had a demonstration by Joe Cocker who is an audio animatronics figure with no skin. Then they showed us the original figures from Snow White's grotto which sadly Snow White was broken -- the ones they have in the park now are plastic painted to look like marble.

Next we got to see a preview of a new land they are putting into Disney's California Adventure called Radiator Springs and it is going to be a bunch of new rides with a Cars theme. There were models and pictures and lots of styrofoam and it was so so interesting.

Next we went to Mickey's of Burbank and bought everything they had so guess where almost everyone's momentoes are going to come from? Yep, probably right.

Then on to Disney Studios -- we saw the sound stages for Eli Stone and Brothers and Sisters -- well one of them -- and got a history of the studios and more shopping.

Then on to Disneyland -- did you hear us all yelling and see us waving when we passed Downey?

We checked into the hotel and then went to dinner at Hook's Pointe after a welcome reception. THEN we went to Disneyland and rode the Haunted Mansion Holiday ride and then they gave us these magic fast passes which can be used on every ride -- Tom and I went on Thunder Mountain and Pirates -- after having seen how they made Johnny Depp's face into Jack Sparrow for the Pirates ride it was extra interesting.

By the time we got back to the hotel our feet hurt so badly we couldn't even move. Robyn told us today that we are walking an average of 8 miles a day. And standing, standing, standing.

Anyway we're off to dinner -- I'll blog for today when I get back. We miss you all and love you but we are having the BEST BEST BEST time. Wait until I blog what we did today -- you will be pea green with envy -- just kidding but it's cooooool.

Just a hint -- we saw Bono at the parade -- when you travel like a celebrity you see celebrities. LOL Blog soon!

Backstage Magic - Day 2

So after a night of tossing and turning -- which DOES make our vacation longer hour-wise -- today we got up bright and early and we were actually up so early we were almost late. We met everybody and went across to the Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store which is attached to the El Capitan Theater where we saw Nightmare Before Christmas 3D last night. On the way we stopped at the Kodak Theater where we got a short history of that building and when they said okay now pretend you are a movie star in a big dress going down the stairs Tom did and everybody thought he was hysterical which we already knew so we went to the Soda Fountain and had Mickey waffles and sausage and bagels and orange juice and melons (on which I passed) and running all over the store to find unique merchandise of which there was not much -- we started our tour of El Capitan. They took us to look at the balcony and they talked a little about the history of the theater and the Disney remodel which took 3-4 years. When they removed an asbestos ceiling which they installed in the 1930s they found the beautiful hand carved moldings which are there now. The theater is beautiful. Then we went down and had a concert by the guy who plays the Mighty Wuritzer Organ and he was way, way talented. Then we went behind the screen and saw the theater stage. Tom was particularly fascinated by the technical aspects of the show including the new knowledge that they use a silver screen screen for 3D projections and a white screen for regular projections. Then we went next door to the old Masonic Temple to see the set and backstage part of the Jimmy Kimmel show. It used to be Jimmy Kimmel Live until someone let loose with a bunch of profanity and now it is no longer live. Tom and I got to meet Uncle Frank and once he found out that we actually WATCH the show he was very warm and funny -- he used to be Frank Sinatra's personal security -- and they were talking about how the building was haunted -- I am still not sure if this was for Halloween or not -- anyway we got a picture taken with Uncle Frank with me sitting in Jimmy Kimmel's chair and Tom and it was really fun. Then we were off to the Jim Henson Studios which used to be the Charlie Chaplin Studios -- and also the A&M Studios (Carpenters) and now apparently it is THE recording studio of choice and although there was apparently some recording person there we never found out exactly who it was. Since I know no one recent I probably would not have known them anyway. But the best part was the we got to have some time in the Character Factory (I think that's the name) where a puppeteer showed us how they do the puppetry and the history of puppetry. Tom got to put a Muppet like puppet on and show how on TV it is really backwards not mirror but backward. The guy said so and Tom agreed so if you really want to know or Tom wants to contribute to the blog he can. So after that we had lunch which had a ton of garlic and I'll probably smell for a week. After that the puppeteer came out again with Sweetheart a muppet and he was really funny and we all got to take more pics. I have a really cute one of Tom which I will publish when I figure out how. After that we went out to Griffith Park and saw Walt's Barn and rode on a small train which is apparently where Walt Disney hung out when he was at lunch from his studio. Tom and I found the train really uncomfortable but if you love trains the history of trains and Disney is fascinating. One story which I found amusing was that Disney wanted to have some telegraph noises in the station (which you can hear in New Orleans Station) and when the telegrapher put in some stuff and they asked him what it said he said oh some stuff and when they told him that Walt's wife Lilly was a telegrapher by trade he said oh wait and changed it so nobody knows what he put in but it was something he didn't want Lilly to translate. So after that we came back to the hotel and then went back to the Soda Fountain to have a peppermint sundae with hot fudge and marshmallow cream and oh my goodness it was delicious. Tom had a classic sundae with vanilla and hot fudge and almonds but he wasn't as enthusiastic about it as I was. Then we came back to the hotel, Tom worked and I read a book, then we went to dinner with lobster smashed potatoes which were oh my goodness good and then here we are for the day. Tomorrow we have Imagineering and the Disney Studios and then we are moving to the Grand Californian Hotel and Disneyland so we have to have our luggage ready at 7 AM and no that is not a typo. All I have to say is that this vacation ROCKS. If you love Disney. So until tomorrow -- adieu.

Backstage Magic - Day 1

Today begins our first trip with Adventures by Disney and it's a trip called Backstage Magic. We began our trip by going to the Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim because that's where we will end up -- however the trip begins in Hollywood so ABD was supposed to send us a car to take us to Hollywood. We were supposed to meet at 1. Nobody showed up. Tom called and was told that somehow a car had not been ordered or they forgot us or something. So we had to wait an hour but then a stretch limo!! came and transported us to Hollywood. We didn't have much time to check into our room but we are on the 18th Floor and are overlooking the Hollywood Hills -- very nice. The bed is large and comfortable. So at 4 we went downstairs and had a couple of get to know you games which sort of broke the ice. Tom and I are the only locals on the tour -- everybody except one couple from Seattle is from the East Coast(ish). So after the games and some excellent cheese we went to an Italian Restaurant -- Trastavere Restaurant in the mall next to the hotel. The food was really good -- they had two kinds of antipasto and two salads and then we got to choose an entree -- Tom and I both had salmon -- and had tiramisu for dessert. At that time since everyone was from the East Coast and had jet lag they all went to bed and Tom and I went to Nightmare Before Christmas the 3D version. It was excellent. And we got popcorn and a drink included in the price of admission. So all in all it has been an excellent day. Oh and because the car was late they gave us a beautiful plate of cheese -- however, Tom is not a cheese person and I'm stuffed so it's just sitting here. Anyone want to drive to Hollywood for cheese? Well we're off to bed -- we have an early morning -- have to be in the lobby at 7:50 for breakfast and then we have a trip to El Capitan Theater, Jim Henson Studios and then a tour of Hollywood -- should be a fun and busy trip. Good night everybody!!