An Unexpected Travel Interruption Yields Delight

Due to the Lufthansa airlines strike in Germany, my recent tour group encountered an unexpected benefit: a several hour stop in Windsor, U.K. for an afternoon pub break. It goes to show that even the best of intentions can result in disaster and then redemption if we make the most of a difficult situation!

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

The Queen Celebrates Her Platinum Jubilee and a Friendship is Remembered

Today in the United Kingdom begins celebrations of Queen Elizabeth's 70th year as reigning monarch. She has been an incredible leader! Not perfect, but as close as one can get under tremendous strain in the decades she has served. One has to wonder of her longstanding friendship with Billy Graham and her deep faith in Jesus Christ has anything to do with her wisdom and grace. Television's The Crown explores this friendship in one of its earlier seasons. 

May the Lord bless the Queen as she finishes the race set before her!

Which Version of the Mary Poppins Attraction Would You Rather See Built?

Which Mary Poppins attraction would you rather have? The one shown above in this concept art by master Imagineer Tony Baxter for the original Disneyland or the one below designed for World Showcase at Epcot? Let's look at each as the decision may not be as clear cut as it seems. Or could there be yet another answer? 

The one for Disneyland looks to be a "D Ticket" or even an "E Ticket" based on its innovative ride technology and substantial sets. 

A charming attraction poster for the Epcot attraction.

The Epcot version, as indicated by Walt Disney World insiders, is said to be a "C Ticket" carousel or spinner of sorts with projection mapping put to new use. Each would have numerous pieces of music to bring it all to life, be it from the original film or Mary Poppins Returns.

In the video above, Tony explains how this Disneyland attraction would come to life. Quite fascinating. There are even parts of it that remind me of Tony's other classic attraction, Journey into Imagination.

In a perfect World, we'd have both! What do you think? I say that would be practically perfect in every way.

(Art and video copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Remembering Mary Poppins

Let's not forget Mary Poppins- in the UK Showcase at Epcot! Doesn't Walt Disney's epic, awesome, totally supercalifragilisticexpialidocious film deserve an attraction? Of course! Whether you're a bigger fan of Julie Andrews, Emily Blunt, or both, wouldn't you love to go on an adventure down Cherry Tree Lane? Oh, the music! Oh the magic! Oh, for the love of Dick Van Dyke- get something built that's worthy of the name- and do it now. Imagineer Zach Riddley, do you hear us?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Vintage London

Here to add a bit of retro inspired class to your day! Travel posters are just something that I have never been able to stay away from! Perhaps it is my love of international travel and my job, but I'm absolutely mesmerized by them. Here's one of my new favorites: London by the French Southern Railway. If you like it, you can get it here.

Richard Talks "Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"

Doing a promotional tour in support of their wonderful new album Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, beloved artist Richard Carpenter spent some time in Japan and in the U.K. 

While in Japan, where he and Karen drew crowds similar to the Beatles when they arrived in 1974, Richard made several television appearances and stops for radio interviews. Here, he is on Japan Radio:

His Japanese television appearances can be found on this thread at the A&M Corner discussion boards.

Karen Carpenter is not only a beloved icon in Japan. On the other side of the world in the U.K., the Carpenters have had Top Ten or Number One selling albums in every decade since their heyday.

Richard sat down with BBC's Top of the Pops and discussed the new project on December 14. Listen here.

The music of the duo had a profound impact on my life! I'll be sharing my own review of this album soon, but in the meantime, here's a few posts where you can read my reviews of each earlier album, and newer reviews taking a fresh look at their music years later. Additionally, if you're a fan of Karen and Richard, there are many, many articles here where I discuss their lives and art, including the time I finally met them in person.

-------------

A very special thanks to those folks who constructed The Complete Carpenters Recording Resource, to "Rick- An Ordinary Fool" for so many rare scans, and all my friends on the A&M Corner boards. 

My Original Carpenters album reviews:

Offering/Ticket to Ride

Close to You

Carpenters

A Song for You

Now and Then

The Singles 1969-1973

Live In Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974-1978

Christmas Portrait

Made in America

Voice of the Heart

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Time (Richard Solo)

Lovelines

Karen Carpenter (Solo)

As Time Goes By

My Revisited Fresh Look at the albums:

Offering / Ticket to Ride

Close to You
Carpenters (The Tan album)
A Song for You (coming soon)

Mary Poppins Returns- in Time for an Epcot Attraction

Just this morning, Walt Disney Pictures released the full official trailer for their much anticipated film, Mary Poppins Returns. While no one will ever fill the shoes of Julie Andrews, I must say that the performance of Emily Blunt looks to be quite faithful to the original tone, and therefore quite charming. 

Seeing Mr. Dick Van Dyke dance is an emotional thrill, sure to be one of the highlights of the film! Can't wait to see it!

Could it be that the trailer gives some insight to a potential dark ride at the Epcot's U.K. pavilion? I'd like to think so, but it seems the suits may have decided on a simple flat ride, a carousel, to represent one of their best loved movies. 

Check out the above video! Should they change their minds and let the Imagineers run free with an attraction version that would look somewhat like that of Tony Baxter's, I'd be the first to say "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

(Look here for an article.)

Harry, Meghan, and The Queen

Don't tell my wife, but I'm kind of taken with this photo of the royal newlyweds. Beneath all the glamour- and the guildedness of the room- there's something very touching and telling about this. 

At the core of it all, this is still a family photograph of two young newlyweds and their family. The bride and groom are beaming, the new in-laws might be having awkward conversations with each other, and the photographer is still unable to get all those cute little kids to look at the camera at the same time! 

Can you imagine being the mother of the bride? Even the hopes and dreams of any parent probably wouldn't include what happened to Meghan Markle. What stories Doria Ragland would have to tell about this whole process! Prince Harry would have his own as well. I mean, how do you explain to your royal family that you're marrying an American? Perhaps the next generation of television's The Queen will tell the story of her children and grandchildren. Much as been written and movies created about Charles and Diana, but I think the lives of their children are just as interesting.

Fairytales aside, marriage is hard work! I wouldn't wish that kind of royal pressure on anyone. It will be interesting to watch what transpires. They'll never escape the news outlets. For better or for worse, richer (not poorer), God has made the two one. I hope they make it work out.

The Return of Downton Abbey

OK, I admit it. I really enjoy Downton Abbey. Television rarely has an evening drama so engaging and never one with Maggie Smith in it. So, what's not to like? And it returns tonight for season six in the States.

My friends in Scotland don't think much of it, but then they are used to living in an area with such grand and quaint and charming homes. The entire mix of lower, upper, and middle class houses combined with lush greenery and a history full of grand tradition.

Confession time: I like the television show enough that I sometimes read ahead... and you'll never guess what happens this year!

Sexy Snow White

Here's a little bit of Disney sex news for you. According to this article in the U.K.'s daily Mirror, this version of Snow White was deemed too hot for general audiences by none other than Walt Disney.  Of course, the other version of her debuted with the 1937 opening of the film that made her even more famous. If you want the cel, it is up for auction.

Never heard of this one before. But as for that old rumor that Tinkerbell was based on Marilyn Monroe... I get that. Wanna be songstresses and actresses have been copying her look for decades.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The World Showcase That Never Was: The United Kingdom

Sure, World Showcase holds a particularly charming version of the United Kingdom, but we also know the Disney Imagineers would work through multiple versions of attractions and ideas that never make it past the storyboards.

One such idea for Epcot exists now in the annals of the past: Imagine a towering Big Ben, the common name for the Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster, shining brightly above it all..

Sailing on a simulated Thames River, guests would have toured the sights, enjoying the sounds of the cityscape, such as the recreation of the Tower of London, as well as the country. The required sites would include a pub, tea garden, and many of the elements that would make it past the opening plans. 

The beloved clock tower in scaled form could have appeared at the back of the pavilion a la the Eiffel Tower found just meters away in the France Showcase. But it was not to be. For now, the only place to see the sights such as these is the real London. Thank God it is not too expensive to get there!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Downton Disney

Everyone is in a stir these days when the subject of Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney rises to the surface. Many, myself included, are disappointed if not outright angry that the suits closed Adventurer's Club and other favorite hotspots that were part of Pleasure Island. 

Others are frustrated by the tossing aside of Hyperion Wharf and it proposed waterfront area. Perhaps the eldest of Disney fans remember the Village Marketplace and miss the quaint and quiet atmosphere.

Disney Springs is here, but I think I have a plan to make many folks happy.

How about a total revision of the place and dub it Downton Disney? With apologies to the writers, producer, and actors of Downton Abbey, can't you just see an Epcot styled village populated with shops and restaurants from the early 1900s? Wouldn't you just love to bump into your favorite PBS series characters? Just watch out for O'Brien in that back alley! You know she's not up to anything good.

(Photograph from Trip Advisor.)

Shocker: Matthew Crawley Dead in Vehicle Turnover!

Television rarely gets interesting these days. The avalanche of reality shows and trash that focuses on the poor life choices of teenagers just doesn't hold my attention. I know I am the wrong demographic. What are you going to do?

PBS' Downton Abbey has to be one of the few exceptions. Clearly, I'm not the right demographic either, but I got hooked about three weeks ago. Friends had been saying what a great show it was, so one afternoon, my wife and I decided to jump into Season One, Episode One and see what the fuss was all about.

It was a better than average show, but there wasn't much to keep me involved, I thought. We decided to watch one more episode. Then something clicked. Hugh Bonneville's benevolent Robert instantly caught my attention. (And isn't this role for him the last thing you expected after seeing him as Bernie in Notting Hill?) His eldest daughter Mary, played wonderfully by Michelle Dockery, was the least likable lead I remember in a long time, but there was something there. With a large cast, it was difficult to pick a standout.

But there she was: Siobhan Finneran as O'Brien, the nastiest, most deceitful chamber maid ever. So evil that she makes other villains quiver. Every scene she enters rivets us to the screen, the perfect counterpoint to Mr. Bates, and we were hooked, catching up all the way to the finale of Season Three. 

What about the now lost Matthew Crawley? He became quite the country gentleman in the hands of Dan Stevens, and we came to admire him a lot. His depth was based more of what he did not say than what he did, making him an intriguing character. During the war or when he stood up to Robert in remaking the estate was when his true strength of character come out. Seemed as if writer Julian Fellowes was starting to know what exactly to do with such a nice guy.

Now he's dead and gone, and Mary's left to find another man to tumble with. Will the storyline and the other characters be enough to keep us watching? Time will tell. We've dropped Grey's Anatomy from our list as its creator lost her way years ago. Perhaps Julian will learn from Shonda Rhimes' mistakes. Season Four better be good.

Memories of Venice

Just thinking about our trip to the incredible city. It was several years ago, but every time I think of Venice, Italy, I am so blessed we were able to travel there. In fact, our trip was about 5 years ago, just after the beginning of this blog. This photo is not mine, but if you'd like to see some of our European travel photos, go here.

Tony Baxter's "Jolly Holiday" in EPCOT?

Here's another testimony to the old adage, "A great concept never dies": this rare piece of concept art for EPCOT Center's World Showcase shows an unbuilt attraction for the UK pavilion. It's labeled "A Jolly Holiday", and my guess is this the same Mary Poppins' themed attraction that ex-Imagineer Tony Baxter brought with him for his interview with WED Enterprises all those years ago. 

6:53pm Note: I stand corrected. See Eric's response for a full explanation. Thank you.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Last summer my wife and I had the wonderful blessing of traveling to Europe for three weeks. By ourselves, no kids, no friends, Our intinerary included the U.K., Italy, Germany, and France. After many requests from family and friends, here are a few high resolution photos, including some from Disneyland Paris. I left some quite large to give an idea of being immersed in the places.

Let's start in the U.K. Can't take credit for this wonderful photo- my wife snapped this right at dusk while we walked the London streets. The detail is amazing. And it hangs in a very large size in our home.

Venice was highest on my list of places to visit this trip- and it did not disappoint! It's busy, noisy, and full of contrasts, totally unique- and enchanting at night. As you can see in this first photo below, the buildings in St. Mark's Square are the foundation of the Italy pavillion at Epcot. The second photo is of a sign outside a restaurant in one of the hundreds of small alleys that fill Venice.



Gondolas and gondoliers everywhere. One gondolier passed by our rented apartment, text messaging while he "drove". Twenty-first century technology merged with Renaissance transportation! The last Venice photo is from the top of a campanile (bell tower) overlooking the islands.

Next stop: Florence. We stayed in a mesmerizingly beautiful 14th century fortress overlooking the valley. All the main tourist sites were seen, but also a small museum that was our favorite in all of Florence: Museo dell' Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. This actual location once included a studio where Michaelangelo carved David but now houses a collection of various kinds of art. His Florence Pieta is here: a magnificient marble sculpture he never finished due to his discovery while carving Christ that this portion of the marble was imperfect. The photo below is of a haunting carving of Jesus on the cross, displayed in another gallery. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of the artist.

Lenvanto is on the northwest coast of Italy. This charming seaside resort serves as the gateway to Cinque Terra, five towns built in the hillsides accessible once only by train. To visit all five, it takes about 2 hours to drive the curving roads that hug the rugged cliffs.


Rothenburg, Germany is a quaint little village surrounded by the fortress that protected it. You can walk the tops of the fortress walls and gain a terrific view of this beautiful town in Bavaria. Highly recommend stopping here if Germany is on your agenda. Munich was also a stop for us while we were here. Driving the Autoban is quite the adventure, since there is no speed limit. FUN!

Last by no means least, Paris. My favorite European city- even if Disney had never touched down here. The city itself is a theme park, full of beautiful architecture, gardens, and museums. This was our second visit. The two clocks below are from the Musee de Orsay, a converted train station that now houses the ultimate galleries of Impressionist art. If you can name it, it is probably found here. Photos do not do the museum, or the art found here, justice. The colors are rich and varied, the complex is stunning. We found it more charming than the Lourve and still worth several hours. The balcony off the 3rd (or 4th) floor cafe has terrific views of the Seine river and the city. Do not let the reputation of the Parisians keep you away- they are kind and helpful, if a bit reserved for American tastes.


Prior to our evening's boat ride on the Seine, we happened to be walking and looked down to the riverbank below. What did we see? The Ratatouille premier! We didn't stay more than a few minutes as Paris was waiting, but it was a fun little bonus. Paris, Pixar, French culture? What's not to like?

Finally, here are the Disneyland Paris pictures. The first two photos are taken from our tethered hot air balloon ride. One looking toward the Newport Bay Club and the other toward the park with the Disney Village entertainment center below.


The park itself: Disneyland Paris, pure and simple, is a design masterpiece. Given this park is located in one of the world's most beautiful cities, it had to be spectacular- and it is. You enter the park through the Disneyland Hotel and gardens. Once inside, the centerpiece chateau is at the end of Main Street as to be expected. Almost as large as Florida's castle but it is designed to be explored. Tapestries, stained glass and statuary tell the story of Sleeping Beauty in the upper galleries, while a huge fire breathing dragon resides in the dungeon below. Tomorrowland here is known as Discoveryland, tributing Jules Verne and other visionairies.

This park has to be seen to be believed. Details abound, and each attraction is reImagineered both inside and out. Pirates, Phantom Manor (Haunted Mansion), and Space Mountain almost seem like entirely new attractions, and we could have spent a day in each land just exploring. 

Yes, we did spend a few hours at the Studios- mostly out of curiosity- and it was more than enough. A second rate park that needs more than Tower of Terror to make it Disney quality.

Our three week adventure included time with some friends of ours who had recently moved to Wales. It was a delight and blessing to reconnect with them on their home turf in the U.K. Originally from Scotland and now landed in Cardiff, Fraser, Anna, Beth, and Aidan prove that friendship is not limited to those we see everyday. Hope you've enjoyed the photos and the narrative!

(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)