Kiddieland Carousel Goes Up For Auction November 16, 2013

I keep telling folks, "When I win the Powerball, I have a lot of plans".  First will be paying off the mortgage and other Serious Adult Things That Need Attention.  Then there's taking Daddy for a trip of a lifetime to Vegas, where he'll stay in a high roller suite and eat lobster, and drink red wine that sells for $300 a bottle.

Then, I'll start saving all the amusement parks and all the classic, historic rides.  Like this one:

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/10/21/carousel-from-kiddieland-goes-up-for-auction/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

A carousel from Kiddieland Amusement Park. (Credit: Donley Auction Services.)

 

 

As many of you know, Kiddieland was the first park I visited for the book - and its closing was the impetus for my committing to write the book, to get the word out about vintage parks and their historic significance.

 

 

Give this article a gander.  You'll learn about the age of this amazing carousel, and what makes it a special amusement park collectible.

 

 

The auction house says it could fetch a pretty penny.  Well, if I win that Powerball by November 16 (I WILL win, just don't know when ...), I'll be throwing a whole bunch of pretty pennies at this one.  And, should I win it, I'll be donating it to a deserving park that will house it well and take good care of it.  That is my pledge and promise - you read it here, folks!

Join me at Nest Vintage Modern for a Spooky Book Reading/Storytelling Evening

Check it out!

On October 24, I'll be reading a spooky chapter from my book, and telling ghost stories and, oh, just might lead folks in some ghost hunting!  Head on over to Nest Vintage Modern for this FREE event on October 24, from 7 to 9 P.M.

The Flying Witch Dark Ride at Rye Playland

Here's a link to Nest and the event:

http://nestvintagemodern.com/ai1ec_event/4391?instance_id

Ghost Lake at Conneaut Lake Park!! It would be crazy-spooky NOT to go!!

 

 

My beloved Conneaut Lake Park is at again, assembling a top-drawer haunted attraction for Halloween!  If you're in the greater Pittsburgh or Erie areas, you'd best head on out to CLP for their Ghost Lake super-colossal horror extravaganza!

http://www.ghostlake.net/Default.aspx

From their website:

Check with your cardiologist before attempting the 13 LEVELS OF FEAR. The Longest and scariest Halloween attraction in the world. Over 160 live creatures who want to scare you like you've never been scared before. Ambulance standing by for those that get too frightened. Among the attractions are Clown Town (Come on. Fess up.  Who ISN'T creeped-out even just a little by clowns?), the 3D Fun House of Fears, and something referred to as "The Fog". The gatekeeper to the Devil's Den, circa 2009 CLP was the only park I visited multiple times for my book (three, in fact).  Although I haven't been to Ghost Lake, I can vouch for a couple of the attractions, like the Devil's Den (a classic Pretzel dark ride from the 60s) and the Blue Streak coaster as being the real, old-fashioned, scary-but-fun deal. And let's not forget that the Hotel Conneaut is haunted.  For reals: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgzcogWSmRw  It's also part of the Ghost Lake experience. So what are you waiting for?  Oh, yeah.  that visit to the cardiologist ...

Disneyland's Court of Angels - why it shouldn't close.

"Hey, come this way.  I want to show you one of my favorite parts of Disneyland."

I led my group of fellow birthday revelers from the New Orleans Square train stop to the Court of Angels, a quiet, tucked-away stairwell.

I welcomed the explosion of "ooh"s and "aah"s, and the outpouring of excited comments, recalling they were quite similar to those I had years ago upon encountering the Court for the first time:

"It's beautiful!"

"See?  THIS is why I love Disney so much!  Because they work hard to respect their history!  BOOM!"

"It's spooky and magical and I love it!"

"NOW I feel like I'm back in NOLA."

The Court des Anges is a quiet, contemplative area that's tucked away in a pocket of New Orleans Square.  Legend says it was built to be an entrance to an exclusive jazz club that Walt had envisioned for the area, just before his death.  Since then, it's been a meeting place, the setting for many a family photo, the backdrop for hundreds of marriage proposals, and, for me, a spiritual center, a place where I can truly connect with the beautiful spirits that have traversed through over the decades - including Walt himself.

Now, there's word that this area will be closed off to the public, engulfed in a refurb for the members' only Club 33.  And I'm fitfully angry and near tears.  Club 33 already has their own exclusive area.  Why should this lovely space be off-limits to the general public, the park goers who come back again and again to Disneyland, many of whom look for spaces that truly typify the "real" Disneyland, the less-commercial, more magical and thoughtful places?




Here's a link to my blog post about our mystical visit to the Court: http://mid-centurymystic.blogspot.com/2013/02/disneylands-court-des-anges-our.html 

Please, Disneyland Powers That Be.  Please don't cordon off this truly special area to only an elite few.  Thank you.