Sorry For the Hiatus

Hi, everybody. All of my stuff is packed away so I can move it to a new room in the house.

No update until after August 9 or so...

Sorry!

Awesome Ticket Book Gift Sleeve

I had never even heard of this sort of thing until it happily appeared before me at the recent NFFC show. I gobbled it up, of course. The paper is flecked with glitter and the graphics are classic 1955/56. Really beautiful.

Unbelievably, this is my 100th post. Thanks for the 32728 times you've stopped by (as of right now) and for the kind words and comments over the past few months.

A Goody Returns to My Collection!

At yesterday's NFFC sale, my good friend Matterhorn showed up with a super rare folding Hills Bros. menu that I used to have but sold to another collector a bunch of years ago when I needed the dough. I was THRILLED to get it back...with the envelope no less. If folded (yeah, right), the menu becomes a cute model of the Hills Bros. Coffee Garden.

The "E" Ticket # 1

Here it is, the one that started it all. This is my mint-condition and Janzen-stapled first issue of The "E" Ticket. I am fortunate to have a complete run of issues 1 through 45, the final one.

With the NFFC show coming up this weekend, I think back on the innumerable hours I spent with the brothers Janzen as we swapped stories, shared tales of recently-found treasures, and kibitzed about the upcoming issues and how I could be of help. It was always my honor and privilege to be asked and to do so. When I was regularly selling at the shows, the highlight of the morning was when Leon and Jack would saunter up to my table, root around, and try to gently low-ball me on some of my wares. Usually, it worked. What a couple of charmers.

I started my subscription with issue 6 and filled in the back issues over the years. I would never, ever have become a Disneyland collector without The "E" Ticket, something I'm sure many can say. I don't know the particulars of its demise after Leon's death other than Jack put out a couple of solid issues on his own, and then it was gone. Whatever the cause, its folding was a major loss to collecting and to me personally.

I can still smell the fresh "E" Ticket paper scent that used to emanate from the envelope containing the newest issue as I greedily ripped it open. You probably can, too.

RIP Leon Janzen
RIP The "E" Ticket

*******UPDATE!!!

Just spoke to Jack Janzen here at the NFFC show. He tells me that Issue 46, the last one, is coming soon. Very cool to hear that they'll be one more before The "E" Ticket packs it up for good.

1967 Blue Bayou Child's Menu

Ok...a couple of observations...

1. Love the Marc Davis illustrations. Were these done exclusively for the menu or taken from Imagineering?

2. I would order the Captain's Feast.

3. Thank goodness they tell us that the milk is from a cow rather than a sheep or a pig or an emu. And I'm relieved that it's pure and not befouled by God-knows-what. Sometimes that retro copy is just plain weird.

4. For some reason, the marketing department at Disneyland felt that the back of the menu provided a good opportunity to push POTC to the kids eating at the Blue Bayou. As if watching those loaded boats float by in the dark and the whooshing water below wasn't enough incentive.

Disneyland Souvenirs - The Bad and the Beautiful

Once upon a time in 1956, my dad and his sister went to Disneyland with my grandparents. They each were given the opportunity to purchase a souvenir within a spending limit.

Here is what my dad chose:



Here is what my aunt chose:



Now, I love jumbo pens and all, but clearly my aunt had her head in the game back then. I'm told that Dum was also purchased at the time but unfortunately does not survive. However, Alice and Dee are still looking swell while that jumbo pen doesn't even click anymore.

Fortunately, my dad has become a top collector in his field of interest, so all is good.