Most of you will recognize this cheerful group as they took a break for a meal. I'm assuming that they are in the Carnation Plaza Gardens, under the tent, but there's not a lot to go by. Look at all of those Carnation paper cups and even a milk carton, though! Who knows, it's possible that, later that evening, a famous Big Band would be performing on the little stage. Woody Herman! Count Basie! Lionel Hampton! Maybe gramps here would even get out onto the dance floor and take his wife for a whirl.
I spy three submarines. Get it? Spy...submarine? Oh, never mind!
ReplyDeleteMajor, I agree with you about that being Carnation Gardens. You can tell from the terrazzo floor. The man must be drinking a hot drink, because his cup is shorter has the little paper handles attached to it. The ladies appear to be drinking out of the typical wax-coated paper cups. Hot drinks will melt the wax off of those type of cups, so that is why they are put into paper or stryofoam cups. I know that everyone out there wanted to know that!
Just what kind of food is that on that plate? Whatever it is, it looks like the young lady gnawed all the way around it, and then left the "center" of it behind. Strange.
Walter Knott's security double is almost smiling.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the ticket book on the table.
I think that's a chicken patty sandwich with its perimeter gnawed off.
As a kid, I thought paper cups with fold-out handles were the coolest thing ever. Even today, I rate them only slightly below the invention of sliced bread and flushable toilet paper.
Also note something that's changed since 1963 - everything their meal was served on was paper-based (except possibly the straws): paper cups, paper plates, wax paper wrapping, cardboard cartons. I get it that plastic is cheap and keeps things fresh and sanitary, but there is an environmental cost to making everything out of it, especially when it goes into the refuse stream.
Well, time to make lunch. Honey, where are the Ziploc sandwich bags? And we're out of disposable spoons again!
I'd say these are morning pictures since the girl on the right appears to have pancakes and Grampa has coffee.
ReplyDeleteI have said before how much simple boat rides delight me! It has occured to me that Walt was absolutley brilliant when he decided to make little boats the mode of transport for Small World and Pirates. Even before you see anything on the ride, you're excited because you're on A BOAT!
Or maybe that's just me...
I just noticed that there's a cast member off in the distance (first pic), who is about to dump a barrel of trash on some guests! At least it's mostly biodegradable trash, right Chuck?
ReplyDeleteI love the expressions on this group’s faces. You can tell they know how to have a good time. The ladies in the boat look like they’re driving the getaway car at a jewel heist.
ReplyDeletePancakes at Disneyland, is like a glass of Cinzano at a bistro in Paris. Okay, maybe not, but grand all the same. A big stack, washed down with a glass of cold milk, and off we go to the Teacups to bring it all back up again. Yum. When I was a kid, I thought the Motor Boat Cruise was pretty cool, but I sort of grew out of it. However, I will never grow out of the Submarines. Thanks Major.
ReplyDelete@ Melissa-
ReplyDeleteIf those ladies have indeed masterminded the Great Disneyland Robbery of 1963, they might've at least considered a speedier mode of transportation for their little adventure-! (Or, perhaps they were inspired by 40 Pounds of Trouble-!)
I couldn't comment yesterday so here's my belated thanks to the Dream Team and Major. Fun comments, too. I learned a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna say the young lady has pancakes and why doesn't anyone else have plates of food? The ketchup and mustard on the table makes me think it's near lunch time. But any time is pancake time!
I have lamented the loss of the Motorboats before and do so again. They did need to fix the steering, though. The boats never went the direction I steered them.
Thanks, Major
I've been in Arizona so long now I have to laugh at heavy coats for the June gloom. The only reason to wear coats like that here (in june) would be trying to drop weight fast for a wrestling match.
ReplyDeleteNice photos, thanks for posting.
TokyoMagic!, I don’t get it! Is it a naughty joke? For some reason I thought that the floor of Carnation Gardens had a swirl pattern (or some kind of pattern), red and white - but I guess I was wrong. The man is drinking a cup of hot water - he won’t drink coffee or tea because they are both evil. I like my hot drinks to have a coating of wax floating on top, I guess I’m weird. I can’t tell what that woman ate, I’d say it was a burger only the “meat” looks almost white.
ReplyDeleteChuck, “Walter Knott” is always happiest after he’s had his cup of hot water. Sometimes he puts a little mustard in it when he’s feeling adventurous. Did they do chicken patty sandwiches back then? I admit that it looks like one, however. I agree, the fold out handles on paper cups is pretty clever, I think I read that Tyler Einstein (Alfred’s brother) came up with the idea. I’d be OK with more paper products in use at Disneyland, though I go to a restaurant that has gone back to paper straws, and they are no darn good. If you can’t find the Ziplocs, just use a bigger plastic bag, and while you’re at it, throw away a couple of perfectly clean bags just because you can!
Stu29573, hmmm, those might be pancakes, but they look awfully thick. And no telltale butter or syrup! I do like a good boat ride, and using boats as conveyances in “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “It’s a Small World” is the best. Imagine if you just rode in a car on a track, it would change the experience so much.
TokyoMagic, it is weird, a lot of people seem to be looking at that cast member with the trash can. Was he ranting about microwaves from Russia?
Melissa, I can’t quite tell if some of the ladies are daughters (or even granddaughters) of the older gentleman, or if (for instance) the dark-haired woman is just a friend who came along for the fun.
Jonathan, I guess I am one of the few people here who has never eaten breakfast at Disneyland - I’m always in too much of a hurry in the mornings. It would be pretty nice to be more relaxed, sit down and eat a stack of flapjacks and watch the world go by. But so far it’s never happened for me. Have you been on the Nemo subs? You might outgrow those, ha ha.
Nanook, they don’t need faster boats, they both have guns!
zach, you couldn’t comment? What could be more important? NOTHING! I am now thinking that those ARE pancakes, I think I see a foreshortened strip of bacon on the plate. You’re right though, why is that girl the only one eating? Imagine the nightmare that would happen every day if those boats could actually be steered. Pandemonium!
Alonzo, doesn’t Arizona get cold in the winter? Maybe only at night! Big coats like that are also good for shoplifting. Fun life hack for you there.
Major-
ReplyDeleteYou've just invented a new noun to 'quantify' bacon: 'foreshortened strip'-! I can't wait for the next time I go to IHOP [or Bob Evans] to place my order of bacon... "Five, foreshortened strips of bacon for me, Dottie. And make 'em 'crisp and dry'-!"
By their faces and poses, the first picture looks as if the photographer was a stranger and just stepped up to the table and said he was taking their picture (sort of like at a wedding reception). I wonder who took that picture(?) (if I wasn't on a quick lunch break, I'd look at the past posts of this family to see who the 6th person might be).
ReplyDeleteIn the second picture, I like how gramps/Mr. Knott got all four of the ladies in this shot. Am I correct to assume he was also in a boat - or would he be standing on shore, here? If he took this picture from a boat, the timing was perfect.
Fun comments today (as always)! Thanks Major and all!
Mom and dad have obviously taken out the twins...who didn't want to dress the same, and one decided that she would wear her contacts that day and not wear her glasses. Sister "Sally" has come along for the ride, and the CARNATION milk shake! One ticket book for the whole family- sounds like my experience growing up! All my friends got the Deluxe 15 each and we shared a Big 10. The tickets were gigantically large if I remember. It is interesting that not much changed from the 60's to the 80's. Plaza Gardens was still using those branded cups, but the milk containers went to a smaller version. Trash man seems to be telling a very interesting story that is very compelling to his audience- perhaps a puppy jumps out of the can? The twins seem to have very matronly hair-do's...which I think was the style back then- I don't think they are a day over 13 or 14. My memories of Plaza Gardens are the "New Mickey Mouse Club" being filmed there for their Friday show- which was a re-vamped "talent round up". I also met the real "Benji"who was "Benji"s" daughter, but played the part of Benji after Benji died. Her name was Benjean. One of my co-workers had something to do with his trainer (I'll leave it there) and Benji (Benjean) was doing a show at Plaza Gardens with a Bob Cat or some kind of large feline. My friend said to me "let's go meet Benji!" so we went back stage and met very cute, but seemingly sedated, Benji(Benjean) and the bob cat (or baby lion or something)...who was NOT sedated...and was not a nice kitty to Benji! but Benji had to play along for the show even though kitty was a big meanie and took a few swipes at poor Benji (Benjean.) Benji was a professional! Benji was also in the parade that week and rode around sitting very nicely in the "Walt Car". Much later in life I had some interactions with one of the Carnation heirs. The family sold the company and made a fortune. Carnation had THE BEST strawberry ice cream with giant strawberries in it- so good- I watched the fireworks every night one summer back stage and eating my Carnation ice cream with no one around. I think the price in the employee cafeteria was about .50 (if that!) You could hear the music and Jack Wagner and it was like a private show.
ReplyDeleteNice to see this family again.
ReplyDeleteMom, Dad, the two daughters and their friend with the startling blue eyes, I hope they had a great day at the Park and long happy lives.
Major, you sound like you knew my Dad's cousins, health nuts who thought coffee and tea were evil stimulants. They really did only drink hot water, although sometimes with a slice of lemon, which were not evil. They would never put mustard in, since mustard (and pepper) were evil too.
I too am curious if the photographer of photo 1 was a passer-by, but I am too lazy to go back to prior posts to check.
I think the boat photo was taken from the boat ahead, so yes, great timing, even though the boats were slow.
I remember the Carnation Dairy signs posted by the dairies that sold their milk to Carnation. They made little porcelain square signs to hang on the wall or fence to advertise their affiliation. I think there was a secret handshake or gang sign too.
Thank you, Major. Lots of fun today.
JG
JG, that does make sense - that Mr. Knott is in the lead boat, and probably seated with the mysterious photographer from pic #1. OR, the mysterious photographer tossed Mr. Knott overboard and snapped another photo of our friends. I wonder who’s next?
ReplyDeleteNanook, the beauty of foreshortened bacon is that it is lower in calories! Crispy and dry… I dunno, I like ‘em to be a tiny bit tender.
ReplyDeleteLou and Sue, I have the feeling that the person taking all of these photographs was somebody (a husband?) who didn’t show up in any of them. So looking at the other pictures in the batch isn’t going to help solve the mystery! I am embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even notice the gals in the second boat - so much for my powers of observation. Whoever took the photo had to be in another boat, I don’t think there was anyplace on shore for guests to stand. Glad you liked these!
Bu, the younger girls definitely look like siblings. And I don’t blame anyone for wanting a milkshake, anytime, anywhere. One of my favorite things. Even the worst milkshake I’ve ever had was still pretty good. The only large tickets I can remember are the ones that were in the 1957 (and 1958?) books, they were bigger than the standard size that most of us remember. And the last few years of ticket books had them even smaller. I do have to wonder what was going on with the trash guy - maybe he was just being very noisy, banging the can around? I’ll be those girls used Toni home perms. Maybe they are from the Midwest. Poor Benji, it’s not easy being a famous dog, or even the son or daughter of a famous dog. Toto was a raging alcoholic! I wonder if the Carnation heir that you met was Elbridge Stuart? See my post from March 01, 2010 to see what that was about (though I don’t have a photo of Elbridge). I love your memories of eating strawberry ice cream and watching the fireworks!
JG, yes I noticed the blue eyes. My eyes are listed as “blue” on my driver’s license, but I think they are really kind of boring gray. Boo. I did know someone who drank hot water, and - get this - sometimes they put SALT in it. So disgusting. It was memorable because it was so weird. I’ve never heard of mustard being evil, but have taken relatives from the Midwest to El Torito, and they complained about the spicy food. El Torito’s food is BARELY spicy, no heat was detectable to me. I wouldn’t want to run into a Carnation gang late at night in a dark alley!
Lou and Sue, maybe Mr. Knott’s son was the photographer, that seems to make sense (as you said). Fun fact: Mr. Knott was a former Olympic swimmer, throwing him overboard just made him stronger!
OK, I couldn't stand it. I went back to all the posts with this family (all tagged June 1963 at least) to see if there was a 6th member of the party anywhere visible.
ReplyDeleteNo luck, there is a long shot at the gate turnstile, but only the five folks we see having lunch. I am still stumped because the lunch table only has places set for five. Did photographer/brother/hubby/boyfriend not eat anything?
Anyhow, they were good with the camera since there are some really great shots, especially the bobsled pic.
Major, at various times, I had to drink hot water because stomach issues with coffee, but never put salt in it. I have seen people put salt in coffee though. Maybe I just know a lot of weird people.
Foremost Dairy also handed out the same kinds of sign to their dairy affiliates.
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=foremost+dairy+sign&atb=v1-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fg%2FwLAAAOSwxwdfou0d%2Fs-l300.jpg
Here's the Carnation sign, not quite the one I remember. but close...
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=carnation+dairy+sign&atb=v1-1&iax=images&iai=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.liveauctiongroup.net%2Fi%2F7794%2F9372525_1.jpg%3Fv%3D8CC9F294DCCA4D0&ia=images
The Foremost boys and the Carnation boys would rumble out behind the field house, a wild scene with milking machines and pitchforks...
https://surgemilker.com/surgephotos/historytop2.jpg
The Surge truck drove by our place at least once a day on the way to the neighboring dairies.
JG
That Carnation Gardens bus boy is entertaining guests with the famous “Lamp Shade “ act! Yeah what was that girl eating!?? There seems to be lettuce remains on the plate too. I haven’t been able to find any evidence of breakfast ever being served at Carnation Gardens ..... but being improbable those are pancakes .... it’s not impossible.
ReplyDeleteI like a cup of chiaroscuro with my foreshortened bacon.
ReplyDeleteJG, I was pretty sure there weren’t any photos with a “Who’s he?” face in them! But I give you credit for looking, I couldn’t do it until at least 10:30 tonight. You make a good point about there not being an empty place setting for our mystery person! I’ve never heard of drinking hot water for stomach issues, but I like hot water with lemon when I have a sore throat. My grandfather used to snort salt water when he had sinus issues and a sore throat! That looked more unpleasant than the symptoms, to me. I love that old Foremost logo and the blue and orange is awesome. I don’t remember the Carnation signs because I probably just didn’t pay attention to that sort of thing, unless it was “in my face”. “Surge”?? Never heard of ‘em! Thanks for all the research!
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, ha ha, nothing like a filthy trash can over one’s head to generate plenty of “laffs”. If you don’t recall breakfast being served at Carnation Gardens, than I have no idea what that girl was eating. Maybe I don’t want to think about it too hard!
Melissa, don't forget a side of sfumato.
”My grandfather used to snort salt water when he had sinus issues and a sore throat! That looked more unpleasant than the symptoms, to me.”
ReplyDeleteI use a neti pot for my sinuses, and there often is a panicky moment where you feel like “OMG there is salt water in all my face holes” but it does help.