Hi there, OurPDX readers and fellow Fanadus!  This is morganpdx!  CamiKaos and I are back again, fresh from the Broadway production of Xanadu.  Remember our last blog post, where we announced the winner of our little Xanadu ticket giveaway?  Yeah, we’re gonna do it like that again.  Two OurPDX bloggers.  One blog post.  More fun than a bucket full of glitter!  Or a stage full of disco balls!  (Yeah, you’d get that if you saw the play last night.  What, you didn’t see it?  What are you waiting for?!)

morganpdx: What a night!  We seem to have survived our Xanadu adventures with only a mild hangover and…well, I don’t think I did anything too embarrassing, did I?  Cami?

CamiKaos: You mean aside from going out in shimmering clothing covered in glitter and quietly squee-ing from your seat?  No.  Not really.

m: Hey.  I’m not the one who brought a canister of glittery powder stuff.  And I seem to recall that you were a bit overzealous with the glitter on the left side…

c: I brought the glitter to share in case for some reason I was the only one wearing sequins and big hoop earrings.  Oh and the necklace.  And the bracelets.  And the glitter….

m: And the jacket…it was pretty damn sparkly too.  And silver.  No I mean SIL. VER.  But we should probably talk about the show, and not the fact that we could probably be spotted from space.

c: Fine… you want to talk about the fact that the cast could probably be seen from space?

m: Yeah.  The cast actually out-glittered you.  YOU.  You and your silver sparkly flashy glittery big earring-y getup.  Seriously, I don’t want to give anything away, but at one point there were probably 30 disco balls on the stage.  AT THE SAME TIME.   But guess what, Cami?  I actually interviewed people!

c: YES!  YOU DID!  And do you know why you did that?  Because #morganisasocialite…  or because aside from the whole “watching the show” part, that’s why we were there.

m: I don’t know why you’d think that.

c: Why I think you’re a socialite?  Or why I thought that’s why we were there?  You kind of walked around shoving a voice recorder in peoples’ faces while I thought about my shiny jacket…  that’s why I think that.  I mean the only people I talked to before the show were @dieselboi and @Anna_V.

m: I can see your point.  I didn’t think I was shoving my voice recorder though; more like gently placing it close enough to capture their precious impressions.  So what where people thinking before they stepped into the fantabulous world of Greek gods and demigods, roller skates, bad 80’s fashion and true love?  Well, we, or at least I, interviewed some people.  There were lots of season ticket holders, some of whom had seen the movie ages ago and didn’t remember it (which is probably why they were there) and some of whom hadn’t (ignorance is bliss?)  One young theatre-goer named Lizzy, when I asked her what she thought it would be like, said “Um…it’s in a roller disco?  And there’s gonna be some legwarmers.”

c: Yeah… Lizzy was particularly insightful… I have to say though aside from one other Fanadu that you spoke with I don’t think a lot of people knew what to expect outside of disco balls and roller skates.  What I want to know is what you thought of the production.  I mean I was sitting there so I know you giggled and sighed and made faces…  You got some post show reactions as well, didn’t you?

m: Well, since Robin and Dave (@mizd and @chefchopper) were sitting right next to us, I asked them what they thought.  Robin said it was “Xandalicious!”  And Dave said  he was “Xanadoomed”.  I expect because since he liked this, Robin is going to drag him to all sorts of musicals now. 

Some of the other audience comments:

“Great, ton of fun, very exciting!”

“Exceeded my expectations”

“We want to rent the movie now!”

“I didn’t expect to be sitting on stage – it was fun!”

“I like the show better than the movie.  I loved the show!”

c: How many of those people did you offer to loan your copy of the dvd to?

m: Not all of them.  Only the ones who didn’t own it already.

c: I think that WAS all of them.  But now… the big question: How did it measure up for you?

m: Oh I see how it is.  Putting me on the spot, are you?  I thought the play was hilarious.  There were definitely a lot of inside jokes that would make sense to someone who’s a fan of the movie.  One that I’m sure a lot of people have heard about is the super-contrived Australian accent that Clio/Kira — the fated muse — used to “disguise” herself from the mortals.  And of course the 80’s references were super funny, and they certainly took advantage of the generation gap between Sonny and Danny.  The only criticism I’d have is that the sound quality at the Keller seemed to be a bit off, as it was hard to distinguish what the cast was saying at times.

c: I don’t think they really had the levels worked out…  But the show?  It was a 90 minute giggle fest.  It was made to be silly.  And MAN, can a disco ball light up a room or what?  Wait… not that I like disco. I mean it seriously was really bright.  I think I was temporarily blinded in my left eye.

m: Probably from all the over glittering you did on the left side.

c: I was trying to blend in.  You know… not draw attention to myself.  Be at one with the show.  I don’t know about these things…  I went because you made me.

m: It’s true.  I did make you.  And soon I will make you watch the movie too, just so you can get the Full Xanadu Experience™.

c: I thought you said I didn’t have to watch the movie.  We wrote a post the other day… I’m sure there is something in there about me not having to watch it.

m: I only said you wouldn’t have to watch it before the show.  I said nothing about afterward.

c: And by afterward you mean…?   That’s anytime later, right?  Like next year for your birthday?  That’s still after.  I don’t have to watch it now, do I?  Shouldn’t you wait to watch it until after you’ve seen the stage production again?

m: Oh, I have a feeling it will be MUCH sooner than that.  But we did have a great time after the show too, didn’t we?  There were more interviews!  And more martinis!

c: Yes there were both of those things.  With friends, and fans and you even had a chance to reconnect with Annie Golden!  I can’t believe I’m telling you this, and you better not repeat it to anyone…. But Ihadagoodtimelastnight…

m: It’s ok.  I won’t tell anyone.

You heard it right here folks!  Cami LIKED IT.  And she doesn’t like disco, hasn’t seen Xanadu, and truth be told, she is not a big fan of crowds.  Shhhh, you didn’t hear that from me.

c: You’re a good friend Morgan.  I appreciate you keeping that between you and I.  And in exchange… I won’t show anyone that photo I have of you in my basement.  With that thing.  You know the one.  Maybe I’ll just burn it.

m: Yes, I think you should burn it.  Didn’t you tell me you already had?  I could have sworn you said you would.

c: Well, to be fair it’s a digital image.  If I burned it, that would mean I put it on a CD or something for safe keeping… you know.  In case you ever went back on your word.

m: Crap.

c: On that note, shall we let these lovely ladies and gentlemen have their days back… I mean they already know we think Xanadu is worth going to see, what else is there?

m: Just this:  GO SEE IT!

Related Posts

• January 9, 2010 -- Xanadu: And The Winner Is… (4)
• January 3, 2010 -- Free Inspiration! (6)
• January 8, 2010 -- Xanadu is Muse-ical! (1)
• January 6, 2010 -- Did You Know… (0)
• September 25, 2009 -- Pre-Show Backstage Tour at La Boheme (0)

Hallo Internets. I’m having such a very busy week this week. I’ve been TRYING desperately to give away a free pair of tickets to Xanadu’s opening night at the Keller Auditorium! (Congratulations to @taradublinrocks, @blabbey, @ladygeek, @stevenguymcdade, and @divebarwife for getting the correct answer, and getting a shot at the free tickets on Saturday!)

For all my hard work, I got a prize!

Yes, yes, I did get a pair of tickets. @camikaos and I will put them to good use however, and blog our little hearts out to let you know how awesome a time it will be. It will almost be like you’re there with us! Almost. And then you’ll feel like you missed out on something amazing, and will go get your very own ticket. Because you don’t want to miss this much awesome. Seriously, people.

But that’s not the prize I’m referring to. No! I got to interview Annie Golden, who plays Calliope in the musical, to get a first hand feel for what the show is like. I know, right? How lucky am I?! So without further ado, here’s our conversation:

morganpdx: Ok, so first of all. Would you consider yourself a fan of the original movie? It’s become quite the cult hit these days. Did you watch it when it first came out?
Annie Golden: I actually didn’t watch it when it first came out, because I wasn’t a disco person, I was actually more of a ‘death to disco’ person. If you know anything about me I was discovered at CBGB’s. So I never really saw the movie when it came out. In preparation for the show – I was part of the original Broadway cast — we had a screening of it. I actually watched it recently, like at 4 o’clock in the morning, and it was just so hard to watch, it’s just…really not happening, whoever put it together. I felt that Olivia Newton John was beautiful, she always was, and Michael Beck…I remember when I did “Hair” in 1978, he had just finished “Warriors”.

mpdx: Yes, I heard that “Warriors” was a great entrance into movie acting for him, it was really well received.
AG: I know, so to do Xanadu next, it was like “What? What happened there?”

mpdx: ::laughs:: I saw a quote from Michael Beck that said “The Warriors opened a lot of doors in film for me, which Xanadu then closed.”
AG: Awww, oh boy. Well, the music is fantastic, so that’s the best.

mpdx: Right, right. How did you get involved with the Xanadu Broadway production?
AG: Well, I’m a Broadway actress, and a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn, so I got involved when they were putting together actress auditions and readings for the show. I was involved at the very beginning. Douglas Carter Beane wrote this screenplay, and it originally had 9 muses, and I was one of the 7th-8th-9th muses, which eventually got cut. I represented 80’s icons like Patti Smith and Tammy Faye Bakker in the original concept. There were so many configurations that we tried, but ultimately Douglas Carter Beane started to trim down the script, and Chris Ashley, our director, started to get a concept for it, and when they went to Broadway it was Jackie (Hoffman) and Mary (Testa) as Calliope and Melpomene. So then they asked me if I would pit sing so they could have my voice on all those rock songs, and if I would cover the two evil women. I was so happy to be asked along, and I had never understudied before, so I said you know what? If you’re ever gonna do it you should do it with people who love and respect you. So that’s what I did, and Xanadu continues to be such a good experience for me, because Jackie is doing Addams Family, so I’m out here doing the role that she created on Broadway.

mpdx: That’s awesome. It’s always great to do things with people who you really enjoy working with.
AG: Absolutely.

mpdx: I haven’t seen the play yet, but from what I hear you play one of the evil muses. Can you tell me a little more about that part?
AG: Yeah! The setup is that there is Father Zeus, who is the father of all the muses, and he has a favorite daughter, and her name is Clio (Cligh-oh). And as with all families, there’s gonna be jealousy, and there are two sisters who are very jealous because they’ve been passed over, named Calliope and Melpomene. They’re the two evil women. They start to put a wrench in the magical works of Xanadu, and a love story ensues, and they try to set Clio up, and basically keep trying to make trouble for her.

mpdx: Isn’t it true that there’s a prohibition against falling in love with mortals, and that’s what they try to do to Clio?
AG: Exactly! There’s a lot of forbidden things, and some of them are that you’re not allowed to create art, you’re not allowed to create music, and you’re not allowed to fall in love with a mortal.

mpdx: That’s interesting. I studied greek mythology in school, and if memory serves that is actually pretty correct – the muses were allowed to inspire but not to create.
AG: Yeah, exactly. So, I think you’d be very impressed with how Douglas Carter Beane has adapted the movie into this silly, delightful, entertaining musical play! It’s very clever and he does use mythology – just when you think the mythology is written in stone, he’ll do something twisted with it. If you do know anything about Greek mythology, some of the things in the play are right on.

mpdx: That’s awesome. I think that would make the play that much more enjoyable, for me at least!
AG: Oh yeah! If you’re a Xanadu fan, you’re gonna just love this play.

mpdx: My next question is a little different. Portland is known for being a pretty social-media crazy town. We have blogs and Twitter and Facebook all over the place. What is your take on all that stuff?
AG: I don’t even have a computer, Morgan.

mpdx: ::laughs:: That pretty much answers that, doesn’t it?
AG: Doesn’t it? It certainly does!

I didn’t even have a cell phone until a couple of years ago! I’m one step behind in everything, I really am; and so the texting, and the twittering, I just don’t do it. In fact I visited with a friend of mine from Costa Mesa on my day off on Tuesday, and when she was driving me back to Santa Monica her husband asked her to investigate something, so she handed me her iPhone and asked me to google the answer. I had to hand her the phone back and say “honey I’m sorry I just don’t know how to do that.” If she’d had a different person sitting next to her she could’ve been multitasking!

mpdx: Well, I have a friend who still doesn’t have a cell phone, so you wouldn’t be totally out of place here.
AG: Wow…

mpdx: So the show itself. What is your favorite part about it?
AG: My favorite part about it, aside from the music, because we have some really strong singers – not everyone from Broadway can sing this kind of music – what I like about it aside from the music is the presentation of the piece. I also like the choreography, which is based on Martha Graham and Isadora Duncan, and was nominated for a Tony for Best Choreography which is just amazing. I love the costumes – they’re very diaphanous, very delicate and pretty. I love the makeup, it’s specialty makeup, very glittery and shiny, a lot of glitter and gems. It’s a very heavenly show, really very heavenly and otherworldly, with a rockin soundtrack!

mpdx: That’s awesome. I do love the soundtrack, that’s my favorite. The music is one of the things I like most about the movie.
AG: Yeah!

mpdx: Another question I have is Portland tends to get written up in the NY Times a lot, at least recently, so we’ve gotten a big head about how cool we are. Have you ever been to Portland before, and what are your impressions of it?
AG: I’ve never been! I can’t wait, I hear such wonderful things about it! All the kids on the tour, they – this is my first tour, like I said I’m a native New Yorker, so I’ve always worked on Broadway or off-Broadway, so I’ve never toured – so the kids on the cast who have toured before, they *all* love Portland, and they all talk about how they can’t wait to take me around. Actually, everywhere I’ve been on tour so far – Costa Mesa, I had friends come from LA, and then in Sacramento I had friends coming from San Francisco; Portland I don’t have anybody coming, but then in Seattle I have friends, and North Carolina I have friends, Pittsburgh…everywhere on the tour I have friends to come and see me, but not Portland, Oregon; I don’t know anybody there. So, I’m so looking forward to just…being on vacation, as it were.

mpdx: Right, well if you need any tips on where to go or things to do, let me know.
AG: Yeah, that would be great! So now, why are you a Fanadu?

mpdx: Oh heck…I grew up with this huge crush on Olivia Newton-John.
AG: Oh, well that says it all then!

mpdx: It does, really. I loved her music, and I really loved that 50’s style grand musical feel that it tried to bring back, with having Gene Kelly involved. My favorite scene is the one with him and Olivia Newton-John when they do that dance scene…
AG: Oh, “Whenever You’re Away From Me”?

mpdx: Yeah, I love that song, it’s my favorite scene in the movie.
AG: You’re gonna love it in the show! It’s like an MGM musical, that moment. You’re gonna be so excited! Xanadu the musical will not let you down.

That’s pretty much it. Interviewing Annie was an absolute pleasure, and as she put it when I told her I was somewhat new to interviewing, “Don’t worry, I’m an old pro.”

Thanks so much to Ms. Annie Golden, and the whole cast of Xanadu for bringing some sparkly glitz and flashy glamour to Portland. We’re gonna soak it up!

Related Posts

• January 3, 2010 -- Free Inspiration! (6)
• January 13, 2010 -- There Were Disco Balls and Legwarmers of Power (3)
• January 9, 2010 -- Xanadu: And The Winner Is… (4)
• January 6, 2010 -- Did You Know… (0)
• September 25, 2009 -- After the Performance: Did I Cry at the End? (2)

(Consider this my introduction.)

Yesterday, I woke up and had a stark realization.

I’ve been here for 17 years.

On January 5, 1992, I drove a beat-up Chevette (is there any other kind?) into Portland from Denver. I remember it well. I actually screamed out loud when I saw the “Entering Portland” sign on I-84. I had no plan — had no idea what I was going to do but, dammit, I knew that Portland was the place for me and I was excited.

My first week here included: Tavern and Pool, Pub At The End Of The Universe (twice), The Hotcake House (at what time, I really don’t recall), Forest Park, Mount Tabor and constant hanging out on Hawthorne, where I was living at the time. The first job started a couple of weeks later. Come on, I was 22 years old and too busy having fun.

So, here we are 17 years after falling madly, deeply in love with Portland.

I now have a family and so many incredible friends here. To say it has been a blur would be an understatement. To say it has been sublime would be one as well. It’s sweet to wake up every morning and know that I live in a place where possibility is encouraged — where taking chances is appreciated. This is where you can stub your toe, maybe trip a little and have an army of people help you pick you up and shepherd you on to the next thing you believe in. The communal, entrepreneurial spirit here is unlike anything I’ve seen.

And we need it now more than ever.

As I write here, you’ll find that I’m a bit of an optimist and I think that 2010 will be something special for all of us in Portland. There are some days when it’s hard to believe — but I can feel it.

And I’m certain that I’ll wake up next year on my 18th anniversary here with just as big a smile on my face.

(Editor’s note: We’re happy to welcome Zanger to OurPDX. Happy anniversary!)

Related Posts

• January 6, 2010 -- Portland and Curling (4)
• July 22, 2009 -- PDX vs. 503 (2)
• April 10, 2009 -- Hey, Portland? Let’s talk over lunch… (1)
• October 10, 2008 -- You’re living in your own private Writaho (8)
• February 4, 2010 -- Winter Olympics in the NW (2)

Has your writing been weak? Do your paintings lack pizazz? Did the last 200 digital photos flop? Are your jam sessions just not jelling? Is your podcast pathetic? Or maybe your film is a feature length failure?

In other words, is your creative juice-maker dried up like a Saharan riverbed? (I was gonna use another analogy with strippers, jello and a couple hamsters, but we try to keep it *somewhat* PG-13 here.)

Well you are in luck, Portland, because I have just the lube all us creative types need to oil up that artistic muscle. That’s right! What you need is a little inspiration of the divine kind! Just a touch of demi-god artistic intervention. And for a few lucky ones, it’s free!

You’re probably wondering just where this inspiration will come from. Have you ever heard the phrase “kissed by a Muse”? Well it just so happens that those 9 stimulating sisters will be making an appearance at the Keller Auditorium when the national Broadway tour of Xanadu opens on January 12th and runs through January 17th.

Xanadu. Seriously.

Now wait. I know what you’re all thinking. “Xanadu? OMG that was the worst movie! Wasn’t it some sort of disco roller dance thing?”

Well yes, yes it was. But this is Xanadu, the Broadway musical, nominated for four – yes, FOUR – Tony awards in 2008! The New York Times called it “Heaven on Wheels!”. And we all know what good taste the NY Times has. Look at how much they love Portland, right?

But then you’re thinking “Heeeey waitaminit. Aren’t you that chick who had a Xanadu-themed birthday party a month ago? Are you biased much, hmm?”

Yes. Yes, I am a fan of the movie. Yes I love its lame plot, its fabulous music. Yes I have had a huge crush on Olivia Newton John. Yes, tickets went on sale on my birthday! (How’s that for preordained? Ha!)

Did I mention Douglas Carter Beane, the screenwriter for Xanadu, wrote To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar?

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

I and my lovely fellow OurPDX blogger and fantabulous podcaster Cami Kaos will be at the Keller on opening night, grabbing on-the-scene pre- and post-show crowd reaction for an amazing OurPDX first: an OurPDX blog-uet! (That’s blog + duet. Work with me here, people.) Yep, Cami, a Xanadu newbie and I, a tried and true Fanadu, will be co-blogging about all the glitz, glamour and gloriousness of Xanadu’s opening night. If you’re going, keep a sparkly eye out for the OurPDX banner and come say hello!

Go now. Go get tickets!

AND NOW, FOR THE FREE.

You’ve been waiting for it. You read through this whole post lookin for the Free. YES, Portland. I’m gonna give away free stuff! On the Twitters. Free Inspiration in the form of two tickets to the show! This is how it’s gonna work:

We’ll post a Xanadu quiz question at NOON every day this week, Monday through Friday. The first person to respond with the correct answer gets their name in a hat. On Saturday, we’ll select the name of the lucky winner! And that lucky winner will get to go see Xanadu for FREE. How’s that for inspiration? So start studying up, all you PDX Fanadu’s, and watch the OurPDX twitter account for more info.

Olivia Newton John in her fabulous Xanadu outfit. Sparkly!

Just be sure to remove the roller skates when you get to the Keller, ok? I don’t need you rollerskating me over, I might spill my wine. Those little plastic cups are not very resilient, you know.

Fred Meyer Broadway Across America Portland presents
Xanadu
Keller Auditorium
Tuesday, January 12th – Sunday, January 17th
Tickets $28.75 & up

Related Posts

• January 13, 2010 -- There Were Disco Balls and Legwarmers of Power (3)
• January 8, 2010 -- Xanadu is Muse-ical! (1)
• January 9, 2010 -- Xanadu: And The Winner Is… (4)
• January 6, 2010 -- Did You Know… (0)
• September 25, 2009 -- Pre-Show Backstage Tour at La Boheme (0)

Whew. I’ve been to a lot of malls in the last month. Usually my goal this time of year is to avoid all shopping malls like the H1N1. I hate crowds and loud noises. I’m also not a fan of pushing, shoving, grabbing, kicking and biting — and doing all of that just to buy someone a gift tires me out something dreadful.

Of all the shopping malls on my Santa visit list, I was dreading Bridgeport Village the most. Going to Bridgeport Village always seems like such a huge undertaking. I have to drive down I-5, make sure to take just the right exit, and then drive around the sprawling Italian Villa layout in search of parking.

And let’s face it, there is just something douche-y about the place. Who builds an outdoor mall in Portland, Oregon anyway? At every other shop or so there are little bins of bright yellow loaner umbrellas that just scream, “We admit it. This was a bad idea.”

Much to my surprise, however, Bridgeport Village has far and away the best Santa experience. Hands down and without a doubt.

First of all, Bridgeport Village Santa lives in a house in the middle of Center Court. Right next to Santa’s house is a large gazebo where various artists perform holiday tunes for your enjoyment. Next to the gazebo is a caramel corn vendor and behind Santa’s house is an old timey candy shop.

Everything in Center Court is lavishly decorated with trees, garlands, boughs, twinkly lights, ornaments, ribbons and these nifty teddy bear topiaries.

Bridgeport Village is not messing around. Even better, they manage to post Santa’s hours and prices on their website. Not many shopping malls do that.

Santa was very busy with visitors and I was a little bit concerned that I would not be able to get a decent photo of him. It’s very hard to see into Santa’s house and it seemed kind of creepy to take photos of Santa and the little ones through the windows of his house.

I took the photos anyway, but I didn’t feel great about it.

I was milling around outside when Santa came out of his house for a little fresh air. I mustered up the courage to go over and talk to him. Not all Santas like being approached on their downtime and I didn’t want to piss Santa off so close to the Big Day.

I greeted Santa and asked if I could take his picture. Santa smiled and said, “I don’t know, can you?”

Hmmmm. This Santa is a bit of smart ass. I like that.

I explained to Santa that I’ve been blogging about the various local Portland shopping mall Santas and that a lot of places frown upon taking photos without a little money up front first. Santa laughed and gave me a little side-hug. We chatted for a bit and then Santa graciously posed for a photo in front of his house.

“Make sure to tell your readers that Bridgeport Village has the best Santa,” Santa kidded as he hugged me again and wished me a Merry Christmas.

And I can tell you in all honesty that Bridgeport Village really does have the best Santa. He’s warm and generous and cheerful but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. I loved that about him. Some Santas get a little too caught up in the celebrity of it all, in being a Big Deal. Nothing is more annoying than someone who thinks they are a Big Deal.

So there you have it. I’m done with my Behind the Beard series. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I would have liked to make it out to Mall 205 and Jantzen Beach Center – but there is this little matter of my day job. Maybe next year.

I wish I had some words of wisdom to close with, but I don’t. Instead – I’ll wrap this up with my favorite Santa photo this year. It’s my adorable little nephew and his first visit with Santa.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and wish you nothing but the best for 2010.

(Special hat tip to Barry Johnson for the Behind the Beard headline. Thanks Barry!)

Santa Out!

Related Posts

• December 21, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Pioneer Place Santa (2)
• December 23, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Portland Macy’s Downtown Santa (2)
• December 17, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Washington Square Santa (4)
• December 15, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Lloyd Center Santa (4)
• December 7, 2009 -- Portland Shopping Mall Santas – A Comparative Study (0)

If you are like me, you don’t accept change willingly. I’m still in a minor state of mourning over the loss of the Pixie Kitchen and the Organ Grinder – the two places that held the most magic for me as a child. A Motel 6 now stands where the Pixie Kitchen stood and the Organ Grinder has become a Super King Buffet. Change may be inevitable, but it isn’t always for the better.

Frankly I’m kind of glad that I had never been to the old Meier & Frank Santaland because it would just be another thing for me to talk about like a sentimental old lady.

The old Meier & Frank Santaland was in operation for some 50 years, delighting children with a kid-sized monorail that made trips around the ceiling of the 10th floor of the downtown flagship store. The monorail made its last trip in 2005 and then that portion of the building was remolded into a boutique hotel because Portland is in desperate need of more boutique hotels for its booming tourism industry. Yes, I was using sarcasm.

Meier & Frank is now Macy’s and Macy’s has brought back the Santaland. On the surface, this seems like a good thing. After all, Macy’s is somewhat synonymous with Santaland. Think Miracle on 34th Street, or the Santaland Diaries, or the big Macy’s parade in NYC where the King of the Shopping Mall Santas makes his annual televised debut. But the purists know that the new Macy’s Santaland is no match for the beloved Santaland they knew as a child and perhaps have taken their own children to.

But I guess we must live in the now and learn to love what is. That’s what all the self-help gurus are always saying anyway. We all know how solid their advice is.

Macy’s Santaland is located in the basement. There is no better way to say that. I guess they figure the children won’t notice the low ceilings.

Once you get over the basement factor, Santaland itself is delightful. They make good use of some of the old Meier & Frank animatronics giving the place a very chic vintage feel. It’s very very pretty and I can imagine that the little kids will just love it.

I can’t tell you much about the Santa himself. The posted signs make it VERY clear that you are not to take a photo of Santa unless you have paid for a photo of Santa. You can’t even get a very good look at Santa unless you are in the photo line because he is tucked away in a small, windowless, low-ceilinged corner – far away from the casual passerby.

I did manage to sneak over to the SantaCubicle for a quick up-close glimpse. Santa was by himself and he looked miserable. Much like the modern day employees of large corporations, I don’t think Santa likes being in such a tightly controlled environment. Santa is there for the enjoyment of paying customers only, not any enjoyment of his own.

But that’s progress for you.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch Judy Garland sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas while Tootie cries in Meet Me in St. Louis. Christmas nostalgia doesn’t get any better than that.

And if you still find yourself longing for the old Meier & Frank Santaland – you can still visit their website.

Next up – Bridgeport Village Santa
Previous Santas – Pioneer Place, Washington Square, Lloyd Center, Clackamas Town Center

Related Posts

• December 15, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Lloyd Center Santa (4)
• December 24, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Bridgeport Village Santa (7)
• December 21, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Pioneer Place Santa (2)
• December 17, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Washington Square Santa (4)

I spent ages 10-18 in a small town in rural western Colorado. The nearest shopping mall was an hour and a half drive through the desert away. The anchor stores at this mall were Mervyn’s and Target. Going to the mall was a Big Deal that was planned weeks ahead of time. You made lists and packed snacks because you were going to the metropolis that was Grand Junction. Lord knows what glittering opportunities and big town evils awaited you there. You could get discovered or mugged.

The Christmas exodus to Mesa Mall was a special one. About halfway between my little town and the big city was a lone pine tree that grew by the side of the road. Each year, an anonymous person or persons would decorate this tree for Christmas. They even managed to have working lights on the tree, despite the fact that it was located smack dab in the middle of nowhere. It was spectacular in a folksy sort of way. It was a beacon of hope in an otherwise desolate environment.

This would probably explain why, growing up, I always imagined that Christmas shopping downtown in a major US city would be the ultimate holiday experience. In my shopping fantasy the streets are lined with larger-than -life holiday decorations made of tinsel and lights. Each storefront window is more spectacular and magical than the last. Shoppers carry brightly decorated shopping bags. Little kids hold a parent’s hand and look up in a constant state of amazement and wonder. The city square is filled with carolers and revelers and an ice skating rink.

::play Silver Bells here::

This is so NOT the downtown Portland shopping experience. In fact, now that Meier & Frank is no more, gone are the mechanized 12 days of Christmas holiday window displays which were the closest thing to holiday magic downtown Portland had. Yes, there is still the big tree in Pioneer Square – but it isn’t really enough of a reason to pack up your kids and deal with all the hassles of parking and panhandling.

There’s just not that much downtown for a family with kids to see. So, I was a little bit surprised to find that Pioneer Place even has a shopping mall Santa. I was even more surprised to find that this Santa is by far the jolliest of all the Santas I have encountered so far.

Pioneer Place Santa doesn’t have a lot to do. Every Santa that I have visited so far has had a slow but steady stream of visits from the under-seven set. I saw Pioneer Place Santa chat it up with a pack of teenagers, but other than that — he was all by himself. Well, there is Santa’s photo elf — but I suspect that the Santa/photo elf relationship is a contentious one.

Santa does not take this lack-of-business thing sitting down. Santa stands in front of his standard-issue green wingback chair and waves to shoppers as they ride the escalators that flank Santaland (SantaKiosk is more accurate). He calls out “Merry Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!” like a carnival barker.

I found this practice endearing but one commenter on Behind the Beard says that Pioneer Place Santa also likes to shout out what you wanted for Christmas as a child. That might be taking things a little too far. Either way, Santa’s energy and enthusiasm are fairly remarkable considering the circumstances. I felt like Santa really wanted me to have a Merry Christmas.

I sat and pondered Santa’s somewhat unnatural jollyness. Could Santa possibly be using performance enhancers and if so – what is he on? And then the answer hit me. SantaKiosk is right next to the Moonstruck Chocolate stand. Maybe Santa is a sugar addict? My theory was confirmed when Santa sat down for a moment and had a little four candy cane snack.

I understand, Santa. We all have our ways to cope with holiday stress.

Still, if you want to avoid long lines and your fellow shoppers, Pioneer Place Santa is your man. He has plenty of time on his hands and can give your little darling the special attention he or she deserves. This Santa is very personable and easy going. When I asked if I could take his photo, Santa was very agreeable. Even Santa’s photo elf gave me the okay. See?

Next Up – Downtown Macy’s Santa
Previous Santa’s – Clackamas Town Center, Lloyd Center, Washington Square

Related Posts

• December 24, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Bridgeport Village Santa (7)
• December 23, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Portland Macy’s Downtown Santa (2)
• December 17, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Washington Square Santa (4)
• December 15, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Lloyd Center Santa (4)
• December 7, 2009 -- Portland Shopping Mall Santas – A Comparative Study (0)

Washington Square has long reigned as Oregon’s premier shopping center. It says so right on their website — and who am I to argue with that? So it would only stand to reason that Oregon’s premier shopping center would also have Oregon’s premier shopping center Santa, right?

I know someone who would agree with that statement: Washington Square Santa himself. The man does not lack for self-confidence.

Washington Square Santa is all about status. Many shopping mall Santas reside in a small fenced-off area with the standard-issue green wingback chair strategically placed in front of a brightly decorated tree. The luckier Santas also get a fireplace. Washington Square Santa lives at Santa’s Lodge.

His lodge is brightly colored and looks like it was designed by the same people who brought you Hallmark Gold Crown stores. And while he too has the green wingback chair, his chair has gold trim at the bottom of it. Nothing says “I’ve made it!” like gold trim. If you are not impressed by Santa’s tricked out lodge, sitting next to Santa is a bottomless treasure chest full of candy canes. And off to the side sits his scepter adorned with red and white ribbons.

Between visits, Santa sits in his gold-trimmed lodge chair and tweaks his curly-tipped imperial mustache. Santa casually waves at onlookers and poses for photos taken by his adoring fans. Unlike the Lloyd Center Santa, this Santa is not protected by copyright laws.

Santa loves to have his picture taken and can be seen art directing his photo elves between takes. I’m sure he is able to feign some interest in what it is that you want for Christmas, but it would probably be best if you Eddie Haskell-ed up your request a little. For example, if you want a red bicycle for Christmas, it might not hurt to mention that you have never seen a red as spectacular as Santa’s suit.

I don’t mean to suggest that Washington Square Santa is a bad Santa. I suspect that if you are looking for the best Santa photo for your scrapbook, he is the guy you want to see. After all, you didn’t spend five hours scrubbing your kids down and struggling to dress them in their velvet finery to have their picture taken with a hillbilly slob. It’s a little disappointing to take your kids to the mall to visit Santa and find this guy:

(Sorry Salem Centre Santa, but seriously – what ARE you wearing?)

Coming up next: Pioneer Place Santa
Previous Santas: Lloyd Center Santa & Clackamas Town Center Santa

Related Posts

• December 24, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Bridgeport Village Santa (7)
• December 21, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Pioneer Place Santa (2)
• December 7, 2009 -- Portland Shopping Mall Santas – A Comparative Study (0)
• December 23, 2009 -- Behind the Beard – Portland Macy’s Downtown Santa (2)
• February 4, 2010 -- Winter Olympics in the NW (2)

…later…

As threatened, hereare the results (the ones that weren’t as blurry, anyway) of my own random iPhone crowd shots. Yes, I realize I’m probably one of the worst photographers around — but as I often say to my children: “You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit.” Deal.

(Yes, that’s Stephanie Stricklen, enjoying the first caffeinated latte after Elle’s birth…!)

2:30 pm

Home now, will add some post-mortem photos & links later, along with outtakes from the Twitter feed. Thanks for following along, and best of luck to the now-uncloaked Mitch Nolan! Also – I diagnosed the source of the (mostly) MIA modem issue. Thanks for nothing, Clear…!

1:00 pm

Well, I went back to kick the modem & got stuck at the back for the big announcement: web developer & non-insider Mitch Nolan is the editor behind Oregon Media Central. Byron Beck also has the story which I’ll link to later when I get real connectivity (my iPhone app can only do so much). (now linked).

There’s a good crowd here – Steph Stricklen’s enjoying her first post-baby latte, while OMI founder Lynn Siprelle watched the torch of PDX media coverage get passed along. I took some sub-par iPhone photos I’ll share later – but I think I’m getting pulled into that dreaded mingling thing…

12:12 pm:

There are people here! There are people here! I see Jay Mackin, the host of UniBashRadio in the crowd. And a few other people, but sadly, I’ve forgotten most of their names already. Did I tell anyone I was really bad at the whole schmoozy gig before they recruited me here?

11:54 am:

Well, I’m here. I’ve coughed up the parking fee for on-street parking (despite my best intentions. I have my laptop on. Am doing the Twitter thing. But where are youuuuu? Who’s going to buy my latte, anyway…?

9:00 am:

So I guess I need to get out of my comfy pajamas and out into the muck out there ’cause I PROMISED I’d cover the Media Circus today for the anonymous guy behind Oregon Media Central. Because he’s revealing his identity today or something like that.

Where am I going?
Blitz Buzz
110 NW 10th (and Couch)
Noon to 2 pm
Google Map

(Side note: Why can’t I ever get cool graphics like that for my posts?)

Who am I seeing there?
A subset of the people who’ve already RSVP-ed here. (Shrugs) And whoever else drags themselves to the Pearl District at noon to talk to other media types and/or media sycophants, I guess.

(I’m trying to affect a jaded, hard-boiled newsman attitude here, lest I get too giddy and fangirl-ish. See, I don’t want to freak out Steph Stricklen by slobbering all over her like everyone else in PDX already does. How am I doing so far…?)

Oh, yeah. I’ll be lowering myself to do that new-fangled Twitter thing as well. Watch for most of the action from the @OurPDXLive account using the hashtag #pdxmc. (You’re not following it already? Follow it already…)

Now, do I want to update in reverse chronological order (newer stuff on the top), or force you all to open a new page and scroll down, down, down? Decisions, decisions…

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Ah, Portland!

How I love thee and thou’st eclectic ways! Your people make you who you are, which makes living here that much more delightful. Well, when they are delightful. The bikes, Elvis, the beer (ok, not eclectic but it’s a great thing about PDX), the stores and on and on the list goes.

Well, to help PDX wave its Freak Flag high and proud, Fast Wonder has launched their new site, The Crazy Neighbor. The Crazy Neighbor is here for all to share your photos of crazy neighbors across this fair city of ours. From signs posted to elaborate porch/ front lawn… um… decorations (I use the term loosely), they want to spread the word of the crazy neighbor in your area. The more you contribute, the more fun you have sharing in the kooky that is your neighborhood!

If you’d like to contribute (and I already have a few I’m willing to share) just click here to upload your pictures and details.

I’m VERY much looking forward to seeing more pictures to make me smile and giggle such as this one:

A great sample from The Crazy Neighbor.

Related Posts

• January 8, 2010 -- PDX in Your Pictures: The Ride is Called The Screamer (0)
• January 6, 2010 -- PDX In Your Pictures: Smoke (0)
• October 9, 2009 -- PDX in Your Pictures: They Left Out Snow… (0)
• October 8, 2009 -- PDX in Your Pictures: Silver Dude on the Bus (1)
• October 7, 2009 -- PDX in Your Pictures: Portland Sky (2)