Chicago and C2E2!

We went to Chicago for the pop culture convention known as C2E2!

Steampunk Wonder Woman

We stopped by the booth of one of our favorite comic publishers, 

Th3rd World Studios:

There was some great cosplay:

Ballerina Snow White

I met Staley from the Chicago Bears:

And we saw some terrific panels, like Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner. 

Palmiotti's panels are always a hilarious and memorable affair:

We met the wonderful and talented Jill Thompson and found out she uses stuffed animals as her models in her artwork!

Jill, call me.  I'll model for you anytime

And we got some terrific items:

Our DEAR friend Miss Wendi, who hosts a podcast on comics called Double Page Spread, gave out these terrific hand sanitizers!

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Now let's talk about Chicago.

Our hotel in Chicago had a giant bed windowbox with a view of the Chicago River and Marina City.

We went out for dinner at the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder, home of the famous Pizza Pot Pie.

It comes to the table like this:

Do you see the Hidden Mickey??

Then your server flips it and it looks like this:

And it's delicious!

We stopped by Oz Park:

Courage.

Heart.

BRAINS!! Wait, I slipped into Zombie mode

Then it was time to leave Chicago and our beloved windowbox.

But not before my good buddies the Koosas came over!!!

Oh and Pink Bunny Minnie came home with us from Chicago! 

But that's another story.

Disney Easter and WonderCon

Our Easter weekend was filled with the best things: 

comics, conventions, Disneyland and bunnies!

EVERYONE wants to be a bunny around Eastertime.

WonderCon (or Bun-derCon) was filled with rabbit cosplay for Easter:

Oh Yes It Must

Easter Harley 

Wolverine Bunny

Darth Vader Bunny

When Darth Vader Bunny wasn't looking, I tried to borrow the carrot lightsaber.  

I'm sure I could be a Jedi Master.

And I met a nice Easter Bunny at the DC comics booth! 

His name is Max and he's had Easter adventures since the mid-1980s.

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We also visited the Spring Roundup of Disney Bunnies at Disneyland!

My Boss, The Easter Bunny

Thumper

Rabbit

Brer Rabbit

Roger Rabbit

The White Rabbit

Pink BunnyGirl

Even Pluto joined the fun

They also had artists painting eggs as Disney characters:

It was a wonderful Easter!

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Meet and Greet!

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit now has his own Disney parks meet and greet!

...but it's in Tokyo DisneySea. 

We visited Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea in 2009; I highly recommend it.  But my Humans were not interested in jumping on a plane to meet Oswald.

So we made our own Oswald meet and greet.  Plush Oswald was more than happy to oblige, and I acted as his handler.

He can do all the things the Oswald in Tokyo can do.  Like sign autographs:

Give warm hugs:

And pose for photo ops.

Uh oh, Mr. Minion has the lens closed!

Feel free to stop by anytime for your own Oswald the Lucky Rabbit meet and greet!

Meeting Monorail Bunny in Seattle!

We went to Seattle! And who did we meet but my pal Monorail Bunny!

Who is Monorail Bunny, you ask?

Monorail Bunny is the mascot for the Seattle Monorail. 

He has adventures all over Seattle.

I made an appointment to meet him on our trip. He was a true gentlebun.

Gray Rabbit met him too.

And afterwards, I had pie.  Monorail Bunny would approve.

Pink Bunny goes to Oz!

We went to Australia for vacation! It was exciting to go Down Under.

We spent 3 days in Sydney, where it rained.  Every.  Day.

But I met my friend Klondike, and he showed me the Sydney Opera House.  

We also sat in Mrs. Macquarie's Chair:

We visited Extreme Gelato, where gelato scientists work with liquid nitrogen:

It was yummy!!

And we took a Sydney Harbor Cruise.  Where it rained.

The Powerhouse Museum had an exhibit on the Beatles visit to Australia in 1964. Being a Beatlemaniac, we spent a lot of time there.

And then it finally stopped raining! 

at the Harbor Bridge.

We took a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens.  I liked this sculpture:

Then it was time to leave Sydney and head to Cairns.

This is a beach. What am I doing here?

My Humans spent 2 days snorkeling, and I spent 2 days sleeping.

But they saw this cosplayer on the snorkel boat:

And then it was time to go home.

the airport was pretty empty

We liked this sign at the Cairns airport:

We had a really fantastic time! We loved Australia, the food, the people.  

The Disneyland of Illusion: The Magic Castle

The Magic Castle is a private club for magicians and those who appreciate magic in Hollywood, California.  It first opened in 1963, so this year is its 50th Anniversary.

There are actually many connections between Disneyland and the Magic Castle, and there are some exhibits that Disneyland fans who visit the Castle will not want to miss.

Please note that photography is NOT allowed inside the Magic Castle, which is why I have no pictures of the interiors.

In the basement hall by the Hat & Hare Pub (my favorite pub; it has several cases with porcelain bunnies), there is an original miniature working model of the Pepper's ghost illusion in the Haunted Mansion.

This video of Marc Davis and Walt Disney explaining the illusion, is also on display.

The Hatbox Ghost is also in the same basement hallway, in the wine cellar.

On the 2nd Floor there is a painting in the hallway between the dining rooms and the Palace of Mystery of Milt Larsen as Walt Disney riding a train through the Magic Castle.  The painting is called "The Walt Disney of Magic" and the artist is Al Rosson.

A little way further, in front of the Parlor of Prestidigitation, there are production stills of Milt Larsen in the 1971 Disney film "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." 

Milt Larsen is listed as a "technical consultant" and had an uncredited role as a spectator at Emelius' Failed Magic Performance.

There's also a lovely dedication to Disney songwriter Richard Sherman in this spot.  As you may know, the names on the windows above Main Street in the Disney Parks feature Disney employees (also known as "Imagineers") who had a major contribution to the theme park.  It's a great honor to receive a window on Main Street; on your next trip to any Disney park, you may want to take note of some of the names on the windows; they're often a cute inside joke relating to that person's work.  

The Sherman Brothers received a window on Disneyland's Main Street in March 2010 (it's really more of a door). 

Not to be outdone, The Magic Castle also has a door for Richard Sherman.  His door at the Magic Castle is very similar to the Disneyland Door, but instead of Robert Sherman, The Castle adds Milt Larsen's name.  The Castle itself is also featured behind the piano.  The sheet music is Bon Voyage Titanic (a song from the Larsen and Sherman album 'Smash Flops')

The door reads:

"Snappy Songs and Witty Sayings

Richard Sherman and Milt Larsen

Class Songs For Class Acts

Mirth Music Magic And Mayhem Since 1951"

Also great fun is to request the songs "Grim Grinning Ghost's" or "A Pirate's Life For Me" from the piano-playing Invisible Irma while you have drinks in the Parlor.  It's a great way to bring the Happiest Place on Earth to the Most Magical Castle in the World!