July 2005 Archives
Today we bring you some more soothing beach action. This time it comes from this side of the ocean, and more specifically from The Real Orange County. We see our first upclose human interaction on Soothing Websites. The fine people of Laguna Beach relax and become soothed by spending lots of time on the beach with their ex girlfriends being very awkward. Enjoy. (Click on image for video!)
Enchanted Forest is a wonderfully antiquated theme park just south of Salem, Oregon. It is truly a wonderful place that was created in the early 60s by one man, Roger Tofte. He designed the entire park, did the artwork, created the characters, and ran the park. The park is inexpensive and is in a beautiful heavily wooded hillside setting. It is such a fun place to be and marvel at the hand crafted care and delightfully imperfect characters. I had an amazing time there this weekend with two perfect theme park pals, Rebecca and Rachael.
Photos from the day on flickr.
Lists of wonderful things from Rebecca:
Abraham Lincoln
Fantasy Fountains
Woman who will Drown You
Haunted Teen
Dizzy House
Card Tricks
British Tom Waits bird
Speed Boats
Papa Bear
Juan from OG
and let's take it back to Terrible Waitress. The Gary, Judy, and Ashley family dinner
List of wonderful things from Rachael:
Pinnochio's workshop and how life-like Geppeto's hands were.
Everything miniature.
Bargain priced fair food.
Any fairy tale scene that was behind a wall of glass, and covered with dust.
The every-country puppet display.
Water show!
The neon-green water pouring from craggy rocks in the 7 dwarves mine.
Abraham Lincoln and his ring that says "I am Abraham Lincoln".
The skeletons who were supposed to be scary, but were singing in reallynerdy voices.
The little boy magician who said when he messed up: "No, you're gonna get an Ace."
The idea that maybe Tofte was hiding anywhere at anytime: "Maybe Tofte lives in that mini-shack up there, and he's watching us!"
How Tofte made all of the park's art, including site map.
How Tofte crafted the entire park of his own ingenuity, I love it.
Really, I loved anything that was covered with dust.
Also! The broken display of the Ice roller coaster.
You just can't create that kind of quaint ambience, it's cultivated through years of neglect to detail.
I would like to add wonderful things:
Bagel with Cockroach
Fuz Muppy "A Feel Good Critter" from the Doogie Dork Stories
Collection of civil war era clothes owned by Abraham Lincoln himself, who possibly lives in a motel with no belongings other than said civil war reproductions
the ticket taker at the Haunted House ride running in the house to be behind the door to scare us and him telling us "Close the door behind you."
digital lute
Long live Enchanted Forest. (click on image for video)
Our first viewer sumbitted soothing website. Viewer Jona B captured some wonderful straight soothe whilst travelling the Olden Countries as a professional magician...er...scratch that...musician. Nice soothe. Thanks JB. (Click on image for video)
Jake Longstreth is an amazing artist, and an incredibly legit dude. Check out Jake as we ask him for a quick look into his recent project, Origins, on a recent trip to the Alvord Desert in deeply desolate southeastern Oregon. (Click the image for video)
ding dong (dngdông, -dng) n. 1. The peal of a bell.
2. Slang An empty-headed person; a fool.
intr.v. ding-donged, ding-dong·ing, ding-dongs
To ring; jingle.
the uk slang usage
ding-dong (ARGUMENT)
noun {S}
a noisy argument or fight:
- They had a real ding-dong in the middle of the restaurant.
The Ding Dong Daddy (the gentleman to the left) would love to share some of his favorite ding dong songs:
RBL Posse - Bitches on the Ding Dong (4.0MB MP3)
Gunther - Ding Dong Song (5.6MB MP3)
Crazy Froggy - Crazy Frog (Ding Ding Dong) (5.5 MB MP3)
I have also heard that immortal Ding Dong Boyz are recording a new album. That should be so amazing.
Also, when you put in ding dong in google the first site that comes up is a really disturbing site that has asian ladies with very obviously photoshopped ridiculously large boobs who are always clothed, it's really bizarre.
So, yeah, please, everybody get in touch with your inner ding dong.