“The Neon Highway” puts Beau Bridges in the spotlight By Francine Brokaw

Posted on March 12, 2024March 4, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Country music is at the heart The Neon Highway, starring Beau Bridges and Rob Mayes. Will one great song make a new singer/songwriter’s career and revise the old career of a country legend, or will it be the end for both of them?

Wayne Collins (Mayes) is a singer/songwriter along with his partner/brother Lloyd (T.J. Power), but on the night that might change their careers something happens that actually does change their careers and their lives. In an instant a car crash puts them both on a different trajectory.

Claude Allen (Bridges) is a legend in the industry, but hasn’t had a hit or even a concert in years. He’s a drunken insolent man. When Wayne comes to his house to install some cables, things change for both of them. Wayne is surprised to be in the company of a legend and when asked by Allen to sing a song, Wayne hesitates but performs the song he wrote that could have launched his career seven years ago, before the tragedy.

Soon Claude makes a business arrangement with Wayne, who proposes he will record the song, make all the arrangements, and split the profits 50-50 with Wayne. Wayne is down on his luck and desperately needs money and Claude desperately needs a good song to put him back on top. This could be the answer for both of them.

So off they go to Nashville. Claude calls in all his favors from the past, but he quickly learns things, and the business itself, have changed. While his name does open doors, there are still hoops to jump through, unlike the past. But he’s obstinate and tenacious. He keeps plugging away at all the prospects with Wayne getting more and more disappointed. But the duo have a mutual respect for each other and they continue to bombard Nashville with their propositions. And, the song, “The Neon Highway” does happen to be a great song. So with the two working hard and pounding the pavement to broker a deal, they come to respect each other more and more, even with all the setbacks.

Things go from bad to worse. Wayne is desperate to get a deal. He really needs the money for his family. And Claude is desperate to prove he still has what it takes.

The ending is something interesting for viewers. Wayne proves that he has brains as well as talent and with that he takes a chance that could mean triumph or tragedy. It’s Nashville after all, so anything could happen. It’s interesting to see Wayne going the distance to help the old-codger fulfill his dream.

Beau Bridges comes from an acting family, with his father Lloyd being an iconic star. His brother Jeff and son Jordan combine to make the Bridges legacy continue in the business. Having won accolades on both the big and small screen, Beau has a filmography that dates back many decades. At 82 he is still proving he has what it takes to lead a film.

While the story takes place in Nashville, the movie was actually filmed in Georgia.

The Neon Highway hits theaters March 15, 2024. It is rated PG.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Liam Neeson is ‘Marlowe’

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Raymond Chandler’s no-nonsense private investigator Philip Marlowe was introduced to the public in 1939 and has ranked among the most popular detectives in American history, alongside Sam Spade and others. Over the years a number of actors have portrayed Marlowe on screen and on the radio: Humphrey Bogart, George Montgomery, Elliott Gould, Van Heflin, Robert Mitchum, and more. Philip Carey even played the PI on a short-lived TV series from 1959-1960. Now Liam Neeson steps into the gumshoe’s shoes in the film aptly titled Marlowe.

The story takes place in 1930s Bay City, California with the Hollywood industry as a backdrop. Marlowe is hired by sophisticated heiress Clare Cavendish (Diane Kruger) to find her lover who disappeared. Soon the PI discovers the lover, Nico Peterson (Francois Arnaud), a cad and womanizer, had been killed in a hit and run. Case closed. But it wasn’t case closed when Clare discloses she saw the man in Mexico not long ago.

As Marlowe attempts to get to the bottom of this strange situation and informs his friends in the police department that the supposed dead man is not the real Nico Peterson, things get even stranger. Marlowe has an interesting conversation with Clare’s mother Dorothy Quincannon (Jessica Lange) who is a famous movie star. She brings out some information that leads Marlowe on a different direction and the PI discovers he is onto a bigger case than simply a missing person.

This 2022 movie is dark and involves smuggling, drugs and other illicit activities. Neeson plays Marlowe with a flair of low-key enthusiasm combined with inner interest and when he discovers he is in the middle of a big crime syndicate, his life is on the line. But Marlowe is not deterred. He knows he is getting close to cracking the syndicate and outing some famous people in the process.

Even though he is in danger and in the middle of a big case, Philip Marlowe is cool, calm, and collected at every turn. He has what could be described as detached attachment to the case. He is soft spoken and laid back. This is the perfect vehicle for Neeson who portrays the famous detective in a way that weaves together his bravery, intelligence, and coolness.

This is a dark story bringing together Hollywood, drugs, and the underworld. It is now streaming on MGM+.

Marlowe is rated R for language, violent content, some sexual material, and brief drug use. It’s for adults only.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Upgrading to USB-C – ZAGG helps with this transition

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

So you finally took the plunge and purchased an iPhone 15. After all, the kids have iPhone 14s so it’s time to upgrade yourself. You take your new purchase home only to discover the cords for all your older items are Lightning connectors and the new phone needs a USB-C connector Why the change? And why is everything new going to be USB-C?

The answer is that the European Commission decided years ago to switch everything over to USB-C, supposedly for convenience. They said it was for convenience but for the public it is not convenient, at least until all the other hardware in our homes are upgraded to the new system.

USB-C is the latest version of the Universal Serial Bus connector and most companies have already transitioned to USB-C. The holdout has been Apple. Last year they transitioned their iPads to USB-C and this year the iPhone 15 is the final product to convert to the new connectors. USB-C is the newest technology in connectors, so from now on it will be the standard, until a newer type of USB is produced, everything you buy new will be USB-C based. As always, everything in the technology world is changing and with those changes the cost to consumers adds up.

But hold on. There is one way to get around the frustration of this new monkey wrench in the technology world for those who simply want our gadgets to work and not think about all the upgrades buying all new hardware to utilize USB-C. You will have to purchase some new adapters and cords, however it is much cheaper than purchasing new computers, keyboards, Apple TV remotes, keypads, etc.

Zagg to the rescue

Zagg is a company I have trusted for years. Their products are first rate and they offer plenty of ways to help consumers adjust to the new USB-C system.

First you must make a list of all your products that are still using standard USB, Micro-USB (very old products), and Lightning connectors. Don’t forget the plug in your car. All those connectors need to be changed, or as they say in the technology world, upgraded.

Starting with the car charger, ZAGG has several options. There is a single USB-C outlet, a dual USB-C outlet, and a dual combination USB and USB-C outlet. Just select which one best fits with your uses, keeping in mind all the products you plug into your car charger. For most people it is simply their phone, however many like the additional outlet for a tablet or a secondary phone for passengers.

Now think of the wall chargers. With GaN technology charging is faster and the unit stays cooler. GaN stands for Gallium Nitride. The old chargers utilized silicon-based chargers. GaN chargers are usually smaller than the older chargers. With faster charging and cooler units, this is definitely a giant leap in the world of chargers. Who doesn’t want a faster charge? Even though they might be a tad more expensive, they are worth the price.
Once again ZAGG offers a variety of fast wall chargers utilizing the GaN technology. Besides combinations of input/output plugs (USB-C and USB), there are single ports and double ports, just like the car chargers. And they also offer a variety of wattage with their line of speedport chargers. 67W is a good choice if you want fast charging. They also have 45W, 42W, 30W, and 20W. The price varies on the different chargers depending on how many outlets (ports) and the wattage. The speedport 120 incorporates 4 ports (wow, think of charging 4 items at once) and the speedport 120 travel kit includes a travel case as well as two cables (USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to Lightning (they thoughtfully recognize users still need lightning for older devices). Keep in mind, the speedport 120w does not put out 120 watts per port. Rather it is shared between the various devices plugged into the charger. But even if you have several devices plugged in at the same time, it is still faster than old chargers, and cooler too.

The ZAGG chargers utilize “smart circuitry” so your device, whether it is a phone, tablet, or something else will dictate how much power it needs to charge. This takes the worry out of charging when using a higher watt charger. It won’t blow up or damage your device, like the public was cautioned about years ago.

Now you have your car charger and your wall chargers, the next step is to get cables. Make a list of what devices you have using the different ports. Then select how many USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to Lightning, USB to USB-C cords you want and their length. For cars most users prefer the shorter cords. In homes the outlet might be farther away so a longer cord is in order. The ZAGG cables are sturdy, well made, won’t crack or tear after a few uses, and keep their shape so there won’t be any kinks.

Now you have the accessories for your new USB-C enabled device. The first purchase along with the phone should have been a screen protector. There is a variety of strong protectors. My personal favorites are the one with “VisionGuard” meaning there is a Blue Light Filter on the protector. Eyes are important and if you watch your screen a lot, they often get tired and/or blurry. The VisionGuard protectors cut down on that.

And for added protection to your new phone, the Crystal Palace Snap Ultra Slim case is easy to hold and being clear, it won’t change the beautiful new color of your phone that Apple took much care in producing. There is the option to have the case with a “kickstand” so you can pop it out and it will keep your phone standing up. This definitely comes in handy and when you don’t need to stand up the phone, it just clicks back and doesn’t take up any additional space. The cases protects phones for up to a 13 foot drop. And after you’ve already paid big bucks for the new phone, this additional purchase is a must-have for peace of mind.

The next item is a wireless charger. These definitely come in handy however many people prefer simply to plug in their devices. That’s up to you. Whether you want to charge one phone or a phone, watch, earbuds at once, there is a wireless charging pad with all these options.

And finally, well not finally because there are plenty more items from ZAGG to make your life easier, there is a combination UV sanitizer with wireless charging. How often do you clean and sanitize your phone? This is something that is often overlooked. Sure, you might wipe it down with a cloth to get the dirt or smudge off, but that is different than sanitizing. In this day and age where viruses run rampant, it behooves users to sanitize their phones often. After all, they are next to your face. Keeping germs at bay is a must in today’s world. Viruses and bacteria get zapped with the UV sanitizer, and this unit does double duty because it is also a wireless charger.

So those of us in the United States have Europe to thank for all this craziness about USB-C “upgrades.” As with most upgrades, once users get used to them they are fine. Unfortunately, most users will not be purchasing all new hardware (computers, keyboards, track pads, etc) at the same time just so everything uses USB-C. This will be a gradual thing. So, in the meantime count on ZAGG to help make the transition a bit easier. As you slowly change out your older hardware to the new USB-C standard, you’ll find most of your needs will be USB and USB-C. Lightning is a thing of the past. Unfortunately Apple relied on lightning but is now embracing the world standard USB-C.

For a complete look at the options from ZAGG (a company I highly endorse, as you can tell), visit their website.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, books, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County and is a regular contributor on Good Day Orange County.

‘American Dreamer’ focuses on personalities and relationships

Posted on March 5, 2024February 28, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Peter Dinklage and Shirley MacLaine star in the eccentric dramedy American Dreamer. Dinklage is Phil Loder, a college professor who is down on his luck. He lives in a tiny apartment and longs for the American dream of owning his own house. Well, be careful what you wish for.

Loder attracts women of all ages, even his students. He has an interesting personality and an intelligent mind. What he doesn’t have is a house he can afford. Then he sees an ad in the classifies. He can purchase the entire estate for a big bundle or, and here is what interests him, he can purchase a guest room and when the occupant dies he will automatically get the house and all the property. And this is one beautiful property. It’s huge.

What would anyone do in this situation? Apparently the occupant, Astrid Fanelli (MacLaine) is an invalid, aged, and not long for this world. Loder sells everything he has and cashes in his retirement to take the second option.

When he moves onto the property he is met with a dilemma. Astrid doesn’t seem like the invalid she is supposed to be. He realizes he will be living in the little room for longer than expected. But nevertheless, he now owns part of the American dream. Success.

A friendship soon grows between Astrid and Loder. In the beginning he is upset about his situation, however as he gets to know her, he sees how kind she is and they become more than acquaintances. They become good friends.

Then Loder is met with another situation. This guy has one problem after another. He seems like he is the consummate loser. But is he? His problems mount up and he finds himself in much the same situation in which he started. But … never say never. Things can change. Life is a series of surprises. And yes, even for Phil Loder.

This is an odd story but the acting is entertaining. Matt Dillon co-stars as Phil’s real estate broker and sometimes friend.

The message is, if you are a good person, you can achieve the American dream. It might take time and a lot of hard work, but it is possible. And for Phil Loder, it does take a lot of hard work and maneuvering through some difficult situations. The relationship between Astrid and Phil is what makes this show as entertaining as it is.

American Dreamer opens in select theaters and will be available On Demand beginning March 8, 2024. It is rated R for disturbing material, violence, some strong sexual content, pervasive language, and drug use. It’s definitely for adults only.

About the Author

Passover festivities for the whole family

Posted on March 4, 2024March 26, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

This year the celebration of Passover runs from April 22 – April 30, 2024. The holiday is one 3,300 years old and honors the sacrifice and the liberation of the Jews from Egypt. Every year Jews around the world celebrate this amazing accomplishment by their ancestors, with songs, games, the lighting of the menorah, and food (mainly matzoh).

PJ Library has created a “Passover Hub” filled with kid-friendly activities and a fun way in which to tell the story of Passover. Included in this hub are plenty of recipes (including an easy way to make matzoh), a video playlist for kids to learn more bout the Passover Seder, and a book list to get more information about history and the story of how the exit from slavery occurred. With the recipe cards families will be able to try new dishes and experience some fun together creating them for the Sedar and beyond. There are also printable activities and a Passover card game.

The goal of PJ Library is to include all members of the family in this important holiday and to bring preschoolers and younger kids into the festivities in ways they can understand and acknowledge. They are family focused with plenty of resources for Jews and non-Jews to gain more from the celebration of Passover.

While shopping for matzah, families will see something different this year on boxes of Streit’s Matzohs. They have added the PJ Library logo in support of the company and how it includes plenty of ways for families to enjoy the holiday together. They can also sign up for a subscription from PJ Library through the information on the Streit’s Matzoh boxes.

From PJ Library:

For centuries, families have used a Passover guidebook called the Haggadah, to tell the story of the holiday and pass down the traditions and lessons of the story to their children, relatives, and friends (the Hebrew word haggadah literally means “telling”). One of the leading sources for family-friendly Haggadahs across the United States and beyond – nearly 50,000 families have said this was their first Haggadah, and PJ Library has shipped nearly one million Haggadahs to over 200,000 families over the past six years — PJ Library will once again offer anyone celebrating the holiday a downloadable PDF version of IN EVERY GENERATION: A PJ LIBRARY FAMILY HAGGADAH. Aside from the traditional prayers and readings, this interactive guide to the Passover seder offers up specially curated videos of songs and blessing and explanations that help make the holiday a fun, engaging and family-friendly experience. For those interested in purchasing paperback versions, both the regular PJ Library Family Haggadah ($7.99) and a Large Print Edition ($10.99) are available for sale on the PJ Library storefront on Amazon.

Finally, PJ Library curates age specific books for its subscribers from birth through age 8. Last year children ages 3 to 4 received a delightful spin on a classic Yiddish folktale “In Our Teeny Tiny Matzah House”, written by Bill Wurtzel and illustrated by Claire Wurtzel (Apple & Honey Press) in which Kitzel the cat can’t hear himself meow, as his house is too noisy. But it’s about to become noisier because Passover is about to begin! And, kids ages 6 to 7 were sent “A Persian Passover” (Kalaniot Books), set in 1950’s Iran, written by Etan Basseri and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh, which finds Ezra and Roza looking forward to celebrating the holiday until they have an unfortunate mishap with the community matzah baking oven. If families don’t want to miss out on getting books each month, including for future holidays, they can sign up today at https://pjlibrary.org/.

Passover is a celebration that includes the entire family, from babies to great-grandparents, and friends of all ages as well. When everyone gathers around the table for the traditional Passover Seder, it’s a time of unity and joy. There is plenty of history in the retelling of the story through the Haggadah, but there are also some fun moments when family members get to play the parts or take turns reading from the Haggadah. Every family has their own traditions, which form a foundation for future generations to follow.

It’s coming soon and time for everyone to begin preparing for the Passover season and festivities.

Have a prosperous and enjoyable Passover. Shalom.

About the author

‘The Single’s Guidebook’ streams on UP TV

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Meggan Kaiser and Philip Boyd star in this new film about not only finding love, but also finding yourself. It’s a story for today’s social media world.

Molly (Kaiser) is a content creator for a company dedicated to social media and their goal is to get the most online “clicks”, “hits”, “likes”, and “follows”, and “comments” for all the vlogs they put up. When Molly finds herself newly single after splitting up with her boyfriend, she is given the assignment to create an online series titled “The Single’s Guidebook” in which she posts how she traverses through her life as a single. Where do singles meet? What do they do to find others in their same boat?

Her neighbor Jackson (Boyd) is a veteran at being single. He knows all about the singles world. They accidentally meet up at a cooking class for singles and Molly talks him into joining her assignment. She will help him find a date and he will help her find happiness as a single woman.

Things heat up as they try karaoke, salsa dancing, poetry reading, and general activities where singles meet, interact, and possibly make a connection with someone else. But as these kinds of movies go, viewers know that Molly and Jackson are going to be the ones who make the connection.

The themes of this film is being true to yourself, being comfortable in your own life, enjoying being yourself, and not caring what others think about you. While Jackson is an easy-going kind of guy, although he is truly dedicated to his non-profit organization for kids, Molly is a structured, by the book kind of gal. Together they make a great team, even though they are complete opposites.

In many ways this is a modern take on the 2004 film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, in which the main character falls in love with the guy she is assigned to repel and is torn between finishing the article and her love for the guy. In The Single’s Guidebook, the vlog series might be damaging to Jackson’s job and could ruin their relationship. Molly is torn between continuing the vlog which could lead to a potential promotion, and Jackson. What’s a modern girl to do? The answer is “follow your heart.”

The Single’s Guidebook brings viewers into the world of social media. For those of us who are print dinosaurs, this is a new world, with likes, hits, etc. But for Molly, it is her job and her life, at least for the time being. As it turns out, she’s really not all that happy doing it. So, she decides to finally follow her own heart and do what makes her happy and fulfilled.

This is a cute story. The Single’s Guidebook premieres Sunday, March 3, 2024.

About the Author

Image courtesy UP TV

‘A Marriage Made in Heaven’ streams on UP

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

The winner of the 2023 International Christian Film Festival for Best Screenplay for a Feature Film, A Marriage Made in Heaven will have viewers smiling and crying. Make sure to have some tissues nearby when you watch this movie.

Demetri Chicopoulos (Robert Krantz) is a troubled man. In a moment of sadness he prays at the grave of his mother and brother. When he rises he is met by Johnny Angel (Tom Arnold) who professes to be his guardian angel.

The movie asks, “If God let you relive one week of your life, which week would you choose?” That is the question put to Demetri by Johnny Angel. Well, for Demetri the decision was easy. He wanted to go back ten years to when his marriage and life started falling apart. With the help of Johnny Angel, Demetri is magically transported back in time to the week he requested to relive.

With Johnny Angel guiding him through the days, and pointing out things he could do to change his circumstances, Demetri discovers that a second chance is a blessing, even if it is only for one week. He learns to see how his life was taking the wrong path, but he was too busy to understand it at the time. As Johnny Angel tells him, when your suitcase is too full to close, you simply have to repack it to fit everything in. And that is what Demetri does.

A successful talk show host, this man has put work before family. The resentment of his wife and kids was not evident to him until he was able to look at their lives with a different perspective. He sees how his work was getting in the way of time with his family and in this one week he changes that behavior.

Seeing his mother again touched his heart. She had been dead for awhile and just being with her again was something to cherish.

As the days go by, Demetri realizes how and where he went wrong all those years ago. He sees why his wife divorced him and why he doesn’t have a real relationship with his kids. In this one week he has a chance to change that and live the best life he can with his family. But when it comes time to say goodbye, when his week is over, it is heart wrenching. How do you say goodbye to your mother for the last time? How do you leave your family that has grown so close over the last week? What will happen when he wakes up the next morning? Will he even remember any of this?

No spoiler alerts here. To get the answers to these questions you have to watch the movie.

There are nods to It’s a Wonderful Life in this film. Getting to see our past through our eyes of today is a powerful thing.

A Marriage Made in Heaven is now streaming on UP Faith and Family. Just remember to have those tissues handy.

About the Author

Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival is a celebration of California

Posted on March 2, 2024August 12, 2025 by Francine Brokaw

The 2024 Food and Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure in the Disneyland Resort is bigger and better than ever with plenty of food and fun for the whole family. This year it seems the colors are brighter than ever.

The Food

Since this is the Food and Wine Festival, let’s start with the food. This year a new “restaurant” in the marketplace has been added. EARTH EATS is strictly plant based, which is bonus for vegetarians. And what they offer in terms of savory dishes deserves an “A” as they are very tasty. I tried both their Impossible Beef Stroganoff and their Impossible Chicken Parm Bites. Can you say “Yummy?” Spoiler alert: My personal favorite is the Stroganoff.

In keeping with the vegetarian options, the Chile Relleno Empanada at PEPPERS CALI-ENTE is also delicious. It’s a bit on the spicy side, but has a great flavor. Just be warned if you are sensitive to spicy foods.

And at LA STYLE their Baja-style Fish Taco is plant based and very tasty. In the PARADISE GARDEN GRILL guests can order vegetarian Loaded Baked Potatoes, which are filled with plant based goodies.

This is the first year I have noticed this many plant based options for guests, and definitely plenty more than in other festivals earlier this year. This addition of plant based options is good for not only vegetarians but also guests who want a different option (although the items are still filled with flavor).

That’s the roundup of vegetarian options. For meat lovers there are many offerings ranging from beef to chicken to pork.

And let’s not forget the desserts. At DELISH try the Olive Oil Cake and at UNCORK CALIFORNIA the Raspberry Almond Cake is tasty. But the piece de resistance is the Mickey shaped Macron at NUTS ABOUT CHEESE. This delectable delight includes chocolate and Snickers bar pieces for a truly memorable dessert (or snack) for chocoholics.

Beverages

Being a Food and Wine festival, there are many kinds of wines available, as well as interesting alcoholic concoctions. Have you heard of a PB&J Whiskey Shake? It’s strictly for adults but you get the idea of what the flavor is. Selections of Mimosas as well as red and white wine are available alone or in flights. Note: No alcoholic beverages are included in the Sip and Savor Pass.

The non-alcoholic Huckleberry-Citrus Cooler at DELISH is delicious and very refreshing. It’s light and not overly sweet. Just plain good. And for horchata lovers, the Strawberry Horchata at COCINA CUCAMONGA is a bit heavier than the cooler, but filled with cinnamon and strawberry flavor.

Additionally, there are plenty of other beverages available throughout the festival.

Sip & Savor Pass

There are two options when purchasing a Sip & Savor Pass this year. Guests can select whether they want a pass for four selections or eight. And there are no tabs to click off when ordering. On the back of each pass is a bar code which will be scanned when your order is placed. There is also a PIN number which guests must enter in the keypad. The receipt will let the user know how many more “purchases” are available on that pass. It’s actually very easy however some of us prefer the old click-off tabs. That’s progress, I guess.

There are a total of 10 marketplaces to sample a variety of food and beverages, and many of the restaurants feature additional festival offerings. To save time, take this little tip – order your items at any of the marketplaces and when you are ready to eat – or drink – take your receipt to the specific marketplace where you simply show your receipt and pick up your order. In other words, look for the shortest order line as guests can order any selections from any ordering line. That definitely saves time when some of the lines are very long later in the day.

Merchandise

As always, there is plenty of festival merchandise. There is the return of the beautiful teal colored Corkcicle Flute which can double as a wine/champagne flute or a bud vase. A spirit Jersey, backpack, and several other festival specific items are available. And don’t forget the ears!

Entertainment

From Disney Junior’s hit animated series SuperKitties, kids can have fun decorating their own cupcake while the SuperKitties are on-screen trying to solve a mystery. This “Confection Purrfection with the SuperKitties” is an adorable activity for even adults to witness as the kids try their hardest to make their special cupcakes. Meanwhile, when the activity is not running, just walking by the location (located in Hollywood Land), glance up at the screen as the SuperKitties are always looking out over the guests, and if you look hard enough, you’ll see them blinking. Just a little extra touch of Disney fun. SuperKitties is for ages 3-11.

Also in Hollywood Land, Chef Goofy, dressed to the hilt in his chef’s attire including hat, pops in from time to time for photo ops with the guests.

Over in Paradise Gardens the “Cookin’ with the Jammin’ Chefs” is an upbeat, colorful, and fun show put on several times a day. Chip, Dale, Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle join in the fun with some great music, interesting dialogue from the “head chef” and a lot of interactive dancing with the guests.

Artist showcases, signing events and demonstrations round out some of the activities at the festival.

The Festival

California is the focus of the festival. The family-friendly festivities run from March 1 – April 22, 2024. It’s a good time to bring the entire family to celebrate the food and culture of the state.

For more information about all the food and beverages, check out the Disney Eats: Foodie Guide

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‘Superkitties’ return for Season 2

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

SUPERKITTIES (copyright Disney)
BITSY, SPARKS, GINNY, BUDDY

Season two of SuperKitties, 2023’s No. 1 new preschool series, will debut Friday, April 5, 2024 on Disney Junior (9:30 a.m. EDT/PDT) and Disney Channel (2:00 p.m. EDT/PDT). An initial batch of episodes will roll out on Disney+ later this summer.

The new season will feature a su-purr charged storyline where Bitsy, Ginny, Buddy and Sparks receive brand-new superpowers and gadgets to aid in their mission of making the town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place. New guest stars for season two include Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose (“Princess and the Frog”) as Cousin Sassy, Emmy® Award winner Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”) as Aunt Lola and Emmy Award winner Eric Bauza (“Muppet Babies”) as robot pig Wiggles.

Additional ways to enjoy the SuperKitties

Disney Consumer Products will be launching a brand-new toy line inspired by the series. Figurines, plush, role play and apparel will be available for purchase this spring, with playsets, costumes and more available later this year. Walt Disney Records will also be releasing “Disney Junior Music: SuperKitties Su-purr Charged Soundtrack,” featuring songs from the new season, on April 5, 2024.

Mark your calendars. Preschoolers will be delighted with the second season of SuperKitties beginning April 5, 2024.

Bring home ‘Migration’

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

The Mallard family is flying high on an adventure of a lifetime. Migration is the latest animated movie from the creators of Minions.

Mack and Pam (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks) are the proud parents of two young Mallards: Dax and Gwen. Pam longs for adventure but Mack is afraid to leave the safety of their pond. After all, there is plenty of danger out there and he wants to keep his family safe. Plus, he’s a little afraid himself. But when a flock of birds visits their pond on their annual migration to Jamaica, the Mallard family decides to follow them. They are a day late and a dollar short, so to speak, so they are basically on their own, along with Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito). This is a first for the family but if they stick together they should be fine.

Along the way they experience several escapades that are both energizing and dangerous. Flying through clouds is a new thrill, especially for the two young ones. But they also find they might be on the dinner menu for a couple of Herons.

After a harrowing night with the Herons, the family continues their journey and for the first time see a city, filled with all kinds of new things and birds. By antagonizing a flock of pigeons, the Mallards discover they are a formidable family who can tackle anything – together.

On the way from their pond to Jamaica (spoiler alert – yes they do make it) they make new friends and strengthen their family bond. While they are having fun and escaping danger, the Mallard family provide plenty of entertainment for viewers. This is an entertaining story however there are many scenes of peril which might frighten some young viewers.

Besides the high-flying journey of Migration, there are plenty of additional features. There are three short mini-movies. “Fly Hard” focuses on Chump, the leader of the pigeon flock the family encountered in the big city. She has a tough demeanor but turns out to also have a heart of gold. “Mooned” features Vector from the Despicable Me movie. He and a lost Minion try to get back home from the moon. And “Midnight Mission” has the Minions helping little Agnes who is afraid of the dark. Their ingenuity brings a light to shine on her so she can sleep in peace.

There are also other features looking at the cast, behind the scenes of the film, background about the story, lessons in drawing the birds, and a lesson in bird whistles. The final lesson shows viewers how to take care of pet birds.

There are some cute antics in the film, and even before the movie begins when he Minions cleverly provide the opening theme for Universal Studios. The film itself has some beautiful and colorful scenes along with those scenes of danger.

The bonuses add additional fun to this release. Join the Mallards and all their friends on this whacky adventure. Migration is available on 4K Ultra HD, DVD, Blu-ray and Digital. Migration is rated PG for action/peril and mild rude humor.

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