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with "The Traffic Guy" at the Orange County Fair Costa
Mesa, California
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with "The Traffic Guy" at the Orange County Fair Costa
Mesa, California
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| Summertime in Southern California wouldn't be nearly as much fun without a visit to the Orange County Fair. From innovative household products to agricultural exhibits and exciting rides, you'll find something to suit every taste right here at the fair! And as for top name musical entertainment, how about Kenny Loggins, Jethro Tull and Ziggy Marley, just to name a few. And for music superstar wanna-be's, the 2003 Orange County Fair also featured a nightly Red, Ripe and Karaokin' contest with valuable prizes for the winning karaoke finalist! |
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The theme of the fair was Red Ripe and Rockin'. Banners and giant tomatoes placed throughout the park inform visitors that 2003 is "The Year Of The Tomato". A large eye-catching exhibit inside the main entrance captures the theme with a huge sand sculpture bearing the images of rock and roll superstars both past and present. I guess if you were a famous performer, you looked like a tomato and you were carved in sand, you would look like this. The impressive exhibit was created by a comapny called Sandscapes and, believe it or not, consists only of sand and water -- no binders or chemicals are added. According to Sandscapes, the sand is densely compacted with a tamper inside wood forms. The forms are then removed, leaving a densely compacted block of sand from which the image is carved. Because the sand is compacted, it becomes more stable as it dries. Some performers seek fame and fortune, some look forward to receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it seems to me that the highest honor a performer could receive is to be carved out of a densely compacted block of sand. Great job on a very unique exhibit. Rock on! |
A Talented Sandscapes Artist At Work |
Rock and Roll Has Never Looked Better! |
Ladies and Gentlemen...Madonna! |
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The best way to experience any county fair is to eat your way through it and the Orange County Fair is no exception. The foods offered are unique, colorful and very tasty. Oh sure, you will find traditional fair-type snacks like cotton candy and popcorn, but you will also find giant onion rings and battered potatoes, barbecued meats, and tasty grilled ears of corn. And while I can't recommend the tough, tasteless steak fingers (thin, deep fried slices of steak) offered at one booth I visited, I did find one deep fried treat I particularly enjoyed at another booth-- deep fried Oreo cookies! Yes, among the fried foods offered at Chicken Charlie's, you will find deep fried Oreos (pictured) and, believe it or not, deep fried Twinkies. According to the co-owner of Chicken Charlie's, the Twinkies are dipped in an egg batter and deep fried while the Oreo cookies are dipped in a sweet pancake batter prior to frying. The deep fried Twinkies are quite tasty, especially when covered with a sweet topping (strawberry or chocolate) but I preferred the deep fried Oreos. Crispy on the outside, warm and chocolatey on the inside. Hey, are any of these things recommended by the American Heart Association? Doubt it, but you only live once so try the deep fried Oreo cookies. |
Mmmm...Char-Broiled Corn |
Mesquite BBQ...Not For Vegetarians! |
For Your Sweet Tooth...Candy! |
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After driving to the fair in a small Japanese car, my production assistant Raymond Huizar and I found a larger, more dependable form of transportation. Say hello to Kitty, a friendly 8,000-pound female Asian elephant from Have Trunk Will Travel in Perris, California. Asian elephants are an endangered species, so the folks at Have Trunk Will Travel are working hard to make sure these amazing animals are around for a long time to come through a breeding program combined with outstanding care and humane treatment. I've never ridden an elephant before so this was quite an experience. Too bad elephants are not freeway legal because from where I am sitting, you would have an outstanding view of the road ahead. Also, I don't think you would get a speeding ticket while riding Kitty because she moves slowly and confidently. Kitty was born in 1967 and her favorite foods are watermelon and carrots. Hey, those are two of my favorite foods too, but you don't see me carrying people on my back! But elephants are not the only animals you will find at the fair because just steps away from the elephant ride, you will find an assortment of animals to bond with, including goats and pigs. |
One Animal Dines On Raymond's Shirt |
Another Tries More Traditional Food |
Not Eating But Eyeing My Digital Camera |
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A
great way to see the everything the fair has to offer is from high above,
so I decided to take the Skyride. From the Skyride you will
see lots of people having fun. Yes, you can see people eating, playing
games and riding exciting rides - everything that make the Orange County
Fair so much fun! And speaking of rides, there are water rides, rollercoasters
and a huge ferris wheel called La Grande Wheel. Can't wait
to ride on that - just imagine how amazing the view will be from the top
of the ferris wheel. Not only will there be an outstanding view of
the fair, but an amazing view of Orange County as well. There are
rides that spin you in circles and rides that lift and then drop you, so
hang on to your eyeglasses and dentures folks.
In the meantime, I'll continue my relaxing journey on the Skyride while I try to decide what I will do next at the fair. Hey, I'm not sure but I think I just dropped my keys! |
Rides and Games For The Kids |
Great View From Up Here! |
La Grande Wheel looks like BIG fun! |
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Well, I have had a lot of fun at the Orange County Fair but now it is time to relax a bit, so I'll pop in a quarter and enjoy a Footsie Wootsie (who thought up that wacky name?) foot massage. Who can resist the colorful seats and the price of only 25 cents. You know, that's probably the least expensive thing at the fair! After inserting a quarter, the Footsie Wootsie vibrates your feet quite vigorously for about 2 minutes. I wonder how much extra would it cost to make the seats vibrate the same way? If you were not able to attend the 2003 Orange County Fair, plan to attend in 2004! For further information about the Orange County Fair, click here to visit their official website. For information on other fairs and expositions, click here to visit the website of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.
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Photography and Production Assistance - Raymond Huizar