The Lobby Art at Art Of Animation...

   Last week we shared our review of the tandoori squash at Landscape of Flavors... and while at the Art of Animation resort we snapped some cool photos in the lobby!  Giant murals comprised of concept art for Disney films flank the walls as you enter the hotel.  Though I have some serious issues with the hotel itself,  these are seriously cool.

Background and Layout: The Wise Little Hen

   A few weeks ago I shared some wonderful artwork from King Neptune, and before that we looked at the stunning background art from The Jungle Book.  Today, as my infatuation with the Background and Layout book continues, I'm happy to share these images from the 1934 Silly Symphony The Wise Little Hen.
   Not only does The Wise Little Hen mark the first appearance of Donald Duck, but if brings plenty of laughs. Take a moment while watching the film to appreciate the washed out water color backgrounds.  These muted colors are pretty unusual in short cartoons, and are seriously wonderful pieces of artwork.

Walt Disney - Tishman African Art Collection

   Last weekend Adam and I made our once a year trip to Washington DC.  (You might remember some of the cool stuff we found last year.)  We love traversing the city and stopping into museums along the way. (The National Geographic museum has a great pirate exhibit that I wish I could relate to this blog, but sadly cannot.)  One of the highlights of this trip was the Walt Disney - Tishman African Art Collection. 

   Because I wont be able to describe it any better, I'll include the official text from the collection:

In 1959, Paul and Ruth Tishman bought two pieces of art from the Benin kingdom, including an exquisite ivory female figure. Over the next 20 plus years, the Tishmans would build one of the great private collections of African art. Their goal--to acquire works from all the major art traditions in the continent, a dream that would be almost impossible to achieve today.

The majority of the objects the Tishmans collected are from west and central Africa, reflecting the collecting practices of their time. Looking at the collection today, one can focus on questions of history, deliberate the differing approaches to the human ideal or consider the messages of power and status conveyed through form, gesture and material.

Since the mid-1960s, this collection has greatly influenced the study of African art. Through exhibitions and publications, it has helped define African art and set aesthetic standards of quality. 

The Tishmans' desire to share their African art with as many people as possible led to the sale of the collection to the Walt Disney Company in 1984. While the original plan of a permanent exhibition space at Epcot in Florida was never realized, the Walt Disney Company proved to be generous stewards, making the collection available for numerous exhibition loans and publications.

In 2005, Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, gave all 525 objects in the Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection to the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. This exhibition and the publication African Vision: The Walt DisneyÐTishman Collection continue the tradition, begun by Paul and Ruth Tishman and maintained by the Walt Disney Company, of sharing this great African art with the world. 

 Mask 

 possibly Efik people, lower cross region, Calabar area, Nigeria

Early 20th century

Wood, skin, plant fiber, bone, dye

Sunday Quickie: Some Pretty Shots From Epcot's China

Disney Blog Roundup: 6/14/13

I'm currently quite obsessed with this picture...

   We had a fun, albeit slow week over here at Disney Hipster Blog...

      - Guest blogger Mark Diba (@dibadisney on twitter...) wrote a terrific review of the new ice cream shop in France!

      

      - Then, I made this fun video featuring TriceraTop Spin! Yay! Kiddie rides!

  

      - We finished the week off reviewing a vegetarian dish at Landscape of Flavors! Remarkably yummy indeed!

   And now...what our friends have been up to!

      - Perennial favorite vintage photo blog, Gorillas Don't Blog shares some gorgeous Disneyland Instamatics!  Seriously awesome.

      - Mouse On The Mind continued a fun series called Imagineering Awesome... my favorite of which is a Magic Kingdom Sleep Hollow expansion! So great!

      - Disney By Mark is helping to perpetuate the Hollywood Studios expansion rumors... lets all cross our fingers! :)

      - Some beer love via Eating WDW, who got to enjoy the Bear Republic 5 IPA on a recent visit to Epcot.  I could always use one of these...

      - Breaking away from her usual food reviews, Disney Food Blog asks, "what disney restaurant do you want in your kitchen?" so much fun!!!

Tandoori Acorn Squash at Landscape of Flavors

   On a recent trip to Walt Disney World, Adam and I found ourselves quite hungry.  We weren't  in a theme park, and also didn't have any dining reservations.  A quick brainstorm led to Adam's idea of checking out the newish Art of Animation Resort and its counter service restaurant Landscape of Flavors.

   Walking into Art Of Animation we had the interesting and unusual sense that we may have accidentally arrived at close cousin Pop Century. The two resorts are strikingly similar, with AoA getting the slight edge, probably because its significantly more recent construction.
   Landscape of Flavors is no exception.  Besides subtle theming Landscape of Flavors and Pop Century's counter service restaurant are almost identical.  Luckily, the food at LoF is much more varied, especially considering it being located at a value resort.

   The ordering process is one that you might be familiar with.  Choose a 'bay' (that is Cosmic Ray Starlight Cafe talk...) that prepares the food that you would like to enjoy, collect your food from said 'bay' and pay at the centrally located registers.  There are several different bays, and surely everyone in your party can find something to their liking.  A big plus at this restaurant is that there are several options for vegetarians, a happy surprise for us upon arrival.
 

In Love With TriceraTop Spin!

   You wanna know something?  I love Chester And Hesters Dino-Rama, and I'm not ashamed to say it.  Along with the rest of Dinoland it comprises one of my favorite areas in any Disney park.  The theming is corny, lout, obnoxious, and totally cheap looking...which is EXACTLY what it should be!  I mean, have you ever seen a "nice" roadside attraction?  Me neither...

   In the past we have shown some serious love for Primeval Whirl, but for one reason or another we usually leave poor TriceraTop Spin out of the love fest!  But seriously, this kiddie ride has FLYING TRICERATOPS!!!!!  Sure, it makes a lot more sense to have say pterodactyls flying around...but no!  Here we have rotund quadrupeds circling in majestic flight...
   Here is a fun ride through video that I compiled and put together with Hester's ride spiel and music...

   How do YOU feel about TriceraTop Spin and the rest of Dinoland USA? Does it fit in with the exotic theming of Disney's Animal Kingdom?  Let us know! Join the conversation! Follow us on Twitter ... or 'like' us on Facebook!