On the Freeway of Love

By C.J. Hirschfield

You’ve probably heard this inspirational quote: Life is measured not by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I recently had a moment that took my breath away, and I wanted to share the experience with you.

A 'Kindred Spirit' Comes to Fairyland's Puppet Fair

By C.J. Hirschfield

The Storybook Puppet Theater at Children’s Fairyland, which raised its curtain in 1956, is the longest continuously operating puppet theater in America. But the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles has been around nearly as long: since 1963. We are both revered institutions in our respective cities. And now, Fairyland is proud to welcome a representative of the Bob Baker Marionettes to our annual Puppet Fair on August 25 and 26.

Bob Baker (1924–2014) began training at age 8 with several puppet companies before he gave his first professional performance. In high school, he began manufacturing marionettes, which he sold in the U.S. and Europe. By the time he was an adult, his puppetry was featured in many TV series and in films such as Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He also provided a place of learning for puppeteers, including Fairyland’s own master puppeteer Randal Metz, who studied with him for three years in the 1980s.

Bob Baker (left) with partner Alton Wood and "birthday dog" puppets. Via Bob Baker Marionette Theater

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is experiencing an exciting transition: it is now a nonprofit organization that will ensure the enduring legacy of its founder. The organization's new executive director is Alex Evans, who worked closely with Bob Baker for almost 10 years.

Sign of the Times

By C.J. Hirschfield

You’d be amazed how many people don’t know Children’s Fairyland exists (or “still exists”). It’s not that we’re a secret, exactly, but our public façade has always been a bit … reserved. If you were driving past our Grand Avenue entrance in a hurry, you could easily miss us.

Well, no longer.

Last Friday, for the first time in Fairyland history – and just in time for our 68^th anniversary on Sept. 2 – we got an entrance sign that does us proud.

And it took only 10 years of planning and 15 months of groundwork.

Scooter Madness

By C.J. Hirschfield

The good news at Lake Merritt: hundreds of young crabs and an increased number of topsmelt fish, striped bass and bat rays have been sighted recently, and a newly repaired aeration unit near the pergola has resulted in a sweeter-smelling environment. “It’s all an indication that the water is doing fairly well,” says Lake Merritt Institute executive director James Robinson.

The not-so-good news: twenty or so electric Lime rental scooters have been fished out of the lake by James and his intrepid volunteer crew over the last few months.

Scooter in Lake Merritt.