Media

When Gingerbread Houses Fly – New Charles Phoenix Video

“Make a gingerbread house fly” was one of my answers when the fine folks at the L.A. CO Arts Commission asked me what I was planning to do this year to get in the mood for the holiday season. They said “Great!, can we make a video of you and your attempt at gingerbread house flying?” Of course, I said, of course!

So off to Streit’s German Bakery I went (featured in last week’s slide) where under the watchful eye of gingerbread expert, Oscar Streit, I built and decorated a little a-frame gingerbread house.

With the finished gingerbread house in hand, I met up with Ballusionist, Brian Potvin who was standing by with bunches of bright colored, helium-filled balloons. We carefully attached the balloons to the gingerbread house and with a proper “5-4-3-2-1 BLASTOFF!” launched it. But did it go where no gingerbread house has gone before? You’ll have to watch the video above to see if gingerbread houses can fly!

Watch this video and more Charles Phoenix Holiday Videos on TV during the 55th annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration – Live on KCET-TV on Christmas Eve.

Here’s to flying gingerbread houses and YOU!

Charles Phoenix
December 13, 2011

Total Pann’s Fan!, Los Angeles, 2011

L.A.’s KCET TV invited me pick my fave restaurant in Los Angeles, have lunch there and share the experience with you. YAY!

Without skipping a beat I chose Pann’s, the greatest Googie style coffee shop on Earth. This was the perfect opportunity for me to share this amazing L.A. landmark and introduce you to a local hero of mine, the original owner, Rena Poulis, age 94. Dressed to the nines, she greets guests there every day just as she has since she and her husband opened the doors in 1958. Rena and son Jim who now runs the place (and beautifully I might add) are the queen and crowned price of coffee shops.

They both deserve a big giant lifetime award for all their years of great service and an even bigger historic preservation award for maintaining the spectacular original Googie décor of their legendary restaurant.

Thank you, KCET for this opportunity and lunch! That fried chicken is the best in town!

Have you dined in a lipstick red vinyl semi-circle booth lately?

Here’s to the KCET, Pann’s, Queen Rena, Prince Jim and YOU!

Charles Phoenix
October 18, 2011

Charles on Conan; Hilarity Ensues! Watch now!

Charles was a guest on Conan, on December 16, 2010. Charles shared hilarous vintage slides and spirited banter with Conan. Then, he taught Conan how to make the ultimate holiday party centerpiece, the Astro Weenie Christmas Tree. Click to watch the madness that ensued!

Charles on Martha Stewart’s Halloween Show

Charles shares vintage Halloween slides with Martha on The Martha Stewart Show.

Valentines Day on The Martha Stewart Show

Charles presents a retro celebration of Valentines Day with photos from his collection on Martha Stewart’s Valentine’s Day Show.

Charles on Martha Stewart’s “Hot Dog Show”

Watch Charles present vintage hot dog slides from his collection on this very special episode of The Martha Stewart Show.