Saturday, September 25, 2010

Come See The Applause Studio Performance Teams at the Everett Sausage Festival!

October 2, 2010 - 1:00 PM
~ PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH GROUNDS ~
Everett Avenue & Cedar - Everett, WA
Alfy's Family Stage
This is Your Last Chance To See Our 2009/10 Season Show - FAME"
So grab the kids and the grand folk and head out to the 2010 Sausage Festival!

Come early and catch the Reptile Isle Show. Then sit back and and let the very talented Applause Studio Performance Team entertain you as they dance and sing their way right into your heart! You'll be whistling and humming their tunes for the rest of the day! If you are a Beatles fan, stay after our show to watch the famous Beatles Tribute Band - British Export. And if you haven't had enough fun, grab a bite to eat, stroll through the exhibits, and take a ride on some of the fun carnival rides!

To learn more about the festival and get directions, visit the festival's web site at http://everettsausagefest.com/index.htm

Friday, August 27, 2010

Amanda Sings at Evergreen State Fair - August 2010

Amanda was part of the selected talent from Applause Studio chosen to perform in this fine show at the 2010 Evergreen State Fair.

Evergreen State Fair - Show Highlights - August 27 2010

A 5-minute photo & video colleague put to music showcasing some highlights from the Applause Studio August 27 show at the Evergreen State Fair featuring my girl Amanda!
(click photo to play video)

Direct URL to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7MEP9-AS6k

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Twilight Fan Tour through Forks & La Push

We are getting ready to head out for our 2nd Annual trip to Forks & La Push.


Join the Rice Family on last year's trip as we walk you through the sites of our very own Twilight Tour! Scroll down through the photos and read the captions for details and location of each site!!



A glimpse of the very beautiful scenic drive on the way to Forks through the Olympic Peninsula on the Washington Coast.



First stop: Forks Welcome Sign -- 550 N. Forks Ave., Forks, WA.


This now-famous sign is prominently located at both ends of town. Thousands of fans from all over the world have had their pictures taken in front of this local attraction. (Note: Please be careful--slippery when raining!)


Next Stop: Forks Chamber of Commerce & Washington Visitors' Center.

Address: 1411 South Forks Ave, Forks, Washington.

The Forks, Washington Chamber of Commerce has turned its headquarters into a Twilight Visitors Center. We recommend you stop by and talk with the friendly folks here, as they can give you great insight into the latest Twilight events and happenings in town. Some souvenirs and apparel also available here.


CAN'T MISS THIS PHOTO! Bella's truck is parked right outside


We bought Amanda one of these bumper stickers.


The poster on the door was autographed by the movie director, Catherine Hardwicke


One of the women who runs the Chamber received this from the crew. She was also mentioned in the credits



This cute little hole-in-the-wall of a Visitors Center was bursting at the seams when we stopped by. The folks were very friendly and informative and really set the tone for our fun day in Forks.


The visitors center is your best source for maps, brochures, and other authentic local information. Bring your laptop—the Visitor Center, including the parking area, is a free wi-fi hotspot.


Now that's more like it - Team Jacob!

The infamous apple

Magnets... gee, what a surprise


Next Stop: The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office 1081 S. Forks Ave., Forks (just down the road from the Chamber) Investigations of things like, oh, just for example, animal attacks, occurring outside the city limits of Forks are handled by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.


Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- Forks Outfitters

Address: 950 South Forks Avenue, Forks, WA -- This is the store where Bella works as a clerk, so you'll want to swing by to check it out. Also a nifty place to pick up some souvenirs and groceries too.



Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- Bella Swan's House

Address: 775 K St, Forks, WA - In the Twilight Saga novels by Stephenie Meyer, Bella Swan lives with her father Charlie.



This stop was created by the Forks Chamber of Commerce as part of local locations used in the books. The homes in the book were never based on actual locations. Teachers Kim and David McIrvin volunteered their home to represent Bella's home


Russell Street is where Bella buys the bike parts


Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- Forks Community Hospital at 530 Bogachiel Way, Forks, WA ~ Just about a half mile from Bella's house is the hospital. The Forks Community Hospital opened on November 5, 1952. In the Twilight Saga novels by Stephenie Meyer, Carlisle Cullen, Edward's "father", is a doctor in Forks and works at the hospital. The complicated part is that Carlisle is a vampire himself, almost 400 years old, who has sworn not to take human victims. He's a compassion ate individual and this comes out in his chosen human profession of a physician



Check out Dr. Cullen's parking spot! The fun part about this stop is the parking spot reserved especially for Dr. Cullen. I love how the Forks community has embraced the fun of the Twilight fever! Bella was seen by Dr. Cullen at this hospital after her could-have-been-much-worse parking lot mishap.



Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- The Cullen House!
Address: 654 E Division St., Forks, Washington
~ Check out the Cullen’s mailbox


Another hunting trip indeed! This “book-version” of the Cullen house is also a quality B&B—and the innkeepers speak "Twilight."



The Miller Tree Inn is a bed and breakfast in Forks that claims to be the real Cullens household. In looking around Forks, there are very few other houses that could possibly fit the description, so this is as good a bet as any. If you decide to spend the night, ask for Bella's Suite that has red and black bedding decor and roses.


Walk up to the porch and see the white board that the house owners update daily with Edward and Bella's whereabouts. There is a new message from Esme on the bulletin board each day



Note: Feel free to walk or drive in and quietly take a picture or two, but please do not knock on the door or attempt to go inside, unless you are a registered guest.


Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- Forks Police Station at 500 E Division St, Forks, Washington ~ The Forks Cullen House is boldly located near the Forks Police Department. Charlie Swan, Bella's dad, serves as Chief of the Forks Police Department. You might remember he has to investigate suspicious "disappearances" in the area. If you are there on a weekday during regular operating hours, you can go inside to get some stickers. They have a very cool Twilight display in the lobby. You can also sign a special Twilight guestbook and log your visit for posterity



Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- Forks High School located at 411 S Spartan Avenue, Forks, Washington ~ No trip to Forks would be complete without seeing the spot where Bella and Edward first smelled each other, err, met - Forks High School. Home of the Spartans, this is a real high school, so you won't be allowed to tour the grounds, but don't let that stop you from scanning the parking lot for Bella's truck or Edward's Volvo


The high school was rumored to be the filming location for many of the school scenes for the movie. The school is known for having a flexible attendance policy to accommodate some local families’ recreation schedules. Note: Please use extreme caution when hanging out in the parking area



Just down the street from the Forks High School is this cute shop!!
Leppells Flowers and Gifts at 130 S. Spartans Ave., Forks ~ Flower and gift shop, featuring Twilight souvenirs and other items of interest to Twilighters



Driving through town... we found this cool spot.... Dazzled By Twilight located at 61 N. Forks, Ave., Forks, WA


Next stop -- JTs Sweet Stuffs, located at 80 N. Forks Ave., Forks, WA. ~ A candy shop--known as "The Sweetest Place in Forks"-- featuring Twilight souvenirs and other items of interest to Twilighters



They serve all kinds of food and goodies at this place. The kids filled up a bag full of sweet goodies


Next stop -- Forks Coffee Shop & Family Restaurant. Address: 241 S. Forks Ave., Forks, WA -- Home of "Jacob's Blackberry Cobbler"



We were hungry and decided to eat at the Twilight Cafe where Charlie and Bella eat frequently (from the Book saga)


This place was packed. We were lucky that there was a table of folks just leaving and we swooped in and snagged the table


Three Rivers Resort -- 7764 LaPush Rd., Forks -- Home of the "Twilight Menu" and the "Treaty Line" sign No Vampires Beyond this Point Sign is located at 7760 LaPush Rd, Forks. We’d like to say that LaPush welcomes all visitors, but that wouldn’t be entirely true, now would it? This sign spells it out pretty clearly! Way to “draw the line” Three Rivers Resort



The other side of the "No Vampires" sign.



Next Stop on the Forks Twilight Tour -- La Push welcome sign at 320 Ocean Dr., LaPush, WA, USA. ~ La Push is a small unincorporated community near Forks, Washington, along the Quileute River. La Push is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation and is home to Jacob Black and the Quileute Native American tribe


The Quileute, also known as Quillayute, is a Native American people, currently numbering approximately 750. The Quileute people settled onto the Quileute Indian Reservation after signing the Treaty of Quinault River of 1855, later reauthorized as the Treaty of Olympia in 1856 with the United States of America. It is located near the southwest corner of Clallam County, Washington at the mouth of the Quillayute River on the Pacific coast. The reservation's main population center is the community of La Push, Washington. The 2000 census reported an official resident population of 371 people on the reservation, which has a land area of 1.5678 sq mi (or 1,003.4 acres). They have their own government inside of the United States that consists of a Tribal council with staggered terms. The Quileute language is one of a kind, as the only related aboriginal people to the Quileute, the Chemakum, were wiped out by Chief Seattle and the Suquamish people during the 1860s. To learn more about the Quileute Nation, visit http://www.quileutenation.org/


Just over this hill and we will be in La Push!!! It is located off of Highway 110 about 15 miles west of Forks. Go all the way to the end and follow the double yellow line around to where the road splits. Make a left and find a path and follow it find First Beach and the driftwood logs


This is one happy girl. She has just arrived in "Jacob land!"



This is the parking lot you hit once you go all the way down the hill and take a left. this is where the gang gathered to go surfing in the Twilight book. We are looking west here.


First Beach, located in LaPush, is featured prominently in the Twilight saga. It’s the beach where Jacob shares some Quileute legends with Bella. Here we are looking to the south


This awesome beach is also a local surfing favorite. The beach is easy to find and is open to everyone (with obvious exceptions)


The small rock formation to the left of the big rock looks like a baying wolf. You will notice a lot of the rock formations look like wolves here in La Push. No wonder Stephanie Meyer chose this location. Bonus - I captured an eagle soaring above the rock, which I didn't figure out until I viewed it from my computer


Amanda and I imagine this is the fire pit from the book that Jacob and Bella sat around



Jacob Black meets his childhood friend Bella Swan at First Beach in La Push and famously tells her the legend about the Cullen family


Cool scenery - this is where Bella and Jacob walked



After a long stroll along first beach, we head back to our Home Sweet Cabin. We stayed at the Quileute Oceanside Resort, located at 320 Ocean Drive, P.O. Box 67, La Push, WA 98350. They have accommodations from camping to motels and everything in between, such as ocean-front cabins. We stayed in one of their camper cabins during this year's tour.


Just down the gravel road from our cabin is the Lonesome Creek Store where the kids and I strolled cuz we had a hankering for some ice cream. On the porch was Bella's Bulletin Board



This is one of Jacob's schools... probably the elementary. Our cabin is just down that road a bit.


This is the Quileute Tribal School located at 2 By Yak Loop, Lapush ~ The Quileute Tribal School is where Jacob and his friends attend school. (QTS High is located at the Akalat Center--the rest of the school and administrative offices are in downtown LaPush, near the water, which is where the last two photos were taken.)


Day Two - Rialto Beach!!! Here we saw rugged sea stacks neighboring miles of

driftwood-lined beach and windswept trees hugging dramatic cliffs



And even better this stunning wilderness beach is right outside the parking lot. A popular beach, its fabulous views are a treasure of the Olympic Peninsula. For more information, visit the North Olympic Peninsula Convention & Visitors Bureau at http://www.olympicpeninsula.org/



Quillayute River Estuary just off Rialto Beach. Here we are looking to the south toward the town of La Push where Amanda and I were exploring
earlier


Next Stop: Second Beach for a .7 mile hike down to Hidden Beach.



Second Beach, just east of LaPush, is popular with photographers and is reached by way of a 0.7 mile forested trail that leads to a 2-mile long sandy stretch of beach.


watch for the eagle nest above the tree line


It's a beautiful area. The hike through the forest isn't too long - and at the end, the trees open up to the most beautiful view of the ocean


The beach is alive, with the sound of waves!!


And this concludes our Twilight Tour! We hope you enjoyed it so much... you want to take a tour yourself!




How did we get to La Push?


View Directions to La Push in a larger map