Last July I hosted a party for Bob Gurr, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his first gin martini (which has become something of a daily tradition for him). (Go back to this post to see Bob mixing my first Gurrtini, on May 26, 2010.)
When Bob was telling me the recipe for his Gurrtini, he mentioned that the cocktail spears he uses at home were stolen from the opening of Tokyo Disneyland. A while later, he said they could also be crafted from a Mark I Monorail panel. I found this a bit humorous, and then put it out of mind.
A few days before this gathering, Bob sent me four photos, equally horrifying and fascinating, showing how a 1950s Disneyland attraction vehicle could be fashioned into a cocktail spear. The first is a panel from Mark I Monorail Blue, which debuted July 3, 1959, with cutting shears prominently displayed:
I showed these photos to Mike Cozart on the day I got them, without first explaining the situation. His first reaction was, "Wait, why are there cutting shears on the Monorail panel?"The second image showed the cutting in action:
The third image captures, against a very distinctive backdrop, the three cocktails spears this endeavor produced:
And the fourth showed the functional spears, as they were delivered to me on July 9, 2011:
It should be noted that these 2024-T4 aluminum cocktail spears pose no threat to public health, as I have yet to be killed by a Gurrtini prepared with them. Mike and Bob--the only two others to have had Monorail Gurrtinis--are, as of this writing, also still in good health. I also want to mention that at the party, Bob was telling people that I had suggested cutting up a piece of 1950s Disneyland to make these, and that was certainly not the case. But a Disney Legend is free to cut up his own designs and mementos of the Park.
Far cooler than the lighted ice cubes I get at The Grand Californian Bar or the new Trader Sam's tiki bar! Although, I do love my blinky cubes .... I do not love the $10 cocktails I must buy to get them ... okay, I do a tad :)
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Too cool! And at least there is plenty of the panel still left to make a nice pair of earrings and maybe some wind chimes!
ReplyDeleteI want a suit of armor made out of genuine Monorail panels! For the zombie apocalypse, of course.
ReplyDeleteI became real NERVOUS when I saw those cutting shears on that monorail panel! -I could only imagine more Monorail carnage! But I sure loved have part of the Monorail in every GURRTINI I had that night. And even if there had been a chance of poisoning, the mass quantities of Gin I drank that night protected me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a momento of an amazing night I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteOnly Mr. Bob Gurr could do this and not be disparaged. Bravo!
That's a damn COOL story!!!
ReplyDeleteA much better use out of old Disneyland than what the company current does with it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a neat post. Though I have to say that last picture looks like a claw set.
ReplyDeleteI would pay $$ for a tiny blue slice of the Mk1 an I dont even drink .
ReplyDelete