Cannon Beach: 2007 Update

[Peter Paltridge]

Remember my photo essay on why Cannon Beach was superior to Seaside?
http://www.platypuscomix.net/educati...nnonbeach.html
I've taken many more pictures of Cannon Beach since then, and here are the best 25:


One of the new additions to the Cannon Beach area: two extremely ugly pieces of abstract art. This one is called "Passage" and greets you as you head for the public bathroom. Make your own interpretation.


Another reason why Cannon Beach is better than Seaside: Seaside only sells regular underwear. Cannon Beach sells boxer shorts that are MAGIC.


Horrible news: the Picnic Basket split in half. And the better half was the one that moved--the half that serves the ice cream, which I look forward to every time I come here. That half relocated to a bigger spot down the street.


This is what the old Picnic Basket Ice Cream Area Place looked like.


This is what it looks like now. Undeniably nicer, but the irrational emotion of nostalgia makes me prefer the cramped original space.

It's even bigger than that. THIS is the OTHER SIDE:



This "exhibit" actually turned out to be part of someone else's art gallery, and there's no "original" art wearing the ink from Geisel's own pens--just printings that aren't as expensive, but still too expensive. You'll still want to look at everything (which encompassed one short wall). Here's a nice BIIIG picture for you:
http://www.platypuscomix.net/images/cannonbeach078.jpg


That's what was near the ceiling. I don't know what kind of Seussian animals they are, but if they were hung apart from anything else by Seuss, they'd look kind of creepy. "Whatever that was, I'm glad you killed it."


This painting is by Seuss too, and called "Detective Cat." Where's the detective cat?


Oh, THERE he is.

Remember when I said the outlet mall bookstore was shutting down? Rumors of its death were greatly exaggerated, because despite all the "STORE CLOSING" signs I read one time I was there, it still remains today.


I had no idea Scholastic pressed hardcover copies of The Baby-Sitter's Club books. That doesn't sound like the kind of thing anyone would want in a historically preservable form. And yes, it's right next to a book titled "What Would MacGyver Do," proving once again how awesome the random placement of these unwanted books is.


The Book Warehouse can be a source of unintended hilarity, but also depression. Odds are good the kids coming in here won't know what to make of the characters on these puzzle boards. "Cartoon Network? Is that like Disney Channel? Or that network called 'CN' that's kinda like Disney Channel but without the sophistication?"


This has to be the oldest thing I've run into at the Warehouse yet: a Full House based book. Not only that, but a Full House based self-help book to help you cope with ghosts. The Warehouse had a ton of abandoned Mary-Kate and Ashley literature that day from every era of their lives, ranging from this to their preteen detective agency to their animated counterparts to their modern selves. It took up an entire shelf.


At this point, I got worried the store manager was going to see me with the digital camera and wonder just what the heck I was doing. Thankfully, it's never come up.

CRIKEY!!!

Wow, there's so much I can't believe: why this hasn't been sold yet, why a store at Cannon Beach is still trying to sell it, and why IT'S BEING USED TO PROP OPEN A DOOR. That's disrespectful, man!


Another store had not only Magic Boxer Shorts, but Magic Socks and other such apparel. Is there any undergarment Cannon Beach can't enchant?


Up past Cannon Beach, and further still past Seaside, is a town called Gearhart. Perhaps I should come there more often, as I found a pretty unusual antique shop there. What other word can you use to describe a place that will sell you a 70-year-old lamp next to a COWBOY BEBOP WINDOW SHADE?


And they actually had a copy of How Fletcher Was Hatched! And....Goldeneye 007 for the N64 box and all! WTH???

I bought Goldeneye, then on my next visit went back for Fletcher...but Fletcher was gone. And the antique store owner was certain she HAD sold it, so...rats.


Two hoodies that contradict each other: one says Seaside was founded in 1960, the other says it was founded in 1899. The ugly truth is that both are actually wrong and Seaside was founded before either of those dates.


Oh, I would if I could.


And I finally went inside Funland Arcade, which lived up to the hype and then some.


They've got them all: Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, The Simpsons, TMNT....there was something from every era, no matter how dated (a cockpit game based on the lesser-loved Jurassic Park sequel, for one).


I hadn't noticed April on the TMNT cabinet before....why is she taping the whole thing? They're fighting for their lives here. And she's laughing! Some friend she is.


They even had Donkey Kong, which I admit I've never seen a real live arcade unit of. I didn't get to play it, but just witnessing it was nice.

[J. B. Warner]

I'm not what anyone would call a raving video game fan, but I'd still want to hang out in that arcade. Looks like they have quite a few games that I always wanted to play when I was younger but never got to.

[Lord Dalek]

Funland Seaside blows away Funland Long Beach and then some. I remember quite well the wild night High School graduation party I spent there in 2003 playing bumper cars like there was no tomorrow.

I haven't been in Clatsop County in well over a year now since my parents moved from Astoria (GO FISHERMAN!) and stuff like this makes me cry my eyes out.

Sorry forums no place to get emotional...

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Oh what the hell...