Thursday, 18 January 2024

10 Things I'd Talk About With The Coffee & Cake Chit Chat Club If I Were Attending Today

10.Lion King Cool Creations Ice Cream & Timon & Pumbaa Bug Pops Ice Lollies.
In the '90s, if you lived in America, no hot Summer's day would be complete without a little bit of Lion King. With wild manes from playing out in the sun and sweat dripping down their faces - not to mention the zinc suncream - kids would run in asking their parents for Lion King Cool Creations or Timon & Pumbaa Bug Pops. Summer times are made more fun when you bought Cool Creations or Bug Pops - you can rely on a non-Woke Disney to tempt your kids' taste for frozen treats!
9.Cadbury Spice chocolate.
Just think about it - the Spice Girls' very own chocolate range. They're gone now, because the Spice Girls aren't a thing anymore, but if you were to travel back to 1998, you'd buy one of those from ASDA. You'd see girls everywhere begging their parents to get them some of these cool chocolates with the Spice Girls' images on them, and some Christmases might even see Spice chocolates in their stockings. True girl power!
8.Cadbury Popworld Westlife Chocolate.
Yes, even Westlife got into the chocolate action in the late '90s, when teen pop was the great sensation. They even had their own chocolate egg for Easter. How pop fans stuffed their faces with cool, awesome goodness. If you never got one of those chocolates, you're never one of the cool kids.
7.Bill & Ben Twisting Jar
When Bill & Ben returned to screens in 2001, Kinnerton had a big surprise for new fans of the garden duo - a twisting turning tin with some..er...stuff inside. What stuff you ask? Ask Slowcoach. He knows everything, especially what's inside a twisty turny jar.
6.Toonami Promo On The Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker VHS.
Here, back in 2001, Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker was released on UK store shelves in a glorious bat-black tape. At the beginning of the tape, before the movie actually started, there were promos you'd expect to find on a Pokemon VHS, until...BANG! A Toonami promo turned up on there. It had flashes of shows like Dragon Ball Z, The Real Adventures Of Johnny Quest and of course Batman Beyond. This tape, in my opinion, is a tribute to the UK version of Toonami. It will be dearly missed. Instead of pressing F, press T to pay respects for Tom, Sara and all your toon friends, which were tragically wiped out by the worst cartoon ever - Teen Titans Go. Booooooo!
5.Drongo.
While eating cake and drinking tea, I do believe the Coffee & Cake crew would indulge in my idea of Furaha and Orko living in the outback with their parents and dog. The freedom of being allowed to play with all the animals in the outback and explore its wondrous nature without being a half cast is a vignette NO ONE would want to forget.
4.Spirit Of The Kangaroo.
More Aussie-ness! Spirit Of The Kangaroo will get all the Coffee & Cake crew bouncing on two legs as they hear about Furaha and Orko being raised by kangaroos in the outback. The whole crew would be engrossed as I tell them about Furaha and Orko riding in their kangaroo mother's comfy pouch, playing with the other young joeys and sharing in the fun and joy of the safest places in the outback. Boing! Boing!
3.Orko's Nest Bed
Imagine having a wizard turn your bed into a comfortable nest when you're just a baby and out of your cot playing with him. That's exactly what Orko does when baby Furaha wants to feel more comfortable on a rainy day. The nest bed is enormous and soft, and there's lots of pillows in the shapes of huge white eggs. Orko is the best at being a father bird to his baby sister, cuddling her and bringing her a nice, fresh bottle of milk.
2.Upside Down Peekaboo.
Peekaboo! Orko once again has fun playing with baby Furaha in this vignette, this time playing peekaboo with her. Now babies like Furaha love a good game of peekaboo, and Furaha's constant giggling will get the Coffee & Cake Crew cracking up, especially since Orko plays peekaboo upside down, and then Furaha plays peekaboo with Orko, as if he were a baby. A game of peekaboo can be passed down from generation to generation, and Orko loves playing that game with his little sister. I guess you could call him a second father, which leads to our number 1 spot in my list...
1.Orko's Here To Protect You...
Inspired by such films as Leafie: A Hen Into The Wild and Grave Of The Fireflies, this soothing vignette sees Orko living alone in the forest with only his baby sister Furaha for company. This vignette sees Furaha and Orko explore their forest home together, as they share a strong, deep bond nothing in this non-Eternian forest could break. The way Orko touches, feeds, hugs and cuddles his baby sister whether in their cave home or out of it exploring nature can warm the hearts of the Coffee & Cake Crew for good and always, and will be a truly heartwarming vignette to share with my new friends.

10 Things I'll Talk About If I Were To Attend Today's Drop In Session

10.Chip N Dale: Cupcakes
This is a very short comic based on Disney+'s 'Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers' film. In fact, all my comics which take a look behind the scenes of cartoons and kids' shows focus on more than one or two characters. In this comic, Pooh from The Book Of Pooh, Blue from Blue's Room, Oswald the octopus and Clifford The Big Red Dog all gather at Cupcakes 2 Love on their English holiday to enjoy an afternoon tea...but the hilarious part? Clifford can't get in because he's too big! Poor Clifford.
9.Walking With Monsters
This one is a little less sweet. This is Walking With Monsters, a DVD I got yesterday. Although it brought back memories, there are some scenes which pulled my heart like it was wanting me to cry, such as the small lizard transforming into a ginormous dinosaur and roaming into the age of dinosaurs. I swear you won't want to eat anything during the first half of the second episode, because it contains spiders and centipedes in it...but of course, it'll be great for helping you lose weight.
8.Blue's Room.
The above beginning moment in our list contains a character from a less recognised Nick Jr show called Blue's Room, about a puppet version of Blue and her friends who encourage children to have fun learning. Since Blue's Clues is only available in the USA, it is a great thing for controlling your child's Cocomelon addiction. When they throw tantrums because they want Cocomelon on, put Blue's Room or Sesame Street on instead. Your kids will thank you.
7.Drongo.
This Aboriginal Australian Me, You, And...story sees Furaha and Orko living in the outback with their parents and dog. Although they live a homely lifestyle, they are allowed complete freedom to explore the outback and play with all the creatures that are there, from the koalas to the kangaroos and even the saltwater crocodiles. True Australian spirit.
6.Spirit Of The Kangaroo.
And speaking of Australian stuff, there's another Australian Me, You, And...story that floated into my head last night: Spirit Of The Kangaroo. Here, this time, Furaha and Orko are actually raised by kangaroos, who teach them the ways of the outback and help them learn to live in harmony with every friendly creature, as well as detest those who are dangerous to interact with, such as spiders. It'll be nice of the Drop In crew to see Furaha and Orko playing with joeys and snuggling with their kangaroo mother.
5.K-Zone Magazine.
The Aussie spirit continues with this magazine, which is now obsessed with rough tough video games, but most Aussies remember it to be full of good cartoons like Pokemon, Rugrats and Yu Gi Oh, and full of lots of good things to look at. This and Total Girl are the perfect mags to introduce you to kids' lives in Australia...before Bluey ever came.
4.D-Mag.
Another Aussie magazine, this one may be a bit sick and gross, but one issue featured He Man (finally, I figured it out: the original series) and Tarzan 2, and one featured the new Thundercats series - not Thundercats Roar, I may put it. It gave lots of updates on the latest films, cartoons and games, and tells Aussie kids how to live their best lives.
3.Paddle Pops.
Oh my god, if I were to live in Australia, it'll be the best ice cream I've ever tasted! I'll try strawberry, banana/vanilla or chocolate, and maybe even the rainbow one. I'd go around the room asking the people at the Drop In what kind of Paddle Pops they would like to eat in a survey - Which Paddle Pop Would You Most Like To Eat?
2.The Junkyard Alley Gang
Imagine - Oliver, eat your heart out! Me, Luke, Resus, Cleo, Luella, Six, Dixon and I as a street gang exploring modern day London will be a new concept to explore, as well as Rex The Runt and his friends becoming a biker gang who accompany us in exploring new sights and places around the UK. Much better than the Americanised, loud new CBBC, eh?
1.Orko's Here To Protect You...
This is a more soothing idea I had this morning: Orko protecting Furaha as a baby or toddler in the forest. This may sound similar to Leafie: A Hen Into The Wild or Grave Of The Fireflies, but this one is a vignette where Orko cuddles and cradles, feeds and plays with, strokes and comforts his baby sister when there's no one else around in the forest to look after them. It's a very gentle, cuddly idea that'll get the whole of the Drop In crew exploring nature.

10 Ideas To Celebrate Popcorn Day

10.Find out about the history of popcorn and why it's always commonly used at the cinema for when people are watching movies.
9.Watch science videos about how corn pops its kernels to create popcorn while still in the pan.
8.Deliver some popcorn to someone you adore, admire or someone who is your friend.
7.Make a popcorn chain to hang around your room...even though it's not Christmas yet.
6.Make different types of popcorn to fit in with your favourite movie. For example, if it's My Little Pony: The Movie, you could make unicorn popcorn, or if it's The Lion King, you could make popcorn with honey drizzled on it.
5.Try and balance popcorn on your nose.
4.Leroy & Stitch mentions a primitive earth popcorn maker, as told by Jumba in the film. Watch it on Disney+, but don't forget the popcorn!
3.Find out what other snacks they serve in cinemas, besides popcorn.
2.Make and design your own popcorn bucket or box.
1.Just curl up on the sofa with some popcorn and a drink, and watch your favourite film!

Orko's Here To Protect You...

Inspired by Leafie: A Hen Into The Wild.
Deep in a forest in the middle of nowhere, Orko, a Trollan wizard, lives all alone with only his baby sister Furaha to keep him company. Throughout Furaha's baby and toddler years, Orko protects the young cub, plays with her, feeds her, cuddles her and introduces her to the wonders of his natural home.

The Junkyard Alley Gang

Luke, Resus, Cleo, Bluey, Bingo, Luella, Six, Dixon and I are a junkyard gang exploring the streets of London and sometimes encountering Rex and his gang of motorcyclists.

Upside Down Peekaboo

Orko plays a cheeky game of peekaboo with baby Furaha, then he tries it by floating upside down.

Chip N Dale: Cupcakes

PANEL 1: INT. CUPCAKES 2 LOVE - DAY.


Pooh from The Book Of Pooh, Blue from Blue’s Room and Oswald the octopus are all sitting round the table enjoying a Mickey Mouse afternoon tea.


POOH: I do like these sorts of holidays with my friends. Just us, enjoying tea in this quaint little cafe.


BLUE: What’s quaint? Ah, no biggie. Still, these sausage rolls are delicious! And to think dog food was every dog’s baby food.


OSWALD: It’s nice being around my friends: me, you, Blue, Pooh Bear…ha, a little family reunion.


PANEL 2


Just then, a big red face with two huge eyes looks in through the window. It seems familiar to us.


CLIFFORD: You gonna leave room for me?


POOH/BLUE/OSWALD: (screaming) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!


PANEL 3


Blue suddenly calms down, realising it’s only Clifford The Big Red Dog. Oswald and Pooh are confused.


BLUE: Ha ha ha ha! Oh, it’s only Clifford. False alarm, everyone!


PANEL 4: EXT. CUPCAKES 2 LOVE - CONTINUOUS. DAY.


Clifford is standing outside the building, which is as big as he is. Blue pokes her head through the door and calls:


BLUE: Oh Cli-fford! Are you coming to join us?


CLIFFORD: Sorry, but I think I’m too big to fit through the building.


THE END.

Spirit Of The Kangaroo

The kangaroo's spirit lives in all of us, especially Furaha and Orko. Raised by this bouncy species, they learn all about the Aboriginal outback world from their kindly kangaroo mother, while playing with the Joey's in their family and the nearby koala family.

Drongo

Furaha and Orko live in a primitive Aboriginal Australian world with their parents Kiburi and Ua and their dog Rocky. Although they live in a bright gold outback land, their parents allow them plenty of freedom to explore the rich Aussie land, including bouncing with kangaroos and swimming with friendly saltwater crocodiles.

Orko's Nest Bed

In order to make a rainy weekend a little more comfortable for Furaha, Orko uses his magic to conjure up a soft nest bed with cushiony edges and lots of downy white pillows shaped like eggs. Orko cuddles Furaha in his nest, and also brings her milk back to her nest, just like a real father bird.

Mountain Warmth

Furaha and Orko wander an icy, misty mountain. Tired and hungry, they are glad to find warmth and shelter in a snug little cave near a cliff on the mountain.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables With Pokemon Toys

The Pokemon action continues outside of Cupcakes 2 Love! I just found this pretty article about Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables - this mum reviewed how you can find a surprise Pokemon toy inside every single Lickable! It's a chocolate yogurt, but that's not the first time Pokemon appeared with Cadbury's - back then, when Pokemon was all the rage, they made it a part of their Caramilk bars alongside Digimon. So tell us, friends, which comes first? Pokemon, or Digimon?

Cupcakes 2 Love

It's unlike any afternoon tea you've ever attended before - this is the most awesome restaurant in the UK! It's Cupcakes 2 Love, where there are loads of themed afternoon teas on hand to be served directly to you. From Pokemon to The Lion King and Mickey Mouse to The Muppets, there's always something for everyone. If I were to eat here, it'll be my favourite restaurant, and even everyone at Key and the One Stop Shop would enjoy it. Check out their website for more info:

And while you're here, meet this mum who ordered an ELECTRIFYING Pokemon afternoon tea with her little Pokemon trainers - a meal fit for Ash Ketchum and his friends! Shame we miss him though.

10 Things I'll Talk About With My New Friends From Autism Initiatives Should I Visit The Velocity Cafe For The Coffee Group

10.A Weekend With Orko/Teatime.
I say! No coffee group is complete without mentioning a gentle slice of life vignette about Furaha and Orko living in a London apartment with a love of jazz and piano music and cupcakes for afternoon tea. I admit it, it's based on Toonami UK's August 2003 He Man Weekend Marathon, but it was the landmark event that changed how viewers saw Toonami in the UK, and thinking of London and jazz music is better than when the people at Disney thought of jazz in Paris where the Aristocats lived.
9.Chip N Dale: Cupcakes and Round My Family Tree Auditions.
Yes, Round My Family Tree is an absolute earworm for me and various other Disneyphobians who watched The Tigger Movie as a kid, but want to know what happened when they casted the Tiggers who got a role in the sequence? In this comic, characters like Tony The Tiger, Shere Khan and Garfield try out for a role in the sequence, but are instantly rejected. Then in Cupcakes, which takes place at the Cupcakes 2 Love restaurant in Yorkshire, Pooh from The Book Of Pooh, Blue from Blue's Room, Oswald the octopus and Clifford The Big Red Dog all gather for afternoon tea at the BEST CUPCAKE RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD! Only, Clifford can't get in because he's too big. All for laughs, I suppose. It is the world of Chip N Dale of course!
8.Teddy Orko
One of my friends from a town near me always holds a doll wherever she goes. Whether it's her favourite Minnie Mouse doll or a Care Bear, you can be sure that no one calls her a big baby. She also has fantastic rainbow hair and wears Disney jumpers, like one with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Pluto. Well, in Teddy Orko, Orko pretends to be a big Trollan teddy bear, making squeaking and growling noises as Furaha hugs him tight. It's a nice, sweet little vignette that I may share with my new friends at the One Stop Shop - most of them carry teddies too!
7.Orko & The Deep Of Life
Nobody recognises the power of water in nature better than me. Orko is seen in this vignette swimming in deep water, encountering little fish and plant life deep under the incoming tide and relaxing on the top of the water. This is a life that's just right for a Trollan after crash landing on Earth, away from the abuse of Prince Adam/He Man and Cringer. And to bind this and the next one in my list together, here's something that may take you to paradise...
6.Three Best Friends In Paradise
This is an idea I almost forgot about, based on the poem 'Two Black Boys In Paradise' - except there's a lioness cub, a Trollan wizard and an Autobot leader enjoying themselves on a pure, safe, simple island, away from the dangers and harsh jobs of the real world - swimming in the ocean, relaxing on the beach and exploring the jungle. Outside today it's really cold with snow, but luckily the water and weather is warm in Paradise. Just where the One Stop Shop Coffee Crew would be when it's snowing and they can't go out for coffee.
5.Walking With Monsters
My support worker can't come and take me out this Friday, but luckily I bought myself a £3 DVD named Walking With Monsters to make up for it. The back of the DVD says the monsters in the series may look like something out of a fantasy nightmare, but are actually present before us humans were around. This series came out when I was 5, and now I'm happy to share it with my friends from the One Stop Shop - what I tell them will make them spit out their fruit filled vegan food in shock and disgust over things like:
HYNERPETONS THAT LOOK LIKE OMELETTES! (EEEEWW!)
GIANT SPIDERS! (EEEK!)
MONSTERS EATING EACH OTHER WITH BLOOD FLYING EVERYWHERE! (OH NO!)
THE FACT THAT 2 ENTERTAIN RELEASED THIS, THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE & AARDMAN'S DARKSIDE IN THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS! (OOOOOOOH!)
4.The Itchy Body Bug Inspector
And speaking of bugs (and rather grotesque prehistoric ones in fact), this Sybil & Friends story sees me wake up complaining about an itchy leg which I tried to scratch overnight, so my sister Cleo, Bluey's sister Bingo and Rex's roommate Vince play at being doctors to find out what's going on under my skin. Bingo uses a plastic toy butter knife to pretend to scrape at my skin, and to everyone's shock, they find a lot of pretend bugs under there, including a giant millipede (actually a toy green and purple centipede) that wants to eat my flesh away. Cleo, Bingo and Vince must chase it before it goes under someone else's skin. Will they do it? I guess the Coffee Crew will have to find out, won't they? Eh? EH?!
3.Cheese, Orko & Cringer Stay Up
This is another Sybil & Friends story based on the Bluey episode 'Fairytale' that thankfully isn't grotesque or disgusting. In this '80s-set story which is set on the Eternia '80s kids seem to know and love, Prince Adam leaves Orko to look after Cringer and Cheese while he, Teela and Man At Arms go out to an important banquet for the night. The moment our three heroes leave, Cheese and his friends plan to stay up all night, stealing chocolate cake from the palace kitchens, drinking all of Man At Arms' beer and telling scary stories. I know, beer was mentioned in The Tiger Who Came To Tea but it's nice to have a kids' character, especially a tough one like Man At Arms, drink it. I don't want to see him smash it over Orko's head, though. Poor thing.
2.Orko & Optimus: Bag Of Tricks
In this comic, Orko is tired of having only a minor role in the He Man episode 'The Last Stand'. He goes to bed that night and has a dream about having a much bigger role in the episode, talking with Prince Adam about the things produced from his sleeve and revealing what he uses the white sticky porridge, flower, ball, vault and three eyed goldfish for - feeding babies, doing magic and...*GASPS IN HORROR* STORING MONEY?! This angers Adam so much that Orko produces another ball from his sleeve and throws it into Adam's face, throwing him off the cliff and causing the little wizard to earn a definitive ovation from the producers and crew as filming finishes, and he wakes up triumphant he'll stop Prince Adam from stealing his thunder once and for all. If Orko can be the true star of the show, you can too! And so will the Coffee Crew.
1.Orko's Ears
No Coffee Crew list would be complete without the inclusion of a much lighter vignette of Orko's eternal stay on Earth with his lion family. It features a usual scenario of Orko relaxing on the sofa, not a care in the world. Then Furaha sneaks up to him and begins to fiddle with his ears. Orko begins giggling over the ticklish feeling, but then once it stops he hears giggling and asks who did that. Furaha appears, and Orko pounces onto her and tickles her. This inspired by me fiddling the ears of my own pets, such as Mushroom and currently my dog Mylo, who is being a bit of a naughty today as he stole both sound remotes at once.