Billed as one of the largest cultural gatherings of its kind on the West Coast, the 55th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates San Francisco’s Japanese food, music and rich history over two weekends, starting Saturday, April 9 and continuing through April 17.

Each year, tens of thousands of attendees indulge in some of the tastiest street food bites on offer at over a dozen vendor booths, run by various nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area that provide support to Asian communities. (In addition to food booths, many of Japantown’s favorite restaurants will stay open during the festivities.)

One of those booths is Kimochi, Inc., a senior service agency that has operated in Japantown since July 1971. In addition to caring for elders in the community through nutrition, recreation and transportation services, Kimochi is back this year, nourishing festival-goers with its highly sought-after Teri Burger for $8.

Kimochi executive director Steve Ishii, who has worked for the nonprofit for 45 years, told SFGATE that the Teri Burger was created because they wanted to offer something tasty for younger festival attendees, alongside the more traditional foods — such as tamasen and bowls of piping hot udon — sold at other vendor tents.

With the help of a trained chef from Japan who worked for the nonprofit’s nutrition program, Ishii says they developed a homemade teriyaki sauce that many have tried — but failed — to replicate through the years.

“For the two weekends, we generally anticipate around 6,000 burgers for all four days,” Ishii said. “It’s a whole production, but not only for ourselves, but for all of the nonprofits in the community in general. Participating in Cherry Blossom is sometimes our only way of fundraising.”

Kimochi volunteers will grill about 6,000 signature Teri Burgers during this year’s Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival.

Couresty of Kimochi, Inc.

The festival is one of the biggest opportunities for many participating nonprofits to raise money toward its annual funds, and that’s why attendees will not see any commercial businesses selling food or other items within the festival proper during the celebration.

“I’m not sure of any other festivals that happen in the city where the food vendors are 100% nonprofit groups,” said Bradley Menda, the food bazaar committee co-chair for the Cherry Blossom Festival. “These are all community organizations making or serving specialty items that they’ve been doing for many, many years.”

As one of the busiest food tents each year, Ishii estimates that in one day, he has about 30 to 40 volunteers help at the Kimochi booth, located on Webster and Post streets. Besides the smoky aromas of barbecue patties billowing from Kimochi’s tent, there’s a rotating array of grillmasters flipping burgers and toasting buns. Others form an assembly line to top the sizzling patties with freshly chopped lettuce, tomato, onion and, of course, the secret teriyaki sauce.

“The secret sauce is doused over the meat. Our Teri Burgers are, we call it a sloppy burger, because there’s a lot of the teriyaki sauce that we put on there. That’s historically what everyone has craved,” Ishii said. “We’ve had some people come from Vallejo and just wait for us to start up. They’ll order like 10 to 20 burgers so that they can just take it home and have it amongst the family. So that’s nice, there’s a following for these burgers.”

Takoyaki, deep-fried rounds stuffed with savory octopus meat, are one street food item offered during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival.

Courtesy of David Adams

Besides the Teri Burger, festival attendees can expect a variety of sweet and savory eats such as Spam musubi from the Boy Scouts Pack and Troop 58, deep-fried gyoza and Oreos from the Japanese Community Youth Council, shaved ice and fried mochi from Kagami Kai , takoyaki from Soto Mission (Sokoji) and much more, so save room.

“The food, to me, it’s instrumental. The fact that people could either walk around and enjoy the festivities, the arts and crafts, the foods, the stage — it just gives them nourishment to see all of the festival,” Ishii said. “Every festival should have a food area. It’s a nice day and I think a lot of people want to stay and enjoy everything the Cherry Blossom festival brings.”

The 55th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival takes place over two weekends, starting on Saturday, April 9, through April 17 in San Francisco’s Japantown.

The post One among San Francisco’s most sought-after burgers returns for Japantown’s Northern California Cherry Blossom Pageant appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

EPCOT at Walt Disney World is about to get an extra spoonful of sugar.

On Sunday, Disney announced at the annual D23 Fan Expo that EPCOT, a centerpiece of Florida’s Walt Disney World, is undergoing a major overhaul in the next few years – as part of which a new attraction inspired by Mary Poppins is ready To become part of the Disney theme park universe.

Everett collection

Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek announced the announcement and outlined the planned plan for EPCOT, including an overhaul that will divide the park into four new neighborhoods – World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature and World Discovery. World Showcase will keep much of EPCOT’s DNA and will continue to focus on celebrating culture, cuisine, architecture and other countries around the world.

Disney

However, it will also welcome new attractions, including the chance to walk down Cherry Tree Lane, a new installation in the UK Pavilion. Guests visiting the pavilion can stroll down the famous street that first featured on screen in Mary Poppins’ 1964, complete with cherry trees in bloom and the flickering gas lamps that played an integral part in Mary Poppins Returns. Cherry Tree Lane will serve as the entrance to a new Mary Poppins-inspired attraction as guests stroll down the street, past Admiral Boom’s house and through the doors of the Banks family home, number 17, for a new adventure to start.

Disney

Disney brought some Mary Poppins magic to the announcement with a surprise appearance by Dick Van Dyke, who played as Chimney Sweep Bert in the original film (and made a cameo as Mr. Dawes, the bank’s owner in Mary Poppins Returns.)). Accompanied by an electric “step in time” performance from a very talented gig, Van Dyke took the stage to surprise the guests before Chapek made the Poppins announcement.

Van Dyke received the longest cheers and standing ovations of anyone on stage at the D23 Expo this year before making a few brief remarks about the legacies of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney. He called Disney “a creative genius who sees the world through a child’s eyes” and “came to the set every day … to bring out the child in you.”

The story goes on

Then Chapek made the announcement that one day he would be able to take the funny holiday guests with him.

Related content:

The post Iconic Cherry Tree Lane from Mary Poppins is coming to Disney’s EPCOT appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical by Cameron Mackintosh and Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) is an adorable stage version of the popular Disney film. Directed by Chapman Shields, the Freeland Center for the Performing Arts in Bristow, OK is presenting this musical as part of their Onstage at the Freeland series.

The large cast of mostly (15+) Bristow community members shows and proves that “anything can happen if you allow it”. Smart Moves are made by Shields and Company to cast professional actors in the two leading roles. Brooke Melton as Mary and Gavin Thomas Drew as Bert take the show from a fun community event to a professional theater production. Melton is fresh and neat, practically perfect as a magical nanny. She delivers her lines of dialogue with a mischievous shoulder shimmy, a cute gesture that gives this iconic character personality. Drew as Bert is the charming Cockney, with the strongest accent of any cast. He is the fourth wall breaker and narrator, and he dances and sings with infinite energy.

Lauren Reece as Mrs. Banks and Ethan Kel Hunter as Mr. Banks are dynamic and believable. Reece has a remarkable voice and a compelling stage presence. Hunter is strict and moving and serves as a turning point for the family. Reece remains the lovable wife, even if her husband is less lenient. Hunter also learns to rediscover the lost childhood.

Kara Stagier’s choreography is robust and makes good use of the stage, filling it with one iconic number after another. The tap dance is missing in “Step in Time”, probably the most breathtaking number in the Broadway version. Another disappointment comes in the second act, the supposed moment of magical discovery, when Mary Poppins opens her umbrella and flies away. But Mary doesn’t fly in this production. That scene is why people come to this show and it’s disappointing that this production doesn’t try. Budget and time constraints could be a factor, but it is worth doing whatever you can to get yourself into this scene and get it right.

Mary Poppins is nostalgic with his musical numbers and the ensemble pulls everyone off with a smile, creates unforgettable moments and ignites new ones. Melodies like “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” come to life on stage, and this line-up is vibrant and fresh. Carmen Bruner is a showstopper in “Feed The Birds” and Drew shines in “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”. Melissa Hall’s Music Direction is polished. All of the musical numbers, both familiar and new, are immensely entertaining and practically flawless.

Dakota Norman stands out as Von Hussler and Miss Andrew. The Banks children are portrayed calmly as Annie Grizzle as Jane and Wake Tidwell as Michael. Autumn Manus is crazy and animated as Mrs. Brill and steals every scene. Stacey Shields is strong and alive as the Talking Shop owner Mrs. Corry.

Rounding out the hard-working cast is Mackinsey Darrough as Katie Nanna & Nelus, Gary Daughtry as Parker Keeper, Jaxie Sargent as Miss Lark, Keith Symcox as Admiral Boom, Hunter Remington as Robertson Aye and Aaliyah Givings as Queen Victoria. John Tidwell is the chairman of the bank, Jessica Colbert is Miss Smythe, Patrick Lupp is North Brooke, Carly Junod is Fannie, Kendal Hurley is Annie, and Gabrielle Wilson is a chimney sweep.

Mary Poppins is a triumphant achievement in musical theater, and it is not without hard work and dedication that this theater company make it through. It’s two solid hours of great pieces of music that are well known to everyone in the audience. There are big footsteps out there, and this cast fills them in the most adorable way. This production is really an example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a common goal. What a beautiful community that must be! Bristow, Oklahoma puts on the map.

Disney musicals keep touching our hearts, teaching us about love for one another and reminding us that life is more exciting and precious when we look for the little things. Childhood is magical, and after a few minutes with Mary Poppins and the Banks family, we all feel like kids again.

Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical closed on June 26, 2021. Further information on the upcoming productions of the Freeland Center can be found on Facebook in the Freeland Center.

The post The Freeland Middle returns to Cherry Tree Lane with MARY POPPINS appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.