Everything Is Awesome: The "Lego Movie" Exhibit at Legoland

We're living in a Lego world, and that's just fine with the blogger kids. "The Lego Movie" was a big hit in the Franklin Avenue household, and our recent visit to Legoland and the Legoland Hotel (more on that in another post) was probably one of the best moments of their young lives.

One of the highlights from this most recent Legoland trip was visiting the actual Lego sets as seen in the live-action tail-end of the movie. Pivotal scenes and characters were also depicted in what would truly be the most amazing personal Lego collection of all times. (Hey listen, I can relate to Will Ferrell's character in the movie. I'd want to try and keep my kids from destroying this world as well.) Some other pics:



Entrance to the "Lego Movie" exhibit



Everyone loves 1980-something space guy. Here's his space ship!



A Wild West display, along with a stern warning like the one in the movie.



The ominous Octan tower.



One of the climactic scenes from the movie.



A sweeping view of Lego city.



Emmett's construction site.



Will Ferrell's work table.



The Lego Movie skyline.

Retro Friday: 'Tis the Season for Retro Christmas Spots

From 1977: This Christmas, give the gift of a Burger King doll! Um, thanks?



From 1980: Todd Bridges promotes Toys for Tots via a "Lollipop Dragon." Yes, you are hallucinating.



I saved the best for last. From 1984: Santa pimps a local 976 toll number (you know, the ones used mostly for sex lines back in the day) for kids to call and chat with the big guy. Creepy much, Santa?

Sig Alert in the World of Disney/Pixar's "Cars"

This is what happens when you let a 5-year-old watch the local TV news. A few days ago we watched a brief live report on KTLA-TV as a helicopter landed on a shut-down freeway to pickup a severely injured accident victim.

Cut to a few days later, when I caught the Blogger Kid re-enacting that news report -- with his Disney/Pixar "Cars" toys. (Poor, poor Mater.)

"Lost" in San Luis Obispo

They're getting a bit creative in the window of Tom's Toys in San Luis Obispo. Above, a re-creation of the "Lost" Flight 815 crash (via Playmobil toys), complete with polar bears.

Below, the toymeisters take "Jump the Shark" literally.

All I Want For Christmas Is A Play Figure In A Full-Body Cast

Here are a few real Playmobil toys we spotted at Tom's Toys in Montrose the other week. Not sure they scream "fun," but they definitely would make for some bizarre play sessions (imagine your toddler gently nursing his imaginary preemie baby back to health).


I'm not sure which is weirder: The seriously injured girl with multiple casts, or the premature baby stuck in an incubator.


She may be paralyzed from the waist down, but she still sports a smile!


Check out the facial expression on that evil nurse. Don't trust her, Beardface!

Get The Lead Out

Here's what I'm wondering: If major toy manufacturers can miss the lead in expensive toys that are part of massive, multi-million dollar licensing franchises (Diego, etc.), how can there not be lead in those cheap-o toys at places like the 99 Cents Only Store?

Above, a red wooden car I bought for Evan last year in Target's "One Spot." The price was right for a mindless impulse purchase -- but under the old mantra "you get what you pay for," did I get a big ol' lead-painted toy?

Angeleno of the Week: Mattel

Kids can't resist the delicious taste of lead paint. But, unfortunately, it's just not that good for them. Hence Mattel's decision to recall millions of toys last week. That's a lot of Dora the Explorer talking backpacks.

The El Segundo-based Mattel apparently wasn't keeping track close enough of its China-based toy manufacturers... and that's now gonna cost them millions of dollars. It's also hitting the Chinese toy industry hard.

For last week's big time lead-paint toddler toy scare, Mattel is our Angeleno of the Week.