Our easygoing and neighborhood aura makes for a perfectly curated setting to enjoy our broad variety of Happy Hour specials available Monday-Friday every week. Switch up your after-dark agenda with our all-new late-night happy hour and late-night bites offered Thursday-Monday, perfect for late-night games and social gatherings. While enjoying a cold beverage, delicious food, and your favorite sports, we offer our guests a unique next-generation experience with our inventive menu of American tavern fare. Brick House Tavern + Tap is a relaxed, sports centric tavern with a seemingly endless assortment of hand-crafted cocktails and beers, paired with choices of quality appetizing tavern cuisines and snacks to enjoy. Pair that with sizeable patio space, open lounging available outside, and over 30 TVs, it's the perfect place to meet the crew over well-crafted drinks and delicious bites. My husband and I met friends for dinner last night and we had a wonderful time.
TAP HOUSE GRILL – PALATINE
The service was prompt, friendly, and all our needs were met. I enjoyed the grilled salmon which was perfectly cooked and my husband really enjoyed his tuna... We left a grad party and found we didn't eat that much at the party and its late on Sunday night. THANKFULLY a restaurant was open, Tap House Grill! Real good food at 10pm and very friendly staff... We offer a large selection of premium brews with over 30 selections to choose from all while enjoying your favorite teams on our panoramic view of 30+TVs, allowing you to capture every angle of every play.
GRILLED CALI CHICKEN CLUB
The food is always fresh and delicious! The menu changes on occasion so you can definitely find new favorites to try. The mahi mahi quesadilla is amazing! Service is great, and they have a friendly, clean environment. I love their wings & burgers, too! What's even better is that they offer burger bowls for those watching their carbs.
Here's The Latest Details On The Opening Of Boulder Tap House In Superior - B105 Country
Here's The Latest Details On The Opening Of Boulder Tap House In Superior.
I turned both Paige and Wonder Boy into Funko Pop. Just wish there were more fun customization features. After you’ve customized all the features of your very own Funko Pop you can choose from one of their brightly colored backgrounds. Just a few months ago, I wrote a post about the amazing Funko icon generator on the Funko’s Japanese website. This week, America’s Funko has released something similar.
Custom graduation funko pop figures
Once you complete the five steps above, your Pop is ready for manufacture. One last additional step allows you to put your figure into context by adding an appropriate background. To begin the steps outlined below, you must visit Funko’s Pop!
MALE BODIES for Customizing Funko Pop Figures
Follow @popandfigures on Twitter & Instagram. Click here to see more custom funko with free shipping included. Here is a selection of four-star and five-star reviews from customers who were delighted with the products they found in this category.
Custom Laser Etched Funko Popshield Armor
Figurine avatar of yourself in Microsoft Designer with just a few prompts. The program, which gives collectors the ability to create a customized Funko Pop of themselves. We provide a step-by-step guide on how to Pop Yourself online without having to visit Funko’s headquarters. Although I find the Pop Yourself generator lacking in all the things above I really do think it’s a great start. I can’t wait to see what Funko adds to in the upcoming months.
Since they're all over Twitter, here's exactly how you can make an AI Funko Pop of yourself - The Tab
Since they're all over Twitter, here's exactly how you can make an AI Funko Pop of yourself.
Yourself’ Builder finishes creating your customized figure, the company contacts you to collect your personalized figure in a tailored box. The personalized Funko Pops cost around 25 USD. However, for now, collectors can only make a Pop if they visit these kiosks. But, Funko is working to ensure that fans can do this from the comfort of their homes. As many know already, collecting Funko Pops has become a global trend in the pop culture and entertainment world. Funko, an incredibly successful toy brand, has produced multiple statues based on popular characters from comics, video games, movies, TV, and other fictional characters in the entertainment world.
They’re currently only available in the U.S., and they’re not returnable. If you’re not quite ready to make a purchase—or you’re planning to put it on your Christmas list, instead—you can still get in on the Pop! After you build your avatar, there are options to download the image file and share it on social media.
Custom celebrity NF. This custom Funko Pop comes with the option of a 4” or 6” clear display case with a background.
Figurine avatars that resemble their likeness by inputting details that match their specific features and style of dress. Getting as close as possible to your style of dress will generate the most authentic result. Is a brand centered around creating figurines that emulate popular characters and celebrities of all kinds.
Custom Funko Pop! Figures Are Available to Order Online - Mentalfloss
Custom Funko Pop! Figures Are Available to Order Online.
It’s called Pop Yourself, and according to Funko is a way to create a fun Pop avatar of yourself that can be used as your avatar across all their subscription services. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? Many sellers on Etsy offer personalized, made-to-order items.
CUSTOM Funko Phantom of the Opera Erik UNPAINTED
Each customized Funko Pop figure, born from the "Pop Yourself" initiative, comes with a price tag of $30. This cost covers the intricate details and personalization that goes into crafting a figure that uniquely represents you. To craft your very own personalized Funko Pop figure, simply navigate to the "Pop Yourself" section on the official Funko website. The entire point of the "Pop! Yourself" initiative is to allow fans to have a personal connection with their collection. It offers a unique blend of personalization and the fandom universe that only Funko can deliver.
Ashley is assistant editor for The Toy Insider, The Pop Insider, and The Toy Book with a Master's in journalism from Quinnipiac University. When she isn’t writing her latest story, she is reading a fantasy novel or rewatching one of her three favorite TV shows over and over again. She’s also a big fan of showing people pictures of her two dogs and cat.
There are also options to copy it to your clipboard, likely for pasting into Microsoft Designer, or to download it to your device for saving and sharing. If you’re not satisfied with your result, you can generate a new avatar with the same prompt or edit the prompt using the text bubble above. The generator has an option to the left that says Edit entire prompt.
If you wanted to use sculpting clay to add parts, go for it! It’s your custom so do whatever you want. If there’s text or really specific details that you aren’t able to paint on, you can easily buy a sticker paper and print the design you need onto that.
You have the chance to pick the hair, pants, color, and more characteristics of the figure. When you visit these kiosks, you must fill out order forms to get your piece selections. After completing the forms, you hand them over to the POP Factory counter to be processed. Finally, you will need to create an account to save your Funko. Try using a different browser or disabling ad blockers. I ended up having to remake this Pop as I messed up with painting and other little issues, those are addressed in the guide.
Real custom Funko Pops can be created via the ‘Pop Yourself’ link on their website. While the opinions for customizations are much more limited than the AI version, they are officially licensed Funko Pops, which users can purchase and get their hands on. Once created, these AI-generated Funko Pops can be shared with others by the ‘share’ button or by saving the image and sharing it that way.
Harry Pottery Inspired Funko Pop Box. Custom Funko Box Template. Digital Download PSD File
You can purchase the collectibles or design custom Funko Pop! The generator on the official website is limited, however, allowing you to pick from just a few clothing, accessories, and companion options. The original creator, Jake Cordova, removed it off his website so I uploaded it to my google drive. He did an amazing job and it’s very organized with all the layers (It’s a photoshop template but you can import .psd files to gimp I believe). After I created my design, I printed it out on presentation paper (I used matte but i’m sure semi gloss would match an official funko box more) and glued that on a preexisting box. For the plastic insert, if your pop doesn’t fit in it, you could easily just cut into it so the feet fit in or to create bigger headspace.
Extra - Eye Colour - Custom Funko POP
The Image Creator lets users create their own templates to generate images. One member made a handy template that allows users to fill out different descriptors to create their own custom Funko Pop, streamlining the process massively. There are nine descriptors to fill out, to make the custom Funko figurine your own, such as what the figure is holding or wearing and the text on the outside of the box. Funko Pop has its own customization tool that allows users to create custom figures for purchase, but it is not as detailed as the Image Creator’s renditions. It’s important to note that AI-created Funko Pops can not be purchased physically and are purely for fun. Pleganger costs $30, plus an extra $4 for each pet, and you can get started here.
Custom POP + Custom Box. Handmade Personalized POP
This allows you to remove aspects of the prompt that don’t apply to you or edit the prompt to your exact specifications. Retaining some of the details of the original prompt, I tinkered with the prompt a few times and my results were impressive. It generated outfits that looked like they came directly from my closet.
Step 3: Select your signature Hairstyle.
Pricing for this delightful experience is set at $30. The initiative has launched on both Funko.com and in physical locations at Funko Hollywood and Funko Everett. It is every collector’s dream to have their Pop standing alongside other famous figures. This dream can become a reality, especially for those living near the headquarters, accessing the mini-factories.
Turn Yourself Into A Funko POP: Custom Figures Now Available To Order Online - SlashFilm
Turn Yourself Into A Funko POP: Custom Figures Now Available To Order Online.
Once you have a body type that best represents you, it’s time to work on the facial appearance. There are different faces you can choose from, including those with eyebrows or facial hair. It will help to select a face type that will make the figurine look much like you.
How to make your very own AI custom Funko Pop - indy100
However, due to its roaring success and consistent demand, Funko decided to bring this experience to the online world, aptly naming it Pop! In a previous generation, I forgot to remove one aspect and the prompt included a hunter green sweater, a black leather jacket. The results included green shirts with black leather jackets, green leather jackets with gold trim, and black leather jackets with gold and green trim. So, try to double-check your prompts as best as you can, but there is also the opportunity to get creative with your prompts. Figures for just about every character imaginable, but now you can make one of yourself. In fact, there’s an easy way to generate a Funko Pop!
There are also only a few outfits to choose from. Yourself is still in Beta, I’m sure in time this will be really cool as the company continues to add ways to customize your Funko Avatar. I decided to document the process I went through when making Spider-Deku. It’s just Spider-Man and Deku doing the fusion dance basically. It was inspired by theheroartist’s (He’s on Instagram) Spider-Deku pattern he made for cosplay.
If you didn’t make a render for your pop, you could easily just take a picture of the finished custom on a blank background and then trace out the pop on the computer and use that. The sky's the limit when it comes to customization options for your Funko Pop figure. With a myriad of combinations up for grabs, you can tweak everything from facial features and clothing to an assortment of pop culture-centric accessories that span a wide range of fandoms. Click here to see more create your own funko pop with free shipping included. Toy collector blogger with 3+ years collecting funko pops. Believe it's okay for adults to collect toys and want to reduce the stigma.
After you generate your image, if you’re not satisfied, you can return and generate the image again, which can create a different version of the same prompt. Create your own AI-generated Funko Pop with Microsoft Image Creator in seconds. Here’s a quick guide on making a personalized custom figure. While there are many options already available to use for customization, Funko says that entertainment, sports, and music collaborations are expected next year to make your Pop!
While many of the items on Etsy are handmade, you’ll also find craft supplies, digital items, and more. Yourself has been the number one in-store offering that is sold at the two Funko retail locations in Everett, Washington, and Hollywood California. Figures generate about 20% of each of the store’s overall sales since the start of the Pop!
This unique program offers customers the chance to design and create personalized Funko Pop figures that resemble themselves or their loved ones. While AI-generated imagery is nothing new, with tools like Stable Diffusion, Dall-E, and Adobe Firefly, Microsoft’s option only became popular as a viral social media trend sprung up. It started gaining popularity when multiple users on Twitter began creating Funko Pop versions of themselves and sharing them on the platform. Unlike some AI image generation tools, Microsoft’s Image Creator is free for those with a Microsoft account. The Microsoft Designer prompt is based on OpenAI’s Dall-E 3 text-to-image AI generator and allows for a little more creativity in terms of creating figurines. Users have been able to create Funko Pop!
A typical family only focuses on the high temperature forecast when looking at the weather data for the week. This is because you normally are planning your day and focusing on what attire you should be wearing for the conditions. It is very rare to focus on the low forecast during the warmer months of the year.
How to Choose the Best Whole House Fan for Your Home
Opening statements will start Monday in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Police described the materials as "like a conspiracy-theory type of pamphlet." A man who set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway has died, police said. There are many reasons why installing a whole house fan in your home makes sense.
Vornado 610DC Energy Smart Medium Air Circulator
A fan won’t work if the hot air doesn’t have an easy way out; without adequate ventilation the fan may force hot air down on you! If you don’t want to install additional venting, it may make sense to stick with a smaller fan. During our tests, we were impressed by the Vornado's range, with a claimed airflow of 70 feet.
Q. Are whole-house fans effective at cooling?
It also has a two-speed remote control that allows for wireless adjustments. And it features rubber bushings to reduce noise and vibration even further. Unfortunately, “wireless” does not mean Wi-Fi—there isn’t an app to control this fan from a phone or tablet.
Advanced Whole House Fan
In addition to indoor ceiling fans, you can purchase models specifically designed for outdoor use on porches or under pergolas. These models don’t move as much air as standard fans, but they tend to run quieter, so they can be run all night. Like standard fans, these units are usually installed in a hallway, but some smaller models are specially designed to fit in between or around existing trusses or joists to make installation easier. Depending on the severity of your summers, a fan can work as an efficient pre-chiller before you switch on your air conditioner, or even as your sole source of cooling. Thanks to its powerful 3,945 CFM airflow, this fan is capable of cooling two-story homes up to 3,400 square feet in size.
Window fans sit in window frames, similar to air conditioning units. However, they use less energy and are easier to set up compared to window AC units, experts told us. They bring in cold air from outside, and they’re often more effective than traditional fans at cooling larger spaces. Keep in mind that window fans need to be removed when it gets cold out and can cause leaks when it rains.
With an Advanced Whole House Fan, you are able cool your home while improving the indoor air quality to create a cool and comfortable environment. A properly sized Advanced Whole House Fan completely exchanges the air volume inside the home every 3 to 4 minutes. They move air around to keep rooms cool — during colder months, you can often reverse the airflow to circulate warm air as well.
Pedestal Fans
Comfort is essential for every home and our products offer it with a constant and clean current of fresh air. The Roof Mount Whole House Fan Series is our newest and most exciting line of whole house fans. With multiple applications, you can now experience all the benefits of our revolutionary whole house fan with little to no attic space.
Did House Of The Dragon Stars Just Debunk A Gruesome Fan Theory About The Greens In Season 2? - CinemaBlend
Did House Of The Dragon Stars Just Debunk A Gruesome Fan Theory About The Greens In Season 2?.
In fact, this fan typically uses about 200 and 700 watts, compared to a central air conditioner which pulls 2,000 to 5,000 watts. A whole house fan is highly effective in keeping the air in your home fresh and free of allergens. Whole house fans, on the other hand, pull stale indoor air upwards and out the top of the house through attic vents.
Larger fans do tend to be a bit noisier though, so keep that in mind, as well. You should also remember that some whole house fans will require an electrician to wire them up, which will need to be included in your overall budget. The Vornado 610DC Energy Smart Medium Air Circulator looks like a swanky white version of our top pick. But its DC-powered motor and continuously variable speed dial are what really set this fan apart; together they give you complete customizable control over the 610DC’s power, volume, and energy use.
Vornado also offers a retro, vintage-looking fan that has an adjustable tilted head so you can easily change the direction of airflow. Built with an 8-hour timer, this fan comes with a hidden handle you can grip when moving it around your home. The fan’s touchscreen display also allows you to easily switch between modes.
But that’s not the case with the Dreo Fox One, which performed comparably to our top pick. An attic or whole-house fan is a very simple design, and users can expect to get around 15 years of use from a fan before having to replace it. The belt dampens much of the chatter and vibration, as long as the belt is in good working condition. There are four main types of whole-house fans, and they differ in several ways.
Bathroom Ceiling Fan Blamed For House Fire In Manchester Township Gated Community: Police - Daily Voice
Bathroom Ceiling Fan Blamed For House Fire In Manchester Township Gated Community: Police.
We have the ultimate line up of residential fans including whole house fans, smart attic fans, solar attic fans and garage fans. Quality cooling fans can help you reduce the temperature in a room and make your family and guests feel comfortable on hot and humid days. The best cooling solutions for your home are products that highlight energy savings, efficiency and style. This picture shows the air quality in the home after running a whole house fan for 10 minutes.
Another good midsized option, this Quietcool model is capable of delivering 4,195 cubic feet of air per minute and is appropriate for homes up to 2,250 square feet. Its brushless motor is a feature we always appreciate, and will last longer and work more efficiently than brushed versions. A separate control panel features an easy to read LCD screen, which shows the desired temperature as well as the actual temperature, and allows you to set timers and alarm warnings. It also gives the option of choosing between 10 speed settings, which is considerably more than similar options.
This Finch’s introduction to the eastern United States marked the beginning of a significant range expansion. Over the decades, it has spread across North America and is now one of the most widespread and abundant bird species on the continent. With its distinctive rosy-red plumage, the House Finch is a familiar sight at bird feeders and city parks. It can also live in orchards, riparian zones, and parklands with conifers and ornamental trees. Both finches mainly eat seeds, berries and other plant matter, mixed with some insects and invertebrates in the breeding season.
What’s the difference between a female House Finch and a female Purple Finch?
If you’re hoping to attract Purple Finches to your birdhouses, you may have some difficulty as these birds prefer to nest in places like tree limbs and shrubs. They’re more widespread in the eastern U.S. during the non-breeding season but become less common as you move west. House Finches prefer to build their nests in more urban settings, such as on building ledges or in hanging planters right outside your home.
Similar SpeciesPine Siskin
Consuming seeds, insects, and various plants, their diet further showcases their adaptability to different environments. In this article, we’re going to explain the differences between House and Purple Finches and give you some surefire ways to tell them apart. With their similar colors and patterns, House Finches and Purple Finches are hard to differentiate. The male is the primary vocalist, and its song is a rich, musical warble that often contains a series of phrases. The song is sweet and can be quite complex, with a mixture of trills, twitters, and sweeter notes.
Susceptible to House Finch eye disease, an illness that gives them swollen eyes and leaves them lethargic. If sick birds are seen around feeders, remove feeders and clean with diluted bleach solution to reduce spread. Note plain mostly brown face pattern without pale stripes; also the notched tail. Often numerous at feeders, especially where black oil sunflower is offered.
House Finch or Purple Finch? Here's How to Tell Them Apart - National Audubon Society
House Finch or Purple Finch? Here's How to Tell Them Apart.
Residents of the East usually don’t, but those in the West can move to lower elevations during the cold season. The purple finch’s call note is softer and resembles a ‘pik’ or a ‘tek’. On the other hand, the house finch’s call is louder and also longer, and it resembles a ‘chirp’. Male House Finches also boast red hues with brown streaks, but it’s more of a rosy color on the face and throat.
Purple finches live year-round along the Pacific coast and in the Great Lakes region and in the Northern parts of Canada’s forests. These birds are not territorial, but they do tend to live together in flocks. In terms of house finch nesting habits, they tend to nest close together along with the rest of their community. If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, you probably saw an adult male house finch. But there are several significant differences in terms of finch colors between the two species. Besides their physical appearance, you can make the difference between house finches and purple finches based on how they behave.
In winter they migrate as far south as Florida, but they don't typically visit the Interior West at any time of year. To see each bird's range, visit our online field guide, or download our free Audubon bird guide app. House finches live in the continental parts of the United States and along the Canadian border, and they do so yearlong. Most don’t migrate from these areas unless the weather is really bad. A red headed finch can be found in small conifers, but in many urban centers, too.
Nesting
The females of both of these finches are not colorful like the males. Instead, both are predominantly light brown with streaky plumage. The House finch doesn't just live in houses and shares large portions of its range with the Purple finch, which is not really purple at all! Both are of similar color, and both belong to the same genus Haemorhous. But, there are some telltale differences between these two birds if you know what to look for.
Ohio Hummingbirds – One Usual Species + Rare…
The House Finch also has a similarly notched tail but with a moderately longer tail, contributing to a similar overall tail shape. Originally native to the western United States and Mexico, the House Finch was introduced to the eastern United States in the early 1940s. A small population was released in New York City, and from there, the species rapidly expanded its range.
Both birds are drawn to feeders, and Trina suggests filling them with unhulled black oil sunflower seeds. Before its expansion throughout the U.S., the house finch was native to the Southwest and was acclimated to an open, arid habitat. Purple finches are migratory, so they travel south to the Eastern parts of the United States when the cold comes to Canada and the West coastal regions of the US. They are particularly social during the winter when they form flocks composed of up to 200 birds.
Partners in Flight have a more conservative estimate of around 40 million birds. The shape and proportion of the species is another factor that will assist you in distinguishing between them. While they do enjoy seeds and fruits, they also feed on insects like beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and aphids to supplement their nutrition. Besides the length difference, you may be able to see that the bodies of House Finches are more slender, while Purple Finches are more stout and chunky. Like House Finches, Purple Finches will happily come to your bird feeder.
Female purple finches have white markings on a generally gray to the brown body, whereas female house finches have a muted gray brown coloration without any streaks or markings. The females differ too, even though to an untrained eye, they can look very similar. Female purple finches have dark cheek patches and a white streak over their eyes — something that you aren’t going to find in female house finches.
They can do this to owls and hawks but, in desert habitats, are especially concerned with snakes, including the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. One study of marked House Finches showed that a large number of adult birds were five years old, and a fair number were six years of age. The average size of both species is six inches in length but the Purple Finch weighs a bit more.
Please inform Amargosa Opera House & Hotel of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation. I admit that I was not paying much attention as I was walking all over trying to get good shots in the short time we were in there.
Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: The "Mutes"
Of course, a filling station enabled them to tend to the damaged tire. Becket's choice to depict a 16th century Spanish court complete with king and queen plus a host of colorful patrons was inspired by the period Spanish Colonial style of the building. Jewel-like colors portray an array of distinctively stylized nobility, bullfighters, Catholic clergy, peasantry, gypsies and ladies of the night said to be modeled after some of the area's local brothel hostesses. A vignette suggests the flirtation of a young suitor caught in the act of dropping down a secret proposition tied to a string oven braided flowers to a would-be lover. In another, two rather exoticized native peoples of the New World wrestle for the make-believe audience perhaps as a side entertainment between an imaginary operatic performance. The entire trompe l'oeil covering three walls took Becket fours years to complete.
Latest Entertainment & Arts
When our 15 minutes were up, we walked out, and the magical opera house was locked behind us. Sign up for our newsletter to get unique arts & culture stories and videos from across Southern California in your inbox. The building was modern for its day and included central cooling and heating and skylights in all the bathrooms and throughout the building. "It’s one of the park’s most photographed viewpoints and a busy spot at sunset."
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Take that with a grain of salt, but all of you ghost hunters out there should check it out and report back in the comments. The first thing I did was head into the hotel, which is a historic building in California. Death Valley National Park has a ton of amazing natural wonders in its vast expanse; however, for man made attractions, it is hard to beat the crazy, fun Amargosa Opera House. Located on the eastern outskirts of the park, this hotel and fully functional opera house are a must-stop on any visit to the park from the east side.
CTG Artistic Director Snehal Desai and Managing Director Meghan Pressman lay out a tentative road map for recovery, including the reopening of one of the city’s most important stages. Opotowsky was remembered for his dry wit that at times leaned acerbic. He had a soft spot for practical jokes and an even softer spot for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his son said. He loved horseback riding, fox hunting and trying different restaurants, he said. Please note that all special requests cannot be guaranteed and are subject to availability upon check-in. As far as haunted goes, the women who took us on the tour said that she has heard and seen ghosts on two separate occasions.
Amenities of Amargosa Opera House & Hotel
By midsummer, a destructive flash flood had swept through the compound leaving it deluged by a foot of mud. Yes, thanks to the vision of New York dancer Marta Beckett who fell in love with the 1920s colonnaded adobe building when her car broke down nearby in 1967. For decades she entertained the curious with dance, music and mime shows. Marta sadly passed away on January 30, 2017 but visiting performers continue to keep her legacy alive. Each part of the mural has a story to tell – from the Native American performers in the bottom alcoves, to the 16 ladies on the ceiling playing antique musical instruments, to the gypsies and artists making merry while ignoring the performance on the stage. Marta’s vision was to create a world of the past, in keeping with her repertoire of classical dance and pantomime, which originated in the courts of the de Medicis and King Louis XIV.
ALL THINGS DEATH VALLEY JUNCTION
One or both of the rulings have been cited as precedents in a slew of high-profile proceedings, including those related to the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing, the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting and Martha Stewart’s perjury case, Bernstein said. Opotowsky was a top editor at the Riverside Press-Enterprise when the paper brought two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court that resulted in landmark rulings advancing the public’s right to view certain legal proceedings. He was later a founding board member of the First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the free press and preserving access to government records and meetings. Opotowsky died April 18 at Claremont Manor retirement community, where he lived with his wife, Bonnie Opotowsky, according to their son, Didier Opotowsky. He said his father’s cause of death is not certain, and that he had Parkinson’s.
Attached at the northeast end of the colonnaded, U-shaped structure stood Corkill Hall, a quaint recreational center with a built-in stage where dances, weddings, movies, church services and other community events had taken place years ago. While her husband was tending to the flat at the service station, Becket found herself drawn to the building that had been constructed the same year she was born. Her legendary story is not only the subject of the Emmy-winning documentary "Amargosa" (2000), but one that fans from across the globe have sought out here in the desert for years now. Perhaps as recently as 300 years ago, molten lava came in contact with groundwater, steam pressure built up underground and the earth exploded in a massive volcanic belch.
Born on August 9, 1924, in New York City’s Greenwich Village, creatively precocious Martha Becket began studying ballet at age fourteen—considered a late start in the professional dance world—through encouragement and support from her somewhat overbearing mother. Naturally talented, she began dancing professionally during her early twenties with the corps de ballet at Radio City Music Hall and later on Broadway in three popular musicals including Showboat. Well before the dance lessons of her teenage years, the young Martha (she later changed her name to “Marta”) was instructed in a variety of other classic visual and performing arts including painting, drawing and piano. Her life infused with art, dance and music have continued for nearly ninety years now. Her ballet and pantomime bring Old World culture to a place where one would least expect it -- providing a conduit and glimpse into a live entertainment tradition that is largely forgotten. The entire appeal is strangely beautiful, somewhat odd but in the most surprisingly wonderful way.
After traveling to and from Las Vegas, the very next day they met with the town manager and secured the lease of the theatre for $45 a month plus repairs. The two straightened out their affairs back east over the next few months, returning to Death Valley Junction on Marta’s forty-third birthday, August 9, 1967. They promptly began the renovation of the Amargosa Opera House—rechristened in honor of the original settlement whose name translates as “bitter” in Spanish for the area’s surrounding alkali springs. During one tour, the couple decided to camp between shows for a week at the Furnace Creek Campground in Death Valley National Monument. The year was 1967, and the interest for performance programs of her ilk was dwindling due to the profound upheaval in 1960s popular culture. Colleges, universities and community halls where she performed regularly over the previous years were now more interested in booking burgeoning rock ’n’ roll acts, spoken word and other hip happenings of the time.
Legal proceedings ensued, eventually forcing the "gun-toting" manager (who on one occasion brandished his firearm at a concerned, highly respected area resident dropping in to check on Becket's welfare) to cease all activities and vacate the property for good. Born on August 9, 1924 in New York City's Greenwich Village, creatively precocious Martha Beckett began studying ballet at age considered a late start in the professional dance world -- through encouragement and support from her somewhat overbearing mother. Her life infused with art, dance and music has continued for nearly 90 years now. Although Marta largely stopped performing by 2012, at the age of eighty-eight, she has appeared live on stage a few times since.
By early February she was teaching local children ballet and also performing for the tiny community. By midsummer a destructive flash flood had swept through the compound leaving it deluged by a foot of mud. "A fortuitous flat tire" came after a fortune teller's prophecy that suggested the letter A loomed large on Marta Becket's personal horizon. Once in a lifetime experience awaits you in a tiny town known as Death Valley Junction, for this is the home of the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel. For more than 40 years, Marta Becket has lived and shared her art and dreams with those fortunate enough to find this wonderful and magical place. Located a few miles west of the California-Nevada border, near Death Valley National Park, no journey to this part of the world would be complete without a visit to this unique and inspiring destination.
The creek is home to the Salt Creek pupfish, a 2-inch/-long fish that lives nowhere else. As its watery home changed from freshwater to salt water, the pupfish evolved to survive in its new environment. The fish’s evolutionary change would be roughly the same as if humans decided to drink petrol instead of water. Not only that, but the pupfish has the ability to survive in water from near-freezing temperatures to almost 42°C.
While Marta was sweeping the muck out of the opera house, she conceived of her plan to paint a Renaissance courtly audience on its walls—even if a live audience was not present, a fantasy assemblage could be forever regarding her as she performed. Shortly thereafter, the couple acquired scaffolding from Las Vegas and she began to paint the opera house’s interior by the end of 1968. Her legendary story is not only the subject of the Emmy-winning documentary Amargosa (2000) but one that has captured the imagination of fans from across the globe. While Becket was sweeping the muck out of the opera house, she conceived of her plan to paint a Renaissance courtly audience on its walls -- even if a live audience was not present, a fantasy assemblage could be forever regarding her as she performed. Shortly thereafter the couple acquired scaffolding from Las Vegas and she began to paint the opera house's interior by the end of 1968.
No trip to Death Valley would be complete without a visit to Badwater, the lowest point in the North America, which tips the altimeters at 282 feet below sea level. Its vast expanse of salt flats and salty puddles were a terrible disappointment to thirsty emigrants who crossed this desert in the 1800s in search of a better life. The salty puddles—which can become large ponds following a big storm, are all that remain of a lake that was more than 600 feet deep hundreds of thousands of years ago.
In March 1967, on hiatus from touring her one-woman show across America, Marta Becket and her husband came to Death Valley Junction to repair a flat tire at the gas station, located across the street from the complex. While exploring the abandoned buildings, Marta peeked through a hole in the back door of Corkill Hall, the town’s old social hall, to find a room in terrible disrepair. Wooden floors were caked with muddy remains from floodwaters and walls were streaked with rust colored stains from the leaking roof. Marta later recalled that the building spoke to her, saying, “Take me. ” She tracked down the property manager and inquired about renting the space and was told it could be rented for $45 per month as long as she was responsible for all repairs.
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Night temperatures can get to below freezing and the air is extremely dry with humidity at 10% or less. Winter rains are common but depend on the year’s rainfall (weather is so changeable that predicting this can be difficult). Although the rooms are understated and simple, guests can expect soft, fluffy towels and crisp bed-linens for a very comfortable night's sleep.
How far is Amargosa Opera House & Hotel from the center of Death Valley Junction?
Colleges, universities and community halls where she performed regularly over the previous years were now more interested in booking burgeoning rock 'n' roll acts, spoken word and other hip happenings of the time. While some ballet dancers may dream of performing in front of adoring throngs in New York or Paris, others are drawn to settings with decidedly lower wattage. In 1967, the New York dancer, who had performed on Broadway and at Radio City Music Hall, dreamed of having her own place to create and perform her works. In July of 1968, Marta began a massive project of painting a 16th-century royal audience on the walls, each with a different face.
The history of Death Valley's Amargosa Hotel and Opera House - Fox 5 Las Vegas
The history of Death Valley's Amargosa Hotel and Opera House.
Beyond these maintained areas, the town of Death Valley Junction is almost a ghost town. The single restaurant, the Amargosa Cafe, was formerly operated by the Opera House and Hotel, but is no longer open. The Opera House continues Marta's legacy of celebrating art in the desert with creative acts in an inspiring venue.
King, queen, royalty, nobility, bullfighters, monks, nuns, American Indians, ladies of the night—all attend the show. The audiences even have complex stories such as the “group of royal children tended by a governess who is being courted by a gentleman seated in the balcony above.” It took Marta four years to complete the murals… then she started on the ceilings. As the tire was being repaired, Marta Becket wandered through the town. One building seemed to be calling her in particular, an old miners’ hall that had been built by Pacific Coast Borax Company in the 1920s. As Ms. Becket peeked through a hole in the back door, she immediately envisioned a theater of her own. Having wearied of staying afloat financially and emotionally in metropolitan New York City, the couple decided to inquire whether or not they could rent the theater outright that same afternoon.
McClintock’s personal connection to Marta and the Amargosa Opera House is truly remarkable. At age six, while traveling with her family in Death Valley, she was able to attend a performance of Becket in 1982. Little Jenna left so utterly mesmerized by Becket’s performance that she soon enrolled in a ballet academy, eventually performing professionally for twenty-five years, both regionally and nationally. Although Becket largely stopped performing by 2012 at the age of 88, she has appeared on stage live a few times since. In 2013, it was revealed publicly that an unscrupulous manager was allegedly not only bilking the nonprofit organization established in 1973 to help protect the property and Becket's legacy, but also mistreating Marta herself. Eventually concerned supporters came to her aid along with Inyo County Adult Protective Services due to the reports of elder abuse.
Ashley Lee is a staff reporter at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes about theater, movies, television and the bustling intersection of the stage and the screen. An alum of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Critics Institute and Poynter’s Power of Diverse Voices, she leads workshops on arts journalism at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. She was previously a New York-based editor at the Hollywood Reporter and has written for the Washington Post, Backstage and American Theatre, among others.
Spotlight: Death Valley National Park
Today, the 16-room Amargosa Hotel welcomes travelers year round from all over the world. To ensure guests are able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the beautiful desert surrounds (including some of the darkest night skies in all of North America), the rooms do not have TVs or phones. “I went to visit this fortuneteller in New York, and she said, ‘You will be leaving New York for a very rural place, and you will be doing the best work of your life in this place,’” recounts Marta. Soon thereafter, needing a break from touring the country, she and her husband decided to go camping in Death Valley. Although the building was in disrepair, she and her husband rented the property the next day for $45 a month and renamed it the “Amargosa Opera House.” After months of fixing up the building, Ms. Becket debuted her first show on February 10, 1968.
Built between 1923 and 1925, the rooms were originally used to accommodate visiting investors of the mining company. When mining officially moved from the area in 1928, the Amargosa Hotel was remodeled and opened to the public. Although its construction was never finished, the castle is filled with hand-wrought iron and tile, custom-made furniture and extravagant antiques and tapestries. A highlight is the Chimes Tower, which contains a set of 25 carillon chimes that were set to play on the quarter-hour. The Scotts’ also had a 1,121-pipe theatre organ installed in their music room. Its melodies entertained their A-list house-guests—Betty Grable, Will Rogers and Norman Rockwell.
Sadly, in 2013 it was revealed publicly that an unscrupulous manager was not only bilking the nonprofit organization established in 1973 to help protect the property and Becket’s legacy, but also mistreating Marta herself. Eventually, concerned supporters came to her aid along with Inyo County Adult Protection Services, due to the reports of elder abuse. Legal proceedings ensued, eventually forcing the “gun-toting” manager (who on one occasion brandished his firearm at a concerned, highly respected area resident dropping in to check on Marta’s welfare) to cease all activities and vacate the property for good.
Jenna continues to perform in the area with Tecopa’s Teatro El Grande and, on occasion, at the opera house. Her ballet and pantomime bring Old World culture to a place where one would least expect it—providing a conduit and glimpse into a live entertainment tradition that is largely forgotten. The entire appeal is strangely beautiful if somewhat odd—but in the most surprisingly wonderful way. After taking over the theater, Becket and husband began the laborious chore of cleaning and repairing the space. Tom repurposed metal coffee cans into stage lights and extended the tiny stage a few feet. By early February of 1968 she was teaching local children ballet and also performing for the tiny community.
