PDA

View Full Version : Henson's NYC baskets delivered!!!!


guyricardo
05-23-2003, 01:36 PM
So we made a quick hit and run into NYC this morning. Well it felt quick to me. ;)

Anyway, I met up with Heidi, Jacqui and her friend Kate about 10 this morning. I was supposed to have printed out a Farscape and a Mupscape poster to take with us. Things unfortuantely didn't go well with my getting the posters printed, so we abandoned them for later, and drove in to deliver the baskets.

As it turns out the Jim Henson Co. is on a relativley quiet upper eastside street in what was once a beautiful townhouse. Well quiet except for the jackhammer going 24/7 on the street out back. It's totally unassuming, with no signage at all.

After a couple of trips around the block looking for parking, Jacqui decides to double park out front and just drop the baskets off. We unload the baskets, make sure everything is set and take some quick pictures right there on the sidewalk.

Kate volunteered to watch the cars (yep we had 2 cars), so Heidi, Jacqui and I run in with the baskets to drop them off and leave before the cops come by.

So we go in the front doors, and in the foyer is a display window with Kermit and Miss Piggy. Then through another door into the reception area. The guy behind the desk was most impressed when we walked in with all this stuff. I on the other hand was blown away that we were actually inside Henson's. :D

We asked for Twich's contact, but it turns out that she is in London. We basically told them who we were and why we were there, then Jacqui asked if she could take a couple pictures of the lobby, which has this amazing wall, with a mural of the muppets in a theatre (yep Waldorf and Stadtler in the balcony), with real theatre seats for guests.

By this time, we are met by Lauren Miller, who is the Art Director. I believe she basically does all the marketing. She too is blown away by the offerings of Scaper love, and offers to give us a quick tour, which, of course, we accept. :D Her office is right off the lobby, and has a large display case with lots of awards won by Sesame Street (and other Henson shows I'm sure).

She showed us some of the FarScape products coming up. A new calender, and 2 books (not sure what the books where, but maybe the jirls can clarify). So we have a nice little chat with Lauren, who takes our personal info, then we go back out into the lobby, and she asks to have our pictures taken with the gift baskets and the muppet wall, so that everyone (at JHC) can know what we scapers have done for them.

So after a few too many flashes in the face (I'm still seeing spots :goof: ), she offers to take us up though the rest of the building. Hmmm. Kate's still stuck outside with 2 double parked cars.

So we go out and see if we can do something about the cars, which we can't. I offer to relieve Kate and allow her to go in, but she says she's ok, and elects to stay with the cars. ((((Thanks Kate))))

So on with the tour. Upstairs to the second floor. The main wall there has a mural of the Muppet Show actually being filmed. Everywhere you turn throughout the building are pictures, models, figures, etc. of the muppets and other Henson creations. Labyrinth was well featured to both Jacqui and my delight. :D There where many pictures of Jim Henson throughout, and I swear I could feel his spirit in the building. And he was smiling of course.;)

From there we get taken up to the third floor. As I mentioned before, the building is a converted townhouse in a VERY nice part of town. There are four floors, with a large wooden spiral staircase going up the center. We never went up to the fourth floor, but here we are standing at the railing on the third floor, in what is a skylit 4 story atrium. Hanging the full height of the atrium, inside the spiral of the stairs, is a huge mobile, that IIRC was commisioned by Jim Henson. It featured many of Henson creations. Then Lauren points up, and shows us the skylight (also commisioned) which is stained glass featuring the surface of a pond, like we were toads looking up through the water at the world. Very cool. (Hopefully the pictures will do all of this justice)

Then we met one of the people that handles the development of all of the merchandizing figurines. I think her name was Julie, but I could be wr... Anyway, she was very happy to show them off, and she is obviously a big Farscape fan. She showed us a couple of Aeryn figurines (one from DNA mad scientist that was amazingly realistic), and a figurine of Natira with movable arms, legs and head.

From there, a woman they want us to meet is off the phone, and we head to her office. The woman happens to be Isabel Miller, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products Worldwide. She is also very nice, and was very welcoming. Everyone was of course very blown away by our gesture. Before we leave Isabel's office, she offers us all (Kate included) and thank you gift of Kermit watches. I'm still debating wether or not to give mine to my daughter.

OK, so we finally head out, accompanied by Lauren and Isabel. Everyone was very touched by our gifts, and Isabel made it a point to tell us that the goods would be distributed to those employees who contributed to Farscape. And that those in LA (Brian?) and London would be told of the gifts.

So Scapers, ya done good. And.....
THEY LIKE US, THEY REALLY LIKE US!!!!!!!!!!
:love: :joy: :love:
My head is still spinning trying to absorb it all. I'm sure I'll have more to say later after Jacquiand Heidi add thier reports. I'm also planning on creating a report webpage to host all the pictures that where taken.

Love and Peackeepers :)
Rick

DRD2001
05-23-2003, 01:40 PM
WOW!!!:eek4:

farscapefan4eva
05-23-2003, 01:55 PM
thats incredable, absolutly mind blowing, wow just wow. si i take it they liked them then :):aok: :finger: :D

DorothyGail
05-23-2003, 02:03 PM
Yaaay for you guys!!! Thank you for all your time spent in representing us!!!

uisceboo
05-23-2003, 02:04 PM
Wonderful report! Thank you! :D

Hey, I just heard on the radio that fines for doubleparking in manhattan have gone above $100 a pop -- good thing you watched the cars!

akimbo
05-23-2003, 02:12 PM
What a great story guyricardo! :thumbs:

Kate deserves many scaper hugs for watching the car. :love:

And no I'm not....well come to think of it, yes I am jealous! :D

trubador
05-23-2003, 02:33 PM
I'm sure they're getting a really good bribe from all this... I mean VIBE... :D

(that's what you call a "Fruoonium Slip")

AyuRocks
05-23-2003, 02:36 PM
OMG.. that totally rocks!!! Good job you guys!!

Ashley

Chaym
05-23-2003, 02:37 PM
It was so frelling cool!
I'm still bouncing off the walls from the trip. I can't stop
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce::bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
We got a tour! We got to meet "important folk." They took our picture with the baskets! As they're trying to find a camera, we're like, "You want pictures of us?!" :thud:

Like JadedLegend3 said, the office is in an old brownstone and was the home of a single person who must have been VERY well off. In the short hallway to the lobby is a glass enclosure within the wall. Kermit and Miss Piggy are there. Kermit's holding a sign that reads, "Sold." I nearly cried! :bawl:

The lobby, elegant, grand, to me, huge, though it is a smallish building, and a mural of the theatre from the Muppet Show. There's a set of movie theatre seats in front of it and that's where are pictures were taken with the baskets.

There's a spiral staircase with old style hot air balloons with the muppet figures in them that Jim Henson had commissioned. At the top, in the ceiling, is a stained glass skylight that he also had commissioned, making sure there was a lilly pad in there for "Kermit".

We got to see the conference room which looked like a dinning/ball room with dark wood furtniture, a grand piano with Jim Henson's picture above it, those 2 old guys from the Muppet Show are sitting in chairs nearby. And there was a whole set of bookshelves with the original tapes of all of Henson's work. It was like being in a shrine.

We got to see the Art Department, various offices, the woman in charge of the sculptures for the figurines. We held a Natira that will never be produced because the toy company didn't want to continue the line. She was showing us various bits and body parts and I actually asked, "You got John's bum in there?"

We got to see the 2 prototype covers for the Season 4 Comandium and the work in progess for the new calendar.

Oh, one worker who was moving to Alaska, gave us some extra (a huge stack) of the trading cards. And they gave us each a leather Kermit watch as thank you. OMG!!

And they took our names, addresses, email addys to make sure we got copies of the pictures and a proper thank you. They said they'd make sure the pictures got to Brian so he'd know how much support there is.

Everyone in that office was wonderful and so decidated to Farscape. Their favorite scuptor for the figurines is a HUGE fan and tries extremely hard to get the likeness just right.

They were so thrilled and flabergasted that we gave them baskets. And they swore that everyone would get to share in them. (It's a small office, so everyone will have a chance to get drunk today :-)

Edited to add that we pointed out how people from all over had contributed to the baskets. And how we wanted to make sure that each office knew how much we appreciated them and all their hard work.

And it really was all stunning. We're walking around pointing at the things Rick described, oooing and awwing. I felt like a tourist who'd forgotten her mambo shirt and zinc oxide.

...I'm remembering more and more...now...

The Art Director knew where I lived as her husband works in the same city. She kept telling everyone how far we, especially poor JadedLegend3 had travelled to get there. She just couldn't believe it. I think she was as amazed at us and the baskets as we were of simply being there. :thud:

O.K. I have to bounce some more.

:joy: :joy: :joy: :joy: :joy: :joy:

GeekedOut
05-23-2003, 02:38 PM
Rock on guys! What a thrill to get a tour of the Henson building! You guys deserve props and praise!

jadeshand
05-23-2003, 02:45 PM
That is wonderful!!! Just wonderful!!! I am so happy for you! <besides being eaten with jealousy!> :D

LJinx
05-23-2003, 02:45 PM
Wonderful news! Sounds like you had a great time. The place sounds absolutely amazing :)

LJ.

www.farscapecreate.com

Chaym
05-23-2003, 02:57 PM
I made a tuxedo card as the main "Congradulations" card. Here's what it said inside (pretend it's all nicely formatted, in a lovely font, and dark purple ink):

Congratulations

Mere words cannot adequately express how elated millions of Farscape fans worldwide are that the Henson family has bought their company back.
The Muppets have come back home.

There is Hope that Pilot, Rygel, John, Aeryn, Chiana, D’Argo and the rest will too.

All of us have grown up knowing who the Jim Henson Company is and experiencing the wonders placed before us. From Muppets in Space and the Muppet movies to Sesame Street and Bear in the Big Blue House to Farscape and beyond.

We were awed with each new production. We cheered with each new award.
We cried at the final scene of Farscape. And we promised that we’d always have Hope and fight for its future.

These gifts are but a small token of our love, appreciation, and support. Thank you for enriching our lives.

LJinx
05-23-2003, 02:59 PM
Originally posted by Chaym
It was so frelling cool! .......

.....We got to see the Art Department, various offices, the woman in charge of the sculptures for the figurines. We held a Natira that will never be produced because the toy company didn't want to continue the line. She was showing us various bits and body parts and I actually asked, "You got John's bum in there?"

........
.....Oh, one worker who was moving to Alaska, gave us some extra (a huge stack) of the trading cards. And they gave us each a leather Kermit watch as thank you. OMG!!

And they took our names, addresses, email addys to make sure we got copies of the pictures and a proper thank you. They said they'd make sure the pictures got to Brian so he'd know how much support there is.

Everyone in that office was wonderful and so decidated to Farscape. Their favorite scuptor for the figurines is a HUGE fan and tries extremely hard to get the likeness just right.

.........
And it really was all stunning. We're walking around pointing at the things Rick described, oooing and awwing. I felt like a tourist who'd forgotten her mambo shirt and zinc oxide.

...I'm remembering more and more...now...

The Art Director knew where I lived as her husband works in the same city. She kept telling everyone how far we, especially poor JadedLegend3 had travelled to get there. She just couldn't believe it. I think she was as amazed at us and the baskets as we were of simply being there. :thud:


Yay Chaym! Sounds like a lovely place to walk around and shame they didn't have John's bum, eh? hehe ;) The Kermit watches sound cool! (don't let the kids get it :D lol)

Thank you and everyone else who delivered for passing them on! :)

LJ.

www.farscapecreate.com

BritAngie
05-23-2003, 03:19 PM
Wow and you got a tour!! That's great guys!


Well done! :D

Chaym
05-23-2003, 03:26 PM
LJ, My watch is going in the china/display closet. Maybe oneday, I'll get lucky enough to have Brian Henson sign it...and then sell it on eBay ;-) <husband's idea>

During our tour and chat, the women, Art Director included, would also gladly divorce their husband's for John Crichton. :love:

LJinx
05-23-2003, 03:47 PM
Originally posted by Chaym
LJ, My watch is going in the china/display closet. Maybe oneday, I'll get lucky enough to have Brian Henson sign it...and then sell it on eBay ;-) <husband's idea>

During our tour and chat, the women, Art Director included, would also gladly divorce their husband's for John Crichton. :love:

Best place for it, chaym :D make a good talking point for any visitors ;) (ah but if you got it signed, would you be able to part with it? ;) )

lol, those women have taste :aok:

LJ.

www.farscapecreate.com

Dominar of Action
05-23-2003, 04:17 PM
Excellent! You guys worked so hard to put this together, it's great that you got such a reward :aok: I'm curious, though. Did you get the feeling they were expecting you? I know Twich had called ahead, but I wonder if the LA lady had also called and suggested they give y'all the red carpet treatment :D

Chaym
05-23-2003, 04:28 PM
They did know we were coming, but like JadedLegend3 said in the other thread, our contact person was in London (for a wedding in a castle no less.) Brian was in London as well and the Henson sister, Cheryl, that's alluded to work in NYC, actually hasn't been there in 2 years because she's been kept busy elsewhere.

They were actually shocked :eek: that the LA Scapers weren't let in and given a tour. They simply couldn't believe it.

So I don't really think they were told to give us the red carpet treatment. It honestly seemed like felt that is was the proper and nice thing to do.

Chaym
05-23-2003, 04:34 PM
Here's a picture. I was able to scan in the watch itself.

And you're right, I don't think I could sell it...unless of course it'd let me move out of NJ and buy a good house.

harveywhispers
05-23-2003, 04:35 PM
Great job all:aok:

Twich
05-23-2003, 04:42 PM
Just FYI, I told the NY contact that she didn't need to be there to meet you guys...after all it is a holiday weekend..and some started early. I just gave everyone a heads up that you were coming. And it was very well known throughout all of the offices that you were coming. I spoke with a lot of people in almost every office there.

And with regards to LA, they had no clue what to expect. I think had they known what we were dropping off (and not just some basket of fruit or something) that they would have probably let Tiriel and G in and given them red carpet treatment.

From what I gathered from the LA contact, she was going to be calling and letting them all know what was coming. (As I told her that we were doing almost the same thing as in LA and that the Scapers dropping off the packages were all coming from a commute way outside the city.)

So rest assured, they were very aware that you were all going to be there..(even despite the "contact" being out of the office) and even as late as this morning at 10 am I called and reminded everyone. They were probably very curious..and very surprised to see what you brought.

Good job everyone.

vikingscaper
05-23-2003, 04:51 PM
Awesome job everybody!!!:D :aok:

I-am-so-Johns-girl
05-23-2003, 04:52 PM
Congratulations on a very successful adventure.:aok: Thank you soooo much for all the hard work on the baskets, getting them delivered and representing all of us Scapers worldwide! :olympic:
Can I get a "Hell yeah" for the great group of Scapers? :joy: :joy:

VBKatLou
05-23-2003, 04:57 PM
Great job guys! :aok: Sounds like you represented us Scapers very well.

And a HUGE thankyou to Kate for making the supreme sacrifice of staying with the cars. Looks like we won't need a "HELP! GET ME OUT OF JAIL!!!" fund (yet :rollin: )

Those watches look TOO cool. Thanks for posting the pic Chaym.


guyricardo - forget the kid. Hang onto that watch! Maybe leave it to her in your will. :)

LJinx
05-23-2003, 04:58 PM
Originally posted by Chaym
Brian was in London as well and the Henson sister, Cheryl, that's alluded to work in NYC, actually hasn't been there in 2 years because she's been kept busy elsewhere.

<raises eyebrow> He was? Its possible he got to see the UK baskets then :D

and I like the watch, heh.

LJ.

JadedLegend3
05-23-2003, 05:08 PM
Hey all, I posted my report and all the pics over in the original thread! Check it out!

It was an amazing time, and a grand adventure!

Jacqui :love:


Oh, and Twich, they did ask for you but I said you were sorry, but unable to make it, hope that's okay!!!

Lagash
05-23-2003, 05:09 PM
Wow! :aok: Great job!
The watch is really cool.
Frank:D

aeryncrichton
05-23-2003, 05:31 PM
Fantastic, guys!!!

Scapers Rock!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Selena
05-23-2003, 05:57 PM
Chaym, JadedLegend3, Kate and GR you guys absolutely rule!:aok:
Thanks for the report it was awesome!:love:
:bounce::joy::bounce::joy::bounce::joy::bounce:

JA_Shipper
05-23-2003, 05:57 PM
Excellent job, gang. :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

May has certainly been Farscape month! And it just keeps getting better ... :D

Suse

Kerlin
05-23-2003, 08:22 PM
Excellent job :aok:

Moyas_Ghost
05-23-2003, 09:31 PM
Yes, everyone should stop by the original thread as suggested by Jadedlegend3. There are some great photos posted there now. This whole adventure sounds like such a great time - for both sides. Its very encouraging to hear about the positive feelings from the Henson folks. Thanks to all the people who took the time to deliver the baskets and our message to the various Henson offices.

Scapekid
05-24-2003, 03:54 AM
Unreal and awesome! Just adding my well...blatant jealousy for starters. :p

Aww, sweet! They like us!

Cariad,
Scape'

:jedi:

scrubschick
05-24-2003, 06:01 PM
Thank you so much for the blow-by-blow report, guys! You are utterly amazing and I'm in awe! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Frell! Why isn't there a Henson office in Columbus? :bgb: :bgb:

hugs and chocolate kisses!
scrubs :colors:

ajshipper
05-25-2003, 04:41 AM
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is so great that you received a tour of the Jim Henson Company in NYC.

Thank for sharing the story. Loved the Kermit watch.

May certainly has been a good month for Farscape!!!!!



:joy: :joy: :joy: :joy: :joy:

gurnemanz
05-25-2003, 03:34 PM
This is a great report, friends, and thank you for it!

I'm really looking forward to your photos and your web page.

In truth, I'm not surprised that we didn't get a "meet and greet" during the LA delivery. There was some sort of large-scale preparation meeting happening on the lot, and there would be reason to keep that secure.

People will do anything to get a shot at work in the industry, and many's the hour spent practicing your thirty-second-long "elevator pitch" if you're an ambitious writer. Since we don't all come color-coded for intent, how would Henson's know our intent?

Brian Henson probably expected some unsolicited screenplays hidden under the keg of Warsteiner. (D'oh!!! Why didn't I think of that *before*???? ;-))

That's how it is out here. The mean quotient of couth is, ummm, pretty mean. Virginia Hey has spoken about having fans peering over the walls of a loo stall at her, to see if she was really human.

Bravo to all!!! Well done!!!

HELL, YEAH!!!!

g.

ChloeandSam'smom
11-04-2006, 06:51 PM
I have twin baby girls aged ten months old. I wanted them to be exposed to this good stuff at a really young and early age! :)