Jolly Man in Red Makes Apparent Emergency Landing on Oregon Beach
 

 

 

     
 

Jolly Man in Red Makes Apparent Emergency Landing on Oregon Beach

Published 12/25/2009

(Lincoln City, Oregon) – T'was a rare event and a rarer still photographic opportunity, as Santa Claus made what appeared to be a brief emergency landing in the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon.

Saint Nicolas' unusual form of aircraft ran into some minor difficulties while zipping over the Pacific Ocean, which brought him to a slightly hard landing on a sandy beach on the central Oregon coast. Ye Olde Jolly One explained to reporters this was not a major problem and that at no time was he or the toys in any danger, but that these kinds of glitches occur all the time on routes around globe.

One such standout moment was the spring of 1999, just after the second “spring break riot” in Seaside, where a bunch of morons got rather unruly, did some fighting, a bit of vandalism, and the regional media played it to death., I was intrigued by the whole energy and possibilities of all this, and had been scheduled to meet with Astoria tourism officials a few days after. So I stayed in Seaside, hoping to catch onto something wild and wooly while still conducting business up north.

Santa expects no delays in delivering goodies, he said. Such sudden stopovers and glitches are part of the usual jaunts around the world, and they are factored into his schedule.

A spokesperson for the Lincoln City visitor’s center would not address rumors that Santa has a part time vacation home in the Lincoln City area, but she did say St. Nick is a regular on the central coast during the rest of the year – especially the “second summer,” which happens in September.

Reporters also quizzed him about celebrities that were especially naughty or nice this year.

“I cannot comment on the bad, very bad, celebrities this year, except to say there have been too, too many,” Santa said. “And most of them were good boys and girls at one time.

Santa did say on his especially nice list were Robert Fripp of band King Crimson, and the English band Manic Street Preachers. His reindeer apparently really enjoy Fripp’s surreal guitar stylings, and they often train during the year to heavier King Crimson material.

Manic Street Preachers deserved more this year because they finally came to the U.S. after a long absence. “God bless them for finally doing that after ten years,” he said.

At dinner, steaks, clams, fish, chorizo, pastas and dozens of intricate, gourmet dishes grace the menu, made with extravagant flair and creativity, often in the $20 - $30 range. Find delicacies like Surf ‘n’ Turf, Blackened Ahi, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Lobster Tails and chicken dishes, featuring interesting additions like stuffed mushrooms or Thai-influenced aspects, all creating the many layers of delirium. 4009 SW Highway 101. Lincoln City, Oregon. 541-994-1601 or 800-452-8127. (Fine dining, family, lounge).

The building began its life as a natatorium – a popular form of recreation in the early part of the century, where salt water was pumped into large pools and then heated. This heated public saltwater bath was one of several on the Oregon coast at the time. There was one in Newport’s Nye Beach and another big, fancy one on what is now known as the Bayocean Spit near Tillamook.

 

 

 

 

 

 
     

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