Saturday, August 8, 2009

Jelly Belly

Don's a fan of Jelly Bellies, so he suggested we go to the factory and take a tour, since we're in the neighborhood (Fairfield, CA). I found lots of things to take pictures of, but when we saw the line going out the door waiting for a tour, we decided it was time to go home and shine the motorhome a little more. It's probably because kids are out of school for the summer. A Friday afternoon probably wasn't the best timing, either.

Anyhow, I thought you might enjoy these few photos and fun facts. The name Jelly Belly was inspired by the rhyme with Leadbelly, a 1920s blues singer.

Mr. Belly himself greets everyone near the main entrance.
From Jelly Belly


Don liked the Jelly Belly Bug. There were also a minivan (in photo), a truck and a truck/5th wheel that I didn't get photos of.
From Jelly Belly


How about a Jelly Belly motorcycle?
From Jelly Belly


From Jelly Belly


Everyone knows Ronald Reagan was a great fan of Jelly Bellies. Here's his image made up of JB's. I'm not sure if this is a copy or the original, but the web site says, "A portrait of President Ronald Reagan made from 10,000 Jelly Belly beans hangs in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif."
From Jelly Belly


Also on the web site, "During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Jelly Belly beans were served in the Oval Office and on Air Force One. A holder was designed for the plane so the jar of Jelly Belly beans would not spill during turbulence." For more fun facts, go to www.jellybelly.com/fun_stuff/fun_facts.aspx

The store sells everything imaginable with Jelly Belly as the theme.
From Jelly Belly


They even hang above your head as you browse around.
From Jelly Belly


There's Jelly Belly jewelry -- notice the prices! You'd think they were made of precious gemstones.
From Jelly Belly


Jelly Belly shirts ($40 and up), aka Beanware apparel.
From Jelly Belly

This one is pretty cool, especially if you're in competition with Lance Armstrong.
From Jelly Belly


But we finally got a break from all this when we saw the Dreyer's Ice Cream bus parked outside, giving rides to those who parked in remote lots.
From Jelly Belly


At least we're finding a way to entertain ourselves since we didn't get to make the trip to Alaska this summer, due to Don's knee surgery. Our friends Dennis & Carol Hill (RV Driving School) went without us and are writing a blog with lots of terrific photos of eagles, bears, and other wildlife, as well as breathtaking scenery. Check it out at http://rvdrivingschool.blogspot.com/

Back to polishing the wheels so Dennis will be proud of me!

4 comments:

  1. We've taken the Jelly Belly tour and had a grand time. We'd have trouble now because there's a good bit of stair climbing involved.

    Go there on a Sunday - their "Bellyflops" (imperfect beans) are on sale at $1 for a big bag. At least they were a few years ago.
    Thanks for bringing us back to a fun day in our history!

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  2. I love Jelly Bellies! I've never been on the tour, but I'm adding it to my list of places to visit. Thanks for the preview!

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  3. Love you both. Uncle Don - happy belly birthday.
    Lisa

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  4. It is rather interesting for me to read the article. Thank you for it. I like such themes and anything connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more on that blog soon.

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