The most commonly accepted explanation for the creation of the universe is the "Big Bang Theory," but the moon landings and the earth being a sphere were recently questioned as scientific facts, so maybe some basketball player thinks the universe just appeared one day.
Rohlinism: You probably shouldn't get your scientific data from a person that chose sports over a college degree.
A "Smaller Bang" is what set Christopher Radko on his journey to becoming the "Czar of Christmas Present." During the holidays when Radko was in his twenties, the fourteen foot family Christmas tree came crashing down shattering all his grandmother's heirloom glass ornaments. One of the legs on the tree stand had cracked and Christmas became a real "bust." Next Spring, Radko was visitng a cousin in Poland and after relating the holiday disaster, the cousin mentioned that many Poles still hung glass ornaments. The conversation took them past a pharmacy with some glass testers and beakers in the window for making potato vodka.
After speaking to the proprietor, Radko drew twenty-four ornaments for the proprietor and those drawings were turned to glass and painted with fantastic detail. Returning to New York City, he brought the ornaments to IMC talent agency, where he was training to be an agent. After showing them to co-workers, he found everyone wanted an ornament of their own. He realized there was an opportunity here, made up prices for the batch of ornaments and sold them to his co-workers. Radko contacted his cousin in Poland requesting more ornaments in three sizes and colors.
A few weeks later, Radko received a large box full of ornaments. He created a catalogue utilizing rub-on letters and a large supply of White-Out and would take his catalogue to high-end florists, gifts shops and store like Royal Copenhagen during his lunch hours. The ornaments were in high demand and he was told celebrities such as Katharine Hepburn, Woody Allen, Baryshnikov, Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Springsteen were among his customers. Later, he would expand his inventory when Barbara Streisand requested some Hanukkah ornaments and others would request them for weddings and even Independence Day. He hadn't even seen his thirtieth birthday and he was already building an ornament empire.
Our family first came into contact with Radko ornaments thanks to Disneyland. One day we were wandering through New Orleans Square and stumbled right into L'Ornement Magique. This was the one location in the park selling Radko and the only place you could purchase Disney Radko ornaments. We were immediately captivated by the ornaments and a visit to the shop became a regular part of our trips to Disneyland.
If you were wondering what a $5,000 plus (hard to estimate the exact value) Christmas tree looks like:
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=pvJG746gUAx6-HpaTzESfQ )
Our collection of ornaments is primarily Disney starting at the top:
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=DlTxSUgfiaCsCgeOS-bvGg )
And throughout the tree:
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=0k0Q192MK_Utx_k-s4UFNw )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=01cly_Uyyjmt82mNq9bfLQ )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=NfgI-9l2J1ROwn2W1EjWNw )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=zU5kf-_9yuk9oXes62Hsig )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=oJXlSylt8H1E4Y51Jiklrw )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=f3Ym9ilZoq_huf0enfWL1Q )
But we do have some non-Disney ornaments:
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=BK0nAT9OQqev01JHtt-XUA )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=Viv6O0-WbQRsnWDWBUpVAw )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=RT0TAakbEK0RzCa1LoYOzA )
( https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/christopher-radko-gastonia?select=S9xcyKrSULFHQNzuq4eugA )
The best part about buying from the shop is Radko didn't allow Disney to upsell, but we were able to get our passholder discount on each purchase. Until 2003, Disney would sponsor events with designers or Radko himself to sign limited edition ornaments and we were fortunate to attend some of these events. The contract with Disney wasn't renewed after 2003 and L'Ornement Magique was permanently closed in 2013 in favor of a new entrance for Club 33 next door.
With a full tree and a ceiling not allowing for a taller tree, our Christmas tree is full for the foreseeable future, but if I want to browse Radko ornaments we can always take a drive to Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach. The Little Gem ornaments start out around $30.00 and the average price being around $60.00 per ornament.
Even though we have stopped collecting, we are Radko fans for life! read more