# Discovering Another Mad Dash (Oct 14): Heading Home and Finally finishing this TR  #1523   (05/03)



## PrincessInOz

Jan 2011 Trip - Introductions


Hello fellow Dis-ers and lurkers alike.  Welcome to my first ever DisneyLand PTR/TR.  

Thats not to say that this is my first ever visit to DLR; nor is it my first ever PTR or TR  its just that this is my first PTR for Disneyland!   A great lasting Dis-er friend of mine (franandaj) and DLR expert asked me to start this PTR/TR.  It is about 5 weeks to my trip; so I thought I'd procrastinated long enough.

I've been a lurker on the DisBoard since 2004 and got heaps of great info about how to go commando style for my World trip in 2005.  I finally decided to de-lurk in February this year; when my extended family of 9 decided to invade the World in May 2010.  
As you can see from the number of posts Ive clocked up since Feb, Im clearly a shrinking violet type.

This is me  taken at the Epcot Flower and Garden festival in May.  







I call the above picture - The Goofball and the Golfball.  No prizes for guessing which one is the Golfball!

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have been very fortunate to visit the World twice this year.  My second trip coincided with the Food and Wine festival and Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party and the title for this PTR/TR was inspired from this trip.  I flew 2 days from Australia to spend 3 days at WDW and am now doing another mad dash of flying 14 hours (one way) to spend 1 day at DLR.  But more on this later.

PTRs and TRs of both 2010 trips (of mine) can be found in the standard location below.

Heres a photo of me  taken at MNSSHP.  So that there are no mistaken identity issues, Im the one on the left.  







Another great lasting Dis-er friend of mine, DisneyFirefly, took this photo.   If it looks strangely vaguely familiar, thats because Firefly has a PTR/TR started in this section of the Boards and there is her version of the photo (taken by me) in her introduction.  Shes heading to DLR to celebrate her birthday.  For the record, Fireflys version of her photo has her standing on the right (so that there are no mistaken identities either!).

The full Mad dash Traveling Cast include my DH and DS10.  This is a picture of us in May, trying to stay incognito, complete with Men In Black sunnies.







BTW - Those eagle-eyed amongst you might notice that DS is wearing a Soarin' T-shirt.  That shirt was purchased at DCA in November 2008; during our last visit to DLR.


I hope you stick around for this PTR/TR  no seat belts required, feel free to keep your hands, feet and head or any other part of you outside the car  and remember.no liability will be assumed by the writer at any time!  



Nov 2012 Trip

I was fortunate enough to make another Mad Dash back to California for November 2012.  

You may find that this PTR/TR has continued to grow since the Jan 2011 trip as I decided to extend on this thread rather than start another one.

Don't worry - it's not you; it's me.

The Quick Links in the second post should take you through the various sections/days of each trip.


Thanks for reading!



Oct 2014 Trip

Save the Date!  It's a Family Ceremony that pushed me into making another Mad Dash.  And as there's space on this thread, why start a new one, right?

The Quick Links in the second post should take you through the various sections/days of each trip.


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## PrincessInOz

*Quick Links*


JAN 2011 PTR/TR links

*PTR section*
Introduction
My travel plans
ESTA and APIS
Details Schmetails  SoCal
OT  Dinner at Maze (Food Porn)
Details Schmetails  Central Coast, California
Car Hire and other DisOrganisation
Details Schmetails  NorCal
2 week countdown
Friends In a Box Meets
1 week countdown
5 days countdown
2 day countdown



*TR section*
Get Set for TR
The Dash across the Pond is always Mad!


*Day 1 at SoCal: Downtown Disney*

Bad Line Karma and Settling into Anaheim!
DTD at night Rounds off Day 1
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3​
*Day 2 at Disneyland Resort*

What Happened to Our Must Do Rides? A Swingin, Hangin and Shootin Mornin at DCA
The Happiest Place on Earth
Games of a Different Kind equals Mischief
Soarin towards Lunch​

Disneyland at LAST....
Across the Promenade and into Disneyland and Score Two to Me
Club 33  YES, THAT Club 33
Club 33 Food Porn - Part 1
Club 33 Food Porn - Part 2
Life Outside Club 33
Our DL afternoon Must Do Rides and then some
Disneyland and California Adventure at Night
World of Colour Part 1
World of Colour Part 2
World of Colour Part 3
World of Colour Part 4
Final Moments at DLR​

*Day 3 - Road Trip: DLR to Solvang*
On the Road to Solvang
Solvang by Night
Another Culinary experience  Root 246, Organic and Local​

*Day 4 - Road Trip: Solvang to Monterey*
Solvang Gardens  Continental Breakfast
Solvang by Morning
Road to Pismo Beach  Chasing Wildlife
Road to Piedras Blancas  What are those Rocks, Mum?
Road to McWay Falls  Impossible Natural Beauty
Road to Monterey  Usnuzuloose Part 1
Portola Inn and Spa
Usnuzuloose Part 2 - Corn and all the Fixin's​

*Day 5  Road Trip: Monterey to Silicon Valley*
Monterey in the Morning
Cannery Row
Road to Silicon Valley
A Tale of 2 Nissans​

*Day 6  NorCal: Silicon Valley*
Half Moon Bay
Relaxing Afternoon On Vacation  finally!
Bird Watching at The Inner Bay
Palo Alto​

*Day 7  NorCal: Silicon Valley again*
Winchester Mystery House
Driving Rings around the Parkway
Coyote Point Part 1
Coyote Point Part 2
Dinner for Two​

*Day 8  NorCal: Downtown San Francisco*
Heading to Downtown
Pier 39
Fishermans Wharf and another DisBoard winner
San Francisco Maritime National Park
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley&Ding, ding, ding went the bell
More Food Porn​

*Day 9  NorCal: Downtown again*
 Getting to Chinatown 
Chinatown morning
Still in Chinatown
Yerba Buena Gardens
Easy Afternoon and Night​

*Day 10  NorCal: Final Day*
Our last morning and the Cabrillo Highway
Final Afternoon and on the way Home​

*OT  A weekend in the Life of Melbourne*
If it is March in Melbourne, it must be Moomba Madness
Madness!  Just plain Madness!  In the name of Charity
Moomba Parade Part 1
Moomba Parade Part 2
Moomba Parade Part 3​


*Final Thoughts - The End*



NOV 2012 PTR/TR links

*PTR section*

Another Mad Dash  And so it Begins
About e-Tickets, Credit Cards and ESTA 
Converting 2D friends-in-a-box into 3D friends-for-life
About Whatnots and My Travel Plans
The Double Waa-aah Mummy
The Three-legged Dilemma
TWO Weeks sounds better than FOURTEEN days
White and Black is not always Shades of Grey
Seven Days of One; One Week of the Other
Three Days and Two Work Days to Get Through!
Nearly time to go and what's in my bag?


*TR section*

And. So. It. Begins (Get Ready and Sub in Now)


*Day 1: A very long day*

And So It Starts
Flying by the Numbers
The Plane Porn Facts​

*Day 2: GroundHog Day*

Dis Connections (DisMeet #1)
Where even an ordinary activity transforms to magical delight
The deliciousness of being unencumbered by the routine of everyday life - Time for Proper Food Porn​

*Day 3: Disneyland*

Life in the Slow Lane
Making Rope Drop - Hooray for Hollywood
Life Imitating Art
CarsLand by Day
In Manual OverDrive
Radiator Spring Racers - Must Do #1
What are the Astronomical Odds? - Must Do #2
A Quick Hit and Run; Off-Target Shooting Practise
A U-turn in the Plan
Where In the Land? - DisMeet #2
A Year after the Turn of the Century; Parts 1, 2
In a Genie Galaxy Far Far Away - Must Do #3
More from the Hyperion
My only shopping time in the Parks
Night time at DCA
A little Danish Culture - Must Do #4
Kaleidescopes of Colour  Must Do #5 Parts 1, 2
Day's End​

*Day 4: SoCal to NorCal Changeover Day*


Saying Goodbye to franandaj
An uneventful reunion over lunch
Our home away from home
Chinese Dinner in NorCal
Mental Shopping
​

*Day 5: NorCal - Around the Bay in a Day*


Resort Ch-ch-ch-changes
Around the Bay....to Half Moon Bay (In Search Of....Photoscavenger hunt items)
All the Beautiful Morning trimmings....and more corn
Around the Bay.....to San Jose (Do you know the way?)
Santana Row
Around the Bay.....to Great Mall Drive
Around the Bay....to the East Bay (Seeing a Star and Flashing)
Around the Bay....via the City by the Bay (Bay Bridge)
​

*Day 6: NorCal - Cruzing the Cabrillo*


Ham it Up!
My Plans for the Week - a recap
Life in the Fast Lane
The Butterfly Enclosure
I wanna live on this Drive
In Search of Five People
Heaven Can be Found in the Most Unlikely Corners
Closed on Monday
Of Vivid Colours and Where Falcons Swoop
A California Historic Landmark
More International Cuisine - It's Thai Tonight
Out-Shopped Again
​

*Day 7: NorCal - San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf*


Hitting the Breakfast Snag #1 - Still no Bacon!
Hitting the Breakfast Snag #2 - Life in the No Go Zone
The Travelling Public
The Crabby Patty #1
Musee Mecanique
Around Fisherman's Wharf
Maritime Museum, of sorts
NOT the Maritime Museum (Ghirardelli Square)
A San Francisco Icon  Trolley Ride
Tipping the Shopping Scales
More International Cuisine  Italian
​

*Day 8: NorCal - San Francisco: DisMeets and Parks*


Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Life in the Go Zone
An Oldie...but a Goldie...Gate Park
An Unexpected Freebie - The Japanese Tea Gardens
Poster Gals and Guys of the Lasting Kind - DisMeet #3
Crabby Patty #2 - A Lasting Lunch in Sausalito
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay, Sausalito
Taking the Right Fork for a change  Castillo de San Joachin
More Cheesy Food Porn
​

*Day 9: NorCal - Around the Santa Cruz Mountains*


A calm breakfast service despite the snag
Wonderland in Alice
Walking in the Shadow of Giants - Big Basin State Park
Sitting out the Rain in Boulder Creek
When you gotta go....rain or shine!  Hakone Gardens
Lick the Screen time - Sweet and Bittersweet Delights
It really is a Work Trip - More of DHs colleagues
​

*Day 10: NorCal - In Search of my Final Day*


A Calm Morning on the Back Bay
More Shopping - Stanford Mall
It's About the Food at Stanford Mall
About Bronze Statues
Bag Stalking
An Amazing Collection
The end of my time at Stanford and San Francisco
​


OCT 2014 PTR/TR links

*PTR section*

Save The Date
The Great e-Paper Exchange
Honest-to-Goodness Plans
Don't Forget to Turn in your Paperwork
Three Weeks to Warm Weather
The Fine Art of Arbitrage
Black to Basics
I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Chopping Down a Tree (4 Sleeps to Go)
I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Cleaning out my Wardrobe (3 Sleeps to Go)
I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Clearing out my In-Box (2 Sleeps to Go)
I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Doing Nothing (1 Sleep to Go)


*TR section*

Kick-Starting This Report


*Day 1: Departure and Arrivals*


The Revolving Seat (on a Jet Plane) Affair (Discovery #1 and #2)
The Repeatable and Predictable Departure
Arriving only to Break the Law on the Other Side of the Pond
Our Home away from Home for the next 4 nights
Trochilidae Watching
The NOT Rehearsal Dinner  (Discovery #7)
​

*Day 2: 'Us' Time and Family Celebrations*


A Hidden Treasure (Discovery #8)
DisOrientation of a Different Kind
Life In the North-facing Garden Slow Lane
Carlsbad - Legoland of the Clothes Kind
Rubio's Fish Taco
Wedding Preparation
Family Celebration Time
Celebratory Dinner (Discovery #15)
​

*Day 3: It's a Wild Animal Sort of Day*


A Slow Muddle Sort of Morning (Discovery #16)
San Diego Zoo Through Adult Eyes
Lions and Tigers and Bears.  Oh My!
Feeding Time at the Zoo
Feeding Time at the Other Zoo - Where the Other Wild Things are
Shooting of a Different Kind (Discovery #21)
​

*Day 4: Lazy Family Day*


Familial Get-Togethers are not necessarily always so Convival (Discovery #22)
Comfort Food at Mama Kat's Cafe
Mosaic Magic Parts 1, 2
Lazy Afternoon with Family
Eat! Eat! Eat! (Discovery #26)
​

*Day 5: Welcome Home to Disneyland*


On the Road to Disneyland (Discovery #27)
Uva Bar Lamb Burger.  I blame franandaj!
Candy Cane Inn
DisMeet with mvf-m11c: Catching up in 3D at Disneyland
Mickey's Soundsational Parade Parts 1, 2
ReImagining An Old Favourite (Big Thunder Mountain)
Halloween HillBilly Style
In Search of More Candy
Whilst We were Waiting
Those Firework Gods are Kind to Me at Disneyland
It Was a Dark and Foggy Night
Disneyland's version of the Halloween Parade.  It's not called a Cavalcade for nothing
The Only Way to Close out the Night (Discover #39)
​

*Day 6: Park Hopping at Disneyland and California Adventure....It's All About the Rides Today*


Candy Cane Breakfast (Discovery #40)
Strolling into the Park
It's All About the Rides Today.....Lightspeed in Space
It's All About the Rides Today.....We All Live in a Yellow Submarine
It's All About the Rides Today....Driving a Classic
It's All About the Rides Today....In Search Of....Harold
It's All About the Rides Today....Time for a Cup of Tea
It's All About the Rides Today....It's a Small World Doll Store Parts 1, 2
It's All About the Rides Today....Pirates; but we're NOT in the Caribbean
It's All About the Rides Today....999 Happy Haunts
It's All About the Rides Today....All Washed Up with a Splash
It's All About the Rides Today....But We Do Have to Eat
It's All About the Rides Today....Big Thunder Mountain
It's All About the Rides Today....Time for California Adventure
It's All About the Rides Today....Radiator Springs Racers
It's all about Rides TodayWho Said Toys were Cute and Fluffy? It's Just a Story!
It's all about Rides Today....Grizzly Bearing down the last Mountain
It's all about Rides Today....Soarin' in the real California
It's all about Rides Today....The Official DisMeet
It's all about Rides Today....Dole Whip Float
It's all about Rides Today....Night Time in Carsland
It's All about Rides Today....World of Colour Parts 1, 2
Not My Disney Shopping Loot
Pizza Press Dinner (Discovery #63)
​

*Day 7: Hanging around Casa Nueva, Long Beach*


Shopping for a Bit of Home Cooking (Discovery #64)
Brunch with Friends
What's for Lunch?  Char Kway Teow
Inside Casa Nueva
Finally!  Shabu Shabu Dinner (Discovery #68)
​

*Day 8: Hanging around Long Beach*


Cooking In Alison's Kitchen Again (Discovery #69)
The only kind of Cruising my Stomach can Handle Parts 1, 2
We have to Eat Lunch
Haunted Encounters
Getting Wet by that KVC Pool
Neighbourhood Haunts
A Melting Pot Dinner Parts 1, 2 (Discovery #75)
​

*Day 9: Out and About in Los Angeles*


Saying Goodbye is Bitter Sweet (Discovery #76)
My Last Pictures of KVC
Shopping Time
Amore y Tacos
Hyatt Place Hotel
More Westfield Shopping
The Veggie Grill (Discovery #82)
​

*Day 10: Last Day in Los Angeles*


The First Breakfast (Discovery #83)
The Second Breakfast...er....Brunch
The End of the Trail
A Performance to Remember
Heading Home
A Trip Down Memory Lane (Discovery #88)
​



Thanks for reading!


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## franandaj

Yay! I'm first!  NOT LAST!


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## maryr1oz

Excited to hear your plans - love Australian trip reports!


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## shushh

Hurray! I'm third and not some other insignificant number!!!


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## DisneyFirefly

And I'm fourth and I'm here!


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## franandaj

So I'll spill the beans about at least one thing...I have a friend who is a Club 33 member and I was able to get her to make a reservation for us so we'll be having lunch there at I think 1:00PM with my DP and PrincessInOz's family.  I have a feeling that the boys will not be able to take the laid back pace of Club 33.  They may be dying to get out into the park while us gals sit back and enjoy the food!


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## PrincessInOz

SUBSCRIBERS!!



franandaj said:


> Yay! I'm first!  NOT LAST!



Right words; wrong thread....



maryr1oz said:


> Excited to hear your plans - love Australian trip reports!



I love Australian TRs too....especially if they are MINE! 



shushh said:


> Hurray! I'm third and not some other insignificant number!!!



You're NEVER insignificant.  I'm touched that you're subbing in when you're on holiday at the WORLD!!



DisneyFirefly said:


> And I'm fourth and I'm here!







franandaj said:


> So I'll spill the beans about at least one thing...I have a friend who is a Club 33 member and I was able to get her to make a reservation for us so we'll be having lunch there at I think 1:00PM with my DP and PrincessInOz's family.  I have a feeling that the boys will not be able to take the laid back pace of Club 33.  They may be dying to get out into the park while us gals sit back and enjoy the food!



   

*Someone's going to Club 33!! It's ME!!!!  *

(franandaj - thank you!  thank you!  thank you!)


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## PrincessInOz

*When:*  I’ll be departing Melbourne on January 19th and because I’m crossing the International Date Line, I’ll be arriving Los Angeles on January 19th.  The expected flight time is 14.5 hours.  





(Melbourne city at dusk)

We’ll be departing San Francisco on January 28th and arriving home on January 30th.  Yup – another 14.5 hours home.  

*What the?: *To put this 14.5 hours into perspective, this is like getting on a plane in Los Angeles and flying to New York, turning right around to head back to Los Angeles, turning right around and heading back to New York again.
If it sounds like a Mad Dash to you, then that would be because it IS a Mad Dash - one that all Aussie travelers do if they want to get to MouseLand.   

*Where:* I plan to stay 2 nights in Anaheim followed by 2 nights of itinerant travel up the PCH and ending up somewhere in Silicon Valley for 5 nights.

*How:* I’m still working out how I’m funding this…suffice to say, it barely borders on legal.

*Why:* DH has yet another business trip to make to Silicon Valley.  He needs to be there for the week commencing 23rd January until the 28th January.  As this corresponds with school summer holidays in Australia, DS and I thought it would be fun to tag along.  

We also plan to add a couple of days at the start of the trip as pure holiday, which is why we’ve ended up with a couple of days in Anaheim and the road trip up PCH1.  

Our Itinerary looks like this:

19th January: Depart Melbourne and arrive Los Angeles.  Pick up car hire and head to Anaheim (accommodation to be advised in a later post).  Hopefully catch up with my aunt and try not to fall asleep.

20th January: DLR/DCA.  Lunch with franandaj at CLUB 33.  Catch World of Colour at night and try not to freeze.  This is my ONE DAY at DLR; so I hope to make the most of it.  Careful planning is required if I'm going to meet DH and DS needs for wild rides vs mine for wild rides and also catching up for a long lunch with franandaj.  

21st January: Start driving up.  Possible stop options – Santa Monica, Farmer’s Market, Camarillo, Ojai.  
Another possible option was to meet up with Shushh.  Yes – strange to think that I’m doing a DisMeet with a fellow Aussie all the way in Los Angeles; but it was a distinct possibility for a while.  But we have worked out that it probably isn’t practical as she is disembarking from a Disney cruise on this day and we really cannot plan to meet as anything is possible during disembarkation.

We plan to stay in Solvang and arrive there around 3 or 4 pm in the evening.  

22nd January: Continue driving up.  Possible stop options – Hearst Castle, Big Sur and every turn along PCH1.  
We plan to stay in Carmel or Monterey on this night.  It all depends on whether my accommodation of choice will allow a one-night stay on a Saturday night.  I hope to have this sorted….sometime….preferably before we arrive in Carmel or Monterey.

23rd January: Arrive at our Silicon Valley home.  This is where we choose to stay when in Silicon Valley.  

Our lounge room.







Our kitchen.







The master bedroom, King Bed.







Sink area.







Master bedroom ensuite Bathroom.







There is a walk-in robe to the side of the sink area; but I don't have a picture.

If we’re really lucky, we may get allocated a 2-bedroom suite.  This way, DS will have his own bedroom.  If we’re not lucky, then DS will be sleeping on the sofabed in the lounge room.

Either way, it will be fantastic to be back in the Bay area.

24th – 28th January:  I don’t have any real plans for how we are going to spend our time from the 24th – 28th of January.  
I know I want to go to the Walt Disney Family museum in the City (Presidio) and DS will probably want to take a trolley ride, a bus ride, a ferry ride, a train ride and any other modes of transport possible.  

We will probably catch up with my cousin and DH’s uncle and cousins that live in the Bay Area.  

I’m also hoping to catch up with another Dis-er who lives in Northern California.  We haven’t made any firm plans yet; but she knows I’m heading her way. 

Oh…and I want to SHOP!

28th – 30th January: Depart San Francisco and arrive back in Melbourne on the 30th January.  After I get home, I'll probably crash out on my bed!

Any thoughts and comments on my proposed travel plans and itinerary?


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## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> 20th January: DLR/DCA.  Lunch with franandaj at CLUB 33.  Catch World of Colour at night and try not to freeze.  This is my ONE DAY at DLR; so I hope to make the most of it.  Careful planning is required if I'm going to meet DH and DS needs for wild rides vs mine for wild rides and also catching up for a long lunch with franandaj.



If you stay onsite you can get your WoC FPs starting at 9AM rather than 9:30when they open up that part...unless you do one of the dining packages (which I'm sure you will still be still stuffed from lunch!)  



PrincessInOz said:


> 24th  28th January:  I dont have any real plans for how we are going to spend our time from the 24th  28th of January.
> I know I want to go to the Walt Disney Family museum in the City (Presidio) and DS will probably want to take a trolley ride, a bus ride, a ferry ride, a train ride and any other modes of transport possible.
> 
> Any thoughts and comments on my proposed travel plans and itinerary?



You're staying in Belmont right?  I'm sure you've been to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf...have you been to Fort Point? We have done CW reenacting so we loved that. Have you been to the Exploratorium? Your DS might really enjoy that.  The museums in Golden Gate Park are always nice too.

Sounds like fun!


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## shushh

Wow, what a great hotel room. I'd be more than happy to stay there! DH thinks its hilarious that I'm making plans to meet up with other Aussies overseas. Also planning to meet up with Jade if we end up going back to the States in September...

Anywho, I've got your number. Will call on the 21st if a meet is remotely possible and to see if you're still vaguely in the same area! I suppose we could always come down to Melbourne again or you to Sydney. Would be easier I suspect, or maybe not!

Oh and always keen to hear what you are up to, no matter where I am!


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## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> If you stay onsite you can get your WoC FPs starting at 9AM rather than 9:30when they open up that part...unless you do one of the dining packages (which I'm sure you will still be still stuffed from lunch!)
> 
> Update on where I'm staying coming up....next couple of days...
> 
> You're staying in Belmont right?  I'm sure you've been to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf...have you been to Fort Point? We have done CW reenacting so we loved that. Have you been to the Exploratorium? Your DS might really enjoy that.  The museums in Golden Gate Park are always nice too.
> 
> Sounds like fun!



I started a thread on things I've done around San Francisco in the Aussie section. (Link included if anyone is interested)  Pretty much yes to all the above and then some.  Fort Point is my favourite end of the Bridge and we've always tried to get to GGP with every visit.  

Which reminds me....I now have photos of Stamford and Half Moon Bay..so I should probably update the SF thread too.



shushh said:


> Wow, what a great hotel room. I'd be more than happy to stay there! DH thinks its hilarious that I'm making plans to meet up with other Aussies overseas. Also planning to meet up with Jade if we end up going back to the States in September...
> 
> Anywho, I've got your number. Will call on the 21st if a meet is remotely possible and to see if you're still vaguely in the same area! I suppose we could always come down to Melbourne again or you to Sydney. Would be easier I suspect, or maybe not!
> 
> Oh and always keen to hear what you are up to, no matter where I am!



The hotel room is one reason why I keep going back again, and again, and again!  

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only Aussie who thinks it's not strange to meet up with other Aussies in the US.


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## Jade+3

I thought I had replied the other day, but obviously I hadn't. 

Shushh, you have to return in September!! But you need to decide now so you can get free dining. 

Princess, that is a great hotel room. We stayed in Pismo Beach rather than Solvang. It seemed quite nice but we did not have time to explore the town. I really wanted to call into Solvang, but once DH is on the road he does not like to stop.


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## PrincessInOz

Today I found out that there is yet another bit of new travel bureaucracy to deal with.  

For the last few years, the US have re-introduced the equivalent of a visitor's visa.  The visitor's visa used to exist more than 15 years ago where Australians wishing to enter the US had to complete a form (paper....remember those days??) and then send the form, passport and money to the US embassy for them to put a visa entry stamp into the passport.  Then the visa waiver came into effect between the US and Australia and we didn't have to worry about a visa...it was all done when we entered the US through customs.

The new equivalent of the visitor's visa is called the Electronic System Travel Authority.  You go into a website (run by the Department of Homeland Security) and complete the form online.  In return, it spits out an alphanumeric number of way too many characters for me to count!  But that number becomes your ESTA for the next 2 years; or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.  ESTA used to be free...it now costs about $14 for the pleasure of filling in your details online.

I now find out that in addition to the ESTA, we now have the APIS...Advance Passenger Information System.  The airline collects this information for travel to and from the US.  It is apparently used to screen people against the US Watch List.

Do you think it might be worth suggesting that they screen the ESTA against the Watch List????  
Or...that they should screen the person's ESTA application against the Watch List before they approve the entry?



Hmm...wonder how long it will be before there is a charge for APIS? 


I'm also guessing that this is a one-way thing and that US travellers coming to Australia don't have to worry about anything like this...or maybe you do.  If anyone knows, please enlighten me.

I'm also guessing that Oprah did NOT have to worry about a visa...given that Australia threw incentives in her direction to come on Downunder.


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## PrincessInOz

Jade+3 said:


> I thought I had replied the other day, but obviously I hadn't.
> 
> Shushh, you have to return in September!! But you need to decide now so you can get free dining.
> 
> Princess, that is a great hotel room. We stayed in Pismo Beach rather than Solvang. It seemed quite nice but we did not have time to explore the town. I really wanted to call into Solvang, but once DH is on the road he does not like to stop.



Hi Jade!  Thanks for stopping by.  Pismo Beach is nice and I wouldn't turn up the opportunity to stop there.  But we wanted DS to see something different on the road.  He'll have lots of opportunity to see the beach driving up and Solvang is so quaint and different.  Maybe you'll get to stop on your next trip


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## PrincessInOz

One other thing and completely off topic...but check out what happens when Harry Potter gets the Disney treatment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DC8jfW8g00


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## Jade+3

I am sure you will take plenty of photos at Solvang. I was disappointed not to go there, but DH likes the beach.

Is the APIS something new?


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## PrincessInOz

Jade+3 said:


> I am sure you will take plenty of photos at Solvang. I was disappointed not to go there, but DH likes the beach.
> 
> Is the APIS something new?





I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to do this in October.  Either that or they are starting to enforce it a bit more.  I went on-line via the Qantas website.  Our family friend TA did fill in some of the fields (passport number, passport expiry date, name, gender etc) but she didn't know where we were staying.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> One other thing and completely off topic...but check out what happens when Harry Potter gets the Disney treatment.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DC8jfW8g00



This is absolutely hilarious!!!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Anaheim Arrival Day*

DH and I decided to stay at the Residence Inn Maingate at Anaheim.  We stayed there in 2008 and found it really convenient on a number of fronts.

The rooms are clean and comfortable.
A full cooked buffet breakfast, plus make-your-own-waffles, is included in the nightly tariff.
It is a 10-minute walk to the park entrance.
It is close to the restaurants at Garden Walk where the Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang, California Pizza Grill and Bubba Gump can be found.

We did debate staying at Grand California, HoJo and Candy Cane; but in the end, it was the breakfast that swayed the decision.  So, we’ve booked in for the 2 nights.

So, after flying into LAX and picking up the car hire, we will make tracks for RI and check ourselves in.  That should leave us the afternoon and night to consider what we do.

I have an aunt that lives in SoCal and will need to catch up with her.  At this stage, it is looking like the night of Wednesday 19th.  I’m not really sure how this is going to work and I figure we’re going to be dead tired from the 14-hour flight.  But, we don’t have any other option.  I’m hoping that she will come to visit us; rather than us having to drive to her.  
If it weren’t for this catch up, I think DS and I would love to get to Disneyland and spend the rest of the day and night there after arriving from Oz.


*Disneyland Day*

We have only one day planned for visiting the parks at DLR.  For this Disneyland Day, DS and I plan to hit the following must-do rides (including those at California Adventure):

Big Thunder Mountain
Space Mountain
Pirates of the Caribbean
Tea Cups
Soarin’
Peter Pan

Maybe rides

Screaming
Indiana Jones
Jungle Cruise
Dumbo
Nemo

Sadly (or thankfully), the following family favourite rides are closed:

Splash Mountain
It’s A Small World
Big Bear
StarTours
Mulholland Madness

I’m hoping that the parks won’t be too busy and that we can get on the rides without long wait times.

*Our food *for this day will consist of two events that have already been booked in.

Thanks to franandaj, we have a booking for _lunch at Club 33 _(yes, THAT Club 33).   

I’ve googled the lunch menu and it looks fantastic; particularly the dessert cart!  Needless to say, I hope that I don’t embarrass our hosts by the fact that I’m planning on taking as many photographs as possible in the establishment.

Lunch promises to be THE highlight of this trip; and I am so looking forward to it, not just because of the special location but particularly because this will be my first DisMeet with franandaj.  I’m really pleased to be able to meet her in person, as she has become such a special, lasting friend on the Boards.

I figure that the DS will probably be full and bored with food after about 45 minutes; and that he will probably want to depart and hit more rides.  We might resort to bringing an electronic babysitter for DS so that DH can stay a bit longer to enjoy the food and locale.  The alternative will be that DH will head out with DS and I’ll stay chatting with franandaj over a longer lunch and coffee.

For dinner, I have pre-ordered a World of Colour picnics with Reserved Viewing for all 3 of us.  DS and I will be enjoying the All American whilst DH has opted for the Mediterranean Vegetarian picnic.  I contemplated the Taste of Asia picnic but in the end thought that I would prefer the cold chicken, instead of cold salmon.  

The other reason for me wanting to have the day at Disneyland is so that I can see World for Colour.  I didn’t want to queue up for a fastpass nor did I want another sit-down dining meal for dinner (after the big lunch at Club 33).  
Plus, neither the Fireworks nor Fantasmic are scheduled for the night; and so I figured this would mean that WoC would be the premier attraction for the night.  
So, the picnic was a reasonable alternative.  I had to wait until my one-month window was opened before I could book the picnic but I now have my Will Call prebooking all sorted out.  WoC will be screening at 8.15 pm on the day.  

We will probably have to head over to DCA after lunch in order to hit the must-do’s and pick up the picnic before getting in line for WoC.  I’m guessing that we’re going to have to bring warm clothes for the day, and possibly waterproof ones at that!

*Anaheim Departure Day*

After our 2 nights and 1 day at Disney, we will start our drive up Pacific Highway to the Californian Central Coast.  

When we go on a touring drive, DH and I are absolute fiends when it comes to stopping at every possible attraction that strikes our fancy on the way.  Therefore, we have no plans other than have booked our accommodation for the night…..

Oh!  And there is a chance of another DisMeet with Aussie Shushh and her family on this day.  It all depends on her schedule and disembarkation process from a cruise!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> *Anaheim Arrival Day*
> 
> Thanks to franandaj, we have a booking for _lunch at Club 33 _(yes, THAT Club 33).
> 
> Ive googled the lunch menu and it looks fantastic; particularly the dessert cart!  Needless to say, I hope that I dont embarrass our hosts by the fact that Im planning on taking as many photographs as possible in the establishment.
> 
> Lunch promises to be THE highlight of this trip; and I am so looking forward to it, not just because of the special location but particularly because this will be my first DisMeet with franandaj.  Im really pleased to be able to meet her in person, as she has become such a special, lasting friend on the Boards.
> 
> I figure that the DS will probably be full and bored with food after about 45 minutes; and that he will probably want to depart and hit more rides.  We might resort to bringing an electronic babysitter for DS so that DH can stay a bit longer to enjoy the food and locale.  The alternative will be that DH will head out with DS and Ill stay chatting with franandaj over a longer lunch and coffee.



Take pictures away!  I always do when I'm there, as to the other guests, it is such a destination that we should make sure our waiter takes a picture of our party with both our cameras!  I always go crazy with pictures when I go there.  Ask the waiters about the fixtures and furnishings and they are thrilled to give you a tour of the place, the bathrooms (especially the ladies) are not to be missed!  They do serve a leisurely lunch in that they give you plenty of time to enjoy the seafood salad bar before necessarily placing your order that DS might become quite impatient!

I'm looking very forward to it! It will be so much fun to share sarcastic comments via voice as to boards!  

Yay!


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## DisneyFirefly

The day looks like fun! I'm sure you guys will have a good time and get along well


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## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Take pictures away!  I always do when I'm there, as to the other guests, it is such a destination that we should make sure our waiter takes a picture of our party with both our cameras!  I always go crazy with pictures when I go there.  Ask the waiters about the fixtures and furnishings and they are thrilled to give you a tour of the place, the bathrooms (especially the ladies) are not to be missed!  They do serve a leisurely lunch in that they give you plenty of time to enjoy the seafood salad bar before necessarily placing your order that DS might become quite impatient!
> 
> I'm looking very forward to it! It will be so much fun to share sarcastic comments via voice as to boards!
> 
> Yay!



  Yes.  It will be nice to add facial expressions to the sarcastic voice! 



DisneyFirefly said:


> The day looks like fun! I'm sure you guys will have a good time and get along well


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## PrincessInOz

This year, I have discovered amateur photography....and it's all thanks to the Dis.  

We bought a dSLR camera in March this year and I found out that the DisBoard photography subforum was running a photography scavenger hunt over summer.  So, I figured it would be a bit of harmless fun for me, I would learn to use the camera and it would also push me out of the house during the southern hemisphere winter months.  Needless to say, I don't go anywhere now without carrying my camera.

My new found calling in life?

I am convinced that I would make the perfect food photographer....not because I take good shots; but because I would be happy to eat good food (and take some shots beforehand). 

Since picking up the camera, the majority of my shots are pictures of food and drink.  And last night's dinner excursion ending up being no different!

I had the opportunity to go the one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants for dinner last night.  Maze opened in Melbourne in March this year and I'd been meaning to go visit since then.  It seems appropriate to post this here as there is a sister Maze in Los Angeles.

This is the signage for the restaurant.






(Yup…that’s me)

We waited in the lounge for the rest of our dining party to arrive.






DH and I had agreed that I was going to be the Designated Driver for the night; so I had a lime and soda.  DH chose the Apple Isle.  I wished I had paid more attention to what it was made of, but I didn’t.






It was delicious (I only had a sip).

Our dining party had booked the private dining room at Maze for the night.  I didn’t realize until now that most of my shots inside the room consisted of people in them, so I won’t be posting any of those.  But here are a couple that were just of the surrounds.

The light fitting…






The centerpiece…






The sideboard in our room….






Looking out of the dining room….







Our waiter placed warm bread on the table with seaweed butter and sea salt.






The seaweed butter was salty enough and no extra sea salt was required!  It added that ‘sandy’ flavour to the butter and was really mor’ish.






Our menu – 6 courses, although our waiter told us 7.  






The first course was artichoke and it was fantastic.  The leek and truffle mayonnaise really worked well together and the artichoke was beautifully cooked.





And because my dining companions were who they are, some of them didn’t eat artichoke, so they got a cold seared tuna instead.






And because my dining companions were who they are, one of them didn’t eat artichoke and is an anti-pescatarian; so he got a green pea soup, garnished with smoked eel, instead.






I did mention this particular diner is anti-pescatarian?  Well, he didn’t like the smoked eel either…so it was farmed out to the rest of us.  The smoked eel was wonderful.


The marinated beetroot with goat cheese was another highlight of the meal.  For my taste, the goat cheese was too mild and mellow; and it needed just a little bit more bite to elevate this dish.  And surprisingly, the Cab Sav vinaigrette was sweet.  But it was another great dish.






For my money, the pan-seared scallops were THE highlight of the meal.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and the kelp and champagne foam were perfect against the softness of the scallops.






I chose the duck for my next course.  A wonderful, unctuous duck – pink on the inside and crispy skin.  The sweet corn and cracked wheat accompaniment was lovely; and the cherries provided the extra sweetness required.  






Others in the party chose the lamb.  It was nice; but the duck was unanimously voted the better of the two picks.






My DH is vegetarian; so he ended up with a snapper.  It was well cooked; but not a patch on the duck.





Did I mention the particular diner that is anti-pescatarian?  Well, he doesn’t eat lamb nor duck either.  So, he got a beef dish.  I managed this snap of the dish but never found out if it was good or not.






The unpronounceable French cheese and quince toast was lovely.  The cheese was particularly bitey and wonderful.  The quince paired really well with the cheese and elevated it beyond the humble offering it appeared to be. 






Another highlight for the meal was dessert.  I didn’t care much for the bayleaf sorbet.  It sadly lacked any flavour and for my taste, the dish would have been better balanced if the sorbet had been of a soft citrus flavour.   Otherwise, the orange jaffa was brilliant!  And the black rice?  Just like having rice bubbles in the dish....Superb...and crunchy. 







Sadly, it really was only 6 courses – turns out the waiter couldn’t count – but we sat there until the very end, slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a complimentary amuse bouche or additional palate cleansers.

We had 3 french wines to complement the meal (I only had a tiny sip of each) and I wish I had paid more notice to the labels….but I was at the other end of the table, too busy enjoying the meal instead.


----------



## franandaj

That looks like a fantastic meal! I'll have to get to the one in LA! I've wanted to go there since I found out it was opening.

What was your occasion for having the private room?


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## heidispidi

That dinner at Maze looks amazing!  All too fancy for me though, I'm a simple-food person (but I do like watching Gordon Ramsay on telly).  

I'm enjoying this PTR, and am so excited that you will be going to Club 33! 

I'm really looking forward to (hopefully) meeting up with Chesire for dinner our first night at DL, although Aust is extremely shy and likely will be embarassed by it all  I take after my Mum, what can I say?  I think you and I would get on well IRL, Princess!

Back to sunbaking by my pool now...


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## QuirkyButterfly

Wow, that really is a mad dash trip, you are sure going to be tired after this holiday. But if the opportunity is there to go to Disney even for one day you have to take it. Especially if you get to go to Club 33 (so jealous) I am sure that it will be an experience of a life time and something that not many Disney fans get to experience. 

You need to add Indiana Jones to your must do list, In my mind this is my favourite ride! Even if I only went on it '97  I have great memories of it. 

I really hope that you enjoy World of Colour, it looks spectacular. 

Can't wait for more updates.


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## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That looks like a fantastic meal! I'll have to get to the one in LA! I've wanted to go there since I found out it was opening.
> 
> What was your occasion for having the private room?



Our party for the night consisted of 11 adults.  Maze offered us the private room as it was the only room with a table big enough and we took it.  The catch?  We had a _minimum_ spend to meet for the night....$$$$



heidispidi said:


> That dinner at Maze looks amazing!  All too fancy for me though, I'm a simple-food person (but I do like watching Gordon Ramsay on telly).
> 
> I'm enjoying this PTR, and am so excited that you will be going to Club 33!
> 
> I'm really looking forward to (hopefully) meeting up with Chesire for dinner our first night at DL, although Aust is extremely shy and likely will be embarassed by it all  I take after my Mum, what can I say?  I think you and I would get on well IRL, Princess!
> 
> Back to sunbaking by my pool now...



Heidi - If you're ever in Melbourne, let me know. We can do a DisMeet here; and afterwards, we can definitely say that we get on well IRL!  I'm convinced that we would too.



QuirkyButterfly said:


> Wow, that really is a mad dash trip, you are sure going to be tired after this holiday. But if the opportunity is there to go to Disney even for one day you have to take it. Especially if you get to go to Club 33 (so jealous) I am sure that it will be an experience of a life time and something that not many Disney fans get to experience.
> 
> You need to add Indiana Jones to your must do list, In my mind this is my favourite ride! Even if I only went on it '97  I have great memories of it.
> 
> I really hope that you enjoy World of Colour, it looks spectacular.
> 
> Can't wait for more updates.



Thanks for posting on my PTR!  Another update coming up shortly.  

I didn't add Indiana Jones to my must-do list in the first instance because DS and I put the list together.  I told him it was like the Dinosaur ride at AKL....sadly, he didn't really enjoy that ride.  So, he wasn't keen on IJ and didn't want to add it to the list; although I'm pretty sure he will change his mind _when_ I get him on.


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## PrincessInOz

On Anaheim Departure Date, we have a number of possible options that could serve as stopping points along the way:

Catch up with Shushh, potentially at Santa Monica pier.
Head to Farmers Market/Grove for some shopping and lunch.
Head out on the road and find a nice little town to stop at.
Shoppingpotentially head towards Camarillo Factory Outlets.
A combination of the above

We have no definite fixed plans for this day, other than to head towards Solvang.

*Solvang*






For those of you that have not been to Solvang, it is a little taste of a Danish town in the middle of the Californian Central Coast.  I swiped a couple of pictures of the net for visual effect and hope to have my own set of photographs to put in the TR section of this thread. (Apologies for the size of the pictures.)

From the moment you drive in, youre pretty much transported to Europe, complete with Danish pastries and paved/cobbled paths. 











DS has never been to Europe and we figured this might be a way of getting him to think about a trip in an opposite flying direction.  

There were a number of accommodation options in Solvang that we considered; but in the end, we settled on one where the rooms were individually decorated.  We did consider a couple of the big chain hotels; but really, we figured that we were heading into a country town so a breakaway from mainstream seemed in order.  The room does include continental breakfast.

Our check-in is at 3 pm and after settling in, we will head out for some exploration and find somewhere for dinner.

DH and I have been to Solvang once beforeand I think it was in 2000 when I was pregnant.  So, technically, DS has also been to Solvang as well.

DH remembers a shop in Solvang that sold Tiffany lamps.  He specifically remembers a lamp that was shaped like a musical instrument and wants to head back there to see if it is still available.  Yes, I know.If you see the massive hole in this train of thought and feel strongly about it, by all meansyou can tell DH for me.  

I know better.

I would like to hit the Elverhoj Museum in Solvang, one of only a few museums outside the home country that focuses on Danish culture.  There is also the Nojoqui Falls County Park that has a 164 foot waterfall, hiking trails and playgrounds.  DH and I really like the sound of the Nojoqui Falls.  






Alternatively, we could go to the Santa Ynes Mission.  







*Up to Monterey Peninsula*

After our continental breakfast, well continue our road trip up PCH.  There are a number of possible stops on this route:

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove
San Luis Obispo
Mission Trail (San Miguel, San Luis, San Juan, San Antonio, San Carlos)
San Simeon/Hearst Castle
Morro Bay
Big Sur
Carmel 

I would personally love to get back to Hearst Castle and take another tour.  But DH isnt that keen.  So, there is only a remote outside chance of us stopping there. 






If the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is opened, Ill be making DH stop there, even if I have to open the car door and jump out!  We once caught the tail end of the MBs up in Pacific Grove and I would love to see these Butterflies in the Eucalyptus trees.






I suspect that we will be stopping practically every 10 minutes on this road to take photographs; but as we have the whole day to get from Solvang to Monterey (normally a 2  3 hour drive at the speed limit), the only issues will be avoiding traffic and watching out for mudslides.

*Monterey*

Our stop for the night is a hotel in Monterey.  

My original preference was Clint Eastwoods Mission Ranch in Carmel.  The website indicated that there was a 2-night minimum stay at the weekend and when I called them up, reception confirmed the same thing.  The only option was to wait until the Wednesday before the weekend when they would be likely to release rooms for one-night stays.  I would have liked to wait but figured that I would have very limited opportunity to call from the plane to secure a booking.  

So, I asked some Old Fogies Dis-ers that live in NorCal about recommendations and the hotel of choice seemed to meet with their approval.  The hotel isnt in the heart of Cannery Row; but it is within walking distance.  There is also a chance that one of the Old Fogies and I would do a mini Dis-Meet, either here or in Silicon Valley during the week.  

There are a number of things to do in Monterey and Im interested to visit Californias First Theatre, which unfortunately seems to be undergoing renovations.  Still, it might be interesting just to walk past and take a look at the structure from the outside. 






The Monterey State Park seems like it contains a number of historic houses that might be worth taking a look at.  And then there is always the beach to visit!






Alternatively, there are a couple of chapels and cathedrals that might provide some architecture interest on this visit.  Failing all else, we can always take a look at the artsy shops in Carmel..






or the touristy shops in Cannery Row...






I suspect that we will not have enough time on our drive-through visit to Monterey to explore the area properly.  

*Heading towards Silicon Valley*

After our 2 nights on the road along Pacific Highway, we will make our way to Silicon Valley and our home away from home.  DH will need to start work the day after we arrive and that leaves DS and myself with 5 days worth of exploration.  We are hoping to catch up with family during this stay.  I have a cousin that lives in San Francisco and DH has an uncle and cousins in the area.  It will be a bittersweet visit with DHs uncle and family, completely tinged with sadness.  My FiL (his uncle is a brother to FiL) passed away just before Christmas and the San Francisco family will want to catch up on all the news.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> On Anaheim Departure Date, we have a number of possible options that could serve as stopping points along the way:
> 
> Catch up with Shushh, potentially at Santa Monica pier.
> Head to Farmers Market/Grove for some shopping and lunch.
> Head out on the road and find a nice little town to stop at.
> Shoppingpotentially head towards Camarillo Factory Outlets.
> A combination of the above
> 
> We have no definite fixed plans for this day, other than to head towards Solvang.



Let me offer you a hint.  GET OUT OF LA COUNTY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!!!!  

Rush hour has become longer and longer, the window in the day that used to have light traffic has become very small. If you don't get out of LA County before 2 or 3PM you run the risk of hitting the Vetura County commuter traffic.  I know it was the Christmas Holidays, but it took us six hours to drive about the same distance that you will be going. We took the I5 to the Ventura Freeway. If you plan on taking the 405 (Santa Monica), well the locals don't call the the 4 or 5 hour freeway for nothing!  

I'd place my money on going lickety split to the Camarillo outlets for some shopping and have a nice Seafood lunch at the Ventura Harbor Village. Then you can move along to Solvang and hopefully arrive before dark!  If you're on the road by about 9AM most of the traffic should be overwith, not gone, but at least not stopped.

Sounds like fun the rest of the trip, I've never been anywhere you're considering except Hearst Castle, so I can't comment on any of those!


----------



## Aust

That all sounds like a great trip, you're so lucky to have so many Disney opportunuties. And you make me feel less weird for going to DL for a week! You had me worried on the APIS thing, I thought I had to fill something else out but then I checked the website and realised I'd already done it through Qantas. And Heidi I'm not 'extremely' shy, just not good at making new friends or talking to people I don't know...but you'll break the ice for me!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aust said:


> That all sounds like a great trip, you're so lucky to have so many Disney opportunuties. And you make me feel less weird for going to DL for a week! You had me worried on the APIS thing, I thought I had to fill something else out but then I checked the website and realised I'd already done it through Qantas. And Heidi I'm not 'extremely' shy, just not good at making new friends or talking to people I don't know...but you'll break the ice for me!



Hey Aust!  Thanks for stopping by.  Good that you already did the APIS thing....it was completely new for me!  It might have been something that we should have been doing all this while but I never realised until now.  

And you do quite well by yourself at breaking the ice!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Let me offer you a hint.  GET OUT OF LA COUNTY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!!!!
> 
> Rush hour has become longer and longer, the window in the day that used to have light traffic has become very small. If you don't get out of LA County before 2 or 3PM you run the risk of hitting the Vetura County commuter traffic.  I know it was the Christmas Holidays, but it took us six hours to drive about the same distance that you will be going. We took the I5 to the Ventura Freeway. If you plan on taking the 405 (Santa Monica), well the locals don't call the the 4 or 5 hour freeway for nothing!
> 
> I'd place my money on going lickety split to the Camarillo outlets for some shopping and have a nice Seafood lunch at the Ventura Harbor Village. Then you can move along to Solvang and hopefully arrive before dark!  If you're on the road by about 9AM most of the traffic should be overwith, not gone, but at least not stopped.
> 
> Sounds like fun the rest of the trip, I've never been anywhere you're considering except Hearst Castle, so I can't comment on any of those!



Alison - that is very sound advice.  I would love to run to Camarillo as quickly as possible (I have very fond memories of shopping there once); but we really didn't do justice to the Farmer's Market the last time because DS was asleep.  We might decide to get there early (I expect we would be there before 10 am), look around have lunch and leave the area around 1 pm.

I'll mention it to DH and see what he thinks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

One of the unwritten divisions of duties in my household is the booking of car hire when we travel.  

Afterall, I end up researching, organising and booking the flights, DFAT, ESTA, APIS, hotels and excursions; so it only seems fair that DH gets the pleasure of organizing the cars.  Besides, DH usually hires a car on his business trips to the US; so he has Hertz gold member relationship, the hire company of choice for his work.

Sometimesokaymost times.erall times; Ill encourage DH to book the car hire earlier rather than later.  I also admit that I do keep an eye on the special offers from the car hire companies from time to time.  

One such offer cropped up for Alamoa mid-sized rental for 1 week, pick up LAX drop-off SFO, with NO drop-off feewas available in early December.  I pointed out the deal to DH.  And yes, I realize that Alamo is NOT Hertz.  But this part of the trip was pure holiday and where holiday car hire is concerned, my preference is clear.whichever company has the best value deal gets my business.   Would you believe that the price came to about $250 including all taxes and insurance?

I think I reminded DH about the dealohat least twice if not thirty times a week.  DH finally got round to booking the car hire yesterday.  Turns out that there are no cars available from Alamo for a LAX pick-up and SFO drop-off for that special price.  There were cars available from John Wayne Airport in Orange County for SFO drop-off and DH contemplated taking a taxi between airports to get the deal.  He started the booking process and in between start and end, the on-line price jumped to $1000.  

DH is normally a very patient man.  But the one thing that really annoys him is on-line booking systems (which is why I end up doing the bulk of things) and he was so ticked off with what he called gross rip-off that he went on to Hertz and booked a car for about $400 .  Pick up from LAX, drop off in Silicon Valley (close to where we are staying) and easy transfer across to the work car hire booking.   

I know were all thinking that he should have moved on the Alamo deal earlier; but there are reasons why he didnt move quicker.

And one other thing  we recently found out that one of our credit cards was being used in Las Vegas.  Neither DH nor I have been in Vegas in a number of years.  The bank called us up and asked if the transactions were kosher.  The card was immediately cancelled and we have been re-issued with new ones.

The interesting thing is that this particular card is only used when we travel overseas or for on-line purchases.  The card was last used in our October trip and we only pulled it out twice.  Once at the CSR reception and the second time at a restaurant in Silicon Valley.  Both times, the card did leave our line of sight.  Food for thought, isnt it?


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

PrincessInOz said:


> And one other thing  we recently found out that one of our credit cards was being used in Las Vegas.  Neither DH nor I have been in Vegas in a number of years.  The bank called us up and asked if the transactions were kosher.  The card was immediately cancelled and we have been re-issued with new ones.
> 
> The interesting thing is that this particular card is only used when we travel overseas or for on-line purchases.  The card was last used in our October trip and we only pulled it out twice.  Once at the CSR reception and the second time at a restaurant in Silicon Valley.  Both times, the card did leave our line of sight.  Food for thought, isnt it?



That is so scary, what could you do to avoid this? Just use cash for everything? Except I wouldn't like to carry that much cash around with me. 

I am not brave enough to hire a car in America, and Adam isn't too keen either. When I was little and went to America my father crashed the hire car we were in. When he turned into another road he went to the wrong side of the road. I am now too traumatized to try on my own. I have no problem driving at home, just in a country that drives on the wrong side of the road


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## PrincessInOz

I take a combination with me - cash, Traveller's Cheques, Travel Card, Credit cards and my normal ATM cards.

I'm happy to use the Credit Cards where I can see them swiping the card e.g., usually shopping; but most of the time we pay with Traveller's Cheques.  I know it's pretty old-fashioned; but TCs are quite widely taken in the US and they give the change in cash.

DH will now never hand over his CC in places where he can't see them swiping it and handing it straight back to him.

And we've always driven in the US; so it's almost like an automatic thing now for us to drive on the other side of the road.  The hardest bit is getting out of the car hire parking lot!


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## Jade+3

I thought I was the only person around who still uses travellers cheques! 

Very jealous of all the scavenger hunt opportunities you will get!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Jade+3 said:


> I thought I was the only person around who still uses travellers cheques!
> 
> Very jealous of all the scavenger hunt opportunities you will get!



They'll mostly be of the Disney and food ones!  I've given up on all the snow and de-icing pictures; but am hoping to get the breath in cold air, bird feeding and mad bomber hat....


----------



## Jade+3

PrincessInOz said:


> They'll mostly be of the Disney and food ones!  I've given up on all the snow and de-icing pictures; but am hoping to get the breath in cold air, bird feeding and mad bomber hat....



You beat me to the Nutcracker window display. May still do that if it is still up. We were going into the city tomorrow, but this damn rain! I am also hoping to get to Seaworld these school holidays. Maybe able to find something icy at the polar bear and penguin displays. DH works in commercial refrigeration, so hoping he may come across an icicle.

Do you have any idea what a po' boy is? I was wondering if it is like Subway, but then I was going to use that for a deli sandwich.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A Po' Boy is a type of (New Orleans) sandwich...bread stuffed with deep fried crumbed shrimp.  They serve them at Bubba Gumps and also at Ralph Brennar's Jazz Kitchen.

ICY!    I think I remember seeing icicles at the Aquarium...penguin display.


----------



## Jade+3

I don't think I will be finding a Po' Boy around here then!


----------



## PrincessInOz

You could always get a recipe off the net and make one....

Did you get any firework shots last night?


----------



## franandaj

QuirkyButterfly said:


> That is so scary, what could you do to avoid this? Just use cash for everything? Except I wouldn't like to carry that much cash around with me.
> 
> I am not brave enough to hire a car in America, and Adam isn't too keen either. When I was little and went to America my father crashed the hire car we were in. When he turned into another road he went to the wrong side of the road. I am now too traumatized to try on my own. I have no problem driving at home, just in a country that drives on the wrong side of the road



I guess I will scrap my post on your PTR where I suggest that you hire a car and drive to SF  

We conquered the "wrong side of the road problem" when we went to New Zealand, the only thing that I couldn't get over was the word "left turn".  As the Navigator I kept saying, "Make a Left" when I meant "make a right".  See in my mind it was the turn against traffic and at home that's a left.  By the end of the trip we worked out a new system, I knew which hand I wore my watch on and which one I wore a bracelet, so I would say, "turn towards the watch" or "turn towards the bracelet" and we were good.


----------



## franandaj

Jade+3 said:


> I don't think I will be finding a Po' Boy around here then!





PrincessInOz said:


> You could always get a recipe off the net and make one....
> 
> Did you get any firework shots last night?



One of the common ones is to take some fried shrimp put them in a sub roll with some cajun remoulade and lettuce.


----------



## heidispidi

Thanks for the timely reminder about keeping your eye on your credit card.  What was the outcome?  Will the banks reimburse what was taken?


----------



## franandaj

heidispidi said:


> Thanks for the timely reminder about keeping your eye on your credit card.  What was the outcome?  Will the banks reimburse what was taken?



We are constantly having our credit card information comprimised.  Usually the credit company finds it first.  They call us with some strange charges and they are always willing to remove the charges.  The funny part is that the theives usually spend less than we do!


----------



## PrincessInOz

heidispidi said:


> Thanks for the timely reminder about keeping your eye on your credit card.  What was the outcome?  Will the banks reimburse what was taken?



The bank called us when they detected the spend.  They cancelled the card immediately and we weren't charged.  We got replacement cards within 5 - 10 business days.

If you haven't already done so, you might like to contact your bank and let them know that you are going to the US because if they see any unusual transactions, they will call you...usually within 15 - 30 minutes.  If they can't get hold of you, sometimes, they put a 'hold' on the card.  They have a spot in your account where they can put a note in for your travel dates and location.




franandaj said:


> We are constantly having our credit card information comprimised.  Usually the credit company finds it first.  They call us with some strange charges and they are always willing to remove the charges.  The funny part is that the theives usually spend less than we do!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

franandaj said:


> I guess I will scrap my post on your PTR where I suggest that you hire a car and drive to SF
> 
> We conquered the "wrong side of the road problem" when we went to New Zealand, the only thing that I couldn't get over was the word "left turn".  As the Navigator I kept saying, "Make a Left" when I meant "make a right".  See in my mind it was the turn against traffic and at home that's a left.  By the end of the trip we worked out a new system, I knew which hand I wore my watch on and which one I wore a bracelet, so I would say, "turn towards the watch" or "turn towards the bracelet" and we were good.



 When I was little I used to tell my right from my left, by looking at my hands, my left hand had two freckles on it and my right hand had one. Don't do that anymore of course 

I think maybe I will have to overcome my fear, it really would be easier to tour with a car. But it really is a scary thought learning in peak hour traffic in LA


----------



## franandaj

QuirkyButterfly said:


> When I was little I used to tell my right from my left, by looking at my hands, my left hand had two freckles on it and my right hand had one. Don't do that anymore of course
> 
> I think maybe I will have to overcome my fear, it really would be easier to tour with a car. But it really is a scary thought learning in peak hour traffic in LA



Look on the bright side, if you're learning in the peak traffic hours, you'll never be going faster than 20 mph!

Californians (at least So Cal) can't live without their cars.  People are known to drive from one store in a parking lot to the other to avoid walking.

It's not as bad as everyone thinks.  Mainly just a lot more cars than people expect.


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> The bank called us when they detected the spend.  They cancelled the card immediately and we weren't charged.  We got replacement cards within 5 - 10 business days.
> 
> If you haven't already done so, you might like to contact your bank and let them know that you are going to the US because if they see any unusual transactions, they will call you...usually within 15 - 30 minutes.  If they can't get hold of you, sometimes, they put a 'hold' on the card.  They have a spot in your account where they can put a note in for your travel dates and location.



Sadly that doesn't always work. Half the 'notes' supposedly put into the system don't get put in. Or if they are...they end up on the 2nd page half the staff don't think to look at.

We've called and they still put a hold. Highly embarrassing ...

They've also put a hold on when we were shopping at Boxing day sales!! 

Anywho...

I'm joining the PTR 

Interesting itinerary. I honestly don't think I'd accept missing DL time to visit an aunt.......lol......It IS Disney 
Yes I'm heartless 
Why doesn't she meet you at the parks?

Hope the planning goes well though. Are you flying United or United? 

I actually prefer driving in the US to here. UNLESS it involves roundabouts or Aussie style carparks.

Americans fly through roundabouts in a terrifying manner. They have less of an understanding of them than Aussies.
And in tighter multistory carparks...F150 trucks do not fit  please don't try


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82 said:


> Sadly that doesn't always work. Half the 'notes' supposedly put into the system don't get put in. Or if they are...they end up on the 2nd page half the staff don't think to look at.
> 
> We've called and they still put a hold. Highly embarrassing ...
> 
> They've also put a hold on when we were shopping at Boxing day sales!!
> 
> Anywho...
> 
> I'm joining the PTR
> 
> Interesting itinerary. I honestly don't think I'd accept missing DL time to visit an aunt.......lol......It IS Disney
> Yes I'm heartless
> Why doesn't she meet you at the parks?
> 
> Hope the planning goes well though. Are you flying United or United?
> 
> I actually prefer driving in the US to here. UNLESS it involves roundabouts or Aussie style carparks.
> 
> Americans fly through roundabouts in a terrifying manner. They have less of an understanding of them than Aussies.
> And in tighter multistory carparks...F150 trucks do not fit  please don't try



Nice to have you on-board Queenie!

We are arriving on a Wednesday, which is a working day.  My aunt is working and she lives about 1 hour south of Anaheim; so it is unlikely that she would get the most out of going to DL.  I'm going to have to talk to her to work out what is possible.  

And we're flying Qantas this time.  We have DS with us and there is no way that either DH nor I are flying for 14 hours without in-seat entertainment to keep the boy quiet..

Yes...roundabouts and big trucks in small parking spaces.  I think those are universal issues; not just restricted to the US or Aust.  Have you seen how they go through a roundabout in Italy or in Asia?  YIKES!


----------



## PrincessInOz

OH!  Really remiss of me not to have said anything earlier!


And Queenie .......nice new ticker .


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> Nice to have you on-board Queenie!
> 
> We are arriving on a Wednesday, which is a working day.  My aunt is working and she lives about 1 hour south of Anaheim; so it is unlikely that she would get the most out of going to DL.  I'm going to have to talk to her to work out what is possible.
> 
> And we're flying Qantas this time.  We have DS with us and there is no way that either DH nor I are flying for 14 hours without in-seat entertainment to keep the boy quiet..
> 
> Yes...roundabouts and big trucks in small parking spaces.  I think those are universal issues; not just restricted to the US or Aust.  Have you seen how they go through a roundabout in Italy or in Asia?  YIKES!


 Oh don't start me on Italians!!! I've seen our neighbour do AMAZING things. Not to mention when you are in Italy. 
And in the West midlands in the UK they just drive straight over the top. 

I hope you get things sorted with your Aunt. I completely understand the dilemma. Just my instant "But it's DISNEY" response kicked in.
Was talking to a friend about my itinerary today and she rolled her eyes and groaned at having to allow time for Disney 
Honestly...if she weren't such a good friend...



PrincessInOz said:


> OH!  Really remiss of me not to have said anything earlier!
> 
> And Queenie .......nice new ticker .


Thank you  
All my flights this time are Qantas, Air France  and KLM  and I think they all have the in seat ent.
I asked if Air France were any better than KLM. They are as bad or as good as each other was the response  I mean when they merged I thought... the French and the Dutch...they deserve each other 
[And yes as I'm half Dutch I have the right to be very rude about them  ]

I'm just glad they aren't A380's
I actually ruled out Singapore Airlines because they were A380's


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82;39377479

All my flights this time are Qantas said:


> I'm just glad they aren't A380's
> I actually ruled out Singapore Airlines because they were A380's



I already like your Disney Monkey!  You're flying Qantas with *In seat entertainment*??  Welcome to the LIGHT side .


----------



## PrincessInOz

Over quite a couple of years, I’ve managed to travel a fair bit to NorCal…particularly around San Francisco.  And I’ve been slowly detailing some of the tourist sights that I’ve been to on the DisBoard here.

For this trip, I will have 5 nights and 6 days in the region and having seen quite a few of the local attractions, I’ve been doing some research on what other things to go see in the area.  Plus, I need to keep in mind that we are traveling in winter and my Numero Uno coffee buddy is 10!  
If you’re a regular subscriber or lurker on this thread, you may have noticed that a number of us have been chatting about a Winter Scavenger Hunt.  This WSC is being run from the photography sub-forum on the Boards and there are a number of items that I am hoping to snap during this trip.  The hunt is a bit of fun and a means for us budding photographers to get out there and try to improve our photography skills.  

There are a number of items (Ambience, Beignets, Po’ Boy, Mickey Waffle, Disney Menu/Resort Sign or Cast Member, Restaurant Table with Menu, Villain) that I’ve mentally slotted into the SoCal time to get.  
There are also a number of items that I’m thinking I could possibly get in Central Cal (Cordwood/Kindling, Fireplace with crackling fire, Pizza Dude, Pizza Oven with hot Pizza, Steamy hot drink/Hot Toddy, Sunrise/Sunset). 

For NorCal, I’m also planning on getting a number of items.  So, here are the possible places to visit:

Coyote Point Museum (Critter, Hawk, Wild Animal tracks or habitat)
Winter Lodge Open Air Skating (Zamboni, Winter Sport, Rosy Cheeks from cold, breath in cold air)
Fisherman’s Wharf (I need to find something Cardinal related, Deli Sandwich with pickle, Dazzling Jewellery, Candy Jar, Peppermint, Soup’s On!)
Disney Family Museum (Vacation, mine!)

And if anyone thinks that planning my tourism activities around a scavenger hunt is..well...possibly a couple of cents short of a full dollar....well, just remember...All of us on the DisBoard plan our travel around a MOUSE!

At this stage, I’m still researching how or where I can spot a Frozen or icy body of water (lake, river), Ice Fishing, Ice Sculpture, Icicle, Lift Ticket or Ski Life, Saved Parking Space in Snow, Snowman, Snow plow Driver, Snow Removal, Snow Scene, Snowshoe and Top of Snowy Mountain (with real snow).  

If there are any locals out there reading this, please let me know.  I don’t particularly want to go waaaay out of the way and know that I could head to Bear Mountain in SoCal…but I don’t have time.  So, if there are local spots in NorCal, please post!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> There are also a number of items that Im thinking I could possibly get in Central Cal (Cordwood/Kindling, Fireplace with crackling fire, Pizza Dude, Pizza Oven with hot Pizza, Steamy hot drink/Hot Toddy, Sunrise/Sunset).
> 
> At this stage, Im still researching how or where I can spot a Frozen or icy body of water (lake, river), Ice Fishing, Ice Sculpture, Icicle, Lift Ticket or Ski Life, Saved Parking Space in Snow, Snowman, Snow plow Driver, Snow Removal, Snow Scene, Snowshoe and Top of Snowy Mountain (with real snow).



Chances are the crackling fire can be taken in the lobby of the GCH Hotel.  They usually have a fire going all Winter.  You could possibly order a hot drink in the bar.  They do have a pizza oven at Napa Rose, but not sure that you'd want to ask if you could go in to take a picture of the oven.  

Right now our So Cal mountains have snow on them, provided it stays clear (rain continues) you'll be able to see the mountains from most of So Cal.



PrincessInOz said:


> And if anyone thinks that planning my tourism activities around a scavenger hunt is..well...possibly a couple of cents short of a full dollar....well, just remember...All of us on the DisBoard plan our travel around a MOUSE!



 

That's not as bad as us planning our trips to fit in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives locations!


----------



## Mum from oz

Just caught up! Sounds great so far! DS must be stoked to be going with you this time!


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> I already like your Disney Monkey!  You're flying Qantas with *In seat entertainment*??  Welcome to the LIGHT side .


I've flown Qantas and Finnair with in seat ent. So I know what it's like.
I just don't choose an airline over it. These airlines are being flown because of the price of the airfare. And I fly United because I get more LEGROOM. As opposed to many of these aircraft with the retrofitted in seat ent. which cuts into legroom for some seats



PrincessInOz said:


> And if anyone thinks that planning my tourism activities around a scavenger hunt is..well...possibly a couple of cents short of a full dollar....well, just remember...All of us on the DisBoard plan our travel around a MOUSE!


Not quite a fair point...
The Mouse is a vacation destination.
A Scavanger Hunt for PHOTOS is a task 

But I'm all for insanity


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Chances are the crackling fire can be taken in the lobby of the GCH Hotel.  They usually have a fire going all Winter.  You could possibly order a hot drink in the bar.  They do have a pizza oven at Napa Rose, but not sure that you'd want to ask if you could go in to take a picture of the oven.
> 
> Right now our So Cal mountains have snow on them, provided it stays clear (rain continues) you'll be able to see the mountains from most of So Cal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's not as bad as us planning our trips to fit in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives locations!



I'll try to pop into GCH to take a picture.  And I got my shot of pizza oven with hot pizza yesterday....










Mum from oz said:


> Just caught up! Sounds great so far! DS must be stoked to be going with you this time!



He is.  Although I made the mistake of showing him pictures on franandaj's PTR/TR about the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.  He does NOT want to go there....




queenie82 said:


> I've flown Qantas and Finnair with in seat ent. So I know what it's like.
> I just don't choose an airline over it. These airlines are being flown because of the price of the airfare. And I fly United because I get more LEGROOM. As opposed to many of these aircraft with the retrofitted in seat ent. which cuts into legroom for some seats
> 
> Not quite a fair point...
> The Mouse is a vacation destination.
> A Scavanger Hunt for PHOTOS is a task
> 
> But I'm all for insanity



A scavenger hunt can be a vacation destination....I seriously considered going to vacay in Port Stephens this year for a shot of Whale in Ocean.
And I'm hoping to get a number of winter shots out of this trip....If I hadn't had it already planned, who knows?  I might have considered a skiing trip instead...Japan, Tokyo and another castle down.


----------



## PrincessInOz

It's 14 days today before I get on a flight to the US.  I still have a million things to do and don't have time to get excited.

Still...

I've checked and double checked all our bookings and printed out the on-line confirmations.
I've updated in all government websites..ESTA, APIS, Smart Traveller.
I've found all our passports and have started a folder of things I need to take with me.
I've purchased travel insurance for DS and myself.
Booked in the minder service for our furbabies.
I've started to pull out addresses and travel directions on how to get to the various attractions I've been planning on visiting.

This weekend, I'm going to need to pull down the suitcases and start taking out the winter clothes for DS and myself.  Just need to see if they are good to go or if some of them might need a wash before we go.....

*sigh* Still need to fit in office work and house work in between all this activity.


----------



## skier_pete

Hey there - joining in! Looks like you have a fun trip planned. I'll give you a family favorite dining locale in SF. Scoma's - seafood place on Fisherman's Wharf. Now I haven't been there in about 8 years, but the food is super good! (Expensive, but what in SF isn't.) 

And, it seems like this has already been determined, but a Po' Boy is sandwich. Specifically it comes from the state of Lousiana, and in my experience a REAL Po' Boy usually comes on a soft crust grinder/sub/hoagie roll, but has some of the inner bread dug out to fit the meat/cheese/fillings. Usually served warm as well. I imagine it being one of those things that's never done "right" outside of the state of Lousiana. (Much like a Philly Cheesesteak gets botched everywhere outside of Philadelphia PA.)


----------



## PrincessInOz

Hey Pete!  Thanks for stopping by this PTR. 

I'll put Scoma on the list for dining at Fisherman's Wharf.   DS and I normally make a trip out there....we like the colour and motion of the Wharf and the wildlife that we can spot!  So, I'll have to check out where it is and go try the food.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Hi Princess, just stopping by to wish you a great trip.   Hope your meal at Club 33 is as wonderful as can be.  Look forward to reading your TR ... we are travelling up the coast to SF after DL.  We will be staying just out of the city with friends, but plan to spend a couple of days in town visiting Fisherman's Wharf, the Exploratorium, cable car, shopping etc.  Have fun!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Life at home has been busy and I have yet to find time to neither pull down the suitcases nor think about what clothes well need to take with us.  Thankfully, when I do get round to this, I can pretty much pack the clothes into the suitcases as we will be taking winter clothes to California, whilst enjoying living in our summer wardrobe at home.  Im really not crowing about the summer weather but if you think I am, just remember  weather payback is only ever 6 months away.

Despite the helter-skelter of life at home, Ive managed to firm up arrangements of my mini Dis-meets with two of my friends in a box. 

The arrangements with franandaj (Alison) have been firm from the time that this trip was not even on the horizon.  It was always going to be when I next go to the US, she and I were always going to catch up.  The bonus is that the catch up is going to be at Club 33.  Ive been checking out the lunch menu and food porn on line for Club 33 and I really am so looking forward to being there for the catch up.

The other arrangement that I firmed up was with an old fogie  Usnuzuloose.  She is going to be in Monterey on the Saturday that we drive up and we are planning on meeting up.  I'm hoping that we can find a really picturesque coffee spot somewhere with a view of the ocean and spend some time just reminiscing about .... being old!  But I've put my foot down....there will NOT be any corn involved in this meet!

I had also planned on meeting a fellow Aussie  Shushh  as well.  Shushh is currently enjoying the Disney high seas and we just didnt want to make any firm commitments, as she will be disembarking and who knows how long that would take!  So, potentially, I may have a 3rd DisMeet on this trip!

We all invest a bit of time on this forum and the connections you make can seem as real (or even more real) than the friends you have at home.  Every so often, it is nice to unpack the box and meet people in 3 Dimensions.  It really can be a bit like unwrapping a surprise present!

Im down to 10 days before heading off on the California Road Trip.  And it seems kinda appropriate that this post will also be my 10,000th one.


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Hi Princess, just stopping by to wish you a great trip.   Hope your meal at Club 33 is as wonderful as can be.  Look forward to reading your TR ... we are travelling up the coast to SF after DL.  We will be staying just out of the city with friends, but plan to spend a couple of days in town visiting Fisherman's Wharf, the Exploratorium, cable car, shopping etc.  Have fun!



Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you'll stop by again before I go...still have 10 days.

Your trip sounds fun too...are you planning on doing a PTR?


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you'll stop by again before I go...still have 10 days.
> 
> Your trip sounds fun too...are you planning on doing a PTR?



No plans for a PTR at this stage ... just having fun planning and trying to contribute to the odd forum or two!  Good luck with the packing ... you almost need some winter clothes today though!  It is such "Melbourne" weather at the moment!!


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> Life at home has been busy and I have yet to find time to neither pull down the suitcases nor think about what clothes well need to take with us.  Thankfully, when I do get round to this, I can pretty much pack the clothes into the suitcases as we will be taking winter clothes to California, whilst enjoying living in our summer wardrobe at home.  Im really not crowing about the summer weather but if you think I am, just remember  weather payback is only ever 6 months away.


 This is true. But remember California is as hard to read as Melbourne and Sydney. I'd still keep a short sleeve bottom layer and then add. 
I'm looking out the window to showers and storms...hang on...that's what the weather report said an hour ago...I see clear skies and sun! 



PrincessInOz said:


> We all invest a bit of time on this forum and the connections you make can seem as real (or even more real) than the friends you have at home.  Every so often, it is nice to unpack the box and meet people in 3 Dimensions.  It really can be a bit like unwrapping a surprise present!
> 
> Im down to 10 days before heading off on the California Road Trip.  And it seems kinda appropriate that this post will also be my 10,000th one.


That is terrifying that 10,000th post  

And I totally agree with meeting the 3D version 
It's amazing what you find 

Hope all the trip planning and the trip itself goes well!!
10 days!!

Have fun!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> The arrangements with franandaj (Alison) have been firm from the time that this trip was not even on the horizon.  It was always going to be when I next go to the US, she and I were always going to catch up.  The bonus is that the catch up is going to be at Club 33.  Ive been checking out the lunch menu and food porn on line for Club 33 and I really am so looking forward to being there for the catch up.



Always curious what is online for food porn, last time we had lunch there was my birthday in May and it was awesome!  I've been going there for about 15 years and not a lot has changed, just the fact that now you order you entree instead of get it from the buffet, but they have a bar in the restaurant instead of ordering drinks from somewhere unknown....the only thing is that at lunch they used to have a pasta bar which is no longer.  other than that is is almost as it always was.....


----------



## usnuzuloose

Okay princess its the old fogie. You will like club 33. I had alot of fun up there. I had fun walking through the door. See you soon


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82 said:


> This is true. But remember California is as hard to read as Melbourne and Sydney. I'd still keep a short sleeve bottom layer and then add.
> I'm looking out the window to showers and storms...hang on...that's what the weather report said an hour ago...I see clear skies and sun!
> 
> That is terrifying that 10,000th post
> 
> And I totally agree with meeting the 3D version
> It's amazing what you find
> 
> Hope all the trip planning and the trip itself goes well!!
> 10 days!!
> 
> Have fun!



Thanks Queenie!  Just think.  When I get back, it will be your turn....



franandaj said:


> Always curious what is online for food porn, last time we had lunch there was my birthday in May and it was awesome!  I've been going there for about 15 years and not a lot has changed, just the fact that now you order you entree instead of get it from the buffet, but they have a bar in the restaurant instead of ordering drinks from somewhere unknown....the only thing is that at lunch they used to have a pasta bar which is no longer.  other than that is is almost as it always was.....




Well, I'm hoping to seriously contribute to the on-line food porn for Club33 on the DisBoard! I think the AllEars site has a great set of photos of the Club, including pre-updates.  



usnuzuloose said:


> Okay princess its the old fogie. You will like club 33. I had alot of fun up there. I had fun walking through the door. See you soon



Looking forward to catching up!  We can compare notes about Club33....


----------



## PrincessInOz

Another thing - and completely off topic.  

Check out this clip...I know it's a British accent but I couldn't stop laughing!

http://www.blackberrycool.com/2010/...gn=Feed:+blackberrycool/mYUU+(BlackBerryCool)


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Well, I'm hoping to seriously contribute to the on-line food porn for Club33 on the DisBoard! I think the AllEars site has a great set of photos of the Club, including pre-updates.



Is there a DISboard Club 33 food porn?  If so let me know, I want to see it, all I know of is the ones I have from when I've been there!


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> Another thing - and completely off topic.
> 
> Check out this clip...I know it's a British accent but I couldn't stop laughing!
> 
> http://www.blackberrycool.com/2010/...gn=Feed:+blackberrycool/mYUU+(BlackBerryCool)



That's hilarious!!! 

And it is (dare I say it) because it is British it is so funny


----------



## franandaj

Just to give you a heads up in your packing, if you haven't been checking the temperatures, it has been unseasonally cold this year (and last) in California.  We never really had a summer and this winter we went the longest number of days without reaching 70 degrees.  Now I know all you folks on the East Coast are laughing, but normally us folks in So Cal don't need jackets, and wear flip flops year round, so you may want to pack some extra layers just in case....

Looking forward only 10 days until our lunch meet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Is there a DISboard Club 33 food porn?  If so let me know, I want to see it, all I know of is the ones I have from when I've been there!



I haven't seen any Club 33 food porn on the Dis...



queenie82 said:


> That's hilarious!!!
> 
> And it is (dare I say it) because it is British it is so funny







franandaj said:


> Just to give you a heads up in your packing, if you haven't been checking the temperatures, it has been unseasonally cold this year (and last) in California.  We never really had a summer and this winter we went the longest number of days without reaching 70 degrees.  Now I know all you folks on the East Coast are laughing, but normally us folks in So Cal don't need jackets, and wear flip flops year round, so you may want to pack some extra layers just in case....
> 
> Looking forward only 10 days until our lunch meet!



Thanks.  Will definitely be packing extra layers.    Although...it's pretty cool in Melbourne right now; and it's supposed to be summer!


----------



## TheColtonsMom

I've been reading your PTR thought Id just check in and wish you a good trip. I almost wish my trip was just coming up instead of just ended. Have fun look forward to your TR and pictures.


----------



## PrincessInOz

TheColtonsMom said:


> I've been reading your PTR thought Id just check in and wish you a good trip. I almost wish my trip was just coming up instead of just ended. Have fun look forward to your TR and pictures.



Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate the well-wishes.

And thanks for de-lurking!


----------



## PrincessInOz

It is officially one week to go before I fly out of the Melbourne....(I think it is officially)....summer....(but it is wet and cold) for the Californian wet and cold.  But hey - I will be on holiday, which is all that counts.

Sadly, I still haven't got that holiday swing yet...work has been stupidly busy.  I finally officially submitted my annual leave form today; only because it is something that I should have done about 2 months ago...but this is just about the paperwork catching up more than anything else.  I am on leave from 5 pm on Friday 14th Jan and will only be checking back in at 8 am on Tuesday 1st Feb.

The really sad thing?  Work is soooooo busy that I promised to go in Tuesday next week to get things done.  















Anyone out there wanna slap me now?  




















Don't worry....someone at work did.  I'm BANNED from showing my face in the office next week...


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

PrincessInOz said:


> It is officially one week to go before I fly out of the Melbourne....(I think it is officially)....summer....(but it is wet and cold) for the Californian wet and cold.  But hey - I will be on holiday, which is all that counts.
> 
> Sadly, I still haven't got that holiday swing yet...work has been stupidly busy.  I finally officially submitted my annual leave form today; only because it is something that I should have done about 2 months ago...but this is just about the paperwork catching up more than anything else.  I am on leave from 5 pm on Friday 14th Jan and will only be checking back in at 8 am on Tuesday 1st Feb.
> 
> The really sad thing?  Work is soooooo busy that I promised to go in Tuesday next week to get things done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone out there wanna slap me now?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't worry....someone at work did.  I'm BANNED from showing my face in the office next week...



 How exciting, you have so little time left, I can't wait until I am so close!


----------



## franandaj

My reminder in my phone for lunch with you in a week just went off!    

I reset it for one day, I imagine that you will be getting off the plane or picking up your luggage the next time it rings!


----------



## PrincessInOz

QuirkyButterfly said:


> How exciting, you have so little time left, I can't wait until I am so close!



Enjoy the planning time...Your trip will come round really quickly!  



franandaj said:


> My reminder in my phone for lunch with you in a week just went off!
> 
> I reset it for one day, I imagine that you will be getting off the plane or picking up your luggage the next time it rings!



Excellent!  I'll see how I'm placed on Wednesday.  I _might_ try and call you sometime after we're settled...see how I go.


----------



## PrincessInOz

I've hit the 5 days to go mark...and it really is 5 days to go; not 5 sleeps.  I'm actually down to 4 sleeps to go.  

I finished up work yesterday in a mad rush.  I think the people that banned me from showing my face in the office on Tuesday were having second thoughts about the ban.  Still, there was so many things to do and push forward that it just felt like Friday was never going to end.  I don't officially head back until 1 Feb.  It sounds like a long time...but it really isn't.

I'm trying to get my mind around this mad dash now.  Can you believe that I'm not organised?  

This morning I headed out to pick up a few things that we will need.  I still have additional items to pick up; which I plan to get either Monday or Tuesday.  But these are pretty light and won't take up a lot of room.
I also decided that I need to get a hair cut before I go.  It's been over 6 weeks since my last cut and I think I really should tidy it up a little bit.  So, I'm going to have to find somewhere to get that done on Tuesday.  

I'll probably need to wander into DS wardrobe this afternoon and pull out his winter clothes.  It will predominantly consist of track pants....and I'm hoping that there is at least one pair of jeans that will still fit DS.

We still have to get the suitcases down from the attic and think about putting clothes in them.  Anyone who has read my PTRs before will know that I err on the side of light packing.  I certainly don't want to fill the suitcases to the brim....going.  Coming back is a different matter!

Plus I've decided that I want to get a Ultra Wide Angle lens...and think I want the Tokina 11 - 16 mm f/2.8.  I'm having problems sourcing this lens; it seems to be a popular lens and all the normal on-line places seem to be sold out.  Oh well....back to the drawing board.


----------



## franandaj

Did I remember some sort of offer from the previous PTR about authentic TimTams?


----------



## PrincessInOz

I got two packets today just for you.  I also looked at the Lamingtons (think I also promised you some in the same previous PTR) and will get them on Tuesday; so that they are still fairly fresh when they get to you.  I'm contemplating a bottle of Australian port...but not sure how I'm going to get it to you.  I'm pretty sure Disney security won't let it in through the gates.  

Do you want anything else? e.g., Chocolates etc.


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> I've hit the 5 days to go mark...and it really is 5 days to go; not 5 sleeps.  I'm actually down to 4 sleeps to go.
> I finished up work yesterday in a mad rush. I think the people that banned me from showing my face in the office on Tuesday were having second thoughts about the ban. Still, there was so many things to do and push forward that it just felt like Friday was never going to end. I don't officially head back until 1 Feb. It sounds like a long time...but it really isn't.


I can assure it is NOT very far away 
17 days 



PrincessInOz said:


> We still have to get the suitcases down from the attic and think about putting clothes in them.  Anyone who has read my PTRs before will know that I err on the side of light packing.  I certainly don't want to fill the suitcases to the brim....going.  Coming back is a different matter!


Good on ya 



PrincessInOz said:


> I got two packets today just for you.  I also looked at the Lamingtons (think I also promised you some in the same previous PTR) and will get them on Tuesday; so that they are still fairly fresh when they get to you.  I'm contemplating a bottle of Australian port...but not sure how I'm going to get it to you.  I'm pretty sure Disney security won't let it in through the gates.
> 
> Do you want anything else? e.g., Chocolates etc.


Haighs is popular Aussie Chocolate. Whenever I walk past the Sydney one it is full of people.

I'm a Ghiradelli gal myself 

Hope you get everything sorted soon


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I got two packets today just for you.  I also looked at the Lamingtons (think I also promised you some in the same previous PTR) and will get them on Tuesday; so that they are still fairly fresh when they get to you.  I'm contemplating a bottle of Australian port...but not sure how I'm going to get it to you.  I'm pretty sure Disney security won't let it in through the gates.
> 
> Do you want anything else? e.g., Chocolates etc.



Thank you!

I wouldn't even know what to ask for, I only know that I am not too keen on vegemite (as Aussie co worker of mine gave us some to taste back when).  I only know of TimTams because you mentioned them, and then I found some made by Pepperidge Farm in our grocery store.  They were very good!

I wasn't keen on the Lamingtons (I don't like coconut), but Fran said she would be more than happy to take them off my hands!


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82 said:


> Haighs is popular Aussie Chocolate. Whenever I walk past the Sydney one it is full of people.
> 
> I'm a Ghiradelli gal myself
> 
> Hope you get everything sorted soon



Thanks.

I was thinking of Haighs....but I'm not sure I'm heading to the city again next week.  It might have to be Koko Black instead.



franandaj said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I wouldn't even know what to ask for, I only know that I am not too keen on vegemite (as Aussie co worker of mine gave us some to taste back when).  I only know of TimTams because you mentioned them, and then I found some made by Pepperidge Farm in our grocery store.  They were very good!
> 
> I wasn't keen on the Lamingtons (I don't like coconut), but Fran said she would be more than happy to take them off my hands!



I'll get one packet for Fran then.  I was pretty sure you didn't like the coconut but I know we did talk about me bringing one for you anyway.

I didn't know that PF was making Tim Tams....might need to do a bit of reconnaisance at the Supermarkets whilst I'm there.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I was thinking of Haighs....but I'm not sure I'm heading to the city again next week.  It might have to be Koko Black instead.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll get one packet for Fran then.  I was pretty sure you didn't like the coconut but I know we did talk about me bringing one for you anyway.
> 
> I didn't know that PF was making Tim Tams....might need to do a bit of reconnaisance at the Supermarkets whilst I'm there.



we'll see if we can find any of those PF Tim Tams, perhaps they were just a holiday thing.


----------



## PrincessInOz

It's Monday morning in Oz and in 2 days time (Wednesday morning Oz time), I'll be at the airport.

We've been hit by the housecleaning bug that seems to strike us down everytime we go away....DH has been busy mowing the lawn and we've been cleaning the house plus now have a mountain of ironing to show for the loads of washing that we've done over the weekend.

I'm about to head to the bank to change a bit more currency....I tapped out my store of Traveller's Cheques in October and think I should get some to take with me.  

I've sorted out DS stack and still need to add socks and underwear to his pile.  Still need to pack for myself....but then I'm such a light packer that it probably won't take me long to throw clothes into a bag.  
And it's not as if I'm going somewhere that I can't buy stuff!  

So...here's a question for you out there...If you are going on holiday and you know you're going to go shopping.  

Do you deliberately not pack clothing that you are going to buy at the other end or do you pack it anyway and live with the extra weight?

Me?  I don't pack it or take something so old that I can throw out at the other end.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> So...here's a question for you out there...If you are going on holiday and you know you're going to go shopping.
> 
> Do you deliberately not pack clothing that you are going to buy at the other end or do you pack it anyway and live with the extra weight?



Me? I make an excel worksheet for each of my trips, with each day listed in calendar format and is divided into morning, noon and night.  I make one template for dining and one for clothes.  I have a file for Disney trips and a file for all other trips.  On my DVC trips to WDW, I know I'll have a washer and dryer in the room so I bring less clothes.  I plan every outfit to the point of (days may vary depending on ADRs):

Day 1 - plane trip  capris1/tank top1
Day 2 - sundress 1
Day 3 - capris2/tank top2 day, fancy dress evening
Day 4 - sundress 2 (laundry)
Day 5 - capris2/tank top 1
Day 6 - sundress 1
and so on

At the time of packing I pick clothes that are all in the same color scheme so I can mix and match and will not be wearing the same thing in all my pictures.  I do 2-5 loads of laundry (small washer) while we're gone and always plan on only wearing the clothes that I bring.  I find it difficult to find clothes that fit me well due to my size, plus at Disney I'm not fond of the current fashions they offer.

On a non Disney trip (wow, it's been about four years since I've been on one of those!), I usually use the same logic, but again I don't count on being able to find anything that I will like.  We just did some major shopping before Christmas and I got some new upscale T-shirts and lots of casual clothes (all at major bargains!) On Christmas eve, I got some beautiful fancy event dresses (also major bargains), so I'm not sure I'd find things I wanted to buy.  Living with a major shopaholic (who buys me no longer available embroidered Disney items on eBay), and loves to go on shopping sprees, has made me very picky about what I will bring home.  I mean if you can't get all your clothes in the closet or on the racks that you've purchased to handle the overage, you start to think twice about buying more!  

I guess this says it all...we carry a travel scale to weigh our suitcases before going home check in.  We also carry a duffel bag that if our bags exceed the weight we can add another bag, (we fly 1st class on frequent flyer points, credit card miles so baggage is free), we barely make the weight limit on the way out, so it is a definite issue on the way back.  The good news is that we always pack wine and sodas in our suitcases on the way.  We drink those while we're on holiday so by the time we get back we have built in room for our souvenirs!

On another note, you may get those snow capped mountain pictures...while it is nice and warm in the basin, it is still cool on the mountain tops and today there was still a good amount of snow.  I don't know what route you plan on taking to Anaheim, but if you take the 105 to the 605 to the 91 to the 5 you might be able to pull off and get a shot or two.  If you take the 405 to the 22, you might not have as good a vantage point...just making a suggestion.

I can't believe how close you're getting!  I was trying to wrap my head around the whole passing the International Date Line thing and that you would be leaving at about noon or so our time Tuesday, but it would be your Wednesday, but you would arrive around 11ish our Wednesday.


----------



## queenie82

So...busy at all? 

Hope the packing and sorting is going ok

Have a lovely trip!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Charged up my US mobile and sitting here entering contact numbers in.  I've been to the shops this morning to see if I could get a few things....and Alison....we might have to leave the Lamingtons.  I had a look at them and they just didn't look that good.  The Tim Tams will just have to do...and I wonder what Club33 might think if we did the Tim Tam slurp with our coffees there....

Packing is going okay.  I've sorted out DS and my clothes and DH has a pile as well.  We got the suitcases down from the attic last night and I'm going to do a pack this afternoon.  My pile looks shockingly modest...even by my usual standards.  I might have to start a list like Alison suggested and cross check if I have the right amount.  Thing is...I'm planning on doing a wash in Silicon Valley on Sunday; so I might have calculated correctly in the first pass.  Dang!  

My pile looks like this:

2 long pants (one is a pair of jeans)
1 shorts
2 long sleeve tops
3 short sleeve tops
1 wool cardigan, long sleeve
1 short sleeve cotton cardigan
Sock, undies

For wearing on the plane:

1 3/4 sleeve top
1 tracksuit bottom
1 tracksuit top (extra layering)
Long woolen coat
Pashmina (extra layering)
Sketcher shoes

I'm not taking extra shoes.  I figure that I probably will end up buying a pair of shoes and my sketchers would suffice...

Thoughts? Comments?


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> Charged up my US mobile and sitting here entering contact numbers in.  I've been to the shops this morning to see if I could get a few things....and Alison....we might have to leave the Lamingtons.  I had a look at them and they just didn't look that good.  The Tim Tams will just have to do...and I wonder what Club33 might think if we did the Tim Tam slurp with our coffees there....
> 
> Packing is going okay.  I've sorted out DS and my clothes and DH has a pile as well.  We got the suitcases down from the attic last night and I'm going to do a pack this afternoon.  My pile looks shockingly modest...even by my usual standards.  I might have to start a list like Alison suggested and cross check if I have the right amount.  Thing is...I'm planning on doing a wash in Silicon Valley on Sunday; so I might have calculated correctly in the first pass.  Dang!
> 
> My pile looks like this:
> 
> 2 long pants (one is a pair of jeans)
> 1 shorts
> 2 long sleeve tops
> 3 short sleeve tops
> 1 wool cardigan, long sleeve
> 1 short sleeve cotton cardigan
> Sock, undies
> 
> For wearing on the plane:
> 
> 1 3/4 sleeve top
> 1 tracksuit bottom
> 1 tracksuit top (extra layering)
> Long woolen coat
> Pashmina (extra layering)
> Sketcher shoes
> 
> I'm not taking extra shoes.  I figure that I probably will end up buying a pair of shoes and my sketchers would suffice...
> 
> Thoughts? Comments?


Trackie dacks on the flight? hmmm. 
I know you've flown enough to know what you like but I just couldn't contemplate that. I'm usually jeans or lightweight trousers.
The coat and jumper I assume are to have for the other end. I like the idea of a Pashmina...thanks for that 

No extra shoes I reckon makes sense. I did a 6 week holiday with one pair.
But lightweight thongs or sandals are always handy. 

Because you are going to the US I think the rest is about right. 
I'd likely chuck in an extra short sleeve as they are my bottom layer but they are the simplest to get an extra of. And if you're washing that's all good.

As for the Tim Tam slurp...god I'd love to see you do that in Club 33


----------



## PrincessInOz

Yes I know.  Wearing a tracksuit on a plane can be an corny as Creamed Canned Corn.  But....The tracksuit I have is an up-market lightweight one and is very comfortable to wear.  The pants look like nice fitting black pants; rather than daggy pants.  I knew it was travel-worthy because when I started to wear it on the flights, all these women in the Airline lounges used to walk up to me and ask me where I got my TS from.   

The Pashmina is great.  It doubles as an extra pillow or blanket; depending on how I feel and what I need.  

Funny - you read my mind.  I'd just gone through my pile and added one extra T-shirt and am now thinking about a pair of sandals.  Not sure about the sandals...as I doubt I'd be using it in NorCal.


----------



## DisneyFirefly

I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to post (or remember to) before you leave, so travel safe and have a good time!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Yes I know.  Wearing a tracksuit on a plane can be an corny as Creamed Canned Corn.



        

Ok since Imzadi is in on it too, I'll launch a full on attack, but I think even with you leaving, it's between you and me, unless Kimmar joins in, then we're history!  I have all my DVC groups who I can quiz on if they've seen it in the store?


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> Yes I know.  Wearing a tracksuit on a plane can be an corny as Creamed Canned Corn.  But....The tracksuit I have is an up-market lightweight one and is very comfortable to wear.  The pants look like nice fitting black pants; rather than daggy pants.  I knew it was travel-worthy because when I started to wear it on the flights, all these women in the Airline lounges used to walk up to me and ask me where I got my TS from.


It isn't a fashion thing 
It's a overheating thing for me. I try and avoid fleece on my legs.
But your description sounds good if they are lightweight.



PrincessInOz said:


> Funny - you read my mind.  I'd just gone through my pile and added one extra T-shirt and am now thinking about a pair of sandals.  Not sure about the sandals...as I doubt I'd be using it in NorCal.


 I don't want to read you mind!!! 

The sandals are mainly for traipsing around inside. Going to a pool. Grabbing something from the car. Just something you have as an extra footwear.
That's why I just bring lightweight ones.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Just wanted to say:



Have a Great Time!
​

I really hope you enjoy yourself. Stay safe, and I can't wait to see all the photos and read the TR when you are back


----------



## PrincessInOz

Thanks all. We leave today and I'm completing this quick post before the mad dash of the day. 
Departure day is always bittersweet as it means that the holiday is about to commence. But it also means that it is time to stop all the planning and scheming!

I may not be posting to this TR during the next 10 days. Yes I will be in Silicon Valley ..... But the hotel we are staying at has the slowest Internet ever! Makes you wonder HOW it was ever developed from this neck of the woods!

Happy dis-sing all. See you soon!


----------



## skier_pete

Seeing as I have no idea what time (or day) it actually is there - in case you haven't left yet...have a great trip!


----------



## shushh

Princess, sorry I didn't get a chance to bid you a safe trip and also sorry we didn't get a chance to meet up. We did end up going to Santa Monica but there was so many of us I decided to keep it simple. We'll just to make our meet ups locally...


----------



## PrincessInOz

Safely home again today....not much sleep on the plane, 3 loads of washing later and dried (thanks to a 105 F day in Melbourne) I'm just about ready for bed!

I'll try and get this TR started before too long.



shushh said:


> Princess, sorry I didn't get a chance to bid you a safe trip and also sorry we didn't get a chance to meet up. We did end up going to Santa Monica but there was so many of us I decided to keep it simple. We'll just to make our meet ups locally...



That's okay.  We kept it simple too...I sent a text message on the Friday morning (not sure if you got it) saying that we were pushing out of LA earlier than planned to avoid the Santa Barbara traffic.  Hope your cruise was a good one; which I will no doubt find out about in your TR.


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Welcome home!


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Welcome home! Looking forward to hearing about your trip, especially lunch at Club 33 and all other "food porn"! 

I think we all got our washing done today!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Well 105 degrees that will drain you. But I cant wait for all the pics. I was so glad to meet you and your lovely family. Yeah you will get your TR done before you know who.


----------



## Princess.Rachel

Loved the PTR. Can't wait to hear how it went!


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Seeing as I have no idea what time (or day) it actually is there - in case you haven't left yet...have a great trip!





DisneyFirefly said:


> Welcome home!





AussieDisneyNut said:


> Welcome home! Looking forward to hearing about your trip, especially lunch at Club 33 and all other "food porn"!
> 
> I think we all got our washing done today!





usnuzuloose said:


> Well 105 degrees that will drain you. But I cant wait for all the pics. I was so glad to meet you and your lovely family. Yeah you will get your TR done before you know who.





Princess.Rachel said:


> Loved the PTR. Can't wait to hear how it went!



Thank you!  TR starting soon...


----------



## PrincessInOz

OK.  If youve stuck it out this long, chances are youll stick around a bit more to find out how the Mad Dash turned out in reality.or youre just sticking around for the food porn, which you think I might be providing you.

Lets find out, shall we?

The ground rules for this TR:

Ill write the TR if you promise to comment in return, at best..within DisBoard guidelines.  That includes no religious nor political overtones.  Sadly, I think Ill be breaking at least one of those overtones.in the name of Winter Scavenger Hunt item of Presidential Related.

There will only be ONE day at a Disney Park in this TR; out of TEN.  The other NINE days will cover a road trip and NorCal.  Anyone who isnt aware of this, please return to the start and re-read my PTR.  You will NOT be passing Go and collecting $200 in the process of returning to the starting block. 

No correspondence will be entered into regarding the relative disproportionateness of Disney Park related in this TR.  I will say that I somehow managed to take a fair few photographs during my one day at DLR.   

In response to a PTR comment about scavenger hunt items NOT being a destination.  Anyone who is participating in this years Photo Sub-Forum Winter Scavenger Hunt will recognize that I might (okayWILL) be playing Scavenger Hunt word (and photo) Bingo.  Feel free to play along.  This may mean that photo-babble may feature in this TR, depending on whether anyone from that thread decides to mosey along here.

Food Porn?  Quite simply.....YES! YES! YES!  Anyone who has a food related addiction should probably stay clear of this TR.  But I figure this warning is probably is too lateif youve made it this far.   

Linearity is guaranteed.  There will be no tripping back and forward in posts (unlike some other Trippies that will NOT be named or have yet to be named.). 

Any mention of Canned Cream Corn will be kept to a minimum.  That old fogie dietary staple will remain the providence of the Old Fogies thread.

And as it was with the PTR, no seat belts required, feel free to keep your hands, feet and head or any other part of you outside the car  and remember.no liability will be assumed by the writer at any time!


Ready?  

Too bad!  Were starting this TR.soon.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Princess, you do make me laugh so much!  I am looking forward to hearing about the whole crazy trip!


----------



## tiggrbaby

I'm in!


----------



## skier_pete

You had me at "Food Porn"


----------



## franandaj

Wasn't I already in?


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Well, you know I'm in


----------



## usnuzuloose

Yes I am in. So ready to read a TR.


----------



## Imzadi

franandaj said:


> Ok since *Imzadi* is in on it too, I'll launch a full on attack, but I think even with you leaving, it's between you and me, unless Kimmar joins in, then we're history!  I have all my DVC groups who I can quiz on if they've seen it in the store?




How did I get into this thread before I even got to this thread? 

Well, I'm here. I'm in! Let's see some of those long awaited pictures!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Imzadi said:


> How did I get into this thread before I even got to this thread?
> 
> Well, I'm here. I'm in! Let's see some of those long awaited pictures!



So glad you could join us. Well were eating alot of popcorn over at someone elses TR. Well we are getting alot of fiber.


----------



## franandaj

Imzadi said:


> How did I get into this thread before I even got to this thread?
> 
> Well, I'm here. I'm in! Let's see some of those long awaited pictures!



I think your reputation precedes you!    However, you are not on anyones ignore list over here!


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Princess, you do make me laugh so much!  I am looking forward to hearing about the whole crazy trip!



Great!  I so hate laughing by myself!  



tiggrbaby said:


> I'm in!



Welcome!



********** said:


> You had me at "Food Porn"



I had me at Food Porn too....hope I don't disappoint!



franandaj said:


> Wasn't I already in?



I don't know...were you? 



DisneyFirefly said:


> Well, you know I'm in







usnuzuloose said:


> Yes I am in. So ready to read a TR.



Especially when you will feature...



Imzadi said:


> How did I get into this thread before I even got to this thread?
> 
> Well, I'm here. I'm in! Let's see some of those long awaited pictures!



  Thanks for joining!



usnuzuloose said:


> So glad you could join us. Well were eating alot of popcorn over at someone elses TR. Well we are getting alot of fiber.





franandaj said:


> I think your reputation precedes you!    However, you are not on anyones ignore list over here!



Popcorn?  What happened to the Cream Corn???


----------



## PrincessInOz

It was a dark and gloomy night…err…day in Melbourne but I didn’t care!  

Today, we were starting our Mad Dash across the Pacific Pond and heading towards Los Angeles.  The Dash across the Pacific is always mad…It takes 14 hours but it is a dash that us Aussies do particularly if we want to see a particular mouse.  

But it was even more so a mad dash for me because we were flying Qantas for this trip.  The Aussies among you will know that Qantas is my airline of choice and I always try and fly with them whenever I can.  Thing is – they have been having a string of maintenance issues with their fleet lately…that sort of press can make the bravest of souls nervous.

We got up early and finished the last of our packing – the toiletries – and put the bags in the car.  In the end, we ended up with 2 check-in suitcases (and a spare bag inside one of the cases) and 4 carry-ons.  







These are my traveling companions – DH and DS.   _Love_ is…. _Cuddly Warm_ with father and son.







We had made it to Melbourne airport with plenty of time to spare.  We were traveling Qantas this time – which meant that we could make use of the Airline Lounge, courtesy of DH being a member.

We made ourselves comfortable…






And checked out our plane…um….your guess is as good as mine…it could be anyone one or none of these planes.







I checked out the goodies available.  But as it was only mid-morning, these were the only items that interested me.






This is probably the last time I’m seeing pale _yellow_ tasty cheese in the next 10 days!


Our flight left on time.  Once we cleared the cloud layer, I was pleased to see blue _sky_ and took a picture through the window, a very pleasant _window scene_ indeed.






DS had been scared to fly all week and had wanted us to leave him behind.  No signs of scaredy cat now…(that would have been me, taking the picture).







We landed on time at Sydney airport and had to transit from the domestic terminal to the international terminal.  This had originally been our tightest connection with only 2 hours in between.  Turns out that Qantas had another one of those ‘maintenance’ issues and the flight out of Sydney was delayed by an hour.  There had been a plane that had to land in Fiji the day before and Qantas sent a plane over to pick up those passengers…our original plane…and we had to wait for another plane to come out of maintenance…our new vessel.  I guess this probably tips the scales definitely into the Mad Dash category!

DS was not happy with the delay and wanted some food.  We knew that the Qantas Club Lounge would have food; but DS wanted sushi.  So, we found this in one of the shops….sadly, it didn’t have a _sushi bar_, so I guess I’m still on the hunt for one of them.






..and DS scoffed the lot for lunch.






What can I say?  He is half Asian and really should know how to use chopsticks by this stage!

I just sat there and admired the view of Sydney (also dark and gloomy) and the _people at work_…doing something important (I’m sure!)…






….well, they would be… after they stopped milling for a chat.


We then made our way to the Club Lounge…found a quiet spot to sit…for a bit of _solitude_






..and found…more food.  _BLIMEY!_  English scones and cream!  YUM!






I was also pleasantly surprised to find one of my _Favourite Foods_ on offer…






Yes…this is fresh lychees. 






I guess no one else knew how to eat this fruit as there was a whole big fruit bowl of them.  I helped myself to a plate or two; and DH and I enjoyed the unexpected treat.


Before too long, we were called for boarding and thankfully, we had a pretty uneventful flight over…all 14 hours of it…we all even managed to get a little bit of sleep with DS grabbing 4 hours, DH got 3 and I managed a paltry 2 hours.


*Up Next - Day 1 in California*


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Looks like the first day was good!


----------



## shushh

Ok, here's my obligatory commentary post...not that I wouldn't have written one if you didn't ask for it!

I LOVE airports, yes its sadistic. So I loved reading about your day in Melbourne and Sydney airports...


----------



## Imzadi

PrincessInOz said:


> _BLIMEY!_  English scones and cream!  YUM!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was also pleasantly surprised to find one of my _Favourite Foods_ on offer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesthis is fresh lychees.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess no one else knew how to eat this fruit as there was a whole big fruit bowl of them.  I helped myself to a plate or two; and DH and I enjoyed the unexpected treat.



Oooo! I love clotted/Devonshire cream & scones.  

I prefer my lychees canned. They are a lot moister that way, and no peeling involved.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Imzadi said:


> Oooo! I love clotted/Devonshire cream & scones.
> 
> I prefer my lychees canned. They are a lot moister that way, and no peeling involved.



What do lychees taste like? They look like they are sweet.


----------



## Imzadi

usnuzuloose said:


> What do lychees taste like? They look like they are sweet.



They are. They have the consistency of green grapes, but not the sour tang of grapes. I think there is a pit in the middle of the fresh ones, like shown in the picture. I get the canned ones and they are hollow inside and come in a syrup like canned peaches. I get them at an Asian grocery store.


----------



## franandaj

Sushi sounds pretty good right now...but alas I am off to one of the best restaurants in Las Vegas...a cross I will have to bear.

Thanks for the report, I can't wait until the part when we meet!


----------



## Imzadi

franandaj said:


> Sushi sounds pretty good right now...but alas I am off to one of the best restaurants in Las Vegas...a cross I will have to bear.



You sound like you are really suffering.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Imzadi said:


> You sound like you are really suffering.



Must be I posted on her TR and still have not heard where they went to eat.


----------



## Imzadi

usnuzuloose said:


> Must be I posted on her TR and still have not heard where they went to eat.



They're still gorging themselves?


----------



## PrincessInOz

DisneyFirefly said:


> Looks like the first day was good!



The first day Part 1 in Oz was good.  The first day Part 2 in LAX - well, wait and see.



shushh said:


> Ok, here's my obligatory commentary post...not that I wouldn't have written one if you didn't ask for it!
> 
> I LOVE airports, yes its sadistic. So I loved reading about your day in Melbourne and Sydney airports...



 Hi Shushh! It's not SADistic....it's SICK!

You know....I'm sure you can get medications for your condition.  



Imzadi said:


> Oooo! I love clotted/Devonshire cream & scones.
> 
> I prefer my lychees canned. They are a lot moister that way, and no peeling involved.



Canned lychees, just like Canned Cream Corn, is something that seems better than the fresh stuff.  But when you get a good batch of fresh lychees (or free corn), there is nothing like it...peeling or no peeling.  
The batch that was in the airport lounge was THE BEST!  When I piled my plates up with it, I got rather filthy looks from the servers/attendants in the lounge.  I guess I was "cutting their lunch" by scoffing my face.



usnuzuloose said:


> What do lychees taste like? They look like they are sweet.





Imzadi said:


> They are. They have the consistency of green grapes, but not the sour tang of grapes. I think there is a pit in the middle of the fresh ones, like shown in the picture. I get the canned ones and they are hollow inside and come in a syrup like canned peaches. I get them at an Asian grocery store.



Asked....and answered.  What she said!



franandaj said:


> Sushi sounds pretty good right now...but alas I am off to one of the best restaurants in Las Vegas...a cross I will have to bear.
> 
> Thanks for the report, I can't wait until the part when we meet!



I thought we agreed that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas....unless you decide to share on the Boards.  So...what restaurant was it and where is the food porn?

Our meet happens early; so not long now...



Imzadi said:


> You sound like you are really suffering.





usnuzuloose said:


> Must be I posted on her TR and still have not heard where they went to eat.





Imzadi said:


> They're still gorging themselves?



I think she's deliberately leaving us hanging so that we mosey on over to her PTR!!


----------



## franandaj

usnuzuloose said:


> Must be I posted on her TR and still have not heard where they went to eat.





Imzadi said:


> They're still gorging themselves?





PrincessInOz said:


> I think she's deliberately leaving us hanging so that we mosey on over to her PTR!!



I still have yesterday to post (which was pretty porn worthy), but OMG after dinner tonight I am barely able to type after the best Grand Mariner Souffle EVER, I've learned the difference between cakey souffles and cloudy souffles, this was heavenly and after the Grand Mariner shot, well this Old Fogie can barely type.  I'm lucky I (hope) I didn't make any typos!

BTW we ate at Andre's at the Monte Carlo....Full on food porn to come on the PTR


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I still have yesterday to post (which was pretty porn worthy), but OMG after dinner tonight I am barely able to type after the best Grand Mariner Souffle EVER, I've learned the difference between cakey souffles and cloudy souffles, this was heavenly and after the Grand Mariner shot, well this Old Fogie can barely type.  I'm lucky I (hope) I didn't make any typos!
> 
> BTW we ate at Andre's at the Monte Carlo....Full on food porn to come on the PTR



Sounds delish!  I hope that you managed to stumble into bed gently before hitting the comatose button....and I count two typos in the above (same word).


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Bad Line Karma*

Getting out of LAX turned out to be an interesting experience today.  We kept experiencing Bad Line Karma.  Have any of you ever had the pleasure?

Firstly, our line out of the plane took twice as long as the other side to clear.  There must have been some slow old fogies on our side.  Best I could figure out was that someone must have opened a tin of Canned Cream Corn!  Sadly, it was all gone by the time I passed by; and the other side of the plane had totally cleared out!

Secondly, the immigration queues at LAX was just ridiculous!  I’ve never seen them as busy.  I figured that because we were late leaving Sydney, we’d gotten in at the same time as flights from India, China, Guatemala and Singapore.  Aside from English, I speak a bit of Cantonese, Spanish and Malay/Indonesian…but no luck with Tamil.  So, I don’t know how the Immigration officers were coping; but communication seemed to be a bit of an issue this morning….Aside from me being able to swear (softly under my breath) in 4 different languages, that is… 

We’d picked lucky No 8 because DH decided it was going to be a fast queue.  I wanted No 9 … which turned out to be a much faster and quicker line being processed than No 8.  Yup….all the Chinese travelers had picked No 8 (Chinese lucky number) and I suspect that being asked to look directly into a camera and putting first their four fingers and then their thumb on the scanner was turning out to be much more of a linguistic challenge than anyone could have anticipated.   We ended up jumping out of line and into the waaaay back of No 9, which moved much faster.  Seems like the Immigration officers had much better luck communicating in Spanish.

Thirdly, when we finally cleared immigration and picked up our bags to clear customs, we ended up in the wrong queue again.  This time, I picked the wrong queue.  The customs officer in the queue seemed to be much more diligent at working than the customs officer in the other queue.

I sure hoped that this was not a sign of things to come!  In actual fact, it turns out that we got our hit of bad line karma in one big dose and never had any other line issues to deal with after this.  I figured it was a good trade-off.

By the time we got out of the airport, it was way past midday.  It took us over 2.5 hours to get out!

Not quite the start I’d envisaged as I had always thought that we would have been out and at the Farmer’s Market by this time.  And we still had to pick up the hire car.  Any plans we had for heading to the Farmer’s Market or anywhere else were well and truly shelved.  It seemed easiest to get the car and head for the hotel rather than having to deal with peak hour on the 4 or 5 freeway on the way back.

We had booked with Hertz because DH hadn’t quite been quick enough to jump on an Alamo deal.  Just.as.well.that.he.booked.when.he.did!

Turns out that Hertz had no spare cars available on a Wednesday either.  The courtesy bus driver was telling anyone who got on that there were only cars available if you had pre-booked.

We ended up with a very smelly Nissan hatchback.  The previous renters were obviously smokers…








…and with our luggage, I was glad that we hadn’t been allocated the _smart car_.











*Settling into Anaheim over a late lunch*

Our hotel of choice in Anaheim for this trip was the Residence Inn Maingate.  We had previously stayed there before and were pleased to head back there again.


Our room..








..and DS made himself at home.  I know that we are from DownUnder..but even I have to admit that THIS is ridiculous!  I think he had a bit of trouble acclimatizing.  








The bathroom arrangements…..











..and after I grabbed a quick shower, we headed out for lunch here.







For me, this is such a typically _Americana_ place to eat.







Even this _neon_ shaped as a baseball cap just screams _Americana_ to me.  Although…I’m pretty sure that there isn’t a baseball team out there called Budweiser…







I’d ordered a Shrimp _Po Boy_.







Gotta love that cajun remoulade!








DH got a Caeser salad…








..and DS ordered Fish and Chips (_BLIMEY!_).







The boys decided that they wanted to head back to the hotel and check out the pool.

Me?  I was struggling to stay awake and it was only 4.30 pm.  So I decided to head to DownTown Disney to tough it out till proper American bedtime.


*Up Next: Downtown Disney at night rounds off our long Day 1*


----------



## usnuzuloose

Well I guess it could be worse and have the smart car and be cramped. 
At least you can hang a car freshner. I need to find a can of lychees and give them a try. I would eat that before vegemite. Maybe I should do my own trip report as it just got interesting long before we leave in june.


----------



## franandaj

I see where this is going now with the Scavenger Hunt photos cleverly worked in...don't think I forgot our little discussion about Po Boys...I may be old but I haven't lost THAT much of my memory!


----------



## Imzadi

I've never eaten at Bubba Gumps even though there is one close by. 

I would never get into a Smart Car. They are so tiny & low to the ground. I hear they are very popular in Europe. But, here, where the high, high off the ground SUV is king, I would NOT want to be driving in a low to the ground Smart Car and have an SUV or truck not see me.


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Well I guess it could be worse and have the smart car and be cramped.
> At least you can hang a car freshner. I need to find a can of lychees and give them a try. I would eat that before vegemite. Maybe I should do my own trip report as it just got interesting long before we leave in june.



Hmmm....perhaps we could try lychees with vegemite.....never.mind.  

Someday, vegemite will RULE the world!  

We never got round to getting a car freshner.  We kept thinking of when we were returning it and somehow, the countdown just flew by.  At the end, it was really obvious that we should have gotten that freshner instead of ignoring the smell.




franandaj said:


> I see where this is going now with the Scavenger Hunt photos cleverly worked in...don't think I forgot our little discussion about Po Boys...I may be old but I haven't lost THAT much of my memory!



I have no idea what you mean!...

Actually, it was quite amazing how many of the scavenger hunt items just jumped out at me during this trip.




Imzadi said:


> I've never eaten at Bubba Gumps even though there is one close by.
> 
> I would never get into a Smart Car. They are so tiny & low to the ground. I hear they are very popular in Europe. But, here, where the high, high off the ground SUV is king, I would NOT want to be driving in a low to the ground Smart Car and have an SUV or truck not see me.




I'm guessing that you're thinking about the one at Times Square??  
Usually full of tourists!  

Smart Cars are also here in Oz.  At least we see them on the road...we still could drive over them, though...


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 1 - Downtown Disney

It was a dark and gloomy nighterrday in Anaheim and I did care!  BecauseI was hoping to catch a shot of the San Gabriel Mountains, supposedly covered with snow.  As franandaj had suggested, we had driven down the 91 to the 5 in the hopes of catching a picture of a _top of snowy mountain (with real snow)_.  But it was so gloomy that you could have sworn that there were no mountains in them there hills.

But it was still warmer in the Anaheim winter than when we left in Melbourne summer and the boys had decided that a dip in the hotel pool was in order.

I didnt feel like getting wet and so consoled myself with the fact that I was here!







I eagerly walked down to the main entrance past the bus pick up point...








..and made it past security and into the promenade area between Disneyland and California Adventurewhere I soaked in the _ambience_ of being back on a Disney property.








The reminders for World of Colour were everywhere!  I know that its sad to admit thisbut I was excited just to see the reminders of exactly where I was and why I had come to DLR.








I was also intrigued to see the changes to the entrance of DCA and whilst I didnt take a picture of the Pixie Dust excuses, I missed the colour of the C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters out the front.

My destination for the night was fast approaching.








I took some time to take pictures of the DTD shop signages


















But I wasnt aimlessly meandering.I was really aiming for here.








I had decided to go check out the Grand California Resort main lobby as it presented a wonderful photography opportunity.
















And I just loved seeing the _ fireplace with crackling fire_ in operation.








Whilst I was in the lobby, I got a call from the boys.  They had finished their pool fun and had made their way to the DTD zone as well.  So we arranged to meet in the lobby.








Im still wondering if this was a mistake.as I had problems pushing BOTH boys out of the lobby.








So with one last look at the crackling fire








I bribed the boys to move .with the promise of food!

I pushed them out towards the bright _neon_ lights of an old favourite of mine






.and bought a serve of sugary fatness delights!  _Beignets!_













And just so there are no mistakes about it.they were delicious!








Since the Princess and the Frog movie, this treat has become even more highly sort after than ever and I was intrigued to check out the _manufacturing_ process for beignets.

The CM rolled the dough real thin and sliced them with a pizza slicer..








she picked them up








and placed them in the deep fryer!








But at $10 for the mix, I think I might just google a recipe at home and make it myself! 







We were well satisfied with this treat.  None of us were super hungry but hey!  Opportunity knocked.


(Continued in next post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from previous post)


After being fueled up, the boys knew exactly where they wanted to hang out…








And they were NOT budging!








So, they went into the Lego shop….

….and I left them after a while to meander the shots…er…shops.

























I made my way here…








..and took a look at the _ person at work _ making more sweet things.








I always enjoy the smell of this shop…there is nothing that quite fills those nostril hairs of mine than the intoxicating scent of just-starting-to-burn sugar.  You know what I mean….that smell that travels into your nose and tickles the senses all the way down to the top of the tonsils and just past the throat.  It is *almost* (but not quite) as addictive a thought as thinking about chocolate.  So, with my nose firmly leading the way, I walked in and salivated over the delectable delights!!


















I looked at the jelly belly _candy jars_.  Did you know that there is no _Peppermint_ flavour JB @ MC?








And after my October trip to the World and spending time in the Kuche Karamel shop, I now have such fond memories about DisneyFirefly’s caramel apple that I couldn’t resist taking this shot either.








My favourite snack to get in MC is the macadamia turtles.  So I got one (or six) of them to go, with a marshmallow covered chocolate stick and one of those toffee apples.

With my lovely treats in hand, I headed back in to the Legoshop to see if the boys were ready for a round-up…








Not just yet!

Thankfully for me, there was a great drummer putting his _musical instruments in use_ near the Rainforest Café.






The rat-a-tat-tat drew me closer to listen.  I really enjoyed his performance.  



(Continued in next post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from previous post)


It was still only about 8.00 pm and by this stage, the boys were ready to leave the Legoshop; but still had a bit of energy left in them.







We found something to amuse us not too far away from the drummer.  I don’t know what the cast member tending the stall must have thought of us but we sure had fun trying on the different hats on offer.












I spotted a _Floyd Turbo or Mad Bomber Hat_ in the mix..and DS was a willing model for me.







It was nearly 8.30 pm by this stage and we were all fading fast.  At this stage, we had hit the 35-hour mark without much sleep and it really was time to head back. 

But there was one more stop to make along the way.












DS and I both picked up either a Build a Dino or a Build a Bear ..and this particular model made it home with me.








The boys were getting to that scrappy stage.








And everything just seem a little fuzzy to me…








..We were all seeing Mickey’s everywhere!  Some hidden…













Others…out in the open.








We made it safely back to the Inn where we just flaked out!








The end of a long but satisfying first day.



*Up Next – Our one and only day at a Disney Park*


----------



## usnuzuloose

Its getting better by each post. Cant wait to see pics from inside Disney. All the yummy sugary treats. YUMMY!!


----------



## franandaj

i NEVER noticed that Hidden Mickey in the sign of Marceline's and we go there to buy one (or six) of the Chocolate Marshmallow sticks every time we go to DLR, which recently has been at least once a month!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a lovely update; you are a very good photographer!


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> i NEVER noticed that Hidden Mickey in the sign of Marceline's and we go there to buy one (or six) of the Chocolate Marshmallow sticks every time we go to DLR, which recently has been at least once a month!



Sure rub it in. Well you are just going to have to buy us something and send it our way. I'll let you know what I want we I see all the other pics.


----------



## shushh

Action packed first day as expected with lines and all! I've been looking at the not so obvious "hidden" mickey for a while and I still can't see it...

Love the photo of your DS upside down and of the traffic light. Classic!


----------



## DisneyFirefly

I can't wait to be there!


----------



## skiingfast

Really good stuff.  I also enjoy walking into DLR when I get to Anaheim.  Your photo journey helps me relive my past delights.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Fantastic photo's  I have just been showing them to my kids and they are just bursting with excitement at the thought that they will soon be there too!  Your photography has really brought DTD alive for us.


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Its getting better by each post. Cant wait to see pics from inside Disney. All the yummy sugary treats. YUMMY!!



Thank you.  Too much sugar is not good for you...so you're gonna have to wait until Lunch before I dole out anymore!



franandaj said:


> i NEVER noticed that Hidden Mickey in the sign of Marceline's and we go there to buy one (or six) of the Chocolate Marshmallow sticks every time we go to DLR, which recently has been at least once a month!



Next time you go, check out the Hidden Mickey's here as well....








tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely update; you are a very good photographer!



Thanks!



usnuzuloose said:


> Sure rub it in. Well you are just going to have to buy us something and send it our way. I'll let you know what I want we I see all the other pics.



If I thought sugary fatness would ship to Oz well, I'd be letting her know what to get me too.
On second thoughts, maybe I'll just go slap some more icecream on my thighs.....



shushh said:


> Action packed first day as expected with lines and all! I've been looking at the not so obvious "hidden" mickey for a while and I still can't see it...
> 
> Love the photo of your DS upside down and of the traffic light. Classic!




Mmm.  The curl at the bottom of the M forms one ear.  The curl at the top of the C forms the other ear.  The 'flourish' that makes the start of the C is the big circle...

Hope this helps!




DisneyFirefly said:


> I can't wait to be there!



Not long now....



skiingfast said:


> Really good stuff.  I also enjoy walking into DLR when I get to Anaheim.  Your photo journey helps me relive my past delights.



Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you'll stick around for the rest of my TR.



AussieDisneyNut said:


> Fantastic photo's  I have just been showing them to my kids and they are just bursting with excitement at the thought that they will soon be there too!  Your photography has really brought DTD alive for us.



Excellent!  I always like it when kids jump up and down....especially when sugar is involved .


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Happiest Place on Earth!*


Today was Disneyland Day!  The Happiest Place on Earth.

After the long Groundhog day getting to Anaheim, I was deep in DreamLand when the alarm rudely went off at 7.20 am.  

Waitthat was another TRand a 50-minute earlier rude awakening!!  It might be a different holiday and state, but nothing much had changed.

DH and I got back to the room last night and decided that an alarm to wake us up was in order.  Afterall, we only had this one day at DLR and we had decided that with the list of must-do rides to get through and not much time to do it.  So, we set the alarm as protection as we didnt want to chance an unexpected and unplanned..sleep-in.

So, with no chance of a sleep-in, I got up, got ready and faced the breakfast buffet at RI.  There was a heap of other people making the stampede for the buffet and I knew I was on a hiding to none trying to get in the middle of the herd to take pictures.  So I opted to take a picture of my breakfast plate instead.







We then headed out into the beautiful, crisp day and looked out to see this.







YES!  My _top of snowy mountain, with real snow_. 



Despite our dawdling DS, we got going and made it to the Guest Relations window by 9.15 am.  This was a new experience for us as we normally go to a standard ticket box and purchase our tix.  But we were going to have lunch at Club 33 today and were following instructions provided by our hosts.

After confirming our names, we had our park hopper tix issued for the day.  

DH and I turned to head towards Disneyland and the Mountains..when the curve ball came!  
DS had decided that he wanted to get on the swinging gondolas in DCA instead of starting in DL.  And he was not budging from this.  This was NOT part of DH nor my plan nor any family discussions we had before the trip.  Right!  NOT.Right!

With that look, DH and I decided to play ball and we headed into DCA.  Afterall, we did have a list of rides to do at DCA and we were flexible.ersomewhat.  On the way in, we stopped to pick up fast passes for Soarin when DS decided to Goof around.







Id forgotten how tall Goofy is.







 or is thatId forgotten how vertically challenged I am??



It was still pretty early in the morning and DS was still rubbing away the sandman from his eyes.







When he was enticed by some _DisneyCast Members_ into just hanging around.

















Definitely having a swingin ole time!

_..psst.  Take note of his t-shirtmore later._



We were sad to see that one of our favourites at DCA was indeed left high and dry.







But we knew that before coming and decided to grin and bear it.







I was anxious to keep going and had obviously forgotten one tiny little detailIt was only still 9.45 am and the schedule opening time was 10 am (winter hours).  







YesI made yet another rope drop!


It was very evident that Tinkerbell was really busy to the right of the pier...and that entire section was closed.  I guess that sometimes it is possible to have too much Pixie Dust.







We all rushed to the left of the pier







..which was where EVERYONE was heading.  And I knew whybut first I had to do some real fast-talking to DS.  With my motor mouth non-stop, I herded us into a detour.







DH was also happy with the change in plans.  Contrary to appearances, he really is a PRINCE!







DS, on the other hand, was not so happy with the change in plans.he could see his destination!  _X_ marks the spot.







This was strictly walk-on at this time of the morning.  We loaded into our vehicle and went in..







This is normally an attraction that.wellI SUCK at.  Even DS can beat me hollow.  Everything normally looks like this to me!







But in October at the World, DisneyFirefly gave me some pointers







 and surprising, I found that I was better at seeing clearly in this attraction.  At least I knew where to aim and where to shoot.  

And I still found time to take a couple of the other kind of shots inside..















Surprisingly, I was also getting better at this kind of shooting inside dark rides.

And when we came out







..I was even more surprised to find that my score was over 119,000.  Not greatbut respectable.  More the point, I beat BOTH the boys..and someone was NOT happy about it.






Score One to Me!


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Games of a Different kind equals Mischief!*

After the Midway Madness, we headed for DS choice ride pick.  With no queues at all, we bundled ourselves into a swinging Fun Wheel gondola.







Wed last been on the big swing in 2007 and I was looking forward to reacquainting the pit of my stomach with the bottom of my lungs.







The view is pretty good and I took the opportunity to nab some shots.  I must admit that I only had eyes for one spot.






Slightly to the right of the yellow fire hydrant.


I eventually spotted the nearby snowy mountain.







Umapologies for the slight out of focus picture.   Not only was I playing with manually focusing the camera here, but this was the moment of the biggest drop slide and it was all downhill from here for me.  I hope that no one out there reading this was at the DCA on this morningthat loud person screaming like a girl who wasnt on Screamin.well, that was me, first time down AND second time down.   


So, much as my stomach and lungs enjoyed the experience, I was really pleased to be back on solid ground againgetting off the Fun Wheel!  And it is OFF!







We came out right by the Boardwalk Games







and DS had obviously decided on a very different agenda to the one that DH and I had planned.  He wanted to go FISHING!







Ive checked my Must Do List in the PTR.definitely dont see any Fishing on the list.  

So, whilst the boys were fishing, I looked towards Screamin and decided to try my luck on my own kind of boardwalk games....the kind that involves patience and a steady hand.  







Turns out the boys had their own patience and steady hands success at Fishin and came back with these beauties for their 10 minutes work.








We walked right past Screaminboth boys looked at itand then chickened out!  Let me repeat that again.  They.chickened.out!







That list of must-do rides?  Well, it was sure being turned given a whirl around today!








DH saw me eyeing off the carousel photo opportunity and suggested that we get onNopethis one isnt on the must do list either.







Still, from my viewpoint it wasnt all bad







even with the low spin cycle effect turned on.







By this time, our Soarin FP window had opened up and we headed back.


I stopped to take a look at a _Disney Menu_ as I have long term plans of eating here someday







Thank Goodness I did!  Because out of the corner of my eye, I noticed some colour and motion in A Bugs Life.  We snaked in to find some old friends, waiting for anyone..someone to walk up (no queue!!).

Ive raised my DS right.  He could tell his Dale







from his Chips







and THEY could smell _Mischief_ in the air.








I hope you paid attention to the 'Mickey Hug Me' T-shirt DS was wearing this morning.

Chip N Dale were a very happy couple of chipmunks that morningespecially when they KNEW someone else has spied that T-shirt DS was wearing.







The Duck came over to check it out and he was NOT Happy!







I think we can all guess what was going to happen next when DS wandered over to himand these pictures say it all!

















I LOVE the Duckand for once.the protective lioness in me did NOT care that someone was pushing my DS around (and out of the picture of me and my Duck!).







One of the best ever and funniest character interactions weve...er I've..experienced!



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Soarin towards Lunch*


After seriously putting the Duck's beak out of joint, we made our way over here.







and we were stopped at the Fast Pass entry by the Cast Member.

Turns out Mickey had a chore to do







..He knew exactly what to do with the plastic!







We dropped it off at the end of the line.er.space.er..empty.queueto the other Cast Member.







I wonder how they update the ride times for a wait time of 45 seconds??  And that was with me stopping to take pictures!


Whilst no photography is allowed while you are soaring, I made sure I grabbed these on the way out.











Next time, I might just ignore that rule!


When we finished, it was getting close on lunchtime.  So, we started to make our way out.

via CarsLand 2011.as it is now (not in 2012).







Someday in the future, this shot may be a CLASSIC Remember When? on the DisBoard.

We didnt even stop for the Green Army Men and marched straight past them..







..as it really was time to head out of DCA.







A great morning!



*Up Next  Across the Promenade to DisneyLand for lunch*


----------



## shushh

Love DSs T-shirt! And congrats on making rope drop AND the high score!


----------



## shushh

A great morning indeed! Is Soarin at the land different to the world?


----------



## DisneyFirefly

What tips did you follow for TSM? Aiming high?  I absolutely LOVE the pictures of Donald, especially the one where he butts in with the chipmunks.


----------



## bobbiwoz

Great Pictures!  I'm glad you directed me to your trip report!  It looks as if there simply must be a DL trip in the future with our family!

Bobbi


----------



## usnuzuloose

I love your pics. Even though it is crisp outside you all look so happy and enjoying each other. Cant wait to hear about lunch.


----------



## usnuzuloose

I love your pics and even though it is crisp out side you all look happy and enjoying each other. My stomach would have been dropping on the big wheel. Cant wait to hear about lunch. Keep it coming.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> But at $10 for the mix, I think I might just google a recipe at home and make it myself!



No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.

Beignets by Anne Burrell


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.
> 
> Beignets by Anne Burrell



Who made them?


----------



## franandaj

franandaj said:


> Beignets by Anne Burrell





usnuzuloose said:


> Who made them?



Is this PIO's TR or the Old Fogie Thread?


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Love DSs T-shirt! And congrats on making rope drop AND the high score!



Thanks!  I didn't think I was going to make rope drop....imagine my surprise!



shushh said:


> A great morning indeed! Is Soarin at the land different to the world?



Soarin' is the same at the land and the world.  I think the land came first and then they moved it to the world.



DisneyFirefly said:


> What tips did you follow for TSM? Aiming high?  I absolutely LOVE the pictures of Donald, especially the one where he butts in with the chipmunks.



Aim high and keep pullin'.  Yes - Donald and the chipmunks were just so much fun that day.  I'm glad I pulled the boys to go in and see them!



bobbiwoz said:


> Great Pictures!  I'm glad you directed me to your trip report!  It looks as if there simply must be a DL trip in the future with our family!
> 
> Bobbi



Hi Bobbi!  Glad to see you made it over here.  I still have the rest of the one day to get through on DL (and then the road trip and Silicon Valley)....hope you'll keep stopping by.



usnuzuloose said:


> I love your pics. Even though it is crisp outside you all look so happy and enjoying each other. Cant wait to hear about lunch.



Thank you.  We had a great day.....in fact it was a great holiday all round!



usnuzuloose said:


> I love your pics and even though it is crisp out side you all look happy and enjoying each other. *My stomach would have been dropping on the big wheel. *Cant wait to hear about lunch. Keep it coming.



You know - I love the big wheel....my stomach doesn't.



franandaj said:


> No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.
> 
> Beignets by Anne Burrell



Thanks!  Perfect!



usnuzuloose said:


> Who made them?





franandaj said:


> Is this PIO's TR or the Old Fogie Thread?



I'm going to leave this one well alone!  You two old fogies (and Anne Burrell) can sort it out!  

A short update coming up first....before we hit lunch a bit later!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Across the Promenade into Disneyland and Score Two to ME!*

One of the things I love most about being at the Disneyland Resort is the close proximity of both parks and DTD.  Everything is walkable and there is no need to worry about Disney Transportation to get from one park to another or to a resort.  And because bag check happens before the main promenade area, there is no need for another round of zipper teeth attacks.  

Providing you have a Park Hopper ticket, getting from one park to another is as simple as out one gate, stopping to get your hand stamped by a Cast Member, and walking across the promenade to the other gate.  Once at the other gate, you pass your Park Hopper ticket through the feeder and walk through.  If there is any regular Disneyland AP reader lurking on this TR, can you please tell me if the CM EVER checks the hand stamp?

Thanks to the clock at the railway station, I can tell you that we’d pretty much moved out of DCA and headed towards DL close on noon.







On first entry into Main Street I was again struck by the sheer amount of Pixie Dust excuses that was around Disneyland.  Perhaps it was because it was off-season or because of the amount of change planned, it just didn’t seem like Disneyland to me.  It was a complete reconstruction zone.  Even the Castle was boarded up and the normal feeling of excitement that hits me when I look down Main Street to the Castle…well, there was an abnormal feeling of disappointment instead.  Don’t get me wrong….I am always delighted to be at a Disney Park; no matter what state it is in…and I knew that there was reconstruction occurring – it has to happen sometime – but knowing that it is going on before you get into the Park and seeing it in reality are two completely different things.  One you reason in your mind; the other you cannot reconcile with your heart.  I haven’t told DH this but seeing the park in this state…I made a decision there and then to return after the 2012 CarsLand opening so that I could immerse myself in pure Disney magic again.  At this point, I didn’t even have the heart to take any pictures…and I am so regretting that decision right now.

I reminded myself that this trip was going to be special, nevertheless.  Thanks to franandaj, we had a lunch invitation at Club 33.  To me, this was like finding the Holy Grail for Disneyland.  Lunch was at 12.30 pm; so we had a bit of time up our sleeves.  

Just as well we did…

Perhaps to make up for the over-Pixie Dusting excuses, there just seemed to be more characters out and about in the Main Square than normal.

And DS was in the mood to catch up with a couple of friends he hadn’t seen in a while.  

I did mention that we had Bad Line Karma at LAX….well, it seemed like we had our allocation in the one hit there.  We happened to be standing at exactly the right spot when the Mouse came (back) out…. 







…..and we were first in line for the meet and greet.  

Mickey was suitably impressed with DS attire and attachment…







…and we all got in on the act for this family and friend photo.







DS then casually walked across the square and somehow managed to walk straight into the arms of an obliging Pluto.







We also saw the Queen of Hearts…and DS showed no interest in making her acquaintance; despite the fact that there was no one else arund.  







I think maybe she was rather perplexed by his reaction.

I dashed into the Halls of President, in search of a _presidential related_ photograph.  







I wonder if my shot of Capital Dome would do instead?








By this stage, our window of opportunity for meandering slowly towards Club 33 was diminishing…







….but I still pushed the boys down Main Street for another one of those detours….








I know this one was on the list!  I had noticed that stand-by wait time was 5 minutes; which meant that it was walk-on.







We waited for the crowd to disembark…







…before we got on.

Did I mention that I’m the reigning queen ...er...princess of this attraction in my family?  And that my highest score is in the region of 665,000?  This time, I was determined to shoot…..pictures!















As I was sitting behind the boys, I could see their scores.  Even when we got round to the second Zurg, they still hadn’t broken 50K.  I just couldn’t help myself at this point.  I gave in, picked up the ray gun and fired off about 20 shots.

I still whooped the boys and maintained my Princess reign for this attraction with a score of over 275,000.  The boys couldn’t believe it either….neither broke the 6 figure mark.

Score TWO to me!


We had just enough time left to grab FP for Indiana Jones on our way over to Club 33.


*Up Next – Lunch at Club 33.  Yes, that Club 33*


(I make no apologies for the detailed account of my time at Club 33 and it is likely to cover a few posts…I took quite a few photos and thought you might be interested to see them.  So, I’m gonna pause here and come back shortly with the next update, which I am still working on...Not too long now.)


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.
> 
> Beignets by Anne Burrell



I leave you a note on your TR about ann


----------



## tiggrbaby

PrincessInOz said:


> *Across the Promenade into Disneyland and Score Two to ME!*
> 
> One of the things I love most about being at the Disneyland Resort is the close proximity of both parks and DTD.  Everything is walkable and there is no need to worry about Disney Transportation to get from one park to another or to a resort.  And because bag check happens before the main promenade area, there is no need for another round of zipper teeth attacks.
> 
> Providing you have a Park Hopper ticket, getting from one park to another is as simple as out one gate, stopping to get your hand stamped by a Cast Member, and walking across the promenade to the other gate.  Once at the other gate, you pass your Park Hopper ticket through the feeder and walk through.  If there is any regular Disneyland AP reader lurking on this TR, can you please tell me if the CM EVER checks the hand stamp?
> 
> Thanks to the clock at the railway station, I can tell you that wed pretty much moved out of DCA and headed towards DL close on noon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On first entry into Main Street I was again struck by the sheer amount of Pixie Dust excuses that was around Disneyland.  Perhaps it was because it was off-season or because of the amount of change planned, it just didnt seem like Disneyland to me.  It was a complete reconstruction zone.  Even the Castle was boarded up and the normal feeling of excitement that hits me when I look down Main Street to the Castlewell, there was an abnormal feeling of disappointment instead.  Dont get me wrong.I am always delighted to be at a Disney Park; no matter what state it is inand I knew that there was reconstruction occurring  it has to happen sometime  but knowing that it is going on before you get into the Park and seeing it in reality are two completely different things.  One you reason in your mind; the other you cannot reconcile with your heart.  I havent told DH this but seeing the park in this stateI made a decision there and then to return after the 2012 CarsLand opening so that I could immerse myself in pure Disney magic again.  At this point, I didnt even have the heart to take any picturesand I am so regretting that decision right now.
> 
> I reminded myself that this trip was going to be special, nevertheless.  Thanks to franandaj, we had a lunch invitation at Club 33.  To me, this was like finding the Holy Grail for Disneyland.  Lunch was at 12.30 pm; so we had a bit of time up our sleeves.
> 
> Just as well we did
> 
> Perhaps to make up for the over-Pixie Dusting excuses, there just seemed to be more characters out and about in the Main Square than normal.
> 
> And DS was in the mood to catch up with a couple of friends he hadnt seen in a while.
> 
> I did mention that we had Bad Line Karma at LAX.well, it seemed like we had our allocation in the one hit there.  We happened to be standing at exactly the right spot when the Mouse came (back) out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ..and we were first in line for the meet and greet.
> 
> Mickey was suitably impressed with DS attire and attachment
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and we all got in on the act for this family and friend photo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DS then casually walked across the square and somehow managed to walk straight into the arms of an obliging Pluto.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We also saw the Queen of Heartsand DS showed no interest in making her acquaintance; despite the fact that there was no one else arund.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think maybe she was rather perplexed by his reaction.
> 
> I dashed into the Halls of President, in search of a _presidential related_ photograph.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if my shot of Capital Dome would do instead?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By this stage, our window of opportunity for meandering slowly towards Club 33 was diminishing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .but I still pushed the boys down Main Street for another one of those detours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know this one was on the list!  I had noticed that stand-by wait time was 5 minutes; which meant that it was walk-on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We waited for the crowd to disembark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> before we got on.
> 
> Did I mention that Im the reigning queen ...er...princess of this attraction in my family?  And that my highest score is in the region of 665,000?  This time, I was determined to shoot..pictures!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I was sitting behind the boys, I could see their scores.  Even when we got round to the second Zurg, they still hadnt broken 50K.  I just couldnt help myself at this point.  I gave in, picked up the ray gun and fired off about 20 shots.
> 
> I still whooped the boys and maintained my Princess reign for this attraction with a score of over 275,000.  The boys couldnt believe it either.neither broke the 6 figure mark.
> 
> Score TWO to me!
> 
> 
> We had just enough time left to grab FP for Indiana Jones on our way over to Club 33.
> 
> 
> *Up Next  Lunch at Club 33.  Yes, that Club 33*
> 
> 
> (I make no apologies for the detailed account of my time at Club 33 and it is likely to cover a few postsI took quite a few photos and thought you might be interested to see them.  So, Im gonna pause here and come back shortly with the next update, which I am still working on...Not too long now.)



Really looking forward to your Club 33 pics!  You are a great photographer, and that's a place I'll never get to.


----------



## JH87

I am loving your TR!!! Great pictures! Can't wait to hear about Club 33!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Really looking forward to your Club 33 pics!  You are a great photographer, and that's a place I'll never get to.



Thanks.  I'm still a baby photographer compared to some of the others on the photo sub-forum.  But I'm learning from them and hanging out there is expensive.  

Club 33 coming right up!



JH87 said:


> I am loving your TR!!! Great pictures! Can't wait to hear about Club 33!!!



Thanks for reading my TR.  Club 33 coming right up...


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Club 33 – Yes, THAT Club 33*

We were heading to our luncheon destination of Club 33, located at Royal Street, New Orleans Square.  Our host for the lunch is franandaj.  She has GREAT contacts...and managed to do some sweet talking to get us in.  I think it must have been the Australian connection that did it!







It is a very discrete doorway and even though I knew exactly where the club was, I still had to ask a Cast Member exactly where the door was!  I’m sure that CM got a good laugh that day as it turns out the door was directly behind me….d’oh!







We arrived outside the door at exactly 12.25 pm and wondered if we should be waiting outside or if we should be heading inside to meet her.  

Despite all our PMs and communication on the matter, I quickly realized that there was one minor detail that Alison and I had forgotten to work out.  Where we were specifically meeting….

I had already received a text from her saying that she and Fran were in the park; so I assumed that I should head in and check if they were inside.

There is a ‘secret’ panel…and you raise the brass plate, press the button and wait for someone to speak to you over the intercom.







We gave the secret password….and voila!  Open Sesame…

It was all very exciting, even to my Quasimodo persona; and despite having been to Disneyland many times in the past, this was most definitely a ‘first’ for us.  Turns out, we were the first of our party to arrive and the Cast Member advised that our table would be ready in a little while.  It gave me some time to admire the foyer and soak in the _ambience_ of it all.

The beautiful _vintage_ French wooded elevator dominates the foyer of the entrance.







And there were a group in front of us taking it up…







We were given the option of walking up the stairs…






…I wonder how many people actually take the stairs UP!  We politely declined and opted for the lift.

And before too long, it was our turn to take the elevator up.







I took the opportunity to take a picture of the stairs from the elevator window…







On the second floor, the door was opened and 3 Cast Members greeted us.  One of them led us to our table.  

We walked through the Lounge Alley, where the fully operational telephone booth used in the Happiest Millionaire was located.







At the end of the alley, was this gorgeous table.







There were pictures of costumes designed for Mary Poppins on the walls…










…and we walked past a beautiful side table…







..before turning the corner into the Bar and Buffet area.







Our destination was the Main Dining Room…







…and we were shown to our table….immaculately dressed, and we sat there waiting for Alison and Fran to arrive.


I took the opportunity to take this picture of the _restaurant table with menu_…







…and the table presentation, complete with the special Club 33 plates.







Uh Oh!  Slight miscommunication.

Turns out Alison and Fran were waiting for us outside, whilst we were waiting for them inside!  It took them 10 minutes to decide that they should come in…and whilst I had received the text from Alison asking where we were, there didn’t appear to be any AT&T service from where I was sitting and I didn’t realize there was no service until too late.  So the text I tried to send them just looped around and eventually sat in my saved folder.

The thing about DisMeets is that you already have this wonderful on-line friendship with the person and through pictures you already know what they look like.  So, I recognized Alison and Fran immediately.

Alison and I immediately picked up our conversation from where we had left off on the Boards – talking about Canned Cream Corn (sad, isn’t it?) and the Trippie that (still) has no Name – whilst I had a mild panic attack about making a good first impression with Fran.  It was initially a strange conversation…because we were so used to having a box in front of us and the Ethernet buffering the messages that I think we both spoke at the same time before realizing that we were meant to pause between sentences so that the other person could interject!

My lovely prince of a DH took this photo whilst we were still chatting about CCC.







I couldn’t initially work out if we were good (or bad) with Fran; Alison turned out to be the chattier of the two and Fran was the silent one.  


These two pictures of our dining companions and us were taken after our meal; but I thought they fit in better here than later.












I’d like to think that Fran liked us by this stage…


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Club 33 Food Porn Part 1*


Lunch was just…well… simply brilliant at the Club.  It was really wonderful to see how the other half lives at CLR and to be part of the experience albeit for a short while.  

In the end, we enjoyed our lunch over a very leisurely 2.5 hours.  I was amazed that DS made it through to the 2-hour mark and by my standards, he was really well behaved.  Yes, this lunch did cut into our thrill seeking enjoyment of rides; but DH and I had figured that there may well be other trips to a Disney Park…and there were no guarantees of other invitations to Club 33.

But you’re all waiting for the food porn, aren’t you?  So, lets start, shall we?

After a suitable period, the Cast Member came to take our drinks order.  I ordered pomegranate lemonade and at this stage of the day, I was still trying to be polite and so only ended up taking a picture of my drink and no one else’s.







The service at Club 33 was superb. 

We were advised that the soup of day was Mushroom and 5 serves of this soup miraculously appeared on the table…without any need for anyone to yell out _Soup’s On!_.







Made from a chicken stock base, the mushroom flavour was just beautiful and nicely balanced against the cream.  


After we had enjoyed our soup, a Cast Member came to take our orders for main course.

We then proceeded to go examine the buffet for our appetizers.

There was the usual salad offerings, which I somehow missed taking a picture of.  With so much other delectables on offer, it was easy to do.  There was also a selection of vegetable options.







And a lovely looking tomato and bocconcini mix with balsamic vinegar and finely sliced basil on top.  For my money, I missed the fresh whole basil leaves layered between the tomato and the cheese…







There was also a selection of fruit.







In my view, fruit as an appetizer is something that is so _Americana_.  The Aussies usually have fruit for dessert.

There was a great platter of _yellow_ cheeses….







…and another platter of deli meats.







For me, the highlight of the buffet would be the selection of cooked seafood, seemingly endlessly available during the lunch service.

The crab claws were delightful.







…as were the lobster tails and prawns.







The seafood was all perfectly cooked and tasted really fresh.  I took some of the tartare sauce…it was creamy thick and wonderfully tart at the same time.  The perfect accompaniment for the fresh and beautifully cooked seafood.  


I tried to go easy on the buffet as I knew we still had a full 2 courses ahead of us but to no avail.  I would have been perfectly happy to dive into desserts at this stage…when our entrees arrived.


Fran and I ordered the same dish…chateaubriand steak, medium rare.  When cooked properly, this is the most tender of any cut!







Had to grab a shot of the Club 33 emblem on the plate!







It is my personal preference to eat my meat pink, warm but with no dripping blood.  Especially when the cuts of meat are meant to be tender and flavoursome.  Those of you that have read my previous TRs will know that I usually have a whinge about American chefs that do not understand how to cook a steak medium rare.  You may remember that in one of the TRs, I got a response indicating that medium rare cooking of steak in the US is considered to be a liability from a potential food poisoning perspective; which is why everything comes out well done or burnt.

If this response is true, then Disney may have a major problem with liable cases in the future.  Turns out that the Chef at Club 33 had been classically trained in France and I finally found a chef that really understood how to properly cook a steak medium rare. I was in tender meat-lovers heaven and I cannot find the words to describe how good the Chateaubriand was!


Alison ordered the roast chicken.







I felt a pang of order-envy when I saw Alison’s meal…particularly when I realized that she had a truffle mac and cheese side.


DH ordered the salmon, which by all accounts was superbly cooked and wonderfully flavoured.







DS got Parmesan cheese, with the Mickey pasta with Marinara sauce.  He got a entrée size serving and scoffed the whole thing down.  







The cheese must have been good!



The legendary Club 33 service came to the fore again.  We all wanted to try the truffle mac and cheese and the chef sent out a big bowl of the stuff for the table.  








Are you frigging kidding me???  Black truffles…at about $9000 per kilo!
And look at those thick cut chunky truffle mushroom hunks all over the place!  Thunks Chef!  Exquisite.Ambrosial.Lusciousness!    



I was pretty much ready to slide under the table for an old fogie snooze by the time I finished my entrée.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Club 33 Food Porn Part 2 - Dessert*


I figured Id already gained about 5 lbs over lunch and that was just for appetizer and entrée.  I still had dessert to go at Club 33.


Its been a while since Ive doled out any sugar so heres your ration now.


I have had the pleasure of attending the Wishes Dessert Party at WDW and found the selection and quantity of never ending mouth poppers at that party staggering.

The selection and quantity at Club 33 was only just a little bit less staggering than the Dessert Party but the qualitywell, the quality is in a completely different league of itself.  I dont think Ive ever eaten a range of dessert of the quality that exceeds what was on display here for lunch.



The buffet looked like this.


















And I honed in for some close-ups.

The raspberry delight.








The _gooey pastry_ of lemon profitteroles








The magnificent chocolate trifle.








DH went with these options  the lemon tart and that raspberry delight.







I hope no one from the W.I.S.H sub-forum is looking at thisbut I certainly held back (not) and restrained my plate to only these selections. Id picked the chocolate fondant/fudge, tira misu, lemon profitteroles, chocolate trifle and a raspberry friand.








And so you can see the other side, I turned the plate round and took the shot from the other side.







I was too busy with my morsels to work out what DS or anyone else got.  I think DS got one of those chocolate triflesI really should go and check sometime.


I do know that Alison ordered one of these _alcoholic drinks_.  By this stage, I was way past comatose and into sugar oblivion.  So I dont remember what it was called.  It was chocolate based and Im hoping that Alison will let me know what the name of this drink is so that I can go post it on the scavenger hunt thread.  I think it was aptly called Chocolate Oblivion...








We ordered coffees and I just wanted to sit there, enjoying the feeling of a wonderful meal with good friends.  

But there were still a little bit of the Club to see. 


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Life on the Outside of Club 33*

We had just finished lunch and I was heading on a comatose sugar trip when Alison wanted to take a tour round the Club.  So, we headed out.

I was particularly interested to head out to the balconies.  

I managed to capture the sunlight in this one.  I had originally thought it was the sugar trip when I looked at it on my camera...but no...it really was sunlight!







Looking out at the balcony directly above Café Orleans.








Looking down into the outside seating for Café Orleans.








If you looked between the trees, you could just about see where Fantasmic! might play on the Rivers of America.








The view down, over where the entrance of PoTC is.








Beautiful _Mardi Gras_ beads decorate the railings on the balcony.


















I also got this wonderful _window scene_ from inside the Club looking down into New Orleans Square.








This is the outside balcony view down of inside New Orleans Square.







I took the opportunity to hone in for a close up of the piano.








And the exquisite painting on the inside of the cover.








Alison and I also wandered into the trophy room, which was exquisitely decorated.  Sadly, I only took this picture of the light fitting…complete with microphone right in the middle.







Apparently, Walt had thought it would be funny to listen in to conversations of the visiting guests.








Most of my shots of the furniture were taken at this stage, but it was appropriate to include them earlier.  I also have in my collection potty pictures...and not that I'm adverse to being potty-mouthed....this is the Dis we're talking about and I decided to hold off...unless pressed to post one of the Gents and one of the Ladies..

I wanted to buy a Club 33 pin as a souvenir of my visit; but DS was keen to get going.   So, DH took him out whilst I stayed back to complete the transaction. 

DH settled up the bill, which came with these mint chocolates.







I couldn’t eat them then and we brought them home with us.  We only ate them the other day and they were yummy!

We said our goodbyes to Fran and Alison but not before asking them to call us when they left so that we could see them again.



I walked down the stairs and headed out the Exit.






Such a surreal experience and I will always fondly remember my lunch at the Club.  Thanks Alison and please thank your connections for me as well!






*[Up Next – Our DL afternoon Must Do’s and then some!]*


(I’m working on the next a couple of posts that will cover the DL afternoon; but have just loaded up my pictures of World of Colour on photobucket.  Just to tease some of you into thinking to hang around my TR some more, here are my test patterns from World of Colour….

Vertical hold…







Horizontal pattern.







More to come… later ... )


----------



## DisneyFirefly

God... I would love to go to Club 33! That looks amazing, even for someone like me who tends to prefer homestyle type food


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I do know that Alison ordered one of these _alcoholic drinks_.  By this stage, I was way past comatose and into sugar oblivion.  So I dont remember what it was called.  It was chocolate based and Im hoping that Alison will let me know what the name of this drink is so that I can go post it on the scavenger hunt thread.  I think it was aptly called Chocolate Oblivion...



Actually it was simply called a Chocolate Martini!  Great pictures and nice how you chronicled the whole experience.  I'm able to get there often enough that I don't see it through eyes like that. C'mon, you gotta at least post the pictures of the ladies room.  I don't remember what the men's room looks like, but the ladies room is quite unique!


----------



## shushh

Thank you so much for sharing your Club 33 experience. I really enjoyed reading about it. SOOOOO envious. And the photos are just divine.


----------



## skier_pete

OMG, that looks AMAZING...I am so jealous - something I'll never get to do. I will live vicariously through your pictures. We have had truffle mac and cheese a few times, but never with so many truffles! 

I would be curious as to the cost of that meal, too! Don't blame you if you don't want to share.

I might have been the one you were thinking on the "not rare" meat, but my comment was regarding hamburgers, which are ground beef and thus exposed to air throughout...many places won't cook them unless it's all through. You CAN get a medium rare steak in the US, but restaurants are very inconsistent in how they cook them, I find. A good steak house will usually get it right if you describe how you want it, though. 

Peter


----------



## kylieh

PrincessInOz said:


> The magnificent chocolate trifle.


One word - *YUM*


PS - I'm really enjoying all of the trip report...


----------



## usnuzuloose

Club 33 is fantastic. Yeah the womens restroom something else huh? The food is excelent in there. I wish everyone could have the experience one time. Michael sat still looking at all the desserts he could devour. Waiting for the hunchback. I am LOL now  Great pics and I love how you are wording it all. Cant wait for more.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Have just finished catching up on your trip report. Looks like you had a great time despite feeling a little let down at main street. 

Club 33 looks absolutely amazing! I am so jealous of you going. Thanks for posting so many wonderful pictures. 

Can't wait for your update on World of Colour.


----------



## skiingfast

The painting on the piano truly reminds me of Epcot.

The Club33 chocolates you brought home was a great idea.  I find bringing home food extends the trip a bit.  But after you eat your souvenire, you don't get a taste of Disney until you go under those Welcome signs.


----------



## hjd0411

Looking good so far!!!  I love the food porn from Club 33 - that place looks amazing.  
Thanks for sharing and I'm anxiously awaiting WOC pics!!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Your pics of Club 33 - just WOW!


----------



## PrincessInOz

DisneyFirefly said:


> God... I would love to go to Club 33! That looks amazing, even for someone like me who tends to prefer homestyle type food



Nice as it is, going to someplace like Club 33 is something that I do once in a while...I much prefer a homecooked, homestyle meal anyday as well.



franandaj said:


> Actually it was simply called a Chocolate Martini!  Great pictures and nice how you chronicled the whole experience.  I'm able to get there often enough that I don't see it through eyes like that. C'mon, you gotta at least post the pictures of the ladies room.  I don't remember what the men's room looks like, but the ladies room is quite unique!



Do you think I should?? 






  Now no one had better dob me in with the mods .....  



shushh said:


> Thank you so much for sharing your Club 33 experience. I really enjoyed reading about it. SOOOOO envious. And the photos are just divine.



I'm glad you enjoyed it.  I debated with myself about how much detail to include and whilst it is a little OTT, I figured that it was worth chronicling.




********** said:


> OMG, that looks AMAZING...I am so jealous - something I'll never get to do. I will live vicariously through your pictures. We have had truffle mac and cheese a few times, but never with so many truffles!
> 
> I would be curious as to the cost of that meal, too! Don't blame you if you don't want to share.
> 
> I might have been the one you were thinking on the "not rare" meat, but my comment was regarding hamburgers, which are ground beef and thus exposed to air throughout...many places won't cook them unless it's all through. You CAN get a medium rare steak in the US, but restaurants are very inconsistent in how they cook them, I find. A good steak house will usually get it right if you describe how you want it, though.
> 
> Peter



Considering how much truffle was put in that mac and cheese...Our bill? ..... it wasn't as bad as it could have been. 

And even with medium rare steaks in the US, until here, they have pretty much come out medium well done.



kylieh said:


> One word - *YUM*
> 
> 
> PS - I'm really enjoying all of the trip report...



 Hi KylieH!  Pleased to see you here and glad you're enjoying the TR.



usnuzuloose said:


> Club 33 is fantastic. Yeah the womens restroom something else huh? The food is excelent in there. I wish everyone could have the experience one time. Michael sat still looking at all the desserts he could devour. Waiting for the hunchback. I am LOL now  Great pics and I love how you are wording it all. Cant wait for more.



I'm learning to love my hunch! 



QuirkyButterfly said:


> Have just finished catching up on your trip report. Looks like you had a great time despite feeling a little let down at main street.
> 
> Club 33 looks absolutely amazing! I am so jealous of you going. Thanks for posting so many wonderful pictures.
> 
> Can't wait for your update on World of Colour.



Hello QB!  Nice to see you back on my TR and on your PTR as well.  Hope you've been well.

WoC is a couple of updates away.  Still putting my thoughts down.



skiingfast said:


> The painting on the piano truly reminds me of Epcot.
> 
> The Club33 chocolates you brought home was a great idea.  I find bringing home food extends the trip a bit.  But after you eat your souvenire, you don't get a taste of Disney until you go under those Welcome signs.



Yes...I thought the same thing when I looked at the piano.  Sure makes you think about the World Showcase indeed.

I might have eaten the Club 33 chocolates...but I still have those one (or six) Mickey macadamia nut turtles in my fridge.  



hjd0411 said:


> Looking good so far!!!  I love the food porn from Club 33 - that place looks amazing.
> Thanks for sharing and I'm anxiously awaiting WOC pics!!



I'm trying to get to WoC as quickly as I can....but that would mean that the Disney part of my trip would be over...



tiggrbaby said:


> Your pics of Club 33 - just WOW!



Thanks!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

PrincessInOz said:


> Do you think I should??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now no one had better dob me in with the mods .....



Oh my gosh, is that the toilet??? If it is it is the most extravagant one I have ever seen. 

I have been so slack at being on the boards lately, so many things going on. Glad to be back, and I will have more updates going up soon.


----------



## PrincessInOz

And now we resume with normal Disney TR programming.


*Our DL afternoon Must Do’s and then some!*


After heading out of Club 33, I worked out that the boys were at the Matterhorn.  They were impatiently waiting for me to tick another one of those Must Do’s off our list.

I must have been in such need of a nana-nap at this point in time that I must have just slipped my mind to take photographs.  Aside from the distant tip of the Matterhorn in this picture, I sure didn’t take any near to or on the ride.







The Matterhorn is great at any age…and even though Harold the Yeti is 50 something years old, he actually works inside the mountain (unlike the one at Everest).  It is also one of those only-at-Disneyland rides that is a firm favourite with my family.  We zipped along on the bedsleds and loved the thrill and chill of the ride.

We were aware that we only had a couple of hours left of the afternoon and so we made our way towards Indiana Jones to redeem our FP by way of….

Not everyone’s cup of tea….the Tea Cups…







… or what I dub the Wash and Spin cycle.







After a suitable spin, we continued onwards in our quest.  We wanted to head by Big Thunder Mountain and I wished we had more time when I spotted a change to Fantasyland… 







…But I figured that there was no point getting my knickers in a knot ...er...tangle nor losing any hair over this.  Maybe next time.

Next up… 







The stand-by wait time was 15 minutes.  I was pretty pleased with this.  Whilst not quite walk-on, it meant that I could take my time taking some more shots of a Disney Mountain….







…and the local railway that ran through it.







And then it was our turn to board….







..and take a turn around the tracks.







Always such fun!

With the other Mountain closed for refurbishment….







…this was the only kind of Splash we were going to see this day.








So, we rounded the Rivers of America and detoured into another family favourite.







And I do mean PoTC; not the Dream Suite....


Strictly walk-on; and we were on the ride and off on the adventure before our patooshi’s even got wet from the seat!







I love the Disneyland version of this ride.  There are two drops; not one and it just seems darker and scarier here.  There are also minor difference…







He’s holding the sword; rather than the sword being stuck in the stone through him at the World…


And the treasure is found in a room with Capt Jack Sparrow at the World, with no skeleton….







…But the wench in red is lustier at the World…







Somewhere in this ride, I got a text from Alison saying that they were ready to leave.  So, we arranged to meet them outside Caseys to say our goodbyes.  The bonus was that Alison and I figured that we could catch up the next day before we headed off on our road trip.  So, with another Meet planned, we parted company.


Time for us to head to Indiana!  DS was certainly chomping at the bit….er…nose…to get there.







Even with FP, this attraction is ALWAYS a 15 minute queue; irrespective of what the boards say.







It takes that long just to get through the passages and gawking at the theming along the way!







I put my camera away in this ride.  I knew it was going to be too dark for my photography skills to take any sorts of shots.  So, I just enjoyed rolling with the jeep.


When we came out, we had just about enough time to do one more attraction and I was aiming for the only other mountain that was opened at DLR.  So, we walked in that direction, passing close to the Matterhorn….







Yes, I did capture the mountain at _twilight_…just didn’t get any from on the ride.


We got to this side of the park…






…when DS threw another curve ball.  He wanted to get on Autopia.  Autopia???   


By this stage, we had managed to achieve about half of our ‘must do’ rides and then some.  I had to be content with that because it was clear that we needed to think about getting across the promenade to DCA and World of Colour.

DH and I had a quick pow-wow.  He would take DS to Autopia and I would get across to DCA and collect out picnics and WoC fastpasses.  Can anyone else SEE the benefit of this strategy?


*[Up Next – Nighttime in the Parks]*


----------



## usnuzuloose

Love the pics! I cracked up the first time I saw the ladies bathroom. I really miss riding the matterhorn. Keep the pics coming. At least I feel like I am there.


----------



## Mum from oz

Just caught up on your TR!

Wow! You pack sooooooo much in to a short time. You have become an expert at it. 

You photos are fantastic. I love all of them.  Your interaction with Donald and your DS looks like a lot of fun. Club 33..... Lost for words, all I can say is it looks amazing!

Very much looking forward to hearing about WOC!!


----------



## Jade+3

Finally caught up...loving the pics as usual.


----------



## skiingfast

Autopia?   Yeah of course.  Any chance to drive, or see various specimens from Disneyland's past?


----------



## PrincessInOz

QuirkyButterfly said:


> Oh my gosh, is that the toilet??? If it is it is the most extravagant one I have ever seen.
> 
> I have been so slack at being on the boards lately, so many things going on. Glad to be back, and I will have more updates going up soon.



 and looking forward to your updates.



usnuzuloose said:


> Love the pics! I cracked up the first time I saw the ladies bathroom. I really miss riding the matterhorn. Keep the pics coming. At least I feel like I am there.



The ladies was much more interesting than the gents (which I saw through pictures ).



Mum from oz said:


> Just caught up on your TR!
> 
> Wow! You pack sooooooo much in to a short time. You have become an expert at it.
> 
> You photos are fantastic. I love all of them.  Your interaction with Donald and your DS looks like a lot of fun. Club 33..... Lost for words, all I can say is it looks amazing!
> 
> Very much looking forward to hearing about WOC!!



Glad to see you back on the boards!  Thanks...Donald was great.




Jade+3 said:


> Finally caught up...loving the pics as usual.



Hi Jade...thanks!



skiingfast said:


> Autopia?   Yeah of course.  Any chance to drive, or see various specimens from Disneyland's past?



I think I found a much better use of my time instead of Autopia....personal opinion, of course.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Disneyland and California Adventure at Night*

DH took DS across to Autopia and we parted company.  I was pleased with this turn of events as this meant that I had some alone time and the opportunity to take some twilight/night shots at Disney.  

So, with that, I left the boys and started my leisurely stroll of this bonus time.  So, I am pleased to be able to show and tell Disney at night.

The Astro Blasters seemed like a good place to start







I caught up with the Dapper Dans down Main Street.  It must have been their last outing for the night.






Despite any earlier misgivings, I turned back for my one and only memory of the castle for this trip.  If you look closely, you can just about make out the boards around the entire facade.  







There was no fireworks scheduled for the mid-week; and in any event, we were heading towards a different show and I didnt have my tripod with me.

I had realized during the day that it had been a mistake NOT to take a picture of the Main Square with the boards up.  I made up for that mistake now.







..before leaving Disneyland. 

I spent enough time outside to capture the classic picture.







.but I couldnt afford to watch the grass grow for too long.







I turned around and cast my sights firmly across the promenade at DCA.







I got on the right side of the rope and followed it round the boards, where after another slip of my ticket in the ticket machine later and no check of my hand stamp, I walked in to DCA.

I was enchanted by this _Disney Cast Member_ blowing bubbles all around. 







Luckily, she was heading in the same direction as me so I can enjoy the round rainbows for a bitbefore I made a turn and headed to.







a very empty WoC section that would later be filled to near capacity.


I took my time at taking some nighttime shots of the Pier.







and the Fun Wheel.







I looked around at the beautiful night lights.







and stopped on the bridge for some quiet reflection time.










It was hard to concentrate as I kept hearing Screamin






..and the bright _neon_ lights kept attracting me.







I looked around a bit; but it was time to pick up our picnics and I made my exit from the Pier.







I picked up our picnics from the pick-up zone, which we had ordered on-line about a month in advance.  As we knew we would be visiting Club 33 for lunch, I had decided on the picnics for dinner.  It seemed to be the best way to guarantee a fast pass without having to run into DCA early in the morning, it seemed to be a lighter meal and we wouldnt need to think about two sit-down table service meals in the one day.  

When we had planned the day, we had always thought we would be hitting Disneyland all day before heading to DCA after lunch.  I wish I had 3 x $15.95 and a crystal ball to know that we would be reversing that order! 

DS and I had selected the American meal. It consisted of cold chicken, coleslaw, potato salad and apple pie.







DH selected the Mediterranean wrap, with salad and a lemon pie.







More importantly, we got these as well.







Both picnics were tasty enough and my only complaint is that cold food for dinner in the wintertime is an experience that I wouldnt care to repeat very often.  And despite the beautiful warm day, it had turned out to be a cold night.

I waited impatiently for the boys to pitch upturns out that Autopia was a lot busier than they had anticipated and they were late turning up.  

And after dinner, all my plans of pitching up early to nab a good viewing spot for WoC went down the gurgler.literally!  







Both boys stopped in here and we had missed the opening time for the masses to get a place.  Whilst I was not entirely happy with this turn of event, I figured that it was probably for the bestthere was still another 45 minutes to go before the schedule start time and I knew that all the good viewing spots would have gone by this stage.


*[Up Next  World of Colour]*


----------



## usnuzuloose

I love all the night time pics. I love the lights. So many places to take pics of all the lights that would be a whole trip in its self. Keep them coming.


----------



## hjd0411

Great photos!  The evening shots at DCA look lovely. 
You sure pack in a lot in a short time!  I would be exhausted following you!!  Good work, though.


----------



## shushh

Gorgeous photos of the front of Disneyland and the evening shot of Paradise Pier is superb!


----------



## Mum from oz

Great shots of all the lights at DCA! The picnic look ok. I think thats what we will be getting in May, hopefully the cold chicken wont be so bad then!


----------



## TheColtonsMom

Been away from DIS for a while but just caught up with your TR and I must say WOW First your style of writing along with the funny turns of phrase that go so well with your beautiful pictures it was so easy to read all that has happened here in the last month and I thouroughly enjoyed every minute.

You have given me the first Club 33 food porn I have ever seen and it looked wonderful I am so glad you spent the time to make us feel we saw what you saw as I will probably never experience it myself Thank You. I eagerly await the rest of your trip


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Loving all the photo's and your commentary! Perfectly matched!  Thanks for sharing your Club 33 experience ... how did the food compare to some of your other fine dining experiences? I'm just wondering if Club 33 is so special because of the exclusivity and ambience or the food or both? Not that we will ever have the chance to experience it!


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> I love all the night time pics. I love the lights. So many places to take pics of all the lights that would be a whole trip in its self. Keep them coming.



Sadly, I only had one day at DLR...the rest of my trip was up towards meeting you and NorCal. So, I hope you'll stick around for the relatively rollercoaster free non-Disney component (but I do promise food porn and CORN) .



hjd0411 said:


> Great photos!  The evening shots at DCA look lovely.
> You sure pack in a lot in a short time!  I would be exhausted following you!!  Good work, though.



Heather - you're not the only one.  I'm exhausted following ME as well!



shushh said:


> Gorgeous photos of the front of Disneyland and the evening shot of Paradise Pier is superb!



Thanks!  Just wish I had another two nights there....maybe next time.



Mum from oz said:


> Great shots of all the lights at DCA! The picnic look ok. I think thats what we will be getting in May, hopefully the cold chicken wont be so bad then!



The picnics are tasty and I liked my chicken....I just wouldn't rave about it nor rush back for another picnic in the wintertime.  Summer is another matter.  And in May, the picnics will be perfect on a warm night.



TheColtonsMom said:


> Been away from DIS for a while but just caught up with your TR and I must say WOW First your style of writing along with the funny turns of phrase that go so well with your beautiful pictures it was so easy to read all that has happened here in the last month and I thouroughly enjoyed every minute.
> 
> You have given me the first Club 33 food porn I have ever seen and it looked wonderful I am so glad you spent the time to make us feel we saw what you saw as I will probably never experience it myself Thank You. I eagerly await the rest of your trip



Thank you and Welcome to my TR.  I hope you'll stick around for the other 9 non-Disney days....



AussieDisneyNut said:


> Loving all the photo's and your commentary! Perfectly matched!  Thanks for sharing your Club 33 experience ... how did the food compare to some of your other fine dining experiences? I'm just wondering if Club 33 is so special because of the exclusivity and ambience or the food or both? Not that we will ever have the chance to experience it!



For me, Club 33 was special because of the exclusivity and ambience; and because it is so rare for someone like me to be able to find a member that would book a table for me to go there (thanks again Alison for your contacts!!).  The food was very, very, very good and it compares well to some of the other dining experiences I've had in Oz.  The entrees were good but no more than you would expect at a above average and high end restaurant in Oz.  The desserts, though, were outstanding.  It is going to be a long time before I find anything that matches the calibre of desserts at Club 33.

If you bear with the TR beyond Disney and wait for my night at Solvang, I had another dining experience to share that was also special...for different reasons.  More food porn from that night; just not in as great a volume as Club 33.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*The Kindness of Strangers and the World of Colour *


My prime reason for heading to Disneyland had been the allure of World of Colour.  At the rumoured cost of $75million to fit-out and build, I figured that Disney would be banking on a SPECTACULAR show, the likes of which we had never seen before, to pull in the night time crowd to DCA.   
NOTE - I also expect that when the CarsLand expansion is completed in 2012, DCA will end up being a bone fide full-service Disney park that will mean that guests will be faced with the same angst regarding the purchase of park hopper tickets at the Land as at the World.  

So, when DH told me about his work commitment in Silicon Valley for January, I pretty much moved heaven and earth to get to Anaheim.  

I hadnt been kidding in an earlier post when I said I only had eyes for a yellow fire hydrant.  There really is a yellow fire hydrant theresomewhere!






Thanks to the DisBoards, Id done my research and knew that there were definitely better viewing spots to aim for when marking out territory for World of Colour.   I was aiming for in front of the hydrant or slightly to the right of the hydrant.  With my camera and photography aspirations, I wanted to be further back out of the wet zone and also so that I would have the full monty view of the waterworks.

Sadly, the restroom stop pretty much meant that these prime coveted spots were pretty much gone by the time I made it to the viewing area.  If you go, the spot to aim for is the other side of the arch, in front of the yellow hydrant.






I also knew that tripods were not allowed in the viewing area; so I was pretty much left with hand held shots.  With no tripod to jack up the camera above the sea of heads, this meant that I needed to be against a railing.  There was no other option.  The rail position would mean that I would have a patch of low greenery in front of me, gently sloping down to the next terrace; thus creating a movie theatre experience.  I would still have some heads in front of mebut it wouldnt impede the shoterview too badly.

I scanned the crowd, knowing that there would be no spots right against the rails and finally found an alternative.  I would be slightly to the left of the yellow hydrant, not ideal but not bad; and more importantly.I would have a pram between me and the rail.

And the view of my Screamin ride.erthe Fun Wheel was pretty much dead straight onso I was happy with this.






Problem was that there was only room for oneand DH and DS ended up about 3 bodies further down than me.  Not quite how Id envisaged that the family would end up for this first time view of WoC.

In all my DisMeets, one of the first things that any Dis-er remarks about me is that I have an Aussie accent.  Well.I certainly dont think I have an accent.its pretty normal in Oz.and I pretty certain that there isnt any accent when Im on the Board eitherwell, at least no one has remarked about seeing or hearing it on the Boards (yet); I only get remarks about how I dont look Aussie!

Turns out, my purported Aussie accent was the perfect ice-breaker for the guy standing to the left of the pram, against the rail.  He heard me speaking and asked if I was Australian.  Pretty soon, Id gotten his life story out of him (job, school, car, best friend). I think I pretty much got everything out of himexcept his name!  
He and his family (wife and daughter) were from NorCal and had come down to Anaheim for 10 days because his wife was on sabbatical.  They had thought about going to the World; but decided on the Land instead.  
During our discussion, I asked if it would be okay for me to squeeze in, against the rail, between him and the pram.  He graciously let me inand my position was getting better all the timeand I eventually ended up with this position.






He, his wife and I chatted some more; and they then found out that DH and DS were just slightly behind them to the other side.

The kindness of strangers and Pixie Dust never ceases to amaze me!

He and his wife MOVED themselves so that DH and DS could get next to me.  SWEET!  

Sir  if youre out there reading this, I still thank you for this generous trade.  My family and I really enjoyed being together for this show.

We waited.and waited.and waited for the start time to tick on over.  I have a gazillion shots of the Fun Wheel in different colours as a result of this time.  So, if there is a specific colour youd like to see, let me know!






And it was a cold night.  It seemed to take forever.but eventually.the show started; with white noise






followed by the test patterns.












The opening music to the show is a very familiar tune; for those of us that grew up watching Disneys kaleidescopic World of Colour on TV.  I remembered ALL the words!

Ill just try and let the pictures do the talking now

From The Little Mermaids Part of the World











to Under the Sea
















transitioning to Finding Nemo





















and then Defining Dancing with WALL-E











to creating a Buzz, and Woody











Complete with Laser lights.






(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


One of my favourites.look UP!
















I figured the people towards the front must be getting a decent view.wet, though.






Were landing in Agrabah!











To meet Jasmine and Aladdin in a Whole New World and magic carpet ride











plus a multiple number of Friends like Genie.












We went through a Sprite of Spring..







..and also traveled just Around the River Bend..
















and moved with Pocahontas and the Colours of the Wind.
















We had a Bug make a brief appearance






Id missed the shot of Davy Jones in the mist from the PoTC ride earlier.and I rarely make the same mistake twice.













(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


As this is Disney were talking about, here comes the scary music!  And Chernabog made an appearance from Bald Mountain.

















Disney also went all out with fire.which completely blew out all my shots!








I missed some of the Lion King







I think Simba and his father were way down the bottom 







but the Zebras came out to play.












I mustve played with my camera at this stagebecause I got Bambi all overdone....







and the Pasta was also way past Al Dente (so was the Lady and the Tramp)







But the Disney schmaltz was back!  Belle and the Beast had the right focus and got So Close Together.













I was pretty pleased with my first take of WoC.  It wasnt perfect but the pictures have just brought a Cheshire smile to my face.








And the finalesaw some favourites return in full rainbow technicolour.





















(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Disney added a Tron segment to the original ending of WoCand I know that DisneyFirefly loves Tronso these are for Firefly.Happy 3 months Early Birthday to you!





















































Let me just finish by stating that Id been procrastinating the World of Colour posts and wondering if I should cull back and only post about half a dozen pics  seriously!  

As you would have seen, I had two unexpected guest stars in my photographs  The Hunchback and Dumbo the Dinosaur.  To say that I had been unhappy with them appearing in my shots would be a gross understatement.  Usnuzuloose will be able to attest as to my dissatisfaction with their appearances in my pictures when I shared them with her on my camera at our DisMeet 2 nights hence (coming soon in a future post).

When I came home and showed the rest of the family, all I could see were the Hunchback and Dumbo.  The rest of my family briefly sympathized and then spent long minutes oozing over the rest of the image in each shot and commenting about how great the shots were.  In fact, one person in my family told me that they actually liked Hunchback because it gave them the sense of being there.

If I recall correctly, Usnuzuloose also displayed a similar sentiment.

So, this post has turned out to be more about the total imagery of the bigger picture than about the two guests, which I had thought might dominate star billing.  I have learnt that I need to keep continually looking at the bigger picture, instead of minor imperfections.  Ill have these pictures to remind me of this life lesson and, in the end, decided Id share them in almost the full entirety.

I hope you have enjoyed my shots on Disneys Wonderful World of Colour!  I certainly enjoyed my first viewing of this technicolour waterworks and I hope to be back for a second viewing sometime sooner rather than later, preferably without the guest stars.











*[Up Next  Final Moments at Disneyland]*


----------



## shushh

WOW! I'd be happy if I owned those photos. Which lens did you use?


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## usnuzuloose

All the pics are awesome and I enjoyed seeing them all again. Its okay hunchback and dumbo will have there own someday. One day youll look back and have a good laugh at it. I am always checking in and seeing if anything is new. Keep it up your doing a fantastic job. I have yet to learn how to add pics in here. Need to do that before my reg TR starts.


----------



## DisneyFirefly

PrincessInOz said:


> Disney added a Tron segment to the original ending of WoCand I know that DisneyFirefly loves Tronso these are for Firefly.Happy 3 months Early Birthday to you!



 As soon as I read Tron, I was like "Yay, Tron!" and then read the rest of the sentence  Thank you for taking those, they look awesome! I hope that segment is still there when I go in May!


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## hjd0411

Great photos!  Thanks so much for sharing.  It's always so hard to get the photos without anyone else in them!  But it does give the sense of being there!


----------



## franandaj

GREAT pics, yes I want copies of your whole day!  They are all great and you see so many things I never do.


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## TheColtonsMom

> As you would have seen, I had two unexpected guest stars in my photographs  The Hunchback and Dumbo the Dinosaur. To say that I had been unhappy with them appearing in my shots would be a gross understatement. Usnuzuloose will be able to attest as to my dissatisfaction with their appearances in my pictures when I shared them with her on my camera at our DisMeet 2 nights hence (coming soon in a future post).



We didn't get to do WOC heck with the crowds in DCA the week we went we literally could not get to paradise pier at all so we did nothing there. Yours are some of the better ones I have seen so thank you. Colton (My DS6 for those that don't know) was looking at them with me and he says that unexpected guest of yours was Darth Vadar the shadow looks just like his helmet.


----------



## skiingfast

I have to ask, Are you from Australia?  You keep saying World of Col*ou*r, but it sounds like you are pronouncing World of Col*o*r in an odd way.  So I have to know about this accent. 

Love all the WoC pics.  Also it's awesome you got to run ahead to DCA to do a quick picture tour before the boys caught up!   You make me want to watch WoC again.


----------



## TheColtonsMom

> I have to ask, Are you from Australia? You keep saying World of Colour, but it sounds like you are pronouncing World of Color in an odd way. So I have to know about this accent.



Matt u are so funny!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> WOW! I'd be happy if I owned those photos. Which lens did you use?



Thanks Shushh.  I was using the 17 - 55mm f/2.8.  I originally started out in Aperture Priority mode and found that most of the shots were being blown out.  I quickly shifted to manual.  Most of the time I was in ISO 1600 (or 3200), f/2.8 and around 1/30 sec.

I contemplated using the 50 mm f/1.8 lens; but figured it was better to have a tele-lens that I could play with than a prime.  Because of the Hunchback and Dumbo, it turned out to be a great decision.



usnuzuloose said:


> All the pics are awesome and I enjoyed seeing them all again. Its okay hunchback and dumbo will have there own someday. One day youll look back and have a good laugh at it. I am always checking in and seeing if anything is new. Keep it up your doing a fantastic job. I have yet to learn how to add pics in here. Need to do that before my reg TR starts.



Thanks.  There is a link somewhere that shows you how to add pics on the Dis.  If I find some time, I'll go looking for it and send it to you.



DisneyFirefly said:


> As soon as I read Tron, I was like "Yay, Tron!" and then read the rest of the sentence  Thank you for taking those, they look awesome! I hope that segment is still there when I go in May!



That was the thought that crossed my mind....I hope the segment is still there in May; otherwise you can come back here and look at my pics.  



hjd0411 said:


> Great photos!  Thanks so much for sharing.  It's always so hard to get the photos without anyone else in them!  But it does give the sense of being there!



I figure that if I ever get the opportunity to get back there for WoC, I'll take a hunchback swatter with me; complete with extendable arms.  I don't mind the heads at normal height in the shot...but to have a 5' 10" father put a child and extend it up past Goofy height is probably just pushing my tolerance limit a little.  



franandaj said:


> GREAT pics, yes I want copies of your whole day!  They are all great and you see so many things I never do.



I'll get round to it....sometime.

It only took me 3 months to send Firefly her CD...let's see if I can beat this record!  




TheColtonsMom said:


> We didn't get to do WOC heck with the crowds in DCA the week we went we literally could not get to paradise pier at all so we did nothing there. Yours are some of the better ones I have seen so thank you. Colton (My DS6 for those that don't know) was looking at them with me and he says that unexpected guest of yours was Darth Vadar the shadow looks just like his helmet.



As the fireworks, Fantasmic! and Aladdin were all NOT on when I went, I was pretty pleased to have been able to get to Paradise Pier for WoC.  

Thanks!  In the end, I'm pleased with my pictures (now).



skiingfast said:


> I have to ask, Are you from Australia?  You keep saying World of Col*ou*r, but it sounds like you are pronouncing World of Col*o*r in an odd way.  So I have to know about this accent.
> 
> Love all the WoC pics.  Also it's awesome you got to run ahead to DCA to do a quick picture tour before the boys caught up!   You make me want to watch WoC again.



Ou sure u know how to spell Colour???  It's a bit like a doughnut!  

I was born in South East Asia and we learnt how to spell like the Brits.  Are you sure you can't hear the accent?  I can't!  



TheColtonsMom said:


> Matt u are so funny!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Wow, those pictures of WOC were really brilliant. I wish I could go there to see it. I think I might head to youtube and have a look at a video of it. Do you ever think they will move a version to WDW? If so where would they put it? 

I think that your accent sounds very normal  it has been a while since I have gone overseas and I know it is going to be quite a culture shock to be surrounded by American accents


----------



## PrincessInOz

QuirkyButterfly said:


> Wow, those pictures of WOC were really brilliant. I wish I could go there to see it. I think I might head to youtube and have a look at a video of it. Do you ever think they will move a version to WDW? If so where would they put it?
> 
> I think that your accent sounds very normal  it has been a while since I have gone overseas and I know it is going to be quite a culture shock to be surrounded by American accents


Thanks QB.  

I don't know if they will move a version to WDW.  They sure need a big water space for it and a wide promenade area for guests to view it from.  It made sense at DCA because of the 'lake' in the middle; and I remember seeing the lake completely drained and under construction in 2008.  There was some MAJOR plumbing that needed to be done for this show.  

Your accent sounds normal to me too....


----------



## skiingfast

QuirkyButterfly said:


> Wow, those pictures of WOC were really brilliant. I wish I could go there to see it. I think I might head to youtube and have a look at a video of it. Do you ever think they will move a version to WDW? If so where would they put it?
> 
> I think that your accent sounds very normal  it has been a while since I have gone overseas and I know it is going to be quite a culture shock to be surrounded by American accents



There have been a lot of discussions on a WoC for WDW.  Honestly I don't think anyone within Disney is talking about a duplicate show over there.  But they are getting a bit of it in the new Tokyo Disney Seas water show.

What I find makes WoC so photogenic is MFW and Screemin behind it.  Without those enhancements it may not look quite the same.


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## PrincessInOz

*Final Moments at DLR*


We’d just spent the whole day enjoying our time at DLR, capped off by a first time viewing of WoC for our family.







For me, the World of Colour did not disappoint.  The wall of water created by the jets and fountains is just amazing and has to be seen.  It provided the perfect screen to project all the various Disney movies on it, all set to the appropriate music.  I thought it was an amazingly technological achievement for a water, laser, sound and light show.  But then, I am a Disney tragic.

I lingered around after the hazy mist (and I mean the water) died down to soak in my last views of a Disney park for a while.  







I reasoned that the crowds would all be crushing out at the same time and we would be at the back of the pack so we might as well stay to enjoy the dimming lights.  







Truth be known – I do not know when I will be returning and wanted to take some time to make some lasting memories.







Turns out that there is a whole perspective of Disney at Night that most of us miss out on or just fail to consciously register.

After most of the crowd had gone, I noticed a group of CM standing in a pack waving us goodbye.  I turned to take a shot and sadly, with the lights all dimmed, it was way too dark for me to get a decent image.







So, I decided to do something that I had yet to do at DLR!  And because I told the CMs that I was going to “Flash”, most of them laughed and turned in my direction for this classic.  The one and only time I’ve FLASHED at DLR for this trip!  Look at them all - _waving at me!_ 







Far too often, we forget that what makes Disney…well…Disney, is the service, smiles and care that the Cast Members provide.  Way too often, I read about Dis-sers complaining about this Cast Member or that ‘ruining’ their holiday because of poor customer service.

Cast Members are people too…and at the end of a long shift, I think we forget that they might be tired and cranky or just plain beat from standing on their feet all day, day after day.  I think we all can associate with the feeling….







And as one shift finishes and our perfect Disney moments end, another starts….so that the Park is pristine again for us the next day.  

The boys and I made our way out of the park.  By this time, we were the LAST people around and there was only one way to head…towards the Grand Californian side of DCA.

As we turned the bend, we all stopped to take a look at the Grizzly Peak, headstrong against the _moon_ light.







Against the darkness of the night, poor Grizzly definitely looked rather high and dry.







By this stage, our thoughts were turning towards the Hotel…







We kept walking towards the promenade entrance..








…enjoying the _solitude_ of a pretty empty park…







…and turned our thoughts towards the next part of our adventure.







As I left, I sure hoped that these words would be true.












Post Script.  For anyone who thinks that we just headed back to the hotel on this night – think again!

We had one final thing to do…and a promise to keep to DS.  







We were advised that this was “just like BaB; only better!” by the server.







If price is anything to go by, it better well be.







And whilst DS is enjoying his toy at home, our poor cats are in complete disarray by the new addition.





*[Up Next – Day 3]*


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## skier_pete

Great pictures! You really do a great job.  Do you find though that you "miss" the shows? I used to videotape a lot of stuff on our trips, but cut back a lot when I realized I was paying more attention to the camera than the actual show...

Great pix of the CM. I think the same thing...they have a difficult job that involves making my (and others) family happy. That's why I always try and approach CM with a smiling attitude and feel that's partly why I always get one in return.

Also, what was your opinion of world of color? I'm curious to see it, but I can't say it's driving me to get out to DL. The reason: The first time I saw Fantasmic @ DHS, while I enjoyed it, I got really tired of the water screens. They were an effect that when it first started, I thought "that's pretty cool" but after 15 minutes of watching film on a water screen I was getting really bored. In fact, while I like Fantasmic, it prevented me from really loving it. (I only really, really like the last 5 minutes of it.) Between that and DD hating it, and them dropping to twice a week when we go, we haven't seen F! in a few years.

So, I look at WoC and think: "OK, maybe a little fancier, but isn't it just pretty colors and water with movies projected on fountains? I didn't like that at Fantasmic, why would I like it better here, when I can't even sit?"

So, just curious as to how it compares...

Looking forward to your SF reviews...One of my 3 favorite North American cities. (Boston and Toronto being the other two.)


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## TheColtonsMom

> So, I look at WoC and think: "OK, maybe a little fancier, but isn't it just pretty colors and water with movies projected on fountains? I didn't like that at Fantasmic, why would I like it better here, when I can't even sit?"



Although my family does like Fantasmic esp my DS6, I kind of feel the same way about world of color. Fantasmic has scenes projected on water which I did not like as much as the rest of the show. So a bunch of lights and water, a little fire and not even a storyline just a series of movie trailers and the amount of time it would take away from other things we can do while at DLR just doesn't seem worth it. Our last trip was Christmas and didn't want to brave the crowds for this but we are considering it for our Oct 2011 trip if the arrangements for getting a seat or the crowds for it change before then. So PrincessinOz convince me since you obviously love this show why it is so special?


----------



## Mum from oz

Wow! World if Colour looks amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing your photos. I think you got fantastic shots!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

How great that the CM's wave you goodbye at the end of the night. What a wonderful touch. Smart idea not to leave with the crowd but wait until everyone has gone, it seems like a good photo opportunity.


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## JH87

Awww I love the picture of the CMs waving!!!


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## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Great pictures! You really do a great job.  Do you find though that you "miss" the shows? I used to videotape a lot of stuff on our trips, but cut back a lot when I realized I was paying more attention to the camera than the actual show...
> 
> Great pix of the CM. I think the same thing...they have a difficult job that involves making my (and others) family happy. That's why I always try and approach CM with a smiling attitude and feel that's partly why I always get one in return.
> 
> Also, what was your opinion of world of color? I'm curious to see it, but I can't say it's driving me to get out to DL. The reason: The first time I saw Fantasmic @ DHS, while I enjoyed it, I got really tired of the water screens. They were an effect that when it first started, I thought "that's pretty cool" but after 15 minutes of watching film on a water screen I was getting really bored. In fact, while I like Fantasmic, it prevented me from really loving it. (I only really, really like the last 5 minutes of it.) Between that and DD hating it, and them dropping to twice a week when we go, we haven't seen F! in a few years.
> 
> So, I look at WoC and think: "OK, maybe a little fancier, but isn't it just pretty colors and water with movies projected on fountains? I didn't like that at Fantasmic, why would I like it better here, when I can't even sit?"
> 
> So, just curious as to how it compares...
> 
> Looking forward to your SF reviews...One of my 3 favorite North American cities. (Boston and Toronto being the other two.)



Dang!  I was trying to do the very PC thing and not compare WoC to anything.  And I find between you and ColtonsMom that I'm going to have to do something about this!  

If you don't like the water show component of Fantasmic!, then this is not the show for you.

DS does NOT like the last 5 minutes of Fantasmic!  Until last year, he wasn't very good in dark places and he didn't like loud noises.  So, DH and I used to have to do the tag team thing in order to experience the live entertainment/shows at Disney.  Fireworks are my most favourite thing in the world to see - and we even have to make sure we bring earplugs for DS so that we can stay for the show at Disney.  I'm sure DS is going to need therapy before he turns 30 about how cruel his mum was dragging him to every fireworks event around! 

DS has gotten a lot better in the last year; so we thing we no longer have an issue with live shows at Disney.

WoC is the first show where he thoroughly enjoyed it, didn't want to leave halfway nor bug us about anything.   Whilst there is scary music and scary scenes in the middle, because there is so much colour and motion with the rest of the fountains, he was able to enjoy it all.  Maybe it is a sign of maturity on his part as well.

For me (and this is my personal opinion), fireworks are THE major drawcard for me.  Unfortunately, because I was there in winter and midweek there was no fireworks at DLR.  I also love live musical shows - and yes, I have seen Aladdin before - and would have loved to be able to go back and see Aladdin.  But winter and midweek - it wasn't on either.  In fact, the only night show that was on was WoC.  

I'm also a Disney tragic...and the thought of there being a show out there that I hadn't seen - particularly at DLR - well.....good, bad or indifferent, I was going to get there to catch it one way or the other...sooner or later.  It just turned out to be a lot sooner than I thought.

Part 2 below...



TheColtonsMom said:


> Although my family does like Fantasmic esp my DS6, I kind of feel the same way about world of color. Fantasmic has scenes projected on water which I did not like as much as the rest of the show. So a bunch of lights and water, a little fire and not even a storyline just a series of movie trailers and the amount of time it would take away from other things we can do while at DLR just doesn't seem worth it. Our last trip was Christmas and didn't want to brave the crowds for this but we are considering it for our Oct 2011 trip if the arrangements for getting a seat or the crowds for it change before then. So PrincessinOz convince me since you obviously love this show why it is so special?



Let me just say that this is my personal opinion here....but I'm not sure I'm going to convince you either way to go see WoC or not.  I think you should see it when it is convenient for you and your family to see it and make your own mind up.

Yes, WoC is a bunch of lights and water, a little fire and no storyline....with a series of movie trailers projected on a moving water screen.   And there are no seats.  Plus...given the hype, in order to get a decent spot, you pretty much have to queue up for about 30 minutes before the CM let you; and then spend another 45 minutes waiting for the bunch of lights and water.  Then the 25 minutes for the show.  All of this from a standing position.

I mentioned in Pete's response that I'm a Disney tragic.

One of my earliest childhood memories is from growing up as a child in South-East Asia, developing nation, where television did not launch in the country till the 70's (compare this with when TV started in the US).  And when it did launch, broadcast was only available from 5 pm to 11 pm during the day.
With not many program options available, one of the only shows that I remember running in to watch every week was Disney's Wonderful World of Colour.  The water show could have been absolute c%$p for all I cared.....the name itself just brings me back to my childhood and strongly connects me with the inner child inside me.  For me, that is pretty much the initial allure and the magic of Disney.

But I also happen to love a bunch of lights and water, with a bit of fire thrown in.  The geek in me thinks that the effect of this is pretty cool and the Disney tragic in me can watch a whole bunch of Disney trailers and be mesmerized by it all.  Heck - I can even watch the kaleidescope that used to play at the start of Disney's World of Colour TV show on the water screen and be happy!  

Is it the best thing that Disney has ever produced?  Again, this is debatable and everyone will have their own personal opinion.  I love  fireworks and given the choice would have gone to see fireworks over the castle anyday over any show; no matter how brilliant.  In fact, I'm one of those people that have NEVER seen the early show of Fantasmic at DL because, for me, it just doesn't compare with the fireworks.

But I knew before I left Oz that WoC was going to be the ONLY night show available on the one day that I had.  And as I mentioned in response to Pete - I just couldn't stand the thought of there being a Disney show out there that I hadn't yet seen....particularly at DLR.

Hope this answers your question....



Mum from oz said:


> Wow! World if Colour looks amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing your photos. I think you got fantastic shots!



Hey there!  Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my TR.  Not long for you now...



QuirkyButterfly said:


> How great that the CM's wave you goodbye at the end of the night. What a wonderful touch. Smart idea not to leave with the crowd but wait until everyone has gone, it seems like a good photo opportunity.



It was a very "quirky" touch.  And I loved that most of them looked my way....



JH87 said:


> Awww I love the picture of the CMs waving!!!



Thanks!  So do I!


----------



## TheColtonsMom

> I'm also a Disney tragic...and the thought of there being a show out there that I hadn't seen - particularly at DLR - well.....good, bad or indifferent, I was going to get there to catch it one way or the other...sooner or later. It just turned out to be a lot sooner than I thought



We will prob see it sooner or later for just that reason I just hope by next trip the hype will have died down some or a lot. If not then we will wait another year after all they did to create it I doubt it will go to the archives any time soon. It just didn't seem to be amazing enough to spend half a day getting FPs then waiting in line for hours (and it would have been hours for the FP and the actual line it was Christmas week)


----------



## PrincessInOz

TheColtonsMom said:


> We will prob see it sooner or later for just that reason I just hope by next trip the hype will have died down some or a lot. If not then we will wait another year after all they did to create it I doubt it will go to the archives any time soon. It just didn't seem to be amazing enough to spend half a day getting FPs then waiting in line for hours (and it would have been hours for the FP and the actual line it was Christmas week)



I wouldn't have queued up for a FP to see the show at Christmas either.  When you do see it, I'd be interested to know what you thought of it....


----------



## PrincessInOz

*On the Road to Solvang*

After the long day at DLR, I was deep in DreamLand.  There was NO alarm rudely waking me up this morning as DH and I banned it last night.  

So, when we woke, it was way past 8 am and we were in a mild state of panic about it.  We had planned to get up and have an early start, catch up with Alison before heading out of the LA area towards our destination for the night, Solvang.

I got ready and headed out for breakfast.  One of the main reasons we had picked the RI was for the cook your own waffles.  Okayit may not be _Mickey Waffles_; but they were fresh and delicious.






Id texted Alison to let her know that we were up and we eventually ended up arranging to meet in Long Beach, near the corner of 7th Avenue and Bellflower Avenue.  Aside from wanting to spend a bit more face time with Alison, the reason for the meet was to hand over a bottle of Disney contraband.  I had brought a bottle of Aussie port with me and I knew that if I even went anywhere near the bag inspectors at the gate, the bottle was going to disappear before I could even say Mickey Mouse.

After a minor detour of heading down the wrong street towards 7th Avenue (and thanks Alison for the correcting directions), we made it to our destination by about 10 am.  

Alison was already there and enjoying these snacks.












I ended up ordering this bubble tea drink






and there were lots of options from the menu.






And yes, I did remember to take a picture of Alison as well.eventually.  








We spent some time chatting and I wish I had more time to spend with her and Fran; but not on this trip.  Maybe next time.


I was conscious that the day was getting later and it was time for us to push North on the 405, and then the 101.  Traffic was reasonable at midday.

We managed to make it to Camarillo before DS spotted a Game Stop from the Freeway.  Plus, he was hungry.  

Us?  We were pretty pleased with the stop.  It was at the Camarillo Outlets!

Whilst I had been busy doing research on choice places to visit and stop in the US, DS had been researching his favourite topic.Pokemon.  Turns out that there was a free WiFi gift event for a brand spanky, sexy, shiny Entei at the Game Stop this week and DS was anxious to get it.  Well, he was anxious for ME to get it as I had brought my gaming machine with me whilst he chose to leave his behind because he didnt want to chance losing it.  

I bet you didnt know that Im a closet girl-gamer, did you?  Well, you know now.  

So, Im the proud owner of Entei on both my Pokemon Soul Silver and my Pokemon Platinum.  DS wants me to trade an Entei to him.Im still thinking about it.  I might relent when Black and White come out.

And for anyone that hasnt understood about 50% of the words above, dont worry.  Head on over to the Old Fogies thread in the CB and youll fit right on in.

After the dinner last night and breakfast this morning, the last thing we needed was a heavy lunch.  So, we were very pleased to find this place







And the soup and salad meal was exactly what the doctor ordered.







DS ordered the mac and cheese, of course.  This is the kids serve.







Everything was tasty and fresh; as well as healthy












..and needless to say, we counterbalanced the health food in style.







Sadly, the caramel apple was way too sticky and gooey; but it was still lovely.  
But it turns out Id picked the wrong caramel apple.  The boys really wanted the multicoloured sugar coated apple with Mickey ears!


And the choc coated marshmallow didnt last long at all!  







After lunch, DH and I did the mad dash through our favourite shops  BR, Coach, Diesel, J Crew  the prices were fantastic.  But we didnt have time to linger too long and it was past 3.30 pm when we left.we hit pre-peak hour through the Santa Barbara stretch.

Getting to Solvang before sunset was going to be a challenge!

A quick check of the map resulted in us making a snap decision to detour via the 154and what a great decision that turned out to be.

The route took us up on the mountain ridge and to the top past Lake Cachuma.  The views were spectacular but we couldnt stop for pictures.  If I ever have the time to pass this way again, I think a stop on Lake Cachuma will be in order.

It took us a surprisingly short time to get to the 246 using this route and we found that we were only 5 miles away from Solvang.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Solvang by Night*

Solvang Gardens Lodge was our residence of choice for the night.  I'd found it on the internet and booked it for it's location, price and on-line reviews. We had two queen sized beds in the room..







...and DS was pleased because he wouldn’t need to sleep on a sofabed for the night.







This little gem of a boutique hotel exceeded my expectations.  Our room was charming and cozy and it was remarkably clean.







Despite our longer than planned stop at Camarillo, we got there at about 5 pm and our check-in lady was remarkably efficient.  She was also really knowledgeable about the local area.  
When she realized that we had wanted to see the local waterfalls, she told us that we had sufficient daylight left (just) for us to visit the Nojoqui Falls. 
She also recommended a place for dinner that turned out to be just as a unique experience as Club 33 – more on that later.

So, we didn’t bother to unload our bags and headed straight out to the Falls.  We had been advised that it was a 7-mile trek out on windy roads and from the car park to the falls was a ¼ mile walk.  The car park would shut at sunset.

Light was fast fading when we arrived and knowing that I had a very short window of opportunity to take some shots, I bolted for the falls.  

I was to find out later that DS did NOT enjoy the short walk out.  I had totally missed the signs advising to beware of Mountain Lion and the little Aussie was really scared.  This was his first time in the great US outdoors and I’d been totally oblivious to the fact that the US warnings on animals were different to those in Oz.  We only have to deal with snakes, spiders and the occasional Dingo.  

I also found out that he was worried that I might meet a lion on my trek out and be attacked by one.   But because I had already bolted off, he bravely persisted….and really, the only cat we saw that night was the scaredy-cat walking next to us.

The falls?  Well, I just managed to get there in the dim fading light…







I cranked up the ISO settings manually to get some of these shots…












And it was a beautiful, thin spindly fall.  The boys caught up with me at this stage.  So, we spent some time posing…














Look at how close you can get to the bottom of the falls!  







We didn’t have much light left at this stage…and I hope this conveys how dark it was by this time…







We walked as quickly as we could to the car.  It would be a shame to be locked in for the night.  Thankfully, the ranger had obviously done a round in his off-road vehicle and he was waiting for us at the gates.  He must have been impatient to end his workday because we hardly got through the gates when they slammed shut behind us.


We headed back to town in the _twilight_, and back to our hotel room where we unloaded the bags and relaxed a bit.

I took a walk around the gardens and to admire the night _stars_.  







I guess it goes without saying that the stars are always brighter in the country than in a city.

Somehow…I think I managed to capture a shooting star!  







And if you know it was ET or a UFO, I don’t want to know.


Our stomachs started growling after a while and we wandered into town in search of dinner.  


In the words of Arthur Conan Doyle, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

Solvang is one of those quirks of California that in any sense of the word is improbable!  The truth of the matter is that it is a stinkin’ pretty kitschy town in the middle of Central California that, if you suspend reality for a while, makes you feel like you are in the middle of Europe.

It is predominantly of Danish architecture and culture…










…as these _window scenes_ clearly demonstrate.















And just look at this wonderful _Valentine related window scene_ – a double score for the Photography Scavenger Hunt.






It was as if it was waiting for me to come along to practically trip over it without any effort on my part…







…to find _Love_ – in the form of Cupid’s Arrow.







With these shots in the can, the boys urged me (I still have the bruises from this night) towards dinner.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Another Culinary Experience: Root 246  Organic and Local*


Our check-in lady had recommended a restaurant and she described it as High End with No need to dress up, Kids Welcomed!.  And with this introduction, it ticked all the boxes for us.  

After our lunch at Club 33, DH and I were not expecting to hit another High End restaurant so soon but were intrigued to go when we found out that the restaurant had a reputation for sourcing organic and/or local ingredients wherever possible.

So, go it was.

The restaurant is located on Alisal Road, which was very pretty lit up at night...







so it was only a short drive away from our hotel.  Really, we could have walked, but it was cold!  The outside façade looked old/new world Danish.







I was pleased to see an open _fireplace, with a crackling fire_ in the outdoor alfresco sitting space.







We walked in through the doors and found that our check-in lady at the hotel was right.  This was indeed a high-end establishment, if the black suit on the maitre d was anything to go by.  
But within minutes of discussion, I quickly realized that the second part of the description was also right.  This place was high end without being fussy and there was no need to dress up; plus the maitre d displayed a very practical touch with DS and us.  He was very accommodating; and despite not have any reservations, we were seated within minutes.  No need for buzzer or taking our name or anything!

We were shown through to the dining room, passing by at least 2 other rooms in the process.  Aside from the outdoor alfresco area, I saw a wonderfully chic room with the bar and a living/sitting space.  I had thought to go back to take pictures, but other matters took over and I never got back to that thought.  The dining room was also partitioned into two areas and we were seated in one of the areas.







Our service for the night was one of the best of this trip.  Our server, Janet, was informative, friendly and completely attentive to our needs.  In fact, all the other servers seemed to keep a watchful eye over every table; not just the ones they were assigned to and at times, we had our needs taken care of by another server, when Janet was busy elsewhere.  We had our water glasses topped up regularly and DS needs taken care of really well this night.  DS even had a meal specially provided for himoff-menu!

Janet noticed me taking a picture of the menu.







and I asked if it was okay for me to take pictures.  The answer was most unexpected.  Not only could I take pictures; but I was also asked if I would like to meet the chef and visit the kitchen.  Janet told me to take my menu into the kitchen. 

What a pleasure and unexpected surprise this turned out to be.   The chef is Bradley Ogden.







This Blunder from Down Under hadnt quite realized it yet and I had to come home to googlebut Bradley Ogden is one of those celebrated US chefs.  If you dont know who he is, you go google him and see what I mean.  Without knowing it at the time, we had obviously been recommended one of those Destination Dining locations!

At the time, I thought him very gracious and accommodating.  He was more than happy for me to snap away and even signed my menu for me.  







The kitchen was full of _chefs/people at work_







Janet showed me around the back kitchens and the refrigerators and I snapped away to my hearts content.  I was just overjoyed to have been able to have this special and personal _culinary/cooking_ experience.






But what about the food?

After I got back to the table, Janet took our orders.  As there was no kids menu, there wasnt anything on the restaurant menu that took DS fancy.  So, we asked if they would make plain pasta for him with some sauce.  Janet checked with the chef and we were in luck  turns out the kitchen could provide one of his favourite meals for him and it wasnt listed on the menu.

Whilst waiting for our meal to arrive, we were served with the delicious and dense homemade whole wheat bread.  







The darker bread at the back was a surprisingly sweet dark rye and blueberry.  It was almost muffin like, only with a bread texture.  Im not sure I liked it  somehow bread should not be that sweet.

Those of you that have been around my PTR will know that I had the pleasure of dining at Gordon Ramsays Maze restaurant in Melbourne.  Whilst the food was great, it wasnt completely outstanding; and one of my complaints was the lack of an Amuse Bouche that seems almost compulsory when fine dining.

No such complaints here!







The lovely smoked salmon nugget was served on rye and teamed with a delicious vinaigrette (it was either olive or caper, I forget which now).   I just love seafood with dill; so the dill garnish was just the perfect topper for me.

We were still full from yesterdays lunch, so DH and I decided to split an appetizer.  We chose the Organic Caeser Salad.







The very accommodation kitchen even split the salad for us on two plates.  Im glad that they stopped the splitting line when it came to the poached egg.  







Even DS liked the balance of flavours in the dressing.  But he cant fool me I know it was the Parmesan Cheese that he loved in this dish!

DS had been offered his favourite Parmesan Cheese, with a side of homemade Parpadelle Bolognaise.  Definitely not on the menu but available on the night.







It was superb.

DH is a pescatarian vegetarian and he chose to order the parpadelle with local Santa Ynes Valley grown mushrooms and spinach for dinner.







If youve followed my previous recommendation and googled Chef Bradley Ogden and/or Root 246, you may have come across a review by the LA Times.  The reporter ordered a tagliatele mushroom and asparagus dish that was described as bland and too greasy.  DH didnt order this particular dish but it sounded close.  

I dont claim to be a good food critic; nor do I claim to be a critic in any sense of the word and certainly not like a newspaper food criticI just claim to be a foodie, critical for good food.  

So, I was surprised to read the tagliatele review when I got home.  Perhaps the kitchen had taken the comments on board or had just been a little off that day; but the winter version of this dish  the parpadelle, mushroom and spinach  was neither bland nor greasy.  
For my money, the dish that was presented to DH on this night was full of deep earthy tones from the mushrooms and there was definitely no sign of anything greasy about the meal.  I particularly liked the combination of the earthy mushrooms with the iron afternotes from the spinach in the barely there cream sauce.  And the silky parpadelle was perfectly al dente and slipped down my throat!

I ordered the scallops, clams and Dungeness crab with pasta.







The seafood was perfectly cooked and the tomato-based sauce was spicy and full-bodied.  My only slight and incredibly minor issue was with the tomato paste garnish; which was piped into empty clamshells.  For me, the tomato paste turned out to be more of an inconvenience than an enhancement for the dish.  I found it hard to mix the paste into the sauce and at times had the harsh acidity of the dense tomato paste to deal with against the tender and delicate seafood.  Perhaps a pesto may have worked better in its place.

We argued over dessert.  Originally, the thinking had been that we would share one dessert between the three of us.but that was before the dessert menu arrived at the table!  

DS took one look and declared that he wanted Banana Split.  Is he for real???  
I tried to push him in the direction of something else and in the end given the choice we had, we settled on 2 desserts.

I should have known that this was not going to be any ordinary Banana Split.







So fun!

And I ended up with the organic Apple Sorbet with grapefruit and a butter cookie, fresh and warm from the oven.












Both desserts were wonderful and so full of flavour.  


And after we settled the bill, we all rolled ourselves out into the cold air and back into the car, drove down the road and collapsed into bed.





*[Up Next  Day 4]*


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## usnuzuloose

I am loving this whole TR I hope I can only do as well as you. You are the closet way I will see WOC. I love it. I love all the pics in solvang. Its been a long time since I was there. I will have to try the bakeries sometime. It is hard when you want to do so much and not enough time and exhaustion sets in. But there is always next time. Cant wait to read more.


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## skiingfast

Hmm looks very tasty.  I want a scoop of the banana split and you DH's entree in particular.


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## TheColtonsMom

PrincessInOz said:


> I wouldn't have queued up for a FP to see the show at Christmas either.  When you do see it, I'd be interested to know what you thought of it....



There will be a trip report LOL and I will track you down to let you know.


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## TheColtonsMom

I too love Solvang! When we lived in Southern California it was a traditional Mother's day weekend for my mom, my sister & me. waterfalls, shopping and relaxing and good food however I don't think that Root 246 was there the last time we were there. Hopefully there will be another trip there in my future.


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## franandaj

What a great find!  When you said Bradley Ogden, I'd heard the name, I thnk he went on Iron Chef USA too. That meal looks awesome!  Beats all the drive through and take out we ordered today.  Sometimes I'm happier with my own cooking, but don't have the energy!  Looking forward to the rest of your updates!


----------



## franandaj

Oh yeah, I forgot, route 154 is a great alternative if you are driving during the day!  Back like 25 years ago when I young enough to camp we would stop in the campground along 154 on our way to my parents house...now that I'm an Old Fogie we stop at a hotel!


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## tiggrbaby

What a lovely day!  You brought back memories of a family vaca in '79 when we stopped in that town.


----------



## skier_pete

Great pictures of the falls and the night sky! I think I am more impressed by those than the WoC pictures.

You are pretty unlikely to be attacked by a Mountain Lion, and in fact very unlikely to even see one...regardless of what the signs say.

Your meal looked especailly yummy. Truth be told, I have no idea who that chef is. While I enjoy the finer things - I enjoy the "Diners, Dives and Drive-In" style of eating more - especially when done right.

SP


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## DisneyFirefly

That town is so cute!


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## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> I am loving this whole TR I hope I can only do as well as you. You are the closet way I will see WOC. I love it. I love all the pics in solvang. Its been a long time since I was there. I will have to try the bakeries sometime. It is hard when you want to do so much and not enough time and exhaustion sets in. But there is always next time. Cant wait to read more.



It was probably all the food that we had on this trip...but we did look briefly into the bakeries at Solvang.  NONE of us felt like snacking.  I'll have some daytime shots of Solvang streets coming up shortly.  I'm running out of bandwidth and will need to upload my pictures more slowly.



skiingfast said:


> Hmm looks very tasty.  I want a scoop of the banana split and you DH's entree in particular.



That banana split was fantastic.  We got strawberry, chocolate and vanilla flavoured icecream in each little bowl.  All bowls had banana and the marshmallow on top; but in the strawberry section, we had a berry compote; the chocolate had warm chocolate fudge and I forget what the vanilla came with.  Each had nuts and other toasted delights.  Really Yum.  And I thought that the mushroom spinach pasta was lovely!



TheColtonsMom said:


> There will be a trip report LOL and I will track you down to let you know.



I'll probably be lurking....



TheColtonsMom said:


> I too love Solvang! When we lived in Southern California it was a traditional Mother's day weekend for my mom, my sister & me. waterfalls, shopping and relaxing and good food however I don't think that Root 246 was there the last time we were there. Hopefully there will be another trip there in my future.



It's a great little weekend spot.  Wish I lived closer to enjoy it more often.  



franandaj said:


> What a great find!  When you said Bradley Ogden, I'd heard the name, I thnk he went on Iron Chef USA too. That meal looks awesome!  Beats all the drive through and take out we ordered today.  Sometimes I'm happier with my own cooking, but don't have the energy!  Looking forward to the rest of your updates!



Well....you are close enough for the weekend trip....It just means no Disney!  



franandaj said:


> Oh yeah, I forgot, route 154 is a great alternative if you are driving during the day!  Back like 25 years ago when I young enough to camp we would stop in the campground along 154 on our way to my parents house...now that I'm an Old Fogie we stop at a hotel!



It is very pretty.  I don't think I've taken this detour before.  I usually drive up the 101.



tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely day!  You brought back memories of a family vaca in '79 when we stopped in that town.



Hope the memories are good ones....



********** said:


> Great pictures of the falls and the night sky! I think I am more impressed by those than the WoC pictures.
> 
> You are pretty unlikely to be attacked by a Mountain Lion, and in fact very unlikely to even see one...regardless of what the signs say.
> 
> Your meal looked especailly yummy. Truth be told, I have no idea who that chef is. While I enjoy the finer things - I enjoy the "Diners, Dives and Drive-In" style of eating more - especially when done right.
> 
> SP



Thanks Pete.  The rest of my vacay are all non-Disney; so I hope you enjoy them as much.

Yeah - I knew my chances of meeting wildlife at the falls will next to none; but poor DS didn't.  He's a city boy through and through.  So, this was one of the first times he's been out and about countryside where we've made him get out to walk.  Plus he's at the age where he wants to learn and is taking a much more keen interest in the boards and signs.  He just freaked (a little) when he realised that I was out there by myself.

BTW - I realised that I didn't answer your question about whether I felt like I was missing anything by taking pictures.  It's funny - I didn't spend the entire time behind the lens; and figure it was about 30 or 40% of the time that I was looking down the lens.  The rest of the time that I wasn't on the camera, I spent that time thinking about how to get a shot of that particular part of the show!




DisneyFirefly said:


> That town is so cute!



Wait till you see the daytime pictures!  I might put that post up...rather than waiting till I have all the whole day's pictures loaded..  In fact, I think I will...soon.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Solvang Gardens  Continental Breakfast*

This morning, there was NO alarm rudely waking us up as DH and I were officially on holiday.  Always the eager beaver, I got up and ready before the boys had even begun to stir.

After checking in late last night, I had looked around the hotels gardens in the dark and I was keen to head out and work out what sort of day we had in store for our drive to Monterey.  

The English garden at the back of the hotel turned out to be charming in the morning.  

















The quaint red brick is where they hold their massage treatments.







Ill need to be back at some stage.

I made my way to the front gardens







to grab the promo shot for the hotel.







The front gardens were also equally as pretty.












By this stage, the boys had gotten up; so we made our way to the breakfast room.  A continental breakfast was included in the tariff.   Breakfast was nothing spectacular; but it was free. 

We all looked at the Danish pastry on offer







..but after the food wed eaten for the last 3 days, we decided on a lighter meal.  


DH and I settled on oatmeal







I do my best.*sigh*..but DS decided on the Froot Loops.







Youll be pleased to note that I upped the nutrition value by making sure DS had a banana with his meal.

I also needed some external stimuli to kick-start my brain..







before we packed up and drove the very short distance into town.  

I did say breakfast was nothing spectacular...


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Solvang by Morning*


I had really wanted to push on out of town and head off up the coast.  But DH had other ideas this morning.  

We had last been in Solvang in either 1999 or 2000.  DH wanted to find a shop in Solvang that sold Tiffany lamps.  He specifically remembered a lamp that was shaped like a musical instrument and wanted to head back there to see if it is still available.  

Yes, I know.but I know better.  

It would probably be quicker to give him the time to look around town than try and reason with DH.  Thankfully, Solvang isnt really that big.

We passed by Root 246 and I was pleased to be able to take a shot of the building in the daytime.







We re-traced some of our steps from last night







only to find more windmills in town.







We stopped to admire some of the local features.







.and stumbled across the pretty little squares







all the while, DS came shuffling along.







We searched high and low, through various shops







.by which stage, even DH was figuring out that we had a _snowflakes_ chance of finding the lamps.







We stopped to ask the locals if they knew the shop.







.some were frozen in surprise!







A few even gave us a glazed stare.







As we followed the breadcrumbs.er_pinecones_trail this morning







we sure took in the sights of busy, bustling Solvang.












Time was moving on







and finally even DS took a stand







We all knew that DH was staring at blue skies







So, we turned the corner and headed for the hills







and along the Road to..


*[Next Up  On the Road Again]*


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## usnuzuloose

You know sometimes the simple breakfasts are just as good. I enjoy staying at places that have breakfast. I love all the pictures of solvang. Sometimes you go with the flow of what the better half wants and enjoy it. I cant wait to hear about what you did after our meet.


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## DisneyFirefly

That town is just so adorable... I think my parents would really like to go there one day


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## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> You know sometimes the simple breakfasts are just as good. I enjoy staying at places that have breakfast. I love all the pictures of solvang. Sometimes you go with the flow of what the better half wants and enjoy it. I cant wait to hear about what you did after our meet.



I still have to get to our DisMeet.  



DisneyFirefly said:


> That town is just so adorable... I think my parents would really like to go there one day



  Your parents???  You're not implying anything about Old Fogies, are you???


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Road to Pismo Beach  Chasing Wildlife*

Wed spent a bit of time this morning exploring the town of Solvang.  It was about 11 am when we finally left and headed down towards the coast.







I spent some time soaking in the _pastures_ I could see from the window.







And managed to capture this icon for The Kings Highway  El Camino Real.







These Bells, hanging on the Franciscan Walking Stick, mark this historic road since 1906.  

This royal road serves as the connection between the 21 Missions of California.  The missions were originally set up approximately 30 miles apart, or a long days ride on horseback.  The El Camino Real stretches all the way from lower California up into Sonoma County.  It is one of the roads that I drive on when in Silicon Valley, when I wish to avoid the 101. 

We kept driving along the 101 and our destination was not that far away.







Aside from Disney, I have a love of the outdoors and particularly love seeking out _wild animals in their native habitats_.

Today, I was chasing Monarch Butterflies at the Pismo Beach grove!

We were advised that at last count there were over 22,000 Monarch butterflies in Pismo feasting on Milkweed plants.







They sure look a lot like Australian Eucalyptus trees to me!
I reckoned there were about 20 or 30 Eucalypts in this patch and I guess that means that there are about 1000 butterflies per tree.







Turns out the milkweed are protected flora in the US because of their importance to the Monarch Butterfly migration; and after feeding; the gum trees are where the butterflies hang around.  The ranger told us that it takes about 3 generations of butterflies to migrate all the way up north into Canada and only 1 generation to fly all the way down south into Mexico.  We were also told that the Monarchs are one of the largest butterflies in the world with a wingspan of up to 4 inches.







Whilst we are all familiar with the distinctive orange and black striped wings on the upper side 







the underside of the Monarch is a creamy yellow-white colour.







Beautiful!

We headed out of the grove and decided that as Pismo was only a little way down the road, a lunch stop was in order.

DS decided that he wanted to eat Nachos for lunch; and so we found this Mexican restaurant in town.  It was also the first Mexican restaurant we saw.







Given where we had been dining so far, the décor could only be described as _simplicity_ at best.






But we were here for the food; and I was happy to see that a few Hispanic looking families frequented the place.  Its a bit like picking a Chinese restaurant in a foreign Chinatown  always look for the restaurant with the most number of Chinese eating and its likely to be the best one in town.  
Service was pretty prompt  you gotta love the complimentary corn chips and salsa that arrive the moment you sit down.







The salsa had a nice zing to it; so I was very optimistic that we could be in for a reasonable meal.  We checked out the menu







.and after placing our orders, we waited for our meal to arrive.







DS got his desired nachos.







Dont be fooled by the picture.the meal was ENORMOUS!

DH and I had wisely decided to split the lobster enchilada







just as well; because our meal was equally as ginormous!

Yes, the food was good.  I will be happy to stop by this way again.

I was a little dismayed to learn that DS had decided that he was going to make a major dent in the nachos.  In the end it took him over an hour before he waved the white flag.  

Still, I made the most of the opportunity.  I knew that there was a beach and a Californian pier nearby.and convinced DH to stay with DS whilst I headed off for a bit of sun and surf.







I wasnt the only one enjoying the day at Pismo Beach that day







I went in search of my picture under the pier..







and met the occasional stray person and dog walking







before I finally found the angles Id been seeking.












I made my way back to the restaurant and it turns out the DH and DS had also decided to come out to play in the sand.  Im sure youll appreciate that it was such a lovely day that we all just wanted to mess about on the beach and enjoy the sunshine for a while.  

It was close on 3 before we got back in the car.  Doh.  Late. Again.

But we pushed on along the Road to.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Road to Piedras Blancas – “What are those rocks, mum?”*


We were late leaving Pismo and tried to tear up towards the Cabrillo Highway to make up some time.  But either I had forgotten or things had changed from the last time we traveled this road – there were a HEAP more traffic lights than I remember; and a ton more housing estates hugging the road all the way to San Luis Obispo.

We knew we couldn’t change our late leaving…so we decided to make the best of things and stick with our planned ‘must-do’ stops.

Sadly, this meant that I couldn’t stop at every turn on the Cabrillo, as I had originally hoped for a more leisurely drive up; and so I took a couple of shots from the car to give you an idea of the road.












As we headed towards San Simeon, I kept an anxious eye out for our next animal stop.  I was on the look-out for Piedras Blancas.  In my pre-trip research, I’d worked out that there would be some wildlife about in winter at this stop….but I’d failed to take notice of the details for where this specific location was.  All I knew was that it around San Simeon.  And the map that I was using wasn’t showing any Piedras Blancas on it!

So, when we breezed through San Simeon and could see Hearst Castle, I thought I had completely missed it!







And then….DS asked…..”what are those rocks on the beach, mum?”….and I saw a heap of cars on the road with people looking at the ‘rocks’.







It turns out that Piedras Blancas is located just north of San Simeon and there is a colony of Elephant Seals that come to this beach….a lot of them!







No one got too close, but you can practically walk right up and almost touch the seals.







The pleasing thing about this colony was the number of seal pups sunning themselves with their parents.  Maybe it was the time of year, but I sure hope this means that this species is sticking around forever.







The seals knew how to enjoy themselves in the sand.







Whilst us humans just enjoyed being amidst the ‘rocks’.







DS knew better than to touch them…but he was curious as to why they were called Elephant Seals…so, he decided a little bit of up close and personal time was needed.












I think he figured it out!

And with a final look, and the sun as a reminder that time was moving on… 







…we left this stop and pushed on up the coast.


I knew that we had very little daylight left and the fog was rolling in… 







…but there were a number of spots that just screamed out “STOP”! on the way.







Particularly when there was a steep precipice on the other side; and a perfect turn-out for us to come to a screeching halt.







But time waits for no one…and we kept driving up…







…making the occasional stop when DH could finally take no more of my non-photo clicking activity and he needed to grab a sound fix.







I was reminded of how desolate and harsh this part of the world can be…







….no cell phone coverage!  Enough to make you look twice at the steep rocks around!







Onward we pushed….







…along the Road to…

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Road to McWay Falls  Impossible Natural Beauty*


I wish I could claim that it was my impeccable precision planning that took us to Julia Pfeiffer State Park and McWay Falls near to _sunset_.  Sadly, I suspect that we owe this happy circumstance more to my dawdling son and his nachos for lunch than any of my planning.

During my PTR research, I had come across a picture of McWay Falls and I just KNEW that I had to stop there for myself.  No.Matter.What.

So, just for usnuzuloose  the No.Matter.What. came at the cost of 45 minutes for our DisMeet.

What an Impossibly stunning natural beauty this place is!

We found the turnoff to Julia Pfeiffer State Park and made the detour off the Cabrillo.   We parked the car and walked down the ubiquitous ¼ mile walk to the overlook.







We walked through a tunnel







and I kept looking at the sunset as we walked down to the vista point.  Sadly, it was not going to be one of those cloudless sunsets for me.  Nor was I going to be taking pictures basking in the warm orange red tones of the sun.







And then suddenlythere it was.  

McWay Falls is one of two falls in the Central California coast that fall straight on to a beach, otherwise known as a tidefall.  It is located at Big Sur.  The drop is about 80 feet.  There is no access to the beach from the trail we walked on.

I took quite a few shots of the waterfall yes, Ive posted quite a few here but youve come on my TR journey so far, so I dont think the quantity is any surprise.  I can only hope that my pictures do this impossibly natural beauty justice.  I know Ill always remember this stop.



































I kept an eye on the setting sun







because I needed a picture of _sunset_ for the photography board.  It will come down to one of these three:

















(Im leaning towards the 3rd shot, as it showcases the sunset more than the falls.  What is your preference? Thoughts?)


And with a last look at the Falls, we headed on back towards the car.







We had stayed for as long as I dared.  It was way late and time to head along the Road to.





*[Up Next  Another DisMeet Night]*


----------



## usnuzuloose

I am loving all your pics they are so awesome. You have a wonderful family and you enjoy everything you do together. You are going to be so way done before someone else. I am looking forward to reading more. This TR rocks!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Ok... you are updating at an incredible speed, where do you find the time? Of course I am happy you are updating at an incredible speed because your posts are always so interesting.

Solvang looks like the most beautiful and quaint little village, pity you couldn't find the Tiffany lamp though  The inn you stayed in looks pretty as well.

Pismo beach looks great as well... BUTTERFLIES, look at all the butterflies. Incase my user name didn't clue anyone into the fact, I LOVE BUTTERFLIES. I can't believe how many of them there are. You are so lucky to have been there at the right time. 

Your DS is certainly brave getting so close to the elephant seals, they do look like rocks a bit  I am in agreement with you. It is wonderful seeing animals out in the wild. 

And finally good job on the pictures of McWay falls, what a great photogenic spot. 

I am now wondering why I didn't add more time into my holiday so I could explore more of California  I guess that is the aim for next time.


----------



## shushh

Ok, I need to learn from you. How do you post so many photos so quickly?!?!? I find the photo bit to be my rate limiting step. What great shots by the way. There's some pretty stunning scenery in there.

Love the banana, it fixes everything. My kind of parenting!

And those seals are HUGE!


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## tiggrbaby

Your pics are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## skiingfast

I love how you work so hard on these while I sleep and the next day wake up with somthing to look forward to.  In this case sealife and grand oceanside vistas.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Beautiful pic's Princess. Enjoying your report on the coast; we are heading up to San Francisco via San Simeon to visit Hearst Castle and now you are giving me all sorts of idea's that I will have to incorporate into our itinerary!   With your love of photography I'm sure you have visited The Great Ocean Road, your photo's remind me of it.


----------



## franandaj

Lovely photos, I've taken that road, but never saw the views that you had!


----------



## shushh

I forgot to ask earlier. Can I confirm that if you order the picnic, you don't have to get a fastpass for WOC?


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> I am loving all your pics they are so awesome. You have a wonderful family and you enjoy everything you do together. You are going to be so way done before someone else. I am looking forward to reading more. This TR rocks!



Thanks!  I'm glad you're enjoying the TR.  Yup!  My family love doing things together.  



QuirkyButterfly said:


> Ok... you are updating at an incredible speed, where do you find the time? Of course I am happy you are updating at an incredible speed because your posts are always so interesting.
> 
> Solvang looks like the most beautiful and quaint little village, pity you couldn't find the Tiffany lamp though  The inn you stayed in looks pretty as well.
> 
> Pismo beach looks great as well... BUTTERFLIES, look at all the butterflies. Incase my user name didn't clue anyone into the fact, I LOVE BUTTERFLIES. I can't believe how many of them there are. You are so lucky to have been there at the right time.
> 
> Your DS is certainly brave getting so close to the elephant seals, they do look like rocks a bit  I am in agreement with you. It is wonderful seeing animals out in the wild.
> 
> And finally good job on the pictures of McWay falls, what a great photogenic spot.
> 
> I am now wondering why I didn't add more time into my holiday so I could explore more of California  I guess that is the aim for next time.



Yeah.  Pity. We. Couldn't. Find. The. Tiffany. Lamp.  

Still, it  gave us an excuse to walk into every antique and home shop in Solvang.



shushh said:


> Ok, I need to learn from you. How do you post so many photos so quickly?!?!? I find the photo bit to be my rate limiting step. What great shots by the way. There's some pretty stunning scenery in there.
> 
> Love the banana, it fixes everything. My kind of parenting!
> 
> And those seals are HUGE!



It's called trashing DH's work bandwidth...

I'm in serious trouble and may be MIA for the next couple of days so that he can WORK!!  Really?  His work is getting in the way of my TR!   



tiggrbaby said:


> Your pics are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!



Thank you.  



skiingfast said:


> I love how you work so hard on these while I sleep and the next day wake up with somthing to look forward to.  In this case sealife and grand oceanside vistas.



Sadly, WORK will be getting in the way of my hard work.  



AussieDisneyNut said:


> Beautiful pic's Princess. Enjoying your report on the coast; we are heading up to San Francisco via San Simeon to visit Hearst Castle and now you are giving me all sorts of idea's that I will have to incorporate into our itinerary!   With your love of photography I'm sure you have visited The Great Ocean Road, your photo's remind me of it.




Glad to help!  I've visited the GOR but this was before I got into photography.  A friend of mine has a brother that is a professional photographer and he runs overnight trips down the GOR for photography nuts and teaches them how to take shots.  I was thinking of signing up for a trip this summer; but given how wet it's been, I'm kinda glad that I decided to put it off until next year.



franandaj said:


> Lovely photos, I've taken that road, but never saw the views that you had!



Thanks....sometimes I thought it was surprising what the camera saw as well.    I've driven down that road several times now and in different seasons.  It changes every time and I see things differently each time.  




shushh said:


> I forgot to ask earlier. Can I confirm that if you order the picnic, you don't have to get a fastpass for WOC?



Yes, if you order the picnic, you don't have to get a fastpass for WOC.  It was really, really, really hard for me to walk past the fastpass machines that morning and NOT stop to get some!  

I ordered my picnic 1 month in advance, because that was as far in advance for what the system would let me do.  I believe it used to be 2 months in advance and may be that way for September.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Road to Monterey  Usnuzuloose Part 1*

We were still in Big Sur and heading towards Monterey very late in the day.  I was getting anxious as I had one more Friends in a Box meet to make.

I had promised to call usnuzuloose when we got into Monterey and  stupid me  I had mentioned a 4 pmish arrival time.  
Hey  I had originally planned for an after 2 pm arrival!

Did you know that there is no cell phone coverage in Big Sur?  For that matter  did you know that there is no cell phone coverage from about past Hearst Castle in San Simeon onwards?

With no cell service, it proved impossible to let usnuzuloose know what was happening!

Well  in case you drive this way  it isnt until you get about 26 miles from Monterey that service is restored.  And if anyone from a US cell phone service provider is out there and reading this, call meshould you want someone to drive around the PCH testing out coverage.   Im more than happy to go across the country for that project!

I sat in the car with cell phone in hand and the minute the 4 towers appeared, I called her.  It was 5.30 pm by this time and she was heading towards the Wharf and Cannery Row, thinking that we had arrived.  I broke the news to her as gently as I could.straight like a bull in a china shop.and when she heard where we were, she knew that she had at least another hour to kill before we even got to our hotel.

I KNOW I finished the conversation telling her No Canned Creamed Corn for our meet.which I *hoped* rather than thought, she would stick to.


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Portola Inn and Spa*


I have to digress here to talk about our hotel for the night – the Portola Inn and Spa.  I had asked around on the boards and usnuzuloose had confirmed that this was a nice place to stay.

We arrived at the Portola after 6 pm and when we drove up to the property, I wondered if I had picked the right hotel for the night.  I had thought that it was a convention hotel – complete with business peoples in suits, quietly sipping chardies, exchanging business cards on their smart phones.  And we were checking in at the weekend; so I figured we would have the weekend tourists to deal with.

I was NOT expecting a convention to be on at the Portola…and it wasn’t any staid business convention….judging by the crowd outside, it was a rowdy, screeching laughs, beer cans everyone and a graveyard full of motorbikes being fired off at full pelt!  N-O-I-S-Y was the only description for what was going on outside the Portola.

We pulled into the driveway the best we could, trying hard not to hit the people that kept insisting on leaping out in front of our car.  

As I walked into reception, I could not believe it possible; but it was even MORE noisy than the outside.  I seriously wondered if I should forego my money and seek a quieter hotel as I approached the front desk.

I had booked a standard room via the website so I was pleasantly surprised to find that we had been upgraded to a habour view room.  The convention was a real noisy one and I guess management must have thought we were less likely to complain if we had a view to soothe us for the lack of sleep.  

Despite being on a higher floor, we could still hear the street party outside with the doof-doof music and high-octane cycles.  Oh Well!

The noise did die down at midnight and despite earlier concerns, we all got a decent night’s sleep….until the high octane cycles kick started at 7 am.  But by that time, I was already awake.

I was to find out in the morning that the convention was one for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.  I’m glad I found that out the morning after….and given the alcohol I had seen consumed, I wondered how many of them were still practicing recovering alcoholics?   

Our room was nice…



















…and the view?  Well, you’ll have to wait until I post about tomorrow morning to find out; because, when I walked out on the balcony, I couldn’t see much either!


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Usnuzuloose Part 2, Corn and all the fixins*


Usnuzuloose and I met on the Old Fogies thread on the Community Board.  Anyone over the age of 30 can just mosey on down and forget to check in every now and again.  

Franandaj also hangs out there with us.  (NOTE:  Franandaj, DisneyFirefly and I also hang out on the Last To Post thread in the games section of the Community Board.  We definitely need new members on that thread!)


Needless to say, we old fogies need to take our dose of Gingko Biloba and eat Canned Creamed Corn on a daily basis to aid our non-existent memories.  We mostly forget to do so.  And because I pull in night shift duties, I seem to end up having to clean up the rec room on a fairly regular basis.  Assuming that there hasnt been a food fight, the level of mess just depends on whether DEPENDS has been used by the day shift members or not!  

And if you should wander in the rec room and find some teeth, please let us knowone of the members is missing a set.


Usnuzuloose must have had one of those Old Fogies moments on the thread one daybecause she expressed the wish to meet some of the members on the thread.  Well.if you are going to publicly make an announcement like thatIm going to pounce!  So, before she knew what happened, Id pretty much cornered her and we had a meet arranged for Monterey.

After settling into our room and dropping the bags, I called usnuzuloose and arranged to meet her at Fishermans Wharf; or somewhere in between.


She said she was wearing pink and would be easy to spot..probably true during the daytime!  But with my old fogies eyes and the rose coloured glasses I wear, every pale colour seemed white or pink in the night.  

Yet spot her I did.  I just figured we were walking in opposite directions and when I gauged roughly where halfway was; I just called out her name.  She was 10 paces away.

As always, it is such a pleasure to meet someone face-to-face and to put a voice and facial expressions to the typing fingers.  Usnuzuloose was as delightful in person as she was on the Boards.

We walked down towards the Wharf, chatting away and picking up from where we left off on the various threads.  She had picked out Gilberts as our dining restaurant for the night and we headed in to settle down for the night.

DH took these pictures of us; and I really wished I had taken some more later that night.







But we were sitting side-by-side, which made photo taking an awkward business for me.  So I had to rely on DH.







Still.

We got on with the business of ordering and checked out the menu







and after placing our orders, we got on with the business of catching up.


We exchanged our giftsand I just *knew* that my request of No Corn was going to get ignored!







She had brought Canned Corn  whole kernels; not creamed  and all the fixins to go with it.  Not just the fresh artichoke; but the whole barrel of laughs for the night!


We then got on with the business of eating

I ordered the seafood paellawhich was very tasty







.and because it was considered an entrée, I got a free appetizer thrown in.  Fried zucchini flowers.  







Unfortunately, way too much flour and not enough flower, plus it was a little bit on the greasy side for my tastes.


All the food was catching up with DH and he settled for the clam chowder in the bread bowl.  







By all accounts, delicious.


Usnuzuloose picked the scallops.  She can post what she thought of her meal.







The pick of the night, at least for the 3 dishes that my family had, was undoubtedly the Fish and Chips that DS ordered.







I thought the fish tasted very fresh and the chips were nicely cooked.


DH and DS beat a hasty retreat after dinner.  It had been a long day and drive for us and I think they were anxious to just have a lazy night resting in the room.  I suspect they were not in the mood to be ignoramied...


I was keen to maximize face time with usnuzuloose and we stayed behind.  We had a great time catching up and must have laughed the night away.  I know we spent a bit of time talking about my Hunchback pictures.  I lost track of how much corn was on offer that night and if usnuzuloose had brought the corn, she also brought the main course plus all the fixins.  

It was far too soon time to head back to the raucous party happening at the Portola and we said our goodbyes.

Usnuzuloose  I sure enjoyed meeting you!  And I hope to be able to see you again in the future.






*[Up Next  Day 5]*


----------



## usnuzuloose

I am sorry about the hotel. Who would have thought it was noisy. Very nice room though. My dinner was tasty. I had scallops. I so enjoyed my time with you. I hope in the future we can meet again hopefully on your turf so I may visit where you live. I hope you got to look around the next day before you moved on. It was a beautiful day when you were to arrive. Nice pics. Looking forward to hearing some more.


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## franandaj

Looks like you all had a nice time, but as you said on my TR the corn doesn't COUNT!  It was canned but not CREAMED!!!!!    You said it had to be both!

I'm looking forward to a meet with usnuzulooz as well when she comes to Long Beach for a trip next Fall!


----------



## shushh

I guess you've overcome the bandwidth issue?


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Old Fogies boards huh. I will see you girls there in 3 years  

I am glad that you had a nice meet up. Pity about the convention going on. Who was the stupid person who served alcohol to recovering alcoholics?


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> I am sorry about the hotel. Who would have thought it was noisy. Very nice room though. My dinner was tasty. I had scallops. I so enjoyed my time with you. I hope in the future we can meet again hopefully on your turf so I may visit where you live. I hope you got to look around the next day before you moved on. It was a beautiful day when you were to arrive. Nice pics. Looking forward to hearing some more.




The hotel was okay after 11 pm or 12 am and before 7 am.  They did keep quiet and given that those were our main sleeping hours, we didn't have any issues with the noise.  

For the amount of time that we were there, we enjoyed it.  DH and I were very happy with the room and would go back to stay there again.  We thought it was very well located.

Thanks for the recommendation.



franandaj said:


> Looks like you all had a nice time, but as you said on my TR the corn doesn't COUNT!  It was canned but not CREAMED!!!!!    You said it had to be both!
> 
> I'm looking forward to a meet with usnuzulooz as well when she comes to Long Beach for a trip next Fall!



Yes I know...I knew I had made a mistake by telling her not to bring any Canned *Creamed* Corn...knew it....just had that hunch(back).

(Yes - that hunchback is following me everywhere!!)




shushh said:


> I guess you've overcome the bandwidth issue?




  No.  Just don't tell DH...he'll find out soon enough.  
I just couldn't take it anymore; so I loaded up Day 5 pictures.  It was a slow day anyway; so I figured I could get away with it and feed my addiction.  




QuirkyButterfly said:


> Old Fogies boards huh. I will see you girls there in 3 years
> 
> I am glad that you had a nice meet up. Pity about the convention going on. Who was the stupid person who served alcohol to recovering alcoholics?



Mosey on down and come hang out with the Poster Girls of the Lasting kind...Games Board, LTP game...I forget what number we're up to.  Must be 10 or 11.  You'll probably make it for the exciting bit.  LTP is about 45 pages away from the 250 page threshold. 

I don't know what stupid person brought alcohol for the recovering Al. K. Holes; but there sure were a few Bud cans lying around the next morning.


----------



## usnuzuloose

PrincessInOz said:


> The hotel was okay after 11 pm or 12 am and before 7 am.  They did keep quiet and given that those were our main sleeping hours, we didn't have any issues with the noise.
> 
> For the amount of time that we were there, we enjoyed it.  DH and I were very happy with the room and would go back to stay there again.  We thought it was very well located.
> 
> Thanks for the recommendation.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I know...I knew I had made a mistake by telling her not to bring any Canned *Creamed* Corn...knew it....just had that hunch(back).
> 
> (Yes - that hunchback is following me everywhere!!)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No.  Just don't tell DH...he'll find out soon enough.
> I just couldn't take it anymore; so I loaded up Day 5 pictures.  It was a slow day anyway; so I figured I could get away with it and feed my addiction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mosey on down and come hang out with the Poster Girls of the Lasting kind...Games Board, LTP game...I forget what number we're up to.  Must be 10 or 11.  You'll probably make it for the exciting bit.  LTP is about 45 pages away from the 250 page threshold.
> 
> I don't know what stupid person brought alcohol for the recovering Al. K. Holes; but there sure were a few Bud cans lying around the next morning.



Sure defeated there purpose. Wonder if they need to start all over again.


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Sure defeated there purpose. Wonder if they need to start all over again.



The Al K Holes or the LTP game???


----------



## franandaj

usnuzuloose said:


> Sure defeated there purpose. Wonder if they need to start all over again.



From what I know from my friends in AA each time you fall off the wagon you get a new birthday and start from day 1.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Monterey in the Morning*


It was another NO alarm morning.  Despite that, I was awake by 6.30 am and being the eager beaver that I am, I got up and headed out to our balcony. 

Our view?  It was pretty good.







I stayed outside to watch the _sunrise_… 







..whilst I reflected.  I have experienced 6 DisMeets so far and with every single one of them, I am firstly thankful that there have been no axe murderers in the bunch (you know who you are…).  

I am also amazed at how the love of Disney and the DisBoard can form the glue…or the Creamed Canned Corn… between seemingly total strangers and forge friendships.  Yes, most of us do that through a box and a screen and as I have said before…the friendships I have here are as real and as treasured as the ones I have home with my 3D friends.



I hung outside the balcony a bit longer to enjoy the changing light…












…and the waking day.  I could hear the sea lions barking, probably jostling for position, the waves rushing in to the shore…..







….and the high octane noise that only motorcycles can make at 7 am in the morning.

It was time to wake the boys, get ready and go look for breakfast!


Having gotten in late yesterday, we hadn’t really checked out Monterey, so a little bit of sightseeing was in order this morning.

We headed back to Fisherman’s Wharf in the hopes of finding somewhere to eat.







There was a place that served crepes – that reddy/brown building in the right hand side of the wharf; but they didn’t seem ready for customers.

So, we walked down the Wharf to check out the local shops.







The rest of the Wharf was also waking up – and there was lots of activity with boiling water and seafood being freshly cooked.  There was no other breakfast place on the Wharf.

We walked all the way to the end and looked out at the view and the _yachts_.  In the distance, we could see the Cannery Row hotels.







We headed back to the crepe place; but either we had dawdled too much or due to its popularity that when we arrived, there were no more tables available and we had one very hungry DS wanting his breakfast.

We decided to try our luck in the opposite direction.  We walked back in the direction of the hotel…







…and settled in here for food.












From the looks of the menu, I thought the prices weren’t too bad.  







So, we ordered.

DS and I both wanted eggs and bacon this morning.  I’m not really sure which one was his and which one was mine…but I suspect the one with the pile of extra toast was DS’.












I know she’s not lurking about my TR because she has is never quiet and we haven’t seen a post from her….but B-A-C-O-N Kimmar.  Good ol’ fashioned American streaky overcooked bacon…..just for you!







DH settled on the egg and tomato roll.







I made sure that I walked round the front of the hotel….







… to grab a picture of the motorcycles that had so captured my ear’s attention.







And with that, we packed up, checked out, loaded the car and headed out towards Cannery Row.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)



*Cannery Row*


Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.

It is straight out of the imagination of a very talented writer.







And I came here in search of the dream and the nostalgiaI had a dreamand I was in search of a Monterey souvenier this morning and had decided to get a fridge magnet.  Not just any Monterey fridge magnet  one that I would buy in Cannery Row.  I'd been to Monterey about 4 times before this one and had yet to add a Monterey magnet on my fridge door.  Time to fix that oversight.

Yes, those of you that know the area might well be wondering why I didnt get one of those tacky (pun intended) magnets from Fishermans Wharf earlierI wondered why myself!  

The boys had decided that more beach time was in store, so after a little *debate* in the car, we parked at a half-way point between the main shops of Cannery Row and here.







I had realized the benefit of this strategy when I remembered that there was supposed to be seals and otters in the area.

So, a-looking we went.  

Sadly, the only otters and seals we saw this morning, were painted on the wall that you can just make out right way back.







and if you look closely in the water behind DS, youll notice that there is something else in the water.  Lots and lots of scuba divers!

The boys decided to stay and play on the beach and had a great morning watching the divers.  

I went looking in search of my dream Monterey fridge magnet and the old sardine canning factories that make Cannery Row nostalgic.  I found the recreational trail that was the walking and bike track and the walk down to the main drag was lovely.

I did find my fridge magnet and suspected that I paid about 50% more in the trendy souvenier shop on Cannery Row than if Id bought it in town, closer to Portola.  I know it was about $2 more than at Fishermans Wharf.  So much for that dream!

I didnt have time to linger long; but I was also in search of nostalgia and I just had about enough time for these shots of the sardine factory bridge links.

These two are found nearer San Carlos beach.







These form the heart of touristy Cannery Row.







My lucky day!  Check out the hot rod!







I suspect I did better on the nostalgia front than the dream.  Nostalgia was certainly cheaper!


It was time to head back to the boys.  It was time to fly!







Along the road to..


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Road to Silicon Valley*


Monterey to Silicon Valley, where we would be staying for the next 5 nights, was about 3 hours drive.  And it was close on noon when we left.

We drove past a heap of artichoke fields.  It is very fertile ground around Monterey and is pretty much the artichoke capital of the world.

I started to think about my week ahead and catch-ups with family.  Both DH and I have cousins in San Francisco; so I called my cousin and made arrangements to catch up with her in the downtown area that night.  DH was going to be working all week and had a very busy schedule; but he wanted to visit the Guitar Centre at the corner of California and Van Ness.  This was his only opportunity.  My cousin agreed to meet us there later that night.  

I left it to DH to contact his cousins; but due to different schedules, we never found a time to catch up with them.  


Despite only being 3 hours away from our hotel, DH and I figured we had a couple of hours up our sleeves and decided that a stop was in order.  Naturally, we had a destination in mind – Gilroy Factory Outlets.







We had a leisurely hour’s shopping there and I spent the entire time in the Coach outlet.  Turns out that there was an additional 20% off in the shop that day….it was PACKED!  I agonized over my purchase and in the end, settled on one bag only – a pink suede hobo number that is the envy of all my girlfriends here.  (Alison – it is the smaller version of your black one)
It took me over 30 minutes of queuing before I finally got to the check-out!  It really was busy.

Unfortunately, shopping on this day came at a relative high cost….







DS had spied the Golden Arches when we turned in and was adamant about what he wanted for lunch.

I know I’ve been posting food porn on this TR.

There’s food porn….and then there’s just porn!







And as a teaser for you to hang around a bit more….cheap as this meal was, it wasn’t the cheapest lunch I had in NorCal!

DH and I finally figured that it was time to head on up the road to our hotel destination.  It was only an hour away.  But we hadn’t figured on one thing – despite being a Sunday afternoon, there were a HEAP of people checking into the hotel, and only one person behind the counter.  We got in line and it took us an hour to reach the desk.  
DH didn’t mind because there were about 8 people in line that he knew and the rest all worked for the company; so it felt like a mini convention in the small hotel lobby.  And the noise level was only slightly less than the night before!  


Our hotel destination always feels like home to us.  We’ve been staying here since 2000 and have seen it refurbished twice during this period.  It is a suite hotel that is walking distance to DH’s work campus and 10 minutes by car to a Westfield Mall.  The local shops are about 5 minutes away by car, where there is a Caltrain station where DS and I can catch the train into the Downtown area.

The rooms are always clean and quiet; and it is always a pleasure to be here. 

I had hoped to have been allocated a two bedroom suite, which somehow only seems to happen when DH and I are traveling without DS….and this time was no different.  Murphy struck again!  We ended up with a one-bedroom suite. 

The sofa converted to a bed.







Our bedroom.







Rest of Living Room and Kitchen facilities.







After we checked in, we still had one more chore to do…and that was to pick up the hire car organized under DH work requirements.  We would have two hire cars for the next 2 days (more about the cars in the next post)

After we worked out the pick up, we jumped in one of the cars and drove into San Francisco.  There was not much traffic about and it took us 20 minutes to drive in on the 101 and hit Octavia.  

It was here that we got a call from my cousin’s flatmate.  She had been sick all day and was not well enough to come and meet us.  I wished her well and said I would call her during the week and try to catch up in town.

As I was on the phone, I didn’t pay attention to the route that DH took and I’m not sure how DH did it but we ended up on Franklin Street, instead of Van Ness.  

Whilst DH has been to San Francisco more times than me, I actually know the Streets of San Francisco a lot better than him.  He has to work – I get to explore and take lots of public transport!  As luck would turn out, I had actually walked the length of Franklin from Hayes all the way to Union Street in 2009 (another story; but it was one without DS so I could do whatever I wanted!).  
I remembered that there was a Wholefoods at the corner of Franklin and California and had the brainwave of parking there.  DH could walk one block to the Guitar Centre and DS and I could get some food for dinner.  And that is exactly what we ended up doing.  It was so convenient!

I got this roast chicken, mac and cheese and green beans.  It was a huge serving and DS and I shared it.







It wasn’t what we had planned for dinner – we had thought we would be dining with my cousin – but all things considered, it was tasty enough and filled the empty spot in my stomach. 

I did think that the mac and cheese needed some truffles, just for some extra oomph!


DH joined us shortly after…he had picked up a couple of drum accessories at the shop…and was well pleased with his purchases.  He got something to eat and after a while, we headed back to the hotel and caught up on some sleep.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*A Tale of Two Nissans*


We ended up having two hire cars from Sunday through to the end of day Tuesday between DH and myself. 

We had hired the first car because we were on holiday for about 4 or 5 days before DH started work.  Due to the quirks of economies of scale, it worked out to be roughly the same to hire the car for 5 days as it was for 7 days.  We picked up this car  a Nissan hatch  from LAX and it stank of cigarette smoke.  Still, it got us from LA to Silicon Valley and it had been a very reliable car.  

DH had arranged to have a work hire car from Sunday, when he was officially checking back into work mode, until we left San Francisco.  We picked up this car  also another Nissan  from SFO.  







Im not sure how the cards fell but we ended up with a brand spanking newly minted unit.  Check out the Jan 11 rego!







Folks  heres a sign of things to come.  Some of you might have already been there and done that! and I knew they were being implemented in the new cars but this was the first time for me; and you know how it is..when it is your fist time!  

And simple things like this tickles my sense of humour.


These were the keys







put them in here.







and then push the start button.  Hey Presto!








Call me an Old Fogie..but it seems to be one more step compared to putting a key into an ignition and turning it!  
Think anyone might have a problem remembering to put the door key into the little slot?  Like maybe 6 or 7 times in the next day or so????


DS took one sniff in the new car and that was it!  Poor DH had to live with the Stinky Nissan for the next two days; whilst DS and I enjoyed that new car smell.


Our Road Trip component of this vacay was complete.  Wed seen unbelievable scenery and beautiful wildlife; but it was now on to the NorCal part.   DS and I were looking forward to hanging out together, re-visiting some old favourites and finding some new favourites for the rest of the week.





*[Up Next  Day 6]*


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Yay for the new rental!


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Yay for the new rental!


----------



## usnuzuloose

I am glad you had time to linger around for a while. I love monterey. I love the gilroy outlets. I got my last purse there in dec. While we were there in dec, we arrived in the evening only to find all the electricity was out everywhere. It came back on after about an hour. So much to see and do and you just cant do everything. Okay weird car keys. I dont like it. Let us see the magnet you bought. My DH just informed me that in about a month he wants to go to vegas so we can work out the rest of our details for our trip in june   I cant wait to see some more of your trip. At least you and your son had time alone to do things.


----------



## franandaj

We had one of those cars with a key like that a couple years ago in Texas.  The car was running when they gave it to us, and I guess the valet brought it up at our hotel.  It wasn't until we were leaving the place we went for dinner that we realized we had no idea how to start the thing!  I had to call the rental company 800 line to figure out how to get it started to get home!


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> We had one of those cars with a key like that a couple years ago in Texas.  The car was running when they gave it to us, and I guess the valet brought it up at our hotel.  It wasn't until we were leaving the place we went for dinner that we realized we had no idea how to start the thing!  I had to call the rental company 800 line to figure out how to get it started to get home!


----------



## TheColtonsMom

> I did think that the mac and cheese needed some truffles, just for some extra oomph!



Spoiled rotten by Club 33 are we???


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> *Monterey in the Morning*
> So, we ordered.
> 
> DS and I both wanted eggs and bacon this morning.  Im not really sure which one was his and which one was minebut I suspect the one with the pile of extra toast was DS.



So what kind of eggs are these?  I've never been served my eggs in a bowl...


----------



## tiggrbaby

franandaj said:


> So what kind of eggs are these?  I've never been served my eggs in a bowl...



Looks like a poached egg...yum!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Looks like a poached egg...yum!



Ahhhh we always order them over easy or scrambled....


----------



## usnuzuloose

I like a runny yoke


----------



## tiggrbaby

usnuzuloose said:


> I like a runny yoke



As well as a running joke...creamed corn, anyone?


----------



## PrincessInOz

DisneyFirefly said:


> Yay for the new rental!





DisneyFirefly said:


> Yay for the new rental!



I see you hit the Dis twilight zone.  I think I should be saying....Thank you, Thank you.  



usnuzuloose said:


> I am glad you had time to linger around for a while. I love monterey. I love the gilroy outlets. I got my last purse there in dec. While we were there in dec, we arrived in the evening only to find all the electricity was out everywhere. It came back on after about an hour. So much to see and do and you just cant do everything. Okay weird car keys. I dont like it. Let us see the magnet you bought. My DH just informed me that in about a month he wants to go to vegas so we can work out the rest of our details for our trip in june   I cant wait to see some more of your trip. At least you and your son had time alone to do things.



I'll take a picture of the magnet and post it...sometime.

You're going to Vegas to work out your June trip???  Some people have all the luck.  
....wonder if I could use the same strategy with my DH?



franandaj said:


> We had one of those cars with a key like that a couple years ago in Texas.  The car was running when they gave it to us, and I guess the valet brought it up at our hotel.  It wasn't until we were leaving the place we went for dinner that we realized we had no idea how to start the thing!  I had to call the rental company 800 line to figure out how to get it started to get home!





usnuzuloose said:


>



  

I wasn't quite that bad....I just kept forgetting about putting the door key in the special slot....a lot! 



TheColtonsMom said:


> Spoiled rotten by Club 33 are we???



  If it weren't for the fact that truffles were $9000 per kilo, it should be MANDATORY to add it to mac and cheese.  



franandaj said:


> So what kind of eggs are these?  I've never been served my eggs in a bowl...





tiggrbaby said:


> Looks like a poached egg...yum!





franandaj said:


> Ahhhh we always order them over easy or scrambled....



You should try them poached sometime.  My favourite style of eggs!




usnuzuloose said:


> I like a runny yoke





tiggrbaby said:


> As well as a running joke...creamed corn, anyone?








We're gonna have to wait a couple of days before I can load anymore photos up....sorry for the delay folks.


----------



## franandaj

usnuzuloose said:


> I like a runny yoke





PrincessInOz said:


> You should try them poached sometime.  My favourite style of eggs!



Not to hijack your TR with egg preferences, but that's why I ordered them over easy, but only if I have toast & bacon, the kind in your picture.  I haven't had Aussie bacon to know if I like it, and certainly have NOT had Kangaroo bacon!


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> Not to hijack your TR with egg preferences, but that's why I ordered them over easy, but only if I have toast & bacon, the kind in your picture.  I haven't had Aussie bacon to know if I like it, and certainly have NOT had Kangaroo bacon!



I'm sure if you ask real nice she will send you some.


----------



## shushh

The view over the Harbour was beautiful and seeing the photos reminded me of the great sunrises and sunsets we saw on our cruise.

I had forgotten how pretty Monterey is. Looking forward to reading more. Oh and I also second the motion for a post of the magnet you bought please!


----------



## DisneyFirefly

Yes, I hit the Dis Twilight Zone.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Great new update. You really lucked out with the car. It is a shame that DH needs to work now, but I guess that was the whole reason for the trip in the first place so it can't be helped. 

By the way, poached eggs are my favourites


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Not to hijack your TR with egg preferences, but that's why I ordered them over easy, but only if I have toast & bacon, the kind in your picture.  I haven't had Aussie bacon to know if I like it, and certainly have NOT had Kangaroo bacon!



  One of these days, Kimmar and I are just going to have to meet face to face.  

I don't think that they make Kangaroo bacon.  It's just what she calls the Aussie bacon, which is cut to include both the belly pork rasher and the back bacon.  



usnuzuloose said:


> I'm sure if you ask real nice she will send you some.



  I need to find out if there is such a thing as Kangaroo bacon  



shushh said:


> The view over the Harbour was beautiful and seeing the photos reminded me of the great sunrises and sunsets we saw on our cruise.
> 
> I had forgotten how pretty Monterey is. Looking forward to reading more. Oh and I also second the motion for a post of the magnet you bought please!




Oh no!  It really is a tacky magnet.  I'll take a picture and post when I can.




DisneyFirefly said:


> Yes, I hit the Dis Twilight Zone.







QuirkyButterfly said:


> Great new update. You really lucked out with the car. It is a shame that DH needs to work now, but I guess that was the whole reason for the trip in the first place so it can't be helped.
> 
> By the way, poached eggs are my favourites



You know - it's nice to have DH around; but DS and I really enjoy our San Francisco days together.  And then we can catch up again as a family at night with DH.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Half Moon Bay*

After two days on the road and finally getting to Silicon Valley, I was deep in DreamLand when the alarm rudely went off at 6.40 am.  
DH was back in full work mode and he had an early start, as his meeting kick-off was 8 am.  

His alarm had woken DS as well; so, with no chance of a sleep-in, we got up, got ready and I faced the perplexing conundrum of….

What the heck were DS and I going to do today?

In any event, DS and I decided to join DH for an early breakfast and send him off to work properly.

Unfortunately, there were a number of DH’s work colleagues at the breakfast room and I didn’t want to embarrass DH; so I chose to eat breakfast rather than shoot it.

After breakfast, we said our goodbyes and headed back to our room.  It hadn’t gone 8 am yet and I knew better than to rush out into Silicon Valley peak car parking period on the 101 going no where fast.  We hung around the room for a while and when I figured it was safe enough, DS and I headed out.

We had decided to go to our favourite beach in this part of the world….Half Moon Bay State Beach - specifically Francis Beach.  It takes us about 40 minutes to drive over the Coast Range to this beach.







The beach never disappoints; whatever season or weather conditions I’ve gone in, particularly if you are looking for a bit of _solitute_.  The only issue I have recently had with the outing is the $10 parking fee that the State Park charges for the pleasure.  It used to be $5 not that long ago.  But today was not a day I was going to quibble about parking fees given that we had not yet paid for parking for any of the stops we have made along the Cabrillo (I was just following the rest of the pack and watching what the others had done).  I’m a firm believer in Karma.  I figured I was happy to pay $10 parking for this entire trip duration and was relatively guilt-free about all the other times (and times to come) that I hadn’t coughed up any dough.  







Whilst it was a beautiful day, it wasn’t quite ocean swimming weather.  We rolled up our pants and took off our socks and shoes and headed for the surf.  We messed about on the beach, building sand clumps and jumping the waves.  I figured that the temperatures must have been in the high teens, pushing the low 20’s….er…that’s in Celsius….about low 70’s Farenheit.

We had a ball playing footsies with the surf and although we did find that the occasional high roller got the better of us, by and large, our clothes remained dry.  

It must have taken all over 20 minutes before anyone else showed up on the beach.  And then I noticed something else….







…. I had spotted a couple of surfers in the ocean and that was enough for me to resume my favourite activity – stalking – because I needed a picture for wipeout! 

So, I left DS to mess about and set up shop with the camera.

I was thankful that I picked up the camera when I did because this group of beautiful Brown Pelicans happened to be flying by _in unison_.  







The Brown Pelicans are the smallest in the pelican family.  Like a lot of birds in this part of the world, they were driven to near extinction in the 70’s from the use of DDT and Dieldrin.  I was happy to see them as this species is once again thriving in their native environment.







As the pelicans flew off in search of prey, I patiently waited for one of the surfer dudes, my prey, to catch a wave.  

It turns out that the waves weren’t of the sort the strong silent surfer dudes wanted to catch at all.  One of them spent a long time fishtailing into the rollers; whilst the other gave me a neck crick watching him paddling backwards and forwards in the ocean. I could see my chance of a wipeout evaporating in the wind.







In the end, I waited for over an hour.  DS had happily played in the sand and surf for this time but he was getting hungry and thirsty.  I checked my watch.  It was close on lunch time and I knew he was right…but I still hadn’t gotten my shot.  When it was obvious that I could delay no more, I was about to put the camera away when….







Finally!  Some action!  The surfer dude must have gotten unlucky and he ended up in the right place at the right time.  And I could see it unfold right in front of me….and that surfer could see it too.  He paddled hard, stood up and surfed….






…and surfed….







…and surfed.  I could sense possibilities……only to be disappointed.  He stayed on his board.  The tension kept building…






…as he stayed on his board.

I waited and waited ….and finally!











My _wipeout_!  

I was delirious and light-headed!  



It was definitely time to head in search of food.


The great thing about a morning on Francis Beach is that when we’re done, the wash up amenities is reasonable and we fully make use of them.    
The Park Services include outdoor showers and taps for that quick rinse off for sand and surf.  You just have to remember to bring a towel.

One of the other benefits of taking the trouble to go to Francis Beach is that when we are done, we are a 2-minute drive away from the quaint town of Half Moon Bay.






I was last here in October 2010; and was happy to be back again.  DS felt the same way.







Half Moon Bay is not a very big town.  It probably consists of about 50 or 60 shops, all along one main street.  There are a number of very nice eating establishments, cutesy shops and a couple of clothing shops.  And for a small town, it sure has very eclectic street art.







DS and I have been visiting this town together for the last 8 or 9 years and we always make it a point to take a stroll up and down the streets, admiring the windows and occasionally going into a shop of two.  We also have this favourite café in town.







On the walls of the café, the owner hangs artwork from local artists, which are for sale.  One of these visits, I’m sure I’ll see the one that is destined for my wall at home. 
And the bay window looks out on the incredibly busy and bustling street life of Half Moon Bay.






It is a place where locals hang out and everyone knows everyone else’s name.


And the food? Well, we love their killer milk shakes.







We also love their toasted sandwiches, and DS ordered this cheese, avocado and tomato _deli sandwich, with pickle_.







I decided on a roasted vegetable panini with eggplant, red onion, peppers and pesto; and my favourite A&W Rootbeer.







For me, the food is always delicious and fresh here.  And at a total cost of under $20 (including tips in the tip jar) for lunch, I think it is reasonably priced.

After lunch, we lingered in town for a little bit longer.  There are a couple of bookshops and a toyshop that are firm favourites with DS.  Despite looking hard, we didn’t find anything to buy this time.  And after a while, he wanted to head back to the hotel for a swim.


 



*[Up Next – The afternoon is for the birds]*


----------



## tiggrbaby

So glad you were able to get those fab wipe-out pics!


----------



## DisneyFirefly

That beach is so pretty! I love the pictures of the pelicans and of the wipeout!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Love the pics of the beach and the surfer who wiped out. Perfect timing. The sandwich looks good. I guess everything looks good when your dieting. Well our pre trip is on for march 12th. Keep up the awesome job. Hope mine can be some what good as yours.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

You certainly have some patience, I'm not sure I could have waited that long for one shot. But I see it was totally worth it, very nice picture  the pelicans were also a beautiful shot. 

Now the question is did he wipe out because he was distracted by the crazy lady on the beach taking photos of him?


----------



## franandaj

Nice beach photos.  I liked the one of the wipeout too!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> So glad you were able to get those fab wipe-out pics!



Believe me....so was I. I'd looked for surfers down near Pismo Beach but because it was a work day, there was hardly anyone out. 




DisneyFirefly said:


> That beach is so pretty! I love the pictures of the pelicans and of the wipeout!



I keep going back because the beach is beautiful!




usnuzuloose said:


> Love the pics of the beach and the surfer who wiped out. Perfect timing. The sandwich looks good. I guess everything looks good when your dieting. Well our pre trip is on for march 12th. Keep up the awesome job. Hope mine can be some what good as yours.



Are you doing a pre-pre trip report??    Vegas!  Here we come!  
You didn't tell us you were on a diet!

Thanks for the compliments.  
Your TR will be great because it will be YOURS!  



QuirkyButterfly said:


> You certainly have some patience, I'm not sure I could have waited that long for one shot. But I see it was totally worth it, very nice picture  the pelicans were also a beautiful shot.
> 
> Now the question is did he wipe out because he was distracted by the crazy lady on the beach taking photos of him?



I don't know what you mean.  I didn't see any crazy lady on the beach taking photos of my surfer!!  


Seriously, he wouldn't have seen me.  He was that far out that it was a wonder that I managed the shots at all!




franandaj said:


> Nice beach photos.  I liked the one of the wipeout too!



Thanks!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*A Relaxing Afternoon on Vacation  finally!*


After lunch, we drove back to the hotel.  DS and I rarely take the time out just to sit and do nothing on our vacaysbut for some reason, that is exactly what we chose to do this afternoon.  

I do wonder if I would have been so amenable with the suggestion if not for a little category called _Vacation, yours_.

The temperature had hit the high 20s by this stage (high 70s or low 80s), so it was nice to get into our bathers and hit the pool.







er.spa.







Well, DS hit the pool and spa.  I dipped a toe into the unheated pool and opted for the spa.

I found a spot on one of the deck chairs..







and grabbed this shot for my photo forum category.







(You dont seriously think Im silly enough to post a crystal clear shot of my hairy legs, do you?)

.I made sure that we ALL grabbed some relax time.








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post) 


*Bird Watching at The Inner Bay*


Our hotel is within a very short walk to the Inner bay and marshlands.  For DS and myself, it is one of the other attractive side benefits of staying here.   







And when we have a lazy afternoon or when DH (usually) rings to say that hes tied up for a bit longer at work, DS and I like to take a walk to see the bird life.  It also helps that the walk we take includes a stop at a playground and a number of those exercise equipments that only serve to torment our bodies.  

After our afternoon by the spa, we decided to take a bit of time to take a stroll around the marshland.  The marshes are just full of birds, particularly this time of year where the birds have migrated here for the winter!  

We came across a flock of Canada Geese.    







They were sure enjoying eating on the green grass!







Along the walk, we also spotted this _bird of winter, feeding_

















The long-billed curlew is also known as the Candlestick bird.  Did you know that Candlestick Park was named after them?  These birds were once on the brink of extinction in the 1800s.  

The Snowy Egret is one of my favourite birds in this part of the world.  I was hoping to catch this one in action and pouncing on some food floating past; but it just stood still for all the time I was watching. 







Definitely another one of those species that at one time was near to extinction.  Its feathers and plumes were used to decorate hats!  Looking at this one, you can see that it is just starting to put out its breeding plumage and you can understand why their plumes were so highly sought after.


We also came across the Great Egret.  







It was also hunted close to extinction for its plumes.  This one just stood look admiring its reflection.  Sure didnt look like it was interested in any food that might have been floating by.


A little bit early in the year; but we also found this beautiful Californian Poppy along this walk.







A really relaxing afternoon for us both!

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post) 


*Palo Alto*


Lately, my MUST GO shop in this part of the world has been Keeble and Shuchat at Palo Alto.

Given the prices for camera equipment in Australia compared to the US, it has completely made sense for us to take our business and shop in the US than to pay what I think are outrageous prices in Australia for exactly the same item.

Whenever we go to the US, DH and I normally agree on and allocate a shopping budget before we go.  Usually, my budget goes towards buying clothes.  For the last 2 trips, I’ve been putting my budget towards camera gear.  

If you’ve been following my previous TRs, you’ll know that the camera that I shoot with was originally meant to be for both of us to share; but really it was more for DH.  Well, when we came home from the May 2010 trip, the expensive toy sat in the bag for a month!  And then I found the DisBoard photography sub-forum.  The camera is now mine and poor DH does not get a look in.

So, when I had mentioned to DH that I was intending on going to K&S, he jumped at the opportunity to tag along.

DS and I waited for DH to finish work and we all jumped in the car and headed off to Palo Alto.

This is the shot of the shop taken from my trusty 17 – 55 mm lens.







This is the shot of the shop, same spot, taken from my NEW 10 – 22 mm Ultra Wild Angle lens.







You might get to enjoy some of this wider angle later on….

And DH?  He ended up with a Canon Powershot camera.  
Guess who plays with that camera more?  

We saved about 35% between the two purchases by buying in the US cf buying in Oz.



Totally happy with our shopping splurge, we headed out to celebrate….over dinner!  Given our location, our only choice for dinner was here.







This Cheesecake Factory is located on University Avenue in Palo Alto.







University Avenue is also another favourite haunt of mine.  Being close to Stanford University, you’re always guaranteed of plenty of street life and people watching any time of year.  And the shops here are pretty entertaining as well.  As you can tell from the decorated tree lights, this is a pretty long street.....yes, lots of shops!


We love the fresh, warm bread that the Cheesecake Factory serves.







And DH and I can never go past the Avocado Egg Rolls for an appertizer. 







We just love this dish and the one serve is more than plenty for the two of us.  DS does not share our love for this dish; but on this night, the signs were good for the future.

The Egg Rolls are usually big enough to serve as a main course…but we decided that we needed to add entrees to our order tonight. 

DH decided on the Fish Taco for entrée.







It came with rice and beans.







I had a taste – not sure that I would rush out to order this dish next time.


DS got the spaghetti bolognaise.







Our server, Wes, wasn’t very generous with the parmesan cheese and DS got him back a second time to top up on his calcium.  But the pasta meal is always consistently good.


I decided to ask Wes for a recommendation.  He suggested the chicken chipotle pasta.







The dish was well cooked and I loved the spiciness of the dish.  But for some inexplicable reason the sauce tasted overly sweet to me.

We were stuffed!  

But we were at the Cheesecake Factory.  You don’t go there and NOT have cheesecake!

So, we asked Wes for another recommendation and knowing that we planned to have it to go, he recommended the vanilla bean, vanilla cream cheesecake.







By the way – I think this picture says it all.   That cheesecake was delicious!  We cracked open the forks the next morning and by the time I’d gotten the camera out, this was what was left!


We walked down University Avenue and spent some time in the Borders and Game Stop before heading home.

All in all, a pretty successful (and expensive) day!





*[Up Next – Day 7]*


----------



## tiggrbaby

Love the reflective pics!  Getting a camera is so addictive!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Some times it is nice to sit and do nothing. I love that wide angle shot. I do alot barganing in frisco for our lenses. All the food at least I can enjoy and pretend. Yes this will be a pre pre trip report. By the way where should I post the TR ? It is not any disney one. Keep coming I feel like I am on vacation with you all.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Camera prices are completely ridiculous in Australia. It makes me so angry 

Is it weird that I want to go to the Cheesecake Factory only because Penny in The Big Bang Theory works there?

As always very nice photos taken.


----------



## kimmar067

....I am. ENVIOUS.......of your food porn.


----------



## kimmar067

PrincessInOz said:


>



 

[....no baloney, no geckos...]


----------



## franandaj

Yay Kimmar made it over to find the bacon!

What I think is funny that you have been to the Cheesecake factory more in the last year than I have been in my lifetime!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Love the reflective pics!  Getting a camera is so addictive!



Getting a camera is not just addictive....it's EXPENSIVE!  



usnuzuloose said:


> Some times it is nice to sit and do nothing. I love that wide angle shot. I do alot barganing in frisco for our lenses. All the food at least I can enjoy and pretend. Yes this will be a pre pre trip report. By the way where should I post the TR ? It is not any disney one. Keep coming I feel like I am on vacation with you all.



There's a California & the West Trip Report sub-sub-sub forum...might be the spot!  I've seen Vegas ones there.  http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=132



QuirkyButterfly said:


> Camera prices are completely ridiculous in Australia. It makes me so angry
> 
> Is it weird that I want to go to the Cheesecake Factory only because Penny in The Big Bang Theory works there?
> 
> As always very nice photos taken.



I don't think any reason for going to the Cheesecake Factory is weird.  



kimmar067 said:


> ....I am. ENVIOUS.......of your food porn.



 You made it over!! Welcome!



kimmar067 said:


> [....no baloney, no geckos...]



No Kangaroo either. 



franandaj said:


> Yay Kimmar made it over to find the bacon!
> 
> What I think is funny that you have been to the Cheesecake factory more in the last year than I have been in my lifetime!



  I've made it at least twice in the last 10 months...


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Winchester Mystery House* 

After our first great day in Silicon Valley, I was deep in DreamLand when the alarm rudely went off at 6.40 am.    

DH jumped out of bed and quickly turned it off so that he did not wake DS or me.  Too late for me.but DS stayed asleep.  DH had another 8 am start; so he got ready and headed out. 

Unfortunately, the sound of the door closing woke DS; and he wanted to see his dad.  So, we got ready and headed out for breakfast.   I had hoped to grab a shot of breakfast at some stage; but given that DH and his colleagues were still at the dining area, I again opted to eat breakfast rather than shoot it. 

DH was happy to see us and we spent some together time enjoying each others company for a bit longer before he headed off for work.

Today, I did not have to face the perplexing conundrum of what to do.

DS and I had a discussion last night and we had agreed to do something that DS had not done before in this part of the world.  I had decided to visit the Winchester Mystery House. 

WMH is located more in San Jose, off the 280 and near Santana Row and the Valley Fair shopping centers.  It took us about 40 minutes to drive there from our location and I was pleased to be heading down the 101 in the opposite direction to the peak hour traffic flow.

When we got there, DS took one look at the place and decided that he did not want to be there.  He figured it was going to be spooky.its such a mystery to me but I what gave it away?.and was scared about going inside.  Still, I dragged him in for the House Tour.  

I did have a moments misgiving about the wisdom of this choice when I realized that the cost of this outing was going to be close on $60 for the two of us.  (Was I the one complaining about paying $10 for parking yesterday?) 

But we had come all this way and despite thinking about spending the morning shopping at Santana Row or at the Valley Fair, in the end I figured we should do something that we wouldnt be able to do anywhere else.  So I paid up.

We had about 30 minutes to kill before our tour started; which meant that we completed walked round the gift shop about 20 times.

There were a number of quaint _vintage_ pieces that I wasnt sure why they were in the shop.










I also walked into the Antiques Products Museum twice.  It must have been incredibly memorable.  







because all I remember is being anxious about DS and hoping that he was going to last the 65 minute tour through the house.  As you can clearly tell, he was totally thrilled about our excursion this morning.

Figuring that I was safer keeping him outside in the bright sunlight, we headed out to the courtyard area where we would be starting the tour.  







Yup.Much.happier.little.boy.

The time slowly ticked over to our start time.and eventually our tour number came up.







I eagerly got in line and then..the sky fell!

Turns out I was going to be the one not happy on doing the tour.  Photography was NOT allowed inside the house.  Doh!

Sarah Winchester, the widow and heiress of the Winchester Gun fortune, kept construction going on the house for over 38 years, 24 hours, 7 days a week, in response to a psychics advise that the spirits of all the people killed by the Winchester Gun would haunt her and she would die.  As Sarah had inherited over $20 Million dollars and earned $1000 per day from gun royalties in the 1800s, she certainly had more than enough money to bankroll the construction indefinitely.

We were told that there were over 160 rooms in the house and the number 13 featured everywhere in the house (13 bathrooms, 13 window panes, 13 steps in every flight of stairs etc).  It is Victorian/Queen Anne architecture and despite being gutted out, you can tell how beautiful it would have been if construction had been completely finished.  There were Tiffany leadlight glass everywhere and the lead light in the house is currently valued at over $250K!  Yes, thats just for glass!

Sarah suffered from arthritis and as a consequence the rise on the steps are only a couple of inches off the ground.  So, there are plenty of steps in groups of 13 that just zig and zag to get between floors.  Given that the house belonged to someone who suffered so badly from arthritis; Im sure it must have tickled her sense of humour no end to make the house completely inaccessible for wheelchairs or strollers.   

The Winchester Mystery House is the result of what happens when you dont have an architect, have too much money and believe in ghosts.  It is intriguing beyond belief and I am not sure if Im so glad or so sorry that we spent the hour of walking through countless rooms, strange corridors, seeing staircases that go no where and a door that open out to a 20 foot drop.  The main thing for me was that DS totally loved the experience and had a fantastic time.

We came out totally bemused by the whole experience.  The rooms were all there and in parts completely finished; but there are huge amounts of the house stripped to the wooden wall frames.   But then there are rooms completely furnished and exquisitely detailed! 

We then took a turn around the garden and I had to satisfy myself with shots from the outside.

This is an outside door handleand gives you an idea of the intricate details that you can potentially find inside.in some of the rooms.







These only give a glimpse of the incredible leadlight to be found inside the house.






.and the famous spider web design that Sarah was reputed to have had Tiffany specially designed for herself.






The Victorian architecture details were just lovely.









We walked round the property.











There were a number of additional buildings that provided support facilities for the main house.

The house at the back is the one that the foreman lived in.






This is the tank house, which held 10,000 gallons of water for the house.







We saw Sarahs Car in the garage







which was driven into the covered entry that Sarah used so she would never get wet.







We walked around the house admiring the turrets and finials everwhere.











We looked at the Door to Nowhere from the outside and the drop to the ground.







We walked to the front of the house.  Check out the wide-angle view from the new lens







By this stage, DS had lost his deer in headlights look







and he was starting to feel hungry again.  We stopped in at the café where I bought the most expensive Ice Slushie in history.  It was $7 for a medium cup.completely exorbitant!


So, between the entry price, the slushie and no pictures allowed inside, I will NOT be coming back here again.  I certainly felt as ripped off at the WMH as I did about WMD!  But Im glad that DS and I spent the morning here to learn that the WMH will NOT become a favourite come-back to spot for us.

I did however, get this shot from the gift shop for my photography hunt  _presidential related_.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Driving Rings around the Parkway!*


After Winchester, I somehow decided that we should make a stop at the Great Mall in Milpitas.  Its been a couple of years since Id driving to the Great Mall and I normally approach it off the 237.  So, I headed down back down the 101 and detoured off the 237, which was 30 minutes away.

For some inexplicable reason, I seem to think that the Great Mall was only a little bit off the 237.well, I was w.w.w.w.w.rong.  

We drove around in circles around the Great America Parkway, even passing the 6 Flags park a number of times.  I finally decided to stop and ask for directions.
You see  I had found a group of shops that had interesting restaurants.  There was a Vietnamese Pho shop, a Mongolian BBQ, a Rotisserie Chicken shop..and I had visions of a delicious lunch of the multicultural sort.

A rare beef Pho or a bowl of Mongolian BBQ noodles was just the trick for today!

Sadly, it was not to be

Whilst I had noticed the interesting restaurants, there was one in the group that escaped by notice; but not DS.

He had seen..













Yup!  I sadly walked past the Pho and the Mongolian BBQ (both shops smelt delicious and completely full of people!!) and we had Subway for lunch.

And to add insult to injury?  Completely frustrated with NOT finding my way to the Great Mall, I asked for directions.

Turns out the Great Mall was only 10 minutes up the road on the 280 from the Winchester Mystery House.   It would take me another 25 minutes to get back to the Great Mall, and pretty much back to where I had started from!

So, I decided not to push it and changed my mind for the afternoon activity.






*[Up Next  More animals]*


----------



## usnuzuloose

Shoot I did not know they dont allow pics in WMH. I have never been then there. At least you got some on the outside. I guess I wont be touring anytime soon. I hate when you cant find something. I usually just end giving up and moving on. Sounds like you guys are relaxing doing all of this. Keep it coming. Look forward to your next post.


----------



## franandaj

It's funny, I grew up less than 15 minutes from that attraction, and I never went there until I was almost 30!  My parents often take us to restaurants at Santana Row when we visit.  I've never been to the Great Mall, but I have spent my fair share at Valley Fair, especially the Macy's there!


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Shoot I did not know they dont allow pics in WMH. I have never been then there. At least you got some on the outside. I guess I wont be touring anytime soon. I hate when you cant find something. I usually just end giving up and moving on. Sounds like you guys are relaxing doing all of this. Keep it coming. Look forward to your next post.



Yes.  I was a more than a little unhappy about the no photography bit and given the $$ it cost to enter; but I'm glad we stayed to see the house.  You know, it costs less to spend a day at WDW, if you buy a 7+ day ticket there...than it did for WMH.



franandaj said:


> It's funny, I grew up less than 15 minutes from that attraction, and I never went there until I was almost 30!  My parents often take us to restaurants at Santana Row when we visit.  I've never been to the Great Mall, but I have spent my fair share at Valley Fair, especially the Macy's there!



I've looked at the shops at Santana Row; but never eaten there.  Do you have a recommendation for any of the restaurants?


----------



## DisneyFirefly

It's annoying that they overcharge and don't allow pictures, but I'd still love to go to the Winchester Mystery House one day


----------



## PrincessInOz

DisneyFirefly said:


> It's annoying that they overcharge and don't allow pictures, but I'd still love to go to the Winchester Mystery House one day



I was annoyed at the time too...but now that I'm back home and going through the pictures, I'm really glad that we went too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Coyote Point – CuriOdyssey*

For anyone flying into San Francisco International Airport and looking out the window, you might notice a bit of land, a point, that is filled with Eucalyptus trees.  That bit of land is Coyote Point and there is about 600 acres of land that has been turned into a park.  Aside from the golf course, the walking and biking trails and the marina, there is the CuriOdyssey.

The CuriOdyssey used to be the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education and when DS was a lot younger, it was on my must-do list.  

Its been quite a few years since I’ve been here and given my directionally challenged failure of the morning, I decided to come here with DS instead of shopping.  

I was intrigued by the name change and it turns out that they ran into some financial difficulties in 2006, new sponsors and public pledges for money and the name change occurred on Jan 2011.  We were visiting some one-week into the name change.

Which turned out to be a good thing.  I had picked up a brochure from the hotel lobby, with a significant discount off the entry price.  The lady at the counter told me the discount no longer applied; but gave it to me anyway.  So, my afternoon at the CO ended up costing me a whopping $6 entry for both of us. 

The museum now consists of two main areas.  

The hands-on exhibit in the main complex….








….that allows kids (and bigger kids) to experience natural phenomena close up.  We hit the main complex first.  

DS was overjoyed to find this rolling ball sculpture.







He kept playing with it over and over and over again.  There is a wheel that you turn and it sets the balls going on the circuit.  Gravity and motion takes over the rest until the balls end up back at the base of where they start.  The kind lady at the counter must have been regretting her decision to give us a discount.  It sure made a great deal of clanking and tinkering noise!  She eventually gave me that “look” and I moved DS along.

The next station was intriguing.  Anyone care to work out what this is?







This station shows you what a wave would look like on the inside.  I was completely fascinated by the circular patterns that the coloured water made.

This was one of our favourites.  Illuminart!







He got to play….and I got to play!

















We moved on….







….and learnt a bit about flight.







DS and I were both very taken with this display.







The lady behind the counter was a lot happier when we moved on to here, it is a very quiet hands-on station….at least it was…..until we started to use the top of the tube as a hoop and seeing if we could score 3-pointers with the polystyrene/foam thingies.  Sadly, we encouraged a few of the other people there that day to do the same thing and I saw some very enthusiastic 8 year old boys following suit after us.

We read this station with interest…






…and looked at the display. 







It didn’t peak our interest for very long….one might almost say…a low point.

This one was a complete mess for us!







It is meant to show what shapes raindrops make…but we really couldn’t make head or tail of this display.


Due to Bart Simpson, we all think that water in toilets only spin counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and that it only spins clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.  Whenever I’m asked this question on the DisBoard, I always concur with Bart and put it down to magnetic poles or the rotation of the earth, depending on whether I have had coffee or not. 

Yes, water spins counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere – but it can just as easily spin the other way round, as it does in my bath.

So, when I saw this display, I had a small chuckle to myself.







DS and I used to do a vortex experiment together:  

 Take two 1.5L clear plastic bottles.  
 Fill one with about 1 L of water.
 Join them together at the top with duct tape (probably best to put the empty bottle on top and tape it together that way).

Turn the bottles so that the one filled with water is at the top.  Voila! A vortex will appear.







Check it out – depending on how you shake the bottle, the vortex will spin in either direction!

The thing that I love the most about the main complex is the Bee Hive.







You get to see the bees busy with the honeycombs!







And I always make it a point to watch them coming in and out of the hose..







..to the outside world.







Yes, the main complex is pure hands-on magic for DS and this geek!




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


The second main area of CO is the wildlife habitat area, in the surrounding gardens.  There are quite a few local animals that are housed in the habitat area.  The animals here are all classed as non-releasable and if released back to the wild are at high risk of dying.  Quite a few of them have been injured or were brought in young (mother died) to give them a chance of surviving.  The habitat holds birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

We headed straight for the aviary.

The Golden Eagles gave me the evil eye; but ignored us.







The Burrowing Owl didnt even bother with the evil eye!  We were ignored as well.







At least the Snowy Egret looked our wayyup!  Ignoramid as well.






I had specifically put CO back on the list of places to visit this trip because I was on the hunt for a Hawk, for the photo scavenger hunt.  We looked high







and low in the aviary.







No luck with the Hawk!

One of the animal rangers, Andy, noticed me looking for something and asked if he could help.  So, I explained about the photo hunt.

Andy told me that they rotate the birds in the Aviary and the Hawk was resting in the back.  He told me to come back in a week.  I then explained that I couldnt as I was leaving at the end of the week.  My luck of just stumbling over hunt items was holding

.because Andy was fantastic!  He had some work to finish up and arranged to meet us outside.  He took us out back and because of him, Ive ended up with my Swainsons _Hawk_.







So, with many thanks to Andy, we headed out of the Aviary.  

We did stop to see the amphibians and the reptiles  but I didnt seem to have taken any shots of them.

Time to check out the mammals.  I guess it was the time of day or the time of year.not many of them were out; and a few were asleep so we didnt get to see as many as I would have liked.  Still.

The two bobcats at the facility nearly died from pneumonia.  Now they cannot be released back in the wild because they have imprinted on humans.

Both were _cuddly warm_ in their basket when we walked up







but I think they were ready to play







And they jumped up and growled at us.







DS didnt like them growling.

We moved on to the Raccoon.







He was enjoying some playtime with his human.


Given that we missed them at Monterey, I was pleased to see these fellows about.







DS just loved the otters!













And with a final look.













.It was time for us to head back.  We had a car to drop off.



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Dinner for Two*

After Coyote Point, it was with pleasure that we dropped off the stinky Nissan.  We met DH at the Beech Street Hertz and then headed back to the hotel.

Tonight was one of those nights that DH was spending with his work colleagues.  They had two dinners planned and this was the first of them.  So, with only one car between the two of us, we dropped him off at the restaurant.  He was going to get a ride back with another colleague.

That pretty much left DS and I to our own devices.  I suggested going to a nearby mall and shopping, but DS wasnt having a bar of that.  And bribery was not going to work tonight.

Ive raised my DS right and he can only go so long without eating one of his main staples.RICE!  He wanted food and he wanted Chinese.  And there was a Chinese restaurant close by that the whole family love going to.

The food at this restaurant is authentic Chinese and I remember it as always decent, in the 10 years that weve been visiting, and reasonably priced.  I also remember the serving sizes being large enough to feed an army; so I went with a different ordering strategy in mind.

We were served the complimentary pickled vegetables when we sat down.







I took a bite and there was just something wrong with it.  So, I left it unfinished.  Thankfully, it was the only thing that wasnt up to the normal standard for the night.

To eat with the rice, we ordered half a steamed chicken with scallions and ginger.







The chicken was tender and beautifully done.  

We both wanted some Chinese green vegetables.and the Gai Lan or Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce is something that even DS loves.  This huge serving is actually the half serving and what they normally bring out during the day for Dim Sum (or Yum Cha).







Exactly what the doctor ordered!  The Gai Lan was perfectly cooked and just tender without losing the beautiful bright green colour.

We also ordered the half serve of the Sweet and Sour Prawns.  There were 6 big, plump prawns in this serve.







DS licked the plate clean.

We ordered some steamed Custard Buns for dessert.  We didnt really need anymorebut DS was craving them.  And I snuck in my bribe at this point.







Wonderful!







Now Ive got myself craving some!

Ordering the half serves seems to have done the trick!  DS and I managed to finish dinner without the need for a doggy bag.  
The damage?  The bill came to $33 and it would have been sub-$30 without the buns.  Given that the chicken accounted for about $15 of the bill, I figured we'd done rather well.  I really like the food at this restaurant!

After dinner and given that I had bribed DS with the Custard Buns, we made our way to Hillsdale Mall.  We went to the Disney shop, the Lego shop and I shopped in Macys, Gap and BR before heading back to the hotel.

Another delightful messing about day!







*[Up Next  Day 8.  Looking for my Lost Heart]*


----------



## tiggrbaby

Love the last otter pic!  And what a teaser to end....


----------



## usnuzuloose

I just love all the wild life pics. That hawk is beautiful. Such a sweet face on the otter. I am  glad she gave you the discount. Your trip sounds so relaxing.
Cant wait to hear more.


----------



## franandaj

So where is Coyote Point?  That sounds like a place we might want to visit.  How handicapped accessible is the place?

Sounds like you had a very nice day, and great dinner and shopping trip!


----------



## kimmar067

PrincessInOz said:


> By this stage, DS had lost his deer in headlights look



...and gained a 'deer-on-top-of-the head' look....


----------



## kimmar067

_*"....hey - you taw-kin' ta ME??..."*_


----------



## kimmar067

PrincessInOz said:


> No Kangaroo either....



...thank Heavens for small miracles.


----------



## kimmar067

franandaj said:


> Yay Kimmar made it over to find the bacon!



.....I go where my nose [and the bacon] leads me....


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Love the last otter pic!  And what a teaser to end....



Yes, San Francisco coming up.....but it's gonna be a couple of days..



usnuzuloose said:


> I just love all the wild life pics. That hawk is beautiful. Such a sweet face on the otter. I am  glad she gave you the discount. Your trip sounds so relaxing.
> Cant wait to hear more.



I was really happy to get that otter shot. I'm glad I got that discount too...but it wasn't too bad.  It would have cost me about $10 otherwise.  



franandaj said:


> So where is Coyote Point?  That sounds like a place we might want to visit.  How handicapped accessible is the place?
> 
> Sounds like you had a very nice day, and great dinner and shopping trip!



Coyote Point is here.  It's off Poplar Avenue; so it is about 30-40 minutes north from San Jose.  It's pretty close to San Mateo and SFO.

It is VERY accessible; and there are ramps all over the place.



kimmar067 said:


> ...and gained a 'deer-on-top-of-the head' look....



I'm so glad you went there...I thought about it; but he is my DS.  



kimmar067 said:


> .....I go where my nose [and the bacon] leads me....



I got another bacon shot up next....but you're gonna have to wait a couple of days.  Been busy here  ; and now I've got 2 days in the salt mines coming up.


----------



## kimmar067

PrincessInOz said:


> I got another bacon shot up next....



...oh su-u-u-u-ure, make me BEG FOR THE BACON.



			
				PrincessInOz said:
			
		

> ...but you're gonna have to wait a couple of days.  Been busy here  ; *and now I've got 2 days in the salt mines coming up*.



...you moved to SIBERIA??!??!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

I am glad DS liked CuriOdyssey, I remember loving places like this when I was young. 

I also love the pictures of the otters, I could watch them play all day.

I have never had a custard bun! The only thing I can think off that is similar is Krispy Kreme custard filled donuts. Is it a similar taste?


----------



## usnuzuloose

kimmar067 said:


> ...oh su-u-u-u-ure, make me BEG FOR THE BACON.
> 
> 
> 
> ...you moved to SIBERIA??!??!



Are you really that schocked?


----------



## PrincessInOz

kimmar067 said:


> ...oh su-u-u-u-ure, make me BEG FOR THE BACON.
> 
> *I've been watching how much sugar I dole out on the TR.  Why do you think BACON is gonna be any different?*
> 
> ...you moved to SIBERIA??!??!



*Worse!  I'm at the or(i)f-fice*



QuirkyButterfly said:


> I am glad DS liked CuriOdyssey, I remember loving places like this when I was young.
> 
> I also love the pictures of the otters, I could watch them play all day.
> 
> I have never had a custard bun! The only thing I can think off that is similar is Krispy Kreme custard filled donuts. Is it a similar taste?



The custard bun is served warm.  If you've ever been to Yum Cha (or Dim Sum), it is the custard version of the steamed pork buns.  If you haven't been to Yum Cha....

...then yes.  A warm KK custard filled donut is close enough.  



usnuzuloose said:


> Are you really that schocked?



It's just Kimmar being....Kimmar!


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Love the TR, especially love those otter pics! Now stop working and hurry up and update us .... really what is more important!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Love the TR, especially love those otter pics! Now stop working and hurry up and update us .... really what is more important!!



Your wish is about to be fulfilled!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Heading into Downtown*


Theres a song that the great Tony Bennett sings ..

I left my heart in San Francisco





High on a hillit calls to me





To be where little cable cars






Run half way past the stars






The morning fog may chill the air






I dont care





My heart waits there in San Franciso






Above the blue and windy sea





When I come home to you San Francisco





Your golden sun will shine for me






My love affair with San Francisco is a very long-standing affair.  As you can see from the above collection of photos that were previously taken on different trips, it is somewhere that I visit a fair bit.

Because of the way the hire cars worked out, DS and I had opted to drive around the Silicon Valley area for the last two days.  Today.well, today was the day I would go searching for my heart.  I was impatient and excited to be back in the San Francisco downtown area.  It is an understatement to say that a large chunk of my heart resides in this city.  I was sadly reminded why I havent move heaven and earth to physically live here this last week.  I prefer to live where the earth stays relatively calm and without movement.  Suffice to say that if the San Andreas Fault line were not where it is, I would be living in San Francisco right now.  

This morning, we all got up when the alarm went off.  DH headed off earlier and DS and I stayed in the room for a bit longer before finally figuring out it was safe to venture to the breakfast room.







Finally, a shot of breakfast!and more bacon, for that bacon lover amongst us.


But DS and I were in a bit of a rush this morning; so we gulped down breakfast and headed for the nearest _train depot_.







We got on our train.







I looked out the landscape with interest.  Seems like there is a bit of construction happening around San Mateo county.













Hopefully, Ill get to find out what has been built in a future trip.

We eventually got into the Downtown area.  The Caltrain station is located at 4th and King Street in San Francisco.  This used to be quite a rundown side of the downtown, but it has been significantly cleaned up in the last 5 years.  













From here, we can either catch the Muni light rail or bus into the various tourist spots of San Francisco.  And after a quick conference with one of the station masters at the Caltrain station, we decided to hop on the No 47, the quickest way to get to our destination.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Pier 39*

The number 47 MUNI bus takes us all the way from the Caltrain station, down Van Ness to here.







Yes, our chosen destination for today was non-other than….








We got there at about 10.30 in the morning and it was obviously a weekday.  Look how quiet it was.






Even the sea lions were MIA.







We watched the couple of sea lions for a bit…






…and despite these two jostling for position on the same platform (Why?? Look at the amount of real estate out there!...They kept pushing the other off the platform)....







....there really wasn’t a lot of action on this side of the Pier. 


DS was eager to move on to the other side of the Pier.







I pushed him into the shop selling sporting memorabilia.  The bacon shot this morning had reminded me of a certain Dis-er and there was just little bits of reminders everywhere this morning of that Dis-ers…..






(yes…I KNOW you’re reading out there! J-E-T-S….and they didn’t win!)


In actual fact, I was looking for _cardinals_.







Time to keep moving…







…when DS saw something that caught his eye.







Snack time!  It’s been a while since I last doled out any sugar, and seeing that Kimmar got bacon this morning, it only seems fair that I dole some out today.












We opted for the frozen yoghurt and extras.  Yummy!  They just don't make yoghurt like that in Oz.

We kept heading down the Pier….







….. trying hard to bump into someone….anyone!







But really, it was a slow morning at the Pier.  


The Pier Market restaurant is usually a favourite lunch spot for us.  We normally snag a window seat, get the soup and salad lunch whilst watching the sea lions playing with the bridge in the background.






But not today!

We kept on walking to the back of the pier.





..where DS remarkably chose NOT to go on this long time favourite.  







We headed on right to the back and admired the rock.







I get seasick just looking at waves…but I was rather amused by this vessel..






I figure if there was another couple of pounds on that vessel, they would probably be swimming!







We headed into a couple more shops at the Pier, finding lots of interesting things to look at; but nothing that we wanted to buy.

But I did bump into more _presidential related_ items.










And with that, it was time to head out for lunch.


p.s.  I hope you like the extra WIDE angle in some of the pictures in this post...


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Fisherman’s Wharf and another DisBoard winner*

Our normal lunch spots at Pier 39 are either the Pier Market or Neptune’s Palace.  We pick one or the other, not because the food is particularly outstanding, but because the views are sensational.  At the Pier Market we get to see the sea lions and the bridge.  At Neptune’s, we see the Rock and the bridge.

Today….well…..today was a little different.

DS and I kept walking down Fisherman’s Wharf proper.  







We stopped to look at the seafood sellers.







One of them saw me looking and gave me a close up of the chowder.







DS was growling about being hungry by this stage and was wondering why we hadn’t stopped off to eat at Pier 39 like we normally do.

I had a different destination in mind.   You see - ********** had given me a tip on my PTR….Eat.At.Scoma’s.  

I had googled Scoma’s at home and it seemed like it was somewhere in the midst of Fisherman’s Wharf.  But where was it?







D’Oh!  Take a look at that Orange sign!

It was down a pier…







…and off-off the tourist drag. 







Well, maybe not so off-off; but it seemed a world away from the tourist traps and cheap souveniers along the Wharf.  
We walked down the pier and I was instantly enchanted by the mosaic.  I love looking at street art!







Scoma seemed a bit more upmarket than the other restaurants at the wharf; and with prices to match.

But I had noticed that there was a lunch special….







So, we left our name and waited for it to be called.  We were told it would be about 10 minutes…despite the restaurant being completely empty!

But for once, I didn’t mind the wait…..

..because…..look what was hanging around here!







Here were the sea lions; just enjoying the sunny winter’s day.  I figured that the temperatures were low to mid 60's; practically boiling by San Francisco standards!

















And somewhere here, I found my heart and left another chunk of it behind.  Yes, I know that I was in the midst of touristville – but that’s what San Francisco does to me.  It just sneaks up when I least expect it to and just reminds me why I love it so much.

The 10 minutes just whizzed on by and we heard our names called in a relatively short time.

We had been allocated a great table…..







…with a view.







Our waiter brought us some bread and breadsticks.







Someone sure was hungry!


I decided on the soup and salad lunch special and DS was ordered off the Kids menu.

The food?


My clam chowder was great!  It was creamy, full of clams and had a delightful depth of flavour.







The serving size was probably a tad on the small side; but that was the only complaint I had.  Given how dreamy it was, I reckon they could have brought me the entire pot and I would still have complained about the serving size.

My waitress recommended the Dungeness crab salad.







This entrée was breathtaking in its simplicity and crisp flavours.  The crab was beautifully cooked and the dressing had the right amount of acidity and sweetness to it.

DS got the Fish and Chips







He finished the chips and left a bit of fish behind.  For a kid’s meal, the serving size was enormous!

I decided on a coffee to finish; before getting the bill.  The soup and salad was $17, the kid’s meal was about $8, coffee and tips for a total of $32.  Given the quality of the food, I had no complaints.

And this was the first restaurant on this trip where we got _peppermint_ with our bill!







And the DisBoard wins again!  I have yet to be given a bad recommendation from a fellow Dis-er. 
********** – thanks for the tip.  I reckon we found ourselves a new lunch favourite for the next time!  

After lunch, we meandered back to the main drag….


















…where DS was faced with a rather perplexing choice to make!





*[Up Next – Our ding dong afternoon]*


----------



## tiggrbaby

Loved your intro, and of course, your beautiful pics!  Can't wait 'til the next installment!


----------



## shushh

Princess, I was only away from the boards for a week and you post so many photos!!! In seriousness, I love the way you write with so much humour. And I find it extra incredible that you manage to put in so many photos. It really does help "paint the picture" for us readers. Your post has also reminded me how much I love San Francisco.

Your photos are great by the way. The food photos are getting better and better! I still remember when we both first stated with the 1st scavenger hunt...


----------



## tinksdreamwishes

Wow! I love reading  your trip report! You are making it very interesting to read. Good Job! I need more though....


----------



## usnuzuloose

Wow what a beautiful day. It is so much fun to take the train. I like that so much better that driving. I loved the look of that salad. Now I am hungry. I havent even had breakfast or my coffee. I will keep that new resturant in mind. I love all the pics. I love frozen yogurt too. Yummy.


----------



## skier_pete

Hey....back from Lake Tahoe / Phoenix, AZ. Glad to see Scoma's worked out! When I was reading your post and saw you went there...my stomache knotted up...I would've felt terrible if it hadn't been any good!  Not that it wasn't fantastic when we went, but It's been 9 years now since I last ate there. The first time was 20+ years ago, so I'm glad to hear they are still serving great seafood!   Definitely upscale. I remember paying like $30 a meal there 10 years ago for dinner. I have a hard time spending that now.

I think I've said it before - San Fran is in my top 3 North American cities...or at least the only 3 cities in North America I can stand. (I'm so not a city boy.) While I can't say I would want to live there, I wish I could visit more than I do!


----------



## franandaj

I can't tell you how many times I've eaten here!    Some of the best meals of my life!








I can tell you how many times I've eaten here....once....but it was one of the best $200 lunches I've ever had in my life!    I think the fact that Fran ordered the $59 appetizer serving of abalone helped, not to mention we arrived opening day of Dungeness Crab Season, "give us a whole one of those, oh yes and another round of drinks for the table".  Not to mention soup, chowda, dessert....


----------



## areweindisneyyet

You have reminded me about leaving my heart in San Francisco...  can't wait for more.  

You are helping formulate a holiday plan in my little head.  Thanks Princess in Oz.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Looks like you had a fun day, I can't wait to take Adam to Fishermans Wharf. I am sure he will love it. I love seeing the sea lions, I was young when I went but I remember those platforms being completely packed with sea lions. Looking forward to reading more.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Loved your intro, and of course, your beautiful pics!  Can't wait 'til the next installment!



Thanks Tiggrbaby.  It's such a beautiful song and a beautiful city....



shushh said:


> Princess, I was only away from the boards for a week and you post so many photos!!! In seriousness, I love the way you write with so much humour. And I find it extra incredible that you manage to put in so many photos. It really does help "paint the picture" for us readers. Your post has also reminded me how much I love San Francisco.
> 
> Your photos are great by the way. The food photos are getting better and better! I still remember when we both first stated with the 1st scavenger hunt...



Welcome back Shushh.  Thanks.  Well....are you heading to SF in September?



tinksdreamwishes said:


> Wow! I love reading  your trip report! You are making it very interesting to read. Good Job! I need more though....



Thanks and Welcome!  Sadly, I don't have very many days left!  ....


.... I need more holidays! 



usnuzuloose said:


> Wow what a beautiful day. It is so much fun to take the train. I like that so much better that driving. I loved the look of that salad. Now I am hungry. I havent even had breakfast or my coffee. I will keep that new resturant in mind. I love all the pics. I love frozen yogurt too. Yummy.



Going to the Downtown area by the Caltrain is one of the highlights of staying in Silicon Valley.  Both DS and I love the trip.




********** said:


> Hey....back from Lake Tahoe / Phoenix, AZ. Glad to see Scoma's worked out! When I was reading your post and saw you went there...my stomache knotted up...I would've felt terrible if it hadn't been any good!  Not that it wasn't fantastic when we went, but It's been 9 years now since I last ate there. The first time was 20+ years ago, so I'm glad to hear they are still serving great seafood!   Definitely upscale. I remember paying like $30 a meal there 10 years ago for dinner. I have a hard time spending that now.
> 
> I think I've said it before - San Fran is in my top 3 North American cities...or at least the only 3 cities in North America I can stand. (I'm so not a city boy.) While I can't say I would want to live there, I wish I could visit more than I do!



Welcome back.  Scoma's worked out great.  And I think there is definitely a regular set of clients that visit the restaurant.  We sat next to a group of 5 people and.....not that I was evesdropping.... it seemed like they go to Scoma's every 2 weeks to catch up.

How was the skiing?  I'm so jealous...I would love to ski Tahoe.



franandaj said:


> I can't tell you how many times I've eaten here!    Some of the best meals of my life!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can tell you how many times I've eaten here....once....but it was one of the best $200 lunches I've ever had in my life!    I think the fact that Fran ordered the $59 appetizer serving of abalone helped, not to mention we arrived opening day of Dungeness Crab Season, "give us a whole one of those, oh yes and another round of drinks for the table".  Not to mention soup, chowda, dessert....



I don't think I've eaten at Alioto's.  I keep looking at it...and the prices....and looking at those outside stalls.  No prizes for guessing which one wins.  I'm happy to eat in restaurants away from those outside stalls.  It must be the proximity that does it!



areweindisneyyet said:


> You have reminded me about leaving my heart in San Francisco...  can't wait for more.
> 
> You are helping formulate a holiday plan in my little head.  Thanks Princess in Oz.



Glad to help.  I guess I'll be looking forward to reading your TR and seeing what you decided to do.




QuirkyButterfly said:


> Looks like you had a fun day, I can't wait to take Adam to Fishermans Wharf. I am sure he will love it. I love seeing the sea lions, I was young when I went but I remember those platforms being completely packed with sea lions. Looking forward to reading more.



Those platforms are usually packed with sea lions in summer.  I've been in winter twice before and I think it was equally as empty for at least one of those two occassions.



Thanks for reading everyone.  I really appreciate seeing your posts on this TR.  It gives me the incentive to keep going!


----------



## skier_pete

PrincessInOz said:


> Welcome back.  Scoma's worked out great.  And I think there is definitely a regular set of clients that visit the restaurant.  We sat next to a group of 5 people and.....not that I was evesdropping.... it seemed like they go to Scoma's every 2 weeks to catch up.
> 
> How was the skiing?  I'm so jealous...I would love to ski Tahoe.



Skiing was incredible. They had gotten 79" of snow a few days before we got there. (That's 200 cm for those non-US folks!) We had two absolutely gorgeous days. The views from Heavenly are unparallelled to anything in the world IMHO. I will post pix on my current TR thread in a few days...


----------



## kimmar067

usnuzuloose said:


> Are you really that schocked?



....that she moved to Siberia?


----------



## kimmar067

....boy, oh boy, that ice cream that your DS is eating sure does look dee-LISH!!  ....and BTW, it's CHOWWWWWW-dah....


















































*["Jay - Eee - Tee - Esss, JETS, JETS, JETS!"]*


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Skiing was incredible. They had gotten 79" of snow a few days before we got there. (That's 200 cm for those non-US folks!) We had two absolutely gorgeous days. The views from Heavenly are unparallelled to anything in the world IMHO. I will post pix on my current TR thread in a few days...



Looking forward to seeing your shots.  Us Aussies - we would ski on 79 CM of snow; heck - we even ski on 30 cm.  79 INCHES?  In one night?  *sigh*



kimmar067 said:


> ....that she moved to Siberia?



Is that far enough?  Maybe not....I'd still be on the Dis.  



kimmar067 said:


> ....boy, oh boy, that ice cream that your DS is eating sure does look dee-LISH!!  ....and BTW, it's CHOWWWWWW-dah....
> 
> 
> 
> *I was born in Asia.  The best I can do is CHOWWWW....Time!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Possibly.......CHOWWWW......Mein! *
> 
> 
> 
> *["Jay - Eee - Tee - Esss, JETS, JETS, JETS!"]*






*Lemme try this one again!*

*["Jay - Eee - Tee - Esss = 49ers, 49ers, 49ers!"]*


----------



## PrincessInOz

*San Francisco Maritime National Park*


We re-joined the tourist trap of Fisherman’s Wharf and headed in the direction of Ghirardelli’s.  But neither of us felt like looking at more mugs or chocolates so we walked down to Hyde Street….







….and DS saw something that just had him spinning wheels!







We walked though the Riverboat..







…and took ourselves back in time to marvel at the ship-making craft.


















I haven’t been in the Hyde Street Pier in years!  So I was delighted to step in again.

The Hyde Street Pier used to be part of Highway 101.  Before the bridge was built, there used to be a ferry that took vehicles across the harbour to the Marin county side.  You can still see the 101 sign.   







We headed down the end of the pier, admiring the golden day ships that reside here as tourist attractions.  The ships are part of the Maritime National Historic Park and include this beautiful square rigged sailing ship.  







And it was a good opportunity for DS to learn the ropes a little…







They had stations down the pier that showed how to tie different knots.  Both DS and I had fun getting ourselves tangled in knots.

Yes, we had a great time down the pier.







And the views were fabulous!













I asked DS to take a picture of me with the Rock in the background…..  







….guess we’ll have to go back for that shot sometime!

We headed back out and I guess DS must have thought he’d really pulled his weight today….







…but he still had one very important decision to make…..


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Clang, clang, clang went the trolleyDing, ding, ding went the bell.*


DS was faced with the perplexing conundrum of

What form of transport to catch back?  


My DS just loves transport of any sort so this was a very hard decision for him to make.  His options were:

A)  The bus.  Wed already caught that to get to the wharf
B)  The street car.  The San Francisco F-line street car runs from Fishermans Wharf past the Ferry Building and up along Market to the Castro.  This vehicle is similar to the trams we have in Melbourne and DS was severely tempted to catch this one back to Market.
C)  The trolley.  In the end, I convinced DS that we should catch the trolley back as this was probably the only mode of transport that was distinctively only in San Francisco.  


As it goes in the song The day was bright, the air was sweet.  The smell of honeysuckle charmed you off your feet.







Wellno honeysuckle in bloom but the trolleys are charming!







I do wonder if DS had been happy to catch the trolley because we were right there rather than having to walk all the way down towards Pier 39 again to catch the street car.   But I was glad to have the opportunity to take the shots in this post!

We waited for the gripman and conductor to put some effort into making sure that the trolley was okay for the passengers.







They had to make sure that it had its best face forward....showing the Powell/Hyde line!







We had deliberately waited for the next trolley to be top of the line so that we could choose our seat for this ride.







Naturally, DS and I both wanted to sit on the outside of the trolley.  What was surprising was that both of us wanted to be on the inside of the outside.







.I think you know what I mean.  







I got the window seat!



We waited for the gripman to pull on the handle.....which released the brake ...







And we were off!  "Clang, clang, clang went the trolley!"







Up the top of the first or second hill is Lombard Street, the crooked-est street in the world.  DS wanted to get off here.







but I reminded him that wed paid $5 for the ride and if we got off, we were walking all the way back to the Caltrain station (Yes, sometimes I can be a cruel mum).


I just love the bay windows of San Francisco.










We kept heading up those Russian Hillstowards Nob Hill...







and what goes up..







.must come down!







Do you remember the last sentence of my first post?  

Just to remind you  No seat belts required, feel free to keep your hands, feet and head or any other part of you outside the car  and remember.no liability will be assumed by the writer at any time!  







Sure hope you remembered to keep your hands, feet and head or any other part of you INSIDE the car.  And if you didnt  no liability will be assumed by this writer at any time!










"Ding, ding, ding went the bell!"  Numerous times!!


My last trip to San Francisco downtown was in 2009, just DH (on another work trip) no DS.  I spent 5 days shopping in the downtown area; so whilst I was pleased to see Union Square again, I had no desire to stop and shop.







Seriously. The clothes I bought on that trip are still hanging in my wardrobe, some still with the tags on them!


We eventually reached our destination.







And DS and I walked down Market to 4th Street ..







..and caught a bus back to the Caltrain station. 







Our train was waiting and we headed onhome.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*More Food Porn*


One of the reasons why I didn’t have the inclination to shop at Union Square was because DH and I had decided to hit the Great Mall in Milpitas tonight.

I’d already driven circles round the Great Parkway a day or so back; so I had no inclination to drive there again.  But DH likes shopping there and he doesn’t need very much arm-twisting for me to go along with this idea.

So, DS and I waited for him back at the hotel at the allotted time.  10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes go by before I get a text…….“Running Late.”

Yeah, I think I got THAT bit….but there was no ETA for when he would finish.

We waited some more…..the group meeting ran overtime by 90 minutes!  

90 precious minutes of shopping time or staying in the downtown area!  GRRR!

Still…..we got to the Great Mall a lot later than we wanted and I think DH managed to do significant damage on the credit card.  I managed to pick up a couple more Gap tops.  But the clear winner for the night was DS.  We got his winter wardrobe all sorted out for this year.

Turns out that the Great Mall was nearly at the corner of the 880 and the 237.  From where I was at the Winchester Mystery House, I could have nearly reached out and touched it!  Double D’oh!!

The thing about the Great Mall is that there is a complex of restaurants and the cinema at one end of the mall.  And there is this restaurant that just doesn’t seem to belong in the group….







The Coconut Grove serves Malaysian and Singaporean style cuisine.  DH and I found it here way back in 2005 and we’ve been coming here for dinner after shopping ever since.  But it had been a few years since our last visit and I was curious to see if the standard had remained high.

As it was Wednesday night, there was a $2 Roti special.







…served with a curry sauce.







Delicious.  The sauce might have needed a bit more depth to its taste; but I would have been happy if this had come out of my kitchen.  


DS ordered the Char Hor Fun.  







When we ordered it, the waitress pointed out that that the dish was served with an egg-y sauce.  She seemed dubious that DS would like it.   

  That is exactly why we ordered it.  This dish did not disappoint and DS sucked it all in.


DH decided on the Nasi Lemak, with vegetable curry.







Wonderful!  The coconut rice had the right amount of coconut milk and the curry was a delight.


I decided to order my litmus test dish of the Char Kaoy Teow.







I left well satisfied.  Standards had definitely been maintained at this long-time favourite restaurant!   And the bill came to around $40 (including two lemonades and tips!).


All in all, another great day.  I’d found my heart in San Francisco, reassured myself that it was in a good place and got some shopping and great food for the day.






*[Up Next – Day 9 In search of Good Cheap Eats]*


----------



## shushh

It sounded like another great day for you and DS! The photo of the sailing ship is just gorgeous.


----------



## eeyore7360nc

I can't believe I missed the link to your report. Sorry I am late to the party. I have been enjoying all your photos on all the photography threads, now I can put them all in context.


----------



## queenie82

Righteo...
Here I am...very unfashionably late...and proud of it... 
It truly isn't laziness. It is that you write too much and I've been a life rollercoaster from hell for a while now... 

But I'm here...and up to page 15. I've completed the Disney part. 

Great trip report as always. You never fail to deliver in humour and photos. I'm going to smack you if I ever meet you in person over the Club 33 photos  

I really really loved and appreciated your WoC assessment and photos. I like others think you can get a bit too much of a good thing with the whole water and lights. And your assessment showed me so much such that I could make an even more informed decision.

I am a Disney tragic and I have that pull which will make me watch it. But I know it won't be a favourite. What will happen is I'll go in not expecting much and come out with throbbing legs and hopefully a smile.
As you know I've now completed the 5 castle tour and I've seen pretty much all the recent and current shows and parades bar WoC.

I do like the water stuff and you could find me standing mesmerised outside the Bellagio when we first saw those fountains. Eyes glazed over just staring. But part of that enjoyment comes from the fact you don't wait hours for it. It just happens. That doesn't make sense to everyone but wait time affects your enjoyment level. The level has to be high enough to overpower the discomfort.

I apologise for the essay...it's just WoC has been something I've been debating for a while. And I'm glad to see the other comments. [No I haven't seen anything past page 15...ok...I'll get to it...]

I kind of love how DS messed up your plans. It was sweet and annoying. I would have smacked him over Autopia though. That is THE slowest loading ride ever. It is always twice the listed wait time. 
It looks like you all had a lovely Disney time. No you didn't see everything or do everything. But it is Disneyland which is the easiest for us Aussies to get to. [I didn't say closest...but I consider easiest] 

There is no way in HELL you'll get me back on the Swinging Gondolas again though  unless you give me some carabiners and handles to hold onto for grim life.
In describing your riding it reminded me of a description the BF once gave of riding with a former friend on Big Thunder Mountain.
"Somewhere in Kissimmee a dog howled....
The next statement from the back seat became one of the great quotes of the trip and the piss was duly taken for the next 14 days.

"Holy ******* ****, we're all going to die!!"


Thanks again for the fun ride


----------



## franandaj

Oh man, I was afraid this would happen to you with the size of your photos!  Your photobucket account is hosed!  How long until they give you back your bandwidth?


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> It sounded like another great day for you and DS! The photo of the sailing ship is just gorgeous.



Hi Shushh.  Thanks for reading.  Yes, the downtown days were fantastic!



eeyore7360nc said:


> I can't believe I missed the link to your report. Sorry I am late to the party. I have been enjoying all your photos on all the photography threads, now I can put them all in context.



  Hi Eeyore!  Thanks for joining the party and welcome to my TR.  Hope the commentary made sense on the photos.  And I know pea n me said I could post commentary with my shots; but I think you've worked out why I declined the offer.   



queenie82 said:


> Righteo...
> Here I am...very unfashionably late...and proud of it...
> It truly isn't laziness. It is that you write too much and I've been a life rollercoaster from hell for a while now...
> 
> But I'm here...and up to page 15. I've completed the Disney part.
> 
> Great trip report as always. You never fail to deliver in humour and photos. I'm going to smack you if I ever meet you in person over the Club 33 photos
> 
> I really really loved and appreciated your WoC assessment and photos. I like others think you can get a bit too much of a good thing with the whole water and lights. And your assessment showed me so much such that I could make an even more informed decision.
> 
> I am a Disney tragic and I have that pull which will make me watch it. But I know it won't be a favourite. What will happen is I'll go in not expecting much and come out with throbbing legs and hopefully a smile.
> As you know I've now completed the 5 castle tour and I've seen pretty much all the recent and current shows and parades bar WoC.
> 
> I do like the water stuff and you could find me standing mesmerised outside the Bellagio when we first saw those fountains. Eyes glazed over just staring. But part of that enjoyment comes from the fact you don't wait hours for it. It just happens. That doesn't make sense to everyone but wait time affects your enjoyment level. The level has to be high enough to overpower the discomfort.
> 
> I apologise for the essay...it's just WoC has been something I've been debating for a while. And I'm glad to see the other comments. [No I haven't seen anything past page 15...ok...I'll get to it...]
> 
> I kind of love how DS messed up your plans. It was sweet and annoying. I would have smacked him over Autopia though. That is THE slowest loading ride ever. It is always twice the listed wait time.
> It looks like you all had a lovely Disney time. No you didn't see everything or do everything. But it is Disneyland which is the easiest for us Aussies to get to. [I didn't say closest...but I consider easiest]
> 
> There is no way in HELL you'll get me back on the Swinging Gondolas again though  unless you give me some carabiners and handles to hold onto for grim life.
> In describing your riding it reminded me of a description the BF once gave of riding with a former friend on Big Thunder Mountain.
> "Somewhere in Kissimmee a dog howled....
> The next statement from the back seat became one of the great quotes of the trip and the piss was duly taken for the next 14 days.
> 
> "Holy ******* ****, we're all going to die!!"
> 
> 
> Thanks again for the fun ride



LATE....and possibly LAST!    But never LEAST!  
You're only on page 15?   Keep going.  I have some of your favourite animals captured on dots.

Just remember - you did sorta ask for the photos of Club 33.  A gentle tap will be acceptable. 



franandaj said:


> Oh man, I was afraid this would happen to you with the size of your photos!  Your photobucket account is hosed!  How long until they give you back your bandwidth?



Sorry for this.  I upgraded my account; photos back on line.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Sorry for this.  I upgraded my account; photos back on line.



All of them were back except for the Food Porn post...the pics all have little red X's now which is a different problem.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> All of them were back except for the Food Porn post...the pics all have little red X's now which is a different problem.



Mmm.  I can see the food porn pictures....anyone else have the same problem?


----------



## queenie82

Just turned over to page 19 but I need a break. That flashing Irish Mickey is driving me bonkers!!!! 
Just can't take it anymore.

Loved the drive up to SFO. But I have to say it seems so strange to me to go to Monterey and NOT go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. 
I have a...slight...obsession with Sea Otters.
Ok fine...I'm downright OBSESSED with Sea Otters.  
No NOT those River Otters (aka big rats) you see in Australian Zoos. I mean SEA Otters. Those adorable creatures who hang around floating on their back in the water cracking sea urchins with rocks on their chests.
These guys...






You sure got a nice room but I would have gone in and demanded my money back from the hotel with the bikies and bolted... 
Glad you still managed to cope though.

Look forward to reading the rest when the burned in image of flashing Mickey goes away...


----------



## PrincessInOz

You'll be waiting until the 17th March....so the 18th in Oz.  


  Unless, of course, you want one for yourself???


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> You'll be waiting until the 17th March....so the 18th in Oz.


 




PrincessInOz said:


> Unless, of course, you want one for yourself???


Gawd no...
It is just that not only you but many of your followers have it too.
So it is ALWAYS there


----------



## usnuzuloose

You know I have never rode the trolley. I am not sure why. Guess I will have to at some point. I love the pic of the ship. Dont you hate to find out you drive and not find what you are looking for and then find out it was right under your nose. I will keep in mind about the bandwith. Make multiple accounts. Looks like another beautiful day as well. Keep it coming.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> As it was Wednesday night, there was a $2 Roti special.
> 
> served with a curry sauce.
> 
> DS ordered the Char Hor Fun.
> 
> When we ordered it, the waitress pointed out that that the dish was served with an egg-y sauce.  She seemed dubious that DS would like it.
> 
> 
> DH decided on the Nasi Lemak, with vegetable curry.
> 
> 
> Wonderful!  The coconut rice had the right amount of coconut milk and the curry was a delight.
> 
> 
> I decided to order my litmus test dish of the Char Kaoy Teow.



From someone who is dying to try a Pho restaurant, but can't seem to get Fran to go there....So what is in Char Hor Fun and Char Kaoy Teow these look good and intrigue me.

I don't need to know about Nasi Lemak because with coconut, forget it!


----------



## queenie82

Phew...completed.
Love it :

I loved the look of the custard buns. I can't imagine there being any equivalence to krispy kreme...but anywho... 

I have to ask my asian friends if they can get any at the asian supermarket. One gets lovely vegetarian ones and red bean ones. [Yes I am a caucasian girl who likes red bean]
I am addicted to Pork buns too...love the bun part almost more than the pork. 

I have a thing for SFO too...but it has waned a bit. My fondest memory is from my first trip when I was 8 and I had a cough that gave the sea lions a run for their money  We actually got the cough medicine from Chinatown. Nothing Chinese...but still a lovely lady who loved the little cutie pie with a cough 

The highlights are still Pier 39 and the Sea lions, The Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Monterey Bay Aquarium (for real otters...not those rodents you saw) and Jelly Belly 


I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time with the family. That is what matters most. 

Although I'm even more peeved than you about photos of the Winchester House. I wanted to see it without having to go there


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82 said:


> Gawd no...
> It is just that not only you but many of your followers have it too.
> So it is ALWAYS there



You should try hanging out on the Games board!!  



usnuzuloose said:


> You know I have never rode the trolley. I am not sure why. Guess I will have to at some point. I love the pic of the ship. Dont you hate to find out you drive and not find what you are looking for and then find out it was right under your nose. I will keep in mind about the bandwith. Make multiple accounts. Looks like another beautiful day as well. Keep it coming.




You should have seen me that afternoon when I finally figured out that I'd driven circles for nothing!

The trolley is fun....takes a bit of time; but fun nevertheless.




franandaj said:


> From someone who is dying to try a Pho restaurant, but can't seem to get Fran to go there....So what is in Char Hor Fun and Char Kaoy Teow these look good and intrigue me.
> 
> I don't need to know about Nasi Lemak because with coconut, forget it!



Both Char Hor Fun and the Char Kaoy Teow are made using rice noodles.  Char means fried.  So, both are variations of fried rice noodles.  

In the Char Hor Fun, the noodles are fried and the sauce is made separately.  The sauce will consist of the proteins and vegetables, add some stock, seasoning and thickener (usually corn flour) and at the end add an egg.  The sauce is then poured over the fried noodles.  This dish ends up "wet fried".

In the Char Kaoy Teow, the proteins (shrimp, pipies or clams, fish cake) and vegetables (bean shoots and shallots) are fried with the noodles.  The seasoning usually consists of soy sauce.  The egg is also fried in with the noodles at the end.  This dish ends up "dry fried".  



queenie82 said:


> Phew...completed.
> Love it :
> 
> I loved the look of the custard buns. I can't imagine there being any equivalence to krispy kreme...but anywho...
> 
> I have to ask my asian friends if they can get any at the asian supermarket. One gets lovely vegetarian ones and red bean ones. [Yes I am a caucasian girl who likes red bean]
> I am addicted to Pork buns too...love the bun part almost more than the pork.
> 
> I have a thing for SFO too...but it has waned a bit. My fondest memory is from my first trip when I was 8 and I had a cough that gave the sea lions a run for their money  We actually got the cough medicine from Chinatown. Nothing Chinese...but still a lovely lady who loved the little cutie pie with a cough
> 
> The highlights are still Pier 39 and the Sea lions, The Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Monterey Bay Aquarium (for real otters...not those rodents you saw) and Jelly Belly
> 
> 
> I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time with the family. That is what matters most.
> 
> Although I'm even more peeved than you about photos of the Winchester House. I wanted to see it without having to go there



If your Asian friend gets you the red bean buns and the pork (char siew) buns, then they would know about the custard buns.  And IMO for anyone that likes the bun component (better than the pork) the custard will be a better choice to experience the taste of the bun.  Be warned - the custard is sweet. Next time you do a Yum Cha, ask for them too.

Next time you're in SF, try heading down to Union STREET for shopping.  And take notes of my Day 9....(still under construction).

I haven't been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for years.  We just didn't have time this trip.  You pretty much need 2 nights in Monterey to fit the Aquarium and a drive down 17 Mile in.

Yes - I thought it very unfair that I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside WHM.  Afterall, it wasn't as if I was going to plaster it all over FaceBook and share it with the rest of the universe.  I was only taking them to share with you all....


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Hi Princess, still loving your TR , Scoma looks like a definite inclusion on our SF trip.  I have to admit that is has been at least 15 years since our last SF or DLR trip, and I am so enjoying all your reviews and pics.  We were thinking about the Winchester House but have now decided against it, based on your reviews and the distance we would have to travel.  Thank you for all your insights.  Your pics are amazing!


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Both Char Hor Fun and the Char Kaoy Teow are made using rice noodles.  Char means fried.  So, both are variations of fried rice noodles.
> 
> In the Char Hor Fun, the noodles are fried and the sauce is made separately.  The sauce will consist of the proteins and vegetables, add some stock, seasoning and thickener (usually corn flour) and at the end add an egg.  The sauce is then poured over the fried noodles.  This dish ends up "wet fried".
> 
> In the Char Kaoy Teow, the proteins (shrimp, pipies or clams, fish cake) and vegetables (bean shoots and shallots) are fried with the noodles.  The seasoning usually consists of soy sauce.  The egg is also fried in with the noodles at the end.  This dish ends up "dry fried".



Interesting to hear someone Asian describe this.  Western foods are more commonly named by their ingredients or creator, whereas is seems that asian foods are more named for the cooking process.


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Hi Princess, still loving your TR , Scoma looks like a definite inclusion on our SF trip.  I have to admit that is has been at least 15 years since our last SF or DLR trip, and I am so enjoying all your reviews and pics.  We were thinking about the Winchester House but have now decided against it, based on your reviews and the distance we would have to travel.  Thank you for all your insights.  Your pics are amazing!



Thanks for sticking around!  
I hope that you do think about the WMH at some stage....I did find it interesting and if it weren't for the no photo thing, it would have been so totally worth it for me.  I just wouldn't be rushing back there in a hurry.

Depending on your timetable and if you were driving up this way, check out Felton and the Roaring Camp Railway.  The railway takes you from Felton to Santa Cruz Boardwalk.  It's a great day for kids.



franandaj said:


> Interesting to hear someone Asian describe this.  Western foods are more commonly named by their ingredients or creator, whereas is seems that asian foods are more named for the cooking process.



I'm feeling a bit alarmed by this.  I think you might be better off listening to someone who is more Asian than me.  I only claim to be able to speak Kitchen Cantonese....with just about enough language skills to order food and drink!


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> I'm feeling a bit alarmed by this.  I think you might be better off listening to someone who is more Asian than me.  I only claim to be able to speak Kitchen Cantonese....with just about enough language skills to order food and drink!



My friend who came from Mainland China when she was 6 speaks "conversational Cantonese" [They're from the south hence Cantonese]. Enough to speak to her parents. Who don't speak enough english to have a proper conversation with me 
But can't write to save herself. She's the shame of the family 

Your description is similar to those I hear though from them. 
Looks interesting. So where does it originate from? I think I've seen or even eaten something like the eggy one. But I'm mainly a noodle soup and Aussie chinese restaurant person


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Getting to the Downtown in Time*

One of the many things I like about the hotel we were calling home is that they offer a hot buffet breakfast as part of the room tariff.  The hot food selection usually includes an egg option, protein of some kind (bacon, sausage or meat pattie), a sweet offering (pancakes, waffles, crepes) and vegetable (invariably potato and/or tomato).

They also offer the usual pastries, breads, fruit, cereal, oatmeal, juice and coffee.

We never go hungry at breakfast and there is a broad enough selection that even DS doesnt complain about the choice.

This morning was no different; except that after the late finish of DHs group meeting yesterday, they had decided that an earlier start was in order.  It was a pretty empty breakfast room this morning.  So, heres an example of the type of breakfast Ive been eating lately.







I had managed to speak to my cousin during the course of the week and we had arranged to catch up today.  So, we were headed back to the downtown area again for another day.

DS was inclined to dawdling this morning and I figured I needed to push him hard to catch the earlier train.  No, I wasnt screaming at him (much) this morningscreeching was more like it.


For anyone who is thinking about whether to catch a Caltrain or not, this is what the trains look like from the inside.  I love this mode of travel and when you have carriages that are maintained to a reasonable level of cleanliness, it makes it all the more pleasurable.







We got into the 4th and King Streets station in good time; and this time, I did not need to confer with one of the station masters.  I knew that either the No 30 or the 45 would get me to my destination..Chinatown.  

For the record, the No 45 ends up at Fishermans Wharf; but it takes about twice as long to get to compared to the 47, which I caught yesterday.  And if anyone is interested to go shopping down Chestnut and/or Union Streets, the No 30 will go down Chestnut.  Union is parallel to Chestnut, one block away.

The No 30 arrived first, so we got on it.  We got on the seats towards the back of the bus







Trust me!  On a Chinatown bus, by the time you get to Folsom Street, some 4 or 5 blocks away, youll be glad that you moved all the way down to the back for a seat.
The ones up the front are designated for the elderly or disabled passengers.and you HAVE to give them up.  

As we headed up 3rd Street and got to Folsom, it was evident that the bus was CRAWLING along.  There was some major traffic disruption ahead.we inched on ahead and finally got to Mission.  4 lanes of traffic all trying to head in different directions EXCEPT straight ahead at the same time!

Yup, all traffic was being diverted either to the right or left of Mission.  Our bus kept inching on up along 3rd Street and it suddenly become evident why bumper to bumper and honk thumping was in vogue this morning.

There was an _emergency_ in play here.  Turns out an earlier bus had ripped down one of the powerlines.







. and there were two wires in the middle of the road. 







I dont know if the wires were still live.  Chances were that the power to those lines had been switched off; and I didnt feel like finding out for sure either way. 

I did know how it felt though.I felt like ripping someones head off.  This little diversion had cost us over an hour!  
Poor DS...he got screeched at for no reason.


Whilst all other traffic was being diverted, the buses were being let through.  I guess when your power source is from the overhead cables, you cant just turn the bus in any old direction.  We finally made it past this site and kept going down towards Stockton.

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Chinatown morning*


If you look up the San Francisco Chinatown, all directions lead to Grant Avenue.  It is written up as the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest one in North America.  Grant Avenue is where most of the tourists go to see Chinatown.

If you get on a Chinatown bus, these buses go down Stockton Street.   Stockton Street is the other major street for Chinatown.  It is where the Chinese community goes to shop and buy their Chinese groceries.  Once you head under the Stockton tunnel at Union Square, you’re in a different world.  

Chinatown buses are ALWAYS packed at any time of the morning.  So, getting off the bus is a tricky business.  I waited for the majority of the crowd to jump off at Clay and we got off at Jackson/Pacific. 

Every time I go down Stockton, it is no different.  There are seemingly boxes and boxes of produce that are stacked on the sidewalk, taking up precious walking real estate, and making it seem like a maze to walk through.  Add a couple of hundred thousand people to the mix; and it becomes a recipe for hanging on to your bags and children!  

Today ….well….today just seemed like there was an absolute sea of people.  They, and the boxes, were just everywhere!  I grabbed hold of DS and my camera bag for dear life.  

We tried to walk forwards and it was like trying to walk against the tide. 
We tried to walk backwards and it was like trying to walk against the tide.
I hated to think what it was like towards Clay Street!

The reason for the extra activity was simple.  We were in Chinatown in the lead-up to Chinese New Year.  Everyone was frantic to stock up and to make sure that they had appropriate items to give as gifts.  Either that or Thursday was the day that social security payments were made, like it is in Oz.  

With all the bustle and activity, I didn’t get any pictures of Stockton.  I was too scared that if I let go of DS, we would not be able to find each other again.  It’s a pity – it would have made for a great streetscape picture.

Out of desperation, I headed out into the street and we managed to make some progress.  It seemed a lot easier to dodge the cars and buses; than people and boxes.  And we took the only option available to us – head down a cross street towards Grant.

For me, Grant is for tourist shopping and Stockton is for local shopping.  I always like to experience the real Chinatown, which in my opinion, lies between Grant Avenue and Stockton Street. 








We saw shops with red firecrackers hanging in preparation for Chinese New Year.







I ducked in one of these shops to get some red packets, or ang pows, for my own Chinese New Year celebrations in Melbourne.  The cost of the red packets was on par with what we pay in Melbourne; but the variety was so much better.


I also managed to get a couple of shots of the fruit on sale down on the cross street.













And nobody ask me for a translation....it all seems like Greek to me!


DS was fascinated by this shop….I had to explain the concept of Alternative Medicine to him.  







And the thought of eating or swallowing Traditional Chinese medicine brought on some rumblings…..


Cheap Eats #1

One of the things that tourists like to experience in any Chinatown is to go eat Dim Sum or Yum Cha.  Chinatown San Francisco is no different….and particularly around Grant Avenue, there are a very few Dim Sum restaurants that cater to the tourist and come with a seemingly moderate to high bill.  Most tourists would be happy to pay about $10 - $15 per head (or more) for Dim Sum.

Many years ago (before DS was born and on another one of those trips with DH), I had gotten myself lost in the Chinatown between Grant and Stockton.  I was walking from Union Square to Columbus; so as long as I headed in that direction, it didn’t matter where I was.  I never really figured out where I had gotten to, as I knew that if I took a left or a right that I would hit either of the two landmark streets.  But I remembered that I stopped somewhere to get some very tasty and cheap Dim Sum.  And on subsequent trips back, I never quite found the street again.

Well….I worked it out today.  It was Pacific Street.  As you are heading from Stockton towards Grant, there is a little hole in the wall on the left hand side.  If you are ever there, go here.  This was the place that I found all those years ago.

This time, I decided to try a larger hole in the wall, on the right side.







We ordered 2 Custard buns…







…one of the Shrimp Rice Noodles (Har Fun), 2 shrimp dumplings (Har Gows)….






[Note – the Prawn Rice Noodles serving was more than that shown on this plate.  DS and I both hoed into it a little before I remembered to pull the camera out.]

…and bought a bottle of water.  I also got some Chinese tea. 

I would have bought some Pork dumplings (Shui Mai) as well; but they weren’t ready.

The bill?  It came to a little over $6.  Yes….$6 for the two of us!  It was cheaper than a Golden Arches Meal Deal!!

The Custard buns were adequate; but the ones we had the other night were far superior.  But the Har Fun and the Har Gows were wonderful.  The shrimp in both were lovely and fresh….and they were perfectly cooked to that crystal crunch consistency.  Delicious!

I remember that the first hole in the wall had better custard buns, hence the recommendation.

And for anyone who prefers something a little bit more up market than a hole in the wall, take a look at the All You Can Eat across the street.







I haven’t eaten here; so I cannot vouch for the food.  Somewhere else to try…next time.



Chinatown Alley

After we had stretched our bellies, I decided it was time to show what I consider to be the real Chinatown to my DS.

I took him down a couple of alleyways.  







In the (g)olden days, the Chinatown alleys were known for gambling and brothel houses.  Today, they offered a fascinating insight for my DS.

We were heading for a particular place I had in mind….







Yes, well spotted!







The Fortune Cookie Factory is located in Ross Alley, the oldest of all San Francisco alleys.  Have a look at the handwritten sign…







I don’t know if I was supposed to pay 50 cents per picture!  But after I paid up, I took one and a few.








There were 3 machines and 3 ladies working when we visited.  

The lady in the front sure moved a LOT quicker than the others at the back.  I did get a chance to speak to her….turns out she was filling in for the day.  The regular worker was off sick and I think she is an auntie of the owner.


The batter is dropped into each of those round moulds and the whole thing moves around.  The moulds eventually hit some blue gas flames and get cooked.  They keep going round and the workers pull the cooked fortune cookie off the moulds…







They then either put a fortune inside each cookie, and fold it over with the help of the metal prong here to make a fortune cookie, or; they keep the cookie as is and place it in the container.







The round flat cookies are bagged up and sold to the school children that visit here on their excursions.  Apparently it is much easier to eat and the school kids don’t care much for the pieces of fortune paper inside. 

DS was completely taken with the Fortune Cooking _manufacturing_ process.







See the guy on the left of and behindDS?  Well, he was the manager for the day.   


He was completely taken with DS…








DS got to try pulling the cookies off the moulds.  It sure isn’t as easy as the workers make it out to be!








We left with a couple of free samples; not just of the round cookies but also with fortune cookies.  

There was a not so fascinating thread on the Dis Community Board not so long ago about how much you thought a writer of Fortune Cookies should earn.  Yes, like 85% of the threads on the CB, you know it is a mistake to open the thread to read but you can't help yourself; and I did have this post in mind.  There was a not so great debate about how the fortunes are all c%$p and that the writers probably don’t earn so much money.


Have a look at MY fortune….







Seems like the writer of my fortune should be paid his or her weight in round cookies.  Sure looks like they got it right to me!    


*Up Next – Chinatown afternoon!*


----------



## usnuzuloose

This is interesting I have never seen a fortune cookie made. You know all the secret  places in china town. How hard was it to pull the cookies out of those tins? Sorry your bus ride was not very pleasant. Some of the food looks so good doubt I will never try it DH is not very adventerous in meals. Stricktly meat and potatos. What is Dim Sum? Is just a name or is it for a peticular food? Its ok to laugh I dont know much about those things. Oh dont hang up your bacon yet. There is alot of begging going on some place else. The pics are awesome. We get to see you start your day. Buy the way did you pay for your pics in the fortune cookie shop? Cant wait to read more. Have a great day at work.


----------



## tinksdreamwishes

I love Chinatown and I love love Dim Sum! thanks for the pictures!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Nice update. I have never seen fortune cookies being made, How facinating . 

I am glad that you had a nice day in Chinatown. We will go when we are there. How different is it from Chinatown in Sydney. I assume that it is much larger.


----------



## queenie82

Love the fortune cookie making. 

So is Dim Sum the same as Yum Cha?
I sort of think of Dim Sum as a specific food. A medium ball wrapped in a thin 'paper' like wrapping. They are either fried or steamed. The size of a bun sort of.
Now that is also sort of a dumpling though...but I think of a dumpling more as a small piece of meat or shrimp wrapped with crimped edge. 

Thanks


----------



## franandaj

I can't believe how you got behind the scenes!  I want to go to Chinatown with YOU!  That's so cool, they won't give us round eyes such a warm welcome.  We used to go to all kinds of places in Chinatown when I was in HS and we would get pork buns and all sorts of stuff, I don't know how many restaurants we tried, but we loved them all.  I wonder how many were actually authentic.  I have never had Dim Sum, but have always wanted to!


----------



## shushh

queenie82 said:


> I have to ask my asian friends if they can get any at the asian supermarket. One gets lovely vegetarian ones and red bean ones. [Yes I am a caucasian girl who likes red bean]
> I am addicted to Pork buns too...love the bun part almost more than the pork.



Queenie, you live near a suburb called Eastwood!!! You can find most things Asian there. The Asian marts there stock a phenomenal range of things, probably only put to shame by those in Cabramatta.



queenie82 said:


> Love the fortune cookie making.
> 
> So is Dim Sum the same as Yum Cha?
> I sort of think of Dim Sum as a specific food. A medium ball wrapped in a thin 'paper' like wrapping. They are either fried or steamed. The size of a bun sort of.
> Now that is also sort of a dumpling though...but I think of a dumpling more as a small piece of meat or shrimp wrapped with crimped edge.
> 
> Thanks


Dim sum are the little dishes of food. Yum cha means tea drinking and is the description of the meal itself as traditionally you eat the dim sum with tea.


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> This is interesting I have never seen a fortune cookie made. You know all the secret  places in china town. How hard was it to pull the cookies out of those tins? Sorry your bus ride was not very pleasant. Some of the food looks so good doubt I will never try it DH is not very adventerous in meals. Stricktly meat and potatos. What is Dim Sum? Is just a name or is it for a peticular food? Its ok to laugh I dont know much about those things. Oh dont hang up your bacon yet. There is alot of begging going on some place else. The pics are awesome. We get to see you start your day. Buy the way did you pay for your pics in the fortune cookie shop? Cant wait to read more. Have a great day at work.



The literal translation of Dim Sum means "Little Heart".  It is the term used to represent the little parcels of food that get served.  Think of it as Chinese Tapas.

I only paid 50 cents for the set of photographs...given what I ended up with, I figured it was a fair enough trade.



tinksdreamwishes said:


> I love Chinatown and I love love Dim Sum! thanks for the pictures!



Me too!  Me too!  I love Dim Sum and Chinatown too.  Maybe next time we can do a Dismeet there....



QuirkyButterfly said:


> Nice update. I have never seen fortune cookies being made, How facinating .
> 
> I am glad that you had a nice day in Chinatown. We will go when we are there. How different is it from Chinatown in Sydney. I assume that it is much larger.



Chinatown in San Francisco is quite large.  From what I remember of Chinatown in Sydney, it might be at least three or four times the size.  Quite possibly more.




queenie82 said:


> Love the fortune cookie making.
> 
> So is Dim Sum the same as Yum Cha?
> I sort of think of Dim Sum as a specific food. A medium ball wrapped in a thin 'paper' like wrapping. They are either fried or steamed. The size of a bun sort of.
> Now that is also sort of a dumpling though...but I think of a dumpling more as a small piece of meat or shrimp wrapped with crimped edge.
> 
> Thanks



Dim Sum is the almost universal name for Dim Sum everywhere; except in Australia.  We call it Yum Cha here.  The literal translation of Yum Cha is to "drink tea".  You would go to Dim Sum and Yum Cha; so they are pretty much like bread and jam; milk and tea.  I never worked out why it is called Yum Cha in Australia and it took me a good 4 or 5 years to get my head around this when I first came here.

We also have the other quirk of the Aussie Dim Sim.  That is the medium ball of meat wrapped in a thicker wrapping than that used for the Dim Sum dumplings.  The Aussie Dim Sim can be fried or steamed.  



franandaj said:


> I can't believe how you got behind the scenes!  I want to go to Chinatown with YOU!  That's so cool, they won't give us round eyes such a warm welcome.  We used to go to all kinds of places in Chinatown when I was in HS and we would get pork buns and all sorts of stuff, I don't know how many restaurants we tried, but we loved them all.  I wonder how many were actually authentic.  I have never had Dim Sum, but have always wanted to!



You're on!  Next time - how about a DisMeet in San Francisco Chinatown?


----------



## shushh

Sorry I digress! I was meant to write about your phenomenal Chinatown trip. What an awesome thing to be able to show your son! I have to admit that somehow, we always gravitate to visit the Chinatown of the cities that we visit. Its almost like a homing beacon.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Queenie, you live near a suburb called Eastwood!!! You can find most things Asian there. The Asian marts there stock a phenomenal range of things, probably only put to shame by those in Cabramatta.
> 
> 
> Dim sum are the little dishes of food. Yum cha means tea drinking and is the description of the meal itself as traditionally you eat the dim sum with tea.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Sorry I digress! I was meant to write about your phenomenal Chinatown trip. What an awesome thing to be able to show your son! I have to admit that somehow, we always gravitate to visit the Chinatown of the cities that we visit. Its almost like a homing beacon.



We're posting at the same time!

Thank you.  I was determined that this holiday was going to be a bit more educational for DS and he really enjoyed it.  

Its like a universal homing beacon and we're the homing pigeons.  I'm the same.


----------



## queenie82

It's too confusing to try and quote you guys writing all at once  

So to Shushh and PrincessinOz - 
I realised the spelling misreading with the whole Dim Sim/Sum thing a few hours ago but thought it a bit late to change so I'd leave it 
I DIDN'T know about the "Yum Cha" phrase just being in Oz though!! That's cool.  But my multiple friends from Hong Kong NEVER told me 
I must say I like the Dim Sum part better than the Yum Cha 

Shushh - As for shops...proximity isn't the issue. Being able to read the labels and know what I'm getting is more it...
I have a friend who shops around Bankstown and knows EXACTLY what she is getting. So I want her to get them. 
I remember we went to a big asian grocery store near central and I picked up one box of redbean icecreams and was told off as it wasn't as good a brand...  

I really love Chinatown in San Fran but I do find it overwhelming at times. It was truly enlightening seeing your educational tour for your DS 

Thanks again


----------



## franandaj

shushh said:


> Sorry I digress! I was meant to write about your phenomenal Chinatown trip. What an awesome thing to be able to show your son! I have to admit that somehow, we always gravitate to visit the Chinatown of the cities that we visit. Its almost like a homing beacon.



So I know this isn't really the place to do this, but I couldn't figure it out.  Shushh, I'm really enjoying reading your blog of your trip, especially the DC part...if you couldn't figure it out, I'm going there is a little over a month and doing a lot of research on the Smithsonian.  I can't wait to see the lunchboxes!


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Still in Chinatown*

 Cheap Eats #2 and catching up with my cousin


It was now lunchtime.  And I had been anticipating this lunch because we were catching up with my cousin.  She had been ill all week  turns out that she pretty much had her head in a barf bag and was surfacing just to see us.  

We arranged to meet at the corner of Stockton and Broadway.  My cuz knew a place on Broadway that served rice porridge.

For those that have not have the pleasure of experiencing rice porridge or congee, when youre not feeling well, this dish is to the Chinese what chicken soup is to the Caucasians.  Cuz figured that congee was about the only thing she would be able to keep down.  

I wish I had taken note of the name of the restaurantbut I was too busy yapping with my cousin to notice.

Whilst she ordered the congee, I had a long look at the menu.  It was your typical Chinese menu  loads of options and far too many choices.  Still, I persevered to almost page 10 before I finally saw what I did not know I was looking for..another one-pot meal of rice in claypot.

There were about 10 claypot rice options to choose from, all with a variety of proteins.  I ordered the chicken and Chinese sausage option and decided that it was probably going to be plenty big enough for DS and me to share.  Plus, we were still a little stuffed from the Dim Sum.

Whilst we were waiting for lunch to arrive, we took lots of pictures together and heaps of her with DS.







I havent asked her permission to post her picture.so heres a view of her _corduroy_ jacket.













She figured that she had a bug or a parasite and was heading to the doctor after lunch.  And because she hadnt eaten solids for a while, when her lunch appeared, she pretty much inhaled it in and I didnt have the heart to stop her for a picture.

But heres my lunch.







This dish was more than plenty for DS and me.  In fact, we even had some rice left over.  The price?  A whopping $5.50 for the claypot rice!  Even cheaper than the hole-in-the-wall Dim Sum place.
My cousins dish was $4.50 and our bill came to about $11.

Heres the crux.  I dont think I will be heading back to this place in the future.  The food was tasty  but the service was lousy!  Our server was rude and unhelpful and  I know I may get flamed for this  I only left a tip of $0.25 to show my displeasure.

You see, when I was ordering my claypot meal, I had originally picked a pork and salt fish option.  Turns out that from the 10 claypot options on the menu, only 3 were available for lunch.  And there was no where on the menu that stated it.  She was pretty rude and surly about the whole thing and made it seem like it was my fault for not knowing.

I changed my order.  But I asked if it was possible to add salt fish to the dish.  I figured they would have some in the kitchen and it would just be a matter of sprinkling a little bit over the rice during the cooking process.

No!

No explanation, no checking with the chef.nothing.  AND she rolled her eyes at me!

She also plonked down our food when it was ready and we never saw her again for the rest of the time.  We had to get another server to get some Chinese tea and water for us.

Thats two strikesand if she was providing a service for tips, there was nothing worth tipping her for.

Still, aside from the service, I had a great time catching up with my cousin and finding out about family matters.  We also experienced another great cheap eat.

But she had to head to the doctors and DS and I had to keep moving.  So, we said our goodbyes and parted company.


Walking, walking, walking

It was still fairly early in the afternoon and Id decided that there was plenty of time for DS and I to walk down towards Market.  I wasnt sure how far we would get as DS has an aversion to physical activity.but it was worth a try.

Given our experience down Stockton that morning, I figured we were safer keeping to the alleys.







.and towards the Heart of Chinatown.







Portsmouth Square is considered the heart of Chinatown because Chinatown originally started down one side of the square.  

And the Square also has an appropriately designed restroom for Chinatown!







It has one further attraction for DS.







We spent some time just enjoying the sunshine and the playground.







I managed to push DS out of the playground and we headed down Grant Avenue.  











The lanterns were out and it made for a pretty shot.


Going down Grant was probably more touristy than I had wanted, but DS was happy.  There were plenty of shops selling Pokemon cards!  And I strategically made sure we picked up a pack at the midway point.  For any Aussies out there wondering..no, the Pokemon cards werent anything special and they were definitely more expensive than the ones we get in Australia at the Asian $2 shops.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Yerba Buena Gardens*


By the time I got down to Market, I had one very whiney little boy.  It had been a longish walk.  He was tired and wanted a rest.  So, I headed to another one of my favourite parts of town for a brief stop.

Yerba Buena Gardens lies between 3rd and 4th Street, and Mission and Folson.  It is a wonderful open space with a front yard







.the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Waterfall.







The setting has been used in various movies and I cant remember anyone of them right now!  But I just love walking behind the falls.







There is also fantastic artwork throughout the garden







and views of the wonderful architecture that make up San Francisco.








We headed to the upper terrace and the playground. 







There is also a carousel and the Zeum Childrens Museum in the upper terrace.
DS was content to stay and play on the slide.







I was happy to sit in the shade and watch

Now you see him. 








Now you dont!







Now you see him....







Now you don't teeth







There are a heap of things to do at Yerba Buena!


You might have noticed the building behind the slide...I certainly did...because it houses the Ice Skating Rink.  I was very happy to see the Ice Skating Rink open.  And I managed to charm my way in for free.

For the Not _Zamboni_ but rather an Olympia shot for the scavenger hunt







plus a shot of _winter sport_.







We also found a spot on Mission for our afternoon snack







before heading down to 4th Street and getting a No 30 Muni back to the 4th and King Caltrain Station.



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Easy Afternoon and Night*

Cheap Eats #3

I was conscious that this was my last full day on this holiday and I had yet to get my all-time favourite food on this trip.

So, when we got off at our station, I made a bee-line for a tried and true bakery where I picked up.







DS also indulged







The Pie, 2 donuts and a pot of tea came to about $8.  


I also admired the _gingerbread_ on display....







...before we headed on home.  


DH was not joining us tonight  he had a work function to attend.  So, we were on our own again.  

I had thoughts of shopping for this last night but DS firmly wanted a night in front of the television.   Given that I had started the day screeching at him and then made him walk all the way down from Broadway to Mission, I decided that it was probably wiser to let him have his way.  So, we opted to have a very lazy night in.well, DS had a very lazy night.  I ended up packing the majority of our clothes and shopping!

And we were both asleep long before DH even came home.


Cheap Eats #4


In case youre wondering, we didnt go hungry this night!







This is the menu for the social hour at the hotel.and this is what DS and I ended up having for dinner.








Not quite what I had planned but given how much we had already eaten today, it was sufficient for our needs.and it was FREE!


A really fabulous day in the downtown area!  And, even more enjoyable was all the Cheap Eats we had enjoyed this day.


*Up Next  Our last day!*


----------



## becpee

franandaj said:


> I can't believe how you got behind the scenes!  I want to go to Chinatown with YOU!  That's so cool, they won't give us round eyes such a warm welcome.  We used to go to all kinds of places in Chinatown when I was in HS and we would get pork buns and all sorts of stuff, I don't know how many restaurants we tried, but we loved them all.  I wonder how many were actually authentic.  I have never had Dim Sum, but have always wanted to!



So true about the round eyes LOL my mum got chased out of a shop in Chinatown S.F no idea why LOL

I must say though we go to Yum Cha in Springvale in Melbourne and the people there are very warm to us, they love our kids LOL
And they were pretty surprised when we asked for the chicken feet LOL


----------



## shushh

It was good of your cousin to make it considering she was unwell. And mmmm...claypot rice! Your DS also did well considering how much ground you covered. The amount that you fit into your trip always astounds me. Or maybe its just that actually remember to take the photos and post them! The shot of the lanterns is just beautiful. Did you find it decorated differently with the New Year coming up?

Oh and hurray for free food!


----------



## shushh

franandaj said:


> So I know this isn't really the place to do this, but I couldn't figure it out.  Shushh, I'm really enjoying reading your blog of your trip, especially the DC part...if you couldn't figure it out, I'm going there is a little over a month and doing a lot of research on the Smithsonian.  I can't wait to see the lunchboxes!



Thanks for reading along on my blog! I'm sure princess won't mind us having a private chat on her territory...

I think you are very lucky as a Nation to have such a wonderful Institution as the Smithsonian. It is simply incredible. I loved it. 

My husband had to drag me away from the lunch boxes because I was taking a photo of every single one! They were so cute!


----------



## TheColtonsMom

I am back and all caought up...WOW you sure can pack alot into a short time! Loved the tips on Chinatown eats and I have to get to that fortune cookie factory someday Colton would LOVE it! Maybe we should drive down for the October trip and hit SF or maybe the summer 2012 trip hmmm have to think on that more sea lions in the summer so maybe that is the ticket.

Beautiful pics as always!


----------



## usnuzuloose

I love all the pics. I really like the waterfall. Everything you eat looks so good and sounds like you found a great price for it as well. I hope your cousin is feeling alot better. Keep it coming. Hope you get a tag


----------



## PrincessInOz

becpee said:


> So true about the round eyes LOL my mum got chased out of a shop in Chinatown S.F no idea why LOL
> 
> I must say though we go to Yum Cha in Springvale in Melbourne and the people there are very warm to us, they love our kids LOL
> And they were pretty surprised when we asked for the chicken feet LOL



Me, on the other hand, they get pretty surprised when I DO NOT ask for the chicken feet.  It was one of those things I never quite worked out how to eat...or maybe it had to do with the fact that we had chickens in our backyard in SE Asia...and I kept thinking about them 

 



shushh said:


> It was good of your cousin to make it considering she was unwell. And mmmm...claypot rice! Your DS also did well considering how much ground you covered. The amount that you fit into your trip always astounds me. Or maybe its just that actually remember to take the photos and post them! The shot of the lanterns is just beautiful. Did you find it decorated differently with the New Year coming up?
> 
> Oh and hurray for free food!




That claypot rice was pretty good.  Maybe after some time all I'll remember is the rice; and not the service.

DS did very well that day.  I kept thinking that I was going to need to walk to Stockton and catch the bus; but he was happy to meander down.  Once he got to Market...that was a different story.

The lanterns are normally up.  I was a little disappointed that there weren't any extra decorations up for CNY...but then there was still one week to go.




shushh said:


> Thanks for reading along on my blog! I'm sure princess won't mind us having a private chat on her territory...
> 
> I think you are very lucky as a Nation to have such a wonderful Institution as the Smithsonian. It is simply incredible. I loved it.
> 
> My husband had to drag me away from the lunch boxes because I was taking a photo of every single one! They were so cute!



Go right ahead!  I don't mind at all.




TheColtonsMom said:


> I am back and all caought up...WOW you sure can pack alot into a short time! Loved the tips on Chinatown eats and I have to get to that fortune cookie factory someday Colton would LOVE it! Maybe we should drive down for the October trip and hit SF or maybe the summer 2012 trip hmmm have to think on that more sea lions in the summer so maybe that is the ticket.
> 
> Beautiful pics as always!



Welcome back "grandma".  How are the baby chinchilla's?

October is a nice time to be in SF.  But I'm partial to summer.  It is warm enough for proper sea swimming; but not too warm that you boil. 




usnuzuloose said:


> I love all the pics. I really like the waterfall. Everything you eat looks so good and sounds like you found a great price for it as well. I hope your cousin is feeling alot better. Keep it coming. Hope you get a tag



My cousin is feeling better, thank you.  

Tag?  As I said in another thread, I was always LAST to be picked at playground Tag.  
And now that I know that the Tag Fairy is REAL and, in actual fact, is an all-powerful Tag Queen (and not some Moderator in Drag), I don't think I'll be picked for a tag anytime soon.


----------



## queenie82

Love the free food.
Homeward Suites do that too with varying quality depending on the location and quality of the hotel.

Is that cherry pie?
More of a curiosity thing than anything...me likey like the Gingerbread men


----------



## PrincessInOz

queenie82 said:


> Love the free food.
> Homeward Suites do that too with varying quality depending on the location and quality of the hotel.
> 
> Is that cherry pie?
> More of a curiosity thing than anything...me likey like the Gingerbread men



YES ....my favourite....CHERRY pie 







The free food is always a bonus.  I'm always amused at how the hotel calls it "snacks" for happy hour.  They usually put out the item on the published menu, garden salad, fruit, cheese, cold cuts and biscuits, red and white wine, soda and coffee/tea for happy hour.

More than plenty!


----------



## franandaj

queenie82 said:


> Love the free food.
> Homewood Suites do that too with varying quality depending on the location and quality of the hotel.



We love this chain!  I'm staying there on my next trip and all of them we have stayed at so far have been great!  Our only problem is that we miss the evening snacks because we are still out and about.  We stayed at one in Texas and they had a waffle maker that made waffles in the shape of Texas!    The best part is that we use our Hilton points to stay and get the rooms for FREE!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Glad to see you are still enjoying your time in chinatown. All the food that you are eating looks so delicious. It is a pity that your cousin wasn't feeling well, but it is still good that you got to see her. I love the pictures of the lanterns, so pretty.


----------



## Imzadi

Great pics as always!   




PrincessInOz said:


> *Still in Chinatown*
> We arranged to meet at the corner of Stockton and Broadway.  My cuz knew a place on Broadway that served rice porridge.



Yum! I love congee with pork, chicken & ginger! I add a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil.  It's great comfort food. 




> The lanterns were out and it made for a pretty shot.



Do they not have WIND there? I'd be afraid the wind would tangle up all the lanterns.


----------



## PrincessInOz

QuirkyButterfly said:


> Glad to see you are still enjoying your time in chinatown. All the food that you are eating looks so delicious. It is a pity that your cousin wasn't feeling well, but it is still good that you got to see her. I love the pictures of the lanterns, so pretty.



I was really pleased to catch up with her.  I think I would have broken down her door if she wasn't able to meet us in Chinatown. 




Imzadi said:


> Great pics as always!
> 
> 
> Yum! I love congee with pork, chicken & ginger! I add a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil.  It's great comfort food.
> 
> Do they not have WIND there? I'd be afraid the wind would tangle up all the lanterns.



Thanks!

If you ever come to Melbourne, we'll head to a shop called the Supper Inn.  It's opened till way past 2 am and they serve congee there in every variety.  

:  I think it depends on what sort of WIND you're talking about.    But those lanterns seem to be up every time I've gone, so they must have some way of keeping them bolted in place.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Our last morning and the Cabrillo Highway*


Despite my packing last night, DH decided that he had some last minute packing to do himself.  He woke up before the alarm, started to shuffle around in the room and promptly woke me up as well.  No chance of a sleep-in for me this morning!

We got ready and finished up the packing as we wanted to load our bags into the car.

It was our last day on holiday and we have a late night plane to catch out of San Francisco.  For me, last day on holidays is always bitter sweet.  On one hand, I look forward to heading home and sleeping in my own bed.  On the otherI will miss the freedom of doing what I want to do when I want to do it.  

After all the morning activity, DS was not in the mood to rush out early for breakfast.  So, we hung around until close on 9 am, when the breakfast bar would close.

I made sure that I got a shot of my plate of food.







Ive also been having a  bowl of grapefruit most mornings







Im sure gonna miss the breakfast here!  Or maybeIm sure gonna miss not having to cook breakfast.

DH had arranged for us to have a late check-out at reception when he settled the bill.  Problem wasno one had told the cleaners.  

So, after breakfast, when we went back to the room, DS were not happy to find out that not only were we locked out of the room (the keys had been reset) but there was a cleaner in the room stripping the linen.  The cleaner was none too happy about having his cleaning schedule disrupted and I hustled DS out and into the car.

I had originally planned to be in the room till at least noon so that we could rest up and get ready for the late night flight.  That was so not going to happen now.

With time on my hands, we decided that the best thing to do was go for a drive.down the Cabrillo and into San Gregorio State Beach.








Sadly for us, the day had turned out to be a typical cold San Francisco winters day.







.and there was no one else silly enough to venture on the beach.  


Traffic was sparse as we drove down towards Pescadero.  It felt like we were on a real breakaway from civilization!







The scenery of Highway 1 was stunning.







and breathtaking.  As I was taking these shots, it was the first time that it felt like winter in California.  It was COLD and also misty and foggy..







.even the cattle had other things to do.







than to look across the road to admire the view







.and by this stage, DS had about had enough of the cold weather.


So, we headed on back.


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Final Afternoon and On the Way Home*

With the cold day, I managed to convince DS that the best place for us was a MALL!  Yes.the weather finally did what I couldnt get DS to do all week..let me go shopping.

We stopped by the food court for lunch.  DS saw the Burger King and decided he needed a junk food fix.







He got the Whopper with Cheese meal deal.

I decided on the Japanese Teriyaki Chicken rice bowl.  







I did some credit card damage on this last afternoon, but nothing too significant, and we also picked up some last minute Lego for DS.  Thankfully the bags were in the car, so I managed to squeeze everything in without too much effort.


And with no more room in the bags and an hour to kill before picking up DH, we decided to head to a Donut shop.  This particular donut shop is one that Ive driven past many times but never stopped at.  I dont know why Ive never stopped in it before!  Have a look at the display.



















I ordered a pot of tea.  We also settled on a Chocolate iced donut






a sugar donut and 2 donut holes.







A ridiculous $2.75!  Im definitely coming back!


We finally got a text from DH and it was time to collect him.

One of the benefits of picking DH up from his office campus is that we can head to the sports complex and grab a shower before we leave.  There is nothing to beat the feeling of being clean at the end of the day before a long flight home.  The facilities provide towels, soap, shampoo, moisturizer and hair drying facilities; everything you could want without having to pull out the toiletries!

And our final meal?  We are creatures of habitso, we headed to the Wholefoods.


DS likes the mac and cheese.  The lack of truffles is no hardship for him.







DH and I always choose to have a light meal of soup










and salad.







Our flight was uneventful and it was a relief to get off at Sydney airport for some much needed _Australian culture_!







We boarded a plane back to Melbourne and it was wonderful to be home again.


Post Script

Right to the endmy luck with scavenger hunt items held.  I managed to pick up _winter sport_, whilst waiting for the boys to finish their showers.







and _peppermints_ just stared me in the face at the check-in counter.







I also got this _Valentine Related_ shot in Melbourne Airport.







*Up Next  Final Thoughts*


----------



## TheColtonsMom

So sad it is almost over ! Sorry your last day was cold but at least it let you shop!


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

I agree ... I can't believe it's almost over!  Have really enjoyed your TR and look forward to reading your next one!  I'm sure it will happen soon!


----------



## eeyore7360nc

I hate the last day of vacation. I usually try to start planning my next trip as soon as I get home to have something to look forward to. You really managed to get a lot of scavenger hunt items.


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

So sad that it is over, I have enjoyed following along with you, and getting some good ideas on things we can do while in California. Thanks for posting so many wonderful photos. Can't wait to hear your final thoughts.


----------



## usnuzuloose

You got some nice pics ( with out anyone in the way ). Leaving vacation is always bittersweet. I dont like coming home either. You guys look like you had a great time. Cant wait to hear your final thoughts. Sorry about not being able to stay in your room. You have a great TR with many more to follow.


----------



## shushh

PIO, another great TR. Your drive along the coast looked beautiful even if it was cold. Thanks for letting us follow along. What am I going to do now that your TR is coming to a close?!??! Any new PTRs to come?


----------



## queenie82

Sounds like it was still a good day despite the problems.
I'd have been fuming about the room situation and demanded a new room. If they have agreed to it I always try and confirm the late check out the night before.

But at least you could grab a shower at the sports centre 

Plus your coastal drive was lovely. You should be familiar with cold coastal drives being a Victorian 

LOVE Wholefoods. Wish we had a place like that here. Their soups and stews are divine. 

But I gotta say the toast and Vegemite looks almost as wonderful...especially after a trip overseas 


Thanks so much for the wonderful TR as always. I'm ready for the next PTR


----------



## franandaj

What a wonderful trip. I'm sorry that you didn't get to the WD Museum, but that just leaves something for the next trip, you certainly had a full trip with all kinds of fun memories and great times!


----------



## skier_pete

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. Northern California is so beautiful!


----------



## PrincessInOz

TheColtonsMom said:


> So sad it is almost over ! Sorry your last day was cold but at least it let you shop!





AussieDisneyNut said:


> I agree ... I can't believe it's almost over!  Have really enjoyed your TR and look forward to reading your next one!  I'm sure it will happen soon!





eeyore7360nc said:


> I hate the last day of vacation. I usually try to start planning my next trip as soon as I get home to have something to look forward to. You really managed to get a lot of scavenger hunt items.





QuirkyButterfly said:


> So sad that it is over, I have enjoyed following along with you, and getting some good ideas on things we can do while in California. Thanks for posting so many wonderful photos. Can't wait to hear your final thoughts.





usnuzuloose said:


> You got some nice pics ( with out anyone in the way ). Leaving vacation is always bittersweet. I dont like coming home either. You guys look like you had a great time. Cant wait to hear your final thoughts. Sorry about not being able to stay in your room. You have a great TR with many more to follow.





shushh said:


> PIO, another great TR. Your drive along the coast looked beautiful even if it was cold. Thanks for letting us follow along. What am I going to do now that your TR is coming to a close?!??! Any new PTRs to come?





queenie82 said:


> Sounds like it was still a good day despite the problems.
> I'd have been fuming about the room situation and demanded a new room. If they have agreed to it I always try and confirm the late check out the night before.
> 
> But at least you could grab a shower at the sports centre
> 
> Plus your coastal drive was lovely. You should be familiar with cold coastal drives being a Victorian
> 
> LOVE Wholefoods. Wish we had a place like that here. Their soups and stews are divine.
> 
> But I gotta say the toast and Vegemite looks almost as wonderful...especially after a trip overseas
> 
> 
> Thanks so much for the wonderful TR as always. I'm ready for the next PTR





franandaj said:


> What a wonderful trip. I'm sorry that you didn't get to the WD Museum, but that just leaves something for the next trip, you certainly had a full trip with all kinds of fun memories and great times!





********** said:


> Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. Northern California is so beautiful!




Thanks for following along everyone.  I had a great time on my holiday and am currently scheming about my NEXT one....

Unfortunately, planning has hit a slight snag:

Plan #1 - DH and I were keen to hit the Iberian trail...Spain, Portugal and then head towards Morocco and Tunisia.  We would have probably managed a side trip to EuroDisney.  I think the uprising in Tunisia stopped that one in the tracks.

Plan #2 - I then thought of heading to Egypt and see the Pyramids.  That planning didn't even get off the ground.  3 weeks after Tunisia, Egypt was also off the bucket list.

Plan #3 - Japan for some skiing and Tokyo Disneyland.  No more said!

I'm scared  to even think of going anywhere else.


----------



## usnuzuloose

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks for following along everyone.  I had a great time on my holiday and am currently scheming about my NEXT one....
> 
> Unfortunately, planning has hit a slight snag:
> 
> Plan #1 - DH and I were keen to hit the Iberian trail...Spain, Portugal and then head towards Morocco and Tunisia.  We would have probably managed a side trip to EuroDisney.  I think the uprising in Tunisia stopped that one in the tracks.
> 
> Plan #2 - I then thought of heading to Egypt and see the Pyramids.  That planning didn't even get off the ground.  3 weeks after Tunisia, Egypt was also off the bucket list.
> 
> Plan #3 - Japan for some skiing and Tokyo Disneyland.  No more said!
> 
> I'm scared  to even think of going anywhere else.



You will find some place to go. You are so adventerous


----------



## usnuzuloose

franandaj said:


> What a wonderful trip. I'm sorry that you didn't get to the WD Museum, but that just leaves something for the next trip, you certainly had a full trip with all kinds of fun memories and great times!



You know I stopped in at the museum but did not take the tour. It was 20 for an adult. Have you been there?


----------



## skier_pete

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks for following along everyone.  I had a great time on my holiday and am currently scheming about my NEXT one....
> 
> Unfortunately, planning has hit a slight snag:
> 
> Plan #1 - DH and I were keen to hit the Iberian trail...Spain, Portugal and then head towards Morocco and Tunisia.  We would have probably managed a side trip to EuroDisney.  I think the uprising in Tunisia stopped that one in the tracks.
> 
> Plan #2 - I then thought of heading to Egypt and see the Pyramids.  That planning didn't even get off the ground.  3 weeks after Tunisia, Egypt was also off the bucket list.
> 
> Plan #3 - Japan for some skiing and Tokyo Disneyland.  No more said!
> 
> I'm scared  to even think of going anywhere else.



Oh dear...I don't think you should consider another Disney World trip anytime soon! 

But seriously, once Japan recovers from all this (to the point that nuclear meltdown is not in the cards) there may be some excellent deals to encourage tourism. Shortly after the world trade center attacks in the US, tourism was hit pretty hard...I know Disney was desparate for guests, the parks were practically empty for a few months afterwards.

Tunisia and Egypt I think I would avoid for a while...


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Plan #3 - Japan for some skiing and Tokyo Disneyland.  No more said!
> 
> I'm scared  to even think of going anywhere else.



We were thinking of Tokyo Disney in 2013, it will probably be like New Orleans, dying to get their tourism back and everyone is afraid to go...we'll just have to wait and see.

Please don't think of going back to WDW, Washington DC, Montreal, New Orleans, or a Disney cruise, those are some of the other things we are thinking of in the next five years!    Perhaps we should consider coming to visit you and Sydney sooner rather than later!



usnuzuloose said:


> You know I stopped in at the museum but did not take the tour. It was 20 for an adult. Have you been there?



We did it last Christmas, you can find it on my PTR page 9 post 133.  We really enjoyed it.  I took much longer than anyone else in our party and by the last room I was in tears (they showed newpaper cartoon clippings with tributes to Walt's death, it was very moving).


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Oh dear...I don't think you should consider another Disney World trip anytime soon!
> 
> But seriously, once Japan recovers from all this (to the point that nuclear meltdown is not in the cards) there may be some excellent deals to encourage tourism. Shortly after the world trade center attacks in the US, tourism was hit pretty hard...I know Disney was desparate for guests, the parks were practically empty for a few months afterwards.
> 
> Tunisia and Egypt I think I would avoid for a while...





franandaj said:


> We were thinking of Tokyo Disney in 2013, it will probably be like New Orleans, dying to get their tourism back and everyone is afraid to go...we'll just have to wait and see.
> 
> Please don't think of going back to WDW, Washington DC, Montreal, New Orleans, or a Disney cruise, those are some of the other things we are thinking of in the next five years!    Perhaps we should consider coming to visit you and Sydney sooner rather than later!



I'm still on the drawing board...but all visitors to Melbourne are welcomed!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Might be construed as "advertising" ...and I'm hoping this might entice you to come visit me in Melbourne! 


Over the last weekend, Monday was a public holiday in Melbourne.  Ostensibly, the official public holiday is stated as Labour Day; but as any true blue Melbournian can tell you..it was really the Moomba long weekend party.

Moomba is an aboriginal word that.best we can work out.means Lets all get together and have fun!.  Celebrations are held along the Yarra River that runs through Melbourne and pretty much kick off on the Friday all the way through to Labour Day (Moomba) Monday public holiday.   

Aside from the standard carnival rides and food stalls, the other Moomba activities include DragonBoat Racing, Waterskiing, Birdman Rally, cultural events, Fireworks and a Parade.  I took the opportunity to enjoy the festivities and I dont even want to list the number of scavenger hunt items I managed to snag.  

It was a lovely hot and steamy day in Melbourne on Saturday.the weather was pushing into the 90s.perfect to go down by the Yarra to enjoy the night fireworks.  I even managed to convince DH and DS that we should head into the city.

We drove in and found a place to park.  I had been food shopping in the morning.perhaps I should have taken some of my groceries down beforehand.







We passed by the Town Hall where the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was doing a performance on Star Wars music.  

There were a number of Jedi and Tie fighters outside







.and the storm troopers.







.and even Bobba Fett; unfortunately this guy got in my way!







There were already quite a few people enjoying the festivities.







And DS found a number of attractions to his liking













I found a number of things happening that seemed just out of my reach.








And immediately thought _Wipeout!_












But tonight was not a night for monkeying around







.I knew that DS was eager to hit the bigger rides.







..but I was not playing second banana tonight!







I was on a mission!  I was after some fireworks shots.  So the boys and I temporarily parted company so that I could go scout out a prime spot on the banks of the Yarra.

Id decided to set up here..my camera and tripod were ready for a good night's shooting over the banks of the Yarra River.  Even had the new wide angle lens, which I had decided to shoot with.  

Afterall, look at this shot of the Melbourne skyline, complete with some of the rides on the opposite side of the river going round!







Check out the set of three pontoons in the picture on the river.  There are 4 sets of three pontoons spaced out on the river.  That's where the fireworks were going to be let off from.  And because they are spaced out along the river, the crowds aren't on top of each other.  Everyone gets a decent view.  

So, I had the perfect spot....right equipment.....and I had checked the conditions to make sure that I had the right camera settings as well.  

Well....guess what???  They couldn't get MY set of friggin' pontoons into position...and the fireworks were delayed for 5 minutes....10 minutes....and finally after 15 minutes.....they announced that the show was going to start!

And the went off from the other 3 positions on the Yarra EXCEPT for the one I sat in front of!


And to whet your appetite for what might have been...












I'm probably gonna have to wait until New Year's Eve 2011 for my next opportunity. 


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Madness!  Just Plain Madness!  In the name of Charity*

The Birdman Rally has been a feature of Moomba for as long as I can remember.  Its an event where people get to live out their Leonardo da Vinci fantasies and probably spend the better part of a year designing and scheming on their Birdman tendencies.  But it is all for a good cause.  All the entrants also spend their time raising money for their nominated charities, which I guess is a worthwhile cause.

I got into the city a bit later than I had planned and the Rally was already in full swing….plus there were throngs of people there so I didn’t really have the best view.

The idea is a simple concept….

Take a platform and a contraption that you think will fly.  Run as fast as you on the platform….







And keep going ….







….for as long as inertia or your contraption will let you.







No matter what you try to do…..







….You’ll eventually get wet!







And then the _Emergency_ services will have to step in…







To bail you…







….and your contraption out of the water.







Doesn’t matter how elaborate you make your wings….







….the results are always the same.

_Wipeout_…







…followed by Cleanup.







The other event that draws crowds along the Yarra is the waterskiing.







This is always a huge hit with the people sitting along the banks….












I always like the free music….







…just my luck.  Gospel choir was out today, singing _In Unison_.







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*Moomba Parade - Part 1*

One of the highlights of Moomba is the parade.  And because the scavenger hunt is still going, I’m gonna claim that the parade is our version of _Mardi Gras_.

The boys decided that they didn’t want to go, so I went in early and staked out a piece of prime real estate on the fence line.

I haven’t been to a Moomba parade in years!  From what I remember, it used to be a ragtag of floats and groups that just walked down one of the main thoroughfares in Melbourne, Swanston Street, without any connection.  I also remember that for anyone who wanted to form a group and march on Moomba day, they only needed to pay the float fee and they were ‘in’.  Made for some interesting and sub-par parades in the past.

Turns out that someone must have decided to put a stop to the ‘free for all’ and introduced a theme to the parade.  I don’t know whether it was just this year’s parade or whether it had been in place for a number of years….but this year’s parade focused on the many Festivals and Major Events that Melbourne likes to pride itself on.  And it was ordered by months in the year!

Each month had a “month marshall”…







…And the parade started bang on time!












*January.*  It’s summer in Melbourne.







…and the festival of….well….you can read the sign yourself.  I don’t want to type a word that might get me banned or earn points towards a banning on the Dis.







The Bridal show is also on in January.







We also had marching bands with _instruments in use_, all marching _in unison_







I have to slip in the picture of my heroes….the State _Emergency_ Services.







*February.*  Back to school.












I’d hate to run into these guys in a dark alley…but it was nice to see the colour and the multiculturalism that is so much a fabric of Melbourne.







*March.*  It’s Moomba time!







This _off-road vehicle, in use_….







….representing the Birdman Rally float!







Our Indonesian neighbours were well represented in the parade.  







They were out in force, in beautiful traditional costumes, complete with _umbrella in use_










March is also the month for Women’s Rights – Votes for Women!







*April. * Complete with _Funny Sign_







King Tut floated on by as well…







…there’s an exhibition on in April!








(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

*Moomba Parade - Part 2*


*May.*  A time for the Fringe Art festival















*June.*  World Environment Day….







….and the treelovers are out in force.










And did you know that the Girl Guides celebrate their centenary this year in June?  







The parade kept going with hiphop dancers…







….and hip HOPPERS!







*July.*  Brought me an _umbrella in use_.  







There is only one thing that is talked about during July….Aussie Rules Footy!







In a city of over 4 million supporters….







*August.*  Diwali celebrations for our Indian community.












Jai Ho – Colour…







….and Motion!








August is also Food and Wine festival in Melbourne!







Lots of food on offer...







...and lots of _restaurant tables_ to eat at.








*September.*  Springtime and the Fashion Show!







Not fashion that I’ll be wearing anytime soon.







I guess this is as close as the supermodels are going to get to _waving at me_.







September is also the Royal Melbourne Show time!







We always love to go to the showgrounds to look at the animals..







….food, woodchopping….







…well trained dogs!









(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


*Moomba Parade - Part 3*


*October.*  International Arts Festival time.

Mr October and I had a thing going







.I just loved what he was doing with his...er...stand







and he kept heading my way!








So, I almost missed the Fringe Festival float.













*November.*  Is there anything else but the Melbourne Cup on this month?







Its the Race that stops the Nation and Melbournians get a public holiday day for this horse race.

Lots of dress-ups










top hats and tails!








*December.*  Summer and the sounds of cricket!







Dancesport championships will be in town.








Grab your partner, preferably with some fringe action







And sashay on down the road







Dont forget to strike a pose!







And what parade is complete without Santa, Aussie Style







and his Six White Boomers!







Yes, it was a good parade, with lots of high points







lots to take a gander at







..a right Melbournian Hoe-Down.







The Moomba parade always ends with the King (and Queen  hidden) of Moomba







and the Chinese dragon, reputed to be the longest outside mainland China.





















I hope youve enjoyed the parade and the Moomba segue.  I know had a blast last weekend!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wow, that Moomba festival  looks like a lot of fun!  Thanks for sharing!


----------



## eeyore7360nc

What a great parade. All those scavenger hunt finds.


----------



## skiingfast

PrincessInOz said:


> It's great that you got to cover so much, and so many aspects of California.  And try most of thier food too.
> 
> 
> 
> Plan #1 - DH and I were keen to hit the Iberian trail...Spain, Portugal and then head towards Morocco and Tunisia.  We would have probably managed a side trip to EuroDisney.  I think the uprising in Tunisia stopped that one in the tracks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still not a bad choice even without Tunisia.  You could add a little Italy if you need to cover more distance in a trip.
> 
> 
> 
> Plan #2 - I then thought of heading to Egypt and see the Pyramids.  That planning didn't even get off the ground.  3 weeks after Tunisia, Egypt was also off the bucket list.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Of course I would just add Egypt to Plan #1 but it may take a long time until either of the contries are safe enough to travel to.
> 
> 
> 
> Plan #3 - Japan for some skiing and Tokyo Disneyland.  No more said!
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


#3 would be my first choice.   Do you like skiing trees?  Powder snow?  Northern Japan is supposed to be awesome for both.  Though a friend of mine just went.  He bragged about all the new snow there and I told him we got about 1.5 meters while he was gone so I'm not jealous.Also TDL is the main reason I'd want to go to Japan. 

Perhaprs if you visit there it would be a gracious thing to do as the rebuild what they have recently lost.  Perhaps some good deals will come along too.


----------



## TheColtonsMom

Colton & I just "watched" the parade he really liked the Kangaroos on Santa's sleigh and the guys dressed up as tires. Looks like a really fun day!


----------



## queenie82




----------



## AussieDisneyNut

OMG Princess... it has been so long since we have been to Moomba!  Your pic's make me want to go again ... maybe next year!  It is such a fun celebration, sometimes we forget all the good things in our own backyard!


----------



## skier_pete

OK! You've convinced me...I'm coming to visit!


----------



## franandaj

You put so many pictures in such a short period, my browser times out before they can all load, I get to the funny sign and then it's all red x's 

OK, I finally got them all to load....great shots what an eclectic parade.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Wow, that Moomba festival  looks like a lot of fun!  Thanks for sharing!







eeyore7360nc said:


> What a great parade. All those scavenger hunt finds.




I know.  I was debating whether I flood the hunt thread with them....and I decided far better to share than not.



skiingfast said:


> #3 would be my first choice.   Do you like skiing trees?  Powder snow?  Northern Japan is supposed to be awesome for both.  Though a friend of mine just went.  He bragged about all the new snow there and I told him we got about 1.5 meters while he was gone so I'm not jealous.Also TDL is the main reason I'd want to go to Japan.
> 
> Perhaprs if you visit there it would be a gracious thing to do as the rebuild what they have recently lost.  Perhaps some good deals will come along too.



We have skiing through the trees in Australia.....and rock hopping....we would ski on 30 cm of snow!

Northern Japan is one of those prime ski spots to go to from Oz.  It's only about 9 or 10 hours flight .

I can deal with the earthquakes (just)....and the tsunami (hopefully we'll be high enough in the snowfields)....but I'm not sure about the nuclear radiation.  Deal or no deal.  Just gonna have to wait and see what the outcome is.  If it weren't for the radiation, I would go in a heartbeat!

I might just have to think about another trip to Whistler.  .




TheColtonsMom said:


> Colton & I just "watched" the parade he really liked the Kangaroos on Santa's sleigh and the guys dressed up as tires. Looks like a really fun day!



Glad that you and Colton enjoyed it!  The parade went for about an hour and it was really fun.



queenie82 said:


>



Well???  I don't see any pictures of the Sydney Mardi Gras anywhere.....

...and you can't fool me.  You know you love Melbourne....you Syd-o-ney-sider you.




AussieDisneyNut said:


> OMG Princess... it has been so long since we have been to Moomba!  Your pic's make me want to go again ... maybe next year!  It is such a fun celebration, sometimes we forget all the good things in our own backyard!




Maybe we can DisMeet there next year.  




********** said:


> OK! You've convinced me...I'm coming to visit!




Let me know when.  I'm good for a DisMeet.




franandaj said:


> You put so many pictures in such a short period, my browser times out before they can all load, I get to the funny sign and then it's all red x's
> 
> OK, I finally got them all to load....great shots what an eclectic parade.



  Glad that the red X's changed to the eclectic parade.


----------



## queenie82

PrincessInOz said:


> I might just have to think about another trip to Whistler.  .


If you need some company I'm available 



PrincessInOz said:


> Well???  I don't see any pictures of the Sydney Mardi Gras anywhere.....
> 
> ...and you can't fool me.  You know you love Melbourne....you Syd-o-ney-sider you.


Errrr...yes well the Sydney Mardi Gras isn't really family friendly 

But we did have the Vivid Sydney Festival

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snowqueenie82/sets/72157624170948696/


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Hi Princess, I just heard that Hwy 1 between San Simeon and Carmel is closed because of some road slipping into the ocean!!!  Look's like you enjoyed that route just in time!  We are now planning to go up the 101, which in a way I am quite glad about as I suffer from car-sickness from time to time !


----------



## queenie82

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Hi Princess, I just heard that Hwy 1 between San Simeon and Carmel is closed because of some road slipping into the ocean!!!  Look's like you enjoyed that route just in time!  We are now planning to go up the 101, which in a way I am quite glad about as I suffer from car-sickness from time to time !



OMG!!!!

PrincessinOz please stay home and don't plan to go ANYWHERE!!!!! 

You're a bad luck charm


----------



## skiingfast

PrincessInOz said:


> We have skiing through the trees in Australia.....and rock hopping....we would ski on 30 cm of snow!
> 
> Northern Japan is one of those prime ski spots to go to from Oz.  It's only about 9 or 10 hours flight .
> 
> I can deal with the earthquakes (just)....and the tsunami (hopefully we'll be high enough in the snowfields)....but I'm not sure about the nuclear radiation.  Deal or no deal.  Just gonna have to wait and see what the outcome is.  If it weren't for the radiation, I would go in a heartbeat!
> 
> I might just have to think about another trip to Whistler.  .



Whistler?  Why go there?  If it's for challenge you shoud come to a place with real steep and deep.

There's always a few Aussies here.  Is Amy your daughter or niece?  She been a lifty for a couple years for the first half of winter and from Melbourne.  DS is in love with her, but he's got about a decade until he can date.


----------



## queenie82

Big White Ski Resort is owned by Aussies so a great ski resort with ....wait for it.... REAL MEAT PIES!!!!
Sooooo good for lunch after a hard morning on the slopes. And yes I mean lunch. They would sell out of the Chicken Pies first usually.
And as to the slopes...great slopes!

DS would love it too as there is great kids area and a tubing park.

_Note - I only suggest this as I've been there before and probably won't be back for a while. Hopefully if you do go there it won't crumble into oblivion  _


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Hi Princess, I just heard that Hwy 1 between San Simeon and Carmel is closed because of some road slipping into the ocean!!!  Look's like you enjoyed that route just in time!  We are now planning to go up the 101, which in a way I am quite glad about as I suffer from car-sickness from time to time !



Just keep checking.  HW1 was closed about 3 weeks before we left.  It opened PDQ.




queenie82 said:


> OMG!!!!
> 
> PrincessinOz please stay home and don't plan to go ANYWHERE!!!!!
> 
> You're a bad luck charm




 Where are YOU going next?  

 




skiingfast said:


> Whistler?  Why go there?  If it's for challenge you shoud come to a place with real steep and deep.
> 
> *There's always a few Aussies here*.  Is Amy your daughter or niece?  She been a lifty for a couple years for the first half of winter and from Melbourne.  DS is in love with her, but he's got about a decade until he can date.



There are a few Aussies here too....but where is here for you?  To the best of my knowledge, I don't have a daughter or niece called Amy.....

note to self....go ask DH if he knows anything about the possibility of an Amy


I was thinking of Park City, Utah.  But "here" might equally be as good ; although given my luck with locales at the moment, you might want to think it through....



queenie82 said:


> Big White Ski Resort is owned by Aussies so a great ski resort with ....wait for it.... REAL MEAT PIES!!!!
> Sooooo good for lunch after a hard morning on the slopes. And yes I mean lunch. They would sell out of the Chicken Pies first usually.
> And as to the slopes...great slopes!
> 
> DS would love it too as there is great kids area and a tubing park.
> 
> _Note - I only suggest this as I've been there before and probably won't be back for a while. Hopefully if you do go there it won't crumble into oblivion  _




I have an uncle in Vancouver and he skis Whistler.  He has a friend that used to own a "cabin" about 5 minutes out of the Village.  My uncle was concerned that we might not like roughing it!  That "cabin" was better decked out than my home!  3 bedrooms, Jacuzzi, pool table, 2 bathrooms, heating, decking, amazing kitchen appliances....


----------



## Mum from oz

Wow Princess, finally caught up. I am amazed at how much you fit in and how many photos you can take, upload, edit/sort and post in such a short time!! 

Looks like you did many wonderful things and had a great time making memories with DS! I definately want to explore SF one day.


----------



## skier_pete

skiingfast said:


> Whistler?  Why go there?  If it's for challenge you shoud come to a place with real steep and deep.
> 
> There's always a few Aussies here.  Is Amy your daughter or niece?  She been a lifty for a couple years for the first half of winter and from Melbourne.  DS is in love with her, but he's got about a decade until he can date.



OK...I haven't skied in Japan, but Whistler is one of the top Destinations in the world. I have a friend that owns a condo there, and have been three times...it has it's drawbacks (weather - heavy wet snow,expensive) and you have to ski up top for the best conditions, but the size and volume of terrain are insane outside of Europe. One of the nicest most compact villages you'll ever find, and that was BEFORE the Olympics. While it's not quite my favorite (that would be Tahoe), it's the closest in North America to getting the European big terrain experience. Plus no language barrier unless you count when they say "aboot" instead of "about". So, to say "why go there", unless your inferring Japan is cheaper or closer, I can't see why not.

There's also tons of Aussies and Kiwis there as well. (I guess getting a work-visa to Canada is easier than to the US since they are both "under the commonwealth".

Princess - we'll definitely try and meet up when I visit - if you are not off traveling the world / causing international chaos.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Mum from oz said:


> Wow Princess, finally caught up. I am amazed at how much you fit in and how many photos you can take, upload, edit/sort and post in such a short time!!
> 
> Looks like you did many wonderful things and had a great time making memories with DS! I definately want to explore SF one day.



Thanks for reading!



********** said:


> OK...I haven't skied in Japan, but Whistler is one of the top Destinations in the world. I have a friend that owns a condo there, and have been three times...it has it's drawbacks (weather - heavy wet snow,expensive) and you have to ski up top for the best conditions, but the size and volume of terrain are insane outside of Europe. One of the nicest most compact villages you'll ever find, and that was BEFORE the Olympics. While it's not quite my favorite (that would be Tahoe), it's the closest in North America to getting the European big terrain experience. Plus no language barrier unless you count when they say "aboot" instead of "about". So, to say "why go there", unless your inferring Japan is cheaper or closer, I can't see why not.
> 
> There's also tons of Aussies and Kiwis there as well. (I guess getting a work-visa to Canada is easier than to the US since they are both "under the commonwealth".
> 
> *Princess - we'll definitely try and meet up when I visit - if you are not off traveling the world / causing international chaos*.



Maybe you might want me out of the country when you visit....


----------



## PrincessInOz

I guess it is time to finish this TR and put down some final thoughts.

I am a Disney Tragic.

It is of little consequence that I have to fly 14 hours to get to California....that flight is all worth it when I step on a Disney property.  

At one of my first DisMeets last year, TinkerbellinLousian asked the Dis-sers why they were Disney Tragics.  

My response was simple.  I have been a Disney tragic since my childhood when television became the family entertainment and Disney's Wonderful World of Colour was shown.  Turns out that WWoC struck quite a chord with more than a few of the Dis-sers that night.

The impetus for this trip was the World of Colour show at DCA.  As far as I am concerned, it is pure marketing genius to name a water, sound and light show with this name as I am sure that anyone who watched TV in the late 60's to mid 70's would remember the name.

No matter what anyone may think about the DCA show, for me the name itself engenders feelings of home, Sunday night round the telly with mum and dad and siblings, of watching Walt introduce the show....of wonder, of warmth, of love.  


I have the travel bug.

Over the last year, I have been extremely lucky to have been able to fit in 3 trips to either WDW or DLR.

And hanging out on the Dis was always a pleasure because, as so many of you have pointed out, the best thing to beat the post Disney-blues is to be planning for the next trip.

I might have thoughts of travel germinating at the back of my mind; but at this stage, I do not know if they will include Disney or not.

I cannot ever envisage a time that I would stop travelling.  I wish that every holiday would include a visit to Disney somewhere but I know that with my wanderlust and desire to see new things, this will not always be possible.

So hanging on the Dis will be bitter sweet.  I will be looking half-enviously at everyone's PTRs and TRs and wishing that I would be the one planning yet another trip.  But it is not yet my time.

And I have friends on the Dis; and I know that if I stop hanging out here, I will miss the friendship and laughs that I share with my Dis friends.

Thank you for the priviledge of your time to share my trip report with me.  I had a blast on the trip and I had a blast putting this report together. 

May your travel plans be long and frequent and until next time.....see you round the Dis.


----------



## queenie82

Although we don't see eye to eye on everything (it wouldn't be as much fun if we did) we are kindred spirits in that we are both Disney Tragics and both have the travel bug.

You have a ripper of a sense of humour and I've loved all your PTRs and TRs so I will definitely miss those while you are in this 'lull' between Disney trips.

While the WWoC doesn't really appeal to me (and I am VERY appreciative of your honest review) I have the utmost respect for the reason it struck a chord in you. It is memories that ultimately makes Disney special to us. We come to Disney from all sorts of approaches and walks of life so the 'details' of our love for Disney will vary greatly.
But we love Disney because it is a magical place, and the reason places like this are great is because you find more people who understand...

I hope you do get to Disney again soon. But just travelling is wonderful.

See ya round ya nutcase


----------



## skier_pete

Hey Princess,

Great final words. I'm with you - while I love Disney, I can't let that be my only travel destination, regardless of how tempting it is. There is much to see in the real world as in the World of fantasy and make-beleive!

I don't know whether the DIS allows TRs for trips that don't include Disney, but I for one hope you keep updating us with all your trips, if nothing else to see more samples of your great photography!

Hopefully you will continue to follow along with my TR, which will lead to a November 2011 PTR/TR, and hopefully a 2012 Australia TR!

*********


----------



## TheColtonsMom

PrincessInOz said:


> I guess it is time to finish this TR and put down some final thoughts.
> 
> I am a Disney Tragic.
> 
> It is of little consequence that I have to fly 14 hours to get to California....that flight is all worth it when I step on a Disney property.
> 
> At one of my first DisMeets last year, TinkerbellinLousian asked the Dis-sers why they were Disney Tragics.
> 
> My response was simple.  I have been a Disney tragic since my childhood when television became the family entertainment and Disney's Wonderful World of Colour was shown.  Turns out that WWoC struck quite a chord with more than a few of the Dis-sers that night.
> 
> The impetus for this trip was the World of Colour show at DCA.  As far as I am concerned, it is pure marketing genius to name a water, sound and light show with this name as I am sure that anyone who watched TV in the late 60's to mid 70's would remember the name.
> 
> No matter what anyone may think about the DCA show, for me the name itself engenders feelings of home, Sunday night round the telly with mum and dad and siblings, of watching Walt introduce the show....of wonder, of warmth, of love.
> 
> 
> I have the travel bug.
> 
> Over the last year, I have been extremely lucky to have been able to fit in 3 trips to either WDW or DLR.
> 
> And hanging out on the Dis was always a pleasure because, as so many of you have pointed out, the best thing to beat the post Disney-blues is to be planning for the next trip.
> 
> I might have thoughts of travel germinating at the back of my mind; but at this stage, I do not know if they will include Disney or not.
> 
> I cannot ever envisage a time that I would stop travelling.  I wish that every holiday would include a visit to Disney somewhere but I know that with my wanderlust and desire to see new things, this will not always be possible.
> 
> So hanging on the Dis will be bitter sweet.  I will be looking half-enviously at everyone's PTRs and TRs and wishing that I would be the one planning yet another trip.  But it is not yet my time.
> 
> And I have friends on the Dis; and I know that if I stop hanging out here, I will miss the friendship and laughs that I share with my Dis friends.
> 
> Thank you for the priviledge of your time to share my trip report with me.  I had a blast on the trip and I had a blast putting this report together.
> 
> May your travel plans be long and frequent and until next time.....see you round the Dis.



I am so going to miss your TR...don't you dare not hang around even if no Disney trip is in your near future...I for one would really miss you...your wonderful outlook & sense of humor often are my last smile or laugh each day. I have grown to really enjoy all my Aussie friends on the DIS and have often put off bedtime to see what you all will say when you start your day over there.

I too understand your travel bug...I wish International travel was in our near future I would love to visit Australia, but for now most of our non-Disny trips will be nearer to home. There is so much to see in Montana and the neighboring states that we are still exploring after 4 years of living here. Even if they are non-disney and you don't do full TRs I so enjoy your adventures and your pictures I for one would love to see you continue this thread with an occasional non disney trip or event.

Lastly I really did mean it when I said that should your family ever come our way on your travels we would love to share our slice of the world with you and finally meet you outside the box. Thanks for the memories...I hope to share many more!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Thanks for taking the time to share your trip and your awesome pics with us!


----------



## QuirkyButterfly

Thanks for taking the time to share your memories and photos with us. I have loved following along. I hope that you hang around even if there is no trip planned in your immediate future. Thanks for all of the tips and ideas for the California part of our trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

The hard disk on our Apple Mac G5 died last week.  It just didnt get out of bed one morning and when we visited the Genius at a MacStore , they only confirmed that the hard disk was dead. 
All our data is unretrievable and the only things of value there would have been our pictures, which thankfully DH had backed up on an external drive. 
Ive been slowly transferring the pictures across from the external drive to my laptop (and my external drive) and loading the better of them into photobucket for backup purposes.

I mentioned the pictures to my friends in a box, particularly the 2007 trip, and a number of them thought I should put a Trip Report together (challenged me to it is more the case).   

The Itinerary for this 2007 TR include San Francisco, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal, New York, Boston, Kennebunkport, *Disneyland*, Legoland, Sacramento and Napa Valley.  

I've started writing the TR and it is being posted on the Other Lands section.  Link is in here and in my siggie below.

Hope to see some of you there.....

*Disclaimers:*
1.  Pictures have been taken by both DH and myself, in the days before we knew how to spell dSLR; so I consider them to be real holiday snaps.
2.  Pictures are taken from Point and Shoot cameras that have single digit megapixel capability only.  No correspondence will be entered into regarding the quality or lack there of.
3.  Believe it or not.there is NO food porn.  I appreciate that Ive already lost a number of you with this statement.what can I say?  It was 2007 afterall!
4.  There will be gaps in my swiss cheese memory.  What can I say?  Againit was 2007.  
5.  My mother came along on this trip.  I will not be posting any pictures that include her; but she will probably be referenced in the TR.


----------



## skiingfast

Will the retrospective be tacker on this or linked on the end of this TR?


----------



## PrincessInOz

skiingfast said:


> Will the retrospective be tacker on this or linked on the end of this TR?



I had a rather subtle link above...but here it is again:  http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2720766

  Although I might consider also posting the Disneyland portion of the trip here as well when I get round to stringing the words and pictures together.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Good morning and I am caught up on your TR.


----------



## PrincessInOz

PTR/TR Nov 2012: Another Mad Dash  And so it Begins


_

Today I bought a ticket to fly across the pond.  Afterall, its only a measly 14 hour flight.  Whats 14 hours of flying if I get to see my mate Mickey?


Okayokay!  Its another Mad Dash for this Aussie.but its gotta be worth it, right?


*My travel dates*: 1 November  9 November.
*My travel companion*: DH.but really its all about ME!!
*My DisMeets*: 2 so far
*My equipment*: Canon 7D and a whole bunch of lenses.
*My funding*:  Dont askand I wont have to tell no lies.
*My babies left at home (so sad) *:  DS12, 2 furbabies



The back story?


This trip was never on the cards.  

My eyes have been firmly set on the Gamers DisMeet in 2013 (PTRer.blog in progress) and Ive already got my Disney fix for this year by heading to Hong Kong (PTR/TR completed).   

DH had a 1-week work trip planned to NorCal for October.  I did look hard at the timing but it really wasnt feasible for me from a work perspective.  He had his ticket all booked and I was looking forward to being a single mom for a week.  Ive even been preparing meals in the freezer to simplify meal times at home.


And then the impossible happened.

DHs work trip got shifted to early November.  Early Novemberwhere the Melbourne Cup public holiday falls.  Yes.we actually do have a public holiday day for a 3 ½ minute horse race.  All of a sudden, the timing started to look positively delicious!


And then the miracle happened.

I was chatting about the possibility of a trip to NorCal when franandaj tempted me with the thought of hitting CarsLand.  

AlrightIll admit that the thought did cross my mind but as quickly as it crossed my mind, I dismissed it.  Afterall, I was supposed accompanying DH for a weeks worth of shopping and time in my favourite city.  But when franandaj raised the thought, everything fell into place, like a neatly packaged gift.


Ill be flying out solo and stopping in LA for 2 nights and then meeting DH at LAX when he heads on over.  We will then continue on to SFO and spend the rest of the time there.


DS?  Hell be home with the grandparents and has resigned himself to the week of pampering.

DH?  Hes hard to readso I think hes happy to have me along.

Me?  Im so happy to be doing this trip but so sad to be leaving DS behind.  



There probably wont be a lot of PTR chatter..plane ticket, ESTA, credit card and hard currency will travel.  Im not even sure how much of a TR there will be but Im sure Ill find something to write about.

About the second hardest decision to make so far (the first being to leave DS behind) was if I was going to add this trip to my Jan 2011 PTR/TR or to start a new thread.  In the end, it kinda made sense to keep all the DLR/California travel in the one spot.



Hope youll stick around for this mad dash!_


----------



## PrincessInOz

About Tickets, Credit Cards and ESTA

_

Have you noticed how much information you’re asked to provide on-line these days?  

Your full name, address, contact details, gender, birth details, credit card number….and have you realised how it is all interconnected?
A single wrong digit or letter can mean the difference between a completed form in bits and bytes….

OR……


A frustrating trip into the Ethernet.


And so it begins….and so it was with me when I tried to purchase my air ticket.  
(NOTE:  For those of you who want the abridged version, I have my e-ticket in hand.  For the rest….read on.)



You know that feeling of excitement when you sit down in front of yet another electronic form to complete that will suck a wad-load of dollars out of your credit card at the end?


Well….I sat in front of the screen tonight with the carrier without in-flight entertainment of not choice.  I am Flying the Friendly Skies because DH is flying with them.
Their purchase system is a 5 step multi-field data entry system.  No biggie….about the same as the rest of them.  

I tippie-typed away, filling in field after field of information and then had to pull out my credit card to enter more numbers.  

Some 24 keystrokes later, I hit the button to submit only to find out that I needed to provide a validation number which was going to be delivered by SMS.



Say what?


I don’t recall, in all the 5 step multi-field data entry, providing the Ethernet Friendly Skies with a mobile (cell) phone number.
But I hit the button anyway to “Get Validation Number”….

…..and ran to get my mobile…..

….and logged on to the email account that I provided……

…..and waited…….

….and waited.



I hit the button to “Get Validation Number” again….. 


…..and waited…….



….and waited.






NADA!  Both times!!!!




The system timed out on me.
THE SY$TEM TIMED OUT ON ME!!!!!




All those keystrokes, all my personal information, all those numbers that I had to get and diligently type out….

*poof*


Somewhere in the Ethernet Unfriendly Skies!  No reservation number, no confirmation number…nothing.

I’m a natural cynic.  So, when this happened, my first instinct was to run to my on-line netbank and check my credit card.

Yup.  Payment pending to United Airlines!  Sitting there….mocking me!



Have you noticed how that there are call centres all set up to do outbound calls to you….calls that you don’t want to get just as you’re sitting down for dinner?


Well……these call centres….seems like inbound calling is a shrinking business.  

I tried to call the United number in Australia; except that it is opened 7 am - 7 pm.  I was not in the open for business time frame.

But never fear….in this global environment, there has to be a call centre opened…somewhere in the world.  Particularly when it involves sucking money from you!

So, I called the American number.  Had to get past Mr Recorded Voice Announcement Recognition System first.  I got about 3 minutes into the first call and realised that I had gone down a Voice Recognition path that was leading me nowhere fast.  So I hung up and called again….this time taking the path to a real live person sitting in Tampa!  


Can I just say….that I was so excited when she told me she was in Tampa?  That’s the closest I’m getting to Orlando this year! 


It took Ms Inbound Tampa about 5 minutes to sort things out for me and to assure me that that pending payment was NOT going to go through because there was no corresponding validated authorisation number.

And once real payment was made, I am now the proud owner of an e-Ticket….printed out in hard copy.  Yes….what a delightful world we live in.  A HARD copy of an ELECTRONIC ticket that will be required to be produced at check-in time.




Oh....and that validation number?  Turns out I used the joint credit card that DH and I share and the validation number got sent to HIS mobile.  Talk about being able to access information from one US system to one Australian system!  Makes you think, doesn't it?




One form down….another to go.

For travellers travelling into the US, you are required to complete the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).  This electronic application costs $14 for a 16-digit code that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to walk onto the plane providing that the flight details of the flight in the system stored on the Ethernet matches the flight details you’re about to board.   It does NOT give you the right to enter the United States.   That right belongs to US Customs and they are not obliged to let you enter the country.


Despite declaring that I am of sound mind, body and spirit on-line, US Customs will still be asking me the questions….and taking my fingerprints.  The same fingerprints that are on file…somewhere in the Ethernet….that I’ve provided at least once a year for the last 10 years.  Getting a set of my fingerprints again will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I AM of sound mind, body and spirit...in person.


At least the ESTA e-form is a 3 step process and with a few less keystrokes required.

So, tonight…I have plane ticket and ESTA completed.  And as I also have a credit card, it’s just currency to go…and I’m all set for this trip.

And I have no doubts that I’ll be asked to provide the same set of personal information again…and volunteer another set of fingerprints....once I get to US Customs!  



I, for one, am counting down the days!


_


----------



## franandaj

Yay!   

Sorry you had such difficulty booking tickets, but glad that you are all set! Let the fun planning begin!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Well, I hope we are worth all that effort...but Whoo Hooo!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Nice to hear that you will be coming to California in early November.


----------



## zanzibar138

How exciting! Glad you got to join DH after all, AND managed to fit in a quickie visit to DLR


----------



## tiggrbaby

Yay for a surprise trip!


----------



## ACDSNY

Yay PIO is coming to NorCal.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Yay!
> 
> Sorry you had such difficulty booking tickets, but glad that you are all set! Let the *fun planning* begin!



Yes, indeed!  





usnuzuloose said:


> Well, I hope we are worth all that effort...but Whoo Hooo!



Jo - you are always worth the effort.  





mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to hear that you will be coming to California in early November.



Thanks Bret!  Not what you might be hoping for ... but I hope the weather stays warm for a bit in your part of the world.




zanzibar138 said:


> How exciting! Glad you got to join DH after all, AND managed to fit in a quickie visit to DLR



I'll all for a quickie......visit.  




tiggrbaby said:


> Yay for a surprise trip!



  Long time between drinks!  How have you been?




ACDSNY said:


> Yay PIO is coming to NorCal.



And looking forward to meeting you in 3D!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Converting 2D friends-in-a-box into 3D friends-for-life
_


In this 2D box world that we occupy on the Dis, the words that we type are the only tools we have to craft connections with others.  If you’re really lucky, your words might strike up a chord with someone else who then posts words in response to your words.

So it has been with me, as it has with many other Dissers….connections are formed, bonds are created and all of a sudden….we’ve become what I call 2D friends-in-a-box.  


I don’t know about you; but hanging out with my friends-in-a-box is part of my everyday 3D life now.  The friendships I form on the Ethernet are as real to me as they are with my 3D friends.  Granted….there is always that stranger danger involved with being on the Net; and there is always the possibility of trolls.  But then…..there are no guarantees in real life either.

Nevertheless; since de-lurking and joining the Dis, every time I’ve headed over to the US, a DisMeet or two has always been involved.  The two that we’ve got planned (so far) for this trip will take me to 9 DisMeets in the last 2 ½ years.  


Why do I DisMeet?


I guess it is always nice to be able to put a face to the on-screen persona and I’ve found that when you do finally meet a Dis-ser in 3D, the conversation just picks up from where we left off on-screen.  There doesn’t seem to be all that awkwardness involved when meeting someone and there is always something to talk about and share a laugh with. 


On this trip, I will be spending the bulk of my time in SoCal with franandaj.  We’ve already had a DisMeet in 2011 and I’m looking forward to firming up the friendship even more on this trip.

The majority of my time on this trip will be spent in NorCal and I have a DisMeet lined up with usnuzulose and ACDSNY for when I'm in San Francisco.  

Usnuz and I met in Monterey in 2011 and I’m looking forward to more corn and all the fixin’s  with her again.  
And this will be the first 3D meet with ACDSNY…so I’m really looking forward to being able to put facial expressions and voice intonations to her typed words!


I am also hoping that mvf-m11c will be able to work out his schedule so that he can come join us for the San Francisco meet.  But if it doesn’t work out for this trip, maybe next time!



And you might have noticed that I’ve posted about the DisMeets ahead of my itinerary and plans.  I guess it’s a measure of how much I’m looking forward to converting 2D friends-in-a-box to 3D friends-for-life!

_


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> _In this 2D box world that we occupy on the Dis, the words that we type are the only tools we have to craft connections with others. If youre really lucky, your words might strike up a chord with someone else who then posts words in response to your words._
> 
> _So it has been with me, as it has with many other Dissers.connections are formed, bonds are created and all of a sudden.weve become what I call 2D friends-in-a-box. _
> 
> _And you might have noticed that Ive posted about the DisMeets ahead of my itinerary and plans. I guess its a measure of how much Im looking forward to converting 2D friends-in-a-box to 3D friends-for-life!_


 
PIO you've hit the nail on the head with this post.  When I started on the DIS I never imagined friendships would be a part of DISing, I was usually searching for info for upcoming trips.  Now I find myself coming to the DIS to see how everyone is doing and less for trip planning.  It's a wonderful community feeling.  I'm so looking forward to our DISmeet in SF.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> PIO you've hit the nail on the head with this post.  When I started on the DIS I never imagined friendships would be a part of DISing, I was usually searching for info for upcoming trips.  Now I find myself coming to the DIS to see how everyone is doing and less for trip planning.  It's a wonderful community feeling.  *I'm so looking forward to our DISmeet in SF.*



Me too.


----------



## franandaj

ACDSNY said:


> PIO you've hit the nail on the head with this post.  When I started on the DIS I never imagined friendships would be a part of DISing, I was usually searching for info for upcoming trips.  Now I find myself coming to the DIS to see how everyone is doing and less for trip planning.  It's a wonderful community feeling.  I'm so looking forward to our DISmeet in SF.



I'm not sure what I expected coming over to the DIS, but certainly never so many friends and meets, so far I've met PIO, ACDSNY, mvf-m11c twice, Unsnuzulooz, Lesahface, and I don't know how many people we got together at the D23 Expo, but at least a dozen!

This will be so much fun!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I'm not sure what I expected coming over to the DIS, but certainly never so many friends and meets, so far I've met PIO, ACDSNY, mvf-m11c twice, Unsnuzulooz, Lesahface, and I don't know how many people we got together at the D23 Expo, but at least a dozen!
> 
> This will be *so much fun*!


----------



## PrincessInOz

About Whatnots and My Travel Plans
_

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Dis-ser in the midst of preparing for a Disney trip, must be in want of a good plan.”  


In order to be considered ‘good’, the plan must, of course, cover the itinerary of each day so that everyone in your travel party will know when restroom breaks have been scheduled in order for them to accommodate around those important times and stick to the schedule.  In addition, every detail of what to bring or what not to bring, whether to go commando or laid back should be considered and posted about during the planning period.  


Afterall, that’s what you’re all here to read about, right? 


For the first part…Sadly for me, my stomach and bladder do not understand the importance of adhering to schedules and I have long given up on this time-honoured tradition of being a Dis-ser with decent planning skills.  

That’s not to say that I’m not a good Dis-ser…. I tend to plan, plan, plan the heck out of things before travelling and then go with the flow when on ground.  It is nice to have a plan to fall back on but sometimes really is all about the meandering than the destination. 



As for the whats and whatnots….everyone has their own preferences but this is what I know about my travel style and what suits me… 


(…and don’t mind me…I’m a bit of a stirrer…plus I’ve travelled regularly the last 10 years so I’ve pretty much got my travel routine down pat….)


I tend to travel at what others consider commando speed.  I can’t really tell if it is commando speed or isn’t.  From my perspective, I travel at my pace and given that I’m doing most of this trip solo, I guess the pace will always be right for me.

Which bag I take is not as important to me as what I put or don’t put in the bag.  For the record, I am not planning on buying a new bag for this trip out.  And for those interested, I will have two pieces with me – my camera bag, which I will carry-on; and a check-in luggage piece.  However, I cannot say the same for the trip home.  To date, I’ve brought home at least one new piece of luggage on every trip to the US I’ve been on for the last 10 years.  

Similarly for which shoe I wear.  For me, it has to be comfortable for the entire day.  It would help if it were fashionable as well.   For those interested, I’ll probably be taking my walking Sketchers with me…although….  The alternative is the Geox walking shoe that I bought in Hong Kong because the Sketchers got soaked in a downpour.  The Sketchers are much more comfortable but the Geox seem to provide much better walking support.  It will be one or the other; not both.  About the only other footwear I’ll bring along will be my crocs.  I can guarantee that I will be shoe shopping and pending an absolute shopping disaster, I fully expect to be bringing more shoes home than I take with me.

I’ll be packing layers and will bring clothes in two colour tones….blue and black.  I am traditionally a light packer and I doubt that this trip will be any different.  My philosophy is simple….bring enough clothes to cover 3 days plus 1 day spare.  Just as well that I’ll be the one behind the camera as I have no issue with wearing the same clothes two days in a row!  The exclusion to this is underwear and socks.  I pack lots!   I do normally throw in something decent as well in case we go somewhere fancy for dinner but I figure I might not need to do that on this trip.  Afterall, it just means the opportunity to shop for something should I need it.  

Starting a weight loss and exercise program will remain between me and the WISH sub-forum of the DisBoard.  For the record, I’ve tried and dismally failed for every other trip I’ve been on….I do not expect this non-track record to change for this trip.

There will be the normal pre-trip shopping to do.  Things like travel size shampoo, toiletries, legal-over-the-counter medicinals, camera memory cards and the like.  Again, I’ll spare you the details as I’m sure you’re aware that I’ll have this covered as well.  Afterall…. if I’ve forgetten something, it’s not as if I can’t run down to a shop of some description in California.

There will also be the normal wash and de-fluff involved before the trip.  You know…the girly things of waxings, washing the grey out of my hair and the like.  Suffice to say, that if my DH doesn’t need to know about these things, I probably won’t be sharing them on this thread either.  

Of the essentials – valid passport, valid ESTA, legal currency, valid credit card, travel insurance, eTicket, accommodation, car hire, DFAT registration….well….I’ll spare you most of the details.  I only have two items out of the essentials left to do and expect that everything will be ticked off in the week before I go. 



So, unless something of an unexpected nature happens and I can share a laugh with you over the experience, that about covers my list of WhatNots.




Still….. from experience, I know that franandaj will be asking me to put forward a day by day view of what I’ll be doing….so….Alison….just for you ....

*Thursday, 1 November*

I’ll be jumping out of my skin on this day.  We’ll drop DS off at school and then head to the airport.  DH will be dropping me off at the airport and I’ll be checking in for my flight across that pond.  I’m currently booked in for standard economy but am giving serious thought to paying the extra $$ for a premium economy seat.  Afterall, it’s just me and what DH doesn’t know won’t hurt him (much).

It’s been a while since I’ve travelled by myself but I’ll probably enjoy the feeling of not having to worry about DS or DH and keeping “together” as a group.  Conversely, it will be strange to have to be more alert about to-ing and fro-ing around me to make sure I’m aware of stranger dangers.

And for those who like to know….my carry-on will be my camera bag….a functional, not very attractive or fashionable, black bag that will be overstuffed with lenses and my essential documents and purse.  I am not planning on taking much more than a notebook to jot thoughts down and will probably pick up some magazines at the airport.  


I’ll be arriving in LA on the same day and pending successfully clearing customs, I will be heading to my place of abode for the two nights.  

I’m hoping to buy a micro SIM card for my phone, preferably from AT&T because DH still has a working service with them, and connecting to a GoPhone prepaid plan ($2 per day unlimited talk and text option).  

franandaj and I will hang out together for as much as possible today.  I may well crash!


*Friday, 2 November*

This is Disneyland day.  Park opening hours are 9 – 11 pm for DL and 9 – 9 pm for DCA.  

Despite my earlier views, the exception to meandering and going with the flow is when the destination is a theme park.  In these cases, I do tend to plan the heck of the day and try to follow it with some precision (bladder and stomach accepting).  


I’ll be spending time with franandaj again today….as much as possible….and I have hopes of a fun filled day.  Franandaj is as much of a planner as I am (despite what my earlier view may or may not convey) and we’ve already mapped out what we’d like to do for the day.


My must do’s:


CarsLand and everything in it
Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Star Tour v2.0
Aladdin
World of Colour (there may only be an 8 pm show on this day)


There will be a bunch of rides and attractions that I’d like to see and do; but the above are my must-do hit list.  If I’m still awake, I was also wondering about Fantasmic!  But it really isn’t necessarily a must-do.  I’m also aware that I may well flake out before WoC; so whilst it is on the must do list, I won’t fuss too much if I don’t make it to the show.  CarsLand is the priority, so we’ll be hitting that in the morning.  


We might wander over to DLR and check out a few rides there and then head back across to DCA for an afternoon showing of Aladdin.  It will be nice to put our feet up for a spell or two in the afternoon and see how we feel for a WoC evening.


I’m hoping for good food and if we make it across to DL, I’ll be putting a Dole Whip Float at the top of my list.  And some of those Tigger Tails I’ve seen in so many TRs.  Otherwise, I’m looking forward to checking out all the new establishments in CarsLand and Buena Vista Street.  There looks like some yummy food and yummy stores to take a look at merchandise.



*Saturday, 3 November*

I’ll be boarding a flight to SFO today.  I’m booked on the same flight as DH from LAX to SFO so it will be lovely to catch up with him and find out how the last two days went at home.  I wasn’t able to get the seat next to him on this flight but I’m in a seat about 2 rows back from him.  No biggie.

DH will have cleared customs at LAX so we normally just walk out of SFO, pick up our bags and then head on out to their automatic trains to the hire cars.  We’ll pick up the hire car and go to the nearest Wholefoods to pick up basic groceries.

After that, we will check in to the usual hotel near his work.  We normally get a 1-bedroom suite and it is a lovely place to have as a home away from home.  The suite includes a full kitchen and there will be hot buffet breakfast included every day.  So, we will mostly get nibbles, water, fruit etc from the supermarket.

DH has advised me that he wants to go check out musical instruments after we check-in.  Sounds like music to my ears is on the cards.

I suspect DH will crash early; so I’ll just play this day by ear and see how we go.


I am hoping that before DH crashes that we might go have dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  I think DH will feel the same way.


*Sunday, 4 November*

DH and I both have family in SF.  We traditionally reserve this day to catch up with them.  I have no idea if they will be free and what we might do.  
If they are free, we tend to meet them for a picnic lunch.....and this is probably the only day that DH will have to do a little shopping for himself.  

We’ll see what unfolds.

It might be that we head into the downtown area.  There is a favourite guitar store in the city that we always go check out.  Whilst it is a guitar centre, they have a big range of drums and cymbals.  DH will definitely want to check those “bongs and gongs” out.


*Monday, 5 November to Thursday, 8 November*

There are 4 full days here for me to do as I please.  I’m not sure what I’ll be doing on which day but my plans are as follows:

1.	Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum and DisMeet with usnuzuloose, ACDSNY and mvf-m11c. I think we’ve locked in a day for this one.

2.	A day in downtown SF reacquainting myself with my favourite places and shops.  I do like wandering down Union Street (not the square) and also spending time in that tourist trap of Fisherman’s Wharf.  If I feel like it, I might jump on a ferry and head across to Sausalito.  If not, I’ll spend time looking at shops in the downtown area.

3.	Head to Half Moon Bay and drive along PCH1.  I think I’ll go seek out a lighthouse or two and the elephant seals this time.  And if I hit the right time schedule, I might go to Felton and take a steam train ride through the redwoods.

4.	Shopping.  This might be spread out over the 5 days.  The places I want to go to include Stamford Mall, Hillsdale Mall, Keeble and Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto, Santana Row, Town and Country Village, Milpitas Warehouse Outlets.  I probably won’t get to every single one of these shopping places but I’m going to try.  I need to buy jeans, shoes, business suits and blouses.

5.	Pending time, I’d like to visit a few nature reserves and/or gardens around Silicon Valley.  I keep trying to visit the Filoli Gardens…but I’ve never quite made it there.  And sadly for me, as I’ll be there in November, I don’t think the Filoli will be opened at this time of year.  It’ll have to be another trip.



For the NorCal locals reading this…..if there is anything that you think I should be experiencing during this time, please post and let me know.  I’m definitely up for local experiences!



*Friday, 9 November*

On the 9th, we will be flying back home.  I guess I’ll be packing and will have to keep myself in the area.  I still expect to have the entire day to myself and will just see how I feel as to what to do on this day.  

When I go pick up DH from work in the late afternoon, we will most likely grab a shower at his workplace before we leave.  And we will probably also stop by Wholefoods for a light soup dinner before making our way to the airport.  I’ve booked seats next to DH; so we’ll be able to reminisce over this trip together on the way home.


Our flight back is via Sydney…and as we cross the international dateline, we will arrive back home on Sunday, 11 November.  




It will be lovely to see DS and the furbabies again!



And I KNOW I will crash early on Sunday night.


That’s about it for my known itinerary for this trip.  We’ll just have to wait to see if the reality matches up to the plans when I start the TR.





_


----------



## franandaj

Thanks for the plans!  I'm a very linear person and it helps me to wrap my head around the whole thing!  Once you leave, you can do what you want in any order.  I just like to have my part figured out!  

And of course we can throw the whole plan out the window, like if RSR goes down that morning.  

Also keep in mind that there are Magic Mornings at DCA the morning we are there, even if you aren't a hotel guest, they let everyone into the park to start queueing up for the RSR FPs.  We should probably ask on the DL boards about a week prior if they still have the crazy lines like they did last summer.

I'm hoping before you crash that my Shabu shabu place will have opened and we can go out and enjoy a nice meal there.  If not there are tons of other great places we can enjoy.

As for Nothern Cal, one place I particularly enjoy is visiting the Ridge Winery in Cupertino.  I like to go there for the wine tasting, but also the spectacular view of the South Bay.  I don't have any pictures to post, but it's also a nice drive up the mountain...

Your plans sound great and you'll have a nice week unwinding from all the stress of work and your daily routine!


----------



## usnuzuloose

Of course, I am last to get in the PTR! Better late than never! Everything sounds good so far!


----------



## usnuzuloose

I am so excited to see you again. I am sure we will all have a great time!


----------



## mvf-m11c

The pre-trip report looks good. Can't wait to meet you and the rest of the DISers that day.


----------



## zanzibar138

I think with only 1 real day at DLR you definitely a short must-do list. Yours looks great and is also along the same lines mine would be  Will be interesting to see how you go on your own. I'm on my own from Paris to Melbourne via HK for 2 nights, and I'm kind of excited and kind of terrified 

I'm really looking forward to reading the SF part of your TR. Especially the Walt Disney Family Museum, and Suasalito if you go there. It looked so pretty, but with only 2 days in SF we didn't get a chance to go.


----------



## rentayenta

What a fun trip you've got planned. I've only read your itinerary page so far. I agree that with a day at DL/DCA your must dos sound totally doable.  

I've got a friend who lives in SF who writes a really cool blog appropriately named: the Disney project. His name is Keith. You should check it out.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Thanks for the plans!  I'm a very linear person and it helps me to wrap my head around the whole thing!  Once you leave, you can do what you want in any order.  I just like to have my part figured out!
> 
> And of course we can throw the whole plan out the window, like if RSR goes down that morning.
> 
> Also keep in mind that there are Magic Mornings at DCA the morning we are there, even if you aren't a hotel guest, they let everyone into the park to start queueing up for the RSR FPs.  We should probably ask on the DL boards about a week prior if they still have the crazy lines like they did last summer.
> 
> I'm hoping before you crash that my Shabu shabu place will have opened and we can go out and enjoy a nice meal there.  If not there are tons of other great places we can enjoy.
> 
> As for Nothern Cal, one place I particularly enjoy is visiting the Ridge Winery in Cupertino.  I like to go there for the wine tasting, but also the spectacular view of the South Bay.  I don't have any pictures to post, but it's also a nice drive up the mountain...
> 
> Your plans sound great and you'll have a nice week unwinding from all the stress of work and your daily routine!



I'll remember to stay flexible with CarsLand.  Completely forgot that RSR does break down.  

And I'll check out Ridge Winery on the internet.  Might be someplace to head towards....





usnuzuloose said:


> Of course, I am last to get in the PTR! Better late than never! Everything sounds good so far!



The main thing is....You made it!  Thank you.




usnuzuloose said:


> I am so excited to see you again. I am sure we will all have a great time!



I am counting on us having a great time.




mvf-m11c said:


> The pre-trip report looks good. Can't wait to meet you and the rest of the DISers that day.



It promises to be a fun day!




zanzibar138 said:


> I think with only 1 real day at DLR you definitely a short must-do list. Yours looks great and is also along the same lines mine would be  Will be interesting to see how you go on your own. I'm on my own from Paris to Melbourne via HK for 2 nights, and I'm kind of excited and kind of terrified
> 
> I'm really looking forward to reading the SF part of your TR. Especially the Walt Disney Family Museum, and Suasalito if you go there. It looked so
> pretty, but with only 2 days in SF we didn't get a chance to go.



I'll keep this in mind.  Not sure how much sight seeing I'll do around SF...but I'll find out!




rentayenta said:


> What a fun trip you've got planned. I've only read your itinerary page so far. I agree that with a day at DL/DCA your must dos sound totally doable.
> 
> I've got a friend who lives in SF who writes a really cool blog appropriately named: the Disney project. His name is Keith. You should check it out.




Thanks for stopping by!

I'll check out the blog.  And if you've read the itinerary page, you're pretty much all caught up on this trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

The Double Waa-aah Mummy
_


So I guess I should mention that one member of the family that is being left behind.  Afterall, were such bad parents&.we get to go on this trip together and live it up&.like the days B.C. (before child), right?

What on earth is DS12 going to be doing and how can we be leaving him home alone?

Before anyone calls the Child Protection Agencies; consider this.  
This is definitely a case of Waa-aah Mummy....or more appropriately....Mummy goes Waa-aah!


*The First Waa-aah Mummy*

When we....er....I was first planning the tag-along, I did ask DS if he wanted to go.  Afterall, the week of the Melbourne Cup is traditionally one where most of the schools try to wrangle the Monday before the Tuesday Cup Day public holiday as a curriculum day or a student free day or a training day.  Yes&.it becomes a 4-day weekend&.for the students.  

And because everyone is so worn out from the weekend schedule, the rest of the week is pretty much laid back and not much happens.

I told DS what I was thinking and to my surprise......He. Did. Not. Want. To. Go.  

Let me repeat that again....DS, who is 12, and completely capable of making his own decisions.

He. Did. Not. Want. To. Go.  

His excuse...er.....reason?  "I dont want to miss out on school!!!!!"
(Translation = I want to stay home and have a long weekend playing on the computer and skyping with my friends!)


Waa-aah (went) Mummy!





*The Second Waa-aah Mummy*


Completely lured by CarsLand and with Lightning in my eyes, I booked the trip to fly out a couple of days earlier than DH so that I could sneak in one day at DLR to check out the newish Land.

Well..... I didnt check the social calendar when I was planning this trip.  So. Unlike. Me.

DS has a school production that he is appearing in during that two day layover Im having in LA.  
Im going to be missing out on him being on stage.  I'll be trading the opportunity to see him tripping the Light Fantastic on the Boards with me tripping to see Lightning McQueen!


Waa-aah (went) Mummy!






DS reaction?  Thats okay Mum.  Dad will be there.






Ouch!   Double Waa-aah-me Mummy!  And Game, Set and Match to DS!



I don't think that DS will be getting a souvenir from DL.   Do you?





_





p.s.  For the record, DS will be living it up at home.  Turns out that he conned...er....sweet talked one of the grandoldies to come and stay here with him.  We will make up the spare bed and he gets to maintain his routine....and internet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

The Three-legged Dilemma
_



Ive been wrestling with a little dilemma for the last few days and am hoping that those of you reading this (or lurking) will help me by providing your input and viewpoint.


My dilemma goes like this:

I want to travel light on this trip and had already decided to leave my tripod at home.  Afterall, I am heading to San Francisco for most of this trip and do not anticipate needing that three-legged pole in the bay city.

I had weighed this up in light of the fact that I will have one day at DLR.one day.and whilst I anticipate being awake enough to last for World of Colour, there really isnt any guarantees of this.   And I dont believe that youre not allowed to set up a tripod at the WoC viewing site anyway.

It really is a short mad dash to DL this trip and I am planning on heading back to DLR in Sep 2013 and will be spending at least 2 days/nights in the parks.  I had originally thought this would be the better time to bring the tripod for night shots.

The flaw in my decision making?  

I had completely forgotten that CarsLand is beautifully lit up at night.  Plus, if youve been hanging out on Im Mikeys TR, you will have seen the how gorgeous a long exposure shot can be in CarsLand.  Whilst I don't claim to be able to get as gorgeous shots as I'm Mikey, it might be nice to be able to have the opportunity to try!


So..do I bring my tripod for potentially one nights shooting?  Or do I leave it behind?


_


----------



## franandaj

I was explaining your dilemma to Fran, and she said "why doesn't she just use ours?" I have two fairly modern ones (meaning later than 2001). I had one from circa 1950's, but that one broke. I replaced it with one that I got at a garage sale for $7. My other one we bought new in 2003 when we got our first video camera to tape the band.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I was explaining your dilemma to Fran, and she said "why doesn't she just use ours?" I have two fairly modern ones (meaning later than 2001). I had one from circa 1950's, but that one broke. I replaced it with one that I got at a garage sale for $7. My other one we bought new in 2003 when we got our first video camera to tape the band.



That is an option I hadn't considered and please thank Fran.


----------



## KCmike

Sorry it took me this long to join the report.

I personally would leave the tripod at home.  I don't like being weighed down by equipment.  Look at I'm Mikey's shot of Carsland at night.  He placed his camera on a trash can to get that shot.  Be creative and leave that 3 legged monster at home.  

Alright now I need to go back and start this report from the beginning.  Are there any Cliff's Notes?


----------



## PrincessInOz

KCmike said:


> Sorry it took me this long to join the report.
> 
> I personally would leave the tripod at home.  I don't like being weighed down by equipment.  Look at I'm Mikey's shot of Carsland at night.  He placed his camera on a trash can to get that shot.  Be creative and leave that 3 legged monster at home.
> 
> Alright now I need to go back and start this report from the beginning.  Are there any Cliff's Notes?



Don't start right at the beginning....it will be my PTR/TR from Jan 2011.  But there will be quick links in the second post if you want to scan quickly.


Cliff Notes for this trip??

I'm going to CarsLand.   

ETA.  I didn't realise that Mikey used a trashcan for his shot. I've certainly done the same in the past; but thought he'd scoped out a prime position to place a tripod.  Okay.  That makes a HUGE difference to know that.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> ETA.  I didn't realise that Mikey used a trashcan for his shot. I've certainly done the same in the past; but thought he'd scoped out a prime position to place a tripod.  Okay.  That makes a HUGE difference to know that.



Still, maybe I SHOULD take the scooter.   Today we went and looked at "Pre-Owned" Cars.  Just the walking that I did on the dealer's lot has made my feet hurt.  I think I might want the scooter that day.  I can't afford to be crippled for the next 2-3 days after you leave.

We have a BIG bag that goes on the back and it fits lots of stuff, so you can use one of my tripods and we'll put it in the scooter bag.  You'd be surprised what it holds.  It's almost as good as Hermione's bag.


----------



## ACDSNY

I'm sure you're DS is going to enjoy his time with the DGP and be spoiled rotten by the time your get home.

Your trip will be here soon.


----------



## dhorner233

Hi Princess, Thanks for cueing me! Your plans are great! Too bad you only get one day in DLR!  

I will be in DLR on the day that you will be there! Here are the crowd levels for Friday, Nov. 2

DLP 9:00 - 11:00 Crowd 3.2
DCA 10:00 - 9:00 Crowd 3.6

My priority for the day is to see Fantasmic! at either 9:00 or 10:15.

As far as the tripod. I have a little (12 inch) "gorilla" grip tripod that I bring with me. It sits on tables, wraps around railings and sits comfortably on the handle bars of the electric wheel chair I will be renting. 

I saw "I'm Mickey"'s photos of Carsland!!! My DisCousin went out and bought a new camera today he has been so inspired by I'm Mickey!  I didn't know he put his camera on a trash can for those shots!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Just like you said that you shouldn't bring your tripod during the trip unless you bring a very light one. You also could consider a monopod. You already know me that I would bring my tripod to the parks during the nighttime show. Another idea is to get a locker at the resort and get it anytime you need it during the day.


----------



## franandaj

dhorner233 said:


> Hi Princess, Thanks for cueing me! Your plans are great! Too bad you only get one day in DLR!
> 
> I will be in DLR on the day that you will be there! Here are the crowd levels for Friday, Nov. 2
> 
> DLP 9:00 - 11:00 Crowd 3.2
> DCA 10:00 - 9:00 Crowd 3.6
> 
> My priority for the day is to see Fantasmic! at either 9:00 or 10:15.
> 
> As far as the tripod. I have a little (12 inch) "gorilla" grip tripod that I bring with me. It sits on tables, wraps around railings and sits comfortably on the handle bars of the electric wheel chair I will be renting.
> 
> I saw "I'm Mickey"'s photos of Carsland!!! My DisCousin went out and bought a new camera today he has been so inspired by I'm Mickey!  I didn't know he put his camera on a trash can for those shots!



I'm not sure what the crowd level indicators mean, but perhpas the three of us should meet up for a moment to say "Hi".  I've really wanted to play "where in the...." but my time has become so thinly spread and Mel keeps guessing all the DL answers I just wasn't able to play any longer....perhaps if time works out maybe we could say "hi".


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Still, maybe I SHOULD take the scooter.   Today we went and looked at "Pre-Owned" Cars.  Just the walking that I did on the dealer's lot has made my feet hurt.  I think I might want the scooter that day.  I can't afford to be crippled for the next 2-3 days after you leave.
> 
> We have a BIG bag that goes on the back and it fits lots of stuff, so you can use one of my tripods and we'll put it in the scooter bag.  You'd be surprised what it holds.  It's almost as good as Hermione's bag.



I think that you should take the scooter for yourself if that's what will be easiest for you.

Given what KCMike posted, I think I'm going to leave my tripod behind.  And there is the option for me to borrow one of yours.  We'll just see.  I suspect that I'll be wanting to travel light and just use whatever is in the park if I want to go with a long exposure shot.




ACDSNY said:


> I'm sure you're DS is going to enjoy his time with the DGP and be spoiled rotten by the time your get home.
> 
> Your trip will be here soon.



Aside from being here soon, we'll be meeting F2F!  

Can't wait!




dhorner233 said:


> Hi Princess, Thanks for cueing me! Your plans are great! Too bad you only get one day in DLR!
> 
> I will be in DLR on the day that you will be there! Here are the crowd levels for Friday, Nov. 2
> 
> DLP 9:00 - 11:00 Crowd 3.2
> DCA 10:00 - 9:00 Crowd 3.6
> 
> My priority for the day is to see Fantasmic! at either 9:00 or 10:15.
> 
> As far as the tripod. I have a little (12 inch) "gorilla" grip tripod that I bring with me. It sits on tables, wraps around railings and sits comfortably on the handle bars of the electric wheel chair I will be renting.
> 
> I saw "I'm Mickey"'s photos of Carsland!!! My DisCousin went out and bought a new camera today he has been so inspired by I'm Mickey!  I didn't know he put his camera on a trash can for those shots!



Denise - thanks for taking the time to follow the breadcrumbs.

What a bonus!  Are you going to be there at the same time?  Seriously?    

Are those crowd levels low numbers?  I'm guessing so.  




mvf-m11c said:


> Just like you said that you shouldn't bring your tripod during the trip unless you bring a very light one. You also could consider a monopod. You already know me that I would bring my tripod to the parks during the nighttime show. Another idea is to get a locker at the resort and get it anytime you need it during the day.



Bret - My tripod is one that has a monopod built in.  But for the long exposure shots, I really wouldn't use the monopod.  
If I were going to be longer at DLR, I would definitely bring it.  But most of this trip is going to be in NorCal and it will take up space and weight in the luggage.  

I'll see how I go this time without it.  I'll definitely be bringing it in Oct 2013.




franandaj said:


> I'm not sure what the crowd level indicators mean, but perhpas the three of us should meet up for a moment to say "Hi".  I've really wanted to play "where in the...." but my time has become so thinly spread and Mel keeps guessing all the DL answers I just wasn't able to play any longer....perhaps if time works out maybe we could say "hi".



I agree.  We should try to find a time to meet up with Denise.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> Bret - My tripod is one that has a monopod built in.  But for the long exposure shots, I really wouldn't use the monopod.
> If I were going to be longer at DLR, I would definitely bring it.  But most of this trip is going to be in NorCal and it will take up space and weight in the luggage.
> 
> I'll see how I go this time without it.  I'll definitely be bringing it in Oct 2013.



I see. Using a monopod won't do for long exposure shots since you can't move it. I do have a tripod that has a monopod built in it. I never took that combo tripod in the park since it is so heavy while a mid size one is perfect for me for the shows. That makes sense for you not to bring a tripod since it will take up luggage space. I am planning on bringing my tripod to WDW in a couple of weeks for the nighttime shows. You are correct that bringing a tripod takes about 1/4 of my traveling bag.

Can't wait to hear from you of how the pictures turn out without the tripod.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> I see. Using a monopod won't do for long exposure shots since you can't move it. I do have a tripod that has a monopod built in it. I never took that combo tripod in the park since it is so heavy while a mid size one is perfect for me for the shows. That makes sense for you not to bring a tripod since it will take up luggage space. I am planning on bringing my tripod to WDW in a couple of weeks for the nighttime shows. You are correct that bringing a tripod takes about 1/4 of my traveling bag.
> 
> Can't wait to hear from you of how the pictures turn out without the tripod.



Bret - Given our current plans, you'll probably get to see them _in situ_ when we DisMeet.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> Bret - Given our current plans, you'll probably get to see them _in situ_ when we DisMeet.



Your absolutely right. I will also remember to show you my pictures from my trip to WDW as well.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Your absolutely right. I will also remember to show you my pictures from my trip to WDW as well.



 You'll show me yours if I'll show you mine???


 


(But its a deal!)


----------



## dhorner233

franandaj said:


> I'm not sure what the crowd level indicators mean, but perhpas the three of us should meet up for a moment to say "Hi".  I've really wanted to play "where in the...." but my time has become so thinly spread and Mel keeps guessing all the DL answers I just wasn't able to play any longer....perhaps if time works out maybe we could say "hi".





PrincessInOz said:


> Denise - thanks for taking the time to follow the breadcrumbs.
> 
> What a bonus!  Are you going to be there at the same time?  Seriously?
> 
> Are those crowd levels low numbers?  I'm guessing so.
> 
> I agree.  We should try to find a time to meet up with Denise.



Yes! I am leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow to drive down.  2 nights 3 days on the road. So, I will arrive on Tuesday, Oct. 30th. I am going with my cousin. We are going to the Halloween party on Halloween night as our favorite dwarfs, Dopey and Grumpy.  

We will be there until we leave on Monday, Nov. 5th. And, your one day is Friday, Nov. 2, if I remember correctly. And we were planning to hit the parks that day. It would me nice to meet at least for a moment!! 

The numbers; 3.2 and 3.6 are from Touringplans.com and are based on a maximum of 10. So crowd levels of 3.2 and 3.6 are pretty good! Only a third of maximum.

Oh, and please stop by Where in the Land again. Mel has quit doing that!!  She realized everyone quit playing and has even PM'd me saying we should put on easier puzzles to encourage more people to play!!!  So, please give it another try sometime.


----------



## usnuzuloose

It's okay to have you time, and dad and you time! He will miss you, guaranteed! Bring him something special...I have something for you, and it is not a can of corn!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Yes! I am leaving 2 weeks from tomorrow to drive down.  2 nights 3 days on the road. So, I will arrive on Tuesday, Oct. 30th. I am going with my cousin. We are going to the Halloween party on Halloween night as our favorite dwarfs, Dopey and Grumpy.
> 
> We will be there until we leave on Monday, Nov. 5th. And, your one day is Friday, Nov. 2, if I remember correctly. And we were planning to hit the parks that day. It would me nice to meet at least for a moment!!
> 
> The numbers; 3.2 and 3.6 are from Touringplans.com and are based on a maximum of 10. So crowd levels of 3.2 and 3.6 are pretty good! Only a third of maximum.
> 
> Oh, and please stop by Where in the Land again. Mel has quit doing that!!  She realized everyone quit playing and has even PM'd me saying we should put on easier puzzles to encourage more people to play!!!  So, please give it another try sometime.



We should definitely try and meet for coffee or a snack or something.  

I might try to stop by WitL again; just that I don't frequent it so often and most of the time, the things I recognised are already solved.  





usnuzuloose said:


> It's okay to have you time, and dad and you time! He will miss you, guaranteed! Bring him something special...I have something for you, and it is not a can of corn!!



I'll miss him too.  It might be better this time round knowing that he's at home and enjoying his normal creature comforts.  The last time, he stayed over half the time at MiL and the other half the time at my parents.  I know he didn't enjoy that at all.  

And I have something for you too....not a can of corn either.


----------



## franandaj

dhorner233 said:


> And, your one day is Friday, Nov. 2, if I remember correctly. And we were planning to hit the parks that day. It would me nice to meet at least for a moment!!
> 
> Oh, and please stop by Where in the Land again. Mel has quit doing that!!  She realized everyone quit playing and has even PM'd me saying we should put on easier puzzles to encourage more people to play!!!  So, please give it another try sometime.



I know of a great quiet spot we can all meet up, for a chat.

I haven't been playing WitL because I just don't have that kind of time right now. However I did find it disenheartening that Mel was guessing everything I posted on her first guess.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*TWO Weeks sounds better than FOURTEEN days*



_

It certainly seems like yesterday to me when this trip was not even on my flight horizon.

Now, I'm on a countdown that is TWO weeks away.


I'll be in single digits pretty soon....but two weeks certainly sounds much better than fourteen days.  


_


----------



## zanzibar138

I think 14 days sounds better than 2 weeks 

But you really can't go wrong with either one when you're talking about a countdown to a Disney trip


----------



## tiggrbaby

Yay for two weeks!


----------



## shushh

How exciting!


----------



## franandaj

Yay for 13 days!

Yesterday I scored us two instant FPs for a party of four. The are good for anything but Carsland and WoC. They took forever checking us in and couldn't offer any upgrades, so the CM offered these. Fran wasn't happy, but I was when she said that were good for 30 days, which is definitely more than 13!


----------



## dhorner233

franandaj said:


> I know of a great quiet spot we can all meet up, for a chat.
> 
> I haven't been playing WitL because I just don't have that kind of time right now. However I did find it disenheartening that Mel was guessing everything I posted on her first guess.



I PM'd you my cell phone numbers. I can be available any time, any where. 

I leave in 10 days to drive down the coast to Disneyland!!!  I'm sooo excited!!


----------



## franandaj

dhorner233 said:


> I PM'd you my cell phone numbers. I can be available any time, any where.
> 
> I leave in 10 days to drive down the coast to Disneyland!!!  I'm sooo excited!!



That's why I said party of four , I figured I might as well share the wealth!  Oh yeah, my PM to you didn't go through because "the subscription could not be verified because the token had expired."  It took me all morning to get back to you and I was getting off on the DL Drive off ramp when that happened.  Needless to say from check-in until we got home today, I was rather preoccupied, I completely forgot that happened until just now!

Single digit dance tomorrow!


----------



## dhorner233

franandaj said:


> That's why I said party of four , I figured I might as well share the wealth!  Oh yeah, my PM to you didn't go through because "the subscription could not be verified because the token had expired."  It took me all morning to get back to you and I was getting off on the DL Drive off ramp when that happened.  Needless to say from check-in until we got home today, I was rather preoccupied, I completely forgot that happened until just now!
> 
> Single digit dance tomorrow!



Wow! How generous of you to think of me!


----------



## ACDSNY

Yay, your trip is getting so close.

Nice score Alison on the FPs.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> *I think 14 days sounds better than 2 weeks*
> 
> But you really can't go wrong with either one when you're talking about a countdown to a Disney trip








tiggrbaby said:


> Yay for two weeks!








shushh said:


> How exciting!








ACDSNY said:


> Yay, your trip is getting so close.
> 
> Nice score Alison on the FPs.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Yay for 13 days!
> 
> Yesterday I scored us *two instant FPs for a party of four*. The are good for anything but Carsland and WoC. They took forever checking us in and couldn't offer any upgrades, so the CM offered these. Fran wasn't happy, but I was when she said that were good for 30 days, which is definitely more than 13!



Alison - I'm sorry you didn't have a good check-in experience and that Fran ended up not happy; but I'm with you....this is Freakin' Awesome!

Does this mean that Star Tours v2.0 is taken care of???  

Wonder what Denise and her cousin would like to ride?


----------



## mvf-m11c

Getting excited for you too PiO.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Getting excited for you too PiO.





And I'm really looking forward to meeting you, Angela and Jo in 3D.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A Most Important Decision  White and Black is not always Shades of Grey
_


When travelling the long haul route over that particularly large pond between the US and Australia, one of the things I place high on my priority list when choosing the carrier of choice is the presence of in-seat Flight Entertainment (iFE).  The presence or absence of iFE can be a rather radioactive *White*-hot topic of discussion on some of the boards I spend time on.  I do normally give the ensuing debate a wide berth, with the two camps firmly entrenched in the BC (Before Children) group and the AD (Alcohol Drip required) group that travel with kids.



Me?


I do strongly believe that this is a personal preference and that there is nothing wrong with either group choosing iFE or not and trading off for the $$ on the air ticket.  Afterall, its not as if Im asking anyone else to pay my ticket for me and as Im the one forking out the money for my ticket, I get to decide whether to partake in this trade-off or not.   And if I choose to pay the extra for a carrier that has iFE to entertain the family rather than choosing the cheapest acceptable carrier without iFE, its only my hip pocket and sanity that will be impacted.  With even better luck, cheapest acceptable carrier could sometimes work out to a carrier with iFE and the debate is moot.


Sadly for me, DH non-choice for this trip was dictated by corporate policy and he ended up on United.  By extension, that ended up as a non-choice for me as well; Im on United..with no iFE.  
Yes, there is flight entertainmentthe old fashioned drop-down head hazards from the ceiling that I will either be able to squint and see or not.  And we wont even talk about the audio system that goes with this!  


So..Ive been giving serious thought to what I bring on-board for personal amusement.  What the heck do I bring on board for personal amusement and how the heck am I going to keep my travel carry-on things "light"????? 


Im currently sitting here looking at an electronic device and Im wondering if I should bring it or not.  Yes, Im seriously considering bringing my Nintendo DS.  The DS would probably entertain me for about 2 hours of the trip.  

Problem is.if I bring my DS on board, Im going to need a new game.  And my decision now comes down to whether I want to buy the new Pokemon Black and/or White game or not.  

In typical Pokemon Black/White tradition, this game is actually a choice between Pokemon Black 2 or Pokemon White 2.  
Such a great marketing ploy that..to have the two games, ostensibly the same; but different enough that the gamers would want both.  
These games are meant to be sequels to the original games so if I go down this path, I think the obvious choice for me to get would be the *Black* 2.    

I'm really torn between leaving the DS at home and bringing it on-board with me.  


Trashy magazines, a book, word puzzles and a notebook for writing down my thoughts are a given.  I figure this might cover me for about 3  4 hours; depending on the book.  Anyone have any good book they want to recommend?  And please, no *Shades of Grey*!



My alternative is to consider getting a portable DVD player.  But Ive figured that this is taking this decision to an extreme far *Red* $$-wise and Im already having enough problems with White, Black and Shades of Grey!   



Phernegan, anyone?

_


----------



## franandaj

Personally, I'm no help to you.  I loathe word puzzles and crosswords, but on the other hand for longer than most of my relationships I subscribed to Math Puzzles and Logic Problems.  I discontinued my subscription a few years ago only because I realized that I probably had enough books from my 20+ year subscription to last the rest of my life.  I am thrilled to solve Cross Sums, Logic Problems and Tri Gons, Math Mazes and "number place" (now commonly known as Sudoko) which I have been doing for over 20 years now before it was trendy.    I can do these things for hours on planes (until my wine comsumption causes me to nap, it's complimentary in 1st/Business Class and before you think we're rolling in dough, we only fly on miles!)

So unfortunately I can't help.  I don't even know what are these electronic devices you speak of.  I have solitaire on my phone, but I bring the charger to Fran's Wound Dr. appt because the battery goes down faster than a single feature at the movies.  Want some math problems?  I'll scan them and email them to you?      Didn't think so.....  I know I"m a freak, but I bet Brandi might like the magazine I subscribe to!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Can you borrow a kindle fire from someone?  I download books for free from my local library and have downloaded a few free game apps.  You can purchase movies, but I haven't tried that as I only get the free stuff (including the fire which was a bank promo).  The battery life is pretty good if you turn off the wifi.


----------



## zanzibar138

Are you seriously telling me there is a debate going in which people judge other people for spending their own money on flights with entertainment??? Surely it doesn't affect anyone but the people travelling in the slightest  Why can't people just let others enjoy their holidays in whatever style suits them? 

Ok, rant over. I just found that to be quite unbelievable!

As far as your predicament goes, I would take the Nintendo. It doesn't take up much room, and if it's going to occupy you for an extra couple of hours, I'd say it's worth it! I am also a big fan of puzzle books, but I find I can only take so much of them. I usually buy one dedicated sudoku/logic puzzle book (those are my favourite sort), and one of the general ones that offer prizes (for a bit of variety if I want it) and then send away for the prizes when I get back - I once won $50 

Are you able to sleep on planes? That's a great way to kill time if you can manage it! On our flight from HK to Johannesburg, one lady in front of us slept for the whole 12 hour flight - like they had to wake her up for take off and landing!


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> Alison - I'm sorry you didn't have a good check-in experience and that Fran ended up not happy; but I'm with you....this is Freakin' Awesome!
> 
> Does this mean that Star Tours v2.0 is taken care of???
> 
> Wonder what Denise and her cousin would like to ride?



We like all of the rides!! Star Tours is a good choice! Maybe Splash Mountain? Soarin'? Anything is fine with us. I'm just thrilled to be included! 

You plane ride is 12 hours?! 12 hours on one plane?! That woman who slept must have had some valium or something! That would be the ideal for me, to sleep. I hate to fly. When I have to, I try to sleep but, my flights are like 2-3 hours. I can't imagine 12 but, you have a long way to go! Really, it's amazing you can get here so fast!!!!


----------



## zanzibar138

dhorner233 said:


> You plane ride is 12 hours?! 12 hours on one plane?! That woman who slept must have had some valium or something! That would be the ideal for me, to sleep. I hate to fly. When I have to, I try to sleep but, my flights are like 2-3 hours. I can't imagine 12 but, you have a long way to go! Really, it's amazing you can get here so fast!!!!



Actually our flights to LA are more like 14 hours... Yes, on one plane  That's why it's such a big deal for Aussies to go to Disney!


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

PrincessInOz said:


> A Most Important Decision  White and Black is not always Shades of Grey
> _
> 
> Anyone have any good book they want to recommend?  And please, no *Shades of Grey*!
> 
> _



Depends on what genres you enjoy reading  I enjoy pretty much anything written by Marian Keyes, Janet Evanovich and any of the BritChickLit authors (eg Sophie Kinsella, Victoria Routlege, Fiona Walker).  However I am no help in recommending anything in the spy/thriller genre.  I don't normally read fantasy or sci-fi, however I have enjoyed Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse (aka True Blood) series.  They are quite different to the TV series! Good luck with your entertainment dilemma!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Personally, I'm no help to you.  I loathe word puzzles and crosswords, but on the other hand for longer than most of my relationships I subscribed to Math Puzzles and Logic Problems.  I discontinued my subscription a few years ago only because I realized that I probably had enough books from my 20+ year subscription to last the rest of my life.  I am thrilled to solve Cross Sums, Logic Problems and Tri Gons, Math Mazes and "number place" (now commonly known as Sudoko) which I have been doing for over 20 years now before it was trendy.    I can do these things for hours on planes (until my wine comsumption causes me to nap, it's complimentary in 1st/Business Class and before you think we're rolling in dough, we only fly on miles!)
> 
> So unfortunately I can't help.  I don't even know what are these electronic devices you speak of.  I have solitaire on my phone, but I bring the charger to Fran's Wound Dr. appt because the battery goes down faster than a single feature at the movies.  Want some math problems?  I'll scan them and email them to you?      Didn't think so.....  I know I"m a freak, but I bet Brandi might like the magazine I subscribe to!



You reminded me that I actually have a "Make 10" puzzle on the DS.  I played it once ages ago and finished the game.  I might actually take it on the plane with me and replay that instead of buying the new Pokemon Black 2.  

One of the reasons why I'm loathe to buy the new game is that it will be half the price at the GameStop in the US compared to buying it here. I might pick it up there for the plane ride home.





tiggrbaby said:


> Can you borrow a kindle fire from someone?  I download books for free from my local library and have downloaded a few free game apps.  You can purchase movies, but I haven't tried that as I only get the free stuff (including the fire which was a bank promo).  The battery life is pretty good if you turn off the wifi.



DH has an e-book reader and will be bringing that on his flight.  We do normally share but I'm travelling solo on the way over.  

Everyone else that has a kindle (that I know) is using theirs and I'd hate to stop their reading.  





zanzibar138 said:


> *Are you seriously telling me there is a debate going in which people judge other people for spending their own money on flights with entertainment*??? Surely it doesn't affect anyone but the people travelling in the slightest  Why can't people just let others enjoy their holidays in whatever style suits them?
> 
> Ok, rant over. I just found that to be quite unbelievable!
> 
> As far as your predicament goes, I would take the Nintendo. It doesn't take up much room, and if it's going to occupy you for an extra couple of hours, I'd say it's worth it! I am also a big fan of puzzle books, but I find I can only take so much of them. I usually buy one dedicated sudoku/logic puzzle book (those are my favourite sort), and one of the general ones that offer prizes (for a bit of variety if I want it) and then send away for the prizes when I get back - I once won $50
> 
> Are you able to sleep on planes? That's a great way to kill time if you can manage it! On our flight from HK to Johannesburg, one lady in front of us slept for the whole 12 hour flight - like they had to wake her up for take off and landing!



You know me......




Yes, I think I might take the DS with me.  I'll have to do something different in terms of carry-on luggage.  I had hoped to get away with just my camera bag but I don't think I'm going to be able to squeeze everything I want into it.  So I may have a roller carry-on and the camera bag as my 'personal item'.  I should be able to put the camera bag into the roller bag and end up with one 'bag'.  

I don't normally sleep on planes.  





dhorner233 said:


> We like all of the rides!! Star Tours is a good choice! Maybe Splash Mountain? Soarin'? Anything is fine with us. I'm just thrilled to be included!
> 
> You plane ride is 12 hours?! 12 hours on one plane?! That woman who slept must have had some valium or something! That would be the ideal for me, to sleep. I hate to fly. When I have to, I try to sleep but, my flights are like 2-3 hours. I can't imagine 12 but, you have a long way to go! Really, it's amazing you can get here so fast!!!!



Plane ride from Oz to the West Coast of the US is 14 hours.  It's even longer to get to the East Coast or to Orlando.  

Looks like we're good for Star Tours and we can work out what we do for the other ride on the day.  If it is warm and we'll dry fast, then Splash seems like a good choice.  I also love Soarin'.  

I'm really pleased to be able to get to meet you as well on this trip!





AussieDisneyNut said:


> Depends on what genres you enjoy reading  I enjoy pretty much anything written by Marian Keyes, Janet Evanovich and any of the BritChickLit authors (eg Sophie Kinsella, Victoria Routlege, Fiona Walker).  However I am no help in recommending anything in the spy/thriller genre.  I don't normally read fantasy or sci-fi, however I have enjoyed Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse (aka True Blood) series.  They are quite different to the TV series! Good luck with your entertainment dilemma!



I think I'm up to date with Marian Keyes.  But Janet Evanovich is a really good suggestion.  I think I finished Fearless Fourteen and there might be another four or five of the series after this one.  Thanks!


----------



## shushh

PIO would you consider buying yourself a kindle? Price has come down since it first it came out. We often borrow Ebooks from the library, both fiction and nonfiction. 

What kind of genres are you interested in?

The Nintendo sounds like a good option. Its a good excuse to buy another game!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> PIO would you consider buying yourself a kindle? Price has come down since it first it came out. We often borrow Ebooks from the library, both fiction and nonfiction.
> 
> What kind of genres are you interested in?
> 
> The Nintendo sounds like a good option. Its a good excuse to buy another game!



The Kindle is still about $50 cheaper in the US.  DH wants to go look over there.  We may well come home with two of them.  
I'm charging the DS as we speak.  Just want to check the status of a couple of my games and I haven't yet found that Make 10 game.  I don't know if I can cope with playing one of the Professor Laytons again.  I have been known to go for 5 hours straight when I do a Layton's puzzle.

I love fantasy and sci fi; so I tend to do some reading in that genre.  Been reading Diana Gabaldon, Chis Paolini; even some Emily Rodda lately.  I used to read Raymond Feist a fair bit; and I need to go back to the Janet Evanovich books.  I loved Lisa Lutz...actually come to think of it, I haven't read book 5 yet.
Love Agatha Christie and I've been trying to get into PD James.

What about you?


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> The Kindle is still about $50 cheaper in the US.  DH wants to go look over there.  We may well come home with two of them.
> I'm charging the DS as we speak.  Just want to check the status of a couple of my games and I haven't yet found that Make 10 game.  I don't know if I can cope with playing one of the Professor Laytons again.  I have been known to go for 5 hours straight when I do a Layton's puzzle.
> 
> I love fantasy and sci fi; so I tend to do some reading in that genre.  Been reading Diana Gabaldon, Chis Paolini; even some Emily Rodda lately.  I used to read Raymond Feist a fair bit; and I need to go back to the Janet Evanovich books.  I loved Lisa Lutz...actually come to think of it, I haven't read book 5 yet.
> Love Agatha Christie and I've been trying to get into PD James.
> 
> What about you?



Good point about buying a kindle in the US!
I read a little of everything but enjoy mystery/action type books most ie Matthew Reilly, Dan Brown, Arthur Conan Doyle etc. I loved the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson. I wish someone had told me that the 3rd book carried right on from the 2nd book or I wouldn't have read the 2nd so as to finish at 11pm...I HAD to keep reading and stayed up all night until I finished the last book. I nearly died the next day but it was worth it!

I too like Janet Evanovich. Hubby has been trying to get me into sci-fi and fantasy. I don't mind it but its not my first choice when choosing books to buy/borrow! I also spend some time reading biographies and other non-fiction books eg travel books, photography books.

I like browsing through goodreads just to get an idea of what's popular and for new things to check out. You can get it as an app on your phone to keep track of wishlists, books to read, your library etc
http://www.goodreads.com/


----------



## tiggrbaby

If you like the Janet Evanovitch books, you may like the Sue Grafton books.  They aren't as slapstick, but have a female PI.  My son loves the Game of thrones series.  I read the first one for a book group.  It is sort of fantasy.  I'm told the first one is the hardest to get through and then the rest are better.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Good point about buying a kindle in the US!
> I read a little of everything but enjoy mystery/action type books most ie Matthew Reilly, Dan Brown, Arthur Conan Doyle etc. I loved the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson. I wish someone had told me that the 3rd book carried right on from the 2nd book or I wouldn't have read the 2nd so as to finish at 11pm...I HAD to keep reading and stayed up all night until I finished the last book. I nearly died the next day but it was worth it!
> 
> I too like Janet Evanovich. Hubby has been trying to get me into sci-fi and fantasy. I don't mind it but its not my first choice when choosing books to buy/borrow! I also spend some time reading biographies and other non-fiction books eg travel books, photography books.
> 
> I like browsing through goodreads just to get an idea of what's popular and for new things to check out. You can get it as an app on your phone to keep track of wishlists, books to read, your library etc
> http://www.goodreads.com/



Thanks for the link to goodreads.  Will download it as an app.

Photography books - hmm. That's another good option.




tiggrbaby said:


> If you like the Janet Evanovitch books, you may like the Sue Grafton books.  They aren't as slapstick, but have a female PI.  My son loves the Game of thrones series.  I read the first one for a book group.  It is sort of fantasy.  I'm told the first one is the hardest to get through and then the rest are better.



I'll keep an eye out for Sue Grafton.  I haven't yet gotten into the Game of Thrones.  I did pick the first one to flick through and found it hard to get into; so I put it down again.  Good to know that I'm not the only one.


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks for the link to goodreads.  Will download it as an app.



I'm seeing the word app so I hope I'm not making too big an assumption that you own some sort of device with a display screen? Most libraries also loan out magazines! On device apps eg iphones or ipad is even better. The magazines are downloaded so you can view them online.

eg. I've currently got Better homes and gardens, Home beautiful, and a score of others on my ipad!

The app that you need is called zinio. But you need to go via your local library so see if they provide this service.

Following on from this, you can also buy games in app form that are boardgame in type. Requires a lot more thinking/strategy. Ones that I love include Ticket to Ride, Domimion, Ra, Medici, but the downside is that you'd probably need to learn how to play the games first...If you are interested, this is something I can help you with!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> I'm seeing the word app so I hope I'm not making too big an assumption that you own some sort of device with a display screen? Most libraries also loan out magazines! On device apps eg iphones or ipad is even better. The magazines are downloaded so you can view them online.
> 
> eg. I've currently got Better homes and gardens, Home beautiful, and a score of others on my ipad!
> 
> The app that you need is called zinio. But you need to go via your local library so see if they provide this service.
> 
> Following on from this, you can also buy games in app form that are boardgame in type. Requires a lot more thinking/strategy. Ones that I love include Ticket to Ride, Domimion, Ra, Medici, but the downside is that you'd probably need to learn how to play the games first...If you are interested, this is something I can help you with!



I have an iPhone.  Been eyeing the iPads and was thinking of getting one....until I lost my iPhone about 2 months ago.  As I didn't have tracking turned on, I had to go buy a brand spanking new replacement.  There goes the iPad for this year!  Oh well....


I remember that you love board games..I haven't checked out any of those games you've listed..yet.


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> I have an iPhone.  Been eyeing the iPads and was thinking of getting one....until I lost my iPhone about 2 months ago.  As I didn't have tracking turned on, I had to go buy a brand spanking new replacement.  There goes the iPad for this year!  Oh well....
> 
> 
> I remember that you love board games..I haven't checked out any of those games you've listed..yet.



Bummer about the lost iphone. Did you wait long enough to get the iphone 5? I just reread what I typed. I don't think *I* understood myself! 
I meant to write re: the magazines...that you can read the magazines OFFline. Kinda defeats the purpose of having them for the plane if you have to read it online...


----------



## PrincessInOz

I contemplated waiting for the iPhone 5.  But then I figured that the deal on the 4S was too delicious to ignore.  And I was missing my life....amazing what NOT having contacts, calendar, reminders, etc. does to my daily organisation and schedule.  I don't think I ever felt so lost in my life!


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> I contemplated waiting for the iPhone 5.  But then I figured that the deal on the 4S was too delicious to ignore.  And I was missing my life....amazing what NOT having contacts, calendar, reminders, etc. does to my daily organisation and schedule.  I don't think I ever felt so lost in my life!



Hmm...sadly I think I too would be lost without my phone as Ive made a big effort to organise and co-ordinate our whole schedule (family, work, hubbys) on the iphone. Nothing wrong with the 4S!

Anyway, I appear to be rambling with no clear direction today. The point I was trying to make with the whole magazine borrowing thing is that there are camera magazines that would be good to read!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Hmm...sadly I think I too would be lost without my phone as Ive made a big effort to organise and co-ordinate our whole schedule (family, work, hubbys) on the iphone. Nothing wrong with the 4S!
> 
> Anyway, I appear to be rambling with no clear direction today. The point I was trying to make with the whole magazine borrowing thing is that there are camera magazines that would be good to read!



Which one?


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> Which one?



Phone or camera magazine?

I have an iphone 4S
I'll read any camera magazines that are free because they are ridiculously expensive to buy here in Australia!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Phone or camera magazine?
> 
> I have an iphone 4S
> I'll read any camera magazines that are free because they are ridiculously expensive to buy here in Australia!



Camera magazine....that is free!


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> Camera magazine....that is free!



City of Ryde library lets me read Camera and ProPhoto for free.


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> City of Ryde library lets me read Camera and ProPhoto for free.



I'm going to have to check my local library.


----------



## shushh

My knowledge of VIC is very poor....but this particular library has it.
http://www.greaterdandenong.com/documents.asp?ID=2781&Title=Library+eResources+#PARA15

The platform they use is exactly the same as the one that our local library uses. I guess its just a matter of finding a library that offers the service. Good luck!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Thanks.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

PrincessInOz said:


> I think I'm up to date with Marian Keyes.  But Janet Evanovich is a really good suggestion.  I think I finished Fearless Fourteen and there might be another four or five of the series after this one.  Thanks!



I've read all of Janet Evanovich's books up to 18 (19 is due out in November), so I definitely recommend you pick that series up again.  I have also read Lisa Lutz's books, including the 5th installment, which I loved.  Marian Keyes just released a new book about 1 or 2 months ago "The Mystery of Mercy Close" which I enjoyed.  Another author you might enjoy is Jennifer Crusie, she has a similar comedy tone to Janet Evanovich and Lisa Lutz.

You could download a kindle app for your iphone as well.  I did that on my DD12's ipod touch and it works quite well.

I tried Game of Thrones, but couldn't get into to it, but did enjoy the HBO TV series (despite all the gore!  ).

Anyway, enjoy your trip!


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> I've read all of Janet Evanovich's books up to 18 (19 is due out in November), so I definitely recommend you pick that series up again.  I have also read Lisa Lutz's books, including the 5th installment, which I loved.  Marian Keyes just released a new book about 1 or 2 months ago "The Mystery of Mercy Close" which I enjoyed.  Another author you might enjoy is Jennifer Crusie, she has a similar comedy tone to Janet Evanovich and Lisa Lutz.
> 
> You could download a kindle app for your iphone as well.  I did that on my DD12's ipod touch and it works quite well.
> 
> I tried Game of Thrones, but couldn't get into to it, but did enjoy the HBO TV series (despite all the gore!  ).
> 
> Anyway, enjoy your trip!



Seems like we read similar stuff.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Well....I don't want to jinx this but I think I have my in-flight entertainment sorted out....

..and it's all thanks to tiggrbaby for putting this out in the ethernet!



tiggrbaby said:


> *Can you borrow a kindle fire from someone*?  I download books for free from my local library and have downloaded a few free game apps.  You can purchase movies, but I haven't tried that as I only get the free stuff (including the fire which was a bank promo).  The battery life is pretty good if you turn off the wifi.




Today, I went to have coffee with some 3D friends.  Between their schedule and mine, I haven't seen them for about 4 weeks.  We had lots to catch up on and they found out about this trip today.

One of them has quite a number of books, including all the Janet Evanovich books and I asked to borrow a couple from her.

She's gone one better....she's going to loan me her Kindle to take on the plane; including all the 500 or so titles that she has.  All the Janet Evanovichs, all the Marian Keyes, Lisa Lutz and then some! 

I hope she remembers to bring it on Thursday!    


Thanks tiggrbaby....someone heard you!


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:
			
		

> Well....I don't want to jinx this but I think I have my in-flight entertainment sorted out....
> 
> ..and it's all thanks to tiggrbaby for putting this out in the ethernet!
> 
> Today, I went to have coffee with some 3D friends.  Between their schedule and mine, I haven't seen them for about 4 weeks.  We had lots to catch up on and they found out about this trip today.
> 
> One of them has quite a number of books, including all the Janet Evanovich books and I asked to borrow a couple from her.
> 
> She's gone one better....she's going to loan me her Kindle to take on the plane; including all the 500 or so titles that she has.  All the Janet Evanovichs, all the Marian Keyes, Lisa Lutz and then some!
> 
> I hope she remembers to bring it on Thursday!
> 
> Thanks tiggrbaby....someone heard you!



Woohoo! What an awesome 3D buddy!


----------



## tiggrbaby

PrincessInOz said:


> Well....I don't want to jinx this but I think I have my in-flight entertainment sorted out....
> 
> ..and it's all thanks to tiggrbaby for putting this out in the ethernet!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Today, I went to have coffee with some 3D friends.  Between their schedule and mine, I haven't seen them for about 4 weeks.  We had lots to catch up on and they found out about this trip today.
> 
> One of them has quite a number of books, including all the Janet Evanovich books and I asked to borrow a couple from her.
> 
> She's gone one better....she's going to loan me her Kindle to take on the plane; including all the 500 or so titles that she has.  All the Janet Evanovichs, all the Marian Keyes, Lisa Lutz and then some!
> 
> I hope she remembers to bring it on Thursday!
> 
> 
> Thanks tiggrbaby....someone heard you!



Whoa!  Can I say that I want to win the lottery and have someone listen?

Seriously, I'm glad that this is working out so well for you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Woohoo! What an awesome 3D buddy!



Yes, she is.




tiggrbaby said:


> Whoa!  Can I say that I want to win the lottery and have someone listen?
> 
> Seriously, I'm glad that this is working out so well for you!



I'm glad it's working out too.  And if you win the lottery, please remember me.


----------



## franandaj

That's great about the Kindle. Fran.has been reading Janet Evanovich for years, but on our last weekend jaunt we got one of her books on CD. Pretty funny!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That's great about the Kindle. Fran.has been reading Janet Evanovich for years, but on our last weekend jaunt we got one of her books on CD. Pretty funny!



My friend has "talking books" as well.  She promised to download some for me as well.  

You mentioned that Fran has been reading the Stephanie Plums and I can't remember if I asked if you were as well.  I think we did have this conversation and that you hadn't?  If so....was the weekend jaunt the first time you'd read/heard any of the series?

I have to admit that I was really disappointed with the movie.  The character portrayals just seemed lacking in comparison with the way JE describes them in the book.


----------



## franandaj

That was the first of her books that I've listened to. We didn't see the movie.

So it's one week until your plane leaves so I thought I'd give you a weather report. It's nice right now, mid 70s, but it's supposed to warm up for the next couple days and then cool down again, back to the 70s. Unless some big front comes in, we should have nice weather.

On another note, I just saw the podiatrist and got a cortisone shot in my foot because the pain is starting to come back. I've decided to use the scooter since I did something to my knee last week. I can walk through the queues for the rides. I just can't be on my feet all day.


----------



## dhorner233

The forecast is out for Friday, Nov. 2nd: High of 81, low of 59. Sunny with zero percent chance of rain.  Sounds perfect to me!!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That was the first of her books that I've listened to. We didn't see the movie.
> 
> So it's one week until your plane leaves so I thought I'd give you a weather report. It's nice right now, mid 70s, but it's supposed to warm up for the next couple days and then cool down again, back to the 70s. Unless some big front comes in, we should have nice weather.
> 
> On another note, I just saw the podiatrist and got a cortisone shot in my foot because the pain is starting to come back. *I've decided to use the scooter *since I did something to my knee last week. I can walk through the queues for the rides. I just can't be on my feet all day.



  Sounds like a great decision.





dhorner233 said:


> The forecast is out for Friday, Nov. 2nd: High of 81, low of 59. Sunny with zero percent chance of rain.  Sounds perfect to me!!!!



Woo Hooo!

Sounds like great weather to me.





Keep the weather updates coming all.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Seven Days of one; One Week of the Other!

_

In exactly one week from now, I expect to be boarding a plane from Sydney on the way to Los Angeles.

That's One Week.....Seven Days.......





......or Six Sleeps!






     


_









ps.  My 3D friend remembered!  Got the Kindle today.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Careful , you may get hooked on the kindle as I recall you liked the feel of the paper.....


----------



## zanzibar138

**like**



But seriously,  for the one week countdown!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> As for Nothern Cal, one place I particularly enjoy is visiting the *Ridge Winery in Cupertino*.  I like to go there for the wine tasting, but also the spectacular view of the South Bay.  I don't have any pictures to post, but it's also a nice drive up the mountain...
> 
> Your plans sound great and you'll have a nice week unwinding from all the stress of work and your daily routine!



Alison - I checked out the winery (link here for those interested).  It looks interesting but I'm not sure I want to book myself in for a tour on this trip.  I really didn't want to lock myself in on a schedule as I might just feel like chill-axing on this trip.  Maybe next trip or if I'm driving past, I might just pop in to see if there is a spare spot at the 11 am or 2 pm tours.  Thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Careful , *you may get hooked on the kindle *as I recall you liked the feel of the paper.....



That's what I'm afraid of.  




zanzibar138 said:


> **like**
> 
> 
> 
> But seriously,  for the one week countdown!


----------



## dhorner233

franandaj said:


> On another note, I just saw the podiatrist and got a cortisone shot in my foot because the pain is starting to come back. I've decided to use the scooter since I did something to my knee last week. I can walk through the queues for the rides. I just can't be on my feet all day.



I will have a scooter too! We can race!! 

I can walk too but, not for 5 miles a day, day after day. This is a vacation, not a death march!


----------



## Uncle Remus

Okay PIO, I'm up to page 18, you didn't tell me this was a two-fer-one Trip Report *starting in 2010*!  

First of all, thanks so much (I knew you wouldn't let me down) for all the fabulous photos especially the food porn.  I don't know if you're aware of this, but I bought Jen some fancy lens for her (what used to be mine) camera just for the purpose of food porn that she blogs now... all thanks to my continuous remarks of how PIO's food pics were just so delicious in the old What's For Dinner thread.  

Thanks for telling such great stories of these trips you're taking with your family and meeting these other DISers, I've completely forgotten about the laundry in the washer and whatever else I was supposed to accomplish today.  I'm saving the second half for tomorrow.  

And thanks for linking me to this TR, the one coming up, I'm really excited.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Alison - I checked out the winery (link here for those interested).  It looks interesting but I'm not sure I want to book myself in for a tour on this trip.  I really didn't want to lock myself in on a schedule as I might just feel like chill-axing on this trip.  Maybe next trip or if I'm driving past, I might just pop in to see if there is a spare spot at the 11 am or 2 pm tours.  Thanks for the recommendation.



TOURS!!!!!!!!  This is new!  I've never been on a tour!  We have always just brought up a picnic lunch, did the wine tasting and picked out a bottle from the tasting and went to find a picnic table and drank the bottle(s)  with our picnic.  I didn't know they have added tours, I'll have to check that out for when Fran feels better again.

I reccomended it to you more for the view and potential tasting option.  The views are spectacular, but I didn't realize there was a tour and destination.



dhorner233 said:


> I will have a scooter too! We can race!!
> 
> I can walk too but, not for 5 miles a day, day after day. This is a vacation, not a death march!



Fran always lets ME win!  I can walk, but not over a mile.  About four to five years ago I marched in my last Pride Parade and was crippled for three weeks afterwards.  I just started seeing a podiatrist and he will be fitting me for orthodics next week, but I have tendonitis in the muscles on my fifth metatarcel from a prior break in 1999.  It got really bad starting around 2006 and I have been using Fran's "hand-me-down" scooters ever since to get around the parks.   Mainly because I would tire before Fran since she was riding and I was walking, but once I couldn't do a mile we started bringing a scooter for me if it was more than just a trip for dinner.

Yesterday the podaitrist told me to take the scooter because I had a cortisone shot to the foot in anticipation of PIO's trip.  I figure I'll walk the queues and leave the scooter to get from place to place.  Do you have your own, or do you have to use one of those clunky huge Disney scooters?


----------



## TPR

Wonderful report!  Great read!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> I will have a scooter too! We can race!!
> 
> I can walk too but, not for 5 miles a day, day after day. *This is a vacation, not a death march*!






Although...... I have been accused of being a commando.




Uncle Remus said:


> Okay PIO, I'm up to page 18, you didn't tell me this was a two-fer-one Trip Report *starting in 2010*!
> 
> First of all, thanks so much (I knew you wouldn't let me down) for all the fabulous photos especially the food porn.  I don't know if you're aware of this, but I bought Jen some fancy lens for her (what used to be mine) camera just for the purpose of food porn that she blogs now... all thanks to my continuous remarks of how PIO's food pics were just so delicious in the old What's For Dinner thread.
> 
> Thanks for telling such great stories of these trips you're taking with your family and meeting these other DISers, I've completely forgotten about the laundry in the washer and whatever else I was supposed to accomplish today.  I'm saving the second half for tomorrow.
> 
> And thanks for linking me to this TR, the one coming up, I'm really excited.



Are you reading from the start??? 

If it is food porn you're after, you should (also) check out the Hong Kong TR.  I photographed EVERY meal.

And what lens did you get Jen? 
And it's nice to see that you get what you deserve......great food, cooked by Jen (photographed first, of course!)  




franandaj said:


> TOURS!!!!!!!!  This is new!  I've never been on a tour!  We have always just brought up a picnic lunch, did the wine tasting and picked out a bottle from the tasting and went to find a picnic table and drank the bottle(s)  with our picnic.  I didn't know they have added tours, I'll have to check that out for when Fran feels better again.
> 
> I reccomended it to you more for the view and potential tasting option.  The views are spectacular, but I didn't realize there was a tour and destination.



I am planning on heading out along the 17; so who knows?  I may stop in on impulse to see if they are opened.  But I think I want to stop at Henry Cowell SP more.




TPR said:


> Wonderful report!  Great read!



Thanks for reading.  Really appreciate the comments.


----------



## Uncle Remus

PrincessInOz said:


> Are you reading from the start???
> 
> If it is food porn you're after, you should (also) check out the Hong Kong TR.  I photographed EVERY meal.
> 
> And what lens did you get Jen?
> And it's nice to see that you get what you deserve......great food, cooked by Jen (photographed first, of course!)



Of course, I knew it would be chock full of fabulous pictures!  

I'm only on page 25 so far this morning, but I'm craving creamy poached eggs, digging my toes into a beach, dim sum and just squeezing that cutey  son of yours.  

Oh yeah, I got what I deserved, it's called about 10 pounds since she started her food blog.    I got her the lens in the Amazon link that she sent me, a 50mm f/1.8D, you probably know what that is, I just know that she absolutely loves that lens.  

I'm anxious for her to get home this evening, I'm taking her on a tour of your thread this weekend!


----------



## arthur06

Enjoying your TR. 

We will be there close to the same dates, we Fly our one week from tomorrow.

Thanks for taking the time on this TR


----------



## PrincessInOz

Uncle Remus said:


> Of course, I knew it would be chock full of fabulous pictures!
> 
> I'm only on page 25 so far this morning, but I'm craving creamy poached eggs, digging my toes into a beach, dim sum and just squeezing that cutey  son of yours.
> 
> Oh yeah, *I got what I deserved, it's called about 10 pounds *since she started her food blog.    I got her the lens in the Amazon link that she sent me, a 50mm f/1.8D, you probably know what that is, I just know that she absolutely loves that lens.
> 
> I'm anxious for her to get home this evening, I'm taking her on a tour of your thread this weekend!



That tells me that she's cooking fantastic food!  Way to go Jen.  

And congrats on the new lens.  That's a great lens for food porn.






arthur06 said:


> Enjoying your TR.
> 
> We will be there close to the same dates, we Fly our one week from tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time on this TR



Hey!  It's a DisDad.

Thanks for the comments and I'm glad you're enjoing the TR.  Have a great holiday; but if you're flying in one week from tomorrow (I assume that's your tomorrow because that would be my today....), then we'll probably just miss each other.  Are you heading to DLR only or are you seeing a bit of Cali as well?


----------



## franandaj

arthur06 said:


> Enjoying your TR.
> 
> We will be there close to the same dates, we Fly our one week from tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time on this TR



But more importantly will you be doing a TR?  I enjoyed your last one!


----------



## arthur06

PrincessInOz said:


> That tells me that she's cooking fantastic food!  Way to go Jen.
> 
> And congrats on the new lens.  That's a great lens for food porn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey!  It's a DisDad.
> 
> Thanks for the comments and I'm glad you're enjoing the TR.  Have a great holiday; but if you're flying in one week from tomorrow (I assume that's your tomorrow because that would be my today....), then we'll probably just miss each other.  Are you heading to DLR only or are you seeing a bit of Cali as well?



We will be doing some non-Disney activities as well. We have some ideas and dates set aside, but we really want to enjoy Carsland and Relax.



franandaj said:


> But more importantly will you be doing a TR?  I enjoyed your last one!



Awww, thanks for the kind words. I have a PTR going on right now, and will really be getting it loaded with pictures in just a few short days. I will probably put a smaller TR over on the DVC forum as well.


----------



## PrincessInOz

arthur06 said:


> We will be doing some non-Disney activities as well. We have some ideas and dates set aside, but we really want to enjoy Carsland and Relax.
> 
> 
> 
> Awww, thanks for the kind words. I have a PTR going on right now, and will really be getting it loaded with pictures in just a few short days. I will probably put a smaller TR over on the DVC forum as well.



I've kinda been lurking on your PTR.  That's a lot of travel you're doing to get from Marceline to SoCal.


----------



## arthur06

PrincessInOz said:


> I've kinda been lurking on your PTR.  That's a lot of travel you're doing to get from Marceline to SoCal.



Hardly what your doing for your trip. 

14 hour flight, I don't know if DW would be that dedicated to go to WDW or DLR if that is what we had to do to get there.


----------



## PrincessInOz

arthur06 said:


> Hardly what your doing for your trip.
> 
> *14 hour flight*, I don't know if DW would be that dedicated *to go to *WDW or *DLR* if that is what we had to do to get there.



Don't remind me.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Three Days and Two Work Days to get through!

_

My countdown is down to THREE days.  Sadly, I have to make it through the next two days at W-O-R-K as well!


But still.....3 days!!!


  

_


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> Three Days and Two Work Days to get through!
> 
> _
> 
> My countdown is down to THREE days.  Sadly, I have to make it through the next two days at W-O-R-K as well!
> 
> 
> But still.....3 days!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _







     ​


----------



## ACDSNY

3 - 2- 1 Blast off!!! 

See you real soon!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> ​



Thanks!  And for the record...I didn't get round to packing tonight.  Tomorrow...maybe.  





ACDSNY said:


> 3 - 2- 1 Blast off!!!
> 
> See you real soon!



Yes....See you real soon!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_
And now for the Weather Report......



Anyone?




Anyone?



I'd appreciate an update for SoCal and NorCal.  It might help me decide what clothes to take.  

_


----------



## franandaj

OK So Cal weather forecast is for highs in 71 and 72 on Th and Fri.


----------



## franandaj

You definitely want something for a jacket or something.  A mistake that I made on a previous trip since I thought nothing could ever get cold!   

Tonoight when I left my massage, it was chilly!


----------



## usnuzuloose

It will be in the 60's to the 70's


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Have a truly wonderful time PIO.


----------



## Uncle Remus

PIO, I hope you're almost packed, if not, you're a lot more organized than me, I start making li'l piles of things that need to be packed weeks before I even bring the suitcases in.  

Have a good flight, PIO, take us a few pics of the airline food.


----------



## rentayenta

Have a great trip and safe travels! Can't wait to read all about it.


----------



## shushh

PIO, have a safe trip and as always, I'm looking forward to your TR!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> OK So Cal weather forecast is for highs in 71 and 72 on Th and Fri.





franandaj said:


> You definitely want something for a jacket or something.  A mistake that I made on a previous trip since I thought nothing could ever get cold!
> 
> Tonoight when I left my massage, it was chilly!





usnuzuloose said:


> It will be in the 60's to the 70's



Thanks for the weather reports.  I've packed accordingly.  





Uncle Remus said:


> PIO, I hope you're almost packed, if not, you're a lot more organized than me, I start making li'l piles of things that need to be packed weeks before I even bring the suitcases in.
> 
> Have a good flight, PIO, take us a few pics of the airline food.



I packed last night and only had to deal with carry-on packing tonight.  

You want airline food?  Really?  I won't promise but I'll think about it.





Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Have a truly wonderful time PIO.





rentayenta said:


> Have a great trip and safe travels! Can't wait to read all about it.





shushh said:


> PIO, have a safe trip and as always, I'm looking forward to your TR!



Thank you.  With all these wishes, I'm sure to have a great and safe trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Nearly time to go and what's in my bag?


_

It's my final night and I finished my packing today.

There's been a bit of chatter on one of the Aussie threads around packing; and given that I detailed my suitcase contents there, I thought I might as well post it here as well.  Afterall, this is meant to be my PTR.

Yes, I remembered that I wouldn't bother too much about my suitcase but rather the contents....and all that about what you might or might not be here to read.  

But still....there seemed to be some value in listing out an example of suitcase packing.

Here's what's in my bag:


2 pairs of pants (one jeans, one chino)
3 tops
1 black singlet (for layering purposes.  I don't know if I'll use it but I thought I'd take one anyway)
1 good outfit to wear for a night out (we've booked in to see a jazz artist)
1 pair of PJs
1 exercise t-shirt and shorts (there is a good gym on the hotel we stay at and I do take the opportunity to work out for an hour or so)
2 sweaters, one short sleeve, one long sleeve for layering
Trench coat (again, for layering and I'll take the trench on board with me)
9 days worth of undies and socks.
Crocs (and I seriously thought of not bringing this but it is good to use around the hotel for when I want to walk about)

I wear a very good/dressy track suit on the plane.  I can use this for lounging around in the hotel if I want.  I'm wearing my sketchers.  I want to buy shoes on this trip...no point bringing extra.

I suspect that I've overpacked but there is *just* enough clothes there for me to last the 8 days without having to wash.

I stood on the scales with my packed bag.  I'm up to about 8 kilos, including the bag.  Lots of room to come home with stuff.  




_


----------



## franandaj

Over packed? That sounds like what I would take for a weekend jaunt!  Plus I'm not sure of what half that stuff is! Talk about language barrier!  Are you planning on doing laundry at my house?  Whatever, I can't wait to see you which will now be tomorrow! 

Have a good flight!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Over packed? That sounds like what I would take for a weekend jaunt!  *Plus I'm not sure of what half that stuff is! Talk about language barrier*!  Are you planning on doing laundry at my house?  Whatever, I can't wait to see you which will now be tomorrow!
> 
> Have a good flight!




Really?  Hmmm....looks like I'm learning American from you tomorrow!  

And no.  I think I might do laundry in San francisco.


----------



## zanzibar138

franandaj said:


> Over packed? That sounds like what I would take for a weekend jaunt!  Plus I'm not sure of what half that stuff is! Talk about language barrier!  Are you planning on doing laundry at my house?  Whatever, I can't wait to see you which will now be tomorrow!
> 
> Have a good flight!



And I thought the list was quite Americanised with your 'sweaters' and 'chinos' 


You sound a bit like me - I think that sounds like plenty enough clothes! I can't understand why people think they need to pack their whole wardrobes for a week away  And the only shoes I ever take are hiking boots (wear them on the plane to save on space in the case), ballet flats (in case we go somewhere nice) and thongs (or flip-flops for the sake of the Americans here ).


----------



## focusondisney

Hi Twinnie!!  I hope you're having a safe & hassle free flight.  Have fun with the West Coast Dissers & at DL!   Enjoy the time alone with your DH, too!


----------



## usnuzuloose

How was the reading? Did you enjoy that kindle? Hope the flight was smooth.


----------



## tiggrbaby

I missed the send-off.  Hope you had a safe flight!  Have a magical time!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> And I thought the list was quite Americanised with your 'sweaters' and 'chinos'
> 
> 
> You sound a bit like me - I think that sounds like plenty enough clothes! I can't understand why people think they need to pack their whole wardrobes for a week away  And the only shoes I ever take are hiking boots (wear them on the plane to save on space in the case), ballet flats (in case we go somewhere nice) and thongs (or flip-flops for the sake of the Americans here ).





My bag checked in a little over 11 kg on the way over.  I had a few Tim Tams in the bag...and non clothing extras.





focusondisney said:


> Hi Twinnie!!  I hope you're having a safe & hassle free flight.  Have fun with the West Coast Dissers & at DL!   Enjoy the time alone with your DH, too!



Hi Twinnie!  Thanks.  I'm in NorCal now and caught up with DH today.  





usnuzuloose said:


> How was the reading? Did you enjoy that kindle? Hope the flight was smooth.



You'll have to wait for the Trip Report.  





tiggrbaby said:


> I missed the send-off.  Hope you had a safe flight!  Have a magical time!




Thanks!  Hope to catch up with you when I return.


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Glad you got there safely, hope you are having a wonderful time PIO.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> 2 pairs of pants (one jeans, one chino)
> 1 black singlet (for layering purposes.  I don't know if I'll use it but I thought I'd take one anyway)



With all the catching up we did I totally forgot to ask you what the heck "chinos" are and what is a singlet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Glad you got there safely, hope you are having a wonderful time PIO.



  Yes, thanks.  Having a great time.  But I've only got 2 more days and then I head home.  




franandaj said:


> With all the catching up we did I totally forgot to ask you what the heck "chinos" are and what is a singlet!



Okay.  As I've been wandering around the US shops this week, I can translate this.

Chinos = Khaki pants
Singlet = Camisole


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> Okay. As I've been wandering around the US shops this week, I can translate this.
> 
> Chinos = Khaki pants
> Singlet = Camisole


 

Wow, that's what I was thinking they would be.  Do I get a prize?


----------



## franandaj

ACDSNY said:


> Wow, that's what I was thinking they would be.  Do I get a prize?



My guesses were that chinos were capris and the singlet was a tank top, so I was way off!


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Wow, that's what I was thinking they would be.  Do I get a prize?



The boo-by prize


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> The boo-by prize


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> My guesses were that chinos were capris and the singlet was a tank top, so I was way off!


----------



## Uncle Remus

Hope you're having a wonderful time, PIO, can't wait til you can continue this TR, but hate that it means your vacation will be over.


----------



## dhorner233

Well, I'm home with my memories now.  It was so nice meeting you and Alison!!! 






I hope the rest of your trip is going well. Can't wait to see your pictures!


----------



## franandaj

dhorner233 said:


> Well, I'm home with my memories now.  It was so nice meeting you and Alison!!!
> 
> 
> I hope the rest of your trip is going well. Can't wait to see your pictures!



It was nice meeting you too Denise! I can't believe that was already a week ago!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a lovely picture!  Looks like you were having a great time.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Uncle Remus said:


> Hope you're having a wonderful time, PIO, can't wait til you can continue this TR, but hate that it means your vacation will be over.



I'm home and downloading pictures right now.  I think I've come home with 2000 pictures.  




dhorner233 said:


> Well, I'm home with my memories now.  It was so nice meeting you and Alison!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hope the rest of your trip is going well. Can't wait to see your pictures!



It was lovely to meet you too Denise.  I'm home with my memories too.  





tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely picture!  Looks like you were having a great time.



  A great 10 days that just flew by!


----------



## dhorner233

Glad you made it home safely! I'm looking forward to your pictures. You have a nice camera!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Glad you made it home safely! I'm looking forward to your pictures. You have a nice camera!



If I had a quarter for everytime someone said that to me......

Thanks.  How are you going?  Did your pictures come out nice?  Are you doing a TR?


----------



## PrincessInOz

TR Nov 2012: Another Mad Dash  And so it Begins


_
Another Mad Dash trip to California has come and gone in the blink of 9 days.   The time has definitely come to start this trip report.

The cliff notes:

This trip will encompass one day at DLR.  As per any good Disney storyline, there were unexpected twists and turns along the way..there were two surprises during the day  one good, one not so good but with a happy ending. 

The majority of my time was spent in NorCal.  The bad news is that Ive only come home with about 2000 pictures in the 9 days away.  Im definitely slipping on the photography front!   The good news is that I seem to have a goodly amount of food porn.

Not one, not two but THREE very successfully and enjoyable DisMeets were completed during this trip.  You know who you are and if any of you have any issues with me posting pictures of you in this TR, now is the time to send me a PM.  Otherwise, my possession of a picture of Dis-ser is always seen as a must-post on the Boards.


I am trying to get my pictures unpacked as soon as possible.  It may be that my chatty fingers may outstrip the photo unloading.  I will do my best to keep the pictures ahead so that this TR gets churned out at a satisfactory pace.


So, for those of you that has followed the PTR, buckle up and get yourself settled in.  For those that are lurking, what I dont know wont hurt mebut I sure hope that youll de-lurk and join in the ride.  Now is the time to sub in, if you haven't done so already.  



_


----------



## franandaj

You're a tease!


----------



## ACDSNY

franandaj said:


> You're a tease!


 
I know I pulled up a seat and was expecting to start in on the pics only to find there wasn't any yet.


----------



## zanzibar138

Yay a TR! Can't wait!


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> If I had a quarter for everytime someone said that to me......
> 
> Thanks.  How are you going?  Did your pictures come out nice?  Are you doing a TR?



I am sorting out thousands of pictures that Jason and I took. I make photo albums of our trips on line. I make them on line then they mail me the book and it looks like a book you would buy only it's all pictures we took. 

But, I've never done a trip report.

I'm looking forward to yours though!


----------



## franandaj

ACDSNY said:


> I know I pulled up a seat and was expecting to start in on the pics only to find there wasn't any yet.



I just hope she doesn't post any pics of my house in retaliation!


----------



## hjd0411

Wow - another TR so soon!!  I really should pull my finger out and get one started!  Alas it would not be as entertaining as yours, but I can try!!!  I will keep this one bookmarked for later reading!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> You're a tease!



 You know....I think that's about the NICEST thing you've ever said about me.  




ACDSNY said:


> I know I pulled up a seat and was expecting to start in on the pics only to find there wasn't any yet.



I'm still working on the pics!    I might just have finished Disneyland.  





zanzibar138 said:


> Yay a TR! Can't wait!



Thanks.  Me neither.  




dhorner233 said:


> I am sorting out thousands of pictures that Jason and I took. I make photo albums of our trips on line. I make them on line then they mail me the book and it looks like a book you would buy only it's all pictures we took.
> 
> But, I've never done a trip report.
> 
> I'm looking forward to yours though!



Dang.  I wanted to see your pictures.  




franandaj said:


> I just hope she doesn't post any pics of my house in retaliation!



Now there's a thought.  Wait and see.  





hjd0411 said:


> Wow - another TR so soon!!  I really should pull my finger out and get one started!  Alas it would not be as entertaining as yours, but I can try!!!  I will keep this one bookmarked for later reading!



Heather...thanks for the compliments.  I only hope that this one lives up to the entertainment factor.

If you start your TR, let me know what the link is.  I'll definitely pull up a seat.


----------



## nzer

Looking forward to your trip report.  Have loved reading your other one.  Can't wait to see your photos...not long until we're there!!!!


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Well I'm ready for another PIO report ....  I'm counting the minutes until it appears!


----------



## rentayenta

I'm ready and buckled up!


----------



## Velvetia

Subscribing - looking forward to your trip report!


----------



## PrincessInOz

nzer said:


> Looking forward to your trip report.  Have loved reading your other one.  Can't wait to see your photos...not long until we're there!!!!



Thanks!  Glad to see you here.  




AussieDisneyNut said:


> Well I'm ready for another PIO report ....  I'm counting the minutes until it appears!



I think the first real post is down to seconds now.




rentayenta said:


> I'm ready and buckled up!








Velvetia said:


> Subscribing - looking forward to your trip report!



Thanks for subbing in!


----------



## PrincessInOz

And So It Starts


_The promise of a holiday
That feeling of freedom
The deliciousness of being unencumbered by the routine of everyday life
Where even an ordinary activity transforms to magical delight
When the known is the unknown
And we remember the inner glow of youth
The joy of being and doing and learning and growing
The promise of a holiday
That feeling of freedom
And So It Starts_


----------



## PrincessInOz

Flying by the Numbers



_*23 lbs at the weigh-in*

I posted about what was going to be in my bag and was curious to know what it would weigh in at.  When I got to the counter and put it on the scales, it came in at 11’ish kilos or 23 pounds.  Aside from my clothes, there were also some 1 or 6 packs of Tim Tams and gifts for family and friends in the bag.   

I figured I was doing  well at weigh in.  



*$10 per hour*

I was flying The Friendly Skies on this trip.   








After some internal debate, I decided to upgrade my economy seat from Melbourne to LAX to an economy plus seat.  The cost of the one-way upgrade?  $138.  For that, I got an extra 2 inches of legroom, which didn’t look like much to me.








For the 14 hour flight, this works out to close on $10 per hour rental for the extra couple of inches.  I had debated over the economics of this decision as it had looked like there were two empty seats next to me in the economy section.  Turns out it was a good decision.


The extra legroom didn’t fuss me one way or the other.  But I did end up with an empty seat between me and this very nice American girl heading back to Washington DC.  So there was plenty of space to stretch out.

The good decision part?  I went to check on ‘my’ economy seat.  It was empty…..but the seats around it were all full.  And even worse – there were two crying kids behind the row I should have been sitting in, and they seemed to be crying for the entire trip over.


If nothing else, I am glad for the peace and quiet and for that alone, it was worth the $10 per hour space rental.




*ZERO in-seat entertainment*

As I was flying The Friendly Skies on this trip, there would be no in-seat entertainment to be had.   Sure; there was the old-fashioned movie screen at the front bulkhead wall but with heads between me and the screen, visibility was not good.  In addition, every time I got up to take a walkabout, there was no pause button and I would come back to a movie that I could not rewind and catch up.  Coupled with the fact that people would be getting up and blocking the screen, entertainment on this interminable flight was hard to come by.

A big fat ZERO is what I would score United on….this lack of in-seat entertainment borders on inhumane cruelty!




*$28,150*

I counted 25 i-pads, 5 e-book readers, 10 laptops and 3 DS game consoles in the cattle pen sections during my walkabouts.  Assuming that an i-pad costs an average of $650, e-book readers $200, laptops at $1000 and DS at $300, the total entertainment alternative devices inflight comes to $28,150.

I can fund 2 or 3 trips with this amount of $$$$ !  

C’mon United.  You really need to install iSE on the Kangaroo route!




*700 calories*

Did you know that walking burns off calories at a rate of about 80 to 100 calories per mile for an average person?

With not much entertainment to be had, I resorted to taking a turn around the plane a fair bit.  I worked out that if I took small geisha steps, it would take me 150 of these to complete the circuit.  I figure I walked about 15,000 steps on the flight over.   That equates to about 5 – 7.5 miles.

I figure I burnt between 600 – 750 calories on that flight.



*Counting *sniff* *sniff* to go to sleep*

I didn’t get any sleep at all on the flight.  The man across the aisle from me *sniffed* the night away.

One sniff, two sniff
Fried green eggs


Yup.  The most annoying soft decibel noise I heard all night at 20 second intervals was *sniff* *sniff*.  I did try counting them to go to sleep.  

No. Such. Luck.  
*sniff* *sniff*_





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)



The Plane Porn Facts


_*Using the finger*

A very dear 3D friend of mine loaned me her Kindle complete with over 400 books loaded.  The majority of the books turned out to be of the Shade of Grey kind.  But there were about 5 or so titles that I was interested to read.  

Aside from the porn type of books, the arrangement worked out very well for me in that I now know that I do NOT want nor need a Kindle anytime soon.  

Turns out I was using my finger a fair bit and I would be (f)licking the screen every 20 – 30 seconds.    


My first digit (finger) is a still a little sore and sorry for itself.  




*The Laughing Place*

If you followed the PTR, you’ll know that Uncle Remus requested that I take some pictures of the food served in-flight.


Really?



Really!





As I’ve said before, there is food porn and then there is just porn.  So……just for you, Uncle Remus, here’s my on board Laughing Place!


Lunch was served at Melbourne dinner time.  I chose the chicken and rice option.  The sauce was pretty tasteless and the rice at the bottom of the tray was caked solid.  The alternative was a tortellini.  I figure the pasta would have been stuck to the bottom of the tray as well.


The salad dressing was reasonable and the chocolate cake was edible.  Of everything I was served, I remember finishing the chocolate cake.








The food carts came out again at midnight Melbourne time.  The choice was a beef roll or a vegetarian roll.  I had originally chosen the vegetarian roll and then realised it was a processed cheese and lettuce roll; so I settled for the beef instead.  The bread turned out to be another caked solid option.

The Pecan cookie was the best thing served so far.  









Breakfast choices were fruit and yoghurt or cooked eggs.  Surprisingly, the eggs were soft and fluffy.  But it needed a heap of salt!  The NOT croissant was too bread-y and sweet.  A taste of things to come.










Are you laughing at the porn yet?  Believe me....I. Was. NOT!




I had to eat it.  






By this stage, I was ready to get off this plane!_


----------



## rentayenta

I love UncleR requesting plane food porn. 

I agree, when it comes to entertainment United is terrible. I don't like United for many reasons and that's just one of them. Unfortunately when DH travels to Africa it's on United as their prices come in significantly under the other airlines.

Sniff, no sleep?  Glad you got that extra legroom and a different seat. $10 an hour is a bargain to not have to sit by crying kids. 

I'm glad you posted this update. It's 3:30 am here and I'm up with the after effects of food poisoning. I almost hurled again at the plane food.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> I love UncleR requesting plane food porn.
> 
> I agree, when it comes to entertainment United is terrible. I don't like United for many reasons and that's just one of them. Unfortunately when DH travels to Africa it's on United as their prices come in significantly under the other airlines.
> 
> Sniff, no sleep?  Glad you got that extra legroom and a different seat. $10 an hour is a bargain to not have to sit by crying kids.
> 
> I'm glad you posted this update. It's 3:30 am here and I'm up with the after effects of food poisoning. I almost hurled again at the plane food.



I'm sorry you're up hurling.  Hope you feel better soon.

BTW - I got pictures in San Fran that might interest you (the Marriott in FW from the outside and I just so happened to drive past O Co on my way to Oakland.  Happy to post them if you're interested to see them....only where?  Your TR or another thread on the CB?


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> I'm sorry you're up hurling.  Hope you feel better soon.
> 
> BTW - I got pictures in San Fran that might interest you (the Marriott in FW from the outside and I just so happened to drive past O Co on my way to Oakland.  Happy to post them if you're interested to see them....only where?  Your TR or another thread on the CB?




 Thank you. At this moment I'm okay, I think my stomach is literally empty and I'm craving a Popsicle in the worst way. We always have Popsicles and all we have are fudge bars.  As soon as Michael wakes up, I'm going to make, er ask  him go to the store.

Please post them, I'd love to see them. My thread would be great, thank you! 

I can't believe your luggage only weighed 23 lb.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Thank you. At this moment I'm okay, I think my stomach is literally empty and I'm craving a Popsicle in the worst way. We always have Popsicles and all we have are fudge bars.  As soon as Michael wakes up, I'm going to make, er ask  him go to the store.
> 
> Please post them, I'd love to see them. My thread would be great, thank you!
> 
> I can't believe your luggage only weighed 23 lb.



Done!


----------



## Uncle Remus

PrincessInOz said:


> Breakfast choices were fruit and yoghurt or cooked eggs.  Surprisingly, the eggs were soft and fluffy.  But it needed a heap of salt!  The NOT croissant was too bread-y and sweet.  A taste of things to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are you laughing at the porn yet?  Believe me....I. Was. NOT!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to eat it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By this stage, I was ready to get off this plane!



Oh, lordy, lordy, lordy, PIO, those eggs don't even resemble eggs!  

Ya know, one of the nice things about a TR is ya get to relive the trip while sharing it with others, well, I'm so sorry although I do think the *sniff sniff* is worse than the food aspect of your flight.  

There should be a rule that when PIO is in flight she should be provided fresh lychees!    







rentayenta said:


> I love UncleR requesting plane food porn.







> I'm glad you posted this update. It's 3:30 am here and I'm up with the after effects of food poisoning. I almost hurled again at the plane food.



I hope you're feeling better.


----------



## ACDSNY

I can't even go for a weekend with a bag weighing 23# I don't know how you did it.  The plane food looks nasty.


----------



## KCmike

Glad you made it back safely.  Great start Princess!


----------



## hjd0411

Great start!!    Although the airline food does not look or sound tasty at all!!  What a shame there is no IFE - that makes for a very very long 14 hours!!!
Looking forward to more!


----------



## franandaj

I didn't help you with your bags,  but knowing now that it only weighed 23 lbs, I would have probably hurled the thing picking it up off the ground had I tried!  We carry a scale with us on trips (ever since the New Zealand trip when our bags weighed in at lover 60 lbs a bag, luckily we had and extra backpack to thin them out and this was before extra baggage charges). My bags usually are 48.2, 49, 48.6 and 47.9 or something like that.  If it's a road trip, I don't even worry, but they are HEAVY!

You know we fly mostly American and I know they don't provide meals in coach any more, but the meals we get on our American flights have actually been pretty good on our last few trips. Although it's been a while.     But the fresh baked cookies that they serve in the last hour are sure tasty!  I'm surprised that the United food sucks so bad.  

Oh yeah, the "beef roll".  We call that a sandwich.  












































Thanks for the update!


----------



## zanzibar138

Note to self... avoid United at all costs! Well, unless maybe it's a free flight or something 

But seriously, I'm not sure I could handle a flight to the US with NO IFE


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> I love UncleR requesting plane food porn.
> 
> I agree, when it comes to entertainment United is terrible. I don't like United for many reasons and that's just one of them. Unfortunately when DH travels to Africa it's on United as their prices come in significantly under the other airlines.
> 
> Sniff, no sleep?  Glad you got that extra legroom and a different seat. $10 an hour is a bargain to not have to sit by crying kids.
> 
> I'm glad you posted this update. It's 3:30 am here and I'm up with the after effects of food poisoning. I almost hurled again at the plane food.



My experience in United was pretty low this time.  They sent me emails for on-line check-in but after I did that, I got a message saying that I needed to present myself at the check-in booth at the airport.  Wouldn't even let me print out a boarding pass.  I get it.  It's an international flight and I have luggage to check in and security to check.  But why ask for on-line check in when it is obviously not??

Oh well....





Uncle Remus said:


> Oh, lordy, lordy, lordy, PIO, those eggs don't even resemble eggs!
> 
> Ya know, one of the nice things about a TR is ya get to relive the trip while sharing it with others, well, I'm so sorry although I do think the *sniff sniff* is worse than the food aspect of your flight.



I totally agree.  At least the eggs were edible.  

The *sniff* *sniff*??  
No.  Thanks.!






Uncle Remus said:


> There should be a rule that when PIO is in flight she should be *provided fresh lychees*!



A-men. to. that!  




ACDSNY said:


> I can't even go for a weekend with a bag weighing 23# I don't know how you did it.  The plane food looks nasty.



I've flown United before.  This is the first time that the food was really nasty.  I'm not sure why; it was reasonable the other couple of times.  





KCmike said:


> Glad you made it back safely.  Great start Princess!



Thanks Mike!  Glad you're here!





hjd0411 said:


> Great start!!    Although the airline food does not look or sound tasty at all!!  What a shame there is no IFE - that makes for a very very long 14 hours!!!
> Looking forward to more!



I did get on a little prepared for the no inseat entertainment, and had the e-book reader and puzzle books.  However, I won't be choosing United if I'm ever flying with DS.  That is not just intolerable cruelty; but insanity as well!  Can you imagine it?

14 hours of..."Are we there yet" and "I'm bored"????  





franandaj said:


> I didn't help you with your bags,  but knowing now that it only weighed 23 lbs, I would have probably hurled the thing picking it up off the ground had I tried!  We carry a scale with us on trips (ever since the New Zealand trip when our bags weighed in at lover 60 lbs a bag, luckily we had and extra backpack to thin them out and this was before extra baggage charges). My bags usually are 48.2, 49, 48.6 and 47.9 or something like that.  If it's a road trip, I don't even worry, but they are HEAVY!
> 
> You know we fly mostly American and I know they don't provide meals in coach any more, but the meals we get on our American flights have actually been pretty good on our last few trips. Although it's been a while.     But the fresh baked cookies that they serve in the last hour are sure tasty!  I'm surprised that the United food sucks so bad.
> 
> Oh yeah, the *"beef roll".  We call that a sandwich*.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the update!



A rose by any other...

(unless asking for water...in which case, remember to pronounce it as war-der.  )






zanzibar138 said:


> Note to self... avoid United at all costs! Well, unless maybe it's a free flight or something
> 
> But seriously, I'm not sure I could handle a flight to the US with NO IFE



Sadly, I suspect that if there were to be another such opportunity of travelling with DH like this in the future, I will probably be on United again.


----------



## TigerKat

I made it! Now I need to catch up...


----------



## mvf-m11c

That was a good idea to upgrade to an economy plus seat during your trip from Melbourne to LAX. I would go crazy if I were in your seat during the flight and hear those babies cry during the trip. 

I don't like airline food since they are not really good. I always try to bring as much snacks as I can in my bags and eat enough at the airport before we leave so I wouldn't have to eat that stuff. 

That is crazy that there is no IFE during your flight. Mostly I don't pay attention to those since I have my iPad, iPhone, DS, etc. with me during the flight. I always bring a battery charger just in case if my devices are low on batteries.


----------



## Caroline NZ

Oh gosh, that Airline food looks positively hideous.
I am impressed at the amount of walking you did on the flight. I normally manage a couple of trips to the loo, and that is it. I will try and make more of an effort next time


----------



## PrincessInOz

TigerKat said:


> I made it! Now I need to catch up...



  You made it!  On this thread, just head straight to the November 12 TR section.  Won't take you long to catch up as I only just started.  





mvf-m11c said:


> That was a good idea to upgrade to an economy plus seat during your trip from Melbourne to LAX. I would go crazy if I were in your seat during the flight and hear those babies cry during the trip.
> 
> I don't like airline food since they are not really good. I always try to bring as much snacks as I can in my bags and eat enough at the airport before we leave so I wouldn't have to eat that stuff.
> 
> That is crazy that there is no IFE during your flight. Mostly I don't pay attention to those since I have my iPad, iPhone, DS, etc. with me during the flight. I always bring a battery charger just in case if my devices are low on batteries.



Bret - I normally pack food for domestic flights when in the US or at least get something to take on-board in the terminal.  But this was an international flight I was on and food is usually edible.  This was about the worst I've been served.  

But I did have a muesli bar and some Starbursts with me.  And there was plenty of water being served; plus help-yourself to additional cookies and pretzels in the Aft section.






Caroline NZ said:


> Oh gosh, that Airline food looks positively hideous.
> I am impressed at the amount of walking you did on the flight. I normally manage a couple of trips to the loo, and that is it. I will try and make more of an effort next time



Hi Caroline!  Nice to see you here.

As I don't sleep on the plane, I tend to get up and walk a lot.  I also like to keep active to reduce the risk of DVT.


----------



## PrincessInOz

DIS Connections



_
I feel like I might need to explain the title for my next little vignette as it might get lost in translation at a later stage.


Every so often, that most elusive member of Dis comes flittering out of the closet to bring little bundles of joy to a Dis-ser.  Yes, I AM talking about the Tag Fairy.  Those of you that are regular hit-and-runners of the Dis Community Board will know that every so often, a thread will appear dedicated to that TF.  Youll also know that there are some members of the Dis that are natural TF magnets.  Last year, the TF decided to embark on the Scrollie and Bacon War (hereafter known as TagGate) with one of those magnets.  

This year, the same magnet decided to start a pure snark with no dedications thread to the TF.  As a result of a couple of days work for the TF, there are a number of us sporting Boo Boo tags (sadly, it IS in homage of Honey Boo Boo) as a strategically placed post heading in the left-ward direction of Alberquerque was made and the TF decided to run with it.  Alas, we remain in Boo BooLand until the TF decides otherwise.  

And with another leftward turn of direction as a result of another one of those strategically inopportune posts, some of us are also sporting Moo Moo avatars and milk run references as well.  


This years entertainment will remain known as Boo Boo and Moo Moo.  




*Moo Moos and Boo Boos*

Mass travel of any kind always brings the reminders and comparisons of cattle trucking to my mind.  Afterall, we dont call it cattle class for nothing.  And despite the indignities of cramped quarters on board, in some regards that is more humane treatment than the treatment we seem to get in any customs hall of any country.

Still.I always find something to amuse me whenever I am being processed.

This trip was no exception.  


Todays amusement came courtesy of a cattle.er.crowd controller in the customs hall.  This one lady was herding us into one of 3 rows:

V for Visitors
US Citizen Kane
Agent Orange (For those needing fast processing to make a connecting flight, you are given an orange speeding ticket)


Being on a plane from Australia, it stands to reason that the busiest line was always going to be the V-line.  And given the time of day we arrived, there was always going to be another group of arriving passengers from another plane ahead of us.  So it turned out to be on this morning.  As the V-line was really full and overflowing, another crowd controller decided to move some of us into the US Citizen Kane line.  The first crowd controller came along 5 minutes later and practically had a meltdown!  She pretty much screamed at us and I suspect that there were a few people in danger of deportation for that 30 second period.   A stand-up fight nearly ensued as the passengers closest to her spray were arguing back only to find the crowd controller yelling at them to calm down.  

Fortunately the second crowd controller came back to cool everyone down.

I dont think either crowd controllers were happy that day; and I guess someone made a mistake.  The question remains.which crowd controller made the boo boo with the moo moos in the hall that morning?



(And in the unlikely event that the TF is doing a drive-by reading, I think some of us would like to lose the boo boo tags!!)





*DisMeet #1*

I always bless the day that franandaj decided to post a response on a thread I created about where to go eat in Long Beach.  From those rather humble beginnings and through the Dis, a pretty lasting friendship has developed.  

Alison and I have already completed our first DisMeet last year and as with every DisMeet Ive done, our conversation just picks up from where we left off on the Dis when we finally meet in 3D.  

This DisMeet with Alison was really about the continuation of our 2D-friends-in-a-box conversations on the Dis.  But this was more than a DisMeet.  

When I had originally floated the idea of possibly heading to NorCal with DH with my friends-in-a-box, Alison tempted me with the offer to head to SoCal to check out CarsLand as a stopover.  The offer included a place to stay and her coming to pick up/drop off at LAX.   

Alright.  I. MIGHT. Have. Pushed. That. Boundary. To. 2. Nights.  



Lets just pause and unpick this a little, shall we?

Despite the fact that were all aware of stranger danger and the fact that anything is possible over the internet, the measure of this friendship is as such.

Alison invited a comparative 3D stranger from a foreign country to go stay with her for 2 nights.
I accepted an invitation from a comparative 3D stranger to stay at her place in a foreign country for 2 nights.
All of this was going to occur a day after Halloween.

It only took us about 15 minutes for the details to be ironed out on the Dis and before anyone could say Freddy the 13th!



Moving right along.



I had texted Alison when we were taxi-ing on the tarmac that my plane had landed.  That pretty much was her cue to start the taxi up and head on down to LAX.  I dont know how long she waited; but it took me about an hour to get through the hall, be processed by The Face of A Nation and grab my bag.
I know she had to wait a little for me but when I headed out of the terminal and got cell phone reception again, we had arranged a spot for her to drive by and pick me up.


So it was.  Our DisMeet happened over the front seat of her SUV.  I didnt see any chainsaws in the back when I was throwing my bags in.  



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Where even an ordinary activity transforms to magical delight 



_
*Small things amuse small minds*

Ive always been amused by the quirk of an International Dateline that results in Aussies arriving in the West Coast roughly about 3 hours earlier on the same day than they started out in Oz.

The small side effect of this quirk is that if you havent had any sleep on the plane, you might end up having to go without sleep for about 36 - 40 hours so as to beat the jetlag thing.  

It does amount to a long GroundHog Day!



*My Home for the next 2 night*

Alison took me home and this was to be my room for the next two days.  








My bathroom facilities were spotless!








On arrival and with a small-to-none amount of sleep, the only small thought my small mind could think of was to lie down to go to sleep.  So, I ran out of there as quickly as I could so as not to fall asleep standing.  

For the record.  It would prove to be a very comfortable bed and I slept great for both nights.



*WOW in 20 minutes*

For the Aussies reading this, my philosophy to the telecommunication question is a pretty simple one. 

Take my unlocked Australian smart phone with me, walk into an AT&T shop and purchase the $2 per day Go Phone unlimited talk and text prepaid option.  

First order of the day was for Alison to take me to the nearest store.  

The AT&T shop provided me with a (micro) SIM card for free and allowed me to select my number from their available pick list. 

About the only thing I did before the (micro) SIM card changeover is to send a text message to my nearest and dearest in Oz with my American number.

For this 10 day trip, my telco costs came to $20.  

I could have bought a data plan on top of the Go Phone plan but as I am on holiday, I really want to disconnect as much as possible.

I was WOW (walking out working) within 20 minutes.




*Riding Shotgun*

I always like riding shotgun with a local; particularly when on holiday.  

Afterall, I have nothing better to do than to take in the holiday air and am completely freed from the tedious activity of keeping to a schedule or having to deliver some sort of output.

Alison had a bunch of chores to attend to that day and as the whole reason for my visit was to spend time with her, it made no difference to me what we did as long as we got to catch up and chat.  

So, whilst it may have been ordinary everyday activity to Alison, I was in magical delights to help her run her errands, pack up books, feed the cats and make sure Fran was fine.  It gave me lots of time to enjoy the little insight to the daily life of my 3D friend.


Andit kept me awake.



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

The deliciousness of being unencumbered by the routine of everyday life - Time for Proper Food Porn

_

*Is there a Tandoor in the Kitchen?*

In planning for these couple of days, Alison and I had thought we would be eating foods of the exotic kind.  We had thought to be eating Shabu Shabu as Alison had told me of a place opening up in Long Beach.  Sadly, it was not to be..despite the Opening Soon in October signs clearly plastered all over the front of the construction zone, the Shabu Shabu place was definitely not in any state to be serving delicate morsels of thinly shaved protein for cooking in a delicious broth.


Where to eat for lunch?


I guess Alison was going to take the opportunity to eat a cuisine that we both loved and in keeping with the exotic notion.








We sat at a table with a view similar to this.  The only difference was that we were about 3 meters further in and there was a glass window in the way.  
It was a lovely place to lunch and do the girly gossip and chit-chat.








The view 180 degrees the other way looked like this.








Did I forget to mention that this was an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet?  


At $9.95 per person, this place was a bargain in my book.  There were appetizers, 3 types of chicken dishes (tandoori, butter and a curry), loads of vegetarian options, rice salads and Indian condiments in the buffet.  My plate looked like this.








Alison and her plate looked pretty good too.








Our server brought out the naan for us to enjoy.  








I asked him if they had a tandoor in the kitchen and it turns out that tandoori cuisine is something this place is known for.  If the naan and the tandoori chicken that I tasted was anything to go by, I would certainly agree with this claim.


It was certainly a delicious way to be unencumbered by the routine of everyday life!



*Say Cheese!*

After riding shotgun with Alison and by the time 5 pm rolled round, any brain activity that was still ticking over was becoming increasingly smaller.  I suspect that Alison took pity on mewe headed out for an early dinner.


We headed out to a local jointKafe Neo.  It was billed as an American Kitchen with Greek Soul.  The menu certainly lived up to the billing; with all things Greek on offer.








Time for me to come clean.  I have to own up now to the fact that every year for the last 10 years, October has been a month of abstinence for me.  During this month, I go on a mini-detox and avoid eating processed food, wheat, milk products, sugar and caffeine.  I find that I just need the break from these food groups prior to the silly season in order to make it through the rest of the year.

This trip had ticked over into November and all bets were back on the table for me!  


So despite the wonderful promise of calamari, gyros and spanakopita, all I saw on the menu was saganaki.  The menu indicated that the saganaki cheese was kefalograviera.  I was CRAVING cheese.  And so, when the food arrived, I completely forgot and started to eat it straight away.  You might notice that the cheese looks a little messed up in this picture.  Sorry.








I couldnt fault the cooking and presentation.  I did find the cheese a little on the salty side; but that might have been my taste buds needing to readjust back to a normal diet.


Alison ordered the gyros.  It looked delicious.








We also had some spanakopita to share.








I liked the spanakopita.  It was delicious.  


By this stage, I was ready to sleep and when we got back home, thats exactly what I did.  It had been a long groundhog day for me!


_


----------



## alicia1506

loving your TR - subbing in


----------



## franandaj

Wow! You made our day sound so exciting! (although going out to eat twice was pretty cool). I'm glad you were able to disguise the mess in the guest room!


----------



## dhorner233

Wow Princess!  You write so well and your pictures are so thorough! Even Alison's bathroom!  

I was drooling all over my keyboard at your Indian and Greek food! Those are my 2 favorite cuisines!!! 

Well, I'm on the edge of my seat! I can't wait to see your Disneyland photos!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice update and glad that you had a great time with Alison. The food looks very appetizing. 


Can't wait to see your pictures from the DLR.


----------



## aussietravellers

I am definitely tuned in for another PIO TR! Filled with humor, wit, fun, lots food porn!

I am a plane walker too.  I am always walking the aisles, whilst everyone sleeps usually as I never seem to be able to sleep.

I was looking for those extra 2 inches of leg room you paid your $10 an hour for.  

All that food porn is making me very hungry, so I will have to go and get some breakfast.  

Looking forward to seeing some more of those 2000 photos and hearing about the rest of the trip.


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a busy first day!  Alison, I thought the guest suite looked very nice!


----------



## rentayenta

Love the update!  I so enjoy seeing pictures of my hometown...I'm from Long Beach. 

Both meals look delicious. I bet you slept like a full baby that night. Sounds like you girls had a nice, mellow day. 

I like your 2 D and 3 D friend descriptions.


----------



## ACDSNY

Love the update!  Only your sense of humor could find a reference to the Boo Boos & Moo Moos as soon as you arrive in the US.

Both lunch and dinner looked yummy too.


----------



## snapppyd

I have a lot of catching up to do, but it looks like a great report!


----------



## PrincessInOz

alicia1506 said:


> loving your TR - subbing in



  Hi Alicia!  Thanks for subbing in.





franandaj said:


> Wow! You made our day sound so exciting! (although going out to eat twice was pretty cool). I'm glad you were able to disguise the mess in the guest room!



Well....you were doing your normal thing; and I was riding shotgun.  It's definitely more exciting with a shotgun.  

The guest room was great.  Thanks so much.  





dhorner233 said:


> Wow Princess!  You write so well and *your pictures are so thorough*! Even Alison's bathroom!
> 
> I was drooling all over my keyboard at your Indian and Greek food! Those are my 2 favorite cuisines!!!
> 
> Well, I'm on the edge of my seat! I can't wait to see your Disneyland photos!



Hmmm.....  I seem to recall your camera in another bathroom.  


Hope the edge of your seat is comfortable.  I'm trying to get to DLR as quickly as I can but sadly 3D life is getting in my way.  




mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice update and glad that you had a great time with Alison. The food looks very appetizing.
> 
> 
> Can't wait to see your pictures from the DLR.



Thanks Bret.  Yes, I had a great time with Alison.  Hope you're having fun in your current location!  





aussietravellers said:


> I am definitely tuned in for another PIO TR! Filled with humor, wit, fun, lots food porn!
> 
> I am a plane walker too.  I am always walking the aisles, whilst everyone sleeps usually as I never seem to be able to sleep.
> 
> I was looking for those extra 2 inches of leg room you paid your $10 an hour for.
> 
> All that food porn is making me very hungry, so I will have to go and get some breakfast.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing some more of those 2000 photos and hearing about the rest of the trip.





I think we'll probably get to see about 500 - 700 of those photos.  I'm still unpacking them.  





tiggrbaby said:


> What a busy first day!  Alison, I thought the guest suite looked very nice!



The guest suite is very nice.  

(And as this was the first day.....it was pretty laid back!  )





rentayenta said:


> Love the update!  I so enjoy seeing pictures of my hometown...I'm from Long Beach.
> 
> Both meals look delicious. I bet you slept like a full baby that night. Sounds like you girls had a nice, mellow day.
> 
> I like your 2 D and 3 D friend descriptions.



Are you from LB originally?  I should have taken a few more pictures, then.  I love the art deco period so I had a great time looking at the architecture.





ACDSNY said:


> Love the update!  Only your sense of humor could find *a reference to the Boo Boos & Moo Moos *as soon as you arrive in the US.
> 
> Both lunch and dinner looked yummy too.



I thought it would have been harder to find that reference.  But there is was....





snapppyd said:


> I have a lot of catching up to do, but it looks like a great report!



You made it over!  

Great time to get here.  I'm hoping to have the start of the DL day up sometime this weekend.  We'll have to see how much of 3D life I can clear out.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> What a busy first day!  Alison, I thought the guest suite looked very nice!



That's because she strategically avoided taking pictures of all the clutter!  Thanks PIO!


----------



## shushh

I'm suppposed to be organising childcare for next year and picking bathroom sinks...but this is far more interesting!

Even if the plane food was awful at least you took great photos of it! So for economy plus, other than the extra 2 inches of leg room, do you get anything else? eg a bigger recline?

How wonderfully generous of Alison to invite you into her home and share her everyday with you. It is always nice to meet your 2D friends in 3D.  It sounded like you had a fab day and the greek food looked awesome!


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> Are you from LB originally?  I should have taken a few more pictures, then.  I love the art deco period so I had a great time looking at the architecture.




 I am. Born and raised for a few years anyway. We moved to Cypress (OC) which is about 15 minutes from Disneyland.  Stayed until I was about 20 then moved to Huntington Harbour and then back to Long Beach, graduated college, and remained until we moved to Utah in 1994. 

The LBC is a great city. There are some rough parts like South Long Beach where my grandma lived but wasn't rough back then. 

Glad you enjoyed it.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> I am. Born and raised for a few years anyway. We moved to Cypress (OC) which is about 15 minutes from Disneyland.  Stayed until I was about 20 then moved to Huntington Harbour and then back to Long Beach, graduated college, and remained until we moved to Utah in 1994.
> 
> The LBC is a great city. There are some rough parts like South Long Beach where my grandma lived but wasn't rough back then.
> 
> Glad you enjoyed it.



That's funny! I moved here in 1999 and around then they had a revitalize downtown renovation. Now the Downtown area is much improved and North Long Beach is like that.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That's because she strategically avoided taking pictures of all the clutter!  Thanks PIO!









shushh said:


> I'm suppposed to be organising childcare for next year and picking bathroom sinks...but this is far more interesting!
> 
> Even if the plane food was awful at least you took great photos of it! So for economy plus, other than the extra 2 inches of leg room, do you get anything else? eg a bigger recline?
> 
> How wonderfully generous of Alison to invite you into her home and share her everyday with you. It is always nice to meet your 2D friends in 3D.  It sounded like you had a fab day and the greek food looked awesome!



Shushh...if there was a bigger recline, I certainly didn't notice it.  

Bathroom sinks sounds interesting as well.  Are you getting closer towards completion?





rentayenta said:


> I am. Born and raised for a few years anyway. We moved to Cypress (OC) which is about 15 minutes from Disneyland.  Stayed until I was about 20 then moved to Huntington Harbour and then back to Long Beach, graduated college, and remained until we moved to Utah in 1994.
> 
> The LBC is a great city. There are some rough parts like South Long Beach where my grandma lived but wasn't rough back then.
> 
> Glad you enjoyed it.



Second time for me in LB.  We were there in 2010 as I wanted to go to Catalina.  We had two nights; enough time for a quick look around the city, and then a full day in Catalina the next.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Life in the Slow Lane
_


Before heading to bed last night, Alison and I agreed to get up at the crack of dawn so as to hit the parks early.  So I set the alarm on my smart phone to wake up at the agreed time before crashing shortly after 8 pm.  


Yeah.  It. Wont. Work. If. The. Phone. Is. On. Silent. Mode.  


Alison  I trust this explains why I didnt hear your text message either and why you had to come and wake me up?


As a relatively unfit and painfree mobile individual, my experience of scooters are of the kind that my DS likes to use.  

For the record, I have no issue with anyone needing a scooter to get around.  Its just that I have relatively little experience with them..until this day.  
Scooters or Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECV) are not yet commonplace in Australia and my experience with them had thus far been limited to scooter dodging in the US.  


Afterall, no one wants to be scooter road kill, right?


Alison does have an ECV.  During our planning, we had agreed that she was bringing her ECV with us to Disneyland as she does experience pain with her feet with prolonged walking.   I had wondered how the day was going to turn out and I was just about to find out for sure.








Fran did offer me the use of her scooter for the day.  Evidently, she thought I would not be able to keep up with someone on the scooter.  I looked at Alison to see if I should accept, decline or otherwise (because there is ALWAYS an other option on the DIS) but she had her Lady Ga-Ga Poker Face on.


Remind me NEVER to play poker with Alison.


I graciously declinedwhich turned out to be the right decision to make.


Life..welllife was in the slow lane today.  I had wondered if having to travel around the parks with a scooter was going to be slow.  Turns out that the person in the slow lane was me!

I know Alison was on go-slow mode on the scooter for most of the day.  Her cruising speed matched my baseline walking speed, which was good for me.  She did get up to a faster pace once in DTD and that matched my power walking pace..or more accurately my power walking pace only JUST matched what I suspect was 1st gear for Alison.  I asked her at the end of the day if I had held her up.  Thankfully, the answer was no.  The go-slow mode is about as fast as Alison normally does in the park because of all the people around.

Touring round the park with a scooter was relatively easy for me and I hope it worked out the same for Alison.  But from my perspective, it was filled with some frustration because of other people in the slow lane.

Being with a scooter made me aware of how patient the driver needs to be.  They are not at eye contact level of a standing bi-ped; and being rather silent vehicles; no one hears or sees them other than when contact of the physical kind is made.


And when physical contact is made, it is ALWAYS the drivers fault, right?!?!


People - - If you dont want to be scooter road kill, dont make any sudden moves.  If you suddenly stop or change directions without looking out for traffic, do not be surprised if you are hit.  Scooters do not have brakes and in order for them to stop, the driver has to release the trigger lever and wait for inertia to bring it to a stop.  Despite driving at the slow lane speed, it does take a while for the vehicle to come to a full stop.



_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Making Rope Drop  Hooray for Hollywood
_



We made it to the resort in good time and after we parked the car, we decided to take a detour in via the Grand California.








We headed past the DTD shops.















and after I got through bag check and my park hopper ticket sorted out, I got my first view of the park entrances. 


The changes were immediately obvious to me.  The impact of that CarsLand pulling power was blatantly clear.









Judging by the queues that morning, it would seem that CarsLand has changed the guests behaviour as to which park to hit first up.   









As I looked at the Compass Rose directional points, there was never any doubt as to which park I was heading into first.    








The Mickey with the Fireworks was definitely left behind today.  It was the Mickey Sun Rays that was on the ascendency.








Yes, Disneyland was definitely left in the dust today.


I had been eager to see the new Disney California Adventure entrance for myself.  Having seen so many pictures of it from the other TRs, I missed the C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A letters, colourful tiles and the Golden Gate bridge that had so marked this parks entrance in the past.  


Up close and personal?  


The new entrance felt more like the authentic version of the Disney Hollywood Studios park entrance in Orlando.  It felt grown-up and definitely in keeping with the Hollywood feel and that Hooray for Hollywood feel kept flowing right through to Buena Vista Street after I crossed the turnstiles.     








Yes.  No doubt about it.  The new entrance was more serious, more mature, more in keeping with the flow into the park.  But I DEFINITELY miss the colour of the old.

I really did try to take in my surroundings in the new DCA entrance this morning.








but the best I did was take in the details of the Carthay Circle colonnade walkway as we waited for rope drop.















We were on a mission.  The mission was to stay to the left side and get in line!


_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Life Imitating Art
_



At rope drop, the crowd started moving forward. 








The queue we were in would take us in here.








It wasn't quite into CarsLand yet; and it would take us about 30 minutes to get our objective.








As I was with a local, I was happy to take the backseat and head in whichever direction Alison wished to take me.  Alison took me round the Pacific Wharf way for the first full visual effect of the canyon.








And what a visual it was!








In past holidays, I’ve spent a bit of time around God’s Country….Zion, Bryce, Escalante, Kodachrome, Glen Canyon, Arches, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelley, Sedona and even driven along Route 66.  I’ve always loved the red rock landscapes of the Utah/Four Corners area.
I found that if I kept my eyes opened, I was immediately transported THERE!


There Where?  

Right before my opened eyes, I was literally in the PIXAR visual of this red rock storyboard.  
I had stepped out of real life and straight into the cartoon board of Ornament Valley.  Anyone who has watched that scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where Eddie Valiant and Roger Rabbit enter the tunnel and ends up in ToonTown will know what I mean.  









Life. Imitating. Art.



_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

CarsLand by Day
_



With Life imitating Art so realistically, I spotted an error that the Disney Imagineers made.  This billboard has gotta change!








Everyone KNOWS the town is Radiator Springs; NOT Carsland!


I had thought Id be spending more time in the kitschy shops..








but I was trailing Speedy Gonzales so I had to hoof it to catch up.








Im not really sure why I took this picture.seemed like a good idea at the time.  Besides, it does allow me to make this completely random and relatively unrelated statement so in keeping with the tone of this TR.  








But(te) I LOVED the details all around me.  They were just delightful.








Ill finish off this vignette by saying that there were just people everywhere today.  Any hope that I had had of a quiet day at Disneyland went out of that Car(sland) window very quickly.









I was still trailing Speedy Gonzales at this stage; so I headed up to see what she had in mind for this morning.



_


----------



## dhorner233

Gorgeous, crystal clear pictures! I had camera envy when I saw yours 

I love having an EVC! I spent 8 days in the park and it would not have been as much fun without it!


----------



## Uncle Remus

PrincessInOz said:


>



And this is why I really love your pics, PIO, you see these fabulous details!  


Well, that and you tell a great story, it's just like bein' there with you 'n Allison!


----------



## ACDSNY

You TRs are always so fun to read and the pics are wonderful.  I feel like I'm right back in Cars Land.


----------



## Caroline NZ

Loving your trip report, you write brilliantly. I can't wait for the next instalment


----------



## rentayenta

I. Must. Get. To. Carsland aka Radiator Springs.  The detail looks amazing and the red rock really does resemble Souther Utah. I've spent a lot of time down there too. In fact we'll be in St George, Utah the weekend after Thanksgiving as Gabby has a soccer tournament. I love the deep red rock.


----------



## franandaj

Yay! I get to relive the day all over again! I didn't see you take half of those pictures. Funny how you keep catching my backside!


----------



## rentayenta

Speedy Gonzalez!!  Next time wear your running shoes.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Gorgeous, crystal clear pictures! I had camera envy when I saw yours
> 
> I love having an EVC! I spent 8 days in the park and it would not have been as much fun without it!



Thanks Denise. 





Uncle Remus said:


> And this is why I really love your pics, PIO, you see these fabulous details!
> 
> 
> Well, that and you tell a great story, it's just like bein' there with you 'n Allison!









ACDSNY said:


> You TRs are always so fun to read and the pics are wonderful.  I feel like I'm right back in Cars Land.



I'm glad that you find my TRs fun.  I always like to think that I try to write them that way and there is nothing like feedback to confirm it for me.  Thank you.  





Caroline NZ said:


> Loving your trip report, you write brilliantly. I can't wait for the next instalment



Thanks Caroline.  I'm working on it.  Might be a couple of days, though.




rentayenta said:


> I. Must. Get. To. Carsland aka Radiator Springs.  The detail looks amazing and the red rock really does resemble Souther Utah. I've spent a lot of time down there too. In fact we'll be in St George, Utah the weekend after Thanksgiving as Gabby has a soccer tournament. I love the deep red rock.



Have a great weekend.  I'm envious.  I really do love that southern part of Utah.




franandaj said:


> Yay! I get to relive the day all over again! I didn't see you take half of those pictures. Funny how you keep catching my backside!



Well.......you were always a little bit ahead of me and we were in But(te)-Ville.  




rentayenta said:


> Speedy Gonzalez!!  Next time wear your running shoes.



Next time, I'll have to come as Road Runner (Beep-Beep!).


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

PIO, I am so enjoying reading along with your TR.  The pictures of Carsland are just stunning.  It looks so well themed, very impressive.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> PIO, I am so enjoying reading along with your TR.  The pictures of Carsland are just stunning.  It looks so well themed, very impressive.



Thanks Shuttergirl.


----------



## PrincessInOz

In Manual Overdrive
_


Alison had a couple of rides in mind..or more accurately; she had one ride in mind, a couple of times.  








I guess she figured that with the crowds, we were better off concentrating on the headline ride in CarsLand.  Made sense to me.  Afterall, I did provide her with my top 5 must-dos for the day and this one was top of the charts.  








So we got in the line and we headed in to test drive the racers for my very first time.
















I drive a manual/stick shift car at home; but for safety reasons, I drive an automatic when in the US.  It always is a mental adjustment moving from manual to automatic  more than left to right  so hitting the rental car for an automatic iswellautomatic.  



Actuallyits more about the fact that no hire car company in the US will rent me a manual.



Getting to manual mode adjustment on the Radiator Spring Racers (RSR) at Carsland took a bit more than a mental switcheroo!



Id seen plenty of pictures and videos of the RSR.  The one pertinent fact that Id glossed over is that this ride goes from indoor  to outdoor to indoor to outdoor to indoor in the space of about 4 minutes 22 seconds. 



How the heck do you manually adjust the camera settings that quickly????



All I can say is that there was a lot of manual shiftiness going on my camera in that brief 4 minutes 22 seconds!


_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Radiator Spring Racers - Must Do #1
_


Okay, here we go. 








"Focus." 
















(Sadly, I seemed to have missed FOCUS with Mack.) 









"Speed.  I am speed." 
(That first digit finger of mine is sure getting a work-out with the gadgets on this trip!)

































"One winner, forty-two losers."  
(Yall know that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything, dont cha?)
























"I eat losers for breakfast. Breakfast? Maybe I should have had breakfast? Brekkie could be good for me."  
(BTW - Alison and I picked up a coffee and bagel from one of those drive-through places.  We ate in the car on the way to the parks, which is why there isnt any food porn from the morning.)






















"No, no, no, focus." 
(Why?  Because we're heading back outside again!)

















"Speed." 

















"Faster than fast, quicker than quick." 


















"I am Lightning."























BTW  This is now officially my FAVOURITE ride in any of the Disney Parks Ive visited.  Absolutely fantastic ride!  And I have to wait a whole year before being able to play Speedy Gonzales again!

Definitely a Must Do #1!!!

_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Oh, those pics are amazing!  The ride looks like a lot of fun!


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

I'm seriously drooling over the theming, it's stunning.

Your pictures are excellent, you are doing a wonderful job.

What camera are you using?  Did you enjoy the photography side of the trip?


----------



## zanzibar138

Loving your photos of Radiator Springs and RSR


----------



## KCmike

Nice update.  Put those pictures together and you would have a video of that ride.  I agree it is very well done.  I went in thinking I  might be disappointed because I watched it on youtube before we went and I have to say the it shocked me with delight!  A+ for sure.  We rode it several times and loved every minute of it.  We also enjoyed the other two rides in Carsland too.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice update PiO. Glad that you and Alison were able to ride RSR that day. The pictures are very nice.


----------



## ACDSNY

RSR is my favorite too!  I love all your pics, I can't believe you were able to capture everything so clear and focused.


----------



## dhorner233

WOW! Great shots, Princess! I could almost feel the wind in my hair!! I LOVED that ride too!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Oh, those pics are amazing!  The ride looks like a lot of fun!



That ride is a LOT of fun!  





Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> I'm seriously drooling over the theming, it's stunning.
> 
> Your pictures are excellent, you are doing a wonderful job.
> 
> What camera are you using?  Did you enjoy the photography side of the trip?



Yes, I enjoy the trip side of the photography.  




It's a great hobby to have and I'm shooting with a 7D.





zanzibar138 said:


> Loving your photos of Radiator Springs and RSR



Glad you're enjoying it.  




KCmike said:


> Nice update.  Put those pictures together and you would have a video of that ride.  I agree it is very well done.  I went in thinking I  might be disappointed because I watched it on youtube before we went and I have to say the it shocked me with delight!  A+ for sure.  We rode it several times and loved every minute of it.  We also enjoyed the other two rides in Carsland too.



My one regret about the day was that it was only one day.  I wish I had more days to enjoy it more.  And because CarsLand was so busy, I didn't really get to explore it as much as I wanted...or enjoy the other rides.

Next time...for sure.





mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice update PiO. Glad that you and Alison were able to ride RSR that day. The pictures are very nice.



Thanks Bret.  I do envy you and Alison being able to visit it as often as you do and practise shooting the ride.  




ACDSNY said:


> RSR is my favorite too!  I love all your pics, I can't believe you were able to capture everything so clear and focused.



Thanks Angela.  You're really kind to make sure nice comments.    




dhorner233 said:


> WOW! Great shots, Princess! I could almost feel the wind in my hair!! I LOVED that ride too!!!



It's a great ride and fantastic theming.


----------



## PrincessInOz

What are the Astronomical Odds? – Must Do #2
_



We’d just finished riding RSR and it was time to move on.  I think you would have seen that CarsLand was pretty packed that day and even though I would have liked to have spent more time there, I did have 4 other Must-Do’s to attend to.

Besides, it was time to get up close and personal again with my favourite park.








With the LillyBelle parked above the time tripping sign, we crossed into the land of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy!








I had hoped for a view of the Castle….








…but it seems like TVLand and my timing was not good.  


What were the odds of me hitting Disneyland on the day that they were setting up for filming the Christmas Day parade?  One out of 365!   


Still, I made the best of it.
















We kept heading towards the second item on my list.  


Must-Do #2 for me was always the Star Tours 2.0.  The last time I’d been on this ride would have been in 2010 and I was keen to experience the upgrade.  
With stand-by wait times for this ride on the shorter side and fast passes still available, we were pretty much able to get on this ride twice.  


I was underwhelmed to find that the entrance and the queue area hadn’t changed much.  C-3P0 still took that moral high ground and ignored me.








And R2-D2 was still busy working on the StarSpeeder, whatever the number.








But beyond these superficial first impressions?



You could say that Upgrade 2.0 in 3D is just Out of this World.  Literally.  
The new upgrade put this old favourite close towards rivalling the Manual OverDrive for my favourite Disney ride.   


I had deliberately not read up on this upgrade, wanting to experience it first before doing the research and afterwards Alison told me that there are four separate elements, each with different scenes, providing 54 possible permutations to this ride.  With this many permutations, it may be that most guests never get on the same ride twice.


My luck was such that I got the same scenes in the first three elements the second time we rode it.


What are the odds?


Alison was bummed for me because she had really wanted me to experience more scenes than I actually did.  Whilst I do agree that it would have been nice to have seen more scenes, what it did give me was an appreciation of the details and the visuals of the ride.  I sat there believing that I was on Tatooine, pod racing amongst the stars!



Oh….and for the maths geeks.  What are the astronomical odds?

The way I figure it, I have a 1 in 54 chance of getting that particular story scene the first time round and a 3 in 54 chance (or 1 in 18 chance) of getting the first 3 scenes exactly the same in the second round.

The odds of me striking the same scenes in the first three elements twice in a row are 1 in 972.  


_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


A Quick Hit and Run; Off-Target Shooting Practise
_



In between the 1 in 54 and the 1 in 18 Odds, we had about 15 minutes to kill.  I glanced across the road and convinced Alison to head in for a little target practise.  Afterall, the stand-by wait time said 5 minutes.


Alison, the local, took one look at the queue and knew that the wait time was wrong.  Nevertheless, she went in with me.









So local knowledge wins out!  It took twice as long for us to get there than that stated.  But this is a quick boarding ride anyway; so the timing worked out fine.  








Ive always liked this ride in that it gives me two different shooting options.  

The precision InterGalactic laser target practice as well as the point-and-shoot kind.

However, I was definitely off my game on both fronts today.



I was missing out on the maximum points target









as well as just slightly off-focus on the point-and-shoot target.









Those of you that know what I was aiming for will understand what I mean looking at the two pictures I just posted.


Everything looked kinda square.









.and round on this day.









I just missed the angles of diamonds and triangles COMPLETELY!



This was the only time on this trip that I was glad that DS stayed home.  With this score, he would have completely whooped my behind!









We might have gotten on this ride as a quick hit and run to kill time.  But it was definitely off-target shooting on both fronts for me today!




_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

A U-turn in the Plan
_



I think I mentioned that there were two surprises in my cliff notes for this TR.  This next post is the first of the two surprises and was pretty difficult for me to write.   Im pretty sure neither Alison nor I want to relive this part of the day.  But it has to be written.


When Alison and I were planning this trip, there was one thing that we wished were different but it wasnt.  It was always the one thing that made this day touch-and-go.

Fran was not well and she was unable to join us to share in the fun at Disneyland on this day.



We briefly considered that we might need to cancel this day at Disneyland if Fran needed help or even to abandon the day at the last minute.  We considered it..and then left it alone.  Afterall, there wasnt any point looking for trouble until trouble comes looking for you.


When we were in line for RSR, we tried checking in on Fran but she didnt pick up her phone.   We continued to try to reach her from that point onall the way into Disneyland.whilst we were in line for Star Tours and for Buzz LightYearand after 90 minutes of countless unanswered calls and messages, we knew we had to make a u-turn and abandon the park.  


Alison did ask if I wanted to stay at the park whilst she went home; but there was no way I could do that. 


We headed on back to Long Beach as quickly as possible.  Thankfully, Fran was okay  she had fallen asleep and had left the phone in a different room.  She was cranky and upset that we had left the parks to come back and I sure hope that shes gotten over the upset feeling by now.


We made sure she was fine and then headed on back.  So despite everything, this surprise did have a happy ending.


Park exit to Park entry was approximately 2 hours.


_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Where in the Land?  DisMeet #2
_



Dhorner and I have been playing on some of the photoboard games for quite a while now.  It was a bonus to find out that she was going to be some-Where in the Land on the same day as I was.

It definitely was touch and go for this DisMeet for a while and we had to put off the first pre-arranged meeting place and time during our hiatus from the park.


On our way back, I texted Denise to see if we could still fit in a DisMeet.  Luckily, the cards fell in our favour all round!  


Denise was with her cousin.  I found out that he is also a Dis-ser but never really got his handle, despite him mentioning it.  I think it had dis and cuz in it.

We arranged to meet Denise and her cousin by the StoryTellers statue.








BTW  I had hoped to capture that statue but I never got an opportunity closer than this during the day!  


When we got there, the Five & Dime were out and entertaining.  








I ended up missing and messing up that first DisMeet moment.  Denise and her cousin had arrived and I had cut short the first hellos to take the opportunity to enjoy the moment; and watch the dance








and listen to the song.









Denise and Jason  so sorry for that!  On reflection, it was definitely not one of my better MisManners moment!



So, we are out by the Storytellers statue; but Where in the Land were we going to go to enjoy the DisMeet?

_


----------



## franandaj

I read this about 12 hours ago, but was hesitant about posting since it was such a bittersweet interval.  Here we were having fun, but scared to death that Fran might be splayed out on the floor somewhere unable to get to the phone that she could hear ringing but but yet not able to get to.  Instead, she is jacked up on pain pills and oblivious to the fact that her phone is in the other room.

Granted she was was trying to be good and brought the phone into the bathroom, but neglected to carry it out when she left.  This is the story of my life.  I'm glad someone else was there to corroborate it!  


I"m sorry the trip had a detour, but as you said, something about the regret factor if we didn't check.  I'm glad we did, but sorry it took a chunk out of the day.

Oh yeah and BTW I think your score on Buzz Lightyear was like 10X greater than mine and you were complaining?  Jeez I need to get to the park and figure out that ride.  I never get past level 2!  

And another thing!  I'm going to be gone when you get to the good updates!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I"m sorry the trip had a detour, but as you said, something about the regret factor if we didn't check.  I'm glad we did, but sorry it took a chunk out of the day.



Alison - The detour was all part of the day and spending time with you.    Whilst it took a chunk out of the day, I'm really glad we went to check.





franandaj said:


> Oh yeah and BTW I think your score on Buzz Lightyear was like 10X greater than mine and you were complaining?  Jeez I need to get to the park and figure out that ride.  I never get past level 2!



You need to take lessons from Bret on that ride.  





franandaj said:


> And another thing!  I'm going to be gone when you get to the good updates!



.....

Now I'm wondering if I should wait for you to get back or just post the next update when it's ready.  

You'll catch up.....I know you will.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A Year after the Turn of the Century
_



The second surprise of the day turned out to be particularly special for me.  For those of you that read my 2011 TR in the preceding section of this thread, you might have remembered me mentioning that Alison has great contacts.

One in particular  remembered the Aussie connection from the last time and decided to share more exclusive bounty with me and her.  Without this particular contact and Alison, I would never have the pleasure and incredible treat of a look-see in here.  



For many of you, a year after the turn of the century might bring thoughts of that Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, 2001:  A Space Odyssey.  

But Im actually referring to the year after the start of the twentieth century.  


A year after the turn of that century, Walt Disney was born.  It seems only fitting to have a memorial room as a tribute in the re-worked dignified park.  









It is located in the Carthay Circle building, the replica of the cinema where the premier screening of Snow White took place in 1937.









This place has the look and feel of a gentlemans den.









With leather and wood....


















.....and pictures and sketches on the walls.


















Some of the pictures held surprises....










.....and I kept an eye towards the sketches at all times.  Blink.....and you might miss it!










There was even a wall where a projection of Walt's shadow would periodically appear.  I never was quick enough to get a picture of it.


The thing that I loved most in here were the light fittings!

















I have always loved Tiffany or leadlight lamps.  And there were some in here that were just delightful!

From the traditional....









....to the Art Deco....









.....and the Disney eclectic!











I was reminded that we had been a step away from here this morning.  I hadnt even realised this room was here and those pictures that I took of the Carthay Circle colonnade was just right outside this door!










Like the DisMeet with Denise and her cousin, it had been touch and go for this experience a little while ago.  Lucky for us, the contact was equally as flexible and incredibly generous enough to share the bounty all round so we could fit both experiences in.


So, our Where in the Land DisMeet continued on in here and it was a cool place for us to continue our 3D chats.  I grabbed this shot of Denise and her cousin.









And they took one in return of me and Alison.










But you know what?  We never did get one of all four of us together.  I definitely was slipping on the photography front!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

_

After the round trip that Alison and I made, we were both in need of a drink and sustenance.









The food in here was of the snacking kind; and I gather it is the same as what you can get in Carthay Circle.

















I am cursed with the alcohol tolerance of zero.  My alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme levels are such that I end up being a one-pot screamer.  So, I indulged in a mocktail and settled on an Elderberry lemonade.









Someone in our party had a more elaborate demonstration in mind.









We watched in amazement as a cylinder of ice was placed in that contraption as our Cast Member continued with the shaken, not stirred, demonstration.









I didnt even notice it but that contraption did eventually close on itself..









.it had carved that cyclinder into a perfect sphere.  The CM, Judy, told me that the water used to make the ice was specially purified so that the ice would be perfectly clear and there wouldnt be any air bubbles formed when frozen.









A quick transfer of liquid










.and hey presto!  Two colourful drinks, in their respective ways.










Our food?

We shared some warm olives.









The lamb meatballs were deliciously spiced in that Middle Eastern way.









We indulged in the mango sorbet.










and the super rich chocolate ice cream de-light mousse.










Yes, I certainly felt like Id been given the directors seat this afternoon!










It had been a wonderful indulgence in a hidden gem!










Alison  my thanks again to you and your contact for a very special surprise!  Much like that Stanley Kubric masterpiece, I certainly had my own kind of great odyssey in here.


_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wow!  That was amazing!  Thanks for sharing!


----------



## rentayenta

I'm so glad Fran was okay.  Poor Alison must have been beside herself. 





And now I can say *wow wow wow!* 1901 looks amazing and I love the pic of you and Alison, simply adorable.  The snacks look delicious as do both drinks, even the boozeless one.  I am not a huge drinker anymore. I am a lightweight. I work with a substance abuse guru and he says its quite common for women, as we age, to become unable to breakdown the enzymes in alcohol like we once did. I am living proof. Two drinks and I'm silly. 

Thank you for such a thorough overview on RSR and for the Carsland pics. I am so eager to visit.


----------



## Uncle Remus

tiggrbaby said:


> Wow!  That was amazing!  Thanks for sharing!



Oh yeah, my thoughts too!  Amazing!


----------



## dhorner233

It was so much fun meeting you and Alison!!!  Thank you so much for inviting us! I am ashamed to say I did not even know about the 1901 Lounge! I was in awe! The place is beautiful! That berry drink was delicious!!! 

You pictures are so gorgeous!!  Love the light fixture and good catch on the drawing of Snow White that comes alive. I never saw what it did.

Note to self: NEVER allow myself to be photographed while I'm sitting down!!! I look horrible!  And my ONLY picture of me there is worse than yours!


----------



## zanzibar138

Awesome! You lucky duck!


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Very much enjoying the latest instalments PIO.  I love that secret place you visited.  I have never heard of it so was very excited to see your pics.  Is this place just used for exclusive guests????

It also sounds like you might have some secret tips for me for getting a good score on Buzz.  If so I need to hear em .

No seriously, I need them


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> A Year after the Turn of the Century
> _
> 
> 
> There was even a wall where a projection of Walt's shadow would periodically appear.  I never was quick enough to get a picture of it.
> 
> 
> _
> 
> (Continued in Next Post)



Here is a picture Jason got of Walt's shadow. It's not perfect but, you get the idea. Good catch on the Snow White picture. We did not get that one.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Wow!  That was amazing!  Thanks for sharing!



  You're welcome.  But I have to thank my benefactor for the opportunity.




rentayenta said:


> I'm so glad Fran was okay.  Poor Alison must have been beside herself.



She was.

I think I told her that my philosophy on situations where there was the potential for a high regret factor was to do the right thing.  I'm so glad we went.





rentayenta said:


> And now I can say *wow wow wow!* 1901 looks amazing and I love the pic of you and Alison, simply adorable.  The snacks look delicious as do both drinks, even the boozeless one.  I am not a huge drinker anymore. I am a lightweight. I work with a substance abuse guru and he says its quite common for women, as we age, to become unable to breakdown the enzymes in alcohol like we once did. I am living proof. Two drinks and I'm silly.
> 
> Thank you for such a thorough overview on RSR and for the Carsland pics. I am so eager to visit.



When we eventually meet in 3D, you and I have to indulge in mocktails together!  





Uncle Remus said:


> Oh yeah, my thoughts too!  Amazing!









dhorner233 said:


> It was so much fun meeting you and Alison!!!  Thank you so much for inviting us! I am ashamed to say I did not even know about the 1901 Lounge! I was in awe! The place is beautiful! That berry drink was delicious!!!
> 
> *You pictures are so gorgeous*!!  Love the light fixture and good catch on the drawing of Snow White that comes alive. I never saw what it did.
> 
> Note to self: NEVER allow myself to be photographed while I'm sitting down!!! I look horrible!  *And my ONLY picture of me there is worse than yours!*



I was very happy to be able to see the lounge in person too.

And if my pictures are gorgeous, then it stands to reason that the picture I took of you is gorgeous too.  You look great!  (And its not as if we are going to Disney to be fashion plates).  





dhorner233 said:


> Here is a picture Jason got of Walt's shadow. It's not perfect but, you get the idea. Good catch on the Snow White picture. We did not get that one.




Denise and Jason - thank you so much for sharing this picture.  I love it.  Great capture on the shadow!






zanzibar138 said:


> Awesome! You lucky duck!



Thank you.





Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Very much enjoying the latest instalments PIO.  I love that secret place you visited.  I have never heard of it so was very excited to see your pics.  Is this place just used for exclusive guests????
> 
> It also sounds like you might have some secret tips for me for getting a good score on Buzz.  If so I need to hear em .
> 
> No seriously, I need them



Last year, our benefactor booked us a table for lunch at Club 33.  The benefactor does not have to be present when we visited the Club.

For the Lounge, our benefactor had to be present.  And they have to hold a Black Card membership to enter.  

Tips on Buzz?  

The best player I know on Buzz is mvf-m11c.  He seems to max out at 999,999 regularly.  I think Bret might be the person you want to get tips from!


----------



## shushh

PIO, I just caught up. WOW to everything!

You're probably sick of hearing it...but Carsland is amazing and your photos are stunning! I'm sorry to hear that Fran was unwell and that you and Alison had that awful moment. Glad though that all was well in the end.

As for 1901...WOW! LOVE it, and the food porn was first class. As a fellow alcohol dehydrogenase poor person, I understand your choice of drink. Although how awesome is that ice sphere?!?!?


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> PIO, I just caught up. WOW to everything!
> 
> *You're probably sick of hearing it*...but Carsland is amazing and *your photos are stunning*! I'm sorry to hear that Fran was unwell and that you and Alison had that awful moment. Glad though that all was well in the end.
> 
> As for 1901...WOW! LOVE it, and the food porn was first class. As a fellow alcohol dehydrogenase poor person, I understand your choice of drink. Although how awesome is that ice sphere?!?!?



    Hmmmm.....no.....I can't say I'm sick of hearing it (or reading it)!  


But thank you.  You're very kind!


That ice sphere was amazing.  I wish they would put that in my mocktail!  As a ice-sucker lover (I think I mean to say that I love sucking ice....), I did wonder if it was possible to get that in my mouth.   

Never. mind.  It. was. only. a. fleeting. thought.


----------



## shushh

PrincessInOz said:


> That ice sphere was amazing.  I wish they would put that in my mocktail!  As a ice-sucker lover (I think I mean to say that I love sucking ice....), I did wonder if it was possible to get that in my mouth.
> 
> Never. mind.  It. was. only. a. fleeting. thought.



Well seeing as we're discussing fleeting thoughts...I really wanted to lick it!


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Well seeing as we're discussing fleeting thoughts...I really wanted to lick it!





Be very careful.  This was a rather sought-after avatar for a while.


----------



## PrincessInOz

In A Genie Galaxy Far Far Away  Must Do #3
_


We said our thanks to our benefactor and goodbyes to our DisMeet friends and headed off to continue our respective days.   


Must-do #3 on my list was Aladdin; and we were heading for the 4.45 pm show at the Hyperion.









The last time Id seen this show was in 2007 and despite trying, I have never been able to make it to a repeat since that time.  I was aware that there had been changes to the show since that time, courtesy of a wayward cable on a flying carpet, so it was going to be interesting to see how that particular scene worked out.

Plus, I didnt even know how to spell dSLR in 2007, so I took this opportunity to address a gap in my Disney picture collection.



So, settle back and buckle in.





A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Welcome to Agrabah.  City of mystery, of enchantment








It is a period of civil war.  During the battle, spies have managed to steal secret plans to the Empires ultimate weapon, the Death Star.Awk!  Cave of wonders!









The Princess is a rebellious kind of princess..sometimes, I feel so trapped.









Enter the Dark Lord.you know, you look great up close. But you'd look better from Ja-far.









A young boy embarks on the adventure of a life time.. Street rat!  (I don't think he's the "Wan" but still I think he's rather tasty)









Our hero is pretty much aloneI'd blame parents, except he hasn't got 'em!  









Pursued by the Empires sinister agents.









One jump ahead of the breadline, One swing ahead of the sword.










The Dark Lord sends our hero on a mission









..and he travels into the centre of the Death Star.Awk!  Cave of wonders. 










.where he meets his loyal best friend.  (Where is Abu in this production???)










The Dark Lord seeks a weapon of mass destruction.."my precioussss".











Our hero (is) buffs!










And so he meets the kind stranger, ObiWan Kenobe..I need to call Genie Craig!  









Use the Force!.....Wish Fulfilment.  Countem.  Three wishes, to be exact. And ixnay on the wishing for more wishes. That's all. Three. Uno, dos, tres. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds.










Time to Wake up and sing with the Blue Hummus!










Hell be your MaitreD.










Can your friends do this?











Can your friends do that?










You ain't never had a friend like me!










Princes, that is NOT ObiWan Kenobi.









And it might be a bit behind in technology, but this is NOT the Millennium Falcon.










Um..I dont think youre meant to be wearing this outfit until Episode VI.










Okay.  Enough with the horse-play.











_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

More from the Hyperion
_



It was a very lavish mini-musical production and I was having a ball photographing Aladdin.  How about I just let the lens genie do the talking for this post?   













































































































































































Thank you for choosing "Magic Carpet" for all your travel needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. 



That scene without the flying carpet was a little lacking to me.  But safety first and it all worked out happy ever after anyway.

_


----------



## dhorner233

Wow!  Your pictures are awesome as always!!! Wasn't that a great show!!! But, you had a different Genie and Aladdin than I had and I was there the same week. I hope your Genie was as good as ours!!!!!


----------



## rentayenta

_A whole new world........._  Great job on the pics and Cliff Notes version of Aladdin. Love it!


----------



## shushh

Oh how hunky is Aladdin and his abs...


----------



## aussietravellers

Have just caught up again.  

WOW, thanks so much for sharing the photos of the 1901 lounge.  That is awesome.  That ball of ice (it looks like a baseball ) was absolutely amazing!  That is something that I would LOVE to have seen and experienced.

Loved the Aladdin photos too, that is such a great show. I miss DL


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular and the Lounge. It has been a long time since I have seen Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at DCA. I will read more later on.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> I hope your Genie was as good as ours!!!!!



Looks like you got some nice shots of your Aladdin show yourself!  Thanks for sharing.

Yes, it looks like we had a complete different cast to yours.  Our genie was great....not in Robin William's league (no one is in his league).....but still great.  





rentayenta said:


> _A whole new world........._  Great job on the pics and Cliff Notes version of Aladdin. Love it!



A whole New Hope!  

Thanks.





shushh said:


> Oh how hunky is Aladdin and his abs...



Yup.  He was pretty reasonable eye-candy.  





aussietravellers said:


> Have just caught up again.
> 
> WOW, thanks so much for sharing the photos of the 1901 lounge.  That is awesome.  That ball of ice (it looks like a baseball ) was absolutely amazing!  That is something that I would LOVE to have seen and experienced.
> 
> Loved the Aladdin photos too, that is such a great show. I miss DL



  The ball of ice was a little smaller than a cricket ball.





mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular and the Lounge. It has been a long time since I have seen Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at DCA. I will read more later on.



Thanks Bret.  Really appreciate you checking in here when you can (and I know what a busy schedule you're currently keeping).


----------



## franandaj

OK, back home and all caught up!  

Here I thought we had a special menu eating at 1901, but as I looked it up on allears, it is the same menu as the Carthay Lounge.  I wonder if they have the cool ice spheres too!  

Your photos of Aladdin came out so much better than mine!  So many of mine were blurry.  Great job!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> OK, back home and all caught up!
> 
> Here I thought we had a special menu eating at 1901, but as I looked it up on allears, it is the same menu as the Carthay Lounge.  I wonder if they have the cool ice spheres too!
> 
> Your photos of Aladdin came out so much better than mine!  So many of mine were blurry.  Great job!



Welcome back!


Thanks.  We never did get round to taking a real close look at your camera settings.  Next time!


----------



## PrincessInOz

My only shopping time in the Park
_



When we came out of Aladdin, the sun was beginning to set.  Where did the day go?








Alison needed to go check on something for Fran.  And it was in the park across the way.  So, we started to make our way out.
















The thing that I enjoy most about Disneyland is that you can walk between parks.








We made our way to Crystal Arts for a little shopping and then headed over to the Disney Gallery.  Whilst Alison was checking out the item, I took the opportunity to check out the Castles exhibition.

The Gallery was completely decked out with prints.








..and models of the various Disney castles.









This one was amazingly intricate.  Someday, Im going to make it back to Paris and when I do, the Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant will be top of my list of attractions to go see.








I was super tempted by this mug; but in the end I decided not to get it.   Looking at this picture, I kinda wish I had gotten it now.









_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Night time at DCA
_



It was completely dark when we emerged from the Gallery and with a couple more Must-Dos to complete, we headed on back to the other park.  


In retrospect, we didnt really plan our in-and-out of park hopping well, did we?


Anyways.

I did stop to take one very rushed shot of the Carthay Circle at night..








Even at this time of night, the PP Photographer was still out and about near the Storytellers statue.  I snuck one in betwen groups.








We headed on over to our destination.








The night neon lights in Carsland is amazing.  















I think this was the only time during the day where I wished I had more time and my tripod with me.  

But as there were quite a few people around, it was probably best that I didnt have a trip hazard with me.   With luck, the crowds might die down by October next year.








I used to work in the Petroleum industry; so this amused me mightily.  Afterall, it really is an organic product; so there is no false advertising here.








And the orange colours around the Cozy Cone area were lovely, even at night.  The hues of the flowers and the orange cone lights were just delightful!








The Leaning Tyres of Luigi was another display that amused me.  I looked hard at this picture to see if there was a hidden mickey.couldnt find one!  








Even more spectacular than the neon lights are those craggy voluptuous buttes all around Carsland.  









And thanks to ImMickey passing on a tip to KCMike who passed on the tip to meI was cheek by jowl with a trashcan. Literally!  Without a tripod, the trashcan was conveniently located for some long exposure shots.  















Thanks Mikes!



We headed out the Pacific Wharf exit side.
















I still had two Must-Dos to complete!


_


----------



## Caroline NZ

I love DLR/CA at night. Your wonderful photos are making me want to be there right now


----------



## zanzibar138

Such a quick day - I could hardly believe it when you said the sun was setting already!

Love your night pics of Radiator Springs, and you got some awesome pics of the Paris castle model!


----------



## shushh

Oh PIO, you're making me so envious. I really want to go right now. You're right, the neon signs are awesome! And the scenery so spectacular at night. I had not seen night time photos before so thank you for sharing!


----------



## rentayenta

I also love being able to walk between the parks- its heaven.  Your night shots are amazing. I have got to get my butt there!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from CL at night PiO. Glad that you and Alison had a great time.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Caroline NZ said:


> I love DLR/CA at night. Your wonderful photos are making me want to be there right now



I want to be there right now too.




zanzibar138 said:


> Such a quick day - I could hardly believe it when you said the sun was setting already!
> 
> Love your night pics of Radiator Springs, and you got some awesome pics of the Paris castle model!



Thank you. It was a quick day!





shushh said:


> Oh PIO, you're making me so envious. I really want to go right now. You're right, the neon signs are awesome! And the scenery so spectacular at night. I had not seen night time photos before so thank you for sharing!



There are some very good TRs here with even better night shots.

(But thanks!)





rentayenta said:


> I also love being able to walk between the parks- its heaven.  Your night shots are amazing. I have got to get my butt there!



Thanks!

If you do get your butt to the buttes, I hope the rest of your body goes along too.  






mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from CL at night PiO. Glad that you and Alison had a great time.



Thanks Bret.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A little Danish culture  Must Do #4
_


The night was fast coming to an end and there were still a couple of things that I needed to do.  


We headed towards my Must Do #4  another one of those newly opened things that I hadnt yet experiences.

As we walked in, I was handed one of these.








And it took us slightly more time than it has taken you to read this to get here.  Only just.  








Disney duty done,  we clam-bered on board one of these.









Johnathan Livingstone Seagull and I have been having 5 minute interludes in Melbourne.  For those of you that havent seen these.

He and I shared a Bird in Flight moment in 2011.
















And we followed up with a Bird in Bath fling in 2012.














So, I thought that I might have developed a special affinity with seagulls; but no matter how hard I tried, I couldnt convince Skuttle to do anything!  He just sat around with that instrument of his.









We headed in the Down Under (the sea) direction.








The Little Mermaid is a tale written by that most famous Danish author and fairy tale writer..Hans Christian Andersen.  Like with all other fairy tales, Disney has taken them and put their own mark on the stories.  I love the story.I just dont remember Flounder nor Sebastian in my childhood version.  








The new attraction was filled with animatronics animation.















Im sticking my neck out here.









and may get flamed for this view.










but this is not a very exciting attraction, is it?

Dont get me wrong, the details are lovely and what you would expect to see from Disney.  But almost everything seems so.static.  








I know, I know.  It is meant to be the best of the AA that Disney has ever done.  Maybe it was the hypeI just expected more.

So.call me an Urusla








.but I wasnt entirely enchanted by this ride.








If I have offended any of you, I apologise.  Im only writing from what I know and felt; and I wish I had felt differentlybut I didnt.

So was there a happy ending for me?















Perhaps even a start of a spark?








I guess you could say that.  This was the closest I was getting to any fireworks shooting this trip.








And Skuttle?  Maybe there might be another Jonathan Livingstone Seagull waiting in San Francisco for me.









_


----------



## Ms. Shuttergirl

Have just thoroughly caught up PIO.

I have to say Aladdin was a trip highlight for us when we went to DL in 09.  The genie is absolutely hilarious and I love how many of the jokes are current to what is happening in the world.

I think you have definitely put your camera to good use during the show, stunning captures.

I think you totally should have bought that mug, silly woman.  It's adorable.

The lights at night at Carsland look spectacular.  I mean really really amazing.  And the desert mountain thingies (for want of a better word ) look so real and wonderful.  You have really done an amazing job of capturing the feel of the place at night.

Thanks for all of the imagery, I'm loving it.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Exceedingly late catching up but not too late..wonderful pics and story as always. I always think you must be a great person to have as a friend-you'd always be laughing when with you but you are so caring too.

On Ariel we also were underwhelmed- the displays were colourful and detailed but yes felt too static-like we were slowly just riding past dioramas-it didn't have the "pizzaz" most of Disney has though I can't quite put my finger on the difference to say, the older dark rides. The scenes all seemed very plastic models or something and I think the ride could date or look tatty quickly if its not refreshed frequently. I can't wait to get to Carsland one day-they have done such a good job with the theming day and night. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.


----------



## rentayenta

Oooo, I love waking up to an update. I wholeheartedly agree with you, I found The Little Mermaid ride to be underwhelming. Maybe it was just too hyped up. I think the animatronics in POTC are much better.


----------



## aussietravellers

All caught up again.

I absolutely LOVE that castle mug!  I will be seeking one of those out next time I go!

Loved the Carsland shots!  I really can not wait to get there (whenever that may be, one day).  That seagull shot is amazing!  Such an awesome photo!


----------



## franandaj

I completely forgot we rode that ride! Shows you what an impression it leaves!  Although I am looking forward to seeing the queue  for the WDW version. Your pictures were great though!


----------



## KCmike

Somewhat lurking on this report.  Loving it though!  So much fun.  Great use of the trash can.  I'm Mikey was smart to do that.


----------



## dhorner233

Wow, I'm sorry everyone was so disappointed with the Little Mermaid ride. I liked it. I like the music and everything was colorful. But, true, you don't get anything special like flying in Peter Pan or the wild ride effect with the Toad. 

There was never a line. I went on it like 5 times! I hope they like it better in DW since they made such a long interactive queue like you are going to be in line for this ride a long time. No queue. No line in Disneyland.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Ms. Shuttergirl said:


> Have just thoroughly caught up PIO.
> 
> I have to say Aladdin was a trip highlight for us when we went to DL in 09.  The genie is absolutely hilarious and I love how many of the jokes are current to what is happening in the world.
> 
> I think you have definitely put your camera to good use during the show, stunning captures.
> 
> I think you totally should have bought that mug, silly woman.  It's adorable.
> 
> The lights at night at Carsland look spectacular.  I mean really really amazing.  And the desert mountain thingies (for want of a better word ) look so real and wonderful.  You have really done an amazing job of capturing the feel of the place at night.
> 
> Thanks for all of the imagery, I'm loving it.



Thanks Shuttergirl.  Have a safe trip and I look forward to your TR when you return.





Aussie Wendy said:


> Exceedingly late catching up but not too late..wonderful pics and story as always. I always think you must be a great person to have as a friend-you'd always be laughing when with you but you are so caring too.
> 
> On Ariel we also were underwhelmed- the displays were colourful and detailed but yes felt too static-like we were slowly just riding past dioramas-it didn't have the "pizzaz" most of Disney has though I can't quite put my finger on the difference to say, the older dark rides. The scenes all seemed very plastic models or something and I think the ride could date or look tatty quickly if its not refreshed frequently. I can't wait to get to Carsland one day-they have done such a good job with the theming day and night. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.



  Thanks for stopping in....and .  Sadly, I think I'm a better 2D friend-in-the-box than I am at 3D (but I really appreciate the sentiment).

Hope to see you posting a bit more.





rentayenta said:


> Oooo, I love waking up to an update. I wholeheartedly agree with you, I found The Little Mermaid ride to be underwhelming. Maybe it was just too hyped up. I think the animatronics in POTC are much better.



I do like POTC and the animatronics here are good too.  But I do agree with you; POTC might just be so much better.  





aussietravellers said:


> All caught up again.
> 
> I absolutely LOVE that castle mug!  I will be seeking one of those out next time I go!
> 
> Loved the Carsland shots!  I really can not wait to get there (whenever that may be, one day).  That seagull shot is amazing!  Such an awesome photo!



Thanks for stopping by again.  Yes, I think I am kicking myself for not getting that mug.  






franandaj said:


> I completely forgot we rode that ride! Shows you what an impression it leaves!  Although I am looking forward to seeing the queue  for the WDW version. Your pictures were great though!



Welcome back!  Just as well there was no wait time for that ride.  I'll be curious to see the queue for the WDW version too.  Thanks.





KCmike said:


> Somewhat lurking on this report.  Loving it though!  So much fun.  Great use of the trash can.  I'm Mikey was smart to do that.



Thanks for somewhat de-lurking!!

And yes, I'm Mikey was smart to use the trash can; and you were smart enough to ask....and I was smart enough to listen to you.  Can we Get (any) Smart(er) now?  





dhorner233 said:


> Wow, I'm sorry everyone was so disappointed with the Little Mermaid ride. I liked it. I like the music and everything was colorful. But, true, you don't get anything special like flying in Peter Pan or the wild ride effect with the Toad.
> 
> There was never a line. I went on it like 5 times! I hope they like it better in DW since they made such a long interactive queue like you are going to be in line for this ride a long time. No queue. No line in Disneyland.



There's always one in every crowd!


Glad you liked it.  I liked the music and the colour....it just wasn't super exciting and I had read all the hype about how great the AA was in here.  Still....it was good; just...not great.


----------



## mvf-m11c

I forgot to comment you about your pictures from the LM ride which are very great. The scene during Under the Sea with all the sea creatures are very clear. I have tried to take pictures in that area of the ride and I have some with blurry scenes.

Here is one of my pictures from the LM ride when I rode it at the MK. As you know that both attractions at the MK and DCA are the same.






The picture of the bird bath is so amazing while it is so clear.


----------



## shushh

Once again, great captures. I enjoyed the LM because the children adored it! Not having to line up also helps! Even though I enjoyed it I also get the feeling that it's just lacking that 'something'. I couldn't quite put my finger on it as the ride had so much colour and detail. Maybe it felt 'rushed'?!?


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> I forgot to comment you about your pictures from the LM ride which are very great. The scene during Under the Sea with all the sea creatures are very clear. I have tried to take pictures in that area of the ride and I have some with blurry scenes.
> 
> Here is one of my pictures from the LM ride when I rode it at the MK. As you know that both attractions at the MK and DCA are the same.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The picture of the bird bath is so amazing while it is so clear.




Thanks Bret.  

How cool......you have a picture from the MK ride.  Are there any differences at all???


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> Once again, great captures. I enjoyed the LM because the children adored it! Not having to line up also helps! Even though I enjoyed it I also get the feeling that it's just lacking that 'something'. I couldn't quite put my finger on it as the ride had so much colour and detail. Maybe it felt 'rushed'?!?



  Bon Jour!  Thanks for checking in whilst you're on vacay!


Yes....nothing wrong with the colour and detail.  And you're right!  Something just seems lacking.  I think it just doesn't grab you the way the other rides do.  Maybe...aside from a little rushed.....the main hall is a little too big?


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks Bret.
> 
> How cool......you have a picture from the MK ride.  Are there any differences at all???



The ride experience at the MK is exactly the same as the DCA when you rode it during your trip. The only difference between the two is the outside theme while the DCA version is more of a aquarium style building while the MK is based on Prince Eric Castle. When I first heard that the LM ride was going to the MK based on the DCA version, I thought that they would a different experience. But when I rode it during a surprise sneak peek during my trip that it was the same ride experience. I wasn't that disappointed of the ride experience, I was excited to see that both versions were exactly the same. I will tell you about my experience of the LM ride at the MK later on my trip report.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> The ride experience at the MK is exactly the same as the DCA when you rode it during your trip. The only difference between the two is the outside theme while the DCA version is more of a aquarium style building while the MK is based on Prince Eric Castle. When I first heard that the LM ride was going to the MK based on the DCA version, I thought that they would a different experience. But when I rode it during a surprise sneak peek during my trip that it was the same ride experience. I wasn't that disappointed of the ride experience, I was excited to see that both versions were exactly the same. I will tell you about my experience of the LM ride at the MK later on my trip report.



Looking forward to it...and your gorgeous pics.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Kaleidescopes of Colour  Must Do #5
_



My must-do #5 for this trip was always going to be an encore viewing of World of Color.   


Disney spent an estimate $75 Million to design, build and execute this show.  I do occasionally wonder about how the business case stacked up for this project and which Imagineer argued to have that OUCH factor turnaround to the WOW factor.  Lets face it.that was a lot of moulie to spend on what is effectively a water-droplet-bottom-projection big screen.  With rear projection, LED and plasma coming down in price, perhaps there is something to be said about the money being better spent on a big TV on wheels, a projection unit and proper stadium style seating to host the projection show.  But then again, the business case numbers do not cater for that intangible heart-string factor.  


As a child growing up in South East Asia, my early childhood memories of Disney stem right out of a 2D box.  Sunday evenings were a must-watch for me.Walt Disney Presents, The Wonderful World of Colour, The Wonderful World of Disney.  I recall the 50 minute long shows with Davy Crockett, those animal showcase shows, cartoons, music and a beautiful kaleidoscope opening.  


50 minutes?  In those days, programs were shown commercial-free.  


Simpler times in a world a million miles away from Disneyland.  Those Sunday evenings, and the Disney movies, were my early links to a lifelong love of all things Disney.  The thought of going to and visiting Disneyland was but a dream for me in those days.



Fast forward back to this day..I would never have imagined that I would be doing Mad Dashes of 15 hour flights to the West Coast simply to spend a day at Disneyland!


My last Mad Dash is the first part of this TR and for those of you that have read it, you may recall that the main reason for that Dash was to see The World of Colour.  It had been the pull of youthful memories that drew me to Disneyland then and whilst I had enjoyed the show, I couldnt really work out if I loved it for itself or if it were the kaleidescopes of my childhood coloured my perceptions and because of those early memories and emotions, it was a foregone conclusion that I was going to love it anyway.  This second viewing was going to be interesting simply because I figured that pull of childhood was going to be less.


We got a rather decent position for the show; so, again, Ill let the lens genie do most of the talking.


The familiar strains of music started and the vertical hold test patterns started before the projections of the multitude of Disney movie hits and moments commenced.








Wed just finished with the Little Mermaid ride and it was a case of déjà vu!





























Marlin and Dory were next








..complete with the Whale (Oooh look!  Krill!).








Wall-E and E-ve.









Another Pixar classic.








It took me while to work out Zurg!








The Claw..Ooooooh!








Balloons.








look Up!








Another déjà vu from not so long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Welcome to Agrabah.  City of mystery, of enchantment.























I am ashamed to say that I have not been to see this movie yet!  Hey  At least Im Brave enough to own up to it.





























_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_


Images from Pocahontas were next.






















Id completely missed shots from the Pirates scene the last time. 
















Galloping on to the animals.























And finishing up with lots of Happy Ever Afters!  As a fellow Aussie puts it&.Kissy, Kissy!












































The End!
























The Wash-up for me?

Whilst the emotional ties to my childhood were definitely less for this viewing than the first time and I didnt feel as sentimental, Ive come away this time loving this show and the concept of the water projection screen.  It might not be spectacular like a fireworks display or Fantasmic!, but it is still a strong night time offering in the Disney arsenal.  
As to whether that was money well spent or not, Ill leave that to Disney Corporation to determine.    

_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wonderful pics!  I hope the show sticks around for a long time so I can see it someday.


----------



## dhorner233

Great shots of the World of Color show Princess!!!  

I find it hard to believe you are old enough to remember Sunday evenings with Walt!! 

I have only seen World of Color once and not from a front and center seat. You miss most of the show if you are not sitting front and center. Yet, I never cared enough to go back and see it again!!!! Last month I was there for 8 days and meant to see it but for some reason it didn't make the cut! 

Yet I went on that Little Mermaid ride 5 times!!! I know I'm a little late but here is one of my cousin's picture from the ride:


----------



## shushh

Ah...WOC! And as ever captured so beautifully.

I don't know what it is about the show but I got that spine tingly feeling when I first saw it. Maybe it's the beautiful music arrangement, who knows. But it sure did pack an emotional punch for me. Thank you for sharing and bringing back wonderful memories.


----------



## zanzibar138

I certainly have a soft spot for WOC since that's when DH proposed  Besides that though, I did really enjoy the show and thought the effects were wonderful! Uhh... no pun intended


----------



## mvf-m11c

Awesome pictures from WoC during your trip. It does make a big difference when you have a longer lens when you get the close up shots of the show while I used the shorter lens. 

Very nice pictures PiO.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Wonderful pics!  I hope the show sticks around for a long time so I can see it someday.



I think it will be around for quite a while!




dhorner233 said:


> Great shots of the World of Color show Princess!!!
> 
> I find it hard to believe you are old enough to remember Sunday evenings with Walt!!
> 
> I have only seen World of Color once and not from a front and center seat. You miss most of the show if you are not sitting front and center. Yet, I never cared enough to go back and see it again!!!! Last month I was there for 8 days and meant to see it but for some reason it didn't make the cut!
> 
> Yet I went on that Little Mermaid ride 5 times!!! I know I'm a little late but here is one of my cousin's picture from the ride:



Great picture from your DCuz!  


And as I've been known to say......you're only as old as the woman you feel.  





shushh said:


> Ah...WOC! And as ever captured so beautifully.
> 
> I don't know what it is about the show but I got that spine tingly feeling when I first saw it. Maybe it's the beautiful music arrangement, who knows. But it sure did pack an emotional punch for me. Thank you for sharing and bringing back wonderful memories.



Emotional punch.  Yup.  I'm a sucker for the emotional punch too.

Thanks!






zanzibar138 said:


> I certainly have a soft spot for WOC since that's when DH proposed  Besides that though, I did really enjoy the show and thought the effects were wonderful! Uhh... no pun intended



Awww.  Now that you mention it, do I recall correctly......you mentioned it in your first TR??

Congrats!  Your DH has good proposal location taste.





mvf-m11c said:


> Awesome pictures from WoC during your trip. It does make a big difference when you have a longer lens when you get the close up shots of the show while I used the shorter lens.
> 
> Very nice pictures PiO.



Thanks Bret.  

I think it depends on what sort of view you prefer for WoC as to which lens is more appropriate.


----------



## Caroline NZ

Fantastic photos of WOC PIO 
I love the show (saw it twice in 2011). I got quite emotional the first time.


----------



## franandaj

Nice pics from WoC! Mine never come out that clear! I was so tired I had forgotten some of the new scenes they added and changes to the storyline.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Caroline NZ said:


> Fantastic photos of WOC PIO
> I love the show (saw it twice in 2011). I got quite emotional the first time.



Thanks Caroline.  I get emotional watching any Disney show anyway so I wasn't surprised at how emotional I got with WoC.  




franandaj said:


> Nice pics from WoC! Mine never come out that clear! I was so tired I had forgotten some of the new scenes they added and changes to the storyline.



I know you were tired by the time we got to WoC....I guess I never really knew how tired you were!  Thanks for keeping going!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Days End
_



That moment is upon us.  The moment where you wish time would stop and you can continue to live in that happy moment and that happy place foreveror at least for a little longer.


My Disneyland day was coming to a close.  It was a bittersweet moment.  You know that you cannot stop time as that clock over the Main Street train station well knows.  But that doesnt stop you from wishing otherwise.









Alison had some shopping to pick up in Disneyland and we headed on in there.









As I said before, on reflection, we really didnt plan our trips across the promenade well and thankfully it is a 5 minute cross-over park to park.  Not that I minded.  The quick cross-over is one of the things I love most about being at the Disneyland Resort.


I took the opportunity to go get one last thing on my list.  It hadnt been a must-do; but it was close.  And it took me past here.









In case anyone is wondering, Im definitely NOT sharing!  You may have noticed that we didnt really have any food for dinner.  This was it for me.









I would have liked to stay longer but wed been away long enough from Long Beach and it was time to head on back.  I did have one more stop in mind.








I always think that this shop smells so sweet.  And it was all ready for the Christmas festivities.









Even with merchandise!




















I was on the hunt for macadamia Mickey turtles.  Sadly, they didnt have any so I settled for some marshmallow sticks instead.










It had been a great day and by the time we made it back home, it was closer to 11 pm than anything else.  Id pretty much ticked off everything in my must-do list and whilst we lost some park time doing the about turn, I had no regrets about the day.



Thank you Alison.  This day would not have been possible or half as fun as it was without you.  



_






Folks  This concludes the Disneyland part of the trip.  The rest will be at NorCal and I hope youll stick around for the rest of my TR.  Thanks for reading along.


----------



## zanzibar138

What an amazing day! Sounds like it was well worth the extra effort to get there 

Looking forward to seeing what you get up to in San Francisco


----------



## dhorner233

So sad to see your day at DLR end  When is your next Disney trip? Next fall to DW?


----------



## franandaj

You're welcome.  I had a great time too!  I was hoping that you had taken a picture of me pathetically walking the huge box on the scooter back to the car!     It was so much fun having you for a couple days, and I really enjoyed your company.  Did any of the pictures of Velcro come out?


----------



## rentayenta

I'm here for the whole enchilada. I have to tell you that the boys are in SF right now loving the location of the Hyatt Embarcadero.  You were spot on. Thank you, thank you!


----------



## ACDSNY

Woo hoo I'm all caught up.  My goodness your pics of the Aladdin show were awesome, I've never sat that close.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> What an amazing day! Sounds like it was well worth the extra effort to get there
> 
> Looking forward to seeing what you get up to in San Francisco



It most definitely was worth the effort.  Disney always is.  





dhorner233 said:


> So sad to see your day at DLR end  When is your next Disney trip? Next fall to DW?



Yes.  It will probably be Sept/Oct 2013.  





franandaj said:


> You're welcome.  I had a great time too!  I was hoping that you had taken a picture of me pathetically walking the huge box on the scooter back to the car!     It was so much fun having you for a couple days, and I really enjoyed your company.  Did any of the pictures of Velcro come out?



I did think about it; but I'm not sure why I didn't get one in the end.  It was a lot of fun, Alison.  We definitely need to do it again.

Velcro?  Wait and see.  





rentayenta said:


> I'm here for the whole enchilada. I have to tell you that the boys are in SF right now loving the location of the Hyatt Embarcadero.  You were spot on. Thank you, thank you!



Excellent!  Glad that the boys like the location. 





ACDSNY said:


> Woo hoo I'm all caught up.  My goodness your pics of the Aladdin show were awesome, I've never sat that close.



Welcome back and thanks!  Hope you're all rested up.  Our DisMeet is still to come.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Saying Goodbye to franandaj
_



The start of Day 4 and my time in SoCal was drawing to a close.  Today, I was meeting up with DH at LAX and heading toward NorCal.

But first, I had to say goodbye to franandaj.  


Have you noticed that being on this 2D Ethernet world that we inhabit that emotions do not really get in the way?

Not so in the 3D world.  Spending this time with franandaj had deepened the friendship; with both Alison and Fran.  The tyranny of distance and that pond of a Pacific Ocean might get in the way of the face to face time but we will have our 2D world to continue the relationship through.  

I look forward to seeing them again in Sept/Oct 2013.


But before that.....One thing that I havent mentioned yet is that Alison and Fran have furbabies!  Alison was happy for me to post these here.

Olga, the beautiful Russian Blue, was my bed partner for the two nights.  No one tell my DH!








Velcro.








Ive forgotten this ones name.








Pepper or Basil??








But this is Sonny, a very special cat.








This one was definitely saying goodbye to me!










I grabbed a couple of slices of toast for breakfast and a cup of coffee before Alison drove me out to LAX.



Saying goodbye is such a depressing thing to do in real life!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

An uneventful reunion over lunch
_



DH and I had an uneventful reunion at LAX.  His plane arrived at least an hour later than mine had done 2 days earlier; which gave me time to case the airport for an appropriate lunch spot.  DH and I have been married for longer than I care to admit; and sometimes I forget that we do spend a bit of time talking to each other.  So, the two days absence had left us with quite a great deal of conversation and news to enjoy in each others company.  

Believe it or not.he had more news to share with me than I had to share with him.  As youve just spent the time catching up on my news through this TR, I expect that you can imagine how much more chatting DH did compared to me!

I certainly wasnt complaining.  It gave me lots of time to enjoy the calamari salad I ordered for lunch.









DH had a salad..









..which we finished just before we boarded our flight to SFO.








_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Our home away from home
_



Our conversation continued all the way on the flight, in the car and all the way over to our home away from home.

I like our home away from home.  Its close to where DH needs to be during the day and its very comfortable.  Afterall, we've pretty much stayed here once a year for the last 10 years.

We have our own living space and kitchen.  









We always like having the kitchen as it gives us the option to make cups of tea at night; and also to bring doggie-bags back for late night snacking. 









The bed is very comfortable and feels just right to me.









The bathroom facilities are always clean.









Aside from providing a hot buffet breakfast, this place also has Happy Hour snacks.  Our options for the week:









It promised to be a rather comfortable and tasty week!

_




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Chinese Dinner in NorCal
_



DH and I are creatures of habit.  One of the things we always like to do is to have a healthy-ish meal after flying and our meal of choice is usually Chinese.   

Pickles are complimentary.









As there was only just the two of us, we ordered Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce..









.and Sweet and Sour Shrimp.










We had the dishes with rice.









And yes..the meal may be familiar to some of you.  But is has been 18 months between visits!


_ 



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Mental Shopping
_



When DH and I were planning our trip, we had deliberately left this day free.  Afterall, we had no idea how DH would feel after the long flight and how long it would take us to check in to our room.  In reality, things had gone so unremarkably smoothly and in such quick time, that we were left with quite a bit of the afternoon to do some major credit card damage.


We both voted on hitting our favourite shop first.  The store is Keeble and Shuchat, a photography store in the Palo Alto area.  I make it a point to visit this store every time Ive visited NorCal.  That would mean that Ive hit that store at least once a year for the last 3 trips.  Its getting to the point that the staff recognises me.

We walked into the store and one of them spotted me.  He raced on over to help and I definitely remembered him.  Hes helped me twice before and I suspect that my shopping style has contributed to his long term memory of me.  

This time would prove to be no different.  


My shopping style at this store?   Well.

I walk in.  
The staff ask me what I want.
I tell them and they head on back to get the item.
I inspect the item and ask a few questions.
Then I hand over my credit card and sign a little slip of paper which tells me that Ive just dropped $$$ (In reality, I am also saving $$$ compared to buying the same item in Australia.  Thats my excuse and Im sticking by it!).
We bid each other well and I walk out. 
 

The whole transaction usually takes about 10 minutes and I guess it is probably the easiest 10 minute sale he ever makes.  This is the third time Ive done this and that staff member definitely remembers me!

This time..he tells me that he looks forward to seeing me NEXT time!  



DH? Well.as he has now inherited his dSLR camera back from me, hes more than happy to meander through the shop and do some mental shopping of his own.  By the time wed walked out, I might have been the one to drop the physical cashbut DH was up to $1500 mental shopping in that store.


Our mental shopping did not end there.  We headed to one of the malls in the area and spent a happy couple of hours checking out the state of fashion and respective prices.  As we were going to be in the area for 6 nights, we had agreed to just check things out today first.  


DH and I did compare notes in the car on the way back.  He had mentally spent about $1000 in the mall.  He was streaks ahead of me..I only got up to $700!  I'd decided that there was a suit and some tops I wanted to get in Banana Republic.


Changeover day from SoCal to NorCal had ended with me outshopping DH in the credit card reality stakes.  

But it was on the unhappy thought of being mentally out-shopped by my DH that I fell asleep with.   Afterall, tomorrow was another day!


_


----------



## Caroline NZ

Awwww, I love the little Russiann Blue kitty. We had a Russian Blue boy called Smokey, but unfortunately he was run over 4 yrs ago.


Way to go on the shopping. I hope you still managed to get another full days worth in.


----------



## franandaj

Thank you for all your kind words.  I am definitely looking forward to seeing you again in September!  Hopefully Fran will be feeling better by then.



PrincessInOz said:


> _
> Ive forgotten this ones name.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _



This one is Alto, I'm surprised that you actually got a picture of her, she and her sister Soprano are so skittish that no one ever sees them until they have visited the house a few times.  Our cat sitters only recently saw both of them at one time to actually know that there are two all white cats!  



> _
> 
> Pepper or Basil??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _



Basil, although we like to call him Bagle as it seems more fitting.



> _
> 
> But this is Sonny, a very special cat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _



You actually got a picture of her without revealing all her dirty paws and stuff.  She has Cerebelar Hypoplasia which means that the receptors from her brain that control her motor skills don't fire properly.  She falls down alot and especially when she is eating falls into her food.  That's why she gets so dirty.  Now she is getting old and lazy about cleaning herself. She's still my baby.  I can't say she's not a happy girl because tonight when we had chicken for dinner and we tossed a 1/4 of cut up chicken down for the livestock, she was right there to clean up most of the leftovers.



> _
> 
> 
> This one was definitely saying goodbye to me!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _



That's Molly, one of the cats we got from Arline, she is a sweetie!



> _
> 
> I grabbed a couple of slices of toast for breakfast and a cup of coffee before Alison drove me out to LAX.
> 
> Saying goodbye is such a depressing thing to do in real life!
> 
> _



I'm so glad you were able to get yourself something in the morning.  Real life came on so fast and there were so many people between the contractor's rep, and Darcy and Jim that I didn't get to see if you were able to take care of some breakfast.  I try to be a better host, but sometimes other things just come up and I am tugged in a million different directions.

Glad you and DH got all settled in and made your metnal purchase lists!


----------



## ACDSNY

Aw sweet kitty pics!

PIO don't feel bad about out shopping DH, you're not alone, I usually do that too.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures of the cats.

The home away from home looks very nice. It was a great room to stay while you were up in NorCal.

The food looks good.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Caroline NZ said:


> Awwww, I love the little Russiann Blue kitty. We had a Russian Blue boy called Smokey, but unfortunately he was run over 4 yrs ago.
> 
> 
> Way to go on the shopping. *I hope you still managed to get another full days worth in.*



Wait and see!  


Sorry about Smokey.  Did you get another cat?




franandaj said:


> Thank you for all your kind words.  I am definitely looking forward to seeing you again in September!  Hopefully Fran will be feeling better by then.
> 
> I'm so glad you were able to get yourself something in the morning.  Real life came on so fast and there were so many people between the contractor's rep, and Darcy and Jim that I didn't get to see if you were able to take care of some breakfast.  I try to be a better host, but sometimes other things just come up and I am tugged in a million different directions.
> 
> Glad you and DH got all settled in and made your metnal purchase lists!



Real life did creep up on us quickly, didn't it?






ACDSNY said:


> Aw sweet kitty pics!
> 
> PIO don't feel bad about out shopping DH, you're not alone, I usually do that too.



Angela - I don't feel bad about out-shopping DH.  

I felt bad because DH mentally out-shopped ME at the Mall!!  





mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures of the cats.
> 
> The home away from home looks very nice. It was a great room to stay while you were up in NorCal.
> 
> The food looks good.



Thanks Bret.  Yup.  It is a great place to stay when we are in NorCal.


----------



## dhorner233

I loved the kitty pictures!! Sonny was my favorite! She looks like she has a big smile on her face.


----------



## franandaj

dhorner233 said:


> I loved the kitty pictures!! Sonny was my favorite! She looks like she has a big smile on her face.



Thanks! PIO captured a nice shot of her! The smile is probably food residue from when she falls face first into her feeding dish!   But seriously she is a sweetie.


----------



## Caroline NZ

PrincessInOz said:


> Wait and see!
> 
> 
> Sorry about Smokey.  Did you get another cat?



We have had Benny our Burmese for nearly 14 years, we didn't replace Smokey.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> I loved the kitty pictures!! Sonny was my favorite! She looks like she has a big smile on her face.



I love the furbabies!  Sonny is one very special cat.  




franandaj said:


> Thanks! PIO captured a nice shot of her! The smile is probably food residue from when she falls face first into her feeding dish!   But seriously *she is a sweetie*.








Caroline NZ said:


> We have had Benny our Burmese for nearly 14 years, we didn't replace Smokey.


----------



## Minniemum

PIO what a fabulous TR full of wonderful photos. Is it a bit too late to say I'm  fashionably late?  Maybe it's a case of better late than never


----------



## PrincessInOz

Minniemum said:


> PIO what a fabulous TR full of wonderful photos. Is it a bit too late to say I'm  fashionably late?  Maybe it's a case of better late than never





It's NEVER too late; especially as we haven't formally hit the end of the Mayan calendar yet.  Thanks for jumping in.


----------



## shushh

What a lovely way to end your day at Disneyland and how gorgeous are those Russian blues! 

It was lovely reading about your reunion with DH. I'm such a sap...

This enquiring mind would like to know though, what you dropped $$$ for in the camera shop...


----------



## PrincessInOz

shushh said:


> What a lovely way to end your day at Disneyland and how gorgeous are those Russian blues!
> 
> It was lovely reading about your reunion with DH. I'm such a sap...
> 
> This enquiring mind would like to know though, what you dropped $$$ for in the camera shop...



I got the 70 - 200 mm f/4 IS Canon lens.  

I couldn't hold the weight of the camera and the f/2.8 version with one hand; so there was no point in getting it.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Resort Ch-ch-ch-changes
_



Our home away from home looked like it hadnt changed when we checked in yesterday.  The room was still well-kept and clean; bathroom functioned well; breakfast and happy hour still in play..


But it is amazing what a good nights sleep does to ones perception!

In the cold light of morning, there were two inescapable changes.

The spa..my hot tub..had been bricked up and completely closed over.
There was no bacon for breakfast.



I can probably deal with change #1; but no bacon?  That was one change too many!



I sure hope that there is that fat crispy protein on offer tomorrow morning. 


_
(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Around the Bay.to Half Moon Bay (In Search Of..Photoscavenger hunt items)
_



I have been known to go to unreasonable lengths in search of a shot for the DisBoard photoscavenger hunts run by pea-n-me.  In fact, I would even go as far as saying that I can be downright scary stalker!

As the Northern Hemisphere is in autumn (or it was at the time of the trip), it goes without saying that the items on the current hunt involved Halloween themes and fall.

I havent ever gone as far as buying an airline ticket just to get a shot; but I cannot claim that the scavenger hunt does not factor at all in my sightseeing decisions.  Quite the contrary, in fact.  


There were a number of items on the scavenger hunt list that Id researched before boarding the plane and I figured that my best bet of scoring some of them was at a place in Half Moon Bay.  







Lemos Farm has been in operation since 1942.  In its 3rd generation now, this old family farm is probably best described as a farm playground for kids.  

There is a petting zoo, pony rides and the item I had been stalking.









It might have been the first weekend in November; but I was still hopeful of catching some of the seasonal Halloween accoutrements.   I had not hoped in vain!


Pumpkins!  









Of different sizes.









Would you say this was a Pumpkin Head?









Yes, perhaps that was a little corn-ball; even for me.










Hmmmm.How about a corn-cutting spook instead?









Am I just plain spooky, you ask?










As long as you dont think me a witch.










.but if you do, at least I come with candy corn.












Black cats were on the scav hunt list and whilst Velcro fitted the bill nicely, I couldnt resist the flat cat options!



















For those of you that might be thinking that I was shooting cowboy style.











Just rememberHalloween is not something that we celebrate in Australia.  And it is springtime; not fallso some of those iconic images that you grew up with are a novelty to me.










The farm in fall colours was a sight to behold and I just loved all the Fall and Halloween items.









Sadly, I missed the Haunted House here.and in Disneyland.  At least I could take consolation from the fact that this one was closed for the season.










There was a wonderful figure balloon maker at the farm.  These were all for sale.









I seem to be falling all over Ariel this trip!










My prince of a DH decided to surprise me.   This balloon rose lasted all week and gave me so much pleasure!











Oh.I think we know each other well enough now for you to know that simple things amuse my simple mind.  This was something that amused me greatly!










(Yes, I know.toilet humour!).





And for the Boo Boos and Moo Moos lurking..











Yes.we were definitely two adults without responsible children supervision this morning.








_
(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

All the Beautiful Morning trimmings.and more corn
_



We stopped at another roadside favourite of mine.









I do like to buy farm produce from a couple of these stalls whenever Im in the area and thought I should acquaint DH with this simple pleasure.









We bought some strawberries.  On hindsight, we should be bought 4 punnets, instead of 2.  They were wonderfully sweet and flavoursome.









The stallholder was happy for us to sample the honey.  I took the opportunity to ask after the health of his hives; afterall, there had been a disease that had decimated a lot of the bees not so long ago.  I was pleased to find out that they were thriving and honey production in this area was going well.









I had targeted Half Moon Bay for a reason.  Aside from being guaranteed of a number of hunt items at Lemos Farm, I knew from experience that I was going to be able to scratch Corn Maze off my list as well.

That corn field out there was something that Id gone through when I was in the area in 2009.  Sadly for me, this one was closed!









But we were in farm country!










Even if this field had been decked out as a pumpkin patch.









There was a small corn maze about 100 meters away from the stall.









The corn really is as high as an elephants eye!









Yup.  I had crossed off quite a few items from my list this morning and there really was a bright golden haze in the meadow!









Oh, What a Beautiful Morning it had turned out to be (so far).


_


----------



## franandaj

Nice update!  I think I understand why you enjoy going to Half Moon Bay so much.  I imagine that there isn't a lot like it in Australia.  And especially the Halloween decorations, I never thought about what it would be like without them and Thanksgiving too!

Very fun pictures, the one with your DH in the pumpkin cut out, he almost looks evil!


----------



## ACDSNY

Nice update, if you really want to see Pumpkin Heads you need to go during the Giant Pumpkin Festival.  I have many fond memories with my grandparents at Half Moon Bay and my DS wedding was there too.

I love the Party Pooper pic, that sounds like my family's type of humor.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Another great update from Half Moon Bay. Very nice pictures of the Halloween decorations.


----------



## zanzibar138

I can't wait to experience the Halloween time of year in the US - it's such a novelty for us Aussies!

You got some great pictures, and I love how you plan your sight-seeing around the photo scavenger hunt


----------



## alicia1506

love the update and the pics PIO. so beautiful  

may i ask what kind of camera are you using? is it a dslr? i am currently just using a big panasonic but it's got a digital zoom rather than the manual focus of a dslr and it's driving me insane.. thinking of upgrading...


----------



## rentayenta

Great update PIO!  I love your photos and am a big fan of all things Fall. Looks like you had a great day. And those strawberries look amazing.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Nice update!  I think I understand why you enjoy going to Half Moon Bay so much.  I imagine that there isn't a lot like it in Australia.  And especially the Halloween decorations, I never thought about what it would be like without them and Thanksgiving too!
> 
> Very fun pictures, the one with your DH in the pumpkin cut out, *he almost looks evil*!



Looks are everything; but he's still a prince! 





ACDSNY said:


> Nice update, if you really want to see Pumpkin Heads you need to go during the Giant Pumpkin Festival.  I have many fond memories with my grandparents at Half Moon Bay and my DS wedding was there too.
> 
> I love the Party Pooper pic, that sounds like my family's type of humor.



Half Moon Bay do a pumpkin festival.  I've never been able to coincide a visit with it.

Your DS got married at HMB?  Fantastic!  Great location.





mvf-m11c said:


> Another great update from Half Moon Bay. Very nice pictures of the Halloween decorations.



Thanks Bret.




zanzibar138 said:


> I can't wait to experience the Halloween time of year in the US - it's such a novelty for us Aussies!
> 
> You got some great pictures, and I love how you plan your sight-seeing around the photo scavenger hunt



Thanks!  Yes.....I've been known to go to great lengths just to tick off an item.  




alicia1506 said:


> love the update and the pics PIO. so beautiful
> 
> may i ask what kind of camera are you using? is it a dslr? i am currently just using a big panasonic but it's got a digital zoom rather than the manual focus of a dslr and it's driving me insane.. thinking of upgrading...



Alicia - I'm currently shooting with a Canon 7D.  It is a dSLR.  Just be aware that if you do upgrade, and depending on what you want to shoot; it is the lenses (and all the rest) that make this a rather expensive hobby.  
Which panasonic are you currently shooting with?




rentayenta said:


> Great update PIO!  I love your photos and am a big fan of all things Fall. Looks like you had a great day. And those strawberries look amazing.



Thanks!  Those strawberries were amazing.  I really wish we'd bought a couple more punnets.  

And my day is only just beginning.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Around the Bay….to San Jose (Do you know the way?)
_



I don’t think it is any secret that I absolutely love being in the Bay area.  San Francisco is my second favourite city in all the world – after the one I live in, of course.  The comparative size of the cities; lots of distinctive precincts with cultural diversity, great restaurants and food and family ties make San Francisco and Melbourne seem rather similar to us.


Okay….we might not have the immediate family in San Francisco, like we both do in Melbourne, but DH and I both have extended family in the Bay area.
So, whenever we travel to this part of the world and especially if for work, we always catch a flight a day in advance so that we have all of Sunday to catch up with the families.      


We’d woken up early in the morning on this day and thankfully neither of us suffered from any jetlag!  So, we were able to hit this day running.  

I have already posted pictures of our time in Half Moon Bay.  For those of you that have accused me in the past of travelling at commando speed…..it will come as no surprise to you that by the time I’d gotten my hay ride and corn maze shot, plus bought some Strawberry produce, the clock had just ticked over to 10.30 am in the morning.



We still had the main part of our day still to come.  We were meeting up with our respective family members today.

Our destination for the first family catch-up was somewhere that we knew the way to….San Jose.  More specifically, we were heading to Santana Row.  This was one place that had been on my to-do list for NorCal this trip.  I'd been there briefly once before, with DS.  Actually, we might as well call it never....DS let me park, we got down and that was it.  He wanted to head back to the hotel within 5 minutes.


We were running a tad late for the family meeting; so we didn’t have the time to look around.  Truth be known, the shops at Santana Row open at 11 am on a Sunday so there was no point going early. I figured that we could squeeze in Half Moon Bay before heading out here.  DH didn’t seem to mind getting the additional sightseeing…and we were only about 15 minutes late for the catch-up.


We’d arranged to meet where we were having lunch.  DH’s family do like to keep up with who’s who in the San Francisco gastronomy scene – so every time we visit, I get to experience their favourite place for that year.   
The Left Bank Brasserie is an authentic Parisian-style brasserie and the Chief Culinary Officer, Roland Passot, is one of the chefs that has a small but loyal following in San Francisco.  

There are a number of Left Banks in the Bay area and they all serve the same menu.  This one had a rather nice prominent corner location at Santana Row.








We didn’t have a reservation; and on Sunday late morning, it only took about 10 minutes for them to seat us.  Practically walk-on.









The décor was fairly low-key and informal.









I liked it a lot!









The menu?  I liked it even more!









Traditionally French.  The sort of French food that you’d expect to have at home, if you cooked in that French provincial way.  And yes, cassoulet was on the menu.  The restaurant does have a reputation for churning out a decent steak but I couldn’t pass up the Croque Mousier.









It really was much more in keeping with lunchtime than the steak would have been.

The ham was delicious.  I gathered that it might have been from France.  









DH had the Nicoise Salad.  The tuna was seared to perfection!









Despite being foodies, this side of DH’s family like to start eating as soon as the food arrives and I didn’t push my food porn fetish with them…..afterall, I do want to keep visiting them and finding out about their favourite chefs and restaurants!


One other thing about lunch…..It was here that I reacquainted myself with an American love affair.  Lemonade!  This one was a pomegranate flavour.  Lovely!










We did take a look at the dessert menu but DH and I were pretty full from the hot buffet breakfast and the lunch we’d already scoffed down today.  

Maybe next time.


_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Santana Row
_



Santana Row is one of those uber-chic trendy looking shopping precincts.  









Aside from being a shopping precinct, it also has residential apartments; so it does have more of a village feel to it.  









Its located near a Westfield and the Winchester Mystery House; so there are plenty of other tourist traps to explore around it should the shops here turn out to be too pricey for you.  



Just outside the Left Bank Brasserie was what you could consider to be the main square.  It really was more like a long passage.









There was a gorgeous building in the middle that turned out to be a watering hole.   Not that Im a big drinker or anything; but it might be nice to check the Vintage Wine Bar at some stage in the future.









We walked down the street admiring the shops and the buildings.









It was a rather colourful little shopping precinct.









I spent a bit of time here admiring the details.


























Despite being so built up, we managed to see a beautiful yellow-coloured hummingbird flitting amongst the flowers.  I completely missed taking a shot!


We walked into a few shops here and walked out empty-handed each time.  

For the Aussies reading this, most of the shops here were equivalent to buying the similar item in Australiaexpensive!  
But there was one shop that DH and I were completely entranced by the product.









Tesla Motors manufactures a completely electric vehicle.  The rechargeable battery is located at the bottom of the car and forms the undercarriage of the vehicle.









With a range of over 200 miles per charge, it is an intriguing glimpse into the future.








It is capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in about 3 seconds.  By way of comparison  California Screamin does 0 to 55 mph in 4 seconds.









The selling point for me?   Without needing a combustion engine, there was significantly extra luggage space in the front of the vehicle (in addition to the standard space in the back)!









Now..if only the airlines would provide us with more baggage allowanceI would so get this car just to carry my shopping and bags!


Oh.and the price tag for the Tesla?  Around $55K.  Not that bad compared to the price of cars in Australia but Im pretty sure that the shipping costs would be beyond my budget!



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Around the Bay..to Great Mall Drive
_



We had a great time hanging out with DHs family.  We see them once a year, get all our catching up on family news done over a fantastic meal (which they pay for), hang out some more and then say our goodbyes.  Short. Sharp. And. Sweet.


This midday catch up was no different.  They understood that DH and I wanted to get some shopping time in and after about 3 hours of being in each others company, they bid us farewell and we headed on out.  We might have been in San Jose; but I knew my way to and out of this area towards the Great Mall in Milpitas.  


DH was most impressed when I navigated him towards the Great Mall and it only took us 7 - 10 minutes to get there.  What he didnt know was that I had spent a bit of time driving rings around this area.being lost last year!  It just goes to prove that there is no such thing as useless information!  For the record, from Santana Row, get on the 880 and stay on it until it intersects the 237.



No picturesbut we did get some more shopping time in at the outlet mall.  DH and I were on the hunt for work shoes.  Do you know......this is the FIRST time that both of us didnt find anything that fit the bill.  Either the stock was crappy or we were getting much more picky in our old age!  Maybe we were just getting old!


But dont fret.  DH and I did walk out with clothes from Gap.   On the credit card reality stakes, it was close enough for DH and me to call it a tie on the real spending this time!


We had to call our shopping to a close early.  We still have another family catch-up to make and we were only half-way round the bay!


_


----------



## PrincessInOz

To all Disboard friends and lurkers alike.


I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  May this holiday season be filled with love, laughter, family and food.

Thanks for reading!


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> To all Disboard friends and lurkers alike.
> 
> 
> I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May this holiday season be filled with love, laughter, family and food.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


 

Wow, this is beautiful!  We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from Left Bank restaurant and the food porn. The Croque Mousier looks very appetizing. 

Nice to hear that you and your DH had a fun time going around the Bay during your trip. 

Great update. 

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


----------



## franandaj

As we have now reached the locale which you are writing about, it's funny.  My parents wanted to go to dinner tomorrow night at Santana Row, but for either Il Fornaio or Yankee Clipper.  Had they mentioned the place you dined, Fran and I might have been all on top of it.  That Croque Minseur looked amazing!  

Instead we are going to their favorite Sushi restaurant, which is not too bad either.  I can't believe how you guys get around the Bay so quickly.  As locals I guess we are stuck in our ways and don't travel that much once we are set.  Other than hitting the Disney Museum tomorrow, I doubt we'll get much farther than the borders of San Jose before we go back to the LA area!


----------



## dhorner233

Boy, you and Alison sure get around! But then I'm flying to Washington, DC today!


----------



## KCmike

Merry Christmas Princess!


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Wow, this is beautiful!  We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year too!



Hope you're having a great day, Angela.  




mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from Left Bank restaurant and the food porn. The Croque Mousier looks very appetizing.
> 
> Nice to hear that you and your DH had a fun time going around the Bay during your trip.
> 
> Great update.
> 
> We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.



Thanks Bret.  Merry Christmas to you as well.





franandaj said:


> As we have now reached the locale which you are writing about, it's funny.  My parents wanted to go to dinner tomorrow night at Santana Row, but for either Il Fornaio or Yankee Clipper.  Had they mentioned the place you dined, Fran and I might have been all on top of it.  That Croque Minseur looked amazing!
> 
> Instead we are going to their favorite Sushi restaurant, which is not too bad either.  I can't believe how you guys get around the Bay so quickly.  As locals I guess we are stuck in our ways and don't travel that much once we are set.  Other than hitting the Disney Museum tomorrow, I doubt we'll get much farther than the borders of San Jose before we go back to the LA area!



Il Fornaio was on the list for DH's cousins.  I think that they gave that to us as an option but when I heard "french", the decision was easy.

Hope you're having a great time in NorCal.





dhorner233 said:


> Boy, you and Alison sure get around! But then I'm flying to Washington, DC today!



Have a great time in Washington DC, Denise.  Merry Christmas!




KCmike said:


> Merry Christmas Princess!



Thanks Mike.  Hope you're having a great day with the family.


----------



## dhorner233

Merry Christmas Princess!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Thanks Denise.  That's gorgeous!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Around the Bay.to the East Bay (Seeing a Star and Flashing)
_


DH always takes a look at the gig calendar in San Francisco prior to one of his trips.  Its about the only thing that I can guarantee he will get done before he even books his plane ticket.

So, we already had Sunday night plans booked!  We were meeting more family here..another one of DHs cousins and my cousin.


From Milpitas, we kept going on the 880.  We passed the Oracle Arena and Oakland Coliseum complex and I grabbed a shot for rentayenta.









Traffic was a little heavy but then I think a game had just finished and we were stuck in the home rush.









Pretty soon, we were approaching our destination.








In the 70s, Oakland picked up a pretty bad reputation for being a violent heroin town.  This came on top of pretty serious organised crime by the Hells Angels through the 60s; and after that, its been fighting hard to lose that murderous violent town tag ever since.









Im not sure if it has succeeded in changing peoples perceptions and even in recent times, violent acts of crime, even if they are significantly less frequent, just seem to reinforce the view.  Still, the town council has made significant steps towards cleaning up Oakland and there are bits of it that can be considered reasonably pretty.  Oakland main trade is predominantly marine cargo and you can catch a ferry from Fishermans Wharf over to Jack London Square.








Jack London Square or Jack London District has been transformed into a precinct full of pubs, restaurants, clubs and tourist traps.

















The Amtrak runs through this street..I was never quick enough to grab a picture of it; but it was quite amusing to see the big trains just sharing the street with pedestrians and cars.









Our destination is that corner place in the picture above.  Yoshis.









Yoshis is a restaurant and jazz club that boasts the talents of Chef Sho..San Franciscos Iron Chef.  The menu is distinctively Japanese; although, I would argue that it is more a fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with some slant towards the Occidental flavours.   I wish I could share some pictures of the food; but we had rung Yoshis beforehand and were advised that whilst photography was permitted, dSLR cameras were not allowed in the establishment.  The food was good and I would be happy to come and eat here again.


DH did bring his semi-automatic camera, which was allowed, so there are some shots of the night.  So the next 6 shots are his.  

The jazz club holds about 450 people and I suspect that if it was truly at capacity, there would be no room to breathe.









We scored a decent seat and one of our cousins took this shot of us at our right-at-the-front table.









Yes, FOUR of us squeezed round that table, together with our nosh!



Who were we seeing?  









Tonight, we were at the early show for the legendary jazz guitarist, Earl Klugh.









His band was slammin and we all just LOVED the show.

















To our surprise, we found out that Earl Klugh was going to be out in the entry area signing autographs (and selling CDs).  He still had a later show to prep for and it is rather rare for performers to want to break their focus in-between shows.  


There were a lot of CDs sold that night!  We left with 2.


As I did have my camera with me (I certainly wasnt leaving it in the car!), he agreed to let me take his picture.  As it isnt every day that you meet a celebrity and in order to guarantee the shot, I got DH to put the camera into automatic mode.  I am not ashamed to say that I had stars in my eyes and I certainly wasnt beyond flashing!  









But rest assuredI flashed for DH as well.










_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Around the Bay.via the City by the Bay (Bay Bridge)
_




When the show was over, we offered to drop both cousins home.  Afterall, both the locals had come by BART and we were the ones with the rental wheels.  


My cousin lives near the Painted Ladies, Alamo Square.  So, we kept going around the Bay on the 880 to the 80 and into the Downtown area.  This route took us on to the Bay Bridge; and I couldnt resist.

This is part of the Eastern Span from Yerba Buena Island to Oakland.









Heading down towards the Island.









The Western Span from Yerba Buena Island towards San Francisco downtown.










We were totally in the wrong lane and DH did offer to swap.  I dont know what he didnt do so.but this is the only view I have of the downtown area at night.









We dropped my cousin off and then made our way to the San Mateo area where DHs cousin lives.  And just for the heck of it, I perversely suggested we take the 280 back to San Mateo instead of the 101.


Why?


Because we had started out our day around the bay driving along the 280 after we finished at Half Moon Bay to San Jose.  It just felt like autobahn closure to me.  Wed started off in Silicon Valley and had made our way to San Jose, Milpitas, Oakland, San Francisco downtown, San Mateo and back again.  In total, we did over 200 miles in this day.


After we finished with our chauffeuring duties, we headed back to the hotel.  It had been a pretty good day catching up with everyone.  

Tomorrow was the start of a long work week for DHand I was going to be travelling solo during the daytime!



_


----------



## aussietravellers

Boxing day catch up reading for me.  Loved the photos of the farm, corn maze and roadside stall!  That meal at the Left Bank looked delicious.  I was looking at the menu like I was going to order   I thought to myself, what am I doing, it's not like I can pop there for lunch!  But I chose the Croque Monsieur too!  That just looked divine!  Mouth watering.

Loved the look of the streets and shopping area after lunch.  I'd love to visit that area one day.  Will pop it on my life to do list.

Looks like it was a very busy, full on day!


----------



## rentayenta

Thank you for the shot.   The boys had an amazing trip and I can't thank you enough for your hotel recommendation. We got to hear more fun stories over dinner yesterday.

Great update and hope you had a Merry Christmas.


----------



## franandaj

You guys really got ALL OVER the bay!  My parents thought we were crazy to go as far as the Oakridge Mall to go shopping today.  I can't even imagine travleing the distance that you did in one day!


----------



## ACDSNY

You're a better pro at getting around the Bay Area than most locals!


----------



## PrincessInOz

aussietravellers said:


> Boxing day catch up reading for me.  Loved the photos of the farm, corn maze and roadside stall!  That meal at the Left Bank looked delicious.  I was looking at the menu like I was going to order   I thought to myself, what am I doing, it's not like I can pop there for lunch!  But I chose the Croque Monsieur too!  That just looked divine!  Mouth watering.
> 
> Loved the look of the streets and shopping area after lunch.  I'd love to visit that area one day.  Will pop it on my life to do list.
> 
> Looks like it was a very busy, full on day!



That menu shot was only about 25% of the total menu.  There was quite a few more options.  And the food was divine.





rentayenta said:


> Thank you for the shot.   The boys had an amazing trip and I can't thank you enough for your hotel recommendation. We got to hear more fun stories over dinner yesterday.
> 
> Great update and hope you had a Merry Christmas.



Glad the hotel worked out.  I think that you might also need to thank Kaoden as well.  I think she and I recommended that hotel roughly about the same time.  





franandaj said:


> You guys really got ALL OVER the bay!  My parents thought we were crazy to go as far as the Oakridge Mall to go shopping today.  I can't even imagine travleing the distance that you did in one day!



Yup.  Round that bay in a day.  I figured the locals would appreciate how much travelling we did get done that Sunday.  





ACDSNY said:


> You're a better pro at getting around the Bay Area than most locals!



Ahhhhh.....Angela.  

The deliciousness of your statement has me in stitches over here.  

So many connotations.....most, if not all, so DisAppropriate!!


----------



## rentayenta

Thank you too to Michele for the SF hotel recommendation.   Michael doesn't believe me but I always tell him, if you want info on anything. someone on the DIS will know. It's like Google but with friends.


----------



## mvf-m11c

You and your DH had a great time all around the bay. Nice pictures when you were in the car and Yoshi's restaurant.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Thank you too to Michele for the SF hotel recommendation.   Michael doesn't believe me but I always tell him, if you want info on anything. someone on the DIS will know. It's like Google but with friends.



  And you don't even have to ask the question!  Someone else will have already asked it so you can lurk and appear really clever! 





mvf-m11c said:


> You and your DH had a great time all around the bay. Nice pictures when you were in the car and Yoshi's restaurant.



Thanks Bret.  We did have a great time.  Always nice catching up with family and friends in San Francisco.


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:
			
		

> Ahhhhh.....Angela.
> 
> The deliciousness of your statement has me in stitches over here.
> 
> So many connotations.....most, if not all, so DisAppropriate!!



Not that kind of pro! Lol


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Not that kind of pro! Lol


----------



## PrincessInOz

Ham it Up!
_


We started the day early with the hot breakfast buffet.  It was to be our daily ritual morning catch up for DH and me.  


Every morning, DH would grab the eggs and/or cook some oatmeal.  
Every morning, I would wonder if bacon would be served.  DH would patiently sit there and listen to me oink on about the razorback cuts of not serving non fatty crunchy goodness. 



This morning, there was no bacon but there was ham instead.  Pork is such a sweet meat, so it was an acceptable alternative.









After breakfast, DH would say our goodbyes and go our respective ways.  

Effectively, this left me from 8 am in the morning through to 6 pm in the evening to entertain myself.



_
(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

My Plans for the Week  a recap
_



When planning for this trip, I decided that I was going to go to all the places that appealed to me.  Afterall, I didnt have to worry about entertaining anyone else and if you recall the below from my PTR:

_There are 4 full days here for me to do as I please.  Im not sure what Ill be doing on which day but my plans are as follows:

1.	Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum and DisMeet with usnuzuloose, ACDSNY and mvf-m11c. I think weve locked in a day for this one.
2.	A day in downtown SF reacquainting myself with my favourite places and shops.  I do like wandering down Union Street (not the square) and also spending time in that tourist trap of Fishermans Wharf.  If I feel like it, I might jump on a ferry and head across to Sausalito.  If not, Ill spend time looking at shops in the downtown area.
3.	Head to Half Moon Bay and drive along PCH1.  I think Ill go seek out a lighthouse or two and the elephant seals this time.  And if I hit the right time schedule, I might go to Felton and take a steam train ride through the redwoods.
4.	Shopping.  This might be spread out over the 5 days.  The places I want to go to include Stamford Mall, Hillsdale Mall, Keeble and Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto, Santana Row, Town and Country Village, Milpitas Warehouse Outlets.  I probably wont get to every single one of these shopping places but Im going to try.  I need to buy jeans, shoes, business suits and blouses.
5.	Pending time, Id like to visit a few nature reserves and/or gardens around Silicon Valley.  I keep trying to visit the Filoli Gardensbut Ive never quite made it there.  And sadly for me, as Ill be there in November, I dont think the Filoli will be opened at this time of year.  Itll have to be another trip._


Last night at Yoshis, our cousins asked what my plans were for the week and I pretty much regaled a list almost identical to the one above.

I think we can all acknowledge that Ive already covered off bits of 3 and 4 by this stage; but not all of it.  


The two cousins convinced me that a drive down PCH1 was the thing to do today; given that the weather was going to be beautiful; with temperatures expected in the low 90s.  They werent sure about how the weather was going to be for the rest of the week and living in a city like Melbourne where we can get 4 seasons in a 10 minute period, I knew when to make hay whilst the sun shone.  


I decided that a trip towards Santa Cruz was in order.  I thought it would be great for me to go seek out a lighthouse or two and animal life on this day.

And I would steadily work on this list for the rest of the week.


_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Life in the Fast Lane
_



To drive or not to drive in the US is one of those questions that any Aussie planning a vacation across the pond will ask and ponder over.  Afterall, we naturally drive on the left side and driving on the wrong side of the road can seem rather daunting.


Me?  Ive been driving on the right side of the road on every US trip Ive ever made and its almost second nature to me.  I have to think real hard to recall how I felt getting into a right-hand drive car in the US for the first time.  Sad to say, I cant recall very much at all.

Which is a good thing for me on trips like this..because.whenever DH is on a work trip, I do have to take control of the travel plans during the work hours.  Which invariable means that I drive myself (and DS when he comes along) mostly everywhere!


So it was that I ended driving along the 101 southbound this morning; but there was still some mental speed adjustment that I had to make.


With a legal speed limit of 65 mph, I put pedal to the metal and hit 70 mph without any issue.  Afterall, whilst it is a legal speed limit, the general rule of thumb is to keep up with traffic and drive safely.


Would you believe that at that speed I was practically standing still compared to the traffic around me?!?!?



Yup.  I was finally living Life in the Fast Lane.and I was still slow.





For the Aussies reading and lurking..driving is driving irrespective of what side of the road you are on.  Ive always maintained that the hardest bit about driving in the US is negotiating your way out of the hire car parking lot and getting on to the first freeway.

Even though it seems like the Americans drive faster than we do in Australia, eventually the traffic will slow to a crawl through the ebbs and flows of travel.  In areas of a jam, the traffic will slow right down to stops, starts and go.  In traffic like this, it really is no different to driving in an arteriole road during peak hour in Oz.




From the 101, I cut across to the 17.  I had previously driven the 17 about 7 or 8 years before but franandaj convinced me that I needed to do an encore drive down.  The scenery was lovely, with many of the trees turning that lovely golden yellow and orange colour of fall.  The odd tree was russet red and the drive was visually stunning.  However, there were an unusual number of cars with surfboards on the top heading in this direction towards Santa Cruz.  It was unusual because this was a Monday work day and I had not expected to be travelling down the coast with a number of cars.  


_



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


The Butterfly Enclosure
_



Did you know that there are a number of butterfly enclosures along the Californian coastline during the months of November through to March?  The only thing about these enclosures is that there are no nets to keep the butterflies in!

In January 2011, we had stopped at Pismo Beach and saw mass clusters of the Monarch butterflies.  Then  the butterflies had been stationary with upwards of a couple of thousand butterflies settled in one tree alone.  Todays experience was completely different.



My specific destination for today was the Natural Bridges State Park.  It is located on the outskirts of Santa Cruz (the San Fransisco side) and the Visitor Centre was quite civilised.  It had one-ply paper in the super clean and modern facilities.








I was on a milkweed run and chasing Monarch butterflies.   I really did get to see a milkweed plant in situ complete with Monarch caterpillar crawling on it.   









I veered off in the direction of the eucalyptus trees.  It always amuses me that there are such numbers of this native Australian tree in California.and yes, I know.  The trees are not necessarily environmentally welcomed in this state.









I am going to digress at this point but it makes sense to do so.  See that road in the picture above?  The road goes for about 100 meters and I was to find out later that it finishes up at a back-entry point (Delaware Avenue).  There is street parking at Delaware Avenue and it seems to be a spot for the locals to come and park.  It saves the $10 park entry fee; if you wish to come to this State Park only.  However, I was happy to pay the fee as that fee allowed me entry to all the other State Parks I was to visit on this day.  



Back to my morning.  I headed along a boardwalk.
















It was towards the start of the migration season and the butterflies in this part of NorCal were in smaller quantities and rather active.  Seems like they did not want to settle down in their clumps on the beautiful warm day.  I couldnt really blame them.  The weather was fantastic.









The butterflies that did settle were a rather long way away from the boardwalk.  The main numbers of them were flying about this section of the grove.   They were just flying about everywhere and the air just seemed like it was filled with butterflies.  Like I said.rather like being in a butterfly enclosure only without the enclosure netting.









If you look carefully, you might just about make out a dozen or so of the flitterbugs settled on that distant branch.









The Monarchs have such colourful wings.  Orange and black on the top and white-yellow on the underside.








I met a group of senior walkers whilst on the boardwalk.  Seems like they wanted to take a hike through the State Park and a couple of them were rather chatty.  So, I was convinced to take the left fork off the boardwalk with these ladies for a bit.









Turns out that the first rise we got to, the ladies figured it was too steep for them to climb so I was left on my own; whilst they turned around and gingerly made their way back to the boardwalk.  Lets just say that they would have made the Old Fogies proud that day as that rise was 3 steps high.

I checked my map and decided that the left fork took me to the beach; so I headed out.  And no, I wasnt being brave or foolhardy..all roads did eventually lead to the beach.  This particular one probably took me an additional 5 minutes to get there.









You might recall that this particular park was called the Natural Bridges State Park.  Thats because there is a natural bridge at the beach.  In fact, there used to be three bridges.  The bridges are made from mudstone and only the middle one remains.  









Seems like it is in danger of collapsing as well, due to wind and wave erosion.  I can well believe it and it will be a sad day when it does happen.

















I was really pleased to see a flock of birds at the top of the bridge.  Pelicans and seagulls and terns were a-plenty there!  I even saw a white egret fly past.









The beach was lovely.  It wasnt particularly large; but it was rather quiet and I saw only two other groups of people on the beach.  And in case youre wondering where we are in California, that is Monterey Bay out there!  I'm at the top end of the Bay; rather than the other more notable end.









As is my habit whenever Im on this side of the pond, no matter what season or the temperature, I always try to dip my toes in the ocean.  I hadnt counted on a 90 F plus day in early November; but it was lovely to just run in and have a play with the waves.  I wished I had brought my swimming gear and a towel with me, though.









There are rock pools with intertidal organisms on the rocky banks of this beach.  I contemplated taking a look but the rocks already held 2 school groups and I had already stayed here longer than originally planned.  Next time.


So, I headed back to the car.  And it was there that I ran into the senior walkers again.  They had been rather relieved to see me.  Turns out that the two chatty ladies had been worried that Id taken the left fork and they had convinced the group to stay a while to wait to see if I returned.  The pattern of behaviour of these comparative seniors set the tone of my interaction with Northern Californians for the rest of the week.  Mostly everyone that I met provided me with little acts of kindness that touched my heart in one way or another. 

I thanked them for their concern and chatted with them some more.   We parted company and I hope that they are well wherever they are right now.  



On my way out, I stopped at the top carpark to take a look at the view one last time.









It had been a perfectly lovely morning so far.


_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


I wanna live on this Drive!
_




You might have noticed that there were dwellings along the coastline from the beach shots.  









There is one residential street that hugs the coastline from here back to Santa Cruz.  That street is called West Cliff Drive.  I decided to take it back to Santa Cruz as it seems to be a local attraction; quite the done-thing to do.
The drive was quite spectacular and the view to the inland side was in stark contrast to the view on Monterey Bay.  The inland side contained beautiful residences; of artsy architecture right through to the modern.  I dont even want to contemplate how much one of these abodes would sell for; but I think I wanna live here along this Drive! 

















Take a look at the view of the bay.  The deep blue of the Pacific Ocean is a force to be reckoned with.









I found a parking spot along the Drive and got down.  There is a walking and bike path right along the coast and there were heaps of people out jogging and cycling.  I clambered down another rise to the rocky platform that stopped with a drop into the ocean.

If I only had wingsI would have certainly got as close to the edge as this bird was.









You might notice a building way out in the distance; beyond the trees.   That was my target destination for the next stop.









I kept driving along W Cliff Drive and kept on heading towards the Surf board Museum.  It was housed in that building, which used to be a lighthouse.  


Remember I said that there were a heap of cars heading down towards Santa Cruz with surf boards on the roofs?

Turns out that I had hit Santa Cruz during a Rip Curl Classic surfing event.  I hit traffic about a mile down the road and crawled my way past the lighthouse.  There was nowhere for me to stop or park.  The event had rolled in town and all the streets were packed with cars.  And the main competition was located right along that lighthouse.  The marquees and temporary seating had been set up and a competition window appeared to be in full swing when I drove by.  I could hear the announcer over the loud speaker.  I was to find out later that Santa Cruz had over 15,000 surfers visit on the Sunday.  Quite a few of them had come back on the Monday!


I realised that even if I had found a place to park, there would have been no point in stopping by the museum.  It was all closed up because of the event.


By this stage, the only thing left for me to do was to keep going towards Santa Cruz.  I could see the Boardwalk a couple of blocks down from where I was.



_


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## franandaj

What beautiful ocean pictures!  I love all the birds and nature shots!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What amazing pics!  Can't wait to hear more about your day!


----------



## ACDSNY

Beautiful shots!  I want to live on that drive too.


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## mvf-m11c

Great pictures of the beach and the ocean and great pictures of the Monarch Butterflies.


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## KCmike

Love the shots.  My wife wants to live there in our "Golden Years".


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## rentayenta

Ocean, sand, water, wave shots are my favorite.  Yours are just lovely. Thank you for sharing those.


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## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> What beautiful ocean pictures!  I love all the birds and nature shots!



There might be a few more nature shots coming up for the rest of the week.




tiggrbaby said:


> What amazing pics!  Can't wait to hear more about your day!



Thanks tiggrbaby. 





ACDSNY said:


> Beautiful shots!  I want to live on that drive too.



You're a lot closer than me.  If you do move, let me know.





mvf-m11c said:


> Great pictures of the beach and the ocean and great pictures of the Monarch Butterflies.



Thanks Bret.





KCmike said:


> Love the shots.  My wife wants to live there in our "Golden Years".



Whilst I'm sure that the Golden Years are a long way off, you'd better warn your wife that if you move here, she needs to expect an indefinite visitor!!




rentayenta said:


> Ocean, sand, water, wave shots are my favorite.  Yours are just lovely. Thank you for sharing those.



  Thank you.


----------



## PrincessInOz

In Search of Five People
_



The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is the oldest ocean side amusement park in California.  

I had been here a few years before after a trip on the Felton steam train.  After hitting the no-stop zone courtesy of the Rip Curl Classic event, my mind hit a mental blank and as I could see the boardwalk, it seemed like a logical spot to go to.








A long time ago, I read a book by Mitch Albom called The Five People You Meet in Heaven.  

​_There are five people you meet in heaven. Each of us was in your life for a reason. You may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth.​_


The book tells the story about Eddie who, as he meets his five people, understands the meaning of his life.  The book was later turned into a telemovie starring Jon Voight.  In the book, Eddie works at a seaside amusement park.  Whilst the movie setting for the amusement was the Santa Monica Boardwalk, I am transported to recollections of the book and the movie whenever I have been at Santa Cruz.


Would I meet my Five People today?









Would they provide me with a window..and insight into my life?









Will I be able to hold on to my courage and not be frightened by truth?









Ah.yup.  Seems like my Five People dont work on a Monday.  


It was pretty sad to see the amusement park all closed up and practically devoid of people.  This place had been teeming with life and laughter on my last visit.









I headed towards the Cocoanut Grove building.


















There were a few other tourists hoping to fill the space here.









I took a look at the beach that I had remembered as being filled with the Bold and the Beautiful people the last time I was here.  I have to admit that I preferred it this waywhere I could smell the sea air and enjoy the sound of sea gulls cawing.  









There were a couple of shops opened at the Cocoanut Grove building.  One and only one eating establishment was the Barbary Coast Restaurant.









The server convinced me that this was the best burger in town.  For $12, I got the cheeseburger, French fries and a soda.  









Not even close.  Might I suggest that if you were in the area  try somewhere else?

Can I say that I had a little sticker shock here?  I dont think Ive ever paid this much for a burger, fries and soda in the US outside of a theme park!



The restaurant connects through to a games arcade area.









It was a veritable pirates lair..of the mini golf kind!









My detour to the Boardwalk was courtesy of a lighthouse.  I kinda seemed fitting for me to find one in here.









Againnot even close!



As I left the Boardwalk and drove back towards the Cabrillo, I reflected on my Five People.  If and when there is a third visit to the Boardwalk, Ill make sure to schedule it for a weekend.  Maybe Ill meet my Five People then.  We can go somewhere else for lunch!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Heaven Can be Found in the Most Unlikely Corners
_



I had asked for some directions on how to head back to the Cabrillo.  It was getting to mid-afternoon and the day was getting hot.  I figured it might be time to start heading back.


The cook at the Barbary had provided very vague directions about following the road round and getting on to Mission.  
Surprisingly, his vague directions made sense once I got back into the car.  The road round was a one-way street with a wide circular switchback and it kept going until it hit Mission.  As always, I took the left fork..which was heading back to the Silicon Valley direction.


_Heaven can be found in the most unlikely corners _is yet another quote from the Mitch Albom book.  It seemed appropriate to quote it now.  

Because..as I was driving along Mission, probably about 5 minutes down the road..look what I saw out of the corner of my eye!








Donnelly Chocolate store sat at a corner of a side alley.  It was amazing that I spotted it at all!  But then again..with a claim of being One of Ten Best..maybe not.









Naturally I stopped.

























I walked out with three different varieties of these bars.









I can honestly say  Heaven can truly be found in the most unlikely corners!
The chocolate here is tending more towards the taste of a slightly bitter dark chocolate.  It is not overly sweet and the maple toffee bar I bought was just outstanding.  I also bought two nut varieties.and whilst I do prefer my chocolate sweeter, the chocolate from this shop was pretty darn good.



There was a man behind the counter who turned out to be super chatty once he realised I was from Australia.  It had been a lifes dream for him to go deep sea fishing in the Coral Sea.  I didnt have the heart to tell him that I lived the entire continents length away from the Coral Sea.



_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Closed on Monday
_



After purchasing my goodies from that little shop of Heaven, I made a spur of the moment decision that was to prove costly a little later on.


One of the places that I had wanted to go visit in Santa Cruz was the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre at the Long Laboratory.   It had been written up as a smaller cousin to the Monterey Aquarium; but aside from size, it seemed to be much more interactive and provided more hands-on experience than the Aquarium.


I had asked the man serving me at Donnellys Chocolate for directions to the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre.  In fact, if you take a look at my pictures from the Natural Bridges State Park, you might even make out the Seymour Marince Discovery Centre building!
Turns out I had been less than half a mile from this place when I was at the Natural Bridges State Park.  I had to double back in that direction and take a right turn instead of a left; which took me along Delaware Avenue; which is how I knew that I could have parked for free to see the Monarch Butterflies.  


Anyway.back to the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre.

When I had been convinced to head down to Santa Cruz by our cousins last night, I had forgotten one pertinent fact.  The Seymour Marine Discovery Centre was closed on Monday.









My Old Fogie brain has been completely left out to dry.









The WORST thing is that I did note it down in my diary of things to do; complete with an underlining of GO VISIT ON TUESDAY.  A return trip is definitely in order!

For now, it was time to press on.  I'd lost a bit of time that didn't seem that much to me at this stage.....but I was to realise how costly it was at my next stop.



_


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## mvf-m11c

Very nice photos from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I haven't been to the Beach Boardwalk in years and it is nice to see pictures again. I do remember the old indoor Miniature Golf Course where I have played in there during my childhood. It did look quite empty that day.

Nice pictures of Donnelly Chocolate store and the chocolates.

It will be nice to see you go to the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre on Tuesday.

Very nice update.


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## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice photos from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I haven't been to the Beach Boardwalk in years and it is nice to see pictures again. I do remember the old indoor Miniature Golf Course where I have played in there during my childhood. It did look quite empty that day.
> 
> Nice pictures of Donnelly Chocolate store and the chocolates.
> 
> It will be nice to see you go to the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre on Tuesday.
> 
> Very nice update.



Thanks Bret.

Sadly, I'll have to come back to the Seymour Marine Discovery Centre on another trip.  If I'd checked my notes on Sunday night, I might have swapped things round and gone to Santa Cruz on a Tuesday instead of the Monday.  As it is....well...I had a great time anyway, with just the regret of wishing I'd checked my notes earlier.


----------



## rentayenta

Great updates!  I read both but forgot to post. You really take some fantastic pictures. 

The close ups of the chocolate aren't doing me any favors.  Now I want dessert first tonight. 

Happy New Year!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Great updates!  I read both but forgot to post. You really take some fantastic pictures.
> 
> The close ups of the chocolate aren't doing me any favors.  Now I want dessert first tonight.
> 
> Happy New Year!



Happy New Year to you too!  Thanks for popping in again.  I really appreciate the feedback and comments.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Of Vivid Colours and Where Falcons Swoop
_



When driving along Highway 1  the Pacific Coast Highway  the Cabrillo Highway  stunning vistas are a given.  Most travellers will drive the Central Coast stretch from Santa Barbara through to Monterey and then head inland to the 101 to make their way to San Francisco.  There is no denying that this stretch of the Cabrillo is beautiful and packed with those stunning vistas that so mark this coastal drive.


Me?  Ive long learnt to love the stretch of the highway that stretches from Santa Cruz through to Pacifica.  There is usually much less traffic to contend with and the views are no less stunning than down south.  


With so much sand and surf, one does get a little blasé about looking at the ocean side; so my first stop on the way back was at Waddells Creek.  This part of the road is one end of the Skyline to Sea trail.  The other end of the trail is closer towards Saratoga, some 35 miles away; and it would head up to that mountain ridge where the Big Basin Redwood State Park is.









Waddell Creek itself is a series of two or three small creeks that flow down from Big Basin, joining up along the way, before emptying out at the beach.  It looked beautiful today.  The colours were just so vivid and bright.









The Skyline to Sea trail takes you out through that country you can see in both shots.  It is a 2 night, 3 day way from end to end.  Id like to say that Id walk it someday..yeah.  Not necessarily on my bucket list.




It was a short drive from here to my next stop.  The Ano Nuevo State Park, some 55 miles south of San Francisco, is the site of the largest mainland breeding colony for the northern Elephant Seals.  Id enjoyed getting up close and personal with the seals down at Piedras Blanco in 2011 and had thought to head here to contrast the two breeding sites.

Parking is $10; but because Id already purchased my ticket at Natural Bridges, I got waived straight through and I parked by the Visitor Centre.

The ranger at the Visitor Centre told me that it would take 2 hours round trip to get to see the elephant seals.  It was at this point that I realised that I didnt have enough time to get out there and back; and make my dinner date with DH and one of his work colleagues!  DoH!


Yes, I know  perhaps the option was to pitch up late.  But this particular work colleague was one of those that had crossed over from a work friendship into a personal friendship.  I first met her 12 years ago and when we were in New England in 2007, we stayed 3 nights with her.  


And because we knew her rather well, I knew better than to be late.  Shes rather punctual and she keeps early nights; so an early dinner time had been set.


The ranger and I discussed walking options and in the end, I headed out along the trail to the halfway point.  I had really wanted to see if it actually was a 2 hour turnaround.

There is a walking trail that you can follow.  It is relatively flat for the most part.  The Visitor Centre is the white building on the left side of the picture in the distance.









There is a waterhole along the walk.  I could see ducks but not much else.  The sign indicated that there were frogs and water snakes living here.  









I made it to the halfway station; where there was another ranger there.  It must be a pretty quiet sort of job being at this halfway station.  I figured by the lack of cars in the parking lot that it had been a slow day today; and I guess ranger 1 must have been in radio communication with ranger 2.  This ranger had been expecting me and already knew that I was going no further.  At least he consoled me with the fact that as it was still early in the breeding season, there were only about 25 elephant seals out on the beach; all fairly juvenile  no large males with the distinctive noses.  And despite me wanting to push towards seeing the elephant seals, with the scenery along the way, I figured the 2 hour estimate was correct and I didnt have the time to stop. 


As it turns out, Ranger 2 was so chatty!  And he followed me round chatting for about 10 minutes; so much so that I could barely take any pictures.
This is his favourite view.









Another natural bridge!









The rocky platform where he can occasionally see otters.









Yup, I think you get the idea.the pictures I took were the ones he told me to take!!!



I was saved by that couple in the front.they had made the trek out to the beach and had some questions to ask.  I honestly think that if it werent for them, ranger 2 would have followed me all the way back to the visitor centre.









At this point I thanked him and high-tailed it back.  


Sometimes, life has a way of providing you with little blessings!  With everything that had happened today and the chatty ranger, my timing was such that Id lucked it to the right place at the right time.  I also happened to have my nice new long lens on my camera, it just so happened to be out and handy when I heard a bird of prey screech.  









As quickly as it dropped down, it flew off.









I might not have seen the elephant seals; but I was really pleased to have been in the presence of a falcon swooping.




_
(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

A California Historic Landmark
_



About five miles down the road, I made another stop.  Lighthouses and elephant seals had been on my list of things to-do and whilst I might have given ground on the elephant seals, I was not going to concede on the lighthouse.


At 115 feet high, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in America.  It has been a feature of this stretch of the Cabrillo Highway since 1872 and is one of the Californias Historic Landmarks.









Unfortunately, the tower has been closed since 2001 due to structural issues.  I could see that the friends of the lighthouse were actively fundraising but the current estimated repair costs are $11 million.  I gathered from a docent that they have raised about 30% of the repair costs to date.  It will be a long time before funds are raised and repairs completed.


The complex around the Lighthouse is a Youth Hostel and it would be kinda cool to stay for a night.  I gather it is pretty basic facilities and there is always the mandatory chore to complete in the morning after you stay in a Youth Hostel.  The complex is where the flags are.  There are a series of about 4 or 5 buildings there.









The Fresnel lens has been moved to the lantern room.  









At a particular angle, I could see the lens refracting light into all the colours of the rainbow.  It took me a while to get the shot as I had some fast talking to do first.  So, I have to thank the docent for letting me stand somewhere I was not meant to in order to get the shot.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that he got a talking-to by another docent about where he had let me stand; but my luck held with little acts of kindness this week.









I took some time to admire the scenery at the back of the lighthouse.  As always, time and tide waits for no one.









And also took some time to admire the scenery of the lighthouse itself.









I really wished I could stay to capture sunset here.  










But I still had a dinner date to make and some 35 miles to drive to get back to my destination.

_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

More International Cuisine  Its Thai Tonight
_



I got back to the hotel with 15 minutes to spare and rushed to get ready for dinner.   But I first made a detour via the lobby to get a Happy Hour plate.  Tonight was Spinach Artichoke dip and hot pretzel night.  The dip was tasty enough and the pretzel was lovely and soft.









And as I expected, DH and his colleague were waiting for me in the hotel lobby bang on 6 pm.

Since my arrival in San Francisco, Id eaten Chinese, French, Japanese, American (by way of that burger for lunch) and we were to add another international cuisine to the list tonight.  

Tonight, we were eating Thai.

CAUTION!  To those of you with nut allergies, there will be peanuts on the screen in this post.  Make sure you have your epipen handy (and I mean you, AussieTravellers!).




We started the Thai fish cakes.










..with the hot/sour dipping sauce; complete with peanuts.










We had a serve of the deep fried tofu.  It was really good!









The red shrimp curry was easily the dish of the night.









We also ordered a serve of chinese broccoli.   It was fried Thai style and I didnt like the way it was done at all.









Our friend had eaten here before and she liked the deep fried fish with Thai style sauce.  Its probably me.but lately, Ive been finding deep fried fish to be overdone.  This was no exception.  A little too crispy for my liking.  









Despite a couple of minor misses, the food was good.  The meal, with tips, came to $60 or about $20 per head.  DH and I agreed that we would probably come back for a meal and stick with the curries.



We had a great time catching up and chatting that night.   I really like this colleague of DHs and we have hopes of seeing her in Sept/Oct 2013.


_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Out-Shopped Again
_




We dropped DHs colleague back at the hotel at a rather early time after dinner.  There was still a good hour of shopping time left and we decided to hit Hillsdale Mall.  Again, this was more about mental shopping than anything else.  I spent the time walking around Macys and scoping out the pricing and fashion.


DH managed to buy some tops; his shopping time was more limited than mine and he was much more ready to pull out his wallet when he found something he liked and fitted.


The Malls might shut at 9 pm; but we still had an hour of browsing time at Barnes and Nobles.  Actually  I was still doing the browsing and DH managed to pick up 2 books.


I was being completely out-shopped by DH at this stage of the trip!  It was high time I did something about this situation.



_


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## Aussie Wendy

Enjoying seeing off the beaten track scenery-I would love to return to San Fran and area and spend a couple of weeks just there in the future. I also enjoy  days of just me moseying (sp?) about exploring. Love the lighthouse pics especially.


----------



## zanzibar138

What a shame you didn't get to see the elephant seals  But it was good luck with the falcon! And I really enjoyed your lighthouse photos - hope you didn't get that poor docent into too much trouble!

That trail sounds like a nice walk, but probably not something I'll ever get around to actually doing  There's a lot more I need to see in California first!


----------



## tiggrbaby

That pic of the light through the lighthouse lens is incredible!


----------



## franandaj

Looks like a beautiful day! The lighthouse pictures were spectacular!


----------



## ACDSNY

I love the lighthouse pics!  I agree it would be a great place to catch a sunset.


----------



## shushh

With my inlaws here, the trip has been less hectic as they've pretty much fed the children every morning! So I've had the pleasure of finally reading your fab TR in detail. I appreciate the great detail in your writing style. Your photos are absolutely stunning. Love the ones of the lighthouse. Do you use a polarizer by any chance?

The Ano Nuevo State Park is something that we would love to do as a family as are all the lovely stops you've made.

You're a brave woman to drive on the wrong side of the road by yourself! Hats off for self exploration! I've tried several times to drive on the right hand side and it just makes me so stressed that I get stiff legs and butts...and yes definitely the worst bit is getting out if the carpark!

I'm taking notes on the Asian cuisine. Never know when the pesky 'need to eat Asian' genetic tendency will read its ugly head!


----------



## rentayenta

I'm also a fan of the lighthouse photos.  


The natural bridge/arch photo is also fantastic. Do you ever frame your photos; they're quite lovely. 


I like Thai, mostly noodles though. I am not a fan of fried fish unless it's fish n chips.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from the Lighthouse. 

The food porn looks very appetizing.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Enjoying seeing off the beaten track scenery-I would love to return to San Fran and area and spend a couple of weeks just there in the future. I also enjoy  days of just me moseying (sp?) about exploring. Love the lighthouse pics especially.



I hope you make it back there someday.  Thanks for reading!




zanzibar138 said:


> What a shame you didn't get to see the elephant seals  But it was good luck with the falcon! And I really enjoyed your lighthouse photos - hope you didn't get that poor docent into too much trouble!
> 
> That trail sounds like a nice walk, but probably not something I'll ever get around to actually doing  There's a lot more I need to see in California first!



That docent didn't seem to mind too much.  I think he was a photo-nut, like me.  At least I'd like to think so....





tiggrbaby said:


> That pic of the light through the lighthouse lens is incredible!



Thank you!  




franandaj said:


> Looks like a beautiful day! The lighthouse pictures were spectacular!



It was a beautiful day.  The temperatures were in the high 80's/90's; but there was that light breeze off the Pacific, so it didn't feel anywhere near that temperature at all.





ACDSNY said:


> I love the lighthouse pics!  I agree it would be a great place to catch a sunset.



I keep saying that someday....I'm going to catch a great sunset on the Californian coast.  Hasn't happened yet! 





shushh said:


> With my inlaws here, the trip has been less hectic as they've pretty much fed the children every morning! So I've had the pleasure of finally reading your fab TR in detail. I appreciate the great detail in your writing style. Your photos are absolutely stunning. Love the ones of the lighthouse. Do you use a polarizer by any chance?
> 
> The Ano Nuevo State Park is something that we would love to do as a family as are all the lovely stops you've made.
> 
> You're a brave woman to drive on the wrong side of the road by yourself! Hats off for self exploration! I've tried several times to drive on the right hand side and it just makes me so stressed that I get stiff legs and butts...and yes definitely the worst bit is getting out if the carpark!
> 
> I'm taking notes on the Asian cuisine. Never know when the pesky 'need to eat Asian' genetic tendency will read its ugly head!



Thanks for checking in when YOU are on holiday.  Really appreciate it, shushh.

Brave?  Yes.....that is one way to look at it.    I guess I've driven on the other side of the road on every US trip that it just seems like riding a bike to me now.





rentayenta said:


> I'm also a fan of the lighthouse photos.
> 
> 
> The natural bridge/arch photo is also fantastic. Do you ever frame your photos; they're quite lovely.
> 
> 
> I like Thai, mostly noodles though. I am not a fan of fried fish unless it's fish n chips.



Thanks.  My photos?  We have a wall that has DH's pictures.  He was the photographer in the family until I started taking pictures in 2010.  But I've pulled out about 20 of the pictures I like best from 2012.  I'll need to think about which ones I get enlarged.   Might settle for about 3 or 4 of them.





mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from the Lighthouse.
> 
> The food porn looks very appetizing.



Thanks Bret.  I really enjoyed all the stops I made on this day.  The Monarch Butterflies and the Lighthouse would be my favourites.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Hitting the Breakfast Snag #1 - Still no Bacon!
_



We started the day early with the hot breakfast buffet.  This was our third ritual morning catch up for DH and me.  

Every morning, DH would grab the eggs and/or cook some oatmeal.  
Every morning, I would wonder if bacon would be served.  DH would patiently sit there and listen to me oink on about the razorback cuts of not serving non fatty crunchy goodness. 


This morning, there was STILL no bacon and I ruminated about the snag in my breakfast.  









Fortunately, there was the French toast and maple syrup to console me this morning.


_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Hitting the Breakfast Snag #2 - Life in the No Go Zone
_



Today, I hit peak hour traffic on the 101 at around 8 am in the morning.  It took me 20 minutes to travel 2 miles and I gave it up as a very bad joke.  I dont know how they do this every morning.



It was definitely life in the no-go zone on the 101 for me!

_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

The Travelling Public
_



I was heading for the downtown area today.   Normally, I catch the CalTrain to the 4th and King Street station but I had wanted to drive towards Millbrae station and catch the BART into town.  Sadly for me, things didnt quite turn out the way I expected this morning.

So, after being stuck in traffic for 20 minutes, I took the next freeway exit and made for the nearest Caltrain station.



Catching the CalTrain into the 4th and King Street station leaves you with the options of getting into the San Francisco tourist areas by the MUNI light rail into the Embarcadero area or by a MUNI bus into all quadrants of the downtown.

In recent years, Ive taken to catching the 47 MUNI bus to Fishermans Wharf.  I like San Francisco public transport.  It gives you so much scope to check out the travelling public and to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.


Today was no different.  I got to see: 

My alter egos from different universes  the ones that are the hip and sleek versions of myself; as well as the bag lady versions of me.
The sad homeless men, who leave a trail of stink behind.  The ones that no one wants to make eye contact with.
The early twenty year old girls that find seats8 seats away from each other.  This is the Facebook generation  the ones that are LIKE every other word and LIKE have no concept of privacy.  We are treated toLIKE.their stereophonic conversations all over the entire bus.  
The group of sweet autistic children that sit next to me trying to make eye contact.  Ready smiles break out in delight when they get a smile in return.  Sadly, the boy next to me is frothing at his mouth.  Literally. I watch the milk bubble trail down.  The minder makes eye contact and shrugs a smile.  They get off at the next stop.
I like the cougars when they get on later in the journey.  Their heels on their shoes make me dizzy.  Tall sharp steeples that give me vertigo.  How do they manage to stand on the joltin bus?
Faces of different races blur around me.  No one makes eye contact.


Another turn in the journey and I am where I need to be.

_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


The Crabby Patty #1
_




I got off at North Pointe, a couple of blocks down from where the F-line tram terminates at the Wharf.








It was still fairly early in the day and I wasnt really sure where I was going to be heading to.   I made my way here.








.and took stock of my surrounds.  Another gorgeous blue sky day, and another 90 plus day expected in the City by the Bay.









I wasnt interested to head towards the tourist trap of Pier 39 today, so I made moves towards the open air seafood stalls.









This time of morning is always filled with the redolence of fishy-ness.









The early morning preparations and displays are in play.









It may surprise you to know that there are some inhabitants of this hotbed that does not appreciate interferences with the preparations.









I was to find out that there was one rather sharp inhabitant here.  One rather crabby cook decided that he didnt want his cooking crabs photographed.  









He had been stirring the crabs until I came along.  I even asked him if I could take a picture; but he ignored me and left the crabs in the hot water and walked away.  

Dont get me wrong.  I normally am very respectful of peoples views where photography is concerned.  But this crabby cook just rubbed me up the wrong way.  If you dont want your things to be photographed, say so.dont just ignore and walk away.


I waited him outafterall, I had time on my side and he.well, he effectively had 15 minutes or the crabs would be overdone.  And to make doubly sure that he couldnt refuse or ignore me, I bought me some crab insurance.



Mr Crabby Patty was not happy but thats the way it turned out.  I was now a bona fide customer and he couldnt say no.  Afterall, he was cooking pretty much in the open and as far as I know, anyone is allowed to take a picture out in the open.









But the laugh was also on me.  I paid about $6.75 for that crab cup to photograph crabs being freshly cooked.  The crab meat was not good.  Turns out I got yesterdays crab cup leftovers!  









_



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Musee Mecanique
_




The Fishermans Wharf area constantly amazes me.  There are so many facets to this area that I always seem to discover more about whats here every time I come.  Id decided to stick around Pier 45 today and walked into here.









Until this visit, I had never walked in here as I had thought there was an entry fee involved.  Turns out its free. 

This place is a veritable Aladdins cave of all things coin operated.  Entry might be free but it is a for-profit museum.  Be prepared to spend quarters!
I understand that this is an individual private collection that used to be housed over at Cliff House, Golden Gate Park and moved over here in the early 2000s.









There are all sorts of antique slot machines here; and every one that I looked at was in amazing condition and full working order.  

There were all sorts of penny arcade games and amusement hall attractions.
Remember the fortune teller machines?

I havent seen a Grandmother fortune teller since I was a little girl!  









The Wizard Prediction was also tempting; but I managed to resist falling under his spell.









The Love Tester Machine was also another one that I left alone.  Afterall.I didnt really like any of the options on display.  None of them seem to fitMe!









The Asian in me was intrigued by this machine.

















Maybe I did put in a quarter in here and was disappointed by it.


And as we were in the Halloween season, this scene seemed appropriate.  But scared off by the Opium Den, I gave this slot a miss.









Not this one!










Afterall.it had THE BEST play-me sign I saw in here!









The Song of the Prairie?










Well..with the cowboys around the campfire cooking baked beans, I think you can imagine the noise.er..music that sounded from this machine.  And after I parted with my quarter, this machine was easily the most popular player from the other people around.  Seems like were all easily amused.




But the ones that intrigued me the most were the machines with scenes constructed out of toothpicks.

















This fully functioning amusement park was a delight and well worth the quarter!  The rollercoaster, ferris wheel, whirly bird, train, strong man and more all worked; and left me pondering how anything was still in such good working order after nearly 100 years.










And then there were the trips down memory lane into the past..and how people socialised and met their life partners!










The sign says it all!  Not quite politically correct in todays age; but it shows what a simpler age it was then.








I could have easily spent more than the 60 minutes and $1.50 that I had passed in here.  This place was definitely somewhere to come back to with DS and DH.  They would be as equally amused with this place as I was.

_


----------



## ACDSNY

Oh the good old days.  Too funny.

I'm still drooling over the crab too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Oh the good old days.  Too funny.
> 
> I'm still drooling over the crab too.



Thanks...yes, the good old days.  And you know there might be another crabby patty story to come!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Around Fishermans Wharf
_



I thought you might enjoy some of my other pictures from around the Wharf this morning.  

I came out of the Musee Mechanique and took a look at the USS Pampanito.









One of Jonathan Livingstone Seagulls cousins came to play.  He was definitely trying to tell me something.









He was giving me the evil eye and it became evidently clear that it might be time for a visit out to the Rock NEXT time I come.  I'm long overdue for the boat ride out there.









I always like to go looking for the fishermen.  They really do exist here.









or at least a view of their boats does.









The last time I was here, the sea lions were frolicking around in the water.  Its been quite a few visits since Ive seen the hordes over by Pier 39.  The numbers seem to be dwindling every time I come and the sea lions seem to be going elsewhere now.    A shame really.  I miss the noise they make.  BTW - that Tall ship is the Balclutha, over by Hyde Pier.









You really cant escape the main drag.









I do try to avoid the tourist trap shops but Im always a sucker for the sweet lolly shops!









The Cannery is another area that I like to visit for a little down time.









This courtyard is always a quieter haven away from the bustle of the Wharf area.









The olive trees are rather old; and I always wonder what it would have smelt like when the cannery was working.  I always imagine the smell of peaches in the air.









And whilst I was here.given that I had spent time in one museum at the Wharf already, I figured it might as well be museum morning today!  I had another museum stop in mind.

_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Maritime Museum, of sorts
_




The San Francisco Maritime Museum is situation at the end of Hyde Street.  I had visited it previously and was not in the mood to head down the pier again.  What I hadnt realised was that this museum comprised of a number of location; with the Visitor Centre located at the corner of Hyde and Jefferson; in the Cannery building.

I walked in and was surprised to find that there was a ranger in residence.  Believe it or not, this really was a National Park!  The display in the Visitor Centre was pretty interesting.  It tells the story of San Franciscos colorful and diverse maritime heritage.









I spent some time in here checking out the various information boards and displays.

















And learnt a whole heap of stuff about the wharf and the different things the wharf was used for.

Transportation of cargo such as gold..










.food.










and feed for livestock.










It was also used as a main passenger port.










What I didnt know was that San Francisco wharf had been a major manufacturer of rope.  But I guess it makes sense as all those ships needed rope!

















Id spent more time examining the displays than I planned and thought to head over to the Maritime museum building just down the road.



_



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

NOT the Maritime Museum (Ghirardelli Square)
_



I had forgotten one rather important thing on my way to the Maritime museum building.  









Clearly, I was NOT going to make it to that white building.  Instead, I opted for a little snack.  Afterall, it was a hot day.









The snack ended up being my lunch.  I also enjoyed a free sample of Peppermint Bark.  I think I even came home with a packet.









I was amused to see the fire going.  Did I mention it was a hot day?  I think the day was pushing into the 90s by this stage.









Despite the hustle and bustle down the other end of Tourist Wharf, this side was rather quiet.









Just how I like to do my sightseeing.  I did take some time to check out a couple of shops here.










Did you know that there are 4 separate Ghirardelli chocolate shops just in this complex?









I checked out the time










and decided it was definitely time for me to push on with my day.




_


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## zanzibar138

I'm really enjoying checking out all the sights you've seen in San Francisco - it's giving me heaps of inspiration for our trip in 2014


----------



## Minniemum

You should rename your TR "Ambles and Rambles" 

PIO, you have an uncanny ability to find the most wonderfully unique places such as the Musee Mecanique and Donnelly Chocolate Store.  In addition, I thoroughly enjoy your engaging writing style from the poetic Travelling Public to the humorous Johnathon Livingstone Seagull.  All this alongside the visual delights of your photography.


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## dhorner233

Hi! I've been in and out. Have I missed the Disney Museum?

I'm enjoying your pictures! I have bought a new camera since I saw yours. It's a Canon like yours but, I got a Rebel Ti3. Now I need to go back to Disney!!


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## mvf-m11c

I missed a lot during my weekend at the Sac Anime. Glad that you were able to go to Fisherman's Wharf at SF during your NorCal trip. Very nice pictures of the Dungeness crab since that time of the year was the season of crabbing. My dad does crabbing in November/December for Dungeness crab and I went crabbing at Bodega Bay with him just a couple of days before our DISmeet. Bodega Bay is about 40 miles northwest of SF. 

Nice to see that you were able to go to Ghirardelli's during your trip and great photos from inside the museum. 

Very nice update.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> I'm really enjoying checking out all the sights you've seen in San Francisco - it's giving me heaps of inspiration for our trip in 2014



2014?  That's a whole year away!  

But then I know what you're doing and where you're going this year.  





Minniemum said:


> You should rename your TR "Ambles and Rambles"
> 
> PIO, you have an uncanny ability to find the most wonderfully unique places such as the Musee Mecanique and Donnelly Chocolate Store.  In addition, I thoroughly enjoy your engaging writing style from the poetic Travelling Public to the humorous Johnathon Livingstone Seagull.  All this alongside the visual delights of your photography.



Ambles and Rambles???  Having I been rambling too much?  

(I've really tried to keep it brief....I really have!)

I think those unique places find me more than anything else.  I just head in a general direction and see what pops up in front of me.  I'm a firm believer in the fact that there is always something interesting to see wherever you go!

Thanks!  





dhorner233 said:


> Hi! I've been in and out. Have I missed the Disney Museum?
> 
> I'm enjoying your pictures! I have bought a new camera since I saw yours. It's a Canon like yours but, I got a Rebel Ti3. Now I need to go back to Disney!!



Denise!  Congratulations!  The T3i?  Really?  That's a good camera.  Are you enjoying it?
And if you're planning a trip to Disney, 2 - 8 October 2013 at WDW is a GREAT time.  





mvf-m11c said:


> I missed a lot during my weekend at the Sac Anime. Glad that you were able to go to Fisherman's Wharf at SF during your NorCal trip. Very nice pictures of the Dungeness crab since that time of the year was the season of crabbing. My dad does crabbing in November/December for Dungeness crab and I went crabbing at Bodega Bay with him just a couple of days before our DISmeet. Bodega Bay is about 40 miles northwest of SF.
> 
> Nice to see that you were able to go to Ghirardelli's during your trip and great photos from inside the museum.
> 
> Very nice update.



Another reason why I like going to SF in November is for Dungeness crab.  

How lucky that you get to go crabbing with your dad.  Did you catch anything?  Is Bodega Bay nice?  I haven't been there.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> Another reason why I like going to SF in November is for Dungeness crab.
> 
> How lucky that you get to go crabbing with your dad.  Did you catch anything?  Is Bodega Bay nice?  I haven't been there.



Going around the Bay Area around that time of the year is great to go and get fresh Dungeness crab.

My dad has been crabbing for years and he is not one of those big commercial fisherman. He has a fishing boat and sets up crab pots out at the ocean. We catch our limit which is 10 per person with a fishing license. Bodega Bay is a very nice little town that is close to a fishing port.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Going around the Bay Area around that time of the year is great to go and get fresh Dungeness crab.
> 
> My dad has been crabbing for years and he is not one of those big commercial fisherman. He has a fishing boat and sets up crab pots out at the ocean. We catch our limit which is 10 per person with a fishing license. Bodega Bay is a very nice little town that is close to a fishing port.



Thanks.  I'll have to definitely think about checking it out if I'm ever north of San Francisco.  10 crabs per licensed person is a lot!


----------



## PrincessInOz

A San Francisco Icon  Trolley Ride
_



I had never really intended to hit Fishermans Wharf today and it was that quirk of traffic that resulted in me spending the morning here.  In the end, I was really glad that things ended up the way they did but it was definitely time to go.

I had intended to spend the day shopping in the downtown area so I decided to put the day back on track.  

There really was only way I considered getting back to Union Square.  In all the visits that Ive made to this city, there have only been two trips where Ive not gotten on that quintessential iconic transport mode that screams San Francisco.    In both those instants, Ive regretted the decision and if nothing else, I rarely make the same mistake three times.



The random acts of kindness.









I got to the turnaround at Hyde Street and there was a trolley boarding.  I asked to wait for the next trolley, which really was right behind.  The crowd controller told me to just get on the half full trolley.  I wasnt really happy about this and started to make my way to the trolley when the Gripman, who had heard my request, stopped me and told the controller to let me wait.  


A simple request.and a simple act of kindness.meant that I could get my favourite seat on the trolley









.the one right in front on the inside track..where I get to click to my hearts content.


















I had hoped for a clear view of Coit Tower; but that position is also very popular with the people standing.  And for those interested, this is the stop by Lombard Street, the crookedest street in the world.










I like the trolley ride all those hills and streets of San Francisco make it a treat to experience ups.









and downs.










The Hyde-Powell trolleys are the ones that most tourists take.  But should you want a more genteel ride, I highly recommend the one that goes along California Street.  It is never as crowded as the one Im currently on.










_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Tipping the Shopping Scales
_


Before long, I was at my destination and there were no more photos from the rest of my afternoon.  


I was too busy doing some serious fixing of the American economy.   


If anyone was counting the days and dates, today was Tuesday....election day.  And there were Election Day sales on.  I got to Union Square and just headed into Macys.  First stop was the Visitor Centre on the 6th Floor where I picked up my 10% Visitor Shopping card.  This is a card offered to international visitors (proof of address is required by way of an official photo i.d. such as your passport or Drivers Licence) and is valid at any Macys store for 30 days.   The discount is available for most items; some exclusions apply.  I understand that a similar card is available for domestic visitors; except it is valid for 3 days.



Coupled with the 20% Election Day sales; and the discount from the Macy's Visitor Shopping Pass, I was up for at least 25% discount for most items in a traditional non-sale period!


I spent the rest of my time on Level 4 of Macys.  Womans fashion.  Two of the workers there took a liking to me and I ended up having my own personal shopper experience for over 2 ½ hours.  Im pretty sure they had a great time spending my money.  I know I did.


The two workers also weaved some additional cash register magic for me.  I'm pretty sure that for some of the items I got, I ended up with a 30 - 40% discount.  Another simple, random act of kindness.


Thus far, Id been out-shopped by my DH.  But after this afternoon, I left him completely in the dust. 




_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


 More International Cuisine  Italian
_




Dinner tonight was with more of DHs work colleagues.  I had thought to stay in town and let him go by himself; except that tonights dinner was with his manager, his American team and with an ex-colleague that we hadnt seen for a while.  

I made it back in time to pick up something from the hotel Happy Hour.  Beef tacos.









DHs colleagues picked the location for dinner tonight and we were heading towards an Italian place.  I needed to watch my porn exposure tonight...there were a number of strangers that I hadnt met before.  More the point; there were a number of people that didnt know about my porn fetish; so I kept it clean.

The homemade bread was straight out of the pizza oven.









The dip was interestinga red oil dip.  I never figured out what they added in but it was a delicious combination with the bread.









DH got a vegetarian pizza.









And after hankering for it for so many mornings now, I got me some bacon!  It came with the value-added shrimp and vegetables.a little overcooked for my tastes but not overly so.









We spent the majority of the night with DHs colleagues and called it a night afterwards.   Afterall, I had a big day to look forward to the next day..another DisMeet coming up!




_


----------



## zanzibar138

Another great day! We walked a fair way along that trolley route - I recognise heaps!

Glad to hear you finally out-shopped DH


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> Ambles and Rambles???  Having I been rambling too much?
> 
> (I've really tried to keep it brief....I really have!)
> 
> I think those unique places find me more than anything else.  I just head in a general direction and see what pops up in front of me.  I'm a firm believer in the fact that there is always something interesting to see wherever you go!
> 
> Thanks!



I'm sure she meant ramble in a good way. I think your narratives are great! Keep it up! Did I miss the Disney Museum? Love the food pictures!!


----------



## franandaj

Somehow I missed the Fisherman's Wharf update. We need to make a point to go eat down there again. I'll have to find that olace you went last time.

Glad you finally outshopped your DH!


----------



## Kristin5

Ooh, you have whet my appetite to see San Fran again! Amazing photography! And great descriptions of everything! (and now I am craving beef tacos - thanks!!! )


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Another great day! We walked a fair way along that trolley route - I recognise heaps!
> 
> Glad to hear you finally out-shopped DH



Outshopped, outspent, outlasted!  





dhorner233 said:


> I'm sure she meant ramble in a good way. I think your narratives are great! Keep it up! Did I miss the Disney Museum? Love the food pictures!!



Thanks Denise.  Really appreciate the feedback.  The DisMeet was at the Disney museum.  That's still to come.




franandaj said:


> Somehow I missed the Fisherman's Wharf update. We need to make a point to go eat down there again. I'll have to find that olace you went last time.
> 
> Glad you finally outshopped your DH!



I think you were digging out a dining table instead.  

Yes, Scoma's.  I really enjoyed the food there and have to thank ********** for the recommendation.





Kristin5 said:


> Ooh, you have whet my appetite to see San Fran again! Amazing photography! And great descriptions of everything! (and now I am craving beef tacos - thanks!!! )



Thanks for posting and commenting on my TR, Kristin.  Really appreciate you doing so.

I love San Francisco.  Such a great place to visit and they have quite a range of food there.  Hope you make it out to that city again.


----------



## rentayenta

Great porn even on the sly. 

I love SF. Nice photos. Love the ones of the trolleys. 

Before i asked if you framed your photos and you seemed surprised. You really take nice pictures.  I'd frame them if it were me. We have canvased a few of Michael's. I love displaying photos that we took.


----------



## ACDSNY

Woo hoo for out shopping DH!  Who can resist a great sale!  I love all the interesting little facts I find out about our state from you.


----------



## shushh

Shopping is a fantastic reason not to take photos  Yay for Macy's.

I am all for random acts of kindness. Something simple that could make you day just that little bit more special or change it from a crappy one to a good one!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Great porn even on the sly.
> 
> I love SF. Nice photos. Love the ones of the trolleys.
> 
> Before i asked if you framed your photos and you seemed surprised. You really take nice pictures.  I'd frame them if it were me. We have canvased a few of Michael's. I love displaying photos that we took.



Thanks.  I'm definitely considering getting a few of last year's done.  





ACDSNY said:


> Woo hoo for out shopping DH!  Who can resist a great sale!  I love all the interesting little facts I find out about our state from you.



Sale?  There's a sale?

(I can't resist a sale!!!  )





shushh said:


> Shopping is a fantastic reason not to take photos  Yay for Macy's.
> 
> I am all for random acts of kindness. Something simple that could make you day just that little bit more special or change it from a crappy one to a good one!



Yes.  I'm definitely trying to increase the random acts of kindnesses that I show as well.  Pass it on!


----------



## rentayenta

I just read about your special lunch for the third time today and wow, was the truffle mac and cheese as incredible as it looked? I'm so skipping fruit and lunch meat.  The roast chicken does look good. Really really great photos. I'm glad you're going to hang a few of your own.  

And what fun to get to spend the day all together. Did you family enjoy it?


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> I just read about your special lunch for the third time today and wow, was the truffle mac and cheese as incredible as it looked? I'm so skipping fruit and lunch meat.  The roast chicken does look good. Really really great photos. I'm glad you're going to hang a few of your own.
> 
> And what fun to get to spend the day all together. Did you family enjoy it?



That truffle mac and cheese?  YES!!!!!

We all had a great time, although DS was ready to get on some rides by the end of it all.


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> That truffle mac and cheese?  YES!!!!!
> 
> We all had a great time, although DS was ready to get on some rides by the end of it all.




Those big huge truffles, holy house payment!  I make this popcorn with truffle oil, truffle salt, and parmesan cheese. Heaven. 

I'm sure he was. 2.5 hours is a long lunch. What a sweetie for being so patient.


----------



## franandaj

I've heard reports that all the waiters/waitresses are bringing bowls of the truffle mac and cheese to the lunch tables in lieu of good tips....


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> I've heard reports that all the waiters/waitresses are bringing bowls of the truffle mac and cheese to the lunch tables in lieu of good tips....




It looks incredible as do the lamb chops I saw.  And the pasta. And the desserts. Joshua is reading with me and said I _have_ to bring him a Club 33 cookie. I love him! He is ooooing and aweing with me.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Those big huge truffles, holy house payment!  I make this popcorn with truffle oil, truffle salt, and parmesan cheese. Heaven.
> 
> I'm sure he was. 2.5 hours is a long lunch. What a sweetie for being so patient.



Yes, DS had been a sweetie that day.  

I still occassionally dream of those truffles.





franandaj said:


> I've heard reports that all the waiters/waitresses are bringing bowls of the truffle mac and cheese to the lunch tables in lieu of good tips....



WOW!  Rentayenta can tell us if it's true or not!





rentayenta said:


> It looks incredible as do the lamb chops I saw.  And the pasta. And the desserts. Joshua is reading with me and said I _have_ to bring him a Club 33 cookie. I love him! He is ooooing and aweing with me.



If I lived closer, I'd be asking for a cookie as well.  Enjoy.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
_



We started the day early with the hot breakfast buffet.  It was to be our ritual morning catch up for DH and me.  


Every morning, DH would grab the eggs and/or cook some oatmeal.  
Every morning, I would wonder if bacon would be served.  DH would patiently sit there and listen to me oink on about the razorback cuts of not serving non fatty crunchy goodness. 




This morning, there WAS bacon, so DH could enjoy his breakfast in peace.



Me?  OINKING Heaven.  Bacon!  Bacon!  Bacon!











Oh....alright!  Here's the other side.










_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Life in the Go Zone
_



Today, I was heading into the Presidio for a special meeting at 10 am.  When I had looked at my public transport options to get there, I was looking at either the CalTrain or BART into the downtown area and about 3 bus changes to get to the Presidio.  Duration for this? 2  3 hours.

I.think.not!



My other option?  Driving, Miss PiO.



Id checked out the driving time as an alternative to the public transport option.  GoogleMaps has this trip down as about 50 minutes or so.  I will admit that driving from Silicon Valley into the Downtown area in peak hour was not something that filled my soul with delight.


So, it was just as well that I had the good mood food this morning.



My foray down the 101 yesterday had been a trial run for today.  Given yesterdays experience that I was not keen to repeat, I had looked at the alternative routethe 280.



What a great choice it turned out to be!  


This was life in the go-zone.  I was cruising down this highway at Bullitt-style speeds higher than the 75 mph limit; and with relatively little traffic around me.


I had left at shortly after 8 am.  By the time I got to the streets of San Francisco, it was still in the 8s.  I would have over an hour to kill.



_



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


An Oldie.but a Goldie.Gate Park
_



It has been many years since Ive properly made a visit here and today.this morningI was delighted to revisit an old favourite tourist destination of mine in this city.  The fifth most visited city park in the US is the Golden Gate Park.  At over 1000 acres, this park is a veritable green haven in a busy metropolis with many intriguing attractions.  

Aside from traffic, I had been keen to travel along the 280 because I thought it would give me the opportunity to glimpse at the park.  And when I had gotten to the city significantly earlier than even I had optimistically hoped, I made a quick detour and stopped off for another brief visit.  


I found a parking spot by Lake Stow and stopped off for a brief walk.









The locals might have been out and about









but there was no denying.it was rather early in the morning for the two-legged visitors.








I must admit..I do prefer things this way.

In the middle of Lake Stow is Strawberry Hill.  Someday, Im going to take a picnic basket with me and head to the island, climb the hill and take in the downtown view from up there.









I got back in the car and headed towards the de Young Memorial Museum.  It was too early for opening but I remembered that there were some art sculptures around the museum.

















I had remembered correctly.  The bronze urn and the concrete sphinxes were originally brought to San Francisco for the 1894 California MidWinter International Exposition and purchased by H.M de Young.  The sphinxes are actually replicas; and are showing their age.



There is also another statue purchased from that exposition outside the museum..the Apple Cider Press.









Yes, I was certainly enjoying the view this morning.









The thing about being in this part of the park is that there are a number of other attractions close by.









You know that California MidWinter International Exposition?  The original site was here.where the Spreckels Temple of Music is.









The weekends are the times to visit for live entertainment at Spreckels.  Afterall, it has been an open air venue for dances, concerts and performances for over 120 years now.









At the time of morning and day that I was there, I only saw the Tai Chi groups under the elms.









I also took a wander through the garden of the de Young.









I was rather intrigue by apples in the park today.  They seemed to be everywhere!










_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


An Unexpected Freebie  The Japanese Tea Gardens
_



The other attraction in this area is the Japanese Tea Garden.   The oldest Japanese public garden in the US, it is a firm favourite for me and DH.  Weve been here about 3 or 4 times in the past and I figured Id just take a picture of the outside.









Imagine my surprise when I got up close and realised that entry between 9  10 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays was free!









Well..in my case, it was a Wednesday but the admission was not quite free.  The cost of admission for me was being 10 minutes late to the DisMeet.  So, Ill apologise now for my tardiness!  But this was too good a deal for me to pass up on.


This garden was yet another one of those originally created as an exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition.  The garden holds tea ceremony demonstrations during the day in the tea pavilion.  I would not experience it this time; nor was I to get any tea or snacks available here.









I headed down to the Sunken Garden.









This area had been the residential site of the original owner and landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara.  He and his family were interned during the Second World War and never returned to the garden.  









This section of the garden is as zen as they come.









There are lovely meandering paths in the garden that just scream walk down here to me.









Some; that just encourage you to find the hopscotch child within.  For those of you interested  thats the Peace Lantern to the right.  The Peace Lantern was a symbol of friendship given to the future generations in the United States from small contributions from the children of Japan.  San Francisco was chosen to receive the lantern because the Japanese Peace Treaty was signed in this city in 1951.  









This five-stored pagoda was originally in the Japanese exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915. After the close of the exposition the Hagiwaras had it brought to the Tea Garden.










I checked the time and figured I needed to get going.  So, I headed out through the Main Temple Gate.  










There was a spot a little lower down, near the main pond where I stopped to check the view.










A random act of kindnesssomeone stopped and asked if I wanted them to take a picture of me.  He did a great job!










There were koi in the main pond.  They were letting people tickle them from underneath!










I took a moment to climb the Drum Bridge.  I wish I knew where that kind stranger had gotten to.  It would have been cool to have my picture taken at the top.  










It really is a beautiful garden.  If youre in the neighbourhood, it is well worth a stop.










By this stage, I knew I was going to be late for my DisMeet!  So, I headed on out as quickly as I could to my next destination.




_


----------



## ACDSNY

Lovely pics of the Japanese Tea Garden, I love walking through there.  It always seem like a magical place.  You accomplished quite a bit in your time before the DISmeet.


----------



## usnuzuloose

Lovely pictures! I have never been in that area. I will have to get there sometime. Love that bridge.


----------



## franandaj

I am always amazed at how much you squeeze in before you meet up with each of us. I mean between the time I dropped you off at the GCH and we met up after your pass you had like a lifetime of pass photos!  LOL!

You are a master at snapping photos!


----------



## rentayenta

The garden is stunning. Very peaceful.


Glad you got your bacon.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Lovely pics!  That garden is really all I remember of my one trip to San Fransisco back in '79.


----------



## zanzibar138

Oooh bacon! I also LOVE bacon in the US - you just can't get it like that in Australia 

We spent quite a few hours getting lost (literally) in the Golden Gate Park trying to find the Walt Disney Family Museum (before arriving only to discover it was closed that day ). It was a very pretty place to be lost  but that must be a different part you went to. Will have to check that out next time!


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Lovely pics of the Japanese Tea Garden, I love walking through there.  It always seem like a magical place.  You accomplished quite a bit in your time before the DISmeet.



I love walking through here too.  And yes, magical is the word for it.





usnuzuloose said:


> Lovely pictures! I have never been in that area. I will have to get there sometime. Love that bridge.



If you have the opportunity, I would highly recommend it.  I really do love the Golden Gate Bridge area.





franandaj said:


> I am always amazed at how much you squeeze in before you meet up with each of us. I mean between the time I dropped you off at the GCH and we met up after your pass you had like a lifetime of pass photos!  LOL!
> 
> You are a master at snapping photos!



Thanks!  I was actually glad to be able to squeeze in the Japanese Garden this morning. I had hoped that traffic would be kind and that I would be able to enjoy some time in the Park...the Japanese Garden was a pure bonus! 




rentayenta said:


> The garden is stunning. Very peaceful.
> 
> 
> Glad you got your bacon.



I'm glad I got my bacon too.  




tiggrbaby said:


> Lovely pics!  That garden is really all I remember of my one trip to San Fransisco back in '79.



Was that the last time you were in San Francisco??  It's probably changed a bit since then.





zanzibar138 said:


> Oooh bacon! I also LOVE bacon in the US - you just can't get it like that in Australia
> 
> We spent quite a few hours getting lost (literally) in the Golden Gate Park trying to find the Walt Disney Family Museum (before arriving only to discover it was closed that day ). It was a very pretty place to be lost  but that must be a different part you went to. Will have to check that out next time!



Did you drive when you were in San Francisco?

It's a rather big park; and there are lots of different sections to it.  I could spend 5 days there and not see it all.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> Did you drive when you were in San Francisco?
> 
> It's a rather big park; and there are lots of different sections to it.  I could spend 5 days there and not see it all.



No we didn't drive, we walked from Fisherman's Wharf to the bridge, then through the park to the Disney museum - wasn't a very good idea 

We passed what looked like military housing, police horse stables, a cemetary, and then the little village thing where the Disney museum is. It was pretty, but we would have enjoyed it more if we weren't so concerned about being lost!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> No we didn't drive, we walked from Fisherman's Wharf to the bridge, then through the park to the Disney museum - wasn't a very good idea
> 
> We passed what looked like military housing, police horse stables, a cemetary, and then the little village thing where the Disney museum is. It was pretty, but we would have enjoyed it more if we weren't so concerned about being lost!



I think you walked through the Presidio; rather than Golden Gate Park.  They are close'ish to each other.  The Presidio used to be a military base and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  And it is very easy to get lost in the Presidio.  Except for this visit, I've gotten lost every other time.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> I think you walked through the Presidio; rather than Golden Gate Park.  They are close'ish to each other.  The Presidio used to be a military base and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  And it is very easy to get lost in the Presidio.  Except for this visit, I've gotten lost every other time.



Oh, that would make sense then


----------



## PrincessInOz

Poster Gals and Guys of the Lasting Kind - DisMeet #3
_



When planning for this trip, the one thing that was the highest priority on my must-do list was to meet up with as many of my Dis friends as possible.  Afterall, there were about 4 or 5 of us that hang out on a thread and aside from myself and franandaj, most of the others lived in Northern California.

Usnuzuloose and I had already met in Monterey last year.  It was really great to be able to spend more 3D time with her.









ACDSNY and I had been poster gals of the lasting kind for a while.  It was to be our first face time together.  









mvf-m11c is a regular poster on the Disneyland section of the boards and has one of the most viewed TRs on this section.  Hes been hanging out with us for a while as well.  I was looking forward to putting a face to the on-screen persona.









My Three Amigos all lived in the same region in NorCal.  Would you believe that this is the FIRST time they'd DisMet as well?









When we arranged this DisMeet, there was really only one place for us to meet up.  You may have already spotted it already.....









The Museum is located at 104 Montgomery Street, The Presidio and is the brainchild of Diane Disney-Miller.  Diane is the first daughter of Walt and Lilian.  

Why is it in San Francisco?  Well, it turns out that Diane lives in NorCal and most of her archives are stored in a warehouse at the Presidio.  It seemed only logical that she would set up a museum here.









It is a strictly no photography sort of place; so there will be none posted here.


The museum consists of about 9 or 10 gallery rooms absolutely packed to the rafters with memorabilia and mementoes of Walt Disney, the man.  As you progress from room to room, you go through the stages of his life and every item in that particular room tells the story of that stage.  There are handwritten notes, pictures, visual artefacts, audio recordings....you name it!  There were even sketches and cartoons drawn by Walt Disney himself in the early days.


It was a great place for a DisMeet but for one very important fact.  This museum is mind-blowingly, gob-smackingly detailed!  There is stuff EVERYWHERE!  We were all entranced with exploring and reading about the man behind the theme park and that had started the corporation that we barely got much time to chat to each other.   Still, it was a great way to spend time in 3D with the link to Disney; that formed the basis of our friendships with each other.


There was one other noteworthy thing from the morning to mention.  When we entered in through the reception area, there was a lady greeting some friends in the area.  ACDSNY nudged me to point out that the lady was Diane Disney.  She was obviously conducting a personal tour of the museum and we did our best to hang around to listen in on the conversation.  I didn't catch much of what was being said but she was definitely peppering her tour around the rooms with her personal memories; plus why she had selected the items for display.  Seems like what was in the museum was but a drop in the bucket of the stuff the Walt Disney Family Foundation had in storage.  Her group moved past us in the second or third room; and I wished that we could have been a Ray-the-firefly on the wall with that group!


It took us about 2 - 3 hours to get through the various galleries.  The ones that stood out in my memory are his childhood home, the early Hollywood years, the gallery where the creation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is, the optical projector, the large gallery with the 3D scale model of Disneyland and the final touching room where a number of us were moved to tears.


By this stage, mfv-m11c had to leave.    So we headed out to take a final shot of our DisMeet.  








My thanks to ACDSNYs DH for taking the shot of the four of us!  



And for you NorCal Dis-sers.....here's one of just the 3 of you.









It was another very successful and pleasurable DisMeet!  I hope to do it again sometime in the future.


_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Crabby Patty #2  A Lasting Lunch in Sausalito
_



After we said our goodbyes, the others and I talked about having a bite to eat.  We had considered grabbing a bite at the WDFM café but the food there was not what we had in mind for lunch.  Turns out that none of us had researched food options around or in the Presidio.  The nearest options we knew of for decent food was along Chestnut or Union Street in the Marina district.  However, we had car parking to consider and ACDSNY and I knew that parking was going to be a problem for one car; much less two.

So, we headed out in a totally different direction.  We headed to an old favourite haunt of mine.









The Seafood Peddler used to be the Cat and Fiddle.  Its located in Sausalito and ACDSNY drove us all there.

It is located on Bridgeway; but away from the tourist section of Sausalito and there was plenty of parking out the front.









Despite the name change, the ambience inside had not.  









We ordered drinks; none alcoholic and none that came with umbrellas.









The bread on the table was reasonable.









I ordered the clam chowder, which was rather good.


































It was when our meals came out that I experienced Crabby Patty #2.

See..I was sitting at the end of the table.









And I really wanted to take pictures of the food..Dungeness Crab was in season and a couple of us ordered the salad.









I got up to take a picture; only to be singled out by one of the waiters.  Maybe I should have asked or have been a bit more discreet; and I dont remember what he saidbut I did feel a little put out by it.  There is definitely been something about me taking crab pictures this trip that attracts bad karma!



A couple of us ordered the Dungeness Crab (patty) burger.  Definitely crabby.and Oh So Good!










_




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Sittin on the Dock of the Bay, Sausalito
_



We werent near the dock where the majority of the floating homes of Sausalito were moored but there were a couple of house boats sittin down the dock just where the restaurant was.









And as we were right there, we decided to do a short walk down and take a look.









There were a number of homes on the water here..









.and this one was for sale.  









It gave us something to speculate and contemplate as we walked down the pier.









Yes, you saw right.  Thats the Taj Mahal floating home right at the end of this pier.









I believe that this used to be a Bed and Breakfastbut its now back as a private residence.









Pity!  Might have been interesting to spend a night here.



We took a look at the hills of Sausalito.  Ive always liked the hilly-ness of this area!









It was a very calming and tranquil view; just sittin' on the dock of the bay in Sausalito.









By this stage, it was time to head back.  The NorCals needed to trek on home and still had a couple of hours driving ahead of them.



_


----------



## usnuzuloose

Awesome! I hate my photo But always happy to see you!


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a fun day!


----------



## zanzibar138

Aww I'm a bit sad that you weren't able to share any photos from the museum. But I'll get back there one day and see for myself! Sounds like you all had a great time 

And boo for the crabbies!


----------



## rentayenta

Great update!  Love having faces to out with names. 


The crabby patty looks so good. What's the brain child behind bringing the soup in a boat and then pouring it in the bowl I wonder?


----------



## ACDSNY

Woo hoo my internet stayed up long enough to finally get to see the pics tonight.  I really enjoyed our DISmeet day and as always your pics are lovely.

Tomorrow night we'll be at the local crab feed so we're keeping the crabby going.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Nice to see your latest update.

I was glad that I was able to meet you, Angela and Usnuz at the WDFM. It would have been nice to take pictures inside the museum but it was nice to take it outside. 

Nice to hear that you had a good lunch that day.

Very nice update.


----------



## franandaj

It looks like you all had a wonderful day. I wish I could have joined you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

usnuzuloose said:


> Awesome! I hate my photo But always happy to see you!



 

Let me know if you want me to take your picture down.





tiggrbaby said:


> What a fun day!



It was a very fun day.  Our conversation pretty much started off from where we left off on the Dis.  





zanzibar138 said:


> Aww I'm a bit sad that you weren't able to share any photos from the museum. But I'll get back there one day and see for myself! Sounds like you all had a great time
> 
> And boo for the crabbies!



Zanzibar - there are pictures on the internet on the inside of the museum (reporters taking pictures when it first opened in 2009) but it does not do it any justice.  It really has to be seen to be believed.  There is just so much memorabilia everywhere!!





rentayenta said:


> Great update!  Love having faces to out with names.
> 
> 
> The crabby patty looks so good. What's the brain child behind bringing the soup in a boat and then pouring it in the bowl I wonder?



  I can only say that by the time they were done, the soup was a little less hot.  I would have preferred it to be hot-hot myself; but that's me.





ACDSNY said:


> Woo hoo my internet stayed up long enough to finally get to see the pics tonight.  I really enjoyed our DISmeet day and as always your pics are lovely.
> 
> Tomorrow night we'll be at the local crab feed so we're keeping the crabby going.



Hope you didn't experience Crabby Patty!!!  

(Was the crab good??? )





mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to see your latest update.
> 
> I was glad that I was able to meet you, Angela and Usnuz at the WDFM. It would have been nice to take pictures inside the museum but it was nice to take it outside.
> 
> Nice to hear that you had a good lunch that day.
> 
> Very nice update.



Thanks Bret.  We must do another DisMeet someday.  Would have liked a longer chat with you.  





franandaj said:


> It looks like you all had a wonderful day. I wish I could have joined you!



I wish the same too.


----------



## rentayenta

I'm a hot hot soup person too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> I'm a hot hot soup person too.



Me too.  You can definitely come to dinner at my place!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Taking the Right Fork for a change - Castillo de San Joachin

_


As ACDSNY drove back over the bridge, I took time to reflect on that iconic icon of San Francisco.









It had been a while since I've taken time out to just look at the bridge and given how close I was, I figured that there was no time like the present.

So, after I said goodbye to ACDSNY and Usnuz, I hopped back in my car and made my way through the labyrinth of the Presidio.  



For those of you that dont know, I am blessed and cursed with a swiss cheese elephant memory.  When things are rock solid, I never forget.  But there are occasional holes  some quite large  in that necktop computer of mine.

There is one area that I have yet to hit a hole in the memory banks&&.and that area is remembrance of roads previously travelled.  DH and I had spent 30 minutes or so driving rings around the Presidio in 2005; and that was even with us having a map to navigate our way!  We kept missing the turn-offs and ended up circling round and round in order to get to our destination.


So it was....that when I drove from the Walt Disney Family Museum, I remembered my way around.  I'd learnt that in order to get where I needed to get to I had to always take the right fork.

My destination?

My favourite end of that bridge.  Fort Point.









Fort Point is the southern side of the Bay and the fort located here was originally called the Castillo de San Joachin.  In 2005, when we were here, the Castillo was opened and we spent an afternoon exploring.  The next couple of pictures are from that trip.









There even were docents in period costume around the place.  (Look at how young my DS was!!!)









Sadly, there would not be a blue sky today; nor was that Fort opened.  It was sad to see everything closed up.  The National Park Service only opens the Fort on Friday through to Sundays.


But irrespective of what day of the week you are here, the views of the bridge are brilliant.  It is most definitely worth a visit.










I've always thought this side of the bridge to be perfect for a closer-up experience.


















You might have noticed that it was a pretty overcast day; and there had been that famed fog hanging about on the hills of Sausalito.  It was a dark and stormy day.....and it was a sign of the weather to come!









....and it was definitely time for me to move on.




But not before a quick stop at Battery East for a final look at the Bridge....










....and a last look at sunset.  










And then it was really time for me to head down the 280 back to Silicon Valley.





_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

More Cheesy Food Porn
_



Todays Happy Hour offering was chicken.  I got us some Wings but passed on the Noodle soup.









I hadn't planned on eating the Happy Hour offering; but I did end up having the wings on the plate (and I left the rice).  Just as well I had the snackDH had promised me a dinner for two tonight and had thought he would be finished work early.  But this turned out to the latest finish of all the work days he was there.    



We eventually made our way to the Cheesecake Factory at Hillsdale Mall.  We normally hit the branch at Palo Alto; but the Guitar Centre had also opened up at Hillsdale Mall and DH wanted to check it out.  


But dinner first.   


I like the house bread offering at the Cheesecake Factory.  It is a little sweet for my taste; but that rye bread is one of my favourites when it comes to eating bread in the US.  









DH stuck with water; whilst I indulged in a raspberry lemonade.









I couldn't convince DH to try a different starter.  He really loves the avocado egg rolls; and we always get a plate to share.  Maybe next time we'll try something different.









For the mains, DH ordered the Fish Taco.  Soft corn tortillas filled with fish, avocado, tomato, onions and cilantro.









It comes with black beans and rice.










Me?  I take a different tack in this restaurant chain.  I ask my server what their favourite dish is and then order it (if I havent had it before).  So.....I ended up with the New Orleans Shrimp.....shrimp, Andouille sausage, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and onions in a mild spicy sauce.









Both mains were very tasty.


We had a little debate of what to have for dessert.  Afterall, there really was a decent selection of cheesecakes on offer.

























In the end, we settled on the Mango Key Lime Cheesecake to share.  So yum!










We....er...DH had another great night of shopping.  He ended up coming home with a practise guitar from the Guitar Centre and whilst I did wonder how we were going to pack it, turns out that DH had done some homework and research before coming to America.  That practise guitar, when unpacked out of the box, just managed to fit into his bag.  


We finished the night shipping at Old Navy and I really wish that I'd bought some pants there.  I umm'ed and ahh'ed about it and thought I'd come back.  I never did. 

So.....for the Aussies out there reading and lurking......the lesson here is when on holiday and you see something you like, buy what you like when you can wherever you are.  Even if you think you might find something else that you could like better!!!





_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Your bridge pics are breathtaking!


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> Hope you didn't experience Crabby Patty!!!
> 
> (Was the crab good??? )


 
It's been a crabby weekend.  We went to the crab feed on Sat. night which was so yummy and then for my Aunt's birthday we went to Leatherbys and had crab sandwiches and ice cream on Sun. night.  No crabby pattys.

Love the bridge shots!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Your bridge pics are breathtaking!



  Thank you.



ACDSNY said:


> It's been a crabby weekend.  We went to the crab feed on Sat. night which was so yummy and then for my Aunt's birthday we went to Leatherbys and had crab sandwiches and ice cream on Sun. night.  No crabby pattys.
> 
> Love the bridge shots!




Sounds like the perfect crabby weekend.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A calm breakfast service despite the snag
_




We started the day early with the hot breakfast buffet.  It was to be our ritual morning catch up for DH and me.  


Every morning, DH would grab the eggs and/or cook some oatmeal.  
This morning, I would NOT wonder if bacon would be served.  Afterall, we had been served that fatty crunchy goodness yesterday morning and I had no expectations of seeing it being served up for the rest of the week.  



There was to be no grumbles from me this morning.  I enjoyed breakfast this morningyes even the snag!










The weather forecast for today was not encouraging.  We were expecting rain around lunch time and with that knowledge, I decided on an early start to the day.  I figured that this morning was my one chance of getting out to my destination.


The snag this morning came courtesy of Life in the fast lane.  It was not kind to me.  As I started to head out, the traffic update in the car radio told me that there had been an accident down the 101 and traffic was banking back. 



A split second decision..resulted in an unexpected journey and find.


With the 101 out of bounds, I kept calm and made my way across to the 280.  



My split second decision?   As I was approaching the 280 interchange, I decided to keep going to the Skyline Boulevard.  



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Wonderland in Alice
_



The Skyline Boulevard or California State Route 35 is one of those scenic routes that is just so pleasurable to drive down.  It cuts along the ridgeline of the Santa Cruz Mountains and at different points along this drive, you get views of the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay and Silicon Valley.   It isn't a long drive; and without traffic, it would take roughly 1.5 - 2 hours to drive down.  For those of you that get car sick, make sure you have your dose of dramamine beforehand.......or bring some sick bags!  It can be a windy road.









Aside from the views, you will also be driving through a number of redwood forest reserves.  At this time of year, it was an even more beautiful drive as there was plenty of fall foliage on display.  There was no doubt about it.  I had made a great decision to avoid the major freeways this morning.









Granted, it took me longer to get to my destination than planned but sometimes, life is also about the journey as it is about the destination.

So, when I turned a corner at Sky Londa and saw this place, I knew I had to stop.









I was to find out on returning to Silicon Valley that Alices Restaurant is about the only place worth eating at when on the Skyline.  It is a firm favourite of the bikies (both the motor and pedal variety) during the weekend.

As I got out of my car, I noticed that there was a white limo also in the parking area.  The driver gave me one of those friendly nods and a cheery smile.  I guess I must have had that kind of aura that morning......he then struck up a conversation with me.  Turns out he was driving some corporate bigwigs to a love-in around the area.  He asked if I intended to eat at Alices and when I responded that I was just after coffee, he recommended that I order the homemade cinnamon coffee cake.  With his "you won't regret it" ringing in my ears, I thanked him for the heads up and made my way in.










The promise that Alices Restaurant holds on the outside was matched in spades inside.  At least, I thought so.  It was wonderfully quaint and delightful on the inside.  The sort of place that remind me of all things Americana!

The bar stools were covered with cow hide....










....and the cow hide was repeated in the seats for the table booths.










I guess you could say that the cowboys had been replaced by computer squares.



I chose to sit in the booth closest to the door.   As there was only two other people in the place, service was brilliantly prompt and exceedingly friendly.  I checked out the menu and it offered the standard breakfast fare, burgers of every description, sandwiches and even Texas BBQ. 



Mindful of the chauffer's recommendation, I ordered the cinnamon coffee cake......










....and decided to have the Hot Apple Cider to accompany the cake instead of coffee.










The random acts of kindness by total strangers!  That.cake.was.to.die.for!  It came warmed up and was soft and delicious and sweet and fragrant and oh so warm!!  It was a taste of Wonderland in Alice and the hot apple cider was the perfect drink to have with it.


I couldn't finish the cake; so I got a box to go.  It didn't go to waste as DH also got to enjoy a little slice of heaven.



As I walked out and reflected on the surrounds.....







....I realised that this place had become a definite must-do the next time I'm in the area!

_


----------



## mvf-m11c

Catching up on your trip report. Very nice photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point.


----------



## franandaj

Awesome Bridge Photos!

I've heard of that spot, is it in La Honda?  That's a great place to stop for food, I was never quite sure where it was but heard about it as an awesome food location.


----------



## Minniemum

Really wonderful photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.  Do you do anything with your photos eg frame and hang at home?

What a hidden gem Alice's turned out to be for you.  PIO, you really do have a knack for finding these great places.


----------



## nzer

We only got back from our 5 weeks away 3 days ago and I have just had a chance to catch up with your TR.
After seeing your photo of the avocado egg rolls at the Cheescake Factory, I want to jump back in a plane and head straight back over.  
I had them in Marin County as a main and they were DIVINE!!!  Loved the dipping sauce too.  MMmmmmm, now I'm craving them.  
Your TR is fabulous!


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Catching up on your trip report. Very nice photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point.



Thanks Bret.  





franandaj said:


> Awesome Bridge Photos!
> 
> I've heard of that spot, is it in La Honda?  That's a great place to stop for food, I was never quite sure where it was but heard about it as an awesome food location.



Yes, La Honda.  It really is at the intersection of Woodside and Skyline.  There is about 4 buildings here.  And I thought it was an awesome food location.  Not sure how busy it gets at the weekend but it was a perfect stopping point mid-week for me.




Minniemum said:


> Really wonderful photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.  Do you do anything with your photos eg frame and hang at home?
> 
> What a hidden gem Alice's turned out to be for you.  PIO, you really do have a knack for finding these great places.



Thank you.  I actually think those places have a knack of finding me.  





nzer said:


> We only got back from our 5 weeks away 3 days ago and I have just had a chance to catch up with your TR.
> After seeing your photo of the avocado egg rolls at the Cheescake Factory, I want to jump back in a plane and head straight back over.
> I had them in Marin County as a main and they were DIVINE!!!  Loved the dipping sauce too.  MMmmmmm, now I'm craving them.
> Your TR is fabulous!



Don't get me started on those egg rolls.  DH and I are quite addicted to them......and the dipping sauce.

Thanks!


----------



## ACDSNY

Alice's Restaurant looks like a fun place to check out.


----------



## rentayenta

Yum yum yum! Great update. The avocado egg rolls and cake both look delicious.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Alice's Restaurant looks like a fun place to check out.



If you're ever in the area, I would recommend a stop.





rentayenta said:


> Yum yum yum! Great update. The avocado egg rolls and cake both look delicious.



  They were!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Walking in the Shadow of Giants
_



I was enjoying the journey to my destination this morning.  The drive is along the Skyline is beautiful!  

But sometimes....it IS also about the destination and my destination this morning was Big Basin State Park. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest State Park in California.


I got into the Park Headquarters area a lot later than planned.  I had hoped to have taken a walk out to the local waterfall but time was against me.  I checked with the ranger and he agreed with my assessment.  









A cold change had been forecast and if I'd taken the 4 hour return walk, I would have been soaked somewhere on the return leg.  So the ranger recommended that I take the sedate Redwood Trail instead.









This trail is roughly 1.5 miles round trip; and exceedingly gentle to walk.  









More importantly....it provides you with a glimpse into one of the most amazing of trees....the Redwood tree, Sequoia sempervirens.









Like it's cousin, the giant Sequoia, these trees are tall.  


How tall are these trees?










Tall!  Even when they fall, you can see how tall they are.....









I took my time on this trail.   There were all sorts of interesting informational boards to read and explore.










This is what they call a Fairy ring.  









Aside from sprouting from seed, the redwoods can also reproduce asexually by layering or sprouting from the root crown, stump, or even fallen branches.  There were a few examples of these growths where a ring - a Fairy Ring - of trees have grown around the parent root crown or stump on this trail. 
In some instances, you could walk right in....









....in the Shadow of Giants!


















There was lots of scope for contemplation along this walk.










Some of these trees have been here for over 2000 years.









They provide shelter, shade and protection from the elements.









They are home to a myriad of animals.









I even saw a baby deer....but wasnt fast enough with the camera to catch it.









You get to see the Father of the forest on this walk.

















And in true Equal Opportunity, there is also the Mother of the forest.


















It certainly was a very pleasant walk!










I stopped in at Camp Central.  









And found an Aussie connection here.  The 26th of January is Australia Day, commemorating the day the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay.









It had been an interesting grass roots glimpse into this amazing tree.










I totally get why they call this State Park one of the best places to go see the Redwoods in the peninsula.  The trees here are magnificent and I will certainly carry with me the memory of that walk in amongst the giants for a long time to come.



_




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Sitting out the Rain in Boulder Creek
_




I looked at the road as I got back in the car, checked the map and decided to keep going rather than head back out the way I came in.










Afterall, there is one road, the 236, that goes through the Big Basin.  It loops in from one end of the 9 and heads back round to the 9 to re-join it at a different point.


At that other end, I headed right on the 9 and eventually ended up at Boulder Creek.









It might be a rather small country town but some of the building facades are truly fascinating!

















There were hints of street art here....I had to push my camera through a locked gate to get this shot....but it was there in the open!









This mural depicts the time when Boulder was part of the rail system for transported logs to the wharf in Santa Cruz.  We're going back to 1875 for this view.









And yes, there really is a creek here.  I did try to find it.....









....but by the time I was ready to go looking, it was pouring rain.









I stopped in Boulder Creek for lunch.  It gave me an excuse to "walk the street", so to speak, and check out some shops.  There were a few places to eat but I was after something with a bit of ambience.  There was a café in here but the menu didn't excite.









This shop caught my eye....









....aside from the obvious, take a look at the sandwich board.









The inside décor, whilst a little tired-looking, was charming enough for me to stay.









There really was a micro-brewery set up in here.  It's behind the wooden partitions and there was a bar set up to serve patrons.









Because I was driving, I settled on the raspberry lemonade.









The burger?  It was significantly better than the one I had at Santa Cruz and such a bargain at $6.50.









It was still raining when I finished lunch.  I ran across the street towards where the car was parked and got a little wet.  Not enough to melt a witch....but as I still had a way to go, I was reluctant to keep going.  So, I waited in the footpath under the cover of a shop front.  



I hadn't expected the door of that shop to open....afterall, it had a sign on the door suggesting that the grand opening was going to be in a couple of weeks.




The random acts of kindness by total strangers!  The new owner opened the door and was letting a friend out.  They saw me standing there and struck up a conversation with me.   We had a great time chatting about his store merchandise.


After a couple of minutes, the owner invited me in to take a look round the store.  The reason?  Check out what type of store it was!

























Let's just say that DH was very interested in my pictures that night!


The owner and I chatted some more inside and after a while, when we could hear that the rain had let up a little, I said my goodbyes and made my way back to the car.



With the rain starting up again, it was definitely time to hit the road.


_


----------



## ACDSNY

Lovely trip to the redwoods.  You always find such interesting little places.


----------



## dhorner233

I agree!  Always enjoy your photos!


----------



## Minniemum

Great photos of the Redwoods!  Love the murals too.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures of the Redwoods. All of your pictures at Boulder Creek are very nice as well.


----------



## zanzibar138

Right. Big Basin State Park has been added to the to-do list for 2014  What great pics of the trees!


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Lovely trip to the redwoods.  You always find such interesting little places.



Thanks!





dhorner233 said:


> I agree!  Always enjoy your photos!



 





Minniemum said:


> Great photos of the Redwoods!  Love the murals too.



I was really excited to see the murals.  L-O-V-E street art!




mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures of the Redwoods. All of your pictures at Boulder Creek are very nice as well.



Thanks Bret.




zanzibar138 said:


> Right. Big Basin State Park has been added to the to-do list for 2014  What great pics of the trees!



Muir Woods is the normal tourist destination from San Francisco and there are day tours you can take from SF.  This part of the world has Big Basin and Henry Cowell State Parks; and any number of smaller parks along the Skyline to catch the redwoods.  You might need a car to get here.


----------



## franandaj

I'll have to remember Big Basin. It's not too far from my parents and it appears that path is HA. I haven't been there in years,  so beautiful!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I'll have to remember Big Basin. It's not too far from my parents and it appears that path is HA. I haven't been there in years,  so beautiful!





Yes....I think that loop would be okay for HA.  

Your parents live near there???  Lucky you!


----------



## PrincessInOz

When you gotta go....rain or shine!  Hakone Gardens
_



I headed down the 9 back towards Silicon Valley.  However, with all the water and lemonade I had drunk, and with the rain against the windscreen....well....lets just say that I really needed to make a restroom stop.  Really! 

I kept an eye out for a place to stop but there was nothing!  


I finally saw a sign and I immediately turned off.


It cost me $7 to enter Hakone Gardens; but by that stage, I would have paid anything to get close to 1-ply toilet paper.









And as I had already paid my entry fee, I decided to stay and take a look.









Rain, notwithstanding.









I clearly wasn't the only duck out in this weather.









It really was pelting.  But despite the rain, there was no denying that this was an absolutely gorgeous garden.









Hakone Garden is located just on the outskirts of Saratoga.  And I mean just!  
I was to find out later that if I had kept going on the 9, I would have hit Saratoga in less than one city block!  I would even have found shops and restrooms for free.  The way I figure it, the entry fee was probably way cheaper than shopping in Saratoga.



There is over 18 acres of garden space and it did start out life as a private garden; only to fall on financial hardship and now is owned by the city of Saratoga.  Established in 1915, Hakone is the oldest Japanese and Asian estate gardens in the Western Hemisphere.

I was to find out a short time later by yet another one of those "random acts of kindness" that Hakone is the only Japanese garden in the world that contains all four Japanese garden styles.  Most others would only be landscaped in one style.


The rain let up just enough for me to explore the first style - the Hill and Pond strolling Garden.









It was a lovely walking space with the sound of a decent waterfall.









This garden is definitely not HA.  There is a surprisingly steep hill to climb....








....and delightful hidden secrets to find.  This wisteria arbour must look beautiful in the spring.









The vista looking back at the Pond was amazing.

















I did head towards the Upper House or the Moonviewing House on that hill.  I didn't end up taking any pictures of it and initially couldn't remember why....and then I realised that when I got there, the gardeners had been out and about.  So there were big bags and garden tools all over the house and they had been left there when the rain started; so I didn't take any pictures.  

In any event, you could only walk around the veranda.  The house was not opened.  

I headed towards the Tea Waiting Pavilion.  It was located in the second style of garden - the Tea Garden.









The rain came down a little heavier at this stage and it was a dry enough spot to sit it out.









Around the corner from the Tea House, I found in the third style of garden - the Zen garden.  I liked this feature building in this part of the garden the best.  It felt more like a 'home' than anything else to me.









In keeping with Japanese custom, the Zen Garden is a dry garden whose primary purpose is for meditation viewing.  Strictly no entry....but I did wonder if I could have borrowed a rake from one of the gardeners to make it my kind of leftist zen.  









Around the corner from the Zen Garden is the Cultural Exchange Centre (CEC) building.









I noticed that the door was opened and wasn't really expecting to gain entry.  But as I approached it, a couple of people came out.  The random acts of kindness from total strangers......they were Friends of Hakone preparing for visitors from Japan due to arrive the next day.  One of them saw me and stopped to have a conversation.  He told me that they were setting up the place for a dinner the next night and also invited me inside to take a look.
In his spare time, he does volunteer work at Hakone as a docent.  So, I learnt a bit about the garden's history from him.


The CEC is an authentic reproduction of a 19th century (Edo period) Kyoto tea-merchant's house and shop.  It had been constructed in Japan, disassembled and then shipped to Saratoga.  He told me that they got 6 Japanese carpenters to come to Saratoga to reassemble the building on-site.
There are no nails in this building.









In keeping with the tea-merchant history, there are two rooms at one end of the building.









The first room is where the merchant would have stored the tea leaves.









The other room was the tea serving room, complete with tatami.










He also told me about some of the art on display.  Some had been purchased by Friends of Hakone on holiday in Japan....








....others had been donated by artists visiting Hakone as part of cultural exchanges.









I'm pretty sure that this is just a random picture on my part because it was a print of a cat.









Either that....or the docent did tell me something about the picture and it's stored within that hole-y bit in my swiss cheese elephant memory. 


The docent told me that this particular spot is where they hold wedding ceremonies.









Why?  Because if you look at the view, your eye will be drawn up to the Central Rock up near the waterfall.  The stones in the foreground, the stone lantern and the Central Rock all form a straight line.









By this stage, the heavens opened up again and I knew it was time to head out.  I thanked the man and made my way out.


It was after I came back and checked my pictures that I realised that I never did make it round to the fourth style of garden - the Bamboo Garden - during my walk round the Hakone. 


Something for next time.




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


Lick the Screen time - Sweet and Bittersweet Delights
_



It was Day 9 of this trip and with only one more day left, I knew I needed to visit an old favourite haunt of mine.


I've been visiting the Pilgrims Kitchen for the better part of 12 years now.  I first saw it from the window of the CalTrain on the way from Silicon Valley into San Francisco and took a little detour in the car to hunt it out.









It's not the best cherry pie Ive ever eaten; but it's pretty good.  I think I normally end up paying less than $5 for pie and a cup of tea here.









I also get to eyeball the other sweet treats here.










































I do enjoy my sweet delights here; but it does come with bittersweet memories.

For those of you not aware of it - Ive come to this part of the world at least once a year for the last 10 or 12 years.  And when DS was a lot younger, we used to hit this place almost on a daily basis for the entire week that we were in Silicon Valley.  I always try to hit this place around 4.30 - 5 pm in the evening.  


When I first starting coming here, there was a group of 4 or 5 old fogies enjoying their cake and coffee and a natter.  Even though I was an infrequent visitor, three of those old fogies and I were on nodding terms.  Over the years, that group of 4 or 5 has slowly dwindled.  Last year, in January, there were only two.  This time round, there was one....and she was one that I was not on nodding terms with.  I don't know when I'll be back in this part of the world; but I suspect that the corner table will be empty the next time I come.



_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


It really is a Work Trip - More of DHs colleagues
_



Weve really had a great time sightseeing this part of the world so far, haven't we?  Anyone remember that this trip happened because I was accompanying DH on a work trip???



Well....the time between 8 am - 6 pm might be mine to enjoy; but after work....I'm at the mercy of DH's work schedule.  


Tonight....well....tonight he had another one of those social work dinners to go to.  As spouses and partners, we've all been to these sorts of dinners.  

You know what I'm talking about.  Sitting around with people you don't know all talking a different language and about people they all know but you don't....yup, really fun. Really.

We'd already met with some of DH's colleagues and tonight we were meeting with another set of colleagues.  This set included people that DH hadn't even met face to face before; so I steeled myself for one of those dinners.


A little pre-dinner consolation was in order....it was pizza bar happy hour time tonight.  The pepperoni was surprisingly good.









We went to one of those local hip and happening establishments in a nearby suburb.  The food was surprisingly good.  

My only gripe?  It was really dark in here and rather challenging to get a decent food shot.  In addition, I tend to be a lot more discrete about taking food porn when in the presence of DH's work colleagues.  Still....


One of the guys ordered some springrolls for entree.








I ordered the Steak.









The guy sitting next to me ordered the rotisserie chicken.









The potato gratin was a popular side dish order for most of the table.









The icecream sundae dessert.









I had a creme brulee for dessert and it was really really delicious.  Sadly, the picture didn't work out; so you'll just have to take my word for it.




The best part of the evening?



These colleagues were a heap of fun.  They were so funny and had me in stitches for most of the night.  There was some shop talk; but they restricted it to the first part of the evening and once the food arrived, the conversation moved off to other topics.  All of DH's colleagues on this night seem intent on taking the left fork at Albuquerque.  We talked about everything and anything....even religion, politics and sports!  As I recalled it, we finished the night on World Peace.  



DH and I might have had some notion that we would stay, eat and then head out early for a spot of shopping.  But we had so much fun with the guys that we ended up staying for most of the night.  It was pretty late when we all headed out.


It really can be hit and miss with work colleagues; but all of the diners from this night have hopes of seeing each other at some time in the future.  All of the North Americans would particularly like to head down under.  And we would like to think that we would hit some of the far-flung US cities that these colleagues come from.



It was a particularly pleasant thought to reflect on for our drive back to our home away from home.  

I had one other thought to occupy my mind.  It was still raining!  I sure hoped it would be better weather for my last day here.



_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Those garden pics are lovely!  Glad the evening turned out better than you expected.


----------



## zanzibar138

Another great find PIO! Looks like a really lovely garden.

Glad the work dinner turned out to be good too


----------



## ACDSNY

The garden pics looked wonderful even in the rain, I can just imagine how awesome it would look in the sunshine.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Yes....I think that loop would be okay for HA.
> 
> Your parents live near there???  Lucky you!



I would imagine you think my parents live close enough to there as yiur next stop was essentially next to the town where I grew up. Hakone Gardens sounded very familiar.  Well of course,  I know right where that is! My parents live just off Highway 9 just before Saratoga turns to Cupertino! 

Beautiful shots in the garden and I'm glad you had a good time with DH's colleagues.  I DO know how dull those things can be.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Before Super Bowl today, I got to read the latest updates to your trip report as well as your pictures of the food porn. Those are very nice photos from the Hakone Gardens. Even it was raining during your time, there is something great of taking pictures during the rain just like when I go to the Disney parks while it is raining. 

Very nice update


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Those garden pics are lovely!  Glad the evening turned out better than you expected.



The evening was one of the best "work" functions I've attended.  For IT geeks, they had a LOT of personality.  





zanzibar138 said:


> Another great find PIO! Looks like a really lovely garden.
> 
> Glad the work dinner turned out to be good too



Thanks.  It is a lovely garden.  I need to take my mother there sometime.  She would love it. 






ACDSNY said:


> The garden pics looked wonderful even in the rain, *I can just imagine how awesome it would look in the sunshine*.



You took the words right out of my thoughts when I was there.  I had seen it advertised in the local tourist mags around Silicon Valley for years.  I've just never made the time.  Next time, I hope to visit in the sun.





franandaj said:


> I would imagine you think my parents live close enough to there as yiur next stop was essentially next to the town where I grew up. Hakone Gardens sounded very familiar.  Well of course,  I know right where that is! My parents live just off Highway 9 just before Saratoga turns to Cupertino!
> 
> Beautiful shots in the garden and I'm glad you had a good time with DH's colleagues.  I DO know how dull those things can be.



You imagine correct.  If you're parents are in that little pocket, then it's just a 30 - 40 minute drive out.  

Thanks!





mvf-m11c said:


> Before Super Bowl today, I got to read the latest updates to your trip report as well as your pictures of the food porn. Those are very nice photos from the Hakone Gardens. Even it was raining during your time, there is something great of taking pictures during the rain just like when I go to the Disney parks while it is raining.
> 
> Very nice update




Thanks Bret.  I actually like taking pictures in the rain; providing that I'm properly dressed and also if my camera doesn't get too wet.  Lucky for me, there were appropriate undercover structures at Hakone at the start so that me and my camera could shelter and I could take those shots of the rain coming down.


----------



## dhorner233

Gorgeous pictures - as always!!!  Loved the garden! I drive right past all of this stuff when I go to Disneyland.


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Gorgeous pictures - as always!!!  Loved the garden! *I drive right past all of this stuff when I go to Disneyland*.



Thank you.  

And do you stop???  More importantly, will you stop next time?


----------



## dhorner233

PrincessInOz said:


> Thank you.
> 
> And do you stop???  More importantly, will you stop next time?



Probably not. I'm always in a hurry to get to Disneyland and in a hurry to get Home. I will be away from home for a month in Sept/Oct and I'm not thrilled about that. I'm in awe about how much you travel and usually solo. Wow! You go girl! Is your son coming with you on this next trip? DH?


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Probably not. I'm always in a hurry to get to Disneyland and in a hurry to get Home. I will be away from home for a month in Sept/Oct and I'm not thrilled about that. I'm in awe about how much you travel and usually solo. Wow! You go girl! Is your son coming with you on this next trip? DH?



Yes.  All 3 of us will be coming along for the trip in Sep/Oct; and we'll all be at the World.


----------



## PrincessInOz

A Calm Morning on the Back Bay
_




It was our final morning in Silicon Valley and breakfast was an orderly affair.    We did start the day early with the hot breakfast buffet and it was to be our ritual morning catch up for DH and me.  But this morning, we were joined by a work colleague and I....er....forgot....to take a picture.  


We were flying off home tonight so we had to check out of our home away from home.  As we had completed most of our packing last night, it was a rather orderly tidy-up and last minute check of the room to make sure that we had gotten all our belongings out.



So, with our bags in the back of the car, DH headed off to work whilst I contemplated what I was going to do for the day.


In the end, I decided to have a very leisurely day simply because I didn't want to do a heap of driving about before a long flight home.


So, I headed to the back bay for a spot of bird watching.










Anyone see a bird?  Anyone?


I think this was the first time I've gone to this section and NOT found birds-a-plenty.  



I walked along the bay for a bit and did eventually see a Great Blue Heron.  But it was fairly thin in the water aside from him.










It was here that I was lucky enough to see my second hummingbird on this trip.  Again, not quick enough with the camera; but it was a beautiful greeny coloured bird flittering about the fence of a house with loads of flowers in bloom.



I also saw another local on this stroll.










It's funny.  I used to see a lot of the red or fox squirrels in this area as there are quite a few pine trees growing here.  In the last 2 years, I haven't spotted any at all.  So, I was really pleased to see the black one scavenging for food.










I had come in search of birdlife and was surprised by the lack of them.  But that's the nature of wildlife..they can come and go where they like.  So, maybe next time, I'll have better luck.  


By this time, I figured that peak hour was over and my destination for the morning would be opened.  



_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

More Shopping - Stanford Mall
_



Last night whilst we were packing, I noticed the ads on the TV for Macy's.  Turns out they were running a Weekend sale and it was commencing today.


I figured it was as good enough an excuse for me to head to Stanford Mall as any.









I like the Stanford Mall.  Sure, it is an open air mall....









...but that means lots of scope for pretty plants and landscaping.


























It does have a few areas where there is covered seating....


















As malls go, it has most of the big name shops and plenty to look at.  

I spent the entire rest of the morning shopping.  Macy's got more of my money and by the end of it, I think I had ticked off most of the items on my shopping list.  


Sadly, I had come in search of shoes.  I didn't see what I wanted so I decided not to get anything rather than end up with a pair that I didn't need. 




Is that sad or what??? 




_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

It's About the Food at Stanford Mall 
_



It's one thing to have decent shops; but quite another thing to have decent food in a mall.  


The one shop that I look forward to hitting when at Stanford Mall is the La Baguette boulangerie.  With lines that usually stretch out the door, this place is just an amazing sensory overload experience for me.  The smell of bread and coffee, the sight of gorgeously presented cakes and patisseries and the sounds of the oohs and aahhs from the other people in line....well, they are all part of snacking at this place.


Experience has taught me that the best time to hit La Baguette is around 11 am in the morning.  I don't know why but there always seems to be a little bit of a lull in customers during this part of the day.  Maybe it's just between morning tea and lunch time....but as I'm on holiday, it's all the same to me.










I settled on a mango mousse cake.










Light and luscious mouse between two layers of vanilla cake covered with mango jelly.










OMG!  Yes, I definitely am cruel like that.



I contemplated lunch here but decided that I needed to branch out a little more.





The Melt is one of those new hip chains that opened up since my visit last year.  









It seems to be a purely West Coast thing and I suspect that US domination is not too far away.  This chain is all about bread and cheese.  Really? 


Yes, really!


You order and pay at the counter; the line was ridiculously out the door.   
Your bread and cheese order is then freshly made and pressed.  You can check the status of your order at the screens above the counter.  They change status as it progresses through the various stations and the estimated time to completion stated is precise!









The grill and soup combo came under $9.  I decided on the mac and cheese grill with tomato soup.  I bought the drink to go with lunch.  The pickle and crisps?  They came free with the meal.









Surprisingly good.  Very good.  

There was an overt effort towards being eco-friendly and full marks to them for moving with the times.  You wont find bleached paper here nor will you find overly processed food.  It really is all about the bread and cheese.



I had come in search of good food.  I will DEFINITELY be back.

_


----------



## ACDSNY

Another beautiful set of pics!

I never would've thought of a sandwich with mac & cheese in it.  Who knew?


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Another beautiful set of pics!
> 
> I never would've thought of a sandwich with mac & cheese in it.  Who knew?



It's not quite Truffles with mac and cheese.....but it'll do.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures of the bird and the squirrel. 

The food looks very appetizing especially the mac & cheese sandwich.


----------



## zanzibar138

Shame about the missing birds at your usual spot, but you did well catching that squirrel!

What is it with the US and serving potato crisps with meals? I don't get it  I don't think I'd be brave enough to try a mac-and-cheese sandwich either  But I'm sure there would have been something appetizing there - can't go wrong with bread and cheese  The mango cake on the other hand - yummo


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures of the bird and the squirrel.
> 
> The food looks very appetizing especially the mac & cheese sandwich.



Thanks, Bret.  I got lucky with the squirrel.  If you get the chance to, I'd recommend going to the Melt.  I really enjoyed my sandwich.  It might not have been Earl of Sandwich delicious; but I suspect that it had significantly less calories than one from EoS.





zanzibar138 said:


> Shame about the missing birds at your usual spot, but you did well catching that squirrel!
> 
> What is it with the US and serving potato crisps with meals? I don't get it  I don't think I'd be brave enough to try a mac-and-cheese sandwich either  But I'm sure there would have been something appetizing there - can't go wrong with bread and cheese  The mango cake on the other hand - yummo



I think I've gotten used to getting "chips" with some of my meals.  I can't remember how many times I've ordered chips with my meals only to get the crisps; and not the "fries" that I was expected.  

I love different fillings in sandwiches.  My FiL and I used to love having leftover spaghetti bolognaise "dagwood" style sandwiches; so mac and cheese wasn't too much of a stretch for me.  In fact, there used to be an authentic Old English Fish n Chip shop in one of the city arcades.  They were famous for chip bu-tties (it is one word, but I'm not sure about the Dis Filters)....hot fries in a bun.  Talk about heart-attack material!


----------



## franandaj

Nice!  I've always liked the Stanford Mall, too bad they took the Disney Store out of there.

The Melt sounds like a place I would really like, but the only So Cal locations are up in the LA/Hollywood area.  Though I am in Hollywood weekly for band rehearsal, I don't get to the "trendy" section on Sunset and Vine where the shop is located.



zanzibar138 said:


> What is it with the US and serving potato crisps with meals?



This got me curious about what Aussies eat with their sandwiches?  Chips (as we call them) or potato crisps are the perfect accompaniment to any sandwich, especially for restaurants that don't have a fryer to make French Fries or chips as you folks call them.  

Even at home when I make us a sandwich for lunch, I almost always serve it with some Kettle Chips and a pickle!  I guess that's just another American sort of thing, like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.  (But that little jingle from the 70s is probably also lost on the younger folks and non US residents who don't remember those commercials!  )


----------



## zanzibar138

franandaj said:


> This got me curious about what Aussies eat with their sandwiches?  Chips (as we call them) or potato crisps are the perfect accompaniment to any sandwich, especially for restaurants that don't have a fryer to make French Fries or chips as you folks call them.
> 
> Even at home when I make us a sandwich for lunch, I almost always serve it with some Kettle Chips and a pickle!  I guess that's just another American sort of thing, like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.  (But that little jingle from the 70s is probably also lost on the younger folks and non US residents who don't remember those commercials!  )



For the most part we just get given a sandwich on its own, maybe with a bit of lettuce more as a garnish than anything. If anything comes with it it's usually fries or maybe a salad, or both. And we don't really do the sandwich and soup combo either. You'd be hard pressed to find a cafe/restaurant in Australia that doesn't serve fries at all - I think they'd go out of business without a fryer


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Nice!  I've always liked the Stanford Mall, too bad they took the Disney Store out of there.
> 
> The Melt sounds like a place I would really like, but the only So Cal locations are up in the LA/Hollywood area.  Though I am in Hollywood weekly for band rehearsal, I don't get to the "trendy" section on Sunset and Vine where the shop is located.



I miss the Disney store too.  I hope you get to try the Melt sometime.  I really loved my sandwich.





franandaj said:


> This got me curious about what Aussies eat with their sandwiches?  Chips (as we call them) or potato crisps are the perfect accompaniment to any sandwich, especially for restaurants that don't have a fryer to make French Fries or chips as you folks call them.
> 
> Even at home when I make us a sandwich for lunch, I almost always serve it with some Kettle Chips and a pickle!  I guess that's just another American sort of thing, like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.  (But that little jingle from the 70s is probably also lost on the younger folks and non US residents who don't remember those commercials!  )






zanzibar138 said:


> For the most part we just get given a sandwich on its own, maybe with a bit of lettuce more as a garnish than anything. If anything comes with it it's usually fries or maybe a salad, or both. And we don't really do the sandwich and soup combo either. You'd be hard pressed to find a cafe/restaurant in Australia that doesn't serve fries at all - I think they'd go out of business without a fryer




As Zanzibar said, we just get the sandwich or it comes with a salad garnish and/or fries.


----------



## PrincessInOz

About Bronze Statues
_



I'd just finished lunch and wondered what else I could do in the area.  On a whim, I decided to head to the Mall's landlord.

The Stanford Shopping Mall is located on property originally owned by Stanford University.  Sometime ago, at the peak of the property market, the University sold the Mall to the Simons Group for a dizzying amount of money.  But those savvy business and finance people at Stanford still derive income from a percentage of the Centre net profits for the land lease.  I was glad to have contributed to that income stream that day.  

As such, the Mall is a constant income stream for the University.  Which is just as well.......because Universities are not cheap to run and I would hate to see this beautiful campus shut down.

Worse....I would hate to think that the University would need to sell off some of their priceless art pieces for funding.



Outside of the Musee Rodin in Paris, Stanford University is considered to have the second largest collection of Rodin statues in the world.  
Auguste Rodin is considered to be one of the finest sculptures of the 20th century.  He worked on number pieces; working on the casting through clay mouldings and developed the most lifelike sculptures with depth and complexity and texture.

Rodin is reputed to be the artist with the most number of forgeries in the art world.  



I'd come to see the outdoor statues before on a trip in 2009 and that elephant memory of mine remembered how to navigate around the campus.  It didn't take me long to find a parking and make my way to the Rodin Garden.









Arguably one of the titular pieces in Rodin's body of work is the Gates of Hell.   The piece owned by Stanford is not one of the original 3 gates casted; but rather one of a 3 casted later by the Musee Rodin from the original clay moulding.









Depicting a scene from Dante's "The Inferno", this piece contains 180 figures, ranging from 6 inches high to more than one meter.    The details are just stunning and I easily spent over 30 minutes examining the gate.


























Several of the figures were also cast independently by Rodin.


















I didn't have far to go to see the full size independent casting of The Three Shades.  There was a set in the garden.









The beauty of this garden is how close you're allowed to get to the pieces and have that tactile contact.










There was a lot to be Meditative about in this garden.  The last time a full sized bronze statue was sold, it was in the region of $20 million.  When was the last time you were this close to that kind of money?



















Just in this garden alone, there were at least half a dozen full sized statues.


























And quite a few heads....er....busts.









I'd come in search of artwork.  I had definitely found it; but I also found a piece of artistic priceless genius!

After spending $$$ at Stanford Mall, it is nice to think that perhaps a percentage of what I spent today would contribute towards the upkeep of this garden.  



(Continued in Next Post)
_


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

Bag Stalking
_




The last time I had visited, the Cantor Art Centre had been closed.  I don't remember if I came on a day when the centre was normally closed or if it was closed for a refurb.  Either way, I missed out the last time.









Not so this visit.  I entered and was immediately awestruck by this!









Yup.  Its the Thinker.  Arguably, the most recognisable piece of work by Rodin, there are about 22 monumental statues of The Thinker around the world.

Yeah....I know what youre thinking.










I should have taken the pictures from the side; rather than a full-frontal view.  But I guess I wasn't really Thinking straight that day.....actually, I was thinking straight.










It was here that I was to encounter a little sticky stalker.

There are no issues taking photography in the Centre providing that the pictures are for personal use.  However, it turns out that the Centre does NOT allow backpacks of any description.  You are allowed to carry a bag; you're just not allowed to have it on your back.


I had a personal security guard debate the situation with me; and as I was not leaving my bag with $$$ of lenses in the secureless open shelves and he was not going to guarantee that the bag would not develop legs, I took the bag off my back and carried it round with me.



So it was....I had me a stalker....all through the Main gallery entrance....







....and into the Rodin rooms....









Whilst I checked out the busts.....









....of all descriptions.


















Into the second Rodin gallery.  I certainly understood how these miniature Burghers of Calais felt!









I was followed all the way into Africa....









Where there was no masking the fact that I was not trusted one bit to carry that bag of mine!









It sure felt like a funerary cortege to me.









He tut-tutted when I nearly put the bag on my back at this point of my visit.










Talk about feeling like a sacred cow....er...cat.









I wondered where the boundaries of his watch lay.  It obviously included Asia as well.









He definitely felt like lead weight to me.









Absolutely humourless and colourless!










Well....maybe a tinge of priceless green jade.









I thought about sticking my tongue out at him in the Oceanic section.









Okay.  Common sense finally kicked and perhaps I was making it bigger than it needed to be.  










He was, afterall, doing his job and having a great time trying to make small s'talk.  And it did feel a little like having my own personal tour guide.




_


----------



## dhorner233

Love the art! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dhorner233 said:


> Love the art! Thanks for sharing!



  It was a great afternoon!


----------



## bigalintx

...


----------



## PrincessInOz

bigalintx said:


> ...



Thanks for stopping by!


----------



## PrincessInOz

An Amazing Collection
_



I found a staircase at this point and headed on upstairs.  Seems like that was where his patrol boundary lay afterall!










He had been reasonably decent company; but I was glad to be able to wander through the gallery by myself.

Anyone else notice that this was an amazing art collection?









It might be a small Art Centre; but the collection was priceless and beautiful beyond belief.









I ran into my second security detail upstairs.  And contrary to appearances, she was a lot more relaxed!









She insisted on showing me her picture and posed for me as well.  That is her in that exhibit on the wall.   The photographer had gone round to the major galleries in the world and taken pictures of the guards guarding the treasures.  She was incredibly honoured to have been selected.



I found the scene of her picture a couple of rooms away.









Yup.  It definitely needed that human touch and I figured she had it in spades.




I thanked her for sharing time with me and moved on to the modern section.  I guess by this stage, I was feeling a little more off-ball than normal.  









What can I say.....small things amuse small minds???











I'd come full circle in the museum and it was getting very close to time for us to head home.










_





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

The end of my time at Stanford and San Francisco

_


I was down to mere hours left on this trip and was experiencing that bittersweet moment that comes at the end of all trips.  

On one hand, I was ready to head home and see DS and my furbabies.  I had really missed having my coffee buddy along on this trip; but I had enjoyed the freedom of staying as long or as short as I wanted at each location.

On the other hand, this part of the world is the home of my heart.  With each trip I constantly wonder why we don't move here; and then I get home and realise what I love about living in Melbourne so much.



Anyway.....I wasn't quite ready to depart yet and I figured I was going to steal some more time and make DH wait a little bit.


I was after a final view of Stanford.








This really is a beautiful campus.  That vista of the Main Quad, Memorial Church and Hoover Tower is just gorgeous and I couldn't resist getting another glimpse of this area.









I walked up towards the Main Quad....









.....and looked down the corridors where so many scholars have walked before.  The likes of Herbert Hoover, John Steinbeck, John F Kennedy and even Tiger Woods might have walked down here before.









The life size Burghers of Calais are located in the Main Quad.  Priceless!









And the amazingly decorated façade of Memorial Hall deserved more than a cursory glance as well.









With twilight fast approaching and my phone ringing to let me know that DH was looking for me, it was definitely time for me to call an end to this Mad Dash.









There's really not much more to this trip.  DH and I stopped by WholeFoods on the way to the airport for a bite to eat.









We dropped off our hire car at the airport and I realised that I hadn't taken a picture of my wheels at all on this trip until now.









It's always a reassuring sight to see a plane waiting at our gate; even if it is United Airlines.










We had a rather uneventful trip home.  And just like how I had started out my trip on United, I didn't get any sleep on the plane, no inflight entertainment and even worse....the food was almost inedible.  We had burnt food on one side of the tray and cold on the other.    



Having said that, there was one thing about the United service that I valued more than anything else....we did get home on time and safely.  







And with that, this brings a close to yet another Mad Dash trip and I've enjoyed reliving it through this trip report.   If you've made it this far and stayed the entire journey, I thank you for the privilege of being able to share it with you.  


For those of you that are repeat followers or lurkers, I am well over the post-holiday blues.  Afterall, I have another trip in the works....and for those of you even more insane than my Mad Dashes.....er.....follow my reports, I hope to see you on the blog....er....PTR, link here.


My trip?  This one involves 2 days at DLR, a roadtrip in search of Canyons and multi-coloured rocks, 7 days at WDW and some Mickey cheating with Harry time at the end.  I'll be back in the US in September/October 2013.


Thank you for reading. 



_


----------



## ACDSNY

A lovely end to a wonderful trip report.  The Stanford campus is beautiful.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from Stanford. 

Thank you for writing your trip report with a lot of different things that you have done during your trip. All of your photos and details of each different towns and scenes that you have took are so amazing.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us!


----------



## franandaj

So who did this one?  It's pretty cool.







Somehow I missed the update with all the Rodins.    Looks like a very nice last day.  I'm glad you made it home safely even if United was a lousy flight.

I can't wait until you get back!


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> A lovely end to a wonderful trip report.  The Stanford campus is beautiful.



Thanks!  Hope we can catch up again in the future.




mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from Stanford.
> 
> Thank you for writing your trip report with a lot of different things that you have done during your trip. All of your photos and details of each different towns and scenes that you have took are so amazing.



Thanks, Bret.




tiggrbaby said:


> Thank you so much for sharing your travels with us!



Thanks for sticking around!  




franandaj said:


> So who did this one?  It's pretty cool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Somehow I missed the update with all the Rodins.    Looks like a very nice last day.  I'm glad you made it home safely even if United was a lousy flight.
> 
> I can't wait until you get back!



Alison - I'm not really sure.  I know I looked at it but I don't remember who the artist is.

I can't wait til September myself.


----------



## zanzibar138

Thanks for sharing PIO - your TRs are always an entertaining read


----------



## Minniemum

What a wonderful way to finish your trip.  I'll catch you on your PTR.


----------



## rentayenta

I'm behind but catching up now.


----------



## Marlea98

I'm behind too but slowly catching up.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards


----------



## rentayenta

Just finished the mall update.  The Melt and mango mousse? Heavenly. Mac n cheese inside a grilled cheese? Genius!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Thanks for sharing PIO - your TRs are always an entertaining read








Minniemum said:


> What a wonderful way to finish your trip.  I'll catch you on your PTR.



Thanks for reading!  




rentayenta said:


> I'm behind but catching up now.



You're not behind; you're catching up.




Marlea98 said:


> I'm behind too but slowly catching up.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards



Two behinds?  Two catch-ups more the case!





rentayenta said:


> Just finished the mall update.  The Melt and mango mousse? Heavenly. Mac n cheese inside a grilled cheese? Genius!



That mac n cheese sandwich was heavenly!  

You'll be finished this TR soon.


----------



## rentayenta

Great last update.  Your photos are amazing as usual and your report was a pleasure to read. Can't wait for your next report. 

Stanford is such a beautiful campus. That's one of Joshua's top three picks. He's 11.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Great last update.  Your photos are amazing as usual and your report was a pleasure to read. Can't wait for your next report.
> 
> Stanford is such a beautiful campus. That's one of Joshua's top three picks. He's 11.



Thank you for reading all the way through to the end.  I really appreciate the staying power.


----------



## knewton64

Got all caught up on yer TR.



Love yer pics - esp Stanford & the Golden Gate Bridge area.






T.T.F.N.


----------



## PrincessInOz

knewton64 said:


> Got all caught up on yer TR.
> 
> 
> 
> Love yer pics - esp Stanford & the Golden Gate Bridge area.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> T.T.F.N.



  Thanks for reading.  Hope you got some ideas for your trip out of it.


----------



## AussieDisneyNut

Thanks PIO for another entertaining trip!  I almost feel like I've been on holiday too!  Especially enjoyed your escorted tour of the Rodin Gallery at Stanford!  Too funny  

Looking forward to hearing about your next adventure.


----------



## PrincessInOz

AussieDisneyNut said:


> Thanks PIO for another entertaining trip!  I almost feel like I've been on holiday too!  Especially enjoyed your escorted tour of the Rodin Gallery at Stanford!  Too funny
> 
> Looking forward to hearing about your next adventure.




I had fun with that unexpected 'escorted tour' too.  
Thanks for reading!


----------



## PrincessInOz

It's Not Quite Another Mad Dash

_




Some things just sit at the back of my mind and continue to niggle away until I do something about it.  

I am quite anal about closure and I remembered that there was a link in here to my next not quite Mad Dash trip; the blog....er....PTR, link here was posted way back when.


I've started writing the TR to this trip and thought I needed to add a link in here to the new TR (link here).  

I've chosen to write the new TR in the WDW section of the boards as that was the original aim and reason for the trip.  But it does involve 2 days at DLR, a roadtrip in search of Canyons and multi-coloured rocks, 7 days at WDW and some Mickey cheating with Harry time at the end.  

Those of you that subscribed to this thread and have followed the journey to date.....thanks for reading.  I really appreciate your feedback and commentary!


Okay.  Back to your regular scheduling.  

_


----------



## PrincessInOz

PTR Oct 2014 Save the Date Mad Dash

_

*Save. The. Date.*


I received an email about 2 weeks ago with the title "Save The Date".  So innocuous an email title.  But with those 3 words starts another Mad Dash.


My cousin in San Diego got engaged last year.  We got to catch up with him and his fiancé in September 2013 when we last visited the US as part of the Anyone Game Dis-sers Trip (link here).  At that stage, they were planning a destination wedding in Japan and for one reason or another, we didn't make the Japanese ceremony.  
I promised them that if they planned a follow-up ceremony in the US that I would move heaven and earth to make it for the US ceremony.

The Save the Date email was advising us that they were finally getting round to holding a US-based celebration in October.  YIKES!  That's about 2 months' notice.  How.....how....how.....what......???   

In the end, the 'hows, whats, whys and what ifs' don't matter.  I had promised and I have been working my best to keep that promise in that last two weeks.


So, who's going?  

The cast on this trip would be DH, DS14 and myself.








Until today, I wasn't even sure that I was going to be able to make good on that promise.  But we managed to secure some tickets to LAX at a price I was willing to pay at a local travel expo so we've locked in our dates.



We're departing Melbourne 10th October and arriving in LAX on the 10th October.
We're departing LAX on the 19th October and arriving home on the 21st October.
That's 9 days on-ground time to fill in.  It is longer than both DH and I had thought but any shorter would have meant extra $$$$ that wasn't going to be value for money.  


There's a mountain of stuff to plan for and get organised in the two month period.  And what with spending time with the family in SD and everything, I'm not even sure I'm making it to DLR on this trip.



Are you snorting in laughter as you read that last statement?




Yeah.  My DH had the exact same reaction when I said it to him.  But it's true.  I have no idea (yet) what we’ll be doing in the 9 days on-ground.

Okay.  Truth be told.  Perhaps I might be moving heaven and earth to steal some time at the Happiest Place on Earth.......but I haven't worked out the details....yet.



So, save your dates.  This is going to be a very short PTR and I'm not sure what the TR is going to end up being like.  But for those of you that have followed some of my other TRs, one thing is for sure.  

Have camera, will snap.  Have snaps, will share (especially on the Dis).



Let's see how this trip unfolds, shall we?





_


----------



## Caroline NZ

Yay for a "short notice" trip


----------



## franandaj

Well since you keep repurposing this TR no need to resubscribe,  it keeps showing up in my UserCP everytime you post an update. The good news for me is that we will be in town during the entire time you are on the ground.

If you find the time for a day at the DLR,  I am always keen to meet you there and my previous offers still stand as well as invitations to any establishment you would like to visit. You're also welcome at Casa Nueva if you like, however I believe you are aware of the sleeping limitations,  ie DS would have to sleep on a couch.  Something he didn't seem to mind on the last visit, but I'm sure circumstances would be different this time.

Happy planning! Even if you don't have much time for that!


----------



## Fairy Floss

How exciting


----------



## tiggrbaby

How lovely you will be able to share in your cousin's special day!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Great news to hear that you will be back in the US in a couple of months.  Hope you and your family have a great time.


----------



## usnuzuloose

YaY! You will be back!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Caroline NZ said:


> Yay for a "short notice" trip



 

Short notice trips can be the best!






franandaj said:


> Well since you keep repurposing this TR no need to resubscribe,  it keeps showing up in my UserCP everytime you post an update. The good news for me is that we will be in town during the entire time you are on the ground.
> 
> If you find the time for a day at the DLR,  I am always keen to meet you there and my previous offers still stand as well as invitations to any establishment you would like to visit. You're also welcome at Casa Nueva if you like, however I believe you are aware of the sleeping limitations,  ie DS would have to sleep on a couch.  Something he didn't seem to mind on the last visit, but I'm sure circumstances would be different this time.
> 
> Happy planning! Even if you don't have much time for that!



Very glad you'll be around when I get there.  Thanks for the offers.  



This thread has become the home for those 'short' mad dashes to the US we do.  And there's plenty of room left on it.  Why start a new thread when I can keep this one going?  









Fairy Floss said:


> How exciting



It will be....in 2 months time. 






tiggrbaby said:


> How lovely you will be able to share in your cousin's special day!



I've heard back from the SD family.  They are just as excited as I am about catching up in 3D again.  It will be lovely to see them all.







mvf-m11c said:


> Great news to hear that you will be back in the US in a couple of months.  Hope you and your family have a great time.



I'm sorry that our dates don't align.  I know you're planning one later in the month and I was kinda hoping that my cousin would pick a weekend closer to the end of the month.  Oh well.  Next time.







usnuzuloose said:


> YaY! You will be back!



  YAY indeed!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*The. Great. e-Paper. Exchange.*


What do the following have in common?

Cold hard cash
Plane tickets
Application Forms
Passports
Visa stamps


That's right.  They are all paper products.  


Once upon a time, in a world before 1 and 0's were commonly used as data packets, you used to have a physical exchange of turning one sort of paper into another sort of paper.  A transaction would occur where you would transform paper money into paper tickets, or buy a passport, handwrite in an application form (and hand money over) in exchange for a physical stamp in your passport.  Granted the physical paper version of the passport still exists but somewhere in the Ethernet there is a 1 and 0's version of that bad photograph with all your personal details.

There was something rather satisfying about handing over a physical paper and getting a physical paper in return.


In today's world, physical paper exchanges are rare.  Instead, most transactions occur via the internet with yet more personal information stored somewhere in the Ethernet.  The world heading down this direction as it was deemed to be better for the environment to not cut down so many trees for paper.  And with that, the IT industry became self-sustaining and viable.  As we transact more, customers and companies demanded better service, more information and faster ways of completing business.  The number of transactions that we do via the net is staggering and more and more companies need to find more electronic filing cabinets to keep the records.  Electronic filing cabinets that replaced the paper storage cabinets.  Think about it.  A strong magnet in the wrong location and all that information is gone for good.  What use is 1 and 0's if you can't access it or prove that you've made an exchange?


I don't make the world.  I only try to live in it.  


For a trip such as this, a lot of e-paper exchanges are required to be completed.
In the last two days, I've exchanged a bunch of 1 and 0's for a whole bunch of 1 and 0's in return.  For my efforts, I am now sitting with e-copies of plane tickets, an electronic application (that still needs to be printed out) for a new passport for DS, a string of letters and numbers that are my ESTA approval (that replaces the old fashioned visa stamp for entry into the US).  For my efforts, the 1 and 0's in my bank account look pathetically poorer for it and I'm still wondering if I came out ahead in the great e-paper exchange.



Perhaps it's just me being a dinosaur, but I still like to see physical copies by way of proof that the transactions were completed.  More to the point, I like to have physical copies in my possession just in case a large magnet drops out of the sky on those virtual storage cabinets.  At least I have proof of each exchange!



So, I'm sitting here with my paperwork around me.  It's a strangely familiar list. 

Plane Tickets printed.
Application Form printed.
Passports for DH and myself - taken out of storage and validity date checked.
ESTA numbers printed out (aka VISA stamp)


I only wish I had a stack of cold hard cash in that pile of paperwork!
Still....it's been a very satisfying exchange of e-paper.



_








Postscript.  You may have noticed that we are going to be submitting the application form for a new passport.  It's for DS.  His passport had less than 6 months left on the validity period and the ESTA system would NOT even process his application.  With less than 2 months to go, I sure hope that the Australian Passport Office processes the application pronto so that I can get his paperwork in order.  More 1 and 0's!

I also am finalising travel insurance and exchanging more 1 and 0's so that I end up with a new set of 1 and 0's in the debit travel card.  


I always say.....passport, ESTA, plane tickets, money/credit card and travel insurance.  That's pretty much the basics of what you need to travel.  My list is pretty much nearly done if it weren't for DS' passport!  And I don't think I've ever completed this list as quickly as I have these last two days.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> I'm sorry that our dates don't align.  I know you're planning one later in the month and I was kinda hoping that my cousin would pick a weekend closer to the end of the month.  Oh well.  Next time.



It's okay. Our dates aren't align just yet but I can see if I have time in October to make a last second trip. 

I have a plan trip in mid November during the Christmas season at the DLR and just a couple of days ago DAW and I are planning a quick Halloween trip in September. 


Sounds like you got everything ready for your trip in a couple of months. Hope DS passport gets process quickly.


----------



## zanzibar138

Sounds like you're getting pretty organised 

2 months should be plenty of time for DS's passport to be processed, but you can always pay the priority processing fee if you're nervous (like me ). DH even managed to get his done same day (the time when he lost his ).


----------



## franandaj

That sounds like a huge PITA, but I think I say that every time when you list all the paperwork that needs to be filled out for an Aussie Foreign trip.  What happens when people need to make REAL last minute trips abroad?


----------



## ACDSNY

I can't believe we won't be around the whole time you're in CA. 

 I'm sure you all will have a great time anyway.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> It's okay. Our dates aren't align just *yet* but I can see if I have time in October to make a last second trip.
> 
> I have a plan trip in mid November during the Christmas season at the DLR and just a couple of days ago DAW and I are planning a quick Halloween trip in September.
> 
> 
> Sounds like you got everything ready for your trip in a couple of months. Hope DS passport gets process quickly.



I like the use of the word...."yet".  Let's see if we get alignment.  







zanzibar138 said:


> Sounds like you're getting pretty organised
> 
> 2 months should be plenty of time for DS's passport to be processed, but you can always pay the priority processing fee if you're nervous (like me ). DH even managed to get his done same day (the time when he lost his ).



We have the appointment with the post office tomorrow to submit the application.  Hopefully we will have a nice new passport in a couple of weeks.







franandaj said:


> That sounds like a huge PITA, but I think I say that every time when you list all the paperwork that needs to be filled out for an Aussie Foreign trip.  What happens when people need to make REAL last minute trips abroad?



If it weren't for DS' passport, I could have had everything completed in a day.  ESTA is just a PITA when it expires.  But once you do it, it's valid for 2 years.  We were just unlucky that both DH and mine were at the 2 year mark and we had to reapply.  







ACDSNY said:


> I can't believe we won't be around the whole time you're in CA.
> 
> I'm sure you all will have a great time anyway.



Dang!  But then....you'll be having a great time elsewhere, won't you?  I'll probably text you or something once I get my new US service.


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:
			
		

> Dang!  But then....you'll be having a great time elsewhere, won't you?  I'll probably text you or something once I get my new US service.


Yes we'll be in the S. Caribbean.   We'll get home in time to wish you a safe trip home.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Yes we'll be in the S. Caribbean.   We'll get home in time to wish you a safe trip home.



Have fun!  I'll remember to try and call you towards the end of the trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Honest.to.Goodness.Plans.*



It's less than 6 weeks to go!


I've been scheming and planning to work out our plans for this Mad Dash with DH.  I suspect that S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G might feature greatly in this trip given the list of things DH has on his must-do's.  And there are a fair number of things that he wants to see if he can get.  Not that I'm complaining; but that probably means less photography than normal for us to enjoy.
Nevertheless, the trade-off for having to go shopping with DH is that I get a day and the half at the Happiest Place on Earth.  



So right now, our plans are as follows.


*Friday, 10 October.*

Travel: Fly Melbourne to Los Angeles.  We pick up our car hire from LAX and head down towards San Diego way.

Accommodation:  3 bedroom vacation rental.  I found this house within spitting distance of where my aunt lives.  Who knew?  It works out to be the same or maybe just a little cheaper than staying in a hotel in the area but we have heaps of space to spread out in.  

Sightseeing: Visiting with family is the order of the day.  I'm going to need to hit an AT&T store to get myself set up with US phone service.  After that, there will be a few people (you know who you are) that might get spammed with a text message from me.​


*Saturday, 11 October - Monday, 13 October.*

Travel: Have hire car, will drive.  Around San Diego.  

Accommodation: We will be in the vacation rental.

Sightseeing: Wedding celebration will take precedence during this weekend.  We got the formal invitation to the wedding celebration in the mail last week and I've gone on-line to check out the venues.  Despite my cousin telling me that we can wear smart casual, it smells-like and looks-like an elegant affair.  I'm going to need to pack something dressy in my bag.  Catching up with family will also be on the plans.  

DH wants to go to farmer's markets, music shops, Fry's and/or Best Buys, GameStop, Factory Outlets, catching some live music and I suspect he has any number of other man-cave type shops to hit that he hasn't told me about.  About the only other thing I have on my list is a return visit to the San Diego Zoo.  If we don't make it to the zoo, that's fine with me too.​


*Tuesday, 14 October - Wednesday, 15 October.*

Travel: Drive from San Diego way to Anaheim.

Accommodation: Move to Anaheim and check in to one of the good-neighbour hotels.

Sightseeing: Today will involve DisMeeting with mvf-m11c and his DAF at the Disneyland Halloween Party.  We bought tickets to the DHP and won't be able to enter the park until after 3 pm.  I suspect we...er...I may well be spending time at Downtown Disney catching up on the merchandise if we get into Anaheim early.  Come to think of it, I'll need to work out with mvf-m11c where to meet him.  


We'll also spend Wednesday in the parks with mvf-m11c and his DAF.  I think that franandaj will be able to catch up with us in the parks today.​


*Thursday, 16 October - Friday, 17 October.*

Travel: Drive from Anaheim to Long Beach.

Accommodation: Staying with franandaj in the Kitty Vacation Club (KVC).  Franandaj has been incredibly generous to offer us a room in Casa Neuva.  The last time I was there, they hadn't moved in yet.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the place with their furniture in it.

Sightseeing: Visiting with franandaj is the order of the days here!  We have two full dinners to plan for (what fun!).  I think we will be eating out one night and having a leisurely cook-in on the other night.  We haven’t quite worked out what we will cooking yet but I’m sure that by the time we need to grocery shop, we will have worked it out.​


*Saturday, 18 October - Sunday, 19 October.*

Travel: Drive from Long Beach to Los Angeles.

Accommodation: Staying at a cheap hotel around the LAX area.  This was the hardest accommodation for me to figure out.  I did look at the Loews Hollywood Hotel that we stayed at last time (the prices are crazy this year) and a whole bunch of other places anywhere from Malibu down and towards Pasadena.  In the end, DH and I came to the pragmatic decision that we would like to have a shower before we boarded the plane on Sunday.  That meant a hotel near the airport.

Sightseeing: I really need to think about what we could go-see on the Saturday.  DH mentioned hitting the Camarillo Outlets at some stage so it might be something that we could consider for the Saturday.   About the only firm plans that we have for these two days is on the Sunday afternoon.  Franandaj has invited us to their band/orchestra concert.  Actually, I think I invited ourselves when she mentioned that they would be performing.  I’m really looking forward to going to see them live in action.  We should have time after the concert to head back to the hotel, grab showers and drop off the car.  In between all of that, we'll need to grab a bite to eat.​ 


That's about the extent of my plans for this trip.  After the planned-to-the-minute trip last October, it is really refreshing to have loads of blank spaces and nothing more than catching up with family and friends; and shopping planned for this trip!



_


----------



## franandaj

Cool to see your plans in cyber ink! It sounds like you will have had plenty of time to chillax from your flight before the Disney portion of the trip kicks in.

Two corrections to the portion in which I play a role. 

We have renamed the Olga Vacation Club to the Kitty Vacation Club. As her life is finite we don't want a bittersweet feeling when guests "cash in their points". We know we will always have kitties so someone will always be happy to come snuggle with guests.

Also we call it Casa Nueva. Though I haven't studied Spanish and Casa is probably a masculine noun, the owners of said Casa are feminine so I prefer using the feminine form of the adjective even if it may not be grammatically correct.  

The three bedroom house sounds great. I hope your DH is a little bit more receptive to the idea of fixing a quick breakfast at home after your Sydney trip. I find that as a big time and money saver. I'm sure you'll find plenty of big box type stores like your DH is looking for to shop at. Would you like some suitcases to take your loot home in? We have three suitcases that will be sold at our estate sale when we finally get all moved out of the old house. Two of them we bought at the Goodwill in Indiana to get all our new found loot home from that trip. They only cost us $5 for the pair, so keep it in mind. 

Looking forward to seeing you again!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Cool to see your plans in cyber ink! It sounds like you will have had plenty of time to chillax from your flight before the Disney portion of the trip kicks in.
> 
> Two corrections to the portion in which I play a role.
> 
> We have renamed the Olga Vacation Club to the Kitty Vacation Club. As her life is finite we don't want a bittersweet feeling when guests "cash in their points". We know we will always have kitties so someone will always be happy to come snuggle with guests.
> 
> Also we call it Casa Nueva. Though I haven't studied Spanish and Casa is probably a masculine noun, the owners of said Casa are feminine so I prefer using the feminine form of the adjective even if it may not be grammatically correct.



Okay.  I've amended my post to correct for the errors.  






franandaj said:


> The three bedroom house sounds great. I hope your DH is a little bit more receptive to the idea of fixing a quick breakfast at home after your Sydney trip. I find that as a big time and money saver.



DH just wanted some down time for the Sydney trip.  Normally, DH likes fixing breakfast at 'home'.  Because I leave work so early, DH is the breakfast fixer for DS and to give you an idea of his breakfast range, I believe the breakfast rotation at home includes oatmeal, toast and cereal, pancakes, bacon and eggs on toast, french toast, croissants.  

I'm happy to fix breakfast at the house but we might head out for breakfast on one of the mornings we are there.    







franandaj said:


> I'm sure you'll find plenty of big box type stores like your DH is looking for to shop at. Would you like some suitcases to take your loot home in? We have three suitcases that will be sold at our estate sale when we finally get all moved out of the old house. Two of them we bought at the Goodwill in Indiana to get all our new found loot home from that trip. They only cost us $5 for the pair, so keep it in mind.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing you again!



Suitcases?  I think it might actually be on our list to buy new suitcases.  The ones we have are well-travelled and we might have to take a look at some whilst we are there.  But I'll keep your offer in mind.  Thank you.


----------



## rentayenta

Your plans look wonderful! 

I like KVC. Has a nice ring to it. 

How fun you'll get to see A&F in band action.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Nice to see your itinerary during your visit and it looks busy with all the different places to go and do. 

We are looking forward to the trip next month.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Lo-o-o-oking good!


----------



## knewton64

The adventures continue!!


always luv yer pictures -


CAN'T WAIT -






T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL


----------



## ACDSNY

Your plans are coming along nicely.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Okay.  I've amended my post to correct for the errors.



Thanks!  You didn't need to do that, but cool!



PrincessInOz said:


> DH just wanted some down time for the Sydney trip.  Normally, DH likes fixing breakfast at 'home'.  Because I leave work so early, DH is the breakfast fixer for DS and to give you an idea of his breakfast range, I believe the breakfast rotation at home includes oatmeal, toast and cereal, pancakes, bacon and eggs on toast, french toast, croissants.
> 
> I'm happy to fix breakfast at the house but we might head out for breakfast on one of the mornings we are there.



I certainly would expect that you would get out at least once or more for a good American Breakfast!  It just gets tedious for us when we have to do it every day, unless it is included in the hotel. Otherwise, I end up starving for the morning until we get to a restaurant. If you were in San Diego proper, I would have a recommendation, but I don't think you want to drive that far just for breakfast.

  How early do you have to leave for work on the days you go in the office?  



PrincessInOz said:


> Suitcases?  I think it might actually be on our list to buy new suitcases.  The ones we have are well-travelled and we might have to take a look at some whilst we are there.  But I'll keep your offer in mind.  Thank you.



We have gone through quite a few of our good suitcases in the last couple months, they have finally disintegrated (mostly the wheels). But luckily Fran has picked up quite a few at garage sales that are in good shape and are good quality.  I just thought in case you needed some give away suitcases to get home we have a few. They were good enough to get our stuff home, but not good enough that I wanted to keep them for future trips.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Your plans look wonderful!
> 
> I like KVC. Has a nice ring to it.
> 
> How fun you'll get to see A&F in band action.



Thanks.  I'm starting to get excited.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the band in action.






mvf-m11c said:


> Nice to see your itinerary during your visit and it looks busy with all the different places to go and do.
> 
> We are looking forward to the trip next month.



I'm looking forward to catching up with you again and meeting your aunt.  






Aussie Wendy said:


> Lo-o-o-oking good!









knewton64 said:


> The adventures continue!!
> 
> 
> always luv yer pictures -
> 
> 
> CAN'T WAIT -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> T.T.F.N.
> &
> CHEERS Y'ALL



Thanks Kris.  Hope you've been well.






ACDSNY said:


> Your plans are coming along nicely.



Thanks.







franandaj said:


> Thanks!  You didn't need to do that, but cool!
> 
> 
> 
> I certainly would expect that you would get out at least once or more for a good American Breakfast!  It just gets tedious for us when we have to do it every day, unless it is included in the hotel. Otherwise, I end up starving for the morning until we get to a restaurant. If you were in San Diego proper, I would have a recommendation, but I don't think you want to drive that far just for breakfast.
> 
> How early do you have to leave for work on the days you go in the office?



I'm usually gone by 7 am.  This way, I avoid peak hour traffic and it means that I can *pretend* that I can leave early.  







franandaj said:


> We have gone through quite a few of our good suitcases in the last couple months, they have finally disintegrated (mostly the wheels). But luckily Fran has picked up quite a few at garage sales that are in good shape and are good quality.  I just thought in case you needed some give away suitcases to get home we have a few. They were good enough to get our stuff home, but not good enough that I wanted to keep them for future trips.



We tend to abuse our suitcases hard as well.  I will keep it in mind.  We may well need a giveaway.  It just depends on how much we shop on this trip.  Thanks.


----------



## rentayenta

i was texting with Alison and I didn't think I was subscribed to this. I am officially losing it. Promise Disney loving friends, when I am fully dx with dementia, you'll make sure my family still takes me to Disneyland!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> i was texting with Alison and I didn't think I was subscribed to this. I am officially losing it. Promise Disney loving friends, when I am fully dx with dementia, you'll make sure my family still takes me to Disneyland!



YAY!  You're here.  Thanks for subbing in.  I think we will all remember to go to Disney.  No. matter. what.


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> YAY!  You're here.  Thanks for subbing in.  I think we will all remember to go to Disney.  No. matter. what.





  Your trip is so close!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Your trip is so close!!!





But its such a quick trip that it'll be here and gone before we know it.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Don't.Forget.to.Turn.in.your.Paperwork.*



It's 4 weeks to go and I think I've finally turned in all my paperwork!!  Roz will be pleased.


Like I always say....passports, ESTA, plane tickets, money/credit card and travel insurance.  That's pretty much what you need in order to legitimately travel.  Here's the final accounting of the paperwork.

Passport: 3 valid passports in hand.  DS' brand spanking new passport arrived about 2 weeks ago.  
ESTA: I have 3 x long string of numbers that are approved.  This will mean that the airlines will let us board the planes.  And yes, they do check!  
Plane tickets: 3 tickets and the information updated within the airline website with our passport details.  I've also gotten seats booked on all possible flights.
Money/credit card:  The Aussie Dollar looks like it might be heading into freefall!  Still, I have enough converted to cover the hotels and food bill. I will be travelling with a Travel Card and cash on this trip.  Usually I take American Express Traveller's Cheques as well but I figured I'd transfer more on the Travel Card this time and forego the AMEX TCheques. 
Travel insurance: This was the last paper trail that I completed.  The point is....it's done now.

I've even completed our travel details on the Australian Government Smart Traveller website.  This is a nice-to-do; rather than a must-do e-paper form.  By filling this e-form out, it gives the Australian Government a way to contact me or find me in case of an emergency.


And I'm happy to report that DH has booked a car.  In my spare time, I'll be printing out road directions between all destination points.


I don't think I've forgotten any paperwork.  But if there is someone out there who thinks I have, let me know.



Otherwise, all that's left is the countdown!  4 weeks to go.



_


----------



## franandaj

We haven't figured out what we're cooking on our night in at my house.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> We haven't figured out what we're cooking on our night in at my house.



I was thinking that if I get my aunt to take me to one of the Asian groceries near her, I could grab some tamarind, okra, curry powder and onions to make a tamarind based Indian curry.  If we have fish or even hard boiled eggs, it could go on top of either of those two.  And it could stay separate for those that don't like curry.

Otherwise, I could grab some flat rice noodles, shrimp, bean shoots, chinese sausage, kecap manis and fry some Char Kaoy Teow.  I assume you have a wok?  Otherwise a fry pan will be fine.  We could have this on the Thursday for mid-morning/lunch depending on what you decide to do on Thursday.


----------



## franandaj

I would lean towards the second option (probably being the one you're meaning doesn't like curry powder). I still have the kecap manis we used in Florida.  I've used it un fried rice a couple times. I have two woks,  but the better one is still at the old house. I'll need to get that soon as I have Schezwan Chicken on the menu plans for the week after next.

We have a large Thai and Cambodian population in Long Beach so there are quite a few Asian markets. There are also some good quality seafood markets in our neighborhood.  Buying shrimp can be a tricky business as some places don't carry the best quality seafood.

I was kkind of hoping you would make something Asian inspired. I didn't get enough of your fried rice last year.


----------



## rentayenta

You sound well organized and ready to travel. 


You are all going to have so much fun! Looking forward to LOTS of pics here and on FB. 


I like the send option for dinner too...not that I'll be there.....


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I would lean towards the second option (probably being the one you're meaning doesn't like curry powder). I still have the kecap manis we used in Florida.  I've used it un fried rice a couple times. I have two woks,  but the better one is still at the old house. I'll need to get that soon as I have Schezwan Chicken on the menu plans for the week after next.
> 
> We have a large Thai and Cambodian population in Long Beach so there are quite a few Asian markets. There are also some good quality seafood markets in our neighborhood.  Buying shrimp can be a tricky business as some places don't carry the best quality seafood.
> 
> I was k*kind of hoping you would make something Asian inspired*. I didn't get enough of your fried rice last year.



Great!  I might add the tom yum noodles to the list as well then.  

I had planned on getting the shrimp in Long Beach so our thinking aligns.  I'll make sure I get non-perishables when/if I see them and bring them down.  








rentayenta said:


> You sound well organized and ready to travel.
> 
> 
> You are all going to have so much fun! Looking forward to LOTS of pics here and on FB.
> 
> 
> I like the send option for dinner too...not that I'll be there.....



Thanks Jenny.  

I may not post on FB until after I get home.  I do like to stay away from technology when I'm on holiday.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Three.Weeks.to.Warm.Weather.*



It's 3 weeks to go and I'm starting to watch the weather in SoCal.  Can you blame me?


Despite the fact that it's supposed to be autumn in SoCal, I am concerned with the hot and humid and drought conditions that the state is facing right now.  I really am not ready for temperatures about 100 F.  So, I really hope it cools down in 3 week's time!


Afterall, it's been pretty grey and bleak winter in Melbourne this year.








At times, it's been downright arctic.








It's definitely been hibernating weather around here.








But lately, there's been a ray of light.








The seasons are definitely turning here.








To the point where we can definitely tiptoe through the tulips.








I like the warmth as much as the next person but the transition from temperatures in the 50's - 60's to temperatures above 100 F is just a little too extreme for me.  So, I've been watching Accuweather for the last week or so.  The predicted temperatures are going to be in the 80's when we are there.

I'm sure hope that the weather forecast is accurate.  That sounds about perfect to me.



3 weeks to go!


_


----------



## franandaj

I'm hoping that you won't have to deal with temperatures like we had last week!  That was awful.  

Normal temps are much lower, and you will be at beach cities, so hopefully it won't be so bad.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures PiO of the outdoors. The flower pictures are very nice.



franandaj said:


> I'm hoping that you won't have to deal with temperatures like we had last week!  That was awful.



The weather was awful last week and we hope for the same thing next month.


----------



## franandaj

I've been so concerned with function that i forgot to comment on how beautiful your pictures were. Unfortunately I now just expect such lovely pictures and don't even think to continue to compliment you.  5hey are always so lovely.


----------



## tiggrbaby

franandaj said:


> I've been so concerned with function that i forgot to comment on how beautiful your pictures were. Unfortunately I now just expect such lovely pictures and don't even think to continue to compliment you. 5hey are always so lovely.



That's so true!  They are always amazing!


----------



## rentayenta

Yay a for three weeks and wow on the photos especially the tulips one.  Gorgeous!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I'm hoping that you won't have to deal with temperatures like we had last week!  That was awful.
> 
> Normal temps are much lower, and you will be at beach cities, so hopefully it won't be so bad.



I hope so.  Still checking Accuweather's monthly forecast and it still seems warm to me.  





mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures PiO of the outdoors. The flower pictures are very nice.
> 
> The weather was awful last week and we hope for the same thing next month.



Thanks Bret.






franandaj said:


> I've been so concerned with function that i forgot to comment on how beautiful your pictures were. Unfortunately I now just expect such lovely pictures and don't even think to continue to compliment you.  5hey are always so lovely.



Thanks, Alison.   









tiggrbaby said:


> That's so true!  They are always amazing!



You guys are just so good to me.  







rentayenta said:


> Yay a for three weeks and wow on the photos especially the tulips one.  Gorgeous!




Thanks!










Seems like the flowers are a hit; so I'll share a link.

I've been visiting the tulips on a yearly basis over the last 4 years; although  I didn't make it last year because I was in the US.  I've been sharing my pictures of the tulips on the Gardening subforum of the Dis.  So, if anyone is interested to tiptoe through the tulips with me, check out the thread.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2806635


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I hope so.  Still checking Accuweather's monthly forecast and it still seems warm to me.



Southern California is pretty much warm. Pretty much most of the year. I'm not even sure the last time I wore a jacket (when I wasn't on vacation).


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> I hope so.  Still checking Accuweather's monthly forecast and it still seems warm to me.



I hope you get some nice weather. It was disgusting in Anaheim for us


----------



## franandaj

zanzibar138 said:


> I hope you get some nice weather. It was disgusting in Anaheim for us



I didn't know you were there for the 1/2!  I was out there that weekend meeting up with another DISer, I would have enjoyed saying  to you too!


----------



## zanzibar138

franandaj said:


> I didn't know you were there for the 1/2!  I was out there that weekend meeting up with another DISer, I would have enjoyed saying  to you too!



Oh, that would have been fun!

Maybe next time  (I don't know when that is yet though )


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Southern California is pretty much warm. Pretty much most of the year. I'm not even sure the last time I wore a jacket (when I wasn't on vacation).



I'm wondering if I should bring a light jacket....just to be safe.






zanzibar138 said:


> I hope you get some nice weather. It was disgusting in Anaheim for us



Pity it was such hot weather for you.  

Thanks.


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> Southern California is pretty much warm. Pretty much most of the year. I'm not even sure the last time I wore a jacket (when I wasn't on vacation).






Oh my gosh I miss the weather at home. 





I'd bring a light jacket for sure especially in October. The nights can be chilly and you never know if you'll want to head down to the beach or something in the evening. Better safe than sorry.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Oh my gosh I miss the weather at home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd bring a light jacket for sure especially in October. The nights can be chilly and you never know if you'll want to head down to the beach or something in the evening. Better safe than sorry.



I do have a light jacket I could bring.  The question is do I bring it......or do I count on shopping for a new jacket?????  


(I think I'll bring my jacket.  I have enough jackets here to last me a lifetime.  )


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*The.Fine.Art.of.Arbitrage.*



The fine art of Arbitrage?

Investopedia defines Arbitrage as "the simultaneous purchase and sale of an asset in order to profit from a difference in the price. It is a trade that profits by exploiting price differences of identical or similar financial instruments, on different markets or in different forms. Arbitrage exists as a result of market inefficiencies; it provides a mechanism to ensure prices do not deviate substantially from fair value for long periods of time."

Arbitrage is usually found in financial institutions where you could buy securities through one market and if you listed it for sale in another market, you could sometimes make a profit.  Perhaps the best example for this is the differences you can sometimes find in stock option prices between the Wall Street US Stock Exchange and the prices you can buy the same optionable stock from the Chicago Board Options Exchange.  In some cases, there is a 10% difference when you buy options via the CBOE cf Wall Street.


I think I've mentioned that buying goods and services in Australia is so much more expensive in comparison to the same goods and service in the US.  Those of you that have been to Australia will know the sticker shock I mean.  Think Disney sticker shock and double....no....triple it.  That would be about the right ball park.


When on-line purchase and parcel post opened up, the more savvy Aussies starting to do the price comparison of stuff and arbitrage took on an art-form in its own right.   

For example, a pair of Calvin Klein jeans start at Australian $179.  
The same pair will cost $50 in the US.  
With a price differential of $129, even when you take into account shipping costs and exchange rate differences, it is still significantly cheaper to buy it on-line than on-shore.  


You will find that any Aussie travelling to the US these days will be indulging in on-line shopping before they even leave the shores and taking advantage of free shipping within the US and getting truckloads of parcels sent to one hotel or another.  


Me?


Let's just say, that whilst I might not have truckloads of stuff, I have been indulging in a little shopping myself.  And I do know that parcels have been safely arriving at my aunt's home. 


However, with 2 weeks to go, I've decided to close the shop on more internet purchases.  Shipping from most places is usually a 3 - 10 business days proposition and with the possibility of deliveries running late, I figured I should play it safe.  If there is anything else I want, I can buy it in the brick and mortar stores when I'm there.  


2 weeks to go!


This trip is going to come and go in the blink of an eye.

_


----------



## rentayenta

PrincessInOz said:


> I do have a light jacket I could bring.  The question is do I bring it......or do I count on shopping for a new jacket?????
> 
> 
> (I think I'll bring my jacket.  I have enough jackets here to last me a lifetime.  )







I like shopping for wants not needs.  The minute I need it, it takes the fun out.  Bring the jacket and spend the $$$ some place else.


----------



## ACDSNY

Our trips are sneaking up on us quickly and we're both getting to go to warmer weather, well you warmer, I think ours will be HOT.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> I like shopping for wants not needs.  The minute I need it, it takes the fun out.  *Bring the jacket and spend the $$$ some place else.*



Great advice and timely reminder.  Thanks.  I'll definitely be following it.  





ACDSNY said:


> Our trips are sneaking up on us quickly and we're both getting to go to warmer weather, well you warmer, I think ours will be HOT.



It is coming up fast, isn't it?  

What's your temperatures predicted to be?


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> It is coming up fast, isn't it?
> 
> What's your temperatures predicted to be?



 Mid to upper 80's with high humidity.


----------



## mvf-m11c

It won't be too long and the trips will be coming up shortly.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Isn't that what SoCal is supposed to be for me???

(Except I hope not that high in humidity!)


----------



## ACDSNY

mvf-m11c said:


> It won't be too long and the trips will be coming up shortly.



 Yours too!



PrincessInOz said:


> Isn't that what SoCal is supposed to be for me???
> 
> (Except I hope not that high in humidity!)




 Yeah, that little thing called humidity that us NorCal folks aren't used to.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Being from South East Asia originally, I did grow up with humidity.  But I have to say that I've gotten used to living in Melbourne, with the low humidity.  I can still cope with it but I much prefer the drier climate.


----------



## mvf-m11c

ACDSNY said:


> Yours too!
> 
> 
> Yeah, that little thing called humidity that us NorCal folks aren't used to.



All of a sudden, I will be down there next month. Plus you will be down there shortly as well.

Humidity is something that us NorCal people are not used too.


----------



## mvf-m11c

PiO - Have you ever checked out the Disneyland Halloween Superthread? I just read today that our date for Mickey's Halloween Party on Oct. 14th have been sold out. Luckily I was able to purchase the tickets last month.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> PiO - Have you ever checked out the Disneyland Halloween Superthread? I just read today that our date for Mickey's Halloween Party on Oct. 14th have been sold out. Luckily I was able to purchase the tickets last month.



I've been lurking from time to time but I haven't opened it lately.

Our party is sold out???  



Hmm.....I wonder how packed it will be?  Do you know how many tickets Disney sell per party or is that a closely guarded secret?


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> I've been lurking from time to time but I haven't opened it lately.
> 
> Our party is sold out???
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm.....I wonder how packed it will be?  Do you know how many tickets Disney sell per party or is that a closely guarded secret?



Okay. 

That is what I heard and I checked the DLR website and it says sold out as well for the 14th. Another way to get the tickets even though it says sold out on the website is by calling the DLR phone line and ask if they have any tickets available. I have heard that some people were able to get the tickets when it says sold out on the DLR website. 

From my experience back in 2010, it was not so super busy where the rides were mostly walk-on's with a few exception to some rides like the HMH and SMGG. I would say around 25,000 to 35,000 attendees. I will have to ask that question on the Halloween Superthread if someone has the answer. I know that DL won't be as busy when the MHP attendees and the regular guests are in at the same time during the 3 hour gap.


----------



## PrincessInOz

We could be okay then.  Thanks!


----------



## jedijill

I'm in for the next mad dash!

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

I'm waiting on the weather forecast.  They can't predict until a week to 10 days out. Even then there still can be errors, but at keast they have an idea of the fronts and the highs and lows.


----------



## mvf-m11c

franandaj said:


> I'm waiting on the weather forecast.  They can't predict until a week to 10 days out. Even then there still can be errors, but at keast they have an idea of the fronts and the highs and lows.



I have been keeping track as well what the weather will be like in a couple of weeks. But when I looked on Oct 10 Friday it predicts that it will be 81/63 that day with no rain. It can change when we get closer but that is a good sign.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I am checking in. Your itinerary sounds great.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> I'm in for the next mad dash!
> 
> Jill in CO



  Thanks for checking in!  Glad you're here.






dolphingirl47 said:


> I am checking in. Your itinerary sounds great.
> 
> Corinna




Thanks Corinna!  Glad you're here too.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I'm waiting on the weather forecast.  They can't predict until a week to 10 days out. Even then there still can be errors, but at keast they have an idea of the fronts and the highs and lows.





mvf-m11c said:


> I have been keeping track as well what the weather will be like in a couple of weeks. But when I looked on Oct 10 Friday it predicts that it will be 81/63 that day with no rain. It can change when we get closer but that is a good sign.



I'll be checking the weather predictions at the weekend.  I'm hoping to pull clothes out and start thinking about packing then. 

Hoping for temps in the 80's.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Bret, Alison - I'm just trying to get a few details sorted.

I think we might all be there for park close on the Wednesday.  Were we planning anything for dinner?


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Bret, Alison - I'm just trying to get a few details sorted.
> 
> I think we might all be there for park close on the Wednesday.  Were we planning anything for dinner?



I'll get back you via email on my thoughts and bring Bret in on the conversation.

I wanted to make sure that the Ghost Galaxy overlay on Space Mountain was OK for your visit, so I rode it a couple times this afternoon.   

We had tickets to see a movie out at the AMC theater at 7PM so we took the day off and had an early supper and then killed time at DL before the movie. 

Survey says: Ghost Galaxy is a pretty cool change. I didn't know what was coming next on the ride and almost missed the photo op.  Almost. Those on FB know what I'm talking about.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Thanks for testing out Ghost Galaxy and making sure it's okay for us next week.  That's so kind of you.  

You'll have to point out the photo op.


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> I'll get back you via email on my thoughts and bring Bret in on the conversation.
> 
> *I wanted to make sure that the Ghost Galaxy overlay on Space Mountain was OK for your visit, so I rode it a couple times this afternoon.*
> 
> We had tickets to see a movie out at the AMC theater at 7PM so we took the day off and had an early supper and then killed time at DL before the movie.
> 
> Survey says: Ghost Galaxy is a pretty cool change. I didn't know what was coming next on the ride and almost missed the photo op.  Almost. Those on FB know what I'm talking about.





Now thats a true friend!   

And as far as dinner? YUM! PIO, are you guys going to do Mrs Knott's chicken dinner? It was on my radar but after Alison's FB food porn, it's moving up the must do list. DH also mentioned he wants to do Johnny Reb's. He laughs when I plan what he considers a long trip until he chimes in with all the stuff he wants to do. 

The weather looks. My phone only goes out 10 days. Thursday looks like the high 70's and then it creeps into the low 80's. That's the perfect Disneyland weather if you ask me.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Sounds like a plan.

Looks like you had a great time yesterday. That was nice to hear that you were able to ride SMGG yesterday Alison. It has been a long time since I rode SMGG and that will be fun to ride with all of you in a couple of weeks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Now thats a true friend!
> 
> And as far as dinner? YUM! PIO, are you guys going to do Mrs Knott's chicken dinner? It was on my radar but after Alison's FB food porn, it's moving up the must do list. DH also mentioned he wants to do Johnny Reb's. He laughs when I plan what he considers a long trip until he chimes in with all the stuff he wants to do.
> 
> The weather looks. My phone only goes out 10 days. Thursday looks like the high 70's and then it creeps into the low 80's. That's the perfect Disneyland weather if you ask me.



I'd like to do the Chicken dinner.  Sadly with a pesce-vegetarian with me, I don't think it's going to be possible.  

Here's to perfect Disney weather!  






mvf-m11c said:


> Sounds like a plan.
> 
> Looks like you had a great time yesterday. That was nice to hear that you were able to ride SMGG yesterday Alison. It has been a long time since I rode SMGG and that will be fun to ride with all of you in a couple of weeks.



I think we've sorted out the plans now.  Not long to go.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Black.to.Basics*



It is definitely a case of black to basics.  


I had absolutely no intention of entertaining the thought of getting something for the wedding.  Afterall, I do have any number of Melbourne fashionable black outfits that would be sufficient for the wedding. I even had one outfit picked out because it was easy to pack, easy to dress up, easy to wear. 


But with 1 week to go, I second guessed myself.  Whilst black might be the colour of choice dress-code for Melbourne, I wondered if it would translate fashionably to a wedding in the US.  Afterall, it is rather black and basic, isn't it?



So, this week, I hit a local shop to see if there was anything there that might be more appropriate.  This shop is my emergency go-to place....they usually have stuff that is dress up/dress down.  It is also pricey - the clothes are all made in Australia. 


With 1 week to go, I finally succumbed to the wedding outfit pressure.  I found something there that will be a better fit for the wedding and I think it is something that I will enjoy wearing afterwards as well.  I will still have black in the outfit, but I will be wearing a much more vibrant colour now and not basic black.   


1 week to go!




_


----------



## tiggrbaby

PrincessInOz said:


> _*Black.to.Basics*
> 
> 
> 
> It is definitely a case of black to basics.
> 
> 
> I had absolutely no intention of entertaining the thought of getting something for the wedding. Afterall, I do have any number of Melbourne fashionable black outfits that would be sufficient for the wedding. I even had one outfit picked out because it was easy to pack, easy to dress up, easy to wear.
> 
> 
> But with 1 week to go, I second guessed myself. Whilst black might be the colour of choice dress-code for Melbourne, I wondered if it would translate fashionably to a wedding in the US. Afterall, it is rather black and basic, isn't it?
> 
> 
> 
> So, this week, I hit a local shop to see if there was anything there that might be more appropriate. This shop is my emergency go-to place....they usually have stuff that is dress up/dress down. It is also pricey - the clothes are all made in Australia.
> 
> 
> With 1 week to go, I finally succumbed to the wedding outfit pressure. I found something there that will be a better fit for the wedding and I think it is something that I will enjoy wearing afterwards as well. I will still have black in the outfit, but I will be wearing a much more vibrant colour now and not basic black.
> 
> 
> 1 week to go!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _


 
 Picture?


----------



## ACDSNY

I'm sure you'll be very stylish.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I'd like to do the Chicken dinner.  Sadly with a pesce-vegetarian with me, I don't think it's going to be possible.
> 
> Here's to perfect Disney weather!



I did notice on the regular menu that they had a posting that read "Vegetarian and Gluten Free menu available." I'm pretty sure that they had a fish option on the dinner menu and I'm sure they have dinner salads.

I'm guessing we will go out to dinner the night that we have lunch at the house. We're still thinking shabu shabu right? I haven't been there in ages! 

We haven't set Friday's plan yet! My mother would be mortified. We can figure it out on Thursday. 



PrincessInOz said:


> _*Black.to.Basics*
> 
> 
> 
> It is definitely a case of black to basics.
> 
> 
> I had absolutely no intention of entertaining the thought of getting something for the wedding.  Afterall, I do have any number of Melbourne fashionable black outfits that would be sufficient for the wedding. I even had one outfit picked out because it was easy to pack, easy to dress up, easy to wear.
> 
> 
> But with 1 week to go, I second guessed myself.  Whilst black might be the colour of choice dress-code for Melbourne, I wondered if it would translate fashionably to a wedding in the US.  Afterall, it is rather black and basic, isn't it?
> 
> 
> 
> So, this week, I hit a local shop to see if there was anything there that might be more appropriate.  This shop is my emergency go-to place....they usually have stuff that is dress up/dress down.  It is also pricey - the clothes are all made in Australia.
> 
> 
> With 1 week to go, I finally succumbed to the wedding outfit pressure.  I found something there that will be a better fit for the wedding and I think it is something that I will enjoy wearing afterwards as well.  I will still have black in the outfit, but I will be wearing a much more vibrant colour now and not basic black.
> 
> 
> 1 week to go!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _



Good choice. The two colors you don't wear to a wedding are all black or all white. Black is reserved for funerals and white would be in competition to the bride. At least this is what I have known as fashion guidelines. Good choices are florals or other vibrant-ish patterns and in spring,  pastels are a good choice. I suppose in fall, fall colors would also work well.


----------



## rentayenta

I'd love to see the new outfit too!


----------



## dolphingirl47

I would love to see the dress, too.

Corinna


----------



## zanzibar138

I think a bit of colour would be nicer for a wedding too 

As an outsider, I have to admit I get sick of all the black/grey outfits in Melbourne. I like a bit of colour in my world!


----------



## franandaj

I keep thinking I'll see the dress, but I'm not going to the wedding with you, so post pictures!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Picture?



Eventually, I hope.  






ACDSNY said:


> I'm sure you'll be very stylish.



It's not an exciting outfit.  But it'll do.






franandaj said:


> I did notice on the regular menu that they had a posting that read "Vegetarian and Gluten Free menu available." I'm pretty sure that they had a fish option on the dinner menu and I'm sure they have dinner salads.
> 
> I'm guessing we will go out to dinner the night that we have lunch at the house. *We're still thinking shabu shabu *right? I haven't been there in ages!



If I recall correctly, we've been thinking shabu shabu since 2012.  







franandaj said:


> We haven't set Friday's plan yet! My mother would be mortified. We can figure it out on Thursday.



Yes.  Let's figure it out then. 





franandaj said:


> Good choice. The two colors you don't wear to a wedding are all black or all white. Black is reserved for funerals and white would be in competition to the bride. At least this is what I have known as fashion guidelines. Good choices are florals or other vibrant-ish patterns and in spring,  pastels are a good choice. I suppose in fall, fall colors would also work well.



No florals.  Just a solid block colour.







rentayenta said:


> I'd love to see the new outfit too!



I'm still in two minds about it.  I guess you'll see it when I eventually decide to wear it and post a picture.





dolphingirl47 said:


> I would love to see the dress, too.
> 
> Corinna



It's a simple sheath style; nothing like the exquisite creations you wear.  You are the most well-dressed Dis-ser I know.  






zanzibar138 said:


> I think a bit of colour would be nicer for a wedding too
> 
> As an outsider, I have to admit I get sick of all the black/grey outfits in Melbourne. I like a bit of colour in my world!



I'm definitely all-black Melbourne colour!






franandaj said:


> I keep thinking I'll see the dress, but I'm not going to the wedding with you, so post pictures!



I'll have to make sure DH takes a picture of me.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> I think a bit of colour would be nicer for a wedding too
> 
> As an outsider, I have to admit I get sick of all the black/grey outfits in Melbourne. I like a bit of colour in my world!



We always notice that too - up here, its "we're going to Melbourne-do we need to stock up on a replacement business suit for important office meetings" because we never see so many business clothes as on sale there. Our first ever visit to Melbourne couldn't get over that even teenage store Supre had black and grey dressier outfits not the you-know what (can't use the word here) clothes Supre generally stocks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> We always notice that too - up here, its "we're going to Melbourne-do we need to stock up on a replacement business suit for important office meetings" because we never see so many business clothes as on sale there. Our first ever visit to Melbourne couldn't get over that even teenage store *Supre had black and grey dressier outfits* not the you-know what (can't use the word here) clothes Supre generally stocks.



That's interesting to know that Brisbane has different items in store to those in Melbourne.  I would have thought it was Australia wide.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_* I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Chopping Down a Tree (4 Sleeps to Go)*



Over the weekend, I've never worked so hard at weeding and pruning the space that masquerades as my garden.  I've pulled and cut so much that it hurts my hands and fingers to type!  It really feels like I've chopped down a tree or three.  It's all in preparation for our return and being able to put in some summer plants and vegetables.  Afterall, November will almost be upon us when we get back and it will be time to put some plants down so that we have a summer garden to enjoy by Christmas.  And it will also be time to plant those summer tomatoes.    


And speaking of chopping down trees, I've also spent the weekend killing another kind of tree.  Yes.  I'm sitting here with a pile of more printed papers - details of my itinerary, map directions and lists of potential things to see and eat.  



Why?


In an age of electronics and 1's and 0's where everything is available at a push of a button, I still hold that old-fashioned view that a solar flash  at the wrong time, a gadget going on the fritz or a string of 44444's hitting the electronic 1's and 0's could result in the loss of critical information like reservation numbers, addresses and telephone numbers.  I kinda feel like I need the paper back-up....just in case.

So whilst I was pruning away dead wood, I was printing out key information on white wood.  I will sleep better tonight knowing my tree cutting activities are all done.


4 Sleeps to Go!

_


----------



## franandaj

I completely understand the need for paper copies of the itinerary.  I have a "vacation binder" and as I book various parts of the trips, I print them out and put them in there. I have she's protectors for each page. When it comes time for the trip, I put all the pages in a folder that I can put in my carry on.

Good for you to have the garden all ready for planting when you get back. I probably need to have the gardener take out my vegetables.  The heat shocked everyone's tomato plants so that they stopped producing around August. I admire you for choosing to have a winter garden. I think I'm done until February.  I need a break! Watering the yard is still a big job as it is.

Now it's three sleeps! I can't believe it's so close. I need to get the house cleaned up again!


----------



## ACDSNY

Great minds think alike.  I have my paperwork all ready too and only 2 sleeps for us.


----------



## jedijill

You guys are killing me with the thought of "winter" gardens.  We grow snow here.   It's already started snowing in the high country.

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

Itinerary paper is always good to use especially if your electronics don't work or out of power and you are out of luck. It won't be too long until you are here in the U.S.

You really worked hard this past weekend.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I also print out all my confirmations. You never know when you need them. I am in awe about your gardening. I have neither the enthusiasm nor the talent for this. Hence we have chosen after battling with gardens for many years to live in a city centre apartment. Not long to go now.

Corinna


----------



## zanzibar138

I always have the print outs too. It's much easier to just have a folder with all the paperwork I need than having to find it on my computer with limited internet access.

We also worked on taming our jungle on the weekend. At this time of year, all our plants (both the ones we want and the ones we don't!) are going crazy! I'm ok with fruit trees, but I don't have enough of a green thumb for veggies


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I completely understand the need for paper copies of the itinerary.  I have a "vacation binder" and as I book various parts of the trips, I print them out and put them in there. I have she's protectors for each page. When it comes time for the trip, I put all the pages in a folder that I can put in my carry on.
> 
> Good for you to have the garden all ready for planting when you get back. I probably need to have the gardener take out my vegetables.  The heat shocked everyone's tomato plants so that they stopped producing around August. I admire you for choosing to have a winter garden. I think I'm done until February.  I need a break! Watering the yard is still a big job as it is.
> 
> Now it's three sleeps! I can't believe it's so close. I need to get the house cleaned up again!



I hope you don't spend too much effort cleaning the house!







ACDSNY said:


> Great minds think alike.  I have my paperwork all ready too and only 2 sleeps for us.



Your countdown is looking very exciting!!!






jedijill said:


> You guys are killing me with the thought of "winter" gardens.  We grow snow here.   It's already started snowing in the high country.
> 
> Jill in CO



Snow?  

It's just barely getting warmed up here.  






mvf-m11c said:


> Itinerary paper is always good to use especially if your electronics don't work or out of power and you are out of luck. It won't be too long until you are here in the U.S.
> 
> You really *worked hard this past weekend*.



You have no idea!  






dolphingirl47 said:


> I also print out all my confirmations. You never know when you need them. I am in awe about your gardening. I have neither the enthusiasm nor the talent for this. Hence we have chosen after battling with gardens for many years to live in a city centre apartment. Not long to go now.
> 
> Corinna



The older I get, the more I wonder about the sanity of having a garden.  It is very hard work weeding.







zanzibar138 said:


> I always have the print outs too. It's much easier to just have a folder with all the paperwork I need than having to find it on my computer with limited internet access.
> 
> We also worked on taming our jungle on the weekend. At this time of year, all our plants (both the ones we want and the ones we don't!) are going crazy! I'm ok with fruit trees, but I don't have enough of a green thumb for veggies



You should try some veggies.  Where you live is supposed to be great soil!









Looks like it's pretty unanimous.  Everyone likes paper copy back-up.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Cleaning out my Wardrobe (3 Sleeps to Go)*



Over the last couple of days, I've never worked so hard at cleaning out my wardrobe.  My house looks like a bomb hit it.  There are piles of clothes EVERYWHERE and I still need to find those suitcases.  I've sorted out the clothes into things to toss and clothes that are going back in the wardrobe.  There is....or was....a separate pile of clothes for potentially being packed for travel.  Not that the potential travel clothes was a big pile but to add insult to injury and all in the spirit of creating more work, I decided that I needed to wash about half of those potential travel clothes.  I hadn't worn them in about 5 months and they really looked it!  The upshot of all this w-o-r-k is that I now have a half-empty wardrobe and a heap of extra space.



Why?



Nothing screams "holiday" as much as "shopping".  Or is that....nothing screams "shopping" as much as "holiday"????

In any event, given that we didn't get a lot of shopping time for the Anyone Game trip, I am determined that we are going to have some decent (window) shopping time on this trip.  I may not come home with anything but at least I've now got space in my wardrobe....just in case.



Here's to the washing drying in time, getting the ironing done and me finding those suitcases.



3 Sleeps to Go!

_


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> You should try some veggies.  Where you live is supposed to be great soil!



Yes, there is great soil in our area. Unfortunately there are also big patches of clay  We've got about an inch of topsoil and underneath that it's like rock! The first problem is the amount of effort it takes to actually dig a hole to plant anything in 

Nice work clearing out your wardrobe. You definitely want to be prepared for the possibility of adding some new items


----------



## jedijill

Good for you for going through your wardrobe!  I need to do the same thing...its getting to be time to transition to fall/winter clothes and I need to round up my donations to Goodwill and get it out of the house.  That may be next weekend's project.

Jill in CO


----------



## eandesmom

PrincessInOz said:


> _*I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Cleaning out my Wardrobe (3 Sleeps to Go)*
> 
> 
> 
> Over the last couple of days, I've never worked so hard at cleaning out my wardrobe.  My house looks like a bomb hit it.  There are piles of clothes EVERYWHERE and I still need to find those suitcases.  I've sorted out the clothes into things to toss and clothes that are going back in the wardrobe.  There is....or was....a separate pile of clothes for potentially being packed for travel.  Not that the potential travel clothes was a big pile but to add insult to injury and all in the spirit of creating more work, I decided that I needed to wash about half of those potential travel clothes.  I hadn't worn them in about 5 months and they really looked it!  The upshot of all this w-o-r-k is that I now have a half-empty wardrobe and a heap of extra space.
> 
> 
> 
> Why?
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing screams "holiday" as much as "shopping".  Or is that....nothing screams "shopping" as much as "holiday"????
> 
> In any event, given that we didn't get a lot of shopping time for the Anyone Game trip, I am determined that we are going to have some decent (window) shopping time on this trip.  I may not come home with anything but at least I've now got space in my wardrobe....just in case.
> 
> 
> 
> Here's to the washing drying in time, getting the ironing done and me finding those suitcases.
> 
> 
> 
> 3 Sleeps to Go!
> 
> _



Ooh the great wardrobe purge!  I need to do that.  It is NO fun but oh so nice when it is done.

Until you go to try and find that specific pair of shoes or dress or sweater that you never or rarely wear and are sure you didn't give away...except maybe you did.

I am all caught up and you are about ready to leave but this one I should be able to keep up on!

I think our dates overlap at the very end, I will wave to you as we drive from Orange County to San Diego


----------



## dolphingirl47

You are definitely on a roll. That is a great idea to empty out the wardrobe before the trip to make room for potential purchases.

Corinna


----------



## franandaj

I forgot to mention this earlier, another friendly gesture that I did for you.   

Remember our discussion of Cronuts? Well Fran and I made it to the donut shop on Stearns and Palo Verde (if that makes any difference). We were mainly going for the Ham and Cheese Croissants, but the reviews on Yelp mentioned their Cronuts were very good, so we got one.

This was the third Cronut we have had. The first was pretty bleh. The second was at Epcot and it was pretty good, but still nothing I was gaga about. This was by far the best of all the Cronuts I have tried in my life, but alas, I have to conclude that I am not a Cronut person. I prefer a fluffy glazed donut. But that's not to say you wouldn't like it. I don't really like Croissants unless they're filled with Ham and Cheese.

It's a short trip from our house if you want to try it. We went on a Sunday morning and there was a 10-15 minute wait. You might get a kick out of it.  They are Asian owned and move like Ninjas, the pace is fast and there is no political correctness in there, my wait was highly amusing!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Yes, there is great soil in our area. Unfortunately there are also big patches of clay  We've got about *an inch of topsoil and underneath that it's like rock!* The first problem is the amount of effort it takes to actually dig a hole to plant anything in
> 
> Nice work clearing out your wardrobe. You definitely want to be prepared for the possibility of adding some new items



Add more topsoil.  

I like possibilities.  They are so filled with promise and potential.  







jedijill said:


> Good for you for going through your wardrobe!  I need to do the same thing...its getting to be time to transition to fall/winter clothes and I need to round up my donations to Goodwill and get it out of the house.  That may be next weekend's project.
> 
> Jill in CO



I hope you get your wardrobe cleaned out.  It sure felt great when I dropped off the bags at the goodwill here.







eandesmom said:


> Ooh the great wardrobe purge!  I need to do that.  It is NO fun but oh so nice when it is done.
> 
> Until you go to try and find that specific pair of shoes or dress or sweater that you never or rarely wear and are sure you didn't give away...except maybe you did.



I purged the clothes that I haven't worn in about 3 years and the ones that were so worn that they were practically threadbare.  I don't think I'll be looking for those clothes again.  

And I ended up giving away about 7 pairs of shoes.  I had shoes there from 20 years ago that I will never wear again.  





eandesmom said:


> I am all caught up and you are about ready to leave but this one I should be able to keep up on!
> 
> I think our dates overlap at the very end, *I will wave to you as we drive from Orange County to San Diego *



Which day is this one?  Is there any chance of us stopping and saying hello???







dolphingirl47 said:


> You are definitely on a roll. That is a great idea to empty out the wardrobe before the trip to make room for potential purchases.
> 
> Corinna



I like the thought of having space in the wardrobe for new clothes.  






franandaj said:


> I forgot to mention this earlier, another friendly gesture that I did for you.



You are such a great friend!  








franandaj said:


> Remember our discussion of Cronuts? Well Fran and I made it to the donut shop on Stearns and Palo Verde (if that makes any difference). We were mainly going for the Ham and Cheese Croissants, but the reviews on Yelp mentioned their Cronuts were very good, so we got one.
> 
> This was the third Cronut we have had. The first was pretty bleh. The second was at Epcot and it was pretty good, but still nothing I was gaga about. This was by far the best of all the Cronuts I have tried in my life, but alas, I have to conclude that I am not a Cronut person. I prefer a fluffy glazed donut. But that's not to say you wouldn't like it. I don't really like Croissants unless they're filled with Ham and Cheese.
> 
> It's a short trip from our house if you want to try it. We went on a Sunday morning and there was a 10-15 minute wait. You might get a kick out of it.  They are Asian owned and move like Ninjas, the pace is fast and there is no political correctness in there, my wait was highly amusing!



When are we going??


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Clearing out my In-Box (2 Sleeps to Go)*



Over the last couple of days, I've never worked so hard at clearing out my in-box.  

I've been on a personal mission to tie up loose ends at work and making sure that everyone knows what they need to do in the next 2 weeks to keep the work momentum going.  I've been making lists (and checking them twice) and updating schedules and sending out emails to various people so that the person who will be stepping in for me will have next to nothing to do.


Why?


Sadly, I don't know why.  Because if history is anything to go by, when I return, there will be more work for me to do and more than likely a mess for me to clean up.


But at least I feel like Im leaving a clean desk behind.




2 Sleeps to Go!

_


----------



## jedijill

I feel for you on trying to tie up everything before you leave but coming back to a mess!  I'm the same way and it still takes a week to dig out of the hole I come back too.

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> You are such a great friend!
> 
> 
> 
> When are we going??



We could always stop in there after our Asian grocery run. Its the opposite direction of the Asian grocery stores but it is close to house, closer than the grocers. We could bring back a selection of pastries and call it "breakfast".

I can totally understand about the wardrobe purge. In this move, I've tried only to bring clothes and shoes that I want.  I gave Darcy at least a dozen pairs of shoes when her son's church did a shoe drive. I've got at least two closets worth of clothes at the old house waiting for ne to try them on and make a decision.

I'm so gald to be "retired". If stuff doesn't get done while we're gone, only us are affected.  I remember what it was like trying to have people cover for me. It never worked and I always came back to an overflowing inbox and a heap of questions that only I could answer. At least we can fix leaky faucets and broken garage doors from anywhere with a cell phone connection!


----------



## dolphingirl47

I know this feeling about work. We have a little bet every time we come back from vacation how many emails we have in our inbox. This time round I will have the added complication that we are moving offices halfway through my holiday. 

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> I feel for you on trying to tie up everything before you leave but coming back to a mess!  I'm the same way and it still takes a week to dig out of the hole I come back too.
> 
> Jill in CO



I am going to be optimistic on this one.  The people I'm working with are pretty good.  Plus I've left enough behind that I hope they will follow through.  






franandaj said:


> We could always stop in there after our Asian grocery run. Its the opposite direction of the Asian grocery stores but it is close to house, closer than the grocers. We could bring back a selection of pastries and call it "breakfast".



Sounds like a plan to me!

DH will probably pass on it.  He's discovered he's lactose intolerant.






franandaj said:


> I can totally understand about the wardrobe purge. In this move, I've tried only to bring clothes and shoes that I want.  I gave Darcy at least a dozen pairs of shoes when her son's church did a shoe drive. I've got at least two closets worth of clothes at the old house waiting for ne to try them on and make a decision.



That sounds like a fair bit to purge still.  






franandaj said:


> I'm so gald to be "retired". If stuff doesn't get done while we're gone, only us are affected.  I remember what it was like trying to have people cover for me. It never worked and I always came back to an overflowing inbox and a heap of questions that only I could answer. At least we can fix leaky faucets and broken garage doors from anywhere with a cell phone connection!



That's the great thing about your situation.  You get to set your own agenda.  







dolphingirl47 said:


> I know this feeling about work. We have a little bet every time we come back from vacation how many emails we have in our inbox. This time round I will have the added complication that we are moving offices halfway through my holiday.
> 
> Corinna



Ooh!  I hope you know where your new office is when you get back.  


Hmmm.....maybe that's a GREAT excuse to not turn up to work.


----------



## mvf-m11c

It won't be too long until you are here in the U.S.


----------



## rentayenta

2 sleeps!!!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> 2 sleeps!!!



I think in our today, she is now down to one sleep!


----------



## zanzibar138

I hear ya on the work situation! I'm still trying to catch up on DH's books after my trip. I keep finding something else that wasn't done or was done incorrectly while I was gone 

So close now! Have a wonderful trip!


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> It won't be too long until you are here in the U.S.



Not long at all.





rentayenta said:


> 2 sleeps!!!



It's less now.  






franandaj said:


> I think in our today, she is now down to one sleep!











zanzibar138 said:


> I hear ya on the work situation! I'm still trying to catch up on DH's books after my trip. I keep finding something else that wasn't done or was done incorrectly while I was gone
> 
> So close now! Have a wonderful trip!



Thanks!  Look forward to catching up after I return.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*I've.Never.Worked.So.Hard.At....Doing Nothing (1 Sleep to Go)*



Today I've never worked so hard at doing nothing.  

I've never quite realised how tiring sitting around and doing nothing really is!  What with lying down on a massage table to be pummelled to bits and straightened, stretching out to get my personal grooming done and sitting down to have my feet attended to, I'm completed exhausted! 



Why?



Well....you know.  I'm heading for a family gathering and I want to at least look like I'm doing my best; or at least putting *some* effort in.  So, I've worked real hard at getting my personal grooming under control.  At the very least, I'll look tidy.  Those of you that know me will know that I normally have very little interest in keeping up with the fashion of the day and put in the minimum of grooming effort especially when on holiday.  


Trouble is.....What with all this doing nothing all day, I've had plenty to thinking time to get all stressed out about makeup and hair for the wedding.
So, with all the recent activity and chopping, cleaning and clearing I've been doing, the day where I end up doing nothing is the day that I feel the most tired.  



Ironic, isn't it?


1 Sleep to Go!  Catch you at the other end.  And I'm really hoping for a trouble free flight.  



_


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> Yes, there is great soil in our area. Unfortunately there are also big patches of clay  We've got about an inch of topsoil and underneath that it's like rock! The first problem is the amount of effort it takes to actually dig a hole to plant anything in



Yep - that's our place too. I love gardening at Mum and Dads now they can't as I can dig a hole and plant instead of needing DH and the crow bar or the post hole borer on the tractor!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Have an amazing trip and some great family and friends time PIO. Looking forward to pics in your wedding outfit! You were game gardening 3 days out - I get too scared these days I will throw my back out if I do that just before a trip. Will be thinking of you winging your way over the seas tomorrow.


----------



## ACDSNY

Woo hoo one sleep to go.  Have a great time visiting family and friends.


----------



## rentayenta

In the infamous words of Annie: tomorrow tomorrow!  Safe travels my friend!


----------



## jedijill

Have a wonderful and troublefree flight!  

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

Have a great flight! I hope to get a text from you tomorrow!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Have a great and safe flight and I will look forward to hear from you shortly.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> Ooh!  I hope you know where your new office is when you get back.
> 
> 
> Hmmm.....maybe that's a GREAT excuse to not turn up to work.



I know where the office is. What I am not too clear about is how I get there from the closest train station. I am sure I will figure it out.

Have a safe flight. 

Corinna


----------



## eandesmom

PrincessInOz said:


> Which day is this one?  Is there any chance of us stopping and saying hello???



We are in LA (Dana Point) on the 16th, San Diego the 17-19. Flying into John Wayne and out of San Diego. I wish there was a way to say hello,  I was lamenting on Jenny's thread just how weird the timing of it all is, we will not be able to fit in DL for a day even though we would both kind of like to, it just doesn't make any sense.

Have a GREAT trip!


----------



## franandaj

eandesmom said:


> We are in LA (Dana Point) on the 16th, San Diego the 17-19. Flying into John Wayne and out of San Diego. I wish there was a way to say hello,  I was lamenting on Jenny's thread just how weird the timing of it all is, we will not be able to fit in DL for a day even though we would both kind of like to, it just doesn't make any sense.
> 
> Have a GREAT trip!



Since PIO is off the grid for the next week and a half, I'll answer for her. The 16th we are chillin at Casa Nueva, similar plans for the 17th. At some point PIO and fam leave the house as I have a band rehearsal in LA at 6PM. Not sure of her Sunday morning plans, by she says they will come to my concert Sunday afternoon. 

Her time near San Diego is this weekend.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Safe travels!  I hope the family time goes well and you have a magical time with Alison and Fran!

 As always, looking forward to your pics!


----------



## IowaTater

Hope you are having a great trip, PiO!!  Can't wait to see all of your pictures.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Have an amazing trip and some great family and friends time PIO. Looking forward to pics in your wedding outfit! You were game gardening 3 days out - I get too scared these days I will throw my back out if I do that just before a trip. Will be thinking of you winging your way over the seas tomorrow.



Thanks!  I think we passed each other in the sky last night.  Oh well....we'll catch up when you get back.

I didn't even think about throwing my back out.  





ACDSNY said:


> Woo hoo one sleep to go.  Have a great time visiting family and friends.



Thanks!  It was great.






rentayenta said:


> In the infamous words of Annie: tomorrow tomorrow!  Safe travels my friend!



I'm so glad it was safe travels.  Thank you! 






jedijill said:


> Have a wonderful and troublefree flight!
> 
> Jill in CO



They were troublefree flights both ways.  Thanks!







franandaj said:


> Have a great flight! I hope to get a text from you tomorrow!



That tomorrow seems so long ago now.







mvf-m11c said:


> Have a great and safe flight and I will look forward to hear from you shortly.



It was great spending time with you and your DAF.






dolphingirl47 said:


> I know where the office is. What I am not too clear about is how I get there from the closest train station. I am sure I will figure it out.
> 
> Have a safe flight.
> 
> Corinna



I'll assume that you had no problem getting to the office.

Thanks Corinna.  It was a great trip.








eandesmom said:


> We are in LA (Dana Point) on the 16th, San Diego the 17-19. Flying into John Wayne and out of San Diego. I wish there was a way to say hello,  I was lamenting on Jenny's thread just how weird the timing of it all is, we will not be able to fit in DL for a day even though we would both kind of like to, it just doesn't make any sense.
> 
> Have a GREAT trip!



Dang!  I really wished I had taken more notice of your dates earlier.  It would have been nice to say hello.  Maybe next time.






tiggrbaby said:


> Safe travels!  I hope the family time goes well and you have a magical time with Alison and Fran!
> 
> As always, looking forward to your pics!



Thanks.  It was great catching up with everyone.  I think I have less pics on this trip; plus I'm not sure about the quality of the photography this tim.  I need to download them and see.






IowaTater said:


> Hope you are having a great trip, PiO!!  Can't wait to see all of your pictures.



Thanks!  I really need to download them soon.


----------



## PrincessInOz

I think you may have gathered from the previous post that I'm safely home.  The long flights were, thankfully, uneventful.  

The flight last night was pretty long and I'm feeling a little tired right now.  Hopefully, I'll get to catch up on sleep tonight and will be back in the swing of things by the weekend.  

I'll need to download the pictures and I have to say that I have no idea about the quality of the Disney pictures.  I ended up using a new lens at DLR and used it for the entire time there.  I knew within an hour that the new lens wasn't a good fit for me; but I kept it on the camera to give it a good workout.  So, we'll just have to see what they look like when I get round to downloading them.


Hope everyone has been well!


----------



## zanzibar138

Welcome home PIO! Looking forward to hearing all about it


----------



## franandaj

I hope you don't mind me posting my take on our time together in the next day or two. I captured only a little bit of our adventures so I guess I will be the teaser for your TR.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Welcome home PIO! Looking forward to hearing all about it



Thanks!

We really had a very laid back trip this time round.






franandaj said:


> I hope you don't mind me posting my take on our time together in the next day or two. I captured only a little bit of our adventures so I guess I will be the teaser for your TR.



Go ahead!  I'm pretty sure Bret will start his take before me as well.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Glad to hear that you got home safely. I have been working on the trip report since yesterday and I might be able to post it later today. You know that I will be looking forward to your trip report as well as Alison's.


----------



## dolphingirl47

Welcome back. That was a mad dash indeed. I can't believe it is already over.



PrincessInOz said:


> I'll assume that you had no problem getting to the office.
> 
> Thanks Corinna.  It was a great trip.



I have that pleasure yet to come. The move will almost certainly happen while I am at Aulani. We are just not sure if it is my first or second weekend there. So I will leave the old office on November 9th and when I come back to work on December 8th, it will be at the new office.

Corinna


----------



## Leshaface

I'm sooo glad you made a FB group for your recent travels!  It's easier to keep up on over there than here sometimes.  But i'm really looking forward to hearing about the stories behind all those pictures I seen!


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Welcome back PIO.  

I hope you had an awesome time and have adjusted back to everyday life.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Glad to hear that you got home safely. I have been working on the trip report since yesterday and I might be able to post it later today. You know that I will be looking forward to your trip report as well as Alison's.





dolphingirl47 said:


> Welcome back. That was a mad dash indeed. I can't believe it is already over.
> 
> 
> 
> I have that pleasure yet to come. The move will almost certainly happen while I am at Aulani. We are just not sure if it is my first or second weekend there. So I will leave the old office on November 9th and when I come back to work on December 8th, it will be at the new office.
> 
> Corinna





Leshaface said:


> I'm sooo glad you made a FB group for your recent travels!  It's easier to keep up on over there than here sometimes.  But i'm really looking forward to hearing about the stories behind all those pictures I seen!





WanderlustNZ said:


> Welcome back PIO.
> 
> I hope you had an awesome time and have adjusted back to everyday life.




Thanks everyone!  

I've come home to internet issues and I never know how long connection will last.  So....apologies for not responding individually.

Our service provider is sending out a technician on Tuesday.  Hopefully, I'll have a consistent service after that.


----------



## PrincessInOz

TR Oct 2014: Discovering Another Mad Dash TR


_*Kick-Starting this Report*



Welcome to another one of my Mad Dash TR's!







You might be asking what a Mad Dash TR is.  Well....it's what I call my trips from Melbourne to California that end up being 10 days in duration, or less.  My DH works for an American firm and his job is based in San Francisco.  We choose to live in Melbourne and that means that we have the opportunity to do these short dashes more often than not.

It takes 14 hours to fly from Melbourne to Los Angeles direct and I have long come to view these treks across the Pacific Pond as aeroplane confinement madness.



 




Unlike previous trips, this one was not necessitated from work related reasons but rather for family reasons.  In fact, for the first time in forever, we ticked the 'Visiting friends or relatives' box on the Outgoing Passenger Card as our main reason for this trip.  My cousin in San Diego sent me a Save the Date invitation to his wedding some 10 weeks ago and we decided that we needed to make the effort to attend. 







Naturally, I snuck in some Disney time during the trip and naturally, it involved catching up with Dis-Friends in 3D.



I have to admit that this trip didn't exactly fill me and my family with that sense of thrill that a holiday should before we started out.








We knew that there was going to be a bunch of catch-ups with family and friends and didn't plan any excursions, tours or sightseeing events.  As a consequence, we were missing that sense of undiscovered adventure that our holidays tend to be filled with.  From such simple non-expectations, a trip of surprising eye-opening discovery was borne.








I hope you'll join me on this TR.  For those of you that have been reading along my last TR, I can guarantee that there will be significantly less pictures than the previous one.  I can also guarantee that this one will take less time to complete as well.  But rest assured.  There will be the standard quota of food porn.








Are we ready for a trip of discovery?




_


----------



## ACDSNY

Beautiful unity candle and I see you found a hummingbird to amuse you.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Great pic of a hummingbird and so clear given how quickly their wings move.

We saw our first ever hummingbird at Disneyland on our last trip.  It was hovering above the canal on the Storybook ride.  The poor tour guide was trying to explain the miniature villages but we were more excited by the bird.


----------



## franandaj

I'm in and ready to hear all about it!


----------



## zanzibar138




----------



## WanderlustNZ

That Kway Teow looks delicious by the way.  Did you make it?


----------



## franandaj

WanderlustNZ said:


> That Kway Teow looks delicious by the way.  Did you make it?



Yes she did, and at my house!  It was soooooo good, I can't wait to get the recipe because she showed me where to buy the ingredients and all I need to know is the details and I plan to make it!  It was awesome!


----------



## zanzibar138

franandaj said:


> Yes she did, and at my house!  It was soooooo good, I can't wait to get the recipe because she showed me where to buy the ingredients and all I need to know is the details and I plan to make it!  It was awesome!



I hope she is planning to share the recipe on the TR!


----------



## franandaj

zanzibar138 said:


> I hope she is planning to share the recipe on the TR!



I'm thinking she was going to share it on the What's for Dinner thread, but perhaps she will share it here as well.  It's very easy to copy and paste the post....it was really yummy and now that I know where to buy the noodles, I will make that for dinner at least a couple times per year, I just may use chicken or pork.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

franandaj said:


> Yes she did, and at my house!  It was soooooo good, I can't wait to get the recipe because she showed me where to buy the ingredients and all I need to know is the details and I plan to make it!  It was awesome!



Such a clever chef.  I would love to know the recipe also.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I am looking forward to reading all about your trip. The photos in this instalment are stunning.

Corinna


----------



## jedijill

Lovely photos so far!  I could tell lunch was at A&F's house...who else has a Pooh napkin holder!

Jill in CO


----------



## IowaTater

Oh no!  It looks like poor Pooh Bear has lost an ear.  Silly ol' bear!

I know what you mean about family holidays not really being "holidays".  90% of my family still live in Iowa so when I go back, it's chock full of visiting this person and that person, not to mention my friends from high school that still live there.  I spend more time in the car running from house to house than I do actually traveling from Missouri to Iowa!

You have a FB group???  How did I miss that?


----------



## tiggrbaby

Welcome back!  Looking forward to more, including a pic of you in the dress and that recipe!


----------



## LegoMom3

I'm here!!  

.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> Beautiful unity candle and I see you found a hummingbird to amuse you.



I thought of you every time I saw the hummingbirds.  






WanderlustNZ said:


> Great pic of a hummingbird and so clear given how quickly their wings move.
> 
> We saw our first ever hummingbird at Disneyland on our last trip.  It was hovering above the canal on the Storybook ride.  The poor tour guide was trying to explain the miniature villages but we were more excited by the bird.



I have a collection of hummingbird pictures now.  






franandaj said:


> I'm in and ready to hear all about it!



Thanks for joining in.  You will have a major starring role in this one.  






zanzibar138 said:


>



Butter or caramel?  And I hope you're sharing that popcorn!






WanderlustNZ said:


> That Kway Teow looks delicious by the way.  Did you make it?










franandaj said:


> Yes she did, and at my house!  It was soooooo good, I can't wait to get the recipe because she showed me where to buy the ingredients and all I need to know is the details and I plan to make it!  It was awesome!





zanzibar138 said:


> I hope she is planning to share the recipe on the TR!





franandaj said:


> I'm thinking she was going to share it on the What's for Dinner thread, but perhaps she will share it here as well.  It's very easy to copy and paste the post....it was really yummy and now that I know where to buy the noodles, I will make that for dinner at least a couple times per year, I just may use chicken or pork.





WanderlustNZ said:


> Such a clever chef.  I would love to know the recipe also.



I will be sharing the recipe here when we get up to it.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> I am looking forward to reading all about your trip. The photos in this instalment are stunning.
> 
> Corinna



Glad you're here, Corinna.  Thanks.  






jedijill said:


> Lovely photos so far!  I could tell lunch was at A&F's house...who else has a Pooh napkin holder!
> 
> Jill in CO



A&F have a stunning collection.  







IowaTater said:


> Oh no!  It looks like poor Pooh Bear has lost an ear.  Silly ol' bear!
> 
> I know what you mean about family holidays not really being "holidays".  90% of my family still live in Iowa so when I go back, it's chock full of visiting this person and that person, not to mention my friends from high school that still live there.  I spend more time in the car running from house to house than I do actually traveling from Missouri to Iowa!
> 
> You have a FB group???  How did I miss that?



Bret, Alison and I were sharing some of our pictures at DLR during the trip.  I was using it to post trip pictures.







tiggrbaby said:


> Welcome back!  Looking forward to more, including a pic of you in the dress and that recipe!



Thanks!  All in good time.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> I will be sharing the recipe here when we get up to it.



Well, in that case I'd better share my popcorn. Mmm caramel


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Well, in that case I'd better share my popcorn. Mmm caramel



Keep some for me!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 1: Departures and Arrivals


_*The Revolving Seat (on a Jet Plane) Affair*



Discovery #1.  Did you know that row 58 on an Airbus A380 is a standard seat but on a 747 it is an exit row?  Well it is.
Discovery #2.  The fine print of early seat allocation states that pre-paid seats are not guaranteed.  It just is and no correspondence is entered into.




I had planned for a leisurely drive to the airport before the peak hour rush and had been rather smug in the knowledge that we had pre-booked our seats in advance.  I had even paid the extra amount to ensure that we would all be sitting together on our flights across that Pacific Pond.  


The night before departure, I had gone on line to check us in and was *surprised* to find that we had been scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind.  Turns out the row I thought I had booked somewhere in the middle of the plane turned out to be an exit row.  And as DS was under 16, the airline saw fit to move us without notification.  We now had one seat in row 54, one in row 67 and the third seat in row 52.  It was a dark and stormy night indeed!


I quickly scrambled to see if there were 3 seats together and grabbed the only 3 that were in a row.  I think they were the only 3 in a row left on the entire flight.  

For the record.  I did call Qantas for a refund.  It took me 30 minutes before I finally ended up talking to a real person but in the end, I got my refund.


I definitely needed something stronger than black coffee before the night was through!







_
(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

_*The Repeatable and Predictable Departure*



Discovery #3.  DH and I have been together too long and we fight like an old married couple.  We are soooo predictable.



As departure days go, this one was no different to any other we go through.  


We all got stressed, DH and I yelled at each other a little....and although it felt like we were running close to the edge of time, we were fairly organised in getting to the airport.   
As always, there was a bit of yelling about the amount of clothes that DH was taking to the US and as always, there was yelling in the morning about him wanting to add more stuff to the already packed and locked bags in the morning.  Next time, I think we need to break this cycle!


For the record.  Despite the merry-go-round with DH, I have to admit to being really happy with the contents of the bags.  We had enough gifts to fill one of the large bags and our clothes filled ¾ of the other bag.  We had a combined weight of 27 kilos for the two checked bags.     








So, the dark and stormy night turned into a very foggy Melbourne morning.  Predictably, I yelled at the boys to get them out of the house.  Equally as predictably, DH told me to stop stressing.  
In the end, we did head to the airport early to beat the morning rush hour and I did wonder if any flights would be flying out at all because of the fog.  But I didn't wonder for too long.  Afterall, I had a stomach to feed and after checking our bags in, we all needed food.  Airport food is not the greatest but it certainly has come a long way from the dry sandwiches and soggy biscuits days.


DS and I went with the bacon and eggs.








DH went with just eggs.








Whilst we were eating, it was apparent that some of the morning flights had been delayed by the fog but not by very much.  By the time we had finished eating, the fog had lifted but the weather in Melbourne was looking threatening.  








Thankfully, the delay was not significant and we took off some 30 minutes later than scheduled.  It was pretty smooth flying into Sydney and we then made our way from the Domestic terminal to the International terminal.  

For anyone transiting in Sydney from the Domestic terminal to the International terminal, you catch a shuttle bus.  








A bus trip may not measure up to the airtrains offered in some of the US airports but I really do enjoy heading out into the tarmac area amongst the big birds.








We had 2 hours to wait and it did go quickly.  The waiting period did span our normal lunch hour and we decided on a light meal.

DS got sushi.  








Predictably, DH got a salad.








I got a different kind of salad.  Afterall, we still have a meal to go through on the plane.



 





Our plane departed on time out of Sydney.  About the only hiccough we encountered in Sydney was with our revolving seats...again!   








When we got to the gate and whilst waiting for our flight, we got pulled up by the ground staff.  Turns out we needed to exchange our paper boarding passes for a different kind of paper.  I'm not sure why but the US has changed their boarding process in the last year or so.  We now need to have the old-fashioned kind of boarding pass rather than a ticket printed on A4 paper at home.  

For a minute, I thought we were going to go back to our scattered seats.  But the ground staff member told me it was alright.  I was relieved to find that the seat numbers on our new old-fashioned boarding passes matched the ones I had on my piece of paper.  I sure didn't need a repeat experience of the revolving seat!

My disappointment in the revolving seat affair wasn't in the fact there was no communication or even that our seats had been changed.  It was about the fact that our relatively empty A380 flight had turned into a sardine can-full 747!   I counted 5 empty seats in the main cattle barn section of the plane.  It was a rather full flight.



Predictably, DH and DS managed to get some sleep on the plane.  As always, I got none.


As departures go, this routine was all too predictable and repeatable for DH and I.  Next time, he can stress and I can tell him to chill.




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Arriving only to Break the Law on the Other Side of the Pond*



Discover #4.  California Police and Highway Patrol are ever vigilant.  Do not break the law.  You will be pulled over.



I've been following the exploits of Dis-ser tayalltheway during the time he moved to Orange County.  One of the things he posted about was visits to Laguna Beach.  The first and only time I'd been to Laguna Beach was way back in 1986 and looking at his pictures, I realised that I really didn't remember Laguna at all.  Laguna Beach looked gorgeous in his pictures!


After we picked up our hire car, I figured it might be a good enough spot to stop on our way down to San Diego.  Afterall, my aunt was working and we couldn't check into our accommodation before 4 pm so that left us at least 5 hours to fill in.



The drive into Laguna was uneventful.  I had thought we were going to have lunch at Laguna.  I'd even picked out Nick's Seafood as the place that we were going to eat at; but we were all still full from aeroplane food and decided to pass on lunch.  
A short walkabout was in order.








We made a beeline for the beach.








We normally look at the Pacific Ocean waves crashing into the East Coast of Australia.  Somehow, looking at the waves crashing in on the West Coast felt all wrong.








Laguna has a reputation for being a good surfing beach.  I guess the waves were pretty calm today.




 



I did go looking for the tide pools; but it was always going to be an exercise in futility.  I had done my research and knew that we were going to be visiting Laguna during high tide.  So there was no intertidal organisms to examine on this visit.








We messed around a bit more, enjoying the delicious feeling of being on vacation but it was time for us to keep going; especially if we wanted to avoid peak hour traffic heading south.








We headed out along Highway 133 back towards the I-5 but didn't get very far.  Traffic was banked back nearly all the way towards the 1 and it wasn't moving at all.  

We found ourselves looking at a large pick-up truck in front of us and couldn't see much of the traffic in front of the truck.  Due to the quirks of our position, that pick-up was right by a gap in the median strip where cars from the shops on the right were allowed to make a right hand turn.  It clearly had a no U-turn sign displayed from our direction.  After a couple of minutes, the driver decided that he was going to ignore that sign and made that illegal turn.  

DH and I looked at each other for 10 seconds and we both came to the same unspoken conclusion.  We made the same illegal turn.


We didn't even manage to get 100 meters down the road when we saw the flashing lights behind us.  Yup.  The boys in dark blue were definitely out on patrol that day!








(The cop approaches us on the driver's side and starts to talk to DH.)

Sir, do you know why we pulled you over?
Ah. Um.  Hmmm.   We made an illegal u-turn when we werent supposed to.

(Silence for about 20 seconds.)

I appreciate your honesty, sir.  We also pulled you over because you were doing 50 in a 40 zone.

(What the????.  There was NO WAY we had gotten the car up to those speeds.  Keep quiet.  Keep quiet. Do. NOT. open. mouth!)

Oh?  I didn't think we were travelling that fast but I wasn't really paying attention to the speedometer.  I guess I could have been doing 50 but I really didn't think I was driving that fast.

(My DH is a lot more tactful than me!)

Well, you were.  We were following you and that was the speed we were doing.  Please show me your Drivers Licence and Registration Papers.
Ah. Um. Hmmm.  I have an Australian Drivers Licence and this is a rental car.  I can provide you with the rental car agreement.

(Silence for about 20 seconds)

What are you doing in Laguna Beach and how long have you been in the country for?
We are on our way to San Diego to attend a family wedding.  We arrived in the country this morning.
Youre on vacation?
Yes.

(DH hands over his licence and the car rental papers.)

Please wait here whilst I run a check.

(The cop heads back to his car and gets on the radio.  We can clearly see him talking to his partner whilst they are waiting.  As we are sweating it out, DH and I exchange another one of those 10 second looks and we both came to the same unspoken conclusion.  Whatever happened, we were going to accept the consequences.  
The cops make us wait for about 5 minutes before they come back to our car.)

Sir, you were pulled over for making an illegal u-turn and for exceeding the speed limit.  We appreciate that it was done in the heat of the moment and that you might have been a bit impatient waiting in that traffic.  But that traffic is banked up because there is a bad accident a bit further up the highway where someone else made an illegal turn.

(We feel like small children caught with their hands in the cookie jar at this point in time.)

We appreciate that you have just arrived in a different country.  We don't want to ruin your vacation so we are going to let you off with a warning this time.  But please....don't break any of our laws whilst you are over here.  Enjoy your vacation.


DH and I looked at each other for 10 seconds and we both came to the same unspoken conclusion.  We got off lightly this time.


_


----------



## LegoMom3

Wow, who'da thunk that the L.A. cops are nicer than the ones in my two-bit town.....   Lucky day for you!!  I hate traffic jams.  I would probably not fare well driving in southern CA!!!  

Nice food pics, even if it was airport food!!  

.


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> Wow, who'da thunk that the L.A. cops are nicer than the ones in my two-bit town.....   Lucky day for you!!  I hate traffic jams.  I would probably not fare well driving in southern CA!!!
> 
> Nice food pics, even if it was airport food!!
> 
> .



  You posted before and I completely missed saying hello!  Thanks for stopping in and joining in on this ride as well.


 Technically, they were Laguna Beach cops.  At least that's what their cop car said.  But yes.  Lucky.day.indeed.


----------



## jedijill

Ugh, I hate when the airlines mess with your seats especially after you've paid for them!  Glad you got it sorted out and got your refund in the end.

I love looking at all the other airlines too...its always thrilling to see the foreign airlines and dreaming of taking trips to their home countries.  

You lawbreakers!  Glad you got off on a warning....that would have been a hassle to have to pay a ticket.

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

Finally I got to read your trip report after being away lately. I just missed your first update when I left on Sunday. I will be here as well while I go over my other pictures during the trip.

That was not right of the airline to change your seat location without notifying you. Luckily you were able to get seats together for that flight and get a refund for the trouble.

That was nice that you got off with a warning from the police.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

I'm feeling a slight sense of déjà vu reading your report.   DH and I also seem to snap at each other on the morning we go to the airport and admittedly it's usually my fault.  Our trip day has finally arrived, I don't want anything to go wrong at the last hurdle, and let's just say I might become a bit highly strung.   

Also, what's up with airlines downgrading to smaller planes and mucking up our carefully picked seats?  I'm pleased though that everything worked out for you in the end.

What a nervous moment with the police.  Nice of him to let you off.


----------



## Leshaface

I'm not sure what that dish is you made at Alison's but I want to try it!  Can't wait till you post the recipe later on.

Oh my gosh, United did that to us on this last WDW trip!  Selected our seats and the night before when I checked us in, we were everywhere!  That was the first time that ever happened and I was not happy about it.  With DM who's not a good flier and an infant (who wants to sit by a baby on a plane, really?) I was even more nervous/anxious.  It ended up being alright in the end getting 2 of our seats out of the 3 together, but I couldn't imagine it for a 14 hour flight.  Thank goodness they refunded the extra you paid on those seats.

Glad to hear that your flight was easy.

Laguna Beach is gorgeous. When I had an internship in college, one of my 'jobs' was to deliver various items to businesses and I would have to drive on that street that you took a picture from time to time to make those delivieries.  That's the only time I didn't mind not getting paid for doing work.

Phew!  You guys did get off and I bet you were so relieved when they did that!


----------



## franandaj

Getting away to the airport is so stressful.  Im glad you were honest that you had "words". Honestly Fran and I never have "words" ever since I adopted my policy that each time I would say something I take a shot or down a glass of wine. Takes away all the stress!   It may not be the best option for those early morning flights, but at least it alleviates those worried feelings! 

Probably not the best remedy for a one pot screamer such as yourself, but it worked this morning!  Just dont tell my better half!

Glad you wiggled your way out of the ticket in Laguna. I bet they are just waiting to nail some tourists!


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow I would be so terrified being pulled over by the cops in another country. I've never even been pulled over here! Very nice of them to let you off with a warning.

I hate when they change the plane, but it would be especially bad when it mucks up all your seating arrangements. Thank goodness you were able to still find 3 seats together AND get your refund.

I don't think you're on your own when it comes to night before/morning of bickering. DH and I are right up there with you.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I can't believe that they just changed the seats on you. I know that seats get changed due to aircraft changes, but if they make you pay for the pleasure then it really is not on. What a shame that you ended up with a B747 instead of the A380. How nice that the cops let you off. 

Corinna


----------



## Luvchefmic

Oct 2014 Trip

Save the Date! It's a Family Ceremony that pushed me into making another Mad Dash. And as there's space on this thread, why start a new one, right?


Glad I saw this otherwise I was like WHAT ??? Have I stepped back in time  I had originally followed the link, skipped over the shortcut links and the first post I read was dated 2010 

All that to say YEAH I'm here too  ( and no longer confused )


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wow!  That was a really stressful start to your trip!


----------



## eandesmom

Wow what a departure day! Completely lucky, that is some pixie dust right there, getting off with a warning. I swear, I didn't think they even still gave warnings anymore! 

The predictable behaviors crack me up, we have those too!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Woah that was some stressy starts to the trip! I would have been cranky with the airlines too, and yep, arguing like an old married couple over trivia - sounds familiar. With our road trip in front of us there'll be a few more ahead for me and DH. The cop incident would have been scary -we've all seen those US cop shows! Glad it ended well. Love the hummingbird pic! Reading along when I can.


----------



## skier_pete

PrincessInOz said:


>



I saw this picture before I read what was around it and though - "Wow, that's a really small plane! 

Your cop  story - your DH made the right move being super-contrite. By not giving them any hassle, they probably decided quickly it wasn't worth the trouble of giving you a ticket that would likely never get paid anyways. That had to been a stressful several minutes.

Back in 1996 I spent a week at a hotel right there on Laguna Beach, I think it's even in your picture right on the beach. Our company was sending me for training, and the two locations were Morristown New Jersey or Laguna Beach California. Mostly, east coast people went to Morristown and West coast people went to Laguna Beach. I am not sure how much you know about New Jersey, but in my view there was no comparison. 

Me: "Can I go to the training in Laguna Beach?"
Boss: "If you can find a flight that costs the same or less to LA, then sure."
Me: "OK"

Well, due the strangeness of the airline industry I was in fact able to find a flight that went 2500 miles for less money than a flight that went 400 miles. I spent a week right on the beach in a hotel I never could have afforded otherwise. (I tried sleeping with the door open, but the waves were too loud.)  My one regret is I did not bring my girlfriend (now wife), who was laid off from her job not 3 weeks after my trip. 

Anyways, that's my Laguna Beach story. That and my golf partner bought a place there for when he retires and he's retiring tomorrow, so maybe I'll have a place to stay for a visit someday.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Ugh, I hate when the airlines mess with your seats especially after you've paid for them!  Glad you got it sorted out and got your refund in the end.



I wasn't sure about the refund until I got home.  The staff member I spoke to said that she processed it and that it would take a few days to land back against my CC.  I was pleased to see the credit when I returned.





jedijill said:


> I love looking at all the other airlines too...its always thrilling to see the foreign airlines and dreaming of taking trips to their home countries.
> 
> You lawbreakers!  Glad you got off on a warning....that would have been a hassle to have to pay a ticket.
> 
> Jill in CO



Dreams are good.  I just have to have something solid to dream about next!

  Perhaps we might have paid other fines before.  Perhaps it's less of a hassle than it possibly could be.   







mvf-m11c said:


> Finally I got to read your trip report after being away lately. I just missed your first update when I left on Sunday. I will be here as well while I go over my other pictures during the trip.
> 
> That was not right of the airline to change your seat location without notifying you. Luckily you were able to get seats together for that flight and get a refund for the trouble.
> 
> That was nice that you got off with a warning from the police.



Welcome back.

I double-checked the fineprint of the early seat allocation policy.  It's there in the policy.  They reserve the right to change without telling anyone.

Those cops were very kind to us.







WanderlustNZ said:


> I'm feeling a slight sense of déjà vu reading your report.   DH and I also seem to snap at each other on the morning we go to the airport and admittedly it's usually my fault.  Our trip day has finally arrived, I don't want anything to go wrong at the last hurdle, and let's just say I might become a bit highly strung.



I'm glad to see that my relationship with DH is pretty normal.  





WanderlustNZ said:


> Also, what's up with airlines downgrading to smaller planes and mucking up our carefully picked seats?  I'm pleased though that everything worked out for you in the end.
> 
> What a nervous moment with the police.  Nice of him to let you off.



Er......it's not the first time we've been pulled over by police in a foreign country.  It's not even the second......

I think it might be the fourth or fifth.  







Leshaface said:


> I'm not sure what that dish is you made at Alison's but I want to try it!  Can't wait till you post the recipe later on.
> 
> Oh my gosh, United did that to us on this last WDW trip!  Selected our seats and the night before when I checked us in, we were everywhere!  That was the first time that ever happened and I was not happy about it.  With DM who's not a good flier and an infant (who wants to sit by a baby on a plane, really?) I was even more nervous/anxious.  It ended up being alright in the end getting 2 of our seats out of the 3 together, but I couldn't imagine it for a 14 hour flight.  Thank goodness they refunded the extra you paid on those seats.



I remember reading about it in your TR.  I was pretty annoyed the night I found out as well.  Waiting to speak to a real person didn't help matters.  When I finally got through, I had to count to 10 before I spoke so that I didn't chew the person at the other end out.

Hopefully, neither you nor I go through that again.







Leshaface said:


> Laguna Beach is gorgeous. When I had an internship in college, one of my 'jobs' was to deliver various items to businesses and I would have to drive on that street that you took a picture from time to time to make those delivieries.  That's the only time I didn't mind not getting paid for doing work.
> 
> Phew!  You guys did get off and I bet you were so relieved when they did that!



That's a great street to drive down.  On a warm day, it would be a great drive along the 1/PCH.

Yes, I was rather relieved to be let off with a warning.








franandaj said:


> Getting away to the airport is so stressful.  Im glad you were honest that you had "words". Honestly Fran and I never have "words" ever since I adopted my policy that each time I would say something I take a shot or down a glass of wine. Takes away all the stress!   It may not be the best option for those early morning flights, but at least it alleviates those worried feelings!
> 
> Probably not the best remedy for a one pot screamer such as yourself, but it worked this morning!  Just dont tell my better half!



Having a glass is not the best policy for me.  I'd be beetroot red all the time! 

DH and I are used to clearing the air.  He doesn't like it much because he doesn't like conflict, but at least it's over and done without anyone holding on to 'trivial' things.  







franandaj said:


> Glad you wiggled your way out of the ticket in Laguna. I bet they are just waiting to nail some tourists!



I was surprised that they let the truck go and pinged us.  The truck really floored it after it did the u-turn.  Contrary to what the cop said, we were much more sedate.  In the end, I'm glad we got off with a warning.  And it makes for a great vignette in this TR.






zanzibar138 said:


> Wow I would be so terrified being pulled over by the cops in another country. I've never even been pulled over here! Very nice of them to let you off with a warning.



DH has a habit of being pulled over.  Here, there and everywhere.

I've been pulled over once in the US for not indicating long enough before changing lanes.  







zanzibar138 said:


> I hate when they change the plane, but it would be especially bad when it mucks up all your seating arrangements. Thank goodness you were able to still find 3 seats together AND get your refund.
> 
> I don't think you're on your own when it comes to night before/morning of bickering. DH and I are right up there with you.



From the looks of responses to that post, it seems like there are a number of us that has 'words' on departure day.  







dolphingirl47 said:


> I can't believe that they just changed the seats on you. I know that seats get changed due to aircraft changes, but if they make you pay for the pleasure then it really is not on. What a shame that you ended up with a B747 instead of the A380. How nice that the cops let you off.
> 
> Corinna



I double checked the fineprint when I was on hold; so I knew there was no point even bringing it up with the agent I spoke to.  The policy does state that they reserve the right to change your seat and that the seat isn't guaranteed. 








Luvchefmic said:


> Oct 2014 Trip
> 
> Save the Date! It's a Family Ceremony that pushed me into making another Mad Dash. And as there's space on this thread, why start a new one, right?
> 
> 
> Glad I saw this otherwise I was like WHAT ??? Have I stepped back in time  I had originally followed the link, skipped over the shortcut links and the first post I read was dated 2010
> 
> All that to say YEAH I'm here too  ( and no longer confused )



Glad you're here (and no longer confused!).  







tiggrbaby said:


> Wow!  That was a really stressful start to your trip!



It certainly is one of the more eventful starts in a long time!  






eandesmom said:


> Wow what a departure day! Completely lucky, that is some pixie dust right there, getting off with a warning. I swear, I didn't think they even still gave warnings anymore!
> 
> The predictable behaviors crack me up, we have those too!



It's been a while since DH has been pulled over in the US but he is so 'nice' that he always seems to get off with a warning.  I've learnt to keep my mouth shut in those instances.  I don't think I'm as 'nice'.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> Woah that was some stressy starts to the trip! I would have been cranky with the airlines too, and yep, arguing like an old married couple over trivia - sounds familiar. With our road trip in front of us there'll be a few more ahead for me and DH. The cop incident would have been scary -we've all seen those US cop shows! Glad it ended well. Love the hummingbird pic! Reading along when I can.



Hey!  Thanks for checking in whilst you're on vacay!

I have a few more hummingbird pics to share.  







********** said:


> I saw this picture before I read what was around it and though - "Wow, that's a really small plane!










********** said:


> Your cop  story - your DH made the right move being super-contrite. By not giving them any hassle, they probably decided quickly it wasn't worth the trouble of giving you a ticket that would likely never get paid anyways. That had to been a stressful several minutes.



That's why I've learnt to let DH do the talking.  







********** said:


> Back in 1996 I spent a week at a hotel right there on Laguna Beach, I think it's even in your picture right on the beach. Our company was sending me for training, and the two locations were Morristown New Jersey or Laguna Beach California. Mostly, east coast people went to Morristown and West coast people went to Laguna Beach. I am not sure how much you know about New Jersey, but in my view there was no comparison.
> 
> Me: "Can I go to the training in Laguna Beach?"
> Boss: "If you can find a flight that costs the same or less to LA, then sure."
> Me: "OK"
> 
> Well, due the strangeness of the airline industry I was in fact able to find a flight that went 2500 miles for less money than a flight that went 400 miles. I spent a week right on the beach in a hotel I never could have afforded otherwise. (I tried sleeping with the door open, but the waves were too loud.)  My one regret is I did not bring my girlfriend (now wife), who was laid off from her job not 3 weeks after my trip.
> 
> Anyways, that's my Laguna Beach story. That and my golf partner bought a place there for when he retires and he's retiring tomorrow, so maybe I'll have a place to stay for a visit someday.



That hotel looked fantastic!  It is in such a great location and I'd love to stay there someday.

I can sure believe that it was more expensive to fly 400 miles than flying 2500 miles.  Pity that DW didn't get to tag along.  Maybe you'll get to visit Laguna in a future trip out west to play some golf!


----------



## bobbiwoz

Tension, then relief!...I am hooked!


----------



## PrincessInOz

bobbiwoz said:


> Tension, then relief!...I am hooked!



Glad you're here, Bobbi.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Our Home away from Home for the next 4 nights*


Discover #5.  Space IS the final frontier.  My family will take more space (phenomenal cosmic powers) any day over 5-star luxury (itty bitty living space).



Our destination was somewhere in the North County of San Diego.  When we first started visiting my aunt, North County was considered to be the furthest frontier of San Diego.  In fact, we used to drive to my aunt's place through orange groves and cattle farms. 









A drive out this way certainly tested our olfactory senses out.  One minute we would smell the redolence stink of cow pats; the next, our noses would be filled with the citrus scents that we have so come to associate with Soarin'.


North County is now considered to be one of the hot spots to move to in San Diego.  Over the years, we have seen the cattle farms disappear and the orange groves cut down.  They have been replaced with a proliferation of housing estates, shops, urban areas and eateries.  All of this meant that staying in North County was no longer the banishment to the final frontier that it once used to be.


We had the choice of any number of cookie-cutter hotels in the area; as well as the option to stay at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego.  My cousin had negotiated discount rates at the Manchester for wedding guests and we did consider staying there.

The itty bitty living spaces of hotels, no matter what class or star grade it is, will still fit my family.  But in recent years, I've been looking for alternative accommodation to the hotels.  Afterall, my DS is growing up and he likes his space.  We've been finding that a vacation rental is a much better fit for my family than a hotel.  My go-to websites have been VRBO and AirBnB.  I've been relatively successful to-date and a vacation rental does come with the risk that you might pick a property listed by a scammer. 


I was gobsmacked to find that there was a 3-bedroom property available for short term rental about 5 minutes away from my aunt's house.  The owner told me that she put it up for rental about 18 months ago and I'm so glad she did.








Located in a very quiet residential street, it was no-contest for the Manchester.








I had also considered renting 1-bedroom places along the beach but kept coming back to this house and weighing up the space considerations.  There was something akin to phenomenal cosmic powers about this property when I kept looking at it on the website.








Our home away from home was perfect for us.








The living space was a place that DS commandeered as his own.  I was regularly chased out of this room by him.








DH and I really enjoyed having full kitchen facilities.








We did use the dining table once as a dining table but DH ended up spending a lot of his time in this corner of the house.  Whilst he didn't chase me away, I was always conscious that I was encroaching in his man space when I sat down at the table with him.








We were definitely spoilt for the choice of beds.








DS decided that this was his room.









That left this 3rd bedroom as spare.








There was a bathroom in this part of the house.  DS got sole use of it.









We chose the main bedroom.









We had our own ensuite facilities.









We also fully utilised the walk-in robe.  Afterall, it was 5 days that we were going to be here for; so it was worth unpacking and making the place feel more like home.








The little courtyard area off the main bedroom was interesting to look at but I never got out there.  Afterall, what you see here is all there is to it.








So, with DS commandeering the living room, and DH owning the dining area, this space was my favourite place to hang around in.  I did come out and enjoy the garden oasis whenever I could.









I will admit that we didn't miss being in a 4-star hotel in the downtown area one bit.  We all loved the space we had here.


For those considering the vacation rental route.  Be aware that it does come with trade-offs.  Usually, the owners will factor in a cleaning fee and will want the full amount before you even arrive.  Cancellation policies vary depending on the owners.

For a couple of the houses we have stayed in, we are responsible for making sure that the linen is stripped off the beds and placed in the laundry; as well as emptying out the trash.  

There are usually a list of do's and dont's prominently placed somewhere in the property.  

If any of these....and possibly more....do bother you, then stick with the hotel accommodation.


_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Trochilidae Watching*


Discovery #6.  It's TRUE!  It's ALWAYS greener is someone else's backyard.



As far as birds go, Australian birds are quite stunning.  From the rainbow lorikeet....








...to the Magpie....








....Kookaburra....








....Cockatoos.....








....Corella....








....Yellow bellied Honeyeater.








Yes, we do have a range of rather colourful and noisy birds in our bush.  Even living in the 'burbs of Melbourne, I have seen the rainbow lorikeet, magpie and corella flying around; and the kookaburra and a different species of the cockatoo can be found in the Royal Melbourne Gardens right in the downtown area.


Despite the diverse range of colourful birds, there is one family of birds we don't have.  And it is very easy to attract these birds to an American garden.  You just need the right equipment and liquid sustenance.








Those of you that followed my posts in the Anyone Game TR might remember that I had spotted a hummingbird in Carsland last year.  I didn't have the right lens on the camera at the time but was fortunate enough to get a very quick snap of it flying.  When I posted the picture, that was the one that generated the most commentary in that series of pictures.  For the Americans reading along, a hummingbird is pretty common in gardens around the US.  For the Britons and Australians reading along where the family Trochilidae of birds are not indigenous to our continents, it was a real treat to see one.


Hummingbirds are among the smallest and lightest of birds on the planet.  They are called hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air at rapid wing flapping rates, typically around 50 - 200 times per second.  









Our host told us that they have a territory range of about ½ a mile and that there were about 3 or 4 hummingbirds that constantly came into this garden to feed.  One of them was particularly territorial and dominant.  That one would chase the others away if he/she saw them hovering around the feeders.  

I was to find out that if I remained quiet and relatively still, that hammock was perfectly positioned for me to practise my sport/action photography skills.  








If you set a high enough shutter speed, you can freeze the motion of these birds.   These were taken within a-20 minute timeframe in the late afternoon on arrival day.  I'd like to say that I managed to better these shots on subsequent shootings but it didn't quite work out that way.





































These next three are probably my favourite three in the set.























Despite being incredibly tired, it was a fascinating period of time for me.
What the pictures do not share is the sound of the wings humming and the bird noises these birds make.  I could always hear them chirp about in the trees before they would swoop down to feed.  You Americans are so lucky to have these birds about!  As they say....it's always greener in someone else's backyard.

_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*The NOT Rehearsal Dinner*


Discovery #7.  Human bodies are designed to shut down and sleep.  Staying up for 40 hours straight is not a good idea.



Before we arrived, my aunt had sent an email inviting us to rehearsal dinner or making it to a coffee and cake catch-up afterwards.  At that time, we had been sufficient vague in our acceptance for this night as we knew from experience that we would all be completely grumpy by this stage of arrival day.  

True to form, by this stage of the groundhog day, the three of us had been accumulating brain junk over two continents for 40 hours straight and we were all just snapping at each other.  I don't know about you, but there comes a point where I just need to curl up and let the brain garbage men come and clean out the memory banks and the accumulated junk so that I'm not so cranky.  

There was no way we were going to make it to rehearsal dinner or the coffee and cake catch-up afterwards.  It might have been a different matter if the catch-up was happening in North County; but it was being held in downtown San Diego.  Neither DH nor I were capable of driving straight and given the run-in with the cops earlier in the day, we sent our apologies and told everyone we would catch up with them at the wedding.



But we didn't just crash (into bed) straightaway.  There was still the matter of dinner to sort out.








The brain garbologists needed some energy before they could commence work.  We decided to try out a local sushi place that rated highly on Trip Advisor.








We had a great view of the main proteins where we were sitting.








Our waitress was great.  She reminded us that there are still pockets in the US where service is paramount; and the service she showed us on this night was fantastic. Her manner was the right balance of sweet, savoury, salty and spicy....just like the condiments.



 




It was our first time at the Love Boat and we could see a number of items being sent out of the kitchen that looked tantalising.  Problem was....we couldn't easily match the items to the menu list.  We could take a guess; but it could have been hit and miss as to whether we were right or not.  Our waitress came round at the right time and after letting her know that we were "noobs", she gave us a run-down of how things worked and what the different categories on the menu were.  She was so obliging that we decided to leave the ordering to the waitress.  She asked us some questions on our preferences and dietary requirements and then placed an order for us.

We do have good Japanese in Melbourne but nothing like this! Padre tempura roll (soft shell crab upon crab).








Presentation is everything!








The delightfully spicy marine boy (tuna and salmon with avocado roll).








That sauce was lovely but the tuna inside has a real zing to it.  








After being awake for nearly 40 hours, this was exactly what we needed for dinner.  It was light but filling at the same time.



At least it was filling for DH and me.  DS wanted some more Californian rolls.  Teenagers!








It was just as well that there was food for us to eat.  If nothing else, it stopped us from snapping at each other during the meal.  By the time we finished dinner, we knew it was time.  All of us were ready to get to bed.  We'd done the right thing in skipping rehearsal dinner and doing our own thing.  I am happy to report that the brain garbage men did their job well that night.  Staying up for 40 hours straight might not be the best thing for human bodies but at least we woke up the next day completely refreshed and in the correct time zone.  No jetlag for us!



Footnote.  Our decision to give the post rehearsal dinner coffee and cake a miss turned out to be a good one.  The family told me that they didn't feel like dessert after the dinner so everyone headed back to the respective hotels and homes to grab an early night.


_


----------



## ACDSNY

I was rolling on the floor reading all the updates.  Yes DH & I have the same snappy routine as you two when leaving on a trip.

 I'm so glad DH got off lightly on the U-turn business.

 Loved all the hummingbird pics.  We have a dominant one at our place too.  Watching them always puts me in a good mood.


----------



## dolphingirl47

The house looks great and definitely beads a hotel room. The hummingbird photos are absolutely amazing. This was quite an achievement for you to stay awake for 40 hours.

Corinna


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Another great update.  

NZ too is fond of it's bird species, but seeing a hummingbird overseas is very exciting for us.  Your pics are fantastic.  

That sushi looks yum, particularly the crab stuff at the start.  

I had to laugh at your mention of multiple run ins with the police during your travels.  Have you always been lucky enough to get let off?


----------



## LegoMom3

Fantastic hummingbird shots!  Glad you got to enjoy those little guys.    Love the house!!  When my family of 5 has gone to FL to see my dad, we always rent a house or condo.  Esp. for our size family, the extra space is always worth it and I have never minded the cleaning fee or other such things.  It's nice to feel like you are at "home" on any sort of extended stay like that.

.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Nice score on the rental home!  And those hummingbird pics... ...Supreme!


----------



## mvf-m11c

The house that you stayed during your first few days is very nice and spacious. 

The hummingbird pictures are very nice. Good thing that you had your telephoto lens with you when you were relaxing and to be able to get pictures.


----------



## jedijill

I don't blame you for getting the house...much more room and more comfortable than a hotel room for a week.  

Love the hummingbird shots!  You do manage to capture some great shots.  

Jill in CO


----------



## Luvchefmic

Amazing hummingbird pictures I agree  I have never seen one in real life


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Love those amazing hummingbird pics, and the rental accom - our favoured choice if staying put a few days too.


----------



## skier_pete

That is quite a fantastic place to stay. We have occasionally rented houses for ski vacation, and we've gotten very good fortune doing that. 

Hummingbirds are pretty incredible creatures. There's some real colorful ones out there. But you do beat all for bird plumage in Australia, even if they are a bit on the noisy side. (We did get lucky to here the Kookaburra's one morning in the glass-house mountains. They didn't wake us up fortunately!)


----------



## scottny

I am here. 

30 minutes late isn't too bad. 

Glad you did get to keep the seats together after the paper change.

Nice pics on the beach.

Glad the cop let you go. next year I will remember not to make any turns while we are out there. LOL. 

The place you rented looked very nice.

Hummingbirds are so pretty. 

The sushi looked good and good call on the festivities.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> I was rolling on the floor reading all the updates.  Yes DH & I have the same snappy routine as you two when leaving on a trip.



  Glad you liked the updates!




ACDSNY said:


> I'm so glad DH got off lightly on the U-turn business.
> 
> Loved all the hummingbird pics.  We have a dominant one at our place too.  Watching them always puts me in a good mood.



They were very relaxing to listen to and look at.







dolphingirl47 said:


> The house looks great and definitely beads a hotel room. The hummingbird photos are absolutely amazing. This was quite an achievement for you to stay awake for 40 hours.
> 
> Corinna



Thanks Corinna.  The house was great.  I tend to stay up for 36 - 40 hours every time I head across the pond.







WanderlustNZ said:


> Another great update.
> 
> NZ too is fond of it's bird species, but seeing a hummingbird overseas is very exciting for us.  Your pics are fantastic.



Thanks!




WanderlustNZ said:


> That sushi looks yum, particularly the crab stuff at the start.



I'd happily eat there or in another one of it's chain locations again.





WanderlustNZ said:


> I had to laugh at your mention of multiple run ins with the police during your travels.  Have you always been lucky enough to get let off?



In the multiple run-ins, we've been pinged once.  







LegoMom3 said:


> Fantastic hummingbird shots!  Glad you got to enjoy those little guys.    Love the house!!  When my family of 5 has gone to FL to see my dad, we always rent a house or condo.  Esp. for our size family, the extra space is always worth it and I have never minded the cleaning fee or other such things.  It's nice to feel like you are at "home" on any sort of extended stay like that.
> 
> .



I've always thought renting a house or a condo makes sense in Orlando.  The problem is that I like the full immersion of being on-site.






tiggrbaby said:


> Nice score on the rental home!  And those hummingbird pics... ...Supreme!



Thank you.  







mvf-m11c said:


> The house that you stayed during your first few days is very nice and spacious.



There was plenty of room and we really enjoyed our stay there.





mvf-m11c said:


> The hummingbird pictures are very nice. Good thing that you had your telephoto lens with you when you were relaxing and to be able to get pictures.



I put the telephoto on the camera before I got in the hammock.  I figured that the birds were coming round so often that I might as well be prepared beforehand and enjoy the hammock at the same time.  






jedijill said:


> I don't blame you for getting the house...much more room and more comfortable than a hotel room for a week.
> 
> Love the hummingbird shots!  You do manage to capture some great shots.
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks Jill.  






Luvchefmic said:


> Amazing hummingbird pictures I agree  I have never seen one in real life



You've never seen a hummingbird?  Do they range down to Florida?







Aussie Wendy said:


> Love those amazing hummingbird pics, and the rental accom - our favoured choice if staying put a few days too.



Thanks, Wendy.  Rental accommodation is definitely becoming the vacation choice for DH and me as well.






********** said:


> That is quite a fantastic place to stay. We have occasionally rented houses for ski vacation, and we've gotten very good fortune doing that.



Thanks!  Yes, we've rented houses for ski vacations as well.  It's the preferred way to go when skiing here.





********** said:


> Hummingbirds are pretty incredible creatures. There's some real colorful ones out there. But *you do beat all for bird plumage in Australia*, even if they are a bit on the noisy side. (We did get lucky to here the Kookaburra's one morning in the glass-house mountains. They didn't wake us up fortunately!)



The grass is definitely greener!  

But I agree with you.  The Australian birds are very pretty to look at.  Even the black and white ones.






scottny said:


> I am here.
> 
> 30 minutes late isn't too bad.
> 
> Glad you did get to keep the seats together after the paper change.
> 
> Nice pics on the beach.
> 
> Glad the cop let you go. next year I will remember not to make any turns while we are out there. LOL.
> 
> The place you rented looked very nice.
> 
> Hummingbirds are so pretty.
> 
> The sushi looked good and good call on the festivities.



Nice to see you here, Scott!  Thanks for following the breadcrumbs.

I hope that you have no run-ins with cops when you're in California next year!  I certainly wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.


----------



## franandaj

That house looked great.  We will have to look into VRBO for future travels, I would gladly trade space for trendy downtown hotels!

Even though we see hummingbirds every day, your photos of them are spectacular.  To catch them mid flight is quite beautiful.

If I'm ever in North County I will look up that Love Boat Sushi, we love those sort of CA Asian Fusion rolls!

I'm glad that you were refreshed after the night's sleep.  I can completely relate to your first day tired level!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That house looked great.  We will have to look into VRBO for future travels, I would gladly trade space for trendy downtown hotels!
> 
> Even though we see hummingbirds every day, your photos of them are spectacular.  To catch them mid flight is quite beautiful.
> 
> If I'm ever in North County I will look up that Love Boat Sushi, we love those sort of CA Asian Fusion rolls!
> 
> I'm glad that you were refreshed after the night's sleep.  I can completely relate to your first day tired level!



Thanks, Alison.

Next time, we should put Japanese fusion rolls on our dining list.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 2: 'Us' Time and Family Celebrations


_*A Hidden Treasure*


Discovery #8.  Sometimes, you need to branch out away from the family and do your own thing.




I love the San Diego branch of my family to death! Really I do.   I visit them whenever I can and keep in contact by phone/skype at least once a quarter.  But I cannot deny that this branch of the family tends to be homebodies and not very adventurous.  That....coupled with the fact that my visits tend to be Mad Dashes of 1 or 2-day durations, we really haven't spent a lot of time sightseeing North County at all.  Most of the previous times we've visited, we pretty much spend our time at my aunt's house or running in and out of shops or heading down further south to San Diego or west to the beaches.  


I think one of the reasons I got the home away from home rather than staying with my aunt is because I wanted to have the opportunity to come and go and do our own thing.



Despite being one of the larger incorporated cities in North County, Escondido has remained fairly low-key simply because it is located inland rather than being located along the coast like Oceanside or Carlsbad.  In fact, the word "Escondido" means 'hidden' in Spanish.  Looking at the Grand Avenue on this morning, you might be forgiven for thinking that it is still in hiding.








But this was still early in the day.  I think we got here at about 8.30 am, before most people had even gotten organised.








I'd done my research on breakfast places to eat in North County.  This place rated quite well.  It was billed as the only French Bakery in North County; although there is some debate on line about the authenticity of the 'French' part.








Irrespective of French origins, there was general consensus on one thing.



 




If you’re going to eat here, go early before the crowds arrive.  

We had timed our arrival perfectly.  Shortly after we had ordered and sat down, there was a line of people out the door and the place got quite noisy as more diners filled the place up.



 





The displays up the front will filled with all sort of delectable pastries.  There might not have been the quantity of an Epcot Boulangerie, but the quality looked decent enough.



 




























We were here for breakfast and what we ordered was delicious.  The staff and kitchen were also accommodating enough to tweak their ingredients so that DH got a lactose-free plate.  

DH got a basic omelette.  The staff made sure that the cooks didn't include any milk products or use butter at all on the dish.  








He also got herbal tea to go with his meal.  There was a pretty decent selection of teas to choose from.









DS got the Eggs Benedict....









....and a hot chocolate to drink.









I decided on one of the daily specials.  The Croissant French Toast captured my imagination when I saw it on the specials board......but it didn't match up to the description.  
Call me crazy but I did think that a French Toast - croissant or not - would involve a bit of egg in the dish.  This one was just a croissant (and a very nice one at that) cut in half with a bucketful of maple syrup.  My tastebuds may have been mistaken and there could have been egg in that dish; but on this morning, I really couldn't taste any.









I was more impressed by the coffee.   I think this place used Moto Coffee and the taste of the coffee was quite decent.  I did google them when I got home.  If it is Moto, then it would appear that this establishment self-roasts their bean in small batches.  For my money, Moto seem to know what they are doing with coffee beans.









DH's breakfast came with one of the homemade baguettes and homemade preserves.  The bread and jam was outstanding.



 





The verdict?  Despite my dish, we all thought a Delight of France was delectable.  It is definitely somewhere we would come back to.  A true Hidden Treasure in Escondido!


I did tell my aunt and cousins about this place.  They were surprise to hear that there was such a bakery in their neck of the woods and wanted to know how I found out about it.  Just as well we decided to do our own thing this trip!



_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*DisOrientation of a Different Kind*


Discovery #9.  In the Northern Hemisphere, DH does not know up from down and South from North.




1. I think you might have noticed by now that I live in Australia.  Yes, I am located in the Southern Hemisphere where down is up and Christmas is usually hot and summery.  


2. A little known trait about myself.  I actually have a pretty decent sense of direction and can be usually trusted to be the homing pigeon in any group.  In fact, until we all learnt how to spell GPS, I was always the designated map reader in any car.  


Let's pull those two points together, shall we?  



DH and I really ARE an old married couple and whilst we are really comfortable in our relationship, we do have our share of disagreements.  By and large, we know where each other's buttons are and how to push them from time to time.  Sometimes, we push them just for fun!  Still....Occasionally, I get surprised by the little things.  I was surprised to find that we had a minor disagreement about these curtains in our room.








Every morning, I would wake up and close them.  Every morning, without fail, DH would open them up again.








Every time when I walked in the room, I would close them up again.  Every time, after DH had entered the room, they would be opened again.  It had been a dance that drove me bonkers for 2 full days.  


It took me until the morning of day 3 to 'ask' DH why the heck he opened the curtains up after I had diligently closed them.  He had a perfectly sensible Southern Hemisphere response for me.  

Those windows face south.  In the Southern Hemisphere, south-facing windows are usually in the dark side of the world.  North-facing windows are usually the ones we close up to minimise the sun streaming through them.  

DH, who has long worked out that I have the better sense of direction, was completely oblivious to the fact that up is down in the Northern Hemisphere.  The sun streams in through the South in this part of the globe!!!!!  

If we leave them open, the room would heat up.  If we close them, we keep the room relatively cool.



Let's just say that he's no longer disorientated to this fact now.

_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Life In the North-facing Garden Slow Lane*


Discovery #10.  Who would have believed it?  I really do know how to slow down and keep still!



For the last 10 years or so, my life has been one constant EverReady Battery.  I've been constantly on the Go, Go, Go and believed that I'd forgotten how to sit still. 








Even when we go on holiday, we're constantly on the go.  I was pretty crushed last year when DH turned around on day 3 of our vacation and asked me when our vacation was going to start!! 
Don't get me wrong, I sure hope that battery continues to burn bright for a long time to come; but it might be nice to flick that 'off' button every now and again.



 




During breakfast, I found that my two boys wanted to do diametrically different things this morning.  DH had booked into a free base guitar lesson at the local Guitar Centre (Google is his friend as well) but DS had wanted to head back to the house to watch more Anime.  When DH had booked the lesson, we had assumed that DS and I would take a look at the nearby shops.  Afterall, it was only an hour.  We found out at breakfast that DS had different ideas.  

Unusually, it was left to me to keep the peace.  The solution was simple.  I dropped DH off at the Guitar Centre and then drove DS back to the house.  

Originally, I had thought to make sure DS was fine at the house and Go, Go, Go back to where the Guitar Centre was.  There was a Kohls and Walmart in the same strip.


But I hadn't counted on the lure of the garden.  That wonderful green north-facing garden.








There sure is some magic to this garden.  The gentle trickling sound of water was so soothing.









And in this cool, green oasis......it was a bird magnet.















In the end, I passed up on heading back to the shopping strip and spent some time listening to the wind in the trees.....









....the sounds of birds chirping....









....and the hum of wings.

















Amazingly, I spent close on an hour lying in the hammock.  For me, that's like an eternity!  I really didn't think I knew how to slow down like that at all but it was fantastic to find out that I still knew how to.


_




(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Carlsbad - Legoland of the Clothes Kind*


Discovery #11.  Everything is Awesome!



If you hang around the ANZAC section of the DisBoard for long enough, you'll discover that where and what to shop when in the US is one of those perennial questions that gets asked.  


It's not that we don't have shops here or anything....it's just that the cost of living here is so much higher than over in the US.  Mostly everything is more expensive.   Think Disney sticker shock and then some.  So much so that if you came over with a plane ticket and an empty suitcase, and you shop smart in the US, you can pretty much cover the cost of your plane ticket just by comparing what you would buy in the US to what you could buy the items for in Australia.


After I picked up DH from his freebie lesson, we made our way to Carlsbad.  Whenever you mention Carlsbad to any tourist, their first word association is always Legoland.  But DS has long outgrown Lego.  

No, our destination was the other wonder-world attraction in Carlsbad.  Our choice for today was the Carlsbad Premium Outlets.  There are only 90 stores in these outlets; by warehouse outlet comparisons, it isn't a big group of stores.  But I had picked it because it was located about 20 minutes away from our house and it did have the key stores that we like to go to.  


Columbus Day is not a recognised public holiday in California; but it is recognised by the stores.  There were sale signs everywhere!








I had spent some time clearing out my wardrobe in the lead-up to this trip; so I knew exactly where the gaps in my wardrobe were.  








Plugging the gaps in my wardrobe is a little bit like Lego.  Everything is Awesome at the warehouse outlets and with the sale signs, it was doubly awesome.


I started with the wardrobe building from the bottom up.








Feet foundation was of prime importance for both DH and myself.  We both bought 2 pairs each.








I kept attending to business wear and building up the wardrobe blocks.








Anyone wanna guess where I went next?









I finished up with the all-important accessories.  If you take a close look beyond the Cole-Haan store, you might spot the Dooney and Bourke store.  Coach is on the opposite side.








I've been admiring this little D&B for a while now.  I was sorely tempted but on very close inspection and pragmatic thinking, the size is much too small for me.  I would need something bigger.








Those of you that followed me in last year's trek will know that one of my prime complaints was the lack of shopping time.  No such complaints from me on this day.  In the 3 hours that we were here, I estimated that I covered about 60% of my plane fare just on the 'savings' I could claim by shopping in here instead of in Australia.


Everything is Awesome when plugging the gaps in my wardrobe!




_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Rubio's Fish Taco*


Discovery #12.  It's depressing to find that Mexican fast food in SoCal is better than most Mexican restaurant food in Melbourne.


Lunch today was at Rubio's, a Mexican fast food chain at Carlsbad Outlets. 


Rubio's started out in 1983 as a walk-up stand in Mission Bay, San Diego.   DH went with one of the signature item for Rubio's - Fish Taco Especiale.  Beer battered fish topped with fresh guacamole, shredded cabbage, mild salsa and white sauce wrapped in a warm, stone-ground corn tortilla.  We got them to hold on the cheese.








The fish taco was delicious.  But for my tastes, it was no match for the Mango Habenero Mahi Mahi Taco.  That spicy mango salsa was wonderful!  And that chili sauce packed a delicious punch.








DS went with the nachos.  








Here's another one of those frivolous points of difference between Oz and the US. If you asked for lemonade in Australia, you would get Sprite or 7-Up. If you asked for strawberry lemonade, no one would know what the heck you were talking about.









Ralph Rubio has certainly come a long way from his Mission Beach stand and this chain can now be found coast to coast.  For this Aussie, it was depressing to think that this humble Mexican Fish Taco fast food chain served better Mexican food than most of the Mexican restaurants in Melbourne.




_


----------



## franandaj

I'm going to put that bakery on the list. We're spending a night in Escondido this month and even though our hotel serves breakfast a couple pastries to take home might be nice!

I totally know what you mean about slowing down. I rarely do it either. Maybe someday. I know a perfect place to do it!

Good score on the shoes and other merchandise!  I love a good Rubio's taco.   I should take care of that once I get back home!


----------



## LegoMom3

::sigh:: .......breakfast food-porn while I'm enjoying your TR first thing in the morning over coffee....  Now I'm* hungry*!!  

Great update.  Love that you just enjoyed the little garden area for a while.  I also have a hard time slowing down.     But I would have enjoyed that area with all the birds!

Glad you got some good shopping in!  I always think of outlet shopping as  expensive (well, for getting "good" deals on really expensive stuff, but that's still out of my budget!!   ) but I guess it's all relative!  

Too funny about the curtains.  I am also considered our family's personal GPS.  

.


----------



## jedijill

Breakfast looked delicious but I'm with you...it's not French Toast without the egg!  

Shopping looked great...I love an outlet mall.  I can't believe the cost of living is so much higher...I have a feeling I'm really going to have sticker shock when I make it down under!

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

The breakfast at A Delight of France at Escondido looks very nice and appetizing. 

Very nice pictures from the backyard and the birds.

The Carlsbad Premium Outlet stores in looks a nice place to shop.

The fish tacos looks good and a nice place to eat.


----------



## Leshaface

I've recently discovered (in the last 2 years since DS has been born) about TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals and VRBO.  Price almosts matches that of a hotel, but with so much more space.  This house looks great and glad it worked out for you guys!

I think Hummingbirds are so cute.  Great shots of them.  They are hard to photograph for sure!

Mmm, the sushi looks delicious!

Your breakfast looks delicious too, although I expected to see it more 'fried' like french toast.

I've heard awesome things about the outlets in Carlsbad.  Gilroy is good too.  We have an outlet mall as well, but it's got to be the smallest in existence.


----------



## dolphingirl47

This sounded like a nice and productive morning. I can understand why the garden was so tempting. I am normally on the go permanently, too, but I am trying to have a couple of really relaxing days during our upcoming trip. Looks like you had a very productive shopping trip.

Corinna


----------



## eandesmom

I've used VBRO many many times with nary an issue. If it's just Jeff and I, a resort will do but been then we prefer those on more of the small boutique or inn or B&B style. With the kids, we all need more space than that if for more than a night or two. 

Mmmm that sushi looked fabulous. I am sad though that your experience is only good service happens in pockets of the us. 

Hummingbird make me happy, we have a few who frequent our butterfly bushes and other plants, some day perhaps I'll lean how to use my camera well enough to snap a photo! 

Partially caught up


----------



## WanderlustNZ

I'm afraid I would have been like your DH and following behind you reopening the curtains.  Even on hot days, I like plenty of natural light streaming into a room.  

Your bird photos are beautiful as per usual and your bakery pics are making me drool.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I'm going to put that bakery on the list. We're spending a night in Escondido this month and even though our hotel serves breakfast a couple pastries to take home might be nice!
> 
> I totally know what you mean about slowing down. I rarely do it either. Maybe someday. I know a perfect place to do it!
> 
> Good score on the shoes and other merchandise!  I love a good Rubio's taco.   I should take care of that once I get back home!



If you're going to Escondido, that bakery will be worth a stop.  I'll be interested to see what you think about the goodies.

I wonder where that perfect place is to slow down.  







LegoMom3 said:


> ::sigh:: .......breakfast food-porn while I'm enjoying your TR first thing in the morning over coffee....  Now I'm* hungry*!!
> 
> Great update.  Love that you just enjoyed the little garden area for a while.  I also have a hard time slowing down.     But I would have enjoyed that area with all the birds!
> 
> Glad you got some good shopping in!  I always think of outlet shopping as  expensive (well, for getting "good" deals on really expensive stuff, but that's still out of my budget!!   ) but I guess it's all relative!
> 
> Too funny about the curtains.  I am also considered our family's personal GPS.
> 
> .



It really is relative.  The labels are pricey enough here that normal retail in the US seems fair value.  Compared to outlet pricing?  Shop till you drop. 

That's funny that you're the human GPS as well.







jedijill said:


> Breakfast looked delicious but I'm with you...it's not French Toast without the egg!
> 
> Shopping looked great...I love an outlet mall.  I can't believe the cost of living is so much higher...I have a feeling I'm really going to have sticker shock when I make it down under!
> 
> Jill in CO



If ********** reads this, he can give you his perspective.  He and his family came to Australia a couple of years ago.  If you think Disney pricing and add a bit on top, you should be okay.  

I'm going to try and make a croissant french toast this weekend.  I am curious to see what it tastes like.  






mvf-m11c said:


> The breakfast at A Delight of France at Escondido looks very nice and appetizing.
> 
> Very nice pictures from the backyard and the birds.
> 
> The Carlsbad Premium Outlet stores in looks a nice place to shop.
> 
> The fish tacos looks good and a nice place to eat.



Thanks Bret.  It was a nice morning for "us" time.  I've always liked the Carlsbad outlets.  It's been a favourite place to shop in SoCal for DH and myself for quite a while now.






Leshaface said:


> I've recently discovered (in the last 2 years since DS has been born) about TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals and VRBO.  Price almosts matches that of a hotel, but with so much more space.  This house looks great and glad it worked out for you guys!
> 
> I think Hummingbirds are so cute.  Great shots of them.  They are hard to photograph for sure!
> 
> Mmm, the sushi looks delicious!
> 
> Your breakfast looks delicious too, although I expected to see it more 'fried' like french toast.
> 
> I've heard awesome things about the outlets in Carlsbad.  Gilroy is good too.  We have an outlet mall as well, but it's got to be the smallest in existence.



I think you'll find that as Calvin grows up, the vacation rental option becomes much more attractive.  I love the hotel experience; but it is nice to have more space.

Gilroy is great.  When we are in NorCal, that's one of the outlets that I hit.  The Great Mall in Milpitas is the other.  
I also like Camarillo.

The smallest outlets I've seen so far are the ones in Sedona.  30 shops in that outlet complex.







dolphingirl47 said:


> This sounded like a nice and productive morning. I can understand why the garden was so tempting. I am normally on the go permanently, too, but I am trying to have a couple of really relaxing days during our upcoming trip. Looks like you had a very productive shopping trip.
> 
> Corinna



It was a rather productive shopping trip.  DH bought a Calvin Klein leather jacket.  That savings on that purchase was about 50% of his airfare.  

I hope you get some relax days on your trip.  Not long to go now.  







eandesmom said:


> I've used VBRO many many times with nary an issue. If it's just Jeff and I, a resort will do but been then we prefer those on more of the small boutique or inn or B&B style. With the kids, we all need more space than that if for more than a night or two.
> 
> Mmmm that sushi looked fabulous. I am sad though that your experience is only good service happens in pockets of the us.
> 
> Hummingbird make me happy, we have a few who frequent our butterfly bushes and other plants, some day perhaps I'll lean how to use my camera well enough to snap a photo!
> 
> Partially caught up



Thanks, Cynthia.

Looks like Jeff and your preferred accommodation match mine and my DH's.  We like the boutique inns, B&Bs and quaint....more than the large chain.  

Maybe its the places we frequent whenever we are in the US, but good service seems harder to find these days.  Perhaps it's my expectation of good service.  There is that consistent service of the wait staff coming by to take your order and then when the plates come out, they stop by again to make sure everything is okay.  But that's not necessarily good service in my book.

The hummingbirds made me happy too.






WanderlustNZ said:


> I'm afraid I would have been like your DH and following behind you reopening the curtains.  Even on hot days, I like plenty of natural light streaming into a room.
> 
> Your bird photos are beautiful as per usual and your bakery pics are making me drool.



  Let's never get in a room with curtains and streaming sunlight on a HOT day together.  Deal?  

Thanks.


----------



## skier_pete

PrincessInOz said:


> (Continued from Previous Post)
> 
> 
> _*DisOrientation of a Different Kind*
> 
> 
> It took me until the morning of day 3 to 'ask' DH why the heck he opened the curtains up after I had diligently closed them.  He had a perfectly sensible Southern Hemisphere response for me.
> 
> Those windows face south.  In the Southern Hemisphere, south-facing windows are usually in the dark side of the world.  North-facing windows are usually the ones we close up to minimise the sun streaming through them.
> 
> DH, who has long worked out that I have the better sense of direction, was completely oblivious to the fact that up is down in the Northern Hemisphere.  The sun streams in through the South in this part of the globe!!!!!
> 
> If we leave them open, the room would heat up.  If we close them, we keep the room relatively cool.
> 
> _



I am have a marvelous sense of direction, but I have to say the Northern vs Southern hemisphere can get even the best confused. I do a lot of my (day-time) Navigation by the sun's location in the sky, and at first it really flipped me out in Australia that the sun goes across the sky BACKWARDS.  

Not that it is in the North instead of the South, that I totally expected, but the fact that BECAUSE it is in the North, the sun travels from right to left (East to West) across the sky as opposed to up here in the Northern hemisphere it travels from left to right (also East to West).  So, as an american, it appeared that the sun was rising in the west and setting in the east.  

The and all the roundabouts and hook turns


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> I am have a marvelous sense of direction, but I have to say the Northern vs Southern hemisphere can get even the best confused. I do a lot of my (day-time) Navigation by the sun's location in the sky, and at first it really flipped me out in Australia that the sun goes across the sky BACKWARDS.
> 
> Not that it is in the North instead of the South, that I totally expected, but the fact that BECAUSE it is in the North, the sun travels from right to left (East to West) across the sky as opposed to up here in the Northern hemisphere it travels from left to right (also East to West).  So, as an american, it appeared that the sun was rising in the west and setting in the east.
> 
> The and all the roundabouts and hook turns



I knew you'd get it.  


Roundabouts and hook turns aren't too bad.  I still have issues with the 4-way stops when everyone kinda gets to the intersection at the same time.


----------



## ACDSNY

The curtain ordeal reminds me of the two of us.  When we're traveling he has a tendency to open as soon as he gets up and doesn't worry about if I'm just coming out of shower.  Hello!  I don't want to be a flasher in a towel.

 The backyard garden looks very tranquil and relaxing.  I'm sure you needed a little break.


----------



## PrincessInOz

ACDSNY said:


> The curtain ordeal reminds me of the two of us.  When we're traveling he has a tendency to open as soon as he gets up and doesn't worry about if I'm just coming out of shower.  Hello! * I don't want to be a flasher in a towel*.
> 
> The backyard garden looks very tranquil and relaxing.  I'm sure you needed a little break.



I used to have a window desk that looked into hotel rooms.  I've certainly had my share of flashers......in a towel.....and without a towel!!!!  

The best 'experience' was a hunky guy that obviously had no issues with keeping his curtains opened in the morning and walking around without any clothes.  He stayed for 2 nights.  
None of the other gals around me and I have voted anyone else higher.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Wedding Preparation*


Discovery #13.  Always carry a spare pair of pantyhose!



By the time we'd finished lunch, it was time to head home and get ready for the wedding.  I took more care than normal with make-up and hair (and I was having a real bad-hair day!!) and with my apparel.  You know how it is.


Sadly for me, I completely shredded the pair of hosiery I'd brought with me whilst I was dressing up.  As I didn't bring a back-up pair and there wasn't enough time for me to stop in the shops, I was obliged to go bare-legged.  Lucky for me, my legs were fit for human display.  


Not that I particularly care for pantyhose but I find that I need the slipperiness of the hosiery to help my feet be comfortable when I'm wearing heels.  I did bring a decent pair of shoes to wear to the wedding.  That's them there!  And that's where they stayed for the duration of the wedding.








After about 10 minutes of my toes painfully jammed against the pointy end, I decided that I needed to go with plan B.  Flat sandals might not be in vogue for a wedding, but at least I could walk comfortably in them.  I had shoved them in the boot (or trunk) of the car at the last minute.









Yes.  Blue, not black, was my colour choice for this wedding.  


Note to self.  Always bring a spare pair of hosiery with me! 
My footwear might not have been what I had planned on wearing.....but my feet were comfortable.  




_



(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Family Celebration Time*


Discovery #14.  Life should be all about making memories with family!




As weddings go, this was a tastefully understated elegant affair.  


The location was in the garden of Marston House, located at one end of San Diego's Balboa Park.








The house is now a house museum and is one of those examples of California's Arts and Crafts movement.








I wished we had time to explore the house; but we were there for a family celebration rather than to go-see.

The garden?  









Well....it was a wonderful setting for the wedding.









My aunt had prepared all the flower decorations for this wedding.  She had spent all of Friday working on them; which was the reason why we couldn't catch up with her on arrival day.  








I thought they were lovely!








I was so glad that I decided to get the blue outfit instead of wearing black.  The 'best girls' were all in black!  I would have totally looked like I was part of the wedding party.  Even my shoes would have matched.   In fact, the colour theme for the wedding was black and white.  








The Unity Candle is something that has been a modern addition to wedding ceremonies. 








I gather the lighting of the candle by the bride and groom is very popular in the US but cannot provide any insight to whether they are popular in Australia or not.  Certainly, they were not in vogue when my friends were getting married!








It was a truly joyeous time for us all.  The ceremony was peppered with funny moments as well....from the ring bearer taking the long way round (the ring bearer was the bride's dog and she decided to walk round the outside rather than head straight down the middle to the groom) to the best men pulling out their smart phones and iPads to do the solemn readings and the groom quoting the Impressive Clergyman (Peter Cook) speech, complete with lisp, from A Princess Bride.  ("Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam".)


I was truly happy to have made the effort to come to this wedding.  In that garden, with the family, it had been a period of making happy memories with loved ones.  Life is meant to be about moments like these.






_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Celebratory Dinner*


Discovery #15.  Food Porn truly makes me happy; especially when the food is good.




The celebration dinner was held at Bertrands Restaurant at Mr A's.  








Located up on the 12th floor, the view from the decking was great!
















Rated within the top 50 of restaurants in San Diego, I had looked forward to the meal in the anticipation of it being decent.  The menu for the night was not a surprise.  About 2 weeks beforehand, we had been provided with the meal options and asked to select what our preferences were for each course.  








The wedding guests were spread out on tables in 3 separate sections at Bertrands.  Whether it was luck or misfortune, we were placed at a table that was obviously one of the 'private' dining areas in the restaurant.








With about 10 tables, it was here that I truly appreciated the enormity of the floral arrangement task my aunt had undertaken.  The flowers were really lovely.









Our meal was absolutely wonderful.  We started off with warm crusty, soft bread.









DS and I had chosen the Lobster Bisque for our starter.  The lobster fritters added a wonderful punch to the dish.  









The other starter was the polenta and mushrooms.








DH got the vegetarian option....without the parmesan.  All elements in this dish were perfectly cooked and wonderfully balanced.








The mains were all equally as good.  I was in total foodie heaven.  What more could I ask for?  Good company, good food and reasonable light to shoot the food porn!



DH went with the vegetarian trio.  








I nearly had order envy when I saw the lamb.








Nearly......only that my tenderloin was fantastic.  








For the meat-lovers, it was unanimous.  There was nothing to split the lamb and the tenderloin.  Everyone that had a taste of both could not choose between the two.



I had been a little disappointed that there hadn't been a choice of dessert when we had been asked to put in our food preferences a couple of weeks back.
In fact, when I saw the menu with the "Presentation of Wedding Cake" in the place of dessert, I was downright sad.  








Not that I dislike cake, but I had hoped for something more than humble cake for dessert.  That was until the plates of cake started to hit our table.

One of the layers was a Passionfruit cake.  Absolutely fruity delight!








Another layer was a Black Forest cake.  To. Die. For!









We had been treated to a truly wonderful dinner.  I'll definitely remember this meal and will be enjoying the food porn from this night for quite a while!


_


----------



## dolphingirl47

I love the dress. Both the wedding venue and the meal look stunning.

Corinna


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> I used to have a window desk that looked into hotel rooms. I've certainly had my share of flashers......in a towel.....and without a towel!!!!
> 
> The best 'experience' was a hunky guy that obviously had no issues with keeping his curtains opened in the morning and walking around without any clothes. He stayed for 2 nights.



 At least there was a good experience to balance out the scary ones.

 DH tries to tell me the windows are all tinted and no one can see in.  I don't believe him for a second.

 Beautiful wedding.  Your Aunt did an amazing job on the flower arrangements and the food porn has me drooling.


----------



## jedijill

You look gorgeous in your wedding outfit!  I love heels but they kill my feet so you were smart to go with the sandals!  

The flowers are so beautiful and elegant!  Your aunt did a lovely job!

Oooh, love the bride's gown!  (I just spent the afternoon watching Say Yes to the Dress!)  

Any ceremony including readings from The Princess Bride scores a thumbs up with me!  Love, twue love!  (Making a mental note if I should ever get married)

The food looks amazing!  I love the cakes...glad they tasted good too!

Jill in CO


----------



## skier_pete

Looks like some tasty food! Still a long way to come for a wedding! I hope they appreciated your travel.


----------



## Leshaface

Wow what a gorgeous wedding!  The ceremony setting looks so serene and pretty.  And the view from the restaurant is fabulous!

The food looks delicious too!  Glad you ended up enjoying the cake after all


----------



## kaoden39

I absolutely love your bird pictures! They are just amazing.


----------



## mvf-m11c

The location for the wedding looks very nice and all of your pictures are very nice.

The restaurant looks very nice and the atmosphere must be amazing.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

What a stunning day!   I think the blue outfit was a great choice - you look beautiful.  

 I'm not sure I would want my guests sitting in different areas of a restaurant during my wedding, but other than that, everything about that wedding looked absolutely perfect.  Love the look of the ceremony venue, the dress, the flowers, and the food.   

I love weddings, but it feels like so long since I've been to one.  I keep waiting for my BFF to announce her engagement so I can start planning for a wedding trip to London.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Loved your dress!  The sandals looked fine and I'm sure felt much better than the heels!  It looked like a lovely ceremony and reception.


----------



## LegoMom3

You looked great!!  So did all that food.  AND THE FLOWERS!!......wow.  

.


----------



## zanzibar138

Loving the report so far! I won't comment on everything because I'm so far behind. Just quickly though, I love the hummingbird photos. We saw a couple on our trip, but there was no way I could have taken a photo of them! Good on you for slowing down a bit and enjoying the garden  Love your wedding outfit, even with flats. If it makes you feel any better, I wore flats to both my own wedding, and my SIL's wedding in which I was a bridesmaid  I think every wedding that I have been to in Australia in the last few years has had either a unity candle or the thing with the different coloured sands. We bucked the trend and did neither


----------



## IowaTater

O. M. G. do I love food porn.....I think I may have a slight addiction. 

The wedding looked absolutely beautiful!  The venue, the flowers, the bride's dress, the little funny moments...it all was gorgeous and very romantic. 

I really liked your dress and thought your shoes looked fine with it.  Whenever I have a wedding to go to, I always sneak a pair of comfy shoes in the car for the reception.  My best friend is getting married in December and much to my delight has said that all of the bridesmaids can wear sneakers under our dress.  

That view from the reception!  Wowzer!  I'm with you on the whole cake thing.  I like cake but sometimes just plain wedding cake is too sweet for my taste buds.  I would have been pleasantly surprised by that black forest cake.  Yummy!

It sounds like you had a splendid time with your family at the wedding.


----------



## franandaj

You look great in that dress and the sandals are just fine!

The event looked like it was quite the affair and that dinner sounds and looked spectacular! 

I think that the unity candle was coming into vogue around 20 years or so ago. I seem to remember a humorous event at someone's wedding *cough* *cough*. Said bride and groom were having trouble lighting he candle and asked "Does anyone have a lighter?" Every single one of the groomsmen produced one.   The audience (or whatever you call them) got a good chuckle.

Glad you were able to catch up with family at such a wonderful gathering.


----------



## eandesmom

PrincessInOz said:


> Perhaps it's my expectation of good service.  There is that consistent service of the wait staff coming by to take your order and then when the plates come out, they stop by again to make sure everything is okay.  But that's not necessarily good service in my book.
> 
> The hummingbirds made me happy too.



I would agree, that's adequate service, not necessarily good.

I'm happy you took an hour in the garden though a bit concerned that taking one hour was such a major accomplishment.  I too am very go go go, but definitely like "off" as well.  It's a good habit to get into, I hope you get a little more of it!

I have to admit, I can't imagine wearing hose.  I haven't done so in years.  In fact I was at an event where someone was discussing having to wear it, their feeling being that it was an east coast thing and they didn't want to offend and I did a bit of a double take.  I can't honestly remember the last time I saw anyone wearing hose at anything.  Tights yes, but pantyhose?  No.  I imagine though it's just as well.  While hose might protect the feet for a short while, the wedging is still there and catches up.  You looked lovely!  Shoes and all.

Lovely wedding, sounds like they had a buy out of the restaurant?  What a lovely dinner and ceremony and the flowers were stunning!  Unity candle seems very standard, I actually recall my dad and stepmom having one so that would have been what 36 years ago?

The curtain thing is funny!


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I love the dress. Both the wedding venue and the meal look stunning.
> 
> Corinna



Thanks Corinna.  Hope you're enjoying your trip!






ACDSNY said:


> At least there was a good experience to balance out the scary ones.
> 
> DH tries to tell me the windows are all tinted and no one can see in.  I don't believe him for a second.
> 
> Beautiful wedding.  Your Aunt did an amazing job on the flower arrangements and the food porn has me drooling.



I really enjoyed dinner that night.







jedijill said:


> You look gorgeous in your wedding outfit!  I love heels but they kill my feet so you were smart to go with the sandals!
> 
> The flowers are so beautiful and elegant!  Your aunt did a lovely job!
> 
> Oooh, love the bride's gown!  (I just spent the afternoon watching Say Yes to the Dress!)
> 
> Any ceremony including readings from The Princess Bride scores a thumbs up with me!  Love, twue love!  (Making a mental note if I should ever get married)
> 
> The food looks amazing!  I love the cakes...glad they tasted good too!
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks.  
I did include the sandals in my bag as a back-up.  I know my feet too well.  

The bride's dress was stunning.  It was completely 'her' and suited her perfectly.









********** said:


> Looks like some tasty food! Still a long way to come for a wedding! I hope they appreciated your travel.



We got an honourable mention in between everyone else from Philadephia, Boston, Chicago and Vancouver.  

It is a long way to travel.







Leshaface said:


> Wow what a gorgeous wedding!  The ceremony setting looks so serene and pretty.  And the view from the restaurant is fabulous!
> 
> The food looks delicious too!  Glad you ended up enjoying the cake after all



Both cakes were good; but the black forest was one of the best black forest cakes I've had in a long time.






kaoden39 said:


> I absolutely love your bird pictures! They are just amazing.



 

Thanks for checking in, Michele!  Hope everything is well with you.






mvf-m11c said:


> The location for the wedding looks very nice and all of your pictures are very nice.
> 
> The restaurant looks very nice and the atmosphere must be amazing.



Thanks Bret.  It was a very pleasant space and I totally understood why my cousin chose it.







WanderlustNZ said:


> What a stunning day!   I think the blue outfit was a great choice - you look beautiful.
> 
> I'm not sure I would want my guests sitting in different areas of a restaurant during my wedding, but other than that, everything about that wedding looked absolutely perfect.  Love the look of the ceremony venue, the dress, the flowers, and the food.
> 
> I love weddings, but it feels like so long since I've been to one.  I keep waiting for my BFF to announce her engagement so I can start planning for a wedding trip to London.



I think the same as you.  I prefer to have all the guests sitting in the one spot.  Still, given the food, the ambience and the view....I guess you can't have everything.

OOH!  A London destination wedding.  How exciting!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Loved your dress!  The sandals looked fine and I'm sure felt much better than the heels!  It looked like a lovely ceremony and reception.



I have to admit that I chose the necklace I was wearing specially because I knew it would tie in with both pairs of shoes.  I did have other pieces that I did consider but they clashed with the sandals.








LegoMom3 said:


> You looked great!!  So did all that food.  AND THE FLOWERS!!......wow.
> 
> .



Thanks!







zanzibar138 said:


> Loving the report so far! I won't comment on everything because I'm so far behind. Just quickly though, I love the hummingbird photos. We saw a couple on our trip, but there was no way I could have taken a photo of them! Good on you for slowing down a bit and enjoying the garden  Love your wedding outfit, even with flats. If it makes you feel any better, I wore flats to both my own wedding, and my SIL's wedding in which I was a bridesmaid  I think every wedding that I have been to in Australia in the last few years has had either a unity candle or the thing with the different coloured sands. We bucked the trend and did neither



I didn't feel too bad about wearing the flats.  Aside from the comfort, it turns out a few of the other guests wore sandals as well.  It was a hot day.  

The unity candle wasn't popular when I was getting married; but then it is quite a few years ago.  I was wondering when it became popular in Australia.  Seems like it could have been in the last 10 or so years.






IowaTater said:


> O. M. G. do I love food porn.....I think I may have a slight addiction.
> 
> The wedding looked absolutely beautiful!  The venue, the flowers, the bride's dress, the little funny moments...it all was gorgeous and very romantic.
> 
> I really liked your dress and thought your shoes looked fine with it.  Whenever I have a wedding to go to, I always sneak a pair of comfy shoes in the car for the reception.  My best friend is getting married in December and much to my delight has said that all of the bridesmaids can wear sneakers under our dress.




Thanks!

I didn't post a picture...but one of the best men DID wear a pair of sneakers.  It was so obvious under the suits.  I think he forgot to bring his black shoes.






IowaTater said:


> That view from the reception!  Wowzer!  I'm with you on the whole cake thing.  I like cake but sometimes just plain wedding cake is too sweet for my taste buds.  I would have been pleasantly surprised by that black forest cake.  Yummy!
> 
> It sounds like you had a splendid time with your family at the wedding.



It was a good night with the family.

Both the cakes were a surprise.  It was a good dessert course, in the end, and a perfect way to end the dinner with coffee/tea.








franandaj said:


> You look great in that dress and the sandals are just fine!
> 
> The event looked like it was quite the affair and that dinner sounds and looked spectacular!
> 
> I think that the unity candle was coming into vogue around 20 years or so ago. I seem to remember a humorous event at someone's wedding *cough* *cough*. Said bride and groom were having trouble lighting he candle and asked "Does anyone have a lighter?" Every single one of the groomsmen produced one.   The audience (or whatever you call them) got a good chuckle.
> 
> Glad you were able to catch up with family at such a wonderful gathering.



I really enjoyed the ceremony and dinner.  As you said, it was quite an affair.  Tastefully elegant; which describes the bride perfectly.  I think my cousin did really well with her.

20 years ago?  Okay.  That gives me a rough ballpark.  Thanks.







eandesmom said:


> I would agree, that's adequate service, not necessarily good.
> 
> I'm happy you took an hour in the garden though a bit concerned that taking one hour was such a major accomplishment.  I too am very go go go, but definitely like "off" as well.  It's a good habit to get into, I hope you get a little more of it!



I do manage to take a bit more time off at home from time to time.  When I'm on holiday, we're totally on the go.  An hour was luxury!

In fact, this holiday was really different to the types of holidays that DH and I normally do.  We have thought about just heading to an Asian resort to relax for a week or so.  It will be interesting to see if that's what we end up doing.  






eandesmom said:


> I have to admit, I can't imagine wearing hose.  I haven't done so in years.  In fact I was at an event where someone was discussing having to wear it, their feeling being that it was an east coast thing and they didn't want to offend and I did a bit of a double take.  I can't honestly remember the last time I saw anyone wearing hose at anything.  Tights yes, but pantyhose?  No.  I imagine though it's just as well.  While hose might protect the feet for a short while, the wedging is still there and catches up.  You looked lovely!  Shoes and all.
> 
> Lovely wedding, sounds like they had a buy out of the restaurant?  What a lovely dinner and ceremony and the flowers were stunning!  Unity candle seems very standard, I actually recall my dad and stepmom having one so that would have been what 36 years ago?
> 
> The curtain thing is funny!



Thanks!

Your 36 years is a little bit further back than Alison's 20 years.  But you both give me an idea of when the candle became popular.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

You looked lovely in your outfit and the bride's dress was amazing, as was your aunt's flower arrangements. Very beautiful wedding and divine food. I am another one who has never heard or experienced a Unity candle at any wedding I have been to and never heard either of Zanzibar's coloured sand thing????? can't get my head around that at all, you might have to elaborate Zanzibar. Is this a Qld versus southerner experience? I would have said neither were Australian so what would I know! A friend's son is getting married Sat and another friends' son was married a month ago so will have to enquire further for our latest trends!! I was a bit surprised by the bridal party's black and white theme as I still have the old fashioned notion that you don't wear black for weddings (both my mum and MIL would have fits!) Glad you had a wonderful family day - always very special.


----------



## zanzibar138

Aussie Wendy said:


> You looked lovely in your outfit and the bride's dress was amazing, as was your aunt's flower arrangements. Very beautiful wedding and divine food. I am another one who has never heard or experienced a Unity candle at any wedding I have been to and never heard either of Zanzibar's coloured sand thing????? can't get my head around that at all, you might have to elaborate Zanzibar. Is this a Qld versus southerner experience? I would have said neither were Australian so what would I know! A friend's son is getting married Sat and another friends' son was married a month ago so will have to enquire further for our latest trends!! I was a bit surprised by the bridal party's black and white theme as I still have the old fashioned notion that you don't wear black for weddings (both my mum and MIL would have fits!) Glad you had a wonderful family day - always very special.



I'm at the age where we've been to heaps of weddings in the last few years, all over the country. Most have had either the unity candle or the sand thing. The sand thing is when each person has a vial of different coloured sand, and they pour them into one container. It's supposed to symbolise that once their lives have been combined, they can never really be taken apart again. It's quite popular for blended families too, with each child pouring a vial of sand too.

Black and white is also very popular at the moment. There is also the less popular all white (when the bridesmaids wear white too). It's not taboo to wear either black or white to a wedding anymore. My Nan nearly had a fit when she found out that I was putting my maid of honour in navy


----------



## WanderlustNZ

For what it's worth, I have never seen the candle or sand at any wedding either.  

Maybe it's a NZ thing, or perhaps I'm just getting old and it's been too long since anyone I know has got married.


----------



## zanzibar138

WanderlustNZ said:


> For what it's worth, I have never seen the candle or sand at any wedding either.
> 
> Maybe it's a NZ thing, or perhaps I'm just getting old and it's been too long since anyone I know has got married.



I only got married 2 1/2 years ago, and helped my SIL plan her wedding this past April, so I'm pretty up to date on all the latest trends 

The only trendy thing we did at our wedding was a photo booth.


----------



## Luvchefmic

Again so very far behind  You looked gorgeous at the wedding Those original pointy shoes were killing my feet just looking at the picture, your sandals were a smart move and looked fine.  Fred & I were married in a church but I really love the ceremonies that are either held outside or a " different " setting  My oldest was married at Mount Vernon Inn in VA and it was so charming, string quartet, beautiful.  The youngest did the " elope to Vegas " I tease her about being married by Elvis  ( not really )

When we got married in 1986 black & white for the wedding party was the newest thing, we did it and I always thought it looked so sophisticated. Had a unity candle too, so there is another time reference for you ...seems like 100 years ago 

Back to reading and food porn drooling


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> You looked lovely in your outfit and the bride's dress was amazing, as was your aunt's flower arrangements. Very beautiful wedding and divine food. I am another one who has never heard or experienced a Unity candle at any wedding I have been to and never heard either of Zanzibar's coloured sand thing????? can't get my head around that at all, you might have to elaborate Zanzibar. Is this a Qld versus southerner experience? I would have said neither were Australian so what would I know! A friend's son is getting married Sat and another friends' son was married a month ago so will have to enquire further for our latest trends!! I was a bit surprised by the bridal party's black and white theme as I still have the old fashioned notion that you don't wear black for weddings (both my mum and MIL would have fits!) Glad you had a wonderful family day - always very special.



Thank you, Wendy.  Hope you had a great trip and are settling back home again.

I haven't been to a wedding for quite a few years; the last one was about 3 years ago.  They had a Unity candle.  I don't think I'd seen one lit in Australia before that...or maybe I hadn't paid attention.

Zanzibar's sand thing is new to me too.

If you found out any more wedding trends, come and post here.  I'm really curious to know.

Black and white seem to be a rather popular theme for weddings these days.  






zanzibar138 said:


> I'm at the age where we've been to heaps of weddings in the last few years, all over the country. Most have had either the unity candle or the sand thing. The sand thing is when each person has a vial of different coloured sand, and they pour them into one container. It's supposed to symbolise that once their lives have been combined, they can never really be taken apart again. It's quite popular for blended families too, with each child pouring a vial of sand too.
> 
> Black and white is also very popular at the moment. There is also the less popular all white (when the bridesmaids wear white too). It's not taboo to wear either black or white to a wedding anymore. My Nan nearly had a fit when she found out that I was putting my maid of honour in navy



You can tell me all about the trends at the next Melbourne DisMeet  





WanderlustNZ said:


> For what it's worth, I have never seen the candle or sand at any wedding either.
> 
> *Maybe it's a NZ thing*, or perhaps I'm just getting old and it's been too long since anyone I know has got married.



I'm going to go with the former rather than the latter.  Afterall, if you're old, I MUST be an Old Fogie.  







zanzibar138 said:


> I only got married 2 1/2 years ago, and helped my SIL plan her wedding this past April, so I'm pretty up to date on all the latest trends
> 
> The only trendy thing we did at our wedding was a photo booth.



The photo booth thing is a very popular event thing to do lately.  We've been having them at the work Christmas party for the last 2 or 3 years.  And I've seen them at a number of events lately as well.






Luvchefmic said:


> Again so very far behind  You looked gorgeous at the wedding Those original pointy shoes were killing my feet just looking at the picture, your sandals were a smart move and looked fine.  Fred & I were married in a church but I really love the ceremonies that are either held outside or a " different " setting  My oldest was married at Mount Vernon Inn in VA and it was so charming, string quartet, beautiful.  The youngest did the " elope to Vegas " I tease her about being married by Elvis  ( not really )
> 
> When we got married in 1986 black & white for the wedding party was the newest thing, we did it and I always thought it looked so sophisticated. Had a unity candle too, so there is another time reference for you ...seems like 100 years ago
> 
> Back to reading and food porn drooling



I have this suspicion that the Unity Candle has been popular in the US for quite a while longer than in Australia.  

That Mt Vernon Inn.....is that the same "Mt Vernon" location used in National Treasure Book of Secrets?  I'd love to take a tour someday.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 3: It's a Wild Animal Sort of Day


_*A Slow Muddle Sort of Morning*


Discovery #16.  I should know by now.  ALWAYS listen to my first instinct.




It had been a great night and we had gotten back home a little later than normal.  As a consequence, it was a little later than normal before we stirred the morning of Day 3.  We also were a lot slower than normal at getting up and ready to get out the house.  It really was a fuzzy sort of day for us all.








Given how slow the boys were lagging, I did contemplate making breakfast at home.  However, after talking it over with DH, we figured we would just head out to a local diner that I had earmarked as a potential breakfast spot.  


Did I mention that the boys were slow out the blocks this morning?


Another one of the points of distinction between Australia and the US was rather apparent this morning.  There are over 316 million people living in the US.  In fact, California has a population of over 38 million residing in this state.   Australia's population topped 23 million last year.  There sure are a lot more Americans than Australians.  

If you then compare the geographic size of Australia to the US....










Well....Space really is a luxury that we've become used to in Australia; and, as a consequence, Australians are NOT used to queuing up and waiting for food service.   Sure, it might happen at some of the trendier spots; but by and large, we can walk up to most establishments and find that there is a table reading in about 5 - 10 minutes.  


We pulled up to the diner and it was pretty apparent that there was a bit of a wait for a table.  It was obviously a very popular local spot as there was a pretty decent crowd waiting outside.  I did check with the maitre'd; it was a 60 minute wait.  These Aussies were definitely not used to waiting that amount of time to be fed; so we turned around and headed home.



I really should know by now.  My first instinct was to cook breakfast at home.  I should have stuck with that thought.








_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*San Diego Zoo Through Adult Eyes*


Discovery #17.  The Great San Diego Zoo is not that great right now.
 


Our destination for this day was the San Diego Zoo.  We got there later than I had hoped and the carpark told me that it was already a very full zoo.  We got a spot way back towards the end of the parking lot.








I'd forgotten about the Kids Free in October San Diego program.  It's a great program where kids under the age of 12 are admitted free to a wide range of attractions, activities, restaurants and hotels in San Diego during the month of October.  The SDZ is one of those attractions on the list and there were kids everywhere!



 




The SDZ covers about 100 acres of land and is shaped like a bowl.  The map might show the size; but it doesn't show the undulation of this property.  It really is situated across two hills and a gully.  








As we had a shorter period of time in the zoo, we decided to pay the extra money and get the Discovery Tour.  We were fortunate to get on a tour where the 10 people booked on the tour were all very prompt.  We were all on our vehicle in plenty of time and we ended up having a guide that was obliging enough to set off early and finish a few minutes late.  We ended up being on the tour for 75 minutes; instead of the scheduled 60.

The tour saved us a bunch of walking plus we got to see quite a few animals.  The driver/guide would also let us get off where the animals were in prime viewing areas and hop back on again whilst they were rattling off animal facts.  Our driver obligingly waited for all of us to be happy with our shots before moving to the next enclosure.  Invariably, I would be the last of the pack, so I was always thankful that everyone else was patient with me.


If you are time poor and want to cover the zoo, the extra money might be worth it for you.








In case you don't want to do the Discovery Tour, I have to point out that there is the standard zoo bus.  It is also a guided tour lasting 35 minutes and covers about 70% of the zoo.  If you buy a standard admission ticket, it is included as part of the package.








There is also a Kangaroo Express Bus service included in your standard admission ticket.  It allows you to hop on and hop off at 5 locations around the zoo.  








Your ticket will also give you access to the Skyfari aerial tram.
















The view from the Skyfari is not too bad and is an easy way to get back to the main entrance if you're at the opposite end of the zoo.























The last time I went to the San Diego Zoo was in 1990.  In that halcyon age, it was a time when I thought that I was an adult.  I probably was.  Then....every zoo in the world wanted to be like the San Diego Zoo.  It had been the first zoo to pioneer cageless exhibits....








....Where you could walk into an enclosure and flock together with the birds....






















....where you could look into the eyes of close cousins; even if it was through a glass pane....















But that was 24 years ago and despite the passing of time, I barely feel like an adult now.  The great San Diego Zoo through adult eyes looked decidedly shaky.


I have to declare that I've had two great experiences at other zoos this year.  In May this year, we stayed the night at the Werribee Open Range zoo and had a wonderful time getting up close and personal with a couple of the inhabitants.  In June this year, we went to Sydney's Taronga Zoo and had a fabulous visit there.  In comparison, the San Diego Zoo was looking rather dated.


There is still a major section of the zoo where these old cages prevail.















For me, after the year I've had with other experiences, it was hard to look at animals behind cages.

















 




And I wasn't the only one to think so.  We were advised that those cages and that whole section would be torn down and refurbished.  At $60 million, this was going to be a rather major refurbishment project.  With a completion date of 2017, I hope to be able to come back to the zoo for a re-visit in the future.  


One thing is for certain.  I have no doubt the San Diego Zoo will maintain its reputation of the World's Best Zoo!


_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Lions and Tigers and Bears.  Oh My!*


Discovery #18.  There really is no doubt.  I do enjoy looking at animals.



It was pretty evident on this day.  There's no doubt about it.  I really do enjoy looking at all animals great and small.  


I enjoy reptiles.






















I love birds.





























I love all creatures big.....





























....and small.





































The lions....








....and tigers....















....and bears.  Oh my!  I really do love them all.









Yup.  Today really was a wild animal sort of day.  










The visit to the zoo was right up my alley and I only wished we had started out a little earlier this morning.


_


----------



## Luvchefmic

That spider web is stunning..Charlotte where are you ?  A real work of art, thanks for sharing it.  I almost had a heart attack with the SNAKE, you need a warning  I've had enough battles with them this year in real life. One in the house, and 5 rattlers under the house.  NOT the kind of wildlife I want to cozy up to, I rather hug a lion or tiger than live through that again !


" Mt Vernon" location used in National Treasure Book of Secrets" ? Yes one in the same. George Washington estate you make plans to tour I will drive up and meet you when the time comes. So much to see in the area. She used to live in Alexandria, not far and another town while touristy has much history and hidden gems. She is no longer in VA she is stationed elsewhere.   

Love when you post the animal shots, I get new screen savers   I never went to the San Diego Zoo but love the one in Washington DC and the one in GA.  Of course my childhood memories are the Bronx Zoo in NY, I miss going there. I really need to get out and explore what FL has to offer, that is my New Years Resolution and since it has nothing to do with weight loss or smoking one I may have a shot at actually keeping.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Luvchefmic said:


> That spider web is stunning..Charlotte where are you ?  A real work of art, thanks for sharing it.



Thank you.  I was very pleased with that shot.





Luvchefmic said:


> " Mt Vernon" location used in National Treasure Book of Secrets" ? Yes one in the same. George Washington estate you make plans to tour I will drive up and meet you when the time comes. So much to see in the area. She used to live in Alexandria, not far and another town while touristy has much history and hidden gems. She is no longer in VA she is stationed elsewhere.



Excellent.  When I'm in the area, I'll let you know.


----------



## Luvchefmic

Since we were posting at the same time I didn't see the SSSssssnake until I scrolled back up reaction above


----------



## PrincessInOz

Luvchefmic said:


> Since we were posting at the same time I didn't see the SSSssssnake until I scrolled back up reaction above


----------



## tiggrbaby

Lovely pics!  I will have to keep that tour in mind if I ever make it out to San Diego.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures from the SD Zoo. You really got great shots of each animal with your telephoto zoom lens. I will have to go to the SD Zoo one day since I haven't been there since I was a little kid.


----------



## franandaj

We rarely go out to breakfast on weekends due to long waits at the popular places. Long Beach is a big breakfast place. We have a lot of cafes that are open from 6AM-2PM and cater to the breakfast crowd.

Nice animal shots. I don't even remember the last time I went to the SD zoo. It may have even been in elementary school.


----------



## IowaTater

Wonderful zoo shots! I've been to our zoo several times since moving down here (ours is ranked 4th in the world right now, I believe) and I always end up taking gobs of pictures.  DH truly hates going with me because I stop to look at every animal.  

I would not have waited an hour for breakfast either.  Even living in a bigger city, if the wait is longer than 30 minutes, we are usually moving on to the next place.


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow I never knew the reason behind San Diego Zoo having such a great reputation. FWIW, is is no longer the #1 zoo in the world on TripAdvisor. It has been beaten by Nebraska's Henry Doorly Zoo. The safari park is sitting at #11, just one place above our very own Melbourne Zoo.

I love animals, but most of the time I'd much rather take what I can see in the wild  Most zoos seem to have mainly the same sort of animals, so I figure I can just go to our own zoo at home and see them 

You got some great shots. With a point and shoot, I sometimes struggle to get my camera to focus on the animals instead of the wire (another reason why I prefer seeing them in the wild!).


----------



## jedijill

We have some really popular breakfast/lunch places too.  My favorite is Snooze which has a couple of locations in San Diego too.  

I loved the SD Zoo when I visited in 2005...I really need to go back because I didn't do it justice.  Beautiful shots of the animals....I'm with you on the cages too.  Just sad and I'm glad most zoos are moving away from them.

Jill in CO


----------



## Fairy Floss

I love reading your posts!
...and the beautiful photos are so well intertwined  in your stories 
Thank you


----------



## skier_pete

Great photos! I like you haven't been to the San Diego Zoo since the early nineties. You are probably right, the memory of the zoo may not stand up to reality. The fact is there are some pretty impressive zoos in the Northeast US. (The Toronto Zoo and the Columbus Zoo are fantastic.) And I have to tell you, the Melbourne Zoo is no slouch, either! We were very impressed with it! (Didn't go to the one in Sydney though.) 

So, I am not so sure the San Diego Zoo merits a special trip anymore. I'd like to go back again someday, but the pull of Disneyland is too strong right now.


----------



## rentayenta

Great zoo pics.  I had no idea anybody still had a sky bucket ride option. That might be worth a trip right there.


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Lovely pics!  I will have to keep that tour in mind if I ever make it out to San Diego.



Thanks.  Do you have a trip out west in the glimmer of your eye?   






mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures from the SD Zoo. You really got great shots of each animal with your telephoto zoom lens. I will have to go to the SD Zoo one day since I haven't been there since I was a little kid.



Thanks Bret.  Some of the shots were taken with the 17 - 55 mm as well.







franandaj said:


> We rarely go out to breakfast on weekends due to long waits at the popular places. Long Beach is a big breakfast place. We have a lot of cafes that are open from 6AM-2PM and cater to the breakfast crowd.



I have to admit that we have a standing arrangement on a fortnightly basis with some 3D friends for breakfast on a Saturday morning.  We do tend to head to the same cafe; so they reserve a table for us.  

But then....there are a lot of cafe's in Melbourne; so the breakfast crowd does spread out a lot.






franandaj said:


> Nice animal shots. I don't even remember the last time I went to the SD zoo. It may have even been in elementary school.



Thanks! 

I think we only started to go back to visiting zoos when DS came along.  Before then, there really was no real reason to go to yet another zoo.  






IowaTater said:


> Wonderful zoo shots! I've been to our zoo several times since moving down here (ours is ranked 4th in the world right now, I believe) and I always end up taking gobs of pictures.  DH truly hates going with me because I stop to look at every animal.
> 
> I would not have waited an hour for breakfast either.  Even living in a bigger city, if the wait is longer than 30 minutes, we are usually moving on to the next place.



It's always great to have a zoo near you that is so well regarded.  








zanzibar138 said:


> Wow I never knew the reason behind San Diego Zoo having such a great reputation. FWIW, is is no longer the #1 zoo in the world on TripAdvisor. It has been beaten by Nebraska's Henry Doorly Zoo. The safari park is sitting at #11, just one place above our very own Melbourne Zoo.
> 
> I love animals, but most of the time I'd much rather take what I can see in the wild  Most zoos seem to have mainly the same sort of animals, so I figure I can just go to our own zoo at home and see them
> 
> You got some great shots. With a point and shoot, I sometimes struggle to get my camera to focus on the animals instead of the wire (another reason why I prefer seeing them in the wild!).



DH and I still have a real African safari in our sights.  But with the Ebola outbreak, it's slipped a little down the bucket list.
You did well to go when you did.  






jedijill said:


> We have some really popular breakfast/lunch places too.  My favorite is Snooze which has a couple of locations in San Diego too.



I'll have to keep an eye out for Snooze next time I'm in the US!





jedijill said:


> I loved the SD Zoo when I visited in 2005...I really need to go back because I didn't do it justice.  Beautiful shots of the animals....I'm with you on the cages too.  Just sad and I'm glad most zoos are moving away from them.
> 
> Jill in CO



The Melbourne Zoo has been moving away from cages for quite a while now.  I think I was surprised at seeing them in the SDZ.  I guess I forget that money plays an important part in upgrading facilities.  






Fairy Floss said:


> I love reading your posts!
> ...and the beautiful photos are so well intertwined  in your stories
> Thank you



  Thanks Fairy Floss. 






********** said:


> Great photos! I like you haven't been to the San Diego Zoo since the early nineties. You are probably right, the memory of the zoo may not stand up to reality. The fact is there are some pretty impressive zoos in the Northeast US. (The Toronto Zoo and the Columbus Zoo are fantastic.) And I have to tell you, the Melbourne Zoo is no slouch, either! We were very impressed with it! (Didn't go to the one in Sydney though.)
> 
> So, I am not so sure the San Diego Zoo merits a special trip anymore. I'd like to go back again someday, but the pull of Disneyland is too strong right now.



I wouldn't make a special trip just to see the SDZ.  But if you head to DisneyLAND, you could always add a day or two to the trip.....and tack on the side trip to San Diego.  







rentayenta said:


> Great zoo pics.  I had no idea anybody still had a sky bucket ride option. That might be worth a trip right there.



I like riding in cable cars.  Always have (and miss the one at DLR).  If you like them and want to go to the zoo, then it's a great way to combine the two.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> DH and I still have a real African safari in our sights.  But with the Ebola outbreak, it's slipped a little down the bucket list.
> You did well to go when you did.



We did 

But FWIW, Africa isn't the only place to see animals in the wild. Have you seen my Thailand photos?  Indonesia also has some great places to see wild animals including orangutans and tigers.

Plus you can do a more traditional African style safari in India and Sri Lanka.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Love the zoo pics - we were at the San Dieo Zoo last in 1984!!!! and were blown away with it then..seen a lot more since and would probably have the same reaction as you now. Good to know it is slated for some refurbing of the worst areas despite the cost. Zanzibar still to catch up on your Thailand pics but I have heard other friends talk about various animal reserves/preserves. I have always found among all the same animals each zoo has, we always find one or more new species we have never seen before - its now our 'thing' to look for them. Provided zoos provide the right environment and space I am happy to visit and support given the destruction of many environments and the success of various breeding and restocking programs but I know what you mean about seeing animals preferably in the wild.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> We did
> 
> But FWIW, Africa isn't the only place to see animals in the wild. Have you seen my Thailand photos?  Indonesia also has some great places to see wild animals including orangutans and tigers.
> 
> Plus you can do a more traditional African style safari in India and Sri Lanka.



I think you know that I was born in South East Asia and lived there for a lot of my childhood.  We used to have jungle monkeys running through my school scavenging the rubbish bins and I have actually had the opportunity to touch/carry a baby Sumatran tiger in my youth.  I've also seen Orangutans and wild boar in the 'wild' when I was a child.  It's not high on my bucket list to head back to (and neither is visiting the tons of family we still have there!).  Also, for some reason, SE-Asia doesn't seem to excite my DH as a destination.  He's happy enough to head to the more 'resort-y' bits.  He's more interested in FarEast Asia - China, Korea and Japan right now.






Aussie Wendy said:


> Love the zoo pics - we were at the San Dieo Zoo last in 1984!!!! and were blown away with it then..seen a lot more since and would probably have the same reaction as you now. Good to know it is slated for some refurbing of the worst areas despite the cost. Zanzibar still to catch up on your Thailand pics but I have heard other friends talk about various animal reserves/preserves. I have always found among all the same animals each zoo has, we always find one or more new species we have never seen before - its now our 'thing' to look for them. Provided zoos provide the right environment and space I am happy to visit and support given the destruction of many environments and the success of various breeding and restocking programs but I know what you mean about seeing animals preferably in the wild.



Thanks, Wendy.  That's a long time since your last visit to SDZ.  I did vaguely remember some of the exhibit areas in this latest visit and it seemed strange to see it and think 'ho hum' in 2014; compared to 25 - 30 years ago when it was cutting edge.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Great zoo pics.  I particularly love the one with the zebra stripes.  

I would have felt the same about the cages.  I'm pleased to hear they are doing a big renovation over upcoming years.  I still really enjoy zoos, but as I get older, I am becoming less and less tolerant of any habitats that seem unnatural.  For example, whereas I used to love places like Seaworld, I now can't even bring myself to walk in the gate of places where marine animals have to perform for or swim with humans.    

That tour sounds like a great choice.  I remember quite clearly how large and hilly SD Zoo is, which isn't great if you're short on time.  

Lastly, for what it's worth, you are actually closer to Ebola outbreaks if you visit southern parts of Europe, than you are if you visit the southern parts of Africa where many of the major wildlife spots are.  Apologies if I sound fastidious, but I know South African tourism is really suffering at present through a lot of fear and misunderstanding.  At present the chances of catching Ebola are about as high if you visit the USA (where there has been a death) than Sth Africa (where there hasn't). 
I suppose a lot of the fear comes from uncertainty of what will the state of Ebola will be in the future, but at present I'm still as keen as ever to visit Africa.  It's actually the crime and malaria that concerns me more.


----------



## PrincessInOz

WanderlustNZ said:


> Great zoo pics.  I particularly love the one with the zebra stripes.
> 
> I would have felt the same about the cages.  I'm pleased to hear they are doing a big renovation over upcoming years.  I still really enjoy zoos, but as I get older, I am becoming less and less tolerant of any habitats that seem unnatural.  For example, whereas I used to love places like Seaworld, I now can't even bring myself to walk in the gate of places where marine animals have to perform for or swim with humans.



Me too!






WanderlustNZ said:


> That tour sounds like a great choice.  I remember quite clearly how large and hilly SD Zoo is, which isn't great if you're short on time.



The tour worked out great for us.








WanderlustNZ said:


> Lastly, for what it's worth, you are actually closer to Ebola outbreaks if you visit southern parts of Europe, than you are if you visit the southern parts of Africa where many of the major wildlife spots are.  Apologies if I sound fastidious, but I know South African tourism is really suffering at present through a lot of fear and misunderstanding.  At present the chances of catching Ebola are about as high if you visit the USA (where there has been a death) than Sth Africa (where there hasn't).
> I suppose a lot of the fear comes from uncertainty of what will the state of Ebola will be in the future, but at present I'm still as keen as ever to visit Africa.  It's actually the crime and malaria that concerns me more.



It isn't Ebola keeping me out of Sth Africa.  It's the guns and car jacking!
Aside from the game parks, I'd love to do the Okavango.  Botswana is a bit of a basket case as well.

I'm not planning on heading to Europe until 2016; so we'll just see how things are in a year or so.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> I think you know that I was born in South East Asia and lived there for a lot of my childhood.  We used to have jungle monkeys running through my school scavenging the rubbish bins and I have actually had the opportunity to touch/carry a baby Sumatran tiger in my youth.  I've also seen Orangutans and wild boar in the 'wild' when I was a child.  It's not high on my bucket list to head back to (and neither is visiting the tons of family we still have there!).  Also, for some reason, SE-Asia doesn't seem to excite my DH as a destination.  He's happy enough to head to the more 'resort-y' bits.  He's more interested in FarEast Asia - China, Korea and Japan right now.



Fair enough. I agree with Wanderlust too that Ebola wouldn't put me off visiting certain areas of Africa. The guns and car jackings aren't going to go away any time soon, but if you're sensible and cautious, you can definitely decrease your risk. Our lodge in Botswana had about half a dozen armed guards patrolling the grounds at night, and we were advised to keep our doors and windows locked at all times. It was a little unnerving, and I'll admit I didn't sleep very well  The risk was more from across the nearby border with Namibia than the locals in Botswana.


----------



## Luvchefmic

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz 
I think you know that I was born in South East Asia and lived there for a lot of my childhood. We used to have jungle monkeys running through my school scavenging the rubbish bins and *I have actually had the opportunity to touch/carry a baby Sumatran tiger in my youth*. I've also seen Orangutans and wild boar in the 'wild' when I was a child. It's not high on my bucket list to head back to (and neither is visiting the tons of family we still have there!). Also, for some reason, SE-Asia doesn't seem to excite my DH as a destination. He's happy enough to head to the more 'resort-y' bits. He's more interested in FarEast Asia - China, Korea and Japan right now



What a wonderful experience & childhood memory !  How did that happen ?


----------



## PrincessInOz

Luvchefmic said:


> What a wonderful experience & childhood memory !  How did that happen ?



Right place, right time and my dad knowing the right person.


----------



## Luvchefmic

My jaw is on the floor  you lucky girl


----------



## zanzibar138

Luvchefmic said:


> My jaw is on the floor  you lucky girl



FWIW, if you're ever coming down this way (Australia I mean ), Dreamworld used to offer an up close and personal experience with their tiger cubs that I was lucky enough to do one year. Not sure if they still do it. We didn't get to carry the cub, but we did get to pet her. I'm sure it wasn't as authentic as PIO's experience, but it was still pretty cool


----------



## tiggrbaby

If you have safety concerns but want to see South Africa, I can highly recommend the ABD trip.  It's not rustic or cheap, but was a fabulaous experience!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> If you have safety concerns but want to see South Africa, I can highly recommend the ABD trip.  It's not rustic or cheap, but was a fabulaous experience!





ABD trips are never cheap.  But I'll keep it in mind.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Feeding Time at the Zoo*


Discovery #19.  It's a universally acknowledged truth.  Zoo food is NOT good irrespective of what zoo you go to.



We had lunch today at the San Diego Zoo.  Those of you that read my take on the Sydney Zoo will know that I didn't even post any pictures of food from that zoo because it was so un-porn-worthy.  
I hadn't done any research on food options at the SD Zoo so we went with whatever DS' tastebuds wanted.








*sigh*  Is it sad to acknowledge that the Golden Arches burger would have been better than the one here?



My chicken tenders basket was marginally better; but still not good.









But rounding out the bottom scraper was DH's vegetarian burger.  He did scout around the various establishments at the main street section a bit; but figured the vege burger might be his best bet.









One bite.  That's all he ate.


It's a universally acknowledged truth.  Zoo food is not good irrespective of what zoo you go to.




Disclaimer.  The food that we had at the Werribee Zoo on our overnight stay was the exception.  But that was a completely different experience type and is not counted in this view.  Otherwise, daytime food at the Werribee and Melbourne Zoo can be of variable quality....from adequate to universally bad. 





_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Feeding Time at the Other Zoo - Where the Other Wild Things are*


Discovery #20.  O.M.G.  WE were LATE!  And the sky did NOT fall.



Those of you that know me will know that I'm an absolute stickler for 'on time'.  Right from the time I was a child, I get quite stressed about getting to appointments early so that I'm never late.  As a teen, I used to get to places extra early so that I wouldn't stress about getting there early enough for an appointment.  As an adult.....it's downright obsessive compulsive.  If you don't believe me, ask either my DH or my DS.  They will tell you that I drive them crazy with getting to places so early that it's practically obscene.  

It's actually a pain of a trait to have; especially given that most of the rest of my family are normally sticklers for being late!


For this wedding, my aunt and cousin had in excess of 30 'extended family' members in attendance.  They had figured that they wanted to get everyone together post the wedding over dinner tonight.  The details that my aunt provided included the start time as "from 4 pm onwards.  This allows those who need to leave early to come and then catch flights home."



Okay.  I will admit that I had planned to get there somewhere around the 4'ish mark.  Um....okay......Perhaps I might have planned to get there somewhere around the 3.30 mark so as not to be late.



Trouble was....when the time came, we were at the San Diego Zoo....enjoying the wild things.  And I've already admitted that I really really love looking at animals.  DH and I had figured out that we were not going to make a 4 pm kick-off and given that the operative word (for us) was "from", we decided to aim for a 5 pm arrival instead.



Well.....guess what?  


Turns out we were actually l-a-t-e.  When we walked in through the door, we were met with a barrage of questions and everyone concerned that we were late.  








It turned out to be quite a zoo when we walked in.  Being late was so out of character for me that everyone wanted to know why we were late.   In fact, it was quite a wild barrage of questions from my family as to where we were, were we okay, why were we late, did we get lost getting to the meeting spot etc.  








It was quite an eye-opener for me.








I figured I wasn't even going to try and fight the wild things questioning me.  We just put it down to losing track of time.








So, despite being late and despite the obvious non-sequitur white lie explanation, I was amazed to find that the sky did not fall down.



 





In fact, the sun set as per normal that day.

































As I was watching the sunset from the decking of the house where we were celebrating dinner, it was an illuminating moment for me.









I realised that I wasn't all that stressed about pitching up l-a-t-e but it sure stressed a few of my family members because it seemed to be so out of character for me.  Perhaps I shouldn't be so consistently early to everything from here on end.  I'd hate to be so consistently predictable.


Afterall, there was no pit in the ground that opened up to swallow me up.









And there were no demons or ghosts to come to take me away either.









And whilst the others had started the feeding frenzy "from 4 pm", there were still enough food for us to enjoy dinner.  









We spent the rest of the evening just lounging around.









Afterall, there were family memories to make and friendships to renew.









It really was a grand night indeed!



Postscript.  On my return home, I am sad to report that normal behaviour has once again returned.  Yup.  DH and DS are back to wondering why we leave as early as we do.


_




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Shooting of a Different Kind*


Discovery #21.  Who would have thought that I would enjoy shooting a GUN???



My aunt had asked a really good friend of the family to host the celebration dinner tonight.  You may have had an inkling that his home was large enough for 30+ wild things.


I had the pleasure of sharing a glass of plum liqueur with our host and finding out about his life story.  Interesting chap!








Over our drink, I asked for a tour of his amazingly cool house and he obliged.








During the tour, he took me down to the basement.  Yes, he did have quite a few trophies down there!!  For real!!!!  

In addition, it turned out he had a shooting range down there.  Perhaps it was the Slivovice that went to my head.  Perhaps it was the unique opportunity.  When he offered me a go, I took him up on it!









For the record.  Let me say that I'm a pacifist and do not believe in making war.



But take a look at my two sets of results.  The bottom bullseye was my first ever go at shooting.  The top bullseye was my second round.




 



My host was pretty impressed with the results of my precision and accuracy - particularly as it was my first time.


Who would have thought that I would enjoy shooting a GUN???



What a wild kind of day this had turned out to be.

_


----------



## LegoMom3

_"un-porn-worthy"......._





TOO. FUNNY!!!  

.


----------



## jedijill

Ugh, the zoo food looks quite disgusting!  Glad you made up for it when you FINALLY arrived at your aunt's home.   

I think the liquor helped your shooting skills. 

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

The food at the SD Zoo doesn't look that appetizing from your other food porn pictures during the trip. This is one reason why I would stay away from the food at the zoo.

Nice to see that you made it to your aunt's house that night.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Impressive shooting - and pretty cool! Not your usual after-dinner entertainment no! Are you good at darts?

You and my DH would also get along fine with the being early thing. He argues I always under-estimate the time to reach somewhere (mostly true but I refuse to arrive 30 mins early-or more depending on the type of appointment because of his OCDness!)


----------



## tiggrbaby

Two kinds of after dinner shots - sweet!


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> _"un-porn-worthy"......._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TOO. FUNNY!!!
> 
> .












jedijill said:


> Ugh, the zoo food looks quite disgusting!  Glad you made up for it when you FINALLY arrived at your aunt's home.
> 
> *I think the liquor helped your shooting skills*.
> 
> Jill in CO



I think you might be right!  







mvf-m11c said:


> The food at the SD Zoo doesn't look that appetizing from your other food porn pictures during the trip. This is one reason why I would stay away from the food at the zoo.
> 
> Nice to see that you made it to your aunt's house that night.



It was actually a friend's house that my aunt borrowed.  But yes, I did eventually get there.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> Impressive shooting - and pretty cool! Not your usual after-dinner entertainment no! Are you good at darts?



I'm terrible at darts!  







Aussie Wendy said:


> You and my DH would also get along fine with the being early thing. He argues I always under-estimate the time to reach somewhere (mostly true but I refuse to arrive 30 mins early-or more depending on the type of appointment because of his OCDness!)



Sounds like your DH and I would be in complete agreement for arriving at our destination early.  








tiggrbaby said:


> Two kinds of after dinner shots - sweet!





Yup.  Slivovice Shots; and Gun Shots.


----------



## Luvchefmic

tiggrbaby said:


> Two kinds of after dinner shots - sweet!



 good line 

It doesn't surprise me that you did so well with the targets, you have a good eye for photography it's really the same thing.  Now had you over indulged you would have lost that steady hand   Good job Annie Oakley


----------



## PrincessInOz

Luvchefmic said:


> good line
> 
> It doesn't surprise me that you did so well with the targets, you have a good eye for photography it's really the same thing.  Now had you over indulged you would have lost that steady hand   Good job Annie Oakley



Annie Oakley?


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 4: Lazy Family Day


_*Familial Get-Togethers are not necessarily always so Convival*



Discovery #22.  The burdens from childhood that we carry through life are lifelong and deep.




This morning, I work up early to the most unusual sight for SoCal.  The sun was streaming in through the bedroom window and incredibly....it was not smoggy.  The day had dawned full of promise.  Life should be all about sunny golden blue sky days.








I couldn't sleep in because something had been percolating in my mind over the weekend and I needed some clear space to mull it over.  


Sometimes you need to share stuff with yourself no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel.  By extension, that means sometimes, I share stuff about myself with you no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel.  The blessing and curse of this forum is that I can do so in comparative anonymity without having to make any eye contact or see your body language as I do so.  Afterall, I share because it helps me verbalise and internalise my feelings.  Awareness is but the first step towards healing, right?



As a child, and as a second child, I have always felt unloved.  I think it comes with the territory of being a middle child.  Not that I don't love myself. I do.  I'm pretty comfortable in my own skin and believe that I know myself pretty well....warts and all.

But as a child, it was one of those childhood burdens that I got in my mind....I truly believed that no one else loved me.  True or untrue....you think it, so shall it be, right?


Afterall, growing up, I always knew my mother's favourite is my older brother and my younger brother was the apple of my father's eye.  That just left me.  In the middle.

As an adult, I've reconciled myself with those feelings and I do know that my parents love me.  But that inner child still lives within me.  That fact was so apparent at this familial weekend through all the family gatherings.  My parents might not have been here; but my older brother was.  Siblings can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies.  Afterall, no one knows your inner child secret like a sibling, right?  All weekend, I felt like that little child again.  In gatherings like this, it is invariable that family history and childhood exploits would be told and retold.  Each story and childhood imperfection would be scrutinised in minutiae and laughed at by family.  


Laughed at; not laughed with is a huge chasm of distinction.  


That bottomless abyss is dark and echo's loudly with long not-forgotten hurts of child crying to be loved.  I don't know about you, but those childhood hurts, so superficial by adult terms, are lifelong and deep.  They actually caught me a little by surprise when my brother was retelling them over and over and over the weekend.


Awareness that family acceptance and love is still important to me was a discovery that surprised the heck of me.  Even worse - I was surprised at how hurt I felt by some of the stories being told about me and how embarrassed I was to be laughed at.  I guess I'm not as grown-up as I thought I am.  Does anyone else feel like they revert back to childhood feelings the older you get?


So, in that garden, on a sunny clear day, I spent some time contemplating internal changes and self-acceptance.  Looks like I might have to develop a new normal to live with.



And thanks for letting me indulge!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Comfort Food at Mama Kat's Cafe*


Discovery #23.  Trip Advisor is not always right.



Monday is a much better day to hit the local favourite.








Wait time this morning was under 10 minutes.








Even on a Monday, Mama Kat's was still well patronised.








We spent a few minutes amusing ourselves by looking at the quirky wall decorations.








It didn't take long for service to come round to our table.  I had read on Trip Advisor that the service could be spotty and inconsistent.  I couldn't complain about our service this morning.  Our server was more than appropriately attentive.  He took our order in quick time and got our beverages in hardly any time at all.  








I really liked the self-serve coffee flavour tray.  It was filled with seasonal offerings.









The kitchen was also on point.  It didn't take long for our food to come out either.

Oatmeal for DH.








The Eggs Benedict was consistently raved about on Trip Advisor.  I thought it was good, but not as great as what the reviews made it out to be.









The waffles were also of an appropriate standard.  Again, this was good, but not great.








So....rated as the best breakfast place in North County, Mama Kat's delivered good consistent comfort food.  But I didn't think it stacked up with the rave reviews on Trip Advisor.  Whilst I would eat here again, I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to make that return visit.



_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Mosaic Magic*


Discovery #24.  It's amazing what local attractions you can find if you go looking.



Did I mention that the San Diego branch of the family isn't too adventurous?

I was determined to get some local sightseeing in the North County for this trip.  Asking the family living in this part of the world for tips had not been a fruitful exercise in the past so I completely by-passed them and resorted to my friend Google.  I found something in Kit Carson Park, Escondido that seemed right up my alley.








DH and DS were really dubious when we pulled into the very large park and went meandering round looking for this spot.  









I didn't really blame them.  I almost gave up myself but persevered only because I had seen pictures on the internet.  I will admit that it took a bit to find this attraction.  It wasn't that well sign-posted in the park.








The sculptor of the Queen Califia Magic Circle is Niki de Saint Phalle.  I have no idea who she is but based on what we found here, I can only surmise that she is an artist of note.

The entry into the centre of the mosaic garden was like a whimsical maze.








There was only one entry in....and it was through the snakes.








Snakes, snakes.....everywhere.  Aren't they lovely???
















It really wasn't much of a maze and it didn't take us long to get to the central courtyard.  But it did transport me into feeling like I was in a Disney cartoon.  








There were 8 totems mosaics in here.  








Each one beautifully created and coloured.  This is the Step Totem.















I think this is the Kingfisher Totem.








I don't think this totem had a name.








The Birdhead Totem.








The Cathead Totem.









The Yelling Man Totem.









The Bullhead Totem.








The Snake Totem.















_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from previous post)

_


The totems were all placed around the most amazing central sculpture.









That central piece of art?








That's the Queen Califia, with an Egg Fountain and Eagle Throne mosaic sculpture.








Absolutely breathtaking in detail and intricacy.











































We had been pretty lucky with our timing.  The Magic Circle had just re-opened to the public that very day after phase 1 of a refurbishment.  There were definitely signs that the refurbishment was necessary.








I'm so glad we went looking for this place.  









Its absolutely amazing to find these pieces of art in the middle of nowhere!









Pure magic.









_


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wow, that sculpture  garden was amazing!  Great find!

 I totally know what you mean about family feelings from childhood coming back even now.  Just today my mom said, "You can't carry those bins by yourself; you'd fall down the stairs."  It makes me think of all the "you can't do (insert activity)" over all of the years, and how I feel like the incompetent one.  I do keep my temper better than I did years ago, but it does still hurt.  

 Know that you are not alone!


----------



## zanzibar138

Love those mosaics! Just stunning!

I think we all have some baggage from our childhood. I was bullied terribly in high school, and still have issues with that from time to time.


----------



## jedijill

You are not alone.   Thankfully therapy and geographical distance from my family helps. 

The sculpture garden is lovely...not my favorite kind of art but striking none the less.

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

The Mosaics look very interesting. Looking at them from your pictures are very interesting of the details.


----------



## ACDSNY

I enjoyed the SDZ pictures, it's been years since we've been there.

Sorry about the resurrection of unwanted childhood feelings that's never fun.

Nice discovery on the Kit Carson park!


----------



## franandaj

I'm not surprised that you enjoyed the shooting range.  I just can't believe the guy had one in his house!  Fran and I used to go to the range before I joined the DIS, we had great fun although my forearms would be very sore from the recoil of the guns. We had to go to private ranges where you would rent time and we certainly didn't do it after an adult beverage!  

Your story about your childhood definitely strikes a chord with me. Although if I had to pick a role in the sibling situation, I would have been the older, but not sure that I was more loved.  I did have more "opportunities" which was made clear to me. I think because of that and some behaviors, I may not have been the favored one.  I will remember on this week at my sisters to behave in a benevolent and appreciative manner and not exhibit behaviors as your brother did, although I'm not sure I have many memories that would be embarrassing or condescending.  I need to be appreciative of my sister regardless of what we feel about her previous behaviors, she and her husband seem to have turned over a new leaf, but I digress on your TR!

The park looked rather interesting.  I'm amazed that they had such an art collection in such a remote location.  Not my style of art, but rather inspired and very cool to have such a lifesize collection of said art!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Amazing mosaics - good find! 

My issues stem from my teens and relationship with my stepmother - spending so much time looking after Dad and Mum now, the couple of times I have tentatively raised some of that 'baggage' she does not recall her responses at all. (So I don't sound like a cliche step-daughter one I cannot forgive is "are you trying to kill me like you did your mother" - mum died of an aneurysm when I was 6). Most of the time I have forgotten and forgiven as contrarily she has also been very supportive of me, and made my Dad very happy, but some will rankle forever I suspect. Looking back I think it timed with menopause, and I have worked under another woman who went pretty "loony" at that time. My family are on "alert" - do not let me ever get like that. So far so good!! Glad you sorted things out in your head though - funny what comes back to bite you unexpectedly


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Wow, that sculpture  garden was amazing!  Great find!
> 
> I totally know what you mean about family feelings from childhood coming back even now.  Just today my mom said, "You can't carry those bins by yourself; you'd fall down the stairs."  It makes me think of all the "you can't do (insert activity)" over all of the years, and how I feel like the incompetent one.  I do keep my temper better than I did years ago, but it does still hurt.
> 
> Know that you are not alone!



Thanks, tiggrbaby.  It's funny how family comments can send us back to being little children again.






zanzibar138 said:


> Love those mosaics! Just stunning!
> 
> I think we all have some baggage from our childhood. I was bullied terribly in high school, and still have issues with that from time to time.



Sorry you were bullied.  That's something that you never really forget.  







jedijill said:


> You are not alone.   Thankfully therapy and geographical distance from my family helps.
> 
> The sculpture garden is lovely...not my favorite kind of art but striking none the less.
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks, Jill.  My older brother and I live in different geographic regions now.  It does help.

I quite enjoy eclectic art like that sculpture garden.  






mvf-m11c said:


> The Mosaics look very interesting. Looking at them from your pictures are very interesting of the details.



Thanks Bret.  Melbourne has a few mosaic art pieces and I've learnt to enjoy looking at them.  Now, I just seem to go out looking for mosaics when I'm out and about.






ACDSNY said:


> I enjoyed the SDZ pictures, it's been years since we've been there.
> 
> Sorry about the resurrection of unwanted childhood feelings that's never fun.
> 
> Nice discovery on the Kit Carson park!



Eh.  It happens.  It was an interesting discovery, though.

Kit Carson park was fun.  We've driven near it before but never really stopped in until this trip.






franandaj said:


> I'm not surprised that you enjoyed the shooting range.  I just can't believe the guy had one in his house!  Fran and I used to go to the range before I joined the DIS, we had great fun although my forearms would be very sore from the recoil of the guns. We had to go to private ranges where you would rent time and we certainly didn't do it after an adult beverage!



I need to work out if I will ever have the nerve to shoot a full-strength bullet...at a shooting range.  I was really suprised at how very fun I found it.





franandaj said:


> Your story about your childhood definitely strikes a chord with me. Although if I had to pick a role in the sibling situation, I would have been the older, but not sure that I was more loved.  I did have more "opportunities" which was made clear to me. I think because of that and some behaviors, I may not have been the favored one.  I will remember on this week at my sisters to behave in a benevolent and appreciative manner and not exhibit behaviors as your brother did, although I'm not sure I have many memories that would be embarrassing or condescending.  I need to be appreciative of my sister regardless of what we feel about her previous behaviors, she and her husband seem to have turned over a new leaf, but I digress on your TR!



I hope your familial visit goes well.  






franandaj said:


> The park looked rather interesting.  I'm amazed that they had such an art collection in such a remote location.  Not my style of art, but rather inspired and very cool to have such a lifesize collection of said art!



I was amazed to see that art collection there too.  It's pretty eclectic and right up my alley.  









Aussie Wendy said:


> Amazing mosaics - good find!
> 
> My issues stem from my teens and relationship with my stepmother - spending so much time looking after Dad and Mum now, the couple of times I have tentatively raised some of that 'baggage' she does not recall her responses at all. (So I don't sound like a cliche step-daughter one I cannot forgive is "are you trying to kill me like you did your mother" - mum died of an aneurysm when I was 6). Most of the time I have forgotten and forgiven as contrarily she has also been very supportive of me, and made my Dad very happy, but some will rankle forever I suspect. Looking back I think it timed with menopause, and I have worked under another woman who went pretty "loony" at that time. My family are on "alert" - do not let me ever get like that. So far so good!! Glad you sorted things out in your head though - funny what comes back to bite you unexpectedly



I don't think you'll ever get like that.  




Thanks everyone for posting about your childhood hurts.  I didn't think I was the only one that felt like a little kid from time to time.  It sure helps to know it!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Lazy Afternoon with the Family*


Discovery #25.  There is nothing as important as spending time with family.



There was any number of activities we could have chosen to do on the Monday.  DH and I did have a few things on list but they all fell by the wayside when my aunt sent us an email to tell us that she had decided to take the day off to spend time with us.


There really isn't anything in the world as important as spending time with family, is there?  


We pitched up just before lunch time. "Eat, eat, eat!" said my aunt and uncle.








It was a very comfortable home to spend the day.








For as long as I can remember, my aunt and I have always shared a love of music.  When I was young, she helped me out when I was learning the piano by giving me pointers and tips on how to play one piece or another.  

She knew that DH and I had been learning classical guitar and she asked me to play for her.  It turned out to be a very interesting hour.  After all these years....the student finally becomes the teacher.  I finally got to return a small measure of all the time she spent helping me when I was younger.  She asked me for a lesson and pointers on how to improve her hand positions and tone on the guitar.  I'd like to think that if my guitar teacher was observing the lesson that she would think that I did a credible enough job.

It was such a role reversal for us that afternoon.  If nothing else, it was yet another one of those moments in life where you get to consciously add another solid layer to the relationships you have with your nearest and dearest.  Especially precious when you know that beside the ties of family blood, you have a true emotional bond with.  A rather large pond might separate my aunt and me....but when we see each other in 3D, we continue our friendship and relationship along a path that ebbs and flows and grow; mirroring the ebbs, flows and growth that we have made as individuals.  The more we change, the more things stay the same.


Throughout the afternoon, both my cousin that got married, his wife and my other cousin stopped by the house to spend time with us.  We really had a very lazy afternoon with the family that day.




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Eat! Eat! Eat!*


Discovery #26.  Leftovers eaten for the 3rd time is one time too many!



My aunt really cooked up a fortune of food for the family dinner last night.  She had so much food leftover that we were obliged to help her try and finish some of it before we left.


She did bribe....er.....ply us with homemade mojitos to make the dinner more palatable.  "Eat, eat, eat!" said my aunt and uncle.








Mojitos aside, this was the 3rd time we were seeing the same dishes.  Yeah.  I have to say that the dishes were all great the first and second time round.  However, there was a strange monotony in eating food for the 3rd time in 4 meals.  

I looked at the soya chicken and managed a piece.  Just.








My aunt had cooked two types of chicken dishes.  I passed on this one on the 3rd outing.








The BBQ style pork was looking way past dry.  Pass.








The fried rice had been a hit with the teenagers.  I could have eaten more of this but there was hardly any left.








It was a delicious chilli sauce but you really can't eat a sambal by itself.  It really was a pity that there wasn't much rice left.








I did indulge in the chicken satay.  But no matter how delicious and tender it was, even this was starting to get to the too dry stage as well.








Still, the satay was perfectly good when you added a liberal amount of the peanut sauce.  For those of you with a peanut allergy, don't lick the screen.  Thankfully, I don't have a peanut allergy.  








The soya and ginger pork was my go-to dish for this 3rd outing.  It was still pretty appetising.








The noodles and vegetables were really past its prime.  Everyone passed on this dish.








I don't mind leftovers; really I don't.  But in this case, having the same dishes 3 times in the space of 4 meals is probably one time too many!  But then, we do strange things for family, right?



It had been a great day.  The family here were the reason we made the mad dash across the pond.  As family visits go, this had been a successful trip for us.  Despite the hustle and bustle of the wedding, we had managed to spend some quality time together on this day.  We lingered as long as we could but the time had come for us to say our goodbyes.  It was a bittersweet moment as we all knew it would be a long time before we would see each other in 3D again.



_


----------



## mvf-m11c

It is always a good idea to have a lazy day after so many fun days with your family members. The family meal looks very nice.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> It is always a good idea to have a lazy day after so many fun days with your family members. The family meal looks very nice.



Thanks Bret.  It was lovely catching up with my aunt and cousins.


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow it really was a mad dash!

Glad you got to spend some relaxing time with your family before heading off.


----------



## ACDSNY

Sounds like you spent some quality time with your Aunt.  My family is going to be saying the same thing about leftovers as we had way to much for Thanksgiving.


----------



## skier_pete

Looks like a good time you were having, even if the food got a bit repetitive. I am also the "get there early" type. It's funny though, DW is the "get there 45 minutes late" type, and between the two of us we cancel each other out, and now we are almost always 10 minutes late. 

I recently read a quote on Twitter from Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame, "Family doesn't push your buttons. They install them." Might make a good "Discovery" for you.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Wow it really was a mad dash!
> 
> Glad you got to spend some relaxing time with your family before heading off.



Mad dash or not, I think it was about the right time to spend in San Diego.  







ACDSNY said:


> Sounds like you spent some quality time with your Aunt.  My family is going to be saying the same thing about leftovers as we had way to much for Thanksgiving.



I really enjoyed the Monday.  Even though we didn't do anything, it was lovely catching up with the family.
Hope your Thanksgiving leftovers get eaten!






********** said:


> Looks like a good time you were having, even if the food got a bit repetitive. I am also the "get there early" type. It's funny though, DW is the "get there 45 minutes late" type, and between the two of us we cancel each other out, and now we are almost always 10 minutes late.



DH gets quite exasperated with me sometimes when I rush him out the house...only to get to the other end to sit there for 15 minutes waiting for everyone else.  

Your way seems better.  





********** said:


> I recently read a quote on Twitter from Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame, "Family doesn't push your buttons. They install them." Might make a good "Discovery" for you.



That's a great discovery!  Yup.  Lots of great button installers in my family.


----------



## franandaj

I know exactly how you felt about the food. We're going to be there tomorrow and we may take a pass on the family for that day. Family dinners for three nights in a row, with the fourth a repurposing of the meals of the last few nights.

My family is not so riveting that it makes the food acceptable.  I'm glad that yours is!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I know exactly how you felt about the food. We're going to be there tomorrow and we may take a pass on the family for that day. Family dinners for three nights in a row, with the fourth a repurposing of the meals of the last few nights.
> 
> My family is not so riveting that it makes the food acceptable.  I'm glad that yours is!



I hope your family Thanksgiving has been relatively stress-free.  In any event, you'll be home soon, right?


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 5: Welcome Home to Disneyland


_*On the Road to Disneyland*


Discovery #27.  Welcome Home to Disney NEVER gets old.



DH and I had pretty much packed up the night before but we still had a few chores to complete around the house.  Striping the beds and emptying out the trash didn't take long; and we still had eggs and some provisions to finish up for breakfast.








We didn't exactly fly out the door this morning.









But it didn't take us long to get back on the road again.








I will admit that we headed back to Carlsbad Premium Outlets for an hour's shopping.  Both DH and I had a few things that we kinda wished we had bought and we figured that it was worth a trip back so that we didn't have any regrets hanging over us.  We knew exactly what we wanted and which shops to hit so it really was a quick in and out.  




The San Onofre Nuclear Plant has always been part of that Camp Pendleton stretch on the 5 where I want to get past as quickly as possible.  I gather that it will be decommissioned in the coming years.  Who knows if this structure will still be there in the future?



 




You can always count on heavy traffic on the 5 at any time of day!








At least it was flowing traffic and before too long, we began to see very familiar roads.









I have always wished that Disneyland was located closer to Australia.  But I've reconciled myself to the fact that it isn't and that distance doesn't matter.   It always feels like coming home to me.  Especially when I'm this close!








There is the perennial debate about whether Anaheim is better than Orlando or if Orlando is better than Anaheim.  For me, it really doesn't matter.  Anaheim, Orlando, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris and soon to be Shanghai.  At the end of the day..welcome home is Welcome Home to Disney.  It doesn't matter where the Disney park is.  And it never gets old.



Welcome Home!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Uva Bar Lamb Burger.  I blame franandaj!*


Discovery #28.  The Uva Bar Lamb Burger is as good as I remember it to be.



Surprisingly, we made good time to Anaheim.  It was such good time that Plan A for lunch was left by the wayside and we resorted to Plan B.  It was also not-such good time as we were way too early to check-in to our room.  

But we were able to leave the hire car parked at the Candy Cane, our chosen Good Neighbour hotel, and catch their transport to the bus stop area.








Even DH was happy to be 'home'.








Morning rush hour was well and truly over and it didn't take us long to get through bag check and get into the courtyard between the two parks.








The low whine above us was a welcome noise.









We made our way through Downtown Disney in unseemly haste.  It was a brisk walk that left me without any pictures of any of the stores.  The reason was because we were all hungry.   Our destination was the Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar.








As it was a really hot day, we decided to sit inside.








This picture is from DH's camera.








Despite the Oktoberfest specials, there was one thing on the menu that I'd been craving for the last year.  








Franandaj had introduced me to the Uva Lamb Burger last year.  The combination of lamb, lemon aioli, rocket/arugula, peppers, pickled onion and feta is truly something that my taste buds loved last year.  A year is a long time between bites and I do blame franandaj for the new addiction that is hard to feed.  

It is still as good as I remembered it to be.  YUM!!!!!  








I have to admit that I've been making beef burger variations of this burger at home in the last year.  It took me until this trip to realise that I'd gotten the onions wrong.  Suffice to say, since my return home to Melbourne, I've totally addressed that misconception.  I've been making my own version of that pickled onion at home and it does comes close to tasting like the Uva Bar version. 








DS was happy with his standard burger.








DH went with the guacamole and flat bread for lunch.  








In keeping with our location, I was seeing Hidden Mickey's everywhere!








DH also indulged in a new addiction we acquired in last year's trip.  Sweet Potato fries.









Yes, everyone was happy with lunch.  All our newly-found Uva Bar addictions had well and truly been satisfied today.









_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Candy Cane Inn*


Discovery #29.  I need to find another Good Neighbour hotel to call home.



By the time we finished lunch, it was the right time to check in at the Candy Cane.  We had stayed at this property in 2007 and it had been a decent enough place.  I figured it was worth a return visit.








The room and facilities are still decent.
















The most important thing was the bathroom was clean.









But I have to admit that the room felt a little tired.  I think I'm on the hunt for another Anaheim hotel should I be fortunate enough to make a return trip.




_


----------



## zanzibar138

And here was I thinking you were heading directly home...  For some reason I thought this was a non-Disney trip. Glad to see I was mistaken!

I totally agree that any Disney park is the place to be! They all have their own unique brand of magic (well, all that I've visited so far).

I had no idea that there was inside seating available at Uva Bar! That's definitely something to keep in mind. I also developed a taste for the sweet potato fries on our last trip.

Interesting to hear what you have to say about the Candy Cane Inn. It has a large following on these boards and it seems that it can do no wrong. I even thought about it for our trip, but it didn't seem like great value to me. I will admit that their bus looked pretty appealing after a long hot day at the parks!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Traffic coming up I-5 North looked heavier than going down south. 

You made really good time to SoCal before we got there that afternoon. Just like you, I also got hooked on the Lamb Burger at the UVA Bar and Cafe thanks to your trip report along with franandaj. It was nice to see you eat inside the restaurant instead of the outside. I enjoyed eating inside when I ate at the UVA Bar with my DB and his GF back in July. The food is amazing and I can't stop thinking about it. 

The Candy Cane Inn looks very nice but I would not spend the extra staying there along with waiting for transportation.

You should consider the hotels that are right across the street from the DLR on Harbor Blvd like Best Westerns, Desert Inn & Suites, etc. I have learned over the years to spend extra staying across the street in order to get the most of your visit.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

I also thought DL was not on the radar for the mad dash - bonus! Sounds like a lovely last day with the family - glad you and your aunt got some quality time together. I have never ate at the UVA Bar but that lamb burger looks pretty good!


----------



## dolphingirl47

Waiting 60 minutes for breakfast seems a little extreme to me. I cannot even imagine waiting this long for dinner.

What a shame that San Diego Zoo did not live up to your memories. I have never been, but Graham went in May and loved it. I am somewhat surprised at the cages though and I am glad that they will soon be a thing of the past.

Reading about your experience with family, I am very glad that I have no more contact with mine. 

That mosaic garden looks absolutely amazing.

I love the look of that Oktoberfest menu. As far as Good Neighbor hotels are concerned, we quite liked the Howard Johnson.

Corinna


----------



## Leshaface

All caught up!

I agree!  Zoo food is never, ever good.  That's too bad.

I"m the exact same way about being punctual.  When we lived in Long Beach, I would arrive to school 40 mintues early to make sure I got a parking spot...and I lived about 5 mintues from the school  

Wow nice aim 

What I love about the DIS is that we're able to say how we feel whenever we want and I feel that we're never judged.  Hope you felt a bit better by saying what was on your heart and mind   I'm the oldest (just two of us) but never felt I was treated differently.  Junior high was probably the worst time for me.  I got made fun of a lot for my looks and it still gets to me every now and then if I don't feel 'up to par', if that makes sense.

Alison raves about the Lamb Burger!  I'm not sure but many years ago, we sat at the bar in the middle of DTD and ordered a burger the bartender suggested.  It totally could have been the lamb burger, but I just don't remember.

We just recentely stayed at the Candy Cane Inn for our first time in October and liked it so much better than the other GN Hotels.  That was the 6th different hotel i've stayed at, and i'd say it's better than than Tropicana or Desert Palms.  MUCH cleaner, slightly cheaper and breakfast is 100% times better!  We never took the shuttle during our stay, so can't comment on how fast or slow it was, but we never even thought about it at the end of the day.    I've been wanting to try the HoJo but they never have availability.  I hear it's pretty good!


----------



## franandaj

Glad you made good time on your way to Disney. Now I want a lambuger from the Uva Bar! 

Sorry the Candy Cane inn wasn't quite up to snuff. But at least it did the job for one night.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

All caught up and the food porn is making me hungry.  It's only 11am here and I'm even salivating over the mojito. 

Reading about how good that Lamb burger is, I feel like I missed out while I was at Disneyland.  It would have been much tastier than the awful Monte Cristo that DH insisted on trying and regretted after the first bite.


----------



## zanzibar138

WanderlustNZ said:


> Reading about how good that Lamb burger is, I feel like I missed out while I was at Disneyland.  It would have been much tastier than the awful Monte Cristo that DH insisted on trying and regretted after the first bite.



What was your DH thinking?


----------



## WanderlustNZ

zanzibar138 said:


> What was your DH thinking?



Lol, I think curiosity got the better of him.  I must admit curiosity got the better of me too and I had to try a bite of his sandwich.  I just don't understand the popularity.  It's more like a large heavy doughnut-like dessert than a main meal.  
It is highly unlike my DH to not finish a meal, but he didn't even get half way through this one.


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> And here was I thinking you were heading directly home...  For some reason I thought this was a non-Disney trip. Glad to see I was mistaken!
> 
> I totally agree that any Disney park is the place to be! They all have their own unique brand of magic (well, all that I've visited so far).
> 
> I had no idea that there was inside seating available at Uva Bar! That's definitely something to keep in mind. I also developed a taste for the sweet potato fries on our last trip.
> 
> Interesting to hear what you have to say about the Candy Cane Inn. It has a large following on these boards and it seems that it can do no wrong. I even thought about it for our trip, but it didn't seem like great value to me. I will admit that their bus looked pretty appealing after a long hot day at the parks!



The CCI is fine as it is.  We got it with a AAA discount using the RACV (that's our local AAA equivalent for the US readers) code so it didn't work out too bad.

But I thought it was just looking a bit dated.  Of course, comparisons are unfair because the last time we were there, the place had just been renovated and it was sparkling.  Still, the bathrooms were clean.  And with parking, Wi Fi and breakfast included in the tariff, I really can't complain too much.







mvf-m11c said:


> Traffic coming up I-5 North looked heavier than going down south.



It was.  But it did flow at the speed limit; so we made pretty decent time to Anaheim.






mvf-m11c said:


> You made really good time to SoCal before we got there that afternoon. Just like you, I also got hooked on the Lamb Burger at the UVA Bar and Cafe thanks to your trip report along with franandaj. It was nice to see you eat inside the restaurant instead of the outside. I enjoyed eating inside when I ate at the UVA Bar with my DB and his GF back in July. The food is amazing and I can't stop thinking about it.



I've been making that pickled onion at home.  It's been making my homemade burgers tasting more like the Uva Bar; so I'm happy.  






mvf-m11c said:


> The Candy Cane Inn looks very nice but I would not spend the extra staying there along with waiting for transportation.



We tend to use the transport to get to the parks.  Even after you left us that night, we figured we were better off walking.  We did wait 5 minutes and then hit the road.  With the AAA discount, it wasn't too bad a price.






mvf-m11c said:


> You should consider the hotels that are right across the street from the DLR on Harbor Blvd like Best Westerns, Desert Inn & Suites, etc. I have learned over the years to spend extra staying across the street in order to get the most of your visit.



Maybe I will....next time.  

I've been seriously thinking of checking out HoJo.









Aussie Wendy said:


> I also thought DL was not on the radar for the mad dash - bonus! Sounds like a lovely last day with the family - glad you and your aunt got some quality time together. I have never ate at the UVA Bar but that lamb burger looks pretty good!



How could I go all that way and not go to DL?  

It came down to the airfare.  Staying 9 nights was significantly cheaper than staying 5 nights.  Go figure.  








dolphingirl47 said:


> Waiting 60 minutes for breakfast seems a little extreme to me. I cannot even imagine waiting this long for dinner.



I know, right?  I think this is a population thing.






dolphingirl47 said:


> What a shame that San Diego Zoo did not live up to your memories. I have never been, but Graham went in May and loved it. I am somewhat surprised at the cages though and I am glad that they will soon be a thing of the past.



I think we would re-visit the zoo.  But only after the reno is completed.





dolphingirl47 said:


> Reading about your experience with family, I am very glad that I have no more contact with mine.



Families.  Can't live with them.  Can't live without them.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> That mosaic garden looks absolutely amazing.
> 
> I love the look of that Oktoberfest menu. As far as Good Neighbor hotels are concerned, we quite liked the Howard Johnson.
> 
> Corinna



The HoJo is popular with the Aussies as well.  Maybe next time.








Leshaface said:


> All caught up!
> 
> I agree!  Zoo food is never, ever good.  That's too bad.
> 
> I"m the exact same way about being punctual.  When we lived in Long Beach, I would arrive to school 40 mintues early to make sure I got a parking spot...and I lived about 5 mintues from the school



If I lived closer, I think you and I would be parking....and then finding an appropriate cafe to have coffee whilst we waited.  







Leshaface said:


> Wow nice aim
> 
> What I love about the DIS is that we're able to say how we feel whenever we want and I feel that we're never judged.  Hope you felt a bit better by saying what was on your heart and mind   I'm the oldest (just two of us) but never felt I was treated differently.  Junior high was probably the worst time for me.  I got made fun of a lot for my looks and it still gets to me every now and then if I don't feel 'up to par', if that makes sense.



Yes it does.  But you know you're really gorgeous, right?  I love your Eurasian looks.  






Leshaface said:


> Alison raves about the Lamb Burger!  I'm not sure but many years ago, we sat at the bar in the middle of DTD and ordered a burger the bartender suggested.  It totally could have been the lamb burger, but I just don't remember.



Did you enjoy it?







Leshaface said:


> We just recentely stayed at the Candy Cane Inn for our first time in October and liked it so much better than the other GN Hotels.  That was the 6th different hotel i've stayed at, and i'd say it's better than than Tropicana or Desert Palms.  MUCH cleaner, slightly cheaper and breakfast is 100% times better!  We never took the shuttle during our stay, so can't comment on how fast or slow it was, but we never even thought about it at the end of the day.    I've been wanting to try the HoJo but they never have availability.  I hear it's pretty good!



CCI is still pretty decent.  I just think it was started to look dated and it might be time for me to try somewhere else.  

It'll be interested to see how HoJo stacks up.  The one Bret stayed at also looked nice.







franandaj said:


> Glad you made good time on your way to Disney. Now I want a lambuger from the Uva Bar!
> 
> Sorry the Candy Cane inn wasn't quite up to snuff. But at least it did the job for one night.



It was more than fine for one night.  







WanderlustNZ said:


> All caught up and the food porn is making me hungry.  It's only 11am here and I'm even salivating over the mojito.
> 
> Reading about how good that Lamb burger is, I feel like I missed out while I was at Disneyland.  It would have been much tastier than the awful Monte Cristo that DH insisted on trying and regretted after the first bite.



I could eat about one of those Monte Cristo 'wedges'.  It is very filling, isn't it?  And rich.  







zanzibar138 said:


> What was your DH thinking?





WanderlustNZ said:


> Lol, I think curiosity got the better of him.  I must admit curiosity got the better of me too and I had to try a bite of his sandwich.  I just don't understand the popularity.  It's more like a large heavy doughnut-like dessert than a main meal.
> It is highly unlike my DH to not finish a meal, but he didn't even get half way through this one.



To my taste, the Monte Cristo was sweet and rich.  I enjoyed at the time I was eating it.  But it did repeat on me a little afterwards.


----------



## jedijill

I really liked the HoJo but it was getting expensive.  I stayed at the Anabella in March and it was nice but the walls were a bit thin.  Not a bad walk to GCH and DTD.

Jill in CO


----------



## WanderlustNZ

PrincessInOz said:


> To my taste, the Monte Cristo was sweet and rich.



That was DH's issue with it.  Being served something sweet when he thought he'd ordered something savoury annoyed him profusely.  It made even less sense to him than pineapple on a pizza.  

It might have made sense to us had the bread been a sourdough and all the sweet embellishments (icing sugar, dipping sauce etc) been replaced with a salad.  Or even better, swap the savoury fillings for cream cheese and strawberries and then move it to the dessert menu.  Hhmm, now that actually sounds quite yummy.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> I really liked the HoJo but it was getting expensive.  I stayed at the Anabella in March and it was nice but the walls were a bit thin.  Not a bad walk to GCH and DTD.
> 
> Jill in CO



CCI was cheaper than HoJo when I looked for October.  Only just, though.  Its a shame HoJo starting to raise their prices.

I like the look of the Anabella from the outside but the thin walls would get to me.








WanderlustNZ said:


> That was DH's issue with it.  Being served something sweet when he thought he'd ordered something savoury annoyed him profusely.  It made even less sense to him than pineapple on a pizza.
> 
> It might have made sense to us had the bread been a sourdough and all the sweet embellishments (icing sugar, dipping sauce etc) been replaced with a salad.  Or even better, swap the savoury fillings for cream cheese and strawberries and then move it to the dessert menu.  Hhmm, now that actually sounds quite yummy.



But....that doesn't sound like a Monte Cristo anymore.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*DisMeet with mvf-m11c: Catching up in 3D at Disneyland*


Discovery #30.  I always feel like a kid going through the Disneyland gates.



We were off to catch up with mvf-m11c (Bret) in 3D.  

Plan A had been to have lunch with Bret and his aunt, DAF.  But we had gotten there ahead of schedule and they were running to time.  Besides, despite numerous emails beforehand and the flurry of texts on this day, I don't think Bret and I actually agreed on an eating establishment.  Believe it or not, between my pesky-vegetarian and DAF's dietary requirements, we have nearly ruled out every restaurant in the DTD precinct and beyond!  


So, it was probably just as well that we ended up being early.  


After lunch and after we checked in at CCI, we headed to catch up with Bret.  It had been over a year since we had last met up and I was looking forward to seeing him again, meeting DAF and breathing the same air space.  
We caught up with them at their hotel room and then got back on track with Plan A.  Lucky we got tickets!








There was a bit of a queue to enter.  I guess there were quite of few guests like me....we had only purchased the ticket for the special party so that meant that we had to wait until 3 hours before the party kick-off time to enter.  



 




You will need one of these to enter the gates.








I do mean the wristband. The bag is a souvenir for the night.



I don't know about you, but I'm always pretty impatient to get through the turnstiles.  There is just something about Disney parks that turns me back to a kid!  I suspect that I'm not the only one that feels that way.








Unlike last year, I made sure that we dutifully got our DisMeet officially recognised.  I got DH to take this shot of Bret and me.



 




DisMeet officially captured, we kept heading in.  We got in the park to this sight.








It was close on parade time.  We all had ideas of hitting the rides rather than watching the parade.  But we hadn't counted on this.








Someone had to lead the way and make a decision.  I figured that there was no point fighting traffic and convinced the others to stop for a bit.  








So we found some space and settled in for the parade.








_




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Mickey's Soundsational Parade*


Discovery #31.  Cast Member ALWAYS like to look down the glass of a big camera.



In 2012, we had the good fortune of travelling to Hong Kong Disneyland and catching the Flights of Fantasy parade.  That parade is arguably the best parade I've seen for float design, colour and costumes.  (Although, I suspect that the new Festival of Fantasy parade at Magic Kingdom will probably usurp this position if and when I finally get to see it).


Mickey's Soundsational Parade, which premiered in 2011, is one parade that I have not yet caught in its entirety.   I have seen bits of the parade in previous mad dashes and the floats, whilst colourful, did not entice me to stop.  Having said that, I was glad for this opportunity to tick this one off my Disney list.


Rat-a-tat-tat.  Strike up the Band!








My big camera attracted the attention of this Cast Member.








I guess I really should have paid more attention to this parade in the past.  The musical details are stunning!








I think DH would have loved to find out if those drums were real or not.  Personally, I prefer checking out my main Mouse!








I loved Goofy's xylophone sash.  DS used to have a toy xylophone in those exact colours.








The musical costumes are great!








Pluto also wanted to pose for my camera.  Who am I to argue?








I like to think that Genie was also pointing at my camera.  









The same with Aladdin (but I do know he was looking at someone else).








There was no doubt about this dancing harem girl.  She looked straight down the belly of the barrel.








I did like the costumes of the dancers accompanying the floats.






















Ariel's and Sebastian's calypso music was next.



 











Little nipper mariachi!









I do love the 3 Caballeros; but I sure didn't like those dancing piñata costumes.








Donald also spotted my camera.








I had a lot more fun with one of the minor princesses.















The major princesses on the Princess float were busy looking elsewhere.






























All....except for Cinderella.  She was looking my way.







_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_Simba's Animalia collection was next.






















Not quite a Tumble Monkey.








Although, this cast member was a bit of a Cheeky Monkey!








Time for Mardi Gras fun.



 












Tiana gave me the same cold shoulder treatment as the other princesses.








I decided Louis was blind.  He never looked in my direction.








I'm still searching for a decent shot of Peter Pan.







In fact, when I think about it, I really need to get decent shots of the Neverland set.















Thank heaven for the supporting cast members looking my way!








I was intrigued to see the homage to Mary Poppins included in this parade.  I'm guessing that Saving Mr Banks had a lot to do with it featuring as a proper float.















Not that I'm complaining.  I love Mary Poppins.









And Bert.








But I really wasn't sure about this float.








I know that the Brits like the 'traditional' nature of fox hunting.  But I thought it was rather un-Disneylike.








And more cluelessness from me.  Can someone help explain the chimney sweep on the moon?









It did finish with another cast member spotting my camera.  So, it was all good.









It had been great catching this particular parade as I got to tick it off my Disney list.  It was a pleasure watching it with my family; and Bret and his DAF.   The bonus?   All of those supporting cast members looking straight down the barrel of my camera.




_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*ReImagining An Old Favourite (Big Thunder Mountain)*


Discovery #32.  Bret has a LOT of gadgets....aka....Gear Acquisition Syndrome....and I have GAS envy.



Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has long been a firm family favourite.  It underwent a major refurbishment last year and I was keen to check out the reimagined ride.

Sadly for us, we didn't have any FP for this ride so we waited in the stand-by queue.








At 20 minutes, the wait really wasn't too bad.  Especially when Bret was bringing out his gear for fun!  

One of the things that Bret and I do have in common is a love of taking pictures at Disney.  Bret's pretty lucky to be living close enough to Disneyland to visit multiple times a year.  If you've been following Bret's neverending TR of trips (link here), you may have noticed that Bret's been working hard at improving his Disney pictures over the last year.  I'm a firm believer in the adage "It's not the equipment, it's the photographer" but there is no denying that when taking pictures in the dark, the right equipment does help.  Bret's been acquiring pieces of equipment to enhance his photography skills over the last 2 - 3 years and it's been real cool to be standing by the sidelines watching the growth and change to his pictures.  

For this trip, I got to witness close hand at some of the cool gadgets he's gotten in his bag, albeit with a touch of envy.  This was Bret's selfie picture of us taken from his i-phone at the end of a cool contraption/stick.  Look how much he can get in the picture when the phone is a couple of meters away....including photo bomber. 








It didn't take us long to get to the bone wall.








Surprisingly, it was also a dry wall.  I think there was a leak somewhere and they had to drain all the water out.  I did wonder if there was a flood somewhere!








From this point, we moved along pretty quickly and were boarding the railway before we knew it.  Bret pulled out another gadget...the GoPro, which he fixed at the end of that stick contraption.   








Pretty cool, right?  My DH doesn't lurk on the Dis; so there's no point in me mentioning that I've been eyeing the GoPro for the last 2 years.  It would make a decent Christmas, Birthday or Anniversary present.  Absolutely. No. Point. Whatsoever!!!!  








Sadly for me, when we got on the ride, I had a pretty tall person in front of me.








I wish I knew who you were.  








I have a great set of pictures of the back of your head and you may want to have them.








If it weren't for the fact that there are definitely low sections to this ride, I would have been happy to borrow that stick contraption from Bret to get some pictures other than your head.  But then...my camera would not fit on that contraption anyway.








This section is a great re-imagineering by Disney.  









Disney has also managed to make this a much smoother ride than I remember.   It was a pretty cool ride before....now it's awesome.  The old favourite is now a new favourite.




_


----------



## zanzibar138

I enjoyed the Soundsational parade too, especially when I heard the soundtrack! That music was one of my favourite parts of Flights of Fantasy. The floats, though detailed with colourful and fun musical decor, weren't quite as impressive to me as the ones in Flights of Fantasy, and it is still the Disney parade winner in my books. I love all the photos you got.

We also loved the new BTM! Unfortunately we only got one ride, something I hope to remedy on our next trip 

Am I the only who dislikes those selfie sticks? Having said that, when I haven't been seeing them used for 'sexy' facebook profile pics in front of various historic monuments that don't get a second glance, I've been just about knocked out by them, so I haven't had a great run lol! I can certainly see their usefulness, and I suppose in the right hands (that can also be bothered to lug a stick around with them all day) they could be quite a handy tool to have.

Sounds like you had a great DisMeet with Brett, and glad that you managed to get the official record of it, even if it was aided by a selfie stick


----------



## ACDSNY

Your pictures make me want to see the Mickey's Soundsational Parade.

I agree with you it's been fun watching the change in Bret's pictures over the last couple of years.  Both of you take fantastic pictures.

Do I need to send this hint to your DH?

_"My DH doesn't lurk on the Dis; so there's no point in me mentioning that I've been eyeing the GoPro for the last 2 years. It would make a decent Christmas, Birthday or Anniversary present. Absolutely. No. Point. Whatsoever!!!!"_


----------



## mvf-m11c

PrincessInOz said:


> We tend to use the transport to get to the parks.  Even after you left us that night, we figured we were better off walking.  We did wait 5 minutes and then hit the road.  With the AAA discount, it wasn't too bad a price.
> 
> Maybe I will....next time.
> 
> I've been seriously thinking of checking out HoJo.



At least it was a short wait time instead of those long wait times when taking the ART. I have terrible experience with ART so I don't ride it anymore. What was the price when you stayed at CCI? We paid $115 a night at BWAI. Luckily I used my points on the second night and we got to stay at BWAI for free.

You won't regret any of the hotels that is across the street from the DLR with a 8 minute walk or less.

I have stayed at HOJO in the past and it is nice place to stay for a family. The goods about HOJO in my opinion is that it is a nice family hotel to stay at, Castaway Cove for the kids, scenery which is nice. But there are also disadvantages of staying at HOJO as well. The walking distance is quite long about 10 minutes which is not that bad, they have no transportation except if you take the ART. When I looked at the rates, they are quite high which can be higher than BWPPI even with the discounts on certain days. I'm not saying that HOJO is bad or anything like that but it is more of a family place to stay in my opinion where I don't care about Castaway Cove.


It was tough since DH and DAF have their own eating ways and we weren't able to have lunch that afternoon. I'm still happy that you were able to eat at UVA Bar and Cafe that afternoon without us. I would have easily joined you and eat at the UVA Bar and Cafe that afternoon but I didn't want to leave DAF by herself. 

Luckily it wasn't that bad when we entered DL for MHP. It was nice to hang out with you, DH and DS during the trip and it was well worth coming out on such short notice. Even DAF had a great time with you as well. We got a decent spot to watch Mickey's Soundsational Parade and your pictures are very nice especially from your spot. DH, you and I were taking pictures like crazy of the parade.

I know this and we talk about it time and time again that it is all about the photographer instead of the equipment that gets you great pictures but I have learned a lot with photography these last few years that I want to keep improving with my picture taking. 

Using the pole with my iPhone and GoPro came in handy where we were able to get pictures of ourselves on the rides. You should get a GoPro for your DH PiO and Angela. I was always hesitant to get a GoPro these last couple of years until last year which you can get great action videos and to be able to take selfies as well. Luckily we were able to get some selifes on BTMRR.

Jenny DH got a GoPro and they are planning on using it for their trip which is happening and it looks like we can see GoPro in everybody's future.


----------



## LegoMom3

Loving your DLR pics!  Still on my bucket list.  And while I am truly enjoying the true nature of all your wonderful photographs, there's the geek part of me looking at some of them going "Ooh!....there's a trash can!  Cool design!"    I will probably return from my trip in May with more of those pics than anything else.  

.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

zanzibar138 said:


> Am I the only who dislikes those selfie sticks? Having said that, when I haven't been seeing them used for 'sexy' facebook profile pics in front of various historic monuments that don't get a second glance, I've been just about knocked out by them, so I haven't had a great run lol! I can certainly see their usefulness, and I suppose in the right hands (that can also be bothered to lug a stick around with them all day) they could be quite a handy tool to have.
> 
> Sounds like you had a great DisMeet with Brett, and glad that you managed to get the official record of it, even if it was aided by a selfie stick



Yes everywhere we went in the US they were plentiful, poking your eye out in crowds...blocking all the good photo spots while they fiddle about for ages getting the perfect shot at the end of a stick. They are certainly the "in thing" - closely followed by the GoPros - lol PIO. I don't think I could be bothered lugging them about either though many are telescopic but I admit in some remote spots they could be handy and they mean you don't have to interact with strangers any more to ask them to take your pic! We become more insular! I haven't seen them so prolifically out and about in Bris but only a matter of time. I see the discount shops all have cheapies for sale.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Great pics PIO - it's great living vicariously through you - it's almost like being there!


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> I enjoyed the Soundsational parade too, especially when I heard the soundtrack! That music was one of my favourite parts of Flights of Fantasy. The floats, though detailed with colourful and fun musical decor, weren't quite as impressive to me as the ones in Flights of Fantasy, and it is still the Disney parade winner in my books. I love all the photos you got.
> 
> We also loved the new BTM! Unfortunately we only got one ride, something I hope to remedy on our next trip



The good thing is that there is a NEXT trip.  

And yes.  Flights of Fantasy is a very impressive parade.







zanzibar138 said:


> Am I the only who dislikes those selfie sticks? Having said that, when I haven't been seeing them used for 'sexy' facebook profile pics in front of various historic monuments that don't get a second glance, I've been just about knocked out by them, so I haven't had a great run lol! I can certainly see their usefulness, and I suppose in the right hands (that can also be bothered to lug a stick around with them all day) they could be quite a handy tool to have.



How else are you going to get those 'sexy' poses if you don't have a stick?  

The stick will easily fit in a camera backpack.  







zanzibar138 said:


> Sounds like you had a great DisMeet with Brett, and glad that you managed to get the official record of it, even if it was aided by a selfie stick



I did get DH to take some of the pictures.  We used the selfie stick for the 'fun' pictures (no sexy posing from us!!).  







ACDSNY said:


> Your pictures make me want to see the Mickey's Soundsational Parade.
> 
> I agree with you it's been fun watching the change in Bret's pictures over the last couple of years.  Both of you take fantastic pictures.
> 
> Do I need to send this hint to your DH?
> 
> _"My DH doesn't lurk on the Dis; so there's no point in me mentioning that I've been eyeing the GoPro for the last 2 years. It would make a decent Christmas, Birthday or Anniversary present. Absolutely. No. Point. Whatsoever!!!!"_



Nah.  He'll get the message eventually......if I decide to buy it for myself and wrap it!!  

(thanks!! )






mvf-m11c said:


> At least it was a short wait time instead of those long wait times when taking the ART. I have terrible experience with ART so I don't ride it anymore. What was the price when you stayed at CCI? We paid $115 a night at BWAI. Luckily I used my points on the second night and we got to stay at BWAI for free.



I've only ever caught the ART once.  It wasn't too bad when there was no one there.

I think we paid about $135 or thereabouts for the room at CCI.  That's a great price for BWAI; especially when the second night is free.






mvf-m11c said:


> You won't regret any of the hotels that is across the street from the DLR with a 8 minute walk or less.



We quite like staying at the Residence Inn Maingate; which is a bit longer walk.  We do like the Cheesecake Factory and it's nice to be a little bit out of the main tourist drag.






mvf-m11c said:


> I have stayed at HOJO in the past and it is nice place to stay for a family. The goods about HOJO in my opinion is that it is a nice family hotel to stay at, Castaway Cove for the kids, scenery which is nice. But there are also disadvantages of staying at HOJO as well. The walking distance is quite long about 10 minutes which is not that bad, they have no transportation except if you take the ART. When I looked at the rates, they are quite high which can be higher than BWPPI even with the discounts on certain days. I'm not saying that HOJO is bad or anything like that but it is more of a family place to stay in my opinion where I don't care about Castaway Cove.



We don't mind a bit of a longer walk.  Afterall, we are walking about the parks all day.  










mvf-m11c said:


> It was tough since DH and DAF have their own eating ways and we weren't able to have lunch that afternoon. I'm still happy that you were able to eat at UVA Bar and Cafe that afternoon without us. I would have easily joined you and eat at the UVA Bar and Cafe that afternoon but I didn't want to leave DAF by herself.



I'm glad you stayed with your DAF.  I wouldn't have wanted her to eat by herself either!!!







mvf-m11c said:


> Luckily it wasn't that bad when we entered DL for MHP. It was nice to hang out with you, DH and DS during the trip and it was well worth coming out on such short notice. Even DAF had a great time with you as well. We got a decent spot to watch Mickey's Soundsational Parade and your pictures are very nice especially from your spot. DH, you and I were taking pictures like crazy of the parade.



We had a great time hanging out with you and your DAF.  I know we'll definitely catch up.....I sure hope to see her again in the future.    







mvf-m11c said:


> I know this and we talk about it time and time again that it is all about the photographer instead of the equipment that gets you great pictures but I have learned a lot with photography these last few years that I want to keep improving with my picture taking.
> 
> Using the pole with my iPhone and GoPro came in handy where we were able to get pictures of ourselves on the rides. You should get a GoPro for your DH PiO and Angela. I was always hesitant to get a GoPro these last couple of years until last year which you can get great action videos and to be able to take selfies as well. Luckily we were able to get some selifes on BTMRR.
> 
> Jenny DH got a GoPro and they are planning on using it for their trip which is happening and it looks like we can see GoPro in everybody's future.



You're doing real well with your photography!  Keep at it.








LegoMom3 said:


> Loving your DLR pics!  Still on my bucket list.  And while I am truly enjoying the true nature of all your wonderful photographs, there's the geek part of me looking at some of them going "Ooh!....there's a trash can!  Cool design!"    I will probably return from my trip in May with more of those pics than anything else.
> 
> .



Dang!  I should have taken more pictures of the trash cans for you!  Are you going to do a TR for your May trip?  I'd love to follow it.  








Aussie Wendy said:


> Yes everywhere we went in the US they were plentiful, poking your eye out in crowds...blocking all the good photo spots while they fiddle about for ages getting the perfect shot at the end of a stick. They are certainly the "in thing" - closely followed by the GoPros - lol PIO. I don't think I could be bothered lugging them about either though many are telescopic but I admit in some remote spots they could be handy and they mean you don't have to interact with strangers any more to ask them to take your pic! We become more insular! I haven't seen them so prolifically out and about in Bris but only a matter of time. I see the discount shops all have cheapies for sale.



I think I'm fairly safe (at the moment) from getting a selfie stick.  Besides, I don't mind interacting with strangers from time to time.






Aussie Wendy said:


> Great pics PIO - it's great living vicariously through you - it's almost like being there!



Thanks, Wendy.  I've been enjoying living vicariously through your TR too.


----------



## LegoMom3

PrincessInOz said:


> ......
> Dang!  I should have taken more pictures of the trash cans for you!  Are you going to do a TR for your May trip?  I'd love to follow it.
> 
> 
> .....



I'm thinking about it!  May not mess with a PTR (I get all ambitious about those but then find myself lagging which is boring for people and then you lose readership before you really even get started!!).  But yes, I think I will do a TR.  Didn't do one last May, so I'm due.  (I also didn't bother with my camera last spring, just used my phone, which is all well and good but of course the camera takes better shots _and_ it's much easier to upload them to the Internet).


.


----------



## skier_pete

You may remember, as part of our DIS exclusive ABD - the DIS folks arranged for us to view the soundsational parade with the designers of the parade - Kevin Kidney and Jody Dailey (you can find them on the web). I can confirm that the finale of Mary Poppins had nothing to do with Saving Mr. Banks. This movie was a favorite of theirs and they wanted to use it, and Mary Poppins is also a MUCH bigger deal in California than in WDW anyways as it is linked to the early days of DL.  

According to them, very little was mandated, other than the theme of music and that Mickey had to be on the first float playing the drums. All the different floats were selected primarily because of the varying musical styles. 
They were given early info on Rapunzel, because the movie came out Winter 2010, and the float designs were well underway by that point. There are also several easter eggs on the floats Example: Evenrude the firefly from The Rescuers shows up on the Tiana float. 

Actually I found your pictures of the back of that guys head to be quite hilarious.


----------



## zanzibar138

PrincessInOz said:


> How else are you going to get those 'sexy' poses if you don't have a stick?
> 
> The stick will easily fit in a camera backpack.



Well that explains it then. I can't be bothered to lug around a camera backpack either


----------



## PrincessInOz

zanzibar138 said:


> Well that explains it then. I can't be bothered to lug around a camera backpack either


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> I'm thinking about it!  May not mess with a PTR (I get all ambitious about those but then find myself lagging which is boring for people and then you lose readership before you really even get started!!).  But yes, I think I will do a TR.  Didn't do one last May, so I'm due.  (I also didn't bother with my camera last spring, just used my phone, which is all well and good but of course the camera takes better shots _and_ it's much easier to upload them to the Internet).
> 
> 
> .



Excellent.  I'll look forward to it!







********** said:


> You may remember, as part of our DIS exclusive ABD - the DIS folks arranged for us to view the soundsational parade with the designers of the parade - Kevin Kidney and Jody Dailey (you can find them on the web). I can confirm that the finale of Mary Poppins had nothing to do with Saving Mr. Banks. This movie was a favorite of theirs and they wanted to use it, and Mary Poppins is also a MUCH bigger deal in California than in WDW anyways as it is linked to the early days of DL.
> 
> According to them, very little was mandated, other than the theme of music and that Mickey had to be on the first float playing the drums. All the different floats were selected primarily because of the varying musical styles.
> They were given early info on Rapunzel, because the movie came out Winter 2010, and the float designs were well underway by that point. There are also several easter eggs on the floats Example: Evenrude the firefly from The Rescuers shows up on the Tiana float.
> 
> Actually I found your pictures of the back of that guys head to be quite hilarious.



That's great intel, Pete!  Thanks for sharing. Makes sense to see why there was such a mis-match of everything.

I found the floats to be interesting to look simply because I love all things musical and instruments.  But the characters on the floats were quite mixed from the different movies.


The guy in front of me was one of the tallest guests to be riding ahead of me in a long time.  Glad you liked the pictures.  It was a really fun post for me too!


----------



## dolphingirl47

jedijill said:


> I really liked the HoJo but it was getting expensive.  I stayed at the Anabella in March and it was nice but the walls were a bit thin.  Not a bad walk to GCH and DTD.
> 
> Jill in CO



I thought we got an amazing rate. At the time I did the maths and we paid a little more for our eight nights at the HoJo than we would have had to pay for one night at the Disneyland Hotel. We paid £66 per night at the HoJo, which is roughly $103. I thought that was pretty sweet considering the location. Disneyland Hotel would have been £446 for one night and we paid a total of £529.

I love all the photos from the parade. I am pretty sure that the Mary Poppins float was already there in 2011. I am not normally interested in parades, but I loved this one and watched it twice that year.

20 minutes waiting time for Big Thunder Mountain sounds great. I love what they have done with that ride.



Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I thought we got an amazing rate. At the time I did the maths and we paid a little more for our eight nights at the HoJo than we would have had to pay for one night at the Disneyland Hotel. We paid £66 per night at the HoJo, which is roughly $103. I thought that was pretty sweet considering the location. Disneyland Hotel would have been £446 for one night and we paid a total of £529.
> 
> I love all the photos from the parade. I am pretty sure that the Mary Poppins float was already there in 2011. I am not normally interested in parades, but I loved this one and watched it twice that year.
> 
> 20 minutes waiting time for Big Thunder Mountain sounds great. I love what they have done with that ride.
> 
> 
> 
> Corinna



That is a sweet deal at HoJo, Corinna.  I think they were quoting $150 for the one night I was looking for and there was no discount for that night.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> That is a sweet deal at HoJo, Corinna.  I think they were quoting $150 for the one night I was looking for and there was no discount for that night.



We stayed for 8 nights so there is the possibility that we got a cheaper rate because of this. We booked this through a UK tour operator so maybe they want to appeal to the UK market at the moment.


Corinna


----------



## jedijill

That's an amazing rate for the HoJo!  I would stay there for that amount...all I could find were in the $150's in March.

Jill in CO


----------



## Leshaface

I cannot believe the amount of CM's that looked straight at you!  I bet you were so happy with the way the pictures turned out.  So I guess you were very happy with your viewing spot huh?!

I've been wanting the GoPro too!....

I feel so terrible, but DH's Christmas gifts to me, can never be a surprise...I received a text message 2 days ago from Chase regarding a $400 dollar charge to Best Buy and wanting to know if I approved the charge.  It was during DH's break at school when I received the text, so I called him just in case he did purchase something...Poor guy was SO MAD (not at me but Chase) that my main gift was ruined. 

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I got the GoPro  

*Bret!*  You're going to have to give some pointers on how to use it or point me in the right direction of video tutorials please!  And most importantly, can I learn to use it in 6 days before my WDW trip?!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Leshaface said:


> I've been wanting the GoPro too!....
> 
> I feel so terrible, but DH's Christmas gifts to me, can never be a surprise...I received a text message 2 days ago from Chase regarding a $400 dollar charge to Best Buy and wanting to know if I approved the charge.  It was during DH's break at school when I received the text, so I called him just in case he did purchase something...Poor guy was SO MAD (not at me but Chase) that my main gift was ruined.
> 
> Anyway, I'm pretty sure I got the GoPro
> 
> *Bret!*  You're going to have to give some pointers on how to use it or point me in the right direction of video tutorials please!  And most importantly, can I learn to use it in 6 days before my WDW trip?!



*Alicia* - That would have been a great Christmas gift for your DH. Anyway, if it is the GoPro, you will enjoy it for your upcoming WDW trip in a few days.

As for the pointers and tips, it is not difficult to use as would anyone would think. I can give you a quick tutorial and what other items to get to go along with the GoPro. 

I gave my tips on how to use the GoPro and what goodies to get along to Jenny *rentayenta* just a few days ago before they left for their trip to the DLR. I bet she and her family are having a great time down there. 

Here is what I wrote to her on her DVC thread in which this will be a good tip on how to use the GoPro and what items to go along with the GoPro.

_I do have a GoPro. I have the GoPro 3+ Black. The GoPro's are great for getting action videos when going on rides and you can also use it to get selfie videos and pictures. They are also great when walking around the park and to be able to get videos and pictures of all different sorts. The GoPro's are great during the day while they don't get you great pictures or video at night. I tried that before with the rides and the nighttime shows where it can be blurry (if you want great video/picture quality that would be through with the DSLR and HD camcorders). The functions on the GoPro are very simple with the video/picture mode. You can go with wide angle or narrow shots on the settings. You also get a hardcase along with the GoPro is good since it won't get wet but the sound quality is bad unless you buy a case less body for the GoPro so it would have better sound. Since you have a smartphone, you can download the GoPro App and you will be able to use it as a remote control so he won't have to touch the GoPro when using it. I have a remote control as well as the app. 

For the equipment, I would get a pole for the GoPro. I would recommend a pole that can hold a GoPro and a cell phone which I use. It is versatile to use a GoPro with a pole and change it to hold your phone. When I go to the parks and see the guests with the GoPro's, they have the poles and hand grips. I also use a headstrap for my GoPro since I can take pictures with my DSLR in my hands while my GoPro is on my head while recording.

Here is the link on amazon on the pole that I bought. Mudder 39" 3-Way Telescopic Handheld Monopod Self-portrait Pole Events/ Sports/ Selfie Stick Extender + Upgraded Smartphone Holder Mount, for Most Cell Phones, Digital Cameras, GoPro HD Hero 3+ 3 2 SJ4000 Sports Camera, Sony HDR-AS15 HDR-AS30V HDR-AS100V Action Cam, iPhone 6 5S 5C 5 4S 4, Samsung Galaxy S5 S4 S3 S2, Note 3 2, LG, Motorola, HTC, Sony, Nokia and More

Here is an example with a pole with my iPhone when I was riding Autopia and got a picture of PiO and DH in October.




Here is the one with the strap on my head which you can see.


_

Hope this helps you with your questions about the GoPro. Here are my other tips on the GoPro. 

The settings are very basic and simple to use on the GoPro if you have the Hero 3 or newer versions. You can change the mode from the GoPro to video or pictures on the GoPro or by the App on your phone. 

If you have a smart phone (iPhone or android) you can download the GoPro App and this will be your remote control to your GoPro which is easy to use. You will have to setup a WiFi for your GoPro so it can be in sync with your phone so you can use it as a remote. You can also view your pictures/videos from your phone which is good as well.

Since the GoPro takes Micro SD card, I would get a big card (a 32gb should be a nice size or 64gb) since you can take many pictures and videos with it. Get another battery since the GoPro battery can die really quickly if you use it a lot. I would recommend getting another rechargeable battery along with the one you have. The housing you get along with the GoPro are great to have when on wet rides so you won't have to worry about your GoPro getting wet. The only downside I see with the housing is that the sound quality is very poor. 

Here is a video on YouTube which will get you started on the GoPro (it is based on the new HERO4) but the one you have should be like the 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saQH34lDuos


----------



## Leshaface

Bret, this is perfect thank you very much!

I was curious about the pole.  I didn't ask for the pole because I wasn't sure it it's allowed to be used on attractions due to the height?  Aside from Autopia, what other rides did you use it on?  And did any CM's ask you to put it away.  I didn't want to carry it around with all my stuff, the stroller, diaper bag, etc if I wouldn't even be able to use it. 

And the 'handgrip', is that the same thing that you would wear on your wrist or are those two different things?

Also, how easy are the videos to transfer over onto a Mac so I can make a DVD out of the movies i'll be making?  

Heading over to your TR now.

Thanks again!


And thanks PIO for allowing me to hijack your thread for a bit


----------



## mvf-m11c

Leshaface said:


> Bret, this is perfect thank you very much!
> 
> I was curious about the pole.  I didn't ask for the pole because I wasn't sure it it's allowed to be used on attractions due to the height?  Aside from Autopia, what other rides did you use it on?  And did any CM's ask you to put it away.  I didn't want to carry it around with all my stuff, the stroller, diaper bag, etc if I wouldn't even be able to use it.
> 
> And the 'handgrip', is that the same thing that you would wear on your wrist or are those two different things?
> 
> Also, how easy are the videos to transfer over onto a Mac so I can make a DVD out of the movies i'll be making?
> 
> Heading over to your TR now.
> 
> Thanks again!



Your welcome.

I have seen videos on YouTube that people have used the poles on the rides. The times when I have used the pole is on BTMRR, RSR & Autopia. Most of the other rides are dark rides where the video quality won't be that good. I didn't put the pole up so high since it can obstruct the view of the other riders since I can lose it on the ride. The CM's never asked me to put it away but they have told me that I am another people with those poles. The one that I used is not that too long (when folded) since I had to watch what the height was on the pole since I can put it on the side of my bag. You can check on YouTube and see that people have used the GoPro poles on the rides. They have used the GoPro's on CS, Matterhorn, GRR, etc. as long as the rides would have no problem with video/picture taking on the ride. This is not like Universal where they won't let those kind of things on the rides. 

Here is the Amazon website which tells you all the different kind of hand grips.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...=aps&hvadid=1676091708&ref=pd_sl_20kg86n3gh_e

The hand grips is what you wear on your wrist with your GoPro. They don't have the extensions like the poles but they are fine when taking pictures/video when walking around the park and on the rides. This is a good way to use the GoPro when walking around the parks and riding on the rides.

I have a MacBook and I haven't transfer videos on it since I use a Desktop, but from what I have read that it is easy to transfer the videos on the Mac. I use programs (Sony Vegas) to transfer my videos on to DVD/Blu-Ray. They are easy to transfer videos on to a DVD.

Hope this helps you with your answers.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

It sounds like a wonderful Dismeet and the photos are great.  I am impressed by how nice and clear the pic is that was taken on the end of the stick using the iPhone.  I must be doing something wrong when I use my iPhone to take pics as they all come out a little bit grainy.

Not long now until our DisMeet.  Even though I'm getting very excited, I can't quite find the energy yet to pack.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> That's an amazing rate for the HoJo!  I would stay there for that amount...all I could find were in the $150's in March.
> 
> Jill in CO



That's what I could find for October as well.  






Leshaface said:


> I cannot believe the amount of CM's that looked straight at you!  I bet you were so happy with the way the pictures turned out.  So I guess you were very happy with your viewing spot huh?!



It was my camera they were looking at.  






Leshaface said:


> I've been wanting the GoPro too!....
> 
> I feel so terrible, but DH's Christmas gifts to me, can never be a surprise...I received a text message 2 days ago from Chase regarding a $400 dollar charge to Best Buy and wanting to know if I approved the charge.  It was during DH's break at school when I received the text, so I called him just in case he did purchase something...Poor guy was SO MAD (not at me but Chase) that my main gift was ruined.
> 
> Anyway, I'm pretty sure I got the GoPro



OOH!  Shame you found out the way you did.  But....congratulations!  That's a great gift.  




And feel free to hijack anytime you and Bret want to.  









WanderlustNZ said:


> It sounds like a wonderful Dismeet and the photos are great.  I am impressed by how nice and clear the pic is that was taken on the end of the stick using the iPhone.  I must be doing something wrong when I use my iPhone to take pics as they all come out a little bit grainy.
> 
> Not long now until our DisMeet.  Even though I'm getting very excited, I can't quite find the energy yet to pack.



I sure hope that you've packed by now!

Looking forward to catching you and your DH on Wednesday.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Halloween Hillbilly Style*


Discovery #33.  There are some super creative people in the Land!



The word on the street was that there was a fantastic shindig at the Big Thunder Ranch - Woody Roundup style.  








I have to admit that this part of Disneyland is a section that I rarely venture into.  I know a lot of locals love visiting but I normally consider it a Disney-fied petting zoo.  And as I have so little time at the parks, I normally make like the birds and fly on by.









Not this trip.  

There was a Halloween experience to be enjoyed here. 









Let's head on in, shall we?



I.....er....got a little distracted at the entrance.








The others were way ahead of me but I didn't stress too much.








Afterall, there really isn't anything to be scarecrows about right?  It is Disneyland!









This area was set up as one of the pre-party treat stops and we had all been keen to collect on our loot.








DS didn't need any prompting.  He knew exactly what he needed to do.









But I did find it hard to concentrate on the candy collection.  Anyone else see what I saw?  



Pluto spotted my big camera and wanted to play!  I didn't have much choice in the matter.  He REALLY wanted to play with my big camera.









It really was one big happy family in here.









Contrary to appearances and hag-lines, the ambience and decorations in here put me in a playful mood.  









And we had hit this place at the right time.  There was hardly anyone else in here.









The hillbilly cast members were happy to play for us.









We did look around at the some of the activities in here but I thought they were geared for the younger kids.  










Still....I enjoyed looking at the Smashin' Pumpkin Heads.


















Without a doubt....the main attraction for me in here were the carved and decorated pumpkins. In fact, it was the reason that I was happy to go-see in here.  These pumpkins were stunning. They were intricately done and wonderful to look at.  There sure are some very creative people in the Land.  


































































_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*In Search of More Candy*


Discovery #34.  Despite all best efforts, I have failed as a Disney mum!



We were after our next Spooktacular experience.....








.....and didn't have to look too far.  The dress-ups were pretty decent on this night and there was much to admire.  This puts a whole different spin on Orange is the New Black.  But hey....we are in ORANGE County, right?  What a little munchkin he was.








We headed to the other pre-party location and made the most of the photo opportunity here.








But there was no denying that there was one reason we had come in here.








We weren't the only ones on the hunt for more candy.  Check out that queue on the other side of the fountain.








Where it comes to candy, DS is more than happy to wait in line.








Where it comes to characters, DS is less than happy to wait in line.
















Instead of waiting for character interactions, my boys decided they needed to hit this ride.









I can understand DH.  But DS?????    It's a completely fail for me!  Where did I go wrong?  *sigh*



But it was all good.  The boys came back out in time for the meet and greets.   Hmmm.  They were definitely smarter than me!  Looks like I queued up whilst they got a ride in AND still made the meet and greet.  I definitely failed there!!!









It was definitely a first time meeting and greeting these two for me.  I don't think I've seen Clarabelle Cow nor Horace Horsecollar outside of parades before.


Clarabelle stuck out a hoof to DS and he was completely clueless.  








I had to show him what to do.  It was another fail for me.  *sigh*   








He figured it out....eventually.  









And we did get a group shot in as well.










The Toontown pre-party was well worth heading to if you were after candy.  It was definitely well organised with the candy stations arranged in clusters within sections of the Land.









I think I prefer the Disneyland way of candy collecting and pre-party entry for wristband wearers to that of Disney World.









As a postscript to this chapter, I took these pictures a couple of days later.  









The other side of the bag was pure advertising for the next Disney movie.









This is what we had in the bags.  I did bring some back to Oz but we left quite a bit of the stash with Fran and Alison.  We simply couldn't carry it all back with us in checked luggage!









_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Whilst We were Waiting*


Discovery #35.  Never ever remove lenses from your camera bag.  No matter what!




Bret reminded us that we needed to go check out the crowds in front of the castle.  Afterall, there were 3 of us wanting to play with the Firework Gods tonight and we weren't sure when we would need to go claim space.








We did spend some minutes debating about the sanity of marking our territory some 2 or 3 hours before the firework show but in the end DAF pushed us into making the decision.  We figured that if we were to have a ghost of a chance of claiming prime location, we should set up now.  It was a sell-out crowd, afterall.








It was quite an interesting experience to be sitting there with two 'locals'.  I gather that Bret and DAF have had prior experience and they came well prepared.   I have never claimed a spot that early before.  

I know my boys went off in search of some rides but I wasn't sure what the right etiquette was.  Truth be known, I felt uncomfortable at leaving DAF (and Bret) sitting there whilst I went off.   I know I did wander off on a couple of occasions but I didn't go very far.
















I did go looking for the Ray Bradburys Halloween Tree.








Inspired by the book he wrote (The Halloween Tree) about young friends who go in search of a friend and along the way learn about the origins of Halloween and Samhaim, the tree is decorated with orange lights and jack-o-lanterns.








There really were a lot of people out and about that night.  I waited about 10 minutes for a break in the tide of bodies and I didn't feel like fighting with the crowds.  









I was in a reflective mood that night.  Sometimes I do wish that I were rich enough to hire out Disneyland for the night.  Just me, a few close friends and my camera.  









It really is something to dream about, right?








At some point during the waiting game, a Cast Member came up to Bret and myself and suggested that we might want to get up closer to the castle to take pictures.  

Decisions, decisions!  Contrary to what you might be thinking, it really was a bit of a crunch time for us.  On one hand, we would be looking at pictures of the castle like this.

















There would be absolutely no one in front of us!

















On the other hand, would it be a case of too close to the castle for firework trails?









The decision was probably harder for Bret and my DH than it was for me.  I had decided to lighten my camera bag and removed a couple of key lenses.  I had figured that my photography aim was to completely walkaround with the new Sigma lens and give it a work-out.  So I figured there was no point in having additional weight in my backpack.  If only I had known!  But as they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing.  I really should have known better.  


Never ever remove camera gear from the bag.  No matter what!  


Bret and DH stayed in the new spot.  Both had wider lenses in their bag than me and they would definitely be able to get in firework trails from up close.
DAF had kept our original position further back and after a couple of test shots, my mind was made up.  I headed on back to the original spot.





_


----------



## jedijill

Wow!  Love the candy stash!  Looks like way more chocolate than the mix at WDW.  You did get a primo spot for the fireworks....too bad you had taken your extra lenses out.   Can't wait to see the fireworks pics!

Jill in CO


----------



## zanzibar138

Wow you got some great characters and some AMAZING shots of the castle! Too bad you didn't have your lens, but I'm sure your photos are still beautiful. Can't wait to see them!


----------



## mvf-m11c

It was a good idea to go to the Halloween Carnival along with Mickey's Toontown (which was open to the MHP guests) and able to go through all those different treat stations. I think you got more candy than me or DAF. We didn't get a lot that night.

I know that you aren't comfortable waiting that long to see the fireworks which we are so used too every time we come to DL. I am grateful that you, DH and DS had no problem waiting that long for the fireworks and can't wait to see your firework trail shots. I was surprised that when DH and I got the front row spots for the HS fireworks that night that there was no walkway for the guests to head on over to their next destination. It was nice to watch the fireworks from that spot.


----------



## dolphingirl47

I love the Halloween Carnival and the pumpkins, but it is kind of disappointing that quite a few are painted rather than carved. Olaf is adorable though. You did rather well with the candy. How great that you got to meet Clarabelle and Horrace. What a shame that you did not have the right lens for the front row viewing for the fireworks. The castle photos are amazing though.

Corinna


----------



## franandaj

Those pumpkins are really fantastic.

Nice character pics and candy stash!  That's cool all the odd characters that are out during the party.

Nice castle shots so far.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Wow!  Love the candy stash!  Looks like way more chocolate than the mix at WDW.  You did get a primo spot for the fireworks....too bad you had taken your extra lenses out.   Can't wait to see the fireworks pics!
> 
> Jill in CO



Perhaps it was more about the brands we recognised but I thought the chocolates handed out at DLR were of better quality than WDW.  

The spot I moved to was also pretty decent.





zanzibar138 said:


> Wow you got some great characters and some AMAZING shots of the castle! Too bad you didn't have your lens, but I'm sure your photos are still beautiful. Can't wait to see them!



Thanks Zanzibar.  I'm pretty pleased with the next set of pictures.  I hope to have them up in the next day or so.





mvf-m11c said:


> It was a good idea to go to the Halloween Carnival along with Mickey's Toontown (which was open to the MHP guests) and able to go through all those different treat stations. I think you got more candy than me or DAF. We didn't get a lot that night.



Dang!  I didn't sort through the candy until my last day at Alison's.  I would have been happy for you and DAF to take some as well.  I think DS might have done better than us adults.  I did overhear him ask for specific candy at the Roundup spot and a couple of the cast members obliged.  I don't know if he did the same in Toontown but I suspect he would have done the same there as well.






mvf-m11c said:


> I know that you aren't comfortable waiting that long to see the fireworks which we are so used too every time we come to DL. I am grateful that you, DH and DS had no problem waiting that long for the fireworks and can't wait to see your firework trail shots. I was surprised that when DH and I got the front row spots for the HS fireworks that night that there was no walkway for the guests to head on over to their next destination. It was nice to watch the fireworks from that spot.



I don't know if we would have waited that long if it weren't for you and DAF but I was happy to do so.  DH and DS got a couple of rides in whilst we were waiting so it worked out for them too.  

It was nice of the CM to tell us to move to that spot, wasn't it?





dolphingirl47 said:


> I love the Halloween Carnival and the pumpkins, but it is kind of disappointing that quite a few are painted rather than carved. Olaf is adorable though. You did rather well with the candy. How great that you got to meet Clarabelle and Horrace. What a shame that you did not have the right lens for the front row viewing for the fireworks. The castle photos are amazing though.
> 
> Corinna



The painted ones added a bit of colour to the collection there so they were novel to see.

I was happy to meet Clarabelle and Horace.  I don't think they are out for Meet and Greets that often.








franandaj said:


> Those pumpkins are really fantastic.
> 
> Nice character pics and candy stash!  That's cool all the odd characters that are out during the party.
> 
> Nice castle shots so far.



I liked seeing the pumpkins as well.  Usually the ones down Main Street are a little bit too far away to admire the detail.

It's nice that Disney pull out the rare characters for party nights.  

Thanks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Those Firework Gods are Kind to Me at Disneyland*


Discovery #36.  I've just about learnt to be adaptable to anything the Firework Gods can throw at me now.  



There are times when the Firework Gods lead you to making the hard choices in life.  It was a chance of a lifetime but I gave up a view of the castle here.  Regrettably, I knew I didn't have the right lens to stay here.








Instead, I headed back some 20 meters further back away from the castle for this view.  It's still a great view, right?








I've been playing tag with the Firework Gods for a while now and between them and my own stupidity, I've just about learnt to be adaptable to anything the Firework Gods can throw at me now.  With the lens I had on, I knew I needed the extra distance in order to get the firework trail shots I wanted.  I hadn't come all this way to end up with Zero shots!








A set of fireworks shots at Disneyland has been on my hit list for a while.  With the way my Mad Dashes have been, I invariably end up being in the park on a week day or if I am here at a week end, the fireworks have been cancelled.  Last year, I did get to experience the fireworks show but my viewing spot was back at the Main Street Train Station.  Nice as some of the shots turned out, I was missing that castle view.



Halloween Screams is the fireworks show that is held at Disneyland during the Halloween Party nights.  I jumped at the opportunity to attend a mid-week party so that I can capture some shots with the Sleeping Beauty castle as a feature in the pictures.  








Some might think I have money to burn and it is a rather expensive way to get a set of shots.








Afterall, it really just is a set of light trails in the sky.








All that glitters....I say.








What you might consider as gold or fool's gold, is pure colour and magic to me.








And as I kept snapping that night, I finally ticked that Disneyland Sleeping Beauty castle and Fireworks Gods off that list.  















It was even a bonus to have Halloween colours in the pictures.















These are some of my favourites of the night.






































Postscript.  In case anyone is wondering about the other spot in front of the castle.  Both Bret and my DH had ultra wide lenses that allowed them to get more of the sky in their shots than I would have gotten.  Bret has already posted his lovely pictures on his TR and these are what my DH got from the night.








Whilst these are great in that there are no people in them, for me, it was a moot point.









Afterall, I didn't have the lens to stay in this position and I have to admit that I was really pleased with the set that I did get on the night.

So.  I now have the Disneyland Sleeping Beauty firework shots in my collection.  I've told DH that I have Paris and Tokyo on my list...and Shanghai, when it opens.  I think DH is pretty happy with the turn of events on this night too.  



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

_*It was a Dark and Foggy Night*


Discovery #37.  Sometimes, I am completely surprised by how much will-power I have.



We headed towards another candy stop along the banks of the Rivers of America.  At least, my two boys and I think DAF did as well.  Bret and I stopped for a couple of shots.  Afterall, who could resist the dark and foggy view along the river banks?








I do have a sweet tooth but I have long come to the realisation that if it comes down to a choice between my sweet tooth or my photography eye, the eye will win out every time.  So my will-power didn't get too much of a contest out along the River.  



 




But there was something that I was sorely tempted to do.  After spending the better part of a day with the Sigma 18 - 55 mm, f/1.8 lens, I was at the stage where I really felt like pulling that lens off the camera and swapping it out for my normal (and much loved) standard walk-around lens.  The issue I had with the lens was the way it focused.  That lens was constantly focussing and re-focussing; causing me to miss some shots....like this one.  AARGH!








Not that there was anything super wrong with that lens.  When the focus did stick, the shots were reasonable.









Still, I was totally surprised that I managed to keep to my intent of keeping that lens on my camera.  I never knew I had that much will-power!




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Disneyland's version of the Halloween Parade.  It's not called a Cavalcade for nothing*


Discovery #38.  I'm not even going to fight it.  Comparisons are inevitable.



I have had the good fortune of visiting WDW during Sept/Oct in 2010 and 2013.  Naturally, I made the most of the opportunity and hit Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party a number of times.  Suffice to say, I have some great rememberances of the WDW party Frozen in my memory banks.








The parade offered at the WDW version is one of the highlights of that party.  Naturally, I was keen to check out the Disneyland version on this night.








I'm probably going to be flamed for making comparisons.  But let's face it, it is inevitable.








Disneyland have, at least, had the good marketing sense not called this a parade.  It is a cavalcade....








....a cavalcade filled with an eclectic mix of costumes.  The cavalcade is extremely short.  I think it takes about 5 minutes to pass by; which is not long enough to be called a parade.








And whilst they are fun to look at, it is padded out by giant pumpkins.















Dancing Cast Members are few and far between.








There are some fun characters, though.















There was even a scare team out and about.








I did enjoy the mix of characters and the music but this cavalcade felt odd to me.















The costumes didn't seem to fit a Halloween Party theme.








Although, some of them did put a different spin on "scary".








At the end of the cavalcade, there was definitely no clutching at straws here.








The final element of the cavalcade was the only bit that I thought was appropriate for a Halloween themed party.








And I did like the costumes that the Disney mainstays had on.

































I'm probably all Stitch-ed up here for holding the viewpoint that this Cavalcade left a lot to be desired when compared to the WDW version.








And I'm well aware that you might think that I am be Miss Piggy-headed about this.








I know that Disneyland does not market it as a Halloween Parade per se.  But they do run this one on a hard ticketed Halloween Party night.  Of course it is going to be subjected to comparisons to the WDW Halloween Parade and it does not stack up.  I can cope with the eclectic nature of the parade; but it is way too short and using pumpkins to pad out the cavalcade just doesn't cut it, IMO.  

But the thing that disappointed me the most was the scanty number of performers in the cavalcade.  One of the things I enjoy the most about a Disney parade are the minor cast members between the main floats.  The costumes they wear and the dance steps they do are usually pretty engaging and entertaining.  They are also the ones that interact and get a crowd going.  I really missed seeing cast members with this Cavalcade.




_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*The Only Way to Close out the Night*


Discovery #39.  I had researched everything for this trip EXCEPT for Disneyland. (*hangs head in shame*)



By now, we were all pretty tired and turning into pumpkin heads.








We figured it was time to exit out of the park and head back to our respective hotels.



 




I stopped to take a shot of the Main Street Station....








....when....








It was obvious that I had done little to no research on the Disneyland Halloween Party.  


Ironic, isn't it?  


I had researched the heck out of every spot we were likely to go to in SoCal but I was completely clueless about some of the Halloween Party events.








I think I might have read about the Villains Goodbye but I hadn't taken any notice about when or what or who.  In any event, it really hadn't stuck in my memory banks so this show was almost a complete surprise to me.
There were people sitting on the kerbside and I guess they might have been waiting a while.  We were lucky enough to find just enough space for us to squeeze in for prime viewing.  








I know we found a spot in front of a couple of strollers; so we weren't blocking anyone behind us or grabbing a prime spot from someone else.  For those people that might have been there that night, I thank you for your understanding and moving the strollers millimetres to the back so that the 3 of us could sit down.  








Everyone has their own favourite Disney characters but where would a Disney story be without a GREAT villain?









This was a cute show and the accompanying song was pretty catchy.









I was thrilled to see so many Villains in one spot.
















As a final kick of the heels, the Villain's Goodbye was a great way to say goodnight to the park.









Contrary to appearances, everyone was happy to see the Villains.  Even DS.









So was it worth it? 









Let's take a closer look.








First, by the numbers.  Tickets for the party range from $56 to $70 for the night we visited.  Through the graciousness of Bret, sharing the bounty of his AP, I purchased my tickets at the bottom of that range.   The tickets allowed us entry from 3 pm and we didn't leave till the park closed at 11 pm.  That's pretty decent park time for the price of the ticket.








During that time, I got in 1 ride (my boys got in 3 or 4).  That was by choice.   We experienced 1.5 parades....actually let's call that the total sum of 2 parades if we include the Villain's Goodbye....and got to catch fireworks in front of a Disney castle.

We also got in a few more meet and greets, which we don't normally do.  And it was lovely to see the pumpkins and the Halloween decorations.















The intangible benefits.  I thought that the LAND managed the candy run in a much more organised fashion.  The pre-party areas were great and provided the guests with a way to collect candy and get some character Meet and Greets done early.  I think my family and Brets definitely maximised our experience by heading to the pre-party areas early.  Trick or Treating is getting bigger in Australia; but this is not something that we would normally do.  We did end up with a bit of candy at the end of the night.

We had the misfortune of attending on a sell-out night so the wait times on some of the rides were like being in the park on a fairly busy day.  As a consequence, we decided to stake-out our spot early for the fireworks, which is what we traded off for ride time.  In retrospect, it was a choice between queueing in a ride line or queueing for the fireworks and people-watching.  Wouldn't you have loved to have been a spider on the wall for that discussion with Bret and DH and myself?








I guess I was pretty happy about how the night turned out.  Afterall, one of the things on my Disneyland to-do list was to play with the Firework Gods in front of the Sleeping Beauty castle.  And I definitely ticked that one off the list.

The one sub-par note for me for the night was the Cavalcade.  But that's because I am doing the comparison against the offering at WDW.  Still, I hope that Disney does promote that Cavalcade to full parade status in the near future.  




All in all, it was a good night.




_


----------



## mvf-m11c

Your Halloween Screams fireworks pictures turned out really nice that night. I'm glad that you were happy with your firework trail shots that night. That will be one cross off your bucket list. I still have to do more firework trail shots at WDW since I have started it a few years ago and still have a lot to learn. Just like you PiO, since DAF and I are AP holders we spent $56 for candy and the firework trail shots. DAF would not spend that money on the party since she has done the one in 2010 but the party was well more organized than in 2010. But it was well worth the money to spend the day with you, DH and DS during MHP.

It would have been nice to go around the park that night getting photos and going to other trick-or-treat stations around the park like in Frontierland, NOS, Critter Country, etc. You got a great spot for Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade that night where the cavalcade was coming from MS Town Square to IASW Plaza. 

The Villain show at Main Street Railroad station was very nice to end the night. It was my pleasure to help you out with the MHP tickets. We had a great time even though we went on one ride the whole day but we were able to do a lot of different things from the shows and trick-or treat stations.

It is nice to compare Mickey's Halloween Party to WDW Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. You have now experienced both parties just like I have and there are some great things about each party where they are different. I like DL HS fireworks over HalloWishes fireworks. MNSSHP has a real parade while DL is a cavalcade. The treat stations at WDW can be very crowded while DL is not that bad thanks to the pre trick-or-treat stations as well.

Looking forward to reading your next day.


----------



## ACDSNY

Your pics are making me want to go next year, we haven't been to the Halloween Party at DL since they moved it from DCA to DL.

 I'd says the Fireworks Gods were smiling, the pics are amazing and I don't think I could pick just one as my favorite, I loved them all.


----------



## dolphingirl47

The fireworks shots and the photos of Rivers of America came out really well. I did not manage to watch the cavalcade during either of the two Halloween parties that I attended and it looks like I did not miss anything. Then again, I am not really a parade person at the best of times. I loved the photos of the Villains Goodbye. They did not do this in 2011. All the more reason to go back to Disneyland during the Halloween season.

Corinna


----------



## EJ4Disney

Your firework shots are amazing.  I am totally loving this trip report.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Your firework trail pics are amazing. I love them. I would have one of those blown up and printed on my wall.  I think I need to learn how to use DH camera and tripod and start taking pics since he is so slack these days to bother. Now a single trip would work since he hates to wait for firework shows or parades as well......

I also think I will have to go to a DL Halloween as a lot of the decorations looked better (rather they appealed to me more) than WDW, there are the two overlays at SM and HM and it sounds much better set up with the early trail openings etc. The Villains Goodbye looks like a great show too. WDW just has the excellent Parade. Wow you certainly have done Halloween this year!!


----------



## franandaj

Those were some great fireworks shots.  I understand you wanting to get them from closer to the castle to where we were last year.  That is why I was so bummed when they canceled the fireworks that we were supposed to see from the hub with Jenny last week.

That Cavalcade has nothing on WDW's parade.  In fact the Grave Diggers and all the other ghastly folks in the parade are what make it.  I can't believe that they can't find extras from Hollywood to fill that parade!

I did like the idea of the Villans deal, that was cool.  I'm not sure that I will be taking advantage of the Halloween Party here.  We didn't think that the WDW was all that great and probably won't be all that hip to see the CA version.

Thanks for sharing!


----------



## mvf-m11c

franandaj said:


> Those were some great fireworks shots.  I understand you wanting to get them from closer to the castle to where we were last year.  That is why I was so bummed when they canceled the fireworks that we were supposed to see from the hub with Jenny last week.



It is nice to see the fireworks from the castle where it also has the projections and also see Tink, Zero, Dumbo fly as well. We did spent some time staking out a spot that night and luckily it wasn't that windy that night. Where did you and Jenny see BIHM fireworks from the Hub area last week?


----------



## scottny

The french breakfast sounds good. 

Shopping is always fun and especially at the Outlets. 

Comfortable is always good, especially at a wedding. 

Nice view on the deck. 

Looked like a very nice wedding. 

60 minute wait I would have gone to a drive thru. LOL. 

The tour at the zoo sounded nice. 

Looks like the need a no fly zone like Disney. LOL

Lovely animal pics.

Sorry the food was not good. 

I am shocked at the white lie. LOL. You were having a good time, it is acceptable. 

If we ever meet I will never make you angry. LOL. Nice shots. 

The sculpture park is gorgeous. 

Sounds like it was a good day with family at home.

Yeah Disney! That burger looks good. 

Great parade pics. I cannot wait to see it next year. 

I almost bought one of the those sticks in Italy to take selfies. They are actually cheaper there than on Amazon. LOL. Love photobombers.

Lovely head shots of BTMRR. LOL.

Now I want a GoPro. 

Love the pre-party area. 
.
Nice amount of candy you got. 

Amazing fireworks pics. 

I am all caught up again.


----------



## Jade+3

Phew! Just caught up. I love the way your pictures tell the story.


----------



## jedijill

Yay, I can finally see your pictures.  They turned out awesome!  The Halloween party at DL looks interesting compared to WDW.  The "calvacade" was a little odd.

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

mvf-m11c said:


> It is nice to see the fireworks from the castle where it also has the projections and also see Tink, Zero, Dumbo fly as well. We did spent some time staking out a spot that night and luckily it wasn't that windy that night. Where did you and Jenny see BIHM fireworks from the Hub area last week?



They canceled them. We never got to see them.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Your Halloween Screams fireworks pictures turned out really nice that night. I'm glad that you were happy with your firework trail shots that night. That will be one cross off your bucket list. I still have to do more firework trail shots at WDW since I have started it a few years ago and still have a lot to learn. Just like you PiO, since DAF and I are AP holders we spent $56 for candy and the firework trail shots. DAF would not spend that money on the party since she has done the one in 2010 but the party was well more organized than in 2010. But it was well worth the money to spend the day with you, DH and DS during MHP.



I really enjoyed spending time with you and DAF as well.  






mvf-m11c said:


> It would have been nice to go around the park that night getting photos and going to other trick-or-treat stations around the park like in Frontierland, NOS, Critter Country, etc. You got a great spot for Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade that night where the cavalcade was coming from MS Town Square to IASW Plaza.



It would have been great to do that; but I think we did the right thing staying where we were.  I would have liked to have gotten some shots in Fantasyland but I guess that gives me something to come back for.  

I was very happy to get that spot for the cavalcade.  And I think we were lucky that the CM didn't tell us to move!  






mvf-m11c said:


> The Villain show at Main Street Railroad station was very nice to end the night. It was my pleasure to help you out with the MHP tickets. We had a great time even though we went on one ride the whole day but we were able to do a lot of different things from the shows and trick-or treat stations.



I really appreciated the help with the tickets.  






mvf-m11c said:


> It is nice to compare Mickey's Halloween Party to WDW Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. You have now experienced both parties just like I have and there are some great things about each party where they are different. I like DL HS fireworks over HalloWishes fireworks. MNSSHP has a real parade while DL is a cavalcade. The treat stations at WDW can be very crowded while DL is not that bad thanks to the pre trick-or-treat stations as well.
> 
> Looking forward to reading your next day.



I have to say that I prefer HalloWishes.   

Both experiences are different and I'm pleased to have done both.  Not sure if I would do another Halloween party at WDW or DLR in the future.  We'll just have to see what the future holds.








ACDSNY said:


> Your pics are making me want to go next year, we haven't been to the Halloween Party at DL since they moved it from DCA to DL.
> 
> I'd says the Fireworks Gods were smiling, the pics are amazing and I don't think I could pick just one as my favorite, I loved them all.



Thanks Angela.  I was really happy with the colour in the firework shots.  This was one show where even the smoke for the fireworks worked in with the colours and ambience.   







dolphingirl47 said:


> The fireworks shots and the photos of Rivers of America came out really well. I did not manage to watch the cavalcade during either of the two Halloween parties that I attended and it looks like I did not miss anything. Then again, I am not really a parade person at the best of times. I loved the photos of the Villains Goodbye. They did not do this in 2011. All the more reason to go back to Disneyland during the Halloween season.
> 
> Corinna



I always like seeing Villains so I would agree with you.  That Villains Goodbye is a good reason to go back to Disneyland.  








EJ4Disney said:


> Your firework shots are amazing.  I am totally loving this trip report.



Thanks!  Glad you're enjoying the TR.  Thanks for popping in.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Your firework trail pics are amazing. I love them. I would have one of those blown up and printed on my wall.  I think I need to learn how to use DH camera and tripod and start taking pics since he is so slack these days to bother. Now a single trip would work since he hates to wait for firework shows or parades as well......



Well....I think you were considering coming down to Melbourne in September or October to tiptoe through the tulips with me and Zanzibar.  If you are, bring your tripod.  Maybe we'll have time to go out shooting.  






Aussie Wendy said:


> I also think I will have to go to a DL Halloween as a lot of the decorations looked better (rather they appealed to me more) than WDW, there are the two overlays at SM and HM and it sounds much better set up with the early trail openings etc. The Villains Goodbye looks like a great show too. WDW just has the excellent Parade. Wow you certainly have done Halloween this year!!



Wendy - DLR does Halloween with enough difference to WDW that it is worth going to see it for yourself at least once.  
I think I'm just about done with Halloween.  






franandaj said:


> Those were some great fireworks shots.  I understand you wanting to get them from closer to the castle to where we were last year.  That is why I was so bummed when they canceled the fireworks that we were supposed to see from the hub with Jenny last week.



That's a shame that the fireworks were cancelled. 






franandaj said:


> That Cavalcade has nothing on WDW's parade.  In fact the Grave Diggers and all the other ghastly folks in the parade are what make it.  I can't believe that they can't find extras from Hollywood to fill that parade!



I couldn't believe that they couldn't find extras either.  






franandaj said:


> I did like the idea of the Villans deal, that was cool.  I'm not sure that I will be taking advantage of the Halloween Party here.  We didn't think that the WDW was all that great and probably won't be all that hip to see the CA version.
> 
> Thanks for sharing!



Maybe you'll have the opportunity in the future.  It is a bit of cash for the party; and if you didn't think the WDW version was all that great, then it probably is best that you skip the DLR verison.







scottny said:


> The french breakfast sounds good.
> 
> Shopping is always fun and especially at the Outlets.
> 
> Comfortable is always good, especially at a wedding.
> 
> Nice view on the deck.
> 
> Looked like a very nice wedding.
> 
> 60 minute wait I would have gone to a drive thru. LOL.
> 
> The tour at the zoo sounded nice.
> 
> Looks like the need a no fly zone like Disney. LOL
> 
> Lovely animal pics.
> 
> Sorry the food was not good.
> 
> I am shocked at the white lie. LOL. You were having a good time, it is acceptable.
> 
> If we ever meet I will never make you angry. LOL. Nice shots.
> 
> The sculpture park is gorgeous.
> 
> Sounds like it was a good day with family at home.
> 
> Yeah Disney! That burger looks good.
> 
> Great parade pics. I cannot wait to see it next year.
> 
> I almost bought one of the those sticks in Italy to take selfies. They are actually cheaper there than on Amazon. LOL. Love photobombers.
> 
> Lovely head shots of BTMRR. LOL.
> 
> Now I want a GoPro.
> 
> Love the pre-party area.
> .
> Nice amount of candy you got.
> 
> Amazing fireworks pics.
> 
> I am all caught up again.



WOW!  Scott!! You are all caught up.

I will only say that as someone with an Asian family, little white lies are sometimes better than telling it as it is.  Especially where feelings and emotions are concerned.  Sometimes, we don't ever talk about how we feel.  






Jade+3 said:


> Phew! Just caught up. I love the way your pictures tell the story.



Thanks Jade!  Glad to see that you're lurking around the Dis.  






jedijill said:


> Yay, I can finally see your pictures.  They turned out awesome!  The Halloween party at DL looks interesting compared to WDW.  The "calvacade" was a little odd.
> 
> Jill in CO



  Thanks!  Yes.  Interesting is the right word for it.


----------



## mvf-m11c

franandaj said:


> They canceled them. We never got to see them.



I'm sorry that you didn't get to see BIHM fireworks during your day with Jenny and her family. Hopefully in the future that you will have the chance to see the fireworks in front of SB Castle.




PrincessInOz said:


> I really enjoyed spending time with you and DAF as well.
> 
> It would have been great to do that; but I think we did the right thing staying where we were.  I would have liked to have gotten some shots in Fantasyland but I guess that gives me something to come back for.
> 
> I was very happy to get that spot for the cavalcade.  And I think we were lucky that the CM didn't tell us to move!
> 
> I really appreciated the help with the tickets.
> 
> I have to say that I prefer HalloWishes.
> 
> Both experiences are different and I'm pleased to have done both.  Not sure if I would do another Halloween party at WDW or DLR in the future.  We'll just have to see what the future holds.



It will be nice to hang out with you, DH and DS again in the near future.

It was our pleasure to help you out during your trip.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 6: Park Hopping At Disneyland and California Adventure....It's All About the Rides Today


_*Candy Cane Breakfast*


Discovery #40.  I remember why I picked the Candy Cane Inn.  It's pretty around the pool.



Our room rate at the Candy Cane Inn included a continental breakfast.  The area where the food is found inside is normally full of kids coming and going getting their breakfast so I didn't grab a picture.  There were also no tables inside so we were obliged to head outside.  It was then that I remembered what I had liked about the Candy Cane Inn.








Breakfast by the pool is the BEST way to enjoy this property.








And despite the standard fare, we did enjoy the Candy Cane breakfast.







_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)

_*Strolling Into the Park*


Discovery #41.  I like being able to take my tourist picture without having a ton of people around me.




There were quite a few people waiting to catch the complimentary shuttle and after a quick discussion, DH and I decided that we would be better walking to the park.  It turned out to be a good decision.  We beat the bus to the entry.



 




Judging from the lines outside the gates, the Carsland factor was still a major factor in plenty of guest's park strategy.  Gone are the days when California Adventure was the poor cousin to Disneyland.








There were definitely more people at the DCA side waiting to go in compared to the DL side.








We had arranged to meet Bret and DAF inside the park at 9 am.  That left us with enough time to get our obligatory tourist shots in.
















For the record, the Photopass photographers had not yet set up in front of Main Street Station.   I didn't understand why but most of the other guests chose to head in to the park rather than taking their own pictures in front of the Station.  We made the most of the opportunity to get pictures taken with the morning light.  








I really liked being able to get my tourist shot in without tons of people around.



_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Lightspeed in Space*


Discovery #42.  The meaning to Disney Life, the Universe and Everything is Discover #42.  It's all about the Space Rides at Disney and what great rides they are.




You may have remembered that we didn't get a lot of rides done yesterday.  In fact, whilst we got in less rides than expected, it had been one of those things that I had always factored into the plans.  Today was a day to address that imbalance.


We met up with Bret and DAF at the appointed place and time.  And then we hit light speed!








We had every expectation of a golden day ahead of us.



 




We were hitting the day with a fully loaded plan in place.  








You might even say it was one of those automatic guided plans.








We really had looked at this day from all angles.








After our jump to lightspeed....








....we stayed in Space.








There were a number of other people waiting to float through Space.








Thankfully, the loading dock was very efficient this morning.









It didn't take us long to get on our craft....







.....and blast off.








It sure was fun hitting LightSpeed in Space!


Postscript.  We did try to stay in Space and went to check out Buzz Lightyear.  But the ride was down and we decided we needed to move on.  It was a shame really.  I would have liked to have gone to Infinity and Beyond as well in order to complete the Space Trifecta.  Next time!



_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)

_*It's all about Rides Today....We All Live in a Yellow Submarine*


Discovery #43.  When riding the Submarines, if you want a better view of the reef and fishes, board from the aft.  



In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea








And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines















So we sailed up to the sun
Till we found the sea of green








And we lived beneath the waves








In our yellow submarine








We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine








We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine








And our friends are all on board

(This is one of Brets pictures.  Thanks, Bret!)









Many more of them live next door









And the band begins to play








We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine










We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine










I learnt something that day.  We had boarded the submarine from the prow and at the start, we got a view of the reef and the reef wall.  There was nothing wrong with our position but if you want a view of the fish and the wider reef, board from the aft.









_


----------



## mvf-m11c

The continental breakfast location at CCI looks very nice especially right next to the pool. 

Very nice pictures of you, DH and DS in front of MS RR station until we got there that morning. 

It was nice to go on a lot of rides that day and we were lucky to get on those rides that morning from Star Tours, Space Mountain and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. I was surprised that DAF rode Star Tours with us that morning since she hasn't rode the new version of Star Tours until that trip. It was nice to ride the FNSV after it's long refurbishment. It was down for over 9 months since early January and the lagoon looks so nice and clean. Nice to see the pic of DH and DS inside Neptune 707. I was hoping that we got the starboard side since it is mostly open while the port side has that wall side when riding the FNSV. But it was nice to ride it that morning.

Great updates.


----------



## ACDSNY

Now I can't get the Yellow Submarine song out of my head.


----------



## dolphingirl47

You definitely did well with the rides that morning. What a shame that Buzz Lightyear was down.

Corinna


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Looks like a great start to the day. The lagoon looks so bright and shiny after the refurb!


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> The continental breakfast location at CCI looks very nice especially right next to the pool.
> 
> Very nice pictures of you, DH and DS in front of MS RR station until we got there that morning.
> 
> It was nice to go on a lot of rides that day and we were lucky to get on those rides that morning from Star Tours, Space Mountain and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. I was surprised that DAF rode Star Tours with us that morning since she hasn't rode the new version of Star Tours until that trip. It was nice to ride the FNSV after it's long refurbishment. It was down for over 9 months since early January and the lagoon looks so nice and clean. Nice to see the pic of DH and DS inside Neptune 707. I was hoping that we got the starboard side since it is mostly open while the port side has that wall side when riding the FNSV. But it was nice to ride it that morning.
> 
> Great updates.



I was pretty glad that DAF got on with us; especially when she said that she hadn't been on the V2.0 of Star Tours.

Thanks!





ACDSNY said:


> Now I can't get the Yellow Submarine song out of my head.



Just. Wait.  I'm sure there might be a ride coming up that'll get that song out of your head.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> You definitely did well with the rides that morning. What a shame that Buzz Lightyear was down.
> 
> Corinna



The morning is only starting.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> Looks like a great start to the day. The lagoon looks so bright and shiny after the refurb!



The lagoon was very sparkly.  The colours were really good and I hope it stays that way.


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Merry Christmas Everyone!*


I hope you Christmas is filled with family, fun and food.


----------



## skier_pete

Merry Christmas from here in the States!!


----------



## LegoMom3

You take THE most stunning fireworks photos I have EVER seen...!!!  For real!  

.


----------



## franandaj

I love all of your desserts!  I can't believe that no one ate your Strawberry Chocolate Tree.  I mean it is beautiful and all, but it says "eat me" all over it!

I hope that you had a Merry Christmas and we hear from you before you have a Happy New Year!


----------



## PrincessInOz

********** said:


> Merry Christmas from here in the States!!










LegoMom3 said:


> You take THE most stunning fireworks photos I have EVER seen...!!!  For real!
> 
> .



Thanks!!!  







franandaj said:


> I love all of your desserts!  I can't believe that no one ate your Strawberry Chocolate Tree.  I mean it is beautiful and all, but it says "eat me" all over it!
> 
> I hope that you had a Merry Christmas and we hear from you before you have a Happy New Year!



Thanks Alison.  Yes, I had a great Christmas.  And I still can't believe the family didn't want to eat that Strawberry Tree!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*It's all about Rides Today....Driving a Classic*


Discovery #44.  Once a lead-foot, always a lead foot.


Autopia is one of those rides that we used to put on our Must Do list.  But when DS turned somewhere between the ages of 11 and 12, he stopped requesting to get on this ride.  I guess they all grow up after a while.








But this ride is a true classic at Disneyland.  It was one of those rides that opened on 17 July, 1955 and is still operating in one form or another.  It's also one of those rides that exists in one form or another at all 5 Disney parks.  I couldn't just walk past and not drag everyone on board!


Automobile Utopia.  Where the traffic is light, flowing and orderly.








And a carpark is just somewhere to park your car; rather than a bank of cars on a highway.








I had hoped to capture some pictures on this drive so I got DH to do the driving.  I had forgotten that DH was a bit of a lead-foot.  Even at the top speed of 7 miles/hour, DH can still manage to floor it.  Sadly, all my shots are just a little blurred.  








It really isn't a long drive.








With lead-foot, it didn't take us long to whizz round the track.  








DH had been doing the driving and DS was behind us.  I did keep looking back but with Speedy Gonzales driving, aside from the start, this was the only time I saw DS on the track.








That meant that Bret was ahead of us.









Thanks for this shot, Bret!







_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)

_*It's all about Rides Today....In Search of....Harold*


Discovery #45.  Always try something at least once for yourself rather than listen to other people.  The refurbished Matterhorn is GREAT!


Since the Matterhorn Bobsleds were refurbished in 2012, I have not been on this ride.  The chatter after the refurb was not positive with people complaining about the new vehicles and how bumpy the ride was.  








Yes, I know.

Always try something at least once for yourself rather than listen to other people.



So, ride the Matterhorn we did.  DAF sat this one out, which meant that all 4 of us could fit in the one sled.  Bret sat in the back and took this picture of us.  You can just see me with my camera.








I guess this is the shot I was taking!









This ride is GREAT!  Yes, it is a little bumpy but right up the front of the car, it's fine.  Especially because I can stretch my legs out rather than having it pinned to each side.









So, that left me with plenty of time to go in search of another Disney classic.  

I was really pleased to find Harold, blurry shot and all!







_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)

_*It's all about Rides Today....Time for a Cup of Tea*


Discovery #46.  When going for a spin, three cameras are better than one! 



By this stage, it was probably mid-morning and I really felt like a cup of tea. 








I was amazed to find that only DS was interested to join me.  I would have thought that DH would have been interested as well but he decided to sit this one out.  








Anyone else spot DH in the right hand side of the above picture?  He was shooting me and DS.







Well, it turns out there was a 3rd camera in action as well.  Bret doesn't do spinning rides so he was watching from the sidelines as well.  This is the equivalent shot from Bret's collection.  








My camera?  It was happy to be spinning around with DS.
















I think between the 3 cameras, we really covered this ride from every angle.  In any case, DS and I really enjoyed our morning teacup break.


_


----------



## franandaj

I finally rode that Yellow Submarine yesterday.  Loved reliving your pictures.

I have never been on Autopia, perhaps I should try it sometime!  I'm glad that you ignored everyone else and went on the Matterhorn.  It's a little too jarring for me, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.  

Teacups, another one that I can't do!  Vertigo would kill me!  You guys are having a great day!


----------



## mvf-m11c

It was nice to ride Autopia that day at the parks. Luckily I was able to get a shot of you, DH and DS while we were waiting. I enjoyed your pictures of Autopia. From your pictures, we were way ahead of you.

Riding in the bobsled of the Matterhorn is not very comforting. Luckily DAF didn't ride it that day and was able to watch our bags. If we rode Matterhorn with our bags, it would have been very uncomfortable. You know that there is barely any legroom. Can you imagine if you are a tall person and had to sit in the bobsled.

Just like DH, DAF and Alison, I don't like riding spinning rides. I can ride it but I don't like riding the Teacups. Your pictures of DS during the ride look very nice especially the background where it was blurry.

Great updates.


----------



## LegoMom3

Great idea to have DH drive the car while you took pics!  I'll have to remember that.   

Glad you enjoyed the Matterhorn!  That's a DLR ride I've always wanted to try, when I ever get there.

.


----------



## skier_pete

Blech to Autotopia.

Never rode Matterhorn before the refurbishment, but I liked it ok, but once is enough. Tea cups are great, just don't spin me!


----------



## ACDSNY

You were so close to the fastest spinning tea cup in Disneyland.  The plain lavender tea cup is supposed to be the fastest spinning one.

 I love the Matterhorn even if it's a little hard on my back.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

You got a piccie of Harold - yaay!


----------



## Leshaface

I've always wondered if it was worth the cost of going to the Halloween party.  When I went to the MVMCP at the MK, it was totally worth it to me so i'd really want to check out this party.  And because i'm a sugar/candy junkie, i'll do good at the Trick or Treating part 

Love the Villans ending in front of the station!  So cool and you grabbed a terrific spot.

I was very happy with the breakfast options at CCI compared to other Harbor hotels, and you're right, being next to the pool makes it feel like you're on vacation.

I'm late but Merry Christmas!  Did you make those donuts?! 

Autopia is on the list this year, since DS will make the height for it.  Hopefully he'll like it.  And i'll be doing what Bret did and sit in another car in front to take pics with the GoPro 

I LOVE seeing spinning shots on the Teacups!  And cool that you were being paparazzi'ed while on the ride.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> I finally rode that Yellow Submarine yesterday.  Loved reliving your pictures.
> 
> I have never been on Autopia, perhaps I should try it sometime!  I'm glad that you ignored everyone else and went on the Matterhorn.  It's a little too jarring for me, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.
> 
> Teacups, another one that I can't do!  Vertigo would kill me!  You guys are having a great day!



That refresh of the Yellow Submarine is great.  It's one of the first rides I rode when I finally made my first visit to Disneyland.  Of course, it was Captain Nemo's subs then.

We went on the faster side of the Matterhorn.  I don't know if it would have been more jarring in the back seats.  Might have to try it out again.  


It was a great day.  And about to get better when we catch up with you.  







mvf-m11c said:


> It was nice to ride Autopia that day at the parks. Luckily I was able to get a shot of you, DH and DS while we were waiting. I enjoyed your pictures of Autopia. From your pictures, we were way ahead of you.
> 
> Riding in the bobsled of the Matterhorn is not very comforting. Luckily DAF didn't ride it that day and was able to watch our bags. If we rode Matterhorn with our bags, it would have been very uncomfortable. You know that there is barely any legroom. Can you imagine if you are a tall person and had to sit in the bobsled.
> 
> Just like DH, DAF and Alison, I don't like riding spinning rides. I can ride it but I don't like riding the Teacups. Your pictures of DS during the ride look very nice especially the background where it was blurry.
> 
> Great updates.





LegoMom3 said:


> Great idea to have DH drive the car while you took pics!  I'll have to remember that.
> 
> Glad you enjoyed the Matterhorn!  That's a DLR ride I've always wanted to try, when I ever get there.
> 
> .



It is quite fun driving those cars as well.    Perhaps you might have to go on twice.  

I hope you have a trip to DLR planned??  I know you've got WDW next year.






********** said:


> Blech to Autotopia.
> 
> Never rode Matterhorn before the refurbishment, but I liked it ok, but once is enough. Tea cups are great, just don't spin me!



I have a few happy memories on Autopia.  My cousin that got married?  We took him and his sister to DLR when they were young and we had a ball on it with them.  And it was one of DS' rides where he just used to beam with happiness when he was on it.  

If we are ever in a Disney park together, don't get on a teacup ride with DH and DS.  They spin fast and hard!







ACDSNY said:


> You were so close to the fastest spinning tea cup in Disneyland.  The plain lavender tea cup is supposed to be the fastest spinning one.
> 
> I love the Matterhorn even if it's a little hard on my back.



Hmm.  I'm going to have to seek out that lavender tea cup next time.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> You got a piccie of Harold - yaay!



Pure luck!  But I was glad to get that shot.








Leshaface said:


> I've always wondered if it was worth the cost of going to the Halloween party.  When I went to the MVMCP at the MK, it was totally worth it to me so i'd really want to check out this party.  And because i'm a sugar/candy junkie, i'll do good at the Trick or Treating part



Always worth trying it out once.  I think it'll be great when Calvin is T&T.  Your family will totally clean up.
The MK version is a total production so there is a lot of value in it.






Leshaface said:


> Love the Villans ending in front of the station!  So cool and you grabbed a terrific spot.
> 
> I was very happy with the breakfast options at CCI compared to other Harbor hotels, and you're right, being next to the pool makes it feel like you're on vacation.



I am still happy with CCI and our other favourite is the Residence Inn Maingate; but it is time for us to go looking for a new Good Neighbour hotel....next time.






Leshaface said:


> I'm late but Merry Christmas!  Did you make those donuts?!



Merry Christmas to you too.  

  They are butter cookies that I piped into the donut shape and then made a lemon icing and dipped in the sprinkles.  






Leshaface said:


> Autopia is on the list this year, since DS will make the height for it.  Hopefully he'll like it.  And i'll be doing what Bret did and sit in another car in front to take pics with the GoPro



Congratulations on a very cool Christmas present!  I'll be watching with interest on your TR for the GoPro videos.







Leshaface said:


> I LOVE seeing spinning shots on the Teacups!  And cool that you were being paparazzi'ed while on the ride.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Its all about Rides Today....It's a Small World Doll Store*


Discovery #47.  Irrespective of what language it is sung in, that song just won't stop!



We made our way to the biggest Doll Store in the World!









Seems like we had hit Plaid Hour Traffic.  I think they were in training or something.








I've always liked boarding the boats in the open air but it can mean that you do spend a bit of time in the sun.








Still, it's the original, right?








The first room is all about the North Pole.   That song is sung in a different language here.  Sadly, it makes no difference.  I knew what the words meant.  It's a Small World afterall.















The European section.  English, this time.  I definitely knew what they were singing.  It's a Small World afterall.



















































Asia is always well represented.  Even when sung in Japanese, that song is universally recognisable.  It's a Small World afterall.


















































The drumming dolls of Africa.  Drum beats still sound out the same words.  It's a Small World afterall.































_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)
_

South America means Spanish.  Yup.  Es un mundo pequeño después de todo!





























South Seas.  Mermish singing sounded a lot like English to me.  It's a Small World afterall.















Changing it to Whale made no difference either.  It's a Small World afterall.























Someday, Disney will work on getting the kangaroos and platypus dolls looking more realistic.















North America.  We all KNOW the accent it's sung in.  It's a Small World afterall.






























The Finale Room; where one hopes that the song will stay.  Sadly, by this stage, the words are permanently seared into your memory banks for all eternity.  It's a Small World afterall.




































Definitely time for the Goodbye Room.  It's a Small World afterall.
















Then it's exit stage right.









Have you all got that song permanently stuck in auto-replay right now?  That song just won't stop!!!




_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Pirates; but we're NOT in the Caribbean*


Discovery #48.  The originals ARE the BEST!



Our next stop was another original ride.  This was the last attraction to get the personal Walt Disney touch so it holds a special place in Disney folklore.  I am yet to experience the Paris version of this ride and it will be interesting to see how the Shanghai version at Pirate Cove turns out but I think this original is the BEST!








It's called Pirates of the Caribbean.  But the Blue Bayou is definitely not in a Caribbean island setting.  








It's definitely bayou country!









Yo ho ho ho ho....









.....A pirate's life for me.









The bayou is meant to be teeming with life.  But there sure are a lot of skeletons around.






















Hey! Hey!  It's the Monkees!  

(Does anyone else aside from me think about The Monkees when Davy Jones is mentioned?)








After all the Lovely Bones, it's finally nice to see some figures with Wax On them.















After all this time, the animatronics in here are still amazing.





















I've always been intrigued by how this attraction spawned off the movie franchise.  But then whenever I experience this ride, it's easy to see how.  The details are just amazing and I can well imagine the script writers running away with this.















Much like the dog with the key....








....the aim of this ride is perfectly clear.









It's all about Johnny Depp!








Ah yes.  The originals ARE the BEST!


_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....999 Happy Haunts*


Discovery #49.  We all know it can be pretty scary in the HM but when its all dressed up, it can be scary pretty too.



We had gotten a text from franandaj just as we were boarding the PotC saying that she had arrived.  A quick response for our next meeting point....and hey presto!  Another DisMeet reunion officially captured by my DH.








Our meeting point?  No prizes if you recognised where we are.  








Afterall, the Mansion was fully dressed up for the holidays and it is hard to miss.








I really like the dress-up that the DLR does for this attraction.  It is so festive.  Someday, I'd like to see the Tokyo Disneyland version of the overlay.








We made light work of the queue and got into the HM quickly.  








Time for some more holiday overlay in the Stretching Room.








I've always loved the leadlight effect.









And then it was time to start meeting the pretty scary 999 Happy Haunts!
















I was pleased to capture Zero.  I didn't manage to get a clear picture of him during the fireworks show last night.








Suffice to say, I completely got left behind by the others in here.















Yes, Ho Ho Ho to them too!








I did catch up with everyone just before we got on the Doom Buggies.








So nice of them to wait for me.  I'll consider that my present.








On with the Happy Haunts.  We reacquainted ourselves with Madame Leota and listened to her Christmas chants....








....and then headed to the Ballroom.  








It's a Gingerbread Iron Maiden torture chamber this year!








I didn't see my name on the naughty or nice list but I'm hoping that some of those presents are for me.








The Graveyard was covered with snow....and pumpkins!








Sandy Claws Jack was also about to greet us.








This really puts a different spin on Angels we have Heard on High, doesn't it?








Speaking of spin....I'd love a spin on that Oogie Wheel.  








It's a universal truth that it can be pretty scary in the mansion.  But with the holiday overlay, there is no doubt....the HM is scary pretty!





_


----------



## franandaj

Your dark ride pictures are just spectacular!  I can't believe how great the pictures of the Red Head came out and the ones in the Haunted Mansion!  I need to get me a lens that will take better pictures in the dark!

I never realized how the Small World Characters were laid out as far as nationalities!  Thanks for pointing that out. I will pay better attention to that ride in the future!


----------



## mvf-m11c

It was nice to ride IASW, PotC and HMH that afternoon. Your pictures from the dark rides are very nice especially from the PotC. It was nice that your DH got a picture of the three of us right at the HMH. There were times when taking pictures on PotC and HMH with the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 it was out of focus which was a little annoying but overall the pictures were good.

I would suggest getting a prime lens Alison so you are able to take better pictures in the dark.


----------



## Leshaface

The skeleton pirate on top of his gold, is a great picture!

I do!  I think about the Monkees when I hear Davy Jones.  I remember watching The Monkees when they had a tv show back in the day.  And I have a few of their albums that i'll listen to every once in a while 

I love everything about Haunted Mansion Holiday.  It's so brilliant.  I know i'm the minority, but i'd love if they kept this up all year long.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

Just caught up, and as per usual your pics are great.  

MHP certainly did seem to be one of those events where you had to stake out a spot for ages for the parade and fireworks.  I found the party very over-crowded and, as such, was a bit disappointed in the whole night.  However, the fireworks were definitely impressive and I love the way you captured how lovely they were.


----------



## LegoMom3

PrincessInOz said:


> ....
> 
> I hope you have a trip to DLR planned??  I know you've got WDW next year.
> 
> .....



No, nothing in the works.  Too far and airfare is just too pricey for my budget.  Someday I hope to either return to TX, or make a move to CO.  So when I'm living a bit closer to the left coast, then we'll make a trek to DLR!  


Another great installment!  Beautiful pics.  And just based on your pics alone, I already like the DL version of Pirates better than the WDW one!!  (I have heard that it is, for real, the better one).  Love the bayou scene!  I also hate the most recent "upgrade" to the WDW one......didn't really care for the mermaid bit in On Stranger Tides.  

.


----------



## jedijill

I tried to reply last night but the Dis crashed and I gave up and went to bed. 

I'm shocked that kangaroos don't like like the ones in IASW!!!!  I may have to cancel my in-the-planning-process trip to Australia now.  

You got some great shots of HM.  I must see it now with the overlay...it looks incredible!  


Jill in CO


----------



## PrincessInOz

*Happy New Year 2015*

May 2015 find us all happy, healthy and safe!  




Some of my pictures from last night......
It was a lovely evening to be out enjoying the early fireworks last night.











The fireworks were shot in Yarra Park; which surrounds the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  The MCG holds a crowd capacity of 100,000.  There were definitely much more than that outside the 'G last night!









We did get there early and scouted around for the best vantage point.  In the end, we decided the prettiest backdrop would be with some of the cityscape in the back.









Happy New Year everyone!  Thanks for reading along.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Great pictures of the firework trails last night PiO. 

The night sky didn't look too dark and there was still light on the buildings which made your pictures turn out really good.


----------



## ACDSNY

PrincessInOz said:


> _Have you all got that song permanently stuck in auto-replay right now? That song just won't stop!!!_(Continued in Next Post)


 
 Now I have 3 songs in my head...It's a Small World, Pirates and Hey Hey from the Monkees.

 Spectacular fireworks pics!  Happy New Year to you and yours!


----------



## jedijill

Happy New Year!  Your photos, as usual, are stunning!

Jill in CO


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Your dark ride pictures are just spectacular!  I can't believe how great the pictures of the Red Head came out and the ones in the Haunted Mansion!  I need to get me a lens that will take better pictures in the dark!



Where low light photography is concerned, the right camera and lens combination does help.  You already got a great camera, it might be time for a good lens.  

You and Fran just need to decide on price and whether you want a zoom lens or a prime lens.  
FWIW, in case you're thinking of a prime lens, the 50 mm f/1.8 lens is a good lens and at a good price.  I personally find that it is too tight for the dark rides.  The 28 mm or 35 mm prime focal lengths are better for Disney.  For me, the zooms give me a lot more flexibility as I shoot other subjects (other than just Disney).  It just comes down to what you want to shoot and whether the lens suits your shooting style.






franandaj said:


> I never realized how the Small World Characters were laid out as far as nationalities!  Thanks for pointing that out. I will pay better attention to that ride in the future!










mvf-m11c said:


> It was nice to ride IASW, PotC and HMH that afternoon. Your pictures from the dark rides are very nice especially from the PotC. It was nice that your DH got a picture of the three of us right at the HMH. There were times when taking pictures on PotC and HMH with the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 it was out of focus which was a little annoying but overall the pictures were good.



I have a heap of out of focus shots using that Sigma.  Not sure if the good shots outweigh the frustration.  






Leshaface said:


> The skeleton pirate on top of his gold, is a great picture!









Leshaface said:


> I do!  I think about the Monkees when I hear Davy Jones.  I remember watching The Monkees when they had a tv show back in the day.  And I have a few of their albums that i'll listen to every once in a while



I do't have any of their albums but I used to watch them on TV.  I don't remember much more than their hairstyles and the theme song.  






Leshaface said:


> I love everything about Haunted Mansion Holiday.  It's so brilliant.  I know i'm the minority, but i'd love if they kept this up all year long.



I think I want 2 x HM at DLR.  One with the overlay up and the other as the standard version.  






WanderlustNZ said:


> Just caught up, and as per usual your pics are great.
> 
> MHP certainly did seem to be one of those events where you had to stake out a spot for ages for the parade and fireworks.  I found the party very over-crowded and, as such, was a bit disappointed in the whole night.  However, the fireworks were definitely impressive and I love the way you captured how lovely they were.



I think you and I have the similar impression of MHP.  






LegoMom3 said:


> No, nothing in the works.  Too far and airfare is just too pricey for my budget.  Someday I hope to either return to TX, or make a move to CO.  So when I'm living a bit closer to the left coast, then we'll make a trek to DLR!



I sure hope you make it out there!





LegoMom3 said:


> Another great installment!  Beautiful pics.  And just based on your pics alone, I already like the DL version of Pirates better than the WDW one!!  (I have heard that it is, for real, the better one).  Love the bayou scene!  I also hate the most recent "upgrade" to the WDW one......didn't really care for the mermaid bit in On Stranger Tides.
> 
> .



I definitely do prefer the PotC at DLR to the MK version.  I don't think I saw the upgrade at WDW.  If I did, I missed the mermaid bit.






jedijill said:


> I tried to reply last night but the Dis crashed and I gave up and went to bed.
> 
> I'm shocked that kangaroos don't like like the ones in IASW!!!!  I may have to cancel my in-the-planning-process trip to Australia now.



We'll just have to get Disney to make-over all the kangaroos in Oz.  
Are you still planning this year?






jedijill said:


> You got some great shots of HM.  I must see it now with the overlay...it looks incredible!
> 
> 
> Jill in CO



Maybe it could be a stopover on your way to Oz.  






mvf-m11c said:


> Great pictures of the firework trails last night PiO.
> 
> The night sky didn't look too dark and there was still light on the buildings which made your pictures turn out really good.



Thanks.  I like the early NYE fireworks because of the night sky colour.  We rarely have the chance to shoot fireworks at that twilight time of day.   






ACDSNY said:


> Now I have 3 songs in my head...It's a Small World, Pirates and Hey Hey from the Monkees.



At least I got that Yellow Submarine out of your head.  







ACDSNY said:


> Spectacular fireworks pics!  Happy New Year to you and yours!



Same to you!







jedijill said:


> Happy New Year!  Your photos, as usual, are stunning!
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks Jill.


----------



## jedijill

I've pushed the Oz trip back to 2016.  I need to be responsible and save my money this year for a house.

Jill in CO


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> I've pushed the Oz trip back to 2016.  I need to be responsible and save my money this year for a house.
> 
> Jill in CO



Ooh!  That is a very adult thing to do.  
I hope you get a house you love.


March/April is a great time to visit.


----------



## tiggrbaby

HM was lovely with all of the additions.  And your firework pics are the best!


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> HM was lovely with all of the additions.  And your firework pics are the best!





Happy New Year!  Hope it was a great start to the year for you.

Thanks.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*It's all about Rides Today....All Washed Up with a Splash*


Discovery #50.  It's always polite to wash before eating.



Splash Mountain is a family favourite.  We all enjoy getting wet so it was always going to be on our list of must-do's today.  Alison and DAF decided that they didn't want to get on the ride so that left the rest of us.  As I didn't bring any protective gear with me, I left my camera behind with them so that it didn't get wet.








In hindsight, it was a great time to get on Splash.  I love and hate that drop at the end all at the same time.  And seeing that wall of wash coming towards you???  

Needless to say, DS and I got soaked sitting in the front section.   Afterall, one should always wash before eating.




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....But We Do have to Eat*


Discovery #51.  It's always worth taking some time out for a break and to eat after a full morning of rides at DLR.



It might be all about rides today but we do have to eat.  The group talked about possible food options but as we were right there, this was the logical quick service stop.  








I can't speak for Bret or Alison but by our standards, it was a late lunch.   Evidently, a lot of people eat late by our standards!








I tried to focus on what I was going to order.








Really I did.  But the details didn't escape me that day.








There was a lot of reflecting on the menu offerings.  Breakfast seemed like such a long time ago that everything on the menu seemed delicious.  It was hard picking which dish we were going to eat.  








Being a quick service, there were examples of the food on offer.  If anything, it made the decision even harder.








Especially the seasonal sweet treats.
















The thing I've always loved about the French Market is that despite being a quick service, the salads are made-to-order.  I do traditionally order a soup and salad here.








DH got the Na Awlin's salad.








He was the only one that went with a salad. DS got the corn chowder.



 




Bret got the Market French Dip.








The beef looked great!








Alison and DAF split the French Quarter Chicken.








With soup and salad taken care of by my boys, I got the Jumbalaya.  It was delicious!








I'm not sure who's TR it was that I read about the Mint Julep.  Whoever you are, I thank you!  It was a great way to top off my meal.








In fact, after packing in the rides this morning, taking a break and eating lunch was a great idea.  It sure refuelled us all again.







_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Big Thunder Mountain*


Discovery #52.  This old favourite really is awesome.  



I know that visitors to Disney get disappointed when rides they are looking forward to are down for a scheduled maintenance or rehab.  I have to say that I am one of those visitors.  Last year, I had been disappointed to learn that an old favourite was down and out for a long duration.  








It left a big empty space in my Disney wish list; and whilst I was able to experience the WDW version of it on the same trip, it just wasn't the same.








However, I was pleased to learn that this old dinosaur of a ride was undergoing a major refurbishment.  Afterall, Disney is open 365 days of the year so the only way that they get to do their maintenance and rehabs is whilst the park is opened.  And it also means that the favourite attractions are going to be around for a long while to come.








We had managed to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad yesterday but there had been this rather tall person in front of me that I felt like I missed out on the full effects of the refurbishment.  Today promised to be better!  (Picture courtesy of Bret.)








Roll up!  It really feels like a Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away through this mountain.  








And we're off!








Ain't about how fast I get there.  Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side.  It’s the Climb!








Someone was having a lot of fun!  








I enjoyed keeping an eye out for the critters on this mountain.















It really is such a rush to be this high.








Another great run round the mountain....








....before we hit the explosive section.









Yup.  As I expected.  















This section is so MUCH better without someone in front of me.








This old favourite really is awesome.  










_


----------



## franandaj

Great lunch photos!  That was a very good meal.  I'll have to go back there yet again.  That was a nice shot that Bret got of my hair!  

Big Thunder was a lot of fun and your explosion shots are really good!




PrincessInOz said:


> Where low light photography is concerned, the right camera and lens combination does help.  You already got a great camera, it might be time for a good lens.
> 
> You and Fran just need to decide on price and whether you want a zoom lens or a prime lens.
> FWIW, in case you're thinking of a prime lens, the 50 mm f/1.8 lens is a good lens and at a good price.  I personally find that it is too tight for the dark rides.  The 28 mm or 35 mm prime focal lengths are better for Disney.  For me, the zooms give me a lot more flexibility as I shoot other subjects (other than just Disney).  It just comes down to what you want to shoot and whether the lens suits your shooting style.



I do want a F/1.8 lens. My Dad must have had a pretty good camera because I liked that aperture, and mine only goes to 4.0.  So does the mm represent how far or how wide the lens goes?  A lot of my shooting would be at Disney. We don't get out to other places a lot, though Fran says she wants to.


----------



## ACDSNY

Lunch looks great and BTMRR is my fav!


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Great lunch photos!  That was a very good meal.  I'll have to go back there yet again.  That was a nice shot that Bret got of my hair!
> 
> Big Thunder was a lot of fun and your explosion shots are really good!



Bret got great shots of both our hairs!  

Thanks.







franandaj said:


> I do want a F/1.8 lens. My Dad must have had a pretty good camera because I liked that aperture, and mine only goes to 4.0.  So does the mm represent how far or how wide the lens goes?  A lot of my shooting would be at Disney. We don't get out to other places a lot, though Fran says she wants to.



Yes, the mm is the width of the lens.  

Canon makes a 35mm f/1.4 lens.  If money were no object, that would probably be the best one for Disney shooting.

Sigma makes a 30mm f/1.4 lens.  I haven't tried this lens out but lots of Canon photographers like this one too.  It's definitely a value for money lens.

Canon also makes a 28mm f/1.8 lens.  I can't decide between this one and the Sigma; so neither have made it into my bag yet.  

I shoot with the Canon 17 - 55mm f/2.8 zoom.  That's a great lens as well.  It just comes down to what you want and how much you want to spend.






ACDSNY said:


> Lunch looks great and BTMRR is my fav!



It's a hard pick for me.  Everest Expedition and Radiator Springs are great as well.


----------



## mvf-m11c

It was nice to ride Splash that afternoon and I knew that DS wanted to go on that ride during the trip. Good thing I was in the back or I would have gotten soaked. 

It was a nice choice to eat at the French Market that day. 

BTMRR is great and amazing with the new additions. But I also do miss the old version especially the mine scene.




franandaj said:


> Great lunch photos!  That was a very good meal.  I'll have to go back there yet again.  That was a nice shot that Bret got of my hair!
> 
> Big Thunder was a lot of fun and your explosion shots are really good!
> 
> I do want a F/1.8 lens. My Dad must have had a pretty good camera because I liked that aperture, and mine only goes to 4.0.  So does the mm represent how far or how wide the lens goes?  A lot of my shooting would be at Disney. We don't get out to other places a lot, though Fran says she wants to.



Your welcome. 




PrincessInOz said:


> Bret got great shots of both our hairs!
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
> Yes, the mm is the width of the lens.
> 
> Canon makes a 35mm f/1.4 lens.  If money were no object, that would probably be the best one for Disney shooting.
> 
> Sigma makes a 30mm f/1.4 lens.  I haven't tried this lens out but lots of Canon photographers like this one too.  It's definitely a value for money lens.
> 
> Canon also makes a 28mm f/1.8 lens.  I can't decide between this one and the Sigma; so neither have made it into my bag yet.
> 
> I shoot with the Canon 17 - 55mm f/2.8 zoom.  That's a great lens as well.  It just comes down to what you want and how much you want to spend.



Your welcome.

Looks like PiO gave you a nice selection of lenses to choose that has an aperture of f/1.8 or better. Since I shoot Nikon, I know the choices that PiO wrote down are good lenses to choose from.


----------



## skier_pete

Mmmmm, the French Market looks pretty good. I do love me some Jambalaya. 

Last year (OK 2013) we missed BTMRR at DLR, and then again we waited until our lasted day at WDW that year, and it was down again (broke down), so we missed it on Both coasts.  SO annoying. 

Nice job of capturing that explosion effect. I look forward to seeing it someday...


----------



## LegoMom3

I love that, between DLR and WDW, there is so much familiar, yet things are just different enough to be....well, different!  Love the BTMRR shots!  And glad you had no one blocking your view.  

.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Thank you - I have now seen what the holiday overlay at HM actually looks like - so different. Def have to experience that one day. I still love Pirates the best at DL. BTMR looks like the refurb is good. Also looks like you had a great day. Belated happy new year to you and to all reading along.


----------



## scottny

Nice place to have breakfast.

I am afraid to do the submarine when we go for claustrophobia reasons. 

Ooh those Christmas cookies looked good. 

Nice pics on Autopia.

Teacups are fun but spinning fast is not. LOL.

Nice Small World pics.

Nice pics of POTC. The Paris one is great.

Love the pics inside Haunted mansion.

Nice fireworks pics. Happy New Year!

The French Market looked delicious. I must remember it for September.

Nice pics on BTMRR.

All caught up again.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> It was nice to ride Splash that afternoon and I knew that DS wanted to go on that ride during the trip. Good thing I was in the back or I would have gotten soaked.



I knew I was doomed when I got second seat.  





mvf-m11c said:


> It was a nice choice to eat at the French Market that day.
> 
> BTMRR is great and amazing with the new additions. But I also do miss the old version especially the mine scene.



It sure is bittersweet when rides get a refurb makeover.










********** said:


> Mmmmm, the French Market looks pretty good. I do love me some Jambalaya.
> 
> Last year (OK 2013) we missed BTMRR at DLR, and then again we waited until our lasted day at WDW that year, and it was down again (broke down), so we missed it on Both coasts.  SO annoying.
> 
> Nice job of capturing that explosion effect. I look forward to seeing it someday...



That would be pretty annoying to miss out coast to coast.  Hope you get to ride the BTMRR at DLR soon.








LegoMom3 said:


> I love that, between DLR and WDW, there is so much familiar, yet things are just different enough to be....well, different!  Love the BTMRR shots!  And glad you had no one blocking your view.
> 
> .



I like that there are differences.  It just means that we have to visit ALL the parks to enjoy the differences.  








Aussie Wendy said:


> Thank you - I have now seen what the holiday overlay at HM actually looks like - so different. Def have to experience that one day. I still love Pirates the best at DL. BTMR looks like the refurb is good. Also looks like you had a great day. Belated happy new year to you and to all reading along.



The holiday overlays at DLR are great.  I also like the Ghost Galaxy version of Space Mountain.  Hope you get to experience both some day.







scottny said:


> Nice place to have breakfast.
> 
> I am afraid to do the submarine when we go for claustrophobia reasons.
> 
> Ooh those Christmas cookies looked good.
> 
> Nice pics on Autopia.
> 
> Teacups are fun but spinning fast is not. LOL.
> 
> Nice Small World pics.
> 
> Nice pics of POTC. The Paris one is great.
> 
> Love the pics inside Haunted mansion.
> 
> Nice fireworks pics. Happy New Year!
> 
> The French Market looked delicious. I must remember it for September.
> 
> Nice pics on BTMRR.
> 
> All caught up again.



Thanks Scott.  Glad to see that you're definitely heading to California in September.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*It's all about Rides Today....Time for California Adventure*


Discovery #53.  Nothing beats being able to walk between parks in under 10 minutes.



After lunch, we headed across the promenade to the other park.









And before anyone else points out the gaping holes in our rides to date....









No one was interested in the Toontown rides.  We walked past Alice in Wonderland twice on this day.  Both times, the ride was closed.  








We also took a look at Indiana Jones on the walk out.  We all decided to pass on it.



In truth, we had spent the better part of the day at Disneyland and it was time we got to the rides in the other park.  I love that it takes less than 10 minutes to transition between the two parks.









We walked the straight line to Carsland.









No stopping anywhere.









You know where we're heading to, right?









_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Radiator Springs Racers*


Discovery #54.  With the wind in my hair, I look like Cousin Itt!



We got right in line.  (Thanks to my DH for taking this shot).








With the ECV, we were directed to this side.....








....Where the tracktorglyphs are.








Pretty soon we were strapped in staring at the No Dancing signs.








A couple of tugs on that yellow belt and we were off.








Willy's Butte always looks great from this vantage point.









As does Radiator Falls. 








And then it was time to head inside and meet up with some old friends.








Mater had been out tracktor tipping again.








I've always liked the inside Radiator Springs Main Street area.  



 




The neon lights are bright in Carsland.








And then it was on to check out the tyres.








Time for us to get white walled.








It really is fabulous in here.








And there is still the race to come!








I love this track!

























Time to say goodbye.








And check out how windblown we were!  Or more accurately....me.   Anyone else spot Cousin Itt??








_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Who Said Toys were Cute and Fluffy? It's Just a Story!*


Discovery #55.  Shooting Toys is so much fun!



Next in our line-up.








It was our turn to don on those yellow square-eyes.








After San Diego, I had discovered that shooting was a lot of fun.    








I was definitely looking at shooting cute, fluffy, unfocussed subjects to shoot.








Yeah.  I guess I must have done some of this kind of shooting too.









I've never really concentrated on the Toy Mania part of this attraction.  But after San Diego, I think next time, I'll work on unlocking some of the secret targets a bit more and seeing a different animal other than beaver. 



_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Grizzly Bearing down the last Mountain*


Discovery #56.  I really need to remember to bring water protection for my camera on the wet rides!



When we set our minds to it, my family really likes getting wet.








We'd already conquered Space, the Matterhorn, Splash and Big Thunder Mountains.  That really only left one mountain at DLR to grizzly bear down on.  








It looks like DS took some time to catch up on a little rest.








But it wasn't for long.  He was wide awake and happy to be getting wet yet again.








Bret, DAF and Alison sat this one out.  








But before I got on the ride, Bret loaned me his plastic protective sleeve so that I would take my camera for a spin.  Thanks Bret!



 




It really did nicely cap off this Mountain for me.  Both up....








....and down.








And as we dropped....








....everyone was focussed on that wall of water that would wash in at the bottom.








The waterwall ended up mostly on DH and me.  We got soaked!









Thankfully, the protective sleeve did work.  My camera stayed dry.  I have two of those sleeves somewhere in my house.  I really need to remember to find them and bring them with me next time I head on a wet ride!







And thanks again, Bret.  For the loan of the plastic sleeve and for the above picture!



_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Soarin' in the real California*


Discovery #57.  Enjoy the moment.  You never know when you experience a bittersweet moment. 



Everyone in our group loves this attraction.  There's nothing like Soarin' in California proper.








I am so glad that I got to experience the original version before the refurb.  Whilst I agree that this favourite attraction is due for a re-haul, the original still has a charm to it.









Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  This memory is now a bittersweet moment.  The next time we get on this ride, the film will probably be completely revamped.



_


----------



## mvf-m11c

We had a fun afternoon of going on all those different rides at DCA that afternoon from RSR, TSMM, GRR (which Alison, DAF and I didn't ride), and Soarin. 

Your pictures from GRR are very nice and glad that you used the bag on the ride. I knew that DS wanted to go on GRR that day as well as Splash so he could get soaked. And I remember clearly after you got off GRR that all three of you were soaked.

It will be sad that Soarin is closed and getting a new refurbishment. Hopefully the new version will be good.

Great updates.


----------



## IowaTater

I love your pictures from Carsland.  I would really love to make it out to California to experience it but DH still has his sights on another Florida trip.  For some reason, even though I've shown him pictures of DL, the thought of going there over WDW just doesn't appeal to him . 

I also can't talk him into water rides unless it's the log type ones.  He doesn't like the raging rapids ones because he gets too wet.  But Grizzly Mountain looks like so much fun!

Soarin' is one ride I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing yet.  Sometimes I get motion sickness and I've heard sometimes this ride can bring it on in people.  I may have to give it a shot on this trip though.  

Glad you had a happy new year as well!  When we were watching all the celebrations and they showed the fireworks in Australia, it made me think of you.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> We had a fun afternoon of going on all those different rides at DCA that afternoon from RSR, TSMM, GRR (which Alison, DAF and I didn't ride), and Soarin.
> 
> Your pictures from GRR are very nice and glad that you used the bag on the ride. I knew that DS wanted to go on GRR that day as well as Splash so he could get soaked. And I remember clearly after you got off GRR that all three of you were soaked.
> 
> It will be sad that Soarin is closed and getting a new refurbishment. Hopefully the new version will be good.
> 
> Great updates.



Hopefully we'll get to have another fun afternoon again in the future, Bret.

I was happy with the GRR pictures.  I really need to find that packet of those plastic sleeves!  I think they are with my suitcases but I need to go look.

I hope the new version will be good too. Time will tell.






IowaTater said:


> I love your pictures from Carsland.  I would really love to make it out to California to experience it but DH still has his sights on another Florida trip.  For some reason, even though I've shown him pictures of DL, the thought of going there over WDW just doesn't appeal to him .
> 
> I also can't talk him into water rides unless it's the log type ones.  He doesn't like the raging rapids ones because he gets too wet.  But Grizzly Mountain looks like so much fun!
> 
> Soarin' is one ride I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing yet.  Sometimes I get motion sickness and I've heard sometimes this ride can bring it on in people.  I may have to give it a shot on this trip though.
> 
> Glad you had a happy new year as well!  When we were watching all the celebrations and they showed the fireworks in Australia, it made me think of you.





Nice to hear that they showed fireworks in Australia!  I presume they would have shown the Sydney ones.  They really are quite spectacular on the Harbour.

Aww.  I hope that your DH relents at some stage and you get to go to California.  It is worth being able to experience both.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Love the pics of the rapids ride. I too hope Soarin is still as good with the refurb - I love that ride.


----------



## franandaj

What's sad is that you and I got similar scores on TSMM and I was playing while you were shooting!    I just suck at that game.  I remember feeling sick after TSMM and trying not to hurl while you guys were on Grizzly River Rapids.  I'm glad you had fun and I hate getting soaked, which is why I don't go on the water rides unless I have a hotel room to go back to and change after I ride the ride!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Aussie Wendy said:


> Love the pics of the rapids ride. I too hope Soarin is still as good with the refurb - I love that ride.



Thanks.  
Yeah.  I hope that Soarin' is as good or better.  If they did as good as job as Star Tours, it should be awesome.






franandaj said:


> What's sad is that you and I got similar scores on TSMM and I was playing while you were shooting!    I just suck at that game.  I remember feeling sick after TSMM and trying not to hurl while you guys were on Grizzly River Rapids.  I'm glad you had fun and I hate getting soaked, which is why I don't go on the water rides unless I have a hotel room to go back to and change after I ride the ride!



I remember you saying you weren't feeling well.  I didn't realise that you were feeling that bad!  
I think you were feeling better after we got off GRR.  If not, you hid that well!!!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*It's all about Rides Today....The Official DisMeet*


Discovery #58.  Sometimes in life, when opportunity comes a-knocking, grab it while you can.



By this stage of the day, Alison needed to head on home.  But before she left, we had one last thing to do together.  And it involved a catch-up.  

One of Alison's fantastic connections has become a friend of my family now.  And whenever we visit, it seems like a good opportunity for us to catch up for a drink.  I used to think it was the Australian connection and novelty factor; but I guess we must like each other after the last 3 years or so.  At least, I hope so!  
So we trekked back across the promenade to make the catch-up.

When an opportunity like this comes along, I've long learnt to make sure I knock along with it....or in this case, ring the bell loud and clear.  Lucky we were invited!



 




It's now behind closed doors.








But it's still as illuminating as ever.








We took the opportunity to capture the official DisMeet evidence here.  We made sure DH grabbed a shot of the Dis-sers present from all cameras.  This one was from mine.








But we were here for a drink, right?  And we weren't just after water!








It was a great place to catch up with each other.








I got a Ruby mocktail.  I don't remember the exact mix but it was grapefruity.








Some of the others got tea.








And then some!








The drinks were cool and refreshing after a long day in the park.







It was nice catching up with friends; even if they are a little camera shy.  

Naturally I took some time to look around.  Afterall, it was rather like being given the ivory keys to the land.








I didn't forget to check out the original keys either.








Still as lovely as ever.








I liked the vibe of this new space.  It was really relaxed.








....with lots of Bayou and Jazz influences.  The artwork is amazing.






















I had a bit of mis-communication with my boys.  Whilst I was looking round....








....they didn't know where I had gone.  Turns out they went back outside because they thought I had left.  Really???








I guess it really was time to leave.  We had stayed longer than we had thought.  But it sure was nice to look back and reflect on a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends.








_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Dole Whip Float*


Discovery #59.  Dole Whip Floats are my most favourite snack in all of Disney.



We said our goodbyes to Alison and she headed on home.  Happily, the goodbyes were brief this time as we would see her again later.

The rest of us had one more thing to tick off in Disneyland.
The queue outside in Adventureland is always long; but you can always count on the queue inside the Tiki Room waiting area to be shorter.








Dole Whip Floats are just about my favourite snack in all of Disney.  So good!  Even my lactose intolerant DH can indulge in this!









_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*It's all about Rides Today....Night Time at Carsland*


Discovery #60.  You can never get enough of pure magic in your life.



I was Dole Whip floating on air after indulging in my favourite snack.








We were making our way out of Disneyland whilst everyone else was waiting for the night time Soundtastic Parade.








I almost wished we were watching the parade again; but we had another park to get to.








There really was only one place we were heading to.  For me, Carsland at night is pure magic.  








I don't think I've ever seen a place where life so closely imitates art than here. 









Life could be a dream, right?
















We then headed on round the corner.









It was an opportunity to take a look at Ornament Valley at night.  The night time sight of Willy's Butte and Radiator Falls is one that I haven't yet tired of.  








And the view the other way isn't half bad either.  









We kept going past Pacific Wharf.  There was one last attraction we were going to do tonight.








_


----------



## franandaj

It was nice to hang out with you guys at the New Club.  I think actually that the drink helped out my feelings of nausea.  I'm glad that my friend was able to make it out so we could hang out there for a bit.  

I'm glad you guys got to see the neon in Carsland.  I think I picked us up some takeout from the Italian place up the street on my way home, maybe a meatball sandwich.  Scary that I don't remember, but I did get something on the way home for Fran and I.


----------



## ACDSNY

Great update, the club looks beautiful and relaxing.  I'm another one that loves Cars Land at night.


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a lovely spot for a drink, and amazing shots of Carsland at night!


----------



## mvf-m11c

We had a great time with you PiO and Alison that night. It was nice to relax after a long day at the parks. 

I can never leave the DLR without getting my favorite dessert at DL which is the Dole Whip Float. It was nice to have the Dole Whip floats that night.

Great pictures of CL that night. I can never get tired of CL when seeing it at night. You have to see it during the holiday season one day.

Great updates.


----------



## Leshaface

I really do need to try a Mint Julep sometime, I hear they're delicious!

I LOVE the newly refurbished BTMR!  And it's 100 times better than MK's version.

What a great lineup of rides: RSR, TSM 

You're brave to do GRR. I haven't done it in years.  If it was ridiculously hot, I would consider it.  But I think DH's hatred of getting wet has rubbed off on me.

Ooh, is that cranberry mint infused water??  The new club looks fabulous!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Beautiful pics. I look forward to seeing Carsland one day.


----------



## eandesmom

All caught up!  

I love French Market, it may be one of my favorite lunch spots on either coast and is a CS location I could do dinner at which always seems to be very difficult for me to find.  What is late for lunch?  Just curious, we always eat late but it can help with crowds.

Fabulous BTMRR shots not only are they simply good, I can just feel the fun!  You are getting in all the headliners, Splash, BTMRR, RSR, TSM, Soarin and GRR.  What a day so far!  Soggy but seriously fun.

GRR was down on my last trip with the kids and Ann and I didn't try (can't remember why, maybe time of day or line or ??) still a little bummed about that, especially with the kids.  I hope with the Soarin' overhaul they still keep the DL queue, it's very special to us.

Wonderful updates, fun fun day so far.


----------



## skier_pete

Oooooh, Club 33 - lucky you!! Our one foray there was pre-refurb. The new lounge looks beautiful.

Love Carsland at night. I only hope someday they put a themed area into Florida as well done as that. (Avatar? "Crosses Fingers")


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> It was nice to hang out with you guys at the New Club.  I think actually that the drink helped out my feelings of nausea.  I'm glad that my friend was able to make it out so we could hang out there for a bit.
> 
> I'm glad you guys got to see the neon in Carsland.  I think I picked us up some takeout from the Italian place up the street on my way home, maybe a meatball sandwich.  Scary that I don't remember, but I did get something on the way home for Fran and I.



It was nice at the new club.  And thank your friend for me.  I'm always conscious of not imposing.

One of these days, I'm going to try for a few more days at DLR and try to get a ride on RSR at night.

I think that's why I take as many pictures as I do.  Without the pictures, I wouldn't remember a thing! 






ACDSNY said:


> Great update, the club looks beautiful and relaxing.  I'm another one that loves Cars Land at night.



Thanks Angela.  

Yes, CL is beautiful, isn't it?






tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely spot for a drink, and amazing shots of Carsland at night!



I really enjoyed being able to relax and take some time out from the park.  And it was a great space for a drink.
Thanks!





mvf-m11c said:


> We had a great time with you PiO and Alison that night. It was nice to relax after a long day at the parks.
> 
> I can never leave the DLR without getting my favorite dessert at DL which is the Dole Whip Float. It was nice to have the Dole Whip floats that night.
> 
> Great pictures of CL that night. I can never get tired of CL when seeing it at night. You have to see it during the holiday season one day.
> 
> Great updates.



Thanks Bret.  It was great hanging out with you, DAF and Alison as well. Hopefully we can do it again...may during a Christmas period.  






Leshaface said:


> I really do need to try a Mint Julep sometime, I hear they're delicious!
> 
> I LOVE the newly refurbished BTMR!  And it's 100 times better than MK's version.



Welcome back!  Yes, BTMRR is so much fun with the refurb.





Leshaface said:


> What a great lineup of rides: RSR, TSM
> 
> You're brave to do GRR. I haven't done it in years.  If it was ridiculously hot, I would consider it.  But I think DH's hatred of getting wet has rubbed off on me.



It was pretty hot on the day.  And whilst DH and I got soaked, because it was so hot, I think we dried off in about 30 minutes or so.





Leshaface said:


> Ooh, is that cranberry mint infused water??  The new club looks fabulous!



You know....I don't think I took a drink from that container.  






Aussie Wendy said:


> Beautiful pics. I look forward to seeing Carsland one day.



Thanks Wendy.  I hope you're planning a trip to DLR soon.






eandesmom said:


> All caught up!
> 
> I love French Market, it may be one of my favorite lunch spots on either coast and is a CS location I could do dinner at which always seems to be very difficult for me to find.  What is late for lunch?  Just curious, we always eat late but it can help with crowds.



I think we ate lunch close on 2 pm that day.  I tend to eat lunch at noon normally.  And as breakfast was at 7 am, it was a long time between food!






eandesmom said:


> Fabulous BTMRR shots not only are they simply good, I can just feel the fun!  You are getting in all the headliners, Splash, BTMRR, RSR, TSM, Soarin and GRR.  What a day so far!  Soggy but seriously fun.
> 
> GRR was down on my last trip with the kids and Ann and I didn't try (can't remember why, maybe time of day or line or ??) still a little bummed about that, especially with the kids.  I hope with the Soarin' overhaul they still keep the DL queue, it's very special to us.
> 
> Wonderful updates, fun fun day so far.



Thanks.  Yes, we did tick off the headline rides this day.

I guess time will tell with Soarin' and I hope you get on GRR when you next visit.  Not long now to the run, right?  (But Aulani first! I'm so envious!)







********** said:


> Oooooh, Club 33 - lucky you!! Our one foray there was pre-refurb. The new lounge looks beautiful.
> 
> Love Carsland at night. I only hope someday they put a themed area into Florida as well done as that. (Avatar? "Crosses Fingers")



New lounge is great!

I hope they do a decent job on Avatarland.  The renderings look promising so far.  And I noticed that Avatar 2 is going to be delayed to 2017.  Will be interesting to see how it all plays out!


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*It's all about Rides Today....World of Colour*


Discovery #61.  Final moments in the park really suck.



The World of Colour is one of my favourite attractions at Disneyland.  Yes, I know it's just images projected on a water screen....but the concept of World of Colour taps into that inner child within me....both figuratively and historically.

The World of Colour was what I remember as my earliest childhood Disney memories.  That opening song....the World is a Carousel of Colour, wonderful, wonderful colour....always takes me back to being a child yearning for Sunday night to come round....waiting to be transported into the Wonderful World of Disney.  And even today, when the opening strains start and the first images are projected....








I am that child again, viewing everything through the kaleidoscope of a rainbow.  








And for a brief moment in time, childhood memories flood back.  Little wonder that I get emotional to the point of tears by the time this image is projected.








Throw in catchy Disney music, and I'm right there....singing along.








....and calypso dancing.








Yes, I was really having a whale of a time with this show.








I may be totally off the planet with being so emotional; and for admitting it.








But it really doesn't matter.  Afterall, I am sitting here in the comfort of my home writing down my thoughts.  It's not as if there is anyone else out there watching me, is there?








By this stage of the show, I've probably got enough of my emotions under control that I'm no longer on the verge of tears.  I'm usually enjoying the spectacle of the colours.








Old Fogie or not....








....I'm usually feeling just about excited enough to spin upside down.










It really was like coming home.








Let's just enjoy some of the images, shall we?   With luck, they might transport us back to happy childhood memories.

























































_

(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_ 

I always find the couples sequence so romantic.  I'm pretty sure that's a girlie thing.  I did my best to capture as many of the couples as possible.


























































And with that, the show was over and so was our time at Disneyland on this trip.








Final moments in the park really suck.  It's always so sad to leave the parks not knowing when you're going to be back again.  I really do wish I lived closer and had the luxury of treating it like my backyard playground.  Still, it had been a great day with Bret, DAF and Alison.  




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Not My Disney Shopping Loot*


Discovery #62.  Boys will be boys.  *sigh*



We did go shopping at The World of Disney as we headed out of the park.  I had two very specific items to get by way of request of an 8 year old niece back home.

I took some pictures to send home to her parents; but there seemed to be a very pesky photobomber in the pictures.















My cousin was very pleased with the pictures and very happy with the loot.  Unsurprisingly, they passed on taking the photobomber as well.




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Pizza Press Dinner*


Discovery #63.  Life is so much cheaper outside of the Disney bubble.



So where was my DS photobombing from?


It's a little pizza place on South Harbour Blvd called the Pizza Press.  I believe it opened in 2012; and it's just right by where the Tropicana Hotel is.  I had never eaten here before.


It was after 9 pm when we got here and the place was pretty busy still.  We had originally thought to eat at Naples in DTD but they were closed.  In fact, mid-week, a lot of the restaurants in DTD were closed.  So, that left us looking outside of the Disney bubble for somewhere to eat.  And if I recall correctly, both DAF and DS were keen for pizza so I was pretty pleased when Bret suggested this place.


We had been pretty lucky to find an empty table big enough for the 5 of us.  And after conferring with the menu, we decided that the special offer was the way to go.  The special included a choice of 2 pizzas, 2 soft drinks and a garden salad for $28.  


The garden salad was a decent size.








In keeping with the name of the establishment, the pizzas all had a newspaper related name.  This was the Press.








The Tribune.









The Hungry!









The pizzas were pretty tasty.  And the bonus?  The meal was significantly cheaper than pizzas at Naples.  Welcome back to real life pricing.


We said our goodbyes to Bret and DAF after dinner and made our way back to the Candy Cane Inn.  The Candy Cane Inn had been rather generous with our parking privileges.  We had been allowed to leave the car on property for the whole day and that meant that we didn't have to pay for parking at all.  


Our destination for the next 3 days was Long Beach.  It took us about 30 minutes to get to Alison and Fran’s place.  They had generously offered us a place to stay and we were all looking forward to spending time with them.  We spent the rest of the night catching up with them and settling into their home.  And then we all crashed!  



_


----------



## LegoMom3

Wow, that World of Color show looks amazing!  Love all the character images (although Buzz might have been a bit too larger-than-life!!).

Cars Land at night IS gorgeous!!  I've never seen anything look so much like its inspiration film!  Walt would be proud.....talk about being in the movie!

.


----------



## jedijill

Awesome last night at DL.  You got some great pictures of WoC!  That pizza looks delicious!  Non-Disney prices are a nice change after the bubble.

Yay for staying a Casa Neuva.

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

It was nice to watch WoC from that spot that night and your pictures turned out really well with the Sigma lens that night. Mine were okay but I didn't go with the f/1.8 aperture where I went with f/4

It was a good idea to go to Pizza Press on Harbor Blvd that night since there weren't any restaurants opened that late that night. The prices were very nice and not that super expensive when eating on property. 

We had a blast spending time with you, DH and DS for the one and a half days at the park.


----------



## ACDSNY

Great ending to a wonderful day, Fantasmic and Electrical Light Parade do the same to me.


----------



## WanderlustNZ

In all, it looks like a very special day.   

Love the pics of your DS photobombing the frozen toys.   Such a great smile.


----------



## franandaj

I really need to get myself out there to see WoC again!

That was a great deal you got on the pizza!  

I'll be curious to see the shots you got at the house.  At least this one, you can post anything rather than hide the mess like at the last house!


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Enjoying looking at your WOC pics as not got there yet either. Persuading DH to do another trip to DL might take a while though. 3 days chilling at friends and doing some local sightseeing sounds like a nice way to end this 'Mad Dash'.


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> Wow, that World of Color show looks amazing!  Love all the character images (although Buzz might have been a bit too larger-than-life!!).
> 
> Cars Land at night IS gorgeous!!  I've never seen anything look so much like its inspiration film!  Walt would be proud.....talk about being in the movie!
> 
> .



IMO, Carsland was a game-changer for DCA.  It turned it into a bonafide Disney park for me.  Not that there was anything wrong with it before, but it just lacked something.

Hope you're doing okay.  








jedijill said:


> Awesome last night at DL.  You got some great pictures of WoC!  That pizza looks delicious!  Non-Disney prices are a nice change after the bubble.
> 
> Yay for staying a Casa Neuva.
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks.  It was a great way to finish up at Disney.  







mvf-m11c said:


> It was nice to watch WoC from that spot that night and your pictures turned out really well with the Sigma lens that night. Mine were okay but I didn't go with the f/1.8 aperture where I went with f/4
> 
> It was a good idea to go to Pizza Press on Harbor Blvd that night since there weren't any restaurants opened that late that night. The prices were very nice and not that super expensive when eating on property.
> 
> We had a blast spending time with you, DH and DS for the one and a half days at the park.



I think this is where I could see some benefit for that Sigma lens.  

It was a great idea to go to Pizza Press.  Thanks for the suggestion!







ACDSNY said:


> Great ending to a wonderful day, Fantasmic and Electrical Light Parade do the same to me.



I understand that Disneyland might be getting that night parade they opened in Hong Kong Disney for the 60th.  I've seen bits of that HK parade and it looks spectacular!  Perhaps you'll get to add to that list.  






WanderlustNZ said:


> In all, it looks like a very special day.
> 
> Love the pics of your DS photobombing the frozen toys.   Such a great smile.



He was rather cheeky, wasn't he?  






franandaj said:


> I really need to get myself out there to see WoC again!
> 
> That was a great deal you got on the pizza!
> 
> *I'll be curious to see the shots you got at the house.  *At least this one, you can post anything rather than hide the mess like at the last house!



Great  I'll post some....and can I post your art pieces as well?







Aussie Wendy said:


> Enjoying looking at your WOC pics as not got there yet either. Persuading DH to do another trip to DL might take a while though. 3 days chilling at friends and doing some local sightseeing sounds like a nice way to end this 'Mad Dash'.



Maybe you'll have an unexpected opportunity to go.  

Yes.  We had a nice chilling time the next couple of days.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 7: Hanging around Casa Nueva, Long Beach


_*Shopping for a Bit of Home Cooking*


Discovery #64.  Asian groceries are the same the world over.



We got up a little later on our first morning at Casa Nueva than we had been all week.  The long day at Disneyland the day before had taken a toll on us and we just seemed to take longer to get ready.  Our slowness meant that we had to rush out the door rather than grab a bite to eat.


In planning for this part of the trip, Alison had asked if I would cook something Asian for her.  I jumped at the opportunity; and when we figured Bret and DAF were able to drop in at Casa Nueva....well, let's just say it was meant to be.  But it meant that we needed to do a spot of Asian grocery shopping early in the morning so that we could get lunch ready in time.  

We had been busy looking up various stores online to hit in Long Beach and after a couple of names being tossed back and forth, Alison and I finally found one that Alison thought might have the groceries I was seeking.



 




Alison can provide her side of the story; but I believe that this was the first time she had walked into this Asian grocery.  

I walked round as quickly as I could to grab the items I needed to put lunch together.  I discovered that Asian grocery stores are the same the world over.  Would you believe that even the placements of items are grouped together in a similar way?  The items might be located in different shelves relative to another family group; but by and large, it was pretty simple to work out where an item would be once I figured out where the family of products were placed.


One thing that Alison and I agreed on before we even got to Long Beach....we were going to buy our seafood/proteins from the Western supermarket.  I'm a bit pedantic where my seafood comes from; and so is Alison.  I have to admit that I stay clear of seafood farmed in Asia and then exported frozen.   


We had to run to the Lazy Acres only to find that they didn't have the shrimp I was looking for.  And then we had to run to the Ralph's before we were able to finalise all items.  DH and I had been to a Ralph's before; but it was our first time at a Lazy Acres.  

O.M.G.  DH and I were in organic food heaven!  
Whilst driving there, Alison said that the prices at Lazy Acres were expensive.  She didn't figure on the Aussie connection.  The organic food pricing at Lazy Acres is about what we would pay for (or maybe a little cheaper) conventional food in Australia.  I've always said that anyone wanting to visit Australia.....think Disney sticker shock and then some.  *sigh*



During the shopping run, we also picked these up along the way.









Breakfast!









There were cronuts in the mix; which got eaten pretty quick.  Whilst I liked the cronuts, I think I prefer my pastry groups kept distinctively separate.  Afterall, a doughnut is near perfect and a croissant is flaky heaven.  Why mix two great things?




_

(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*Brunch with Friends*



Discovery #65.  Asian noodles can be a hit and miss thing.


We got back to Casa Nueva much later than planned.  Whilst we were still out shopping, we got a message that Bret and DAF had arrived and we hightailed it back as quickly as possible.


I did stress a little about getting lunch ready and then was reminded that many hands make light work!  Both Alison and DAF volunteered to help so I put them to work on helping me prepare everything.  With their help, lunch got prep-ed and ready in less time than I thought!

Thanks for this picture, Bret.  In all the rush to get lunch ready, I didn't end up taking a single picture of this morning!








I knew Bret and DAF still had the long drive back to NorCal and I hope that despite getting lunch on the table later than planned that it was still within their schedule.









So what did I make?

This was the Char Kway Teow.  Roughly translated, it means Fried Rice Noodles.








I also make some Tom Yum Noodles.  It's made with Tom Yum paste, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, shrimp and egg.  I would normally put cilantro on top as a garnish; but Alison doesn't like cilantro so we served it on the side.








It was a hit and a miss for me.  The Char Kway Teow was of a standard that I was happy with but I could have done a bit better with the Tom Yum noodles.  I did tone down the seasoning a little as the Tom Yum paste can be a bit spicy.  I thought I toned it down a little too much.  Oh well!  It still got eaten.




Fran had one surprise for me.








Turns out you can get Butter(scotch) beer in selected grocery stores in California.  I LOVED it!









_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Next Post)


_*What's For Lunch?  Char Kway Teow*


Discovery #66.  There are a lot of home cooks on the Dis.



Char kway teow, literally "stir-fried rice noodle strips", is a popular noodle dish in the South-East Asian countries of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.   I've cooked it and posted the recipe on the What's For Dinner thread on the Community Board section of the Dis enough times that when I suggested it for lunch, Alison was more than happy with the menu.


Turns out that there are a number of home cooks on the Dis....when Bret and Alison updated their TRs on this lunch, we had a few requests for the recipe.  So, for all the home cooks on the Dis reading, here's the recipe again.  For the lunch with Alison and Bret, I forgot to get the Chinese sausage or Lap Cheong when we were shopping; but you can really substitute this with any protein you like or make this ingredient optional.


My starting ingredients:







3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger, finely chopped
400 g Green prawns or shrimp, cleaned and peeled, tails intact
200 g fishcake, sliced
3 strips Chinese sausage (lap cheong), thinly sliced
250 - 300 g fresh flat rice noodles, separated
½ bunch spring onions, cut into 5 cm lengths
2 decent handfuls of bean sprouts
3 Eggs
3 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs dark soy sauce or Kecap Manis



Mix the light soy and kecap manis together.


Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.  Once it is hot, add the garlic, ginger and ½ of the spring onions.  Toss quickly for about 20 - 30 seconds until fragrant.








Add the Chinese sausage and the fish cake.  Stir fry for a minute.









Add the prawns or shrimp to the wok.  Quickly toss until the prawns/shrimp start to curl up and change colour.









Add one handful of the bean shoots, the rice noodles and about 2/3 of the soya sauce mix.  








Toss everything together and keep tossing for 2 - 3 minutes.  If the dish looks too dry, add more of the soya sauce mix but you don't want this dish to be too liquid-y at the bottom of the wok.  Once the soya sauce has evenly coated the noodles, form a few hollows and crack the eggs into the wok.








Add the rest of the bean shoots and then gently turn everything over a couple of times to incorporate the egg.  Once the eggs and bean shoots are mixed in, remove from heat.








Transfer to individual plates or serve this family style.  









Enjoy!




_


----------



## jedijill

Mmmmm, lunch looks amazing!  

Jill in CO


----------



## mvf-m11c

Lunch that afternoon at Casa Nueva was great and I enjoyed the Char Kway Teow the most. DAF enjoyed your cooking as well. Thank you once again for cooking a great lunch PiO.


----------



## rentayenta

Not sure which shots are more gorgeous; your WoC or the ones of lunch at Casa Nueva?  What a meal! 

We saw Pizza Press and hopefully next time we'll try it. Naples was still open when we tried, about 7, so we ate there. I agree their prices are high. The pizza was HUGE and fabulous but expensive for pizza. 

Those donuts looks yum too. Maybe not the best thread to be reading when I am trying to watch what I eat.


----------



## Aussie Wendy

Yum! Haven't made Char Kway Teow for ages. You are reminding me its time to buy some more noodles and seafood and make it again.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Mmmmm, lunch looks amazing!
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks.  Feel free to put in an order WHEN you come to visit.  





mvf-m11c said:


> Lunch that afternoon at Casa Nueva was great and I enjoyed the Char Kway Teow the most. DAF enjoyed your cooking as well. Thank you once again for cooking a great lunch PiO.



Glad you and DAF enjoyed lunch.  We should definitely do it again.







rentayenta said:


> Not sure which shots are more gorgeous; your WoC or the ones of lunch at Casa Nueva?  What a meal!
> 
> We saw Pizza Press and hopefully next time we'll try it. Naples was still open when we tried, about 7, so we ate there. I agree their prices are high. The pizza was HUGE and fabulous but expensive for pizza.
> 
> Those donuts looks yum too. Maybe not the best thread to be reading when I am trying to watch what I eat.



The donuts and the croissants were very nice.  

Naples pizzas are huge and very tasty.  It really is hard to go past them.  







Aussie Wendy said:


> Yum! Haven't made Char Kway Teow for ages. You are reminding me its time to buy some more noodles and seafood and make it again.



  Did you make some?


----------



## jedijill

PrincessInOz said:


> Thanks.  Feel free to put in an order WHEN you come to visit.



Noted!  

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> Great  I'll post some....and can I post your art pieces as well?



Sure!  Post away!

That lunch was so good!  I have to make that Char Kway Teow someday, it was very good.  A lot like Pad See Ew


----------



## Leshaface

World of Color  I'm listening to my Disney list on iTunes and immediately selected the WoC music to accompany my reading   Beautiful photos and you got great shots of the couples!

Good call on the pizza.  Looks good!

Ugggh...your cooking.  Thanks for the recipe!  What exactly is fish cakes??  And is that something I could only find in an asian grocery store?

I have a question about how you make your shrimp.  Do you cut both the veins out are just the one running along the top?  I've heard you don't need to cut the one underneath, just the one on top, but i'm a little leery so i've always cut both out.


----------



## franandaj

Leshaface said:


> I have a question about how you make your shrimp.  Do you cut both the veins out are just the one running along the top?  I've heard you don't need to cut the one underneath, just the one on top, but i'm a little leery so i've always cut both out.



I'll answer this.  Keep doing what you're doing.  One is the poop vein, you don't want to eat that.  It's the one on the back.  I'm not sure what the one on the other side it, but you don't want to eat it either.  I learned to properly clean shrimp (from my Sunset cookbook 30 years ago) to cut the veins out of both sides).  I've also found that lots of shrimp nowadays come cleaned.  I think the processes on the ships that harvest them also clean them.  I always double check just to be sure.


----------



## Leshaface

franandaj said:


> I'll answer this.  Keep doing what you're doing.  One is the poop vein, you don't want to eat that.  It's the one on the back.  I'm not sure what the one on the other side it, but you don't want to eat it either.  I learned to properly clean shrimp (from my Sunset cookbook 30 years ago) to cut the veins out of both sides).  I've also found that lots of shrimp nowadays come cleaned.  I think the processes on the ships that harvest them also clean them.  I always double check just to be sure.



Thanks Alison.  I was reading online that it wasn't necessary to cut the underside vein, but thought it would leave a gritty a taste   But I didn't want to chance it.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Noted!
> 
> Jill in CO



I'm definitely good for cooking a DisMeet dinner or lunch when you do.






franandaj said:


> Sure!  Post away!
> 
> That lunch was so good!  I have to make that Char Kway Teow someday, it was very good.  A lot like Pad See Ew



Thanks!

A lot of noodle dishes from that part of the world use a similar sauce combination.  It's the protein that differs.  






Leshaface said:


> World of Color  I'm listening to my Disney list on iTunes and immediately selected the WoC music to accompany my reading   Beautiful photos and you got great shots of the couples!
> 
> Good call on the pizza.  Looks good!
> 
> Ugggh...your cooking.  Thanks for the recipe!  What exactly is fish cakes??  And is that something I could only find in an asian grocery store?
> 
> I have a question about how you make your shrimp.  Do you cut both the veins out are just the one running along the top?  I've heard you don't need to cut the one underneath, just the one on top, but i'm a little leery so i've always cut both out.



Thanks!

Fish cakes is something that I buy at an asian grocery store.  It isn't necessary to add this to your dish.  It's made from white fish meat that has been finely ground up and formed into a patty.  The asian groceries will sell fish balls and fish cake.  It's all the same.

Like Alison, I cut both veins out of my shrimp.  The other one is the central nervous system.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Inside Casa Nueva *


Discovery #67.  Living vicariously is all very well and good, but there is nothing like being there in 3D.



For the last two years, a bunch of us Dissers have been living vicariously in Casa Nueva.  We've lived through the purchase, the renovations, more renovations and finally moving in to the new house that Fran and Alison acquired in 2013.

I was fortunate enough to visit the house during that in-between stage.  When the previous owner was still living there but the sale agreement had been struck.  I remember thinking what a great house it was then and I was really keen to see the house again....this time with Fran and Alison's stuff in it.








The dining room space was fantastic.  Light and airy.








Alison's domain is a great space.  I loved cooking here and I am grateful that Alison let me do so.  








We did spend a bit of time over the next couple of days exploring her cutlery and plates and pots and kitchen gadgets.  Now, when she talks about all the great meals she cooks, I know exactly how she goes about getting her ingredients and which canisters or drawers she's digging into to get stuff out.  








The living room was super comfortable and fun to hang out with the furbabies that live here.   (Anyone else spot a familiar pirate??)








It was filled with wonderful Disneyana.  I was totally envious!








I loved the Tiffany/leadlight lamps in the house.  This was one of my favourites.







So, what did I do for the afternoon after Bret and DAF left?  I spent a lot of time looking in here.








It was just fabulous!  Living vicariously is all very well and good, but there is nothing like being there in 3D.





























Sometime during the tour of the house, Alison did take us outside to check out the outdoor space.








I did wonder which state I was in....this local must have gotten lost somewhere between here and Florida.  Maybe it met Bugs in Albuquerque.








We spent the rest of the afternoon outside chatting and catching up with Alison's news. But it wasn't just all sitting and lounging for us.  








Alison had one box in the garden that DH and I were interested to see.  I cannot remember who made the first move, but in the end, we were all kept busy with the contents of the box whilst we chatted with Alison.  




_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Finally!  Shabu Shabu Dinner*


Discovery #68.  There is nothing as satisfying as ticking off another item off your bucket list. 



The first time I stayed with Alison was in 2012.  
When planning for that trip, we had decided that we needed to have a Shabu Shabu dinner together.  Alison had found out that there was a Shabu Shabu place opening in Long Beach and we figured it was the perfect meal for us to have dinner.  








Sadly, the restaurant didn't open in time and we ended up at a Greek place instead.

The second time I went to Long Beach was in 2013.  When planning for that trip, we figured that Shabu Shabu lunch was the perfect date to have.  We figured it was the right thing to do and so we checked up opening hours and set the date for noon, when they opened up. 

Sadly, we didn't count on DS.  
We had just arrived in California and DS had gone some 20 hours without sleep.  I knew he wouldn't make it to noon before we even got to Long Beach and after a couple quick texts with Alison, we ended up at the Asian Nomad instead.  They opened earlier than the Shabu Shabu shop.   Turns out it was just as well....DS managed to get about 2 mouthfuls of fried rice down him and then he crashed literally with his head on the table.


Third time's a charm, right?  








Our seats.








It's not a big place but it was more than large enough for us.  








I don't think there was any doubt that this was something that I needed to tick off my bucket list.  It's been 3 times and 2 years in the planning and I've been anticipating this meal even longer than any 180-day ADR I've made at WDW!








I made sure that DH grabbed a picture of us during dinner.  








Shabu Shabu is a Japanese dish featuring thinly sliced protein boiled in water.  Once we chose our protein, the vegetable sides and dipping sauces were provided. 

We got tofu and vegetables, including Chinese cabbage, nori, onions, carrots,  radish, spring onions, chinese greens, mushrooms and udon noodles.







Alison went with the all beef.








DH got mussels and salmon.








DS got the feather and leather combo.








I ordered the surf and turf or beef and reef option.  I think Fran ordered the same as me.  I'm pretty sure I got a soya dipping sauce and a ponzu sauce.  We also got a bowl of rice.








The dish is prepared by submerging a thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of boiling dashi (broth) and stirring it.  Once cooked, you would dip the meat and vegetables in the sauces before eating.  Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover broth from the pot is usually eaten last.









On our way out, Alison told me to take a picture of the shop next door.








It's for rentayenta.
















We were all stuffed silly with dinner!  Thanks for indulging me, Alison.  I think we might have all wanted something else other than Asian for dinner (after the Asian for lunch) but I wasn't up for the disappointment of missing out again!



We didn't head straight home; Fran thought it would be nice to give us a driving tour of the sights around Long Beach.  I didn't get any pictures; but we did drive around for nearly an hour.  I certainly appreciated the tour.



It had been a very quiet day in comparison to the rest of the days on this trip so far.  As far as DH was concerned, he really enjoyed the home comforts.


As for DS.  I had promised him that he could do what he liked when we got to Alison's.  He was obliged to socialise when we were with the family; and Disneyland was just jammed packed.  When we got to Long Beach, all he wanted to do was veg-out with Wi Fi connection and play his games.  Sadly, I should have thought this part of the trip out a bit better.  Poor Alison got to see the worst of his anti-social behaviour.  He spent most of the day zoned out in front of a screen and barely said 2 words.




_


----------



## jedijill

Casa Neuva looks great!  I haven't seen it since they moved in.  I recognize some of the cabinets I saw empty and remember the pirate hanging out on the island.   Looks like you guys had a great dinner and a wonderful day!

Jill in CO


----------



## eandesmom

I am going to have to go in backwards order here as oh, lunch looked really delicious!!!!!!  And, a lovely tutorial to boot.  That can be so frustrating, when it takes multiple stores to fill out a menu.  Perhaps that is why I am a relatively boring cook most of the time.  

I loved seeing WoC though your lens.  You clearly love the show and that really came through.  Sad last evening but lovely all around.

Mnnn..I want to read the Tribune, that pizza looked delish.  Clearly I must be hungry as both updates are making me salivate.


----------



## mvf-m11c

Casa Nueva is a great place and all the kitties as well. Nice dinner at Eat Shabu from that night and it looks like a great place to dine.


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a fab lunch you prepared for everyone!

 Alison:  Your home is lovely!  And what lucky kitties to have all those towers!


----------



## dolphingirl47

I am all caught up again. 

Autopia is one of those rides that absolutely freaks me out. I have never learned to drive and even though there is a guide rail there and the speed is rather low, it does scare me. I only ever do this on the rare occasions when Graham comes to the parks with me and can do the driving.

I hear you on Matterhorn. I woke up one morning at Disneyland and was full of bruises and could not figure out what caused them - until I did Matterhorn again and then I suddenly understood. I still enjoy the ride though.

I really liked the photos you took on the tea cups.

Pirates of the Caribbean in Paris is the best one of the three versions that I have been on. It is definitely well worth a visit, but I love the version at Disneyland, too.

The photos from Haunted Mansion Holiday are amazing. I love that ride so much. I am even wondering if I could get away with a quick mad dash of my own at the beginning of the Halloween season this year. My annual pass is still valid until November and this just seems too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I love the fireworks photos from New Year's Eve.

The menu at the French Market looks lovely. I think that needs to go on the to do list. I am a big fan of the Mint Julep.

I am a little nervous about the refurbishment of Soarin. Although I agree that it is time that it gets some money spent on it, this is my favourite ride and I am worried that they will ruin it in the same way as they did with Journey into Imagination many years ago.

Your photos of the Club 33 lounge are amazing. This is really a very special place.

Carsland at night looks amazing.

World of Color is my favourite Disney show. I was so sad that I did not get to see this last year. There is another excuse for a mad dash right there.

The lunch you cooked looked delicious. I may have to try the recipe minus the fish cake as I don't eat fish.

Casa Nueva looks amazing and I am glad that you finally got to cross the Shabu Shabu place off your bucket list.

Corinna


----------



## ACDSNY

Love the pics from Casa Nueva and the marvelous Disney collection.  I can't wait to see it for myself.


----------



## Leshaface

Love all the Disney stuff in Alison's house.  Especially those canisters!  I need those.  And that Tiffany Belle (? - don't know which princess it is) lamp, please!

What a yummy place!  Is it pretty expensive to eat there?  I mean, you are cooking the food yourself!

Alison - Is Legends the one that had a massive fire years ago?


----------



## franandaj

That's a great update!  Of course I would think so, it's my house!   

Will you be showing pictures of the kitties too?



tiggrbaby said:


> Alison:  Your home is lovely!  And what lucky kitties to have all those towers!



Thank you very much!  Its their house too!  They love their forts!



Leshaface said:


> Love all the Disney stuff in Alison's house.  Especially those canisters!  I need those.  And that Tiffany Belle (? - don't know which princess it is) lamp, please!
> 
> What a yummy place!  Is it pretty expensive to eat there?  I mean, you are cooking the food yourself!
> 
> Alison - Is Legends the one that had a massive fire years ago?



That Tiffany Lamp is Belle.  Theres also a Disneyland Castle with fireworks.

The Shabu Shabu place is actually pretty reasonable.  There was one at the block at Orange that was very expensive, over $20 a plate, even more if you wanted Kobe beef.  I found CA Shabu Shabu in Huntington Beach for around $13 per plate and started going there a few years ago.  I was thrilled when they announced that they were opening a location down in Belmont Shore.

Legends did have a fire a while back, it was closed for almost a year, but now its open and back in business.  Not like Ive ever been there.its a Sports Bar.  

Here is my take on that day.  PIO in the kitchen.









Our table setting





My lunch





You wonder how we spent our afternoon that day.  We assembled this patio set, and then sat here enjoying a glass of wine as the sun was setting.





Here is my take on the whole Shabu Shabu process.  The veggie plate.





Heres your sauces. Ponzu sauce is on the right and goma tare is on the left.  This is the only sauce that I need. Literally translated it means sesame seed sauce, I put this **** on everything!





And the beef





I like to wrap my slice of beef in either cabbage or spinach and then I swish it two or three times in the cooking broth.  That was it stays nice and medium rare.  I dip it in the goma tare let it cool on the rice for bit and them pop it in my mouth.









I save a little bit of the meat and veggies to throw into the cooking liquid with my noodles.





The restaurant will bring you a bowl and spoon and in the bowl is a tablespoon or so of the soup base which gives your broth an extra amount of flavor.


----------



## ACDSNY

Nice addition Alison.  Everything looks yummy.


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Casa Neuva looks great!  I haven't seen it since they moved in.  I recognize some of the cabinets I saw empty and remember the pirate hanging out on the island.   Looks like you guys had a great dinner and a wonderful day!
> 
> Jill in CO



I really enjoyed seeing Casa Nueva with their furniture in it.  We had a great day that day.







eandesmom said:


> I am going to have to go in backwards order here as oh, lunch looked really delicious!!!!!!  And, a lovely tutorial to boot.  That can be so frustrating, when it takes multiple stores to fill out a menu.  Perhaps that is why I am a relatively boring cook most of the time.



Thanks!  We're pretty used to going to multiple stores to fill our weekly menu.  But I know what you mean.





eandesmom said:


> I loved seeing WoC though your lens.  You clearly love the show and that really came through.  Sad last evening but lovely all around.



WoC really gets to me most time.  Sad to leave a Disney park; but I'd really like the keys to the castle!





eandesmom said:


> Mnnn..I want to read the Tribune, that pizza looked delish.  Clearly I must be hungry as both updates are making me salivate.




I hope you got some food!









mvf-m11c said:


> Casa Nueva is a great place and all the kitties as well. Nice dinner at Eat Shabu from that night and it looks like a great place to dine.



I enjoyed the Shabu dinner that night.  Well worth the wait.






tiggrbaby said:


> What a fab lunch you prepared for everyone!
> 
> Alison:  Your home is lovely!  And what lucky kitties to have all those towers!



Thanks!  I really enjoyed cooking it.







dolphingirl47 said:


> I am all caught up again.
> 
> Autopia is one of those rides that absolutely freaks me out. I have never learned to drive and even though there is a guide rail there and the speed is rather low, it does scare me. I only ever do this on the rare occasions when Graham comes to the parks with me and can do the driving.
> 
> I hear you on Matterhorn. I woke up one morning at Disneyland and was full of bruises and could not figure out what caused them - until I did Matterhorn again and then I suddenly understood. I still enjoy the ride though.
> 
> I really liked the photos you took on the tea cups.
> 
> Pirates of the Caribbean in Paris is the best one of the three versions that I have been on. It is definitely well worth a visit, but I love the version at Disneyland, too.
> 
> The photos from Haunted Mansion Holiday are amazing. I love that ride so much. I am even wondering if I could get away with a quick mad dash of my own at the beginning of the Halloween season this year. My annual pass is still valid until November and this just seems too good of an opportunity to pass up.
> 
> I love the fireworks photos from New Year's Eve.
> 
> The menu at the French Market looks lovely. I think that needs to go on the to do list. I am a big fan of the Mint Julep.
> 
> I am a little nervous about the refurbishment of Soarin. Although I agree that it is time that it gets some money spent on it, this is my favourite ride and I am worried that they will ruin it in the same way as they did with Journey into Imagination many years ago.
> 
> Your photos of the Club 33 lounge are amazing. This is really a very special place.
> 
> Carsland at night looks amazing.
> 
> World of Color is my favourite Disney show. I was so sad that I did not get to see this last year. There is another excuse for a mad dash right there.
> 
> The lunch you cooked looked delicious. I may have to try the recipe minus the fish cake as I don't eat fish.
> 
> Casa Nueva looks amazing and I am glad that you finally got to cross the Shabu Shabu place off your bucket list.
> 
> Corinna



Welcome back and thanks for catching up!

You can substitute the fish cake with BBQ pork; or some thinly sliced beef.  Hope you'll let me know how it turned out.






ACDSNY said:


> Love the pics from Casa Nueva and the marvelous Disney collection.  I can't wait to see it for myself.



Not long now, right?







Leshaface said:


> Love all the Disney stuff in Alison's house.  Especially those canisters!  I need those.  And that Tiffany Belle (? - don't know which princess it is) lamp, please!



It is Belle.  Well spotted.






Leshaface said:


> What a yummy place!  Is it pretty expensive to eat there?  I mean, you are cooking the food yourself!



It wasn't too expensive.  But I'm from Australia.  Nothing is too bad in comparison.  

Cooking food myself?  Just wait and see.  







Leshaface said:


> Alison - Is Legends the one that had a massive fire years ago?



I hope Alison or Jenny can answer this one.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> That's a great update!  Of course I would think so, it's my house!
> 
> Will you be showing pictures of the kitties too?



I will if it's okay with you.  I was wondering about that and figured I might leave it.  But if you're cool with it, I'll post them.







franandaj said:


> Thank you very much!  Its their house too!  They love their forts!
> 
> 
> 
> That Tiffany Lamp is Belle.  Theres also a Disneyland Castle with fireworks.
> 
> The Shabu Shabu place is actually pretty reasonable.  There was one at the block at Orange that was very expensive, over $20 a plate, even more if you wanted Kobe beef.  I found CA Shabu Shabu in Huntington Beach for around $13 per plate and started going there a few years ago.  I was thrilled when they announced that they were opening a location down in Belmont Shore.
> 
> Legends did have a fire a while back, it was closed for almost a year, but now its open and back in business.  Not like Ive ever been there.its a Sports Bar.
> 
> Here is my take on that day.  PIO in the kitchen.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Our table setting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My lunch
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You wonder how we spent our afternoon that day.  We assembled this patio set, and then sat here enjoying a glass of wine as the sun was setting.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is my take on the whole Shabu Shabu process.  The veggie plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heres your sauces. Ponzu sauce is on the right and goma tare is on the left.  This is the only sauce that I need. Literally translated it means sesame seed sauce, I put this **** on everything!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the beef
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like to wrap my slice of beef in either cabbage or spinach and then I swish it two or three times in the cooking broth.  That was it stays nice and medium rare.  I dip it in the goma tare let it cool on the rice for bit and them pop it in my mouth.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I save a little bit of the meat and veggies to throw into the cooking liquid with my noodles.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The restaurant will bring you a bowl and spoon and in the bowl is a tablespoon or so of the soup base which gives your broth an extra amount of flavor.




Great addition!  Thanks for sharing your pictures and memory of this day.


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> You can substitute the fish cake with BBQ pork; or some thinly sliced beef.  Hope you'll let me know how it turned out.



I love the idea of trying BBQ pork in that recipe. Once we have thawed out here, I will venture across town to our Asian supermarket and give this a try. I will definitely let you know how it worked out.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> I love the idea of trying BBQ pork in that recipe. Once we have thawed out here, I will venture across town to our Asian supermarket and give this a try. I will definitely let you know how it worked out.
> 
> Corinna



I look forward to the update.


----------



## eandesmom

Ah, it figures.  I got caught up and you posted a MASSIVE update the same day!  

Loved seeing all the detail of Casa Nueva!!!!  So many amazing things, love the detail.

And that pool!  But....no picture of the Tiki Bar? 



PrincessInOz said:


> _*Finally!  Shabu Shabu Dinner*_
> 
> 
> _
> 
> _
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Our seats._
> 
> _
> 
> _
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _It's not a big place but it was more than large enough for us.  _
> 
> _
> 
> _
> _I made sure that DH grabbed a picture of us during dinner. _
> 
> _
> 
> _
> 
> 
> _Shabu Shabu is a Japanese dish featuring thinly sliced protein boiled in water.  Once we chose our protein, the vegetable sides and dipping sauces were provided._




Didn't Jenny used to work at Legends????  I know Jeff used to go there when he lived in LB.

I had never heard of Shabu Shabu but it sounds delicious!  Fun, funky and comforting.  All really good things


_


PrincessInOz said:



			It had been a very quiet day in comparison to the rest of the days on this trip so far.  As far as DH was concerned, he really enjoyed the home comforts. As for DS.  I had promised him that he could do what he liked when we got to Alison's.  He was obliged to socialise when we were with the family; and Disneyland was just jammed packed.  When we got to Long Beach, all he wanted to do was veg-out with Wi Fi connection and play his games.  Sadly, I should have thought this part of the trip out a bit better.  Poor Alison got to see the worst of his anti-social behaviour.  He spent most of the day zoned out in front of a screen and barely said 2 words.
		
Click to expand...

_
Which is what any of them will do given the chance.  Pretty normal for the age.


----------



## PrincessInOz

eandesmom said:


> Ah, it figures.  I got caught up and you posted a MASSIVE update the same day!
> 
> Loved seeing all the detail of Casa Nueva!!!!  So many amazing things, love the detail.
> 
> And that pool!  But....no picture of the Tiki Bar?



I didn't take the Tiki Bar this time round.  I did get it on the first visit.  






eandesmom said:


> Didn't Jenny used to work at Legends????  I know Jeff used to go there when he lived in LB.
> 
> I had never heard of Shabu Shabu but it sounds delicious!  Fun, funky and comforting.  All really good things



Rumour has it that she did work there!  






eandesmom said:


> Which is what any of them will do given the chance.  Pretty normal for the age.



I know.


----------



## jedijill

Making sure I still get updates. 

Jill in CO


----------



## PrincessInOz

jedijill said:


> Making sure I still get updates.
> 
> Jill in CO



I hope you do!!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 8: Hanging around Long Beach


_*Cooking in Alison’s Kitchen Again*



Discovery #69.  Alison and I cook our eggs the same way.



The day started out full of promise, like most days do.  It was yet another beautiful day in SoCal and we were looking forward to enjoying it....slowly.








I took a lazy stroll outside in the garden and contemplated the fruits of our handywork yesterday.  I don't know if anyone else has spotted it yet, but this outdoor setting looks similar to the ones in the Court of Angels.








Alison and I had decided that we were doing bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning.  She was busy with the bacon....aka....nearly smoking the house out!  For some reason, when she put them in to cook, the oven was on a different setting and it didn't take long for the smoke to fill the house and set off the smoke detectors.  So, whilst Alison was busy sorting that out, I got in with the eggs.  I think Alison was a little anxious when I started on the eggs.  She's pretty particular with how her eggs are scrambled.


Well....so am I.  Turns out, Alison and I like cooking our scrambled eggs in exactly the same way.  How's that for a coincidence?


Let's see…..Anyone else think Alison was pretty Happy this morning?  I might be able to spot a Grumpy; but it sure wasn't Alison.









Breakfast!








I love how you discover things about 2D-friends-in-a-box when you spend more time in 3D with them.  Both Alison and I were very happy with the eggs for breakfast this morning.



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*The only kind of Cruising my Stomach can Handle*_


_Discovery #70.  I really wish I didn’t get sea sick on a boat._



_In planning for our time at LB, I think I expressed the desire to see the Grand old Queen of the Sea._

_

_




_Fran had spotted groupon tickets on the internet and after a couple of key strokes, we were holding printed paper and entry.  Our tickets allowed us entry to the submarine as well._

_

_




_Our tickets included entry to the Russian Scorpion submarine as well.  Sadly, we didn't end up having time to check it out._

_

_




_From one royal to another....Princess Diana's dresses were on special display at the Queen Mary.  I had been keen to check it out but my boys were less than enthusiastic. _

_

_




_So what did we do?_

_

_




_Well....we went on the Glory Days Historic walking tour._

_

_




_Touted as a tour to "go behind the scenes" at the Queen Mary, I'm not really sure it lived up to the tagline._

_

_




_More to the point, it we full of interesting anecdotes, fun facts and compelling true-stories about the legendary Queen Mary, including her service during WWII._

_

_




_Facts like....the types of wood that were used in the entire ship._

_

_




_It really was very compelling listening!_

_

_




_But seriously....we did get access to the Grand Salon._

_

_




_Our docent captain did tell us a bunch of very interesting facts about this room.  Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot of what he said now._

_

_




_It had NOTHING to do with the fact that I probably wasn't listening too hard as I was too busy gawking at the surrounds._

_

_




_Afterall, I really love all things musical and this room was just filled with wonderful little touches._

_

_




_

_





_The Art Décor was also pretty fantastic in here._

_

_




_That room was probably about the only restricted area that we got to check out.  The rest of the tour, interesting as the docent captain made it, was out in public areas._

_

_




_

_







(Continued Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_We were also taken through the Bar._

_

_



_Again, I lost touch with the group.  Bright shiny objects does that to me._

_

_



_

_



_

_



_From there, we were taken through the areas that have now been converted to a hotel._

_

_




_

_




_

_




_I really wish that I didn't get seasick.  I think I could enjoy this cruising thing.  This is probably going to be the closest I’m going to get to staying in a Stateroom._

_

_




_The highlight of this tour was the impromptu entertainment we got from a very special guest._

_

_




_The docent captain asked if anyone would like to play on the grand piano on the Queen Mary.  Someone got volunteered!  And he gave a pretty decent performance._

_

_




_We were then shown the state of the art fire extinguishing and alarm system.  At least it was start of the art in it's day._

_

_




_

_




_From there, we were pretty much left to our own devices._

_

_





_The walking tour took about an hour.  You will need to be able to walk up and down stairs in order to do this tour.  If you end up with a docent captain like the one we got, it will be an interesting tour filled with facts and anecdotes.  Just don't expect to see a lot of 'behind the scenes' rooms._

_

_







(Continued Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)

_*We have to Eat Lunch*_


_Discovery #71.  All those Cruise reports with wonderful food porn on board?  They LIE!_



_I've been reading along a number of cruise TRs on the Dis and enjoying the vicarious living through someone else’s lens.  One of the things that is a consistent truism in every TR is how good the food all looks.  Everything looks delicious!_

_So it was....that I had pretty high expectations of the food on the Queen Mary.  Afterall, we ARE on a boat, right? _
_One with staterooms and hotels and dining and everything!_


_Well....we found out that the table service places were all pretty busy so we headed to a quick service café.  There wasn't much wrong with the salad; but there wasn't much right either._

_

_




_I think the sandwich bread was dry._

_

_




_We did eat....but I didn't think that the food was good here._

_

_









(Continued Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Haunted Encounters*_


_Discovery #72.  NEVER take DS anywhere dark that involved ghosts and haunted tales._



_So, why didn't we wait for table service and why didn't we end up checking out the Scorpion?  _


_Well....the groupon deal included a second tour....the Haunted Encounters tour through the bowels of the ship; with tales of people who dies, the 'lady in white' and a look into the pool room and engine room._



_Sadly for us, DS did not even make it past the first door.  He was completely spooked out by the dark and tales of ghosts. _

_

_




_DH decided to take him out so Alison and I could continue with this tour. _

_

_




_There are no pictures because the guide asked us not to take any photos.  But I have to admit that this 30 minute experience was well worth it.  We did get to see 'behind the scenes' and check out the indoor pool area._

_

_




_And it was quite spooky, kooky and dark in parts.  For anyone thinking about going to the Queen Mary, this would be the tour worth doing._


----------



## LegoMom3

I just recently watched a "Ghost Adventures" episode where they did their lock-down in the QM!  So cool you got take that tour.  I love creepy old places.  The only decommissioned ship I've ever toured was an old battleship (which was very cool) but I'd love to see an old ocean liner like this.  It was all about the luxury for sure.

I am otherwise quite envious of all your SoCal pics......green, plants, flowers.....  ::sigh::  Looking out my window right now all I see is WHITE!!!!!  Poo.


.


----------



## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> I took a lazy stroll outside in the garden and contemplated the fruits of our handywork yesterday. I don't know if anyone else has spotted it yet, but this outdoor setting looks similar to the ones in the Court of Angels.



Maybe similar but without the cleaning bucket on the shelf!  I think that in Disney terms that would not be called "show ready".

Here's a few of my shots from that day.  On the Queen Mary, this is where we eventually have lunch.





Once our tour began the docent started with this bell. What he told us about the bell escapes my memory now, but there was something significant about it, which I can not locate through Google or Wikipedia.  I guess have to take the tour again and request this docent.







PrincessInOz said:


> _Our docent captain did tell us a bunch of very interesting facts about this room. Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot of what he said now._



Not to be nit picky correcting, but you called this the Grand Salon.  Actually the Grand Salon is two decks below.  I know this becuase that is where the amazing Sunday Brunch is held. Someday we'll go back and I'll have to share some food porn on another thread. But I digress.

This room was the Queen's Salon. It was open to the First Class passengers. During the day folks would come here to read, or play cards. In the evenings there was a swing band that would play pretty much all night.  I believe that he said folks would dance until 4 or 5AM and sleep it off most of the day. Then they would get up and do it all over again.













You'll notice that in PIO's pictures there were lots of musical touches.  That was no mistake.  This room was designed for musical enjoyment.









We headed through the merchandise section of the ship to the bar.













We went down into the section of the ship that is now a hotel. This ticket window was an incredibly groundbreaking back in the day.  You could actually book "shore excursions" on land while you were still at sea.  If you wanted a hotel, rail transportation, whatever, the folks in this ticket office could handle that for you.





PIO's DS played Beethoven's Fur Elise for all of, and he is quite an exceptional piano player!





After the tour we went up on deck and took a look back at the skyline of Long Beach.







PrincessInOz said:


> _We did eat....but I didn't think that the food was good here._



I have no more pictures from that day, but I can say that the salad PIO and I split was OK. Nothing fancy, but at least we weren't hungry.



PrincessInOz said:


> _There are no pictures because the guide asked us not to take any photos. But I have to admit that this 30 minute experience was well worth it. We did get to see 'behind the scenes' and check out the indoor pool area._



This tour was really interesting. Not only did we get to see the pool area in the dark and scary, but we also went into the boiler room.  It was pretty crazy imagining how hot all those pipes would get when the ship was in full motion.  In the dark with all the steam blasts and such, it was a rather disconcerting experience. In a fun sort of way!


----------



## jedijill

Another great up date.  We did the ghost tour many years ago and it freaked me out!  I don't blame your DS!  I love he played the piano for the tour.  

Jill in CO


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## mvf-m11c

Great day on the Queen Mary. I have never been on the ship and all of your pictures including @franandaj are very nice.


----------



## Canadian Harmony

I have just finished reading about your Halloween trip 2014 as we're planning our trip for Halloween Time this year. I may be showing some of your photos to my kids and DH so they can get an idea of what to expect when we go.

The photos are stunning! I only hope to get half as many good photos as you did, especially for the fireworks. Did you use a tripod for those? I have a very basic set-up of a Canon Rebel and two lenses - regular and long distance. Is there something else I should try to find before going to help with those night shots?

On a completely different note - my Mum lives just south of Brissie in Coombabah (and I miss those pies so bad!), my uncle used to live in Elsternwick, but he recently moved to Perth where my aunt and uncle used to live (his sister and BIL), and my cousins still do. I've been to Oz 3 times and I miss it very much. Our next, "wow is this EVER expensive!" trip will be Oz to visit Mum.

Again, LOVE the commentary and the photos. Brilliant!


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> I just recently watched a "Ghost Adventures" episode where they did their lock-down in the QM!  So cool you got take that tour.  I love creepy old places.  The only decommissioned ship I've ever toured was an old battleship (which was very cool) but I'd love to see an old ocean liner like this.  It was all about the luxury for sure.
> 
> I am otherwise quite envious of all your SoCal pics......green, plants, flowers.....  ::sigh::  Looking out my window right now all I see is WHITE!!!!!  Poo.
> .



The inner bowels of the QM were rather spooky in the dark.  It was a fun tour.

I hope you're starting to thaw out now?







franandaj said:


> Maybe similar but without the cleaning bucket on the shelf!  I think that in Disney terms that would not be called "show ready".
> 
> Here's a few of my shots from that day.  On the Queen Mary, this is where we eventually have lunch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once our tour began the docent started with this bell. What he told us about the bell escapes my memory now, but there was something significant about it, which I can not locate through Google or Wikipedia.  I guess have to take the tour again and request this docent.



Thanks for sharing your pictures!  I love the twin updates concept on TRs where DisMeets happen.  It makes for such entertaining reading when all parties post their pictures and viewpoints.





franandaj said:


> Not to be nit picky correcting, but you called this the Grand Salon.  Actually the Grand Salon is two decks below.  I know this becuase that is where the amazing Sunday Brunch is held. Someday we'll go back and I'll have to share some food porn on another thread. But I digress.



I couldn't remember if it was called the Grand or the Queen's Salon.  Thanks for picking up the correct name.

In fact, I probably should try and finish this TR sooner rather than later.  I couldn't remember the significant facts about the bell either.  And I know it was pretty entertaining to listen to when he was telling us about it.







franandaj said:


> PIO's DS played Beethoven's Fur Elise for all of, and he is quite an exceptional piano player!



Awww.  Thanks for saying that!  I'm just biased; so it's sometimes better not to say anything.  







franandaj said:


> I have no more pictures from that day, but I can say that the salad PIO and I split was OK. Nothing fancy, but at least we weren't hungry.



The salad was the better option.  The bread on that sandwich was a little dry according to DS.  But at least he didn't go hungry.






franandaj said:


> his tour was really interesting. Not only did we get to see the pool area in the dark and scary, but we also went into the boiler room.  It was pretty crazy imagining how hot all those pipes would get when the ship was in full motion.  In the dark with all the steam blasts and such, it was a rather disconcerting experience. In a fun sort of way!



On reflection, I should have just taken some pictures like some of the other people in our group was doing.  Especially at the end!






jedijill said:


> Another great up date.  We did the ghost tour many years ago and it freaked me out!  I don't blame your DS!  I love he played the piano for the tour.
> 
> Jill in CO



Thanks Jill.  That ghost tour freaked you out?  I can see why.  I think Alison and I just considered it as a show/performance.....and I was suitably entertained.
I loved that DS played the piano on that tour as well.  He had a performance to give when he returned home and it was good to get some practise in.







mvf-m11c said:


> Great day on the Queen Mary. I have never been on the ship and all of your pictures including @franandaj are very nice.



Maybe you'll get to visit the QM on one of SoCal trips one day.  It is worth a visit.






Canadian Harmony said:


> I have just finished reading about your Halloween trip 2014 as we're planning our trip for Halloween Time this year. I may be showing some of your photos to my kids and DH so they can get an idea of what to expect when we go.
> 
> The photos are stunning! I only hope to get half as many good photos as you did, especially for the fireworks. Did you use a tripod for those? I have a very basic set-up of a Canon Rebel and two lenses - regular and long distance. Is there something else I should try to find before going to help with those night shots?
> 
> On a completely different note - my Mum lives just south of Brissie in Coombabah (and I miss those pies so bad!), my uncle used to live in Elsternwick, but he recently moved to Perth where my aunt and uncle used to live (his sister and BIL), and my cousins still do. I've been to Oz 3 times and I miss it very much. Our next, "wow is this EVER expensive!" trip will be Oz to visit Mum.
> 
> Again, LOVE the commentary and the photos. Brilliant!



Welcome to the thread and thanks for reading along!

I'm glad you like the photos.  I did use a tripod for the fireworks.  Do you have the original Rebel and it sounds like the kit lenses?  Which camera settings are you comfortable using right now?  If you have a tripod, I would recommend that you head out at night and try set up the camera on the tripod and play with the set up.  You could even just take a picture of the night sky.

I did photobabble a little about how to take firework shots in my 2013 TR.  I hope you don't mind....in case you wanted to read up on what I do, the reference is here.  And if you continue reading the post after that one, it'll have my Wishes shots from that trip.


And yes.  A trip to Oz is pretty expensive.  At least it sounds like you have accommodation options around Brissie.  Did you visit your uncle in Elsternwick?  That's quite a nice part of town.


----------



## LegoMom3

PrincessInOz said:


> The inner bowels of the QM were rather spooky in the dark.  It was a fun tour.
> 
> *I hope you're starting to thaw out now?*
> 
> .....



Not. Even. Close....... 

DH predicts all the snow will be gone by April 24th (rather tongue-in-cheek, but still....!).  I had to finally shovel a path across the yard yesterday to my compost bin; it's over 3' in places!!!  The snowbank at the end of my driveway (house end, _not_ where the street plows pile it up!) is as high as my Ford Explorer.  

This. Is. NUTS.  



Oh yeah, and by this weekend we'll be sub-zero overnights and not getting out of single-digits daytime.  Woo.


----------



## Canadian Harmony

> Welcome to the thread and thanks for reading along!
> 
> I'm glad you like the photos.  I did use a tripod for the fireworks.  Do you have the original Rebel and it sounds like the kit lenses?  Which camera settings are you comfortable using right now?  If you have a tripod, I would recommend that you head out at night and try set up the camera on the tripod and play with the set up.  You could even just take a picture of the night sky.
> 
> I did photobabble a little about how to take firework shots in my 2013 TR.  I hope you don't mind....in case you wanted to read up on what I do, the reference is here.  And if you continue reading the post after that one, it'll have my Wishes shots from that trip.
> 
> 
> And yes.  A trip to Oz is pretty expensive.  At least it sounds like you have accommodation options around Brissie.  Did you visit your uncle in Elsternwick?  That's quite a nice part of town.


 
Thanks for the link! I'll take a peek. I may invest in a smaller tripod for the trip as luggage space is at a premium. I'm a pretty basic hobbist photog. Point and shoots are my go-to as they're so portable, but I do enjoy the quality from my Rebel. I usually do the 'auto' settings as my glasses show things clearly but the photo isn't so my manual focus often ends up fuzzy.

I've visited Elsternwick many years ago, and it was a lovely spot. My uncle had a 3-wheel Morgan he used to zip about town. He's a Pom, a Cockney, so he's the 'only one what talks propa' as he says. I loved Melbourne and Victoria in general. So pretty. I think my favourite part was the drive-though beer stores


----------



## PrincessInOz

Canadian Harmony said:


> Thanks for the link! I'll take a peek. I may invest in a smaller tripod for the trip as luggage space is at a premium. I'm a pretty basic hobbist photog. Point and shoots are my go-to as they're so portable, but I do enjoy the quality from my Rebel. I usually do the 'auto' settings as my glasses show things clearly but the photo isn't so my manual focus often ends up fuzzy.
> 
> I've visited Elsternwick many years ago, and it was a lovely spot. My uncle had a 3-wheel Morgan he used to zip about town. He's a Pom, a Cockney, so he's the 'only one what talks propa' as he says. I loved Melbourne and Victoria in general. So pretty. I think my favourite part was the drive-though beer stores



A 3 wheeled Morgan?  I bet that was easy to spot around town.


----------



## PrincessInOz

LegoMom3 said:


> Not. Even. Close.......
> 
> DH predicts all the snow will be gone by April 24th (rather tongue-in-cheek, but still....!).  I had to finally shovel a path across the yard yesterday to my compost bin; it's over 3' in places!!!  The snowbank at the end of my driveway (house end, _not_ where the street plows pile it up!) is as high as my Ford Explorer.
> 
> This. Is. NUTS.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh yeah, and by this weekend we'll be sub-zero overnights and not getting out of single-digits daytime.  Woo.



That's a lot of snow.  

Stay safe and warm this weekend.  
And I'm so glad you adopted that stray cat.  How's it doing?  Have you managed to take it to the vet yet?


----------



## Leshaface

You and Alison can take all of WDW's runny, wet eggs then.  I like mine well done 

Love the Queen Mary!  The last time i've been was in 2005 or 2006 with DH (was my BF at the time!) and my parents.  But have heard cool things about the haunted tour.


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## PrincessInOz

Leshaface said:


> You and Alison can take all of WDW's runny, wet eggs then.  I like mine well done
> 
> Love the Queen Mary!  The last time i've been was in 2005 or 2006 with DH (was my BF at the time!) and my parents.  But have heard cool things about the haunted tour.




The eggs are JUST cooked...perfectly.  


Isn't the Queen Mary just grand?


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## PrincessInOz

_*Getting Wet by that KVC Pool*_


_Discovery #73.  That really is a WONDERFUL pool area._



_After we finished that Ghost tour on the Queen Mary, we were pretty much done.  It was a pretty warm day and we headed on home to Alison's place.  I figured some cool-off time was in order._

_

_




_Especially when Alison decided we needed a dose of antibacterial medicine as well._

_

_




_Alison had popped a couple of thermometers into the pool and the spa and we were waiting for the water temperature to get to the right level.  It was pretty cold to begin with; even if there were locals floating in it._

_

_




_Waiting...._

_

_




_....waiting...._

_

_




_....waiting._

_

_




_Someone asked me if I had a picture of that Tiki Bar.  Turns out I did capture it.  I just took the picture on a different day! _

_

_




_The water temperature eventually hit a mark that I was happy to jump in the pool. _

_

_




_But I didn't stay there long.  There was a much warmer place to go enjoy._

_

_




_Alison's pool area is a wonderful place to relax.  And as I write this on a warm, sunny Melbourne day, I really wish I were there right now!_







(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Neighbourhood Haunts*_


_Discovery #74.  No one does Halloween like the Americans do._



_After we tidied ourselves up after the dip in the pool and spa, it was time to head out for dinner._

_

_




_Lovely streetscape, isn't it?_

_

_




_We'd been driving around this neighbourhood for a couple of days now and as it was close to Halloweeen time, there were a few houses that had decorations out._

_For us Aussies, Halloween is not something that is a big celebration.  It is getting a bit more traction over here because Aussie kids have finally figured out it is a great way to get free candy and chocolate, but by and large, we tend to gloss over this festival. _


_So, it was quite a novelty for us to see the spooky front yards. _

_This particular neighbourhood haunt had caught our eye and we had stopped outside this place twice to take our souvenir pictures._

_

_




_I just loved what they did in the front lawn area.  Both on the left...._

_

_




_....and the right...._

_

_




_....of the front door._

_

_




_Pretty cool!_

_

_




_

_




_

_








(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*A Melting Pot Dinner*_


_Discovery #75.  Alison has made me cook nearly every meal we’ve had with her and Fran!_



_I don't know about you....but when I go and stay with friends, there are some things I kinda expect._


_
Comfortable bed....check.

Great conversation....check.

A relaxing time....double check.  Bonus check for having a great pool and spa to enjoy.

Being spoilt by the hostess cooking fantastic meals....er....UNCHECK!!!
_
_Except for lunch today, have you realised that I've cooked at every meal?  Even when we went out to Shabu Shabu dinner, I cooked my own food._


_Well....that was to be the running joke between Alison and me for this visit._


_It's not quite the Ruby Red shoes of the Wicked Witch of the East...._

_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_



_....but guess what she made me do for the second dinner in a row???_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_I think this was one of our tables.  We didn't end up sitting and eating at the table we started out at.  There was an issue with one of the hot plates and we ended up having to move. _
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_But there was no denying the fact.  This was another one of those meals that I have to cook!_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_Our server was attentive enough.  Drinks came pretty promptly._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_We took a look at the menu. _
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_No prizes for guessing that we went with the 4-course experience._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...n/Day 8 Oct17/05 Dinner/1017SoCal117.jpg.html_


(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_With two melting pots to choose from, we decided to go with the Cheddar in one.  Aged, medium-sharp cheddar and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses, lager beer, garlic and seasonings._

_

_




_The server mixed it all until it was a pulling consistency._

_

_




_We went with the Bacon and Brie in the other._

_

_




_Baby brie, Gruyère/Emmenthaler blend, white wine, bacon, onions, mustard and scallions._

_

_




_We were given a selection of fruit and vegetables to dip into the cheese pots.  I thought I took a picture of the plate; but turns out I didn't._

_

_




_Both pots were good but I thought the Bacon and Brie was the pick between the two._


_We all selected our salads.  It seems that we all decided that there were only two of the salads on offer worth ordering.  This is the California Salad with mixed baby salad greens, Roma tomatoes, candied pecans and Gorgonzola cheese with Raspberry Black Walnut Vinaigrette._

_

_




_The other salad some of us got was the Melting Pot House Salad.  Crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, crispy croutons and sliced egg with a choice of Peppercorn Ranch Dressing or sweet and tangy House Dressing._

_

_




_Entrée time!  Our cooking liquid was a vegetable broth this time. _

_

_




_There were plates of vegetables that we could add to the broth.  I think we devoured these pretty quickly!_

_

_




_And in case you're wondering.  We were provided with sets of different coloured implements.  One set for picking up the raw food and the other for picking up the cooked food and transferring to our plates.  Each one of us got a different colour._

_

_




_We were also provided with a whole heap of condiments to go with our entrees.  Between all the pots, the implements, the condiments, the vegetables and our entrée plates, there was no space left on the table._


_So....which entrees did we choose? _


_This was the French Quarter, which consisted of fillet mignon, breast of chicken and Pacific white shrimp seasoned with Cajun spices and accompanied by Andouille sausage.  This was my choice and I thoroughly enjoyed it!_

_

_




_The Classic; with Angus Beef sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted breast of chicken and teriyaki-marinated sirloin.  I know DS ordered this and I think Alison also picked this selection._

_

_




_I think Fran might have ordered the Land and Sea with fillet mignon, herb-crusted chicken and Pacific white shrimp._

_

_




_I know we got a couple of Lobster Tails to go with our meals._

_

_




_I honestly don't remember what my DH ordered.  He might have gone with a surf and turf option and left the turf for the rest of the table to enjoy._


_Somewhere between entrée and dessert, our server found out that we were from Australia.  He must have been more impressed than he let on at the table....because....when he came back, he brought us complimentary glasses.  I hope that I was suitable overtly impressed and touched by the gesture!_

_

_




_Dessert time.  What else but chocolate to dip in?_


_We ordered the Chocolate 'Smores.  The fondue version included milk chocolate with marshmallow cream, flambéed and topped with bits of graham crackers._

_

_




_

_





_I can't remember what the other pot contained aside from Chocolate.  I think Fran and Alison created their own with a splash of liquour._

_

_




_And to go with the chocolate, we truly indulged in all things sweet!  Strawberries, blondies, pineapple, banana, marshmallows and brownies!_

_

_




_Rolling home does not even begin to describe it.  This was a great meal....even if I had to cook it!_


----------



## mvf-m11c

Good to hear that you had a nice relaxation time at Casa Nueva after being on the Queen Mary that day. 

The Melting Pot restaurant looks very nice place to have dinner. The cheese pot looks very appetizing.


----------



## franandaj

You make it sound like it was a chore to cook dinner!  

Seriously sometimes the best dinners are the ones you cook yourself.  You get everything cooked to your perfect doneness and it's always hot when you put it to your lips!. We had some of the best dinners when you were in town! I would love to go back to the melting pot again! It is one of the best dinners, way too much food, but oh so good!


----------



## jedijill

What a great relaxing afternoon followed up by one of my favorite places to eat!  Love the Melting Pot!

Jill in CO


----------



## ACDSNY

Fabulous pics of the Queen Mary by both of you.   That's neat your DS did a performance on the tour. 

I love the Melting Pot too.


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## LegoMom3

Pet Peeve #68 re: the new format layout:  the post numbers are at the* bottom* of the post, not the top.  Makes it a whole lot harder to find what I'm looking for!!!


Moving along.....

GREAT food update!  I've never been to a Melting Pot but have heard all about them.  Looks yummy.  I also must say how much I love, love, LOVE that pool!  The brick work is very classy.  I could live in a back yard like that!

.


----------



## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Good to hear that you had a nice relaxation time at Casa Nueva after being on the Queen Mary that day.
> 
> The Melting Pot restaurant looks very nice place to have dinner. The cheese pot looks very appetizing.



I'd highly recommend the Melting Pot.  It was so much fun to cook our own dinner.







franandaj said:


> You make it sound like it was a chore to cook dinner!










franandaj said:


> Seriously sometimes the best dinners are the ones you cook yourself.  You get everything cooked to your perfect doneness and it's always hot when you put it to your lips!. We had some of the best dinners when you were in town! I would love to go back to the melting pot again! It is one of the best dinners, way too much food, but oh so good!



Agreed!
And the two dinners we had with you were some of the best dinners we've had for a while as well. 







jedijill said:


> What a great relaxing afternoon followed up by one of my favorite places to eat!  Love the Melting Pot!
> 
> Jill in CO



I'm really glad that Fran and Alison suggested heading there.  It was a great meal for all of us.






ACDSNY said:


> Fabulous pics of the Queen Mary by both of you.   That's neat your DS did a performance on the tour.
> 
> I love the Melting Pot too.



I was really pleased he...er.....volunteered....to do the performance as well.  

The Melting Pot seems to have a few locations....Colorado, NorCal and SoCal.  I should look up where else they are located.







LegoMom3 said:


> Pet Peeve #68 re: the new format layout:  the post numbers are at the* bottom* of the post, not the top.  Makes it a whole lot harder to find what I'm looking for!!!



I had to look for it too.  






LegoMom3 said:


> Moving along.....
> 
> GREAT food update! I've never been to a Melting Pot but have heard all about them. Looks yummy. I also must say how much I love, love, LOVE that pool! The brick work is very classy. I could live in a back yard like that!



Thanks!  I hope you get to try out the Melting Pot sometime.

That backyard is great, isn't it?


----------



## tiggrbaby

Finally found this to catch up!  Pool time and QM were great!


----------



## dolphingirl47

I got behind again. For some reason I did not receive any notifications.

Before I comment on your updates, I wanted to let you know that I am cooking a version of your noodle dish tonight. I could not get any flat rice noodles so had to go with rice vermicelli and I am substituting Char Sui pork for the fish cake. I will let you know how it worked out.

Your tour of the Queen Mary looked great. We just did the ghost tour and thoroughly enjoyed this and for the rest of the day we just wandered around seeing as much as we could. We figured that the Queen Mary would take us a couple of hours at most, but in the end we were there for 5.5 hours.

The pool area is lovely. What a nice way to spend the afternoon.

I always wanted to try Melting Pot and now I fancy it even more. Unfortunately this is not Graham's thing. Maybe if the September trip goes according to plan I need to plan a girls night out there.

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

tiggrbaby said:


> Finally found this to catch up!  Pool time and QM were great!



Glad you're all caught up!  Thanks.






dolphingirl47 said:


> I got behind again. For some reason I did not receive any notifications.
> 
> Before I comment on your updates, I wanted to let you know that I am cooking a version of your noodle dish tonight. I could not get any flat rice noodles so had to go with rice vermicelli and I am substituting Char Sui pork for the fish cake. I will let you know how it worked out.



I hope that your version of the noodle dish worked out!  My DS loves the fish cake and fish ball version of this noodle dish.  When he was younger, it used to be his favourite Asian meal!  







dolphingirl47 said:


> Your tour of the Queen Mary looked great. We just did the ghost tour and thoroughly enjoyed this and for the rest of the day we just wandered around seeing as much as we could. We figured that the Queen Mary would take us a couple of hours at most, but in the end we were there for 5.5 hours.
> 
> The pool area is lovely. What a nice way to spend the afternoon.
> 
> I always wanted to try Melting Pot and now I fancy it even more. Unfortunately this is not Graham's thing. Maybe if the September trip goes according to plan I need to plan a girls night out there.
> 
> Corinna



I thought the same.  I figured we would be at the QM for 2 - 3 hours.  I think we were there for about 5 or so hours in the end.

Shame that Graham doesn't like the fondue concept.  I hope you get to plan a girl's night out there.


----------



## franandaj

dolphingirl47 said:


> Maybe if the September trip goes according to plan I need to plan a girls night out there.



Fran and I would be up for this, and perhaps your friend from Seal Beach, and maybe even Jennifer.... I'm always game for going there!


----------



## dolphingirl47

PrincessInOz said:


> I hope that your version of the noodle dish worked out! My DS loves the fish cake and fish ball version of this noodle dish. When he was younger, it used to be his favourite Asian meal!



Yes, it was a great success. I think next time I leave out the Chinese sausage though.



franandaj said:


> Fran and I would be up for this, and perhaps your friend from Seal Beach, and maybe even Jennifer.... I'm always game for going there!



That sounds great. 

Corinna


----------



## PrincessInOz

dolphingirl47 said:


> Yes, it was a great success. I think next time I leave out the Chinese sausage though.
> 
> Corinna




Glad it was a success!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 9: Out and About in Los Angeles


_*Saying Goodbye is Bitter Sweet*


Discovery #76.  I really hate saying goodbye.



It was my last 3D hour with Alison this morning.  I hate goodbyes at the best of times and this one was going to be tinged with a bit of sadness.  Afterall, I didn't have any plans to head back to the US anytime soon and I really didn't like not knowing when I'd be seeing Fran and Alison again.  Australia really is too far away from anywhere!

So breakfast was filled with the bitter.








And the sweet.








It might have been goodbye to Fran and Alison this morning; but I consoled myself with the knowledge that I would see them again - briefly - before I left to go home.



_


(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*My Last Pictures of KVC*_


_Discovery #77.  There really are Kitties in the KVC!_



_We had some packing and tidying up to finish up before we left._


_First and foremost, we had an air mattress to deflate.  We knew we needed to get an extra bed for DS to sleep on and this was it._

_

_




_I left it behind for the KVC.  Call it my contribution to the owner's locker.  I think @rentayenta might have found good use for it after I left._


_It didn't take me long to finish packing and tidy up.  I hope Alison thought I'd left the room in decent enough state._

_

_




_

_




_I also took the opportunity of capturing some of the pieces of art in the KVC. _

_

_




_

_





_This piece very nearly made it in my bag home with me.  I just didn't have the spare space at that time!_

_

_




_I don't know if I ever shared the picture of the ensuite.  Suffice to say, our stay at the KVC warranted a 5-star review. _

_

_




_The K's of the KVC?  They do exist.  And we had Olga as a bed partner for three nights we were here.  It wasn't the first time she and I had been bed partners and I hope that it won't be the last!  She is getting on in age and Alison tells me Olga's not too well at the moment._

_

_




_We also had this fellow come and visit us during the mornings when we were there.  Seems like Olga doesn't mind Milo in her space._

_

_



_The other kitties stayed in the main part of the house and we all had fun playing with them during our stay.  The last time I had stayed with Alison, Velcro was still a kitten.  He's all grow-ed up now!_

_

_




_I think this one is Tesla._

_

_




_And Basil; or Bagel.  Or is it the other way round?  I sometimes get Alison's dalmation cats mixed up._

_

_




_Samantha.  She was a little cuddle buddy._

_

_




_And I can't remember this one's name._

_

_




_My family and I truly thank you, Fran and Alison, for your generous hospitality.  We really had a great time hanging out with you at Casa Neuva._

_

_





_Life with you was a bed of petunias!_

_

_





_If we can ever return the favour, let me know!_





(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Shopping Time*


Discovery #78.  We need a new suitcase.



It was pretty evident to me and DH that we needed a new suitcase when we were packing this morning.  Our existing bags have served us well....for many years.  The blue case, in particular, was purchased in the trip of 1997 and it was time to give it a good retirement. What with the candy stash from the Disneyland Halloween party, I knew that we were going to be over  the acceptable Occupational Health weight limit for the baggage handlers.


So, after we left Casa Nueva, we headed to Cerritos for a spot of shopping.  I believe Macy's was having a weekend sale.








Just as well we bought a new bag.  We walked out of Macy's with the bag....and some jeans....and some tops....and pants....for all 3 of us!


On our way into Macy's, DH had spotted this shop and naturally we stopped here as well.  Did I mention that it was just as well we bought a new bag??









On reflection....perhaps we should have bought TWO bags!


_



(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*Amore y Taco*_


_Discovery #79.  Google truly is my friend._




_We'd gotten stuck in the shopping cart-lane at Macy's and at the Guitar Centre.  In fact, the only reason DH tore himself away from the Guitar Centre was because both DS and I were starving!  And he's learnt from experience not to dice with us when our tummies are rumbling._


_Cerritos.  That's where we are._


_Locals aside, anyone else ever been there?   _
_We were still in Cerritos with no idea where to head to for a decent meal; much less a meal that would cater to a pesky vegetarian.  And it was closer towards 2 pm at this stage of the day._


_Where else would I head to?  Yup.  That trusty Google is my friend.  A quick scan down the Cerritos restaurant list on Trip Advisor, a cross-reference to Yelp and we ended up at Amore y Tacos._

_

_




_Ranked 7th on the Trip Advisor list and the first Mexican named restaurant I saw.  We have Mexican restaurants in Australia; but they are not in the calibre of the food we would get in SoCal._




_This place exceeded my expectations._

_

_





_The menu had a wide range of options and proteins to satisfy my pesky vegetarian._

_

_





_And I knew we were in for a decent feed when the corn chips hit the table._

_

_





_We ordered some guacamole to start with.  As expected, it was perfectly seasoned._

_

_





_We asked our server for recommendations and he said that the tacos were what this place was noted for.  I have to give him props....he could have steered us anywhere on the menu and gotten us to order dishes for a couple more dollars; but he steered us to the section of the menu where we completely got value for money. _



_I got the Carne Asada tacos._

_

_



_I'm pretty sure DS got the Pollo version._

_

_




_DH probably got the pick of the tacos on this day. This was the Fish Tacos.  But I think he ordered this off the proper entree section not the tacos special section of the menu._

_

_




_The tacos came with rice and beans. _

_

_




_Priced at $10 for the plate of 3, including the rice and beans, without a doubt; the tacos were superb and amazing value for money.   I think DH might have ordered his off the standard menu and his fish tacos might have ended up being around the $14 mark. _


_Encouraged by the quality of the meal so far, we decided to indulge and the churros did not disappoint either._

_

_




_Fabulous meal and so totally unexpected for a non-descript store in the middle of a strip shopping center.  Amore y Tacos sure lived up to it's name.  I LOVE Tacos!_

_I didn't realise it at the time and it wasn't until I got home to do a bit of googling that I found out.  This place?  The chef is Chef Thomas Ortega of Hell's Kitchen fame.  No wonder the food was so good.  _




__


----------



## franandaj

Hmmmm.....I'll have to remember that place.  Cerritos is not too far to go for a meal. The tacos and guac look good, but we'll have them hold the jalapenos.  

It was sad having you leave as well.  Hopefully you will make it back here, before we get down there because it will definitely be a few years before we make it, but at least I'm working up an itinerary!

You got the Dalmation cats backwards.  Bagel has the beautymark on his cheek and Tesla has the goatee.  It's amusing that all the kitties still had their collars on back then.  I think everyone but Bagel and DC (the Calico) have lost theirs by now.  Olga is actually doing quite well, but she does have some sort of untreatable Liver disease.  She still is spunky when we let her out in the back yard, so who knows how long she will be around for!


----------



## mvf-m11c

Very nice pictures of Alison's cats during your visit.

Amore y Tacos looks like a very nice place to have lunch. The food looks very appetizing.


----------



## dolphingirl47

The kitties are so cute. Sounds like you had a very successful shopping trip. Lunch looked lovely.

Corinna


----------



## Leshaface

What kind of medicine is that?! 

The hot tub looks marvelous.  And it looks way bigger for some reason from when I last saw it. Like it could easily fit 10 people!

Curious, what happens on Halloween night?  Do folks in your neighborhood hand out candy?  Do you personally hand out candy?

The front door of that house in impressive!  There is a house a few blocks from us that turns their 3 door garage into a 'batman' cave.  They plan it for months and there's usually a line to get in, but it's really cool!

You really did cook the entire time didn't you! 

Have yet to visit the Melting Pot but would love to go.  Especially for that Bacon and Brie!  Stop with that.

Yay for free alcohol!

Never thought of dipping rice krispy treats into melted chocolate.  Brilliant!

That is very nice of you to leave behind a blow up mattress for all to share.

Aw, love the kitties!

Can never go wrong with Tacos in So Cal.  Or enchiladas.  Or tamales.  I can go on and on!


----------



## rentayenta

Thank you friend for tagging me. When the DIS swicthed whatever they switched, I lost all my notifications.

Great update! The food looks delcious at Amory Tacos. I haven't been to the city of Cerritos since leaving California.

We didn't end up needing the air matress but thank you for leaving it.


----------



## ACDSNY

Yay to successful shopping and great lunch.  All the kitties posed so well for the pictures.


----------



## LegoMom3

With all those kitties?.......Fran and Allison's home is a little piece of heaven to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have noticed all the various cat beds and cat condos in your TR pics, but had no idea they were occupied by so many felines!  That's AWESOME!!! (and Velcro looks JUST like my Louie!!).  BEAUTIFUL kitties, @franandaj !

PiO, great ending installment.  As you said, bittersweet.  Do you travel "locally"?!....cuz I'm going to miss reading your TRs!!    But heck, if you have a weekend excursion somewhere, write about it.....I'll read it!


----------



## franandaj

LegoMom3 said:


> With all those kitties?.......Fran and Allison's home is a little piece of heaven to me!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have noticed all the various cat beds and cat condos in your TR pics, but had no idea they were occupied by so many felines! That's AWESOME!!! (and Velcro looks JUST like my Louie!!). BEAUTIFUL kitties, @franandaj !



Thank you very much! We love our kitties and they are totally spoiled as you can see by the fact that they have almost as much furniture as we do!


----------



## scottny

Nice pics on RS. I cannot wait to ride it.


Nice pics in Club 33. When we go and I see someone going in there I will ask if I tag along, LOL.


Great pics of World of Color. Looks like a fun time at Disney.


The food you made looks delicious.


I LOVE her flour and sugar canisters.


The restaurant looks fun and interesting.


Nice recap Alison.


Nice pics from the Queen Mary. Yours too Alison.


Alisons pool looks like heaven.


Love The Melting Pot. The food looked so good.


Cute cats.


The house is gorgeous.


Nice lunch.


I am caught up.


----------



## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Hmmmm.....I'll have to remember that place.  Cerritos is not too far to go for a meal. The tacos and guac look good, but we'll have them hold the jalapenos.



It isn't that far away from you.  I hope you make it out there some time.  





franandaj said:


> It was sad having you leave as well.  Hopefully you will make it back here, before we get down there because it will definitely be a few years before we make it, but at least I'm working up an itinerary!
> 
> You got the Dalmation cats backwards.  Bagel has the beautymark on his cheek and Tesla has the goatee.  It's amusing that all the kitties still had their collars on back then.  I think everyone but Bagel and DC (the Calico) have lost theirs by now.  Olga is actually doing quite well, but she does have some sort of untreatable Liver disease.  She still is spunky when we let her out in the back yard, so who knows how long she will be around for!



Dang!  I was afraid of that.








mvf-m11c said:


> Very nice pictures of Alison's cats during your visit.
> 
> Amore y Tacos looks like a very nice place to have lunch. The food looks very appetizing.



Thanks Bret.  We really enjoyed our lunch that day.







dolphingirl47 said:


> The kitties are so cute. Sounds like you had a very successful shopping trip. Lunch looked lovely.
> 
> Corinna



Yes, the sshopping was decent that day.







Leshaface said:


> What kind of medicine is that?!



It was tequila.





Leshaface said:


> The hot tub looks marvelous.  And it looks way bigger for some reason from when I last saw it. Like it could easily fit 10 people!
> 
> Curious, what happens on Halloween night?  Do folks in your neighborhood hand out candy?  Do you personally hand out candy?



Normally, I would decorate the outside of my house with halloween decorations.  Over the years, I've collected enough from my trips to the US to set up the outside with them.  Some of the other houses also decorate with streamers, balloons and halloween decorations as well.  The kids will only knock on the doors with the decorations out.  I usually have a stash of candy to hand out.

Last year, I noticed one of my neighbours were out in their garden.  They had set up a table with goodies and were having drinks on the front lawn.  So, I invited myself over.  We had a great time just chatting and watching the kids walk by.  My mistake was leaving my candy stash out by my front door.  The stash was gone after about 3 - 4 groups of kids visited.  I had to go top it up again.
Next year, I think I will move my candy stash with me to the neighbour's lawn.  We decided that it was a great idea to have halloween drinks and if the weather is good, we're going to make it a yearly event.





Leshaface said:


> The front door of that house in impressive!  There is a house a few blocks from us that turns their 3 door garage into a 'batman' cave.  They plan it for months and there's usually a line to get in, but it's really cool!
> 
> You really did cook the entire time didn't you!



Yes!  






Leshaface said:


> Have yet to visit the Melting Pot but would love to go.  Especially for that Bacon and Brie!  Stop with that.
> 
> Yay for free alcohol!
> 
> Never thought of dipping rice krispy treats into melted chocolate.  Brilliant!
> 
> That is very nice of you to leave behind a blow up mattress for all to share.
> 
> Aw, love the kitties!
> 
> Can never go wrong with Tacos in So Cal.  Or enchiladas.  Or tamales.  I can go on and on!


----------



## PrincessInOz

rentayenta said:


> Thank you friend for tagging me. When the DIS swicthed whatever they switched, I lost all my notifications.
> 
> Great update! The food looks delcious at Amory Tacos. I haven't been to the city of Cerritos since leaving California.
> 
> We didn't end up needing the air matress but thank you for leaving it.



Glad I tagged you then!

Ah.  I did wonder if you ended up using the air mattress or not.  Maybe next time.








ACDSNY said:


> Yay to successful shopping and great lunch.  All the kitties posed so well for the pictures.



The kitties were very photogenic.






LegoMom3 said:


> With all those kitties?.......Fran and Allison's home is a little piece of heaven to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have noticed all the various cat beds and cat condos in your TR pics, but had no idea they were occupied by so many felines!  That's AWESOME!!! (and Velcro looks JUST like my Louie!!).  BEAUTIFUL kitties, @franandaj !



The cats are a big drawcard for me too at Fran and Alison's place.   That home really is a cat haven.







LegoMom3 said:


> PiO, great ending installment.  As you said, bittersweet.  Do you travel "locally"?!....cuz I'm going to miss reading your TRs!!    But heck, if you have a weekend excursion somewhere, write about it.....I'll read it!



I still have another day left on this trip before I finally finish this TR and I really should get on with it.

Aww.  Thanks.  That's really sweet of you to say so.  I did post a TR on my trip to the Blue Mountains and Sydney last year.  I also tend to do a bit of photography around Melbourne when I get out and about. 







scottny said:


> Nice pics on RS. I cannot wait to ride it.
> 
> 
> Nice pics in Club 33. When we go and I see someone going in there I will ask if I tag along, LOL.



I hope you get the opportunity to tag along in when you're there this year!






scottny said:


> Great pics of World of Color. Looks like a fun time at Disney.
> 
> 
> The food you made looks delicious.
> 
> 
> I LOVE her flour and sugar canisters.
> 
> 
> The restaurant looks fun and interesting.
> 
> 
> Nice recap Alison.
> 
> 
> Nice pics from the Queen Mary. Yours too Alison.
> 
> 
> Alisons pool looks like heaven.
> 
> 
> Love The Melting Pot. The food looked so good.
> 
> 
> Cute cats.
> 
> 
> The house is gorgeous.
> 
> 
> Nice lunch.
> 
> 
> I am caught up.



Thanks!  Hope that things are well with you.


----------



## Leshaface

PrincessInOz said:


> Last year, I noticed one of my neighbours were out in their garden.  They had set up a table with goodies and were having drinks on the front lawn.  So, I invited myself over.  We had a great time just chatting and watching the kids walk by.  My mistake was leaving my candy stash out by my front door.  The stash was gone after about 3 - 4 groups of kids visited.  I had to go top it up again.
> Next year, I think I will move my candy stash with me to the neighbour's lawn.  We decided that it was a great idea to have halloween drinks and if the weather is good, we're going to make it a yearly event.



This is exactly what we did with 3 other houses.  We'd all have a couple drinks and apps outside on one driveway and each family would bring their candy bowls over and hand out candy that way, so the kids would potentially hit up 4 houses in one spot.  Worked for them and us too!


----------



## PrincessInOz

Leshaface said:


> This is exactly what we did with 3 other houses.  We'd all have a couple drinks and apps outside on one driveway and each family would bring their candy bowls over and hand out candy that way, so the kids would potentially hit up 4 houses in one spot.  Worked for them and us too!



It's great when you have neighbours that will sit and have a drink with you.  I think I will still decorate my place and leave a sign telling them to go down the street.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*Hyatt Place Hotel*_


_Discovery #80.  A little down time can be good for everyone._



_LAX hotels can be a bit of a revolving door and they can be hit and miss as to whether you find a good room or not.  In the end, I looked just a little bit further and we ended up at the Hyatt Place, El Segundu.  With a full day's activity ahead of us and a late flight out, DH and I decided we were going to pay for the extra night so that we would have somewhere to leave our bags in comparative safety, come back to the room and grab a shower before heading to the airport. _


_This place hit the mark.  Free parking, Free Breakfast and Free Wi Fi at a rate of about $125 per night.  We were delighted to find a spotless room when we opened the door.  DS immediately flopped on one of the beds with his gadgets....after I had taken pictures._

_

_




_The facilities were also clean._

_

_




_And there was a very basic range of toiletries._

_

_




_Not only was it clean, there was plenty of room!_

_

_




_DH took one look at this space and he settled in with his gadgets.  Anyone spot my new bag?_

_

_




_I took one look at my boys and decided that there was no point in trying to move immovable mountains.  So, I settled in on the other bed and caught up on some TV viewing time._


_Afterall, a little down time can be good for everyone, right? _



_We spent the rest of the afternoon just lazing about in our room._




(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*More Westfield Shopping*_


_Discovery #81.  It was a very good thing that I bought an extra bag._



_DH and DS took pity on me after about two hours.  My reward for letting us all chill that afternoon?_


_Yup.  More shopping time.  This time, we headed to the Westfield at Culver City.  _

_

_




_I spent a bit of time in a few of the clothes shops here.  It was a very good thing that I bought an extra bag today._
_I also hit the Disney Store here.  Sadly, I didn't find the merchandise at the Disney Store very exciting and money and me did not part company in here.  I know that the economic conditions are tough but that is still no excuse to fill the store with sub-par stuff that is overpriced.  I rather spend my money at the Park stores and get stuff that is better made for that kind of money._







(Continued in Next Post)


----------



## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*The Veggie Grill*_


_Discovery #82.  Who would have thought that there would be decent vegetarian food in El Segundu?_



_I had a dining location in mind for dinner tonight._

_

_




_We nearly didn't make it in here.  Turns out that this shopping centre was a little foodie enclave.  There were a number of delicious sounding places here; including a California Fish Grill.  Alison has been raving about the CFG for quite a while now and when I saw it in this little area, I wanted to go.  But in the end, that pesky vegetarian got to me and we headed on in._

_

_




_As vegetarians go, the menu was dizzyingly delightful.  There was a lot to choose from and the prices were positively a bargain for us Aussies._

_

_




_Turns out that we are all still full from the Mexican lunch we had and no one really ordered big dishes on this night.  So....what did we end up having for dinner?_

_

_




_There was a mac and cheese on the menu.  Both DS and I ordered a bowl each.  DS thought it was tasty enough.  I thought it was adequate but I don't think I'd order it again._

_

_




_We got some onion rings to share.  They were pretty good._

_

_




_DH got the Black Bean and Quinoa mini bowl._

_

_




_The standout for me was the grilled corn, elote style.  Absolutely delicious and so moreish!_

_

_




_It was a really nice meal by vegetarian standards; but I really wished we had picked the California Fish Grill for dinner this night.  What was surprising was the serving sizes.  Admittedly, we did order the appetizer and small bowls, but the sizes were miniscule compared to what we would expect for the US.  However, they were perfectly portioned for how we felt on this night.  I would like to come back to the Veggie Grill when I'm hungry and order some of their plates.  They sound delicious too and I'll be really interested to see if they are also on the smaller portioned size._



_We called it an early night after dinner and headed straight back to the hotel.  I had some packing to finish off.  Tomorrow is our last day on this vacation!  _



__


----------



## mvf-m11c

Your room look very spacious and nice. Good price for the room, free breakfast and wifi. 

It does make sense to do a little shopping that day when you are relaxing.

You would have love the California Fish Grill since my DB and his GF got me into this restaurant. I know that Alison has enjoyed CFG a lot. I just had it during my February trip and still hasn't disappointed me one bit. The VeggieGrill looks nice but I don't know I would have enjoyed this place more than CFG.


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## LegoMom3

Beautiful room and HUGE by standard US hotel sizes!!  Love that little sitting area.

.


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## ACDSNY

I agree on the Disney stores, I haven't purchased anything from them in years. 

A few hours of chill time is always good.


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## dolphingirl47

The hotel looks nice. Yeah for another shopping trip. I agree with your assessment of the US Disney Stores. Every time we are in a mall that has one for some reason I have to go to check it out and every time I end up being disappointed. Dinner looks nice.

Corinna


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## Leshaface

I love the Hyatt Place!  Have stayed in one up North and it was so comfortable.

I so agree about Disney stores.  I did buy some really cool mugs that I had never seen before (Wall-E and a Sulley mug) but all their other stuff isn't very good.

Wow, for vegetarian meals, those look delicious!  Just today, found out DS is a huge fan of quinoa.  Big thumbs up there!


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## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Your room look very spacious and nice. Good price for the room, free breakfast and wifi.
> 
> It does make sense to do a little shopping that day when you are relaxing.
> 
> You would have love the California Fish Grill since my DB and his GF got me into this restaurant. I know that Alison has enjoyed CFG a lot. I just had it during my February trip and still hasn't disappointed me one bit. The VeggieGrill looks nice but I don't know I would have enjoyed this place more than CFG.



I'm just going to have to make it to the Cali Fish Grill one of these days. Thanks!  







LegoMom3 said:


> Beautiful room and HUGE by standard US hotel sizes!!  Love that little sitting area.



It was surprisingly decent and we really did enjoy the afternoon in the room because of the extra space.






ACDSNY said:


> I agree on the Disney stores, I haven't purchased anything from them in years.
> 
> A few hours of chill time is always good.



I think the boys needed it that day.






dolphingirl47 said:


> The hotel looks nice. Yeah for another shopping trip. I agree with your assessment of the US Disney Stores. Every time we are in a mall that has one for some reason I have to go to check it out and every time I end up being disappointed. Dinner looks nice.
> 
> Corinna



It's a shame about the Disney Store.  I remember when I used to spend tons of money in there.  Now, I can barely find anything that I would bring home.  I hope that their products people figure it out.  It is nice to be able to go pick up merchandise in the mall stores especially when I don't always head to a Disney Park.








Leshaface said:


> I love the Hyatt Place!  Have stayed in one up North and it was so comfortable.
> 
> I so agree about Disney stores.  I did buy some really cool mugs that I had never seen before (Wall-E and a Sulley mug) but all their other stuff isn't very good.
> 
> Wow, for vegetarian meals, those look delicious!  Just today, found out DS is a huge fan of quinoa.  Big thumbs up there!



The Hyatt Place chain seems to provide really reasonable service, doesn't it?  We've also stayed at one up North and I chose the one down at El Segundu because of that experience.

DS loves quinoa?  Wow!  Well done!


----------



## MEK

I know I am getting WAY in over my heading subbing to your rather lengthy TR, but I'm going to do my best.  I really want to read about DL since its on my bucket list.  

I read your last update and I just want to say that I want a Veggie Grille here on the East Coast.  I always complain to Denny that there needs to be a fast food chain that has all veggie options.  

OK - let's see what else other reading I can tackle tonight.


----------



## franandaj

Wow! There is a while night of replies that I don't think got posted your thread included!  We have a veggie grill near our hair dresser and Trader Joes. I avoid it because Fran is afraid of those kind of places. Was it real mac and cheese or was it Brandi's sort of cheese. No offense Brandi! I like quinoa, I just wish Fran did. She complains when I serve it, but she ate it all the last time!

I don't buy much at the Disney stores either.  I wish they would get the hint, but my be enough people who don't go to the parks di and it keeps them going.


----------



## PrincessInOz

MEK said:


> I know I am getting WAY in over my heading subbing to your rather lengthy TR, but I'm going to do my best.  I really want to read about DL since its on my bucket list.
> 
> I read your last update and I just want to say that I want a Veggie Grille here on the East Coast.  I always complain to Denny that there needs to be a fast food chain that has all veggie options.
> 
> OK - let's see what else other reading I can tackle tonight.



Welcome to the thread, MEK and thanks for subbing in!

This TR covers 3 trips over the course of 4 years.  So, you may want to check the second post for the quick links....if you are reading previous updates, it may just be easier to look at the ones that interest you.  Each of the trips does include at least one day to DLR. 

That Vegie Grill was amazing for my DH and he really enjoyed his meal that night.






franandaj said:


> Wow! There is a while night of replies that I don't think got posted your thread included!  We have a veggie grill near our hair dresser and Trader Joes. I avoid it because Fran is afraid of those kind of places. Was it real mac and cheese or was it Brandi's sort of cheese. No offense Brandi! I like quinoa, I just wish Fran did. She complains when I serve it, but she ate it all the last time!
> 
> I don't buy much at the Disney stores either.  I wish they would get the hint, but my be enough people who don't go to the parks di and it keeps them going.



Believe it or not, that mac and cheese is vegan.  I'm not sure that it even meets Brandi's definition of cheese!!!
(No offence from me either, Brandi!!).

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks the Disney stores need to raise their game.  I will add that the best Disney Store I've been to recently is the one at Hong Kong airport.  That store did have merchandise that they stock at the HK Disneyland park and the quality was, naturally, park quality....as was the prices.


----------



## PrincessInOz

Day 10: Last Day in Los Angeles


_*The First Breakfast*_


_Discovery #83.  Breakfast at the Hotel was adequate.  _




_We didn't rush out this morning._

_

_




_Being a hotel close to LAX, we figured that there would be the early travellers wanting to get to the airport and we waited a bit before heading down for a light bite to eat._

_

_




_I think the strategy paid off.  It was a rather empty buffet when we got down there._

_

_




_As breakfast buffets go, this one was probably about at standard. _

_

_




_There was enough of a selection for the pesky vegetarian.  _

_

_





_

_






_Both DH and I made it a light meal this morning.  Not so for DS.  He's a growing boy._

_

_




_He definitely ate more than DH and I put together!_

_

_




_

_




_




_

_We headed back to the room after breakfast to relax a bit more and finalise our packing.  It was nice not having to run out first thing in the morning._






(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*The Second Breakfast....er....Brunch*_


_Discovery #84.  Breakfast....er.....brunch with family was even better.  Significantly better!_




_We did have a couple of destinations to get to today and before too long, it was time for us to head out to the first stop._

_

_




_DH has a cousin that lives in Los Angeles and we had arranged to catch up with him and his wife this morning.  They had suggested catching up for brunch and we happily fell in with their plans and recommendation for food.  You may wonder why we had a first breakfast at the hotel when we knew we had this brunch catch up.  Well, we had arranged to meet at 10.30 am and we figured by the time we got to eat, it would be way past 11 am.  That was going to be too long for my family to wait to eat the first meal of the day.  At least, we didn't eat too much at the first sitting.  Not so for this second sitting!  _




_Don't be fooled by the lack of people in this room.  This was their second indoor room.  The first one was full and they had an outdoor patio area that was also jumping with people._

_

_




_Last day in SoCal....and this Nescrape was a good reminder of what I had to look forward to when I got home._

_

_





_Despite having had a light meal already, the breakfast menu was interesting enough to tempt all of us.  I couldn't go past the French Toast.  Neither could DS._

_

_





_DH and the cousin's wife ordered this Huevos dish.  I think it was part of the daily special menu._

_

_




_DH's cousin ordered an omelette burrito. I wish I remembered what the filling was.  It looked wonderful._

_

_




_And in true Mexican style, all egg dishes came with beans._

_

_




_As expected, the breakfast....er....brunch here was better than the buffet food we had.  But it really was delicious!  We don't reach out to this branch of the family often.  They have exceedingly busy lives and it isn't often that they are free to catch up.  So, we were doubly blessed this morning.  It was great catching up on family news. _


----------



## mvf-m11c

Two breakfast that one day. Does make sense to have a real breakfast at that restaurant. The brunch looks very nice and appetizing.


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## franandaj

You're like hobbits, having elevenses and all!  Looks good!  I'm starving right now!


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## dolphingirl47

Two breakfasts is impressive. I loved the look of the brunch place.

Corinna


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## rentayenta

Yay now that I'm hanging in these parts again, hopefully I can keep up! Anyone know why some threads send out notifications and others don't?  I'd be lying if I said it wasn't driving me a little nuts. 

Both breakfasts look good but the second looks amazing! I love the beans that are served with everything in Mexico.  The huevos dish looks heavenly with all that avocado.

Your hotel is quite nice.


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## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Anyone know why some threads send out notifications and others don't?



You can check a thread to see if you are signed up for notifications by clicking the "more options" button. Scroll down the page and it will have a box where you can check for notifications.  Personally I would go crazy if I got email notifications for all the threads I follow. I only choose to receive them for my own threads. I just go to the "watched threads" section of the DIS to find out what's new. And evidently the threads stay on that list until you visit them unlike the previous UserCP.


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## rentayenta

I am getting them for this thread now.


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## PrincessInOz

mvf-m11c said:


> Two breakfast that one day. Does make sense to have a real breakfast at that restaurant. The brunch looks very nice and appetizing.



I was so full after that second breakfast!  






franandaj said:


> You're like hobbits, having elevenses and all!  Looks good!  I'm starving right now!



The food at La Serenata was decent. 





dolphingirl47 said:


> Two breakfasts is impressive. I loved the look of the brunch place.
> 
> Corinna



Thanks Corinna.  It was very cute!







rentayenta said:


> Yay now that I'm hanging in these parts again, hopefully I can keep up! Anyone know why some threads send out notifications and others don't?  I'd be lying if I said it wasn't driving me a little nuts.
> 
> Both breakfasts look good but the second looks amazing! I love the beans that are served with everything in Mexico.  The huevos dish looks heavenly with all that avocado.
> 
> Your hotel is quite nice.



YAY for getting notifications again!  And don't worry...there's probably only another two updates more to go on this TR.  

One of my favourite things about a holiday to the US is the Mexican food.


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## scottny

Relaxing is always a good thing to do followed by shopping is even better. LOL.


I don’t like the Disney Store at all. I never find anything I like. We used to have a World of Disney store here in NYC but they closed it in favor of a regular store in Times Square. I am still so depressed from it.


The hotel breakfast looked good.


Glad the brunch was good and you got to see family.


Caught up again.


----------



## IowaTater

You know what they say, parting is such sweet sorrow (or something like that).  It's always hard to say goodbye, especially when you don't know when you'll see the other person again.  

I love the pictures of Casa Nueva.  And all the kitties!  My kitty would have a hayday with all those kitty trees. 

I really have to learn not to read you TRs before I've eaten lunch.  All those meals look wonderful.  We have a Melting Pot here in St. Louis as well but I have yet to go there.  I think I may have to organize a girls night and do so. 

I'm glad you got to spend so much time catching up with family and friends.  Often, that's the best part about a vacation.


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## PrincessInOz

scottny said:


> Relaxing is always a good thing to do followed by shopping is even better. LOL.
> 
> 
> I don’t like the Disney Store at all. I never find anything I like. We used to have a World of Disney store here in NYC but they closed it in favor of a regular store in Times Square. I am still so depressed from it.
> 
> 
> The hotel breakfast looked good.
> 
> 
> Glad the brunch was good and you got to see family.
> 
> 
> Caught up again.



I remember the WoD store in NYC.  It was great!  Shame that you got a regular store instead.  

Glad you are all caught up!


----------



## PrincessInOz

IowaTater said:


> You know what they say, parting is such sweet sorrow (or something like that).  It's always hard to say goodbye, especially when you don't know when you'll see the other person again.
> 
> I love the pictures of Casa Nueva.  And all the kitties!  My kitty would have a hayday with all those kitty trees.
> 
> I really have to learn not to read you TRs before I've eaten lunch.  All those meals look wonderful.  We have a Melting Pot here in St. Louis as well but I have yet to go there.  I think I may have to organize a girls night and do so.
> 
> I'm glad you got to spend so much time catching up with family and friends.  Often, that's the best part about a vacation.





Nice to see you checking in!
Hope things have been well with you in StL.  And yes, I do take a few pictures of food.


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## MEK

That second breakfast (er..I mean brunch) looks amazing!  Count me in!


----------



## ACDSNY

You needed two breakfasts to make up for the airplane food that was on your horizon.

The second one looks good.


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## PrincessInOz

MEK said:


> That second breakfast (er..I mean brunch) looks amazing!  Count me in!



In a way, I wished that I hadn't eaten that first breakfast.  






ACDSNY said:


> You needed two breakfasts to make up for the airplane food that was on your horizon.
> 
> The second one looks good.



Don't remind me!  Airplane food is not my favourite cuisine.


----------



## PrincessInOz

_*The End of the Trail*_


_Discovery #85.  The Santa Monica Pier is a lovely place for an afternoon stroll._



_The Dust Bowl or Dirty Thirties Era.   A period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies during the 1930s.  Where, due to the way farming was conducted, the prevailing winds blew away the topsoil of farming land in huge black, dusty clouds. The Dust Bowl forced tens of thousands of families to abandon their farms. Many of these families, who were often known as "Okies" because so many of them came from Oklahoma, migrated to California in search of better living conditions. _


_Thus, the Main Street of America....Route 66....represented that Great American dream in the 30's and 40's.  It was a means of escaping the dust bowl and farming heartbreak.  The exodus west was to continue after World War II; all in search of a better life.  An escape from the Dust Bowl and Rust Belt to the Sun Belt. _


_At the end of the trail....._

_


[/URL_
_]_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_....the Santa Monica Pier._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_After brunch, given how relatively close we were, DH and I decided to head down to the pier.  Afterall, it gave us a chance to take a look at the Pacific Ocean one more time._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_It really was the perfect beach day.  Temperatures were in the high 80's by this stage._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_The last time DH and I had strolled down this pier was in 1986.  We had come mid-week and it had been a bit of a ghost walk._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_It was a completely different experience on a Sunday.  It really turned out to be a great place for an afternoon stroll._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_We even caught a glimpse of a vintage car._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
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_Did I mention it was a hot day?  One of these was definitely in order!_
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
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_DS and I opted to share one.  I think DS got the lion's share on this day.  I found it hard to prise the cone away from him after this._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
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_We took a slow stroll down the pier and got in a few tourist shots and happy family reminders._
_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_

_
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_And it was lovely to see the old half-forgotten penny arcade attractions._
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_
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_Even if the penny arcade has long been modernised, some-what._
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_

_
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_It did put me in a reflective mood that day._
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_

_
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_Looking behind me, there's no denying that the beaches of California are very enticing._
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_

_
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_http://s816.photobucket.com/user/Pr...Oct 19/03 Santa Monica/1019 SoCal 52.jpg.html_
_One day, I'm going to find time to seek out some of Robert Waldmire's artwork for Route 66 and figure out why he's such an icon._
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_Despite the pier amusements, we kept going.  None of us were in the mood._
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_Afterall, it really isn't Disney!  It just pretends to be._
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_
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_I was surprised to see people fishing off the pier. _
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_

_
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_I wonder what sort of fish you would catch here._
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_

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_We did stop to enjoy the street entertainment along the pier from time to time._
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_

_
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_But we were heading to the end of pier._
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_
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_I think I was always looking for a vantage point to look back._
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_The end of the line._
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_It really was time to fly!_
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(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*A Performance to Remember*_


_Discovery #86.  Alison and Fran's band REALLY rock._




_Many of you know that Alison and Fran are part of a band.  I think that a couple of you may have even gone to see them perform live!  Today, it was my turn to see them live._


_I was delighted to find out that my last day in LA coincided with a band performance and when Alison asked if I was interested to attend, I jumped at the opportunity._
_We were heading to Shatto Chapel at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles._

_

_




_I took the opportunity to check out the details of the chapel._

_

_




_I just love ornate doors._

_

_




_We got there relatively early....at least early enough to have our pick of seats.  I chose to head upstairs._

_

_





_I figured I'd have a better angle from up there to shoot the band.  I wasn't wrong. _

_

_




_Alison spotted me fairly early on.  I got the unspoken message when I saw her and Fran in this position.  But I had the wrong lens on my big camera!_

_

_




_So, I had to improvise with the smart phone. _

_

_





_I have a ton of band pictures._

_

_





_So I'll just limit them to a couple of Fran..._

_

_




_

_





_...and Alison._

_

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_

_





_

_




_The band really rocked!  _


_Alison had mentioned that the second half of the program (The Divine Comedy symphony, based on the Dante epic, by Robert Smith) was a little heavy.  The first half was the light and popular music, in keeping with a Halloween theme. _
_DH and I both thought the second half was by far the more interesting program.  Alison had a couple of solo spots during the symphony and I truly appreciated how great her chops are during these spots.  You're really talented, Alison._


_Thanks for the invite, Alison.  We both thought this afternoon was one of the highlights of this trip and we're so glad to have had the opportunity to listen to you, Fran and the band play.  It was definitely a performance to remember.  If our trips ever do coincide with a live performance, we're definitely going to gatecrash and come listen to you play again._


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## MEK

So, first of all I had NO idea that Allison and Fran were in a band.  That is so super cool as I am really into stuff like that.  It looks like a great performance.  The church is also lovely.

And the Santa Monica Pier - wow - talk about some great and nostalgic pictures.  I just love that whole retro beach theme.  I mean - come one - Zoltar in the box (or whatever his name is).  That is so awesome.  That is one of the reason I love the Boardwalk so much.  It's just chocked full of nostalgic stuff from the Jersey shore. 

You are so right - who doesn't love a California beach?  This mountains in the background just make everything so picturesque.


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## ACDSNY

Santa Monica pier looks like a fun stroll, but Mickey and Minnie sure look like imposters.  The Zoltar reminds me of the movie "Big".

The church and band pics are beautiful, that was great you were able to attend.


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## franandaj

PrincessInOz said:


> _Thus, the Main Street of America....Route 66....represented that Great American dream in the 30's and 40's. It was a means of escaping the dust bowl and farming heartbreak. The exodus west was to continue after World War II; all in search of a better life. An escape from the Dust Bowl and Rust Belt to the Sun Belt. _



Nice little history lesson.  At one of the car museums that we visited last year, they had a bit about route 66 which really put it all into perspective about how America developed post war and why the automobile was such an integral part of that development.



PrincessInOz said:


> _It really was the perfect beach day. Temperatures were in the high 80's by this stage._



Looks like a lovely day at the beach



PrincessInOz said:


> _Afterall, it really isn't Disney! It just pretends to be._



Wow!  I can't believe Mickey and Minnie wanna be's were hanging out there!



PrincessInOz said:


> _So, I had to improvise with the smart phone. _



Great Shot!



PrincessInOz said:


> _So I'll just limit them to a couple of Fran..._



Nice pictures of Fran!



PrincessInOz said:


> _...and Alison._



And there's that expression again....



PrincessInOz said:


> _Alison had mentioned that the second half of the program (The Divine Comedy symphony, based on the Dante epic, by Robert Smith) was a little heavy. The first half was the light and popular music, in keeping with a Halloween theme.
> DH and I both thought the second half was by far the more interesting program. Alison had a couple of solo spots during the symphony and I truly appreciated how great her chops are during these spots. You're really talented, Alison._



If anyone is interested you can find them here.  



  The solo was in the second movement, Purgatorio.  Our last concert is up there as well, it was all movie music.



PrincessInOz said:


> _Thanks for the invite, Alison. We both thought this afternoon was one of the highlights of this trip and we're so glad to have had the opportunity to listen to you, Fran and the band play. It was definitely a performance to remember. If our trips ever do coincide with a live performance, we're definitely going to gatecrash and come listen to you play again._



Thank you for coming.  Since all my friends are either in the band or on the DIS, the only people I can invite are DIS friends!  Anyone who will be here around November 1st is welcome to come to our next concert, it's all Broadway show tunes.



ACDSNY said:


> The Zoltar reminds me of the movie "Big".



Thanks Angela, I could not for the life of me, remember what movie this was from!


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## mvf-m11c

The Santa Monica Pier looks amazing to go to. There are a lot of places in SoCal that I have never done that you have done during your trip. 

That was neat at that you were able to see Alison and Fran played at the Shatto Chapel.

When you saw them played in Los Angeles, I was able to see them perform at DCA. I will have to consider seeing them play again when I am down in SoCal.


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## dolphingirl47

Looks like Santa Monica Pier makes a perfect last day destination. We did this in 2011 when we came from our Panama Canal cruise and flew home the same day. I had been to Santa Monica once previously and did not really rate it, but I really enjoyed it in 2011. I am surprised that the Mickey and Minnie are still there. We saw them in 2011. I did not dare take a photo as I was worried that they were then trying to get money off me. I am really surprised that they have been able to get away with this for so long in Disney's backyard especially considering how big a deal character integrity is for Disney.

That chapel is beautiful and how wonderful that you managed to go to the concert. I am hoping that I get a chance to attend one of Alison's and Fran's concerts at some point in the future.

Corinna


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## LegoMom3

THEY HAVE A ZOLTAR!!!  Be careful what you wish for.....  


Gorgeous pics.  I *must* get to CA one of these days.

.


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## scottny

Nice pics around the pier.

Mickeys ears looked a little off. LOL.

That bird looks awfully close.

Great you got to see Alison and Fran play live.


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## jedijill

Caught back up!  Hate the new Dis notifications.  At least I'm learning to use the Watched Thread feature.

That brunch looked awesome and I love the pier.  Zoltar from Big!  That is so cool you got to see Alison and Fran's concert!  How fun!

Jill in CO


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## PrincessInOz

MEK said:


> So, first of all I had NO idea that Allison and Fran were in a band.  That is so super cool as I am really into stuff like that.  It looks like a great performance.  The church is also lovely.



Alison posted that video clip.  I hope you got to enjoy some of the performance on that day.  It really was super cool for us and we are also into musical performances as well.





MEK said:


> And the Santa Monica Pier - wow - talk about some great and nostalgic pictures.  I just love that whole retro beach theme.  I mean - come one - Zoltar in the box (or whatever his name is).  That is so awesome.  That is one of the reason I love the Boardwalk so much.  It's just chocked full of nostalgic stuff from the Jersey shore.



One of the things I love about visiting America is seeing all that retro beach stuff.  We do have Zoltar at some of the games arcades in Melbourne but it always gives me a real thrill to see them along one of those Americana Boardwalks.  I'd love to make it out to the Jersey shore one of these days.





MEK said:


> You are so right - who doesn't love a California beach?  This mountains in the background just make everything so picturesque.



I like the beaches of Huntingdale, Seal etc of LA.  But the ones that I love even more are the ones where there are mountains in the background; or with a few cliffs.  I really liked Laguna Beach for that reason and was really pleased to have made the effort on day 1 of this trip to spend some time there.  The beaches from Malibu upwards are also really picturesque as well.  And I think Solana beach and the one near Scripps Institute are also very pretty.




ACDSNY said:


> Santa Monica pier looks like a fun stroll, but Mickey and Minnie sure look like imposters.  The Zoltar reminds me of the movie "Big".
> 
> The church and band pics are beautiful, that was great you were able to attend.



It was amusing to see Mickey and Minnie but they really looked so 'wrong'.  I did figure out what was 'wrong'.  It was the ears.  You would never see Mickey in floppy ears!
Hmm.  It's been a while since I've seen 'Big'.  But you're right!

I was really so happy that my dates coincided with a band performance!







mvf-m11c said:


> The Santa Monica Pier looks amazing to go to. There are a lot of places in SoCal that I have never done that you have done during your trip.



Hopefully, you'll add it to one of your trips!  There are a lot of cool places in SoCal.





mvf-m11c said:


> That was neat at that you were able to see Alison and Fran played at the Shatto Chapel.
> 
> When you saw them played in Los Angeles, I was able to see them perform at DCA. I will have to consider seeing them play again when I am down in SoCal.



I'm sure that one of your trips will coincide with a band performance.  






dolphingirl47 said:


> Looks like Santa Monica Pier makes a perfect last day destination. We did this in 2011 when we came from our Panama Canal cruise and flew home the same day. I had been to Santa Monica once previously and did not really rate it, but I really enjoyed it in 2011. I am surprised that the Mickey and Minnie are still there. We saw them in 2011. I did not dare take a photo as I was worried that they were then trying to get money off me. I am really surprised that they have been able to get away with this for so long in Disney's backyard especially considering how big a deal character integrity is for Disney.
> 
> That chapel is beautiful and how wonderful that you managed to go to the concert. I am hoping that I get a chance to attend one of Alison's and Fran's concerts at some point in the future.
> 
> Corinna



I think the Santa Monica Pier is much better to visit on a weekend than on a weekday.  
I was surprised to see NOT Mickey and Minnie in a location so close to Disneyland.  I guess it is something that is hard to police 100% of the time.

Hope that you get to attend a concert as well!






LegoMom3 said:


> THEY HAVE A ZOLTAR!!!  Be careful what you wish for.....
> 
> 
> Gorgeous pics.  I *must* get to CA one of these days.
> 
> .



I hope you get to CA as well.  Maybe the moons will align and we can DisMeet there!  Wouldn't that be cool??






scottny said:


> Nice pics around the pier.
> 
> Mickeys ears looked a little off. LOL.
> 
> That bird looks awfully close.
> 
> Great you got to see Alison and Fran play live.



I was probably about 3 meters away from the bird.  It was perching on the railing.








jedijill said:


> Caught back up!  Hate the new Dis notifications.  At least I'm learning to use the Watched Thread feature.
> 
> That brunch looked awesome and I love the pier.  Zoltar from Big!  That is so cool you got to see Alison and Fran's concert!  How fun!
> 
> Jill in CO



There are some things that take a little getting used to on the new Dis.  Glad you're all caught up again!

It was a great day with the brunch, the pier and the highlight was definitely the concert.


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## PrincessInOz

franandaj said:


> Nice little history lesson.  At one of the car museums that we visited last year, they had a bit about route 66 which really put it all into perspective about how America developed post war and why the automobile was such an integral part of that development.



One of these days, I'm going to start in Chicago and drive all the way down Route 66.  I watched Billy Connolly bike down the entire length on TV and it just looked like such a fun thing to do.  So much history to learn!





franandaj said:


> Looks like a lovely day at the beach



It was a great day.  Hot!  But perfect beach weather.






franandaj said:


> If anyone is interested you can find them here.
> 
> 
> 
> The solo was in the second movement, Purgatorio.  Our last concert is up there as well, it was all movie music.



Thanks for sharing! I really liked that piece.





franandaj said:


> Thank you for coming.  Since all my friends are either in the band or on the DIS, the only people I can invite are DIS friends!  Anyone who will be here around November 1st is welcome to come to our next concert, it's all Broadway show tunes.



November 1st?  I'll try and keep that in mind.


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## Leshaface

PrincessInOz said:


>



It's so hard for me to pass up French Toast.  Ugh, this looks delicious.



PrincessInOz said:


>



Actually this looks delicious too!



PrincessInOz said:


> As expected, the breakfast....er....brunch here was better than the buffet food we had. But it really was delicious! We don't reach out to this branch of the family often. They have exceedingly busy lives and it isn't often that they are free to catch up. So, we were doubly blessed this morning. It was great catching up on family news.



That is great that you were able to catch up with family.



PrincessInOz said:


>



Cute picture!



PrincessInOz said:


>



I do love Cali beaches.  



PrincessInOz said:


>



I just never understand why folks would want to take pictures with these 'characters'.  The costumes are just awful!



PrincessInOz said:


>



Very pretty!



PrincessInOz said:


>





PrincessInOz said:


>



Such good shots of them!


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## PrincessInOz

Leshaface said:


> It's so hard for me to pass up French Toast.  Ugh, this looks delicious.
> 
> Actually this looks delicious too!
> That is great that you were able to catch up with family.
> Cute picture!
> I do love Cali beaches.
> I just never understand why folks would want to take pictures with these 'characters'.  The costumes are just awful!
> Very pretty!
> Such good shots of them!



Thanks Lesha.  

The french toast was delicious.  I can't vouch for the avo dish.  I didn't eat that one.  
We have beaches on the other side of the Pacific ocean; and they are good too...but there is nothing quite like a Cali beach.
I liked my pictures of Fran, Alison and the band.  I came with with well over 200 on that day and culled it down to 60 - 80.  Needless to say, there was no point in sharing those on the Dis.


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## PrincessInOz

_*Heading Home*_


_Discovery #87.  Parting is such sweet sorrow._



_Sadly, there really isn't much more to share of this TR._


_After saying our final goodbyes to Alison and Fran, we made our way back to the hotel so that we could grab a final shower and change into our travel clothes._

_

_




_I had completed most of our packing last night and there were just only the last minute toiletries and our daywear to pack._

_

_




_There was one final piece of pixie dust surprise waiting for us when we checked out.  I had originally booked us in for a two night stay so that we could leave our bags somewhere safe and have a final shower.  We weren't staying the second night and when we went to check out (it was about 6 pm by this stage), the staff of the hotel only charged us for the one night.  That was a complete bonus as far as I was concerned!  Thank you Hyatt Place._

_

_




_And then it was time to head off._

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_We needed to get to the airport to drop off the car._

_

_




_DH and I contemplated where to eat dinner and in the end we ate at the airport.  I was dubious about airport food but given that LAX had been refurbed, DH thought it was worth giving it a go.  Besides, it was only going to be a light meal as we would be fed 'dinner' on the plane._


_My fears turned out unfounded.  There were quite a few choices at the airport._

_

_




_DS ended up having a pizza. _

_

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_I think DH grabbed an un-pornworthy salad.  I grabbed an Umami burger.  I think this was one of those West Coast burger chains that has popped up since the last time I visited and I had been keen to give it a taste test._

_

_




_It was tasty enough but pricey as US burgers go.  It is also a lot smaller in portion size than the standard US burger._

_

_




_I also got us half a dozen of the little Vanilla Cupcakes that DS and I love so much.  Good to the last crumb._

_

_




_Saying goodbye is such sweet sorrow.  I took the opportunity to text and call a few people to say goodbye._

_

_




_It always seems like you wait a long time at the airport.  But the call to board the plane seems to come quicker than you think._

_

_




_We had an uneventful flight back to Sydney airport.  As we left on a Sunday, our flight wasn't as full as a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night flight.  We ended up having 5 seats between the 3 of us.  With that amount of extra space, all 3 of us got sleep.  I'm pretty sure that I lost track of a good 5 hours or so somewhere during that flight which is an absolute record for me. _



_And when we got back to Sydney airport, DS reminded me of something we didn't indulge in whilst in the US._

_

_




_The irony of it!  Krispy Kreme mocking me in Sydney Airport in Halloween/Fall colours._

_

_






_And from Sydney back to Melbourne and home.  The sorrow of another vacation being over was replaced with the sweetness of being home._






(Continued in Next Post)


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## PrincessInOz

(Continued from Previous Post)


_*A trip down Memory Lane*_


_Discovery #88.  When all else fails, I will have my memories, pictures and souvenirs of the trip to remind me of what a great trip this was._




_What a Mad Dash this trip turned out to be! _



_Family and friends.  What happy memories I have of these 10 days._

_It had started as a trip to mark a happy occasion with my cousin in San Diego and I am so thankful that we made the effort to do so.  Life passes too quickly and I firmly believe that we need to spend as much time as possible with our family and friends.  And that's what we did on this trip._

_The San Diego branch of my family is one that I feel particularly close to.  It was to be a very happy 4 days that we spent with them. _


_And then the time I spent with Bret and his DAF.  I really appreciated Bret making a special trip down to spend time with me and my family.  I hope we get to do that again in the future._

_It was also pretty special to be able to stay with Alison and Fran and deepen the friendship that has developed and grown over the years.  I am truly humbled by their generosity in opening up their home to me and my family.  I hope that I get the opportunity to reciprocate in kind when they decide to come to Australia._




_And my souvenirs?_

_These are some of the 'snacks' I came home with._

_

_




_For the record, I do not thank Bret for introducing me to those Californian wine wafers.  Along with the Milano cookies, the Choke Cherry Tree Pear Honey and my aunt's peanut brittle, I now have yet another addiction to feed and salivate over in between my Mad Dashes.  For those of you that have not yet tried these wafers, I liked them very much and if you have the opportunity to do so, it is a very hard pick between the mocha coffee and the lemon vanilla that Bret gave us.  _


_My clothes shopping stash kinda looks like this.  By any standards, it was a modest haul this time round.  But I really didn't have that many gaps or replacement items to get in my wardrobe._

_

 _




_My daily reminder of this trip was this D&B.  This is my current handbag and I smile every time I pick it up._

_

_




_My indulgence from this trip.  I really didn't need it....but I'm so glad I bought it.  It truly is a great reminder of my time at Disney this trip._

_

_




_My other Disney treasures._

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_




_Some of these are on my fridge and the others are on my printer's tray._

_

_



_Which reminds me.....now that it's getting to winter here, I better go find this sweatshirt and wear it!_

_

_




_My present from myself to myself.  These Pandora earring blanks are now suitably decorated with some charms from the Pandora Disney collection. _

_

_




_What a Mad Dash trip this turned out to be.  For as long as we have the opportunity to do these kind of dashes across the Pacific Ocean, I suspect that DH and I will do so.  Afterall, we do have quite a few family and friends to catch up with now._

_We had highlights on every day of this trip that it would take me too long to recount them all if I had to.  But it boils down to f__amily, friends, pictures and souvenirs.  All of which are larger and/or smaller parts of the fabric of my life that I look forward to and treasure the moments when I can._


_In the midst of all the travelling, I have discovered things about SoCal, things about my family and friends and things about myself that are both good and bad.  I think that's why I love the travelling so much.  It keeps me thinking and learning and growing.  May we live in interesting times....always._


_Thank you for letting me share this trip with you.  I hope to have the opportunity to do so again in the future._





__


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## dolphingirl47

That was an nice surprise that they only charged you for one night. I am quite impressed with that food court at LAX. This is one of my least favourite airports as there is so little there. Which terminal is this?

You did bring back a lot of different treasures. The Dooney and Bourke bag made me smile. I love my Dooneys, but mine are all Disney.

I have just recently come to realize just how precious those kinds of memories are. Thanks for sharing yours. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading along. 

Corinna


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## wiscbugs

What a great 10 day trip..thanks for sharing with us!


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## MEK

What a lovely, sentimental ending to your TR.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I got in on the tail end.  

What a nice perk to not have a room charge for that last day.  Major score.  

I'm so glad you had an uneventful flight home.  Years ago I flew from LAX to New Zealand.  It was a full flight and very difficult to get any kind of sleep.  Score on having multiple seats to share.  That is so awesome.  My return flight was like that and I was thrilled.  

Love all your souvies.  I especially love the wine stopper.  How cool is that?  And I'm so glad you have enjoyed it so much.  

Any future plans?


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## mvf-m11c

That was neat that the Hyatt Hotel only charged you for only one night.

You brought back a lot of great souvenirs during your trip. I will remember to bring you California wine wafers to you when we meet up again. Just like you, I do enjoy eating these wafers which I do wonder why I can't stop eating these cookies. We got the wafers at the Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento.

It was a pleasure to go down and hang out with you, DH and DS for a few days and to hang out with Alison and Fran. Definitely well worth the trip. Thank you for a great time. I enjoyed reading your trip reports and can't wait for you to be back here in the U.S.


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## franandaj

I read this update on my phone on Sunday morning when I woke up.  We had to check out of the Grand Californian that day after the Birthday weekend filled with all kinds of fun and good friends.  It brought a tear to my eye remembering that same feeling when you left my house.  It was such fun having you stay, Bret and his DAF to come over for lunch.

We've made so many wonderful friends here on the DIS and it is such fun to get together and spend time with each other!  You also got quite the haul there, some very wonderful treats, and cute souvenirs as well as practical and shiny things!  I look forward to your next mad dash and here's to hoping we find somewhere to meet up in there again!


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## EJ4Disney

Thanks so much for taking us with you on your wonderful journey.  I really enjoyed it!!


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## jedijill

I'm so sad that this Mad Dash is over!  Keep us posted on the next one...I would love to meet up!  I've also closed on my new house and am settling in....that means Australia 2016 planning is getting ready to start!

Jill in CO


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## LegoMom3

That is a BIG-*** plane!! (<-- I did the stars myself, but you get it.  ).  I get it's going a whole lot further, but I'm used to a 737 for my hops down to Florida!  That bird there with four engines, double-decker windows.....WOW.  Are they any roomier inside, or are the seats just as cramped?!

Well, thanks for taking us all along on this journey of yours!  It was great to follow along.  LOVE all your photos, as usual.  You have a talent there.

And yes, I do think it would be great to meet up in Cali one day!!  Hey, we can dream!  

.


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## scottny

Nice of them to not charge you.


The wine wafers sound interesting.


Nice stuff you came home with.


Thanks for sharing your trip.


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## MEK

I'm bumping this because I want to read your california coast and san fran sections.  We are planning a callie trip next spring and I have some research to do!


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