You can do it Dumbo!

Off for another wonderful day at Disneyland. Doug was somewhat irritated with me - We had ran by a Disney store before the park so I could grab a few things. I called Mom from the store and we ended up talking for like an hour. Anyway, when we (finally) got to Disneyland, we stopped by the visit with My Cigar Store Indian:

We didn't ride Dumbo, but I did get a picture in a little prop Dumbo they have standing:

and we stopped to watch the fireworks while I drank my coffee - Dumbo is supposed to fly (like Tinkerbell) in front of the castle but I guess he was tired tonight - he never showed up.

End of Summer at Disneyland

Tonight was the last night of Disneyland Summer Nightastic promotion (with the Electrical Parade and Summer fireworks and so on and so forth). When we exited after riding Rodger Rabbit we walked into these two!
When I said it was for my sister in the Peace Corps they both flashed peace signs (get it, get it!!).
In Toontown at Goofy's House (he crashed his car into his mailbox! silly dog):

Sleeping Beauty Castle misses you (and it doesnt even know you!):

We kinda went specifically because I wanted to see the Electrical Parade again...so for your viewing pleasure:





(Do have the videos 2-4, but I didn't know if anyone cared to watch that much of it)

Laura's Disney Birthday (Observed)

Disney is doing a 'Free on your Birthday!' promotion this year. Hurrah! However, our annual passes are blocked on my birthday, so while I coulda gotten in free Doug woulda had to pay. We did end up going on my birthday so I could use my free day to upgrade my annual pass - to a Deluxe! I can go 315 days a year! wahoo!!!!

Anyway, on my actual birthday we didn't go into the park - I didn't get any further than the ticket gate. We went back to Disney for my observed birthday Monday - got a birthday pin and everything!

One of the first things (and only things we got to ride - the crowds were HUGE) was one of my favorites, the Haunted Mansion!


Do you remember how much I cried the first time Mom and Dad made me ride it? I love it now. The one here in Cali looks like an old plantation (and it's in New Orleans Square). And it turns 40 this year!

So I think I may be official old today -

Happy 26th birthday to me!!! I had a great day - it really was wonderful. The night before, Doug surprised me with a dozen roses when he came home from work. We woke up bright and early on the 14th - for much like our family doesn't do relaxing vacations I don't do relaxing birthdays - and drove to Anaheim for Disneyland! (See next post). That didn't take long, so we drove into LA to eat at the Farmers Market!

It's REALLY fun!!! The Farmers Market is celebrating it's 75th Anniversary this year - it's connected to the Grove which is a huge impressive outdoor mall. There's only a few stalls that sell groceries still - and those are more speciality produce. It's kinda like if the French Market and Fanueil Hall had a baby - most of the stalls are old deli's, coffee shops, PIE shops (i had a chocolate cream that tasted like Big Nenan's) and, funny enough, an award winning gumbo place!

We ate the deli you can see in the right side of this picture - so good!:

After the farmers market we braved rush hour traffic (I have the worse timing with the traffic, i still don't think about it) to get to the Getty for their evening hours. Unfortunately, I apparently can't read because they are NOT open on Friday evenings! We had planned to do Getty and then supper at the Ragin' Cajun Cafe in Hermosa Beach....but with no Getty our plans were dashed. So we went to Anaheim, did some shopping at a Disney Outlet store, and then supper at Fire and Ice

It's brand new in a brand new shopping center a block from Disneyland. (You remember when we went in Boston). The patio had just opened up early in the evening - happy birthday to me!!!

We saw this as we were walking out - Disney is EVERYWHERE!

Laura Lane (not Lois Lane)

It made me smile - thinking of you!

Hermosa Beach

Another Southern California day at the beach. This time, Marie came out to play. I think she enjoyed herself - she was smiling the entire time.

The water is COLD - very very very cold.

After much convincing by Doug I did go in and play around for a while (still not a huge beach person, I do like swimming)