Pearl's First Trip to Disneyland: Part II

MONDAY

After a great night of sleep, we headed down to the hotel restaurant for our complimentary breakfast of two eegs, breakfast potatoes, and bacon. The eggs and potatoes were good and hearty. The bacon was shitty and deep fried and grizzly. Gross.

We finally made it to the park just after opening! This is the big exciting moment we've all been waiting for!!!

And by "all", I mean everyone except Pearl. As you can see, she still wasn't sure about this whole "Disneyland" place.

Once we passed the gates and took our round of memorable photos in front of the giant Mickey face, Pearl began to loosen up. And once she saw a costumed Gepetto taking photos with visitors, she was SOLD.

And then, within 10 minutes of entering the park, this happened:

...Boyfriend realized he'd lost his backpack.

Lucky for us, it was still at the front gate where he took it off for pictures. And even more lucky for us, the Disney cops didn't see an unattended backpack sitting in the middle of the park and call the bomb squad.

I'm not sure what's going on with Pearl's mouth here, but I like it. 

Vicki, Tate, and cousin Hope.

It's a Small World

Being cool in Toontown.

Lunch break.

The Mad Hatter.

A butterfly that kept landing on us.

Aaaaand, this is where my stomach hit rock bottom and I got sick. I ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel room and missed the second half of the day.

Jerk stomach.

And with that, our first day at the park came to an end.

Next post: California Adventure!

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Pearl's First Trip to Disneyland: Part I

Two weeks ago was Pearl's 6th birthday. To celebrate not only her birthday (and her recent non-fear of grown ass adults in full body costumes), but also her cousin's birthday AND Boyfriend's birthday, we had planned to go Disneyland for over a year.

If you've never been to Disneyland, here's the lay of the land:

Downtown Disney: An outdoor shopping strip filled with overpriced Disney-themed paraphernalia and family dining establishments, located just outside of the park. It's open to the public and you don't need tickets to get in.

Disneyland:  The real deal Holyfield. This is the main attraction where you see giant characters darting in and out of unmarked doors, trying to get from one location to another without getting mauled by a thousand sweaty little kids. The themes within the park include Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Toontown, and New Orleans Square.

California Adventure: A more laid-back, less-populated theme park directly across from Disneyland. The themes are comprised of locations throughout California, like the Santa Cruz boardwalk, Cannery Row in San Francisco, Napa Valley, etc.

Since I took approximately 84,000 photos during our visit to all three locations, I can pretty much guarantee this post is going to be 95% photo dump. And because I have so many pictures to post, I'll most likely break it up into three entries.

So, while I realize I may lose some of you with the boring-lovey-dovey-sweet-family stuff, I'm okay with it because this is more like one of those personal "journal" type entries. Hopefully, you can follow along and appreciate what it's like to be at the happiest place on earth.


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SUNDAY

Exiting the freeway, we got turned around and somehow missed the huge signs saying "DOWNTOWN DISNEY - RIGHT TWO LANES". To get us back on track, I pulled up mapquest on my phone. Only stupid mapquest rerouted us to Disney, Oklahoma.

Needless to say, I figured that one out when I saw that according to mapquest, Disneyland was only 1,500 miles.

We got to Anaheim around 1:30pm and met up Boyfriend's sister and her family for lunch at The Rainforest Cafe.

I got a cheeseburger and INHALED it.

The bun was pretty sorry looking, but my mouth didn't care.

From there, we hit up the much-anticipated "Build-A-Bear" store.

The girls typing in their new Build-A-Bear's "birth certificate".

While we were there, we saw a girl who was shopping for hats for her mini pig.

He was my favorite Build-A-Bear.

The hotel we stayed at is called The Anabella. I would HIGHLY recommend it to fellow Disneyland visitors. It's located one block from the park, and there's a nicely landscaped walkway straight to Downtown Disney. Both Boyfriend and I thought the beds were super comfy, the exterior of the hotel was nicely landscaped with lush plants, and the rooms were very affordable (especially compared to the Disney hotels). The only downside I noticed was the couch- it's not very cushy and you can feel every spring. But that's because it's a pull-out couch. And also, it was really just the little girls who were sitting on the couch anyway and they're young enough to tough it out.

The girls slept in the alcove bed around the corner. 

Dressing space separate from the bathroom. 

The garden outside of our rooms. 

The hotel grounds.

Since we didn't have park tickets for Sunday, we all just relaxed at the hotel pool that first evening.

And by "all", I mean Vicki and I relaxed while the dads provided water transportation services all around the pool.

That night, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, Tangerine. Pearl wore a princess dress and I ordered a vegetable sandwich loaded with goat cheese. Neither is very surprising.

Worth noting: The hotel restaurant has a DELICIOUS, fruity cocktail called The Tangerita (I think...). If you go there, order it.

After dinner, everyone was pooped. So we all headed back to our rooms and called it a night.

Next post: Disneyland!!!

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Jello Mold.

Have you ever seen a jello mold before? I went to a baby shower for a good friend a couple of weeks ago and they had two there. I don't remember seeing a jello mold ever before, but I have to admit, when I saw one of these I was pretty amazed.

So, the first one seemed like a jazzed up, but still fairly standard version. It involved some kind of milk product (possibly condensed), which is what turned it white.

Since I LOVE condensed milk, I went for it.

The flavor was very mild and subtle and the texture was no different than normal jello. It was tasty and I liked it.

The other jello mold was the fanciest floral masterpiece I think I'll probably ever see created out of gelatin.

I was sure there was an artificial flower set into the middle. But when I saw someone easily slice all the way through the middle of it, I couldn't believe my eyes.

overhead shot

The entire piece was jello.

I have no idea how this voodoo magic was created, but I was impressed to say the least.

Do you know how to make these? If so, please share!

Boner'ppetite!

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I Should Have Brought Immodium...

I'm on a family vacation right now with Pearl and Boyfriend and Boyfriend's sister and her family. I was happily enjoying the Disneyland park when all of a sudden my stomach hit the switches and said "OH HELLS NO. You will NOT be having a good time on MY watch." Things went from 0 to 60 in record time and now here I am, laid out in the hotel room while the rest of the group enjoys all the amenities Walt Disney has to offer.

While laying here I decided to look through the camera and pretend I'm not in diarrhea agony, daydream I'm actually back at the park, check out the shots I got. That's when I noticed something that I thought was worth sharing.

Kids have great skin.

I mean, really great, fucking perfect-looking porcelain skin.

In EVERY single shot of Pearl and her cousin, they're both rosy and cherub-cheeked, bright-eyed, happy and natural looking in front of the camera, clear complected, energetic and full of life... I could go on forever.

And the pictures of me? There's a 50/50 chance that I'll look like some kind of Rosie O'Donnell/ Steven Cojocaru/ Crypt Keeper/ grizzly bear hybrid.

My eyelids are all heavy and bloodshot and look like I haven't slept in 3 years. And the dark circles underneath look like I've been hidden away like Flowers in the Attic. My cheeks are puffy and saggy like fucking Droopy Dog on crack. My teeth are turning 28 shades of "shit" and I have no idea why because I don't smoke OR drink coffee, and Yes, I do brush my teeth on a regular basis. My hair looks like I'm wearing a sorry fucking 1994 Selena wig. I could go on, but I can tell I'm about 5 minutes away from another bathroom visit so I better cut it short.

I'm not telling you all this to get sympathetic "Aw, you look great!".

I'm telling you this so you'll be aware. And join me in cursing that bitch, Mother Nature.

Happy Monday.

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Semi-Homemade Taquitos.

Tonight I came home with an awful headache. I knew I needed to eat something, but I didn't feel like making much of an effort.

So with a little help from Trader Joe...

Trader Joe's Black Bean and Cheese Taquitos

And one of these...

Avocado, salt, onion powder, and lime juice

And some of these guys...

 Sour cream and Mexican Cotija Cheese

I came up with this:

Sandra Lee isn't the only one who can throw some pre-made shit together and call it "homemade".

Also- you better believe I ate every bite.

Boner'ppetite!

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Chocolate Croissants.

Yesterday, Boyfriend and I were at Trader Joe's doing our annual "fancy shopping" run. Midway through the trip I caught him staring intensely and making "i love you" eyeballs at a box of chocolate croissants. I didn't pay much attention because I don't really like chocolate and the last thing we need is more junk food in the house.

And then two minutes later, I went back and sneakily threw them in the cart.

Last night, we decided to have them for breakfast this morning. Thank God I decided to read the instructions last night because they involve 9 hours of "sitting out" before you can even bake them.

So that's exactly what I did. I set them out. And all night long, my mouth watered in anticipation.

Here's the play-by-play with these French delights:

1. Place frozen pastries, seam side down 4-5 inches apart on either a lightly buttered or paper lined baking sheet.
(I forgot to take a before picture, which is unfortunate because you don't get to see the massive change in size that takes place. For now, just imagine the width of a large taquito.)

2. Allow uncovered croissants to sit at room temperature for 9 hours.

(Be amazed when you wake up to these mondo puffs.)

3. Preheat oven to 350.

4. If you want a shinier finish, beat one egg with a fork and use a pastry brush to lightly glaze the tops of the croissants.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crisp and quite brown. Light golden croissants will not be thoroughly baked.

6. Cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate croissant and Earl Grey is a great way to start the day.

Note:
-I used parchment paper instead of "lightly butter"ing a baking sheet. As it turns out, these little guys have PLENTY of butter already incorporated into their dough and they actually don't need any more (which says a lot coming from me).
-I didn't read the last line of the instructions about "Light golden croissants will not be thoroughly baked" and we took them out at 20 minutes. They seemed on the "lighter" side, but they were totally cooked throughout. Because oven settings vary, the cooking time may differ. But for us, 20 minutes was perfect.

At $1 per croissant ($3.99 for 4), this purchase is a no brainer. They come out super flaky and crispy on the outside, and soft and bready on the inside. And making them at home means you get them fresh out of the oven and you do't even have to get human-looking to trek down to the local coffee shop.

Boner'ppetite!

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Video: 4th Graders Flash Mob.

My nephews class did a flash mob and it is too cute to not share.

I guess you have to know him to know that he's usually a pretty shy kid. So it's really funny to see him dancing around like he's on America's Best Dance Crew.

(He's the little guy in black shorts and black shoes standing in front of the blue door (second to last in line).

Everyday he's shufflin'.

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A Guest Post at "So... What Else?"

Just a quick one today-

I did a guest post at "So... What else?" yesterday!!

I use the words "guest post" loosely. It was actually just a blog survey that Sarah came up with and encouraged fellow bloggers to participate in. She's still accepting answers, so if you're interested in playing along, send them in!

CHECK OUT THE POST HERE!

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Recipe: Soy Sauce Edamame

What do you think of Blogger's new layout? I hate it. Which makes me think I'm like those old farts who complain about every little change that Facebook makes. So with that said, this is the last you'll hear from me about Blogger's new stupid layout.

SOY SAUCE EDAMAME

Late last year, my company had a dinner party at a Japanese restaurant in downtown LA called Takami. One of the appetizers ordered was edamame and it was super savory and flavorful and delicious. Since edamame is tiny and light, I'm pretty sure I ate about five hundred of them before the first round of sushi even came out.

Takami's version.

Since the flavors seemed pretty basic, Boyfriend and I decided to attempt the recipe on our own. This is what we came up with.

INGREDIENTS
-Frozen edamame beans
-1 large clove fresh garlic per serving of edamame
-1.5 tbsp butter per serving of edamame
-1/4 cup soy sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil edamame beans in lightly salted water according to package instructions.

2. Once beans are done boiling and have been drained, transfer them to a frying pan. Saute with butter, garlic, and soy sauce. Since the beans are already cooked, you just need to toss them around with the other stuff until it's well coated and heated throughout.

3. Serve and eat while hot!

DISCLAIMER: We've made this recipe a few times and I've actually never measured the ingredients. I kind of just wing it. But the measurements above seem pretty close to what I think I've used. And by "pretty close", I mean I've probably used more butter and garlic.

 My version.

As you can tell from the picture, this time I went a little light on the soy sauce. But take it from me, you'd rather go light than heavy with it. Because once you've added too much soy sauce, this dish pretty much tastes like rock salt.

Boner'ppetite!

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Recipe: Shepherd's Pie

If you've never tried Shepherd's Pie, it's basically just ground beef and mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy. No weird animal parts. Just good old meat and potatoes.

It's delicious.



I first tried this recipe when my coworker Sarah whipped it up for our office St. Patrick's Day potluck.

Not only was the dish impressive, Sarah said it was a recipe she found online and had never made before. And she said it was super easy.

I was sold.

Boyfriend and I have made this meal twice and it seems to be a pretty fail proof recipe. One of those times, I invited my teenage niece and nephew over and even THEY gave it the stamp of approval. That says a lot because kids (of any age) can be real assholes.


EASY SHEPHERD'S PIE

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cups vegetables (carrots, corn, peas)
1.5-2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
1 stick of butter
-1/2 cup beef broth
-1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-salt, pepper, seasonings to taste



DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel and quarter potatoes. Boil until tender enough for mashing.

2. While potatoes are boiling, melt 1/2 stick of butter in a large frying pan. Saute onions and carrots over medium heat until tender (10 min).



3. Add ground beef and saute until no longer pink. Add salt/ pepper/ or any other seasonings to taste.



4. Add carrots and peas.

5. Add Worcestershire sauce.

5. Add beef broth and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add more broth as necessary to keep it moist.

6. Mash potatoes with remaining butter.



7. Place beef mixture into a casserole dish. Distribute mashed potatoes evenly on top. Rough up with a fork so the peaks will brown nicely.



8. Cook at 400 until bubbling and brown (about 30 min). Broil for the last few minutes if necessary to brown.



Yield: Serves 4


NOTES:
-The more veggies, the better. Especially carrots and corn because they add texture.
-The first time we made it, we learned that the suggested amount of 1/2 cup of broth was way too much liquid. So the second time we made it, we added the full amount (so it wouldn't dry out), but then drained most of it before moving the beef mixture into the baking dish.
-I make the mashed potatoes according to my own recipe. More than 1/2 stick of butter was used. As well as salt, pepper, and milk.
-To add a little color, we sprinkled paprika over the top of the casserole before cooking.
-Both times, this recipe yielded 6 servings (not 4).

Boner'ppetite!

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