Since Sarah works as a server and is also a student, her opportunity to travel is limited. After the year-end holidays were over and before the next semester began was her opportune moment. Her goal was some R&R and also some fun in sunny California. I think we accomplished the goal.
Once I learned the Aquarium of the Pacific had a penguin exhibit, that became a must destination.
The touch tank was full of color - makes them look fake, but they're not.
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| how many Nemos and Dorys do you see? |
I never knew there were so many kinds and sizes of sea horses.
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| fun photo - we held out our hands and penguins were added digitally |
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Going for massages seemed like a good way to prepare for a hectic weekend at Disneyland! We hadn't been to this park in many years. There were plenty of new things to try (Toy Story Mania, Monsters Inc and Radiator Springs) and several old favorites (Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantasmic).
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| pretty by night, too |
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| NYC taxis in Roger Rabbit ride |
Tom has been a fan of Toy Story (and Woody) since the beginning. We didn't go inside the Lego store, but loved the Woody and Buzz display.
We spotted several characters in the parks without going out of our way. No need for autographs this time. I like Russell, from Up, even if no one was dressed like him.
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| Sarah with Oswald who preceded Mickey |
Tom was willing to have his picture taken, but wasn't going closer to Woody.
The Little Mermaid ride was new to us, but a must. It was the first movie that Sarah adored and watched as often as we allowed.
The "toy" soldiers got out of their jeep and put on a very funny show.
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| fun shooting game |
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| Minnie in California Adventure |
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| Daisy |
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| Mickey, the star of the show |
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| Goofy |
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| Minnie in Disneyland |
It wasn't as warm as we would have liked and was exhausting, but we enjoyed our Disney experience anyway.
Taking advantage of location, we also toured Warner Brothers Studios. We were greeted by Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny.
The water tower no longer actually holds water, but it is still a very recognizable part of Warner Brothers.
For Harry Potter fans, there was a nice display of props from some of
the movies. Evidently, they weren't all filmed at Universal Studios.
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| Ravenclaw |
We were each "sorted" by the sorting hat.
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| Slytherin! |
The plaque for Stage 25 lists movies and TV shows that have been filmed there. The last on the list is "The Big Bang Theory" which is still a favorite of mine. We were able to go inside and see the sets where the filming takes place, but no photos were allowed there.
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| what it looks like during filming |
There are loads of props available - which of the street lights fits your scene?
There was also a large Batman display.
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| set where visitors could reenact scenes from "Friends" |
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| Ellen and Ellen....now if I could just get tickets to her show! |
At the end of the tour, there was a chance to sit on a prop in front of a green screen. Later, the background was added and we were able to buy the photo.
Since we have plenty of counter space and kitchen equipment, Sarah suggested we have a baking day. She chose the recipes and we made a danish with flaky crust. It was filled with layers of cream cheese, lemon curd and raspberry. It was a lot of work, but delicious.
Right before taking her to the airport for her flight home, we remembered to get a group photo.
Next time she comes, I'll know my way around the area better.
The Japanese garden was lovely. I particularly liked seeing the display of bonsai trees. So many varieties I'd never seen before. 
It was fun to watch the dolphins playing so close to the boat - they loved the wake we left behind.
