Bossy and Her Posse

Rockapella in Napa Day 1

Napa Valley Opera House -- Napa, CA

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Buddies

Glenn and Cindy picked me up in the morning, and Glenn dropped off the 2 of us gals at the airport.  This was a much more relaxed feeling than the trip to NJ, mainly because I was on time, and my traveling companions didn't have to freak out about boarding the plane without me.  Cindy and I had an empty seat between us, so we amused ourselves by taking pictures of Bananaman and Monkey.  Yes, Bananaman came along, because it was still January!  Aren't they the cutest?  Especially with Monkey eating other snacks in order to keep him from munching on the B-Man.

When we arrived in Sacramento, I was all confused.  Normally, I know exactly what to do at SMF, because I fly there so frequently, both for business and pleasure.  But Southwest flights are now at the pretty new terminal, and I had no idea what I was doing.  I didn't even know how to meet up with Jenn.  It was weird.  Jenn arrived not long after we did (she flew from BUR, and we came from ONT), so we waited for her at the pink art thing.  

Waiting for Jenn

We took the train to the main part of the terminal, then took the shuttle to the rental cars, which were still in the location as before.  The Hertz guy, whom was very nice, but I can't recall his name and it is not on my rental paperwork, told us how to complete the form regarding any damages to the car prior to leaving the lot.  I marked down a ding or two, and Cindy, Jenn and I got into the car. (KP, Wendy and Jeff were in a different car).  As I backed out of the space, I didn't see where I should put the paper regarding the car damage.  Jenn volunteered to ask the guy at the guard shack about it, and on her way back, she got hit on the head by the security arm thing.  Once we figured out that she was OK and not seeing stars, we all laughed as she pointed out that I was supposed to use the box on the pole where the car had been parked.  All of Jenn's more-than-usual wackiness for the rest of the weekend was blamed on that security arm.  

I had forgotten my sunglasses, so we stopped at a Wal-Mart while waiting for the other car to catch up to us (they had gone a different way and turned around).  While we were in the store, we decided to get a connector so that we could all listen to my iPod in the car.  The lady tried to get us to buy this whole expensive kit thing, but what we actually needed was only $4, so that was awesome.  I also got some $10 sunglasses, which is about what I normally spend anyway. We also got our water for the trip.  The only thing we didn't find was Cindy's portable flat shoes.

We arrived in Napa and went to the Visitor's Center that my co-worker had told me about.  APPARENTLY, the others had gone to the other Visitor's Center over by Kohl's, but this one was the better one, so we waited for them.  We got some discounts to a couple of wineries, as well as some brochures and such for future trips.  The others finally caught up to us, then we all went to Gott's Roadside for some yumminess.  I had a tuna melt, which was one of the specials of the day (it wasn't the same as the one on the regular menu).  I also had a vanilla bean shake, which was more yummy goodness.  We were all quite happy with the food we ordered.  We then went to Sift to obtain even more calories, and saw that there was a long line outside our cupcake store.  Turns out that it was just a bunch of people blocking the entrance.  They didn't have the cupcake that I wanted (the Battle Royale, which won Cupcake Wars), so I ordered a Stud Muffin.  Yeah, that was weird: "I'd like a Stud Muffin and a Peanut Butter Ripple."  I mean, yeah, I also want the real kind of Stud Muffin, but I'd be seeing my favorite ones that night!  

We then went to the hotel for check-in and unpacked our bags.  I love our little place.  Even the doorknobs on the closet are cute!  Jenn, Cindy and I wanted to get to a winery before they all closed, so we went to a nearby one called  Trefethen Family Vineyards.  Jenn and I decided to do the Estate Tasting.  My favorite out of the 4 we tasted was the 2010 Dry Reisling.  I didn't buy any wine, but Jenn did buy a split of one of them.  Cindy, meanwhile, shopped around.  We noticed that there were little hooks on the side of the bar, for purses to hang.  However, the lady beside us was getting tipsy, and left her purse hanging near us.  People are so trusting in Napa.  We then checked out the little courtyard outside, where they had a table made out of one of the barrels.  I thought that was clever.  They also had a Cork Oak tree, out of which wine corks are made, and they even demonstrated by showing a carving of corks in the tree itself.

Jenn and Cindy at Trefethen

Barrel Table

Cork Oak

The other wineries had closed by the time we left, so we drove back to the hotel to rest and have tea and cookies before getting dressed for the show.  I was wearing toeless boots, and KP was highly amused by my trying to dry my toes by blowing on them while still sitting upright.  Yeah, I was still a little bit tipsy, because we hadn't eaten any dinner.  It wore off before the show, though.  It was cold outside, but you know me, that won't stop me from wearing my cute shoes.

We drove to the Napa Valley Opera House.  I followed Jeff, whom proceeded to drive to the top of the structure.  Then he realized that the elevator was broken.  Thanks, Jeff, from all of us wearing heels.  We do so enjoy risking breaking our necks down a dark stairway. ;)  We stood around for a bit in the lobby before going into the theatre, but didn't see our friends.  It turns out that Nick and Mikayla were already inside, so we exchanged greetings and sat down.  KP, Jenn and I were in the front row with Bananaman, and Cindy was behind us.  Wendy and Jeff were in the house left section, in the second row on the aisle.  The infamous "SONOFABITCH!" seat.  Well, let's see how that goes tonight.  KP spied Fred, and we were ready to roll.  

But Rockapella was not.  About 5 minutes after 8, announcer Peter Williams, the director of the Opera House, introduced himself and vamped for awhile.  I just figured that they were looking for the other 4 waters, because there was only one bottle on the stage.  They were finally ready, and we screamed and noted that they were opening with a new song.

Dragging the Line

Yay!  A new song!  I hadn't even heard from previous concert goers that this would happen, so it was quite a nice surprise.  I got smiles from Steve and Geo.  Steve was on lead, then George took over.  Got a nice smile from Scott, too.  :)

Scott then introduced the band and called himself "The Most Happy Fella".

4U4Now4Life

Scott sang the line "Why you here?" to Wendy.  He later exaggerated his head bob, and appeared to hurt his neck.  

Scott said "we were in Jackson Hole, Wyoming last night and our voices are frozen.  One of our guys forgot his shirt...at the hotel, not in the car.  We just drive around in a van.  I don't remember anything about dark socks, though.  Jeff went all the way back to the hotel and forgot his socks."  Aha, so that's why they were late!  Although, I'm sure that my Posse and I would not have minded if JT had just left his shirt at the hotel. :)

Nuthin But

Geo did his "Bangkok Heat" gesture right to me. :)  John's second "paradise", where his adlibbed notes go up the scale: NICE.  

Steve said, "we like coming back to see you again", and he was looking at me.  Yes, yes he was.  :)  

Got To Get You Into My Life

Steve looked at Jenn when he sang, "I want to hold your hand", and she whispered to me, "Did I just get love?"  Yes, honey, you did.  Now move aside.  

Just My Imagination/Imagine

Cindy hadn't seen them perform this one before.  I smiled at her afterward, as she nodded her approval.  I love that piece.

Hard Time

I enjoyed that low note of Geo's. 

Scott said that this is one of the few places where Steve was making his second performance.  

Cupid

There are to many people here that like to sing along.  I did not come here to listen to you folks!

Scott said, "We'll share both of these with you tonight, with a lot of filler in between."  I think that he was talking about songs.  I don't remember, because I've taken too much time to write this, as usual.

California Sad-Eyed Girl

Steve messed up the words a little bit.  I was mostly worried that Cindy would be inconsolable because it wasn't Kevin singing the song, but she was OK.

Scott talked about Geo rising above the whole "dip dip boom" bass line thing, and someone in the audience yelled out, "SEXY!"  This prompted JT to respond with, "Oh, California", like we were all just nuts.  JKB likes to call Scott "Jingle Legs Jones". 

Paper Doll

Geo and JT were clearly having fun with that song, even more than usual, and JT smiled at KP.

Rock The Boat

Geo had us do an extra "Do The Hustle", I think.  Steve sang to me.  Scott called his dance "The Napa".  Geo looked at me as he said, "I like hot butter on my breakfast toast."  I melted just like that dang butter.  I realized that it was the first time I'd heard that song since the Rockapella Cruise, which was almost a year ago to the day.  (We were on the boat a year ago today, but the last I heard this song was on January 25, 2011).

--INTERMISSION--

I like hearing people rave about Rockapella while I'm in the bathroom during intermission.  Saw Robin and said hi.  KP thinks that Scott looks like the Tin Man in his silver suit.

Malibu Grand Prix

Ooh!  They have choreography now!  And it's quite active!  And they have a checkered flag on the video!  Scott did a little curtsy during "She's the queen".  He is such a goofball!

Thunderball

Bang

Scott messed up the verse, APPARENTLY.  I didn't notice, but KP did.  I think I didn't notice because of this note that I wrote down: "And now I can't stop looking at his pants."  Typical.

Commercials

While Scott was talking between their different commercial jingles, someone yelled out, "COFFEEEE!"  Scott responded with, "As hard as this for all of us, this is not the interactive part of the show.  So, if you have something to say, just text us.  No?  SECURITY!"  I love him.  During the first Almond Joy jingle, JT shook his hips and showed his socks.  Geo directed his "Yummy milk chocolate" to me.  Steve rubbed his butt during the Preparation H commercial, and my reaction was, "OH. MY. GOD."  I'm pretty sure I sighed, too.  After the Dr. Pepper jingle, Scott informed us that "that was our favorite song!"

JKB informed us that he worked at WDW for 8 years, and part of that was at the American Idol Experience attraction.  One of the people that sang was Scotty McCreery, whom actually won the 10th season of the real American Idol. I don't know how this led to John telling us that his own favorite style of music is Motown.  He then tried to get us to echo his singing, and when he did a particularly intricate run and got a good response, he said, "You did not just do that!"

My Girl

Instead of going to the seats in front, JKB went to the back of the house.  Wendy and I exchanged irritated but laughable looks, mouthing "SONOFABITCH!".  John gave a shout out to the guys on stage, saying that they looked great.  Steve responded by showing his backside.  John chose Chelsea to join them on stage.  He told her to breathe, but she didn't.  She is from Vegas, and was in Napa for her anniversary, 10 years with her boyfriend.  Scott said, "In Jackson Hole, at the end of this song, the girl's boyfriend proposed to her.  Should we be expecting that Mr. Boyfriend? (no) I'll just drop that, then."  John clicked his tongue, as a "tsk tsk" to the boyfriend.  Scott asked Chelsea if she wanted to sing with them.  She declined, saying, "I'm not a good singer.  They might leave."

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

George told a story, not his usual one.  "So, we got to the airport (in Wyoming), and Scott said in a low voice, 'I just want you to know that you are the only brother in this airport.'  So I look around and I get a little nervous.  He got through security, then I go through and the alarm goes off.  I've got no belt on, I put my chapstick in the bin.  Security says, 'Can I look in your bag?' and I say, 'Yes, all I got there is a little toothbrush.'  Security says, 'Sir, we're going to shake you down because it seems you have some explosive material.' So I take my clothes off (many whistles in the audience), he says 'I'm going to pat you down top to bottom.'  I finally get out and go to Delta, get on the plane and I'm looking around in First Class, saying 'Excuse me sir, you're in my seat.'  The flight attendant says, 'Sir, you're on the wrong plane.' Now I just had on some old tennis shoes.  I'm slipping and sliding, and get to the other plane, and it's United.  I'm on the wrong plane again!  Then I get back to Delta, and Steve says, 'Yeah, we saw you on the tarmac cruising around.' I didn't get his text until later because my battery was dead."  He was cracking himself up throughout the story, and interrupted himself by saying to us, "I know this is long but I have to tell you this."

APPARENTLY, in Wyoming, they don't check your plane ticket until you're actually on board, and then they let people just run around the tarmac.

Then Geo talked about being in Philly, where it was also cold, and he learned how to sing like a woman.  Later, though, he learned how to sing songs like this: Old Man River.  "Then when I first joined Rockapella, I asked myself, 'Man, are you going to be able to handle this?'  And I said, 'I got this.'  He said that he was happy to be back in California, seeing happy couples like Jeff and Wendy, and Nick over there, who writes our Wikipedia, so get all this in there, ok?"  

My posse is famous!!!

Babygirl

George sang a "Babygirl" to me!!!  

Shemibos

AHHH!  I screamed with delight when I figured out that they were doing this song, which I hadn't seen live yet.  Ooh, I just wiggled in my seat.  This somehow segued into...

Zombie Jamboree

That segue was cool!  Steve said during the break in the song, "Scott, Scott, please stop."  Scott asked what was wrong.  Steve said, "Too much winery."

Carmen

JT was impressed with the crowd keeping the beat with him, even during the accelerando.

I mouthed "HI" to Scott during the standing ovation, and he mouthed "HI" back.  I'm such a dork, but I love that!

ENCORE

Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Up On The Roof/Wonderful World

George sang "Take it slow" to me.  Okay, Baby!  ;)

Steve waved at me as they left the stage.  

MEET AND GREET

I had my Christmas CD for the guys to sign, and reintroduced Bananaman to them, in case they forgot who he was.

Scott: "Every girl should have a Bananaman."  I told him that he was such a goofball on stage that night.  I asked what kind of wine he was drinking, but he didn't know.  "I just asked for white."

Jeff and Wendy were talking to the guys and trying to figure out the original artist.
They all figured out that it was Tommy James and the Shondelles.

George was complaining that JKB threw him off during one of the songs (Papa), and JKB said, "You can't have the same show every night.  You need to change it up once in a while."  A true performer, that John.  I told him that we would be going to Castello in the morning.  He seemed interested in doing that, too.  Since this was his wife Christina's first time in California, she was excited about everything, so he was looking forward to taking her around some more the next day.

Steve acknowledged that he messed up the words during CA Sad-Eyed Girl.  I asked him what he would be doing the next day, and he said that it would be a surprise.  He reiterated this in front of his girlfriend, Laura, and she was intrigued because he said it would be out of the ordinary.  He later confessed, though, that they would be doing wineries, nothing that different.  He introduced us to Laura, whom is very nice and friendly.  I told her that Wendy and I were the ones that made the cape.  Steve said, "I should have brought the cape!  I'll bring it out here next time, and use it during Malibu."  That would be hilarious.  I was happy later when Steve called out Jenn's name during the pictures, and I said, "You know Jenn's name!"  He said, "Of course I do!"  Aw, sweet.  He was also sweet to Laura and got some wine for her.

I thanked George for all of the stage love.  He said that he's so happy to see us that he needs to do a little something extra.  I asked, "Why were you the only brother in the airport?  Where was John?"  JT said, "locked safe away in the plane".  George and Sandra will be getting married in the Dominican Republic (it already happened as of this posting, in March), because Sandra wanted to move up the date.  Then he said something about his brother going without his girlfriend.  Uh-oh.  I said that his engagement ring should be enough to keep Sandra happy until the wedding, and he told Nick about the ring fending off other girls.  Someone had walked up to George, looked at his ring, sighed, and walked away.  He loves Sandra so much that I doubt she has anything to worry about.

Sher and the Pella

As we waited to take pictures, I snagged the opportunity after my own was done, and yelled out, "POSSE!!!" to get everyone to join in the group picture.  JT called me "The Bossy One".  I glared at him.  So he added, "but in a nice way."  After our picture was taken, he yelled out at me as I walked away, "I see your tattoo!"  Why are you looking through my sheer blouse, JT?  I actually hadn't realized that you could see it.  Later, JT walked into the door jamb.  I think that he was thinking about my tattoo.  ;)

All of Us

Fred said that their hotel was 9 miles away, and not in Napa. Well, that explains why they were late from retrieving JT's shirt.  

I boldly asked Steve to take a picture of the Posse.  Just the Posse.  No Pella.  My friends giggled that I actually did so.

Bossy and Her Posse

As they were getting ready to leave, I asked Geo, "Who's driving home?" as I eyed his wine glass.  He said, "Scott.  It's just one glass of wine.  I'm gonna go down this before I get in the car."  I so love seeing them in Napa.

Afterward, the Posse tried to go next door at Downtown Joe's for food, but the only seating they had was outside, and we didn't like the atmosphere.  Napa gangsters, and all of that.  OK, not really.  So we ended up at Denny's.

Jenn and I were still hyped afterward, so I didn't get to sleep until 2 am.  More Napa happiness to come!!!

A Coal Miner's Daughter

I had some time before rehearsal the other day after work, so I went to the Arclight in Sherman Oaks for "The Hunger Games".  I had heard a lot of hype about it while it was being made, but I didn't really want to see the movie until I saw the trailer.  Then I knew I needed to see this thing.

• I would like a Mockingjay pin, please.  I would also like to learn archery (Pixar's upcoming "Brave" is probably going to enhance that wish more later this year).
• Loved the flaming dress.  I'd say that I want one of those, but I think that would be a little dangerous, even if the fire wasn't real.
• Jennifer Lawrence continues to impress me.  I had first noticed her in "Winter's Bone", for which she received an Oscar nomination.  I love her portrayal of Katniss.
• I really liked Seneca's facial hair.  I saw that there were many, many people credited for hairstyling on this film, and they did a superb job with all of the different strange styles.
• I'm torn right now between Team Peeta and Team Gale.  I guess I'll need to see the sequels to decide on that.  
• Lenny Kravitz.  Hummina.  Perhaps I'm Team Cinna instead.  I mean, I was so envious of Katniss when he kissed her on the cheek!  Sigh.
• Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci were also great in their roles, and, of course, so was Donald Sutherland.  What a great cast!  Oh, and Woody Harrelson!  Loved him.
• I was quite tense during much of this movie.  When I wasn't tense, I was likely crying over something.  The scene with Katniss placing the flowers around Rue just had me bawling.
• Those are some mean creatures (and mean circumstances) that they make in that competition world.
• That whole concept of the Districts having to pay for their forefathers' uprising upsets me, as I"m sure it does many.  I really hope this all gets resolved by the end of the trilogy.

Great movie.  I can't wait until the next one.  Perhaps I'll read all of the books by then.  Until that time, though, may the odds be ever in your favor.

BTW, I'm in District 5: Power.  What district are you from?

How Could Anyone Not Like Him?

Jerry Seinfeld Live

Pantages Theatre -- Los Angeles, CA

Friday, March 16, 2012

7:00 pm

Back in 2010, I saw Jerry Seinfeld perform at the Saban Theatre.  On that night, my friend June had taken ill, so she was unable to go with me, and I took Liz instead.  This time around, June was able to go with me.  June and I often quote "Seinfeld" to each other, so I was glad that she could finally join me to see my favorite comedian.  The show was originally slated for only 2 performances on Saturday night, but the tickets sold out quickly, and 2 more shows were added.  We got tickets to the earlier show.

I picked up June at her place after I got home from Arizona.  We were both hungry, and the pub next door to the theatre had a long wait, so we checked out Delphine, across the street.  We didn't have a reservation, but they were able to fit us in, and got us out in time for the show, so they get extra bonus points and tip (or commission, as they called it) for that.  The Delphine is part of the W hotel, so the restrooms are actually in the hotel lobby, which was fine, since it's such a nice establishment.  My food (scallops with crispy artichoke, watermelon radish and truffles) was wonderful, albeit a bit pricey ($31).  

We made it into the theatre with several minutes to spare. Our seats were in row WW, in the orchestra section on the right side.  Mario Joyner was the opening act, and he was very funny, making fun of all of the people arriving late, and talking about living in Santa Monica, the "haven for interracial couples and homeless people....so if you're an interracial homeless couple, you've got it made.  Oh, and in Santa Monica, they're not called homeless.  They're called mortgage-deficient."

Seinfeld was met with thundering applause, and I'll try my best to remember some of his lines this time around.

• Life is just what happens between the times that you've found your next seat.
• I can't believe you're taking this way, driving that fast, wearing that shirt.
• We were not properly prepared for the invention of the Pop-Tart.
• We don't drink coffee.  We "have" coffee.
• It's not enough that we hung the poor innocent creature, but let's hit it with a bat and then eat whatever comes out of him and falls on the ground.  Then we'll take his brother, put him up on the wall, and stick pins in him with his own tail.
• All you really want is a juiced-up, hard rectangle in your pants.
• A deathbed?  Why would anyone want to buy anything called that?
• 69?  This is the number they came up with?  Are you telling me that nobody at the phone company went to junior high school?...I can't wait to see what you come up with for 3-way calling.
• I didn't know that being in a marriage is the same as being in a musical.
• Men really want to make their wives happy.  They do.  They just can't.  Marriage is like being on a game show every day, and you're playing in the lightning round.  "I'll take 'Movies' for $200."  My wife, the returning champion, says, "I'll take '15-minute conversations that took place 5 years ago in which you probably said something wrong' for $1000, Alex."

He received a standing ovation, and took a few questions from the audience.  I liked when they asked if his mom lives in Florida.  He said yes, he bought her a car, which has a cataract windshield: it's 10 inches thick, and when you look into it, everybody's heads are huge.  

To quote Seinfeld's TV mom: "How could anyone not like him?"

Hilarious.

There Is Nothing Like a Broadway-Belting Dame

An Evening With Bernadette Peters

Valley Performing Arts Center -- Great Hall

Saturday, March 3, 2012

I joined several of my co-workers at the new Val-PAC at CSUN to see Bernadette Peters in a sold-out performance.  She actually had scheduled a show last season, but it was canceled, so I'm glad that she was able to return.  Our seats were in the upper balcony, in the box seats on the audience left.  Our seats were situated one in back of the other, so we weren't really sitting side-by-side unless the chairs were swiveled that way.  There was some glass above the side of some of the boxes, but not all.  I didn't have any glass right next to me, so I could look over the side, which was kind of a mistake, due to my fear of heights.  Woozy!  Unfortunately, the program did not have the song selections, and I'm writing this 2 weeks later, so I don't remember everything that she sang.

• Ms. Peters was wearing a beautiful shimmering lavender gown, which showed off the fact that she's still got a great figure.  Work it, Girl!
• At the beginning of the show, she said, "Hmm, what should we talk about?  How about the real estate market? I'm selling my house."  Then, throughout the show, she gave specifics about her home in Miami, like how many bedrooms it has and the fact that it has a swimming pool.
• She had just finished up a return to "Follies" on Broadway, and did a couple of songs from that show, including "Losing My Mind".  Her acting chops are obvious during this song, as she was wiping tears away, fully embracing her Sally character.
• I love when she sings Sondheim songs.  Thankfully, she sang a lot of them, though not all of the ones that are on her "Sondheim, Etc. -- Live at Carnegie Hall" CD that I love.  I don't know why, but I can't find my CD.  I have the jewel case, but no CD in it.  That annoys the heck out of me because I really want to listen to it.  Perhaps I should just buy it again.  I would have done so if she had it for sale at the show, but that didn't happen.
• ANYWAY, now that my lost CD rant is over, the songs that she did sing from that Carnegie Hall show were "Broadway Baby", "No One Is Alone", "Some People", "You Could Drive a Person Crazy", "Not A Day Goes By", and "Being Alive".  All awesome.  I do wish that she would have sung "Johanna", but I can't have everything.
• She also sang some selections by Rodgers and Hammerstein, my favorite of which was "There is Nothing Like A Dame", mainly because it's such a different take to have a woman sing what is traditionally sung by a bunch of lonely men in "South Pacific".  I also liked that she was singing the song to certain men in the audience.
• Ms. Peters showed her slinky sexy side most of all on "Fever", as she sung while laying on her side on top of the grand piano.
• The drummer is Cubby from the Mickey Mouse Club!  
• She included a song that she wrote (a lullaby)  in dedication to her dog, and proceeds of her CD and book sales (she wrote a couple of children's books) went to her favorite animal charity, Broadway Barks.
• She also sang, "Oh, Shenandoah" and "When You Wish Upon A Star", which were lovely, but I'd rather hear her sing Broadway songs because she emotes so well.

That was a fantastic concert, and I'm glad that I was able to see it.  Oh, if only she would sing something as Rita from "Animaniacs", I'd be in heaven.  :)

DLR LotD 03/11/12

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day


Sunday, March 11, 2012


"Just let me know if you want something to eat." -- Team Captain Jenn, multiple times during MouseAdventure: Card Games

Full of Grace

It's been a difficult week or so for some of my loved ones.  My best friend's mom passed away last week after an 18-month battle with lung cancer, and her funeral took place today.  


Like in all families in my culture, anyone that is the age of my parents is an Auntie or Uncle, depending on their gender, of course, and it didn't matter if you remembered them or not.  But with Auntie Nancy, it was different for me and Bro.  Auntie Nancy and Uncle Romy were my parents' friends since the time that they moved here from the Philippines, back in the early 1970s.   When I met them, I was 6 years old, and their daughter, Michelle, was 2.  So I had nothing in common with her.  Whatever, they were friends with my parents, and we had gatherings every month or so, thanks to Jenn's parents, who had introduced our families to each other.  


Time went by, and eventually, Michelle's family and my family grew closer as we would take camping trips with other families.  Our 2 families had the same interest of venturing out farther than the California border, and Michelle's family eventually bought a motor home in which to travel in style.  I remember the excitement we shared when Uncle Romy showed it to our family, and made plans to eventually get a boat.  That boat thing never actually happened, but we were happy nonetheless.  Before the motor home, we shared a huge tent, and sometimes Mich and I would just share a pup tent so we could giggle all night.  With the motor home, we had to giggle a little bit quieter, but were always the last to go to sleep after watching the campfire and giggling outside.


We didn't just hang out in the summer: we saw each other on many weekends just to spend time together, and we also shared the big holidays together. Since we were spending so much time with Michelle's family, it was inevitable that Michelle and I would grow closer.  We were both boy crazy and talked about our crushes and boyfriends and shared our heartaches with each other.  We became best friends, and I have Auntie Nancy and my mom to thank for forcing us to spend time together.   Oh, yes, of course, and our dads, who just loved driving to all of the different national parks and entertaining us with their corny jokes.  Our families were bonded for life.


Then things happened and a divorce got in the way, but Michelle and I remained close, as did Auntie Nancy, Janice (Mich's sis), and my family.  Bro stayed with them for part of the time that he was doing an apprenticeship in Temecula.  I stayed over several times, and remember being there on the morning of the Northridge earthquake, shaking away and trying to find door jambs.  Auntie Nancy always opened her house for everyone to stay, no matter how crowded the bedrooms became.


Yes, our families had quite the history together.  When my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, she wanted it kept quiet, but I was too distraught and confided in Michelle.  Their family supported us all the way until her remission.  Then Auntie Nancy was diagnosed, and her disease was far more advanced than my mom's had been when it was discovered.  The prognosis wasn't good, but Auntie Nancy fought with all of her might up until the very end.  When I thought about her the night that she passed, I wept when I thought of how unfair it was that my best friend does not get to have her mom around anymore, due to the same disease that my own mom survived.  I am truly blessed that my mom's cancer was caught at a very early stage and could be treated.  I pray that she stays cancer-free.  But Michelle doesn't get to go to her mom for advice about her kids, and she doesn't get to hear her mom call her for dinner anymore.  My heart breaks for her.


Auntie Nancy had a wonderful soul.  Living up to her name, which, in Hebrew, means "full of grace",  she was always gentle and smiling, even when she was scolding us kids for doing whatever foolish thing we did.  When I would talk with her, I always felt like she was on my side, even though maybe she was actually sympathizing with my mom instead.  It was just that sweet smile of hers (but don't worry, Mich, I never told her our secrets). She left behind two beautiful daughters, and 2 grandchildren.  She lived a full life, full of friends and happiness and wonderful memories.


I told Michelle last night that one of my favorite memories of her mom is this: whenever we went on one of our trips, there would come a point when it was time to eat a snack.  Auntie Nancy would take out the Tupperware, open it, and offer us her delicious mamon cupcakes.  They were tasty and just sweet enough (no icing or anything: just cake) to satisfy a sweet craving.  Whenever I see mamon, I think of Auntie Nancy and our camping trips.


The picture below was taken in 1986, at Zion National Park.  Auntie Nancy is in the pink tank top, and for some reason, I joined in their family picture.  I guess printed bermuda shorts were the style those days!  That was a memorable trip for us, as Mich and I had to deal with being homesick because we missed our boyfriends.  Thank goodness our parents knew better than us and took us to see Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore, and the Grand Canyon with the Yabut family.  That was a fantastic trip.  It is due to this trip that Bryce Canyon is one of my favorite places in the world, mainly because of the wonderful memories of that summer.

Sher and the Vidals -- July 20, 1986

Thank you, Auntie Nancy, for your gentle spirit.  Thank you for all of the memories of camping and karaoke and all of the laughter we shared.  But most of all, thank you for giving birth to my very best friend.  I'll miss you dearly.

Voice Battles s2r1

No, I won't be blogging about every episode of NBC's "The Voice".  First of all, if I started now, I'd have a lot of catching up to do.  Secondly, this ain't a cappella.


I just wanted to post these 2 videos for posterity, because I was very impressed by both of these battles.


First, Cheesa vs. Angie, in "Total Eclipse of the Heart".



Then came Jesse vs. Anthony, in "If I Ain't Got You".  I wish these 2 would be released as singles, and not just available by the winning artist.





I'm glad that I didn't have to choose in these battles.  Wow.

DLR LotD 03/04/12

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Sunday, March 4, 2012


"Isn't that the name of one of those new buddy cop shows?" -- Mox, in Downtown Disney, regarding Yak Butter and Milk Fish

When My Favorite Bands Collide

Fellow Pella fan and NKOTB fan Aura shared this video with me, and I giggled a LOT.


O. M. G.


In case y'all didn't know, CSL4 fronted a rock band at Tokyo Disneyland before he joined Rockapella. Since that was in the late '80s, one of the popular bands at the time was New Kids on the Block.  You know that cover bands in theme parks play popular songs, right?  Well, here is the rock band Horizon, singing some '80s hits in Tokyo DIsneyland.





Yup, there you are, CSL4 at about 4:35, rocking out as a New Kid.  I love his hair! The fashion cracks me up, too.


I especially love that he did the moves from the NKOTB video.  


Thank you for sharing, Aura!

DLR LotD One More Disney Day

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Line of the Day


One More Disney Day Edition - 2012


Wednesday, February 29, 2012
"I'm a snow cone.  You could lick the back of my head." -- Cindy, at the esplanade between DCA and DL


Thursday, March 1, 2012
"Should be at home." -- Sherry, several times, while pointing at various children in Disneyland

High-Kickin' It

I know, I know.  Here I am, writing about an a cappella group, and it's not Rockapella, and I still haven't written about Napa.  That will come in due time.


Last night, I saw Ladysmith Black Mambazo at the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rrrrrancho Cucamonga.  If you're not familiar with the Spike Lee documentary "Do It A Cappella", you may have heard them on Paul Simon's "Graceland" CD.  I haven't seen them perform live before.


LBM is a South Afircan group founded by Joseph Shabalala back in 1960.  He's still the leader of the group, and can still do a few high kicks! Amazing.


I don't know most of the song titles, so I won't be doing a set list for this show.  

•   I like the soothing tone of their voices.
•   I loved seeing the dancing and the kick lines.  They kick high!  I would have fallen down trying to do those moves.
• Two guys in the front row (I was in the 2nd row) were obviously big fans, and were encouraging the guys to kick higher.  Later on, when Joseph Shabalala was pointing to people in the audience to join them on stage, these two guys went up there and danced, too.  They couldn't kick as high as the guys in LBM, but I applauded their efforts.  Two other men joined them on stage and tried to do the kicks, too.  That whole part was funny.
• They were promoting their Grammy-nominated CD, "Songs from a Zulu Farm", so we got to hear songs about a rooster, a duck, and a bad donkey, among others.  I bought that CD.  
• The only song that I was familiar with during the show was "Homeless", which they had sung on the "Graceland" CD.
• For their encore, they asked us to sing along if we knew the song.  It ended up being "Old Macdonald had a farm."  
• I really liked the shirts that they wore after intermission, because they had different animals on the lower portion, as well as on the back, covering their butt.  I was amused by the lion butts.
• Joseph's youngest son, Thamsanqa, seems to be the one that's being groomed to take over the leadership of the group.  He's cute!  I liked how he smacked his own butt when he danced at one point.  
• One of the guys kept acting like he was in pain from all of the moves, but he did end up doing some high kicks later on.  He signed my CD.
• i wish I knew all the guys names, so that I could write down the names of the 2 guys that signed my CD.  At this moment, you can see the picture on their home page.  The 2 guys that signed were the guy on the right of the top row, and the 2nd guy from the right in the bottom row.

I was able to go out for dessert at The Cheesecake Factory with Jeff and Wendy, who had volunteered at the theatre that night.  None of us actually had cheesecake.  But the Godiva Chocolate Brownie Sundae was quite yummy.  Thanks for the company, J&W!

Quelle heure est-il?

I was going to see "Midnight in Paris" in the theater, but just figured I might as well rent the DVD from Redbox on this one, too, since it would be cheaper and the viewing time would be much more flexible.

• I haven't seen a lot of Woody Allen movies, so I didn't really have any preconceived notions about seeing this film, which is a good thing.  At first, I didn't get it, then the clock struck 12, and I said aloud, "Ohhh."
• Well, of course Owen Wilson plays a screenwriter. It's a Woody Allen movie!  I do know that he likes to write about writers.
• "I see...a rhinoceros."  I heart Adrien Brody.
• I loved the scenery.  I want to go to Paris and walk in the rain at night.
• Oh, dude, I was annoyed by the annoying Paul practically immediately.  I don't know how any of the characters could stand to listen to him at all.  I know he was written to be that way, and I'm glad that I don't have to hang out with anyone like that.  I usually like Michael Sheen, so this is some good acting (and makeup) where I didn't even recognize him.
• I liked hearing the Cole Porter tunes integrated in the score.
• I don't know much about art history or literature, really, but I smiled whenever I figure out who each famous person was. The other ones just flew over my head.
• Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein: awesome.
• Totally loved Corey Stoll as Hemingway.  Spot on how I thought Hemingway actually acted.
• "What is it with this city?  I need to write a letter to the Chamber of Commerce."

I enjoyed this movie (pssst....it involves time travel, how could I not?).  It also has Salvador Dali being surreal.  I would totally see this again, probably several times.

All nine of the Oscar Best Picture nominees have been viewed.  I'm looking forward to the ceremony.

Winning By The Numbers

Part 2 of Brad Pitt day:  "Moneyball".

• I think that I like baseball movies more than I actually like baseball.
• I was worried that I'd have to think too much about math when Pete started talking, but they didn't go into too much detail. I can do math, I just didn't want the movie to be all about it.
• I liked the relationship between Billy and his daughter, especially the scene in the music store.
• Brad Pitt, why must you still look good as you age so beautifully?  Sigh.
• Interesting story on the DVD about Stephen Bishop actually being a baseball player and idolizing David Justice, whom he portrayed in the movie.
• I think it's weird to have a meeting with people sitting behind you while you're looking at the guy holding the meeting.  It felt to me like it was rude for Billy to have his back to the rest of the Indians' scouting staff. But I guess that's a power thing.
• I didn't realize that was Phillip Seymour Hoffman at first, maybe because of the lack of hair.
• I like how Billy strategized with the players once he had their respect. That's when I thought he finally looked like a true leader.
• "How can you not get romantic about baseball?"
• "I hate losing even more than I want to win."

Enjoyable movie, especially if you like strategic stuff, or baseball, or Brad Pitt, or all of the above.

Family Tree

Still on the Redbox vibe, and today is Brad Pitt day.  First up: "The Tree of Life".

• I was one of the people who really wasn't interested in seeing this movie, and really only picked it up because it's nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.  At the beginning of the movie, it was heavy on images of non-people.  Then I finally understood that Malick was trying to show Creation after the questioning of whether or not God was there.
• The "Lacrymosa" portion was way too long for me, probably because I felt sorry for the Soprano having to sing so dang high.  This almost had me turning off the movie, thinking it was all going to be like it, but I'm glad I didn't.
• Really glad.  I was bawling toward the end.
• Yes, it's weird that Sean Penn plays Brad Pitt's grown-up son.  I couldn't figure out which son he was supposed to be playing until the very end, but I guess that's what was supposed to happen.  
• I don't understand why Penn was the only one at the current age during that last portion.  Was it because we were seeing it from his point of view, and he'll always see his family at that particular time of his life?  I don't know.  
• Boys are mean to frogs.
• Why, at the beginning, were the insides of Pitt's and Chastain's mouths so black?  It looked lke they had rotted out teeth.
• Whoa.  That butterfly was real?  Awesome.
• Aside from "Lacrymosa", I enjoyed all of the classical music that Alexandre Desplat used.  
• "I didn't know how to name You then.  But I see it was You.  Always You were calling me."

This movie isn't for everyone.  Heck, it's barely for me.  But I liked seeing that family relationship evolve, so I liked it.  ;)

You is Important

It's getting down to h wire, and "The Help" is in very limited release right now, so I rented he Blu-Ray DVD from Redbox.  This was my first time to use Redbox, and it's quite convenient, so I'll be relying on it for most of the other films that are nominated for Best Picture this year since they're not really in theaters anymore.  I would do the whole AMC marathon thing, but Saturdays are not good for me, and, of course, the movies that I have not yet seen are the ones that are playing at the precise time that I need to be at church.  I do prefer to see these movies as they were meant to be viewed in a theater, but sometimes that just doesn't work out.

• Here's the other movie this year that has me amazed by Viola Davis.  Her portrayal of Aibileen left me feeling inspired after all of the anguish she suffered.
• I really enjoyed Octavia Spencer's performance.  It turns out that her role was written in the book with her in mind.  Minny was a hoot.
• I kept wondering how I knew Hilly.  Duh, Sher.  That's Bryce Dallas Howard.  You've seen her in several movies. I guess I'm not used to seeing her with that Southern hair.
• Emma Stone did a great job.  I haven't yet seen "Easy A", but I've wanted to do so.  This makes me want to see it even more.
• So NOBODY in the bridge club could stand up to Hilly except for Skeeter?  That's just sad when women are clearly uncomfortable about things, but don't have the courage to leave or do anything about them.  I think that's why Skeeter and all of the maids who told their story were such heroines to me.
• Alison Janney: awesome as always.
• "You is kind. You is smart. You is important."
• When Aibileen left, my heart broke for that little girl.
• Those bridge club women sure don't hide very well.
• I wonder if Crisco sponsored this film.
• Chocolate pie is going to scare me for a little while.

I enjoyed this film.  I think I want to read the book now.  I do know already, though, that the ending for Minny is not  the same in the book, due to the deleted scenes.  Still, I'm interested in seeing the original material.

Door to Door

I saw "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" in the theater last week.  I had kind of put it off because I knew that the subject matter would make me really emotional, but since I was on an emotional movie blitz due to the upcoming Oscar awards, it was time to see it.

• Where are they getting all of the amazing kids for these movies?!  Thomas Horn wowed me, and this is his first movie. Wow.  I mean, that is a LOT of dialogue to learn, and then he has the emotions, too.  Wow.  Of course, that could be an editing trick, but I'm still wowed.
• The images of the man falling from the WTC make me think of "Mad Men".  This makes me both excited for the upcoming season of MM, and anxious because the main image animation of MM is of a man falling from a skyscraper.
• I totally knew who the Renter was as soon as they showed him in the window.
• Yup.  Emotional level was very high during the scenes of The Worst Day.  Those scenes happened several times during the movie.  I completely lost it when they showed the WTC collapsing. I even cried the next morning when I thought of the movie again.  (I'm doing OK right now, though).  I think it's because this is one tragedy in American history that I actually remembering seeing, and those images are burned into my brain, triggering that pained American in me that day and the days that followed it.
• I kind of like how they kept some questions unanswered at the end of the movie.  It's like real life, where you don't always get all of the answers that you seek.
• Viola Davis sure doesn't need more than one scene to get me crying.  She would end up amazing me again a couple of days later (see next post).
• It's like the year of silence in the movies.  Max Von Sydow doesn't need to speak to get his emotions across to the audience.  
• Everyone needs a tambourine.  Or something like it to help calm them when they're anxious.
• "If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding."
• Loved the fact that his mom seemed to be absent for most of his quest, because it's Oskar's story, and he was largely ignoring his mom.  But if you see things from her point of view, the story is quite different.

I really liked this movie.  As emotional as I became, I think that I could still do repeat viewings when it comes to satellite TV.  I'll just make sure that I always have tissues nearby for all of the tears.

One Big Machine

I saw "Hugo" in 3D today after work.

• That kid with his eyes reminds me of Elijah Wood.  He's got the talent like Elijah, too.
• I'm not one of those Scorcese fans that wants to watch his films over and over again, and at the beginning of the movie, I thought that maybe this would be the case once more.  But no. This one is lighter than his usual dark stuff, so I would see it again.
• All of that clockwork stuff amazed me visually.  So did all of that beautiful cinematography.
• The automaton kind of creeped me out, especially during the dream sequences.  
• Spotted Martin Scorcese and giggled.  Thought I saw Johnny Depp, but APPARENTLY, that was a lookalike, as Johnny wasn't available due to his schedule.
• I love the way that this is clearly a tribute to film, and I loved the silent movie homage with the hanging from the clock.  It also reminded me of "Back to the Future", but I don't think that's what Scorcese meant to do.
• Reading as much as Isabelle does makes her have quite a large and interesting vocabulary.  I liked her a lot.
• I liked the way that Hugo talked about existing to serve a purpose, just like each piece in a machine. 
• How can I not like a movie that has a reference to Jean Valjean, mermaids, and  Camille Saint-Saens' "Danse Macabre"?
• It's nice to see Christopher Lee in a non-sinister role, although at first glance, I thought of Saruman.
• Ben Kingsley was amazing, as usual.  
• "Which one?  I've mastered 3."

Beautiful movie.  I'm glad that I saw it in the theater, despite my initial resistance to it.

Pal Joey

I finally saw "War Horse" last Friday after work.  I had been wanting to watch the movie since the first time I saw the trailer.  I also have been wanting to see the stage play, which will be showing at the Ahmanson Theatre later this year.  Ooh, I need to buy my ticket soon!

• This movie reminds me of "The Red Violin", what with all of the different "owners" of Joey.  Except that this one had much more death.
• It's a horse movie.  I cried, like, 8 times.
• Brilliant usage of the windmill panes.  Absolutely brilliant.
• The barbed wire scene made me cringe a lot...and then later, it made me giggle.
• Great score by John Williams.  It helped me get all weepy.
• I loved the friendship between Joey and Topthorne.
• Dude, that horse needs to JUMP!
• I really liked the character of Emilie.  I think I would have been just like her in her situation, hiding horses in my room.
• Gorgeous cinematography.  I'm really glad that I saw it in the theater.
• Be brave.

I loved this movie.  I think that I need to purchase it when it comes out on Blu-Ray.  Great story, great characters, and if anyone dislikes that horse, they have no soul.

DLR LotD 02/05/12

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Line of the Day


Sunday, February 5, 2012


"Maybe every Saturday, people are supposed to get dressed up when they go to Disneyland." -- someone in line at the corn dog cart


Happy Dapper Day!

Silence is Golden

A couple of weeks ago, I saw "The Artist" at my local theater.  I had high expectations due to the accolades the filmmakers already received, and one of my friends liked it so much that she'd already seen it twice, so that made me look forward to it even more.

• There's a dog.  He's cute.  He's like Lassie.  Ya gotta love him!
• Jean Dujardin does a superb job as George Valentin, displaying all of his emotions without speaking.  
• Berenice Bejo is wonderful as well, playing Peppy Miller.  She radiates from the screen.
• I cried when George sold all of his belongings at auction, but I knew what was up.  I don't remember exactly what the marquee said when he walked by the theater at that point, but it was quite fitting.
• That dream/nightmare that George had was jarring, as it should have been.  It's so funny that although he normally hears sound anyway in his life, he is bothered by those ordinary sounds due to his anxiety about the talkies.
• I really liked all of Peppy's hats. I also liked her dresses.
• So, all those different pearl necklaces that the wife was wearing: did he mess up that often that she has so many?
• Ah, James Cromwell.  I had a moment where I thought he'd say "Good Pig" to Uggie.
• One of the women in my row said "Silence is Golden" as the film was about to start.  Then she proceeded to quietly make comments during the film.  Irritating,
• Bernard Hermann's "Vertigo" was just perfect in its setting.  Bravo to Ludovic Bource for including it here.
• I think that I want to see some old silent movies one of these days.  I should have gone to those Academy screenings last year.  That would have been cool.

The accolades that the film has been receiving are well-deserved.  I think that this is my friend's new favorite movie because there's a dog that plays an instrumental part in the film, but she'll say it's because it made her laugh, and it was well-written, and all of that.  I agree, but that dog is darn cute.

It's Still New Year, right?

How have I not seen this video until today?!

This is the song that made me happy at midnight this New Year's Eve, thanks to the best brother in the world...yes, with the best name. ;)

DLR LotD 01/20/12

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Line of the Day


Friday, January 20, 2012


"Skuna Salmon, from Skuna Bay.  They do not have ankles." -- Ryan, to Linda, when she asked about the fish of the day


Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me, everyone!

That's MY Schoooooool!!!!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I love drum corps.  It really is the Bro's fault, like many of my obsessions, because he had me watching DCI Finals on TV on Thanksgiving weekends long ago.  The love of marching, though, is not Bro's fault.  Perhaps he enables this particular obsession, but he was but a wee tyke when the marching thing started for me.  


I was in drill team in junior high, and was friends with many band members whom would eventually go to Arcadia High School and become members of the Apache Marching Band.  I wanted to try out for drill team in high school, but I just couldn't fit it into my schedule, and they didn't seem to allow violins in the marching band (something about poking other people's eyes out with the bow).  So I stayed on the sidelines and cheered on my friends, and volunteered at the annual West Arcadia Band Review (now the Arcadia Festival of Bands).  AHS has had one of the best marching band programs in the country for as long as I can remember, and every time I see them, a smile beams on my face and I feel a swell of pride in my heart.  


This November, as I was watching the Festival of Bands, I read the program and realized that beloved director Tom Landes would be retiring this year after 33 years at AHS.  Wow.  He has always been the ultimate band director to me, and tears welled up in my eyes, thinking of how many sweepstakes awards his bands have brought back to the band room.  I remember the 6-foot tall trophies from the championships in Long Beach, and I remember the metronome that would play all day in the band room during championship week, reminding the band of their discipline, and tick tocking in their heads the proper beat so that they would live and breathe it until they brought that trophy home again.  


This year would be especially sweet as AHS was again invited to be in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade, now its 15th time.  Back when I was a senior in high school, since I wasn't in the band, my friend Mona convinced me to try out with her for the Pasadena City College Honor Band, so that we could march in the parade, even though it wouldn't be side-by-side with our band friends.  That was an experience I'll never forget, partly because I fell down, but mostly because I got to have that feeling of marching down Colorado Blvd on January 1, 1985.  


I wish that I could have been at Disneyland on New Year's Eve to see the Apaches march down Main Street, but I was busy singing my heart out in church, so that was not meant to be.  I'm glad, though, that this video is available.  They don't actually start playing until at least 2 minutes in, and then they don't march until about 6 minutes in, but it still makes me happy.  I'm impressed that they brought the arrow banner to the resort, because there are some tight sections on the parade route, and I wonder if they kept it straight during those parts.  I'm glad that my friends got to witness their huge wonderfulness while they were there, and could share their observations at dinner.  




By then, I had already decided that I just HAD to go to the Rose Parade this year.  Landes' last year, and AHS is in the parade?  How could I not go and honor my school?  So I got up on January 2nd (no Rose Parade on Sundays), took the metro to Allen St, walked with the masses, found a spot where I could stand directly behind people whom were seated, and cheered on my favorite band.  I yelled for them, and the kind people around me helped me out because I raved about them.  "THAT'S MY SCHOOOOL!!!!"  There really is nothing like hearing the opening drum beats of the Apache Marching Band.  I also love the fact that they brought out the traditional banner for the parade (they used to march with it in competition, but now use individual letters per Apache Princess).  That's Mr. Landes in the black hat and white beard.


After they passed my area, I waited a while to see a couple more units.  Then they were far down the street, and I tried to catch up, going up and down side streets, tripping over people in the crowds, and hearing the Kinect float music over and over, which made me nuts.  I finally decided to just get to the end of the route and see all of the bands from there.  The Marine Corps, AHS, and PCC were the only ones that held their composure until the end (lucky for them, they were early performers and beat much of the heat).  I did see one of the banner gals from another school faint just as soon as they halted.  I saw another guy suffering from dehydration, too.  Sometimes the water volunteers got right in front of the bands, or in the middle of them, and it kind of annoyed me.  Maybe you should wait until they are At Ease before you attack them with water.  I know that they need the water, but it's just inconsiderate when the drum major and/or director is trying to congratulate them on their performance and get them all to understand that In N Out is to the left, and bathrooms are to the right.  The volunteers also got in the way of some of my pictures, which was annoying, but I was way too tired to stand up and take better pictures.


My favorite non-Arcadia band was the Kyoto Tachibana HS band.  I had watched their Bandfest performance live online, and they were quite entertaining with their dance-style marching.  When they were released, a few of them walked up to me and said "Happy New Year" and waved.  It was so cute!  I wish that I had taken a picture with them, but that didn't happen.

Afterward, I bought a ticket to see the floats, and ate an oh-so-nutritious breakfast of kettlecorn.  While I was seated on the grass, a vendor guy offered me cotton candy.  I wasn't going to take it, but I guess he just wanted to go home, because he told me that it was free, so I took it.  I had to wait a while until they opened the gates for the float viewing.  Even more walking.  I wanted to get a AHS pin, but they were sold out.  I got a temporary Girl Scouts 100 tattoo on my hand, though.  The floats were beautiful, and I marveled mostly at the sprays of orchids on the Thailand float.  Wow.  

Orchids made of orchids

My favorite whimsical float (La Canada Flintridge)

Another beauty:  The Year of the Dragon (China Airlines)

Then I had to somehow get back to the metro station.  MORE walking until I got to the bus stop, and then there were no seats, so I had to stand, but it didn't take that long.  Then I went home and watched the Bob and Stephanie on the KTLA broadcast of the parade, because I never can get enough of it on Rose Parade day.  I had a great day celebrating the 123rd Tournament of Roses.  Thank you, T of R, for honoring my school with its 15th invitation.  Congratulations, Mr. Landes, on yet another job well done!

DLR LotD 01/01/12

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day


Sunday, January 1, 2012


"If you plant that in the ground, someday it will turn into a ketchup tree." -- Mox, at La Brea Bakery Cafe

DLR LotD 12/31/11

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day
Special New Year's Eve Catal Edition!


Saturday, December 31, 2011
(Listed course by course, of course)


Amuse Buche: "What's the point of having two monocles?" -- Cindy, to Ryan B


First Course: "Linda has elevated nursing to a fine art...not that kind...not that kind either." -- Cindy and Glenn


Second Course: "I don't like beets anymore." -- Bro, after eating all of the beets on his plate


Dessert:  "Do porks have tail?" -- Cindy


Sunday, January 1, 2012 


"You and your Rockapella." -- Ryan B, to Sherry, after she explained why Bro is the best brother in the whole world

Happy New Year!