{People & Places 2010}

Christmas + Disneyland = Magical

Darkness descended upon the crowd. Throngs of people pushed in on all sides, waiting impatiently for the moment to arrive. Mummers, laughing, hushed conversation swirled around us. The cold air pressed in on our rosy cheeks. Time passed slow like molasses. Then, with a start, the moment we were eagerly awaiting. Beautiful instrumental music filled the air, melody and notes combined to create familiar Christmas carols and songs. And as eyes turned toward the majestic castle, all stood with bated breath gazing at the dazzling explosion that lit the sky. High above Sleeping Beauty’s glistening abode, the fireworks showered the night sky like the opening scene of a Disney film. A dizzying array of brilliant white, red, green and blue light shone brightly on the pleased faces below. Squeals of delight and awe erupted as all who witnessed the sight glowed warm with Christmas delight and wonderment.

The Happiest Place on Earth

Taking our seat in the make-shift taxi, I noticed we were sharing the ride with a sweet family of four; mom and dad in the front seat, two young boys in the second, Jeremy and I bringing up the rear. The car wound its way through the adorable ride. Colorfully decorated scenes with Sulley, Mike Wazowski and Boo appeared as we rounded each turn, masterfully telling the story of "Monsters, Inc." Nearing the end of the ride, a life-size Roz, the dispatcher, stood to our right. With her clipboard in hand and cat eye glasses perched on her nose, she looked straight at our car and barked, “Young man in the second row....” The brothers immediately snapped their heads to exchanged a shocked look. Then the oldest boy turned back toward me, his large brown eyes unblinking and wide. A mixture of puzzlement and anxiety washed across his face as he struggled to understand exactly who Roz was calling to. With a grin on my face I looked down at him and said, “She was talking to you!” He gasped in astonishment and wheeled around in his seat. As we disembarked our vessel, I heard the young boy exclaim to his father in a breathless voice filled with wonder, “She was talking to me!” That, my friends, is the magic of Disneyland.

Hark the herald, flamingos sing!

Zoo Lights at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo was the perfect way to kick off the Christmas season. We met up with family and friends tonight to enjoy the zoo all lit up with Christmas displays and lights. Most of the animals were MIA, but we did visit the ever-stinky flamingos, Sting Ray Bay and the reptile house. The camel was out relaxing with a big red blanket on his back, a la Santa Claus, and we sneaked a peak at the Red wolves. Having a big wolf just 30 feet away from you is a wee bit disconcerting. It’s even creepier in the dark, especially when you’re convinced the wolf can hear the Team Jacob wisecracks circulating as the group passes by (go, Team Edward!)

Zoo Lights runs each weekend through the month of December and was our alternative this year to the over-crowded Christmas Tree Lane. Complete with free hot chocolate and cookies, it was a fun way to support a local attraction and do something Christmasy!

A girl can dream, can't she?

I keep an ongoing list of “things I must do before I die.” The vast majority of items on my list are destinations I’d like to visit someday. High on this list is my dream of spending a sun-drenched holiday on a secluded island in the South Pacific; perhaps a Fijian or Tahitian island, I’m not picky. Staying in an over-water bure would be a must, obviously.

Turquoise water, white sand beaches and tan lines have occupied my day dreams as of late, especially as the sun now quickly disappears in the late afternoon and the temperature starts to drop (and yes, I realize I live in California where the forecast for this week is in the mid-60s, but I’m still cold!).

So as I type this, clad in my warm hoodie and sweat pants with Christmas music playing in the background, I’m holding on to the dream that someday I will be able to cross off that trip to the South Pacific from my wish-list.

Ending on a good note...

Ready for a night out on the town!

My birthday week concluded Saturday with a wonderful evening spent at Campagnia and the Fresno Philharmonic. Jeremy & I were smokin’ hot; Jeremy in his dapper suit, and I in my sexy little dress and heels that absolutely kill my feet! Campagnia never fails to impress, and, as expected, dinner was delicious. Jeremy ordered the filet mignon with spinach and sun-dried tomato ravioli, and I had the braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes. Yum.

After dinner we headed downtown to the William Saroyan Theatre for an evening of classical music. We don’t go to the symphony all too often, and every time I attend a performance I wonder why that is. I truly love it.

Not only was the music incredible, but so was the company. Seated next to us were a wonderful 85-year-old man and his 80-year-old wife. This older gentleman was one of those people you could sit with for hours, listening to a lifetime of stories and learning from his 85 years rich with experiences. He spoke of his time as a gunner on the B-29 heavy bomber aircraft during World War II, how he returned home to marry his bride, went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana and later went on to receive his PhD in Genetics. To celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this summer, he and his wife retraced the route they took on their honeymoon, traveling throughout Montana, Idaho and up into the Canadian Rockies. Next year they plan on visiting Alaska. “See, that’s what you get to do when you’re retired,” he said with a grin.

As a season ticket holder, he also imparted to us some knowledge about the Philharmonic. As the beautiful Steinway piano was rolled out to the center of the stage, he leaned over and asked if we had heard about the Philharmonic’s extensive search for the exquisite piano, which cost about $200,000. With unmasked excitement on his face, he eagerly told us that this Steinway had a beautiful “voice” and exclaimed that it was a “wonderful piano.” Indeed he was correct; after listening to the first few notes rise from the keys, I knew we were in for a treat.

This particular performance featured guest pianist, Orli Shaham, playing Frederic Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor. As an amateur piano player (and much unpracticed as of late) I was captivated by the fluidity of her movement and how quickly her fingers danced across the keys. It was beautiful and moving; goose bumps rose along my arms as I listened, and I was swept away. That’s the wonderful thing about sitting in a dark theatre listening to an orchestra play; the music washes over you, and all at once your mind is collectively racing and perfectly still.

Cobb Ranch and birthday cake

My 29th birthday is tomorrow. All I wanted for my birthday was the feeling of fall. It’s been so hot here all month and the thought of a cool evening, a cozy fire, hot drinks, and hearty soup gave me warm fuzzies. My wish was granted Saturday evening thanks to my beloved sister-in-law, Marisa (although she didn’t exactly have any control over the weather, which was still hovering around 87 degrees at 6 p.m.). However, the temperature cooled as the sun began to set, and I was blessed to spend a lovely fall evening with a handful of sweet friends celebrating another year.

We started out at the Historic Cobb Ranch, located minutes from Fresno on Highway 41, where patrons can find the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, eat treats from the concession, go on hay rides, push kids around on wheel barrows, and get lost in the corn maze. The corn maze was the alluring feature that drew us to Cobb Ranch on this particular night. This year the maze was designed in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. With 2.5 miles of trails carved into five acres of 10-foot corn stalks, it’s no easy task to find ones way through the twists, turns and dead-ends. I’m not exactly sure how long it took us to master the maze, however, with a little help from a nice family who wisely brought along a flashlight, we managed to escape unscathed. I was happy to finally visit Cobb Ranch and experience the quintessential fall festivities I’ve so often heard of for the past eight years living in the Valley. Unfortunately the ranch is closing its doors at the end of this season, so for those in the Fresno area wishing to make a visit this fall, now is the time go.

A very blurry picture of us in front of the corn maze at Cobb Ranch

After conquering the maze, we headed back to Marisa’s house where we ate delicious chili, enjoyed chocolate birthday cake (my favorite), gathered around the outdoor fire pit (FYI: skip the Duraflame and use real firewood!), sipped hot cider and visited into the night. Marisa so thoughtfully contacted some of my friends and family in Canada asking them to write me a birthday note. Each one was printed out and hung with ribbon from the trees in her backyard. The notes were lovely and heartwarming; I felt beyond blessed and am so thankful for my loved ones, both near and far.

It was a perfectly relaxing, cozy fall evening with good company, a local attraction and an inviting home…happy birthday to me!