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Happee Birthdae Raechel!

I have a fantastic hubby. This year, he planned a trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios to celebrate my birthday. Fantastic, right? I only wish Mother Nature’s contribution to my “special” outing hadn’t been a record-breaking scalding. Here’s the lowdown on those high temps and our cool trip.

I hate to ruin fanciful notions, but kids aren't necessary to enjoy Disneyland.
I hate to ruin fanciful notions, but kids aren’t necessary to enjoy Disneyland.

We spent the first couple days of our vacation in Disneyland. Disneyland was a bit crowded, it being summer and all, but we avoided lines all the same. We took advantage of the FASTPASS system and the thinning of the crowds late in the evening, which resulted in 15-20 minutes being our longest wait. We still hit almost all the most popular rides.

With a spectacular view of the evening parade and fireworks, our dinner at Carthay Circle really was a feast for the senses.
With a spectacular view of the evening parade and fireworks, our dinner at Carthay Circle really was a feast for the senses.

In my prestigious opinion, sampling the food at Disneyland is almost more fun than sampling the rides. With that in mind, we munched corndogs, Mickey beignets, Dole whips, safari skewers, and Mickey macaroons. We endeavored to go easy on the sugar, but it went down a little too easy. We dined at Napa Rose, The Blue Bayou, and Carthay Circle. Since we were celebrating my birthday, the staff at Carthay Circle gave us one of the restaurant’s best tables on the terrace. From that vantage point, we got to watch the evening parade and fireworks. It was, dare I say, magical. Peter Pan gave us a surprised look as he passed us high on his float perch, a startled look he probably gives Carthay’s balcony dwellers every night.

These pixie-dusted flowers were among the items delivered to our room on my birthday while we were out.
These pixie-dusted flowers were among the items delivered to our room on my birthday while we were out.

My actual birthday was actually awesome. Jason surprised me with a whole assortment of Disney-themed birthday goodies that the hotel staff arranged in our room while we were out; I’m talking Dudley Dursley quantity here. Good thing I’m too old to be classified as “a brat.” Jason also insisted I wear a birthday button. More people seem to be taking advantage of Disneyland’s buttons these days. Hence, only a handful of park goers offered me wishes, but plenty of staff members gave me good birthday vibes.

I guess Camelot will have to wait a bit longer.
I guess Camelot will have to wait a bit longer.

I’m no Disney nut, but I have to admit that Disneyland does it right. Not only is the park kept remarkably clean for the number of people that crowd into its borders, but its characters have a way of making you feel enormously important. We ate breakfast at the Storytellers Café on my birthday, and all the critters were so sweet. They held my hand, kissed my forehead, gave me pats; I felt loved. Kylo Ren wasn’t so doting. He attempted to get me to join the dark side. I gave him an ambiguous maybe- I just couldn’t say yes in good conscience.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter came with a castle and all.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter came with a castle and all.

We spent our last couple days at Universal Studios. Jason was a wee lad the last time he went back to the future. And, for me, it had been over a decade. More importantly, neither of us had been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Birthdays are a good time to remedy oversights like that.

One of the biggest perks of the VIP Studio Tour is getting off the bus.
One of the biggest perks of the VIP Studio Tour is getting off the bus.

Our second day at Universal, we decided to upgrade to the VIP Experience. This decision was based off two points. First, a record heatwave was expected, prompting an excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service. As predicted, that hot spell spiked the temperatures at Universal Studios up to 113 degrees and other parts of L.A. to 117, the highest temperatures on record in some of these areas. When things get hot, the hot get guides… or something like that. The other reason? We wanted all the secrets of the backlot to be revealed to us. Thanks to our knowledgeable guide and VIP status, not only did we discover many studio curiosities, we also effortlessly hopped on every ride, walked through the props department, and received a meal that deserved its “gourmet” designation. Our favorites attractions at Universal Studios? We most enjoyed the Studio Tour, Revenge of the Mummy ride, Special Effects Show, and everything Potter.

Recognize this throne? It's held its share of celebrity butts.
Recognize this throne? It’s held its share of celebrity butts.

Speaking of Potter, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was charming but searing. Sadly, Hogsmeade’s winter glazing didn’t make it any cooler; we melted while its snow didn’t. At Ollivanders, an ash wand selected Jason during the choosing show. I guess his magical abilities are as alluring as the rest of him. We tried casting spells throughout the village, sometimes with success and sometimes with fiasco. Although most of the food options at Universal Studios are underwhelming, Jason and I loved the Three Broomsticks with its mix of British pub fare and wizarding ambiance. And, the Nighttime Lights projected on the Hogwarts castle were pretty extraordinary; they are worth catching almost as much as a Golden Snitch.

Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!

That last boiling day in Universal, my bad ankle swelled up in a manner befitting a sad balloon at a clown show. I guess heat does cruel things to impaired tissue. Time to slip some Deflating Draught out of Snape’s stash!

Mother Nature, like my husband, must have pulled out all the stops for my extraordinary celebration because L.A. was 25 degrees cooler a few days later. It was a birthday for the record books!

Rachel August 27, 2018 No Comments

Pottery, Archery, and Piracy

Sometimes life doesn’t turn out exactly as imagined. Some events aren’t as dramatic or romantic as anticipated while others are more remarkable than expected. Here are a few of our fall experiences that proceeded as predicted or as unpredicted.

Activity: The Cannon Ball

Expectation: Awesome

Reality: Awesome

It’s impossible for a steampunk pirate ball with vintage dancing not to live up to expectations.

I wouldn't actually make a good pirate; plundering goes against my core values.
I wouldn’t actually make a good pirate; plundering goes against my core values.

Activity: Archery Tag

Expectation: Fun and Energetic

Reality: Fun and Tragic

We invited everyone in my family to play archery tag with us one evening, including all our nieces and nephews. I learned a few things about myself and the world during this strung-out activity. It turns out, my family as a conglomerate isn’t particularly skilled with bows. We lost most of our games against another family consortium.

Our tag team was rather ragtag.
Our tag team was rather ragtag.

You know those wrist guards that Legolas wears? Well, I guess they are for more than just elven frills. Midway through our tag session, I wacked myself with my bowstring while shooting. It hurt, and I instantly grew a goose egg on my forearm that looked ready to hatch. A few days later, half my arm turned a sickly shade of green. My Dad walked away from the affair with a similar limb wound.

With a few insignificant differences, I am remarkably like the heroically-flawed figures of myth. Eons ago, an arrow hit Achilles’ foot, his weak point, and everything fell apart. Playing archery tag, an arrow hit my foot, my weak spot, and everything fell apart. (Sure, I didn’t slay Hector, and I wasn’t exactly a champion of the Trojan War, but I’d say those are pretty insignificant differences.) Just minutes before our time in the arena was up, a guy on the opposing team saw my foot sticking out from behind a barrier and decided to target it. This wasn’t just any of my two feet though, it was the foot I had tendon surgery on years ago. His arrow flew, hit that surgery spot spot-on, and hurt me like hell. (Sorry, I can’t edit that last comment; the pain was too real for censoring.) Jason heard a loud smack and then a wretched scream. Play stopped, and I hobbled off the field. I held back my tears though; I’m tough in my flimsiness like that. My ankle swelled up so badly I had to elevate and ice it that night. I could barely walk for a couple days, and I couldn’t run for a week and a half. D#mn puniest point!

My ankle inflated after getting shot.
My ankle inflated after getting shot.

Activity: Wheel-Thrown Pottery

Expectation: Ghost

Reality: Coarse and Clumsy

It's really easy to misalign your clay blob and form a wobbly mess.
It’s really easy to misalign your clay blob and form a wobbly mess.

As a gift to Jason, I purchased a month of wheel-thrown-pottery classes for the two of us. He envisioned a Ghost-esque experience, but it ended up being more like a 2nd-grade art class. You know, making misshapen blobs that only your mother could pretend to love. At least that’s what Jason would tell you, but I was pretty pleased with our creations. I enjoyed the classes enough that I signed up for another month of them with my mom. She and I had a great time working clay and forming rookie pieces together.

Despite Jason's protestations, most of our pottery pieces turned out satisfactorily.
Despite Jason’s protestations, most of our pottery pieces turned out satisfactorily.
After another month of pottery lessons, the quality of my creations... stayed about the same.
After another month of pottery lessons, the quality of my creations… stayed about the same.

Life isn’t terribly predictable. Excitement and drama don’t always pop up in the places we envision. Yet, pop up they do.

Rachel January 2, 2018 No Comments

Half Full of Thanks

On New Year’s Eve, my brother Drew and his wife Simone decided to sign up for the Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon in order to increase their chances of sticking to their resolution to get in shape. Honestly, when I heard that they’d registered for this event I was a little skeptical. It takes some determined training to get ready for a half marathon and I wasn’t sure if they had it in them. But any chance for them to chicken out clucked away with a click of our mouse. At the end of February, we, along with our friend Jeremy, added our own names to the registration list thus making it impossible for Drew and Simone to back out gracefully…and simultaneously impossible for us to retreat without disgrace.

We did most of our longer training runs with Andrew and Simone. The many miles go faster with some chatter.
We did most of our longer training runs with Andrew and Simone. The many miles go faster with some chatter.

While the largeness of our group convinced us that this race would be a winner, Jason and I had some apprehensions about finishing it as losers. Since the event was so early in the spring, we were a little concerned that the weather would inhibit our ability to prepare for it properly. Just train indoors you say? Are you aware that jogging 10 miles around a track would require roughly 70 laps and would likely be about as exciting as listening to an insurance policy manual on tape? I think I’ll pass but if you like extreme monotony by all means give that revolving tedium a whirl. As it turns out, for us, no worry over weather was warranted. Our outdoor workouts ended up working out. Sure, we had to dash in rain, snow and frost but we also got to sprint in some pretty darn perfect conditions. Jason and I stuck to our training regimen like filthy flies on fresh poop. We ran 4X a week with an extended session every Saturday. At the peak of our training, this totaled to 24 miles per week. Admittedly, it was a little tiring donning our tennis shoes for those distances but the main problem with our program was actually the time involved. Extra-long runs take an extra-long time. Our perseverance and sacrifice paid off though. We were ready and confident come race day.

No, my enthusiasm did not last but my legs did.
No, my enthusiasm did not last but my legs did.

This half marathon stays entirely on the Thanksgiving Point property. From paths around their tranquil gardens to trails on their swanky golf course, you’d be hard-pressed to find a prettier run. However, being pretty has a price. Usually that drawback is narcissism or an expensive shopping habit but, in this case, it’s hills. The half marathon routes we’ve done before have primarily descended but this one makes you struggle up for every step it lets you ease down. Talk about an incline infestation!

Spring flowers created a landscape of color all around us runners.
Spring flowers created a landscape of color all around us runners.

This course may have its ups and downs but the weather while we scurried along it was solely an upper. The conditions were ideal! Unlike my last half marathon, which ended with dehydration followed by puking, I did not overheat. I wised up after that experience and carried a water bottle with me this time to encourage liquid uptake; the pleasant temperatures did the rest. Barf really doesn’t make the best trophy; sure it’s showy but it kind of stinks.

At the nine mile point, the path went up a giant hill. Ugh! I wasn't the only one that struggled up that incline; I noticed two vomit puddles on its slopes.
At the nine mile point, the path went up a giant hill. Ugh! I wasn’t the only one that struggled up that incline; I noticed two vomit puddles on its slope.

I completed the race after 2 hours and 25 minutes. This beat my former time of two and a half hours and met my goal. I was pleased with myself and very proud of all the other runners in our group. Jason crossed the finish line at 1 hour and 47 minutes. His objective was to finish in less than 2 hours and he definitely succeeded. Drew and Jeremy came in only 6 seconds apart right around 2 hours and 13 minutes. And Simone was about 10 minutes behind me. Way to go everyone!

Jason's exuberant thumb reflected the quickness of his run.
Jason’s exuberant thumb reflected the quickness of his run.
From these pictures it's apparent that I was zoned out through most of the race. Hey, when you have over 13 miles to conquer Rachel Land ain't a bad place to be.
From these pictures it’s apparent that I was zoned out through most of the race. Hey, when you have over 13 miles to conquer Rachel Land ain’t a bad place to be.

I don’t know if it was the race’s many hilly miles or just my body’s many years of miles but the rest of the day, following the event, my hips and knees were pretty sore. It hurt to sit and it hurt not to sit so my options for avoiding pain were pretty limited. Jason fared no better. In fact, he suffered like a fussy baby without a binky and almost cried as much. My thigh muscles may have been grumpy about going down stairs for a few days but Jason’s calves reportedly felt like they were going to rip in half. I guess, considering his finishing time, he earned the right to be a little whiney. (And yes, in case you’re wondering, my calves are much tougher than his.)

Jason leaped like a gazelle as he neared the finish line. I don't know how he had bounds of energy left.
Jason leaped like a gazelle as he neared the finish line. I don’t know how he had bounds of energy left.
My finish was much less dramatic than Jason's...and considerably slower.
My finish was much less dramatic than Jason’s…and considerably slower.

My ankle, as my physical therapist predicted, handled this whole affair, including the prep workouts, pretty well. It would hurt after my lengthier runs and swell a little but it didn’t declare all-out war; I was satisfied with that precarious truce. Yeah for ankles that tolerate and can be tolerated!

I was proud of everyone in our group. Their diligence paid off.
I was proud of everyone in our group. Their diligence paid off.

The Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon was a great experience. I’m glad Drew and Simone initiated our participation with their hasty resolution. The race was lovely, though horizontally challenged, and our training for it went according to plan. Our large troupe provided added motivation and entertaining running buddies. Yup, misery really does like company even if that company is prone to dispense harassment. Peer pressure and persistence got us across the finish line with our dignity intact. It’s nice to be barely at the brink of summer and already in such great shape. Now we’ll just have to continue hitting the pavement in order to keep that shape from sagging into the recognizable silhouette of a bowl of Jell-O.

Rachel May 16, 2013 No Comments
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