Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Halloween at Disneyland: A Wonderful Day at the Park

Saturday was an event I look forward to all year: Media Family Day at Disneyland -- which, for the last few years (at least) is also Gay Day at Disneyland. I'm not sure exactly why that tickles me so much: there's nothing really different about the group: men, women, couples and families -- all enjoying a day at the park. 

Maybe it's all those red shirts. Or maybe it's the 70s disco tunes we heard wafting through Downtown Disney one year (probably a coincidence). We just always seem to have fun.

Of course, it could simply be the Halloween theme. The park is decked out with pumpkins, the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain have been retooled for the season, and there are lots of photo ops with Disney's most popular villains (I saw "Cruella De Ville" more than once on Saturday).

Socal Mom Tip: Arrive Early

Our family has a strategy for our Disneyland visits: we aim to get there right when the park opens so we can cram in as many rides as we can before the lines get unbearably long. That means heading straight to one of the more popular rides (like Indiana Jones) and grabbing a Fastpass -- then to another popular ride (like Space Mountain). This allowed us to enjoy some of the Disney classics in time for California Adventure's opening at 10:00.

I wasn't able to do that this year. For the first time in ages, I did not arrive at the park until after noon. And even if I had gotten there early, I would have had to recalibrate my rideshare plan. For one thing, CA Adventure now opens at 8:00 a.m. And for another, the new hot "E" ticket ride is the new Radiator Springs Race Car attraction in Cars Land. I discovered just how hot it was when I wandered out that way about 2:00 p.m. and discovered that there were no more FastPasses to be had for that ride for the day. And the wait time without one was a whopping 105 minutes.

It's All Happening on Buena Vista Street

I missed the summer unveiling of the new parts of California Adventure, so ended up spending a lot of time there on Saturday. I was entranced by the renovated entrance, Buena Vista Street, which was inspired by the Los Angeles Walt Disney encountered when he first settled here in 1923. And even though I'm not as old as that, the replicated street looked much like the city I remember when I was little.

Buena Vista Street culminates with a replica of the Carthay Circle Theater, which was where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered back in 1937. I'm pretty sure my mom and dad took me to see a movie there when I was a kid (before 1969, when the place was torn down).

The re-constructed replica of Carthay Circle is an elegant restaurant, with something of a surprise for longtime Disney fans: a full bar on the ground floor, which serves actual cocktails.

And on 2:00 in the afternoon on a day of special events for media, families and gay folks (and I'm sure there was plenty of overlap between those groups) -- that bar was hopping. 

The period Mission Revival architecture of the "theater" is carried into the interior decor. The place is gorgeous, the menu sounds great -- and I plan on making reservations the next time I go, just so I can sit there for a while and admire it. (It's also good to know that purchasing an entree and a dessert can also get you a spot for premiere viewing of California Adventure's World of Color show -- another newish Disney attraction I've not yet had the chance to see. So I'm thinking I definitely need to include it in the plan for my next trip!)

 One more thing about the new Buena Vista Street: The Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe there features Disney's first Starbucks! (So I can get two of my five favorite "food groups" right there in California Adventure.)

Cars Land

I wrote about Cars Land for AskPatty over the summer -- before I had a chance to see it. Now that I was there, I HAD to take some photos of my own (you know -- because it's not enough to just use the beautiful, professional ones on the Disney media site. I have to do it myself):

Downtown Disney

But the highlight of my Halloween Disney visit was meeting up with Sweatpants Mom and her family. It was nice, because we have a similar dynamic: We sent the teenagers off on their own and then we headed out to Downtown Disney for tapas and drinks.

For the last two Disney visits, my husband and I have dined at Catal, the Patina group's outlet at Disney. It turns out that this is something of a tradition for them, too. We sat at the outdoor bar, where they're celebrating Oktoberfest with a variety of beer (although Marsha and I stuck with cosmos). 

We ordered small plates off the bar menu, including ahi tacos, cod fritters, garlic fries and grilled asparagus. Everything was out of this world.

Satisfied, we headed back to the park for the ultimate Halloween ride: the Haunted Mansion. During Halloween and Christmas, it becomes a Nightmare Before Christmas adventure, which is a lot of fun for fans of the Tim Burton classic. Each year I look forward to seeing what kind of gingerbread cake the park's pastry chef has created for the dinner and dancing scene (yes, it's real gingerbread and every year it's different!)

Anyway, this was the scariest part of the evening, because it had become so very crowded. Disneyland is a lot of fun at night, there are fabulous evening shows (Fantasmic! is staged right by the Haunted Mansion, and it is spectacular). And people just like to be there after dark. 

All in all, it was another wonderful day at the Park.

DISCLOSURE: I was not paid for this post. I was, however, comped park-hopper tickets as part of Media Family Day.

Staycation Location: Santa Monica's Casa del Mar

I feel like my life's been all work and no play lately.

However, thanks to another assignment from AskPatty, I got to feel like I was getting a little bit of downtime last week, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company, which held a launch of its new 2013 Fusion in Santa Monica -- and arranged for me to stay there overnight...

...at the gorgeous Casa del Mar, which is right on the beach. Here's the view from my guest room window:

Back when I was a professional meeting planner, I toured Shutters on the Beach, which was, at the time, Santa Monica's only hotel located right on the beach. I fell in love with the place. While the lobby was huge, it felt intimate, like a family beach house on Cape Cod (that is, if your family is the Kennedys). I admired the luxurious furnishings and the sumptuous bathroom fixtures (because my favorite thing to check out on these hotel tours was the dream bathrooms in all the best hotels).

Most of all, I loved the whimsical little touches, like real books on the shelves (which could be exchanged for other titles, if a guest preferred), toys strategically displayed and rubber duckies for the whirlpool tub.

I never booked an event there, because the meeting space did not work for my employers... but I have spent the last 18 years longing for an opportunity to stay there.

Alas, the rack rate for weekend guest rooms at Shutters starts at $550 -- and that's for a room WITHOUT an ocean view. We've never been able to justify spending that kind of money to stay so close to home.

Casa del Mar Luxury

A few years ago, the owners of Shutters opened Casa del Mar, right next door. Needless to say, I was pretty happy to learn that Ford would be putting me up there. It's right on the beach like its sister hotel, but has a different look; instead of Hyannisport, think George Clooney's Italian villa:

And you still get unabashed luxury, as you can see from this shot of the four-poster bed and fainting couch in my ocean-view room:

My room had the same kind of selection of books and toys I remember from my tour of Shutters...

Guests at Casa del Mar don't have to fiddle with dinky little drip coffeemakers - instead, you get the full Keurig treatment...

And yes, you still get a rubber ducky to play with in the oversize whirlpool tub...

Santa Monica Dining

After checking in, I was directed to a lunch buffet on the veranda. I only ate salad, roasted vegetables and a little grilled chicken - but there was also sea bass and fennel crusted chicken, and a lovely array of dessert.

I have to say that the dressings on those salads were really good. The Caesar dressing had the right combination of cheese and anchovy. The surprise was the balsamic dressing on the arugula and grilled asparagus salad, which had a lemony tang to it. (Note to self: find a recipe for that!)

I cannot tell you about the dinner at Casa del Mar, because Ford usually transports their guests offsite for the evening meal, and our hosts promised us a special treat. Needless to say, there is a lot to choose from down there, from Chez Jay to Whist (both within walking distance).  

Ford had indeed arranged something special: a drive up PCH to the Annenberg Community Beach House for a buffet meal catered by Wolfgang Puck.

I've already written of my admiration for Hollywood's favorite chef. He was nice to my kid. It almost doesn't matter how good the food was.

But the food was good. From the passed hors d'oeuvres (like the truffled figs pictured at right) to the braised fennel salad to the dessert buffet... All was delicious.

And you could not beat the ambiance.

Back to that Tub

But to be perfectly honest, I could not wait to return to the hotel for a bath in my room's "hydrothermal massage tub." I had not thought to pack any bath supplies, but didn't need to, as the bathroom included a lighted glass cabinet with all sorts of wonderful cosmetic and grooming items for sale.

This is described on the Shutters website as a "privately curated apothecary." I just thought of it as a bathroom minibar.

I splurged on a lavender and chamomile bath bomb for relaxation and had a good soak - all while watching my favorite shows on the small HDTV screen mounted above the sink. I wondered if the remote for that TV was waterproof. Fortunately, I did not end up having to test it.

I slipped into one of the two Frette bathrobes available in the room and resumed my TV viewing on the BIG HDTV above the desk, but not before getting a little freaked out by the noise that was emanating out of that tub. It turns out, it has a drying cycle. Pretty cool.

I checked out the following morning, enjoyed a lovely buffet breakfast on the veranda, and spent the next several hours driving the Ford Fusion (review to be posted soon on AskPatty). I finished my drive in time for lunch (a similar buffet, but none of the salads this time included that amazing lemony balsamic dressing). I picked up my car from the valet and drove home. And while there is no place like home, I have a feeling I'll be spending my next 18 years hoping I can go back to Casa del Mar.

DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation for this post about Casa del Mar. I just like staying in five-star hotels and then boasting about it.

 

A Night at the The-AY-Ter

One of the reasons I love shows like Fame and Glee is that they remind me of the kids I hung out with when I went to high school.

Few people who know me now would guess that I was a teenaged drama geek, or that I ever took an acting class. I sucked at it, which is why I ended up a writer -- because when you fail as a writer, it's so much less public than falling on your face in front of an entire audience of critics. (The turning point came when I was at UCLA, when the blind girl in my method acting class complained about how much she hated my voice.)

My love of theater was something that came naturally: My dad had been an aspiring actor and I inherited his old books of play anthologies. I read these books for fun. By the time I was in sixth grade, I was familiar with the works of 20th century greats, like Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill and George S. Kaufman. I was also a big fan of George Bernard Shaw.

Yes, most people thought of me as something of a weirdo.

When I was growing up, my mom and dad often sprung for season tickets for the family at the Ahmanson and Schubert. I feel fortunate to have seen original West Coast productions of Follies, A Little Night Music, Annie, Evita and other 70's-era shows that are now considered classics.

I don't get out to the theater much any longer. It's expensive, and I don't have a lot of disposable income.

Perhaps that's why I responded to a pitch last month from Topanga's Theatricum Botanicum. I had always wanted to go, but wasn't sure how I'd get anyone to go with me. Fortunately, it's an easier sell when I've been given a couple of comps (and a paid assignment to write about it over at CBS LA).

Gareth and I went to the opening of Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure." Neither of us is a huge Shakespeare fan, and Gareth was downright bored. However, when the show was finished, he admitted that having a date night and seeing a production under the stars was kind of fun -- and he even said he could be persuaded to go back. (Theatricum Botanicum is pretty inexpensive: The top rate for seating is $33).

This summer, they're also doing Shaw's Heartbreak House. I think we'll be there.

Halloween at Disneyland, a SoCal Tradition

Once again, I was an invited guest to Disneyland's annual Family Media Day, celebrating Halloween. And once again, I was there.

You may recall last year, when my husband was not able to attend with me and my teen ditched me so she could hang out with her friends. I was left wandering the park alone for several hours and came to the conclusion that without peeps, Disneyland is the Loneliest Place on Earth.

Photo: Donna Schwartz Mills.

So last week, when I learned that my husband would be unable to go with me, I got wise: I invited my sister and her family to join me. 

I've invited her before, but there has always been a reason why they weren't able to make the trip down from Northern California. This year, I was in luck: they were available. And instead of going solo, I was part of a party of seven. 

What's New This Halloween

Photos: Carly Starr

All my Halloween favorites are back: Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and the Haunted Mansion Holiday. And the Park is festooned with pumpkins and other seasonal decorations.

Star Tours has reopened as Star Tours 3D -- which had me afraid that all the Park did was clean up the ride and re-do the video in 3D. 

Photo: Carly Starr

Thankfully, I was wrong.

The Star Tours 3D experience is all new, with an updated story that reflects all SIX Star Wars films and features appearances by some of your favorite characters: Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Ewoks, Princess Leia (who tells the audience we are her only hope!)... and Jar Jar Binks. (I guess it can't ALL be good).  And yes, the droids have been cleaned up and are positively gleaming now.

Old Dogs, New Tricks and My First Celebrity Encounter

There's one thing I've observed from watching my parents and their contemporaries as they've aged: The ones who have fared the best have remained active and engaged, and have not been afraid to adapt to changing technologies.

I hope that is something that factors into my outlook on life as I get older. And it's one of the justifications I'm using for time I've spent this week that on the surface, doesn't appear to be productive.

I've shot a lot of video lately, but have little to show for it. I like working with video, but I'm not good at it. I think I get better with each project I attempt -- but it's a slow process, and I'm hampered by the fact that I'm not a Mac user and am relying on whatever Windows editing program I can get for free.

My husband recently digitized all of our old camcorder videos. He also discovered a videocassette my father made from old home movies, and digitized that, too. I've been trying to winnow out a short clip from that file, but have been flummoxed by the limitations of my software.

The .avi file crashes every time I try to open it in MediaImpression, so I switched to Adobe Premiere Elements and managed to put together a workable edit (although I couldn't figure out how to control the precise length of time that titles appear on the screen, nor could I find a way to fade in or out -- even though there are about two dozen other transition effects available in the program).

But the most frustrating part of the Premiere Elements package my husband has installed on this computer is that once the project was finished, I was unable to export it into a file that could be uploaded to YouTube. So while it was nice to get a feel for how Elements works, I had to start all over again in some other package.

I finally got it all to work in the latest version of Windows MovieMaker (which is free -- you just need to have a Windows Live account).  Yes, there was a learning curve -- and the final version of the clip is actually the second one I made, because the program crashed on me right after the first one. (One of these days I will learn to ALWAYS save these kind of projects after completing each step).

I even added a silly autotuned music track from GarageBand on my iPad and a pre-fab title theme.

This footage was shot by my dad, who may have tried harder if he'd known that some 50 years later, I'd be putting it up on the Internet (but how could he?)  And aside from the cool, retro look of Disneyland in 1962, this clip is notable because it documents my first encounter with a celebrity: