Kelli Wong Photography

A Visit to the Sky View Observatory and Cafe | Spring 2026

2026-05-17T20:44:15.755-07:00

The view from the Sky View Observatory in Seattle! The Columbia Tower is 933 feet tall and is the tallest tower in Washington.

Head to the top of the Columbia Tower, the Sky View Observatory, for the best views in Seattle. This is just our opinion, of course, but after visiting all of the observation towers in Seattle and most of the rooftop lounges, this view is our favorite.

This was our second time visiting this Seattle observatory and we found the prices not bad at all. Since our kids are under thirteen, we paid $20 for the two of them and we paid $27 for my husband and I. But we also got a Spring discount, so our total was $82. This is less than half the price of visiting the Space Needle, and I like the views at the Sky View Observatory better. Why? I can see the Space Needle, and even more of the city and the surrounding areas. They also have a cafe with a small menu and a full bar, along with plenty of tables next to the windows.

The elevator takes about a minute and a half to reach the 78th floor where the observatory is. We did a couple of laps around and took in the 360-degree views of Seattle, Bellevue, West Seattle, and more. Since it was my husband's birthday, we ordered cocktails and some food. We found a table for four right by a window looking out towards Elliot Bay and the downtown skyscrapers.

He sipped on a 5th Ave Manhattan, and I selected an Emerald Elevation. This pretty drink had vodka, Cointreau, huckleberry, and lime. So instead of a Cosmopolitan with cranberry juice, it had huckleberry. I loved it for the tartness and fruitiness. My husband also liked his Manhattan and was happily surprised to see three cocktail cherries in his drink.

My son's each ordered a Grilled Cheese. These had a three-cheese blend on a Ciabatta Roll and served alongside some house seasoned Kettle Chips. They both really liked their sandwiches and gobbled them up while admiring the sky-high view of the city. My husband and I shared the Charcuterie Board and the PBW Smoked Salmon Dip. Both of these sharable items were great! The Salmon Dip came with Kettle Chips for dipping, and we all loved the fresh and savory flavor of the dip. The Charcuterie Board had a nice selection of crackers, meats, nuts, green olives, cheese, and apricot jam. I was impressed with the quality of the food and drinks, especially for being served at an observation deck, where at some places it can be lacking and more of an afterthought.

After we were done eating, my husband surprised me with a pin he purchased for me. I was so excited, since pins are some of my favorite things! It went right onto my pin board when we got home.

Before we knew it, a couple of hours had flown by, and it was time to board the elevator and go home. It was kind of sad being back outside at ground level again. There's something special and fun about being up in the clouds and seeing the world look so tiny from above. This Seattle attraction is underrated, and more locals and visitors should check it out!

Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center

700 4th Ave

Seattle, WA

Five Spots for Soft Serve in Seattle | Part 8

2026-05-16T17:12:10.935-07:00

Ice Cream season has arrived in Seattle, so here are five more soft serve spots to try! Every year I do a new post with five more spots in the city to try. To see all eight posts, go to the search box on the upper right-hand side of this blog and search 'soft serve'!

We recently visited Boss Drive-In in West Seattle for really tasty burgers and even this sky-high soft serve cone! If you don't want an extra-large cone like we got, they have sundaes, and Blurry's-soft serve mixed with your choice of candy!

Here's a tip when getting soft serve, or any ice cream. If you're close to home, just take whatever you don't finish and freeze it for another day. Even if the ice cream is totally melted and soupy, it will freeze back up. Just put the ice cream in some Tupperware before freezing. Then when the craving strikes, leave it on the counter for fifteen minutes to get a little softer. Since this serving was so big, that's what I did, and it was still so tasty the next day!

Not only does Ba Bar in Seattle have some of the best Chicken Wings and Pho, but they also serve some notable desserts. Last time, we tried some Pandam Soft Serve in a cake cone that was so creamy and smooth! You can see my post here.

This year Pioneer Square got a new spot for pizza slices, drinks, and soft serve. At Un Po Tipsy, not only did we try some Pepperoni Pizza and an Espresso Martini, but we couldn't help trying the chocolate and vanilla swirl soft serve. I was stoked to see a new spot to try soft serve and this one was really tasty! See my full post here.

On the Seattle waterfront there aren't many spots for soft serve, but you can find a cone at Ivar's Fish Bar on Pier 54. They just have vanilla soft serve, but it hits the spot with some fresh fish and chips. You can read my full post here.

Colorful soft serve with edible googly eyes? Sign me up! This spot is Many Bennies in Fremont, and sometimes there are lines because of how just incredible the soft serve is. This is actually New Zealand style ice cream with a fruit base which is then mixed.

You can pick some toppings to take it over the top, and then they'll add some edible eyes for extra cuteness. I chose a lavender base, then I picked blueberry for my fruit mix-in, and finally, I had them add some lemon curd. The lemon curd was excellent, indeed, highly recommend if its available! See my post here from Many Bennies!

Thanks for checking out my newest soft serve post and stay tuned for more in the future! Where is your favorite place in Seattle for soft serve ice cream?

Lunch at Santy's Eatery in Burien

2026-05-16T15:31:00.491-07:00

The Lone Brisket Sandwich with Waffle Fries from the brand-new Santy's Eatery.

When I spotted a new restaurant in Old Town Burien online, it looked like the perfect spot to take my husband for lunch. Santy's Eatery serves sandwiches, burgers, and salads, and breakfast items, along with a full bar. If you're a fan of the sandwiches from Now Make Me A Sandwich, they serve the same sandwiches at Santy's Eatery and are located right next door. We've had their sandwiches before from their food truck where they catered a private event we attended. The sandwiches were really, really good, so we knew we'd like Santy's Eatery.

They just opened about a month ago. We grabbed a table by the window and each ordered a Margarita. I had a Guava and my husband chose the Passionfruit. Our server was also the bartender, and she did a solid job of making the cocktails. These were really tasty and strong. To eat I chose the Lone Brisket Sandwich with Waffle Fries. You can choose fries, waffle fries, salad, tots, or sweet potato fries with your sandwich.

My husband ordered the Cuban Sandwich with Tots. The sandwiches are big and are served on nice, thick pieces of Ciabatta bread. The pieces of smoked brisket in my sandwich were hearty and tender. I just wish there were more pieces packed in there, but the sando would have been too thick! There was also a Chipotle BBQ sauce and a crunchy jalapeño slaw which gave the sando a little bit of a kick! His sandwich was also really delicious and hearty. The slices of juicy and tender pork were really enjoyable on the sandwich.

Check out this spot in Burien if you enjoy hearty sandwiches with high quality and tender meat, along with yummy cocktails!

The Passionfruit Margarita.

The Guava Margarita.

The Cuban Sandwich.

Another shot of my Lone Brisket Sandwich!

Santy's Eatery

639 SW 152nd St.

Burien, WA

Mother's Day Weekend Brunch at The Garrison

2026-05-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Two mouthwatering brunch dishes from The Garrison in Ballard.

For Mother's Day weekend, my family and I dined at The Garrison. This is a locally owned Oyster and Seafood house located in Ballard. I started with a Sunset Espresso Martini. This had Amaro, Licor 43, Cold Brew, and Boomsma Herbal. I didn't really enjoy their version of the drink, and I should have known by reading the ingredients it would be different than the classic cocktail made with espresso. Unfortunately, we didn't really care for my husband's drink, an Almond Croissant Sidecar either. This had a bunch of ingredients and featured Cognac, but we didn't find it very tasty. He did however order a Manhattan later in the meal, and this classic martini was much better.

My sons shared the Chicken and Waffles. This was a pretty standard version of the classic brunch dish. It was made with Cornmeal Waffles and came with hot sauce, syrup, and honey butter. The chicken was seasoned nicely and was nice and crunchy. My husband had the Crab Roll with Fries and he really enjoyed it. I ordered the Warmed Banana Bread and the Smoked Salmon Toast with Caviar. The banana bread was one of the best brunch dishes I've ever consumed. It had an amazing banana butter on top, caramelized bananas and walnuts, and a really sweet and delicious caramel sauce. Would highly recommend this one!

The Smoked Salmon Toast was such an eye-catching dish. I added some Ossetra Caviar for an additional $10 since I'd never tried caviar. It came with a big serving of mixed greens. The toast had fresh salmon, creme fraise, caviar, and a sunny egg on top. The piece of bread was a little too crispy on the edges, but all of the elements were so tasty. I'm not a big egg person, so I gave my husband that bite. I really liked the salmon and the creme fraise. The caviar was mostly there for looks and didn't add much flavor to the dish.

This brunch was a yummy one, and our server was very kind to take our photo since it was our Mother's Day celebration. Overall, we liked The Garrison and would recommend it if you like seafood!

The Garrison is located along Market St. in the heart of Ballard.

I thought the interior of the restaurant was really cute!

The Almond Croissant Sidecar.

My Sunset Espresso Martini.

The Chicken and Waffles.

The Smoked Salmon Toast with Caviar.

The Warmed Banana Bread.

My husband's Crab Roll.

A classic Manhattan.

Some seating in the main dining room.

Some of the tables when you first walk in. They also had some tables outside.

This mirror was cool by the restrooms.

Some seating when you first enter the restaurant.

The Garrison

2319 NW Market St

Seattle, WA

Lunch at Eggslut at Westfield Southcenter

2026-05-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Gaucho sandwich and Truffle Hashbrowns from Eggslut's brand new location inside Westfield Southcenter.

Our local mall, Westfield Southcenter, has been blessed with an Eggslut location. This is a chef driven, gourmet food concept which was founded in 2011. Prior to that, Eggslut was a food truck in L.A. Their first location was in L.A's Grand Central Market. Now they have locations all over the country and the world. Eggs are the main focus here and are celebrated in most of the dishes.

The featured items are the egg sandwiches, and they offer a variety of toppings and egg preparations. They also have sides such as the Truffle Hashbrowns, Rosemary Fries, French Toast Sticks, and more. Their Westfield Southcenter location is bright with plenty of seating, and great customer service. This was our first visit to Eggslut and I've always wanted to try it. They also opened a location last year on Capitol Hill at Melrose Market.

My husband and I tried the Gaucho Sandwich, the Truffle Hashrowns, and the French Toast Sticks. The sandwich had seared Wagyu tri-tip steak, cage-free over medium egg, Chimichurri, red onions, and dressed Arugula in a warm Brioche Bun. We really liked this sandwich. The steak was incredibly tender. The bun has a nice and soft texture and held everything together well. The flavors of everything married together beautifully. You could taste the quality and care put into the made-to-order sandwich. What did we do to deserve an Eggslut location here?

The hashbrowns came with six mini hashbrowns, hot to the touch and tossed in duck fat and finished with truffle rosemary salt. These were crispy little bites of yumminess, and I could taste the duck fat and truffle, although the flavors were subtle. The first bite of my French Toast Stick almost brought a tear to my eye, they were so tasty. Almost like a cloud, each bite was super soft and fluffy. Each order comes with three French Toast Sticks along with a container of maple custard, an icing, for dipping. These are house-made Brioche French Toast sticks dusted in cinnamon sugar. Take my word and order these with your egg sandwich for a sweet finish!

Eggslut

2800 Southcenter Mall

Tukwila, WA

Capitol Hill Nightlife| A visit to Captain Blacks

2026-05-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

If you're on Capitol Hill and lucky enough to score a parking spot, you can hit up one of the many bars that seem to be in abundance in this area. One spot we recently checked out is Captain Blacks, a dive bar that's been open since 2009. They have a second-floor patio that's bathed in sunlight looking out to the city. Since it was so busy and packed, I felt transported to NYC, but in the best way.

At Captain Blacks you'll order your drinks at the bar and then grab a seat inside, where it's kind of dark and there's a nautical theme, or head out to the back patio and try and grab an empty seat. I ordered a Miami Vice, one of the featured slushies. This is a beachy beverage typically part Pina Colada and part Strawberry Daiquiri. Not only was this delicious and refreshing but it was very strong. One bevy here was good enough for me! My husband enjoyed a House Margarita, that was surprisingly purple and we weren't mad about it.

For food here, you'll need to order it on your phone and pick up your grub from the kitchen window. They serve food from TJ's Street Tacos. We ordered an Asada Quesadilla with a chipotle sauce on the side. The serving was huge, four big pieces full of asada, cheese, guacamole, and cilantro. It was a little spicy from the chipotle sauce, and the flavor from the asada was on point.

This bar on Capitol Hill was so lively and fun. Go check it out if you like your cocktail with a view, even a second floor one!

Captain Blacks

129 Belmont Ave E

Seattle, WA

Dinner at 32 Bar and Grill inside the Kraken Community Iceplex

2026-05-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Puck yeah! Hockey fans in Seattle can visit the Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate where you can dine at 32 Bar and Grill, watch players practice, and even shop at the Kraken Team Store. This complex is huge at 172,000 square feet with three NHL-standard rinks. 32 Bar and Grill is located above one of the ice rinks, so you can watch the hockey players practice while you dine. The name is 32 Bar and Grill because 32,000 fans made it possible for the Seattle Kraken to become the 32nd franchise, and the freezing point for ice on which the players and the community skate on at the iceplex is -32 degrees! Pretty cool, literally!

Our family went there last week for dinner. We got seated right away, but it was busy and really loud. Our server had a hard time hearing our orders! There are twenty screens playing hockey, so this is the spot for fans to gather and watch the game with friends, for families like us to dine, and for players to grab a bite after practice. This restaurant is for everyone, and the menu also has options for even the pickiest eater. They have a kid's menu, too.

They have some signature cocktails and my husband and I tried one. I had a Kraken Hat drink which had Kraken Rum, lime juice, and Blueberry. This was refreshing but wasn't sweet enough for me. He had a Dark Rink Manhattan which had Rittenhouse Rye, Averna, Angostura Bitters, and Orange Bitters. This was solid and tasted like a Manhattan should. Strong and full flavored.

For food I ordered the Poutine. This was house-cut fries, gravy, and Beecher's Cheese Curds. I'm still thinking about those cheese curds day later. I didn't know they were Beecher's until right this moment when I looked it up, and that explains a lot. Beecher's Cheese is a local company, with a location in the Pike Place Market and even one at SeaTac airport. The fries and gravy were on point, and overall, a really decent Poutine. Eating it while watching the players practicing on the ice made me feel like I was in Canada, since Poutine is a Canadian dish and, well, hockey.

My husband ordered one of the pizzas, the Hawaiian one. Theirs had tomato sauce, mozzarella, Canadian bacon, pineapple, and for a spicy twist- jalapeño. This pizza was ok, not the best crust we've ever had, but it was perfectly satisfying anyway. My boys ordered from the kid's menu, with one getting the Mac and Cheese and the other getting a Cheeseburger and Fries. Both dishes were on point, especially for a kid's menu. They both really liked their food, so that's a score for me! For dessert we all shared the Donut Holes with cinnamon sugar. These were on thin ice in my opinion, since they were too dense for doughnuts and too chewy. The tasty chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream helped this dessert not totally lose, however.

After dinner, I visited the Kraken Team store and was happy to see a nice assortment of pins. I bought one for my pin collection. This was such a fun dinner in Northgate at the Kraken Community Iceplex. A win for sure!

32 Bar and Grill

10601 5th Ave NE

Seattle, WA

A Character Brunch at the Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel

2026-05-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

Mickey, greeting us at our table at the Mickey's Tales of Adventure brunch at the Storyteller's Cafe!

A Character Meal was something on my Disney bucket list, and I was able to check it off on our recent Disneyland trip! On the last day of our trip, we did a Character Brunch at the Grand Californian Hotel. The one they currently have is Mickey's Tales of Adventure, where the five characters you meet are dressed for adventure and ready to greet each guest! Here you will meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip, and Dale. You get 90 minutes for your reservation, and each character will come to your table and pose for photos during your meal.

This is a Brunch Buffet, and we were impressed by the quality of the food. There was a lot to choose from, and I ended up filling my plate and overeating! The plates are large, too, so it wasn't hard to do. I was so full I only ended up getting one plate of food and just a few small desserts on my second plate.

For savory food, there were fresh salads, a Tri-Tip Roast that was really tender, pastries, bacon, sausage, salmon, and much more. For the kiddos, there was the standard Mac and Cheese, fries, and Chicken Tenders. For dessert they have a popular Bread Pudding, mini cupcakes, lots of Macarons, cookies, and chocolate rocks which my sons loved. They also have our favorite Mickey Waffles with Strawberry Compote.

Coffee, soda, milk, and juice are included, but you can also order a cocktail for an additional price. My husband ordered an Old Fashioned which he really liked. It was so fun meeting the characters and taking photos with them! We got some great family photos with Mickey that I'll always treasure!

Each guest receives this neat button, perfect for me since I collect them!

Posing with Minnie Mouse! I loved their outfits and made sure to tell them all how much!

A picture with Pluto, too fun!

My plate was chock full of good food. I couldn't finish everything, and I was still so full!

My husband's Old-Fashioned cocktail. I went with coffee with cream and my sons each had Hot Chocolate.

Me and Dale!

I tried some Bread Pudding and although it was good, it wasn't my type of dessert. I did like how they had a bunch of toppings for it though. I also appreciate a good macaron, and they had lots!

My son's dessert plate! He was a very happy kiddo!

Before our meal, we walked around the Grand Californian Hotel lobby since it had been a few years since our last visit. I love their lobby. It's grand, but also rustic, and reminds me of the lodges and resorts in Montana where I grew up. They currently have the cutest Winnie the Pooh display in the lobby! To celebrate 100 years of Winnie the Pooh, the pastry team at the hotel have created this whimsical and adorable display. Check it out if you're in the area!

They also have a really nice fireplace in the lobby with rocking chairs. We hung out there for about an hour and just relaxed. Before we knew it, we needed to walk back to our hotel, get our bags, and grab a taxi back to the airport to catch our flight home. Our trip to the Disneyland Resort was just as fun and magical as you can imagine!

This is the last of my Disneyland 2026 posts. It was so fun sharing and recapping everything we did on our visit! As Walt Disney used to say, "See ya real soon"!

Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

1600 S Disneyland Dr

Anaheim, CA

Food and Wine Festival 2026 | Disney California Adventure

2026-05-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Mickey-shaped Macaron with Snickers bar pieces from the Uncork California booth at the Food and Wine Festival! This was our favorite thing we tried.

Every spring, DCA holds a Food and Wine Festival featuring California cuisine, drinks, entertainment, and more. There are different booths located around the park where you can pick up your items. This year the event ran from March 6th-April 27th. The festival is over for the year, but you can get some idea of how the event is and how our experience was if you plan to go someday.

This was our first ever Food and Wine festival at a Disney park, and we were pretty confused on how to order food. There were no signs are instructions; I just had to keep asking the cast members. There was a long line where you can order all of your items. Then you take that receipt to each of the booths to pick up your items. They have a Sip and Savor pass to purchase. One has four items and the other has eight items. We got the pass with four for $35. With the Sip and Savor pass, you also receive a fun and colorful souvenir plate, with the Mickey ears as the cup holders!

The problem was, even though we ordered and paid for four items, the last item was only available to pick up on the other side of the park in Avenger's Campus, and they said we needed to purchase that separately. It didn't make sense and we didn't end up getting the last item, the Bulgogi Bowl, even though we did pay for four food items.

The banners for the event were adorable! There were a few different ones around DCA.

Our cute plate and Sip and Savor pass.

The first item we tried and all shared was the Sirloin Gruyere Mac and Cheese. This was our favorite savory item. The servings at Food and Wine are small, so we each just got a few bites. Food and Wine is great for an afternoon snack, but I probably wouldn't make it a meal. The sirloin was really tender, the mac and cheese was soft and extra cheesy from the Gruyère, and we all loved the added texture of the breadcrumbs and the yummy flavor of the Chimichurri sauce! If you see this one of next year's menu, order it!

The first cocktail we tried was the Bourbon Peach Tea Lemonade. I really enjoyed this one. It was refreshing and paired well with the Sirloin Gruyère Mac and Cheese. It was topped with a Peach Ring gummy candy. I think my husband ate it, because I don't see that pictured. Lol!

The other cocktail we tried at Food and Wine was a Tiki Spritz. My husband liked this one better, so he drank most of it while I finished the other one.

The other savory dish we tried was the Musubi Fried Rice. This was also really good. The little pieces of Spam hit the spot, and the flavor of the bowl was really satisfying.

The Tiki Spritz cocktail from the Food and Wine Festival.

For dessert we all shared a Mickey-shaped Macaron with Snickers bar pieces. They have this treat every year and it's very popular. This was our favorite item from Food and Wine! It tasted as good as it looks! If you're a chocolate person and a macaron person, you'll love this Mickey-shaped dessert.

One of the food booths at the festival. This is where the Mickey-shaped Macaron was!

Our family had fun at the Food and Wine Festival. It was a little stressful trying to find all of our items at the different booths. We were able to find a shaded table though, so my family waited there while I slowly went around and got our items. The cocktails helped cool us down and really hit the spot! The three food items we tried were all delicious! I wish we could have tried the fourth item we bought, but you live and you learn!

Have you ever checked out this Disney festival, or any others? Leave a comment below!

What we ate and drank at Disney California Adventure

2026-05-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

The Pixar Frosty Parfait from Adorable Snowman at Disney California Adventure is not to be missed!

DCA is a food and cocktail mecca, and it's hard to choose where to eat. Since we last visited, there are new spots located in San Fransokyo Square, so I had to add those to my list. I missed some notable spots last time, so I made sure to hit those up. It really does take multiple trips to these theme parks to try everything!

Since we had breakfast at the free buffet at our hotel, our first snack stop was the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land. Here, there are five orange traffic-cone-shaped kiosks, each specializing in Cars themed snacks and drinks. Since we last visited, they've changed the ordering system. Now, there's one counter where you place an order for all five cone kiosks, then you take your receipt to each spot to get your item. The Food and Wine festival worked the same way, and I didn't know that ahead of time, causing me much confusion. I will cover the Food and Wine Festival in my next post!

We got a Churro with salted caramel sauce first. The churro was perfectly sweet and crunchy, and the sauce, although pretty messy, was super tasty with the churro. I just snuck a bite or two of my son's churro. Then we all shared some Pickle Popcorn from another cone kiosk. This was actually a pretty good snack! It was overly salty, but the flavor was there, and I washed it down with a Watermelon Vodka Lemonade. This cocktail was pretty sweet, but strong and refreshing! Like all of the drinks we tried during our DCA day, I split it with my husband so we could try a few.

For lunch we headed to San Fransokyo Square to eat at Cocina Cucamonga, a quick service spot known for their Quesabirria Tacos. We got a couple orders to all share. We also shared a Classic Lime Margarita that paired well with the food. I'd heard so many reviews raving about the tacos, but they were just ok. Ours were a little overcooked, but the flavors were still there.

This area had tons of seating to the side along the water, and in the main part of the square, and most of the tables were covered as well. This was a really busy time of day, though, so I'd recommend grabbing food at Disney not at the standard mealtimes, but either early or late.

For an afternoon dessert when the weather was on the warmer side, I grabbed a Pixar Frosty Parfait from the Adorable Snowman, located on Paradise Pier. This is a spot I missed last time, so I was so happy to try it! This parfait has non-dairy Lemon Dole Whip with a Raspberry Slushy on the bottom. The presentation of this dole whip parfait was on point! But it also tasted amazing. The lemon dole whip was perfectly tart and refreshing, and the raspberry slushy's texture was really good and had the right amount of sweetness. It melted a bit and I mixed it all together, and yum, one shouldn't miss this sweet treat at DCA.

For dinner we headed to Cars Land to eat at Flo's Cafe. This quick service spot is so immersive and just like the diner in the Cars movie. We shared the Winner's Circle Chicken and Waffle, and my son had a kid's cheeseburger and fries, along with a Chocolate Shake, which was topped with "road gravel" which are Oreo cookie crumbs! The serving for the Chicken and Waffle wasn't very big, so I wouldn't recommend sharing an order. Since we had been snacking all day and had some eats from the Food and Wine festival, it was enough food for us. For quick service food, the quality was really good. I'd say as good as any Chicken and Waffles we've had at some nice restaurants.

Later in the evening I tried the super cute Baymax Macaron from the Lucky Fortune Cookery in San Fransokyo. I loved the look of this treat since Baymax is one of my favorites. This macaron was big and was filled with Matcha and Raspberry. This was on my must-try list, so I was thrilled to get it!

Thanks for checking out my food and drinks post for our DCA day!

A Day at Disney California Adventure | Spring 2026

2026-04-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

San Fransokyo Square is a new addition to DCA since our last visit. This land is themed from the Big Here 6 movie and opened in August 2023. It features a striking bridge resembling the Golden Gate Bridge with really good quick service food, and lots of Big Hero 6 merch!

After having a rest day after our busy Disneyland day, we were ready to tackle DCA! We didn't rope drop like DL, but we did arrive around 9 am. We went to Monster's Inc first, because I wanted to take advantage of the wait not being too long yet. I think we waited about 30 minutes. This ride will be closing next year, and I wanted a chance to ride it. We ended up loving it! It was just like the movie, and we all found it fun and delightful.

Right across from the Monster's Inc attraction is the Animation Building. This building celebrates Disney animation and features four attractions. One is Turtle Talk with crush, the turtle from Finding Nemo. This is a screen-based show with an animated turtle who actually talks to you. My son found it so incredibly fun he ended up watching the show three times during our park day.

We also got to do the Animation Academy. Here you sit in a classroom-like setting with an instructor who will demonstrate line by line how to draw a Disney character. We lucked out and got one of our favorites, Lighting McQueen from Cars! My son has always liked to draw, so we had so much fun! This building is way worth a visit even if you don't do the attractions. There are large screens everywhere with the animation from different movies. I can't believe we missed this area on our last visit, but I'm so happy we did it this time!

Then we headed over to Cars Land. Here we got some snacks at the Cozy Cone Motel, which I'll show in my next post about all of the food we tried in DCA. It was a lot! Then we walked over to the Radiator Racers attraction and took some photos. This was another spot we missed last time. It's really scenic and it feels like you're in the Cars movies! We weren't able to ride Radiator Racers since the wait got to 100 minutes and we already rode it on our last trip.

By this point in the day it was lunchtime, so we walked over to the new to our area, San Fransokyo. It was really busy, so I did have to wait 45 minutes in line for food, but it was worth it! This Big Here 6 area is awesome and very well done. There's lots of food spots here and so many neat details to take in!

At this point in the day, my husband needed a break, so he headed back to the hotel. My boys and I spent a couple of hours strolling around the Paradise Pier area, riding rides and getting a snack.

The Incredicoaster is such an awesome ride! I got to ride it last time and I loved it!

My sons and I rode the Pixar Pal Around. There are two sides-the calm ride and the crazier one where the pods rock a lot and tend to make people sick! We chose the calm ride, and it was so nice! The views of DCA and DL were fantastic!

Then we rode Jumping Jellyfish. This ride is for little kids and very quick but still was a vibe and you got some nice views of DCA. After getting a snack we were pretty tired, so we walked back to our hotel and had an afternoon rest.

Around 4:30 we walked back to DCA and did the Food and Wine Festival. I'll cover that in one of the next posts! We walked around a bit more in San Fransokyo Square checking out the cool buildings and went inside the sourdough bakery, Boudin, but they weren't handing out any samples then. Checking out the Baymax and Mickey bread was cool, though! Baymax is a character from Big Hero 6 and one of my faves!

Then we walked back to Cars Land for some dinner. We got lucky and saw Lighting McQueen drive by!

While my husband took our boys to see Turtle Talk with Crush again, I had some solo time. I walked around, bought a Cars pin, and then checked out an area I missed last time, Grizzly Peak. This area has an entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and features a water rapids ride, an outdoor climbing space for kids, and gift shops. I walked through when the sun was going down and it was such a cool vibe!

The loop through Grizzly Peak took me to the entrance to Paradise Pier, so I was happy to see this view of the Ferris wheel and Paradise Gardens. I mobile ordered a snack in San Fransokyo and then I met back up with my family! It was time to get our spot for World of Color-Happiness!

My husband and my son headed back to the hotel, but my son and I got to experience such a wonderful show. We got lucky and were able to get up really close to the action. The World of Color-Happiness was such a sweet way to end our park day! I already showed this in my 70th Anniversary of Disneyland post, which you can see here, but I wanted to end my DCA day post with this shot!

Thanks for reading about our day at Disney California Adventure! Stay tuned for two food posts next!

Downtown Disney | Shopping and Dinner at Naples Ristorante

2026-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

The personal sized Pepperoni Pizza from Naples Ristorante in Downtown Disney.

After visiting the Pixar Place Hotel and then dining at the Disneyland Hotel on our non-park day, we did some shopping in Downtown Disney. Then we relaxed in our hotel room, and our boys spent some time in the pool. We walked back to Downtown Disney for our reservation at Naples Ristorante, a pizza and pasta restaurant.

New since our last visit is Wonderful World of Sweets. This Disney candy and dessert shop took over the old The Dress Shop and Marceline's Confectionary, which we visited last time. The store is now twice the size and chock full of Disney confectionaries. It was hard to choose what to buy!

They have fresh-popped caramel corn sold by the bag, which is the same Werther's Original you can buy in Epcot. I purchased a bag and brought it home to eat! I also selected a Peanut Butter Square treat which was huge and took a few days to polish off. It was really rich and perfect for the peanut butter and chocolate lovers. My son bought a Mickey Lollipop which also took some time to finish. We also tried two 70th Anniversary treats, which you can read about here.

Next, we checked out the Storyland Boutique close by. Here I was so happy to see some Duffy and Friends merchandise! I bought a Duffy pin which I love, and I contemplated buying a Duffy, but I settled on a selfie with him instead. I should have bought him and I have regrets. The Duffy and Friends merch had arrived on the day we visited and I heard it flew off the shelfs right away.

Then we went to World of Disney where I bought my boys each a hat. One was a Baymax bucket hat and the other chose a Pluto hat with flopping ears and everything! I didn't buy anything here for myself, but I did see some really neat Baymax and Up ears.

When we arrived for our dinner reservation at Naples, we were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. I told them inside and we had to go upstairs into another dining room. The second-floor dining room didn't look as upscale as downstairs. There was also an upstairs patio that would have been fun. My husband started with a Manhattan to drink. I had a Diet Coke. We all started with the Garlic Pull-Apart Bread. This looked really fancy and unique. But the texture was pretty mushy for us and it wasn't a favorite.

We also shared a Ceasar Salad that was pretty plain and didn't have enough dressing. Our boys each got a pizza from the kid's menu and they really enjoyed it. My husband and I shared a personal sized pepperoni pizza. For a personal size, it was big enough for two, especially with the salad and appetizer we shared. The pizza style was wood fired which was fine, but I was expecting more of an authentic Neapolitan style for some reason, probably my own silly assumptions.

We have a lot of solid pizza in Seattle, so when we travel around the U.S it can be hard to find incredible pizza. All this to say, Naples satisfies a pizza craving and when I go on trips I like to eat pizza at least once. And Naples pizza is a whole heck of a lot better than the pizza in the parks. I'm looking at you, Pizza Planet.

A Manhattan from Naples Ristorante. This was made well and the sip I got hit the spot!

The upstairs dining room was just ok, but I loved the look of the main dining room downstairs.

This appetizer looked fab, but the filling was quite mushy.

The view of Downtown Disney from the upstairs patio at Naples.

Such a pretty dining room at Naples! Request to sit in this area if you can. Check out Naples to scratch that itch for pizza on your Disneyland trip. But there are plenty of other great restaurants at the hotels and in Downtown Disney to visit for other types of food.

We had a relaxing and fun day checking out two Disneyland hotels, see those posts here and here, shopping and eating in Downtown Disney, and some down time at our hotel! This is essential for any Disney trip, and pro-tip- take your rest day in between your park days to rest those feet.

Exploring the Disneyland Hotel and lunch at Trader Sam's

2026-04-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

A Dole Whip Float with dark Rum for two and an original Dole Whip from Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel.

After visiting the Pixar Place Hotel and wandering around, we walked a few minutes to the Disneyland Hotel. The last time I visited was 1989, so it was time to check it out again! This iconic hotel just steps away from Downtown Disney opened when Disneyland did in 1955. The property is huge with four towers for guests to stay in, with a lobby for each area. The pool is big with waterslides and surrounded by palms trees, it looks like the place to be on a warm day. Walking around the property was so quiet and gorgeous, with lots of walkways. The hotel grounds feel very tropical and far from the busy theme parks, but you're just a few minutes away by foot.

I love this iconic entrance to the Disneyland Hotel. I feel like I remember it from when I was a kid, so it must have always been there.

We went shopping in the main gift shop, the Fantasia shop. I found two bracelets that were perfect for me, and some Mickey earrings I also really loved. Then we went to Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar for lunch. They're currently closed in their indoor area for refurbishment, but you can still dine outside with table service in the Tangaroa Terrace area.

This Disneyland Hotel carpet looks so pretty and welcoming!

This wallpaper in the bathroom was too cool not to take a photo of!

The path leading to Tangora Terrace and Trader's Sams.

This outside dining area was so pretty and tropical, and they're located near the pool area. Trader Sam's is famous for their unique Tiki drinks and was inspired by the Jungle Cruise. This spot is usually impossible to get into because of how themed and immersive the experience is inside. But since they only had outdoor dining, it was pretty empty when we visited. Since it was such a beautiful day, and it was raining and cold at home, we were happy to sit outside under the palm trees and warm breezes while we sipped our tiki drinks! There was even live music by our table, which we really enjoyed.

The outdoor dining area at Tangoroa Terrace and the temporary spot for Trader Sam's.

I started with the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum drink! This tropical drink had rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and cinnamon. It was the perfect tiki drink and one of the most popular at Trader Sam's. My husband had a Angolada, which had Navy Strength Rum, cream of coconut, a tropical juice blend, and bitters.

To eat, we shared the Pupu Platter. This had Pork Gyoza, Tempura-Battered Green Beans, Shrimp Tempura, Chili-Orange Glazed Chicken Wings, and two dipping sauces. There was an Aioli and a Ponzu sauce. This wasn't a lot of food, and everything was pretty pricey, but we loved the experience, nonetheless. Our kids ordered a Cheeseburger Slider which came with fries and fruit.

For dessert, my husband and I shared a Dole Whip Float with Dark Rum! It was very tall and our lovely server gave us two straws. This was such a classic Disney drink/dessert and super fun! But most importantly it tasted really refreshing and the pineapple flavors of the Dole Whip matched the rum perfectly. Our sons each enjoyed a classic Dole Whip! When in Disney, this is just what one does.

After lunch we walked back through the Fantasia gift shop, and I spotted a Trader Sam's pin. I just had to buy it to remember our special meal at the Disneyland Hotel!

Disneyland Hotel

1150 Magic Way

Anaheim, CA

Exploring Pixar Place Hotel at the Disneyland Resort

2026-04-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

The striking, yet whimsical lobby at Pixar Place Hotel, the only hotel in the world to celebrate all of the Pixar films.

The slogan at Pixar Hotel is "Welcome to Happy". That's exactly what you'll feel when walking into the bright lobby where a giant Luxo Jr. Lamp balanced on a Pixar Ball greets you. Wander into the check in area and you'll see huge photos of Pixar characters everywhere you look. There are several character meet and greets also available. Joe from the movie Soul plays the piano at select times, Bing Bong from Inside Out, and there's currently a Wall-E meet and greet that's been popular. We weren't lucky enough to meet the characters, but I went in with a low expectation of doing so. We did hear a cast member saying Bing Bong was coming out to the lobby in thirty minutes, but we were caught up in checking out the hotel that we totally forgot. There's even a Pixar-themed photo booth for capturing memories with your friends or family.

We didn't stay at Pixar Place Hotel, but I wanted to go check it out since it opened a few years ago. It was completed a little after our last Disneyland trip. Disney Hotels are so welcoming, but also so immersive to visit, even just checking out their lobbies and restaurants. Here they have The Great Maple, a modern American Eatery with a couple other locations in Southern CA. I've heard positive things about this spot, especially about the brunch menu and the Chicken Sandwich. We didn't dine here but hopefully will in the future.

If you go up the stairs by the piano, you don't need to be a hotel guest to do so, you'll see another floor featuring the latest Pixar movie, which is currently Hoppers. There is original artwork and storytelling from the film. But the best part about this floor is the view of the lobby from above. Take your time to look at the glass sculptures hanging from the ceiling of the different Pixar characters. Some of our favorites were Miguel from Coco, Buzz from Toy Story, and Bo Peep from Toy Story. Check out my photos below of the glass art and see which characters you can spot!

Even though we weren't hotel guests, we had fun checking out the hotel and shopping in the gift shop. We checked out the Pixar Place Hotel on our non-park day, and this was a solid way to start our day! Afterwards we walked over to The Disneyland Hotel for lunch, which will be my next post.

There are three Disney hotels at the Disneyland Resort- Pixar Place Hotel, The Disneyland Hotel, and The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. The area is really walkable and are all next to both theme parks. The three hotels are expensive, so if they don't fit your budget feel free to just visit and take advantage of the theming and great dining available.

Pixar Place Hotel

1717 S Disneyland Dr

Anaheim, CA

Celebrating 70 years of Disneyland | Food, Merch, and Entertainment at the Disneyland Resort

2026-04-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

The 70th Anniversary celebration at the Disneyland Resort runs from May 2025 to August 2026!

Happy 70th Birthday to Disneyland! They opened in 1955, and they decided to keep the celebration going for over a year, so people would have the chance to come visit and take in all of the magic of the anniversary. Both parks have daily live entertainment, lots of themed 70th foods, and plenty of merch to buy. The pretty pink and blue banners and signs are all over the park, and I couldn't help photographing many of them!

In Disneyland there are two 70th celebration parades, the Celebrate Happy character Cavalcade and the Paint the Night parade. There are also the Wondrous Journeys fireworks on the weekends. In Disney California Adventure there is the World of Color- Happiness show on the water at Paradise Bay. Carthay Circle in DCA also has a two-minute light projection show at night.

Posing in front of the Frozen 70th decor in Downtown Disney.

The 70th Stuff at Red Rose Tavern is just one of the many 70th themed desserts available in the parks.

The decor for the anniversary looked so pretty, especially this one located on Main St. U.S.A

My son bought this 70th Milk Marshmallow Wand in Disneyland at the Penny Arcade.

During our visit the 70th merch was 30% off, so I bought this cute ornament for my collection at Plaza Point on Main St. U.S.A

I also bought this 70th pin for 30% off in Frontierland at Westward Ho Trading Co. Also note the Baymax pin, not an anniversary item, but awesome, nonetheless.

My son and I got to watch the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade! This was a short parade, but so cute. Seeing Duffy was my favorite part! Duffy is Mickey's teddy bear and is super popular in the Asian Disney Parks. We need more Duffy and Friends at our domestic parks, too! I love how they included him in this parade for the 70th! The song was ''Celebrate Happy'' by the Jonas Brothers which played during the parade.

My sons and I both got to watch the Paint the Night parade in Disneyland at the end of our park day. My husband was worn out so he missed the parade, but he's not as into parades and fireworks as we are. Paint the Night is done so well! The floats are lit up and look unbelievable! It was so fun watching our fav characters go by. The music for this parade was Owl City's ''When Can I See You Again'', which is also from the movie Wreck it Ralph.

A little more 70th decor at the Disneyland Hotel!

In Downtown Disney at the Wonderful World of Sweets, we found a couple more 70th treats. We tried the Pink Mickey Ballon Marshmallow Pop and the 70th Celebration Mickey Cereal Treat!

More cute 70th decor in Downtown Disney!

Each night the iconic Carthay Circle building in DCA has a two-minute projection show with the "Celebrate Happy" song.

My son and I got to experience the World of Color-Happiness nighttime spectacular show in DCA on our last night! It was definitely spectacular and I almost cried a few times. We got lucky and got to move to the front and had some wonderful views! What a way to end our park day. The show is about 25 minutes long and has music, water elements, and lots of projections showing Disney and Pixar characters.

As we were leaving DCA and going back to our hotel, we just happened to see the Wonderous Journeys firework show at Disneyland! They kind of looked amazing from the esplanade right outside of the DCA entrance over the 50-foot castle that was built just for the 70th Anniversary!

Thanks for checking out my Disneyland 70th post! I'm so happy we visited during the celebration!

Three restaurants we tried on our Disneyland Day

2026-04-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

The Monte Cristo Sandwich with Pomme Frites from Cafe Orleans in Disneyland.

The dining choices at the Disneyland Resort can feel endless and it took two separate trips to try everything I wanted. I also did a lot of research on YouTube to figure out where I wanted to eat. See my post here of our last visit to Disneyland to see where we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Quite a bit of planning goes into a Disney vacation. Dining reservations go live sixty days in advance of your visit. If you're planning on any sit-down meals, and you'll want to make at least a couple, you need to go on the Disneyland app sixty days in advance at 6 am when the reservations open and score your reservations. The reason is because of how simply busy the parks get around mealtimes. And when the park is packed, sometimes walking right into an air-conditioned restaurant and being sat right away feels like magic in itself. That moment when your server hands you a cold beverage? Priceless. For this Disney trip, we had four dining reservations, and the rest of our meals were quick service meals. We got lucky with short lines on all except one of those meals and didn't have to wait long.

After rope dropping Disneyland, see my last post here about that, we were ready for some breakfast. We went to Red Rose Tavern, located in Fantasyland. At this Beauty and the Beast themed quick serve spot, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At quick service spots at Disney, adults can also order off of the kid's menu. So I chose the Mickey-shaped Pancake which comes with bacon, sausage, or fries, and a drink. My son and I ordered that, while my other son and my husband ordered the Bonjour! Breakfast which is scrambled eggs, a hashbrown, sausage, and bacon. We also tried the Black Cherry Cold Brew and the 70th Grey Stuff.

The pancake was a good size and almost too big to finish! I started with the ears first, as you do when eating Mickey-shaped food, and it was quite tasty! The sausage at the Disney Parks is always good, too.

The Grey Stuff is a dessert from Beauty and the Beast and there are different variations at the Disney Parks. Magic Kingdom has a cupcake version which we tried, and the Grey Stuff is cookies and cream mousse on top of a chocolate cupcake. At Red Rose Tavern, the specialty 70th Anniversary treat is a shortbread cookie with a cookies and cream cake, raspberry jam, with white chocolate mousse and sprinkles. We all shared this treat, but the couple of bites I had were suburb!

The Black Cherry Cold Brew hit the spot and gave me a nice dose of caffeine, which I need since I only slept five hours the night before! I thought there was a good balance of cherry flavor to coffee flavor, although I'm not picky with my coffee at all and drink it black every morning.

Red Rose Tavern was a really good breakfast choice, and this was a spot I wanted to visit last time but didn't. I feel like Mickey-shaped Pancakes are so fun, and something you don't get to eat often. I also love their unique cold brew and dessert options!

For lunch we ate at another quick service spot, Bengal Barbeque in Adventureland. This is another really popular spot in Disneyland and popular for their meat skewers featuring beef, chicken, or pork belly. On this trip I didn't really mobile order any food except for one treat on the last night. We waited about fifteen minutes in most of the food lines. I felt like it was easier not to mobile order, since we weren't tied to pick up times and I wasn't on my phone as much this trip. This line wasn't too long and before we knew it, we had a table and were sampling our food.

My husband and I shared the Bengal Rice Plate. This came with Jasmine Rice, two kinds of meat skewers, and Pineapple Slaw. We chose the Beef Skewer and the Pork Belly Skewer. Our sons each ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Skewers. The beef was a little chewy, but the pork one was tender and flavorful. I also liked the chicken one since it was also juicy and tender. This spot is good for a protein-based snack or make it a meal like us by adding some rice. They also have grilled Asparagus.

Our one dining reservation for our Disneyland day was at Cafe Orleans. Located in New Orleans Square area, they offer casual food similar to what you'd find in New Orleans. They're popular for their Monte Cristo Sandwich. They're take on this classic sandwich means it's battered and fried and has turkey, ham, and Swiss, and powdered sugar, and is served with fruity preserves on the side. You can get either a salad or the Pomme Frites with it. I chose the fries and my husband ordered the salad with his.

We all loved this sandwich. Even though my son ordered the Herb Roasted Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, he ate half of my portion of the Monte Cristo, but then I ate some of his pasta. The chicken was super tender and well cooked in his dish. The fries with my sandwich were crispy and tasted especially good dipped in the creamy Cajun Remoulade. Cafe Orleans is one of only several spots in Disneyland where you can order a cocktail. Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney have tons, but not so much at Disneyland. I had the Seaborne Margarita, and he had a Signature Bourbon Julep. Both drinks were really refreshing and paired well with our meals!

Thanks for checking out where we dined in Disneyland. I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration if you're planning a trip!

A Visit to Disneyland | Spring 2026

2026-04-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Sleeping Beauty Castle in the springtime, surrounded by flowers in bloom.

During our Disneyland day, I had some solo time while my husband and kids rode a couple of rides. I spent some time taking photos of the castle, doing some thrill rides, and I even did the castle walk through! More on that below.

A day at the Happiest Place on Earth to soak up the magic and joy! There's no place like Disneyland to get all the happy feels and create sweet memories. It had been a few years since my family had visited and I couldn't wait to go again and do the things I hadn't yet done. Plus, there were some new things to check out since last time at both Disneyland and California Adventure Park, and even new things in Downtown Disney.

For the first time, we rope dropped the park, which meant we arrived when the park opened. We got through security at 7:30 and then by 8 am, we were in front of the castle waiting for the rope to drop for the day. It was busy, but nothing too crazy. The reason for going this early are the low crowds and the wait times for the rides are super short or they're walk on rides, which means no wait. Our plan was to head through the castle, go straight through Fantasyland, take a left by It's a Small World, and then visit ToonTown to meet Mickey!

We did exactly that and the wait to meet Mickey was just ten minutes. He meets guests in front of his house, and it's too cute! Minnie's house is next door, and you can also explore her house. It was so fun to pose with Mickey and get some great photos! Then we rode Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway which had no wait at all. We rode this ride in Hollywood Studios before and it's such a delightful and fun ride!

The castle looked beautiful, especially with the 70th celebration decor adorning it! I will be doing a 70th Anniversary of the Disneyland Resort post soon! Disneyland opened in 1955, and the resort is celebrating its birthday from May 2025 until August 2026! We tried some of the70th snacks and got to check out the parades and nighttime spectaculars at both parks for the celebration.

I love this whimsical fountain with Mickey and Minnie at the entrance to ToonTown!

Mickey's house, where he greets guests in front of!

Say cheese! My first time meeting Mickey! It was so fun and I loved his outfit.

After riding Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, we went back to Fantasyland and waited just fifteen minutes to ride Alice and Wonderland. I had to pose in front of the attraction since I was wearing an Alice in Wonderland shirt!

Then my husband took the kids to go ride Haunted Mansion and I rode Space Mountain and Star Tours. I got to ride Single Rider for Space Mountain, which meant I went to a separate line by the ride exit, got a card, handed it to a cast member and got on the attraction with no wait. This was my first time riding it and it was so exhilarating!

Then I went rode Star Tours which was just a fifteen-minute wait. This was a fun screen-based ride with 3D glasses. A Star Wars ride that was pretty fun and I liked how my seat moved like crazy!

After those two rides, I walked around a bit more and had a nice lady take my photo. I walked around Adventureland and tried to ride Indiana Jones, but it wasn't currently running. I tried later in the afternoon again, but they didn't have any single rider cards available, and it was a 45-minute wait.

After meeting back up with my family we got Mickey Beignets at the Mint Julep Bar and then we hopped on the Disneyland Railroad attraction. This is an original attraction which opened in 1955 and goes around the whole park, where you can get on and off at each station. The train stops at Main Street U.S.A, New Orleans Square where we boarded, ToonTown, and Tomorrowland. This was a relaxing way to see the whole park and rest your feet!

After the train ride we grabbed a churro from one of the many carts around the park.

After lunch at Bengal BBQ, which I'll show all three meals on our Disneyland day in my next post, my husband and son were tired, so they walked back to our hotel for a mid-day rest. That gave my other son and me some time together to explore more of Adventureland, do some shopping on Main St. U.S.A, and watch the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, the short and super cute parade which I'll show in my 70th Anniversary post.

We went to the Tropical Hideaway in Adventure land and treated ourselves to a Dole Whip! My son got an original Dole Whip and I tried the Pineapple Upside Down Cake Sundae, available for a limited time. This was so tasty and would have been enough for two people. It tasted tropical and had some nice textures from the cake pieces, juicy pineapple chunks, and the caramel sauce. It all paired so well with the pineapple dole whip! If you see this on the menu, grab one!

After indulging in a little dessert, we did the Adventureland Treehouse! This is such a classic and nostalgic attraction for me, as I remember climbing the stairs to this when I was a kid. The views from up top of Disneyland were fantastic. We ended up climbing up again with my other son later in the evening when the sun was setting.

The views from on top of the Adventureland Treehouse! This was early afternoon on a Wednesday in April, and it was getting busy for the day.

After exploring Adventureland, shopping on Main St. U.S.A, and watching the parade, my son and I were really tired and had sore feet. We walked back to the hotel and took a two-hour break. When our family walked back to the park after our break, it was really busy. My husband took our sons to ride It's a Small World and I did some more solo time. All of the rides were around 45 minutes, so I decided to do the castle walk-through.

This attraction is underrated and not many know about it. It's located in the back of the castle, and you'll see the door to the right. This walk-through attraction is Sleeping Beauty themed, and you can walk around reading the displays from the classic fairy tale, while staying out of the heat and even climbing a staircase of two. I was the only one inside the castle and it was a nice way to avoid the crowds while still doing something that felt magical and cool. Right after, I saw some Magic Pass Photographers in front of the castle and the line wasn't too long. I decided to hop in line and figured by the time I reached the front my family could join me.

You'll see cast members with cameras all over the park in front of the main attractions or doing character meet and greets. You can hand your camera or phone to the Photopass Photographer and they'll take your photo. You do not need to pay for the photo package if you don't want to. This costs a few hundred bucks, and it not necessary if you already have a nice camera. I took my Nikon with me on the trip and packed it around for all of the days. For me as a photographer this is worth it, and I took a ton of photos!

When it was my turn with the photographer my family hadn't returned yet, so I decided to get some of just myself. Right when he was done, my family appeared and they were able to jump in the frame! He took a bunch of family photos and even some of just my husband and me. The cast members at Disney are incredible, going the extra mile and adding so much magic to the day!

After eating dinner at Cafe Orleans, which I'll cover next in my meals post, we walked through Frontierland and headed to Star Wars Galaxy's Edge to ride Rise of the Resistance! This was our first time, and it was incredible! Now we know why people say this is their fav Disney ride.

On the walk to Galaxy's Edge, we saw the Mark Twain riverboat go by. It looked so nice!

The classic shot of the Stormtroopers all lined up on the Rise of the Resistance attraction!

Of course, I had to take a shot of the iconic view of the Millennial Falcon in Galaxy's Edge.

My son wanted some popcorn before the Paint the Night Parade! I'll cover this wonderful parade in my 70th Anniversary post!

We didn't ride Pirates of the Caribbean on this trip, but how pretty does it look as the sun went down?!

The castle also looked so pretty as it got dark!

My sons each wanted a Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich to eat while we waited for the parade!

After the parade my sons and I were so tired! We headed back to the hotel to sleep. Luckily, we had a rest day the next day. What a wonderful day at Disneyland!

Dinner with a view of Disneyland | Dining at Rise Rooftop Lounge at the Westin Anaheim

2026-04-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

The view from Rise Rooftop lounge, with direct views of Disney California Adventure and beyond!

Our family started our Disneyland trip with dinner with a view, with a reservation at Rise Rooftop Lounge. This rooftop restaurant and bar is located on top of the Westin, across from the Disneyland Resort. They are family friendly before ten pm, although they don't have a kid's menu, so prepare to pay a little extra for everyone to eat and drink.

We were wowed by the views right away, and we probably took way too many photos of Disney California Adventure Park from above. Seeing the Incredicoaster and the Pixar-Pal-Around Ferris Wheel brought me joy, and I was looking forward to riding them soon! From the Rise Rooftop Lounge you can see other parts of Disneyland and my son even spotted Downtown L.A in the distance!

The food and cocktail prices were elevated, just like the views. But totally worth it, in my opinion, and this experience was such a solid start to our trip. The four of us shared three dishes. My husband and I each ordered a cocktail, and my son got a Mocktail. I ordered the Smoked Pig Fashion, which had a smokey presentation when our server took off the lid, which had a cool looking skull on it. The drink tasted perfect, a smokey Old Fashioned featuring maple syrup and black walnut bitters, along with bourbon. My husband enjoyed a colorful Mango Margarita.

We shared the Ahi Poke Nachos, the Sashimi Trio, and a Margherita Pizza. All three dishes tasted amazing. So fresh, especially the Sashimi which was as smooth as butter. And paired with the sunset views of Disneyland? Doesn't get any better.

After we were done eating, we checked out the Westin lobby a little and then walked across the street back to our hotel. The views of the darkening sky and the palm trees were so pretty. I wanted to sleep at a reasonable hour since we were getting up at 6 am for our Disneyland day!

Reservations are recommended at Rise Rooftop Lounge, and they even have a weekend brunch. I would recommend this spot for sure, especially for the first night of a Disney trip so can you soak up the views from above!

Rise Rooftop Lounge

1030 W Katella Ave, located on top of the Westin Anaheim Resort

Anaheim, CA

Let's go to Disneyland | A fun travel day from Seattle to Orange County

2026-04-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last week my family went to Disneyland for Spring Break! We were in Anaheim for four nights and stayed at the Best Western Stovall's Inn. We did two theme park days, with a rest day (non-park day) in the middle. We flew on Alaska Air from Sea-Tac to Orange County airport, or John Wayne- however you wish to call it.

Before boarding our flight, we ate lunch at Rel' Lish Burger Lounge in Concourse B. I started with an amazing Espresso Martini, which had Peanut Butter and Chocolate and was the perfect pick-me up. My husband and I shared the Over-The-Top Burger which had cheese curds and tasted so good and filling. My son enjoyed some Fish and Chips, while my other son had a Cheeseburger.

The flight was about 2.5 hours and was really scenic, since we flew in over the Pacific Ocean. As we walked out of the plane, the pilot said hello to my son and even gave him a cool postcard of the plane we were on. It made it so happy! When we walked into the John Wayne airport, we were happy to see a Dunkin since we don't have them in Washington. My sons and I each bought a donut for a quick post flight snack. Then we took a cab to our hotel, which was across the street from Disneyland. John Wayne airport is about 15 miles from Disneyland, but with traffic it takes about 35 minutes to get there.

We loved looking at the palm trees on the drive. We were also loving the warm weather which was in the 70's and sunny. Back in Seattle, they were having some April rain and cooler temps. We checked in, went to dinner at the Westin next to our hotel, which will be my next post. Then we had some pool time before going to bed. This travel day was a fun one and we couldn't wait for our first Disneyland day!

My Donald Duck keychain from Popmart, which I brought on the trip and wore on my backpack!

This Espresso Martini was such a good drink, gave me some energy and helped me relax for the plane ride!

This cheeseburger was big, perfect for splitting. Pretty high quality for airport food. I would eat here again!

On the plane and ready to fly to Disneyland!

Posing with Donald, because of course!

Some water views as we got ready to land in Orange County.

My son had a window seat and snapped this with is iPhone of the water! So pretty!

This card is so neat and my son will treasure it.

The donuts from Dunkin were just ok, but we had to try them anyway!

Best Western Stovall's Inn was a good hotel and about a 30-minute walk to the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure gates. You have to cross a couple of big intersections, walk by a couple of the Disney hotels, and then go through Downtown Disney. The walk felt a little long after a long day in the parks, we but did it!

We stayed for four nights and I only paid $712. This was a great deal, since it's close to the parks, a free and pretty solid breakfast buffet every morning, and two pools and three hot tubs. The rooms are pretty basic, with the newer rooms being on the third floor and more expensive. Our room was fine, but not overly fancy, but for the price we paid, I was happy!

The pool was cold, but our boys did swim a couple different days. On our non-park day, they played for an hour one afternoon.

Thanks for checking out our travel day from Seattle to Orange County! Stay tuned for tons of Disneyland blogs!

Lunch at Saffron Grill

2026-04-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

We recently dined at Saffron Grill with our extended family. This was our first time at this Indian and Mediterranean spot located in Northgate. We were all impressed with the ambiance and service. The menu was big with lots of options for everyone. My son ordered a Mango Lassi, and I was able to try it. Super refreshing and tasted like a standard traditional Mango Lassi. Our cousin ordered a Mazza Sampler Plate featuring Hummus, falafel, pita bread, and more. I had a bite of the hummus with an olive, and it melted in my mouth.

We ordered the Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice, along with both Garlic and Plain Naan. The rice was so light and almost too easy to eat, and both kinds of Naan tasted fabulous, perfect for dipping in the Butter Chicken sauce. The Naan pieces were huge, as big as a platter! The sauce was really smooth with just a little bit of heat, and the chicken was nice and tender. The rest of the family enjoyed their food and even had some leftovers since the portions are large here.

We were able to make a reservation for our large group, and our server did a great job. I would return here to try more items and maybe even a cocktail. They have a large dessert menu, too, for the sweet tooths. They did give us complimentary Rice Pudding, and it was really tasty. We all shared three orders. It reminded me of melted ice cream with rice and nuts. I was already really full, so I just had a few bites.

Saffron Grill

2132 N Northgate Way

Seattle, WA

We tried cocktail flighs at Westland Distillery

2026-04-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

This cocktail flight from Westland Distillery was one of the tastiest flights I've ever had, and it was my first Whiskey flight!

If you enjoy sampling whiskey or sipping on cocktail flights, then a visit to Westland Distillery in Seattle's SODO area is a must do. This was our first visit to a distillery for my husband and I, and it was such a positive experience. The interior was striking, yet rustic, with high ceilings and a spacious room for tastings. You can also see the area where the whiskey is produced. Here it is mashed, distilled, and bottled. The whiskey is aged in facilities in Hoquiam, WA, two hours south of Seattle, because of the cool and humid climate.

Westland Distillery started in 2011 and today are one of America's premier distillers. They use sustainable practices and their whiskey is award-winning. You can book a tour at their distillery, but we chose to pop in and do a tasting. You have some options when trying the whiskey. You can do a flight of four whiskeys, or you can do a cocktail flight, selecting four from the cocktail menu. Or you can order a regular size cocktail instead of a flight. The flights are $15 each and the whiskey flights are 0.5 oz per glass. The tastings and cocktail flights feature the Westland flagship single malt whiskey.

For our flights, we each chose the same four 0.5 oz cocktails. We selected the Peanut Popper, a drink made with a Peanut Butter whiskey, cold brew, and banana. Next up, was a Trade Winds- a drink featuring whiskey, pineapple, yuzu, and more tropical flavors. And the other two were a Midnight Old Fashioned and the Stateside Manhattan. We took a seat at a table and before we knew it, the friendly distillery bartender presented our flights to us.

I started with from left to right, so the first cocktail I tried was the Peanut Popper. The flavors were subtle, with the whiskey as the focus, but it tasted amazing. This was the theme for all four drinks, but no complaints from us. The whiskey tasted oaky and strong, and paired so well with all of the flavors of the drinks. They sell pins, so I was able to buy one for my pin collection. The bartender even gave me some stickers for my scrapbook, too, which I was happy about.

My husband and I loved our whiskey tasting experience and we are planning on returning to try four more cocktails in another flight. There are eight cocktails to choose from, and we want to sample the other half! Westland Distillery would be perfect for a date night, guys or girls' night out, or a birthday celebration!

Westland Distillery

2931 1st Ave S

Seattle, WA

website

March Moments

2026-03-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some moments from March, the longest month of the year, and the last month of winter. We've welcomed spring, but the weather is still chilly. However, the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom, making for some nice photos! Halfway through the month, we got a little snow, which is really late for Seattle, and the photos of the snow on the blossoms were pretty neat! A sight we don't often see in this area. Towards the end of March, we visited Seward Park and checked out the Cherry Blossoms there, which were at just the perfect stage of blooming.

The Cherry Blossoms at Seward Park in South Seattle, with Lake Washington in the background.

I love this iconic view of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier from Seward Park.

More photos of Cherry Blossoms at Seward Park.

You can now visit the Pavillion at the Pacific Science Center at Seattle Center without a museum ticket. There's some cool views of the Space Needle, the museum, and some dinosaur sculptures.

Gotta love those early spring skies in the evening. I took this by a park by my house and couldn't resist taking a photo of the clouds and sky.

Popcorn from the movies! We saw Project Hail Mary this month and it was amaze, amaze, amaze. I gave it two thumbs down. (references from the movie, lol)

The Flora Bakehouse in Beacon Hill has a new Baklava Matcha. They made it for me hot, and it was really satisfying on a cold day. I paired it with a slice of their Pistachio Dark Chocolate cake, and it was a match made in heaven.

This month I tried the new Iced Banana Bread Matcha from Starbucks, and it was, indeed, delish! The frog cake pop was also really cute! Dare I say one of the best drinks I've tried from Starbucks? Highly recommend this drink.

Seattle with a little snow in mid-March! The Cherry Blossoms covered in snow were kind of iconic.

I Luv Teriyaki in Georgetown burned down three years ago, and this month they reopened after re-building. It was just as good as before!

I was a chaperone this month at Woodland Park Zoo with my sons' class. I hadn't visited since 2018 and it was so fun.

Since I collect pins, I bought this cute one at the zoo gift shop for my collection!

Thanks for checking out my March snapshots from the month!

Exploring Fremont | Fremont Troll, Gas Works, and Many Bennies

2026-03-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

The view from Gasworks Park of Lake Union and Downtown Seattle.

A seaplane takes off and a floating sauna boat drift by.

I felt like a tourist in my own city recently when my family explored the Fremont area of Seattle.

My son wanted to check out the Fremont Troll, a concrete troll located under the Aurora Bridge which is 18 feet tall and weighs a whopping 13,000 pounds. My sons had visited this quirky public art sculpture before when they were young, and they didn't really remember it.

Since we last went, they fixed up the area around the troll, even adding a small park with a picturesque entrance labeled 'Troll's Knoll Forest'. There were also lots of flowers in bloom along the walkway to the troll.

After taking a ton of photos of the famous troll, we drove a few minutes away to Gas Works Park. They have a large parking lot with free parking. The neighborhood around the troll also has free parking. Gasworks Park is famous for its views of Lake Union and the city, along with lots of views of seaplanes taking off. It's also fun to watch all of the different types of boats sail by. A fun one to spot were the floating sauna boats.

My sons had fun playing at the playground and then we walked up the big hill for more Seattle views. There are geese everywhere, so I recommend staying on the trail on the hill, because of the geese poop. There are restrooms at Gas Works, but they're not the cleanest, so bring some hand sanitizer.

After the park, we were on a mission to try the ice cream at Many Bennies. This popular local spot opened last year and serve New Zealand style ice cream. You first pick a base, either vanilla, non-dairy, or lavender. Then you choose a fresh fruit, one or even two to mix, and then a topping if you wish. Then the base and fruit will be blended together, and you'll also get two edible googly eyes! They also make their own waffle cones, but you can choose a cup instead.

I selected the lavender base (yum) the blueberry fruit to mix, and then I added lemon curd. I ordered mine in a cup. Simply put, it was outstanding. These three flavors were one tasty combo, and it also looked super cute with the edible eyes. The lemon curd was really, really good, and I could easily taste the lavender, although subtle, and the fresh blueberries in the ice cream.

One of my sons chose the strawberry and mango with the vanilla base, and my other son ordered the vanilla base with strawberry, and he had his topped with chocolate sauce. They both got their ice cream in the homemade waffle cones.

Many Bennies can get busy, so prepare to wait in line. When we arrived in the early afternoon on a Saturday, there was just one family in front of us. They only have a walk-up window, but they do offer lots of outdoor seating. This was our third time trying New Zealand ice cream, and it's always so fresh tasting and looks amazing, too! This style is a cross between soft serve (same texture and look) and frozen yogurt. It's a little healthier than regular ice cream because of the fresh fruit. Add this spot to your Seattle dessert list!

We had so much fun touring around Fremont! If you're a local or planning a visit to Seattle, these three Fremont stops should be on your list.

The Fremont Troll

Troll Avenue N.

Gas Works Park

2101 N Northlake Way

Many Bennies

3535 Interlake Ave N

We went wine tasting at House of Smith Jet City Winery

2026-03-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

A sample pour of the 2023 Casasmith Cinghiale Sangiovese wine. This red wine was one of the four wines we tasted from the free 25th Anniversary Flight.

My husband and I recently went wine tasting at House of Smith Jet City Winery, the largest urban winery in the Western United States. Located in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood, the winery has two floors and the building used to be a Dr. Pepper bottling plant. The main floor is where the tastings take place and upstairs, you'll find a large open area with lots of seating and tons of natural light from the windows. The windows look out to Mt. Rainier and Boeing Field.

The award-winning wines by Charles Smith are produced onsite, and you can see the equipment through the glass windows from both levels. They currently are celebrating their 25th Anniversary of their wines and offering a free tasting of two white and two red wines. They also offer two other tastings consisting of six pours. The white wine tasting is $20 and the red is $25. After completing the complimentary tasting with the friendly and knowledgeable tasting room associate, we ordered a glass of Syrah, and a glass of Riesling to enjoy upstairs.

We've driven by this winery and tasting room so many times, but had never stopped in. They've been open at this spot in Georgetown for ten years.

Since we visited during the day, a little after they opened at 12 pm, we had the whole winery and tasting room to ourselves, both upstairs and down!

Since the owner/winemaker loves rock music, they have some great B&W prints of famous musicians near the entrance and the restroom. Sir Mix Alot of pictured here.

They also had rock music playing in the winery as well, which we loved.

Our first pour was a 2024 Blossom Fury Riesling. This is the one we ordered a glass of after our tasting. This white wine was sweet and refreshing, and pretty light as well.

For the second pour, this was a 2022 Real Wine Chardonnay. This tasted buttery so it was probably oak aged.

Our third pour was a 2023 Casasmith Cinghiale Sangiovese. This one tasted nice and light and pairs well with Italian cuisine.

Our last pour was a 2022 K the Deal Syrah, which tasted pretty full bodied and fruity. I liked this last one a lot, so we enjoyed a glass upstairs.

These stairs leading up to the main sitting area were pretty amazing!

The wine production area which is visible through a glass window in the tasting room and upstairs area.

The pretty view of Boeing Field, looking south to Mount Rainier. It's not visible in this photo, but the mountain did come out later after I took this.

Our shared glass of Syrah. You can also rent out the upstairs for a private event. We had the whole place to ourselves, which was so nice!

Our shared glass of Reisling.

My husband and I had such a good time sampling wines at House of Smith! They have happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 3-5 with 1/2 price glass pours on select wines. So, we will probably return another time for that! They do have some food such as cheese plates that we'll have to try next time.

House of Smith Jet City Tasting Room

1136 S Albro PL

Seattle, WA

website

Georgetown Bites and Sites 2026

2026-03-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Georgetown Bites and Sites event. This food walk is held annually in March in Georgetown, Seattle's oldest neighborhood. We attend every year and we try to go to different businesses to mix things up. We did do one repeat spot this year because they had Poloma cocktails for one ticket, and we find $5 for a drink too good to pass up.

How the event works. It's held from 11 am until 5 pm but try to go early since some places sell out of their featured items for the event. Purchase your tickets first, and you'll receive a map with the participating locations and where to find them. Each ticket costs $5 and you will exchange it for either one or two items. Most items were worth one ticket, except for a sandwich we got from Kuma Kitchen and Bar that was worth two.

You can also add some one-dollar bills to your purchase to tip each business you visit, if you don't already have some bills with you. When you get your event map, put together a plan with your group and decide which exact spots you'll want to visit. At each location, you can either dine-in or take your items to go.

We went for dessert first, only because I was worried they'd sell out fast. We went pretty early, around 11:15. Our first stop was the Vietnamese coffee place Voi Ca Phe. Their event item were three pastries. They had a Mini Pastry Pack featuring a Rice Krispy Treat, an Orange Zest Mini Scone, and a Mini Meringue Cookie. Since the four of us were sharing, we all got a couple of bites. The scone was the winner of the three. It was soft and had a tasty orange flavor from the orange zest.

Voi Ca Phe

6105 13th Ave S

Seattle, WA

website

Our next stop was Deep Sea Sugar and Salt. This local cake shop has some of the best cake slices we've ever had. For the Georgetown Bites and Sites event their featured item was a Mini Cake Cup. You could choose between a Chocolate Oreo Crunch or a Raspberry Funfetti Custard one, or both, of course. We shared the Chocolate Oreo Crunch one and it was incredible! The chocolate cake was so moist, and the buttercream and Oreo pieces tasted like a dream. We should have got two and we should have bought the Raspberry one, also!

Deep Sea Sugar and Salt

6235 Airport Wy, S

Seattle, WA

website

For our third business during the event, it was time for something savory and a little something to drink. We headed to El Sirenito for a Paloma cocktail and a Tuna Tostada. We sat at a table and enjoyed our Paloma's which tasted bright and fruity. The Tuna Tostada was fresh and stacked with yummy tuna, jalapeños, avocado, and more. We've visited this Mexican restaurant and bar lots of times, and we're always impressed with the food and drinks!

El Sirenito

5901 Airport Wy, S

Seattle, WA

website

Our final stop was at Kuma Kitchen and Bar for some Brisket Sandwiches and Egg Rolls. The Eggs Rolls were Vegetable ones and came with two to an order in exchange for one ticket. The sandwich had beef brisket and a pho broth for two tickets. The sandwich was two thumbs up! It had melted cheese, basil, and the brisket was nice and tender. It was piping hot, especially when dipped in the flavorful hot pho broth. This is another Georgetown restaurant we've been to a few times before and it never disappoints!

Kuma Kitchen and Bar

6003 12th Ave S

Seattle, WA

website

Georgetown Bites and Sites

The official website for this Georgetown Event, so you can plan for next year!

Have you even attended this Seattle food event? Leave a comment below if you have, and what your favorite food item was!