California Dreamin'-A 14 Day Odyssey to San Fran,Yosemite & DL! 8/2013 COMPLETE!1/9!!

[franandaj]

I bet it is! I just finished 100 updates on the DISmom TR, and now I have to take Tyler out, so you will have to hold your suspense a little longer- I sincerely hope it does not really kill you, Tricia.

And I love that expression- those pictures make my heart smile, too.

Don't forget you were going to send me some breadcrumbs so that I could find your DISmom's TR.

Thanks for coming over to my thread!

 

[Misskitty3]

Subbing! Can't wait to read more!

 

[rndmr2]

Glad to see you started your newest TR! Can't wait to read about all your California adventures! Beautiful view from the Hotel in San Fran!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi Ellen! I am here and looking forward to read about your adventures!!

My first trip to the US was in 1986 to visit my aunt who lives close to San Francisco. When she was showing me around the city one place we visited was the Hyatt because of the spectacular lobby and ever since then have I wanted to stay at this hotel! So I am very envious that you got to stay at my childhood (or more teenage) dream hotel!

 

[MEK]

Woo hoo! I am in! I want to be you in my next life so I can have fantastic travel experiences all year round! Seriously though, I bet your TA IS in mourning. Now you get to plan all your own adventures and benefit from that. Smart move girlfriend!

You got to meet Jenny. That's so awesome! I forgot you were in DL at the same time. I hope I get to meet her in May, but I'm afraid its up in the air now that her Jan cruise was canceled.

I am also dying to go to DL. I am thinking 2015 in the spring. I like what you planned. San Fran to Yosemite to DL. I will be following along closely to see your exact itinerary.

Your view in San Fran is amazing. How cool!

I also love all the pictures of Sean! He looks so so happy during your vacation in Florida. You vacations sound wonderfully successful.

 

[podsnel]

I am getting so many great tips from you! I will definitely look into Hyatt Regency when we take our trip to SF! Can't wait to see pictures from teh club level.

LOL! And I haven't even started!! The Regency Club there is really, really good. It made my husband very happy, because it saved us a lot of cash- and it had a beautiful view to boot!

I mentioned this in a pm but wondering if you priced out Virgin America. They have a great main cabin select category and closer to your trip you can upgrade. However, I know you said you used miles so of course if you had that many United miles you are going to use them to save $$!

I did not, but that was because I use United as much as possible to accrue miles. If I had been paying, however, I definitely would have flown them if it was better $$ wise. It always looks SOOOO good!

Subbing ........ now going back to catch up!

Hi again, Karin! Welcome home- again!

Joining in.
What a view from the room.
Cant wait for more.

hi Scott! It was a VERY nice view- Pods and I made very good use of that balcony- it was really nice to have.

Yep! Probably my favorite place I have ever lived (and I have lived in a LOT of places ) except for the expense. Let's see, I moved there summer of 2001 - I can remember that because I moved from DC, so 9/11 was horrifying to me having left all of my friends in DC and NY (went to law school in NY State). I left summer of 2007 when I knew my adoption of my daughter was going to go through and that I would no longer be willing to work 7 days a week and 12-hour days. But, man, I still miss it - such a great town.

Size DOES matter! Let no one tell you otherwise.

I promise, I won't!

It must have been awful being from here, but not here, on 9/11. It was a crazy, horrific time, that is for sure-

Have you been back to SF to visit?

Podsnel,


You are my favorite trip writer on these boards, and that is saying a lot since I read almost every one. I am really excited to read your latest since I am from California and Disneyland is my home park. I was wondering if at some point you could add links in your signature as others have done to your past trip reports.

What an AMAZING compliment!! Thank you so much, I have been all puffed up since I read that! I LOVED your home park- it is sooooo easy.... BTW, my friend Drea who I met up with in DL is also from Temecula- her name on here is anewmac.

What size is the screen you are viewing the DIS on? Maybe that's it- I actually do have links to all my TRs- it's the writing on the bottom of my sig. Can you not see them? I know I don't see them on my ipad. Let me know when you look-

 

[podsnel]

You sneaky bugger, I didn't know you started this. I will have to go back and catch up now.

I am changing to pink for replies, because the slate blue doesn't show up.

Well, not that much to catch up on, lol! Maybe on the DISmoms- now THAT was a TON of posts....I'm exhausted!

behind as usual. Can't wait to see your photos of San Fran. When we were there two years ago it was such a blur. I barely remember any of it. Loved that you got to see so many Diser can't wait to hear all about the special surprises.

Not so behind....

How long were you there for? We went 20 years ago- loved it then, love it even more now-

Stopping by to say hello! Got here a little late since I got home last night from WDW! Now to catch up with all my subscriptions!

Thanks for coming along! It's so funny everyone keeps saying how behind they are when I haven't even really started! OMG, I took literally THOUSANDS of photos....you could show up in a year and probably STILL not be too late, lol.

Don't forget you were going to send me some breadcrumbs so that I could find your DISmom's TR.

Thanks for coming over to my thread!

Of course! Here's a link to DISmoms- http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3112422

There are links to all my TRs in my sig (except 1 I think I took off from HHI because they wouldn't all fit)- can you not see them? Someone else on here had the same issue. Now I'm very curious.

 

[rentayenta]

Love that pic of you and Chloe on Space Mountain; care if I borrow it?

 

[podsnel]

Subbing! Can't wait to read more!

AWESOME!!!! Thanks for joining in!

Glad to see you started your newest TR! Can't wait to read about all your California adventures! Beautiful view from the Hotel in San Fran!!

Well, I can't wait to relive them, so....it's a win/win!

Hi Ellen! I am here and looking forward to read about your adventures!!

Hi Magdalene!!

My first trip to the US was in 1986 to visit my aunt who lives close to San Francisco. When she was showing me around the city one place we visited was the Hyatt because of the spectacular lobby and ever since then have I wanted to stay at this hotel! So I am very envious that you got to stay at my childhood (or more teenage) dream hotel!

LOL- that was the year I got MARRIED! But I was only 23, so......

I hopped around to so many different hotels (in my head) before settling on the Hyatt- it IS iconic- but in the end, it was the view/balcony and convenient location that sold me. I can absolutely see why it would dazzle you as a teenager- it did that for me as an adult- I have lots of lobby pics for you to reminisce with. Did you ever see the movie "Earthquake"? It was with Charleton Heston- and the elevators in this lobby played a role in that particular film.

I DO hope you will be able to fufill your teen dream one day and stay there yourself! It is beyond fabulous there- and the people are wonderful as well, making it even better.

Woo hoo! I am in! I want to be you in my next life so I can have fantastic travel experiences all year round! Seriously though, I bet your TA IS in mourning. Now you get to plan all your own adventures and benefit from that. Smart move girlfriend!

LOL, MEK- you are away just as much as me! And I always plan my own stuff- I just call my TA to book it after I have done the research- that way I know I am getting a great price but also great service. And God forbid something goes wrong, I had her TA abilities to fix things.

You got to meet Jenny. That's so awesome! I forgot you were in DL at the same time. I hope I get to meet her in May, but I'm afraid its up in the air now that her Jan cruise was canceled.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Jenny!!! And her kids- all were so fun to be with- I rode my first ride EVER at DL with her daughter, Chloe- Space Mountain (which- it is no lie or rumour- totally kicks the WDW version's BUTT!!). When are you going in May? I hope she is still able to go- she is so cute, she is like the Energizer Bunny! She is also someone I need to know forever- really great person.

I am also dying to go to DL. I am thinking 2015 in the spring. I like what you planned. San Fran to Yosemite to DL. I will be following along closely to see your exact itinerary.

The boys (Inc Pods) were burned out by the end- but not me! Maybe I'm an energizer bunny, too!

Your view in San Fran is amazing. How cool!

I also love all the pictures of Sean! He looks so so happy during your vacation in Florida. You vacations sound wonderfully successful.

It was beyond words, seeing him so happy. Complete heaven for all of us.

And I have soooo much catching up to do on your TR!!! I will be there soon!

 

[podsnel]

Love that pic of you and Chloe on Space Mountain; care if I borrow it?

Of course not! Honored!

Did you make any decisions yet?

 

[rentayenta]

Of course not! Honored!

Did you make any decisions yet?

Thanks!



I did decide to change to the same cruise that sets sail on March 30 for many reasons. 7 nights would have been amazing but just not feasible and I really wanted to sail a classic ship before theyre gone. I'm a sucker for nostalgia. Joshua doesn't want to miss that much school most of all. I know, crazy kid. Plus both the January and March cruises fall at the beginning of the term so anything he does miss, he'll have time to make up. Feb didn't work at all as M and I have Mexico. Then late Feb is Gabby's bday so pushing it back from a social and financial stand point made the best sense. Thank for for the sweet texts and working it out with me. One day we'll get that 7 days cruise.

 

[Beth D]

I'm in! Can't wait to see what's in the box. Cheese to go with some wine maybe?

 

[englishrose47]

Subbing and am all caught up

 

[englishrose47]

Subbing !!! I even have caught up!!!

 

[dwelty]

Re: Links to trip reports. yep I am using an IPad that must be the problem.

 

[podsnel]

Re: Links to trip reports. yep I am using an IPad that must be the problem.

Are you using the app? Nothing shows with the app- but if you look with Safari, they are all there ( i just checked on my ipad), even the newest ones at the bottom that are barely there work.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

The photo of Sean & Pods together is one beautiful shot. I'm partial to fathers & sons pictures, maybe because I have four, LOL.

 

[franandaj]

Of course! Here's a link to DISmoms- http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3112422

There are links to all my TRs in my sig (except 1 I think I took off from HHI because they wouldn't all fit)- can you not see them? Someone else on here had the same issue. Now I'm very curious.

I'm using IE, probably 7 maybe 8 and the last thing I can see in your sig is the Mickey with the life preserver. I can tell that there is another ticker below it because I see a sliver of that, and the words "mickeypath.com", but I don't see that ticker or anything below it.

 

[MEK]

Ellen - I am arriving May 12th for 6 nights. Traveling with Cynthia again. We are on an every 18 month schedule! We were hoping that Jenny could join us. We plan to pool our points and book an OKW studio.

I hope Jenny can still go, but with her cruise changes I certainly understand if she can't. I wouldn't be able to travel twice in the same 6 weeks from a work perspective. Darn work - it is TOTALLY cutting in on my vacation plans!

 

[podsnel]

So what was in that box??? Well....to be honest, we kind of already knew what was in the box- from the outside, and from the AMAZING and delicious perfume of nectarines and peaches and plums coming from it. Plus the Orchard stamp. Yea, that was also a pretty big clue that we had not only been blessed with a bottle of Cabernet, but also a gorgeous assortment of the MOST beautiful and scrumptious plums, peaches & nectarines....



Then I took a closer look at the wine. Now, I am not knocking my friend Marilyn, who was my TA and who usually sends a bottle to the room when we book a cruise or All Inclusive...but, to be fair, these bottles are less expensive tokens available to TAs in general. (FWIW, Marilyn's hubby is a wine collector, and we have personally enjoyed many lovely bottles with them- this is just different). I looked at that bottle of wine that we had just received AGAIN...



Ummm...that ain't no TA freebie- that is some VERY special, VERY VERY lovely wine.

Wait....wasn't there a note? Here I was just assuming it was all from Marilyn, but there must be another answer.....



I was in tears when I read it. How special this all made me feel, I can not say! G'sMaman- Tricia- my new DIS friend who had contacted me last year when I was in the planning stages of the trip, who has a pied-à-terre in SF and was giving me travel tips all along (which was incredible! It was like having a private, very personal travel insider!!), she reassured me when I was concerned I was making a mistake NOT staying in Fisherman's Wharf (the highly touristy area in SF, which we did frequent while we were there, but were very happy to leave at the end of the visit)- REALLY glad I stuck with that Hyatt....she gave me TONS of restaurant suggestions, told me about the Ferry Building (where I visited the Farmer's Market, again, in tears, because it was BEYOND heaven for a foodie like myself)...and who I was supposed to meet at said Farmer's Market that last Saturday morning in SF, but didn't because she had a last minute trip to the beach instead (can't blame her for THAT!). Tricia sent me all this to say welcome back to SF, thanks for writing TRs.



Am I getting across how special this was? Because it really WAS and still IS so special. Thanks, Tricia, for your generous and completely lovely and incredibly treasured and enjoyed welcome gift. Tyler dove into that fruit as soon as we opened it (I think if you look at one of the room pics you can see him eating a plum). We had to eat the peaches standing over the sink, they were so drippingly juicy! Every time we tried any of it, we were moaning and groaning about how amazing it was (that part was a little creepy, to be honest, lol!). And that WINE!!!! Yes, we will be back, and YES DEFINITELY we will be heading to visit Mr. Phelps.... and I truly hope to see you there when we go.

OK...so fruit orgy concluded for the time being, we freshened up and headed out to walk along the water to Fisherman's Wharf. Down from the 12th floor, looking into the lobby-



And outside- already SO BEAUTIFUL in this city, and we just got started!!



I was wearing what is, apparently, my lucky shirt- because, as I walked in front of the Hyatt, a tv team approached me and asked if i would mind being interviewed about some shoes for QVC.

Umm- yea, I can do that! But do ya SEE my shoes??? LOL, I was wearing very comfy orange Keens, ready for some power walking around SF.

Oh- but you are so gorgeous in that blue shirt (note to self- ALWAYS wear this color blue- ALWAYS!!) and you obviously know how to accessorize and put it all together.

Again- do ya see my shoes??

So I picked a pair out of the bag- after she told me I couldn't pick the first 2 I chose (because that was what everyone was picking- but she had me talk about them too, because they liked everything I was saying about the first shoe, I was really good at this they all said).







CRAZY!!!!!! So after talking about shoes and how I would wear them and what I would wear them with, I signed a release and rejoined the fam. And Timmy says, "So, let me see if I have this right. We have been in San Francisco one hour. So far, you have gotten presents from someone you have never met and you have been on TV. Is that right?"

Yes, my youngest son. That is just HOW it IS for Mommy in sunny San Francisco!!

The celebrity and her entourage moved on......walking along the water, admiring absolutely EVERYTHING, including the America's Cup enhancements.



From Diners, Drive ins and Dives- we were planning to have dinner here one night....





There were concerts going on- today, the Jonas Brothers were performing-



Until we approached-



Fisherman's Wharf, specifically Pier 39. Ty grabbed a churro, and Tim had a pretzel-



I admired the first of many beautiful flowers we would enjoy in this city-





The first thing we did was take the boys over to play a 7D video game thing, which I had gotten on Groupon for 1/2 price (I did alot of that this trip, and saved a lot of money that way, FYI). Pods and I found a little touristy place to have a beverage and share some clam chowder in a sourdough bowl, one of those must-do's in SF. We stopped at-



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