Disneyland, Nov 2023

Disneyland, Nov 2023

After the Monterey half-marathon, we road tripped to Disneyland with Delicate Flower and family!  The drive down was a little crazy as part of the freeway was closed because of a fire underneath the road!  On our Disneyland day there was thunder and so much rain that we left early and no one was sad about it.  

Baymax macaroon-super cute and tasty!

Chocolate covered holiday churros.  I don't need to eat those a second time, but glad I tasted them.

At Pacific Wharf the Chinese food was actually quite good.  We had a big day and did the new Spiderman ride, the giant coaster and many smaller rides.  The highlight of the day was when all the guys went to the Roaring Rapids ride after dark.  The line was non-existent so they got to ride it like 4 times in a row without getting off and on again!  Even better, they persuaded random strangers to join them.  We girls stayed cozy in the room, lololol.

Prepping for Xmas!

On day 2 we spent the morning in Galaxy's Edge, the Star Wars land.

Ronto roasting!  We had a vegan one and it was great.  Blue and green milk?  Better than expected, but one each for the group was enough.

It was amazing.

I had read that it was really well done.

did not disappoint!

I know why everyone raves about it.  What I hadn't prepared for was the interactive possibilities.  If you have the Disneyland app, when you cross over it switches to all Star Wars.  It gives you opportunities to complete quests, gather info, level up, basically be a person in the world.  Next time I'll have others get the app ahead of time!

We did not make our own light saber or mini droid, but the options are there.

July 4, 2024 fireworks!

 Shoreline fireworks

We were in the extra up close seats!

Books and Auckland Botanical Gardens, May - June, 2024

 My recent books and more garden photos from the Auckland Botanical Gardens

-by Malka Older

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles:  Second book of a mystery/murder on Jupiter.  Will happily read the next when it arrives.

-by Sujata Massey

The Malabar Widows: 1920's India, mystery/murder with a great protagonist.  I really liked this and aim to finish the series.

-by Peter Attia

Outlive:  Premise is: if you really want to live a long healthy life, you need to take prevention seriously, starting now.  Great overview of what to focus on, and some guide of how-to.  Straightforward information, well presented.

-by Rupert Holmes

Murder Your Employer:  Set mostly in a school that teaches you to murder, not in general, but that one specific person you need to delete.  Follows 3 students on different journeys.  Good fun if you like a 'How done it'

-by Percival Everett

James:  A retelling of Huck Finn A Pulitzer Prize finalists, had to wait for a bit on hold, totally worth it.  Fantastic, much better than the original, and it goes a bit different especially at the end.  Very satisfying. 

-by Cat Bohannon

Eve:  A history of how women's actions and needs, especially around childbirth, shaped human evolution.  Great read, don't be put off by the size, half of it is reference info.

-by Kelly Link

Magic for Beginners (all her short stories) and Steampunk! An anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories (she edited and contributed):  I didn't finish them all, but  they kept me entertained on a long flight.

-by Sara Farizan and Nicoletta Baldari

My Buddy Killer Croc: Cute graphic story for elementary kids about the DC villain killer croc.

-by BA Paras

Behind Closed Doors: Psychological thriller with a satisfying ending.  I'd like a few more twists, but it kept moving nicely!

-by Mick Herron

Slow Horses: Spy story about spies who got left behind.  Might read the next ones!

-by Delia Ownes

Where the Crawdads Sing:  Amazing.  A huge hit that I just got around to.  A murder mystery in the background of a coming of age story.  1950s to 1970, North Carolina marshland and the people who eked out a living.  The best I've read recently.

-by Kimberly Pauly

Sucks to be Me:  YA vampire book.  It was fine.  Many plot holes, but one aspect I like is that there are classes you have to take before you can choose to become a vampire.

-by Michael Bennet

Better the Blood:  Thriller/mystery, a How They Caught Him story.  Based in New Zealand and it incorporates a lot of native/colonialism issues.  Did the audio book, made it great for all the names I don't know.

DNF

-by Percival Everett

Dr. No:  It sounds fantastic in theory, but a bit tough to get through.  Half of the book is about the Professor who specializes in Nothing.  Clever writing, but that only gets you so far.

Delicious food in New Zealand, Aug 2023

 

Stopped in Hamilton for brunch at Hayes Common!

Super delicious brunch

including fun drinks

and fancy pastry.

The worst bao we ate...and yet still ok!

Little cafe in Rotorua

Everything we ate was prepared with care and fresh ingredients.

The cafe at the Classics Car museum in Hamilton

Best Dad jokes ever!

Back in Auckland so cute and good!