What's in a name?

"Thoughts By Tonichelle", not all that original or creative. I couldn't come up with something quirky that fit what my blog would be - which was just basically the random thoughts that I would have in the years to come. This blog has had many things, with no real concise focus or theme. I'm sure it would drive most bloggers mad as it's just not a well thought out blog (I admit it).

All one has to do is look at my menu at the top of the page and can see that the topics I have are many and they ebb and flow as to how much I talk about any one topic. Speaking of which, I should really update those pages.

So is Tonichelle my real name? No. It's a combination of my first and middle name. I've been called Tonichelle since I was a toddler learning my name. I couldn't say my full name, it came out Tonichelle (Toni-shell) and it stuck. When creating my blog I went with Tonichelle so that it would click with my Twitter and message board accounts. Now it matches my twitter and instagram accounts as I really don't do anything on message boards anymore.



In other (read Disneyland 2014) news, I've booked our next two ADRs - one for all four of us for a breakfast at the Carnation Cafe (my favorite!), and the other is a table for two for Erin and Wess to get away and have a hot date. They're eating at Steakhouse 55. I have one more ADR to book tomorrow and then I'm done with that! Whew!

58 days to go, baby!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 28: Favorite Time To Visit

Day 28 - Favorite Time to Visit

Not sure if it means time of year, or time of day. If it's time of year I have to say any time that isn't peak season. For Disney World I've decided I love November... but for Disneyland I'm not quite sure. I've been in the summer several times and it's been either great or traumatic (great in 2006, traumatic in 1990 - I got stuck to the sidewalk thanks to my jelly shoes melting!) or just super hot and I ended up sick (2012). So August isn't my favorite... February is the only other time I've gone, and the crowd levels were awesome (there were none!) but a lot of things were down for rehab and refurb... of course a lot of the park that was down for those things are now fully functional (construction was for Carsland and the new Fantasyland attractions). So it may not be as bad normally in Feb. So let's just say I don't care when I go so long as I don't melt (or my shoes) and I don't have to deal with crazy crowds.


Time of day that I like to visit is either first thing in the morning because the crowds are less, or once the sun goes down for photographic purposes (I have been known to close down a park just snapping long exposures while most of the crowd is headed home).

So there ya have it... I'm trying to figure out what July's challenge is going to be themed after....

78 Days till Disneyland!

Yup, another MRJ gif I snagged from Google.
Good night my friends.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 27: Your Dream Job

Day 27 - Your Dream Job

I'm assuming they mean within the parks - otherwise I'd say I want to be a film director ha ha! But my dream Park job would be as a Disney Photographer. Photopass would be fun - but their "fine art" side of that program would be even better. I'd love to do their promotional work. Just to be able to be in the parks when no one is around would be AWESOME.

I love the photopass photogs, though. They are an awesome group of people (for the most part...some think they know more than they really do). It makes it easy for me - the group photog (everyone I travel with know that's my job, doesn't matter what group/family members I go with ha ha) - to be in the photos and we get some great shots and memories that way.

I mean, if I could be a Disney photog I'd get paid to take pictures in the Disney Parks all day every day! What could be better? (of course, come hot and humid parts of the year I'd be miserable no matter what so... that's what's kept me, among other reasons, from applying.)

Oh and this week, I got my photopass+ package in the mail. Ordered it for the trip in September. Yup, I'm a fan.

One of my favorites from our 2012 trip. Haille Rae is awesome. Love her!

Also, we're at another (somewhat) milestone in the countdown. We've left the 80s and are now into the 70s! We are at 79 days till the epic LLP + B Disney trip! I'm super stoked. Chatted with Erin the other night and we have both definitely caught the "OMG"s for this trip. We'll soon be texting and calling each other daily with the "WE'RE TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP!" message. Because we're big dorks like that.

Yes, I did just use an MRJ gif.

In about 20 days I'll be able to make our first ADR! I'm debating if I should call down or if I should just do it online. I may do a combination of both, because it's just not a Disney trip without calling the Disney Travel Company, but at the same time the Disneyland call center isn't as much fun/magical (and their hold music is normally closer to elevator music than actual Disney music. Sadness).

Three weeks till ADR time... three weeks till we're down to the two months mark... It's getting close... but not close enough! Come on September, get here already!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 19: Favorite Fireworks Spectacular

Day 19 - Favorite Fireworks Spectacular

FAN-FREAKING-TASMIC! Anyone who knows my Disney obsession knows how much I freaking LOVE THIS SHOW. It is the best thing EVER. I first saw it at Disney World and thought it couldn't get better... then they recreated Maleficent's Dragon (with SUCH DETAIL) at Disneyland and OH MY WORD! I literally CRIED last time she was so beautiful!

I love how the show truly celebrates Disney imagination. They bring life to some of the best Disney characters, and it works seamlessly! The climax is Maleficent transforming into a HUGE fire breathing dragon. The worst part is Mickey kills her (oops, spoiler!), but just add that to the list of why I'm not a huge Mickey fan. ha ha! (Sorry, Walt!)

The technology of this show is incredible. And I love how they add the fireworks in as "magic". It totally works from start to finish. Absolutely love EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SHOW. And can watch it multiple times a trip (or night) and not be bored with it!


87 days to go till DISNEYLAND! I'm coming, Malfy!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 18: Favorite Band/Vocal Group

Day 18 - Favorite Band/Vocal Group

I am a band nerd. I played trumpet in junior high and most of my freshman year of high school before switching over to TC Baritone. So I'm kind of a band nerd. I love marching bands - though we never had one when I was in high school, and the closest thing they have now is a drumline. I love orchestra. I love BIG BRASS and DRUMS! I love music, and I love it done well.

And, of course, the Disneyland Marching Band has all of that and more. I stop and listen every time, watch their different mini shows... I love listening to them play. And they all have the joy of music showing on their faces.

When I played in high school we had a chance to do the Magic Music Days at Disney in Disney World. We played on stage at EPCOT and it was so much fun. We even got to warm up back stage where they record music! It was incredible. So I just love everything about Disney music. Very thankful for the experience.

Honorable mention has to go to the Dapper Dans. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this barber shop quartet that is a signature feature on Main Street USA. I love me a good harmony, and they are always spot on. They're another thing that I make sure to stop and listen and fangirl over when walking down Main Street.


Oh, and 88 days till Disneyland! w00t!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 17: Favorite Live Show

Day 17 - Favorite Live Action Show

Hands down it's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular which is found at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's on par with a Broadway show and is just as entertaining no matter how many times you view it. As I posted a couple of days ago, The Genie character makes or breaks this show - and I've never seen a Genie flop yet. Jafar is also deliciously evil and humorous. They steal the show from Jazzy and Al, that's for sure.

The music is the familiar songs from the movie plus an extra one that was originally for the movie but got canned - I believe it's now in the Broadway version of Aladdin (which is different to the movie and this show at California Adventure). There are rumors going around that this show may not be around much longer - they tried pulling it a couple of years ago but due to the response from fans they reopened. Rumors say that FROZEN may take its place, so I'm hoping to see Aladdin one more time (if it is truly going away, which does make sense what with the Broadway show a hit now and all).



And we're officially under 3 months to go. I spent the majority of my day getting my park admissions bought. Good way to spend the day, but dang I'm poor again! It'll be worth it, though!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 16: Favorite Parade

Day 16 - Favorite Parade

My favorite is still Wat Disney's Parade Of Dreams. Erin and I saw it when we went to Disneyland in 2006, it was such a sweet parade and I admit I got weepy! It was a great way to tribute the wonderful films and characters of Disney film. Walt's legacy if you will. It was created for the 50th anniversary and it worked. Soundsational is a good parade now, but I still miss this parade.



Oh and we've hit the THREE MONTH MARK! I have got to sit down and finalize an itinerary with my travel buddies, and get my park admission ordered... and my photopass+ preordered... Thinking I'll do that next week as I have a wedding to shoot this weekend. 90 days to go! w00t!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 15: Favorite Atmosphere (Fur) Character

Day 15 - Favorite Atmosphere (Fur) Character

DONALD DUCK! Anyone who knows me KNOWS I love Donald. He is probably the very best character Disney has ever created - and they've created a lot of great characters. I have such a good time meeting him wherever he is in the parks. I especially like him in Disneyland because it's the only place I've ever met him when he is in his classic/signature look (sailor suit).

I've loved Donald Duck my whole life, partially because my Uncle Rick (probably my favorite Uncle EVER) does a spot on Donald Duck voice. He is known in his hometown as Donald Duck, he's that good! The other reason is I grew up in a time when Ducktales was one of the best television shows in the afternoon line up. I watched it religiously every day. Donald was not in many of the episodes, but I love the whole Mc/Duck family.

Donald in the parks is so much fun. He's just as egotistical and hilarious in the parks as he is in his shorts. One of my favorite ways to interact with him is to tell him he's my favorite and that he's #1, forget that old Mickey Mouse. He only partially disagrees with me (and that's only when other's are in ear/eyeshot). Also, ask to give him a kiss on his beak, and then tell him we'll keep it between us. Don't let Daisy know! Hee hee!


Oh, yeah, 91 days to go. I'm comin' Donald!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 14: Favorite Face Character

Day 14 - Favorite Face Character

This is difficult as typically I don't do a lot of characters at Disneyland outside of Character Meals, and I typically go for non face characters when I do that (conversing with face characters is always awkward for me). If we were talking Walt Disney World it'd be easy as I crush hard for a certain Prince Naveen I met back in 2010. But we're talking Disneyland...

So I am going to, once again, cheat a bit and not go with one that you can meet but is no less a FACE CHARACTER. And that is Genie from the Aladdin Show playing at Disney's California Adventure. He is freaking HYSTERICAL in the show (of course he is, right?) and with the little bit of "improv" they allow him each show is just a tad different than the last. The improv is what makes the show so awesome, and the character so loveable.

I've seen the show a handful of times and Genie never disappoints. I really wish you could meet him after the show like you would at a real stage door or something. It'd be AWESOME. But I could see where that would create bottle-necking issues. Plus the poor guy does several shows a day and would be exhausted! But I would love to meet him "in character". They have several genies that rotate, and each one is fantastic in his own right.

So, I cheated, but I'm not sorry. I love love love this character.



92 days to go!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 13: Favorite Piece of Architecture

Day 13 - Favorite Piece of Architecture

I'm kinda cheating because this is more "art" or "sculpture" but I say it counts. My most favorite piece of Disneyland (and Disney World for that matter) is the Partners Statue. It sits in the center of the hub at the end of Main Street USA. Its backdrop is Sleeping Beauty's Castle (Cinderella's at WDW, of course), and it's Walt showing Mickey the Kingdom. I visit this statue several times during my trip. It's one of my first stops my first day - so that I can greet the two who "started it all" - and I always always always make sure to take a moment on my last night to reflect. I know it comes dangerously close to idol worship - or maybe that's what it is - but I just like to honor the man who taught me from a very early age through his works to dream big and make it happen. He is the source or joy and inspiration, he encouraged creativity and imagination... and even so many years after his death he continues to inspire. So I always go by both the statue and when I'm at Disneyland I stop by his apartment over the firehouse, just to say thank you.

And I'm going to make myself weepy if I continue, so I won't go further in my hero worship tonight.


93 days to go!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 11: Favorite Disney's California Adventure Attraction

Day 11 - Favorite Disney's California Adventure Attraction

I love Grizzly River Run. It's one of the few attractions I not only will go on but that I enjoy. It's very similar to Kali River Rapids, but I think you get wetter? I'm not sure. I also love how close as spectators we can get to watching the people come down the mountain and get soaked (sometimes the audience can get wet, too). The theming is much more fun (there's not a forest fire going on so it smells better), and it's a ride that I can safely say will not make me sick. Unlike the other big ticket attractions/rides in DCA, this is right up my alley.

I got to ride it the first time with Haille Rae in 2011. She wanted to go on the water ride so bad! Every time we watched a video on youtube or on the planning DVD about it she was all "oh yeah, that's the ride!" so it was on our list of must tries. So glad we did. She was a little nervous when we first started down the river, but as we splashed our way around her laughter and squeals were proof she was having a blast. She thought it was hilarious that I was getting soaked (she was not as amused that she did NOT get as wet) because I was complaining that I was going to be cold - I had clothes in the car that I ended up changing into as the sun went down and I was still very wet. It WAS February after all.

Haille still talks about that ride - oddly enough she does not like Splash Mountain, the drop messes with her tummy. I can't wait to ride it again as OMG! I know I'm going to need a lot of water rides to keep me from melting in the September heat (my besties just have to all have summer birthdays. jerks)!

**This video can make you dizzy. But it's the best one I could find (I didn't look hard, though). You've been warned.**

We're at 95 days till we're in SoCal. Very excited to watch the countdown go down down down down... I think I have about 35 days until I can begin to do ADRs, but I'd have to check and make sure. I think I have a basic itinerary mapped out as well... just gotta finalize details. I feel so behind and yet I know I'm on track so I'm in the panic/don't panic faze/rut. Oy!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 10: Favorite Extinct Attraction

http://www.yesterland.com

Day 10 - Favorite Extinct Attraction

There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow! Sadly, this World's Fair attraction that made its home in Disneyland does not exist on the west coast, but it CAN be found at Walt Disney World, so it's not lost forever. I finally got to see it in all its glory in October there.

But I wish it was at Disneyland. Where Walt walked. It is, after all, one of his proudest attractions.


Oh, and if you're keeping count of how many days left till I fly out to Disneyland - we're at 96 days. 96 days until I board a plane at the buttcrack of dawn, travel something like 8 hours, get to a hotel and nap while I wait for my bestie and her hubby to make it to the hotel that night (they have to travel something like 6 hours after working all day). 97 days until one of my closest online friends makes it to the hotel (and hopefully she will be able to rest and recoop and be ready for an evening of fun)!!! We're getting SO excited for this trip! It's going to be epic.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 8: Favorite Mickey's ToonTown Attraction

Day 8: Favorite Mickey's ToonTown Attraction

I have a confession - I've never spent much time in Toontown. There's not much that has interested me, and what does the crowds ruin (basically I just want to take pictures). I really feel the whole section is just one big attraction even though I do know that there are individual rides as well as Mickey and Minnie meet and greets at their homes. I just don't feel the need to take in those rides... but with two newbies coming along on this trip I'm sure we'll be spending a bit of time in the area.

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 7: Favorite Critter Country Attraction

Day 7 - Favorite Critter Country Attraction

WE ARE IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS OF OUR COUNTDOWN!!!!! You know what that means, DOUBLE DIGITS DANCE!

I am SO excited! 99 days out always seems to make it official. We have a few things left to do - like get an itinerary, and get the ADRs nailed down. Tickets to the parks need to be bought... but the countdown is on!

Anyway, back to the daily post...

Critter Country's main attraction is the only one I could choose for favorite attraction. It's SPLASH MOUNTAIN for crying out loud! I was terrified of this ride as a child, high up places and water at the bottom was not my idea of a good time. But my dad made me go on it as a teenager and I've been hooked ever since. It's the best way to cool off during the heat of the day - and September is going to be in the 80s so this Alaskan girl is going to want to ride it more than once!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 6: Favorite Adventureland Attraction

Day 6 - Favorite Adventureland Attraction

Ah, Adventureland... that quirky and fun section of the park that lures you in and is super crowded by the end of the day thanks to queues that go out into the walk ways... but we love it anyway.

Favorite attraction is definitely the Indiana Jones ride. It's the same technology (and track) as the Dinosaur ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, but it has Indiana Jones! The story is more fun and there's a lot more to see.

And it terrified Haille Rae both times she's ridden it due to the large snake (she said it's grown). So we'll see how the newbies handle it in September. *evil laugh*

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 5: Favorite New Orleans Square Attraction

Day 5 - Favorite New Orleans Square Attraction

Another ride that is a total "duh!" for me. I love the Haunted Mansion. It's a nice sit down ride that has so much charm, and who doesn't love the spooky Ghost Host? This ride holds a special place in my heart because it's Haille Rae's favorite ride, and even though she isn't coming with me this time (first time in a lot of years she won't be with me at DLR... it will be weird!) I know that I'll be thinking of her... hopefully, though, her favorite ghost (the one that ALWAYS sits with us, creepy!) doesn't continue to follow me around. I'm slightly creeped out that only one of the hitchhiking ghosts seems to sit with us each time on this ride!

30 Days of Disneyland - Day 2: Favorite Main Street Attraction

Day 2 - Favorite Main Street Attraction


I've only seen this attraction once, I was five, and Lincoln malfunctioned and "died" on stage. And yet, it's still one of my favorites. It is one of Walt's greatest achievements, one of his favorite attractions, and it's my favorite American leader. I am a big fan of the Civil War era history, yet another thing Walt and I have in common I suppose.

I WILL see this attraction come hell or high water this time around. I'll go by myself if I have to.

To all who come to this Happy Place... Welcome!

Getting ready to start my next 30 days challenge, this one focusing on DISNEYLAND! Seems it's only fitting to do this since in about 106 days I will be on the plane headed for Southern California for a week of Disney and FRIENDS! I haven't blogged much about the trip and I need to get it into gear and get going on it. I AM excited about it, I just haven't felt the inspiration to blog about it... I blame my Once Upon A Time obsession for sidetracking me. (Seriously, still not over it ha ha.)

It's getting close and so the excitement is ramping up. Erin and Wess have gotten their airfare (I did months ago as I used miles and the flights I originally wanted had filled up their miles quota so I had to find another set of flights that worked and I snagged them as soon as I could). I also talked my friend Aimee into going. She and Erin have the same birthday. I "met" Aimee online over 10 years ago when we were both blogging on GreatestJournal (a livejournal like blog site). We'd found each other through our Star Wars fandom, and then realized we had a lot in common. We both loved our pug dogs, loved Star Wars, obsessed over DISNEY... and a friendship was born. We've never met "in real life", but we always talk about meeting - and it's normally a trip to WDW that we assumed would be how we finally made it happen.

Fastforward to Christmas of 2013. Aimee posted on facebook a video of the Wonderful World of Color water and light show at Disney's California Adventure and she was saying how she so wanted to go to DLR but didn't know when it would happen - if it ever would (she lives on the East Coast). I popped on and said she should come with us for her birthday. She thought I was joking. But I said I was serious! We had the room booked and ready to go, all she'd need to do is get airfare and park tickets and she'd be set! It was 10 months away it was doable.

After staying up WAY past my bedtime (which means she TOTALLY skipped hers ha ha) I convinced her to at least THINK about it. A few days later she'd made up her mind, she was going to do it! She has her airfare now, so I say it's official. We are SUPER excited - and she and Erin have become buds online as well... so I think I'll end up being outnumbered here pretty soon! haha!

Anyway, Aimee's been doing a first timer at Disneyland Meme on her FB so I figured I'd do a Disneyland meme on my blog... thankfully this is NOT my first time so I know what to expect and how to get things done! ;)



 30 Days of Disneyland!

Day 01: Your Favorite Land
Day 02: Your Favorite Main Street Attraction
Day 03: Your Favorite Fantasyland Attraction
Day 04: Your Favorite Tomorrowland Attraction
Day 05: Your Favorite New Orleans Square Attraction
Day 06: Your Favorite Adventureland Attraction
Day 07: Your Favorite Critter Country Attraction
Day 08: Your Favorite Mickey’s Toontown Attraction
Day 09: Your Favorite Frontierland Attraction
Day 10: Your Favorite Extinct Attraction
Day 11: Your Favorite Disney‘s California Adventure Attraction
Day 12: The Attraction You Gone On Most
Day 13: Your Favorite Piece of Architecture
Day 14: Your Favorite Face Character
Day 15: Your Favorite Atmosphere (Fur) Character
Day 16: Your Favorite Parade
Day 17: Your Favorite Live Show
Day 18: Your Favorite Band/Vocal Group
Day 19: Your Favorite Fireworks Spectacular
Day 20: Your Favorite Restaurant
Day 21: Your Favorite Food or Beverage
Day 22: Your Favorite Shop
Day 23: Your Favorite Thing to Collect
Day 24: Your Favorite Disneyland Memory
Day 25: Your Favorite Picture from the Park
Day 26: Your Favorite Cast Member Costume
Day 27: Your Dream Job
Day 28: Your Favorite Time to Visit
Day 29: Your Favorite Aspect of Disneyland
Day 30: Your Favorite Walt Disney Quote about Disneyland

Disneyland in 250 Days

Dealing with a countdown to DisneyLAND can be so frustrating. There isn't as much planning to do for a SoCal adventure compared to when one goes to Disney World. Reservations for hotel have been made, we're staying at the Peacock Suites (you may recognize that hotel as the one I've stayed at when going to DLR with Haille Rae and family) and I wanted to make sure that we could get one of the two bedroom suites. If there's one thing that bugs me about Peacock is the round about way they do their responses to any emails you might send them asking for information. They are partnered with Shell Vacations and so their emails all go to an office elsewhere. So they give very generic answers, or tell you to call the hotel directly. One of the reasons I email questions is so I don't have to call.


But it's a minor complaint, and I'm very excited to be staying there again.


Now it's just a wait to book the rest. Airfare this spring. Special meal reservations to be booked in June or July (along with the photopass+). Not a lot of planning involved. We'll have 5 days in Disneyland, 1 at the beach and hollywood, 1 for universal studios, and 1 for the San Diego Zoo.


So until then I just gotta keep myself busy. Which shouldn't be a problem with the Olympics in something like three weeks? and then the Iditarod in March.

A Tasteful Countdown: The Rescuers

Not a fan of seafood, but mom and dad are. Yuck.

So Dad had to go up to Anchorage for training the week after Toy Story so we rescheduled the movie for the next week. This would not have been a big deal had it not been for the fact that my dad loves the rescuers movies (though I found out he likes the rescuers down under way more) and because the first movie happens in the Bayou and the menu I chose he was very excited for.

Thankfully the wait did not disappoint. My dad had several helpings of what I had to offer. Mom did too. It was very good, though for me I didn't like the proteins it called for. Oh well, this isn't *just* about me, right?! So I made two types of the sauce.

The menu was a pasta dish and garlic bread. I was too pooped to do a dessert and as rich as dinner was it wasn't missed. I made a cajun style alfredo with Shrimp and Andoulle sausage over fettacine. I did not make the pasta, but everything else was from scratch and fresh. I made a smaller batch without the shrimp, just the sausage, for myself, and served it with garlic bread.

It was delish. Dad couldn't stop talking about it! He ate his fair share and then some, and then he let it be known he was getting any leftovers for lunch. Except he didn't get my leftovers. I took those to Kassy's. She told me she thought it was better than any pasta dish at Paradisos (Kenai's Greek-Italian-Mexican restaurant that I love). So I have to say this has to be one of the most successful dishes I've made to date!

Without the seafood. So good! A little spicy but not bad.

Find the recipe here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cajun-shrimp-andouille-alfredo-sauce-over-pasta-10000001033054/