August 2020 Updates and Follow-Ups

A few news items worth mentioning and items I’ve mentioned that deserve some follow up…

Black Lives Matter mural by To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf — Smoke from the Bighorn Fire behind To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf’s mural, 6/16/20.

Bighorn Wildfire: Out

The monsoon rains have arrived, and the wildfire I wrote about is no longer making the Tucson air all smoky.

After burning across the Santa Catalina Mountains for a month and a half, the Bighorn Wildfire was finally 100% contained on July 23.

Catalina State Park campground — View of Santa Catalina mountains from Catalina State Park (before the fire), 5/25/20.

Thankfully, firefighters were able to ensure that no lives were lost and no homes or businesses burned down. Many of the mountains’ recreation areas (including Sabino Canyon and parts of Mt. Lemmon) are tentatively closed due to road repairs, flash flood danger, etc. until November 1, 2020.

Mt. Lemmon

Initially, all access to Mt. Lemmon was going to be shut down that long. But businesses in its mountaintop communities of Summerhaven and Ski Valley urged the County for a quicker opening, so visitors could return sooner.

Road crews were able to repair fire-damaged guardrails along the Catalina Highway, which goes up Mt. Lemmon. Amazingly – in what may be a construction project first – it reopened 3 months early! Officials may limit traffic to prevent crowding, since many areas are still restricted, but at least there is some access.

Open:

The Cookie Cabin: Its patio seating has been arranged for social distancing.
Mt. Lemmon General Store and Gift Shop.
Ski Valley Sky Ride, which is the ski lift when there’s no skiing. (Tickets $15)

Closed:

Coronado National Forest trails and campgrounds: No picnicking, hiking, or fishing.
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter: Observatory closed to the public.
Trails in nearby Sabino Canyon.

Watch: Our drive up the Catalina Highway from the Tucson desert to Mt. Lemmon pines in 2015.

Murals at MSA Annex: New

There are a couple more mural additions at MSA Annex!

The mural honoring ancestors that To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf was working on when I met her is finished now.

Black Lives Matter mural by Adia Jamille — Mural by Adia Jamille.

Also, textile designer Adia Jamille completed a sweet painting of a couple next to her larger “Black lives matter when they are…. alive” mural.

"Black Lives Matter when they are alive..." mural by Adia Jamille — Mural by Adia Jamille.

Watch: Star Wars actor John Boyega – who plays Finn, the former Stormtrooper turned “big deal” in the Resistance – gave an impassioned speech at a protest in Hyde Park, London: “Black lives have always mattered. We have always been important. We have always meant something.” It’s beautiful and makes me tear up every time.

Anaheim Convention Center — Star Wars Celebration, 2015.

Star Wars Celebration: Postponed

The 2020 edition of Star Wars Celebration, the big non-annual convention we attended a few years back, has been canceled. It was supposed to return to Anaheim this month, but, of course, this is not really a time for crowded cons. It has been rescheduled for August 18-21, 2022.

Watch: In lieu of the in-person event, some fans are organizing a virtual conference, ForceFest, August 28-30. I think you need an account on the GetVokl platform to see the livestream, but you can just sign up free with your phone number, Twitter, Facebook, or Patreon account. (I did. It was pretty quick.)

Disney Parks: Reopening in progress

Speaking of Anaheim (and Star Wars), Disney properties have began to open back up in phases. Precautions they’re taking include operating at reduced capacity, adding distance between parties on rides, requiring masks, and sanitizing the heck out of anything that can be sanitized. Some attractions will remain closed for the time being.

Opened in July:

Walt Disney World Resort theme parks
Many (but not all) Walt Disney World Resort hotels
Disney Springs (the dining and shopping area near the Orlando Parks)
Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo DisneySea (yep, that’s real)
Disneyland Paris
Downtown Disney District (the dining and shopping area near the Anaheim Parks)

Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Park — Disney California Adventure Park by Joshua Sudock / Disneyland Resort.

Still closed:

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure (opening delayed due to state restrictions)
Disneyland Resort hotels
Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and several other Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Listen: Podcast the Ride episode on the craziness of the day Disneyland first opened in 1955. (Heads up: Even though it’s about theme parks, this is not a podcast meant for kids.)

Paper Disney park — Via Disney Parks Blog.

DIY: A couple Disney Imagineers designed these cute Disney Paper Parks. Print out Sleeping Beauty’s castle, buildings from Main Street, U.S.A., and floats from the “Magic Happens” parade (which barely debuted before the coronavirus shutdown), and then color, cut out, and fold them to set up your own little Disneyland!

July 30, 2016July 22, 2020

Anaheim Resort District Dining 2016

I got a little obsessed hunting for local food options in the Anaheim Resort District (where the Disney Theme Parks and Anaheim Convention Center are located) ahead of Star Wars Celebration last year.

I talked to frequent Disneyland-goers about their favorite spots, exchanged emails with the Anaheim Convention Center and their concessions-provider Aramark, and even tried sorting through online business license records.

Once I was in Anaheim, I walked into restaurants I hadn’t been able to find information for to ask questions and pick up take-out menus.

In the end, I had this list of restaurants that are some combination of unique to the area, highly recommended, and/or offering something local, as well as being walking-distance from the Disney Parks and Anaheim Convention Center – without requiring admission.

So here it is, updated with current information and grouped geographically. I marked up a map to help you visualize it all.

1. Downtown Disney and Disneyland Resort Hotels

Located between – but outside of – the Parks, Downtown Disney includes shopping, restaurants, and live music.

While this is not the place to find indie eateries, there are plenty of unique spots that are true to their location in Mickey’s backyard. (I mean, it’s not like every city has an Enchanted Tiki Bar.)

Catal Restaurant – frequently recommended as one of the best restaurants in Downtown Disney.
Earl of Sandwich – for a quick bite.
Napa Rose Lounge (at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa) – for seasonal small plates. Full dinner menu available in the main Napa Rose dining room (reservations recommended).
Tangaroa Terrace (at Disneyland Hotel)
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (at Disneyland Hotel) – for drinks.

Find character dining, menus, accessibility, hours, etc. on Disneyland Resort’s site.

2. East of Disney

We walked by a lot of the places listed below en route from our hotel to the convention last year. We tried a few and liked breakfast at Chambers (and were guests of Hotel Indigo Anaheim), lunch at Tanor, late-night take-out from Sabrosada/Alertos.

We ran out of time to try the Pizza Press while we were in Anaheim, but the Pasadena location hosted us for lunch on our more recent trip. Summary of the upcoming review: it was super good!

Pizza Press build-your-own-pizza concept (similar to Fired Pie here in Phoenix). They’ve expanded to 6 Southern California locations.
Chambers Bar & Bistro at Hotel Indigo Anaheim – breakfast, sandwiches, flatbread, local produce, and seasonal desserts. While it appears the chilaquiles are off the menu (sad trombone), we also enjoyed their breakfast burritos.
Gandhi Palace – Indian restaurant recommended by Whitney Drake on last year’s BlogHer post.

Anaheim Resort Centre

In another post, I called this “Anaheim’s Local Food Corner,” because one unimpressive-looking strip mall contained 5 different non-chain restaurants.

California Pizza Place (menu) – narrow dining room with walls crammed with retro paraphernalia serving pizza, burgers, and pancakes. Delivery is also available.
Tanor Mediterranean Grill (menu) – Mediterranean/Persian food with delicious chicken shawarma.
Star Burger (menu) – fusion of burgers, kimchi, and bulkogi (Korean-style grilled beef).
Sabrosada (menu) – formerly known as Alertos Mexican Food, family-owned taqueria with five Southern California locations. We liked the al pastor and pollo asado mini tacos.
Panda Kitchen (menu) – American Chinese food. You can call ahead to pick up your order or dine in.

Anaheim GardenWalk

This is a bigger, newer shopping center populated mostly by chains, including the Cheesecake Factory that the German Big Bang Theory fans we met last year were so excited to visit.

Kip Barry’s Cabaret – Cafe, magic gift shop, and performance venue. Formerly Houdini’s Hideaway.
House of Blues – Restaurant and music venue, opening at the GardenWalk this fall. (Moving from their previous location at Downtown Disney, which has already closed.)

3. Anaheim Convention Center

The Anaheim Convention Center is across the street from the Disneyland Resort. I was pleasantly surprised to learn they are serious about sourcing local and sustainable food and beverages. If you’re attending a conference or convention there, you can check out ecoGrounds / Java City Fair Trade coffee in the lobby. They may also have the Hearst Ranch Grill open with all-beef hamburgers from the Convention Center’s own herd of free-range, grass-fed cattle.

If you don’t have an event badge or just want to get out of the crowded Convention Center halls for a minute, here’s what’s right next door:

Anaheim Marriott on southwest side of Convention Center has a bar/restaurant called nFuse that serves local craft beers and seasonal microbrews. There is also a nice lobby with lots of seating. I believe there is also wifi and outlets. (Otherwise, there’s also a large Starbucks off the lobby. They handled the extra long line like it was child’s play.)
Hilton Anaheim on west side of Convention Center. In the food court…
- Just Grillin’ Express – Burgers, salads, and fries (spicy or not) made from ingredients delivered daily. Based in Alhambra, California.
- Submarina – a Southern California based sub sandwich chain.

– More info –

Disneyland Restaurants Guide (Disney Food Blog) – information on restaurants throughout the Disneyland Resort, including inside the Parks.
Disneyland Resort Beer List (Beers and Ears)

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A big thanks to Sarah Woloski of the Skywalking through Neverland podcast, Genevieve Eldred, Paul Barrie of the Window to the Magic podcast, and Whitney Drake for sharing their favorite spots!

The map is a screenshot from Apple Maps I modified in Skitch. Other photos by Phillip and me.

August 24, 2015July 24, 2016

From Cheesesteak to Cheesecake: “Local” is Relative

“Really?! You want to eat one of those things?”

Until at that moment, I hadn’t thought wanting to get a Philly cheesesteak in Philly was such a crazy idea. But Phillip’s uncles, who we were visiting a few years back, seemed surprised and disgusted at the thought.

I guess when you have lived your whole life just outside of Philadelphia, you’re over the whole cheesesteak thing.

More recently, while in line at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, we struck up a conversation with some guys from Germany, who had already been to their bucket-list restaurant for their SoCal trip. It wasn’t a beachside seafood spot, Downtown Disney diner, trendy vegan cafe, or even an L.A. taco truck.

It was the Cheesecake Factory.

To me, that’s part of a big ol’ chain I could eat at whenever (but haven’t for a long time). To them, it’s the hangout from The Big Bang Theory, and something you can’t experience where they’re from.

Local – and interesting – eating is relative.
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May 15, 2015July 24, 2016

Fireworks and Fountains in Anaheim

1. Make an entrance

They say it’s about the journey.

But arriving can be pretty nice too. After you’ve been traveling, unlocking the door to a comfortable hotel room feels like someone should strike up the band and set off fireworks.

That literally happened when we stayed at Hotel Indigo Anaheim. Mention my name, and there will be fireworks the night you check in too.

Actually, Disneyland does a fireworks show every night. Mentioning me changes nothing. You can, however, request a room with a fireworks view when you make your reservation. Then you can just assume they’re in your honor.

Everyone there is really accommodating and service-focused, regularly working things out for guests – transportation, early check-ins, recommendations, etc. We had a late-notice schedule change for our Star Wars Celebration convention trip, and General Manager Edward Voysest was flexible with changing our reservation. Hannah made sure everything was set when we checked in.

So while the really hardcore fans camped out on a convention center floor, we were sleeping in an actual bed with really excellent pillows. I know. Poor us!

2. Start your day

We were so comfortable, it was hard to get moving the next morning. Blackout curtains can be a double-edged sword. The Keurig helped.

The bright lighting in the bathroom helped too. In the shower was a regular shower head, as well as a handheld one that reminded me one of those long microphones. So, in case you need to do some shower singing, you’re all set. There’s also a fancy straight-sided vessel sink atop the counter and really nice scented soaps.

Since we had stocked our mini fridge with fruit and yogurt and whatnot, it was easy to grab something quick that first morning when we were in a hurry.

When we were less rushed the following day, we tried out the Chambers Bar & Bistro in the hotel. It was really crowded, so they asked if we wanted to eat out on the patio. It was a beautiful morning and so peaceful out there!

Our server José knew so much about the area and the menu. I ordered the chilaquiles, house-made tortilla chips drenched in red pepper sauce with queso fresco and avocado on top and local eggs, fruit, and diced potatoes on the side. It was absolutely the best dish of the trip. Thinking about it now makes me a little sad I can’t eat that every day. Also hungry.

3. Get around

After we were ready and breakfasted and coffeed, we’d slip our lanyards on, get our convention gear, and walk over to the Anaheim Convention Center. Along with Disneyland, it was only about 10-15 minutes away – close enough it wasn’t a big deal to go back if you forgot something/needed a nap.

Not driving is actually more convenient, since traffic around there can be kind of a mess and parking at the convention center, theme parks, and most area hotels is $15-20 a day. Hotel Indigo Anaheim doesn’t charge guests for parking and even let us stay parked in the garage a few extra hours since we planned to be at the convention past checkout.

The area is really pedestrian friendly with wide palm-lined sidewalks, a ton of restaurants, and a few stores. The only time we used the car during our time there was to meet my cousin Allison in another town for lunch one day.

4. Return

After we were done conventioning for the day, we’d head back.

Hotel Indigo Anaheim is pretty hard to miss. It was remodeled a couple years ago (recently enough that some Google Maps views still show the old Holiday Inn Express facade) after the launch of the Hotel Indigo brand with its focus on an experience that reflects the character of the neighborhood. In this case, that means an agricultural theme. Way before the remodel and before Anaheim was populated by Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and 20,000 hotel rooms, there were acres of citrus trees and walnut groves.

Now there is a musical fountain and light show (think mini Bellagio) out front, but the hotel features plenty of reminders of the past. There are floor-to-ceiling photos of walnut trees and vintage farm equipment, antiques in the lounge, and a restaurant named after the old Chambers Ranch.

You’ll probably be greeted by the super friendly lobby staff when you walk back in. The Front Desk Supervisor Arthur, a.k.a. King Arthur, takes care of his domain, patiently answering questions for guests, helping with the luggage cart, even running outside to direct traffic when a parking guest was in the way of the garbage truck.

You can sit by the pool, get a workout in, or catch up on work in the business center. There’s free wifi throughout the hotel, so you’re not limited to working in the business center. I took my iPad up to the second floor lounge, which is open to the lobby, while people wearing conference lanyards or Jedi costumes or mouse ears walked by outside.

Of course, chilling in your room is nice too. (And I definitely needed some down time!) We had a family studio, so it was really roomy with a couch and nice hardwood floors. Housekeeping comes daily and the room was always sparkling clean when we returned, with fun little touches like towels folded into the shape of an elephant. One day we left Mr. Cheeseface on the nightstand, and they set him in the center of the pillows when they made up the beds, which made me smile.

Before you know it, the Disney fireworks will be bursting in the sky, and it’ll be time to start it all again.

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Photos by Phillip or me.

Thank you to IHG / Hotel Indigo for providing our accommodations and breakfast vouchers.

April 30, 2015July 24, 2016

Down the Street from Disney: Anaheim’s Local Food Corner

For someone on the lookout for the quirky, unique flavor of places you visit, Anaheim’s resort district can seem like a sea of corporate giants. However, if you look closely, you can find local goodness. In fact, there’s one scrappy strip mall with 5 restaurants that aren’t part of national chains.

The Anaheim Resort Centre is on the northeast corner of Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue – walking distance from Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center. But this is not where you go to meet Disney princesses. These are unfancy, pay-at-the-counter type places for late-night takeout or quick pre-theme park or -convention meals.

Since I couldn’t find enough information before our trip to include this corner in my Anaheim food post, I did some research while I was in town. Menus were acquired, employees were chatted with, tacos were consumed – all so that next time you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll know your options.

Working your way from Katella Avenue north (right to left if you were facing the front of the building), here are the 5 local restaurants:

1. California Pizza Place (menu) – Not to be confused with the far-reaching California Pizza Kitchen, this narrow dining room with walls crammed with retro paraphernalia is the one and only location of California Pizza Place. You can grab a slice at lunch, pancakes in the morning, or call for delivery.

*2. Tanor Mediterranean Grill (menu) – Recently opened Mediterranean/Persian food with shawarma meat spinning and skewers of meat grilled to order. As I was looking over the menu, they handed me a sample of chicken shawarma. It was insanely good. I got it on a wrap, which was fine, but masked the chicken’s awesomeness a bit. Next time, I’d get the chicken straight up with a side of their delicious saffron rice and maybe some quinoa tabouleh. (I’ve never seen quinoa in tabouleh before, but it probably makes it gluten free.)

3. Star Burger (menu) – The menu includes an interesting fusion of burgers, kimchi, and bulkogi (Korean-style grilled beef). The person I spoke to when I stopped by and when I called had limited English. You should be fine ordering straight off the menu, but it might be tricky if you have special requests or questions.

*4. Alertos Mexican Food – This is a family-owned taqueria with five Southern California locations. We split a burrito and a pile of their mini tacos. Our favorites were pastor and pollo asado. Those definitely beat out the (much pricier) food truck tacos I’d had the day before.

5. Panda Kitchen (menu) – Their menu offers the typical playlist of American Chinese food standards. You can call ahead to pick up your order or dine in. There’s lots of seating, but they didn’t want me to take photos.

Besides the 5 independent restaurants above, the Anaheim Resort Centre is home to a Subway, liquor store**, souvenirs and sunglass shop. There’s lots of free parking, which is also rare in the area.

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*We ate at Alertos and Tanor. Both were delicious. I can’t vouch for the other restaurants.

**By the way, isn’t the land of family vacations and overpriced hotel mini bars the perfect location for a liquor store? You can even buy postcards along with your booze for an analog version of a drunk dial. What would that be called? A lush letter? Pissed post? Sloshed snail mail?