California Capital Airshow Part I - Friday Night Flights 10/3/15

Last weekend was the annual California Capital Airshow.  If you know me, you know I love airshows.  My family was a military family; even though my father retired 6 months after I was born, I practically grew up on McClellan Air Force Base.  

The base pool and bowling alley were my parents' go-to babysitters for us.  And the base theater was their way of treating us about once a month.

Whenever there was an airshow within 50 miles, I was there.  And there were plenty since I grew up in "Airbase Alley".  We were surrounded by military bases, which is one reason my parents moved here upon retirement.  Three and a half years prior to my birth in Fort Dix New Jersey, my brother was born at Beale AFB in Marysville.  I think it was around that time that they decided this would be a great place to retire.   Besides Beale, there were two bases in Sacramento (McClellan and Mather) and Travis AFB in Fairfield.  

Consequently, I grew up with a distinct love of planes and a healthy respect for the military. I really, REALLY wanted to be a Thunderbird pilot growing up.  

Well, if you can join 'em.  Watch 'em. 

So on Friday night, for the first time, they had "Airshow After Dark!"  Exciting!  But I was not in a position to pay the $135 for the ticket and farm-to-fork buffet dinner.  So I did the next best thing...  Parked at the end of the airstrip along with some other fans/photographers.  We had a good time talking and watching the flights and fireworks.  

I took some truly fantastical photos!

What used to be Mather Air Force Base is now Mather Field - home to United Parcel Service.  So it was appropriate that midshow everyone had to pause so this guy could take off. 

And now...on with the show!  If you look very closely, in some of these pictures you just might see an actual plane!

This photo was actually supposed to be the Big Dipper on a long exposure.   But in a weird twist, the plane that was currently performing just happened to circle around (the Dipper was actually not in the direction of Mather) and fly through my long exposure.  

 You can kinda see the plane!

This plane was actually shooting fireworks off it's wings in addition to the sparks that most of the performers were trailing.  Pretty cool!

Another "squint and you can see it" plane photo. 

And I don't know what this was.  But it looks cool.  And you can see the base, so...

And then!  Fireworks!

 Firework bokeh!

And last, but not least, a finale filled with hearts!

Join me tomorrow for some Thunderbird action!  It's not as dirty as it sounds. ;-)

xoxo

Last 2013 Post! (Maybe!) ~Disneyland Mickey's Halloween Party~TFW

I think...  Maybe???  I just might have finished all of my 2013 photos.  Possibly...

~Shocked Face~

Here is the last installment from the fabulous University of Southern California Trojan Family Weekend (+ two days for us).  

On Thursday night, which was the only night that Adrienne didn't have a ton of homework, we headed down to Anaheim to go to Disneyland and Mickey's Halloween Party.  I really recommend this event.  For us, it was definitely more bang for the buck.  Here's how it worked:

For $56 per person (more this year and depends on the date you attend), you get free parking at Disneyland ($16 value then) and entrance into the main park (no California Adventure).  The actual event, during which the park is closed to everyone not having the special ticket/wristband, was from 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. I believe.  The event ticket allows you to enter the park up to 3 hours before the event without paying for the full day.  

So basically, you get one day (8 hours) with less people and free candy.  And Craisins. #WorthIt

Yes, I said free candy and Craisins.  There were trick-or-treat stations throughout the park where one would walk through a brief line and be given whatever goody that station had.  And there were two trick-or-treat paths with 6-8 stations.

And there are some Halloween-themed parades, etc., but I'm not sure if these are also during the regular hours. Have some parade photos.

 My boyfriend.  I'll let you think about that for now. 

There are no fast passes during the Halloween Party, but it's really not needed.  It was crowded...especially around the Haunted Mansion and Pirates rides.  But most of the other rides were less than 20 minutes wait.  

And the park looks sooooooo cool.  If you love Halloween, as I do, it is definitely a must-do. 

 Keep in mind that this was at 3:00 p.m. when the park was full of the regular peeps. 

We, as I stated previously, got there just before 3:00 which meant that we left L.A. as soon as Adrienne finished classes that day.  She pretty much had nothing to eat and neither did I.  In honor of her attending USC, I had planned something we hadn't done before and that was to eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean.  

It was a fun experience although we didn't have the best table.  The food was delicious although a bit overpriced.  Upon review, I think it's worth it once in awhile for a special occasion IF you get a good table.  I don't regret it and we had a great time.

Food porn!

Adie had the salmon and I had beef.  Really big portions!  This is before...

And this is pretty much mine after.  To be honest, we forced ourselves to finish as much as we could because PRICE but it was hard.  

After eating, we proceeded to work off all that food by walking the entire park at least three times over the next several hours.  We rode every ride that was open at least once.  And most we did twice.  The only land we didn't fully hit was Fantasy Land and that was because I was overruled by my daughter.  haha

This is not a real elephant. 

But this is a real duck.  Cute!  He's standing on his own foot.  

Me and C3PO!!!  This is an actual C3PO that was in the Star Wars movies for those of you who didn't know. 

Magic Mountain is another must do.  It was creepy though!!  It's got ghosts and other things to scare you.  We rode that three times.  We were lucky because on our second ride, there was some issue with the people getting of the car ahead of us and it was taking too long.  So the ride operator just asked our car "Do you all want to go again?"  And luckily everyone cheered so she just put us through.  

They had these cool fog-pictures that were coming out of various crevices around the park.  I tried to get photos of them, but couldn't really get one to be clear.  This one was the closest.  And it's not clear.  It says Mickey's Halloween Party. Funny, you can see the projector in the photo, but I didn't even notice it when taking the picture. lol

This is one of the buildings in Frontierland with a spooky spider web on it. 

Back on Main Street!  This time after dark.  

(I wish these photos were better.  I didn't know about aperture 

and ISO etc. in 2013. haha) 

The longest line of the night, by far.  But definitely worth it!

Get ready for some Fireworks!!!  I like how these turned out. 

 Especially this one with the ghostly pirate ship.

 And this one with the not-quite-so-ghostly pirate ship!

And then we went back to the Haunted Mansion.  Because why not?

Then I saw my boyfriend again.  

We've been together for about 25 years, I am proud to say. 

#GirlsLikeBadBoysPirates

And then we finished out the night with the parade.  

 Boo!

 I TOTALLY did this on purpose!  Totally. 

Awww, good times!  Just one more word:  Go!

xoxo