California, Here We Come!

The week before Christmas, Kevin and Angie took us on a little side-trip to Newport Beach, California, to a beautiful condo they had arranged there.  On the way there, we saw the only snow that we encountered the entire two weeks we were out West.  It was near Cedar City, I believe.  I know many people were disappointed that there wasn't a white Christmas in Utah, but believe me, George and I weren't disappointed at all!  We had enough snow for the 22 years we lived in Utah, plus I had enough of it for the 22 years while growing up in Idaho.

We spent one night in Las Vegas before reaching California.  It was great walking through the malls and not having to rush because I was actually pretty much done with all the "buying" for Christmas.  I could just enjoy the beautiful decorations and being with the family.

It was really amazing how Las Vegas has changed since George and I were last there, which has been quite a few years ago.  We really enjoyed walking a little ways down the Strip.

Las Vegas is certainly the "City of Lights" all the time, but for Christmas, it was extra-special!

This was the most gorgeous glass tree that kept changing colors.

This girl was really fascinating.  She was all "aglow" and walked around on tiny little stilts.  Amazing!

We told Kevin and Angie that we absolutely had to go into the Venetian since we had just been in Venice, Italy, about two months ago.  We were so glad that we went in!  They have done a marvelous job in making the inside of a building look like the outside of Venice.  You truly felt as if you were there! 

Now, I don't mean to whine, but when we were on our Mediterranean Cruise, the activity I looked forward to the most was the gondola ride in Venice.  However, our group got there a little late, the gondoliers had to be called back, they were grumpy, just yelled at each other between gondolas the whole time--and didn't even sing!!!  I was so disappointed and my pleasant idea of a gondola ride was absolutely crushed!

So, bless George's heart, he wanted to make sure I had a positive experience by encouraging me to try again on the gondola here at the Venetian.  So, off Angie, Lauren, Hannah, and I went while the guys waved on the little bridges overhead.  

We were so fortunate to have a real Italian young lady who was absolutely the sweetest and definitely identified with what I told her about my experience in Italy.  She said she would certainly make sure we had the most pleasant experience possible, and believe me, it was fantastic!

She sang and we clapped.

They even had built the little gargoyle water spigots like they have in Venice, but the water was much cleaner and it didn't smell as bad as it did in Venice. 

This is the wedding gondola.  Someone can rent it and in 16 minutes that the ride takes, they can say their vows and have the wedding singer sing to them, too.  What a bargain!  We saw that our cute gondolier girl was usually the wedding singer and after hearing her, you definitely knew why.

As we reached the end of our ride, I was so happy.  This was a gondola ride like I had envisioned--it was everything I had wanted it to be.  I was one happy little grandma!

Back out walking the strip.

After spending the night in Vegas, we got back in the car the next morning and went on our way to Newport Beach.

 

The condo was in such a gorgeous location--overlooking the beautiful golf course as well as the ocean. 

 

 

Watching the beautiful sunset.

The next day, Kevin had arranged for a golfing excursion for he and Connor at a very nice golf course near by.  George and I were going along with Angie and the girls to the mall. 

After taking these pictures, one of the most amazing things happened that was just meant to be.  I won't spoil it now because I am going to blog about the incident all by itself.  It is just too great to throw it in here.

The scenery at the golf course was truly beautiful.  After a wonderful day, we all had dinner and then went to a movie.

We actually went to see "Mission Impossible," but I couldn't resist taking a picture of the kids with the chipmunks.

The next day, we went to Knott's Berry Farm.  George and I were so thrilled to go there because we hadn't been there since we lived in Los Angeles back in the late '60s or early '70s.  In addition, this was actually one of the favorite places of my family while I was growing up.  We loved to come here.

 

It is hard to believe that this all started as a little roadside stand where Walter Knott and his family sold berries, berry preserves and pies.  In 1932 on a visit to Rudolph Boysen's farm in nearby Anaheim, Walter Knott was introduced to a new hybrid berry of blackberry, red raspberry, and loganberry cross-bred by Boysen who gave Walter his last six wilted berry-hybrid plants.  Walter planted and cultivated them, then the family sold the berries at their roadside stand.  When people asked what kind they were, he called them "Boysenberrys."  

I was thrilled to see so many of the original structures and shows that were there when I was a little girl.  I will always remember the Wild West Stunt Show which is still just as great and entertaining.  When the family needed more cash than the berry stand produced, so reluctantly, Knott'sKnott's signature Boysenberry Pie was also served to guests.  All of this was a bargain at 75 cents per dinner.  Great location and good value were the restaurant's conditions of success which developed long lines of diners.  As time went on, more shops and interactive displays were opened to entertain patrons waiting for a seat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant.  

The original old bottle house was still there.

 

Now, one of the newest additions at Knott's Berry Farm is Camp Snoopy for the younger people.

They had a darling Charlie Brown Christmas production with his little scrawny tree and lots of fun music.

In the 1990s, after Walter and Cordelia Knott died, their children decided to sell off their business.  The berry business went from one company to the Smucker Co. who continues to sell the Knott's Berry Farms brand name.  As far as the amusement park went, the Knotts family refused to sell the park to Disney who wanted to buy it, because they feared that most of what Walter Knott had built would be eliminted.  Ironically, Cedar Fair who purchased it, tore down more of what Walter Knott had originally built than what Disney was planning to.

The park is now going towards thrill rides, with some of the best in the country.  Of course, the grandkids loved all of this.

Call us old-fashioned or just plain scaredy-cats, but George and I continually looked for all of the original rides and scenery which we really enjoyed.  

 

 

We knew we had to ride the old train there, so Kevin and Hannah went with us.

 

We were all settled on the train, getting all comfortable . . .

 

 watching the beautiful scenery outside . . .

when who should rush into the train car, but some train robbers!  

 

 

Hannah wasn't nearly as scared as I was when this happened when I was a little girl.

Whew!  That was a close one, but they didn't get any of Hannah's money!

I finally got George to go on one thrill ride--if you can call the swings a thrill ride.  Well, it turned out to be the highlight of the day for comedy!  

The problem was getting the seat belt on which had to strap between your legs.  Grandpa was having difficulty doing that, but they couldn't leave until he did.

I believe Hannah had to jump out and help him so that they could get started.

Yes, I think he likes this ride!

But after coming in, there was the same problem, plus they couldn't get the bar raised over his head.  What to do?  They couldn't load the next passengers without him getting off.  Is this reminding you of a similar incident with the Chinese camel?

Finally, after everyone else is off, Hannah and Kevin got Grandpa George out of his chair.

 

It really made for a good laugh for all of us . . .

which, of course, had to be shared with the rest of the family.

 

Connor and Kade liked driving the little race cars.

Lauren had heard so much about the swings, so we took Hannah and her back to see where the incident had happened.

 

Of course, it went without incident and everyone had a great time.

At the end of the day, we just had to eat dinner at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner.  It still has huge lines just like it always has.  The menu and recipe has changed very little.  I remember as a child when going to Knott's Berry Farm, this was one extravagance that we always did.  We didn't ever splurge much by going to restaurants, but my dad always treated us to a dinner here when we came to California.  This brought back those wonderful childhood memories.  As you can see, this restaurant has been around since 1934.

 

Enjoying the dinner of the famous chicken, potatoes, corn, and boysenberry punch, boysenberry jam, and boysenberry pie!

The next day, we left California and drove the entire day back to Utah.  Such a fun trip with so many memories.  Thanks so much, Kevin and Angie.  We loved the fun time we had.