Cash Rules Everything Around Me (especially @ Disney)

Visited Disneyland for the Kid's graduation and Elias (Thing 1's kid) turns 5 in July, so we celebrated that, too!

We just got back from the land of Disney so obviously we have Mickey on the brain. We wanted to give you guys some tips before you go to save you some dough. 

First off, let’s get this straight: you can NOT have the mindset of saving money while on vacation. You can spend your money wisely, but you save money to go on vacation…not the other way around.

We go to Disneyland often (3-4 times a year), and try to go to Walt Disney World every 2 years.  My family and I have Premier Annual Passes to all Disney parks in America, (not to be confused with a Premium Annual Pass that can only be used in just Disneyland/DCA or WDW).  The reason we decided on the Premier Passes was because they were cheaper than buying a Premium Pass at Disneyland and 7 day-park hopper tickets at WDW (which is how many days we were planning on going anyway).

When to go: Time is MONEY! Plan to go in the off-peak season. Usually during September, October, first 3 weeks in November are great times to go for weather, price, and low-crowd reasons. (Except EPCOT- they've got the Food and Wine Festival going on then.)

Transportation: Book your flight within 5-6 months of the trip, if you plan to fly. Wait for deals, and book on a Tuesday or Wednesday. We rarely fly since we live in Northern California, but definitely for WDW. Southwest and JetBlue are the best airlines if you are flying from Northern California. Virgin also recently started doing nonstop flights to WDW from SFO. (BIG Tip: Sign up to get emails from airlines, they notify you of the great deals right when they are posted on the website!)

Hotels: I (Thing 1) touched on this in a previous post, but just in case you missed it:

• "When booking a hotel room, keep these things in mind: distance from the parks, amenities like free breakfast, and parking fees. For instance, if you are going to pay for a hotel room that is just alright, but have to pay 14 dollars for parking, you might as well book the moderate room that is 10 dollars more a night with free parking and breakfast. It'll save you money in the long run. I also use tripadvisor to view the rooms and get traveler reviews." 
• Again, I would definitely go during off-season. I use hotels.com a lot, too. I like them because they usually have great prices. When finding a great deal on hotels.com, always double-check the hotel website itself or call them. Sometimes they have specials and can be cheaper than hotels.com. When calling, mention you have AAA or you are an annual pass holder to see if there are any more discounts. Personally, I like to pay for my hotel room upfront so I don’t have to worry about it when it comes time for the vacation.

My personal recommendations:

• AAA discounts: Tropicana Inn and Suites- The location is amazing! Literally right out of the gates of Disneyland. They have big, clean rooms with refrigerators and microwaves (big plus for our BIG family). The pool is a bit small, but a heated pool nonetheless. Tip: If you will be traveling with a stroller, request a room on the bottom floor.
• Annual Passport Discount: Howard Johnson- They have a DEEP discount for pass holders! The location is awesome and about 2 city blocks from the park. They have refrigerators in their rooms, too. Tip: The pool is AMAZING! It has a pirate ship themed slide and kid area. Very clean and decent sized rooms. Definitely must stay there during the summer!

Side note: On occasion, you can find some pretty good deals with your pass at the resort hotels. But even with the discount, it can be pretty steep in price.

• With no discounts: The Anabella Hotel. We stayed there on our last trip for the first time. The hotel is a bit out of the way, but it is still in walking distance (You can walk behind DCA and enter through the Grand Californian Hotel). The room had a fridge, but unfortunately no microwave. The Anabella has a large pool area with tons of seating and hot tub. (P.S. They have a sick Happy Hour. Try the Citrus Night and ceviche!)

Tickets: Ticket prices just went up drastically! I'm not sure we can afford to buy the annual passes this year, but if you plan on going more than 7 days, you might as well. If you live in California, Disney offers a payment plan on Disneyland/DCA passes, so take that into consideration when you do make your purchase. Also, consider purchasing tickets at AAA. This is the only place now that gives a great discount. (If you don’t have AAA, I'd grab a membership. It pretty much pays for itself just on tickets alone. And really? What if your damn car breaks down?) Other ways can be kinda shady, like Craigslist, eBay or “renting” tickets. When buying tickets, keep in mind to plan long term. If you are going more than 7 days in a year to any park: buy a pass. (Be a thinker, not a stinker.)

Souvenirs: I buy t-shirts, stuffed animals, and other cool items at Disney Shopping before the trip and hide them so the kids don’t see them. They sell the same products that you would find in Disneyland at least 20% off. Always google “free shipping” coupon codes before submitting your purchase. It's always worth a shot.

Food: Must have food in Disneyland/DCA

• Churros (cart)
• Pineapple Dole whip (Adventureland next to the Tiki Room)
• Beignets (Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney)
• Plaza Inn fried chicken (Disneyland Main Street)
• Clam Chowder in a Boudin sourdough bread bowl  (DCA Pacific Wharf  Cafe or River Belle Terrace in DL)
• Chimichangas (Cart)
• Bengal BBQ skewers (Adventureland)
• NEW! Hand Dipped Ice Cream Bar (Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream on Buena Vista St. in DCA)
• NEW! Cozy cones: chili and chicken verde (Cozy Cone Motel in CARSLAND!)

Chili Cone Queso!

Thing 1 (left) and Thing 2 (right) with our cones.
(See? We really are asian!)

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions, comments, and/or suggestions. I would love to hear from all of you.

A dream is a wish your heart makes,

aka Cinder-skrilla &



helped out a bit, as well.

Blogathon Wrap-Up #blogathon2

The Biannual Blogathon Bash was really fun and interesting!

I wasn't sure about it, since I'm a noob, but everyone was super kind and helpful (especially on Facebook). There was never any pressure to keep up or do more (or anything, really)…which in turn, made me want to do it all. I found some things that were really valuable, and plan to use in the future with all of my writing endeavors.

I dedicated 16-18 hours between June 22 and June 25th. In that time, I did:

• a few mini-challenges
• signed up for certain beneficial networks
• signed up for Rocks and Roses
• signed up for Foodie Penpal
• learned how to make a recipe printable (!!!!)
• entered a couple contests
• caught up on 1/5 blog posts (3/5 are half-written. I have to send them off to Thing 1 to go collabo on them)
• and primped the blog a bit! (See: added informational links on Thing 1 and I -------------->
•  <------------- tweet button, and a few homies -------------->) 

All in all, a very enriching and learning experience, super glad to have had it.

I guess I forgot to add the wrap-up entry, oh well! Done and done!

Thanks again, Kathleen, and Xenia for letting me know about it. Can't wait til the next one :)

Onward and upward,

PS Thanks for the compliments on my handwriting! LOL!

Repurposing Food: Bananas into Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My niece, Camryn, friggin' loves bananas. Every single time I take her to the grocery store with me, she asks for them. I bought her banana jam from our local orchard and she was ecstatic. She consumes them in any way, shape, or form. What I'm trying to say is, I almost always have a shitload of bananas in my house. Sometimes she eats them all, and sometimes Cam "forgets", or so she says. Whatever.

So, you know I hate wasting food. Currently, we have two bananas that are crazy over ripened and two is not really enough to make anything. I'll end up freezing those two until I come across some more forgotten bananas. Yes, it's okay to freeze certain fruits without any detriment. Nanners are one of them. My favorite thing to make out of bananas is banana bread. Chocolate chip banana bread, to be specific. If I have enough ingredients, I'll make one plain and one with chocolate chips. (How many times do you think I can say "bananas" in one post?)

My bud, Dahlia, of Makita Studio (holla!), mentioned that she made this recipe on instagram one day. I had the ingredients so I decided to try it out. Sidenote: I did not try this specific one out. I almost always end up changing at least half of the ingredients because I either a) don't like 'em or b) don't feel like using them. What's funny is I posted a pic of my finished product to her, said I changed a bunch of stuff, and she said she did, too! Haha!

Here is my adapted recipe:

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

(Yield: 2 loaves or 24 regular sized muffins)
Print this recipe

• 

  In the oven, gettin' a tan.

• 1 cup butter, unsalted and softened
• 1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 c. honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise <----WTF? NO.
• 1 tablespoon vanilla (the real extract, not "vanilla flavoring")
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk 
• 6 super ripe bananas (I'm talkin black peel ripened), mashed
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or however the hell many you want, optional
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, completely optional (especially since I hate walnuts. Try pecans!)
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl. Set aside.
• 
  
• In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl down. Add bananas, buttermilk, and honey. Blend the flour mixture into the banana mixture; stir slowly and just enough to evenly combine. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Fill loaf pans or muffin tins until 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (Tip: or when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean) about 50 minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes, depending on your oven.
• 
  
• Important things to remember:
• DON'T OVER MIX! You'll end up with rubbery banana bread and that's gross. (If you'd like to know why, ask me in the comments.)
• 
  
• Tip: Create an even split top on your banana bread by running a butter knife or a small offset spatula down the center after panning, but prior to baking. Creating the divot will allow the bread to rise evenly. (You'd still end up with a split top if you didn't do this, but you don't know where exactly it will split.) Also, remember to rotate pans mid-bake.
• 
  
• Another tip: Don't have buttermilk? Use regular milk and lemon juice. (The ratio is usually 1 oz lemon juice per every 8 oz milk; In this case, you'd want 1 tablespoon 2 teaspoons of buttermilk, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. Mix together and let sit for a few minutes, then add.) 
• 
  
• Cool loaf or muffins in the pan until cool to the touch, move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve with honey butter (1/4 c. honey, 2 sticks unsalted butter…whip until combined!) or jam, preserves. Anything your little heart desires.
• 
  
• You should come out with something looking like this:
• 
  

or this:



Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (atop some rouge velvets that I made for my friend's birthday!) Sorry, I forgot to take a pic before wrapping them up. I was rushing to hop on a plane to Vegas! Oops. Anyway...

Bon appétit or whatever,

• 
  
• 
  

Biannual Blogathon Bash 2012 #blogathon2

I'm pretty sure it was Xenia, of raisedbyculture, that mentioned the Biannual Blogathon Bash, a twice-annual blogging marathon, to me. As a new (public) blogger, I thought it would be a fun way of gettin' 'er done. Thus, here is the list of what I hope to accomplish this weekend!

Please excuse the chicken scratch.

Guess I can cross that first one off, yeah? Here we go.

Sincerely,

We're going to see the Mouse!

Greetings from "The Happiest Place on Earth"!!! I wanted to share some time and money saving tips with ya that I have learned along the way. There are some websites dedicated to this type of thing, but can be so overwhelming.

Tip #1: Plan your trip, waaaayy in advance to get the best prices on hotels and airfare. Beware of packages, they cost more than buying everything separate. But if you need that free lanyard then by all means... Lol

Tip #2: When booking a hotel room, keep these things in mind: distance from the parks, amenities like free breakfast, and parking fees. For instance, if you are going to pay for a hotel room that is just alright, but have to pay 14 dollars for parking, you might as well book the moderate room that is 10 dollars more with free parking and breakfast. I also use www.tripadvisor.com Gto view the rooms and get people's reviews on it.

Tip #3: If you park far or you walked to the park, invest in a locker. You don't want to waste your time trying to go back to the car and/or hotel just to get your jackets or snacks. They are decent priced and available for your use all day. (I do suggest leaving jackets in hotels if you are going back to take a nap or for an afternoon swim!)

Tip #4: Fast passes are your friend. Use them wisely. Once you get one for a ride, you are not able to get another one until the time on the pass is up.

Tip #5: If you are buying coffee in the park, buy it at Disneyland's Marketplace on Main Street. Save the receipt and you will be able to get free refills all day. Also, for the coffee conisseur. Disneyland has its own blend.

Tip#6: Ride all of the rides in Fantasyland after the parade or fireworks. There will be short waits!

These are all the tips I have just used! Enjoy. I tend to go to Disneyland frequently. Like 4-5 times a year. If you have any questions, or need a specific tip on traveling with kids, teenagers, or adults...let me know. Don't be afraid to shoot me an email. I have also stayed in lots of hotels around the area, so ask away!

Supercalifragilisticexpialadope-shit,

Save Dollars at Disneyland- Food and Beverage Edition

With ticket prices on the rise to enter the happiest place on earth, it can be hard to enjoy yourself if you're so strapped for cash once you get in there.

Here is a huge tip for saving dough on your vacation to Disneyland, World, or any lesser theme park, really. As you already know, we roll deep. This trip we are a group of 8-12 people. Disney sells a 16.9 oz water for $3.50. YOU COULD BUY A WHOLE CASE OF WATER FOR THAT MUCH!

So, DO IT. Carry them bootches in your stroller.

Better yet, get these:

We must've saved probably $100-200 on water alone last time we went to Walt Disney World just by investing in those bottles. PLUS, we stayed super bossy and hydrated. The heat in Orlando (and Anaheim) is no joke! (BTW: I lived in FL for almost two years while working for the Mouse!) Every restaurant gives out free water, as well. (Not the outdoor food carts though, unfortunately.)

Tip: Bring two waters per person (if your kids can handle carrying two waters. Ours have little SF Giants backpacks to hold their goods.) Standing in line is a little mundane sometimes, but it still takes a lot of out you on a hot day. Stock up. It's summer, dude.

The Kid having an apple fruit leather while waiting in line for the new Matterhorn!

Sidenote: If you decide to buy a case of water, do yourself a favor and plan ahead. With your two bottles, fill one water bottle almost to the brim, and throw it in the freezer overnight. (If you're using your Brita, don't freeze the top, just in case. I don't know how the filter would react to freezing. Anyway, keep refilling your ice bottle with your non-ice bottle. Cold water all day. You're welcome. Super-side note: You could even go the extra mile and see if a water filter will fit in your hotel room.

And snacks, man! You could save a ton of money (and probably an inch or two on the waist) if you bring waters, Gatorade, cherries, and fruit leather like we did on this trip. Thing 1 is always saying how great it is to save money, without skimpin on quality. It's especially true here, honestly. Always know what you're putting in your body. Just because it costs more doesn't always necessarily mean it's better (or better for you.)

Lastly, please excuse the lack of posting. Thing 1 and the rest of my family are too busy having a friggin BLAST!! Carsland just opened and it's sick. Definitely a must see! Anyway, hope you all get to see it at some point, even if you're not a fan of the movie or Disney. They know what they're doing, I swear. Well done, Imagineers!

Have a magical day,



PS THANK YOU for all the page views, y'all! The contest is really gettin' on, so get in there while you can. Scroll back a few entries to see how you can enter the "Junk in my Trunk" contest! :)

PPS Here's a pic of Thing 1 taking my advice and me showing off the label of my fav flavor: ripened raspberry! They sell these at the park, as well. (Though we got ours at Costco for a fraction of the price- WINNING!)

Got { T } Pain?

Hey there, homie!

   Heard you got a pain in your neck and it's not your baby mama/daddy. I am sorry, Bro, but I got a solution for you:
     Take pain reliever aids. Notice I didn't say, "Tylenol, Advil or Motrin"? That's because I don't buy them. I buy the generic form or store brand. If you look at the ingredients they are the exact same dosages, just in different packaging,  and at times DOUBLE the price! So why not save some dough, and buy the cheaper one?

     The same goes for any type of over-the-counter pills. This is just my opinion and observation. Please consult a doctor...yada..yada..yada...yada... I might be Asian, but I'm not a nurse.

Per the FDA website:[The] FDA firmly believes that generic drug products that have gone through the approval process can be used with the full expectation that consumers will receive the same benefits from generics as they do from brand name equivalents.

"Got my mind on my money and money on my mind." (But I definitely don't have a headache because I just saved money on my pills!)


50 Cent richer,

Thing 1