My Kids Spoil Me

Happy 100th Blog Post!
In honor of my 100th blog post, I'm doing a giveaway.  In the comments below, tell me what your go-to coffee order is.  (Don't drink coffee?, tell me what tea, smoothie, or flavored water you can't pass up.) It can be what you make when you get up in the morning that you can't start your day without, or that drink the barista already had made for you when you come in because you order it every time. Why do you enjoy it?  Does it give you the warm and fuzzies or is it that it's the only thing strong enough to get your brain working at top speed?  Let me know and I will pick a winner in a week and let you know.  Thanks for reading!  Now for the blog:


As you know, I call my little sister my kiddo.  Her two closest friends are also my kiddos.  One is a teacher and one is a super smart tech guy for a named company.  It doesn't matter their ages, my kiddos will always be my kiddos.  The best part is they always treat me like gold.
The little one found super cheap tickets for the four of us for a concert featuring my favorite band, The Smashing Pumpkins, and the second headliner was one of her favorite artists growing up, Marilyn Manson.  The concert was at the Irvine Meadows and of course the super cheap seats meant lawn seating.  I was happy with that considering this would be my 4th time seeing the Pumpkins.  The little one came up with the great idea of heading to Disneyland for a bit and then going to Irvine from there to avoid a lot of traffic and have dinner before the show.
In just 2 hours, we were able to get chow at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in California Adventure, get coffee a few steps away at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, and then head over to Disneyland to enjoy the enchanted Tiki Room (one of the kiddos had never been).  Then we zoomed off to the concert venue.
Yes, the concert was fun and amazing!  Marilyn Manson put on an animated performance, on par with what he used to do when he was on tour in the 90's.  Billy Corgan, the lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins came out and didn't waste a minute.  He sung song after song after song, only breaking long enough to switch guitars.  As an added bonus he was playing with the original drummer for the band, Jimmy Chamberlin (I'm pretty sure out of the four of us, I was the only one excited about that).
But this blog isn't about bands from my high school days, it's about coffee.
At the Ghirardelli shop, the little one ordered a medium hazelnut latte.  My techie kid ordered a medium caramel latte with whipped cream.  I ordered a small caffe mocha with whipped cream.  And my teacher kiddo was taken away from ordering coffee by the sight of ice cream, specifically the chocolate ice cream in a chocolate dipped cone that she ordered.  Each of the coffees we ordered we shared so we could try the different flavors but each felt that the one's we ordered for ourselves tasted the best.  The mini chocolate chips on my mocha gave it an added layer of chocolate that was outstanding.  However, as delicious each of our items were, you have to remember it came from Ghirardelli.  You know, the chocolatier.  So by the time we left the shop, walked through to the exit of California Adventure, across the park's esplanade, entered Disneyland, down Main Street and to the left to the entrance of the Tiki Room, myself and my teacher kiddo were chocolate wasted.  The other two kiddos were fine but her and I thought we were gonna throw up and die from chocolate overload.  And I only ordered a small! I wouldn't have been able to finish anything larger!  After our stomachs settled, we were fine and we all enjoyed a fun evening together.  The little one did all the driving and bought my coffee, the teacher kiddo picked up the tab on my lunch, and my techie kid shared some of his drink with me while we were at the show (you know drinks at venues are not cheap).  I am truly grateful for my kiddos.  They are all wonderful people with excellent values and a great respect for themselves and others.  What a wonderful day!

They wouldn't let me keep the trolley with chocolate inside.  Dang.

Options, options...

Ghirardelli has some interactive art that depicts some well known San Francisco history.  The buildings in this panel shake to show the famous 1906 earthquake.  Watch out Red Car!

Ghirardelli has it's roots in the city by the bay.  Shown here, the people move as they work hard and the sign above flashes different San Francisco historical events.

Here, the gold miners pan back and forth before they strike it rich during the Gold Rush.

Just a small display of some of their chocolate products.

Where the magic happens.  Well, at least for me.  I believe they are brewing Joffrey's coffee.

Marilyn Manson warms up the audience.

Marilyn included smoke, flames, stilts, and hardcore rock.  Not bad for a guy over 40.

A familiar face, Billy Corgan's performance hasn't changed much in the 20 years I've been enjoying his music.

Sing it!

A solo from Billy.

Jimmy Chamberlin in the back, Billy at front and center, I was so excited.