Strolling down Main Street USA

I can hardly believe this month is almost over and that Christmas is next week. Where did the month go? It always seems that the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas simply evaporate into thin air. Poof! It's over and a New Year has begun.

Well, one of my favorite activities during this time of season is to spend some leisure time strolling the streets and walkways of Disneyland with a hot cup of coffee in hand.
I especially love it when it rains.

Have you ever seen the TV series Gilmore Girls? I used to love that show and the town that it was filmed in... Stars Hollow (really just the back lot at Universal), but they made it look like a genuine turn of the century town complete with a Gazebo in the town square. That's where I've always wanted to live...Stars Hollow. What does strolling the streets of Disneyland have to do with Stars Hollow you might be wondering. Well, Main street was designed after these small towns that dotted the landscape here in American and this is the closest that I will ever come to living in one of those sleepy little towns that time has forgotten. So every chance I get I wander and window shop and dream about sweet things and simpler times.

Monday when I was there the skies were very moody with grey and white clouds.
The castle looked more like a painting from a fairy tale then an actual three-dimensional building. I don't think I've ever seen it in this light before.

The Grand Emporium with it's Mansard Style roof and widows walk above. Did you know that when this style of architecture was popular homeowners were taxed according to the square footage of the exterior of the house? The tax assessor would measure the base of the structure and count up to determine the square footage of the house while the homeowners would say that the upper portion was attic space. You couldn't be taxed for attic space... clever don't you think?

Wednesday night I met one of my cousins and her daughter at the park for a few hours. It was pouring down rain and the park was nearly empty. Around 5:30 they dimmed all the lights on Main Street and lit Sleeping Beauty's Castle. My picture hardly does it justice, but it was so beautiful with all the drippy blues, lavenders, and white icicle lights.
By the time we left we were soaking wet, but it was so much fun!

Candied apples were being made in the candy shoppe.

Stands and stands of twisted lollipops...

Even the plastic candy looked tasty.

I always love the window displays of the old coffee house on the corner. It's always filled with old apothecary jars and tin type pictures.

I have a fascination with signage and old marques. Isn't that coffee mug just wonderful? It would be fun to have a miniature one in my kitchen...hum...hubby loves to carve things out of wood. Maybe he could make me one in between all his other upcoming projects that he doesn't know about...sshh, don't tell!

This is my absolute favorite widow display in the park and the inspiration for what I want to do in my guest room. I love the greens and pinks with the dark woods and creamy fabrics. Whenever I wander Main Street I always stop and take in the beauty of this window.
I am a true Victorian at heart and find it difficult to change.

I always shrink the size of my pictures before downloading them, but I think if you click on the image you may be able to see the textured wallpaper.

More of the wonderful signs overhead.

Did you know that Disneyland has Reindeer? Every December they show up with Santa and frolic about in the paddock. When I stopped to visit they were busy eating and didn't bother to say hi. There was one that was so sweet with a big flat nose and long spindly antlers. He reminded me somehow of a bunny rabbit I once owned named Poppet. I think it was the goofy blank stare in his eyes as he stood there eating his hay. The rain was coming down so hard that I couldn't take a picture.
Well today is my birthday and I have much to get done so I best be going, but I hope you all have a wonderful stress free day and that the Lord sends a special blessing your way.