As a child growing up in southern California, Disneyland was as much a part of my childhood as... ice cream (that was the first example I thought of because it is so ridiculously hot here in Pasadena today).  So when I met up with Nadia and Jeff (just about the sweetest couple ever), it felt vaguely like I was revisiting a tiny bit of my past.

We wandered over to the Mark Twain riverboat, where the captain asked us if we wanted to help drive the boat (um, yes please).  So we got to go to the very top, past the "employees only" sign, to what was perhaps one of the nicest views of Disneyland (you could see a few Disneyland peaks - Mattahorn, Big Thunder mountain, Splash mountain).

Loved their message in the guestbook

Did they spin the teacup at my request?  Yes they did.  And I learned that looking through a viewfinder while the world is spinning is definitely not an experience I plan on repeating anytime soon.

 

When we met up again for a few last shots, they had a surprise for me.  Can you guess what it is?

 

Yes, we made excellent use of those rather adorable mouse ears (and whatever random things we could find, including a big ball of balloons that cute little Nadia had to mug a Disneyland employee to get... I'm totally kidding).  After a full day in Disneyland it was hard not to want some mouse ears myself.

The quintessential Disneyland shot to mark the end of a fun day.  Looking forward to capturing your wedding day, Nadia & Jeff! 

I shoot a lot, but I take surprisingly few personal photos.  Perhaps it's because the idea of schlepping around a much loved (but rather heavy) camera, or just that I shoot so much for work that a little break is in order.  Regardless, I was recently inspired by Karleen (and ultimately Susannah) about sharing one image every day for the rest of the month of August.  

The theme of the day was love - from their engagement photos at the JFK park in Philadelphia to the candy filled LOVE letters at their reception.  But it was more than just about two people, but rather two families coming together.  It was a very joyous occasion that I was privileged to witness.

Happy Friday!  This is my second set of Boston photos from this past spring, you can see the first set here.

Besides the requisite Freedom trail, here are a few other personal highlights:

*  Breakfast at Mike & Patty's 

 It's located in a cute little neighborhood with some really tasty twists on breakfast classics.  I kid you not, it's a tiny joint (seats maybe eight people total).  Savvy locals call ahead but this little tourist cooled her heels for a solid twenty minutes before chowing down on their North South Classic.

*  Boston Harbor Islands

We were able to see firsthand the reclamation project on Spectacle Island, which has essentially seen everything from hotels to a horse processing plant to a trash dump.  Now it's a lovely little recreational area very similar to the Berkeley marina.  We also stopped by Georges Island, well known for the Lady in Black (a ghost of a Confederate prisoner's wife).  An impromptu tour by a friendly ranger let us play with the large canons around and temporarily get lost groping around one of the pitch black tunnels that run throughout Fort Warren (mind you this was right after we heard the ghost story).

*  Boston Pops concert

This was definitely a pleasant surprise.  How often can you sit at a concert hall like Symphony Hall listening to music while drinking and eating?  Not to mention during a pops concert you're encouraged to make friends with your neighbors (I heard quite a few FB connections) and, for better or worse, to also sing along.

*  Boston Public Gardens

After reading The Trumpet of the Swan as a child it's hard not to fall a little in love with the idyllic Boston Public Gardens.  It's a perfect place to sit and enjoy the sun.  I wouldn't recommend dangling your feet in the water, however.