SJ's Adventures: Disney California Food & Wine Festival

They say a dream is a wish your heart makes...

I've been dreaming of Disneyland my whole life. Wishing on stars. Praying they come true. And it took me reaching my late 30's to finally watch those dreams come to fruition.

I'm here to tell you, Disneyland is just as magical as an adult as it is for a child, and my weekend exploring the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival proved just that. I spent 48 magical hours indulging in a cornucopia of Golden State-inspired small plates throughout the outdoor Marketplace. Each kiosk offered an array of delicious options created with fresh California ingredients like avocado, berries, citrus, peppers and artisan cheese and my stomach has never been so delighted.

Of course I also sampled some of the Disneyland's specialties as well - who can pass up an opportunity to savor a warm churro and fluffy dole whip float!?

To burn off all of those delicious calories we wandered the park in search of all of my favorite Disney characters and became mesmerized in our search for Chewbacca at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. We felt as if we'd stepped onto another planet as Storm Troopers marched past and guests practiced their lightsaber skills. My favorite part though? The look of absolute wonder as we watched visitors step out of the new Rise of the Resistance attraction! It's now open for your enjoyment!

Classic Disney never fails either...we twirled in the tea-cups, watched the sky light up as the sun set over the Pixar Pier and rode every ride we possibly could throughout both parks (Guardians of the Galaxy beings our go-to favorite), saving Grizzly River Run and Splash Mountain for the very end so we could walk out of the park dripping in excitement.

Now I sit here at my desk, daydreaming about my weekend feeling like a Disney Princess and counting the days until I can walk through those gates into wonderment once again.

Thank you Disneyland and to your amazing cast and crew, for treating us like royalty and showing us that magic truly does happen.

xo, SJ