Team Renfroe's 2nd Trip Report - 1,500 pictures, dining reviews, and DISmeets!

[englishrose47]

Hi Alan !!!

 

[Luis Rodriguez]

Hi Alan!!

Everything ok? Getting a little worried, too much time since your last post...

Regards,

Luis

 

[TigerKat]

He's probably just busy, he has been posting on facebook.

 

[KatMark]

We need a Renfroe update, please. My report is almost done and I need to keep up with the Renfroe report now.

 

[alan_renfroe]

HELLO DISers!!! I have totally missed this part of my life for the past month.

You all are SOOO loyal and friendly, I thought I would offer up an explanation for my absense. Fall is by far my busiest time of the year at work. I work as a special event planner at a university....and football season is when about 60% of all of my events occur. Also, our team started out the season by playing four games on the road, which meant I was gone for four straight weekends to away games. (By the way, we are a Division 1AA school, played Florida State and ALMOST beat them! We are currently ranked 12th in the nation in our division. But I digress...) Anyway, add that with the responsibility of owning a restaurant AND being a weekend musician....whew! Tracey (my best friend) and I performed this past weekend at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, AL. It was awesome! I'll post a few pictures.

Anyway, that's my story and....well, you know the rest.

Now, as promised, I WILL finish this trip report! I believe we were getting ready to go to dinner at California Grill? New chapter will be coming up right after my National Shrimp Festival post.

Hope all is well with each of you and your families. God bless!

Alan

 

[Must C Mickey]

hooray, you're back! Let the TR continue...

 

[stepdisney]

Feed Me Daddy!!!!

 

[alan_renfroe]

As many of you know, I am a musician on the weekends. My best friend and old college roommate, Tracey and I play as an acoustic duo. We have had some pretty cool gigs over the years: we played in Atlanta at the 1996 Olympics, we opened for Taylor Swift in 2007, and this past weekend we opened for LeAnn Womack on Friday and Foghat on Saturday at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. What a cool gig! I had no idea that the festival was that big...they estimate that between Thursday and Sunday, they have 200,000 in attendance.

Anyway, I took a few pictures and thought I would share them. Also, I am a huge Jimmy Buffett fan and I got to eat at Jimmy's sister's restaurant, Lulu's. It was outstanding! I'm a freak for some good gumbo, and Lulu's delivered the goods. So....just because I love you all....I am including a food porn pic of the gumbo!

The vendors:

I thought this sign was hilarious! Apparently, they were all out of fried beer on a stick!

The beach:

The gig:

(that's me on the left)

Tracey and I at Lulu's

awesome gumbo!

I soooo wanted to buy this for Elizabeth and the ladies room at our restaurant!

Anyway, the Shrimp Festival was a lot of fun.

We now join your regularly scheduled Renfroe Trip Report already in progress.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

YAY!!!! WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's awesome that you got to play at a venue like that! Very cool!

 

[KatMark]

Awesome update--love the pics of the Shrimp Festival and how cool that you and your best friend got to play t here.

I'm done with my trip report and am looking forward to continuing to read yours and a few tohers as they continue.

 

[inkedupmomma]

ALAN!! Next time, just a quick, I'm alive and the kids and wife are fine will be great! As a mom you had me scared poopless! Jeesh!

Anyways, OMFGGGGG, I had no clue you were a musician! My DD would die to know you opened for Taylor Swift!! That is amazing! Congrats on landing such a cool gig! Also, the pic of the tattooed girl, was that because you were thinking of me

So glad to have you back, safe and sound! Don't do that again lol!

 

[alan_renfroe]

After a fun breakfast at Chef Mickey's, a great day at the water parks, a late lunch at Raglan Road, and a late afternoon rainy day nap, we were ready for a night at California Grill!

We absolutely love California Grill. There is something very magical about dining on the top floor of the Contemporary Resort, overlooking the Magic Kingdom, the lagoon, and all of the resorts along the monorail. In my opinion, California Grill is worth every penny.

Coming up next, our dining review and food pics from California Grill.

 

[alan_renfroe]

hooray, you're back! Let the TR continue...

Glad to be back!

Feed Me Daddy!!!!

Daddy here to feed those in need!

YAY!!!! WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's awesome that you got to play at a venue like that! Very cool!

Oh, it was great! I've known about the gig for a long time, but for some reason I didn't realize what a big deal it was until we got there.

Awesome update--love the pics of the Shrimp Festival and how cool that you and your best friend got to play t here.

I'm done with my trip report and am looking forward to continuing to read yours and a few tohers as they continue.

Hi Kathy! I'll try to swing over to your trip report when I get a chance and check it out!

ALAN!! Next time, just a quick, I'm alive and the kids and wife are fine will be great! As a mom you had me scared poopless! Jeesh!

Anyways, OMFGGGGG, I had no clue you were a musician! My DD would die to know you opened for Taylor Swift!! That is amazing! Congrats on landing such a cool gig! Also, the pic of the tattooed girl, was that because you were thinking of me

So glad to have you back, safe and sound! Don't do that again lol!

Oh, I just KNEW I was going to get a hard time from you, IUM! Of course that is why I took that picture of that beautiful lady with the tats!

I can't wait to get over to your link and read about your trip. I hope you all had a wonderful time!

 

[mickeystoontown]

What great pictures of the festival and the beach. Never been to Gulf Shores even though it's only about a five hour drive from our house. Now, I need to add it to our "must see" places. Look at you....got your name on the sign and in the program! Cool!

Looking forward to seeing more California Grill pictures.

 

[stepdisney]

Thanks for the gumbo before our meal at Cali Grill! We were getting hungry waiting. The shrimp fest gig was way cool!! Loved the Big Girl Panties sign .

 

[inkedupmomma]

Oh, I just KNEW I was going to get a hard time from you, IUM! Of course that is why I took that picture of that beautiful lady with the tats!

I can't wait to get over to your link and read about your trip. I hope you all had a wonderful time!

The hard time comes from a most loving place I was truly worried! need your number, I'll just text you next time LOL!

I did have a fantastic time..like stupid fantastic! and CSR i our new home! That pool is superrrrr awesome! My kids died for it lol! It was really cool being there, after seeing so many of your awesome pics!

Thanks for the Cali Grill update! looking forward to your review.. I always wanna book there, but not sure I would love it ;/

 

[twenty3curls]

Glad you're back...I've been looking forward to the rest of your TR!!

The National Shrimp Festival sounds amazing!! Seeing your pictures confirms that I must move to a coastal state, so I can more easily partake in yummy events such as this! Great Lakes trout just isn't cutting it!

 

[alan_renfroe]

Our dinner at California Grill was fantastic again this year. The famous sushi chef, Yoshi came to our table and made a sushi recommenation. I do not remember what this was called, but it was absolutely outstanding. It had the fireball sauce with it, which I liked, but I did miss not having the wasabi/soy:

I absolutely love sushi and this was terrific...very different from what I am used to. Anyway, that being said, last year I order the Yoshi's Platter and it was to die for. On the deluxe dining plan, however, the Yoshi's platter is considered as an entree rather than an appetizer.....so this year I figured I would order a different sushi platter as an appetizer so that I could get a steak for my entree. I'm glad I did...but I still wish I could've had that Yoshi's Platter again - maybe next time!

Elizabeth ordered the Medusa roll (Soft Shell Crab). It was amazing!

Wil had a salad for his appetizer:

Juliana got a fruit platter. She was not very hungry at all....in fact, she was very sleepy at dinner.

Elizabeth and I both got the Oak-fired Filet of Beef. Last year, Elizabeth said it was the best steak of the entire trip. This year, I believe it was probably the best steak again.

Wil ordered the Soft Shell Crab. He liked it okay, but he wasn't very hungry either.

Before we could even order dessert, Juliana was literally asleep on the table.

Desserts at Cali Grill:

I was actually too full for dessert. Several days of eating on the Deluxe Dining Plan will cause you to turn down dessert!

Elizabeth and Wil both got the Trio of Temptation: Cheesecake with Pistachio cookie and Chocolate Banana Sauce, White Chocolate Mousse with Passion Fruit Puree, and Florida Strawberries with Mojito Sabyon. It was very good.

Except for Juliana, we all loved being at California Grill again this year. We were a little disappointed that the weather was too bad to go out on the balcony and watch the fireworks. We really couldn't see them from where we were sitting....but after a long day of mostly rain, we were just content to stay in the dining room and enjoy some fabulous food.

After California Grill, we went back to our room and called it a day.

Coming up next: Day 7 - Sleeping in and going back to Epcot.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Oh my gosh! I don't even care for sushi and your pictures make me want to give it another try!

Poor Juliana, so tired she fell asleep on the table.

 

[TigerKat]

I'm so glad you're back, we've missed you! I'm excited you were able to post your Cali Grill review as we'll be dining there Sunday night! We'll be doing the DxDDP for the first time and I'm really looking forward to the sushi!!