Ready, Set, Let the Games Begin! - Link to new PTR/TR!

[jedijill]

Fingers crossed! I think what you have planned will be unobtrusive and blend in well. Although this sounds like a good alternative! "Evidently the whole neighborhood is coming. They must think that we are erecting a giant structure on the second floor including a huge pride flag that will encircle the entire house with turrets, gogo girl platforms and who knows what else?"

Jill in CO

 

[rentayenta]

Love those historical Long Beach homes. Here's hoping the council sees the value of the addition and ignores the nut next door.

 

[franandaj]

Alison - Here's to a sympathetic council and I'm sure it will all go well. Can't wait to see the final house.

I sure hope it does! Let's hope that everyone's complaints are unfounded!

Alison - both places are so cute!!! Good luck!!

Thanks! I just hope it all works out!

Fingers crossed! I think what you have planned will be unobtrusive and blend in well. Although this sounds like a good alternative! "Evidently the whole neighborhood is coming. They must think that we are erecting a giant structure on the second floor including a huge pride flag that will encircle the entire house with turrets, gogo girl platforms and who knows what else?"

Jill in CO

We may have to throw in a few gogo girls!

Love those historical Long Beach homes. Here's hoping the council sees the value of the addition and ignores the nut next door.

We do have one good thing on our side, they have already deemed the nut next door's complaints to be unfounded. The question is will any of the other neighbors have any valid concerns. I hope not!

 

[franandaj]

I’m not sure if this is update worthy, but I wanted to share. One of the things that I will need to make the Sausage Casserole is a stovetop to oven pot. I know that from my experience in the Villas, they do not have these. All the pots to use on the stovetop have handles that will not work in the oven, so my only choice was to pour the casserole into an oven proof dish and cover it with tin foil. I had set Fran with a mission that as she hit her Saturday morning garage sales to look out for one of these kinds of pots, but for the past couple months she has come up empty handed. So finally we began to price pots at retail stores, I was astonished that Smart and Final wanted $16.99 for the pot and another $4.99 for the lid! Later that day I was at a local grocery store and found the perfect pot for $7.99 with the lid included.

Rather than hold out for a garage sale, I just went ahead and got it. This will be great for our dinner the first night, and then we can use it again at the cookout for the Queso. We can keep it warm on the BBQ grill and it has no handles that will melt from the coals. We are going to dump a large item from our OL this Fall, so I can keep the pot in the OL for future visits.



OK, so let’s get back to our Day to Day plans and hopes. Last trip we were so excited about being at WDW we were up early every single morning. I sure hope that we have that kind of adrenaline going for this trip! Our first full day of the trip or Day 2, September 30, we have an ADR for 9:05 at the Grand Floridian for 1900 Park Fare.



This is one of Fran’s favorite buffets, not for the characters, although we love Tiggr and Pooh, as well as the Mad Hatter, but our main reason for this particular buffet is the strawberry soup.



I’m sure we’ll have a great time meeting with the characters and fill ourselves until we are nice and full. They have a full buffet offering here with just about anything you want, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, lox, Mickey waffles, lobster benedict, they have something for everyone!

After we finish our breakfast we plan to head over to MK for our first DISmeet of the trip. Dhorner has her last day of her trip and she will be meeting up with PrincessInOz and her family (after their early breakfast at Crystal Palace), we are hoping that we can meet up with them and visit some attractions or just enjoy each other’s company.

There are a few things that we (I) really want to do that we missed on our trip in Jan/Feb. First is one of my favorite “must do” rides at MK, the Carousel of Progress. We were so focused on checking out NFL that we neglected some of our favorite places in MK. Another ride that I haven’t been on in years is the Peoplemover. I’d like to revisit that ride again as well. Some of our other favorite must do rides are Mickey’s Philharmagic, The Haunted Mansion and Pooh’s Ride. If Ariel’s ride is up and running, I’d like to check that out if for nothing else than to see the queue, I hear that it is much better than DCA (it isn’t hard to beat DCA’s queue, there isn’t anything to it!)

I suspect that if we even accomplish half of those attractions, we will be ready to go back to the room for a nap! Of course we will do some shopping on Main street before we head back to the room. I’m not sure if we will grab some snacks in MK or on our way back to the VWL, or just make something in the room when we get back, we’ll have plenty of provisions for sandwiches and other snacks. I may not even be hungry, but I’m sure Fran will be. We’ll probably hang out in the room until around 7:30 PM. I may go down to the pool for a dip, or go around the resort for some pictures. I have some other DIS friends who might be on property and maybe meet up with them.

However, I end up spending the afternoon, we will get ourselves dressed up and ready for our dinner at Victoria and Albert’s that evening. I’m thinking that we would take the boat to the Contemporary and then take the monorail, but Fran may rather take a cab so as not to have to take her scooter. We’ll have to see.

It’s been three years since I last ate there. We are in the main dining room and I’m sure that will be plenty of food. I’m not sure I could work up the appetite for the QV room and the Chef’s Table absolutely kicked my butt! Since I’ve already shown you all the meals I’ve enjoyed there, I’ll just share a few ambience shots.





They even bring you a stool for your purse.



The table setting is elegant



And of course you know about the food!

My only concern is getting home. Our reservation is for 8:45PM, dinner normally lasts about 3 hours. The MK has EMH until 11:00PM and from what I have read the boats run for an hour and a half after park closing. Theoretically we could catch the Monorail to the MK and the boat back to the VWL, but I suspect that we will be so tired and in a food coma that we will just get a cab to take us home.

I’m imagining that this will be a magical day with some wonderful food and some great company. Plus we will ride some fun rides that I have not been on in quite some time. It should be a very fun day!

 

[jedijill]

I’m not sure if this is update worthy, but I wanted to share. One of the things that I will need to make the Sausage Casserole is a stovetop to oven pot. I know that from my experience in the Villas, they do not have these. All the pots to use on the stovetop have handles that will not work in the oven, so my only choice was to pour the casserole into an oven proof dish and cover it with tin foil. I had set Fran with a mission that as she hit her Saturday morning garage sales to look out for one of these kinds of pots, but for the past couple months she has come up empty handed. So finally we began to price pots at retail stores, I was astonished that Smart and Final wanted $16.99 for the pot and another $4.99 for the lid! Later that day I was at a local grocery store and found the perfect pot for $7.99 with the lid included.

Rather than hold out for a garage sale, I just went ahead and got it. This will be great for our dinner the first night, and then we can use it again at the cookout for the Queso. We can keep it warm on the BBQ grill and it has no handles that will melt from the coals. We are going to dump a large item from our OL this Fall, so I can keep the pot in the OL for future visits.



OK, so let’s get back to our Day to Day plans and hopes. Last trip we were so excited about being at WDW we were up early every single morning. I sure hope that we have that kind of adrenaline going for this trip! Our first full day of the trip or Day 2, September 30, we have an ADR for 9:05 at the Grand Floridian for 1900 Park Fare.



This is one of Fran’s favorite buffets, not for the characters, although we love Tiggr and Pooh, as well as the Mad Hatter, but our main reason for this particular buffet is the strawberry soup.



I’m sure we’ll have a great time meeting with the characters and fill ourselves until we are nice and full. They have a full buffet offering here with just about anything you want, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, lox, Mickey waffles, lobster benedict, they have something for everyone!

After we finish our breakfast we plan to head over to MK for our first DISmeet of the trip. Dhorner has her last day of her trip and she will be meeting up with PrincessInOz and her family (after their early breakfast at Crystal Palace), we are hoping that we can meet up with them and visit some attractions or just enjoy each other’s company.

There are a few things that we (I) really want to do that we missed on our trip in Jan/Feb. First is one of my favorite “must do” rides at MK, the Carousel of Progress. We were so focused on checking out NFL that we neglected some of our favorite places in MK. Another ride that I haven’t been on in years is the Peoplemover. I’d like to revisit that ride again as well. Some of our other favorite must do rides are Mickey’s Philharmagic, The Haunted Mansion and Pooh’s Ride. If Ariel’s ride is up and running, I’d like to check that out if for nothing else than to see the queue, I hear that it is much better than DCA (it isn’t hard to beat DCA’s queue, there isn’t anything to it!)

I suspect that if we even accomplish half of those attractions, we will be ready to go back to the room for a nap! Of course we will do some shopping on Main street before we head back to the room. I’m not sure if we will grab some snacks in MK or on our way back to the VWL, or just make something in the room when we get back, we’ll have plenty of provisions for sandwiches and other snacks. I may not even be hungry, but I’m sure Fran will be. We’ll probably hang out in the room until around 7:30 PM. I may go down to the pool for a dip, or go around the resort for some pictures. I have some other DIS friends who might be on property and maybe meet up with them.

However, I end up spending the afternoon, we will get ourselves dressed up and ready for our dinner at Victoria and Albert’s that evening. I’m thinking that we would take the boat to the Contemporary and then take the monorail, but Fran may rather take a cab so as not to have to take her scooter. We’ll have to see.

It’s been three years since I last ate there. We are in the main dining room and I’m sure that will be plenty of food. I’m not sure I could work up the appetite for the QV room and the Chef’s Table absolutely kicked my butt! Since I’ve already shown you all the meals I’ve enjoyed there, I’ll just share a few ambience shots.





They even bring you a stool for your purse.



The table setting is elegant



And of course you know about the food!

My only concern is getting home. Our reservation is for 8:45PM, dinner normally lasts about 3 hours. The MK has EMH until 11:00PM and from what I have read the boats run for an hour and a half after park closing. Theoretically we could catch the Monorail to the MK and the boat back to the VWL, but I suspect that we will be so tired and in a food coma that we will just get a cab to take us home.

I’m imagining that this will be a magical day with some wonderful food and some great company. Plus we will ride some fun rides that I have not been on in quite some time. It should be a very fun day!

Nice find on the pot!

Looks like a fantastic day. I would just grab the cab after V&A. I'm usually "done" after V&A (and a little tipsy! ) and its so much easier and faster to just grab the cab and get back to the room.

Jill in CO

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Just in! Got a lot of catching up to do! Love the photos! Can't wait to read it all

 

[TifffanyD]

I would just get the cab... No use stressing after Suharto a wonderful meal!

Great pot! I need something like that

 

[lisaviolet]

!

Please make it a double.

Thanks Alison. I took a weekend off from looking after said parents and all he!! broke loose!

My mom is declining rapidly at this point but I recently found out, through the dwindling boundaries of dementia, that I was named after a soap opera character who was married ten times. BONUS. For my mother to do this it's like finding out she has another family somewhere - so out of character I can't even begin. My siblings are D, D, D and me! My mother always, all these years, claimed that she ran out of D names with extended family. I always added that YOU MAKE NO SENSE.

No crazy crazy CRAZY weekend. Men. Chilean ska. Mexican Electronica. 3 AM ganga smells from my terrace. Sexual comments I actually needed to google. Things of that nature.

I'm so gone.

Haven't even caught up yet.

 

[TifffanyD]

^^^ oh my.

 

[ACDSNY]

Here's some pixie dust for a smooth hearing this week. I was chuckling when I noticed the addition is larger then the house I'm in.

Nice score on the pot! Also, another vote for a cab for before and after V & A.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I wish you the best of luck for the hearing.

Your first day sounds amazing. I am with Fran on the strawberry soup. I have never had it at WDW, but love it on DCL. I have to admit Victoria and Albert's scares me.

Corinna

 

[TifffanyD]

The strawberry soup at 1900 blows dcl's away. It actually tastes like FRESH strawberries and cream and not watered down strawberries and mint. I actually got the recipe from them....

 

[lisaviolet]

The table setting is elegant



And of course you know about the food!

My only concern is getting home. Our reservation is for 8:45PM, dinner normally lasts about 3 hours. The MK has EMH until 11:00PM and from what I have read the boats run for an hour and a half after park closing. Theoretically we could catch the Monorail to the MK and the boat back to the VWL, but I suspect that we will be so tired and in a food coma that we will just get a cab to take us home.

Im imagining that this will be a magical day with some wonderful food and some great company. Plus we will ride some fun rides that I have not been on in quite some time. It should be a very fun day![/COLOR][/SIZE]

Of course it will me a magical day, Alison. I smiled and sighed just reading about it.

I was going to say take the cab but that boat ride is so lovely at night.

What an experience. V&As. One day. It's not really the fine dining as such that entices me the most, even though I know I would love the atmosphere, I'm just so curious about the cuisine - to experience it. And I'm the perfect person to do so because I don't think that there is much that I dislike in taste.

Translation: I LOVE FOOD. Can't wait to hear Alison.

Great update and thanks for the pictures of the house. Crossing my fingers for you.

 

[franandaj]

Nice find on the pot!

Looks like a fantastic day. I would just grab the cab after V&A. I'm usually "done" after V&A (and a little tipsy! ) and its so much easier and faster to just grab the cab and get back to the room.

Jill in CO

I'm thinking that's the wise idea. The first time, I'm pretty sure we cabbed back to the WL, the second time we were staying at GF, the third time Fran drove us back to the AKV. I think cabbing it will be the ticket.

Just in! Got a lot of catching up to do! Love the photos! Can't wait to read it all

Take your time, it's a while until both of our trips!

I would just get the cab... No use stressing after Suharto a wonderful meal!

Great pot! I need something like that

I'm thinking that...I hope Fran will.

Please make it a double.

Thanks Alison. I took a weekend off from looking after said parents and all he!! broke loose!

My mom is declining rapidly at this point but I recently found out, through the dwindling boundaries of dementia, that I was named after a soap opera character who was married ten times. BONUS. For my mother to do this it's like finding out she has another family somewhere - so out of character I can't even begin. My siblings are D, D, D and me! My mother always, all these years, claimed that she ran out of D names with extended family. I always added that YOU MAKE NO SENSE.

No crazy crazy CRAZY weekend. Men. Chilean ska. Mexican Electronica. 3 AM ganga smells from my terrace. Sexual comments I actually needed to google. Things of that nature.

I'm so gone.

Haven't even caught up yet.

Oh Lisa. I watched Fran witness her parents both go downhill. It was stressful on both of us, so I know how you're feeling. I'm not sure if your mom is still at home, but it's so stressful when they are in a nursing facility. My MIL thought that they kept bringing her to the morgue and all the people in the beds around her were dead bodies. That was just one of her scenarios. Hang in there!

The part about sexual comments you had to google! I hope that the folks were not on your personal terrace. Otherwise, you need a better bouncer at your parties.

^^^ oh my.

Here's some pixie dust for a smooth hearing this week. I was chuckling when I noticed the addition is larger then the house I'm in.

Nice score on the pot! Also, another vote for a cab for before and after V & A.

Thanks! What can I say? We are spoiled and have WAY too much stuff! The place is only three bedrooms as it is right now. I think the addition will double the size.

Seems like cabbing it to V&A's is the unanimous choice.

I wish you the best of luck for the hearing.

Your first day sounds amazing. I am with Fran on the strawberry soup. I have never had it at WDW, but love it on DCL. I have to admit Victoria and Albert's scares me.

Corinna

Thank you, this time tomorrow we will really be sweating it as the hearing will be less than an hour away.

I can understand being scared by V&A's but they are very good about not serving you anything you don't like. They take a complete list of what you will and won't eat and cater your menu. Graham would be offered a completely different menu that yours. It's a nicer than Palo, but very similar in class and elegance.

The strawberry soup at 1900 blows dcl's away. It actually tastes like FRESH strawberries and cream and not watered down strawberries and mint. I actually got the recipe from them....

I do have to say that I prefer 1900's strawberry soup to DCL as well, though I enjoy both. The reason it tastes like fresh strawberries and cream is because that's what they make it with, A LOT of cream and sour cream. There are both frozen and fresh strawberries in 1900's soup. I would hate to take a calorie count. I have a version of strawberry soup that is made with vanilla yogurt, strawberries and lemon juice. Not as good, but something you can eat every week and not feel guilty.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Cab will probably be the best way for that late at night! I'm wishing we had cabbed it when we were at Narcoossee's this 4th of July but thats because parking at GF can be a nightmare, especially on a holiday.

 

[TifffanyD]

If you share your recipe I'll share mine...

 

[franandaj]

Of course it will me a magical day, Alison. I smiled and sighed just reading about it.

I was going to say take the cab but that boat ride is so lovely at night.

What an experience. V&As. One day. It's not really the fine dining as such, even though I know I would love the atmosphere, I'm just so curious about the cuisine - to experience it. And I'm the perfect person to do so because I don't think that there is much that I dislike in taste.

Translation: I LOVE FOOD. Can't wait to hear Alison.

Great update and thanks for the pictures of the house. Crossing my fingers for you.

Lisa,

You snuck in while I was writing the responses. We'll have to see how tipsy we are after the wine pairings, the boat would be nice and I don't think it will be cold yet, it's still September.

V&A's really is fine dining, at least for a lot of Florida. I'm sure that Toronto, New York, LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas have restaurants that could blow it out of the water, but it is a very nice place with very elegant food. Chef Hunnel does a great job to find unique ingredients and build interesting flavors.

Some day, I'll make you dinner Lisa!

Thanks for the good wishes on the house! I really hope it works out. We've been looking at places to buy and there is just nothing suitable for us. We need this house to work out!

 

[jedijill]

I can understand being scared by V&A's but they are very good about not serving you anything you don't like. They take a complete list of what you will and won't eat and cater your menu. Graham would be offered a completely different menu that yours. It's a nicer than Palo, but very similar in class and elegance.

.

Let me tag onto Alison's response. Try to go into V&A with an open mind and try things you think you don't like. You may surprise yourself with actually liking something you thought you hated! I decided on my first trip that I would try anything because I know that V&A would cook it correctly and if I still didn't like it after that, I was free to hate it forever. There are some dishes I've loved more than others but I've never had anything I hated...there is plenty of food over the course of dinner so you won't starve.

Just my 2 cents.

Jill in CO

 

[PrincessInOz]

Love the pot, Alison! I was thinking along the same line.... we might need to get a microwaveable container for the rice and I was going to check out Walmart or Target when I was in the US.


The food at 1900 looks fantastic. That strawberry soup is something that I want to try someday! I suspect that I'm going to have to make it myself at home.

My mom is declining rapidly at this point but I recently found out, through the dwindling boundaries of dementia, that I was named after a soap opera character who was married ten times. BONUS. For my mother to do this it's like finding out she has another family somewhere - so out of character I can't even begin. My siblings are D, D, D and me! My mother always, all these years, claimed that she ran out of D names with extended family. I always added that YOU MAKE NO SENSE.

So sorry about your mom.

 

[eandesmom]

First of all I am so thrilled MFP is working for you

Second sending pixie dust for the hearing as well, it sounds very unobtrusive!

Third...mnnnm! Strawberry soup! I'm with Fran on that one.

You day sounds fabulous no matter how the afternoon unfolds. I do vote for a cab both ways, V&A is such a special experience why stress about waiting for the boat and the transfer. It can be quite fast but it also can be slow.

Last...love the pot and it is definitely worth an update! Those things are important.