Why We Love Us Some California Grill
By this time, we were hot, tired, and feeling early hunger pangs (we feel those a lot). We bused back to our starting point for the day at VWL in order to grab our clothes for dinner. We were running slightly ahead of schedule (in deference to the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen, please join me in saying "shedule"), so we took that free time to meander around the grounds of the Lodge, paying particular attention to the area on the 4th floor where our ceremony will be held (I believe pics are in order, my dear). As usual, the Lodge was serene compared to the crowds in the parks, and just walking through the building relaxed us--the music, the sights, the smells. We explored a little further and farther than we ever had before, and our mini-adventure took us to a side door on the front end of the 5th floor just off the fireplace sitting area that we didn't know that was there. The side door opened to reveal an outdoor landing /deck! Who knew? Soon, however, it was time to change, and we wound up in two restrooms in the lobby of the Villas which allowed us the chance to freshen up as we changed. Those restrooms were quite quiet spacious, and we have now officially dubbed them the Wedding Loos. **For the record, if one tries a door handle two times in 15 seconds and it's locked, then trying again 10 seconds later isn't going to alter the fact that the door is, indeed, still locked. Based on the laughing outside the door, my guess is alcohol had something to do with said genius.** Before driving over to CG, we pinned our JUST ENGAGED buttons to our dinner clothes. I should note here that nearly every CM who saw the pins that day congratulated us (though some actually offered sympathy to
luv). Yeah, it was kinda cool, just don't tell
luv. . .again.
After parking in the Contemporary lot, we strolled into the lobby, checked in, and had barely sat down when we were escorted into the elevator by a hostess. At the restaurant, we were graciously greeted and again congratulated on our engagement. We asked to be seated at a window knowing we might have to wait a bit for a table. We didn't even have time to order drinks before we were whisked away to our seats at a lovely two-top in front of one of the huge windows, the late afternoon sun washing over us, easing the fatigue of the eventful day. Perfect. We noticed a table behind Chris that had foil stars and Mickeys covering the tablecloth and wondered if someone else was having a romantic, special occasion dinner. The server showed quickly and asked about our buttons. We briefly explained that we had come on a one-day trip to further cement our recent engagement. Moments later, she returned with our own menagerie of foil stars and Mickeys which she liberally sprinkled over the table. She explained that the table behind us had originally been planned as ours but that there was some discussion as to whether I had actually popped the question yet or not, so they opted to be safe rather than ruin the surprise.
Though we have a tradition of eating at AP each visit to WDW, this time we opted to skip our beloved (though, of late, inconsistent) AP and dine at CG. What a wonderful meal and superb service! This was our third visit to CG together, and we've yet to be disappointed. Well, there is one caveat--we inquired about the paella we had seen on the latest online menu only to find out it was discontinued. Sigh. Still, they had plenty of other dishes from which to choose. My fantabulous dinner mate selected sushi as her appetizer, while I chose the mussels with chorizo. Both dishes were executed well. Mine paired superbly with a Spanish Albarino, while Chris had a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc whose citrus notes blended seamlessly with her sushi. For our entree (we shared), we agreed on the pork loin and went with a second glass of the Albarino to pair with it (if you've never tried an Albarino, you should--they're a little pricey but well worth the extra few dollars). The loin was also tremendous--tender, moist, and complemented by a creamy polenta. There wasn't an off note at any point in the meal. We loved it.
For dessert, we opted to spare ourselves the excess calories, but as we sat discussing whether to make Wishes later that evening, our server brought out a huge slab of a decadent chocolate cake, gaily decorated with all manner of colorful candy chips on it! She told us it was on the house and a way for them to say congratulations for our special moment. Yeah, we managed to eat it all!
After finishing the cake, we looked at each other and could read the message in our eyes and on our faces. Rather than hang out waiting for Wishes, we were ready to call it a day and go out on this high note. We drove east for Melbourne while we savored this most amazing of days. Not only had we done four parks in one day, but we had visited our beloved Lodge, seen our wedding locale, and finished with a charmingly romantic meal. Best of all, we had enjoyed these things together--we were living the dream we'd both had for years before we met. Our individual dreams had come true when we found each other, and this day was a reflection of that happiness. The journey has just begun. . .