Loved seeing the pictures from your meal and everything looked delicious to me. I also thought the menu sounded really good. What a shame that the taste was not as good as everything sets it up to be.
Looking at the different courses, I agree that it does look delicious, and I really wanted it to live up to the looks.
One thing I noticed is that a lot of the dishes sound very contrived. As if there is too much going on in them. Sometimes simpler is better.
I think you have hit it right on the head here. At least that is what was going on in the sausage dish. I would have never guessed that it was a lobster based sausage. It could have been pork, chicken or calamari, the spices were so overpowering that the meat flavor did not come through at all.
I don't know why it falls flat compared with Napa Rose. Maybe the chef isn't there as much as is overseeing so many places and the delivery is off? Isn't Andrew Sutton responsible for the Carthay Circle as well?
Yes, Andrew Sutton also oversees Carthay. We have eaten there twice and didn't really care for it as much as Napa Rose. My two favorite dishes at Napa Rose are the Scallops with the Lobster sauce, and the Crying Tiger Salad. As you pointed out above, they are both incredibly tasty, and generally simple. The mushroom soup is also one of my favorites there.
I read that article you linked to and was quite in shock. I had read a bit about rule changes for Club 33 in the past, I think Mouseplanet (ok, my computer does not like that website and wants to autocorrect it into houseplant!!
) and Miceage have reported on it now and then and I read both of them for Disney news on and off. It was quite obvious that some of the rule changes were to curb abuse by members, but really that one person would be going so overboard with it is quite amazing!! I would have been embarrassed in his position.
But I guess there are always people who try to take advantage and in the end they spoil it for everyone...
I had heard rumors of people who were abusing the system, but I never imagined that it was so severe. I could not even believe someone would go that far. Like you said, I would have been embarrassed to be doing something that blatant.
It's great that you are getting more Disney time again! Living so close and with a profession where you don't have to adhere to strict office hours, it would be a shame if you did not use those freedoms! I know that some of your future plans include me and I am really looking forward to meeting you at DL!
Quite a few of those future plans include you! But also quite a few others are coming, Jenny will be back the week before you arrive. We have two nights at the VGC for the actual 60th Anniversary, and some of the few 3D friends I have in town that like Disney and I are planning at day in 10 days.
I know that I owe you an email! Will write soon!
Looking forward to it!
Sometimes you do have to chug!
For those not understanding this "inside joke". All will be revealed when I post the update on the trip to DL with Jenny and her girls.
And I have to say that Alison looks fabulous! I sent Michael the pic of us chugging and first thing he said was: Alison looks great. I'm so proud of you lady.
Oh - and totally forgot to comment on your drink!! Is that a diamond ice cube in it? I had read about them, but I think this is the first picture I see of it! The glass looks so elegant and the diamond ice cube makes it even better! Was it tasty?
That is the Diamond Martini. It can be made with either Vodka or Gin, I choose Vodka. The funny thing is that it was on the old menu, and now it isn't on the new drink menu. They still can make it though. It's my favorite drink to get there, but if I ever have more than one, I will try one of the specialty drink on the new menu.
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So jealous!!!
There's no way I could do that. First, being at Disneyland and NOT eating is just hard. But there's no way, I would have been very faint by early afternoon!
But more for you
like stupid, excited 
