Anyone Game? It’s my Sep 2013 Blog! I'm home; with a TR link in #1189, 10/14

[SadieDog]

Regarding Universal: I have only stayed at Hard Rock for a couple of nights so I can't compare it to the other 2. It was the middle of the price range when I was there. We loved it. Fun, clean and friendly staff. The pool was great and a short walk to the park if you don't want to wait for the boat.

 

[PrincessInOz]

We haven't done LA yet either - doesn't really interest me TBH. The closest I got was going through on the way to Universal. But MinnieSueOz seemed to find some good stuff to do there

Do you have some more time off to recover from your holiday? Or is straight back to work/school for all of you?

It will be back to school for DS. I haven't decided about myself yet. I have a lot of leave time and it all depends on how work is; I might decide to take an extra week at the end so that I have some down time in Melbourne as well.

The older I get the more I enjoy the longer vacations so 4 weeks sounds wonderful.

I used to find 2 weeks to be plenty. Now, 3 weeks minimum!

4 weeks!

How wonderful!
Can't wait to follow your adventures

Whilst I am looking forward to being on this trip, I really do enjoy the anticipation as well. Once the trip starts, it will be over all too soon.

4 weeks sounds amazing...

David and I have done 3 weeks in the Baltics, but never 4, that is my new goal. You are my idol...

Brandi - you'll need 4 weeks WHEN you come to Australia.

We stayed a couple of nights at Orchid Suites Hotel-right behind Hollywood and Highland Centre so less than 5 mins walk to all shops and eateries there, the Kodak Theatre, Disney store across the road, Graumanns next door, wax museum down the street etc. Easy to walk to all the main Hollywood sights, catch HOHO bus if you want or train into town or bus to eg the Farmers Market and the Grove (or cab if you wanted). Great location. Place doesn't look like much from the outside but inside was clean and comfortable, had a kitchenette and table and chairs etc which we like rather than just a hotel room, included a simple continental breakfast we took back to our room to eat, has a pool for DS. We also used their recommended car hire service to take us to the airport on the way back and they were great too (I'd have to look his name up).

Thanks Wendy. I checked it out! I did see it on Google maps when I was looking in the area. And I also lurked back into your 2011 TR as well. So glad I did....I'd forgotten that you'd walked down to Ooh Aah point at the GC and was really interested to re-read about your experience.

Awesome. We like LA, Hollywood. You should check the El Capitan theatre out. It is always showing a Disney movie but tickets sell out ahead of time. Buy them online at least a week before.

A four week vacation would be my dream. My old employer never allowed more than 2 weeks off at a time (except when I had Xander, they let me take 6 weeks. Crap has never taken more than 2 weeks off at a time (even when Xander was born). He took less than that when Connor was born.

Is September your summer season, and that is the reason DS can be gone so long?

September is our spring season. DS has 2 weeks school holiday and we will take him out of school for two weeks - one week at each end of the different terms.

Regarding Universal: I have only stayed at Hard Rock for a couple of nights so I can't compare it to the other 2. It was the middle of the price range when I was there. We loved it. Fun, clean and friendly staff. The pool was great and a short walk to the park if you don't want to wait for the boat.

Funny how HRH has gone from middle of the price range to the top end of the price range!

I'm going to wait a little bit to see if any deals come out for the UO hotels.

 

[SadieDog]

I wonder why the price increase?

 

[PrincessInOz]

I wonder why the price increase?

It seems to get consistently better reviews on TripAdvisor. Maybe the popularity had something to do with it. It is $20 per night more expensive than PBH and $40 per night more expensive than RPH.

 

[SadieDog]

It seems to get consistently better reviews on TripAdvisor. Maybe the popularity had something to do with it. It is $20 per night more expensive than PBH and $40 per night more expensive than RPH.

Ah, that could be it.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Actually, my mistake.

I double checked. Portofino is the most expensive of the three. I must have been reading things upside down the other day!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Mickey Micro Cosmos #1



With most of my plans roughly locked in, I've been giving some thought towards our time in the Mickey Micro Cosmos.

I'm pretty sure most of you would be thinking that I'm meaning a detailed breakdown of my time at the World when I mention Mickey Micro Cosmos. But you should know me better than that by now. I always take the left turn at Albuquerque.

So....What do I mean about Mickey Micro Cosmos?



Well....some of you may well have figured out that I do like taking pictures. And some of you already know that I love food. Not only do I love eating food and photographing food.....I also love cooking food.



So the Mickey Micro Cosmos that I mean.....would sit in this little alcove in a studio room.






Yup. I do mean the micro! (Picture taken from the AllEars stock)

Okay. I freely admit. It's getting colder in Melbourne. Outdoor events are drawing to a close and it's now time to think seriously about inside activities over the winter.
More specifically, I will be motivated to try a few more microwave recipes than I normally would.


(And before anyone else points it out, it is very rare that the words "I" and "normal" go together.)


So #1 in the series of the Mickey Micro Cosmos - is that viral on-line recipe for the chocolate cake in the microwave.


My starting ingredients:





I mixed the dry ingredients in a mug.






And added the milk, vanilla extract and egg.






After I mixed it with the dry ingredients, I added the melted butter. Naturally, the butter was zapped in the micro-cosmos.






After more mixing, it was time to add the chocolate chip. As I didn't have the "normal" chocolate chips in my pantry, I used these multi-coloured chocolate drops instead.






More stirring....






....before the cup mix got zapped for 3 minutes.

Okay. Admission time again. I couldn't find my measuring spoons; so I just used a cutlery sized spoon instead. Guess I was a little bit over-exuberant with the measurments.

I ended up with something that completely overflowed the cup.






I let the cake sit for a couple minutes and then removed it from the cup. This cake served the 3 of us.






I might need to tweak this recipe and try it out again. But rest assured, have camera, will post!





 

 

[Fairy Floss]

What an awesome idea!

I did giggle for about 5 min ..... But very clever

 

[franandaj]

Seems like the DisANZACs have been having a little poll on this matter and that HRH is the resort of choice for the Anzacs.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3098486



Feel free to vote and add to the chatter.

I tried to vote, but it didn't like my shipboard connection.

AND Emeril's Tchoup Chop!

That's what swayed me there (and the price).

A nice. short. vacay.

Wish you could swing coming along too.

And I'm with you. I've not been a big fan of LA proper in the past; but its time to make another visit for DS.

Here's where you need to be VERY careful. Perhaps stay at the RPH and use the savings to get a far better hotel in Hollywood. Much of the area is really seedy and you don't want to be at a budget hotel. Please ask me before you book something. I know the area somewhat well, and wouldn't want you staying somewhere you would regret!

 

[dgbg100106]

Brandi - you'll need 4 weeks WHEN you come to Australia.

I guess I should start saving now, for this Month long trip I will be taking!

 

[dgbg100106]

Nice cake offerings... I have never done one of those. Hmmmm might need to try it.

 

[zanzibar138]

Love the cake in a mug idea! Will have to give it a try one day

 

[tiggrbaby]

That cake looks delish!

 

[DisneyFirefly]

That mug cake looks vaguely Seussian to me

 

[kmedina]

Looks good even overflowed. Yum.

 

[ACDSNY]

Cute cake idea I can't wait for the finished recipe.

 

[Minniemum]

My chocolate mug cakes always burst at the seams too. I think it just adds to their charm.

 

[PrincessInOz]

What an awesome idea!

I did giggle for about 5 min ..... But very clever

Nice cake offerings... I have never done one of those. Hmmmm might need to try it.

WARNING! Once you try it out, you may never stop. Just imagine....chocolate cake in under 7 minutes!

Love the cake in a mug idea! Will have to give it a try one day

See above Warning.....and don't say I didn't warn you.

That cake looks delish!

It sure was.

That mug cake looks vaguely Seussian to me

From there to here
and from here to there
funny things are everywhere


Yup. It is a little lopsided Cat in the Hat!

Looks good even overflowed. Yum.

It tasted good too.

Cute cake idea I can't wait for the finished recipe.

I'm still tinkering with quantities but I think it will come down to:
2 parts Self Raising Flour
1 part Sugar
1 part cocoa
1 part Butter
1 part Millk
1 egg
vanilla essence
1 part chocolate chip


I've just trialled creaming the butter and sugar first; then adding the egg, milk and vanilla essence. Mix then add the cocoa/flour. Fold it all together until completely mixed. Stir in choc chips.

Micro for 3 minutes; leave stand for 2 minutes.


I've completely cut down on the spoon size. The mix should fill about 1/3 - 1/2 of the cup so that it doesn't overflow. I also trialed the mix without choc chips. I think if I remove the choc chips, I need to add additional sugar.

My chocolate mug cakes always burst at the seams too. I think it just adds to their charm.

Yes, I had one where the cake was in the cup and I was strangely disappointed.









(On second thoughts, maybe there was nothing strange about that!! )

 

[PrincessInOz]

Here's where you need to be VERY careful. Perhaps stay at the RPH and use the savings to get a far better hotel in Hollywood. Much of the area is really seedy and you don't want to be at a budget hotel. Please ask me before you book something. I know the area somewhat well, and wouldn't want you staying somewhere you would regret!

I think I've come to the same conclusion. Will contact you about the Hollywood hotel when I settle on a short list. Thanks for you help!

 

[dgbg100106]

ok Chocolate Cake anytime you want it and it does not go stale is awesome!