Because We're Insane: Driving & Triple Split Stay! Updated 10/23. Pg.16

[JenSop]

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes, support, and kind words. It means a lot to me. I'm doing pretty well most of the time. Being that it was my decision to leave, I'd already struggled with the issue for a very long time, and have now come to a place where I'm okay and feel very good about the direction my life is going in.

I want to get this TR whipped out soon, as we've now gotten into the busy fall season, and I've already started rehearsals for my show and I have an audition coming up that I have to learn a TON of music for.

So yes, I will totally be finishing this TR soon, but now my current problem is my busy schedule. Plus, I need to go forward and just write it very sensitively.

But, I mean, it's ALMOST done! I can see the finish line, so hopefully I'll get this complete in the next week or two. (Just gotta get past that audition!)

Thanks again everyone!

Jen

 

[MEK]

Good luck with your audition Jen! I have no doubt you will do well. You have an amazing voice! Make sure you keep me updated with your latest singing adventures! I love to hear about that kind of stuff!

 

[ChiCat]

I don't have anything else to say but I'm sorry and heres some big squishy hugs

 

[JenSop]

Hey everyone!

Thought I'd get started on posting food pics from V&A's!

When you get to Victoria and Albert's you go through the special door into a dimly lit restaurant. It's actually quite small and intimate. There was also a harpist providing live music.

You have two servers for your table and you do nothing for yourself. I'd never been somewhere like that before.



We got the wine pairings with our meal.

The menu is a price fixed menu. It is seven courses spread out over more than three hours.

First course is an "Amuse-Bouche"

This was three different kinds of lobster things and a tuna tartar. Yummy!

It also came with a glass of champagne - the real stuff from France!

For the next course, we both got the Jamon wrapped gulf shrimp with athena melons, served with a Riesling.

But let me also tell you about the bread. With many of the courses, we got special bread to go along with each one. They were all super awesome! Like SUPER awesome!

Up next - I got the Diver Scallop with braised fennel and blood orange gastrique.

He got the Calamarata pasta with Vegetable ratatouille and spanish cuttlefish.

(apparantly that's insanely expensive caviar on top)




All the while, the wine kept flowing.

(Doesn't take me long to start feeling the wine, people....)

And don't forget! More bread!

(Of course, all the breads came with delicious butter. mmmmmm.... butter....*commence Homer Simpson drooling image*)



I started doing pretty poses with my wine.... that's how much I was feelin' it!

Next course:

Roasted butternut squash soup with tortelloni:

And Roasted quail with Asian pears and serrano ham Jus:

And probably the best bread of all! We asked for thirds on this one. First reason being that it tasted really good. And second reason being that I needed something to absorb all that wine in my body! Haha!

This bread was super yummy - an old Austrian family recipe from the pastry chef. (See, I knew there was a reason I liked it!) And the butter was super salty and delicious.

Eat the bread Jen! It will suck up that alcohol!



Continued......

 

[Merida]

V&A's looks amazing. I love the harpist and the bread! I feel like most of the food there would be too fancy for us, but I would love love love to have all that bread. I never realized it was common to have bread with every course. Or is it just a V&A's thing? I did have to take etiquette lessons once (in college for alumni stuff) but we never discussed bread (sadly. More bread, less forks is my motto).

Glad you're back!

 

[JenSop]

...continuing....


Up next - entrees!

But right as they were coming out, I needed to make a rest room run. All that wine was taking it's toll, and I knew I would not be able to enjoy my meal while thinking about having to pee the whole time.

As soon as I asked where the restroom was, the servers went into emergency mode! They immediately covered the food dishes with those big metal dome covers, and the one server directed me to the hostess, who then escorted me to the ladie's room. They also took my napkin away and brought me out a clean one when I got back to my chair. Haha!


I got Niman Ranch lamb with candied marble potatoes and english peas:

He got the Poulet Rouge with Chanterelle and Morel Mushrooms, Truffle Gnocchi. There were rare expensive truffles on that there dish!

Wine, wine, wine.....




Don't mind me, just enjoying that wine....

After devouring that tasty dinner, it was time for the course that comes between the entree and dessert. (Who knew there was an in between course?!?!? We're eating Hobbit style! Oh yeah!)

We got both options:

-The cheese plate with Colston Bassett Stilton, 24-month Parmigiano-Reggiano, Burrata Alla Panna, and Comte Saint Antione:

-White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Orchids

Holy yum!!


We also ordered coffee and tea.

The tea was the best herbal tea I'd ever tried. Freakin' good!

He got coffee, but the special Cona kind. They brought out a fancy coffee brewer thing and everything.

I never saw one of these before!

It all starts at the top, and as it brews, it fills the bottom. Science is cool!

Then on to dessert. Stand back, or you may suffer from awesomeness burn!


I got a Grand Marnier Souffle!

He got Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

They bring the souffles out (which are award-winning) and they break open a little hole in the top with a spoon, then poor warm sauce into the center of the souffle. The amazingness of them cannot be put into words.


Are you suffering from awesomeness burn yet? I know I am!



Then we finished we these little yummy guys:

Also - all the ladies at V&A's get their own rose. So pretty....

Needed to walk off some of dinner around the resort and the grounds.

We watched some of Wishes from the boat dock, and I got really emotional when I started thinking of my Pop-Pop. I don't know what triggered it right then and there, but it really hit me and I started crying. I guess I just really wish he was still here to enjoy Disney with me. Oh, how he'd love it. I just really miss him.


After that, we drove back to OKW to pack, as we were switching to our last resort the next morning - VWL!

Up next - last full day at Disney World!

 

[JenSop]

V&A's looks amazing. I love the harpist and the bread! I feel like most of the food there would be too fancy for us, but I would love love love to have all that bread. I never realized it was common to have bread with every course. Or is it just a V&A's thing? I did have to take etiquette lessons once (in college for alumni stuff) but we never discussed bread (sadly. More bread, less forks is my motto).

Glad you're back!

Aha! You got me between postings!

You know, at first I felt a little out of place due to the insane fancy-ness of it all. But they were so nice and welcoming, that you didn't feel out of place for long. It ended up being such a great meal and I would recommend it to anyone! I never had etiquette lessons, so I just try to fake my way through it all - haha!

I don't know if it's normal to get different breads with each course, but I certainly didn't complain - I LOVE bread!

 

[mousegear]

V&A just looks awesome. I don't know if I could digest all 7 courses/wine, I assume I'll be little tippsie! Anyways, it's good to have you back!

 

[Queenofallthings]

I have never ever had the urge to eat at V & A's but I sure do now!! Everything sounds and looks wonderful! You look like you had the time of your life....

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Great update, so happy to see you writing again!
The restaurant pics look amazing, so yummy!

 

[saintstickets]

Isn't V&A just the most exquisite dining experience ever?!? I posted at the beginning of this thread I was looking forward to your review and you did not disappoint! It brought back many pleasant memories of our trip there this past Dec, 2010. Too bad they don't have a scratch and sniff for computer screens! We were really worried about having that much wine with each course so we split a pairing. We received a short glass of the appropriate wine with each course. It was plenty for us.

I hoped you enjoyed OKW and look forward to your VWL review. We are staying at VWL for the 1st time next May, 2012. Glad to see you back. Keep up the great TR!

 

[Kathymford]

I would love to try V&A sometime, but there are a couple of problems for us. #1: DBF eats like a bird, and #2: I'm a very picky eater: no seafood, no veggies. lol

Oh well, I will just live vicariously through TRs!

 

[Merida]

Aha! You got me between postings!

You know, at first I felt a little out of place due to the insane fancy-ness of it all. But they were so nice and welcoming, that you didn't feel out of place for long. It ended up being such a great meal and I would recommend it to anyone! I never had etiquette lessons, so I just try to fake my way through it all - haha!

I don't know if it's normal to get different breads with each course, but I certainly didn't complain - I LOVE bread!

It was my lucky day! I never check time stamps anymore because I'm in the wrong time zone for current postings.

I love looking at fancy food and everything, but it would kind of weird to eat it. Like food with foam (which is not something that I associate with the word 'edible'). The desserts look AMAZING though. Can never go wrong with dessert.

My etiquette lessons were mainly so I could dine with rich alumni and get them to give us lots of money. Not very useful in real life, especially since we rarely eat at an actual table anymore!

Yum, eating like hobbits. I'm on a 'pro-second-breakfast-and-second-dessert' agenda right now.

 

[ShesAPirate]

Glad to see you posting again, Jen! Looks like V&A's was great for you. I always think it wouldn't be a good idea for me since I don't eat any seafood, shellfish, things that look strange, etc Yeah, I'm really picky and I would hate to insult a good chef by not eating his amazing creations because of my silly hang ups

 

[ShesAPirate]

Oh, I almost forgot -- did you ever do that Photopass help thing? My trip is 50 days away banana and I'm still totally clueless when it comes to Photopass!

 

[JenSop]

V&A just looks awesome. I don't know if I could digest all 7 courses/wine, I assume I'll be little tippsie! Anyways, it's good to have you back!

It was so great! But the courses aren't huge, so you feel full, but not stuffed.

Glad to be back!

I have never ever had the urge to eat at V & A's but I sure do now!! Everything sounds and looks wonderful! You look like you had the time of your life....

Seriously - everyone should try it at least once! You will not be disappointed!

Great update, so happy to see you writing again!
The restaurant pics look amazing, so yummy!

Thanks! So glad to feel the love from everyone! I DO enjoy writing TR's and am so happy to have people that like to read them!

Isn't V&A just the most exquisite dining experience ever?!? I posted at the beginning of this thread I was looking forward to your review and you did not disappoint! It brought back many pleasant memories of our trip there this past Dec, 2010. Too bad they don't have a scratch and sniff for computer screens! We were really worried about having that much wine with each course so we split a pairing. We received a short glass of the appropriate wine with each course. It was plenty for us.

I hoped you enjoyed OKW and look forward to your VWL review. We are staying at VWL for the 1st time next May, 2012. Glad to see you back. Keep up the great TR!

Haha - splitting the pairing might have been wise! But why not get a little tipsy at a fancy dinner?! And if they had scratch and sniff computer screens, I fear that I would eat WAY more than I should - all the time!

I would love to try V&A sometime, but there are a couple of problems for us. #1: DBF eats like a bird, and #2: I'm a very picky eater: no seafood, no veggies. lol

Oh well, I will just live vicariously through TRs!

But it's SO good! Definitely the place to put pickiness aside and live a little daringly!

It was my lucky day! I never check time stamps anymore because I'm in the wrong time zone for current postings.

I love looking at fancy food and everything, but it would kind of weird to eat it. Like food with foam (which is not something that I associate with the word 'edible'). The desserts look AMAZING though. Can never go wrong with dessert.

My etiquette lessons were mainly so I could dine with rich alumni and get them to give us lots of money. Not very useful in real life, especially since we rarely eat at an actual table anymore!

Yum, eating like hobbits. I'm on a 'pro-second-breakfast-and-second-dessert' agenda right now.

The desserts were beyond amazing! That souffle was worth it alone! I kind of wish I had had etiquette lessons. Sometimes as a performer, you're put into interesting situations, and I often feel like a super dork since I was never really educated in anything like that. I usually try to fake it till I make it!

Glad to see you posting again, Jen! Looks like V&A's was great for you. I always think it wouldn't be a good idea for me since I don't eat any seafood, shellfish, things that look strange, etc Yeah, I'm really picky and I would hate to insult a good chef by not eating his amazing creations because of my silly hang ups

Oh, I almost forgot -- did you ever do that Photopass help thing? My trip is 50 days away banana and I'm still totally clueless when it comes to Photopass!

But there were different choices in each course for you to pick from. And when in doubt, I can promise, anything you'd pick would come out amazing!

I did get started on the Photopass video, but temporarily forgot about it. I'll be sure to get it done soon!

 

[ShesAPirate]

I did get started on the Photopass video, but temporarily forgot about it. I'll be sure to get it done soon!

Awesome! Thank you very much!

 

[shan23877]

Great V&A post. Hope you're doing well, and glad you're back

 

[Snow_Princess]

I just caught up with your TR!
Wow dinner at V&A looks so fancy! I don't think I would be able to eat there for a few years though, I'm sure is very pricey, but it looks totally worth it. As always, your dress is super cute
The Grand Marnier Souffle looks to die for!

This picture definitely shows you had a good time

BTW I'm sorry to hear about you and Brian, but you are very brave for taking that decision, I hope it all goes very well for you

 

[Shannon84]

V&A looks amazing, the food, the experience, everything sounds so unique and wonderful

Thats how I look after some wine too I don't know why but wine gets to me quickly