California Dreamin'-A 14 Day Odyssey to San Fran,Yosemite & DL! 8/2013 COMPLETE!1/9!!

[rentayenta]

Other than turning 45 in a week , maybe...... 29 days!!!! My FE gifts are almost ready and I'm starting to pack. I'm going to Vegas with Joshua for soccer March 14-16. M is traveling a ton. It'll be here before I know it. Any helpful hints, tips? I know you love your cruises!

 

[podsnel]

Hi Ellen!
All caught up here. Your TR brings back so many wonderful memories for us as we toured some of the NPs in the west in the 1990s.

Hi Karin! What a lovely trip that must have been! I am sorry I have been so MIA on your Trs- very busy lately! Hopefully will have time this weekend...

I was tickled (my grandma's word) to learn recently that I could DOWNLOAD library books from my local library . . . FREE!! Yippee. I didn't even have to get out of my chair, and I could read all the Jack Reacher books I wanted, and I didn't even have to pay a download charge (I like free. I am cheap). Well . . . I downloaded my first book (yep - Jack Reacher series), and a few days later, I started enjoying reading about my favorite hunky character. One day, I went logged on to my ipad to find that my book had been snatched away from me! It was only a 1 week loan - boo. Now I have to wait until the current reader is finished (I am on the waiting list) before I can finish my book. Unfortunately, I am not a very patient person.

I'm telling you this cause I'd love it if you would HURRY IT UP, WOMAN! I need something to read!!

Jodie

LOL, Jodie- that is definitely the downside of free books borrowed from the library- kind of stinks when they take them back and you aren't finished!

I am writing as fast as I can- it has been a busy week- lots of PTA obligations and Book Club last night in addition to tons of clients looking to get far away from the snow! Read one of my other TRs while you wait- there are 19 others, lol! that should keep you busy!

So, I thought I posted but I guess not. I am getting caught up on your TR and LOVING IT so far!! I will go back to read more but wanted to let you know I was here!!

Hey Roomie! See you in 16 days!!!!!!!!

LOL...

Looks great to me. But then again, I like rustic.

It was great! What do people expect? Marble columns and gold leaf walls? Ridiculous-

Mmmm...jelly.

I bet you ran back to get Timmy on a bike again.

OMG...

Love the scenery!

Me too!

The room looks very nice, I'm not sure why folks give it grief. You have to pay for natural beauty!

You REALLy have to pay for natural beauty and COMFORT. I mean, technically we could have been in a sleeping bag in a tent- but we're just a little too fussy for that.

The little hike sounds nice. I'm hoping that we can get there next year and enjoy all the natural beauty. I'm looking forward to hearing about your wonderful dinner!

Awesome! Dinner coming up!

 

[podsnel]

Back through the hotel to our room-



We needed to shower and get to dinner. But the shower- well, the handle just spun around- I felt like an idiot in there- is hot to the left? To the right? I can't remember- all I know is that I couldn't find any hot water until the end of my very quick shower. Pods too. Hmmm....let's see what happens with that tomorrow....

Downstairs, it was time for dinner in the Ahwahnee Dining Room-



I started with an El Capitini- The first Ascent- Vodka, Cointreau, Pomegranate-topped off with Celebratory Champagne, sugar rim and orange twist climbers knot. served with a caribiner-



They say on the menu this drink ROCKS- and really, it does! We ordered a bottle of wine to have with dinner-



The dining room was not too busy, but would be more full before we left.







We started with California Artisan Cheeses
Cypress grove humboldt fog, fiscalini farms cheddar, golden valley farm ubriaco, fig cake, membrillo, candied walnuts $15





And Grilled Lamb Lollipops
Pomegranate molasses, lavender fleur de sel $21



And Ahwahnee Caesar
Romaine hearts, sourdough croutons, parmesan crisp, classic caesar dressing $11





This boy of mine loved that lamb-





For dinner I chose Pan -Seared Steelhead
New potatoes, zucchini, braised leeks, citrus beurre blanc
Side $35



Tyler had Queen
Mashed potatoes, green beans, Yorkshire pudding, aujus, horseradish char-grilled for medium to well done available upon request
Size
Queen cut $40



Timmy had Grilled Prime New York Steak
Roasted* potatoes, sauteed spinach, juniper-herb butter slow-roasted angus beef prime rib $44



And Pods went with the other fish on the menu, Grilled Pacific Swordfish
Creamy polenta, ratatouille, olive tapenade, arugula pesto $32



The food here was really yummy- very expensive, but, again, look where you are dining.



I mean, really- here is a list of some who have stayed and dined here in the past- Brad Pitt, Lucille Ball (while filming The Long, Long Trailer), Judy Garland, Mel Gibson (while filming Maverick), Charlton Heston, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Joan Baez, Boris Karloff, and Kim Novak. John F. Kennedy stayed here, as did Herbert Hoover and Eleanor Roosevelt. The Ahwahnee has also been a temporary home to a host of royalty, including Queen Ratana of Nepal, King Baudouin of Belgium, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, and most famously, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1983.

And of course, most notable to us,The Geissel Family of Scotch Plains, NJ.








Just Tyler was up for dessert- Classic Creme Brulee
Tahitian vanilla & cookie tuille $8.50



Cont'd next post-

 



 

[podsnel]

We were also given a gift-





It was a pricey night for sure, make no mistake, but I am so glad we splurged!



The pool (can you believe this is IT?).



Back in our room, our turndown service was waiting for us-





The boys played some computer games, we read, and then it was lights out- tomorrow we had a BIG hike planned- The Mist trail!





But would we all be hiking????? UGH- stay tuned.....

 

[jedijill]

Dinner looked amazing! It's making me hungry!

Foreshadowing!

Jill in CO

 

[pillow]

The dining room is beautiful! But HOLY COW, those prices. I hope the food was REALLLLLLYYY good! Keep it coming . . .



Jodie

 

[saintstickets]

Great update and that dinner looks fantastic! I'm starving now! I guess I'll have to take DW out to dinner tonight now...wait...that was the plan, wasn't it? Have you two been conspiring?!?!

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Splurging is wonderful once in awhile. Great looking meal, especially the meat, swordfish ain't too hateful either.

In Williamsburg we stayed in the Houses & Taverns. You stay in one of the old houses on a back street or the Main Street. It's wonderful, but not as posh as the Williamsburg Lodge. One has to consider the fact these are the actual 200 or more years old buildings, so may not have all the amenities. The atmosphere is just incredible, especially if one loves history.

 

[Linda67]

Oh your dinner looks wonderful,
I love the family shot of you all together
I can't for the life of me remember what we ate there but I do remember it being a fabulous meal and the atmosphere in that dining room can't be topped!
Beautiful photos by the way and I love that you are including some great links to further info - above and beyond the DIS Trip Reporting duty but very welcome !!

 

[englishrose47]

Ellen the food looked amazing !Yorkshire pudding Yummy !!! I havn't made iti n a while !!!Don't you just LOVE turn down service !!!

 

[kid-at-heart]

I gotta say it, LOOK AT MY TICKETER. Actually it is off by one day. I am sitting in the DTW airport right now. I am on the way to AKL-Jambo for a me, myself and I mini-vacation.

Now to back up and read what's been happening with your trip.

Kate

 

[kid-at-heart]

Years ago we went to Yellowstone and stayed in the Old Faithful Inn. We made sure to go while Sarah still qualified for "child" rates at the buffets, because even the buffets were EXPENSIVE. We figured with what we were saving with her "child rate" we could splurge and eat at the nicer places. Sarah has always eaten adult foods so when eating out we needed to either pay for an adult meal or find decent buffets where she could choose the duck, squid, etc. (No mac and cheese/grill cheese/kid food for her taste buds.) Now we justify eating at or visiting special, expensive places by saying, we are creating memories. And memories are worth paying the price. Sometimes.

kate

 

[rentayenta]

Dinner looked amazing. I love lamb chops! Yummy cocktail but what's with the hardware?

That's a gorgeous dining room too.

 

[franandaj]

That looks like a wonderful meal, and while the prices were expensive, I'm sorry to say that we see prices like that sort of a lot. Not really often, but nice places demand nice prices. I would have been all over that Prime Rib, Swordfish (sans olive tapenade), the apps looked GREAT! Sign me up. We need to make our reservation for next May!

 

[CRdisMom]

yummy yummy yummy!!!

 

[DWGal210]

Your pictures of Yosemite and the hotel are just breathtaking! What a gorgeous place!! I really need to make it out to the national parks in the next few years.

(11 Days - CANNOT WAIT!! )

 

[scottny]

That dining room is gorgeous.
The drink looked even better. LOL
WOW! Those prices. Did you come to NYC for dinner? LOL
Nice gift. Looks like it was wonderful meal.
Hmm, I sense trouble coming up.
Great update and pics.

 

[Beth D]

Ellen, those are great photos! That lodge and that food look amazing. I can't wait to hear about the shower. You've got lots of teasing and foreshadowing in your update!

Where are you going in a couple weeks?

 

[RGirl]

Wow - the dining room is BEAUTIFUL! All of your food looked really tasty too - I would have ordered the steelhead as well; I'm a big fan of it.

Uh oh - sounds like the hike may not have gone so well…...

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Wow! Looks like a fabulous dinner! Quite a list of celebs - I guess that makes it even more special! I'm about what's coming next.