First I have to comment on "chips". That word (I"m sure you already know this) can be used for anything of a flat round-ish nature from wood to potatoes, and now apparently multi-grain mash. Now adays they sell, sweet potato "chips", tortilla "chips", and hey, at summer camp we would even toss around "buffalo chips" at each other thinking it was great sport.
You are of course right! That was one of those "false friends" moments I had, I guess. We call words that sound alike in two languages but have different meanings "false friends". For example "to become" is very similar to the German "bekommen" - however, the translation of "bekommen" is "to get". In this case, Chips is also a German word, exlusively used for potatoe chips. So I forgot about the other meanings.
Thanks for the explanation!
I"ve read more than one TR lately in which the rooms weren't made up until well into the early evening. What is WITH that?? I'd say if it's not done by 1:00 or so, when you're ready for a swim or getting ready for lunch, a call needs to be made. A friendly one, but a call nonetheless.
We had a fabulous housekeeper and I talked to her a few times, she had actually warned us that she was going to have her day off on this day (and the next). I wonder wether she had gotten complaints before? I think I did actually call and they said sorry they would send someone, but it still took ages.
I really wish you had worn your coats! You could have eked out a few more hours at MK and not frozen your tails off on the boat.
See my birthday update on how I will prevent this on future trips!!
But WOW!! you really scored a beautiful table!! That right there is the quintessential cozy Pacific Northwest ambiance! (As I sit by my nice fire on my couch.)
It was a wonderful setting and it fitted the WL theme so well!
Your salad was gorgeous, and I think just one of those, some ribs and beans would have made me a very happy girl!!!
It is just a plain salad, but they had a lovely dressing.
YOu know, I hear over and over about how the Europeans- especially Brits, come over and rave about cornbread. Is it not possible to make it there?? It's so VERY easy!! Or is cornmeal just not available?? Can I send you some?
You can buy cormeal, but corn just isn't a staple food here. And I think German cuisine in general does not mix sweet and savoury as much as American food does.
I have now started drooling for ribs. My family is all gone today (ahhhh the bliss of a day all to myself!) and I'm thinking I may need to take Bek and Zach out for Tony Romas (a rib joint) for dinner. Ok, that didn't make sense. Mike and the 2 younger girls went to Salem to help Dad today and wont' be home until after dinner. Bek will be home around 2 and Zach around 3 respectively, from school.
There is actually a Tony Romas in Berlin! Ribs are wonderful! Did you go out for dinner on that day?
And what is with NO CORN ON THE COB?? That is such a dreadful shame! Farm fresh with loads of butter and salt and pepper. Seriously, this update is inducing way too much slobber. I need to figure out how to employ the slobbering Homer.
Actually, I just had corn on the cob with my steak this evening! But it is mainly only steakhouses or American themed restaurants that have it.
I must confess, to GB's utter dismay, I've never had brisket, but the cooking method of boiling until the flavor drains sounds a lot like making corned beef to me. We use the soup base for potato soup a lot in March- (St. Patrick's Day, when they practically give corned beef away).
The soup you had at my parents' house was made that way! I had no idea that there was soup connected to corned beef? Here corned beef is something that was introduced by American soldiers after the war and it is some weired tinned beef - which I hate...
Yes, your pie looked way too sweet for my taste too. And too rich after that skillet laden with meat and starch. I think had I do choose from what I saw, I'd have just gone with the RiceCream. Which I adore, by the way!
But it still really fitted with the meal! And the greatest thing about it was that the Chef was so happy that he could offer Katharina something besides plain fruit or sorbet.
Now, I need to call you.... I have a devious plan....
It was wonderful to talk to you - and I am sure that we will manage to get to your plan in one way or another at some point in our lives!!
I think America for health reasons is trying to offer more things that are made with multi grain, verses things made with white flour. I like the cheese flavored Sun Chips
I think eating less highly processed food is a good thing, but that's what just threw me off: Those chips are still going to be pretty unhealthy, so why bother!!
BUT: I must confess, when I was buying snacks for my party, I came across German multi-grain chips! Looks like it is the same product, different packaging!
You should have sent both your drinks back if you didn't like them.
I never thought about that... To be honest, the first one was good and I was pretty full after the first one and just got the second one because I had the option of refills.
It was a very good meal!
I love corn bread my family not so much
Interesting, so it is something not every American family eats!
This is something I haven't tried making here, I have seen receipes on how to grill it. I'm afraid it will turn out tough.
I think the thing with brisket is that this part of the cow is not very high quality meat, so you need to do something with it to make it tender. Smoking it can do that, as well as cooking. I would be afraid that grilling would not not make it tender, so I agree with you, I would be afraid that it would turn out tough, as well.
We love corn on the cob! It's especially good when you can by it fresh from the farm stand. We had some nice corn growing in our veggie garden this year until the squirels got a hold of it!
Bad squirrel!!
My father loves a squirrel who comes to visit their balcony and he puts nuts outside to make it come for visits. They recently replanted their flower plots on the balcony and these were filled with nuts! The squirrel seemed to use them for winter storage!
I have never tried Ricedream. Maybe my DD would like it she has a bit of lactose intolerance.
Katharina also tried Tofutti at a later occassion (made from soy) and I think she liked one better than the other. I think it would be a great option for your daughter if she has some problem with lactose.
Happy Birthday Katharina! Was it your actually birthday?
Her birthday is on 2/2 (edited to add: sorry, that's the wrong date, it is 2/3!!), but I put it on every ADR that we were celebrating her birthday!
Love the pictures, I like the one with the red border best to. Sounds like you had a nice day even though it was cold. We really did have some odd weather last winter even here in Wisconsin. Not sure how it will be this winter. It's been rather warm still here. So maybe a warmer winter than normal?
Thanks! I used to love going to WDW in January, but the weather on that trip has put me off a bit... But I am sure I will try again at some point in the future.
I love the store at AKL too. It seems to be one of the few resort stores that really ties in to the hotel it's in. One of my favorite souveniers is a carved giraffe wine bottle stopper. Everytime I use it I remember staying at the AKL.
I think the deluxes are much better at having interesting shops, at least the AKL and Poly. And the GF store is pretty interesting as well. The giraffe wine bottle stopper sounds lovely!
I agree with you too about how cold it is out on those boats. In December I thought I was going to freeze taking those boats across the lake. Brrrr!
It's the wind chill factor. Even when I was staying at the Poly and loved taking the boats to the MK, I was always bringing a jacket for the boat ride. I think it easily feels 100 degrees Fahrenheit less.
BWV is a beautiful resort and a beautiful area that I think you will love. I am sure you will have no problem staying at AKV in the future too so no worries there 
I have the same blue shirt as you...bought that in May 
That may have made me like the store a little more too 
But it was a lot of fun, I really enjoy cooking. I made a cranberry upside down cake (a variety of the pineapple one) with a recipe I had found online. I first had to melt some sugar with butter to make caramel for this recipe and my first batch never melted. So I tried again - this time melting the sugar first and adding butter later. I think I nearly spent two hours on that whole caramel process... 
Great to have you here! I totally forgot to mention that on your TR, but I thought it was so funny how your father had to laugh at "waste please" - I totally get it how this sounds like it asks you to be wasteful! 
