I have finally been able to come back to reading after a little absence. Before I comment on the report below, I wanted to comment about the Communist puppets. I never ever glanced at that kiosk. Most of the time I have seen the weird flamingo-looking marionettes. I would have had a laughing fit had I seen the Red Army puppet. My first thought (besides how they appear to be singing) is how they look like South Park's depiction of Canadians. And I think one of the old guy puppets might be Wilford Brimley.
And I will find and comment on your updates. Whether you like it or not!
First up, a brief analysis of Hurricane Hannah's. This was the first time, ever, that Jay and I decided to go hang out at Stormalong Bay, but that's a whole other story for a whole other day. Before braving the wilds, we wanted a drink. So we stopped in to see Hannah, who used to be a fine purveyor of tasty and varied alcoholic beverages. We noticed last year that the drink menu had been standardized, meaning that guests at the Grand Floridian pool had the same drink menu as those at the Beach Club pool, and so on and so forth. We bade a teary farewell to such unique drinks as the Shipwreck and the Stormalong, but found a new love in the Espresso Chiller, which was available everywhere (we know this because we drank our weight in them at Saratoga Springs last May). Our mouths and livers were primed for chillers that hot, sunny afternoon ... imagine our horror when we couldn't find it on the menu!
Yes, the drink menus have been overrun by the Borg Collective. However, some bartenders who've been around pre-takeover will often make an obsolete drink from the menu if you order it. Unless the ingredients are taken away from them.
When we returned to the room to get cleaned up for dinner, there was a surprise waiting!!
Totally unexpected. Completely unnecessary. Absolutely delightful.
BriarRosie remembered that I was celebrating a birthday on this visit. Since she was also staying at the BCV, she left a little prezzie with the front desk and they had it delivered to the room. Those of you who have been following the Argle-Bargle for the last decade will remember right away why this was a perfectly hilarious birthday token. I thought I was going to soil myself, I was laughing so hard. Thanks, Lori, for the great laugh you gave us and for even remembering that I was celebrating a birthday. You gave us both a wonderful vacation memory!
When you care enough to send the very best...
Send Toblerone!!!
Smile for the camera, almost birthday-girl, and don't forget to hide the incisors!
Yay! I finally got to the Toblerone birthday surprise! I had an idea you'd be getting a birthday card because the cast member at the mini-front desk at the Villas was very alert to the birthday thing. My sister got a card from Cinderella. I like that you got one from Minnie.
But you didn't show the card I sent you. I'll post a pic of it in my report (when I get to that day), but I thought it was appropos for theming: "It's your birthday? You should be wined and dined!" (Inside punchline: "Or at least Beered and Cheered!")
I did tell them that your birthday was on the 17th, but I guess they just wanted to deliver it early.
I wanted to find a Simpsons birthday card, but Hallmark does not have any Simpsons cards. I thought that was pretty bogus.
Allow me to offer you some advice ... take a freaking cab to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. All we had to do was take a three-minute stroll to the front entrance of the Beach Club where a squash-colored car was waiting to whisk us away to Disney's version of Africa. But for some boneheaded reason we thought it was a better idea to walk all the way through Epcot and wait at the Animal Kingdom Lodge bus stop for a ride to the African plains of Central Florida. I didn't mind the walk at all - I needed to burn off all those calories I was planning on eating - but I minded the time tremendously. In case any of you out there are new to me and my trippies ... patience is not one of my virtues. Actually, I'm not even sure I have any virtues, but you get the general idea ...
At any rate, it took a good hour for us to arrive at our destination and we checked in at the podium at exactly 7:30, which was our ADR time. And the place was bizzzzzz-eeeeeee - I don't think we were seated until 8PM, by which time we were very hungry indeed.
LOL! I've had bad AKL bus karma trying to get there for a Boma ADR from the Studios. The bus would not arrive for a lonnnnnnnnng time, and I had gotten to the bus stop early.
No problemo says the amazing nameless waiter - I've got another wine that I'm sure you'll like. And he proceeds to pour me a glass of one of the most refreshing, crisp, light wines I've had in a long time: Professor Something or Other Sauvignon Blanc.
So, in conclusion, if you like white wines avoid Cat Box Pinot Grigio while dining at Jiko and opt for Professor What's His Name Sauvignon Blanc, it's just the smart choice.
ROFL! That must be the same wine that was at the tasting on
DCL that Catherine told me about. I think it was described (by the guy running the tasting) as "cat (insert euphemism for "making water") on a gooseberry bush".
Jay ordered a glass of red wine that he can't remember the name of, but he says it cost about $15 and it was "red, dark, and good."
Could be Pinotage. I just discovered that I like that stuff at the South African wine event. it was "red, dark and good", too.
Now that the important stuff has been taken care of, we can get down to the serious business of eating. We ordered two appetizers because I was jonesin for the cheese plate and Jay wanted to try the Taste of Africa.
Cheesy does it
We have a winner!!! The best cheese plate of the entire trip, and that's saying something because we tried two different cheese plates in France that were excellent. The selections, from left to right (I think), with descriptions taken from the menu:
Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog: A soft, surface ripened goat milk cheese with a creamy texture and a subtle, tangy taste. Each wheel of this cheese features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along the center that gives it its distinctive appearance.
Zamorano: A hard sheep's milk cheese with a sharp, moderately gamey, sheep's milk flavored-bite and texture.
Ossau-Iraty: A traditional, unpasteurized semi-soft cheese made from ewe's milk from France and aged for 90 days.
Bica de Queijo: A semi-firm blended cow, goat, and sheep's milk cheese from Portugal.
Benedictine: A blended cow, goat, and sheep's milk cheese from Wisconsin.
**Side note: Wow! I had no idea they were making cheese like this up there!** This cheese is creamy and intense with a tingly unctuousness before finishing with an earthy complexity.
**Second side note: Wow! Wisconsin cheesemakers sure are pretentious!**
The cheese plate was presented with yummy crostini, spiced figs, and some kind of jam. I loved every single one of these cheeses - I could have ordered a second plate and just had it for dinner, it was that good. I probably could have even ordered a third one for dessert but that might have been pushing the lactose envelope a bit too far for one evening. And as for that Wisconsin cheese... I had to look up the definition of unctuous just to be able to tell you fine people that I don't recall this cheese being either oily or greasy, although it was rather smooth.
Hey, I did the two appetizers thing before they Borged up the menus and took the pork and duck firecracker off the menu. My excuse was that I wanted dessert and not be too full for it. But I had sampled part of a friend's cheese plate here, and I concur: Very yummy indeed!
And well, I don't like saying too much about Wisconsin. We call them Cheeseheads and they call us...well, I guess I could use the alternative phrase heard: Flatlanders.
Make way for more food - it's time for the entrees!
[
Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon
Served on a bed of macaroni and cheese swimming in a rich, red wine sauce, for some reason this is considered the restaurant's signature dish. I find that very funny considering that nothing about this dish is remotely South African, unless the chef used an exported native red wine to make the sauce. Don't get me wrong, I liked this just fine, but I think there's a difference between a
popular dish and a
signature dish.
Having said that, I ordered my filet medium and it was perfectly cooked and so tender that I barely needed the knife to slice it. The macaroni and cheese tasted better this time around and wasn't nearly as sticky or bitter as I remember it being the last time I tried it. And for what it's worth, I think the red wine sauce is the best part of this dish. I'd like to see the filet served with a big, honking hunk of melted goat cheese on top, dripping slowly into that red wine sauce ... yum! That would be a real winner in my book!
**book as yet unwritten**
I must say that I'm pretty boring. My first instinct is to get this dish. But the last time I ordered an entree, they had a monkfish that was really good, and I had to try that. I'm glad now because I think they took that off the menu. Another Borg victim.
It's true; we only ordered one dessert
I tried to pick something that would be a light, refreshing end to the meal but still satisfy my sweet tooth. Enter the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Mouse, served with Cardamom-Spiced Pound Cake, Macerated Strawberries and Strawberry Sauce.
This was a great choice! The mousse was exactly the way it should have been: so light it melted in our mouths and with just a subtle hint of vanilla. The strawberries and strawberry sauce were an excellent complement - tart but not overly so. I think there was a small, round slice of spice cake underneath the mousse but I don't remember anything about it, so it must not have added anything to the dish.
We also ordered a glass of port with dessert - just one - and asked that it be split between the two of us. However, the bartender wasn't paying attention and ended up pouring two full glasses of De Krans Cape Tawny Port. Good beverage karma strikes again because our waiter told us the second glass was on the house! And the port paired exceptionally well with the mousse.
Here's to Grimace, wherever she may be
I really didn't want to share anyway...
Wow, good beverage karma! You lucky girl! I'm not normally a vanilla girl, but that dessert looked tasty.
For those of you who have been asking after Grimace (that's what Jay and I call my mom; for an explanation please read all 27 volumes of the Argle Bargle - there will be a test) thanks for caring! She did not accompany us on this trip - we learned our lesson last year. Besides, Grimace had her own vacation plans this year:
Japan will never be the same...
Egad! The picture is funny enough, but I don't know if I was ready to see the butt floss!
Ok, one post down, a million more to babble about...
It is not like you to be gone for so long. 
