Hungry Are The Damned! 10/15/07-10/25/07 - COMPLETED W/LOTS OF PICS!!!

[TigerKat]

Great pics Brenda!! Hopefully we'll make it to Party for the Senses one day.

 

[oybolshoi]

Great pictures, Brenda! Party for the Senses looks like so much fun, I hope it's still (somewhat ) affordable by the time I manage to get around to trying it! Keep it coming!

Thanks Lori! I hope to get the rest of the pictures posted tonight. You and your DH would love PFTS ... you really need to get to one before you have to auction off a kidney or something in order to raise the funds to cover the cost of admission.

"I like Food Network but I love chocolate so may I please have some?"

Thanks Hedy! Keegan seemed to think it was pretty funny, too. Thank goodness he's got a sense of humor.

I like it! I like it a lot!

It sounds like a great event... they let you loose at the food, and you eat as much as you can! Great times!

That pricetag is shocking however!!

I guess the price tag covers the unlimited food and drink as well as the cost for the performers from Cirque. I'm not sure yet what our cost ceiling is for this event since we've only attended one time ... we'll have to wait and see what happens this year and next. But it was really fun and we'd love to do it again.

Great pics Brenda!! Hopefully we'll make it to Party for the Senses one day.

Thanks Kathy! You haven't attended PFTS??? You must go ... soon! I think you and Shovan need to work out a trip together and then you could PFTS at the same time.

 

[TigerKat]

Thanks Kathy! You haven't attended PFTS??? You must go ... soon! I think you and Shovan need to work out a trip together and then you could PFTS at the same time.

No, we've always had DS and a friend along BUT this year we're planning for just DH & I so I really should look into it. We hate crowds though, so maybe it's not for us?????

 

[oybolshoi]

No, we've always had DS and a friend along BUT this year we're planning for just DH & I so I really should look into it. We hate crowds though, so maybe it's not for us?????

It's crowded - they usually have between 200 and 300 attendees for PFTS on a given Saturday evening - but it's not too crowded, does that make sense? There was plenty of room to move around in and the venue really is massive.

 

[TigerKat]

It's crowded - they usually have between 200 and 300 attendees for PFTS on a given Saturday evening - but it's not too crowded, does that make sense? There was plenty of room to move around in and the venue really is massive.

Yep, makes sense and sounds great!!!!It's funny we're talking about this, just last night we decided on 9/25-9/29 for our next trip, not knowing that the F&W festival begins on 9/26!!!!!! Are the parks more crowded during F&W?

 

[Briarmom]

Oh my yummyness. We need a drooling smilie.

I am just so happy the gut sickness has gone away from this report. I hope it does not come back...

 

[Tink rules]

Congrats on getting through to make your ressies!

Cliff diving, huh? Just make sure Planky doesn't wear a speedo...please.

Note to self... take speedo out of suitcase...

 

[pperfectmom]

OOH!! I wanna do PFTS so much. Last year we wanted to but couldn't justify the $$$ along with that of a babysitter. Are the glasses by Riedel? That would be sweet. I am really hoping to sneak in an adults only trip next year for my 40th you know what during the F & W Fest(even though my b-day is not during that time ).

 

[PinkPrincessZ]

Hey Brenda!

The food porn is incredible, but tell me...do they offer high tables to perch your plate while eating or are you standing and balancing? I've heard it's hard to find and keep a sit-down table at Senses - and that's fine since there's so much to see and EAT and DRINK - but I hate juggling while eating.

This is way off topic, but I've been wanting to ask you about the Chef's Table at V&A. I would like to take my DH there for our 15 year anniversary in 2009- I went with my mom last October (main dining room) and it was diiiviiine - but is the Chef's Table romantic enough to fit the occasion? He loves Top Chef and Iron Chef America, so I thought he'd get a kick out of the behind-the-scenes aspect of a fine dining restaurant. I'm just not sure about the atmosphere of a kitchen for an anniversary dinner. Your opinion is appreciated!

 

[DisneyLaura]

I like watching the Food Network too. I think I read in another TR that Colette Peters was there too. Did you see her?

 

[CampbellScot]

so so so glad that the tummy icks were over for y'all BEFORE the "Meet Keegan Gerhard Event"!!!!

I love me some Keegan Gerhard...those Food Network Challenges really float my boat!

It sure looks like a LOT of fun!! Although it would have been more fun if there had been a DUCKSTICK!!!!





The self portrait is FAB as usual. Y'all can't seem to take a bad picture!!! Jay looks very perky and much better than I'm sure he looked the day before!

Can't wait for more!!!

 

[BriarRosie]

Saturday, October 20th - Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... Eat, Drink ... You Get the General Idea, Don't You?

Rather than give you a lot of backstory with this post, I'm just going to cut right to the chase. Party for the Senses is held every Saturday night during the Food & Wine Festival - it actually begins with reserved seating at the Eat to the Beat Concert at the America Gardens Theatre. Then guests make their way over to the World ShowPlace tucked behind some large gates between the UK and Canada. From 6:30PM until 9PM ravenous guests are treated to the offerings of more than 25 eminent chefs from around the country as well as more than 70 wines and beers. At random times during the evening guests are fortunate enough to also see acts from Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba.

Cost to attend PFTS in October 2007...?

$135 per person, plus tax.

This was our first chance, finally, to attend this event. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Disney holds the line on F&W price increases for a while...cue hysterical laughter...because the cost to attend PFTS has increased by 42% since 2005, when it was only $95 per person.

Yes, I remember that $95 back in the "good old days" of 2005. That had been my most recent PFTS until the one I reviewed from October 13, 2007. Sadly, I cannot use any emotes that I want to use because you used up all your picture space! (insert furious emote here). Anyway, the $95 was a real bargain, and I think the price was even less the prior year! Disney realized that they were practically giving away their food, I guess.

Jay and I thought it was worth every penny we spent to attend - the food and the alcohol were amazing and the performances by Cirque were incredible. But the price tag is already steep; if it increases much more we could save money by just having dinner at Victoria and Albert's instead.

I was thinking that, too. If the break even point is less at Vicki and Al's Diner, I'd rather do that instead.

There were a group of us here on the DIS who were planning on meeting up prior to the event so that we could share the evening together. For a whole bunch of different reasons, this unfortunately did not happen. Jay and I were very sorry not to have had the chance to meet everyone - when we arrived at the event "staging" area there were already massive crowds and we thought it was best to just get in line and hope to run into everyone during the course of the evening. Had we realized just how large this event is, I doubt that we would have made such an error in judgement.

There was a bright DISnote - we were lucky enough to share the evening with Shovan and her husband, who are really two of the nicest people you could ever want to meet. I looked for Yearbook50, having met her briefly the day before at Le Cellier's F&W pairing, but never did see her.

Yeah, the venue is huge. I managed to completely avoid my event's cattle herd by being fashionably late, even though it was 6:15pm! But we did finally see Meli near the end of our evening.

And now, for your viewing pleasure ....

Party for the Senseless

Let us in ... we're hungry!

Open up already!!!

To the uninitiated looking at the photos:
The first cattle area is outside the venue, but just inside the gated doors, where they give you the notched plate for the wine glass, the wine glass itself, and the menu/brochure. The second cattle area is just inside, where you wait for them to move the curtain aside for the cattle to rush in for the tables.

One thing I should explain - the venue that this event is held in is extremely large. Guests are all given a program with color-coded sections that detail all the food and beverage offerings for the evening. Once inside the main portion of the venue, guests will see large colored canvas awnings hanging from the ceiling. Those awnings correspond with the colored sections of the program. So if something sounds particularly tasty from one section, find the matching awning and there your treat will be!

I did things differently this year. I didn't wander aimlessly looking for items in each color coded section. I systematically ate my way through each section, starting in the back of the venue, working my way forward.

Guests are also given a lovely wine glass to drink from during the course of the event and to take home as a keepsake. We tried to take a picture of it, but it just didn't work; trust me when I tell you that it's a very nice glass with the Epcot F&W Festival logo etched on it.

Each year, the glass seems to get bigger and bigger. It's a big honkin' glass for sure.

Color-coded gastronomic joy...

Yep, the color-coded jellyfish. Ditch the program and just graze and nosh your way around. I didn't even really bother returning to the table occupied by my friends, at least half the night.

Squeeee! It's Keegan Gerhard!

It's still Keegan! Or should that be Squeegan?

I just have to say that Keegan Gerhard seems like the nicest guy. As the event first started there were a lot of ladies gathered around his booth watching him and his dessert but no one was really talking. So I took a deep breath and said, "My husband and I really enjoy watching you on Food Network. I bet you hear that all the time, dont you?"

He has the cutest smile. And he said, "It's great to know that people are watching Food Network."

And then I heard myself say, "I like Food Network but I love chocolate so may I please have some?"

And you can see his strategically placed Food Network logo on his chef's whites. Coincidence? (insert thinking emote here). I have a Keegan story from a few years ago. I thought I mentioned it either here or in my trip report. TDC Nala went to Keegan's demo earlier in the day, and she was raving about the fantastic the marshmallows he made. She had a "he's standing right behind me, isn't he..." moment. And yes, Keegan was standing right there, and we gushed more about his desserts.

Here are pictures of some of the other food stations and chefs from that evening.

What does that Keegan guy have that I don't?

Love the facial expression. I think you totally nailed that caption.

Some woman in a blue dress just came through and ate all of our food...

They look like the women who bowed and scraped to my friend and me when we went to Tokyo Dining.

We love it when guests match the decor!

I almost spit out my Diet Dr. Pepper! I was laughing so hard when I saw this caption! Oh you are wicked! (insert stirring the pot emote here)

OK, OK ... here comes the food. Please note that everything you see was shared between Jason and me - that's how we were able to eat so much in the first place. Get out your drool buckets!!

Miso-glazed salmon, onion sesame sticky rice, and pickled cucumber salad - Chef Jon Ashton, John Ashton Enterprises, Orlando, FL

Pan seared snapper with sweet corn pancakes - Chef Nicholas Crispino, Olivia's Cafe, Disney's Old Key West Resort, Orlando, FL

These fish dishes look incredible. And no blurry photos, either.

Smoked pheasant rillette with pickled celeriac and granny smith apples - Chef Edward Mendoza, Citricos, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Orlando, FL

This dish just screams Thurston Howell III and Lovey Howell. 'Why yes, dahling. I just adored the smoked pheasant. I remember how they would serve this at the club..." (insert snooty emote here)

Shrimp, tuna, and octopus ceviche (in the martini glass) and Alfajores: mini cornflower cookie filled with caramel - chefs from Lima Peru

Oh yum. Ceviche rocks. I skipped the Peru offering of the prior week because it was the same as the dish I hated at the Peru kiosk.

Utopias!!! Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA

I have a funny story about the Utopias. I had my wine glass with me when I found their booth and just assumed that they were going to pour me a taste ...heh heh heh. Not likely. According to Sam Adams this stuff is about 25% alcohol by volume (I think) and they just want you to have taste of the finer side of beer so that you'll rush out the next day and purchase a $200 bottle of the stuff.

Despite being give a spit-cup of Utopias, Jay and I both agreed that it was incredible. It looked like a tawny port and tasted like a mellow sherry. And we are on a quest to purchase some now. We wants it. We needs it. We must have the Utopiassssssssss.

Oh yessss. Utopiasssss precioussssss. I think they gave you a generous portion, actually. But I couldn't take a pic of it without the cool shiny bottle it comes in.

Party for the Senseless to be continued in the next update - I'm out of picture space and it's waaaaaaaaay past my bedtime. Thanks for reading!

Hopefully I'll be able to emote in the next installment!

 

[O_Jr71]

Hello!!! i just joined the dis like 3 days so i obviously new nothing about your thread. I found it yesterday and read the entire thing. I just finished and it was great! it just put me in the Disney mood (even more than usual ) i can't wait to see the rest of what you have to say---woohoo!!!

 

[whogirl'smom]

Yummy, yum yum yum!!!! Everything looks so good, as I sit here eating my fat free potato chips and french onion dip for lunch. Huh, I bet PFTS didn't have any of THAT.....

 

[Robert P]

... and two plastic lobsters.

So the head chef said "Twas no woman. Twas a remorseless eating machine. Arrrrr......."

 

[maxiesmom]

Ohhhh, the food looks divine, but my clausterphobia and I don't do crowds. Did you feel like you were packed in, or could you breathe?

Keegan is good, but Tyler would be better!

 

[cntkg1]

First, I'm glad to see you grew your leg back Bendy.

Secondly, I actually saw a few things that I might eat and they weren't even desserts ! I'm getting there, I truly think I am. (When's dessert?)

 

[Timon]

I finally got the chance to come by and read the last 3 reviews

I'm sorry to hear that Jay was so sick I know what it's like to be in WDW and be really sick and it's so not fun

That beef dish at your Le Cellier pairing looked sooo delicious! Why did they have to mess it up with all those mushrooms

Room service also looked really good, what did that set you back...$75???

The Party for the Senseless It looks like fun. Very expensive fun but still fun. If we drank, I definitely would do this but for us it would be a huge waste of money unless of course they offered the hot dogs/fries/burgers section with pairings of iced tea

Some of those desserts looked like they would be good

Thanks for the reports and I look forward to Senseless Two!

 

[BabyPiglet]

Great reviews!

 

[my3disneygirls]

OMG! The pics of the Senseless seafood dishes literally has my mouth watering. Which is no easy feat because I'm sick as a dog and my mouth has been dryer than cotton balls all day.