MY ADENTURES N SAN ANTONIO, BANDERA, STONEWALL TEXAS & OTHER ASSORTED SILLINESS TRIP REPORT; NOV '16

[knewton64]

So you are a red man M&M er....

What can I tell ya, I have been spoiled by Goofy's down in Downtown Disney (Orlando) as I love their rice krispy treat hand dipped in chocolate and covered in plain m&m sprinkles.....



Anywho -
about the Hotel where I will be at while in the Alamo City:

Just emailed Collette.com to see if I could "beg, plead or grovel" for a high floor room at that Hotel which IMO, would give me a nice view of the Riverwalk. Cross yer fingers on this one -


Also,
Just got done making dinner ressies at the Hard Rock Cafe for the pm of December 1st which outta be a nice way to cap off the beginning of these adventures.

Got lunch all set for Mi Tierra Restaurant as well that day -
(via their 'Hop On/ Hop Off' Double Decker Bus Tour system)



Overall, been very busy recently keeping my credit card bouncing all over the place getting the incidential side of San Antonio (Dec 2016) , Grapevine Texas (May 2017) and New Orleans (December 2017) adventures shored up and looking pretty good -


HINT #1: .......and it all started when I saw on Amazon.com that they sell Honda Car key rings.......

HINT #1a
(and I want a silver bow wrapped around my new BLUE Honda , sittin' in my driveway when I get back from Grapevine, Texas)



No offense RED M&M's but my heart belongs to BLUE.

Hint #2: I just found out at Cafe Du Monde, they DO sell hot chocolate with your beignets!!
(Yes, looking forward to my New Orleans adventure)



Which
That oughta be good since THANK GOSH I wasn't picked for Jury Duty last week!!


Had fun after leaving the Dallas Courthouse......... (after I was told OK to leave after I musta spent all but say 10 FREAKIN minutes downtown and they said, "No, we don't need the Alternates today" ......and I asked them for PROOF that I was present for Jury Duty)......... in checking out FINALLY this place:




FYI - What's funny about Tuesday Oct 4th was that for the longest of time, I was craving of all things, TACOS.......well, wudtna know it, that day was "National Taco Day" and at On the Border, they were .50 a piece!!

(I LUV anykind of Margaritas w/my Mexican food)



So, "of course," afterwards, I just had to try a wee bit of their -

Now THAT 'hit the spot" just right!!



Overall, I rather enjoyed "taste testing" their food. Not bad - only disagreement with them was their "choices" of table "spices".........


**SALT AND PEPPER** AND THAT'S IT!!
(the spices in ther beef for the tacos was nice - had a small kick to it)

Still........overall the food and atmosphere really set the mood for what's to come when I boogy on over to San Antone n a 'few more hours.....'



and
with that, my weight has stayed the same - which hey ...I will take that "all things considered....."



.....In more ways than one.
Work is getting silly again but ya know?????






**T-MINUS 1,104 MORE HOURS AND THIS ADVENURE BEGINS**





T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

Crossing my fingers you get the high floor with a view of river walk !

 

[knewton64]

Crossing my fingers you get the high floor with a view of river walk !

Nothing more "funner" than after a rather long but fun day out and about seeing the sights and sounds of the Alamo CIty, to then relax and unwind back at your hotel room with a Margarita and one beautiful view of the Riverwalk.


Hope to get a positive reply from them in a few days.........





In another news - Am flirting with taking a chocolate & wine tasting tour of Dallas on my birthday; Dec 30th -
-Just emailed the contact person for this via their "Dallas by Chocolate.com" website -

Will put it on my New Orleans TR I promise.



Stay tuned -
I can sense things are gonna begin to pick up on this adventure -
Been told by Collete.com that in about 14 more days, I will receive my travel documents!!



T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERA Y'ALL

 

[knewton64]

Here is a little Halloween ditty to keep ya n the mood until next time -

T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

The M&M video was a hoot!!

Watched it over and over


Many

 

[knewton64]

The M&M video was a hoot!!

Watched it over and over


Many

You're Welcome. Halloween brings out the kid in me -


And.....
Once I get back from San Antonio
, I plan on baking some plain M&M chocolate chip cookies Dec 30th........but this - this did catch me eye the other day:

In 'other news'
I WAS going to spend the day (Dec 30th my borthday) relaxing and having quite a blast out at the Gaylord Texan Hotel:
-(GRAPEVINE, TEXAS)-

.....complete with a Christmas character breakfast, behind the scenes tour of ICE and all the other Christmas activities you see in the above video, dinner at one of their inhouse restaurants, sip on a "few" 'ritas, chill out afterwards with a swim in their pool OR chill out back at my Hotel room with Disney music in the background w/me chilling out in their bathtub -

head off to "lights out" around 1am, then get up around 5 - blog a bit, then head off to a 3 hour spa retreat at their spa facility, have a lunch there and then ......

RATS!!

head back to my home country, "Reality-land."



BUT........
and I do say a rather loud BBUUTT.........


IMO, this hotel property doesn't know nor has any clue how to service the Guest is what I am finding out!!


1) Per se, I can't even get this Hotel to tell me if there is availibility for 2 people for the VIP Behind the scenes tour of ICE on December 30th and if so, what time.........

1a)Which would then set into play me innertwining around what I have listed above for what I am trying to do......


2)They are emailing me back giving me other phone numbers to call to "better assistance" and these numbers turn out to the Law Firms.......


3) Their Central Reservation department tells me to call "Guest Relations"......
Guest Relations tells me to email tickets at Gaylord.com..........


4) a)texanticketing@gaylordhotels.com] , b)TexanReservations@GaylordHotels.com, c)texanfeedback@gaylordhotels.com are obviously non existent departments designed just to drive first time Guests to be (like me) batty and to the point of giving up.........

4D) i HAVE SPENT FIVE DAYS TALKING W/4 different email addresses, their Central Reservations phne number, their Customer Care Department, their Front Desk at Gaylord Texan, etc and NO ONE can answer my question number one I have listed above. I have been misdirected so many times by all of 4a, given the wrong information so many times, and I feel that it is more than time for me to take a step back and redirect my feelings of where to celebrate my birthday.......


Which is what I am doing with the Gaylord Hotel since they don't know what they are doing, IMHO. But yes, the 4 above listed things is just but a small taste of what I have experienced with them. I mean, its as if no department anywhere inside the Gaylord gives nor cares enough to service the Guest. They ALL seem to have a "That's not my Department" attitude and
"mis"-direct me elsewhere...........well, whereas they are entitled to have their opinion, so do I and I am choosing to vote with my feet and my wallet and go elsewhere to enjoy the Christmas spirit.

Overall though,
I feel what would be better for L.B. & I
is to chill out at home, bake some much needed round or two of sausage balls and chocolate chip cookies.......with M&Ms of couse while Ladybug and I enjoy a little bit of the Holiday mood ......before the 1st of the year hits and I get to 'enjoy' the college football crowd, etc here in DFW...........



and yes, I can gone through severall edits on this blog entry to keep it positive and not a rant as well.....this is a DISney website and I plan on making today a wonderful day so please to those of you kind enough to be reading my travel blogs, please understand of what threw me off guard with the Gaylord but that I am finding other positive things to do on my birthday in making it a special day.



Anywho & on a more positive topic -
I thought I would back up and put a few videos up on page one of some of the other places I will be seeing while on this adventure -


Like for example -

OM GOSH!! It is gonna to sooooo freakin' he-larry-ous if we do wind up going to a Dude Ranch while out in Bandera, Texas. Actually, I am looking forward to it if we do - been soooooo lond since I have been to one, so yup - pics and videos I will be a takin' where I can I promise.



GOOD GRIEF!! Is is that time for me to break out my 26 inch suitcase and put a few things n it????



**888 MORE HOURS AND THIS ADVENTURE BEGINS**





T.T.F.N.
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

Hope the hotel booking works out for you

How nice you were almost a new year baby!

 

[knewton64]

Hope the hotel booking works out for you

How nice you were almost a new year baby!

(music from one of my FAV Christmas movies)



Had quite a rather interesting last few days as I came home one day to of all things, my I-phone just a ringing off the wall.

Now I couldn't figure out what was going on so of course I picked it up and on the other end was the Gaylord Texan Hotel.

This truely came as a surprise to me but the Beagle "in me" was coming out
so I listened.

And soon felt a warm rush come over me and felt that finally -

FINALLY -

It has been so long since I have been able to do this.........


Actually celebrate my birthday ON my birthday.
(and to celebrate it at the Gaylord Texan will enhance it even more)

Now,
I normally WORK ON things like Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, New Years Eve, etc........and to be able to do this??


Celebrate my birthday ON my birthday??
WOWZERS!!



The confusion about booking it as well as the numerous additional add-ons I feel was partially on both sides -
but -
and I do say but -


what's more important is that I have learned now how to approach the Gaylord Texan Hotel so WHEN there is a next time (possibility early next year), I now know what to do.

** YA BOOK ONLINE**


So to the office of Sonya Parnel, Scooter (Central Reservations) and others......
for your patience as I do see a lot here and I plan on doing just that at the Gaylord Texan Hotel.



Per se, be on the lookout fot me to be doing A LOT of what you are seeing in the previous postings video as I plan on being on my feet ALL DAY that day; December 30th.....


followed by a Christmas character breakfast on December 31st -
then
a nice spa retreat at the Hotel........

quick bite to eat at their Sports bar before I hafta go back home to my home country......


"REALITY-LAND."
(and yes, be on the lookout for me to post plenty of pics and video from my stay at the Gaylord) -



And with that, I feel this will make for a very beautiful way to bring this adventure to a close as I slowly will begin the 1st of the year picking up all things Cajun
as I make my way then onto the Great Wolfe Lodge and my new car (May '17).


and my new travel 'trip report' blog.



**T-MINUS 720 MORE HOURS AND THIS ADVENTURE BEGINS**




T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[knewton64]

P.S.S.
Ghesh!!! I will actually admit it!! I am actually watching the below to get all caught up......
since this years theme at the Gaylord is about that Jolly Old Fat Man with a little round belly......

okokok......so their presentation isn't 'quite' like Mariah Carey's.....




T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

I am a patient person

Take your time and I will still be here checking for when you return

 

[knewton64]

I am a patient person

Take your time and I will still be here checking for when you return

I'm back.
The Gaylord Texan situation has just put me in quite a Christmas spirit
so without further adieu......

(just a guess......this was filmed at the Dallas Arboretum??)




....and in celebration of Fredericksburg Texas via my San Antonio adventures, I just ordered some Peppernuts thru Prairieharvest.com......


gonna make some Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe | Taste of Home next time I get the chance to pair them both up together for a pretty good snack in the next few weeks.


After all, ya know what they say -


HO Ho Ho and deck them Halls -




T.T.F.N.
&
CHHERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

Hee haw and send me some of those treats too!

 

[knewton64]

Hee haw and send me some of those treats too!

I promise.
Now about these next few weeks......

FYI - how to annoy Friends and Co-workers in three easy steps
......just start playing Christmas music NOW and watch their reaction = PRICELESS.

Besides, what can I say?? It just feels nice to now be in 'vacation mode' for these next 60 days before I turn around and focus 100% on that Honda Civic CE....




ANYWHO -

Just put in for my request for time off to buy my new Honda Civic -
as well as first week in May to celebrate buying that bugger..............





***T-MINUS 599 MORE HOURS AND THIS ADVENTURE BEGINS****





T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

local walmart started the christmas music and holiday stuff early last month.....

but your video is sweet and enjoyable...

 

[knewton64]

local walmart started the christmas music and holiday stuff early last month.....

but your video is sweet and enjoyable...

- Ya made my day -




My recipe of taking vacations is to totally immerse yourself in it, drink it up for all that its worth and just when you get to the point of what you thik is "over-planning" and or "What in the World did I get myself into??"

The vacation turns magically into an adventure...
.....right before your very eyes.



Just received my travel documents yesterday from Collette Vacations.com.....
YES, I WILL BE bringing my I=phone and laptop when I head down to San Antone -


Will have plenty of "It's 5-o'clock Somehwere Moments" while there...
I have been known to nibble on chocolate, crisps, cheese and wine while blogging....


Gonna be fun to see who I run into or chance across while there -




T.T.F.N.
&
CHHERS Y'ALL

 

[knewton64]

A little regifting story from the heart...
A few years ago, my Dad mailed to me my Christmas gift (from Michigan) and well....let's just say that it was ummmmmmmm nice but the word tacky would have been an understatement of the year.

Ok....I know he meant well but........

He sent to me what looked like a wood carving of a oval shaped raised looking Donald Duck like meat platter......shelacked with some sort of a finish.

But the whole thing just looked like you could have placed it outside the entrance of a Tavern or bar in Colonial Philadelphia - advertising the establishment (I hope this gives a proper description of what that gaudy thing looked like).

So...... me being the creative person that I am, decided to attend a local radio station's promotional after Christmas party called a "Regifting party."

.....and I bamboozled my Wife to tag along with me

.

FYI: NEVER NEVER bring your maritial spouse along with you to a regifting party - GO ALONE

.
(hmmmm....no wonder we are Divorced)


By going ALONE,
you can pick out what Y-O-U want.

I digress -

So, she and I went in to the local shopping mall and attended the event. I tell you what there were row after row of the most gaudy stuff I have ever seen! I dang near got

just seeing these things!

From neon candles, pink Flamingos to Harley Davidson piggy banks....it was there!

No, wait a minute - I spied a Harley Davidson piggy bank! So I got to thinking.......

Since the rules of the game was to put on the table what you were regifting.....one could pick up from the table a gift that you actually wanted.

So, with great pride - I showed the DJ's what gift I was giving back (the Donald Duck wood carving) and picked up what I thought woudl be just the ideal gift for a friend of ours....who just happens to like Harleys.

As I walked back to my beloved, I showed her my booty......just to have her give me a stern look as she points back to the umteen row after table row of regifted items and says, "Put that disgusting thing back!."

.

I settled on some stationary for her (peace offering)

.


Long story short - we get home.


Later on that eveing, we were watching tv around 9:55pm.


THEN - "IT HAPPENED."

The local news was about to come on. The tv announcer was giving a tease to lead into the 10pm news. It went something like this:

"Coming up next - a local radio station has a regifting party. Lot's attended. See what was regifted. your local news is next."



NOW MIND YOU, , this tv station is on the air on tv's in the WHOLE DANG STATE OF TEXAS ......and I have a brother who lives in Houston, Texas....

And she has family locally....


Anywho -

The video of the 2 minute tease is what just dropped us to our knees.....





cuz.......

they had an establishing shot of the outide of the Shopping Mall (Grapevine, Texas).......

Then they did a quick cut to the food court (where the regifting party was held; thus showing the radio station & ALL the regifting tables)......

Then a did another quick cut to ALL the regifting tables.....

AND......


OF ALL THE TACKY REGIFTED GIFTS THEY COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO AIR ON STATE OF TEXAS WIDE TELEVISION..........

take a wild guess which one they chose to to cut to ??

And S-T-A-Y-E-D focused on for the WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS TO SEE??

YUP - You guessed it!

That Donald Duck "Meat platter" thingee! (or atleast it looked like a meat platter... I really don't know to this day what it was).


I digress -

She & I looked at each other after what appeared to be about 2 minutes of video of that tv station showing our Donald Duck meat platter......

as we both did a great imitation of that kid from the "Home Alone" movies as we yelled something like "ACCKKKKKKKKKKK"!!!!!!! to each other while we held our hands to the sides of our face...just cringing in disbelief.


We both really hoped that both familes DIDN'T see that video clip......that played continously throughout the WHOLE DAY

on that tv station.



Moral of the story??

1) NEVER TAKE your spouse to a regifting party

.
2) be discreet when you regift

cuz if ya don't watch out....you may have to backpedal verablly back to the giver of the gift and or their offended families.....like a MIL OR FIL

.

...and that would make you an ungiver of the attempted gifted gift as you tried to regift it and gifted an ungifted gift is ungift like if not discreet

.



3) and most importantly, tell your families who your favorite Disney character is cuz in my case......

MY FAV DISNEY CHARACTER IS - GOOFY

.


P.S. Besides.....atleast I was able to keep the $25 shopping mall gift certificate for myself since I "gifted her" the stationary.....as I was singing Jeff Foxworthy's "12 Redneck Days of Christmas" (I participated in a fruit cake toss tossing it through a hole 50 feet away and won a gift certificate)

.




UP NEXT:
What it was like meeting the "The Big Guy" himself from this bunch of People:

psstt!!! I thought I'd throw a little Thanksgiving curve ball atcha to keep me "honest"





AND -

OMG!!
I'VE GOTTA BREAK OUT MY SUITCASE AND BEGIN PUTTING N A FEW THINGS!!

**T-MINUS 550 MORE HOURS AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS**



T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

Gotta ask.....


Did the fam ever find out what happened to the duck ....?

 

[knewton64]

Gotta ask.....


Did the fam ever find out what happened to the duck ....?

Don't know but
ya raise a good point.......


...and I am a thinking.....................
after a long think -

that even an advent fan of comedian Jeff Foxworthy
wouldn't have even wanted that duck plate.




Now, about my chance meeting with "the Big Guy himself."

T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[knewton64]

Ok, so as the story goes -

I have had lots of fun over the years enjoying the sights and sounds of what comes across my path where I work at:

1) I have been in an elevator and dang near gagged on what I could swear smelled like OLD SPICE cologne!!
(not like i "know" what Old Spice smells like)

and I mean
UGH!!
EWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!

Then I began to look aorund and see a bunch of tall lanky middle aged Men and what they were waring just gave it away.....

NFL REFEREES


Then
some co-workers couldha swore they saw me "suck in" my gut when I got off the elevator.........

THE DENVER BRONCOS were in town.



BUT......
of all the things I have seen.........
meeting SANTA??
and the Radio City Rockettes??

WAY COOL -


Read on for more

**384 MORE HOURS AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS**




T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'ALL

 

[macraven]

Well only one more year and the new adventure begins !