October field report

Businessgypsy

Curiosity fed the dog
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
96
Driving back across the US from a great summer in Oregon last Wednesday, I had to have just...one...more day of vacation before facing all my Florida duties - so I stopped by for a peek at Food & Wine and the MK Halloween decorations.

Apparently, I am too spontaneous for other humans (yeah, Darcy, I'm pointin' at you):), so this was truly a solo adult venture. No worries, I love solo trips to the parks and have been told I don't play well with the other children anyway.

The weather is really getting right in Orlando, and with the rugrats back in school adults have taken over once again. F&W is celebrating 15 years, and it has come a very long way from the early days. New this year is
  • Belgium nice booth, if the mussels are any indicator don't bother with the food
  • Singapore excellent beef with coconut jasmine rice
  • Charcuterie and Cheese very poorly run, go to Spain for a better charcuterie and Ireland for cheese - which is a shame, because this is such a hot foodie topic and they have completely screwed the pooch
  • South Korea killer kimchi and roast pork lettuce wraps - reminiscent of the Korean tacos storming LA and PDX foodcarts right now
  • 15 Beers for 15 Years DO NOT have beer anywhere else, unless it's an emergency. The flight of 3-6 oz tastes for $7.50 is the best deal on quality beer anywhere in WDW. If you think Sam Adams is a microbrew, well... never mind. If you are a beer snob, try the Oregon trifecta: Widmer Hefeweizen, Drifter Pale Ale and Full Sail Ale. Hoptastic!
    15beers.jpg



Best Bets of the return acts:
  • Taste of Spain charcuterie and cheese
    DSC01203.JPG
  • Irish Kerrygold cheese plate (although they dropped the butter this year and the bread is inedible without it)
  • Mexico tamal pollo (green chilierific!)
  • Any desert after sufficient alcohol

Don't forget that there's a tequila bar in the Mexican pyramid and a new pizza joint in Italy World Showcase.
napolipizza.jpg


The Halloween decorations are great at MK as usual:
frontgate.jpg

frontgarden.jpg

firehousedeco.jpg

halloweengarland.jpg

mainstreetcarving.jpg

mickeydoor.jpg

nsshp.jpg

quartetpumpkins.jpg

farewellpumpkins.jpg


The glass mosaics in the lower hall of Cinderella's castle are viewable again
cinderellamosaic.jpg


I had heard that the Toonland expansion was going to wipe out Mickey and Minnie's house but they're still there (with lots of construction in the background). Always liked this Maxfield Parrish style portrait of Minnie
minnieMP.jpg

and this unfortunate carving on the base of her couch (regretsy.com readers will understand)
minniegoatse.jpg


Apropos of nothing, Jasmine seems to have been doing a little ab work lately
jasmineabs.jpg


Roy Disney was famous for saying "If you can dream it, you can do it" - and was even paraphrased by Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenfurter: ("Don't dream it, be it"). I like Walt's followup, though - posted on the construction fence for the Toonland expansion:
WWDD.jpg

so enough talking - it's Sunday, and that low tide beach sand isn't going to hang around for my bike ride forever.
 
Driving from Oregon to Orlando. Now that is a drive.
You definitely deserved a day at the f&w.
 
Driving from Oregon to Orlando. Now that is a drive. You definitely deserved a day at the f&w.
I take the backroads and all the time I need - it's a blast! Round trip this year was just over 9,000 miles. There's a lot of the US to see once you get off of the interstate. I outfitted one of those weird Mercedes Sprinter vans as a stealth RV, and just went where the wind blew me.
 
Driving back across the US from a great summer in Oregon last Wednesday, I had to have just...one...more day of vacation before facing all my Florida duties - so I stopped by for a peek at Food & Wine and the MK Halloween decorations.

Apparently, I am too spontaneous for other humans (yeah, Darcy, I'm pointin' at you):), so this was truly a solo adult venture. No worries, I love solo trips to the parks and have been told I don't play well with the other children anyway.

The weather is really getting right in Orlando, and with the rugrats back in school adults have taken over once again. F&W is celebrating 15 years, and it has come a very long way from the early days. New this year is
  • Belgium nice booth, if the mussels are any indicator don't bother with the food
  • Singapore excellent beef with coconut jasmine rice
  • Charcuterie and Cheese very poorly run, go to Spain for a better charcuterie and Ireland for cheese - which is a shame, because this is such a hot foodie topic and they have completely screwed the pooch
  • South Korea killer kimchi and roast pork lettuce wraps - reminiscent of the Korean tacos storming LA and PDX foodcarts right now
  • 15 Beers for 15 Years DO NOT have beer anywhere else, unless it's an emergency. The flight of 3-6 oz tastes for $7.50 is the best deal on quality beer anywhere in WDW. If you think Sam Adams is a microbrew, well... never mind. If you are a beer snob, try the Oregon trifecta: Widmer Hefeweizen, Drifter Pale Ale and Full Sail Ale. Hoptastic!
    15beers.jpg



Best Bets of the return acts:
  • Taste of Spain charcuterie and cheese
    DSC01203.JPG
  • Irish Kerrygold cheese plate (although they dropped the butter this year and the bread is inedible without it)
  • Mexico tamal pollo (green chilierific!)
  • Any desert after sufficient alcohol

Don't forget that there's a tequila bar in the Mexican pyramid and a new pizza joint in Italy World Showcase.
napolipizza.jpg


The Halloween decorations are great at MK as usual:
frontgate.jpg

frontgarden.jpg

firehousedeco.jpg

halloweengarland.jpg

mainstreetcarving.jpg

mickeydoor.jpg

nsshp.jpg

quartetpumpkins.jpg

farewellpumpkins.jpg


The glass mosaics in the lower hall of Cinderella's castle are viewable again
cinderellamosaic.jpg


I had heard that the Toonland expansion was going to wipe out Mickey and Minnie's house but they're still there (with lots of construction in the background). Always liked this Maxfield Parrish style portrait of Minnie
minnieMP.jpg

and this unfortunate carving on the base of her couch (regretsy.com readers will understand)
minniegoatse.jpg


Apropos of nothing, Jasmine seems to have been doing a little ab work lately
jasmineabs.jpg


Roy Disney was famous for saying "If you can dream it, you can do it" - and was even paraphrased by Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenfurter: ("Don't dream it, be it"). I like Walt's followup, though - posted on the construction fence for the Toonland expansion:
WWDD.jpg

so enough talking - it's Sunday, and that low tide beach sand isn't going to hang around for my bike ride forever.

So sorry you couldn't magically pull another day out of your hat. I would have been all over that one. Next time just call. ROFLMAO. . .I wear a scrub hat all day and cannot pull off Bohemian Chic without a shower and a phone call to my lawyer, accountant and driver. . . .lol.
 

Have to agree with you on the 15 beer kiosk, some good brews there!

Your choice of transport sounds interesting.
 
Having the TIME to make it a fun and adventurous drive sounds very cool.
Yes, there are a lot of very interesting places to see in this great country.
I look forward to having the time to do another cross country trip again, but in the meantime I have to settle with Alaska's nonstop out of Seattle. :)
 
Great pics! Especially the mosaics! For some reason, they are the epitome of my childhood Disney memories - it ranks right up there with looking in the windows on Main Street and Mr. Toad's ride.

Love the Halloween decorations too. I have tickets for MNSSHP on the 22nd. Can't wait!
 
..Especially the mosaics!...right up there with looking in the windows on Main Street...
Yeah, I was dumbfounded when they covered up part of those mosaic murals to make a backstage for the castle live shows. An amazing work not only in size, but in detail
DSC01272.JPG

The window design work on Main Street is better than ever. Always come away with some new ideas for architectural and other design projects. Have a great time on the 22nd!
 
Great close up. I agree, it's easy to find design inspiration on Disney property. And Thanks!
 
Thanks for sharing...I'll be there in 9 days and I cannot wait to see all the Halloween decorations. I will have try the 15 beer kiosk! :thumbsup2
 
Thanks for the great pictues of Halloween!!

Yeah, you need a vacation after that long drive!!
 
...Yeah, you need a vacation after that long drive!!
The drive was the most relaxing part of the whole thing. Climbing the continental divide, roadrunners keeping pace, lonely two lane roads and Sam Bush's sweet mandolin poems pouring out of the XM. Pure bliss for a guy and dog. Diagonal backroad transcontinental roadtrips are better than yachting, jetsetting, group backpacking or any other getaway I've ever tried.
 
It sounds like you had a wonderful journey to florida. You make a cross country roadtrip sound joyous.
 


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