Something About Nothing...........#8

[Mad Hattered]

For my appetizer I chose the Roasted pork belly with poached quince, arugula, chestnut chips, quince vinegar, pressure cooked mustard seeds...

Dana chose the Warm piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese, toasted pinenuts, golden raisins, Pedro Ximenez vinegar...

I just have to say YUCK to hers! I hate goat cheese with a passion. I tasted a microscopic bite.....nuff said.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Oh yeah.....at the beginning we had bread with some awesome balsamic vinegar...

For my main course I chose Braised Angus short ribs, Spanish beans, braised wild mushrooms, green onions, apple wood smoked bacon. Sorry for the crappy pic. I was still shaking from that earlier goat cheese incident!

It was good but I would definitely choose another entree if I were to eat there again.

Dana chose Diver scallops with roasted sweet potato, escarole, foie gras, Pedro Ximenez wine reduction. Hers was awesome except for the foie gras. Neither of us had tried that before.....we can now check that off the bucket list.

Overall we really enjoyed the dinner although it was quite pricey. It was a nice way to start the trip.

 

[macraven]

i have no idea on half of the stuff you ate.........


foie gras.
i have no clue on what it looks like.


i don't get out enough.




loving your pictures though!

 

[Mad Hattered]

i have no idea on half of the stuff you ate.........


foie gras.
i have no clue on what it looks like.


i don't get out enough.




loving your pictures though!

Thanks, Mac. I've got more ready to upload. As far as Foie Gras goes.....it's that little piece of meat on top of the cabbage rolls. It's goose liver and I don't understand the hype.

 

[minniejack]

Aww mac, the pain...

Yay food porn...those pics look simply divine...

 

[Mad Hattered]

On Thursday morning we headed out to the parks. It was a simple 10 minute walk from our door to the gates of Disneyland or California Adventure.

We stopped and got a cheap breakfast at the restaurant in the Anaheim Plaza hotel which was caddy corner and across the street from us. We popped in there and had 2 eggs, 2 sausages, hash browns, 2 pieces of bacon and toast for $5.00. It was quick, cheap and got something in our tummies.

We arrived at the gates at 9:00 am only to realize it was Magic Mornings (that's what they call them there). We couldn't get into the parks until 10 and cringed at the crowds lining up.

The line was backed all the way up to the other park and 10 rows wide.

Eventually the sucky normal people got to get in line. I don't think I've ever seen a clock move slower. And then once you're in it's like....what time is it already?!

 

[Mad Hattered]

My first pic inside the park was of Walt's apartment above the firehouse...

We finally made our way up Main Street. They were doing construction on the trolley tracks....hence the obstruction. This was gone on Friday....and so was the sun...

Eventually we made our way up to the hub. Seriously, Dana laughed out loud as we were walking up toward the "castle". She was shocked at just how small it was compared to the MK. I had warned her...but until you see it for yourself for the first time after growing up at WDW...you really can't imagine it. I was starting to feel bad for the "tiny castle" because she was verbally assaulting that thing! Not where other people could hear....it was quite entertaining!

After eventually leaving the "tiny castle" alone, things only went up from there...

 

[Mad Hattered]

The very first ride we did was Indiana Jones. I thought this was cool on my one and only visit to DL years ago...and Dana totally agreed. Her exact words were "I can't believe WDW doesn't have this ride...WTH?" I tried to take pics in there but no luck. They came out like crap. We ended up riding this 5 times on our trip. It, and Space Mountain are by far the most popular rides at DL.

We then worked our way over to New Orleans to do POTC. Their version is MUCH better than the WDW version. Also, their SM blows WDW out of the water...not even close!!! You sit side by side and the effects, speakers in the seats and smoothness are "worlds" apart from the other.

The Haunted Mansion looks very different. I give the edge to WDW on this one. Their recent update pushes it over the edge IMO...

 

[Mad Hattered]

We made our way over to Fantasy Land...

Where we rode some old classics...

And how appropriate was our car for Snow White?

 

[Mad Hattered]

We had dinner reservations in the other park at 5:30 so we headed there. We ate at Ariel's Grotto which came with a special reserved viewing area for World of Color (only the most awesome show Disney has EVER put on, IMO and think WDW will have it soon). It was a fixed menu and was $40 pp. The food was "good" but it was more about the viewing area for us.

Which was located in the Paradise Pier section of DCA...

 

[macraven]

i love your pictures!

the castle.....
first time i have seen a pic of it.
it looks beautiful.


keep posting away Mr Mad....

 

[Mad Hattered]

You had a choice of two appetizer towers, and entree choice and a fixed dessert plate.

We "chose" the app tower that included shellfish and clams and were brought the other one. We were at Disney so we just tried to make it magical (we should have verbally abused them like the "tiny castle" but were nice). Please excuse me snapping a pic while Dana was sampling said tower...she would verbally abuse me like the "tiny castle" if she knew I was posting it...

\

It consisted of manchego cheese, olives, peppers, grilled vegetables, cured meats, mozzarella cheese and salad

Oh yeah....and sourdough bread with 3 dipping sauces. We don't eat a lot of bread so I keep forgetting about that...

I chose the Ciopinno for my entree...

While Dana chose the Tri Tip...

We then got the dessert platter. That film strip is made of white chocolate. I sorta felt bad eating the Disney characters but I got over it. We don't eat a lot of sweets but we did sample all of it. I'm sorry for eating your face Pocahontas.

And then we got to see WOC. I'm currently uploading a video that's going to take quite a bit of time. I will be back with that.....

 

[keishashadow]

i love your pictures!

the castle.....
first time i have seen a pic of it.
it looks beautiful.
QUOTE]

must've skipped my TR a few years ago

thanks for mr toaddying here, can't decide which comment is funnier...sucky offsite guests or feeling bad eating disney charactars...tagworthy! i admit i find i can't eat duck anymore

congrats on the new baby coastermom!

mj - evidently the wind shifted, we got our 8 inches & more, no skool, roads so bad it took oldest DS another 4 hours to get home. They live another 10 miles out in the boonies than me, not sure if im going to watch the bambino today or not at this point...if not i'll start shoveling snow.

 

[minniejack]

MH You've made my day.

I swear every time you post something, I have to google the recipe and try it out. You are making me work.

I remember one time when we lived in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia, we were supposed to get heavy rain and it turned into 36" of snow. It took DH 8 hrs to get home, then he decided that instead of shoveling with me (our drive was 1/2 mile long) that he would just compact it with his truck. No, I did not have a four wheel drive at that point. Yupp. Pretty much stuck for weeks after that brilliant move. Two toddlers. Horses and cows behind us for company. Luckily, power, but no phone or cable. Yupp. Fun. And we're still married.

 

[keishashadow]

MH timed it right - package left in DTD caused the bomb squad to come out & area closed, hope it's nothing

 

[Mad Hattered]

MH timed it right - package left in DTD caused the bomb squad to come out & area closed, hope it's nothing

Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis? I can't find anything online about it.

 

[keishashadow]

http://www.ocregister.com/news/suspicious-289321-object-downtown.html

false alarm, object was related to geocaching...only in California

 

[Mad Hattered]

TEST.....this damn video is killing me here

 

[Mad Hattered]

OK...finally got this to work the way I wanted it to. And now on with the show....well....a tiny portion of the show. I think you will get it. It's much clearer in person. This is the view from the bottom of the stairs in the Preferred Dining section.

This is all water, projection, lights and lasers. This WILL be at WDW at some point. It's a cluser%^$* to get an admission ticket to this thing...I guarantee the peeps in FL are paying attention.

When you click on the link below you may be asked for a password. If so it's mickey


http://s156.photobucket.com/albums/t34/voorhees_2007/Disneyland%202011/WOC/

 

[minniejack]

MH first the food, now the lights and action...take us with you next time