Sssh....don't tell anyone...we're cheating on CSR -- Contest -- Days 6 & 7--#3516

[KatMark]

So we had finished swimming and we did most of our packing and then took showers so we could go meet Nicki and Todd for dinner. I took a picture of the two of us because we only had one from this trip up until then:

This was our favorite place last year and definitely will be on the list every time we visit. We were off to Da Ru Ma -- a Japanese Steak & Seafood Restaurant. Here are some pics of the food being prepared:

Here's Mark and Todd enjoying their veggies and rice:

The food was OUTSTANDING once again (although this trip we did have some rather "odd" people sitting with us). I had the shrimp and steak and Mark had the steak and chicken; Todd had the chicken and shrimp and Nicki had the steak with extra broccoli.

Soon it was time to go, but before we did we took a few pictures outside.

Me and Todd (one of the sweetest guys you will ever want to meet...love him):

Mark and the hot rod realtor of Marco Island (Nicki):

And the four of us one more time:

You will NEVER guess where we stopped on the way back to the hotel and before Nicki and Todd went home. Yep, one more Starbucks. The four of us sat inside and drank our coffee and chatted and then were kindly told the store was closing in eight minutes and we could continue outside if we wanted. At this point, we were all exhausted and Mark and I had to be up at 3:30 to shower, finish packing and drive to the airport.

We feel so very blessed that I found Nicki here on the DIS and in the process have become sisters/best friends. We just love her and Todd and can't imagine our lives without them.

Once I am caught up, I will get back to our pre-trip for Disney.

 

[glennbo123]

Your food pictures are making me hungry!! Both from this page and a couple of pages back.

I'm glad you had such a wonderful time.

 

[dizneeat]

So sad to see your trip coming to an end! But you really ended it on a high note - 3 visits to Starbucks! ........ AND Nicki and Todd!

Love all the food photos and fun comments!

 

[annmarieda]

I am so glad you were able to have such a nice time... and enjoy your starbucks

 

[tinacaplan]

So happy for all of you that you had such a wonderful trip...and no car issues this time!

We love hibachi, too. It's delicious and I can't believe I'd never done it before about six months ago. Its always interesting to see who you'll sit with in a situation like that, sometimes people are nice and, well normal...and sometimes, not so much!

Great picture of the four of you, btw.

 

[marvali]

The Japanese restaurant looks great and the food looks delicious!!! Glad you had such a good time and made it home safely!

 

[englishrose47]

Great pix of the four of you and the Japanese food looked awesome. Teppon Edo is a must do for the family!!It was the first place Kyle requested !! He did call it the Onion Volcano place ,but I knew what he meant

 

[KatMark]

Your food pictures are making me hungry!! Both from this page and a couple of pages back.

I'm glad you had such a wonderful time.

Thanks, Glen. The food was awesome!

So sad to see your trip coming to an end! But you really ended it on a high note - 3 visits to Starbucks! ........ AND Nicki and Todd!

Love all the food photos and fun comments!

Thank you, Karin. I'm sad it ended too, but it won't be long before we do it all over again.

I am so glad you were able to have such a nice time... and enjoy your starbucks

Thanks, Ann. I have to get over to your PTR and see what is new.

So happy for all of you that you had such a wonderful trip...and no car issues this time!

We love hibachi, too. It's delicious and I can't believe I'd never done it before about six months ago. Its always interesting to see who you'll sit with in a situation like that, sometimes people are nice and, well normal...and sometimes, not so much!

Great picture of the four of you, btw.

Thanks, Tina. We stayed off US 41 just to be sure no car problems. We don't have a really good hibachi here unless we go downtown which is the last thing I want to do because I work down there. So we really enjoy it in Florida.

I thought the last picture of the four of us was the best of the group.

We talked about you and Karin a couple of times.

The Japanese restaurant looks great and the food looks delicious!!! Glad you had such a good time and made it home safely!

Marv, it was delicious and I overate. Travel home was pretty smooth and I wasn't too tense on the flight.

Great pix of the four of you and the Japanese food looked awesome. Teppon Edo is a must do for the family!!It was the first place Kyle requested !! He did call it the Onion Volcano place ,but I knew what he meant

Thanks, Rosie. We've never done Teppon Edo...I'll have to put it on a future list.

 

[elaine1109]

Hi Kathy, Just got back from the beach and the first thing I did was go to your thread to read all about your visit to Naples and Nickie!!! It certainly sounds like you had a great time. It seems that Nickie knows just where to take you guys for the best food. Glad you got home safely ( I HATE to fly) and hope you have an easy week at work!! Elaine

 

[KatMark]

Hi Kathy, Just got back from the beach and the first thing I did was go to your thread to read all about your visit to Naples and Nickie!!! It certainly sounds like you had a great time. It seems that Nickie knows just where to take you guys for the best food. Glad you got home safely ( I HATE to fly) and hope you have an easy week at work!! Elaine

Thanks, Elaine. They pick some great restaurants--we loved all three of them.

We were in Charlotte today; only at the airport, but my first time ever in NC.

 

[disneyfan61]

Welcome home Kathy & Mark. It looks like you had a great trip.

Great purchases. Love the beach chair candle holder & the Mickey & Minnie top is cute.

Those crab cakes look so good! The Japanese place looks really good too. We will be eating at Teppan Edo next month.

 

[All7OfUs]

More live updates! That's Nice!!

Japanese grill places are great fun- and even better with good friends!

 

[Poolrat]

Thanks, Elaine. They pick some great restaurants--we loved all three of them.

We were in Charlotte today; only at the airport, but my first time ever in NC.

Well then let me say

Did you get to sit in a rocking chair?

 

[marvali]

Marv, it was delicious and I overate. Travel home was pretty smooth and I wasn't too tense on the flight.

Well after your early morning escapades with the Hotel smoke alarms, I would suspect you WOOD be more relaxed on your flight......

We were in Charlotte today; only at the airport, but my first time ever in NC.

Should have told me! I could have been there in about 3 hours........ (FYI, only about 2 to Atlanta)

 

[lovethattink]

Great pics! Looks like you are having an amazing time!

What was the name of the restaurant with the sea food pics?

 

[goofy4prez]

Kathy, I'm glad to see you and Mark had a great time, I have enjoyed reading about your trip..... Now you did mention the folks who sat next to you at the Japanese steakhouse were odd.... If I was to sit next to you in WDW at Biergarten or Teppan Edo and didn't tell you who I was, you would be posting on here, " I sat next to some odd guy at WDW.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Welcome back Kathy! I'm glad you had a great time without car accidents, and that you managed to pull Starbucks back from the brink of bankruptcy single-handedly!

 

[pinkxray]

It sounds like you had a great trip.

All of your dinners look yummy and I love the sundress you bought.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

mmm nothing like a good japanese steak house where they cook in front of you.

we are going to one here with some friends in two weeks.

 

[KatMark]

Welcome home Kathy & Mark. It looks like you had a great trip.

Great purchases. Love the beach chair candle holder & the Mickey & Minnie top is cute.

Those crab cakes look so good! The Japanese place looks really good too. We will be eating at Teppan Edo next month.

All of the food in Naples was really, really good.

More live updates! That's Nice!!

Japanese grill places are great fun- and even better with good friends!

Speaking of "That's Nice" -- where the heck is he?

The Japanese place was fun (despite our tablemates).

Well then let me say

Did you get to sit in a rocking chair?

Thanks, Pat. No we didn't get to sit in a rocking chair. The airport was an absolute zoo. I guess you had baseball size hail and the airport was experiencing many cancellations from the day before and delays (luckily, we were on time).

Well after your early morning escapades with the Hotel smoke alarms, I would suspect you WOOD be more relaxed on your flight......
Should have told me! I could have been there in about 3 hours........ (FYI, only about 2 to Atlanta)

I can't believe you did NOT start trouble while I was gone.

We did the connection through Atlanta last year.

Great pics! Looks like you are having an amazing time!

What was the name of the restaurant with the sea food pics?

The first seafood restaurant was The Dock; the second one was Kelly's.

Kathy, I'm glad to see you and Mark had a great time, I have enjoyed reading about your trip..... Now you did mention the folks who sat next to you at the Japanese steakhouse were odd.... If I was to sit next to you in WDW at Biergarten or Teppan Edo and didn't tell you who I was, you would be posting on here, " I sat next to some odd guy at WDW.

Oh, I doubt that. Despite our differences in tastes of resorts , I doubt you would have been anything like our tablemates. Just ask Nicki.

Welcome back Kathy! I'm glad you had a great time without car accidents, and that you managed to pull Starbucks back from the brink of bankruptcy single-handedly!

Thanks, Mark. I try to do my part for Starbucks economy.

It sounds like you had a great trip.

All of your dinners look yummy and I love the sundress you bought.

I love my sundress too. And I can use it as a bathing suit cover-up as well.

mmm nothing like a good japanese steak house where they cook in front of you.

we are going to one here with some friends in two weeks.

Thanks, Dan. Have a great time...they are so much fun when they cook in front of you.