The Scooter Strikes Back-A F&W 2017 TR- Bonus Features, Link to new TR 3/22

[Dis_Yoda]

Too bad you only got to he festival once! At least you got to try the braised pork belly! Yum!!!!

Your thanksgiving meal looks good even if your starter was a miss. I could go for that filet and soufflé right now!

 

[franandaj]

How surprising about the kitty!

You're telling me!

I loooove sticky toffee pudding!

I had never had it before. I'm gonna need to find a recipe now.

Yay for renting the apartment!

Such a relief!

What a lovely dinner! Too bad there were some items you didn't like.

I'll need to be more specific in future meals.

The great nards/balls debate! I love us!

 

[pooh'smate]

Yay for getting the apartment rented.

The food looked really good. I love Sticky Toffee Pudding and I make a different Buche de Noel (Yule Log) every year as our Christmas dinner dessert.

 

[Pinkocto]

Congratulations on the apartment, that’s awesome news!

Oh my about Amelia. Berlioz is a fabulous name. Glad he’s feeling better.

I’m so sad about the trip changes, but so glad you are still able to do the MNSSHP and the cruise. Glad you were able to compromise with Fran and she can still do the concert. Its still going to be an awesome trip.

Yummy treats at the booths. The Fantasu usually has sticky toffee pudding at least one day in Cabanas. Mom raves about it.

Your Thanksgiving dinner looks fabulous. Sorry about the coconut on the soup.

 

[Steppesister]

We may even enjoy some today!

We did! We did!!

The other big news is that the unit on 1st street rented.

YAY!!!! I was so happy for that!

We are still going on the cruise and we are flying in a couple days early, but we had to cut the stay in the Grand Villa following the cruise.

So a good news/bad news kind of change.

At least we still get to go on the cruise and attend MNSSHP.

So not all is lost.

I just spent a fabulous weekend at Disney and some DIS friends came into town, we hung out at various locations culminating with a day at the DL parks, but that will also be for a later update.

Looking forward to hearing about that!

How can you possibly go wrong with queso and chips?!

While we did make it back to Disney several more times over the Holiday Season, this would be our only opportunity to visit the Holiday kiosks.

But you did some serious damage while you could. WHOA, Girl!

Here was our “miss” of the evening. We were served Pumpkin Soup (not my favorite) and the foam on top was a coconut foam. Both my Mom and I couldn’t get that icky foam out of our bowls fast enough! I won’t forget in the future when doing the chef’s table to always submit my list of likes and dislikes!

I dunno... that sounds pretty good to me. I think I'd actually like that.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

For me the biggest news went down while my parents were visiting. One day while we were just kickin it at the house, my mom says to me, “Alison, I think Amelia has balls.” I was skeptical at first, but on closer examination, sure enough she was a he.

Well, that's not an everyday occurrence!

The other big news is that the unit on 1st street rented.

Yay! One headache off the list!

And we'll get to see John Williams at the Bowl as we have for many years now.

Well, John Williams is a national treasure, and I don't imagine we have too many years left to enjoy him. Sorry you had to cut off the trip, though.

I just spent a fabulous weekend at Disney and some DIS friends came into town, we hung out at various locations culminating with a day at the DL parks, but that will also be for a later update.

Looked like a great group of people! Glad you all had lots of fun.

Here was our “miss” of the evening. We were served Pumpkin Soup (not my favorite) and the foam on top was a coconut foam. Both my Mom and I couldn’t get that icky foam out of our bowls fast enough! I won’t forget in the future when doing the chef’s table to always submit my list of likes and dislikes!

Ugh. I'm really done with the pumpkin fad. I don't think pumpkin improves much of anything. And coconut definitely doesn't!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I have a bit of catching up to do on the TR, but I've caught up on all the Disneyland stuff, lol. Looks like so much fun! I didn't know they had Halloween parties too, is this new? I was thinking of going to DLR next year in Sept before or after our Alaska cruise since we will be on the west coast anyhow, so thought it would be a good idea.

but then I saw this:

There has been one other major change and that relates to our trip this summer. We are still going on the cruise and we are flying in a couple days early, but we had to cut the stay in the Grand Villa following the cruise. It turns out that the weekend we had planned to stay in the Grand Villa was the same weekend that John Williams will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl back at home. Fran was ready to cut the entire trip in lieu of the performance at the Bowl. I convinced her that we could fly back the Saturday following the cruise and go to the Sunday night performance at the bowl. I'm very sad because I had quite a few DisMeets set up for this weekend, but when you're married, sometimes you have to compromise. At least we still get to go on the cruise and attend MNSSHP. And we'll get to see John Williams at the Bowl as we have for many years now.

Oh no! Does this mean no DISMeet?

I hear ya about John Williams though...we've seen him at Tanglewood in the Berkshires (Massachusetts) for film night for many years too, and not sure how long he can keep performing but I wouldn't miss it! We had to miss Tanglewood last year because of our family trip but this year we're going to see him in August!

 

[pkondz]

There's a special for So Cal residents. Must reside in zip codes 90000-93500.

Ah!

It's way back in Critter Country near Spalsh Mountain.

Not sure if I've seen it... still!

Next time!

I'll hold you to that!

When you want a drink. No, its just an adult beverage. I wanted something with a kick!

You get no kick from Champagne?

 

[pkondz]

We had a brutal few days of cleaning the house in preparation for their arrival.

And then you did it again in the backyard for us.



What you should have done was told me to come over early and I could have helped with that!

One day while we were just kickin it at the house, my mom says to me, “Alison, I think Amelia has balls.”

I know the story... but dang that's funny!

she fancies herself as a cat whisperer and often tells me about what some of the cats are thinking.

Oh, pfffttt... I can do that.
They all think "I will pretend to love you (some don't) and then I will kill you at the first sign of weakness."

I guess all the doctors were so concerned with his lungs that no one ever bothered to look at his privates!

I tend not to look at cats' privates too.

The other big news is that the unit on 1st street rented.

Knew this... but still worthy of an official "Yay!"

There has been one other major change and that relates to our trip this summer. We are still going on the cruise and we are flying in a couple days early, but we had to cut the stay in the Grand Villa following the cruise. It turns out that the weekend we had planned to stay in the Grand Villa was the same weekend that John Williams will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl back at home. Fran was ready to cut the entire trip in lieu of the performance at the Bowl. I convinced her that we could fly back the Saturday following the cruise and go to the Sunday night performance at the bowl. I'm very sad because I had quite a few DisMeets set up for this weekend, but when you're married, sometimes you have to compromise. At least we still get to go on the cruise and attend MNSSHP. And we'll get to see John Williams at the Bowl as we have for many years now.

Knew that too... but...

Well thanks to Carbonite I have all my data back on my new computer.

Good!! I don't think you'd told us that.

The whole data restoring process on this new computer took three weeks to complete!

This update takes us all the way back to November

That's okay... my updates are taking us back to July.

And Right next door was Making Spirits Bright

Where they apparently don't sell drinks.

We also got the White Chocolate Dipped Lingonberry Speculoos Cookie. It was good, but not the star of the festival.

Too bad... it sounds amazing.

Next up was the Joy to the Sauce Booth.

I gotta say... I'm lovin' the names of the booths.

the Holiday Egg Nog Cocktail.

Want. Unless it had a strong rum taste?

From A Twist on Tradition we ordered the Chocolate Yule Log.

I would have to. And man that looked good!

While we did make it back to Disney several more times over the Holiday Season, this would be our only opportunity to visit the Holiday kiosks.

You're giving me a reason to go, you know that, right?

Just a few days later, my parents came to visit over the Thanksgiving Holiday and we decided to spend one of our evenings dining at Steakhouse 55.

Oh! Nice! I'd love to go there.

We requested the Chef’s table and unfortunately I forgot to send a list of my likes and dislikes, so there was a clear “miss” on the evening, but I’ll get to that later.

Uh, oh...

Here was our “miss” of the evening. We were served Pumpkin Soup (not my favorite) and the foam on top was a coconut foam.

Ew! No! Hard stop!

This was a lobster salad with citrus foam dressing, it was kind of neat and the dressing itself was tasty. The lobster was very tender.

Wow, that sounds really intriguing.

Palate cleanser. Not sure what flavor this was I can’t remember.

I very much doubt it would be, but it looks like a pistachio. Was it green?

This is a bone in Filet Mignon. Not something you often see on a menu.

I don't think I've ever seen it on a menu.

One of the reasons that no one finished the steaks was that Chef Marcel knows that a Souffle is one of my favorite desserts and earlier in the meal we had placed our orders for either Chocolate or Grand Marnier Souffles. I, of course, went with the Grand Marnier! So yummy! And so food coma inducing!

Very familiar with your love for this particular item.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Just a few days later, my parents came to visit over the Thanksgiving Holiday and we decided to spend one of our evenings dining at Steakhouse 55. We requested the Chef’s table

I didn't even know there was a chef's table at Steakhouse 55. I always read about Napa Rose chef's table.... first time I've read about one at Steakhouse. I will have to check it out if they allow likes/dislikes.

Funny how nobody noticed the kitty was a boy. I know there were more urgent things going on, but it always amazes me when a vet misses something like that.

 

[skier_pete]

HEy caught up. I apologize for missing the latest update...too bad that you are not going to be around for a meet after the cruise, but John Williams is pretty awesome. When I was a kid he was the director of the Boston Pops, but even though it was only 90 minutes I never got to see him. (Not that I would've been interested at 17 even though I was pretty obsessed with his soundtrack stuff.) DD loves soundtracks too, and we went to John Williams night at the BPO (This time Buffalo Philharmonic.), but of course no ACTUALL John Williams here. DD would be very jealous.

I so want to try Steakhouse 55, but we have promised DD next time we get out there she really, really wants to do Blue Bayou, so not sure we could afford both.

 

[jedijill]

Caught back up again. I had so much fun last weekend...that holiday food looks amazing!

Jill in CO

 

[Steppesister]

You get no kick from Champagne?

I was wondering the same. Champagne can be pretty innocuous for me!

Ew! No! Hard stop!

Yay!! 3 portions for me!

 

[franandaj]

Too bad you only got to he festival once! At least you got to try the braised pork belly! Yum!!!!

Yes, there is just not enough time to enjoy all the Disney treats, but I'm glad I did get to try the pork belly!

Yay for getting the apartment rented.

That was a tremendous relief!

The food looked really good. I love Sticky Toffee Pudding and I make a different Buche de Noel (Yule Log) every year as our Christmas dinner dessert.

I wish I had the time and patience to make a dessert like that.

Congratulations on the apartment, that’s awesome news!

Such a relief!

Oh my about Amelia. Berlioz is a fabulous name. Glad he’s feeling better.

I just wish he would make a full recovery, but that's looking more and more unlikely.

I’m so sad about the trip changes, but so glad you are still able to do the MNSSHP and the cruise. Glad you were able to compromise with Fran and she can still do the concert. Its still going to be an awesome trip.

We will still have a great time. I'm sad that we won't have the time in the Grand Villa. I was really looking forward to that tub!

Yummy treats at the booths. The Fantasu usually has sticky toffee pudding at least one day in Cabanas. Mom raves about it.

I'll have to look for that!

 

[Pinkocto]

Berlioz not doing good???

 

[franandaj]

Berlioz not doing good???

Well he has a collapsed lung so thats not good.

 

[dizneeat]

Well he has a collapsed lung so thats not good.

Oh poor baby kitty, I thought he was getting better - I must have misread. Please extra cuddles for the sweet baby.

 

[franandaj]

We did! We did!!

Well we didn't have the Queso...which is what I was talking about, but it was still good!

YAY!!!! I was so happy for that!

Not happier than I!

So a good news/bad news kind of change.

I guess so. I still didn't want to change it, but you know compromises.

So not all is lost.

No we do still get 8 days with great DIS friends!

Looking forward to hearing about that!

I'm not going to derail my trips for it, but then again my next two updates are pretty much written and pictures for the third are edited. I just need to stay caught up on my friend's TRs so I don't feel guilty about posting!

How can you possibly go wrong with queso and chips?!

It's pretty hard to go wrong with that combo. Unless you have given up chips.

But you did some serious damage while you could. WHOA, Girl!

We tried!

I dunno... that sounds pretty good to me. I think I'd actually like that.

Then again coconut is not your kryptonite like Mom and me.

Well, that's not an everyday occurrence!

It did happen with one of the other kittens. I thought she was a boy and she was a girl, but they caught that at her first appointment.

Yay! One headache off the list!

And pretty soon the one that has been looming over our heads will be gone as well!

Well, John Williams is a national treasure, and I don't imagine we have too many years left to enjoy him. Sorry you had to cut off the trip, though.

Yeah, that's what Fran is saying every year. He has stopped with writing Star Wars Soundtracks (after this next one), so who knows what's left.

Looked like a great group of people! Glad you all had lots of fun.

We did have fun! It was brief that all of us hung out together, the rest of us kind of did it in smaller groups.

Ugh. I'm really done with the pumpkin fad. I don't think pumpkin improves much of anything. And coconut definitely doesn't!

I've never been into pumpkin. It took me forever to even try Pumpkin Pie, and even so it's still not my favorite. Coconut?

I have a bit of catching up to do on the TR, but I've caught up on all the Disneyland stuff, lol. Looks like so much fun! I didn't know they had Halloween parties too, is this new? I was thinking of going to DLR next year in Sept before or after our Alaska cruise since we will be on the west coast anyhow, so thought it would be a good idea.

I think that would be an excellent idea! Yes they have had Halloween parties for probably almost 10 years now. I've never been, but there is no headless horseman for the parade. I've been there late at night when they were testing some of the effects and they looked pretty cool. I'd come out and meet you and we could have some fun in some cool places!

but then I saw this:

Oh no! Does this mean no DISMeet?

Unfortunately yes. This is the part that disappoints me the most. From the first time I spent a night in a one bedroom at OKW I thought what a cool resort it would be to have a big party. The idea of everyone making something for a potluck and then just hanging out was sounding like so much fun, but maybe another time.....

I hear ya about John Williams though...we've seen him at Tanglewood in the Berkshires (Massachusetts) for film night for many years too, and not sure how long he can keep performing but I wouldn't miss it! We had to miss Tanglewood last year because of our family trip but this year we're going to see him in August!

That sounds impressive, "Tanglewood". I was born in Boston so that was always a name dropping sort of place.

 

[pkondz]

It's pretty hard to go wrong with that combo. Unless you have given up chips.

(But I have not given up corn chips)

Then again coconut is not your kryptonite like Mom and me.

It took me forever to even try Pumpkin Pie, and even so it's still not my favorite.

Agreed.

 

[franandaj]

Not sure if I've seen it... still!

And I even pointed it out to you!

I'll hold you to that!

OK, I'm counting on you to remember, cause I already forgot what you're holding me to!

You get no kick from Champagne?

No not really, not like a shot of vodka!

And then you did it again in the backyard for us.



What you should have done was told me to come over early and I could have helped with that!

Well if someone wasn't so secretive...

I know the story... but dang that's funny!

Fran still can't call him "he". She keeps calling him "she".

Oh, pfffttt... I can do that.
They all think "I will pretend to love you (some don't) and then I will kill you at the first sign of weakness."

Yeah but can you tell me who doesn't like who?

I tend not to look at cats' privates too.

They don't particularly like you lifting up their tails.

Knew this... but still worthy of an official "Yay!"

Thank you! It feels really good to be getting rent checks for all our apartments.

Knew that too... but...

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do....

Good!! I don't think you'd told us that.

I couldn't believe that it took so long.

That's okay... my updates are taking us back to July.

Where they apparently don't sell drinks.

I was going to say it's cause it's the Food & Wine Festival, but it's the Festival of Holidays.

Too bad... it sounds amazing.

Where they apparently don't sell drinks.

Nope, just wine.

I gotta say... I'm lovin' the names of the booths.

They were pretty funny.

Want. Unless it had a strong rum taste?

It had a strong alcohol taste. There were three different kinds of alcohol in there.

I would have to. And man that looked good!

It was very tasty.

You're giving me a reason to go, you know that, right

And I can go with you!

Oh! Nice! I'd love to go there.

It's a fabulous restaurant, as you will see in a few more months....

Uh, oh...

Ew! No! Hard stop!

Wow, that sounds really intriguing.

It was very good.

I very much doubt it would be, but it looks like a pistachio. Was it green?

I believe it was more citrusy.

I don't think I've ever seen it on a menu.

Well if you go to Steakhouse 55, it is now on their menu. I think he was testing it out on us.

Very familiar with your love for this particular item.

As a good trip report follower should!

I didn't even know there was a chef's table at Steakhouse 55. I always read about Napa Rose chef's table.... first time I've read about one at Steakhouse. I will have to check it out if they allow likes/dislikes.

Well technically there isn't a "Chef's Table", at least a physical one, but when you make a reservation via phone you can request it and then they will seat you there and serve you the chef's creations. I have Chef Marcel's email so I usually make the reservation online and then email him. I won't forget to include our likes and dislikes in the future.

Funny how nobody noticed the kitty was a boy. I know there were more urgent things going on, but it always amazes me when a vet misses something like that.

Yeah, I was surprised as well.