People Pics

In the weeks leading up to Nichole and Daniel's Disney vacation, Nichole and I texted back and forth making various plans, and one of the things we agreed most heartily upon was that we never take enough photos of *us*. There are plenty of photos of sights and foods, but not the people. It was time to remedy this. We weren't sure what this would entail, exactly, but we did decide that there would be some silly photos. Because, really, what's better than photos that make you laugh every time you revisit them, right?

There were the "say cheese" photos...



and the random candids...



and the silly ones...




And then we decided to stage our runs through Test Track (since we've ridden so many times, we know right where the camera is, and often we just look distracted). Here's where things started getting priceless. Here you have dead people in the front seat...


...which evolved into Angry Darumas in the back seat...


...and finally, a car full of people preparing to crash--the best part was, sitting in the front seat, we had no idea our entire car was in on it until we saw the photo come up on  the screen at the Test Track exit!


And then, Nichole had a brilliant idea. If you go to Disney, each of the parks has designated "Kodak photo spots," otherwise known as those touristy spots that everyone stops to take their photo. Nichole decided that we should locate each of them (thanks to our handy park map--first time I've needed one of those in more than eight years!) and take our photo. Things started off pretty tame...




...with a hint of silliness...

(Not as easy as you might think to make yourself part of a totem pole.)

...until inspiration struck. And then we were cooking. See, each of these Kodak photo spots has a little marker. And on that marker is a staged photo, with the basic idea of showing you which background you're looking for, something like this:

Except most of them are super cheesy. And that was when we decided to re-create them.

Oh. Yes. We. Did.






And now we have a new mission the next time they come to visit: three more Disney parks full of Kodak photo spot inspiration! Because this? Was a success. I am unable to scroll through these photos without giggling.

It's photos like these, the way the make me feel, that keeps me toting my camera along.





Those last two? I love that we're laughing. The Disney photographer had my camera. He told Daniel to cross his arms over his chest. We weren't sure what he was cooking up for a pose...until he told us it was just because he hates the Patriots.

Get out your cameras. Make some memories. It's how we bottle moments of time while we have the chance.

Read more...

Food & Wine Festival 2011: The Final Round

With just one more trip to make around this oh-so-delicious world, I had a very specific plan of action. It started with a replay at Hawaii of the Kaluha Pork Slider, before embarking for...

SINGAPORE
Shrimp Cake on a Sugarcane Skewer with Singapore Noodles.

I wasn't sure what I was going to get from Singapore. I knew it wasn't going to be a Singapore Sling, and I'd had the Beef Randang last year, so I knew it was too spicy for my taste. I am very picky about the ways I will eat shrimp, so I was taking a risk on the shrimp cake, being the only other option on the menu, and I ended up surprised! The shrimp cake had a great flavor and the texture was not at all what I feared. The noodles were actually cold, like a salad. I couldn't believe I had been so skeptical!



I had to chase that with another Pumpkin Mousse from Hops & Barley, followed by yet another favorite: the Lettuce Wrap from South Korea, before a new dish from...

ARGENTINA
Beef Empanada.


I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by this one. Last year, they served a cheese and corn empanada that was quite good, but the beef filling in this year's was dry and, well, kinda boring. I had much higher expectations for this one and it just fell flat. Thankfully, though, I had one last destination...



DESSERTS & CHAMPAGNE
Lemon Chiffon. Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial.

What a perfect way to end the 2011 Food & Wine Festival. Some bubbles and a light refreshing lemony cloud.



As always, I am sad to see Food & Wine Fest draw to a close. However, for the first time ever, I managed to try every single dish on my list! I completed my passport ("What's that?" you say. Oh yes, my passport. We'll be discussing this soon!) and now it is time to contemplate my Food & Wine Festival 2011 Top Five! Stay tuned...

Read more...

Food & Wine Festival 2011: Round Seven

At this point, I had tried nearly everything on my list, which made choosing what to eat next a lot easier. And the first place I had on the itinerary was...

CHEESE
Artisan Cheese Selection. Sterling Vitner's Collection Meritage.

The first cheese (moving from left to right) was Le Delice de Bourgogne Lincet--it was a very smooth, mellow cheese, served with a drizzle of honey. It was my least favorite of the three, but still very good. I mean, c'mon, it's *cheese*. The next cheese was a Chevre Affine Wyngaard Kaas--a very creamy, buttery cheese that tasted amazing with the dried cranberries, and this one was my favorite. The last cheese was Thomasville Tomme Sweet Grass Dairy--a very creamy, almost melty cheese served with some fig. With my taste buds wide awake, we departed for...

...Mexico. But on the way, it started to rain, so we took a detour into the Mexico pavilion (aka "somewhere dry") to wait it out. When it *finally* let up, I made a beeline for a replay of the Crispy Shrimp Taco. Some dishes are way too good to have just once! And *then* it was time for...

AUSTRALIA
Lamington.

This was not my first time having this delightful little dish. I remembered it well from last year's Fest and I was definitely looking forward to having it again! The cake was moist and buttery, the chocolate was fudgy and the coconut shavings were just a hint of sweet. To round out the day, I made my way to...



SOUTH KOREA
Boolgogi BBQ Beef with Steamed Rice and Kimchi. Myung Jak Bokbunjajoo (Raspberry Wine).

I really enjoyed the beef, especially with the rice. The kimchi was good but powerful. I could have done with a smaller portion, though. The raspberry wine was good, but not quite as sweet as the one they served last year. This one tasted slightly more like a dose of cough syrup. Oh well. Win some, lose some, right?

Read more...

Food & Wine Festival 2011: Rounds Five and Six

The next two rounds took place in very close succession because Nichole and Daniel had arrived in Florida! On Wednesday, after much consideration, I started out my tasty travels in...

BRAZIL

Seared Mahi Mahi with Steamed Rice, Hearts of Palm and Coconut-Lime Sauce.

I'm not sure what I expected from this dish but I quickly discovered that I had greatly underestimated its deliciousness! The fish was seared perfectly, and the rice was, well, rice. But that *sauce*. I don't even know how to really describe it. It was just... difficult not to actually lick that little plate. Instead, I saved room for...

SOUTH AFRICA

Seared Filet of Beef with Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Braai Sauce.

First, I should point out that I am not typically a huge fan of sweet potatoes--these sweet potatoes are yummy though, spiced well, and nice and creamy. The beef was really a vessel for that sauce. I won't even pretend to know what it was, but I can tell you that it was good! Not really barbecue-y, which you might guess, but it was tasty. (Not as plate-licking amazing as the Mango Barbecue Sauce from the previous two years though.) And then it was time for...

BELGIUM

Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream.

"What's so adventurous about a *waffle*?" you might ask. To which I reply, "Absolutely nothing. But I ate in Brazil and South Africa to lead off, and I was starting to get full. Trying to keep in mind that we had dinner reservations that evening, I felt it was time for dessert, and I am not one to pass up an airy waffle with delicious berries and fluffy whipped cream. So there."
-------------------------------------------------------
The next day found us starting the tour in the opposite direction. Daniel was on a "seafood mission" for the day, but Nichole and I were on a "what looks tasty mission," so we tried nibbles of Daniel's dishes here and there, until we found ourselves in...

FRANCE

Escargots Persillade en Brioche. Parisian Cosmo Slush.

Nichole claimed the "little hats" and then I made Daniel peer inside and find me the one with the smallest snail (I'm brave enough to have tried escargot before, but they have to be *small*) but really? Who wants to pass up buttery garlic bread? You almost don't even know the snail is along for the ride. As for the slush, it is a grown-up beverage made especially for me. It's slushy and cranberry and the alcohol is disguised very well, and it's really just very refreshing. We headed for the next destination on Daniel's Seafood Tour, which just so happened to have something on my own to-taste list, in...

NEW ZEALAND

Seared Sea Scallop with Kumara-Red Curry Puree and Apple Radish Salad. Mohua Central Otago Riesling.

The scallop had an excellent sear and texture (not chewy at all) (nothing worse than a chewy scallop) but I think like preferred last year's scallop dish a bit more. The curry puree was a little spicy for my palate, and while it was balanced by the crispy, cool tartness of the salad, once the scallop and the salad were gone, I had little desire to finish the remaining puree. I would tell you more about the wine, but the curry was messing with my taste buds. I think there was a hint of pear or green apple to it, but I was far more interested in dousing the flames in my mouth, so I could make my way to...

ITALY

Cannoli al Cioccolato.

This little bite of heaven was exactly what I needed, and more than I dared to hope. There was a sweet ricotta cheese filling in a chocolate-dipped cannoli. They claimed there was "candied fruit" involved there, somewhere, but I have to tell you, if it was there, I missed it. (Which, truth be told, is fine by me, because when I think of candied fruit, I imagine that scary stuff found in fruit cake or hot cross buns. ::shudder::)

And then I was full. I waved the white flag until Sunday.

Read more...

Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: October 2011

A photo of me:
Ummm... I promise to be better about this next month...? ::looks sheepish::

1) Candle scents this month:
Cranberry Chutney. Macintosh Spice. Spiced Pumpkin. Cinnamon Stick. Maple Pancakes. Candy Corn. Harvest. Mountain Lodge. Pumpkin Pie. Napa Valley Harvest. Mandarin Cranberry. Autumn Leaves. Vineyard. Autumn Wreath.

2) What I am reading this month:
Still working on Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) but I'm nearing the end! (Holy heck, this book has taken me for.ev.er. to finish.)

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Sparks Fly," by Taylor Swift. "Little Moments," by Brad Paisley. "Baseball Ballet," by Terry Cashman.

4) Movies I saw:
No time for movies with MLB playoffs *and* tons of new tv to watch.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
The entire MLB playoffs - one of the best post-seasons I've ever watched.

6) Something yummy I made:
I was dying to finally make my Pumpkin Chili and it was *so* good.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Macaroni Grill. Miller's Ale House.

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. The scanner on the wireless printer T purchased a while back. My old one was clunky and slow and the scanned images left something to be desired. This one scans wonderfully! I am no longer dreading scanning in my piles of old family photos. 2. Food and Wine Fest at EPCOT! 3. MLB playoffs - Seriously, even with my team far from "in the picture," every single one of these series have been exciting to watch. I have been glued to my tv. This is my kind of drama! 4.The variety of options available for watching television shows: "live," DVR, OnDemand, online, DVD. Sure is different from how things were when I was a kid: if you missed a program, tough luck. 5. Shout Color Catcher sheets - I tried them on a whim, since they were on sale *and* I had a coupon, but I wasn't sure if they were just another product designed to sucker the consumer. I am pleasantly surprised! That red shirt that always bleeds just a little? No pink tinge on any other laundry!

9) A goal I had for this month:
It was my birthday month. I am exempt from all goals. Heh.

10) This month I looked forward to:
Food & Wine Fest! Are you kidding?? I look forward to this from the second the previous Festival ends. And more comfortable weather.

11) Something that made me laugh this month:
Tito filled in on FOX for two ALCS games as a color man. In the first game, when asked how he was feeling about the change of pace, he replied "I wanna chew, and I wanna be able to curse at will. And I can't do either." I loved his candor and, let's be honest, I loved that he wasn't Tim McCarver. It was a special treat to see this side of Francona, especially the side of him that is a clearly a fan of baseball. And it was also very, very amusing. ;-)


12) A photo I took this month:

Read more...

Food and Wine Festival 2011: Round Four

Yikes. It has been almost a whole week since I did my most recent spin through Food and Wine Fest, and I still haven't taken a few minutes to sit down here and record it! And it was *very* much worth sharing. Oh, yes, it was. The crowds were the heaviest I had seen so far for this year's Food & Wine Fest--probably because the weather was ridiculously gorgeous. There were a ton of locals there (easily identified by our long sleeves and jeans in the low-70s air). I hit the World Showcase, hung a hard left, and landed in...

MEXICO 
Grilled Ribeye Taco with Chipotle Pepper Sauce and Scallion on a Flour Tortilla. L A Cetto Petite Sirah.

The flavors were wonderful. It carried a little warmth, but that was to be expected with the Chipotle Pepper Sauce, and the steak was cooked very nicely--not at all tough or dry, and almost no fat. The one complaint I had was that the scallion was left whole. This made for some messy eating, since when the tip of it ended up in a bite, the whole thing just pulled out of the taco in one piece. They should have chopped it up to avoid Chipotle Pepper Sauce sunning down your chin. The wine was not one that I would likely enjoy on its own, but with the food, it was perfect. It was more earthy than fruity, but it was very light, and didn't leave a heavy lingering aftertaste at all, but it had enough "oomph" to stand up to the bold flavors of the taco. After wiping my chin and hands off, I set sail for...

SOUTH KOREA 

Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw.

This is a carryover from last year's Festival, but it was--and remains--one of my favorite dishes. The roast pork is perfectly seasoned and shredded. The kimchi slaw and the sauce they topped it with add just a little kick, but the lettuce cools it right down: perfect balance of flavors. There is just no way I could pass this one up. I love to find quiet little spots to eat. It gives me a break from the crowd chaos & allows me a little space to take the photos I want. (You wouldn't believe how many smart aleck remarks I get from passersby, as if it should matter to anyone that I choose to photograph details I enjoy. But I digress.) I decided to backtrack a bit at this point in the direction of...



GREECE
Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey.

This may have been one of my least favorite selections so far this year. It wasn't *bad*. It was just...a lot of cheese. It was about the consistency of melted mozzarella, but there was easily enough for four people there. And it made me wicked thirsty. The honey helped to temper it a little bit, but I would have pushed people out of the way to get to the water fountain, I think, if I'd had to. I decided I needed to set out for my next stop, so I could get a bottle of water. Off to...



HAWAII
Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise.

This. was. heaven. On a teeny tiny little bun. The slider may very well end up being my favorite new dish this year. The pork was delicious. The pineapple chutney complemented it perfectly. The mayo wasn't that spicy but it didn't need to be. The bun was soft (but not in danger of being soggy). I find it slightly ironic that pork is probably my least favorite meat, and yet, the two best things I've had this year have been pork! I had just enough room left for dessert, so it was time to beat feet for...



IRELAND
Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Ganache.

This is a Food and Wine Fest standard. I've had it before. If they keep bringing it back, I am sure I will have it again. Really, how can you go wrong with warm chocolate cake? (Except for when you try to photograph it on a wall painted white. Even in the shade, the photo was still all blown out, no matter what I tried. Oh well. It was time to enjoy the cake. So I put away my camera for the day & grabbed my fork.)

Round Five will hopefully be this coming Saturday. According to the current forecast, it's supposed to be rainy in the first part of the day, so I may delay if the afternoon forecast looks a little less soggy. Time is running out and I still have a list of things I want to try. Good thing I will be spending quite a bit of time at WDW next week!

Read more...