ABC's of Trip Planning (Oct 10-20), Vol. 2- Z is for: Zippidee Doo Dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Flossbolna]

So happy that there are good news!!

 

[Steppesister]

Gah! Just got a text from Mom. They will keep him another night to do an EEG, and to push fluids some more. I'm sure it's killing him to not have his iPhone. Lol!

 

[Chrystmasangel]

Better to be safe than sorry! Glad everything is OK so far!

 

[franandaj]

Allright, I'm so glad he is going to be OK, even if he has to stay another night. So you asked for us to post some of our favorites from the Kiosks. I didn't want to do this yesterday with the possibility of bad news, but now I'll have a go at it!

When I went in 2009 my absolute favorites came from the Ireland booth. The Fisherman's pie, which I believe was lobster and scallops with a mashed potato topping. This was the first booth I hit in 2013, it wasn't a good as I remembered. There was more of a hint of tomato in the sauce that I didn't remember from before. We still finished the whole thing.





And the favorite dessert was the Molten Center Chocolate cake. They have been tweaking it over the years. This year it's called Warm Chocolate Pudding with Irish Cream Liqueur Custard





You mentioned the Filet, I see now it is served with a truffle butter sauce, but three years ago it had mushrooms on the side.



And the Beer Cheddar Cheese Soup



This was my favorite of the 2013 festival. It's the savory waffle from Belgium. It was a Potato Leek Waffle topped with Braised Beef. Sooooo good. I will definitely be trying the version this year with Gouda Mashed potatoes, but I think I will always have a fond spot for the waffle.



The waffles topped with chocolate and berry compote were also very very good!



The lobster roll is something that everyone says sounds really good, but we thought it was just OK.



The Tacos de Cameron are a great choice



I see the flight of Tequila is off the menu.



The Crispy pork belly with black beans and tomato was really good even though I'm not a fan of black beans.



The chicken gyro is nothing exciting, but we got one and it was good.



I know you said that you were happy skipping the special events (they are pricey too!), but I thought I would throw these in while I was strolling down memory lane of my last F&W Festival. This was from the Grand Marnier Tasting. Our tablemates didn't show up, so in addition to all the shots you see in our setting, Fran and I stole the ones from our neighbors too!



And they served us these desserts



As I looked through my 2013 photobucket, I realize that we did quite a few special events and therefore did not make it to nearly as many kiosks as we did in 2009 where we only did one special event. Some of my other favorites that we didn't get to last time were the sausage in a pretzel bun from Germany.



And the Apple Strudel. Some people have argued, why get something from a F&W kiosk when Sommerfest has it on the menu year round, however, this one is different and it's better!



I also liked the Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles from China



I'm definitely going to have to make sure we hit more of the kiosks this year!

 

[Steppesister]

Wow! Food extravaganza alert!!

Holy eatitallaroni!!!!

I'm still chipping away at my to do list (after helping split 6 cords of wood). Need to repair my grad cap to wear at a couple of dinners, getting my MNSSHP costume gathered, etc....

Floors go in on Monday too, so have to move ALL the appliances out of kitchen and laundry rooms.

 

[Steppesister]

T is for: The Wishing Well and Queen Steppe​

Once upon a time there was a Well nestled on the banks of a river, set back in the forest just a little. It was a magical, wishing well once belonging to a mythical creature full of love and goodness. When it was time for her to pass to the next age of her life, she cast a beautiful enchantment on the Well: it would have the power to grant limitless wishes to whomever would keep the Well company on dark and gray days like the forest often sees. To those who would bring cheer and good news to the Well it would befriend and return the kindness.

One typically gray and lonely day in the forest along the riverbank, a fair young Queen came upon the Well and sensed its loneliness, but saw goodness in its depths. Saddened by this, she began to tell the Well stories of a Magical Place full of excitement and enchantment to all who entered- a place where you can leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy. The Well was overcome with joy as they began a beautiful friendship. The young Queen, whose name was Steppe the Well learned in time, would regale it with tales of pirates marauding the raucous town of Puerto Dorado, and about a drug-crazed caterpillar who speaks nonsense to a confused, possibly schizophrenic, 7 year old girl. On other days, when it was exceptionally grey and dreary, and the forest was damper and stormier than usual, Queen Steppe would speak of scarier worlds where grim ghosts would waltz in the ballroom and a maniacal bride threw her lovers out of the attic after torrid affairs. On other days, Queen Steppe would tell the Well of banquets her family would have, and her dreams of someone else preparing them for a short while. (The Queen was short of staff these days.)

Each time she went to the Well to tell of her stories, she would leave a little note to remind the Well of the story, so in the times she could not go to the forest, the Well could imagine the stories for itself and dream along with her in its own mind. This helped greatly in easing its loneliness and to pass the long and dreary days alone in the forest. The little forest creatures, of course, would visit occasionally to sing little songs to it, but it somehow just wasn't the same as having someone there who could laugh and cry and dream with.

The Well eagerly awaited each meeting with the fair Queen, and grew to love her more and more. Being enchanted the Well was not only obligated to grant the Queen every wish, but enjoyed her so much, it was also looking forward with great pleasure of seeing her every dream and wish come true. The Well designed a plan, and it was almost dizzy with anticipation as it began to scheme. It gathered all of her little notes together and handed them back to her telling her that it was sending her on a Grand, Exciting, Wish-Fulfilling, Dream Trip to the very lands that she had told him stories of to keep him company and to ease its loneliness. She then too, was overcome with joy and shed big and happy tears right into the well. They tasted good to the well, as it knew they were the salty tears of happiness. As it handed the notes to her, the Well explained that her stories were now actually wishes and that many, many would be granted and fulfilled on this Trip, and they would be become "pieces of gold under the rainbow". The Well told her that it was her job to gather the wishes in a pot and to bring them back to it- the Well would become rich and the girl would find The Happiest Place on Earth.

In the end, they both knew it was a Well-Hatched Plan.

 

[Steppesister]

Replies will have to wait for a bit...

After working our butts off today, it's DATE TIME! Needs to get cleaned up, and looking better than a drowned rat.

 

[franandaj]

I don't know how you come up with this stuff! You are far more creative than me! Enjoy your date night and we'll love to hear back from you!

 

[Steppesister]

Since I'm trying to be very, very good until THE trip, and only had a salad, I'm here to take my mind off of my starvation.

Glad you enjoyed the post. Re-engaging tomorrow....

 

[Steppesister]

Sooo, they finally have a solid diagnosis for my dad. They found a sizable kidney stone and is on around-the-clock morphine for pain. He keeps having bouts of nausea and vomiting, and has been a very rough few days. They are waiting for the nephrologist to show up and I'm really hoping he gets a Fast Pass to the litho machine. Wish I was there to be with family...

 

[Steppesister]

but now I'll have a go at it!

You certainly went above and beyond! I am so excited to try all these tastes!

my absolute favorites came from the Ireland booth

Oddly they were the dishes that sounded amazing to me too. Definitely trying both of those you showed (knowing they will have tweaks this year)

I don't know how you come up with this stuff! You are far more creative than me! Enjoy your date night and we'll love to hear back from you!

HAHA! Just my silly side showing up.

 

[irene_dsc]

Sounds incredibly painful. Sending healing vibes his way....

 

[Steppesister]

Sounds incredibly painful. Sending healing vibes his way....

Thanks for your kind thoughts !

 

[Chrystmasangel]

Ugh your poor Papa! I have never experienced them myself but I have known people who have and it is not pretty! On a different note, although painful it is pretty routine treatment but of course you know that. Sometimes I forget my audience lol.


Love, love, love your tale of wishing Wells and Gold at the end of the rainbow. Just couldn't help but think that little Diddy needs to be a children's book! Maybe you should see about getting that published.

GETTING SO CLOSE! OMG, OMG, OMG. I think I am more excited than you are! HAHAHA

 

[glennbo123]

Ouch! But glad there's a diagnosis and a plan.

 

[franandaj]

Ugh for your father. I've heard those things are very painful. I hope he gets some relief soon.

 

[Steppesister]

Hello! Hello...? Anyone still with me??

Just hopping on before work to say...



3 WEEKS FROM TODAY, FROM RIGHT NOW, I'll BE ARRIVING AT THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH WHERE DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!!!


You may now resume your regularly scheduled festivities.

 

[Steppesister]

Today's update on Dad: the stone is stationary, so they won't do anything for it at this point. But in his work up they also found some "moderately" leaky heart valves, so before they discharge him, they want a stress test done. He had a pain free night so I guess the plan is to let him go sometime after the testing.

 

[Steppesister]

Ugh your poor Papa! I have never experienced them myself but I have known people who have and it is not pretty! On a different note, although painful it is pretty routine treatment but of course you know that. Sometimes I forget my audience lol.

A lot of kidney stuff is waiting and... waiting. In this case, it's a lot of that.

Love, love, love your tale of wishing Wells and Gold at the end of the rainbow. Just couldn't help but think that little Diddy needs to be a children's book! Maybe you should see about getting that published.

Awwww, thanks. That was fun to write!

GETTING SO CLOSE! OMG, OMG, OMG. I think I am more excited than you are! HAHAHA

I KNOW!! 3 WEEKS from today, I'll be getting off the ME at AoA!

Ouch! But glad there's a diagnosis and a plan.

Me too! And now, it's sort of a non-plan. Just wait....

Ugh for your father. I've heard those things are very painful. I hope he gets some relief soon.

Thanks, Alison! I feel really awful for him!

 

[cinderkelly]

Hello! Hello...? Anyone still with me??

Just hopping on before work to say...



3 WEEKS FROM TODAY, FROM RIGHT NOW, I'll BE ARRIVING AT THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH WHERE DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!!!


You may now resume your regularly scheduled festivities.

I'm still here! Trying to occupy every free morsel of time for the next 9 days so I don't drive myself crazy with excitement!

Three weeks to go for you! When you're in the thick of it those seem like the longest days but I'm sure it will go by fast.

Glad to hear they got a solid diagnosis for your Dad. I'll continue sending good thoughts to you and him so that everything stays a-ok.