Canadian Buffoon's Exhausted Vacation - Update 09/01 - New TR link!

[pkondz]

What an amazing meal! A nice break from the theme park craziness.

It was a truly memorable meal.

Hope it stopped snowing for you. I completely agree about the snowblowers, I have one and I keep it maintained but it's just such a pain to use. By the time I get the darn thing started I could have finished shoveling.

It's finally stopping.
I think I need to look into
finding a company that plows
on an ad-hoc basis.

 

[mustinjourney]

A few reasons why not...
1. Cost. A decent snowblower is
going to run you close to $1,500
after taxes.
2. Use. That's a lot of money to
put out on an item that you'll
maybe use 3-4 times a year.
Usually when we get snow, it's
easy enough to shovel and not
really worth taking the blower out.
Unlike a lawnmower, that you'll use
every week (give or take), you might
use a snowblower (here in Winnipeg)
maybe only twice a year.
We did have one year a couple years
ago where I could have used one as
we got tons of snow and would have
used it a lot, but...
3. Storage. Those suckers are big.
And I would have a bit of a time
figuring out just where to store it.
I could. But... big.


I think that's not necessary.

wow -- I would have thought they'd be priced about the same as a lawn mower. Like $200-$600 range. Would something like this not be good? https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-80-...ViobACh3KOAvgEAQYASABEgJcEvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I also figured you guys got snow more often than that.

Aren't there any aspiring young entrepreneurs in the neighborhood that would do the job for like $20-$40?

 

[vamassey1]

However, she not only agreed to meet,
but when I mentioned Takumi-Tei,
she was very enthusiastic about it!

I was thinking this would be something Liesa would like. Nice that you both got to enjoy it.

I didn't have any bags with me
this time so sailed right into Epcot
through the no-bag line.

I have never done this.

We entered the restaurant and were
immediately enchanted with the décor.

Very nice!

Tell me if you've seen better.
(And you may have.)

Maybe the rose they use to do at Be Our Guest.

Keeps the drink cold
without watering it down
from melting ice.

Love this idea.

Our next course was an order
of sushi.

Still can't say I like sushi. Just not my thing.

The next course was incredible.
Nikomi Wagyu (Roasted Bone Marrow,
Braised Jackman Farms Wagyu Shortrib,
Yuzu Kosha, Wasabi Shiso Bavaroise, Warishita)

This sounds fabulous.

Wagyu Tabekurabe (Japanese A5 Wagyu
Strip Steak paired with Jackman Farms
Wagyu Strip Steak, Roast Cippolini Onion,
Curried Potato, Seasonal Mushroom,
Yuzu Kosho, Fresh Grated Wasabi,
Arima Sansho Pepper Reduction)

And this even better.

It looked quite odd, but I can assure
you that it was quite nice and refreshing.

It does look odd.

Thanks for sharing your review. I read one when it first opened but enjoyed yours more.

 

[vamassey1]

How's the back? and the snow?

 

[missjackiemcg]

Late quotes for your previous update...oops!!

I absolutely love this picture!! Such commitment to the perfect ride photo. Right on!!

Speaking of favourite ride,
I was simply beside myself
with fright when I rode HM.

Beside myself, HA!! I see what you did there

This is one of my very favorite views of the castle. I always try to take a shot like this, but I do love how you captured the sunlight in this one!

Love this guy.

JIM! We love him, too!! When Jimmy was about 4 years old, we were standing nearby listening and Jimmy kept singing along. Jim let him pick the next song, so he chose "Let it Snow." He even got to reach over the railing and play the last note of the song. Such a great guy! (I would totally trust him with my camera...though I'm not sure why he wouldn't be allowed to touch it!)

My frozen Coke came moments later.

MMMMM, frozen Coke!! I miss when Pop Century used to have one--I used to really get my money's worth out of my refillable mug that way!!

And no trip to Tomorrowland
would be complete without
a quick snap of my favourite trees.

I always talk about how much I hate that particular Tomorrowland bathroom....how is it possible I didn't even notice those amazing trees?!

I'm kicking myself for not seeing that one!!!! I remember looking over this picture really hard, too!

Isn't this just the best napkin
fold you've ever seen?
Tell me if you've seen better.
(And you may have.)

That's pretty great! Reminds me of the towel folding class I just took on our Disney Cruise. Now, I can make swans, elephants and stingrays galore!

Cool glass, right?
Keeps the drink cold
without watering it down
from melting ice.

I have had a martini in one of those glasses before!! I think they're just so neat...plus, forces them to fill the glass with my actual drink, not load me up with ice!

 

[pkondz]

Would something like this not be good? https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-80-...ViobACh3KOAvgEAQYASABEgJcEvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

No it wouldn't. That's only a single stage.
And you'd want gas for enough power to
throw the snow. Something like that is
good for a walkway with just a bit of snow,
or a deck.
You want two stages, (some say three,
but I think two is fine) metal parts
(plastic snaps off in the cold) and
preferably a cast iron gear box instead
of aluminum. Like this one

I also figured you guys got snow more often than that.

We average 316 sunny days/year.
You need clouds for snow, of course...
But when it does snow... it snows.
We get more cold, than snow.

Aren't there any aspiring young entrepreneurs in the neighborhood that would do the job for like $20-$40?

That's what I need to find out.

 

[pkondz]

I was thinking this would be something Liesa would like. Nice that you both got to enjoy it.

We both did. Very much.

I have never done this.

Try it.
But I'm warning you...
once you do, it'll be hard
to go back with a bag.

Very nice!

I really liked it.

Maybe the rose they use to do at Be Our Guest.

Ah! Good one.

Love this idea.

Good idea and I liked
the way it looked, too.

Still can't say I like sushi. Just not my thing.

And that's okay.
It's not everyone's cup
of fish.

This sounds fabulous.

It was very, very good.

And this even better.

OMG. I can't over-emphasis
just how fantastic that was!

It does look odd.

Right?
Kinda looks like some
giant fish eyeball.

But it was nice.
Not amazing.
I wouldn't go out
of my way for it...
But it was nice.

Thanks for sharing your review. I read one when it first opened but enjoyed yours more.

Glad you liked it!

How's the back?

It's sore.
But I'm mobile and
I can't complain.

and the snow?

It's still snowing.
I'm working 16 hours today,
so imagine I will have plenty
to shovel when I get home
later tonight.

 

[pkondz]

Late quotes for your previous update...oops!!

Never too late!

I absolutely love this picture!! Such commitment to the perfect ride photo. Right on!!

Thanks!
You've seen my other ones?

Beside myself, HA!! I see what you did there

This is one of my very favorite views of the castle. I always try to take a shot like this, but I do love how you captured the sunlight in this one!

I love that shot too.
(Not mine, necessarily, but
that angle.)
I was pretty happy with it, though.

JIM! We love him, too!! When Jimmy was about 4 years old, we were standing nearby listening and Jimmy kept singing along. Jim let him pick the next song, so he chose "Let it Snow." He even got to reach over the railing and play the last note of the song. Such a great guy!

Aww, that's great!
I have seen him offer
to let little ones hit
the last note before.
I really like that.

(I would totally trust him with my camera...though I'm not sure why he wouldn't be allowed to touch it!)

And I don't know either!

MMMMM, frozen Coke!! I miss when Pop Century used to have one--I used to really get my money's worth out of my refillable mug that way!!

OMG...

"No, no. You guys go on to MK...
I'm just going to stay here and
drink frozen Coke all day. Bye!"

I always talk about how much I hate that particular Tomorrowland bathroom....how is it possible I didn't even notice those amazing trees?!

Next time look for them.

I'm kicking myself for not seeing that one!!!! I remember looking over this picture really hard, too!

I deliberately made that
one really hard to find.

They can't all be easy!

That's pretty great! Reminds me of the towel folding class I just took on our Disney Cruise. Now, I can make swans, elephants and stingrays galore!

No way!
Cool!

I have had a martini in one of those glasses before!!

Oh really! I liked it.
I felt... high-falutin!

I think they're just so neat...plus, forces them to fill the glass with my actual drink, not load me up with ice!

 

[mustinjourney]

No it wouldn't. That's only a single stage.
And you'd want gas for enough power to
throw the snow. Something like that is
good for a walkway with just a bit of snow,
or a deck.

having lived my entire life, save for two winters in Michigan where I was in an apartment, in Texas -- I have never had to deal with the shoveling of snow, so I wouldn't have realized that there was such thing as multi-stage.

As an aside -- I have a bunch of the 80v kobalt products (mower, weed eater, hedge trimmer, blower) and they all work very, very well. Very quiet too. My lawn mower is about as loud as a vacuum.

You want two stages, (some say three,
but I think two is fine) metal parts
(plastic snaps off in the cold) and
preferably a cast iron gear box instead
of aluminum. Like this one

forgot about the plastic parts getting brittle. That's a good point.

We average 316 sunny days/year.
You need clouds for snow, of course...
But when it does snow... it snows.
We get more cold, than snow.

Yeah -- my only experience is Michigan (specifically Midland). Western half of Michigan gets quite a bit of snow due to Lake Michigan being right there. Midland was far enough east that it didn't get hit as bad. For the two winters I was there, we got hit with 11 or 12" once or twice a season. Other than that, we would get a few inches here or there.

What is scary though is when you get that one warm day over freezing with sunny skies, and then a big, windy cold front blows through and turns all the recent melt to ice. I almost got blown off the road b/c the wind was so strong and I was on a patch of ice. And that was with a 4x4 truck.

That's what I need to find out.

Well -- if the kids won't take the bull by the horns, maybe YOU should start a new business and you could manage a group of kids willing to do the work?

 

[pkondz]

having lived my entire life, save for two winters in Michigan where I was in an apartment, in Texas -- I have never had to deal with the shoveling of snow, so I wouldn't have realized that there was such thing as multi-stage.

Need that second stage to shove
the snow up and out the chute.

As an aside -- I have a bunch of the 80v kobalt products (mower, weed eater, hedge trimmer, blower) and they all work very, very well. Very quiet too. My lawn mower is about as loud as a vacuum.

I'd never heard of Kobalt.
I mostly have Dewalt.

forgot about the plastic parts getting brittle. That's a good point.

I remember when I was a kid,
I got hired to snowblow a long
driveway at someone's house.
I went to turn the ignition tab
(plastic) and it just snapped off
in my hand.

Yeah -- my only experience is Michigan (specifically Midland). Western half of Michigan gets quite a bit of snow due to Lake Michigan being right there. Midland was far enough east that it didn't get hit as bad. For the two winters I was there, we got hit with 11 or 12" once or twice a season. Other than that, we would get a few inches here or there.

We don't usually get too much
snow, but last winter, I couldn't
shovel anymore because I couldn't
throw it 8' straight up.

Here's a shot from our worst blizzard,
back in '66:

​

Atypical... but it happens.

What is scary though is when you get that one warm day over freezing with sunny skies, and then a big, windy cold front blows through and turns all the recent melt to ice. I almost got blown off the road b/c the wind was so strong and I was on a patch of ice. And that was with a 4x4 truck.

Oh, yeah... we've had that
already this year.
Looots of fun!

Well -- if the kids won't take the bull by the horns, maybe YOU should start a new business and you could manage a group of kids willing to do the work?

That's what I need!
More things to do!
I'm not nearly busy as it is.

Whelp... better get back
to work, still have five more
hours of my 16 hr shift left.

 

[tundra1]

Definitely another one for the bucket list! How awesome was that meal? Thanks for sharing!

 

[vamassey1]

It's sore.
But I'm mobile and
I can't complain.

Please know that you have my concern and pity.

It's still snowing.
I'm working 16 hours today,
so imagine I will have plenty
to shovel when I get home
later tonight.

I'm hoping you get a little warm front.

 

[pkondz]

Definitely another one for the bucket list! How awesome was that meal? Thanks for sharing!

It was just such a wonderful
meal and an equally wonderful
experience!
I can highly recommend Takumi-Tei
to anyone and everyone!

 

[pkondz]

Please know that you have my concern and pity.

Thank you. But I'm doing much
better now.
I got home last night and my
oldest DD had shoveled!
I was both shocked and relieved.
Certainly my back was relieved!

I'm hoping you get a little warm front.

Nooo!!!
Warm fronts mean snow!

And... now look what you did!
I checked the forecast and...

It's supposed to warm up to
16F on Monday... and more snow.

This is all your fault, Vanessa!!!

 

[pkondz]

FAIR WARNING!

The next update is already
almost finished and I'll
be posting by Monday night
or Tuesday.

Get your guesses PMd
if you haven't already done so.

 

[juniorbugman]

I didn't take many photos, as I
was more intent on relaxing
and enjoying the experience.

Again sometimes we have to stop and just enjoy without looking thru the camera lens.

Isn't this just the best napkin
fold you've ever seen?
Tell me if you've seen better.
(And you may have.)

Yup I have seen better on the Disney Magic because I folded them myself. Took a napkin folding class. Of course I couldn't compare to the professional ones.

Cool glass, right?
Keeps the drink cold
without watering it down
from melting ice.

I think we all need one of those glasses to use at home.

Picture that... according to
National Statistics, there are
over one million restaurants
in the United States.
And of those 1,000,000+ places
where you could go for a bite...
Only 12 of them have Japanese Wagyu beef.

Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Yup - I remember my cousin doing a travel show on where you can get Wagyu beef. I don't think he liked that well but maybe it is in the cooking or presentation.

 

[juniorbugman]

Nooo!!!
Warm fronts mean snow!

And... now look what you did!
I checked the forecast and...

It's supposed to warm up to
16F on Monday... and more snow.

Yup you guys will be getting the snow and we are getting rain rain and more rain and it may turn into freezing rain. Some areas nearby are having major flooding. You would think it was spring weather with all this rain. Don't know which one I would rather have?

 

[pkondz]

Again sometimes we have to stop and just enjoy without looking thru the camera lens.

I would go and photograph
my DD's dance routines.
She'd then say "Did you like it?"
and I'd say that I didn't really
see it, since I was shooting it.
(But she'd perform it several times
so I'd see it, but later.)

Yup I have seen better on the Disney Magic because I folded them myself. Took a napkin folding class. Of course I couldn't compare to the professional ones.

Really! Cool!
I got a little booklet
on napkin folding so
have done a little bit.

I think we all need one of those glasses to use at home.

Just don't set it down
without the base!

Yup - I remember my cousin doing a travel show on where you can get Wagyu beef. I don't think he liked that well but maybe it is in the cooking or presentation.

Really! Interesting!
Did he find that there were only a few places, also?
And... I suppose it really doesn't matter how good
the cut is if you don't prepare it properly.

 

[pkondz]

Yup you guys will be getting the snow and we are getting rain rain and more rain and it may turn into freezing rain. Some areas nearby are having major flooding. You would think it was spring weather with all this rain. Don't know which one I would rather have?

Hmmm... I think it depends.
If the flooding is in the streets
and not coming in my basement
windows... then I'll take that.
I won't have to shovel the rain.

 

[franandaj]

As you can see from the title,
I managed to snag an ADR
for, and dine at, Japan Epcot's
newest signature restaurant.

I hadn't really planned on dining
there, even though I had wanted to.
But when I found out that Liesa's
(@Steppesister ) trip was going to
overlap mine by a bit, I asked if
she wanted to have a DISmeet.
We've met a couple of times before,
and I just assumed she'd have learned
from her past mistakes and say "No".

However, she not only agreed to meet,
but when I mentioned Takumi-Tei,
she was very enthusiastic about it!

I'm envious of this! I really want to go there, but Fran is not a fan of fancy Japanese food. She prefers the more standard Teriyaki, Tempura. Plus she can't eat sushi due to her immune system. Maybe I can convince her to go and order the sea bass. She loves that.

I knew this would be with Liesa, I thought you might do Tiffins instead.

We were seated at our table
and handed menus.
Isn't this just the best napkin
fold you've ever seen?
Tell me if you've seen better.
(And you may have.)

Not sure if it's better, but DCL, Monsieur Paul, and another little establishment in DL use a fold that makes the napkin look like a little suit jacket.

Sakurajima - Kaiyo Japanese Whiskey Sour
with Smoked Cherrywood.
It was served in this smoke filled
container.
So cool.
I've seen that before, but...
Still cool.

That's really cool!

Kami - Roku Gin, Sayuri "White Lilly"
Nigori Sake, Calipco, Lychee.
Cool glass, right?
Keeps the drink cold
without watering it down
from melting ice.

I've had a drink served like that. I think it might have been at the Star Trek Experience in Vegas. Before it closed.

The server asked us what we
would like to eat and we both
selected the Omakase Tasting Menu.

I really want to do this SOMEWHERE! Did you know Omakase means "I trust you." My manicurist is half Japanese, she told me when I was explaining to her about Morimoto Asia's version.

We mentioned this to our server
who told us that many guests do
in fact change their minds and instead
order the sea bass.

As I said, maybe I can convince Fran to go and eat this.

I did not note what each
piece was, unfortunately,
but I can state that they
were all very, very good.
Among the best I've had.

I think I see Sake (salmon), Hamachi (yellowtail), Maguro (tuna), Uni (sea urchin), and Hirame (halibut). But I'm not an expert.

The next course was incredible.
Nikomi Wagyu (Roasted Bone Marrow,
Braised Jackman Farms Wagyu Shortrib,
Yuzu Kosha, Wasabi Shiso Bavaroise, Warishita)

That sounds heavenly!

Because when the main course arrived...
Wagyu Tabekurabe (Japanese A5 Wagyu
Strip Steak paired with Jackman Farms
Wagyu Strip Steak, Roast Cippolini Onion,
Curried Potato, Seasonal Mushroom,
Yuzu Kosho, Fresh Grated Wasabi,
Arima Sansho Pepper Reduction)
...any memory of its taste simply...
went away.

I can understand that!

Compared to the Japanese Wagyu,
the US Wagyu was garbage.
The difference was so beyond
anything I could've dreamed of
as to be indescribable.

That has been my experience as well.

Suiren Dani (Japanese Water Cake,
Rose, Kuromitsu, Kinako Crumb).

It looked quite odd, but I can assure
you that it was quite nice and refreshing.
A very nice counterpoint to the protein
heavy meal we'd just enjoyed.

Very interesting. I'd like to try that!

The server placed our cups
in front of us at the completion
of the ceremony and we were
left to ourselves to marvel
at the incredible meal that we
had just enjoyed.

If it's not quite clear... this may
have been the best meal
I have ever had at Disney...
or anywhere.

Wow! It would have to be pretty spectacular to take that place in my book, but I'd be happy if it was in the top 10!