The dining report that no longer was

Great update! I'm so sorry to hear you have to have back surgery, hopefully it will give you much needed relief.

Your solar system quilt is awesome, that is one very lucky little boy!

I highly recommend the fiesta margarita, it's delicious and refreshing on a hot day. I like the idea of the pooh version, too. I'm with you on the avocado margaritas...I think the taste is not as sharp as a regular margarita, and I like tart. I'm also not the biggest fan of the texture. I really wanted to like it!
 


Great updates, you guys look like you had so much fun! Sorry to hear about your back surgery--hope the recovery is quick. And seriously, that quilt is amazing!!! :)
 
Wow, loved your report! Your pics were great, your stories were awesome! We will also be in WDW in May with my parent and my brothers family, some of which have never been to Disney!!! Super excited about it!! Desperately counting the days... but these reports make me feel like I'm already there and I truly love them!! So thank you for sharing!!!!
 


We were having such a good time on our girls only F&G trip, and then the husbands showed up!
The Lives of the Party Pooped!...Thursday, April 4, Day 8, Part 2

After our wonderful lunch, and window shopping at Disney Springs, and then spending the late afternoon soaking up some rays at the Kidani pool, Mary Ann & Vince decided they wanted a relaxing evening in. Harry & I wanted to go try some more delicious F&G food items, and we wanted to see Illuminations, not realizing it would be the last time for us, so off to Epcot we went.

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Our first stop was at Trowel & Trellis, which was a new F&G booth for 2019. Harry had been dying to try the street corn. He's made this several times at home, and it's always been delicious. This was a good time to try it, as my sister is allergic to corn and all it's products, believe it or not, and we would feel bad eating this in front of her, as she loves corn. Do you have any idea how many things have corn and it's derivatives in it? Lots! I had seen pics of the chocolate pudding terrarium here and there, so I was very interested in trying it. Harry wasn't. He thought it looked very unappetizing. Chocolate Pudding Terrarium with Avocado Cream, Matcha Crumb, Pomegranate and Baby Herbs. Yea, don't get this if they have it next year. It was weird. It wasn't very flavorful. I think those were chia seeds in it, but the description doesn't mention that. Def not my fave. I don't even like chocolate pudding, so I don't know why I was intrigued by this. $5 down the drain.
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This was more like it! Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Savory Garlic Spread. Wait, where is the cotija cheese? I don't know. Doesn't street corn have cotija cheese on it? I don't see it on this corn. I definitely didn't taste it. Guess when it said garlic spread, that's what it meant. Even that wasn't very flavorful. We spent the next 30 minutes discreetly picking corn out of our teeth. :rotfl2: Prob should have skipped this one, too.
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For a minute I thought I was in Pandora!
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I was kind of bummed that they didn't have the Festival Center where they normally do, and instead moved it to the Odyssey building. Oh well. Progress. So there were several items here that we really wanted to try. First up was- Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Crab-fennel Salad, Remoulade and Smoked Paprika Oil. Doesn't this sound amazing? It wasn't. It was cold. I understand the salad should be cold, but the fried green tomato part should not be cold. The flavors were fairly bland. I was disappointed.
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I was also super excited for this item- Smoked Salmon Stack with Avocados, Tomatoes, Sour Cream, Caviar and Focaccia Crostino. Yea, those crostino. They looked like they were the broken pieces of left over Italian bread that my mom saved to throw out to the birds. So dry, so bland, so tasteless. The two items that I couldn't wait for, and I was disappointed in both. This was not memorable. Everything just lacked flavor. Maybe because it was towards the end of the day? Hopefully if this booth comes back next year, we'll have better luck.
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Okay, since our previous choices did not leave me satisfied at all, in no way, shape or form, I wanted one of my tried & true favorite items! A frank from Germany! Yes, I do love sauerkraut! This was so good. Perfect. Everything a frankfurter should be. Snappy bite, tender inside, tangy sauerkraut, a squirt of mustard, not too much, not too little. Crispy salty chips. Heaven! A very sweet retiree couple who were visiting WDW graciously shared their courtyard table by the fountain with us. We had great conversation, and left feeling like we made new friends.
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We made a pit stop in the UK for one of Harry's all time favorites, Fish & Chips! These were so so good. Oh my gosh, I wished I got my own. I wish I could have these for lunch today. Sorry for the bite! We were so excited that I forgot to take a pic first. My mouth is watering thinking about this.
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So we had a FP for Illuminations, and picked our spot to watch it from. We knew it was ending, but didn't know the end date at that time. Every time I think about the fact that I'll never see it in person again makes me want to cry. Goodbye, Illuminations. :sad:
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Good bye, Fountain of Nations. :sad::sad:
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Good Night Epcot! Up next, lunch with a man who's amazing, and colossal!
your food pics are great - its all making me hungry!!!!! HUNGRY FOR DISNEY!!!!!! :)
 
Great updates, lots of fun meals. Our trip back in the spring (that I'm also trying to finish up my report for) was our last Illuminations and Fountain of Nations too. Still sad about Illuminations, but glad I got to watch it from Germany one last time. My fried green tomatoes were cold too and it was a shame, I think it would have been a much better dish if they had been hot. We spent a day at Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge back in the spring, it seems we like a lot of the same things. :) Fort Wilderness is just so peaceful in the middle of the day when everyone is at the parks, it feels like another planet.
 
I'm having the major back surgery tentatively scheduled for January 9th, after verifying it would be okay to wait until then.
I know this was a hard decision but it sounds like the right one.

I've been super busy the past month making him an adorable solar system themed quilt, hence my lack of Dining Report updates. I knew I had a good excuse!

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You made this???? That is amazing. I can't even sew a button on

I'm sitting her starving trying to wait for lunch to eat. This was not the report I should have read :earboy2:

According to my receipt, Vince had the Casa Dragones at $35, because the beer flight he had at The Smokehouse wasn't enough alcohol! :oops:
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$35!!! That must be some kinda dragon

Rope droppers we're not, but we may try to hit up some extra extra magic hours on our upcoming trip in a few weeks, especially considering we're staying at Pop.
Oh we are so in the same club. We actually tried EMH a few times on our August trip since it was so hot and we were very disappointed. I didn't realize a. not all rides are open but b. everyone else had the same idea as us and busses were packed and lines long. I think we do better avoiding parks on EMH days

The piece de resistance! Ahi Tuna Nachos for Two- sushi grade ahi, Asian slaw, crispy fried wontons, wasabi aioli, sweet soy glaze. Oh my gosh! If you like sushi, and you like tuna, you will love this! We get it every single time we eat at Y&Y. The flavors are so amazing, the wontons crispy, the tuna cool and delicious, and I could put that wasabi aioli on everything I eat!
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You are so not helping my willpower to not eat breakfast. More importantly I want this for breakfast! One of the best things in all of WDW

Mare was sleeping! I took this from the second floor. She's gonna kill me for posting it!
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:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Normally we'd go to MNSSHP, but the parties during our trip are priced at $135 per ticket, plus tax, and I just can't bring myself to spend that much.
$135!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that is insane. Give me $35 tequila every day of the week but this is just ridiculous

Mary Ann's appetizer was so amazing! I can't find it on the current menu, but it looks like the Polpettine- maria's family recipe: braised meatballs, whipped ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano.
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Not sure why but I suddenly want spaghetti and meatballs for dinner

So there were several items here that we really wanted to try. First up was- Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Crab-fennel Salad, Remoulade and Smoked Paprika Oil. Doesn't this sound amazing? It wasn't. It was cold. I understand the salad should be cold, but the fried green tomato part should not be cold. The flavors were fairly bland. I was disappointed.
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Yuck that does not sound good. I've found that the seafood items at any of the festivals generally aren't very good and usually avoid them. With the exception of Steve Shrimp of course 🍤
 
I have finally caught up! Interesting as my fried green tomato dish was also cold and I was greatly disappointed because I love me some fried green tomatoes and you don't find them on menus in NY!

We did M&E once and loved it; now I seriously want to go back after your review! The bread was almost perfect and your dish looks right up my alley :thumbsup2

BTW I love your quilts!
 
We were having such a good time on our girls only F&G trip, and then the husbands showed up!
Not "So Out of This World" Lunch...Friday, April 5, Day 9, Part 1

As you can see, it was a pretty cloudy morning at Hollywood Studios, and don't the wrapped gondolos hanging off of those gigantic steel poles with all the wires and pulleys and gears make SUCH a pretty backdrop for a photo? I mean, these beautiful scenes are now all over the WDW resort! Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It seems like the majority of Disney fans are extremely excited about the new gondola system, but I can safely say I'm not one of them. They just look like giant eyesores to me. I will admit that now that the wrappers are off, it does look a little more scenic, with all the Disney themed wrapped gondolas, but still. I was extremely hesitant about stepping foot on one of these, and it's not because of a fear of heights. It's because the thought of being trapped in one of those, 60 feet up, swaying in the wind, with a potential lightning storm occurring while waiting to be rescued, and possibly being trapped with someone with a severe anxiety type condition, or a screaming baby, or rambunctious toddlers totally freaks me out! I can tolerate a 5 or 10 minute delay, but three hours? No, nope, and H double L no!
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Toy Story Land is the cutest, isn't it? I really love it at night when it's all lit up, with those big Christmas lights crisscrossing up above. I grew up in the city, in south Philadelphia, and a few blocks either way lived both sets of my grandparents. My dad's parents lived on a tiny one way street that one car could barely drive down. The neighbors would string Christmas lights from one set of upstairs bedroom windows to the neighbor's windows directly across the street. I loved it! I would never consider moving back to a city again, I'm a country girl through and through, and have lived in southern NJ in a pretty small rural town since I was 9 years old, but when I think of Christmas memories, that's what comes to mind. Silver Bells is my favorite Christmas song. Silver Bells, Silver Bells, It's Christmas time in the city....
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We're going on Slinky Dog Dash, and it's Mary Ann's first time! She is NOT a fan of roller coasters, but I convinced her this one wasn't bad. Vince opted not to ride.
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She was anxiously excited, and contemplating backing out!
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But, she did it! And loved it. And has requested to go on it again on our trip in a few weeks! Of course, her eyes are closed though! Maybe next time she'll keep them open.
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Harry was a champ, and rode with strangers. I have no idea what he's doing here. Shushing someone? I am usually the one shushing him. The man can talk! No wonder he's a successful saleman!
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Yay, lunchtime!!! I always come back to the Sci-Fi, and it definitely isn't because of the food, because it's never that great. It's okay, it's satisfactory, it's never been bad, but usually when I describe something that way, it's a one and done. Why do we keep wanting to eat here? It must be the nostalgia, the funness (that's not a real word, but I think it fits here) of it all, and the awesome shakes, and I have to say, the onion rings are always on point! Shakes & onion rings, who needs anything else, right?
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We had a cute little convertible with a great view of the screen. I spent my late teen years going to the drive in almost every weekend, with my then high school sweetheart, and now ex-husband. Tells you how old I am!
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Mare & Vince hitched along in the back seat!
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We always get a shake here, and we always get vanilla, and we always split it. So so good! I actually just booked a reservation for here on our upcoming trip, the evening my sister flies home. Magical Express is picking her up at 5:30pm on Monday, November 4th. We're spending the day in Epcot, and I didn't want her to have to leave the park and wait for the bus by herself, so I said we'd go back with her, but then I was trying to figure out what Harry and I could do that evening. I saw a Sci Fi reservation available at 7:30, so I grabbed it. I'm hoping HS will be decorated for Christmas at that point, and I think it will be, since Jingle Bell Jingle Bam will be starting a few days after that. HS is my least favorite park, but I love it's Christmas decorations the best! Again, it must be that growing up in the city thing. All the decorations are very nostalgic and 50s looking if you haven't seen them before. I'll post an example from our trip in December 2017.

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Okay, back to the milkshake. It was very very yummy, as usual.
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This is what we chose for our appetizer. It wasn't the best. The cheese was kind of on the cold and clumpy side. I've had better queso out of a jar and heated in the microwave. I think I'm spoiled because the absolutely best cheese fondue I've had has been from Frontera Cocina, and Harry agrees. We still talk about our meal there. We haven't gone back because the last few trips we've been with either the kids and grandkids, or my sister, and no point in going to that type of restaurant when she is allergic to corn. This is the description of the queso from Frontera Cocina: Queso Fundido- queso Chihuahua melted with roasted poblanos, and caramelized onions- warm corn tortillas (contains dairy); add Gunthrop Farms chorizo. So so so good!

Sci Fi's Shrimp & Crab Fondue- a blend of shrimp, crab, and cheeses with roasted red peppers, fresh dill, and corn tortilla chips.
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I decided on the Drive In BBQ Burger- Our Signature Blend of Beef, BBQ Spice, Brioche Bun, House-made BBQ Sauce, Bacon, and Cheddar served with Crispy-fried Jalapeño and Onion Straws. This was pretty good. Nothing to rave about, but nothing to complain about either, and how bad can it be with bacon on it!
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Harry got the Southern Burger- Our Signature Blend of Beef on a Brioche Roll, topped with a Fried Green Tomato, House-made Pimento Cheese, Bacon, and Lettuce. What we both discovered on this trip is that neither of us likes pimento cheese. I was surprised. I love cheese, all kinds of cheese, so I thought I'd love this, and we didn't. Duly noted. Do not order anything ever again with pimento cheese on it! It really doesn't look very appetizing, does it? Kind of congealed looking. Looks like scrambled eggs. That's a darn tiny fried green tomato on it, too.
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Now that lunch was over, we walked around a little bit, and posed for some pics.
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The skies were clearing up nicely.
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Oooo, what's that tall & scary looking building in the background? Could it be one of my favorite WDW rides of all time? Yes! Were we going on it? No! My sister is scared to death of riding TOT. I think she's been on it once, back in the day. At least she says she's been on it. I beg to differ. Maybe in her nightmares she's ridden it, but I've been on pretty much every WDW trip my sister has been on, and she has not ridden this. I try to convince her to do it, but she's a big scaredy pants.
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I think this time upcoming trip she's going to ride it though! Believe it or not, she's absolutely so excited and hell bent on riding the gondolas. I do not want to ride the gondolas. Especially after the incident that happened a few weeks ago. I suppose since we're staying at Pop Century we should ride the gondolas to HS & Epcot. It makes the most sense, but I don't want to. My fear of being trapped, you know? So Mary Ann said if I ride the gondola, I can then pick out any ride I want, and she'll go on it. I said fine. I'll go on the gondola if you go on Tower of Tower. She said "I knew you'd say that"! Of course I would! So then she says I have to go first. I'm like uh uh. Do I look like I was born yesterday? Stay tuned to my next report to see what happens!
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This is the reason we headed in this direction! I'm sure you're shocked!
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It was a really nice afternoon break. It's such a pretty area, and relatively quiet back there. Like a tucked away little courtyard, with beautiful foliage, and screams of terror heard faintly in the background
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Did I tell you I love bougainvillae?
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Up next: Carb overload!
i'm just loving your reports. and when you started on the fear of being stuck on the gondola I thought well holy heck that could have been her a few weeks ago!!! could you imagine????? SO glad it wasn't though. and then I had to giggle about your dislike of pimento cheese. just yesterday i was reading a review on the DFB about the southern burger at D Luxe and i was thinking how I really needed to try that burger BECAUSE of the pimento cheese!! LOL!!!!!! seriously though, it seems to be the latest craze nowadays, when we were in Destin in August we noticed a lot of restaurants having some sort of item whether it was an appetizer pimento cheese dip and bagel chips, or pimento spread on a burger. so we went to a burger place and I bravely got a burger smothered in pimento cheese and i LOVED it!!! :D but to each his own, right???? LOL!!!
 
We so share the same feelings on MGM and SciFi. Neither are my favorite but we keep going back. Jason and Casey are the SciFi fans but its hard for me to say no to an onion ring. And MGM I swear I could do a trip without it, except at Christmas. All the gaudy over the top Xmas decorations is everything!
 

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