'Tis the season for turkey and stuffing and green beans cooked in Campbell's soup (sorry I'm from the midwest; green bean casserole is a-ma-zing) and PIE. Mostly pie. It's also the beginning of the holiday season -- despite the fact that Target has been hawking Christmas decor since mid-October -- where everyone tends to reflect on the past year. Thanksgiving, despite being a forgotten step-child in the retail world, really does start us off on the right foot, don't you think?
We're back in Florida so that means we'll be driving to South Carolina to see Michael's maternal grandparents, Nana and Papa. We had a great time last year (Ithaca = drive to New Jersey to see the other side of the family!) but I am also a stickler for tradition. That said, I am grateful that we are back here in Florida, and consequently, able to be back there at Thanksgiving.
All 4 of Michael's grandparents are awesome. Specifically, Nana and Papa are both over 80 and each play 18 holes of golf each day (he walks half, she walks half) and they act like they're closer to 50 than 80. They watch current TV, read current books, and are lovely people to converse with, about pretty much any topic. I am thankful that, by marriage, these wonderful people are now part of my family. I am thankful that we are close enough to to drive to spend time at the holidays with them. (and avoid the airport!) I am thankful that in less than 48 hours I will be in their condo wearing yoga pants, glasses, and no makeup, reading a book and drinking tea, with no distractions.
I am thankful that the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend includes watching lots of movies, reading lots of books, playing lots of games, and spending lots of time talking with each other. That's what Thanksgiving is all about, after all. Family and love and relaxation. Not black Friday sales and craziness.
May each of you be blessed with a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, and may you be truly grateful for it.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Operation Surprise Ashley
So the suspense is over. After two months of keeping my fat mouth shut* I can finally talk about the surprise visit this month.
It all started in September, about 8 weeks ago. Ashley's husband Jason called Pannie and I one afternoon and explained his idea. Essentially it was this:
I have 2 Southwest flights that expire in December 2011. I'm not going to have a chance to use them. I would love to fly you two out and surprise Ash for her birthday. What do you think?
What do we think?! Well he knew what we thought. Ash's birthday was the first weekend in November but I was in Colombia and Pannie was Maid of Honor in her sister's wedding so the 2nd week won out. Good news is I think it might have helped throw her off. Ash said she had an inkling awhile ago that he might surprise her (she knew there were 2 almost expired tickets and they mentioned it briefly this spring) but Jason kept throwing her off by telling her about the 'surprise' trip they had planned.
After we rang the bell and surprised her Friday we went upstairs and saw a good portion of Ash's closet on the bed as Jason encouraged her to 'pack' on Friday evening. Once she gave him a little bit of sass about the trick, (all in good fun) we had a lovely relaxing girls weekend.
One of the great things about surprising someone is they don't plan anything - no agenda! I had NO AGENDA!- so you can lounge around and chat and drink tea or coffee or wine and enjoy each other's company because that's what it's all about.
We also finally watched the Friends series finale. See, it aired after school ended on spring and Ash couldn't bear to watch it without us. So she's been waiting for seven years and this weekend seemed like as good a time as any.
Quasi-related, I read The Hunger Games on my [free!] airplane ride. If you have not read it, go ahead and order yourself a copy. Amazon has it for $5! The movie will be out soon and I am quite certain it will be good. But you know the book is always better.
*I am in actuality a good secret keeper
It all started in September, about 8 weeks ago. Ashley's husband Jason called Pannie and I one afternoon and explained his idea. Essentially it was this:
I have 2 Southwest flights that expire in December 2011. I'm not going to have a chance to use them. I would love to fly you two out and surprise Ash for her birthday. What do you think?
What do we think?! Well he knew what we thought. Ash's birthday was the first weekend in November but I was in Colombia and Pannie was Maid of Honor in her sister's wedding so the 2nd week won out. Good news is I think it might have helped throw her off. Ash said she had an inkling awhile ago that he might surprise her (she knew there were 2 almost expired tickets and they mentioned it briefly this spring) but Jason kept throwing her off by telling her about the 'surprise' trip they had planned.
After we rang the bell and surprised her Friday we went upstairs and saw a good portion of Ash's closet on the bed as Jason encouraged her to 'pack' on Friday evening. Once she gave him a little bit of sass about the trick, (all in good fun) we had a lovely relaxing girls weekend.
One of the great things about surprising someone is they don't plan anything - no agenda! I had NO AGENDA!- so you can lounge around and chat and drink tea or coffee or wine and enjoy each other's company because that's what it's all about.
We also finally watched the Friends series finale. See, it aired after school ended on spring and Ash couldn't bear to watch it without us. So she's been waiting for seven years and this weekend seemed like as good a time as any.
Quasi-related, I read The Hunger Games on my [free!] airplane ride. If you have not read it, go ahead and order yourself a copy. Amazon has it for $5! The movie will be out soon and I am quite certain it will be good. But you know the book is always better.
*I am in actuality a good secret keeper
Saturday, October 22, 2011
To Do: November
Y'all, I have quite a month ahead of me. In no particular order the following festivities will occur in November
If I'm not traveling, someone is traveling to see me! Literally every weekend in November is booked. To quote Michael: Oh this is going to be fun for me!
*Seriously- this is all you get. I can't give any details. Just in case that person is reading. Doubtful, but you just never know and I love surprises. So we all can wait in anticipation.
- Trip to South Carolina for Thanksgiving to see Nana and Papa and also watch way too many movies
- Visit from my boss (!) who is here over a long weekend
- Trip to _______ for a surprise visit to see ____________ *
- Visit from my aunt and uncle and cousins that includes trips to Disney World and water parks and other fun places
- Trip to Colombia to visit Michael's aunt and uncle and coincidentally, a fellow Cornellie who lives there too!
If I'm not traveling, someone is traveling to see me! Literally every weekend in November is booked. To quote Michael: Oh this is going to be fun for me!
*Seriously- this is all you get. I can't give any details. Just in case that person is reading. Doubtful, but you just never know and I love surprises. So we all can wait in anticipation.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Photo Book
My sister is not always known for her proactive behavior relating to gifts. When we were younger and our non-imagintive relatives would buy us the same darn gift at Christmas, I wrote a thank you card and Al signed her name. If we need to give a major gift (graduation, wedding, etc) I choose a gift and Al writes me a check for half. Minimal creativity and brain power involved.
Anyway. The point of this is not to tease my sister. It is in fact to sing her praises. This year, just after Christmas in fact, Al approached me. Boue, she said. She calls me Boue, pronounced Boo, as in ghosts. Have we talked about this? Boue, I have a really good idea for a gift for Mom and Dad. You know how you do Apple photo calendars at Christmas? Well what if for Mother's Day and Father's Day we made them a book that is pictures of us when we were little?
CREATIVITY AND BRAIN POWER RELATING TO A GIFT! What an excellent idea! The catch? Al was bound for the airport to fly back to her home in the big city. I was still in Ohio. Which meant....... I had the dubious honor of sorting through literally more than 20 photo albums full of family photos. Luckily my mother is OCD about organizing photos. Like crazier than me OCD. She has every photo since her wedding shower in 1978 in chronological order in albums. It is quite impressive.
So I spent much to long curled up on the floor of the living room sifting through photo albums. I had to be covert because this was a surprise and Mom tends to pop up at all the wrong times for surprises. She is notorious. But through some small grace of God I was able to grab what I needed, throw it in an envelope and take it back to Ithaca with me.
Then! I spent hours and hours and HOURS scanning 1980s photos. It was not particularly enjoyable. But I would do anything for my sister. After the worst was over, I got to also gather the digital photos I've been taking since college, and arrange the darn things in a book. How to approach it? Chronological? Al pages and Boue pages? Photos just with mom? Family photos together? All Christmas pics on the same page? The combinations were endless.
But finally it was finished and I placed the order. I ordered the book in early June after we got back to Florida. Logic here: Ship it to my house so I could hand carry it home in July for Grandma's 80th and present the gift in person, with Al. I did not want to risk it arriving at home and my mother, who we know spoils surprises at times, to be tempted. Plus- I wanted to see it!
I obsessively tracked the order and shipping. Finally it was delivered as per the FedEx site. I went onto my porch and --- my doorstep was empty. (not really- there was a welcome mat) So I paused a moment and came back inside. Michael did not hear the bell ring nor did I. I checked the ground below the porch. You never know. Nothing. So then I took a walk around the neighborhood and checked homes whose addresses are the same digits as ours but in different orders. Nothing. So I came back home and called FedEx. This resulted in a very thorough detective search between customer service managers on the corporate level and local level and all sorts of folks in between. It was a mess and lasted more than a week.
I explained the gift was for my parents, not an iPod. The item was sentimental and had no street value, so to speak. It was time sensitive because of the impending trip home. Blah dee blah. Well, turns out the box was delivered to the wrong house. The driver came back out and drove to the house where he dropped the box and.... it wasn't mine. At least he admitted it. But since we live in a resort community and he dropped it off at a rental property I couldn't even ask a neighbor. That house has no neighbor.
Good news: I called Apple and had the book reprinted and shipped to Ohio. Of course at this time the darn book was going to arrive AFTER our July trip. Darn it. C'est la vie. It did arrive the following week and Mom and Dad loved it.
Flashforward: Today Michael saw a package on the porch. It was the original book its cardboard sleeve- not original box. So here we are 4 months later and the poor sap who thought he was getting a free MacBook Pro opened the damn box and saw it was a book of a bunch of crazy midwesterners with bad 80s fashions. So I guess they - covertly? - dropped it off today. Neither one of us saw anyone. Um way to be late, poor sap.
So I am keeping it. I have a new coffee table book. It's just like my parents' book and it's awesome.
Anyway. The point of this is not to tease my sister. It is in fact to sing her praises. This year, just after Christmas in fact, Al approached me. Boue, she said. She calls me Boue, pronounced Boo, as in ghosts. Have we talked about this? Boue, I have a really good idea for a gift for Mom and Dad. You know how you do Apple photo calendars at Christmas? Well what if for Mother's Day and Father's Day we made them a book that is pictures of us when we were little?
CREATIVITY AND BRAIN POWER RELATING TO A GIFT! What an excellent idea! The catch? Al was bound for the airport to fly back to her home in the big city. I was still in Ohio. Which meant....... I had the dubious honor of sorting through literally more than 20 photo albums full of family photos. Luckily my mother is OCD about organizing photos. Like crazier than me OCD. She has every photo since her wedding shower in 1978 in chronological order in albums. It is quite impressive.
So I spent much to long curled up on the floor of the living room sifting through photo albums. I had to be covert because this was a surprise and Mom tends to pop up at all the wrong times for surprises. She is notorious. But through some small grace of God I was able to grab what I needed, throw it in an envelope and take it back to Ithaca with me.
Then! I spent hours and hours and HOURS scanning 1980s photos. It was not particularly enjoyable. But I would do anything for my sister. After the worst was over, I got to also gather the digital photos I've been taking since college, and arrange the darn things in a book. How to approach it? Chronological? Al pages and Boue pages? Photos just with mom? Family photos together? All Christmas pics on the same page? The combinations were endless.
But finally it was finished and I placed the order. I ordered the book in early June after we got back to Florida. Logic here: Ship it to my house so I could hand carry it home in July for Grandma's 80th and present the gift in person, with Al. I did not want to risk it arriving at home and my mother, who we know spoils surprises at times, to be tempted. Plus- I wanted to see it!
I obsessively tracked the order and shipping. Finally it was delivered as per the FedEx site. I went onto my porch and --- my doorstep was empty. (not really- there was a welcome mat) So I paused a moment and came back inside. Michael did not hear the bell ring nor did I. I checked the ground below the porch. You never know. Nothing. So then I took a walk around the neighborhood and checked homes whose addresses are the same digits as ours but in different orders. Nothing. So I came back home and called FedEx. This resulted in a very thorough detective search between customer service managers on the corporate level and local level and all sorts of folks in between. It was a mess and lasted more than a week.
I explained the gift was for my parents, not an iPod. The item was sentimental and had no street value, so to speak. It was time sensitive because of the impending trip home. Blah dee blah. Well, turns out the box was delivered to the wrong house. The driver came back out and drove to the house where he dropped the box and.... it wasn't mine. At least he admitted it. But since we live in a resort community and he dropped it off at a rental property I couldn't even ask a neighbor. That house has no neighbor.
Good news: I called Apple and had the book reprinted and shipped to Ohio. Of course at this time the darn book was going to arrive AFTER our July trip. Darn it. C'est la vie. It did arrive the following week and Mom and Dad loved it.
Flashforward: Today Michael saw a package on the porch. It was the original book its cardboard sleeve- not original box. So here we are 4 months later and the poor sap who thought he was getting a free MacBook Pro opened the damn box and saw it was a book of a bunch of crazy midwesterners with bad 80s fashions. So I guess they - covertly? - dropped it off today. Neither one of us saw anyone. Um way to be late, poor sap.
So I am keeping it. I have a new coffee table book. It's just like my parents' book and it's awesome.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
BzzAgent
Do you know BzzAgent? One of my colleagues told me about it about 6 months ago. It all started at lunch.
K was microwaving a new LeanCuisine product that included a soup and sandwich duo. I had recently seen the item advertised in a magazine, so asked her if they were good. K told me this was her first one; she received a coupon through a free product-trial group. Now, I love new products and I love coupons. I was instantly hooked and asked to know more.
BzzAgent is a group that promotes free products to its members. Products run the gamut: cleaning supplies, cosmetics, diapers, iPhone apps, not-usually-free websites with financial services, coupons for food, etc. It really runs the gamut. I took a look at the website that evening and signed up. Again, it's free to join and participate.
Once you create an account, you take surveys. They are brief questionnaires: 5 or 8 questions. They do not take all day thankfully. And, more importantly, they are useful. They want to know about you so they send you the right products. I am a married 28 year old female without kids. They will not be sending me diapers. Nor will they be sending me One-A-Day's newest line for men over 65. Helpful.
So the more surveys you answer, the better tailored the products will be. Don't worry, they don't give you 100 surveys to start. They give you maybe 5 and then the next time you visit the website, there might be 2 more. They are literally 5 questions and take about 10 seconds to answer. The more surveys you fill out, the more likely it is that a) you will receive a free product and b) it will be a product you just might buy. (Especially if they send a coupon too!)
Now that they know you, you'll start to get emails about free stuff. If you indicate that you would like to try the product that is described, you will get a box in the mail! Don't worry, they do not send anything unless you indicate you actually want it. Now, this is free, but the folks at BzzAgent do want you to talk (Bzz) about the products. Tell your friends and colleagues and neighbors and sisters and hair stylist about the stuff. Write about it on facebook. Blog about it (guilty as charged). Give friends the coupons. Help the big corporate giants promote their new products in a more viral, social media type way.
So far I have received and used the following:
-A rather large box chock full of SCJohnson cleaning type products
A bottle of pledge (LOVE!), some type of floor cleaner, scrubbing bubbles auto shower cleaner, scrubbing bubbles stick on toilet cleaning gels, glade plug in refills in a springtime scent, a glade candle in a springtime scent, glade spray air freshener in a different springtime scent, and 5 coupons for each product. I was to share coupons with friends and save some for myself to buy additional products if I liked them. And these were good coupons, y'all. Each were at least $1.00 off, some more. Whoa!
Verdit: I love the SCJohnson company and everything in the box. Not a surprise. I will continue to buy my favorites but unless I have a coupon I am not spending full price on the toilet cleaning gels.
-A new L'Oreal eyeshadow
L'Oreal One Sweep Eyeshadow, which has an applicator brush shaped like your eyelid. The corresponding survey even asked about my eye color so my free sample would be the exact product I would buy in the future, should I like it.
Verdict: I hated the applicator but loved the colors. The applicator is too small for my eyelids. Gave this product to my [also brown-eyed] sister. I don't know if she is still using it or not. I will not be buying this product.
-Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Products
Burts Bees Sensitive Skin Facial cleanser (full size!), BBSS moisturizer (full size!), and a bunch of free samples of the moisturizer to share with friends. Along with a handful of $1.00 off coupons to share.
Verdict: So far, mixed reviews. I am an exfoliator. Sensitive skin face wash does not have exfoliants, obviously. There is no scent, which is probably a good thing for me. The moisturizer feels nice, but I still think I prefer my Olay.
Prediction: I will use it up but likely won't buy it again
Had I been thinking ahead, I would have photographed the boxes and their contents so as to provide a visual for the post. Alas, I did not. I have room to improve in this department.
Can't wait to see what comes next!
Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way by the folks at BzzAgent nor any of the above mentioned brands. Just sharing a fun free way to try new stuff!
K was microwaving a new LeanCuisine product that included a soup and sandwich duo. I had recently seen the item advertised in a magazine, so asked her if they were good. K told me this was her first one; she received a coupon through a free product-trial group. Now, I love new products and I love coupons. I was instantly hooked and asked to know more.
BzzAgent is a group that promotes free products to its members. Products run the gamut: cleaning supplies, cosmetics, diapers, iPhone apps, not-usually-free websites with financial services, coupons for food, etc. It really runs the gamut. I took a look at the website that evening and signed up. Again, it's free to join and participate.
Once you create an account, you take surveys. They are brief questionnaires: 5 or 8 questions. They do not take all day thankfully. And, more importantly, they are useful. They want to know about you so they send you the right products. I am a married 28 year old female without kids. They will not be sending me diapers. Nor will they be sending me One-A-Day's newest line for men over 65. Helpful.
So the more surveys you answer, the better tailored the products will be. Don't worry, they don't give you 100 surveys to start. They give you maybe 5 and then the next time you visit the website, there might be 2 more. They are literally 5 questions and take about 10 seconds to answer. The more surveys you fill out, the more likely it is that a) you will receive a free product and b) it will be a product you just might buy. (Especially if they send a coupon too!)
Now that they know you, you'll start to get emails about free stuff. If you indicate that you would like to try the product that is described, you will get a box in the mail! Don't worry, they do not send anything unless you indicate you actually want it. Now, this is free, but the folks at BzzAgent do want you to talk (Bzz) about the products. Tell your friends and colleagues and neighbors and sisters and hair stylist about the stuff. Write about it on facebook. Blog about it (guilty as charged). Give friends the coupons. Help the big corporate giants promote their new products in a more viral, social media type way.
So far I have received and used the following:
-A rather large box chock full of SCJohnson cleaning type products
A bottle of pledge (LOVE!), some type of floor cleaner, scrubbing bubbles auto shower cleaner, scrubbing bubbles stick on toilet cleaning gels, glade plug in refills in a springtime scent, a glade candle in a springtime scent, glade spray air freshener in a different springtime scent, and 5 coupons for each product. I was to share coupons with friends and save some for myself to buy additional products if I liked them. And these were good coupons, y'all. Each were at least $1.00 off, some more. Whoa!
Verdit: I love the SCJohnson company and everything in the box. Not a surprise. I will continue to buy my favorites but unless I have a coupon I am not spending full price on the toilet cleaning gels.
-A new L'Oreal eyeshadow
L'Oreal One Sweep Eyeshadow, which has an applicator brush shaped like your eyelid. The corresponding survey even asked about my eye color so my free sample would be the exact product I would buy in the future, should I like it.
Verdict: I hated the applicator but loved the colors. The applicator is too small for my eyelids. Gave this product to my [also brown-eyed] sister. I don't know if she is still using it or not. I will not be buying this product.
-Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Products
Burts Bees Sensitive Skin Facial cleanser (full size!), BBSS moisturizer (full size!), and a bunch of free samples of the moisturizer to share with friends. Along with a handful of $1.00 off coupons to share.
Verdict: So far, mixed reviews. I am an exfoliator. Sensitive skin face wash does not have exfoliants, obviously. There is no scent, which is probably a good thing for me. The moisturizer feels nice, but I still think I prefer my Olay.
Prediction: I will use it up but likely won't buy it again
Had I been thinking ahead, I would have photographed the boxes and their contents so as to provide a visual for the post. Alas, I did not. I have room to improve in this department.
Can't wait to see what comes next!
Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way by the folks at BzzAgent nor any of the above mentioned brands. Just sharing a fun free way to try new stuff!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Momsie was here again!
Before we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary, my mom came down for a visit. Since she's been here a few times, we did not knock ourselves out doing touristy Disney things, and some days we didn't even have an agenda! That is a big deal for me. Ok. I was working those days so it doesn't count. Whatever. It's still a big deal, right?
Even so, a trip to central Florida is not complete without a trip to a theme park of some sort, right?
Despite Mom's veteran status in Orlando we did manage to get in some new highlights, including riding the NEW Star Wars ride (ohmygosh!) and visiting perennial favorites Space Mountain and Captain EO. Outside the theme park, favorite moments include seeing Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, eating dinner at the delicious Artist Pointe, and taking Mom to a super cool wine store: Total Wine and More. We also all discovered Menchie's. Do you know this establishment? It's good, but I wish it were ice cream.
Below are fun pictures of general mayhem and shenanigans. What more would you expect?
My favorite Pixar character- he has a friend in me!
Yes, I was the only one who ordered dessert. Who is surprised?
Wilderness Lodge is beautiful- the pictures do not do it justice
Main Street Electrical Parade (first time since 1989)
and by the way, it's just as fun when you are 28 as when you are 5
Don't forget to let me know if you're in the area. I am always game for fun in Central Florida. Just please don't make me ride the teacups.
Even so, a trip to central Florida is not complete without a trip to a theme park of some sort, right?
Despite Mom's veteran status in Orlando we did manage to get in some new highlights, including riding the NEW Star Wars ride (ohmygosh!) and visiting perennial favorites Space Mountain and Captain EO. Outside the theme park, favorite moments include seeing Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, eating dinner at the delicious Artist Pointe, and taking Mom to a super cool wine store: Total Wine and More. We also all discovered Menchie's. Do you know this establishment? It's good, but I wish it were ice cream.
Below are fun pictures of general mayhem and shenanigans. What more would you expect?
My favorite Pixar character- he has a friend in me!
Yes, I was the only one who ordered dessert. Who is surprised?
Familiar sights highlights include:
Meeting the White Rabbit (first time since 1978 honeymoon)
Riding the darn Teacups (I abstained)
Main Street Electrical Parade (first time since 1989)
and by the way, it's just as fun when you are 28 as when you are 5
Don't forget to let me know if you're in the area. I am always game for fun in Central Florida. Just please don't make me ride the teacups.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Two Years Married!
Today is our 2nd wedding anniversary. September 19, 2009 we got married in Ohio on a gorgeous late summer day. September 19, 2010 we were in Ithaca, NY and it was a wee bit nippy. We ate dinner on a hill overlooking Cayuga Lake and the beginnings of fall foliage. September 19, 2011 we are in Florida and it is 90 degrees.
We celebrated our anniversary on Friday night with dinner at Victoria & Albert's. It is a AAA Five Diamond restaurant at….. Walt Disney World. Yes folks, I was at the Grand Floridian Hotel, which is gorgeous, for 3 hours, eating amazing food. I do not consider myself a foodie. Don't get me wrong: I love food. Despite being a very picky eater as a child, I now love food of many sorts, and my most favorite food of all time is a cheeseburger. Specifically, with american cheese on a fresh roll. What can I say? I am a midwesterner at heart.
But let me tell you, this was once in a lifetime (so far at least) and also incredible. It was a 6 course meal and we also added the wine pairing, with a half-glass per course. Our waiters, however, gave us each at least one glass per course, thus resulting in a particularly long meal. (I am not complaining) As an added 'cute' component, our waiters (Jack and Sherry) also happened to be married! They were adorable and very knowledgable with the food and wine and all that jazz. The entire restaurant is impressive, and as an added touch, menus are custom and include your name and the date, along with a plethora of foods. After dessert, the ladies are given a long stemmed red rose.
We celebrated our anniversary on Friday night with dinner at Victoria & Albert's. It is a AAA Five Diamond restaurant at….. Walt Disney World. Yes folks, I was at the Grand Floridian Hotel, which is gorgeous, for 3 hours, eating amazing food. I do not consider myself a foodie. Don't get me wrong: I love food. Despite being a very picky eater as a child, I now love food of many sorts, and my most favorite food of all time is a cheeseburger. Specifically, with american cheese on a fresh roll. What can I say? I am a midwesterner at heart.
But let me tell you, this was once in a lifetime (so far at least) and also incredible. It was a 6 course meal and we also added the wine pairing, with a half-glass per course. Our waiters, however, gave us each at least one glass per course, thus resulting in a particularly long meal. (I am not complaining) As an added 'cute' component, our waiters (Jack and Sherry) also happened to be married! They were adorable and very knowledgable with the food and wine and all that jazz. The entire restaurant is impressive, and as an added touch, menus are custom and include your name and the date, along with a plethora of foods. After dessert, the ladies are given a long stemmed red rose.
Throughout the meal, I convinced Michael to take photos with his phone, even though Emily Post would probably be rolling over in her grave. Sorry, EP, but if you would have seen this food, you would understand. Below, some visual highlights.
Amuse Bouche with (from top right) prosciutto melon 'gazpacho*', crab salad with cream, jerk shrimp, ahi tuna in ginger sauce
*They didn't say gazpacho. I forget what Jack said. It was soup-esque and cold, hence, gazpacho
Diver Scallop with Braised Fennel
Roasted Alaskan Sablefish with Arugula Pudding
Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Strawberry Rhubarb Puree
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Tortellini
Niman Ranch Lamb with Candied Marble Potatoes and English Peas
Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Verjus-Bacon Vinaigrette
Flora Nelle, 24 month Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gouda and Southern Belle Chevre
Coffee service was presented in a fantastic steaming Bill Nye type science pot. It was tasty. I don't even LIKE coffee
Grand Marnier Souffle
Tanzanie Chocolate Pyramid with Champagne-Chambord Truffle
Then I got my rose. As if this was not enough, they also handed us breakfast bread to enjoy the following morning. They probably should really give you a slim-fast or a piece of celery. Can anyone say DETOX? We actually wandered around for awhile, enjoying the scenery (we could see Cinderella's Castle from the boat dock, but the photos don't do it justice) But even the walk was too much to handle.
This restaurant is not for sissies.
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