Candy, more candy and bizarre foods

Well this is coming to you from 35,000 feet, somewhere between Orlando and Los Angeles. In flight internet, a marvel of the modern world. So where did I leave the Disney adventure?

I think I left it somewhere near candy. Lottttttts and lots of candy. See, I went to mickeys not so scary Halloween party.

Not everything is open, but they only let so many people through the door, so the rides that are operating have almost no wait. Not surprisingly, the most popular ride was the Haunted Mansion. There were "dance parties" scattered around. A 'villain mix-n-mingle' near the castle, and a monster dance party in Tomorrow land (if you look closely you can see some of the Monsters Inc characters dancing away with the kids).

Everyone was given a bag and a map. You searched the parks for glowing orange orbs.

The orbs mean candy! If you were really lucky you found one of the 2 candy trails, which were a 500 meter or so stroll where every few meters there was another cast member handing you candy. Now, I was cool with the little kids getting a bit excited and pushing in front of me. I don't take issue with that. What I did take issue with though was the grown ups, people old enough to be my parents, pushing in front of kids and then not waiting for the cast member to get the candy, actually just grabbing it themselves and shoving it in their bags. The worst part of that was I twice saw very young (teenage looking) cast members get reprimanded by mangers for letting it happen. Really not cool.
Earlier in the day I had learned that Disney orders the equivalent of 2 tonnes of candy for each of these parties. There was everything from craisins to snickers to three musketeers to skittles to tootsie rolls and something called a whopper. Which I tried and it is nothing but a poor mans out of date malteeser. They went in the bin.

There was a special parade that night - led by the headless horseman! We were the treated to a special light show at the castle.

This was followed by the boo to you fireworks (man that song was a pain to get out of your head!).

The stroll back to the bus was a killer. I had been at the Magic Kingdom since 8am, it was now 10:30pm. My feet were contemplating a revolt, and I can't decide if I was over tired, or if it really was a man in a Fred Flinstone costume sitting next to me on the bus ride home...

I took what is called a "Keys to the Kingdom" tour earlier that day. It was one of the more fascinating things I have done in a long time. It is for adults only (for reasons that will become obvious) and we were taken around the park for five hours by a cast member named Claire who was so amazingly passionate about her job that you could not help but getting caught up on her every word. We learned all about Walt and his brother Roy and the thought and imagineering that went into Walt Disney World. We got the secrets of two of my fav rides and then got to try to find those secrets on the ride itself. We even got to go backstage and down into the tunnels that are under the Magic Kingdom. We even learned things like why the rubbish bins were where they were (which was more interesting than it sounds). I can't tell you more than that, because we were asked not to say or write anything that may be seen or heard by a child and "spoil the magic", nor could we take pictures, but it was an absolute highlight.

Another highlight came on Friday morning. I dragged my tired feet out of bed, and hit Epcot for a "Kitchen Memories" lunch - a lunch where a well known chef cooks for you and tells you about their food memories. Mine was with Mr Bizarre Foods himself Andrew Zimmern.

We were all slightly terrified about what he would make us eat - and he didn't disappoint. First course? Frogs legs!

They were tasty, and I ate the whole thing! Main was a little less challenging, his fav prawns, and then for dessert we had his family berry crumble. We got to meet him and have a chat afterwards and it turns out he is super keen on a show in PNG - he has already tried twice to get there.

That evening I went to the other end of the scale and went to the 3D dessert party. This is a party where they feed you dessert. And nothing else. Because after the candy fest the night before I needed more sugar.

My fav thing of the night (and apologies for the crappy pictures - it was really dark) was the ice cream and cake hot dog.

We finished the night with fireworks - complete with 3D glasses that made Mickey Mouse explode out of every firework. Coolest trick ever!

When I got home that night the housekeeping staff had been at it again with the towel animals. There was a ray in my bath tub!

I also got a chance that evening to go to an Air Supply concert. Nothing like a big "all out of love" sing along with aging rockers. There should be an age limit on leather pants though. Just sayin.

I finished up today with a few more dishes from the food and wine fest. I even ate the escargot. Snails AND frogs legs in one day. The French would be proud.

Sadly, it is now time to go home. Though the fun part of going home is getting to start planning the next adventure. Until next time, thanks for reading, I am always so pleasantly surprised when I see the hits on this site :)

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Pumpkins, apples and The Mouse

Do you know who I think is the richest person in Florida? The person who had the genius vision to start up the company that hires those motorised scooters out to tourists who think they can do theme parks without walking a step. I have easily seen hundreds of them a day. Multiply that by four parks just at Disney, add in Universal and Sea World and I suspect there would be thousand of them hired out on a given day. Saw one of their billboards today and prices start at $25 per day. Talk about a license to print money. Wish I'd thought of that, would help soften the hatred I have of those scooters...

Monday morning started with a bang. I hit the road to the Magic Kingdom for a Royal engagement - breakfast at Cinderella's castle. It was sugar and spice and all things nice - literally.

One of the signature items on the menu is the caramel apple stuffed french toast. I can't walk past a menu item like that - though I should have. It was stuffed not only with the caramel apple pieces, but also cream cheese. I think one bite gave me my weekly recommended daily intake of sugar! The portion was thankfully small. I had many a visitor at my table including Jasmine, Aurora, Ariel and Snow White. The Princesses just added to the sugar overload.

Following breakfast I headed out to check out all the Halloween decorations.

The whole of Main St was decorated for fall.

Since I was here last they have opened the new Fantasyland, including the new Beauty and the Beast section. I had lunch at the beasts castle - where they try to replicate the magic of the dining scene in the movie. It is still a mystery to me exactly how my food found me in that giant place (yes, my food had to find me!). For dessert I had the "masters cupcake". It was chocolate cake frosted with 'the grey stuff'. You should try the grey stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me? Asked the dishes (double points to anyone who started to sing the last two sentences).

I went on a bit of an adventure around in the afternoon and was flabbergasted as to what Americans do to apples (beyond my sugar fest breakfast). They even dress some apples up as pumpkins!

In fact they will do apples as almost anything - frogs, cars, monsters...

One of the other big changes since my last visit is that they now have a Starbucks in the Magic Kingdom. Who knew that not even the mouse was immune from having old school coffee shops turn into a Starbucks.

Tuesday I went on safari at the Animal Kingdom. I saw lions and cheetahs and elephants and zebras and giraffes and dinosaurs. Yup, dinosaurs.

At lunch I was wooed by a crazy menu item. The mac and cheese hot dog. Yes, these is a hot dog sausage under the pasta. My tummy did not feel so great that afternoon. Could be the dinosaur ride, could be the the hog dog - it may need to remain a great mystery of the universe.

Despite the self inflicted tummy ache, I hit the food and wine fest for dinner. The entertainment tonight was courtesy of the Go-Go's, featuring Belinda Carlise.

The booths that supplied dinner included Greece, Argentina, and Poland - the latter came with a sour cream 'hidden Mickey'.

For dessert - I ventured to Australia.

Coming up next - too much Halloween candy, and a 3D dessert extravaganza (a post which has to be delayed being written by at least 24 hours because the mere thought of what I ate tonight is making me feel not so great...). There will also be a surprise appearance by a tv star. Stay tuned.

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From '50s drive in to 80's soft rock - a day at Disney.

So, I have moved on to sunny Florida. At first I was grateful to be warm for the first time in months, but three days in I am close to heat exhaustion and cursing the Canberra winter for making me soft.
First two days were at Universal studios.

I learned an important lesson here. Universal rides are for big kids, Disney rides are for little kids. Belinda is not a big kid. Looking at the small kiddies and grannies in the cue for the Harry Potter ride, and having had Anna tell me she thought the ride was cruisy I decided it sounded like my kind of thing. No, no, no, no, no. It was six minutes of terror. I've never had my eyes so firmly shut in all my life. Never been so terrified I was about to throw up on another human. I spent the next hour after the ride trying to stop shaking (spent the first 15 minutes sitting down because my legs were too wobbly to walk!). I thankfully found a few rides more my speed, but let's just say there isn't much point in me going to Universal studios again.

The food at the Hard Rock hotel was very much themed towards Halloween. My fav of the things I tried was the "crime scene cheesecake".

The highlight was well and truly having lunch at Krusty Burger. So awesome to step inside The Simpsons.

This morning I was up early to transfer over to Disney World. This time around I am staying at the Beach Club resort near Epcot.

The view back over the boardwalk isn't that bad...

For lunch today I went to the Sci-Fi drive in. The concept is awesome. It is done up as a '50's drive in. You sit in cars. You are seated by a parking attendant, and your bill is a parking ticket. Throughout the meal you are watching a loop of old black and white pictures. I scored and a fav of mine in terms of bad '50's Sci-Fi movies, "Robot Monster" was playing on the screen whilst I was there today. It is quite dark, so pics are not great, but hopefully you get the idea.

This week sees the start of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. There are 30 "international marketplaces" to visit, and each has a number of options. Initially, I was a little outraged when I wandered past the Australian marketplace. What the hell is a shrimp? If this food is Australian, it's a prawn. No discussion. I will not try this dish on the principal that I will not say the word shrimp. Add to that the fact that pavlova is actually Kiwi by origin and the Australia booth is just plain confusing...

Tonight I made it to a few of the booths. I hit up Canada for (wait for it) cheese soup! It was awesome and smokey and a little spicy.

Next up I hit the cheese booth (there is a CHEESE BOOTH!!!!) and had the blue cheese souffle with fig jam. Yummy.

I decided to visit Japan and try the Youki Tofu. Please note there are actual vegetables in that plate and I ate them.

For dessert I hit Belgium. For waffles. Of course. With berries. Yes people, fruit.

They also have the Eat to the Beat concert series. Tonight was Starship! STARSHIP! We had all the hits. We built this city, Sara and Nothings gonna stop us now.

Tomorrow I have breakfast with Cinderella and lunch with Belle and the Beast. Gonna be awesome (and pincessey).

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Pumpkins and Baby Daddies

I like pumpkin. Having lived in countries where it was one if the few veggies you could purchase consistently this is a lucky coincidence. I like roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pizza, pumpkin in risotto, even the odd pumpkin scone (which is a birth right being a QLDer). What I don't understand is what the North Americans have done to this tasty, and versatile vegetable. Pumpkin ale at the pub? Wrong. Pumpkin spiced latte at Starbucks? Wrong. Pumpkin spiced Hershey's kisses?

Wrong.

Pumpkin cheesecake croissants?

Wrong.

Plain old pumpkin cheesecake?

Wrong, wrong, wrong. What is even more wrong is that everything I have tried that is "pumpkin spiced" - tastes like cinnamon! It is cinnamon cheesecake with orange food colouring people! And the Hershey's kisses are just orange coloured white chocolate with cinnamon (and sickly sweet - I actually tried one).

I'll let you have the McDonalds pumpkin pie, but then I draw the line.

Okay, pumpkin vent over. Have been to a few more shows at the theater. There was the awesome Kinky Boots (though my shoes left me feeling thoroughly under dressed next to the fabulous drag queens gracing the stage), the amusing Matilda and the fairly ordinary Motown the musical (though it is worth the price of admission for nothing else than to hear the kid that plays a young Michael Jackson sing - people were crying at the sounds of this kids voice, it was astounding). There was also Pippin. Whilst brilliant, it gave me the same panic that cirque shows do - I am terrified the stunts will go wrong (thankfully they were spot on).

Today however was a highlight. I was up early to catch a bus to Stamford, CT, to be an audience member at The Maury Show. For those who have not seen Maury Povich in action, it is a Jerry Springer-esque show that primarily does paternity tests. He is most known for the phase "(insert name), you ARE/ARE NOT the father" and the crowd goes wild. There are sometimes fights, yelling, tears, swearing, interfering family members, the whole shebang. He does some other shows (lie detector tests, setting bad kids on the straight and narrow and the transvestite shows) but everyone on the bus (me included) was hoping for a paternity show, and we were not disappointed.

Once we got into the studio (which by the way is the exact same set for three other shows, including Jerry Springer) the warm up guy came out to make sure we stayed on message. He wanted to rehearse our reactions. What do we do when we see a pic of a cute baby in the monitors? Ahhhhhhhhhhh. What we do when we hear something shocking (eg. I am also sleeping with your mama) - cue gasps and shocked expressions. What do we do when we hear the woman say the baby daddy hasn't even bought a diaper? BOOOOOOO!!!!! (With the thumbs down signal). When the dead beat Dad has his paternity confirmed by the DNA test? Scream and yell and jump to your feet and scream a chant of "man up, man up". I had lost my voice by the end if the warm up.

They recorded a whole heap of reactions in advance to cut into the show later, but we were told to react to EVERYTHING. Be loud. Get involved. If you don't, we will show you the door. Participate or perish in the foyer.

The best of the day was the couple (both white) where the guy was denying the baby (also white) because "he knew his girlfriends best friend was hooking her up with black gigolos". When she pointed out the baby was white his response was "I watch Maury all the time, that means nuthin!". Oh dear. He was the father. He got booed off the stage. I heard the words "black gigolo" more today than in my 35 years combined. Even Maury was shocked. He came back out and looked at us and was laughing and asking if we could believe that guy.

The final couple was actually horribly sad. The wife cheated, she confessed, and the poor husband found out the daughter the raised for the last four years was not his. He was devastated. Thankfully the audience were respectful. At that point though you do question how much these shows mess with people's lives for the entertainment of the rest of us. Then they gave us pizza. Pizza makes it better.
I will leave you with two happy food thoughts. I finally braved the line at Shake Shack and it was totally worth it.

This was dessert - and no truer words have been spoken. They make me happy at least.

Tomorrow, I have to be up at some stupid hour that is still technically tonight to head south to Florida and it's 30 degree days!

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Three days and 64,850 steps later.

Have only been in NYC for three days and yet the pedometer (which I bought because I was fascinated by the idea of how far I could walk in one day at a Disney park) tells me I have walked 64,850 steps (which it tells me equates to 44.13 kilometers). So, it is no surprise that my feet are a teeny little bit sore.

As usual, I am here for the the shows. Saturday afternoon I saw the Rogers and Hammerstein version of Cinderella. That was followed on Saturday night with The Glass Menagerie starring Zachary Quinto and Cherry Jones. Once you get past the fact that on 24 one of them was President and the other the bad guy, you could move on to their mother/son relationship.

Sunday was a struggle to drag my sorry butt out of bed. Nope, not jet lag. Rather a room full of middle aged women from Houston in the room across the hall who decided to come home at 2am and raise hell in the hotel. Once I did drag my sleep deprived self out of bed I went to see The Trip to Bountiful. Vanessa Williams and Cicely Tyson. The evil woman from Ugly Betty and the woman we all loved in Fried Green Tomatoes. It was crazy good. I really thought that was as good as it would get, but then on Sunday night I saw a new show called First Date. Krysta Rodriguez from Smash and Zachary Levi from Chuck. I'm officially in love with the latter. It was so nice to see something that was original and not based on a movie. Helped that it was also hysterically funny. Still have four more shows to go - given what I have seen so far, I have high hopes.

Given all that walking, I have had free range on the food (that's called Belinda logic). There have been copious cupcakes (thank you Sprinkles and Magnolia bakeries). Then there was the cronut. Half croissant, half donut. They are all the rage at the moment, so I hate to say it, but after trying one, I don't understand the attraction. But I can now at least say I have tried one.

Next up I ventured to Carlo's Bake Shop. All that watching of Cake Boss made me reallllly want to try one of Buddy's cannoli. Whilst the plain one was awesome, the choc one left a little to be desired. Far too sweet.

There has also been shopping. Had a bit of fun at the NHL store. I won't disclose what I purchased for fear of inciting a riot (as the merch may have been from the Flyers rivals from the great state of PA...) but they did have an awesome chandelier made from hockey sticks!

Today I had a lot of fun in the candy store. The Halloween candy leaves a little to be desired. Like this one... (It REALLY looked like minced meat in the store!).

After eating that, do you feel the need to floss? Maybe with bacon? (Ewwww).

You'd need gum after that, right? (Hotdog, peanut and beer gum perhaps?).

If that gum is not to your liking there is another type...

Maybe just chocolate?

Okay, okay - maybe just a lollipop...

There has also been constant crazy roadblocks from UNGA leaders motorcades (though having Obama drive past me was pretty cool). I also managed to get caught in some filming for The Carrie Diaries on the street. The early '80s clothes and hair on the cast were giggle worthy.

Well, time to rest the tired feet so they can get back up and do it all over again tomorrow. To where I don't yet know, but the cupcake people did tell me that if I bought today's receipt back tomorrow I would get 2 for 1 - that's worth walking 15 blocks for :)

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