We Can See Tokyo Getting Closer!

The time of only daydreaming about visiting Japan is slowly becoming a reality! A few months back Eric brought up that we need to put in vacation and start saying "We ARE going to Tokyo!" So we requested the middle of October as vacation. There wasn't a deep meaning in that time of year. Basically no one else in our office has requested that time off. Saying it out loud and truly believing it set us on a path to make Tokyo happen. 

We told ourselves in March that we needed our plane tickets by the first week in June, or we wouldn't go. It was time to save money in any way possible. I was nervous about being limited to no extra activities, but felt Japan would be more than worth it. We did notice that plane tickets were cheaper now than they had been a few years ago. Right after the major quake/tsunami, the flights were just over $1200! As of now the flight price hovers between $800-900. 

We of course began to consider lodging as a major necessity to our trip. Out of all the tips we had seen or read, Tokyo has many "Hubs". This fact makes it hard to choose exactly where to stay. A place like NYC makes it easy. The closer to Time Square, the closer to the tourist action. Tokyo seems very spread out like Los Angeles. Although we were definitely looking to be a tourist, we also wanted to take a road less traveled, but not get lost. In early April Eric came across a News report that changed how we approached our trip planning. 

Eric saw on television a promo for Airbnb.com, a new way to travel. It isn't actually a new concept. The site is more of a liaison between you and someone running a "bed n breakfast". It was being featured because through this site, people were making extra money. We both looked into the site and downloaded the app. 

The Hosts on the site all seem very excited to "host" you and show their town. For Tokyo we came across Tokyo natives and people that have moved to the area from various countries. In some cases the guest doesn't even need to see the host. Check in is done on site at a lock box and so is check out. Imagine NOT having an awkward language barrier at a Japanese hotel! 

I could go on about all the details of this service, but it would get very lengthy. I would suggest to at least look into it when traveling to a major city with high hotel prices. We found these apartments for rent to be about $20-30 cheaper than hotels. Also, most of these apartments come with a portable wifi router. I'm sure we will need that when lost in Tokyo! Obviously there will be more to write about the full experience once we've stayed there. Will it be negative or positive?????

This Trip Planning post is getting rather lengthy, but I just received word that we are confirmed for the second leg of our stay. For the first half we are staying at an apartment closer to Tokyo Disneyland and the second half we will be in the city (near that crazy crosswalk you may have seen). 

Our flight is booked on Singapore airlines. Although I am not a huge fan of flying, especially for 11 hours, I'm excited! I've read so many great reviews for Singapore Airlines. It sounds so much more interesting than my flights to and from Europe. 

Eric bought a book called "A Geek in Japan". It has a lot of great cultural information. I keep re-reading sections because I want to know as much as possible. There are amazing facts on home life, work life, and what it means to be a "nerd" in Japan. If you ever to go Japan I think you should pick this up via Amazon. We have also been doing homework on YouTube as we learn about the subway system and possible day trips (i.e. Kyoto). 

I'm sure I'll think of more as time goes by during the Summer. Ever heard of The Robot Dinner Show in Tokyo? Well, it looks really crazy and I think that's going to be a must. Women hanging from the ceiling while wearing robotic bikinis and dinosaurs fighting robots! Sounds like a whirlwind that is exactly four months away!!

Who Laid All These Eggs?

Well Spring has taken over the Disneyland Resort. Although we didn't see all on our "To Do" list, Eric and I had a fabulous time.

Sure the crowd doesn't look too rowdy, but since we arrived before opening it hadn't filled in just yet. We had our hearts broken at the start because Big Thunder Mountain was delayed to open. Within the first hour we managed to grab a Space Mountain FastPasses and ride Matterhorn. It felt as though that Matterhorn queue did not move. We could've used the Single Rider queue, but we wanted to ride together. If I wanted to ride alone, I'd have gone alone, right? 

Hearing Eric's laughs and vocal exclamations are what make coasters fun for me. There's the obvious turns and drops, but friends and family enhance the enjoyment. 

The five minute queue for Big Thunder made up for the time we spent in that Matterhorn queue. It's been said, but this new track gives such a better experience. And, this time we noticed new evacuation walkways. Eric commented that they looked disguised as horse trails. I agree. 

While it's open for a brief two weeks, we just had to hop aboard and sail around the world. Both of us were delighted to see the new water effect for the Taj Mahal'a reflecting pool. After all these years of that pool looking drab, it looks wonderful! (Video link of the new effect I shared on Instagram http://instagram.com/p/mxxcD5yy7O/  )

The floral arrangements gave off so many scents that stimulated my brain! A quick breeze would waft the strongest aroma toward us and I felt I stepped into a flower shop. The colors and smells were a grand backdrop of the Disneyland Egg-stravagaza!

The concept was easy. Find the decorated egg by using the hints (now covered by the corresponding sticker), and cover that space with the sticker that matches. It was even stated we could skip the "hunting" and claim the prize. How boring would that be?!?! 

Looking closely, you can spot the eggs we found. They were everywhere, but apparently Spring doesn't exist in Tomorrowland. No eggs in the future. 

    "THUMPER!!"

It was around 85 degrees today. Hot!!! So when Eric and I were about 80% through we took a break and watched the show at the Royal Theater in Princess Fantasy Faire. I'm sure it's been reviewed online elsewhere, but I wanted to mention my quick thoughts. It was a cute show with a few good laughs. The tale we were told was Tangled. The guy playing Mother Gothel was so silly and stole the show!

We wrapped up our egg search on Main Street, and turned in our map for official verification. There was a kid ahead of us in the queue that said, "I understand that I don't actually need to do the search. Can I just get the prize?" What a boring kid. Good luck little one! 

Taking part in this "hunt" reminded me of the time we looked for the clues at D23, Adventureland Trading Company. I wonder if they're connected at all, put on by the same team? 

Here were our prizes. One egg each. Donald for Eric and I had Dale on mine. 

We came across a lot of people participating today. It's good that these little activities come up now and again. I don't think we need the full blown "Sorceror's of the Magic Kingdom", from Disney World. (Not that I've heard any rumors what so ever) I just feel it's good to have these as temporary events to match the season. 

Earlier that morning we made reservations for Carnation Cafe. I don't know why I didn't think to take photos there. Maybe my brain was winding down from the heat? The food was good. I had a vegan burger and Eric had a cheeseburger. I definitely would have that dish again. 

We were ready to head back indoors, at home. As you can see, Eric was running for the door! 

Lay All Your Love on Me!

Yesterday Eric and I were invited to join a few friends watch Mamma Mia. This show has been out for sometime now, but we never took the time to see it. We had several chances, but whether in Vegas or NYC, other shows won top choice. As usual we went through the Goldstar website. This site never disappoints with it's great and accessible ticket prices. I always tell people to never pay full price for any show! 

Going into the performance we knew that this would be probably not be the best thing we've seen. Eric and I were ok with that because having seen the film version, we were curious. I do want to note this "review" is more of recounting our experience. This is written merely for fun. 

Right at the top of the show, after the short Prolouge rendition of ABBA's "I Have a Dream", the dialogue was over the top corny. I'd go as far to say that it made me borderline uncomfortable. Even the elderly lady right next to me whispered (loudly) to her daughter, "They are acting like 7th graders, not young adults."

Now remember that we knew exactly what to expect. If anything, the overall cliché story and acting is almost the reason to watch this. Then there of course is the ABBA soundtrack. I didn't listen to them growing up, but Eric had a "greatest" hits CD a while back. After hearing that approximately 10 years ago, I developed a taste for them. It's definitely enough of a liking to have seen the film version more than a few times. Off the top of my head, a few favorites of mine are "S.O.S.", "Fernando", and "Voulez-Vous". And, although I don't like the original sung version, Meryl Streep has a notable rendition of "The Winner Takes it All".

This might be because it's just a touring show, many years after the original production, but the music relied very much on a computer/keyboard. That was joined by a guitarist and a percussionist. Being that the music was from the 1970s or early 1980s, I can definitely forgive that. I will say that the accompanying music sounded better than the touring production of CATS. (I won't visit that one in this or any post)

Some of the songs appeared tossed into the set list because a creator really wanted that song(s) in there. We would have a group of cast members delivering dialogue and hear a rim shot from the pit, and suddenly we were thrust into "Knowing Me, Knowing You". That song was a stretch. It seemed the book writers tried to convey a character recalling a past event, but I felt the audience had to piece that together. The lyrics of "Knowing Me, Knowing You" are directed at an individual that wasn't even onstage or in the show. But as I mentioned, one can't put too much thought into this. 

At the finale the famous, or not so famous, encore took place. Three songs were sung as the main cast donned some flashy, retro outfits seen onstage at a Bee Gees or an ABBA concert. Eric and I had some fun noting the patrons that were up out of their seat, dancing like they had to let out some tension from work or life. A few individuals were about to jump onstage, it seemed. But, they were all having a good time and I can't complain about that. 

Both Eric and I enjoyed ourselves too. I would be lying if I said we weren't smiling for the finale. Mamma Mia was one of those shows to see at least once. Sure it has campiness, but you have to embrace it. The songs are by ABBA! And who doesn't love the song "Dancing Queen"? If you don't, why not? It's all in good fun!

A Honeymoon Dinner to Never Forget

                                   

Never before had Eric and I brought a suit along, but as you all know this was a special trip. This time around we would dine at Victoria and Albert's, located at Disney's Grand Floridian hotel. I will admit I felt business-like when we boarded the airplane with our garment bags. 

The day of our meal we decided to visit Animal Kingdom. The park was shutting down at 5 PM, so we knew we wouldn't be missing out on any park hours. 

                                  

We did have a good time at the park, as we always do, but getting ready for our posh dinner was also fun. A lot of people deny it, but I enjoy getting dressed up to go out for a nice dinner date. As we made our way through the lobby to catch a taxi, we noticed we were the only two in suits. Our hotel was nice, and not to mention a deluxe hotel, but it was a casual sight in the lobby. Where were all the other guests about to hit the town?

To our satisfaction, once we arrived at the Grand Floridian hotel, the tone was very different. We had been there before, but it was slightly more beautiful than we had remembered. As soon as we walked into the doors the scent of gingerbread and cinnamon took over our senses. 

                                  

We immediately began snapping photos of the hotel's enormous interior decor. Eric and I were so excited! If this had been a musical I am quite sure we would've broken out in song! Entering this hotel was like meeting all the Downton Abbey cast in the library, just before dinner. If you don't get that reference then you need to get on with watching Downton Abbey!

There were families and couples all over the lobby area. Everyone was dressed in great clothes and ready to enjoy his evening. Classy looking people sat in the upstairs bar, drinking up Gimlets and Martinis. The backdrop to all of this was elaborate Christmas decorations with two fantastic center pieces, the real gingerbread house and Christmas tree. The gingerbread house doubled as a dessert shop and had a smoking chimney.

                                

                                

After taking in the setting of the hotel, we found our stomachs to be very empty. It was near 9 PM. Our reservations were so late because the restaurant doesn't open until 7 PM and they only have approximately 14 tables. The intent is to have a very service focused and intimate experience. I don't think either Eric or myself really knew what to expect. I still hadn't seen any photos of the place. The nicest place we had recently eaten at was Napa Rose, located at Disney's Grand Californian. But, even that place didn't require the men to wear a jacket or blazer. 

                                

                                

As soon as we opened the door we were kindly greeted by the maître d. He looked us right in the eye, used our first names in his welcome, and congratulated us on our marriage. The reservation included our information and what were celebrating, but it was still nice that he knew exactly who we were. I am a little embarrassed to say that I don't recall his name. 

                                 

We were sat near the harpist. She was playing music of the Christmas season. Most of the music was so elegantly played, at not so usual tempos, that it would take a bit to figure out the tune. The style was very impressive. I'm going to blame the lighting for this one, I'm looking tired with the dark shadows under my eyes, but the harpist can be seen behind me. (I really wasn't tired)

    

Both our servers introduced themselves. There was a younger, quieter one named Aaron and the slightly older guy was Don. Both of them had a very calm demeanor about them. Neither of them were there to infiltrate our space with the "loud Disney pep" persona. Their personalities matched the ambience very well.

We were presented with our menus, that had been tailored to our tastes. A week earlier Eric received a call from Disney Dining. He along with the caller created our menu options. They asked questions about whether seafood was ok or if there was anything we absolutely didn't care to eat. My main concern was to have a vegetarian menu. There weren't a large amount of vegetarian selections, but I was willing to try what they had laid out. Being a meat eater, Eric had a lot more to choose from. The top of the menu was personalized for our occasion. 

                                    

As each dish was brought out to us, the servers explained what the ingredients were and its origins. In some cases we were told the location Eric's duck or beef was flown from. This was my first time dining at a place that went into detail like that. I felt like a nerd because I thought to myself "Hey! It's like the cooking competitions on TV where the chefs describe their dish to the judges!"

    

     

This was the first dish or appetizer that was brought out for me. I won't go into all the details of what each dish was, that would be too long. We had seven courses. But, I can say this was tofu with a small amount of veggies. The sauce also had great flavor. 

     

Eric even had some food items he had never eaten or usually avoids. He does not like apples at all. But, he did have a dish of pheasant that had a small portion of Apple slices. He ate them! I should mention that it was also at Disney World where Eric decided he would finally try a salad, in 2008. But, I digress. 

                                  

We had three bread courses. These various breads were so good. This one pictured above was bread that had truffles in it. It was my first experience with truffles and it was worth the wait. I can only say it was an explosion of flavor! The blue cheese spread is literally listed as the BEST of its kind, in the world. Don, the server, mentioned the exact award but I can't recall the title at the moment. 

                                    

We were there quite late. I think we were on our fifth course around 11:30 PM. We didn't feel rushed at all. They left approximately ten minutes between taking away your plate to bringing a new one. As I mentioned before, our server Don was very talkative. We learned a little about his time with the company and that he has been with his husband for around 20 years (I forget the exact amount of time). He was a very cool guy. 

                                    

When our main dishes arrived, both were covered in silver tops. The servers lifted the lids off the plates at the same time and it made that metal "ting" noise. (Love my use of words?) Above is my main dish, a spinach cannoli. The foam around it was made from a sort of squash. The foam had a nice, subtle flavor. All the dishes were small amounts of food, aside from this one, but we were getting so full. 

After all the food courses we were reaching the dessert platter. I had seen a table nearby receive this dish and I was looking forward to it. Eric and I both ordered the chocolate soufflé. Before they would bring this out, Don made us a pot of coffee at our table. The process, using the Cona Coffee Maker, was actually quite interesting. He said it was created for Queen Victoria. The water is heated below with the grounds in the upper chamber. The water steams, rises, and is brewed with the grounds above. But, as soon as the lower chamber is empty it becomes depleted of air and like a vacuum, sucks the coffee back down. I was amazed! 

                              

                              

Here we now see the used grains in the upper level and in the bottom pot is the coffee, ready for enjoyment. And voila! Dessert was then served. I can still recall what it tastes like, heavenly. I want to mention that after the brewing process, the coffee was also very nice.

     

As one can imagine, Eric and I were so stuffed by now. We felt we couldn't have another bite. Well, Aaron brought out some candies that he said were made by their unique, in-house candy designer. We both figured it would be a while before we returned so we accepted them and went at it. 

A few minutes later, Don returned with a special sized box for the candies. He said, "Well, most are too full to eat them by now, so I figured you'd want to take them home." For a moment we were slightly embarrassed. We kept the box anyway. 

                             

After taking care of the bill and gathering our things, Don showed us the restaurant's hidden Mickey. He said everyone misses it, unless it is pointed out to you in the carpet. Check it out, dead center. 

     

                                  

As I said, there were seven courses which included a lot of food. I'm not really a food blogger, but I hope you got a sense of what this is experience was like for us. The night was amazing and we lost track of time. Eric and I left the place at near 1 AM. As we headed out Don asked if we needed him to call a car for us. Where do they do that? I was impressed by that question. 

And, I hope you all are impressed enough to try this place out for a special occasion of your own.  Remember to call ahead and be prepared to have a relaxing and pleasant evening. 

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

                                 

Once Eric and I made it through Epcot, to catch the Monorail, we figured we'd reach Magic Kingdom by 4:15 PM. Our tickets, which we had to purchase, were valid from 4:00 PM through Midnight. Unfortunately our plan was thrown off completely. The Monorail from Epcot to Magic Kingdom had broken down, and had been for at least 10 minutes. After waiting a while we decided to take a resort bus to The Wilderness Lodge. Eric and I would then need to catch a different bus to finally arrive at the park for the party. It felt just as lengthy as it sounds. While waiting at The Wilderness Lodge, we sat there for what seemed an eternity, but was probably 20 minutes. The buses seemed very spaced out for our entire trip. 

Of course I knew we would arrive, but I figured since we had to pay for this ticketed event, we were losing money each minute we were late. We both were excited to arrive. I just had to get a photo with the event cast members. Their costumes are just so bizarre and "loud". The male version could be slightly toned down, but it is a party after all. These two cast members filter out guest not wearing party wristbands. When the cast was given the "go ahead", they would usher non-party guests to the main entry. Even the doors to the Main St. shops are shut to avoid receiving new shoppers. 

I took the reigns of the schedule and hoped it didn't annoy Eric. The attractions would be accessible throughout the trip, but the shows, parades, and fireworks were special to this event. One of my first goals was to avoid hunger during the party. I've never been a fan of the food offered at Magic Kingdom, but it's always fun to hear the silly jokes from Sonny Ecplise at the Starlight Lounge.

We had some good ole American burgers, veggie for me. After we ate, there was a little time during normal operating hours. We visited the new Storybook Circus area. This area hadn't been completed during our trip in 2012. The Disney characters had some nicely themed outfits for the circus. 

Goofy was taking a break from riding his motorbike in the Cage of Doom! We also rode the newly designed Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

As Eric and I moved through the park, toward the western end, we both noticed a crowd awaiting the parade. Although our tickets were good at 4 PM, the party officially started at 7 PM. It was only 6:30 PM and people already were grabbing spots! I think Eric would have rather waited to see what spot we could grab around 7:30, but he knew I didn't want to miss this. We took a spot on Main St. This area is that picturesque spot most people seek. It is also the section of the route most people incorrectly think is the one place to watch. Truthfully, I wanted to watch the parade with this image as the background (i.e. Garlands, wreaths, old looking buildings).

Once the party kicked off, it began to snow onto the parade route. Various versions of holiday favorites started to play and the street became filled with guests. It was a huge crowd! The mob was full of late arrivals and some guests being shown the door. I looked over at Eric. As it snowed on him I thought of a moment where we sat on a frozen street in Pasadena, awaiting the arrival of the Rose Parade. Here was his expression on this day. 

Disneyland is so much more strict about crowd control. The parade was getting close (we could hear the music) and the street was still full of people. It didn't help that a short street show, where guests joined in the dancing, had just finished. Where the park was strict was when cast members, clothed in those outfits mentioned earlier, were checking guests for wristbands. I didn't see it happen, but it must be quite a scene when someone is asked to leave from the viewing area.  

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime parade

Snow White and her prince. 

Duffy the bear couldn't care less that he was in a parade. I think my sofa's throw pillow at home was more animated. 

There is no debating that the parade was festive. Maybe I'm just too big a fan of Disneyland's Christmas parade because I felt this one wasn't as good. However; I did enjoy the different ways Winter, Candy, Santa's Workshop, and Christmas scenes were presented. They did have a great deal more of toy soldiers than Disneyland. The Magic Kingdom has a musical band of them plus marching soldiers. 

As Eric was guessing, I would need to watch the second parade showing. Side note: I have been watching the Disney Parks Christmas Day special since I was around 8 years old. It's primarily filmed at Disney World, so I wasn't going to pass up this chance to see their version twice. 

We moved our position to the park's central hub. We would be waiting for their castle "projection" show and stay at that spot for Holiday Wishes (fireworks). The projection show, Celebrate the Magic,  started around 9:15 PM and we were both impressed. It looked like the technology had improved from the first incarnation of this show, which we saw in 2011. The images seemed to have more depth. I think the best part was "Let it Go" from Frozen. You can see Elsa projected here. 

                     

Quickly after this show, the fireworks began. I could see the average, once a decade visitor loving this show. It is entertaining, but there was something dull about the music. Eric made a good point that projecting silhouettes of snowflakes onto the castle aren't as exciting as the grand, three dimensional projections from the previous show. But, as you can see from these few shots, fireworks themselves are enjoyable. Loud noises, explosions, and colors.....what's not to like about that?

The show ended and we shuffled over to a nearby spot on the curb. We would be front row for the second parade showing at 10:30. People were still milling about with that "What do we do next?" look on their faces. Not us. We were ready for the parade and resting our legs. 

Prince Eric & Ariel atop one of the oldest floats in Walt Disney World. (To be fair, Disneyland also has it's share of reused floats)

Although not pictured, there were a few court dancers that had a nice conversation about last night's house party. Eric and I looked at one another, and we giggled. Was there no supervisor watching these performers? I wouldn't say these little details completely ruined the parade, but a few performers didn't "have his head in the game". 

Let's take it to the positive. The music for the parade was very up beat. It wasn't full of grandiose moments but felt more like dance music. During the Candy Factory segment, the pop song "I Want Candy" was used. (Here I go again) That seemed out of place for a traditional parade. But, Santa Claus had a beautiful outfit with a lot of embroidery. (See there's positive there)

                                  

The clock was pushing toward the 11 PM hour. The majority of the park entertainment was now in the past. So it was time to grab our snicker doodle cookies and hot chocolate (all you want with party admission). The cookies were so good I made a mental promise we would grab more, but we didn't have a chance. 

                               

I look like a floating head here. Obviously the photo is too dark, but I thought the ornament was cute. 

The party's merchandise sold out quickly. From listening in on another guest's conversation (ask Eric, I do that like a professional), she was angry they were out of shirts. Well, I didn't want a party shirt, but I did want something to commemorate the occasion. As usual I do have many photos, so there's our souvenir for the party. 

                                  

To wrap the party up I want to be clear that we both did enjoy ourselves. We did see the specialty offerings, but missed out on a few holiday dance parties. I was okay missing those dance venues. I know Eric will dance anywhere so maybe he is disappointed about that. What I find hard to believe is the resorts say tickets sell out for the event. We have also been to the Halloween event and it was just as crowded. 

I can't imagine people attending the party as their only visit to Magic Kingdom. For Eric and I, we are accustom to crowds and can manage them just fine. If your reading this and hate crowds, still attend and try to return another day. If you followed the timeline I laid out during this post you'll see hours passed quickly. 

Luckily we still had more time to return this park and more adventures to see. And, let's face it, we had more food to eat. I always say healthy will be the route I'll take. Judging by my waist size now, I made a few turns from that "healthy road". Next time we'll visit Victoria & Albert's restaurant. That was a seven course meal and you'll hear all about our elegant meal.