Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

To set the stage for this event, Mickey-wearing avatars in Ashley’s and Brian’s likeness posed as the subject for adorable invitations.

Guests were brought to a local country club where they were greeted with colorful Disney nuances; some subtle and some familiar and welcoming!

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Ashley created fastpasses for guest seating. Fastpasses very much like what Ashley used are now extinct in the Disney parks but until recently these were paper passes that would cut wait times for rides. These were cleverly designed to correspond with the table names, which she created from vintage Disney ride posters!

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Ashley’s and Brian’s table was also adorned with a large Toy Story Midway Mania-themed Vinylmation; one of their favorite Disney attractions!

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

To top off a lovely lunch buffet, guests enjoyed handmade cake pops and cupcakes (created by Brian’s mom) with cute Donald and Daisy Duck toppers!

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

In lieu of favors, Ashley’s mom ordered Make A Wish bracelets for all guests, as this is a very special foundation to the bride and groom. Included with the bracelets was a message indicating that a donation was made to the Make A Wish Foundation so that the magic of Disney could be shared with another family.

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Before leaving, guests contributed to the thumbprint tree guest “book” that is now displayed in the Bride and Groom’s living room where they can be reminded of the great day they had with so many of their favorite people that were there to show their support for the beautiful couple that day!

Photo credit: Matt Gruber Photography

Photo credit: Randy Chapman Photography

Photo credit: Randy Chapman Photography

The post Ashley’s Disney Pre-Wedding Celebration! appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

The beginnings of the delicious, slurp by the spoonful, vanilla cream anglaise!

Remember that whole bread and BUTTER thing? Yeah…here’s the sugar/butter spread in the making.

Thick sliced Texas Toast bread which I kept the crusts on for extra texture and caramelized crunchy edges!

Sugar butter “sandwich” triangles are the yummy base for this deadly dessert.

Cut your triangles to best fit whatever shaped pan you choose. I also soaked the raisins in warm water and imitation rum flavoring just for fun!

Finished bubbly goodness! Caramel sauce cooling in the background.

Caramel sauce and rich vanilla cream anglaise take this dessert over the edge into fancyland awesome.

Finished product. Moment of silence please………yum. Every. Part. Is. Perfect.

For dinner I prepared a simple fresh pesto over green pasta! Even though we’re Irish, doing the whole traditional Irish cuisine didn’t feel right so we went this route. I threw in some veggies and some smoked turkey sausage and served with a big green salad for good measure!

The beginnings of the yummy pesto sauce! So simple: basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese blended in a food processor.

So fresh, so delicious, so green.

Green spaghetti!

A lovely dinner full of green! Don’t kiss me, I’m Irish but I smell like garlic.

What are you having for Saint Patrick’s Day dinner? Share your recipes below! And try my version of Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding for dessert and let me know how you like it!

Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding (adapted from All Ears’ recipe from Raglan Road)

Vanilla Cream Anglaise:

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Method of Preparation: 
1. Heat up the cream and the vanilla on the stove until it almost starts to boil. Meanwhile combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk well.
2. When the cream reaches the almost boiling point, turn off and remove the pot from the burner. Temper the yolks, by ladling a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of cream to the bowl and mixing well. Then add the yolk sugar mixure to the cream, whisk well so that it does not curdle. Place over low heat for 2 minutes whisking until it starts to thicken. Strain and allow to cool at room temperature. (Post edit: I didn’t strain and the world didn’t end and the sauce was delicious. Sometimes I don’t follow the rules. There, I said it.)

The “Bread and Butter” part:

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf Texas toast (about six slices)
1/2 pound butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Crème anglaise (see below) for dipping
1/2 cup raisins soaked in water (and a dribble of imitation rum flavoring, optional)

Method of Preparation: 
1. Combine the sugar and butter, spread evenly on the bread slices to make sandwiches, stack together and cut off the crust. (post edit: again, I’m a rule breaker. I left on the crust and I’m glad I did! I also used the remainder of the butter mixture to butter the outsides of the bread too.)
2. Cut the “sandwiches” in ½ on an angle (from corner to corner)
3. Butter the inside of 8 oven proof cups or preferred baking dish (I used a 9×9 square pan). One by one dip the “sandwiches” in the anglaise and place in the baking dish, layer the bread and a sprinkling of soaked raisins as you go until done. (post edit: there was only one layer for me since I put them all in the square pan so I just put the raisins on top. Also pour more anglaise on top! Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan and fill in the holes-trust me on this.)
4. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until it rises a bit. Remove the cover and bake an extra 10 minutes until slightly brown. (post edit: this was the exact perfect amount of time.)
5. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with anglaise and caramel sauce (see below).

Caramel Sauce:

Ingredients: 
1 stick butter, chilled
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Method of Preparation: 
Combine the sugar and butter in pot and cook over a medium heat. Whisk well to combine. When sugar is melted and it starts to boil, turn off the stove, remove from heat, and whisk in the cream to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature.

The post Saint Patrick’s Disney Side! appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

Photo credit: By The Robinsons

Kristin headed to lunch at her favorite cozy Italian restaurant, Stefano’s Trattoria in Orlando one unsuspecting day where she was completely surprised to see 30 of her friends and family! She was the guest of honor for her surprise bridal shower!

Kristin’s mom and Maid of Honor had fluffed up the already beautiful restaurant to make it extra special and fit for a Princess. On the tables, they placed at each place setting cake in Mason jars and a Mickey glass filled with candy and specialty lip balms on a paddle from Epcot’s Canada pavilion (by “specialty” I mean “flavors” like Beaver Butt, Moose Spit, and Bear Breath!)!

For lunch, guests were given the option of eggplant parmesan, chicken marsala, or tortellini with port wine, espresso, cappuccinos, and sodas.

Kristin with Stefano himself!

A Disney themed game entertained guests between munches and sips where they matched Disney love songs with their respective movies!

Kristin’s Disney wedding is quickly approaching where she will marry her Fiancé, Geoff. Very much looking forward to seeing their wedding come to life!

Photo credit: Alyssa Marie Art & Photography

Photo credit: Alyssa Marie Art & Photography

Photo credit: Alyssa Marie Art & Photography

Photo credit: By the Robinsons

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In preparing for watching the Academy Awards tonight I decided to give a little nod and use the Oscars as inspiration for our dinner! I found a healthy version of Oscar Burgers which I improvised slightly and ended our meal with a quick version of “Red Carpet” Cupcakes!

Lemon zest, minced garlic, diced red pepper for burgers.

Pork burger patties.

Chopped fresh dill, lemon, and plain greek yogurt.

Delicious sauce base.

Steaming burgers!

Roasted asparagus.

Finished Oscar Burger! Topped with roasted asparagus and crab meat.

Served with baked shoestring sweet potato fries.

I made the second part of dinner just as fabulous looking but a little easier on myself by using pre-prepared items! Betty Crocker usually gets it right anyway right? I trust her. I was super happy to find the absolutely perfect Oscar-worthy gold sparkly accessories for these Red Carpet gems!

Red velvet cake mix, whipped cream cheese frosting, glitter gold sparkles, and gold cups.

It’s a lovely shade of red!

Beautiful cupcakes.

Starring roles.

And the award goes to…

The post An Oscar Night Dinner! appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

Today I wanted to make cookies, but something I could feel good about. I got out my new favorite cookbook, Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, she’s Jerry Seinfeld’s wife) and found this great looking recipe for Oatmeal Cookies! I had almost all the ingredients and it looked easy enough. I changed a few things to make it even easier as well as more whole foods-focused. I hope you enjoy these as much as Mark and I do!

Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Deceptively Delicious recipe)

1 cup wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini
1 large egg white
1/2 cup dried cranberries (can substitute mini chocolate chips)
1/2 cup nuts of choice (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add dried cranberries and nuts if using, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter with wooden spoon until just combined – do not over mix (do not use an electric mixer!). Add banana, zucchini, and egg white; stir quickly until combined. Add flour mixture, stir until combined.

Drop the dough by tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch in between. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 4 to 5 minutes, just until they are firm enough to handle, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a frosty glass of almond milk!

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Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Married on November 8, 2013 during a 10:00 AM ceremony at Disney’s Sea Breeze Point on the Boardwalk!

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

We were so happy so many of our family were able to travel to Florida to be with us for our special day.

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Our overall theme was Vintage Atlantic City from a Child’s Point of View (i.e. bright colors, fun patterns-stripes, dots, and swirls, candy, childhood books, and popcorn!).

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

We had a brunch reception at the fabulous Atlantic Dance Hall!

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

Photo credit: Jason Angelini Photography

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Be Our Guest Restaurant, located “inside” the Beast’s castle, has created quite a stir long before Fantasyland was ever open. There are a couple reasons for this. First, because of the drop-dead gorgeous ballroom in which you dine (that looks identical to that in the famous film) and also because this restaurant serves alcohol! This is the first time in Magic Kingdom history that alcohol is available inside this park!

This newly coveted dining spot has a counter service option for lunch and then is full-blown table service dining for dinner. At the time of our visit, Be Our Guest had been booked solid for its official open in December and had been for months. I was excited to see it but had succumbed to the belief that it was impossible to get in.

If you recall from a previous post, Mark somehow snagged last minute reservations for us during our “day of a million surprises!”

After checking in, Mark received a buzzer and was asked to wait on the bridge leading up to the Beast’s castle. While we waited, I took a few (not good) photos of our surroundings.

Once our names were called, our host was very kind and showed us all the interesting rooms on our way to the dining room. I REALLY wished I had brought my camera but I didn’t know this was going to happen, so I was stuck documenting this experience with my iPhone.

We ordered a couple drinks since we could for the first time EVER in Magic Kingdom! There was surprisingly a decent wine list. The menu looked excellent – a slightly French influence but definitely for the American palette.

All entrees come with salad which was very good.

Mark’s steak was perfectly cooked and what it lacked in presentation it made up for in flavor. This is an excellent choice for a red meat lover.

I chose the Cornish Hen which I love mostly because I like that it’s my own tiny chicken! This was also wonderfully prepared and fell off the bone!

We couldn’t pass up dessert! Of the mobile display case of goodies we chose two little works of art called “cupcakes.” Specifically, the Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake and the Triple Chocolate Cupcake. These were so lovely it was hard to un-wrap them to eat them! For someone who loves cupcakes, either of these would be a wonderful choice as they are on the small side which was fine with us since we barely had room left after dinner! They were both a little too sweet for me but perhaps I should have ordered the Lemon Meringue Cupcake instead – next time!

We were free to peruse the place after dinner so we stopped in the other dining rooms. Seriously this place is just breathtaking. SO perfectly themed!

We only had two complaints. Our server wasn’t the best and was not very attentive. This was harder to see because the table next to us had an excellent server who explained everything on the menu and made suggestions; ours was just there to take the order and leave. Granted, this was basically a dress rehearsal, but still, I expected more.

Also, the seating in the main dining room (what would be the ballroom in the original Beauty and the Beast movie) is very tight and you’re sitting very close to your neighbor. The seating is also arranged in such a way that lucky guests on one side of the table have a view of the huge, glorious bank of windows with “snow” falling outside and the unlucky guests on the other side have a view of a wall (to be fair, it is a pretty wall) or other diners. If you’ve seen they’ve made adjustments to this since, please let us know.

Overall our surprise New Fantasyland introduction was an extraordinary one! We are so excited to go back in June!

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And yes, I can confirm he DOES, in fact, use antlers in all of his decorating. I don’t know if it’s this way now but it was so quiet in Gaston’s Tavern that it seemed like such a nice spot to relax for a little bit.

We had to know what all the hype was about with this LeFou’s Brew so we decided to give it a try.

Mark loved LaFou’s Brew and I liked it but it’s not my favorite (I don’t like apple OR marshmallow flavored things). This is a frozen concoction of apple and marshmallow flavors with apparently a mango-passion fruit (?) froth on top. I liked the froth a lot. I’ll take a shooter of the froth to go, please. Oh, they don’t do that? Darn. Next time we’ll try the Roasted Pork Shank and a Cinnamon Roll!

Post Edit: On our most recent trip we tried the Pork Shank!

It proved to be worth all the build up! The pork literally falls off the bone and is very flavorful and juicy! It made a great lunch for the two of us to share along with some fresh raw veggies. We have still yet to try the cinnamon roll but we hear it’s very similar to those famous and illustrious Main Street Bakery rolls so we can’t wait to try one on the next trip!

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Again, very little wait but we did have a few minutes to look around the cottage before going into the next room.

The next room, inevitably, was Maurice’s shop where he works on all of his inventions! A cast member told us some interesting facts about this room and then introduced us to the magic mirror on the wall (spoiler alert for those of you who haven’t seen this)!

One step closer to Belle! Here, members of our party were selected to play roles in Belle’s story! They seem to like to pick kids to enhance their experience but some adults were chosen too.

Once the roles had been filled, we go into Belle’s library and wait a very short time for her to arrive when we will “surprise!” her! I love that Belle arrives in the iconic yellow and gold dress.

Belle expresses her tale as she flawlessly interacts with the audience and the chosen few selected to play their part in the “play.” This is a very special experience indeed, especially for kids and those who love Belle. A little tip and extra incentive to try to get chosen for a part in the tale, all guests chosen to perform in the tale receive a special photo pass containing their photos with Belle!

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We started out one of our touring days at Animal Kingdom. After a few times around on Expedition Everest, we stopped for a coffee at Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery. While we sipped (to also warm up, it was COLD that day!), Mark checked his twitter account and saw that someone posted that New Fantasyland was OPEN! Sorry Animal Kingdom, there are some things that take precedence and THIS was one of them! We took the rest of our coffees to-go and booked our happy little selves to Magic Kingdom!

Much to our additional delight, Magic Kingdom had gone through an overnight season change and was decorated in holiday décor!

Without running (hard to resist) we speed-walked to Fantasyland and came to the entrance where there were a few cast members standing “guard.” It felt like we were doing something we shouldn’t, but we walked right in and they didn’t stop us! Success!

I have to first say that the new construction is beautiful and SO on point with the animation that you literally feel like you’re now also an animated version of yourself and just happened to step onto the set of Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid! These are two of my very favorite movies from my childhood so you can imagine how excited I was!!!

First, we just walked around in awe to see everything. So far all that is open (still the case at the time of this posting) are two main attractions (Enchanted Tales with Belle and Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid), a Character meet and greet with Ariel in Ariel’s Grotto, a little gift shop, and a couple dining choices; more on that later.

Since we’d walked around to the back, we decided to start at Under the Sea! I LOVE Ariel. Period.

I may not be as critical of this attraction as someone else who is less of an Ariel fan. Nonetheless, I was impressed and happy with the execution of this ride overall! There was no line so we buzzed right by the interactive elements within the queue (that we later discovered on round 2). Initially this queue felt similar to Living Seas with Nemo (complete with the exact same Clam-mobiles) but the ride itself is entirely different with animatronic characters recreating a quick version of the beloved story.

Next, I really wanted to meet Ariel and figured this was my chance! We got in line and Mark decided while I waited he would attempt to get into Be Our Guest for dinner (we were not hopeful as it’s booked up way in advance, but it’s worth a try!). I waited for about 20 minutes to see Ariel and had a nice chat with a couple ladies who had made it their goal to get pictures with all the princesses – admirable.

Dream come true! She told me she liked my little bag and asked if it’s what I use to hold my thingamabobs. LOVE her.

Mark was waiting for me on a concrete “rock” when I emerged in all my glowing wonder from Ariel’s Grotto. He looked sad and said he had some bad news. That we were stuck in Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day because he got us a dinner reservation at Be Our Guest!!!!! Oh my gosh, we were SO excited! What luck! Stay tuned for a full review coming up soon!

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That brings me to our tradition that we inevitably started and love so much we’re continuing it; first breakfast of every trip at the Grand Floridian Café! With this particular trip, it makes perfect sense since our planning session is at Franck’s Bridal Studio, which is within the Grand Floridian grounds. AND our session is at 9am and we need to start with a good breakfast right? Perfect!

Our last trip to Grand Floridian Café was nothing but sensational (as always).

Walking into this lovely Victorian-themed open space, first impression is bright and cheerful (much like the resort itself).

There are subtle nautical nuances as well as fresh, beautiful red roses on every table.

Now onto the food! We tried a couple new things this time that we’d never had before. I decided to go with one of the healthier options on the menu with the Frittata. This consists of egg whites, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, and lots of fresh basil. If you’re not a basil fan, steer clear. But fortunately, for me, I am and this was a glorious blend of flavors and textures! The “topping” was sort of like a basil pico de gallo and made a very nice accompaniment.

This was served with a plate of fresh fruit, which was all basically flawless and nicely presented.

Mark chose the Citrus Pancakes. We’ve been eyeing these since our last trip when we both almost ordered them! This was a stack of thick, fluffy roasted pecan and sun-dried cranberry pancakes served with house-made citrus butter and a cranberry/pecan topping as well as mandarin oranges and a light dusting of powdered sugar.

These are served with a choice of bacon or sausage; fairly basic while also delicious. This is a very filling meal and we were sad that neither of us could polish off these lovely babies! BUT in preparation for a busy day in Magic Kingdom (or for planning your wedding) this could be a good choice to stick to your ribs and fuel your high energy level!

Overall, this is a great choice for any diner. And everyone should take a trip here at least once! This makes a perfect first breakfast of the trip also because this resort is on the monorail loop so you can park at the Ticket and Transportation Center, monorail to the resort, then monorail to Magic Kingdom or Epcot! Try it on your next trip; you will not be disappointed!

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Before our dinner at Jiko – The Cooking Place at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I (who loves photographing everything and capturing ALL moments) suggested we set the camera timer and take some photos of us in all our happy glory. Mark (who doesn’t usually love having his picture taken) jumped on the opportunity. I thought this was odd but didn’t question it! We took a few photos…

Before, to my complete surprise, Mark dropped to one knee and pulled a gorgeous ring out of his pocket and asked me to marry him!

There’s no way he could have known I would ask that we do photos at this very moment. And there’s no way I could have known he already had the ring in his pocket. This was a truely spontaneous and perfect moment! If you could only see the few moments after this picture was taken; I was a complete mess! It was an overwhelmingly happy and emotional moment, one that put my water-proof mascara to the test!

As if Jiko (I don’t allow myself to bring cameras there so no photos, sorry) wouldn’t have been wonderful enough, the high of being freshly engaged certainly enhanced our experience and will forever be our special “engagement celebration” dinner spot!

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Last but not least, we will get our happy little tummies over to the Argentina booth to try this lovely beef skewer (because again, who doesn’t like food on a stick?)! I wondered with Boniato Purée is, so I looked it up and found it’s a sweet potato with a white dry flesh with little sweetness that is usually grown in subtropical regions. Hmmm interesting. And chimichurri sauce just sounds good and a little research taught me that it is native to Argentinean food-perfect!

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The Australia booth apparently likes its food on a stick and the lamb chop has a built-in stick/handle which just makes it fun! This meat on a stick is reportedly melt-in-your-mouth tender, the mint pesto made fresh daily and is topped with homemade salt and vinegar potato chip crunchies. Sounds delish!

Maybe we stop next door too at the Caribbean booth for the wonderful-sounding Bacardi® Frozen Dragon Berry Colada ($7.75)!

The post Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies – Food and Wine Must Tries appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

I made mention of it in the last post and this is nothing new to us but a definite MUST HAVE! The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup is made with Moosehead beer and speckled with bits of bacon. YUM! So creamy and “dipable” they could probably call it fondue!

Since Le Cellier (coveted restaurant in the Canada pavilion) is one of our favorite reservations to get in Epcot, we have to also have the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce ($6.50) while we’re at the Canada booth!

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Once we discovered pretzel bread, there is no turning back! Thus, this roasted sweet and savory sausage inside the coveted salty bread from our friends at the Germany booth is a must try! I am wishing the Germany booth was a little closer to the Canada booth so we could dip this pretzel roll into that Cheddar Cheese Soup but am hoping for an equally beautiful marriage with the bratwurst!

Since we’re right next door to the Brewer’s Collection booth we’re thinking this might be a good time to also try German Schöfferhofer Grapefruit wheat beer (6 oz: $3.50)! This booth is the ONLY place this is available in the U.S.!

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There doesn’t seem to be an overwhelming amount of chatter about this Hawaiian favorite but how great does it sound?! The word “slider” just makes you want to bite into this mini-sandwich and who doesn’t love some pulled pork? I’m looking forward to comparing this pork to the pork in the Korean lettuce wrap! And the sweet shiny Hawaiian bun just pushes it over the edge for me. I think it might be love at first sight!

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The Mexico booth’s little seafood treasure had me at “Chipotle Lime Mayo” as I’m in love with anything chipotle! I also love the bright colors and apparent variety of textures packed in this tiny taco package. I might have to make my dad proud and pair this with the Tequila Flight which includes 3 shots of Mexican favorites: Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo, all for $12.50!

The post Crispy Shrimp Taco with Chipotle Lime Mayo and Cabbage on Flour tortilla – Food and Wine Must Tries appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

I’m kind of obsessed with lettuce wraps so of course we sashay over to the South Korea booth to try this one! I didn’t know what Kimchi Slaw was exactly so I looked it up and it appears Kimchi is a type of fermented cabbage which apparently is delicious (we’ll be the judge).  Between the Kimchi and lettuce leaf lies roasted pulled pork (big fan and hoping for flavor-packed pork). All of this is topped by what looks like some dull mayo squirted on top but we shall see and who knows, I may ask for it without the white condiment!

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We have to head over to the Ireland booth and pay homage to our Irish ancestors! This “pie” combines lobster with other various seafood (haven’t heard much on what it is exactly) with a creamy sauce and topped with real creamy mashed potatoes. Sounds like some comfort food if I’ve ever heard it!

While we’re in Ireland we might as well try the super popular Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey’s Ganache – $3.25 I mean, if we have to…

Post Edit: Sad news. Ireland’s kitchen was in-operable the day we were there so we were not able to try the Fisherman’s Pie or the Lava Cake! So we took ourselves over to the United Kingdom pavilion to try (for the first time!) some fish and chips from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop! We shared this little snack of two pieces of battered fish with a nice pile of “chips” all served in “newspaper!”

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Ok, I’ve said I’m an adventurous eater, so I guess I gotta prove it with Escargots from the France booth! I’ve never had these little shelled snail creatures before so now’s my chance. They come in what looks like a brown creamy garlicy (guessing) sauce and inside a tiny brioche bread bowl. This clever disguise is sure to fool the pickiest of eaters! Can’t wait to add escargot to my list of weird things I’ve eaten!

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Found in the NEW Florida booth, this is a blend of several Florida Orange Grove wines and is reportedly uniquely refreshing as well as their best selling wine! I can imagine wanting this after going on one of my favorite rides, Soarin’, since the part where you fly over the orange groves is my absolute favorite part! For those of you not aware, Soarin’ gives the feeling of a hang gliding experience and the orange groves part comes complete with the distinct scent of fresh oranges. Love that, and I think I will equally love this sangria!

The post Hurricane Class 5, Florida White Sangria – Food and Wine Must Tries appeared first on Chasing Fairytales.

Since I couldn’t possibly describe to you all the wonderful things I’m planning on trying I’ve created a Top Ten Must Try list and in the next ten days (which just happen to be the same number of days leading up to our trip!) I will share them all with you. When I get back I will give you a full review of each! Warning: mouth watering may take place while reading these posts.

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Dinner at Kona Café in the Polynesian Resort on the first night before heading over to Magic Kingdom for the Main street Electric Parade (a fantastic nighttime parade featuring all the favorite Disney characters) and Wishes firework show over Cinderella’s Castle!

First morning we will monorail to the Grand Floridian Resort to have a gourmet breakfast of possibly Lobster Eggs Benedict or Maple Vanilla French Toast at the Grand Floridian Café!

The International Food and Wine Festival in Epcot will be our host many times during this trip as there are 30 countries for which our goal is to sample something from each; impossible to do in one trip!

Who doesn’t love them some dueling pianos?! I do! Mark’s never been to a dueling piano bar but lucky for him there’s one on Disney property! We will have a fun-filled night at Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk! Can’t wait to request “Mmmbop” and “Man or a Muppet!”

Drive-ins are becoming a thing of the past, right? Nope! There’s one right in the middle of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant and we’re going there for lunch! We’ll be treated to some 1950’s finest movie trailers while dining in retro “cars!”

We’ll have a “free day” when we’ll be stopping by the Festival of the Masters, which is an annual outdoor art festival in Downtown Disney! We’ll possibly squeeze in a game of mini golf or boat ride too that morning!

Our BIG highlight will be our last night in the parks at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! This is a special event for which Magic Kingdom is closed but to those with event tickets! We are SO excited to see “snow” fall in Main Street while nibbling on cookies and sipping hot cocoa and having our first taste of the Christmas season!

Just a sampling, I’m sure we’ll have more surprises than even we know. Once that Disney magic starts, it never stops!

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Mark took me apple picking for the first time!

Searching for the perfect apple. Or at least perfect enough for pie. Or crisp.

We have height on our team (not me) which is pretty handy while apple picking.

We left with a very full bag.

Back at home we continued the autumn love with new fall scented Yankee candles and apple crisp.

Ringo loves watching through the window the falling leaves and the squirrels on the hunt for their next nut.

Maybe someday there will be a time when my birthday is just another day but I think that will be hard with Mark by my side. He never ceases to make that day special. This year he labored over a perfect birthday dinner AND made me a cake. All from scratch. He’s amazing.

Argentinean wine and actually the brand served in the Argentina booth during Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival!

It may not be the prettiest cake, but it was filled with love and the BEST TASTING chocolate cake I’ve ever had! And look at those rainbow glow candles!

And finally, the best birthday surprise this girl could hope for; tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

With so much happiness and excitement, it feels life for us couldn’t get any better!

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Before leaving, we took our time getting ready. I didn’t plan it but I worked a little Disney magic into my attire! Below I am wearing Black Pearl eye color by Bare Minerals and Steady as She Rose nail polish by OPI from the Pirates of the Caribbean line. I felt a little piece of Jack Sparrow coming out with every swipe of the brush and it made me giggle!

Our little bits of Disney details didn’t stop there! The Currier Museum of Art finds itself in a busy little city called Manchester, New Hampshire. We weren’t sure what to expect but we’ve been to two other art museums together: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and The Nelson-Adkins Museum of Art, Kansas City which are both large, shockingly beautiful buildings packed full of amazing pieces. The Currier, while much smaller, on every other level did not disappoint! We were pleasantly surprised.

What I want to bring to your attention was a piece that popped out at us with its HIDDEN MICKEY! We stumbled upon local artist James Aponovich’s “Self Portrait” which is extremely detailed and when we looked closely, we found Mickey! We also found Epcot’s Spaceship Earth. I love this whole piece!

I did some research on Mr. Aponovich and couldn’t find a direct connection to Disney or Florida even though there are at least three references in this painting alone! The third would be the Florida postcard that you can see a tiny yellow corner of near the upper right-hand corner. We’re guessing he may be a fan of Walt Disney since he is an artist and could appreciate Disney’s creative mind and animated artistry.

Some other noteable pieces:

This beautiful seat and table carving was created by a man, Wendell Castle, born in my hometown, Emporia, KS!

I also fell in love with these hand-crafted glass paperweights!

And the fabric on this chair is lovely.

Who wouldn’t love this gorgeous Tiffany leaded glass lamp?

All this beautiful artwork (among others not pictured) inspires us in so many ways. What everyday activities do you find that inspire you? Do you find hidden Mickeys in your everyday life? Maybe this will encourage you to start looking for them!

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We are trying (going back and forth at least 50 times now) to decide between dinner at Jiko: The Cooking Place (located in the beautifully exotic Animal Kingdom Lodge) or Citricos (located in the upscale Victorian gloriousness that is the Grand Floridian Resort). These are two of the most highly rated and coveted dining spots, so we’ll go over why they may be hard to choose between.

We’ve been to Jiko once before and loved the romantic, dimmed calm feeling it emoted as well as the exquisite African wine that we fell desperately in love with (the desperately part comes from the fact that we can’t remember the name and want it again SO badly-take pictures of your wine bottles!) and the superb cuisine and detail that goes into their presentation. Both being visually oriented and caring about the tiniest of details, this means a lot to us.

Our experience with Citricos is much different, as neither of us has stepped foot in the light and airy dining room as described in researched reviews and observed from pictures of the restaurant. We can tell Citricos offers a much different experience than its competitor (Jiko, in this case). It is known for its plush seating, bright cheery atmosphere, and fantastic fresh dining options to satisfy the snobbiest of palets. Like Jiko though, Citricos focuses also on its plating presentation and does not skimp on decorative and enhancing sauces and garnishes.

So, to recap, lets have a little fun with a pros and cons list, shall we?

So, as you can see this puts us in quite the conundrum. Both restaurants seem to offer high-quality, gourmet food, with a relaxed and “stay for a while” atmosphere. Many times I will hear or read reviews from others that say both Jiko and Citricos are their top two favorite restaurants on Disney property. Well, thanks a bunch since that doesn’t help me decide between the two! Since we only visit WDW about once every year and a half or so, we realize the importance of choosing wisely in our dining opportunities. Do we go with the familiar and absolutely lovely in every way Jiko? Or take a chance and trust that Citricos is everything great that we’ve heard or read in reviews? Will we be disappointed if we have to wait another year and a half to experience Jiko if we decide to go with Citricos, or be content with our decision? Please give us your thoughts to help us out!

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Have you ever wanted to be pampered with supurb hair and makeup and receive professional coaching and direction in preparation for performing under blazing bright lights on an official American Idol stage for a packed house of eager listeners? Yeah, most people would say no, but I said yes!

Nestled in Disney’s Hollywood Studios lies an opportunity of a lifetime; The American Idol Experience. This is a fast pass version of the real thing, bringing all the best parts without the long lines and endless hours spent sitting next to the crazy girl with the pink mohawk screaming the words to her favorite Pat Benatar song.

My experience was as such:

First round of auditions in front of a generic judge, singing song of choice acapella where I apparently nailed it, moving to the next round!

Second round of auditions with the “Producer” after rehearsing with an iPod loaded with Idol-approved songs and filling out some paperwork. This audition provided accompaniment, sort of karaoke style where I performed a few seconds of two selected songs.

In my experience, the “Producer” chose a song he thought would work well with my voice which happened to be “Black Velvet,” a song I’ve sang a million times. He had me sing a few bars and told me I’m in and will perform “Black Velvet” in the first show of the day! He asked a few questions and hopped on Mark’s and my story of how we met through talking Disney topics and decided to have a video package put together about our story to play before my performance!

I performed in the first of five shows that day with two other people and ended up winning that show receiving a special congratulations video package from the one and only; Ryan Seacrest! This gave me a spot in the finale at the end of the day where I would perform with the other four finalists of the day after more coaching, and more hair and makeup!

All day, both Mark and I were getting noticed in the park thanks to our video and the host pointing Mark out to everyone in the audience! The craziest part was getting noticed the NEXT day in Magic Kingdom! We heard things like “Good luck tonight!” and “I voted for you!” It was truly our 15 minutes of fame, which is an amazing experience to have in Disney World!

The finale was even bigger and better and so much fun! I came in third in the finale, but the whole experience was worth it. The winner received an official ticket that allowed her a guaranteed spot in the actual American Idol auditions. I haven’t seen her yet in the auditions from this season so I’m not sure if she used it.

Pleasantly surprisingly The American Idol Experience is open to all age and talent levels! So, if you have the chance to audition for this experience, don’t pass it up. This experience is a fantastic way to spend a day in the park!

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I’m missing Disney recently which has sparked an interest in my otherwise forgotten quest to blog consistently! So where were we? Ahhh yes, five months ago we sailed home from our most recent Disney adventure and that’s where I dropped the ball. Let’s start picking up where we left off piece by piece; starting with my indulgent experience with Disney-level spa treatments!

Pushing it full pace, walking more than any human should for days at a time in the parks, you get sore and tired. What better way to relieve this than by visiting one of Disney’s fabulous spas? I had the pleasure on our second to last day in Disney taking advantage of the spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Just a short, lagoon trimmed walk from the massive, Victorian Resort and across from the Princess-like Wedding Pavilion, lays a gorgeous, white, prim and pompous building blanketed with a bold red roof and surrounded with palm trees and hosta plants. Once inside, a peaceful feeling of calm is exuded from every pore; from the soft lighting to the soft voices that greet you.

I chose a Swedish Massage which I was surprised to find can be customized to include your choice of aromatherapeutic oils. After being led to the changing room I quickly engulfed myself in a fluffy white robe and slippers and sipped on lemon water while I waited for my masseuse. She was equally as calming, ushering me to the oil choices and then to my private massage room. Soothing music and perfect temperature control including warm towels completed the near-Nirvana experience.

My masseuse then led me back into the private lounge where I was encouraged to continue relaxing my senses with unlimited complimentary use of the sauna, hot tub, fresh Florida oranges, and lots more lemon water (to flush the toxins). The only negative here was listening to some snobby women complain about and openly reject a male masseuse. Rude. Anyway, aside from that it was Heavenly. I could have spent all day there and next time hopefully I will! It is certainly a splurge worth doing again and again.

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1. Dole Whip: One of the most popular and most talked about snacks in WDW is something I’m very much looking forward to devouring for the first time! This is a lovely, cool, creamy concoction of vanilla or pineapple soft serve ice cream that can be served as a float as well. Looks and sounds delicious!

2. Breakfast Buffet at Chef Mickey’s: We’re braving this very well-known Disney breakfast option for the first time this year. Located in the beautifully modern Contemporary resort, bustling Chef Mickey’s hosts favorite Disney celebrities; Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto! As if that’s not enough of a draw, the food is known to be pretty fantastic as well!

3. Kitchen Sink Sundae: This giant sundae is the featured creation at Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club resort. It includes everything you could ever think a sundae could have including the kitchen sink! It’s supposed to serve 12 so maybe someday I will take this delicious concoction on with the help of others!

4. Moroccan Baklava: A spot I’ve read a lot about but never taken time to stop is the Tangierine Café located in the Morocco pavilion in Epcot which has amazing food including the gorgeous baklava. Crispy flaky pastry layered with a honey-soaked walnut mixture-YUM!

5. Pecos Bill Burger: The Angus burger at Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Café in Magic Kingdom is kind of legendary for a quick lunch and what makes it unique is its “fixins bar” which allows you to customize exactly the way you want it so every burger is your own!

6. Turkey Leg: This ridiculously large smoked poultry snack is very popular and looks and smells heavenly, however, it’s reported to hold about 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat! Can you believe it?! Thus, exactly why I’ve never been tempted, but someday I will be.

7. Ramune: I recently learned about this Japanese soda available in the Japan pavilion in Epcot which has two unique features. One, that it comes with a marble that you pop into the bottle before enjoying the drink. A marble! And somehow people are not choking and dying! Second, it comes in 35 flavors, some of which I have no idea what they’d taste like and one I know I would have a hard time trying-octopus!

8. Popcorn: Apparently this salty snack from the iconic kiosks is like no other. I’m excited to try this while also enjoying a frosty drink as I’ll surely need one!

9. Kona Coffee: Available only at the Polynesian Resort, this coveted full-bodied coffee is brought straight from the Hawaiian Islands and brewed fresh daily. Sounds like a great way to start a busy Disney day!

10. Starring Rolls Cupcakes: This popular bakery and café in Hollywood Studios stars some of the most deadly, size-of-a-meal, cupcakes I’ve ever seen! Just one look at the Chocolate Butterfinger cupcake or the Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcake is enough of a sell!

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I’m experiencing my first real New England snow storm today and frankly, being snowed in watching the snow fall and collect with Mark and my kitty cozily by my side is not half bad. There was a time (okay, maybe a few weeks ago) that I thought a Nor’easter had something to do with colored eggs and bunnies; now I know differently!

This Midwestern girl is becoming a local and it’s kind of freaking me out! I now say “wicked” by accident when I should have said “really” or “totally!” When I go home in a few weeks to visit my family I hope they don’t notice an absence of the letter “R” in my vocabulary, that would be truly embarrassing.

Speaking of which, Mark and I are in full swing planning our first joint trip as a couple! We leave in less than a month and are pumped! We fly to Kansas for a few days where Mark will meet all the family he hasn’t (only like 40 people, no pressure) and spend some good quality time with them. Then, the bus doesn’t stop there, but goes south to Orlando where we visit our favorite Mouse and friends! We have our Excel sheet day layout, our Touring Plans for the parks, and all our dining reservations and still keep doing research every day. We have some great plans and the food experiences alone should be amazing! If you want to be sickened by picture overload, check back late next month; I’m sure I will satisfy that need.

In similar news, we have been featured on the Walt Disney World website as a Disney Memory! Read our story here and “Like” it! Getting noticed by Disney is a big deal and that’s our goal-help us! Thanks a bunch and much love.

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All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific. ~Jane Wagner, The Search For Intelligent Life In The Universe, performed by Lily Tomlin

Life since that long drive has been wonderful. Our summer and fall was filled with concerts (Daughtry and Maroon 5), live professional wrestling, baseball games (including Red Sox and Mark’s own men’s league!), live theater (Chicago), hockey games, water parks, festivals, and enjoying the crystal clear lakes. Mark has enjoyed showing me New England and exploring, as much as we can, our shared love of Boston as a city of culture, history, and excitement.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixXec4pEWt4

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“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you” ~Anonymous Child

This makes me giggle, but this “Anonymous Child” is onto something! I felt exactly this way last weekend when Mark came to visit. We were only able to spend a few days together but every time we become stronger and closer and I miss him so much more every time we part. Sorry to be so sappy, but this is how I feel. And…on to our perfect weekend and our sweet Valentine’s Day!

Mark flew into Kansas City which I know well as I lived there for a while and Mark is beginning to love it with his couple visits there with me. My mom and her Manfriend, Mike met us for trivia night at the Westport Flea Market, home of the BEST burgers in Kansas City (and they are amazing)! It was a fun night filled with Sam Adams (which the Flea Market is the first time Mark’s seen Sam Seasonal outside of the Boston area-awesome!), lots of hard questions to which we rarely had the right answers, and many laughs all around!

Mark knows me well and gave me two wonderful surprises for Valentine’s Day! The first was a special Valentine’s edition plush Mickey (so cute!) and little Mickey was holding the familiar blue bag with the unmistakable “Disney Couture” logo! I knew whatever was inside I would love! It was a gorgeous gold necklace with the Beauty and Beast rose pendent. I love it! For him I created a shadowbox picture of us with the lyrics to “our song” aka “Two Is Better Than One.”

Maybe it’s true
That I can’t live without you
And maybe two is better than one
But there’s so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you’ve already got me coming undone
And I’m thinking two is better than one

Those words state precisely where our lives are going and that two truly is better than one.

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“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”  ~Walt Disney~

And so begins our love for Disney and following our dreams, which ironically, in our case, go hand in hand.  And isn’t it funny that our story begins with one of the biggest Disney community personalities out there?  Yes, Lou Mongello played a role in our beginning; he doesn’t know it, but he did.  Mark responded with his Disney expertise to a question Lou posted on Twitter, I took notice and started following him.  It definitely wasn’t “tweet at first sight” but more on that later.  It’s just pretty crazy that we found a valuable use for social networking for once besides finding out what “food” you are or what celebrity you should marry.  While both are important things to know about yourself, these don’t appear to be of lifelong merit.  And as to whether or not I’ve taken those quizzes, I’m not saying I have and I’m not saying I haven’t.

So, now we’re stretching our online connection to include this awesome blog!  We’re combining some of our talents and interests with our infatuation for Disney and traveling in general.  I’ve been told for many years that fairy tales don’t exist but I’m finding them piece by piece with Mark and I hope we can express the fun and fervor we find every time we embark on a new adventure.  We want your thoughts and for you to share your experiences as well so feel free to comment as much as you’d like!  Make us laugh and you might get a gold star!! Give us a nugget of info we didn’t know before and you might get two gold stars!  Like all great things in life, it’s a win-win.

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So after the little history lesson you got from the last post you can see why we will be embarking on the magical Florida swamplands for our first vacation together.  What’s next you ask?  Well since we both have way more knowledge of the Mickeylands then any one person should acquire we have hit planning overload. There are so many questions, so many choices, and so many things we have learned from previous trips that planning one together adds a whole new dynamic of I know more then you know.  It’s not that anything we suggest is a bad idea, it’s just we have both had very different vacations over the years, but we will get into that more later.

Our easiest decision was where where we going to go.  Not that there are not a lot of options: You could go to the classic and original Disneyland in California, the immense and wonderful Disney World in Florida, any of the parks outside the U.S., or on a Disney Cruise. Since Disney World was pretty much a given for this first trip, now we need to determine when to go. This can be an easy choice for some and a difficult one for others depending on personal circumstances. Those who have kids or are in school are limited to school breaks, whereas those with more flexible schedules are able to choose from any time of year to experience “The World.”  Since we are clear and free of shortys and we are not in school, we’re in the latter boat, which means we have a lot of things to consider while picking a departure date.

We are pretty sure we know the answer for our trip but we want to use a lifeline early and ask the audience. So when are your favorite times to go to Disney World?

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