food IS a theme park
We LOVE a good Cosmo! From Hawaiian Cosmos to rarities like the Cosmo Slush, we don’t discern when it comes to this vodka-based classic!
Disney Springs
Our latest Cosmo obsession? We spotted a specialty version at Disney Springs, and it came with a sparkling surprise!Â
In the exciting/frustrating world of Disney World ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations), some restaurants just seem to be tougher to get into than others. And the Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of those more difficult tickets.
So in 2013, the Disney gods (or Imagineers or restaurant planning mavens) smiled and — poof!– the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge was born.
Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge Bar
And it was good. Right from the start, the Lounge became one of our favorite places to drop in unannounced. We could get all the glittery Hollywood-ness of the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant without an ADR! [Read more…]
Adult exclusive hang-outs aboard the Disney Dream offer fun entertainment and gorgeous drinks. Sail away on the Disney Cruise Line with my good friend and guest author Julie Brontman!
Bon Voyage!
So many people think that a Disney cruise is just for the little ones in your family, but they’re missing a whole different part of the experience! I recently went on a cruise aboard the Disney Dream with a friend and we had a great time as two adults on a “kid cruise.”
One of the best ways to explore that adult side of a cruise is to visit the bars and nighttime entertainment area, known as “The District.” There are many different spots, all tailored to whatever possible mood you might be in.
Considered to be the “dance club” of the ship, Evolution has a special entertainment offering each night, such as variety show, game show, or comedy act. Afterward, there were dancers from the stage show, but in a whole different style of dance. We were honestly a little surprised to see dancers from a family entertainment show doing some risqué style dancing. But that’s a cruise for you I guess! Those Cast Members work in multiple roles every day to bring the Dream’s entertainment offerings to life.
Drink offerings at Evolution are themed around the idea of a butterfly, as is the entire club. There’s everything from your standard martini to something sweet and chocolatey. The first we tasted was the Mariposa, with No3 London Dry Gin, Martini Rosso Sweet Vermouth, Strawberry Puree, Passion Fruit Juice, and Fresh Muddled Basil Leaves. The strawberry/basil combo drew me to it, but this was way too sweet for my taste. It was like liquid candy. It was very dark inside, so this is pretty much all you can actually see of the drink.
Drinks at Evolution
The next cocktail we had was the Parnassus Apollo, made with Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, Frangelico, Baileys, Kahlua, and Honey. This one was certainly sweet too, but in a rich, chocolatey way instead of the sickly sweet Mariposa. Anytime you put Baileys and Kahlua together you know it’s a good time! I’d recommend this drink to anyone with a sweet tooth. [Read more…]
We’re so excited to have a review of Disney’s Aulani Resort’s premier restaurant just a few days after its opening! Mark Hickson is a Disney fan, a former Disney Imagineer, and a Hawai’i resident and food blogger (among many other things). We’re honored to share this article with our readers. Thanks, Mark!
'Ama 'Ama Beachside Restaurant
So the resort has been open for five days now and I thought it would be the perfect time to dine in the resort’s signature restaurant, ‘AMA ‘AMA. The restaurant is named after the tasty mullet fish ʻamaʻama that us locals enjoy.
The setting is an open air thatched roof fishing shack and a minimalist fishing factory with concrete pillars and a large fish holding tanks complete with pipeline and spigot. Of all the beautiful facilities at Aulani Resort this place’s theme is the only one that doesn’t work.
Our reservations were for 5:30pm and my wife and I were seated directly. Unfortunately since it is an open air dining area (no walls), the sun was low enough to shine in so it was very bright and hot at our table. In retrospect I would wait until sunset to be seated.
Take a look at the official ‘AMA ‘AMA menus below:
click image for larger version
click image for larger version
For drinks I ordered a Pineapple Papaya Cosmo. It was fun, tropical and fresh with a light foam on top. Good enough to order a second, which I did! My wife’s coffee was [Read more…]
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