Trip Report There's a Doctor in the House! A graduation trip report!

Thanks for joining me for my latest trip report. I am embarrassingly far behind in writing these…I have an incomplete report from our 11 day Halloween 2012 adventure sitting on my computer, but thought I’d knock out this quick report first in hopes it would motivate me to finish the other!

Who are we? A Disney crazed family of three: Me (Mike), my DW (Chrissy) and our already Disney obsessed 3yo DD (Addison). This trip was just Chrissy and I as we chose to leave the munchkin home with Nana and d Papa for the weekend!

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Us on Halloween Day 2012 - from the yet-to-be-posted trip report!

The reason for the trip (as if one ever really needs a reason for a Disney trip) was to celebrate a major accomplishment. After nearly 7 years of grueling work, Chrissy finished her PhD and is now officially “Dr. Chrissy”. She defended her dissertation on April 19 and we had the trip planned for April 25-28….timed out perfect. We planned to cram A LOT into a very short window of time including all the major rides that we can’t do with DD in tow, dinner at Be Our Guest & Victoria & Albert’s (firsts for us!) and a little “hooding” ceremony at the castle. A little background on how that came about…..Chrissy’s last semester wrapping this degree was more than a little painful. Her dissertation committee dropped the ball on several occasions which caused the defense date to keep moving back. When everything was blowing up she decided NOT to walk in the graduation ceremony because she was hoping to never see this group again! I said “we have to do something to mark the occasion” and she said “I want you to hood me at the castle!” Works for me! I figured out when we could do it and was lucky enough, with about a 6 week notice, to score a reservation at V&A’s for the same night….but more on all that later!

Here we go….
 
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DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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When we finally escaped from TT, we went through the Flower & Garden Festival Center to check things out. Sadly, there were no cool HGTV stars presenting at the moment....maybe next time!

It was time for our Soarin’ FP’s so we took off for The Land. That ride is always a hit and we were pleased to experience the ride without gigantic dust bunnies blowing all over the lens/screen! Since we had accomplished everything on our list at Epcot, and had failed at our attempt to hit DtD the night before, we decided to head that direction before going back to the resort to dress for dinner. Before leaving, we made a quick stop at Guest Services for a very special celebration button that we had forgotten to pick up the night before.

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Woo-hooo!!!!

Some additional Flower & Garden festival pics on our way out of Epcot:

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We walked to the BC and caught a bus from there. Shockingly we arrived at DtD fairly quickly and hit up Days of Christmas, Art of Disney, World of Disney and a few others along the way. Overall we were pretty disappointed in the merchandise selection. We did pick up a few things for Addie (since the guilt was starting to set in!), a couple pieces for my Department 56 Disney Village and a print to hang in my new office. Maybe we come too often (is that even possible??!!) but the merchandise doesn't seem to change as often as it used to. Deciding to call it a day, we were back at the bus stop around 5:00 and waited about 20 minutes for an OKW bus. Hospitality House was the first drop off, so we jumped off remembering that we had to check in to our new room – ooops! Almost forgot that! I went to do the check-in while Chrissy went to Bell Services for our bags. The whole process was very smooth and before we knew it, we were dropped off at our new room – ironically one building down from the first. This room was much better, but we had no time to sit around and take it in…Victoria & Albert’s was waiting!

Next up...our most anticipated events of the trip: A graduation ceremony at the castle and dinner at Victoria & Albert's!!
 
angieandtrevor

angieandtrevor

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YAY, you started it !! Great job so far, this will really help pass the next 7 days.....that's right Mike, 7 days to go....can I get a WooooooooHooooooo :)
 
6laurac

6laurac

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Thanks for the great report and Congratulations! Can't wait to read about grad ceremony. If it's possible, I have Mother's guilt just reading about going to DW without our 3 year old.
 
DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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We both showered and got all fancied up for our big evening. I called a cab which arrived shortly before 7:00. I had gone back and forth with the best way to get to Victoria & Albert’s on this evening. The thought of riding on a bus while this dressed up was not appealing at all…and neither was the prospect of leaving our big evening in the hands of Disney transportation. Needless to say, that cab was the best $20 we spent! Within a matter of minutes we were dropped off at the entrance to the Grand Floridian. The GF, however, was not our final destination just yet. We had to deal with the little matter of a private graduation/hooding ceremony for the doc, so off to the monorail station we went.

The monorail arrived quickly and we received lots of odd looks as we climbed aboard in our fancy-pants attire. Thankfully it was a short trip because the cars were packed and we had the thrill of riding along with a group who were under the impression that everyone on that car was there to watch their daughter “perform”. This pre-teen was on a mission to balance on one foot while putting the other over her head in a moving monorail full of people. Her mother was encouraging this by clapping and taking photos. You could tell she wanted everyone to start applauding but it was quite obvious she and her party were the only people who were entertained. The girl kept tipping over and almost knocked into Chrissy and the couple on the other side of her. Finally this guy spoke up and curtly said “Do you mind?” and that was the end of the Cirque du Soleil performance on our monorail!

We arrived at MK around 7:15 and it was a beautiful night but the park was PACKED! Had I not been in a suit, the weather would have been perfect, but I was a bit warm as we strolled down Main Street. We had determined that the castle hub would be the best spot for our little ceremony, so we began looking for a fun-looking PhotoPass photographer to lend us a hand. I found Robert near the statue – he took a look at how we were dressed and said “I have a feeling this will be fun!” I asked if he was up for an adventure and explained that I was going to “hood” Chrissy for her PhD, etc. and he said he would love to help. We had a lot of fun – especially Chrissy. At first we got lots of stares, but then Robert started explaining what was going on and people standing around started clapping and shouting “Congratulations”. Robert took photos the entire time I was putting her hood on, got a few of the two of us and then took a bunch of just Chrissy in her hood. He congratulated her for the accomplishment, and me for surviving along with her and we were on our way. It was a lot of fun and Chrissy told me that it was exactly what she wanted and far better than any long stuffy ceremony at the University. It was awesome (and an honor) to be the one to place the hood over her head and to have a chance to have a little moment "just us". I had a chance to whisper something in her ear that I never would have been able to do at that moment in the big ceremony. Very special for both of us and something we'll never forget! Here is the play-by-play of the graduation ceremony:

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DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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I decided that her graduation would not be complete without a photo with Mickey, so we walked back to town square. I had initially spoken to a cast member friend to inquire about Mickey or one of the other characters actually doing the "hooding" but was told they wouldn't be able to do that due to policy. We had been disappointed when we found out, but in the end, this was perfect. There was practically no line so we were inside the meet & greet in no time. Chrissy got high-5’s from Mickey and some great photos. We were bummed that Minnie wasn’t there but the photos were great.

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I took Chrissy to the hub near the flag pole for a few last photos. We realized after we walked away from Robert that we forgot to get a picture with her graduation ears, so I took a few myself. I actually like this location better because you get all of Main Street and the castle in the background.

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The Doc was done with pics and ready for dinner!

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Goodbye packed Main Street!
 
DisneyFan1003

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After our photos were complete, we walked back to the monorail for a ride back to the GF. We had a little time to kill, so we wandered through the shops. I had seen a diamond Mickey ring on DisneyStore.com from the Dream Collection and wanted to get that as a graduation gift for Chrissy. I thought it would be more fun to buy it on our trip, but we had no luck finding them around the parks. I thought perhaps at GF, but it was not to be. A cast member at one store said that she was pretty sure that was exclusive online, even though it was categorized as “Disney Parks Authentic” merchandise. Makes no sense to me, but it was not to be!

We made our way upstairs to check in at Victoria & Albert’s. To say we were both a little excited would be an understatement! We had always wanted to do dinner here and either could not get a reservation, didn’t have time or, for our last several trips, have had Addie with us. This was the perfect place for a celebratory dinner and we planned to enjoy every moment. I had read details of the experience in @HollyBelle ‘s honeymoon report and had corresponded several times with @bretteagles with a few questions, so I felt like I had done my homework. None of that remotely prepared us for what we were about to experience!

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DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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I will disclaimer the next part of the report by saying that there are only two photos of our actual dinner, and those were of dessert. I had opted to leave my DSLR at home for this trip and only bring our new Nikon point-and-shoot. We did carry-on only bags for this trip and brought nothing to the parks that wouldn’t fit in my pockets, so it made travel much easier! That being said, I didn’t think this new little camera would do too well in the low lighting conditions of the restaurant. Plus, I didn’t want to be snapping flash photos during dinner and disturbing people. By the end of the meal, however, it didn’t seem to matter much….but more on that later! Now, on to dining perfection……

We walked in through beautiful glass doors and were immediately greeted. I explained that we had an 8:45 reservation and they asked if we were Michael and Christina. Impressed already! I said "yes" and the hostess immediately turned to Chrissy and said “Congratulations on your PhD – what an amazing accomplishment”. Wow. Since we were a bit early, they took our bag (with Chrissy’s hood) and Lana escorted us to Mitzer’s Lounge for a cocktail. We ordered drinks and waited, and waited, and waited! The bartenders on duty seemed to be new and have no clue what they were doing. After almost 20 minutes, we found our waitress and told her to cancel our order because we were going to be late for our dinner. She was very apologetic and visibly frustrated with the bartenders. We were disappointed, however, in retrospect it was a blessing. We had a long evening of alcohol ahead and certainly never missed the cocktail!

We went back to V&A’s and were escorted to our table...we were completely blown away in the first 30 seconds. The greeter/hostess, Michelle, welcomed us and even pronounced our last name correctly. (When V&A’s called several days earlier to confirm our reservation, I corrected them on the pronunciation and they obviously made a note) The restaurant is extremely beautiful and elegant...and although very “high end” it surprisingly didn’t feel too “stuffy”. There was a harpist playing music and everyone was talking, laughing (albeit, quietly!) and enjoying themselves. Lana took us to our table and introduced us to our attendant for the evening, Anita. Right away we noticed the roses on the table and a card with our names on it and assumed it was just a place card. More on that later!
 
Raven66

Raven66

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Congrats to your wife! That is a wonderful accomplishment. Your pictures of her and the ceremony you did with her are very nice. Thanks for sharing!!
 
DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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Anita and Lana pulled out our chairs and placed our napkins on our lap. We liked Anita immediately and knew that she was going to make this a memorable evening. She presented us with our personalized menus and walked us through the entire menu. She took time to explain each dish, asked a lot of questions about what type of food we both like and made suggestions based on our preferences. We had both vowed to be adventurous and try new things and, as much as possible, not order the same dish (that last part was at the suggestion/recommendation of Brett & Holly – thanks!). We made our selections and every course was different except for one. Again, at the suggestion of Brett and Holly we chose to do the wine pairing…definitely a wise choice and worth every penny. More on that later! After Anita left, we both just sat back and smiled….as parents of a toddler, you truly appreciate a quite meal. But to appreciate a quiet meal in this type of setting was unbelievable!
Anita brought out champagne and our first course, that amuse-bouche, to start us off. Sadly, I cannot remember exactly what the three bites in the flight were that evening (they are not listed on our menus) but I do know that each one was exceptional. I was a bit skeptical about champagne for the first course, but it complemented all of the flavors perfectly. We immediately knew that wine pairing was a wise choice and thus began our evening of heavy drinking at WDW! We made a toast to graduation and seven long years of work and braced ourselves for what would be the most amazing meal of our lives.

I was very impressed by the timing of the entire evening. You never felt rushed by the servers and a course never arrived until you had finished your current course, the plates had been cleared and we both had time to sit back and relax. It was like a well-choreographed dance all night and totally enhanced the experience. Anita came to clear away the plates from the amuse-bouche and noticed neither of us were finished with our champagne, so she simply left the glasses and said “Trust me…you’ll want to finish that as the evening progresses!” Ok…if you insist! Next up was our salad course, and the only course that was the same for both of us. Neither of us thought the octopus dish sounded very appealing, so we opted for the Masago crusted gulf shrimp with Ponzu vinaigrette. This dish was paired with a Riesling, which is a personal favorite of ours. The shrimp and the wine paired perfectly and we savored every bite.
 
DisneyFan1003

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At some point during the salad course, we both finished off our champagne AND the Riesling that had come at the start of the meal. Two courses and two drinks down already! I had remembered reading in Brett and Holly’s honeymoon report that the wine pairing stated the drinks were “sample pours” (and we had been told the same at the start of our meal) but that the pours were far from “sample size”. We quickly realized this was the case for our dinner as well! Now, Chrissy and I both enjoy wine, and even a cocktail from time-to-time, but I would not say the two of us are big drinkers. It’s rare that we’d both have two glasses of wine at dinner and here we were, with five courses to go, and two glasses down. This was going to be interesting!

Our next course arrived and, once again, we were blown away. Chrissy ordered the Alaskan Halibut with yellow tomato bouillon and almonds. She thought the fish was perfectly prepared and the flavors were fantastic. Her choice was paired with a Sauvignon Blanc. She loved the wine and couldn’t believe how it brought out all the flavors in the meal. I went with the diver scallop with Zellwood corn ragout. Hands down, the best scallop I’ve ever had. It was tender and sweet and the corn ragout was outstanding. My dish was paired with a Michel Paquet Domaine des Valanges. No clue exactly what it was, but I loved it! Anita was phenomenal about explaining in detail each wine, where it came from and what type of flavors we would experience. I wish I had just setup a video camera to record her descriptions because I honestly cannot remember. It was fascinating to learn how much thought went into each choice!

At some point during this part of the meal, I reached across the table for something and knocked over the small card with our names. As I set it back up I realized that it wasn’t a card but actually an envelope. I opened it and found a note to Chrissy from some dear friends of ours at home. It was a beautiful note congratulating her on her graduation and telling us to enjoy a fabulous meal. I handed it to her, she read it and instantly got choked up. Right around this time, Anita returned to the table and said “oh good, I’m glad you found your note!” Chrissy asked what this was and Anita explained that our friends contacted the restaurant in advance to request the note and to put a credit down towards our meal. That touching moment, along with the alcohol caused Chrissy to lose it right there at the table! Our friends are big Disney fans and Chrissy had mentioned in passing that we were having dinner there, but left it at that. They called in advance, tracked down our reservation and set this up. It was an incredible “Disney Magic Moment” and added a touch of perfection to an already pretty perfect night!
 
DisneyFan1003

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Dinner continued after our magic moment with the next course. If you’re keeping track, this is course number four…three courses (and three glasses of wine) down, four to go! For this course, Chrissy chose the Long Island duck breast and sausage with roasted cauliflower. This was a big leap for her as she had always been skeptical about trying duck. Well, the risk paid off because she loved every bite! She said the duck was very tender and sweet and everything worked well together. Her course was paired with a Pinot Noir. This, again, was a stretch for her. Neither of us are huge red wine drinkers, but I encouraged her to trust Anita and go for it. She said it was perfection and ended up draining the glass (that’s four, if you’re keeping score!) I ordered the braised oxtail and cherry ravioli with roasted red peppers. When I chose this course, I thought it sounded like an odd combination, but I don’t mind being a little adventurous. AMAZING! For someone who loves anything sweet, this was perfect. The combo of the oxtail and the cherry had just enough sweet/savory to balance perfectly, and the roasted peppers topped it off nicely. Mine was paired with a Highflyer Centerline. Loved it. Perfection. Amazing. Get the picture?!

By this time in the meal, the alcohol was starting to hit us both quite hard and we were feeling pretty good! Chrissy leaned across the table and whispered that she needed to use the restroom before the main course came but she was afraid to stand up! I told her to be careful and then proceeded to stifle a laugh into my napkin watching the Doc in action. She got up very slowly and, with her palms down for balance, she teetered her way through the dining room on heels! When she came back, she said that the room was spinning, but in the best way possible and she couldn’t get over how cool the restrooms were! We both laughed at the fact that in the middle of this amazing meal, we were discussing the restrooms! After four glasses each, we were getting a little punchy, so everything seemed amusing!

As if the meal couldn’t get any better, we had two really cool “musical moments” that made us smile. The harpist played on and off throughout the evening and it became a game to “name that tune” once she started. At one point, we were talking about Addie and noticed that she was playing “See the Light” from Tangled. That was Addie’s favorite movie-of-the-moment and one of her favorite scenes from the movie. It made us smile to think of her and we realized that, although we were loving a quite dinner together, we really missed her! Knowing that she was having a blast with Nana and Papa, and most likely being spoiled rotten, helped to ease the guilt. Later in the conversation I mentioned my Grandma. She adored Chrissy and was always impressed by her going back to school. I was talking about how proud grandma would have been to see her graduate and how she would have loved to call her “Doctor” when the harpist started playing “I’ll be Seeing You” (fans of the Notebook, like Chrissy and my Grandma know what song I’m talking about!). That was grandma’s favorite song and one she and my grandpa danced to when they got married. It was a surreal moment as if she was there confirming how proud she was. Both of those unexpected little moments were icing on the cake!
 
DisneyFan1003

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angieandtrevor said:
YAY, you started it !! Great job so far, this will really help pass the next 7 days.....that's right Mike, 7 days to go....can I get a WooooooooHooooooo :)
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Thanks Angie! I had a goal to get at least ONE of these reports posted before we leave next week, so I'm vowing to finish! Glad you're enjoying our adventures. I can't believe a week from now we'll be there....WOOHOOOOOO!!!
 
DisneyFan1003

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6laurac said:
Thanks for the great report and Congratulations! Can't wait to read about grad ceremony. If it's possible, I have Mother's guilt just reading about going to DW without our 3 year old.
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Thank you! I'll pass along your "congrats" to the Doc! The graduation ceremony was a lot of fun and so cool that it was "just us". Had she gone through the big ceremony, I would have been watching from far away. It was special to be there with her and an honor to be the one to actually put the hood over her head! Ah....Disney guilt! Believe me, we experienced that all weekend. This was the second time we went without the munchkin. The first time she was just over a year old, so really had no clue what was going on. We missed her like crazy, but were in desperate need of a little time away at that point! This time was a bit harder because she had already been to WDW three times and we knew she'd be upset if she knew we were there without her. Thankfully, she thinks a weekend with my parents is just as fun as WDW and they spoil her rotten! We'd call periodically to check on her and she never wanted to come to the phone because she was "busy having fun"! So that helped! We, of course, bought a bunch of guilt gifts to bring home. Plus, it helped knowing we were taking her back this fall (next week!) to WDW and on a cruise!

Thanks for reading!
 
Raven66

Raven66

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I have to say that I shed a tear or two when you read the note from your friends. Sweetest thing ever! What a wonderful thing to do. And I too would have been wobbly on my feet after 4 glasses of wine and such. I don't drink and I probably would have been giggling non stop.:eek:
 
DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

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Back to dinner! There was a bit of a break in the action after our fourth course was cleared away. I’m guessing it was give you time to digest before the main course arrived. We chatted, sipped our wine and continued our game of “name that tune”. Michelle, the main hostess, stopped by our table to chat and make sure everything was to our liking. Through our conversation we realized that she had family in the same area where I grew up and had been to my hometown in the past…which is bizarre because I’ve never run into anyone, anywhere who had been there unless they lived there or in the area. Small world!

Just about the time we were wrapping up our conversation, Anita returned to announce the main course. For any of you who watch Downton Abbey, the presentation of the meal was much like it is on that show! Like a well choreograph dance, Anita was followed by two male attendants in tails and gloves, each carrying a dish with a large silver dome. They were followed by another attendant with more bread and water for the table. Perfectly in sync, they circled the table and placed our plates in front of us. The domes were lifted at the exact same time and the plates looked like something out of a magazine! While we gawked at our plates, Anita began explaining our entrees and wine. Chrissy chose the poulet rouge with black trumpet mushrooms and gnocchi. She said it was perfectly cooked and the flavors were wonderful. The gnocchi was a great addition! Her dish was paired with Beni di Batasiolo Doleccto d’Alba. Again, no clue what that is, but it was amazing! I went with the Mangalista pork with roasted beets and toasted caraway vinaigrette. It was probably the best pork I’ve ever eaten. Very tender and juicy…like everything else, amazing flavors and the perfect size. Filling, but not too big. Although I loved the pork, the star of my plate was the potato “side dish” that came with it. I apologize that I do not recall what it was called….but OMG. I remembered Anita mentioning a potato dish that accompanied this entrée, but when she left our table, I kept staring the plate wondering where it was! There was this rectangular shaped “something” on the plate that kind of looked like another piece of meat. When I raked my fork over the top, it actually fanned out…I had just found my potato! It was some type of layered potato dish that was unbelievable! Just about that time, Anita stopped back at the table and I asked her to explain this part of the entrée. She explained that it was a specialty of the chef and was actually over 20 layers of finely sliced potatoes with miscellaneous spices, cheese (I believe), etc. in between each layer. (sorry…I honestly can’t recall all the details!). So it was really over 40 layers compacted into this small, rectangle serving. I honestly could have eaten and entire plate of just those potatoes! My dish was paired with Cuvellier Los Andes Malbec – again, I’m not sure what it was but I loved it. Once again, we both cleared our plates and emptied our glasses! Five glasses down! Actually, we really took our time with this course. Partly because we wanted to pace ourselves and partly because it was SO good that we didn’t want it to end. In total, I think this course lasted about 45 minutes!
 
DisneyFan1003

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By the time we finished this course, my five glasses of alcohol (not to mention water) was catching up with me and it was my turn to take a stab at a dignified trip to the restroom. I stood up and the whole room literally spun before my eyes! This time, it was Chrissy’s turn to stifle a laugh! I walked very slowly and kept one hand on this half wall/divider that ran down the center of the dining room. I took measured steps and kept repeating in my head “don’t knock into a chair….don’t knock into a chair!” I made it to the restroom and Chrissy was right…these were the fanciest restrooms I’d ever seen! I got a look at myself in the mirror and was thankful that all the color I got from the sun that day helped to mask how red my face was from all the drinking. I made my way back to the table, dignity in tack, and ready for the next course. I forgot to mention earlier, from when Chrissy left the table, that as soon as she was gone, one of the attendants moved in, took her napkin and replaced it with a clean one, neatly folded over her chair. I found a new napkin at my table as well….gotta love the service!

The next course was a kind of “palate cleanser” to prepare us for dessert. Chrissy chose the cheese sampler. It included four different types of cheese with some small crackers and fruit. She said it was some of the best cheese she had ever tasted and, surprisingly, worked well with the flavors from her main entrée. Her dish was paired with a port wine and was the only glass she didn’t finish all evening. It was a bit too much for her taste, although she admitted that it worked really well with the cheese. She felt the flavor of the port was too much for her to finish the whole glass, but she did pretty well in spite of that. I ordered the white chocolate gelato with shavings of white chocolate. I had read much about this dish and it certainly lived up to the hype. WOW! I could have eaten an entire bowl of this dish….it had a rich flavor but was really light. I’m normally not a huge white chocolate fan, but this was perfection in a bowl. The gelato was paired with a Moscato, which has always been a favorite of mine. To say it was the perfect compliment to the gelato would be an understatement! Chrissy took a sip of mine and wished she had a glass of that in front of her instead of the port. Being a nice husband, I gave her a sip, but quickly stole it back to hoard for myself! What can I say??!!

Sadly, yet somewhat thankfully, that was the last of the alcohol in our pairing for the evening. We were both more than toasted at this point but were doing our best to keep our dignity in tact in between laughs and giggles. We are both “slap happy” drunks, so we had the mentality of six-year-olds at the moment! Our dessert arrived and they looked incredible. By this time in the evening, the noise level in the dining room had risen and, by the sound of things, we were not the only couple enjoying the wine pairing and subsequent buzz that evening. Realizing this, I decided it would be Ok to whip out the camera and snap some photos of these amazing desserts. Chrissy ordered the Tanzanian chocolate timbale with orange scented milk chocolate gelato. The dessert was actually dusted in gold, which was a worth complement for this beautiful plate. She was more than blown away by the tastes in this dish and couldn’t believe how much she loved the orange accent in the gelato. Dessert perfection! I had ordered the Hawaiian Kona chocolate soufflé and, once again, the dish lived up to the hype. I’ve had many dessert soufflés in my day, and several of the best have been at Disney (California Grill and Palo, I’m looking at you!) but this one blew them out of the water. It was amazing….not much else I can say but that. Loved every bite and was a little sad when the last bite was gone! During this course we were also offered our choice of coffee or tea. Chrissy ordered tea and chose some type of red tea (again, apologies that we don’t remember the name) It was brewed at the table in what can only be described as a chemistry glass type of contraption! The water was boiled in a glass sphere and the tea steeped from there. She took one sip and was in heaven. The tea worked well with her dessert and was a welcome change from all the wine. I went with the coffee which was also brewed at the table. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but this was fantastic and perfect with my soufflé. The tea and coffee also helped to clear our heads a bit so we could stumble out the door with our dignity in tact!

[URL='http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/mikeyjoe97/media/DisneyApril2013/DSCN0132.jpg.html'][/URL]
Chrissy's Tanzanian chocolate timbale with orange scented milk chocolate gelato

[URL='http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/mikeyjoe97/media/DisneyApril2013/DSCN0133.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n488/mikeyjoe97/DisneyApril2013/DSCN0133.jpg[/IMG][/URL]'][URL='http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/mikeyjoe97/media/DisneyApril2013/DSCN0133.jpg.html'][/URL]
My Hawaiian Kona chocolate souffle[/URL]
 
DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

Active Member
Original Poster
By the time we finished our dessert/coffee/tea we were both pleasantly stuffed and definitely feeling rather drunk. Thankfully we still had our wits about us so that we were able to maintain some decorum! We found it amusing that, as the other tables in the dining room finished their meals, the volume of conversations continued to get louder and louder – apparently there were lots of wine pairings that evening! Sadly, it was approaching midnight and our time at Victoria and Albert’s was coming to a close. Chrissy was given a long stem red rose and an envelope with copies of our menus. Anita explained that she took the liberty of altering Chrissy’s menu to include the title of “Dr” before her name. Once again, an incredible personal touch. We were also given a gift bag with a small loaf of “breakfast bread” to enjoy the next morning. As it turned out, we ended up bringing it all the way back home and enjoyed it after our return to reality. I wouldn’t say the bread was the best I’d had, but we did enjoy it. The bill came next and you know you’re in trouble when your check for dinner is delivered to you in a closed satin box – I guess they hope that the presentation (and the fact that your three sheets to the wind) deters a bit from the sticker shock. Even without the gift from our friends applied to our bill, the meal was still worth every penny and more – simply amazing! Anita asked where we were staying and said she would take the liberty of calling us a cab. We thanked her profusely and tried our best not to stumble as we made our way out of the restaurant.

Some thoughts on this experience: The service was impeccable – very attentive, yet not to the point where you felt people were hovering. Everything was like a well-choreographed dance and served with great presentation and style. We really enjoyed getting to know Anita and had fun discussing the dishes and wine with her. She explained that she had been a lifelong “foodie” and used to be in a healthcare profession, but found she made more money and enjoyed the atmosphere of fine dining better, so she had been at V&A’s for over 11 years. It was really interesting to hear her story, especially since you assume that working at a place like that is definitely more of a career than most restaurants!

To say our level of drunken giggles was reaching new heights was an understatement. We did our best to walk out of the GF with our dignity while stopping for a few drunken mirror shots along the way. We make our way out front and one of the bellmen explained that our cab was on its way. We found ourselves a bench and reveled in the experience we had while waiting. The cab arrived in less than 10 minutes and we were back at OKW before we knew it. By the time we made it back and got ready for bed, it was nearing 2:00 AM – that 6:30 wake-up call was going to hurt!
 
DisneyFan1003

DisneyFan1003

Active Member
Original Poster
 

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