Growing up in Orlando meant being raised by Disney World & Mickey Mouse. So glad to check out Disneyland in Anaheim for the first time. Many of the same rides I remembered, some with differences. Space Mountain doesn’t have any drops like it’s east coast counterpart and the Haunted Mansion looked nice, well-kept and not scary from the outside. There were new rides for me like Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, the Matterhorn. Funny that the Autopia car ride, being so loud and smelly from the gas engines, is still running at Tomorrowland. Also I like how in the Snow White ride, it’s so scary with the witch popping up everywhere. In the last room, you see the witch above you then you come out and see a storybook painting on the wall that says, “Everyone Lives Happily Ever After.”
I know I wanted to have one of those huge roast turkey legs. I didn’t know where to find them. Suddenly, we came across the Presidential pardoned turkey in its pen at Frontierland. And lo and behold, the roast turkey legs weren’t very far away. The thing was so hot when they handed it to me in it’s bag. It was pretty delicious. $7.
It seems like the better food was in New Orleans Square. There were a few nice looking restaurants like the Blue Bayou where the dining room this day was full and I would have needed to make a reservation ahead of time. The menu looks good with Monte Cristo sandwiches and Jambalaya. I ended up getting a Vegetarian Gumbo in a bread bowl at the nearby Royal St. Veranda. Pretty decent. The amount of gumbo is a little deceiving since the pit they dug out of the bread bowl isn’t too deep. I also read somewhere that the Vegetarian Gumbo is vegan if that helps any of you guys that read my meat-heavy blog.
Some day I wish to dine at Club 33, which is an exclusive/private restaurant at Disneyland. It costs thousands of dollars to be a member including thousands of dollars in annual fees, along with a pretty expensive menu and there’s a 14 year or so waiting list. I wonder if I’ll still have a food blog by then.
We headed out to Venice Beach and scoured for food. A lot of different choices and quick bites amongst the T-shirt vendors, street performers and Medical Marijuana Evaluation Centers (which is a “doctor” with a clipboard asking if you can sleep at night or if you have AIDS. I’m not sure if I trust a doctor that doesn’t wear a shirt. The food is pretty much the quality you’d expect at a beach aimed at families and tourists. From the 99cent junior pizza slices & root beer floats to the more exotic pupusas, samosas and empanadas –decent for what they were I suppose. I think I’m turning into a food snob.
I bought one of those oversize muscle beach sweatshirts that cut off at the belly.
My grandfather used to live in the heart of Chinatown, San Francisco on Grant St before he was insisted on moving to Orlando with the rest of my family so they can take care of him in his later years. I’ve always wondered about the life he left, especially when I walk around Columbus Park in Manhattan and see the old folk playing Chinese chess, singing Chinese opera and yelling at each other. This trip to San Francisco would hopefully offer me a glimpse into that life of “gong-gong.” Chinatown San Fran was my mecca.
I read on Chinatown SF’s official tourism website that they are the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. I wonder what factors quantify that. It didn’t seem so physically large walking through it, but did have a large tourist concentration. Also the most dim sum places I’ve ever seen. One particularly caught my eye –All You Can Eat Dim Sum $5.99 at Dick Lee Pasty Shop. (look at their Angelfire website. Retro cool. So 1998.) They have a loud speaker that runs on a loop announcing the items they have on the buffet. I walked in, saw the meager selection and walked out. If I had more time in San Fran, I probably would have tried it, despite the poor reviews on Yelp. Like one reviewer notes, you’d probably be paying close to this price anyway at a decent dim sum parlor. Dim Sum is cheap.
I’m not sure I quite got a taste of the life my grandfather led in San Francisco. I’m sure times have changed. All I can think about is how all the old Chinese people walk up and down those huge hills. Is that why they’re so hunched over? I wonder if someday I’ll make my parents move to New York, so they can hang out with other old Chinese folk in Columbus Park. I would love to hang out there when I get old. It’s like partying everyday. I wonder if they’d talk behind my back in front of me because they know I don’t speak Chinese.
All You Can Eat Dim Sum $5.99 @ Dick Lee Pastry Shop
Heading out west in style. I upgraded my Virgin America main cabin ticket to 1st class for an extra $250, where the original price was over $1,000. The way it works is if the 1st class seats haven’t sold out within 24 hours of departure, you can upgrade for a discounted price. Just check in online within those 24 hours and try to change your seat.
I gotta say first class was well worth it. Huge leather seats that can recline like a lazy boy. They supposedly have a massaging function, but I couldn’t tell if it was massage or adjusting my chair. Right when you board, the attendants attend to you by offering drinks. Free drinks all flight long. I had two bloody marys and a beer. Everything is unlocked on the TV, including the premium shows and movies. Cozy up to Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
As far as food, you get a pretty fancy airline meal that you don’t have as an option in coach. Chicken & mango salad with a cute little airplane salt & pepper shaker. The entree choices were eggplant tortellini or braised beef with couscous. And for dessert a fruit tart.
The upgrade was well worth it for feeling fancy, but don’t let it go to your head. You do get to cut in line at the security check and some hot shot douchebag was being a real prick when the regular line and the priority line merged. He started throwing a fit because an old lady unknowingly merged in front of him. Dang, doesn’t she know he’s in first class and therefore better? …old people, whatever.
Out west right now for weddings and stuffin my face with foods. I’m curious about the Del Taco. I pre-scheduled my posts for the week, so please keep checking in. It’s like magic.
Congratulations to Rob Bruce for winning the Best Music Video at the Animation Block Party for “The Dragon’s Claw” and to Rik Cordero & Three/21 for winning Best Film Top Prize at the HBO NY Latino Film Festival for “Inside a Change.” That’s like me winnnig twice in one week through you guys! Dang thanks.
Field trip to see the waterfall in Paterson, New Jersey. We explored the backside where the once industrial factories have turned to rubble. We ran into crates from the Colt gun mill, a viscous beaver, and a lone hooker boot. Then we took a break at the cute Libby’s Lunch diner and got a huge Texas wiener. I haven’t seen a dog like that before.
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