Category Archives: Stuff To Eat

Jolly Holiday Bakery!

14 Comments Posted by on August 16, 2011

OMG SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!

I’ve posted already about the Plaza Pavilion (aka The Single Most Wasted Space In The Entire Park), formerly a restaurant, recently the annual pass processing center. Well, rumors have been bouncing around for a while, but today Disney Parks Blog finally confirmed what will be going in there: a Jolly Holiday Bakery!

If you don’t get the “jolly holiday” part, you need to go re-watch Mary Poppins.

I am SO thrilled to see this news. I mean, pretty much anything would have been better in the Plaza Pavilion than the annual pass processing center, but a Mary Poppins-themed bakery is just delightful. I was really rooting for this rumor to be true.

So long, AP processing

Apparently work on this starts tomorrow and the new cafe will be open in January 2012! The cafe will have a new menu and outdoor seating. OUTDOOR SEATING, PEOPLE!!!!!

Insert tables and chairs here

Have a seat right over here! In January 2012!

This new bakery kicks off what looks like a large-scale renovation of most of the west side of Main Street. Again, according to the Disney Parks Blog, the Blue Ribbon Bakery will be closing and it looks like they’ll be using that space to 1) add indoor seating to the Carnation Cafe’ (a lovely little tucked-away sit down restaurant, and also a hidden and not very crowded bathroom), 2) enlarging the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (you remember that part about no indoor seating? Well guess what? New indoor seating!), and 3) enlarging the Candy Palace kitchen. To which I say “bring on the candy!!!”

It looks like the Plaza Pavilion goes down tomorrow with the Jolly Holiday Bakery set to open in January, and then the other changing section to go down in January and open either in the spring or summer.

Although the question still remains…what are they going to do with The Restaurant That Can’t Decide What It Wants To Be Called?

 

Main Street, Stuff To Eat , , , , , , , , ,

Pooh Corner (Store)

6 Comments Posted by on July 11, 2011

As I said before, there’s not a lot in Critter Country–two rides, two stores, and a restaurant. As such, I rarely make it all the way back there unless I’m going on Splash Mountain. And to be honest, I don’t go on Splash Mountain very often, mainly because I don’t like walking around all wet unless it’s really hot out, and most of the time it’s hot out my pass is blocked. Plus it was closed for refurb for like the entire winter and just recently reopened.

Anyway, so not being back in Critter Country very often means that I haven’t been back to the Pooh Corner store (oh I forgot–there’s also the Pooh and Friends meet and greet there too). In fact, I didn’t even know it was named the Pooh Corner Store. Because it’s not. It’s just named Pooh Corner, which sounds all friendly and all until you realize that A. A. Milne’s version of Pooh Corner did not involve merchandising.

And the whole thing is all inside a tree!

In true Disneyland fashion, the theming goes all the way to the sky. I like the details above the entrance.

It's a tree house where nobody lives, except maybe Disneyland's stray cats

There are two parts of the store–actually I think it’s two stores, but anyway, I will refer to them by their technical names, “The Right Side” and “The Left Side” based on where they are located as you’re looking at the middle.

The Right Side is extensively Pooh-themed. This is the section I haven’t be in in forever.

Still high from his drug trip, Pooh pushes the limits of safety by engaging in thrill-seeking behavior

Which brings me to another thing I didn’t know existed–Pooh Corner has a candy-making window.

Wow! When did they put this in?

There’s another candy making window on Main Street (which I formerly thought was the only one) and that has always been one of my Top 3 desired Disneyland jobs (the other two being a Jungle Cruise Skipper and a Tour Guide). I don’t know why. In reality, standing there making candy for the entire shift is probably a lot of work. But maybe it’s just something leftover from childhood where wow, making CANDY ALL DAY LONG!!!!! seems really cool.

Anyway, they also sell treats that you can’t get in other parts of the park, like these:

Hunny Pot crispie treats

And Tigger Tails, which are a stick with marshmallows covered in caramel, orange-colored white chocolate, and drizzled with milk chocolate. And crack.

Sorry, no picture. Oops.

Pooh Corner also has a stuffed animal section, and first I need to talk about Theo and his Pooh Bear. This is a man who loves his Pooh Bear. He has three sleeping companions–a stuffed duck named Duckie, a blue blanket named Blanket, and a Pooh Bear. All are an integral part of sleeping.

Theo says good morning with Blanket and Pooh Bear (and also Giant Snoopy, but he doesn't sleep there, he was just visiting)

In fact, when we traveled to the East Coast last week, we brought along Duckie and Blanket but left Pooh Bear behind because he doesn’t really pack well. We thought it wouldn’t be a problem, since those were the 2 out of 3 crib friends we brought to the Mouse-in-law, but something apparently changed between February and June because leaving Pooh Bear behind was a big mistake. The first hotel we were at was a suite so Theo had his own room. After we put him to bed and closed the door, we heard “Pooh Bear? Pooh Bear? Pooh Bear?” for seriously like 15 minutes. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but set a timer for 15 minutes and then say “Pooh Bear?” over and over in the most heart-wrenching, pathetic voice you can muster, and that was our first night. Pooh Bear was requested again at nap time, and the second night we had another round of “Pooh Bear?”s. By the third night we had finally convinced him that Pooh Bear was safe at home keeping Digory and Nyna company (Digory being the dog and Nyna being my friend Diana, who was house-sitting). He seemed mostly okay with that, but every night for the rest of the trip he said with maximum pathos, “Pooh Bear home. Pooh Bear home. Pooh Bear HOME.”

We’re going to get a travel-sized Pooh Bear before we go anywhere else.

Anyway, Pooh Corner happens to have a big display of exactly the Pooh Bear we have. Theo immediately spotted one. And seriously, I didn’t get a shot of his face, but his expression was like “Oh THERE you are, what are you doing here?”

Pooh Bear! Pooh Bear! Pooh Bear! Pooh Bear!

He insisted on holding one of them.

Hold it? Hold it? Hold it?

And then he made his move.

SHOPLIFTER!!!!!

He wasn’t really trying to steal it. It was like he thought that his own Pooh Bear had been strangely misplaced but it was okay, Theo was going to take him back home again. Which in Toddler Land makes perfect sense.

After the joy and delight that is The Right Side, you move to The Left Side, which is kind of disappointing. It’s really just your standard-issue merchandise without anything particularly interesting.

Except for the occasional toddler trying to make a break with a stolen Pooh Bear

The outside of The Left Side isn’t as cute either.

This is where Pooh picks up his mail though

In between the two sides is a quaint porch area.

Nowhere to sit though

Even if you’re not a Pooh fan, it’s worth your while to go check out Pooh Corner. I’ve only had a Tigger Tail once, but it is delicious. Very sweet, but also very good. I always forget about them though, particularly when I’m stuffing my face with popcorn and churros, but I’ll try to remember next time and take a picture for you.

Critter Country, Stuff To Eat , , ,

The Difference Between Frozen Lemonade and “Frozen” Lemonade

22 Comments Posted by on July 3, 2011

So I’m at the park and I’m really flippin’ hot, and the water from my trusty water bottle isn’t doing enough to rehydrate me. What’s a mouse to do? I decided that what I’d really love is a hand-squeezed lemonade. You know the kind–where they have the press in front of you and just stick in half a lemon, press it down, and add it to some sugar water and ice? I love those. LOVE!

Unfortunately, Disneyland doesn’t sell that.

Incidentally, I seriously want to get one of those squeezers for home use. We have the Lemon Tree That Ate Manhattan in our backyard and the number of lemons it produces for us is a little on the insane side. I love lemonade, but I hate doing all the squeezing in our little hand twisty juicer thing. But anyway.

So I’ve got a hankerin’ for lemonade at Disneyland, and I pass a bunch of ice cream carts offering Frozen Lemonade.

Also cotton candy

And then I pass this fruit-and-chip stand type thingie over by Casey Jr. (and the site of the dearly departed Fantasyland Skyway station *sniff*) and I see that they are offering “Frozen” Lemonade.

Just like that. With the quotes.

And a cast member singing YMCA

As a writer, I get rather twitchy when it comes to misused punctuation. Well, when it comes to misused apostophes, I get absolutely apoplectic. But quotes bug me too, and I’m thinking come on Disney, surely you’ve got an editor on staff there somewhere.

Quotes are, of course, used to note when someone is speaking (eg. So then Mickey Mouse said, “Shelby, why does misused punctuation bother you so much?” and I said, “Because it’s the ruination and downfall of our civil society, and also it’s not that hard.”), and quotes are also used to denote something similar to, but not really, but kinda close or at least trying to be (eg. Turkey “bacon”).

So assuming that Disneyland has an editor somewhere on the payroll, what exactly is it that makes “Frozen” Lemonade kind of frozen, but not quite frozen? I mean, it’s either frozen or it’s not, right? And then what’s the deal with non-quoted Frozen Lemonade available from the ice cream carts? How many variations on Frozen can we possibly have? And what is so special about “Frozen” Lemonade that makes it worth 19 cents more than Frozen Lemonade?

I did the only logical thing I could do in this situation. I decided to buy a “Frozen” Lemonade. Because while looking at the inordinately-priced chips, craisins, and bananas:

Who comes to Disneyland to buy Cheetos? Look, just buy yourself some popcorn and a churro and enjoy it.

I noticed a slushee-type machine in the background.

I’m so observant sometimes. Rarely.

And using my clever powers of deduction, I thought that “Frozen” Lemonade would be like a slushee lemonade, and Frozen Lemonade would be like that solid block of lemon-flavored ice you get in a cup that you have to chip away at with a plastic spoon when nothing short of an ice pick will do the job. I hate those, by the way, because I just don’t want to work that hard for my food.

Anyway, I was right.

Frozen Lemonade

"Frozen" Lemonade

Mine had a shot of raspberry, and it was actually really, really good. I may have to make this my beverage of choice to go with my salty popcorn if water isn’t doing it for me.

But also, if you read the sign closely, the “Frozen” Lemonade stand also sells “100% Frozen Apple” Juice and that, my dear Disney, is just incorrect. The treat you are serving there is not 100% frozen, nor is it likely made from 100% frozen apples. And if it’s “Apple,” then it’s not really apple, so what the hell is it? I think you’re going for “Frozen” 100% Apple Juice to accompany the “Frozen” Lemonade, but then that makes me wonder, the Lemonade didn’t specify that it was 100% Lemonade. Maybe it was some percentage of lemonade and some percentage of something else?

Disney, you need an editor.

Stuff To Eat ,

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (Plus A Contest!)

53 Comments Posted by on July 1, 2011

I could really go for an ice cream cone right now. I haven’t even had breakfast. Hey–ice cream for breakfast! Ice cream for lunch! Ice cream for dinner! Let’s scream Oprah-style EVERYONE GETS AN ICE CREAM! EVERYONE GETS AN ICE CREAM!

Actually I’ll admit I’m not a huge ice cream person. I do enjoy a good cone every once in a while, and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s certainly hits the spot, but I’m not one of those ice cream obsessed people. When I think of ice cream I always think of when we lived in Germany. Now THOSE people love their ice cream. Any time, any place, anywhere, you’d see someone licking a cone or eyeing an ice cream vending machine longingly. Seriously, that was the only place I’ve ever seen people standing at a bus stop in the dead of winter, bundled up in coats, scarves, gloves and hats, snow swirling all around them, munching an ice cream bar. And not just once either.

Now that’s what I call dedication.

Anyway, when it gets nice and hot, an ice cream is the perfect snack at Disneyland. Not as perfect as popcorn or churros, since those aren’t weather-dependent, but close. And one of the places to get ice cream is at the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor right on Main Street, U.S.A.

Ich möchte wirklich Eis

In keeping with Walt’s dream of having Main Street represent Anytown, USA in the early 20th century, the ice cream parlor is represented by the Gibson Girl.

Which then got me thinking a little bit. Who or what exactly is the Gibson Girl? I mean we’ve certainly seen her likeness in those nostalgic turn of the century images–the poofy hair, slim neck, waist the size of my wedding ring, long skirt, etc.–but who is she and where did she come from?

Well, according to my Standard Research Methodology, the Gibson Girl was drawn by this illustrator, Charles Gibson, who if you believe Wikipedia quite frankly (**language alert**) kind of sounds like an ass but if you read other sites within your allotted SRM 3 minutes doesn’t sound that bad. Apparently Charles Gibson was a very influential illustrator and created the Gibson Girl to depict the “ideal American woman” and then plastered her everywhere doing all kinds of things but notably excluding participating in the women’s suffrage movement. One site compared her to her later counterpart, Barbie, except the Gibson Girl didn’t live in a pink plastic house with a ridiculously out-of-proportion swimming pool.

Anyway, it looks like people have written entire PhD dissertations on the Gibson Girl but honestly I’m already bored with the topic so MOVING ON…

Back to the ice cream

I love the window details of the stores on Main Street. And once again, looking up reveals a whole new set of things I’ve never looked at before.

I love this brick work

That is, of course, the theatrical agency upstairs.

The other noticeable thing about the GG Ice Cream Parlor is that they make their own waffle cones and they gently waft the scent out the door so when you walk by you can’t help but notice the glorious, sweet smell of freshly-pressed waffle cone. I’m not joking about that, by the way.

But hey, armchair historians, are waffle cones historically accurate to the early 20th century? Just curious.

Disneyland accurately anticipates the popularity of this centrally-located ice cream shop (shoppe? pronounced “shop”) and you get a bunch of zig zags to wait in.

I'm only a couple of yards away from the counter but there are still 294 people in front of me! Must be Disneyland!

And here’s a question for my very knowledgeable readers–back behind the fruit cart next to the lockers, there’s another ice cream window:

Here it is!

Now I know this one is definitely a cone shop, because I cleverly read the sign (I’m smart like that) but I wonder–are they the same cones and the same ice cream that’s available across the street at the Gibson Girl Parlor? I never get cones at Disneyland–the chocolate chip cookie sandwich is my frozen dairy product of choice–so I can’t say, but if it’s the same ice cream and all you want is a cone, then this would be an awesome place to get it and skip the line at the GG Parlor. I’ve never seen a line at this window, and honestly before a couple of months ago I didn’t know this window existed at all.

Help me, readers! Is this the case?

Anyway, back at the GG Parlor, when you get up close and get dirty looks from people who think you’re cutting in line even though you’re just trying to get a picture, you can see the whole operation.

I'm certain that's an original electric waffle iron straight out of 1918, or an historic reproduction at least.

The GG Parlor does offer very, very, very limited seating.

There's like one and a half tables in this place

And there are various Gibson Girl portraits adorning the walls.

Including this one:

Hunh?

I’m talking about the bottom picture, of course, with the Gibson Girl holding her hands up in a “don’t shoot!” pose. This picture is just begging–BEGGING for a caption contest.

Here she is again, ladies and gentlemice:

Caption Me!

CAPTION CONTEST RULES

This one’s simple. Think of a caption. Leave a comment (upper right-hand corner of the post) with your caption or captions. Enter as many times as you want. Winner determined by me based on creativity, humor, and whichever one I like best. I will send you a prize which will probably be cool but maybe not, no guarantees, I haven’t decided yet. You don’t need to post a separate comment for each entry.

Have fun!

Main Street, Stuff To Eat , ,

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