Day 592: Grey Stuff Cupcakes

This summer I've really been loving cupcakes. I have no real idea why it is that I've been so inspired to make cupcakes, but I have, and for some reason, I'm actually pretty darn good at it. I've been trying to compile a list of cupcake recipes that everyone loves, while asking all of my friends and family their favorite cupcake flavor to give me new challenges.

And boy have a few people stepped up and given me some.

My friend Charlie suggested something earlier in the summer that really got me thinking: pudding filled cupcakes. I mean, everyone loves pudding, and everyone loves cupcakes, and they probably taste amazing together, so why isn't that a thing? Well, actually it is, and even if it wasn't, it would be now because I've gotten pretty darn good at filling the center of my cupcakes. A fact that makes some of my friends very happy indeed.

But in my quest to come up with the perfect pudding filled cupcake I actually stumbled upon a different cupcake entirely, and now I have people requesting it. That's certainly a new one.

And so I present to you, the Grey Stuff Cupcake:

This one was actually specifically for my friend's birthday, since she's the one who wanted them for her birthday very specifically. My brother's choice will come later in the week, which is just as Disney themed as this one is. Of course, we had to complete it with a Once Upon A Time candle, only her's is green. Not everyone can have a blue one, after all. I haven't. I'm saving it. For like...my 28th birthday. 

Anyways, as you can see, it's a chocolate cupcake topped with delicious real, actual grey stuff. Homemade of course, but hey, I have my resources! And then there's little pearls on top just like at Be Our Guest. I think that was her favorite part to be honest. They're not the exact ones, but they look right and still taste amazing. 

Oh, and I didn't even tell you the best part! Not only is the cupcake TOPPED with Grey Stuff, but it's filled with it too! DELICIOUS! Plus, I've experimented with putting an oreo in the bottom. It's sort of a 50/50 vote on whether or not people like it with the oreo or not though. They're certainly harder to eat with it than without, but even without a cookie on the bottom these things are seriously delicious. 

Any other Disney inspired cupcake ideas for me out there? 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on August 18). 

Day 546: All The Magic

Day two of the Disney portion of the band trip was a big one. No, not big...HUGE. A full day at Magic Kingdom with a parade smack dab in the middle, and we had tons of stuff to do along the way!

As most Magic Kingdom days begin, we headed over on the ferry, walking through the gates just after ten in the morning. We checked out Main Street before venturing back to get some postcards mailed out, which we counted as one of the things we got accomplished for the day too! On our way to Fantasyland, we walked through Cinderella Castle, which is certainly an attraction in itself! Then it was off to our first stop: it's a small world. Everyone always seems to give this attraction a bad wrap, and I couldn't just let my friends in the Magic Kingdom without experiencing it for themselves. Now, it wasn't planned to be the very first attraction, but there was certainly a line for Peter Pan, so we made a few changes.

Then it was off to find some water. One has to keep hydrated after all. Then, Ashley's worst nightmare: HAUNTED MANSION. She was terrified, but I think she enjoyed it. After all, she did survive my whispering in her ear, and that's a feat to be proud of in itself. After our adventures there we headed out across the park for our first fastpass of the day: Space Mountain.

I think Ashley has told me that this is one of her favorite attractions, which really surprised me. She told me after we got back that Disney sort of helped her get over her fear of thrill rides and rollercoasters, so that's an accomplishment in itself. Jonny and I were on like opposite ends of the car, but it was funny because you could totally still hear the two of us counting down as we hit blastoff.

Lunch was at Cosmic Rays, and we went early enough that there were still seats open in by Sunny Eclipse, so of course we sat there for a while and listened to him. Nothing like that lovely music and those terrible jokes! And since we had a parade coming up that afternoon, we spent a little extra time on lunch, just to cool off and keep ourselves as healthy as possible.

In her graduation speech last year, Megan quoted Carousel of Progress, so of course that was on the list of things to do as well, and yes, we got it done! It's hilarious how many little references to the show I have in my everyday life, so I'm sure Megan especially was happy to finally see the show that they come from, not to mention the "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" she talked about in her speech.

With a while before our report time for the parade, we took a walk back across the park, stopping in front of Cinderella Castle once again to take some pictures before heading off towards Frontierland. As we walked, we found that the Country Bears would begin in about 6 minutes, and after a quick check on the internet about the length of the show, we headed in. It was mostly just a time filler, but Ashley just couldn't stop laughing. I think it's safe to say she enjoyed it.

A bathroom break, meet up with my parents and report time later, we were backstage, preparing for the parade that would change my life. But that's another blog post (or two or three if you include the ones I have already written). We marching down Main Street, cried, hugged, almost died, got really hot, and were happy, and sad and angry and...it was an emotional experience.

After the parade we found my parents once again, up at the train station, before having to head out for our dining reservation. It all worked out great though, since we took the Train back to the Storybook Circus stop, meaning we got on yet another attraction! Dinner was a big one too, Be Our Guest. As the only kids on the trip who got to eat there, it was pretty wild.

Although not as wild as the attractions that came after dinner. Our meal took a really long time. Almost two hours, but we met up with my parents at the stockade in Liberty Square before journeying off to Big Thunder. Another Fastpass, Another mountain. Which we followed up by Pirates, which we waited standby for. It didn't take super long, but I can honestly admit that I've never gotten as wet on Pirates as I did that day. Megan and I were soaked. Not that we would have faced a chance that evening anyways since our next attraction was Splash.

Following all the thrills, on our way back to the front of the park to meet everyone for Wishes, we found ourselves eating Dole Whips (for the very first time for some of us!), walking through the stores, and catching glimpses of the Electrical Parade. And finally, we stood at Town Square to catch the Projection show and Wishes with the rest of the band, all with a few laughs with our band director.

Total things accomplished: Postcards sent out, walked through Cinderella Castle, it's a small world, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Lunch at Cosmic Rays with Sunny Eclipse, Carousel of Progress, Country Bears, Marched down Main Street USA, Walt Disney World Railroad, Dinner at Be Our Guest, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Dole Whips, Castle Projection Show and finally, Wishes: 17 things.

Don't ask me how we did that. I don't even know.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 1).

Day 489: EAT

Day 9 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of your favorite Disney restaurant. 

Blast from the Past: 

Do I really have to choose? 

REALLY? 

I can't...there's too many! 

Alright, fine. I'll narrow it down to three...although I have about 10 others. I'll say two sit-down and one counter service, how's that? 

For my first sit-down restaurant I am choosing a less expensive one. Well, not that it's un-expensive when you take my brother and I there. I really enjoy the restaurant Tokyo Dining, located in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. They have some of the best sushi ever...and it's actually right across the Pavilion that I tried sushi for the very first time just a couple of years ago. My personal favorite thing to order there is the Volcano Roll...and I don't even remember what it has in it, but it's a giant pile of sushi covered in spicy sauce. AMAZING. 

My counter service restaurant pick comes from a resort, not a park. It's called Good's to Go, and it's located at my home resort, Old Key West. It's kind of a joint restaurant with the sit-down next door, Olivias...another on my list of favorites. Anyway, Goods is great for my brother and I because we often spend time at another location next door...Hanks Rent and Return, where we get our Ping Pong Paddles and Ball to use on the nearby Ping Pong Table. We love to play Ping Pong. Goods has some really great food, especially the smoothies and sandwiches. It's convenient, delicious and one of my favorite restaurants. 

My final choice is the one I would probably consider to be my favorite restaurant. It's expensive, and is located right next to the most expensive on Disney Property, and at the most expensive of the resorts. It's Citricos at the Grand Floridian Resort. It's so formal it has a dress code, not quite like V&A next door, but still a dress code (and it's not the only one on property either)! I almost always order the same thing when I head to this restaurant...although the menu changes a lot. I always order arancini, an appetizer that's basically a cheesy rice mixture formed into a ball and then deep fried (but the good kind of fried...not like from a fast food place). It's awesome. And then I have steak and mashed potatoes with peppers and onions for my main course, which I often split with my dad. And finally gelato for dessert...and the last time we went they had the best Espresso Gelate I've ever had. It's expensive, no doubt about that....but it's some of the best food I've eaten in my life...just as all the food at Disney is. 

Back to the Future: 

Can't say I am any more decisive than I was two years ago.

I've actually covered this topic before in a "Few of my Favorite Things" post, but let's talk about currently. What's my favorite restaurant RIGHT NOW?

Well, I do love Be Our Guest. It's very quickly worked its way into my favorites list. And I mean VERY quickly. One dinner there and I was hooked.

But honestly, I love ALL the Disney restaurants. Sometimes you'll have a bad experience at one, but that's no reason not to go back, because you never know, it may have just been the night. I certainly have favorites here and there, but it's so difficult to pick because I HAVE eaten at so many. I like to mix it up just about every trip, heading to places we haven't been in a while. In January the restaurants are hand selected to correspond with the fact that my friends are coming with us, and I assure you there will be plenty of food eaten on that trip.

Because seriously...when isn't an extreme amount of food consumed on a Disney trip?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).