5 Tips for an Orlando Theme Park Visit

Magic Kingdom

Orlando, Florida is home to a variety of theme, water, and amusement parks. Whether it is Disney, Universal, Sea World, or Wet N’ Wild you are interested in, there are more than enough activities to do and, most likely, not enough days or energy to do them all. Pick wisely and you will have a fun filled vacation with lots of reasons to return. Here are a few things I learned on my weekend trip down south.

1. Transportation- How do you plan to get around? If you are driving your own car or getting a rental, take into account hotel parking fees ($20/day), theme park parking lot fees ($14/day), rental fees ($12-32/day), gasoline cost, and driving through traffic. If you don’t have your own car, it is doable to maneuver without one. Many of the hotels have airport shuttles ($19/person) and a taxi will run about $50 to/from the airport and $10 to/from Downtown Disney or Universal CityWalk. Theme park shuttles run every hour and if you are on Disney property there is always the monorail or ferry. If you are riding shuttles, take note of the schedules and reservation requirements. If you have a digital camera or camera phone, take a snapshot of the schedule. If you lose the schedule, you’ll have a digital copy saved. Weigh your options and go with the one you are most comfortable with. I have stayed on Disney property once and had no issues with public transportation. This time, I was based on the Universal side and had a few issues with taxi and shuttle hours and customer service. Next time I’d look into renting my own car.

2. Accommodations- If you stay on Disney or Universal property there are a lot of perks. These are the newer hotels and have a resort like feel. By staying on Disney or Universal property, you may have early entry into the parks and a Universal Express card key for Universal. Skip the lines! This perk can cost up to $50 extra per person depending on the day you go so if you get it complimentary through the hotel you could be saving some real money.

There are countless budget friendly hotels and motels in the surrounding area. If you choose not to stay on Disney or Universal property, check if your hotel is part of the Disney or Universal partnership. You may be able to get into the parks an hour early.   

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure

3. When to Visit- I have been to Orlando during the height of Summer and Spring Break. Both months (July and April) were humid, hot, and crowded. Temperatures were in the high 80s. This time I went during Martin Luther King weekend (January) and it was still warm (72 degrees) and sunny. The coldest it got was a low of 64 and it rained barely a sprinkle. The crowds were non-existent (line wait times were anywhere from five minutes to 45 minutes). I vow never to go back during Summer or Spring Break. Off peak season is much better.   

4. Theme Park Logic- Study the map of the theme park. Cross off rides and attractions you are not interested in. If there is a FASTPASS available for a ride, get it and return at your designated time to avoid long wait times. While waiting, ride one or two rides or catch a show. Go on rides when people are eating lunch or dinner or watching a parade or fireworks show. If you need a logical path, walk the park clockwise, counterclockwise, or go to the farthest point and then make your way back to the entrance/exit, and take the train if you are tired of walking around the park.

                                                                    

FASTPASSES at Magic Kingdom

5. Birthday- It was my birthday weekend and I went to the Magic Kingdom on my actual birthday. I got a birthday button with my name on it and every time a park employee saw my button they wished me a happy birthday. One employee even serenaded me in Donald Duck’s voice and threw confetti on me. At the new Fantasyland, I was in one of the giftshop candy stores and I got a free chocolate covered marshmallow dipped in hot pink crystallized sugar. It was delicious! I felt really special all day. Universal is also on the birthday bandwagon and distributes birthday buttons as well.

Disney buttons

I had a whirlwind tour of three theme parks in three days. I’ve already planned my next trip and that would be during October when there are even less people. At the Magic Kingdom during Halloween they convert the Haunted Mansion into Nightmare Before Christmas and then overnight the park gets decked out in Christmas decorations complete with fake snow. I definitely want to experience that and will be using the tips I learned this last weekend to maximize my trip to its full potential. Happy theme park hopping!

Magic Kingdom

1180 7 Seas Drive

Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Universal Studios and Universal’sIslands of Adventure

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819

Chobani Soho- First Greek Yogurt Store in NYC

Chobani Soho. Dog friendly too!

New York is so fancy pants. What we can buy at the grocery store for a dollar on sale, we need to have sold in a store front that rivals a high end jewelry, optical, cupcake, or macaron shop.

I am pleased to introduce Chobani Soho. Yes, the Greek yogurt you find on your grocery shelf is now served fresh daily in New York City. I laughed a little when I first heard it was coming to town. Now that I’ve seen the following of Chobani and tasted their yogurt creations, I am impressed and glad they opened up a yogurt bar. We are witnessing the Greek yogurt revolution and birth of a new trend. Frozen yogurt out, Green yogurt in. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fage opens up across the street from Chobani next year.

Greek yogurt is an acquired taste. It's not sweet. It's rich. It's is also thick. Although Chobani is more on the thinner side, some Greek yogurt is so thick that if you stuck a spoon in it, it would stand up straight left alone. The yogurt is thick because it is strained of liquid. During this process, most of the lactose in the yogurt is also lost. Greek yogurt is high in protein, has a low caloric count, and when non-fat or low fat it can be a pretty healthful option. There are many reasons why people are buying into the Greek yogurt craze.

The yogurt served at Chobani is not the same variety as the pre-packaged ones sold in the grocery store. For the yogurt bar, Chobani created 10 different recipes and two seasonal flavors. Does dark chocolate and pistachios float your boat? Feeling new age-y and want to jump start your morning? Yogurt topped with blueberries, Chia seeds, and Hemp might do the trick. Need a little something to tide you over before your next meal? Plain Chobani with a touch of honey keeps it simple. It’s also served with pita chips.

I like the Chobani store. They took the conservative, classy, high class route instead of going for a neon pastel plastic look. Chobani Soho suits the area. The store looks expensive with dark colored wood. It’s almost a look don’t touch atmosphere. It’s also crowded with tourists, shoppers, and locals taking a break while walking their dog.

The interior is a little hectic. There is a crowd and only one person to take your order. There are no cash registers at Chobani. Someone casually walks up to you, takes your order, collects your money, and then gives you your yogurt. At the back wall you can watch the yogurt chefs concoct your personalized bowl. The store is decorated with bags of Chobani branded pistachios, honey, water bottles, tote bags, and olive oil for sale. The table in the center is decorated seasonally. The last time I went in, the table was loaded with giant shiny ruby red pomegranates and pine cones.

Chobani interior

Private label Chobani everything

Since there is barely any seating, one is encouraged to take their yogurt to go. The yogurt is covered loosely with Chobani cheesecloth and held in place by a red elastic band reminiscent of Kabbalah. The bowl the yogurt is served in is made of glass, perfectly sized to hold a prepackaged Chobani from the grocery store, and yours to keep. If you eat in the store, they will trade your dirty bowl for a brand new clean bowl and let you go on your merry way. No more sneaking into public bathrooms to wash out your Chobani bowl for safe holding.

Ready to go or ready to eat!

Pumpkin and Walnut

Toasted Coconut and Pineapple

Cucumber and Olive Oil: Avoid! No one likes this one at all!

So far, I’ve tried Fig and Walnut, Toasted Coconut and Pineapple, Pumpkin and Walnut, and Pomegranate and Power. The ingredients are top shelf and plentiful. The toasted coconut and pineapple alone was a tropical experience. If you are a fan of Greek yogurt, I highly recommend trying out the Chobani store. They have somehow elevated the whole experience of eating a cup of Greek yogurt. If it still sounds far-fetched to you, I say, “Only in New York, only in New York”. Actually, I’ll rephrase that by saying, “Only in New York, only in New York. So far.” 

Chobani

150 Prince Street

New York, NY 10012 

New York Hall of Science Hosts 2012 Maker Faire

New York Hall of Science

Calling all inventors, curious minds, creatives, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. If you identify with any of these or are fascinated with what the future may hold, then the Maker Faire may be for you.

Maker Faire is a two day festival celebrating science, engineering, invention, and art. It is a family friendly event and has something for everyone. The Maker Faire happens once a year in New York City, Detroit, and the Bay Area. Mini Maker Faires are popping up in places like Houston, TX and Santiago, Chile. As Maker Faire becomes more popular with inventors and fans around the world, I hope to see more Maker Faires hosted in different cities. The Maker Faire is in its sixth year and started in San Mateo, California.

The 2012 Maker Faire in New York City was hosted at the New York Hall of Science in Queens. I snagged a discounted ticket through Living Social. I recommend attending the Maker Faire even if you have to pay full price. It is an excellent family friendly event. Even if you don’t have kids in tow, the Maker Faire is still very entertaining. It is inspiring to see what new ideas are flowing out there and what people can do and  make with whatever resources they have available to them.

The Replicator Makerbot

Can make this

Out of this (plastic)

Two trends I noticed at the Maker Faire were 3D printers and robots. Makerbot printers were everywhere and what people were designing included everything built from plastic to furniture sculpted out of wood. The small basic printers created jewelry and art pieces. Large scale 3D printers had the capability to sculpt intricate details. If machines were not present, then robots were. Legos and programming went hand in hand as people created robots that could pick things up. One robot could even help around the house! My favorite robots were programmed to dance to Gangnam Style!

The Maker Faire was jam packed with activities, presentations, and interactive displays. There was something going on everywhere from cupcake cars driving around and a life size Mousetrap replica to a Mentos Coke Zero explosion and a go-cart race. Young minds were encouraged to test their creativity and engineering skills by designing their own wooden car and seeing how far they would go on a car roller coaster based on aerodynamics.

Designing cars

Electrical Cupcake Car

New York Hall of Science

Last but not least, the Maker Faire was hosted partly in the New York Hall of Science. This gave everyone the opportunity to explore the recently renovated center. Some might say that the Hall of Science is really for children under the age of 12 but I beg to differ. The Hall of Science is so educational and captivating that anyone, whatever age, would find it an interesting place. I had a blast with the hall of mirrors, giant Plinko type wall, and thermal imagery you could create. I look forward to visiting again and can’t wait to see what the inventors come up with next at the next Maker Faire. 

New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street
New York, NY 11368

Makerbot

Maker Faire 

Le Fooding NYC 2012 Fail: Brooklyn Edition

Image courtesy of thepariskitchen.com 

Le Fooding, a French foodingguide in France, decided to bring their Campfire Session #2 to Brooklyn’s waterfront in Williamsburg. I attended last year’s Campfire Session in Manhattan and the very first NYC Le Fooding event in 2009 in Queens. Both events were special and wonderfully organized bringing talented chefs together in one space. Patrons were fed, entertained with music, and free to roam around a beautiful art space. Le Fooding was an event that I became a huge fan of. It was an event and organization that I believed in and was willing to invest in. They always donated a portion of their proceeds to charity (Action Against Hunger) and the vibe of the events were not for profit, but rather the celebration of food and positive environment it could create.

Last year’s first Campfire Session was an intimate affair. The number of tickets sold were minimal and the outdoor space it was held in felt like a backyard. There was more than enough food to go around. Patrons got seconds, even thirds, despite the strict ticket per serving allotted. The musical guest was popular Norwegian crooner Sondre Lerche. It was an amazing success. We ended the night with music, ginger ale and Jameson, and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

This year’s campfire promised musical guest Mos Def and five tastings which showcased the innovation of Brooklyn’s food scene. It was promising and had an air of coolness. After all, Brooklyn itself had developed a bit of a reputation. Artisanal, hipster, creative, new, and trendy are just a few words to describe the “Brooklyn” scene.

The event turned out very different from previous years. There was a strict guest list and the people manning the guest lists checking people in had no idea what they were doing. Each line had a different list and each entrance was left unmarked. Was one line VIP, for Mastercard users only, A-L, M-Z? The world will never know. We were just lucky to pass through the gates after receiving an apology for the process that took too long.

The event took place at the Williamsburg Flea Market. The bad thing was that the flea market stayed open while Campfire Session #2 was going on. It was confusing. Where we supposed to shop? The vendors looked bored and out of place. Food lines snaked by each tent and overall the event looked secondary to the flea and was cramped. Hosting Campfire Session #2 in the middle of the Williamsburg Flea gave Le Fooding less of an importance. It didn't feel special anymore and was more like a nighttime Smorgasburg, the daytime Saturday food festival held in this very same location.

Daniel Rose & Saul Bolton
Spring, France & Brooklyn Bangers, USA

As for the food, it was tiny and too much of the same. I guess Brooklyn is big on sausages because three out of the five plates I tried that night were sausage. One of the booths Mission Chinese ran out of tastings halfway through the event. I had to beg another booth to accept my Mission Chinese ticket for a plate of food. Thank you Brooklyn Bangers for being so understanding and delicious!

Choncho's Tacos

Mile End

Model Chrissy Teigen
I wish John Legend were there to fill in the musical act performance.

Grapefruit mousse by Pierre Herme

Aside from the food aspect, Campfire Session really prides itself on their musical guest. I was looking forward to Mos Def. Shortly after I bought my ticket online, I got an email saying Mos Def would not be there and Dave One of Chromeo would be filling in. My mistake was thinking that Dave One would show up with a keyboard and sing Momma’s Boy but he was without his other half. He stood there on stage and no one knew who he was. He should have had a banner or an announcement but had nothing and we were all waiting for something. Before we knew it the stage was being disassembled and we were being kicked out. We were all waiting for the main act but little did we realize we just witnessed it.

Dave One of Chromeo

I left hungry and feeling ripped off. I imagine this was the feeling people felt after Googa Mooga, an event I was totally satisfied with. Then again, I didn’t pay $250 for my Googa Mooga ticket. I was perfectly fine with waiting in line for an hour and spending $15 for Blue Ribbon fried chicken.

I doubt I will go to another Le Fooding event in the future. I’d save my time and sanity and just donate $15 to Action Against Hunger. Charity shouldn’t suffer out of mistakes, nor should my ears and stomach.  

Photo Credits: thepariskitchen.com, Roxwriting

Le Fooding

Pierre Herme

Brooklyn Bangers

Choncho's Tacos

Mile End
97A Hoyt Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

     

Writing Workshop- Version 2.0

A year has passed since year one of Writing Workshop. A lot has changed since then. Our founding group of two grew to three and now involves a rotating cast of eight writers. Since there are more people, the session lasts longer with just enough time for everyone to read their piece out loud.

To keep organized, we now use Google documents with a number of tabs.

-Calendar

We meet twice a month, every two weeks. It’s tough settling on a day/time when everyone is available so we compromised and rotate between Tuesday/Wednesday and Thursday/Friday. Our calendar tab keeps track of every Writing Workshop date throughout the year.

-Editors

Our sessions are not meant for critique anymore but rather to hear our own writer’s voice. If editing is requested, we have a number of writers in our circle who are available to help.

-Roster

This is the list of writers interested in our Writing Workshop. All contact information is kept here.

We also created a Google Reader feed that bundled all of our blogs. This keeps us up to date on what we have been writing and working on.

Special thanks to Restaurant Baby who has kept us organized, inspired, and on track by implementing all of these resources.

I was going through Twitter and came across an article about writing groups. The article went through a few important points about finding the right writing group.

Points to ponder:

-Does your writing group’s goals align with yours?

-Is it a supportive environment?

-Is the group’s size right for you?

My Writing Workshop has evolved and I love it just as much as I did day one. It’s low pressure, casual, and inspiring, encouraging, and productive all at once. Everyone is supportive of each other. This group grew through word of mouth. I trust that all of my friends will only bring good people to the table. It’s interesting to see how new members react to the format and experience. I have seen professional writers shy to read and then own the spotlight, I was amazed to see and hear a script brought to life through acting, and over and over again I am thrilled to learn that others find what I write interesting and are eager to read more of my work. Even though we have a larger group now, the number is just right. We are still at our local cafe and the outlets, chairs, and tables available have been enough to accommodate us. I’m curious and excited to see how year three Writing Workshop unfolds. Its so far, so good with a few more laptops, netbooks, and iPads to round out the bunch.

As Restaurant Baby likes to say, "Write On!"

Restaurant Baby, ActionJojo, Roxwriting
photo courtesy of ActionJojo

Photo Credits: ActionJojo, Roxwriting

Writing Workshop Version 1.0

Restaurant Baby

ActionJojo

Madame Tussauds- Celebrity Wax Figures in New York

Madame Tussaud

One thing I’ve always wanted to do but others found cheesy was to visit the Madame Tussauds wax museum. I remember watching a tv special on Madame Tussauds when I was a child. They carved a wax figure to look just like Olympic Figure Skater Michelle Kwan. It looked exactly like her! Very realistic and kind of creepy. You could look into the eyes of a Madame Tussauds wax figure and wonder if it will blink back at you. 

It is no secret that I am obsessed with celebrities. I like to document all my star sightings. After visiting the Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York I can honestly say that it is a really cool place and not cheesy at all!

The Manhattan museum is over 85,000 square feet, has multiple levels, and different rooms which groups wax figures. Interested in athletes? Musicians? Politicians? Bollywood actors? Comic book characters and superheroes? Madame Tussauds has it all and you are encouraged to take pictures and interact with the figures. I had a field day with this and felt like a celebrity myself rubbing elbows with life sized replicas of celebrities I read about in US Weekly and Yahoo news.

Even though Madame Tussauds is from London, the New York location is special because it pays tribute to all the famous New Yorkers: Broadway stars, Al Roker and Matt Lauer, Woody Allen, and more!

Here are some pictures of wax figures I encountered during my visit:

Brangelina

Rupaul

Al Roker and Matt Lauer

Michelle Kwan

Captain America

Justin Timberlake

Stay tuned for pictures of my Halloween photoshoot at Madame Tussauds!

Madame Tussauds
234 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

San Francisco Brunch- Brenda's French Soul Food

Brenda's French Soul Food will take you out of the Tenderloin and place you in New Orleans. Special thanks to Chef Brenda Buenviaje for bringing some Creole cooking to San Francisco. She's part Filipina. Plus 1,000 points for my culture!

If you are planning on brunching at Brenda's, come early. The line is long and the people come out in droves, even on a weekday. Brenda's does a great job on service, especially with large groups. Our waitress had it all down to a science. 

We ended up with a variety of dishes on our table since we had a party of 12. We had everything covered from sandwiches and savory dishes to breakfast foods and sides from Muffaletta and sweet potato pancakes to Shrimp & Grits and jambalaya. For the table to share we had the plain beignets and crawfish ones. They were amazing, especially the crawfish. My cousin said the crawfish was the best of all the choices but I want to find out for myself. On my next visit I want to try the apple and chocolate ones too!

Plain Beignets

                  Crawfish Beignets                              Innards

Muffaletta

        Sweet Potato Pancakes                  

It was hard to make a decision on what to get since I heard everything was good but I settled on the Catfish Po'boy for my lunch. Plates at Brenda's are massive and cost approximately $10 a dish. I really liked the French fries. They were spiced and my Catfish Po'boy was spot on except for the bread. It was a little heavy. Towards the end, I was just eating the catfish. I also got BFC chicken wing. The fried chicken is so delicious. Finger lickin' good like how Kentucky Fried Chicken was back in the day.  

Catfish Po'boy

BFC Chicken Wing

Brenda's will have you fed and on your way in no time. You won't even feel rushed. It's definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. I'd even call it worthy of a destination.

Brenda's French Soul Food
652 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94102