I do not like celebrating my birthday! I love my family and friends and I don't care that I'm getting older but I hate being the center of attention. This is probably also why I blog vs vlog! 

I couldn't travel for my birthday this past July because we were already heading to California for the family trip. Greg came up with the idea to go to the newly opened Zuma since we love the one in Miami. In the end, we were a party of 6 plus my new nephew. 

My sister and brother in law were stuck in traffic so we ordered a couple of cocktails and small bites. Once we were all seated we all opted for the Omakase. Here's where the restaurant failed. The staff came out to say that because of my dairy allergy I would need to order a la carte because (and I quote) "the chef would like the Omakase served as it's meant to be." I've eaten twice at Zuma Miami and both times I've had a dairy-free Omakase experience that was amazing. I ended up taking several packages of Lactaid to get me through the meal. Considering this was my birthday dinner I wanted to go all out.

A few days later a manager from the restaurant called me (due to my Instagram post) and was hoping to find out what happened. While it was a nice chat and I received an apology there wasn't any compensation. 

Now on to the food. Each dish was plentiful, beautiful, and seasoned well. I found the salad to be the least exciting and the main course to be the most exciting. I didn't think Zuma's amazing dessert displays could be outshined but the platter of truffled steak, crab legs, and corn definitely did!

I would definitely return and recommend Zuma and I'm hoping that the small service hiccup will be corrected for the future. ​

June 2019
We met up with our friends and their kids and had an incredible time playing at Martin's Park in honor of Martin Richard. The park is in the seaport district and is a kids dream park!

After play time we gave Bartaco a try for lunch. We ordered pineapples, cucumbers, and tortilla chips with salsa to start. The chips were okay, the pineapples were sweet, but the cucumbers were too salty. For tacos we tried the tuna tatako, pork belly, and roasted duck. Unfortunately, almost everything was too salty again.

I think it'll be our first and only time at Bartaco. 

We said goodbye to our friends and were heading back to our car when we noticed that a Tall Ship from Columbia was nearby and welcoming people aboard for tours. The ARC Gloria is a beautiful ship with a warm and welcoming crew. We went below deck as part of the tour but I instantly could feel the ships movement and needed to be out on deck again!

We spent a few more minutes wandering the ship taking photographs before we disembarked and made our way home. 

June 2019
We were a party of 3 with a reservation for dinner at Whaling in Oklahoma. The staff seated us right away and were wonderful with helping us turn down the AC since our table basically felt like we were in the Arctic. 

We definitely over-ordered but when we're trying somewhere new we like to get a complete feel of the restaurant. The fried artichokes with yuzu were outstanding! We also ordered charred snap peas, spring lamb dumplings, chicken breast robata, kurobuta sausages, crispy skin (that wasn't so crispy), meatball and egg yolk, spicy rice cakes, and I believe it was turkey leg. 

Everything was well seasoned and served hot. I can't wait to return!

June 2019

Our usual early morning drop off of Fred at my parents went off without a hitch! Unfortunately, the drive to Brooklyn had us searching for a car wash because a car splashed mine with some roadkill. 

We arrived at Five Points Fest and made our way inside without a wait. We checked out the outside area first. We watched some live painting, looked at merchandise, and enjoyed some lunch from Korilla food truck. 

Inside we visited a variety of stalls including Martian Toys. Both Greg and I ended up coming home with a bunch of blank vinyl toys to customize. 

Our next stop was to check into our usual spot in NYC the Millenium One UN by Hilton. Our 1 bedroom suite was large, clean, and offered a great view. This hotel is consistently good! We have never had a problem with the staff, valet, or rooms!

After our long car rides we wanted to get out and stretch our legs so we walked around a while and popped into Grand Central Terminal. We stopped at STK (a restaurant we previously enjoyed in Orlando) for some cocktails and small bites.

We knew going into the trip we wanted to keep things casual since we had been traveling so much. With that in mind we opted to go to Momosan for sake, crispy pig ears and ramen. I don't know if it was because it was a weekend, a bad batch or what but I wasn't thrilled that the noodles appeared to be shortened in length or cut. I missed being able to have a good slurp!

Our original booking was for two concierge level rooms at Disney's Yacht Club. Right before we were getting ready for our trip Disney called us saying that the rooms we had booked will still be under construction. Our options were to move to a concierge deluxe room at the Grand Floridian, concierge room at Polynesian, or a 2 bedroom villa at Boulder Ridge. We were still looking for a more quiet environment for the boys and we selected the Grand Floridian Resort.

We arrived at the Grand Floridian Resort around 8:30 a.m. We valet parked while our friends self parked. We were greeted by a staff member who helped us check in. At this point, I wasn't thrilled. We were booked into a concierge deluxe king bed but my app showed us in a 2 queen mobility room. Come to find out that this resort has less than 20 king bed rooms total! This would have been helpful information when we were switching resorts. My worries weren't necessary though as you'll see later on in this post. 

Our rooms weren't ready yet so we held our luggage, enjoyed some breakfast in the lounge area, and made our way to the Magic Kingdom.  ​

We had reservations for California Grill at 6 pm. When we checked in for dinner we again explained that the kids are autistic, we need to use their stroller, and if we could have a more expedient experience we were met with resistance. The initial response we received is that they weren't sure there was room for the stroller, that the meal usually takes 2 hours, and we were made to feel like it was a completely outrageous request.

Eventually, the boys won the staff over with their adorableness! We were shown to a table with a nice view and ordered our cocktails. For my meal, I ordered the salmon roll with lemon zest, the lamb, and guava sorbet. The salmon roll was nothing special. My lamb was delicious and with the 61-degree egg created a wonderful accompanying sauce. Getting fruit or sorbet is really my pet peeve. I was definitely expecting more from Disney considering they have a lot of newer vegan options. With that being said the sorbet was pretty tasty!  ​

Back at our resort, we stopped in the lounge for a couple glasses of wine and headed out to our balconies for the fireworks. We had views of the water parade, and two firework shows and they were wonderful!

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast in the lounge and made our way to the Animal Kingdom. We weighed out our options of waiting for the bus, taking a Minnie Van (Disney themed ride through Lyft), and driving ourselves. We found the cheapest, fastest, and the most efficient option was driving ourselves and the Handicapped pass that our friends have definitely helped.

Our first stop inside the park was Pandora. Disney outdid themselves with this area in the park. Even though we were 10 minutes late we were stilled allowed to use our fast pass on the Na'vi River Journey. We continued exploring the area before making our way to Africa. 

In Africa, we purchased some snacks. A Mickey pretzel for me, grilled corn for the kids, and water for everyone. Next we used our fast pass for the Kilimanjaro Safari. While the line was short we also appreciated the disability area to park the stroller and be brought back to the same spot once the ride was over. 

We tried to get lunch in Dinoland but the lines were outrageous. Instead of lunch, we walked over to the Boneyard and we're going to take the boys through but the oppressive heat and crowds had us running back to the Grand Floridian and their pool!   ​

Our evening plans included dinner at Jiko inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge. At the check-in desk, we again explained our situation with the boys and asked if we could have a speedier meal. The reaction we received from Jiko was the complete opposite from California Grill. The staff at Jiko were understanding, friendly, and utterly helpful!

Two staff members showed us to our table, brought us tea, and towels for our hands. Our server was not only friendly, understanding of our situation, but also knowledgeable about allergies and food preparation. 

My friend and I ordered drinks that ended up arriving with floating and lit up flowers. My appetizer of  Mauritius Poached Shrimp was fresh, bright and still packed with the bold flavor that I thought I would miss out on by going dairy free. Greg's appetizer of the grilled wild boar tenderloin was very good (ask that man for some adjectives about his dinner and that's what you get lol).

For an entree they only real dairy-free option for me was the filet mignon. The steak was cooked beautifully and the sauce was nice but the dish was over salted. Greg's entree was the Mrouzia-style Moroccan Lamb Shank was impressive and delicious.

For dessert, I quickly jumped on the dairy free coconut milk panna cotta. The dish was very good I just wish I had more time to enjoy it but our time was up and the kids were ready to leave the restaurant. 

After dinner we took the kids over to the playground and let them climb and explore. It was an interesting experience helping a kid climb up a jungle gym while wearing a dress and high heels.

I highly recommend dinner at Jiko and visiting the hotel does make me want to stay there again in the future.  ​

As we were driving into Orlando the sky poured down on us, thunder boomed above us and lightning hit in the distance. 

We were very thankful for the covered valet area of the Hilton Disney Springs. Our friends were a ways away from the hotel so we figured we would get lunch. The hotel restaurant didn't seem too allergen friendly but in the market next door I found a treasure trove of dairy-free delights! I found fruit, sandwiches, coconut jerky, and stroopwafels!

When our friends arrived we headed up to our rooms that were across the way from each other. Our rooms were extra large, offered 2 queen beds, couch, table, desk, large bathroom, and views of the pool area. There were a couple downsides to the resort. The rooms could use an update, the ceiling above our window was leaking, and in our friends room the water coming out of the shower was brown at first and needed to be flushed out. 

We changed our clothes and brought the kids down to the pool to swim for a bit. We were thrilled to see an actual kiddie pool that the kids could stand up in. The boys made a friend and the three of them almost nicely shared water toys.   ​

We made reservations for dinner at Jaleo a few months ago for our anniversary. We walked over from our hotel so we strolled through the shops along the way to dinner. 

We were shown to a table right away. While sitting at a Foosball table is fun, with the kids pulling the handles it can get a bit dangerous lol. We discussed the kids need for a quick meal with our server and thanks to him we were able to order the Jose's Way tasting menu. 

We enjoyed salmon cones, the famous liquid olives, gin and tonic oysters (which we all agreed could have used some more acidity), Iberico de Bellota jamon, bread with tomato, octopus ceviche, the most amazing onion dish ever (seriously it was beyond flavorful), salt potatoes, scallops, paella, garlic shrimp, a beef dish, and then a few desserts. 

The meal was outstanding and we highly recommend the restaurant!

Tomorrow we finally land at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort!  ​

On our way to Savannah GA, we stopped in Florence SC and enjoyed lunch at Wholly Smokin' Downtown. We were able to sit at a nice table outside and our server was so helpful and friendly!

We enjoyed the smoked and fried wings, brisket platter, brisket sandwiches, and burnt ends. The wings were the clear favorite with my brisket platter coming in next. The brisket was tender and I didn't mind the meat being sauced (I usually prefer dry rub only). For sides, I definitely enjoyed the sweet potato fries but my collard greens were on the salty side. 

We continued our drive and arrived at the Hampton Inn Savannah Historic District. Here's where things went awry! I called 3 times prior to checking in (weeks apart) to ensure we had feather free rooms as well as pack and plays. 

When we checked in, our rooms were "ready." We realized only one room was feather free which would have been fine except it was our room that was feather free not the larger room I booked for our friends. When I called down to explain the rooms weren't done correctly Vickie was sent upstairs with only foam pillows. Obviously, this hotel doesn't understand allergies and how things should be handled. Our friends took the smaller room and then realized that instead of pack and plays they were given tiny old baby cribs. The toddler's legs were sticking out of the cribs during the night! Vickie understood our plight and took care of the sticky floor in the bigger room but she doesn't work in housekeeping and was only on call for these situations and was limited in what she could do. 

After accepting that this situation wasn't going to get fixed we brought the kids to the pool on the roof. While swimming we enjoyed great views of the city!

In addition to this, the hotel rooms were really in need of being updated. The furniture was torn, the walls scuffed, and the curtains were dirty. I really don't understand the good reviews on Tripadvisor other than the lobby area being updated and the location I would not stay here again.  ​

After swimming, we walked down to River Street and watched the boats, shopped, and enjoyed a couple of cocktails.

For dinner, we selected the adorable Little Duck Diner. Luckily, we were able to sit outside on this gorgeous night! We ordered cocktails and I loved my Lavender Bubble Bath Bellini. For entrees, we ordered tacos, bi bim bop, and my duck dynasty bowl. Everything was delicious but my friend didn't enjoy the bbq duck egg rolls because there wasn't any mention of curry in it. Our server was kind enough to remove it from our bill. 

Next, we'll be making our way to the Disney Springs area of Orlando FL.  ​

We said our goodbyes to my cousin and made our way to Raleigh where we would stay at the Residence Inn Raleigh Midtown. Our friends were already there and spending time with their family who lived in the area. 

Our room offered 2 queen beds, a bathroom, living room, and small kitchen. While there we used the gym which was very small but met our needs. We also tried the breakfast. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything for me to eat there so we ventured on to Starbucks.

Next up we continue our trip and make it to Savannah GA.   ​

We have only visited Philadelphia for about a 1/2 an hour years ago. It was to purchase cookies inside Reading Terminal Market.

When planning our road trip we all agreed that Philadelphia would be a great first stop. We were two cars, with 4 adults and 2 children on this trip and we were all in need of a getaway!

The morning of day 1 we brought Fred and settled him at my parent's house. We then hopped back in the car and started our journey!

We got an early start than our friends so we got to visit Mothership Gallery and take pictures with Greg's Bunny Jack piece that was in their show last month. We couldn't help ourselves and ended up purchasing a few more vinyl toys (some for Greg to customize and some for our personal collection). To check out Greg's other pieces visit here.

​Our friends were still driving to Philadelphia so we dropped off our luggage at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Philadelphia. We walked over to Reading Terminal Market and after walking around a bit we opted for the duck at Sang Kee Peking Duck.

There were two stools available and we ordered a couple of bottles of water, a Peking duck roll, duck with rice and vegetables, and duck with noodles. 

The Peking duck roll was delicious but right when I bit into it juice streamed down my chin and all over my shirt. I smelled like the duck and five spice until I finally got into our hotel room and could change.

Our entrees were both delicious and very good portions. The duck was tender and flavorful in both dishes but the noodle dish was a little strong for my taste. 

After our lunch, we both wanted a cocktail but the Courtyard is under construction and things are very disjointed. We opted to go into the Marriott next door and enjoy a drink in their lobby. 

About the time our friends checked in our rooms were ready. Greg and I were assigned a lovely suite with amazing views. Our room offered an entryway, king bed, couch and table, desk, walk-in shower, and again a great view of the city.  ​

After changing clothes the 6 of us walked towards the Liberty Bell. The children we were traveling with are both toddlers with autism so lines aren't their thing. Of course, there was a line at the Liberty Bell so we kept walking and enjoying the surrounding areas. 

For an afternoon snack, we happened upon Sweet Charlie's! I was thrilled to see rolled ice cream since I've never had it. I was completely willing to take some Lactaid and chance an upset stomach. Then as we began to order the staff asked if we wanted milk, yogurt, or the vegan option. What?? Dairy Free?? Yes!!

I ordered the dairy-free s'mores rolled ice cream with an extra torched marshmallow! The ice cream was pretty good but I will admit it was very sweet. After our ice cream, we visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Continuing on with the sights we walked back north to the LOVE statue. Rather than waiting in line to take a selfie, we took one from afar. 

For dinner, we decided to go casual and try somewhere new! We found our spot- The Bourse! Inside the beautiful and historic building, you will find a variety of restaurants. You can find everything from pancakes to Filipino food!

Greg and I chose the Filipino cuisine at Lalo! I chose the Long Si Log which is pork sausage, garlic rice, and a soft egg. This dish was touched on all taste buds and textures! I thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Greg ordered the Lechon Kawali which is crispy pork belly with garlic rice. I tried a bite of Greg's dish and the pork belly was nicely rendered and actually crispy. Delicious! Before leaving I couldn't help but try the vegan ice cream at Scoop DeVille. The ice cream was creamy, crunchy, and topped with salt. It was amazing!

After dinner, we walked back to our hotel but stopped at the Marriott again for drinks. While inside the lobby, there was a gala upstairs, the fire alarm went off twice, and one of the kids discovered and fell in love with escalators!

This was a great first day! Coming up next is our drive from Philadelphia to Elon University and then on to Raleigh NC.  

On Friday night we had reservations for Pabu before seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Boston Opera House. We opted for the dining room since we planned to order a la carte. The Omakase at Pabu is just too wonderful to pass up. At Pabu the Omakase is an 8-course chef's choice meal that includes hot, cold, sushi, and dessert dishes. 

Our Omakase began with the Happy Spoon. The spoon was filled with an oyster, uni (sea urchin), salmon roe, and Tobiko. Greg's also included a creme fraiche but I wasn't missing out! The bite is briny, slightly floral, and the salmon roe added a touch of sweetness. The 2nd course was an uni cream for Greg while mine was
a lobster and mushroom Chawanmushi. A Chawanmushi is a creamy and umami-filled egg custard. The third dish was a seared trout dish with daikon (a type of radish) in a couple of forms. I can appreciate the crispy fish but I have come to realize that trout isn't for me. The 4th course was a fried dish that was delayed a bit. Greg received a type of croquette while I enjoyed a maitake mushroom tempura. The tempura was crisp while lightly battered. I enjoyed the green tea dust however the added salt was overpowering. Course number 5 was the oilier nigiri pieces. The next sushi course was the more common tuna belly, salmon etc. My favorite bite was the raw Octopus. The texture and subtle taste was delicious! My least favorite bite overall was the Icefish. Once you get past the eyes staring at you the taste is a little too much on the bitter side for me.

Next was the pre-dessert course. We had a sushi roll made with plums and Tamago. Tamago is a sweet egg omelet served like a piece of cake. Our final dish was dessert. My dessert was a sorbet but since they didn't have any pre-notice of my dairy allergy I can't complain. Greg received a mochi dessert similar to the one we received last month but with different flavors. Mochi is a steamed rice dessert and in this case filled with ice cream.  ​