lizdotcom99
<font color=purple>Tags Have Been Donated<br><font
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2001
Since many have asked about my trip
..here is a little recap! We had such fun, but it is good to be home!
Monday was a travel day. Leave it to me to not read our flight number but just read the destination ..well that ended up in a 1.78 mile sprint to the RIGHT gate. Nothing says good morning like running through the airport to catch a flight. Disaster averted and we JUST made it for our A boarding. The flight a bit bumpy but uneventful.
Got to Cali .to see that the weather was pretty much the same as the Chicago weather we left. About 65 and a misty rain. Whatever happened to is never seems to rain in southern California? Off the shuttle and to our hotel. The hotel was perfect for you needs a quick check in and we were off and running . Much to do even on day one. After all .we were meeting Ben Perez for lunch at Storytellers at the Grand Californian.
Lunch was fabulous! So much fun meeting with Ben and his mother. Ben was a friend that I met at a stage door .from In the Heights! He had some lovely gifts that included autographed posters from the cast and a very cool DVD for me. We chatted, laughed and had a lovely lunch that seemed like it ended way too soon!!! A little shopping and we were off back to our room to get settled and prepare for the days to come. And ut oh .a tooth ache ensues.
Woke up several times in the night to find that my face had started to swell ..from apparently an abscessed tooth. Shockingly, this tooth never really hurt but was simply more uncomfortable and ugly. But I worried lots because this was the day of our Club 33 reservation. I called Cristina, the friend who would be joining us for lunch to let her know details and such and she asked if I needed some antibiotics! What a life saver!!!
So about lunch . This was the meal that had been planned for MONTHS. Now for those not in the know about Club 33, it is a very exclusive, member only kind of place. For the record, I am not a member. But several months ago, I posted on a page that if there happened to be a member that might want to sponsor me and make a reservation ..have at it. You can only imagine my shock when I got a message back saying the member would make a reservation based on my post!! After MANY messages back and forth and lots of waiting and wondering .a confirmation that we really has a reservation appeared in my email. The only thing that was asked in return for this act of kindness ..to not mention the name of the member to anyone .and to pay the deed forward. That is it. What a gift!!! I am still working on that paying it forward!
We met Cristina and Rob outside the Club at about 1:15 pm for out 1:30 pm reservation. The place was hoppin busy and we were let in to the Club. We waited downstairs for about 10 minutes or so while our table upstairs was being readied. Then ..we waited upstairs for another 20 minutes or so .for something. Did I mention it was really busy? First the buffet which was quite yummy. Then the entrees. The boys did the chateau, Cristina had the salmon and I had pasta 3 ways. Well, I had 2 butternut squash ravioli ..there was just soooo much food. Then on to the dessert buffet. The food was just meh in my opinion. I thought it was just the thing with my tooth that was making it just meh .but everyone pretty much agreed. The boys food while good .was not served hot. Cristina liked hers I think .and mind was just meh. But I did only eat 2 ravioli. Dessert was also just a meh. I think my favorite was a bite of Cristinas cupcake.
I had hoped for more of a 5 star experience in service .and that never seemed to have happened. Again, it was VERY busy .but busy or not, for the almost $400 that was spent, I guess I thought there would be more to this experience. And seeing as our server was not over the top wonderful, I decided to not ask for the tour ..and I really should have. All that being said ..I am quite happy for our time spent here .as it truly is a once in a lifetime experience for most!
Monday was a travel day. Leave it to me to not read our flight number but just read the destination ..well that ended up in a 1.78 mile sprint to the RIGHT gate. Nothing says good morning like running through the airport to catch a flight. Disaster averted and we JUST made it for our A boarding. The flight a bit bumpy but uneventful.
Got to Cali .to see that the weather was pretty much the same as the Chicago weather we left. About 65 and a misty rain. Whatever happened to is never seems to rain in southern California? Off the shuttle and to our hotel. The hotel was perfect for you needs a quick check in and we were off and running . Much to do even on day one. After all .we were meeting Ben Perez for lunch at Storytellers at the Grand Californian.
Lunch was fabulous! So much fun meeting with Ben and his mother. Ben was a friend that I met at a stage door .from In the Heights! He had some lovely gifts that included autographed posters from the cast and a very cool DVD for me. We chatted, laughed and had a lovely lunch that seemed like it ended way too soon!!! A little shopping and we were off back to our room to get settled and prepare for the days to come. And ut oh .a tooth ache ensues.
Woke up several times in the night to find that my face had started to swell ..from apparently an abscessed tooth. Shockingly, this tooth never really hurt but was simply more uncomfortable and ugly. But I worried lots because this was the day of our Club 33 reservation. I called Cristina, the friend who would be joining us for lunch to let her know details and such and she asked if I needed some antibiotics! What a life saver!!!
So about lunch . This was the meal that had been planned for MONTHS. Now for those not in the know about Club 33, it is a very exclusive, member only kind of place. For the record, I am not a member. But several months ago, I posted on a page that if there happened to be a member that might want to sponsor me and make a reservation ..have at it. You can only imagine my shock when I got a message back saying the member would make a reservation based on my post!! After MANY messages back and forth and lots of waiting and wondering .a confirmation that we really has a reservation appeared in my email. The only thing that was asked in return for this act of kindness ..to not mention the name of the member to anyone .and to pay the deed forward. That is it. What a gift!!! I am still working on that paying it forward!
We met Cristina and Rob outside the Club at about 1:15 pm for out 1:30 pm reservation. The place was hoppin busy and we were let in to the Club. We waited downstairs for about 10 minutes or so while our table upstairs was being readied. Then ..we waited upstairs for another 20 minutes or so .for something. Did I mention it was really busy? First the buffet which was quite yummy. Then the entrees. The boys did the chateau, Cristina had the salmon and I had pasta 3 ways. Well, I had 2 butternut squash ravioli ..there was just soooo much food. Then on to the dessert buffet. The food was just meh in my opinion. I thought it was just the thing with my tooth that was making it just meh .but everyone pretty much agreed. The boys food while good .was not served hot. Cristina liked hers I think .and mind was just meh. But I did only eat 2 ravioli. Dessert was also just a meh. I think my favorite was a bite of Cristinas cupcake.
I had hoped for more of a 5 star experience in service .and that never seemed to have happened. Again, it was VERY busy .but busy or not, for the almost $400 that was spent, I guess I thought there would be more to this experience. And seeing as our server was not over the top wonderful, I decided to not ask for the tour ..and I really should have. All that being said ..I am quite happy for our time spent here .as it truly is a once in a lifetime experience for most!
