Thursday, June 26, 2014

Paradiso 37 : THE Best Meal we've ever had at Disney Springs (Formerly Knows as Downtown Disney)

Paradiso 37 has become our FAVORITE place to dine at Downtown Disney (Lake Buena Vista, FL).

Paradiso 37 is one of those places that you know you're going to like the second you walk up to it. The atmosphere is indoor/outdoor festive (your choice), the view is amazing, and everyone who is a part of the establishment is very, very nice!

We're usually all about saving when we are on a vacation, but we do usually splurge on one excellent dinner because, well, because it's vacation. ;) We made dinner reservations at the Paradiso 37 ahead of time, which I highly recommend. It is located in Downtown Disney (Lake Buena Vista, FL.) where there are always a lot of people, and even on a week night it was very busy (after dining there we have no doubt as to why the crowds love this place).

Everyone at the table was pretty impressed with the flavor of the meat on the
Chorizo and Beef Skewers (appetizer).

Some of our party went ahead of us to secure our table, and we were delighted to walk in and find him seated outside with a beautiful water view. It wasn't just the gorgeous view, the great staff, the live entertainment, or the fantabulous atmosphere that had us raving about Paradiso 37, it was the food that was the most impressive to us. That's exactly the way it should be when you're hoping for a culinary delight. For our starters, we ordered the Chorizo and Beef Skewers for the adults at the table, and the Mexican Dipping Trio (with corn nachos) for the kids. That was another thing about the restaurant that made us happy, the many friendly options for the kids (not always found in a restaurant with specialized food).

From the Land
Chicken Flautas, Grilled Skirt Steak, Black Beans and Cilantro Rice, & Spicy Chorizo Skewers

There were a lot of us, so I won't go through every meal, but I do want you to see some of the gorgeous selections that ended up on our table. The restaurant menu is described as the "Taste of the Americas" and features some of the best dishes found from the 37 countries in the Americas (hence the name). One of our family members got the 'From the Land' dinner that had more of those skewers he couldn't stop eating, grilled Skirt Steak, Chicken Flautas, and some tasty Cilantro rice.  The small Pita Bread circles that came with the plate were nice and soft, and the perfect accompaniment for the mixed flavors.

Laugh if you want to, but us vegetarians get mighty excited when our veggies
are roasted up so tasty good!

I got a beautiful salad and some delicious roasted veggies. I am the only vegetarian in the family, and that's fine by me. ;)  I thought my dishes were every bit as tasty as everyone was saying their meat dishes were to them.

One of the many burger selections on the menu.

My oldest was going to order a New York Strip until he found out he wasn't allowed to pay the bill. As soon as he heard that, he changed his mind and ordered one of the tasty Paradiso 37 burger selections. There was no changing his mind (he's getting nice like that in his 'old age,') but I wished he'd have gotten his first choice! It turned out okay though because he was making a lot of happy noises eating his burger when it came. ;)

Baja Fish Tacos
My daughter-in-law went frugal too (I guess next time we won't tell them we're treating? ;) ) and ordered the Baja Fish Tacos. She thought they were delicious; the best food we had the whole time we were in the Disney area.

In some places, it's just worth it to order the dessert. :)
Paradiso Chocoate Stack.

For dessert (yep, everything was so good we could not resist seeing what they had to end the meal) we asked our (very awesome and attentive!) waiter to choose several selections he thought we'd like. He brought out a Crème Brûlée that put my son and his wife into a dream coma after eating it, some mini ice cream cones (which the kids loved!), and the delicious Paradiso Chocolate Stack pictured above.


I love when you can actually see where the food is being cooked.

In short, the atmosphere was festive and amazing...and I loved that you could see where your food was actually being cooked.

Our outside table had a great view.
We also had a shelter above us (in case of rain) with fans, making for very pleasant seating.

The outside view of the water where we were sitting (with shelter over the top in case it rained) made us very happy.

When we first got there people were just starting to come in.
This entertainer went out later and was dancing with the children, it was awesome
and she looked as happy as the kids!

When we left there wasn't a seat in the house, and the line
to get in was significantly large.

The live entertainment was (great!) fun! The entertainer pictured above came around to the tables and was dancing with some of the children (who loved it!). 

And most importantly, the food was absolutely cooked to perfection and delicious! It was a very nice night out with the family, and if you are in Downtown Disney this summer (and I know so many of you will be), I hope you will take the time out to make a reservation and eat at the Paradiso 37. For us, it was an extremely wonderful dining experience.

You can learn more about the Paradiso 37 by visiting their website.

You can also follow them on Facebook, and/or Flickr. And they often show up on the Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Twitter feed.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort (perfect for a Disney World vacation!)

It's official, I am head over heels crazy about the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort.

The welcoming fruit plate we received upon arrival.
This was very much appreciated after a busy day of airports and flying.

We used to live in Florida, and as residents we had great discounts and deals on Disney World entry, hotels, etc., and with three children (at that time), we totally utilized them. Over the span of the 18 years that we lived there, we stayed in a lot of different hotels, resorts, etc. Since moving to Michigan about 7 years ago, we have only been to Disney World once...until we made our return last week. We chose to stay at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort (directly across from Downtown Disney).

Pic: Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort - King Suite
See the door on the left? That was actually the two doors to adjoin our room to the (grown) kids' room.
The living area had a fold-out couch that comfortably slept two people.
The space in the suite was perfect for our large group to socialize
and for the little ones to play (pictured is my little sweet chubzie grandbaby girl w/our youngest son).
Hubby, the two youngest kids, and I took the King Bed family suite. It had all of the things you would expect from a resort suite including the huge shower/bathroom, a full kitchen complete with microwave, mini refrigerator, sink, counter space, etc., and a living/dining area.

Utilizing the nice kitchen space,
I got some snickers guffaws from my family when I filled up the counter space
with food...but guess how much of that food was left when it was time to leave?
If you guessed 'not much,' you would be right. ;)
The kitchen space turned out to be so useful for us. We had a pretty large group, so I stocked up on groceries. I got some definite laughs and commentary from the family, but come check out time, there was not much of that food left. To me, it just makes sense to have food on hand so you're not constantly spending money. I was happy to have the space.

The Adjoining Double-Bed Room at Wyndha Lake Buena Vista Resort
My oldest and his wife took the adjoining double-bed room. And my sister-in-law drove up for one night and used that space too.

Wolfgang Puck coffee, tea, a newspaper delivered to the door
Comfy Robes/Slippers
A double sided make-up mirror and Bath & Body Works toiletries (including sun coolant)
There were also smaller considerations in the rooms that we appreciated such as Wolfgang Puck coffee, tea, a newspaper brought to the door, big comfy bathrobes and slippers, a double-sided make-up mirror, and Bath & Body Works toiletries (including sun coolant).

Great views from the 19th floor!
Top two pics: Downtown Disney views from our room
Two bottom pics: Tennis Courts (room view); Pool/Jacuzzi/Cabana Area (corridor window view).
The view from the 19th floor was a.s.t.o.u.n.d.i.n.g!  You could see Downtown Disney (where they have free live entertainment, dining, and activities/stores galore) and the tennis courts from either room. You could see the multi-pool/jacuzzi/cabana area from the corridor window. The pool area was awesome, and I'll write more about it tomorrow.

There were several restaurants and places to eat in the hotel, including the Disney character breakfast.
My 2nd oldest and youngest are in front of the sign. Kids eat free! The characters are there Tues., Thurs., & Sat. mornings. Pics coming for my Wordless Wednesday post this week.
Everything was wonderful, but it was the amenities and considerations all around the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort that blew me away. There were the traditional considerations like multiple restaurants, including a character breakfast for the kids (kids eat free!). I loved that because we didn't have to rush to Disney World to enjoy a character breakfast. There was no long line, and the menu selection was very large and very delicious (that will be my Wordless Wednesday post this week if you want to see pictures).

You could walk to Downtown Disney in the blink of an eye,
or take a shuttle if you wanted to go there (or to any of the Disney theme parks).
Though you can walk to Downtown Disney in the blink of an eye, you cannot walk to the Disney parks. Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort made it easy to get back and forth with their convenient shuttle buses that ran every half an hour.

The gym was well equipped!
There was beautiful scenery all around, including at the optional valet parking
& there was a great play area for kids at the pool.
There was also a great gym, optional valet parking and beautiful scenery, two great pools (one with a fun water play area for kids) and a Jacuzzi.

There was a guest laundry, ample seating everywhere, and different areas set up
throughout the hotel for adult and/or kids.
There was a credit card only laundry (which we did utilize, I hate flying home with dirty clothes), stores for souvenir or practical (food/drink/clothes) shopping, a game room, and ample seating for big groups, families, singles or smaller groups, etc., and there was even an area specifically set up for kids (with a TV, books, and toys).

The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort had tons of
considerations in place including big ones like car rental that was open until 6pm.
There was a rental car service that was open until 6 p.m., a booth for getting Disney tickets and area attraction information/discounts, and the service to take care of your luggage and the like.

There were tons of extras including hand sanitizer on walls, recycle areas, Disney park tickets (to buy ahead of time),
recreation areas, and yes, that's a real phone (you might not need it, but what if you did?).
There were also little thoughtful considerations all over the resort, that went over very big with us, such as hand sanitizers, recycle areas, and places to pre-purchase your Disney tickets (to save $ and avoid lines!).

Complimentary Board Pass Printing and Luggage Service to the Airport
(located in the business center on the main floor
When it was check-out time, there was a complimentary luggage service that would take your luggage to the airport for you (if you wished), and complimentary check-in/printing services for your airline (located in their business station), so you could go right to the security checkpoint at the airport, instead of waiting in the ticket line.

The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort located at 1850 Hotel Plaza Boulevard
just across the street from the free entertainment and fun shopping/dining
experiences of Downtown Disney!
There are more things I could write, tons more...we were just that happy with our stay. The prices at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort are very reasonable. The convenience of the location is unbeatable. The amenities are plentiful and very thoughtful. The dining options range from convenience to sit-down delicious (did I mention there's ice cream? :) ). There's really nothing but good I have to say about the resort, and if you're going to be in the Disney World area this summer (or ever), I highly recommend booking a stay.

You can learn more about the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort by visiting their website.

You can also follow them on FacebookTwitter, G+, foursquare, and/or Instagram.

Monday, June 9, 2014

R.W. Knudson 'Just Juice' Review (with giveaway)

Disclosure: We received two free jars of juice to help facilitate the review. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

Two of the R.W. Knudsen Just Juice Flavors
R.W. Knudsen has been bottling juice since 1961, and today just like always, it is done without artificial flavors, preservatives or added sugar. My family and I are not big on sugary juice, or juice blends. When we want juice, we want juice! The Just Juice line is 100% true to the flavor of the fruit that's in it, and that is something we like love.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Pixe Vacations: Share your #DisneySide

Disclosure: I received a promotional personalized tote. No blog post was required. I have written for PixieVacations.com before. I like to spread the good news. :)

Pixie Vacations made me a tote...and not just any tote, a tote with my name on it!! My first personalized item (there's not a lot of Rosey's pre-made on items for sale, let me tell you!).


The tote is roomy, and nice and sturdy.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Antiques on the Bluff

When the weather is warm, Sundays are for Antiques on the Bluff in St. Joseph, Michigan. It's free to go, and they set up May - October.  We took a stroll through last weekend and came across some pretty cool looking items.  Some I recognized, others I had no clue what they were or what they were supposed to do.

Anyone know what this is?
The item above I did not recognize at all. If anyone knows what it is, I'd love to hear about it.  The one thing that was certain is it's very old.

This seat is the exact color of the drapes in one the rooms in our house

The bench in the picture above has a seat color that matches the drapes in one of our rooms. If we would have had my SUV instead of the car, I'd have really, really wanted to bring this bench home.

I loved this too!

I'd have brought the little girl reading a book home too, but the price tag stopped me on that one. ;)

I'm thinking since an iron is on here it's an ironing board.  All I can say is 'wow!'

The old iron I recognized. In fact, my mom had one for show in the house when I was a little girl (she's downsized a lot over the years so I doubt she still has it). Since it's set up the way it is, I'm guessing it's on top of an old ironing board. A very old ironing board. And all I can say is, WOW!  That's not a lot of space to work in but it is very cool looking.

There were several sets of old skis

St. Joe is a beach town, so I wasn't really surprised to come across several sets of the old wooden water skis.



The old desks were fun to look at and compare. I noticed a lot of chalk paint going on with them though. One lady was trying to get us to buy her desk and telling us how she did the makeover. I asked her if she used Annie Sloane, and she said, 'who?'  hahaha  I blame the blogs for that one. ;)


Nostalgia at its finest for me. :)

My grandma used a big tub like the ones above for her laundry. She never did want an electric washer & dryer and she used the old wringer washer the whole time she was alive. I used to love to help her feed the clothes through the wringer mechanism. I am sure she didn't like carrying/dumping those tubs...thought that is something I didn't think of until long after I was grown (she never complained about it once).


I also remember having this kind of glass in our house when I was growing up. I think my mom had amber, and maybe green?  I have a pink candy dish in the house that came with the very first home I purchased. It's a memento for me that I don't see myself getting rid of any time soon, though I never take it out and use it.

This one had a price tag of $125 on it
I don't know anything about pricing old toys, but when my son asked for this old truck priced at $125 to come home with us, I shook my head nuh uh. It does look like it's seen some happy days though, and I can see a little boy (or girl) loving it tons.

I thought this old tool chest was nice! Tool chests gets used a lot though, so I imagine it'd be hard not to scrape the wooden ones up quite a bit just from every day use. I can understand why today's are made of metal.

Swings up on the bluff

They have big swings up on the bluff. You can sit there and watch the cars below if you look one way, and watch the boats moving by if you look in another direction. My son thought that was the coolest concept ever. I like that he's so easily amused. :)

It was a nice way to spend the day, browsing around at the antique items. Some prodded our memory banks too, and that was probably the best part of the trip for me. All we purchased was a book, but it was still fun looking. I always love to visit St. Joe, and Antiques on the Bluff has just made it that much  more special. Be sure to stop by if you're in the area during the season! Who knows what kind of great treasure you might find!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Saint Joseph, Michigan

I get excited when I know we're going to Saint Joseph, Michigan. It's just a town that's always nice to visit when the weather is nice outside (and hurrah! the weather is nice outside). Our favorite part of it is just below the bluff, where the sugar sands of Silver Beach are so enticing we'll make our way down there even if we don't have free time until it's dark.

Silver Beach in St. Joe, MI. has THE best sugar sand around!