Halloween Lobster Boy

Can you tell how happy he is? I have never seen him just sit on the lawn with his head down like a defeated man in prison chains. This outfit lasted all of 10 minutes. Oh well....
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Goodbye Kissimmee

I hope I spelled the city right but this view from our palatial rental estate says it all. It was a screened in paradise and we will be back to partake in more EPCOT fun in the future. Where else can you drink some good beer and wine, eat some gourmet food, and learn about the future from robots?
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More Legos

Downtown Disney has a nice lego store and this small army of men were very aggressive.
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God is Skywriting Me

Only in Orlando above the Holy Land Theme Park, could I see this.
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Cheryl in the Future

This is the saddest entrance to a theatre ever. This sign was recycled from 1983.
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Like Oktoberfest but Lamer

We very much miss our Hasselhoff loving friends but the pretzel sausage and beer were a decent reminder of Munich. EPCOT is trying......
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Cheryl + Rice Krispy Treats

In EPCOT, Cheryl's favorite pavilion is The Land and they have magical rice krispy treats. Notice her joy.
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EPCOT Camera Center

In the future, film will be replaced with holograms. By the looks of this sign, this mindset or graphical methods are aged in the 1980's.
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Wine Room of Winter Park

Ironically, groovy wine dispensing paradise has a nice selection of beer. Good thing because my wife will likely be spending a few hours here.
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Paschal's Breakfast

Here is their styrofoam plate of goodness. The corned beef hash is not chunky and crispy like other less qualified hashes. The eggs are good but the cheese biscuit is an artery clogging square of heaven. Make it by there if you have the time and a good health record - Terminal A at the concourse food court entrance.
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Atlanta Airport Paschal's

Normally this place gets their props for their southern fried chicken but when you get here at 8:00 am for a flight, you get this surprise. They never fail to impress me with their collards but everything on the cafeteria line looks great. When you have an older black woman yelling at the other cooks that the cheese biscuits are coming out too slow, that is my kind of place.
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Sun Dial Fried Chicken + Biscuits

This was better than expected and was not as fried as it could have been. They deboned it before frying and the chicken was moist and tender. The biscuits were fresh and the gravy was a nice addition. No offense to Gladys Knight and her chicken with waffles but this was great.
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Sun Dial - Tomato Blue Cheese Tower

The first course looked pretty and colorful. It was flavorful and tasted fresh even though it looked like a pinata on crack.
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Sun Dial Restaurant Brunch

In honor of my mother in law's 65th birthday, we decided to take her to the Sun Dial Restaurant on the 72nd floor of the Westin. They do a brunch on Sundays and it actually looked decent. We have lived here since 1995 and had never been there. We don't believe in doing local tourist attractions quickly.
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Decatur Beer and Anne Frank

I don't know why she was there but we support her efforts.
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Sam Adams is my Friend

I think he looks real.
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Decatur Beer Festival Food

They have better food here. Carnitas rocks!
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Decatur Beer Festival

This is the scene before it is full. Very good beer and we are happy.
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Sugar Pike Junction Biscuit

This biscuit with bacon and egg is one of the best I have ever had and is an example why places like this that make their biscuits fresh should be supported more than Burger King with their "croissant sandwich". You may wonder how in the course of 2 weeks I go from Korean porridge to Puerto Rican mofongo to country biscuits. I love it and so should you.
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Sugar Pike Junction

On the drive between Alpharetta and Woodstock there is this small shack that I have driven by a million times. Since it was so tiny and in the middle of nowhere it never really stood out. On my wife's boss' review I went and decided to give it a shot. The place is as big as a tool shed with 2 communal tables in the front with a small kitchen in the back. The customers range from landscapers to landowners and it really seems like the biscuit is the great equalizer here.
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Yes, I am 12 years old.....

If you don't find this sign defamation funny, you are a sad, sad person.
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Last Day in Puerto Rico

As is my tradition, grocery stores make for the best souvenirs. While a shirt with that says "Boricua" with a drunk frog looks good for $20, I will stick with plantain chips, meringues, and coffee.
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BLT Steak - Dessert

I could not resist this peanut butter mousse with banana ice cream. I ate it as a memorial to Elvis and he would be proud.
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BLT Steak - Short Rib Goodness

Yes I had it before but I had to have it again. With the blue cheese popovers and pate, it was excellent even if it was a little too rich.
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BLT Steak

Please ignore the mistaken blog entry below. I missed a keystroke. For my last dinner in Puerto Rico, we went to BLT Steak at the Ritz Carlton. I had been to the one in DC but this one looked nicer.
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Budakai - Penis Sushi

That is really not what it is called but my dinner companions thought it looked like one. It was good and spicy but I should stop now before more penis jokes occur.
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Budakai - Pork Truffle Dumplings

These dumplings were good but not as good as the other one. The truffle component was good but we started noticing everything was very salty. I feel like I have eaten a pound of salt after this. Hopefully my main entree is better.
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Budakai - Pork Profiterole

We decided to go to a close by place with Asian fare. Eventually we all get sick of mofongo. This was amazing and had some pork belly in a pastry with a caramel salt sauce. It was pork goodness.
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Puerto Rico Day 4

In an effort to get a good non-room service breakfast I thought I would head downstairs to the buffet. Unfortunately this "business" hotel does not like doing breakfast until 7:30 a.m. so I headed across the street to good old dependable Starbucks.
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Ropa Vieja - Masitas de Cerdo Preparado Chino

This was an Asian take on a Cuban dish of pork chunks in an onion garlic sauce. It had a lemongrass flavor in there as well and added an interesting element. Pretty good restaurant overall.
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Ropa Vieja Quesadilla

This was a Mexican twist on a Cuban favorite. Pretty good even though the cheese and tortilla are unwelcome element. I will forgive the crime.
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Ropa Vieja - Tostones Filled with Ropa Vieja

These were excellent. The savory tostone along with the perfectly cooked ropa vieja (shredded flank steak cooked with tomatoes). Pretty good on my Cuban scale.
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Ropa Vieja Grill

We have heard good things and hope this place lives up to my Cuban standards.
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Puerto Rican Parking + Traffic

As long as I can remember my mom has called parking backwards "Puerto Rican Parking". In Orlando where I went to high school, there is a large Puerto Rican population and I saw lots of examples.
In addition to seeing it done everywhere, the guard at the visitor booth of my client made me do it for "fire safety" reasons. It is crazy and I am not good at it. I get dirty looks from the other boricuas when I have to do it more than once.
I think traffic here is worse than Miami - they park wherever they want and the potholes are huge. I have a jeep that is helping a bit but it is bumpy. I think I saw a family living in one.
Day 2 has me knowing the traffic better and driving more aggressively. By the time I get to Friday, I will be wearing tank tops and yelling "mira" at hoochies like the locals.
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Marriott Breakfast

Any day chock full of meetings calls for a good breakfast and this guava french toast fit the bill. The buffet is a whopping $32 and looks like standard mouthbreather fare. This was much better and with a cup of Puerto Rican coffee, it made it great.
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Puerto Rico Day 3 - Return of the Boricua

This is my first morning of having to wake up early to get dressed like a professional for a full day of meetings. I may even wear pants. Anyway, the view of the city may not be as nice as the view of the ocean but it will do.
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Wilo....

Here is the man behind Paya and several other restaurants in San Juan. He knows his stuff and lived up to his reputation
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Paya - Chorizo with Manchego

This was the best chorizo I have had in a long time. It wasn't overly spicy which told me they weren't hiding anything in the sausage making process. Pairing it with manchego made a nice balance.
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Paya - Inside of Corned Beef Egg Roll

This egg roll was filled with a corned beef has that tasted good with a plum sauce. More Asian than Puerto Rican on the fusion side but very good nonetheless.
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Paya - Gouda Guava Balls

This was the best dish we had. They were fried balls of edam cheese with guava paste in them. Really a nice take on a traditional dish.
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Paya - Grouper Cracklings

This sounds odd but these nuggets were excellent and were light on the inside making for a nice balance.
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Paya - Fried Yuca

Fried yuca was cut in pretty triangles and a nice churrasco sauce. The first tapas plate was a good start.
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Paya

After a painful 90 minute trek, we made it to the restaurant with no address. Wilo Benet is a famous chef but he doesn't like to have people find it. We ordered a bunch of tapas and have a big appetite.
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El Meson - Boricua Special

Not bad for $5. I get a bocadillo which is a ham and cheese on sweet bread, a quesito which is a cheese pastry, and a cortado which is a strong coffee with milk to make it seem less like crack that keeps you awake.
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El Meson

I had to get some breakfast and I looked for the longest line with the locals. Shockingly there was no line at Sbarro so I went with this joint. If there is one constant in Latin culture, it is food.
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Puerto Ricans Love Sizzler

I drove to the mall and in my 5 mile trek I saw 4 Sizzlers including this one. With such value items as a steak with tire marks, how could you resist the draw of the sizzle.
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Puerto Rico - Day 2

My only morning off starts with a strong coffee and a walk around the Plaza de las Americas. It is a huge 3 story mall with typical stores but also with some in Spanish that have various glittery short skirts.
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Ummo Dessert

This was a layered dessert with crackers, dulce de leche, and homemade meringue. It was unusual but a very good complement to my belly full of meat. This restaurant was a nice introduction to Puerto Rico.
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Ummo Churassco Steak

The entree was almost too much after the cheese but it was perfectly cooked and was delicious with the chimmichurri sauce. One would have been plenty for 2.
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Ummo Meat Grill

This is where the meat will come from. It looks like these guys cooking are able-bodied and official. Coals plus meat equals good.
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