09/27 – 09/29: Starship (featuring Mickey Thomas)

09/30 – 10/01: The Go Go’s

10/02  - 10/04: Air Supply

10/05 – 10/06: Sister Hazel

10/10 – 10/11: Edwin McCain

10/12 – 10/13: Manhattan Transfer

10/14 – 10/15: Wilson Phillips

10/16 -10/17: The Pointer Sisters

10/18 – 10/20:  Night Ranger

10/21 – 10/23: Boyz II Men

10/24 – 10/25: Survivor

10/26 – 10/27: 38 Special

10/28 – 10/30: Smash Mouth

10/31 – 11/01: Spin Doctors

11/02 – 11/03: Christopher Cross

11/04 – 11/05: Hanson

11/06 – 11/08: Dennis DeYoung, original member of STYX

11/09 – 11/11: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Performances are held at 5:45 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. at the America Gardens Theater at Epcot.  Performers are subject to change.

Jiko – The Cooking Place at the Animal Kingdom Lodge will be holding two of their popular wine dinners during the month of May.  See below for details and menus. Each event is limited to 40 guests and will require a credit card guarantee.  There is also a 3 day cancellation policy.

For both events:

Time: 6:00pm Reception/6:30pm Dinner

Price: $160, plus tax and gratuity

Attire: Business Casual Evening

For reservations please contact Victoria Thompson at  Victoria.j.thompson@disney.com.

Meet in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Lobby, Sunset Lounge

Dates and Menus:

*South African Winemakers Tour - Saturday, May 4^th, 2013; 6:00pm*

Abrie Beeslar, Kanonkop; Peter De Wet, Excelsior; Gavin Slabbert, Raats Family Wines

Reception…Arusha Terrace

Spinach and Mushroom Dumpling, Paneer Cheese, and Harissa Sauce

Fire Roasted Corn Cake with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Braised  Beef Short Rib, Cracked Pappadom, and Peppadew-Cucumber Raita

Excelsior Chardonnay, Robertson

First Course:

Grilled Moroccan Spiced Quail, Chickpea Puree, and Wilted Greens

Side By Side Chenin Blanc Tasting

Raats Original Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region

Raats Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region

Second Course:

Tunisian Olive Oil Poached Butterfish, Chorizo Bobotie, and Crispy Okra

Side By Side Chenin Blanc Tasting

Raats Original Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region

Raats Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region

Salad:

Watermelon and Tomato Salad, Sherry Vinaigrette

Kanonkop Kadette, Stellenbosch

Entrée:

Ostrich, Herb Pasta, and Spring Vegetable Medley

Kanonkop Pinotage, Stellenbosch

Dessert:

Chocolate Chile Molten Cake and Drunken Cherries

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon, Robertson

*Wines of Warwick Estates - Thursday, May 16, 2013; 6:00pm*

Reception…Sunset Lounge

Braised Curried Tomatoes, Toasted Millet Bunny Chow,  and Gooseberry Marmalade

Rooibos Honey Smoked Quail, Compressed Orange, and Sweet Potato

Cinnamon-Dashi Oysters and Chili Pearls

Warwick “Professor Black”, Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch

First Course:

Berber Spiced Duck Confit, Potato Gaufrettes, and Mango Sambal

Warwick “Old Bush Vines” Pinotage, Stellenbosch

Second Course:

Creamy Zellwood Corn Soup with Jumbo Lump Crab

Warwick “The First Lady” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch

Salad:

California Delta Asparagus, Exotic Greens, and Wild Mushrooms

Warwick “Three Cape Ladies”, Stellenbosch

Entrée:

Ember Charred Buffalo, Curried Lentil Puree, and Roasted Vegetables

Villafonte “Series C”, Paarl

Dessert:

Cape Town Malva Pudding

Warwick Estate “The First Lady” Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch

This pic was sent to us by a friend, along with her thoughts that the drink was smooth and creamy, with a nice cinnamon flavor, and makes for a great dessert drink.

Here’s the official line from La Cava del Tequila’s menu:

Exotico 100% agave premium silver Tequila, horchata liquor, agave nectar, agua de horchata and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey served with a cinnamon and sugar rim.

Cinnamon Whiskey and Tequila?!  Sign us up!

It’s National Beer Day and what better way to celebrate than with a frosty pint?!   Whether your travels ever find you at Walt Disney World on this “holiday” or you’re just looking to enjoy a nice cold one, here are some best bets on property.

Parks Pick – Epcot:

World Showcase offers at least one beer at every country it contains, which gives you a lot of options as well as a chance to sample beers from other countries.  We especially enjoy stopping by the United Kingdom’s Rose and Crown Pub for beer and pub grub,  Germany’s Biergarten for lunch, a few German folk songs and the biggest beers you can get in the World, and Canada’s Le Cellier for Unibroue beer, which are some of our favorite beers in all the parks.

Bonus: During events like the Food and Wine Festival, and now the Flower and Garden Festival which has added its own food and beverage options, the various booths bring even more variety and will allow you to try something not normally offered at the park.

Lounge Pick – Crew’s Cup at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort:

Most of the Disney lounges carry the same beers with a few minor variations, but the Crew’s Cup lounge has a little extra variety.  A relaxing, fairly quiet spot for good conversation during the day, it can get busy with those waiting for reservations at the neighboring restaurant at night.  You should be able to find something to please everyone here, and it also offers up a small dining menu (as opposed to the other lounges on property which generally just have a few appetizers) so you have the option to grab a meal as well.

Restaurant Pick – Raglan Road and ESPN Club:

Two in this category because it really depends on what atmosphere you want, but both restaurants have a pretty extensive beer menu.

If you’re looking to “have a pint at the pub” then Raglan Road at Downtown Disney is your best bet.   Great food with some good beers on tap, as well as some excellent bottle choices.  They also offer a “build your own” beer flight which will allow you to have a little of all your favorites without breaking the bank.

Sports fans would be better served by a visit to the ESPN Club which also has a nicely varied beer menu, as well as screens galore for watching the big game.

Pool Bar Pick –  Muddy Rivers at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside:

This one will definitely be open to debate because like the Disney resort lounges, the Disney resort pool bars generally serve the same beers with some minor variations, usually picked to fit the resort’s theming.   So variety wasn’t really a factor here, but theming is.  Muddy Rivers has a feel to it that just fits that “back porch, cold beer on a hot summer’s day” ideal.  It’s also secluded from the other areas of the resort on an “island” which adds to the relaxation element.

Honorable mention: While technically not a Disney resort, the Cabana Bar and Beach Club at the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort  has the best beer selection of all pool bars on property.

While we’re happy to grab a pint at just about anyplace in the World, those are a few of our favorites, and as you can see, variety is a big factor for us.  What about you?

All the  food and assorted drinks at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival not enough for you?  Big fan of the Village People?  The Flower Power Happy Hour Tables in Wonderland event might be what you’ve been looking for.  Details below via Tables in Wonderland.

Location:  American Adventure Parlor at Epcot

Date and Time: Friday, April 19, 2013   6:00pm

Price:  $50.00 per person, plus tax.  Gratuity is included.

Join your fellow Tables in Wonderland members for a cocktail hour and then reserved seating for the concert of Village People – best known for “Y.M.C.A.”

• 6:00pm – Happy Hour at American Adventure Parlor.  Hors D’Oeuvres, Beer, Wine, and Specialty Beverages

• 7:15pm – Move to America Gardens Theatre

• 8:00pm – Reserved seats for Village People show at the Flower Power Concert Series

• 9:00pm – Reserved viewing area for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth

 Happy Hour Menu

• “Go West” Whiskey BBQ Pork with Roasted Corn and Onion Fries
• “Macho Man” Dark Roast Coffee Crusted Tuna on Hearty Grain Crisp and Kahlua Mayonnaise
• “In The Navy” Sea Salt Quick Pickled Cucumber Sushi Roll with Nori, Thick Soy and Sesame
• Beer, Wine, Specialty Cocktails and Soft Drinks

For reservations,  visit  www.disneyurl.com/TIWFlowerPowerHappyHour for self-booking and instant confirmation.  The website will go live and begin taking reservations on Monday, April 1, 2013 at 10:00am.

Have you tried the Tiramisu Martini from Via Napoli?   It’s delicious, and here’s the recipe straight from the restaurant itself!

1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Baileys
1/2 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz half and half cream
1 shot of espresso
1/2 oz simple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a shaker and garnish with chocolate powder and a chocolate stick in a martini glass.  (Looks like ours missed the chocolate powder step,  but it was still super yummy!)

Many thanks to Via Napoli for sharing this one with us!

Interesting post over at the Save Pleasure Island blog today shows several logos (by way of the folks at WDW Magic ) for possible venues coming to Disney’s currently planned re-imagineering of the Downtown Disney area, Disney Springs.   While many of the concepts are considered “tentative,”  two logos stand out amongst the rest as  potential replacements for some of the nightlife lost in the area since the demise of Pleasure Island.

The first was a logo for a nightclub out of Los Angeles called “The Edison,” which it would seem might find an East Coast home in the old abandoned Mannequin’s Dance Palace.   You can check out more of the possible concept for that on the LA club’s website.

The second was the logo for Trader Sam’s, a popular bar that currently has a location at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.  While not quite a replacement for the much-loved Adventurers Club, Trader Sam’s does embody some of the spirit of the club, not to mention some of its former decor.  (One has to wonder if this is meant to be somewhat of a “consolation prize” for those who were fans of the club and really had hoped for its eventual return.)   Would the new Trader Sam’s actually go IN the former home of the Adventurers Club?  Well, the current Trader Sam’s venue is much smaller than that of the former Adventurers Club, and if they plan to stick with much of the same concept for it,  it would seem unlikely.    But only time will tell.

Again, these are both shown as “possible” concepts, and as we all learned from Hyperion Wharf, nothing is definite when it comes to Disney.  But,  it sure would be nice to see some new nightlife on Pleasure Island…even if it’s no longer known by that name.

At first glance, this drink looks a lot like the Godiva Chocolate Martini, but it’s definitely a different breed of cocktail.

Amarula Fruit Cream Liqueur and Van der Hum Tangerine Liqueur from South Africa combined in a Chocolate-striped glass inspired by the distinctive striped tail of the Madagascar Lemur.

The result is a creamy citrus and chocolate combination, and if you like those candy chocolate oranges that usually seem to show up around the holidays in the candy aisle, you’re sure to love this cocktail!