This year, we were split across town. We had the Info Booth at the Salem Common with shifts of 2 inside and 2 outside, and a tent in Lappin Park (by the Bewitched Statue) with shifts of 2 people.
By the numbers – here are the visitors I helped per 2 hour shift: 10/2 – 186 10/2 – 164 10/9 – 218 10/15 – 165 10/16 – 189 10/17 – 446 10/22 – 116 10/23 – 268 10/29 – 213 10/30- 154 10/30 – 46 (Flooding rain!)
All total, I helped 2,165 people. That 446 on 10/17 was because I was alone at Lappin Park. The last shift of only 46 was due to a MONSOON of rain that flooded the common. Thankfully, I had planned ahead a few years before. In a reverse Murphy’s Law, the idea was that if I planned for a costume that could handle the rain, it would never rain! So I put together the Gorton’s Fisherman outfit in 2019 (I had a Gorton’s nametag and a fake fish finger box in my brochure bag). Finally, on the 30th, I wore it during the day shift (light rain) and then switched to the kid from the movie IT for the evening shift (flooding). I had a ton of people recognize the Gorton’s Fisherman and ask for photos, many of whom had family that worked there (they are based up in Gloucester, MA, a 20-minute drive north).
A big challenge this year was the weather. It seemed it was unseasonable warm every weekend. I pulled-out a lot of kilt-based costumes and lighter things like the Beetlejuice suit and the pirate for those shifts. And, of course, there was the issue of matching masks for each look:
The orange kilt outfit was new, based around a glow-in-the-dark Disney Halloween jacket. I found the bright orange kilt online, and added a few light-up slap bracelets (meant for nighttime runners) to add to my ankles, wrists, and bowler hat. That was a fund one for a night shift! A few of the old standbys (Herbology Professor and Salem Ambassador) made it into rotation, only because I had SO MANY shifts. Here, at the downswing in the pandemic, people were still wary of working with the public and putting themselves at risk. I was careful, and never got sick.
You will notice the COVID weight gain pushing the limits on some of these costumes… Let’s hope by the time next year comes around that that will have been fixed.
The Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover, MA is situated on a former farm that became a summer country estate in 1914 to one of Isabella Stewart Gardner‘s nephews, John Gardiner Coolidge, and his wife Helen Stevens-Coolidge. They vacationed and entertained at the estate until Helen’s death in 1962, when she bequeathed the house and the land to the Trustees, a non-profit that has been working for over 125 years to act as “a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value” across Massachusetts. Spring BloomFest is an annual celebration of the flowering of 165,000 tulips and various bulbs, ornamental trees, and other plants that come alive in April and May. Due to the pandemic, they had limited availability and were only allowing guests in who had purchased timed entries. I reserved our spots for today about a month ago in a member pre-sale. They are completely sold out (22 days, with 18-20 slots per day). At this early stage, the Hyacinths and Daffodils are blooming. We are told that the Tulips begin to open next weekend, so make your choice on what you want to see when making your reservation for next year. I hope you enjoy these photos:
On the way home, we also stopped into the Charles W. Ward Reservation, another Trustees property just a few miles south in Andover. We took the shortest trail that wound up the hill through some gorgeous old-growth forest to a grassy green opening (420 foot elevation) where you can see the Boston skyline 30 miles to the south. Having visited Stonehenge, the former owner of the land decided she needed her own stone compass to mark the sunrise and sunsets on the Summer and Winter Solstices as well as the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes. She also added Zodiac stones around the edge, many of them with ties to the local history. One of the stones is from the doorstep of a historic pub, there are two fossilized/petrified tree stumps, and several of them are local puddingstone. The center of the “compass” is an old granary grinding stone, whose etched curves mimic the sun.
South by South East
The “Solstice Stones” from the West
True North
Boston in the distance, 30 miles away to the South
Now, we leave the parks and go back to eating in the Deluxe resorts, recreating a fond memory in one of our favorite restaurants, and creating an epic 10-course meal that we’ve only ever dreamed of experiencing.
How perfect is this card?!
At the end of Part 4, we had dinner at the Hollywood Brown Derby on the second-to-last Friday night, and Sean received a card from Mickey on Saturday morning thanking him for his help in defeated Maleficent during Fantasmic! On Sunday, he received this (perfectly themed) card (right). Inside, it read:
Jambo! Please join Chuck, Mandy, and I for a cocktail at the Victoria Falls Lounge before we head downstairs for a delicious African-inspired dinner at Jiko: The Cooking Place. Shellie has the night off, but I’ll do my best to serve.
You will remember Chuck from Part 4, as she kept Sean company while I was preparing and presenting the 7-course Monsieur Paul dinner. Mandy is Chuck’s wife. When the four of us took a trip to Walt Disney World together in 2019, we stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and dragged them to all of our favorite places. In fact, the card echoes exactly what we did on the day they arrived: we let them refresh in their room, then we all went to have a cocktail at the Victoria Falls Lounge before heading to dinner at Jiko.
“But wait,” astute observers may say, “who is Shellie?” For that, we need to take a side trip back in time:
“The Cooking Place” – Photo lovingly borrowed from TheMouseForLess.com
THE MEMORY It was June 2003 and we were staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside on a fairly tight budget. Sean’s Mom and sister joined us for several days in the parks, and we wanted to take his Mom out for a special dinner as our trip came to a close. We had a Dining Plan, and had saved an extra dinner for her (or else we couldn’t have afforded it). We had read wonderful things about Jiko: The Cooking Place and thought that it would be a nice close to our trip and a new experience for all of us. When we arrived, they sat us at the heart of the restaurant, The Cooking Place that is in the title (see photo). The counter seats overlook two large brick ovens (the Jiko) as well as a wood grill and prep area. We had a cocktail and chatted with the chef making flatbreads in the ovens. The smells and the atmosphere were unlike anything we had experienced before, and we ordered the bread course from our waiter while we eagerly looked through the menu. We were having such a good time watching the dishes go by and reading all of the descriptions, that we were having some trouble deciding. We asked our waiter if there was a sommelier on duty that could help us navigate the extensive wine list while making our dinner choices. She immediately came over and helped Sean’s Mom and I with our choices. When it came Sean’s turn, he played his favorite game: closing the menu, he told her “I want the chef to pick out an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert for me, and I’d like you to pair a wine for each.” Her face split into a grin and her eyes sparkled as she snatched the menu out of his hands and dismissed our waiter, for we were now HERS! With only three questions (spice level? allergies? dislikes?), she was off. She would swing by our seats with our food and their perfectly-paired wines, explaining why she chose each one, and would check-in to make sure everyone was happy. When it came time for dessert, Sean’s Mom joined the fun and let the chef choose her dessert. I had my heart set on the chocolate selection, but asked her to pick an aperitif. She said “Amarula, definitely,” at which point the chef turned around and cooed “Ammmaaaarruuulllaaa” dreamily. This was our first introduction to that delicious South African cream liqueur, and our first introduction to Shellie – the Star of Jiko: The Cooking Place.
2003, after our first dinner with Shellie.
As with Monsieur Paul, Jiko is now one of our favorite restaurants to return to. Lucky for us, we have serendipitously been seated in Shellie’s section each time, including that first night with Chuck and Mandy in 2019, hence the reference in the card.
Unfortunately, like most of the Signature Dining locations at the resorts, Jiko was closed during the initial lockdown, and (as of the moment of publishing this) still has not reopened.
I felt bad that Mandy couldn’t join us for the Monsieur Paul dinner, but with dietary restrictions (Vegan with allergies), she literally couldn’t eat anything on that menu (and I wasn’t prepared to make an additional 7 dishes). When Jiko came up, I knew I could make it up to her.
My WDW Dining@Home Menu. This was printed on parchment-style paper. I found each of these items from existing online menus.
You can see from my version of the menu that the appetizer was already Vegan (minus the shortbread crumble), so I picked an entrée and dessert from the menus that could work well alongside what I had chosen for Sean. Since a Rib-Eye steak would be wasted on me, I was already making a substitution for my entrée, so what was one more?
I have learned throughout this process that when you deconstruct each plate into its component parts, there are often lots of things that can be prepared ahead to lessen the stress of the actual meal preparation. On the days leading up to, and especially the day before, I made the Braai spice, cauliflower bisque,brownies, berry sauce, coffee streusel, tomato-citrus jam (OMG! trust me when I tell you to make this and put it inside a grilled cheese sandwich!), panna cotta, candied pumpkin seeds, shortbread, toasted couscous salad, hibiscus glaze, and the Peri Peri sauce.
On the day of the dinner, all I had to do before dinner was to make rolls (I made sweet potato rolls and purchased gluten-free rolls and flatbreads to fill the basket), roast some cauliflower and carrots, marinate the chicken, make the Chantilly cream and prep the plates. On the TV in the living room, I turned on a slideshow of pictures we had taken at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, hit shuffle on my Spotify playlist created for the dinner, and welcomed our guests.
We reminisced over our 2019 trip and looked at old photos, including from our time at Jiko while enjoying pre-prandials.
Warm towel?
When it was time to sit at the table, I greeted everyone with a warm scented towel (wet a washcloth in water scented with a splash of orange blossom water, wring, then microwave) and Moroccan Mint Tea (sweetened green tea with spearmint), just as we were greeted when first seated at our table in the restaurant. Though we hadn’t been in the parks that day, the towel was such a wonderfully refreshing treat and the tea a wonderful palate cleanser to prepare us for the experience. These nearly-forgotten small touches really made the re-experience special.
The first course only needed to be warmed, garnished and presented. We had these lion-headed individual tureens that worked well:
For the entrées, the Vegan option has been simmering and cooking on the back of the stove since before they arrived, and using a large cast iron grill/griddle over two of my remaining stove burners, I was able to perfectly grill the steaks and chicken while the others enjoyed the bisque. The carrots finished roasting just in time, and the couscous salad was served cold.
Bo Kaap Malay Vegetable Curry: Tofu, Seasonal Vegetables in a Rich Coconut Curry Sauce, Brown RiceBone-in Grilled Rib-Eye with Hibiscus Glaze, Roasted Carrots, Toasted Couscous Salad
For the dessert course, I had already plated the Vegan Panna Cotta (with edible flowers and berries) and chilled it, so it came out during our appetizer so it wouldn’t be too cold. I warmed the berry sauce and poured it over just before presentation.
Coconut Milk Panna Cotta: Vanilla Bean Vegan Panna Cotta, Mixed Berries
I had prepared the other dessert plate ahead by placing berries, some of the sauce, and dollops of marshmallow fluff that I caramelized with a torch, so all I needed to do was warm the brownie, pour over the warmed berry sauce, sprinkle the coffee streusel, top with the Chantilly cream (which ‘broke’ and I ran out of cream, so I substituted vanilla ice cream at the last minute) and sprinkle a small bit of the leftover Braai spice over it. In a bit of inspiration (and because I had them on hand), I filled small pipettes with Amarula and stuck them in the brownie. We have a restaurant here in Salem that serves doughnuts with booze-filled pipettes to fill them with for brunch. The brownie had come out drier than I anticipated, so this also helped to add some moisture.
Braai Brownie: Dark Chocolate Brownie with Braai Spice, Milk Chocolate Chantilly, Coffee Streusel, Vanilla Marshmallow Cream, Raspberries
We finished the meal with a small glass of Amarula to sip. All-in-all, it was a successful night. I can’t wait to go back to the real Jiko: The Cooking Place again.
Looking at how long this post is becoming, perhaps I should have split these into their own posts. Thank you for sticking with me as we move from recreating fond memories, to creating a meal we have only ever dreamed of.
THE DREAM If you’ve been with me from the beginning of this series, you know what is coming next – the inspiration, the original gift idea, and the bankroll for the entire month: Victoria & Albert’s at The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. I had scrimped and saved about $1200 US in extra cash over the two year planning of our original trip so that we could comfortably eat at Victoria & Albert’s without worrying about the bill. I used every bit of that extra money for this month long celebration to buy the ingredients for all eight meals (that’s 29 courses!), a table cloth, six cloth napkins, eight bottles of wine, twelve gifts (bought and handmade), four bouquets of flowers, and dozens of cards. I didn’t keep a tally of what the whole month cost, but when I was done, there was only ~$5 left, and I don’t remember dipping into any other sources. I wish I had documented all of the expenses. If I were to guess, Kona Cafe would have been the cheapest to recreate, and Victoria & Albert’s would definitely be the most expensive, given the number of ingredients I had to special order.
The beauty and draw of Victoria & Albert’s is not only the fine décor, the exceptional staff, and the AAA 5-diamond cuisine, but that the menu is constantly changing, especially at the Chef’s Table, where we would be eating (in actuality, we probably would have eaten in the dining room, but I took artistic license for logistical reasons – more below). This proved to be a challenge and a boon. While I could find the Chefs Degustation Tasting Menu from November 2019 on the official website (plus Vegetarian version), I also found posted menus from many guests before and after that date with completely different courses, and had many back-up ideas from menu items I didn’t pick for previous meals. using all of these sources, I came up with my own 10-course menu:
My WDW Dining@Home Menu – notice the staff…
For all of the other meals, I had devoted a page to each day of the month in a cheap composition notebook where I noted the card, note and gift, when applicable. I also used the daily pages to plan out my shopping and prep work for the week leading-up to each meal. For this one, I definitely needed extra planning, since I didn’t have extra hands. Once I had decided on the menu, I wrote out each course description on its own page, then I went back and filled-in the ingredients that were not listed in the descriptions, marking each as cold, hot, or room temperature. Finally, I went through and indicated which items could be prepared ahead, and which needed to be done during the dinner. This became my obsessive planning document for the weeks leading-up to the dinner. With pandemic protocols in full-swing, I ordered non-perishable specialty items 2 weeks ahead, and made out my shopping list with planned dates of order or pick-up depending on their delicacy or needed freshness. Specialty flours, chocolate, nuts, rice, gold leaf, salts and spices were ordered first. I went to the store three times for this meal where frozen items were purchased a week in advance, fruits and vegetables a few days ahead, and all proteins (and flowers) were purchased within 24 hours of the dinner.
As we got closer to the dinner, I realized two things: I needed to have this dinner happen in the kitchen, and I needed a run-of-show (a throwback to my theatre days that I still employ to this day for event planning).
Location: At Victoria & Albert’s, you can choose from one of three experiences: eating in the Dining Room (14 tables), the Queen Victoria Room (semi-private, seating 8), or the Chef’s Table (2-4 guests) adjacent to the kitchen. Since this was originally meant to be a romantic, celebratory dinner, I didn’t want to have anyone over (breaking tradition, I told Sean which restaurant was coming and he agreed), plus, the necessity and pacing of the menu (as I had planned it) would be difficult to pull-off without Sean sitting by himself in the dining room while I was in the kitchen. So I decided to change the plan to “Chef’s Table.” Just as with the real one, I would be talking with him while making the meals in front of him – the only difference from the real thing is that I’d be eating, too.
Run-Of-Show: With so many courses and so many small, fiddly bits of cooking and plating for each, I also needed to break-down the timing of everything. When we are having a regular dinner party (like with Jiko above), I always mentally plan-out the use of the oven and temperatures needed, the pots and pans needed, and the number of stovetop burners being used at one time. It’s also helpful to know how to time everything so that it is all done at the same time, so I sometimes have a sticky with times and temperatures that I refer to, to know when to throw the rolls in the oven, or to preheat it during dinner for the dessert, etc. I didn’t want anything to go wrong with these 10 courses, so I (of course) made a spreadsheet of all of the timing, and that became my run-of-show that night.
A glimpse at my run-of-show. These were for all of the items not pre-plated earlier in the day.
I kept Sean out of the kitchen all day as I laid-out the 10 different dishes I’d be using and started pre-plating what I could off to the side. I set the kitchen island up as the Chef’s Table with tablecloth, napkins, serving utensils, water and wine glasses, bread basket, and salts. One of the things not listed on the official menu that everyone comments on during their videos or reviews is the parade of breads and butters that come out between each meal. They are usually presented as quenelle, molded, or in crocks. I did not have the time nor wherewithal to create eight different breads and butters, so I had a basket of epi bread broken into individual baguettes and Kerrygold unsalted Irish butter in individual crocks. To mimic the variety, I purchased a set of sea salts and presented them on the table to flavor the butter.
The glass “bowls” are tealight holders from Ikea, and the small crystal spoon came from an antique crystal salt cellar
When all was ready, I started my Spotify playlist (a repeat of the Citrico’s playlist for pre-dinner cocktails, then blending into solo harp Disney covers) and called Sean in.
Maître d’hotel, waiter, chef, dishwasher and date. A friend gave me the retired nametag. Forgive the rolled sleeves (it was warm) and the bathroom door being open.
As with the Monsieur Paul dinner, the courses were chosen and arranged in such a way that “easy” courses bookended or lead into complicated ones. The first two courses were all made ahead, the third required a short stir fry, the fourth a bit more cooking, a sear on the fifth, a passive braise for the sixth, a sear on the seventh, sear and bake on the eighth, and the last two courses were completely pre-made. This sounds simple, but it was much more complicated than that. Let’s go course by course.
Tiny cake & ice cream for an Amuse-Bouche
Amuse-Bouche: Green Apple Baba with Sour Cream Ice Cream You may know Baba from Baba au rhum, or Rum Cake, a yeast-risen cake baked in a mold, then soaked in a hot rum syrup. For this one, I went with this recipe (which ended-up being super-delicious – when we recovered the next day, this was the first thing Sean wanted more of). I didn’t have the canelé molds typically used, so I baked it as a sheet cake and used a biscuit cutter to make individual cakes (hence the leftovers). I can’t find the exact recipe I used for the Sour Cream Ice cream, but there are a lot out there for you to find, especially on Keto sites. I do not have an ice cream maker, so I made the mixture and poured it into a quart sized zip top bag. I put the sealed quart bag into a larger gallon sized bag filled with ice and rock salt. I then shook shook shook it as I danced around the house. When the mixture started to thicken, I put the small bag in the freezer to firm-up. When the ice cream was firm, I used a small melon-baller scoop to create mini scoops and put them back in the freezer to firm. When it came time for dinner, I warmed the cake and topped it with the tiny ice cream ball.
We took this photo after eating the poached Quail egg. It was sitting where the knife is, with chopped parsley and cracked pepper on top.
Soft Poached Quail Egg with Wild Salmon Caviar, Chicken Liver Terrine, Cauliflower Panna Cotta, Porcini Mushroom Cappuccino I started with the Panna Cotta, confident in my skills after making the dessert version for Jiko. The terrine was purchased (I’m not that extra!), and I found wild salmon roe online. We had once been served Mushroom Cappuccino as an amuse-bouche at a little Bistro in Plymouth, MA that no longer exists, and I’ve often thought about trying to make it at home. I found this recipe, and it was just as I had remembered it, so silky smooth and delicious. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to poach an egg, but think of that on a micro scale. Quail eggs are absolutely tiny, and their thick shells need to be cut with a serrated knife. I used a very shallow, small pan and created a mini-whirlpool, then dropped the egg into the center so it would cook and stay in one piece. I made several and took them out with a slotted spoon to dip into an ice bath to stop their cooking. Then I put them on a wet plate and had them sitting ready to be warmed-through in simmering water when dinner came. When it came time to serve, all I needed to do was make sure the cappuccino was hot, warm-through the egg, and present it.
Gulf Shrimp with Heirloom Tomatoes and Charmoula Sauce
Gulf Shrimp with Heirloom Tomatoes and Charmoula Sauce Shrimp is something I just don’t enjoy, so this course was only for Sean. I made the Charmoula sauce the day before, but should have waited and made it fresh that day. It lost a lot of its color and vibrancy overnight. I found these tiny heirloom grape tomatoes in the store and they were perfect! I decided to peel them to showcase the color of the translucent flesh and to make them a more pleasant texture. To do this, you cut a small x in the skin and boil them for 30-45 seconds, then immerse them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. The skin peels off pretty easily. As with most of the things I made for this dinner, I planned for and made extra so that I could use the best looking elements for the final dish. I cooked the shrimp in butter with a little of the sauce in a shallow non-stick skillet, then poured a bit of the sauce over them. While Sean was eating this, I worked on the next course.
A deceptively small plate with a half-dollar sized scallop
Georges Bank Scallop with Herb-Truffle Spaetzle, Corn Puree, Oyster Mushrooms and Fruit Caviar This was a delicious course, and one I would love to scale-up for a dinner party. Though I hate shrimp (texture, smell and taste), I love scallops. If there is a delicious-sounding scallop dish on the menu, I will order it, especially if on vacation. I took a lot of artistic license on this one due to available ingredients. While the scallops were wild caught in the Atlantic, they were not labelled as being from Georges Bank, specifically. Also, the actual menu item specifies Lime caviar, which is made from the pips of the Finger Lime (unavailable in my area). Since I had Agar Agar powder left over from making the Vegan Panna Cotta for Jiko, I decided to try my hand at fruit caviar (the link is a video showing the steps, but use this recipe because you don’t need that much sugar). It was so much fun, and such a satisfying science project that I’m surprised I haven’t made more. I highly recommend trying it with your kids. I used cranberry juice and did not add sugar. It was the perfect tart counterbalance to the sweet corn and the butter. I’ve made spaetzle before, so I took the standard recipe and added a truffle salt and finely chopped fresh parsley, sage and thyme to the mixture before dropping it in ribbons through the large holes of my box grater. I made them the day before and put them in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The corn puree (cooked frozen corn and polenta, pureed together) was also prepared a day ahead and chilled. During the dinner, I sautéed the oyster mushrooms in a pan until slightly colored, added butter to the pan and did the same to the spaetzle, added much more butter to the pan and butter-poached the scallops until bronzed and tender. This is my favorite way to make scallops. Once the butter is foaming, place the (patted dry) scallops in and cook until brown on one side, flip them over and spoon the butter and juices over the scallops as the other side cooks. Depending on their size, this only takes a few minutes and it is a decadence worth giving in to. My other go-to scallop technique is to chop up cured chorizo and cook it in a relatively dry pan, then sear the scallops in the spicy paprika-scented oil that comes out (adding butter as needed, of course). This also goes well with a corn or pea side to balance the sweet and the heat.
Salmon, Bamboo Rice, Edamame
Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon with Bamboo Rice and Soy Beans This was another Sean-only course. I ordered the Bamboo Rice from Nuts.com (along with Almond flour & Chestnut flour) earlier in the month when I knew what specialty items I would need. While this is a very simple dish, I think its beauty lies in the color combination of the bright green edamame and rice contrasting with the deep, rich, sunset pink of the salmon. The rice was cooked according to the directions during the previous courses, and I steamed the frozen edamame in the microwave. The salmon was cooked in a high-heat skillet with just a thin layer of oil to prevent sticking. In hindsight, the piece I gave him was too big for such a large meal. In reality, this would have 1/3 of the amount of food presented on a giant plate. The salmon was of such quality, that Sean really wanted to eat all of it, but the sheer amount of food was starting to be too much, and we were only halfway through!
Poirot’s Endive (“I’m not French, I’m Belgian!”)
Braised Belgian Endive with Compressed Pear and Fennel This plate was taken from the Vegetarian tasting menu. I chose it because I thought it would be a nice break from all of the seafood, and would help transition to the upcoming poultry and meat dishes. The Braised Belgian Endive recipe was fairly simple, but yielded lovely, rich, complex flavors. The compressed pear gave me a hard time. In my research, compressing the pear gives it an almost meat-like texture and a concentrated flavor. The home chef can achieve this through a careful dance of vacuum sealing, freezing, re-vacuuming, defrosting, and vacuuming again. At the time (now rectified), we did not have a vacuum sealer, so I attempted to create these pears using zip top bags and a straw – literally becoming the vacuum and sucking the air out of the bag and quickly zipping it. Those bags are not as air-tight as they claim, so it was a constant game of checking and sucking. They were not perfect, but the thought and flavor were there. Since the pears and the endive were going to be so soft, I decided to finely shred a bulb of fennel to give a snap of flavor and a crunch to the dish. Now that we have a vacuum sealer, I may try compressing pears again, and I think the braised endive would make a lovely side. Again, I think at Victoria & Albert’s, this would be one half of an endive per person, or maybe even less.
I would have made duck, but we had that for the Brown Derby
Maple Glazed Quail with Chestnut Gnocchi I may have said this before, but there are a few things that I HAVE to order if they are on a menu. One of them is Gnocchi (others include Chicken-Under-a-Brick and Short Ribs), so this one made it on the menu for that, for the seasonal use of maple, and because I thought the delicate quail would be the right amount of food for a tasting menu. I found this chestnut gnocchi recipe, made the dough, formed them, and put them in the freezer. During the previous course, I boiled and drained them, then browned them in butter (like the spaetzle earlier) just before serving. I found the Quails in a Portuguese Deli nearby, though when I defrosted them, half of them had freezer burn, so they had probably been there a while. I split one of them in half and pan cooked them until the internal temp was around 145 F, then I deglazed the pan with a little brandy and apple cider vinegar, adding maple syrup and butter for the last 30 seconds as it reduced. I put the quail halves back in the sauce to coat, then served them alongside the gnocchi. The toasty, nutty gnocchi were interesting, but the quail was too gamey for my taste. I think the entire dish could have used some mushrooms or another depth of flavor since we had a lot of mushroom on the menu already. If I was in a restaurant, I would have butterflied/semi-deboned the quail and fried them, then put on the maple glaze, like a fancy tailgate chicken wing.
This is as far as we got in one sitting.
Grass Fed Filet Mignon with Creamy Mushroom Risotto, King Oyster Mushrooms and Parmesan Sauce When I make Sean a steak (or he makes one himself), he will often ask me to make mushroom risotto to go with it, so this was a “typical” item amongst all of the other courses. I’ve made risotto so many times over the years, that I don’t use a recipe any more, but it goes like this: rehydrate dried wild mushrooms in hot stock (chicken, beef or vegetable) with one bay leaf on the back burner while you heat olive oil and butter in a large pan. Sauté minced shallot and garlic until soft, but not colored, then add Arborio rice, stirring until it is all coated and until the edges start to turn translucent. Add splash of wine (or brandy, bourbon, stock, or even water) and stir to make sure nothing is sticking, letting any alcohol smell dissipate, then add a ladle of the stock from the back burner (just the stock, not the mushrooms) to the rice, stirring until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat one ladle at a time until the rice has absorbed as much as it can and is tender throughout (typically ~25-35 minutes, depending on the volume). Remove the rehydrated mushrooms from the stock, chop finely, and add to the risotto with pinch of salt and plenty of pepper to taste. This can stay covered, off-heat, on a warm stove until you are ready to serve. To reheat, add in a little liquid and turn on the heat, stirring until warmed through, then add grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese to taste. Sometimes I sauté fresh chopped mushrooms and add those as well. The rehydrated mushrooms tend to be rather soft, so having the crisp sautéed fresh mushrooms contrasts nicely. Depending on what else you are serving, thyme, sage, parsley, and rosemary all love mushrooms. For the Oyster mushrooms, I roasted and pan fried the them like the scallops course. The filet was seared and finished in the cast iron skillet (see Part 3 Citrico’s) and came out perfectly. The only problem was that Sean was getting too full from all of the other courses, and though it was a petit filet, I should have cut it down further, or split it with him. The only thing I had never made for this course was the Parmesan sauce. I found several recipes that all seemed to be very similar, so I downsized the ratios and pre-made this sauce the day before. I warmed it in a small pan while the filet cooked, and spooned it over.
Selection of Cheese from the Market: Sparkenhoe Red Leicester, Blueberry Wensleydale, Organic Von Trapp Oma; Vanilla Gelato with Plum Compote and White Chocolate At this point, all of the live cooking was done. The problem was, so was Sean. While I had skipped the shrimp and salmon, and had only a bit of the filet, he had eaten everything, plus bread and butter, wine, and a cocktail beforehand. I had served too much food, and he could not eat any more at this point. I still presented each remaining course to him so he could experience everything and continue taking his pictures to post. In the restaurant, the cheese cart comes to you and you choose (or have the waiter choose) a few things to taste. I chose these three for taste, color, and texture variety, and paired them with a Bourbon Bacon jam, cherry preserves, honey in the comb, fig jam, and apricot preserves. What really confused me in all of the menus that I saw was the addition of the gelato with compote and chocolate alongside the cheese course, but it (or something similar) was there in every single menu that I found. Perhaps, like the cake and sour cream ice cream at the start, it was a palate cleanser. I made the plum compote and bought the vanilla gelato, making quenelles and freezing them. Not pictured were the white chocolate shavings I was planning to add to the top. We enjoyed the cheeses the next day, as well as the compote and gelato.
There has to be a showstopper dessert, even if you can’t stand to look at any more food.
Chocolate Mousse Dome on Praline Crunch At Victoria & Albert’s there is always a show-stopping dessert, plus selections of handmade chocolates (every video or review I have seen ends with the couple taking the chocolates in a box to go because they couldn’t eat any more), and the coffee service is a must. In reading the menu description, I interpreted it as a praline crunch cookie/wafer base, with a bittersweet chocolate dome filled with chocolate mousse inside, so that’s what I did. I started thinking that I would make a traditional Trianon Royal, omitting the dacquoise layer, but came up with my own instead. I made a sheet-pan sized thin layer of praline meringue (ground almonds and pecans, brown sugar, and egg whites) and set it aside to cool and dry. I lined a half sphere silicone mold with a thin layer of melted chocolate, then filled it with a rich homemade chocolate mousse and a dollop of caramel in the center and set it to chill. I carefully cut circles from the praline meringue to serve as a base. I tried to make a mirror glaze, but it wasn’t working, so I coated the domes in more bittersweet chocolate. This made a shell that made them too hard to eat, but they were still delicious. I took the leftover pieces of meringue and broke them into pieces and dust. I spread the leftover melted bittersweet chocolate on a piece of parchment and created thin shards. On a chilled plate, I spread melted milk chocolate and caramel in alternating dots, then placed the bittersweet chocolate shards standing up in them, covered the caramel with the meringue pieces and dust, placed the mousse dome on top of the meringue circle, dusted everything with powdered sugar, and then topped the dome with edible gold leaf. Though our eyes and stomachs were bulging, we did eat one of the extra domes I made before giving up entirely. Besides the issue with the hard chocolate shell, it was so decadent and delicious. We each had one on Sean’s actual birthday, and gave the rest away to friends because we had so much Baba in the freezer.
The remaining two days in Sean’s birthday month were quiet and we reflected a lot on the wonderful meals we had and I think that we may have succeeded in distracting him from the fact that we were not able to be in Walt Disney World celebrating his 50th in the way we planned.
LESSONS LEARNED
Do not expect that you can cook (or eat) a 10-course meal in just 2-3 hours. We should have made it a day-long affair, starting the first courses at lunch time and spreading them out to last through dinner time.
10-course meals are only possible if the volume of the 10 courses is equal to that of a very large 3 or 4 course meal.
Thorough planning is key.
Substitutions are acceptable, and sometimes better than the original.
You are limited only by your own self-imposed limits.
Conversely: You must set limits, or things can get out of hand.
Trust your instincts, but still do your research.
A white tablecloth and cloth napkins can transform your everyday meal to something special.
A well-presented and garnished plate turns a great meal into an amazing one.
Music, lighting, and table design should set the mood, but also complement the meal, like a well-chosen wine.
Life is too short to not use the crystal, silver, or china in your cupboards.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We are now (at the time of writing this) almost 7 months from the end of that month-long celebration. Going back to look through my notes, mine our memories, and find the pictures so I could write-up the background and process has been both bittersweet and revelatory. I remember and re-live the pain and struggle of watching Sean’s spirits sink deeper and deeper as the dates of our original trip came and went, as well as the self-induced stress of wracking my brain to come up with an appropriate, yet safe, celebration of this landmark birthday during a worldwide crisis. I don’t know where the spark of inspiration came from to embark on this journey, but I am profoundly grateful for it. I learned a great deal during this process about myself, about food, about planning and preparation, about presentation, about sacrifice, about limits, about perseverance, about pride, and about love.
I didn’t save anyone’s life, like the thousands of healthcare workers that risked their lives and sanity to help others during this pandemic. I didn’t climb Everest, or write a Nobel Prize-winning novel, or start a non-profit to bring clean water to a village, or cure Cancer. All I did was sacrifice my free time, my effort, and my savings account to create a unique birthday to remember for the man I cherish. I know that there are people that will read this (now, or long after I’m gone) that will find the whole thing vainglorious and cry “privilege.” Yes, I believe that we do hold a privilege that many others do not. On an almost daily basis, one or both of us can be found wandering around our home, dewy-eyed, remembering our poor, isolated, bullied younger selves dreaming of the impossible: a home full of love with a husband, a cadre of accepting friends and family, with food on the table and no wolf at the door.
Never give up, and never stop giving back.
Thank you for reading through these posts, and for joining us along this journey. I started this series just to document the experience, but I hope you have learned a new technique, laughed, or been inspired to try something new. I would love to hear your comments and your own stories or memories below.
In the spirit of never give up and never stop giving back, I offer these local and national charities* for your consideration and generosity:
For WDW Cast Members that have lost their jobs, please consider giving to the Cast Member Pantry. They have also created this Google doc with a list of small businesses and “side hustles” that furloughed/laid-off cast members are undertaking to keep financially afloat – please consider purchasing directly from a former CM.
*I receive no kickback or recognition for your donations through these links, but this list includes many of the charities Sean and I have given back to in 2020 and 2021 so far. If you do donate, please leave a comment below so I can thank you.
The Monday after Kona Café was Labor Day here in the U.S, and the card Sean received that morning had a drawing of a TV on it, and the message that we should relax and watch a movie marathon of his choice. For me, it was truly a day off, as I did not do any prep for the coming weekend.
Tuesday included a gift: a desk organizer (insert snoring noises). I hate giving practical gifts, but this was on his wish list and he really needed it. The card was a piece of Ursula stationary sarcastically lauding this “exciting” gift, that was obviously needed, since he didn’t have 8 tentacles to help him file. Tuesday began my prep, which mostly consisted of an Instacart order of the fresh ingredients I needed. But wait – I haven’t revealed what Friday would bring:
As I mentioned last time, when planning a WDW vacation, we tend to book the Signature Dining ADRs first, and then work our parks schedule around when we can get in. Hands down, the first in-park restaurant we book is always Monsieur Paul at Epcot World Showcase’s France Pavilion.
Some background: Sean LOVES French cuisine, and this restaurant has a very special place in our hearts. We took our first WDW trip together in 2001. It was not planned (that is, it was meticulously planned, but we ended up moving the reservation earlier due to unhappy circumstances, and cutting the time in half), but Sean had researched and researched places he had wanted to try. When we found ourselves on property (then known as Dixie Landings, now Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside), Sean was able to score a last-minute ADR for Chefs de France (now Monsieur Paul, named after Paul Bocuse). As with almost all of the land pavilions at Epcot, the front of house was staffed entirely with French nationals on a one-year visa. Before the restaurant’s redecoration and name change (a sad, but understandable business decision for a restaurant located in a theme park), Chefs de France had a fairly strict dress code (for inside a park where tank tops and shorts are necessary) and an atmosphere of high class and elegance. The night we first ate there, all of the waiters wore tuxedos (we were served by ridiculously handsome twins!), and the table service was beyond anything I had ever experienced. We found out that each was a career waiter at home and took their jobs seriously (something not common here in the U.S.). The service and food are still of the highest quality (we have been back MANY times), but it is now a more relaxed, ‘friendly’ and ‘accessible’ environment for families. It was the quiet, exclusive vibe of the original restaurant (you enter under a small arched sign through a door in the alley behind a large family-style bistro and climb a circular stair up to the restaurant, leaving the noise of the crowd for the hushed and dimly-lit oasis) that made it so unique, especially in the middle of a crowded theme park. Still, we try to always include it.
On that first trip, we were only able to book a late (8 or 8:30pm) seating. We made sure to leave enough time in our day to return to the resort to shower and dress before heading over to Epcot for dinner. The meal was amazing, and we were seated in a table by the window, so we were able to experience the color and spectacle (if not the heat, crowd, and noise) of Illuminations (RIP) though the frosted windows. We had a tight budget for all of our trip, but we also had a Deluxe Dining Plan, so we used it to our full advantage and each enjoyed our own amuse bouche (compliments of the chef), appetizer, entrée, and dessert (Side note: in the past, tip was included in the Dining Plan and was calculated on what you ordered – we often ordered more than we could eat and chose the most expensive items). We splurged on pre-prandial cocktails, and wine with the entrée (tipping accordingly), and the bread service and delicious butter kept coming. By the time we were finished, we were stuffed. Looking up from this amazing meal, we realized we were the last ones in the restaurant! We never once felt pressured or guilted into leaving, in fact, the staff seemed to love us enjoying this experience so much and brought us coffees and offered us chocolates. We waddled out of the restaurant “Merci”-ing everyone we passed and stepped out onto a magical scene. While we were eating, the park had closed. Staff at WDW are not allowed to “turn off the magic” while a guest is in the park. When we stepped out into the France pavilion, all of the lights, music, and atmosphere were still on, but there were no other guests in sight! We held hands and walked slowly from the pavilion towards the front gate. We know now that (even then) Disney knows where every guest is. The restaurant had let the front gate security know we were still there, so while crossing over the bridge from France to the United Kingdom, a very nice Cast Member pulled up in a golf cart and “offered” us a ride to the front of the park. We knew we couldn’t refuse, but he only took around the lagoon to Showcase Plaza and let us walk ourselves to the gate (maybe he was only a World Showcase security?). We continued walking hand-in-hand towards the gate when the Fountain of Nations (RIP) show started playing. We were the only people there, so it was a private show! As we stood and watched the water and lights dance to the music, two Cast Members came along and asked if we would take their picture. They were part of the College Program and they had just finished their last shift. We chatted with them as they reminisced, hugged and mugged for the camera, and we all floated towards the front gate. What an experience!! The entire evening is one I will never forget.
Wow. That was a lot of back story, but now you know how important it was that I included Monsieur Paul in my WDW Dining@Home experience. Back to planning.
While we have dined at Monsieur Paul many times, and ordered off the a la carte and three course prix fixe menus, one of the things we have not done was to order the Prix Fixe Degustation Tasting Menu, which is typically seven courses. Of COURSE I chose to recreate that! I found three menus online and combined them to create my own:
My WDW Dining@Home version. Note the price….that is based on what this menu cost in March 2020 before they shut-down. To not keep you in suspense, scroll through the slides below for each course. The opening slide is pre-prandials (before dinner drinks).
Glass Dumplings ready for the freezer
Table setting from ACTUAL Monsieur Paul – see my version at the top of the page.
Tuesday Prep: I made the Truffle Glass Dumplings for the 5th course. On that slide, you can see me rolling-out the potato flour dumpling skins (that’s what made them ‘glass’ dumplings – the skin goes translucent when steamed). I also created the white chocolate disks and the Brittany shortbread for the dessert, as well as the pepper cream for the chilled soup course (key to successful execution – see later).
Wednesday, I made and froze the snail butter balls that would be breaded and fried for the 2nd course on the night, and made the Green Apple Sorbet for the dessert course.
Thursday, I made and chilled the pear soup, I caramelized the apples and pre-scooped the apple sorbet and vanilla gelato into appropriate balls and froze them in a container for easy dessert prep, bought the cheeses, fish, rolls, and delicate garnishes that would have spoiled if I had bought them earlier, made the Chicken Veloute for the second course, breaded and chilled the escargot balls, made the leek fondue, created and baked the windowpane potato chips, and printed the menus. That morning, Sean had a gift of a notecard holder. In addition to his D&D reference cards, I hinted that he could use them to hold his tasting notes and restaurant reviews.
Friday, Sean received a card that said “Bonjour Darling!” on the front, and inside I invited him to join me in the France Pavilion, telling him to check the dress code and to not eat too much before arriving! I also revealed that he would have a guest at dinner: his best friend Chuck! Because I suspected that I would be preparing a lot of food between courses, I didn’t want Sean to have to sit in the dining room alone, so I had scaled the whole meal to three people from the beginning. I would be eating with them for each course, but I would also be jumping up from the table to make sure the next course was ready before they were done with the current course. I would also be the waiter refilling their glasses and offering bread service.
That day, I laid out every plate I was using for all the courses on the kitchen island in order of appearance. I sliced and arranged the fruits for the Napoleon of the first course (and chilled), boiled the potatoes for the second course, pre-set the beet salad for the third, ladled and chilled the pear soup in its bowl for the fourth, made the truffle cream for the fifth, plated and chilled the cheese course, and assembled the dessert in its glass. When Chuck arrived, we had drinks in the living room (see first slide photo – I mad a Martini and Manhattan to their specifications) and they chatted while French music played through the speakers and I ran to the kitchen to continue preparations. The dining room was set with white tablecloth and napkins (folded just as they were at Monsieur Paul), and nearly every utensil we owned.
This meal would truly not have been possible for one person to cook and serve without the meticulous planning and prep I had spent the time laying out. I had a master list of timings for each course and plate that I referred to constantly – when to take the plate out of the refrigerator so the cheese could warm to room temperature, when to change the oven setting, when to heat the oil, when to bring the second type of bread out, when to switch wines, etc. I can also say that the course order and choices also helped a great deal. If you look at how the courses are laid-out, only one or two things needed to be prepared during the dinner: First course: Cook the scallops – the rest of the dish was prepared ahead. Second course: Fry the escargot balls while the sauce and potatoes warm. Third course: Cook the fish – the rest of the dish was assembled earlier. Fourth course: Add the pepper cream and serve – this was the easiest! I highly recommend a cold soup or salad course! Fifth course: Cook the tenderloin while the dumplings steam and the fondue warms – because the previous course was mostly hands-off, I could boil the water for the steamer, heat the cast iron skillet and warm the leeks while we enjoyed the soup. Sixth course: Easiest! Just serve the already-prepared plate. Dessert: Warm the caramel sauce.
Speaking of dessert, I knew this was the one I wanted to do, especially since their other signature dessert is chocolate, and I already had two chocolate desserts in the month-long plan. When it was Chefs de France, the signature dessert was Crepes Suzette en Flambé. They would prepare it tableside and ignite the Grand Marnier-soaked dessert crepe in towering flames: VERY dramatic. This dessert is just as dramatic, and was delicious to boot. See the “spectacle” of the presentation here:
Recreating the Magic from Monsieur Paul (though I think my caramel was not warm enough, which is why “Mickey” didn’t melt faster)
The warm caramel, the velvety white chocolate, the tart apple sorbet, the creamy vanilla gelato, and the crisp shortbread soaking up all of it – this was SO MUCH BETTER than I dreamed it would be. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
Actually, I would make ANY of these courses again. This was my favorite of all of the meals that I prepared. I got to enjoy it all along with Sean, but I also got to share it with our friend and bask in her joy and smile at how all of my little touches were noticed, even though she had no idea what to expect. The two of them hadn’t researched all of the courses and seen the photos or videos of what they were supposed to look like, but I had. At the risk of boasting: This is the meal that I am the most proud of. If you have eaten anything on this menu, or image search for these items, you will see that my presentations were 96% (minus 4% for actual table wear) accurate. It also helped to have such an appreciative audience. Most importantly: I learned a lot. There were techniques, sauces, and flavor combinations that I had never attempted before, and now I can draw on them any time I want.
As you can imagine, this was the only recreated meal that weekend, but as the theme of this update is eating in the parks, I’m including the following Friday’s experience: The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
This restaurant offers another in-park dining experience that feels more elegant than it should, given it’s surroundings. True to its inspiration and namesake, walking into this dining room makes you feel like you are stepping into old Hollywood. It’s a perfectly-themed experience in the Studios, and I feel like it’s overlooked by many guests who think it’s too ‘fancy.’ so they opt for the Hollywood & Vine buffet dinner with their family. I think this is a shame, because it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce children to fine/adult dining. There is a children’s menu, but it’s mainly child-sized versions of the regular menu, not pandering chicken nuggets and plain macaroni, and I think the atmosphere provides enough stimulation, but also brings a bit of seriousness that kids can sense that makes them behave in a different way.
Forgive my/Maleficent’s atrocious handwriting.
My WDW Dining@Home version of the menu.
In the week leading-up to this dinner, Sean received Captain America socks (Film/1940s style), and Nick & Nora glasses (glamorous Hollywood) as clues. On the day of the dinner, he received a note from Maleficent announcing our ADR and hinting at our post-dinner entertainment (Fantasmic!).
We have eaten here many times. Sci-Fi Dine In Theater is our go-to lunch spot, and the Tune-In Lounge/Dad’s Bar is our go-to cocktail spot, but The Hollywood Brown Derby is always our choice for dinner, and before the Star Wars Spectacular came to the Studios, the Fantasmic! dinner package was usually what we booked. If you reserved this package, the restaurant would give you a ticket (or update your MagicBand) after dinner to enter the Fantasmic! amphitheater through a special entrance for premium, reserved seating. After a day of standing in sweaty lines, it was well worth the early dinner seating.
My Cobb Salad. The server brings it to your table in this form, then mixes it for you tableside. I achieved the look by placing two cutting boards on top of the bowl to create a narrow channel to lay each ingredients down in its row.
My Duck Two Ways
There are two menu items that the Hollywood Brown Derby (both the original and the recreation) is famous for: Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake., so I knew I had to incorporate those two (even if the grapefruit cake is not our favorite). For the entrée, I went with one that I order there almost every visit: Duck Two Ways.
Finding recipes was pretty easy, but I had to look to find photos of past meals to recreate the look of WDW’s presentations.
Their Duck Two Ways has a Duck Confit Ravioli and Seared Duck Breast. I opted to make my ravioli from duck Foie Gras. It was decadent, to say the least. Sean adores getting Foie Gras at a restaurant when it is the actual seared liver, not a pate, so I created the ravioli with a small portion of a slice I found, and seared the rest of it for him for dinner the next day.
The accompaniments for the duck were a mystery. Nothing is listed on the real menu. I had to rely on my blurry photo and guess at what the red (cherry), yellow (butternut squash), and white (horseradish) dollops were. I already had the beet dust from another project, so I used that for the base. I’m not sure if those choices were correct, but they all worked beautifully together.
The Grapefruit Cake was exact to a photo I found online. It’s still not a favorite for either of us, but it was refreshing and unique. Making the garnish of the stained-glass-looking grapefruit slices was fiddly, and I made many that didn’t come out. You may have noticed on the menu that the Pink Grapefruit Sorbet was “optional.” I knew that all that grapefruit was a bit too much (it’s in every piece of this dish), but I found a pint of the sorbet at Wegman’s while I was buying the foie gras and specialty items for the next meal, so I thought I’d offer it.
My Grapefruit Cake
A thank you note from Mickey himself!
After dinner, we watched Fantasmic! and the next morning, Sean received a card from Mickey Mouse!
If you weren’t already aware, I hope you’ve now learned that eating in the parks is more than just grabbing a churro or turkey leg from a cart, or a platter of fried, beige food in a quick-service. There are many fine dining options in the parks, and we encourage you to explore them all for yourselves.
Next, we leave the parks and go back to eating in the Deluxe resorts, recreating a fond memory in one of our favorite restaurants, and creating an epic 10-course meal we’ve only ever dreamed of.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sean just said “Well, we’ve never eaten ON the Monorail.” To which I countered: “We’ve never eaten ON Bay Lake either!” I was wrong, it seems, as he reminded me of two fireworks cruises we had with refreshments. Technically, one of those only cruised around on Seven Seas Lagoon, though… Anyway, you get my point. Both of these upcoming restaurant experiences are found on the Resort Loop Monorail line.
During the week between the meals of Part 2 and Part 3, Sean received a D23 Membership and the first delivery of weekly flowers (with the explanation they would be coming every Wednesday). On Thursday, he received the crystal cocktail mixing glass and cocktail spoon along with a piece of Haunted Mansion-inspired SHAG stationery with a note from some of our favorite characters (Frank & Sadie Doyle of the Thrilling Adventure Hour’s Beyond Belief) making puns about ‘spirits’ and hinting that he would need these things the next night. On Friday morning, he received an embossed gold card with a formal invitation to meet me in the lobby of the Grand Floridian (dressed appropriately) and to bring the glass and spoon so we could have cocktails while enjoying the pianist and Grand Floridian Society Orchestra before dinner at Citrico’s. When he got home from work, I had a playlist of 20 minutes solo piano followed by 20 minutes of the GFSO, followed by 20 minutes of solo piano again, to mimic the actual lobby. Taht played on repeat during dinner. I had also ordered white table linens that I used for this meal and each of the finer dining experiences following. This was also the first meal actually presented at the dining room table.
CITRICO’S If you were to look through all of the backlog of dining receipts we’ve accumulated from WDW restaurants, by sheer volume (though not cost), the most would be from Citrico’s at The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. In fact, during one unbelievably magic trip staying in a one bedroom at the DVC Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, we ended up eating at Citrico’s three times! When planning our trips, once the Signature Dining ADRs are made (Cinderella’s Table, Jiko, Monsieur Paul, Hollywood Brown Derby), Citrico’s is the next to be booked. And let’s not forget that, as I alluded to in Part 1, it was thinking about having a cocktail in the lobby of the Grand Floridian and listening to the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra while waiting for our Citrico’s ADR that inspired me to come up with this crazy idea of recreating his favorite dining experiences in the first place!
Sean has been watching over my shoulder as I write these up (hence the snarky comment about the title), so I asked him to explain why we eat at Citrico’s so often. “It’s classy, but comfortable,” he immediately answered. “There is no pretense. There are great views of the resort, the yard, the pool, families doing cartwheels on the lawn, and at certain tables you can see the Magic Kingdom Fireworks. The food is accessible. I mean that in the sense that the cuisine, the culture, the comfortable atmosphere, and the price are all accessible to both a family meal or as a romantic dinner.” I completely agree, and would add in that the delicious food brings us back time after time. I love the partially-open kitchen, and the friendly, knowledgeable staff. We have serendipitously been seated in Javier’s section 9 times out of 10, and he always picks the best wines to pair with our meals. He’s one of a handful of our favorite, recognizable servers, but there is only one we ask for by name (see Jiko in Part 5).
A customize Citrico’s menu Javier presented to us during our honeymoon trip in 2016.
My WDW Dining@Home version
In looking at the online menu, I chose the Pâté appetizer, the Plancha-seared Beef Filet, and the Warm Chocolate Banana Torte because Sean ordered that the last time we were there. Sean will eat anything (again: see Jiko in Part 5 for more on that), but I tend to only order chicken or duck or pasta or vegetarian options, though I usually end up ordering scallops at Citirco’s because they are always presented in some new amazing dish. Knowing I was including scallops in a future meal (and not wanting Sean to feel he was cheated out of them this time), I “ordered” the same and opted to have the “chef” (me) alter mine to be chicken.
Here is where the fun really started for me. If you search the internet for exactly what the menus says, you’re not going to find a single recipe. You’re going to have to piece it together.
A photo we took in 2016 of the appetizer at Citrico’s
APPETIZER Thanks again to the Cheese Shop of Salem, I found a delicious Pâté. Watercress was notoriously hard to find in the store, so those are miniature mustard greens. I repurposed the onion jam from the entrée for the onion confit, and being the way I am (the kids call it “extra” I think?), I made a enormous sheet pan of focaccia and broke-out the stovetop grill plate just so I could have half a dozen grilled slices on the plate. My version of the appetizer is pictured at the top of this post as the feature image. That solid white chocolate Mickey Mouse statue was a gift from the Concierge during our anniversary trip in 2018. We’ve kept it in plastic displayed on the kitchen counter since carefully taking it home on the plane. This was its first (but not last) use as a centerpiece. Also pictured: the first week’s flowers.
My version of Plancha-seared Beef Filet with pepper crust, potato puree, broccolini, cippolini jam, and bordelaise sauce
Citrico’s version of the filet plating
Entrée Sean LOVES steak, and is very particular about how it is cooked when ordering it at a restaurant. Since I don’t eat a lot of red meat, it’s not something we had at home that often. If he is craving a steak and we can’t go out to have it (hello quarantine!), then he tries to make one at home. I have watched him struggle with expensive cuts that get overcooked, or cheap cuts that don’t cook evenly. He’s tried everything, and always seems to be disappointed in the result, so I spent hours searching for every tip and trick I could find. In researching this menu, I learned that a Plancha is a super hot wide metal plate, like a griddle, but hotter. For those of you paying attention, this is where the first weekend’s Cast Iron Skillet earns its keep. This post has some great tips, and I trusted in the cut of meat (be nice to your Whole Foods butcher), getting the right heat on the cast iron skillet, and paying attention. He claims it was one of the best he’s had, and that it was perfectly cooked. We have repeated this several times now, and so we have a permanent sticky note on the side of the fridge that just says:
The Chicken version
3 min. then 1 min. 425o 6 min (130o) Rest 5 min
In a very hot cast iron skillet, sear the filet mignon for 3 minutes on one side, then 1 minute on the other, place the skillet in a preheated 425 F oven for 5-6 minutes (internal temp should be 130 F for Medium-rare, 140 for Medium (it will rise another 5-10 degrees), let rest for 5 minutes on a plate or board.
DESSERT Again, I had seen all of these meals presented in the actual restaurant, so plating them was easy, if not very memorable, so I knew I had to make a statement with the dessert. Thankfully, the one I chose is well documented online, as guests love to take photos of it, and I’ve had it in the restaurant.
A photo we took of the dessert at Citrico’s in 2018
My version
I wanted a rich, dense, brownie-like warm torte, so I turned to this recipe, making them ahead (slightly undercooked), then warming them while we were eating dinner. I also made the banana ice cream (just frozen bananas blended with a touch of rum, frozen, blended, frozen, and blended again for smooth texture), and several versions of the chocolate lattice during the week leading-up to the dinner. On the day of, I secured the lattice and graham cracker dust on the plate, caramelized the bananas (in butter and sugar on the stove top), pre-scooped the ice cream (and stuck back in the freezer), warmed the torte and the hot fudge, then assembled it all after were were done eating the entrée.
Looking at the picture, I’m slightly embarrassed how wonky the lattice looks. It is certain I am no chocolatier, but I tried. Also, my bananas were definitely more caramelized, and my banana ice cream was made from actual banana, not banana flavoring, so it would never be bright white like theirs. But Sean loved all of it, and really, that’s all that matters.
On Saturday, Sean got a note on another piece of SHAG stationery, this time Jungle Cruise-themed, inviting him to join me for breakfast the next morning.
KONA Café Full disclosure: I love all things Hawai’ian, Modern Tiki culture, and the mix that Disney has brought together of authentic Polynesian culture and the fabricated kitsch of mid-Century Tiki design. While we haven’t stayed there (yet…), I drag Sean to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort every trip to spend an hour or so in the shop and drop a lot of money on souvenir mugs (and the rum that I have to drain out of them) at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. He also enjoys the resort, and is happy whenever we eat at The Kona Café. We can always get a table at the Kona Cafe, and it always a surprise to me, because the food is amazing, and since it overlooks the 2-story lobby of the Grand Ceremonial House, it’s a beautiful experience. Most families go for the Ohana restaurant, where meals are served family-style and characters from Lilo & Stitch roam the tables (fun!!), or they choose the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show in Luau Cove (amazing!). Several times we have walked into the Poly lobby thronged with large groups lounging on the furniture or getting their picture taken waiting for their Ohana seating, and have stepped right into Kona Café to be seated at a table without a reservation.
While the pan Asian/Polynesian cuisine served during lunch and dinner are perfect when you want a lighter meal, especially after spending time out in the Florida heat, it’s one particularly famous (and certainly not light) item on their breakfast menu that made me want to include Kona Café in the list: Tonga Toast.
My WDW Dining@Home Menu
If you have not experienced the Tonga Toast, let me break it down for you: Take half a loaf of unsliced white bread, cut a slit in it, fill it with sliced banana, soak it in eggs and cream (like French Toast), deep fry it, roll it in cinnamon & sugar, and drizzle with strawberry compote. That’s a serving for one person.
I ended up making a loaf of white bread from my grandmother’s recipe box (this one is a good substitute), slicing it into 5 or 6 slices (thick, but not HALF A LOAF), stuffing with banana, dipping in egg, and pan frying it (thanks again, cast iron skillet!) before dredging it in cinnamon & sugar. I made a strawberry compote (simmer together chopped strawberries, sugar, a little lemon juice, and vanilla until thickened, cool and store in a jar in the fridge) and the bread in the days leading-up to breakfast.
My version of Tonga Toast, a side of bacon, coffee, water, and POG juice.
So delicious, but we both crashed immediately after finishing breakfast and needed a nap, thanks to the carb & sugar overload.
Liliko’i Juice (Poly), Jungle Juice (Animal Kingdom) and Moonshine Juice are several names given to POG (equal parts Passion, Orange & Guava) Juice that is a staple at many Disney Resorts. I made a huge batch and froze half of it for summer time Trader Sam concoctions. You can see it in the photo on the top right of the menu. Because this was a breakfast, I set us up on the kitchen island again, but this time I laid-out some vintage Hawai’ian fabric I had as table cloths and played an appropriate playlist (I had many in my collections to choose from. Go for Alfred Apaka or Don Ho if you don’t mind lyrics, or search for Led Kaapana or other Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar masters for instrumental).
This was a fun weekend, and a nice progression from the relative ease of the first weekend to the complexity of the ambitious meals coming up. Will he bite off more than he can chew? Wait and see…
California Grill A very popular destination since 1971 (then known as the Top of the World Restaurant & Lounge) located on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, The California Grill offers unparalleled panoramic views, and outdoor roof terraces for viewing the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. Though Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower offers exclusive access and closer viewing, the angle and overall view is still better from California Grill, in my opinion. Of course, nothing beats being on Main Street to experience the projection mapping, lights, fireworks, and music, but I digress.
Menu, Logo & Cosmo circa.2011
As I mentioned in Part 1, the scheduling of the “at home ADRs” started from least complicated to most elaborate. “Least complicated” in this case equaled “made by someone else.” California Grill is known for its stellar wine list and clean, fresh, contemporary California cuisine. While we have eaten in the restaurant many times, we have also sat in the Lounge area for lighter fare and cocktails before watching the fireworks or heading into the Magic Kingdom for an evening event. I chose to recreate the Lounge experience for this first evening.
My menu (current 2020 logo) with Sean’s Martini
When Sean woke up on that Saturday morning, I left a card for him to open that had a drawing of a Cosmopolitan on it. We tend to pair our cocktails with the seasons, and summer is always Martinis (for him) and Cosmos (for me), and the clean lines and pop of color reminded me of the Contemporary. In the card, I told him to “meet me this evening at the California Grill for our first ADR, and be sure to check the dress code.”
Cheese Board from the California Grill, c.2011
When sitting in the Lounge, we typically order off of the Lounge menu, so I chose an amuse bouche of a Veggie Salad Roll (from Whole Foods), a charcuterie & cheese board, cocktails, and a small dessert trio (also from Whole Foods) to share. We are lucky to have The Cheese Shop of Salem in town (and even luckier that they deliver!), and while I did not stick entirely to the California theme in my cheese and charcuterie selections, I did have California wines available and built up the choices to make it more of a meal.
My WDW@Home 2020 version. See selections printed on the menu above.
The Veggie Salad Roll was a fresh, clean, vegetarian sushi-style roll wrapped in lettuce (not shown, sorry) which seemed very Californian to me, and the desserts (below), while maybe not accurate to the original menu, were close enough to convey the sense that we were there.
My Dessert Trio. Presentation is key, especially when it’s all store-bought.
You will notice that the dessert photo has a dramatic lighting effect, that is because the “lounge” was actually our living room coffee table. During the meal, I had a sunset video on the TV while a Disney Spotify playlist I created played over the speakers. When it came time for dessert, I turned off the lights and switched the TV and speakers to the Happily Ever After Fireworks.
When we travel to WDW, we will often start our vacation in the Magic Kingdom, or by watching the fireworks from Top of the World or California Grill, so this was the perfect beginning, and set the tone for the rest of the month. Because this evening’s dinner was store-bought and involved only assembly and presentation, I was able to “book” a hearty breakfast ADR for the following morning.
My WDW@Home menu
Whispering Canyon Café While we have only eaten in the Whispering Canyon Café a handful of times, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, where it is located, is very dear to our hearts, so I knew I had to find a way to represent it in my planning. In the overall story of the month, I had us staying at the Lodge this first weekend. We would have taken the boat from the Contemporary last night after dinner (what a spectacular view – go do an image search) and we’d be waking up in our room and heading down to the lobby for breakfast this morning.
Breakfast skillet from WCC. Photo from DisneyFoodBlog,com
In Part 1, you saw a screenshot of the planning spreadsheet and may have noticed that he received a gift AND a WDW@Home experience on this day. I can’t recall which came first, so this truly was a chicken & (scrambled) egg scenario. You see, we had lived up to this point without owning a cast iron skillet (!). I knew that it was the secret tool in the perfectly-prepared filet mignon coming up later in the month (not to mention the crispiest grilled cheese, skillet cornbread, chicken-under-a-brick…the list goes on…), so I ordered one. I had already planned a special breakfast for the second Sunday that was to be the only non-dinner event, but when the skillet arrived early and I realized we didn’t have the Wilderness Lodge represented, I had the idea of making the skillet a gift and to use it as the centerpiece to this meal.
My WDW@Home Skillet Breakfast presentation
Sean woke up to a pun card with a horse on the cover that said “Hay There.” Inside, there was a lot of “Howdy Partner…” this-and that, plus a warning to not ask for ketchup, because we were heading down to the lobby for a rollicking good time and an all-you-care-to-eat skillet breakfast!
Since the Saturday meal was relatively low-maintenance, I used the day to prep the potatoes for making home fries, made my Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit mix (I used dried buttermilk powder), cornbread, honey butter, and the sausage gravy. All sat in the refrigerator overnight so that in the morning, I’d have less to prepare.
Cornbread & honey Butter
I set the “table” on our kitchen island, as that is where we usually have weekend breakfasts together. First, I put the bacon in the oven (400F for ~20 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet). The cornbread was wrapped in foil and sat in the oven for a few minutes to warm, then was served with the honey butter while Sean had his Mimosa and coffee. While the bacon was cooking (oh the smell!!!), I added the appropriate amount of cold water to the chilled biscuit mix, kneaded it, shaped &, cut (yay Mickey cutters!) and put them on a baking sheet. When the bacon was done, I put it on paper towels to drain while I increased the oven temperature to 425 F to bake the biscuits. I warmed the sausage gravy on the stove, toasted the frozen (store bought) Mickey Waffles in the toaster, and skillet-roasted the potatoes (heat butter & oil, sauté cubed potatoes with minced garlic and onions over med-high heat 8-10 minutes, toss with garlic & onion powders, a pinch of paprika, salt & pepper). The potatoes and biscuits were done at the same time, so I heated some maple syrup before plating and presenting everything to Sean while I scrambled the eggs.
Mmm warm cheddar buttermilk Mickey biscuits….
Everything came out perfectly, but (like the real thing) it was way too much food! Proportions aside, don’t be intimidated by trying this. Remember: this was all breakfast food. You can easily change the décor, music, and plating to turn this into Chef Mickey’s, Donald’s Breakfastasaurus, or The Crystal Palace Breakfast with Pooh & Friends. Try it out with your family to add some Magic to your weekend breakfast.
My husband turned 50 in September 2020. For almost two years (since this impromptu trip), we had been planning an epic two week trip to Walt Disney World to celebrate, Friends and family were planning to come and join us when they could in staggered short trips during our stay. From the moment we decided to plan this trip, I had scrimped and saved every bit of extra cash that I could in preparation for my ultimate Birthday gift to him: Dinner at Victoria & Albert’s in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
Over the years, we have had many fine dining experiences at WDW, but we have only ever dreamed of eating at Victoria & Albert’s, as the cost was always prohibitive (especially on top of all other vacation expenses). When we started planning for his 50th, there was no question in my mind as to what I could surprise him with.
2020 had other plans for all of us.
As March of 2020 hit and cancellations started piling up, we held our breath (while wearing masks, of course), hoping that things would be better by our August trip. As things progressed, we altered our plans and hoped that a Christmas/New Year trip might be possible. When things turned from badto worse, we cancelled our plans altogether and put all of our hopes and dreams on an unknown dream of 2021 or 2022…
My heart grew heavier the closer we came to when our original trip was planned. We continued to watch old videos from some of our favorite WDW vloggers, but that quickly turned bittersweet. I struggled with trying to find anything we could do to celebrate this special birthday. I had bought him a few small gifts, but as we are actively trying to get rid of junk and clutter, that limited the gifts to being useful (read: boring) or something that he needed that he wouldn’t get for himself. Nothing I could come up with was special enough. In mid-August, I looked at the small pile of gifts and grabbed my calendar to figure out if we could set-up a surprise Zoom party or have an outdoor, socially-distant meal with friends. That’s when the idea hit me: in just 2 weeks from that point, we would be exactly one month from his birthday. I could create a month of birthdays for him!
The First Inspiration: The Month of Birthdays I laid out the calendar in a spreadsheet (obviously) and started plotting-in when I would give him the few gifts I already had. School would be starting for him (a very stressful time) just as I began the celebrations, so I knew to start with the gifts that would be useful for that time (his wish list included file folders, desk organizers, and a USB microphone for remote teaching). I had a pile of blank greeting cards and stationary that I have accumulated over the years (in other words: horded. See above note on getting rid of junk…), so I decided that I should give him a different card every day! We always send each other flowers to our workplaces for special occasions, but capacity restrictions at his work meant that he couldn’t spend time any time at his office desk, so they would be unappreciated. I called our local florist (who made the boutonnieres for our wedding) and set up a delivery of flowers every Wednesday for the 4 weeks to come to our home, so he could enjoy them here. I had a set of 4 matching blank cards with a floral print on them that seemed perfect for the Wednesday cards announcing that flowers would be coming that day, so I added a column to the spreadsheet and started planning-out which cards I’d use each day (see photo below).
As I looked at the calendar, there were many days where he only got a card, with large gaps between (boring) gifts. Hoping for inspiration, I looked through the cards again and tried to let their covers tell me what I should write, or when I should use them. I had three related gifts in the crystal cocktail mixing glass, cocktail spoon, and the Nick & Nora glasses, but I wanted to spread them out and give them on a few different days. Seeing a gold-embossed card in the pile, I immediately thought of us sitting in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, sipping Manhattans from Mizner’s (RIP) while listening to The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. Inspiration struck again!
The Second Inspiration: Bringing WDW Dining To Us Most likely, you have seen the many ways that families and individuals “recreated” their cancelled Disney vacations during the coronavirus pandemic. While we certainly enjoy the attractions, one of the first things we make sure we have planned is all of our Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs). I won’t say that our days revolve around food, but a scoring a coveted reservation often narrates what we plan for the rest of that day at Disney.
Other than Victoria & Albert’s, what other ADRs would we have made for our trip? My mind jumped into overdrive as I grabbed the spreadsheet. His actual birthday would be on a Monday, but there were 5 weekends in the calendar that screamed opportunity! I made of list of our favorite WDW restaurants, then narrowed them down to those that (1) meant the most to us and (2) added variety. I planned the “at home ADRs” from least complicated to most elaborate, with a nod to the order in which we would probably include them in our vacation, then correlated the gifts I’d already bought (plus 2 or 3 more) that could tie-in.
With these points plotted into the spreadsheet, several storylines started to take shape. When I was happy with the order and timing of everything, I sat down and wrote-out the first 25 of the 32 cards, weaving in stories and clues that would lead to each dining experience, deciding that they would all be a surprise until he received that morning’s card with the reveal. I wrapped and tagged the existing gifts with their dated corresponding card, searched and ordered for the 2 or 3 items that occurred to me while planning, and made a few more bowties (I had already given him several sets of matching masks and bowties I had made for him for school) to fill-out the missing gaps in the gift schedule. All this was done with a week or so before the festivities would begin. Not being a patient person, I was dying to get started!
Meal Planning While all of this plotting was great fun (shoutout to my peeps!), the real fun was just beginning. Now that I had committed myself to 8 WDW Dining Experiences, I spent all of my free time researching online menus for each restaurant, then developing ways to recreate them. The basic planning for each experience followed this process:
Find online menus through Disney Dining, AllEars, WDW Dining, with preference going to the most recent (before the shut-down) or the most seasonally appropriate (Autumn, in this case).
Choose the menu items that I think we would order, as if we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan (one appetizer, entrée, and dessert each). If this wasn’t a surprise, I probably would have let him choose his meals a few days ahead.
Find photos or videos of the chosen meals (very important for the next steps).
Using the menu descriptions and the found imagery, develop possible ingredients list to find similar recipes and plan plating/garnishing/presentation.
Search for recipes as close to the menu as possible and alter to more closely resemble the desired outcome. In some cases, finding just the technique or the ingredients to a particular spice blend was the closest I could get.
Using final menu and recipes, plan a shopping list for each experience. Some ingredients needed to be specially ordered, or were needed for several of the meals, so this step was key.
Create an execution plan for the days leading up to the meal and on the day of. I am only one person, so I was shopper, sous chef, maître d’, sommelier, waiter, head chef, pastry chef, Garde Manger, potager, etc. I was also working full-time, so even though I planned the meals on weekends, most of the prep work had to/could be done in the week leading-up. I managed to make sorbets, dumplings, sauces, marinated items, and completed anything that could be prepared ahead of time during my lunch breaks or after our weeknight dinners. Even the most straight-forward dinner party or meal could turn from stressful to enjoyable if you plan every detail beforehand. Since I would also be joining Sean for all but one of the meals, I needed to time everything perfectly so it had a chance to go smoothly.
Print the menu, set the table, turn on the appropriate playlist, and enjoy!
Following this approach, I amassed a lot of information. I saved all recipes found online in a folder for each restaurant or noted cookbook names and pages on the spreadsheet so I could easily find them. These folders also held the draft menus I created for each meal, jpgs or scans of menu headers and restaurant logos, along with any photos I had for really complex presentations.
A sample of the spreadsheet/master list. Green rows were days with gifts, dull orange days were the WDW@Home Dining Experience days, yellow for flower delivery days, and white were just cards. The Other column held reminders to use in the cards, or for certain actions, and the card names were to help me plan which ones to use before I wrote them, and to remind me what they were once they were sealed. There were tabs for each restaurant as well, with possible menu items, backup choices, and ingredient sources.
As things grew more complex, I transferred information from the spreadsheet to a $1 Composition Notebook, devoting a full page to each day of the month-long celebration. Some days just had the card name and a reminder note of what it said. Days leading up to the meals had shopping lists, prep work, reminders to wash certain dishes *(or outfits), create playlists, or print menus. Dining days had lists and timings to complete the meal prep and serve it all on time and at temperature.
I know I’ve spent a lot of time going over the planning, but it really was all of this prep work that turned the whole idea from a dauntingly impossible task to a successful and rewarding experience. Now that YOU are prepared, let’s dive into the experiences.
Probably, like me, you thought Virtual Happy Hours were a good idea for keeping-up morale and for giving a forum for casual, non-work conversations. It was a place for the water cooler talk, where you can catch-up on gossip, and maybe overhear some tidbits and gain insights into projects you were all working on separately.
For us, the first few went well and were fun for everyone participating. Then Zoom Fatigue kicked in, and the last thing anyone wanted to do was to spend even more time in front of the computer, even if it was for a (some would consider forced) social call.
When we started, it was great to see and interact with those colleagues that I didn’t directly work with, but had shared an office space with in The Before Time. We all had stories to tell, and lots to catch-up on, so it had an easy, casual flow to it. As the instigator, I felt as though I always had to host this virtual open house party, so I would diligently pour myself something to sip, fill my water bottle, adjust my lighting, and sign on early. I would minimize the screen and continue working on a project until someone else signed on, or I would completely shut-down work so I wouldn’t look at it, as if we were actually meeting at a bar.
After an initial success, attendance eventually dropped down to the same 3 or 4 of us. Two of us saw each other several times a day, so we relied on others joining. Sometimes there was an existing work tension between some of the people that logged on. In a larger group, that would have been diluted, but more than once I was the the one on the virtual bar stool between two warring factions. I was Switzerland. When it became the same group every time, we started cancelling them more often, making them less frequent, or tried to change the day and time to accommodate others. When that failed, they just ended.
There are a few valuable lessons and skills I observed while hosting these drop-in sessions that can work to make awkward social gatherings (virtual or otherwise) FLOW better for everyone:
Facilitate the discussion. Be the unobtrusive host, if there isn’t one identified. As an extrovert surrounded by introverted friends, I have learned how to keep parties going by identifying those that would be comfortable engaging in conversation, and sprinkling seeds about things they get excited or talkative about. Bring like-minded individuals together by bringing-up something you know about each of them that they didn’t know they had in common. Coerce a story you may have heard a million times out of someone in front of a timid audience that hasn’t heard it. Don’t force, but facilitate smooth, relaxed conversations.
Listen when someone is speaking. This seems like a no-brainer, but so many people are bad listeners. We all know someone that loves to hear themselves speak, or lives to one-up every story. They are typically the ones that ask “How was your weekend?” only so they can tell you about theirs. You can see them waiting for their turn to talk. In a Zoom meeting, you can see everyone (in gallery view) at the same time. That means that when I am talking, I can clearly see you checking your email, texting or playing a game on your phone, or talking to someone off-camera. Think of how incredibly rude it would be if we were all in person and you opened your laptop or started playing a game on your phone in front of the person talking. Just because this is a social situation, and you are interacting virtually, doesn’t mean you have to be disrespectful. Listen to each other and be present where you (virtually) are.
Own what you say, be open to new ideas and respect other’sopinions. These go for everyone at any time, not just at happy hour. Again, you’d think that this is pretty easy and straight forward. If you are going to state your own opinion, then make sure you mean it, because others will disagree or have differing opinions they will share. Don’t spout off some popular opinion that you don’t really believe, as you may just get called on it, and don’t be absolute in your opinions. If you say “Grape jelly is the only appropriate choice in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!” you had better be sure about it because someone else will say “No, strawberry!” or “Almond butter and orange marmalade is better.” be respectful and open to other opinions. (To make this ‘argument’ more realistic, insert ANY political opinion)
Work should stay AT WORK. This is a hard one. Think of What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas. – use this time to unwind from work. Don’t use this time to complain about your job, or, more importantly, about other workers. Unlike the aforementioned Vegas slogan, what is said in the (virtual) bar, could easily find its way to the office – to a boss or to the one they are talking about. This should be a time for office bonding. It is acceptable to bond over workloads, or Mondays, or long weeks, etc. but steer clear of specifics, especially if they could break bonds. Two people complaining about a co-worker with three others over drinks could easily become five against one when everyone returns to the office. That’s not the type of bonding you want. Stick to non-work discussions.
Have you hosted or participated in a virtual social situation for work? With the holidays coming up, I assume most of us will be forced to attend at least one. I’d love to hear your thoughts or any tips and tricks you’ve learned in the comments below.
If you’ve seen any of my previous posts on volunteering at the Haunted Happenings/Salem Main Streets Visitor Information Booth, or this hopeful post from 2019 exclaiming how Halloween 2020 was going to be epic (5 weekends AND a Full Moon on a Saturday Halloween?!?!?), then you can probably guess that my depression grew deeper and deeper as October came closer and the cases were increasing.
At the end of August, our Mayor cancelled the October 1st Haunted Happenings Parade and the Halloween Night Fireworks (the official beginning and ending of the season, respectively). The weekend street fairs then were cancelled and moved to online marketplaces. Businesses were given strict regulations on capacity inside their stores as well as their outdoor queues, and all restaurants had to serve guest outdoors at distanced tables. Given that many Salem businesses rely on the October Tourist money for a majority of their annual earnings, it was a difficult time for everyone. We even canceled the Info Booth.
In an effort to keep the city safe and keep the crowds away, the city cancelled all outside advertisements and promotions, however, the crowds still came and stood in line to visit shops and restaurants. Attractions and walking tours had to go to a timed reservation model, many of which sold out within minutes of going live. Destination Salem launched an app they had been developing to help tourists navigate the city. It proved invaluable, especially since it sent notifications as soon as attractions or tours sold out.
I highly recommend downloading the app if you ever come to visit Salem – at any time of year – you can filter the maps to whatever it is you are interested in, and it links directly to event, attraction, restaurant, shop, and tour websites.
It became clear that people would come, no matter the circumstances. Massachusetts had a travel ban on several of the surrounding states, and there were strict rules about travelers flying in, but still we had people driving up from New Jersey and New York for the day without any plans or reservations. The Mayor and Haunted Happenings staff made the media rounds declaring that Halloween in Salem was cancelled and to please stay home, pleading with people to postpone trips until another time or for October 2021. Still, the crowds came. Attractions that went online for reservations at midnight, were sold out within minutes, or had their websites crash with all of the sudden, concentrated attention. The city closed all public parking garages at 10am on the weekends leading up to Halloween. With sidewalks being used for outdoor seating at the restaurants, or for the queues to get into shops, many streets were blocked off or temporarily made to be one-way, even the pedestrian street. Still, the crowds came. The city mandated that all downtown businesses must close at 5pm on weekends, with restaurants allowed to stay open until 10pm. Still, the crowds came.
This image appeared on billboards along the routes into Salem, and made the rounds on local news stations.
Because people were showing up and facing long wait times, sold out attractions, and uncomfortable crowds, it was decided that the Info Booth should be reinstated, but in an altered form. We set-up an awning outside the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center (which had to close it’s exhibits, screenings, National Parks Info Desk, and restrooms for safety, so was only open as a shop with limited hours), and worked in shifts of 2 (typically, we would have 4). Using the app, we would update a dry erase board with a list of sold-out attractions. We had maps and “I wore my mask in Salem” stickers, as well as hand sanitizer and posters promoting the app. I refused to hand anything out, or to touch anyone else’s map, so I brought a pointer that I had attached a small pointing hand to. Other volunteers brought laser pointers or used a pen.
Tourists would walk up, see the board of unavailable attractions, and they would all ask the same thing:
What ISN’T sold out?
The first thing to sell-out every weekend was The Salem Witch Museum, so I would tell them this story: “One of the most popular questions during a normal season is ‘Where is the Witch Museum?’, to which we all like to respond: ‘Which Witch Museum?‘ You see, we have several. The Salem Witch Museum is sold out, but we also have the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch History Museum, the Salem Wax Museum, and the Salem Witch Village. In addition (in normal years), Cry Innocent at Old Town Hall is a live reenactment of one of the witch trials, the Peabody Essex Museum is currently showing a special exhibition of artifacts from the trials (through April 4, 2021).
The other popular one this year (typically from the NY and NJ families that drove up without any plans):
We just got here. What should we do?
My favorite response to that was: “Well, what are your expectations for today?” I didn’t come up with that one, but I used it a lot, and it was very effective. I could usually steer them in the right direction finding out what they were interested in. I can see using this question during normal years as well.
Alongside having a knowledge of Salem, a friendly, approachable attitude, and a willingness to deal with the Public and all their foibles and demands, the most important part of the gig is the Costume!
I have amassed quite a collection of costumes, so I can easily grab one, but a lot of them are dependent on weather. Some are nice and warm for those chilly October days, and some are thin and cool for those Global Warming October days. I try to rotate my costumes throughout the season, so I’m not wearing the same thing each shift, and I try to add a new one to the rotation each year. Each year, I find myself working during a rain storm, and each year, I struggle to find and outfit that works. I had an epiphany during a cold rainy shift in 2019 – one of those days that the rain blows sideways and umbrellas turn inside-out. I could be the Gorton’s Fisherman! I’ve had the yellow overalls, jacket, and Sou’wester hat in my “buy later” list for a long time. I could easily whiten my beard and stick a box of fish sticks to my bag or something. When it looked like Halloween wasn’t happening this year, I didn’t go through with it. Maybe I will for 2021.
The first shift’s outfit is traditionally what I have come to call “Ambassador Witch” This was the first costume I put together for the Info Booth, and it now feels like my uniform (this year with the addition of a mask).
Ambassador Witch (2020 version)
Since this year’s shifts were so last-minute, and I didn’t want to repeat, I went to social media to ask my friends to vote for the next outfits:
6 Variations in Search of an Answer: (l to r, top row) Trade Merchant, Ravenclaw Alumnus (modern), Ravenclaw Alumnus (vintage) (l to r, bottom) Kilted Autumnal Ren Faire Mishmash, Herbology Professor, Norma(n) Desmond
I told everyone that I would wear the outfit that got the most votes (with a caveat about the weather). Norma(n) Desmond got the most votes (obviously), but that outfit requires a cool, dry day, so I had to go with the runner-up:
It was a VERY warm day, so the “natural air conditioning” really was the best choice
Because there were not a lot of us that were willing to volunteer, I was scheduled to work on Halloween day. It was my hope that I could wear Norma(n) Desmond (I made a much better matching mask and turban than in the above picture), but the day started with rain and it was very chilly, so wearing satin pajamas, slippers, and a satin kimono* that dragged behind me didn’t seem like the best idea, so I went with one of the Ravenclaw outfits:
Forgive the spooky frame and low quality.
The only things I made on this outfit were the hat and the mask. The blue Vintage Ravenclaw robe is based on the Fantastic Beasts movies. I purchased the robe and the tie at Remember Salem. My “wand” was the telescoping pointer with tiny hand I used each shift for pointing out all of the Hocus Pocus film locations on the guests’ maps. It was a big hit. What you can’t see is the Marauder’s Map backpack I made filled with disposable gloves, bottled water, extra maps (for walking to/from the booth), stickers, and a carabiner bottle filled with hand sanitizer.
Halloween Info Booth by the Numbers:
For those of you who are new to this, each shift is 2 hours long, and we have a clicker to count guests. If you are asked a question, or offer help to someone, you click it for the number of people in their group. So one easy question for a family of 8 or a dance troupe of 20 can really add up. Each of the numbers below are the totals for each shift. There are 2 listed on the 17th because someone called-in sick, and I didn’t want someone to handle the second shift alone, so I pulled a double.
October 3rd: 137 (Ambassador Witch) October 17th: 277 (Black & White Beetlejuice Suit, top hat, black shirt, cravat & pocket square – seen here) October 17th: 215 (ditto) October 24th: 301 (Kilted Autumnal Ren Faire Mishmash) October 31st: 301 (Ravenclaw Alumnus, vintage)
Total for 2020: 1,231 people helped over 5 shifts (10 hours).
In comparison: 2019: 1,388 over 5 shifts (10 hours). 2018: 1,967 over 6 shifts (12 hours). I don’t have the 2016 and 2017 numbers. Also, these are all the “official” numbers. I wear my “Ask Me, I’m a Local” button anytime I’m walking around Salem, and because I am aggressively helpful, I stop to help loads of people on my way to and from the booth (hence the extra maps and stickers in my bag), so add a few dozen to each of those numbers.
You will notice that the numbers are not that far off 2019 to 2020, considering we were in a pandemic. Given the nice weather, the extra weekend, and the Saturday Full Moon Halloween, it is clear that this would have been a Haunted Happenings for the record books, had things been normal.
All-in-all, I am glad that I was able to get out and help people, especially since my free (to Salem residents) Covid-19 tests all came back negative.
Fingers crossed for a safe 2021 Halloween!
*I made Norma(n) Desmond on a lark. I had been working from home since March 12, 2020, and hadn’t left the house to do anything, so I remarked to a friend (on Zoom) that “If I’m forced to live like an eccentric recluse, I’m going to start dressing like one!” When my quarantine hair was out of control, I watched a video to learn how to tie a turban as a joke. I had already made a cotton kimono out of some Hawaiian fabric I had, and had designed and made a caftan just to learn how to do it. So, when I saw this video of Glenn Close, I knew I HAD to make that outfit (or something close to it):
I wore it one night (slightly drunk) while watching the original movie and once on Zoom as a surprise for a friend’s birthday. Since then, I’ve added gloves and a ring and upgraded the turban, so if you come to Salem in 2021 or beyond, maybe you’ll see it in person…
All we can do is our best to keep ourselves, and each other, safe.
My husband is a teacher, and the school has decided that he will teach in person and that the students will be grouped into 2 cohorts and will rotate 2 days live/2 days virtual. His classroom had markings on the floor where he can stand and his students sit (desks will not be moved), with multiple cameras and a TV screen at the back (so he can see the students at home) and front (so the students can see the other students?), plus 3 cameras: teacher, students, board. The school put in a lot of money to outfit these classrooms and create procedures that keep the faculty and students safe. He feels safe and is proud of what the school has put in place.
To keep us both healthy and safe, here are the protocols we have implemented (adapted from a friend’s wife, who is married to a nurse) for his arrival home (any grocery shopping, gas fill-ups, etc. are done on the way from school to home):
HIM: Walk in, go directly to the guest bathroom to strip and shower, putting all of his clothes and his cloth mask (the disposable liner will have been disposed of at school) into a sealed laundry basket or zip-top bag.
ME: (Wearing gloves and a mask) disinfect the outside back door handle, the inside door handles and anything else he may have touched on his way in. Once every few days (to be determined), I will collect the laundry bin or sealed bag and put it directly into the laundry, and disinfect the laundry basket with each load. Shoes will be kept in a covered bin that stays in the back hallway (sprayed with Lysol when possible).
He is tested at school twice a month. I have access to free testing through the city of Salem whenever I need or want it, so we will monitor our results.
I don’t know how long we will keep this up, or what changes we may need to make to it, but I thought I would share, in case anyone else is dealing with a similar situation. If you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments below.
PLEASE NOTE: At this time, there is an Emergency Order in Salem where masks must be worn Downtown or in City Parks. Pioneer Village is located in Forest River Park, one of the mask required zones.
Constructed in 1930 to mark the tercentennial (300 year anniversary) of the arrival of the Winthrop Fleet in June of 1630 (Salem was founded in 1626), Pioneer Village is America’s first living history museum, predating the nearby House of the Seven Gables, and inspiring the much larger Old Sturbridge Village and Plimouth Plantation museums.
“The village sits on three acres of land and contains various examples of colonial architecture: dugouts, wigwams, thatched roof cottages, and the Governor’s Faire House. Culinary and medicinal gardens and a blacksmith shop further interpret early 17th-century colonial life. “
The construction, while not using historic tools, did rely on local materials and historic design elements. It is also not a recreation of an actual village, but an approximation of how one from that time may have been laid-out. There is definitely the feeling of a movie set about the place, and there is very good reason for that: It was built specifically for a live performance to coincide with the celebrations being held across the city for the anniversary. A man-made pond was added for verisimilitude and so the actor’s voices would carry across to the park beyond.
Speaking of movie sets – Pioneer Village has famously been featured in Hocus Pocus (1993) and Mass Hysteria (2019), as well as numerous television productions, most recently in season 2 of Hulu’s Castle Rock (2019). A full list of productions filmed in Salem (not just Pioneer Village) can be found here.
Back to the performance: Audience members sat in the park and watched the re-creation of what Salem may have looked like in June 1630 when the Winthrop Fleet arrived. A replica of the Arbella (long since disintegrated and sunk) sat nearby in the harbor (or maybe actually sailed as part of the pageant?). When the scheduled performances were finished, the public was so enamored with the village that the City of Salem decided to save the site from redevelopment and has committed to preserve it in perpetuity.
Not much else is known about the pageant content, as far as I could find. One could guess that it included Winthrop repeating passages from A Model of Christian Charity (a sermon he gave before departing England), interactions with the Naumkeag, and the daily life, professions, and struggles of the villagers. The village’s creator, historian George Francis Dow, must have written the script, having written extensively on daily life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Pioneer Village has had many iterations and stewards over the years, including historic reenactment troupes, a local college’s drama department, local Preservation Societies, and the city government. Today, it is run by The Witch House (we could spend a whole post just on that building and its name), where, in non-pandemic times, you could purchase a dual attraction ticket that includes admission and guided tours for both. While the two attractions are 1.6 miles apart from each other, they are easily accessible via the Salem Trolley.
Today, the pond is now almost entirely hidden by reeds – the quacking of ducks the only indication there is water there – and the reeds hide most of the village from view. From the parking lot (currently free of charge), there is a newly-constructed (2019) walkway and bridge brings you through the reeds up to to a gate that reads “PIONEER VILLAGE: Salem in 1630” (see top photo). During this pandemic, the attraction is open limited hours for self-guided tours only. Entrance admission is a suggested donation of $5. I was happy to see that the cauldron was full of cash.
Using the free printed Self Guided Tour (one double-sided sheet of paper), you could wander around at your leisure, but since there were other groups in the village on this day, we had to follow a specific path, so our first stop is the Gift Shop (typically the last stop on any tour):
The Gift Shop is a small one-room building with a reed-thatched roof, holding envelopes of herbs, books, calendars, guides, and other items for sale.
Heading up the small rise behind the gift shop, we come to The Wigwam:
English additions to the Naumkeag wetus include wooden doors, English-style furniture and stone hearths. The wetus would have had the fire in the center. This example is “incomplete” so you can see the inside by looking through the walls.
The early English settlers certainly interacted with, and learned a lot from, the Naumkeag, the indigenous people of the area associated with the Pawtucket, Wompanoag, and Massachusett. This is evidenced by their survival in the harsh wilderness and their use of native plants and crops that were unfamiliar to them. The Naumkeag were a semi-nomadic tribe, creating seasonal structures called wetus (wigwam is the word for “house” in the Abenaki tribe, another Algonquin-speaking tribe from northern New England/Canada) that could easily be built in new locations with the abundant materials at hand. The English settlers took these seemingly “abandoned” structures and added doors, wooden furniture, and stone hearths. These structures served as their dwellings until their wooden structures could be built.
Here, up in the woods, there are also some remnants of former dwellings. There is a fire pit just off the path, as well as a clearing that used to hold the dugout houses for the animals and some of the settlers.
As we descend the path from the wigwam back down to the main path, we next come to The Governors Faire House and Garden:
The garden represents one created for survival, containing many herbs used for medicinal and culinary purposes (this one is a parsley shy of being a Simon & Garfunkel song), as well as a few native crops (not shown). In addition to growing crops, they would have had sheep for wool, cows for milk and meat, a beast of burden for ploughing, as well as the fish of the ocean and game of the land.
The house is historically unique. It is based on the original plans of the first two-story house to be built in New England. It was originally built in what is now Gloucester, MA sometime between 1620-1625. In 1628, John Endicott (sometimes Endecott), the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ordered the house to be dismantled, moved, and rebuilt in Salem to become the Governor’s House. It was extensively remodeled and expanded over the years, but this replica was created through the research of the Pioneer Village creator George Francis Dow. Sadly, the actual Governor’s House was lost in the Great Salem Fire of 1914, but I found these photos of the interior c. late 1800s. The name “The Governors Faire House” comes from an account by Rev. Francis Higginson, who arrived in Salem with his Puritan settlers in 1629 found in the annals of Salem: “we found a faire house newly built for the Governor.” No doubt, Dow included this house in the center of the village because it was in this house that Winthrop and his party ate their first meal after arriving. They dined on venison, beer, and fresh strawberries, according to his diaries. Let’s take a look inside:
The house is divided into 2 rooms on the ground floor. In the current iteration of the museum, the second floor is used by the staff and is not accessible to visitors. On the left side room, they have highlighted the role of women in colonial America by showcasing the cooking hearth (central chimney), food stores, textiles, a Bible, the many herbs and spices used for medicines, and the bed because… well… birth, life and death all happen there.
The self-guided tour sheet, rather than explaining the items in the room, uses this opportunity to explain how very difficult life was for women at this time. Beyond their overall oppression and inability to own anything, their lives and health were constantly at risk as they were encouraged to “birth the new world.” In contrast, a native woman owned her own property, her own home, her own crops, and took part in tribal discussions (voting) – all the things denied to the colonial woman. Ironically, the colonial women still saw them as savage or living under lesser circumstances than themselves.
The right side room (also with a fireplace in the central chimney, not shown) highlights the Puritan authority and the world of men. In this room, we have classroom (every person was taught to read the Bible), some hunting spoils, and a place for prayer. Outside the house is a pillory for criminals and those who act against God.
The Puritan way was one of intolerance towards others, whether divided by gender, race, or creed. They even disapproved of other Christian sects. They thought the natives were, by default, worshiping the devil because they were not able to read or understand the Bible.
“Their intolerance and draconian punishments extended even to their own kind. Adulterers could be put to death, thieves could be branded and scolding women could be put in the stocks or pillory and publicly made a spectacle of.”
Pioneer Village Self-Guided Tour handout
Next to the garden is a fire pit, likely for creating medicines from the garden or communal cooking. With the stools and benches, and the collection of cauldrons, it looks like a communal space:
Close by is a small one-room dwelling with it’s own meager garden that is set-up with examples of daily chores and children’s things:
Here we find a butter churn, wool being carded, woodworking benches, a saw, a vice, what looks like a hat block, and various toys: dolls, paddles, beanbags, bowling, and hoops.
Across from this dwelling is the Blacksmith:
Tools were important to building a settlement: shovels, hoes, pitchforks, hammers, saws, axes, nails, hinges, cooking pots, etc. all served their purpose, and the Blacksmith could repair items that the settlers brought with them. This smithy is located with its back to where they original audience would have been, and I am not sure when it would have been added or moved. It is in a perfect spot, away from the other buildings and directly next to the pond, but it’s situation in the original tableau would block several buildings.
Next to the blacksmith is a fire pit with a cauldron hanging from a tall wooden tripod. Like the larger pit next to the garden, nothing is mentioned of this in the brief guide, though there is a line attached to a nearby tree, perhaps for drying dyed wool, or animal skins:
Similarly, there is no mention of what this small building could be:
Though this vintage postcard says it was once known as “Lady Arbella’s House.” Note the placement of the tripod fire pit. Maybe it used to be hers.
There is also no explanation for this final building:
Is this a stable? A dairy house? Grain storage? With the shingled roof, multiple windows, and hobnail door, I also thought it could be the meeting house. I do know that at one time it was used for the staff to get into costume and to eat their lunches out of sight of the guests.
Having reached the end of the “road” in the village (the fence you see in the background leads out to the harbor and a boat launch – not very period), we head back towards the entrance, passing the houses and gardens and leaving via the small bridge that once was the entrance to the village (note that the pillory and stocks have moved around a lot over the years).
As we pass the gift shop and the administration cottage, and pass under the archway out of the gate, we leave 1630 and enter back into 2020, a time of disease, gender oppression, racism, religious intolerance, and inequality. Have we learned nothing in 390 years?
I hope that you will take the time to make a day trip to Pioneer Village. It is definitely one of the best Hocus Pocus filming locations for photos in Salem (the others are exterior residences or buildings) if you are making that pilgrimage.
Note: This is the second installment of a two part series. Part 1 can be found here.
Background: In an earlier post from April, I offered advice on creating a “Verifiable Weekend” while working from home by either creating or breaking routines (if you missed it, I suggest taking a look at Making Time When It All Blends Together – the weekend section is at the end). With all of our travel plans cancelled and the inability to leave (or return to) the state without a 72-hour COVID-19 negative test, health attestation application, or 14-day quarantine, I have not really thought about taking vacation time. As the end of Summer looms here in New England, and as the Zoom fatigue starts bearing down, however, maybe now is the time to take some time away. I blocked time in my boss’ calendar to make sure she took some time off to de-stress and re-center. I should do the same for myself, and so should you.
Part 2: What if you can leave your house, but can’t leave the state?
Part 1 focused on suggestions for those that have to stay at home. Part 2 will broaden the scope to those that are healthy enough to travel locally, but cannot cross state lines. Since I live in Salem, I will be highlighting day trips within Massachusetts – however, I hope the ideas might inspire you to search for similar trips in your area.
Where to begin?
Planning: The key to any successful trip, in my opinion, is very careful planning. I chose those words intentionally – I am not saying completely planning every moment, but thinking strategically about the entire trip and being carefully selective in planning key elements. Taking the time to research and make these plans ahead of your vacation will ensure that your time on vacation is spent relaxing and enjoying yourself.
One thing that is very important to schedule: Serendipity. Wait, what?!? “But Eric!”(I hear you say) “Serendipity is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. How can I schedule that?!” When planning your vacation, be sure to schedule free time to let unexpected things happen.
Consider these scenarios: After arriving at your destination, a local gives you a suggestion of something you simply must do when you are there. If you’ve scheduled every moment, you would be forced to chose whether or not to cancel one of your plans to fit the new adventure in. Or maybe, because you’ve scheduled so many activities or tours, there is no time to enjoy the beautiful pool, the fire pit, or the hot tub where you are staying. What if something took longer than you expected on your Day 1 itinerary? If you’ve scheduled serendipity for Day 3, you can go back and finish anything you skipped, or go back to check out that quirky-looking antique book store that you quickly passed during the hidden secrets walking tour.
Or, if you are adventurous, you can throw caution to wind and play Lobby Brochure Roulette! Each member of your party closes their eyes and grabs a random brochure, then everyone agrees on one of those chosen (depending on cost, distance, if reservations are needed, physical limitations, etc), and that is what you are doing for the day! As a very good friend of ours used to say:
Let whimsy be your blind date!
James Nance, Gentleman & Scholar
Of course, please also schedule downtime. If you go on three major hikes in three days, you are going to need some time to rest and recover.
Day Trips
A few years ago, I noticed that we worked so hard during the week that we never thought about the weekend until we were in it. Sick of wasting time, and longing to do some of the things we always talked about doing, I filled a jar with day trip ideas. The plan was that we would choose one (Friday night or early in the morning) and that would be what we would do. Here is the list I came up with all those years ago, in case you want to start your own Day Trip Jar (again, this is only going to appeal to the Massachusetts crowd, but note there are some out-of-state options included): DAY TRIPS
Here in Massachusetts, we are in phase 3, step 1 of reopening, which allows for restaurants (indoor and outdoor), hotels, museums, gyms, outdoor venues, and movie theaters to be open. All businesses that have been allowed to open so far have been given very specific and strict restrictions and regulations to keep both their employees and the public safe.
Please research and adhere to all regulations posted by each place you visit. Most businesses require you to wear a mask when in their establishment, and to practice social distancing requirements. A good rule of thumb, when in doubt, is to wear your mask and stay 6 feet from others, even if it is not required. Be a good citizen. Protect yourself and help to protect others.
Finding the Fun:Vacations should be relaxing, yes, but they should also be fun. Whether you have a family, are a solo traveler, or it’s just the two of you, remember to play.
Play Tourist: Is there a museum, attraction, or historic spot in your own home town that you have never been to because that’s for tourists?! Well now is your chance to be a tourist. In all likelihood, the crowds that usually flock to these places are not doing so right now, so you will have the luxury of it not being crowded, and you will be supporting your local economy. Find a walking tour, either self-guided, or by a local expert. We are lucky enough to have Salem Food Tours, and I expect the nationwide trend of eating/playing/drinking locally means that you probably have one in your city, or one nearby. Maybe you can find a tour of haunted places, or hop on a Segway, a trolley, a kayak, a schooner, or a duck boat that brings you all around the city. You’ll be surprised at the things you learn, and you’ll be better prepared with options when you have future visitors that are looking for something to do.
Play Photojournalist: Here on this blog, I tend to let the photos speak for themselves (see Salem Willows, Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial in Danvers, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, for examples), usually because I’ve taken too many photos! Try to be more like the staff of The Atlantic: take your camera (or camera phone) with you and take photos of everything you see, noting special details on a small pocket notebook (or in your phone’s Notes), so when you get home, you can create a full narrative of your day. Try making a short slideshow video with narration or subtitles and post it to YouTube, or start a blog and write-out a full story, weaving the photos throughout. If you are a savvy social media Influencer, create interest in your content by posting the photos in a series, releasing one photo at a time with accompanying captions on Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Heck, you could even create your own book to give as gifts! In the same way that playing tourist in a familiar place can make you see things you’ve overlooked, photographing something with the intent to convey the feeling and sense of a place to someone else can be a wonderful exercise in seeing the world in a unique and meaningful way.
Play Researcher: We don’t have children, but this is definitely the kind of thing we would do with them on a regular basis if we did:
1. Pick a location.
2. Go to the Library (or the internet, if your libraries aren’t open) and do research pertinent to that location.
3. Visit the location, where the Researcher acts as guide and teacher for everyone else.
Examples: Pick a historic place and have the researcher point out the things they learned in their research. Find an autobiography of a local person and visit their home, or all of the local places mentioned in the book. Choose a specific period/style/culture and visit an art, history, or science museum, where the researcher acts as docent. Learn about local flora and fauna and take a walk in a nearby forest, beach, or tide pool, where the researcher can identify specimens. Choose one animal or a remote location (like the Serengeti) and visit a zoo where the researcher can teach about the natural habitat or attributes of the animals. Choose a city block that contains many different architectural styles or features and point out the ones they have learned about. Learn about the three major classical orders of columns (Doric, Ionic, & Corinthian) then walk around a city and point them out.
Several of the items found on the Day Trips list lend themselves to these approaches, and I believe these approaches bring a form of engagement to your activities that can make everyone appreciate and enjoy the trip in a special way.
Overnight Trips
As I mentioned earlier, hotels are now open (with restrictions), as well as campgrounds, home shares, and B&B’s in Massachusetts. Basically, the only things not open are arenas, gambling facilities, theme parks, and other high-capacity venues, along with any non-medical close contact services (massage, waxing, etc.). So if your plans involve large gatherings or a stranger getting up-close-and-personal, then you are out of luck.
A lot of the same rules and ideas apply, but keep in mind: 1. Research what is open and what the local regulations are. 2. Wear a mask (bring several – at least one per day, or plan to disinfect it). 3. Always stay socially distant from those people that are not part of your pandemic pod. 4. Find out if you may need to reserve a specific time to enter certain museums or buildings, and plan accordingly. 5. Check all of the meal options in the area. Do the restaurants offer delivery or pick-up? Consider packing a cooler with pre-made muffins, sandwiches, charcuterie, snacks and water to limit the contact with delivery persons to one meal per day. 6. Pack disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer.
Hotels: If you walk into a hotel and the person behind the desk is not wearing a mask (or wearing it incorrectly), turn right around and stay somewhere else. This goes for any member of the staff.
If you can, check before you book if the hotel is making safety a priority. Feel free to call them and ask what they are doing to curb the pandemic. If you do not feel comfortable with their practices, book somewhere else. The most important thing right now is that you feel safe during your vacation.
Camping: My husband’s idea of camping is staying on the Club Level at the Wilderness Lodge, but we have family with RVs and campers. I think those that have the money (and parking space) for an RV are the luckiest during this time. While some campgrounds still remain closed, there are many that are open with restrictions (communal bathing houses and restrooms are hard to control). If your hotel room is on wheels in an RV, you have the most control over your environment. You know if every surface has been thoroughly disinfected, and you can sleep in comfort knowing that you are safe. Unfortunately, this is a luxury most of us cannot afford. If you are camping in a tent, the idea is similar, however, you may be beholden to using the campground public facilities, which can be risky.
Home Sharing: Unlike corporate hotels, Home Share sites have no governance when it comes to requiring compliance with CDC guidelines and keeping a safe and clean accommodation. I suggest, when making your search for such an accommodation, that you only consider properties where you can contact the owner directly and can ask them how they clean the house between guests. If you do go this route, I would highly recommend bringing your own disinfecting wipes and cleaning products. This is easily done, since you are likely driving to this location – no flight restrictions!
Cash or Card?: COVID-19 has further divided the populace on the question of cash vs. card. I have seen both extremes, with a drive-through cashier refusing to handle a card (even with gloves) to gas station attendants not accepting cash. It’s hard to know what you will face, so I suggest being ready to use either. Remember: you are the visitor, the guest, in this place – act with grace and humility. If someone balks at you handing them cash, whip out your card, do NOT argue with them or become a Karen. They are risking their health, and the health of their families to provide you with whatever service you are asking for, so please be civil and patient.
Packing Clothing: Unfortunately, I think you will have to pack twice as much as you normally would. We don’t really know how long the coronavirus can stay active on clothing, but if an asymptomatic carrier should cough on you, or you somehow brush against a hard surface that is infected, you are not going to want to wear that clothing again until it’s been washed and disinfected. Pack large zip seal bags in your suitcase to collect dirty laundry, and wash your hands thoroughly after putting them in the bags. When you get home, wear gloves when handling the laundry, or wash thoroughly after putting them in the machine. Make sure you use a high heat setting on the dryer.
Scared yet?
It is certainly not my intention to frighten you out of taking a vacation – just the opposite. I want you to have the vacation you deserve and to do so in a healthy, relaxing, and memorable way. It’s in my nature to plan for the worst and expect the best, but I am also an advocate for adding fun and frivolity to everyday life to keep it interesting.
I hope you enjoyed this series of posts. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you make the most of your vacation time during a pandemic, and if you’ve taken any of my ideas, I’d absolutely love to hear how it went! Leave a comment below.
Small Stuff 
