Family Vault: Butter on a Boat

Before the Disney Cruise Line, there was the Big Red Boat. They had Disney characters but not Disney level butter sculptures.

Disney Dining at Home: Canton Beef from China

Canton Beef

From Nine Dragons at the China Pavillion in Epcot

Ingredients:

8 ounces beef flank steak

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 small onion

1 cup cooking oil

Marinade:

4 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chicken base

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon wine

1 teaspoon chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon chicken base

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of white pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Slice beef flank steak. Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate beef in a bowl for at least 30 minutes. Cut peppers and onion into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

2. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3. Place approximately 1 cup of cooking oil in a heated wok or fry pan and heat oil to medium heat. Place marinated beef in heated oil and cook until almost done. Drain beef into a strainer. Set aside.

4. Leave about a teaspoon of oil in the wok. Place it back on the stove. Stir-fry onion and peppers for 30 seconds. Pour sauce mixture over onions and green peppers. Stir occasionally with a spatula.

5. When sauce mixture begins to darken in color, place beef back into the wok and stir-fry swiftly. The dish is done when the peppers have softened. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

Flashback Fridays: Sunset at the Shopping Village

Sunset, statues, and no crowds. The Village in the '70s is a place I would time travel to if I could.

Disney After Dark: Adventures in the Dark

Photoshop Fun: Light on the Water

Walt Disney on Dreams

Electricians Closet: The Boardwalk Lobby

The Boardwalk has the feel and charm of the American Boardwalks of the early 1900s. And with that comes some beautiful Lighting. In the Lobby of the resort are several amazing chandeliers and accent lights. One thing to notice is the amount of natural light that illuminates the lobby. This is a nice touch as it's a tribute to those early days. Although the electric light was common at the time the bulbs were not as bright as today's are. In fact, they would not light a room much more than a lantern. So to compensate you need many lights and ways to reflect the light. Hence the chandeliers with many bulbs and also the use of mirrors and crystals in the room.

 

The next to photos show some of the accent lightings found around the lobby fireplace. These lights are more for accenting and reading as opposed to the large chandeliers used for lighting the whole room.

 

Dundy's Sundries has a beautiful stain-glass sign illuminated from behind.

The fun model of a roller coaster has very tiny pin lights on the loop.

Two built-in bookcases in the lounge use photo frame lights to illuminate vintage board game boards. Also, we see some vintage radios that are used to pipe in background music. In the good old days, they would glow from the tubes inside. The model of the Singer sewing machine in the upper right would not be electric but it would have an electric light attached to it to see the needle better.

One more Chandler, this one located in the lobby of the conference center.

Family Vault: 1st Birthday

My first birthday cake. My family started me early.

Disney Dining at Home: Spicy Island Wings from Shutters at Caribbean Beach

Spicy Island Wings

From Shutters at the Caribbean Beach Resort

Spicy Island Wing Sauce

8 oz Brown sugar

3.5 oz Roasted Red Peppers

2/3 oz. Habaneras

1/8 tsp Kosher salt

In a food processor, puree raw habaneras and roasted red peppers with salt.

Then add brown sugar; process until blended together

Wing Marinade

3.5 oz Roasted red peppers

3/4 oz Habaneras

1/4 oz Brown sugar

1/16 tsp Crushed red pepper

1/3 tsp Kosher salt

1/16 tsp White pepper

1 pinch Granulated garlic

2.5 oz Canola oil

6.5 oz Water

In a food processor, puree all ingredients together, except water and oil.

When totally blended, add oil and water

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings – 16 ea

Marinade – 2 oz

Toss chicken wings in the marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours

Chicken Wing Plate

Marinated wings 16 ea

Wing sauce 3 oz

Leeks Garnish

Blue Cheese Dressing 4 oz.

Deep fry wing until cooked through. Drain, then toss in wing sauce.

Garnish with fine chopped leeks and serve with Blue Cheese dressing.

Recipe found at AllEars.net

Flashback Fridays: Topping Off

Putting the top of the Earffel Tower on before the Studios opens.

Disney After Dark: Mickey Visits EPCOT.

Gardner's Shack: Vintage Resort Landscaping

To finish are look at these vintage landscape photos from the late 80s or early 90s, I wanted to show the few resort shots that were in the collection. Three from the Contemporary. All focused on the long entrance area of the resort and it's amazing upside-down cup topiaries.

 

One photo from the Polynesian Resort. The original lobby with its waterfalls and lush jungle. This was replaced in recent years with a very open and minimalistic look that is nice but in my opinion, doesn't set the theme very well. It's a Polynesian Village not a Polynesian office complex.

Lastly a few lobby shots from the at the time brand new Grand Floridian. Live plants and live flowers need I say more. However, would have liked to see some pictures of the lawns in the early days to compare how they look now. They are always well-manicured but I bet they were amazing back then.

 

 

Gardner's Shack: Vintage Epcot Landscaping

Today we continue our look at vintage landscaping photos from the late 80s to early 90s. Epcot has always been a beautiful park with top-notch landscaping. But really look at some of the details from this time period that no longer grace us with their presence. Some are dated like the mall like planters inside the Imagination Pavilion. But some are timeless like the flowers around Future World. And let others help tell a story like the native plants from each country in the World Showcase.

Gardner's Shack: Vintage Magic Kingdom Landscaping

A while back I found these images online. I have dated them from between the late '80s and early '90s. They included pictures from the Grand Floridian and the Norway Pavilion so it's at least late 1988 and I see the old Tomorrowland entrance and no Partners statue so I would guess no later than 1993. 

That said take a moment to absorb the beauty that once graced the Magic Kingdom. As beautiful as the park is today what happened to this level of love and care in the horticulture department. I am sure its because money, like everything else. but look at how much more story and atmosphere a little landscaping can add. If a little plant can add this much warmth and comfort I say it's worth it. 

Tomorrow we will look at the Epcot photos from this collection. So keep in mind what I'm talking about here with how the landscape adds to and even tells it's own story. I think you'll see it is the same case in Epcot. In a time where we have a Flower and Garden Festival that focuses on food I think it's time to go back to green thumbs and storytelling.

 

Family Vault: The Spirit of America parade

The Spirit of America Parade ran from 1987-1988 at the Magic Kingdom. It replaced the 15th Anniversary Parade and was replaced by Mickey's All American Birthday Parade which reused several floats including the Lighthouse and the Barn.

Audio Archive: America on Parade Full Audio

Happy Independence Day! To celebrate we wanted to share the full audio of America on Parade. The Magic Kingdom Parade that ran from 1975-1976. Below is the song list so you can listen along.

1. Yankee Doodle
2. Sailing Sailing
3. Over the River and Through the Woods
4. Turkey in the Straw
5. Battle Hymn of the Republic
6. You're A Grand Old Flag
7. O Susannah
8. Swanee River
9. Waiting for the Robert E. Lee
10. Clementine
11. At a Georgia Camp Meeting
12. I've Been Workin' on the Railroad
13. In the Good Old Summertime
14. School Days
15. Medley: In My Merry Oldsmobile, Come Josephine in My Flying Machine
16. Take Me Out to the Ball Game
17. Animal Crackers in My Soup
18. Dearie
19. Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah
20. Stars and Stripes Forever
21. God Bless America

Flashback Fridays: Liberty Square Postcard

A vintage Liberty Square postcard including the classic Walt Disney World logo.

Disney After Dark: The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell in Liberty Square.

Making Memories: Great Moments with the Muppets

Great Moments in History with the Muppets in Liberty Square.