When flying cross-country out
of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), it is
best to book the first flight out. Yes, it means waking up pretty much in the
middle of the night to get to the airport. But you’ll be happy when you arrive
at your destination and it is still light outside. Be sure to check your
departure airport’s website for the latest TSA information.
- Travel tip: Southwest Airlines counters open at 5 AM at LAX. There is no use getting there any earlier than that as you will have to wait in the walkways and there are not many benches or seats to sit on.
In Terminal 1, there are not
many choices for breakfast this early in the morning. Starbucks will be your
best bet. They have a counter right outside of the security checkpoint. They have
a selection of breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, bakery items, coffees, water,
juices, etc. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese sandwich, chocolate croissant, and a
bottle of Fuji water were packed and ready for munching on the plane.
As the plane soared above El
Segundo, the sun started to peek over the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a
beautiful sunrise. Early morning flights also tend to be less crowded. Everyone
had their own row of seats to either stretch out for a nap or spread out and
work until the next stop in Nashville. First order of business was breakfast.
The Sausage, Egg, and Cheese sandwich was still warm and served on an English muffin.
It provided the protein-packed savory flavor to contrast the bubbly, sweet
Seagram’s Ginger Ale. On the longer flights, Southwest also has a great
selection of snacks of Nabisco Ritz Snack Mix, Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie
Crisps, and Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches.
After a quick refueling and
loading of passengers on in Nashville, it was a full flight to Orlando. The
crew on this Southwest flight were a pleasure and kept the passengers chuckling
with their humorous announcements. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a very easy airport to maneuver through
whether it is your destination or if you are connecting to another flight. Easy
to read signs and monorail system will get you where you need to go in no time.
- Travel tip: If you are renting a car, rental car shuttle pick-ups are one-level down from baggage claim.
With just snacks on the
plane, you might be a little hungry. Krystal might be what you’re craving. They are a fast food
joint serving sliders galore. Bacon Cheese Krystal starts with 100% USDA beef,
Smithfield bacon, American cheese, diced onion, mustard, and dill pickle atop
their signature square bun. They are slider sized so you can easily order more
than one if you are famished. Their French fries are okay. Rating: 4/5
Check-in time! Orlando has
many hotels and timeshares to choose from. Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacation Club should be on your list. It is situated away from the
theme parks yet is close enough to be only a short drive away in the car. This
timeshare is resort-like with main pool complex, children’s playground, on-site
restaurant & bar, tennis & basketball courts, walking/jogging path,
Parc Lake with fountains, charcoal grills, fitness center, marketplace (to pick
up food & other essentials), and activity center. You can also plan on-site
recreational activities (some are complimentary and others have a small fee)
like arts & crafts, ping pong tournaments, trivia, bingo, ice cream
socials, wine tastings, movies under the stars, beer tastings, video games
challenges, dance classes, karoke, live music, and more.
As with many timeshares,
there are different room sizes to choose from based on how many people are in
your group. 1 Bedroom King Suite with Sofa Bed is spacious for a couple and
even for a family of four. The kitchen is an open concept with full size
refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, oven with range, washer/dryer (in closet)
and dining room table. The living room is spacious with ample lighting, chairs,
sofa bed, and plasma TV. A long balcony has an entrance from the living room
with lounge and table with chairs – great for a sunrise breakfast or a romantic
dinner with views of Epcot Center and Magic Kingdom in the distance. Fireworks
from both parks are viewable from the balcony. The bedroom is separated by French
doors from the living room. It has a comfortable king bed with ceiling fan,
lounge chair, and plasma TV. The bathroom is also very spacious with glass
enclosed shower, beautiful porcelain tub with a faucet that pours from the
ceiling, and vanity for two. The only weird thing about the layout is the
toilet. It is situated in its own room between the bathroom and the kitchen.
When staying at a timeshare
for more than a couple of days, it is wise to find the nearest grocery store to
pick up provisions like beverages, snacks, and food to prepare if staying in
during meal times. Publix is a fantastic
chain grocery store in Florida and carries everything that you might need to
make your stay more comfortable. A competition at the World Food Championships
called for a special trip for fresh vegetables, herbs, and ingredients for a
filet mignon entrée. Chips, ice cream, and libations also found their way into
the cart as well.
After a long flight in and
grocery shopping, you might want to leave the cooking to someone else. Café
Soleil is the on-site restaurant in the main pool complex. They are open for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
- Savings Tip: Upon check-in, you may receive coupons for complimentary drinks (draft beers, house wine, or non-alcoholic daiquiris or coladas) with entrée purchases. Don’t forget to use them.
Non-alcoholic Pina Coladas
are a refreshing way to start your dinner experience. They are creamy and
tropically sweet. A great beginning to your resort stay! Rating: 4.5/5
Tandoori Spiced Chicken
served with white rice, curry dusted vegetables, and yogurt dill sauce. The
chicken is flavorful and tender. The curry spiced vegetables pairs well with
the chicken giving it savory, zingy, and herbaceous flavor. The presentation of
the dish could be better, maybe swiping the dill sauce on the plate and placing
the chicken on top or serving the dill sauce in a side ramekin for dipping.
Saffron basmati rice would have been better than just white rice. Rating: 4/5
NY Strip Estilo Gaucho is
served with garlic mashed potatoes and topped with grilled scallions and
chimichurri sauce. The steak was grilled to a perfect rare. NY steak tends to
be a bit chewier than most cuts of beef. Skirt steak would have been a better
cut to use especially to pair with chimichurri sauce. The buttery marbling
would balance perfectly with the acidic chimichurri. Instead of scallions,
cebollin (Mexican green onions) would have been better with the bigger bulb at
the end. The grill would caramelize it for a sweet and zingy flavor.
Chimichurri would also be better in a ramekin for presentation and for dipping
the bites of steak. The garlic mashed was pretty good, creamy and flavor, but
could use just a bit more garlic. Rating: 4/5
Caramel Lava Chocolate Turtle
Cake Á La Mode is a warm, rich dark chocolate cake oozing with a decadent caramel
center, garnished with pecans, caramel, and topped with vanilla ice cream.
Order this if you have a light dinner as it is very heavy but very decadent.
The chocolate cake is dense like a rich brownie. The caramel and nuts add
luscious and crunchy texture. As the ice cream melts, it turns into a makeshift
crème anglais and counteracts the heaviness of the cake. Rating: 4.5/5
With tummies full, a restful
night’s sleep ahead. At daybreak, the first day of Food Fight Write will be the
start of the World Food Championships in Celebration, FL.
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