30 June 2011

International espionage

For the past several years, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios have alternated their releases. In the summer Pixar releases their latest creation, while Disney tells their tales in the fall. This timetable has allowed for the Animation Gallery at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to give each film its undivided attention for approximately six months.

This summer, however, sees the return of not one beloved series, but two. June saw the release of Cars 2 and, coming in July, Winnie the Pooh makes his return to the big screen. In order to showcase the amazing work of both films, the Animation Gallery was forced to split its resources for amongst the two features.

Here at the Main Street Gazette, we are faced with no such problem. As such, we’re going to spend our next two safaris touring the animators’ efforts. Up first, from last week’s Pixar release, the work of Cars 2.

29 June 2011

Xsstremeleee delirah

Much like the land it is from, that would be Ireland for the uninitiated, Raglan Road has such a storied history that it would be almost impossible to do it justice in a single article. And so, for this piece, we are going to stick to a single meal that was had in the establishment. Leaving a wealth of tales behind for another day.First off, the dinner at Raglan Road can be a boisterous affair. With a house band that plays six nights a week and dancing exhibitions, it can get loud. But trust me when I say that is precisely why you want to be there. If you don’t want to feel like you’re in a crowded pub, then this is not the restaurant for you.To start my meal off, I had the skewered chicken known as Drunk Chicken. The strips of chicken had been marinated in whiskey and came paired with a Dalkey honey mustard dipping sauce. This may seem like a typical restaurant starter, but what makes the Drunk Chicken so unique is that the chicken is skewered and grilled, not battered and fried. The kick of the mustard, the small bits of charred meat, and the whiskey that forms a glaze on the chicken makes what seems ordinary, extraordinary.For my main course, I wanted something traditional, but yet entirely contemporary. Luckily for me, and thanks to Master Chef Kevin Dundon, that pretty much meant the entire menu was fair game. In the end, I selected Beef Murray, a pie stuffed with beef curry, spinach, mushrooms and potatoes, accompanied by an apple chutney. This dish brought just the right amount of heat, with a pie dough that successfully sopped up some of the spice so that I was not continually reaching for my beverage. The chutney added a nice sweet and tangy kick to the entire ensemble.In the end, the meal was great, the ambiance was great, and the prices for a sit down meal in Walt Disney World were reasonable. If you are looking for a unique dining experience in Downtown Disney, make sure to give Raglan Road a whirl. I think you’ll be mighty glad you did.

Oh, and for those of you who might be wondering about what the title of this article means? Xsstremeleee delirah is Dublinese for Very happy.

28 June 2011

Colorful photos of the Vacation Kingdom

In the 1970s, everyone knew about Disneyland’s much publicized younger sibiling, Walt Disney World. All the stops were pulled out, including newspaper and magazine articles and television specials. Yet, the best way to entice guests in was by the word of mouth from ordinary people.

Postcards made a great way to send back a fleeting image of a trip, but it was just that, a single image. One of the more creative souvenirs/advertising campaigns guests paid for was a folder of postcard images, many that were postcards in their own right, which could be sent just like a single postcard.

Well, here, I’ll let the postcard folder from the Vacation Kingdom speak for itself.