Saturday, October 8, 2016

Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria :Tasty Mexican Dishes at Rosen Single Creek (Orlando, Florida: Beyond WDW Series 11 )

Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria 
Tasty Mexican Dishes at Rosen Single Creek
(Orlando, Florida: Beyond WDW Series 11)

Rosen Single Creek is a huge resort complex in Orlando
where the annual meeting American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists (AACE) was held, which I attended.

 
Source: AGODA

 

There were several excellent restaurants
the hotel and we were able to dine in one
of them; at the Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria

 

Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria is a Mexican restaurant
located at the lobby of the Rosen Single Creek Hotel,
with the typical stucco walled finish and was made to
appear like it was a free- standing outdoor facility.



The El Jefe Drunken Burrito that we ordered was the biggest burrito that 
we have ever seen in our lives.The perfectly kneaded flour tortilla, was filled 
to the brim with brown rice and beans delightfully intermixed with marinated 
cabbage, pork carnitas, carne asada, queso, cotija baked with  salsa roja 
and verde. Of course, therewas generous amount of the iconic spicy
 Jalapenos.The humongous burrito was very delicious and addicting.

 

The Puebla Camarones & Chorizo is a must try
and a must order specialty dish in this restaurant.


Just like the burrito, it was also a humongous dish
served in a huge bowl where the fragrant Poblano rice
was topped with generous amount of  plump shrimps,
Poblano chiles and native Mexican chorizo simmered
in salsa roja, with butternut squash and Tomatillos.


All the servings in Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria
are huge and each dish could be shared by two to
four people, and is the place to go when one is
looking for excellent Mexican dishes in Orlando.


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Orlando’s Premium Outlets: Bargain Shopping on Memorial Day (Orlando, Florida, Beyond WDW Series 10)

Orlando’s Premium Outlets 
Bargain Shopping on Memorial Day
Orlando, Florida, Beyond WDW Series 10

We never shop whenever we travel, but on our second week in Orlando,
there was a huge Memorial Day Sale and the hotel was offering
 free shuttle to Vineland Premium Outlets, we decided to give it a try. 



We arrived almost lunchtime at the 
Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets,



…a moderately sized facility,  located 
near the WDW Resort entrance.



It was a weekday so there were very 
few people around, despite of the sale.



We are not rich and going on a shopping
is never on our bucket list when we travel,
as it is something that we could not afford.



The crowd was tolerable and the huge bargain
was tempting and with so many things to buy, but
without enough money, we focused on three stores;

 

Prada, where my daughter found
a tennis shoes and my wife a purse,





…while I finally upgraded my decade oldLevis 501 jeans where they 
were sold on a buy one take one deal, with extra 20 % discount.

 

My son chose two classic Toy Story character
toys from Toys R’ US, that interestingly came
with a toy insurance renewable every 5 years.

 





The two kids were also happy with their sneakers with colorful 
dancing lights, which were not on sale, but otherwise not very 
expensive as they were being sold in a generic center aisle stall.



We decided to return to the Vineland Premium Outlets 
two days later as we have not bought presents for our
employees yet, but the lady taxi driver suggested that
we try the Orlando International Premium Outlets 



Located at International Drive, it was apparently bigger,
had more stores, and most importantly, must cheaper as
it was located away from form the tourist area of  WDW.



She was right.This was a much bigger facility,
 and had more stores and more choices.

 



We bought Orlando souvenir shirts for our employees
and for my daughter’s friends in school at the Billabong 
outlet that was being  sold for 3 shirts for only 40 dollars,

 



…and Vanhuesen shirts of the our
kids’ male tutors sold at 70% off.





My daughter found a bargain
backpack at Michael Korrs,



… my wife found walking shoes from Coach,

 



…while I got running shoes from the Nike
outlet being sold on a buy one take one offer.



My son didn’t want anything and all he requested was
a huge cookie from Panera, located at the food court,

 



Which he ate with passion of
a young cookie connoisseur.

 

With the big bargains during the Memorial Day Sale,
Orlando Premium Outlets makes shopping affordable,

 

 

…even to impoverished tourists from a lowly third
world country traveling on a tight budget like us.

Read the other Orlando Florida, Beyond WDW Series

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Starbucks Universal Citywalk: Yummy Milk Dunking Snacks (Orlando. Florida, Beyond WDW Series 9)

Starbucks Universal Citywalk 
Yummy Milk Dunking Snacks
(Orlando. Florida, Beyond WDW Series 9)

My son was craving for milk and cookies
after a busy day at the Islands of Adventure,



…and by chance we spotted the Starbucks at the Universal Citywalk on our 
way to the parking area. The timing was perfect. The hotel shuttle would 
still be coming at 9 PMso we still have two hours to have a snack and relax.



The Starbucks Universal Citywalk is probably one
of the biggest Starbucks restaurant that we have been to,

 

…had large al fresco seating area at the veranda,

 

…and inside the restaurant was just as spacious.

 



Together with a cup of coffee,

 

…I enjoyed a pack of Kettle Potato Chips 
with delightful smoky sweet barbecue flavor,

 

…my daughter had a pack Butter Gourmet Popcorn, 



…while my wife had a piece Choco Chip Scones.



My son’s cookie- milk dunking snacks craving
was the main reason why we came here,

 

…and with a glass of warm milk,

 

…a Starbucks’s signature Choco Chip Cookie,

 

..he was in for a gloriously satisfying experience. 

 

Starbucks once again did not disappoint.

Read the other Orlando Florida, Beyond WDW Series