We're Going to Disney World!

 

 

Can you think of anything more cliché?

"Tammy, you've just published your first book, what are you going to do next?"

"WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!"

If you didn't peg me for a Disney World kind of girl, well, you would be correct.       I find cartoon voices grating, I get motion sickness on a dime, and I don't like spending money. What's to like?

But Husband has been wanting to bring the whole family to Disney for years, and he planned the whole trip single-handedly. Plus, the kids really seem to enjoy cartoon voices and motion and spending money. So it's now or never. Is it worth getting the entire Little Mermaid soundtrack burned into my brain for the chance to meet the real-live Perry the Platypus? I think we all know the answer is yes.

To celebrate my weeklong vacation, Running Press is offering up five copies of my book to be raffled off to my very dear and loyal readers.

Five whole copies!

I don't think I deserve that kind of generosity considering I'm skipping town during prime book publicity season, but my publisher is doing it for you, not me.

Don't worry if you've already bought a book. You can still enter. If you win, you can always keep the shiny new autographed copy for yourself and give your torn, frosting-stained, oil-spattered copy to someone else for the holidays. Won't your mom be surprised! (Unless your mom reads this blog, in which case I've just ruined Christmas. Again.)

The contest starts now and will close on Saturday, November 23 at 9 p.m. EST.   To enter, please submit a comment on this post telling me your favorite winter dessert. Or your favorite Disney ride that won't make me sick. Or you can just tell me how pretty I am. If you want to win, the correct answer will be "VERY" pretty. Exclamation points help!!!

Comments

[Katie]

I love bread pudding year-round, but especially in the winter. Have fun at Disney!

[Dana]

Well, It's A Small World isn't overly move-y, but it will most likely make you sick - or jam forks in your ears, so I guess that's out. I guess that leaves me with a favorite winter dessert (and noting how VERY pretty you will look after getting off one of those hair raising rides like the teacups!!!!!1111!!)

I like pie in the winter. Sure apple is my favorite, but most any fruit pie will do. Not exclusively wintery, but it seems to work for me.

[Trish]

Malva Pudding. Still my favorite.

[Alyson]

Most Disney rides will not make you sick. They're pretty tame (having said that I haven't been there in ages). Space mountain, Thunder Mountain RR and Splash Mountain (see a theme here?) are dicey. It's a small world? Piece of cake. Pirates (unless they've changed it), Jungle cruise, Swiss Family Tree House, That people mover thing - all tame.

I don't know that I have a favorite winter dessert. I just really like dessert.

[Amy Ayers]

So many awesome desserts any time of year. In the winter, I love anything pumpkin while it's fresh and in season.

[Kristin Mills]

Oh the Mad Hatters Tea Party! And Pirates of the Caribean (too bad Orlando Bloom isnt' there though). hubba hubba! In the winter, anything with pumpkin! cookies, pies, breads... oh, and if you are anything like your sister, you are so HAWT!!!!!! yowza! ;)

[Keri Q]

Ooh, we Ioved taking our family to Disney! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! There's definitely sometimes magic in the water & air. I loved te classics (we went to Disneyland) like Dumbo & it's a Small World! Oh and for desserts I do love them all, unfortunately ;). I would have to say my favorite would have to include chocolate and coconut! There's an amazing pie that I love to buy from a local bakery. Oh and pumpkin is my favorite at this time of the year, I can pull that off myself... With homemade whippe cream, yumm-o!

[Brenda F]

You are very, very pretty!!! My favorite dessert, not specific to winter; coconut pie.

[Nan Fornal]

My favorite winter dessert, most beautiful Tammy, is chocolate-cherry upside-down cake, served with not-very-sweet whipped cream.

[Monica Hassan]

I dont need to win anything. The joy of reading ur blog is all i need. Your wit & charming blogs brighten up my day, they are so clever that I started reading all the way from the beginning.
Other than the mental image of your stomache issues i think you pretty NAY verrrrrrrrrrry pretty. Most wonderfully pretty, pretty like a magic fairy pretty <-----i say this in a totally non-creepy way. Love you <---thats a little creepy.

[Mary]

I just made the cranberry torte from your book (as featured on Lottie & Doof) and I think it's my new favorite.

[Beth Gebhardt]

Love any kind of pudding in the winter.
Enjoy your trip!

[sarabeth]

Hi Tammy and congratulations on the book!
My favorite ride (definitely no motion-sickness issues) is Peter Pan... flying over "London" at night in a pirate ship is actually pretty magical!
I think your family would like Pirates and also the Haunted Mansion... and while you're over there you MUST get FUNNEL CAKES at Sleepy Hollow.
Also if you're planning a side trip to Epcot (I do recommend! the international part has lots of really good food, neat street shows in Japan and France, and a cool model railroad in Germany) my 10 and 12-yos LOVED LOVED LOVED Test Track in FutureWorld. Go first thing or the lines are long.
Suspend your disbelief and have a great time!
Beth

[Mom]

Tammy, you are very, VERY EXTREMELY PRETTY!!!!!

[Cecile]

Congrats on your book. My favorite dessert is anything with apple. Can't wait to try your desserts. Have fun in Disney World!!!!

[NancyJ]

Congratulations on the book!
I've only been to DisneyLAND so can't really recommend anything but go for the boat rides - I think you'll be ok with them.
You are very very pretty and you sounded so professional in the NPR interview!

[Heela]

Oh my, where to start?! I have more than one favorite, and plan on making them all this season. Apple Bread Pudding with cardamom-spiked caramel sauce, meringue (does this qualify as a winter dessert because it's white? I am not familiar with its culinary history...I so often see it in the summer, topped with berries), DIVINITY...and some new ones I HAVE to try: Torrone, and, of course, QUINCE jam!! A coworker of mine just made some and it is definitely worth the time and effort.

[ellen]

wahooooo! have fun with Mickey & The Gang!
I love any dessert, any time BUT winter makes me crave the most "poisonous"! How 'bout ooey gooey tooth-achingly sweet butter tarts? ooooh yaaaa baby! Or, i'm in the midst of making pounds & pounds of Christmas cake from my grandmother's recipe. Nothing packs on the hips like homemade dark xmas cake!

[NurseJen]

Favorite winter dessert (pretty lady) is bananas sauteed with butter and rum (you're gorgeous, y'know that?) Or maybe baked rice custard (sexy woman, you.) Of course, then there's always warm chocolate pudding (goddess of the kitchen).

Just my opinion.

(And YEY! on the book!)

[Millie]

You are so very, very pretty. Especially if you are next to a chai spiced pumpkin pie!

[Blaine]

Chocolate chip cookie. With nuts. Have fun at Disney. I don't have kids but I do always have fun when I am down there. Except for all the "Have a magical day" crap. That gets annoying fast.

[Captain Black]

Not in for the book. Just wanted to say congrats!

[Cheryl S.]

Disney rides that won't make you sick. Small World, Haunted Mansion. Stay away from the roller coasters and especially the TEACUPS! We just got back from Disney a few weeks ago. I took dramamine the entire time since I knew my daughter wanted to ride all those crazy, spinny things.

Fave dessert? APPLE PIE.

And, you look MAHVALOUS!

[Lara]

I always look forward to Russian Tea cakes, or as I like to call them, Snowballs!

[Alexis]

My favorite winter dessert is anything with cranberries - your cranberry torte looks great!!

[Sheila]

Oh, most very bodaciously pretty Tammy!!!! I also think you may be pleasantly surprised by Disney World. Get Steve Birnbaum's book and read it before you go. Aside from lots of perfectly useless yet fascinating trivia about the park, it also tells you LOTS about how to avoid the long lines, where to go and when, etc.

I also recommend the Epcot worlds - you can eat (and drink) your way through China, the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Morrocco, and Canada in one small area of the park - who could resist! Also the Universal Studios area is fun, they used to have an Indiana Jones show with explosions and stuff (for the kids, yeah....) and a sound stage where you get to try and make sounds for a short 'scary' movie - too funny.

If you like old B&W monster movies at all, check out the Sci-Fi Drive-In Movie Restaurant - you sit in table "cars" surrounded by what looks like a drive-in with very old creature features playing, and order a "creature from the black lagoon" fish sandwich or other theme-named diner fare - it's hysterical.

Also I would say that Kennedy Space Center is worth the drive - though the IMAX movie they have might make you woozy!

I'm looking forward to trying the cranberry tart if/when I win your book! Until then, I think very warm tapioca pudding sprinkled with nutmeg and a hot apple cider chaser is my favorite winter dessert.

[Fredda]

My favorite winter dessert is apple pie. But only special apple pie, loaded with apples and nothing else. Well, some sugar, of course.

Btw, I listened to your NPR interview, and it was great! I don't ever foresee making quince paste, but, buying it... maybe. I didn't know much about it before. Note: I wanted to write this anyway and the book incentive pushed me to write it now. I can't wait to see it (winning or buying).

Have fun at Disney! I look forward to hearing the crazy stories I know will come out of there! And, it's not like Vegas, so you can tell all.

[Katie]

Bread Pudding! I've even made it less sweet and passed it off as "breakfast" on Christmas morning.

[dma]

Favorite dessert - pecan pie!