11-16-2011, 09:32 AM
So after a day of dodging rabid Potter fans (which includes a disproportionate amount of ginger people), Things 1 & 2, and some really pathetic super hero wannabees, we escaped Universal to the City Walk, which is like Downtown Disney. Universal in FL is at war w/Disney, which lies only ten miles south. Crazy that two major theme parks could exist that close, but such is Orlando. Universal tries it's best to be like Disney, but instead of investing in 'magic' and 'dreams', it's all about the express ticket (which is an extra $40). Nevertheless, we sampled some of the other attractions at Universal. The Seuss land was weak, mostly because you could do so much more with Seuss and they missed. The Marvel portion was also weak - it had the monster rides, but the characters were lame (we saw a very mediocre Green Goblin). There were two abstract sections - one that was supposed to be about Sindbad, which had an amusing live show, and another which was supposed to be like Atlantis or something - I could quite make that one out and think they should convert it to the Chamber of Secrets because it would be so easy to do. In fact, both of those sections are close to Potter, and should just be converted because that's where the bank is now. Disney reacted to Universal by setting up one of its parks to be Hollywood. It's just too incestuously close down there.
Anyway, the Bob Marley Restaurant - see <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.universalorlando.com/Restaurants/CityWalk/Bob-Marley-Tribute-Freedom.aspx">http://www.universalorlando.com/Restaur ... eedom.aspx</a><!-- m -->
I recall hearing Rita's announcement about it when it opened. It's near the Hard Rock and Buffet's Margaritaville. I was sorely unimpressed, mostly because the food wasn't too Jamaican. There were only two dishes that were veg - veg patties, which were more like spinach pasties, and and ital pepper, which wasn't very ital. Neither was particularly JA. No ackee and salt fish. No rice & peas. Didn't try the jerk because there weren't ital options. T's Jammacaroni and cheese was way to velveta. JA has some fine cuisine and I was hoping for something more authentic, some real ital food, but Rita sold the name and not the menu. The memorabilia was all mediocre, a few rare pics, but mostly ones I've seen before, a shirt which I assume was Bob's but there was no placard and it may have just been an African-ish shirt. There weren't any decent souvenirs that were specific to the restaurant, just beer mugs, so I didn't bother. It's not like I need any more Marley stuff anyway (although I would have gone for a good lid). The vid was all of Rita, Ziggy and the Melody Makers and Jr. Gong. At one point, some young black wannabe gangsta types came in, looked at the vid, which was of Damien, and started going off about how it was Bob. I had to correct them. I just couldn't stand their ignorance. We didn't stay for the reggae band. I was glad to have went but wouldn't go back.
Next installment - the experimental prototype community of tomorrow.
Anyway, the Bob Marley Restaurant - see <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.universalorlando.com/Restaurants/CityWalk/Bob-Marley-Tribute-Freedom.aspx">http://www.universalorlando.com/Restaur ... eedom.aspx</a><!-- m -->
I recall hearing Rita's announcement about it when it opened. It's near the Hard Rock and Buffet's Margaritaville. I was sorely unimpressed, mostly because the food wasn't too Jamaican. There were only two dishes that were veg - veg patties, which were more like spinach pasties, and and ital pepper, which wasn't very ital. Neither was particularly JA. No ackee and salt fish. No rice & peas. Didn't try the jerk because there weren't ital options. T's Jammacaroni and cheese was way to velveta. JA has some fine cuisine and I was hoping for something more authentic, some real ital food, but Rita sold the name and not the menu. The memorabilia was all mediocre, a few rare pics, but mostly ones I've seen before, a shirt which I assume was Bob's but there was no placard and it may have just been an African-ish shirt. There weren't any decent souvenirs that were specific to the restaurant, just beer mugs, so I didn't bother. It's not like I need any more Marley stuff anyway (although I would have gone for a good lid). The vid was all of Rita, Ziggy and the Melody Makers and Jr. Gong. At one point, some young black wannabe gangsta types came in, looked at the vid, which was of Damien, and started going off about how it was Bob. I had to correct them. I just couldn't stand their ignorance. We didn't stay for the reggae band. I was glad to have went but wouldn't go back.
Next installment - the experimental prototype community of tomorrow.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse