DimensionZ

Category: Travel

Travel photos and trip write-ups: Las Vegas, Seattle, New Orleans, Orlando and Disney, London, Croatia, the Dominican Republic and more, with tips from each visit.

  • ilani BBQ Fest 2023: Brisket, Burnt Ends and Demos from Jet Tila and Aaron May

    ilani BBQ Fest 2023: Brisket, Burnt Ends and Demos from Jet Tila and Aaron May

    ilani BBQ Fest in June 2023: a day of smoked meats at ilani Casino Resort in southwest Washington, with cooking demos from Jet Tila and Aaron May on the main stage.

    The festival grounds

    The festival took over the parking lot next to the casino, with a big tent, vendor booths and a covered stage. From the walkway above you could see the whole layout and the lines at the barbecue stands.

    Festival grounds and vendor tents at ilani BBQ Fest, seen from above

    The barbecue

    We worked our way through brisket with pickled red onions and hot sauce, a glazed pork belly burnt end, ribs, coleslaw and a tray of pulled pork with a few barbecue sauces on the side.

    Sliced smoked brisket with pickled red onions and hot sauce at ilani BBQ Fest
    Glazed pork belly burnt end at ilani BBQ Fest
    Smoked ribs, coleslaw and pulled pork with barbecue sauces at ilani BBQ Fest
    Smoked ribs and a tray of pulled pork at ilani BBQ Fest

    Aaron May on the main stage

    Aaron May ran a demo on the main stage and signed autographs afterwards.

    Aaron May on the main stage at ilani BBQ Fest 2023
    Aaron May signing autographs at ilani BBQ Fest

    Jet Tila’s cooking demo

    Jet Tila took the stage in an apron and worked the crowd, walking the edge of the stage and talking to people in the front rows.

    Jet Tila during his cooking demo on the ilani BBQ Fest stage
    Jet Tila talking to the crowd at ilani BBQ Fest
    Jet Tila on the ilani BBQ Fest stage

    Tips for ilani food festivals

    • Get there early. Lines at the most popular barbecue stands get long by mid-afternoon.
    • Find out the stage schedule when you arrive, so you can get a good spot for the demo you want.
    • ilani is right off I-5, about 30 minutes north of Portland.

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    We went back in February 2024 for ilani Brewfest, with cooking demos from Antonia Lofaso and Gregory Gourdet.

    #ilani #ilaniBBQFest #BBQ #Barbecue #Brisket #JetTila #AaronMay #CelebrityChef #PNW #FoodFestival

  • Kura Revolving Sushi Las Vegas

    Kura Revolving Sushi Las Vegas

    Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Las Vegas, part of the Japanese chain known for its conveyor-belt sushi.

    Plates roll past on the belt and special orders arrive on a separate express track, and every few plates you slide into the table slot gives you a chance at the Bikkura-pon prize game. The photos and videos show the conveyor in action and some of the plates.

    It’s a fun, casual and budget-friendly meal off the Strip, and a hit with families.

    Kura Revolving Sushi Las Vegas
    Kura Revolving Sushi Las Vegas

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #LasVegas #KuraSushi #ConveyorSushi #Sushi #VegasEats #JapaneseFood

  • KÀ by Cirque du Soleil

    KÀ by Cirque du Soleil

    KÀ by Cirque du Soleil at MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

    KÀ is one of Cirque’s most technically ambitious shows, telling the story of twins on an epic journey on a massive moving stage that rotates and tilts almost vertically above the audience. The photos and video show the theatre and its dramatic stage set.

    It’s one of the longest-running shows on the Strip and a good pick if you want spectacle and martial-arts-style action rather than a traditional circus.

    KA by Cirque du Soleil
    KA by Cirque du Soleil

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #LasVegas #KA #CirqueDuSoleil #MGMGrand #VegasShows #Cirque

  • Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace (November 2022)

    Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace (November 2022)

    The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace during a November 2022 trip to Las Vegas.

    Bacchanal is famous for the sheer size of its spread, and the seafood station, with crab legs, shrimp and oysters, is a big draw. The photos show some of the plates from this visit.

    It’s one of the most popular buffets in Las Vegas, so booking a time in advance is recommended.

    Bacchanal Buffet
    Bacchanal Buffet
    Bacchanal Buffet

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    Can’t decide? Read our Bacchanal vs Wynn buffet comparison, with prices and our pick.

    #LasVegas #Bacchanal #CaesarsPalace #VegasBuffet #CrabLegs #VegasEats

  • View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas

    View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas

    The view from a complimentary room at the Flamingo Las Vegas in November 2022.

    The Flamingo opened in 1946 and is one of the oldest resorts still operating on the Strip, in a central location at the corner of Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard. The photos show the view across the city and toward the mountains from the room.

    Its central spot makes it easy to walk to Caesars Palace, the LINQ and the Bellagio fountains.

    View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas
    View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas
    View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas
    View from free room at Flamingo Las Vegas

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #LasVegas #Flamingo #VegasStrip #HotelView #Vegas #Travel

  • Oga’s Cantina at Walt Disney World: Galaxy’s Edge Drinks (2022)

    Oga’s Cantina at Walt Disney World: Galaxy’s Edge Drinks (2022)

    Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, during a September 2022 trip to Walt Disney World.

    The cantina is the place to get a drink on Batuu, serving themed cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks while DJ R-3X keeps the music going. The photos and video show drinks from this visit and the cantina’s atmosphere.

    Booking a reservation through the My Disney Experience app is the most reliable way to get in.

    Oga's Cantina
    Oga's Cantina
    Oga's Cantina
    Oga's Cantina

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #WaltDisneyWorld #HollywoodStudios #OgasCantina #GalaxysEdge #StarWars #DisneyDrinks

  • Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, Disney Springs (2022)

    Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, Disney Springs (2022)

    Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Disney Springs, during a September 2022 trip to Walt Disney World.

    Named after Indiana Jones’s pilot, the bar is decorated as an aircraft hangar full of adventure props and film references, with a menu of themed cocktails and small plates. The photos show the bar’s interior and some of the drinks.

    There’s indoor seating plus a waterfront patio, and no park ticket is needed to visit Disney Springs.

    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
    Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #WaltDisneyWorld #DisneySprings #JockLindseys #IndianaJones #DisneyDrinks #Orlando

  • A Cabana Day at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

    A Cabana Day at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

    A cabana day at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park at Walt Disney World in September 2022.

    Typhoon Lagoon is themed around a tropical resort hit by a storm, with a shrimp boat stuck on top of the mountain, a huge wave pool, a lazy river and water slides. Renting a cabana gives you a private, shaded base for the day with loungers and service.

    The photos show the park’s tropical landscaping and the view from the cabana area.

    Typhoon Lagoon cabana day
    Typhoon Lagoon cabana day
    Typhoon Lagoon cabana day

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #WaltDisneyWorld #TyphoonLagoon #WaterPark #Cabana #Orlando #DisneyVacation

  • Epcot Food & Wine Festival items

    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items

    A round-up of dishes from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World in September 2022.

    The festival fills Epcot’s World Showcase with temporary global marketplace booths serving small plates and drinks. The items pictured here are, in order, Fisherman’s Seafood Pie, Brioche Escargot, an Impossible Slider, Spam Musubi, pimento cheese with pork rinds, and Schinkennudeln.

    Small portions make it easy to try a lot of different things, so it’s a great event for working your way around the world one booth at a time.

    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items
    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items
    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items
    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items
    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items
    Epcot Food & Wine Festival items

    1. Fisherman's Seafood Pie
    2. Brioche Escargot
    3. Impossible Slider
    4. Spam Musubi
    5. Pimento Cheese w/ pork rinds
    6. Schinkennudeln

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #Epcot #EpcotFoodAndWine #FoodAndWineFestival #WaltDisneyWorld #DisneyEats #WorldShowcase

  • Dole Whip on pineapple upside down cake

    Dole Whip on pineapple upside down cake

    Dole Whip served on top of a pineapple upside-down cake at Walt Disney World in September 2022.

    Dole Whip, the pineapple soft-serve, is one of the most iconic Disney park snacks, and this version tops it on a slice of pineapple upside-down cake for a double dose of pineapple.

    It’s the kind of treat that shows up seasonally or at special locations, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for variations on the classic.

    Dole Whip on pineapple upside down cake

    Originally posted on Instagram.

    #DoleWhip #WaltDisneyWorld #PineappleUpsideDownCake #DisneyEats #DisneySnacks #Dessert