Day 3, the second half: We didn't do much after leaving the Lodge because the crowds, heat, and humidity are oppressive. We wound up at Disney Springs for dinner at Art Smith's Homecoming. While many have raved about it, we found it solid but not a future must-do.
Luv's shrimp salad was tasty enough, but the greens weren't crisp and the shrimp were bland. The basket of fries were also decent, but not any better than you can get at Wendy's and a sight more expensive. My fried chicken was good but I wasn't overly fond of the sweet tinge to the batter, and the gravy over the mashed potatoes was heavy-handed (bacon wasn't necessary) and clotted. Finally, the deviled eggs were lovely but not piquant enough--needed more mustard or the snap of relish. Good overall? Yes. Memorable? Not really. I bought a dark chocolate Sprinkles cupcake for later, and it was very good though hard to justify the $4.95.
Day 4 (today): We started by hitting AK for our FPs at the Avatar ride and EE (with a side trip to ITTBAB). We also had breakfast at Satu'li Canteen--sliced beef with a chimichurri sauce and an egg frittata, more of a muffin, actually. It was a good meal, and we made use of the preordering which worked well. The real important note is our experience at Flight of the Avatar (or whatever it's called). EX-CEL-LENT! It's a cross between Soarin', RnR, and Star Tours. The pre-ride extravaganza is a little long. I'm guessing 10 minutes from the time you step on the number which selects your avatar. Way too long. However, the payoff is tremendous, I will say that.
We dined at Yak & Yeti for lunch, and it was fine. We've eaten there before and enjoyed it; however, it was crowded today so our wait was 20 minutes despite our ADR. After lunch, we headed back to SSR where I opted to hit the LBV Golf Course. It was a bit of a splurge, but I've never golfed at Disney, and I had a free three hours before getting ready for dinner. Only got in 7 holes before the rains hit, though once I waited out a storm for half an hour, I got in 6 more holes. They prorated my fee, so now I have a $20 gift card to use at the pro shop or next time I golf.
Finally, we discovered a new restaurant today: Bice (pronounced BEE-chay). It's at the Portofino Bay Hotel at the Dark Side, and I gotta say, it was a stunner. We love Il Mulino, but Bice was better. Service was superb, the ambiance excellent, and the food divine.
Luv couldn't decide between two pastas, so they brought out small plates of both (and only charged the average between the two). I had the osso buco and it was perhaps the best I've had, right down to the marrow in the bone that came with a small relish fork. So. Amazingly. Good. The tiramisu? Creamy and not overly heavy on the espresso. We will be going back on our next trip!
We've decided to call it a night and not try to fight the crowds over the fireworks. So, 'til tomorrow! Thanks for the early anniversary wishes!
, but thank you for the reminder!
Wishing 
Happy Anniversary Sleepy & Luv !!! 
