Why I Oughta...

It has been two-and-a-half years since I added a photo to my online [coaster collection] with the last one posted was in Summer of 2021 when I added the Riviera Resort down at Walt Disney World to my collection .  Earlier this year, we stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland Resort and either from the hotel room or from the lounge by the pool, I found and came away with this lovely disposable coaster.  One side features the letters G C H.  The reverse is a flower and leaves. The title tells the story of this being the 15th piece of Disney Parks ephemera in the form of coasters from restaurants and resorts.   This is the third Disneyland Resort Coaster; with a Disneyland Hotel one and the Lamplight Lounge Pixar coasters already being posted in the collection.   Here's the Full Disney Parks coaster list: The full Disney list includes: 1. The standard one you see in your rooms @  Walt Disney World resort hotels . 2. This  black and white one from the original Disneyland

A couple of months ago, I posted some new coasters for the collection that were from Oga's Cantina in Black Spire Outpost in Disney's Hollywood Studios .  Those were the 37th coasters and 13th Disney-specific coasters.  I mentioned that the rise of parks ephemera in the form of drink coasters is a really nice trend. Today's post is featuring a new Disney coaster from their new (at least to us) resort called Disney's Riviera Resort.  On the ground floor, near the pool, there's a great lounge called Bar Riva .  It is like eating indoors outdoors.  Or, eating outdoors indoors.  The food was good, the place looks great.  And...they have custom coasters that are oval and include this RR-logo that you can find in various places around the resort . This makes 14 Disney coaster sets (thanks, Lamplight Lounge and Oga's Cantina for having to say 'sets') that I've documented on the blog for the collection. The full Disney list includes: 1. The standard one yo

One of the trends that I'm really enjoying in Disney Parks is the additional of some restaurant-specific Disney Parks ephemera in the shape of custom coasters.  I've documented a few of these over the years here on the blog as part of the Coaster Collection .   The last Disney one that I posted was back in 2019 when I shared one from Aulani .   This post is about some coasters from Oga's Cantina in the Black Spire Outpost on the Out Rim planet of Batuu.  Or, you could say it is located in the Star Wars Land inside of Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida.  Either way, you'd be right.  And, if you're interested, check out the full story on the place here on the Wookiepedia .   As for the rest of the Disney-related coasters in the collection, here's the rundown of the (now) 13 kinds 1 . The full Disney list includes: 1. The standard one you see in your rooms @ Walt Disney World resort hotels . 2. This black and white one from the original Disneyland Resort Ho

It has been a while since I posted a coaster here in the [ coaster collection ], but I snapped a photo of this one from a cafe in Paris called Le Hibou.  I don't remember the meal at all other than we sat outside, so it might not have been memorable.    The owl is nice as is the custom coasters.  #35 in the collection was this one from Aulani .  The last (and only other?) European coaster in the collection is this quasi-vintage Newcastle coaster that I found in my personal effects from my parents house. 

Have we talked about Aulani?  A little bit on the blog, right?  Welp, here's a coaster that I added to the [ coaster collection ] here on the blog from the Aulani Resort in Hawaii.   This is the 35th coaster in the collection and follows the most recent addition of #34 from the Lamplight Lounge at Disney's California Adventure .  This is the 12th Disney-related coaster in t he collection - which means more than 1/3rd of them are Disney-themed. The full Disney list includes: 1. The standard one you see in your rooms @ Walt Disney World resort hotels . 2. This black and white one from the original Disneyland Resort Hotel . 3. This *new* Walt Disney World resort hotel version that updates the look of #1 above. 4. One from the Irish pub Raglan Road restaurant in Disney Springs. 5. From inside the Magic Kingdom comes this one from the Skipper Canteen . 6. Right outside the Boardwalk Inn Hotel is where we got this coaster from the Flying Fish restaurant . 7. Back in D

Just to make things simple here for the record keeper at the 'official' coaster collection archives, I'm calling this just one coaster.  You can see a bunch of coasters in the photos of this post and one side of them are all different, but just to keep things simple here, let's call this one coaster. And that coaster is pretty neat:  it is from the new (at least kinda new) Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure. As I've posted over time, we're lounge people when it comes to Disney parks and dining.  After taking some advice from Pam at the BoG Podcast, we've sought out more and more lounges.  They don't require ADRs and you can get pretty good food in an atmosphere that we can enjoy and the kids can tolerate. This place - the Lamplight Lounge - is called a 'lounge', but it also takes ADRs.  Or at least reservations via the Disneyland mobile app - which is a bit different than WDW ADRs.  But, you get it, right?  Also, the food is

Here comes #31 in the [coaster collection] on the blog.  This one is from Half Acre Brewery in Chicago and is part of a series of local breweries in the collection.  The first one in the collection from the local brewery collection is the Saugatuck Brewing Company in January of 2016 .   Then one from Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville , and then most recently Alter Brewing Company in Downers Grove.   I haven't been to Half Acre, but like all of you guys, I've had plenty of their beers including some of their more popular ones like Daisy Cutter.   Glad to add them to the collection here to keep the coaster part of the online archives.

I've hit thirty in the [ coaster collection ] here on the blog with the posting and sharing of this coaster from Cadence Kitchen & Co in Downtown Downers Grove.  This is the second in a row of Downers Grove joints on the coaster collection with the most recent one being Alter Brewing Company back in August .  I took this photo on our third visit to Cadence Kitchen and each of them have been nice meals and experiences.  Each of them also was on a date night with Nat, so those meals tend to be a bit more relaxed.  One other thing about this one:  I took this photo of the coaster at the bar - that's where we sat.  At the corner seats of the bar actually.  After a night at SMG meeting the teachers.  From the sounds of it, we're going to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to upscale dining/bar options in Downtown Downers Grove soon with the eminent opening of Pierce Tavern this fall.   If they have custom coasters, I'll be sure to add them to the collect

Here comes #29 to the [ Coaster Collection ] here on the blog - and this one is local.  Alter Brewing Company is located in Downers Grove.  And, when we were there...the place was bananas!  We went on a recent Friday night for a party in their upstairs party room 1 and the entire taproom was packed.  I had a few beers, but most of what they had in the party room were super-high alcohol beers.  This is the first local, Downers Grove coaster added to the collection here, but not the first from a local craft brewery.  Back in January of 2017, I posted these photos of a coaster from Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville .  1  This time, we were in the upstairs party room, but we've also been to a party in the rear, larger room.  I really liked the upstairs room, but it was H-O-T!

A double feature:  Coaster #28 and a little lid for a hotel-room glass - both from The Roosevelt in New Orleans.  This place is super old-fashioned and my kind of hotel:  rooms that are weird sized.  Big, odd-shaped spaces near the elevators.  Half-floors with like 4 or 5 stairs.  They'd NEVER build a hotel like this today.  Similar 'old fashioned' hotels in the [ coaster collection ] include the Adolphus in Dallas and The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.   This was my second trip to New Orleans with the first back in 2011 where we made a stop at Central Grocery . 

Here comes #27 in the [ coaster collection ] here on the blog.  This one is from a place called Enzo's Hideaway and Tunnel Bar - which happens to be down in Disney Springs.  And being as such, this one marks the 10th coaster that came from a Disney property as part of the collection.   The most recent Disney-related one was from the Abracadabar.   The other Disney ones are varied and include this one from the Boathouse , the Flying Fish restaurant , the Skipper Canteen , Raglan Road restaurant in Disney Springs, the Disneyland Hotel and Walt Disney World resort hotels as well as the *new* Walt Disney World resort hotel version . We had dinner down at Enzo's Hideaway recently and I'll give it a mixed review.  Cool place.  But, slow service and just ordinary food.  Cool coaster, though.

Here's #26 in the [ Coaster Collection ].  It is a Newcastle Brown Ale coaster that I picked up almost twenty years ago.  Yeah.  Seriously.  It was in a pile of stuff that I just went through that was from my post-graduation Europe trip.  For some reason, I brought this coaster home.  I'm using it on my desk at home right now, but as with most of these disposable coasters, they don't last long.   Hence, the chronicling of them here on the blog. 

If you've followed along, you know that I adore Ted's Montana Grill .  But now, with this coaster featuring an anonymous quote, I've now enshrined Ted's with three coasters in the [ Coaster Collection ] here on the blog.  I picked this photo up on a recent visit to the Bolingbrook Ted's.  The first Ted's coaster was this one (the second ever in the collection) from March of 2015.  The second Ted's one was from December of 2015 featuring a John Wayne quote .  With three, Ted's comes in a strong second place - only behind Disney World - which has seven coasters in the collection. 

Here comes #24 in the [ Coaster Collection ] here on the blog.  This one from Pint Brothers Alehouse, located inside the Marriott Denver Tech Center.  The last one I added was the Arlo Hotel in NYC and the full collection is here .   There's a trend here:  the most recent coasters are all from hotel stays.  This isn't a hotel exactly, but is a restaurant *inside* of a hotel.  Full coaster collection here .  And the first coaster ever posted - which wasn't part of a collection per se, is this Illini/Coors Light coaster that featured the 'new' Illini branding with the curved angles on the inside of the Block I.  For the record, the "collection" is just a digital artifact here on the blog.  I don't actually *have* the coasters.  I horde too much stuff to start to pick up coasters and bring them home. 

The last time that I added a coaster to the [ Coaster Collection ] here on the blog was back in December of last year when I added #22 - The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas .  Right before that was #21 - The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs .  The coaster you see above is also from a hotel, making the streak 3 straight of hotel-related coasters.  This one is from the Arlo SoHo in NYC .  The Arlo is right directly across the street from our office, so it is super convenient, but man-o-man...the rooms are small.  I think they call them 'micro rooms', actually.  The coasters, however, are normal size. 

A week or so ago, I posted a coaster from the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs here in the [ coaster collection ] that made it the #21.  Today is another sweet hotel - the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas - that is now #22.  I stayed at the Adolphus for a few nights and had a huge room.  I guess I shouldn't expect anything less down in Texas, right?  I have a soft spot in my heart for vintage, old-fashioned hotels and the Adolphus lived up to it's billing. 

Now entering #21 in the [Coaster Collection] here on the blog.  This one from The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.  Which...is a delightful place.  Turns out, it is owned by the same folks who own Heaven errr...Sea Island .    That explains a lot .  I have a few photos of my stay (which was entirely too short) that I'll post up here on the blog with more details at some point. The most recent coaster prior to this one was Abracadabar down on the Disney Boardwalk . You can find the full coaster collection here .

During a recent trip, we finally found time to sit down and have a beverage in the Abracadabar on Disney's Boardwalk where they have these neat, custom coasters.  It doesn't do any magic tricks or illusions like the "posters" on the wall, but it is cute to see the top hat as cocktail glass being used here, isn't it?   Full [Coaster Collection] is here .  Including this new one, I'm up to 20 total coasters in the collection and 9 (and counting) Disney-specific coasters including this one from the Boathouse , the Flying Fish restaurant , the Skipper Canteen , Raglan Road restaurant in Disney Springs,   the Disneyland Hotel and Walt Disney World resort hotels  as well as the *new* Walt Disney World resort hotel version .

This is the 19th piece added to the official Coaster Collection here on the blog.  Is 'added' the right term?  Curated?  Included?  I'm not sure, but as the official head of curation, I'm just going to go with 'added'.  The coaster you see above comes from a place called The Dutch downtown in SoHo, NYC.  We went there for a few after work beers and a giant seafood tower.  Full coaster collection posts can be found here . 

Back in February of 2016, I posted a photo of the in-room coasters from the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Hotel .  The coasters from WDW are found in the resort hotel rooms usually on the little bar/kitchen setup where the glasses/mugs are located near the coffee makers.  The coasters had been the same ones for as long as we have been traveling there until a recent trip when I came across these new ones you see above.  It is a much cleaner look - both in terms of design but also material.  The old one had a soft, brushed texture.  This one is thinner, more flexible and has a more slick - but not glossy finish to it.  Gone is the castle imagery and the clouds.  In is the word 'Resort'. The thinner material and less printing make me think that this is a simple cost-cutting measure.  Sure, the new design feels a bit more 'fresh', but if they're putting four of these in 10k hotel rooms, a penny here and a penny there can start to add up, right? I