HRT

Hello Lovely Readers,

I started HRT last Monday. I have a twice weekly estrogen patch, and I am taking a progesterone capsule nightly

I was a little apprehensive about it, but I've almost gone a year without a period, and I don't really want to go without those ever so important hormones.

While in the throes of perimenopause I was also grieving the loss of my husband, so some things overlapped, and I couldn't really tell you what was what.

It's been almost five years since I lost him. I'm in a much better place emotionally, so some symptoms I've been experiencing I need to chalk it up to me being perimenopausal, and not grief

So let's see if they help with~

• Sleeping better
• Hot flashes
• Hair loss
• Peeing way too much
• A weird smell, like fryer grease
• Brain fog
• Forgetfulness 
• Mood swings
• Dry eyes
• Itchy skin
• Anxiety 
• Runny nose
• It probably won't solve, but I now have a gut

I'll get back to you about it...

xo,

Steph

Beverage Monday/Thanksgiving

Hello Lovely Readers,

The last time I did a Thanksgiving Beverage Monday was way back in 2009~ Link

Here are some newer Thanksgiving dinner-inspired cocktails 

PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; 

FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Turkini

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon ~ make it Wild Turkey
• 1 oz. cream de cacoa, light
• 1/2 oz. Kahlua
• 1/2 oz. milk 
• chocolate syrup
• 1 1 1/2 oz. Bailey's

Put ice in a shaker and then measure the first five ingredients into the shaker.  Shake and strain into a martini glass drizzled with the chocolate sauce. Garnish with a turkey cookie or candy.

Recipe from Delish, with a little bit of modification from me

Sweet Potato Casserole Old-Fashioned

• 1/2 oz. El Gupao sweet potato syrup
• 3 dashes El Guapo chicory pecan bitters
• orange wheel
• 3 oz. bourbon ~ again why not Wild Turkey or go with Maker's Mark
• roasted mini marshmallows
• Orange twist

Muddle the orange wheel, chickory pecan bitters, and sweet potato syrup at the bottom of a rocks glass, add a large ice cube, and the bourbon. Twist the orange peel over the drink, and garnish with roasted mini marshmallows

Recipe inspiration & photo from Comfort du Jour

Cranberry Mojito 

• 8- 10 fresh cranberries
• 6-7 mint leaves
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 2 oz. white rum
• cranberry juice
• club soda
• lime, sugared cranberries, and mint to garnish

In a highball glass add the cranberries, mint simple syrup and lime juice; muddle them together gently. Add ice, the rum and cranberry juice lmost to the top of the glass, add a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lime wedge, sugared cranberries and mint. 

My recipe. Image from Canva.

Bonus, I have really been enjoying flavored whiskey/bourbon on the rocks. Try these pecan flavors~

Ole Smoky Pecan Whiskey

Select Club Pecan Praline

Blackland Prarie Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon

Cheers,

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2025

Hello Lovely Readers,

Well, I only made it to this festival two times again this year 😞

I didn't get to finish Emile's Fomage Montage I  only ate three of the five needed

Nor did I get all the food I planned

& I didn't get all the Magic shots either

But, I did get to eat some fabulous things...

The Alps

Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese

with baby potatoes,cornichons & a baguette

On my snazzy new festival tray

Morocco Pavillion 

Fig Cocktail

Kleiner Feigling fig liqueur & white cranberry juice 

Flavors of America

Gulf Coast-style Seafood Roll

with warm-water lobster, rock shrimp, lobster bisque and sherry-creme franchise on a toasted brioche 

with drawn butter{cropped out}

Hawai'i

Pineapple Cheese Cake

with passion fruit curd & macadamia nuts

Forest & Field

Pumpkin-Mascarpone Ravioli 

with brown butter vinaigrette, pecorino cheese, pomegranate seeds and hazelnut praline

Gyozas of the Galaxy

French Onion Soup-style Dumplings

pork and beef soup dumplings with caramelized onions, sherry-beef broth, onion, and gruyere soubise, parmesan, and micro chives

Coastal Eats

Seaside Pot Pie

with shrimp, scallops, crawfish tails & lobster bisque, topped with puff pastry

Australia 

Mixed Berry Pavlova

with crunchy meringue shell, macerated berries & whipped cream 

I should of also had a frose from The Alps, but I screwed up and didn't put it in my tray correctly and I dropped a perfectly FULL drunk before I had a chance to taste it

On the plus side, I finally saw the photographer by the Mexican Pavillion & got a Miguel shot

Some other fun festival Magic Shots

There's always next year!!!

Stay 🌞 

Wicked

Hello Lovely Readers,

I just saw Wicked: For Good. There are very few films that I will go to on opening day/ weekend, anymore. I can wait a bit. However, I made an exception for the second Wicked. 

And I saw both of them in 3D. This time we received souvenir glasses, in pink or green

I was always a fan of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and watched the yearly showing with my mom, growing up.

I have yet to see the musical version of Wicked, because the first time it came to California, I was still mourning my mom...

I actually didn't attend a Broadway production for close to 20 years before seeing Hamilton, for the 1st time, in 2022.

Anyways, I loved the movie. I really didn't read spoilers for either before watching, but knew a couple of things beforehand.

Are you a fan? 

What movie brings you back to your childhood?

Until next time

 

Passholder Magnet

I finally received the Mickey 🧲 

I've been waiting

& waiting

& waiting

I renewed and I was still waiting

& waiting for my 1st one

You're supposed to wait about three months after renewing, or your initial year before calling them up. Once I called, it was delivered about a week later

I didn't know the magnets were a thing until after I became a passholder, nor did I know about the in park giveaways.

My first passholder magnet was Stitch. It was just dumb luck with that one. We were at Epcot, and saw the passport magnet line during my first visit as a passholder 

Since then, I have collected all these~

& today inside the passholder buzz, they let us know that in December, a bonus three pack is available at Animal Kingdom.

I have two of them, but I'll be adding Hei Hei to my collection😀

Passholder Calendar

 

Hello Lovely Readers,

Got a nice little surprise in the mail this week. A cool calendar for passholders...

Each month has a different character, many of which are on recent Passholder Magnets

1. January
• Figment
2. February
• Tiana
3. March
• Orange Bird
4. April
• Minnie Mouse
5. May
• Oswald & Ortensia
6. June
• Stitch
7. July
• Dumbo
8. August
• Pumba & Timon
9. September
• Mickey Mouse
10. October
• Sleeping Beauty & Maleficent
11. November
• Hei Hei
12. December
• Wrapping Paper

My renewal is in May...

There's a sticker for that, plus many more 

There's also a fun little sketch of Walt Disney World

I'm so excited to start using it...

Until next time,

Disney Birthday

Hello Lovely Readers,

The last time I spent my birthday at a Disney property was in 2001 at California Adventure during their opening year. 

Not sure if buttons were a thing then, but they are now, and it was fun wearing one for the day, even if it was a day late.

I couldn't go on my actual birthday since my pass is blocked out on weekends & Federal holidays. So on my actual birthday, October 13th, I ventured over to Disney Springs for a photo shoot, lunch at Earl of Sandwich, and a cookie at Gideon's before heading over to my off-property hotel.

My plan on the 14th was to rope drop Epcot and ride the Guardians of the Galaxy. Well, that didn't happen! I did get there right at opening but the wait was already at 105 minutes, and I had a breakfast reservation at The Kona Cafe in the Polynesian Resort at 10:45, so on to plan B.

While eating awesome macadamia nut pancakes with pineapple sauce and bacon, I came up with the plan to visit all four parks and use the four modes of transportation to travel to all of them. My car was parked at Epoct. 

While at each, I would get a photo at their icon with my button, then do a reverse one with my arms in the air. I also went on one ride, or went to a show at each park. I didn't since I was full from my delicious pancakes, and knew I was ending my night at Epcot. The Food & Wine was in full swing, and I was making my way through my list

       

I always take advantage of having a photopass, so besides these photos, I stood in line for character shots at Magic Kingdom & Epcot.

I also rode two roller-coasters, which I really shouldn't. Everest at Animal Kingdom & Guardians at Epcot.

A busy day, more hours than I usually stay, but all in all a fantastic, solo 59th birthday trip!

Instagram reel~ Birthday @ WDW

Until next time,