Epcot Flower & Garden

 

Hello Lovely Readers,

Wow! This is my first Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot. The park is very spring like and beautiful! 

There are flowers and topiaries all over the park. Some of my favorites from my visits on May 6 & May 21

Thumper 

Bambi

Pumbaa & Timon

Lady & the Tramp

Beauty & the Beast

Cogsworth & Luminere

Pluto

Peter Pan & Captain Hook

The Croc

Anna & Elsa

Snow White & Dopey

Six Dwarves

Silly me, I forgot to take pics of the festival foods I ate, or the reward I earned

Next year, I'll be better 😊

Walt Disney World Annual Passholder

Hi, lovely readers

This native California Girl, that has only lived in California until four months ago, is a Disney Passholder for the very first time...in Florida. 

When I was younger & single I would go all the time. The discounts were very generous for Southern California residents. Once California Adventure came into play, the prices got crazy, and I couldn't justify the price especially when I became we, a party of three. 

I'm older & single now,, plus I'm living with people  that have passes, so I broke down and bought one. Of course I also have a photo pass because, why not? 

It takes about two and a half hours to get there so not a quick day trip, but the parking is free & I have my MagicBand so we'll see... 

My first use was at Epcot for their International Flower & Garden Festival.  The park was gorgeous with all the floral displays and topiaries of several my favorite movies/ characters. Check out the recap.

It also coincided with their V.I.Passholder Days where we each picked up a free button and Stitch magnet. There was also an exclusive lounge inside the Moroccan Pavillion where I met Genie.

The festival ends at the end of the month so I'll try and make it back since we didn't see everything and I didn't complete my passport for a free treat.

I downloaded the app the day before so I didn’t know a whole lot, especially Magic Shots

They're too cute!

The Everglades

Spring Break Fun in the Everglades 🐊🐍🌿🚤

My son is only un Florida for a week, and the Everglades are just 3 hours away, so we had to make time to go during the dry season

We visited Shark Valley. We got a bit of a late start so we were in line for over an hour, then we drove a few miles east of that & took an airboat ride

There's a gator among the lily pads, and our first sighting 

Yes, we were that close, and no there wasn't a fence

This one kinda scared us

On an airboat 

Just basking in the sun

Alligator sightings while gliding through the grass

A fun day with my favorite person learning about my adopted state's infamous wildlife.

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Hello Lovely Readers,

I missed this when it came through Orange County, CA, but I'm glad I was able to catch it in Florida.

I haven't been here that long, but I was curious if any Broadway touring companies stopped around here.

The closest venue, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW, about 45 minutes away is located on a college campus. Bonus, the parking is FREE!

Normally, only musicals tour, although I did see the Vagina Monologues in San Diego, over 20 years ago

Anyways, Richard Thomas was still portraying Atticus Finch. Wow! What a powerful performance! Really the whole cast was fantastic

It was a nice introduction to the theatre in SWFL

40 over 40

Hello Lovely Readers,

Last year, I saw an Instagram post from

a photographer putting together a project of photographing 40 women over 40. 

The "model" photoshoot consisted of a hair & makeup session, plus a stylist. She also used a wind machine,  and different sets.

I'm on the cover of a magazine with 39 gorgeous ladies, and have a two-page inside.

My dream job as a kid was model, so this was a complete pinch me moment.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend a gala to celebrate all of us, plus see myself hung on a wall in a gallery {top photo}

xo,

Steph

Florida or Bust

Hello my lovely readers,

On January 7th, I left my home state, the onky one I have lived in to move across the United States. I drove from the West Coast of California to the West Coast of Florida to start my life reset.

I drove over 2600 miles, from Orange County, California to Charlotte County, Florida, traveling eastbound on the 10, then south on the 75 {yes, I used the, and I always will} 

I traveled through eight states, six of them for the first time. The first four states were with my son, the last four by myself. Actually, not completely by myself. My little dude, Dio was my constant companion, although he started getting bored about 1300 miles in. 

Some highlights from the first four states

Snow in Arizona? This was at a rest stop. We stopped for the night in Chandler, AZ. We got a late start, so that's as far as I wanted to go

We didn't get pics, but there was snow on cacti & yuccas, so cool 

My 1st time in New Mexico...see the snow? It was super windy and cold. 

Drove over the continental divide. Thought it would be a bigger deal than it was 

That was our 3rd state that day. We tried to make it there while it was still daylight, oh well. Drove through El Paso at night, then stayed in Fort Stockton for the night. Went to my first Cracker Barrel outside of El Paso

This was in Texas. Didn't know a snowflake showed up when the temp dipped below 37°

We were going to stop at a Fuddruckers no matter what. They've been a family favorite for over 30 years. They left Southern California in 2020 and we didn't get a chance to savor our final meal before they shut all of them down. This one was in Austin. We stayed the night in San Marcos, TX

His 1st car, courtesy of his uncle. 

He drove it back to school 

Our goodbye for now pic. 

We parted ways at a Target in Kyle, TX

As I drove through San Antonio, I saw the exit for the Alamo, so why not do a drive by? This is the back side. I really didn't want to get out my car, so San Antonio is on my list of cities to see

My 1st Buc-ee's. To see it, is to believe it. I didn't know that I needed to be hungry. So, I looked up the the next one, which was about 2 hours away, and enjoyed a really yummy beef brisket sandwich in Katy, TX

Dio was energetic, and bouncing around the first two days. On day three onward he was done. He would just lay on the seat and every hour or so he would get up, look around, put his nose out the window, then lay down again when he realized none of it was familiar 

Texas  is H U G E. It's 880 miles of highway from the New Mexico border to the Louisiana border down the 10. In comparison, the 5 through California is only 796 miles from the Mexican border to the Oregon border. I tried to make it to Louisiana, but ended up in Beaumont for my final night in Texas.

I stayed in Texas a total of three nights while driving through, in the west, central {stayed 24 hours in the Austin area}, and east.

On the fifth day of driving, I finally made it to Louisiana... 

As I was driving over the Mississippi River for the first time, by Baton Rouge, my phone acted up, and I didn't get the shot I wanted 😩 

I tried to make it all the way to New Orleans for lunch, but I got a little hungry and had some Popeyes in Louisiana 

 

The 10 goes through New Orleans. I have never been, so... parked in a lot between the Mississippi and the French Quarter, close to the Café Du Monde, paid for an hour, got some beignets & a Mississippi River selfie...then I was on my way. 

If you ever get a craving for fresh beignets while driving through New Orleans, Café Du Monde only takes cash at the 24 hr. to-go window. Lesson learned...

The Mississippi border is only 38 miles from the French Quarter. And the building behind me is a visitor center/rest stop

It took about an hour to drive across Mississippi and into Alabama 

Stopped for a pork sandwich at this Buc-ee's in Alabama 

Then just another hour to reach Florida. Five states in a day! By myself. Once I arrived in Florida, I only had about 600 miles to go... 

Slept at a couple of different rest stops on my way through the panhandle. They have night guards and are about 30-50 miles apart. Most of the panhandle of Florida is in the Central Time Zone, 

On my little road trip, I embraced my southern roots. I ate at Cracker Barrel in Arizona, and had Hush Puppies. Then in Florida I ate at the Waffle House for the first time and tried grits with cheese. I like grits, but wasn't a fan of hush puppies 

My final destination...Punta Gorda, FL

It was raining my first morning in Florida, and rained almost every day during my first week here. What's up with that?? 

I left the Golden State where I have lived all of my life, a couple of weeks ago, and relocated to the Sunshine State for a little life reset 

Who knows what the future will bring. Although, I have been quite a bit more relaxed since I arrived than I have been in a long, long time