Ode to Biscuits

My favorite breakfast spot, Rise, continues to ignite my tastebuds (and I let them know). Here's a bit on their biscuits... Below is my favorite one yet - eggplant parmesan. 

This one below was a tasty St. Pat's Day treat - house made corned beef hash with a runny egg and hollandaise sauce on a biscuit. Well, just turn me Irish already.

Hank ordered the creamy mac & cheese biscuit with a slice of bacon. 

Rise is a true slice of biscuit and donut heaven. It's a neat little gem with an ever rotating menu, and it's easy to keep up with each day's delights by following them on Facebook.

Spot of Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Love, Us

Boo (Princess Part Three)

We made our way to Epcot for lunch in Mexico. I love San Angel Inn. You dine under the stars among Mayan ruins. They have margaritas... and Mexican, so I was happy as can be. 

 

After lunch and an Epcot ride or so, we were off to Magic Kingdom. Hi, Minnie. (She's my favorite.) We had some fun on staple rides such as Space Mountain and the Mad Tea Party.

 

We explored a lot in the new Fantasyland. It specializes in Beauty and the Beast with a side of The Little Mermaid. I tried LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Tavern - it's frozen apple juice with mango foam and a hint of toasted marshmallow - quite the mix but somehow it works.

Then there was meeting characters including Gaston. He had the best facial expressions. 

We went strong until closing time - ending the night with fireworks and shopping.

We were awake for about 22 hours on Sunday so we slept great that night. We booked a late flight Monday, so we spent the day sleeping in, drinking bloodies by the pool and heading back to Downtown Disney for lunch and a bit more shopping / taking it all in. 

 

As always it was magical Disney and one fantastic mother / daughter weekend. Love!

Bobbidi (Princess Part Two)

Rise and shine... It's princess time. "Lace up your shoes, run down to the castle, cross the finish line with your arms in the air, and make sure you wear your medal with pride."

We were up quite early on Sunday, but a marathon morning is always exciting so you get right to it. Upon arrival to the start line - about a 20 minute trek - there was music, princesses (like Jasmine, above) and bathrooms galore. After taking in all the happenings, I hopped on over to my corral. Corral C was also home to Sean Austin - think The Goonies, Lord of the Rings and Rudy. 

Here I am all medaled up... I made it! It all started with a wave of Fairy Godmother's wand plus fireworks and a little Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo. I ran past lots of characters, through Magic Kingdom and Epcot, by spirited ChEAR Squad members and sweet supporters and was sure to stop by every single water table (it was humid). Race highlights were the magical moment running through Cinderella Castle and spotting / waving / blowing kisses to my mom as I crossed the finish line. 

Then there was the medal - glittered and bedazzled with pink jewels (five stones for five years). Sweet success! After crossing the finish line, I had my knees iced down just for fun, then we grabbed my snack box, took some pics, and it was onward to our hotel to freshen up, drink mimosas and hit the parks.

Bibbidi (Princess Part One)

My Mom and I jet set to sunny Florida for Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend, Feb 22-25. It was extra pink, glittery and all things Princess as this race commemorated its 5th anniversary. I was the runner, and my mom was part of the ChEAR Squad - so happy for this mother/daughter weekend.

The weather was gorgeous with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s. I left behind cold and rain, so to say this weather made me happy is an understatement. Disney never ceases to amaze with their customer service, and it all starts when their Magical Express picks you up from the airport.

From here it was onward to our resort with lots of fellow princess chatter along the way. Once checked in, we were ready to see what treasures lied ahead at Disney's Fit for a Princess Expo.

Cinderella's coachmen were there to greet us - always a treat! We picked up our packets plus lots of swag, and we had some fun with the creation of this little gem: 

I found my name on a wall among the other 23,866 princesses there to run that weekend. I had Olympian Jeff Galloway sign my race bib for good measure, and then we called it a success and were off to Downtown Disney for snacks. Here we go!

Downtown Disney has undergone a ton of changes! We hopped aboard a water taxi and happened on a great little place next to Cooke's of Dublin, The Hole in the Wall Bar. We grabbed our fish and chips at Cooke's and then parked at the bar for Happy Hour from 3 - 7 p.m. The drinks were cheap, and for Disney, well that's just fabulous. 

We laid by the pool for the rest of the day until it was time to get ready for dinner at Disney's BoardWalk. We took a nice evening stroll as we made our way to Flying Fish Cafe. 

We dined on all things seafood from delicious crab cakes and a salad with roasted beets and candied pecans to shrimp and scallops and an all lit up cocktail that was constantly changing colors.

Once back at the hotel, I looked through my swag and got all cozy in bed for a good night's sleep...

Hello, Saturday! Saturday was for simplicity and relaxation. We woke up, ate omelets, laid by the pool, got burnt, went to ESPN's World Wide of Sports to watch a Heels win and pretty much hydrated on water, Powerade, water, all day. 

We were in bed early that night because this wake-up call was on its way...