The Magic Kingdom and More...

For those of you procrastinating doing something productive on this cloudy Monday afternoon, how about a trip down memory lane with some photos from my recent excursions to Orlando's theme parks!

I hadn't been to Disney or Universal since I was 12 so it was a total blast from the past for me to relive the fun and festivities with my sisters and mom. I was especially excited to return to the Magic Kingdom because the last time I had been in the late 1990's, I had the flu so I had to spend most of the time inside the Grand Floridian with a thermometer in my mouth.

We arrived at Magic Kingdom at dusk on a Saturday evening but the park was still super busy! (some parents really win the 'worst parenting of the year' awards here, aka kids wearing no jackets when we were bundled up in hats and scarves,  and unconscious 4 year olds being carried on speedy rides by their parents at 11:30 pm- yikes!)

We tried to pull off an excited  jumping shot at the entrance but apparently I don't spring from my squats like I used to...oops!

 

We went on all the classic rides, including the always thrilling space mountain and the usual suspects, including Snow White, Peter Pan, the tea cups, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion!

 

We of course had to take a snapshot wearing some ears!

And my sister Whitney reunited with her favourite Minnie Mouse dress which she barely removed for 4 years of her childhood.

After dark, all the rides  lit up and it was extra magical!

There was a  booming fireworks  show set to music.

And a spectacular parade with all the characters and floats lit up with hundreds of dazzling lights!

Besides Magic Kingdom, we also hit the other Disney parks to ride the scarier rides, such as the Aerosmith roller coaster, which was awesome (shout out to emo pepito who kept us entertained in line)

Shrieking on the Tower of Terror was worth the wait

And stuffing our faces with loads of overpriced sugary treats was a no-brainer

The first major ride we  ran to at Universal was the Hulk roller coaster - we couldn't resist riding three times and taking funny photos each time!

Next was a visit to Seuss Landing, where we caught up with the Grinch and Thing 1 and Thing 2.

 

Also at Universal is the new rock-it rollercoaster which was INSANE!

You choose your own soundtrack to listen to for the ride and can watch a music video of yourself afterwards- so fun!

I'd be remiss to not mention that the Harry Potter park at Universal is coming along quite nicely.

As I watched Hogwarts go up, it pained me to realize that my visit timing was off by only a couple months until it opens, but I guess it's just another reason to return one day...

Her??

Apparently the Arrested Development movie is a go after all. I’m crossing my fingers it comes out before I’m old enough to be gangy.

 

I hope Mrs. featherbottom is in it!

Saturday Morning Giggles

Had to share this supremely odd yet addictive video I saw on To The Maxxx

Weekend Cocktail #27: Bloody Cosmo

This Halloween you should spice up a go-to cocktail with a ghoulish twist: fake blood! Drinker beware you're in for a scare!

Bloody Cosmo

• 1½ oz vodka
• ¾ oz Cointreau
• ½ oz lime juice, fresh
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• red food colouring
• splash of milk
• eye dropper

1. Mix vodka, cointreau, line juice and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker over ice
2. Strain and pour into martini glass
3. Mix corn syrup, food colouring and splash of milk in a bowl until the mixture looks like fake blood
4. Drip fake blood mixture on the rim of the glass with the eye dropper

Deconstructing Marie

Because my statcounter is telling me tons of you are trolling the internet in search of Marie Antoinette costume details, I figured I'd share the sourcing for my favourite Halloween get-up from last year. It may not be historically accurate (short skirt much?), but this Marie costume was still cheaper than renting a real full-length reproduction, plus I can keep it forever and ever!

Here are the details:

The Renaissance Wig  is from Malabar

The dress is the Courtier Marie Costume from Theatrix

I made a custom hat-piece to add to my wig with materials from Michael's and also decorated a store-bought fan with ribbons and pearls to match the powder blue hue (the pic above isn't mine- but it's similar to what I did)

The shoes were cheap white patent slingbacks from a discount store similar to DSW and I just added blue ribbon bows by Martha Stewart to the toe.

Classic Couples Costumes

Still at a loss  for what to dress up tonight? Here are some adorable costumes for couples that are great stand-by's:

Boys, race for ownership papers or look up Danny Zucko in the yellow pages by donning leather jackets, tight jeans and slicked pompadours.

Girls, be as bad ass as you can be by drinking twinkies with a dessert wine and worrying over false pregnancies in pink jackets, black leotards and black leggings with cat-eye sunglasses.

 

Pick up these costumes and Grease is the word!

Pink Ladies Satin Jacket and Scarf, $29.99 and T-Bird Danny Adult Men's Costume, $59.99

If you're more gamer than Grease, go Nintendo styles and be Mario and Princess Peach!

Trust the fungus and channel the most famous plumber and then go frou-frou in pink petticoats as Peach!

 

Super Mario Costume, $49.99 and Leg Avenue Three Piece Pink Princess Dress Costume, $50.99

OY VA VOY!

Why would anyone ever do this?

image via daily stab

That Martha is One Smart Lady

She’s holding a blogging contest to accompany the show she did today on the world of blogging. I was very pleased to see Deb of Smitten Kitchen featured and if it weren’t for Perez I probably wouldn’t even have known so word up P-Nasty!

If you haven’t checked out Martha’s blog, you should for such amusing posts as this:

crazy cappuccinos

Paw Paw’s grandpuppies

A barn breakfast sandwhich

I confess Martha’s pets are my favourite…us coo-coo multiple animal people tend to understand each other better than others. Francesca is beyond

Bizarro

Strange yet  intriguing, the London home of big-budget film director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) is on crack in its own special way.

As the copy reads:

"Emmerich instructed the designer, John Teall, of Flux Interiors, to make it so that "when the neighbors peek in, they might want to call the police or something."

Well Roland, mission accomplished!

Check out the NY Times tour for yourself to see what kind of interior that bizarro request inspired...

PS- yes that is a statue of the late pope reading the newspaper under the stairs...

(images via NY Times)

I Wear My Sunglasses At Night

Nice Shades Pillowcase Set, $28

I'm not hipster enough to try them in my own room, but I think these cotton sunglasses pillowcases are hysterical.

If it were me I'd go with something a bit more musical like the mix tape set or perhaps even the whimsical eifel tower cases.

Psycho Glitter Bitch

Guess Who Lives Here?

Okay i'll tell you right off the bat because I'm still in shock that I desire this individual's cottage so intensely. It's decorated very close to how I'd do my own cottage if I was to have one in Muskoka with sons (nevermind the fact I'm not a cottager and I pray I have only daughters)

It's Kenny G's! It's called "Home Island" and the article in House and Home's July issue says he recently sold it, but I just love how it was decorated. Take a peak:





I'd never think I'd want something of Kenny G's but I guess I stand corrected -- my apologies to you Mr. Gorelick!