Vacation Photos: Food at Disney

We spent the day at the Food and Wine Festival last week while on vacation.

There were a few places that were not open yet that I was really disappointed about: 

The Wedge (all that mac and cheese)

Festival Favorites (S'mores milkshake)

Coastal Eats (Seafood Pot Pie)

Here's what I ate (some shared dishes):

Apple Strudel from Germany - this was good

Pollo al Marsala (chicken with potato gnocchi) from Italy - this was amazing

Belgian Waffle with cookie butter from Belgium - really good

Beer-Braised Beef from Belgium - The best of the show for me. And no one is more surprised by that than me. The beef was tender and the potatoes were so creamy

Filet Mignon from Canada - really good

Boeuf Braise (short ribs with potato cake) from France - pretty good

Spicey Black Bea Mushroom Chili from Forest and Field- Excellent

Strawberry Champagne Trifle from Simmering Sips - really good

Berry Mimosa from Simmering Sips - delightful

Also in Epcot:

School Bread - this was breakfast before the booths opened. A favorite of ours.

S'mores Brownie from the American pavilion - it was fine. Too smokey for me.

I had this for breakfast the next day - this is the Gingerbread Carmel Sandwich Cookie and it blew my mind. It was delicious. 

Other Eats at Disney:

Boston Creme Pie and - The S'mores Cup (a Halloween exclusive) from Columbia Harbor House

The Boston Cream Pie was amazing.

The S'mores Cup was too sweet for me, which is saying something.

Spring Rolls from the cart- no pictures

 I had one of each:

Pepperoni 

Cheeseburger - this was the best

S'mores cookie from Earl of Sandwich - which might be my favorite cookie in all of Disneyworld. I really love this place and I wish we had one in New England.

And I know I just said that about the cookie above, but...

Pulled Pork Fries from Flame Tree in Animal Kingdom

Gaston's Cinnamon Roll - this is raved about so I thought I would try it. 

I'm picky about cinnamon rolls because I make them.

This was really good - light and fluffy. But I felt it could have used more cinnamon.

I had lists of food to try at each park. We didn't get to them all. Lots of the items were shared. Do you have one you'd like to try?

Picture Book Reviews: Biographies

Just a few picture book biographies

Emma loved stories and was always writing them down. She created books for her friends and family. One day, she heard other people talking about immigrants. They were saying not very nice things. Emma's family were immigrants too. She worked to change their minds. When an important commission comes, they ask Emma to write important words.

This book makes me want to read more about Emma Lazarus and her words. 

Junko wanted to climb - she spent years trying to break into the old boy's network. Instead, she created an all women's team. They applied to climb Mount Everest and were accepted. It will take three years before they can climb. They are a team and they are stronger together. But of course nothing goes to plan. But she remembers her training - one step at a time.

An inspiring read about a woman who didn't quit even when things got hard. 

America feels alone, especially on the first day of school. When she's asked to share something, she loves to dream about, her mind goes blank. After spending the night reading about heroes, she has something to share about the heroes that inspired her. 

I love that books inspired her and how she chose to start again and become brave. 

Roland had dreams - big dreams. He had a lot of things he like, a lot of things he was good at, and determination to make his dreams possible.  Not everyone understood his dreams - but he was determined to become an astronaut.

This book has a great message about chasing your dreams.

Review: Meet Me Under the Lights

 

Eliza Crowley's known all over town - her family owns the baseball stadium. But there's another family with ties to the stadium. The Fultons and the Crowleys used to own it together. After some bad blood, there's been a feud between the two families ever since. But this summer, there's a bet in place. Whoever wins the season will win the stadium. 

Reed Fulton hasn't been back to town in years. But this year, he's playing on the baseball team and helping around the farm. He and Eliza used to be best friends. Seeing her again brings back a lot of memories. 

At first, they simply aggravate each other. But something changes between them. 

My Thoughts: I love how the family feud in this book echoes the play Eliza's working on. I loved Reed's grandparents. I wish they were a little more in the book. I loved the banter between Eliza and Reed. I felt terrible for Ben. I loved the small town moments - where memories happened and everyone knew everything about you. I really enjoyed this YA romance. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute but this scene doesn't happen in the book

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A fun sporty/theater romance for your YA collection

Review: The Secret to Belonging

 

There's a girl whose family is broken. They give everything they have towards her older brother who is an addict - even your college fund. But luck does find you, in the form of a scholarship to study abroad in Norway. 

There's nothing left for you at home, so you pack your bags. And your real life begins. You matter. Your choices matter. Your new family takes your thoughts and feelings into consideration. You're learning about their culture. You're learning their language. But more importantly, you're learning about yourself and where you fit in this world.

My Thoughts: This novel in verse is a heartbreaking emotional read. It captures the moment you find yourself - and refuse to let go. Life isn't always fair. I loved reading about the Norwegian culture.  This is Megan E. Freeman's first YA and I really hope it won't be her last. This powerful story made me cry but also gave me hope in the best possible way. It's one of those books you'll remember long after you close the pages.

Cover Thoughts: Emotional

Source: eARC sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your public library

* This book comes out on Tuesday September 15

Picture Book Review: Hattie the Happy Little Camper

Hattie's family had children who love spending summers in her. She kept them safe and warm. She loved their laughter and how happy they were. Until they grew up and moved away. Then Hattie had no one; she grew lonely.

This was a really sweet read about family, growing up, and how life changes. The ending was really sweet and the illustrations were charming.  

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Indie Bookstore

 This week's topic is ALL about indie bookstore.

Childhood Favorite: Northshire Bookstore

It's grown over the years!

Where I Met SO Many authors:

RJ Julia

A local- ish Bookstore: 

It's always nice to browse here - they've moved from the downtown area

Sherman's in Bar Habor (Where we visit often)

Montgomery and Taggert: CT's first romance bookstore

Photo from CT Insider: Sarah Borgnis-Tobin/ Contributed photo

And finally - local to work

Folklore & Fable: I've been to a few events here and hope to attend more!

What are your favorite indie bookstores?

Middle Grade Review: Dare You to Dance

 

Gracie's excited to dance at a fancy ballet school in New York City for the summer. But she's not sure she has what it takes. She decides to start a rivalry with the best dancer in the class - Sariah in hopes that she will push herself. But at what cost?

My Thoughts: I love reading ballet books - and this graphic novel was great. It takes during the entire summer - from class to final showcase. Of course there are mean girls in the class, but there are also friendships formed. Sariah's aunt used dance and that pushes Sariah forward. By the end of the summer, the two girls form a friendship. I loved how they challenged each other. I hope there's another book featuring next summer.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A fantastic graphic novel for your school or public library collection - perfect for sporty girls.