Every six months the latest round of professional interns for Walt Disney World bids their farewell. Some find a gig with Disney, others do not and sadly head back home. During this time of year it is common to see groups of cast members get together after work to send off the latest group with… Continue reading A Brief Evening in Splitsville
ThisFloridaLife started as both a love song for my homestate and a catalyst for me to get out there and enjoy my lifelong home. I dreamed of Paris, Hawaii, Tokyo, London, the Caribbean, and Italy. Those dreams seem more and more out of reach and frivolous, and so a new dream was born: enjoy my… Continue reading Living ThisFloridaLife in 2013
All is calm. All is bright. Only one of these statements can be used to accurately describe the holidays at Orlando. With so many holiday events in Orlando between the awe-inspiring attractions to the deck-the-halls-extravaganza in the hotels, all is bright indeed. The holiday season in itself can be stressful, and as magical as Orlando… Continue reading Surviving the Holidays in Orlando
Every second Friday of the month, Food Truck Bazaar makes its way over to Casselberry. Given that this Orlando suburb is my lifelong home, one would think that I would be a "regular". In reality, I have now only visited twice. It is not for lack of want or lack of interest. It is simply… Continue reading A Festive Friday at Food Truck Bazaar in Casselberry
Truth be told, I have not been to Winter Garden since before I was of age to really remember anything. I put my best Disney pal in charge of the dining arrangements and she didn't disappoint. As Blue Jean Baby and I pulled onto Plant Street, into downtown Winter Garden, my eyes grew to the… Continue reading An Evening of Warmth in Winter Garden with Encore
There are many times I fall in love with living in Orlando all over again. But, there are times when being an Orlando Native means challenge and heartbreak. The most emotionally challenging aspect of being an Orlando Native is the comings and goings of people. Much like New York City, Nashville, Miami, or Hollywood, Orlando attracts… Continue reading Do Dreams Come True in Orlando?
The idea of visiting the original Happiest Place on Earth during the holidays grew larger each year, like a snowball being rolled down a hill. After our mind blowing visit to Disneyland last June, while still riding the high of seeing Cars Land and Buena Vista Street before opening to the public, my husband booked… Continue reading Back on Florida Ground After a Disneyland Christmas
There is such comfort I feel when driving around my neighborhood, seeing all the places I spent time as a child. Yesterday, as I worked to tackle my pre-Thanksgiving to do list, I made it a point to take the back roads and drive around my hometown. Neighbors who have known me since I was… Continue reading Home for the Holidays – Part Two: Staying Home
During this time of year my heart is filled with gratitude. There is no other time that makes me more thankful to be a native Orlando-ian than the holiday season. To me, there are only three places in the world more magical than Orlando at Christmastime: Paris, New York City, and the North Pole. Now,… Continue reading Home for the Holidays – Part One: Local Love
For many Central Floridians, myself included, the Festival of Trees is the best way to kick off the holiday season. This week long event is held at the beautiful Orlando Museum of Art. The museum becomes a veritable enchanted forest full of custom decorated trees donated by organizations throughout Central Florida. These trees are extremely… Continue reading A Forest of Fantasy: the Festival of Trees
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