Oz The Great And Powerful In A Bottle. Thanks OPI

some of our favorite things

I always wanted my own bottle of James Franco ( don't lie you do too) and leave it to OPI to hook a girl up.

OPI continues their run of fabulous Disney inspired colors with the " Oz The Great And Powerful" collection consisting of 7 different soft shades.

It seems to have a little of everything from soft pastels to some fun glitters, and who can resist names like  " When Monkeys fly" and " Don't Bust My Bubble"

In " What Wizardry Is This" a new technology for nail polishes is used-liquid sand- giving you a matte finish with some texture and reflective sparkle. As luck would have it that is the color inspired by our wizard himself and it looks fabulous and glittery and everything we're all about

Oh...there you are Franco

The movie comes out March 8 so mark your calendars, paint your nails and gas up your brooms. I'm so hoping it's everything I want it to be . Check out all the colors below and let us know which is your favorite .


 
 


No bright green witch shade here. I sort of wish there was

 ~ Karen

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Auf Wiedersehen German Blocks...You Will Be Missed

Are we the only two who thought Test Track was totally fine the way it was? I'm all for refurbs and clean ups, but there's certain things that should just be left alone. For us, it was Test Track.

Maybe it's the great memories of our rides together just the two of us or the fact that we really enjoyed listening to John Michael Higgins. While I ( Karen) have not yet ridden the new version my other half (Davina) has and a sampling of our texts resembled something like this

Davina- I just rode Test Track and it's different

Me- How different ?

Davina- TOTALLY different

Me- Are there still German blocks?

Davina- No...and it's so sad

German Blocks we will never forget you

This is our farewell to you old Test Track. We never waited 3 hours in line for you, loved the cold chamber and screamed like assholes every time that damn truck came at us with it's horn blasting. If you don't believe us, check out our previous post where we show you on video just how much fun we had.

Auf Wiedersehen Test Track. We kiss you on each cheek and hope for future girls trip where we can make new Tron like memories with you.

XO

~Karen

Making the Most of Your Day at Castaway Cay

My husband loves Castaway Cay. Every time we visit he threatens to remain on the island like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. He has worked it out that he would creep out to be fed when the cruise ship docks and the passengers would think he is some charming Disney character (complete with frayed shorts, a Wilson soccer ball, and crazy scraggly beard). His love for the island is not hard to understand. It is a gorgeous paradise-- set up solely for the enjoyment of the visiting Disney cruise. Who wouldn't love their own island for the day?

We have visited Castaway Cay four times now and have our own methods to maximize our stay. As ports go, it is a long day, but the time at shore goes quickly. So like any good Disney fan knows, you want to have a plan. Here are our tips for making the most on Disney's tropical paradise.

Tip #1: Weather is a fickle beast. Just prepare yourselves for the possibility that the boat cannot dock. If you have ever seen a cruise ship pull into port it is a sloooow process involving lots of ropes and pulling. There are times when the sea is too choppy or the winds are too high. They will try, but it can't always happen. I heard the cruise before ours was unable to dock so they just remained out at sea. I am sure that there were loads of angry passengers that day. If you hear its a possibility (keep an ear out for the captain's announcement the night before), it might be a good time to book an activity on the boat as a back up.

I would hate to be that one guy who screws up.

Tip #2: To island massage or not to island massage? I am of two minds with this. A massage with the beach steps away is a glorious thing. But it does take a big chunk out of your island time. It is also worth noting that you will be slathered with oil. Post-massage a complete wash down is needed to avoid exploding into flames. On the last trip I booked a massage for early in the day (9AM) on the boat. The Senses spa is lovely and generally pretty quiet on port days. The timing worked out well with the boat massage and I was on the beach by 10:30.

Tip #3: Consider the island it's own shore excursion. We love chilling on the island so much that we generally don't entertain the idea of shore excursions. But they have them if you are interested. Boat tours, jet skis, parasailing, and more. If you are interested in booking you can (and should) sign up ahead of time online. It should be noted that snorkel gear and float tubes rentals can be set up ahead of time but it's just as easy to get them in person that day. One thing to keep an eye out for, if you are lucky enough to have a cruise that docks on Castaway Cay for two days, they sometimes have deals on rentals. The deal below was for 75% off the same rental for the second day. Every little bit counts, right?

Port Adventures. Gingerbread houses not included.

Tip #4: Relax, there are plenty of lounge chairs. You don't need to be the first family off the boat. There are three beaches on Castaway Cay. The family beach is the largest and the closest to the boat as well as the main BBQ spot for lunch. By closest I mean a 3 minute ride via tram or a 10 minute walk. The second is the beach adjacent to Pelican Plunge, the other BBQ spot as well as the kids spray park. Smaller, but a great place to set up camp if you think repeat trips on Pelican Plunge are on the agenda. And finally, Serenity Bay, the adults beach that I have not seen in person since my Honeymoon.

Chairs and more chairs as far as the eye can see

I watched people run off the boat in a panic to claim their spot for the day. Honestly, it's not that big a deal. It's not like finding seating by the pool (which can get a little competitive). If you are on the island by 10:30 you will get a chair. AND, you can move the chairs. So feel free to take the little chairs (don't be that guy and lug the lounge chairs, that's just rude) down to the waters edge and stick your feet in. The man with the drink tray will still find you. Promise.

Tip #5: Don't hate on the cabana renters. They are just cooler than you so stop staring at them. Cabanas are the bain of my existence. I am not going to lie, I want a cabana for our next cruise but I doubt I will ever get one. Lets talk odds. There are a handful of cabanas. Maybe 10-20 total? And there are thousands of people on the boat. While I am a silver Castaway Club member (which just means I have been on more than one Disney boat ride) there are those people with gold and platinum status. Those folks get to book their shore excursions ahead of you. Those people are competing with each other for the cabanas which means that no cabana for casual cruisers.

(side note: Cabanas are $400 a day, which makes it almost ok that we can't get one but if you have any tips on how we can snag one, I am all ears.)

As a final note, here is our own 2-minute tour of Castaway Cay. Yes that is my husband floating in the tube plotting how to stay on the island... enjoy.



If you have any good Castaway Cay tips, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you!

Happy cruising!

~Davina

Sailing Away for Christmas on the Disney Dream - What You Need to Know

A year ago when I started planning our Christmas trip on the Disney Dream I had no idea how it would go. Traditionally we are a stay-at-home in our PJs kind of Christmas family. My husband and I both being only children, travelling was never necessary.

As I told people of our plans, some of the same questions would come up again and again. I thought it would make a good blog post since I really couldn't find the answers myself so here goes.

Q: What are you doing about presents?

A: Lets just get this one out of the way. You wouldn't believe how many people asked me this question. As a mom of two young boys (5 and 2), I can understand the curiosity. Toys are a big part of their life so essentially taking the biggest toy day away may result in a mutiny (appropriate on the high seas). Thankfully they are young enough that the Christmas present fever is not in full swing yet. In fact, Grayson (my 5-year old) asked for four things. Quentin (the 2-year old) only wants what his brother has so he received an age appropriate counterpart to his gifts.

All the items were small and easily packed in their own suitcase. I didn't wrap anything as I was not sure if the TSA cares-- plus I really hate wrapping. My mother was a little upset that I didn't make the effort and I would likely bring along some gift bags the next time if only to make the experience a bit more festive. No presents for the adults. The cruise was the present, to which my oldest would respond, "you're just kidding."I appreciated his concern for our lack of gifts, but it really felt nice not worrying about it. 

Q: Who is going and are you all staying in the same stateroom?

A: As mentioned, my husband and I are only children so extended family is not an issue. For this trip it was my husband and I with our two boys along with my mother. We got two staterooms on the 8th floor (with veranda) that adjoined. Connecting rooms was a really important feature as it opened up our space considerably. Each room sleeps 4. One double bed and a bunk bed that pulls from the ceiling.  I'm not going to lie-- its a tight space. We all had bruises from walking into the bed, doors, tables, etc. You get used to it.. sort of.

Like a dorm room with fancier sheets

Q: Are you getting a tree or decorating your stateroom?

A: We just brought the boys stockings. You can order a tree as a special request but it is over $100 and, as mentioned, space is a premium in a cruise ship cabin. The tree in the main lobby of the boat was more than enough to gaze at.  I did see people carrying their own decorations off the boat during debarkation. Watching them struggle with a medium size fake tree AND all their luggage made me realize I would have likely left decorations behind. I'm glad I didn't bring anything more.

The stockings were hung on the boat railing with care.

Q: What happens on Christmas Day?

A: We were at sea for Christmas Day. Our daily navigator had all the activities, but what I didn't realize was some events fill up on the first day of the cruise. Case in point, Make Your Own Gingerbread House. My mother was obsessed with this as she watched families walk by with rather elaborate houses. We learned there was a sign up at Guest Services the first day of the cruise but by Christmas, it was full. Lesson learned. 

side note: after making the houses you can take them back to your stateroom but you cannot take them off the boat. In other words, eat it before the end of the cruise.

Navigator Christmas edition

There were however, plenty of things to do that required no sign-up. Santa was in the main atrium for pictures. And when Santa needed a bathroom break, Santa Goofy took his place. I think my children were more interested in Santa Goofy, but we wanted the real thing.

Santa finds his way on the boat

We went for breakfast at the Royal Palace on Christmas morning not realizing that there was an entire Christmas spread available in the main lobby. So after breakfast we had second breakfast consisting of giant sugar cookies, cream filled pretzels, mince pies, hot chocolate, and more. 

The Christmas spread. A post-breakfast feast.

And just in case the normal decorations weren't enough, a massive ice sculpture of santa's reindeer was in the atrium. How/when they found time to carve that is a mystery.

Santa and his reindeer in ice form

I think one of the best parts of the morning was seeing all the families walking around in their Christmas Pajamas. Entire families had matching sets of plaid PJs and they just strolled through the ship in their slippers like it was their living room. It was obviously a tradition for these folks. Not going to lie, I had a sundress on and I was jealous. 

Q: Did it feel like Christmas?

A: Yes and no. After the 4 presents were opened by the children it was really cruise business as usual. Eating, Aquaduck, pool, spa treatment, cocktail of the day, and more eating just about covers it. Even though there were loads of holiday related activities, we really spent the afternoon enjoying the normal ship offerings. I had a massage around 3PM and I was surprised how crazy busy the spa was. Grayson went on the Aquaduck around 5-6 times. Nothing says happy holidays like a hot stone massage and water coasters. For those more religious than I, there was a Catholic mass early Christmas day as well as an interdenominational service.

Side note: They did show the Disney Christmas parade on the funnel vision (giant screen on deck 11 overlooking the pool). 

Q: Did Disney do anything different for Christmas dinner? Any special entertainment?

A: Christmas night was the formal night of the cruise. We were scheduled at Animators Palate Christmas night and they had a special menu along with a special theming (not the normal Nemo and Crush) along the walls. Visuals and sketches from all various Disney movies slowly rotated the screens while the the appropriate song played along. 

For dinner I had the turkey in keeping with our normal Christmas tradition, but there were loads of options to chose from (a sampling of the menu below). It wasn't exactly the same as home, but I suppose that was the point. And the best part-- no clean up! After dinner we went to see the Golden Mickeys. If you are not familiar with this stage show, it's a must see for all ages. We all walked away saying "wow".

A menu fit for Christmas day

decisions, decisions

Q: Would you do it again?

A: Yes, yes, and yes. In fact, we booked the 7-night Fantasy cruise for next Christmas while we were on board. They have some serious financial incentives for booking while still cruising and we were not the only ones jumping at the chance. Every time we visited the cruise booking desk the line was a few people deep. The last night there were at least 20 people waiting. 

Tip - if you think you would like to book again, jump at the chance early on the cruise. No point in waiting.

While Cruising over Christmas is a special experience, I think it is safe to say that I am officially a year round Disney cruise addict. Trust me when I say, its the type of vacation you will never forget. Keep an eye out for more cruise related posts. 

Have a safe and happy New Year!

~Davina

Cinderella Fever Continues....And We Love It

I am NOT  getting married , but if I were I know three things to be true.
1. It would be at Disney
2. I would wear a Cinderella dress
3. I would still choose the man I'm married to now. I kinda like him

Hot for the holiday season Alfred Angelo debuted it's Diamond Runway show on YouTube today so you know we had to check it out. The gowns are available now through March. Look for special trunk shows at Alfred Angelo Signature stores and their partner stores. Lord above they even have a " Glass Slipper " blue fabric. If a girls gonna get married at Disney why not go all out?

Speaking of Disney be looking out for some fun Cruise posts and tweets as Davina prepares for her big birthday , Christmas cruise! And the answer is yes...I am jealous.

~ Karen

This Is Not Your Daughters Princess Dress

Harrod's has surprised me by embracing two of my favorite things and combining them into one big ,sparkly explosion. Starting November 1 the iconic storefront windows ( christmas window browsing -fave thing 1) will be adorned with designer dresses inspired by Disney princesses ( fave thing 2).


The designers are some names you're sure to recognize . Mussoni, Marchesa, Versace and  Ellie Saab anyone? In my dreams...but the sketches look absolutely beautiful. Some are open to interpretation, while others hit the princess straight on the head.



Tiana- I love this dress- Pocahontas and Ariel...yes Ariel



Aurora...Saab wisely made it pink




Oscar De La Renta does Snow White and Versace inspired Cinderella. Mind you I'm judging the dress not the impossible waist size




Now who's up for a road trip across thre pond? Try and find all your favorites in the video !

•Cinderella in Versace


•Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty" in Elie Saab

•Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" in Valentino

•Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" in Marchesa

•Snow White in Oscar de la Renta

•Rapunzel from "Tangled" in Jenny Packham

•Pocahontas in Roberto Cavalli

•Jasmine in Escada

•Tiana from "The Princess & The Frog" in Ralph & Russo

•Mulan in Missoni


~ Karen

Limited Time Magic...I Like It

Disney announced the new campaign for 2013 this week calling it "Limited Time Magic" and it seems to have either delighted people or pissed them off and made them sarcastic. I'll be straightforward with you when I say that I never have a problem with anything Disney does. Refurbs that disrupt my riding time when I'm there may depress me, but that's about it.

" Limited Time Magic" includes an " Unleash The Villains" jam on Friday the 13th which I'd give anything to attend with my villain loving daughter. A " Pirate Week" which can only mean more Captain Jack. More of the Captain is never a bad thing. Sign me up for that week as well. The week long Valentines day sounds genius to me. I am not a fan of Valentines day in general, but would sure as hell celebrate my love all week long if it was at Disney. " Long Lost Friends" week should , for me , include Mortimer. My kids used to be obsessed with watching this old cartoon with him in it, and just his pants alone are fantastic.

I'm ready for some fun new things next year WDW. Just save me a seat next to Captain Jack and Mortimer.

~ Karen

The Break Down Of A`Disney Halloween Costume - With a Touch Of Evil

We take Halloween costumes VERY seriously in my house. Almost too seriously according to my husbands wallet. My house stays moderately decorated inside and a spooky pumpkin or too adorn the outside, so I make up for that in costumes. And yes they usually are Disney related

My daughter has been everything. Snow White, Tinkerbell, Alice In Wonderland , Cinderella and all the sparkly things you can think of. Since she was 3 years old though she has been fascinated by the villains. It was a love/ hate relationship, but watching her was reaction was fantastic. She WANTED to turn away from them but couldn't. It only made her look more. The first time she saw Ursula creep by in Spectromagic ( I miss you ) she squeezed my husband so tight and made a sort of "ooooh" noise, but refused to look away. The dragon in Fantasmic...dumbfounded by it. I think it was her first exposure to watching Snow White , and the transformation from Evil Queen to old hag blew her mind. Don't get me wrong, she loves Snow White, but if you ask her her favorite character from it , the answer will always be the Evil Queen.

Case in point this picture that's been hanging in her room since she was three. Please do not call child services on me if you think it's too scary. Clearly from the artwork on it , she spent hours staring at it and loving it.

I am now framed behind glass to avoid further graffiti

Years ago I bought her the Evil Queen costume, via EBay, and she would just gaze at it. It was always too big for her bitty body , so we put it away in her dress up trunk, and would take it out every now and then to admire. I came home one night about three weeks ago to find it laid out on her bed with a note next to it that stated, "this is my Halloween costume this year". So 5 years later here we are with a sparkly Evil Queen costume that her 3 year old self could only dream about wearing one day. I immediately went into accessory planning mode , since no Evil Queen can be without them.

A poison apple...because what's the Evil Queen without it.



Yes I made this apple and yes I love it. Have a bite?

An Emma approved trick or treat bag suitable for holding massive amounts of candy. This is courtesy of Hot Topic. I don't have the skills to make this





I can hold enough candy for the neighborhood.

Her costume didn't come with the big gold and ruby bling you see above , and of course we need it, so once again I turned to EBay and found this pin.





Pin to the costume and voila...evil brooch complete

 Now for the actual costume and head wrap...well you're going to have to wait for that. Our Evil Queen transformation will be complete on Halloween for you to see. I think it's my favorite costume so far and can't wait to share it!

Now you can see why my husbands wallet recoils at Halloween time, but then again, it does whenever I say the word Disney.



~ Karen


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When Your Bestie Goes To Disney Without You...An Impromptu Pity Party

So if you've been following us on twitter - and you really SHOULD be- then you know that Davina is out making memories at Disney this week while I stay behind and feel forlorn. Her updates have been amazing, but it's always so much better to be there with her.

This prompted me last night to do two things ( after I pouted on the couch to my husband about how we should be there too. It was unsuccessful )

First I poured my ghetto crystal light and served it on a Disney Parks napkin .




Don't hate

Next I tried to make it seem like I was part of the action by listening to my favorite Channel 19 Disney music that I found long ago on youtube. I listen to this so much the man should really be at a million views by now.

And lastly, I watched a video Davina and I made a few years ago on a girls trip touring the Yacht Club at night. Appropriate since she's at the Beach Club this week.

Did it make me feel any better? Not really..but I'm sharing it with you in case you've got the Disney blues
too. sigh......


~ Karen


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The Girl Of The Hour Gets A Sephora Makeup Collection. Don't Be Late Getting It!

It's time again for me to write about my two of my favorite things coming together in a way almost as fantastic as a peanut butter cup- Makeup meet Disney...Disney meet makeup.

Sephora is getting ready to release a Cinderella inspired collection next month which seems to be the trend these days. I'm sure it's to coincide with the collectors edition of Cinderella being released, but any time of year is a good time for new makeup.

This ad alone makes me want more

The collection includes a four-shadow palette, perfume and a sassy compact mirror that looks like a pocket watch ,shown below. The rest of the collection includes four lipsticks, a six-piece nail polish set, a roll-on fragrance, and a 20-shade palette inspired by the Disney film.





Don't be late !


It's also rumored that a Spring collection featuring more princesses will be a part of the Sephora lineup. If it's true I love them even more.A suggestion? Give Ariel her props. Redheads love cosmetics and she looked gorgeous even under water.






If you are A beauty insider ( you know I am ) you can get passes for a screening of the Cinderella re-release. The offer comes in a Sephora email

 Check it out over at http://www.sephora.com/  soon!


~ Karen



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A LeSportsac Contest and a Trip to the Kingdom

So I'm headed to Disney tomorrow. Sadly without my bestie Karen-- though she is claiming to stow away in my luggage.

It's been far too long for our girls trip. But that's a tale for another day.

In the meantime this trip is happening, and I want to document it. So what do you want to see? What do you miss when your not on Disney property? Is it the food? The weather report? How about some pics from the Halloween party? Let me know and I'll blog/tweet it up for you.

And while we are at it, a new give away is in the mix. LeSportsac was kind enough to send the perfect bag from the Small World collection for us to share. It's a cross the chest style you see everywhere these days and we want to give it to you. So follow us, retweet us, comment us and win this kick ass bag.

i want to come home with you

And one editors note, Im not bringing my computer so my phone will be doing the heavy lifting. I apologize in advance for grammatical shenanigans.

I'll check in from WDW tomorrow! In the meantime, enter to win!


~davinaa Rafflecopter giveaway



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Take A Ride On Test Track With Us. P.S...We Like To Scream

It's  a  Monday...meh.

Beat the Monday blues with a little ride on Test Track with us , but three things

1. You may find us annoying
2. We like to scream
3. It was so not faster than any other time. We had a few drinks in France.

Enjoy!

~ Karen


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Lets Get Nerdy -- Vacation Gadget Planning, Disney Style

Packing for Disney no longer involves simply remembering your underwear and sensible shoes. These days a flight to Disney involves downloading your apps prior to take off, remembering all your plugs and cords, and figuring out a way to fit it onto a carry-on. 

Since I have vacation on the brain (8 days, 8 days, 8 days...), for the next couple of days I thought it I would start posting my must have gadgets and apps to keep my family occupied and my sanity intact.

Why The Leap Pad is the Best Invention Ever

The flight to Orlando from Boston is not long. But when you have an active 2.5-year old who's only source of amusement is kicking the seat in front of him and bothering his 4-year old brother, a bag of gadgets is a must. I have seen the mom-blogs that tout "STICKERS!" "CRAYONS" "UNWRAP A PRESENT EVERY 1/2 HOUR". I can only assume these are the same moms who insist on battery-free toys in the house. I tip my hat to you battery free mothers, however I pray at the alter of things that go beep boop.

So here's the deal, it would be lovely if our cherubs were instantly entertained by a bag of rocks but they are no fools. They demand their entertainment too. And given some of the great choices out there, I am happy to oblidge.

So the first gadget in my bag of tricks is the... drum roll please... Leap Pad 2

Wait? Leap Pad 2? You mean there are two versions of this gadget?

Why yes. There are two versions and while the legacy version is still a rock star, the upgraded version just gives you that much more. The biggest bonus of all.... a rechargeable battery pack. This enhancement is a game changer for traveling and takes the stress off planning where to pack the millions of batteries you may need for an entire week of usage.

I've written about the Leap Pad before and mentioned my love for their ever-expanding app store (note: I still say they need to lower the app price point a smidgen). Since I posted about their app store, they have come out with even more games and apps to enjoy. And even a partnership with Sesame Street!

I would also recommend investing in some of the accessories. There is a gel casing that fits perfectly over the device to keep it save from falls and spills. There is also a hard plastic carrying case for storage of the various non-app games and cords.

What's your must-pack gadget or app?

~Davina

So Many Glass Slippers...So Little Time

Remember our post about the Christian Louboutin ( hideous ) Cinderella shoes? Well someone else and far more budget friendly has decided to throw down their version just in time for the " Cinderella - Diamond Edition" released on October 2.

DSW has decided to release several pairs in partnership with Disney and are calling it their Glass Slipper Collection available October 1. Coincidence? I think not

The shoes , in my opinion, are far cuter and as expected not a budget breaker like the Louboutins . There are several styles to choose from to please a variety of gals. None are glass or even glass looking, but with a price range of $59.95 to $89.95 you cannot go wrong. With a great range of colors from gold to pink you don't have to pick the traditional Cinderella look, though it's there if you want it. The word on the street is that the sole of the shoe will have an embossed carriage logo and blue jewel on the bottom as well. Suck it Christian.



No Mariah Carey butterflies here...and we thank you




Traditional Cinderellie

A lil sparkle..and I love it



Hey now! Slow down girl

Needless to say these will be in our closets before the Louboutins and I'm sure our husbands and wallets will thank us. What say you? Which do you prefer?

Check out DSW.com after October 1 or try the stores too!


~ Karen