Space 220 Restaurant In Epcot Review

I always love to try out new spots. When I heard about Space 220 opening in Epcot at Walt Disney World, I knew I wanted to try it out. However, when I went to book a reservation they were full. It's a popular place to dine. I decided to use MouseWatcher, and you can use other popular alert services like Mousenotifier, which will alert you to any reservations on the day you request and that is how we got one! (You can book reservations via the My Disney Experience App or by calling 407-939-5277) You are also able to go to the lounge which is what some people do if they can't get reservations. You don't get the full experience but I hear it's still neat. 

It's located right beside the Mission: Space ride:

The menu is spectacular with scrumptious dishes. You can do lunch or dinner. For the lunch, you pick an appetizer and main course. It's $60 for adults and $35 for kids. For the dinner you get an appetizer, a main course, and dessert. That price is $79, and yes there are children's options for that as well.

We opted on the dinner. It's a whole experience to dine there. First you check in and then you're given a ticket. You wait in a line for them to take you up into space. The room has a cool vibe going on. 

You're led into the left and it feels like you truly are going into space. (Just with the graphics. You don't feel any lifts of drops, I promise.)

Once in space, you are led into the restaurant:

The restaurant is a comfortable area with views of space. 

We were lucky to be seated right next to a window so we would occasionally see astronauts. 

They have specialty drinks and Natalie ordered the Moon Rocks. It's Coconut, Cotton Candy Syrup, Lemonade, Moon Dust, and Moon Rocks. She liked it and the Pop Rocks make it extra exciting. If you like cotton candy, you'll be a fan. 

For the appetizers, of Lift-Offs as it's referred to there, Tommy and Natalie ordered the Starry Calamari which was fried calamari, Italian Cherry Peppers, Spicy Marinara, and Roasted Pepper Citrus Aioli. They liked it! Both dips were delicious--Natalie normally doesn't like spicy foods but she didn't mind the spicy marinara. They said the calamari was cooked well and not chewy. 

I went for the Big Bang Burrata which was Burrata di Mozzarella, Grilled Artichoke Hearts, Arugula, and Sunflower Seed Romesco. I gobbled it right up. If you like cheese, this is your dish. The flavors all meshed together beautifully. 

For the main course,  or Star Course, Natalie ordered the Terra-Bolognese which was Corn Linguine, Tempeh Ragu, Macadamia Nut Ricotta, and mushroom. She liked it and I had a bite and thought the flavors worked. I had no clue what on earth "Tempeh Ragu" was, but, you know, it was good!

Tommy went with the 8 oz Filet Mignon (no fancy space name?) which was Creamy Mash Potatoes, Haricot Vert, Carrots, and a Red Wine Reduction. The meat was tender and flavorful. I loved those mashed potatoes--excuse me, MASH potatoes. 

And I had the Slow Rotation Short Rib which was Braised Short Rib, Cheddar Grits, Bacon, and Haricot Vert. <-- Not really sure what that is. But again, the meat was tender and everything was fantastic. I love all things with bacon. 

When you order a speciality drink, you get special Space cards which are a fun keepsake:

And now for dessert! Or Super Nova Sweets, as they are called. Natalie and Tommy got the strawberry shortcake which was Matcha Air Cake, Mascarpone Mousse, and Strawberries. I love how it was presented. It does look other worldly. 

I got the chocolate cheesecake which was Whipped Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Sauce, White Chocolate Crunchy Pearls, Cookie Crumbs, and Dark Chocolate Shards. If you love chocolate, get this. You'll be in heaven. 

We enjoyed the experience and as you see, the food was unique and tasty. If we had the extra funds, we would do this again but it is rather pricey. However, you do get a cool setting and delicious dishes. I would at least do this once. 

After we finished we were led back to the elevator to return to Earth.

Once again you got to watch as you're taken down:

They certainly go all out with details. If you want to impress someone, bring them here!

Have you ever eaten at Space 220? 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

.....to have enjoyed the reboot of Quantum Leap. I enjoyed the original and this one seems to have promise. 

.....to hope our McDonald's FINALLY has working Diet Coke. They have been out for 3 weeks. I can move onto sweet tea but many times it's empty in the dining room and when you ask someone working if you can please have some from the back, they seem irritated. Sorry! 

......to currently be reading How To Fall Out Of Love Madly by Jana Casale. It's about Joy and Annie who are roommates. They decide to get a third roommate and his name is Theo. Joy falls in love with Theo. But Theo has a gorgeous girlfriend. This cannot turn out well. I am halfway through and it's an enjoyable read! 

.....to hope Natalie has a blast on her NYC trip in March. We got to go in June and this photo was taken in Central Park. For the March trip, they get to see several Broadway shows and of course there's all the popular tourist spots. I don't get to go to this one, but I told her if she sees Christian Borle to take lots of pics. (He'll be in Some Like It Hot at the Shubert theatre when she is there.) NYC has the best vibe. I mean, yes, you get random people shouting at you and in some spots it smells like pee, but it's mostly fabulous. 

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Why My Teenager Loves Marilyn Monroe

Nearly everyone knows who Marilyn Monroe was. A beautiful actress. A talented singer.  A woman who tragically died at a young age.  But actually, Marilyn Monroe wasn't even her real name. It was Norma Jean. A studio executive came up with Marilyn and Marilyn suggested Monroe, which was a family name. 

She was abused by a lot of men in Hollywood who took advantage of her. They would cruelly tell her if she wanted a part that she had to sleep with them. She was forced to perform lewd acts. Back then, there was no me too movement. No protection of any kind. If she didn't do it, she'd be kicked out of Hollywood. 

But Marilyn didn't always sit back and take it. She would give interviews on how men liked when she played a ditzy blond but she was actually intelligent. 

Marilyn stuck up for the beautiful singer Ella Fitzgerald. A club refused to let Ella perform due to her race so Marilyn told the owner that she'd be in the front row whenever Ella performed to help with business. Ella and Marilyn were pretty close.

Tired of being treated like garbage in Hollywood, Marilyn started her own production company. 

Marilyn had a stutter which she was able to mostly control, but it started to return at the end of her life. Natalie also has a stutter that occasionally starts when she reads out loud and she can get embarrassed. It makes her feel better that Marilyn also had a stutter. 

She left some of her money to help children with their mental health since she struggled so much with her own. She was sent into a psychiatric hospital and her ex husband Joe DiMaggio helped her get out.

She supported the Civil Rights Movement and had many political books that she was warned to hide on set in the 1950s. 

Again, she was smart. She played the role of a dumb blonde for her movies but actually went to acting school to improve. She wanted to be taken seriously but so many men kept her in the ditzy roles. Marilyn loved to read. Marilyn was bright. She was a businesswoman. 

Remember: not everything is as it seems. And that's an important lesson for us all. 

The Things We Saw At Howl-O-Scream

So I can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to spooky things. I am not a fan of when people jump out at me. Or when they're suddenly beside me when I'm walking. But I do enjoy seeing the characters. 

Howl-O-Scream is going on at SeaWorld. There are 6 total haunts and 8 terror-tories so you'll come across a variety of people. Monsters, possessed folks, bizarre sea creatures...

There were a bunch of skeleton displays set up which were neat to see:

Natalie is obsessed with the newest ride called Tidal Surge so she had to jump on that. The rest of us are like no thank you.

The spooky fun happens at 7, so at 655 all the characters started to emerge and head to their stations:

I was impressed with the makeup and costumes:

This is a haunted trail and it's always a hit:

You see all sorts of fantastic scare actors who yes, will jump out at you:

I jumped a few times, I won't even lie. I mean, you try looking to your right and seeing this guy standing and not screech. 

One of our favorite haunted houses is Milton Creek. You'll meet this guy wandering out front. I told him I liked his hat and he stared at me like this:

You can also meet Slenderman:

This area was popping. There was music and dancing going on:

These skeletons spoke and sang songs:

Natalie wore a dress inspired by Lydia in Beetlejuice with this purse which you can get on Amazon:

You can attend Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld at the following places: San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio.  We were at the one in San Antonio and it runs until October 30th. 

I am sure we will return before the season is over even though I can be a bit of a baby. But it's fun. 

Do you enjoy being spooked? 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

HEY, IT'S OKAY....

.....to not understand the hate that Meghan and Harry get. I am glad he got to wear his uniform at least. He was the one that actually deserved to do so amongst all of them. I am also glad they held hands. People were all, "Oh that's inappropriate!" Why? Why is comforting the one you love inappropriate? 

.....to be bummed that The Phantom Of The Opera is closing on Broadway in February. Natalie is devastated because she's going to NYC in March with theatre and was hoping that would be one of the shows they'd see. She has already seen it twice but loves it. 

.....to currently be reading The Wives by by Tarryn Fisher. It's about a woman who is married to a man----who also has 2 other wives. She has never seen the other wives. She only knows they exist. One day she learns about one of the wives, Hannah, and decides to meet up with her under false pretenses. She sees bruises on Hannah and learns they are from Hannah's husband--who is also HER husband. What should she do? This book has many twists & turns. I finished it and was left shocked. 

.....to be glad that the new season of The Handmaid's Tale is out on Hulu. They were some powerful episodes. That last scene in the second one? Wow. 

......to have have enjoyed our time at Howl-O-Scream. We got to see many exciting characters and all the haunted houses were fabulous. The scare actors were all on point! There are Howl-O-Screams in San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio. The San Antonio, which we went to, one lasts until October 30th. 

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North Italia At The Rim Review

I love Italian food. Pasta excites me. I am always searching for new Italian restaurants to try. Luckily my husband found one. 

North Italia is located at The Rim in San Antonio. I suggest making reservations on their website if you go during a busy time. We opted to go when they opened at 11 so there was no wait but if you go for dinner, get that reservation because they can get busy. 

It's beautiful inside and I love the flowers at the tables:

This is a perfect spot for a date night or a casual get together: 

I also like when you can see the kitchen. It makes me wish I knew how to cook better. I also loved the chairs. I don't know why, but I was drawn to them. We were in a booth so I can't say how comfy they were, but I am sure they are. Outdoor seating is also available. 

The menu is fantastic. There were so many options. (You can check out the lunch menu here.)

Great news! They have Coke products and you all know I am thrilled when that happens. There are also tons of wines for those who like to partake. I'm always happy with Diet Coke. 

We decided to order the Grilled Bread & Good Olive Oil. The name amused us. "As opposed to BAD olive oil?" I asked. 

Was it good olive oil? Yes! The flavor was there and the bread was fresh.

Ordering the main course was difficult because I kept going back and forth. There are mouthwatering salads, pizzas, sandwiches, fresh pastas...I finally decided on the Burrata Anolini. It's blistered heirloom tomato, grana padano, torn basil, and a simple tomato sauce.

Behold:

I would 100% order this again. Only there are many other things I also want to try. Decisions, decisions.

Tom ended up with the Caprese Sandwich which has heirloom tomato, stracciatella, torn basil, arugula, house pesto, and calabrian aioli. This was a bit on the spicy side which I enjoyed. My husband isn't as into spicy food, but he still appreciated the flavors. The bread was once again fresh and flavorful. 

The fries were amazing. Tom shared and I loved the cheese on top. You can tell they're cooked to order. 

We would certainly return. As I mentioned, there are many dishes I need to try. There are various locations in different states, so there might be a North Italia near you. Check here to see.

And yes, there are desserts, but we always feel stuffed so we didn't get one this time. Their Italian Butter Cake sounded SCRUMPTIOUS. 

If you go to North Italia, let me know what you get. Happy Eating!