Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Quote

The Library of Congress

"Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.,

The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table

Savannah Architecture

Savannah, Georgia has some of the coolest architecture. This incredibly ornate window is on the upper floor of the old Citizens Bank building. It was built in 1895 and was Savannah's first skyscraper.

The War For Our World Begins

All images: Disney

With each new trailer, we see a little more of the story of TRON: Ares. The latest trailer shows Ares and the women who has the information he seeks, information that could change both The Grid and our world forever.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

"Tron: Ares" follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The film stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, and Cameron Monaghan, with Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges.

TRON: Ares arrives in theaters on October 10th.

Marvel Zombies

All images: Marvel

The first trailer for Marvel Zombies has arrived and it looks delightfully dark. The series has its beginnings in a Season 1 episode of What If...?. In "What If... Zombies?", nearly the entire world has been infected by a zombie virus from the Quantum Realm. That includes many of our favorite superheroes: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, and Wanda Maximoff.

Warning: This is NOT a kids' animated series. This 4-part series is rated TV-MA.

Here's the official synopsis from Marvel: 

After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world. 

"Marvel Zombies" features the voices of Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Tessa Thompson, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Hailee Steinfeld, Wyatt Russell, Randall Park, Iman Vellani, and Dominique Thorne, among others.

Marvel Zombies arrives on DisneyPlus on September 24.

Halloween Treats At Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

All images: Disney

There are so many delightfully spooky sweets and treats at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party each year, and this year is no exception. There are both returning favorites and new dishes to discover. The following treats will be available until October 31st in the Magic Kingdom.

Main Street Bakery 

• Mickey-shaped Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake with graham cracker crust and white chocolate-whipped ganache
• Mickey-shaped Cinnamon Roll with white icing and Halloween sprinkles

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor

• Pumpkin Sundae: Pumpkin gelato with pumpkin-spiced caramel sauce, pumpkin brittle, and Halloween sprinkles 🎃🏴‍☠️

The Plaza Restaurant

• Pumpkin-spiced Coffee Barbecue Pork Sandwich: Coffee-rubbed pork featuring Joffrey’s Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Coffee Seasonal Blend, cold brew barbecue sauce, and a slaw with pumpkin-spiced aïoli on a purple sweet potato bun 🎃🏴‍☠️

• Skull Meatloaf: Caribbean-style glazed meatloaf served with loaded mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables 🎃🏴‍☠️

• Ghostly Delight Sundae: Chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate cookie crumbs, marshmallow cream, almonds, sugar cookies, and sprinkles 🎃🏴‍☠️

• Goblins and Ghoulies: Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Disaronno Originale Liqueur, apple cider, and pomegranate juice 🎃🏴‍☠️

Casey’s Corner  

• Chipotle Barbecue Pork and Street Corn French Fries: French fries topped with fire-roasted corn, queso fresco, jalapeño ranch, and cilantro
• Chipotle Barbecue Pork and Street Corn Hot Dog: All-beef hot dog with fire-roasted corn, queso fresco, jalapeño ranch, and cilantro
• Chipotle Barbecue Pork and Street Corn Mini Corn Dogs: Mini corn dogs topped with fire-roasted corn, queso fresco, jalapeño ranch, and cilantro
• Candy Corn Verrine: Layers of salted caramel ganache, marshmallow panna cotta, and whipped cream topped with caramel corn and candy corn 🎃

Aloha Isle Refreshments

• DOLE Whip Mango and Chamoy Float: DOLE Whip Mango, pineapple juice, chamoy, and chili-lime seasoning 

Golden Oak Outpost

• Cajun Crawfish and Sausage BOOtine: Waffle fries topped with Cajun-inspired crawfish, andouille sausage gravy, and cheese curds 🎃

• Beignets from Beyond: Light, sweet, and fluffy beignets with powdered sugar and chocolate cookie crumbs served with cookies and cream cheese dipping sauce 🎃

• Hot Honey Lemonade: Minute Maid Premium Lemonade with hot honey and a chili-lime rim 🏴‍☠️🧋

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café 

• Buzzard Wings: Whole chicken wings tossed with grilled onions, jalapeños, and lime 🎃
• Grilled Masa Flatbread: Grilled corn cake topped with braised chicken, butternut squash puree, cilantro-pumpkin seed sauce, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and queso fresco

• Pumpkin Pie Mini Churros rolled in orange sugar and served with pumpkin pie dipping sauce 🎃
• Chocolate-Caramel Tart: Chocolate tart shell filled with chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, and caramel cream topped with TWIX cookie bar pieces and a chocolate piece

• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Mayor Sipper 

Sleepy Hollow Refreshments  

• Creepy Kimchi Corn Dog: Hand-dipped corn dog rolled in malt vinegar and scallion with hades relish and kimchi-mayonnaise dipping sauce 🎃

• Pumpkin-spiced Funnel Cake Sundae: Pumpkin funnel cake topped with pumpkin gelato, whipped cream, pumpkin-spiced caramel, marshmallow pumpkins, and sprinkles 🎃
• Madame Leota Séance Candle: Red velvet cake and cookies and cream mousse 
• Jack Pop: Chocolate fudge brownie with marshmallow filling topped with a chocolate piece
• Sally Pop: Yellow cake with raspberry filling topped with a chocolate piece 

Spring Roll Cart

• Spicy Pork Spring Roll: with pineapple mustard

Liberty Square Market

• Jack Pop: Chocolate fudge brownie with marshmallow filling topped with a chocolate piece
• Sally Pop: Yellow cake with raspberry filling topped with a chocolate piece
• Magic Potion Slushy: Fanta Blue Raspberry slush with yuzu. Changes color from blue to green when you stir 🎃🏴‍☠️🧋

Columbia Harbour House  

• S’mores Cup: Layers of graham cracker crumbs, chocolate ganache, chocolate popping candies, milk chocolate panna cotta, and marshmallow cream 🎃🏴‍☠️

Pinocchio Village Haus  

• Phantasmal Fried Pumpkin Ravioli served with black garlic aïoli 🎃

• Undead Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Strips: Fried chicken strips tossed in garlic-parmesan sauce, parmesan, and parsley 🎃

• Captain Hook Treasure Whoopie Pie: Chocolate whoopie pie with caramel filling and fruit-flavored cereal treasure 🎃
• Scary Ghost Slushy: Blue raspberry slushy with marshmallow foam and a marshmallow ghost 🧋

Be Our Guest Restaurant

• Beef Short Rib with Purple Potatoes braised with red wine, figs, peppers, and a touch of dark chocolate
• Roasted Beef Marrow Bone with pinot noir-beef marmalade, toasted baguette, and pickled mustard seeds
• Poulet Rouge Chicken with butternut squash puree, roasted pumpkin seed sauce, pomegranate
• Pumpkin Crème Caramel with sour cherry jam and pumpkin seed brittle

• Apple Cider Margarita: Teremana Blanco Tequila, Grand Marnier Liqueur, and apple cider 🎃

• Castle Fog: Empress 1908 Gin, Bols Blackberry Liqueur, lemon juice and cane syrup 🎃 

Cinderella’s Royal Table

• Supernatural Shrimp: Poached shrimp in a Bloody Mary sauce garnished with crisp wonton chips 🎃

• Beef én Croute: Braised beef short rib cooked in blood red wine demi-glace, served with roasted seasonal vegetables 🎃

• Chicken Roulade: Chicken stuffed with mousseline and black truffles over fregola pasta with aji amarillo and red pepper sauces 🎃 

• Creepy Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake, spiced oranges, orange curd, and chocolate crumble 🎃

• Pumpkin Margarita: Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Grand Marnier Liqueur, Minute Maid Orange Juice, lime juice, and pumpkin spice 🎃

• Violet Specter: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, lemon juice, and Sprite 🎃

The Friar’s Nook   

• Haunting Jalapeño Ranch Tots: Tots topped with black bean chili, cheddar cheese sauce, and jalapeño ranch 🎃
• Bowl of Bones: Pork wings fried with jalapeños and tossed in barbecue sauce made with Cherry Coca-Cola
• Buffalo Chicken Hand Pie: Buffalo chicken and mozzarella wrapped in a flaky dough topped with blue cheese crumbles and buffalo-ranch

• Not-So-Poison Apple Doughnuts: Apple cider doughnuts rolled in apple cider sugar and drizzled with caramel sauce 🎃

Storybook Treats

• Ursula Cone: Wild berry soft-serve with candy coral and citrus cotton candy in a black vanilla cone 🎃

Cheshire Café

• Mummy Treat: Flaky pastry with chocolate filling topped with white icing stripes and sugar décor

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café  

• Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken Strips drizzled with Korean barbecue sauce and topped with black sesame seeds, fried garlic, and green onions
• Terrifyin’ Twice-spiced Chicken Sandwich: Fried chicken breast dipped in hot honey and topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño poppers, and baconMinnie Witch Hat: Chocolate cookie topped with peanut butter mousse, milk chocolate ganache, and buttercream
• Not A Poisoned Apple Slushy: Frozen apple cider topped with cinnamon whipped cream and sour gummy candy 🎃🧋

Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies

• Candy Bowl Sundae: Salted caramel soft-serve topped with chocolate cone dip, SNICKERS bar pieces, TWIX cookie bar pieces, and M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies Halloween Blend 🎃
• Cauldron Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee with pumpkin-spiced foam and Halloween sprinkles 🏴‍☠️

The Lunching Pad 

• Jalapeño Popper Dog: All-beef hot dog topped with sriracha cream cheese, crispy onions, bacon, and Hades relish 
• Skull Cake: Banana cake filled with dulce de leche 🎃

• Ghoulish Blue Raspberry Slushy: Fanta Blue Raspberry slushy with black vanilla drizzle 🎃🏴‍☠️🧋

Popcorn Carts Throughout the Park

• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington Gravestone Bucket

🎃 - New 

🏴‍☠️ - Also Available During Regular Park Hours

🧋 - Non-alcoholic

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein

All images: Netflix

I have a great fondness for classic monster movies. Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolfman are tales I like to revisit every Halloween season. These stories have been retold many times over the years (some more successfully than others), but it's always fun to see a new take on the original horror movies.

The latest monstrous epic is Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. This new version is fantastically old-school, with real sets and practical effects. I look forward to seeing the end result.

Here's the official synopsis from Netflix: 

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, "Frankenstein" is on Netflix this November. Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, with Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.

Frankenstein arrives in select theaters on October 17th and on Netflix on November 7th.

Julia Child Quote

Portrait by Lynn Gilbert, 1978

"No one is born a great cook,

one learns by doing."

- Julia Child