Moana 2

Disney

Moana is returning for another adventure. Disney announced yesterday that the Moana series planned for DisneyPlus will instead be a movie coming to theaters this fall. So exciting! 

Here's the official synopsis from Disney:

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2” takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Moana 2 arrives in theaters on November 27th.

Beef & Barley Soup Recipe From Disney

Disney

I always crave comforting soups when the weather turns cold. And Disney has shared a few great recipes for soups from the Parks over the years. (The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup is still my favorite!) This recipe for Beef & Barley Soup is from King Stefan’s Banquet Hall, a restaurant that became Cinderella’s Royal Table in 1997. I can't wait to try it.

Beef & Barley Soup

Serves 4

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onions 

1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrots

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

1/2 cup uncooked medium pearled barley

1/ 4 cup chopped scallions, for serving 

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season beef with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to brown.

Return beef to pot and add broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until beef is tender.  

Add barley and simmer 30 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in a deep bowl topped with scallions. 

Vintage Mickey Mugs

I love finding vintage Mickey Mouse collectibles. These milk glass mugs are my latest discovery. The Fantasia mug and the Steamboat Willie mugs are part of a Pepsi collection from the 1980s made by Anchor Hocking. The center mug features both Mickey and Minnie and was created by Federal Glass in the 1970s. So fun!

Reflection - Mulan

Disney

Today felt like a Mulan kind of morning.

Oscar Wilde Quote

"Murder is always a mistake.

One should never do anything

that one cannot talk about after dinner."

- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Chalk Full Of Character Art - Chef

I love finding the hidden chalk art characters during the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. The Chef from Monsters Inc can be found in the Japan Pavilion. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice...

Warner Brothers

After spending 35 years in limbo, the ghost with the most is heading back to theaters. While the story is still pretty much a secret, we do know that Michael Keaton has returned as everyone's favorite bioexorcist, alongside Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz from the original film, and Jenna Ortega as a new character, Lydia's daughter. It should be a blast! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice arrives in theaters on September 6, 2024.