Only Good Things

10 happy moments from the last week

Hi Friends!

Staying true to my word of focus for July, unproductive, I did not prepare for this week's post, so I’m using it as an opportunity to do something different!

Since I've had back-to-back trips and lots of happy things to share, we'll expand on the Five Good Things section (the way we usually conclude each Substack) and highlight ten good things that’ve happened since last week's post.

How to live an Italian Girl Summer

When we can recognize the things that bring us the most joy, we invite more of them into our lives.

I hope that this exercise might prompt you to find ten happy things that happened to you in the last seven days!

1. My sister Lisa and her family were at Disney for the week, so we crashed their vacation, kicking things off with a fun dinner show, The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue.
   
   Fun fact: there's a portion of the performance where they pull guests up on stage to play a role. On separate occasions, Li and I were chosen to play the same part (the can-can dancer). During this visit, they let us stay in our seats so we could enjoy our strawberry shortcake. 🍰

   

2. Later that evening, just as the sun was setting, our whole group rode Tiana's Bayou Adventure together at The Magic Kingdom. It was my first time experiencing the attraction since it was reimagined from Splash Mountain, and I was dazzled by the new elements.

   

3. The next day, we headed to Hollywood Studios, where I rode Slinky Dog Dash Roller Coaster with my niece, Izzie. Here's a photo of us from 2023, and this year!

   

4. My sister and I got to enjoy a drink together from The Hollywood Brown Derby (a replica of a now-retired icon, also featured in an I Love Lucy episode!).
   
   The outdoor bar in front of the restaurant is a hidden gem, and Ron, the bartender, pours the best drinks! My go-to is their signature, the Grapefruit Cake Martini, but Lisa wooed me with her summer drink of choice: coconut rum mixed with club soda and lime.

   

5. On Monday night, we met up with our trivia team, and it was one of those perfect rounds where we each got to contribute, and we came in first by a landslide!
   

6. We were back home for a quick overnight, just enough time to be notified that a book I've been waiting on at the library for months, (Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy) had become available for pickup — but not enough time to go and get it before we had to head to the airport (it wasn't open yet).
   
   I often start tearing up whenever people ask if I get along with my in-laws, because I love them so much. Here is just one example of how wonderful they are:
   
   They took my library card and after dropping us off at the airport, stopped to pick up my book, so it'll be ready for me when I get home.

   

7. Inspired by riding Tiana's Bayou Adventure and in preparation for our upcoming Pixar-themed trivia night, on our flight to Las Vegas, I watched two Disney movies I've never seen: The Princess and the Frog and Ratatouille. Both were delights!
   

8. We arrived in Las Vegas for a gaming tournament my husband is participating in, and one of our first stops was Sadelle's, a lovely restaurant off the atrium of The Bellagio, where I had brunch with my friend Quincy on our last visit. This meal was just as delicious!

   

9. A couple of nights later, we met up with friends for another exceptional meal (we are deeming it Best Meal of the Year™️) at CUT by Wolfgang Puck.
   
   If you've ever watched Jon Favreau's show, The Chef Show, it might sound familiar. You can see the restaurant featured in this episode.
   

10. Welp, this has turned into a dining diary. We had one more magnificent meal to cap off the trip, this time at Carbone in the Aria hotel. The vibes were 10/10, a perfect combination of old and new, the food was delicious, and the service, exemplary. Sadly, I didn't get a photo of it, but we ended the meal with a lemon cheesecake I'll be thinking about for a long time.

    

✍️ Creative Exercises/Journal Prompts

1. Recount some of your favorite trips. How can you fold some of those special experiences into everyday life?

2. Commemorate one of your past vacations with a slideshow, photo album, or scrapbook.

3. Poll your family and friends: what is their best meal of the year so far?

💬 Share your intention

Whether it’s a giant leap, a tiny to-do list item, a habit change, or something else, there is power in accountability, and this is a safe space to share your aim. Some weeks, we’ll fail, others we’ll soar, but with support, we’ll always keep going together.

Until next week, get out there and make something beautiful.

Michelle

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