I love a chicken tender or a burger as much as the next person but this isn't all Disney has to offer. There are a number of independent restaurants in the Disney Springs area and one of the foodie highlights of the trip for me was our stop at The Polite Pig, run by a local husband and wife duo. 

I opted for the tasty Coffee Rub USDA Prime Brisket served with Jalapeño Cornbread, Signature Polite Slaw and sweet potato tots. The brisket was tender and the coffee rub was very subtle. This was included in our meal plan - no cash needed and I simply had to scan my MagicBand at the till and the appropriate number of credits were be deducted from your account. Don't forget to visit the sauce bar if you eat here and try out all the amazing BBQ and ranch sauces. 

Refreshment Port - Poutine

The Traditional Poutine served up at the Refreshment Port in Epcot was a great use of a snack credit and filling enough to have for lunch. This is the Disney version of a Canadian favourite French Fries, Beef Gravy and Cheese Curds. This little stand also has seasonal specials and is serving up Duck Confit Poutine at the moment. 

Epcot really is the park filled with foodie treats and the macaroon with raspberry and lime cream that I got there didn't disappoint. The fresh fruit and sharp lime cream was the perfect filling for a sweet macaron. 

The deli–bakery counter is stocked with goodies such as salads, quiches, soups, and delicate pastries. Breads and pastries are made in the bakery above Chefs de France and offers a pretty authentic Parisian experience.

The fresh cut fries are a must because of the sauce bar where you can stock up on three-mustard and honey, garlic ranch, curry ketchup, chipotle mayo and buffalo sauce. I'm a little bit obsessed with ranch sauce so I loved the help yourself sauce station. 

This place get very busy and we had to wait a while for our food to come so I recommend ordering your food via the Disney Experience mobile app before heading in. There are also some secret menu items on the mobile app so worth checking out. 

Big Top Treats

Big Top Treats is a feast for the eyes and filled with counters of treats made on site - lots are inspired by Dumbo and the circus. Some of the treats you can find there are cotton candy, house-made popcorn, candy coated apples, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate dipped marshmallow wands or pretzels, character inspired cake pops, assorted Disney themed cupcakes, and crispy treats.  It’s fun to watch the sweet treat creators dipping and designing these special treats right in front of you. 

The candy apples and cupcakes look and taste amazing but can be enormous or a little tricky to eat. My top pick from big top treats is the chocolate dipped rice krispie treat covered in M&Ms. These freshly made ones are so much nicer than the pre-packed ones you can pick up all over the parks. 

A big shout out also goes to Tangierine Cafe in Epcot. where I had a relatively healthy Shawarma Chicken and Lamb Platter which came served with a side of Hummus, Tabouleh, and Tangierine Couscous Salad with fresh Moroccan Bread. This was a welcome bread from all things fried or sweet. The peanut better and chocolate cupcakes at the Coronado Springs Resort cafe were also magnifique and worth checking out if you stay at that resort like we did. 

This post barely scratches the surface of all the food on offer at DisneyWorld as this is just a selection of things I tried during my 10 day trip. I didn't even have time to try the famous Dole Whip whilst I was there. 


Any fellow Disney enthusiasts have a favourite park treat? 

I'm not really one for waking up on the 1st of January and deciding I'm going to do Couch to 5k or make drastic life changes and giving up my job to go backpacking.

My job can be stressful and mean dealing with difficult situations and people, being challenged constantly and I'm always switched on. Hooked on checking my emails and worrying about things I can't change.  By the time I get home from work I'm too drained to do much other than hang out with my husband and dog and listen to music.  

Modern working life does lead to me feeling lonely and isolated, I see friends much less frequently now I'm in my 30s and I do sometimes like I've lost a sense of who I am. My friends now have commitments too - family, shift work or live far away but I wan't 2019 to be the year that I'm there for all of my friends. I want to make more time for small gestures like taking a cake in for a colleagues birthday, preparing a meal for family and spending weekends visiting friends or committing to a long phone conversation or Skype catch up with friends who are spread out all over the UK and the world.  

I've got my first proper catch up with the girls on Friday and I can't wait! We can plan our annual weekend away over a glass of wine. 

Converting the attic room is the big item on my to-do list along with painting the front of my house which requires scaffolding (super expensive). I can only really afford a lick of emulsion inside and a pot plant at the moment so this will take planning, saving and careful management of money coming in.

I plan on taking a few simple steps to save money. I've committed to spending more time researching better offers and interest rates. I paid for a holiday I booked on a credit card but I could have got a better deal by using a payday loan for the deposit then paying the rest of the balance off each month from my wages.

I'm usually lazy and let my insurance renew each year but this laziness and loyalty to one company real doesn't pay. I'm sure there will be a couple of hundred pounds worth of savings to be found by switching insurance and energy providers. I rarely use cash back sites or review my outgoings. I know that keeping a money diary or creating a simple budget will really help me to get to grips with my finances and approach my 30s in a less frivolous way.

I've travelled to some stunning places since meeting my husband. We hired a camper van and drove through the Scottish highlands for our honeymoon, bought a caravan for adventures all over the UK and have visited our favourite destination Austria a handful of times. This year we have trips to Orlando, Cornwall and Switzerland planned but I also want to enjoy destinations closer to home and explore my home city more taking my dog Coco for long walks. 

Austria is one of my husbands favourite places to visit and I've fallen in love with the beautiful country too. We last visited in 2016 and spent two weeks in the Zell am See area but we did have a few day trips in the surrounding areas including Innsbruck. It was beautiful in the Summer during our last trip but a few hours wasn't nearly enough time to fully explore what the city had to offer. You can read all about my brief summer 2016 visit here for an idea of what to do if you're passing through this city in the Alps.
I was excited to return to the city in winter to explore it dusted with snow and to wander around the Christmas markets sampling some Austrian treats.

The city was the perfect spot to spend five nights, enough to see and do to keep us busy in the day and have time to relax at the apartment in the evening. It was by far the most relaxing city break I've ever been on - the city isn't too busy and you don't feel the need to cram in loads of visits to museums and attractions. I returned home feeling relaxed and revitalised after what has been a very busy few months at work. (the reason for my absence from the world of blogging) 

We were lucky enough to find a spacious apartment with a balcony overlooking Innsbruck. The views were stunning and it was just a short bus ride from the city centre. The apartment was equipped with everything we needed for our short break and was perfect for a couple or small family.

Our first stop, once we arrived in Innsbruck, was to head to the Touristinformation Innsbruck where you can buy the Innsbruck Card, which offers free entry to most of the city's key attractions as well as unlimited public transport. Martyn and I picked up a 72-hour card for € 59. This was super handy to help us get around by bus as our apartment was part way up the steep Nordkette mountain.

Besides being an ideal spot for winter sports Innsbruck is known for both its Imperial and modern architecture. The Nordkette funicular, with stylish stations designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, climbs up to 2,256m from the city centre for skiing in winter and hiking or mountaineering in warmer months. If you're less adventurous you can head up the mountain for some great views and to admire the glacier like funicular stations like we did. 

My Pet Story with Petplan - How A Dog Changed My Life

There are many reasons why dogs are known as man's best friend. The moment you welcome a fur baby into your life your world is turned upside down and you grow and change as a person. Even if you don't have a dog yourself I bet some of you are delighted when you meet a dog when you're out walking or when watching a cute dog video online. 

Petplan want to hear your Pet Stories too, so whether it is a recovery from illness or just their day to day mischief share your story on Petplan’s Facebook or Instagram using #PethoodStories


This post is in conjunction with Petplan but all thoughts are my own.