DECEMBER RECAP
It’s the start of a new year! But before we move ahead, it’s time for another recap. A roundup of my December favorites!
I uploaded to YouTube again
For the first time in months (about 10), I uploaded a new music video to my music page. I mentioned in last month’s recap, how nice it was to work on a music video again, but it was also so heart warming to share it and see that people enjoyed hearing the music and seeing the visual element we created. It has me excited to jump back into sharing more music on YouTube in 2024. I mentioned this on my podcast, The Fuzzy Pod, that I had a goal to release a 1 new song a month last year (to my credit, I did release 5) but with the launch of the pod, I took on more than I could keep up with for a moment. But we have found our flow with the podcast, and I feel so ready to upload more music this year!
Afternoon Tea
I had a Christmas high tea with my mom and sister at a beautiful hotel in Nashville. The lobby was grand and stunning. Complete with ornate ceiling fixtures and details and even painted clouds when you looked up in the tea room. Christmas trees were dressed with beautiful ornaments and garland, and a pianist played holiday tunes. It was so wonderful and had a great element of play because each tea and tower of treats included a Christmas cracker filled with tiny toys, jokes or riddles, and a paper crown that everyone (of every age) put on their head. The "pop” sound of the Christmas cracker being opened was always followed by laughter at each table. I opted for a coconut white tea that I’ve still been thinking about and enjoyed so many delicious tiny sandwiches over great conversations with my mom and sister. I need this to be a holiday tradition every year now!
Super Nintendo World
I got to meet Toad!! Honestly, I was living out childhood dreams being able to step into a real life Super Mario level. Earlier in 2023, Universal Studios Hollywood opened up Super Nintendo World, a section of the park where you get to experience the world of Mario. Cooper and I play so many Nintendo games on our Twitch stream, so it was a dream of ours to visit and we finally did it! We got to the park an hour early and beelined for the Mario Kart: Bower’s Challenge (but stopped for a quick pic with Toad on the way).
The Mario Kart ride is a hybrid of real world and AR. I couldn’t get my headset adjusted to where it worked best for a second, but once I did we were in. I almost got emotional on the Rainbow Road portion of the ride?? That map was so iconic and that music a huge part of my childhood. It’s where my love for video games flourished playing games like Mario Kart 64. Afterwards, we sat in the Toadstool Cafe and shared some garlic knots and a Princess Peach Cupcake at 9:30 AM and watched as the tiny Toads through the “windows” went about their day. The biggest surprise of the day though? For me, it was the Yoshi’s Story-themed section of the queue for the Mario Kart ride. I didn’t expect to see a section dedicated to that game!
Back in her Reading era
I read two books in the month of December and started two more. Well, technically I finished Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (It got slow in the middle for be, but then picked back up!). I also read The Night Shift by Alex Finlay, and I am currently reading 101 Essays That Will Change Your The Way You by Brianna Wiest and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Lots of “Night” titles unintentionally.
Current Favorites
This plush lavender robe I got for Christmas! It’s so incredibly cozy, and yes, I have been wearing it everyday since.
These chartreuse pasta bowls. Honestly, anything chartreuse right now. I am loving that color for home decor!
Baking! And general dessert making. I made a homemade raspberry sorbet, and it was so easy and SO good. I also made a funfetti cake for NYE. And I even made homemade tortillas for the first time this month! I think it’s time for an update on my Megan Learns to Cook journey.