This month has been filled with high highs and low This month has been filled with high highs and low lows. There are mornings I feel like I can't get out of bed and then afternoons where I feel like I can take on the world. Battling anxiety and depression during covid in winter is not a fun place to be but on the rough days I try to remind myself that spring is right around the corner and better days lay ahead. There have been a lot of challenging days this month but this weekend John received his second vaccination and I exhaled a breath I have been holding on to since last March. Although the vaccine doesn't solve all of the problems in this world it makes me feel so much better to know he is now a bit safer. This mid-covid move has been hard but today I'm reminded why it was so worth it.
The past week has been a whirlwind! Honestly, this The past week has been a whirlwind! Honestly, this whole month has been flying by. Here's what I have been up to:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Celebrating my cousin @sumsta112 who will be giving birth to a beautiful baby girl any day now. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Celebrating our first major win for @lovedoesnthurtinc. Head to that account to see what I am talking about!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Re-releasing some of my best-selling candles for @kismetandcharisma. Be sure to check out the discount code I just posted over there. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Still walking in the clouds because of the amazing @heartandhustlepodcast episode we recorded with @todayimbobbi. Talking to her always makes me feel like I can do anything!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Taking Valkyrie on extra long walks when it snows. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Planning out all the hikes I'm going to take once spring arrives. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Wearing an extra cute blanket to work in my home office because fashion, baby! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What have you been up to this month?
Channeling my inner JVN. I’m actually much more Channeling my inner JVN. I’m actually much more comfortable on roller skates than ice skates but it’s truly been awhile for both. I think 2021 is definitely the year I should get back on both rinks. Have you found yourself on skates lately?
I’m getting ready for another snowfall here in t I’m getting ready for another snowfall here in the DMV. Here’s hoping it’s a big one. 🤞🏽
February is always about two things to me. One, ce February is always about two things to me. One, celebrating my Blackness and the beautiful Black community that I’m blessed to be a part of (as well as our rich and often buried history). Two, celebrate love in all forms. Love for my partner, for my friends, for my family, for my colleagues, and last but certainly not least, love for myself. I’m combining the celebrations of Blackness and love into a blog project this month with a Meghan Markle challenge. My bestie, @booksandbees and I bonded from regular friend level to bestie level over our shared love for Meghan Markle. We find her journey with her identity to be relatable, her commitment to helping others to be admirable, and her choice to choose her own well-being over a symbolic tiara to be inspiring. For the next 28 days we are going to be giving our day to day lives a bit of a Meghan makeover and we will be blogging on Fridays to let you know how our weeks went. We are focusing in on food, movement, style, friendship, and reflection. Meghan is known for being great at personal reflection and growth as well as having amazing penmanship so consistently journaling for 28 days feels like a perfect way to start off our challenge! On Mondays we will be sharing journal prompts for the week and on Fridays we will share a bit about what we learned from our prompts. We would love if you would take some time this month for self love and journal along with us!
What are you doing to stay cozy this week? I'm pla What are you doing to stay cozy this week? I'm planning to read a ton, journal, and do a whole lot of hydrating skincare.
From Florida furbaby to winter pup. ❄️ From Florida furbaby to winter pup. ❄️
It took 31 days of cold but we finally have snow! It took 31 days of cold but we finally have snow! Constant freezing temperatures without a pretty fresh blanket of snow isn't much fun so I was excited when I found out that it was going to snow all day. John, Valkyrie and I woke up at 6:30AM and went out to explore the winter wonderland as the sun was coming up. Valkyrie is still undecided on whether or not she actually likes snow but she sure likes cuddling in our apartment and looking at the snow from the window!
Cheers to the weekend! Things have calmed down a b Cheers to the weekend! Things have calmed down a bit in DC so I am looking forward to heading to the National Mall. I really wanted to visit the MLK memorial on MLK Day so we are making up for it today. We established a routine of doing a deep clean on Friday night so that we have the whole weekend to just enjoy our spotless apartment. Which means I am going to pack both days this weekend with fun outdoor activities and then head home for a cozy movie and a delicious curry. What do you have planned for the weekend?
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Life
    • Travel
    • Well Read
    • Wellness
    • Business
    • Photography
  • Contact

Charismatic Concepts

  • Life
  • Travel
  • Well Read
  • Wellness
  • Business
  • Photography

Travel · March 9, 2015

A Vegetarian’s Guide to the Outdoor Kitchens at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival

Every year, Epcot plays host to an International Flower and Garden Festival. This festival is full of beautiful topiaries but the real star of any outdoor festival is the delicious food. A food festival can be challenging for a vegetarian, but Epcot usually does a good job of having a variety of options for those who don’t eat meat. John and I went to the Flower and Garden Festival on Friday and had a great time sampling vegetarian options throughout the day. Here are a few of my favorite options.

Urban Farm Eats

Disney World’s website says:

“Honor the earth and all it grows with a refreshing selection from this location’s all-natural menu. Choose from a hearty array of foods and beverages, many of which have been cultivated entirely from the soil.”

We ate:

  • Kale salad, dried cherries, almonds and goat cheese with white balsamic vinaigrette (NEW!) (gluten-free) (vegetarian)
  • Quinoa vegetable “Naanwich” with arugula pesto and oven dried tomatoes (NEW!) (vegetarian)

The verdict: The kale salad was a delicious explosion of flavor that was both light and powerful. The “naanwhich” was delicious but the cilantro was a bit strong. Moving the cilantro to the side made a huge difference. Even though it was a small dish, it was very hearty.

epcot1 Epcot2

 

Fleur de Lys

Disney World’s website says:

“Tiptoe over to this tasty milieu, named after the famous art gallery in Paris’ Tuileries Gardens. Come—dine and imbibe as you indulge in many of the France Pavilion’s most magnificent culinary masterpieces.”

We ate:

  • Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style dumpling with vegetables and mushrooms (vegetarian)

The verdict: This dish was absolutely amazing! It was the best thing I had all day! John described it as a French version of stuffing, which I think is pretty spot on.

Epcot3

 

Botanas Botánico

Disney World’s website says:

“Celebrate Latin America with a festive assortment of specialties, from refreshing snacks to zesty entrees. No matter your palate’s preference, take a siesta from your Festival travels and enjoy one or more of these all-new options!”

We ate:

  • Cachapa con queso – Sweet corn pancake with farmers cheese (gluten-free) (vegetarian)
  • Coconut tres leches (vegetarian)

The verdict: I don’t eat a lot of corn so I was pleasantly surprised by how good the cachapa con queso was. John was especially excited for coconut tres leches and rightfully so. It was so light, moist, and mouth watering.

Epcot4Epcot9

Primavera Kitchen

Disney World’s website says:

“Say, “Ciao!” to spring as you set sail for a land of garden-fresh foods near the Italy Pavilion. On your stop, be sure to explore the countryside’s many featured flavors!”

We ate:
  • Cheese Manicotti – Egg pasta stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, tomato sauce and béchamel (vegetarian)
  • Limoncello Panna Cotta – Lemon custard, limoncello liqueur and raspberries (NEW!) (gluten-free) (vegetarian)

The verdict: You can never go wrong with Italian food. The manicotti tastes like something out of an Italian grandmothers kitchen and the limoncello panna cotta is my new favorite non-chocolate dessert.

Epcot5 Epcot6

 

 

Jardin de Fiestas

Disney World’s Website says:

“Make your way near the Mexico Pavilion where the tapas are spring light and cooked just right. Don’t miss your chance to take part in this celebration of festive flavors!”

We ate:

  • Veggie quesadilla – Flour tortilla filled with Monterrey Jack cheese and mixed veggies (vegetarian)
  • Flan de queso con chocolate abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard with whipped cream and cinnamon (NEW!)

The verdict: I could have probably eaten four more veggie quesadilla’s because they were so delicious. They seem like they would be easy to make so I will be attempting to make them at home this weekend. I normally don’t like flan so when John decided to get the chocolate flan, I had no intention of trying it. I am so glad he convinced me to give the flan a try because after the gnocchi parisien à la provençal, it was my favorite dish there! If you like flan, you will love this one and if you hate flan, you will probably love it anyway!

Epcot7

Epcot10

In: Travel · Tagged: epcot, flower and garden festival, outdoor kitchens, vegetarian

join the club

You’ll Also Love

Flower and Garden Festival 2015
Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival 2014
Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival
Next Post >

The Vendue Art Gallery

Hi! I'm Charisma, a creative entrepreneur who loves to help others reach their full potential. I'm a photographer, a writer, and the owner of Kismet + Charisma, an online boutique that pairs minimalist, cozy, boho style with activism. In my little corner of the internet you'll find my latest travels, what I'm currently reading, how I practing Black joy as resistence, and how I'm finding hygge in my daily life. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and stay awhile.

join the club

Categories

  • Life
  • Travel
  • Well Read
  • Wellness
  • Business
  • Photography

Reader Favorites

  • Portraits | Jacob Tobia
  • 10 Reasons You Should Never Be Bored
  • The REAL Wizarding World: Greyfriars Kirkyard

trending now

  • Portraits | Jacob Tobia
  • 10 Reasons You Should Never Be Bored
  • The REAL Wizarding World: Greyfriars Kirkyard
  • The REAL Wizarding World: Victoria Street AKA Diagon Alley

instagram

Follow @charismaokeefe

This month has been filled with high highs and low This month has been filled with high highs and low lows. There are mornings I feel like I can't get out of bed and then afternoons where I feel like I can take on the world. Battling anxiety and depression during covid in winter is not a fun place to be but on the rough days I try to remind myself that spring is right around the corner and better days lay ahead. There have been a lot of challenging days this month but this weekend John received his second vaccination and I exhaled a breath I have been holding on to since last March. Although the vaccine doesn't solve all of the problems in this world it makes me feel so much better to know he is now a bit safer. This mid-covid move has been hard but today I'm reminded why it was so worth it.
The past week has been a whirlwind! Honestly, this The past week has been a whirlwind! Honestly, this whole month has been flying by. Here's what I have been up to:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Celebrating my cousin @sumsta112 who will be giving birth to a beautiful baby girl any day now. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Celebrating our first major win for @lovedoesnthurtinc. Head to that account to see what I am talking about!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Re-releasing some of my best-selling candles for @kismetandcharisma. Be sure to check out the discount code I just posted over there. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Still walking in the clouds because of the amazing @heartandhustlepodcast episode we recorded with @todayimbobbi. Talking to her always makes me feel like I can do anything!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Taking Valkyrie on extra long walks when it snows. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Planning out all the hikes I'm going to take once spring arrives. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤍 Wearing an extra cute blanket to work in my home office because fashion, baby! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What have you been up to this month?
Channeling my inner JVN. I’m actually much more Channeling my inner JVN. I’m actually much more comfortable on roller skates than ice skates but it’s truly been awhile for both. I think 2021 is definitely the year I should get back on both rinks. Have you found yourself on skates lately?
I’m getting ready for another snowfall here in t I’m getting ready for another snowfall here in the DMV. Here’s hoping it’s a big one. 🤞🏽
February is always about two things to me. One, ce February is always about two things to me. One, celebrating my Blackness and the beautiful Black community that I’m blessed to be a part of (as well as our rich and often buried history). Two, celebrate love in all forms. Love for my partner, for my friends, for my family, for my colleagues, and last but certainly not least, love for myself. I’m combining the celebrations of Blackness and love into a blog project this month with a Meghan Markle challenge. My bestie, @booksandbees and I bonded from regular friend level to bestie level over our shared love for Meghan Markle. We find her journey with her identity to be relatable, her commitment to helping others to be admirable, and her choice to choose her own well-being over a symbolic tiara to be inspiring. For the next 28 days we are going to be giving our day to day lives a bit of a Meghan makeover and we will be blogging on Fridays to let you know how our weeks went. We are focusing in on food, movement, style, friendship, and reflection. Meghan is known for being great at personal reflection and growth as well as having amazing penmanship so consistently journaling for 28 days feels like a perfect way to start off our challenge! On Mondays we will be sharing journal prompts for the week and on Fridays we will share a bit about what we learned from our prompts. We would love if you would take some time this month for self love and journal along with us!
What are you doing to stay cozy this week? I'm pla What are you doing to stay cozy this week? I'm planning to read a ton, journal, and do a whole lot of hydrating skincare.
From Florida furbaby to winter pup. ❄️ From Florida furbaby to winter pup. ❄️
It took 31 days of cold but we finally have snow! It took 31 days of cold but we finally have snow! Constant freezing temperatures without a pretty fresh blanket of snow isn't much fun so I was excited when I found out that it was going to snow all day. John, Valkyrie and I woke up at 6:30AM and went out to explore the winter wonderland as the sun was coming up. Valkyrie is still undecided on whether or not she actually likes snow but she sure likes cuddling in our apartment and looking at the snow from the window!
Cheers to the weekend! Things have calmed down a b Cheers to the weekend! Things have calmed down a bit in DC so I am looking forward to heading to the National Mall. I really wanted to visit the MLK memorial on MLK Day so we are making up for it today. We established a routine of doing a deep clean on Friday night so that we have the whole weekend to just enjoy our spotless apartment. Which means I am going to pack both days this weekend with fun outdoor activities and then head home for a cozy movie and a delicious curry. What do you have planned for the weekend?
Hygge is the smell of fresh bread baking while you Hygge is the smell of fresh bread baking while you listen to music and play your favorite board game with your favorite people. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Hygge is reading by the fire while cuddling your dog during a snowstorm. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Hygge is sleeping under the stars with a full belly and the smell of your campfire still lingering. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Hygge is wrapping yourself in the blanket that your great aunt made you, lighting your favorite candle, and sipping hot chocolate out of your favorite mug.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I hope you have a hygge filled weekend!

Explore

  • About
  • Podcast
  • Services

join the club

On the Blog

  • Travel
  • Well Read
  • Photography
  • Business
  • About
  • Contact

Copyright © 2021 Charismatic Concepts · Theme by 17th Avenue