The Empty Nest Happy Hour Newsletter - December 2024

Bon Jour and Happy Holidays!!!

Author

Danielle Wilberg
December 10, 2024

Oh, Bon Jour!!!

Cheers from the Moulin Rouge!!!

As you might know, if you’ve spent any time with us recently, we just got back from Paris!  We literally work it into every conversation - “Oh, I really need to buy bananas, I just got back from Paris.”  “I’ll get you that Q4 report ASAP, I just got back from Paris.” “Oh, I forgot Americans don’t drink wine at lunch, I just got back from Paris.”  We’ve got about 72 more hours until people start glaring at us when we say it.

Anyway, it was an amazing trip!  Danielle was a fantastique tour guide and planner, and we all got along because there was plenty of wine and cheese! We’ll give you a full review of our trip in Episode 24, which will be in your feeds on December 17.  But in the meantime, here’s a list of four of our favorite French things - 

  • French Hotel Breakfast - Waking up to the smell of croissants baking, and then eating ham and cheese and baguettes and butter, with freshly squeezed orange juice.

  • French Coke - Full fat Coca Cola, with all the real sugar, served in a small glass bottle - poured into a glass with three ice cubes and a slice of lemon.  This could be Amy’s new emotional support beverage.

  • Flirty French Waiters - Older men with terrible teeth who grin and say, “Eh, Al Capone” when you tell them you’re from Chicago. It’s charming.  But if your waiter at Applebee’s did it, you’d get the icks.

  • Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle - she’s a lovely, sturdy gal and doesn’t look her age at all (she’s 135!)

What’s Coming Up

In Episode 24 - out on December 17, we’ll give you a whole review of our trip - the highlights (did we mention wine, and cheese?) the lowlights (social media influencers and their photo shoots - boo!)  We’ll also review more Christmas movies and share a bit about our holiday plans and traditions. 

Episode Highlights

We realized we’re helpless with out Lizzy, who decided to take a trip “Down Unda”.  So Amy & Danielle do a super-quick episode and talk a little bit about the book “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” by Rufi Thorpe

We interview the fantastic Suzy Mighell of “Empty Nest Blessed”.  She started blogging about empty nesting many years ago, and has a lot of great info to share.  We also talk about the Pamela Anderson documentary, and “Will & Harper” on Netflix.  Erin shares a surprising twist in her Garage Smoker saga, and we outlaw gender reveal parties.

Lizzy’s back from “Down Unda” and tells us about koalas and chlamydia.  Danielle shares her investigative report on the history of makeup.  Everyone congratulates Amy for being able to sit in the backseat of a car for 2 hours. And it’s election season so we vote on our favorite fall movies.

We actually have a very professional response to a listener email asking when it’s okay to move after your kids have gone to college.  Danielle sings the praises of OPI “Lincoln Park After Dark” nail polish.  We recommend the TV shows “Younger” and “Rivals”.  Danielle and Amy talk about their mini-trip to Wisconsin and promoting our “women’s rights” podcast.  And Erin tells us it’s her last episode.

I mean, isn’t the title enough to make you want to listen?

Our college seniors join us to drink legally and talk about their experiences leaving the nest, thinking about their next steps (high-paying jobs in fun cities, please!) and what it’s like to have Gen X podcasting moms!

Amy is in her happy place, drinking an Old Fashioned and wearing a turtleneck.  Danielle highlights the generational differences between travelers, as we gear up for our Paris trip.  We review “Hot Frosty” a “sexy” new Christmas movie from Netflix. We discuss which “Golden Girl’ we would be. And, best of luck with “Whamageddon!”

What We’re Drinking

Batch Caramel Apple Sangria 

  • ½ gallon apple cider

  • 1 bottle white wine

  • 1 cup caramel vodka

    Garnish with cinnamon sticks and apple slices

And in honor of our trip…Oh, did you know we just got back from Paris?

French 75

Producer Aunt Lizzy, Danielle, Amy & Erin At Versailles

What We’re Reading

  • Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe - It’s kind of weird and fun, but definitely not for everyone.

  • Island of Sea Women, Lisa See - Interesting and sad.  A good read.

  • Pineapple Street, Jenny Jackson - Light and funny.  If you like “Sex and the City” and “The Perfect Couple” you’ll like this.

  • The Most Fun We Ever Had, Claire Lombardo - Four sisters growing up in Oak Park, their parents, and a surprise child.  It’s good, but long.

  • Becoming Madam Secretary, Stephanie Dray - A detailed and engaging historical fiction of how Frances Perkins became the US Secretary of Labor under FDR.

What We’re Watching

  • Bad Sisters (Apple+) - Five Irish sisters plot to kill one of their husbands.  It’s dark and hilarious.  Start with season 1, season 2 started a few weeks ago.

  • Shrinking (Apple+) - Harrison Ford as a crotchety old psychiatrist is fantastic. From the people who brought you “Ted Lasso”.

  • Rivals (Hulu) - Based on 80’s novels by Jilly Cooper (like a British Jackie Collins) - super fun and sexy, and just renewed for season 2.

  • Younger (Paramount+, or buy on Amazon Prime) - A newly divorced empty nester passes herself off as much younger in order to work in publishing in NYC.

  • The Diplomat (Netflix)  - A political thriller that follows Kate Wyler, a career diplomat thrust into a high-stakes role as U.S. Ambassador to the UK.

Documentaries on Netflix

  • Pamela, A Love Story

  • Martha Stewart

  • Will & Harper

And everything on Bravo!

Thanks for Joining Us!!!

Find the Empty Nest Happy Hour Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts - we have new episodes (almost) every Tuesday! We’d LOVE it if you rated us and left a great review!

You can also follow us on Instagram, Threads and Facebook @emptynesthappyhour. And you can check out our website at EmptyNestHappyHour.com, and send us an email at [email protected].

Cheers!!!