Feeling stressed or overwhelmed like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Own less things! This is exactly how I started my new year, doing a detachment of material things by reviewing every single item in my closet and other areas of my house. The feeling of freedom with each full bag that left my house was kind of shocking. Getting rid of the unnecessary things in your home might just give you a fresh start and help you reduce stress, it gives you a sense of freedom, it supports better focus and it might even give you more confidence, let’s expand on these benefits. Reduced Stress and Improved Focus An overfilled or disorganized home can trigger your body to produce the stress hormone cortisol making you feel overwhelmed making it difficult for you to concentrate and get things done. Eliminating the excessive number of things on surfaces, clothes on closets, decorations and even furniture can reduce stress by creating a sense of control and order in your environment. It clears your mind allowing you to relax and a calm and relaxed mind is able to think at its full capacity, focus and concentrate to analyze situations and find solutions.     Feeling Free Are you a slave to your own possessions? Do you feel emotionally attached to material things or have the need to constantly buy more material things? The hardest part is getting started but once you find the power to let go, the feeling of freedom is just amazing. You will find yourself free from the expense of unnecessary spending, free from having a huge number of things to clean, free from the fear of unexpected visitors and free from the lack of space in your house. You will feel like a weight came off your shoulders, a feeling of unexplainable happiness. This is something that most of us don’t realize that by buying unnecessary material things aka clutter you are actually making your life worse.    More Confidence By reducing stress, feeling free and more focused, you could find yourself feeling more confident in many aspects of your life. Owning less can provide a sense of accomplishment and control over your environment, positively impacting your self-esteem. Now you will be able to easily find clothes in your closet which will make getting ready in the morning a piece of cake. You will feel confident feeling like your brain is working at full capacity at work due to your newly found focus. Problems become something easy to solve, just throw me another one! It’s exactly like they say, confidence is everything!     I couldn’t believe these benefits myself and I plan to continue working on my new semi-minimalist self throughout the year. In addition to improving your life, this lifestyle supports cutting back on spending, reducing waste and focusing on what’s really important in life. It’s all about owning less and living more and I am all in for that. Would you dare to try it?  

Having a grateful mindset all-year-round and not just on Thanksgiving Day is a positive trait to have. It is a trait that can help you be resilient and strong regardless of what life situation you might be in. What I mean by having a grateful mindset is appreciating what you do have in your life regardless of how small you might originally think they are and seeing them as big things. Here are three questions to help you reflect and feel grateful:   Do You Have Air in Your Lungs? I have air in my lungs. I can smell the flowers. I can hear birds singing. I can taste food. I can walk. I can feel the sun and the breeze of the ocean on my skin. I can talk. I can write. I can earn a living. I might need glasses sometimes but I have eyesight to see this beautiful world. I am grateful and feel strong because I know how lucky I am to be able to do all these things. Even though none of us know what tomorrow brings, I do know that having a grateful view of our current health status contributes to more health.     Have You Ever Overcome a Difficult Situation? I am proud of myself for everything I have been able to accomplish in my life regardless of the difficulties. Moving often as a child due to having parents from different countries. Learning English as a third language after moving to the United States as a teenager, going to college with a somewhat broken English, building a successful career in a highly competitive industry. Looking back, I am grateful for all these experiences because they made me the strong person I am today. Whatever your life situation was or is, make it a lesson of strength and have the confidence that once you overcome it, you will be stronger and nothing life throws at you can bring you down.     Do You Have Food and a Roof Over Your Head? I am grateful that I have food and a roof over my head. Some might think this is a silly thing to say but that is because some of us take these things for granted. Stop and think that about 1 billion of the world population does not have food to eat on a daily basis with as many as 1.6 billion people are lacking adequate housing and these are statistics that do not include the average struggling families. I feel extremely grateful to have a life where these immediate needs are always met. How this gives me strength? Even when lunch and dinner are not perfect, I am happy to have something to eat.  Even if we end up living in a tiny house (which we do contemplate sometimes) it is a roof and it will always be a happy place.     I do have a grateful mindset and I strive to always keep this mindset even when situations are challenging. And yes, one can say that things could be better, do not forget though that things could also be worse. Focus on the things that you do have in your life. Consequently, having the wisdom to see things that you might not currently have in your life as motivation points, positive life goals and dreams to be chased.

Do we ever overcome grief? My father passed away in February of 2024 at the age of 76. We were very close so this was the hardest thing I’ve had to go through in my life. I had to learn about grief and its stages in order to understand what I was going through and be able to know there was a light at the end of the tunnel and allow myself to go through the process. From the grief stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, this is what I’ve learned:    It's Okay to Feel Mixed Emotions For me all stages expect for one came together in full force, depression and denial followed by anger and bargaining and more depression. The feeling of deep sorrow took over me immediately after my father’s passing mixed with the feeling of not believing what had just happened. How can my father be gone? He seemed completely fine and making jokes before he went to the hospital earlier that week. Then, mixed with the deep sorrow and denial came the feeling of anger and bargaining when I found myself angrily playing the sequence of events of that week over and over in my head trying to find the areas where things could’ve been handled differently. These emotions are strong and seem to take over our lives but it is important to let these emotions happen in order to be able to start letting go and accepting.     Letting Go was the Most Difficult Part Since going back in time was not an option, I had to learn to be kind to myself and let go of the thoughts of the situations I didn’t have control over. Letting go of those thoughts was very difficult because it means to start creating the path for the acceptance process and to this day is something I work on a daily basis. We have to remember that although we might not have control over situations specially in situations of loss, we do have control over our thoughts and how we let them affect us. Letting go also means to let go of the sad memories that hurt us surrounding the passing of a loved one and choosing to remember the happy days with that person. In my case, I love remembering my father’s jokes and laugh.     Accepting Does Not Mean Forgetting your Loved One I miss my father and I know I always will. As part of the acceptance stage of grief, I have created ways that connect me with him. My father loved planting, nature in general and birds singing, so naturally I enjoy being in green areas and I find myself looking for birds that might be singing. In these settings, I allow myself to feel his presence and I allow myself to say a word or two to him in my mind. For me, creating a setting to connect with my father helped me with accepting the fact that he is no longer physically part of my life, however, knowing that I can feel his presence gives me the assurance that his soul lives on and that he’s still part of my life spiritually.     Time and Talking Do Help Allowing time to go through each of the stages of grief is extremely important and sometimes the different stages might come, go away, then come back again. Be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. Talking things over and then over again definitely helps. In my case, my family was my support system through the roller coaster of emotions and I also was their support when they needed it. Now we can talk and mention my father without crying, most of the time.      (Older brother, mother, myself and younger brother in my father's hometown in Brazil where we brought his ashes in March of 2024)   I don’t think we overcome grief; I think that we learn to live with it. Understanding the stages of grief helped me understand myself. At this point, I can say that I have accepted the passing of my father, I know he’s in a better place now, not suffering and happily watching over us. Besides, like I told him on the moment he passed away in that hospital room while I was holding his hand, it was not a “good bye” just a “see you later”.

Avocado Toast with Egg is one of my favorite foods for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It is so delicious and nutritious, plus it’s so easy to make! Ingredients -    1 hash avocado-    2 eggs-    2 slices of bread (I used sourdough bread)-    4 tablespoons of olive oil-    2 pinches of salt-    Black pepper as desired Prep Work Step 1: Rinse the avocado and pat dry it with a paper towel. Step 2: Cut the avocado open lengthwise and remove the pit by scooping it out with a spoon. Step 3: Preheat a frying pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and fry the eggs sunny side up style at low heat. Add one pinch of salt and black pepper as desired to the eggs as they are being fried.  Step 4: Once the eggs are fried, place them on a plate using a spatula. Don’t worry if your eggs do not have a perfect sunny side up look, they’ll still be delicious. Step 5: Toast the slices of bread to your preference. Putting it Together Step 1: Put the toasted bread on a plate. Step 2: Using a spoon, scoop out small pieces of the avocado and put them all over the 2 slices of bread. Repeat until all avocado is scooped out. Step 3: Once the avocado is on the bread, spread one pinch of salt throughout. Step 4: Then carefully add one fried egg to each slice of bread using a spatula. Your Avocado Toast with Egg is ready. This is one of the best breakfast, brunch or lunch idea ever, and who says it can’t be dinner, right?!  

This is a Peruvian classic called “Pan con Aceitunas” which translates to “Bread with Olives” and that is exactly how I ate it growing up, bread with Peruvian olives. This is a very light and healthy snack, breakfast or even a lunch idea. I eat it without Mayonnaise but my children add it so that is an option. There are so many ways to prepare this sandwich but here’s how I eat it nowadays:   Ingredients -    1 toasted Cuban roll-    15 Kalamata olives (I use the Publix GreenWise Organic Pitted Kalamata Olives)-    2 leaves of lettuce (I use Iceberg lettuce)-    Mayonnaise (optional) Instructions Step 1: Cut open the Cuban roll and put it while closed in a toaster oven. You can use any other type of bread as well. Step 2: Once the roll is toasted, open the roll and place the lettuce leaves on the inside of the roll. Step 3: Then place the Kalamata olives on top of the lettuce. Step 4: If you choose to add Mayonnaise, spread it on the top inside part of the roll. Then close the sandwich and it’s ready. Buen provecho! Enjoy!

This cilantro rice is to die for! This is a stovetop recipe and is very easy to follow. Made with natural and fresh ingredients, this cilantro rice is not only fluffy and delicious but also nutritious. Ingredients -    3 cloves of garlic-    4 tablespoons of olive oil-    2 cups of long grain white rice-    1 bunch of fresh cilantro-    5 cups of water-    ½ teaspoon of salt   Prep Work -    Peel the 3 cloves of garlic and cut the them into tiny pieces.  -    Separate the fresh cilantro into 3 equal parts. Then, chop one third of the cilantro by cutting it into small pieces and put it to the side.  -    Remove the thick stem ends from the other 2 thirds of the cilantro and blend it in a blender using one cup of water. After blended, put it to the side. -    Put the long grain white rice in a fine mesh strainer and gently rinse the rice by letting the water go through it in the kitchen sink. After rinsing, keep the rice in the strainer until it’s time to cook it. Time to Cook Step 1: Put a medium to large cooking pan on the stovetop and turn it on to medium heat. Step 2: Pour the olive oil into the cooking pan and add the garlic right after. Then wait until the garlic starts to cook. Step 3: When the garlic is visibly cooking, add the rinsed rice and add the one cup of blended cilantro and the 4 cups of water to the pan. Step 4: Add the chopped cilantro to the cooking pan. Step 5: Add the ½ teaspoon of salt and mix it all using a wooden spoon. Step 6: Turn it to high heat and wait until it starts boiling. Step 7: Once it is visibly boiling, turn it to low heat and cover the cooking pan with its lid. Step 8: Occasionally uncover the cooking pan and mix the rice with the wooden spoon and monitor the water evaporating. Step 9: Once you notice that most water has evaporated, check the side of the cooking pan from the inside with a spoon to see if no water is left.  Step 10: Once the water is gone and the rice it’s still moist, turn off the heat and cover the cooking pan again.  Step 11: Let the rice sit for about 5 minutes before serving since the rice will finish drying during that time. Enjoy!

The process of making sourdough bread brings us back to the basics to a time where humans used to eat only naturally made foods, doesn’t that already sound so much better than most things made today? In a world where we are told that bread is not good for us, understanding how sourdough bread is better than other types of bread will make you see that you don’t have to avoid bread altogether but maybe embrace it in a different way. Here are three reasons why I switched to sourdough bread. How It Is Made Sourdough bread is made using a natural fermented starter with flour and water with wild yeast and bacteria instead of industrially produced baker’s yeast. The way it works is that it uses fermentation by naturally occurring yeast and lactobacillus bacteria aka the healthy bacteria to leaven the bread. In addition to leavening the bread, the fermentation process produces lactic acid which is the good kind of acid and that also gives sourdough bread its unique sour taste. The History Sourdough has been around since the beginning of times as it is one of the most ancient forms of bread way before any industrialization was involved in breadmaking. It actually was considered the standard method of making bread for most of human history until the Middle Ages when it was replaced by barm from beer which in turn was replaced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by industrially produced baker’s yeast. Health Benefits Although sourdough bread can be made from the same flour as other types of bread, its fermentation process makes it more nutritious. It has antioxidants that help protect cellular damage. It has probiotics and prebiotics that nourish your gut microbiome boosting digestive health. It contains lower glycemic index so it doesn’t raise your blood sugar. It supports enhanced mineral absorption by breaking down phytic acid which is the bad kind of acid making it easier for your body to absorb things like iron, zinc and magnesium. Lastly, its fermentation process breaks down the gluten making it easier for your body to digest it compared to regular bread. For me who has always been a bread lover it was a no-brainer, I switched to sourdough bread and have not looked back. I still eat other types of bread when sourdough is not an option but my first choice is always sourdough bread now. Just imagine the simple morning cup of coffee with a toasted slice of sourdough bread with butter melting as you take the first bite, do I need to say more?  

I am proud to say that Quinoa was “invented” in my culture since it is an Andean grain that originated in Peru and Bolivia in South America. I’ve known that Quinoa is good for you but I didn’t know that it was this good until later in life. Quinoa is very unique because it is the only plant-based food that contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up our muscles, bones, skin and blood. The nine amino acids classified as “essential” must be obtained from food daily since our bodies cannot produce or store them and quinoa provides all nine of them. In addition, Quinoa is very high in fiber. Here are five potential benefits of Quinoa to our bodies as well as ways to prepare it.   Might Contain Anti-Cancer Properties Quinoa's antioxidant compounds, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides and saponins may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, according to a 2021 study published in Food Frontiers. Laboratory studies on polysaccharides suggest that these components may help protect cellular health and prevent certain types of cancer, such as liver and cervical cancers. However, more research is needed to confirm this in humans. Not sure about you but this tells me that I should continue to eat Quinoa.       May Reduce Inflammation Quinoa’s polysaccharides and saponins are not the only antioxidant compounds found in it. Quinoa also contains flavonoids and polyphenols. The antioxidant properties of these compounds may help protect your cells from oxidative damage and reduce inflammation, according to a 2023 review published in Antioxidants. Well, guess what I will be eating for dinner tonight!     Can Help Regulate Blood Sugar The nutrients in Quinoa may also be beneficial in regulating blood sugar. In a small study, participants over 65 with blood glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dl consumed Quinoa for four weeks—the results indicated a significant reduction in glucose and slight weight loss, according to the 2022 study published in Nutrients. The researchers suggest that eating Quinoa to replace other complex carbohydrates may be a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes. Protein and fiber contribute to Quinoa's low glycemic index. Phenolic compounds are also present, slowing carbohydrate digestion to prevent a high post-meal glucose spike. This is just another great potential benefit of eating Quinoa.   May Smooth Digestion Quinoa is very high in fiber, a critical nutrient for healthy digestion. Eating Quinoa may also increase healthy bacterial growth in the gut microbiome since fiber helps nourish those beneficial bacteria. Are you yet convinced that Quinoa is good for you?     May Lower Cholesterol People susceptible to heart attack, cardiovascular disease and stroke can benefit from eating more Quinoa to help manage their cholesterol levels as well as to help maintain a healthy weight. The fiber content found in Quinoa may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, Quinoa's ample omega-3 fatty acids may have a significant positive impact. Quinoa is really a food with superpowers.     Ways to Prepare Quinoa There are many ways to prepare Quinoa, some of the most common ways is to eat it are in salads, as a side dish, in grain bowls, in soups and in baked goods but my favorite way to eat Quinoa in Peruvian style is as a stew. The stew can be very elaborate with many ingredients like yellow potatoes, onions, garlic and tomatoes or very simple for a quick meal. To prepare the simple version of the stew dish, I simmer diced garlic on olive oil and add paprika, then I add the washed Quinoa and add water and salt. Bring it to a boil and immediately turn it to low. After this, you will need to keep an eye on it and mix it occasionally. Add more water if the Quinoa dries too fast, cover and allow it to cook until soft. I serve it with white rice and either salmon or steak.     You can find Quinoa in most supermarkets and membership-only warehouse clubs but if you prefer to buy it on Amazon, here is an excellent organic Quinoa from the Viva Naturals Organic brand. It is a 4 lbs. bag for $17.99:    Amazon: Viva Naturals Organic Quinoa, 4 lb - Plant Based Protein #ad   After reading this blog, are you ready to give Quinoa a try? Even if you don’t love it at first, don’t give up on it as it takes time to get adjusted to new flavors. However, knowing the potential health benefits, it might be worth implementing it into your diet. And for the love of food, have a great day!       Reference: EatingWell.com Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  

The town of Celebration in Florida is a place that attracts many people including celebrities due to its beautiful 20th-century architectural style and peaceful environment, but do you know who is the biggest celebrity that has ever lived in our town? I do understand that considering a person a celebrity can be subjective, however, when a country with a territory almost as big as the United States considers someone to be the greatest personality in the history of television, I would say that this person is indeed the biggest celebrity to ever live in our town. That country is Brazil and that name is Silvio Santos.   The Man Behind the Name He was famous by his stage name of Silvio Santos but his real name was Senor Abravanel. He was the son of a father of Greek Jewish descent and a mother of Turkish Jewish heritage, who grew up in the neighborhood of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started as a street vendor at the age of 14 in the 1940's in downtown Rio and went on to become the biggest TV host of all time. He was the owner of Grupo Silvio Santos that included his own TV channel called “SBT” which is the second largest television network in Brazil. His net worth was USD $2.3 billion in 2013. It is impossible to find a person in Brazil who does not know who Silvio Santos is.     His Charisma He connected with the audience like no other TV host. He had an ear-to-ear smile. His laugh was something that can’t be explained in words other than if he was laughing, the entire room was laughing, as was everyone watching him at home. He had a very charismatic personality, a very unique style and a voice like no other. He was considered one of the most influential and beloved people in Brazil. His famous catchphrase was “Who wants money?” and every Sunday the entire country would be watching him in his several shows and contests. He became part of Brazilian history.     Life in Brazil He lived in the prominent neighborhood of Morumbi in São Paulo which should be similar to the quality of life of the United States. However, he used his platform to criticize aspects of life in Brazil including poverty, inequality, lack of access to basic services, all which contributed to higher crime rates in Brazil. In 2001, one of his daughters was kidnapped but thankfully returned unharmed. Once, Silvio Santos himself was held hostage at gunpoint in his own home. He often expressed his dream for Brazilians to be able to enjoy a similar standard of living as people in the United States.    Photo: Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil   His Love for Celebration He was a resident of Celebration and he found comfort and joy in being in our town. He spent months each year in his Celebration home with his wife and pets enjoying the simple things in life. In Celebration, he was able to live a more “normal” life away from the big crowds of fans and most importantly away from the constant threat of crime. He was sometimes seen at the Publix on Blake Road while shopping in his pajamas or enjoying dinner at downtown Celebration with his family.  He would interact with the few Brazilian fans who were lucky to spot him, he gave autographs and took pictures.    Photo: Silvio Santos with wife and pets in front of their Celebration home.    Photo: Silvio Santos and wife at the Italian restaurant in downtown Celebration, Reggiano's of Celebration.   Many people in Brazil know about Celebration because of Silvio Santos. If he liked living here, then it must be a great town. He passed away in August of 2024 at the age of 93. Even though he’s no longer with us, his legacy lives on and the Abravanel family continues to be a big part of our Celebration community. He was a very smart man to have been able to build his empire from nothing but he was a smarter man for having discovered the beauty of Celebration.    Photo: After Silvio Santos' passing, fans left flowers in front of his home in Celebration.    Photo: Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil dressed as Silvio Santos as a tribute after his passing.   Valeu Silvio!                  

The town of Celebration in Florida is a beautiful place for sure, you can immediately see its beauty as soon as you step into this amazing town. Its green areas and trails, the beautifully designed homes and streets look so surreal. But besides all this, do you know why Celebration is so special? Some residents might have different reasons as to why Celebration is special to them but for most of us, it all started with a mouse.Location, Location, Location!Celebration is located just outside the Most Magical Place on Earth, a 5-minute drive to Disney World. This is a dream come true for any Disney fan or anyone who loves to have a good time. Disney World does not only consist of theme parks, there is also amazing dining options, shows, live music, entertainment, shopping, just anything you can imagine when you think of having a good time either as a family, as a couple or solo. A Very Special HistoryCelebration is a town that was designed by Disney so it is not a surprise that its first name was Disney’s Town of Celebration. Disney was inspired by the charm of small-town America and had the dream of creating a community that combined both modern conveniences with a traditional look. The Disney Development Company (DDC) established the Celebration Company to oversee the development of the community. The DDC invested an estimated US$2.5 billion in the project. To decide who would be the first residents, Disney held a lottery type of selection process where 1,200 people submitted $1,000 deposits. The first family moved in on June 18, 1996, and the downtown area was completed on November 12, 1996. Beautiful Design and PlanCelebration is a master planned community (MPC) which is a large, custom built residential community. The community was designed in an early 20th-century architectural style, with homes featuring porches, picket fences, and different types of roof lines. Civic buildings were designed by world-famous architects like Philip Johnson, Cesar Pelli, and Robert A.M. Stern.   If You Get It, You Get ItSimilar to Disney, those who like Celebration are those who understand its magic so yes if you get it, you get it. The appreciation of the town from its residents and fans in general come from each person's connection and life memories of Disney and you can see it and feel it while you walk around Celebration. Residents are always happy, smiling and greeting each other.   Celebration has a special place in my heart. Even though it is no longer owned by Disney, Celebration is located on land that used to be part of the Walt Disney World Resort which is now part of Kissimmee and Osceola County. Celebration is a fun place to live with lots of events and activities, not to mention the ongoing growth of amazing restaurants and shopping options as a result of a recent expansion project of the town. While growth is inevitable, the Disney and Celebration fans hope that the special feeling that you get while you are in Celebration never goes away. Thanks to Walt Disney for making his dreams come true because they became our dreams.

I thought I knew something about the Haunted Mansion until a few months ago when we met up with friends who are huge Haunted Mansion fans and know so much about this awesome ride at the Magic Kingdom. I then realized I didn’t know much at all and needed to do some research of my own. One thing was clear to me, to better know the Haunted Mansion I would need to get to know more about the main characters in it and that’s exactly what I did.     Let’s Start from the Beginning The Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving ride at the Magic Kingdom that opened along with the Magic Kingdom itself on October 1, 1971. The ride length is approximately eight minutes long. The ride is open for guests of any height and any age. It is considered to be a spooky ride but with friendly ghosts which means that everyone would enjoy it. There are versions of the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland California, Disneyland Tokyo, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. Each of these versions have their own little bit of history behind it.   Picture: Yale Gracey   The Best Spooky Fun As part of the ride queue at Magic Kingdom, be prepared to walk through some tombstones including the one for Master Gracey, who is the owner of the Mansion. Make sure to have your hands free for some supernatural hands-on experiences as well. Once inside, you will see a room actually stretching along with a hanging body from the ceiling and yes this part is actually a little scary. Then you climb aboard a Doom Buggy for a grave tour through a dark maze of haunted chambers. The ride is narrated by the voice of The Ghost Host as your private guide through a very Haunted Mansion, home to ghosts, ghouls and supernatural surprises. You will go by a casket-filled conservatory, Madame Leota’s chilling seance room and a ghostly graveyard of singing ghosts as you try to find your way out. Beware of hitchhikers and be careful because a ghost may follow you home.        Master Gracey Master Gracey was a very rich man and the owner of the Mansion. After his passing, you can see Master Gracey's tombstone as part of the queue of the Haunted Mansion. Many believe he is also The Ghost Host which will make him also be the hanging body from the attic on the first part of the ride. There's also an interesting and mysterious fact, fresh flowers appeared for many years in Master Gracey’s tombstone. Who do you think put those flowers there? Now let’s go over the true story of Master Gracey. He was created as a tribute to Disney Imagineer Yale Gracey who was murdered in 1983 at the age of 73 at his home. He was responsible for pretty much all of the illusions found within the ride. The association of him being referred to as, "Master" Gracey lead the majority of cast members and guests to presume of him having been the Master of the Haunted Mansion. This was supported by how every morning a red rose was placed on Master Gracey's tombstone, this was most likely started during the 1980s by cast members as a way of mourning Yale Gracey after he was murdered.         The Ghost Host Many people believe that Master Gracey and The Ghost Host are one in the same and that he died by suicide. Master Gracey as the owner of the Mansion acts as the host as he welcomes mortals into his haunted home. His evil laugh once you enter the mansion as he displays his own hanging body from the attic is just priceless. Regardless if Master Gracey and The Ghost Host are the same or not, I couldn’t think of a better voice for this ride and you will hear his spooky narration throughout the entire ride. He is voiced by actor Paul Frees, who appeared in many Disney movies and was the voice of many famous characters over the years. You can hear his voice in another ride at the Magic Kingdom, Pirates of the Caribbean. He recorded the ghost voice saying the iconic "Dead Men Tell No Tales", as well as lending his voice to several audio-animatronic pirates.         Constance Hatchaway Constance Hatchaway is bride in the attic and one of the figures depicted in the Stretching Room’s portraits. She is the scariest character in the Haunted Mansion, because not only she is a bride ghost but when she was alive she murdered all her five husbands. She’s also known as The Black Widow Bride. She would marry the richest of the richest then she would murder each husband by cutting their heads off. This is why you see her holding a hatchet in the ride next to the portraits of her husbands with no heads. Pretty creepy, right?           Madame Leota Madame Leota’s character is a disembodied head that speaks from inside a crystal ball, how cool is that? Madame Leota got her name from Leota Toombs who was a Disney Imagineer and the face of Madame Leota. Yale Gracey (Master Gracey) asked her to pose for the floating head character to test it out and the rest is history. However, Madame Loeota was voiced by Eleanor Audley, who had the perfect villain voice. You can hear Eleonor’s perfectly villain voice in Cinderella as the evil stepmother and in Sleeping Beauty as Maleficent.           The Hitchhiking Ghosts The Hitchhiking Ghosts have to be the coolest characters of the Haunted Mansion. They are the three ghosts that you see towards the end of the ride. These ghosts are established residents of the Mansion known as The Traveler (Phineas), The Skeleton (Ezra) and The Prisoner (Gus). Since they “hitchhike” be ready for them to jump on board your Doom Buggy for a little ride. They might also mess with you just because they can. The three ghosts got their names from a backstory created by a cast member. Since the creation of the story, their names have become official for all Disney lovers and you will even see their names in Haunted Mansion merch in the parks.       Hatbox Ghost The Hatbox Ghost character is a crazy and evil looking skeleton with a big hat on. He was at the Haunted Mansion ride in Disneyland when it first opened in 1969 then removed then made a permanent return in 2015. Even though he’s located in Disneyland and not in Disney World, it is worth mentioning him since in September 2022 during the D23 Expo, it was announced that the Hatbox Ghost character will be added to the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion at some point in 2023. We are patiently awaiting. UPDATE: In November 2023, the Hatbox Ghost materialized at Disney World. Yes, he's here!     The Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World is loved by many but learning more about its characters can give you a better appreciation for the ride. So next time you ride the Haunted Mansion, don’t forget to bring a red rose for Master Gracey, or to count how many portraits of Constance’s headless husbands you can see, or to try to see which Hitchhiking Ghost you can identify by name. Lastly, don't forget to say this awesome line out loud with Madame Leota: “Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat. Call in the spirits wherever they’re at!”   Watch our Haunted Mansion videos on YouTube: