Three friends raise their red mocktails in a bittersweet toast as they announce their final podcast episode after nearly two years of weekly recordings. What began as pandemic-era Zoom calls evolved into a journey that pushed them far beyond their comfort zones, teaching them valuable lessons about technology, friendship, and embracing change. "When you let something go, it doesn't mean it was a failure. It means it was accomplished," one host reflects, capturing the spirit of this farewell ...
Two friends, two carry-ons, and one unforgettable Italian adventure! Amy and Stacey take us along on their summer journey through Florence, Venice, and beyond, sharing candid insights that will inspire even hesitant travelers to pack their bags. Their contrasting travel styles create the perfect balance – Stacey embraces the "we've never been there so how do we know it's not great?" philosophy while Amy researches options meticulously. This partnership leads them to unique accommodations inc...
What would you do with $200 million? It's the ultimate daydream – one that reveals surprising truths about our values, relationships, and what we find most burdensome in daily life. We discovered that fantasizing about lottery winnings can actually be therapeutic. As one host explains, imagining how she'd distribute newfound wealth helps pull her out of bad moods. It's pure fantasy without the disappointment of reality crashing in. Beyond the expected luxuries (dream homes with pools and pe...
The journey to forge meaningful adult friendships continues as we check in on month four of our year-long Friendship Project. Overcoming the inertia of social isolation takes creativity, courage, and sometimes just a flat driveway and some pickleball paddles! Stacey shares her brilliant success story of inviting six neighbor women for casual pickleball games, creating a regular gathering where the breaks have become everyone's favorite part. "The best part is when we sit in my lawn chairs, c...
Ever held onto a grudge only to realize it was weighing you down more than the person who hurt you? In this illuminating conversation with our friend Deanna, a certified faith-based counselor, we unpack what forgiveness truly means and why it's critical for our emotional health. Forgiveness isn't about pretending nothing happened. As Deanna explains, it's making "a commitment to no longer hold the offender to a standard of moral liability before you." In other words, it's letting them off YO...
What happens when beloved stories from our past get reimagined for today? The Four Seasons, a 1981 film starring Alan Alda and Carol Burnett, recently received the Netflix treatment as an eight-episode series. This transformation provides the perfect lens to examine how our storytelling, character development, and cultural values have evolved over forty years. The original film centered on three couples who vacation together throughout the year until one husband abruptly divorces his wife an...
What small things make your blood boil? Those tiny, seemingly insignificant behaviors or mistakes that somehow manage to drive you absolutely crazy? We're diving headfirst into the therapeutic world of pet peeves in this candid, laugh-out-loud episode. Grammar mistakes top our list of irritations. From the cringe-worthy "these ones" and "irregardless" to people who say "I seen that," we're letting loose about the language errors that make our skin crawl. As one of us points out, "It makes yo...
Have you ever caught yourself scrolling through social media and suddenly feeling inadequate? Or glanced sideways at a colleague's success while trying to stay in your lane? The comparison trap has a sneaky way of creeping into our lives, stealing our joy and zapping our confidence in milliseconds. In this deeply relatable conversation, we unpack the various ways comparison manifests in our lives – from coveting the seemingly perfect lives of social media influencers to measuring ourselves a...
Ever found yourself staring blankly at something that absolutely refuses to make sense? You're not alone. In this hilarious and relatable episode, we dive headfirst into life's most persistent mysteries – those things we just don't get no matter how many times they're explained. Retirement savings limitations kick off our confusion tour. Why, when you're finally making enough money to seriously save for retirement, does the government cap how much you can put away tax-free? This leads us dow...
The friendship drought is real. As we navigate our busy adult lives, making genuine connections becomes increasingly challenging, especially when established friends move away. In this heartfelt episode of Three Cocktails In, Stacey, Kitty, and Amy continue their year-long "Project 2025: Make a New Friend" journey with practical strategies for connection in the digital age. Surprisingly, Facebook groups emerge as friendship goldmines when centered around shared interests. Amy shares how her ...
Two months after the Oscars, it's time to revisit the award-winning films with fresh perspectives and honest opinions. Did these movies truly deserve their golden statues, or were some victories more puzzling than impressive? "Conclave" emerges as the unexpected star of our conversation. This papal election drama gained eerie relevance following recent Vatican events, with all hosts agreeing it deserved more than its single Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film's exploration of church ...
What happens when three lifelong friends tackle the complex, beautiful, and often hilarious topic of motherhood? Heartfelt stories, nostalgic memories, and plenty of laughter. Our journey begins with the TV moms who shaped our expectations—from Carol Brady's perfect flip to Claire Huxtable's groundbreaking career-mom balance. We reflect on how these fictional mothers set up ideals that real motherhood rarely matches. Remember June Cleaver vacuuming in pearls? Or the gloriously eccentric Moir...
What would you tuck inside a time capsule that tells the story of your life right now? What objects capture your authentic self, your daily rhythms, and what brings you joy? More importantly, how do you want to be remembered when you're gone? In this surprisingly deep conversation, Amy, Stacey, and Kitty explore the powerful concept of preservation and legacy. What begins as a lighthearted discussion about childhood time capsules quickly evolves into a thoughtful examination of what truly ma...
Raw vulnerability takes center stage as we open our hearts about life's most difficult decisions and their lingering emotional impact. Jay Shetty's quote, "Feeling sad after making the right decision does not mean that it wasn't the right decision," serves as our touchstone while navigating deeply personal territory. Amy bravely shares her recent dating disappointment—how a promising four-month relationship collapsed when her partner discovered her photo in Match.com marketing emails and jum...
Navigating the complex landscape of generational differences reveals fascinating insights about how we learn, work, and relate to each other. From Baby Boomers and Gen X to Millennials and Gen Z, each generation brings unique perspectives shaped by the world they grew up in. Remember learning how to code in high school without really understanding why? That's the Gen X experience of technology—figuring it out as it evolved, using computers as glorified typewriters in college, and witnessing ...
Ever wonder why you maintain odd routines that make no logical sense? You're definitely not alone! This light-hearted, revealing conversation explores the mysterious world of personal rituals, superstitions, and habits that shape our daily lives. We start by questioning whether luck actually exists or if we create our own good fortune through preparation. Sharing stories of unexpected windfalls—from discovering hidden cash in inherited quilt supplies to winning expensive power tools in rando...
The journey to make meaningful friendships as adults isn't easy, but it's a challenge worth pursuing. In this candid conversation, we dive into month three of our year-long friendship-building experiment, examining what's working, what's not, and why building connections seems harder than ever. After a midnight confrontation with a weed-smoking neighbor (not exactly friendship material), we share our progress from last month's challenge. Success stories include reconnecting with an acquainta...
What does it take for you to finally say "no" to work during your vacation? We dive deep into the complex relationship between professional dedication and personal time off through Amy's recent experience of cutting a getaway short for a real estate showing. The statistics are startling—40% of American employees don't use all their allotted vacation days, with the highest numbers among those with bachelor's degrees and upper income brackets. We explore why so many of us struggle to disconnec...
Step into the world of glitz and glamour as we unravel the highlights from this year's Academy Awards. With a blend of laughter and insightful conversation, we discuss the films that stole the show, the contenders that left us surprised, and the implications of streaming services on the cinematic experience. From Oscar-winning moments to favorite performances, we share personal stories and entertaining anecdotes while pondering the landscape of modern film as it navigates the challenge of com...
Welcome to this engaging episode of “3 Cocktails In,” where we delve deep into the captivating world of reality television! Get ready for light-hearted banter as we engage in lively discussions about our favorite—and most dubious—reality TV shows. We share our heartfelt and often humorous recollections of classics like “Survivor” and more modern hits such as “The Bachelor.” As we navigate the crazy world of reality TV, we shine a light on why we keep coming back for more, despite the eye-roll...