Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival

Hey Love Cats,

My intention this week was to talk about my experience with the Balloon and Wine Festival in Temecula, however, I and friend woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning to have a photoshoot with the hot air balloons, and we only saw three balloons! What did I miss? As we were driving we kept seeing signs that said public event with an arrow. We followed the arrow, along with other people, and there was nothing. Perhaps the weather was not optimal for the event. Maybe it was too windy or cloudy, I am unsure.

So instead, I will share some of the photos that I took of her and some balloon photos that I took at the festival many years ago.

In the past, despite the traffic, it is truly breathtaking. Get up early enough to see the balloons get filled and take off from the ground, it's something not to miss (although, with my experience this weekend, maybe I did it all wrong, so don't take my advice haha).

Talk soon,
Jess

Double Disney Weekends (Part 2)

Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

Hey Friends!

I am not a runner, I will never consider myself to be a runner, but I am a former athlete, and because I am no longer participating in team sports, I need some inspiration to try to stay in shape and RunDisney races do the trick. I have had many injuries to my feet and ankles from ice hockey, lacrosse, and downhill skiing,  and it's safe to say that every time I run, it's a painful challenge. I'm sure many will ask me why I run if it causes me so much pain, but there is just no better feeling than crossing the finish line and finishing a challenge that you, yourself set, and accomplished. I am not fast, I will never be first, but I WON for me. 

This year I participated in the 5th Annual Tinker Bell 10k at Disneyland. This was my first RunDisney 10k. I was so surprised that I snagged a spot back in August. The 10ks are the hardest to register for, in my opinion. They always fill up so fast. Being an Annual Passholder helps a bit since we get first dips with early registration, but still with that, I haven't been able to snag a spot for any other RunDisney 10k (If you're interest in registering for any RunDisney event, be attentive about when registration starts. Races often sell out in minutes).   

I have completed 3 half-marathons to date, and I thought that perhaps I'd start the year with  a 10k to help me to prepare for the half-marathon that I have scheduled for September. 

Race morning, my dad and I woke up around 3:30, I applied my fairy glitter hair spray, winged liner, and red lipstick in the dark (yes, I do apply lipstick before races, they take pictures...DUH!), and I was pixie ready. We were staying at a hotel close by and it was about a 10 minute walk to the stating gate. It was chilly, and pouring rain. Let's be a little honest here, I was about to take the elevator back up to my room and climb back in bed. I was not very stoked about the rain. My hands were cold, my muscles felt sore already and I was so nervous that I'd slip and hurt myself. The rain subsided, and the gun went off, and I ran the entire first mile. (Usually, in my training, I run for 5 minutes and walk for 2). It felt like a breeze, and my confidence grew from there. 

Ready with Dad 

Throughout the race I chatted with some strangers about our costumes (which is my favorite part of Disney races) and I took lots of pictures with landmarks (the character lines were just too long), and Snapchat-ed the whole way.

We started the race together, and we ended the race together. Forever stranger friends

Being used to the half-marathon course, I wasn't really expecting the course to be almost entirely on Disneyland property. This made the course feel so much shorter than I thought it would feel. And, my favorite part was getting to run through Downtown Disney. The only things I did miss was that the course didn't take you down Main Street :( , and the line to meet Tinker Bell was WAY TOO LONG! (I guess I'll have to catch her a Pixie Hallow). 

Overall, I felt tired, and frustrated with my ankle pain, but crossing the finish line (and not being even near last place) was so rewarding. I felt strong and excited for finishing. It was definitely a confidence booster.

Out of all the races I've run, when I'm waiting for the run to start, I find myself full of doubt and pressure. It's hard for me to look past all of my body issues, self-confidence and pain from injury. As an individual I feel so powerful and brave to do the unthinkable. It makes me feel like I can get rid of my inner-bully.


Xo, Jess

P.S. Two years ago, I wrote a post about my love for RunDisney races (You can read that post here).



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Double Disney Weekends (Part 1)

Long time, no talk! I feel like its been ages since I've posted anything (and let's be honest, it has been). The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. My senior year of undergrad is coming to an end, and everyday I've been getting a gut wrenching panic about my future (insert wide eyed emoji here). With the stresses of chemistry and figuring out what I want to do with the rest of my life, I needed a few days to just enjoy life. I mean, that's my whole brand right? I keep reminding myself that there is a bigger picture and that this one class, and this one test does not define my whole future. I've been constantly having to stop myself and remember my ultimate goal in life is to BE HAPPY. 

That's why these two weeks have been so great. I got to spend some time at my favorite place, with some of my favorite people, for no other reason than because it's FUN! 

The weekend started on Saturday, April 31st, 2016. My Annual Pass was blocked out, but my cousin was celebrating his 18th birthday, so we got a little dressed up and had a fancy sandwich lunch in the picnic area. My family and I went to the Dapper Day Expo and I purchased a couple dresses and belts from Viva Dulce Marina and Retrolicious (love love love). Also, shout out to the very adorable TeamSparkle for being so sweet and nice and giving me a fan button! 

Haunted Mansion fascinator custom made, by yours truly. 

 

Sunday, was the big day, DAPPER DAY. I had been looking forward to this day for so long! I love fashion, I love Disney, and putting those two worlds together is magical (yes, pun intended). 

As millennial do, I spend lots of time on the internet perusing for new Disney content; ride updates, movie previews, days at the park vlogs, etc. On Dapper Day during the DisneyBound meet-up, I had the pleasure of meeting so many content creators that constantly inspire me. 

I sometimes run into people that I follow on the internet and am often a little shy to approach them. A friend of mine whom I was with, helped me to be brave and just say hello. :/

First, I ran into SoundProofLiz and JamesChats, both of which I am a new subscriber. They were bounding as Hercules and Meg, along with BrizzyVoices (whom I didn't not get to see :() as a dapper Pegasus. I loved their videos. They were so sweet and adorable together. 

Next, I found Leslie Kay, the mother of DisneyBounding and the creator of Disneybound Blog. I had met her once before at my first Disneyland Half Marathon, and she actually remembered who I was!  She is the sweetest specimen. We geeked out over our outfits and shoe choice and snapped a good photo. 

As I was swimming through the crowds I spotted the 4 creators of Thingamavlogs. They were surrounded by people, and being the introvert that I am, felt immediate panic. My friend told me that I had meet them because I am such a big fan and that I would regret it if I didn't say hi (he was so right). All of them were fabulous. 

Near the end of the night as our feet were swollen and our makeup was smudged, I spotted Traci Hines, a Disney superstar, and I ran all the way across the hub to give her a giant hug. We chatted for a few moments and my evening was made. 

Even with some mishaps, the day was overall a hit! Thanks to my lovely friends for sharing it with me! and I loved meeting new friends too!