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Category: Travel

Things To Do in NYC during winter

Hi Friends!

Traveling to NYC during winter? No problem, I got you!

Here are some tips of things to do/pack when you go to the Big Apple. I happened to have gone during Thanksgiving weekend so I got to watch the Thanksgiving Parade and it was marvelous! There were so many cool cartoon characters and celebrities.

So here’s tip number one.

  1. Pack smart and layers of everything!!! Cannot stress this enough. New York have really harsh winds and you can feel it slap on your face. Bring mittens, hats, 6-8 pairs of socks, cardigan, thermals and coats!
  2. Wear comfortable shoes! I made this mistake on my first day as I wanted to look chic and cute on my photos but after walking at least 10 miles each day (you are going to be doing a lot of walking) my feet were in so much pain at the end of the night!
  3. Buy aNew York City Go Pass. Trust me, it will save you sooo much money and you will be able to see as many places as you like on your visit. Because we bought a city  go pass, my family and I got to see three different landmarks that weekend.
  4. See the Statue of Liberty and I cannot emphasize this enough. BE THERE EARLY! Better yet, schedule the time you’d like to be there and be on time so you don’t have to wait in line for THREE HOURS! In order to get to see the Statue of Liberty, you’d have to take a ferry from Battery Park (you can take the metro to get there). Once you go inside, you can see the NYC sky line and it’s such a pretty view.

    4. Climb the Empire State Building. It’s one of my favorites! We went there first thing in the morning and the line was a breeze, where it can easily be like another Disneyland line. As you wait in line, there’s a few things to do like take pics with King Kong and other interactive media.

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  5. Watch a Broadway Show! This has been in my to-do-list and we saw The Waitress. I also bought my tickets for a less expensive price than most at Goldstar. The Waitress was phenomenal, hilarious and relatable! It’s a must watch!IMG-4990
  6. See the 9/11 Memorial. It was beautiful, sad and powerful.

     

  7. You have to go to Times Square even though it will be crazy busy! Also, be careful of your surroundings and pick pocketers but have loads of fun!

That’s all folks! Wish we had more time to see Central Park and other places but each day was all so booked filled with walking. Hope this list helped you for your next trip. Tune in for more travel advice as I’ll be leaving to Europe this Friday!

XO,

Joy

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Mapiful

I’m not sure if it’s ever since I’ve dreamt of being a fashion designer or when I first watched Coco Chanel’s documentary or the movie, Marie Antoinette or Anastasia was when my obsession with Paris first started. All I know is, since then I’ve always dreamt of roaming the streets of Paris with my beautiful flowy dress and it will be more than magical.

Thank you so much Mapiful for gifting me this beautiful map of my favorite city in the world that I finally will get to visit on my 30th birthday at the end of this year! Also, huge thanks to my brother for buying me tickets to London and Paris as my birthday present. I cannot wait for this once in a lifetime opportunity and I cannot believe my dreams are finally coming true!

What do you guys think of mapiful? Don’t you think it’s such a great add in any room in your house? I’m completely obsessed with mine! If you ever want to grab one for yourself and would love to have a discount, don’t forget to use “MADEWITHJOY10” to get 10% OFF!

Love you guys,

Joy

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Endless Summer Photo Meet

Hi friends,

A few weeks ago, my best friend and I hosted our second photo meet up at the Venice Canals in Venice Beach. Here’s a preview of some of my favorite shots by our huge photography community in Los Angeles. A Photomeet is a meet up event normally hosted by someone of a few people who gathers photographers, models, creators, influencers to create content, collaborate and magic together. It’s a great way to network, meet new friends, make different connections and get to know your city a little bit.

For this meet, we wanted to host it at the Venice Canals as there’s something about the canals that are beautiful and majestic.

All outfits are made by yours truly! What did you think about these photos? Would you ever want to come to one of your meet ups?

Leave a comment below for your thoughts!

XO,

Joy

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Lavender Festival

It’s that time again when one of my favorite festivals at Highland Springs Ranch is here, The Lavender Festival! I love that it’s a family friendly festival yet, it’s also great for a romantic date. We came on the first opening weekend and there were actually less people than we expected, so less crowds, better opps! 😉 The scenery was lovely per usual and this year we ate at the buffet dinner (make reservations here ahead of time) We came late because we were too busy taking picture at the lavender field and ended up sitting in the middle of everything and got our own sweet table. I loved the scenery and being surrounded with light and eating underneath tall trees. The food itself was just okay to me but I was obsessed with their lavender tea and lavender lemonade! I actually mix them together and it was amazing. We also visited a few shops before we had dinner and Eddie bought so much stuff for the kitchen. We are both obsessed with lavender honey and lavender mint tea! Here are few of the photos we took below. There’s also an afternoon tea which we missed this year but definitely would love to try next year!

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Hope you guys get to go this year! It’s open till June 30. Don’t miss out and treat yourself with some lavender goodness!

XO,

Joy

Two Piece Set: Made by yours truly!

Shoes: TOMS

Bag: Wish

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Ostrichland USA

Hi friends,

Have you ever been to an ostrich petting farm? I took my family to Ostrichland USA this weekend and made some new tall friends! To our surprise it was only 5 mins away from Solvang! It’s located at 610 E Hwy 246, Solvang, CA 93463. My family and I had so much fun! (even my grandparents actually) If you’re looking for a family friendly atmosphere, or even a cute date idea, Ostrichland USA is the way to go! Admission is free; however it costs $5 for each bowl of food when it comes to feeding them (totally worth it!)

TIP:  Hold on to your handle very carefully and try not to get too close so the ostriches dont bite you (because they try) but also, don’t stand too close so they dont end up hurting their necks!

Here are a few of the pics that we took. They even had cute angel wings walls!

Let me know what you think about this blog post. Is this something you’d like to add on your places to visit list?

XO,

Joy

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California Blooms

California is blooming and she is magnificent. I’m sure by now you’ve seen all the wildflowers everywhere. Spring has got to be one of my favorite seasons at all time. The other week ago, I finally got a chance to stop by and see the beautiful poppies in Lake Elsinore.

It was so relaxing to be surrounded by nature with thousands of poppies. I made this one shoulder floral dress for the beginning of the spring season. What do you like most about spring? Have you seen any of the super bloom yet?

XO,

Joy

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Hotel Z – Stay Pineapple

Hi Friends,

It feels like it’s been years since I last wrote a blog post… as life has been crazy and I had to take a break on blogging… the past month, a few things have changed and I finally caught my breath and I feel like I actually have a chance to get back to it! *squeals from excitement* Last week, Eddie and I went to San Diego and stayed at Hotel Z – Stay Pineapple and we absolutely loved it! It’s soo cute and it’s literally in the heart of Gaslamp! They also offer free shuttles anywhere in Downtown San Diego, Balboa Park and Little Italy.

They also have bikes that you can rent! We strolled all the way down Balboa Park and visited the cute little Spanish Village.

Each room is designed with pineapple – everything!

Even their bathrooms!

But one of my ultimate faves is the afternoon delights!!! They serve little pineapple cupcakes in their lobby around 3 pm with pineapple infused water!

Do you ever see yourself staying in one of the Pineapple Hotels? I definitely would love to come back at this sweet hotel! They are also pet friendly 🙂

Till our next adventure,

Joy

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Fallin In Love With Big Bear

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I stayed at Cabins4Less and we woke up to snow falling! Growing up in California, I’ve never experienced snow falling so you can probably see how excited I was that I got to dance around with my glitter tutu in the snow. After eating breakfast, we headed to the Alpine Slide Magic Mountain and went tubing! It was sooo fun and probably one of my favorite things that we did in Big Bear.

We then headed to their cute little town village – Big Bear Lake Village. It was filled with cute little shops and restaurants and everything is so close to each other.

For the rest of the night, we decided to to dine in and stay warm with our fire place. The next morning, we attempted to hike the Castle Rock Trail and casually failed. We ended up just having a snow ball fight and finding sliding down the hills.

We had so much fun our Big Bear Weekend Trip that we cannot wait to go to the next one hopefully this year’s winter again later this year or next year. We also loved staying in our cute little cabin and we will probably stay here again.

I could not believe that Big Bear is only 2 hours away from my house! This will definitely one of my winter get aways. Do you have any travel plans any time soon? or even mini road trips?

Xo,

Joy

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How Jen Made Her Freelance Bizz Her Full Time Gig Along With Travel Blogging

Hi Babes,

For this week’s Influencer Tips Thursday, we are learning so much from Jen & how she managed to make her freelance bizz now her full time gig along with travel blogging. She has so many insider insights, so let’s get to it!

Who are you and where are you from?

I’m Jen, a freelance copywriter, social media manager, and travel blogger. I’m originally
from Michigan (shout out to all my Midwesterners!) and I’ve been living in Los Angeles
for the past 10 years.

What is your brand about and what made you start it?

My brand is a combo of my professional freelance work and my blog, Jen on the Run. I
started my freelance writing business about a year and a half ago, and I’ve been
blogging for about six months. I have been writing for a long time, but never for myself –
it was always for college assignments, former bosses, or clients. Last spring, I attended
the 3-day conference, ALT Summit in Palm Springs, which opened my eyes to the world
of blogging. I realized I could combine my love of writing with my love of travel by
blogging. All the tools were within my reach, so why not go for it?

Do you have another job outside of being a (blogger/influencer/entrepreneur)?

Yes – the work that I do for clients as a freelancer – but I tend to marry these two paths,
since blogging, social media management, and writing all involve complementary skills.
When I was previously working in PR for a firm, I used to say that my freelance
business was my “side hustle.” Now, my freelance biz is my full-time, 9-5 job, and my
blog is how I like to spend my spare time!!

Is it difficult to balance your work life and passion project(s)?

Surprisingly, yes. It might not look like it from the outside though, because I work from home. So many people (myself included) think that they can accomplish ANYTHING if they just didn’t have that commute, long hours at another job, or school assignments… the list goes on. The reality is that it’s just about time management.

What do you love the most about being an influencer?

I love having the opportunity to share, and I love having the opportunity to listen. I like
understanding what people respond to and what people don’t, learning from that and
always growing. I have always sought ways to reflect and achieve personal growth, and
running a blog and being an influencer is a great way to practice that.

What do you think is the hardest thing about being an influencer?

The weight of words. Typing anything and publishing it online means it could be there
indefinitely – as long as the website is still up. I think traditionally, people have put a lot
of weight on having their words in print, but print has a shelf life. A blog or an online
article doesn’t.

What are three tips you can give to someone who also wants to be an influencer like you?
1. Just do it. I spent so many years fixating on what my Instagram feed should look
like or what niche I wanted to be in. Really, just get started. Don’t worry about
being perfect. That’s just the thing – everything evolves. You learn and grow.
Whatever is “perfect” today will be even “more perfect” six months from now.

2. Don’t be shy. This is a tough one for me. Own it, and don’t worry about bragging.
It’s not bragging. It’s you sharing something that someone else might find
genuinely useful or beneficial. I used to think that pitching myself meant I was
stuck up and full of myself. Now I realize pitching is an essential tool in order to
get yourself and your message out there.

3. Sign off. Really, I need to follow this advice myself. Most days I feel like I’m on
my computer or checking my phone from 8am – 11pm. But if you’re already
working from home, why not go for a 30-minute walk? I have to remind myself of
this constantly.

What are your goals and where do you see yourself a year from now? & where do you hope to be in 3 – 5 years?

Right now, most of my business is fueled by the services I offer as a freelancer; writing
and social media, and my blog is my creative outlet. I love working with clients,
understanding their needs and business goals, and working hard to share mission with
their audience. Similarly, I’d like to accomplish that with my blog and learn how to
monetize it better. Ideally in 3-5 years, I’d be in a place where I’m balancing both.

Who/what inspires you or keeps you motivated to do what you do?

Really, it’s my followers. The people who leave comments on my Instagram and blog
posts, open my emails and follow me back. It really makes my day when someone
shares their genuine thoughts on something I’ve written. That’s why I keep going.

What’s your favorite app aside from instagram?
Pinterest, of course!

What’s your next project and how can we support you?

Right now I’m really working on getting my emails up running. I’d love it if you signed up for my email newsletter! I even have a couple freebies right now – an ultimate packing list for anywhere in the world and also 15 inspiring writing prompts.

How important is it to you to make genuine connections/friendships through social media/in our industry & why?

 I think the beauty of our modern digital age is that it has opened up a lot of doors. Now, connecting is as simple as sending a DM or leaving a nice comment that might just make someone’s day. I’ve met up with other influencers I’ve met online, and really can’t believe how easy it is to just reach out, message someone, and then there you go – you have a new brunch bud. I believe everyone has something to offer, and the person next to me knows more about something that I do. Why not strike up a conversation and learn from them?

Where can we find you in social media?(state your social media handles/blog/website)

Blog & email freebies: www.jenontherun.com
Insta: www.instagram.com/jp_ontherun/
Pinterest: pinterest.com/jp_ontherun/
Twitter: twitter.com/jp_ontherun

What are you looking forward to the most from Influencer Girl Gang and what do you hope to acquire from joining us?  I’m so happy I found the Influencer Girl Gang and I can’t wait to attend one of the meetups soon!

Hope this blogpost was helpful to you and other inspiring entrepreneurs out there to pursue their passion.

Xo,

Joy

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Why It’s So Much More Fun To Go To A Pumpkin Patch Than Just Buying A Pumpkin

Soooooo let’s begin with I’m not from here and I wasn’t raised here in the U.S. Maybe that’s why I’ve never been in a pumpkin patch before (so don’t judge me lol) and I might’ve over done it this year as I’ve already gone twice this month! So you can just imagine the look in my face when my boyfriend brought to my first pumpkin patch earlier this month at Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch. I was like “Omgggg this is better than a fair!!! There’s dogs everywhere!” I loved it so much that I also hosted the second Influencer Girl Gang Meet Up event at Tanaka Farms. But other than dogs, here’s the main reasons why I personally love going to pumpkin patches rather than just staying at home carving store bought pumpkins.

  1. It’s just a ginormous place of magical pumpkin land. Every corner is pretty much a photo opp and insta worthy.

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2. There’s sunflowers!!! (Ok, maybe I just got lucky but both pumpkin patches, I’ve           gone to had sunflowers.)

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3. UMMMMNNN. CORN MAZZZZEEEE FUN! Need to say more?

4. It’s just a fun place to be with you girl friends or your significant other!

Have you gone to a pumpkin patch near you? Don’t forget to do so this year & enjoy the festivities!

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