#SouthernCalifornia

#jolenegoes

I am a Southern California native with a taste for adventure. When I was younger, I was privileged enough to travel with a sports team. This opened my eyes to all of the different places just within the United States. In the early 2000's, I fell in love for the first time - not with a person, but with a city. Boston stole my heart. Then in 2008, I visited Europe for the first time. This, partnered with the realization that I could love a city, began to fuel my desire to see the world.

As a working person in my thirties, I try my best to balance a normal life - work, friends, love, art - with my adventures.

Keep following along to see where life takes me next.

May 7, 2019

Photo Diary: Jolene goes to Pop Up Disney!

Over the weekend, I decided to splurge and attend Pop Up Disney: A Mickey Celebration, located at ESPN Zone's old home in Downtown Disney. Pop Up Disney! is Disney's an Instagrammer's heaven, composed of a number of themed rooms celebrating everyone's favorite mouse. Please note that for the first time ever on this blog, these photos were NOT taken by me! They were taken by my friend Monte Dobbs. Please message me if you'd like her contact info, or you can find her at @montef

Apr 15, 2019

Jolene goes to the Carlsbad Flower Fields

Even though my Instagram feed has flooded with super bloom photos, I decided to take up my friend Stefani's invitation to a different kind of spring outing - the Flower Fields in Carlsbad. I'd never been before, and I couldn't see any reason not to go. Photos? Flowers? Day trip? Sign me up! We arrived in Carlsbad Village after a traffic-laced 2.5-hour drive from Long Beach. It was around 1PM and we grabbed coffee and lunch first. For coffee, we visited Sleeping Tiger Coffee -

Apr 14, 2019

Photo Diary: Jolene goes to Disney California Adventure

Sometimes, a mental health day means going to Disney California Adventure in the middle of the week! My cousin Caleb invited me as one of his guests to be signed into one of my happiest places, so of course I couldn't say no. Please enjoy this collection of photos in lieu of a review... after all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? My aunt was visiting from Virginia, so my priority was making sure she had the best time, especially since I really love DCA and it was h

Mar 21, 2019

Jolene goes to Griffith Observatory: A Mental Health Day

Famously depicted in Hollywood favorites such as Rebel Without a Cause and La La Land, the Griffith Observatory is an iconic Los Angeles landmark that draws tourists and locals alike. So, when I found out one of my besties of 13+ years (Christine) would be in that area, I suggested we include it in our LA-day. Recently I've been battling with some mental health issues, all triggered by recent negative personal and professional experiences. I got to a point where I basically

Dec 21, 2018

Jolene goes to the LA Zoo Lights

While I do not celebrate Christmas, I still find myself engaging in seasonal, ~festive activities such as this one. Last year, a good friend of mine wanted to do something festive for the holidays but our schedules didn't work out. This year, I knew I had to make her a priority this season, and oblige her holiday-themed craving. We settled on visiting the LA Zoo Lights, an after-hours event that skips out on the animals but brings plenty of sparkling lights and holiday cheer.

Oct 30, 2018

Jolene goes to Tanaka Farms

Since delving into the world of blogging (and also owning a small business), I've acquired very faint social media sensibilities; I am more aware of Instagram trends, filters and destinations alike. This year, it seems, my timelines and feeds are flooded with pumpkin patches galore, fueling my ever-existing love affair with autumn. When previous plans fell through, I recruited my future-journalist and New University editor-in-chief companion, Caitlin, to visit a farm/pumpkin

Aug 29, 2018

Jolene Goes to the Skirball Cultural Center

In the current Instagram model and social media FOMO climate, popular Los Angeles spots like LACMA or The Broad have been dominating cyberspace, with their insta-worthy photo ops and trending exhibits. I myself have fallen prey to this facade created by Instagram, giving into the allure of Kusama's Infinity Rooms but not seeking out the other museum gems so readily available in Los Angeles. Thankfully, Instagram did me a favor - I saw one of my friends post some photos from t

Aug 12, 2018

Jolene Goes to Venice Beach

Sometimes it's nice to be a tourist without going too far! My girlboss friend Cathrine (who I have mentioned in several posts before) spent the day exploring Venice Beach, CA, with no particular plans. We meandered through alleyways, drooled over the canal homes, and ate some pretty yummy food. Blue smoothie bowls at Great White Exploring the canals "Youth is in a grand flush, like the hot days of ending summer; and pleasant dreams thrall your spirit, like the smoky atmospher

Aug 10, 2018

Jolene Goes to San Diego Comic Con 2018, Part I

A neon green double-decker bus blasting the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme whizzes by, with at least 30 fans screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs. A group of wizards pose for a photo with their wands at the ready. Along the marina, there is a line of 200+ people waiting for something coming up the next day. Somewhere, someone is crying because they got to be in a room with Jason Momoa. This is San Diego Comic Con. I once saw San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) described as "t

Aug 2, 2018

Jolene Goes to Ojai

"Where are you going next, Jolene?" "I have a quick weekend in Ojai planned." "Oh, cool! I've never been to Ohio." Although it's been making its rounds in the trendy Instagram universe, I still consider the sleepy town of Ojai a hidden gem, nestled between so many more popular California destinations. With two of my favorite girlbosses at my side, we headed off to start our Ojai adventure early Friday evening. A couple hours later, we were lead off of the usual 101-N to the C

Apr 4, 2018

Jolene goes to Disney California Adventure Park

If you've read my previous Disney blogs (Disneyland + Disneyland Paris), you know I am definitely a Disney enthusiast. Despite having visited the Southern California Parks countless times, I've not yet exhausted the Disney magic during my trips. This particular time, my goal was to maximize my time and save as much money as possible - both of these can be difficult feats in a place like Disney California Adventure Park. However, I found some wonderfully thought out day plans

Mar 19, 2018

Photo diary: Jolene goes to Oak Glen

In contrast to my usual story and description-centric blogs, I decided to simply share a photo diary of my short overnight trip to Oak Glen, CA this past weekend. I went on a church retreat and remained on the property for most of the time, but I was still able to get a glimpse of a different kind of SoCal during my stay. "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." -John Muir "For the invisible things of Him, both His eternal power and divine characterist

Feb 25, 2018

Jolene goes to Little Tokyo

Part of my 2018 "resolutions" included exploring more locally, and this little day trip was definitely with that in mind. I wanted to reconnect with my friend Stefani, who I don't get to see often. After perusing Instagram for destination inspiration, I stumbled across a place called Little Fluffy Head Cafe, which turned into the idea of a day trip to Little Tokyo. Los Angeles is often known for certain areas frequented by celebrities or made popular by social media. However,

Jan 15, 2018

Jolene goes to the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Being a somewhat-native Angelo (I say somewhat since I'm actually from Long Beach), it's easy for me to breeze past activities or places I deem "touristy." This often causes some difficulty when I'm planning a day in LA, like the one I had planned with my friend Melody this past weekend. Melody currently lives in the UCLA area, so I tried my best to find something that wouldn't bore her in her own neighborhood. After a bit of searching, I came across a site that listed compli

Sep 13, 2017

Jolene goes to Ohana Fest, Part I

Go: 1000 steps beach Stay: Art Hotel Laguna Eat: The Deck As you can tell from my recent posts, I've been endeavoring to go on more "staycations." To me, a staycation uses the principle of vacation in a more local setting. You don't always have to go far or spend a lot of money to relax, feel adventurous and have a good time. Why not make the best of your time and explore, instead of staying home and doing the same old thing? If you don't know me personally, I will put this o

Sep 13, 2017

Jolene goes to Ohana Fest, Part II

The second day of our beach weekend began with a quick brunch at Urth Caffe in Laguna, then we were off to Dana Point for Ohana Fest! I had never really been conscious of Ohana Fest before this year; honestly, my reason for attending the festival was about 99% The Naked and Famous (TNAF). They are my favorite band, and I thought seeing them at a festival might be fun. That's also how Katie and I met - because of the band. My point is, I had basically zero knowledge of Ohana F

Sep 3, 2017

Jolene goes to the Huntington Library

This year, I started the month of September by going on a little day trip to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens for high tea. I'd made this reservation weeks ago, before the arrival of a nasty heat wave. Based on my previous experiences there, I knew we'd have a good time even if it was above 100 degrees. I made an 11:45AM reservation for a leisurely Saturday brunch, and with the heat wave, I'm glad we got to spend the earlier part of our day in a cool, air-conditio

Aug 21, 2017

Jolene goes to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour

When your bestie of 10+ years sends you a text like this, you know it is time to go on some kind of little trip. After tons of logistical planning and brainstorming, Christine and I decided to stay local and go on a staycation. We are definitely privileged to live in California, and since she decided to drive back down to SoCal for a week, we had a ton of options for our mini-adventure. We are both pop culture enthusiasts, so we arrived at the conclusion that a trip to the Wa

Jul 14, 2017

Jolene goes to Disneyland

Disneyland is one of my favorite places. For many years, I was an annual pass holder, and over the span of my life I have visited the park over 100 times. That being said, I want to approach this post with just a handful of highlights from my trip there earlier this week. I will admit - I am not a thrill-seeking ride junkie; I have a soft spot for the more classic, nostalgic Disney attractions. I thoroughly enjoy the details Disney puts into its parks to create an ambience an

Jun 19, 2017

Jolene Eats at the Lavender Festival

Every year in Cherry Valley, CA, there is a glorious Lavender Festival held at Highland Springs Ranch & Inn + 123 Farm. This year, I finally got to go! Head over to my Lavender Festival Travel Blog for my full experience, but stay right where you are if you're ready to read about some delicious lavender-infused food and drink. We arrived close to lunch time, or what I like to call brunch time. It was the perfect time to starting eating and perhaps indulge in some lavender cha