After three weeks of nonstop travel, we’re back home in SoCal and excited for upcoming local events. Starting tonight, I have an amazing line-up of musicals, ballet, and extravagant shows. Here’s what’s to come in SoCal: Continue reading
Flying a jetpack with Jetpack America was one of the greatest adventures of my life and thanks to Jetpack America Newport Beach I was able to provide that same adventure for my brother. My youngest brother, Barry, just graduated from college and he’s in SoCal visiting before he enters the next stage in his life and looks for a career. I wanted to do something for him to say congratulations. I wanted for him to have a great adventure and remember this time with fondness. Not knowing what’s to come during this transition can be stressful and exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. A flight with Jetpack America was a reflection of the mixed emotions he’s feeling right now. Succeeding at the flight made him feel stronger; more invincible and a little bit more capable of succeed at his next big adventure. Continue reading
We recently spent the day at The Discovery Cube OC. I thought that Athena would enjoy a few hours there and then be ready to go home, but she fell in love with the place! Their mission to inspire, educate and impact is brought to life through an interactive environment where children and adults can discover new things for themselves through activities and experiences. Continue reading
I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world yet I rarely share my daily life when I’m home. SoCal is still a dream for me. I can’t believe I get to wake up in the morning and go to the beach, swim in the pool, relax in the sunshine and take in the majesty of the Saddleback mountains and that’s not even a vacation; it’s my daily life. Continue reading
I remember watching the tv show OC a few years ago and imagining what life would be like in southern California. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be lucky enough to visit. I was still a poor university student at the time and my idea of the good life was eating at T.G.I. Fridays at the casino in downtown Halifax. Even that was way out of my price range but we made an exception every couple of months. When I met Darren, my entire concept of reality went out the window. I was always an unrealistic dreamer and attempted the impossible, but within 6 months of meeting my now husband, we had quit our jobs in eastern Canada, sold everything we owned and moved to southern California. I was actually here. Our first stop when we arrived, before even finding a place to rent, was Newport Beach. Regardless of what happened from that moment, I at least set foot on Newport Beach. I never thought we would be able to afford to own a home here so renting was the next best thing. We even moved back east for a year because the thought of buying a house in SoCal seemed so out of our reach. But as I type this post, I am sitting in my own home in Orange County, California. Yep, the same OC I never thought I would visit I can now call my home. Continue reading
We’re going to be home owners in Orange County, California! It’s my wildest dream turned into a reality. Our closing date is June 30th and we’re going to move in that day. I have a busy, exciting road ahead of me between now and then, especially with a Dominica trip, packing, and moving but on July 1st I will celebrating in my own yard. Continue reading
My dream of living in California and owning a home is about to come true. Assuming everything goes well with the closing process, we will live in our new Orange County home on June 30th. It’s not even half the size of our home in North Carolina and our backyard is basically non-existent, but our playground is the beach and the mountains and it’s open 365 days a year. Continue reading
Living in Orange County, California, we have endless options for holiday events and activities. I never thought I would have too many options to consider but concerts, ballets, ice shows, and even an afternoon of skating can get expensive. It’s not like we can just sharpen our skates and hop on a frozen lake. We want to create holiday traditions for our family without breaking the bank. Dana Point IlluminOcean is a free event that lights up our hearts with holiday cheers. We drove down to Dana Point Marina last night to view the light show. Minus a few dollars for gas and ice cream treats, IlluminOcean is the cheapest way to ring in the holiday season. Continue reading
Growing up in eastern Canada, I had lots of reminders of the upcoming holiday season. I could just look out the window and the feet of ice and snow was usually a good indication that Christmas was almost upon us. While I made up for it with sledding and ice skating, I truly longed for the elaborate celebrations in other parts of the world. Oh how I wanted to see a professional ballet production of The Nutcracker or The Macy’s Parade. And even more than those, I wanted to go to Disney On Ice. Alas, they were just frozen pipe dreams; things like that didn’t exist in Cape Breton. Now that we live in California, I’m a short drive to the snow and even a shorter drive to Disney On Ice. I say we’re going to the production for Athena, but honestly… it’s all for me. Merry Christmas to me; oh and Athena, another Disney bucket list dream is about to come true. Continue reading
When I first moved to California, I was the typical tourist. I wanted to visit Universal Studios, The Price is Right, Hollywood Blvd., San Diego Zoo, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach. They were my “TV version” of California – the places I saw on a regular basis on TV shows and dreamed about experiencing my entire life. Now that I’m a local, though, I spend less time at those places and more time at the places I’ve come to know and love as a mother, a wife, an adventure seeker, and a beach lover. Dana Point has a regular spot in our weekly schedule. It’s situated on the beautiful Southern California coast, halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles. It prides itself with nearly seven miles of coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean with its charming beaches and wild surfs. The city is home to the Dana Point Harbor, Captain Dave’s Whale Watching Safari, scrumptious food, and some of the best sunset views I’ve seen in my life. I’ve come up with a schedule for discovering the perfect day in Southern California’s Dana Point. Continue reading
Bucket List Publications 