BEIJING CHINA AND OUR PERSONAL TCM TOUR!!!

The longest flight I’ve ever been on was 5 hours on a trip to Mexico for our wedding venue vacation, and here I was this time last week gearing up for a 12 hour flight to China! C H I N A! Talk about traveling, it was a full day of flights, transportation, time adjustments, and language barriers. I had nothing to complain about though, one of my closest friends, Miya, and I were headed into a week of Beijing explorations, new adventures, and a personal experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine (aka TCM)!

I have so many stories to share I don’t even know where to begin, so I’ll start with how it all began. Miya and I were invited by Juicertrip to join their Ctrip group of travel enthusiasts to journey around Beijing learning all about Traditional Chinese Medicine. Miya is 100% holistic by belief and lifestyle and I love submerging myself into new ideas and cultures, so there we were! We found ourselves among 8 other bloggers and journalists, and two of the writers were from one of our favorite blogs, our friends, Local Adventurer! First on the agenda was a traditional Chinese cuisine served family style, where we got to know one other and learn more about what we were to embark on in the coming days.

Among our days of visiting China’s famous landmarks, were first hand experiences in acupuncture, healing massages, medicinal herbs, natural hot springs, and stress fighting Tai Chi moves!


This was us at the Beijing University Of Chinese Medicine. So much was happening here I had to capture all of the things going on in this one moment. From left to right: Dan laughing at the situation before snapping a photo, as our professor instructs us on how to make flu prevention sachets. Caroline, Franka, and Erin smiling over Franka’s interpretation of the featured herbs, while Amanda and Miya got started. Not pictured, Josh, Lena, and Jackson who were taking awesome photos. Also not pictured, each of us deeply inhaling each bowl of herbs to guess what each contained 😉



From these 6 herbs, of which we could easily identify cinnamon and eucalyptus, we created these beautiful scented “flu sachets” that you smell daily and is believed to ward off the flu. There are so many plants, herbs, and medicinal substances used in TCM that an entire museum is dedicated to the history of Chinese medicine and it’s materials. It was pretty fascinating to learn about what goes into different medicines and powders, and the powers each has to heal from within. The idea of internal related to external really settles in when you get to see what 657 acupuncture points actually looks like on the human body. I’m captivated by the idea of healing the way China views medicine and not ‘numbing’ the way we do here. I’m the girl who even thinks I’m about to maybe get a headache and I pop a pill. I don’t like being uncomfortable I’m the first to admit it. I learned so many different ways to heal ailments naturally on this trip.



A very exciting moment for the group was when we got to share our enthusiasm with local officials and members of the press during the opening ceremony. Check us out following along in some traditional Tai Chi moves directly following the speeches. Our Sifu instructed us on how to relieve stress and pains simply by moving our bodies. It was like a beautiful dance, reminiscent of yoga meets martial arts. Tai Chi has been performed for centuries in China to lower stress and anxiety, and enhance balance, flexibility, and mood. Big thanks to Dan for capturing this moment, if you spot me you’ll see how focused I was!


Once we got back to our hotel, the Beijing Jinyufengshan Spa Resort, we took a dip in their renowned natural hot springs! A few times we all looked at each other to remind ourselves that we were sitting in a hot spring, in the middle of winter, in CHINA!  These 39+ degrees Celsius pools of water are rich in minerals which get absorbed through the skin and were the perfect addition to our trip. Our evenings of hot tea and hot springs.

I can’t thank everyone enough for this incredible trip and the memories our group created along the way.This post was just a glimpse into our 3 days in Beijing with one of the coolest group of people and I can’t wait to share what Miya and I did with our remaining 3 days ! David and Hash of Juicertrip, our friends on the Ctrip team, the Beijing Tourism Development Committee, and our gracious hosts, thank you all so much for having us and we can’t wait to visit again!


And more picture time! Dan once again with his photography skills! Here we are doing our own version of ‘Forbidden City Tai Chi’, “Still Got Juice” style! Ha! From exploring the Great Wall, wandering the Forbidden City, going temple trekking, and experiencing Beijing the way we did, it couldn’t have been a more memorable trip. I’ll leave you with this fun video Miya created while we were at the Forbidden city, spinning in circles the way we do when we find the perfect center point.

 

You can follow along in our adventures from this trip using the hashtags #juicertrip #ctrip #visitbeijing and #TCM_Beijing! If you’d like to learn more about Beijing, TCM, and the trip we took you can check out these links!

Beijing China Official on FaceBook
Visit Beijing on YouTube 
Visit Beijing on Instagram
Visit Beijing on Pinterest

 

Have you ever heard of TCM? Do you practice different forms of holistic approaches in your own lifestyle? Ever been to China! Hen gaoxing jian dao ni! 

THE RISE FESTIVAL – THE GOOD THE BAD THE BEAUTIFUL

Everything you need to know about having a successful launch at the Rise Festival from someone who maybe-almost-kind-of didn’t have a perfect night at the coveted lantern ceremony. Could have been disastrous.

It was on Miya’s bucket list to cross off the Rise festival from her to do’s this year, which is I believe, one of the most breath taking and spiritual events you can ever partake in. So of course I told her to count me IN! Our Rise Festival took place about 32 miles northeast of Las Vegas in the middle of the desert and was the perfect setting for what would be one of the most intense visceral experiences either one of us had ever felt! You’ll see!




1. Have your tickets mailed to you – if this is an option do it. Will Call was 45 minutes away from the event and completely out of the way unless you were already staying in Vegas. It would’ve been MUCH easier if they’d made tickets available ON site, in alphabetical order … ya know, the same way they distributed the lanterns and mats. LOLZ
2. Fuel up before entering the site – the location is sooo in the middle of the desert that you should enter Moapa Travel Center into your GPS as it’s on the Moapa River Reservation. If you’re parking in the lot instead of using the shuttle system (those never seem to be the best option for me) than you’re not going to want to fill up at 11pm in the middle of nowhere.
3. Arrive early – The earlier the better I think. We arrived at Will Call around 3pm and then got to the event around 4:30pm, which made for PERFECT timing. We were able to grab a drink, take some awesome photos during the most spectacular sunset, order food from the food trucks BEFORE all hell broke loose, and write our intentions onto our lanterns while there was still light out.
4. Layer up and tote a bandana– Did I mention we were in the desert? lol Once the sun went down it was actually kind of chilly and windy out. Layers will keep you warm and a bandana of some sort will keep the sand out of your nose. We were blowing chimneys out of our nostrils when we got back to our hotel later that night.
5. TO LIGHT THE LANTERN – the most important part right! To Actually getting your lantern to rise and be with the 10,000 others! So thankfully they passed out an extra lantern to all of the participants as we only purchased one lantern each. Well the wind decided to pick up JUST as we lit our torches, and as I lit the fuel cell, the flame burned holes throughout my lantern making the first two attempts a big fat fail. Also it was momentarily disastrous as lanterns flew by my head and flames zipped by my very heavily hair sprayed hair. But we ducked and dodged, and third time’s a charm! Here’s what we learned:

– You need someone to help you hold the lantern upright so that the lantern walls stay open and don’t collapse onto your flame. Preferably all of your friends (make this a whole group event!) will hold your lantern up right until the heat has filled the lantern and it’s ready to rise on its own.
– Light the fuel cell with the tiki torch until the entire fuel cell is on fire, this takes a few minutes. Pro top: remove the paper wrapper surrounding the fuel cell BEFORE lighting it on fire.
– Once the fuel cell is red with fire, as your friends hold up the walls of your lantern, slowly take your lantern towards the ground. This will help to keep the wind out of your way and allow the flame a chance to create enough heat to fill your lantern with hot air.
– Once you feel your lantern start to naturally tug away and lift from your light grips, slowly stand up and allow the lantern to release! Boom, you did it!



It only took me THREE tries to get my lantern to rise, but when it did, I legit cried. It was so moving, symbolic, and serene! To watch your lantern float away among thousandssss of other lanterns, lighting up the night sky, it was so surreal!

Oh, and they had a live band playing on stage …  so imagine writing your hopes, dreams, and prayers onto this ‘intention lantern’ with thousands of other people, in the middle of the desert, enjoying the breeze, all WHILE being serenaded with beautiful music. Right?! Unbelievable.

I uploaded the video of my lantern and I (the ‘3rd one’s a charm’ one) and our festival moments onto my Instagram account if you want to experience it <333

P.S. oh and don’t bother waiting in the 183,821 person line to get your photo in front of the RISE sign. I mean you can if you’re into that kind of thing but Miya and I took ours behind the sign and didn’t have to wait for didly. Just tell people to mirror the image in their minds.

Have you ever heard of this kind of event? Have you been? Would you want to go? I hope this post was helpful if you do!

HOW TO SITE VISIT FOR A DESTINATION WEDDING – BRIDE GUIDE

The ONE YEAR countdown has begun! Planning is in full force over here, and this Saturday Joe, Corinne, and I head to Azul Beach for our very FIRST ever site visit! Cheers for our destination wedding! So today as part of my Bride Guide, I wanted to share with you some things I learned about destination weddings, site visits, and one of the destinations we decided on!

Ever since we decided on a destination wedding, we knew it would require travel for our guests and lots of planning. We wanted to give our loved ones a year to plan and prep, so accommodations, flights, food, and transportation were all on our “lets try and make this a doable thing for people”. I’m also keeping in mind that this is our dream wedding and a ‘tour’ wedding- so there will be two ceremonies, both very small and intimate.

Some things to do and ask when looking for your perfect destination:

  • what time of year do you want your wedding and what’s your dream destination
  • schedule site visits in that location with various hotels and venues so that you can actually see what that property looks like and have options. They can do a lot of things with a fish eye lens and photoshop!
  • do you have a guest list? If not, create one so you have a general idea of how many people are coming and how many rooms/accommodations you will require and what dinner plans will be
  • how’s the weather in the location at the time you plan on having your wedding there? Research other people’s experiences and do lots of fact checking on your venue from people who’ve been there. This is huge.
  • do you have a budget? This can be a deciding factor when it comes to destinations, you’ll know right away what’s realistic and what isn’t. Oh you mean I CAN’T get married in Iceland?! mkkayy
  • ask for wedding packages and rates before making a decision so you know what’s included in said price and what you’ll be paying extra for

Having gone through the list of questions to ask venues, doing a ton of location dreaming, and hours of researching, we decided that we want to get married in Mexico! Near Tulum in a breathtaking, beachy, dreamy kind of intimate ceremony!

Wowzer, I did a lot of googling, emailing, and phone conversations to narrow our search down. Joe and I went over timing, budget, guest list, and what we want, and we finally locked in a potential location! We’re all set to site visit this weekend at … drum roll please … Azul Beach by Karisma Hotels and Resorts! And THIS will be the view from our room!!!


I have to tell ya, this was NOT an easy decision, literally every property in Tulum and Playa Del Carmen is stunning and we wanted to be able to visit them all! But after getting all of the answers we needed in terms of wedding packages, what’s included, AND that this is an all-inclusive hotel, we were all in.

We actually get to see one of the beautiful ceremonial package in person this weekend which includes our wedding colors (earth tones, blushy pastels, and pops of color) <— sounds like every color imaginable right? lol but it also comes with a bouquet, welcoming drinks, dinner reception, and dancing among other things! I’m sure we’ll have more questions once we get there and sit down with our coordinator, but I’m just so excited to see it!

Karisma offers a bridal dress rehearsal where you get to see your wedding package choice and try the food that will be served at your wedding! Ummm can we say cake?!?!?! That’s another thing, when you ask for your package pricing, see what extras (though a wedding cake to me is a must) it comes with and what it doesn’t. You don’t want to get there and realize there is no DJ and no cake.

Literally all I want my guests to remember is the drinks, the dancing, and the love <333 The food and the location will be amazing but really, who remembers how pretty the napkins were or how extravagant the centerpieces were? No, people will be so happy to be celebrating your special day with you that it won’t matter to them if they have metallic gold-flaked napkins or paper mache ones!

Even though this is a trip for us to see the venue in person, experience the food and service before our big day, and see our set up come to life . . . it’s also a VACATION! I cannot wait to be horse bike riding and swimming in a cenote at El Dorado Royale! It’s a property also by Karisma and a location close to where we’ll be staying. So you can expect a full vlog video up on my channel when we get back because, ‘go-pro footage or it didn’t happen’ 😀 Follow us along on Instagram with #KarismaExperience and #LomasTravel!!!

Wedding planning can be overwhelming, I know I’m overwhelmed by every detail that comes with it. There are things I didn’t even think about before, I mean there should be a book about it! But also I have to remember that this isn’t stressful- I’m planning the best day ever with the love of my life, so why stress. I hope this helps you if you’re planning a destination wedding any time soon or know  someone who is!

Do you have any other tips for me or other brides to be?! Please share <333

 

 

 

TRAVEL GUIDE: PALM SPRINGS, CA

Growing up an Army brat I moved every three years, at least. Which makes me really comfortable with being uncomfortable. You know, that feeling you get when you move to another city or explore a town you’ve never been to, I live for that feeling. So I’ve made it my summer to-do in exploring a new destination each month, and today I’ll share with you a piece of paradise I found close to home, Palm Springs.

I stayed at the Avalon Hotel for my friend Miya’s birthday and what I love most about this boutique hotel is the customer service and its attention to every detail. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway complete with on site bicycles, 3 heated pools, health spa, fine dining, and a bungalow lifestyle, than this is the place for you!








With the desert setting and magnificent mountain views, you’ll really enjoy one of their poolside rooms! Ummm and can we talk about the decor?! I mean . . . clean, super bright, with pops of color, it’s got that retro feel with a modern finesse! I’m just completely obsessed with this place! I’ve found that in many cases, such a beautiful hotel will have not-so-comparable dining services, but this is not the case with the Avalon. Five JessQuests stars to their Avalon Burger *ahem grass-fed short rib sirloin*, and my absolute favorite, their fruit cart (pictured above)- complete with chili and lime *drool*!

We were greeted with complimentary champagne and fruit upon our arrival (birthday surprises!), our glasses were never empty during pool side celebrations, and every necessity was met with the friendliest smiles and the warmest of staff members! If you’re ever passing through Los Angeles or make your way to Palm Springs, definitely drop by the Avalon and tell Ezekiel we said hello!

Do you have a favorite local getaway?! Summer is almost over, have you checked any to-do’s off your list?

 

GO TEAM USA – CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY!

It was such an inspiring experience in Venice Beach this weekend as I joined AT&T on the final stop of the Road to Rio tour! We celebrate and send off the US Olympic and Paralympic Team that AT&T has been a sponsor of for 30 years, and I got to connect with the #ATT-Fanmate community. I even tried my hand at a few activities that were on site simulating some of the Olympic sports!

The events were free and open to the public, held outside of the Venice Beach Recreation Center and it couldn’t have been a more perfectly beautiful summer day! The crowd really turned out as we all enjoyed the AT&T Road to Rio Trailers that were set up around the AT&T Main Stage. From a virtual reality experience in an Olympians point of view, to zip lining, and fun green screen photo activities, it was a fun and engaging afternoon.



We also got the opportunity to meet some Team USA athletes and enjoy live performances on the AT&T Main Stage by Hailee Steinfeld, Heffron Drive, Rachel Platten and others! Look at that view! I got to enjoy the excitement from the best seat in the house!

The best part of the day was sharing a special message to Team USA. I told them that we’re all so proud of them and that they’re already winners to us! I can’t imagine the dedication and perseverance it takes to become an Olympian! This weekend was all about connecting our community and having fun while communicating appreciation for the games and everything surrounding the Olympics and Paralympics.

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It’s motivating being an AT&T Fanmate and I especially experienced that this weekend being among all of the fans and the fun! Join me and connect at attfanmate.com and follow along with the hashtag #ATTFanmate! Don’t forget to tune in as Team USA competes at the Olympic Games starting August 5th!

What would’ve been your favorite activity to do this weekend? Do you have a special message for Team USA?! Good luck to our Olympians! 

 

 

 

 

 

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with AT&T

TRAVEL GUIDE: TOP 3 PACKING HACKS!

Imagine if you will, 8 outfits, 3 pairs of shoes, 4 bikinis, and 4 cover ups all in ONE carry on bag! Not to mention the additional toiletries, cosmetics, and electronics! Yup, all the necessities into one bag! That’s exactly what I did when we went to Vegas for our 6 year anniversary a few weekends ago!

I carry that feat with great pride, like someone who carries 8 bags of groceries from the car to the garage all in one trip. *ahem also me! lol* So today I’m sharing with you my tried and tested, very professional top 3 packing hacks! And by professional I mean I’m winging it and so far it’s worked for me so I hope it works for you too so there.


  1. Roll it up baby! – Use the rolling method to pack all of your clothing, rolling the softer items and folding the heavier, bulkier pieces. If you’re unfamiliar with this method here is a step by step HERE. I was able to fit 8 outfits, 4 bikinis, and 4 corresponding wraps to go with because of it!
  2. Pack versatility into your wardrobe! – And your shoes! Shoes are bulky and take up so much space. Tote along a pair of shoes that can easily go with any of the outfits that you pack. Opting for a pair of flip flops that are a bit fancy can easily take you from the beach to brunch! Throw in a pair of wedges that are comfortable for sight seeing yet cute because, fashion! If you’d like to see the outfits I packed for this trip and how I coordinated them read all about it HERE! 
  3. Think ‘need’ over ‘want’!- Like, “I ‘want’ to bring all 5 of my perfumes but I ‘need’ to pack all of my other toiletries, so I’ll pick my favorite ONE!” Personally, I have the most trouble with this one because I like to pack everything but the kitchen sink, but in this case when you don’t want to check a bag or you just want to be able to roll and go, less is literally more! The less you pack, the more use you’ll get out of the things you did!

Pro Tip: Pack any items that could bust open or overflow out of their containers, into their own spill proof bag! Then, in the case of a shampoo or something else opening during travel, nothing in your suitcase is ruined! Wahooo!

It’s amazing the items you’ll actually use when you’re forced to consolidate! I especially found this helpful when I packed my cosmetic and skin care bag. I only brought along 1 of my 17 serums, makeup that were multi-purpose in use, and travel sized products for lotions and toiletries. I also hope you find this helpful for your next trip or vacation getaway!

What is your number one packing hack?! I love reading your comments and incorporating your tips, it’s like we’re really friends! You like me, you really really like me! *quick, where’s that from?!* 

 

 

 

TRAVEL GUIDE: PACK VERSATILITY INTO YOUR WARDROBE!

I recently shared some fun facts about me, so adding to that … unknown truth, I NEVER check a bag! Like ever. No matter if we’re going on a 3 day trip or a 3 week trip, it’s all carry on for me! Can we say control freak!? So when we went to Las Vegas this past weekend for our 6 year anniversary I packed some versatile outfits and I want to share with you some of my versatility ideas for your vacation wardrobe.

I really wanted to bring along some dresses and cover ups that would double as swim suit cover ups while I was at the pool, and that could then be styled as dinner/ going out ensembles for after the day’s events! These scream sultry, versatile, and vacation!







Nasty Gal black romper with a mustard bralette, LF black and white chevron romper, LF fringed blouse and high waisted shredded shorts, White crochet monokini with a LF black scalloped sheer cover upLF black lace skater dress, and this floor length floral wrap around gown.

Can you tell that I really own clothes in white and black? I’m drawn to them in everything! These outfits made me feel sexy and stylish! They were flowy, feminine, and perfect for that ‘pool to night out’ transition. Especially on vacation, you never know when you’re going to want to hop out of the pool and hit the town and these were my favorite choices! Next I’ll share with you how I packed 8 outfits, 3 bathing suits, 3 pairs of shoes, makeup and more all into ONE carry on luggage!

What is your go-to choice for packing some versatility into your wardrobe?

 

 

 

JESS QUESTS- THE ROAD TO RIO

Over the years, I’ve become more and more athletic and you may not be able to tell from these ever-graceful gymnastic poses, BUT I’m pretty good at keeping my balance! The Road to Rio is underway, so I’ve been extremely excited to show my support of Team USA as I get ready to cheer them on at the Olympic Games!

As you know, I’ve participated in a lot of really incredible opportunities with AT&T, from supporting their golf tournaments to covering their philanthropic partnership with TOMS and more! I’m excited to announce that I’ll be joining the Road to Rio Tour with them LIVE, at the Venice Beach stop on July 23rd/July 24th!


As an influencer, I’m passionate about keeping you connected to the things that matter to me most and this partnership with AT&T will allow me to share with you a personalized interaction! From what the athletes are doing to gear up, to how YOU too can show your support and connect directly with the events surrounding the Olympic and Paralympic Games!

So join me in becoming an AT&T Fanmate at attfanmate.com and show Team USA some love by participating in the conversation! And, use #ATTFanmate in your social posts and follow the hashtag for updates! 

I’ll be at the Venice Beach stop at the end of July for the Team USA send off which is open to the public, so I hope to see some of you there . . . high fives and hugs will be given all day!

 

What’s your good luck message to Team USA athletes heading to Rio? Can we expect to see you along the tour?

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with AT&T

TRAVEL GUIDE: SUMMER BUCKET LIST CHALLENGE!

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the urge to just get up and go and I don’t know if that’s because the open road is calling my name again or if I just need some change. Whatever the reason, it’s inspired me to challenge myself, and you, to write out a bucket list for this summer and slowly but surely check every adventurous thing off of it!

I hope this post encourages you to write out your own summer bucket list and join the challenge! So here we go! 1) Do something that scares you! 2) Go to more music festivals! 3) Enjoy the stillness! 4) Fill up on art and knowledge! 5) Practice gratitude!





These are all photos from last summer’s fun times and amazing memories. From rock climbing in Joshua Tree, attending our very first Coachella, slow walks on the beach at sunset, and admiring the floors at every museum we could find! This will be my inspiration for this summer’s excitements! I have to stop myself sometimes and remind myself to be present and to be grateful for every day, even the slow ones. Create the slow days, enjoy the stillness, and then enthusiastically attack the next day with tenacity!!!

What’s on your summer bucket list?! Do you have any suggestions for me for our next adventure?