Packing

I'm feeling slightly panicked for my upcoming trip to Disneyland. Here we are, just ten days before our trip and I've just barely started to pack. Now for those of you who know me, I am a little bit extreme when it comes to packing. I usually start packing months in advance, so ten days out, this is quite sloppy of me. Get it together, Flora! But I don't just pack. I create lists with a full inventory of what I am bringing. I also make lists of outfit ideas, for mornings when I just can't throw together a cute outfit. I am also an over-packer. Yes, I'm that person who packs 9 different pairs of shoes and 15 pairs of shorts. So unfortunately, my suitcase is always at or close to 50 lbs. This is a challenge because it is always overweight when I come home. I consider myself a seasoned traveler but I am still working on the suitcase issue. September will be a true test for me, as we are traveling to Italy and we are planning on packing light - to move around more freely, and to be able to bring souvenirs home. This is especially difficult because we will be on a one week cruise and cruises require formal wear. For the ladies, formal wear means fancy dresses and heels. And ladies, we all know how much weight all that extra poof adds.

So what is my strategy this time? Here are three things I will keep in mind while packing...

Check the weather. Los Angeles will be warm in early May. Temperatures are in mid to high twenties, so I'll definitely be in shorts. I'll also pack some pants and a lightweight spring jacket for those cool summer nights. Once the sun sets, it can get a little breezy in SoCal. Prepare for layers, so a tank top with a cardigan in the early morning. When the temperature rises in the afternoon, a tank top will be just fine, and when the temperature cools down in the evening, a light jacket will help out.

Tone it down with the Disney. Now every time I go to Disneyland or Disney World, I just throw all my Disney clothes in my suitcase. Well, whaddaya know, I don't always wear every single Disney shirt I bring with me. This time around, I am only bringing what I will wear, and for the number of days I will actually be at Disneyland. Well... maybe one extra shirt won't hurt in case I spill something.

Now my second biggest challenge: Pants. Now I know I'll have to pack pants for a rainy day or a cold night out. I'll need a pair of jeans, because jeans go with everything. On the other hand, I can't go without my trusty cargo pants. They are just as versatile and they are much more comfortable for longer wear. I also have soft black pants I want to bring with me. California weather can be scorching so I want to test my soft pants out for Italy. Many religious sites in Italy require women to cover their legs - or at least their knees. I can only wear so many maxi skirts, and I don't own any capris or knee length shorts/skirts, so I decided to invest in a pair of lightweight soft pants. I want to make sure these pants can withstand hot weather, so I'm not sweating through them during the day. If they can't withstand California weather, they're not coming to Italy with me. And I can't forget about my leggings, which I'll be wearing on the plane. Do I really need four pairs of pants for six days? No. So this is something I'll have to think over.

I've been bad...

I know, I'm horrible at blogging! I've been absent for two weeks, but it's been a busy two weeks in my life. I have started a few entries that never made it to the light of day, maybe I'll find the time to finish those one day. My supervisor has been in the Philippines for three weeks so I've been picking up the slack at work. In addition, I've been celebrating my love's birthday and catching up with friends (and also, finally watching the Veronica Mars movie). Life caught up and I just didn't have enough time in a day for everything! Other than that, I've been listening to a lot of Disney music to help me prepare for my trip to Disneyland in May.  This reminds me, today is the release of DCONSTRUCTED, a Disney remix album, with appearances by Armin Van Buuren and Avicii. How exciting is that?! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

I decided to change the title of my blog. I read this quote off my calendar - a quote I had chosen myself in January when imagining what April should feel like... "Throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." and I decided it was perfect.

So here's to hoping that a new outlook and a new name will inspire me to blog more. The weather has been on and off. So I haven't been able to blog about fashion (or my #ootd) as I had hoped. Perhaps April showers will bring May flowers.

(courtesy of yours truly via Instagram)

Happy Earth Day!

Disneyland

I've just started to plan our May trip to Disneyland and my co-worker mentioned she was going for the first time in April. I love sharing my Disney love and knowledge so I've decided to give her some tips on how to make the most of her one Disney day. This is my fifth adult trip to Disneyland in the past five years (eighth in my entire life) so I consider myself a bit of an expert when it comes to Disney.

We usually do a park hopper because we love having the best of both worlds. If one park is busy, we just hop over next door. California Adventure also closes earlier, so we can still enjoy Disneyland in the later hours. However, my co-worker is only tackling Disneyland so here are my quick tips for her:

Food

We recommend packing snacks and especially, water to refuel during the day. There are lineups everywhere, and it's hot during mid-day. It's nice to have a bottle of water or a granola bar to help refuel. There is not one particular restaurant that is a must-visit for us in either park, but Carthay Circle, Cafe Orleans and Carnation Cafe are among our favourites. The best snacks in Disneyland are Dole Whips. One cannot visit the park, and not have Dole Whip. If there is no time to eat dinner in the park or dinner can wait, Downtown Disney is opened after the park closes. Downtown Disney stays opened until 11 PM, sometimes 12 AM.

Rides

We recommend getting FastPasses for: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain. A lot of people don`t recommend getting a FastPass for Big Thunder, and I understand. If the line is short, then it is better to get a FastPass elsewhere. Don’t miss: Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Pirates of the Caribbean, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and It's a Small World.

Shows

Mickey’s Magical Map is a new show that debuted last May. We recommend seeing the second showing of Fantasmic if there is one. There are less kids, and more space. Watch the “Remember Dreams Come True" Fireworks show. 

 (courtesy of yours truly via Instagram)

I love learning new tips about Disneyland. It's always a new experience for me, and I always discover something new. If you have anything to share, I would love to hear it!