My Top 10 Tips for Dapper Day

If you’ve ever paid a visit to my Instagram page, you know that I am kind of obsessed with Dapper Day. I love vintage fashion. I love Disney. Dapper Day merges those two things together in perfect harmony, and ever since the first time Matt and I visited, we’ve been all about it… I may or may not have 10k written so far in a short story about it that’s currently collecting dust on my computer. :X

With Dapper Day fast approaching in this month, I thought I’d share some advice I’ve gathered over the years for anyone who’s planning to join in on the fun.

Hit up your local vintage shops. If your looking for a unique piece, I recommend checking out some the vintage shops in your area. You never know what gems are hiding in the racks of dresses and dresses just waiting to be discovered. Some of my favorites are in the Orlando area are.

1. Retromended
2. The Lovely
3. Dechoes
4. Orlando Vintage

If it fits and you love it, grab that dress while you can! Nothing haunts you like vintage you’ve left behind. 😥

The sunlight is not your friend, and neither is the humidity. It takes a brave soul to wear their hair down in Florida. If you’re taking the risk, pack a scarf or a snood in your purse for the evening, just in case your hair goes flat. Also, prepare for the elements! My emergency kit includes

1. a rain bonnet
2. a parasol
3. sunscreen (here’s my current favorite)
4. bobby pins
5. red lipstick (and any other touch up makeup you might need.)
6. A fan.

Snacks and a water bottle is always a plus, especially if you’re going to be there all day.

Don’t be afraid to say hello! Like someone’s dress? Tell them! Normally, I’m really introverted/shy but this magical day is a happy exception. You can literally greet anyone with a smile and a “Happy Dapper Day” and usually they’ll respond back in kind. I’ve made many a friend by bonding over vintage hats, matching dresses, and sharing hair advice in line for a ride.

Explore off the beaten path. Spot a cute little walkway? An alcove in the mists of the craziness? Guess what friends? It’s photoshoot time! There are some great photo spots hidden in plain sight, or just around the corner. Epcot is especially great for this. (Just make sure you’re not walking past a “cast only” sign.

Make a dinner reservation. This is totally optional! But, If you frequent Disney, it’s nice to have an excuse to go to one of the onsite restaurants. A few years back we went to Primetime which was not only a blast but also has some great vintage vibes. If you’ve had a busy day it’s a great little chunk of time to unwind. The downside? It does make your schedule a little less flexible. But sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself to something fancy while looking fancy.

EDIT: (04/21/2017) Magic Kingdom is going to be offering boxed lunches for a “Picnic in the Park in Tomorrowland from 11-2:30 Definitely a lunch spot worth checking out. More details on wdwinfo.com

Color coordinate! There’s nothing like scrolling down Mainstreet matching with your honey. ❤

Escape to a quiet spot now and again. Going off of the last point, you’re going to get tired. Take some time to recharge your batteries…both metaphorically, and literally if your phone battery is looking a little low.  We like to grab a coffee and find a quiet corner to people watch, play on our phones, chit chat and just zone out for fifteen minutes. I recommend this to all of my dapper introverts out there.

Wearing heels? Pack a pair of flats. Note: If you ignore this advice, and are at Epcot, hobble over to the World Showcase. The shop in China has some really cute flats that saved my life last Dapper Day. (and I was not the only heel-clad lady buying a new pair of shoes that day.)

What kind of day do you want to have? Do you want to do a bunch of mini photo shoots around the park? Do you want to meet up with lots of friends? Do you want to spend most of the day with your sweetheart? Or meet every single character you possibly can?

We normally just stroll around and do whatever catches our fancy. But it’s always good to talk to your partner, or fellow party members before embarking on your adventure. There’s nothing wrong going to ride Soarin’ or the new Mine ride…however making sure your group is down to wait 90 minutes is a conversation worth having. If you’re in a large group there’s nothing wrong with breaking off and meeting back up later.

Don’t want the day to end? Consider a hotel stay. This can feel pretty decadent if you’re a local. But, if you’re looking for a weekend away and want to enjoy the pre-party and both days in the park it makes sense. Plus, there are often discounted rates In truth, we’ve only done this once for our anniversary. But omg… It was a really nice treat

xo Paige

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Virtual Write-In’s Every Tuesday!

Hey Everyone!

I love write-ins, both in person and online I think they are one of the best tools we have as writers to rally with a community and get our word counts up. Most of our work as writers is done alone, and it can feel isolating. Write-ins provide a change of pace, encouragement, and always put an extra spring in my step. I’m writing to you all today to let you know, I finally started hosting a weekly virtual write-in over on my twitch channel!

Every Tuesday at noon, feel free to come share what your writing, ask questions, and hang out with, while I lead us in (optional) word prompts and sprints 😀 I’m still battling the “livestream jitters” but every week I feel like I get a little more comfortable with the format. I streamed for the first time today in weeks, and It was so much fun! I’m looking forward to trying out, even more, things in the future, and I hope to have you along for the journey!

https://www.twitch.tv/pumpkinspicedpaige

Till next time,

Paige

Hello 2017, I’m new here.

We are a week into the new year, and I feel like I’m finally starting to get my barings. I like the energy a new year brings. I always feel like I get a rush of inspiration to start new projects. (as well as a somewhat crushing pressure to finish old ones.) But so far my 2017 has been good. Filled with the beautiful cliche’s of meal prepping, working out again, hurrying up to finish my manuscript- and ending with new projects, honey and cinnamon lattes, thunderstorms and puppy snuggles.

One of the wonderful things that happened this week was the Magical Girls Rock! Panel was approved for ECCC. We did the panel last year at Geek Girl Con, and all still keep in touch on a group chat on facebook. Much like a Magical Girl story, we were randomly selected to join forces, and have become friends in the process who have been geeking out together ever since. The moment the panel ended we all looked at each other and said “We need to do that again!” and now that it’s happening,  the vibe has been very “We’re getting the band back together!” I cannot wait to be reunited with these lovely ladies to dive deeper into this beloved genre, and in Merri from FakeGeekGirls podcasts words “tear it apart” It’s going to be a blast.

(Photo snapped by the wonderful ggc photographers more like this are up on their Flickr page https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/geekgirlcon )

If you’re going to ECCC and would like to stay in the look, definitely RSVP on the facebook event page. It’s going to be a party ❤

https://www.facebook.com/events/244375219306701/

Anywho, right now I’m finishing up my coffee and waiting for my hotrollers to cool down before styling my hair and heading to a vintage clothing sale, in hopes to find some pairs of pants or a cute jacket to keep me warm during some winter travels.

…We all know I’m probably just going to come home with dresses :X

Till next time,

Paige

NaNo, Coffee & Otome Games

I had too much coffee. My hands jittered slightly as I spent the morning answering emails, and as I type this they are wanting to move too quickly to type properly during this blog post. They fumble and I backspace, and then they fumble again. Backspace. Forward. Typing out half finished words and then erasing them. It’s not like NaNo at all.

If It were, I’d let the half sharpened words, with their red squiggly lines, remain, until I corrected them later. But, It doesn’t seem fair to subject you to reading that. Blogposts probably shouldn’t read like those “rearrange the words” puzzles. Unless you’re Sherlock Holms, then it might be somewhat entertaining. Speaking of which, Is anyone else playing Gaurd Me Sherlock? I needed something to fill the Mystic Messenger void once I finished. It can be surprisingly hard to find a good Otome game in the vast market of google play. So far this once had a likable MC, and the art and character development have been pretty natural as well. I’m also somewhat clueless on what’s going on with the mystery. A little intrigue goes a long was in these games.

…Mystic Messenger set the bar set the bar so high!

Anyways, today has been a day of reading through the final manuscript for my (still untitled) Monster novel, replying to emails, and resisting the creeping urge as the coffee wears off to snuggle a fuzzy puppy on the couch and catch some sweet sweet Z’s for a few blissful moments. But I should really get to setting up my studio lights and filming a couple of videos. Let’s hope my return to vlogging isn’t too clunky… It’s been weeks since I’ve filmed.

Wishing you all a happy weekend, filled with adventures, rest, and beautiful bursts of creativity.

xo Paige

Update: I successfully finished the day without relying on more coffee or taking a nap! Go me!

It’s been quiet around here…

It’s been pretty quiet around here… The reason why? I’ve been writing like the wind, just not on this blog. It was NaNoWriMo! And I have to say, I think this was the best one I’ve ever had! I’ve only won a proper NaNoWriMo once before, It was when I wrote my novel Confidence The Diary of an Invisible Girl, and to be honest, that journal though filled with tall peaks, also had some pretty low valleys. I wrote like crazy just to get to the end. As a result, I ended up with a story a really love.

Though I definitely had some “tear my hair out” moments during last month. November was a hard month for a lot of us. But overall went really well. I think that has a lot to do with the community I found here in Orlando. Magic happens when you enter a room of writers who are frantically typing on their keyboards. ❤ It motivated you to write faster, better, and not to give up. And in the event that you’re starting to lose steam, you have a support group of people who can cheer you on when you’re down and give you that extra push. I was reminded over and over again that this was not a month for editing, and that alone was enough to make my fingers fly across my keyboard. The rough draft I’ve been working on has the working title of “Broom Mates” and followed a group of three teen witches who are expelled from magic school and banished to Portland OR for the summer. It was really fun seeing where the characters wanted to take me. One thing I didn’t expect? For all of them to start falling in love! With mortals? With each other? With EVERYONE?! Time, editing, and revisions will tell. It’s going to be around 20k more words until my draft is finished. But I’m so proud of getting as far as I have. It has a beginning, middle, and end, lots of plotlines to tie up, and I’ll be writing through December till I’m finished. I think I’m finally going to take a whirl at creative streams on twitch. I’ll be missing all of the lifestreams that happened during November, and think it would be pretty neat to host some virtual write-ins for those who are feeling the same.

It’s either going to be Monday or Tuesday around noon, I’ll keep you posted through social media, and hopefully, It will be a lot of fun! I’ll probably be a little nervous so it would be nice to see some familiar faces there.

Anyways, that’s all for now, I’ll talk to you again soon!

Keep telling your stories, and whether you hit 50k or not this month, treat yourself to a fancy new notebook, cupcake, or latte. You earned it!

xo Paige

 

Geek Girl Con <3

Hello Everyone!

I can’t believe it’s already been two weeks since GeekGirlCon. I’ve been wanting to recap the weekend in a blogpost ever since I got back, but whenever I sit down, I’m not even sure where to start. I feel like no matter what I type, I’m not going to do the convention justice. I’ve known about GGC for a few years, and a few months ago, I decided it was finally time to take the plunge and apply to be a contributor. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but was ecstatic when they reached out and asked if I wanted to be on the Magical Girl & Steven Universe panels and do a book signing! A million times yes!! I was honestly a little nervous. It was my first time doing anything like this, and I’d heard so many amazing things about this convention.

What if I messed up? What if it didn’t live up to my expectations? I couldn’t help having those nagging doubting thoughts, but I’m so happy to report that from the moment I walked inside I loved it so much. I spent so much time look around at all of the vendors, cosplays and chatting with fellow panelist and con-goers, I didn’t honestly take too many pictures

There was so much to see and do! Picking up my camera honestly didn’t even cross my mind. Which honestly was kind of refreshing! It was my first time in Seattle, for a Florida girl the weather was such an amazing change of pace. I learned pretty quickly that I should keep my rain bonnet in my pocket at all times lol. It’s not that it was necessarily raining, but there seemed to be a steady mist on most of the days.

 

After picking up my …what are these things called, name plate? name sign?

…plack?

Whatever! The thing with my name on it to put on the table for panels/signings and stuff, I went in search for the Ada‘s books booth. I’d been emailing back in forth with them, and knew they’d have copies of Confidence for sale. I really wanted to meet them in person, and pay my books a visit as well! This was the first time I’d seen them for sale at a convention, where I wasn’t the vendor. It made me so happy. If you’re in Seattle, there should be some signed copies just waiting for a new home at their brick and mortar store, Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe  just waiting to be apart of your reading list!

Magical Girls United and ready to go! Here we have Natasha, (Fearless Photoworks) Katie (FakeGirlGirls Podcast) and N’Donna our magical girl senpai (mahoshojogakuen) We decided to meet up before the panel, since it would be our first time meeting in person. We had a big group email where we’d been chatting in preparation and I was so excited to meet them in person! We where all a little jittery, and where able to bond and freak out together once we heard that the panel had capped out.

Luckily once we got started the conversation flowed so naturally! We chatted afterwards about reuniting and getting to do this panel at another convention in the future. I really hope it happens. Honestly, there is so much to say about this genre, and I feel like we could have talked for days about magical girls.

After the panel on a lunch run, I had to stopped in my tracks when I saw this awesome Orion cosplayer! I had been playing Amnesia Memories during the flight, and am causally obsessed with completing each and every route! (*-*) I thought this cosplay was too perfect! She got all of the little details right, and just looked so cute!

Day 2

We started our morning at The Crumpet Shop, which became my favorite breakfast spot during our trip to Seattle! The Egg, Cheese and Tomato crumpet was so nice I had it twice.

…On two separate days, but still…

I could eat that forever.

I was so happy to see that Sammus and I where on the same signing block. She is an amazing musician and Matt and I had the pleasure of seeing her preform at the GGC Pre-Party on Friday. You could not help but feel hyped, while watching her on stage, her songs filled with pride, nerdom, and I encourage you all to check her out, and pre-order her upcoming album! “Pieces in Space” which will be out later this week on the 28th!

Thanks to everyone who came to say hello and have their books signed! You guys seriously made my day!! If any of you are reading this right now- you are amazing. Best wishes on your own stories and art projects! I’m cheering for you guys right now from across my computer screen. 😀 NaNoWriMo is just a little over a week away, let’s be writing buddies okay?

Anyways! Back to the convention,

After the signing, Matt and I hopped over to lunch with some extended family, with just enough time for me to nervously pace around for a half hour before the Steven Universe panel… Which was good, because honestly, left to my own devices I would have been way too nervous to eat. I had no idea was going to be on the main stage! We hadn’t planned on meeting before hand, and I was worried I’d complacently blank out on stage. n the comfort of my living room, I can geek out about Steven Universe for hours…but on stage? Bahhhh!!

Luckily it went off without a hitch, and the other ladies on the panel where beyond amazing. We had Eula Scott Bynoe as the mod, who was so talented at making everyone feel at ease, and keeping the conversation going, Jennifer Paz, the voice of Lapis Lazil on the show (one of my favorite characters!) who shared her own personal experience, and a peak of what it’s like to work on the show, which was so interesting to hear about. And Wendi Chen an illustrator who makes the cutest fanart. I felt honored to be apart of the conversation and hope to see them all again at another con!

After panel selfies.

The weekend went by in a whirlwind, and I’m so thankful for every moument. A huge thanks to GeekGirlCon for everything. It was an unforgettable weekend that made my face hurt from smiling. ❤

I hope to see you all next year!

xo Paige

Thursday Thoughts. Weddings, Disney & Dancing the night away.

It’s Thursday Morning.

I’m really sleepy as I type this. It’s nearly 9 and I haven’t gotten around to brewing my first cup of coffee yet. /yawn This week seems to be going by so quickly, and I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath from the very full/magical adventures that were this weekend. My best friend Meaghan. (who TBH is way more like a sister) got married on Sunday! It was such a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple. I was so happy to be apart of the bridal party to help them celebrate their special day.

And celebrate we did. Not only did we dance the entire night away thanks to the groom’s playlist. But the following day they organized a little Disney day, complete with Bride and Groom hats, and “Happily Ever After” buttons

Things I realized at Disney. 

Boat rides with any sort of drop still make me nervous.

Holy cow the popcorn smells amazing.

I would like a scented candle that smells like Main Street

I would also like to dive into a ball pit filled with Tsum Tsums

I am impressed with my willpower to resist buying said Tsum Tsums.

Skipping is faster than walking.

Duffy bear is really cute. I want to meet and hug him one of these days.

Like I really really want to pet his fur.

A DIY craft day for making mouse ears needs to happen.

I think Matt and I’s daily style makes people think it might be Dapper Day.

I from this day forward will always have a rain bonnet in my purse.

Oh and I have some of the best friends I could ever hope for. 

Cheers to more double, triple, quadruple dates in the future. Adventues, Twirling around in the rain, and to The Magical Girl and her Pokemon Trainer! Wishing the newlyweds so much love and happiness. xo Okay. Now time for some coffee and to start the morning!,

xo Paige

P.S Disney days seem to be becoming more of a thing now that Lilykins is back in FL, and I’d love to know, where’s your favorite place to eat in Magical Kingdom? Leave you’re thoughts in the comments or send me a tweet. @MrsPaigeLavoie

P.P.S My Rain Bonnet is from “The Bonnit” Click here to check them out

KiraKiraPop – A Kawaii Dance Party

Hey All!

A week ago, I would not have been able to tell you when the last time I went out dancing with my sister was. Especially just the two of us. A two years ago? Honestly thinking about it, it’s probably been way longer than that. So, when I saw a flyer for Kira Kira Pop a Jpop and Kawaii dance party posted around Orlando FL my first thought was to go together!  We arrived as soon as the event opened, and realized we where both pretty hungry. Luckily Bikkuri Lounge is connected to Bikkirui Sushi. Adored with paper wristbands, early in the evening seemed like the best time to go grab some dinner, figuring by the time we got back the party would be a little more hopping. 
“Did you want a large Sake or small?” Our waiter asked as we placed our order.

“Oh um…” I thought for a minute, we’d be out for a while, and sharing so why not go for a large. “A large would be great!”

Lily threw her head back and laughed “Oh man! Mom’s night out is getting crazzzzzy”I don’t actually know when the theme for our night became moms night out, but it persisted through the evening. I mean, I guess we both have fur-babies so it works. In the moument though combined with her expression and tone it was just too funny. We decided to split three rolls (which we honestly inhaled) and sat catching up for a little while.

“I don’t think it’ll be THAT crowded” Lily said finishing up the last of the rainbow roll. “It’s only been about an hour.” She had a point, but at the same time we’d overheard that the event was sold out, and we could already hear distance “wooo!”and sounds of a crowd forming.

Walking back into the lounge felt like another world. It was packed! It felt like an after party at a convention. Street Fashion, Cosplay, Lolita could be seen in every corner of the room, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. We quickly (after food settled) joined in on the dance floor. I’m not much of a dancer. If I’m on my Husband’s arm I can follow his lead fairly well. However alone, I bounced around like a Muppet, while lily did her impressive rendition of the lawn mower and shopping cart.

“Just two moms out on the town!” that girl ❤

You know the best part? Not once did either of us feel threatened, or did I look around the dance floor to see a creep girding on an unsuspecting patron. People where talking, complimenting each other, and sharing friendly words. But I didn’t see anyone noticeable being creeped on. We could just dance, and hangout without all of the worry that normally comes along with that.  They advertise this event as a “space space” and have rules posted on the walls around the venue. And it really did feel that way.

After flailing around the dance floor, chatting with some seriously lovely folks, and doing the twist to Jpop (proving once more that you can two-step and twist to literally anything) Though I was feeling super happy and having a great time, I was pooped. “Mom’s night out” as Lily called it was nearing it’s end. I turned to her seriously, suppressing a yawn and said.

“Hey… Do you want to go home and binge watch anime?”

“God yes.”

We traveled on back to my place, peeled off our giant fake eyelashes, and I put on My Love Story, telling her she’s fall in love with the characters. (they’re so pure) and we moved from their to School Live Club…which might have slightly scarred her for life with the twist at episode one, but she’s been eating through the episodes ever since.

We went from dancing around and eating sushi to sitting on a couch in kigirumis. I don’t think I could have asked for a better night ❤

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend,

Paige

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium @ Universal Studios City Walk

Good Evening Everyone!

I could not wait to share this adventure with you. Matt and I just got home from a double date at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal’s Citywalk, and wow….

Just wow.

I remember thinking that the concept photos looked amazing, but seeing it in person, I was honestly blown away. Showing you seems easier than telling you,

As soon as you walked through the door, This place was a 19th century dream, floating through a sky of cotton candy clouds and airships. The four of us walked back to our table, picking our jaws off the floor, and began pouring over the extensive menu.

While obviously one of the biggest draws to Toothsome is the indulgent concoctions of ice cream, marshmallows, cheesecake and magic, they aren’t just a candy shoppe. Their menu is filled to the brim with burgers, flatbreads, and best of all? An all day brunch section.

All.

Day.

Brunch.

My head was turned by the idea of french toast originally, after speaking with Madam Penelope, the fictional owner who has her own trusted automaton Jaq, (and a full backstory!) We all decided to go a savory route, since we knew there was absolutely no way we wanted to test the limets of our sweet tooths and skip desert. Us ladies went for the quiche while the fella’s had some of the most impressive patty melts I’d ever seen. The bread was french toast. FRENCH TOAST!

We ended the night with the chocolate cream brulee, the little touch of the powdered sugar gear really made it for me. I’d love to go back again, and dress up for the occasion.

Though I don’t know if I’d want to eat all of the desserts in a corset. But I’d settle for a moderate amount. ;p

If you have the chance to check out Toothsome Chocolate Factory, I absolutely recommend it.  From the moument you walk inside, the sites, the sounds, the costumes, and friendly robot. You’re instantly transported into Madam Penelope’s world. A world I will gladly visit again. I mean, I still haven’t tried one of the milkshakes, so clearly another trip is in order.

What intrigued you most of the menu? Let me know down below, or over on twitter, and we can geek out about all of this delicious food and theming together.

Till next time,

Paige

Monday Morning Thoughts.

Hello ❤
It’s Monday and I’m sitting at my desk which is in desperate need of tidying. Sipping on coffee sweetened with honey, and eating leftover cookies from the sailor moon bridal shower I helped plan yesterday for my dearest friend. We made dresses with toilet paper, ate lots of food, had an water balloon fight, and sang “Happy Wedding to you!” while she cut the cake.

You know, just the usual things you do at a bridal shower… Maybe?

If ever there was proof of having a good weekend, my face hurting from smiling is definitely it. Now, I’m onto some much needed editing for the Frankenstein novel. I’m on chapter 8 of 15. detirminded to get this story out to beta-readers as soon as possible, and e-mailing with my favorite editor Jen (wordswithjen) talking about all of the things! It’s exciting, nerve wracking, and I am so pleased to finally be getting the ball rolling. Just maybe one more cookie first…

Until next time,
Paige