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My Weekend Getaway to Beautiful Hocking Hills

1/26/2021

After all the craziness of last year, I was ready to get away, be away from civilization and all human beings, indulge in some inner reflection, and just relax and be happy!

So what did I do? I booked a secluded cabin in the woods from Air BnB, packed up my car, grabbed my dog, and took off for the weekend! The only plan? Do some soul searching, spend time with Rocco, and BE HAPPY!

My Air BnB was a gorgeous little cabin that was nestled in the woods, away from civilization, but only miles away from all the caves and hiking paths.

It included a beautiful wood burning fireplace that I made great use of (is there a better place to sit and contemplate life than in front of a blazing fire? I think not!), an adorable little bedroom with a super comfy bed, and an outdoor hot tub that I made even better use of!

While on my journey of inner reflection and practicing some serious self care, I made sure I had the most wonderful food and drinks available! Vegan cheese with crusty bread, and a freshly made salad complete with homemade croutons, and some pink champagne, started my Friday night out right!

Saturday night I made the most delicious fresh pasta sauce from scratch, with red wine in it (and on the side of course!).

And all the hot black coffee every morning!

What's a trip to Hocking Hills without some hiking and adventuring?!
The cold did not deter us from having the most amazing hiking experience (hello 18 degrees!). As long as we kept moving the cold didn't get to us. For two hours we hiked lots of different trails and saw so much!

Rocco had the absolute time of his life! He was running around, jumping up on everything, and exploring everything he could! He was definitely in his element.

Spending time alone in Mother Nature is a terrific way to reconnect to self, and it was exactly what I needed.

While on my weekend getaway to beautiful Hocking Hills, I had a lot of time to think, meditate, and to also clear my mind and just be. When you do all of this, it opens you up to receiving messages you need to hear, and give you insight into things you don't normally think about, because we are always so busy filling our lives with distractions, that we don't have time to hear it. I had a lot of great realizations and thoughts that I am keeping private, but the main one, is that I am happy! I felt truly happy, for the first time in a while.
Yes, my mind might still tell me that I am a failure and a quitter, but it's kind of hard to listen to that when you are feeling this happy! I know there is still hard times ahead, and I will still have times of feeling overwhelmingly sad, but it is so much easier to get through all of that when you know that your life is headed in the right direction, and you are HAPPY!

Be sure to follow my Instagram for more pictures, and as usual, I will be writing lots more blog posts about my time at Hocking Hills!
Until next time!

Peace Love and Hocking Hills
Jess <3

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11 Unique Things to Do in Ohio in the Fall

9/26/2020

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11 Unique Things to Do in Ohio in the Fall

I am a true Ohio-an. Born and raised in Northern Ohio!
While true that I have left it a lot to go explore, and at times live in different places around this incredible world, I always end up back here.
There is just some kind of a pull, an invisible almost magnetic draw, that ensures I will always return to Ohio.
My family is definitely a huge part of it! My immediate family, as well as my huge extended family that I seem to run into anytime I leave the house.
But there is something else, something I have only begun to realize as I got older and spent more time away. Ohio is a very special place, and now that I am back for good, I want to share with everyone why Ohio is so amazing, and tell you all the great places and experiences that can be found here!

Today I will be talking about Ohio in the Fall, because having spent the last 3 falls in the South, I am even more excited about being back in Ohio during my favorite season!
I personally think that Ohio is the absolute perfect place to spend your Fall, whether visiting for a short time, or if you live here!
There is something just perfect about Ohio in the Fall, a combination of the leaves changing, the absolutely perfect Fall weather, the abundance of Fall activities, and a feeling in the air that you just can't describe.
So here are the 11 coolest most unique things you can do in Ohio in the Fall!

1. Get scared shi*less at the Mansfield Reformatory.
The Mansfield Reformatory is so freakin' cool I don't even know where to start! It is a historic prison that you can take a tour of, or just wander around at your own pace. And Shawshank Redemption was filmed here, so it's a must-visit just because of this! Because of how haunted it is, they also have a haunted house here, paranormal explorations, and you can even spend the night locked in a cell! Read about my time at The Reformatory.
Where it's located; Mansfield, Ohio

2. Experience the craziest little bookstore you will ever see.
A1 bookstore is a tiny, crowded, insane little bookstore located inside A1 Towing, on the little backstreets of Navarre, Ohio. It is definitely an experience! Spend hours digging through towering piles of books and crammed bookshelves, to find that perfect book to cuddle up with in front of a roaring fireplace, cup of hot chocolate in hand (am I the only one who just got super excited thinking about this?!).
This little place is so off the grid, they do not have a website, so just plug the address in your GPS and have a fun little road trip!
6067 Navarre Rd, SW, Canton, OH 44706
(330)477-0908
Where it's located at; Navarre, Ohio (I know the address says Canton, but I consider it Navarre :P).

3. Visit Mohican State Park.
With it being the "Canoe capital of Ohio" Mohican State Park is most popular during the summer months, but it definitely has a lot to offer during the Fall months as well! Zip lining, horse back riding, camping, and cabin rentals, just to name a few! The gorge is also an amazingly beautiful thing to see! Or just go for a drive, and witness the splendor of an entire forest's leaves changing color.
Where it's located at; Loudonville, Ohio.

4. Get lost in a corn maze/Get scared in a corn maze.
With Ohio being a very agricultural place, not only is it gorgeous in the Fall, but all those corn fields make for some excellent corn mazes! We have an abundance of family friendly corn mazes, and also haunted corn mazes! Let me tell you, if you've never been to a haunted corn maze, it is a Fall Bucket List must!
Since we have such a large plethora of corn mazes, here is a site that you can search by location for corn mazes, both haunted and not.
Where it's located; All over Ohio.

5. Eat a cinnamon roll the size of your face at the Cinnamon Face Place.
Ok, it's not really called the Cinnamon Face Place, but that's what we used to call it back in the day! I didn't even know the actual name of this place and had to look it up today for this article hahaha.
Simply Cinnamon prides itself on having huge cinnamon rolls, and at only $3.25 a pop, these face-sized babies complete with a flavored latte will not disappoint your basic Fall instincts.
Where it's located; Bolivar, Ohio.

6. Visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While not a football fan, I do know that football and Fall go hand in hand, and what better way to celebrate Fall than to visit the Football Hall of Fame!
I've only visited here once. I helped set up the event space for when Dan Marino came, and that was super cool, because I am not a football fan, but I am an Ace Ventura fan! It was a very cool space, and I definitely recommend it for football fans. Book your tour at the Football Hall of Fame.
Where it's located; Canton, Ohio.

7. Visit the Wayne County Fair.
Since the Wayne County Fair is Ohio's foremost agricultural fair, it makes for a really cool Fall activity. Fair food and 4-H projects, what can be better?! Check out all the scheduled events happening at the Wayne County Fair.
Where it's located; Wooster, Ohio.

8. Take a lantern ghost tour of Zoar.
Zoar is a small community of less than 200 people, founded over 200 years ago. It is rumored to be quite haunted, and having worked at a restaurant there, I can confirm such rumors are true! Although I wanted to, I never went on the lantern ghost tour because I would get out of work too late, but am looking forward to joining this year! While you're there, be sure to eat at The Firehouse Grille, where I used to work at. It is super haunted! And while you're there, ask if the hotel in the same building is open to the public. It wasn't when I worked there, but I got to crash there on Halloween night after our Halloween party, and had quite the haunted experience!

9. Drink a hot coffee and eat an adorable Fall themed homemade pastry at McB Cafe-Cup of Joy.
I am writing this post from my comfortable corner table, and as I'm lazily watching the locals sit and relax in this absolutely adorable and cozy little cafe, I have no trouble believing their motto that "It is all about community." I am imploring you this Fall to ditch the 'Bucks, and spend your coffee money at local owned cafes that have ten times the character, and are supporting other local small businesses, and the community. Like McB Cafe.
Where it's located; Brewster, Ohio.

10. Catch a once in a lifetime interactive performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Watching a live performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show should be on your Bucket List anyways, so while you are living it up in Ohio for Fall, you must see it at The Canton Palace Theatre! The Historic Canton Palace Theatre is completely breathtaking-it's worth a trip there just to see the gorgeous interior! The annual Rocky Horror Picture Show showings occur every October for Halloween, and includes live actors on stage acting along with the movie being projected on the screen, complete with prop bags and lots of interaction! It is a can't miss! Get your tickets now!
Where it's located; Canton, Ohio.

11. Visit the Factory of Terror Haunted House.
While I may be a bit biased (I worked here for several years), saying that the Factory of Terror is a three time world record winner speaks for itself! This one of a kind Haunted House is more than a mile long, and consists of five crazy unique attractions. These include an insane mirror maze, multiple completely different themed houses, and even a bar! You can't miss the Factory of Terror during Fall time in Ohio. Read my article I wrote about working at the Factory of Terror.
Where it's located; Canton, Ohio.

So be sure to plan some fun activities in Ohio this Fall!

Peace Love and Ohio in the Fall
Jess <3

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Beginner's Wanderlust Lightroom Preset Pack

4/2/2020

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Beginner's Wanderlust Lightroom Preset Pack

Wanna know my secret to a great Instagram?
Presets!
Obviously you need good pictures and it doesn't hurt to have well thought out captions, but in order to have a beautiful IG feed, you must use presets! Even the most gorgeous picture can use a little boost! Presets have been a game changer for me, particularly with my travel pictures, so I wanted to create a beautiful preset pack that has all the basics you need for your photo collection while traveling the world (or just living your best everyday life)!
This preset pack is super easy to set up, with no complicated downloads necessary (I hate those!). The only download you will need to do is to download the Lightroom app so you can start editing!

Original

Selfie Queen

"Now why do I need 6 different presets?" You might be asking. Well, there are a couple different reasons for that, and here they are;
1. A preset that looks absolutely amazing on one picture may look not so amazing on another.
2. Pictures tell a story, and it's nice to have options for the mood you want your story to convey.
3. The subject of your photo. I have a beautiful "Sunrise Dream" preset, that looks absolutely stunning when used on a picture of a sunrise or sunset, but doesn't usually work too well on other pictures.
4. I have all 6 presets saved, and whenever I want to edit a photo I try on all 6 and see which one I like best! Some pictures, all 6 presets will look bomb on, and I will have the hardest time trying to decide, and others only one will look good.

Do I have your interest? Well let me introduce you to the 6 amazing presets that make up my "Wanderlust Beginner's Lightroom Preset Pack"!!!
They are;

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

Sunrise Dream

Original

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

and

Sunrise Dream

Selfie Queen

This one, obviously, is great for selfies and any other picture that has a person in it. It is great to soften and lighten up any picture.

Beach Therapy

If you love the beach, this will be your favorite preset! Don't you hate when you take a picture of the ocean and the picture just can't do justice to all those majestic blues you see in real life? Well this preset captures all those vivid ocean colors and makes you feel like you're back at the beach!

Luck of the Draw

Luck of the Draw preset adds just a little bit extra to your photos...and you never know what you're gonna get!

Little Boost

This is a fun little preset for when you want to add just a little boost to any picture.

Retro Love

I love this filter so much that I have to hold myself back from using it on every picture, because it just looks so good on every single picture! Maybe it's because I just love retro things!

Sunrise Dream

As the name suggests, this preset is best used for pictures of the sunrise, and also the sunset. It also can work on pictures that are kind of flat and need brightening up.

Selfie Queen

Beach Therapy

Luck of the Draw

Little Boost

Retro Love

Sunrise Dream

Original

See what I mean? These presets are complete game-changers! They take pictures that are nice, and turn them into amazing, professional looking Instagram pictures!
As you can see, all six of these presets can be used for a number of different pictures with different subjects and backgrounds.
And not to mention, with a number of different devices!
The pictures in this post have been taken with an Iphone, Go Pro, Android, and our digital camera!

This Preset Pack is available only on Amazon, for only $9.99! Or, get it for FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited! Yes FREE!!! Go check it out now!
This is the perfect time to go through all your old travel pictures and breathe new life into them with these super fun and unique presets!

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my travels and daily life, and see all of my presets in action!
Use the hashtag #mypeacelovelifepresets to show off your very own pictures that were made using this preset pack (I would love to see them, and feature them on my stories!), and see all the beautiful pictures made with these presets, from all over the world!

Peace Love and Presets
Jess <3

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