​The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to take our indoor workouts at the gym and bring them outside, to our homes, or both. In a silver lining of sorts, the gym shutdown also coincided with Spring, which meant the weather in Michigan was final warming up - making working out at the park much more feasible than in mid-January.

But that was months ago, and while I’ve been enjoying getting in my exercise outside, running on my own at a park can get rather boring after a while. I miss the energy of being around other people. As someone who taught Zumba for practically a decade, I love group exercise classes, so perhaps it was divine intervention that when I googled “outdoor workouts in Grand Rapids” this past week, I was met with an entire list of free outdoor workouts that were beginning the same week! 

I immediately made time in my schedule to go to the next upcoming class, which is called SoulfulMOTION. This one involved a lot of squat exercises, so if you’re looking for that, you’ll definitely want to hit up their class. The class began at 9:30am on Saturday morning at the North Monroe Lot in Downtown Grand Rapids and lasted for 45 minutes. There were a lot of people there and yes, everyone was still practicing social distancing. Of course, weather in Michigan can be unpredictable but thankfully it was a nice sunny day for us. The energy was awesome. The music they use is workout remixes of Christian songs, but it's such a positive environment that it didn’t make me feel uncomfortable by any means if perhaps I don’t share the same personal views. At the end of the day, it’s a workout class, not Sunday School. And I genuinely had a great time!

That’s just the tip of the iceberg though. The free outdoor workout classes in Grand Rapids include things like Zumba, Yoga, Kickboxing, and more. The city of Grand Rapids has provided a list of the workouts including times and locations on their website, which you can find here. 

So, while we may have to wait a little while longer for those gyms to reopen, free outdoor workouts sound like a pretty fantastic option right now. It's a wonderful way to lift your spirits and connect with the community.

Hopefully we’ll see each other there. In the meantime, hope you are staying healthy and well! 

Right now the world is coming together in solidarity with the black community. Speaking up, protesting, making calls to local leaders, donating, getting educated - these are just some of the ways we all should be helping. When it came to this travel blog, however, I had to ask myself ‘how can I address the current social climate and continue to write about travel and things to do?’. My answer was that I wanted to support black-owned businesses and black voices in the travel community by sharing them on here with all of you. And while it's one way to show support, I want to emphasize it doesn't replace all those other active steps that I will continue to do and that I hope anyone else reading this will do as well. 

The first black-owned business I’d like to share is Malamiah Juice Bar, which is located in the Studio Park Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. I have to give a shout out to my awesome comedy group, Funny Girls, for letting me know about this place. They have all sorts of healthy juice and smoothie options, as well as several different acai bowls to choose from. During my visit, I ordered the Berry Bowl. It costs $10.50 and then with a tip it’s about $13-$14. I’m a sucker for an acai bowl and this one did not disappoint. It was so good! It had acai blended with coconut milk, bananas, and strawberries. Then it’s topped off with gluten-free/vegan granola, banana and strawberry pieces, and honey. Plus, it’s really filling too. One of those and you’re set for breakfast or lunch. Because of the coronavirus pandemic right now, you can order online ahead of time at malamiah.square.site and they’ll bring it out to you once it’s ready. I ordered out front when I got there and it was a quick wait. I definitely want to go back soon and try their Peanut Butter Bowl next!

Now, something else really cool about this place is that they also give back to the local community. On their Instagram they recently shared that they’ll be donating part of their proceeds from their Justice Juice to GR’s Pride Center. I think that’s pretty awesome. And that’s just one example of how Malamiah gives back.

​You can read more on that at their website, www.malamiahjuicebar.com.
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I would encourage anyone reading this to stop by Malamiah Juice Bar ASAP for a healthy treat, and if you need some company, I am definitely ready to try that Peanut Butter Bowl!

If there is one positive to come out of us staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic, it is that the world finally has discovered how fabulous Leslie Jordan is. The actor and comedian made a name for himself as the nemesis of Karen Walker on Will and Grace - hilariously entering scenes uttering the phrase "Well, well, well" in his distinct southern accent. In the era of lockdown boredom, however, his signature phrase has now become "Well shit. What are y'all doing?"

His recurring role on Will and Grace as the character Beverly Leslie was how I discovered this incredible comedic talent, so you can imagine my joy when I began seeing him at my local Starbucks in LA. Of course, wanting to be respectful I never dared to actually say hello. That is until I was having coffee with some of my Zumba students one day on the outside patio area, when suddenly Leslie walks by. My students, knowing I am a fan of his, call him over and he gladly comes and chats with us for a bit. I could not believe it! Here I was talking and grabbing a picture with Leslie Jordan and he could not have been sweeter! I would continue to run into him from time to time and we would  have a nice chat. He really is a sweetheart, which is why I am thrilled to see how popular he has become, all while making us laugh when we need it more than ever.

In a matter of just several months, Leslie Jordan's popularity has skyrocketed thanks to his witty, hilarious videos on Instagram. At the basis of it, he is really just rambling into his cell phone camera, but it's pure comedic gold. 

This wasn't anything new though. The veteran comedian had been doing these types of videos for a while on his Instagram account. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit and folks were searching  for something to make us laugh again, Leslie delivered. He has become a pop culture phenomenon and truth be told, no one deserves it more. He's unique - there is no one like him on the comedy scene. Plus, he's so nice and gifted. It's about time the world knows his name too.

Lord knows I have been dealing with moments of sadness throughout all this. I have things to be grateful for, but the uncertainty of our world has me scared. What helps me get through tough times? Laughter - and I know I'm not alone. Here's the great thing about Leslie Jordan: his comedy is also endearing. His sweet nature and joyful humor will lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face.

So, if you find yourself looking for something to sustain you right now, follow him on Instagram. 

 P.S.
Leslie, if by some miracle you read this, thank you for your kindness. That meant the world to me and I hope we can bump into each other again at the coffee shop someday again soon. 

I’ll be the first to admit I’m totally jealous of those sunshine-and-rainbows bloggers. You know the type: they post deliriously happy photos in their Lululemon attire holding an acai bowl from the latest trendy spot. Their captions read like peppy rip-offs of Eat Pray Love, and their lives seem utterly perfect. I can’t help but wish I was that effortlessly sure of myself. If anything, my time in Michigan has me more unsure. Maybe it’s going back home - that feeling of going backward in life. It feels as if all those accomplishments I made in LA and New York after college have suddenly disappeared and I’m left with this empty version of myself. I chose this, but I've also come to realize it's just not the home for me it used to be. 

And then I remember the real Eat Pray Love, which has been a major source of inspiration for me since I first read the book (and yes, the film’s pretty good too!). The thing is, author Elizabeth Gilbert went through that experience in her early thirties, a time when most people seem to be settled down in life and who they are. Instead, Elizabeth went out and re-vamped her life in the pursuit of inspiration and happiness, and in doing so, found incredible success. 

I’d love to feel like those bloggers who seem to have it all together, but the truth is that social media is a highlight reel, not a true reflection of everything we as humans are going through. 

Despite my sarcasm, deep down I’m still a hopeful optimist, but where’s the humor in walking around posting “Ain’t life grand!” all the time. No! The point of comedy is to highlight the absurd, to take the craziness that life throws our way and turn it into something to laugh at. Yeah, going through less-than-ideal situations isn’t fun, but if you can find a way to turn it around and make lemonade out of lemons, by all means do what you gotta do. 

That being said, you may be reading this and thinking to yourself 'Alright, Jill, but I’m not a comedian or writer'. Well, that’s where your inner traveler can come in to help you get through tough times. Comedy and writing are great outlets for me, but it’s not always enough. So lately, I’ve decided to let the explorer in me seek out activities and places around Michigan to lift my spirits. From art museums to trying hot yoga for the first time, I’ve found that discovering new places or taking time for things I already love has helped tremendously. A few weeks ago I saw some artwork from Andy Warhol at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and it was awesome! 

This is what travel is all about: exploring new places, trying different things, meeting new people. Don’t get me wrong, visiting new cities and countries is fabulous, but you don’t always need to leave your own city to do these things. Find new exhibits to check out, attend a concert, find a cool trail to hike, try a new activity that’s totally out of your comfort zone. Another idea? Volunteer. Focusing on those less fortunate can put things in perspective. Plus, you can meet some really amazing people along the way.

When we feel stuck in life, it’s easy to retreat, to stay at home and binge out on Netflix, but don’t let your life pass you by in front of a screen. You don’t need to travel the world to find inspiration and joy, but you do have to make the effort to seek it out – and that’s exactly what I plan to do with my remaining time in Michigan. It's okay to feel sad, but the important thing is that we do something about it. And if we can't change our circumstances right away, at least we can make the most of the wait time by embracing our inner traveler. 
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The irony as I wrap up this blog post is that I feel like I’m starting to sound like the sunshine-and-rainbows bloggers, but in my defense, I’ve never once owned anything from Lululemon. 

Coming up next: California! 

​Lansing, Michigan. It’s not Grand Rapids and it’s definitely not Detroit. To put it bluntly, this part of Michigan only feels like an ‘exciting’ place if you attend Michigan State University. Pardon my cynicism, but as you can imagine, it’s incredibly hard to go from Los Angeles and New York to the painfully quiet streets of Mid-Michigan. I made the leap for work purposes, and though it’s merely temporary, I find myself craving the busy streets of a big city more and more as each day passes.

Aside from avoiding the MSU crowd like the plague and spending time with friends from work (seriously, thank God for them!), I haven’t really made much of an effort to write about Lansing. Every weekend I escape to Grand Rapids, but you’d think after a year and a half in I must have found something in Lansing worth writing about aside from reasons not to date college students. Of course, there’s Michigan's Capitol building, but what else? I began to look back at my time here and then it hit me that I had, in fact, found something months ago that was totally worth sharing: Pablo’s in Old Town Lansing.

I realized that I had likely blocked out Pablo’s from my subconscious because when I initially went there, it was on a really bad date. That being said, a great restaurant shouldn’t be discounted simply because of a date gone awry. From what I did remember, the food there was incredible. It turned out this date-gone-wrong actually gave me the chance to discover an authentic Mexican restaurant right here in Lansing. Silver lining? I’d say so!

Since it had been a minute, I knew I needed to brush up on my Pablo’s menu. And so, with better company this time, I made the venture back to this Lansing gem.

The first time I ate at Pablo's the weather was nice and warm, so we dined outside and I didn’t get to see the restaurant’s interior. This second time, however, it was January in Michigan, so eating inside was the only option. It’s pretty simple inside, but they do have some nice artwork to jazz it up a bit. 

A nice perk about Pablo’s is that they serve breakfast all day, so if you’re craving eggs at 4 in the afternoon, you can get it. The only thing the menu was missing that I was hoping to get this time is Ceviche, so that was a bummer. My first time there I got the veggie burrito, so naturally, I wanted to try something else. This time I got the steak fajitas. I rarely eat meat but was in the mood for it this time. While the fajitas were good, the meat was pretty fatty so I really didn’t eat much of it at all. I’d say between the two, my preferred menu choice would be the veggie burrito. I mean, it was so good it stayed on my radar months later. 


Coming soon…

I’m going back to California next month for a visit and can’t wait to find new things in my former home to share with you – and maybe even some old favorites! From South Orange County to Los Angeles, it’s a long overdue reunion with one of the places I love most. 

Despite being a portion of the trip that featured my other favorite sight in Ireland, the city of Cork itself was underwhelming and frankly, super sketchy. I got off the bus from Galway only to realize I won’t be going out at night while I’m here. Keep that in mind: if you stay in Cork city, make plans outside of it. 

I walked up the steep hill to Sheila’s Hostel. I couldn’t tell you who Sheila is, but she might want to update the place a bit. As I walked inside, thoughts of The Shining kept creeping into my head. I thought I'd legit run out screaming if I happened to come across a pair of child twins. "What the 'redrum' is going on here?" I kept asking myself. There’s something truly creepy about these older buildings, and this was definitely my least favorite of the hostels. They didn’t have lockers in the rooms. Instead, you could rent one on the bottom floor, so basically, I had to run up and down four flights of stairs anytime I needed to grab something from my locker. It was a great workout but a pain in the butt. I was only here two nights though, so at least it was a short stay. 

The good news is that the two places I was planning to check out weren’t actually in the city of Cork anyway. My first full day I went to see the famous Blarney Castle. In addition to the Cliffs of Moher, this was one of my favorite places I saw on the trip. I really lucked out in terms of weather. It was a perfect, sunny day. 

I took the 215 city bus for just under 3 euros over to the village of Blarney where the castle is at. To see the castle and grounds it’ll cost you 18 euros, and I’m telling you it’s totally worth it. Once you pay, you have free range to explore. The castle itself is surrounded by these incredibly beautiful gardens that’ll leave you feeling as if you wandered into a fairy tale. 

My first stop was the castle itself. I first checked out some caves below the castle. While a cool experience, if you’re claustrophobic, avoid them. There's only one way in and out too, so you definitely get up and close and personal with your fellow travelers.

After that, I went up and throughout the castle. It’s one of the biggest castles I saw in Ireland. Now, if you’re wondering about the Blarney Stone, you’ll find it at the very top. I was fortunate that it wasn’t a busy travel season, so while the line to kiss the Blarney Stone may usually be very long, this time around it was a really quick wait. For reference, my trip was at the end of September and into the beginning of October. 

Kissing the Blarney Stone is just one of those things you have to do in Ireland, but even the adventurer in me got a little nervous while doing it. They lay you down and push you over the edge at the top of this massively high castle. You’re there looking down at the ground below, then they tell you to lift your head and kiss the stone. The thing is though, you have to lean far enough over the edge to be able to it, so you’re counting on these people to not let go. One slip up and it’s a big ol’ Blarney splat. I will say it was a memorable kiss to say the least. 

I then made my way into the gardens. It’s such a pretty area that it truly takes your breath away, and I don’t doubt that it was even more stunning with the sun out. Also on the grounds is the Blarney House, which looks like a castle itself, but rather one from the 1700s. In the high tourist season you can even go inside the house, but unfortunately it was closed until spring. 

While I may have been lucky with the weather my first full day in the Cork area, my second day was the complete opposite.  I got up early and my plan was to visit the seaside town of Cobh. Not only was it known for having a beautiful cathedral, but it was also where the Titanic made its final stop before heading out to sea. I had also heard there was a Titanic museum there as well that I was hoping to see. 

I couldn’t help but notice the clouds setting in as I was on the bus to Cobh and like clockwork, then came the rain – and plenty of it. I got off the bus and was hit with heavy winds, cold weather, and rain. I walked over to Cobh Cathedral while simultaneously trying not to get blown out to sea. What was initially meant to just be a sightseeing stop, became a literal shelter from the storm.

The church itself was beautiful inside. Catholic churches are definitely known for having some exquisite architecture. There were a few other people inside but other than that it was pretty empty. I gave myself a good 20-25 minutes inside there, hoping the storm would let up a bit. After all, I didn’t want to spend my entire day inside there. No such luck. The rain seemed to get heavier and the winds stronger as the morning went on. Oh well. I figured I’ll fight it out and still walk around the town. Not even 10 minutes out in the elements and I was soaking wet, shivering, and utterly miserable. I decided my trip to Cobh was going to be much more brief than I anticipated. I went back to the bus stop and headed back to Cork city. I soon realized the rain was going to remain for the rest of the day, but I also didn’t want to stay cooped up in my hostel. I hit up a coffee shop to do some writing and checked out shops in the area. I was still soaking wet and cold, so I figured I could at least treat myself to a nice warm sweater. 

I eventually made it back to the hostel on haunted hill as I began referring to it, where I got to meet one of my roommates. She is from Ireland and was in Cork for a short visit. It was really cool talking with her because I got to learn more about the history between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. While I knew about it somewhat, hearing about it from her and the real-life ramifications that Irish people have experienced was incredibly poignant to listen to. It’s easy to get caught up in seeing new places, but some of the most memorable moments are the people you meet and learn from while you're there. 

The next morning it was time to head back to Dublin for one more day of exploring and of course, an epic final night out in Ireland. Stay tuned for the final portion of my Ireland adventure...