After lunch yesterday, I packed up my car and headed to Orlando for a weekend full of Jazzercise with my mom and sister at Tropic Heat, Jazzercise’s annual “On Location” event that includes lots of classes, DVD tapings and meet and greets with the head honchos of Jazzercise.
My mom has been an avid Jazzerciser for more than 20 years and bought tickets for all of us to attend.
I left Ocala after eating a quick lunch yesterday around 11:30 a.m. and had plans to do a little last-minute shopping in Orlando before meeting up with my mom and sister.
I nabbed a French vanilla iced coffee with skim milk from Dunkin’ Donuts for the 90-minute road trip.
I had the majority of my sister’s birthday gifts wrapped and ready (her birthday was Tuesday), but I wanted to scope out some things at Orlando’s Mall at Millennia since I was hoping to find some cute bangles to add to her gift.
While I was there, I stopped by Forever 21 on a whim and realized that I have outgrown that store both physically and mentally. I am officially too old, too big and too impatient for Forever 21. (I tried on a pair of shorts in a size large that were borderline pornographic.)
I browsed the accessories section for about two minutes and got the heck out of there.
Now, I moustache you a question….
What do you think of that Forever 21 necklace? (The things I will do for a lame pun. Seriously. I know no limits.)
I left the Mall at Millennia empty handed, but hit up Tutti Fruiti right outside of the mall for frozen yogurt before driving to our hotel.
My mom and sister beat me to the hotel by about 20 minutes and once I arrived we had a mini birthday celebration for my sister in our hotel room.
Christmas in June! We didn’t have any birthday wrapping paper on hand, so Santa made an appearance in honor of Leslie’s 23rd birthday.
Jazzercise Video Taping
Once she was done opening her gifts, we headed downstairs to the Jazzercise DVD taping.
The room was absolutely packed.
The DVD taping lasted from 4:30 to around 7 p.m., and we were there for about two hours, Jazzercising away! It was a lot of fun and I could tell my mom was on cloud nine.
The attendees were all decked out in Jazzercise apparel and you could tell they are Jazzercise fanatics. It was great to see so many people of all different skill levels, backgrounds, shapes and sizes doing something that’s so good for their physical and mental health while having an absolute blast.
Since I’m not a serious Jazzerciser myself and just go to classes here in there in St. Pete when I’m with my mom, I wasn’t sure if I’d feel awkward at the event, but I should’ve known better! Jazzercise really is one of the most inclusive group exercise classes I’ve ever experienced. It’s like Zumba in that everyone seems to want to workout, have fun and support each other. Plus, it can be catered to people at any fitness level which is great. During the taping, they had someone on stage doing the routine full-out, while another instructor did the lighter, low-impact version of the routine right beside them.
After the taping, the founder of Jazzercise, Judi Sheppard Missett, and her daughter Shanna, the current president of Jazzercise, were available for pictures but we didn’t want to wait in the crazy-long lines.
We were pretty darn hungry by the time we got back up to our hotel room and we decided to head out in our workout gear and get a casual dinner at Chipotle.
I ordered a vegetarian burrito bowl (when did they get brown rice!?) and loved every fresh and flavorful bite.
We spent the remainder of our night hanging out in our hotel room talking and watching the gymnastics Olympic Trials on TV. Holy cow, those girls are athletic. Watching the gymnasts reminded me of the “Magnificent Seven” 1996 U.S. gymnastics team with Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug and more. They were so fun to watch!
I’ll be back soon with a fun fashion-related giveaway!! Have a great weekend!
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I moustache you a question…. But I’ll shave it for later.
um, i love you.
I could eat Chipotle for every meal! I always get a chicken salad with veggies and instead of dressing, squeeze limes on top 🙂 It’s heavenly.
If you’re too big for F21, then I certainly am too! I know what you mean though… everything is so skimpy and kind of poorly made as well!
Looks like SUCH a fun day of Jazzercise, presents, and Chipotle! Happy birthday to Leslie!
I was a huge Mag 7 fan (and all other Atlanta ’96 stuff)! I loved Dominique Moceanu – I can remember reading her first book & am excited to read her new book.
i have to agree with you on forever 21… i’ve noticed that the past year or so too. every once in awhile i’ll find a cute top that i like, but even that is rare.
the jazzercise event looks like SO much fun!! quality sister and mom time for sure. 🙂
I was obsessed with the Magnificent 7! Especially Dominique Moceanu….I have her Devil Went Down To Georgia floor routine memorized to this day!
What a fun time! I LOVED the 1996 team. Dominique Dawes was my fave and my sister’s was Shannon Miller, so we always pretended to be them while we cartwheeled all around the room!
I had to laugh at the description of “Sultry Salsa”…Italian male instuctors? Count me in! 😉
I loved the Magnificent 7! A bunch of them trained in the city I grew up in (Cincinnati) and I saw a few of them from time to time while they were living there. On an unrelated note one of my friends is actually an alternate for an Olympic event this year! Crazyness! I am so excited for him!
Ha! I agree with you on the Forever 21! Never been able to fit into their stuff…they don’t like curves I’ve concluded. And the Jazzercise looks like it was a blast!
I moustache you a question, but I’ll shave it for later…
I am older than you but totally laughed at the Forever 21 comment because I absolutely know what you mean. 🙂
I am glad you guys are having such a fun time! It looks like great energy.
PS. Good to know on the brown rice…I will have to see if that is in WA.
What a fun event! We did a mustache bash for my son’s first birthday a couple weeks ago. That necklace would have been perfect! And I’m totally with you, the 1996 gymnastics team was amazing. I totally videotaped it, on a VHS 🙂
I am soooo jealous!!!! I did Jazzercise constantly my senior year of college, my best friend’s mom is an instructor! I miss it a lot, I couldn’t find a place here in Chicago with enough classes to fit my schedule. I even got my mom to join and now she goes about 4 times a week and loves it!
I was actually able to wear some Forever 21 stuff when I was pregnant but that was 4 years ago when the baby doll tops were in! I do find some cute little t’s there from time to time but for the most part it is a bust! The quality is what throws me off….I want to wear my clothes more than once!!
I didn’t know jazzercise had huge conferences like that – wow! Also I recently went to Chipotle and said the same thing, “when did they get brown rice?!?”
I think we all outgrow Forever 21…once we’re 22! Seriously, they picked their market right. I’m about 16″ too tall to wear any of their dresses or shorts, but weirdly their jeans not only fit but are the best thin-fabric, not-stretchy slim leg jeans I’ve found. Not skin-tight skinny, not too short or too long – and sometimes on sale for $8! But since the loud, crowded store gives me the hives, I order online.
Looks like such a fun day! I’m getting too old for Forevs too…but sometimes I’ll buy a cute dress online to avoid the crowds. I caught the gymnastic trials last night too and those girls are seriously incredible! The height they were getting during the floor exercises was mind boggling.
I love Jazzercise! I friend of mine is an instructor, and she had me take a free class one day. I was really expected it to be an easy workout, but it was actually a really great fun workout! Looks like you had a fun day. 🙂
Bahaha I mustache ask you a question! Priceless! I love your puns but ill shave it for later. Looks like you had a great time with your mom and sister. I never get rice on my burrito bowls. Im kind of weird. Have a great day
Have fun at the Jazzercise event! I’ve never tried it, but have a few friends who love it.
That looks like so much fun! Very jealous right now. Oh and I may or may not have laughed out loud at your mustache comment. I think we have the same sense of humor…
I was still young & doing gymnastics at the time of the Magnificent Seven and SO wanted to be one of them lol. I still enjoy watching gymnastics – they are amazing athletes 🙂
Jazzercise looked like fun!
I loved the Magnificent Seven. My mom recorded it for me because I wasn’t allowed to stay up an watch it. Shannon Miller lives in Jacksonville and I’ve seen her speak a few times. She’s incredible!
Hope you guys have a fun weekend! That sounds awesome! I’ve never done Jazzercise and will be curious to hear about how it goes!
Jazzercise is how my love, scratch that, obsession – with fitness classes started! I would go with my mom in high school and then when I was home for college breaks. This event looks like fun!
Oh Forever 21…sheesh! I agree…not my style anymore! I do remember getting lots of tops from there in college!
I started going to Jazzercise with my mom too- we always talked about going to an On Location event but never have! Dorky confession: I have some of the DVDs so when I saw your pics I was all starstruck “ohh Judi! Shanna!” Haha- hope you have a blast!
I do Jazzercise 4 times a week! I love it! My instructor from huntley il is in orlando right now. Have fun!
I’ve never tried jazzercise before, but I definitely would love to. All of my friend’s moms did it when we were in high school.
Leave it to you to find something remotely healthy at Chipotle haha My mom would also be on cloud nine at a jazzercise taping… we would have a blast at something like that! Have fun 🙂
I was obsessed with the Mag 7 back in the day (96 Atlanta, right?) and am super stoked that my coworker gave me free tickets to watch the final day of the women’s gymnastic trials tomorrow! Going to take lots of photos!
I’m 22 and already feel too old for Forever 21! That store is insane, and not in a good way. Looks like you had a great time at the Jazzercise event!
Do most gyms in the orlando area offer jazzercise classes? Looks so fun, I’d love to try it out! & I never knew Chipotle had a vegetarian burrito bowl, i’ll def. have to try that out! Have a fun girls weekend 🙂
Loved the post!! I am kind of getting over F21 too, but occasionally I can find a cute top. But it’s way overwhelming!!! I am going to invent a store that makes quality clothes for woman over 21 and still be affordable! That would be ideal!
Forever 21 makes me tired. I get so overwhelmed trying to look at all of their stuff! But I’ve found some good accessories there!
I LOVE the atmosphere of group fitness classes like Jazzersize! There’s something about completing a tough workout as a group that just can’t be achieved solo. It’s why I look forward to boot camp classes twice a week – the endorphin rush is so much better when experienced with others! Looks like you, your mom, and your sister had a blast.
Here’s my theory on F21: Once you start to want to keep your living space clean, you’re too old to shop at F21 stores. It’s too much like a messy bedroom!
I still love Forever 21, but I really have to be in the right mindset before I shop there. If you look hard enough you can find some really great stuff for really cheap!
Oh and I love olympic gymnastics! I caught a competition on tv a few days ago and i got so excited! I totally remember watching in 1996. I loved Dominique M. because she was so young! And of course that Kerri Strug vault. What an amazing moment of sports history!
Omg, I was looking on the main page of pinterest and this image popped up! I saw the 4th photo and became really excited because I was like I know who that is! That’s Julie from pbfingers! hahahaha 🙂
http://pinterest.com/pin/186477240790625087/
OMG! I’m only 5’1 and I tried on Large Forever 21 shorts and they were literally up my butt!! What is up with that?! Glad to know I’m not the only one… 🙂
Absolutely LOVE chipotle, especially their chipotle sauce. Started making it at home for on my salads. Delic.
Never heard of Forever 21. Have to check that out (Not that I’m anywhere near 21 anymore)
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