Jump Back Ball: We Went Back to the Future

This past Saturday, Playhouse Square played host to the 24th annual Jump Back Ball. The theme this year was Back to the Future-- lots of Doc's and Marty's and even one DeLorean. I had a really fun time hanging out with friends and seeing people I don't get to see very often. In fact, I had a little TOO much fun- note to self: Gin + bubbles will result in no good.

This year, I wore a red Badgley Mischka from Rent the Runway, and of course, lots of sparkle. My bracelet is the Stella & Dot Petra and my ring and earrings are from H&M.

And now, some pictures from our evening!

Clockwise from top left: Nick, Dave and Rich; a mini Miami reunion, posing with Jessi and KK, lovely ladies Charity, Lisa and Kelly

Clockwise from top left: Allison, Christina and Charity, selflies with Jessi, Renee (who is one of my favorite instructors at Harness), the adorable Rebecca and Adam.

From left: with Clefashionista Rachel, Prom posing with Nick

Clockwise from top left: Another pic with Kelly and Lisa, the part of the night when things started to go very wrong :) (damn you champagne bar!!), Jessi and Liz, and yet another selfie to round out the night!

Overall, another fun Jump Back Ball! I know that the Playhouse Square Partners team will be thinking of themes for Jump Back Ball 25, and I would love to see a nautical theme (glamor like the Titanic, but without the sinking, or even pirates!!), or a Superheroes and Supervillians theme, or even old Hollywood glamor!

And while I recover from my hangover today, I'm already looking forward to next year!!

Disclosure: I was offered one ticket in exchange for helping spread word about the event. As always, all opinions are my own, and based on my own experience. Thank you for continuing to support posts like this one! 

Go Back…. To the Future

Happy Monday!! Today is a BIG day because its JUMP BACK BALL KICKOFF DAY!!! Its no secret that Jump Back Ball is my most favorite party of the winter-- the thought of it really helps get me through the inevitably bitterly cold February, and honestly, helps me keep my New Years diet on track.

This year was such a great theme, I really doubted that PlayhouseSquare Partners could do better, and then they released the theme for 2015….

I mean, are you kidding me?!?!!? The possibilities with this theme are ENDLESS!!!! So, if you want to participate, you will need to get a Jump on getting tickets (pun intended), and the best place to do it is this evening at Hofbrauhaus anytime between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Last year, Jump Back sold out in 10 days…. DON'T WAIT. You don't want to be that person trying to find tickets on Facebook and Twitter in February.

Jump Back Ball Ticket Kickoff Pricing:

$130 Partners / $165 Non-Partners
Ticket limits apply

Public: 2 Non-Partners tickets per person

Partners*: 2 Partners tickets and 2 Non-Partners tickets per membership 

Ticket prices go up by $15 + shipping/handling on Tuesday.

And, if you bring a new, unused personal care item to do be donated to Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland you will be entered into a raffle to win:

1. Overnight stay at the Wyndham the night of Jump Back Ball
2. VIP upgrade for yourself and a guest
3. Loge tickets to upcoming performances at PlayhouseSquare

See you this evening!!

Disclosure: I was provided with one ticket to Jump Back Ball to help spread the word about the event. I absolutely ADORE this event, and am delighted to have the opportunity to support it. I thank you for your supporting this blog that allows me to do things like this! As always, all opinions are 100% my own. XO

Jump Back Ball 2014

This past Saturday, Nick and I joined our friends for our 4th Jump Back Ball in a row. If you recall, the tickets for this event sold out astonishingly fast-- in less than two weeks!!! I'm not sure, but if I were to guess, the appeal of the James Bond theme was just too much to resist.

As I've done with most special events lately, I started out my afternoon with an appointment with Carolina at Tease. Carolina totally gets me-- I take her a bunch of seemingly disparate pictures and she always turns them into a style I adore!! This time I gave her the extra challenge of saying I didn't want a whole lot of pins, and she LITERALLY SEWED MY HAIR INTO PLACE. It didn't' move all night, or even the next day (as you will see in the pictures that follow).

To start off the night, Nick and I took a cab (why don't we have uber?!) to Cowell and Hubbard to grab and early dinner.

My handsome date looking very bond-esque. 

The beginning of the end….

After dinner, we convened to Lisa and Kelly's room for some mingling and bubbs….

Sean and Matt looking dapper as always!

Our lovely hostesses both beautiful in gorgeous beaded dresses.

We headed over to Playhouse Square shortly after 8 pm to join in the festivities. I didn't really do a great job taking pictures (at this point I had consumed a martini, and a couple of glasses of bubbs) but my dress is a fuchsia chiffon J.Crew (other colors available on sale here), and I accessorized with earrings I wore on my wedding day, and this stunning Stella and Dot bracelet.

There was a lot of dancing, and drinking, and at some point I confiscated Donna's Pharrell hat cutout (I apologized on Sunday), but I was having a ridiculously fun time

Above: Allison and Kelly

Below: Allison mid-squeal

And then towards the end of the night, things started to get blurry and Nick and I (and my aching feet) cabbed it back home :)

I wish I could tell you about the bands or the food, but I was honestly having so much fun with friends, that I wasn't really paying attention to details. However, if you are interested in those details, you should read Kimberly's blog post. 

The next morning, I woke up none-too-worse for wear, and promptly headed to a Jump Back debrief brunch wearing my hair unaltered from the previous night. See, I told you it held up pretty well?!

Overall, another fun Jump Back Ball (possibly my most favorite one so far!) Sean has a fabulous idea for a theme next year, and I really really really hope the committee uses it!!

Disclosure: I was an official blogger for Jump Back Ball and received one free ticket to the event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own! 

The name's Bond...James Bond (The Jump Back Ball 23 Kickoff Party)

Let's take a moment to admire these handsome men. Now, lets take a moment to think of February in Cleveland. What do these things have in common? The 23rd Annual Jump Back Ball!!! Ever since my first Jump Back Ball (the 20th), I have been completely obsessed with this event!! 21 and 22 did not disappoint either, and since I absolutely LUUUURVVEE the theme for 23, I'm sure it will exceed all expectations. If you haven't figured it out by now, the theme for the 23rd Jump Back Ball on February 22, 2014 is Shaken Not Stirred, an homage to the 23 Bond films that exist to date!!

So, if you want tickets to this incredible event, I highly suggest you make your way over to The Jump Back Ball Kickoff Party this Thursday! You may be going "oh, February is so far away! I can wait!", and I am here to tell you that you really shouldn't because
(a) last year the event sold out less than 30 days after the kickoff party, and
(b) the kickoff party offers the LOWEST prices for these highly coveted tickets. The tickets are $150 each, $115 if you are a Playhouse Square Partner. VIP tickets are $200, and the exclusive VIP tickets get you into the party early and also get you some fabulous food catered by Dante!

The details for the Kickoff event:
When: Thursday, November 7th, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Cibero Privado (the private room at Cibero, at 1438 Euclid Avenue)

Hope I see you there!! Now, in the mean time, I'm going to check out some iconic Bond girls and figure out which one of them is going to inspire my outfit for Jump Back Ball 23!!

Disclosure: I am receiving one ticket to attend this event due to a partnership to promote this event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. 

We Jumped Back Two Spaces (The JBB 2013 recap)

This year was my third consecutive year in attendance of Jump Back Ball at PlayhouseSquare. Each year, Jump Back Ball teaches me important lessons.
In 2011 I learned: Don't drink gin all night. Nothing good will come of it.
In 2012 I learned: Don't wear heels higher than 3 inches. Platforms are great.
In 2013 I learned: NEVER wear a dress with a train.

With that, let's get to the bit that everyone is waiting for, the pictures....

This series was taken on stage, which was decorated in the theme of Candyland. I HATE using flash, so these pictures were taken in the natural light of the theatre...

The stage....

With Jessika, Michelle, and Allison

Sean and Matt (possibly the best dressed couple of the night), Jessika and Dave, your truly with N (I LOVE that he rocked a polka dot shirt)

Jen and Michelle 

L to R: (sorry, I don't know who this is!), Lisa, Tabitha, and Michelle

With Ginenne and Alexa 

Jessika, Lindsay, Joe G, Sean and Matt 

At some point N decided to try on Sean's glasses. I think he looks very dapper!!

For those who are curious, I wore an ABS dress, acquired on bluefly.com. My little clutch came  from India, and I'm wearing the earrings I wore when N and I got married. My bracelet is Prabal Gurung for Target, and even though you can barely see it, I'm wearing the Rebecca Minkoff pave ring that I first blogged about here.

Overall, it was yet another FABULOUS night at Playhouse Square. Major dress trends were sequins (LOTS AND LOTS OF SPARKLES!!), black and red. There were a few people in costume, but I would say that of the 3 years I've attended, this year probably had the fewest people who dressed the theme. Makeup wise, there were some great bold lips, and of course, no shortage of false eyelashes (myself included).



And at the end of the night, with a good buzz, and tired feet, N and I cabbed it home to this....

Can't wait to do this all over again next year!!!!!


Disclosure: As a blogger for Jump Back Ball I received one complimentary ticket to attend the event, and purchased a second one for N. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Happening THIS Weekend (I'm VERY excited)

Its FINALLY here!!! After what seems like an eternity of waiting, Jump Back Ball is FINALLY happening this Saturday!! I have my outfit planned-- the only other thing I have to do is decide which pair of shoes I'm going with (I have two equally comfortable pairs) and how much arm candy I'm going to wear (restraint is overrated).

That said, if you missed out on tickets to Jump Back Ball (or if its just not your thing), there's another awesome event happening this weekend-- Ripple Fest. Hosted by the Foundation for Community Betterment at the 78th St. Studios, the night features some of the City's most beloved and talented comedians (Factory of Sadness? Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video?) and musicians. The fun begins at 6:00 pm on Saturday, and presale tickets, available until 6 pm tonight are ONLY $18!!!! Tickets and more info available HERE!!!

And last, but certainly NOT least, this Sunday is THE OSCARS, and at 7pm, for the first time ever (I'm so excited!!!) I will be joining NewsChannel5 anchor Chris Flanagan and Q102 host Jen Toohey to live chat OSCAR FASHIONS!!!!!!!!!!! As you might have noticed from my all Red Carpet tweets this Awards Season, I absolutely ADORE the Red Carpet, and never shy away from sharing my opinion, so I hope that you will join in the fun (but lets keep it classy)!!

Its time to get your tickets and Jump Back!

For long time readers of this blog, its no secret that I absolutely LUUUUURRVVEE Jump Back Ball. I honestly think it is THE best event in Cleveland. For newer readers, you can find out more about my JBB thoughts here, here, here and here, just to name a few.  2013 will mark the third consecutive year of attendance for N and I, and I CANNOT WAIT! Ever since the board game theme of "Jump Back 2 Spaces" was leaked on twitter earlier this year, I've been thinking outfits!!

I can't wait to see outfits inspired by some of these themes!

Well, TODAY marks the official kick-off for Jump Back Ball 22, with a happy hour at Market Garden from 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm. Its also your FIRST opportunity to score tickets to the event, AT A DISCOUNT! For tonight ONLY, tickets will be $135 ($110 for Playhouse Square Partners). Tomorrow, the ticket prices jump by $20 plus handling fees. I can tell you that this event has sold out for at least the past two years, so if you would like to go, please make sure you get your tickets EARLY!

If you're looking for more information, visit the Playhouse Square website.

And with that, Ladies & Gentlemen, I'M BACK to blogging since my post-Labor Day hiatus!!!! I've missed you!!!!

JBB 21 Recap: And we all went down the rabbit hole...

First off, a big thanks to Playhouse Square for choosing me as one of their Jump Back Ball bloggers this year. As you know from previous posts, I received 2 VIP tickets to the event in exchange for blogging about it. All opinions are 100% my own, but in short, I will say I had so much fun that I'm already planning for JBB 22 next year!!!

Now, before I start with the pictures, I have to say, there are many people whose pictures I didn't take, or if I did, they came out too blurry and/or not blog-worthy. So if you're a friend of mine, and your picture does not appear below, please please don't be offended. I loved all of your outfits! And with that, lets get into pictures, because let's face it, that's what you want to see.

The VIP hour (clockwise from top left): Gorgeous Shannon and her mister; the absolutely stunning Michelle (and to think she thought twice about getting that dress!) with @puckingoalie; N in his awesome top hat (he had a pocket watch and monocle) w. a very dapper Jason; and Shannon and I doing our very best prom poses. 

My most favorite dresses of the night (Clockwise from top left): Lisa in vintage (you can't see all the detail on Lisa's dress but the rhinestone detail was gorgeous!) with Michelle in Tadashi Shoji ; Jess (thank you for letting me pressure you into styling your look) in a gorgeous plum Michael Stars dress; Carli in gold BCBG, and Cort in Adrianna Papeli (I loved the color and asymmetrical hemline of this dress- it looked incredible in person, particularly when she moved). 

Other outfits I really liked: Alana with a friend (loved those colors); a group of 4 gorgeous ladies and I loved all their dresses; Cort, Allison, Seanski, and Danielle (sorry for mediocre lighting); and Reshae and Rich. 

One of the big trends of last night was the open back as you can see above.

N and I - I may be more than a little biased, but I think N was the best dressed guy there! The facial hair with the vest and accessories- perfect!!! 

Overall, I had an excellent night, and a not-too-terrible morning! You can be 100% certain that N and I will be back at JBB22- I can't wait to see what theme they come up with!!! I'm hoping to see more color next year ladies!!! 

Preparing for Jump Back Ball!

So I want to make some pre-Jump Back Ball comments following my turn as Tim Gunn this weekend:
1. Personally I prefer Michael Kors- I already have a natural perma-tan, and I can be a little snarky. That said, the words "pooping fabric" did not come out of my mouth in relation to either Allison or Alexa's dresses.
2. I will NOT be walking around JBB judging people for their outfits!! However, I will be taking lots of pictures in preparation for the "Best Looks of Jump Back Ball" post, so if I come up to you and ask you to let me take your picture, please please please let me do so!!
3. I've had my dress and shoes for a while, but I'm having a small crisis as far as my purse goes. I'm also completely undecided on jewelry, so that's going to be a game time decision. I'm leaving my hair in the capable hands of my stylist (I'm not giving her any direction), and I'm trying some new things with my makeup. Of course, I will share ALL of this with you on Monday!! Also, shockingly, I'm NOT wearing sequins!!!
4. If last year was any indication, Saturday is going to be an absolute blast. And no, I will NOT be drinking gin this year *shudder*
5.  For all those attending: I can't wait to hang out with you. Please don't drink and drive!!

Keep an eye out for my tweets from the event, and see you all on Monday!!!

Jump Back Ball: Discount Code and More outfit ideas

So, I've been waiting to do this post ever since I first heard about the Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass theme for Jump Back Ball. Perhaps you've taken a look at my outfit ideas and want to embellish them a little, or perhaps you already have an outfit, and are looking for a little something to add to it- something that reflects this incredible theme. Well, what better way to interpret the theme, and make a head-turning entrance, than with a fabulous hat?!?!

Top row: Red wool fascinator, Queen of Hearts mini top hat,  Custom Mad Hatter hat
Bottom row: House of Cards fascinator, Lace Bunny Ears, Classic mini Mad Hatter

I will hopefully be wearing a fascinator. I say "hopefully" because it all depends on how my hair ends up that day!!

In any case, I really hope I see you at Jump Back Ball this year! It is SUCH a fun event, and supports such a great cause that you REALLY should consider attending. If you haven't bought your ticket yet, I have good news!! For ONE DAY ONLY on Friday January 20, 2012, you can purchase your Jump Back Ball ticket for $165 (a $5 discount from the original price), AND NO HANDLING FEES. The promo code is LURVE. There is a limit of 4 tickets per order, and is valid ONLINE only. Tickets may be purchased by using THIS link.

In addition to all the fabulous Cleveland party people, there will be plenty of delicious nibbles and drink-worthy beverages (I really hope they do a special shot named "Drink Me"), and of course fabulous bands: This year's bands are Radioactive and Tricky Dick and the Coverups! Can't wait to see you there!!!

Disclosure: I received two VIP tickets to Jump Back Ball in exchange for blogging about the event. As always, all opinions are my own!! 

Jump Back Ball- How will you wear the theme?

Are you as excited about Jump Back Ball as I am? This year's event is coming up so fast, and I for one, can't wait!! As I've mentioned before,  its some of the best people watching around, and I can't wait to see what everyone wears!!  There really are no rules- cocktail attire is appropriate, but I really hope that women don't take their cues from last night's Golden Globe awards. BOOOORRRINNGGG. Nude dress after nude dress, with far too few flashes of color, the predominant one being blue. I just want to point out that I wore blue at New Year's Eve, so I'm patting myself on the back for effectively being ahead of the trend. LOL


Besides going with a cocktail dress, I thought I might highlight some ways to "wear" this year's Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass theme with a few dress options.

1. Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

2. Queen of Hearts

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

3. White Rabbit

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

4. And of course, Alice

Source: bluefly.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, there is still time, although tickets are selling fast. I will also have a very special discount code for my readers later this week, so stay tuned!!! 


I'm not planning to wear any of the outfits above (I already have mine), but if you're looking for something to wear and are stumped, feel free to click through the links and get any one of these- with the exception of the white sparkly one (which is around $225), the other dresses are all under $200. 

Disclosure: I'm receiving two tickets to Jump Back Ball in exchange for blogging about the event. As always, all opinions are my own.