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| me | Chloe O. Daily Juice - Dallas Pride 2014 |
eek! pride! although you might not be able to tell from this photo, this was the largest LGBT Pride Parade in Dallas historyyyyy [in #Tstory at least]. TONS of colorful people in costumes, floats from various restaurants, clubs and corporations, food, and coconuts! typically, i would document every inch of an event like this to give the full "ooo, ahhh, get ittt" experience here, but i did not this time. why? it was too damn hot outside i really wanted to just enjoy the experience. 95 degrees outside + tons of body heat = ang-trey. seriously. i loved the event, but useful shade [beyond what was thrown by the hundreds of drag queens] that kept you cool was hard to come by. beyond that, this was a memorable first experience - being in a crowd of people enjoying their lives as they are, not worried about any judgement whatsoever.
after we had our fill of fun and beads, it was time for some much needed refreshment [i drained my water bottle hours ago]. thankfully, Daily Juice was there for the rescue! this spot has a lot of healthy snack and drink options to fuel your day or help recover/replenish after a workout - Texas heat-wave in our case. why did we choose a 5$ coconut? well for one, the water bottle at the parade were also 5$ [which is just ridiculous], but coconut water is a supposedly more healthy and hydrating than water itself. now, i'm no expert paleo-science-food-health-subject-matter-expert, but i honestly could not tell a difference. i felt more "full" than hydrated. real talk: who cares. me and C were totes model status/brand repping that afternoon because e v e r y o n e [ok, like five people, since we're being real here] kept asking where we got them! that's really all that matters anyway. so although it may not quench your thirst, coconut water is sure to get you a little more attention - especially if you are drinking it straight from the source!
at the very end of the parade, there was a huge lawn concert to celebrate with a bang!we were too indecisive to get there in time for the real party, but we made it nonetheless! there was food, music, alcohol if you're into that [i'm not, but i heard the prices were reasonable. when i saw the price for water, i begged to differ]. truly an unwinding experience after a long day of shouting/jumping/walking.
overall, i had a blast and cannot wait for next year! check out my T-tips below to make the most of this event. and remember, although it is a LGBT parade, it is open to everyone - a rainbow card is not necessary to enter just be shirtless come enjoy the day!
T-Tips
- GET THERE EARLY - omg, parking was a nightmare! literally every non-tow-able nook and cranny, within a mile radius, was occupied for the parade. carpooling is also an extremely good idea
- there were paid garages and valet areas, but i refuse to pay for something that is usually free
- don't wear jeans - unless you are the dessert heat equivalent of an eskimo, you will want to wear light, breathable clothing. if you feel like wearing a bathing suit, no one will judge you [although you may receive a score from me, on a scale of 1 to 10]
- hat/sunglasses - again sun = hot
- carry cash - not all of the vendors there will accept le-plastique, especially if you are trying to buy a bottle of water [Daily Juice accepts all forms of payment - this is a sign to buy coconuts]
- same with the lawn party. only cash was accepted for the cover
- be prepared to rub against sweaty people - the sidewalks were packed to capacity, and getting through without touching someone was nearly impossible. just breath and utilize your cat-burglar/spy skills
- understand that the main road is blocked off, so if you are trying to cross over to the opposite side, be prepared to walk 1+ miles to the nearest open crossing
- attempt to sneak into the parade [we got close, but the parade had ended]
- if you don't have work the next day (this was on a Sunday) feel free to continue the party at any of the bars/clubs in the area. [i peaced out at sun-down]
- have fun!
