Why We Love Tanaka Farms' Pumpkin Patch in Irvine!

Do you love all things Halloween? Well, Orange County offers a ton of family-friendly things to do to keep you busy all month long. Here's one of our favorite things to do - a visit to Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch! Take a wagon ride around a real working farm, watch a pumpkin launch from a cannon, try to find your way out of a corn maze, visit the animals in the Petting Zoo, pick your own vegetables, find the perfect pumpkin, and more!

U-Pick Vegetables

My kids love picking their vegetables at Tanaka. They were able to pick carrots, onions, radishes, and green beans right out of the ground. I love that they get to see vegetables in their natural environment, and for some reason, they will actually taste them after a good wash. U-Pick Vegetables are $2.99/lb, but if you purchase the group rate, it includes 4 per vegetable. Look for fun little signs that will tell you how to properly pull them out of the ground.

FREE: Annual Pumpkin Launch with Discovery Cube is November 7th! #DiscoveryCubeMoms AD

This is a sponsored post. #DiscoveryCubeMoms

Join Discovery Cube at Cal State Fullerton for their annual Pumpkin Launch on Saturday, November 7th from 10 AM to 2 PM! Bring your family and lawn chairs to watch teams compete by launching pumpkins in the air and across the field. There will be hands-on and interactive activities and challenges, gourmet food trucks, and more!

Happy Brick-or-Treating at LEGOLAND Party Nights! #BrickorTreat

Disclosure: We attended as media.

LEGOLAND California's Brick-or-Treat Party Nights, presented by Shutterfly, brings a full evening of Halloween fun LEGO-style! What is it exactly? Starting at 5pm, the LEGO theme park in Carlsbad, CA transforms itself into a big Halloween Party which includes rides, lives shows, dance parties, costume contests, several trick-or-treat stations including candy carts throughout the park, and of course, LEGO building stations! A special event ticket is required.

New this year is Candy Quest which is located at the Adventurers' Club in Fun Town. It's kind of like a kid-friendly haunted house with non-scary monsters that do silly things and you get treats. See the mummy waving? (Watch the short video at the end to see more). Also new is a Fall Festival with Pumpkin Patch Building, Blue-grass style music, and interactive Storytelling located at FRIENDS Heartlake City.

It's All About GARLIC This Month at STACKED @FoodWellBuilt #foodwellbuilt

Garlic Lovers, Rejoice! Stacked Food Well Built has a featured menu this month to celebrate the love of Garlic! I took the family for a menu sampling, and my taste buds were like, "Oh yessss!" and "Who cares if I have garlic breath, because it's all yummy!" PLUS it's perfect this month for fending off vampires. One of my favorite thing on the menu is their Garlic Parmesan Bacon Burger which has an Angus beef patty topped with roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and creamy herb dressing on a brioche bun. Delicious!

If you've never been to Stacked before, they have a unique ordering concept where you can customize your order via tabletop iPads and send it to the kitchen when you are ready. For example, if you want to build your burger from scratch or if you want a featured item but prefer a different bun or cheese, hold the tomatoes, or whatever you want, you can do it at the ease of your fingers, because you control what goes on your food. We love it!

What's Inside the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood?

Do you love watching movies and learning about film production? Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank, California is a great way to go behind-the-scenes to do just that and see live sets currently in production for TV plus more! Some of my blogger friends and I were invited to go on the tour last week, and we went to also check out the Horror Made Here exhibit currently in Stage 48.

Online reservations are highly recommended. Tours depart every 30 minutes. We had to reschedule a few times because the tour times we wanted were sold out. Because there are lots to see, plan to spend a good morning or a full day here. We were first divided up into groups before we watched a short introductory film, then we all jumped on a tram.

OC Zoo's Halloween Zoo-tacular Saturday 10/31 (10-4pm) | Only $2 per person! #oczoo

I love that Orange County has so many fun things to do with the family for Halloween. Here's another one. On Halloween Day, OC Zoo in Irvine Regional Park is hosting a Halloween Zoo-tacular event from 10 am to 4 pm. Guests ages 12 and under can trick-or-treat through the OC Zoo and go on a scavenger hunt. There will also be fall-themed crafts, games, and photo ops. The OC Zoo animals will receive special treat-filled pumpkins and special Halloween goodies throughout the day.

PLUS Be one in the first 100 children in costume to receive a special free holiday surprise!

Art of Pasta Menu at BRIO Tuscan Grille @BrioItalian #BRIOTuscanGrille

October is National Pasta Month and BRIO Tuscan Grille is celebrating with “The Art of Pasta” Menu! After much tasting, the top three pastas were selected from a nationwide competition where chefs from BRIO’s 62 locations submitted their pasta creations. I love pasta, and I couldn't wait to take my family to sample their menu at the Irvine Spectrum location. Available now through October 29th (Sunday through Thursdays) for $19.95, guests can order a 3-Course Meal which includes a salad, a chef-inspired featured pasta, and dessert!

1st Course - SALAD! 

Choose from their BRIO Chopped Salad which includes chopped greens, tomatoes, black olives, red onion, cucumber, Feta, and a red wine vinaigrette; Caesar Salad; OR Bistecca Insalata which is a lettuce wedge served with Gorgonzola, bacon, tomatoes, and creamy Parmesan dressing.

BRIO Tuscan Grill's Bistecca Insalata

You're Invited! Join Me at CosmetiCare Moms VIP Event on 11/5! Plus a Giveaway! AD

This is a sponsored post. #CosmetiCareMoms

You may have noticed that I'm one of the nine CosmetiCare Mom Ambassadors this year. It just means that I get to try out some of the latest preventative beauty care and non-invasive procedures, and then I write about my experiences. If you're curious as to what MedSpa at CosmetiCare is all about, please join me at our CosmetiCare VIP Party on Thursday, November 5th! 

Beauty Begins With Knowledge.

Get an insider's look into CosmetiCare’s six signature rooms, learn more about noninvasive beauty treatments through demonstrations of techniques to correct wrinkles, loose and sagging skin, uneven tone and pigmentation, rosacea and more. Here's an example of what's available to you that night:

DEAL: Gift Card Sale at Albertsons and Safeway #ALBSWYFall10 Plus a Giveaway!

This is a sponsored post written by me for Tatu Digital Media.

Do you like to stock up on Gift Cards when they go on sale? I used to stress out over birthdays and holidays to find the perfect gift, but now that I have kids of my own, I like to give Gift Cards especially when I'm pressed for time. I also like to give Gift Cards to teachers and relatives across the miles. What about buying gift cards before you shop or dine to save money? Sometimes I see Gift Cards go on sale at restaurants, and I am tempted to buy them after we order to use them the same day. Right now Albertsons and Safeway have them on Sale. Now through 11/3, savvy shoppers can double, or even triple dip on savings when they purchase select gift cards.You can save up to $19!

Outlets at Orange: Mission Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and The Outlets at Orange joins Susan G. Komen  with the fight against breast cancer with "Mission Pink®". Through various fundraising initiatives, Simon Mall will support Susan G. Komen along with the help of generous customers to guarantee a contribution of at least $250,000. Monies raised helps fund mammograms, outreach and education programs and fuel life-saving research.

Susan G. Komen's "Mission Pink" Wall of Strength. Photo courtesy of The Outlets at Orange. 

You'll see the Guest Services booth turn pink with pink accessories to honor National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Other planned activities include:

DINING: Monster #FrankNBurger and Walking Dead Sundae @FarrellsIsBack. IT'S ALIVE!

Do you have a monster appetite and love ice cream sundaes at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour? Well this month, Farrell's Frank 'N' Burger is ALIVE once again! We went in for a tasting, and it comes with a 1/2 lb. Angus patty with 2 beef franks, 2 strips of bacon, American cheese, a fried egg (oh yes), onion strings, jalapeños, Farrell’s sauce and a pickle Jacob's ladder for the win! It also comes with a side of French Fries. (I ordered mine with garlic fries.) I know it looks scary, but the only scary part is finishing it all by yourself!

Still hungry? Make it a combo and order their Fear The Walking Sundae of the Dead! With chocolate crunch and vanilla ice cream buried under "oozing" strawberry goo, hot "sludge", squirming gummy worms through a mound of whipped mud and Oreo dirt. Their description says it all, and it's perfect for the season!

What's Inside Discovery Cube OC's ECO Challenge Exhibits?

This is a sponsored post.  #DiscoveryCubeMoms

Have you played the Super Eco-Shopper Game and the Race to Recycle Game at the Discovery Cube Orange County? Both games are really fun and educational. My kids like to use the scanners, and we're racing to be the fastest sorter. Most recently I went to Discovery Cube OC to learn more about their ECO Challenge Exhibits and their partnership with OC Waste Management. As you may already know, the games are designed to help children learn to be mindful of what they put into the landfills. Let's take a closer look.

Discovery Market 

In Super Eco-Shopper Game, there are 6-Eco Games, 4-Games about Nutrition, and 1-Junior Eco (for ages 5 and under). The games are designed to be engaging and challenging while helping kids recognize the packaging labels when they see it. The idea is that the more they do it, the more they learn what they buy will end up in landfills.

For example, one of the question was, Scan which eating utensils are best for the environment. 
Options are: Plastic Utensils, Recycled Plastic Utensils, or Stainless Steel Utensils? (I got this wrong by the way.)

New Sensory-Friendly Performances at Segerstrom Center | Room on the Broom #SCFTA

Segestrom Center for the Arts is offering everyone a chance to enjoy a live performance of the arts with their new Sensory-Friendly Performance Series. These shows are designed for families with autism or sensory sensitivity. Here's what it means:

• There will be a reduction of sound levels (particularly loud or startling sounds.)
• There will be a reduction of overwhelming stage lighting.
• There will be low ambient lighting in the theater throughout the performance so patrons are able to see should they need to move around or exit the theater.
• Preparatory materials called Previsit Guides will be provided so you will know what to expect from the performance. Previsit Guides include pictures with simple captions. You can also download them here: www.scfta.org/Plan-Your-Visit/Sensory-Friendly/Previsit.aspx.
• The use of iPads or smart phones will be allowed during the performance if they are being used as a communication device.
• Designated break spaces will be available for those who might feel overwhelmed and need a break from the performance.

5 Things to Try at California Pizza Kitchen #NewCPK

It's National Pizza Month! Have you visited California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) recently? Most recently we went in to taste the new menu at CPK, and we noticed our location has made some nice updates to their fixtures. Here are five things to try at new CPK!

#1 - Throw Pizza Dough!

The manager came over and asked us if the kids wanted to go back to the kitchen and toss some dough around. As you can see from the smiles on their faces below, my boys had a great time making their own pizzas. I really want to try this next time for their birthday party, because their friends would love it, and who doesn't love pizza?

Get 20% OFF New @etniesKids Fall Collection Plus a Giveaway! #etniesStyle AD

This is a sponsored post.

Do your kids go through several shoes a year? Mine does. Whether they have outgrown their shoes, or it has been thrashed from all that playing, I am always shopping for new shoes. etnies, known for their skate shoes, sent us some of their Marana Kids to try, and we are loving them.

etnies Marana Kids in Black/Black. 

Because I had already bought new shoes for the school year, my kids have two options every morning. Guess which one they now grab? Yes, it's their new etnies Marana Kids! I waited a couple of weeks after I observed them playing on the playground in the morning. They are on scooters and tricycles, swinging, climbing, and running all over. They are rough with their shoes!

Review: RAYMONDA by the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra at Segerstrom #SCFTA

Disclosure: Our writer, Carolina Gonzalez, attended a media preview.

____________

Raymonda by the Mariinsky Ballet opened the 2015– 2016 International Dance Series at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts with brilliant artistry. It was Girls Night Out with my mom and her friend. As I have mentioned on previous posts, my mom and I love ballet, and I used to dance ballet so I felt honored to witness history in dance form and come face-to-face with a world-renowned dance company. 

Segerstrom Center - Mariinsky Ballet's Raymonda - Photo by Valentin Baranovsky 

This ballet was exquisite! Every dancer that performed that night added a touch of beauty to every step they took and variation they performed. The Mariinsky Ballet is much known for how much effort they make to present their legs, arms, heads and even fingers. Each hand movement complemented the music that was being performed by the excellent Mariinsky Orchestra. The music played by the Orchestra really made the whole ballet come together in perfect harmony. The most majestic backdrops brought this ballet to life. The chandeliers hanging from the theater’s ceiling looked so realistic. I was really impressed with how effortlessly every set change was executed. Bravo! The costume design was spectacular as it was filled with rich colors and elegant fabrics which lived up to the Mariinsky Ballet name. 

25th Anniversary HOME ALONE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION Plus a Gift Set Giveaway!

Do you just love watching Home Alone during the holidays? Eight-year-old Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) was so cute back then as he defends his home from the home burglars, the Wet Bandits, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern). I have seen it several times, and the humor never gets old! This Christmas, ring in the holiday season as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment celebrates the 25th Anniversary of HOME ALONE with an ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION now available on Blu-ray and DVD!

All Day Breakfast Perfect Pairings at McDonald's! #AllDayBreakfast AD

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for McDonald's. #alldaybreakfast

If Breakfast is your favorite meal of the day, gone are the days you have to check for the time to see if you missed the breakfast cut-off at McDonald's, because it's now All Day Breakfast! Providing breakfast all day has been a top request at McDonald’s, and now it's a reality! The other day, the family and I went for Brinner and had fun with all the different combinations now available to us. Did you ever think it was possible to order French Fries with your Sausage Egg McMuffin? Well now it's possible thanks to All Day Breakfast!

Ticket Giveaway: EEK! At the Greek! Sat, 10/24/15

EEK! At the Greek! featuring Symphony In The Glen returns for their 5th Annual Halloween celebration at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 24th! Presented by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, this year Actor Armin Shimerman from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will join Maestro Rubinstein and the orchestra to narrate Edgar Allen Poe’s Gothic masterpiece, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

This family-friendly event will feature the 60-piece Symphony In The Glen Orchestra with Maestro Arthur B. Rubinstein with a creepy collection of frightening favorites including Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” “Ghost Riders in The Sky” with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, John Williams’s “The Devil’s Dance” from The Witches of Eastwick and actor, Armin Shimerman narrating Edgar Allen Poe’s Gothic masterpiece, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

 Plus a Trick-Or-Treat Village in the plaza prior to the performance.

Review: Disney's The Lion King Musical @SegerstromArts #LionKingMusical

You may have noticed that I was at Press Night of Disney's The Lion King Musical with my son. I've seen it many years ago when it first came to Los Angeles in 2000. It was amazing then, and still wonderful today. Everyone remembers The Lion King, but imagine life-sized elephant puppetry and rhinos coming down the aisles of Segerstrom Hall while they sing "Circle of Life". It was such a beautiful performance and the rest is nothing but amazing as well.

Patrick R. Brown as Scar, Nick Cordileone as Timon and Ben Lipitz as Pumbaa, Lionesses Dance in
THE LION KING National Tour Copyright Disney Photo Credits Joan Marcus

Young Simba (Tre Jones) and Young Nala (Mikari Tarpley) are really cute. Rafiki (Mukelisiwe Goba) is amazing and funny. Patrick Brown makes the perfect Scar. I also enjoyed watching Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa, Aaron Nelson as Simba, and Nia Holloway as Nala. Timon (Nick Corileone) and Pumbaa (Ben Lipitz) are hilarious.

Tshidi Manye The Tree of Life from THE LION KING National Tour Copyright Disney
Photo Credit Joan Marcus

Face Your Darkest Fears at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor 2015!

Disclosure: I went to a media preview.

It is no surprise that the unrested come out to play at the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. The legendary Queen Mary in Long Beach is full of history and has an eerie past. It has seen the Great Depression, World War II, and was the heyday of transatlantic travel during the late 40’s and 50’s. This historic vessel has been converted into a haunted playground for spirits, ghouls, and freaks! I am always up for a scare, but boarding this ship was my biggest nightmare ever…. Yikes!

Giveaway! New Ensaladas at Del Taco!

There are three new handcrafted salads at Del Taco, and we got to try them! These made to order salads are priced at $5.49 and under 600 calories! Each has made from scratch pico de gallo, hand sliced avocado, and comes with cilantro pepita ranch dressing. Learn all about them below and enter for a chance to win a gift card below!

New Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad!

Featuring grilled marinated chicken, sliced Hass avocado, hand-chopped bacon, handmade pico de gallo salsa, chopped cilantro, and house-made tortilla chips served with romaine & iceberg lettuce and their new cilantro pepita ranch dressing. Only 590 calories!

What's New for Knotts Spooky Farm 2015! Plus Insider Tips!

Looking for a Halloween Event fun for the whole family? Over the weekend we attended a media preview of Knott's Spooky Farm in Buena Park. Weekends in October, children can dress up and play all day at Knott's Berry Farm's daytime non-scary Halloween Celebration! Activities new this year includes Ghost Town Treat Stops, Spooky Hollow Maze, Monster Masquerade Ball, and a Creepy Crawler Cabin. There's also a Snoopy's Costume Contest and Dance Party and "Monsters are Coming Charlie Brown" Show! You'll get all this and access to all the rides! Check out my tips below! 

7-Day Switch Up Challenge with Viva® Vantage®! 7DaySwitchUp AD

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Viva® Vantage®.

Most recently I was at an event to learn more about the stretchy-strength of Viva® Vantage® paper towels which was recently named a 2015 Product of the Year. The ladies and I watched a demonstration over brunch. It was fun, and I was amazed with some of the things it can do!

We watched Stephanie wash grapes and ran it under running water on the towel then dried it without a colander. It was so strong and held up! I really liked that there were no extra dishes to wash. I also watched her scrub a champagne glass, then dried it with a paper towel for a streak-free shine. It was an interactive demonstration as we talked about the many different uses at home.

Ticket Giveaway to VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things Tour - Anaheim 10/23!

Join Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber and all of their Veggie friends in a new production as they arrive at the City National Grove of Anaheim on Friday, October 23, 2015 for their VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things tour!

LITTLE KIDS DO BIG THINGS!

VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things feature live performances of Veggie silly song favorites like The Hairbrush Song, I Love My Lips, and Big Things Too as well as other VeggieTales greatest hits. VeggieTales promotes values and lessons kids use for a lifetime such as telling the truth, sharing and forgiveness.

Going into the Fog at Knott's Scary Farm 2015!

Most recently a group of us felt brave enough to enter "the fog" at Knott's Scary Farm during media preview night. On select dates in October, Scary Farm brings out monsters and opens up mazes for all to enjoy Plus all the rides are open too!

Walking through the thick fog in Ghost Town causes anxieties, because you never know what's in the fog lurking and waiting for you. Somehow the monsters just sense fear. Other scare zones include CarnEVIL at The Boardwalk, Fiesta De Los Muertos in Fiesta Village, and NEW for 2015- The Deadly 7 which is park wide! 

Gate Opens at 7 PM! 

Of course, to make the most of the night, you want to be there right when the park opens at 7 pm. There are 11 mazes to cover in 6-7 hours depending on what night you end up going. Yes, monsters will await at the gate. If you're scared, get going and leave that area as soon as possible! If you're lucky, they don't see you and start chasing after you!

Show Review of National Acrobats of China: PEKING DREAMS #SCFTA

We attended as media to preview Peking Dreams performed by Beijing's National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa. The acrobatic acts were incredible and amazing to watch! There was less theatrical and showmanship extras, but instead we watched in awe by the incredible abilities displayed by these amazing individuals. 

Segerstrom Center for the Arts - The National Circus and Acrobats of The People's Republic of China
Peking Dreams - Photo courtesy of CAMI 

Tasting at Maro Wood Grill in Laguna Beach #GigaSavvy

Most recently I attended a Tasting Event at Maro Wood Grill with Giga Savvy. We were in for a delicious evening as this Argentinean Restaurant had us in a food coma by the end of the night with 12 offerings by "The Pass". Chef Debra said it best, "Everything is kissed with the wood grill, organic, and grass fed."

We started with warm Mushrooms & Spinach Empinadas, Mesquite-Grilled Edamame with rock salt, and Wood Grilled Green Beans. Something about the grill, added extra flavor to common dishes. Their Mushroom Ceviche with grilled sourdough had a hint of heat and the mushrooms were tender. We also sampled a Grilled Fennel and Fig Salad, Wood Grilled "Oysters Rockerfeller" with burnt lemon wedge, and Ricotta Noquis and Grilled Tomatoes. Did you know it's a Argentinean tradition to eat noquis together on the 29th of each month? It had a nice texture, and everything thus far was absolutely tasty and delicious.

Disney's THE LION KING Musical is Coming to Segerstrom Center! 10/6-11/1 #LionKingMusical

We will be attending as Press. 

I have been waiting for this! Disney’s THE LION KING returns to Orange County October 6th through November 1st! In 2010, the show's three-week engagement at Segerstrom Hall was sold-out! Winner of six 1998 Tony Awards®, THE LION KING won Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan), and Best Direction of a Musical.

Tshidi Manye The Tree of Life from THE LION KING National Tour
Copyright Disney Photo Credit Joan Marcus

THE LION KING also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.

Season Ticket Giveaway! Play #Minecraft in a Theater via @JoinSuperLeague! #JoinSuperLeague #SuperLeagueGaming AD

This is a sponsored post.

Does your kid(s) love Minecraft? Mine do! Now they can play in a movie theater setting with other Gamers that love it too! Super League, the first in-theater video game league, is coming back to SoCal, and they're hosting a 6 week after-school league for players 6-18 years old!

Minecraft is a popular game about breaking and placing blocks.This educational and addictive game can now be enjoyed on a BIG screen for a social, fun, and interactive learning experience thanks to Super League.  Super League takes it one step further by assigning participants to teams of 4-7 where they work together towards a common goal. This is a great opportunity for parents to get their gamer kids out of the house for a night of interactive gaming.

Coming to Los Angeles Area! 

Starting October 6th, Super League Gaming is hitting multiple theaters in the LA area to bring together Gamers. Most players are 6-18 years old, but all Minecraft players are welcome.

Pumpkin Patch Highlights at Irvine Park Railroad #IrvineParkRR

Disclosure: We attended a media preview. All opinions are our own.

Fall has arrived and one of my favorite places to visit is now open - the Irvine Park Railroad's Pumpkin Patch at Irvine Regional Park! It is the perfect place to visit to take pictures of your children surrounded by pumpkins or with a different body as they stick their head in different picture stands (scarecrows, monsters, skeletons, etc). 

The maze and the Haunted House are free to visit. My children love to run in the maze and chase each other. The haunted house is fairly small so even the children who are scared of the dark can go in and out without being too spooked.