Sky Zone Torrance Fitness Expo & Grand Opening Tonight (4/20) and Tomorrow (4/21)

April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tonight, Sky Zone Torrance will host a fitness expo for adults and kids from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm where the Sky Zone fitness team will demonstrate the newly implemented exercise classes as well as provide information on SkyRobics, Bouncing Boot Camp, and other Core Training programs.  Also, Active Learning will be in tow to educate children on the importance of exercise and physical fitness.

On Saturday, April 21st, Sky Zone Torrance celebrates their Grand Opening with Kids Day from 12:00pm to 6:00pm! (Hours of operation are 10:00am to 12midnight) Along with all the high-flying action, Sky Zone will host fun activities including a face painter, balloon sculptor, and characature artist. Delicious food and tasty desserts will be provided for all the hungry jumpers too.

We were treated to a visit to Sky Zone two weeks ago.  It was an absolutely amazing experience.  The kids loved it.

There’s a Dodge Ball Court…

And bouncy basketball court…

I double-dog dare you to go there and remain in a bad mood. It’s just not possible.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: 90266, Best of LA, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , ,

America’s Best Donuts

January 2, 2012 By 13 Comments

As Homer Simpson lovingly and longingly says, “Mmmmm…. donuts.”

Raised or glazed?  Cake or cruller?  Frosted or filled? Donut or doughnut? How do you do your donuts?

When I was working as a tv producer, I had the opportunity to produce, direct and write a show called “World’s Best Donuts” for the Travel Channel.  Tough job, huh?  I had to come up with a list of the top ten donut joints in the US. Sweet!

Luckily, I didn’t have to travel far to find the best of the best donuts right here in L.A. – Stan’s Doughnuts.

This, my friends, is Stan Berman, owner of Stan’s Doughnuts.  He’s the man behind creations like the peanut butter and fresh banana-stuffed chocolate covered donut topped with chocolate chips called the Huell.  (Named after public television staple Huell Howser.) They are to.die.for.

This past weekend we celebrated Christmas and New Year’s by parking ourselves at our friends’ home in little Holmby Hills, not far from Stan’s in Westwood.  They had never tried Stan’s, so we took a drive and brought home three dozen to feed the house full of kids, teenagers and hungry adults.

That’s the Mariska, named after Mariska Hargitay, from Law and Order.  Her mother, Jayne Mansfield, was a frequent customer of Stan’s, who has been in business for over 40 years.

They were a hit!  The donuts are all light and fluffy, even the cake donuts.  The flavors are fresh and unique, like the peanut butter and jelly donut, or the blueberry cruller.  The shop is an old-school, tiny little place in Westwood that shares space with another restaurant.  One important thing to know about Stan’s is that they do not take credit cards – cash only!  We made that mistake and had to run back to the house to get cash.  Another note – you can taste Stan’s no matter where you live – they ship anywhere within the country!

Stan’s Website: http://www.stansdoughnuts.com

Have you tried Stan’s?  What kind of donut is your favorite?  Which donut place gets your vote for America’s best donut?

Filed Under: Food, Marketing and Branding, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Knotts Merry Farm

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Starting this week, my kids are out of school for 14 days.  Two weeks.  Time to pack the calendar full of fun stuff to do outside of our house.  And that’s where Knotts Merry Farm comes in handy.

Knotts Berry Farm has transformed itself into the “Merry Farm,” a magical, fun-filled place chock full of family fun, like the holiday parade:

Camp Snoopy is all decked out for the holidays:

We were treated to a day at Knotts Merry Farm a few weeks ago.  The kids really enjoyed the 65 foot Christmas tree, the holiday parade (insert the picture missing from my camera here!) and the show “The Gift of the Magi.”  We didn’t get to see the ice show “It’s Christmas Snoopy,” but we’re headed back to the park within the week and we’ll see it then.  (Yes, we had that much fun!)

And, please don’t miss Mrs. Knotts Chicken Dinner Restaurant.  It’s a family favorite – my daughter is obsessed with fried chicken.

Again, it’s that good!

Knotts Merry Farm will be bedazzled with holiday decor through January 1st.   Enjoy!

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah to you!

*Disclosure:  The Knotts Merry Farm PR Team kindly hosted my family and I for an afternoon of fun at the park so I could spread the word about Knotts Merry Farm. We got a nice discount (10%) on our meal at the restaurant and the kids were given cute little stuffed Snoopy dolls accompanied by little chocolates. 

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$26 for a 3 Month “Traveler Package” Subscription from Little Passports

October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Today, Juice in the City launches their “national” deals with a fun-filled educational romp around the world with Little Passports – $26 for a three month subscription.  Little Passports sends an adorable, educational package once a month which features the geography, history, and culture of one country.  The first month delivers an exciting “Explorer Kit,” a cool travel suitcase that holds an introductory letter from fictional travelers Sam and Sofia, a world wall map, a travel passport, stickers, an activity sheet, and access to online games via a special boarding pass. The months to follow are just as adventurous and full of hands-on goodies, so treat your child to this unique gift and foster their love for all seven continents and beyond.

Fine Print:

  • Expires on January 26, 2012.
  • Only 1000 available.
  • Redeemable online only. Valid for the Traveler Package which includes a 3-month subscription (Explorer Kit Brazil and Japan). First month’s mailing will include the suitcase with passport and corresponding maps. Shipping is included to US and Canada addresses only.

* This deal is brought to you through my affiliation with Juice in the City. 

Filed Under: Deals, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Manhattan Village Back to School Shopping Challenge

August 31, 2011 By 3 Comments

We’re lucky here on the West Coast, for many reasons.  At this time of the year, back-to-school shopping is not entirely necessary.  Summer lasts well into October.  Some days are blazing hot. Other days, we wake up to a hint of crisp fall air that then melts into a summer sorbet of sneakingly hot air.  Rough, I know!

Late August rolled around this year, and I hadn’t yet thought to start shopping for the kids; which is why I was so excited to get an email from the marketing team from the Manhattan Village Mall asking me to be a part of their generous Back to School Shopping Challenge.  I was one of three bloggers chosen along with South Bay Sparkle & Thoughts of a Mommy – to spend $100.00 on two outfits for my two kids anywhere within the mall.  The photos of each outfit are now posted on the Manhattan Village Mall Facebook page.  Please take a moment, if you would, to click on the “Vote for Me” icon on the right if you like the outfits we’ve chosen.

There are a few great spots to shop for kids in the Manhattan Village Mall – Gap Kids, Macys, Gymboree, & Jani & Jack.  The kids are 7 now, so we headed to Gymboree.  I love their clothing, but I was worried that I might not be able to put together two outfits for under $100.00.  Turns out I was worried without a good reason to be worried.  (Isn’t that the way it usually works out?)  Gymboree had some incredible options, and in fact, by taking advantage of the sales, I was able to score not just one outfit per child, but TWO! (Woo- hoo!)

For the first outfit for Ryann, we chose an adorable white Cape Cod t-shirt ($9.99 originally, marked down to $7.99) with a pink ruffled Lobster skort ($11.99 sale priced at $9.59) that came with a matching blue and white belt.

Nate’s a simple kid.  He loves to be comfy.  Here’s the first outfit we chose for him:

The striped polo was initially $10.99, but was on sale for $8.79.  (Unreal, right? And their clothing quality is great!)  The classic blue shorts were a cool  $14.99, lowered to $11.99.  He wore this outfit today for the his first day of school, with his hair super-spiked.  He rocked it!

The girls at the Gymboree counter helped me add up our pickings, and I realized we still had a good amount of money to spend, so we added a bonus outfit for each kidlet:

How about that Lobster outfit on Ryann?  Two words:  ah-mazing.  I love it.  Totally reminds me of my East Coast preppie days.  Ry’s shirt was $12.99, but it was marked down to $10.39.  The denim skirt, which also features a cute pink lobster on the lower right corner, was $18.99, sale priced at $15.99.  I couldn’t resist the matching lobster headband, which was $2.29, marked down from $2.99.

And Nate?   He scored.  He loved the blue football tee, which was originally priced at $11.99, but then reduced to $9.59.  The comfy pants (which will happily replace the pants he’s been wearing despite the fact they are four inches too short) were also a steal: $17.99 marked down to $14.39.

Sa-weet!

In addition, we were treated like royalty and were gifted with many goodies from Govida, Aerosoles, Viki Cafe, The Corner Bakery, Armani 55, Pacific Theatres, Lady Foot Locker, Tommy Bahama, Williams Sonoma and Open Sesame.

Many thanks to the Manhattan Village marketing team for including me in this fantastic challenge.  I hope you will take a moment to vote for our outfits by clicking on the “Vote for Me” icon on the right.

* I was not compensated for this post.  I was given a $100.00 Manhattan Village gift card to shop for the clothing, along with a wonderful gift bag from some of the other merchants from Manhattan Village.

Filed Under: 90266, Manhattan Beach, Marketing and Branding, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Montage Beverly Hills – Yes You Can Desserts

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I love to cook.  I especially enjoy baking and making desserts – the sweeter the better in my book!  I was really excited when the PR team at the Montage Beverly Hills invited me to take a class with Chef Richard Ruskell, also known as the “Best Cake Artist in America,” after winning the $100,000 grand prize on the Food Network’s Last Cake Standing.

Chef Ruskell is the Executive Pastry Chef at the Montage.  He was named as on of the “Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America;” and he’s a five tme Food Network Challenge winner. He has appeared in Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Pastry Art & Design and Travel & Leisure.  Though he’s won many awards and accolades, he’s a warm and witty guy.

I sat in on the Buttercream:  Be Not Afraid class.

We learned about the different types of buttercreams and how they are best used for different pastry applications – Italian Meringue Buttercream, Milk Chocolate Buttercream, & Roux Method Buttercream.  The class was a fantastic and concise overview of the basics of buttercream.

We were all given a beautiful little box of goodies to take home – delish!

Best of all, the Yes You Can Dessert classes with Chef Ruskell are open to the public!  Classes are held once a month and are $50.00 per person.  Here’s what’s coming up:

Chocolate – Without the Fear!                                                                               Wednesday, August 31st 9:30-10:30 am                                                                                      Learn to work with various types of chocolate.

The Secrets of Mousse                                                                                                    Wednesday, September 28th 9:30-10:30 am                                                                              Learn the secret of making the perfect mousse at home.

No Tricks, Just Treats                                                                                                     Wednesday, October 26th 9:30-10:30 am                                                                                   Fun tips for preparing for the scariest day of your life!

Gingerbread House                                                                                                                     Wednesday, November 30th 9:30 – 10:30 am                                                                           Learn how to make an authentic gingerbread house from the ground up.

If you’d like to reserve a spot for a class or two, call 310-860-7940.  Tell them Manhattan Beach Momma sent you!

Later this week, I’m giving away four tickets to the Wiggles concert in August!  Be sure to check back & enter to win!

Filed Under: Best of LA, Food, Marketing and Branding, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Art Zone – Amazing Half Off Deal

July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I am not in any way affiliated with the Art Zone, I just love the place.   The owner, Laura, is an amazing woman and a gifted parent educator.  I received this via email today, and wanted to share it with my readers:

Art Zone is now offering SUNDAY playtime for only $9.00 per child, per day and adults are free. That’s 50% off our regular price.  It’s a new program called Community Studio.

Sundays
Aug 7, Aug 14, Aug 21, Aug 28, Sept 4,  Sept 11, Sept 18 and Sept 25

Time: 4:00pm to 6:00 pm

Reservations Required. Space is limited. Call today. We hope to see you soon. (310) 318-6011

Adult Participation Required: YES, children bring one of thier favorite adults to play. (This is not a drop off class).

What Happens At Community Studio? Kids have free time to explore, paint and be creative at Art Zone. We will set up one project for the kids to take home. The rest of the activities will be “community projects,” such as painting a mural together, creating chalk drawings on a table together, footpainting on a floor mural, etc. “Community projects” stay at Art Zone for all to enjoy, and do not go home with the kids. Also, play dress up in the play room, have a tea party in the play house, use the pump sprayers to paint the windows, and play in our sand and water kitchen!

How is Community Studio different than Open Studio Together? Kids will not be painting on individual easel paintings, and the clay project may not be out each week. If your child is used to having a bag of paintings and lots and lots of clay work to take home, please let them know ahead of time that this class will be different.

Will Art Zone offer Commuinty Studio at any other times?  Yes. After Labor Day, we will offer Community Studio at the following afternoons:

Every Tuesday: 1:00 to 2:30
Every Thursday: 1:00 to 2:30
Every Thursday; 3:30 to 5:00

Reservations are Required. Class is subject to cancellation without notice, but of course,we will do our best to notify you.

Filed Under: Best of LA, Deals, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , ,

My Gym – Fantastic Offer from Doodle Deals!

July 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Doodle Deals is a daily deal site dedicated to helping families save money on stuff for kids without compromising quality or cutting out enriching experiences.  I’ve partnered with Doodle Deals to offer my readers a fantastic bargain!

Deal price:          $49

Deal value:          $117.50

Limit per customer:     2

Expires: October 1, 2011

At a Glance:

• Get 4 gym classes and 4 free play visits at one of My Gym’s 23 Los Angeles and Orange County locations.

• My Gym Children’s Fitness Center builds strong bodies and minds through games, rides, gymnastics, dance, sports, and more, in a state-of-the-art facility.

• Highly trained staffers are beloved by kids and parents alike for their patience and compassion.

• The best early-learning program of its kind for 30 years!

Need to Know:

New members only. Limit 1 per child; 2 per family. Good for 1 location only. Valid for Parent Participation programs for ages 6 weeks to 3 years, or Independent Gym classes for ages 3 to 13 years. Classes must be taken consecutive weeks; subject to availability. Voucher expires October 1, 2011.

Click hereto get in on the deal.  Have fun!

* This deal is brought to you through my affiliation with Doodle Deals.

 

Filed Under: Best of LA, Deals, Manhattan Beach, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Under the Sea Juice in the City Deal

July 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Just had to share this deal for Under the Sea, a fantabulous indoor playground here in Manhattan Beach.  Juice in the City is offering 10 admissions for $45.00, which is half off the normal cost!

Also, I occasionally write for MomsLA, a group of amazing mom bloggers who tell stories about life here in Southern California.  Today, my recipe for Grilled Peaches is a featured article.  It’s a quick and easy dessert that your kids will love.  I promise!

Enjoy!

* The Juice in the City deal is brought to you through my affiliation with Juice.

Filed Under: Deals, Manhattan Beach, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Manhattan Beach Farmers Market Celebrates 5th Anniversary!

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yesterday, the Manhattan Beach Farmers Market celebrated it’s fifth anniversary in high-style.  The Market team hired Suzanne Haring, of The Soozie Show, to entertain the crowd.  She built these incredible balloons worn by my poor neglected children.  (Said with sarcasam, of course.  As any mom in Manhattan Beach knows, hitting the Farmers Market with your kids can cost you an arm and a leg.  Bring cash and be prepared to spend it!)

Adding to the festivites was live music (as there is quite often at the market) and the kiddie train was chugging along full of mini passengers.  It was a lovely way to celebrate!

There are several new vendors at the market that really round out the shopping experience at the market.  (I used to sell pizzas at the market, so I’ve had a chance to get to know many of the wonderful people who sell their products at this venue.)

First, I stopped at Grandma Sally’s Kitchen, makers of homemade jelly.  Ah-mazing.  I tried the Mango jelly and went nuts. I then proceeded to buy three flavors, including Mango, Strawberry Balsamic and Berry Blast.  I love that they add “Blessings” into the ingrediants.  I’ll take a few blessings.  Can’t hurt.

Next, we stopped at Homegirl Cafe.

They make insane salads – fruit and vegetable – that are shaken in giant plastic containers.

Heaven, right?

And, finally, my favorite thing about the Manhattan Beach Farmers Market – Bolani East & West Gourmet Afgani Food.  I did not take pictures because I was too busy stuffing my mouth with samples.  They will soon be at our local Costco.  Bolani’s are vegan.  Stuffed with pumpkin or spinach topped with a yummy garlic mint sauce.  It’s the food of the Gods, sent here to Manhattan Beach.  I go every Tuesday to get my fix.  Can’t wait ’till they are at Costco to get them anytime I want.

Our world will be a better place with more Bolani around town!  See you next week at the market!

Filed Under: Best of LA, Manhattan Beach, Places I love Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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