Over The Top Mommy

Food

Blaze Pizza is Now Open in The Shops at Mission Viejo!

I think I’ll start off this post with the dessert first! I like to do that!

s'more pie

This is the s’more pie at Blaze Pizza! It’s the perfect beginning (or ending if you’re traditional) to any meal! We have been waiting months for Blaze Pizza to open in our mall and had already previewed their menu online. That’s when I knew I was destined for this dessert. It’s quite a yummy s’more pie and they stick it next to the pizza oven so that it warms up just right, to where the marshmallow melts.

Blaze Pizza is a great addition to The Shops at Mission Viejo food court area. They label themselves as “Fast Fire’d” pizza but by no means are they a “traditional” fast food, food court option! So fresh and so yum!

Check out the crowd that came out to celebrate their grand opening!

Blaze Pizza Grand Opening Did I also mention that all of these people were waiting in line for their free pizza to celebrate the grand opening? 

 

Their menu has quite a few salads and numerous options for pizzas. Each pizza is made-to-order as you let them know what you’d like. I like that they offer options for people with dietary restrictions. It’s sometimes difficult for families to find a restaurant to dine at together, when they have one or more family members with special dietary needs and/or food allergies. Check out their menu allergen Info here.  No matter what your dietary needs, they’ve got your covered. 

I am so happy that Blaze Pizza has finally opened up in “my mall”!

Welcome to The Shops at Mission Viejo, Blaze!

Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter too!

Blue C Sushi in Newport Beach! Get There!

When my friend Melodi from Eat Drink OC called and invited me out for a night of fun at the newest location of Blue C Sushi in Newport Beach, I was quick to accept the invite! I LOVE sushi and I’d heard from a couple of other friends that I needed to check out Blue C.  They offer kaiten sushi which translates as “go around sushi”. There’s  a conveyor belt set up within reach of guests so they can then grab food to eatndirectly off of it at any time.

The decor of this place is so fun. The atmosphere is even more fun! When we walked in, I immediately spotted the magnetic wall. I KNEW it was somewhere I’d need to return with my daughter so she could draw pictures to put them on the magnetic wall. I’m guessing she’ll also probably end up playing with the wall magnets.

blue c sushi magnetic board How fun do these giant magnets look ? 

You can’t help but become almost instantly mesmerized by the conveyor belt and the colors of the plates! Each one has a description of what’s on the plate and its ingredients. There are even some plates with gluten-free and vegan options. The plates are color coded to tell you how each one is priced, which makes it very simple.

There’s also an extensive menu of drinks, appetizers, and other items, such as hand-rolled sushi made to order and some of the chef’s favorites. If you’re curious about the freshness of the items on the conveyor belt, Blue C Sushi actually uses an electronic sensor system on the revolving plates to monitor how long they’ve been rotating. They take pride in serving the freshest sushi, so you’ll never be served sushi that’s been on there longer than 45 minutes.

about as fresh as you can get! This is about as fresh as you can get for sushi! (We named him Sebastian the Shrimp!)

The chefs’ area in the center of the restaurant allows for the sushi chefs to monitor every table and interact with guests.  If you’d like them to walk you through the chef’s offerings and specialty items, you can press the blue button. They’ll also address any of your ordering needs at that time.

We had the best time chatting with “Joe” that night. He’s one of Blue C’s main sushi chefs and I loved that he greeted each of us with a little gift, our own personal blue ninja. Joe likes to keep these ninjas on hand for the younger visitors, but on this particular occasion we were the exception to the rule.

blue ninjaHe might be tiny but my ninja means business! 

When we sat down at our table, I was immediately mesmerized by the conveyor belt and all of the food going by on it. Not only is there sushi on the conveyor belt, but I also spotted some fresh fruit, edamame and other appetizers, and even desserts pass by us!

Desserts passing me by on the conveyor belt! Come back, cupcake!  

Our server, Matt, was so much fun! I think you HAVE TO BE fun to work at Blue C! He got each of us started with a cocktail.

my blue martiniMine was a beautiful blue one in a martini glass! 

Before I knew it, the eating began! All I know is we started with some Spicy Edamame and the rest was history!

IMG_4106

We were so lucky to be able to try quite a few of Joe’s own personal creations. He took so much time to describe each one that he’d made for us and even whipped up a few of his own personal favorites. The sushi was so fresh and I felt like I couldn’t stop myself from gorging! I’m pretty sure I ate my weight in fish!

seared sushiBLT sushiIMG_4114Joe came out and actually sat with us at our table for a little while. We chatted with him about his background in the food industry and he gave us a deeper insight into the history of Blue C Sushi. Not only is he great at what he does, he also seems very passionate about it. I think that’s really important.

oysters These clams were so delicious! Chef Joe made them especially for us! 

As if we weren’t already stuffed, Joe insisted we also have dessert! Good thing I have a “dessert compartment” from when I was younger that always allows me to have room for it! Dessert arrived at our table, an incredible tempura brownie with ice cream and some shaved! Whoa! We were ready to eat it but first I stopped to take a selfie with Chef Joe!

chef joe

IMG_4118This tempura brownie was to die for! Seriously, you NEED to try one when you go there! 

coconut shave ice The shaved ice was served with fresh fruit and topped with coconut milk! It was really yummy! 

We had such a great experience at Blue C Sushi! It was a lot of fun to really get to know the staff working that night and it felt like we had our own personal chef.  I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially families with kids.

If you end up going soon, could you please call and invite me though?  I’m totally ready to go back!

To locate a Blue C Sushi near you, click here! Connect with Blue C Sushi on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Now You Can Stay in Your Robe ALL DAY With Winder Farms Home Delivery!

Disclosure: I received products to conduct a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting on the couch in my robe one morning with my cat (I do that a lot) and I tweeted something about having no milk or bread in the house and jokingly asked if someone could deliver some to my house so I could feed my kid.

this is meThat very same day, I received an email asking if I’d be interested in trying out Winder Farms Home Delivery for a review! What are the chances? I visited their website to check them out a little bit more. There, I came across a list of 20 Reasons Why Winder Farms? and there I was…#19: You can get groceries in your pajamas!  OF COURSE I said “yes” to the delivery after that! It was totally meant to be!

On their website, Winder Farms states:

We are passionate about finding and delivering fresh, delicious food. Whether it’s been freshly picked, baked or squeezed, we are committed to delivering our customers the freshest food available.

As a company with a proud 130-year legacy, we understand the importance of long-term sustainability. We source locally whenever possible. We take cars off the road by having one truck do the job of 100 separate family vehicles. We are an active partner with local food banks, non-profit organizations, and community events.”

On the morning of my scheduled delivery, even though I knew it was coming, I was still surprised when I opened my front door and found this:

side of bagWow, the giant cooler bags were filled with so many great products!  There was a Winder Farms Organic Produce Box, a loaf of Winder Farms Fresh-Baked Honey Whole Wheat Bread, an assortment of Winder Farms Juices, a bottle of Green Unsweetened Honest Tea, a half-gallon of Silk coconut milk, some Winder Farms Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade, a variety of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt Smoothies, a dozen farm-fresh eggs,  some Winder Farms honey-cured bacon and sirloin steaks, a Kale Chopped Salad, and a Winder Farms Chicken Teriyaki Meal Solutions, and a container of Chocolate Chip Cookies to try! There were so many good things, I wasn’t sure which to try first?

label on box

organic box

stonyfield smoothies

more stonyfield smoothis

lemonadeObviously it’s convenient to have a home delivery service like this so that you have food in the house, but for me, it’s MORE important to have products delivered that are fresh and high quality! I also like the fact that Winder Farms supports local farms and makes quality a priority.  In addition, I feel it’s important that the products you order be something kids will like.

My daughter LOVED the Stonyfield Organic Yogurt Smoothies and would grab one to take with her to swim practice.  She also gobbled up the toast I made for her, using the Winder Farms Honey Whole Wheat bread in my order.

poolside smoothie

toastMy husband added the Silk Coconut Milk to his regular protein shakes. He made me a fruit and spinach smoothie with the Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt Smoothie.

fruit smoothieI loved making pancakes with Emi and watching her be so proud when she cracked BOTH eggs without dropping one single eggshell into the pancake batter!

eggs and pancakesOne night I even went so far as to tip toe downstairs when everyone was asleep to eat one of the delicious plums from the Organic Produce Box…right before I broke open these cookies!

chocolate chip cookies The Winder Farms fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies were sealed with a label that said “Warning: Studies have shown that once seal is broken, cookies vanish!” I now know WHY they put that label on there! The cookies were so soft and fresh! I may have eaten more than one in a sitting but I’ll never tell!

If you live in California, Nevada, or Utah you can get Winder Farms delivered to your door too! You’ll get great quality farm fresh foods on your doorstep once a week AND if you sign up through this link, you’ll get a free $30 credit. (As with any subscription service, please read the Terms & Conditions before deciding if it’s right for you!) If you have any questions, check out their Frequently Asked Questions Page or give them a call at 1-800-WINDER1!

I’m already planning my next order from Winder Farms. I’ve been told that I MUST try the chocolate milk! It’s fresh and cold, all-natural, and comes in a glass milk bottle! Well, I know what’s first on my order list! You don’t have to twist my arm!

I Got Powered with On Powered Refreshment Drinks

If you set up an enticing display that looks like a rainbow, it’s going to grab my attention! When I walked by the drink station at Fourth Annual Lifestyle Bloggers Conference, I noticed this beautiful display of ON Powered Refreshment drinks:
A rainbow of ON Beverages
Oh pretty…a rainbow! 
Honestly, I didn’t know which one to try first?! These weren’t just common flavors, they were flavors that made me want to try every single one.  My first instinct was to grab one of each and stick them in my pocket for later, but I didn’t think that would’ve gone over well with my peers, not to mention that I didn’t have pockets in my conference outfit! So, I tried the Dragonfruit Tangerine first and loved it. I loved it so much, I went back for another one. This time I chose Raspberry Limeade.
selfie with ONI was about to open it up but then paused….to first take a selfie with it! 
A couple of weeks after the conference, I had the opportunity to try ALL of them when this box arrived at my home!
my box of on beverages
The 5 flavors are Blueberry Lemonade, Tropical Citrus, Dragonfruit Tangerine, Peach Mango and Raspberry Limeade.
IMG_2065
They truly all have a wonderful & distinct flavor. I tend to get headaches from beverages that have artificial sweeteners added to them but ON Powered Refreshment drinks are naturally sweetened and also low-calorie, which makes me happy.
Here comes the interesting part….I had no idea prior to further researching ON Beverages a little more that they are the first and only U.S. beverage to feature ornithine. Combined with caffeine, ornithine offers a more sustainable boost over caffeine alone. What this means is you’ll experience an increase in concentration and stamina!
Now it makes sense…I KNEW I felt more focused AFTER I drank my first ON Powered Refreshment beverage! In all seriousness though, I love these beverages and the flavors and I think you should try them too! Here’s where you can find ON Powered Refreshment drinks.
So….which flavor do you think YOU would try first?
Disclosure: I was provided with products to review, but all opinions are my own. 

 

Celebrating Whole Foods Market Cherry Fest: Summertime Salad with Fresh Cherries Recipe & a Giveaway!

Cherries are one of those fruits that I could sit and eat for hours! Having a bowl full of cherries in my lap, literally makes me happy! I’d never considered doing much more with cherries than just eating them as is.  Whole Foods Market, is currently celebrating their 5th Annual Cherry Fest and I was invited to create a recipe for an in-store event they were having.

cherry fest sign Shopping in Whole Foods makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! I literally walk around with my mouth gaping open in awe! I LOVE that Whole Foods Market supports and promotes local farms and I feel content knowing that my produce is fresh from the farm to my table. They had such beautiful cherries in the produce section that I couldn’t wait to get them home and use them in my Summertime Salad with fresh Cherries recipe!

IMG_3960 Let me take a minute to talk about the dressing I used for the salad. It’s a recipe that’s been passed down among girlfriends for about 9 years now. Originally, one of my good friends served this dressing on a salad at my baby shower (my baby is currently 9 years old). I swear EVERYONE at that shower was asking her for the recipe! (including me) I cannot even count how many times I’ve made this dressing. I honestly think I serve it on almost every occasion possible AND everyone always loves it and asks for the recipe. My girlfriends and I call it “the dressing” and everyone in our circle of friends knows exactly what someone is talking about if you use those words! It’s just the kind of dressing you can use on most salads, so I’m using it on this one today. I think it’s going to become your new “secret weapon” too! Ok, here comes the recipe….

Ingredients for the Secret Weapon dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup good quality olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • 5 oz. of Baby Arugula
  • 1 lb. cherries, pitted and sliced
  • 4 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob (after it’s cooled)
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

For the dressing, finely chop the parsley and add to a dressing container of your choice, mixing in all of the other ingredients to the container. Dressing can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator but will need to return to room temp prior to serving. Shake dressing well prior to serving. I usually double the recipe for the dressing when I make it, just so I have extra, in case I make more salad at the party. (Everyone will want more, trust me!)

For the salad, place baby arugula, corn, avocado, feta cheese crumbles, and fresh cherries in a bowl and toss with dressing. If desired, sprinkle some extra feta cheese crumbles on top. (I promise, no one will object to this)

summer salad

So…tell me what you think? Are you ready to go and make my Summertime Salad now or what?

Did I mention their cherries are going to be on sale tomorrow for $1.99 a pound?!!!

photo-237

You NEED to go buy some and make something yummy too! 

I just have ONE MORE thing to share…a giveaway! Everyone loves giveaways, right? In honor of Whole Foods Market and their Cherry Fest, they’ve given me one $50 Whole Foods gift card to give away to one of my lucky readers! Enter below on the Rafflecopter! Good Luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a Whole Foods gift card as compensation for creating my recipe. All opinions are my own. Some images provided to me by Whole Foods.

Summertime Happy Hour at Islands: a Review and Giveaway

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post in collaboration with Islands. All thoughts are my own. 

Islands is such a great family restaurant. Regardless of which location you visit, they always have a fun, kid-friendly environment with delicious food. My daughter loves to eat there and it’s one of the places we visit often, as a family.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a Summertime Happy Hour media preview with some of my social media friends. I jumped at the chance to spend time with the girls and have adult conversation while sampling some of the drinks and food that are available this summer at a special price during happy hour!

Happy Hour menu

Spending some well-deserved girl time with @fieldtripmom to celebrate the beginning of summer! Cheers!
Spending some well-deserved girl time with @fieldtripmom to celebrate summer!

There were so many different delicious-looking drinks to sample. I just wasn’t sure where to start so I decided to try the Hapa Bourbon Tea first, which is made with Maker’s Mark, passion tea and fresh mint. Although I haven’t had many bourbon drinks before, this was really refreshing and didn’t *taste strong at all.

Hapa Bourbon Tea

Next, I sampled the Makaha Maggie, which was made with handcrafted, infused tequila. Anything with pineapple is my weakness. The drink, itself, was like a vacation in a glass!

makaha maggie

This is the pineapple infused tequila that Islands uses in the Makaha Maggie!
This is the pineapple infused tequila that Islands uses in the Makaha Maggie!

I munched on some chips, salsa and guacamole while trying a Spicy Mango Shandy, which is made with mango, Coors Light, and a dust of cayenne pepper for a kick. Fun fact: The Spicy Mango Shandy was created with the World Cup in mind!

Hanging out with @fieldtripmom, @cidstylefile, @mydisorganizedlife and @organizedisland. What a fun night!
Hanging out with @fieldtripmom, @cidstylefile, @mydisorganizedlife, @eatsukieat and @organizedisland. What a fun night!

All of the drinks from the Summertime Happy Hour that we tried, paired so well with the food. I decided to be brave and go straight for a Heat Wave burger! This is a seasonal menu item that’s been brought back by popular demand for the summer. The Heat Wave burger is topped with grilled Serrano and green chilies, pepper jack cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce and spicy mayo. If you love HOT, you’ll love this burger.

Don't let the glass of water fool you! The Heat Wave burger definitely earns its name!
Don’t let the glass of water fool you! The Heat Wave burger definitely earns its name!

We also got to sample the Beachside Sliders which are mini burgers topped with caramelized onions and ketchup, Island Reds and pickles, served on toasted buns. I am drawn towards things that are “mini” and these were no exception. I feel like you can eat more of something if it’s mini! Another “mini” option on their Summertime Happy Hour menu are the Hawaiian Sliders, which are a smaller version of the regular Hawaiian burger. These sliders are topped with fresh pineapple, teriyaki sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, and swiss cheese. You can’t have a burger without some of Islands famous fresh-cut fries. I honestly can’t get enough of their fries, especially with ranch dressing to dip them in!

sliders

With so many great World Cup games to watch this summer and this awesome  Summertime Happy Hour menu , you need to head over to an Islands to enjoy some of the stress relief they’re offering Monday through Friday from 3-7 pm and Sunday through Thursday from 9 pm-close!

Shandy surfboard

Another reason to visit Islands this summer is so  you can also enter to win weekly giveaways at each location.  Weekly raffle winners will score a new beach towel, while each Islands location will end the summer by giving away a custom beach cruiser as the grand prize. Guests can enter to win a beach cruiser every time they visit an Islands location, and the winners will be selected during happy hour on Friday, Sept. 5.

win an islands bike

I have even more good new though…you have ONE MORE lucky chance to win some Islands goodies right here on my blog!

islands gift card

Islands has generously provided me with a package to give to one lucky reader, which includes an Islands beach towel, a set of Islands grilling tools, and a $50 gift card for Islands Restaurants! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Farrell’s 5th Annual Charity Ice Cream Eating Challenge!

Farrell’s 5th Annual Splendiferously Superific Summer Spectacular Ice Cream Eating Challenge is almost here…and it’s going to be as ridiculous as ever! Did you know that 100% of the net proceeds from this event benefit CHOC Children’s and Make-A-Wish? How awesome is that? Do you see why I LOVE Farrell’s?
Beginning Friday June 20 through Sunday July 13, Farrell’s will be looking to qualify the fastest ice cream eaters to compete, head-to-head, at their Championship event, which will take place on Sunday July 20 in Downtown Brea. From June 20 through July 13, anyone with an appetite for fun and ice cream can walk into any of the seven California Farrell’s locations during normal business hours and to try and qualify! In order to qualify as one of the fastest, and be placed into one of the categories, guests must eat a “qualifying sundae”. Categories will include Men’sWomen’sKid’sBig and Small (one adult and one child), 4-Person Teams and Professionals. Amateur guests can qualify by eating a 3-scoop ice cream sundae as fast as they can. Professionals may qualify by eating a 6-scoop sundae called the Pig’s Trough. 

Professionals can qualify by eating one of these 6-scoop sundaes called the Pig Trough!
(Photo: courtesy of Farrell’s)

All sundaes include chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream, hot fudge, pineapple and strawberry toppings and are then covered with Farrell’s freshly made whipped cream. The cost for amateurs to attempt to qualify is $20, for all categories, and $40 for professionals. Each entrant will receive a limited edition event t-shirt, a $5 coupon for a future visit to Farrell’s and the qualifying sundae. Remember: 100% of the net proceeds from this event benefit CHOC Children’s and Make-A-Wish! 
Farrell’s will invite the top qualifiers to their Championship event in Brea on July 20! Farrell’s will actually close down Birch Street in Downtown Brea, in front of their Farrell’s location. The Championship event is an all day family festival and will take place from 11am until 5pm. There will be lots of rides (courtesy of Carnival Services), games, prizes, raffles, food, booths, music, and more! 

How fun does last year’s event look, especially when you’ve got Max rockin’ the mic!
(Photo: courtesy of Farrell’s)
This guy looks like he’s still hungry!
(Photo: Courtesy of Farrell’s)
She’s powering through it!
(Photo: courtesy of Farrell’s)

At the Championship event, the Men, Women, Kids, and Big and Small categories all compete to be the first to finish a Farrell’s famous Pig’s Trough that has 6-scoops of ice cream and all the toppings. The 4-person team and each individual professional are going to attempt to finish a Farrell’s Famous Zoo sundae, which is 30 scoops of ice cream with all the toppings. 

If you enter in the Big and Small category, you can use teamwork to win it all!
(Photo: courtesy of Farrell’s!)
Yikes!
(Photo: courtesy of Farrell’s)

Winners from each category will win a trophy and a year of free Farrell’s ice cream. 1st place in the Professional category also wins $300, 2nd place wins $200 and 3rd place walks away with $100. 

One of last year’s winners!
(Photo: Courtesy of Farrell’s!)

Farrell’s also has an option for those that just don’t have the stomach to pound ice cream as fast as they can, but still want to participate in all the qualifying fun. During the qualifying period, June 20 to July 13, guests can get the event shirt, the ice cream “qualifying sundae’ to eat, along with a $5 coupon, all for the same $20, but they just won’t be timed. All YOU need to do is let your Farrell’s server know. Qualifying Farrell’s locations include Brea, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, Sacramento, and Santa Clarita. Complete details and rules can be found at Farrell’s website, FarrellsUSA.com/Challenge.

So who wants to win a year of free ice cream? 
I think Emi and I are going to attempt to qualify for a category!
Don’t worry..I’ll post pictures, when we do attempt it! 

How I Got My Child to LOVE Brussels Sprouts!

My daughter loves most vegetables! It sometimes surprises me when I see her conquer a pile of spinach or a mound of asparagus because I certainly didn’t feel that way about veggies when I was a kid! I actually remember washing my veggies down with milk and trying not to taste them! 
Lately, I’ve been in search of some of new recipes to incorporate different veggies into her “Veggie Repertoire”. Personally, I find that just asking other mom friends what they do is much easier than looking online. I think you get more authentic advice doing so. 
Last month, on the car ride to one of our cheer competitions, I chit chatted with one of my cheer mom friends about things that she makes for her kids. She proceeded to describe how she makes these brussels sprouts that her kids actually fight over! Seriously? It seemed to good to be true but I was up for the challenge! I made a mental note that I was going to attempt to make them sometime in the near future and I finally found time to do so the other day. Of course, at that point I couldn’t remember the recipe, but being the texting queen that I am, I just did this: 

Who needs recipe cards or cookbooks, right?
It seemed simple enough. I actually bought a package of the pre-cut ones. I threw them into the glass baking dish, drizzled the olive oil on them, shook on some salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and popped them into the oven at 385 for 20 minutes, just like she said. When I stirred them at 10 minutes, they were already looking yummy! At around 20 minutes, they looked good to me…with some crispy parts. I forgot to mention that I had never really eaten brussels sprouts before either. Honestly, they just never appealed to me, but now I needed to set an example for Emily, right?
I tried one when they came out of the oven and WHOA!!! So yummy! The true test would come though when Emi tried them. She had a weird face when I set  them in front of her, but I let her know that this was “Ms. Jonnelle’s recipe” and that her own kids fought over how many they each got, so that was kind of a game changer. (For some reason if it’s from someone else it always seems to make it better!) brussels-sproutsAt first my daughter seemed hesitant but then I told her to try one of the brown parts and I think that’s when she was hooked! She almost ate the entire dish I gave her BEFORE touching any of the coconut panko crusted chicken tenders I served with it! At this point, I think I did “The Mommy Happy Dance”! Another victory! Yay!

Our “Decorate Your Own Cupcake” Party at Casey’s Cupcakes

It’s no secret that I love parties. I love throwing parties. I love being invited to parties. I love attending parties that are hosted at a location, especially when they’re done really well. I am always on the lookout for fun & unique places to have parties. For me, it’s not only important that party packages are reasonably priced to fit in my budget, but also that the party itself, be something I’d be proud to invite my guests to. I think we’ve all had at least one disappointing experience at an establishment that promised a good party and delivered the opposite. 
Emi and I recently had the opportunity to experience a “Decorate Your Own Cupcake Party” at Casey’s Cupcakes. I can honestly say that I was as excited as Emi was, if not MORE excited, for al the days leading up to the party! I can’t think of a better match for us, since Casey is “The Queen of Cupcakes” and I’ve pretty much titled myself “The Queen of Parties“! Oh I think I forgot to mention that everything in a Casey’s store is pink! Again, it’s a perfect fit for me since my favorite color is pink! For Emi, an extremely pink dress was a necessity for her to wear on this special occasion, as was a pink hair accessory AND some pink lipgloss! She was channeling her “inner Casey“!

Emi was ready to party and came prepared with her Casey’s Cupcakes backpack AND even carried my camera bag!

When we arrived at the Woodbury Town Center location in Irvine, Emily was very excited to see balloons just right inside the store! 

 

 

As soon as all of the children had arrived for the party, they each got to choose a tiara or a crown to wear for the party, which they also took home as a keepsake after the party. 
The children were then led into the Casey’s Cupcakes Party Room. 
I loved the way the room was set up. I also LOVED the beautiful chandelier!
The private party room is very pink and was beautifully decorated for our party. There was an elegant cupcake holder in the center of the table, an array of yummy frostings to choose from, and a beautiful assortment of sweets to adorn the cupcakes, including Sixlets, jelly beans, sprinkles and even Peeps bunnies. The Peeps seemed to be an especially big hit with the mommies! (I won’t name any names though.)  
Sixlets, jelly beans, Peeps and sprinkles! So many goodies to choose from!
It’s hard to resist licking your fingers when there are yummy frostings on the table!
How adorable are they?
Immediately after this pic was taken, I’ll bet you can guess what I did with that Peep?
We had a choice of pink lemonade or hot chocolate to go with our cupcakes! What a perfect afternoon snack!
Emi and the other kids had so much fun decorating their own cupcakes. Casey’s Cupcakes really went all out to make every detail of the party special, down to the adorable, pink boxes and bags to carry home extra cupcakes in!

When the party was over, Emi was happy to take home one of the Casey’s Cupcakes balloons! She is a HUGE fan of Casey, has many of Casey’s logo items at home AND even has a Casey’s doll. 

Before we left, Emi insisted on recreating Casey’s signature pose, featured in the logo. I swear my daughter is the most fun!
What do you think? Did she pull it off? 

If you are thinking of throwing a party anytime soon, whether it be for a special occasion, such as a birthday or graduation, or even a girls day out, you should look into one of the party packages that Casey’s Cupcakes offers. They currently have 5 store locations and their Woodbury Town Center location is in Irvine and has a private party room, which is the one pictured in these photos. They offer a couple of different party packages at this location. The “Tea Parties & Tiaras” party is an amazing offering and can easily be adapted to include crowns if you have boys in your group. 

Casey’s description of a “Tea Parties & Tiaras” Party:
Aspiring princesses will feel like royalty for a day at Casey’s Cupcakes! Our regal offerings start with a sparkling Apple Cider welcome and a Princess Tea. The lady-in-waiting will enjoy a private party in the party room in a setting inspired by a classic Parisian cafe with a glamorous Hollywood twist.….And what would a princess be without a Tiara? 
The Tea Parties & Tiaras party is an all-inclusive package which includes:
*Private Party Room at the Woodbury Town Center store location
*Sparkling Cider Welcome Beverage
*One delicious cupcake per person to decorate (with an option to add a 2nd)
*Choice of Creamy Frostings
*Assortment of decorative toppers
*Choice of Casey’s Cupcakes Fine Teas
*Tea Service per person
*Tiara Keepsake
Casey’s can work with you to tailor a party to fit your occasion and party size. Our party was beautifully done and is something we we’re proud to share about with other friends and family. 
It’s also fun to just stop by one of Casey’s location in the afternoon for a cupcake and a drink with your favorite little (or big) person. Casey’s is one of our favorite pastimes! 
Casey’s Cupcakes offers “Date Night” during the week! 2 cupcakes and 2 drinks for $10 from 4 p.m.-close!
To inquire about pricing and availability and to make a reservation for one of Casey’s parties, please call 949.424.9250. 
To visit the Casey’s Cupcakes website, click here