Over The Top Mommy

Orange County

Fresh Market Opens in Laguna Hills

Disclosure: We were invited for a preview tour of Fresh Market. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 

fresh market openThere’s a new Fresh Market in town in Laguna Hills! It’s one of the first businesses open in The Village at Nellie Gail Ranch, which is a retail center that’s been newly renovated.

We had the opportunity to grab a sneak peek inside of the newest Fresh Market location, the night before it opened to the public. It was so exciting to watch all that was going on behind the scenes for their grand opening. Everywhere we turned there were people stocking the shelves and aisles for the big day!

stocking the shelves

tomatoes lemons plums Right when you walk through the front door of Fresh Market your eyes are drawn towards all of the color in their produce section and you’re soothed by the classical music playing. Their produce sections seems to make up about 1/3 of the store and offers fruits and veggies that are fresh, locally grown and ready to serve at your table. When I say “local” I mean grown within 100 miles if it’s labeled “local” and within 300 miles if it’s labeled “regional”.  I like having fruit that is ready to be eaten and not something sitting on the counter for a few days to ripen. I also like that they offer a variety of fruit and veggies that are cut and freshly packed on site. They’re perfect as after school grab n’ go snacks for my daughter.

packaged fruit

watermelonThe bakery department in Fresh Market appeared to have many empty baskets because they were all waiting to be filled with freshly baked goods.

baskets  We learned that many items are baked on a daily basis for the next morning, with the bakers coming in at 9pm to bake for the next morning. It’s an around-the-clock effort over there to provide the freshest for the customers. There are lots of other yummy items to choose from in the bakery department, aside from just bread.

more bakery baked goods

We got to enjoy samples of a delicious Blackened Steak recipe prepared by one of the chefs from Chefs USA.

recipes steaks IMG_4213Did you know that Fresh Market features an extensive collection of recipes on their website . They also hosts in-store chef-led demos of some of their recipes for customers to watch and be able to taste. I can’t wait for the next one!

unbelievable cheese IMG_4234They have an unbelievable selection of cheeses!  

more cheese she loved sampling She’s a girl after my own heart…she loves cheese too! 

As we got to browse the store on our own, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Ok literally on the candy aisle I did! How can you NOT be mesmerized by a rainbow of colored candies?

candy

coffee for day

Their aisles had so many wonderful products on the shelves, as did the refrigerated section. Fresh Market carries their own brand, as well as some other hand-picked brands.

beers You can even “build your own 6-pack” at Fresh Market. Just choose any 6 beers and make one! 

The concept behind Fresh Market is similar to that of a European market, where you are stopping by 3-4 times per week to shop for that day’s meals. I especially love that idea because often times I am a day-by-day planner. I also get a little weird about my food being in my fridge for too long, so knowing that what I’m stopping by to pick up is fresh, gives me that peace of mind. If you don’t have time to stop by the actual store, they also offer home delivery through their site with online ordering!

If you haven’t stopped by a Fresh Market, you should do so soon. Click here for a location near you.

Connect with Fresh Market on Facebook and Twitter!

 

 

 

Get Ready for Some Family Fun at the 2014 OC Fair!

Summer Starts Here is the theme for this year’s OC Fair and it’s about to kick off with 23 days of family fun with their Opening Hour promotion. The OC Fair offers free admission and parking to Fairgoers during the first hour of the opening day on Friday, July 11 from Noon-1 p.m.

OC Fair 2014

The OC fair also offers several ways for families with children to enjoy the fair with other special discounts and promotions.

  •  Children 5 and younger are free every day
  • Kids Days – Every Thursday, children 12 and under receive free admission all day.
  • We Care Wednesday – Give back to the community together as a family every Wednesday from Noon to 3 p.m. in exchange for one free admission and carnival ride per person with appropriate donation. Donations are accepted Noon-3 p.m. on the following schedule: July 16 – 5 canned food items; July 23 – 1 new or 3 gently used children’s books; July 30 – 5 gently used or new items of clothing; and August 6 – school supplies worth at least $5.
  • Rise & Shine –Each Saturday and Sunday, admission is only $3 during the first hour, 10-11 a.m.
  • Super Pass – Get the exclusive Super Pass and enjoy admission to the 2014 OC Fair for all 23 days. The Super Pass may be purchased at the OC Fair and includes 23-day admission, express entry at all gates, 2-For-1 tickets for select events in the Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena and a carnival savings book for the pass holder.
  • Read & Ride Program –The Read & Ride program encourages children (ages 5-11) to continue to read throughout their summer break, and in return, the OC Fair will award 3 carnival rides for every two books that are read. Parents can download the book report form at ocfair.com.
  • Carnival Promotions – Take advantage of the $30 wristband, which gives an unlimited access to carnival rides plus 2 free games each Wednesday and Thursday (sold until 5 p.m. and ride until 8 p.m.) or come on Fridays for $2 rides and games from Noon-4 p.m.
  • Taste of Fair Food – Families can taste the assorted Fair food for $2 per sample every Friday from Noon-4 p.m.

There are countless things for families with children to do at the OC Fair, many of which are free. Some of those include:

  • Daily Free Entertainment – Every day of the Fair, there will be family-friendly showcases for everyone to enjoy. Families can enjoy dance troupes, live bands, the Dragon Knights, fantasy-like creatures brought to life through the art of stilt walking, or cheer for their favorite racing pig.
  • OC Fair Foodies – They are bright, colorful and lovable and you can’t miss them. Join costumed characters Olivia (orange), Carl (cotton candy), Arturo (churro), Scoop (ice cream cone) and Cornelius (corn) as they stroll through the OC Fair.
  • Bakeology (Free Special Exhibit) – Learn the wondrous world of baking with demonstrations from Chef Rachel Klemek and other talented chefs from Blackmarket Bakery.
  • Explorium: Destination Kids – The perfect stop for youngsters to explore and wander through the eye-catching attractions including the new bug exhibit called The Good, The Bad & The Unbelievable plus other creative, hands-on exhibits.
  • Action Sports Arena – Adrenaline-junkies can grab a seat and hold tight for a wild ride with monster trucks, demolition derbies, extreme rodeo, martial arts and more. Reserved seats include free Fair admission and there is limited general seating available free with Fair admission on a first-come, first-seated basis.
  • Community Flag Salute – Come and honor Orange County cities with your family as local representatives sing the National Anthem on select weekdays at 12:30 p.m. at The Hangar. Orange County locals can also pick-up a $2 discount coupon from their local city halls and libraries to save on Fair admission.

We’re definitely ready for some family fun at the OC Fair! What about YOU?

The 2014 OC Fair, themed Summer Starts Here,is July 11 – August 10 and will bring 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun, as well as the Super Pass, Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre and events in The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. The Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday. Concert tickets, action sports reserved seats, single-day general admission and the popular Super Pass are available for purchase online at ocfair.com or from the on-site Box Office. Free parking and shuttle service are available on Saturdays and Sundays from the Experian parking structure located off the Bristol St. exit of the 405 freeway.

The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/OCFair, follow us at twitter.com/ocfair or call (714) 708-1500. Also, download the free OC Fair iPhone and Android apps available this summer.

Disclosure: Image and information provided to me by the OC Fair.

Who’s Ready for Opening Weekend of the OC Fair?

Opening weekend of the 2014 OC Fair is almost here!  During the first hour of the 2014 Fair, Fairgoers can take advantage of free admission and parking during Free Opening Hour (Friday, July 11, Noon-1 p.m.) The Fair is open July 11 from Noon-Midnight and features the following promotions opening day and each Friday:

Seniors Day: $2 off Senior (60+) admission plus free Ferris wheel and merry-go-round rides all day
$2 Taste of Fair Food: Enjoy Fair food samples for only $2 from Noon-4 p.m.
$2 Rides & Games: Sold until 4 p.m.

The OC Fair will kick off its summer of headline entertainment with The Offspring / Adolescents in the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre, Journey Unauthorized – A Tribute to Journey in The Hangar and X-Treme Freestyle Moto-X in the Action Sports Arena. Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar concert tickets and Action Sports Arena reserved seats include with free Fair admission for the same day so ticketholders are encouraged to come early and stay late.

New this year, the OC Fair will be host to the first-ever OC Brew Hee Haw (July 11-13) with craft beer tastings, demonstrations and exhibits. There will be five sessions with more than 60 craft beer selections from local breweries each. Each session costs $55 per person and includes free Fair admission. Visit ocbrewheehaw.com for details and tickets.

Other events during opening weekend of the 2014 OC Fair (July 12-13) include:

Saturday, July 12 (Open 10 a.m.-Midnight)

Which One’s Pink? – A Tribute to the Music of Pink Floyd in the Pacific Amphitheatre (8:15 p.m.)
Zeppelin Live – A Live Rock Tribute to Led Zeppelin in The Hangar (8:30 p.m.)
40th Annual Speedway Fair Derby in the Action Sports Arena (8 p.m.)

Sunday, July 13 (Open 10 a.m.-Midnight)

Matisyahu / Tribal Seeds / The Lions in the Pacific Amphitheatre (6 p.m.)The English Beat / The Debonaires in The Hangar (8:30 p.m.)

SummerFist VII – Mixed Martial Arts in the Action Sports Arena (6 p.m.)

Every Saturday & Sunday

Rise & Shine: $3 general admission (10 a.m.-11 a.m.)
Free Parking & Shuttle Service from the Experian parking structure located off Anton Blvd. off the Bristol St. exit of the northbound 405 freeway. Shuttle operates 10 a.m.-1 a.m.
OC Fair Express: Receive a coupon for $3 general admission for that day when using special routes directly from 9 different OCTA transit locations ($2 for one-way and $4 for round-trip). Visit octa.net/ocfairexpress for transit locations and times. Plus, Metrolink riders can catch a free ride on the OC Fair Express from the Anaheim Canyon, Santa Ana or Irvine stations simply by showing their Metrolink ticket. Visit metrolinktrains.com/ocfair for transit times and locations.

Throughout the 2014 OC Fair (July 11-August 10), Fairgoers can also enjoy:

Military Get in Free: Free admission everyday for active U.S. military and veterans with appropriate I.D.
Read & Ride Program: Children (ages 5-11) who read at least two books and submit a completed OC Fair Read & Ride Book Report Form (available online at ocfair.com/readandride) will receive three free carnival rides.

Free Exhibits and Events: Culinary displays in the OC Promenade, All-Alaskan Racing Pigs, Russell Brothers Family Fun Circus, educational exhibits and contests children in Explorium, garden exhibits in the Centennial Farm and more.
Visit ocfair.com/2014 for a full listing of each day’s offerings.

Are you getting excited about the fair yet? I know I am!

Discounts and Deals at the 2014 OC Fair!

photo credit: OC Fair

Get ready, Fairgoers….the 2014 OC Fair is offering discounts and deals for a summer of fun that’s wallet-friendly!

Savings at the Gates

Super Pass – Season pass to OC Fair funValid for one admission each day of the 2014 OC Fair for the pass holder plus 2-for-1 discounts on select concerts and events and a carnival savings book.  Prices: General (ages 13-59) $35, Senior (60+) & Youth (6-12) $28 (Available for purchase through August 8.)

Military Get in Free – Daily
Free admission for all veterans and active duty military with ID all day, every day
Opening Day Free Hour – Friday July 11 (Noon-1 p.m.)
Free admission and parking through all gates

We Care Wednesday – Free admission and one carnival ride per person with donation:

  • Food Drive – Wednesday, July 16 (Noon-3 p.m.) 5 canned food items
  • Children’s Book Drive – Wednesday, July 23 (Noon-3 p.m.) 1 new or 3 gently used children’s books
  • Clothing Drive – Wednesday, July 30 (Noon-3 p.m.) 5 clothing items (new or gently used)
  • School Supply Drive – Wednesday, August 6 (Noon-3 p.m.) School supplies valued at $5 or more (receipt required)

Kids Day – Every Thursday
Guests 12 and younger are admitted free all day

Seniors Day – Every Friday
Guests 60 and older receive a $2 discount on senior admission and can enjoy free rides on the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round.

Rise & Shine – Every Saturday & Sunday (10 a.m.-11 a.m.)
Pay only $3 during the opening hour on weekends
Savings Before You Get to the Fair

Crush Grapefruit – Bring a Crush Grapefruit soda can with the appropriate OC Fair coupon and receive $2 off full-price general admission.

OC Cities – Orange County residents can pick up a coupon for $2 off full-price general admission at their local city hall or library.

Free Off-site Weekend Parking (Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.) – Free parking and shuttle service at the Experian parking structure off the Bristol St. exit of the I-405 freeway.

OC Fair Express (Friday-Sunday) – Enjoy direct bus service to the Fair from 8 convenient OCTA transit locations for only $2 each way ($4 round trip). Plus, riders receive a $3 general Fair admission coupon to use when they arrive at the Fair. Visit octa.net/ocfairexpress for more details.
Guests traveling from outside Orange County can jump on the Metrolink to Anaheim Canyon, Santa Ana or Irvine Metrolink stations to catch the OC Fair Express for free when they show their Metrolink ticket.
Savings Inside the Fair

Shop ‘Til You Drop – Every Thursday
Find special savings all day from select retail vendors. Look for the Olivia the Orange icon for savings.

$2 Taste of Fair Food – Every Friday, Noon-4 p.m.
Taste select Fair food for $2 each sample

$30 Unlimited Ride Wristband – Every Wednesday and Thursday, Sold until 5 p.m. and ride until 8 p.m. Unlimited rides in the Main Midway and Kiddie Carnival plus 2 free games

$2 Rides & $2 Games – Every Friday, Noon-4 p.m. All rides and games are $2 each

Read & Ride – Daily
Children (ages 5-11) who read 2 books and submit a completed book report form to the Centennial Farm Information Booth will receive three free carnival ride passes. Official book report form is available at ocfair.com.

With so many different discounts available, I think we’re going to be visiting the 2014 OC Fair several times this year!

I’m leaning towards the Super Pass! What about YOU?

(image courtesy of OC Fair)

 

What’s Cookin’ This Year at the OC Fair?

OC Fair 2014

The fair food is probably my MOST favorite part about the fair!  The OC Fair is, once again, cooking up a delicious summer for fairgoers. From July 11 to August 10, 2014, the OC Fair is serving summer fun, along with culinary events and new Fair food that are definitely worth the trip!  Each year, fairgoers look forward to new additions to the list of outrageous fair foods.

Stop by these booths to try the latest and greatest foods that join that list this year:

  • Chicken Charlie is introducing the new-for-2014 Deep-Fried Doritos and Deep-Fried Chicken Skin in addition to his classic favorite fried treats of Oreos, cookie dough and Twinkies.
  • Bacon A-Fair is introducing Bacon-Wrapped Jack Daniels, a unique churro concoction with a little whiskey kick at the end (non-alcoholic of course). Also, a deep-fried bacon-wrapped turkey leg!
  • Biggy’s Meat Market is bringing gluten-free options this summer with GF hamburger buns, fries & a newly gluten-free The Big Rib.
  • Texas Donuts is putting a twist on its popular giant donuts with new flavors like Cherry Pop Rocks, Banana Chocolate Cream and Peanut Butter Cup. Also new this year, a Latin twist with the new deep-fried Gansito.
Pop rocks donut
The Cherry Pop Rocks Donut from Texas Donuts!

Back at the fair this summer are the OC Fair Foodies! These are OC Fair’s food-themed costumed characters. Join Olivia Orange, Cotton Candy Carl, Arturo Churro, Cornelius Corn and Ice Cream Scoop as they delight Fairgoers. I know we’ll be seeking them out for photo opportunities! Selfies with the OC Fair Foodies seem like a fair necessity!

The culinary events calendar is jam-packed this year. Some of the events, demos and tastings include:

  • $2 Taste of Fair Food, held every Friday from Noon-4 p.m., offers Fairgoers the chance to taste Fair food for $2 per item. Fun-sized samples include funnel cake, tri-tip, lemonade, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, tacos, gelato, cotton candy and more.
  • OC Brew Hee Haw, a craft beer roundup, is July 11-13 and will bring some of the best local craft beers to OC Fairgoers for five sessions of beer tastings, demonstrations and exhibits. Visit ocbrewheehaw.com for details and tickets.
  • Celebrity Chefs will bring their colorful cooking skills to The Hangar stage on three Thursdays. Scheduled appearances, include Carla Hall, co-host ABC’s lifestyle series “The Chew” (July 17, 4 p.m.); Roy Choi, founder of the famous Korean taco truck, Kogi BBQ (July 24, 4 p.m.); and Kelsey Nixon, host of her own show, “Kelsey’s Essentials” on the Cooking Channel (July 31, 4p.m.) Free with Fair admission and autograph sessions will follow each appearance. Presented by Vons.
  • Chef Challenge will put talented culinary professionals in competition against each other with a themed cook-off every Friday at 7 p.m.: July 18 (Earth), July 25 (Water), August 1 (Air) and August 8 (Fire). Free with Fair admission.
  • Special Culinary Contests include Eating Smart Starts Here (July 19), Hot! Hot! Hot! Chili, Wings or Salsa (July 26), OC Cupcake Classic (August 2) and Fairtastic Food (August 9). Registration is the Wednesday before each contest. For a complete list, visit ocfair.com/competitions.
  • Daily Culinary Demonstrations can be enjoyed for free in the OC Promenade throughout the run of Fair. The Bakeology exhibit will highlight the wondrous things a baker can create from just butter, flour, eggs and sugar with daily demonstrations by Blackmarket Bakery chefs. Chef Ray Duey will carve works of art out of fruits and vegetables. Master Food Preserver Ernest Miller will teach Fairgoers how to preserve their fresh vegetables, sauces and more. Artist Shaile Socher will create delicate edible sugar art and Cake Decorator Greggy Soriano (July 11-27 only) will make cake go from bland to grand live at the Fair.
  • Award-Winning Wines are available by the taste or the glass in the Wine Courtyard throughout Fair and on weekends wine-lovers can learn more about the various varietals of wine during the Orange County Wine Society’s Wine Seminars (most require an additional fee).

What are YOU most excited to eat at the OC Fair this year?

 

(images provided by OC Fair)

Check out the Live Music & Action Sports Lineup at the 2014 OC Fair!

oc fair and event center

The 2014 OC Fair will offer a month-long bonanza of great music and wild entertainment in The Hangar and Action Sports Arena from July 11-August 10. Tickets are on sale now and, as always, include free OC Fair admission.

The Hangar at the 2014 OC Fair:

  • July 11 Journey Unauthorized – A Tribute to Journey
  • July 12 Zeppelin Live – A Live Rock Tribute to Led Zeppelin
  • July 13 The English Beat / The Debonaires
  • July 16 Wild Child – A Jim Morrison Celebration
  • July 17 Atomic Punks – A Tribute to Early Van Halen
  • July 18 Joshua Tree – A Tribute to U2
  • July 19 Kenny Metcalf as Elton John – A Tribute to Early Elton
  • July 20 MenAlive – Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus Performing the Music of The Beatles
  • July 23 Purple Reign – THE Prince Tribute
  • July 24 Strangelove – The Ultimate Tribute to Depeche Mode
  • July 25 Metalachi – The World’s Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band / Mex-Zeppelin – A Led Zeppelin Tribute
  • July 26 No Duh – The Ultimate Tribute to No Doubt / Green Today – A Green Day Tribute
  • July 27 Ricky Nelson Remembered – Matthew & Gunnar Nelson
  • July 30 Hotel California – A Salute to The Eagles
  • July 31 Kalimba – The Spirit of Earth, Wind & Fire
  • August 1 Rumours – The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show
  • August 2 KIDZ BOP – Dream Big, Sing Loud Tour!
  • August 2 Damage Inc. – Southern California’s Tribute to Metallica
  • August 3 Common Kings / Tini Grey
  • August 6 Moonwalker – A Reflection of Michael Jackson
  • August 7 Queen Nation – A Tribute to the Music of Queen
  • August 8 Hot August Night – The Neil Diamond Tribute
  • August 9 Dead Man’s Party – The Oingo Boingo Tribute
  • August 10 Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez

dead man's party

A concert ticket is required to have a seat inside The Hangar during these events. Concert tickets include free Fair admission for the same day before and after the concert.

Action Sports Arena at the 2014 OC Fair:

  • July 11 X-Treme Freestyle Moto-X
  • July 12 40th Annual Speedway Fair Derby
  • July 13 SummerFist VII – Mixed Martial Arts
  • July 16-20 Monster X Tour – Monster Trucks & Tuff Trucks
  • July 23-27 ASA Action Sports World Tour – Skate/BMX Half-Pipe
  • July 30 & August 1 Extreme Rodeo
  • July 31 & August 2 Broncs & Bulls
  • August 3 Fiesta del Charro
  • August 6 & 9 Orange Crush Demolition Derby
  • August 7 & 10 Motor Home Madness Demolition Derby
  • August 8 Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby

action sports

Reserved seats include free Fair admission for the same day before and after the event. There is limited free seating available with Fair admission on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Tickets to The Hangar and Action Sports Arena reserved seats can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by phone (800) 745-3000, from all Ticketmaster outlets or at the OC Fair & Event Center Box Office, which is open before the Fair on Wednesday 1-9 p.m., Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and closed Monday-Tuesday and Friday, July 4. The Box Office is also open during the 2014 OC Fair.

OC Fair 2014

The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/OCFair, follow us at twitter.com/ocfair or call (714) 708-1500. Also, download the free OC Fair iPhone and Android apps available this summer.

 

(images courtesy of OC Fair)

The 2014 OC Fair: Summer Starts Here!

We are counting down the days until the 2014 OC Fair begins! The theme this year is Summer Starts Here and I can’t think of a more appropriate theme for the kickoff of summer! This year’s  fair will run from July 11-August 10!  It’s going to be 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun! In addition to all of that, the venue also features the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre and events in The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. I think everyone needs to check out the Super Pass option. It’s offered at one price and gives you entrance into the fair for the entire 23 days plus a bunch of other benefits. To get more info about the Super Pass and to purchase online, click here.

When I look back at some of our pictures from last year’s fair, I get even more excited about it! We absolutely LOVE visiting the farm animals, especially the piglets and the chicks! The farm is the first place we walk through each year when we get into the fair. Emi even thinks it’s fun to milk the pretend cow!

cow says moo

2 fingers

pet a lamb

piglets

faux milking

Emily also loves going on the kiddie rides. Sadly, she’s getting so tall that I don’t know how much longer she’ll be able to ride on them.

rides collage

It wouldn’t be a trip to the fair without some of the delicious fair food. We are always anxious to see what new items will be featured each year in the fried foods category, but honestly, I don’t think there’s anything that can beat the BBQ corn!

new food collage

corn closeup

The Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday. Concert tickets, action sports reserved seats, single-day general admission and the popular Super Pass are available for purchase online at ocfair.com or from the on-site Box Office. Free parking and shuttle service are available on Saturdays and Sundays from the Experian parking structure located off the Bristol St. exit of the 405 freeway.

What are YOU most excited about at this year’s fair? 

Is it something you want to see, something you want to ride, or something you’re excited to eat?

The Time Farrell’s SAVED My Daughter’s Birthday Party AND My Sanity

Here’s the back story: 
In case you didn’t know or hadn’t guessed, I’m the kind of mom who LOVES to throw a house party every year for my daughter’s birthday! I love to plan all of the details, far in advance, utilize Pinterest a ton throughout the entire planning period, seek out unique things to incorporate into the party and find vendors who are amazing but haven’t been very well known (yet). From the invitations to the coordinating printables to the custom cookies and the favors, I love all of it! 
I don’t know what happened this year? I started out with a fun theme in mind for Emily’s 9th birthday, even had a few amazing ideas in my “party notebook”  during the first few months of planning. What happened after that was just a series of hurdles followed by some awful events. The week prior to Emi’s birthday was the MOST challenging for me! Some of the obstacles I attempted to overcome included: a water leak in our ceiling, construction of that area, a majorly unexpected auto repair, a district walk through at my workplace, a heat wave paired with Santa Ana winds, a lady who was coming to do a little spa for the girls backing out, my inability to book someone new to come and do the party and probably the worst thing…..my daughter learning 3 days before her party that the cheer program she’d been in for almost 4 years, with the same coaches, was going to cease to exist as she’d known it! Yep, I had to inform her as I picked her up from school that day and then rush her to try out someplace new with some of her friends, all of which had bloodshot red eyes from crying! I cannot describe how horrible it felt to watch her become uncontrollably emotional and pretty much cry her little eyes out for the two days leading up to her party! 
Needless to say, by Thursday, I knew I had to make a Plan B for WHAT I was going to do to modify this party I was having the next day, with 13 little girls, since I’d had ZERO time to get things ready while dealing with all of the previous. 

Friday, May 2nd

I woke up at 3:45 a.m. and sat straight up in bed, suddenly wide awake. It was the day of Emily’s party. A thought came to mind…Farrell’s! We are HUGE Farrell’s lovers and there’s one very close to our home inside The Shops at Mission Viejo. I went online just to look at the kids menu and saw that there was any area to make a reservation online. I assumed it would only take a reservation for small parties but sure enough, when I entered my date, time and number in our party (13 kids and 3 adults) it took my reservation! I think I let out a big sigh of relief at that point. I think I knew right then, at 4 a.m., that everything was going to be OK.

I remember taking a picture of my laptop screen after I made my online reservation at 4 a.m. because I so overjoyed!

We’ve been to Farrell’s a couple of different times over the past few months, including the amazing grand opening at their newest Buena Park location AND Barbie’s birthday celebration at The Shops at Mission Viejo. I don’t think it’s possible to visit a Farrell’s without having an amazing time! Each of their locations exudes a crazy amount of positive energy and the food and nostalgia are something extra special for me that remind me of my own childhood .
I actually called Farrell’s around 10 a.m. that morning, just to double check with the manager on duty that they’d gotten my online reservation and that it was going to work out for a party our size.  I spoke with “Steven”  and he was so helpful on the phone and he confirmed that he did have my reservation. He asked me a few questions about our party and we decided together that our party would best be seated up front, in the area closest to the ice cream bar. It’s the location where you get the most drum action and that’s a biggie, right? Steven then reviewed the staff scheduled to work that evening and let me know that he’d be having “Michael” as our server, reassuring me that we’d be in good hands. This literally brightened up my day and I hung up smiling.
When I picked up Emily from school that day and told her about the slight change in our party plans, she had a huge smile on her face! She thinks she’s this big Farrell’s VIP because she’s hung with the best of the Farrell’s peeps at some of their different locations! In her world, this party would just be one more event that she could add to her Farrell’s repertoire!
Upon our arrival, it was such a pleasure to meet the manager on duty, Steven. He greeted us at the front desk and made Emily feel special, mentioning that he already knew it was her birthday and giving her a special birthday sticker to wear! He had mustache stickers and menus for all of the girls to color and led us to our table, which was already set up. Steven was so considerate that he even sat the 3 adults at our own table, separate from the table of 13 screaming girls! It was like the reverse of having “a kids table”!

Our server, Michael, came right over to the girls’ table and was ready to get the party started! He was so patient with all of them. I don’t know HOW he had the patience to deal with the craziness of 13 screaming 9 year olds but I can confirm that the guy was like an instant hit with the girls! (obviously)

I can’t even say enough good things about our server, Michael!

I need to point out something else that amazed me about our server…his knowledge of the Farrell’s menu. I’m not talking about their regular menu…I mean the fact that when we informed him about one of the girls who is “gluten-free”, he turned to us and said, “you don’t have to worry, I have A LOT of knowledge about this and I will take care of her!” He then went and grabbed one of their gluten-free menus and helped her with her special order. I think that was the point he definitely won the 2 moms over in our party! (Farrell’s also offers a “nut allergy” and “egg allergy” menu for guests)

Farrell’s has a gluten free menu!
They also have “nut allergy” and “egg allergy” items!

Michael kept the Shirley Temples and strawberry lemonades flowing at the girls’ table! I must’ve apologized to him about 100 times for all of the screaming and craziness coming from their table and he just kept telling me NOT to apologize and let me know that he works with kids like this every day and enjoys it! Ha! And here I was thinking I was the crazy one!

As if the girls weren’t already excited just to be hanging out, 
they let out some extra noise when dinner arrived table side. 
The Kids Mac and Cheese seemed to be a big hit at our table!
I ordered the Grown Up Grilled Cheese!

Dinner was a success and we ready to move onto the best part of all! The girls knew what would come next…a special birthday sundae, a special birthday song and a whole lotta drum….. all in honor of Emily’s 9th birthday! 

The singing hadn’t even started and she was already blushing!
This video can give you a good idea of what it’s like to celebrate your birthday at Farrell’s! (I think Emi was trying to hide) 
And then they all dug into their own kid sundaes! Mmm!
The kids sundaes are a good size and so yummy!

By this point I was so relieved and so pleased at how everything had worked out. It wasn’t just a birthday meal out but a total celebration and all because of everything that Farrell’s has to offer in its dining experience. I just have to say “Thank you, Farrell’s!” not only for saving my daughter’s birthday party this year, but for also saving my sanity! We will be back soon! 

The girls had so much fun at Emily’s birthday celebration at Farrell’s!
For more information about Farrell’s and to check out their regular menu, as well as information about parties, click here.

 

 

Our Perfect Day at the Irvine Park Railroad’s Eggstravaganza

We had so much fun spending an afternoon at the Irvine Park’s Easter Eggstravaganza, which is located inside of Irvine Regional Park. 

In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, it’s all decorated for Easter too! Everywhere you turn, there are adorable children, dressed up in their best spring outfits. It’s the perfect setting and occasion to photograph some precious moments, that’s for sure!

The Eggstravaganza features so many different activities to choose from that we weren’t sure where to start. 
The activities include: 
     *Easter egg hunts
     *Photos with the Easter Bunny
     *Train rides
     *Hay rides
     *Cookie decorating
     *Face painting
     *A bunny bounce house
     *Various picture stands for photo opportunities
     *Carnival games

So, we basically decided to do them all! 

I loved how organized the Easter egg hunt was. We first obtained a wristband for the age-appropriate time for Emi. They created very fair rules for the children, first sitting them all down together, to explain the rules for the hunt, discussing how many eggs they could “find” and take home in their baskets, as well as other candy they might find on the ground. The kids were so excited to get started and sprinted at the cue to begin. 

Although we remembered to bring our own basket, they do have baskets for sale there, as well. 

Emi was mesmerized by how much candy there was in the egg hunt area, in addition to the eggs! 
After the egg hunt, we strolled over to visit the Easter Bunny. He was extremely interactive with the Emily, first playing peek-a-boo with her, which helped make her unafraid to sit with him. That’s something that might be a relief for parents with hesitant children. 

Pictures like this, melt my heart!

Apparently visiting the Easter Bunny makes you hungry, so we stopped by the snack shack for some freshly popped popcorn, before heading on over to the face painting area!

The artists in the face painting booth that would create each child’s ideal design for them. Emi let her artist know that she preferred more of an arm design, as opposed to having her face painted. 

She loved her “tattoo” so much, that I think she hid from the water in the shower hitting that arm for as long as she could! 

I loved all of the different photo opportunities there were throughout the area. Emi tried to convinced me to get in this one, but I let her do the honors! 

I love this one! My little chick!

I was most startled by this one..it shows how tall Emi is getting! She’s only 8! Wow! 

Next, we hopped aboard the train, which for me, is the best part of the entire thing. There’s just something about trains that reminds me of childhood! Emi chose to sit directly behind the engineer! We took the token “train selfie” as we relaxed on the long ride.

For our finale, we visited the cookie decorating booth, where Emi got her very own sugar cookie to decorate with colored frostings and sprinkles. What more could a kid ask for? 

It was such a fun afternoon. 
Head on over before the fun ends on April 19th!