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Hym and Hur by Phillip Frey

August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Hym and Hur by Phillip Frey is a short novel that is refreshing because it is unique! It is fun to read and it does deal with the serious issue of death (in this story Death is also a character) but there is lightness and a positive vibe to the story too.

I really liked the main characters Hym and Hur the best and they really made the story.I loved that they were in love and didn’t age. Although, the story has Death in it, it is a fun book to read because of these two characters that make a deal with Death and they learn that Death has tricked them so they have to make things right again. I also found the character of Death slightly amusing which gave this story a light hearted tone. Death can sometimes seem really morbid but not so much in this story. It is rather short but like I mentioned before…quite refreshing and would love to see other stories with Hym and Hur. A great story by Phillip Frey!

You can purchase on Amazon.com.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

Planes Birthday Party Theme!

August 14, 2014 By 1 Comment

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Do you have a Planes fan in your house? My son and I loved both Disney Planes movies! We both agree it would make a great birthday party theme! Looking for ideas and products for the theme? Birthdayexpress.com has you covered!

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They have plates, party favors and almost everything you need except for the food! We like their idea of Plane shaped cookies! We received a few goodies and our favorites are the party favors and the Room Transformation Kit! The sticker boxes were a hit with my son and his friends! I love the party favor boxes which are blue with clouds on them!

 

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Go to the website for Disney Planes Party and Accessories.

Styling & Photography Credit: Allison Duds of A Joy Photography.

Self Disclosure: I received free product samples to facilitate this feature.

 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Belli Fresh Start Pre-Treatment Scrub and Belli Anti-Blemish Facial Wash

August 13, 2014 By 1 Comment

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Are you pregnant or a new Mom? Are you looking for a great skin care line that is focused on ingredient safety? Then, Belli Skincare is for you! Belli is a physician-formulted skin care line focused on ingredient safety to provide expectant and new mothers with piece of mind.  Belli teratology screens its ingredients for use during pregnancy, to avoid “teratogens”- chemical, synthetic or natural ingredients that have been linked to birth defects or miscarriage. Belli also LactMed screens its formulations to ensure that nursing mothers can use the products without hesitation.

I received the Belli Fresh Start Pre-Treatment Scrub which exfoliates to help prepare skin for the application of other skin care products. I tried this scrub and loved how it left my skin. It features green tea extract and ginseng, both rich in antioxidants, and includes the refreshing aromatherapy of peppermint oil. It is recommended to use 2-3 times a week and I used it three times and loved how soft it left my skin. It is also gentle on my skin. Retails for $24 for a 6.5. oz tube.

I also received the Belli Anti-Blemish Facial Wash, which was my favorite! It left my skin feeling clear with out drying it out. I don’t suffer from acne except for an occasional pimple or two but this seemed to keep even the pimple or two away! The wash features lemon peel oil, a natural anti-bacterial and skin brightener, as well as green tea extract and cucumber. I like that it is gentle enough to use every day. It can also be left on for 5 minutes and be used as a mask. Retails for $22 for a 6.7 oz. tube.

Beli is available at fine retailers including buybuybaby and Destination Maternity and online at www.belliskincare.com and UlTA.com.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature but any opinions expressed are 100% truthful. 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening of Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site’s new California Native Garden

August 13, 2014 By 20 Comments

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Photo courtesy of Rancho Los Cerritos.

Today, Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site hosted a ribbon cutting and official grand opening of their California Native Garden. In the works for 10 years, and completed earlier this year, the garden extends to the northern edge of the Rancho property and reflects the genuine love, by Llewellyn Sr. and Avis Bixby, of local native plants.

Many luminaries were in attendance, including representatives from the Long Beach City Council offices of Al Austin, Suja Lowenthal, Suzie Price, Rex Richardson, and Roberto Uranga. We were also joined by newly elected City Attorney Charles Parkin, representatives from the Port of Long Beach, and Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation board members.

More info:

In a process that took years of planning, the participation of many municipal departments, and with funding from a Port of Long Beach Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Mitigation grant, Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site has completed its new California Native Garden. The California Native Garden extends from the newly constructed visitor’s center to the northern perimeter of the property, and adds more than 30,000 square feet (.7 acres) of rehabilitated landscape to the site. Combined with native plantings around the visitor center and along the western perimeter of the property, as well as the recently rehabilitated arroyo, well over 1.5 contiguous acres of land have been planted with California natives. Using water-efficient plants, the California Native Garden restores habitat, expands recreational use of the property to visitors of all ages, improves aesthetics, and addresses critical drainage issues and erosion on the hillside.

 

Plant materials in the California Native Garden reflect the wide selection of natives used by noted landscape architect Ralph D. Cornell when the Rancho property was re-landscaped in 1931 for Llewellyn Sr. and Avis Bixby. Both had a deep interest in California’s natural habitats, so Cornell primarily selected plants from California’s botanical palette for the regions north and northwest of the house.

 

The Rancho’s California Native Garden will officially open at a private, invitation-only, ribbon cutting on the morning of Wednesday, August 13, and will open to the public at 1 PM the same day.

 

About Rancho Los Cerritos:

Rancho Los Cerritos is located at 4600 Virginia Road in Long Beach.  Built in 1844, the adobe home and grounds echo with the rich history of Spanish, Mexican, and American California and with the families who helped transform Southern California from its ranching beginnings to the modern and urban society it is today. The two-story Monterey-style adobe is primarily furnished to reflect occupants and lifestyles from the 1860s-1880s. The site, a National, State and Long Beach Historic Landmark, also includes historic gardens and a research library and archives. The Rancho is operated by the Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation in private-public partnership with the City of Long Beach.  For more information please call (562) 206-2040, or visit the website at www.rancholoscerritos.org and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rancholosc.

Filed Under: SoCal City Kids News

Fresh Brothers Pizza Opens First Location in Newport Beach!

August 12, 2014 By 1 Comment

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With over 10 highly successful locations throughout the Los Angeles area, Fresh Brothers is proud to announce the grand opening of their first Orange County restaurant, within the Harbor View Center, in Newport Beach. The new store opened this past July. This location  features a large exterior dining area, curbside pickup and expect to see a full beer and wine license in the near future.Fresh Brothers offers a fun and fresh California twist on the traditional pizzeria. Using family recipes, Fresh Brothers features a thin crust, a skinny crust and a deep dish pizza. Their Buffalo chicken wings are baked, and never fried. Fresh salads are hand-chopped and tossed, with over 45 ingredients and 15 dressings that customers can mix and match.Ordering your favorite item can be done directly from the Fresh Brothers website and Facebook page. You can also order Fresh Brothers by downloading their app which is available on iPhone and Android. Sign up and become a member of the Fresh Fan Club and receive weekly specials, plus 10% off every order.For the health-minded eaters, Fresh Brothers offers a gluten-free menu which was developed using a training program designed by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Fresh Brothers also offers many vegan options, including vegan cheese, vegan “chicken” bites and even vegan ranch and blue cheese dressing.

“This is a major step for us. We’ve done well in L.A. and in the San Fernando Valley. But Orange County marks a milestone, and we’re tremendously excited to be here,” says Adam Goldberg, Fresh Brothers’ founder & CEO. “Newport Beach loves great food, and expects the best. We love that!” says Goldberg. “We take enormous pride in the quality of our pizza, salad and wings, and we think the residents of Newport Beach will be pleased, too. Harbor View Center, where Gelson’s is located, is a terrific spot, with plenty of parking, so we’ll be able to offer curbside pickup, along with dine-in and delivery.”

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This past weekend, SoCal City Kids attended a Media Event at the new Fresh Brothers and I have to say “Fresh Brothers is just so much more than just pizza!” It really does take a lot for me to be impressed with a Pizza Place because usually I will choose other kinds of food over Pizza. It’s not that I don’t like Pizza..it’s just not usually my top choice. Fresh Brothers would easily be one of my top choices! I really did like the pizza but I loved the salads, wings and my favorite was the Meatball Slider! I was so excited to try it that I forgot to take a photo of it first! (I had to ask Fresh Brothers to email me a photo for this feature!) What is so amazing is that I don’t usually choose meatballs but this was my ultimate favorite! It literally was the best meatball on a sweet Hawaiian roll. Yum! I can not wait to go back for another one!

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Actually, it tastes even better than it looks in the photo!

I had the opportunity to sample the delicious food and my family was very impressed! This really is a place you must go this Summer…or Fall…or well..anytime!

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Fresh Brothers Newport, CA

1616 San Miguel Drive
Newport Beach, CA  (located in the Harbor View Center)
Self Disclosure: I did receive a Media Invite to attend a Media event to review Fresh Brothers but all opinions are honest and truthful. Photo Credit: SoCal City Kids except for the Meatball Slider (Credit: Fresh Brothers).

 

Filed Under: Featured Events

REACH Complete Care

August 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Dr. Fresh LLC, a leading designer and marketer of oral care products, has launched a new generation of REACH toothbrushes. New REACH Complete Care Triple Angle toothbrushes represent a significant upgrade to the line and builds on the iconic brand’s heritage by introducing several never-seen-before distinctive features. The new products include a line of toothbrushes that offer new angles, heads, grips and more coverage for a superior oral care routine.

Special features include advanced deep cleaning bristle technologies, handle designs and materials. REACH Complete Care Triple Angle toothbrushes boast a brand new angled neck, body and grip design, along with an industry first, patent-pending Triple Angle bristle technology that maximizes “vertical” surface contact for superior plaque removal.

REACH Complete Care Triple Angle brushes include 4 SKUs encompassing two different toothbrush designs, offered in single and value two packs. The Complete Care Triple Angle Floss brush  and the Complete Care Triple Angle Pro. I received samples of both and my favorite is the  Complete Care Triple Angle Floss brush because of its tapered bristles have a better reach between teeth. It has deep-cleaning REACH Tip with spiral bristles. The Complete Care Triple Angle Pro features multi-level diamond bristles for total mouth clean and also is great for reaching those hard-to-reach places.  These both really are a Must-Have for Moms and Dad too!

I just love how clean my mouth feels after brushing!

The REACH Complete Care line of toothbrushes retail from $3.99-$5.99 (for one count and two count, respectively). They are available at major retailers including Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Kroger, and Rite-Aid.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature and any opinions expressed are honest and truthful.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Celebrate Men’s Grooming Day with ReVive and nyakio

August 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

 

 Friday, August 15 is National Men’s Grooming Day! In celebration of the day, here a few essential grooming products to help your man look his finest. 

Whether he prefers a rugged lumberjack look or a handlebar mustache, all men can use a few subtle grooming pointers. With the help of these two luxe products from RéVive and nyakio—two skincare lines created without synthetic fragrances—your man can target his concern areas and enjoy softer looking skin. 

·         Inevitable Wrinkles: A few lines adds character, but for your man who wants to slow down the signs of aging, have him try RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Cream, ($195)—a unique, lightweight repair cream that works overnight to visibly repair skin and diminish fine lines. The cream is a great starter texture for dudes!

o   Bonus: It’s Celeb-Approved: Celebrity groomer Diana Schmidtke used the moisturizer to prep the real Don Draper (Jon Hamm) for a recent red carpet event!

·         Irritating Razor Burn: Itchy, scratchy razor burn isn’t fun for men and let’s be honest, we don’t like it either! nyakio Kenyan Coffee Face Polish, ($34)exfoliates the skin and helps prevent rashes and razor burn. This unique fusion of Kenyan coffee extract, jojoba and natural oils will help remove dead skin cells and bring potential ingrown hairs out of hiding.

o   Bonus: It’s Founder-Husband Approved: Brand founder, Nyakio Kamoche Grieco has to hide her stock from her bearded husband who uses the product every morning and night!

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received. Credit: ReVive and nyakio.

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner

Back-to-School with Melitta!

August 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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It’s almost Back-to-School time! I can’t believe how fast the Summer is going! Melitta has the answer for those late night college cram sessions and early mornings…coffee! As a Homeschool Mom, I know I need my morning cup of coffee to start off the school day right just like my son needs breakfast!

The Melitta Single Cup Pour-Over is an affordable, easy-to-use Must-Have for the school year! It would make a great school gift for college kids and parents too! I received a Pour-Over Coffee Brewer and just love how easy it is to use to make a single cup of coffee! It is perfect for that single cup of coffee! The single pour-over brews fresh, handcrafted coffee in just three easy steps: put filter and coffee over mug, pour hot water over the grounds and let great tasting coffee drip below. it’s also an affordable option for College students on a budget! The Melitta Pour-Over 1-Cup Brew Cone retails for $2.99! The Melitta Pour-Over 1-cup Ceramic Mug Set is only $5.99 and the Melitta Pour-Over Travel Mug Set is $8.99.

Melitta also has the best coffee! I received a sample of the Cafe de Europa Premium Coffee in the Caramel Macchiato and it is my new favorite! The 100% Arabia, extra-fine grind will definitely start my morning off right! Retails for $6.99.

For more information about Melitta, check out their website! You can also find them on Facebook!

Self Disclosure: I received free products to facilitate this Back-to-School feature but any opinions expressed are honest. Photo Credit: Melitta.

 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week
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