Archives for 2015

Love the Coopers – Fantastic dramady about dysfunctional families and holidays

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This new Holiday “dramady” from Jessie Nelson will brings tears and laughter to your face. It reminds me of a Nora Ephron film with all the family and personal drama going on all at once. There is a bit of profanity and mild sexuality so I wouldn’t take your younger kids but, for teens it’s a must-share! It has a great ensemble cast led by Diane Keaton and John Goodman who make a very believable couple with kids and grandkids that are all slightly off kilter. Steve Martin, who narrates the film through the eyes of the family dog, is the glue that holds the story together. And, the love story between Angie and Sergeant is truly a highlight of the film. As Leo Tolstoy said, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” But, look out! You might just see your own family in this film. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Mia A. comments, “My two favorite characters are Joe and Eleanor, played by Jake Lacy and Olivia Wilde, because they have great chemistry together and I kept rooting for them to finally become a couple.” See her full review below.

 

Love the Coopers

By Mia A, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

Love the Coopers directed by Jessie Nelson is a holiday comedy full of subplots that get many of the people in the audience laughing.  This movie is packed with big stars such as John Goodman, Diane Keaton, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei and Amanda Seyfried.

 

This movie is about an extended family, the Coopers who come together every Christmas and have a big family dinner party. It’s about how their individual lives and how their family acts when they are together.

 

My two favorite characters are Joe and Eleanor, played by Jake Lacy and Olivia Wilde, because they have great chemistry together and I kept rooting for them to finally become a couple. Their story provides the most humor and is the strongest subplot in the whole movie. Their scenes are hilarious and made me really believe they should be a couple.

 

There are many great actors in Love the Coopers, and there are some flaws. Charlotte and Emma are supposed to be sisters with negative history and competition, but the age difference between Diane Keaton and Marisi Tomei (who play them) is too great to be believable. It doesn’t make sense. Also, I was disappointed that some of the big stars aren’t used to their full potential. For example, Amanda Seyfried, a great actress from Mamma Mia isn’t in a lot of scenes and Steve Martin is used only as the narrator. This left me wanting more.

 

I found the plot and characters a little hard to follow in the very beginning.  It’s difficult to know who is who because they switch back-and-forth from different family members without telling us who they are.
Every set and scene reminds us that it is Christmas, including the funny, the good and the bad aspects.  It gently pokes fun of holiday traditions and made me wonder about some of my own.

 

I rate Love the Coopers 3.5 out of 5 stars because I enjoyed the clever writing, but I didn’t really relate to the sisters or to some of the inappropriate humor.

 

I recommend it to ages 12 to 18 because there is some extreme kissing and inappropriate public behavior. They also say tell some religious jokes about Christians and they use some mild profanity. This film is in theaters now so, go check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!

Pet Adoption Day at Camarillo Premium Outlets on November 21

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Camarillo Premium Outlets will be helping pets find loving fur-ever homes during a Pet Adoption Day on Saturday, November 21, in partnership with Ventura County Animal Services.

 

Shoppers and community members are encouraged to stop by Camarillo Premium Outlets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to check out the adorable furry friends, as well as get information from local pet groomers, mobile veterinarians, and other pet-friendly vendors.

 

“Pets are often an integral part of the family unit, and we’re happy to help connect loving homes with loving pets during our Pet Adoption Day,” said Brian Sikoff, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Camarillo Premium Outlets. “We’re proud to partner with Ventura County Animal Services for a great community event.”

 

Ventura County Animal Services’ mission is to improve the lives of the animals in their care, be timely and compassionate in their responses, educate the public through community outreach and, provide for the health and safety of the citizens and animals of Ventura County. Ventura County Animal Services provides care to stray and abandoned animals, promotes animal adoptions, reunites pets with their owners, rescues stray and injured animals, processes new and renewal pet licenses, hosts low-cost rabies vaccination clinics, and educates the community about animal welfare and proper pet care.

 

For more up-to-date news and events, follow Camarillo Premium Outlets online at twitter.com/CamarilloPO andwww.facebook.com/camarillopremiumoutlets.

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About Camarillo Premium Outlets

Camarillo Premium Outlets offers more than 160 outlet stores, including impressive savings Armani, Banana Republic Factory Store, Barneys New York, Coach, Cole Haan, J.Crew, Kenneth Cole, Lucky Brand, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch and more. Camarillo Premium Outlets is located just 45 minutes North of Los Angeles and 40 minutes South of Santa Barbara.  For more information, visithttp://www.premiumoutlets.com/camarillo or call (805) 445-8520.

Follow Camarillo Premium Outlets on these social media channels:

Twitter: twitter.com/CamarilloPO

Facebook: www.facebook.com/camarillopremiumoutlets

About Simon Premium Outlets

Simon’s Premium Outlets portfolio is the world’s largest collection of upscale outlet centers. It includes 77 Premium Outlet Centers® including 63 in the United States, one in Puerto Rico, nine in Japan, two in Korea, one in Malaysia and one in Mexico. Premium Outlet Centers in the United States are located primarily in or near major metropolitan markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago and visitor markets such as Orlando, Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Center information is available at www.premiumoutlets.com.

Bupropion and ways to treat depression

In last couple of years, we have heard a lot about depression. It has come to our attention that this condition is very common for many celebrities. In many ways, it is something that can be caused by increased pressure on people as well as dissociation. Oftentimes, people who are suffering from it were abused during childhood or had to suffer some other severe trauma during their life. In a way, change to our lifestyle, introduction of technology, social networking has all contributed to development of the issue.

Depression can easily be diagnosed. However, in some cases, doctors make a mistake and diagnose depression to patients who are suffering from bipolar disorder. When it comes to this illness, it can easily be recognized by increasingly dissociative behavior of a patient. Slowly, he will lose ability to contribute as a part of society. Lack of concentration will lead to loss of productivity at school and at work. Also, he will slowly lose interest for communicating with others. As a result, his personal relationships will deteriorate. When it comes to behavior, he will feel sad, hopeless, helpless, he will lose confidence and self-esteem, he will become secluded, reserved and gloomy. Best way of treating these symptoms is to buy Bupropion online from You! Drugstore.

As previously mentioned, most depression patients had some trauma during childhood. Even though children tend to suppress most of their negative emotions (or sometimes they even forget them naturally) any similar situation which may occur in future will take them back to that period and start mental reaction. In some cases, this type of abuse persists during whole childhood which will have severe impact on person’s mental development. Slowly, patient will start showing some of the symptoms which will intensify as the time go by. Unfortunately, some of the parents will neglect these signs thinking that it is a natural behavior. It will reach climax during puberty and it can even lead to suicidal tendencies.

Similarly to other medical conditions, genetics and biological factors play an important role. Neurotransmitters in brain are in direct connection to this illness. Any genetic flaw which is transferred from parents or some other form of disturbance can lead to depression. Experts claim that substance abuse can easily lead to this issue. However, we need to differentiate people who started doing drugs due to depression and those who used drugs and alcohol which led to this condition.

Psychotherapy is crucial for all those who had trauma. It reveals problem which led to the disease in the first place. Doctors recommend use of Bupropion. This drug is able to restore balance to patient’s brain and eliminate most of the symptoms of the disease. Have in mind that some of the drugs can present a unique problem for individual. There have been cases where young people contemplated suicide after taking anti-depressant drugs. Because of this, it is necessary to visit doctor during whole therapy. This way, you can prevent all negative issues connected to medicine use.

 

Styling Iron Burn Treatment

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Our mothers always said “it hurts to be beautiful,” and anyone who has ever suffered a curling iron mishap might agree.  Hair styling iron burns are the common result of misjudging the distance between hair and skin, a slip of the grip, or simply being in a hurry.   Often, they leave red, raised (hypertrophic scars) in the least convenient and hardest spots to treat – forehead, neck and hands.

That’s where ScarAway Daily Discs (www.myscaraway.com) – the right size for those small reminders of trauma, come in.

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ScarAway Silicone Daily Discs (www.MyScarAway.comuse an advanced silicone technology to help shrink, flatten and fade new and old scars in a convenient once daily application.  These disposable discs measure 1.375” and are ideal for scars one inch or less in diameter, such as those that might result from a curling iron burn.  They are easy to apply, and nearly invisible due to their thin, low profile and clear, matte texture.   That means they can be discreetly worn on the neck or hands, so you can heal as you go about your day.

Stay tuned! I will be featuring in the New Year!

Credit: ScarAway.

A Deep CHILL Returns to the Queen Mary November 20

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Experience the Ice Kingdom, Glacier Glide Ice Tubing, Ice Skating and Holiday Entertainment at the Coolest Place in Southern California

 

The Ice Kingdom Introduces the New Holiday Ice Bar

The Queen Mary will once again be overtaken by a deep freeze for the fourth annual CHILL, opening on November 20, 2015. Experience the frozen magic that will bring holiday wonderment and artic temperatures to Southern California.

 

A holiday extravaganza like no other, CHILL transforms over two million pounds of sparkling ice into larger than life hand carved colorful ice sculptures in a giant Igloo called The Ice Kingdom, located inside the Queen Mary’s Dome, once home to the legendary Spruce Goose. The Ice Kingdom will bring Charles Dickens’ classic tale of A Christmas Carol to life with Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come frozen in glistening ice. Walk-through chilling scenes from the Nutcracker complete with castles and sugar plum fairies. Get lost in the life size candy cane forest and explore the penguin village. Slip down ice slides off of a 30’ high replica of The Queen Mary and enjoy a festive cocktail at the all-new ice bar aboard the ship’s frozen bow. Each ice exhibit is precisely hand sculpted and created by an international team of expert ice carved from Harbin, China and enhanced with LED lighting to create a visually awing experience. The Ice Kingdom is kept at a frosty nine degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the ice. Guests receive parkas to help protect them from the chilling temperatures.

 

The 4th annual CHILL welcomes back Glacier Glide Ice Tubing with six lanes of glistening ice slides standing two stories tall and 100-feet long in front of the Ice Kingdom. Ice skate under the stars on the 6,000 square-foot ice skating rink with the backdrop of the picturesque Queen Mary ship. A holiday village will offer visits with Santa Claus, holiday carolers, snow days and live festive entertainment.

“CHILL truly embodies the spirit of holiday magic,” commented Steve Sheldon, director of entertainment events at The Queen Mary. “We bring the cold festive weather of the North Pole right here to the families of sunny Southern California.”

CHILL pricing starts at $34.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids (ages 4-11). Tickets include entrance to The Ice Kingdom, Ice Tubing, CHILL Village and access to the Queen Mary ship. Lodging packages are also available. CHILL will be open select dates Nov. 20 through Jan. 10. For more information, including hours or to purchase tickets online, visit http://www.queenmary.com/events/chill/.

Credit: The Queen Mary.

Universal Studios Hollywood “Day of Giving”

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Many Minions from the Popular “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” Ride Join

Hundreds of Universal Studios Hollywood Employees volunteered at

Six Charitable Projects across Los Angeles In Support of Theme Park’s

11th Annual “Day of Giving” Community Outreach Program.

The inspirational “Day of Giving” event is Universal Studios Hollywood’s yearly tradition designed to connect employees with diverse community organizations, many of which are beneficiaries of the company’s philanthropic foundation, Discover A Star, whose mission is to empower individuals and families to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

 

As part of this year’s special event, Universal Studios Hollywood  served as home base for Operation School Bell, hosting 250 homeless children from over 20 LAUSD elementary and middle schools.

 

The day-long activities included a clothing and school supply exchange, complimentary lunch, an afternoon of fun at the theme park and chance to experience the new 3D Ultra-HD adventure, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem”, “Super Silly Fun Land” play zone and the world-famous Studio Tour, which now features the blockbuster thrill ride, “Fast & Furious – Supercharged” as the epic grand final of the signature ride. 

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Other Universal Studios Hollywood “Day of Giving” events took place throughout the day at A Place Called Home, AIDS Project L.A. (APLA), Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home, Covenant House L.A. and Shane’s Inspiration.

Credit: Universal Studios Hollywood.

Color-Changing Polarized Solize Sunglasses are a Must-Buy this Holiday season!

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In sunny So Cal, it doesn’t matter the season, sunglasses are a must! I love these Solize Sunglasses by Del Sol that change color in the sun! They are so very cool, fashionable and work great! I love that they have 100% UVA/UVB blocking & protection and they are durable and lightweight! But, my favorite thing is that they are two colors in one. I received the Solize Sunglasses – Don’t Worry Baby – Pearl to Purple to try out for myself and I love them! They have quickly become my favorite sunglasses! Del Sol really has a wide variety to choose from for men, women and even children. They would make a great holiday gift suggestion for everyone on your shopping list this holiday season!

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Find the ones above and many more at http://www.delsol.com/accessories/sunglasses.html

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! One winner will win a pair of their own sunglasses. To enter, check out the website and in the comments below tell us which pair are your favorite! Deadline to enter is November 18th, 1015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

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Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this post and giveaway opportunity. I am not responsible for sending out the prize as Del Sol will send the prize to the winner.

Darby is Pet of the Week!

Darby, Nov. 19Pet of the Week

This is Darby, an 8-year-old little girl who was left alone when her owner passed away. She’s used to a lot of love, so if you have it to give, she’s been spayed and ready to go home with you. Meet Darby on the shelter side of Companion Animal Village at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS. Ask for ID#A551944.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Credit: Courtesy of the Companion Animal Village.