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Diana Iris, May 27th Pet of the Week!

May 25, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Diana Iris—such a lovely name for a springtime flower! This spunky little girl was found tied up outside a restaurant. It must have been miserable for her to not only smell the food but also be abandoned by her people. Diana Iris wants to go home with a fun family who’ll be there for all seasons, dine on restaurant patios with her, and of course, bring home doggie bags! Adoptions are conducted through appointment only, so call 562-570-PETS or email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to meet Diana Iris. Ask for ID#A657003.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Filed Under: Featured Content, Pet Corner

Jump Into Summer at Newport Dunes This Memorial Day Weekend

May 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Featuring the Summer Opening of the Inflatable Water Park, Radiant Rides SUP Tours & More

Newport Dunes Inflatable Water Park. Photo Courtesy of Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort.

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort is pleased to announce the summer opening of Southern California’s largest inflatable water park and more family-friendly outdoor experiences beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 28–31, 2021. 

“For more than 60 years, Newport Dunes has been a destination that brings generations together to create lasting memories,” says Phil Ravenna, Interim General Manager of Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and Marina. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer our beautiful, beachfront location for friends and families to reunite and enjoy responsible, open-air activities.”

Available for adults and children of all ages to experience and enjoy, Newport Dunes’ Inflatable Water Park is home to more than 15 large inflatables including a 17-foot slide, two trampolines, two climbable icebergs, monkey bars, bouncers, and teeter-totters. The park will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. during the holiday weekend.

The resort’s popular Radiant Ride tours will also resume on weekends by reservation request beginning Friday, May 28. For groups of six or fewer, Radiant Rides offer guests the unique opportunity to tour the calm waters of the Back Bay after sunset on an illuminated stand up paddleboards which sets the water beneath aglow with colorful neon light.

Radiant Ride illuminated SUP tour. Photo courtesy of Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort.

Additional Moe B’s Watersports activities include pedal boats, kayaks, stand up paddleboards and a brand-new fleet of 21-foot electric Duffy boats coming early May. In time for the holiday weekend, Newport Dunes will be launching a contact-free reservation and payment portal for all watersports rentals to be booked online. Watersports summer rental hours are from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily beginning May 27. To learn more visit NewportDunes.com/play/watersports.

For those looking for the ultimate VIP experience, Newport Dunes offers private cabanas along the shores for daily rentals. Relax under a breezy, shaded area between dips in the calm waters of Upper Newport Bay. Guests can also enjoy poolside cabanas in the newly remodeled pool complex with four heated pools and spas. 

Guests who stay at the resort are also invited to enjoy Movies on the Beach, held Friday and Saturday nights beginning Friday, May 28.

Moe B’s Munchies, Newport Dunes’ walk-up lunch and snack shop is back Memorial Day weekend and presents a menu of American favorites including hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches and salads along with snacks, beer, wine and signature cocktails. Take food to go for a serene picnic on the beach or enjoy back at camp. 

Experience the luxury of waterfront RV and tent camping sites and cozy beach cottages for the ultimate summer glamping getaway. For those who do not own an RV, Newport Dunes coordinates with local RV rental companies that will deliver a sanitized RV to your site, all hooked up and ready to enjoy. 

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort continues to follow all local, state and CDC guidelines. For more information and to book a reservation, please visit NewportDunes.com. To inquire about Newport Dunes venues for private events including weddings, company picnics, team-building events and more, please call (949) 729-3800 or visit NewportDunes.com/meet.

Credit: Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Events

Koda, April 29th Pet of the week!

April 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Huskies are noted for their escape artistry, and Koda seems to be no exception. Koda was brought in to the shelter as a stray, and he’s now ready to be someone’s pet forever. He can be a little shy at first, but once he’s out of the kennel and senses good times, he’s energetic and active. He’s just a year old and is neutered. Adoptions are conducted through appointment, so call 562-570-PETS or email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to meet Kratos. Ask for ID#A6557.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Filed Under: Featured Content, Pet Corner

Celebrate Earth Day with The Aquarium of the Pacific

April 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Photo courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific

Looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day and take action? The Aquarium of the Pacific is launching an Earth Day poetry contest, a virtual festival, and offers other ways to get involved in supporting ocean conservation from volunteering to Aquarium memberships. “Everyone can help protect this ocean planet that we all depend on and call home. We hope people will learn simple things they can do to make Earth Day every day,” said Emily Yam, senior manager of education at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

You can learn what you can do to help protect our planet at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s twenty-first annual Earth Day Celebration, which will be held as a virtual event. Experience animal meet and greets from your home. Explore our ocean planet through poetry. Learn everyday tips to protect our environment. Hear about the work that the Aquarium is doing to help protect animals and the environment. Everyone is invited to tune into this free virtual celebration. You can follow the Aquarium on Facebook @AquariumofthePacific and enable notifications so you don’t miss this free virtual celebration.

As part of its Virtual Earth Day Celebration, the Aquarium is hosting a poetry contest with the theme ‘celebrating our ocean planet’. People of all ages are invited to review contest guidelines and submit their poems on the Aquarium’s Earth Day Poetry Contest page by April 9, 2021. The top three finalists will be featured during the virtual festival on Saturday, April 24, 2021.

Those looking to support the Aquarium’s ocean conservation efforts can do so by becoming an Aquarium member, making reservations to visit, donating, or volunteering. Starting on Earth Day, the Aquarium is inviting the public to participate in an ongoing cleanup initiative through its newest community science program called T.R.A.S.H. The Aquarium also invites the public to take part in its local sea turtle monitoring project to help this threatened population of green sea turtles.

WHEN:  Virtual Earth Day Festival: Saturday, April 24, 2021, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Pacific Day Time

WHERE: aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/earth_day_celebration/ and the Aquarium’s Facebook page @AquariumofthePacific

How to view the virtual festival:

On Saturday, April 24, the public can visit the Virtual Earth Day Festival webpage to watch the live streaming event. The schedule will be posted on the webpage, along with links to social media outlets that will also stream the event live.

COST: Free, virtual event 

RSVP: No RSVPs are required for this virtual festival

INFO: (562) 590-3100 or visit aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/earth_day_celebration/

AQUARIUM: The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Shark Lagoon, the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, Lorikeet Forest, and the Molina Animal Care Center. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, including lectures by leading scientists, through its Online Academy. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months and other special benefits. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium during the pandemic, please visit Pacific.to/donate.

Credit: The Aquarium of the Pacific.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Events

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association Launches Walk For The Wild On Earth Day – April 22nd

April 2, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Photo Credit: The Los Angeles Zoo.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) is launching its first-ever fitness fundraiser—Walk for the Wild—on Earth Day, April 22, to raise critical funds to support the Los Angeles Zoo and its species-saving work. From April 22 through Endangered Species Day on May 21, participants will take a virtual walk “around the world” to explore the global conservation impact of the L.A. Zoo and learn about efforts to save threatened species. Participants will be rewarded throughout the journey with digital fitness and fundraising badges, exclusive content, plus rewards based on fundraising level. Join individually or as a team and participate in a little friendly competition to win prizes. Proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Zoo and GLAZA, the nonprofit organization that supports the Zoo and plays a central role in making its vital conservation work possible. Registration begins on March 9, with registration levels that include a commemorative T-shirt and medal. To learn more and to register, visit www.lazoo.org/walkforthewild.  

“Because it’s easy for anyone to participate, Walk for the Wild encourages the entire Los Angeles community to engage in a lifelong philanthropic relationship with the L.A. Zoo’s wildlife conservation mission, from schoolchildren to grandparents. Whoever you are, you can save species from extinction and be a conservation hero,” says GLAZA President Tom Jacobson.  

From now through May 21, participants can register and create a fundraising page, set fitness goals, get moving, and make an impact on wildlife conservation. Leading up to the virtual Opening Ceremony on Earth Day, there will be fun weekly challenges that will prepare and inspire participants for the walk and help them meet their fitness and fundraising goals. Starting on April 22, participants choose when and where to walk (or bike, run, swim, dance etc.), tracking their real-world movement on an integrated virtual map to eight global destinations, including Paraguay, South Africa, and India among others, and receive special content at each stop. Participants’ goal is to walk a collective 14,000 miles across the globe to raise awareness and funds for work to save endangered species. The event concludes on May 21 at 11:59 p.m. The winners of the Largest Team, Top Individual and Team Fundraising and Longest Distance awards will be announced on May 22, as well as the total amount raised by this incredible global fitness adventure. 

Walk for the Wild is open to the public, and participants of all abilities are encouraged to participate in the activity of their choosing – any physical movement will propel them towards their fitness goal. Fundraising rewards start at the $150 level (inclusive of registration fee) and include a plush toys and Walk for the Wild branded merchandise. To get inspired and to learn more on how to participate, please visit www.lazoo.org/walkforthewild. 

Credit: The Los Angeles Zoo.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Events

Rubio’s Adds Impossible Meat for 2021

January 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Unique Mexican Spice Blend Creates New Experience for Rubio’s Customers

The new year brings a new addition to the menu at Rubio’s Coastal Grill. Beginning January 6, the home of The Original Fish Taco® will offer Impossible™ seasoned meat, made from plants. Rubio’s guests seeking to eat less meat as part of their new year’s resolutions can enjoy it in a new Impossible™ Taco Salad, or as a protein substitute on all chicken and steak entrées. Impossible meat is more sustainable, using a small fraction of land, water and energy, when compared to 80/20 ground beef.

 “We are using a signature blend of Mexican spices unique to Rubio’s in our Impossible Foods menu items,” said Rubio’s Co-Founder Ralph Rubio. “It pairs perfectly with our coastal-inspired flavors and expands our protein options that guests can feel great about eating.”

The Impossible seasoned meat has all the protein of 80/20 ground beef, does not contain animal hormones or antibiotics, is kosher, halal and gluten-free certified. Rubio’s is featuring the innovative Impossible meat in a new taco salad and two signature dishes:

·                Impossible™ Taco Salad: Impossible seasoned ground meat made from plants, romaine lettuce, black beans, roasted corn, salsa fresca, tortilla strips, sliced Haas avocado and signature pickled jalapeno ranch dressing.

·                Impossible™ Burrito Especial: Impossibleseasoned ground meat made from plants, handmade guacamole, chipotle white sauce, roasted chipotle salsa, citrus rice, black beans and salsa fresca in a warm flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips.

·                Impossible™ California Bowl: Impossible seasoned ground meat made from plants, citrus rice, handmade guacamole, black beans, crisp romaine lettuce, salsa fresca, chipotle white sauce with your choice of salsa verde or roasted chipotle salsa.

About Rubio’s® Restaurants:

Rubio’s first opened in 1983, in the San Diego neighborhood of Mission Bay. Today, Rubio’s uses responsibly sourced seafood and continues to expand its menu with innovative recipes ranging from seafood tacos and burritos to California Bowls and crisp, fresh salads. In addition, Rubio’s offers all-natural chicken, raised without antibiotics, and all-natural USDA Choice steak, “no fried” pinto beans, handmade guacamole, a variety of proprietary salsas, and craft beer beverage options. The award-winning restaurant regularly receives accolades for its famous Original Fish Taco®. It was also recently ranked as one of Fast Casual’s “Top 50 Movers and Shakers” as well as one of the top five most loved fast casual chains ranked by Foodable Labs and Digital CoCo. Rubio’s is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., and currently operates restaurants in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Self Disclosure: I received some form of compensation to post. Photo credit: Rubio’s.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Services

Holiday gift Idea exclusively at Target! Inklings will be a hit with your little one!

December 13, 2020 By Leave a Comment

Inklings are a new line of plush toys and book gift pack that are designed to excite children’s imaginations and teach them about diversity and acceptance.  Each Inklings Baby doll contains pops of color and has a rattle belly and crinkly crunchy features.  The accompanying board book, which transforms from black and white to brilliant color, tells the story of a bored baby who imagines a new best friend for “as long as you have your imagination, you’re never really alone.”  This stunning gift set which includes a plush toy + book  in-store and online for $19.99. I received samples and I just love how adorable they are! My favorite is Ollie the Oddball Bird! She’s too cute and babies and toddlers will love her!

Find out more at www.inklingsbaby.com.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples. Photo Credit: SoCal City Kids.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Products of the Week

More Holiday Gift Suggestions!

December 5, 2020 By Leave a Comment

Here are some more of our favorite gift suggestions for the holidays!

Looking for a great gift idea for the little ones on your list? Here are a few of our favorites!

Shape Sorter Xylophone and Piano:

Toddlers will be able to sort shapes while making wonderful music with the Shape Shorter Xylophone and Piano from Hape! This colorful xylophone and piano encourages children to discover color and shape assortment while creating musical notes with every puzzle piece. Children can match the five colorful puzzle pieces to their corresponding holes, by shape or color, and make wonderful Do, Re, Mi Fa, So melodies by pressing down or by tapping them with the red baton!

Age: 12 months + | MSRP: $17.99

Availability: starting in November

Retailer: Target

My First Block Set:

This 80-piece set of sturdy blocks will inspire hours of play and generations of builders!This colorful setencourages children to identify shapes and objects as they stack and build upon their imaginations. The child safe materials and non-toxic finishes are perfect for every little builder!

Age: 12 months + | MSRP: $16.99

Availability: starting in November

Retailer: Target exclusive

DOLCE Primo Kangaroo

This giant Kangaroo is perfect for cuddling! It comes with a bonus, baby Joey, in and additionally, the kangaroo pocket features a shaker egg. Featuring a peek-a-boo door on one of its feet and is also adorned with beads and a teether on its other foot. Dolce stands for Develop, Observe, Learn, Create, Educate. Let your baby DEVELOP sensory skills with a variety of quality textured fabrics. OBSERVE the colorful fabrics. LEARN cause and effect through the activities. CREATE fun, learning and role-play with your favorite Dolce friend. Let the beautiful, interesting and activity rich Dolce toys EDUCATE through play. MSRP: $39.99; ages 0m+

Stick-O Forest Friends 16Pc Set

Explore the great outdoors with The Stick-O Forest Friends 16Pc Set. Kids can use their imagination to build adorable animal friends including an elephant, duck, caterpillar, bunny and more. The Forest Friends 16Pc Set includes 3 Spheres, 3 Sticks, 2 Discs and other magnetic accessories including bunny ears, flowers, cones, flower pots, and elephant ears. MSRP $24.99; ages 18m+

Here are a couple great gift ideas for the older kids!

EXIT: The Game is a new series of party games for up to four players that offers a unique, unforgettable gaming experience. These games allow you to bring the excitement, intensity, and team spirit of an escape room to your living room. In each EXIT game, your team starts out locked in an imaginary room or trapped somewhere. You must solve a series of riddles and puzzles in order to unlock doors and reveal new riddles. Each correct solution brings you to another riddle and eventually to freedom. The clock is ticking: You must solve all of the puzzles as fast as you can because the faster your team escapes the room and the fewer hints you use along the way, the more points you earn. Get ready to test your creative problem solving and logical thinking skills, because the rulebook in an EXIT game doesn’t reveal all the rules like in other games. After the rulebook gets you started, it’s up to your team to discover for itself how the rooms look, what the clues are, how to decipher them, and how to escape. Can you crack the codes and manage to escape the room? EXIT: The Game is constantly expanding with new stories (Dead Man on the Orient Express, The Abandoned Cabin, The Forbidden Castle, The Forgotten Island, The Mysterious Museum, The Pharoah’s Tomb, The Polar Station, The Secret Lab, The Sinister Mansion, and The Sunken Treasure) RETAIL PRICE:$14.95 ◾ # OF PLAYERS: 1-4 ◾ SUGGESTED AGE:10 and up ◾ PLAYING TIME:1-2 hours.

Lost Cities: Rivals: Use your cards to venture down expedition routes that take you to far-flung and mysterious corners of the Earth: to an abandoned mountain temple, a decaying circle of stone, a city sunken under the sea, an ancient Stone-Age settlement, and a town inside of a mountain. Your goal is to plan the routes in such a way that they bring you the greatest possible fame. If you are especially daring, you will also be able to wager on the success of your own expeditions. But watch out: You are not the only one traveling! Which routes will you pursue and how much gold is it worth to you? Plan well and use your resources wisely. Only the player who has collected the most fame at the end of the game will be the winner. RETAIL PRICE: $14.95 ◾ # OF PLAYERS: 2-4 + ◾ SUGGESTED AGE:10 and up ◾ PLAYING TIME:40 minutes.

  Have a Bugs Bunny Fan on your shopping list? They will love this one! “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.”

BUGS BUNNY 80TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION will surely be a hit!

Three-Disc Collection Features 60 Shorts Along with Bonus Content  Including 10 Episodes of Looney Tunes Cartoons,  A Documentary and Collectible Memorabilia  

This is an amazing collection and I love the bonus content! I also really like that it includes a FULL-SIZE GLITTER FUNKO FIGURE! Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection is available to own on Digital for $39.99 SRP in the US and $49.99 SRP in Canada FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

Happy Holidays!

Stay tuned! Our final Gift suggestions post coming up next week!

Self Disclosure: I received free samples of the above items. No other compensation was received. Images were provided.

Filed Under: Featured Content, Featured Products of the Week
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