Great Donuts, delicious breakfast sandwiches and the best coffee!

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Where can you go in Long Beach for great Donuts, breakfast sandwiches better than other places I won’t mention and the best iced coffee?

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My son and I had the opportunity last week to review the Dunkin’ Donuts located in Long Beach and were impressed from the moment we walked into the place. Well, I think my son actually almost ran just to pick out a croissant and donuts. What impressed me at first was the customer service. They were very friendly! I had never tried a breakfast sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts so I tried the Eggwhite Flatbread and it was delicious! My son loved his warmed up Croissant and we selected a dozen yummy donuts to go home with us. My favorite? The Iced Latte in Coffee Dough flavor!  You must try this one!

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I just heard that they have  New Cheesecake Squares so looks like I will be visiting Dunkin’ Donuts again over Spring break! What I like about this place is that they have so much more than just donuts and is great for everyone in the family. I have to be honest..my son is quite particular about his donuts and he gives Dunkin’ Donuts a thumbs up!

Self Disclosure: I received a free gift card for review purposes. Photo Credit (except top photo of our donuts): Dunkin’Donuts.

The Place to Visit: The Queen Mary!

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Looking for a fun place to visit and stay overnight this upcoming Spring? The Queen Mary is a great place for families! My family visited last week and had a lot of fun! My favorite thing was the different tours and the view. My son really enjoyed the New Model Ship Gallery. In this gallery some of the finest ship models in the world tell the story of the evolution of trans-Atlantic passenger ship travel from 1840 to the present. It is located on the Promenade Deck, Starboard Forward near the Promenade Cafe. It is available as part of any of their fantastic Tour packages. We enjoyed the Historic First-Class Passport on our stay but there are different packages available. What is really like best about the Queen Mary is that there really is something for everyone. The Scorpion Submarine was also a hit with my 11-year old son and I had actually never seen it before. I found it very interesting! The Queen Mary also has great packages available and you can check them out at http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/specials-packages/

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Although this ship doesn’t actually move, the view is great and it’s like you are really away on a vacation! The service, the view, the tours….so much to do! You can also, get off the Queen Mary at night and enjoy Long Beach. It’s the perfect place to spend a night or two!

To find out more about the Queen Mary, check out the website! I also find the history so amazing!

Self Disclosure: I received Media discount to visit and enjoy the tours but all opinions expressed are my own. 

Del Amo Fashion Center is the Best Place to shop this Holiday Season!

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The Holidays are here! It’s almost Christmas time! Earlier this week I had the opportunity to visit and go shopping at the Del Amo Fashion Center.  This actually is one of my favorite places to shop so I was quite excited!  You really can find something for everyone on your shopping list and have fun shopping too!  I had received a $100. gift card to shop so off I went! I just HAD to visit H&M, Bath & Body Works, aahs!, and the Disney Store because they are a few of my favorites!

I finally decided on buying a few favorites at Bath & Body Works. This week they have a great deal on their Signature Body Collection. Buy 3, get 3 free! You really can’t beat that deal! Then I was off to Teavana! This Tea place is fairly new to the Del Amo Fashion Center and is part of the Starbucks family. They opened up in October and it really is a great place to find the best tea! I finally selected  the seasonal White Chocolate Peppermint! You must try this one if you love flavored Teas! I also bought some tea for a family member (but shhh! It’s a secret!)

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My next stop was Old Navy! Yes, they were crowded but it’s because they have such great deals! Too many to pass up and I was able to find something for my husband and son quite easily. I like that there are a lot of people working in there so even though the line was big, it didn’t take very long.  These were just the three shops I quickly found what I was looking for but there are so many great shops at the Del Amo Fashion Center! They really have almost everything I can think of and great places to eat too! The newer Patio Cafe area has some great choices such as Gengis Khan,Blaze Pizza, Ginza Grill, Sbarro , Chipotle, and Panda Express (which is my son’s favorite).

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But, I had to eat at my favorite which is RA Sushi! Besides, I am part of their online club and had my Half Birthday Certificate so off to lunch I went! I was also in for a surprise because a good friend was also there so we were able to enjoy a lunch together without our kids. After lunch, I was shopped out so away I went! But, I know that I will return to the Del Amo Fashion Center again soon. Well…because it’s a wonderful place to visit, shop and eat!

Don’t Miss out on Santa! I love the set up and it’s a great place to have your kids take photos with Santa.

Del Amo Fashion Center is located at 3525 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90503. To find out more, check out the website! 

Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DelAmoFashionCenter

Now, here is some really exciting news!! We have teamed up with the Del Amo Fashion Center for a Holiday Giveaway! One winner will win a $100. Gift Card for the Del Amo Fashion Center! To enter, leave a comment below telling us where you think you would spend it. Old Navy? Macy’s? Marshall’s? To find their listing of stores, just check out the website!  Deadline to enter is December 29th at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

 

Self Disclosure: I received compensation in form of a gift card to facilitate this Holiday Feature/Giveaway and any opinions expressed are all my own.

Artterro Gifts for the holidays!

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This holiday season, let Artterro’s NEW Creative Gift Sets make gift giving easy, fun and affordable!  With options like Jewelry Designer Set and Outdoor Art Set, there is a gift set to inspire anyone.  You can also mix and match to make your own personalized set of creativity-inspiring kits and supplies.

Along with Creative Gift Sets, the Artterro store features 11 unique Eco Art Kits, including Needle Felting, Art Journaling, Wool Felt Jewelry and more, plus quality crafting tools and supplies.  Known for quality and sustainability, Artterro guarantees hours of crafty fun for kids, family and friends.  With a new Resources page and an expanded blog, Artterro.com is also a place for families to get inspired and easily access DIY family craft tutorials, mindful living tips, art education and sustainable business inspiration.

Artterro is celebrating the new site with some very special coupon codes (good through 11/10):

PAPER2014: Free Mini Paper Pack with your $20 purchase

 

FELT2014: Free Assorted Felt Shapes with your $30 purchase

 

*One coupon per order

 

Artterro has everything you need for creative holiday giving: fun and educational gifts with incredible quality and eco flair.

 

Visit Artterro.com: where creativity comes naturally!

 

Self Disclosure: This is a sponsored feature and compensation was received to post. Credit: Arttero.com.

The Huntington

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On a beautiful sunny day last week, we had the opportunity to visit The Huntington in San Marino. It is such a beautiful place and I am already planning to go back this school year since we didn’t have enough time to explore as much as I would have liked. This place is big and they have the most beautiful gardens such as the Japanese Garden and the Jungle Garden.  There are more than a dozen gardens covering the 120 acres of the 207-acre ground. There is just so much to see and such a wonderful place for the whole family! One of our favorite gardens was the Children’s Garden with its Rainbow Tunnel.

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You will love the Art Collections! The Art Collections occupy two separate buildings on The Huntington grounds. A third structure, the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery, hosts changing exhibitions.  I wish we had seen more of the Art collections and also the Library, but we were so amazed with all the gardens, that we spent most of our time exploring the beautiful gardens. Of course, we had to check out the Stinky ‘Corpse Flower’ and we were amazed at its size!

The Library has a collection of rare books and manuscripts in the fields of British and American history and literature. We did not explore the Library much on this outing but we can’t wait to explore it more next time!

The Huntington is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from noon to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday (and Monday holidays) from 10:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m.  Summer hours are slightly different and ended on Labor Day. Closed Tuesday and major holidays.

For more information, check out the website.  We loved this place and can’t wait to go back!

Self Disclosure: We received two free tickets to facilitate this feature and any opinions expressed are our own.

What You Say with a Glass of Milk Lasts Forever

In this video, a young firefighter remembers a conversation he had with his mom as a kid where he’s pouring himself a glass of milk. That memory helps him face his first day on the job and turns him into a hero, because milk fuels a better future.

To build the brave and the bold, we must provide a strong start for our families. Bright futures begin with healthy bodies, which is why it’s important to drink milk. Every glass of milk contains protein, calcium and other essential nutrients to fuel your children’s passions, whether it’s to actually become a firefighter or to just be brave.

What you say with a glass of milk can last forever. For more information, visit www.gotmilk.com as well as the got milk? Facebook page.

Self Disclosure: I received compensation to feature this sponsored post by got milk?

Harbor Breeze Cruises

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Last weekend we had the opportunity to sail away for a 45 minute boat ride with our new friends at Harbor Breeze Cruises. It was so much fun! My son and his friend loved it! The Narration was wonderful, friendly staff and just a really fun time! We loved seeing the Sea Lions and learning about them! We had a few minutes of rain and it still didn’t put a damper on this fun time. We highly recommend sailing away with Harbor Breeze Cruises. They also offer Whale Watching trips. To find out more, check out their website. You can also find them on Facebook.

Self Disclosure: We received Media comp to facilitate this feature but SoCal City Kids highly recommends as something fun to do this summer! (Visit the Aquarium of the Pacific too! It’s right next door!)

McKenna’s Tea Cottage for Tea!

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McKenna’s Tea Cottage is known as the #1 tea Room in Orange County and is a top seller on Groupon. It is a family run business and is located in Old Town Seal beach at 810 Electric Ave. My Mother-in-law and I recently had the opportunity to go for tea and review McKenna’s Tea Cottage. They have a variety of menu items including Tea for kids.  We happily tried the Queen Mum’s Tea which includes a Traditional pot of Tea, Homemade Scone with Devonshire cream and jam, Soup of the day or Garden Salad, Assorted sandwiches and Dessert.

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I loved the choices of tea and quickly chose Chocolate Mint which is delicious! The service was friendly and they seemed to have a full-house. My favorites were the assorted sandwiches especially the egg salad. I highly recommend the Queen Mum’s Tea and if you are headed to Seal Beach, you should check out McKenna’s Tea Cottage.  Walk ins are not guaranteed so please call for reservations.

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You can find out more about McKenna’s Tea Cottage and see all menu items on their website.

Self Disclosure: We received a complimentary Queen Mum’s Tea to facilitate this feature but all opinions are honest and truthful. Photo Credit: SoCal City Kids. Thank you to McKenna’s Tea Cottage for a lovely visit!