Cirque du Soleil- Kooza

On Wednesday night I was invited by Cirque du Soleil along with my daughter,  Lauren, to the preview/premiere night of Kooza, in San Diego at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. It was an unbelievable experience. It is a beautiful show and I can't rave enough about how amazing Kooza was. It is difficult for me  to put into words the experience of watching a Cirque du Soleil show. We were in awe from beggining to end.


I  must confess, I was a little worried about bringing my daughter to the show because she might be a little wiggly. It turns out  I had nothing to fear. She sat through the entire show and she hardly made a sound. She absolutely loved the performance.

KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor.

My daughter was completely taken in by the contortionists and I was completely fascinated by the aerialist and tightrope walkers.

I have seen a couple of Cirque shows and the one thing that I love more than anything is the live music. The music in Kooza does not dissapoint! It is beautiful!

If you have not seen a Cirque Du Soleil performance, this would be the perfect show to watch. It is a delight to watch and in  an breathtaking setting. We had a great time and I know you will also.

This would be a perfect date night or for a special family outing. Tickets range from $31.50 to $125. There is pretty much something for every price range. K

Kooza, is playing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego through March 21st. To learn more about the show and to purchase tickets head here.

Pretend City- Good To Go From Head to Toe and How you can get in for free!

My family loves Pretend City. We have a membership and try to head there at least once a week. One of the things that I love about Pretend City is their focus on children and their Good To Good from Head to Toe Initiative.

 Good To Go From Head To Toe is an initiative designed to educate the community and parents about the importance of having children (birth through 5-years-old) receive regular developmental check-ups as part of their routine, well-child visits.

As part of their Good To Go from Head to Toe Initiative, Pretend City holds monthly Way to Play days on the second Friday of each month to  learn more about child growth and development while interacting with your child in a variety of fun activities.

Each Way to Play day will highlight a particular developmental skill, like communication, and offer community specialists on-site for support. Way to Play day activities and special giveaways are included the the price of museum admission.  If you print the coupon/flier below you will be able to do receive Two for one admission on Way to Play days.

On March 13th Pretend City will be hosting a FREE  Good To Go From Head to Toe Wellness Fair from 10 am to 4pm. You will learn all about your child's development and there will be free language, health, dental, hearing and speech screenings for the kiddos. The best part is if your kiddos participate in the activities and screenings they will receive FREE admission to the museum that day. It's a fantastic event and how can you beat Free?

I hope you can all make it. I plan on taking the kiddos over to the fair to participate in all of the activities. I hope to see you there!

To learn more about the Good to Go From Head to Toe initiative head here and to learn more about Pretend City head here.

Birthday Party Roundup- Broadway Bound OC

This birthday party roundup suggestion comes from our reader Tucker, who had an amazing birthday experience at Broadway Bound OC. This is what Tucker had to say.

I would like to RAVE about Broadway Bound, OC. My daughter had her 9th birthday there about two weeks ago and it was a smashing success! She chose the theme Wicked. The organizing consisted of a couple of phone calls and then all we had to do was show up with food. They decorated the space, had a fantastic set on the stage, awesome costumes (for 17!) and two instructors to lead the crew.

By the time parents came to pick up kids 2 ½ hours later they were blown away by a 2 song show. We had a mix of kids from different schools and both boys and girls. By the end everyone was participating and having a wonderful time.



I know there are a number of other themes that Broadway Bound is set up to do for parties, their link should be able to provide more information.

Parties are $350 for 18 people and it is 3 hours. Food is not included but they do everything else and set up for you to bring food in.


To learn more about this unique and what looks to be an incredible birthday party experience head here.

A big thanks to Tucker for sharing her experience. I can't wait to share the many posts I have planned that have come from many readers like Tucker. If you would like to share your birthday party experience please email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com.

Mommy and Me Bubble Play Day

Bubblefest at the Discovery Science Center is coming back from March 27th to April 11th. We love Bubblefest. We had the opportunity to catch two of the shows last year and absolutely loved them. If you have never taken the family out to this very cool event, this is the year to check them out.

This year the Discovery Science Center is offering a special Mommy and Me show on Thursday, March 30th at 10am. There will be special discounts on this day and it would be perfect for MOMS or MOPS groups. The group discount package includes admission to the show and general admission to the science center.

to learn more about the special Mommy and Me Bubble Play Day call 714-263-3836 or email at medwards@discoverycube.org.

Irvine Park RR Anniversary Celebration

The Irvine Park Railroad is celebrating their 14th year on Saturday, February 27th and Sunday, February 28th. In honor of this special celebration they are rolling back their prices to 1996.

Train rides will be $2. The anniversary celebration will also feature other $2.00 activities and concessions including hot dogs, sodas, face painting, ice creams, popcorn, bounce house tickets and cotton candy. FREE giveaways include balloon animals and Irvine Park Railroad balloons.

You can make a day of it by packing a picnic and checking out the OC Zoo. 
For additional info head here.

Winners of Dockers Men Without Pants

Happy Monday! The winners of the Dockers giveaway are

Karina who said...


We had the best valentines ever, this is not usually a big holiday for use. But this year it was so much fun, we went to Sea World for the day! As we were going (Home) my husband stopped at Wal-mart and asked me to get the kids, myself, and him something we could go swimming in. Confused, I did as I was asked. I came back and gave him the O.K. I'm done look, he said nothing and started driving. To my very pleasant surprise we arrived at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. The kids and I were so excited! This was the best time ever!!!!

Mami2jcn who said...


My husband vacuumed the house for me

Jennifer R who said...
Since I have been diagnosed with a illness that leaves me sometimes unable to function, my husband has been watching our two infant sons and picking up the house duties. Yesterday he watched the boys while I rested and took me to see Dear John.

Rockin' Mama  who said...


My husband took me out to my favorite seafood restaurant (sans kids) and we saw the movie Valentine's Day. He woke up Sun. morning and made me chocolate chip waffles!



Caryn

Rockin' Mama

Picazzo Family said...


My husband went out to a stawberry field near our home and bought fresh strawberries and dipped them in chocolate for me! They were so yummy! For dinner he surprised my kids and I and took us to Downtown Disney and we had a great dinner. While we were at the table he gave me a gift and it was a Sade CD that had a song on it that he said reminded him of me. So sweet. It was a great Valentines Day!

 
Congratulations! Please email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com- include your mailing address and size info.

Free Bowling

Happy Friday! I found a fun freebie today that I couldn't wait to share. If your family loves bowling, you are going to love this.  You can bowl for free with the family at AMF Bowling when you sign up for their E-club.

All you have to do is sign up and give your email and soeme other info and you will get 10 free games. One for every member in your party. To sign up head here. There are AMF Bowling Centers throughout Southern California. For a location near you click here.

Annual Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown

The weekend is almost here and I wanted to share with you about something I have wanted to see with my very own eyes and will finally do this weekend. The Golden Dragon Parade and festival in Chinatown(Downtown LA) is celebrating it's 111th year. The parade and festival kick off on Saturday, February 20th at 1pm. The parade starts at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Broadway.

I think my kids are going to love this(so will I). It is the perfect learning opportunity. For additional info head here.  Parking might be a little expensive and you will want to bring cash for vendors, favors, parking, etc. However, the festival and parade are absolutely free.

Winners of Amelia and Whip It

Good morning! The winners of Amelia and Whip selected at random are:

Amelia-
La familia Sobaje who said...
Thanks for the opportunity, and for keeping this blog up!

Anthony & Desirae said...
I LOVE your blog and your giveaways!!

Stephanie said...
I have been wanting to watch this with my son! It looks like a great movie... Crossing my fingers to win!

Ned & Heidi Broberg said...
I have always love Amelia! But with two kids I havent had the chance to see it at the movies, so this would be a thrill!


Lindsay said...
Ooh, we wanted to see this in theatres but missed it - we were majorly bummed



The winners of Whip It are-

The Jacobs said...
Bunco is a fun night IN with the girls. You get to talk to almost everyone there and may win money. =) Goes great with some appetizers and drinks. So fun!

Lin who said...
My perfect girls night out is a night full of margaritas & great movies that we can sit around & watch/talk about.

ArcadiaMom said...
Perfect girl's night out... talking about the fun times we've had and eating fresh strawberry or chocolate silk pie!


Laura said...
mani-pedis and frozen yogurt.....mmmm

Jennifer R. said...

I would love to have a girls night out with a nice adult dinner (no kiddie menus), a movie and drinks after!




Winners please email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com with your mailing info. Thanks for commenting and participating. I have another giveaway starting later today! Good Luck!

Kids Night at Chick-Fil-A.. I don't think I will make dinner on Tuesday nights ever again!

Last Tuesday, after picking up my daughter from dance class, I was tired and trying to figure out what to do for dinner. I couldn't think of anything to whip up and decided to head over to the new Chick-fil-a that opened in our neighborhood.  Boy was I pleasantly surprised.

Every Tuesday, most Chick-fil-a's host Kids Night. On Kids Night, your kiddos will eat free with every adult combo/entree you purchase. It's a great deal! A family of 4 can eat for around $12. It's perfect! Yummie and pretty darn reasonable. The best part is the activities that take place. My kids had an absolutely fun time.

Last Tuesday they had a Valentine craft area where the kiddos made cards, today they had a face painter and of course the indoor play area is great and clean. My kiddos are also big fans of the "cow" mascot that comes out to greet the kids. They wanted to take pictures and dance with the cow all night long. There are usually also balloons for the kids to take home.

 I know many of you probably already know about Kids Night but I thought I would share just in case you didn't. We had such a great time and my picky kids ate all of their food. Chick-Fil-A Kids Night will definitely become a Tuesday night tradition for our family. Before you head out next Tuesday, make sure to call your local Chick-Fil-A to make sure they particpate(most do). To learn more about Chick-Fil-A and Kids Night head here.

*please excuse my camera photos

*I was not compensated for this post or given anything to review. I just plain old liked it!

Dockers men without pants - Giveaway

Here is a fun giveaway to make sure that Valentine's Day extends a little longer. You may have seen the Dockers Men Without Pants commercial during the Super Bowl. It was all about men stepping up and wearing the pants - even though they weren't! This Valentine's Day/President's Day Dockers is giving away 5 pairs of Dockers Soft Khakis in either a classic khaki color or a cool red.



This is how it works: prove that men ARE wearing the pants and that #chivalryisnotdead - especially after Valentine's Day. Post a comment (and if possible a pic) to my blog/facebook/twitter account about what your guy did for you on Valentine's Day and I will select 5 winners at random to receive a free pair of khakis.

You have until Friday to enter the giveaway. Good luck!

Win this- Amelia!

This week I promised Giveaways and here is one more.  Enter to win one of five copies of the movie Amelia. My daughter loved this movie. She became obsessed with Amelia  Earheart after watching Night at the Museum and it was fun to be able to watch this with her. We learned so much about her and I thought it was pretty entertaining. It's a perfect movie  to watch with girlfriends or your daughters.

 

Two-time Academy Award® Winner Hilary Swank delivers an unforgettable performance as Amelia Earhart, the legendary American aviatrix who boldly flew into the annals of history. Richard Gere co-stars as her charismatic business partner and adoring husband George Putnam. Bound by ambition and love, their enduring marriage could not be broken by Amelia's determination to fly -- nor her passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). Equal parts gripping drama, stirring romance and epic adventure, Amelia will take your breath away and send your spirit soaring!

Leave a comment any comment and enter to win. Leave as many comments as you want. You have until this Sunday night to enter. 5 winners will be chosen at random. Good luck!

Cute Valentine Idea: Royal Dance Party

Are you looking to do something special with your prince and princess for Valentine's Day? If you have not finalized plans, you have to check out Royal Dance Party.  It was created by Monika Csikkel, a former teacher and mother of 3, who started it to fulfill her daughter's dream of dancing in a royal ball like a real princess

She searched around, but could not find anything like that. Disappointed and frustrated by the fact that there was not a place that would satisfy her daughter's dream and provide things that grown-ups like (healthy food choices, dancing, massage, make-over etc.) she decided to take matters in her hand and organize a wonderful event that has everything under one roof. She created a corner at the event just for the adults, called "Royal Spa" where parents can have a complimentary massage and make-over while their children are having fun with crafts, bubbles, balloons, and dancing with the princess. 

 

It's a fun way to spend time with your little prince or princess. Royal Dance Parties are held every couple of months and the best part is that admission to the event won't set you back an arm and a leg. Admission for the Party is $15 and children under 1 are free with a sibling paid admission.

The next Royal Dance Party will take place this Saturday, February 13th  from 11am to 2pm. For additional info and to purchase tickets head here.

El Capitan Theatre Hollywood and Discount Code

I love Disney movies and there is nothing quite like watching one on the Big Screen. Celebrating its 10th anniversary you can see Fantasia 2000 on the Big Screen at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Fantasia 2000 will be playing from February 18th – 27th with show times at 10am, 12:15pm, 2:30pm, 4:45pm and 7:00 pm. Plus before the movie see the animated short Destino, a rare and unique short film by Walt Disney and Salvador Dali! Ticket prices are $12.00 for adults (Matinee before 6pm $10) and $9 for children. Day Tripping Mom readers get a special ticket rate of $8.00 for adults and children at any show time Monday through Friday! Call 1 (818) 845-3110 and give the CODE: Day Tripping Mom to receive the special rate.

Whip it- Review and Giveaway

Have you seen the movie Whip It? If you haven't this is definitely a fun movie to watch with your girlfriends. It is a feel good movie and it has a girls rule vibe to it. The movies stars Ellen Page(Juno) who wants more than anything to roller blade and be in the roller derby squad  but has to keep it a secret from her parents.

The movie is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut and it is fun, fresh and funny.  You will find yourself rooting for Bliss(Ellen Page) and laughing along the way.

Whip it is available on Blue Ray/DVD.

It's giveaway time! I have 5 copies to giveaway. All you have to do is let me know what your perfect idea of a girl's night out is and you are entered to win. That's it! you have until Thursday night to enter. Good luck!

Moshi Monsters

A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to take the kiddos to the LA Zoo to try out Moshi Monsters. Have you heard of Moshi Monsters?

Moshi Monsters is a free online game for kids, where they may adopt a monster and look after it. Kids whose parents give their approval can become 'users' on the site, and can adopt a Moshi Monster. Kids care for their monster by solving puzzle games, which earn their monster virtual rewards called Rox. Kids can spend Rox on virtual items like food, furniture and other treats and toys for their monster.

Education is right at the heart of the Moshi Monsters experience. Every day your child's monster will create a series of fun puzzles that test everything from vocabulary and arithmetic to logic and spatial skills. The better your child does at these puzzles, the more Rox they'll earn to buy cool things for their monster. The difficulty level of the puzzles automatically calibrates each day, so puzzles get harder if they are doing well, and easier if they are struggling.

My daughter was a bit sick on the day of the event but she still enjoyed playing and was glued to the screen. My three year old loves it! We created our own monster and the kids love playing with it.

I love that it's a game that is not only fun but educational. The best part is that it is FREE! It's a fun option on a rainy day.

To create your own monsters and to learn all aobut the game head here.

Birthday Party Round Up- Guest Post- Scooter's Jungle

Happy Monday! Stay tuned for a week filled with some fun DVD giveaways in honor of Valentine's Day. The giveaways will be for fun DVD's for parents. I can't wait to share!

This week's Birthday Party Round up comes from Katie, who blogs at OCMomactivities.com, and celebrated her son's birthday with a party at Scooter's Jungle.

Birthday Parties at Scooter's Jungle!

Once my boys started to reach Preschool age, I found I didn’t really want to have their birthday parties at home. It can be a bit overwhelming at first with the amount of options we have here in Orange County for hosting kids birthday parties, so I thought it would be helpful for parents to start profiling some of the places we have been to for parties and talk about the pros/cons of each place. I’d also like to share some of the tips I have learned for maintaining sanity while planning them!

If you live in South Orange County and have school aged kids, I would be shocked if you haven’t at least heard of Scooter’s Jungle if not been at a party there. Over the years, we have been to several parties there and hosted several of our own. Scooter’s Jungle really has the kid’s birthday party down to a science and makes for a low-stress party for the parents. For me, the biggest stress surrounding parties at Scooter’s Jungle, is how many kids will show up and making sure I have enough party favors for ones that don’t RSVP, but that is because I always choose to put together my own goodie bags. But, they even have a solution for that! If you buy the pre-made party favors from Scooter’s Jungle and you have more kids show up at the last minute, you can almost instantly have the extra party favors bags brought in to the party room, piece of cake! They have several different options for the party bags, including separate ones for boys and girls.



The parties at Scooter’s Jungle are about 1 ½ hours long depending on which arena you choose. I really love how you have the entire play area for just your party so you don’t have other children running through. This allows for hide-and-go seek games as well as other great games. I have found the designated party hosts to all be great with the kids and as the parent of the birthday child, you really have nothing to do but socialize. The hosts take care of everything from entertaining the kids to setting up the food you brought, to helping you organize the presents that come in.



Scooter’s Jungle is located in Aliso Viejo, Placentia and one in Valencia and their website is: http://www.scootersjungle.com/ . Pricing and contact information are listed on their site.


Things to note:

-Pizza must be ordered through Scooter’s Jungle, but the hosts will serve and provide plates, napkins, etc.

-You bring your own cake & candles, but they have a lighter and cake cutter.

-Do bring a veggie platter, fruit platter and other hand snacks, mostly for the parents to munch on.

-Book your party as far in advance as you can to secure your time and prevent scheduling issues.

-Drop-off parties are allowed - just be sure you have a few parents who plan on sticking around.

-Be prepared to have exhausted kids, this is one party that really tires them out.

Fun and Free things to do this weekend - Target Free and Bank of America Museums on Us

Can you believe that the weekend is almsot here? It is the first weekend of the month and there are a couple of free things to do this weekend that are not only Free but fun for the entire Family. Just a reminder about the Bank of America Museums on us program. It allows one admission per name/names on debit card or credit card. Have fun and start preparing!
Target Free Admission


Target Free is offering Free admission to La Habra Children's Museum on Saturday

Target Free is offering Free admission to the Bowers and Bowers Kidseum on Sunday

Target Free Family Day is offering Free Admission to the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach on Sunday


Always Free (except for parking)



California Science Center

The Getty

The Getty Villa

Always Free (including parking)



Griffith Park Observatory

Travel Town Museum

Orange Railway Museum

Bank of America - Museums on us



Bank of America Museums on us - Saturday only - Free Admission with your B of A debit/credit card - Discovery Science Center-Santa Ana

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- Muzeo in Anaheim

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- Birch Aquarium - La Jolla

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- Museum of Latin American Art- Long Beach

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- LACMA- Los Angeles

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- Autry National Center of the American West- Griffith Park

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat only- Riverside Art Museum

Bank of America Museums on us - Sat & Sun- The New Children's Museum - San Diego

First Tuesday of the month

Good morning! Tomorrow is the first  Tuesday of the month and below is a list of Museums that offer Free Admission on the first Tuesday of the month. Enjoy!

•Natural History Museum- Los Angeles (make a full day of it by visiting their next door neighbor- the California Science Center, which offers FREE Admission every day)
•Autry National Center- Los Angeles
•George C Page Museum and the La Brea Tarpits- Los Angeles
•Kidspace Museum - Pasadena- 4pm to 8pm.


These are perfect outings if your kiddos are home schooled, as an after school activity or if you have preschoolers. Happy Exploring!

Birthday Party Roundup- Pretend City

 I have had quite a few people email me about locales/ideas for birthday parties in Southern California. I plan to do a couple of posts during the next month featuring my birthday party experiences, fellow bloggers and readers experiences with different and unique venues.

I wanted to start off the series with my son's 3rd birthday a couple of weeks ago. My son's birthday is two days after Christmas and because of this he really hasn't had a traditional birthday. This year I decided to move his party to the first weekend in January and to have his birthday at one of his favorite places, Pretend City.

My son's party at Pretend City was a huge success. It was fun and I really did not have to do much. I was running late and only had 15 minutes to set up. This wasn't much of a problem because there were two hosts to help me out. They were amazing! First off they have a cart that you can carry to your car to bring the supplies. They helped me unload, set up the tables, food, decorations and they even helped frost my cupcakes. They also cleaned up! The hosts were EXTREMELY helpful and relieved much of the stress.

The party package at Pretend City includes
• Party room for 1 hour
• Museum admission for up to 15 children and 15 adults = total 30 guests
• Tables, chairs, sink with running water and refrigerator provided
• Two Pretend City party hosts to facilitate the party room set-up, service and clean-up.
• One return pass for all party children

The best part is that I did not have to worry about goodie bags. Every child that attends the party receives a return pass! I also had a Do it yourself candy bar that was a huge hit! I  set up clear jars with Taffy, kisses, licorice, and blow pops. I bought scoops  at Wal Mart for $3 and clear bags with ties for a $1.

I decided to do two sandwich trays from Costco, individual sized chips, capri suns, fruit snacks, small  bottled water, rice krispy treats, a lemonade bar for the adults, single serving size Ben and Jerry's ice cream(which I found on clearance!), apple slices and cupcakes. I think I spent less than $100 on food, utensils and decorations.

After our time in the party room was over, the kiddos had a great time playing in the museum for what seemed hours.  Everyone had a great time and the birthday boy was very happy!

The price for a birthday party is  $346 for Members and  $385 for Non-Members. I am a member of Pretend City and received the discount. Pretend City offers a discount of $50 for Birthday Parties held between Tuesday through Friday. For additional info head here.

Birthday parties can be expensive and I'm going to try to feature parties for every price range. Stay tuned for additional locales and for some fun giveaways!