Uncategorized – Page 10

10 Red Velvet Desserts With A Twist

February 23, 2016 by Danielle

Are you as obsessed with everything red velvet as I am? Well you are in for a treat! I am loving red velvet desserts lately and decided to take a look around to find a few I could enjoy with the family. And these desserts? OMG! From cookies to ice cream (no machine needed!) to amazing milkshakes, this list has you covered! I suggest going down from 1 to 10 and trying everything. But that may take you a few weeks to complete. Just don’t blame me for the weight gain. I kid!

10 Red Velvet Desserts With A Twist

Are you a big Red Velvet fan?

Filed Under: Baking, Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: brownies, Cake, Cookies, cupcakes, Dessert, dessert recipes, desserts, easy kid friendly desserts, milkshakes, red velvet, trifle, whoopie pie

How To Make A Glass Vase Out Of A Coke Bottle

February 18, 2016 by Danielle

This shop featuring how to make a glass vase out of a Coke bottle has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyFavoriteIsAllMine #CollectiveBias

Last year I attended a Mom’s Night Out event at an awesome local store that repurposed glass bottles into various pieces. One thing that stood out to me were the various drinking glasses that they made from upcycled glass bottles. Another thing that stood out was the steep price tag. So after a bit of digging around I came across a few different tutorials on how to make my own drinking glasses from glass bottles and while I haven’t perfected it yet, I have created an awesome glass vase out of a coke bottle.

On a recent trip to Vons, I found these gorgeous Diet Coke It’s Mine bottles while shopping for an event I’m hosting at my home. These new, uniquely packaged bottles showcase Diet Coke in a creative way and no two glass bottles are the same! After perusing the designs on display, I chose a few that complimented each other. Their colors reminded me of the blooming flowers we have in our back yard and the hints of spring all around us.

Selfie Your Way To Primetime TV’s Biggest Award Show

In addition to being awesome, these bottles could get you into Primetime TV’s biggest awards show!

You could win 1 of 10 VIP prize packages for 2 to Los Angeles to see Primetime TV’s Biggest Awards show coming up in September! (packages include: hotel, travel gift card, pre-party reception, exclusive gift bag and tickets to the awards show.)

Snap a selfie with your favorite Diet Coke It’s Mine branded bottle/can on Twitter OR Instagram with the hashtag #ItsAllMineSweepstakes for a chance to win. You may register between February 3rd, 2016 and April 26th, 2016. Winners will be selected around April 27, 2016.

Make sure to follow these rules:

Twitter: Your account settings must be set to “unprotected” and/or “public” in order for your Tweets to be viewable to enter into the sweepstakes.
Instagram: In order for your entry to be valid, your Instagram profile must be public.

Once back home it was time to start testing out my new project. And after a few failed attempts, I finally created a beautiful glass vase to display the flowers we have in the back yard. I’m hoping my next attempt might even yield the drinking glasses I was hoping to create. Once I do master the skill of creating drinking glasses, I’ll be creating a gift basket for our school’s Gala along with other Coca Cola goodies (and my favorite Diet Coke It’s Mine bottles).

How To Make A Glass Vase Out Of A Coke Bottle

What you’ll need:

Diet Coke bottle
Yarn
Acetone
match or lighter
scissors/straight edge razor
ice bath
sand paper
adhesive roller

What you do:

1. Grab a Diet Coke It’s Mine bottle and enjoy the deliciousness inside. Once you’re done with your beverage, remove the plastic decorative packaging with scissors or a straight edge razor.

2. Wrap the yarn around the bottle 5 times in the spot you want the glass top to be. Tie a knot and cut off the edges.

3. Remove the yarn from the bottle keeping it together in the same shape and soak in acetone for about 20-30 seconds until well soaked.

4. Place the yarn back on the bottle and make sure it lines up where you want it to be.

5. With an ice bath close by*, light the yarn on fire and turn the bottle slowly while the yarn burns until the flame is gone.

6. Submerge the glass into the ice bath.

7. If the glass doesn’t break after the first attempt, repeat 1-2 more times until it does making sure the yarn soaks well and the ice bath is super cold.

8. Once the top breaks off, use a sheet of sand paper to sand down the rough edges around the glass. Be aware that it may take a few attempts/bottles to get the method down right.

9. Once the top of the vase is sanded, grab the beautiful It’s Mine Diet Coke bottle and wrap it around the vase. Cut it down to the size of the vase and use adhesive to adhere back onto the bottle.

10. Add flowers and enjoy!

* I suggest using a separate container for your ice bath and not your sink due to the chance of broken glass.

For more information on the sweepstakes and to discover your entry visit http://cbi.as/2edqu.

Find the video tutorial here:

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Uncategorized Tagged With: coke, crafts, Diet Coke, DIY, glass vase, vases

Apple Granola Muffins in Celebration of Snow White on DVD

February 10, 2016 by Danielle

Forever enchanting and inspiring, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs embodies The Walt Disney Signature Collection’s legacy of animation. In this epic story of love and friendship, the kind and beautiful princess Snow White wins the hearts of the Seven Dwarfs and triumphs over the evil plans of a wicked Queen.

For generations, audiences around the globe have been enchanted by the timeless tales brought to life by the artists of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Since the debut of the very first feature-length animated film in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the visionary studio has generated some of the most beloved films of all time through masterful artistry, epic storytelling, and groundbreaking technology.

From the extraordinary team behind the success of Snow White emerged a group of animators who would become legends – Disney’s Nine Old Men. These prolific artists, including Frank Thomas, Marc Davis and Ollie Johnston, were the heart and hands behind the magic of Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland and so many more.

After more than 90 years, this rich legacy of innovation and creativity lives on with every animator who passes through the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

In celebration of the one that started it all, seven Disney artists from different generations have come together to share a modern look at the seven iconic characters who shared the journey of the original Disney Princess.

Now to the recipe!

There are no poisoned apples here, just deliciously good apple muffins that are the perfect treat for breakfast or whenever.

Apple Granola Muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 apples, grated
1 cup granola

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixer. Add wet ingredients to dry and continue mixing until well combined.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in apples and granola.

Coat a muffin pan with non-stick spray. Scoop 1/4-1/2 cup of batter into each well of the pan.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

What do you love to bake with apples?

Share the movie called “The Greatest Animated Film Of All Time,” (American Film Institute) on Blu-ray February 2nd and on Digital HD January 19th, with special features for the entire family!

Trying to get your own little dwarfs to do their chores? Start the week off with a fun Chore Chart that will help them Whistle While They Work!

Filed Under: Baking, Breakfast, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: apple, apple recipe, Breakfast, breakfast ideas, breakfast recipe, granola, muffins

Valentines Day Fun In Downtown San Diego

February 8, 2016 by Danielle

Looking for great gift ideas for Valentines Day? Or are you planning an amazing day for your loved one(s)? Check out what’s going on in Downtown San Diego, including a few fun events at Seaport Village!

Valentines Day Fun In Downtown San Diego

Unique Gift Ideas

Urban Beach House offers specialty salts from La Jolla Salt Co. for your culinary cutie. Keep the love alive in the kitchen with standout flavors including uncured bacon, Aleppo chile, black summer truffle and hickory smoked sea salt (starting at $12). You’ll find all his favorite SoCal brands including sleek Nixon watches and fashion-forward Stance socks.

Love is in the air with Surf’s Up Candles from Urban Beach House featuring beachy scents like surf wax, pina colada and pineapple coconut (starting at $18). Shoppers can also find beach inspired décor, bags and one-of-a-kind jewelry at Madison San Diego boutique.

Renowned photographer (and San Diego local) Aaron Chang offers a number of options for the art lover including 12×12 prints featuring waves and exotic landscapes (starting at $150), and a “San Diego Through the Lens of Aaron Chang” coffee table book featuring 80 pages of stunning San Diego scenery ($39.00).

From Feb. 12th- 14th local company Urban Shindigs will have a pop up floral shop and “Bloom Bar” in the central courtyard – the perfect place to buy blooms for your Valentine!

Fun with Food

Venissimo Cheese will offer Contraband Curds cheese plates featuring a selection of cheeses that have previously been banned. These $10 cheese plates will include dried fruit, chocolate, crackers and accoutrement.

With more than 20 hand-made gelato flavors, Gelato Paradiso will let movie guests “steal” a cone with any purchase ($1.00 value).

While you’re downtown, Morton’s The Steakhouse is offering a taste of the good life with an exceptional Morton’s steak and cold water lobster for only $55 (see image attached). We hope you consider including this in your Valentine’s Day restaurant round ups. Thank you.

Outdoor Movie Night

For a twist on the traditional Valentine’s Day date night, The Headquarters will also be hosting an outdoor movie night featuring the love and crime classic “Bonnie and Clyde” on Friday, February 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is completely free – guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets.

How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day?

Filed Under: Holidays, San Diego, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day Tagged With: Aaron Chang, Gelato Paradiso, Morton's, San DIego, Seaport Village, Surf's Up Candles, The Headquarters, Urban Beach House, Urban Shindigs, Valentine's Day, Venissimo Cheese

The LEGO Movie 4D A New Adventure at Legoland California

February 5, 2016 by Danielle

Lights! Camera! Action!

Our friends from The LEGO^® Movie and Legoland California invited us out to check out their new show. And you can only see it at Legoland California! Emmet, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, MetalBeard and Benny from “The LEGO^® Movie™” are back in this all-new adventure at The LEGO^® Show Place. Help them defeat the evil secret plot of the new villain, Risky Business!

The LEGO^® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure reunites Emmet and friends in an all-new short story combining dazzling 3D computer animation with “4D,” real-world effects such as wind, water and fog.

In 2014, kids around the world embraced the adventures of Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the key to saving the world in “The LEGO Movie™,” which went on to gross more than $400 million worldwide.

But what happened after the movie?

Fans can find out starting Saturday, Feb. 6, now that “The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” has officially opened at LEGOLAND California Resort.

Returning to voice their iconic characters are actors Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle), Nick Offerman (MetalBeard), Charlie Day (Benny) and Alison Brie (Unikitty). Actor, writer and comedian Patton Oswalt voices the scheming Risky Business, brother of movie villain President Business, a new character created exclusively for the attraction.

When asked how it felt to join a “family” of well-known characters, Patton responded, “It’s beyond flattering. It’s a clever, creative way of looking at, of all things, LEGO, and I was touched to be a part of it.” Patton added that since Risky Business is a character that fans of “The LEGO Movie” haven’t seen before, he approached his performance in hiding his character’s true intentions “with the wiles of a LEGO coyote.”

Set after the events of the movie, the 12 ½-minute story finds the gang entangled in an Evil Secret Plot involving a mysterious theme park inspired by their adventures in “The LEGO Movie,” one that requires them to call on the Master Builder skills of a surprise ally to save the day.

“The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” was directed by Rob Schrab, who is making his feature film directorial debut with “The LEGO Movie Sequel,” set to open May 18, 2018. When it came to designing the attraction, he said a strong story was critical to its success.

“We only spotlight them for a fraction of the amount of time,” he said, “so it’s important to get tothe fun as soon as possible. This is the first time Emmet, Wyldstyle and the gang meet since thefilm.”

Developed in collaboration with LEGOLAND owner Merlin Entertainments Group and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, the attraction was created by Los Angeles-based Pure Imagination Studios with input from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the talented writer-directors who brought “The LEGO Movie” to hilarious life, along with producer Dan Lin.

The result is a delightfully clever blend of the same sly humor and breathtaking, built-with-LEGOvisuals that made the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO film a global hit among kids and adults alike.

For Offerman, the opportunity to slip back into MetalBeard’s shoes – er, bricks – was a welcome one.

“I have worked with Rob on ‘Childrens Hospital’ and ‘Parks and Recreation,’ so it was like a nice reunion of old pals from summer camp,” he said of making the attraction. “We just tried to make each other laugh with silly renderings of dead-serious pirate-y mayhem.”

“The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” opens on Feb. 6 at LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., following its debut in Florida on Jan. 28, and will soon be playing at all other LEGOLAND theme parks and LEGOLAND Discovery Centers worldwide in 2016.

Who’s your favorite LEGO® Movie star?

Planning a trip to Legoland CA soon? Check out our highlights:

For more Legoland CA fun, check out these great posts:
LEGOLAND California Holiday Snow Days
Legoland Heartlake City
5 Reasons Why Star Wars Lovers Should Visit Legoland California
Top 5 Things to Do at Legoland California When You’re 5

Filed Under: Events, San Diego, Travel, Uncategorized Tagged With: Carlsbad, Legoland, Legoland California, San DIego, San Diego Activities, The LEGO Movie

A Dare + Tic Tac Toe Valentines Day Printables

February 3, 2016 by Danielle

This post featuring a dare and tic tac toe Valentines Day printables is brought to you by United Healthcare.

When it came to Truth or Dare when I was in school, I’d always lean towards a truth. I don’t know what it was about dares that made me skeptical about accepting them but I always thought a truth would allow me a little safety. I mean, come on, I am already a pretty open book! But this month I’m sharing a few dares with you. And super cute tic tac toe valentines you can use in a few weeks! Added bonus? They’re non-edible so they work for preschoolers and school agers.

We Dare You is a campaign that dares people to live healthier and happier lives every day, one step at a time. Each month, United Healthcare poses three simple dares to the public to participate in. For the upcoming month of February, the dares revolve around taking control of your health care plan. Definitely something I’d like to know more about.

In addition to the fun games, there is a grand prize given out to one lucky winner at the end of the month as well as weekly $25 gift cards. Pretty darn cool if you ask me! Ready to choose a dare (or three) and enter to win?

In February, we dare you to:

Play the concentration game by matching the health insurance terms
Answer one of the quiz questions about understanding health plan benefits
Watch the “Using My Plan” video and share your opinion

The grand prize is a $400 gift card and, as I mentioned previously, there are weekly $25 gift cards given out as well. Want more details? Head here and start now!

Now are you ready for a game of your own? Print out and make these tic tac toe valentines for your little one to pass out this Valentine’s Day!

Tic Tac Toe Valentines Day Printables

What you’ll need:

Tic Tac Toe Valentines printable
scissors or paper cutter
hole punch
mini pens (like these or similar)

What you do:

Print out the Tic Tac Toe Valentines printable.
Cut the printables out.
Have your child sign their name to each valentine.
Using a hole punch, cut a hole on the left side of the word Valentine’s between the V and the edge of the valentine.
Slip the cap of a pen in the hole.

When it comes to health care, what would you like to know more about?

Filed Under: Health & Wellness, Holidays, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day Tagged With: Valentine's Day, valentines, valentines crafts, valentines day ideas

5 Reasons Why Date Night Helped Our Marriage

January 27, 2016 by Danielle

Photo Courtesy of Grin & Share It Photo

I don’t talk much about my marriage here on the blog. It’s something I like to keep just between my husband and myself. But one thing I have shared on here are our date nights. I’ve even offered tips on making date night a priority. Ever since having my son (almost) 7 years ago, it’s been an important part of our marriage and something that allows us to connect with each other a monthly basis.

It’s important to schedule date night in advance if you can. Put it on both of your calendars and set a reminder! We’ve even purchased season tickets to the local theater so we have a built in date night already paid for a few times a year. But date nights don’t have to be elaborate or expensive if you don’t want them. They can be as simple as take out and a bottle of wine at home in front of the TV. As long as the kids are either sleeping over at Grandma’s or fast asleep in their beds. And the tablets, laptops, and phones are put away.

And when the kids are little, consider date afternoons. Since I prefer to put our kids to bed when they’re babies, we move our schedule around and enjoy afternoons together instead of evenings. It still gives us the time together but then we’re home in the evenings with the kids. However when they get older, it’s also nice to schedule 1-2 nights away from the kids as well if you can!

5 Reasons Why Date Night Helped Our Marriage

1. Communication Without Interruption

If you have kids you know why this is so important. Whenever my husband and I have conversations at home and the kids are around it’s in short bursts here and there because we’re constantly getting interrupted to tie a shoelace, get a snack, or stop one kid from beating on the other. Being able to have alone time with one another without interruption is something that’s allowed the both of us to talk about anything and everything that’s been going on lately. Whether it’s the job, finances, our upcoming plans for the next month, or the next birthday, we can start and finish a conversation during date night all in one sitting.

2. No Talking About The Kids (Mostly)

While date night is great for communication without interruption, we try to leave talking about the kids to a minimum. We can do that at home after bedtime. Or via text message throughout the day. Leaving the kid talk to a minimum gives us the opportunity to chat about ourselves. Our relationship cannot just be based on our children, because that wouldn’t be marriage, that’d just be co-parenting. So we take this time to talk about our relationship and the topics we want to discuss but might not have had the chance during our busy days.

3. Finding New Interests

Through date night we’ve both been able to plan events that the other might not necessarily love. I give in to an action movie he wants to see, and he sits through a play I want to see. Or we try a new restaurant out together. It’s fun to explore and create new memories with him that we can share. It keeps the time we spend together interesting.

4. Alone Time

With the craziness of our lives, work, the kids, meetings, after school commitments, sports, etc, sometimes it’s hard to find alone time. There are some days where I see my husband only in passing. And the only conversations we have are about who’s picking up the kids or what bills need to be paid. We’ve realized that with the crazy, we need the calm. We need alone time together so we don’t forget how to talk to one another.

5. Reconnecting

Every date is an opportunity to reconnect with my husband. I get to know him more, we get to talk about what’s important to us (or just chat about nothing at all), and we spend quality time together. And when you’ve been together for 15 years (married for 8.5) that reconnection is what keeps the relationship strong. Sure, there are difficult times. But that doesn’t mean we stop date night. It means we continue to get together even when we’re mad in an effort to continue to keep that conversation going. Because marriage is fluid. Marriage is constantly changing just as we as individuals are. And we need that reconnection, that continuation of growth, to keep our marriage strong.

Do you have regular date nights with your significant other?

Filed Under: Date Night, Parenting, Uncategorized

No Cook Chocolate Avocado Pudding: A Healthier Alternative

January 25, 2016 by Danielle

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The a2 Milk Company™. All opinions are 100% mine.

Dessert is one of my family’s favorite parts of our meal. And most of the time when we all get together for a family meal, dessert is served. However I’ve noticed a few relatives who’ve declined dessert over the past few get togethers. After chatting with one of them about the reason, I found out that they’ve realized that they have an issue with lactose and since most of the desserts served have some sort of milk product, it’s easier to say no than deal with the consequences later. While they haven’t been formally diagnosed with lactose intolerance, by avoiding dairy they’ve reduced their tummy troubles.

Because I hate seeing people feeling left out I figured I’d play around with one of my favorite pudding recipes and replace the dairy with a2 Milk®. Then I went a step further and figured out a way to make it thick and creamy without cooking it! Since I already use bananas and avocados in my smoothies to make them creamy and thick, I thought they’d be amazing together in this pudding recipe as well. And the best part? I mix everything together in the blender! Takes less than 5 minutes for everything to come together.

Haven’t heard of a2 Milk® before? It’s pretty awesome. Originally, all milk contained only the A2 protein. Over time a genetic mutation occurred in cows and a new type of protein developed called A1. This A1 protein causes digestive discomfort and is in all cows’ milk in-stores today, even organic milk. a2 Milk® is the only fluid milk on the US market that is guaranteed A1 protein free.

How do they do it?

The a2 Milk Company™ has partnered with U.S. family dairy farmers in upstate New York and the Midwest to expand the a2™ herd. Their cows naturally produce milk with only the A2 protein. And their farmers are certified in the humane treatment of animals, their cows are fed a vegetarian diet and never given hormones or rBST, and the milk is antibiotic free and contains no artificial ingredients or additives. Pretty cool huh? And it tastes no different than regular milk! My kids love it and haven’t caught on that it’s any different.

No Cook Chocolate Avocado Pudding

1 avocado
1 banana
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey* (or other sweetener)
1/2 cup a2 Milk®

Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until completely blended. Serve right away with some berries or chill in the fridge if you prefer cold pudding.

* If you’re making this for children under 1, use an alternative to honey like agave or maple syrup.

The results are an amazingly creamy and chocolaty pudding that the kids (and adults) all gobble down! I call that a success.

What’s your go-to dessert when family come over?

Interested in more info about a2 Milk®? Check them out on Twitter and Facebook or find where you can purchase it by using their Product Locator! Or check out the great recipes they have on Pinterest. And right now you can take advantage of this a2 Milk® $1 Off Coupon.

Filed Under: Desserts, Health & Wellness, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: A2 Milk, avocado, Banana, chocolate, Chocolate Pudding, Dessert, dessert recipes, easy recipes, healthy recipes, pudding

SHIMBASHI Izakaya | San Diego Restaurant Week January 17th – 24th 2016

January 16, 2016 by Danielle

This Sunday kicks off the first San Diego Restaurant Week of 2016 and boy are you in for a treat. San Diego Restaurant Week will take place from January 17th – 24th 2016. In those 8 days, over 180 restaurants will offer special menus to entice guests to try new things. While you peruse the restaurants participating, you’ll notice that there’s an option for every price point. From $10 for lunch, to $50 for dinner.

I’ve been attending restaurant week for quite a few years now and am always excited to try a new restaurant each time. Whenever I head to a new-to-me restaurant, I always try to keep an open mind. And in most instances I allow the chef or waiter to choose or suggest what I should try. I have yet to be disappointed!

This time around I ventured a little farther north to Del Mar and was invited to try the authentic Japanese cuisine of Shimbashi Izakaya. The prix fixe menu is $40, and available for both lunch and dinner.

Shimbashi Izakaya | Seasonal Japanese Tapas & Sake Bar

Once I sat down in the outside patio of Shimbashi Izakaya, I was immediately taken in by the beauty of my surroundings. Set in the heart of Del Mar, I had the perfect view of the Pacific ocean. The patio was surrounded by beautiful white lanterns and each table was covered wtih an umbrella. If it’s a chilly day, I recommend a light sweater since they can’t run the heaters with the umbrellas up.

Located in the Northwest corner of Del Mar Plaza, the restaurant is mainly outside on the patio and there’s a sake bar inside. You can find parking in the parking garage right behind the shops or on the street (2 hour parking). The restaurant validates up to 2 hours but it might be worth it to enjoy lunch or dinner and then walk around for a bit and pay the $2 extra for another hour.

Japanese Wagyu beef, fried blue shrimp and kobushime (kelp marinated white fish) at SHIMBASHI Izakaya

SHIMBASHI Izakaya | Restaurant Week Menu Highlights

This special Restaurant Week menu includes three kinds of appetizers for each guest, Japanese Wagyu beef, fried blue shrimp and kobushime (kelp marinated white fish), along with gunkan-maki (tuna tartare) sushi. While each component was delicious, my favorite appetizer would have t obe the fried blue shrimp. They were cooked perfectly and the flavor was absolutely delicious.

Confession: I’ve never eaten a shrimp that I had to remove the head from. It was kind of fun to figure out just how to do it. Luckily my friend Angela was there to help me out and talk me through it.

Nabe, or “hot pot,” is a fixture at dinnertime in the winter in Japan. The just-cooked piping hot ingredients really warm you up. Shimbashi prepares this special hot pot menu during San Diego Restaurant Week. You may choose from the Tarachiri (cod hot pot) or the Tori-gobo (chicken and gobo burdock). If you attend during SDRW with a friend or partner, you can each opt to choose the same option and share a large bowl vs. the smaller bowl.

To round out our meal, we each enjoyed a Futomaki sushi roll cake. With a delicious cake exterior and creamy ice cream interior, this beautifully created sushi roll cake wasn’t too overly sweet. And the portion size was perfect for the meal. This dessert pairs perfectly with a nice hot cup of green tea.

SHIMBASHI Izakaya Tori-gobo (chicken and gobo burdock)

Tori-gobo (chicken and gobo burdock) at SHIMBASHI Izakaya

SHIMBASHI Izakaya Tarachiri (cod hot pot)

Tarachiri (cod hot pot) at SHIMBASHI Izakaya

Waygu Beef Tasting

Delightfully meaty offerings from Miyazaki Prefecture, one of Japan’s best beef areas, will be served in four different forms: steak, Hamburg steak, kushiyaki, and kushikatsu. I was able to sample both the kushiyaki and kushikatsu and both simply melted in my mouth. The flavor was spot on and seasoning perfect. I would definitely enjoy indulging in more of these great selections of delicacies from Miyazaki.

The Wagyu tasting menu is separate from the restaurant week menu, and is subject to availability. All items are limited so hurry and head over soon if you’re interested in trying them.

Waygu Kushiyaki and Waygu Kushikatsu at SHIMBASHI Izakaya

SHIMBASHI Izakaya sushi roll cake dessert

Futomaki sushi roll cake at SHIMBASHI Izakaya

During San Diego Restaurant Week, dinner will be served as a three-course, prix-fixe menu for just $20, $30, $40 or $50 per person and lunch will be served as a two-course prix-fixe menu for only $10, $15 or $20 per person. This is meal-stealing, people! Saturday will once again be included as well as an additional Sunday, giving you that extra date night or chance to impress the boss!

What restaurant are you looking forward to trying?

Filed Under: Restaurants, San Diego, Uncategorized Tagged With: Date Night, Date Night Ideas, Date Night in the Afternoon, Del Mar, Del Mar Restaurants, San DIego, San Diego Restaurant Week, San Diego Restaurants, Shimbashi Izakaya

Fight Hanger In Kids: After School Snack Hacks

January 13, 2016 by Danielle

We’re chatting about my favorite after school snack hacks so I don’t have to deal with hangry kids thanks to our sponsor, Tree Top.

Life is crazy right now. Work, volunteering, kids, life. It’s all just overwhelming sometimes. But this year I’m focusing on being more organized. I update my Google calendar with everything going on, even if it’s just a quick 5 minute meeting before or after school. And I try to plan ahead and stick with a routine.

We’ve gotten mornings down to a science. Wake up, brew coffee, make lunches and breakfast while stealing sips, get kids dressed and fed, and nurse the baby while checking email before heading out the door to drop off. I even call out a 5 minute warning so the kids know they need to get their shoes on.

But we’re still struggling with afternoons. Between meetings and soccer practice and everything else in between, I try to keep everything written out so that as we’re driving to school I can give the kids a heads up on what to expect after they get out of school. Most days they come straight home but others are spent at after school care or they’re picked up by a relative.

With all of the craziness that our afternoons bring us, I have to remember to pack snacks for the kids and hide them everywhere. Because if I don’t? This is what I have to deal with:

Yup. She’s hangry.

Luckily I’ve experienced enough meltdowns that I can sense when they are going to come on and I can whip out a snack so quickly that all of a sudden that frown turns upside down. Want in on how I do it? Check out my after school snack hacks!

After School Snack Hacks

1. Bowl Of Fruit –

Now I know this sounds like a duh kind of idea but I’ve found that putting a bowl of fruit out on the table or counter puts the responsibility of eating in my kids hands. They know when they feel hungry that all they have to do is go grab something from the fruit bowl. Plus fruit is portable so I can grab a few pieces before heading over to pick up the kids so they can snack on the drive home.

I keep a variety of fruits on hand to satisfy both of the kids tastes. And if they don’t eat it fast enough, I turn the fruit into muffins! Another awesome snack choice that doubles as a breakfast food.

2. Snack Drawer or Shelf

In the pantry I have a snack shelf filled with great snacks that the kids can grab on their own as soon as they come home from school. This shelf is also used for my go-to lunch items too so I can quickly go in and grab what I need after I finish making sandwiches and grabbing fruit.

One thing I always have on my snack shelf is Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches. They’re mess-free, taste great and are made with pure USA-grown fruit and local ingredients. No spoon? No problem! Pouches are squeezable and fun, making them perfect for on-the-go snacking.

We also have a snack drawer in our fridge. We purchased the fridge we have because it had a secondary refridgerated door that would be easily accesible for our kids. I keep yogurts, cheese, and other snacks that I don’t mind the kids eating in there along with some bottled water and juices.

3. Roll Ups

When I know the kids are going to sports practice or I have a meeting after school, I make super quick roll ups out of whatever ingredients I have on hand. Depending on the size, I’ll sometimes cut them into wheels or leave them whole.

Here’s a few great ideas for flavors to get you started:

PB&J Roll Up – tortilla, peanut butter, jelly | Add some bananas or apples
Ham & Swiss Roll Up – pita, sliced ham, sliced swiss cheese | Add some spinach leaves and a spread of ranch dressing or hummus
Tuna Roll Up – bread, tuna, mayo | Add some diced celery and dill pickles

4. Cheese Platter

Now don’t laugh but sometimes I just cut up some cheese and open up a package of crackers and call it a day. We even turn to that as a dinner option on crazy busy nights with the addition of some salame or pepperonis. Cheese platters are very versatile. From delicious brie and gouda with fancy crackers to string cheese and gold fish, the possibilities are endless. And when you’re having a bad day, both pair nicely with a glass of wine. For the parents… not the kids.

All of these options can easily be put into a bag and taken with us wherever we go. I have an easy way to keep snacks on hand and the kids don’t get hangry. Win win!

Tree Top knows that avoiding those hangry moments require a quick and reliable solution. We want to see how you help your kids overcome those stressful times! Share a photo of your child’s “hangry2happy” moment on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Make sure to use the #Hangry2Happy hashtag and tag @TreeTopInc in your post, so we can check it out.

You’ll be entered to win one of eight survival kit backpacks full of Tree Top apple sauce Pouches, so you’ll be ready when your kids reach their limit and desperately need a snack. We’ve all been there, and Tree Top wants to help you take your kids from hangry to happy! Official sweepstakes rules can be found here:on.fb.me/1kTw5b5

What are your go-to snack hacks to avoid hangry children?

I will be giving away one kids backpack and filled with Tree Top applesauce pouches. Approximate Retail Value of $50.

View Rafflecopter to see the ways in which to enter and show Tree Top your child’s Hangry2Happy Moments!

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tree Top.

Filed Under: Parenting, Snacks, Uncategorized Tagged With: after school snacks, apples, snack hacks, Snacks, Tree Top

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After School Snack Hacks

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2. Snack Drawer or Shelf

3. Roll Ups

4. Cheese Platter

What are your go-to snack hacks to avoid hangry children?

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