Over The Top Mommy

2016 Great Wine Festival on 5/21 + Enter to Win 2 VIP Tickets

May 3, 2016 / SoCal Fun

It’s almost time for the 2016 Great Wine Festival! Now in its 6th year, the Great Wine Festival blends the OC lifestyle with the wine country experience. This year’s fun event will take place on Saturday, May 21 from 2pm-5pm, with an option to add 1-2pm with a VIP ticket.

Every year, wine lovers and foodies alike enjoy an afternoon of relaxation, live entertainment, and all-inclusive tastings from 30+ wineries, breweries, spirits, and restaurants while supporting this wonderful fundraiser for the Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC), a non-profit dedicated to providing civil legal services to some of our community’s most vulnerable populations: veterans, the homeless, low-income families, and the elderly. LASOC has been serving Orange County and southeast Los Angeles for over 58 years. Each day, LASOC provides free and low cost civil legal services to more than 200 people.Delight in the wine country experience in your own backyard without the long drive, traffic, or parking headaches.The Great Wine Festival is conveniently located in the heart of Orange County and will be held in the newly renovated Hangar 244 at the OC Great Park, the first great metropolitan park of the 21st century. Citrus plantings, native shade trees, and the iconic Great Park Balloon serve as the backdrop to the event. So, come soak up the warm SoCal sun, breathe in the coastal breeze, and enjoy superb wines, brews, spirits, and cuisine – all in flip flops and a tank top. Have you grabbed your tickets for this year’s festivities yet? If not, click here to do so. Also when you order your tickets, here’s a 10% discount code just for my readers. Just enter “OTTM” at checkout. (Note: discount not valid for Designated Driver tickets.) Well, what are you waiting for? I hope to see you at the 2016 Great Wine Festival. Don’t miss out!

I’M GIVING AWAY TICKETS, TOO!
I’m also hosting a giveaway right here on my blog for one (1) pair of VIP Tickets to this year’s event! All you have to do is comment on this blog post and tell me what your favorite part about the Great Wine Festival is? If you’ve never been, let me know that this would be your first time attending. Contest open to local residents only, 21+ and older and will close at 11:50 p.m. on May 14. I’ll choose a winner via Random Number Generator and announce it by noon on the 15th. Tickets will be emailed to the winner. Thanks for reading and entering my giveaway!

Connect with The Great Wine Festival on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Great Wine Festival and The Legal Aid Society of Orange County.

My Culinary Adventure At Tempo Urban Kitchen in Brea

May 2, 2016 / Food, Restaurant Reviews

Tempo Urban Kitchen in Brea was the place to be the night I was invited to join an eclectic group of local foodies, for a special media menu tasting. The unique eatery, owned by Restaurateur Jorge Cueva, serves up Modern American Cuisine with an urban twist, that’s completely unique from anything else I’ve ever experienced.The Brea location is run by Head Chef Chris Tzorin. If Chris’ face looks familiar to you, it may be because he’s appeared on the Food Network several times, most recently winning on Guy Fieri’s show “Guy’s Groceries“!

Chris says “Food is his therapy“, but he isn’t referring to eating it, himself. He puts an immeasurable amount of passion into creating innovative culinary dishes in his kitchen and seems to gage his own success by others’ satisfaction and enjoyment of his food. If you have the chance to hang out with Chris, you’ll pick up on his frequent mentions of his children, Armani and “Little Chris”, and the immense love he has for them. He’s one of the proudest dads you’ll meet and he attributes his drive and success in the industry to how much his children have motivated him to strive for his dreams. On the evening of my great culinary adventure at Tempo Urban Kitchen, guests were treated to a meal collaboratively created by not 1 but 3 well-know chefs. Joining Chef Chris were also Chef Charly Urban and Chef Salvador Carrillo. The dishes they each prepared for us that night could be described as “campestre” or “farm-to-table” creations, incorporating the freshest ingredients and boldest combinations of flavors. Before the food even started to roll out, we were served these amazing handcrafted Mango Serrano-Infused Margaritas with Tajin on the rims. They were so smooth, mine didn’t last very long. Tempo has an extensive bar and I definitely recommend you visit it at some point, for some drinks and even happy hour one day during the week. The first dish of the night was a delicious Grilled Octopus with house-made Chipotle Aioli, plated on a wooden plank, and served on a bed of micro-greens. The tender pieces of octopus were so delightful and tender and it was obvious that the room was been filled with seafood lovers because it got really quiet during this course.Next, we were served a “Deconstructed Korean Taco“. This Asian-inspired dish was made with the most tender, pork belly I’ve ever tried. It was seared just enough to have a slightly crispy top and the soy-lime and Serrano flavors enhanced it even more. It practically melted on its own in my mouth. The plate was beautifully garnished with a real mango roll, which I devoured in about a second. The third course in our meal was a Slow-Cooked Short Rib topped with Vegan Caviar. (aka Mustard Seeds). The plate was so colorfully garnished with beet sauce and prosciutto. I definitely enjoy beef and this dish was outstanding!

After dinner, all 3 chefs created something extra special for our dessert. They utilized giant KitchenAid mixers. We waited as patiently as we possibly could while they combined fresh ingredients in the bowl. Then they wow-ed us as they brought out the Liquid Nitrogen and turned the mixture into fresh, delicious ice cream! I loved it! We were each served a generous scoop of ice cream served on a delicious waffle cone. I felt like a kid in a candy store. It was the perfect ending to our meal! I loved the subliminal message in the backround too. “La Familia es Todo!” (Family is everything!) As a guest at Tempo Urban Kitchen that evening, I was definitely made to feel like part of their family!

Tempo Urban Kitchen is located at:
1060 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92821

You should connect with Tempo Urban Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I was invited to a media dinner as a guest of Tempo Urban Kitchen in order to write about my experience. All opinions are 100% my own.

Sofia Carson To Star in Disney Channel’s 100th Movie “Adventures in Babysitting” Premiering June 24th

April 28, 2016 / Entertainment, Movies

Actress and singer Sofia Carson, best known for her role as Evie in the international smash-hit Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) “Descendants“, is starring in the upcoming “Adventures in Babysitting” which premieres Friday, June 24th at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT on Disney Channel. “Adventures in Babysitting” is the 100th Disney Channel Original Movie and was inspired by the hugely popular 1980’s film of the same name. In the film, Carson stars as Lola Perez, the bold and artistic teenager whose unexpected night of babysitting goes awry. In the movie, a dull evening for two competing babysitters, Lola (Sofia Carson) and Jenny (Sabrina Carpenter), turns into an adventure in the big city as they hunt for one of the kids who somehow snuck away. I got excited just watching the trailer:
Carson, who was featured as one of People En Espanol’s “50 Most Beautiful People” in 2015, is also starring in “A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits“, a new, modernized version of the classic Disney tale that will air on Freeform. In addition to acting, Carson is currently signed to Republic Records/Hollywood Records and just released her debut single, “Love Is The Name“. Watch the video:

I don’t know who’s more excited for “Adventures in Babysitting“….my daughter or me? Will you be watching on June 24th? You know we will be!

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images, clips and logos are property of Disney Channel.

Spring Dapper Day EXPO at Disneyland® Resort April 30-May 1

April 27, 2016 / Disney, Lifestyle

In case you hadn’t heard, Spring Dapper Day will take place this year on May 1 at the Disneyland Resort. These fun and fashionable gatherings are held twice a year at the Disney parks and are attended by over 20,000 well-dressed guests.
In addition to the in-parks event, there’ll be a free DAPPER DAY Expo held at the Disneyland Hotel on Saturday April 30 from noon-7pm and Sunday, May 1 from 10am-7pm. Note: Early Bird Tickets for Saturday morning will be available for purchase here. (see below)The free 2-day DAPPER DAY® Expo marketplace celebrates “stylish living from yesterday & today!” Shop vintage and classic fashions for men, women, and children, jewelry, hats, cosmetics, men’s hair cuts and shaves offered by Port City Pomade and Suavecoto Pomade, home decor, and more, all at The Disneyland Hotel. There’ll be live music and dancing! Visit the DAPPER DAY Photo Spot and pick up exclusive DAPPER DAY merchandise, too!

Here’s the EXPO Schedule:
Saturday, April 30

10a-12 Early Bird Entry BUY EARLY BIRD TICKETS HERE
2-2:45 & 5-6p Performances by the GRAMMY-nominated CALIFORNIA FEETWARMERS
1:30 & 4:30p Dance Presentation & Dance Class with THE BOBBYSOX BRIGADE / ATOMIC BALLROOM

Sunday, May 1

1-1:45 & 5-5p Performances by BIG SANDY & HIS FLY-RITE BOYS
2-3p “Disneybound Meet & Greet with Leslie Kay” Joined by Brizzy Voices, Tessa Netting, James Hull, Lizzy Jones, and Tingamavlogs(Near Expo Stage)
12:30 & 4:30p Dance Presentation & Dance Class with THE BOBBYSOX BRIGADE / ATOMIC BALLROOM

Some of the amazing sponsors this year include: Pinup Girl, Alice Through the Looking Glass, PUBLIC Bikes and LA Weekly! Enter to win a special customized DAPPER DAY PUBLIC Bike inspired by the Special Edition PUBLIC C7 9th Avenue. For a limited time only, you can enter the PUBLIC x DAPPER DAY Giveaway for a chance to win a grand prize bike worth $699. Visit here to enter the giveaway.

PARKING: If you are visiting the DAPPER DAY Expo, at The Disneyland Hotel, but NOT visiting the theme parks, you may use Downtown Disney Parking (first 2 hours free), or self parking at The Disneyland Hotel – let the parking attendant know you are attending a Dapper Day event in the hotel.

If you are visiting the theme parks AND the Expo, you may want to first park in Downtown Disney and shop the Expo with 2-hours free parking, then move your car to the Mickey & Friends structure and take Disney’s tram to the park. You may also take our free shuttle from the Grand Californian to the Expo or walk directly from the Mickey and Friends parking structure to the Expo at The Disneyland Hotel. (It’s the same distance to walk from the parking structure to the Expo as walking from the tram drop off area to the Expo). NOTE: Monorail will not be operating. SEE HERE FOR PARKING PRICING

For more information about Dapper Day and Dapper Day EXPO, visit http://www.dapperday.com.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Dapper Day.

Minted’s “Storefront Program” Gives Back to Schools and Non-Profits

April 26, 2016 / Celebrations, Lifestyle

The other day, when I was browsing Minted’s site for some inviations, I read about one of the ways they give back. Have you heard about the Minted Storefront Program? Well, it’s a free platform for schools and nonprofit fundraising. As a mom who has a child in school, I KNOW PTAs are always looking for ways to fundraise. Through this program, Minted donates 10% of each sale made through your storefront to your school, PTA, or nonprofit organization. Right now, they have a special promotional event currently running (until May 2nd) where they’re donating 15% of sales. This is even greater news for schools! Parents’ Minted purchases put cash right back into a school’s program! For more information about the program, visit here.

This post was written as part of a partnership I have with Minted. All opinions are 100% my own. Image is property of Minted.

Folly: Dapper Day Spring Launch Party in Downtown Disney on 4/29

April 25, 2016 / Lifestyle

Spring Dapper Day is coming up quickly at Disneyland Resort and you’ll want to be sure to kick it off by attending FOLLY! Folly is the official DAPPER DAY Spring Launch Party and will take place this year on Friday, April 29th at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney! Come dance the night away with multiple rooms of live music at our intimate soirée overlooking Downtown Disney!

Featured entertainment will include:

BIG BUTTER JAZZ BAND
NANCY SANCHEZ
THE DAPPER DJ
DJ PROFESSOR WATSON. (9:30p-2a upstairs)

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. Note: No physical tickets will be mailed. The door staff will have your name on our list at the venue entrance under the last name used to make the purchase.

Dress Code: Refined attire. No: tee shirts, athletic wear, or flip flops.

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen is located in Downtown Disney in Anaheim, Ca. (21+ Please bring ID. For more information about Dapper Day, click here.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Dapper Day.

OC All-Stars Cheer and Dance Tryouts 5/13-5/14

April 22, 2016 / Lifestyle

Just as quickly as the cheer and dance seasons come to an end, competitive team tryouts at OC All-Stars for the 2016-2017 season are just around the corner! Located in Foothill Ranch, OC All-Stars Cheer & Dance serves the top cheer and dance athletes in Orange County. They provide quality athletic training in a profession, safe, fun and positive environment. Athletes that are part of “The OC Family” learn the technical, athletic skills relevant to cheer and dance, simultaneously developing both physical and emotional strength.

Our focus will be to instill self-confidence and self-esteem to promote healthy socialization and life skills. Perhaps the most important goal we have is for your child to have fun and build life long friendships and memories. – John Neville, owner of OC All-Stars

If you’ve watched my Instagram, you’ve probably noticed that my own daughter participates in the competitive cheer program at OC All-Stars. Personally, I’ve seen a wealth of benefits to having her in it. The primary purpose of the program is to teach growing young people how to work together as a team. In a team situation, an individual’s contribution is important and vital to reach goals together,

Cheer Team Tryouts
Team tryouts for the 2016-17 cheer teams at OC All-Stars will be held Friday, May 13th through Saturday May 14th. A parent orientation will be held prior to tryouts on Wednesday, May 4th at 7pm, to educate new and returning parents about the program. The orientation will address important topics for the 2016-2017 season such as: OC All-Stars’ philosophy, teams, rules and regulations, schedules, fees, uniforms, competitions and more. Although the orientation is not mandatory to attend, however it is very educational and informative.
Note: Private tryouts are also available for those who cannot attend both days.

Dance Team Tryouts
Team tryouts for the 2016-17 dance teams will be held on Saturday, May 14th. A parent orientations will be held prior to tryouts on Wednesday, May 11th at 7pm, to educate parents about our exciting program. The meeting will cover important topics for the 2016-2017 season such as: OC All-Stars’ philosophy, teams, rules and regulations, schedules, fees, costumes, competitions and more. Although the orientation is not mandatory to attend, however it is very educational and informative.
Note: Private tryouts are also available for those who cannot attend the May 14th date.

OC All-Stars is also offering Tryout Prep Classes for both cheer and dance. To view the schedule of tryout prep classes for cheer, click here. To view the schedule of tryout prep classes for dance, click here.

Throughout a person’s life, they will be put in situations where they must work together to achieve common goals. Whether in their professional or social life, teamwork is a lifetime lesson. – Heather Neville, owner of OC All-Stars

So…won’t YOU come join the OC All-Stars Family too? For more information about tryouts, please visit OC All-Stars here. Connect with OC All-Stars Cheer & Dance on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. Opinions are 100% my own. Some images and logos are property of OC All-Stars Cheer and Dance and Jon Ogden Photography.

Latina Disney Princess Elena of Avalor Is Coming to Disney Parks

April 21, 2016 / Entertainment

Disney Parks will welcome its first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore. Princess Elena of Avalor will be appearing at Walt Disney World Resort this summer and at Disneyland Resort in the fall, following her television debut in a new animated series this summer on Disney Channel.

Kids and families worldwide will be enchanted by the story of Princess Elena, a bold, caring, funny and clever 16-year-old who is ascendant to the throne in the fairytale kingdom of Avalor. Princess Elena will make her debut in a special TV event this summer on Disney Channel. Aimee Carrero (Freeform’s “Young & Hungry“) stars as the voice of Elena. Craig Gerber (“Sofia the First“) created the series and serves as executive producer. The series follows the story of Elena, who saves her kingdom from an evil sorceress and must now learn to rule with the support of her appointed Grand Council and some magical friends by her side. Elena’s adventures will lead her to understand that her new role requires thoughtfulness, resilience and compassion, the traits of all truly great leaders, while highlighting the importance of family and family traditions.

The inspiring story of Elena of Avalor will be shared in 33 languages in 163 countries on Disney Channels worldwide. And, Disney Parks, where universally enchanting stories come to life every day, will be the place where families can see Disney’s newest princess in person. At Walt Disney World Resort, Elena will appear in the Magic Kingdom. At Disneyland Resort, she will appear at Disney California Adventure. The Disney Princesses at Walt Disney World Resort will welcome Elena in August. Her Disneyland arrival date will be announced in the near future.

Such exciting news for Disney fans everywhere! Which resort will you be visiting Princess Elena? Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort? Tell me in the comments below!

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images are property of Disney.

The World’s First “Would You Like That Burrito’d? Event at Farrell’s

April 20, 2016 / Food, Let's Eat!

Farrell’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlours is celebrating Cinco De Mayo with the world’s first (as far as we know) “Would You Like That Burrito’d?” event. From May 1 through May 15 almost anything on the Farrell’s menu can be burrito’d. The process of burrito’ing something is to take an item and wrap it in a large tortilla. The concept is pretty simple, but the results are lots of fun and, with most food items, surprisingly delicious!

When the idea first came up we all thought it was really funny, but after tasting some of our burrito’d items, they are really, really yummy! A few of my favorites were the Burrito’d BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, Chili Cheese Fries, and Gastro sandwich. We hope our guests have as much fun with this promotion as we did when creating the different burrito’d items. – Farrell’s CEO, Michael Fleming

Even through Farrell’s will provide guests with a handout that explains the promotion and makes recommendations of food items to burrito, they say they will burrito just about anything on their menu. Some items they recommend not burrito’ing include fried pickle appetizers, pizzas, or any soup (for obvious reasons). They do recommend burrito’ing any of their burgers or salads and many of their sandwiches and appetizers.

Farrell’s locations participating in this promotion include Brea, Buena Park, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, and Sacramento. For specific store address, hours, or to make an on-line reservation visit FarrellsUSA.com.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images are property of Farrell’s.