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Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns Now Available on Digital, Blu-Ray and DVD

/ Disney DVDs, Entertainment, Movies

I received promotional items in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns,” the irresistible, timeless sequel based upon the Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers, has had audiences dancing in their seats and critics singing its praises, earning Academy Award® nominations for best original song, best original score, best costume design and best production design. Directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall and starring Emily Blunt, as practically-perfect nanny Mary Poppins and award-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda, as charming lamplighter Jack, the fantastical film and is now available on Digital 4K Ultra HD™/HD and Movies Anywhere, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD, with a sing-along version and never-before-seen bonus features. In “Mary Poppins Returns,” Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), just a child when Mary Poppins first visited 17 Cherry Tree Lane, is now a grown man raising his children Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson) with help from his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer). Times are tough in Depression-era London but the winds begin to change and the enigmatic governess, whose unique magical skills can turn any ordinary task into a fantastic adventure, enters the lives of the Banks family once again, having not aged a single day. Teaming up with an old friend, Jack, they take the Banks children on a series of whimsical adventures, encountering colorful characters like Mary’s eccentric Cousin Topsy (Streep), Jack’s lovable band of leeries and bank executives William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth) and Mr. Dawes Jr. (Van Dyke), bringing life, love and laughter back into the home.Oh how I wish I had my very own Mary Poppins to get my household into “tip top shape”! I feel like I can’t get my family on a regular cleaning schedule. Luckily, Disney sent me this cleaning bucket of goodies to help make cleaning extra fun. I’m implementing it right away! Do you have any tips or tricks that you use to get your family to pitch in with the cleaning? If you haven’t seen “Mary Poppins Returns” yet, here’s the official trailer:

“Mary Poppins Returns” will be packaged and released in several different formats, giving families the flexibility to watch it on a variety of different devices. Viewers can instantly watch the film in Digital UHD, HD and SD, and bring home a physical copy of the film as the Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD, Blu-ray and Digital Code), Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Code), a single DVD or a Digital Bundle with both “Mary Poppins Returns” and the 1964 classic “Mary Poppins.”
“Mary Poppins Returns” Bonus Features 
BLU-RAY & 4K ULTRA HD™:

  • Deleted Song – “The Anthropomorphic Zoo” – In this early song sequence, Mary Poppins and the children visit a very special zoo where the humans and animals trade places.
  • The Practically Perfect Making of “Mary Poppins Returns” – Join filmmakers and cast on an amazing journey to embrace the legacy of the original film while making a fresh modern sequel.
  • Introduction – Filmmakers and cast remember the first Mary Poppins movie and share the thrill of working on “Mary Poppins Returns.”
  • “(Underneath the) Lovely London Sky” – Discover how the team mined PL Travers’ books for a fresh perspective on a much-loved character. Plus, meet the Banks children!
  • “Can You Imagine That?” – Be on location for Mary’s iconic entrance from the sky, and explore the movie’s original songs, inspired by the Sherman Brothers.
  • “Nowhere to Go but Up” – Experience being on set with the legendary Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury, and celebrate the joy of choosing the right balloon!
  • Seeing Things From a Different Point of View”: The Musical Numbers of “Mary Poppins
    Returns” – Go behind the scenes and experience the film’s production numbers from a new angle.
  • “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” – Led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the cast performs the film’s biggest production number, with dancing lamplighters, bicyclists and more!
  • “The Royal Doulton Music Hall” / “A Cover Is Not the Book” – Find out what it takes to create two musical extravaganzas inside an animated world, highlighted by dancing animated penguins!
  • “Turning Turtle” – Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy Turvy, played by Meryl Streep, has an unusual house that turns this musical number upside-down.
  • “Can You Imagine That?” – Dive under the bubbles with the cast and crew to see how this exuberant number was created.
  • Back to Cherry Tree Lane: Dick Van Dyke Returns – Dick Van Dyke, who played Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr. in the first film, returns after 54 years to Cherry Tree Lane as Mr. Dawes Jr.
  • Practically Perfect Bloopers – There’s nowhere to go but up with the cast and crew in this lighthearted collection of flubs, goofs and prop fails!

Deleted Scenes

  • Leaving Topsy’s – After their visit to Cousin Topsy, Mary, Jack and the children pause to take a look back.
  • “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” – The leeries light up the screen in this extended clip from the movie’s biggest musical production.
  • Play Movie in Sing-Along Mode – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie.

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE:
Play Movie with Audio Commentary – Watch the film with commentary by director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca.

“Mary Poppins Returns” was directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay by David Magee and a screen story by Magee & Marshall & John DeLuca.  It was produced by John DeLuca, p.g.a., Rob Marshall, p.g.a., and Marc Platt, p.g.a., with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer. The film features all-new original songs with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, as well as an original film score by Shaiman.

Cover art, logo and trailer are property of Disney and used with permission.

Bring Home Kim Possible on Disney DVD March 26th

/ Disney DVDs, Entertainment

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Kim Possible, a Disney Channel Original Movie, debuted on Disney Channel on February 15, 2019. The live-action film, directed by Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky, is based on the animated series which debuted in 2002 on Disney Channel. The film looks to be one of the most action packed Disney Channel Original Movie by far!

Watch the trailer here:

Here’s a synopsis of the film:
Everyday teen hero Kim Possible and best friend and sidekick Ron Stoppable embark on their freshman year of high school, all while saving the world from evil villains. By their side every step of the way is teen tech-genius Wade and new friend Athena, who also happens to be a Kim Possible super fan and is eager to join Team Possible. While Kim and Ron have always been one step ahead of their opponents, navigating the social hierarchy of high school is more challenging than the action-hero ever imagined. With Drakken and Shego lurking in the wings, Kim must rely on her family and friends more than ever. Now it’s up to Team Possible—Kim, Ron, tech-genius Wade, new friend Athena and Rufus, a naked mole-rat that Ron meets along the way—to stop these super villains.

Kim Possible features the following cast:

  • Sean Giambrone as Ron Stoppable,
  • Ciara Wilson as Athena
  • Todd Stashwick as Drakken
  • Taylor Ortega as Shego
  • Alyson Hannigan as Dr. Ann Possible
  • Connie Ray as Nana Possible
  • Issac Ryan Brown as Wade Load
  • Erika Tham as Bonnie Rockwaller
  • Nancy Cartwright as Rufus

The film also includes special appearances by Christy Carlson Romano and Patton Oswalt.

Kim Possible will be available to bring home on Disney DVD starting March 26 and will include these great Bonus Features:

  • Blooper Reel (DVD exclusive)
  • Q&A with Sadie Stanley and Sean Giambrone (DVD exclusive)
  • Cast Auditions of  Sadie Stanley, Sean Giambrone and Issac Ryan Brown.(DVD exclusive)
  • Music Video
  • Trailer

Our family loved Kim Possible and couldn’t wait to have a family movie night with our own copy at home. I think our ideal way to enjoy the movie together is with the proper snacks. I often whip up a batch of my favorite nachos for everyone to share. You can see my own personal recipe below. Do you like nachos? What are your favorite ingredients to make them with? Share with me in the comments below! Buenos nachos! 

 Some images and trailer are property of Disney and used with permission. 

Apply Now for the Albertson & Davidson LLP College Scholarship

/ Financial, Lifestyle

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Receiving a good education is vital to help ensure a bright future for young people and it’s never too early to start thinking about higher education. One minute your child is graduating from preschool and before you know it, their high school graduation is here.What is the Albertson & Davidson LLP College Scholarship?
The financial burden that comes with paying for higher education might mean that many won’t have the opportunity to study at a college or at the university level. The law firm of Albertson & Davidson, LLP hopes to alleviate some of this pressure by offering their very own scholarship to new and current students!  As attorneys, having to earn both undergraduate degrees and successfully complete a rigorous three-year Juris Doctorate and passed the California Bar Exam, they understand the financial impact associated with obtaining an education higher after high school. This scholarship is such a great opportunity to help ease the costs of higher education and they hope to help the next generation of students realize their own educational and professional goals.Who Can Apply?
The scholarship is open to those who are planning on attending or are already attending an accredited United States college or university during the fall 2019 semester. This scholarship is only available to students attending domestic, U.S.-based colleges. The application window for the Albertson & Davidson, LLP College Scholarship opened on February 1st with a deadline to apply of May 1, 2019. Scholarship Requirements
Using data from the government, private agencies or non-profits, students must create an infographic that addresses one of the following topics: warning signs of dementia or warning signs of nursing home abuse. Both of these topics are elaborated in detail below by the law firm of Albertson & Davidson, LLP.

In regards to writing on the warning signs of dementia – With regards to writing on the warning signs of nursing home abuse – To create an original infographic addressing one of the topics above for submission as an entry, students are asked to use one of these selected platforms:

Prizes for the Albertson & Davidson College Scholarship are as follows:

  • 1st prize for will receive $1,500
  • 2nd prize will receive $1,000
  • 3rd prize will receive $500

All submissions will be reviewed by Albertson & Davidson attorneys, who will determine the winners based on the quality of the infographics and the applicants’ demonstrated potential for academic success. Winners will be notified by email and announced on May 15, 2019, and the checks will be issued directly to their institution’s financial aid office.

Are YOU ready to apply? To learn more about this scholarship, including specific rules and eligibility and also to apply, please go HERE!

Spark Joy at Knott’s Boysenberry Festival March 28 – April 28

/ Family Fun, Knott's, Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun

i was invited to a media tasting in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. 

Recently I’ve find myself asking “Does it spark joy?” about everything!  In the case of Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, I already know it SPARKS JOY! This year marks the 5th anniversary of this amazing annual offering, just one of Knott’s “Seasons of Fun“. 

The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is an annual foodi-nspired event that celebrates the park’s historic roots by highlighting the little berry that started it all, the boysenberry. This year’s newly-expanded festival will feature over 75 unique boysenberry-inspired creations crafted by the Knott’s culinary team.Guests will have the opportunity to indulge in a tantalizing line up of dishes ranging from savory foods with a boysenberry twist to one-of-a-kind specialty desserts and drinks that can only be found at Knott’s Berry Farm during this time of the year. In addition to the numerous food and drink offerings, the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival offers a wide selection of local crafters, live music, musical stage shows and fun activities for guests of all ages to enjoy.This year’s Boysenberry Festival runs 31 days starting March 29, operating daily through April 28, 2019. This year’s lineup will introduce several new food items including:

  • Flavorful boysenberry dry rubbed flank steak topped with boysenberry cream cheese
  • Sweet and tangy boysenberry jerk chicken wings
  • Hearty boysenberry chili in a fresh-baked boysenberry sourdough bread bowl
  • Tender boysenberry pot roast served over rich and creamy boysenberry mashed
    potatoes
  • Grilled boysenberry BBQ chicken skewers served with a zesty boysenberry aioli dipping
    sauce
  • Boysenberry glazed salmon served on mixed greens and topped with a boysenberry vinaigrette
  • Spicy boysenberry habanero baked mac and cheese
  • Boysenberry jambalaya prepared with chicken, boysenberry sausage and bell peppers served with white rice
  • Boysenberry pulled pork tostada topped with creamy coleslaw and boysenberry drizzle
  • Boysenberry-lemon hummus served with pita bread
  • Grilled boysenberry sausage on a freshly baked roll topped with boysenberry ketchup, relish, and mustard
  • Boysenberry elote, a grilled corn on the cob smothered in fresh boysenberry butter,
    mayo and topped off with cotija cheese
  • Fresh-baked boysenberry waffles served with sweet maple boysenberry cream cheese syrup
  • Boysenberry cinnamon sugar tortilla crisps served with creamy boysenberry ice cream

Knott’s Boysenberry Tasting Cards
A great way to indulge the new boysenberry food items during the festival is by purchasing a
Boysenberry tasting card. Priced at just $35 (that’s a great deal!), the card offers 8 tastings from a selection of the following 14 boysenberry-inspired dishes:

  1. NEW! Boysenberry Chili in a Boysenberry Sourdough Bread Bowl (Sutter’s Stand)
  2. NEW! Boysenberry and Lemon Hummus with Pita Bread (Sutter’s Stand)
  3. NEW! Boysenberry Dry Rubbed Flank Steak with a Boysenberry Cream Cheese Topping (Sutter’s Stand)
  4. Boysenberry Elote (Ghost Town Bank Stand)
  5. NEW! Boysenberry Jerk Chicken Wings (Spur’s Chophouse Outdoor Stand)
  6. Boysenberry Sausage in a Bun (Wilderness Dance Hall)
  7. NEW! Boysenberry BBQ Chicken Skewers with a Boysenberry Aioli (Wilderness Dance Hall)
  8. NEW! Boysenberry Pot Roast over Boysenberry Mashed Potatoes (Inside Spurs Chophouse)
  9. NEW! Boysenberry Glazed Salmon over mixed Greens and topped with a Boysenberry Vinaigrette (Inside Spurs Chophouse)
  10. NEW! Boysenberry Habanero Baked Mac and Cheese (Wagon Wheel Pizza)
  11. NEW! Boysenberry Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage (Wagon Wheel Pizza)
  12. NEW! Boysenberry Pulled Pork Tostada (Wagon Wheel Pizza)
  13. NEW! Boysenberry Waffle with Maple Boysenberry Cream Cheese Syrup (Ghost Town Bakery)
  14. NEW! Boysenberry Cinnamon Sugar Flour Tortilla Chips with Boysenberry Ice Cream (Ghost Town Bakery)

A variety of signature boysenberry items will also be available for purchase a la carte. Tasting cards are available at Knotts.com or at the park.

Boysenberry Festival Merchandise
Guest can also take home a taste of the boysenberry festival with limited edition merchandise
found throughout the park. This year’s new merchandise includes a selection of event apparel, plus new packaged food items perfect for take-home souvenirs like the boysenberry peanut, cashew and pecan brittle, boysenberry hand-dipped chocolate-covered turtles, graham crackers and honeycomb. Unique boysenberry inspired artisan products will also be available at the Boysenberry Festival Craft Fair which features 30 local craft vendors.The Knott’s Berry Market (located in the Marketplace outside the Park) also features signature boysenberry items like the delicious boysenberry BBQ sauce or the classic jams and preserves.

Special Boysenberry Festival Entertainment
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival offers endless entertainment options for the festival goer:

  • “Tied Up in Knott’s!” – a tribute art show dedicated to the rich history of Knott’s Berry Farm. Over 30 artists will be contributing 50 pieces of art to the show, which pays homage to Knott’s Berry Farm’s past, present and future in various mediums including: oil paintings, illustrations and digital mixed media. These original pieces will be hung on display at the Wilderness Dance Hall during the duration of the Boysenberry Festival.
  • Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree! – Guests are invited to join Snoopy, Charlie
    Brown and the entire Peanuts Gang in a musical stage show that will have
    families dancing along at the Calico Mine Stage.
  • Old Time Melodrama – Knott’s pays tribute to its past at the Legendary Bird Cage
    Theatre with a special presentation of the musical comedy melodrama with a
    surprising boysenberry twist!
  • Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies – A group of krazy talented performers will have
    guests toe tappin’, vine dancin’ and knee-slappin’ to a comedic country music
    show at the Wagon Camp stage.
  • Musical Performances – Various musical duos playing Country and Bluegrass
    tunes will take the stage at Fireman’s stage.
  • Old MacDonald Petting Zoo – Young ones and young at heart are invited to cozy
    up to the cutest critters on the farm including horses, sheep, goats and other
    furry friends. Old MacDonald’s farm pays tribute to one of the farm’s original
    attractions.

The Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival is included with admission to Knott’s Berry Farm. Additional costs apply for food tasting experiences within the event. Knott’s will have extended hours on select days March 29 – April 28, allowing guests extra time to take advantage of all of the limitedt-ime offerings.The best way to savor every day of the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival and all of the other Seasons of Fun is with a 2019 Season Pass. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2019 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates, and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2019 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Regular passes are just $98 or five easy payments of $15.50 after an initial payment and Gold Passes are $118 or five easy payments of just $18.50 after an initial payment. These offers end April 28, 2019. Applicable taxes and fees apply. Payment plans are only available at knotts.com.For more information about Knott’s Berry Farm please visit knotts.com or download the Knott’s Berry Farm app for your smart phone. Join the conversation using #BoysenberryFestival on social.

Yogurtland’s Now Serving Knott’s Boysenberry Pie Frozen Yogurt

/ Food, Let's Eat!

I was invited to a special media tasting in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Yogurtland has teamed up with Knott’s Berry Farm to give fans a delicious froyo experience inspired by Knott’s most popular dessert, boysenberry pie. The new Yogurtland flavor, Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Pie frozen yogurt, was crafted alongside Knott’s and has arrived in stores, just a couple weeks before the Knott’s Berry Farm Annual Boysenberry Festival gets underway.

Each spoonful of Yogurtland’s Boysenberry Pie frozen yogurt flavor is bursting with
the jammy richness and sweet and tart taste of fresh boysenberries followed by
hints of a butter sweet pie crust. Inspired by the world-class award-winning pies, it’s
creamy and delicious, and no doubt Mrs. Knott herself would approve. For an added
boysenberry touch, Yogurtland will be serving mini boysenberry shortbread cookies
as a topping option.

“We are thrilled to be working in collaboration with Knott’s Berry Farm to celebrate,
in frozen yogurt form, one of Knott’s famous food attractions – the boysenberry pie,”
Our new Knott’s Boysenberry Pie froyo flavor gives fans of both brands something special to savor over and over again.” – Jennifer Ehrencron, Yogurtland’s senior marketing manager.

Knott’s Berry Farm started as a farm and evolved into a small fruit stand which has
since grown into a world-famous destination known for thrilling rides, famous fried
chicken dinners and delicious boysenberry pies. From the beginning, food and
dining have been at the heart of the Knott’s Berry Farm experience. The Knott’s
Boysenberry Festival is an annual event that celebrates the park’s historic roots by
highlighting the little berry that started it all, the boysenberry. Yogurtland’s new Knott’s Boysenberry Pie frozen yogurt  is now available in
Yogurtland stores so be sure to stop by soon! Also, as fans enjoy their Boysenberry Pie frozen yogurt at Yogurtland, they can also pick up a coupon good for up to $30 off one admission to Knott’s Berry Farm.  That’s a total win-win!For more information and to find the Yogurtland location nearest you, please go HERE.

 

Irvine Park Railroad’s 2019 Easter Eggstravaganza March 30 – April 20

/ Irvine Park Railroad, Orange County, SoCal Fun

I was invited to a media event in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

Raise your hand if you’re more than ready for Spring to arrive this year? I know I’m ready! One of our family’s favorite Spring event to check out each year is Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza! Have you been before?This year the Easter Eggstravaganza, where you’ll find The Easter Bunny, starts on Saturday, March 20 and will go through Saturday, April 20. Not only is The Easter Bunny there, visitors will also find an array of family friendly activities to enjoy including:

  • hay rides
  • a moon bounce
  • Easter cookie decorating
  • carnival games
  • face painting
  • picture stands

and a lot more. Some of these activities require activity tickets while others are free of charge. The cost for train tickets is $6.00 per person; children 12 months and younger ride free. Activity tickets are $6.00 per ticket or $75 for a book of 15 activity tickets.

Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza also holds Easter egg hunts that begin daily at 10:00 a.m. Tickets may be purchased and exchanged for a wristband to participate in an egg hunt at a specific time. Please bring an Easter basket for each child that will be participating in the Easter egg hunt. Irvine Park Railroad will also offer Easter baskets for sale. Tickets must be purchased on the day of the event to receive a wristband for the Easter egg hunt. Please visit HERE for complete details on the Easter egg hunts including times and costs.The Easter Bunny will be available for photo opportunities through Saturday, April 20. For the cost of $12.00, children can meet and have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. The cost includes a complimentary photo that will be taken by Irvine Park Railroad staff. Each additional print of the same photo is $6.00. Photos will be printed in a few, short minutes at the Easter Bunny booth. It’s a great keepsake to commemorate this fun occasion and save for your child’s baby book or scrapbook.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win:

  • 8 Tickets
  • 1 Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park Double Surrey Bike Rental

To enter the giveaway, go to the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone. Thanks for reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information about Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza, please visit here. Irvine Park Railroad’s other annual events include the Anniversary Celebration, Fourth Grade California History Education Program, Pumpkin Patch, and Christmas Train.

Irvine Park Railroad opens daily at 10:00 AM.  Since it is located inside Irvine Regional Park, there is an entrance fee. The park entrance fee (charged by the County of Orange) is $3.00 per vehicle on weekdays and $5.00 per vehicle on weekends.

Irvine Park Railroad is located at

1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869.

While you’re visiting Irvine Regional Park, be sure and visit the park’s other activities including Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park bike and paddle boat rentals, pony rides, and the OC Zoo. Connect with Irvine Park Railroad on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase in Theaters March 15 + Enter to Win

/ Uncategorized

Warner Bros. provided me with a swag pack to facilitate this post. The opinions I share are my own.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase is an all-new film coming, about the iconic mystery solving teenager from the classic Nancy Drew books I grew up reading! This all-new feature length film that will keep you guessing until the very end will hit theaters on March 15 and we can’t wait! If you haven’t watched the trailer yet, here it is:
After the death of his wife, Carson Drew decides to leave Chicago behind and make a fresh start with his daughter 16-year-old daughter Nancy in River Heights. Nancy is asked by Flora to help solve the ghostly activity at her home, the Twin Elms mansion. Can she help explain the creaking footsteps, exploding lightbulbs and the ominous creature? Is it the handiwork of high-school bully Derek Barnes? Or is it possible that the ghost of original owner Malcolm Colfax is back for revenge? Recruiting her best friends George and Bess, along with local “mean girl” Helen, Nancy Drew is on the case!

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase features a fabulous cast which includes:

  • Sophia Lillis (IT and “Sharp Objects”) as Nancy Drew
  • Sam Trammell (“True Blood” and “This is Us”) as Carson Drew (Nancy’s father)
  • Linda Lavin (“The Good Wife” and Alice) as Flora
  • Andrea Anders (“Joey” and “Better Off Ted”) as Hannah (Nancy’s Aunt)
  • Laura Slade Wiggins (“Shameless”) as Helen
  • Zoe Renee (“The Quad”) as George
  • Mackenzie Graham (The Purge) as Bess

There’s also a super fun Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Escape Room & Mystery Match Blog App you can play. In the Mystery Match Video Puzzle, use your mouse to click + drag puzzle pieces to unlock clips from the film.The app also includes an Interactive Nancy Drew Escape Room where you must solve riddles and find items to uncover the three numbers needed to open to door. Click on the image below to get to the app. 

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win a Nancy Drew Prize Pack which includes:

  • Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase – film t-shirt
  • Nancy Drew Escape Room Sticker Sheet (4″x6″)
  • Nancy Drew – Earbuds & pouch

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this blog post and tell me why you’re most excited to see this film! I will accept comments as entries until 11:59 p.m. on 3/27/19. Good luck everyone! Thanks for reading!

Giveaway Rules
Giveaway open to residents of the U.S. Each household is only eligible to win Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase – Theatrical Pack via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

The prize will be sent via FedEx or USPS. No P.O. Boxes please. Please note that the assets included within this message were delivered to you to promote Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Any actions (including contest and competitions) that you complete with the provided assets are your liability, and should comply with both local and international laws. Also, please remember to disclose that you are working with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, or that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment supplied these materials to you if required by local law.

Images and logos are property of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and used with permission. 

Celebrate Spring at Orange County’s Cherry Blossom Festival March 15- 17

/ SoCal Fun

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Greet spring with a warm konnichiwa – or hello in Japanese – at this year’s Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival. During the weekend of March 15 – 17, thousands will gather at Huntington Beach’s Central Park to celebrate the richness of Japanese and Japanese American culture in Southern California. Sakura Matsuri, or Cherry Blossom Festival, is a widespread tradition in Japan and celebrates the gorgeous pink blossoms of the cherry tree, spring’s arrival and represents a time of renewal and enjoyment of nature.The 2019 Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival expands on this tradition and celebrates the food, drink, crafts, music, and dance of Japanese Americans and the rootedness and hybridity of this culture in SoCal. The Festival provides the broader community with an opportunity to see and hear traditional elements of Japanese culture as well the many contemporary and hybrid forms that have emerged in the United States. Whether it is taiko drumming, folk music, classical dance, jazz, cosplay dance troupes, symphonic rock, DJs, crafts, Asahi, sake, Nintendo Switch tournaments or the 20+ food vendors, the festival is sure to offer something for everyone to enjoy.This free event features more than 50 vendors and 27 different performing groups. The Festival will for the first time include two evening events, the Sakura Night Market, spanning two evenings Friday 3/15 and Saturday 3/16 where the whole park will be lit up with excitement, food, drink, and entertainment. Now in its sixth year, the OC Cherry Blossom Festival is a beloved annual event that was inspired by and honors Huntington Beach’s very own sister city, Anjo, Japan. The festival also raises the funds to run a youth exchange program, sending local students to Japan to experience the culture of Anjo first-hand. In return, local families host Japanese students who gain a better understanding our local community and way of life. Huntington Beach’s connection to Anjo, Japan dates back to 1982 and the Sister City program was officially incorporated in 1992, forever connecting the two cities and their traditions.

The Cherry Blossom Festival hours are as follows:

  • Friday, March 15 from 5 – 9pm
  • Saturday, March 16 from 10am – 9pm
  • Sunday, March 17 from 10am – 4pm

The festival will take place at Central Park, 18000 Goldenwest St. in Huntington Beach. For more information please visit occbfest.com.

Images are property of the Cherry Blossom Festival and used with permission.

Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle Coming to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort

/ California, Florida, SoCal Fun, Travel

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 
Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort invite guests to experience an exciting new dimension of sorcery at “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” with the introduction of the “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle,” a powerful, original and breathtaking projection experience.The “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” will illuminate Hogwarts castle and “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” nightly from April 13 – 28 at Universal Studios Hollywood then return from May 25 – 27. Universal Orlando Resort’s experience will debut later this year with dates to be announced at a later time.

This exciting all-new experience in “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will cast a mesmerizing display of light, music and special effects, unleashing the darkest creatures and villains, including the powerful Dark wizard Lord Voldemort.

Illuminating a darker side of the Wizarding World, this spectacular new light projection experience will be a departure from previous “The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle” and “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.” “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” will bring more intense tones and drama that reflect the Dark creatures and wizards that challenge goodness in the Wizarding World.

Guests will be asked to summon their inner strength and bravery in the face of the all-consuming Dark Arts as some of the awe-inspiring moments and creatures inspired by the films come to life within the majestic light display.

As darkness falls on Hogwarts castle, Dementors™, Death Eaters and other unspeakable creatures from Aragog and Mountain Trolls to Thestrals will cloak the castle with sinister images from the darker side of magic—even conjuring the visage of Lord Voldemort™ himself, until the Patronus spell—one of the most famous, difficult and powerful defense of the Dark Arts charms in the wizarding world—is cast.

The “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” will be accompanied by an exclusive musical arrangement that will emanate in a surround sound environment. It was conducted by prolific arranger William Ross and recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra in London, based on the original scores composed for the film series created by Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams.

Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters that were brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort is a masterful recreation, faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including as its iconic focal point, Hogwarts castle.

From its snow-capped roofs and cobblestone streets to the historic British sensibilities that characterize the whimsical look and feel of the land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” transports guests of all ages to the very places they watched on the silver screen.

With so much to see and do at Universal Studios Hollywood, the all-new 2019 Season Pass invites guests to experience the fun throughout the year for $149 when purchased online. Blackout dates and restrictions apply. Visit http://www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for more details.

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