Over The Top Mommy

Kidgits Holiday Event AND Updated Dining Pavilion Grand Opening Celebration at The Shops at Mission Viejo! #NewDiningPavilion

December 6, 2014 / Lifestyle, Orange County

The Shops at Mission Viejo invites Orange County-area kids and parents to celebrate the season and spread holiday cheer at Simon Kidgits Club’s® annual Holiday Extravaganza!, on Saturday, December 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the lower level, near Forever 21, sponsored this season by the popular animated movie The Boxtrolls coming this holiday season on Digital HD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Shops at Mission Viejo will offer kids the chance to get festive while they venture above ground and transform everyday treasures into Holiday adventures during the Simon Kidgits Club Holiday Extravaganza! There will be plenty of holiday crafts and Boxtrolls activities including:

Gift Box Creation – Upon arrival, kids will get a box where they can add their magic touches and decorate for the holidays. This is a perfect little treasure box to keep for themselves or to give to someone special this holiday season.
Viewing – Watch a trailer from The Boxtrolls movie.
Ornaments – Children will receive a snowflake ornament in which they can insert their favorite Boxtroll image or make their own and hang on heir tree.
Letter to Santa – Kids can craft their wish list and deliver personally to Santa.

The Kidgits event will be followed up on December 6 with a celebration of the grand re-opening of the center’s updated Dining Pavilion. Renovations to the former food court began in August and will culminate in a public Dining Pavilion Celebration on Saturday, December 6. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Shoppers can get their fill of samples and special offers from Dining Pavilion eateries, which include Blaze Pizza, Charley’s Grilled Subs, Great Khan’s, Muscle Beach Lemonade & Hot Dogs, Panda Express, Paradise Bakery & Café, Rubios Baja Grill, Ruby Thai, Sarku Japan, and Smashburger. (In addition, The Shops at Mission Viejo is preparing for 700 square-foot standalone Starbucks with café-like seating, which is set to join the center next year, on the upper level in the Dining Pavilion. An additional food vendor is slated to be announced in 2015.) With festive holiday music playing throughout, the Dining Pavilion Celebration will also include live entertainment, a face painter and balloon artist. The first 250 guests will score swag bags filled with retailer goodies, while supplies last. Giveaways will be held every hour as well.

Did I also mention that The Shops at Mission Viejo management teams will also be bringing its holiday ‘Spread Love’ campaign to life on December 6 by surprising randomly selected shoppers with free Simon Giftcards®? The event will encourage the giving spirit of the holidays by offering the lucky shoppers two cards, one to keep and one to share with a fellow shopper. The Simon Giftcards will be distributed at random. I guess that means you should just walk up and down the mall all day, right?

So it looks like I’ll be seeing you all at “my mall” for these events, right? If you see me, come say “hi”!

Vsit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

OC Simon Malls Will “Spread Love” By Giving Out Free Simon Giftcards to Select Shoppers! Get There!

December 5, 2014 / Lifestyle, Orange County

The Shops at Mission Viejo will be bringing to life its holiday ‘Spread Love’ campaign on December 6 by surprising randomly selected shoppers with free Simon Giftcards®. The event will encourage the giving spirit of the holidays by offering the lucky shoppers two cards, one to keep and one to share with a fellow shopper. The Simon Giftcards will be distributed at random by The Shops at Mission Viejo management teams.

“Our shoppers demonstrate time and again how generous they are by contributing to our local food and clothing drives, donating to Simon Youth Foundation®, and participating in our community events benefiting others,” said Patsy Sanquist, Director of Marketing and Business Development at The Shops at Mission Viejo. “On December 6, we want to say ‘thank you’ to our shoppers while tapping into that contagious spirit of generosity and encouraging Giftcard recipients to ‘Spread Love’ to other shoppers.”

So…who’s ready to head to the mall now? Will YOU be one of the lucky ones selected? How exciting is all of this?

Spend a Kid-Friendly New Year’s Eve This Year at Legoland California Resort!

December 4, 2014 / Celebrations, Holiday Fun, Legoland, Travel

If you are looking for a super fun way to spend New Year’s Eve with your kids this year, you need to see what’s going on at Legoland California! Our family hasn’t been there for New Year’s Eve before but we’re hoping to make it this year. It looks like they throw a great party over there!

If you DO make it that day, you can still enjoy all of the fun at their Holiday Snow Days. LEGOLAND is planning another very kid-friendly New Year’s Eve Celebration this year, which includes an amazing lineup of performances by Recess Monkey, The Pop Ups, The Not Its, Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players, and Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band! It’s like a kids super concert!

(photo credit: LEGOLAND California)

There will also be a New York style “brick drop” at 6pm when LEGOLAND California re-creates the Times Square ball drop with a giant LEGO brick falling 22 feet in the air! A special celebrity will be leading the countdown. Guests are given festive hats for the occasion, as well as 3-D glasses for the spectacular fireworks display which follows the brick drop and illuminates the sky! What a great ending to an amazing year!

Here’s a clip from their celebration last year:
Seriously…how fun does that look? It’s literally San Diego’s largest Kids’ New Year’s Eve Party and you won’t want to miss it! For more information, to download the New Year’s Eve Entertainment Guide, and to purchase tickets, click here.

I forgot to mention one more thing, one VERY important thing…. LEGOLAND’S gift to you this year is a free ticket offer to return in 2015. Receive a second-day return ticket to LEGOLAND and SEA LIFE Aquarium for FREE on the day of your visit when you present your one-day paid admission ticket at Guest Services or the Our Gift To You kiosk, inside the Park, any time between November 1, 2014 – January 4, 2015! You must request your second-day ticket on the day of your first visit. Your second-day ticket must be redeemed between January 5 – March 1, 2015. Other restrictions may apply. See the LEGOLAND website for details!

Well, doesn’t New Year’s Eve at LEGOLAND sound fun? Hope to see you there!

Annie Across Two Generations: Mine and Now My Daughter’s! We Can’t Wait! #AnnieMovie

December 3, 2014 / Entertainment, Movies

I could barely contain myself when I first heard about a new “Annie” movie coming to theaters on December 19. I remember seeing the preview and getting actual tears in my eyes. I love the story of Annie so much! It’s a very happy-sad story. It reminds me of my childhood. Not the actual story, itself, just the movie. It was one of my favorites when I was a little girl.

Here’s a synopsis of the new Annie movie:

A Broadway classic that has delighted audiences for generations comes to the big screen with a new, contemporary vision in Columbia Pictures’ comedy Annie. Director/Producer/Screenwriter Will Gluck teams with producers James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith, Caleeb Pinkett, and Shawn “JAY Z” Carter, Laurence “Jay” Brown, and Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith with a modern telling that captures the magic of the classic characters and original show that won seven Tony Awards. Celia Costas and Alicia Emmrich serve as Executive Producers. The screenplay is by Will Gluck and Aline Brosh McKenna, based on the musical stage play “Annie,” book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and on “Little Orphan Annie,” © and ® Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Academy Award® nominee Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who’s also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they’d be back for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything’s about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) – advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) – makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he’s her guardian angel, but Annie’s self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it’s the other way around.

As a little girl, I absolutely adored the original “Annie” and would watch it anytime I got the chance. I remember being out in public and having people ask my mom, if I was Aileen Quinn, the actress who played “Annie” in the original movie made for the big screen. It happened more than once, too. What do you think? Do we look alike? (no I’m not naturally blonde) I’d say at least totally different noses!

(photo credit for top and left photo: Aileen Quinn IMDb)

My most favorite scene in the original “Annie” movie was when they performed “Hard Knock Life“. I remember being in awe of all the orphans doing back handsprings on their beds and was amazed by their gymnastics in that scene. I actually think there was more of that in the original “Hard Knock Life” than the newest one.

My other favorite part about the original was the soundtrack. I knew (and still know) ALL of the lyrics to ALL of the songs! I even bought the soundtrack as an adult and used to drive around doing some pretty epic car karaoke, just please don’t ask for a demo.

At some point a couple of years ago, Emi also got hooked on the original “Annie” movie. It’s fun to see her love something that was so special to me as a young girl. We have watched it together so many times and she, too, enjoys listening to the soundtrack. We’re both equally excited for the December 19th release! It can’t get here soon enough! I know it’s going to be adorable!

Are YOU a big Annie fan? Have you seen the original? Are you looking forward to the new one like we are?

Find the new Annie Movie here, “like” on Facebook, and follow on Twitter!

Head Over to The Irvine Park Railroad For KTLA’s Live Broadcast to Support the Salvation Army Toy Drive

December 2, 2014 / Lifestyle, Orange County

Get up early and head over Thursday morning, December 4th, and head over to Irvine Park Railroad, when KTLA Channel 5 and Henry DiCarlo will broadcast LIVE from the park to accept new and unwrapped toys for the Salvation Army’s annual toy drive! Come out to support a great cause and have some holiday fun too!

Henry DiCarlo from KTLA Channel 5! (photo credit: Irvine Park Railroad)

Each person that brings a new, unwrapped toy will receive a free regular train ticket*. (photo credit: Irvine Park Railroad)

The broadcast begins at 4:30 am and continues through 10:00 am. Come and ride the Christmas Train and enjoy the Christmas Train activities at no cost this morning. There will be NO COST to ride the train this morning only and you may bring your personal camera to take pictures with Santa. Free coffee and hot chocolate will be served beginning at 4:30 am.

Ride the Christmas Train: 4:30 am – 7:30 am

Christmas Train Activities: 8:00 am – 10:00 am

Irvine Park Railroad will continue to collect toys for the Salvation Army through December 19th. Also through this date, each person that brings a toy to the train station will receive a free regular train ticket*.

(photo credit: Irvine Park Railroad)

IMPORTANT NOTE: This event may be cancelled by KTLA Channel 5 ONLY if there is major, breaking news. I suggest that you their Facebook page or Twitter before you visit the park for this event.

Come out to support this great cause and have some early morning holiday fun! Hope to see you there!

*Not valid to ride the Christmas Train.

Celebrating the Holiday Season at Knott’s #MerryFarm With Our Little Family!

December 1, 2014 / Knott's, Lifestyle, Orange County, Travel, Uncategorized

Disclosure: My family & I were invited by GigaSavvy to attend a Media Day at Knott’s Merry Farm in order to write this review of our experience. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.The holiday season has just began and our family had so much fun kicking it off with a visit to Knott’s Merry Farm this year. We live locally and love going to Knott’s Berry Farm but this was actually our first time getting a chance to visit during “Merry Farm”, which runs this year from November 22nd to January 4th! The park is adorned with holiday decorations and the Peanuts characters are dressed in holiday attire! The sunny Southern California weather justified us wearing summer attire that day.

Our first stop of the day was at Camp Snoopy! Emily loves the kid-friendly rides and all of the little areas to explore in Camp Snoopy. During Knott’s Merry Farm you can catch one of several performances of “Lucy’s Wish List” show, each day, over the Camp Snoopy Theatre.

Some of Emi’s favorite rides in Camp Snoopy include The Balloon Race, The Grand Sierra Railroad, and the Linus Launcher . While we were there, we decided to stop by and show Woodstock his other house. Emi also got to take a picture with Charlie Brown and sought some helpful (psychiatric) advice from Lucy. We love Camp Snoopy!

It was fun to walk through Ghost Town, which has been transformed into the Christmas Crafts Village for Knott’s Merry Farm. It’s a shopping wonderland filled with dozens of local artisans selling their unique gifts. Some of the highlights of the Village include artist demonstrations of chainsaw wood carving, pottery sculpting, and elegant glass blowing. We found a lot of photo opportunities in the Christmas Crafts Village. We also enjoyed listening to carolers sing.

As you continue to walk deeper into Ghost Town, you’ll find Santa’s Christmas Cabin, located inside Wilderness Dance Hall. Santa is right inside, sitting up on the stage, and waiting for you to bring your little ones to chat with him about what they’d like for Christmas this year. He also reminds them to be good for their parents, which was my favorite part! There are photographers on hand to capture the perfect moment with your little one(s) and Santa in photos available for purchase afterwards.

Inside Santa’s Christmas Cabin, there are plenty of treats to choose from including homemade cookies & milk, hot chocolate, gourmet coffee and hot chocolate, s’mores on a stick, roasted nuts, winter wines and beer. It’s a nice place to sit down and take a break for a snack. Emi loved sitting at one of the little wooden tables to share some milk and cookies with Snoopy!

During Knott’s Merry Farm, the Calico Railroad is converted into a special Christmas on Engine 41 train ride experience. After you climb aboard the vintage railcar, you get to interact with a whole cast of characters who are ready to brighten your holidays with songs and chats about their traveling adventures. It’s a Christmas train ride filled with holiday cheer.

Just past the Calico Railroad, standing in front of the Calico Square Stage, stands the Knott’s Christmas tree, adorned with hundreds of ornaments. It’s so beautiful standing tall against the sunny blue sky! Emi and Snoopy liked checking themselves out in the giant ornaments!

After the sun goes down, you can enjoy watching Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting on the Calico Square Stage as it lights up with the celebration of the season. It’s a musical, whimsical tree lighting featuring a cast of Toy Soldiers, Snowmen, Elves and the world’s most famous beagle, Snoopy!

(photo credit: Knott’s)

After dark, there’s also snowy fun each night during Knott’s Merry Farm along the buildings and paths in Ghost Town’s Main Street, as they are filled with glow and snow! Thousands of sparkling lights dance to the beat of “Let It Snow” while snow gently falls in this spectacular one-of-a-kind moment you can enjoy with your family in the Ghost Town.

(photo credit: Knott’s)

Emi, Snoopy, and Woodstock really wanted to eat dinner at Grizzly Creek Lodge, located inside of Camp Snoopy! They loved having a cheeseburger, fries and some Knott’s Berry Punch together. It’s one of our family’s favorites that we HAVE TO have on each visit to the park. Emi loved the keepsake lunchbox that her kids meal was served in. She truly adores the Peanuts gang.

I think our most favorite show at Knott’s Merry Farm was the “Merry Christmas, Snoopy” Ice show, which is in the Charles M. Schultz Theatre. I grew up watching Peanuts on TV and now Emi loves them too. Watching her face light up as all of the characters came out to skate during the show was priceless. Skating Snoopy was precious, the costumes were beautiful, I loved the songs they chose and the story lines, and the skating was amazing! What true talent!

It was a great day at Knott’s Merry Farm and we’re already planning our next visit. Have you checked out all of the benefits that come with a 2015 Knott’s Season Pass? They’re very affordable and make great holiday gifts! We’re considering grabbing 3 of them for our own family! If you purchase a pass now, you get one 2014 visit to Knott’s Merry Farm for free! For more information, click here!

Thank you again, Knott’s! As you can tell by the smile on her face, she LOVED Merry Farm and our family is so grateful for the opportunity to have spent the day creating more memories together! Happy holidays!

Get Ready to Create Holiday Family Memories at The Shops at Mission Viejo With Santa Photo Experience and Much More!

November 27, 2014 / Holiday Fun, Lifestyle, Orange County

It’s that time again….the decorations are up, holiday music is playing and Santa has arrived at The Shops at Mission Viejo! Eager children and their families can experience the joy and magic of the holiday season with a visit to the Simon® Santa Photo Experience, where Santa awaits them in his winter wonderland. Located on the lower level near Nordstrom, children can visit and be photographed with Santa every day until December 24, when he has to head back to The North Pole.

This year, you can save time and avoid the line with Santa by making an appointment! Reserve your magical moment with Santa online at http://simon.noerrsanta.com. For a complete list of Santa’s dates and times, click here. The Simon Santa Photo Experience is, once again, sponsored by Gymboree.

Caring Santa

The Shops at Mission Viejo also provides children with special needs and their families with an opportunity to enjoy a carefully managed Santa photo experience through the Caring Santa program, which provides a sensory-friendly environment for families of children with special needs, to safely experience the time-honored tradition and magic of Santa.

Caring Santa will be held at The Shops at Mission Viejo this year on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Space is limited (1 reservation ticket per family); please visit theshopsatmissionviejocaringsanta.eventbrite.com to make your reservation. Caring Santa events have expanded from 7 Simon malls in 2011 to over 100 Simon malls today, reflecting the positive impact of this unique program. In 2013, Simon and The Noerr Programs were honored by Community Gatepath, earning a Community Impact Award for their efforts in pioneering Caring Santa.Caring Santa program.

Family Holiday Events at The Shops at Mission Viejo

The Kidgits Holiday Celebration will take place on Saturday, December 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the lower level, near Forever 21. Kids can get festive with various crafts and activities including making their own ornament, writing a letter to Santa and decorating a gift box to celebrate The Boxtrolls, available this Holiday Season.

The Kidgits event on December 6 will be followed with a celebration of the grand re-opening of the center’s updated Dining Pavilion. Beginning at 11 a.m., head to the pavilion for live entertainment, face painting, a balloon artist for the kids, and more. Don’t miss giveaways every hour, and swag bags while they last. Special offers will be available from food pavilion eateries, which include Blaze Pizza, Charley’s Grilled Subs, Great Khan’s, Muscle Beach Lemonade & Hot Dogs, Panda Express, Paradise Bakery & Café, Rubios Baja Grill, Ruby Thai, Sarku Japan and Smashburger.

Although this is just a rendering of the updated Dining Pavillion area, I think I see myself eating at a table!

New to the holiday event lineup this year is Holidays on Ice Mission Viejo, the first-ever seasonal ice rink at The Shops at Mission Viejo. From November to January 11, skate under festive lighting, and celebrate the season with music and family fun. The 50-foot by 70-foot outdoor ice rink will accommodate approximately 120 skaters, and is located in the exterior parking lot, near Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour. The rink will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The Shops at Mission Viejo will offer several additional amenities during the holiday season. Additional valet will be available. A giftwrap station will be available in December, and located near Zara. Proceeds from the giftwrap station will benefit the Girl Scouts of Orange County and the Simon Youth Foundation.

There are so many fun things happening at The Shops at Mission Viejo! Happy Holidays!

Holiday Snow Days + Winter Nights November 22-January 4 at Legoland California Resort! #HolidaySnowDays

November 24, 2014 / Holiday Fun, Legoland, Travel

Disclosure: We attended a media preview of Holiday Snow Days and Winter Nights. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

I’m always excited for the start of the holiday season! Emily and I had the opportunity to kick ours off by spending a special day together at LEGOLAND California Resort to preview their Holiday Snow Days + Winter Nights!

It was a beautiful Southern California day and we enjoyed skating and playing in the snow, while wearing short-sleeved shirts and getting a little bit of a suntan!

Every day at LEGOLAND from November 22 through January 4 is a Holiday Snow Day! With a regular admission, park guests also get to enjoy a ton of fun activities! The Fun Town area is transformed into a snowy wonderland for the holiday season!

On Holiday Snow Days, park guests can have fun:

Snow Tubing
Snow Play, including getting to build a snowman and throwing snowballs at fun targets
Watching live entertainment
Doing a Holiday Village Build in the LEGO Clubhouse
Enjoying special holiday treats available for purchase on the Fun Town Holiday Food Truck.

Also, enjoy the spectacular 30-foot tall LEGO Christmas Tree, made of more than 245,000 green DUPLO® bricks and adorned with ornaments made of LEGO bricks. Look out for special holiday characters like LEGO Santa, Lego Toy Soldier, and more. There are definitely lots of photo opportunities!

As part of Legoland’s Holiday Snowy Days +Winter Nights, the Winter Nights portion will take place on November 28, 29 and December 6, 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 from 5-7pm. Holiday Snow Days activities continue into nighttime and guests can also enjoy watching holiday entertainment, including The Big Test Holiday Show, and see the magic of holiday lights come to life after dark as the buildings, trees and the LEGO Christmas Tree twinkles along to Festive Holiday tunes throughout Fun Town. Guests can also enjoy Holiday Fireworks will at 7pm on December 26-30.

New this year…..Ice Skating!

It’s so exciting that LEGOLAND California Resort has set up a real ice skating rink, between the ticketing booths and the Legoland Hotel! It’s was so fun to skate outdoors in the sun! Admission for ice skating is separate from park admission. Although you are welcome to bring your own ice skates, the cost of your ice rink admission tickets includes skate rentals and helmet protection for guests requesting extra head protection.

Guests may also rent a “bobby”, which is a seal-shaped skate aid. A child or adult can push it in front of him to help balance. A small child can also sit on the front of the bobby while the adult pushes the bobby. I used one to push Emily around and it helped me avoid the embarrassment of falling down! I think the bobby was the best invention ever created!

When you purchase your ice skating ticket, you will be asked to reserve a specific time slot. Session are 90 minutes long and there are 6 ice sessions available each day* and there is limited capacity, so book your ticket now by clicking here. *There are only 4 sessions available on the following dates: Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17.

Skaters must be ages 3 and up, and must be able to walk unassisted. All skaters (or guardian for under 18) must sign Release and Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk Agreement (fill out the waiver once for entire season). Go straight onto the ice by filling out the Ice Skating Waiver form in advance! http://www.smartwaiver.com/v/LEGOLANDiceskate

After you spend time out on the ice, you can purchase a s’mores kit and head over to the fire pits to make your s’mores. They’ll even provide a long dowel so you can roast your marshmallows over the fire. This was one of our favorite parts about our day! I think everyone loves s’mores!

LEGO® Christmas Tree Lighting

This year, the official annual tree lighting ceremony will take place on December 1st. There will be a surprise celebrity guest who will help light the world’s tallest LEGO Christmas tree. Families in the park are invited to gather around the Lego Christmas tree in the middle of Fun Town at 5:30 pm. Other opportunities to view the LEGO Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will take place at 5pm on December 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Here comes a cool part….One lucky child has a chance to light the LEGO Christmas Tree December 4-Decemeber 24. Winners will be selected each night through LEGOLAND California Resort’s Facebook Page, so keep an eye on their page if you’re planning on visiting the park during that time.

Legoland’s Free Ticket Offer

LEGOLAND California has a very special gift for you. When you visit LEGOLAND between November 1, 2014 and January 4, 2015, you’ll receive a FREE ticket to return between January 5 and March 1. You must present your paid admission ticket at the Our Gift To You kiosk inside the Park on the day you visit to receive a ticket to return to LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium. Additional restrictions may apply. For more information, click here!

We had such a fun time at Legoland Calfornia Resort and can’t wait to go back again!

Why Did I Wait So Long To Get SMASHed at SMASHburger?

November 11, 2014 / Food, Orange County, Restaurant Reviews

Have you gotten SMASHed yet? I hadn’t until recently and now I’m wondering why I waited so long? I noticed the sign in the food court of “my mall“, The Shops at Mission Viejo, but just hadn’t gotten a chance to try it.

I decided to start with one of their shakes while I checked out seriously extensive menu. There were a ton of shake flavors to choose from, but the manager suggested I try one of their specialty flavors, so I chose something you can’t get just anywhere…the Salted Caramel Shake! A shake is an appetizer, right?

Whoa! Look at all of that whipped cream and that caramel drizzled on top! Their shakes are all hand-scooped and made with Haagen Dazs ice cream! I was having hard time getting very much of it since Emi seemed to have fallen in love with it first and isn’t the best at sharing!

After I finally got my shake back from Emi, I stood there in front of the menu, drinking it, and feeling a bit overwhelmed, but in a good way. Their menu has A LOT to offer. I knew I at least needed to try a Classic Smash. In case you’ve never had one before, they’re “smashed”, seared and seasoned to order, using fresh, premium beef.

I opted for a Classic Smash with cheese. It has American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and plenty of Smash sauce, which is a blend of mayonnaise, yellow mustard, pickled relish and lemon juice, and is served on the yummiest egg bun ever! (they actually make all of their own buns, too!)

I was told that you really shouldn’t have a Smashburger without having an order of Smashfries to go with it! So, I did! Smashfries are shoestring fries tossed in rosemary, olive oil, and garlic! They are beyond addicting and although the menu also features regular fries on it, I have no idea why someone wouldn’t order Smash fries. They are just THAT good.

I also ended up with a Smashchicken, which is the chicken version of the Smashburger. It was the picture on the menu board that caught my eye and I KNEW I needed to try the Buffalo and Blue Cheese Smashchicken. You have a choice of a grilled or crispy chicken breast and it’s topped with Franks’s Redhot Buffalo Sauce, crumbled blue cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, served on an egg bun.

I swear the minute I finished it, I wanted another one! The combo of the buffalo sauce and the blue cheese is crazy good! Some of the menu items (like this one) are considered “regional” and are only offered at certain locations. You can check that availability online.

Although I do love food and love to share about food, I think one of my other favorite parts about getting to write about places I visit, is making a connection with people. The afternoon that I visited SMASHburger, I got to chat a little bit with the store manager who figured out right away, that I was a “first-timer”. Jen was BEYOND knowledgeable about the menu, food preparation and even special menu items (I have friends who are gluten-free and vegan). Above all though, what really made the experience even more special was how genuine and nice Jen was. It truly makes all the difference when the person running the store is personable like that and is what will keep guests coming back again and again!

I cannot wait to go back to SMASHburger and try more items from their menu! I already know I’m going to have ANOTHER Buffalo and Blue Cheese SMASHchicken! Have YOU eaten at a SMASHburger yet? What is YOUR favorite menu item?