Just Spotted has moved!

You will be automatically redirected to the new address. If that does not occur, visit
http://www.just-spotted.com
and update your bookmarks.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

12 for Tuesday: Legoland Tips & Tricks


1. Looking to get the most "bang for your buck?" Visit Legoland for multiple days. Until May 20th, 2010 you can gain admission to Legoland for 5 days, all for the price of a 1 Day Hopper Ticket. That's right, the same amount you pay for a 1 day hopper ticket can get you in for up to 5 consecutive days - that's quite a deal! (Check out the 5 days for the Price of 1 offer & many more HERE.) Don't worry if you won't be able to make it to Legolandbefore May 20th, 2010 because every day of the year you can upgrade any 1-day ticket to a 2-day ticket for just $15. Just stop by the Guest Services BEFORE you leave the park on the first day your ticket is used. (Second visit must be within 9 days.) You can also upgrade to a "membership," if you like as well.
2. Be sure to catch the newest flick to grace the silver screens at Legoland... Clutch Powers 4-D. (My boys can't stop talking about it. Clutch is their new idol, that's for sure.)
3. If you do watch a movie (any movie) at the LEGO Show Place, make sure your child's 4-D glasses are tight fitting. The glasses are adult size & some pairs fit very loosely - you want your child to be able to wear the glasses, without them (or more likely you) having to hold the glasses up to their face the entire show. Trust me, the fit of the glasses can make all the difference in the world when it comes to your child (& your) viewing experience.
4. Have a budding builder? Be sure to stop by the Lego Club House in Fun Town where you can buy Legos by the pound.
5. More than likely you will be taking young children to Legoland(it is geared for 2-12 year olds)... please be aware that many of the rides have height restrictions. This means that for many of the rides rides, children must be at least 48" tall to ride alone (if they are shorter than 48", often times the child must ride with an adult). I point this out, simply so you are aware. If you are attending Legoland with multiple young children, I'd suggest having one adult per child. I know it probably sounds extreme, but let's just say I'm talking from experience here. Let's just say I was surprised (& disappointed) when I realized that with a group of 7 children (one of which was 10 years old & another an infant) & 3 adults, we were unable to ride most of the rides. (To check out the height requirements for all the attractions go HERE.)
6. On a hot day, be sure to bring the swimsuits - there's plenty of ways to cool off. Even the littlest guests will enjoy getting wet on the Swabbies Deck.
7. When you are tired of rides, or just need a place to let your children "run free", check out some of these Legoland Play areas: Playtown & the Musical Fountain in Explore Village, The Hideaways in Castle Hill, Adventurer's Club & Lego Factory Tour in Fun Town,
8. Sometimes it's hard for kids to be surrounded by some many Legos... all they want to do is build. Stop by the DUPLO play place in the Imagination Zone. It's a "free-play" opprotunity for younger children with tens of thousands of Lego DUPLO bricks just waiting to be played with.
9. Looking for activities for older children? Check out these attractions:The Hideaways in Castle Hill, XBox Family Gamespace & Lego Mindstorms Robotics & Build and Test in the Imagination Zone.
10. While I'm sure there are lots of tasty offerings to be found throughout Legoland, we were thrilled to stumble across the restaurants in Fun Town. There was definitely something for everyone: hamburgers, hot dogs, Asian stir fry, Philly cheese steak sandwiches, a full salad bar & churros to die for!
11. If you've never had a Legoland pass, & you are a caregiver (Moms, Dad, Grandparents or other Caregiver) with children 4-years of age & under you can purchase a Model Mom Club membership for just $77. The pass is valid only on Thursdays, but it includes FREE parking, tons of discounts & Legoland offers a weekly activity group meet-up every Thursday, if you are interested (think Stroller Strides Fitness Walks, etc).
12. If you are going to Legoland on a super busy day, you can take advantage of their Premium Play Pass, otherwise known as a front of the line pass. Although pricey ($150 for adults & $130 for children), the pass includes one-day admission to Legoland, front-of-the-line privileges & reserved seating for shows. Premium Play Passes are available in a limited quantity, on a first-come, first-served basis at the outside Guest Services window.

xoxo, K

Legoland provided entrance passes for K. No compensation, of any kind, was received for this post & the opinions represented are 100% those of Just Spotted.

Cinderella Ballet

Right now, I'm really wishing my baby girl was just a few years older so that I could take her to THIS sure-to-be-magical performance of Cinderella, performed by the Maple Youth Ballet at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. The story we all know & love is coming to life, for one day only.

Cinderella, performed by the Maple Youth Ballet
Saturday, April 3rd; 1:30 & 6:30pm
Irvine Barclay Theatre
Tickets are $28 for adults & $22 for children & seniors, buy your tickets HERE.

xoxo, K

Just Spotted received no compensation, of any kind, for this post.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

April 2010 Calendar

Almost Daily:
* Orange County Museums (the BIG list)

1st:
* Easter Activities in Orange County
* Toddler Class at the
Orange County Zoo, 10-11am. Come learn at the zoo... class includes hands-on learning & fun crafts. Phone registration required (714)973-6846. $5 for one child & parent (Irvine Park parking Fee not included). Ages 3-4.
* Tideland Tot's at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30-11:15am. Fun-filled parent & child experiences that may include hands-on activities, crafts, story telling & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8
* Bayside Buddies at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 3:30-4:30 pm. Kids can discover our amazing natural world at the bay through hands-on activities, crafts & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8.
2nd:
* Easter Activities in Orange County
* Wild Tales at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30 - 11:15 am. Story telling fun. After the story, learn more about the natural history of the bay through crafts and nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8.
* Pier Plaza Art-A-Faire, an arts & crafts event at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, noon to sunset
* Balboa Island Stroll, 6-9pm. Shops will be open late & many will be serving cheese, crackers & other refreshments.
3rd:
* Easter Activities in Orange County
* FREE admission to the Discovery Science Center with any Bank of America, check, ATM or credit card.
* Bolsa Chica Wetlands Tour, FREE tours begin every 15 minutes from 9 - 10:30 am.
* Composting Workshop at the Ecology Center, 1pm
* Kids Workshop, a FREE kid-friendly "How-To Clinic", at your local Home Depot, 9am-12pm
* The Knack FREE Family Event at your local Michael's store, 10am
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 10-10:45am. FREE
* FREE crafts for kids at Lakeshore Learning Centers in Fountain Valley & Laguna Hills, 11am - 3pm
* Target FREE First Saturday at the Children's Museum at La Habra, 1:30-3:30pm. Face painting, crafts & stilt walkers
* Cinderella Ballet performed by the Maple Youth Ballet at the Irvine Barclay
4th:
* Target FREE First Sunday at the Bower's Museum & Kidseum
* Village Art Fair, 9 am, Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente.
*
Bowers Museum, FREE day for Santa Ana Residents
*
Centennial Heritage Museum, FREE day for Santa Ana Residents
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 1-1:45pm.FREE
5th:
* Taco Bell Discovery Science Center, FREE day for Santa Ana Residents
6th:
* Story Time, Pottery Barn Kids (South Coast Plaza or The Shops at Mission Viejo), 11-11:30 am.
*
Surf City Nights, 5-9pm, Main Street, HB
7th:
* Sea Tales at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, 9:45 - 11 am. Reservations required (949)675-8915. (cost is $3 for members & $5 for non-members)
* Springtime Soiree at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30am - 12pm. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-10.
8th:
* Junior Neptunes at the Ocean Institue, 9am-4pm, for children ages 6-8.
* Junior Neptunes at the Ocean Institue, 9am-4pm, for children ages 6-8.
* Junior Seahawks at the Ocean Institue, 9am-4pm, for children ages 9-12.
* Tideland Tot's at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30-11:15am. Fun-filled parent & child experiences that may include hands-on activities, crafts, story telling & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8
* Junior Ranger Program at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 4-5:30pm. 2nd & 3rd graders are invited to learn about wilderness plants, animals & how to take care of the land. Reservations required: (949)923-2235, $10 fee.
9th:
* Junior Neptunes at the Ocean Institue, 9am-4pm, for children ages 6-8.
* Junior Seahawks at the Ocean Institue, 9am-4pm, for children ages 9-12.
* Toddler Class at the Orange County Zoo, 10-11am. Come learn at the zoo... class includes hands-on learning & fun crafts. Phone registration required (714)973-6846. $5 for one child & parent (Irvine Park parking Fee not included). Ages 3-4.
* Wild Tales at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30 - 11:15 am. Story telling fun. After the story, learn more about the natural history of the bay through crafts and nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8.
* Pier Plaza Art-A-Faire, an arts & crafts event at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, noon to sunset
10th:
* Camper Education Project Weekend Experience at The Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center, 9am (Saturday) - Noon (Sunday). $35 per person.
* Sea Tales at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, 9:45 - 11 am. Reservations required (949)675-8915. (cost is $3 for members & $5 for non-members)
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 10-10:45am. FREE
* FREE crafts for kids at Lakeshore Learning Centers in Fountain Valley & Laguna Hills, 11am - 3pm.
* Astronomy Night at the O'Neill Conservancy
* Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County "The Big Taste 2010" Wine Tasting event. Cost is $35 & included unlimited wine tasting, open wine bar & hors d' oeuvres.
* Assistance League of Newport-Mesa's Dancing for Tomorrow's Stars Dancing Competition, $200 per person.
11th:
* Visionaries FREE Second Sundays at the Orange County Museum of Art
12th:
13
th:
* Santa Ana Zoo, FREE day for Santa Ana Residents
* Surf City Nights, 5-9pm, Main Street, HB
14th:
15
th:
* Tideland Tot's at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30-11:15am. Fun-filled parent & child experiences that may include hands-on activities, crafts, story telling & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8
16th:
* Long Beach Grand Prix
* Tot Walk
, 9am at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Reservations required: 949-923-2235.
* America's Family Pet Expo at the OC Fair & Event Center, 10am - 6pm
* Pier Plaza Art-A-Faire, an arts & crafts event at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, noon to sunset
* Astronomy and Stargazing Family Event at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 7:30-10pm. FREE
17th:
* Long Beach Grand Prix
* America's Family Pet Expo at the OC Fair & Event Center, 10am - 7pm
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 10-10:45am. FREE
* Grand Opening of the Tierra de las Pampas exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo, 11am - 2pm
* FREE crafts for kids at Lakeshore Learning Centers in Fountain Valley & Laguna Hills, 11am - 3pm.
* Train Rides at Costa Mesa's Fairview Park, 10am - 3:30pm: enjoy a ride aboard the Orange County Model Engineers miniature train & travel over 3 miles of track. For more information call (949)548-7246.
18th:
* Long Beach Grand Prix
* America's Family Pet Expo at the OC Fair & Event Center, 10am - 6pm
* Train Rides at Costa Mesa's Fairview Park, 10am - 3:30pm: enjoy a ride aboard the Orange County Model Engineers miniature train & travel over 3 miles of track. For more information call (949)548-7246.
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 1-1:45pm. FREE
19th:
20th:
* Surf City Nights, 5-9pm, Main Street, HB
21st:
22nd:
* Toddler Class at the Orange County Zoo, 10-11am. Come learn at the zoo... class includes hands-on learning & fun crafts. Phone registration required (714)973-6846. $5 for one child & parent (Irvine Park parking Fee not included). Ages 3-4.
* Tideland Tot's at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30-11:15am. Fun-filled parent & child experiences that may include hands-on activities, crafts, story telling & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8
* Junior Ranger Program at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 4-5:30pm. 2nd & 3rd graders are invited to learn about wilderness plants, animals & how to take care of the land. Reservations required: (949)923-2235, $10 fee.
23rd:
* Pier Plaza Art-A-Faire, an arts & crafts event at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, noon to sunset
* Buena Park Children's Arts Festival, 3:30 - 7:30pm, at Walter D. Ehlers Community Recreation Center. FREE
24th:
* Laguna Art Museum Imagination Celebration, 11am - 2pm. FREE admission, hands-on art projects, face painting, music performances, student & professional art exhibits.
* Earth Day Projects & Weekend Walks at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 10-10:45am. FREE
* The Knack FREE Family Event at your local Michael's store, 10am
* Belly Sprout Pregnancy & New Mama Event, 11am - 2pm: midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, lactation specialists, natural care practitioners & baby wearing demos.
* FREE crafts for kids at Lakeshore Learning Centers in Fountain Valley & Laguna Hills, 11am - 3pm.
* Vocational Visions Annual Fundraiser dinner, $125 per person
25th:
* Earth Day at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10am - 4pm. FREE.
26th:
27th:
* Story Time, Pottery Barn Kids (South Coast Plaza or The Shops at Mission Viejo), 11-11:30 am.
* Surf City Nights, 5-9pm, Main Street, HB
28th:
29th:
* Tideland Tot's at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30-11:15am. Fun-filled parent & child experiences that may include hands-on activities, crafts, story telling & nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8
30th:
* Wild Tales at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 10:30 - 11:15 am. Story telling fun. After the story, learn more about the natural history of the bay through crafts and nature walks. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $5 per participant, ages 2-8.
* Pier Plaza Art-A-Faire, an arts & crafts event at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, noon to sunset
* Bird Survey at Shipley Nature Center
* Sunset Stroll at the Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 7:00-8:30pm. Join the staff for a twilight nature walk. Then, create your own nocturnal critter to take home. Pre-registration required: (949)923-2275, $3 per participant.

* Events & Activities are subject to change

Just Spotted received no compensation, of any kind, for this post.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Easter in Orange County


Easter is approaching fast! Better stock up on those chocolate eggs & peeps. If you are looking for a community celebration, then your search has ended... here's a list of Orange County Easter Celebrations, there's sure to be one close by!

Thursday, April 1st:
* Easter at the Anaheim Farmer's Market: noon - 7pm, Downtown Anaheim (Center St. Promenade & Lemon). Family Karaoke, Trackless Train, Easter activities: visit with the Easter Bunny, coloring contest & egg dying.
* Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza: Easter egg hunts, train rides, & lots of Easter Activities.

Friday, April 2nd:
* Compass Bible Church Eggstravaganza at the Laguna Hills Community Center: bounce houses, slides, games, face painting, balloon artists, egg hunts & more, 9:30am - 11:30am
* Ukrainian Decorating Egg Workshop at the La Habra Children's Museum: 11am & 1pm
* Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza: Easter egg hunts, train rides, & lots of Easter Activities.
* Laguna Hills Late Night Flashlight Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 3rd:
* Orange County Market Place Easter Festival & Treasure Hunt
* Newport Dunes Easter Eggstravaganza, Pancake Breakfast & Champagne Brunch: 8am at Newport Dunes
* Buena Park Spring Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast: Breakfast starts at 8am, activities at 9am, Henry Boisseranc Park
* First Christian Church of Orange Pancake Breakfast & Easter Egg Hunt, 8:30am
* Fountain Valley Easter Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast: 8:30am at FV Sports Park
* Tustin Easter Egg Hunt: 8:30am - 11:30pm at Tustin Sports Park
* Dana Point Egg Hunt: 9 am, Pines Park
* Laguna Niguel Bunny Blast: 9am - 12:30pm at Chapparosa Park
* Los Alamitos Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Carnival: 9am - Noon at Laurel Park
* Muckenthaler Cultural Center Monster Egg Hunt in Fullerton: 9am - 2pm
* Stanton Easter Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast: 9-11:30am, Stanton Park.
* Huntington Beach Easter Egg Hunt: 9:30am - 12pm, Huntington Central Park
* Fullerton South Rotary Hunt: 10am, Hillcrest Park (Harbor & Valley View)
* San Clemente Egg Hunts: 10am - 1pm at San Gorgonio Park
* Laguna Hills Mr. Bunny & Friends
* Cypress Spring Egg Hunt: 10:30am at Oak Knoll Park
* Cypress Flashlight Egg Hunt: 7pm at Arnold/ Cypress Park

xoxo, K

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

You've Just Been Spotted: Preschool Edition

It's March, which for many means it's preschool registration time. & I have to admit, I've been amazed at the number of emails we've been receiving asking for preschool advice. Believe it or not, we aren't experts on preschools. In fact, I think both C & I have totally & completely lucked out in regards to our own personal preschool selections. But just because I can't tell you specifically which preschool you need to enroll your young-ins in, doesn't mean Just Spotted can't come to your rescue. Hello?! We have literally thousands of readers & I'm sure one or two of them have some preschool suggestions.

So here's the deal... we are asking YOU, our readers, to nominate their favorite preschool. There are plenty of ways to make sure YOUR favorite preschool makes our list: email us (justspotted@gmail.com), send us a message via twitter (@justspottedOC, @xoxoC, or @according2kelly), leave a comment on our Facebook page HERE, or simply leave a comment on THIS very post. All we want & need to know is the name of the preschool, the area of the county where they are located (North OC, etc.) &/or the preschool's web address.

So, your probably asking yourself, "How exactly is this going to work?" Well, let us explain...

Step 1:
YOU nominate your favorite Orange County Preschool, via any of the previously mentioned ways. Feel free to nominate as many different preschools as you wish, & tell your friends to do the same (you know what they say, "the more the merrier"). Although each school only needs to be nominated once to make our list. Not only will this be a fantastic way to "reward" the best preschools in the OC, but we're hoping to be introduced to some new ones we might not have otherwise found. All we ask, is that you get your nominations in by Wednesday, March 31st at 11:59 pm. That way we have plenty of time for step number 2.

Step 2: We will gather up all the nominees & compile them into one big list, which we will then "open up to the public" (that means you!) for voting. Actually we will have several lists, geared to the specific regions of the county - we realize that if you live in South Orange County, more than likely you don't want to drive to a preschool in Anaheim, even if it's voted the best. So, we'll try to keep things fairly local.

Step 3: The schools that receive the most votes, will then be announced & honored as the best-of-the-best Orange County Preschools.

So here we go... start sending us links to your favorite OC Preschools. If you want your submission to make "the list," be sure to contact us before Wednesday, March 31st at 11:59 pm.


xoxo, C & K

Do you GROUPON?

One of my newest, daily, must-reads is GROUPON. So I'm sure you are already asking yourself, "what is GROUPON?" Well, I'll tell you. Directly from their website "Each day, GROUPON features an unbeatable deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in your city. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won't find anywhere else. We call it 'collective buying power!'"

That's pretty much as straightforward as it gets. But if you want a little bit more of an explanation, it's easy as 1, 2, 3...

1. Every day they offer one incredible deal, & one incredible deal only, per area. (Locally they offer deals for Orange County, Inland Empire, Los Angeles & San Diego). You can sign up for their email list & have the deals "delivered" daily, or you can check their website.
2. The only "catch" is, you only get the deal if enough people join that day, so be sure to invite your friends. You must click "buy" before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people sign up, GROUPON will charge your card & send you a link to print your GROUPON. If not enough people join, your card won't be charged. (You can see how many GROUPONs have been purchased & how many need to be, right there on the offered "deal.")
3. Check back daily for another incredible deal. & Trust me, soon you'll be thanking me for letting you know about this little gem. Already, I've purchased several GROUPON deals... I'm definitely a "believer."

For more information about GROUPON, read all the FAQS HERE, or watch this short video, it will walk you through the entire GROUPON process.


xoxo
, K

Just Spotted received no compensation, of any kind, for this post.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

12 for Tuesday: Orange County Hidden Gems

Spring break is just around the corner, so I've been busy preparing my "to-do list" to combat my kid's favorite statement... "Mom, I'm bored." Sure we will be hitting the beach, spending lots of quality time at the park & probably make a trip or two to Disneyland. But I've also got a few tricks up my sleeve. Here's a list of 12 Orange County Hidden Gems that we will be exploring & visiting in the weeks to come.

9. Metrolink Train trip to Zoomars

xoxo, K

Just Spotted received no compensation, of any kind, for this post.




Related Posts with Thumbnails