Saturday, October 31, 2015

Reef and Coast's Peter Pan Halloween

Oma and Opa were a tad saddened by the fact that there are less and less people passing out candies and fewer kids who are going trick-or-treating. This decline in popularity is surprising.

However, the Smith Family thoroughly enjoyed their family bond during this Halloween.  It was both fun and exciting for the kids and adults alike.


Someones ready to get some candy

Captain Hook scaring the girls

Father and Son . . . . I mean Smee and Captain Hook

Smee, Captain Hook and Tiger Lily!!!

Great Group Shot — with Zachariah Smith, Paul Smith and Jonathan Freund in Escondido, California.

Happy Halloween!!! — with Paul Smith, Zachariah Smith and Jonathan Freund in Escondido, California.

Tinker Bell and the Alligator in Escondido, California.

All of us ready for our Trick or Treat adventure.

Smee and the Gator

Once he realized they were giving him candy, Reef was not shy about it at all.

Nothing scared this kids

Reef Indy's favorite House - he stood and stared for quite a while.

Time to taste some of the loot . . . Reef learned that he does not like Smarties!!! — in Escondido, California.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Lourdes Mexican Food in Escondido, CA

by Stacey Kuhns

Delicious Inexpensive Mexican Food


Lourdes is located at 650 S. Escondido Blvd, Escondido and open 9 am to 9 pm seven days a week.



A friend and I have been to Lourdes, in Escondido, at least five or six times since we heard about it from another friend. It is by no means a fancy restaurant, but there is a salsa bar, free drink refills (self-serve), and plenty of seating. It is also a favorite with local law enforcement, paramedics and fire personnel.

Lourdes gives you chips and salsa while you wait. You place your order at the counter, take a number to your table, and they bring your food out to you. They are famous for their Chicken Tortilla Soup, but we have not yet tried it since it has been so hot here in San Diego County.

Just something to beware of: the salsa they give you with your chips while you wait is very mild and seems to be perfect for those who cannot stand the heat. The salsas on the salsa bar, one green, one red, are very spicy! The red is the spicier one.

Also, they have mild and hot carrots on the salsa bar. I love spicy food and can take a lot of heat, but the hot carrots were too much for me. It felt like someone had run a knife across my tongue, so be careful.

They have tamales on the menu as a regular item, which is great, and as you can see, they are bigger than any tamale I have ever seen. 


Lourdes Mexican Food in Escondido, CA by Stacey Kuhns


The service is great and they are willing to make changes on the items if you request them. Our orders have always been as we placed them. The portions are more than adequate.

Lourdes Mexican Food in Escondido, CA by Stacey Kuhns

Lourdes Mexican Food in Escondido, CA by Stacey Kuhns

Lourdes Mexican Food in Escondido, CA by Stacey Kuhns


Lourdes serves downright good Mexican food at prices that won't break the bank; no fanfare, just yummy food.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

San Diego Harvest Festival

by Stacey Kuhns

 

 

Something For Everyone!





The Harvest Festival comes to our wonderful city in October every year. If you have not been and love gourmet food as well as arts and crafts, it is well worth seeing.

It used to be twice yearly but I did not see any mention of it earlier in the year so maybe they are down to just a Fall show now. It is held at the Del Mar fairgrounds (or should I say the San Diego fairgrounds?)

Parking is $10 and the entrance fee is $9 for adults. If you get on their mailing list, you will be sent a coupon for $2 off tickets plus a free shopping bag. A bargain! If you love shopping at these kinds of festivals, you may want to bring a pull along shopping cart as the bag can get very heavy when carrying around your purchases. (You can check for dates and times, as well as where the festival is appearing in other cities on harvestfestival.com).

There is a free tram service from the parking lot to the ticket booths.




The festival is held in two of the buildings. There is a food court outside, but not near as extensive as the San Diego Fair offerings. Two of us had the artichoke sandwiches from Roxy, (he is also at the fair every year), which comes with salad and my other friend had a bratwurst.



There are hundreds, maybe thousands of items available. Many compare the festival to Costco, as all of the vendors selling gourmet food items (soups, fudge, dips, olive oils, desserts, etc) give out samples!!! Saturday seems to be the most crowded and it is more difficult to get near the vendors tables (especially if they are giving out samples).

Something to note: the items are not cheap by any means. However, there are toys, jewelry, holiday items, pet items, artwork, health items, lotions, and many, many more things to check out. All the booths take credit cards and there is an ATM machine available if you need one.



Here is some of my loot from the festival.



My favorite thing, that I get every year, are the gourmet apples. This one was a toffee bits with chocolate apple that I split (they are gigantic and impossible to finish on your own).



Another favorite is the flavored pastas.

I would not recommend this festival for small children as it is a lot of walking, lots of people, and lots of breakable items; although they had hired a magician who was entertaining families outside near the food court.

This is a great place to find unusual holiday gifts or other items. Most all the vendors have websites and offer mail order service.

Mark it on your calendar for next October and check it out. My friend and I have been going every year for probably over 10 years and we love it.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Knight Castle Design Play Tent #KNIGHTCASTLE



My two-year-old grandson really loves this Play Tent. Opa set it up in minutes and I was able to take it down and store it in its carry bag easily. 

Reef quickly decided that his 100% polyester Knight Castle Tent was the perfect place for him to “read” his books.

We use it indoors, and found it to be durable and dependable. It measures 40 inches in diameter by 51 inches high.


Product Description



Knight castle is an adorable gift for all boys. Fast and easy set up/breakdown with no tools required. The lightweight tent with a zipper carry bag is great for indoor or outdoor use. Its small size is easy to fit in compact home or kid’s room. The play tent can be folded flat for convenient storage when it is not in use.
  • Light weight and easy to assemble Knight Castle design play tent
  • To be used in or out door. Easily folds and placed back in case for storage
  • Perforated Windows, lets the air in, helps keep the bugs out
  • Includes 4 Ground Pegs for better stability
  • Size: 40 inches diameter by 51 inches high. Material: 100% polyester fabric with steel frame. Adult Assembly Required





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sunday, October 25, 2015

The Goodness of the Operacaffe Coupled with a Great Show at the Balboa Theater

by Stacey Kuhns 

 



All around goodness at Operacaffe (835 4th Avenue), an Italian restaurant, and a great show at the Balboa Theater (868 4th Avenue).

Operacaffe is located in the Gaslamp area of downtown San Diego almost directly across the street from the Balboa Theater. On Friday night, October 23, my friend and I headed to the Gaslamp area because we had tickets for a concert at the Balboa Theater. He chose Operacaffe from the list of five restaurants I had compiled for the area (that had good reviews).

Operacaffe has sidewalk seating as well as an intimate, welcoming dining area inside the establishment. We were greeted warmly outside by the hostess and we asked to be seated inside. 




Our waitress, Stephanie, was exceptional. Urbano was the nice man who was there quickly clearing our dirty dishes and refilling our drinks. The service was excellent which always makes the dining experience so much better.

The food was fresh, homemade, and tasted divine. I will say neither of us was impressed with the bread basket. The bread was cold and not overly soft. The second basket they brought was better, but nothing to get excited about. They serve olive oil and balsamic to dip the bread in, but again, nothing exciting. However, from then on, it was some of the best food we have ever had. We both would recommend this restaurant for anyone who loves Italian food. The menu is extensive and there is something for everyone from seafood dishes, to authentic Italian appetizers, vegetarian, homemade pastas, and meat dishes.

We each started with the soup (it does not come in a cup and is quite a large portion for a starter). I had the cream of tomato and my friend tried the minestrone. Both wonderful (although I could have done without the croutons in my soup as they quickly became soggy). 





We then tried the fried calamari. So good. Perfect breading and chewiness and the dipping sauce was a spicy marinara that was a perfect pairing for the calamari.


The portion sizes are large so be prepared to take home doggy bags or be too stuffed for dessert (the dessert menu looked amazing, but we really were too full to try anything. Next time...).

For entrees, my friend and I split a pepperoni pizza and a ravioli dish stuffed with cheese and spinach and surrounded by artichokes and lobster tail pieces in a light blush sauce. The pizza was so tasty. The pepperoni was large pieces and tasted completely different than the cheap stuff normally served in basic pizza places. It was a delicious mouthful and perfect for two to split. The ravioli tasted homemade. The lobster was sweet and plentiful, a very filling dish and oh so good.




So, we highly recommend this restaurant for the amazing food and fantastic service. Thank you Stephanie and Urbano for making this a special night.

After dinner, we walked (waddled from all the food) across the street to the Balboa Theater.




We were again greeted warmly by security staff. They do search purses and no cameras allowed (but cell phones are fine if you keep the flash turned off.) We were also shown to our seats (which were so close to the stage, we were excited.)

Our tickets were for seats on the far right of the theater so the view was slightly obstructed by the speakers on the stage, but the Balboa is a small theater (with a balcony section) that makes all the concerts there (I have seen a few), very intimate.

Home Free is an acapella group who were the winners last year of the TV show "The Sing Off." They are amazing in person and the show was truly enjoyable from beginning to end. I had a smile on my face the entire time. Besides their fabulous talent, they are also funny and quickly developed a rapport with all the fans present. 




They performed for almost two hours.

And, a nice surprise for all of us there, they decided to set up a table and meet everyone after the show. They signed my CD and were so gracious with everyone. The line moved quickly and it was all very well organized. Would recommend their live show to anyone and we will definitely see them if they return to San Diego in the future. All in all, a wonderfully fabulous evening. 




TIP:  When you purchase online tickets for the Balboa Theater, be sure to pay the extra $10 for the parking ticket that allows you to park in the NBC building. Convenient elevators to the upper floor and an easy quick walk to the theater.

Keyboard Wrist Pad + Mouse Pad by CushionCare #keyboardpad

LOVE YOUR HANDS AND WRIST! 


Keyboard Wrist Pad + Mouse Pad by CushionCare #keyboardpad


I work at my computers all the time; about twelve hours a day - six days a week. Therefore one of the best pieces of equipment I can have is a good keyboard wrist rest. Wrist pads can help prevent repetitive stress injuries and even carpal tunnel syndrome.

These memory foam wrist rests by CushionCare are designed in such a way that they keep the wrists from being able to bend backwards while users are typing or using the mouse. They help to take some of the pressure from the shoulders and provide a softer surface for the wrist to lie on. 

The rest's thickness is the same thickness as my keyboard and large enough so that it covers a large area to provide my wrists the cushioning they need. The wrist pad and it's accompanying free mouse pad, made from high quality form, match each other and are very soft and comfortable.


Product Description



Ever experienced painful and tingling sensation on your fingers when using your laptop or your PC? Has your arm and hands become numb due to hours of typing and encoding? Avoid wrist complications like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome now!

The CushionCare Keyboard Wrist Pad is finally here to offer the ergonomic support you need.
    Keyboard Wrist Pad + Mouse Pad by CushionCare #keyboardpad
  • MADE OF DURABLE, HIGH - QUALITY FOAM - This keyboard wrist pad is made from High Quality Foam, Lightweight, Comfortable and Ergonomic! It is Durable and is Ideal for Longer Hours of Use
  • SO EASY TO USE - This Keyboard Wrist Pad Conforms to Hand Weight, yet does not lose its Shape. Its non-skid backing holds pad firmly in place.
  • PREVENTS INJURIES - This Product will Help you Maintain Proper Wrist Alignment, and Will Help you Avoid Joint and Wrist problems (rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome)
  • COMFORTABLE TO USE - The CushionCare Keyboard Wrist Pad conforms to wrists for exceptional comfort.
  • RISK FREE - With a 3 YEARS WARRANTY, we are committed to our 100% customer satisfaction so if you find that you are not "5-Star Happy" with us or our products then please contact us and we will do whatever it takes to make sure you are 100% happy



Keyboard Wrist Pad + Mouse Pad by CushionCare #keyboardpad

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Friday, October 23, 2015

Tactic Games' Beanie Boos Friends Game #tacticgames

Ty Beanie Boo’s Friends Game 

 

Tactic Games' Beanie Boos Friends Game #tacticgames

The plushies are lost on the game board and ty fan favorite Beanie Boo Peanut the Elephant, needs your help to find them. Different colors and shapes make your task challenging and exciting. Learning about colors, shapes and numbers is fun with cuddly Ty toys!

This is a cute and easy game for children three years of age. It is really good for learning about colors, shapes, and numbers. It also improves memorization skill. Oma loves games that sneakily double as a learning opportunity! Each game doesn't take a lot of time so even the youngest kids will have the patience to play an entire game or even multiple rounds. This would be great for that special toddler on your Christmas List.



The Beanie Boos™ Friends Game has just been honored with the 2015 Dr. Toy Best Picks of Children’s Products and Best Vacation Products Awards, as well as the National Parenting Publications of America (NAPPA) Silver Award.



Product Description



Tactic Games' Beanie Boos Friends Game #tacticgames
The plushies are lost on the game board and Peanut needs your help to find them. Different colors and shapes make your task exciting. Players roll the Beanie Boo's die to move along the game board. Be the first player to collect all your character's shapes to win the game.

Mastering your memorization skills while learning about colors, shapes and numbers is fun with cuddly Ty toys! For 3-6 Players ages 3+ years old. Game duration: 15+ Minutes.
  • Master your memorization skills while learning about colors, shapes and numbers
  • Features Beanie Boos characters
  • Scandinavian design




Tactic Group® is an international and fast growing developer and marketer of board games in Europe, now launching in the U.S. and Canada. For the past 48 years, the Finnish board game company has provided consumers with innovative, high-quality products that have been warmly received by the public, including award-winning Mölkky® and iKNOW®. 


Tactic Games' Beanie Boos Friends Game #tacticgames


Tactic Games offers a line of preschool and children's games featuring the Ty Inc.'s Beanie Boos branded character property.


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Youtube


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."