Tag Archives: holiday

Holiday 2021 Wrap Up

I know it’s February 2022 now, but I wanted to post a few pictures from this past holiday, starting with a picture of our holiday card, and our beautiful tree! I received some amazing complimentary holiday decorations from Aurorava, and came up with a themed Christmas tree, with all blue hues. What’s even more impressive, is that I didn’t even use a filter in these pictures! The garland and cut-out ball ornaments have a Polar Light Film on them, so no matter where the lights are placed on the tree, the reflection causes anything around them to glow!

We also received tinsel, which I used on our hall tree to create a mid-century modern display in our entryway! If you like these decorations, you can find them on Amazon, just search “AURORAVA”.

In addition to our amazing new decorations, we finally got the chance to go back to San Diego! The last time we were in San Diego was back in 2019, when my mom and I went to visit right after Christmas. But this year, we all went and saw not only my sister and her family (and their new puppy, Bruno), but we got to see our cousins and extended family in Murietta! Plus, I got to have brunch with my besties, Janice & Regi, at Great Maple in UTC!

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas and New Year holidays! Here’s to bigger and better adventures in 2022, cheers!

*Brunch with my besties, Janice & Regi, at Great Maple*

*Doesn’t Bruno always look like he’s smiling?*

*Kiddie (and some not so kiddie) cousins*

Happy Holidays 2017

I hope this season finds you and your families happy, healthy and full of cheer!

In the grand tradition of my blog during the Christmas holiday, I’ve included Dominic’s annual Santa picture. This year, Dominic went with Dad back to Las Vegas to visit the family while he’s on winter break. I had to stay home because of my new job, but Grandma took him to Bass Pro Shops and got this great picture of Dominic hanging out with Santa rather than the standard one where he’s perched on Santa’s lap.

Merry Christmas everyone, and please enjoy my Christmas Mixtape on Spotify!

One More Day to Get Your Photo With Santa at Fashion Valley!

Can you believe Christmas is already this weekend? I received the last package today to complete our son’s Christmas present, in addition to finally sending out all of our holiday cards. One last thing we also took care of this week was Dominic’s traditional photo with Santa at Fashion Valley’s Santa Photo Experience. If you still need to take care of some last-minute shopping or get that photo with Santa, Fashion Valley will be open on Christmas Eve from 8am to 6pm. Fashion Valley always look beautiful during the holiday season. I’ve included some pictures of when Dominic and I attended their tree lighting ceremony last month.

Cheers and I wish you all a wonderful, healthy and safe holiday!

Dominic gets a kick out of taking pictures with any cast of characters. He was excited to learn that The Grinch knew about his favorite game, Fallout!

There’s always wonderful free snacks available at Fashion Valley’s Tree Lighting event!

Dominic thought long and hard about what he wanted to ask Santa for Christmas!

Santa helped to countdown the lighting of the tree!

After the tree was lit, everyone was invited for cookies and crafts!

Wishing you a Happy Holidays!

Absolutely Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide 2016: The Carlsbad Edition!

For the third year running, I humbly present again my last-minute holiday gift guide! I am notorious for waiting until the last-minute, so for those of you who suffer from the same affliction, this is the guide for you. For this year’s gift guide, I thought I would put a local spin on things and give those of you in the San Diego area places to actually go and grab some great last-minute holiday presents from some of my favorite shops in the Carlsbad area.

Happy Shopping!

Wysh Boutique

Wysh Boutique is one of my favorite boutiques in Carlsbad. Located in the Village Faire at Carlsbad, they not only have fashionable clothing and accessories, but great gift ideas and gift certificates!

Gaia Gelato

Also located at the Village Faire, Gaia Gelato has gift cards, but I wouldn’t mind getting gifted a box of their yummy French macarons!

Sock District

Sock District is new to the Village Faire, so I welcomed them by immediately purchasing a couple of pairs to gift to my sister. If you visit their site (link above), you can purchase electronic gift cards for your friends and family to shop in their store or online!

The Beat Clothing

Another one of my Carlsbad favorites, The Beat Clothing has everything you could want for your edgy fashionista friends. Astrid Montalvo is their on-site stylist and she can help you find the perfect outfit for that concert-goer in your life, or give the gift of rock inspired clothing, shoes and accessories through a gift certificate!

Spin Records

Of course I need to include a place where you can give the gift of music, and my favorite place to do some digging in Carlsbad is at Spin Records. I was just there and purchased a white vinyl 7-inch single of Johnny Cash’s The Man Comes Around with his cover of Personal Jesus (pictured below). They also have t-shirts, buttons, patches and gift certificates for that crate digger in your life!

Note: This is not a sponsored post. Although I mention specific shops, all suggestions are strictly my own.

Fashion Valley’s Tree Lighting Celebration Tomorrow 11/12/16!

Tomorrow is Fashion Valley’s Tree Lighting Celebration! It will be an evening packed full of events, leading up to the lighting of the Christmas Tree. We had a great time last year, and I know it will be just as fabulous tomorrow. I’ll be there with my family, and we hope to see you there, too. Cheers!

TREE LIGHTING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2016

HOLIDAY GIFT BAG & PRIZE GIVEAWAY

Simon Welcome Booth next to Sports Fever.

3:00 PM – The first 200 revelers in line to make the nice list will receive Fashion Valley swag bags filled with retailer surprises.

3:00 – 7:00 PM – Register for a chance to win a $250 Simon Giftcard®

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

3:00 – 7:00 PM – River Plaza, near the AMC Theaters

From the “Letters to Santa” station to the holiday photo booth, there’s lots to do and see at the Holiday Festival. Also, enjoy face painting, holiday crafts, and costumed characters, as we host a festive atmosphere just for kids!

3:30 PM & 4:30PM – Storytime with the Grinch

Come see the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes this Saturday at the Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration! The Grinch himself will stop by and read his story to tell us all just how he stole Christmas. Come experience all the fun.

MAIN STAGE ENTERTAINMENT

4:30 – 6:30 PM – Main Stage near Boudin Bakery

Festive show by the Salvation Army brass band as they perform popular holiday carols.

6:00 PM – Tree Lighting Countdown begins!

Get ready for Santa to flip the switch to light the new 40 foot interactive tree.

MACY’S COURT

After the Tree Lighting, enjoy refreshments provided by Better Buzz and cookies provided by STACKED. Also, make magical memories with your family and have photos taken with Santa at the Santa House in Macy’s Court.

For more information, please visit http://www.shopfashionvalleymall.com or call 619-688-9113.

Follow Fashion Valley on these social media channels:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/fashionvalleyca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FashionValleyMall

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fashionvalleyca/

(Photo taken at last year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony, post here)

Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide 2015 Part 2!

As promised, here is part two to my “Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide”! This list of gift ideas is designed to help you with the music lovers in your life in addition to more for your fashion loving friends and family. The titles of each section will link directly to how you can purchase each gift idea. Enjoy and happy shopping!

THE MUSIC LOVERS GIFT GUIDE

Spotify Subscription

I love Spotify. I love it so much that I subscribe to Spotify Premium not only because I have access to a seemingly unlimited database of music, but also for the ability to eliminate ads and save music on Spotify so that I can listen to my playlists without the need to use wi-fi or phone data.

For a limited time only, you can give the gift of a three-month subscription of Spotify for only $.99!

(Photo capture courtesy of Spotify)

VNYL Subscription

I’m a very avid vinyl record collector. I try to participate in some kind of monthly record meme because I love to share my collection, and I love to see what my online friends are spinning. If you would like to get someone special some vinyl of their own, buy them a subscription to VNYL and they can have their team of curators choose three albums a month based on their profile!

$39 will buy a one month subscription of 3 records. But if you really love someone, you can buy them a whole year subscription at $420 for 36 records. For those of you in the California area, they have a flagship store in Los Angeles!

(Photo capture courtesy of VNYL)

M. Lineham Art

If you do not know Matthew Lineham is or his art, please let me introduce you! I discovered Matthew Lineham’s incredible art on Instagram. He has 16 “Saints” of New Wave, two of which I have purchased myself: Simon Le Bon and Bryan Ferry. Of the 16, I have seen six in concert, and I know he’s working on his Saint Dave Gahan one. His pieces are truly a wonderful and unique gift for the 80’s alternative lover in your life and won’t break the bank at $15 each print.

Urbanears Headphones

Because I’m a Premium Spotify subscriber, I received a code to receive half off a pair of wireless headphones from Urbanears. They have Bluetooth capability, where I can use it to not only listen to music, but pick up a call and swipe to the next song on my Spotify list!

Their line includes ear buds and full headphones, ranging in price from $29 to $99.

THE FASHIONISTA GIFT GUIDE

Love Tatum Gift Card

I first saw Love Tatum jewelry at a few local boutiques during blogger events. But I really started to love the pieces after seeing them on my blogger friends like Laura Neuzeth and Vanessa Balli. I bought my first pieces at Simply Local (two necklaces and a ring), and my most recent purchase is that gorgeous ring pictured above. Created by Tatum Lenahan, you can give the gift of one of her amazing pieces by purchasing a gift card for your favorite fashionista!

Ja-Vie Shoes

I reviewed Ja-Vie shoes recently after discovering them on Instagram (original post here). These have been my go-to shoes lately, not only because they’re comfortable and cute, but so practical for this wet weather we’ve been having lately. Another great gift for your fashionable friends because they so very affordable at $68 a pair!

And a big thank you and shout out to Ja-Vie for the lovely feature on their Instagram!

Bittersweet by Maria Shireen

I instantly fell in love with Bittersweet by Maria Shireen bracelets after seeing them on BuzzFeed and even more so when I was invited to their press preview (link to the original post here and on their press page). If you want to give the gift of style and functionality, these bracelets are your answer for that girl on the go. As a refresher, these sleek bracelets are designed to hold any hair-tie, lifting it from your wrist and allowing it to blend in naturally with any arm-candy you may be sporting.

Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide Part 1: FashionMIA Favorites!

My Fashionmia.com Faves! by any2ndnow on polyvore.com

Can you believe Christmas is next week? And yes, I’ve famously left some of my shopping until the last-minute. If you have as well, I’ve come up with a list of great outfit gift ideas for the fashionistas in your life through FashionMIA: Modern, Irresistible, and Affordable women’s clothing. I’ve listed my five favorite outerwear pieces and seven favorite dresses from their site, ranging from casual capes to stylish coats and cute shifts to fabulous frocks worthy of New Year’s Eve. The best part: everything pictured is under $50 each!

Part two of my last-minute holiday gift guide will hopefully appeal to fashion and music lovers alike, stay tuned!

Santa Is Waiting For YOU at Fashion Valley!

This Saturday marked our third year taking pictures with Santa at Fashion Valley’s Santa Photo Experience. This was by far the easiest year yet because we got his photos completed in the first week of December (rather than the third), and we did it by appointment straightaway, not having to brave the line at all! I’m so glad we did because even with our appointment, we still were able to sneak in a bit early because we had the very first appointment at 10:35 am. We finished with his photo within about 10 minutes, and were able to get in an early day of shopping, eating and enjoying the holiday sights at Fashion Valley. I ended up choosing the “Photo Package Plus Accessory” plan, which really provided the best choice for the price (which included the multi-image CD). To help save time when you visit the Santa Photo Experience, click the following link to make your reservation!

http://noerrsanta.com/simon/

It’s amazing how much he grows each year! I hope he can still sit on Santa’s lap next year!

Also new at Fashion Valley (and Carlsbad Premium Outlets) is Simon Magazine. It’s available at both locations in limited quantities, but if you already subscribe to a Condé Nast publication, you will get a copy of your own.

The first issue looks amazing!

“SIMON AND CONDÉ NAST LAUNCH LUXE LIFESTYLE PUBLICATION SIMON MAGAZINE AVAILABLE NOW AT FASHION VALLEY AND CARLSBAD PREMIUM OUTLETS

Luxury focused fashion, beauty, travel and culture glossy available this holiday season

Fashion Valley and Carlsbad Premium Outlets are pleased to offer shoppers Simon Magazine, a 98-page, high-end lifestyle publication designed to provide readers with the latest must-haves and must-dos, from fashion and beauty, to dining and travel. A limited supply is available to shoppers at Fashion Valley’s Guest Services, located on the lower level underneath AMC Theatres, near Banana Republic. Copies are also available at Carlsbad Premium Outlets’ Information Center, located behind Gap.

The premiere edition of Simon Magazine, produced in collaboration with Condé Nast, features diverse content including covetable gift ideas, an A to Z listing of cultural event happenings around the world, rising technology stars and the gadgets of the future that are here today. The magazine will reach select Simon locations just before the holiday season.”

FTC Disclosure: I received a gift card as a courtesy to enjoy the Simon® Santa Photo Experience, but not as compensation for this post. Although I did receive a gift card, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Celebrating the Holidays at Fashion Valley!

Well, happy Black Friday everyone! If you’re like me, you’re already out there, ready to take on the ultimate in holiday shopping after spending time with loved ones on Thanksgiving. While out shopping, don’t forget to stop by Fashion Valley Mall because not only can you get in some major holiday shopping with over 200 stores, but you can also get that special photo for your little one at the Santa Photo Experience, and celebrate in style with seasonal events, like the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony we attended last week. I’ve included some of the pictures I took at the Tree Lighting Ceremony, as well as some information on Santa’s schedule and other special holiday events taking place at Fashion Valley. If you plan on getting pictures with Santa, be sure to schedule your visit ahead by visiting http://noerrsanta.com/simon/, like I did for Dominic. Have a great weekend!

The evening was hosted by Robert Santos of 10 News San Diego

Top photo: The Instagram picture of Dominic in his reindeer antlers and light-up nose (given out free that night), ended up being reposted by Fashion Valley!

Popular holiday carols were provided by the Salvation Army Brass Band

Santa arriving at the Tree Lighting Ceremony!

Let the holiday celebration begin!

Dominic met actor Corbin Bernsen, who co-hosted the event. Such a nice (and funny) guy!

After the Tree Lighting Ceremony, everyone was treated to snacks and activities next to the Santa Photo Experience. Dominic definitely took part by making a Penguin Ornament, and also crafted a Candy Cane Reindeer!

Some of the holiday events and the schedule for the Santa Photo Experience, which runs now through December 24, 2015.

Holiday Weekend Activities

It’s Memorial Day weekend! Even with the rain, here are some activities to keep you happily busy, cheers!

Simon Premium Outlets Announce Annual Memorial Day Weekend Sidewalk Sales

Shoppers can enjoy additional savings and extended holiday hours

“Celebrate the unofficial start of summer with Simon Premium Outlets this Memorial Day Weekend. From Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25, Carlsbad Premium Outlets and Las Americas Premium Outlets will both offer great deals on seasonal fashions with sidewalk sales, extended hours, extra savings on top of already low prices, and more.

Many retailers will be hosting sidewalk sales, offering additional discounts and promotions on top of the regular savings of 25 to 65 percent every day.

At Carlsbad Premium Outlets, shoppers can peruse outdoor displays at stores like BCBG Max Azria, Calvin Klein, Gap and Tommy Hilfiger to find the chicest summer looks for less.

At Las Americas Premium Outlets, shoppers can check out sidewalk sales and displays at stores like Armani Outlet, Banana Republic, BCBGMaxAzria, Calvin Klein, Coach, Gap Outlet, Guess, J.Crew, Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Bahama, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour and more.

For extra savings, shoppers who are registered members of the VIP Shopper Club, AAA members or members of the military are encouraged to stop by the Information Center at each location to receive a complimentary VIP Coupon Book.

To help shoppers take advantage of the holiday’s savings, both Carlsbad Premium Outlets and Las Americas Premium Outlets will have extended hours all weekend long.”

Friday, May 22: 9 AM-9 PM

Saturday, May 23: 9 AM-9 PM

Sunday, May 24: 9 AM-9 PM

Monday, May 25: 9 AM-9 PM

Follow Las Americas Premium Outlets online at twitter.com/LasAmericasPO and www.facebook.com/lasamericaspremiumoutlets.

Follow Carlsbad Premium Outlets online at twitter.com/CarlsbadPO and facebook.com/carlsbadpremiumoutlets.