Wordless Wednesday: It’s Spider Kitty! #Halloween #CutePets

Spider Kitty Moe!

By: Erin

It’s Halloween Season and what’s cuter than seeing your adorable pets dressed up to celebrate the occasion? My cat Moe always loved to dress up in his special Spider Man costume, sit in front of the door and wait for the tick-or-treaters to arrive to tell him how stinking adorable he was. He also enjoyed saving us from that evil red dot that would float around on the floor. Because it surely would have hurt us all if Spider Kitty Moe weren’t here to save us all from it! 😉 So here he is to save the day, it’s Spider Man (Kitty) Moe!

Spider Kitty MoeHe’s such a tough guy…. 😉Spider Moe

It’s so hard being cute…

Spider Cat in ActionCome here you evil red dot! 😛

Spider Kitty Moe Spider Man

Posing so you can get a good look at his handsome and manly outfit.

Spider Man Cat

So proud of himself for saving the world from all the evildoers and their red dots. 🙂

Happy (almost) Halloween!

Need a New Laptop? Enter for a Chance to Win a New INTEL Laptop! #UpGradeWithIntel

Enter for a Chance to Win a New INTEL Laptop!

By Erin

*Sponsored Content: This post is for my participation in the Firestarter Intel Program, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.*

Could you use a new laptop? Today it’s about Intel, and how you have a chance to WIN an Intel Laptop!  My current laptop just turned 3 years old, and is holding steady, but I know the day will come soon that I will most likely need to get a new one. The Acer makes for an excellent option and the features that the Acer 11.6″ Aspire R-11 2 in 1 Laptop has are amazing! The Acer conveniently has 4 modes; Notebook, Display, Tent and Tablet. These modes would make work and play a breeze no matter where I am at. Did you know that these Intel laptops are available at Walmart? Click on the images above and below in this post to learn more about #UpgradeWithIntel and to enter the free laptop contest. There are some great deals on the Acer 11.6 Aspire R-11 2-in-1 Laptop—and it’s more affordable than you think to upgrade to a new Intel laptop at Walmart!Acer 11.6 Aspire Laptop

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACER 11.6″ ASPIRE R-11 2-IN-1 LAPTOP

    • 11.6” HD Widescreen multi-touch display (Zero Air Gap Technology)

 

  • 360° dual-torque hinge lets you smoothly transitions between four modes: Notebook mode, Display mode, Tent mode, and Tablet mode

 

 

  • CorningÂŽ GorillaÂŽ Glass keeps the display tough and beautiful

 

 

  • Intel Celeron dual-core processor

 

 

  • Acer BluelightShield™ helps reduce eye-strain

 

 

  • 8 hours of battery life

 

 

 

*Enter* for a Chance to Win an Intel Laptop

  • To enter, open one of the Intel Window Images above by clicking on the image to open the Intel Window.
  • Select the contest tab.
  • Then, in 400 character or less, share “How do you see yourself taking advantage of the 4 modes of the Acer 2-in-1”
  • One entry per email, per person. Complete Terms & Conditions are found in the window.

Good Luck!

Maro Wood Grill: Dining at its Finest! |@MaroWoodGrill #Gigasavvy #Marowoodgrill

Maro Wood Grill: Dining at its Finest!

By Erin

I was recently invited to a Media Tasting event with Gigasavvy at Maro Wood Grill in Laguna Beach. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

Maro-Wood-Grill

Laguna Beach has a very well kept secret, which thanks to Gigasavvy’s Social Club, I can now say I have experienced this delicious hidden gem. Maro Wood Grill  is an Argentinean inspired restaurant, located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Owner Mariano Molteni (“Maro”) and Executive Chef Debra Sims appreciate pure simplicity over the lost art of cooking over open fire. Think of a wood grilled rustic method combined with modern, bold and uncommon Argentinean meat cuts, and mesquite charcoal fireworks to bring out the best flavors of the meats. It is a total sensory overload of Argentinean love, and I cannot wait to come back and try it all again. Maro Wood Grill is a fusion of modern and rustic, blending native californian and argentinean design in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I love all the succulent plants that cover the patio walls and tables.

 

Maro-Wood-Grill-Decor-Laguna-Beach-Fine-Dining

The focus is on sustainability and fresh ingredients. Their fresh, organic cuisine showcases Argentinean dishes with Chef Sims revolving rustic menu from sourcing local produce, using grass-fed beef and making everything from scratch. Chef Sims put it simply, “Everything is kissed with the wood grill, organic, and grass-fed.”  Be prepared to enjoy their hand crafted menu designed around available and unique products and then indulge in the award-winning desserts. Ready for some major deliciousness? I hope you aren’t too hungry…. 😉 First we cooled off with some refreshing Sangria, which kept on flowing throughout this luxurious and  adventurous meal.

Grilled-Green-Beans

We then started out on our Argentinean adventure with Wood Grilled Green Beans, warm Mushroom & Spinach Empanadas and Mesquite-Grilled Edamame with rock salt. The wood grill added some extra flavor to these otherwise common dishes by giving the beans a nice char for the ultimate taste and flare.

Mushroom-Empanadas

The empanadas are baked, not fried which gives them a nice doughy texture. Loaded with a delicious filling of organic mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and onions I could have easily eaten this whole tray of empanadas. I only had one though.

Mushroom-Ceviche-Grilled-Sourdough

The Mushroom Ceviche and Grilled Sourdough was next. There was a bit of heat packed into this one. I loved how tender and flavorful the mushrooms were.

Grilled-Fennel-Fig-Salad

Onto the Grilled Fennel and Fig Salad, this was loaded with different flavors and I love how the fig brought some sweetness to the dish.

Ricotta-Noquis-Grilled-Tomatoes

Ricotta Noquis and Grilled Tomatoes was our next stop on this culinary adventure. This dish is extra special as it has a lot of history behind it. Each month on the 29th day in Argentina is Dia de Noquis – the day of Gnocchi. This is the day that everyone gets together to eat noquis in Argentina and other parts of South America. People got paid on the first of every month in South America and money was always tight by the end of the month. Since there was little money available, Ñoquis became a good way to enjoy a hearty, inexpensive meal on a meager budget. Ñoquis are not expensive to make since all you really need are potatoes and flour and hence it is a good way of dealing with low funds to eat at the end of every month. This became a tradition; that’s right, people all over certain parts of South America get together on the same day every month (29th) just to eat Ñoquis.  They also would put a coin under each persons plate for good luck and prosperity. This was a very tasty dish and the ricotta and grilled tomatoes just added to the flavor explosion.

Wood-Grilled-Oysters-Rockefeller-Burnt-Lemon-Wedge

Wood Grilled “Oysters Rockerfeller” with burnt lemon wedge. Another great addition to our meal. The grilled oysters were absolutely delicious.

Mesquite-Lamb-Baba-Ghanouj

Mesquite Lamb & Baba Ghanouj from Australia. O.M.G. Heaven on a bone. Total and complete perfection with how tender and juicy this lamb came out. Fall off the bone, melt in your mouth goodness! I actually had two of these I loved it so much as another social club member did not want theirs. Say WHAT? I get it. It’s a baby lamb, but it’s just SO GOOD!!

Flat-Iron-Short-Rib-Orange-County-Foodie-Laguna-Beach-Maro-Grill

The Flat Iron and Chimichurri and Short Rib with Vegetables were our last entrees for the evening before heading for dessert. So tender and juicy, I could not get enough, but at the same time I was starting to get full.

Grilled-Fruit-Passion-Fruit-Curd-Orange-County-Laguna-Beach-Foodie-Maro-Wood-Grill

For Dessert, Chef Debra Sims crafted a delightful Grilled Fruit with Passion Fruit Curd to satisfy our pallet before serving us her award-winning Banana Bread Pudding Bites dish that won “Most Delicious Dessert” in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the Golden Foodie Awards! The grilled fruit with passion fruit curd was just perfect and refreshing.

Banana-Bread-Pudding-Bites-Maro-Wood-Grill-Golden-Foodie-Desserts-Orange-County-Laguna-Beach

The grand-finale; the Golden Foodie award winner, the Banana Bread Pudding Bites. One bite and you’ll be hooked too. I wanted to take a whole bucket of this stuff home to have for breakfast the next morning. Not too sweet, it was also creamy, smooth and melt in your mouth perfection, it’s no wonder this special treat has been voted the best dessert for the past three years straight! It was the perfect way to end a perfect meal.

Chef-Debra-Sims

Chef Debra Sims with her Golden Foodie Award for Maro Wood Grill’s “Most Delicious Dessert,” which is that amazing banana bread pudding shown above.

Maro-Wood-Grill-Sign-Night-Laguna-Beach-Foodie

A wonderful evening spent with friends, eating the most delicious food made by Chef Debra Sims at Maro Wood Grill made for the perfect night out.  If you are looking for a special night out for dinner, a date night spot, birthday dinner, girls night out, or if you just want a good piece of lamb or an amazing dessert, then make sure to head on over to Maro Wood Grill for the most delightful and delicious dining experience!

Maro Wood Grill is located at 1915 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, California. For more information, please call (949) 793-4044 or visit their website at Maro Wood Grill.