Winter Fest is Coming to Orange County! #WinterFestOC

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Erin

Winter Fest is Coming to Orange County!

By Erin

*I will be attending Winter Fest as Media.*

It’s getting cold outside! Well, for Southern California standards it is, and it’s about to get colder! Winter is coming to the OC with an all-new holiday wonder, Winter Fest. Unfolding over the OC Fair & Event Center December 18 – January 3, a magical and whimsical getaway will be unveiled that features unlimited ice tubing, the world’s largest walk-through ornament, festive entertainment, ice skating, VIP rink-side cabanas, live reindeer, a nightly Christmas tree lighting ceremony with snowfall, seasonal-themed eateries, libations, a carnival and much more. Winter Fest offers such an unforgettable experience at an unbelievable value with tickets starting at only $10 online while they last. Many of Winter Fest’s attractions are within buildings, making the event as “El Nino-proof” as possible.

Entertainment for Winter Fest begins each morning with a snow-capped opening moment led by resident master magician, Jimmy H. The Chainsaw Chicks will also be here at Winter Fest, carving out fantastic ice sculptures while captivating the crowd with their unbridled charm. Local bands, strolling carolers, and performances by community organizations from around Orange County bring tons of live entertainment to Winter Fest.

The Winter Fest Promenade will be bustling with all of the sights and sounds of winter and with a variety of holiday food and beverage options. A 30-foot Christmas tree stands at the end of the Winter Fest Promenade, where guests will gather nightly at 5:30 p.m. for a heartwarming tree lighting ceremony complete with snowfall. Near the Christmas tree are two of Santa’s reindeer, available for viewing and feeding.

The Mistletoe Lounge is a hot spot at Winter Fest, that you will surely find me at! Offering holiday-themed cocktails, international craft beers, and comfortable seating amid the holiday décor and entertainment of the Winter Fest Promenade. The Slippery Slope Ski Lodge (known as Baja Blues Restaurant during the OC Fair) is another exciting Winter Fest destination. The family-friendly eatery will capture a ski-lodge vibe with holiday-themed cuisine and drinks, mountain décor, nightly live entertainment, and staff decked out in ski gear.

Thrill seekers can climb Snowflake Summit to take part in unlimited ice tubing down a 130-foot, six-lane ice slide, where guests 42 inches and taller can race down the slope and experience the exhilarating side of winter. Snowflake Summit also offers bleacher seating, allowing friends and family to cheer on loved ones while they zoom down the ice.

The Hangar building will be transformed into an ice-skating rink, where guests can enjoy skating around a 6,000 square foot ice rink for an additional fee of only $15 onsite. Holiday films will be projected onto a theater-sized screen in the background as skaters zip around the rink. Elegant rink-side VIP cabanas will be available for only $99 per session while they last, and accommodate 2 – 10 people but can adapt to fit parties of up to 100. The VIP cabanas offer exclusive menus with seasonally inspired food, cocktails, a private ice rink entrance and private servers. VIP cabanas are perfect for groups, parties, or a date with a loved one. Santa has transported several sleighs from his collection to the Hangar building, which will be on display for the first time ever at Winter Fest.

What’s Included in the price of your ticket?

All Winter Fest admission tickets, held December 18 – January 3 include remarkable value by providing not only access to Winter Fest but also the following attractions and entertainment:

Unlimited ice tubing down Snowflake Summit
One complimentary carnival ride
One complimentary carnival game
Entry to bounce houses for kids
Reindeer viewing and feeding
Access to the world’s largest walk-through ornament
Nightly Christmas tree lighting ceremony with snowfall
Craft making and games for kids
Daily & nightly entertainment

Ticket prices Monday through Friday start at only $10 online, $15 onsite for children age 4 – 11, and $20 online, $25 onsite for adults. Ticket Prices Saturday and Sunday are $15 online, $20 onsite for children age 4 – 11, and $25 online, $30 onsite for adults. Children 3 and under are free. Purchasing tickets online is highly encouraged to not only save money but also ensure the desired event date is not sold out.

Adult season passes for unlimited admission into to all 17 days and nights of Winter Fest are available for $45 advance and online (limited supply); children’s season passes (ages 4-11) are available for $25 advance and online (limited supply).

For more information on Winter Fest (#WinterFestOC) visit www.WinterFestOC.com

Come join in the winter fun at the OC Winter Fest!

Ruby’s Celebrates its 33rd Anniversary with $1.99 Burgers | @RubysDiner #Rubys33rd

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Erin

Ruby’s Celebrates its 33rd Anniversary with $1.99 Burgers!

By Erin

Ever since I was a child I have enjoyed eating out at Ruby’s. It usually meant a trip out to the beach as we’d go to one of the locations at the end of the pier at either Seal Beach or Huntington Beach. For more than three decades, Ruby’s has been welcomed by local communities as the iconic diner of California serving up only the best Americana burgers, fries and shakes around.

To celebrate this special occasion of 33 astonishing years of serving communities across Southern California, Ruby’s Diner is offering a burger special and will be serving up their signature $8 RubyBurgers for only $1.99 on Dec. 7!!!

A destination for family dinners and celebrations, Ruby’s was recently voted the best gourmet burger in California by the OC Register for 2015.

“Ruby’s Diner started out as a single restaurant dream and has become an iconic part of our community,” said founder and CEO Doug Cavanaugh, “and we are delighted to celebrate our 33^rd anniversary this year.”

Ruby’s will be serving up the ever popular Classic RubyBurger with fries for only $1.99 from 11:30am until closing at all Ruby’s Diners (except airport locations).

The Ruby Burger is a classic taste of Americana featuring a delicious and juicy premium USDA choice beef burger patty topped with crisp iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, a choice of double-thick American, Swiss, cheddar, bleu, pepper jack or low-fat American cheese and tantalizing RubySauce, served on a grilled gourmet Ruby Bun.

ENJOY!

Welcome to the World of Zootopia!| @DisneyZootopia #Zootopia

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Erin

Welcome to the World of Zootopia!

By Erin

*I was invited as a guest of Disney to the early press day of Zootopia for purposes of this post*

The other month, I had the pleasure to meet a few friendly critters… like Judy and Nick here—who are a rabbit and a fox—natural enemies by definition, so they don’t exactly get along at first. They come to the relationship with ideas about each other—beliefs that aren’t informed or accurate. They’re a little pushy… but definitely *NOT* camera shy! 😉 They both live in a magical place called Zootopia, which I was able to get a first look at while I was visiting.

Zootopia isn’t like any other city you’ve ever been to before. It is made up of neighborhoods that celebrate different cultures. There’s ritzy Sahara Square for desert animals, Tundratown for the polar bears and moose, the hot and humid Rain Forest District, Little Rodentia for the the tiniest mice, and Bunnyburrows for the millions and millions of super adorable cute little bunnies. The downtown area, Savanna Central, is a melting pot where a wide array of mammals from every environment come together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. When Rookie Officer Judy Hopps arrives, she finds out that being the first bunny on a police force that is run by a lot of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Having a deep desire to prove herself, she jumps at the chance to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde, to solve a mystery…

So what do these different neighborhoods look like exactly in Zootopia? Before going into more depth of the characters (in a future post), you’ll want to have a better understanding about the layout of the land! 😉

THE BIG SIX

Filmmakers had endless possibilities to explore when it came to creating different lands for Zootopia. They needed to narrow down the districts of Zootopia. Ultimately, six key areas were agreed upon, giving each a specific color palette and details.

ZOOTOPIA - Concept Art by Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Sahara Square: The glitz! The Glamor! The lights! Sahara Square is made up of sand dunes and buildings that are shaped like sand dunes. “The heart of Sahara Square is inspired by Monte Carlo and Dubai,” says Matthias Lechner, art director of environments. “We learned that desert animals are mostly nocturnal because it’s too hot during the day. So we built lots of nighttime activities—casinos and a giant palm-tree hotel with an oasis surrounding it.”

ZOOTOPIA - Concept Art by Dave Goetz (Production Designer) & Matthias Lechner (Art Director, Environments). ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Sahara Square is filled with a warm palette of reds, oranges and yellows.