shopDisney.com and Disney Store’s Top Holiday Toys for the 2019 Holiday Season

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shopDisney.com and Disney Store’s Top Holiday Toys for the 2019 Holiday Season

By Erin

The other week at Frozen Fan Fest, I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the holiday toys for shopDisney.com|Disney Store. Today they revealed its 2019 Top Holiday Toys. This marks the second year the retailer is sharing a list of holiday must-haves for Disney fans and gift-givers alike. The top items include toys inspired by everyone’s favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters including the Toy Story Mini Figure Set, Mickey Kids Kitchen, Disney Train and Station Playset by The LEGO Group, Marvel Thanos Talking Action Figure along with items inspired by key holiday movies including a Disney Frozen 2 Anna and Elsa Doll set and Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Deluxe Figure Play Set. Which ones are on your MUST HAVE list? My shopping list is already pretty long…lol.

Shop in-store or online and browse the Top Holiday Toys here and full Holiday Gift Guide here.

Top Holiday Toys shopDisney.com|Disney store Toys*: 

Toy Story Woody Interactive Talking Action Figure ($32.95) Available online and in store now. 
Straight from the wild west and Toy Story 4, comes Sheriff Woody as an interactive talking action figure. Woody features more than ten phrases and starts speaking when he detects another Toy Story interactive figure nearby.

Classic Simba Plush ($19.95) Available online and in store now.
Can you feel the love? You’ll roar with pride when cuddling up to this royal lion cub. Simba just can’t wait to be part of your plush collection!

Marvel Thanos Talking Action Figure ($32.99) Available online and in store now.
Heed his warnings or deal with the consequences when the Avengers’ most awesome antagonist speaks up as this Thanos Talking Action Figure. Speaking 15 phrases, the menace to the universe also has a light-up gauntlet, so beware!

Disney Animators’ Collection 5 Inch Mini Doll Gift Set – 5” ($99.95) Available online and in store now. 
Walt Disney Studios animators have reimagined 14 of their most beloved characters as toddlers in this 5” luxury gift set.

Cinderella and Carriage Deluxe Gift Play Set ($79.95) Available online now and in store 11/4/19.
They’ll say, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-ooh!” when they see this deluxe set. Cinderella’s carriage is infused with glitter, has a light-up feature and fits two 12” dolls. Cinderella is dressed in her classic ballgown, complete with choker, gloves, headband and “glass” slippers. Taking it all on a fairytale journey is a handsome steed with flowing mane and tail.

Mickey Kids Kitchen ($99.95) Available online now and in store 11/29/19.
Junior chefs will be ready to cook up plenty of fun with this Mickey Mouse Kitchen Play Set. Little ones hungry for playtime excitement will love the light-up stove, color-changing pizza, whistling teapot and pot of spaghetti and meatballs. The oven mitt and apron are all part of the kitchen fantasy.

Cars Lightning McQueen Remote Control Vehicle ($19.95) Available online and in store now.
Ka-Chow! Hit the speedway with Lightning McQueen and this radio-controlled vehicle from the world of Cars. Features full function control and “steering wheel” handset.

Minnie Pet Bath Set ($24.95) Available online and in store now.
Even Fifi enjoys a bath day with Minnie’s pet bath play set. A real, working sprayer and faucet makes the most of this tub time opportunity. Watch what happens when Fifi changes color in warm water!

Toy Story 4 Mega Figure Play Set ($49.95) Available online now and in store 11/4/19.
Bring the stars of Toy Story 4 home to play with this mega 10-figure set featuring Woody, Buzz, Jessie and more. Recreate favorite movie scenes or imagine your own with these timeless characters.

Ariel Tabletop Vanity Play Set ($49.95) Available online and in store now.
Under the sea is the place to be seen after a freshen-up at Ariel’s clamshell vanity. Open the case as Sebastian rises to conduct music and sound effects. A pull-out drawer holds a treasury of play accessories inspired by The Little Mermaid.

Disney Train and Playset Station by The LEGO Group ($329.99) Available online and in store now. 
Gather the family for a rewarding build and play experience with the LEGO® ǀ Disney Train and Station. Kids will love to join Disney characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip, Dale and Goofy for magical adventures with this awesome LEGO train set, featuring a motorized steam-style locomotive with tender, passenger car and a luxurious parlor car, plus an oval track and an iconic Disney Parks®-style station building.

Minnie Flower Cart ($49.95) Available online and in store now.
Playtime will always be full of spring time fun with Minnie’s child-size Flower Cart Play set. This cart is full of play-planting products making every imaginary market trip a delight.

Frozen 2 Arendelle Castle (139.95) Available online now and in store 10/21/19.
You will feel like you’ve stepped into the wintry world of Frozen 2 with this Frozen 2 Arendelle Castle play set. Now you can make all of your Frozen dreams come true!

Frozen 2 Anna and Elsa Doll Set (34.95) Available online and in store now. 
Arendelle’s devoted sisters come dressed in their finest attire as this Frozen 2 doll set. Elsa’s dazzling purple gown is accented with the coordinating necklace, belt and shoes, while Anna’s gold gown is complemented by her sash, shoes and fascinator.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Deluxe Figure Play Set –First Order ($26.99) Available online and in store now.
Choose the dark side of the Force with this deluxe set of highly detailed figures of the First Order’s most powerful members. Inspired by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it includes Kylo Ren and a Sith Trooper among the set of 10 figures that are sure to enhance your epic collection.

Be sure you don’t forget to get some stocking stuffers too! 😉

To continue the gift-giving spirit, shopDisney.com|Disney store will release a “2019 Holiday Guide” on Wednesday, October 23 in all Disney stores. The holiday catalog will include Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars toys, gifts, décor and more for kids and families available at shopDisney.com|Disney store.

On Saturday, November 2, Guests may attend the “Disney store’s Magical Wishes” event for Disney store’s big reveal of special holiday décor and interactive theater activities featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on the media wall. To get everyone in the holiday spirit, Magical Wishes is taking place every evening at 7pm local time from November 2 through December 24. For more information visit www.shopdisney.com/events

shopDisney.com|Disney store continues to have a broad selection of toys, collectibles and uniquely designed gifts across Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel for fans of all ages across fashion, accessories, toys, tech, home and more.

Connect with shopDisney.com|Disney store on social media:

Instagram: @shopDisney
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopdisney 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shopdisney/ 

Salt Creek Grille Celebrates National Dessert Month & Fundraiser for Bracken’s Kitchen

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Salt Creek Grille Celebrates National Dessert Month & Fundraiser for Bracken’s Kitchen

By Erin

Salt Creek Grille is one of my favorite restaurants to dine at in Southern California (you can check out more of the food I’ve tried before here). For the month of October they are celebrating National Dessert Month with a Fundraiser for Bracken’s Kitchen. If you love all things pumpkin then you will want to have this dessert everyday. It’s the perfect fall treat and it’s for a great cause!

Salt Creek Grille, a bi-coastal, premium casual dining concept with five iconic restaurants in California and New Jersey, is having a fundraiser in October to benefit Bracken’s Kitchen, an much-admired and innovative non-profit organization that recovers, re-purposes and restores food to provide healthy meals to those experiencing hunger and food insecurity in Orange County. During October, which is celebrated across the country as National Dessert Month, proceeds from every dessert sold at Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point will be donated to the non-profit.

Salt Creek Grille’s Corporate Executive Chef has created a special, limited-edition dessert for the month — the Pumpkin Fireball, a delectable mélange of Japanese pumpkin cake, pumpkin cheesecake bites, cinnamon ice cream, crisp graham cracker and pumpkin seed crumble, and topped with a “fireball” toasted marshmallow puff and salted caramel. Guests can also choose among several other perennial dessert favorites on the menu, such as Tres Leche Bread Pudding, Butterscotch Custard, Flourless Chocolate Cake, The Creek S’mores, Butter Cake, Seasonal Fruit Sorbet, and a Chocolate Ganache Soufflé that is made-to-order and finished tableside.

“Here at Salt Creek Grille, we long have admired the amazing and truly valuable work of Chef Bill Bracken and so respect his mission to end hunger in our community,” said Sri Divel, partner, Salt Creek Grille. “We couldn’t’ think of a more fun and delicious way to support his work at Bracken’s Kitchen than with a fundraiser built around everyone’s favorite part of a meal – dessert!”

“With over 299,000 people struggling to put a meal on their table every day here in Orange County it truly takes a village to conquer this monumental problem,” said Bill Bracken, Founder and Culinary Director, Bracken’s Kitchen. “I have always felt that if the culinary and hospitality industry can’t help solve the issues of hunger in America than who can? As a long time fan of the Salt Creek Grill concept, I am truly honored to have them in our corner and helping us to combat food insecurity one tasty meal at a time.”

About Bracken’s Kitchen

Bracken’s Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Orange County California.  Founded in 2013 their mission is simple: Through food recovery, culinary training and their community feeding program they are committed to recovering, re-purposing and restoring both food and lives. What that means in practical terms is that the days are spent in the kitchen doing what they do best, cooking tasty and nutritious meals for those who struggle to feed themselves and their families.  Through their food truck Betsy and network of partners, they are able to distribute thousands of complete, hot, tasty and nutritious meals every week.

We all share the two most basic human needs for survival, the need to breath and the need to eat.  The problem is that air is free, and food is not.  It is that simple fact that gives food such enormous power over a person’s life. There is no better way to intimately get to know a person than sitting down and breaking bread with them.  They deliver hope, one tasty meal at a time.  The heart of who they are can be found in a statement first uttered in 1957 by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr;  “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

At the core of their mission is a deep commitment to their nonprofit charity partners, business and professional supporters, volunteers, donors and employees.

About Salt Creek Grille

Now with five restaurants in Southern California and New Jersey, award-winning Salt Creek Grille opened its first restaurant in Dana Point, California, in 1996. The upscale yet casual and affordable American-theme grill has since expanded to El Segundo and Valencia in California, and Princeton and Rumson in New Jersey.  Salt Creek Grille’s longevity can be attributed to its legendary hospitality and innovative cuisine from its “scratch kitchen.” Fresh, hand-cut, line-caught seafood, thick, center-cut and aged steaks, slow-cooked ribs, the best-in-town burgers cooked atop a hardwood grille, and the freshest produce available are at the heart of this now iconic restaurant company. Absolutely nothing is pre-made including its delectable desserts and flavorful sauces and stocks such as its famous homemade jus, which is cooked for more than 72 hours. Wines from boutique vineyards and well-known cellars are paired with impeccable service and a friendly and comfortable ambiance. Along with innovative food, Salt Creek Grille has a long history of supporting non-profit organizations in the communities it serves. www.saltcreekgrille.com.

Celebrating the Toy Story 4 Bluray & DVD Release with Forky!

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Celebrating the Toy Story 4 Blu-ray & DVD Release with Forky!

By Nancy & Erin

This summer, Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” took audiences on a hilarious and heartwarming road trip with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the whole gang, earning a 98 percent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and more than $1 billion at the global box office. Packed with old friends and new faces, the fourth film in the beloved Toy Story series, which leads Woody to an unexpected fork in the road, is on Digital and Movies Anywhere now, and will be on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™,  and DVD Oct. 8th!

We were lucky enough to be able to attend the interviews of Director Josh Cooley and Producer Mark Nielsen at Mattel.  According to the director and producer, the concept of  Forky came into being by whatever kids play with can come alive, nothing is trash!  The main thought in this story is to be yourself because it only takes one person to see it and make a difference in another child’s life! 

We also got to attend the interviews of Krsiten Schaal (the voice of “Trixie”) and Ally Maki (the voice of “Giggle McDimples”)  They were both full of energy, imagination, and said they were surprised that they got the part.

Claudio De Oliveiria (Pixar Animator) and Ana Ramirez ( Pixar Visual development Artist) were the last but not least to be interviewed.  Claudio said since it is not easy to find sporks, he went to a pizza place to buy pizza to get the sporks they had there.  He went threw quite a few before the team landed on the one.  He said he left a few on their desks so they could play with them and make them move.  He says he had lost his but found it later in another members hands at a meeting.  He knew it was his because it has his name on the bottom of the feet (or ice cream sticks)!  Ana says a lot of sketching is done before the final product is approved. 

Next we got to take a tour of Mattel.  We got to see the Concept art, 3D sculpting, and 3D printing departments.  Everything is computerized and needs a lot of talent to operate.  It was amazing!

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