California Archives - Page 18 of 24

Cambria, CA: Visit the Red Moose Cookie Company

May 14, 2012 by The Mom Jen 8 Comments

Mother’s Day weekend found us traveling down the coast to Cambria, California. After a nice lunch we found ourselves hungry for a sweet treat.

Heading north on Main Street we came across a sign that had the word cookie on it and immediately we tuned in. We followed the signs out of the town and toward “tin city” which is a business park of suites resembling storage units. Occupying 2 suites, the shop and the bakery, Red Moose Cookie Company is a family owned business operated by Caren and Roger and let me tell you, it smells amazing as you walk in the door.

Roger greeted us warmly as we walked in, asked where we were from, and shared how he has offers for many franchises in the future, all great signs that this is a great place with good cookies!

(from the poster on the wall) “Red Moose Cookies are all original recipes, homemade from scratch -even down to farm fresh eggs. We use real butter, pure vanilla, and no margarine or Crisco. These cookies are the kind you would bake if you had the time and love of baking like we do. People often ask what makes our cookies so delicious – our answer to that is simple: LOVE AND BUTTER”

Giving us some background on all the delicious flavors they offer in the store, we saw all the prepackaged cookies on the table and were overwhelmed. I was slightly disappointed we weren’t offered samples, the kids were obviously drooling at this point, but truly, is it possible to eat a bad cookie? The cookies are sold for $6 for 4 large cookies, $1.50 per cookie isn’t out of the normal when often buying them in coffee shops will cost you just about the same. There were eight flavored cookies plus other great treats:

Cinnful-oatmeal with cinnamon chips, toffee chips, and walnuts
Snickerdoodlicious-butter, cinnamon, sugar
Aunt Mona’s Moist Molasses-molasses, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon
Nutless Wonder-white/dark chocolate chips, no nuts!
Oh Joy-5 types of chocolate, coconut, toasted almonds
Lemon Moose-real lemon sugar cookie
Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip-classic chocolate chip with walnuts and oatmeal
Peanut Butter Dream-extra crunchy peanut butter and Reese’s peanut butter cups
51/49-real orange and rolled in vanilla bean sugar
Root Beer Float-root beer reduction, ginger, sassafras, and rolled in vanilla bean sugar
The Naughty Rod-8 inch pretzel rod dipped in caramel, rolled in roasted and salted nuts and finished with an amaretto chocolate and white chocolate drizzle
Caramel Walnut Fudge Brownies-contains Rolos
Peppermint Pattie Fudge Brownies-dark Yourk Peppermint Patties and which chocolate chunks
Pumpkin Moose Pie (Seasonal)-four pumpkin spice cookies sandwiching brown butter and vanilla bean cream

I asked why there was no combo packs, I’d love to leave with a little of everything but flavors meld together once packaged, and it’s better not to. Okay, I can live with that. We decided on Snickerdoodlicious and Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip. The chocolate chip cookie was moist and the hint of oatmeal gave it a “cookie that grandma would make” taste to it. Lucky for my husband and I, the added walnuts turned off my 3 kids, so we had those all to ourselves. The Snickerdoodlicious was a little dryer and crumbly, but perfect for my kids and they ate those huge 4 in no time! Just the right sweetness, I crumble these after microwaving them over vanilla ice cream!

We fell in love with Cambria on this first visit, now we have another reason to go back! You can visit Red Moose Cookie Company at 2531 Village Lane Suites C&D. Don’t let the look of the storage sheds fool you, this cookies are legitimately amazing. Also, Roger and Caren will ship anywhere! Give them a call (805-900-5140) or email, redmoosecookies@yahoo.com.

Cookies were purchased, all opinions our own.

Grand Opening of Newly Designed Disney Store: 4/28 in Santa Clara, CA

April 24, 2012 by The Mom Jen 4 Comments

Disney Store will celebrate the grand opening of the newly designed store at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Westfield Valley Fair is one of many newly-designed Disney Store locations to open across North America in 2012, offering interactive and magical experiences for Disney fans of all ages. Guests will have an opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in Macy’s Court from 12 pm to 4pm.

The mission of the Disney Store’s is to deliver “the best 30 minutes of a child’s day” and the Santa Clara location achieves this through immersive and interactive experiences. One of these is the unique skyline featuring classic Disney characters and Santa Clara landmarks:

Characters bustle about the historic Santa Clara Depot. Belle and Beast check to see when the next train headed to San Francisco will arrive, while Mickey, Minnie and Pluto are excited to learn about the area’s train history at the Depot’s railroad library and museum.

Princess Aurora passes the historic Santa Clara Interlocking Tower as she heads south back to Main Street on the Disneyland Railroad’s Lilly Belle “Presidential” train car.

Donald Duck wants to get a closer look, as it is one of only two unmodified towers of its kind in California.

The historic Mission Santa Clara de Asis is located on the campus of Santa Clara University . Snow White is seen near the University Building, while Jasmine (Aladdin) skips through the beautiful wisteria arbors in the Santa Clara Mission Gardens.

Several beloved spotted pups and their parents (101 Dalmatians) are visiting the Harris-Lass Historic Museum home at the last preserved farm site in the City of Santa Clara.

Mary Poppins and Bert ride their carousel horses right through the Santa Clara Central Park, passing the park’s pavilion along the way.

Cinderella, her Prince Charming and her Fairy Godmother can also be seen near the duck pond in the park.

With each new store opening in 2012, Disney Store will donate 10 percent of grand opening day’s sales to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the United States.

WHEN:

GRAND OPENING- Saturday April 28, 2012

10:00 a.m. —Disney Store Opening Ceremony and two local Make-A-Wish children “Unlock Imagination”. Free gift to the first 500 guests.*
12 p.m. – 4pm Meet and Greet with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in the mall’s center court.

*Characters alternate every 30 minutes. Character appearances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

WHERE:

Disney Store at Westfield Valley Fair

2855 Steven Creek Blvd

Santa Clara, CA 95050

California Wines: Scribner Bend Vineyards Wine Review

April 18, 2012 by The Mom Jen 3 Comments

Scribner Bend Vineyards, located just 12 minutes south of the Capital on the beautiful Sacramento River, is Sacramento’s Local Winery and Wedding Venue. In 1893, George Washington Scribner, being lured into farming by the rich, deep soils of the Sacramento River Delta, settled along what is now called Scribner Bend. The river bend became a vital shipping point, picking up produce, mail and passengers by steam boat.

The Scribner family has been in California for 5 generations, beginning with George Washington Scribner in 1893. The ranch runs along the Sacramento Delta where our family has farmed for over 100 years, the most recent addition to the Scribner family; the winery, Scribner Bend Vineyards.

My husband and I spent 4 years together in the Sacramento area going to college and were thrilled to sample some wines from our second home.

The first wine is a favorite of mine, the 2010 Pinot Grigio ($12.95).

Aroma: Papaya

Flavor: Juicy fruit, “Tropical Grapefruit”, Pineapple

Food Pairings: Excellent with seafood, oysters and cream sauces

My husband and I enjoyed this and I loved the fruity flavors, really took me to a place I love, the tropics and it’s something I could drink sitting on a beach watching the sunset, or just in my living room dreaming! I love the crisp ending and the brightness it gives when cold. My husband commented that he prefers a dryer white, but still would drink a second glass!
My family came over for poker night and tasted the 2008 “Black Hat” Tempranillo ($15.95) which is something for a fun, special occasion for sure. My parents, brother, and husband spoke words such as smoky, spicy, and smooth when tasting the wine and the bottle was empty before we knew it! My husband enjoyed it thoroughly and used the terms “slight tobacco flavor” and having enjoyed a dip or two in his lifetime, this was something he’d definitely enjoy drinking again and having a cigar with! We’re heading to the area early next month, we may need to make a stop at the winery and purchase some more. Plus we found that they are serving it in our college town of Davis, CA at Paesano’s!
Aroma: Clove, allspice, plum & cinnamon

Food Pairings: BBQ meats, duck, venison, or Mexican fajitas

Taste: Cranberry/plum, spice, with a lingering spicy finish

Wine was sent for our honest review, all opinions are our own.

Nation’s First Legoland Hotel Under Construction in California!

April 18, 2012 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

Guess what’s coming to LEGOLAND California in 2013?

The three-story LEGOLAND Hotel is being designed to give guests the interactive family experience that has brought success to LEGOLAND California, SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium and LEGOLAND Water Park. Created to bring children’s imaginations to life, the LEGO themed hotel will feature brightly colored, interactive LEGO décor, a pool and lounge area, patio, event space and buffet restaurant.

LEGOLAND Hotel will be the first of its kind in North America and is designed for families with young children and will feature rooms and suites themed after the most popular LEGOLAND areas: Pirate, Kingdom and Adventure. To be the first to know when reservations are open, visit www.LEGOLANDHotel.com.

Not only are guests entering LEGOLAND California Resort getting a sneak peek at the construction of the nation’s first LEGOLAND Hotel, but now anyone can watch from the comfort of their own home just by logging onto http://oxblue.com/open/rdolson/legoland. Powered by OxBlue.com, the site shows two different angles of the 250-room hotel under construction from sun up to sun down, and gives viewers the ability to watch time lapse footage, compare days and zoom in and out of the site.

R.D. Olson Construction, the General Contractor hired to build LEGOLAND Hotel, installed the cameras in mid-December after the grading began and will keep the cameras on until the Hotel opens in summer 2013.

San Diego: Town and Country Resort Review

December 14, 2011 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

Our last visit to San Diego, we had the opportunity to stay at the Town and Country Resort and conference center. Located just 5 miles from Sea World, our main destination of our trip, the hotel was a perfect place to relax, unwind, and rest!

Family-owned and operated since 1953, the Town and Country Resort Hotel is the essence of a San Diego resort experience.

We welcome visitors from every part of the world for business and for pleasure and we make it our mission to provide the finest hospitality experience in San Diego.

The five of us enjoyed a two room suite in the resort on the top floor of the most westward wing. The main sleeping area contained two queen beds, a balcony (with table and chairs) overlooking the pool and what seemed like hundreds of palm trees surround the resort, flatscreen television, full bathroom, and table/chair area. The second room hosted a full bathroom with vanity room, two full couches in front of a flatscreen tv, full dining table complete with 6 chairs, gorgeous hutch, and full bar area (barstools, fridge, sink, cabinet space).The second room also had an additional long balcony with tables and chairs. Having just “camped” in sleeping bags at Sea World the night before, we all had our own bed and couch to comfortably sleep on. The carpet was extraordinarily thick and soft, a sleeping bag on the floor would have been more than comfortable if need be! Décor in the rooms was old-fashioned, but with all the modern amenities, it was especially charming.There are 3 dining options on the property with value and taste as the priorities. We enjoyed breakfast at the Terrace Café the morning after our stay and the service was quick and the food ample as well as tasty. Breakfast offers plenty of side dishes as well as meals and an all you can eat buffet. For $14.95 you can eat eggs, bacon, waffles, an assortment of pastries, bagels, and bread¸ fruit, and more. Children are offered the same buffet for $9.99, with children 5-under for free!

Customer service is amazing from check-in to check-out, thanks to Derrick. The grounds are incredibly beautiful with water fountains, gazebos¸ acres of rose bushes, and as mentioned before, the palms that remind you of beautiful southern California.

The Fashion Valley Mall-outdoor shopping center is a 5 minute walk from the resort which can be really a lure to stay. With full theater, many restaurants and a food court, you can leave your car at the resort lot and spend the day shopping! My oldest daughter loved browsing through her favorite stores the night after we checked in all the while the rest of us enjoyed strolling around the cool San Diego winter night.

Our stay was comfortable, we had everything we needed once on site and didn’t leave the area by car once. With the mall, resort restaurants, lounge, pools, you have everything but the San Diego coastline to enjoy which is only a short drive away! I looked around the property and despite the cool winter air, I could have easily been in Hawaii with all the palms, flowers, and it reminded us of a Maui hotel we stayed in back in May! I look forward to staying in the area again and am happy to suggest a lovely stay at the Town and Country Resort for friends and family!

Our stay was hosted, all opinions our own.