The old Santa Monica Place was very dull, very empty, and very boring.  When I saw the construction happening, I wasn’t excited about the traffic and I really didn’t care for a whole revamp of something that was almost nothing.  My memories of the old Santa Monica Place was a half vacant mall with nothing to do.  I only went there for two reasons: to cool off when it was overly hot and to eat when all the 100 other restaurants around the corner were packed and I was desperate.

 Alas to the old days and in with the times.  The mall’s selection of stores has a pretty impressive line-up that caters to all tastes, but I would have to say that most of the retailers are high-end.  Some of my favorites include the Disney Store (I have two princesses), CB2 (Oh how I love thee, my condo in Chicago was fully decorated by CB2 and very affordably), Bloomingdales (for my splurge days), Joe’s Jeans (every girl needs to own one), and Bird Pick Tea & Herb (one of my favorite tea spots).  Oh and the Dining Deck is not to be missed.  You can see the city and ocean.  It’s so captivating that if I ever need some mommy time, I intend to go to the dining deck and imagine that I’m lying out on the Mykonos Island.

If you are a mommy like me, then the your new hotspot will be the new Disney Store.  Shall I say a Princess Paradise!  Although there are toys and Disney products for boys, when you walk into this store, there is no denying that it was made for a princess.  A beautiful castle ornamented with a crystal chandelier, princesses dancing atop, and a magic mirror, I wished I could switch into my daughter like a scene from “Freaky Friday.”

All in all, I have to say that the Santa Monica Place took me by surprise and I really look forward to being a regular patron of this mall!

Not sure where to start because I went there with a mound full of hopes and expectations.  Sometimes it’s my biggest flaw because I set myself up for disappointment.  I am not saying WorldFest was a disappointment, but it hardly met my expectations.  One of the first things we saw or shall I say my daughter saw was the shaved ice.  The guy there seemed nice but the gal gave me the weirdest look when I asked  her to make a smaller sized cone.  She repeatedly said “but it’s the same cost” and I repeatedly said, “yes, I know.”  If she was a parent she would know why I wanted a smaller size (I don’t need my daughter’s clothes to be drenched in cherry syrup, then her crying that her hands and clothes are sticky).

After that, we headed to the Kids section which was called Kids World.  For the first time, my daughter was not at all interested in any of the activities they had and wanted to simply check out the animals that were nearby.  I will give them props for having a “chill out” tent available for us to rest and take time out from the sun, as well as having a changing table.  But the crafts area was almost bare that it completely lost the interest of my daughter.

I came hungry because I heard so many great things about the food from last year, that I wanted space in my tummy to handle all the offerings.  Well, the popular places like MaggieMudd had a line that was way too long for me to stand in, especially with two kids.  I opted to stand in line at Southern Fried Vegan and that turned out to be a really big mistake.  The line did not move.  The two girls were working very hard and I appreciated that, but they didn’t have enough supply to meet the demands (I hope it’s a lesson learned).  After waiting in line for 1 hour and 16 minutes, half of the menu was out and I chose the Chicken Nuggets and the Italian Sausage.  The Chicken Nuggets were very tasty, but extremely oily (the oil was dripping onto my face as I was eating and left a huge puddle on the plate) and the Italian Sausage was cold in the middle and bland on the outside.  I paid $14 and felt completely ripped off, especially when my daughter threw her Italian Sausage away.

I wanted to walk around and see what was out there and came across RevitaPOP.  They are essentially Vitamin B12 in a lollipop.  What a great idea?  These were definitely perfect for my daughter.  I talked to the representative about the product but it seemed that he wasn’t very much interested in what I had to say.  Fortunately for him, I purchased 3 bags of those lollipops (very pricey) for the product themselves and not customer service.  But as I walked away, I was a little irritated that I paid all that money and there was no genuine care.

All in all, I was unimpressed with WorldFest 2010 and left there feeling like I spent way too much money for almost nothing.  Most of the vendors looked tired, overworked, and just not happy.  Maybe I came at the wrong time and had way too high expectations, but I felt like I didn’t gain anything or learned much when I left there.  Will I go back there next year?  Not sure.  If I do, I will stick to my favorites (Luscious Desserts and Ce’st La Vie Bakery) that I unfortunately could not visit because my daughter had some stomach issues after eating a half cooked sausage.

You hear about celebrities being gifted expensive jewelry, clothes, spa certificates, and vacations during the pre-Oscar swag parties.  Every company participates in hopes that their items will be used by a celebrity and in turn they get prime media coverage (a photo of the celebrity and their product in People Magazine).

Celebrities are always being gifted, whether it’s a swag event or a gift basket being sent to their homes.  Within the last 10 years, with celebrities popping babies left and right, many companies have specialized in this nitch market.  One of my favorite twitter gals is BabySwags and her business is around gifting new celebrity parents.  Companies will pay good money to have their products included in the basket in hopes that it will reach the masses.

Jodi Sweetin at the Dog + Baby Buffet Photo Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage

This past weekend, I attended The Silver Spoon Dog + Baby Buffet, an invite-only event that celebrated dogs and babies in luxury.  It was held at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.  I was familiar with some of the companies there and was introduced to some new ones as well.  Although there were tons of cute dog items, since I don’t have a dog, I didn’t include them in my gifting list.  For all the expectant and new celebrity mommas who came to the event (Cameron Richardson was next to me), what kind of goodies were they getting (or shall I say their assistants)?

Gifted Items:

Posh Tots: Lucy the Lamb stuffed animal.  The company specializes in high-end nursery decor.

GroVia: Diaper shell, Biowipes, and Tinybubbles.  Formerly known as GroBaby, they specialize in cloth diapering (My baby uses GroVia).

Sugar Bean Jewelry: Beautiful bracelets, necklaces, and rings (Retail Value $50-$250+).  The company was named after the owner’s daughter.  They make chic high-end jewelry.

Cutey Baby: Adorable Cloth Diapers.  The owner is a Chicago native and by the looks of the design, will give GroVia a run for its money.

City Slips: Cute foldable ballet flats for after a girl’s night out.  Take off those heels at the end of the night and slip on these slippers, comes with a chic carrying pouch that can also carry your heels.

Heaven to Home: Amazingly scented Angels for Animals soy candles. They donate a portion of their proceeds to animal welfare.

OrganiLuxe: Lunchbags, totes, and the cloth version of ziplock bags. (all hand-made and organic).

Suga’Pies: Samples of their Lolli-pies.  A company that delivers pies right to your door in a vintage style dress. They give you more than just a pie, you get an experience.  All pies can be veganized or made gluten free (perfect for me!).

Sweet Pea Organics: Toddler Protein Bars that are all handmade and all-natural.  Perfect balance between texture and taste (my preschooler loved it).

Non-Gifted and Educational:

Stokke: Brought their new high-end Stokke Xplory.  The new and improved Xplory comes in so many beautiful colors and a rider board that is attached.  I want one!

Keeping Babies Safe: After losing her own son in a crib accident, President Joyce Davis started a non-profit to educate other parents about crib safety, so other parents will not have to go through what she had too.  Keeping Babies Safe mission is to educate and inform parents on how to keep babies safe from preventable injuries associated with unsafe cribs, dangerous infant products and unsafe sleep environments.

So these are what your celebrity mommas took home with them!  Try to spot these items on them or their babies in an upcoming post on Celebrity Baby Blog or on print, in People.  The event was small and quaint and I’m sure it probably got more celebrity action once I left.

Oh, by the way, a shout out to Hyatt Regency Century Plaza for giving us media, a doggie bag filled with doggie treats.  Although I don’t have a dog, my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed your doggy gourmet creations.  Some were deliciously sweet, some had no taste, but all in all, it was an interesting experience tasting doggie treats!

Today, I drove all the way from the Westside of Los Angeles to the city of Tustin-Irvine, in Orange County.  Why in the world would I drive an hour out to Orange County? Well…to attend a luncheon with fellow mommies and it was hosted by…STOKKE!  I don’t know if you are aware of their products but I sure am because well made, well designed, and standout baby products are like deep, dark, luscious chocolates to me.  When I was invited to go their luncheon it didn’t take too much for me to be there, even though it was a trek to get there with two kids.

I wanted to stop by the Babies “R” Us before we went for the luncheon, to get the full demo, but I got lost, and ended up going their directly.  When I went to the luncheon I was greeted by the wonderful folks at Stokke.  They are pretty wonderful!  I loved that they were so welcoming to not only me, but my children.  They made sure we were comfortable and taken care of.  My 3 year old sat in their Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair, which by the way, is wonderful.  The design on it was steller and the fact that you could use it from baby onto adulthood, you definitely get your money’s worth!  My 6 month old sat in the Stokke Xplory stroller which also can be a highchair (<—how awesome is that!).  The design on it was extraordinary and my daughter sat their ever-so comfortably.  The seat reclines back and you can switch it from forward facing to back facing and vice versa.  If you could ever have an in-person demo like this, take advantage of it because I ended up loving the products.

My baby laying back in the Xplory

During our games of Bingo and Multiple choice game, other mommies got to win Stokke Table Tops.  My daughter was devastated when she didn’t win the game of Bingo.  I taught her a lesson that it’s not about winning and enjoying the experience (you always teach them a lesson in life).  We had a wonderful time with the other mommies and Stokke team. 

The Stokke Event at the Babies “R” Us in the Tustin Market Place off of Jamboree Road will run from today-Sunday from 11am-4pm.  I highly suggest that if you are local to the area, head on down to Babies “R” Us and learn about a great product that is now currently selling in your store.  If you RSVPed before the event started (like my readers) you will receive a $20 gift card.  I decided to use this gift card towards the purchase of reusable diapers for orphans in Haiti!

Want to give the environment a holiday gift?  Join thousands of shoppers in LA County in using reusable bags in lieu of disposable ones for 24 hours.  I actually carry reusable bags in my diaper bag all the time, but it would be nice to know that other fellow citizens of this world are making the effort to reduce their own carbon footprint.  As an early Christmas present to you, Heal the Bay has a bag giveaway at 50 locations for you.  If you like free stuff, go there and get your bags and help the environment.

Today December 17th, 2009 marks Heal the Bay’s third annual “A Day Without a Bag.”  Held on the third Thursday of December, this event will give away more than 20,000 reusable bags at 50 different locations.  Join in on the festivities by using reusable bags.  It will also save you the trouble of sorting through unwanted shopping bags that end up going into the dumpster.  So if you live in LA County, be a part of this joyful movement!

Sunday, October 18, 2009 | 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 pm

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel – 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, LA 90028

Tickets: Available online – $35 | Available onsite – $45

plan A BABY is an exclusive, one-day event celebrating new and expectant moms.  A carefully chosen selection of the best names in baby products, services and educational materials will be available to peruse and purchase.  plan A BABY recognizes that modern mothers are hip, sophisticated, style-savvy women with an eye for quality and good design.

Expert speakers will share their knowledge on important topics such as health, well-being, sleep and nutrition, with opportunities for mothers to ask questions and seek advice.

plan A BABY will also be a social and relaxing afternoon for mothers to meet, mingle and connect while reveling in the celebration of motherhood. It’s an exclusive, grown-up play day for moms and moms-to-be to discover, and remember, how much excitement this special time offers. Only at plan A BABY can mothers get indulged, get inspired, get the gear, and get in the know – all at once!

 www.planABABYevent.com

I just came back from the Innovative Baby Grand Opening.  Such a cute little store.  It was literally right next to the beach and it was next to one of my favorite Italian eateries, C & O Trattoria.  The store itself was really easy to find, however, there was no store designated parking, considering its location.  Suprisingly, I was able to find parking immediately because I arrived at 9:50 am, but it was meter parking (have your quarters ready).

The store was on two floors and a half floor above was the classroom area.  The bottom floor had a variety of items which included toys, sandals, breastfeeding pillows, and baby costumes.  The second floor had a variety of clothes, shoes, socks, nursingwear, wraps, and skincare.  I was excited to see that some of my favorite brands were carried by the store.  Moreover, they had a whole line of bamboo clothing which I am a huge fan of.

On a half floor above the second floor was the classroom area.  You could see inside the classroom through the, floor to ceiling, glass windows.  They have many different classes which are “mommy & me” friendly.  Some of the standouts included an infant massage class and a signing class.

If you are not in the Los Angeles Area and would like to check out Innovative Baby, they have a store online. For today’s grand opening, they had all the clothes and shoes at 40% off.  I purchased two little tops for my newborn and the total came out to be $11.85.  I also had the chance to spin the wheel for making a purchase at the store’s opening, and took home a baby pants from Kicky Pants. A very cute bamboo eco-friendly line, also started by the owners of Innovative Baby.  The clothing was super-soft and luxurious, plus it’s eco-friendly!!!

The owners were very welcoming and I appreciated their help.  For the stroller loving mommas, there was an elevator at the back, but I would suggest to go to the store without one.  I took my Orbit and I found myself saying, “I’m sorry” every other minute because of the space it took up.  Another notable thing was that all of their employees were happy and smiling.  I’m a huge fan of good customer service and that includes happy employees with good face to face service.

Tips: Go early to find parking and take quarters.  Don’t take a stroller because it does become a hassle.  Nurse the baby before you get there (they do have a chair) but they don’t have a nursing room.  If you like a sale or a bargain, call ahead of time to see if they have any specials going on.

Innovative Baby

114 Washington Blvd. #B

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

(800) INN-BABY

WHAT: Actor Wilmer Valderrama will throw the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium this Friday, September 18, before the Dodgers take on the San Francisco Giants at 7:10 p.m.  Valderrama can currently be heard as the voice of handyman Manny Garcia in Disney Channel’s acclaimed multicultural series for preschoolers, “Handy Manny.”  The “Handy Manny” character from the show will join Wilmer on the field pre-game, posing for photos with Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez.  

 The Emmy Award-nominated series will take to the open road in its first-ever primetime special for preschoolers and their families, “Handy Manny Motorcycle Adventure,” premiering Sunday, October 4 on Disney Channel. 

• WHERE:Dodger Stadium (1000 Elysian Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012 )

• WHEN: Friday, September 18, 2009 (Photo Op with Manny Ramirez, “Handy Manny,” and Wilmer Valderrama – Approximately 4:00 p.m. Ceremonial First Pitch – 7:00 p.m).

The Pump Station & Nurtury will be hosting an “Ultimate Healthy Parenting Party” on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Please Save the Date. The event will be from 12pm-4pm and it’s also a diaper drive, so the diapers that are collected at this event will benefit “LA Diaper Drive.” For more details about schedule and happenings, please see and click below.