This Week: George Balanchine's The Nutcracker Opens in Los Angeles!

Tickets on Sale Now for this Holiday Ballet Classic!

Selfie time in front of a promotional poster for George Balanchine's The Nutcracker in front of the Walt Disney Concert Hall!

True Story: The first time I ever watched The Nutcracker, I was sitting inside the "Gran Teatro de La Habana" in Havana, Cuba. The year was 2001 and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba performed El Cascanueces so flawlessly and beautifully that it pretty much satisfied any ballet watching inclinations I may have had for many years thereafter.

Fast forward to 2017 and this busy mom of two rough-and-tumble boys was waiting for an opportunity to dress up, take a comfortable seat inside a nice theater (preferably in my beloved Los Angeles, California) and let a live orchestra joyously calm my senses while a world-class ballet performs this one-of-a-kind classic holiday ballet.

Well, the opportunity has arrived! 

My sisters and I are headed to opening night for George Balanchine's The Nutcracker on December 7. That day is also Benny's birthday which means, my son will have his first taste of a fine stage performance (Miami City Ballet) and a fancy post-show dinner, as a birthday gift...

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker will be showing at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from December 7 through December 10. 

But here's why this show is particularly special:

Performances will include, for the first time, student dancers from two L.A. arts academies — The Colburn School and The Gabriella Foundation’s everybody dance! — while the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus will provide live vocals... isn't that awesome!?

A live orchestra will play Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. 

Plus, the show will feature all-new sets and costumes by Cuban-American artist/designer couple
Isabel and Ruben Toledo. 

Photo: Miami City Ballet

Photo: Miami City Ballet

Photo: Miami City Ballet

Friends, Michael Solomon, The Music Center's vice president of presentations and education said: "We wanted to give Los Angeles a Nutcracker beyond proportion."

That's reason enough to dress up, take a comfortable seat inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and let Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s timeless score calm my senses while the Miami City Ballet and local dance school excite them! I can't wait to share more about our trip and let you know all about Benny's reaction!

Tickets for George Balanchine's The Nutcracker can be purchased here.

For more information, visit The Music Center.

I hope to see you there!

The Big Draw LA Returns with "Make Your Mark in the Park" this Sunday!

The Downtown LA Drawing Festival promises creative fun for the entire family (and it's free)

Photo: RymanArts.com

During the last few weeks I've probably been a little way too busy for my own good. There are so many projects I've involved myself with, and most importantly, there are two little boys who need my EXTRA attention right now that this blog has truly been neglected... but I'm baaaack!

I'm back because in between all the madness, I still love to write about fun things and share with my readers (however many of you are still there) about unique events in my dear city of Los Angeles.
One of those unique events (which I attended for the first time last year) is the Big Draw LA's "Make Your Mark in the Park"-- a free drawing festival for families where kids and adults alike can test their artistic abilities through a series of drawing opportunities!
The Big Draw LA is a month-long art celebration that takes place each year. It's hosted by Ryman Arts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering Southern California teens free art instruction.
The Big Draw LA's flagship event is the "Make your Mark in the Park" festival and here's why you should check it out:
You think you've got skills in making paper airplanes (and decorating them too)? There's gonna be a station for that.
 You want to test your tape drawing talent? Rolls upon rolls of colored tape will be provided.
Curious to see how well you can decorate a bike? It'll be CicLAvia weekend so there will be plenty of opportunity for that!
Plus, there will be booths and tables for other fun projects like Styrofoam print-making and drawing costumed models.
All in all, the Make your Mark in the Park Festival promises to offer guests of all ages a really neat opportunity to delve in the art of drawing through different mediums, all while enjoying music and the LA City Hall Tower as the backdrop.

The Big Draw LA's Make Your Mark in the Park Festival

Sunday, October 8, 2017

11:00am - 4:00pm

Grand Park Block 4

Downtown Los Angeles

I was there last year and I sure don't want to miss it this year. See you there?

My First Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

I am currently serving as a 2017 Disney Parks Mom Panelist, a contract position with Magical benefits!

Like many moms in Southern California, I have a blog and I cover Disney stuff on my blog. 

But I had never been invited to the annual Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. 

I did, however, get selected to become a Disney Parks Mom Panelist, which was way beyond any Disney honor a Disney-loving mom could ever receive. In my designation as a mom panelist, I've had amazing opportunities to visit the Disneyland Resort for different events. Since I answer plenty of guest questions seeking Disneyland vacation advice, the more visits to the Happiest Place on Earth, the better for me since there's always something new at the resort.

 Nonetheless, receiving an invite to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebrations was just so cool!

It was amazing because I was there as a blogger/online media editor (see www.MommyInLosAngeles.com) but I was also there as a Disney Parks Mom Panelist which suddenly reminded me how soon this experience is coming to an end (panelists serve for one year)! 

The Disney Social Media Moms Celebration included helpful workshops and inspiring speakers. It also gave us the opportunity to meet other influencers and explore the Parks.

The idea is that Disney recognizes the importance of spreading the love. If bloggers and social media influencers cover fun and unique Disney stories, our readers and followers will learn about Magical happenings!

Disneyland with no kids and a bunch of mommies with social media obligations was incredible and I plan on sharing awesome news and updates regarding the Disneyland Resort on a regular basis.

For now, I want to thank the organizers of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration "on the road" for coordinating such a memorable day (Thank you Jodi, Courtnee and Lisa). I'd also like to share some photos of this very happy day!

City Hall at Disneyland is still your one-stop shop for birthday & "first-time visit" buttons, a list of horse names at the King Arthur Carrousel, times for Character Meet & Greets, Disability Access Service registration, among many other things!

From now until the Holiday season, guests can indulge in this moist, creamy and delicious classic Strawberry Shotcake dessert at the Plaza Inn, inside the Disneyland Theme Park.

I had the opportunity to meet Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers, directors of Olaf's Frozen Adventures, an upcoming featurette which will be in theaters on November 22, 2017. They shared many fun details about what it was like to work on this film, including hints about hidden Mickeys within the film!

Best of all, I had an opportunity to hang out with other amazing mommy bloggers including Paulina and Bricia Lopez (Super Mamas) and Jacqui Saldana (Baby Boy Bakery) pictured above.

On a final note, many moms have asked me how they can receive an invitation to the next Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. To be honest, the only thing I can offer is-- continue being genuine and honest in your coverage of Disneyland and Disney-related products and events. Personally, I'm still not sure why I received the invitation. It could have been my involvement with the Disney Parks Moms Panel, it could have been the "Disney Love" section on this blog or simply because someone checked out my Instagram and Twitter Feed and liked what they saw.
In the end, moms who decide to delve into the world of blogging don't really know if their venture will be successful but we do it because we simply love to share our experiences and have a creative outlet. Everything that happens after that is complimentary.
I would encourage you to keep being you and pixie dust will follow...
 Thanks for reading!

Little Toby and his Little Watch!

BabysWatch is a cotton bracelet that's gentle and cute!

Add this to the list of things that Toby doesn't need but Mommy can't live without: a small fabric bracelet made to look like a wristwatch to fit an infant or toddler's tiny wrist.

It's called Baby'sWatch and it's too darn cute to pass up if you have a little one!

When I put it on Toby for the first time, my son had a smile that I won't soon forget. 

He was thrilled!

It wasn't long before my rascally child tried yanking it off his wrist (he was extremely curious about it). His desire to explore the BabysWatch and take it off was just a sign that he loved it!

Babyswatch offers a lineup of designs for boys and girls.

It's a cotton bracelet made of 100% organic and chemical-free long fiber balanced weave cotton fabric that is ultra soft, breathable and nonirritating against your baby's skin.

The graphics are printed with a non-toxic dye that doesn't fade, rub off or rinse out. 

The company says it has served over a million customers so far. 

"We’re all about the spreading of goodwill, humor and innovation, because we want the world to stay awesome," their website states.

Currently, the BabysWatch designs retail for $14.99 and can be purchased online. You can even buy the product wholesale.

They're totally adorable.
Your kid will love BabysWatch unless they're anything like my 15-month old Toby, who was intrigued at first and eventually figured out how to unsnap it!

BabysWatch is available here.

I received a free product for a review on my blog.

Happy Thursday!

A Minnie Mouse Luau in anticipation of Minnie's Happy Helpers DVD!

Bring home the adventures of Minnie's Happy Helpers coming to DVD on July 25! #sponsored

 A few weekends ago, we attended an LA Mamacitas event for local bloggers at Griffith Park, in anticipation of Minnie's Happy Helpers DVD.
It was extra cute because taking two boys to a luau filled with adorable Minnie Mouse loving girls made for plenty of smiles and chuckles!

Benny and Toby started wrestling inside a Flamingo inflatable, then they ran off in the distance making me panic for a brief moment.
Eventually they came back and had a jam sesh with a small bongo-type drum. Once Benny had enough of the drum sounds, he left to play with other kids. When I looked to see if Toby was still there, he was hugging a large Minnie Mouse plush...aww!

Minnie's Happy Helpers is on the way to Disney DVD tomorrow, July 25, 2017!

The DVD description is so cute, you'll want to rush and buy it for your little girls:

"When Minnie and Daisy aren't racing around Hot Dog Hills, they're helping their friends with fun odd jobs as the Happy Helpers. And no task is too big or too small for them to tackle! With a quick spin in their Turn-Styler, the Happy Helpers are ready for anything that comes their way."

The DVD includes a total of seven episodes and my favorite is the one titled "Egg-Xasperating" which is when the Happy Helpers are babysitting an egg that's about to hatch...(teehee).

Total running time: 77 minutes.

You can connect with Disney Junior on Facebook and/or @DisneyJunior on Twitter.

Happy Monday to all!

Pure Disney Fun & Excitement at D23!

Every Disney Lover's Dream Convention! 

I had never attended a D23 Expo before...until Friday.
When I got to the Anaheim Convention Center and walked through the doors into the Exhibit Hall, I was flabbergasted.
I knew I would be surrounded by Disney loving folks and cool Disney-themed displays but I wasn't ready to be confronted with a world of pure Disney Magic at every corner!
Welcoming guests into the show floor was a big stage with a live music band, playing high energy tunes.
Signs, displays, props, and products with colorful Disney characters and other details decorated stands, booths, tables and floors.
There was a Minnie Mouse van, a princess and villain couture dress display, an virtual reality Lion King experience.

Ethan Allen, the furniture store, had an entire Disney-themed "home" with Mickey chairs, sofas, wall art and Star Wars furniture in the kids' bedroom showroom.
There was a display of a giant pair of special edition (and sold-out) Mickey Mouse Ray-Ban sunglasses as well as Donald Duck luggage, special edition Oswald merchandise and a section where Baristas made lattes with Disney designs.

Then there were the costumes. Oh my God. The friendliest, happiest people were at the D23 Expo donning the most creative Disney character costumes. Every single person I approached was more than happy to let me take pictures and enthusiastically talk about their cosplay designs.

This incredible convention was also extremely crowded. If you wanted to get a sandwich for lunch, you'd better wait in a super long line. If you wanted to listen to the panels, people were standing in line three hours in advance. That's because Disney uses the D23 Expo to announce many new & upcoming projects, attractions, experiences and movies... and Disney fans from around the world are anxious to be first in line to find out!
I was happy to see one of my fellow Disney Parks Moms Panelists, Lindsey Morris, who was in town from Texas.

And even though mommy and family obligations prevented me from staying longer than a day, or sitting through an entire panel, or seeing Oprah Winfrey, or hearing Bob Iger speak, I now understand why Disney fans make plans two years in advance to attend the D23 Expo (the expo is held every other year). It was a dynamic and exciting experience full of good music, friendly attendees and Disney charm and if I didn't think before, now I know to plan ahead for the 2019 D23 Expo.
By the way, the "D" stands for Disney and the "23" represents the year 1923 when Walt Disney founded the company.

This year's D23 Expo will continue through Sunday but as you can imagine, tickets are sold out.

Check out many more D23 costume pictures on www.MommyInLosAngeles.com

Thanks for reading!

Do Tell, Anabel! Gets an Awesome Shout-Out!

Exciting & Unexpected!

Toby and I at a recent "Mommy & Me" Swim Lesson hosted by Olivia+Ocean for mommy bloggers & influencers.

Friends, I haven't been nearly as active on my blog as a dedicated and committed blogger should be.
I've been super busy with work, the kids, the Disney Parks Moms Panel, and my new venture, www.MommyInLosAngeles.com
It's a project I've launched with my sisters and we're very excited to see where it goes. It's basically an online magazine for moms and mostly about LA Moms. We will have a single yearly print edition and a big launch party next year.
Our slogan is "Every Mom Has a Story" and we promote it as a magazine that covers "the movers, shakers, doers & makers, the real LA celebrities: The Moms!" This is our logo:

Needless to say, in the middle of all the madness, I was pleasantly shocked when I recently received a blogger recognition from Care.com, a support network for families that offers resources for parents and children.
They listed this blog, Do Tell, Anabel!, as one of the "Best Five Los Angeles Mommy Blogs You Need to Read Now".

I was ecstatic!
Los Angeles is a huge city, with a ginormous pool of mommy bloggers so to have someone actually read through many of them and decide my lil' ol' blog is worthy of such recognition is a big honor! As a result, I've developed a newfound drive to continue blogging and sharing personal stories about my life and motherhood in Los Angeles (with occasional brand collaborations). Thanks, Care.com!

On a separate note, I'm sharing a few other personal updates: My husband and I recently celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary in Vegas! It was a simple little getaway where we enjoyed each other's company and vowed to make the next 10 years even better...Awww.

Benny and Toby continue getting bigger and giving me plenty to laugh about. My sons are my daily dose of inspiration and the two "traviesos" (Spanish for brats), have the cutest brotherly love/hate relationship ever! Most recently, my dad tried dressing them as young boys completing the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain (read all about this pilgrimage here). They wore the traditional pilgrimage hats decorated with a shell, blue t-shirts and even had a walking stick equipped with a miniature gourd which is commonly used as a water container. It was all too hilarious because they were completely uncooperative when it came to smiling at the camera...and the only thing abuelo wanted was to have a single shot of the three smiling!

 Thanks for reading friends!
Please reach out if you have thoughts, ideas, comments.
And check out www.MommyInLosAngeles.com for stories on inspiring LA Mommies!

Review: Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes

Make it a point to catch Superhero stunts and live action in LA, Ontario or Anaheim!

When Spider-Man came swinging into the Staples Center Friday Night to challenge a mean, rude "bad guy," my sons Benny and Toby either got really excited or went along with the collective excitement that was expressed throughout the arena.

Kids were cheering and clapping to see their favorite half-arachnid, half-human character come to the rescue and my two boys were no exception.

Benny was enjoying an ice-cold lemonade sold inside a Marvel Hero-themed cup and Toby was extremely attentive to the bright lights and stunt fights in front of him.

The Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes show has arrived at the Staples Center with plenty of action battles, familiar Superheroes (and villains) and loud-thumping sound effects, bright lights, smoke and props (like a taxi cab that arrives looking flawless and ends up getting wrecked by the special powers of the characters).

It's definitely an action-packed show, suitable for boys and girls and very thorough with the number of Marvel heroes that audiences get to see (twenty-five to be exact).

There were a few scenes where Toby was scared but then again, he's 14 months old, quite impressionable and a total mama's boy.

Benny, my 4-year old was beyond excited. When Groot and Rocket Raccoon made their first appearance, he nearly jumped out of his seat. Further, I was very surprised to learn he knew so many of the characters that I was unfamiliar with, like the villains Yondu and Rhino. 

Overall, the show makes for a great family outing and your kids will be thrilled!

The Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes show will be held at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles through tomorrow night (get your tickets here).

Next Stop:Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA from July 13-16

Honda Center in Anaheim from July 20-23

Have fun and enjoy the show!

Win a Chance to See Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes

I've got a pair of tickets for you and your Super Hero loving kid....yay! Plus, an opportunity to dress up the kids and get them free tickets in Anaheim!

Attention parents looking for ways to enjoy the first full week of July with their kids: the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles; the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario and the Honda Center in Anaheim will present the all-new Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes, beginning July 7.

And I've got a pair of opening night tickets for a lucky winner.

For a chance to win these tickets, please answer the following question in the comments:

1. Who is your favorite Marvel Super Hero and why?

2. Include your name and email address 

I will select and email the winner on Friday, June 23 by 5:00pm. 

ALSO!

On Friday, June 23, KABC7 will be promoting Marvel Universe Live! at Pavilion's in Anaheim.

They are looking for kids 14 and younger to wear their favorite MARVEL Superhero costumes on Live TV. 

Every child that participates wearing their favorite MARVEL full costume (not just a mask or hat) will receive one opening night performance voucher, valued at $45!

Who:

Kids 14 and younger

What:

Dress up in your favorite MARVEL full costume for a free ticket to MARVEL Universe Live!

Where:

Pavilions 8010 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd. | Anaheim, CA 92808

When:

Friday, June 23. Arrive by 10:30am

Good luck!

Last day to hang out at Katy Perry's "Witness" Pop-Up shop!

The Kim Sing Theater in Downtown LA will be open until 8pm for a Katy Perry Pop-Up Shop

 

I like Katy Perry. I think she's cute and she certainly has a great voice. I was also proud of her for standing by Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign. But all politics aside, I think she's a talented All-American superstar. And although I would probably never actually purchase tickets for one of her shows (I get my Katy Perry fix on KISS FM), I would certainly return to the Kim Sing Theater with some fun outfits for a super cool summer photo sesh. 

The Kim Sing Theater located at 718 N. Figueroa St. in Downtown Los Angeles is totally decked out to match Perry's eclectic and colorful style. 

Earlier this week, Perry hosted a Facebook Live stream that ran continuously for 96 hours as a way to promote her new album "Witness" at the Kim Sing Theater. There were cameras recording her every move and a gazillion fans logged in to watch her. Once she left, they left the facility intact and opened it to the public for fans to check it out.

Today will be the last day Katy Perry fans can head out to check out the pink vanity set where she would apply her make-up. They can hang out on the hot pink swing she used to relax in, or the all-white room where she rested. Heck, you can even take a photo of the bedroom that was built for her (the mattress she used is still there) and then you can spend a little more time (and money) at the merchandise shop. 

Enjoy!

No Apology for Enjoying Breadologie!

 A new bakery in town is making me break my diet...But I'm ok with that #sorrynotsorry

Ok. So I've been absent from my blog for quite some time now. I've been working on a bigger project that focuses on highlighting other LA moms and not so much my own life and lifestyle (more details if you keep reading). This, while still working full-time and managing a house full of boys!
Anyhow, last year, when Toby was practically still a newborn, we were driving around our neighborhood and came across a bright yellow sign that read: "Breadologie Bakery".

My husband pulled into the parking lot and stopped by the shop to see what the bakery was all about (I was curious too). He came out moments later and said he'd told the owners that I would be interested in writing about this new bakery once it opened to the public...Mind you, he usually stays out of anything blog-related so it was hilarious that he would go and pitch my blog (probably felt embarrassed to walk in during construction)...lol!

Well, as it turns out, one year later, I --did-- stop by Breadologie, met Steffi Gutierrez who owns the bakery with her husband Charles and fell in love with their croissants and artisan bread.
They have such an exquisite selection pastries and such a cool vibe that it almost makes me want to pick up my daily morning coffee and sweet bread there... except, they've been so busy with their wholesale orders, the storefront is not open everyday. Still, it's worth a visit. They have cookies & cream croissants, raspberry almond brioche donuts and even introduced a brand new Rocky Road croissant...OMG...So good!

Now to my project... I just launched www.MommyInLosAngeles.com -- an online magazine for local moms focusing mainly on local moms.
I haven't officially announced my new editorial venture but I'm sharing it here because my last "WOWMOM" profile story is all about Breadologie co-owner Steffi Gutierrez.
Check it out!

In the meantime, make it a point to stop by the bakery if you're ever in the San Fernando Valley.
Here in LA, we're always waiting for the next delicious thing to awaken our senses (and a cup of coffee) and this place is perfect for that...

 More information: Breadologie Bakery

Thanks for reading!