“If you’re anything like me, you keep a close watch on the amount of sugar that your little ones consume! We run a pretty tight ship around here…vegetables every day, whole grains, no sweets. So, when we do have dessert, we go all out! My new favorite splurge is Frosted Cupcakery in Belmont Shores. With unique flavors like Nutella (my personal fave!), cherry chocolate, and cookies and cream…a little goes a long way. Not only are the cupcakes alone worth the trip, but the modern decor makes me want to have a seat and eat my cupcake at the store! If you’d rather walk off your calories, Belmont Shores is filled with quaint stores and eateries. Oh and dog lovers, don’t forget to try their “pupcakes”!

Kristin is the mommy to three kids, lives in Long Beach with her family and is the creative talent behind Kristin Eldridge Photography.  

Here is a great easy weeknight recipe!  Yummy and light for summertime!

* 1 lb large raw shrimp (I buy the bag of uncooked, tail off shrimp from Trader Joe’s in the frozen section)
* 2 Tsp. crushed garlic
* 1/3 cup white wine
* 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
* 1 Tsp. basil

Serve with:
* Pasta of your choice (I like the whole wheat spaghetti noodles)
* Green salad

1. Wash shrimp (and peel & devein if needed)
2. Cook pasta and set aside, make salad and chill
3. In a large saucepan, heat about 1 Tbsp. olive oil until sizzling over medium high heat.  Add shrimp and garlic and cook for 3 – 5 minutes (be careful to not overcook the shrimp)
4. Sprinkle with salt & pepper
5. Add wine and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook about 30 seconds (add a little more wine than 1/3 cup if you want a little extra sauce)
6. Add 1 Tsp. basil leaves & lemon juice.
7. Cook 1 more minute or until shrimp is done.

Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese and yummy green salad on the side!  Bon appetit!

Click here for more recipes on Tiny Oranges!

Here is the second part of our new series “Who Wants to be a Mom-Preneur” featuring the expert advice of Lauren & Allison, the duo behind Townsend Olmstead Media Co., a full-service public relations firm. Having assisted in the launch of numerous products, they are excited to share some of the tips & tricks they have learned with a new crop of potential entrepreneurs. Mothers are incredibly resourceful and creative out of necessity and that often leads to innovation. With a little homework and a little hard work, your “quick fix” could become the next great idea. Here’s to the next BIG thing courtesy of a Mom!

Who Wants to be a Mom-prenuer?

Ways to Work the Social Networks

As we mentioned in our last post, social networks are a great way to market your product virally. That said, to be successful there are a few keys to success…here are our Top 3 Rules for Social Networking

1) Have a point of view – Whether you are blogging about your personal experiences as a mom, your new product, your hobbies, or the fabulous meal you made last night, your posts all need to have a point of view. This is what makes you unique! When launching a product, we at TO Media Co. like to take a whole “lifestyle” approach to our campaigns – for instance one of our clients sells beach-chic luggage, so for her it makes sense to blog/post about great trips she’s taken, her tried & true packing tips, “Around the world” spottings of her luggage, tips she’s learned or discovered about traveling with children, etc. It’s about reaching out and connecting with your customer base on a personal level while providing them useful and relevant information that ties back to your brand all in one pretty package (with a darling photo to illustrate the point).

2) Consistency – Whether you are on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, or the NEXT big thing, you have to find ways to keep people coming back for more. This means posting consistently enough that people feel like they are “missing out” if they haven’t logged in for a while. We often suggests blocking out a schedule of posts for the first few weeks before you get started so you aren’t staring at the computer screen with writer’s block. That doesn’t mean you can’t improvise if something timely hits your radar, but it will help get the ball rolling for you.

3) Be Proactive – The time you spend searching for new contacts, connecting with people, products, causes, networks that relate to your business – posting to their sites, starting a dialogue – will come back to you in spades! The goal is to get to a place where people come looking for you, but until that happens, you have to be proactive about searching out the kind of people you are looking for (which also ties back to our previous post about “Know Who Your Customer Is” – click here to refresh your memory).

Other things to keep in mind when working the networks:

*Pictures DO speak a thousand words
*Link back to your company’s website whenever possible
*Post to the blogs/pages that you are fans of… they will be more likely to check out your blog in return!
*Keep it personal and timely
*Link all your pages together… whether you have a website or not, post your You Tube video to Facebook, twitter about your latest blog post, etc.

PR veterans Lauren Townsend and Allison Olmstead are the duo behind Townsend Olmstead Media Co., a full-service public relations firm specializing in promoting the people and products setting trends and defining style. After years of strategic media outreach, creative positioning and building lasting relationships with the media, TO Media Co. has been successful in creating PR campaigns and strategies for companies large and small including Halsea, Pixie Dust Décor, Orange Coast Magazine, Bravo Sports and others by taking a “big picture” approach to each client. TO Media Co. has raised brand awareness and achieved measurable results for their clients through coverage on The Today Show, Good Morning America, People Magazine, Coastal Living, Real Simple, The Early Show and more.

These days I admit, I have to rely on TV a bit to entertain my daughter!   I love finding shows that are guilt-free because they are also somewhat educational.  

Word World on PBS Kids is a great new find, as it an entertaining show combining wacky characters and fun adventures, all in the spirit of teaching words and letters.   Learning to read has never been so much fun!  My daughter is mesmerized by it.  

It’s on at 5:30pm at our house, perfect show to put on at the end of a busy day while you are trying to make some dinner!

Aracely, creator of the fabulous blog, Daytrippingmom.com and mother to two little ones ages 4 and 2, sent me some great tips on making the most out of your theme park visit!  She writes…

“With summer upon us and kids out of school- one thing is certain – It’s theme park time. Our family usually pays a visit to one of our local theme parks at least once a week. Through trial and error , I have learned what it takes to have a fun and stress free day at any theme park. I wanted to share with you the two most popular questions that I’m asked about theme park visits.

I’m usually asked- What do I bring with me? followed by – How can I make my visit go as smooth as possible?

What do I bring with me??

1.   You need a good backpack – I’m usually prepared with a great backpack- I never leave home without one .
2.   Bring a stroller if you have small children. If you can, make sure to bring a light or umbrella stroller. They are easier to fold up and store- and this is always a plus if you have to take some sort of tram to the theme park entrance. Make sure to have some kind of labeling on your stroller to help yours stand out in the sea of strollers.
3.   Make sure to pack a jacket /sweater/blanket. – I’ve left home without one thinking that there was no possible way that I would be cold on a summer day. Boy was I wrong!! The nights cool off and there is nothing worse than shelling out $50.00 for a cheesy sweatshirt because your three year old is cold. Trust me on this one!!
4.   Pack a swimsuit. Many theme parks have water fountains or water play areas. Your kids will want to dive in and there is nothing worse than having to say no because you are not prepared. I always pack an extra set of clothes and a swimsuit.
5.   Make sure to bring cash. While most theme park restaurants accept credit cards- some of their vending carts do not. I hate paying for ATM Fees – I always bring cash in hand.
6.   If you have little ones make sure to pack a couple of snacks. I usually bring a baggie or two of
goldfish and fruit snacks. Just keep it simple.
7.   If you can bring a bottle or two of water. I usually freeze mine the night before and throw them in a Ziploc bag- I pack them in at the bottom of my bag and they have been a lifesaver!!
8.   Bring baby wipes. I always carry them even if I don’t have my youngest with me. They are great for sticky hands and clean ups. I think they are a necessity !!
8.   Last but not least – Bring your camera. You want to make sure to capture your fun filled day.

Now on to the other question- How can I make my visit stress free and as smooth as possible?

1.   I think the most important thing to do is to be prepared and do a little research– Make sure to visit the theme park’s website or blog. They usually have useful tips and some blogs can tell you about the the crowds the day before your visit. This is usually a good indicator of the crowds on the day of your visit.
2.  Get there as early as possible. You’ve heard the saying “the early bird catches the worm” and this holds quite true with theme parks. You will be able to make the most out of your day this way.  In my opinion it’s the best time of day to ride your favorite attraction-you usually won’t have to wait in line and if you do- you won’t usually mind because it will be nice and cool.
3.   Pick up a map/event guide at the front entrance– The first thing I do is try to plan out my day as soon as I have the map in my hands. Head to the most popular attractions first and plan out your day with the help of your map/event guide.
4.   Avoid the lunch time rush. I would try to stay away from eating between 11am to 2pm. Usually the lines to attractions are shorter at this time because everyone is heading out to lunch. If you can , try to eat before 11 am and after 2pm.
5.   Avoid attractions between 2 to 4 pm. This is usually peak time at a theme park. We usually use this time to grab a bite to eat and catch a couple of shows. Most restaurants and shows are air conditioned and it’s a great time to take a break. If you have little ones- it’s the perfect time to catch a snooze in the stroller.
6.  If you can, splurge on a VIP or front of the line pass – They are usually more expensive but well worth every penny. If you are at any of the Disney Theme Parks take advantage of their Fastpass system.
7.   Keep hydrated. Most theme parks have a souvenir cup deal- where you can buy a souvenir cup and either get free refills or very inexpensive refills throughout the day.
8.  Make sure your family is well rested the night before and also well fed before you arrive at the your park of choice. There is nothing worse than dealing with cranky and hungry kids.
9.   Last but not least- Enjoy yourself- Don’t feel rushed. If you’re visiting on a super busy day- odds are you probably won’t be able to take everything in one day and that’s fine. It will give you the perfect reason to come back- or even better- upgrade your pass to an annual pass and come back as often as you like.”