One of my very favorite places to eat at Fashion Island in Newport Beach is Le Pain Quotidien. So, when I heard they were offering OC baking classes at their restaurant and wanted to partner with Tiny Oranges to give one of our readers and a guest a free bakery class in a special giveaway, I jumped at the chance to learn more about their program and share my findings with all of you.

Le Pain Quotidien’s hands-on bakery classes are taught at their Newport Beach restaurant and cater to both novice and seasoned bakers.

The intimate classes are kept small, between 6 and 8 people, and are designed to be fun as well as informative.

During the 2.5 – 3 hour class students learn key baking techniques (and a few special tricks) from Le Pain Quotidien’s own skilled bakers. After the hard work is done, everyone gets to kick back with their fellow classmates and enjoy the fruits of their labor at one of Le Pain Quotidien’s communal tables.

Types of OC Bakery Classes

Classes range from Bread Baking Basics I & II to Biscuits, Scones and Shortbread Cookies and each class teaches both the science and the art of creating delicious baked goods from scratch. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always thought there is something so gratifying about starting with flour, adding a handful of key ingredients and creating something delicious you can’t wait to share with your friends and family around the table.

Click here for a complete list of bakery classes at Le Pain Quotidien Newport Beach

So, if you’re like me, and love learning something new, or getting better at something old, grab a friend and head over to Le Pain Quotidien. You’ll finally unleash the magic of how they get those amazing sweet breads both rich and decadent yet wonderfully light and delicate all at the same time.

And, if you’d rather cut out the baking and just eat, I urge you to stop by Le Pain Quotidien for lunch or dinner. My husband swears by their Mozzarella di Bufala & Plum Tomatoes, but I’m pretty certain you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu – I know I haven’t.

Le Pain Quotidien
Fashion Island
1103 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.287.5592

One lucky winner will win a free Le Pain Quotidien Bakery Class for you and a friend at their Newport Beach location in Fashion Island.

To enter, please subscribe to their mailing list by entering your information in the form below.  After you do so, leave a comment on this post telling me you subscribed along with what you love to bake the most. Contest runs through Wednesday, 2/27/13 at 5pm PST. Please leave your email in your blog comment below so I can contact you if you are the winner. Prize expires on 06/30/13 and participants must be 12 years of age and older. Good luck and happy baking!

The day started off like any other Wednesday driving to school.

My five-year-old daughter was tucked safely into her car seat, quietly “reading” a book.  The radio was turned low to a kid friendly station. My eyes were barely open, but everything was stable. No coffee yet, but I was so close.  So close.

Then, my daughter looked up, opened her mouth…and started the Spanish Inquisition. Scout’s honor, this is what came out of her lips.

“Mommy, how does a baby get IN the mommy’s belly?  I know a mommy and a daddy decide to have a baby, but HOW does it get IN.  I need to know.”

(I freeze. Obviously, we were passing the “when a mommy and daddy love each other, they decide to have a baby phase.”).

Okay.  Deep breath.

(Literally, as I’m opening my mouth to babble some brilliant response…I’m sure it would have been brilliant), she then hits me with, “And, mommy?  HOW exactly did Jesus die on the cross?  I know he’s on the cross, but how did he die?  What’s “die?”

Are you kidding me, kid?!  Our commute to school from home is exactly 16 minutes.  We had 13 minutes left. Oh, Mother Hubbard! (my favorite kid-friendly phrase).

Okay.  Deep breath.

“Oh, and mommy?  How do sprinklers work?  I mean, how does the water come OUT?”

Ding, ding, ding!  I’ll take the sprinkler question for 500.

I calmly explain how sprinklers work. Verrrryyyyy slowwllllyyyyy.  Okay. Deep breath.

Just as I’m about to embark on babies and crosses, she starts singing to the “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” theme song.  Distraction!  I blast the song.  We pull into the parking lot.  Score!  I made it.

But, what happens when she asks me after school?  Mother Hubbard.  Call the husband and explain.  Better be on the same page.  Oh, and moral of the story?  Delegate. HE can figure out the brilliant, age appropriate answers!

Any of you mamas out there have funny Spanish Inquisition moments lately?

I almost had a nervous breakdown recently trying to get my 3 1/2 year old to take her first dose of antibiotics. For an easygoing kid, I have never seen her get so hysterical about something. It was awful! I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do or how I was going to get her to take it so I reached out to my Facebook followers for real mom tips on how to get kids to take medicine. 

If you don’t already, please follow Tiny Oranges on Facebook, readers are seriously the best. Total wealth of mom to mom info on our Facebook page.  Your tips worked and you all saved me from my breakdown. Thank you.

Here is what tips our moms had on how to get kids to take medicine.  If you have more ideas, please comment below…

1. Mix with apple juice.

2. Mix with yogurt or applesauce.

3. Use oral syringe and bribe with a treat.

4. Try to reason with them and tell them it will help make them feel better.

5. Mix with fruit Hi-C.

6. Negotiate with M&Ms. Two before, two after.

7. Use an oral syringe and place in back side of cheek to not get as much of the taste.

8. Mix with Gatorade.

9. Ask pharmacy if they can add flavor.

10. Syringe to back of cheek, shock and awe, follow with an Oreo chaser.

11. Ask about chewable tablets vs. liquid.

12. Cherry popsicle.

13. Ask doctor to prescribe pills you can smash up and add to yogurt or applesauce.

14. Flavor added is called flavor x. They have a zillion flavors they can add…fruit punch even masked the flavor of oral iron for my 18 month old! All big pharmacies carry it but never advertise. Then use a syringe placed in back of cheek pocket (not back of throat, they could choke), follow with a chaser of whatever “treat” she likes.

15. Mix with something very sweet, like chocolate syrup or maple syrup.

16. Syringe with shot of Diet Coke or Sprite.

17. Bribery.

18. Room temp antibiotics, not chilled. Try letting them do syringe themselves.

19. Had to ask a nurse to show me how to administer the med, seems harsh but totally worked – squeeze her cheeks tight and put the syringe at back of cheek, then lift her chin to swallow. Follow with two M&Ms.

20. At 3.5 I was able to talk to my daughter and tell her, “I know you don’t like it and it tastes yucky to you, but I need you to be a big brave girl and drink it to make the infection go away.” It was followed by a hug and me telling how great she is and a treat.

21. Mix in blueberry applesauce.

22. Syringe, water chaser, and candy.  Syringe a little at a time, water, repeat, then 4 Junior Mints. My pediatrician says root beer chaser works, but haven’t tried. Oh yeah, stay calm.

23. Parents Magazine suggests injecting the meds in a spoonful of yogurt.

24. Plug her nose – she will have to swallow.

25. Maybe try a thicker juice or smoothie like Naked Juices Green or Blue Machine. I only put like an inch or so in a cup mixed with the meds and let my son sip it with a straw so I know he took it all. He thinks it’s a treat!

26. A straw can help get it as far back in her mouth as possible, then follow with a juice or cookie. I’m all in favor of bribery.

So, this is what ended up working for us:

The syringe was definitely better than making her drink it in a cup.  I told her I was going to put it far back on her cheek so she couldn’t taste  as much. Then I asked her to pick the yummiest thing in our house. She chose ice cream with sprinkles so I got a spoon full of ice cream with sprinkles, a cup of water, and the medicine in a syringe.  I put it in the back of her cheek, she swallowed, and immediately got a big bite of ice cream, water and lots of hugs and attention for taking it so nicely.

Thank you for all the suggestions mamas! Anyone have any others to share…?

[Disclaimer: All the above are tips from moms; check with your pediatrician on the best way to administer your child’s medicine.]

Since likely most of you have kids off school today and because I am ALWAYS  looking for fun new places to go with my kids in OC, I wanted to share my team’s (Susanne, Christy & Aimee’s) favorite things to do with kids in Orange County to add some new ideas to the mix!

Susanne’s favorite things to do with kids in OC

Fashion Island koi pond & fountains- My girls love running around and checking out the fish and sitting and watching the fountains dance.

Manhattan Beach Pier Roundhouse Museum ~ Not OC, but definitely a fun excursion on a day without a plan! Make the drive up and go and check out the small, old school/interactive museum at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier.  Afterwards, walk one block up the hill to Manhattan Beach Creamery for the best ice cream sandwich you’ll ever meet!

We love to make the beautiful drive along the coast to go eat at El Ranchito Laguna Beach for a delicious family friendly lunch or early dinner and then walk down the steps to play on the beach for a bit.  It’s even fun during the winter months, just be sure to pack cozy jackets.

Pack a picnic lunch for the backyard!  Sometimes on a day off I don’t want to go anywhere, but it’s still nice to add a fun twist to the day.

We love to take a family bike ride to Castaways Park in Newport Beach to take in the gorgeous views. (Disclaimer: no playground, but a nice path if you wanted to walk or ride bikes or scooters around the loop)

Christy’s favorite OC outings with kids

I don’t know about you, but my kids grow overnight. Literally. My “little” ones have always been on the tall side…frequenting one size for only a few precious months (or even weeks when they were babies!) before springing into the next, which is why I was so very excited to learn more about Oh Very Young children’s resale boutique in Long Beach – a family friendly shop run by a mom and her two daughters.

You can sell clothes, buy clothes and shop for fun accessories (hats or bows, anyone?) – all in fantastic shape and adorable. Oh, and browse lots of name brands.

Give these lovely ladies a call, make an appointment, and take your gently loved kiddo clothes in for their buy back program – they make it so easy and will work around your schedule. You can drop off your items and come back later for your total, or stay and chat if you have time, have a cup of coffee and go over each item (this takes about a half hour).

I say have a cup of coffee because when you talk to these ladies, it feels like you’re chatting with a fellow girlfriend.  Building community is one of Oh Very Young’s top priorities – whether it is supporting a local fund raiser or school, or participating in their business neighborhood “Art Walks” on the first Friday of every month (moms – take note…they provide free arts and crafts and snacks to your little ones in their booth).

They want their customers to feel like family.

Now, onto the topic of shopping…shopping by myself is a luxury at this point in my life. I usually have my two very active munchkins in tow…so I typically avoid shopping for my kids, with my kids. I know you understand.

But not at Oh Very Young! Fellow mamas, this shop is made for you and your kids to enjoy.

While you browse the racks and find great deals, they provide coloring projects, let the kids play with their toys for sale (Their motto? If it’s within a kid’s reach, go for it! It was meant to be played with!), and have even been known to dole out snacks (ummm, this is particularly helpful if I’ve run out of my granola bar/raisin/apple slices shopping combo to bribe my kids to sit still).

Now, throw in a “Mommy Happy Hour” every other month with complimentary hors     d’oeuvres, refreshments (sometimes even wine!), fabulous raffle prizes, and shopping for adorable kid stuff, and I am one happy mama!

So, take a little shopping trip and see for yourself – I am confident that you will find something here you that you love…whether it is a super cute kid outfit, a “new” toy or book for your little one, or even a homemade goodie bag for car trips.

And, let the kids play while you shop – enjoy!

What you need to know:

Oh Very Young     

Phone:
Call them at (562) 492-6200

Hours:
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (special event times may vary)

Address:
4378 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach, CA  90807

*If you would like to sell your kid clothes to Oh Very Young, please call to make an appointment!

 [Images provided by Oh Very Young. Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to help spread the word about this amazing shopping experience for So Cal families!]