Get #Uncorked and Win a 3-Month Subscription to California Wine Club!

It seems like all I talk about these days is wine and bad romance novels... 

But in case you missed it, I had a FABULOUS time with The California Wine Club wine tasting around Santa Barbara County. If you missed all the exploits, please check out the posts I wrote for The Trend Tribe and ShePosts.

And the best part is that I get to share the love with you!

WIN SOME WINE 

If you are a wino like me, enter to win a 3 month Premier California Wine Club subscription.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner will be chosen at random - check your email Saturday to see if you've won!

And even if you don't, you can always join the California Wine Club and use code TRIP12 to receive either:

• Send a 3-month gift and get the 4th month for free OR
• Try out The California Wine Club for themselves and get 4 bottles for the price of 2 bottles in their first shipment with no obligation to stay.

CHEERS!

HipMamaB San Diego: Make Sure You Are Ready For Summer With European Wax Centers

If you've been reading my site for awhile you know that 18 months ago we moved...we moved a whopping 6 miles that changed almost every aspect of our world. One of those aspects was that with that six miles, I ended up moving about 20 minutes away from my waxer. While 20 minutes may not seem to far to drive for a good wax...it just became more difficult. And unfortuntately, I've had a year of giving up things that make my life more difficult than it needs to be. That's when I discovered the European Wax Center in Bressi Ranch (Carlsbad, CA). 

I'm a busy mom with a very, very insane schedule that changes - a lot. I often say I can't plan things more than 4 days in advance, because really, no matter how hard I try, things are always changing on me. European Wax Center (EWC) has really great hours, and 7 days a week there is someone there for an emergency wax job. No matter how I try to plan, there are always those last minute "Hey want to go to the pool tomorrow?" crises when you are 3 days out from your scheduled wax. And even better, if I can't make my appointment it's NOT a problem! I don't need to give them 24 hours or be charged a fee, and I can almost always get a make-up appointment same day or when I need it. 

And honestly, they just do a really good job. I've had a few different estheticians at EWC over the past year and they have all done equally great jobs. While no waxing will ever be totally pain-free, EWC's process is MUCH more comfortable than most. EWC is very unique in that the wax that they use was exclusively developed in Paris for European Wax Center, contains no alcohol, is 100% natural beeswax and the finest polymers and as a result there is much less pain, irritation and redness. Also, there is no double dipping/recycling of the wax they use, so it is very sanitary. Additionally, they also offer a line of their own products to help minimize hair growth between visits and stop pesky ingrown hairs. 

Quick. Easy and the prices are good. I'm a total convert. 

While I've been going to EWC for over a year now, a few weeks ago they asked me for help promoting their services at their San Diego and Temecula locations with a giveaway to my readers. While EWC has more than 241 salons across the nation, this giveaway is specific to my local readers in San Diego, CA and Temecula, CA (sorry everyone else!).

So let's get ready for summer with a giftbasket that includes the following! 

- A Wax Service of YOUR Choice (valid at any EWC San Diego or Temecula, CA locations)

- Slow It Body Wash

- Slow It Body Lotion

- Ingrown Hair Serum

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy waxing!

*Disclosure: While I have been paying to go to EWC for over a year, and all the opinions are my own, I was given a free wax and free gift basket of goodies in return for hosting this giveaway. 

It's PUMPKIN TIME! *Pumpkin Station Pumpkin Patch Giveaway*

I will admit it. I have Halloween decorations up already. Not too many...but a few. I usually try to wait until October 1st, but this year after a quick trip to Home Goods that netted me a beautiful little headless horseman and a gorgeous black "Halloween Tree," I buckled and started putting a few things up here and there. 

But now Fall is officially here so LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

Pumpkin Station is now open! If you haven't been in the past, Pumpkin Station is a kid's Halloween dream. Rides, pumpkins, a petting zoo and a corn maze - it's fun Halloween craziness. It's the perfect fall outing - and right now BuyWithMe has fantastic offer to save on the fun - 12 rides for $15! That's up to a $30 value. 

$15 gets you 12 rides at four Pumpkin Station locations (up to $30 value).

Loaded with kiddie rides, Jack-O-Lanterns-to-be, petting zoos, and more, Pumpkin Station is the perfect choice for Halloween-themed fun the whole family can enjoy. Little ones will love the giant slides, pumpkin jumps, and inflatable play centers, not to mention the colorful main attraction – the pumpkins, of course. From the smallest baby pumpkin to their famously enormous Bodacious Pumpkins, there’s one to fit every stoop and satisfy even the most intense Halloween fanatic. Pumpkin Station hours and attractions vary by location (Del Mar, Mission Valley, El Cajon, and Chula Vista), but parking and admission are always free. So get in on the All Hallows’ Eve fun while you can – they’re only open ‘til October 31!

I know my kids already saw the Del Mar location off the side of the freeway and are already asking when we can go.

While this deal is a great one - I have a BuyWithMe deal package to giveaway! 

To enter, leave a comment below telling me what your favorite costume (yours or someone elses) of all time was. That's it!

The contest will run through Friday Sept 30th at 5:00 PM.

What a great way to kick off the Halloween season!

CONGRATS NICOLE! Enjoy your time at Pumpkin Station!

The progression of the Turquoise Room – Making it Zebratastic with a rug from Mohawk Home

Photo by Petula Pea PhotographyLast week I showed off my new, bright wall.  While the couch and the wall look amazing in that room, something I may have failed to note is that’s all that’s in that room. And yes, I realize the wall doesn’t count as something “in” the room. Details.

I’m going slowly in the decorating process. Moving to a house 2.5x larger than your previous abode means you have to go in stages to get things done. Also, if you suffer from Shiny Object Syndrome like I do, you may get distracted with other areas, or events, and just live with a painted wall and a couch and call it a decorated room.

When it comes to the Turquoise Room (whose new name is only slightly less strip club sounding than its previous name of “The Chandelier Room”) I have a very exact vision of what I want it to be. I want it to be high(er) design - an adult room.  A room that hosts people over 4 ½ feet tall in style and comfort. I want people to leave my house and comment, “Wow, I loved that room…” Yes, I want to make you jealous of my fabulous, precisely decorated room. And at the rate I’m going, it will be ready to make you green with envy sometime in 2015.

As you may have noticed in the pictures of the new house and the Turquoise Room, we have a large expanse of travertine tile floors. Cold and hard to clean, they are begging for rugs. For the past 5 years I’ve been obsessing over a Zebra rug. In fact when during one of my first visits to this house I fantasized about a beautiful Zebra rug adorning one of the floors of a downstairs room. As if the angels were listening to my pleas (or arguments with Jason over how much I was going to spend on said Zebra rug), a few weeks ago I got an email from a representative from Mohawk Home asking me if I wanted to review a rug. And guess which style was available for review? Seriously, it was kismet.

Soon after, an 8x10 100% nylon Zebra patterned rug called Watamu, showed up at my house.... and I fell ever so deeply in love.

While I was a little nervous that the color (it's actually shades of beiges and browns instead of a traditional black and white) wouldn’t be right, it’s actually perfect. And while I will continue to desperately try to claim this room as one for adults only, the more neutral tones in this rug means the kids can play on it and people can walk across it and I don’t have to worry about staining the bright white parts. And the best part? This rug is totally affordable, with the 8x10 size retailing for under $450 (not to mention it’s on sale right now at Kohl’s for under $250!)

EVEN BETTER THAN THE BEST PART?

I’m giving one away.

One lucky reader will be able to share the love of Zebra print with me with their very own Watamu rug courtesy of Mohawk Home.

Here are the 2 simple steps to enter:

1) Visit www.mohawkhome.com - click on your favorite retailer that sells Mohawk rugs and doormats. Pick one and in the Comments let me know which one you would ask Santa (Or Hanukah Harry) for. Please include a link so we can all oohhh and aaaahhh over your choice.

2) “Like” Mohawk Home on Facebook 

Want a few bonus entries?

If you want to throw your name in the random hat another more time – Tweet this:

@HipMamaB is giving away a @Mohawk_Home Zebra print rug! http://ow.ly/3bFdW Enter before 11/23

And/Or post a link on your Facebook wall to this contest – remember to tag me or the LaLaLa fan page so I know you did it.            

Entries will be accepted through MIDNIGHT PST on 11/23/2010. Winners will be selected via Random.org on 11/24/10.

Good Luck and may your dreams be in Zebra print!

Giveaway! Tickets to the San Diego Fair from Chevy Ride & Drive

Confession. When they came to pick-up the Traverse this week I *may* have cried a little bit. I know the kids did, and continue to, every time we get in one of our non-dvd enabled cars...thankfully, we may have a chance to reconnect this weekend at the San Diego Fair at the Chevy Ride and Drive Event.

I KNOW. I see you sitting there, green with jealousy over all my Chevy-loving of late. But don't worry - this time I get to share my Chevy love, with a lucky San Diego Family!

Thanks to Chevy, I have a awesome giveaway: a San Diego “Fair Care Package,” for THIS WEEKEND (June 18-20, 2010).

Chevy's Fair Care Package comes complete with free admission tickets, ride tickets, and other swag to help you enjoy a day at the fair. Additionally, you'll have the chance to test drive Chevy's line-up of cars and they will even schedule a time for that ride & drive so you don’t have to wait in line.

To enter, in the Comments section, tell me about the ONE food item you are dying to try at the 2010 SD Fair. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow at 4:00 PM. 

Re-Tweet this promotion for extra chances to win!

"@HipmamaB and #Chevy Ride & Drive have FREE tix to the SD Fair THIS WEEKEND! Enter by 4 PM 6/17 to win!"

Think about it, free tickets to San Diego Fair, Chevy cars and a Deep Fried Stick of Butter... who can think of a better way to spend a day this weekend?

*Contest is closed*

CONGRATS to SUE for winning! Enjoy the fair, the food and your Chevy Ride and Drive!

Thanks to everyone for entering!