Photo Recap: Opening Night 2016 #NCChineseLanternFestival @BoothAmp #KokaBooth 

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Get Ready, Get Set and Go…………….. make plans to see the NC Chinese Lantern Festival this holiday season! SobeSavvy.com was there along with many more for the kick off of opening night on November 28 at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre. Now thru January 15, 2017, join thousands of people to see a magnificent display of art and culture.

WHAT: The Festival displays hundreds of larger-than-life lanterns all aglow with thousands of LED lights, creating a mesmerizing feast for the eyes that takes about an hour to walk thru!

WHEN: November 25, 2016 – January 15, 2017, Tuesdays – Sundays: 6pm – 10pm

WHERE:  Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC  *Parking will be free of charge in venue owned lots.

WHO: Fun for the whole family!          Kids 2 and under free                                Buy Tix HERE

Ages 3 – 17 – $10 , Adults ages 18+ – $15

Groups: Contact Jessica at 919-459-8319 orjlevasseur@rprk.com for groups of 20 or more

WHY: Why not?!  It is truly something that must be seen to believe. The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is turned into a mythical magical place with a two story pagoda entrance into this colorful world of lanterns.This bright lights festival features dozens and dozens of hand made silk animals, people and yes, even a ginormous dragon on Symphony Lake lit displays for all to look at in awe. The panda bear display is one of my little
ones favorites. A pair of Pandas were even on a see-saw playing!

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This year the festival has added cultural performances that grace the main stage at planned intervals.  Last years festival drew 52,000 people,so count on big crowds and big fun. They have some food booths and food trucks available if you get hungry. See why this great display of Chinese artistry should be a part of your family tradition every holiday season in the Triangle. Check out this cool video sneak peak:

Here are some photos from opening night: 

More photos can be seen here on SobeSavvy.com ‘s Facebook page. Also on social media, follow #ncchineselanternfestival to see pictures shared by visitors who attended this wonderful event! 

Top 5 #WellieWishers Gifts ~ A Gift Guide for your @American_Girl & her Doll !

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by American Girl. I received product to review, however all opinions are my own.

When #outandaboutAva turned 5, she received her first ever American Girl doll from her 2 great-Aunts as a birthday present.  When she opened up her gift, to her surprise, she got her very own Kendall Doll from the all-new WellieWishers! What made this doll special was that not only did she see “a doll that looks like me ” but it also represented her being old enough to have a new big girl doll friend. 

The WellieWishers made their American Girl debut end of June 2016 and were created for girls age 5-7. These adorable 5 friends are all about helping kindness & friendship bloom. If you plan on getting your girl this doll or she already has one, you will love this gift guide!  I was excited to put this gift guide together for anyone who has a Wellie Wishers gift list. Whether you’re willing to splurge or on a budget, there is something here for your American Girl and her doll! 

Here are my recommendations..My Holiday Top 5 Wellie Wishers Gift Guide for your American Girl and her doll !

  1. Make -It-Great Play Set : This is perfect for the Kendall Doll because she likes to craft her world with creativity and kindness. My daughter had fun putting her Kendall doll to work fixing repairs around the house.
  2.  Magic Theater Play Tent : This tent is the perfect play space for a child, her friends and their dolls to hideaway for giggles & girltime. It’s designed to look like the WellieWishers playhouse and has sweet little details like a tiled roof, cut out windows with real curtains and Garden Rules to follow!
  3. The Riddle of the Robin : I love to give the gift of knowledge and books are perfect for readers young & old. This paperback book is 96 pages of fun and opens your childs’ eyes to the world of WellieWishers.
  4. Tea for Two Party Set : Make tea time fun for your little one with this play set which is sized for the Wellie Wisher doll. Comes complete with little napkins, tea cups, forks, spoons and more! It makes the perfect stocking stuffer gift. 
  5. Flutter Wings Doll Carrier : Because we are often on the go enjoying family fun with our #outandaboutAva , this backpack for her doll was a must ! If your little one likes to take her doll along for adventures, this is the ultimate gift. Not only does the WellieWishers doll have its own space to fit in but there is a zippered pocket big enough to fit toys, books, clothes, accessories and more ! My daughter said it was comfortable to wear and plans to take her Kendall Doll everywhere!

Now that the holiday season is under way, I hope you find this guide useful for the little girl who loves to use her imagination at play. American Girl is all about connecting girls to a joyful world. Be sure to follow @agwelliewishers on Instagram and get ready to shop online this Cyber Monday at americangirl.com. Don’t forget if you are near the Raleigh area, visit American Girl at Crabtree Valley Mall to shop for these favorites  and discover all the fun! 

Which items do you plan to gift for your American Girl ?

Happy Shopping !

*My blog may contain links to other websites.  Any affiliate links are not to be associated with AmericanGirl.com.  I am not responsible for the privacy policies of other websites. When you click on a link, your information may be collected by those websites so I encourage you to read their privacy policies.

    Add some #RumFun to your #HolidayDrinks with @GubbaRum ~ #GubbaRum

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    Raise your glasses and let’s make a toast to being here to celebrate another Thanksgiving! This year, we decided to throw a pre-thanksgiving fete also known as Friendsgiving at our home. We here are so grateful for our friends at Gubba Rum who sponsored our Rum Fun ! 

    As I have shared in a past review , Gubba Rum is one of my favorite artisinal rums made with pure cane sugar instead of molasses. I wanted to share my love of this rum with a few of our close friends and have them sample their two amazing offerings from this unique rum maker. 

    We put on some Holiday Reggae tunes, had a few snacks and it was time to have our guests try Gubba Rum Silver infused with natural coconut and Gubba Gold, which is infused with natural vanilla. Their infusions are so authentic Gubba Rum advises consumers to actually shake the bottle a bit due to settling ! No extract or science inspired syrups here, real coconut and real vanilla.

    We decided to make a cocktail from Gubba Silver first. We wanted something we were sure that none of guests were familiar with. We made an obscure classic called Gregorio’s Rx {Prescription} This cocktail was the invention of Ernest Hemingway’s {Iconic author and iconic rum aficionado!} boat captain named Gregorio Fuentes.

     1 1/2 ounces Gubba Rum Silver                          2 Tbsp. honey                                                         2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice               1 mint leave

    Put in shaker 3/4 full of ice and shake until outer shaker has light coat of ice frost and strain into Martini Glass with a mint leaf .This was a magical cocktail that my guests simply could not stop drinking !

    Next up was the Gubba Rum Gold. This is infused with vanilla. One sniff and it instantly reminded me of some warm humid nights I have spent in the French West Indies, where at the end of a meal it is customary to put a self serve bottle of Rhum Vanille at the table to enjoy. I decided this was so exquisite I wanted to serve it up neat in shot glasses. Salud ! and down it went. Warm and smooth. Because Gubba Rum uses Cane sugar instead of molasses it has no harsh afterburn of so many rums. Everyone agreed they did not want anything interfering with this one, so we kept it simple..and neat for the evening. It was so wicked smooth !

    After everyone left I decided to try Gubba Gold with eggnog. It was amazing! The vanilla and eggnog married perfectly. Just a touch of nutmeg on top made this the perfect, classic holiday drink.

    Be sure to follow Gubba Rum on Twitter / Instagram @GubbaRum ! Gubba Rum for the holidays or any day is just a great choice. All your guests will thank you for it ..and I thank you all for the fun memories! 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BNNz3FJDu2-/
    *Special Thank You & Photo Credits Barry Heigh for SobeSavvy.com

    and Mario Daye, @daye_and_knight


    What’s your favorite way to enjoy RUM ?

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    #Raleigh ,Celebrate the Holidays @NCSymphony ~A Kids’ Christmas Review & pre-Black Friday Sale

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    Thanksgiving is the beginining of the holiday season, so what better way to kick it off then by joining the North Carolina Symphony ! 

    Today #outandaboutAva and I joined other kids and their familes for A Kid’s Christmas… a one-hour singing and dancing celebration held at the beautiful Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh. Although the show started at 3pm , guests were encouraged to arrive early to meet the Snow Princesses and Santa! We also paid a visit to the popular Instrument Zoo located in the lobby and got a chance to try out orchestral instruments. Check it out..

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BNKlB45DXGw/
    A Kids’ Christmas featured music we all could enjoy from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frozen, The Polar Express and so much more ! It was so cute to see kids dressed in their jammies and/or their favorite Frozen character while singing along. The Triangle Youth Ballet was there to perform as well as the Raleigh Boy Choir, making this a very special event! Bravo to conductor David Glover and the NC Symphony as well for their wonderful performance. 

    If you are looking for something to do this weekend with your family, join your North Carolina Symphony for Thanksgiving Holiday Pops Weekend, where Santa will also be in the libby before the concert.

     Savvy Tip: Now until 11:59pm tonight , save 50% on Holiday Concerts using Promo Code: PBF17 ..stay tuned for more discounts on Black Friday & Cyber Monday ! Purchase tickets here

    In the true giving spirit of the holidays, NC Symphony is also collecting “Soup-to-Go” to help feed 1000 local kids at risk of hunger in the Triangle during any of the performances at Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall. You can also take your donation in person to the North Carolina Symphony State Headquarters. For more information , call 919.733.2750

    Here are some pictures from today’s special event. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving !

    #CharityTuesday spotlight on #NewmansOwnOrganics Healthy Snacks Review #allprofitstocharity 

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    Thanksgiving is in 2 days..a time where we celebrate all we are thankful for over a feast with family and friends. I tend to overeat during this time and then jump right back into my healthy eating habits. One of my healthy habits is to make wise and healthy choices when the snack attack hits! Newman’s Own Organics, a division of Newman’s Own, Inc., has healthy snacks that my family and I enjoy.

    With their variety of quality choices, Newman’s Own Organics offers a cross-section of products that suits everyone in my family. Our favorite snack to share is cookies yet the Chocolate Newman O’s are soooo good they make it hard to share! These chocolate creme filled chocolate cookies are made with organic sugar and organic flour…just add milk and enjoy! 

    Some information about Newman’s Own Organics products: All its products meet the requirements of the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP). For more information on Newman’s Own Organics products visit http://www.newmansown.com/. If you look under the food section and the categories: snacks, candy & mints, chocolate, cookies, olive oil/vinegar, and pet food you can find out more about each of the products. Visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/newmans.own  

    It feels great knowing that I am eating food that is not only good for me but doing good for others. Newman’s Own products make an impact on someone’s life because each purchase of Newman’s Own go to charity. Newman’s Own Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to donate all royalties and after tax profits from these products for charitable purposes. You read correctly… 100% Profits to Charity! Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Foundation have given over $475 Million to thousands of charities since 1982. Learn more at www.newmansownfoundation.org

    As we prepare for Thanksgiving travel, I plan to pack up some Newman’s Own Organic foods to snack on in the car. (My daughter loves the Newman’s Own Organic Raisins..and I do too as it is a guilt-free and mess-free snack). 

    Savvy Tip : Looking for a hostess gift idea..place some of these Newman’s Own Organic Snacks in a basket and you got a perfect Holiday basket idea! Give the gift of healthy eating and snacks that give back. 

    I wanna know..what’s your Favorite Charity, Favorite Healthy Snack, Hostess Gift idea …share below!

     

    @DisneyMoana #Moana Advanced Screening in #Raleigh #AD #RWM ~Review by #SobeSavvy 

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    MOVIE SYNOPSIS

    Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows exactly why. 

    From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. 

    During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder.

    Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. 

    Voice Cast: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk. 

    Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker, produced by Osnat Shurer, and featuring music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa‘i.

    Moana Review: 

    Set in the Hawaiian islands, Moana follows its namesake who is a young girl who is the future chief of her people. She must go on a fantastic voyage over the ocean to face down a monster that holds the key to saving her village. Along the way she ecounters a a demigod names Maui. Together they face all sorts of challenges natural and supernatural. The amazing 3D animation and memorable soundtrack make Moana an instant classic. The kids in the theatre cheered at the end. If kids loike a movie then you KNOW it’s good. I don’t know who loved it more, me or my 5 year old! Over the long upcoming Thanksgiving weekend take the whole family on a virtual Polenysian vacation right at the movies. Be prepared to join Moana on a fantastic journey !

    Savvy Tip: Be sure to download and print these FREE MOANA COLORING SHEETS from this link http://www.getcoloringpages.com/moana-coloring-pages like this one! Tie it in a bow , add a fresh box of new crayons ..instant Christmas stocking stuffer fun for your little one!

    Visit the official MOANA website – www.movies.disney.com/moana

    Like on Facebook: – www.facebook.com/disneymoana

    Follow on Twitter:     – www.twitter.com/disneymoana

    Follow on Instagram: – www.instagram.com/disneyanimation

    #FashionFriday Feature: @AmiClubwear “Holiday Essentials” 

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    AMI Clubwear. I’m sure you’ve heard of the brand, known for its trendy and sexy fashion at great prices! Recently they announced the re-launch of a fresh new ready-to-wear collection of every day wear (sweaters, jeans, t-shirts, chunky heels, and more for fall and winter). With the holidays upon us as well as shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday , I thought I would share some ideas of some essential fashion items needed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year!

    For Thanksgiving, I like to dress comfortable, but still look fierce for the family feast. These fashionable over the knee boots are not only comfy but stylish! Pair with leggings and a fur vest and get ready to look cute at the mall while shopping those after Thanksgiving holiday sales on Black Friday!

    If you are like me, do you struggle with participating in the holiday fashion trend known as the “Ugly Christmas Sweater” ? It’s just hard to dress tacky, but I get it..it’s just for fun. Well this year I am prepared to attend any and all sweater themed parties thanks to AmiClubwear.com and their Ugly Christmas Sweater. This not so ugly sweater comes in a non traditional color of Burnt Orange/Blue and has reindeer graphics on it. Wear it with jeans and be sure to join in some reindeer games with this festive look!

    Ring in the New Year in a pair of holiday heels with eye-catching embellishments. Get ready to shimmer & shine while wearing these sexy strappy, silver rhinestone heels with your favorite dress and accessories. Walk into the party like…Hello Lovely!

    Photo Credits: Erica Santos Photography

    Thank you for reading and be sure to follow me on FB and IG for updates! Please comment below or share it with your friends. Let me know:

    WHAT ARE YOUR HOLIDAY FASHION ESSENTIALS?

    About AmiClubWear.com ~

    Founded and solely owned by CEO Yang Yang and famous in the industry for creating the word “clubwear” Amiclubwear.com is an incorporated women’s clothing shop based out of one of the nation’s hottest fashion capitals Los Angeles.

    #WellnessWednesday Skincare Review @LOrealParisUSA #PureClayMask #gotitfree

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    It’s that time of year again..time to prep your skin for Winter and I have just tried a series of masks that I definitely will be adding to my skin care regimen:  L’Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Masks. I got the opportunity to try the products for free thru BzzAgent.com and enjoyed the masks so much that I wanted to let my beauties know ! 

    At the beginning of the year, I shared how I did a detox to tranform my skin from within. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. I ended the article sharing a DIY mask recipe I loved for my eczema flareups. I discovered I needed masks that could mutitask and treat other skin issues like dryness & dullness while not irritating my skin. The NEW L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Masks are made with three mineral clays to absorb impurities and oils, and include specific ingredients to care for each area of your face or skin type. If you need to reduce shine and mattify your skin, then Eucalyptus treatment mask would be your choice. For a mask that can refine pores and smooth imperfections , try the treatment with the Red Algae mask enhanced with natural volcanic particles. Or recover from all the holiday indulging while detoxifying with some help from the Charcoal treatment mask. For a retail price of $12.99, a little goes a long way. 

    I hosted a #WellnessWednesday morning gathering with a couple of friends where we enjoyed Coffee, Conversation and Clay! When it was time to let our masks set we meditated on our yoga mats and let the benefits soak in. I shared that mult-masking while multi-tasking is a L’Oreal Paris beauty trend and encouraged them to apply whatever mask to whatever area needing detoxing,mattifying and exfoliating. In just ten minutes, we had glowing skin. Here are some pics from my at home event:

    This Wellness Wednesday treat yourself to a mask that can multitask and get your skin prepared now for the winter  …your skin will thank you for it. Now get glowing!

    #OutandAboutAva Explores, Rescues, Protects and Reviews #OctonautsLive @DPAC ~Recap by #SobeSavvy .com

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    Calling all Cadets! The Octonauts crew has something exciting for you at their brand new Octonauts Live! show.  #OutandAboutAva and I just saw the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure at DPAC and had loads of family fun watching the Octonauts come to life on stage. This high-tech production featured costume characters and animated projections to a massive screen on stage. The audience was filled with kids and families who enjoyed the opportunity to be apart of the action by joining the Octo-Cadets! 

    DPAC packed the house on November 11 with fans to see this popular children’s show. The tour comes on the heels of new Octonauts episodes premiering throughout the year on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Seasons one, two and three are also available on Netflix, and the first ever Octonauts 4D movie adventure is coming later this year. But just in case you do not know the Octonauts, they are a very dynamic team of heroes who go on a fast-paced, exciting underwater adventure. Their mission: to explore new underwater worlds, rescue amazing sea creatures and protect the ocean. The group is led by Captain Barnacles the bear, and also includes Kwazii the kitten, Peso the penguin, Dr. Shellington the sea otter, Dashi the dog, Tweak the bunny, Professor Inkling the octopus and Tunip the `vegimal’ (part vegetable, part animal). 

    This stage show features sing-a-longs and alot of interactivity with the characters on stage. It was also educational as I learned alot about the ocean. Did you know it had layers like a cake? There’s 3 total: sunlight, twilight and moonlight before hitting the bottom of the ocean floor. Here is more of what you can expect to see at Octonauts Live! https://youtu.be/Bb1Nns8yKMg

    Following the show, we attended the Octopod Explorer Party, which I talked about here in my prior post about Octonauts Live. It truly enhanced our Octonauts experience and I recommend upgrading your ticket for the following perks:

    Deep Sea Adventure & #FamilyFun Awaits @DPAC #OctonautsLive Nov 11,6pm #Durham #NC @Octonauts

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    Durham, NC get ready to Explore. Rescue. Protect! with Octonauts Live! at DPAC November 11 @6pm.

    “Octonauts” has a brand new, action-packed and interactive theatre show for the very first time in the U.S ! The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure features brand new and fan favorite songs led by the entire Octonauts eight-member crew including Captain Barnacles, Lieutenant Kwazii and Medic Peso, as they invite audiences aboard an underwater quest through a world full of adventure, interactivity, and tons of sea life surprises! I am looking forward to having family fun and seeing this show with #OutandAboutAva, as this is one of her favorite shows on Disney Jr. !

    The Octonauts live show, produced by Red Light Management & Fiery Light, in association with Silvergate Media, consists of two acts each running about 30 minutes, plus a brief intermission. For more information, visit www.octonautsliveus.com,www.facebook.com/octonautslive or search on social media using #octonautslive.

    Savvy Tip: Octonaut Party Explorer Upgrades are now available to all current ticket holders looking to enhance their Octonauts experience. Upgrades include a Meet & Greet / Photo opportunity with Captain Barnacles and Tweak,an interactive Octopod photo booth, activities and games, an exclusive Octonaut Explorer party gift, early venue entry with crowd-free merchandise shopping, and an on-site exploration guide. Upgrade your tickets now: http://www.cidentertainment.com/events/octonauts-tour-2016/

    Starting in San Diego on September 22, this tour will head coast-to-coast visiting more than 60 cities this fall. Here is a look at their remaining tour schedule :

    November 11 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
    November 12 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
    November 13 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
    November 15 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall Theatre
    November 16 Wilkes Barre, PA Kirby Center
    November 18 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
    November 19 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center
    November 20 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
    November 22 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center
    November 23 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
    November 25 Wallingford, CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre
    November 26 Brookville, NY Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
    November 27 Richmond, VA Carpenter Center
    November 29 Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
    November 30 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
    December 1 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
    December 2 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
    December 3 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center
    December 4 Miami, FL Fillmore Miami Beach