{Giveaway - American Girls Doll Samantha} American Girls Store Opens in Charlotte, NC

My daughter, 6, and I had little idea what American Girl dolls were until Friday when were invited to a preview of the Charlotte American Girl store at the South Park Mall. I had done some preliminary searching and saw the pricing online, and I can't lie - I was skeptical. But, after our hour visit we both left swooning over the pink and purple girly-ness of it all.

The American Girl store is more than a store, it's an experience. Walking in the door I was impressed with the ambiance, it plays like a doll store and collectors museum in one. Groups of ornately dressed dolls are staged in glass cases, featuring the fashion and accessories of each time period. If you're not familiar with American Girl dolls, each of the BeForever collection dolls hail from a different era and feature books with stories about what it was like to live during that time, along with themes that connect these characters to the hopes and dreams of modern day girls.

I liked the wide range of features available for the dolls with many skin, eye and hair colors and hair textures. Girls are able to pick out a doll they relate to, and add features like freckles or braces. They offer matching clothes for girls and dolls and every accessory under the sun. The BeForever and My American Girl dolls are recommended for ages 8+. Bitty Baby dolls are also available with similar options for ages 3+, in addition to Bitty Twins and pets. They have a bookstore section full of books about the dolls, their adventures and workbooks and craft sets.

The American Girl store is a posh place for dolls, with a beauty and hair bar. Dolls sit atop styling chairs (strapped in - that made me smile) while their hair is restored and restyled to their out of box condition. They also pierce doll ears and create custom matching t-shirts. There is a lot to take in, so famished moms and girls might need a bite to eat between rows of dolls and accessories at the American Girl Bistro. They also host birthday parties with loaner dolls for guests attending.

Whether you’re looking to browse and learn about American Girl dolls or are an avid collector this addition is just another great reason to head to South Park Mall for a uniquely girl-fun experience. We have been reading the Samantha book at home, which allows the reader to make choices about how the story plays out. S absolutely loves this feature, and even though there are no pictures has been enthralled with the story and I’ve enjoyed reading them to her as well.

MomAboutCharlotte.com Disclaimer: We received 2 books, a work book and a Samantha doll to facilitate a review of this brand, as well as a Samantha doll to give away to a reader. As always my opinion is my own, and I only share what I love with my readers.
 

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Dads About Charlotte: Charlotte Brews Cruise

Dads and Charlotte breweries, some things just go hand in hand. The Dads of Mom About Charlotte ventured out on a beautiful fall day with Charlotte Brews Cruise tours to weigh in on all things pilsner, ale and lager. Top notch Charlotte based microbreweries have been popping up around the NoDa (North Davidson) area for the past several years. My IPA loving hubby Jim, and ale aficionado brother-in-law Gary boarded the Charlotte Brews Cruise van for an afternoon of beer education and tasting. They toured three breweries: Birdsong Brewing Company, The Unknown Brewing Company and finally Heist Brewery.

Birdsong, known for serving up the most affordable growlers in Charlotte, gave the guys a full tour of their brewery. They explained the brewing process, showing the specific grains and malts they use to create their award winning flavors. They explored the brewery floor (with beer in hand) and got to taste a flight of five of their hand picked brews - including their very unique jalapeno pale ale. Scott the tour guide gave a little background about each of the samples prior to tasting, allowing novice and experienced tasters alike to connect to each brew. Jim and Gary's favorite was the Higher Ground IPA. 

Having Scott and Hannah as tour guides created a laid back VIP atmosphere at each brewery. Their rapport with employees and tour goers translated into a fun welcoming way to meet new people with similar interests (I <3 beer). They were very knowledgeable about beer and the Charlotte microbreweries and history. 

Next up was The Unknown Brewing Company, whose founder Brad Shell has a rich micro-brewing pedigree, hailing from previous engagements with Sweet Water, Terrapin and Rogue Breweries. With their close proximity to BOA Stadium The Unknown Brewing Company sells plastic half growlers perfect for thirsty tailgaters. The ambiance has a modern feel, the brewery floor is visible from the tasting area with plenty of room for future growth. The brews are innovative, including the perfectly southern tea-based Hospitalitea beer. Jim's favorite was the Over The Edge IPA and Gary's was the Ginger What. 

My brother-in-law loved the convenience and safety that the tour guide afforded on the brewery tour experience. He got to lay back and enjoy while they did the heavy lifting and driving. He enjoyed learning about the history of each brewery they were visiting and also the history and current on goings of microbreweries in the Charlotte area. Charlotte Brews Cruise picks up at Heist Brewery for their public Saturday tours but also offers pick up at specific locations for private tours. We're in the process of setting up a brewery tour that will pick up and drop off in our neighborhood to maximize neighborhood fun ;) 

Last was Heist Brewery, which specializes in twisted American cuisine and handcrafted beer. Heist offered the widest range of brews - something for every taste. Heist Brewery hosts tall ceilings and wide open spaces speckled with high top tables and outside seating. The guys agreed this was the best place to drink and dine, and you could do it with your friends or with kids in tow. Jim's favorite was Cross Pollen Nation and Gary's was The Out To Pasture. 

Going on the Charlotte Brews Cruise Tour offered the guys the chance to sample beer that they wouldn't normally try - Gary had never tried a ginger beer but loved the Ginger What. Jim was a fan of the jalapeno pale ale, but if we were at dinner probably wouldn't have otherwise risked ordering it as an entire beer. It expanded their palette and was a lot of fun. When my sister and I arrived to pick them up 3.5 hours later our husbands had happy beer smiles and enjoyed getting out for some guy time. 

They were able to purchase their favorite beers to bring home and stored them in the van's cooler. Charlotte Brews Cruise provided waters and snacks during the tour. The tour was given four thumbs up by the guys and they look forward to their next tour. Public Saturday tours cost $49 per person, and private tours start at $54 per person. You can keep up to date on all things brews by following Charlotte Brews Cruise on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

MomAboutCharlotte.com Disclaimer: I received a free happy husband and brother-in-law for my review of Charlotte Brews Cruise (their tours were comped). However, as always my opinions are always my own and I only share what I (or I by association) love. As soon as I'm not preggo or nursing I plan to join Scott and the gang on a tour myself. 

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{Ticket Giveaway for CFG Style Week} Attention Mommy Fashonistas!

Style. Fashion. Runway. Once you become a mommy these terms may feel like long lost lovers amidst the daily grind of carpool and diaper changes. Break away with me for a moment if you will, and let's rekindle that sexy old flame by stepping out of the norm and into Charlotte Fashion Guild's Style Week September 24th-27th 2014. Join top designers from Project Runway, Trinidad, Sweden, New York and beyond, at Label House at the NC Music Factory in Uptown Charlotte.

Grab your girlfriends, your favorite LBD and scoop up tickets before they're gone. Unlike a killer pair of Louboutin's, getting into this shin-dig won't break the monthly budget, tickets are $15-$40.

The fabulous minds that are bringing style back to Charlotte are giving our readers the chance to get their runway on for free! Just sign up below and the winner will be drawn on Sunday, 9/21/14. For more information check out CFG Style Week's website and stay connected with them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.


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Awaken Your Inner Picasso at Pinot's Pallete

I've always thought of myself as tragically left-brained. I've never excelled at arts or music. Sure I'm copy cat crafty and can draw a mean stick figure, but those abilities are the most I can conjure from the wall flower that is the right side of my brain. When I was contacted by Pinot's Pallete in Southend to check out their upscale 'Paint. Drink. Have Fun.' painting class I was initially concerned about sharing my 'artwork' on my blog and how inevitably awful it would look. They reassured me that all their classes are no experience necessary, guided step by step, lots of fun, and that I may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of my painting.

My sister and I headed to Pinot's Pallete for a much needed kid-free girl's night out. The atmosphere was perfect for our evening - they have a large selection of beer and wine to choose from (BYOB is not permitted) and snacks for purchase. It was clean, trendy and energized as they played art evoking music. Our names were scribed at each station with our canvas, paint brushes and paint. They were doing a themed night, perfect pairing with the movie "What If" and offered complimentary popcorn and fun-sized candy bars as we prepared to paint the romantic scene "City Love". 

The instructor made the painting process easy to follow and laid back. When I looked around the room everyone's artwork looked surprisingly good - even mine was recognizable! My sister and I laughed, drank, painted and enjoyed allowing our creative juices to flow. I was amazed at how easy it was to create a painting that closely resembled City Love. While I'm not quitting my day job for a career as an artist any time soon, we already have plans in the works to return for another evening of creativity with Pinot's Pallete.

Pinot's Pallete isn't just for GNO's, it's perfect for date nights, birthday parties, bachelorette parties and they host corporate team building events. Classes cost around $30 per painter and you can select your favorite painting by checking out their schedule here. You can keep up to date with upcoming promotions, discounts and events (some even for kids) by following Pinot's Pallete on Facebook, on Twitter or Instagram.

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Dive in with the Octonauts at Sea Life Charlotte

Sound the Octo-Alert!! The Octonauts are diving in to Sea Life Charlotte at Concord Mills September 6th-28th. Your family can get up close and personal with Captain Barnacles and Peso during scheduled meet and greets. Then take your little guppies to explore Sea Life's 5,000+ aquatic creatures, including their hands on touch pool. A big thanks to our guest blogger Stacie Taylor for reporting back on the nautical fun at Sea Life. Octonauts, let's do this!

When my daughter was born I had to figure out ways to entertain my 3 year old son while nursing her. Not an easy task! My son would quickly grow bored of playing with his toys alone. Enter: The Octonauts. For 25 consecutive minutes my son was completely engrossed in Captain Barnacle’s sea life adventures and honestly, so was I. The show was both entertaining and educational, minus the annoying voices/songs/etc. What more could a mom ask for? We quickly became fans of the show and 2 years later we have acquired every single Octonaut toy, and my kids know more about the ocean and sea creatures than I do.

We visited Captain Barnacles and Peso at Sea Life Charlotte and there were many cute back drops for photo-ops and a few child-sized tables set up where children could engage in coloring activities. My 5 year old son who was in Kindergarten during the media meet and greet couldn't attend, but would have loved it (we plan to bring him this weekend). My 2.5 year old was certain to maintain a 5 foot distance from the characters so she could enjoy them from afar, but really enjoyed the aquarium.

Where: Charlotte-Concord Sea Life Aquarium
When: September 6-28, 2014
What: Scheduled meet and greets with Peso and Captain Barnacles (see below for specific times), a fun fact finding trail, coloring activity, and special viewings of Octonauts episodes.
Captain Barnacles Daily at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 Peso Daily at 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30
Website: http://www.visitsealife.com/charlotte-concord/

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An Evening of Believing℠ Prom 2014: Locking Arms to Support Children with Cancer

The Sandbox's 4th annual  An Evening of Believing℠ Prom will take place on Friday, September 19th 2014 at Founder's Hall in Uptown Charlotte. The attendees at the An Evening of Believing℠ Prom are young adults who are battling cancer and other life threatening illnesses. It's a night for them to celebrate the exciting adolescent milestone of prom, and make memories together that no sickness can take away.

To create an amazing night for these deserving kids, it takes a community of support. Volunteers from across Charlotte and beyond come together to create a one of a kind red-carpet style experience. Our honorees and their guests are transformed by our "Glam Squad" at the Paul Mitchell school, complete with hair updos, make-up by Mary Kay and nail painting. Prom dresses are donated by the community, tuxedo rentals are discounted by Men's Warehouse. A local Charlotte business, Tie-My-Knot has made and donated 200 handsome bow ties to the honorees for the prom, in addition to selling bow ties to the community through their website and donating a portion of the proceeds to the Sandbox.

The Sandbox needs your help. They are looking for volunteers for the following things:

1. Prom Setup/Breakdown:  Help create the magical backdrop for the kid's celebration. Arrival at 2:00pm at Founder's Hall. Click here and select PRODUCTION.

2. Glam Squad Hairstylists: We need wonderful hairstylists to donate their talents at the Paul Mitchell School. Arrival at 3:30pm. Click here and select GLAM SQUAD - HAIR.

3. Gas Card Donations: The families and our honorees travel from up to 6 hours away, and gas cards help to ease any financial burden. Click here to donate a gas card.

This is a cause that is close to my heart, and I've participated for the past four years. Join us and get your #BELIEVE on! Volunteering with An Evening of Believing℠ Prom will be a night you won't soon forget. Check out the video below to get an overview of what it is to #BELIEVE.

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NoseFrida Snotsucker {Giveaway}: For When the Snot Hits The Fan

Snot. Boogers. Phlegm. Congestion. Stuffiness. Yuck. Whatever you call it - if you're a mom you've dealt with absurd quantities of it. Removing the seemingly endless flow from your kid's nose is always a less than desirable experience. With my daughter I had been struggling with the conventional methods of snot removal, the bulb and even the electronic aspirator - until I found the NoseFrida Snotsucker. I kid you not - it changed my life. The first time I used it the sheer volume of unhappiness that it relieved my daughter's nose of was astounding - she could nurse and breathe again! Since then. it made sick days a little less awful in my house - and I've become a believer. In fact I've bought no less than 15 of them as baby gifts for girlfriends. Each of these ladies have shot me text messages amazed at this 'odd' little contraption, and the relief it afforded their little ones during an awfully phlegmy night.

Now, the NoseFrida works a little unconventionally but stay with me I promise you'll love it. It works like a mouth pipette. The red end goes in your mouth and the blue end goes in the baby's nose - there is a disposable filter in between. Every mom that I have gifted the NoseFrida to gives me the same look and response - won't I get IT in my mouth?? My answer is this: I can't guarantee as a mom you won't end up with boogers in your mouth at some point, but I CAN guarantee it won't be while you're using the NoseFrida. 

Now I'm gifting one of the NoseFrida Snotsuckers to a MomAboutCharlotte.com and MomFavorites.com reader. Just follow the Rafflecopter app below to enter! If you aren't our winner, but would love a NoseFrida I've seen them for sale at Target, Amazon and other baby stores for around $16.

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MomAboutCharlotte.com Disclaimer: BabyFrida provided me with 2 NoseFrida snot suckers. One for the giveaway and the second I'm keeping so I can have one for each floor of my house. As always all opinions are my own - I only share what I love with my readers. 

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