October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month!

(A guest post from Holly Morrell, Founder/Executive Director of Heartfelt Cardiac Projects.  You can find more information about her here.)

Sadly, that isn't the only reason we are hearing of this nation's number killer in the news. Another three tragic losses have been reported in the local media recently including a college wrestler, a middle school student, and a high school teacher/coach. More heartbreaking, these very well might have been preventable tragedies.


Orange County residents have the opportunity to safeguard their loves ones from sudden cardiac arrest on Oct. 23rd and Nov. 6th in Laguna Beach. Heartfelt Cardiac Projects, an OC based nonprofit organization is offering $1,500 worth of comprehensive cardiac evaluation for a tax deductible donation of $85 per person. Heartfelt is dedicated to saving lives from sudden cardiac death through early detection, education, and increased public awareness.


This type of cardiac testing is typically not covered by insurance and can create an enormous financial burden for families. You can have your loves ones screened for a small donation, making peace of mind both obtainable and affordable.


Don't let your loved one become a statistic, call for your screening appointment(s) today! Call the Sport Performance Institute to schedule appointments: 949. 464.0860.


For more information go here.


You can view the flyer online here:


Heartfelt protected 5 lives JUST in the past 3 months via our screening program, identifying 3 kids and 2 adults with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions. PLEASE PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES!

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Discounted Sudden Cardiac Arrest Screening in Laguna Beach

Did you know that a young athlete dies from Sudden Cardiac Arrest every three days here in the United States?  Did you know that Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the #1 killer of women in the US?  Scary I know.  

Early detection can save lives.  On Saturday August 21st, 2010 the Sport Performance Institute in Laguna Beach is offering very reduced rate (also tax deductible) of $85 for everyone ages 5 & up from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.  Call 949.464.0860 for an appointment or go here for more information.

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Ambassadors of the Environment Program at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel

"People protect what they love...

teach the children to love the planet and they will protect it." 

-Jean Michel Cousteau

Hearing him say that in person at the launch event for the Ambassadors of the Environment program at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel echoed a sentiment I have felt for many years.  As an ocean loving Mom, you've probably noticed I have a tremendous amount of posts that relate to the ocean or nature in some way.  I always find myself heading to the beach when I need to just relax from a crazy day (or week or month!).  Teaching my kids to love the ocean is very important to me.  

I am so excited to hear and share information about some of the AMAZING programs that are being offered at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, CA. The Ritz Carlton is partnering with the Ocean Futures Society to bring these amazing programs to Orange County. 

You don't have to be a guest at the hotel to register for them.  Everything from sustainable gardening, snorkeling in the nearby kelp forest (Ever seen the murky water off Dana Point?  I had never realized THAT is actually a kelp forest!), organic cooking, underwater photography, tide pooling, boogie boarding, whale watching and much much more.  The programs are very reasonably priced and with the world renowned hospitality of the Ritz Carlton, you know your kids will have an amazing time!  Go here for more information about these amazing programs.

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And that is why... Wordless Wednesday

You don't swim in the outlet of the creek at Aliso Creek Beach...

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Even Parking Meters Have Joined the 21st Century!

Yesterday, my husband and I took the boys to downtown Laguna Beach for some shopping and lounging at the beach.  It was a gorgeous day and we obviously weren't the only ones with the idea to hang out at the beach because finding a parking spot took a while.  Once we found street parking, we did the usual scrounging around for coins.  I popped out of the car to load up the parking meter and couldn't believe what I saw... all parking meters in Laguna now accept Visa/Mastercards!  Um, wow. 

I didn't think anyone would believe me so I snapped the picture above as proof.

Anyone else see the parking meters of the 21st Century?  I'd love to know where else you can find them!

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Hyatt Recency Huntington Beach Spa Discounts for Beach Clean-up

One of the biggest draws of people here in California is its’ beaches. But unfortunately from time to time people forget that the beach doesn’t clean itself! I can’t tell you how many beach clean-ups I have participated in over the years (I started waaaay back in Middle School!). It’s always been something I loved doing (any excuse to go to the beach!) but am always saddened to see the junk that people leave at the beach. Kinda leaves you wondering if people forget what the garbage cans are there for! I’ve personally found everything from syringes to wrappers to hundreds of cigarette butts to let’s just not mention… Gross!!!


When I found out that the Pacific Waters Spa at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach Resort & Spa would be offering fantastic discounts to participants in the upcoming OC Coastal Clean-up Day on September 19th, I knew I had to share it! Volunteers who take advantage of the Pacific Waters Spa discount will have access to the resort’s 20,000 square foot spa that includes a full-service beauty spa, 24 hour health club, Jacuzzi, steam room, sauns, outdoor co-ed relaxation garden with waterfall and a spa retail store! They are offering a drastically discounted rate of $99 (normally $145!!!) for the Pure Results Facial for participants in the Coastal Clean-up effort! What a deal!! To get your coupon click here and for more information about the Coastal Clean-up click here.


Get your kids started in volunteering early and teach them some great personal responsibility at the same time!

For more information about the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach click here.

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Tide Pooling Times for 9/2/09 - 9/9/09

Here are some of the photos from our last time tide pooling (at Aliso Creek State Beach) and the high/low tides for the next week (including the best times to go tide pooling here in Orange County, CA). Be sure to pop back on and post a comment if you did go tide pooling during one of these times and how it was! A quick reminder that the best time for tide pooling is when the tide is going out after a particularly high tide. You want to catch it before the new tide starts to come in.

There are some great ones over the next week, all of them falling in the afternoon to early evening. I’m highlighting & staring the best times to go tide pooling because there are so many of them! Click here for a post about our favorite beach to go Tide Pooling – Crystal Cove State Beach, Newport Beach, CA.


9/2/09
High 9:15 am & 8:41 pm
Low 3:01 am & 2:36 pm*


9/3/09
High 9:35 am & 9:12 pm
Low 3:23 pm & 3:06 pm*

9/4/09

High 9:55 am & 9:43 pm

Low 3:44 am & 3:38 pm*

9/5/09

High 10:17 am & 10:16 pm

Low 4:05 am & 4:12 pm*

9/6/09
High 10:40 am & 10:52 Pm
Low 4:26 am & 4:49 pm*


9/7/09
High 11:06 am & 11:32 pm
Low 4:47 am & 5:31 pm*


9/8/09
High 11:35 am
Low 5:08 am & 6:21 pm*


9/9/09
High 12:23 am & 12:11 pm
Low 5:30 am & 7:25 pm

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Best Times to Go Tide Pooling in Orange County August 15 to August 22, 2009

The best times to go Tide Pooling in Orange County are August 20th at approximately 3:30pm, August 21st at 4:30 pm and August 22 at 5:20 pm. One of our favorite locations is Crystal Cove State Beach (click here). Enjoy!


High Tides/Low Tides

August 15
Highs 7:34 am & 5:25 pm
Lows 12:24 am & 10:25 pm

August 16
Highs 8:07 am & 6:31 pm
Lows 1:18 am & 12:04 pm

August 17
Highs 8:37 am & 7:27 pm
Lows 2:02 am & 1:10 pm

August 18
Highs 9:07 am & 8:17 pm
Lows 2:42 am & 2:05 pm

August 19
Highs 9:39 am & 9:05 pm
Lows 3:19 am & 2:55 pm

August 20
Highs 10:11 am & 9:52 pm
Lows 3:55 am & 3:43 pm

August 21
Highs 10:45 am & 10:37 pm
Lows 4:29 am & 4:32 pm

August 22
Highs 11:19 am & 11:25 pm

Lows 5:02 am & 5:23 pm

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Tide Pooling Time in Orange County!

One of our favorite family adventures in Southern California is Tide pooling. I’m always surprised to hear how many SoCal residents haven’t taken the time to go. Maybe it’s because I’m such a beach lover that it has naturally rubbed off on my children, who knows. But I’ve always found that I start to get the itch to go to the beach if it’s been more than a week or two. There’s just something about the sound of the waves crashing on the beach and the sweet smell of the ocean mist. Whatever it is – I’m hooked!

As I was “surfing” through the App store on my iPhone I found this really cool App called Tide Graph by Brainware. I downloaded it and have got to say it is pretty cool! Whether you’re a surfer, beachgoer or boater, this little App will definitely come in handy. What it allows you to do is find the tides according to your location (using GPS) and it tells you in real time where the tide is at (in feet) and shows you the wave curves so you easily know whether the tide is coming in our going out. No more guessing or having to look it up on the internet before going to the beach – it’s all right there on your phone!

And for those thinking “Oh, Cool! ... but I don’t have an iPhone!” Here are a few of the best times to go tide pooling here in Orange County, CA over the next week or so. (I’ll try an continue to post these under the Tides archive tag, so check back if you’re looking to go tide pooling.)

-Saturday 8/8/09- Low tide is at 5:04 pm and the tide will have dropped about 3 feet from it’s peak, so it should be a good one.

-Sunday 8/9/09- Low tide is at 5:30 am and 5:45 pm. If you’re game to get up early, I’d head out there at 8 am, the tide will be coming back in, but will still be pretty low after a high tide overnight.

-Monday 8/10/09- Almost the same as 8/9/09 with the tide not being quite a low.

-Tuesday 8/11/09- Low tide is at 7:43 pm and this is following a really high tide, so there should be some really cool tide pooling and a beautiful sunset to match!

Happy Tide Pooling!

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It's Wave Watching Time for Orange County!

**First off, let me put a warning out… ocean waves can be very dangerous and what I am recommending is NOT swimming in them right now, but merely checking them out for the fun of it from a safe viewing place!**

With monstrous waves heading at the OC beaches right now, I thought it would be fun to try and catch a neat sunset at Aliso Creek Beach tonight. Well, I managed to get one out of two of those goals accomplished tonight (the cloud cover had come in so the sunset was obscured). I must say the waves were pretty cool and are predicted to remain this way through Saturday. Apparently there was a large storm in Tahiti and the waves are now reaching our shores as a result of it.

Well, whatever the cause it made for a total spur of the moment fun adventure for our family tonight! At about 7pm we decided to head down to Aliso Creek State Beach and check them out for ourselves. When we first arrived, the waves were okay… not too large, but not small either. Then shortly after I took this picture (sorry for the blurriness – I took it with my phone and was getting ready to run from the wave as it came at me!), I started to see the waves increase dramatically within no time. It was pretty cool, yet humbling at the same time. I would have gotten more photos, but there wasn’t enough light to capture anything by that time.

The waves kept getting larger and we moved off the sand just as a wave completely engulfed the entire beach area below the sidewalk! It was amazing, but eerie at the same time. We retreated to the play structure where the boys informed us that we were now playing “Deadliest Catch” and welcome aboard their sailing ship! And yes, I was busting up laughing at that. Love those moments!

Below is another photo I got of the campfires at the beach (brings back so many memories from my childhood!), I’ve wanted to have one with the boys, but just haven’t gotten to putting a check mark next to that one. For those keeping tabs… the waves came right up to these campfires about 15 minutes after I took the picture and everyone took cover on the sidewalk!

So, my recommendation? Go find a safe vantage point and check out the waves over the next day or two!

Have a great weekend!

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Crystal Cove State Beach, Newport Coast

Crystal Cove State Beach, Newport Coast

Why we love it: It is always an adventure and different every time! It feels off the beaten path and is rarely every packed with people, even in the summer. The kids love to explore the tide pools and there is an infinite amount of things to explore. A huge bonus is our book is the physical element of it. We always park by the stairs down to the beach- so the kids get a great workout in addition to all the trekking on the sand. The views are incredible. Lifeguards are present during tourist season.

Be sure to bring: Sunscreen most importantly! We always bring a good sized back pack or tote with towels, change of clothes, water, snack, sand toys, swim vest (just in case I turn my attention for a minute) and of course a camera. I have seen many people bring their own portable umbrellas or shade tents in addition to chairs. Flip flops are a good idea because you want to be sure to wear something on your feet on the trek down to the beach from the parking lot. There are restrooms on site, but be sure to bring hand sanitizer because there isn’t soap at the sinks.

A day pass for parking is $10, but you can also buy a yearly pass for just over $100 (which is good at all California State Parks).

Check out the tides before you go because going at a low tide is one of the neatest experiences we have ever had exploring. There are rocks full of mussel shells, pools full of sea anemones, sand crabs, hermit crabs, fish and other sea life to explore. You can track the low tides on http://www.weather.com/ under tides for the Newport area.

Appeals to: Toddlers and up. It’s a bit of a trek down to the beach, so it can be cumbersome if you have young ones. We always take the stairs, and I am very careful to hold hands with my youngest because the stairs can get slippery with sand. The stairs are a little steep for a few steps, but well worth it in my opinion. My kids LOVE that beach. As an example: the last time we found an amazing tide pool, it was perfect for a young toddler because the waves weren’t reaching it, yet it was perfect for the kids to get in to explore the shells and other sea life very safely.

Location: Just off of Pacific Coast Highway, at the Laguna Beach and Newport Beach line. There are several parking lots, we turn in at Reef Point Drive. This is a link to the Google Map. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=crystal+cove+state+beach,+Ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.822921,70.576172&ie=UTF8&ll=33.574904,-117.838111&spn=0.02367,0.034461&z=15&om=1

Family Travel Tips
Newport Beach

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Aliso Creek State Beach

Aliso Creek Beach, Laguna Beach

Why we love it: Because it has a great playground adjacent to the beach. While the kids are playing on the elaborate play structures, you can enjoy the views of the beach and soothing sound of the waves crashing on the beach. There are two play structures- one geared towards 5 and up, the other for younger children. There are two standard swings but aren’t any bucket swings for young toddlers. It can get busy during the summer season, so it’s best to go on a weekday. Watch for dolphins, whales and lots of ocean life out in the water. We’ve seen all of the above over the years. Take the kids just before sunset on a summer night. The kids will have a wonderful time and you can enjoy the breathtaking sunset.

Be sure to bring: A couple dollars to pay for parking. Its $1/hour and you can only use the vending machines- cash only. It is patrolled daily- don’t get caught without the parking validation in your window! Make sure you lather on the sunscreen, there is very little shade. Flip flops or sandals if you decide to venture down to the water. During the summer the snack shop on site is open. There are restrooms on site as well as lots of picnic benches.

Appeals to: Toddlers and up. The play structures are nautical themed and children love pretending they are sailing the sea on the ship/playground. You do have to keep an eye on younger children being so close to the beach and near the busy parking lot… but the ambiance it well worth it!




Location: It’s off of Pacific Coast Highway in South Laguna Beach. Here’s the link to Google maps for the precise location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Aliso+Beach+Park,+CA&sll=33.509572,-117.751443&sspn=0.005367,0.008508&ie=UTF8&ll=33.510556,-117.752194&spn=0.021469,0.034032&z=15&om=1

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