Last month I hosted an unforgettable Galentine’s Girl’s Day with Visit Temecula Valley. We partnered together to provide a relaxing, fun, and intimate culinary inspired day with a small group of local influencers to show them everything the Temecula Valley has to offer! 

Temecula Valley is centrally located in Southern California about an hour away from beach cities about halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles. With over 50 wineries in wine country to various restaurants and shops in Historic Old Town, Pechanga Resort and Casino, hot air balloon rides, and multiple parks, trails, and golf courses, it is a family friendly town with a lot to do!

 

 

 

One of my favorite parts of this experience was every guest who attended the event was styled by PinkBlush and Shady Rays. 

 

 

 

Pink Blush is one of my all time favorite shops. And every woman who attended was able to pick out a dress of her choice from the website and wear it to the event! I have exclusively been wearing Pink Blush outfits for all of events I have hosted over the last 3+ years as well as for most of my other influencer campaigns, vacations, and press events I attend. Their website has something for everyone and they even have a maternity line (that I wore for all of my maternity photo shoots!). Everything I have ever ordered is just as beautiful in person as it is online, fits perfectly, and is excellent quality. And as you can see from the photo, they have something for every body shape, every personality, and every style preference! And beyond dresses, they have tops, bottoms, jeans, loungewear, casual dresses, formal dresses, jumpsuits, and so much more! 

 

 

Shady Rays is an independent sunglasses company that gives back. And every woman who attended was able to pick out a pair of sunglasses of her choice from their entire website! For each pair of sunglasses sold, the company will give 10 meals to Feeding America. And so far, they have donated over 9.4 million meals! They have incredible aviators and other polarized sunnies for men and women! They even sell prescription glasses and blue light glasses to wear to protect your eyes while using technology. Their shades feature shatter-resistant, high-visibility Polarized lenses with durable construction that have a Free Replacements if Lost or Broken* policy and a Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty.

 

 

We started our day at the Old Town Spice and Tea Merchants where we saw how some of their signature teas and spices were made! When we first arrived we were treated to some complimentary Chocolate Covered Cherries Black Tea, which was delicious and comforting, especially since it was a cold and rainy day! We were then given a tour of the shop and learned so much. They sell custom loose leaf teas, blends and rubs, herbs, spices, soups, chocolate, sea salts, and other speciality items like gift boxes, grinders, graters, tea pots, cups, infusers, and so much more! And I love that you can join their Spice and Tea of the Month Club! Before we left, we were all given a choice of any hot or cold tea to drink as well as a sample of their Old Town Thin Mint loose leaf tea, which is a Chocolate hazelnut black tea blended with peppermint herbal tea! And it’s delicious!

 

“There’s no better way to experience a variety of flavors from around the world!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we moved on to the Temecula Olive Oil Company where we sat down to a beautiful and intimate lunch cooked for us by the owners of the famous shop! We sat in a beautifully decorated loft upstairs from the store. We started off with a personalized olive oil tasting followed by some wine pairing and a delicious five-course meal. Everything was made with various flavors of olive oil! Our brownie dessert was even infused with their signature Fresh Blood Orange Olive Oil and it was amazing! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After an amazing and fun lunch, we were able to explore their store, which was downstairs from the loft where we had lunch! The shop has a tasting room and so many incredible olive oil flavors to choose from for yourself or gifts! Did you know they can ship all over the world? They also make olives, balsamic vinegar, spreads and dips, herbs and spices, sea salts, lip balms, lotions, soap, olive wood products, and gift boxes! They have 6 shops in Southern California including Laguna Beach, Seal Beach, Solana Beach, San Diego, and Temecula!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we did some more olive oil tasting and shopping, we were picked up by Grapeline Wine Tours, who drove us to wine country for some wine tasting! Grapeline Wine Tours is located in Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Sonoma Valley, and Temecula Valley! The company was founded in Temecula in 2002 by a local husband and wife, they offer multiple transportation and tour options! Their all-inclusive Classic Wine Tour offers four hours of wine tasting, a select cheese and fruit board, and deluxe transportation hosted by a 5-star wine country insider. Options include custom private tours, 3-winery and 4-winery shared tours, the hop-on, hop-off Grapehopper service, special event transportation, and by-the-hour chauffeured services with sedans, limos, executive SUV’s, and deluxe coaches of all sizes. The inside is luxurious, clean, and comfortable with central air, large windows, and leather seats! Some of the convertible shuttle vehicles have roofs that come off for panoramic views, too! You can even join their Club Cay Membership and earn Cork Bucks towards future tours! 

 

 

 

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon wine tasting and going on a behind the scenes tour of Akash Winery! Akash Winery & Vineyards is owned and operated by the Patel Family, Ray, Nalini and Akash. With a life long dream of owning their own winery, The Patels invested in a parcel of land in the beautiful Temecula Valley Wine Country in 2010. We were able to meet Akash when we were there (pictured with me) and he is extremely friendly and knowledgeable about wine. He is truly passionate about the winery and takes great pride in making sure he not only makes quality wine, but also that everyone has a wonderful experience when visiting. They often have love music and food trucks, especially on the weekends! There is some outdoor areas that are family friendly and they even offer Charcuterie boards to eat while you sip on your wine! To learn more about their tours, click here! They also have an incredible wine club you can join! I honestly loved all the wines we tried, and I am pretty picky about my wine! My favorites were the Rose and the Sauvignon Blanc!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the day was done, every guest who attended the event was given a curated gift bag with items from local companies and other national sponsors! 

 

 

First everyone was given a bottle of Ketchup from True Made Foods. I have been a big fan of their products for quite some time since meeting the owner, a dad of four, at a local conference about two years ago. They make plant based paleo vegetable based sauces and every bottle of his sauces have more than a full serving of veggies! I partnered with them early last year and wrote a blog titled “How to Reduce Sugar and Increase Veggies” where you can get even more information about the company and their other products! I love all of their products, but especially love their ketchup products. They make two types of Vegetable Ketchup: Low Sugar and No Sugar. You can get both of these in either a squeeze bottle or a glass bottle. Each container is packed with carrots, butternut squash, and spinach AND has 50% less sugar than other brands. And it’s KID APPROVED! My children prefer it over anything they used to eat and ask for it at almost every meal, whether it’s fish, chicken, hot dogs, etc. And I don’t feel guilty when they eat it! And just to note, the No Sugar ketchup is Paleo Certified and Whole30 compliant!!!

 

 

 

Every guest also received a new ULTA exclusive exclusive, best selling 9021-Glow Palette and Gia Pink Lipgloss @ a $34 value that launched mid February from Petite & Pretty. I have been working with this amazing company for well over a year now and can’t stress enough what an incredible mom owned company they are. You can read more about them here and I also want to share that their age appropriate and pediatrician approved beauty line is redefining pretty and is helping young people glow all over the world. They believe that pretty is a feeling that goes beyond outside appearance. A company after my own heart, behind their high quality beauty products, the brand aims to empower, encourage, and embrace creativity, and most importantly to always have fun!!! My daughter and I have so much fun having an experiential play date using all of the products and taking turns putting them on each other!! As a clinician, I also work with autistic children and adolescents and I love that this brand thoughtfully included an occupational therapist on their board of advisors who offered influence as to how the products were shaped based on motor skill availability and sensory challenges! This company isn’t just a pretty face. This brand isn’t just about beauty being skin deep. It is a brand of integrity, thoughtfulness, and values scoping beyond just looking pretty on the outside. Although, being pretty and feeling pretty on the outside can be celebrated, too – especially when you have beauty enhancers that include glitter! I also love that the products are Paraben-free and Phthalate Free. They are also nut-free and gluten-free so they are safe not only for my daughter to use for imaginary play, but also safe if she were to ever take them to show and tell at school and or wear a little sparkle at her dance recital. Being a conscientious mom means making sure that she is aware of others’ allergies as well as her own. The company also comply with all the FDA regulations you should expect, and also Prop 65, and the Oregon State Child Safety Act as well. The products are even cruelty free and have never been tested on animals.

 

 

 

They were also given a pouch of plant based tuna and a tee shirt from Good Catch Foods. I was first introduced to this company at a conference I spoke at last year. I love that they make plant based tuna! Good Catch products taste like real seafood because of the legumes and algae oil. They have a proprietary six-legume blend of peas, chickpeas, lentils, soy, fava beans and navy beans that deliver protein and a texture that resembles the exact flakiness of seafood. Algae oil provides seafood flavor and omega-3s. They have 3 different flavor pouches and they are all delicious! Each pouch is high in protein, fiber, and low in fat. And you can buy your own on Amazon and Target!

 

 

Next each guest was given a beautiful bracelet from My Saint My Hero – St. Amos Jewelry, a brand started by John and Caitlin Stamos. I love that all of their family net proceeds from the brand go to ChildHelp, an organization dedicated to prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect since 1959. They also give back to other organizations, too. I first met Caitlin a few months ago when we both spoke on a panel at a local conference. We are both moms and Disney lovers and knew she had to be part of this event in some way! My Saint My Hero creates wearable blessings that bring faith, hope, and purpose in everyday life. They have bracelets for men, women, and children. I personally love their handwoven bracelets, which every guest was given in their gift bag, which come in so many different styles, meanings, and colors! They also sell key rings, necklaces, cuffs, bangles, earrings, rings, and key chains! I love her HOPE, INNER PEACE, STAY CALM, and UNITED IN PRAYER collections and their Mission Statement (see below). And they even have a Kindness Campaign!!!

 

 

 

 

Every guest was also given multiple KIND Snacks bars in a variety of flavors including a Strawberry and Dark Chocolate Whole Fruit Bar, a Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew Antioxidant Plus Bar, and a Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond Nut and Spice Bar. I worked with KIND on a previous event and love their bars, so it was a no brainer to have them involved again! They have a variety of bars on they website including nut bars, protein bars, fruit bars, breakfast bars, and mini bars as well as a variety of clusters! Their bars are gluten free, high in fiber, Non GMO, and low glycemic index.

 

 

Thank you SO much to Visit Temecula, all of the places we visited, all of the sponsors, and to all of the women who attended including @stylishlysocial, @dressmeblonde, @jetplanemommy, @rosiemaxhimer, @kristykonicke, @Kristin_reveles, @jaclyndeleonstyle, and @principessa.stella