Westminster’s Summer concerts in the Park Start This August

The City of Westminster is ready to party this Summer with a FREE concert series set to take place every Thursday night in August from 6:30 pm to 7:30pm. The parks and recs department will be hosting the events and provide food booths and various other forms of entertainment before the bands take the stage.

The concerts are set to begin on August 4th with The Silverados, a country rock band and then move on a piano rock band, a Beatles Tribute band and end on August 24 with a swing band. Attendee are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to enjoy the festivities. Food will be sold, but for more information, visit: http://brochures.lerntools.com/pdf_view.cfm?id=3585 to find out all the details about these wonderful community concerts. Have fun and enjoy the show.

 

It’s Time for Labor Day!

Labor Day weekend not only a time to take a much-needed break from work; it’s also a time to reflect on the economic and social achievements of the hard working Americans of the past and present. We have some holiday weekend suggestions in case you’re still trying to figure out what to do!

In Fountain Valley, CA, there are wonderful places that are not only fun but educational for both the young and old. One of these places is The Reptile Zoo! Everything from alligators, to bearded dragons, to fish, to turtles.. you name it, they have it! It’s also incredibly interactive as you can pet most of the animals there and even feed them too! If the heatwave leaves you needing to cool off, Huntington Beach is just a short drive away. Swimming, surfing, paddleboarding, or just wanting to walk along the water’s edge, the beach has something for everyone if they want to spend their time outdoors in the fresh, salty air.

Regardless of what you choose to do this Labor Day weekend, we here at Serena Vista Apartments hope it’s filled with nothing but fun. Be safe out there!

Visit the Family-Friendly Boomers! Fountain Valley

If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity to engage in on the weekends, consider the short trip to Boomers! Who knew that Fountain Valley is home to a national amusement center chain featuring mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats & arcade games.

Visiting Boomers! is definitely a break from your usual weekend routine of vegging on the couch, slumped over your laptop or indulging in a Netflix marathon. Going to Boomers! will help you get that adrenaline rush you’ve been craving and can help you get out of a mental rut. You work hard so you and your family deserve to play hard. It’s a perfect place to entertain your children…they will benefit from the much needed play, exercise, fresh air, and opportunity to meet new friends.

Boomers! is also an ideal spot to throw a party for your young ones if they want a little something different than the traditional birthday party at home.
Address: 16800 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone:(714) 842-1111

Participate in the Fountain Valley Sparks of Love Toy Drive

Fountain Valley is currently hosting a Spark of Love toy drive for local families in need of Christmas gifts this holiday season. The toy drive campaign started back in 1993 as a partnership with ABC7 and firefighters throughout the cities of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura.


In your area the Spark of Love organization works with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program and a few other local agencies to make this the biggest toy drive in the OC. The drive is expected to pass out over 300,000 toys children who may not otherwise receive a gift this holiday season.

Spark of love will accept toys until December 24 and distribute them on the 25th. New toys, gift cards or sports equipment are being accepted along with monetary donations. You can also get a toy request or family referral sheet at all OC Fire Stations. For more information visit: http://www.fountainvalley.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=220 and thank you for supporting this awesome organization.

Eat At a New Restaurant in Fountain Valley

Are you eating at the same places every single week? Well, why not spice things up and try something new? Fountain Valley has a number of popular and tasty restaurants near your apartment, so let’s have a quick look at two locations gaining a lot of steam with the locals.

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen-Fountain Valley

18315 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone number (714) 962-8971

Ramen Noodle joints are popular new restaurants that have been popping up all over the place over the last few years. Most people’s knowledge of Ramen begins and ends with packaged soups, but if you are looking for something to knock your socks off this is the place to try. Shin Sen currently has a four star average on 2800 reviews at Yelp, so they must be doing something right.

Istanbul Grill California

18010 Newhope St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone number (714) 430-1434

This Mediterranean spot has an average of 4.5 stars with over 1300 reviews, which on Yelp is as good as you can get. Many locals come here for lunch and rave about the price, service and value of their lunch specials. So next time you are ready to leave the office stop by for a midday bite.

Enjoy the Fountain Valley Tree Lighting this Weekend

What are you doing this weekend? Well, it’s time to wipe out your ugly Christmas sweaters and Santa hats and head over to the Fountain Valley tree lighting event. On Saturday, December 3rd The City of Fountain Valley and the Recreation & Community Services Division will be hosting its annual tree lighting ceremony and pictures with Santa event,

The picture will cost only $2 and the rest of the fun is free and open to the public. The day will feature a snow zone with imported snow,crafts, games, food vendors and so much other fun! Just be sure to bring a jacket and gloves, because the snow will be cold. There will also be a surprise visitor from the North Pole (yes, it’s Santa, just don’t’ tell the little ones).

Here are a few more details about the tree lighting. Check out the city’s website for more information.

Fountain Valley, CA Tree Lighting
December 3, 2016, 4:30 – 8 p.m.
Recreation Center and Sports Park
16400 Brookhurst Street
Fountain Valley, CA
(714) 893-8611
www.Fountainvalley.org  

http://www.seecalifornia.com/christmas/trees/fountain-valley-tree-lighting.html

How To Make Garlic and Celery Mash Potatoes

Black Friday is here! Oh, it’s also Thanksgiving day (for those of you who are more worried about food than deals). If you are planning on cooking a meal before we all head to our local Target to fight for deals on electronics, here is an easy recipe for making tasty garlic and celery mash potatoes.

 

Ingredients
4 large potatoes cut in half
1 celery root cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup of buttermilk
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh chives
Salt and pepper

Directions

Throw the potatoes, celery root, and garlic cloves into a large sauce pan. Cover with enough water to submerge all the ingredients and cook on high. Once boiled, reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and then mix in the buttermilk and olive oil, then mash until you reach your favorite potato consistency. Fold in chives. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robin-miller/garlic-and-celery-root-mashed-spuds-recipe2.html?oc=linkback

Have Some Late Night Fun in Fountain Valley

Late night fun is the best kind of fun. There’s just something magical about hanging out after midnight when the rest of the world is asleep and your party is still going strong. Finding things to do after midnight can be tough, however, as most places close down early. If you are looking for some tasty food, a great bar or lounge or some fun entertainment, we have a list of three late night options to try this weekend.

Our list includes a bar, a classic burger stand, and a playhouse–all of which stay open late for some after hours fun. Take a look at the list and plan some fun with your friends this weekend.

The Recess Room

18380 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone number (714) 377-0398

Original Tommy’s Hamburgers

9024 Recreation Cir
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone number (714) 842-6141

Huntington Beach Playhouse

7111 Talbert Ave

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Phone number(714) 375-0696

How To Stay Active With Your Family

The next few months might be hectic for people with children because most of them will be getting loads of vacation time with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. And that extra time at home means little ones complaining about being bored–a parents worst nightmare. In order to combat the complaining, here are three ways to stay active with your family during the holiday season.

 

Train for a race: most local races have runs for the entry family. The adults can run a 5 or 10K while the kids ages six and over can run youth 5ks, while the toddlers can run in a wibble wobble 1k races. Training is a wonderful way to spend time as a family.

 

Cut off the TV: let’s admit it, most of us spend way too much time in front of the television. Studies have shown that sitting is a detriment to your health, And since you probably sit in an office all day, while the kids sit in a desk at school, try cutting off the tv, which will force you to be more active.

 

Go outside: getting stuck in the routine of getting home from work and staying inside for the rest of the day can be easy. Make an effort to force yourself to go outside. You can go to a park, walk to the store or do a million other things that will get you moving around.

Celebrate November With a Few Fountain Valley Events

The City of Fountain Valley is always hosting fun community events and activities on a weekly basis. Now that Halloween is over, there might be a lull until Thanksgiving at the end of the month, but don’t worry because Fountain Valley has a couple of events taking place during the beginning and middle of November. Here is a quick look

 

Flu Shot Clinic
Monday, November 7
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
@ The Center at Founder’s Village
Sponsor: Fountain Valley Regional Hospital

November is flu season, so do not forget to get a shot. No one wants to get sick and spread germs this holiday. If you do not have insurance the Fountain Valley Regional Hospital is hosting a low cost (in some cases free) flu shot event. If you want a shot, stop by this Monday.

Thanksgiving Celebration
Thursday, November 17
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
@ The Center at Founder’s Village

The City will also be hosting a Thanksgiving celebration for local residents with a lunch, games, and live entertainment for anyone who wants to stop by.

http://www.fountainvalley.org/856/Special-Events