Every year I host a fabulous MIH Holiday Party filled with food, booze and lots of swag for my mom friends, celebrities and influencers who have been huge supporters of Motherhood in Hollywood throughout the year. This year, I was afraid I’d have to cancel the event because of the ongoing health crisis. But then I realized that’s what the Grinchy 2020 would want! So I was thrilled to partner with Regency Centers and Village at La Floresta to create a virtual MIH Holiday Party and spread some holiday cheer to some local mamas.
This beautiful shopping center opened in 2016 and features retail, services, restaurants and a Whole Foods grocery store. La Floresta has a warm, inviting feel with its soft color palette combined with contemporary rustic finishes. You wouldn’t think a shopping center could feel so cozy, but La Floresta does exactly just that. All of the sidewalks are oversized, with lush landscaping all around. There’s even a beautiful butterfly mural by Kelsey Montague so you can capture that perfect Instagram moment.
I recently visited La Floresta for a day of socially distant shopping with my family so I could do some research before the MIH Holiday Party. Masks are required so we grabbed our masks and went to check out their seasonal offerings.
As we drove in, we were immediately drawn to the area around Whole Foods and Mendocino Farms. These two places are hard to miss and are very popular. The entire shopping center opens up to an 1,100 resident living space making it a great place to shop, dine and flourish. Which also happens to be their motto!
Whole Foods strives to sell products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. It’s a USDA Certified Organic grocer and is known for its organic selections. Each MIH Holiday Party guests was given a gift card to Whole Foods to pick out some healthy items for their holiday meal. Visit WholeFoodsMarket.com for more details!
We walked around Whole Foods and found the beautiful Oasis Plaza. Oasis Plaza is a $2.5 million dollar environmental sculpture, considered to be one of the most significant art in public places sculptures in Orange County. It’s also a large, multi-leveled terraced amphitheater with seating all around it. This is where center sponsored, retailer sponsored and community events are held throughout the year.
It’s truly a gathering place to sip coffee from Reborn Coffee or catch up with friends. Everyone was wearing masks and the seats are socially distant so we felt safe spending some time here.
Right now they are featuring their holiday photo op called “Baubles All the Way” in the plaza. This colorful creation was designed by local artist, @corrie.in.color, and is the perfect place to strike a pose for a holiday card, or Instagram moment. Make sure you tag @villageatlafloresta and they might feature your photo! It will be up until Dec. 30. They are also collecting toys via an Amazon Wish List for Miller Children’s Hospital as part of their Let’s GIFT back Toy Drive. Visit their website to see how you can participate in this socially distance gift gifting experience and brighten a child’s day.
As we walked through the center we were struck by how many diverse places to visit they had. My first stop was at Stitch and Feather. Stitch and Feather is a Boho Women’s clothing store that is locally owned. There are also several other locations across Orange County. I picked up some gifts for my family and something for myself.
I have been dying for one of those beautiful Boho hats I see on Insta and they had a great selection to choose from. I couldn’t wait to tell my guests all about Stitch and Feather and why I thought it was a great place to get Christmas gifts. Each guest was given a gift card for Stitch and Feather to complete their holiday shopping. Find a location near you on their website, stitchandfeather.com.
Are you a fan of pilates? Then you have to check out Club Pilates Brea. They are open 7 days a week and feature customized group pilates classes with certified instructors. I love that they have classes for every fitness level. I can’t wait to try the intro class. Each guest was given a gift card to try Club Pilates and I hope they love it! You can find a class that’s right for you on their website.
Let’s talk about coffee! Reborn Coffee has a perfect location in La Floresta and is a great place to stop and get a mid-shopping break beverage. We also picked up their award winning Cold Brew Coffee Pack because we’ve heard such great things! And I also gifted my guests their very own Coffee and Cold Brew Pack as well.
Reborn Coffee has a wonderful philosophy on making coffee that every step in the process is just as important as the previous step. From the beans to the water, each step is carefully crafted to make a delicious cup of coffee. You can read more about them at RebornCoffee.com.
If you’ve worked up an appetite from shopping and want to get something to eat, you must stop by Urban Plates. Urban Plates makes wholesome, clean, food made from scratch every day at each location. They also use the best sustainably sourced ingredients and plan menus around the seasons to ensure freshness. Right now they are offering takeout, curbside and delivery options so it’s a great way to support a local business and get some yummy food. Each MIH Holiday Party guest was given a gift card to try Urban Plates! If you want more information on their menu visit urbanplates.com.
La Floresta is owned by Regency Centers which has 400+ shopping centers nationwide. These are considered to be essential shopping centers with grocery chains and other essential stores like CVS, clothing, food and more. Right now they are celebrating the holidays with Regency Celebrates experiences.
They hope to offer shoppers peace of mind during the holiday season with a new initiative at many locations called “Pick up and go zones.” They are also celebrating the holidays with socially distanced visits from Santa, creative holiday vignettes and floral installations. Visit RegencyCenters.com to see more of what they’re doing to bring people together to safely dine, shop and play.
I was so thrilled to share about La Floresta and Regency Centers with my guests. I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful partner to keep the MIH Holiday Party tradition going and spread joy during this difficult year. I would much rather see my friends in person, but until it’s safe to do so, I will gladly celebrate with them virtually. Thank you to Regency Centers and Village at La Floresta for helping us mamas get into the holiday spirit!
*Disclaimer: I was paid and/or given free product in exchange for my honest opinions of this company. For more information, please visit my disclaimers page.
