Halloween

Tazzy Candy – no sugar added but plenty of flavor

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

We all, well most of us, crave something sweet from time to time. Tazzy Candy is a unique company that makes several delectable flavors of lollipops that are all sugar free. And to add to that, they are gluten free kosher, vegan, and made in the USA. You can’t get any better than that.

Friends Delia Hughes and Lindsay Simon founded this unique company. “Our obsession with candy started over 10 years ago, when Delia and I met in college,” said Lindsay. “We were studying Food Science and became close friends after joining a candy laboratory for school credit. We were always brainstorming products we would create if we ever owned our own candy business, but as many college graduates do, we entered the corporate world.”

 

“We found ourselves returning to the candy world. We were hard core candy lovers, but also getting into health & wellness, which is a conflicting combo to say the least,” Delia added. “Lindsay would buy “better-for-you” candy and complain they lacked flavor and had funky textures. My issue was I always ate snacks too quickly. We were just never satisfied.”

“And finally, after countless kitchen nightmares and late nights, we had a product that was juicy, delicious, and long lasting. So, we took a leap of faith, left our corporate jobs, and launched Tazzy Candy,” said Lindsay.

And the flavors they came up with are very interesting. With packages of sour watermelon, spicy mango and a combo package with lemon, mango, acai berry, and pink grapefruit, they have a collection of flavors for everyone. And they are working on more goodies to be produced soon.

While little kids might not enjoy the sour watermelon or the spicy mango, parents will definitely feel good about giving their kids the lemon, mango, and pink grapefruit lollipops. They are individually packaged in each packet so this is a great way to make Halloween a little healthier this year when small ghosts and goblins visit your home.

Sugar free, gluten free, kosher, natural flavors and colors, vegan, and made in the USA are good reasons to try these hard candies. But there is one more reason. This women-owned company will donate 10% of the proceeds from the Acai Berry packages to Metastatic Breast Cancer Research.

For more information or to order, go to their website.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, books, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

Halloween 2019 – Disneyland Style

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Halloween isn’t just for kids. It’s a fun time for everyone and, as in the past, Disneyland Resort has the holiday locked up! With plenty to see and do, not to mention eat, Halloween Time at Disneyland is more fun than ever.

(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

A giant Mickey pumpkin greets guests at the foot of Main Street USA. This is the most popular spot in the park for photos this time of year. And throughout the park pumpkins of all kinds can be seen in various locations – some are recognizable and others are just plain fun. Can you spot the Elvis pumpkin? There is also one of Abraham Lincoln. Keep your eyes open for these and others as you wander through the park. Look up, down, sideways, and all around. There are pumpkins galore.

The characters are all decked out in their Halloween costumes. Chip and Dale wear skeleton costumes, Mickey greets fans in his rather dapper vampire costume, and Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto are also dressed up for the holiday. And there are plenty of villains around including The Queen of Hearts, Curella de Vil, Jafar, and Maleficent.

(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

Believe it or not, this marks the 50thanniversary of The Haunted Mansion and visiting this attraction is a must – especially this year. This year’s gingerbread house at the mansion also pays tribute to the attraction’s anniversary, which has transformed from the original ride to “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” complete with Jack Skellington.

In Disney California Adventure the fun continues. Cars Land has converted Radiator Springs into “Radiator Screams,” and Mater is decked out in his adorable vampire costume. The Halloween Car-stumes can also be seen on Lightning McQueen, Cruz, and Red. Magter’s Junkyard Jamboree is now Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree for the holiday with new Halloween songs to accompany the tractors as they slip and slide around the rink.

(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort).

The Plaza de la Familia is a tribute to “Coco” with plenty of great interactivities and some fun music and dancing from the film with “A Musical Celebration of Coco.” A memory wall allows guests to put up messages to their departed loved ones, and there are other artistic things to do and see here. Plus, a marionette of Miguel is available for meet and greets, which is new this year. He is absolutely adorable!

(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

Night at Disneyland is filled with the Halloween Screams fireworks show. And a separate admission is required for the new Oogie Boogie Bash, a party that replaces Mickey’s Halloween Party. It’s full of music and fun for everyone. Plus Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout transforms after dark into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark. This is where guests must help find and rescue Groot who was accidentally left behind and is in danger.

Whatever you do and wherever you go in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, make sure you keep your eyes on all the intricate details. The folks there have outdone themselves with the decorations.

And, my favorite part of any holiday at Disneyland, is their food for the holidays. There are so many great options, including vegetarian and vegan selections. Make sure you pick up a Food Guide to check out all the latest and greatest created just for Halloween.

Whether you’re an Oogie Boogie fan, a fan of Mater, Coco, Mickey, or just the holiday of Halloween, Disneyland is the place to go. This celebration runs through the end of October, and the Plaza de la Familia does not go away until November 3. After that, everything gets transformed again for the next holiday!

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.