Skip the Restaurant! Great Places to Celebrate Mother's Day in Southern California

Many people get frustrated around Mother's Day because they want to celebrate it but feel totally stumped not just about what to get for mom on Mother's Day, but also where to go! Should you do what's always been done?  You could go to a series of predictable restaurants, where she's surely been before and will likely encounter long waits due to the influx of other Mother's Day enthusiasts. But we would like to make some different, more creative suggestions for great places to celebrate Mother's Day for those in Southern California. 

Of course, we at Ontario Bakery, would love to be a part of your day in any way we can.  But since we likely cannot join you, take along some of our freshly baked treats in our stead.  It's the least we can do!

Paso Robles Wine Festival:  Okay this is for May 15-18, but totally worth the wait.  The festival kicks off May 15th with a wine maker's dinner, the 16th will feature the wine maker's library and treats to go along. The 17th will include an entire wine maker's seminar, followed by more than 60 wineries coming together in the Paso Robles Downtown City Park, to showcase their wines alongside culinary samplings, special tastings and seminars during grand tasting.  If mom is a wine drinker, this would be a great event to provide tickets for and either make it a romantic weekend or time with the girls! 



Big Bear Mountain Resorts: Just about 100 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Bernardino Mountains, you'll find the Big Bear Mountain Resorts, full of fresh mountain breezes, clear blue skies and a blend of both stillness and activities to relax and invigorate you! It's a great place to hike with mom and picnic at the top!  The area has an expansive network of different trails for all skill levels. One of the shortest routes down the mountain is a one-mile service road, offering breathtaking vistas and a family-friendly way to view firsthand the numerous assortments of wildflowers that bloom during the spring and early summer months.

Palm Springs:  Known for it's relaxing desert heat, it's the perfect place for the mom who wants to warm up and fully unwind.  Book a two night stay soon, for the whole family, as this is a place you'll want to park you'll want to take advantage of pool side! The clean dry air and sunshine, just 120 miles east of Los Angeles, have made Palm Springs irresistible to the California attraction. Travel time from Orange County is only 90 minutes.  Located in the heart of Palm Springs, you will find their adorable downtown strip hosting the weekly Villagefest.  Full of luxury and street dining, live entertainment, handcrafted goods, beautiful art and sidewalk cafes, this a hot spot mom's sure to enjoy!

To the Beach: Most people love a beach trip and assuming the weather is beautiful, the whole family is sure to have a great time.  For the scenery,  you may enjoy the beaches of Laguna and Newport in Orange County. If you're more northwest, you may prefer Pacific Palisades, just north of Santa Monica and south of Malibu.  The beach is a relaxing place to celebrate mom's hard work with a picnic and sweet treats. As always, the weather can be unpredictable, so bring a blanket, sun-brella and sunscreen! 

Hopefully, those ideas will get your wheels turning.  Mom has an unending list of reasons to be celebrated, so have fun with it!  Of course, reach out and let us know how we can add even more sweetness to your day with our cakes, cookies and treats!

Need Ideas for a Simple Special Way to Celebrate Mom on Mother's Day?

Mother's Day is a day to honor those who passed on life but such an honor can be hard to shop for!  The amazing women in our lives have given their all to see us succeed and grow in leaps and bounds.   But what do you do for such an incredible woman when it feels like all has been done before?  How can you keep in heartfelt?

Below are a special suggestions for some simple ways to honor mom!

Flowers. Ok - I know I said I would suggest unique ideas, but I still wanted to suggest flowers for their beauty and dependability.  Flowers are a tried and true way to celebrate mom, with the added bonus of the spring time variety of options available! Choose colors that reflect mom's unique individuality or even ones that you feel represent her nurturing and care.  Some personal suggestions would include hibiscus (very fragrant!), lavender and lilies!

Personalized Coupons.  This is a great one, especially for the little ones to do for mom!  You could make a 5-15 page book full of redeemable coupons for caring services.  Make ones for foot rubs, doing the dishes, washing the car, doing the laundry and more!  But remember, she WILL redeem them, so plan them out carefully!

Breakfast in Bed.  Now please, with this one, don't wake her up!  Keep it personalized to HER needs.  She may not want pancakes.  She might want fresh juice, a cup of tea and her favorite book!  Absolutely make sure she has a flower or a few sprigs of lavender and rosemary to bring a fresh and relaxing aroma to the morning.

Day for Mom.  She's given years.  So give her a day.  This day should push her out the front day (sans kids) and into the world.  Be generous and stock her wallet with some funds so she can have a pampering adventure meant just for her!

Hire a Driver.  An upgrade from the last one, give her the relaxing gift of having the day to herself and not even having to drive!  Imagine the surprise and excitement in her face when she's dolled up for lunch and finds a driver, door open, awaiting her presence.  She will be queen for a day!

Arrange for a Spa Day.  Being a mom can really wear any power woman out!  The gift of a spa both detoxifies, relaxes and rejuvenates her on the inside and out. She could have the chance to be massaged, dip in to a soaking pool and even relax in a sauna.  Has any woman even turned that down??

Mom is a miracle and she's given life from her own to her children, which is why we believe she is worth celebrating.  At Ontario Bakery, we want to be a part of your joy by providing custom delicious cakes, cupcakes and treats! If you're in the Orange County area, please get in touch and let us know how we can make your day even more special.

Stressed About Your Event? Ontario Bakery Makes Custom Cakes for All Occasions!

The incredible events in your life like your wedding, birthday, anniversary and other special occasions are important and deserve to be have a memorable cake to go with them. For over 50 years our family bakery in Ontario CA has created fabulous, unique, moist, delicious cakes, on time, and exactly as ordered, that add something special to your family's celebration.

When it's time for you to make that choice and select a bakery for your upcoming event, we know you want the very best. And that's what you deserve. We have a reputation for delivering exactly what you would expect from what's known as the best bakery in the Inland Empire.

• A long list of your favorite flavors to choose from
• An even longer list of delicious fillings
• Choices that include tradition styles and the newest fashions in cakes
• Expert execution of the unique design you choose
• On time delivery exactly as ordered

Sweet Treats: 

Whether you select a flat cake, a layered cake, a tiered cake, a fondant, we will help you choose from an array of decorating ideas destined to get a big response from the honoree and your guests. We are constantly reviewing the latest ideas in cake decorating so that we can provide you with plenty of ways to make your cake amazing for any special event. 

Birthdays Bashes: 

Being a family business, nothing makes us more happy than getting to know you and your entire family as we have with so many others over the years. Once you've experienced our moist and delectable birthday cakes or cakes for any occasion, you will likely be back for every event where a special cake will add to the fun!

Wedding Delights: 

The photos of your wedding reception will likely feature a cake, so why not make it a piece of art? If you're not sure what cakes are available to you, please browse through our personal gallery for inspiration.  Of course, the picture can only get you so far, so when you visit us you will also get a chance to taste various wedding cake flavors and fillings. We are well known as having one of the biggest selections of delicious options anywhere near Ontario. We invite you to come sit down with one of our Wedding Cake Stylists. They will take you through some wedding cake pictures that we have specially assembled to help you design your wedding cake.

As you and your stylist enjoy the pictures and tasting, we are confident that your perfect wedding cake will emerge. Then it will be up to us to produce a wedding cake exactly to your design and add it to our picture gallery of incredible and scrumptious wedding cakes. 

Whatever the need we at Ontario Bakery are ready and excited to make your day wonderful and memorable because you deserve it! 

Feeling Stumped About Your 13 Year Old's Birthday? Here Are Some Great Ideas!

If you're planning a birthday party for a 13 year old girl, you're going to have to promise your tween not to decorate with streamers, balloons, banners or themed deserts; after all, she's almost a woman? 

So my first suggestion?  Take your daughter and have her sit with you on Pinterest or Etsy to get both of your wheels spinning around the possibilities. From invites and locations to activities and gifts, it's a great place to start. 

*But keep in mind, with all your planning, that even if you get some great ideas, you're still going to have to be careful when putting together your table, because even THAT will need to look like an afterthought.*

So, on to the good stuff. 

How about starting with a make over pamper party? Ask some older friends to help, fix up a room like a beauty salon.  You could put face masks on them, paint their nails and toe nails and even have stylish drinks with lemonade and grenadine with little umbrellas inside. If you want to go further with this one, book a make up artist to do their make up and then bring them all to the movie and dinner later to show of their fabulous state.

Keep going with that and opt for a spa day!  Include essential oils and add facials to the above and you've got the whole thing DOWN. 

Change it up, what about having a karaoke night?  You can rent out a machine at home or go out for the real experience!  Some places have age restrictions, but you usually have the option of renting out a little room out.  Add grabbing Chinese food to that mix and you've made a classic win. 

Sleepovers are a classic go-to but many people tend to not want them due to the late nite chatting and giggling that keeps parents up as well, with the added question of "Do I stay up with them"?  Regardless of that choice, I do recommend that if you want to go the sleep over route, that you only invite 3 of her best friends.  Then, you're numbers are even, you know their habits (mostly) and will have a generally quieter party. 

This is a 'younger' option but still good for the 'more 12 than 13 crowd' You could organize a pizza party but take it further but checking with your local pizza places to see if they can go and make the pizzas themselves.  Of course, you could always do this at home but there's extra thrill in going to the restaurant. Afterwards, head to the movies or take them shopping!

For a totally different feel, the out doors type may love for you to organize an adventure day.  Here, you can go on a hike, build a raft, co canoeing.  If you have access to a lake or a little island, this is a great idea for everyone involved. 

If you'd like a daytime, relaxed activity, you could start things off with lunch out somewhere nice and then maybe they could get their nails done. If that feels out of budget for you, rope in a friend and do it at your home. Get a couple movies (or music) and some delicious treats and give the living room to them for a few hours. 

13 year old girls are hard to predict sometimes, as they are turning into little women with their own ideas and needs.  That's why that first step is so important!  Don't be discouraged if she responds with a careless dismissal; she may be overwhelmed and will eventually come around.  

At Ontario Bakery, we know birthdays.  It's one of the celebrations we do best. We'd love to make this day even more incredible, so please, visit our California location or give us a call! 

Unique Spring Ideas for Your Birthday Party and Baby Showers!

Springtime is the time when new growth is everywhere. With flowers blooming, lush grass and trees in vibrant greens inspire your desire to celebrate!! Whether you're preparing for Easter, throwing a baby shower or a festive birthday gathering, please allow us to make a few suggestions to make it the best spring party you've ever been to; or thrown for that matter!  

First of all, here are a few accents and items that deserve some special attention if you have the means to purchase or borrow them!

• Bubble machine:  How fun!!  Kids love chasing and popping their magical entertainment!
• Barbecue:  Usually associated with summer, but spring announces the coming of summer, right?  
• Baby Animals:  Know anyone who's pet just had babies?  Spring is a time for renewal and a great time to welcome new life!
• Fresh flowers:  Get the most fragrant ones you can!  Your guests will swoon!
• Picnic baskets:  Pack them like treasure chests and have prizes for games inside them!
• Wildflower, Herb and vegetable seeds: Sow and reap!  Have fresh veggies and herbs to smell and much with their seeds available in bowls or little envelopes as a reminder to guests of all ages to be thankful for life and it's cycles! (great 'party favor') 

Have you sent out invitations?  

• On a natural piece of paper, spritz some lavender on to the paper and envelope or even some gardenia and get their senses awakened to the arrival of the season
• Fold a piece of green card stock in half and decorate the front as an outdoor scene. Cut a strip of blue construction paper to glue to the top of the card for the sky, and then add butterflies, birds, flowers, trees, grass, and other things representative of spring to the scene. Write your party details inside.

Now it's time to set the mood. 

• Hang streamers, ribbons or even strips of fabric from tree branches in the yard. They will float in the breeze and add to the party ambiance.
• Fill small pots with green pebbles, rocks or candies and place a round lollipop or cake pop in the center of each pot to resemble a flower.
• String huge tissue paper flowers and tie them in a chain along the tables or even tie some finished flowers to the backs of chairs.
• Use watering cans to hold arrangements of fresh or paper flowers.
• Balloons are always a must! Group helium balloons together and anchor them securely  to chairs or weighted watering cans. 
• Lastly - use vibrant or pastel colors that bring out the floral feel and smell of the air whether it with ribbon, streamers, flower pots, paper flowers, icing, sweets and balloons!

Obviously, what would a good spring party be without cake, cake pops, cookies and your other favorite treats?  At Ontario Bakery in California, we love making your party the most delicious event of the year!  Call us or stop by and tell us how we can serve you!

Simple Fun Activities for a Five Year Old Birthday Party!

Have you noticed that five year olds, a more grown up version of their previous toddler state, enjoy free-play but also still expect (and love) a good party with structure! They actually want to join in on organized games and activities with their friends, and if left to their own devices, can quickly become restless. 

Does that surprise you?  5's are eager for games and activities and we are here to give you some suggestions! 

With five-year-olds, your party will flow more smoothly if you have a small storehouse games prepared. That may sound daunting, but the children may run through them more quickly than you expect, loose attention, or just be uninterested, so it's good to have some backups.  

It will pay off to be organized because at this age, your children constantly looking to adults for instruction when they're in big groups. Groups are overwhelming to them and structure gives them peace of mind. 

It's never fun to have that lull between games and be faced with a bunch of screaming children asking, "What should we do?" or even worse, "This party is boring!"

Kids at this age can also be slow to warm up to a new situation. They may want to keep to themselves if they are feeling especially shy. So be patient and know that they will come around when they are ready.  Let them feel comfortable in their process. 

As guests begin to trickle in, you can get started with a few quiet and calm activities that keep everyone busy doing the same thing, but that won't require them to co-operate. Hands-on ideas, like making things with play dough might be a good choice. 

Once everyone has arrived, you could gather the children together for a beautiful birthday themed story. Afterwards, create an opportunity for interactive games that are non-competitive.  Kids, at this point, are not usually ready for competition. 

Traditional games always go down well, but feel free to give them your own twist. Rename them to meet your birthday theme. Pin the pony-tail on the princess, musical beach towels instead of musical chairs, and so on.

Try a younger version of spin the bottle. Spin an empty plastic bottle, and whoever it points to must do a simple trick or perform a talent. It could be standing on one leg for 10 seconds, hopping around the ring, or singing their favorite song!

Have small prizes available for everyone.  You don't have to be extravagant here - it can be a few chocolates bites here and there.   If you really want to keep costs down, award "Winner!" stickers.

Just keep it fun and low stress! Remember that when you gather kids this age together, it's a lot like kindergarten and should have a similar flow and comfort to it.

We are dedicated to making the best of your party with our sweets, treats and delightful celebration cakes!  Call us today, at Ontario Bakery and let us know how we can bring more beauty to your party!

Heard Every Easter Idea Already?... Here Are Some NEW and Creative Traditions to Enjoy!

Spring not only brings back the sunshine but also the celebration of Easter, which for some is fun but for others is an extraordinary opportunity to throw themselves into color, sweets and celebration!

For us, Easter has always been a loved holiday and we thing it's time to really get planning!


Once people become adults with children of their own, they are able to look back at what made their childhood Easters so special. Usually, we find that it isn't the candy and baskets of bunnies and small toys they got each year, rather, it was the traditions that people looked forward to and enjoyed most.

So why not adopt your own colorful and sweet traditions with your family?

There are so many traditions involved with Easter that you can do with your family each year to make it extra special. We've done some research and would like to share some cute and fun new traditions that go far beyond the predictable coloring of  hard boiled eggs and binging on chocolate bunnies!

Let them eat cake - A classic with my family and many others, our cake and cupcake ideas are a fun and tasty tradition. There are many different styles of bunnies and egg themes that you use to create the right feel for your family and celebration.  Here's one we did recently that was enjoyed by all! Confetti! - This idea is based on a Mexican Easter tradition that is so much fun to do!! All you have to do is fill hollow, (cleaned), and colored egg shells with confetti and later, perhaps after finding them in your hunt,  you throw them at other people on Easter Day. It's definitely not the cleanest of traditions, but surely worth the mess. 

Bury "Magic" Beans - If your kids are imaginative and young enough, they'll totally love planting their very own "magic" beans beans! Grab some jelly beans and go outside the day before Easter and plant the beans in your yard or garden with the kids. In the morning, come back to see just what kind of magic has grown overnight!  It could be lollipops, chocolates or even money! Options are many and they'll just have to wait and see what comes up.

Hot Cross Buns - A symbol of Good Friday, Lent, and Easter, hot cross buns are decorated with a cross on top and date back to the 1700's. They have a rich history behind them and even carry some superstitions. This is a great option for families that would like to continue the holy traditions of the holiday. They're great for a lesson and a delicious treat. This is also a good activity to do in the days leading up to Easter. 

Let Them Eat Cake...Again! - It was too good!!  We had to mention it again!  And, we saved the best for last because these are incredibly fun, colorful and delicious!  Easter egg cake POPS!  Have you had a cake pop yet?  What could be yummier than a bite size cake, individually frosted with colorful delights?  So imagine an Easter egg on a stick, it's sweet, you can put the whole thing in your mouth and it may even be chocolate on the inside!  What's not to love?   

*We are excited to make this a grand Easter for you this year.  So please, stop by Ontario Bakery and let us know how we can make this the sweetest holiday so far!*

Have You Ever Seen A Cake Like THIS? Shockingly COOL Cakes!

There are some cakes out there that we've all seen dozens of times.  But the world is full of unique people, celebrating in unique ways.  So shouldn't our cakes be allowed to have their individuality too?  Nothing against the norm at all - a simple white cake has it's place!  But today, we'd like to look at some alternatives.

When someone says, CAKE, we typically think of round, square, floral, messages and sprinkles. But what else is possible with your cake?


3-D!
What's not to love about images, plants and even limbs, not just added to the cake but an edible part of it?  No longer bound by the need to plastic eyes to be attached.  We are excited to give you more cake for the tasting and more art for the enjoying!  From petals and leaves to faces and fixtures - 3-D options are only limited by your imagination.

Bright Colors!

Not JUST bright colors...  but add texture, layers and sheen!  Have a cake that LOOKS like a pillow, blanket or even an edible ring topper!  Our vibrant icing and decorative colors make for elegant and show stopping colors that entice the eye and tantalize the taste buds!


What's Your Fancy?
Can't think of something special?  That's ok.  It's time to brainstorm and think of what makes you YOU.  Are you an artist?  A singer or avid book reader?  What's your favorite novel or series? Take a topic or symbol from your art, music or favorite story and run with it!  What would the character like to have?  Who is your favorite painter or sculptor? There are many possibilities here, see what's best for you!


Fillings and Spillings...
As seen in the zombie cake, things like strawberry fillings aren't limited to just between the layers!  Create rivers, dew drops, waterfalls, (blood), wine and so much more.  You can really play here with the colors and flavors, so let it be good!

Movie Themes. 
Aside from the semi obvious, like movie star faces and film reels, you can do a lot to emulate your favorite film or era.  What about a walk of fame star?  You could have 'the ring of power' hiding on the cake somewhere with a sneaky Gollum ready to pounce!  Go more refined with an Audrey Hepburn classiness and choose Tiffany blue! Kids aren't the only ones who should get to feel like a star at their parties!  Whether it's Gatsby, Madmen or Twilight... jump in!  You'll have so much fun!

At Ontario Bakery we love personalizing your celebrations and parties!  Whether birthday, wedding, graduation or shower, we are here to make your day a little sweeter! Call us today and order your one of a kind delight!