Move over tacos, there’s a new spicy food in town. A donut is now heating up the charts to reach the peak of spicy superiority. Dunkin’ has baked up one of the most surprising treats ever to rise from its kitchens, the new Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut.

Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut

A deliciously daring donut that delivers the heat with every bite, the Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut is a classic yeast donut ring, topped with a strawberry flavored icing that features a bold blend of cayenne and ghost pepper, and finished with red sanding sugar for a sizzling look. The Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut will be on the menu for only a few hot minutes, available beginning today for a limited time at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide until December.

As the hottest choice to help unveil Dunkin’s new sweet and spicy donut variety, who better than the expert in hot foods, and host of Complex Networks’ hit First We Feast series Hot Ones, Sean Evans? In a special episode debuting on Oct. 19, for the first time in Hot Ones history Sean will be in the hotseat, challenging himself to answer hard-hitting questions while trying Dunkin’s new Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut, complemented by a variety of hot sauces ranging from sweet to scalding from the show’s famous arsenal.

America can enjoy Dunkin’s #SpicySide on Twitter this month as well, with brand posts demonstrating a decidedly fiery attitude with hot takes and even a burn or two. Dunkin’ is also encouraging fans to show their own spicy side by surprising their friends with the Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut and capturing and posting the reactions on social media using #DunkinSpicySide.

“Halloween looks a little different this year, and so do our donuts. While our classic bakery offering has plenty of crave-worthy treats, we’re excited to show our spicy side with a donut that packs a touch of heat with something sweet and can be enjoyed any time of day,” according to Jill Nelson, Vice President, Marketing Strategy at Dunkin’. “With our scary-good lineup of the Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut, Halloween DIY Dunkin’ Donut Decorating Kits and fan-favorite Spider Donut, Dunkin’ is here to help our guests keep their Halloween spirit alive this season.”

Halloween DIY kits

Create a new Halloween tradition with Dunkin’. Halloween DIY Dunkin’ Donut Decorating Kits will feature plain yeast or Old Fashioned cake donuts, with pre-packaged icing in orange, white, and black varieties, and three sprinkle blends. The Halloween DIY Dunkin’ Donut Decorating Kits are available for purchase in two sizes, small (4-count donuts) and large (9-count donuts).

Spider Donut

Also, the creepy-crawly Spider Donut is back on Dunkin’ menus. This frightfully delicious Spider Donut features a classic ring donut with orange icing, topped with a glazed chocolate MUNCHKINS donut hole treat, chocolate drizzle for the spider legs, and white icing for the eyes to create the sweet eight-legged donut creature.

This year’s Halloween lineup will haunt participating Dunkin’ restaurants for a limited time only, while supplies last.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Dunkin’

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The City of Angels may be chock full of stars, but the Griffith Observatory gives families the best opportunity to see the ones in the sky. Between the mesmerizing planetarium shows that take kids on a journey of cosmic exploration and discovery, fascinating exhibits, and telescopes that provide the most amazing views of LA and the stars above, the Griffith Observatory is the perfect pitstop for all the astronomers in your family.

photo: Griffith Observatory

Samuel Oschin Planetarium 
The Samuel Oschin Planetarium is a truly magical and memorable experience for families. As the Zeiss Star Projector and digital projection system transform the dome into the night sky, visitors are transported to worlds beyond their wildest dreams.

Presently, the planetarium offers three shows to choose from that are presented by a live and engaging storyteller: Centered in the Universe takes visitors on a journey of cosmos; Water is Life leads the audience on a search for water and possibly life beyond Earth while Light of the Valkyries (their 75th anniversary show) reveals the magic of the Northern Lights.

Live presentations are scheduled every 60-to-90 minutes. Note that children under 5 are only admitted to the first show each day (12:45 p.m. on weekdays and 10:45 a.m. on weekends).

Insider Tip: It gets quite dark in the planetarium at the beginning of the show, so prepare your astronomers, especially those that may be afraid of the dark. Tickets may only be purchased on-site at the Observatory for that day’s shows—no advance purchases are available.

photo: Griffith Observatory

The Exhibits

Within the Griffith Observatory, there are two floors of incredible exhibits waiting to spark the imaginations of visitors and encourage them to ponder their own relationships to the universe.

Don’t miss: Scales that tell guests how much they would weigh on each planet and our moon, the Foucault Pendulum—one of the largest scientific instruments in the world that proves Earth is spinning on its axis, and the Tesla Coil which discharges sizzling lightening sparks to the walls of its alcove.

photo: Griffith Observatory

The Telescopes

The main highlight for every Griffith Observatory visitor is getting to look through the famous Zeiss telescope on the roof. More people have looked through this telescope and learned about the movements of the heavens than any other telescope on Earth! After checking out this viewfinder, make sure to check out the other telescopes located on the vast terraces that provide more earth-bound, breathtaking views like the Hollywood sign, DTLA, and the Pacific Ocean.

photo: Jennifer O’Brien

Observatory Events

Special events occur all year long at the Griffith Observatory, but little ones will especially love the “Let’s Make a Comet” presentation in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater during holiday breaks and summertime. During the 30-minute show, visitors help create a comet out of household ingredients.

Once a month, the Observatory hosts a Star Party where kids of all ages can look through dozens of telescopes on the lawn and interact with astronomy enthusiasts from local astronomy clubs, as well as Griffith Observatory employees.

Insider Tip: If you plan on visiting the Griffith Observatory on a Sat. or Sun., try to arrive right as close to 10 a.m. when they open to the public. Crowds will be lighter, and there should be available parking (with the exception of holiday weekends which can get a little crazy to say the least). If you become a member of Friends Of The Observatory, you can reserve parking ahead of time and even book tickets to the planetarium shows.

Where to Eat: Hungry star watchers can grab a bite on the lower level of the Observatory at Wolfgang Puck’s Café at the End of the Universe. A vast menu (including meals for kids) is available with everything from soups and salads to sandwiches and sweet treats. Visitors will find plenty of seating inside or outdoors on the terrace with stellar views of the city and Hollywood sign.

2800 E. Observatory Rd.
Los Angeles
213-473-0800
Online: griffithobservatory.org

To see what Red Tricycle Editors are up to this month, follow us on Instagram!

–Jennifer O’Brien

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As all good shoppers know, Jul. 16 is Amazon Prime Day. And even though it’s on a Monday, think of July 2018 as the new Black Friday. Yay!

With the deep discounts that the online mega-retailer has for eager shoppers, other stores with dollar signs in their eyes don’t want to miss out on all the potential buyers out there. Yep. Target, Walmart and Macy’s are also offering super-sale prices that you’ll want to check out.

Target

So yes, Amazon Prime Day is July 16. But the sale doesn’t end there. This year the online retailer is extending deals for 36 hours. That means Amazon’s discounts will overlap with Target’s July 17 sale.

What can expect from Target’s Tuesday sale? To start with, spend $100 on Target.com (July 17 only) and get yourself a free six-month membership for Shipt same-day delivery service. As if that’s not enough, Target will have 30 percent off Target-exclusive home brand items, 25 percent off discounts on beauty and personal care items, 30 percent off Target-exclusive home brands for kids, prices up to 30 percent off select baby gear, discounts (up to 30 percent off) Google products and sale prices on select toys.

You can also get $5 of a book purchase of $40 or more and free shipping on next-day Target Restock deliveries (July 17 only). Oh, and if you spend at least $35 online, you can get free two-day shipping.

Walmart

Walmart doesn’t want to be left out of the sale craziness either. Their summer sale includes discounts and rollbacks on everything to keep you cool—such as above-ground pools, portable air conditioners and fans.

The big box retailer will also have sale prices on home goods, toys, apparel and your favorite electronics (think Black Friday-ish discounts on TVs, tablets, smartphones and more).

Macy’s

https://twitter.com/SydneySoSweet2/status/1017616940691591171

Macy’s is celebrating their very own “Black Friday in July” now through Jul. 15. Look for deals across your fave categories (such as clothing, shoes, beauty, jewelry and handbags) in stores and online. You may also qualify for 25 percent off plus free shipping (with a $49 or more purchase).

Well now it looks like you’ll have plenty of July sale options. So if you don’t find it on Amazon, your other favorite retailers might just have a better deal.

—Erica Loop

Featured Photo: Courtesy of Walmart

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July is the month of shopping major deals and Target just upped the ante, big time. The company just released info on a hot one-day sale coming this Tues., Jul. 17th and it made everyone aware that “no membership is required.” We see you, Amazon Prime.

Deals will be a-plenty all day Tuesday on Target.com (online only!) and shoppers can expect to find major discounts on Target-exclusive home and kid brands, beauty and personal care, cookware, baby gear, select toy brands and up to 30 percent off certain Google products. REDCard holders will also get to use their 5 percent discount on top of the huge discounts––major point for Target.

If these deals sound familiar, you probably know all about Amazon Prime Day. Target’s response to the huge retailer’s mega-shopping day is definitely obvious, but how do they really compare? Let’s see how the two retailers fare when they go head-to-head.

Who Has the Longer Sale

Amazon Prime Day is a 36-hour shopping extravaganza that starts at 3 p.m. Eastern on Mon., Jul. 16 and continues all day Tues. Jul. 17. Target’s sale boasts equally tempting deals, but will be limited to just one day (Jul. 17).

The winner? Amazon for sure.

Where You Can Shop

This year, Amazon Prime Day will extend to Whole Foods Market, the company’s recently-acquired brick-and-mortar presence. Prime Members will get 10 percent off items already on sale, as well as on other popular Whole Foods products. Target’s sale is limited to just online shopping, so don’t get all crazy loading up your actual red shopping cart in-store!

The winner? It’s a tie. Amazon gets a bump from having actual in-store offerings thanks to Prime Day deals at Whole Foods. And even though Amazon has literally millions more items online than Target, Target still has a ton of stuff online that you just can’t get at Amazon, like Target-exclusive collections.

Get Your Google On

A clear point for Target worth noting is that the company has highlighted that it will be marking down certain Google products by up to 30 percent. If you’re a regular Amazon shopper, you already know that it doesn’t stock Google products, and that’s pretty easy math when it comes to saving big between the two sales!

The winner? Target, obvs.

Extra Savings

Target is offering specialty savings you won’t find on Amazon. Come Tuesday, when you spend $20 you will save $5 on book purchases. As mentioned above, shoppers will also earn a 6-month membership for free same-day delivery which is valued at $50, as well as get free next-day delivery for all Target Restock items purchased on Jul. 17.

Meanwhile, you can save on a bunch of different Amazon services on Prime Day—everything from Audible and Amazon Music subscriptions even Amazon Baby purchases. As an added bonus, you’ll get a $10 Amazon credit when you spend $10 at Whole Foods on Prime Day, too.

The winner? It’s another draw.

So, Who Wins?

When it comes to which retailer will save you more in the end, it really comes down to where you shop the most. If you’re head-over-heels for Opalhouse or Hearth & Hand decor and have been waiting for big sales to redo your home, Target’s the clear winner. If you’re in the market for higher-end electronics, special Fingerlings and shopping literally millions of sale products, then Amazon is where it’s at.

Ultimately, the real winner here is you—because between Target, Amazon and Whole Foods, you’ll have two full days of deals.

––Karly Wood

 

Feature Photo: rawpixel via Pexels

 

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To each his own certainly applies to mealtime with your munchkins. If you sometimes tire of being a short order cook or are simply a parent of a picky preschooler, here’s the dish on four spots where kids can engineer their meals just the way they want ‘em! From stir-fry to grilled cheese—read on for four spots where tots can get in on some foodie fun.

Tom + Chee
When it comes to tot-approved, comfort food, nothing beats a grilled cheese and tomato soup. Tom + Chee’s build-your-own grilled cheese menu lets the littles choose their own bread, cheese, toppings and extras. With bread options that include “glazed donut” (whaaat?) to cheese choices including brie and smoked Gouda, you know that this classic combo has the potential to get very adventurous! If you’re leaning towards lighter options, check out their assortment of fresh salads, homemade dressings and even gluten-free bread.
1200 Ernest Barrett Pkwy., 
Kennesaw, tomandchee.com

Real Chow Baby
Ready to let your kiddo’s inner chef come out? You can’t go wrong with a scrumptious build-your-own stir-fry from the Real Chow Baby. You start out by filling a bowl with your choice of noodles or rice. Then add all the veggies, meat, or seafood you want. Don’t forget the yummy sauces and extra spices. With over 70 fresh ingredients, your brood can get creative and design their own dish. Or, if you prefer the tried and true, you can follow one of the recipes listed above the stir-fry bar. Then sit back and wait as the chef turns your selections into a sizzling stir-fry, soup or salad! The Inside Scoop: Monday night is kid’s night at all chow baby locations! You can score a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal.
1016 Howell Mill Rd., poncebaby.com

Your Pie
This build-your-own pizza restaurant hails from Athens, and now boasts a shiny new location in Buckhead. You move through the line and customize your personal sized pizza by choosing from traditional topping choices—but the sauces are where Your Pie gets a little bolder. Check out options like Ranchy Marinara, Sun Dried Tomato or Thai. And since this is a personal pie, you don’t have to limit yourself to the toppings the kiddos want. Next, they pop your pizza into one of those beautiful brick ovens and voilà! Your pie.
The Inside Scoop: Got a kiddo with a gluten allergy? Not only does Your Pie have gluten-free crust, but they can prepare your gluten-free pizza in a special oven, making it even safer for those with food allergies.
5 West Paces Ferry Rd., yourpie.com

The Counter
Roswell families keep this burger joint hopping. Step up to the counter and you’ll find a menu chock full of tempting treats like fried pickles, chili and hand-spun milk shakes. But the real draw here is the build-your-own menu. Grab your pencil and start selecting from an enticing assortment of options. You can think outside of the burger box and go with ahi tuna or bison and choose from delish sauces such as roasted garlic aoli or sweet sriracha. Of course kiddos who like to keep their burgers simple will fare well with the kid’s mini cheeseburgers.
The Inside Scoop: If the thought of making one more decision exhausts you, choose from one of their “expert builds,” pre-determined burgers for those who don’t want to have to think about it!
850 Mansell Rd., 
Roswell, thecounterburger.com

Where does your little D.I.Y.-er like to dine? Give us the dish in the comments section below!

—Candice Rose

Photos courtesy of Tom + Chee, Real Chow BabyYour Pie, and The Counter via Facebook

Long days, warm nights, and glorious outdoor adventures. There’s something about summertime that brings out the best in us, and some of the best styles in our kids. We recently asked our readers and our team to submit photos of their kids’ fab summer styles. Flip through our photo album to see the sun-kissed submissions and get inspired to revamp your own summer style. These summer lovin’ tots may be pint-sized but their sizzling styles sure are not.

When you live in LA, it's summertime year round. Ok, maybe not all year, but pulling off pastels in winter sure is doable. Here's a photo of sisters Sydnie (age 6) and Annie (age 4), daughters of Jolie Loeb, Red Tricycle LA's contributing writer, who we can only imagine is quite stylish herself. Sydnie is wearing a James Perse shirt and Annie is wearing an H&M shirt. Summer, winter or fall, we love the pink styles on these girls.

What’s your kids’ favorite thing to wear during summertime? Let us know below and then send us a photo of your stylish tots to our editor (Editor@tinybeans.go-vip.net) with your child’s name, age, and brands he or she is wearing.