Photo courtesy of RascalFlatts.com

Carnival Cruise Lines and Live Nation have started “Rock the Deck” to reach fun-loving music fans before, during and after live shows with VIP priority seating, in-venue visibility, fan interaction and exclusive artist access.

There will also be pre-show entertainment gatherings, “Carnival Sailgate Parties,” Carnival-reserved VIP seating areas for fans, and photos capturing concertgoers enjoying the pre-show festivities that will be made available on Carnival’s Facebook page after the events. Learn more about this special access to these experiences and other offers in the coming weeks at www.facebook.com/carnival.

Carnival is now an Official Concert Series Sponsor at these four Live Nation amphitheater concert venues:

Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood in Atlanta

Jiffy Lube Live in Washington D.C.

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston

Superpages.com Center in Dallas

“Carnival is all about creating fun, memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and try things for the first time – whether that’s taking their first cruise, trying a new food or experiencing their favorite new band performing live,” said Jim Berra, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines.

Check out the Rock The Deck Summer Mystery Tour Sweepstakes for your chance to win VIP concert experiences at Live Nation venues in major U.S. cities.

Carnival also can be found on:
Twitter
Facebook
Flickr

Disclosure: I received tickets to the Rascal Flatts concert here in Atlanta courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines.

We are having a pretty fun summer here in Atlanta. There are lots of events going on and many fun things that bloggers can take part in. I love the chance to meet up with other bloggers in the area. The fact is, that as bloggers, what we do is still a mystery to some people so the opportunities to get together with others who “get” us is always exciting to me.

This coming Thursday is one event that I am the co-host of and below is the invitation. Join us for some fun, companionship, some chatting and of course, a little bowling.

You’re invited to a Summer All-Stars bowling party from One2One Network and AMF Bowling Centers!

Join One2One Network and our co-hosts, Stacie Connerty of The Divine Miss Mommy & Piera Jolly of Jolly Mom, and your fellow area bloggers for a Girl’s Night Out! It’ll be two hours of bowl-a-rama excitement!

Food & beverages, shoe rental and games are all taken care of, we just need you to complete the party!

The party will be on Thursday night, July 7th from 7-9 pm at the AMF Marietta Lanes in Marietta, GA. Grab a friend and join the fun!

Use the #O2OAllStars hashtag on Twitter to keep everyone updated on your strikes & spares!

So are you in?

If so, contact me and we will get you on the guest list ASAP or you can go here to sign up. See you there!

One of the best things you can do for your children is take them new places and let them experience the world around them. Summer vacation is the perfect time to explore, but heading out each day can get expensive. Here are some free and inexpensive things you can do with kids this summer. The ideas are taken from a new book called 100+ Free and Cheap Things to do in Atlanta with Kids which includes the who, what, where and when, with costs up front for easy viewing. Web links guide readers to specific information on the attraction; addresses make it easy to plug into the GPS on the go.

The book is available at www.fieldtripswithsue.com/100free in e-book format for the iPad, iPhone, Kindle and Nook for $4.99 and $9.99 for the printed version. You’ll pay for it with your first outing! So pack a picnic lunch and head out for a frugal afternoon of fun. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:

Visit a Museum or Attraction – Several Atlanta area attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta and The Atlanta Braves offer opportunities to visit for free. For instance, all Georgia Public Libraries have a Family Pass to Zoo Atlanta that can be checked out with a library card.

See a Movie – Southern Outdoor Cinemas host free movies at parks, and shopping centers all summer long. For indoor movies, Regal Cinemas hosts the Regal Summer Movie Express. The theater shows G and PG rated films at 10 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and admission is only $1. Plus a portion of the proceeds benefits the Will Rogers Institute.

Get Back to Nature – For low cost and big fun, check out Georgia State Parks or any of the National Parks. There are also several nature preserves around Atlanta that offer free admission including Dauset Trail. Dauset Trail is a 1200 acre preserve with trails, creeks, wildlife and an extensive calendar of events throughout the year.

Play Sports – From watching professional sports teams to playing them on your own, the book gives you ideas on active fun including bowling. Several national bowling centers offer free bowling to students during the summer. Check out www.kidsbowlfree.com or sign up for Brunswick Zone’s Bonus Zone for emailed coupons. AMF also has a free bowling program.

Build a Craft – Learn what stores offer kids activities for a bit of indoor (and cooler) fun. For example, Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement offer monthly kid’s workshops where children make and take a wooden craft. Both programs also include a kid sized apron.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Field Trips with Sue‘s founder Sue Rodman is a resident of Atlanta and the mother of three boys. When not scouting new adventures, she works in marketing and public relations and serves on the marketing committee at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta. In her spare time, she volunteers at her son’s elementary school and serves as vice president communications for the Sutton Middle School PTA.

Bloggy Bootcamp, a creation of the SITS girls is coming to Atlanta later this year on October 22nd at the Melia Atlanta Hotel. The event runs from 9 AM to 5 PM with a cocktail reception to follow from 7 to 9 pm.

Have you heard of Bloggy Bootcamp?

I am thrilled to announce that I will be speaking at the conference on working with PR and I would love for you to attend.

Atlanta Bloggy Bootcamp Details.

One lucky reader of The Divine Miss Mommy will win a ticket or Buy your ticket here! Get $20 off of your ticket with the code Atlanta20

WIN AN ATLANTA BLOGGY BOOTCAMP TICKET HERE!

To enter, tell me why you want to attend the Atlanta Bloggy Bootcamp. Leave your answer in the comments below as your first, mandatory entry.

BONUS ENTRIES FOR EXTRA CHANCES TO WIN

5 ENTRIES:

Blog about the ticket giveaway and Bloggy Bootcamp in general as a separate blog post. You must list the other upcoming city dates as well.

Subscribe by email or RSS Reader

2 ENTRIES:

Share the giveaway on your Facebook page

1 ENTRY:

Like this post by clicking the Facebook “Like” button

Follow  @StacieinAtlanta on Twitter (that’s me!)

Follow @BloggyBootcamp on Twitter

Tweet about the contest (up to 4 X per day – Subscribers can tweet every 2 hours). Tweet MUST have the giveaway item, the word giveaway in the tweet and a link to this post. You must use the hashtag #BBCATL AND #bloggybootcamp

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Giveaway ends 7/01/11 and is open to US only. All entries must be properly recorded in the comments to count (i.e. Link to tweets, Facebook page, etc). Winner will be notified via email and has 24 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen and notified.

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Disney Store will celebrate the opening of the newly designed store Perimeter Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. This will be the first of many newly designed Disney Stores to open in 2011. Jodi Benson, the legendary voice of Ariel, from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, will join Atlanta families in celebrating the new store opening.

The new Disney Store offers a one-of-a-kind, interactive and magical experience for Disney fans of all ages. Disney Store’s new design concept aims to deliver “the best 30 minutes of a child’s day” through immersive experiences including a Disney Princess with Magic Mirror, Translucent Trees, Disney●Pixar CARS-branded Ridemakerz experience and the Disney Store Theatre featuring the latest Disney entertainment.

*The first 250 guests who attend the public celebration will receive FREE Mickey Mouse ears.

With each new store opening in 2011, Disney Store will donate 10 percent of the first day’s sales to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the United States.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 30, 2011
• 9 a.m. – Private tour of new Disney Store
• 9:30 a.m. – Interview opportunities with Disney Store executives
• 10:00—Disney Store Opening Ceremony and Jodi Benson “Unlocks Magic”

WHERE:
Disney Store at Perimeter Mall
4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30346

SPECIAL GUESTS:
• Beth Moller, Disney Store Regional Manager and Ranna Edwards, Disney Store General Manager
• Jodi Benson, Voice of Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid

ABOUT DISNEY STORE
The Disney Store retail chain, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America, Europe, and Japan. Disney Store is the retail merchandising arm of Disney Consumer Products, the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and its affiliates that extends the Disney brand to merchandise. Disney Store carries high-quality products, including exclusive product lines that support and promote Disney’s key entertainment initiatives and characters. Disney Store opened its first store in Glendale, California and, in doing so, originated the themed retail business model.

There are currently more than 200 Disney Store locations in North America; more than 40 Disney Store locations in Japan; and more than 100 Disney Store locations in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Portugal, plus online stores www.DisneyStore.com<http://www.DisneyStore.com> and www.disneystore.co.uk<http://www.disneystore.co.uk>.

Each Disney Store location offers a magical shopping experience that can only be delivered by Disney, one of the world’s largest and most successful entertainment companies.

For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com/press/us/disneystore or follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.

MEET YOUR CAR MAKER!

At GM we have a renewed focus on our customers. And we’re here to listen to you. On March 26, you’re invited to meet with key GM executives for an open discussion on any questions or suggestions you might have. We want to know what’s on your mind.

We’re here to listen, not sell. This is a chance for us to get feedback from the people who matter most, our customers. We look forward to seeing you soon. More importantly, we look forward to listening.

The program is actually called GM Outreach. General Motors has chosen nine Chevy dealers in the U.S. to come out and get a “hands on feel” to allow their employees to experience what operating a dealership is all about. Corporate executives, engineers, designers, marketers, etc. will take over three Atlanta dealerships this Saturday, March 26.

Got a question about GM and Chevy’s future? Want to ask an engineer about a technical aspect of your Chevy? Want to ask a designer about the future look of the new cars? Want to get a price on a new Chevy from a Corporate Executive? Test drive a GM car?

YOU’RE INVITED!

There will be food, fun, activities, door prizes and special deals on new cars. Of course, there is no charge to attend.

Project Outreach will be taking place this Saturday, March 26 from 10am-6pm at three different dealers in the Atlanta area. In addition to having free food, music and fun activities for the family, we’ll be having GM Employees from Detroit on-hand should you want to ask them something directly.

GM has events happening at three different dealers (Carl Black Buick-GMC, Hennessy Cadillac and Jim Ellis Chevrolet), all who are eager to meet with consumers and host you and your family:

Carl Black Buick-GMC – Kennesaw

Hennessy Cadillac – Duluth

Jim Ellis Chevrolet – Atlanta

Free Family Event is a Sweet Way Dress Up Breakfast

SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

WHAT: Springtime is here, and Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup invites families from all over Atlanta to join her for a Family Breakfast Ball at Piedmont Park on Sunday, March 27, 2011. In celebration of her new limited-edition spring bottles, Mrs. Butterworth’s will serve a complimentary pancake and waffle breakfast along with her rich and buttery syrup and a heaping helping of fun for the entire family.

Families get a sneak peek of Mrs. Butterworth’s new, downloadable wardrobe collection with accessories designed to complement and customize her bright new look. Families can play designer by adding their own personal touches to new Mrs. Butterworth’s spring edition bottles. After the event, accessories will be available for everyone to download from her Facebook page with a special purchase code found on Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup limited-edition spring bottles.

WHO:              Mrs. Butterworth’s Family Breakfast Ball is open to breakfast lovers of all ages at no cost.

WHEN: Sunday, March 27, 2011, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

WHERE: Piedmont Park’s Magnolia Hall Lawn

400 Park Drive Northeast

Atlanta, GA 30306

MORE INFO: Visit Mrs. Butterworth’s page on Facebook at facebook.com/MrsButterworths and follow her on Twitter attwitter.com/MrsButterworths.

Yesterday while at Disney’s Animal Kingdom my six year old daughter saw this sign.

Instead of reading the sign, she looked at the pictures and instantly knew what they were trying to tell her.

“No punching fish, Mommy. They don’t like it.”

Indeed.

For more great Wordless Wednesday places to link up, check out Dear Crissy.

Ashford Castle is located in the wilds of Connemara in the West of Ireland. Built 900 years ago by the DeBurgo family, Ashford has been recreated from its humble beginnings as a defensive Irish Castle into its current incarnation as a castle in the Victorian Gothic style. The castle was converted into a hotel in 1939 by owner Noel Huggard. Ashford is hailed as a premier European hunting and fishing destination.

The castle consists of 83 beautifully designed bedrooms with luxuriously appointed bathrooms. Each room offers spectacular views of the stunning gardens and beautiful waterways. There are plentiful drawing rooms and halls where guests can congregate, and relax in front of the immense fireplaces that are lit with open fires.

The Ashford estate boasts 300 acres of splendid gardens that include tree specimens from around the world. The 9-hole parkland golf course was designed by the legendary Irish golf course designer Eddie Hackett.

Dining and Entertainment
The castle features a choice for guests’ dinning pleasure. The ‘George V’ offers a formal atmosphere in which to enjoy the culinary delights of a Michelin Star Chef. The Cullen’s Cottage is a casual restaurant that offers a menu of bistro style cuisine. The property also boasts the Dungeon Bar which features Irish flavored entertainment in the form of dancing, singing and storytelling.

Local Sights
Lough Corrib is a popular lake known for its trout and salmon fishing. The lake encompasses 41,000 acres and contains several hundred islands within its shores. Many of these islands feature ancient settlements that can be explored during a day trip boating excursion.

Famous Guests
There have been many famous guests to Ashford Castle, some of which have stayed for months each visit. Among the more notable personalities are:

• Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne who both stayed in the castle while working on the film “The Quiet Man” in the neighboring village of Cong.

• President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy visited during his presidency.

• George V, after whom the restaurant is named, stayed for several months to enjoy the noted hunting and fishing.

• Pierce Brosnan got married there during our 2001 trip. Then he followed us to Dublin where we saw him no less than 4 times. It was very exciting.

During its six decades of operation as a luxury hotel Ashford Castle has emerged as the most exclusive Irish castle hotel as well as a premier hunting and fishing mecca.

We spent a week here in 2001. This still is one of the most memorable trips that my husband and I have ever taken. From skeet shooting and falconry to authentic Irish pubs and dinner entertainment, Ashford Castle tops our list in terms of top travel spots.

The Greatest Show On Earth just got Greater with the All-new Ringling Bros.® extravaganza coming to Philips Arena Feb. 17 – 21 and Gwinnett Arena Feb. 24 – 27.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Barnum 200, The Greatest Birthday Bash in Circus History features 130 performers from six continents, almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, cowboys, pirates, and mermaids.

This monumental, once in a lifetime event celebrates the 200TH anniversary of the birth of the legendary P.T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman on Earth! and can only be experienced at The Greatest Show On Earth®, Barnum’s living legacy!

Ringmaster Jonathan Lee Iverson invites the audience to leap aboard the Ringling Bros. train and go on a family FUNtastic adventure to meet exotic characters and witness thrilling performances. Check out the video provided by Ringmaster Iverson as he gives a sneak peek of “Circus in the Air”

The Barnum Birthday Bash provides hours of thrilling entertainment that is fun for the whole family and offers the greatest value in family entertainment making the circus Ticketmaster’s number one most purchased family event.

Tickets for Barnum’s Birthday Bash go on sale November 27 and are available through www.Ringling.com, Ticketmaster, Philips Arena or the Gwinnett Arena box office.

Arrive an hour before show time for the All Access Pre-show – FREE to all ticket holders, and meet performers and animals, learn circus skills and enjoy a taste of the performance before the show even starts!

CIRCUS DEAL ALERT!

Zaxby’s has partnered with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey® to help grant the wishes of 100 Make-A-Wish children with life-threatening medical conditions by taking them to the circus on February 17. The children will enjoy a pre-party at Zaxby’s with LZ, the restaurant’s chicken mascot, before a night at the circus. You can go to Zaxby’s and get a coupon for a Family Four-Pack of Tickets for $50. This discount is valid on the $14, $22 and $28 price levels. Valid for ALL Atlanta and Duluth performances (EXCEPT FEB. 17 at Philips Arena).

DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a family four pack of tickets which I gave away during a school PTA meeting. I was also given four tickets for my family to attend the show.