Holiday Fun at Hillsdale Shopping Center

This is a sponsored post for Hillsdale Shopping Center. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Who’s singing that as they read it? This year, more than ever, it’s important to embrace the Holiday spirit and brighten our mood. What better way to start off the Holiday season than with a visit to our favorite shopping destination, Hillsdale Shopping Center! Read on for my shopping guide as well as a fun little giveaway for all my subscribers!

About Hillsdale Shopping Center:

Nestled along the San Francisco Peninsula in San Mateo, Hillsdale Shopping Center is a balanced blend of luxury and lifestyle retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues. This premier shopping destination boasts 120 stores for fashion, beauty and home, as well as popular dining options to fit any palate!

Our Trip:

To be completely honest, we haven’t stepped foot into a shopping center since March. What enticed us to make the trip to Hillsdale Shopping Center before Thanksgiving, was the open and indoor/outdoor shopping and dining experience coupled with their stringent cleaning and sanitizing protocols. I was thrilled to see not only hand sanitizing stations scattered generously throughout the shopping center but hand washing stations as well! Masks are also required and many stores have entrances from the outside. We spent the majority of our time near the outdoor tree where there is plenty of space to social distance adequately. It allowed the kids to get some of their wiggles out! But first…..we shopped! Below, I’ve listed a few of our fave stores and restaurants.

See’s Candy

Do I need to say any more?!?! Oh how I love my chocolate and See’s is the best! Any shopping trip I ever make includes a visit to See’s Candy and this shopping trip was no exception. See’s Candies has been making quality chocolate and candy the See’s way for over 95 years.  You’ll find over 100 varieties of delicious candy, chocolates, and seasonal gifts made with the same motto in mind: Quality Without Compromise®. I grabbed 6 chocolate gift packs along with a couple pounds of chocolate for myself. Plus, they always offer you yummy samples, which my kids count on! Ha ha! If you can’t make it into the store, some stores offer curbside pickup or order online at Sees.com.

Pandora Jewelry

Another huge favorite of mine is Pandora. Pandora designs, manufactures and markets hand-finished and contemporary jewelry made from high-quality materials at affordable prices.  I discovered how amazing Pandora was around the time of my spine surgery. Neil bought me a bracelet with charms that had meanings like strength, courage and perseverance. I wore that bracelet in the hospital and through rehab. Once Emma and Laura were diagnosed and had to be braced, I did the same thing for them! For every new brace Emma needs, we go shopping together for a new charm for her bracelet to signify her courage. It’s a special mother/daughter moment we have together and Pandora is apart of that! The quality is amazing, and they have a large variety of jewelry for just about anyone!

Lego

Who else has kids obsessed with legos?!? The Lego store is a must see when shopping with kids. We have tubs and tubs of Legos at home and somehow, we always seem to need more! Plus it keeps them stationary and quiet for an hour or two while playing and building! Ha ha! Legos make the perfect gifts for any child of any age. Nicky hounded me for a Mandolorian set, which I secretly purchased for Christmas. If you can’t make it in store, call ahead for curbside or order them online!

California Pizza Kitchen

Halfway through getting our shop on, the kids and I were hungry and grabbed some California Pizza Kitchen to go! California Pizza Kitchen combines their passion for food with fresh high-quality ingredients to create innovative, hearth-baked pizzas such as The Original BBQ Chicken, Thai Chicken, and Jamaican Jerk Chicken, cooked in an open kitchen.  Pizza is always a good idea and we walked over to the open lawn area overlooking the Christmas tree to eat them. Currently, they offer curbside pickup and outdoor eating options which is super convenient.

The Children’s Place

Since I hadn’t bought the kids many new clothes for the last 9 months, I definitely had to make a stop in The Children’s Place! I find it’s the best place to snag play clothing and stock up on pjs, thermals and polos for the boys! We picked up some super cute Christmas pajamas perfect for this Holiday season!

Pinstripes

After shopping, we watched the tree lighting and ordered dinner from Pinstripes. We sat outside overlooking the gorgeous Christmas tree. Not only does Pinstripes have delicious made from scratch food, they also offer bowling and bocci! Currently, bowling and bocci are closed. However, their food is so tasty it’s worth the trip! I can’t wait to have another date night here with Neil over a game of bowling. For now, you can order curbside pick up, or dine in their spacious outdoor seating.

We started off with their Tuscan Sangria and Blueberry Mash cocktails. Mmmmm… The Tomato Bruchetta and Hummus Duo were so scrumptious, I think I could have licked the plate clean. Neil ordered the Chicken Parmesan and I chose the Housemade Ricotta Gnocchi. The portions are generous and the food is superb! The kids enjoyed their pizzas and after dinner played by the tree while we let the food digest for a bit.

A Fun Giveaway

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Hillsdale Shopping Center and felt safe doing so. They have shopping and dining options for every ones comfort level including curbside and to-go. Now, let’s get to the giveaway!

I’m partnering with Hillsdale Shopping Center to give one of my lucky subscribers and followers a gift card to Hillsdale Shopping Center for $50! All you have to do, is subscribe to my blog (if you aren’t already). , follow me on Instagram, HERE, and follow Hillsdale shopping Center, HERE. Then tag a friend on my Hillsdale post on Instagram. Winner will be picked on Instagram Friday, December 11th, 2020.