MY MILLION DOLLAR ARM GREEN CARPET Experience #MILLIONDOLLARARMEVENT

***Disclosure: I received an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood from Disney to facilitate my posts. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Attending a Disney premiere is always exciting. The flashing lights, the celeb sightings, the glitz and glamour of the red carpet....Some of my best memories are from the Ah-MA-zing Iron Man 3 premiere last year at the fabulous El Capitan Theatre. (You can check out my post HERE if you missed it!) 

So when I was blessed enough to be invited back to Hollywood for the Million Dollar Arm World Premiere, I was absolutely stoked. I think I may have done a happy dance. Okay. I totally did a happy dance. My teen rolled his eyes at me, and my littles laughed and pointed. Oh well. I didn't care. They can call me cheesy all they want. I was heading to HOLLYWOOD! 

Anyway, this premiere was something a little different than your typical red carpet event. Rather than being a glam red carpet affair, it was a laid-back, casual tailgate party with a bright green carpet that resembled the well-kept grass on a major league baseball diamond! 

Before the festivities began, there was a Million Dollar Arm Pitching Contest that we were fortunate enough to witness up close and personal. Try-outs were held in several locations throughout the US, and 9 lucky finalists were flown to Hollywood to compete for the prize of a lifetime. If a pitcher could throw a pitch that was 100MPH or more, they'd walk away with a cool million dollars. How cool is that?! I mean, a million dollars is a life-changing amount! 

It was amazing watching this group of very skilled pitchers compete for the prize of a lifetime. The suspense was terrible, and I even caught myself holding my breath as I watched, rooting for the contestants. I SO wanted to see someone snag those top honors!

One contestant, Josh Dahl of Arizona, topped 95MPH! While he didn't walk away with a million dollars, he did get the opportunity to sign on with THE JB Bernstein's agency, Seven Figures Management. Who knows? In the long-run, this may be even more lucrative than the potential million dollar prize!

Once the Pitching Contest was over, it was time to head down the Green Carpet to the tailgate party! Of course, I had to stop and get a few photos on the carpet itself. It was a casual event, so I was rocking a cute summer dress and jean jacket by Torrid, the only brand I can say I wear a size 0 in and not be lying, and my Reebok Skyscape shoes in hot pink. I think it's a fun, casual look, don't you agree?

It's funny....I was SO excited about this premiere that I got almost no sleep the night before. I was tossing and turning and completely giddy. You can see evidence of this by the bags under my eyes, haha. What can I say? I was positively stoked! Sleep? I don't need no stinkin' sleep! I laugh in the face of sleep! Okay, that's a lie. I love sleep, since having 3 kids doesn't allow me much of it. But I was definitely too excited to get much rest in my cozy hotel bed. Can you blame me, though? 

As we made our way down the carpet, we heard a loud, jovial voice shout: "Hey, it's the Mommy Bloggers!" It was none other than the real JB Bernstein, who we had interviewed just hours beforehand. He was thrilled to see us, and introduced us to his gorgeous wife, Brenda, who is portrayed in "Million Dollar Arm" by the talented and oh-so-stunning Lake Bell. Then he really took us by surprise and asked to take a selfie with us! Can you spot me? I am quite vertically-challenged, but you can see my head in there! 

There were so many wonderful athletes and actors present on the carpet, and everyone was talking, laughing, and having an incredible time. ESPN was also on the scene, and we saw several great interviews, including one with the uber-talented Jon Hamm, who plays sports agent JB Bernstein in the film. Can you spot the slight resemblence between Mr. Hamm and Mr. Bernstein, or is it just me? These casting directors were right on the money! 

As we geared up for the World Premiere of "Million Dollar Arm" at the famous El Capitan Theater, we also got to enjoy tons of mingling, activities, and of course, some great food sponsored by brands like Subway, Dole, Wonderful Pistachios, Budweiser, and the iconic LA native, Pinks Hot Dogs. 

We also tried our hand at seeing how fast we could pitch! I have to say, I would NOT be walking away with a million dollars. I would get laughed off of the field after my wimpy 28MPH pitches! (Guess I truly DO throw like a girl!) Needless to say, I won't be quitting my day job any time soon! 

All of my horrid pitching attempts worked up quite the appetite, and I just had to try one of Pink's Hot Dogs legendary dogs. This has been an LA institution for decades, and don't quote me, but I am fairly certain I've heard stories of celebrities being discovered there as well. Check out their creative display to celebrate this exciting event: 

I ordered a beef dog with chili and cheese. As you can see, this makes Oscar Meyer Weiners look like dog food. This dog is handmade from only the highest quality, premium beef and has the perfect balance of spices. The chili was rich and meaty, with just the right amount of kick. And of course, I do love my cheese, which complemented the savory dog and chili beautifully. (Can you tell that the food is always one of my favorite parts of press events?) 

After we pitched till we couldn't throw another, ate till our bellies were full, and mingled with some of Hollywood's best and brightest stars and sports icons, we headed into the glorious El Capitan Theatre to watch "Million Dollar Arm" in true Hollywood style. There is no experience like watching a movie in this beautiful, iconic theatre that has been a Hollywood fixture since the Golden Age of film. We even had the best seats in the house, front and center, surrounded by the stars of the film. But more about that later. I will tell you all about it in my official review of this fantastic family film. Stay tuned! 

Disney's "Million Dollar Arm" opens in theaters everywhere on May 16, 2014. 

If you don't want to wait till the 16th to check out this amazing film, you just might be in luck!

"Million Dollar Arm" will be sneaking in theatres this Saturday night, 5/10 in over 500 theatres across the country before it opens wide on 5/16. How cool is that?! 

For more information and to see if you're one of the lucky ones with early local screenings, click HERE.

You can follow "Million Dollar Arm" on social media to stay on top of the latest news, clips and more:
Website and Mobile Site:   www.Disney.com/MillionDollarArm
Like on Facebook:                www.facebook.com/MillionDollarArm
Follow on Twitter:                @DisneyPictures

And remember, be sure to stay tuned for exclusive interviews with the stars of the film, the real life people whose amazing accomplishments inspired this feel-good story, and for a full movie review!