Strikz Bowling/Entertainment Center - Frisco, TX

                                                     
Rating:  5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Strikz Entertainment Center
8789 Lebanon Rd.
Frisco, TX 75034
972-668-5263
http://www.strikz.com/

I have been to Strikz many times since moving to the area and have even thrown a birthday party here before that everyone enjoyed, so I had no reservations about having another birthday party at this location. Upon calling to set things up, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they had recently renovated and now have more party rooms available, a new food area, and many new features throughout that offer a sleeker and more inviting look and function for various occasions.  The hostesses are friendly, detailed, and handle everything with ease.  The birthday package prices are far more affordable and give you more for your money than most other venues in the same area. Now available to you is online lane booking. (4 hrs prior)

Strikz Entertainment Center has glow-in-the-dark cosmic bowling, laser tag, arcade, pool tables, snack shop, and prize redemption making for a great place for a fun group outing! During the cosmic bowling, they will play music and put up music video screens to enjoy as you bowl. For the younger kids, they have special ramps they can use to roll the ball down and will put up the bumpers to help them stay competitive and hopefully gutter-free. There are certain times for leagues and parties so you might want to call ahead to make sure if you'll be able to get a lane(s). The snack bar has good food compared to many other places. We had an awesome time here and I highly recommend Strikz for your party and entertainment needs.  Have fun!!

Ernesto's Mexican Restaurant - Prosper, TX

                                                                         
Rating:  4 out of 5 STARS!!!

Ernesto's Mexican Restaurant
120 N Preston Rd, #40
Prosper, TX 75078
972-347-2280

I have been hearing about Ernesto’s for a while now so I thought I’d check it out today when I was in the area. The waitstaff were friendly and the food is as good as I’ve been told, except for the guacamole. This particular batch was lacking an ingredient or two…hopefully it will be much better in the near future. The chips and salsa were up to par and I found the beef and chicken enchiladas topped with queso and sour cream to be exceptional, and the rice served was delicious. Ernesto’s is authentic mexican cuisine not Tex-Mex and is a gem in this small town. I highly recommend you dine here when in the Prosper or Celina area.  Happy Dining!!

Express Pest Control - McKinney, TX

Rating:  5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Express Pest Control
323 Industrial Blvd. Ste. C
McKinney, TX 75069
http://www.expresspest.com/

Express Pest Control has friendly and knowledgeable technicians that give you proper service in a timely manner while being less expensive than their competition. If you have needs beyond your quarterly treatments then they happily return between visits without extra charges and they do not continually try to sell you products or upgrade services that you do not need to invest in. I am completely satisfied with EPC and recommend them for your ant, spiders, and general pest control needs.

FYI: EPC has an office in Sherman as well.

Dos Charros Restaurant Review - McKinney, TX

Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 STARS!!!

Dos Charros Tex Mex
4150 W. Eldorado Pkwy.
McKinney, TX 75071
214-726-1514
www.loscharrosmex.com

This was my first time to dine at this establishment.  It is located inside a strip center of other restaurants. The decor is simple and basic.  Who needs frills-not this girl...the food was quite good, the service was friendly and attentive, the restaurant was clean, and the pricing is low to moderate - that's all that matters, really.

Our party enjoyed the beef and chicken enchiladas, guacamole, chips, and salsa.  The kids liked being able to cut up the enchiladas without having them fall apart. At the end of the meal, we tried a Mexican Praline. I do not recommend this particular dessert choice unless you love cinnamon, lots of sugar, and a super hard texture like peanut brittle. I do enjoy a good praline but this one fell short for us.

I recommend Dos Charros when you're in the McKinney area or their other branches called Los Charros which are located in Allen, Little Elm, and Wylie.

The Back-up Plan Movie Review

Rating:  PG-13 - 2 1/2 out of 5 STARS!!!

Release Date:   April 23, 2010
Genre:             Romance/Comedy
Director:          Alan Poul

Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O’Loughlin, Michaela Watkins, Linda Lavin, Tom Bosley, and more.

The Back-up Plan had the potential to be a hilarious romantic comedy with this storyline. Tragedy has struck this chick flick with predictability, bad acting, and little humor. There are a handful of good scenes throughout but not enough to make a really good drama or a delightful comedy. I usually like a good “girls’ movie” but did not overly enjoy this one. I did find some of the pregnancy experiences to be funny but humor was definitely hard to come by in this film.

I suggest you exercise your own back-up plan and see a different movie!!!

FYI: Rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, some crude material and language.

Date Night Movie Review

Rating:  PG-13 - 3 out of 5 STARS!!!

Release Date:   April 9, 2010
Genre:             Comedy/Romance/Thriller
Director:          Shawn Levy

Cast: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Taraji P. Henson, Mark Wahlberg, Jimmi Simpson, Common, William Fichtner, and many more.

This couple is in need of an exciting date night adventure…and they get it! What they end up with is definitely not boring or the usual routine by any means, but is not exactly what they had hoped for this evening without the kids. The drama does help to grow their relationship into one of trust, contentment, and produces a love spark that ignites their marriage once again.

While there was plenty of laughter in this film, much of the dialogue and actions fell flat and did not make for funny moments on screen. I liked this movie but could have waited until the DVD release.


FYI: Rated PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference.

Great Wolf Lodge - Grapevine, TX - Hotel/Spa Review

Rating: 5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Great Wolf Lodge
100 Great Wolf Drive
Grapevine, TX 76051
817-488-6510
www.greatwolf.com

The Great Wolf Lodge is an awesome weekend retreat. This is no ordinary lodge - this is a playground for all ages - even adults! Here you will find water fun year round with both an indoor waterpark as well as an outdoor waterpark. Housed in these spaces are: a wave pool, outdoor family lagoon, 2 hot tubs, 6 family pools featuring play activities for all ages, 9 waterslides, lazy river, a 4-story interactive treehouse waterfort, lounging chairs, snack bars, and adult beverages. Inside the lodge you'll find themed hotel suites, restaurants, an arcade, gift stores, Magiquest, Elements Spa, Scoops Kid Spa, conference center, and a dessert shop that specializes in fudge, chocolate candies, and ice cream. Parents will also enjoy the Cub Club that offers scheduled activities and bedstory times for the kiddos.

The lodge has a very masculine decor but it is still welcoming. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The rooms are clean. The common bathrooms throughout the lodge and waterpark areas have wet mats to help prevent falls and are kept quite clean as well. The Elements Spa here is awesome! I highly recommend it. Great Wolf Lodge is on the pricey side per night but does include the waterparks that you can utilize before your check-in time and also after your check-out time. During the week they are open until 9 pm and on the weekends they are open until 10 pm. The outdoor waterpark is only open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.

**************************************************************************

Rating: 5 out of 5 STARS!!!

(Located inside Great Wolf Lodge)
Elements Spa
100 Great Wolf Drive
Grapevine, TX 76051
817-488-6510 ext. 720
www.greatwolflodge.com

When you arrive at the Elements Spa you immediately begin to be enticed by the calming scents inside. Shortly after, you are walked to a waiting room with low lighting, lemon and cucumber water, and a very comfy sofa and chaise chairs. The design of the space is oriental in its theme with nature as the essence to begin the relaxing journey that awaits you.

Once the massage therapist consults your questionnaire, you are taken to your spa suite to begin. Before your massage session, you are given a heated foot massage and soak in a large foot bowl as the pampering starts. I had the 60 minute elemental massage for relaxation and my masseuse was Christal. I highly recommend Christal and this type of massage as well. Christal has been in this field for over 4 years and is very talented. She is very good with pressure points in the hands, neck, head, feet, and shoulders that relieve pain and built up stress. I left the spa feeling rejuvenated and the soreness was alleviated by the end of my session.

The staff are friendly and the prices are reasonable for the length of service and quality that you receive. The Elements Spa is open 7 days a week - hours vary. My only complaint is that there is an automatic 18% gratuity for each service that is added to your bill.

** FYI: If you are a local, just enter through the Great Wolf Lodge and take the elevator to the floor marked Elements Spa.

If you are staying at the lodge, I recommend that you book your spa treatments as soon as you arrive, or before, because they book up fast.**

Thunderbird Roller Rink - Plano, TX - Entertainment Review

Rating:  3 1/2 out of  5 STARS!!!

Thunderbird Roller Rink
3200 Thunderbird Lane
Plano, TX 75075
972-422-4984
http://www.thunderbirdskatecenter.com/

Thunderbird Roller Rink offers indoor rollerskating, snack bar, music, and games on the hardwood skate floor. The building is outdated in its appearance but inside it is fairly large and can entertain you just the same. Thunderbird follows the Plano ISD calendar. Hours may vary so give them a call before leaving the house. Prices here are a little lower than others of the same venue. This is a great place to have a birthday party or to entertain the kids all year long. Skating is great exercise and it gives the adults an excuse to be a kid again. Come join the fun!

FYI:  This rink offers Stroller Skate days for moms.

The Last Song Movie Review

Rating: PG - 4 out of 5 STARS!!!

Release Date:   March 31, 2010
Genre:              Drama/Romance
Director:          Julie Ann Robinson

Cast: Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, Bobby Coleman, Liam Hemsworth, Kelly Preston, and many more.

I love a good transformation movie and that is what happens throughout this piece. You will see a troubled teen allow herself to become vulnerable and transform into a beautiful person that matures from life experiences. The changing relationships with all involved will ultimately restore your hope and confidence in the potential that each of us possess and in the dreams we have for our families and for ourselves.

You will laugh, you will cry, and you will embrace this film as it has great depth and layered storylines that will make it endearing to most. If you can get past “Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana” and focus on the story and be entertained in the moment, rather than compare this with other Sparks movies/books, then you’ll enjoy it. I think The Last Song is worth the investment made to see it on the big screen.

FYI: Rated PG for thematic material, some violence, sensuality and mild language.

Massage Envy - McKinney, TX - Spa Review

Rating: 4 out of 5 STARS!!!

Massage Envy - Craig Ranch
8950 State Highway 121 Suite #340
McKinney, TX 75070
972-370-ENVY (3689)
http://www.massageenvy.com/

This Massage Envy is a fairly new establishment and offers low introductory rates on your first massage with them. I found the masseuse to be knowledgeable in her trade and focused on the areas that I requested on my questionnaire. I was thankful that she read it and tailored my massage based on this specific information that she received prior to my coming into the spa room this day.

I found the low lighting in the room to be relaxing, the fragrance was soothing, and the music selection calming. The therapist was silent so that I could de-stress and enjoy the tension being removed from my body. The lotion was warmed before putting it on me and plenty was used so that it would go more smoothly. She was able to manipulate my sore areas and work out all the knots.

I left Massage Envy feeling refreshed, relaxed, and no longer sore in my back and shoulders. Massage therapy is a great tool for pain relief and relaxation. I recommend the 1 hour Swedish massage technique.

** FYI:  Drink plenty of water before and after to help complete the detox process! **