Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Gatlinburg, TN

Rating: 5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
115 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-7318
http://www.smokiesinformation.org/

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a wonderful treasure filled with the beauty of God’s creations. If it’s adventure you seek, this is clearly the place for you. Explore the landscape on a nature hike, absorb the breathtaking views of the mountainside, cool off or fish in the streams, find a swimming hole beneath a visually stunning waterfall, climb the boulders, photograph animals in their habitat, or bicycle through Cades Cove and take in some history of this majestic environment.

I highly recommend the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the beginner as well as the enthusiast.

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Gatlinburg, TN

Rating:  5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
88 River Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(Traffic Light #5 Downtown)
888-240-1358
http://www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com/

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is an amazing place for both adults and children. There are many opportunities for learning in this interactive environment that is family-friendly. One of the best attributes of this aquarium is the tunnel where you will feel alive as the adrenaline is pumping from being up-close with sharks, stingrays, and various other sea life. You feel as though you are in the ocean with them as you gaze beside and above you…only much safer!!

You will find many kid-friendly activities as you explore the facility: touch-a-ray bay, penguin playhouse, touch horseshoe crabs in Discovery Center, crawl into tunnels inside mini-aquariums, glow-in-the-dark treehouse aquarium, and interactive displays with buttons to push so they participate in learning while having fun at the same time.

Since the kids are involved, you can stay for hours and enjoy their fascination. Along the way, you will find a Dippin’ Dots ice cream stand and a food court to feed the hungry kiddos so everyone can stay and have a pleasant experience.

The customer service was excellent and very friendly. I found this to be on the pricey side but well worth the investment for hours of fun entertainment! I highly recommend Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Come and explore the wonders of the water!!!

FYI:  Prices - $22 adults, $11 kids; Parking is cash only. The food court and ice cream stand take debit/credit.

Eagle's Nest Sports Grill - Ft. Worth, TX

Rating: 4 out of 5 STARS!!!


Eagle’s Nest Sports Grill
8455 Boat Club Rd.
Ft. Worth, TX 76179
817-236-8881
http://www.eaglesnestsportsgrill.com/

On this fine Monday afternoon, we hit the jackpot in our search for a good burger and fries. When you walk in, you immediately notice the TV screens and décor indicative of a sports grill and a wait-staff dressed in the typical attire you would expect to see at a grill such as this...not exactly “kid-friendly” so keep that in mind when you consider bringing the family.

We ordered the Build Your Own Burger off the lunch menu. With the burger comes a choice of fries, onion strings, or pop chips for $6.95 which is very reasonable. The base one is a half-pound patty, lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. You can add additional fixins’, about 12 to choose from, for $.50 each. I took away the tomatoes and added mayo, cheese, bacon, and avocado slices to mine making for a fabulously juicy and delicious burger that tops many I have tried. I chose the seasoned, thick-cut fries and found them to be the perfect accompaniment. The ingredients are fresh, cooked to perfection, and placed in a large-squared honey bun where the flavors mingle well together and you capture a little of all the ingredients in each bite.

The portions are huge and very filling. Our waitress was friendly and we did not have to wait long before our food arrived. Come and enjoy a burger or something else from the varied menu or live bands too!!

FYI: This establishment is located near Eagle Mountain Lake and caters to a night audience & has various events - check out the website for more info.

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!!

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.

Amazing Jakes - Plano, TX - Family Entertainment Review

Rating: 4 out of 5 STARS!!!

Amazing Jake's
831 N. Central Expway
Plano, TX 75075
972-509-JAKE (5253)
http://www.amazingjakes.com/

Amazing Jake's is an all-you-can-eat-buffet restaurant and indoor entertainment place for all ages. Here you will find rides like go-karts, bumper cars, carousel, train, and more. Also housed in this amusement space are fun activities like putt-putt golf, laser tag, a rock climbing wall, and an arcade area with games like mini-bowling, skee-ball, air-hockey, basketball, jump rope, and many more fun games for toddlers as well as the bigger kids.

Amazing Jake's is a fantastic place to beat the heat in the summer or freezing temps outside in the winter and still be able to enjoy the activities--only INDOORS!!! There is enough inside to keep the entire family busy and happy for several hours. This is a newer facility and everything is clean and organized. The buffet offers salad, soups, pastas, baked potatoes, pizza, desserts, and drinks. I found the salad, pasta, baked potato, and most of the desserts to be good. I found the pizza to be improved over the last time we went. My family and I enjoyed the movie dining room. It contains 4 Big Screen TV's and glow in the dark walls. You will also find a Sports dining room with a few smaller TV's as well and quite a few larger dining areas throughout. This is on the pricey side but you can get an unlimited pass that includes the food, all rides and activities, and it also gives you 20 points on your playcard toward arcade games as well per person - for 3 hours! There are tickets given for each game played and can be traded in for prizes. I highly recommend Amazing Jake's for a family day out or for an amazing birthday celebration!

FYI: In order to participate on the rock climbing wall, you must be wearing closed-toe shoes. Save on the expense if you print off online coupons. Another way to save some money would be to purchase unlimited passes for the kids only. I do not recommend paying individually for every activity as it will exceed the unlimited pass price.

The Blind Side Movie Review

Rating: PG-13 - 5 out of 5 STARS!!!
Release Date: November 20, 2009
Genre: Drama/Biography/Sport
Director: John Lee Hancock


Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, Lily Collins, Ray McKinnon, Kim Dickens, Kathy Bates, and more.

The Blind Side is a very poignant story that will resonate with everyone. It tells of divides that exist but that love and compassion can conquer unconditionally. You will leave the theater feeling inspired to live a better, more meaningful life. I highly recommend you see The Blind Side.

Sandra Bullock was brilliant in this role and her performance was flawless. She deserves to win an Oscar for her portrayal in this film. This elevates her career to a whole new level of excellence. She embodied the character completely and you no longer saw the nuances of Sandra in this part. Child actor, Jae Head, gives a breakout performance as well on screen. Accolades!!

FYI: Bring tissues as it will tug on your heartstrings!

Warning: Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug, and sexual references.

Dear John Movie Review

Rating: PG-13 - 4 out of 5 STARS!!!
Release Date: February 5, 2010
Genre: Romance/Drama/War
Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Cast: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins, Henry Thomas, and more.

Dear John is an endearing film about an improbable romance between two people from different worlds. You will experience many emotions when investing in this story that tells of two great loves; that of a father and son, and a new found love that tries to go the distance during war time while facing the challenges that presents.

Richard Jenkins delivers an outstanding performance in his supporting role. Dear John does not have the same appeal as The Notebook but does offer old-fashioned charm and romance and makes for a great date movie. Enjoy!

FYI: Bring tissue and wear waterproof mascara ladies.

Warning: Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence.

Young Chefs Academy - McKinney, TX - Family Entertainment Review

Rating: 5 out of 5 STARS!!!

Young Chefs Academy
2107 W. Eldorado Pkwy. #109
McKinney, TX 75070
www.youngchefsacademy.com/mckinney

Young Chefs Academy is an outstanding choice for a birthday party, cooking classes, mini-camps, girl scout troop event, school fundraisers, end of season soccer parties, or end of year gatherings. There is a menu full of variety for all different ages, skill levels, and food palette preferences. The academy staff give you instruction, help you to practice kitchen hygiene and cooking safety, and help you to prepare delicious food for the group.

At the end of the party, the staff will assist the birthday child opening the presents, write down the list of guests to thank for which items, serve the birthday treat, and deliver the goodie bags to each child in attendance. I highly recommend Young Chefs Academy for your next gathering of girls, and/or boys, that enjoy food creations that are their own. Bon Appetit.