H-Town, It's Goin' Down

First time in Texas, of course a road trip was in order. Taking a car sometimes saves you more money, than grabbing a plane ticket; especially if the trip is planned in little time. Hope ya'll enjoy a few fun Houston spots. Contact me if you have any extra questions.

My cousin Bebe's birthday came around, so we decided driving up to Houston would be inexpensive and a blast; boy was she right about this one... Kinda. To start off she has a kick ass, eco friendly car. So it was literally under $100 there, and under $100 back in gas. That is already less than a round trip ticket for ONE of us. So I will be honest, the drive was total sh**! Damn near 15 hours of pitch black curves, swaying truck drivers and back cramps. Now, I may just be acting like a total cry baby about it; others may love this. I will say though, this is the BEST way to go to save money.

We decided to stay with family a couple of nights for peace and modesty. Then the very exquisite Magnolia Hotel for a few long nights, and early mornings. This hotel was decked out; it was a total mom and pops luxury package. The staff was the sweetest, they were all so helpful with everything. I loved how they didn't limit themselves to their property when guiding us. They worked so quickly, professionally and all with a bright smile on their faces. I love to stay on a property where every level of staffing has great energy towards you. Want to give personal shout outs to some of Magnolia's staff; to Chantay H. because she gave me great service as soon as I called, very detailed and hands on. Reginald S. was on the night shift and acknowledged us every time we were around with a smile. I don't have much of a favorite anything, but Iris, was just super kick a**, she referred to me as Ms. Mars, offered things before we even asked, her multitasking skills blew me away. Even Carlos out front with his contagious smile, and helpful services. Thank you all for the great treatment to myself and my guests. We were placed on the 21st floor of the hotel, overlooking beautiful Downtown Houston. The city is so beautiful, the locals are so friendly and catering. We enjoyed all the amnesties at the Magnolia hotel. They had free WiFi and snacks, happy hour, room service, gym, roof top pool and more. We even had a mini photoshoot on the roof, great view. They do have $30/day parking; we just parked at a meter right across and paid $7 for the whole day though (budget life). I got a great workout in while at the Magnolia, their equipment was all new and advanced; they have a fruit, water, and towel section for guests. I want to extend my gratitude to them 20 times more. Ms. Mars will be at the Magnolia hotel next time in Houston hands down!!

Tried to grab my Caribbean roots in a meal while out in Houston. Cool Runnings, mi soon come back man. I grabbed a very classic plate; rice and peas, oxtails, cabbage and sweet plantains large plate ran about $14. All the food tasted fresh, the meat was nice and tender too. Grabbed a beef and chicken patty for the road that Marie made sure was fresh. Marie put Bebe onto their rum punch for happy hour. Two of those bad boys and you will have to dutty wine once or twice. They are always offering lunch specials under $10. These plates are big enough to eat some, and take some too. They have the cool food truck in the front that stops in different places, they offer catering for affordable prices. Met some gentlemen at the barber college next door, I am all for people bettering themselves.

The laid back, drink specials, dance all night vibe place is The Flat for sure. The Flat has themed nights whenever they're open. I love the variety in music that they offer. Any place that plays the Goonies on the wall while Madonna is playing on the table is A1 in my book. As soon as you walk up to the door the security greets you extra friendly with a kick ass studded vest. You make your way inside and already see people dancing like an OG club. I am a total dancer, so I received the perfect energy when I saw everyone in groups feeling the beat. They always have drink specials, in which case budgets are attainable for a good night out at this place. I went on a Monday night which is Maniac Monday's where Dj Fredstar kills his sets with 80's music. Dj took me in a total time machine dancing daze, must hear if you're into the type of music to get it. Maybe you're more into smooth jams, like jazz. In which case head out for Tuesdays Jazz Jam this includes live music too. Wednesday's are made for my island lovers for reggae night, Thursday's are for on calls, these days are announced as they get closer. Friday's are for for house music lovers, edm, and electronic. Drink specials are too long to list, not too many bars can say the same.

This post is dedicated out to my cousin Sharlene, her fiancé Freddy and my perfect God kids Arri and JJ!! Houston trip was made for them and Bebe's birthday, I am just blessed enough to have family that know work must be done in between the fun. Thank you to all my supporters; I appreciate the ongoing support in everything. Soon Mars Madness will have pre orders so that you all are able to have a piece of me, wherever you go. Next stop is San Diego and Los Angeles. Be on the lookout for more posts near you. Remember to always Love and allow to be loved.

Magnolia Hotel

1100 Texas Ave Houston, Tx 77002

713-221-0011

Cool Runnings

8270 W Bellfort Blvd Houston, Tx 77071

713-777-1566

Monday-Thursday 8am-10pm Friday 8am-12am Saturday 8am-230am Sunday 11am-10pm

The Flat

1701 Commonwealth St Houston, Tx 77006

713-360-7228

Daily 4pm-2am

Daily Happy Hour 4pm-7pm

Pinchos Factory

I enjoy to have my full blown cheat meal once a week. Going steady on sticking to healthier eating habits, but know I still have work that needs to be done. I went with one of my best friends, Laura to grab a bite to eat and catch up.

We went and visited Pinchos Factory, I loved this place as soon as I walked in. The total vibes were giving me eco-friendly and homey. The seating is pretty well spaced out which helps if you go to eat alone, or 6 other people. The best service we had was from a young woman named Brooklynn. She was so amicable, respectful and attentive. I noticed her as she attended to other customers and it was the same for everyone. Loved the energy she gave us, wish her nothing but love and light. They have a selection of wines and beers to enjoy with your meals. Their meat is 100% humanely raised, anti-biotic and hormone free too. 

Laura grabbed a rice and chicken bowl, chipotle style. I am a big baby for anything spicy, so I just took her word on it being hot. She had rice, chicken, jalapeno, pico de gallo, homemade chipotle mayo and she got a side of cilantro sauce. She said that the side of sauce helped subside the intense spices. It was a great portion size as well, she felt full, but not bloated. If you like you food with a kick, this may be it. $8-$9

I of course, grabbed something a little out of the ordinary. Mine was called a toston burger. They use tostones which are fried plantains, as buns. Inside it came with jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and their homemade cilantro sauce. The first bite was filled with great flavors. Tasted like something that we should all have at our barbecues. I also grabbed a side of sweet potato tots, with a kick ass apple butter dip. $8.49 $4.49 All their burgers are cooked at medium well, my favorite. I was fond of them being 100% fresh and natural. Also they won the 2015 Burger Bash Champion. If you're winning awards, then it definitely has to account for something.

Overall this is a great place to enjoy with family, some takeout or even a solo date. They have 7 locations and seem to continue to be growing. I can not wait to hear the feedback you guys have for this place. Hope to see some pictures of your tasty meals. Thank you all for the ongoing support you give me. Excuse my absence last week. Been hectic with graduation around the corner. Remember to always Love and allow to be loved. Xoxo 

Pinchos Factory

7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. #102 Orlando, Fl 32819

407-275-4462

Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm

Saturday and Sunday 11am-12am

Gaming and Booze

I am always on the lookout for the next dope place that is pocket friendly. More than that, I just love to get people out of their house. Now a lot of people think video game players are just always home, on a couch with snacks everywhere. But I found a place that is a little different.

I found a game lovers paradise! Beers, different game consuls, and old school arcade machines. Right when I went in, I saw so many old arcade games from when I was growing up. The entry into Player One Arcade Bar was $5. This allows you to play all the games for free. I went to the bar, started with a Sake sort of shot, that they mix with a red juice. Good starting kick to the night. Next I had a beer called purple haze, to me it was smooth and flavorful. It had a hint of raspberry which gave it a nice sweet twist. The beer was $5. Mostly all the beers are very inexpensive and they have a wild variety. No liquor, close to it are the Sake shots, which were also $5. They even have small sample cups if you want to try the beer before you choose. I enjoyed my sweet bartender, her name was Tara. She was so helpful with everything I needed. Service was awesome. I played things like Pac Man, Super Nintendo, shooting games, I even got to enjoy a game of duck hunt. The bigger game consuls you need to have a tab open to rent out, so worth it. Get a dope group of 4 and get your game on.

The variety of games that they have is what caught my attention. So many old school games, combined with set ups of new generation games. It is awesome because it is for all ages, from open to 6pm all ages are welcomed. After 6pm it is only 21+. I can appreciate a company that allows adults to get their game on too. I loved the diversity in the place too, people from all over just there for the same things, a cold one and dope games.

They also have man crush Mondays, which allows men to have discounted entry, and specials on drinks. Same thing for my ladies, you get to enjoy discounted entry and drink specials but on Wednesday's. I love that they have a men and ladies night, that alone shows the dope equality for us all.

This is such a cool place to just grab a few friends and do something different and inexpensive. Same for even people who are total gamers, change your environment and kick some ass in public. People will swarm you and call you the gaming boss! It is very easy to get here, easy to rent out games, and even easier to just have a great time gaming.

I hope this entry was informative for you all. When you get a chance I hope you will slide by Player 1 to grab some beers, and bust some butt in a swift game of Mario Karts. Thank you all for the ongoing support and love I receive. Make sure to always get out of the house, have a great time and save money while doing so. Remember my motto, Love and allow to be loved. Xo

Player 1 Video Game Bar

8562 Palm Pkwy, Orlando Fl 32836

407 504 7521

Monday-Friday 5pm-2am Saturday 4pm-2am Sunday 4pm-12am 

Gun Range and Safety

Living in Florida 17 of my 24 years, and having a father with a military background, guns have always been shown to me more as a way to protect. As broken record as it may sound, guns do NOT kill people, people kill people. Not everyone will agree with this post and my beliefs, and that is alright. Opinions are to be shared, so feel free to drop a comment or two below on your thoughts. I feel like a lot of the shootings that have been going on, could have been avoided or defused if an experienced and responsible firearm carrier was around to stop it. I live in a state where if you have a clean record you are allowed to purchase a fire arm and keep it in your home, or in a secured place in your vehicle. I personally just sent over my paperwork to receive my concealed weapons licenses. I have the right to bare arms if someone is endangering me or my family. I do not take the lives of my loved ones lightly. I will let you all into my gun range trip, and some tips too.

The gun range of my choice in my area, is the Oak Ridge Gun Range. It is best to be a lady and go on a Friday, or fellas even as a date day it is perfect. Ladies shoot for only $5 on Fridays. Regularly it is priced at $13 per shooter, $10 for each additional shooter. On Tuesdays it is seniors (65+) and Military (active and retired) day. You all shoot for only $10. If you do not own your own weapon, you are better off heading over with someone who does. They do not charge for you bringing your fire arm. In the case that you do NOT own one, they will rent one out to you for about $20 plus ammunition. I was fortunate enough to have my friend Angelo come along with me and allowed me to shoot his .45 caliber. We also rented a .38 revolver. I love both pieces, but that .45 has a special place in my heart. Another great deal that they have is when you buy a gun from them you have unlimited range time for 30 days and classes to learn how to use it best. 

Rock was the person who was the assisting us while we signed in and got everything in place. He was extremely knowledgeable of everything and very attentive. Answered all my questions in detail. It is a simple process, fill in some paperwork, give an ID make sure you are not a fugitive and you are GOOD to go. You can even take your younger kids if you feel they are responsible enough to learn about guns and the safety needed to use them. They give you targets which range anywhere from $.30 to $1.75. Major key in a lot of this is understanding that guns are NOT just a game, even though they are fun they still have to be treated with respect and caution. One wrong move from you not being careful may end someones life. You are game in the range minus letting off back to back, you have to at least let half a second pass between each shot. They will give you a guide through if you have never shot before. Even if you have never held a gun before, ask for Rock, he will get you shooting like a pro and onto the next step on how to protect yourself, or just have a new hobby.

In conclusion, I hope this shined a little more light on guns and the importance of knowing how they work if you are around them or plan on using one. Check out my shot though, zoom if needed. I hope you all get to check this place out, and let them know who sent you. Any questions contact me or the number below for more information. Thank you all for the endless support and feedback. May you all continue to be great, and remember to always Love and allow to be loved. Xo

Oak Ridge Gun Range

6160 S. Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32809

407-857-5663

 

Jimmy Hulas

Food with lots of flavor is where it's at. I am not one to eat some plain a** food. So I want to always try new places, with different type of flavors. My friend Charles, from UCF put me onto this place. The owner is someone who travels all around the world and takes foods from all over, and brings them back to the states. Enjoy my Jimmy Hulas experience, and see what it is that you want next time you're there.

I went out here with my dad Rafael, and little sister Rakel. We started off with the Cabo trio. This consisted of a lot of tortilla chips and three dips, queso, guac and salsa. $4.59 My little sister had the Crack'd corn. This was corn on the cob with crema, chili powder, cotija (cheese) and cilantro. $3.29 Not spicy, extra creamy and boiled to perfection corn. Rakel ate on the light side, grabbing a filling Caesar salad. You can choose to have your chicken fried or grilled. $6.29

My taco loving self, of course I went taco crazy. I grabbed the Wipe-out taco. In it they had steak, shrimp, and fries. Inside came jack cheese, salsa, avocado, and baja sauce. $4.25 I also grabbed a Street taco, this can be done with beef, chicken, steak and pork. I chose the chicken one with onions on the side (yuck) cojita, and sirracha one the side. $3.59 My OG (Dad) grabbed a juicy burger called the Aloha Burger. This had Teriyaki, pineapple, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and creamy Teri. $7.35 I took a bite of it, it was super BBQ style meat with juicy meat all around. I enjoyed how much tenderness and flavor it had to offer.

One thing I also loved were the drink specials, they are all below in the last picture. They had amazing drink specials all week long. Week days 4pm-7pm they had their happy hour. Then on Weekends they had the happy hour all day long. Some of the drinks are down below. The main weekends one were $3 Mimosas, $3 Screwdrivers, and $3 bloody Marys/Marias. 

Jimmy Hulas

12400 Lake Underhill Rd. Orlando, Fl 32828 (have other locations)

Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm

407-930-6511

Vegan Cherry Popping

I am always wanting to try new things and places. Next on the list happens to be a Vegan restaurant by the name of Etho's. A vegan is a person who does not eat any type of products made by animals. This includes cheese, milk and eggs. Now I personally do not wish to change my whole diet to this, but I did truly enjoy the food at this place. I really am looking forward to trying new things in the vegan community.

Coincidentally it was National drink wine day, so of course I had myself a little glass of white wine. Simple pinot grigio, just a sweet white wine for the night. I wanted to try something that was borderline meat so I started off with the Sausage rolls. It was a mild to spicy sausage baked into a flaky roll, and a nice Dijon sauce to dip them in. I was a little held back for the first bite for it, but it was great, very legit. The meat texture comes from fennel, and they infuse everything with eggplant, onions, and wheat. The dipping sauce was a perfect cool off for the little kick the rolls had. These will be my go to when I start my meals here.

Main course considering I have been trying to "eat better" since working out more. I went with a pecan encrusted eggplant, homemade mash potatoes and gravy with some delicious asparagus. I loved the eggplant, I am not crazy about this vegetable, so for me to find great tasting eggplant comes every 20 tastes. I was very satisfied that it was not an overbearing taste of pecans, but just the right balance for that little tingle that eggplant leaves. They through a red wine glaze on it, I really wanted to just take like a whole bottle home. It was one of those meals that you needed everything on the plate, per fork full. The mash potatos were great, the gravy had a weird texture I never had before, but it was good and I really do not even know what it was made of, who cares? lol The asparagus was like any other ones, weird smell, nice taste.

I spent on all of this and two glasses of wine $31. This is just what I wanted, but they have many specials on drinks and food. They host brunch on Sundays and have many specials then too. They have chilled music in this place, great staff and cool art all around.

Hope that this gets a new vegan out more, or an already vegan to try a new place. Either way, get out the house, have a nice meal and enjoy the people around. I went alone (like I do for most my blog entry's) and met this cool guy by the name of Vince. I spoke about what I do, and he told me about the dope music he makes. We were just conversing for a while at the bar, if I was never to see him again that would be OK because we had a cool positive conversation. So Vince, if you're reading this, keep kicking ass and being great. And to all my amazing supporters, same goes for you. Ya'll are very much appreciated. Remember to always Love and allow to be loved. Xoxo

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

601 S. New York Ave Winter Park, Fl.

407 228 3899

Monday-Friday 11am-11pm

Saturday and Sunday 9am-11pm

 

 

Denver Adventure

Denver, Colorado is my first out of State blog entry. It is very exciting to be somewhere new all while meeting some cool new people on the way and trying new things. I will take you to a few eateries, and tell you about free to inexpensive places to dive into while in Denver for a few days. Or if you live in the area and just need somewhere affordable and enjoyable to crash.

To begin I got my ticket a couple of months beforehand. I figured why pass off a really inexpensive ticket to a new place that you can find fun adventures to get into? ($218) First day I got there I went straight to my room to get rid of all my luggage, I went with an Airbnb again. So convenient and inexpensive. Stood with a dope young married couple (Jessie and Maggie). They provided breakfast at their home too, this was on point because of how much of a budget Betty I am. It was private and comfortable. I got around with Uber, buses, and my two cute feet. Weather was manageable considering the huge jacket I had. Now this was originally a blogging trip, but it luckily got combined with one of my best friends Laura's birthday celebration. What better way to celebrate your birthday than with a trip out of your State and all on a svelte budget. My flight arrived a few hours before Laura's. Naturally my hungry a** wants to get to the house to drop my things off and find food. First stop for me was an Ethiopian restaurant called Queen of Sheba. They had such a warm, welcoming feel to it. It's almost like you're going over a cousins house or something. Zodi was my waitress and cook, that's how close it is. This was my first time trying Ethiopian food. I went with the steak tips, with the known Injera bread which is like a fermented sour dough, a mix of cabbage, carrots and potatoes, with a side of a spices infused lentils. I will be totally honest, I did NOT like the Injera alone with not one thing. I enjoyed it when I got a little bit of everything on the plate. I was so happy all the tastes grew on me. After that I met up with Laura and we headed to Comedy Works. The main comedian was Heather McDonald, she is mainly known for her hilarious and risque writing skills as a comedian, and being on Chelsea Lately killing it. We bought these tickets a few weeks in advance and got them for like $20. Laura had some creamy and cheesy mac. I grabbed some fresh spring rolls with a chilli pineapple dipping sauce. It was a great snack to enjoy. Took an Uber to the downtown area afterwards. We bar hopped a little bit and met a few Colorado locals. You can walk around and find some drink specials or ladies night in just about every bar.

Next day we woke up early and headed to an AM eatery by the name of Snooze. The service and food were divine. Now the wait wasn't your usual 5 minutes wait. But at least they kept you entertained while you waited, free unlimited coffee and tea. Also some games out front, Laura and myself participated in a few rounds of Cornhole in which she actually totally beat me in. She had that birthday luck probably. The company holds industry night which really consists of all the people that work in hotels, or eateries get 50% off of drinks on Monday and Tuesday. We get seated outside in a great space. Now I never drink, but I figured I would try a drink while we waited for our brunch to arrive. We grabbed their signature mimosa named Mmm Mmm Mimosa with reason. Such a nice sweet and balanced bubbly to start the day, their main ingredient in it is Pama Pomegranate. Our waiter was this spunky, smart theater performer named Heather. She along with Andrew, the manager were a great help with information and hospitality. Heather wanted us to try the cinnamon roll pancake and I think this will be my go to pancake whenever I am in town. It was so delicious we did not even take a picture from the start, rather we took it more than half way demolished. Inside were white chocolate chips, salted caramel, candied pecans on top with a vanilla sauce.  I got the Bella! Bella! Benny plate, this consisted of "thin slices of prosciutto, Taleggio cheese, and perfectly poached eggs on toasted ciabatta, topped with cream cheese hollandaise, balsamic glaze and arugula" (menu). Eggs Benedict are never a bad idea for brunch. Laura made a 50/50 choice. You pick two different kinds of egg Benedict. Both with hash browns, she chose the crispy, I picked on the softer side. 

We then headed to the lovely Denver Art Museum. They provided a great mixture of art, sculptures, paintings, and videos and audio headsets for most. Two huge buildings with a wide selection of galleries and an exhibit that changes all the time. I had my school ID which gave me a discount, leaving me paying $10. Locals, kids, and local students get an even lower price. Real quick I have to bring up Laura going on top of a huge cow outside the museum. I doubt they really want people to climb this sculpture, then again they don't have a sign that says NOT to. So for the sake of getting a good picture for my blog, I see Laura going up the tail, so I told her to just climb higher. That she did, she went all the way up to enormous head. Now the getting back down, let's just say her bottom and Denver ice got very acquainted on this trip. Thankfully the Denver locals are super nice and this lady helped her up. I was busy being a horrible friend laughing harder than ever before.

We went to a Colorado whiskey distillery named Stranahan's. Not only do you get to see how whiskey is made, fermented, stored for 5+ years but you also get to taste it and have fun learning in between all thanks to our well informed tour guide Keith. The tour is totally FREE, all you have to do is a reserve a slot online and be there on time. Following the nice warm whiskey filled sensation, we headed for some Colorado styled pizza. I picked Beau Jo's pizza. This place was awesome, it was so filled with flavor and layers of mouth watering meats and vegetables. Laura got a Margarita, she enjoyed it and it was only $6. I got an Arnold Palmer, $2.80 for two cups. Came in the cutest mason jars. We got a two pound pizza of Mountain Pie made half chicken breast with a garlic and olive oil sauce, and the other half was supreme with bacon bits too. The crust was a honey wheat, when you got to the bottom of it, you poured pure honey on it and indulged in the sweet softness. We were at this point almost falling asleep from this long filled day. Regardless I said we needed the infamous Voodoo Doughnuts. We payed for 3 under $5, but the lovely employee hooked us up with an extra one. We figured we would get the crazy looking ones. I got one that was topped with Fruit Loops cereal, Laura had one with Cocoa Puffs and we shared a cookies and cream one with a Boston cream like filling, I am not a filling lover, but this one was very worthy of my taste buds. 

I will be making one more Denver blog next Sunday. I want to show people that we are able to travel, and head out of the house on a budget and still have fun. Contact the companies below for any questions. Also feel free to contact me if you want more details on the places I visited. Do not limit yourself, try new things, meet new people, spend time doing something that will give you awesome memories. Let us always remember to love and allow to be loved. Xoxo

Queen of Sheba

7225 E Colfax Ave. Denver, CO. 80220

(303) 399-9442

Comedy Works

(2 locations) 5345 Landmark Pl. Denver, CO 80111

(720) 274-6800

Snooze

700 N Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80206

(303) 736-6200

Denver Art Museum

100 W 14th Ave Pkwy. Denver, CO 80204

(720) 865-5000

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey

200 S Kalamath St. Denver, CO 80223

(303) 296-7440

Beau Jo's

(Various locations) 2710 S. Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80222

(303) 758-1519

Voodoo Doughnuts

1520 E. Colfax Ave. Denver, CO. 80218

(303) 597-3666

 

Oviedo on the Park

I will always be someone who enjoys to be outdoors. I love feeling the fresh air, seeing pretty and very grass I just love nature in general. I like to visit new parks, and see what fun activities are around to get into.

I visited a new park in Oviedo called, "Oviedo on the Park." They were recently built on new land. This park is spacious and filled with much fun for all ages. They have a cute lake in the middle of the park, with a pretty fountain in the middle. The park also pays homage to soldiers we lost in battle. I am always for supporting our brave troops. The park has different plaques with names, and also all the different branches in our military. Have to appreciate the art in it all, and the respect paid to them all.

The park has a few fields where you can play football, soccer, even get into some nice yoga positions to relax. When the weather is right a cute picnic or just lay to out to sun bathe, this park is just the right place. The grass is healthy, green, and fluffy. 

They have a cool water section for the younger children. They have many holes at the bottom where water shoots out of. The children will have a ball running through the water and making new friends while out there. Right next to that, the older kids or adults can join in on a game of chess. This is not the ordinary table chess, these are huge pieces that are laid out on the floor for everyone to enjoy. Or simply hang out and enjoy the view in the chairs they have right around. 

Ovideo on the Park has a kick ass playground for the young ones, with some sick obstacle courses and fun spinning toys too. I am a big kid at heart. I am that adult playing with my nieces and nephews climbing to the top, and taking the slides back down. Take your kids out to new environments and let them challenge themselves a little, climb a little higher, and spin a little faster.

In the lake they have the infamous Swans that you paddle on. For some reason people enjoy to get on those things to get themselves tired, all to Snapchat or Instagram the whole thing. I don't know maybe the swan thing is only fun for me when the other person is doing all the work LOL. Nonetheless though this park has these for the cheapest price I have seen. It is $5 for two and you can be on the Swan for 20 minutes (do not know a sane person who wants to do it for longer.) The whole park is FREE to get into. Only thing they charge for are the Swan rides.

 I hope you all get to enjoy this awesome spacious, and beautiful park someday. Contact me if you need any information on the park, pricing or directions. Remember to leave the house, enjoy the fun our beautiful planet has to offer, most importantly always "Love and allow to be loved." Xoxo

321 E Mitchell Hammock Rd, Oviedo, FL 32765

Teak Neighborhood Grill

Everyone can appreciate good food, killer drink specials and great service. Teak is a grill place in West Orlando right near Valencia's west campus. I went this Wednesday to indulge in a few extra tasty and odd treats they had to offer.

Let's start with the service. The waiter's name was Cliff, he was great help and very attentive to our needs and questions. Be sure to ask for him when you head over there, tell him Wendy the blogger sent you.

I started my lunch off with a very delightful spinach and blue crab dip. It was so creamy and filled with the perfect amount of crab meat. I just wanted to keep dipping every chip in, but I needed to save room for the other stuff. It was very cheesy, perfect consistency to enjoy the seafood added to it. The crab wasn't like biting into a crab itself, but it was a great balance to taste it with the greens.

My main course was the succulent Cronie Burger. Now if you have heart problems, or suffer from wild medical issues, this would be your very LAST choice. This burger in the middle was an amazing half pound of Angus meat, topped by some smoked Gouda cheese, an egg, and some bacon (no swine) all in between two bad ass french doughnuts tossed in cinnamon to seal the deal. This burger was so huge I had to press it down to make it fit inside my mouth without looking like an ant trying to eat a whole grapefruit. On the side of that sinful burger I dove into some fresh, sweet potato tater tots. These tots were the perfect meet of toasty outside, and soft warm inside. I asked for a side of warm caramel to dip the tots in, greatness.

Of course I would not miss the last bit to close out my meal. The REAL sweets. I purchased a Trio platter. Pieces of cake, pineapple with a layer at the top of coconut flakes. Strawberry, with a creamy white top maybe buttercream, vanilla, or cream cheese, could not put my finger on it. Lastly was the Nutella with walnuts topped over it all. These three cakes were so good and allowed me to get a little taste of more than one cake.

This establishment makes everything gluten free, minus most of the buns.. But they have clearly labeled where some meals are completely gluten free also. They also serve flat breads, soups, sandwiches, and entrees. 

They have great drink specials everyday, and ladies night on Wednesday which include great food and drink specials on top of the great deals they provide daily. Also they have days where they provide life music too. This is a great place to grab drinks, watch a game, grab lunch, or relax in the outside patio at. The food was amazing, the service was great, and it isn't too pricey. I paid $12 for my huge burger, my tots were included, my dip was also $12 (which my friend put on her bill) and dessert was $7. This was all full price and nothing on sale except the drinks my friend had. She drank two drinks for $4.50 of vodka and sprite (I don't drink.) They do however have great choice for their daily happy hour picks.

Hope you all get to grab a bite to eat, or even a few drinks to start or end your night off well. Feel free to contact me on my social networks or via email on my 'contact tab' to ask any questions about this or any other place I've visited.

"Love and allow to be loved" XoXo

6400 Times Square Ave. Orlando, Fl 32835

(407) 313-5111

Open Everyday 11am-2am

Enzian Theater Awesomeness

Grab a bad ass thick blanket and some comfortable clothes, you got a lawn waiting for you to watch a movie. Why do your typical movie watching in a theater, when you can enjoy the beauty of a cool night with a good film?

The movie spot I visited during the week was small and hidden, perfect to enjoy. This place is called Enzian. I watched the 3rd Freddy Kruger movie which was extra exciting for me because I love classic horror movies. The movie started at 8 pm, but I do recommend to get there a little earlier for good parking. The parking is free, but they do also offer valet parking for $3. The movie itself is also free which is great for us on budgets who still want to get out of the house for fun outings. They offer food and drinks also, their prices are decent, but I honestly say just sneak in some snacks and keep them on the down low if you are on an extra budget (it is not allowed though, heads up.) They have things from dips, nachos, sandwiches,wraps, pizzas, beers, liquors and desserts too. Great variety for a movie theater in my opinion. 

Enzian also has an indoors theater where they have showings. Regular prices are set at $11 for general admission, and $9 for Seniors, students and military personal with proof of ID. They do offer lawn movies though at least once a week like the one I went to. Just have to look on their website for "Popcorn flicks" or Wednesday night Pitcher Show" to know the free shows on the lawn and their times.

Another thing that should be known about this movie place is that none of the movies that are shown are new. The movies shown are usually classics, independent films or from other countries. I enjoy to know that I can watch a classic film on a big screen while laid out on a blanket. The inside theater is also very cool, they have couches and tables to accommodate you. Very far from basic or regular. You can also contact the people here to rent out the theater for birthday parties or other events. 

I hope you all get to experience this awesome place and let me know what movie you enjoyed when you visited.

1300 South Orlando Ave. Maitland, Fl 32751

(407) 629-0054

www.Enzian.org

Tree Trek Adventure

Climb up the ladder, nice and smooth. Enjoy the view when you step to the top. *Click, Click* carabiners are locked in and you are secure. Now step forward onto the ledge... keep it steady, one foot at a time, use those arms to find some balance. Woo that was close, almost went down. I will tell you all about an awesome day filled with a nice green surrounding, loads of fun, laughter and sporty adventure at Tree Trek.

Let us begin from the beginning, I heard about this place from one of my great friends Laura, she did pay full price for the place which was over $100. I found an offer on Groupon for $60 for two people at the time, which is now at $68 for two people. There are a few taxes upon arrival and there is $3 for gloves if you do not have your own. $3 all you can drink water which I highly recommend you grabbing, you do tend to get a little parched when you're high in the air, swinging and pulling to your next stop. 

Upon arrival you sign a consent form because they do not want to be blamed for any cuts or bruises your ass may get of course. (I left with a warrior scar myself, no biggie) I went bright and early because I figured if it isn't the sun it is the bloody rain that tries to stomp on your fun parade in Florida. so I was there by 8:30 Am you must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment. Next you go meet your instructor and get suited up, I wore a regular black tee and some semi loose long sweat pants with my hair pulled all back. Ladies try to stay away from short shorts and men unless you want your genitals extremely exposed loose sweats or jeans are the go to for this field trip. For all my long hair rockers, pony tail for the day will be the way to survive. No gum chewing (don't know why they say this) and you can take your phone on the obstacle course, they will provide you with a little pouch to link up to your suit.

Following the set up, your instructor will take you to a small practice course where first you practice how to properly use your carabiners prior to climbing up, it is literally impossible for you to fall from anywhere here. It's so safe even a cave man can leave in one piece. Once you get the hang of opening one, sliding the other and so forth you then follow up a small ladder to do a little practice course. Once you do about two straight across and a small zip line, you then hit your first course. There are a total of 7 courses, 2 children courses ages 7-11, 4 adult courses 12+ and the giant Zip line one at the end. 

I am pretty out of shape, not a total lard ass, but I am very far from being a Serena Williams out here. But even with how nonexistent my workout plan is, this course was doable and fun. The further and higher you get though it does tend to get more difficult. I am far from a quitter so even when it seemed to get a little hard, or I had to hold up my weight I kept it pushing and appreciated the support I had with me. At the end of each course there is a zip line to get you to the end of the course. Once you finish all 4 courses you head up some tall stairs and to the long zip line where you basically celebrate your completion of your full obstacle course.  I would suggest to go with funny, supportive and adventurous friends here.

Now this is for my people a little scared of heights, my friend that I went with is absolutely terrified of heights, to where he barely even spoke to me as he was going across each obstacle course. Motivate each other and do not allow any fear to stand in the way. He even said himself he did not know he was capable of doing something that wild and that high in his life. All is possible when you are having fun and have a great support system. 

Hope you all enjoyed my Tree Trek adventure and I hope you all will make it out to this awesome place to experience it hands on. This is a perfect place for families, friends, even a day date to enjoy an out of the box outing. And for those that do not live here something similar to it in your city may be closer than you think. Be on the lookout next Sunday for my next fun and affordable adventure. I just received a new camera Nikon D3300, so I hope to give you all some visual quality along with my writing soon. Love you all for the support and hope to keep you all in here and following me. Remember to always "Love and allow to be loved." xoxo

Contact Information:
(407) 390-9999

Park Address:
7625 Sinclair Rd.
Kissimmee, Florida 34747

http://www.orlandotreetrek.com/