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Where is the Tyler Texas Halloween Store This Year?

August 25th, 2011

Spirit Halloween Costumes in Tyler

If you go down Broadway across from Discount Tire there is this furniture store with a gold painted roof. The store was called Tiny Treasures or something like that. There you will find the new Spirit Halloween store.

This store has it all, kids costumes, adult costumes, costumes for your dog. Keep in mind if you wait until the last minute most of the good costumes will be gone. Also these stores are kind of expensive and the masks probably have little kid and big kid/adult snot on them by the time it gets further on into October.

If you want to save money go ahead and shop for Halloween costumes online but we all know Spirit Halloween is in town only because they know better then many of us that we will procrastinate until the last minute.

I usually go into this store and buy some fake blood or something like that and just look around at all the gruesomeness. It’s fun just looking in there but I probably won’t be buying any masks or adult costumes and we are more likely to make my sons costume than to buy it at a store.

As a side note you may save a little money on your Halloween costume by going by the Card and Party Factory over by Super 1 Foods across from Casa Ole and Chick-Fil-a.

 

King’s Academy’s Seventh Annual Tour of Texas

February 17th, 2011

TX AlamoThe old Texas tourist motto was “…it’s like a whole other country.” Travel around our state a few times and you begin to realize how true that statement is.

In terms of its size, Texas rivals that of many European nations. With a population of around twenty four million, the State ranks just beneath the most populous of those countries.

I once read that if Texas was still an independent republic, its economy would be the thirteenth largest in the world. Many people spend the vast majority of their lives living within the confines of their own relatively smaller republics, taking vacations in neighboring country towns or seaside getaways.

TX Flag
Now I’m not suggesting that we as Texans should emulate that and stay only within Texas, certainly not. What I am suggesting is that we could. For us, a “stay- cation” can still mean a pretty long trip! It also means experiencing different foods cultural to the different regions of our state, different typography, and of course our rich, rich history and culture.       

In March, King’s Academy Christian School here in Tyler is about to launch its seventh annual Tour of Texas. It’s a five day field trip that covers a thousand miles of Texas, and its history.

The students visit sites of importance from all the primary periods of our state’s history. In the course of the trip they travel together, camp together, swim in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, experience the old Spanish Missions, visit the crucible of Texas liberty that is the Alamo and make any number of other stops.

TXIt might not be world travel, but for young people it’s often their first opportunity to strike out and study, travel with friends, create memories and have experiences on the road that can be very formative.

In short, they get the chance to explore our own republic.
For those who would like to participate in raising funds, the school is partnering with Chick- Fil -A. The restaurant will give fifteen percent of its proceeds earned between five and nine pm, to the Tour of Texas.

However customers must identify themselves as fundraisers for the project. The first opportunity to participate will be on Thursday, February 17th at the Troup Hwy Chick- Fil -A, in front of Super One.

texas horse carriageThe second opportunity will be on Thursday, February 24th at the Broadway Crossing location in front of Lowe’s. For more information on King’s Academy or the Tour of Texas, contact the school’s office at (903)534-9992.

Currents in Tyler TX

March 25th, 2010

Currents is a small restaurant hidden away next to Tyler Junior College. I wanted to throw a small private party, but I wanted it to be elegant and something different. We called the restaurant for information of how they serve their guests and what they do for parties. I was extremely impressed with the options that the owner laid out for me. Although I could not afford some of the options that he gave me he was still extremely generous. He allowed me to meet with him about having a specialty menu that I got to pick out.

I went to the small Tyler restaurant and he showed me around. Up stairs the dinning rooms are very formal with a nice deck and out side seating. Down stairs is another dinning area, which is not as nice and had very dim lighting. I was kind of disappointed in the set up of the place, because it was not very welcoming. The down stairs dinning area was reserved for my party and fit about twenty people in it. The service was extremely personal and private. I ordered the veal to start which was perfectly tender and amazingly tasteful. Although I had to live through the gasps of my young cousins when they heard I was eating a “baby cow”, it was very good.

They were kind enough to serve three dishes that I had asked for as a special menu, and everyone seemed like they enjoyed the food. We were read the amazing different desserts that all sounded great and were dipped in chocolate and drizzled in raspberry sauce. I tried the chocolate moose cake with raspberry sauce. It was a revelation. The rich taste danced in every bite. I am usually not a big fan of dark chocolate but this creamy cake that melted in my mouth was amazing. Everything was perfect but the check was rather large. But that is coming from a person who’s view of eating out is Chili’s or Chick-fil-a. I had an amazing time and both the food and service were definitely excellent. I will keep going to Currents, but I will just have to wait for that pay check to come in.

The Portrait Studio at JC Penney

January 28th, 2010

4401 S Broadway Mall
Tyler
903 561 7000
Open from 10am

When my baby was born I was given a coupon for a portrait sitting and a free 8×10 photo and I thought ‘Why not?’ Our baby is so cute that I thought I really should let someone who knows what they are doing behind a camera take some pictures of him too.

I scheduled an appointment with a photographer at JC Penney. Although I wasn’t used to doing this, ‘Tiffany’ instantly made me feel at ease. She was warm and friendly and seemed to have all the time in the world for me and the baby. Even though my little fella didn’t really oblige us with great smiles, Tiffany managed to take some cute shots. There was no pressure for me to buy lots of photos and she advised me to come back when he was sitting up. The next time I went to the studio, Tiffany remembered us and knew exactly what sort of pictures I was looking for. This time we had more success and I wanted to buy a few more of her pictures. It was incredible – each sheet of photos was only $3.99. I bought a few for myself and treated all of my relatives to a picture of my little fella too.

The next time I went back with all 3 children. Tiffany had a colleague with her to help. He was called Wade and he was quite exotic looking but just as personable as Tiffany. He managed to get all the kids looking the same way as she took the pictures. They were quite busy that morning so they gave us coupons for a free sandwich at Chick-Fil-A while they loaded the images onto the computer and enhanced them. When we went back the older kids watched Toy Story while I looked at the pictures. I was really delighted and this time bought a portrait package which had the added feature of ‘pictures by wire’ which meant that family overseas could view and order photos over the internet.

My final challenge for the photographer at the Tyler Texas JC Penney was to take my family and my brother in law’s family for a portrait sitting for Christmas presents for my husband’s mother and grandmother. There were 5 adults, 4 children and a baby to take pictures of. Once again, Tiffany rose to the challenge and took great shots of everyone.

I think the JC Penney store in Tyler has a great crew of photographers. The studio is really accessible and best of all, the prices of the portraits are really affordable. There are more expensive options – different backgrounds, text and collages but if you buy the traditional sheets, one 8×10, two 5×7, four 3×5 or wallets then they are just around $4 each.

I heartily recommend Tiffany and Wade as photographers and JC Penney portrait studio as great value.

Chick Fil A

January 21st, 2010

Chick-Fil-A
3830 Troup Highway
Tyler 75703
903 561-2324

Other locations: Broadway Square Mall, UT Tyler and South Broadway

It has to be said by someone – Chick-Fil-A is the best place to eat fast food in Tyler.

Here are four reasons:
Rapid efficient service
Customer care
Delicious child-friendly food and drinks
Good value

On a recent trip to Tyler with 3 children and a baby we went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. I was not a reluctant customer having tasted their peanut oil-fried chicken on several occasions before. It is good! My children were ecstatic – they love the food too and enjoy the indoor play area.

It was busy but all the registers were open and my order was taken rapidly and with a smile. As the kids had already left to play I had 2 trays of food to carry but immediately someone came to my side and helped me to the table with the food. She brought me a highchair and plastic table mat and some iced water. I was impressed! Later she came back with mints for the children and offered to refill our beverages.

The place was spotless, the pride they take in their establishment is plain to see.

We started eating – Mmm-Mmm! How nice NOT to have salty fries for the kids but waffle potatoes (real potatoes that is!) and proper chicken breast that hasn’t been reconstituted from some mystery meat. I enjoyed the honey mustard dressing on my Southern salad – it was really good. Without the plastic packaging, that sort of salad could be served at an upscale restaurant for double the price. It even had honey roasted sunflower seeds and croutons on top. The kid’s meals were superb too. They could choose milk or apple juice as an alternative to soda and had the option of a fruit cup instead of waffle fries. And the chicken nuggets were so delicious – we had to go back and order another little box of them.

I was also impressed with the toys that come with the kid’s meals. On this visit, they had Bernstein bear books – yes, real books! The time before, it was science kits complete with ideas for home experiments. No plastic chuck-away Disney trash here, you actually want to keep the freebie.

Whilst we were eating a bell rang and everyone applauded. At Chick-Fil-A the 100th customer of the day eats free. What a fun company policy. I hope one day it’s me.

On our way out I stopped to buy a take-out milkshake. They looked so good and we felt we just had to try one. It was a bit sweet for me but the children loved it.

Chick-Fil-A is a great business. I hope they will soon open one near where we live in Lindale so we can enjoy it more often!