January 7th, 2011
I have to start by saying that Rick’s on the Square was a second choice, a B plan, for a lunch that went wrong.
As I rolled into the only parking space available in the square I was in no mood to be disappointed and left hungry again.
Upon entering Rick’s on the Square I was overwhelmed by the size of the place and the lunch crowd that had made it to a restaurant I had only heard of in passing.
Being led to a table near the outdoor area I was able to see to some degree the luxury that those who were seated there were given.
With fancy tablecloths and elaborate center pieces coupled with the outdoor beauties that only an outdoor space surrounded by walls can offer, I knew I was on the outside looking in.
The restaurant had a kind of jazz club feel to it, but in an area of town where the lunch crowd is a bunch of snoody lawyers talking about their recent boat purchases and the upcoming company retreats it feels a tad out of place.
The decor was really out of place, it was an attempt to look artsy without knowing what artsy looks like. I only had a few minutes to depict the atmosphere before my waitress arrived.
She handed out menus and took drink orders with fewer words than I thought possible. I was content with drinking my ice water and listening to the lawyers as I waited for her to return which took fewer than ten minutes. She took my order and once again disappeared and returned to fill my drink as I wait.
The order didn’t take nearly as long as I thought and the food was exceptional so I sent my comments to the chef via the waitress and I’m sure she probably just told him ‘good’, so that was the best I would get to him.
The bill came back larger than anticipated from a sandwich but was happy to pay it since the food did its job.
I was at Rick’s on the Square during lunch hours so I can’t speak as to how their later hour dining is, but I’ve been told its a social scene for singles in their twenties, and if that’s the case I’m sure I’ll be back there to socialize with the bright young minds of Tyler’s college crowds.
Tags: Atmosphere, Beauties, Boat Purchases, Center Pieces, Company Retreats, Fancy Tablecloths, Few Minutes, Jazz Club, Job, Lawyers, Lunch Crowd, Lunch Hours, Menus, Outdoor Space, Parking Space, rick eltife, Ricks on the square, ricks on the square tyler tx, Sandwich, Second Choice, Tad, Waitress
Posted in American Food, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues | No Comments »
December 10th, 2010
Disney Music in Tyler Texas at the UT at Tyler Cowan Center
The UT Tyler’s Cowan Center opens its stage to many different performances through out the year. Some of the most popular people and plays have preformed on the Cowan Center‘s stage. This past year comedian John Lithgow, Deal or No Deals’ Howie Mandel, and even the United States former president George W. Bush, have all preformed at the Cowan Center. January brings a whole new variety of shows and performances.
January 15, 2011 the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, along with music director and conductor Per Brevig, introduce Disney in Concert at the UT Tyler Cowan Center. This event will feature many different songs and music from popular Disney movies such as The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, and Pirates of the Caribbean. The concert is a multi-media extravaganza that will display pictures of the Disney films on a large screen behind the orchestra. The Disney in Concert is a great way to introduce young children to the world of classical music and symphonies. All songs are performed by the East Texas Symphony Orchestra along with a quartet of guest vocalists. Matinee tickets are on sale now of $10-$15 dollars, or you can buy tickets at the door for $15-$20. Tickets for the evening show are on sale for $10-$55, you can find discounts for groups and students. Your whole family will enjoy this concert of the most magical movies and songs.
January 13, 2011 UT Tyler presents an Evening with Jon Landau. Jon Landau is best known for producing two of the most famous movies, and the two highest grossing movies of all time, Titanic and Avatar. Landau has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe awards. He has played part in creating and producing many great films over the years and is known for his understanding of visual effect technologies (even the most complex and complicated visual effects), and his motivation, and his ability to motivate others. This lecture will be a motivating look into the profession world of producing and the behind the scenes of some of the most popular movies of all times.
January 27, 2011 the amazing talent of violinist Joshua Bell. He stole the attention of America at the age of 14. He is a winner of a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra. Joshua Bell is one of the biggest and well-know performers in the classical music industry. His beautiful music has caught the attention of the nation and the Cowan Center is bringing his talent to Tyler.
Tickets are already on sale for all of these shows and also for musical show The Color Purple. The Color Purple has been nominated and won many different awards for the Broadway musical. The Cowan Center has shows for all different people and for all ages. The Cowan Center’s stage has had many great musicals, plays, and performers. Students can get discounts or can get in free to some of the shows, for information about the shows and discounts contact the Cowan Center Box Office.
Tags: Beauty And The Beast, Comedian John, Disney Films, Disney In Concert, Disney Movies, Disney Music, East Texas Symphony, George W Bush, Golden Globe Awards, Great Films, Guest Vocalists, Highest Grossing Movies Of All Time, Howie Mandel, John Lithgow, Jon Landau, Lion King, Little Mermaid, Media Extravaganza, Pirates Of The Caribbean, President George W Bush, Tyler Texas, Ut Tyler Cowan Center
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December 7th, 2010
Tyler Texas Square
The downtown Tyler Texas square used to offer Jack King Jr. screaming “downtown Tyler” but he is no longer there and people would prefer to impersonate him now rather then hear him do that anymore.
But beyond Jack King Jr.’s TV commercial memorable pitch downtown Tyler has quite a bit more to offer. When I go downtown I usually am stopping at Don Juan’s Mexican Restaurant or I am taking my wife on a fancy date to Jake’s.
When going into Jake’s be sure to let the hostess know you want to go sit up on the roof top. If the weather is good the roof top offers the best experience while eating here. The food at Jake’s is very good and they have a finer dinner menu selection to choose from compared to Chili’s or even Outback.
Jake’s offers an experience of local Tyler Texas dining in one of the many old buildings that still have survived the square.
Just about one year ago a few of these old buildings were destroyed in a fire. In fact a remodeled store converted to a coffee shop/ music venue was taken out as well as a law firm and architecture business. This area is now being turned into a park thanks to the generosity of Brookshire’s grocery store company.
When in downtown during Christmas be sure to stretch your legs by walking in the square. The city of Tyler lights up the square with Christmas lights although any sign of a cross, nativity scene and so on is unfortunately missing. Times do change and political correctness is what you will see now during Christmas. The square is still very pretty and enjoyable and worth a stroll around.
The square also offers Tyler Citizens a fun place for kids as the Discovery Science Place is in walking distance. This place provides something along the lines of a interactive science center for kids in the age range of 2 – 9 and will easily take up a good 3 hours if you decide to experience everything there they have to offer.
Official Tyler Texas Downtown Square Christmas Tree
You can also find the very large First Place building at the Tyler Square. The First Place building houses Regions Bank and offers the best commercial real estate offices in town. Many businesses would not accept anything less than the premier facilities you get in this building.
If you are looking for commercial real estate in Tyler I definitely recommend riding the elevators and checking out the offices in this building first hand. Both the view, looks, and spaciousness in these commercial offices can’t be found anywhere else in Tyler.
Finally consider that the Tyler downtown square has several unique antique shops as well as a few very old traditional churches. You can find Marvin United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, and Christ Episcopal Church all in downtown Tyler and very close to the square.
Tags: Chili S, Christmas Lights, City Of Tyler, Coffee Shop, Dinner Menu, Discovery Science Place, Don Juan, Downtown Square Tyler Texas, Fun Place, Grocery Store, Interactive Science, Jack King, Menu Selection, Music Venue, Old Buildings, Political Correctness, S Tv, Science Center, Shop Music, Square in Downtown Tyler Texas, Tyler Square, Tyler Texas, Tyler Texas Downtown Square
Posted in Attractions | 6 Comments »
November 19th, 2010
Every year Marshall Texas become a Christmas wonderland. The whole town is lighten up with colorful lights. The festival includes over one million lights and the town displays hundreds of Christmas light displays. The event begins Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it ends New Year’s Eve. The town will open an outdoor ice skating rink. The ice skating rink will be open through January 17.
The light display will be the biggest this year than any other year in the past. There will be Ice Dancing performances, celebrity chef cooking classes, a mini-express train ride, a 15 feet tall snow globe for people to take pictures in front of, street performers, and even a petting zoo that will have a reindeer. Santa and his elves will be there to interact with guests and young children.
The Historic Harrison County Courthouse is decorated with over 125,000 tiny white lights, and it is one of Marshall’s prides of the Christmas displays. This is one of the best light displays in East Texas. Your whole family will love the different fun Christmas events. So take the trip to Marshall to see the beautiful displays for yourself and enjoy a great time and enjoy the great food and keep warm with a great hot chocolate.
Tags: Celebrity Chef, Christmas Events, Christmas Light Display, Christmas Wonderland, Colorful Lights, Cooking Classes, East Texas, Express Train, Harrison County Courthouse, Historic Harrison County, Hot Chocolate, Marshall Texas, Million Lights, One Million, Outdoor Ice, Petting Zoo, Reindeer Santa, Santa And His Elves, Skating Rink, Snow Globe, Street Performers, Tyler Texas
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November 19th, 2010
December 4, 2010 the famous ballet The Nutcracker is coming to Tyler. The East Texas Symphony Orchestra along with the Tyler Junior College Academy of Dance are putting on the beautiful ballet. The matinee will be at 2:00 and the evening concert will be at 7:30 at UT Tyler Cowan Center.
The popular German ballet is known all over the world and has been preformed by all different ballet groups. The story is about a young German girl, Clara, who dreams about being with a Nutcracker. But she can not be with her love without fighting off an evil mouse king with seven heads, which ended up only taking nothing more that hitting him in the head with a shoe.
It starts off with Clara at Christmas, she breaks a dear toy, a Nutcracker. Once the clock strikes midnight she begins to shrink and the Nutcracker, and tree and everything around her starts to come to life.
The Nutcracker wakes up and leads an army into war with the Mouse King and his army of mice. The Nutcracker is not match for the mice army as they quickly start to take him away. Clara then throws her shoe at the Mouse King and kills him. The Nutcracker turns into a prince and sweeps Clara off her feet.
There are many different worlds that you will travel through during the story from snow lands to candy worlds. While traveling these worlds they meet a Sugar Plum Fairy and dancing snowflakes. The ballet has everything from fight scenes to love stories. The beautiful costumes will bring the story to life in front of your eyes.
This ballet is a winter favorite. The Nutcracker has become a big part of Christmas. You can not walk through a Christmas decoration store without seeing something on the story. This is a great date idea for the winter season, it is something different in Tyler than going out to eat or to a movie.
Tags: Ballet, Christmas Decoration, Clock Strikes Midnight, College Academy, Dancing Snowflakes, Different Worlds, East Texas, East Texas Symphony, Fight Scenes, German Girl, Matinee, Mice, Mouse King, Nutcracker, Seven Heads, Sugar Plum Fairy, Symphony Orchestra, Tyler Junior College, Tyler Texas, Ut Tyler Cowan Center, Winter Season
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