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The Childrens Park in Tyler TX

April 22nd, 2010

The Children’s Park
900 S Broadway
Tyler 75701

The Children’s Park is a little haven between downtown Tyler and the shopping areas of South Broadway.

It is a small memorial park where the names of local children who have died are inscribed on stones that encircle the park. It has some amazing bronze statues, a water feature running through the park, lots of flowers and shrubs and places to sit and be peaceful for a while.

Alternatively, you can bring your children and they can run around, paddle in the stream and have fun in the beautiful surroundings. We have picnicked here as a family and enjoyed it’s beauty. There are steps down to the park – it has a sunken garden feel – but also access for wheelchairs and strollers. There are places to stop and reflect and also picnic benches but my children preferred to climb up the waterfall and sit on the rocks at the top to eat their sandwiches! There is no playground but if that is what you are looking for then just a hundred yards down the road you will find Bergfield Park which has swings and climbing equipment.

The park is run by the City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department and funded by the Children are a Gift Foundation. It has been in Tyler for 5 years. Annual events are held including a teddy bears picnic for families who have lost children and it is possible to reserve the park for your special event.

One note of advice. With the water, trees and grasses, this is also a very popular hang out for mosquitoes – the mean East Texas kind who need more than one bite! Repellant is a necessity in summer and fall.

If you know someone who has lost a baby or young child or even someone with a special needs baby who may be grieving and needing support from others in a similar situation – then there is a local organization that can help. ‘Glory Babies’ is part of the Children Are a Gift Foundation. This is the way in for anyone wanting to place a stone commemorating a lost child at the park too.

www.childrenareagift.com has more information.

HOLLYWOOD TYLER ROSE MOVIE THEATER

April 15th, 2010

1250 Loop 323 South SW
Tyler
75701
903 592 7000

The Tyler Rose is the only movie theater serving the North (East) of Tyler – the rest are on South Broadway. (There is a drive-in, Sky-Vue, on Hwy 69 N)

The Hollywood has 10 screens and shows all the latest releases. It is easily accessible from the loop and easy to find and has plenty of parking in the front. There is a Chicken Express and Rudys BBQ very close by for those wanting to eat before or after watching a film.

The place itself is slightly seedy. The location is a favorite place to meet for local teens who hang around the front of the theater. I have heard some people complain that they don’t feel safe walking to their car at night there. It is sad but true that they have police presence working in the theater at the weekends to avoid trouble. At least the police are friendly, the other personnel will not give you a smile as they serve you. Sometimes the lines to get a ticket are very long but you can speed up the process by buying your ticket on line in advance (fandango.com)

Another negative point to mention is that the movie theater does not seem clean. The seats are grubby, there is sometimes trash on the floors and the floors have a slightly sticky feel as you walk through the complex. However, the seats are platform style (and yet solid – set in concrete) and you can have a great view of the movie wherever you chose to sit in the auditorium.

There is a concessions stand with limited food and drinks. No fancy flavored popcorn here but plenty of candies, sodas and hot dogs. If you are a big snack consumer it is good to know that there are free refills on the large sodas and large popcorn.

One final complaint – they often turn the lights on before the credits have finished rolling on the film which gives you the feeling that you are being turned out early!

On a more positive note, Hollywood Theaters do sometimes have special events like live music from local artists Bongo and the Point and they have giveaways at new releases on most weekends and holidays.

Seeing a movie at the Hollywood is also less expensive than most other movie theaters Prices – adult $7.75, children and seniors – $5.75. There is also a student discount and at performances between 3-6pm (Twilight showings) it is only $4.50. Tuesdays are the special night, where adults pay the children’s price and hot dogs are just $1.50.

Not sure I would go so far as to recommend the Tyler Rose but if you are happy with a ‘no frills’ experience and prefer feeling a little uneasy walking to your car than driving to Broadway to watch a film then it’s OK.

Sally beauty Supply

April 7th, 2010

www.sallybeauty.com
4550 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler TX
Phone: – (903) 509-0936

Sally beauty Supply store may now be the biggest beauty supply store world wide with over 2700 store in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France and Spain. It was not always so well-known. In 1964 Sally was just a corner store in New Orleans. In 1984 the Sally head quarters moves to Denton Texas, and the Sally store were spreading around the southern part of United States. In 1984 there were 119 stores. Sally quickly became popular and in 1987 they opened the first international Sally Beauty Supply store in the United Kingdom, and in 1995 it expands to Japan, and in 1996 to Germany, and it was not until 2001 that they opened stores in Mexico. In 2000 the Sally store launched its very own magazines.

Sally has over 6000 products for retail customers and salon professionals. They have everything you need for the up keep of your hair; Hair colors, shampoos, conditioners, hair extensions, styling products, treatments, permanent straighteners, relaxers, brushes, accessories, clippers and trimmers, shapers and shears. Sally also carries everything that you need for manicure and pedicures, spa treatments products, skin care, makeup products, great gift ideas, salon supplies and equipment, and even products for men.

When you walk into a Sally store in Tyler you are greeted by an employee. Every sales associate needs to be very knowledgeable with the Sally products. They able to solve your beauty issues and they can answers any questions about the products. But they may give you a crazy look if they don’t like the hair color that you have picked out.

In 1991 Sally began to partner with “city of Hope” a breast cancer awareness organization, which led to the beginning of Sally Cares. In 1996 was the official beginning to Sally Cares, an organization supporting women in need. This includes, the Sally cares shelter Programs, seminars, Breast Cancer support, and NCA (National Cosmetology Association) scholarships. The Sally Cares Shelter program has started and support over fifty women’s domestic abuse shelters in the United States. Not only do they house women from abusive home but they try to give them a push forward in the right directions. Many women that come to the shelters only bring their children and the clothes that they are wearing. Sally stores donate hygienic products as in shampoos soaps and all different beauty supplies to these shelters.

The NCA partners with Sally Cares and awards ten people a $1000 scholarship. You can go online and get information on how to apply for a scholarship. Five scholarships are awarded to five high school graduates, three scholarships are awarded to NCA members, and two scholarships are awarded to children or grandchildren of current NCA members. A board appointed by the president of NCA reviews each application, and they decide the ten people who are awarded the scholarships. They will be given the award and honored at the Chicago Beauty Show.

When I first began to write this article I figured that it would be nothing more than a shopping list, telling you what they have online and in the store. But as I began to dig I learned that this is much more than a store. Sally changes lives. They give people opportunities that would usually not have any. So when you shop at Sally Beauty Supply store not only are you getting great produces for your skin, hair, and nails, but you are also supporting the Sally Cares program and changing lives.

Icing by Claires

March 29th, 2010

Icing by Claire’s

www.claires.com
4601 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75703-1323
(903) 509-0356

While walking through the Broadway Square Mall I have to stop in the small over crowded store. Through I want to scream trying to push my double stroller around the display towers. I battle through the store to get to the back hair products. I love the idea to use nature as beauty accessories. I love the selection of the 1940 style of hair products. Icing has a great selection of peacock feathers for your hair. I love the look of the colorful feathers.

Hair accessories are not the only thing sold at Icing. The jewelry is very in fashion sold at a great price. Many times I have gone there and found the most for my money. Icing has a ton of amazing sales. I love going into the store and seeing the white and red 50% off sale sign, or the “RED LINE” sale sign that indicates that about a fourth of the store is about half off or even more!

Some the best purses, bags and clutches are found at Icing. Find your style, with their great selection of leather, animal prints and bright colors. Bring out your personality through your style. Icing is up to date with the best and most recent fashion statements. And they even have to best sales on their brand name bags.

When I go into the store I can not help but dig through the fun selection of scarves. The long strands of colorful material can change the entire look to your style, and bring out the fun in your personality.

I love the makeup cases that you can buy at Icing. They have great selection of colors that you can use according to your mood. No matter the type of skin tone that you have or no matter the color of eye shadow that you prefer you can find it all at the Icings large selection.

It is really hard to avoid the accessory store. To at least battle through the store to just look around at what I really want but not really need. I love to see the most recent styles at Icing, for every season. The Icing’s website shows the newest selections and fashions that you can either order of line or that are available at the store.

Sports Clips Haircuts

February 24th, 2010

Sports Clips Haircuts Sport Clips

5365 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler TX
Phone: (903) 509-2333

3222 S Main Street
Lindale Texas
Phone: 903-882-5550

Opening times – Mon-Fri 9am-8pm
Saturday 9 until 6pm and Sunday 12-5pm

Sports Clips is a hair salon just for guys (and boys) located in Lindale in a strip mall behind KFC near the Walmart. There are also 2 locations in Tyler and many more nationwide.

My husband uses Sports Clips every time and sometimes we take our son – aged 7. My husband hates having his haircut but this place makes it quite bearable. Firstly it’s very casual – you don’t need an appointment, you just show up whenever you feel like it and sign in for the next available haircutter. This does mean that you can’t get the same stylist – but most men don’t mind about that – they just want the job done!

Secondly, you don’t have to make small talk with the person cutting your hair. There are TVs playing sport all the time and it is quite OK to sit in silence and watch whatever is showing. This is a bonus for men – even those who don’t like sport! Thirdly the opening times are convenient – you can go after work or at the weekend for a cut and they are pretty speedy about it.

Our Sports Clips is well lit, warm and has a casual atmosphere with sports memorabilia on the walls from our local school team, the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys and Aggies – to cover all the bases! They also sell Nioxin and Paul Mitchell hair products but there is no pressure to buy.

The haircuts have always been fairly good – it is quite busy in there so I guess the stylists get lots of practice – and how difficult can ‘short back and sides’ really be?

There are 3 choices of service available. A ‘Varsity’ haircut is the quickest and least expensive, the ‘Triple Play’ includes a shampoo and steamed towel as well as a haircut and the ‘MVP’ is the most indulgent service with conditioner, steamed towel, and a 5 minute neck and shoulder massage. If you choose this one you are able to come in between cuts and get those stray hairs on your neck trimmed for free.

My son has the Junior Varsity cut – which is quick and simple and costs just $14.

A final thing to note about Sports Clips is that there is a reward card system, sometimes there are special offers – watch the local newspaper- and best of all, you can sign up for a free haircut during the month of your birthday. It is easy to see why Sports Clips is popular and why this franchise is growing so rapidly in the US. Personally I wouldn’t trade my long term relationship with my friendly hairdresser for the world – I trust her and enjoy my pampering mornings at her salon, but I can see why Sports Clips is perfect for a man!