Category Archives: Entertainment

The Toddler Bucket List – LEGOLAND California

Posted on by
41

Playing at LEGOLAND Water Park

LEGOLAND California was the last major amusement park left for us to visit in Southern California. We visited Disneyland, Adventure City, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, Knott’s Berry Farm, and The New Children’s Museum but LEGOLAND reminded on the top of Athena’s bucket list. With more than 30,000 LEGO models created out of more than 60 million LEGO bricks, over 60 family rides (including 3 roller coasters), “hands-on” attractions, shows, a water park, and an aquarium, LEGOLAND California provides education, adventure, and fun for all ages. She must have seen a commercial or an ad somewhere that showed LEGOLAND’s Water Park because it’s all she talked about for the last two months and when we finally arrived, it didn’t disappoint. Gliding down a water slide was everything she’d hoped for and more.  Continue reading →

Hilarious in a Bad Way – The Book of Mormon

Posted on by
62

The Book of Mormon - Charlotte

How could a show get away with people giving God the middle finger? Or sexually explicit baptisms? Or even more inappropriate… holy books being shoved into unmentionable parts? Then there’s female genital mutilation, dysentery, AIDS, and unspeakable acts done to babies and frogs. And in such a religious area as Charlotte nonetheless. Well, The Book of Mormon did it and did it well. The entire Belk Theater was teary-eyed from laughter during opening night in Charlotte. All of these blasphemies are set to song and dance in a performance that I will not soon forget.

Continue reading →

Feast on a New Sleeping Beauty

Posted on by
17
Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Photo credit: Simon Annand

Stephanie Meyer fans watch out; there are other undead in town and these ones have klout. Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, which made its North Carolina debut at Belk Theater, is edgy, entertaining, visually stunning, and modern with a vampire twist. It has depth, drama, and a ton of smoking hot vampires. If that isn’t enough draw, it’s the classic story of Sleeping Beauty. Known and loved by all, there is no guess work with this ballet. I was able to sit back, relax, and soak up the eye-candy in Bourne’s reinvention of the classic Tchaikovsky ballet. Continue reading →

Where are all the Good Guys? At Charlotte Motor Speedway

Posted on by
29

Charlotte Motor Speedway Goodguys

You got me; I admit it! I don’t know much about “Good Guys”, at least not the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association. Goodguys promotes and produces some of the world’s most dynamic automotive events, but I couldn’t tell you what’s under the hood of a custom car or what would make a car stand out for an award. So why did I want to go to the Goodguys Annual Southeastern Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend? Well, I don’t have to be a car expert to appreciate their beauty. Strolling along pit road looking at the top cars in the “Builder’s Choice” corral, I thought about the type of person that owned each car and the care they put into making it so special. I imaged what cars would make it to the top ten. But I’m not an expert; you tell me which cars are “top ten worthy”. Why would one make the cut over another? Use these photos as clues. Are there any “goodguys” car experts out there? Don’t blow a gasket, but I based my choices on a similar scale for judging hot men. I looked at the body, the muscle under the hood, the originality, its performance, and the overall maintenance.

Continue reading →

I Need a Cold Shower After That One

Posted on by
18

Carmen - NC Dance Theatre

Striking, angry workers and sultry ill-fated passion are the backbone of Carmen, a North Carolina Dane Theatre production in Charlotte this week. I’ve left the ballet filled with awe plenty of times before, but I never left feeling like I needed to take a cold shower. Carmen is hot, hot, hot! Continue reading →

20 acres of 16th Century European Entertainment

Posted on by
26

Renaissance Festival

20 acres of 16th century European style art and entertainment combining outdoor theater, circus acts, charming cottages and castles, an arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, kitchens and pubs, a petting zoo, and an unusual collection of people-powered rides and games of skill come together to form The Carolina Renaissance Festival. We went last year for the first time and now we’re lifers. As a family, we took advantage of the character interactions, animal encounters, and a jousting tournament. The festival was both unique and entertaining with enough “bizarre” to keep us guessing what was going to appear before our eyes next. Continue reading →

Where Racing Lives – Charlotte Motor Speedway

Posted on by
23

Bank of America 500

Food and drinks, inflatable slides, bounce houses, face painters, caricature artists, remote control cars, a Ferris wheel, balloon twisters, jugglers, pit tours, ride-alongs, driver introductions, tightrope walkers, and a Goo Goo Dolls concert were all a pre-show to the Bank of America 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race hosted at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina this weekend. The actual race is held as part of the Chase for the Sprint Cup and is 500 miles (800 km) long, lasting almost four hours, but the whole experience begins and ends well outside the race hours. It was like attending the most overwhelmingly amazing fair or festival with over 100,000 devoted, happy, excited fans. I had no idea what to expect when attending a NASCAR race but never in my wildest imagination could I have envisioned such an elaborate adventure. Continue reading →

110 Years of Expertise

Posted on by
23

Marius-Fabre-Soap-Factory

It smelled clean, fresh, like when I take a deep breath in that aisle at the grocery store. Darren doesn’t understand why I love that smell so much but he knows that I always take a few extra minutes in that aisle, regardless if we need it or not. I take it in and feel an instant euphoria. I love the smell of fresh, natural soap. Considering my infatuation with it, you’d think that I knew more about how it’s made. It’s surprising how little I know about the products I use daily. I wouldn’t do very well in an apocalypse or a zombie invasion. I’ve participated in several unique experiences before but today was my first time at a soap factory. With 110 years of family tradition and expertise, I followed the process of Marseilles soap making at the Marius Fabre Soap Factory.

Continue reading →

Splashtacular – Magic Mountain

Posted on by
27

Water slide, Magic Mountain

With a 100 foot virtual vertical drop water slide and a skybox drop capsule, we decided that Magic Mountain Waterpark in Moncton, New Brunswick was the perfect place for the “big kids” to spend the day. Athena and Nanny had some quality alone time while Darren and I joined our brothers and sister for a day of fun at Magic Mountain. Continue reading →

Tall Tales in Curacao

Posted on by
53

Dolphin Academy CuracaoWould you believe me if I told you that I found a place to quench my adventurous side yet it’s so family-friendly that even Athena, at 15 months old, can participate? At the Dolphin Academy Curacao, the Dolphin Encounter is accessible for all ages. Today, we were both able to touch, hug, and kiss a dolphin while learning all about them. Rather than claiming to be family-friendly but then having high age restrictions, the Dolphin Academy in Curacao is an actual adventure for the entire family.

Continue reading →