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Dates that will knock your pants off

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The CSI Experience – Mall of America

By Jason Leave a Comment

AutopsyLinda’s Take

So this time I thought that we would try something that was only going to be around for a short time and noticed at MOA they had a CSI hands-on experience going on.

So Jason and I tried it.

I thought the price was ok for doing some science crime stuff, we went in and the tutorial at the beginning said to note everything from the crime seen down, so we both took a lot of notes. Then you go to process the evidence, you don’t process anything. Basically you read through everything and choose the best answer. Anyone with common sense can get the right answers.

In all it was fun, but I feel that the whole thing is geared around someone for the ages of 10 to 15. I wouldn’t spend the money to do it again, however if my 14 year old would like to go, I would bring him.

I give it a 3 out of 5 pants off.

Jason’s Take

Linda’s too generous.   It doesn’t require common sense to get the right answers.  If you can read the plaques on the wall in the “lab”, you can get it right.

I was hopeful.  It was such a fun concept, but it was geared to 8 year olds who want to pretend they are in Mommy’s favorite show, not adults.  There’s no puzzle to solve.  One of the “labs” involved pushing eight different buttons until you found the one that didn’t turn on a white light.  Ooh, orange!  I win!

Sad, but I’d take our kids to it and they’d have fun.

2 pants off

Total Rating

2.5 Pants Off

Pants OffPants OffHalf Pants Off

Filed Under: Bloomington, Kid Activities, Things To Do Tagged With: fun stuff, mall of america

Big Thrill Factory

By Jason Leave a Comment

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Linda’s Take

So I had a date night with my hubby and I was looking for something for to do that could make us feel young and fun that we hadn’t done together, yet. I was doing some research on the internet of things to do with your kids to not have them bored out of there minds and came across the Big Thrill Factory at 17585 Minnesota 7, Minnetonka, MN 55345,  (952) 698-7700.

Each night they have a special deal going on and the thing that looked the best for our date night was laser tag. I kept it a total surprise from him and later when we got there I found out that his work was planning to do the same thing at their next function. How awesome,! Now he could try it with me first!

Prices are reasonable and other than the fact that we were adults and there were a bunch of preteens running around having fun, we had a great time. Mini golf was fun and the course was interesting
but simple for all ages.The laser tag was fun and the staff tries to even out the teams and keep things fair for all. There are 2 levels and plenty of places to be sneaky.

Linda’s Rating: 3 out of 5 pants off

Jason’s Take

All I knew was that date night was going to be a surprise.  I wasn’t too worried, because I knew that she had invited a couple of friends, so it wasn’t going to be anything shocking.  No swing clubs or skydiving.

The place is mostly geared to kids.  They have a small-ish arcade, a 10-lane bowling alley, mini-golf, some jungle-gym thing that would hurt my knees, and a giant trampoline.  They also have a zombie puzzle that give you an hour to solve the puzzle or die.  I’m assuming it’s a metaphorical death, but if not, that’s motivation.  Next to that is the rope course, bumper cars, and the highlight of our evening, laser tag.

We played a couple of rounds of tag.  You get a funky light-up vest with a gun attached.  One team goes in first, followed by the other team in about a minute.  You get points for shooting your opponents, shooting accurately, and shooting these little targets up on the wall.

If you’re going for date night, I strongly recommend going late.  Unfortunately, they are only open until 11.  If you go early, you stand a good chance of playing laser tag with a bunch of 10 year old s***s who will follow you around constantly shooting you, so the second your vest reactivates, you’re dead.  If they aren’t there, the game is a blast.

They also serve beer.

Jason’s Rating: 3 out of 5 pants off

Total Rating: 3 out of 5 pants off

PantsPantsPants

Filed Under: Minnetonka, Things To Do Tagged With: fun stuff, laser tag, mini golf

Yoga With Cher

By Jason Leave a Comment

Linda’s TakeYoga with Cher

Jason had a new idea to have us try a yoga class. I thought this was kinda odd coming from my man. But even know I was shocked at his suggestion, I told him that I know of someone who teaches yoga classes and I would contact her to get more information.

Turns out she is someone who graduated from my school, same class year. And her daughter and our youngest girl were in the same class last school year.

So she offers a beginner yoga class on Sundays starting at 12:30pm for only $12.00 dollars, and also she offers a kids yoga class starting at noon for only $8.00 dollars per child.

I thought wow, something new for the whole family to try. However our teenage son didn’t want to go. No matter how much we tried, yoga isn’t as cool as computer games. She teaches her classes at The Iron Gym in St Louis Park. They have pretty much a full working gym, but none of the high power technology machines. However it’s quiet and that makes it perfect for yoga, because as I found out it’s about a lot of breathing.

I never thought that holding positions and stretches while breathing would make you so sweaty. It’s a workout!

I think we are going to go again, also our girls liked it as well and want to come again too. And we found out that our neighbor would like to check it out!

This is an idea for the whole family to do.
I give it 4 out of 5 pants off!

Jason’s Take

I recently read The First 20 Hours. It’s a book about learning the basics of any skill in…wait for it…20 hours. One of the skills the author documented was yoga. Before reading the book, I’d never given yoga any thought. I’d always mentally dropped into the “chick stuff” category and forgotten about it.

I read the book, and decided to give yoga a shot.   I mentioned it to Linda and she said she had a friend who taught.   A dozen Facebook messages later, we were signed up and ready to go.

The class is at a gym in a warehouse space on the border of St. Louis Park and Hopkins.   It was hot yoga that day, but only because it was almost 100 degrees outside and we were in a warehouse space.

We brought the girls for the kids yoga class immediately before the adult class.  They liked in, but our youngest thought it was too hot and the wait for the adult class was too long.  I told her to bring a book next time.

Thing I didn’t realize about yoga:  It’s a workout.  I always pictured it as the thing soccer mommies did instead of something.   I was wrong.  It’s a solid workout that includes strength and flexibility training.  Who doesn’t want to be more flexible?  Sex swings are always more fun with high-end acrobatics, right?

Totally worth doing.  I give it 4 out of 5 pants off.

Total Score

4 out of 5 Pants Off

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Filed Under: Hopkins, Kid Activities, Minnesota, St Louis Park, States, Things To Do Tagged With: exercise, yoga

Mainstreet Bar & Grill

By Jason Leave a Comment

Linda’s Take

Mainstreet Bar & Grill

Mainstreet Bar & Grill

So my best friend’s husband was going to celebrate his birthday at Mainstreet’s. I had been to Mainstreet’s many times before but this time, since both Jason and I were going to go, why not write a review!

I like this bar, it is one of the few bars that is great at keeping your drink glass full and just looks like a regular bar, plus they have live music every weekend.

There are some drawbacks to the place.

  • The food is okay; it’s your typical bar food and nothing I would brag about.
  • There is a dance floor, however it is on the smaller size so it can fill up quickly. Most of the time the bands are good, they do have some popular regular bands, however the night we both went there the guy sucked!
  • I guess the biggest drawback is when the band plays you can’t hear anyone that is trying to talk to you. So to wrap it up, great place to go and drink and have fun! Not so good if you want to catch up and talk with friends.

I give it 3 out of 5 pants off.

Jason’s Take

We went to Mainstreet’s Bar in downtown Hopkins for a friend’s birthday party.

We’ve been there before, but have never taken the time to review it.

The place is a dive bar, pure and simple. The food is totally on par with what you’d expect from a dive bar. It’s greasy and really only good when you’ve been drinking. The drinks are cheap and the staff is friendly.

They’ve got live music nearly every night and a decent-but-not-large dance floor.

It doesn’t feel like a meat market, but judging by the number of people I know who’ve gotten lucky by going to Mainstreet’s, it’s not a bad place to go if you’re feeling lonely.

I give it 3 out of 5 pants off.

Total Score:

3 Out of 5 Pants Off

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Filed Under: Hopkins, Restaurants, Things To Do Tagged With: american food, bar, beer, fried food

Hope Rides Harvest Day

By Jason Leave a Comment

Linda’s TakeHope Rides

There is a wonderful non profit organization that a great woman runs. She doesn’t do it alone; she has great friends to help. My cousin introduced me to her. Her name is Vollie and the organization that she runs is called Hope Rides.  She runs this place in Mayer, MN. It allows children that have trouble opening up, have been scared and need someone to trust, have had abuse in their lives, or love being around horses and just get the chance to work and be with horses for free.

A few times a year Vollie throws  fundraiser events that are completely geared towards kids and family. I asked Jason if he minded having the whole family go out there to get some fresh air and to have some fun. To my delight, he said yes, and everyone did have fun!

Our son got to learn how to juggle; Jason was also working on this.  Our two girls loved the amusement park games and they got like a million suckers as prizes. They also had tables where they had face painting, caricatures, henna tattoos, and someone teaching kids how to draw horses.  All of the activities were free and super fun for kids and adults!

There was also food, a silent auction, and Hope Rides merchandise to buy, with all proceeds going to Hope Rides.

Nothing is more rewarding then seeing all of the smiles on my kids faces, and to see Jason with a smile on his face when he is with his family. I wish I saw more of it!

I give this event 5 out of 5 pants off!

Jason’s Take

When Linda asked me to go to the Hope Rides Harvest Day fundraiser, I was less than thrilled.  As much as I support her obsession interest in horses, I don’t share it.  But family time is important, so off we went.

We walked in, and the first thing we saw was the driveway roped off and a juggling team teaching people to juggle.  I’ve been trying to learn lately, so I dragged Brat #1 over there and we gave it a shot.  I got bored of dropping the balls within about 15 minutes, but he stuck around for over an hour.  He’s not great, but he’s actually juggling, now.

They had henna tattoos, face painting, a little carnival, horse rides, and a bunch of other stuff going on.  We all had fun and threw some money at the charity.  It was a good time for a good cause, and we’ll be back.

The horse racing was the best.

5 out of 5 stars.

Total Score: 5 out or 5 stars.

Pants OffPants OffPants OffPants OffPants Off

Filed Under: Kid Activities, Mayer, Minnesota Tagged With: carnival, charity, face painting, horse, juggling

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