Archive for May, 2008
May 22nd, 2008
With this beautiful weather that we are finally getting, it is great to enjoy the outdoors. For this reason we made a much anticipated trip to Rock Cut State Park for an enjoyable picnic and outdoor activities.
Rock Cut is a great location with many different activities available. There are two lakes: Pierce and Olson. These two lakes allow for boating, fishing, ice skating (when it’s cold), and swimming. On Pierce Lake, you can rent boats (canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats) or buy bait at the Paddle & Trail Bait Shop. The fishing is also fairly good; just remember your fishing licenses!
On our most recent trip, we decided to have a picnic, play outdoor games, and go on a miniature hike. We parked and enjoyed the picnic area of Red Oak. Bringing our own food and eating on blankets, our afternoon was straight-up picnic style. FYI: the shelter had an outlet, so feel free to bring an electronic device to enjoy music - as long as it’s not too loud and disruptive! We took on an adventure through the forest and around the lake shore using a conveniently located path we found at Red Oak. We are definitely looking forward to go back another day this summer and for a full-day hike.
Our experience at Rock Cut was a great time; the weather was unbeatable! We enjoyed our time outdoors so much, we’re looking for more activities in the area. Let us know if you have other outdoorsy activities, and be sure to check out Rock Cut this summer for a memorable experience!
[Rock Cut is located at 7318 Harlem Road in Loves Park.]
May 18th, 2008
A new quick-service sandwich shop has opened in Rockford on Perryville across from the massive Peak Fitness. We tried it out recently to compare it to the numerous other sub spots in town. The HUGE selection and fantastic quality make Roly Poly a great catch.
The menu is at least three times the size of any normal menu. They have about fifty or so selections for turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef, steak, pork, tuna, and vegetarian; we were intimidated by it! After a longer than usual contemplation period, we decided on two chicken selections. The first we tried was a chicken pesto. This is a grilled wrap and was excellent! The wrap included lettuce and sun-dried tomatoes that were surprisingly fresh. The only odd part was that it came with Ranch dressing on the side. Maybe ranch and chicken pesto is some normal combination we don’t know about, but we thought it tasted rather odd together.
The second sandwich we tried was the Chicken Caesar. The grilled chicken was really tasty inside the wrap. Our only complaint would be a little extra dressing than we usually enjoy. It was definitely a nice option, though!
Our friend we were with had the Chicken fajita and enjoyed it a lot. She did notice, however, that it was dripping with sauce and asking for “light on the sauce” next time might be a good idea, like the Chicken Caesar.
We chose small sandwiches, and they were more than enough! Making your sandwich a combo with a drink and a side is a good idea. But when choosing a side, stay away from the pasta salad, which had a peculiar sweet taste to it besides being overly oily. The white chocolate macadamia nut cookies were tasty, and a much better option.
We really enjoyed our lunch at Roly Poly. If you’re sick of the usual sandwich places, the large variety and excellent quality of Roly Poly should convince you to venture into something new. Plus, they cater for any big summer get-togethers or graduation parties you might have!
[Roly Poly is located at 6731 Broadcast Pkwy. Their phone number is 815.633.ROLY (7659) ]
May 10th, 2008
Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher haven’t been in many movies lately, but this movie is a definite hit for all Diaz and Kutcher fans. Their fun, silly personalities add some refreshing excitement to an otherwise predictable script.
This movie begins while alternating between the contrasting lives of Diaz and Kutcher in New York City. After circumstances, they both decide to take a much-needed trip to Sin City, a.k.a. Las Vegas. After a hotel mix-up of being scheduled in the same room, they finally decide to spend the night together. But once alcohol and partying get involved, Diaz wakes up the next day only to find herself married! They quickly begin arguing and discover they couldn’t be more different. However, just before they plan to leave and file for divorce, Kutcher puts Diaz’s quarter in a slot machine and ends up winning the prize of three million dollars! They go to court to decide who should get the money, but the judge rules that he will hold the money until they attempt to make their marriage work. Six months of living together and weekly therapy sessions begin miserably, but then…well, we’re pretty sure you know how it turns out.
Nonetheless, this movie was delightfully entertaining. We hadn’t seen Kutcher acting in his post-being married to Demi Moore (I know we’re still devastated, too) days, but luckily he hasn’t lost his charm.
We really enjoyed this movie, and so did the rest of our theater for that matter. The theater was filled with constant laughs and everyone walked out with a smile on their faces. We recommend seeing this if you’re in the mood for a comical movie that isn’t too serious - a perfect Friday movie after a long week!
May 4th, 2008
When searching for a nail salon to prepare our hands and feet for prom and summer, we considered many options Rockford offers. Ultimately, we decided to give a fairly new and renovated business, Enara Day Spa a shot.
Enara Day Spa is a full-service spa that also offers massages, facials, waxing and spray tanning. Their facial products consist of mainly Skin Ceuticals and MD Formulation; we have had experience with these products and they work wonderfully for all skin types. In addition to skin care products, they also offer a selection of upscale makeup brands and some boutique items. The staff is always extremely helpful and fun. We consider it one of the better spa options in the Rockford area.
Our experience at Enara was near perfection! We had a private spa party with five of our friends to get manicures and pedicures - this idyllic time was a fun way to have an end of high school celebration with close friends. We were able to bring snacks and beverages for our get together. It was nice having the spa to ourselves because we were able to take over the lounging and nail rooms while waiting for our turns. Also while waiting, we were able to experiment with their different makeup, which includes a wide-ranging amount of Bare Escentuals products.
At Enara, we paid $51 for both a manicure and pedicure as well as renting the facility for a night- not a bad deal! The staff was extremely fun and patient, considering they were able to put up with the six of us for almost four hours =).
Overall, our experience was fantastic and we would definitely recommend it to anyone in the search of a pampering, relaxing, or entertaining experience.
[Enara Day Spa is located at 318 N. Alpine Road in Rockford. Their phone number is 815.229.7685. Visit their website at http://www.enaradayspa.net/.]
