Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ - A short review!

 

I've always been fascinated with the beauty of space and I have been a fan of science centers since I was young, so when we visited Flagstaff I knew I wanted to check out the Lowell Observatory. The Lowell Observatory is family friendly & they have an awesome area for small children that offers a lot of hands on science & space based activities. Even as an adult you might find a hands on activity or two in this room that you'll enjoy, like building a mini rocket and trying to shoot it through some hoops. 

A secondary room offers hands on activities that are for teens and adults from balancing two weights to make a chair spin without moving your body, or even a spot that has different things to smell there is quite a bit to do on the first floor. If you want to sit down for a bit they have a theatre that features a number of different presentations ranging from half an hour to an hour long. 

Outside you'll find a number of telescopes set up pointed at different planets & stars with a staff member next to it explaining what you will get to see, how to look into the telescope properly and answer any questions you may have. There are also a few buildings to explore which contain museum pieces, huge telescopes & more. Depending on what you decide to do while here and how quickly you walk around looking at everything you'll be here for one to four hours. 

If you end up getting hungry or want to grab something to drink, there is a café up front across from the gift shop. We had a lot of fun visiting & exploring everything the observatory had to offer. It was definitely worth the visit, and it was nice being able to enjoy the lovely weather while walking around the outside portion of the observatory. Everything was laid out to where things were easy to find, they had plenty of benches along the way in case you happened to become tired plus there were plenty of lovely photo opportunity spots. 

🌵 If you live in Arizona check out the "Things to do in Arizona" section of my blog to find entertainment, restaurants, vacation spots & more. (Click on the name or locate it on the right-hand side of my page).

Disclaimer-  Lowell Observatory provided us a discount in exchange for a review, no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

FlagTagAZ - Family fun in Flagstaff, Az!

 

We recently went on a small weekend trip up to Flagstaff, AZ to explore and enjoy the cooler weather that northern Arizona offers. I am always looking for fun things for us to do while on our trips & one of the spots I came across in Flagstaff is called FlagTagAZ where you can do Axe throwing, Laser Tag & More, so it is fun for the whole family. We went on a Saturday afternoon & thankfully the day we went it wasn't too busy, so there were plenty of open throwing lanes and space to relax. 

Before you arrive, you can check out their website to determine if you want to do just one activity or book one of their packages that includes everything. The facility has throwing lanes where you'll be able to throw not only axes but knives & Ninja stars as well. Along with the throwing lanes you'll find, Dart throwing, Laser Tag, Claw Machines, A handful of Arcade games, A photo booth, a food/drink area and a small corner where they have some board games including a huge version of connect four. The price for everything ranges, we went with the Groovy Combo which is 30 minutes of axe throwing and two games of laser tag for $35 per person. 

The throwing lanes are equip with a tablet that allows you to choose a digital game you'd like to play while throwing which is cast onto the wooden planks at the end of the lane. You can choose from games like battleship to regular axe throwing depending on if you want to throw for fun or compete against a friend/family member. I do like that they have the knifes and ninja stars to throw as well, other axe throwing spots we've been to only have the axes so it was great to be able to try out something different. Throwing the Ninja stars was interesting, they were so light weight compared to what I am used to. I am not going to lie, the first time I tried to throw the ninja star it went and stuck in so high I almost couldn't reach it to get it back down! I know I am not the only one who has over thrown though because there were quite a few spots even higher than where my star landed where you can tell people hit. 

After we finished up our half an hour of axe throwing, we went over to the laser tag. The space they have for the laser tag is actually pretty large, and has a second story. I didn't go into the laser tag, however my other family members who did had a fantastic time! The games lasted for a decent amount of time. While the rest of us waited on the laser tag group, we had a look around at what else FlagTagAZ had to offer. 

There is a food area where you can pick up snacks, pizza, or drinks including alcohol which makes it nice if you book a longer session and end up getting hungry. You'll also be able to find a small selection of arcade games plus claw machines. I also noticed that they had a small corner set up that had a number of family board games and a giant version of connect four.  Last but not least, they also have a dart throwing area where you can use either regular plastic tipped darts or metal tipped darts. We had fun checking out everything FlagTagAZ had to offer, and I think it is a fun spot to bring your family to whether you live in Flagstaff or if you are simply visiting to check out near by spots like Bearizona, The Grand Canyon, etc. FlagTagAZ is currently located at 1801 W Rte 66 #102 Flagstaff,AZ 86001 however by the end of summer they are hoping to be in their new location, so please check to verify the address before visiting. 

🌵 If you live in Arizona check out the "Things to do in Arizona" section of my blog to find entertainment, restaurants, vacation spots & more. (Click on the name or locate it on the right-hand side of my page).

Disclaimer-  FlagTagAZ provided us a discount in exchange for a review, no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

April Beauty & The Book Giveaway!

 

For this month's bundle I knew I wanted to included this adorable "So Groovy" eyeshadow palette that has some bright, fun and exciting colors. I decided to build the rest of this months goodies around that palette. Last month I ended up preoccupied with other things and didn't post a ton, so I have extended last month's giveaway to end on the 21st of this month instead of the twelfth, so if you'd like to enter that one was well you can!  

If you are a fan of older editions of books, I am going to be giving away a copy of 'Through The Looking Glass' from 1977 along with a handful of cute Alice in Wonderland themed beauty goodies. I will be hosting that on my Instagram/Tiktok in just under two weeks. 

🌻 What's Included in this month's bundle; 🌻

💛 Lurella 'So Groovy' palette
💛 B Pure Sheet Mask Set
💛 Morphe Cosmetics Lipstick
💛 Purple & White sleep mask
💛 Pink beauty blender in a Cactus carrying case
💛 Small Blue rubber duckie 
💛 Cloud Light 
💛 Apple scented hand lotion
💛 Orchid acne patches
💛 Liquid Blush
💛 Mascara 
💛 Naturewell face mask
💛 Af94 false eyelashes
💛 Ioni eyelash glue
💛 Maybelline lip blush
💛 L.A Colors purple eyeliner
💛 L.A Colors lip oil 
💛 Hardcover copy of 'The Lost Dreamer' 

This is open Worldwide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the winner notification! This giveaway is hosted by ME.

This giveaway ends on 05/13/2025

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment answering at least one of these questions.

Which item in this bundle are you most excited about?

What is a color or theme you'd love to see in the future for a Beauty & The book giveaway?

Do you have any fun plans you are looking forward to this month? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

👉 It is easiest if you log onto Rafflecopter using the Name/Email Address option. 

👉 Sometimes the comment widget is a brat, the easiest option to leave a comment on this post is with the Name/URL option. (You only need to fill in the name part) 

You can complete as many entries as you want, there are several one-time activities and daily activities that can earn you more entries into the giveaway. Be sure to keep an eye on my site & social media pages for more giveaways headed your way. 

March Beauty & The Book Giveaway!

 

It is time for this month's Beauty & The Book Giveaway! This months theme is greens and golds. It has been fun hunting down green things for this giveaway along with some gold touches. Hopefully you all enjoy what I've picked out for this months giveaway. Blog wise you may have noticed things have been slightly slow around here, I've been preoccupied with other things but I will be back soon with new reviews plus some giveaways I'd like to host. For now let's dive into this month's beauty bundle. 

💚 What's Included In This Month's Bundle; 💚

☘ Morphe 'Gold Seeker' Palette 
☘  Hard copy of 'A Mirror Mended'
☘  Maree Under Eye Patches
☘  Orchid Acne Patches
☘  Baby Grogu Socks
☘ Little Green Rubber Duck
☘  L.A Colors Fro-yo Lipbalm
☘  Nail Wraps
☘  L.A Colors eyeshadow palette
☘  L.A Colors green shadow stick
☘  L.A Colors false eyelashes
☘  Le Mercerie eyeliner
☘  Le Mercerie mascara 
☘  Green Glass nail file
☘  Kristin Ess dry shampoo
☘  Juicy Couture "Its Sunny Hunny" perfume sample
☘  BPure Face Mask
☘  Face Cream trial samples
☘  TonyMoly face mask 

This is open Worldwide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the winner notification! This giveaway is hosted by ME.

This giveaway ends on 04/12/2025

This giveaway is being extended to 04/21/2025

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment answering at least one of these questions.

Which item in this bundle are you most excited about?

What is a color or theme you'd love to see in the future for a Beauty & The book giveaway?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

👉 It is easiest if you log onto Rafflecopter using the Name/Email Address option. 

👉 Sometimes the comment widget is a brat, the easiest option to leave a comment on this post is with the Name/URL option. (You only need to fill in the name part) 

You can complete as many entries as you want, there are several one-time activities and daily activities that can earn you more entries into the giveaway. Be sure to keep an eye on my site & social media pages for more giveaways headed your way. 

Hash Kitchen Review!

 

I was recently invited out to try some of the new menu items at Hash Kitchen. It was our first time eating here & we had a great experience. Everything on the menu sounded delicious, for our appetizer we ended up ordering the Billionaires Bacon & the Cannoli donuts. The bacon can seem a little pricey at $8 for one slice of bacon, but my goodness it was amazing. The glaze they used is fantastic & it was a very thick cut of bacon. The Cannoli Donuts were amazing too, we didn't realize how big they would be so we didn't eat all of them just part. You could probably order it as a main course if you wanted. We stopped by the Peoria, AZ location located at 16222 N. 83rd Ave Peoria, AZ 85382.

For our main dishes I ordered the Red Velvet Pancakes which were huge! I was brought a plate with four big pancakes, syrup and cream cheese frosting. It was like having cake for breakfast! I was only able to eat about a quarter of them before I was full so I took the rest home for another meal. My husband ordered the Brunch sandwich which was amazing as well, it was the perfect combination of breakfast foods.

Drink wise I ordered the BYO Seltzer and choose watermelon + vodka. Usually I am not a big fan of most alcoholic drinks as they are too strong for me, but this was the perfect combination. My husband got a muffin top which was basically a boozy muffin in a glass, and he also got a shot. Inside the restaurant feels like a dance club, there is a live DJ playing and it was crowded when we went. We choose to sit outside, it was a little quieter and was quite comfortable for us.

Along with what we selected they had dozens of other scrumptious dishes & drinks. Food Portions are large, depending on what you order you'll be able to get more than one meal out of it. Our waitress was friendly & so was the host who sat us. This is a great spot to go for brunch whether it is for a date with your spouse, or a girls day out, this spot is a lot of fun.

🌵 If you live in Arizona check out the "Things to do in Arizona" section of my blog to find entertainment, restaurants, vacation spots & more. (Click on the name or locate it on the right-hand side of my page).

Disclaimer-  Hash Kitchen provided this experience to us for the review  free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

February Beauty & The Book Giveaway!

 

This months bundle has a cutesy theme of pink for Valentines! Last month's giveaway is still going on for a few days if you'd like to enter that one as well. Last month was kind of a busy month for me so I didn't get on to post as much as I would have liked, but I will be back this month with more fun reviews and giveaways. Last month seemed to go by quickly, but it was a good month. We helped some family members move, spent some extra time together with other family members and celebrated the birthday of our youngest child. Other than that I have no big update for last month, so let's dive into this month's giveaway bundle. 

💖 What's include in this month's Bundle; 💖

✴ Profusion Glitter eyeshadow palette 
✴ Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara
✴ Alice in Wonderland lip gloss
✴ Emily in Paris themed lip oil
✴ Wet N Wild light pink lipstick
✴ Ioni faux mink lashes
✴ Butterfly sheet mask
✴ Heart shaped puff applicators 
✴ Nail polish strips
✴ Mini heart shaped popit keychain
✴ Pink/Purple letter writing set
✴ Trio of makeup brushes
✴ Real Techniques exfoliating sponge
✴ Pink + White sleep mask
✴ Batiste dry shampoo
✴ Mickey & Minnie Socks
✴ Hard cover copy of "Atomic Love" 

This is open Worldwide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the winner notification! This giveaway is hosted by ME.

This giveaway ends on 03/05/2025

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment answering at least one of these questions.

Which item in this bundle are you most excited about?

What is a color or theme you'd love to see in the future for a Beauty & The book giveaway?

Tell me what your favorite chick-flick or romantic movie/book is. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

👉 It is easiest if you log onto Rafflecopter using the Name/Email Address option. 

👉 Sometimes the comment widget is a brat, the easiest option to leave a comment on this post is with the Name/URL option. (You only need to fill in the name part) 

You can complete as many entries as you want, there are several one-time activities and daily activities that can earn you more entries into the giveaway. Be sure to keep an eye on my site & social media pages for more giveaways headed your way. 

Metro City Restaurant & Bar in Sunnyvale, Ca Review!

 

When traveling we like finding local restaurants to dine at, it is always lovely to get to eat at locally owned restaurants & spots we do not have near us. One a recent trip to California we stopped by Metro City Restaurant & Bar in Sunnyvale on one of the nights we were in town. It was a last minute decision on where we wanted to eat, but I am glad we ended up picking out Metro City because the food was pretty tasty. So, I wanted to share just a short review & some photos of what we had while at Metro City. Their address is 151 S. Murphy Ave Sunnyvale, California 94086. 

It was located in an old heritage district tucked away in a little alley like street with several other restaurants,  dessert spots & shops to browse. We visited on a Sunday evening, so most of the shops were winding down for the night which meant we had a nice quiet dinner experience. Our food arrived quickly, our service was wonderful and we all really enjoyed the dish we had selected for dinner. They had quite a few different appetizer options, but we didn't want to fill up before our main dish arrived so the only app we shared were the brotatoes which were loaded potato wedges. 

They offered a lot of traditional dishes & comfort foods like chicken and waffles or spaghetti & meatballs, so there is something for everyone. As our main courses our party of six ordered the parmesan chicken tenders, spaghetti & meatballs, New York steak & prawns x2 along with the California pasta x2.  My mom is not a big fan of seafood though so she gave the prawns to my step-dad. I had picked out the California pasta and it was so good! The sauce was creamy but had a bit of a kick to it, it also had green onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and tiger prawns in it. 

All of the portions were filling & cooked just right, even the pickier eating in our group were pleased with how their meals turned out. All of the prices on the menu were fair for the portions you received & their drink list was great as well for anyone looking to have an alcoholic beverage with dinner.  We were in California just before Christmas so the restaurant had the inside decorated for the holidays which was nice. Over all we had a pleasant experience at this restaurant and I would visit again if we happened to be back in this area. 

If you are planning a trip to California & are looking for other activities to do feel free to type in "Things to do in California" in the search bar of my blog so you can find some other great activities in California. You can also click the "Things to do in California" link located on the right hand side of my blog/in this post.

🟊 This is not a sponsored post, we paid for this ourselves. I just enjoy sharing awesome spots with my readers. 

San Simeon Elephant Seal Viewing Area - Free to visit!

 

If you happen to be driving along Highway 1 in California or end up in the San Simeon area whether to visit Hearst Castle, or just simply driving by to get to one of the towns along the coast there is a Elephant seal viewing area which is free to visit. While the Elephant seals may not be on the beach the entire year, it is worth stopping to check especially if it is during breeding/birthing season. We were lucky & visited during the winter which is one of the times they can be found. 

There is actually a pretty decent sized parking area that is easy to access & everything is marked clearly. When were arrived there were two state park workers who had a table set up, answering questions and talking about Elephant seals. You won't be able to go down on the beach next to the Elephant seals of course, for their protection and yours, but you'll still be able to see them fairly close. 

In three separate spots you can see the Elephant seals just over the railing lined up along the beach. When we stopped by a few of them were quite loud, a few were fighting and many were sleeping. There were even some sleeping babies which was adorable to see! The weather was perfect on the day we visited, so we had some great views. It was well worth the stop. 

Not far from the main Elephant viewing area is the Friends of the Elephant seal visitor center which offers a boardwalk and more viewing spots, along with a souvenir shop. The visitor center is located at 250 San Simeon Ave Suite 5A San Simeon, California 93452 and the viewing area we visited is just south of that right off of the highway. 

If you are planning a trip to California & are looking for other activities to do feel free to type in "Things to do in California" in the search bar of my blog so you can find some other great activities in California. You can also click the "Things to do in California" link located on the right hand side of my blog/in this post.