Weekend Planner: July 4th Fireworks

Backyard cookouts and fireworks mean just one thing …The 4th of July.   You’ll find plenty of local fireworks shows for you and your family to enjoy. Here is a list of my favorite fireworks in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Kaboom Town

Addison Circle Park
Saturday, July 3
5:00 pm to Midnight

Kaboom Town: The city of Addison puts on one of the most spectacular fireworks shows you will ever see. The 30 minute show is choreographed to music by the Dallas Wind Symphony.  After the fireworks, you can stay and watch  a free movie (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off). Addison Circle restaurants will  provide a delightful variety of food and beverages. You will also enjoy live music and a Flyover from the  Cavanaugh Flight Museum Warbird. Admission is FREE. Complimentary parking at Addison Circle Park is located in the parking garages located at the corner of Arapaho and the Dallas Parkway.

July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza

Lake Grapevine
July 4th
9:30 p.m
MAP

Lake Grapevine is the perfect spot to watch the 28th Annual 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza. Be prepared to be astonished by the firework’s spectacular, which can be viewed from any lakeside location as well as several other spots throughout Grapevine. Admission is FREE  at most viewing locations. Some parks along Lake Grapevine might  charge a small admission fee.

Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration

Lone Star Park
July 3-4, 2010

Head on out to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie for Lone Stars and Stripes Celebration, two  full days of excitement with Thoroughbred racing, fireworks, music and family fun. Stay after the races for a spectacular 20-minute fireworks show choreographed to music. The weekend also includes  fun activities like pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, games and clowns for the whole family to enjoy.  Live music on the Courtyard of Champions Stage from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. will be provided by Incognito on Saturday, July 3 and by Maiden Texas on Saturday, July 4. Grandstand Gates open at 3 p.m. and the first live race is at 5 p.m.

Frisco Freedom Fest

Simpson Plaza at City Hall
July 3
4:30 pm

This year’s Frisco Freedom Fest has tons of  activities and entertainment the entire family will enjoy.  The 4th of July festivities include: Party in the Plaza, featuring local dancers, singers and bands; a Children’s Expo with bounce houses, face painting and strolling entertainers. The popular Taste of Frisco will have  tasty treats from several Frisco restaurants.  The finale will be  the Fireworks extravaganza at 9:45 p.m. It is one of the largest fireworks shows in North Texas.  Fireworks are visible around Frisco City Hall and Pizza Hut Park.

Fair Park Fourth … on the Fifth

Fair Park
Monday, July 5

Thanks to Dr. Pepper and Gold Metal Recyclers, the local businesses that stepped up to fund  the once cancelled annual fireworks display at Fair Park. The popular event will be held on Monday, July 5th at Fair Park in Dallas. Fair Park’s 4th on the Fifth features the  dancing waters of the Esplanade Fountain and Music by the Dallas Wind Symphony. The FREE fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m, but come early for the concessions and games which open at 6 p.m. Fair Park parking will be $10, or you and your family can take DART’s Green Line to Fair Park Station.

Other Local 4th of July Events

Old-Fashioned Fourth

Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park
Sunday,  July 4th
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Big Cat Cruise

Fireworks Cruise on Lake Lewisville
July 4th
8:3 0pm – 12:30 am
$55.00 per person

Have a Spectacular 4th of July Weekend!

How to Buy A Wedding Gift They Will Love

Since June is considered the traditional month for weddings, you may find yourself as a guest at more than one wedding or bridal shower. If the bride is your best friend and you know her tastes, buying a wedding gift is a snap. But sometimes it’s not always so easy to know what to give as a wedding gift.  Shopping for  a wedding gift doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, I have a few tips that will take the headache out of choosing a  great gift for the June Bride.

The Bridal Registry

This is probably your safest bet for finding what the happy couple wants. These days most couples will register at more than one store, so you will be able to find a variety of  gifts in almost any price range. Stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond, Crate and Barrel and Target’s Club Wedd are popular choices for bridal registries. Starting a new household can be a challenge. Look for things on the registry list that the newlyweds will need in their first year of marriage. Some of favorites are:

• • Towels You can never have too many
  • Cookbooks Even the best cook needs inspiration
  • Bed Linens Again, you can never have too many
  • Kitchen Equipment like Kitchen Aide Mixer or Food Processors
  • Picture Frames Perfect for displaying wedding  and honeymoon photos

If you hate shopping, a really simple solution is a gift card from one of their registry stores.  One thing many young couples can use but often never receive are home maintenance items. A gift card for Home Depot or Lowe’s is an excellent gift. The newlyweds can pick up everything  from patio furniture, flowers for the yard to paint for the kitchen.

Where to Find Unique Gifts

One of my favorite places for find unique gifts is the gift shop at the  Nasher Sculpture Center. Museum gift shops like the  Nasher  the Dallas Museum of Art are a treasure trove for incredible coffee table books, wall art, vases and even stationery. Speaking of stationery, the bride will love a set of  monogrammed note cards, which are perfect for sending thank notes for wedding and shower gifts. I love Papyrus. They have a wonderful selection of note cards and you can also custom order cards with the couple’s special monogram.

Special Treats For the Newlyweds

Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful for both the bride and the groom. A gift certificate for a massage or a visit to a spa would be a welcome treat. After  returning from the honeymoon, money might be tight for a young couple. A gift certificate for a romantic  dinner for two at The Capital Grille, Dali Wine Bar or tickets to one of the performances at the A T & T Performing Arts Center make a wonderful after the wedding gift.

What are your favorite wedding gifts to give or receive?

The Circus is Coming to Town

The Greatest Show On Earth

Exotic animals from around the world, like Asian elephants, Bengal tigers and Arabian and Friesian horses will surprise and delight children of all ages. Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey presents ZING ZANG ZOOM, a thrill-filled mind-blowing circus spectacular where family fun is no illusion. You will be amazed when a 4 ton elephant disappears before your very eyes, and two female human cannonballs are blasted through the air.

From July 28th to August 8th, the American Airlines Center will be filled with the magic and wonder of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus. They will call the Fort Worth Convention Center home from August 11th to 15th.

Zing Zang Zoom

July 28-August 8 – American Airlines Center

August 11-15 – Fort Worth Convention Center

American Airlines Center

Thursday, July 29 @ 7:30 pm

Friday, July 30 @ 7:30 pm

Saturday, July 31 @ 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

Sunday, August 1 @ 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm

Wednesday, August 4 @ 7:30 pm

Thursday, August 5 @ 7:30 pm

Friday, August 6 @ 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 7 @ 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

Sunday, August 8 @ 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm

Fort Worth Convention Center

Thursday, August 12 @ 7:30 pm

Friday, August 13 @ 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 14 @ 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm

Sunday, August 15 @ 2:30 pm

Contact My Personal Valet for more information or order group tickets online.

4 Really Cool Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day is tomorrow, Sunday, June 20th. What are you planning to give dear old Dad to show him how much you love him?  Here are a few ideas for you. These gifts are sure to please him on Father’s Day. There is something for all kinds of fathers…from the regular dad who likes a good clean shave to the geeky dad who wants the latest high-tech devices.

For the Clean Shaven Dad

A visit to The Gent’s Place in Frisco, TX is a great gift for a hardworking Dad who likes to put his best face forward. Offering more services than your average barbershop, The Gents Place was named one of the best barber shops in the country by Men’s Health magazine. One of their popular services, ‘The 7 Course‘ includes  a personal consultation, cut, and style;  paraffin hand dip and hand massage; shampoo and conditioning,  scalp massage. Face refresher with  Steamed towel and a neck massage. They also have packages, especially designed for Father’s Day. For the Dad you wants to do his own shaving, give him a gift basket of lovely shaving products from The Art of Shaving.

For the Backyard Grilling Dad

The Fourth of July is coming. And in Texas that means steaks on the grill.Why should the Dad in your life spend another Summer of misery, grilling his steaks on inferior equipment? I bet he would love a brand new state of the art gas grill. Stores like Barbeques Galore have a wide range of styles in various prices that are sure to put a smile on your backyard chef’s face. You can also find a nice selection of gas and charcoal grills at Target or Home Depot.

For the Book Loving Dad

Amazon’s Kindle is a book lover’s dream. The Kindle is about the size of a paperback book and as thin as most magazines. With the Kindle, Dad can get  books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds and  with 3G Wireless  you  can download up to 1,500 books. The selection is massive. He can choose from more than 600,000 books, including 101 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, as well as  newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Order the The Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″)online. Get him started with The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man.

A really cool alternative to the Kindle is Audible.com. Dad can  download his favorite books to an MP3 player, choosing from a  wide selection of digital audiobooks.

For the  High Tech Dad

If your dad loves gadgets. The new iPhone 4 will arrive in Apple stores on June 24th and gadget lovers are already lining up to be first in line for the new phone. The iPhone 4 is loaded with incredible new features, like multitasking, Face Time Video and more. Order Dad’s iPhone 4. Or you could kick it up a notch with Apple’s iPad.