I'm Baaaack!

Oh my goodness- I can't believe it's been so loooong! It's hard to believe that March 11 was my last post- not only because, hello??? It's MAY already! But also because- has it really been that long?? Man. Time flies when you're living in chaos! :)

But seriously, between working some big events at work (here and here and here) and my laptop completely crashing in the worst way, I have had such a hard time getting back on here to post!

Let's start with the laptop crash of 2011 (as I will now infamously refer to it). We've been struggling with my poor, old laptop for some time now. I bought it in 2006 when I moved to Texas, so it's a good 5 years old (which is ancient in laptop years). It held on well for me through most of it's lifespan, but it really took a dive there toward the end. It caught a virus that we just couldn't shake, and it was all downhill from there. I was in the middle of some pretty heavy research one night mid-March when it finally decided it had had enough. It locked up and shut down and refused to cooperate. When I took it in to Best Buy's Geek Squad to diagnose the problem, even the "Geek" had to laugh at how bad it really was. (Oh, you want to put in a CD to check the hard drive content? Good luck- this little laptop will spit it right back atcha!) His recommendation: get a new laptop. Awesome.


So a couple of weeks and a nice hefty Best Buy bill later, here I am on my new HP Pavilion Laptop. I love it so far and I can only hope it treats me as well (or better) than my now peaced-out Gateway. Although there is still hope for that old guy- he's back with the Geek Squad now, trying to get made back into a shadow of his former self. If he comes out alive and kicking, the rest of the family will have a computer all to themselves! (and no sharing for me!)

So now that we're back and ready to roll, I've got quite a bit to fill you in on... I've done several projects in the last month that I can't wait to share, and made more decisions about the future of this blog. Being away from the blog for so long showed me how much I really do enjoy writing on here. I may struggle with what to share from time to time, but the important part is that this little space on the blogosphere really gives me the chance to put it all out there! So here's to a refreshed start and some brand-spankin-new content coming your way! Let's go!

(consider this a teaser picture of a future post about our mini-vacation!)

Charity Golf Tournament

Anyone out there a golfer? Want to help a great cause while hitting the course?

Join us for the Second Annual Rick Fairless Charity Golf Tournament on March 31st at 1:00pm. We will be golfing at Riverside Golf Course in Grand Prairie and it's only $100 per player. All money raised benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

For the $100 fee, each golfer is able to participate in the tournament, gets a goody bag, is eligible to participate in contests to win prizes, and gets a free meal at Strokers Ice House after the tournament! It's great fun and raises money for a great cause.

For more info, visit http://www.strokersdallas.com/2011/02/rick-fairless-charity-golf-tournament-3/ or email me at work: meghan@strokersdallas.com

Snow Day in Texas

Another freak snow storm hits Texas! This time it's all ice and sleet. Check out the damage it did to Strokers Dallas:

Sunday Snow

(image from My Fox 4, house in Frisco this weekend)

Oh boy... it snowed a little yesterday and more last night. Some areas of D/FW got up to 6 inches (we didn't get enough to stick). While that might not be much for most of you, you know what it means for us- Ice in Texas = traffic nightmares. Our highways will all freeze over and people will crash all morning. I better prepare for a loooong commute in to work today.

Not a good way to start the week! Happy Monday.

First Day of Winter

(image credit)

Today is officially the First Day of Winter

...and it's 80 degrees in Dallas/Fort Worth!

I guess I'll take that over snow! Happy Winter Y'all!

Snowy Days

I moved from Indiana to Texas four and a half years ago. I thought it was going to be a temporary move, but since then I have bought a house and have really settled in. While there are a lot of things I miss about Indiana and the Midwest, snow is definitely NOT one of them.

I just talked to my parents earlier this week and they were stuck in a hotel in northern Indiana after getting snowed in on their way home from Chicago. They were stuck there for 2 days because roads were closed and impassable. Yuck. No thanks (p.s. it was 70 here in Texas yesterday!)

The same day, my Grandma (who moved from Indiana to Florida a while back) sent me an email. She said "There's two feet of snow in Indiana. I sure don't miss it"

I agree, Grandma.

Takin the Train...

...to Awesomeness!

We plan to attend Taste Addison every year, and it's always a bonus if the Saturday night band is good. Last year it was Foreigner and it was quite a show.

This year I am SUPER excited because the featured artist on Saturday night is Train!
I LOVE their music and especially appreciate it for it's sing-along-ability. I can't wait to scream along next weekend!

So for all of our listening pleasure, I present Drops of Jupiter (takes me right back to the 90s):

Free Fest

Hey Farmers Branch folk,


Come see the Strokers Dallas truck and trailer at the Memorial Day Weekend Liberty Fest, Saturday May 29th.

We will be set up with the car & motorcycle show, but be sure to check out all the attractions, including a free REO Speedwagon & Gin Blossoms concert! Woo hoo!

More details at http://www.fblibertyfest.com/

Such Sweet Sorrow

If a sweet tooth could kill, I would be first on the death toll.

Well unfortunately, that is very much the case for some pretty birds known as Cedar Waxwings.

(Photo Credit)

These poor birds love sweet berries. They can't help themselves. Once they start, they just can't stop eating the delicious fruits. However, on occasion, when they come across a batch of overripe berries, they can become intoxicated by the concentrated fruit-turned-alcohol. And this is where the problem starts. They almost always drink and fly.

Here in Dallas, there are long stretches of berry bushes alongside a busy highway bridge. Hundreds of these birds stop to eat the sweet treats, only to become disoriented and fly straight in to traffic! Soon the roadside begins to look like a mass suicide scene. Poor birds. If only their mothers had taught them to either sleep it off or get a desginated flier.

(story source: Dallas Morning News)

Arlington, Be Warned

Arlington, TX is about to be hit with a major influx of residents, only they won't be buying houses or renting apartments. No, no. They're coming for one thing only: a booty call.

Cowboys Stadium is preparing to host two major sporting events in the coming years: the NBA Playoffs and the Super Bowl. With those two events, Dallas police are expecting 50-100,000 prostitutes to come to the city to take advantage of the fans. Literally.

Really?? 50-100,000 hookers are coming to Arlington?? As one commenter mentioned, that's nearly one "circuit girl" for every man, woman, and child attending the game! I sure hope not!

Please read this article to enjoy the priceless quotes, comments, and exaggerated estimates from Dallas Morning News: http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/dallas-police-preparing-for-in.html

I'll leave you with this:
"The sun rises in the East," he said, "and hookers come into town during the Super Bowl."

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Definition on Wikipedia: Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. The outnumbered Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army that had known no defeat for almost 50 years. However, Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily.


While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. However, a common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.


Definition in Texas: An excuse for everyone to drink a lot of Margaritas and Corona and eat tons of chips and queso all day. See also, "getting drunk at lunch" and "take an afternoon nap outside."

Hello, Goodbye

Wow... April has been BUSY!!! Here is a rundown of my month so far:

Parents in town: March 27-April 4
Easter weekend happenings with friends and family: April 11-12
Boyfriend's birthday: April 13
CNN Live broadcast at Strokers: April 15
Strokers Dallas Garage Sale (with Wet T-Shirt Contest): April 18-19
Got a NEW PUPPY for my birthday (see April 27): April 24
My own garage sale: April 25-26
My birthday: April 27
Preparing for house warming party: April 29-30

... and now here we are and the month is almost over! That is my excuse for totally neglecting this blog. There have been many updates to the house (new sod! new bedroom decor!) and the family (new Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy!!) that have kept me extremely busy. But I will stop with the excuses and start with the sharing. Speaking of sharing, please check out the "cool stuff from other people" section on the left for other cool blogs and their more frequent posts!

April 10 = awesome

I can't WAIT for April 10 when Dallas bars and restaurants go smoke free!! But if you're one who likes to pollute the air for others, perhaps you should celebrate "the end of an era" and attend the Strokers Smoke Em day:

(I do not support this event, but I LOVE the fliers!)

Lookin Good MOM!

Lone Star Christmas

I went to the Gaylord Texan hotel in Grapevine this weekend to check out their free Lone Star Christmas display in the atrium. It was beautiful! If you are looking for something to do, or some cool light displays to go see this holiday season, I would definitely make this one of your stops. There are 1.2 million lights throughout the display, plus a gigantic gingerbread house, a 50 ft spinning christmas tree, live reindeer, and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus! And again, everything is FREE!! There are also several bars and restaurants, so people of all ages can be entertained. This is "don't miss holiday spot" for sure!

Plus, if you're extra special you can check out the ICE! exhibit there too. I haven't been to that show yet, but as soon as I go, I'll report back. :)

More details at www.gaylordhotels.com.

Good and Cheap

If you're looking for a good mexican restaurant in DFW, you don't have to look far. I've already shared my passion for "Fresco's" over near Watauga and of course you can always count on "On the Border" to be there when you need it. But if you're craving good, fresh, CHEAP mexican food and Taco Bell just isn't going to cut it, try Rosita's.

Their location leaves something to be desired (unless you work at Elliots, BWC, or in the hospital district) but their food does not disappoint. I read some reviews before I went and agreed with every positive remark. The staff was fast and friendly, the food was delicious, and I left feeling more than full for under $5. It was a great day.

I highly recommend the "Margarita Nachos Supreme" if you like the pile-on-and-mix-it-all-up-into-unidentifiable-goo kind of nachos like I do. Yum.

Rosita's Restaurant and Catering
4906 Maple Ave, Dallas - (214) 521-4741

Welcome Weather

I know that I say I prefer warm weather to cold, but today I woke up smiling because there was a chill in the air and I was wrapped up all cozy-like in my bed.

I had slept with the window open and was feeling very well rested. It was the perfect morning weather and it actually made me smile. I guess you can call it the first sign of Fall in Texas.

Don't worry, I won't get too excited. Fall only lasts about a week down here anyway. (and it looks nothing like this picture)

Apartment for Rent

It's really nice. 1 bedroom. 1 bath. Third floor with a great view of the parking lot. Comes with hyper dog (requires 3 walks a day, minimum), a fridge full of condiments, lots of DVDs, and a full washer and dryer.

I'm putting it up for rent because I now live at work and would rather not deal with the commute.

Here is a short list of reasons I now sleep on my office floor:
-Big Dogs of Dallas SPCA adoption and fundraising event (Aug 30)
-Free Pizza Thursdays (Every Thursday starting Sept 4)
-Weekly Lingerie Contests (Every Tuesday, pending sponsorship)
-Hot Summer Nights Classic Car Show (Sept 13)
-Hot Rod Cruise Night (Every Saturday night starting Sept 20)
-Upcoming Strokers 13th Anniversary Party (Oct 10-12)
-Live Fest: Battle for Dallas (Battle of the Bands at Strokers Ink, Nov 8)

Just a few things to do before now and then... I'll be here if you need me.

Flutter By, Butterfly

Anyone in the DFW area should make plans to attend the Northeast Tarrant County Kiwanis Butterfly Festival on September 4-7th! It takes place in Southlake Town Square and it is going to be amazing!

Hundreds of butterflies, tons of great raffle prizes, and a huge release on Sunday at 5.










Be there. I will.

http://www.netckiwanis.org/butterflyfest.html

The internet is for porn

...at least according to Avenue Q!

I saw this musical last night and have never laughed so much inside a theater! This video sucks, but you get the idea... It's like Sesame Street on crack! You should definitely see it if you get the chance.

...and the winners are...

We had some exciting contests over the 4th of July weekend!

Strokers Infamous Bikini Contest (hula hooping and all) and our new Bad Tattoo Contest both on Friday!

Here is a sneak peak of the full photo album with a shot of the top 3 bikini finalists:

Corrie on the left: 2nd Place

Melissa in the middle: 1st Place

Nancy on the right: 3rd Place

More photos will be posted online at http://www.strokersdallas.com/ shortly. You know you want to look.