flix brewhouse : date night review

   

the movie was ‘focus’ and the theater was flix brewhouse in merle hay mall.  for a date night it was your traditional dinner and a movie date but with a twist; we ordered, ate, and drank all while watching a movie on the big screen.  i’ve been intrigued by this unique movie-going experience since flix opened in our area this winter.  after hearing mixed reviews i thought i’d share my own.    

from what i had heard it was recommended that you reserve your seats as far in advance on the day of the show as possible.  naturally we did so….in texas.  (note to self: verify theater location when ordering online.)  i for one was most excited about the experience itself than being hung up on where we sat but in the future plan not to make the mistake again.  when we arrived at the brewhouse lounge we quickly learned the show was nearly sold out and the only seats available were in the second row – apparently this is a less desirable place to sit although we really didn’t have a preference.  they honored our texas tickets and we were invited to take our seats 20 minutes before the movie started. 

at this theater each row is seated by section similar to airline boarding.  each seat has its own pull out tray, menu and ordering light, which made ordering easy and hardly distracting. as a brew house the drink menu was full of house brewed blends, domestic bottles and a select variety of liqueurs and wines.  the food menu was surprisingly hearty and we decided to split a pizza and a bucket of beer.  the servers only talked prior to the movie starting and did a great job of moving in and out without interruption.  our food came out hot and tasty and we really had no complaints considering the fact that we were eating in close proximity to our row mates.  i honestly thought eating (as intimate as it can be) would be awkward - sitting so close- but, it wasn’t at all. 

on a scale of 1 -10, with 10 being ah-mah-zing!, i'd give the following ratings:

customer service:  8

cleanliness:  6

menu:  7

atmosphere:  8 

seat comfiness:  6

will smith:  9.5

the convenience of both dinner and a movie is a genius concept and i’d personally recommend flix brewhouse to anyone looking for an enjoyable, easy date!

tone it up!

if you’ve been following my insta account lately (srsobo) then you’re aware that i have been -obnoxiously- posting with the hashtag ‘tiu.’  after some questions about what the infamous ‘tiu’ tag stands for i thought it was time to let you all in on the ‘tiu’ (aka Tone it Up!) craze.

as far as I’m concerned Tone it Up! is one of the best kept secrets in fitness and health.  Tone it Up! is a lifestyle program that encompasses all things healthy lifestyle: nutrition, workouts, support and motivation. and the best part is it’s completely free! (well kind of.)  now i won’t go so far as to say that Tone it Up! has significantly changed my life; i’ve always been healthy and loved to exercise but, it has helped me to achieve results in a relatively short amount of time.  

what it is

what was once a side gig for two stunning, sun-kissed trainers in 2009, Tone it Up! has ballooned into a booming business empire. (now on Bravo!) not only are the trainers, Katrina and Karena, gorgeous they are positive, motivational, intense, and down to earth.  they’re also tech savvy and use social media to connect with their followers; encouraging beaucoup tweets and picture uploads.  hence the insta uploads.  here's the skinny ;o) on how to get started.

tiu founders, trainers, motivators - inspirations

how it works

you can choose your level of participation in the Tone it Up! program based on what you’re willing to spend and the time you want to invest.  for me I simply wanted more structure to my workout routine and something that would motivate me to actually do more than my morning run.  after quickly signing up in January i participated in the 'Love Your Body' series and was instantly hooked.  'Love Your Body' is just one of several series offered throughout the year and that include fun challenges with playful names like WineNOTWednesday. why wouldn't you want to participate?!?

anyway after you sign up you’ll be sent a monthly calendar and weekly workout plans that you’ll be encouraged to try.  you’ll also have access to the blog which posts inspirational stories and waistline friendly recipes.  once you've got the calendar and workout plan all you have to do is give it a try.  once you've finished a workout or tried a new recipe share your experience on your social media account of choice, tag ‘tiu’ and see what happens.  the ‘tiu community’ is thousands strong and is probably the best part of the whole program – hands down.  the followers show love whether your sweaty or not and totally get it if you’re not feeling it on any particular day.  they’ll encourage you regardless and keep you motivated to move in the right direction.  this part of the program is free, free, free!

posts from my insta account

if your interested in getting information on what to eat, when to eat and how to make good clean meals without much thought then I'd suggest purchasing the nutrition plan.  the Tone it Up! plan is customizable and for the one-time fee ($150) it provides more recipes and workouts than what's available on the blog but, if you're eating right and proportionate 5-6 times a day it's probably not worth the spend.  i’ve gone the free route for now but, maybe Iill pony up the cash at some point to give the nutrition plan a whirl.  it gets rave reviews on the community and the recipes look delish!  

bottom line: Tone it Up! is the perfect companion for a positive lifestyle change and highly recommended if you're looking to get fit for an upcoming event for bikini season!