Here we are, Christmas Eve. Most of us are sitting back, ready to enjoy the feast and open presents. But for an unlucky few, there is some last-minute shopping to do. Here are some shopping centers and Christmas Eve hours to help them out. Good luck!
Northpark: 9 am – 6 pm
Galleria: 8am – 6pm
Collin Creek: 8am – 6pm
Towneast: 8am – 6pm
Firewheel Town Center: 
10am – 10pm (Regular Mall Hours)
Willowbend: 8am – 6pm
Stonebriar: 8am – 6pm
Allen Outlet: 9am – 6pm
Mockingbird Station Shops: Varies by store, but generally 10am – 9pm
I’m a traditional girl with romantic notions of Christmas: stockings over the chimney (or wall in my case), handwritten cards sent to friends and family, hot chocolate, ribbon-wrapped presents, snow… and of course, The Nutcracker.
Recent newscasts have predicted a downturn in holiday shopping, which may equate to a downturn in the holiday spirit for some. People are losing their jobs. The financial scene is definitely bleak. My family had to resort to a joint-gifts program for this year; and we didn’t even put the family Christmas tree up. I feared the Christmas spirit had been killed. (Damn you, Economy Grinch!)
But last weekend, I took my sister to The Nutcracker, performed by Dallas Repertoire Ballet, in hopes of a distraction. I was completely mesmerized! The company is mostly comprised of dance students, so naturally, the technique can be improved upon. However, form and grace is all intact and beautifully presented still. The flexibility of the Arabian queen is to be envied. The costumes were brilliant. The atmosphere was simply magical. Even men can enjoy the spectacle of sculpted bodies twirling in unison. Either that, or they’ll look on with envy and may even be inspired to hit the gym.
Regardless of what tickles your fancy, you will certainly leave the show with a sense of alleviation, satisfaction, and Christmas spirit restored. $30 well spent!
Burger King has always been the underdog of fast food chains. Well aware they cannot compete directly with Ronald McDonald’s rigorous campaigns, Burger King has always elected more niche-marketing schemes. Some darker than others, but each one has consistently mirrored their humorous nature.
We all remember the first time someone sent us a link to subservientchicken.com and being absolutely creeped out by it. And then laughing. And then creeped out once more at the realization that we can be entertained by this.
And let us not forget The Burger King – another creepy personification of the brand. According to the commercials, the King could show up unexpectedly in your bed, behind doors and walls and offer you food. Yet, despite the disturbing smile and sneaky inclinations, people seem to be eating him up. He’s made numerous television appearances; including a spoof on Jay Leno and product tie-ins like The Simpsons and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He has his own game, Sneak King, and there’s a feature-length movie to be made? (Ugh.)
Just last year, BK advertised the discontinuation of the Whopper. Many customers were pissed (old Jay and Silent Bob 4:31), some were lost (guy in red shirt with kid 2:10), and others were just plain ridiculous (the Hipster kid 1:20). The campaign itself is tedious, but watching specific reactions from the most loyal consumers brought out a few laughs. Naturally, Youtube spoofs followed.
All in all, Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, Burger King’s ad agency, were heading in the right direction, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. I, myself, haven’t been to a Burger King in years. Recently, the one by my house closed down. Will I miss it? Nope. Can’t say I will.
Addendum: Burger King’s latest imperialistic attempt: Whopper Virgins.
The name itself should evoke images of a grimy, local joint dishing out hearty slices of New York-styled pizza. Crispy dough, thick sauce that burns your tongue, melty cheese, and sausage so flavorful only Everybody Loves Raymond’s Marie’s recipe could produce. And while the pizza wasn’t a complete letdown, less could be said for the rest of the restaurant.
I was surprised to discover the restaurant relies completely on a self-service system. Our party walked in and foolishly waited for a hostess to seat us. After 15 minutes of self-consciousness, we finally decided to grab one of the waiters racing by. We were instructed to get in line, order, and seat ourselves. We even had to get our own utensils! Call me spoiled, but the least I expect from a restaurant is not having to get up to get your own silverware when the food comes.
Their tag line: “We make it like we made it back in Brooklyn. Where we made it like we made it back in Italy.” I may not be Italian, but I’ve eaten enough Italian food to deem myself certified. Unless by Italy they mean Generic Factory Town, America, the ad is definitely slipping on some infringement issues.
Bottom line: For $3.49 per ginormous slice, the food’s decent for the bargain. If you’re really hungry, order a slice of the Stuffed Meat Pie ($4.99/slice). One slice could probably feed an appetite and a half. With a vast variety of toppings, you’ll certainly find something suitable to your palate. However, if you’re feeling like some pasta, do yourself a favor and drive down the street to Olive Garden.
Locations: Allen, Frisco, Garland, McKinney, and Plano.
One of the gems of this city is the existence of the Dollar Movie Theaters. At $9 a pop, going to the regular theater can be a daunting experience. This may explain why kids would rather hop trains or, dare I say, exercise! For the ultimate fans (those of the Twilight ilk), shelling out close to $10 for two and half hours of entertainment may be well worth it, but for the folks looking for regular weekend distractions, it’s as tempting as going to fill up gas 3 months ago. (But that’s a topic for another post.) What about staying in and renting a movie, one might ask. To my chagrin, I recently discovered Blockbuster charges $5/DVD! My frugal mind has convinced me I should never pay more than $3 for any movie.
All the reasons more the Dollar Theater is so tempting. The only drawback is that they’re not the new-to-theaters movies. They usually showcase movies that have been out in theaters for a couple of months, but are not yet on DVD. But for $1 for Bargain Matinee, $1.50 Evening, and $.50 all Tuesday, I would not mind the compromise in movie viewing urgency.
The one I usually visit, Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 in Garland, TX, is adequately clean, the environment lax, the seats comfortable, and the price… spectacular! Skip the snack line, bring your own bag of candy and a drink, and enjoy a cheap affair at the movies!
As a careful, yet curious consumer, and a fervent fan of all Apple products, I often browse their online selection of delicious products. And every now and then, I like to indulge and actually visit the store to get a little touchy feely. However, consistent with the upscale feel, the price tag continues to intimidate my inferior bank account and I always leave a little dejected. But this never deters me from returning to ooh and ahh.
As many Applemaniacs would be accustomed to, entering the under-spaced and over-staffed store leads to an automatic bombardment of offerings to help you find what you need. They have not failed to provide this treatment for me every time. Except on the one occasion where I was there to actually purchase something.
It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so I understand the crowd. I walked into the store expecting a Mac Genius to pounce on me, but none approached. I walked deeper into the store, and still nothing. I finally found the product I was looking for and proceeded to look confused. I finally grabbed two products that appear alike hoping someone would come and save me from my perplexity. Frustrated, I came uncomfortably close to one of the Mac Geniuses that was educating/flirting with a couple of elderly women. Rapport-building or not, the conversation between a sales representative and his customers need not exceed the customary three minutes. When he finally turned to bestow upon me his aid, I asked which product I needed for my specific Mac. His genius answer, “I don’t know. Let me ask someone else for you.” I wanted to yank his “Genius” card off his pretentious lanyard!
We finally figured out what I needed and I went to check out. I stood in a line that looked more like a herd at the bar and waited patiently. Moments later, a man carrying a portable check-out device approached me. He offered to check me out, and I ambivalently agreed. I’m used to paying at an actual counter. He scanned the product, asked for my credit card, scanned it, and offered to e-mail me my receipt. I appreciate the efficiency, but wondered cynically if I’d actually receive the receipt. And with my luck, I’d probably need it later. As it turned out, I did not get this e-mail.
Apple Store: I love you in all your splendor, but if you plan on having one store for an entire city, try harder to accommodate all your customers as you promised!
