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The Planetarium at UT-Arlington is the only one in Texas with a Digistar 4 DLP Projection system. The 60 foot dome and sophisticated technology has revolutionized the audience experience. Open to the public, there are family movies for $2 on Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays during the summer.

The Planetarium at UT-Arlington
Chemistry-Physics Building on UTA campus
700 Planetarium Place
(817) 272-0123
https://www.uta.edu/planetarium/

The Planetarium at UT-Arlington is a one-of-a-kind teaching, learning and special occasion facility. In addition to charting the skies and traveling the galaxy, the Planetarium shows kid-friendly (and educational) shows as well as movies.

Open to the public, the family movies take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the summer and cost only $2. Inside the cool air conditioned auditorium which seats nearly 150, there are comfortable reclining seats, wheelchair friendly access, and radio headsets for the hearing impaired.

Ticket prices (excluding the $2 feature films) for planetarium shows are: $6 adults, $4 seniors (65+), $4 children (18 & under); $3 UTA students w/ID; $4 non-UTA students; $4 UTA alumni/faculty/staff w/ID. Groups of 15-or-more should make a reservation 24 hours in advance to receive a discount ($4 per person). The phone number for Group Reservations is (817) 272-1183.

Here is the summer schedule through August 22nd: (confirm dates/show times by calling the pre-recorded show line number at (817) 272-0123.

SUNDAYS:
*1:30pm “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure” (discover the night sky with Big Bird, Elmo and their new friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu).
*2:30pm “Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” (join two children on a magical journey through the solar system, aided by a talking astronomy book, a cardboard rocket & vivid imagination)
*3:30pm “Two Small Pieces of Glass” (follow two students as they interact with an astronomer at a local star party; the students learn how telescopes work, the history of telescopes and major discoveries made by telescopes).

(closed Mondays)

TUESDAYS:
*2:00pm “Texas Stargazing” (find out what’s visible in the night sky tonight)
*6:00pm “Astronaut” (see what it takes to became an astronaut and the effect space has on the human body)

WEDNESDAYS:
*5:30pm $2 Movie (August 18th: “Where the Wild Things Are”)
(August 25th: “Alice in Wonderland”)
THURSDAYS:
*2:00pm “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure”
*6:00pm “Unseen Universe: The Vision of SOFIA” (take a flight on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy – SOFIA – and discover secrets of our unseen universe).

FRIDAYS:
*5:30pm $2 movie (August 20th: “Where the Wild Things Are”)
(August 27th: “Alice in Wonderland”)

SATURDAYS:
*1:00pm “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure”
*2:30pm $2 Movie (August 21st: “Where the Wild Things Are”)
(5:30pm on August 28th: “Alice in Wonderland”)
*5:30pm (August 21st): “Astronaut”
*7:00pm on August 21st “Two Small Pieces of Glass”

The Planetarium is an awesome idea for field trips for your school or organization. What a cool birthday party! They’ve even hosted corporate events, family reunions and sweet 16 birthday parties. Yes, they
even offer catering (click here for catering menu: https://www.uta.edu/planetarium/_content/pdf/general/catering-menu.pdf)

The Planetarium Dome Theatre seats 148 people, but there is also an atrium area (comfortable seating for 50 or standing area comfortable for 75-100 guests)as well as an executive conference room (3rd floor of Chemistry-Physics Building, planetarium is at ground level entrance). So this is a venue to consider to presentations, ceremonies, corporate gatherings, and parties.

If you’re thinking of having a children’s birthday party here, rental of the dome theatre is $225 which includes one show (you can choose from a long list of shows) and one hour in the atrium for cake/presents. For an extra $50 you can get a customized show that would include some visual effects (e.g. snow falling, slideshows, etc.).

When you book a private show, you may choose from the following options: “Astronaut”, “Bad Astronomy”, “Black Holes”, “Cosmic CSI”, “IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System”, “Ice Worlds”, “Microcosm”, “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure”, “Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 1”, “Secret of the Cardboard Rocket”, “Star of the Pharoahs”, “Texas Star Gazing”, “Time Space”, “Two Small Pieces of Glass”, “Unseen Universe, the Vision of SOFIA”, and “Violent Universe”.

The Planetarium staff will work with you to choose a show that is age appropriate. They’ll also answer questions about event planning. Call them at (817) 272-1183.

To help arrange a Field Trip for your organization, click here: https://www.uta.edu/planetarium/parties/. For school groups, click here: https://www.uta.edu/planetarium/schools/.

The Planetarium is located inside the Chemistry-Physics building in the heart of the UT-Arlington campus. Parking (especially on weekdays when school is in-session) is not available immediately in front of the building but there is a drop-off circle drive in front of the building’s entrance. There is a covered parking garage a short distance away (one-half block south of Planetarium) at $1.25 per hour with validated parking ticket (get it validated at Planetarium box office).

Free parking on Sunday (you still need to have it validated). If you don’t want to pay for covered parking, you may park in “Student Surface Lots” which are free from 5pm Friday to 5am Monday (Friday evenings through Sunday nights, only).

As for directions/maps (For the purpose of Google maps, the address is listed as 700 College Street), from South Cooper Street, turn east on S. Nedderman Drive, go one block to Planetarium Place (turn left on Planetarium Place). For the parking garage, go past Planetarium Place and turn left on S. West St (garage is located at corner of S. Nedderman and S. West St.).

Click here for directions and parking: https://www.uta.edu/planetarium/about/directions-and-parking.php

Buck ‘n Loons

The popular and locally owned & operated Buck n’ Loons says “never trust a skinny chef”. Famous for their burgers, fried pies, and Loon’s Juice which won Taste of Arlington’s favorite drink six straight years!

Buck ‘n Loons
3517 S. Cooper St
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri & Sat 11am-11pm
(817) 466-2825
www.bucknloons.com

You’ve gotta love a restaurant where, as you walk in the door, the sign about the entry says ‘Never Trust a Skinny Chef”. None of us will be skinny if we eat too many of Buck ‘n Loons’ fried pies. That’s alright, I’ll gladly do extra time on the treadmill if I get another bite of fried pie. But I agree with the advice on the menu: “Life Is Uncertain, Eat Dessert First!” There are also fitness tips: “No pain is no pain, your heart is only good for so many beats; want to live longer, take a nap!” Okay, I’ll take the nap after I order and annihilate the Ultimate Frito Pie ($6.99).

A sense of humor and local ties make Buck ‘n Loons a fun place (so do the drink specials, especially ‘Loons Juice’ which has won Taste of Arlington’s Best Alcoholic Beverage six times). Happy Hour is 7 hours long on weekdays (11am-6pm Monday thru Friday).

Even though the drinks are cheap ($1.75 a mug of beer, $6.50 a pitcher for premium draft beer, $5 pitchers all-day on Saturdays, $1 pints on Monday, $3 margaritas on Wednesday, All Day Happy Hour on Thursday), this place is not just a bar. In fact, I think of it as a family restaurant.

And I love the fact that it’s locally owned & run. All the local high schools are represented with memorabilia adorning the walls, from Lamar HS wrestling to Kennedale baseball to Arlington HS Colts volleyball to Martin HS cheerleader, to Mansfield football. You get the point. The restaurant has become a fixture in the community.

Most important, however, is the food. The most popular special is the “Sunday Night Burger Special” which is any single burger plus fries for only $5 (5pm to closing). Lunch specials (11am-2pm, Monday thru Friday) are only $6.99 and include two side items (choice of pot roast, meatloaf, chicken fried steak, chopped steak, grilled chicken, fried or grilled catfish, pork chop). Add iced tea or soft drink to the lunch special for only 99 cents. The “Old Geezer Privilege” allows for folks 60 & older to order the lunch special any time of day.

Catfish (grilled or fried) is also a popular choice, so is the meatloaf dinner ($9.99) and Chopped Steak Dinner ($10.49). There’s also pasta, grilled chicken, and a new item on the menu: pork chop dinner ($9.99).

For the appetizers, try the Irish Chicken Nachos ($8.99) which is homemade potato chips topped with diced chicken, spinach artichoke queso, salsa & guacamole. There are also wings, ballpark nachos ($8.49, a meal in itself) and loaded taters (French fries covered with smoke bacon & cheese, $6.99). Also tacos, fried cheese, and fried pickles & jalapenos. If you can’t make up your mind regarding Appetizers, you can choose the “Munchie Sampler” ($11.99) which includes 3 wings, 3 tacos, 3 mozzarella sticks, and your choice of nachos or taters.

“Bucks Famous Burgers” are a half-pound of steak and winner’s of local awards for best hamburger in Arlington. There’s the regular burger ($6.99) or bacon burger ($8.49) or guacamole burger ($8.29) or swiss mushroom burger ($8.29) or Frito burger ($8.40) to mention a few.

The menu says “A note from your cardiologist is recommended” before ordering the Incredible Double Cheeseburger ($9.49). If that’s the case, maybe you should check your life insurance policy before ordering the “Knife & Fork Burgers” because they’re too big to eat with your hands. The “Animal Burger” ($10.99) is double meat, double cheese and topped with a sliced hot dog, chili & fritos. More power to you, if you order the Animal!

Yes, there are salads (7 choices) and soups for those who don’t want to overdue it. The potato soup is most popular, but chili & chicken/sausage gumbo are also available. There are also 10 choices of sandwiches, from the reuben to the patty melt to catfish or French Dip. “The Godzilla” is a meatloaf sandwich on a ciabatta roll. “The Maverick” is a popular sandwich choice (chicken breast w/wing sauce, pepper jack cheese, $8.99).

But let’s get back to the important stuff…the fried pies. Honestly, by the time I’ve had the pot roast or meatloaf, I can’t stuff down the dessert. So I order the fried pie to-go. But warning: don’t try to eat it in the car because it’s covered with powdered sugar and you’ll end up with a sheet of white dust down the front of your shirt. These aren’t the little hard-fried pieces of dough that you get from a fast-food place; these are large, puffy pies that are stuffed; the lady in the back hand-makes them every day. You can choose from the following fillings: chocolate, apple, cherry, apricot (yes!), peach (also very good), coconut (my favorite), Bavarian cream (try it!), or strawberry cheesecake (decadent, but in a good way). The pies are $3.99 each and come with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Buck n’ Loons has a very good Web site, so you can check out the menu yourself by clicking here: www.bucknloons.com.

The restaurant is located at 3517 S. Cooper, just north of Arbrook but just south of Mayfield. It’s just a few blocks north of The Parks Mall on Cooper, and just a couple of miles north of I-20. Click here for a Mapquest map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Arlington&state=TX&address=3517+S+Cooper+St&zipcode=76015-3410&country=US&latitude=32.689171&longitude=-97.12986&geocode=ADDRESS

Hours are Sunday thruThursday 11am-10pm and Friday & Saturdays from 11am-to-11pm.

The Cotton Bowl Classic is celebrating its 75th Anniversary with a prime time kickoff on Friday, January 7th, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Tickets are now on sale.

AT&T Cotton Bowl
Cowboys Stadium in Arlington
Friday, Jan 7, 2011; 7pm

Tickets: On Sale Monday, Aug 16th
Price: $125 to $200
(888) 792-BOWL
http://www.attcottonbowl.com/box-office/purchase-tickets

The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic has made a ground-breaking move for the game in January 2011: a prime time evening kickoff on Friday, January 7th at 7pm central. The national spotlight has never been brighter for a game that traditionally had been played during the daytime on New Year’s Day.

Last year’s game was held for the first time at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Ole Miss defeated Oklahoma State in a high-scoring affair, 47-34. The coming game’s opponents won’t be determined until late in the fall, but it will surely be another thrilling matchup. Don’t wait until tickets are gone. Last year’s game was a huge success and, even though it’s mid-August, just a couple thousand tickets are still available to the public.

Ticket prices are $125 for reserved seats and $200 for club seats. To purchase tickets by phone, call the AT&T Cotton Bowl Box Office toll-free at (888) 792-BOWL Monday through Friday, 8:30am-to-4:30pm central.

To purchase tickets on-line, click this link: http://www.attcottonbowl.com/box-office/purchase-tickets

Parking passes are also available for $30. Click here if you want to purchase parking on-line: http://www.attcottonbowl.com/box-office/parking. There are Tailgate Parking Passes (also for $30) so please designate if you want Tailgate Parking.

For more information about the coming 2011 AT&T Cotton Bowl and its 75th Anniversary celebration, click here to link to the organization’s official Web site: http://www.attcottonbowl.com/main

The new IMAX at AMC The Parks at Arlington 18 celebrated its Grand Opening on August 13th.  Beginning August 27th and FOR ONE WEEK ONLY the feature will be:  “Avatar:  an IMAX 3D Experience”.

IMAX Theatre at AMC The Parks at Arlington 18
The Parks at Arlington Mall
3861 S. Cooper
Phone: 1-888-AMC-4FUN (movie times); 817-505-4517 (guest services)
http://www.amcentertainment.com/Theatres/AMC_The_Parks_At_Arlington_18_Dallas/Ft__Worth/

Arlington has a new IMAX! It’s located at AMC The Parks at Arlington 18 on the third level of The Parks at Arlington Mall (northeast corner, I-20 @ S. Cooper St).

The feature film beginning August 27th will be “Avatar:  An IMAX 3D Experience”.   The special IMAX version of Avatar will play for one week only!!  IMAX features and all movies shown at AMC 18 are available online:  http://www.amcentertainment.com/Theatres/AMC_The_Parks_At_Arlington_18_Dallas/Ft__Worth /

Ticket prices for IMAX are $13.50 for adults, $10.50 for kids, and $12.50 for seniors.

If you’ve never seen a movie in the IMAX format, you’re missing out. Maybe you’ve seen some movies over the past few years in Digital HD and/or 3D. But IMAX is different. It’s a digital projection system with two digital projectors plus image enhancers and custom lenses the make the images on screen appear clearer and with greater brightness and contrast. The digital sound is exclusive to IMAX. It’s uncompressed and has ten times the dynamic range and cuts down on distortion. There’s special acoustic paneling inside the theatre that absorbs sound and removes echo.

While I admit to not understanding all the science, I can tell you it looks and sounds really awesome on the huge screen. The goal of IMAX is to make the movie-goer feel as if they are in the movie.

AMC and IMAX made a special effort to custom-design the screen for this location. The screen is a larger, slightly curved and specially treated. It’s positioned closer to the audience. The auditorium can hold up to 285 people. Of course, the digital sound is powerful and customized as well. The goal is to totally immerse the audience in the sights and sounds of the movie-going experience.

Upcoming Hollywood movies which will be released in IMAX include:  “Avatar” (Aug 27th…. one week only!!!!); “Resident Evil: Afterlife” (Sept 10th), “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” (Sept 24th); “Megamind” (Nov 5th), “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1” (Nov 19th); and “Tron: Legacy” (Dec 17th).

The theatre is located on level 3 of The Parks at Arlington Mall which is on the northeast corner of S. Cooper Street and I-20. For directions/map, click here: http://www.movietickets.com/house_map.asp?exid=amc&house_id=8316

The folks at The Black Eyed Pea, famous for their home style cooking, are offering Sunday Brunch at two Arlington locations. You can order off the special Brunch Menu or any item off the very popular regular menu.

Sunday Brunch at The Black Eyed Pea
Two locations:
South Arlington (3808 S. Cooper, across from The Parks Mall)
North Arlington (1400 N Collins @ Rd to Six Flags, Lincoln Square)
Brunch Hours: Sundays 10am-2pm
Regular Hours: Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun 10am-10pm
Phone: South Arlington – (817) 467-9555; North Arlington (817) 275-8973
http://theblackeyedpea.com

I’ll admit that it never occurred to me to put scrambled eggs and pico de gallo on top of a chicken fried steak. But that’s what the Black Eyed Pea has done with its Brunch Menu item called the “Texas Scramble” ($9.99). That’s right. It’s the restaurant’s regular chicken fried steak (including the cream gravy) topped with scrambled eggs and pico de gallo. It comes with a side of brunch potatoes. That was my husband’s choice (of course!).  If you don’t want eggs on your chicken fried steak, just order the item off the regular menu.

Last Sunday I had the Ham/Broccoli/Cheddar Cheese Deep-Dish Quiche ($8.29) which comes with a small side of fruit plus a muffin. I was stuffed about halfway through the meal.

Another interesting Brunch item: Chicken & Waffle ($8.99). This is the Black Eyed Pea’s fried boneless chicken breast (the same as you get when you order chicken-fried chicken) on top of one of the big Belgian waffles. It’s different from what you get at a soul food restaurant; this is a boneless breast instead of the boned chicken wings. Gravy and syrup is served on the side.

The “Brunch Wrap” ($7.99) is a chipotle-flavored tortilla stuffed with eggs, cheese, ham, sausage, back, salsa, and fried potatoes. The Chorizo & Eggs is $7.99 and the price of omelettes depends on which one you order.

If you like waffles, they trick ‘em up pretty good here. There are 4 choices for fancy Belgian Waffles ($6.99): Bananas Foster (topped with sliced bananas, whipped cream, chopped pecans and warm maple syrup); Cinnamon Apple (baked cinnamon apples, whip cream caramel drizzle); Chocolate Lovers (chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle, whip cream); and Red White & Blue (Strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream & warm strawberry syrup).

Yes, you can go with more standard breakfast fare like sausage & biscuits as well as eggs/bacon/sausage/biscuits.

Kids get a good deal at Brunch. The “Texas Waffle” (yes, a waffle that’s shaped like the state of Texas) is $3.49 and topped with either chocolate chips or bananas/pecans (or plain). And depending on if the kid is a boy or a girl, he/she can order the “Cowboy” or “Cowgirl” (same items) for $3.49 which includes bacon, toast, eggs, and orange or banana slices.

Speaking of Kids/Families, I want to mention something about non-Brunch at The Black Eyed Pea’s Arlington locations….

FAMILY ALERT!!!! Kids 12 & under Eat Free on Tuesdays after 5pm (1 free kids meal with every adult entrée purchased). Also, the Kids Meals are one of the best deals in town for families. For only $3.99, you get an entrée, one side (veggies), a drink, and a mini-dessert.

One more thing about the Kids Menu: it’s more than corn dogs or cheese pizza or chicken fingers or grilled cheese (yes, those are available). It’s also regular Black Eyed Pea favorites including: pot roast, grilled chicken breast, turkey dinner, meat loaf, or cheeseburger. It’s rare to find the big-person stuff available on any kids deal, but it’s available here. And the “side” choices are the same as the veggies on the adult menu.

Speaking of veggies, they are fresh. It’s not frozen from a Ziploc bag, then microwaved (you’d be surprised how many chain restaurants really do that).  When I’m on a health kick, I’ll come here and get the “Classic Vegetable Plate” which is 5 choices for $6.99 (or substitute soup or salad for two veggies).

The variety of side dishes include country-cookin’: black eyed peas (duh!), cornbread dressing, friend corn cob, baked squash casserole, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, sweet kernel corn, broccoli & rice casserole, fried okra, steamed broccoli, green beans, turnip greens, seasoned rice, mac & cheese, red beans & rice, and cinnamon apples.

Weekday lunch specials (Mon-Fri, 11am-2:30pm) are popular because they are so reasonably priced (starts at $5.99) and include the traditional favorites like pot roast, turkey, or meatloaf. Heck, you pay 5 bucks for a combo meal from McDonalds, so why not get something hearty and fresh?

Black Eyed Pea also has Daily Features served Monday through Friday for $7.99 (includes 2 veggies and rolls/cornbread). Here are the special as of mid-June: Monday-traditional shepherd’s pie; Tuesday-smothered steak; Wednesday-chicken pot pie; Thursday-chicken n dumplings (my favorite!); and Friday-fried whitefish.

For those of you who enjoy chicken fried steak, you can get it Texas-sized ($10.99); but allow me to suggest the chicken fried chicken ($8.99). Same good taste, but you feel less guilty because it’s chicken instead of beef. And try asking for the Jalapeno gravy (tastes good but with a little extra kick).

Comfort food is Housemade Meatloaf ($8.59) or the slow-cooked Pot Roast ($9.69). But other selections under “American Classics” include chicken parmesan pasta, turkey breast, Southwest chicken casserole (yes, a good choice), and roasted chicken.

“Texas Combos” allow you to combine two of the following: Half-Rack of Ribs; Grilled Atlantic Salmon, Shrimp Skewer, or Grilled Chicken Breast. The price is $13.99 and includes two sides and rolls/cornbread.

The Combos are the most expensive item on the menu, so that’s saying something when you can get big portions “From the Grill” for that low a price. Black Eyed Pea is also now serving Nolan Ryan’s brand of Top Sirloin Steak (with onion rings, sautéed mushrooms & onions) for $12.99 (includes two sides and rolls/cornbread).

Because so many folks come here before or after Rangers or Cowboys games, there’s a discount. Show your sports ticket stub and get a 20% discount. Also, the North location is so close to Cowboys Stadium, many people park at Lincoln Square Shopping Center and either walk (or take a shuttle) to the stadium. If you purchase a $40 gift card from the Black Eyed Pea, you can park free in their parking lot (that’s a good deal because parking for Cowboys games is $75 at the stadium).

Also, if you have a large group and/or need a place for a private function, the North location has two private dining rooms which can accommodate anywhere from 45-70 people. Call the restaurant directly about reserving a room: (817) 275-8973

Catering is available from both locations as well as takeaway. Yes, delivery of catering is available (minimum $150 purchase). For questions about catering, call the catering manager at 817-371-2283.

Both Arlington locations are easy to find. The South location (3808 S. Cooper) is across the street from The Parks Mall, two blocks north of I-20. Click for Google map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3808+South+Cooper+Road+Arlington+TX+76015

The North location (1400 N. Collins) is in Lincoln Square Shopping Center, at the intersection of Collins & Road to Six Flags (one block south of I-30, two blocks from Cowboys Stadium). Click here for Google map link: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1400+North+Collins+Street++Arlington+TX+76011

If you are an out-of-town visitor to Arlington utilizing the Trolley through the Entertainment District, the Black Eyed Peas north location is on the trolley stop (for Lincoln Square).

If there’s anything I missed (sorry, didn’t have room for dessert), check out their Web site (www.theblackeyedpea.com).

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