Best spot in town? Your own back yard!

There has been an abundance of snow that has fallen since last night! Saint Cloud Times concludes that there is 8 to 15 inches possible.

Although it was a set-back to have to shovel out my car this morning... I got a good workout and my dog had an amazing time jumping around in the snow.

Put down that remote and enjoy a beautiful day building a snowman, making snow angels, or having a snow fight with your friends and family.

Theta Phi Alpha info meeting at SCSU

There is an interest group here on St. Cloud State campus that is really excited about the national sorority Theta Phi Alpha to be coming onto our campus.  They are presenting to the students in the interest group about who they are and why in interest group should choose them to be a part of their sorority. Theta Phi Alpha has spent all morning talking with members of the group as well as the Greek Adviser Jonathan Foss and touring all of the different sorority and fraternity houses. They are really happy to be here and are looking forward to presenting and are hoping for a good turn out.

If you are at all interested in learning more, or if any young women are interested in becoming a part of the interest group please don't hesitate to come!

http://www.thetaphialpha.org/home
To learn more about Theta Phi Alpha, follow the above link! :)

Holiday Gas Station

I have this problem where I don't have a coffee maker, yet I have an addiction.

So in order to cure this craving, I go to Holiday gas station every morning and get a steaming cup of coffee.  It is much cheaper than Caribou and Starbucks!

I don't know what I would do without my 2 options of Holiday gas station on my way to class. The 8 a.m. class especially. I am definitely not a morning person!

http://www.holidaystationstores.com/

Fire on Eighth Avenue South

Saturday at 3:25 a.m. the fire department was called to a residence at 520 Eighth Ave. S. where one person was killed and another was injured.

Firefighters attempted to enter the residence but the fire was too fierce and it was too dangerous.

The names of those involved have not yet been leased.  Many residence at neighboring houses can't believe this happened and hate seeing the ruined house everyday when they leave for work and school.

Besides the resident that was killed and the one that was injured, two others resided in the house but were not home when the fire started.

For more information follow this link! http://www.sctimes.com/article/20121124/NEWS01/311240025/One-person-dead-1-injured-southside-house-fire?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Snap Fitness

I have had a fitness pass for months, yet I have been busy, or just too lazy to get the full worth out of it.  I decided it is about time I get back into shape!

They have a bunch of different machines and equipment to work you as little or as hard as you want to go.  They also have a staff of qualified instructors to help you get into the shape you would like, build some muscle, tone up, or just help lose some weight.  Along with fitness instructions, they also help to tell you how to stay healthy by eating right. Also it is open 24/7!

It's about time to get out of bed, and get fit!

http://www.snapfitness.com/stcloud

Government Meetings

When most people think of Government meetings, the first things that come to mind are boring, official, and I'd rather not attend.  It is true that some meetings can feel irrelevant to go to, but some can be really interesting and it is good to know about what is going on in our community and what the government is doing to keep everything controlled and a great environment.  I recently did a report on the board of commissioner's meeting for the county of Sartell. Although for a majority of it involved a few yawns and a couple half-eyed head-bobs, there are a couple things I was really interested in such as adding a couple K-9 dogs to the police force because 2 of the dogs were retired, and the addition of four new positions in the Human Relations department.

I would really recommend attending a meeting if you have never done so, and learn what is going on in your community.

If you would like to find when a couple of the meetings are that you would like to attend check them out at http://ci.stcloud.mn.us or search some in other counties as well.

Cherry Berry

In the mood for a tasty treat?  Cherry Berry is the place to be! I love building my own frozen yogurt with all the toppings and different flavors of my choice. From Cheesecake to California Tart, there is no way you could possibly go wrong. Bonus: It is much healthier than ice cream or other deserts you may have and it tastes just as good, if not better in my opinion.  I know the weather is getting a little chilly and a warm hot chocolate may sound a little more appropriate, but trust me, Cherry Berry is the way to go.

They even have a cool traveling trailer that they bring to events! ^^

Located off of 23 right next to Buffalo Wild Wings in St. Cloud, MN. (the store, not the trailer)

Munsinger and Clemens Gardens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj2nJc3DhaI

Munsinger Gardens, located in St. Cloud, Minn. is a great place to just take a stroll with a friend or a significant other and enjoy the beautiful flowers and nature.

 It is right next to the Mississippi river and has trails running down the side.  It is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday from spring to fall.  You can reserve the park from anything from photography sessions to weddings.

It is a great place to relax and enjoy your day by getting away from all the hustle and bustle of college and city life.

Coming Soon! ... CVS Pharmacy

Looks like construction work under way for a new CVS Pharmacy right off of Highway 23 in St. Cloud.

St. Cloud WALMART

Finally we no longer have too travel all the way to Sartell to go to Walmart! The one in St. Cloud is finally open for business.  Not only is it closer, but it is also a lot bigger! I went to the new Walmart for the first time today and I was excited because it resembled the one I have back home.  It now has a bigger cosmetics section, pets section, cleaning section, clothing section, food, furniture, and appliances section and more.

Huskies vs. Chargers

If you're not a hockey fan, you probably should be.  SCSU hockey games are one of the most fun places to be.  Last night the boys played a great game against the Charges coming up here all the way from Alabama and defeated them 8-3.  You know what that means? FREE WINGS! Whenever the Huskies score 6+ goals, Buffalo Wild Wings supports them by giving each individual that attended the game 6 free wings with a visit to their restaurant within the next week.

Pumpkin Fest 2012

Last night Oct. 19th, 2012 was the 4th annual Pumpkin Fest held at Lake George.  I helped set it up and it was amazing to see it come to life after we were all done and people started showing up.  All of the scenes looked great and the volunteers seemed happy to help. All of the kids were having a great time dressed in their spooky costumes and collecting all their candy, decorating pumpkins, riding on the hayride, petting the animals in the petting zoo, and petting my dog, "Superdog."

http://youtu.be/HnBKATU_m3g

Grandma's Pumpkin Patch

This is a great place to take your kids to go pick your own pumpkins, have some fun, and even a great photo op. It is located right outside St. Cloud, and with Halloween just around the corner, when else would be a better time.

http://www.grandpaspumpkinsmn.com/

My advice, go out, pick a pumpkin and go home and show your kids, siblings, friends, grandchildren how to make an awesome jack-o-lantern!

This is me, my mom, sister, nephew and his grandma at a pumpkin Patch we went to in Stillwater, MN. It was a lot of fun! If you are close to the area, I would definitely check it out! We were on the hayride in this picture.

Wilson Dog Park

One of my favorite things to do in St. Cloud is visit the dog park with my dog Bravo.  We have a great time playing fetch and he gets to interact with the other dogs.  They even are located right next to the river so he can jump in and cool off in the summer.
http://mn-stcloud.civicplus.com/facilities.aspx?page=detail&RID=4

T.G.I Fridays

Yes, this is my place of employment, yet unlike most people that work at a place for a long time, I love the food.  It is a great place to go on a date, or just take your family out for a nice dinner.  We have great happy hour specials and on Wednesday nights, we have trivia!!

We also have some great 2 for $10 specials and 2 for $15 entree and appetizer specials.

We also have the best service around, you would be amazed at how much training each one of the servers had to go through to be as great as they are! http://www.tgifridays.com/

This is me at the Fridays in Chicago, My personal opinion is that we (St. Cloud) can top their service any day!

Light Up the Night -Event Coverage-

Tuesday, October 29^th at 8:30pm marks the start of a walk called ‘Light up the Night’ that represents safety on the Saint Cloud State University campus and surrounding community.  Recently there have been some violent acts in the surrounding area of SCSU with the focus on the death of Colton Gleason.  The SCSU Student Government which is hosting the walk invites participants to bring candles and flashlights to Atwood Mall where the walk will start.

Colton Gleason was the main reason this walk was designed.  While walking two girls home down an ally late Thursday night, Sept. 20^th the now charged 17 year old Jesse Smithers told the driver of the car he was in to stop, while he then jumped out and punched 20 year old Gleason in the face.  It took one punch to send him to the ground where he smacked his head on the pavement.  The unconscious Gleason was then taken to the St. Cloud hospital where he regained consciousness only to die soon after.  Gleason left behind two parents and two brothers to mourn his loss.

Although Gleason did not attend the SCSU campus, many students were affected and scared by this tragedy.  They realized this could have happened to them or one of their close friends.  The SCSU Student Government felt they should do something about this to help people realize there are things going on to build extra security around the area and to make people feel safer.

The President of campus Earl H. Potter felt it was such a deep issue he needed to recognize it and do something about it; he wrote a letter informing the public of his actions.

“All of us at St. Cloud State deeply feel the loss that Colton Gleason’s family now feels as they mourn the passing of their son, sibling and grandchild.  Our collective sense of security has been shaken but we are thankful that the police have arrested a suspect” said Potter.

Some things Potter is doing to help keep the streets safe surrounding campus is as follows: first hand he teamed up with Mayor Dave Kleis with whom they walked the neighborhoods adjacent to the University to Welcome student and caution them to be careful. The St. Cloud Police Department (SCPD) and the University also meet monthly to address issues of safety in these neighborhoods.  The SCPD has put extra patrols in the area and results show that crime is down in the south side and that safety has improved with more awareness, more education, more enforcement and new ordinances, as stated in his letter.

“Truly, lives have been saved through these and other collective actions among the City of St. Cloud, the St. Cloud Police Department, the neighborhood associations and our own Student Government” said Potter. “Please know the changes we have achieved have been won by looking after our students and holding them accountable off campus and beyond.  Also know that we have made significant changes that have increased student safety.  Finally, please also recognize that we know that there is more to be done and we will approach this with great vigor with the city, the St. Cloud Police Department and the St. Cloud State Student Government.  We will be sharing news and plans with our extended campus family as work progresses.”

Hannah Muerhoff, Vice President of Student Government, and Ellen Dodor, Communications Chair of Student Government at SCSU believe that this walk will have a great turn out. 

“Were being optimistic” said Muerhoff. “We have a social responsibility to the students and the community to address this in a positive manner.”

They stressed that safety is a priority on and off campus and Student Government is trying to find solutions.  Hannah is hosting safety committees that include students, faculty, and the Police Department to shine more light on the issue of safety in the St. Cloud area. Although it took tragedy to bring awareness to the crime happening in the streets of St. Cloud, it also brought students and residents together to see to it that the crime is cut short and peace is regained on the streets.

“Good can come out of situations like this” said Muerhoff, “and this walk is one way to come show your support and bring back safety and comfort into the streets of St. Cloud.” 

Great Dragon Buffet

The Great Dragon Buffet is an amazing place to eat in St. Cloud.  It is one of my favorites.  You can either dine in and stuff your face with some amazing Chinese foods, or you can do as I do and stop in, grab a to-go container and fill it will all of your favorites.  After you finish you take your food up to the counter to weigh it and find out the price! It always surprises me how cheap it is! If you haven't been there yet, it should be on your next stop to eat list!

https://plus.google.com/106761114536226637966/about?gl=us&hl=en

St. Stoplight (Not so hot spots)

So, living in St. Cloud, I have come to realize that I absolutely hate stoplights!

I take a different route to work that is mostly made up of stop-signs so I can avoid all of the stoplights.  Stoplights just take forever to get through and although I am usually a patient person, they make me go insane! Especially the one on 5th ave and highway 23 and the stoplight off of Wilson Avenue. They take an insanely long time to change.

I wonder how much of my life I have spent waiting for a light to turn from red to green, and it makes me sad.  Such wasted minutes I have spent.

Give me a round-a-bout anyday!!

-Sorry for the rant.

T.G.I Fridays, St. Cloud

One of my favorite places to eat, also coincidentally the place I work at.  T.G.I. Fridays.  

The food is amazing, the servers and bartenders are the best, and the cooks know what their doing!

Come in and check out our 2 for $10 and 2 for $15.99 deals. Or come in to the bar side and get some happy hour special half-off apps and drink specials.

and remember.  In here, it's ALWAYS Friday! :)

www.tgifridays.com
https://www.facebook.com/tgifstcloud?ref=ts&fref=ts

Air Maxx Trampoline Park

Want somewhere to take your children on this cold afternoon and have an action packed, fun-filled time? Air Maxx is the place for you.

Air Maxx has many different sections of trampolines to jump on, a pitt to jump, flip, or belly-flop into and if your going with a group of people a place where you can have dodgeball tournaments.

Wait, there's more they also do group deals and is a perfect place to host a Birthday Party.

Check out more information at https://www.airmaxxtrampolinepark.com/

National Hockey Center

The National Hockey and Event Center at SCSU campus has their renovations underway and it looks amazing so far.  Hockey season is coming up and all of the students are stoked. They are planning t-shirts and all kinds of fun things to help support our team.  You can get in on the Dog Pound action (in the student section) and see what they have been up too and a bunch of video profiles on the players at https://www.facebook.com/groups/234769283269713/?fref=ts

My friend Kailee and I at the game.

Along with attending their games you can always go and rent some skates at the NHEC and get your ice-skating on.  They even have free nights, student deals, and group rates. 

Find out more at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/nhec/

Lake George

Lake George is a beautiful place to take your children to play in the splash pads, go on a family picnic, run or rollerblade around, or you can even rent paddle boats or canoes to float around on it.  The only downfall.... swimming is prohibited!

Some other really cool things they do there is they host events like summertime at Lake George where they have live bands every wednesday night during the summer.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Summer-Time-By-Lake-George-St-Cloud/256633421022148

This last weekend I attended a Walk to Defeat ALS where we did laps around Lake George in memory or in honor of people that have been diagnosed with this terrible incurable disease.  I walked in honor of my father and it was amazing to see all of the support that came from all over.  We raised 38,000 is just that one walk. It felt great to be a part of that.
http://webmn.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/Minnesota?pg=entry&fr_id=8210

If you have never been to Lake George, I feel that it is about time you check it out!

SCSU Mainstreet

Today was the Annual Mainstreet on campus at St. Cloud State University.  It was a huge success and was crawling with students.  There were tons of giveaways and I myself came home with a bag full of free things.

Mainstreet is a day picked out at the beginning of each year where students can come and see all the organizations we have on our campus.  There are hundreds of booths these organizations set up and have sign up sheets and giveaways to give to the students as an incentive to join.  Along with the organizations that set up camp a lot of off campus businesses such as Coborns and Wells Fargo come and give away coupons and try to gain business from the students.

http://www.stcloudstate.edu/news/newsrelease/default.asp?storyID=39053Some students come for the free stuff, others come to learn about different clubs and organizations and some just come for the social atmosphere. Needless to say, whatever brings the students out there they definitely enjoy their time.

Riverside Trail

St. Cloud is filled with a lot of places people don't either know about or just haven't been too. Today I am featuring the trail that follows the river that people use to bike or run down for exercise. The trails are beautiful and you never know what your going to find on there.

(When I was recently roller-blading down there, I found the SCSU boys cross country team ;) )