Apex Entertainment is a great place for family fun for everyone offering bowling, karting, arcade games, and more

Apex Entertainment in Marlborough, MA is a great place for family fun for everyone in the family with karting, bowling, arcade games, a ropes course suspended above the games, bumper cars, laser tag and more!

We had the opportunity to check it out and were quite impressed with all of the activities they had. You can easily spend a few hours in the arcade area alone, so be sure to plan ahead with how you want to spend your time otherwise your entire day will go by before you know it!

We went to try all of the activities and had an amazing time. My daughter absolutely loved the ropes course and the arcade. For the ropes course you’re harnessed in and then walk high above the arcade along with a guide to help you get from point A to point B.

While you’re there you can go bowling, visit the arcade, and have a great meal. We tried the largest pretzel in the entire state of Massachusetts and it did not disappoint!  There is truly something for everyone here.

I had a blast going on the karts with my brother in law and thank goodness they gave us the track to ourselves. He was a pro at driving the kart, but it was my first time and I didn’t know what to expect, so I bumped into the side walls a few times. They have a rule, if you hit the side wall three times you’re out. Thankfully, I didn’t do that and let’s just say I drive a car waaaaaaaay better than how I drive a kart.

NOTE: We were provided with passes for bowling, arcades and activities at Apex Entertainment in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. There was no promise made of a positive review and all opinions, as always, are our own.

The Globetrotters are coming to Worcester's DCU Center on 3/23

The Original Harlem Globetrotters are coming to Worcester on March 23rd brining their all new fan-powered world tour to town!

The Globetrotters are known for their amazing feats of basketball, humor, and acts of goodwill on and off the court. And they have always been about the fans, but this year, everything they do will bring fans closer to the action more than ever before. Join them as they celebrate fans during the all-new Fan Powered World Tour! There will be over 20 occasions before, during and after the game where you have the opportunity to directly interact with Globetrotters stars.

Don't miss out - get your tickets today and save 25% off with promo code FUNFAM

SAVE 25% for ALL Harlem Globetrotters Games with promo code FUNFAM https://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/tickets

We celebrate the 40th birthday of the Lego Minifigure at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston

A few weeks ago, we had the chance to celebrate the 40th birthday of the Lego Minifigure at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston at Assembly Row Square in Somerville, MA. I was pretty excited to go with the family because I used to play with Legos all of the time as a kid and still enjoy playing with them alongside my kids and watching their reactions as well.

We arrived in time to find parking nearby and then the parade of characters started along with LEGOLAND Creative Crew members and employees. The Creative Crew are local kids who are selected to help the Master Builder throughout the year.

After the parade everyone assembled at the front of the store to sing happy birthday to the mini figures in attendance and then some fun confetti filled the air. We picked up our tickets and activity books and started the tour. We got in the elevator and proceeded to a waiting area where we were welcomed and saw a short video about what we could expect.

Our first stop was a ride where we would pretend to save the minifigures from the bad guys and spiders using special guns that shoot laser beams on the targets. If you get a bad guy you earn points. The goal is to try and beat your teammates and score more points!

What you don't realize is right before the end of the ride, it takes a photo of you and your teammates playing the game! Afterwards you have the option to purchase a print of the photo along with a neat Lego frame. If you're so inclined you can also order a copy of the photo broken up into lego bricks that can be assembled together and broken apart as a puzzle. So much fun!

We then had the chance to explore Miniland, where the local Lego master builder has created a landscape of region specific local attractions in great detail. There was Logan airport, some downtown Boston office buildings, the Boston Harbor Hotel, South Station and others. I was pretty excited because they were all buildings near my office and I was familiar with all of them. They even had more tourist-friendly options like Faneuil Hall, the Old South Meeting House, Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and the Charles River. You could even interact with some of the exhibits like a boat race for Head of the Charles regatta and even playing baseball at Fenway that was built like a pinball game. That was by far my favorite attraction along with peering into the office of the master builder - pretty neat.

The kids enjoyed an activity scavenger hunt where you have to visit all of the various rooms and rides and get a stamp in your activity booklet. Our daughter really liked that one.

There is a Lego 4D movie that is included with admission and a ride where you pedal a bike to go higher and higher in a ride. It was a lot of fun going with the kids. There was a special exhibit for Star Wars where the master builder made Star Wars specific models that were pretty neat.

If you are looking for something new to do and you've been to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston before, they just opened up a virtual reality (VR) ride where you can put on a headset and race alongside other minifigures on a racecourse and see if you can get the best time. It was fun for all ages... the kids enjoyed it along with my dad! So much fun to be had.

When you get hungry, there's a Lego cafe where you can get food (even in a Lego lunch box container)and get drinks and pastries provided by Starbucks. They even made the Starbucks logo out of Legos. One thing to note is that while they serve Starbucks coffee, they do not accept Starbucks gift cards.

We ended the day exiting into the store where you could purchase all things Lego and even a brick separator. I wish they had one of those when I was a kid, it would have saved my fingernails a lot of agony.

NOTE: We were provided with passes in order to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are our own.

Catch the Free Blue Man Boston Fan Drum-Off tomorrow 7/7

Finalist Victoria Venegas-Rizk.
Photo provided by Blue Man Group Boston.
Used with permission.

Blue Man Group Boston is hosting their fifth annual Drum-Off competition tomorrow, July 7th at 5:00 pm at the free Summer Block Party at The Lawn on D in Boston. After the competition, the winner will perform with Blue Man Group so you'll even enjoy a mini-performance, too!

This competition showcases the best drumming talent in New England and beyond with selected finalists each performing a 3-minute solo jam session in front of the festive Summer Block Party crowd and judges. The winner will receive over $6,000 in prizes from Blue Man Group, DW, Sabian and Vic Firth and have the chance to perform with Blue Man Group at the end of the competition.

The finalists are:
Vlade Guigni, 33, lives in Boston, from the Dominican Republic.
Xavier Martin, 32, lives and from Sanford, North Carolina
Cameron Petros, 19, lives and from Ellsworth, Maine
Tyler Pedersen, 24, lives and from Marblehead, MA
Victoria Venegas-Rizk, 20, lives in Boston and from Miami, Florida

Vlade and Tyler are returning finalists having competed in the 2016 and 2017 Drum-Offs respectively.  Victoria becomes the third female finalist in the five-year history of the Blue Man Group Boston Drum-Off and first female finalist since 2015.

“When we started this event five years ago, our goal was to highlight the area’s drumming talent and we’ve seen such amazing and proficient drummers perform at this event over the years,” said Jonathan Screnci, Resident General Manager, Blue Man Group Boston. “These five individuals all have such distinct drumming styles and I think the audience at The Summer Block Party is really going to enjoy watching them compete and perform.”

This year’s competition will be hosted by Danny Balel of ImprovBoston. ImprovBoston has been New England’s leading theater and school dedicated to the art of comedy in all forms. The judges will include members of the Blue Man Group band that will also perform during the encore.

NOTE: I'm providing this information for my readers since I think you all will enjoy it! No compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

New England Boat Show coming to Boston 2/10-18 and a giveaway #NEBoatShow

The 2018 Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show drops anchor at the Boston Convention Center, February 10th -18th. This nine-day interactive, educational, immersive and entertaining experience attracts more than 50,000 marine enthusiasts of all ages and lifestyles. With something for every budget and level of interest the Show will feature 600 boats, 250 exhibitors and the best deals of the year for New Englanders prepping for another glorious summer on the water.

I have a special offer for my readers, if you purchase tickets before Friday, February 9th, you can use the code BOATGO to get a special Buy One Get One (BOGO) free deal!

I'm giving away a pair of tickets to the New England Boat Show along with a $50 gift card to enjoy some food at Coppersmith's in South Boston. Enter using the RaffleCopter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Details:

When: Saturday, February 10 through Sunday, February 18, 2018
Where: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (415 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210)
Hours:
Saturday, February 10: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, February 11: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Monday - Friday, February 12-16: 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, February 17: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, February 18: 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Tickets: 

$16 for adults;
FREE for children 12 and under (when accompanied by an adult)
● Purchase tickets online at www.newenglandboatshow.com or at the box office during the show
● All active military will receive one free ticket with valid ID

Highlights include: 

Progressive® Boat Club: Attendees can take the helm at Progressive’s NEW Oculus Rift virtual reality 
experience, putting themselves at the helm of a virtual boat race, navigating simulated waters, all while trying to beat the clock. For those looking to improve their nautical know-how the Annapolis School of Seamanship will be on deck with an array of hands-on boating courses and visitors can master docking skills at the docking pool with remote control model boats. Plus, exhausted attendees can relax, talk to Progressive experts, get a free quote and win prizes in Progressive Boat Club’s lounge area. 

* GREAT FOR FAMILIES *
Touch-a-Boat Tour: An up-close opportunity for kids of all ages to explore an array of vessels, talk with captains, snap a pic at the helm and learn the ropes of life on the high seas. Kids get their very own boat show passport to collect stamps at 10 boat stops around the Show.

• Climb aboard a real United States Coast Guard Boat, plus a variety of recreational boats from pontoons to cruisers and more! 

• Hop on “Salt”, the life-size whale, a 40’ life-size inflatable Humpback whale to learn about safe boating around whales. 

• Build a toy boat to bring home as a nautical souvenir. 


Gone Fishing: Goose Hummock Shops will be offering top-notch fishing seminars and kayak demos in two giant, brand new fiberglass water tanks, attendees can test lures, rods and reels, plus the latest kayaks. Stay tuned for more seminar times and updates soon on NewEnglandBoatShow.com. 

Nautical Fare: A returning fan favorite is, South Boston’s dynamic restaurant just minutes from the BCEC, Coppersmith will offer visitors live cooking demos from Executive Chef Jason Heard and his team for a perfect day on the water. Demos will include tuna tartare wontons, prime rib sliders and more on Saturday, Feb. 10, Thursday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 17 from the Goose Hummock booth. Plus, make sure to visit Coppersmith in South Boston to snap a pic with the “Show” boat featured in their restaurant starting Feb 9th to enter to win a grand prize worth $3,000.
Climb Aboard: Hundreds of the latest boat models under one roof for attendees to browse, board and buy for every lifestyle and budget ranging from luxury cruisers and sport fishers to center consoles and pontoon boats, plus marine accessories and much more. 

Dozens of boating seminars: With a special emphasis on fishing tips and advice on sailing and boating topics. 

Learn to Do It Yourself: Step into Fred’s Shed, an interactive garage with experts teaching the art of boat 
maintenance and repair. 

Discover Boating Center: Unbiased information and affordable boats - some can even be financed for less than $250 
per month! 

Pets on Board Contest: Share your favorite photo of your pet living the boating life to win a pet life jacket! There are 3 
ways to enter– Bring the photo to the Show, tag #petsonboard and #neboatshow on Instagram or Twitter, or post your photo as a comment on the designated Facebook post from 1/27/18. 


NOTE: I am receiving compensation in exchange for this post, some social posts during the event as well as a post-event recap. All opinions are our own.

Disney on Ice in Boston for February Break through Sunday 2/26

Disney on Ice: Follow Your Heart is in Boston for the rest of this week at TD Garden and we had the chance to check it out for opening night last week and it did not disappoint! It starts out with a story from Disney's Inside Out which was a new experience for us. It had classics like Snow White, Cinderella, Toy Story and Beauty and the Beast along side new movies like Finding Dory, Inside Out and Frozen. We found that it seemed like it would go from one song right to another but it was cool how Feld Entertainment would use the Inside Out theme and emotions to weave a story.

During the last school break, we saw Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream at Boston University's Agganis Arena, which had some of the same songs but a different story line. We absolutely love Disney and enjoy when the shows come to town!

If you're interested, there's still tickets and seats available for Follow Your Heart at TD Garden which runs through Sunday February 26. For more information visit disneyonice.com

Photos from Follow Your Heart at TD Garden

Photos from Dare to Dream at Agganis Arena

NOTE: We were provided with tickets to each performance. All opinions are our own and no other compensation was provided.