New and Improved Laser Tag!

Do you want to feel like you are part of a team? Do you want to get a good work out AND have fun? Do you want to spice up your typical Friday night date? If you answered yes to any of those questions you should try Laser Tag! Now I’m not talking about the normal laser tag that typically come to mind, here in Chicago there is a new and improved way to enjoy a game of Laser Tag!  At CMP Tactical Lazer Tag you’ll feel like you are in a real life “Call of Duty” video game.  CMP has three locations in the Chicago area, Lake Geneva, Milwaukee, and Frankfort.

My wife and I tried out Frankfort location. It’s located in a warehouse that they have transformed to look like a small town. The staff were incredibly helpful and gave us the run down of the safety protocol and rules as well as some tips how to use the equipment.

For the duration of the evening you are placed in teams and given specific instructions about how to win the game. We got to play 3 games; Search and Destroy, Sabotage, and Heist. In Search and Destroy you have to place a bomb in a target while the other team defends it.  In Sabotage one team has to protect a box while the other team tries to destroy it. In my personal favorite, Heist, one team has to open a safe with fake money inside and put the money in a duffle bag and then take it to the other side of the map where the getaway Jeep is waiting. During the Heist round I had to sacrifice my life so that one of my teammates could get the bag into the Jeep.

Over all I think this is a great date night idea, everyone had a lot of fun! We felt like we had really accomplished something that evening.  We replayed the different situations we found ourselves in over and over and we know we will do better next time! The cost is about as much as you’d spend at a movie after you’ve phttp://www.cmptactical.com/urchased snacks, $30 dollars per person for the hour and a half session. They also have some deals and discounts for students, late night session discounts, large group and ladies nights. Try it out, you wont regret it!

Exploring Historical Neighborhoods of Chicago

Do you know what neighborhood you live in? You might know the name of it but do you really KNOW it? Chicago has rich a historical history and you don’t even need to go to a museum to enjoy it. You can visit many historical neighborhoods and imagine yourself there.

BlueIsland, IL is one of those neighborhoods with a great historical district.  I recommend going south of 127^th street before you reach Vermont to some beautiful houses. On Western Ave. there are historical buildings with many small businesses to wander through. My wife and I enjoyed our time walking and looking at the beautiful houses and shops. We talked about how it might have looked originally and how much it’s changed.

Along our route there were many houses with plaques that we stopped and read. Out of all of the beautiful houses we was the Charles Young House was by far our favorite. It was built in 1886 as a hotel. Blue Island used to be about a day’s travel for people heading to Chicago on foot. When we learned this we imaged that people would stay in this hotel for a night or two before they made their way north to Chicago. I would also recommend visiting the Robert Krueger House, built in 1913 and the Arthur Seyfarth House, built in 1929.

Walking and talking with my wife was a great experience. Not only did we feel more connected to each other but it was good exercise!  We got to meet other people out walking their dogs, going to the store, or other fellow explorers. I would highly recommend going out for a walk in a historical district to anyone who wants to get to know where we came from. Get out there before the winter comes!

Getting Cultured at the Library!

I am pretty sure that mostly every one has heard the saying “the best things in life are free.” Well, have you been to your local library? They might offer some pretty cool things for free, other than books of course! In today’s digital age, libraries might feel that they need to compete with the Internet. To do this some libraries offer great, and often free, events for the community.

The other day I found out that my local library; The Orland Park Public Library was having a “mini” concert. When we arrived the instruments were in place there was an excited buzz in the room with lots of friendly chitchat! The showcase was from musician Tom Sharpe. To be completely honest I had no idea who he was. According to his website,

“Tom Sharpe's music is a percussive symphony - a sonic and visual feast for the senses. A classically trained musician, Tom has dramatically blended his orchestral background with world music instrumentation and cinematic imagery to create an experience that invites the listener into the heart of the musical moment.” 

After hearing him play I’m inclined to agree with that statement, he did not disappoint!  He was just excellent! In the beginning he played a song that gave me goose bumps all over.  Right after that song he encouraged the audience to be present and forget their worries. In his wisdom, he told us that all our worries will be waiting for us after the concert is over and that we should put them aside and just enjoy the moment.

The total experience was amazing. My wife and I took the opportunity to discuss our experience after the show. I liked that he was pretty much a one-man band. His instruments were all around him and he played them all, just how a full band would have if they had been on stage. We really enjoyed this evening out!

Check out your local library to see if they have cool events like Tom Sharpe. Check out the Chicago Public Library eventspage!  If you don’t live right in Chicago you can goggle your own local library and check out the events that are closer to you. The best part is that most events at libraries are free!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! There is always something happening in Chicago and I'm excited to share with you my great date ideas for the city. Dating often goes out the window once a couple gets married so on each post I'll also include some tips for reconnecting. Happy reading!