Wednesday 20 February 2019

Enjoying a Family Meal at Hickory's Smokehouse - A Review

My family and I regularly enjoy visiting family friendly restaurants and having a lovely meal together, but over the last couple of years we have found ourselves visiting the same places and quite frequently ordering the same meals. Therefore, when an opportunity recently arose to visit Hickory's Smokehouse, we were excited about the prospect of trying something both new and different. After carrying out a little research prior to our visit, I was shocked that we had never visited before and couldn't wait to find out more.

Hickory's aim to create an authentic family friendly dining experience based on the restaurants and bars of the Southern States, as well as providing a welcoming hospitality service that makes you feel appreciated as a guest. They offer a range of quirky extras including popcorn on arrival, the ability to have a campfire and toast marshmallows at your table, as well as milkshake masterclasses for children.


Hickory's Smokehouse have restaurants in numerous locations including Burton Green, Castle Bromwich, Chester, Gresty Green, Rhos-on-Sea, Southport, Wall Heath, West Kirby and Worcester. We are very fortunate to have several of them nearby, but for our first Hickory's experience we chose to attend the Southport venue and we couldn't have been happier with our choice.

On arrival we were greeted by a lovely member of staff who showed us to our table. On the way he pointed out where the cinema room was for the children, along with providing us with directions to the toilets. He advised that someone would be along shortly to take our drinks order, so we began to have a look through the extensive choice of beverages available. The drinks menu featured plenty of options to ensure that there was something for all tastes and it didn't take my family long to make their decisions - MILKSHAKES!

My husband and our three children Emma, Ben and Riley all chose the Strawberry Dream from the Shakehouse Selection, which consisted of Strawberry, White Chocolate and Marshmallow. My kids were invited over to the bar area to take part in a milkshake masterclass where they had the opportunity to create it themselves, which I thought was a really brilliant idea that encourages children to get involved and be creative. My youngest son Riley absolutely loves pretend play and often imagines creating his own milkshakes in this play kitchen, so to be able to do this for real was fantastic and he definitely enjoyed the moment. He is usually extremely shy, but the young man helping with the preparation was great with my children and they all excitedly made their masterpieces!


Despite the milkshakes being an extremely popular choice, I wanted to try something a little different instead, so I opted for the Raspberry & Mint Lemonade and I am so glad I did. I can honestly say that this was one of the most refreshing and tasty drinks that I have ever tasted and as well as being a thirst quencher it also complemented my food really well. Other drinks that feature on the menu included Healthy Blend Smoothies consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables, a range of All American Sodas & Iced Teas, a choice of tap, bottled and canned beers, numerous wines and all of this was in addition to some Southern Classic Cocktails which all sounded absolutely amazing. You are quite literally spoilt for choice!

After taking our drinks order, the waitress allowed us some further time to look over the menu. We were not rushed at all and it was great reading through all the options that were available. All of the starters sounded delicious which made it really difficult to choose only one. We therefore all agreed to order something different and then just help ourselves to a bit of each dish and share. This worked really well and it was great to see my children so keen to sample each item of food. From the children's menu we ordered Tortilla Chips with a cheesy dip and two portions of Popcorn Chicken with BBQ sauce. From the main appetizer menu we ordered the Burnt End Popcorn Bites (chunks of smoked beef brisket in a crispy cajun rub) and Barbecue Pulled Pork Smokehouse Nachos (nachos topped with bbq pulled pork, sour cream, avocado mayo, jalapenos & melted cheese). All of the dishes came really well presented and we were immediately impressed.


In between each course my children made the most of the cinema room. I absolutely LOVED this idea and think that the person who came up with this concept is a genius, as it meant that my children were sat in a relaxed and safe environment enjoying a movie, whilst my husband and I could enjoy each others company. It really was the best of both worlds in that we could have an amazing family meal together, but also have moments where we could have a conversation as a couple.

After an ideal rest time between courses, our mains were brought to the table. We had ordered:

  • Barbecue Hand Pulled Pork - Pulled and topped with barbecue pit beans, fries and house slaw (14 hour smoked).
  • Ribeye Steak 255g with skin-on-fries and peppercorn sauce
  • 2 x Grilled Chicken Burgers with fries
  • Mini Hickory's Burger with fries

All of these were well presented and in an eccentric way which was much more fun and interesting than traditional plates. My pulled pork and barbecue pit beans were in a mess tin, the fries in a cup with a pot of house slaw on the side and then these had all been neatly placed on a wooden chopping board.


My children's burgers also came on wooden trays placed within baskets, which I thought was great as it prevented any food slipping off the side when cutting. They also had their own cutlery and a kids activity pack which Riley enjoyed completing in between his burger bites.


Both Ben and Emma enjoyed the Grilled Chicken Burger which they both said was delicious. It is very rare for Ben to finish his meal when dining out, but on this occasion he ate every last bit, which speaks volumes in itself. They both felt that the portion size was just right and the chicken was cooked to perfection as well as being 'super tasty'.


My husband said that the rib eye steak was cooked exactly how he likes it and that the peppercorn sauce was not too overpowering. The knife cut through the steak with ease and it was tasty and flavoursome. He had mentioned to a member of staff earlier in our visit that he had not tried ribs before, so was kindly provided with a delicious sample that he ate alongside his main meal.


After enjoying our starters and mains, it was simply impossible for me to squeeze in a dessert, however my husband and children still had a little space and therefore eagerly cast their eyes over the menu. My husband selected The American Classic Waffles with maple syrup and frozen custard ice cream, Emma chose Homemade Waffles with Strawberries and Cream, Ben opted for the Homemade Waffles with Maple Syrup and requested no ice cream, and Riley ordered a cookie minus the milk. Two of my children had asked for very slight variations to their desserts and both of these requests were accommodated with no fuss at all.

Just like the rest of our meals, the desserts came beautifully presented and my family were all delighted with their choices when they arrived. My husband had been intrigued by the Frozen Custard Ice Cream and was unsure how this would taste, but said it was amazing and very different to anything he had tried before. It was also something that he would definitely like to have again in the future.

Overall we had an exceptional dining experience, with friendly staff, delicious food and excellent service. The extensive menu ensured that all our tastes were catered for and the staff were also very knowledgeable about the dishes and the restaurant brand itself. If we had any questions these were answered without hesitation and despite being busy, the staff were always very attentive and didn't seem rushed. Our meals were cooked to perfection and the whole family loved the cinema room as this allowed my husband and I to be able to have a conversation and enjoy some time together, whilst the kids enjoyed nibbling on popcorn and watching a film in between their meals. All of my children very quickly declared it their new favourite restaurant and there is no doubt that we shall be returning to Hickory's Smokehouse again very soon. Would we recommend Hickory's Smokehouse for family dining? Absolutely!


As well as an extensive breakfast, lunch and main menu, Hickory's have now also introduced some Smokin' Deals which are available every Monday to Thursday from 5pm and the current line-up includes:

Monday: Fajita Margarita £10.99 - A sizzling skillet of peppers, onions and your choice of Cajun chicken or chargrilled Cajun vegetables with warm tortillas and a signature margarita.

Tuesday: Bottomless Ribs £18.99 - Unlimited servings of baby-back ribs glazed with a choice of barbecue or bourbon sauce, served with fries and slaw.

Wednesday: Steak & Shake £10.99 - Flame grilled prime 8oz rump steak with peppercorn sauce and fries, finished off with a milkshake of the day. (There will be two choices available every Wednesday).

Thursday: Barbecue Blowout £15.99 - A Hickory's Platter consisting of pulled pork, bbq beans, smoked sausage, chicken wings, Kansas rib fingers and southern fried chicken, served with fries and slaw.

If you would like to find out more about Hickory's Smokehouse then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website: www.hickorys.co.uk
Blog: hickorys.co.uk/blog/
Facebook: facebook.com/hickoryssouthport
Twitter: @hickorys_
Instagram: @hickoryssmokehouse


*Disclaimer - We were invited to Hickory's as guests and received our food and drinks complimentary for the purpose of writing a review. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated and this review is an honest reflection of our visit. Menu items/smokin' deals correct at time of our visit but are subject to change.

Monday 18 February 2019

Gandey's Circus - The Greatest Show Tour - A Review

We were recently invited along to Gandey's Circus which is currently at Aintree in Liverpool until the 3rd of March as part of its current UK tour. I haven't visited the circus since I was a young child and was therefore excited and intrigued to experience the 'The Greatest Show' and find out exactly what it could offer for family entertainment.

From the moment we arrived my youngest son Riley was amazed by the giant circus tent and kept asking what would be inside. He was running around excitedly trying to take a peek through the entrance whilst I was waiting to collect our tickets from the box office. He soon stopped in his tracks though as the smartly dressed ringmaster walked past and gave him a smile and a wave.

Once we had collected our tickets, we made our way into the foyer area where there was a variety of food and drink stands, along with a stall that sold the popular flashing toys and wands. Riley immediately spotted a brightly coloured sword that had colour changing lights and was priced at £6. I felt that this was very reasonable compared to some event stalls that we have seen before, so I had no issue in purchasing one for him to wave around.


As we entered the show arena, we handed over our ticket and were directed where to take our seats. The seats aren't numbered so you can simply choose where you would like to sit, as long as it is in the area that you have paid for. We managed to get some great seats a few rows up from the front, which gave us a great view throughout the show. The time slot we attended was really popular so whilst waiting for all the guests to take their seats there was also the opportunity to have your face painted or have a mascot photograph in the circus ring for a small charge, which I thought was a great idea.

Once everyone was seated the show began to start and we were introduced to the full cast singing and performing. It was a superb beginning and really set the standard high. My children were in their element singing and clapping along and they sat captivated waiting to see what happened next.

The show advertising states "You've never seen anything like it!" and they are not wrong. Every single act which took to the ring was absolutely incredible and the talent of each person was outstanding. The acrobats spun and flew through the air as they attempted high flying flips and bounces on a thin bar supported only by the strength of two people. My whole family watched in amazement as the acts continued, always excited to see what was next.

The Garcia Brothers performed an act of amazing strength as they balanced on one hand whilst carrying out a superb gymnastic routine. They made everything look so easy, yet in reality it must take so many years of training to get to the high standard they are at. We really liked the fact that each act had a great soundtrack to it with popular well known songs that matched perfectly to the performance.


One of my favourite acts of the evening was a romantic aerial ballet performance that had me completely mesmerised. An extremely talented duo climbed high above the ring and supported themselves on the silk drapes whilst providing a breathtaking and beautiful display together involving acrobatics, spins, drops and dance. However, just when we thought it couldn't get anymore spectacular, we were presented with the giant space wheel and sat on the edge of our seats as two extremely talented acrobats attempted somersaults, runs and flips whilst the wheel spun round at speed. They even attempted it whilst blindfolded which was unbelievable!

In between all the acts the audience was kept entertained by loveable clown Chico Rico who provided plenty of belly laughs and fun. There were also numerous opportunities for audience participation along with jokes and comedy suitable for the whole family.

Before we knew it the first half was over and it was the interval. The show was so fast paced and entertaining that an hour had passed really quickly. The 15 minute break allowed plenty of time to purchase some snacks or pop to the toilet and there was a further opportunity again for face painting in the circus ring along with a raffle to win a cuddly toy.


The second half was just as incredible as the first and at one point the award winning circus stars Duo Garcia performed high flying acrobatics on a soaring rocket that spun at speed around the circus top. It definitely had an element of fear and at one point one of the performers was hanging by only one foot at a great height with NO safety nets. It was definitely a heart stopping moment!

The finale saw three motorbikes enter the 'globe of death' which saw them drive around at speed whilst narrowly avoiding one another. At some points it literally looked like they were only millimetres away from one another and that they could collide at any moment, but incredibly they completed the act with precision to a great round of applause.


Overall this circus show was everything we had hoped it would be and more. It was absolutely action packed from start to finish and my children have not stopped talking about it since. Everything from the dazzling costumes to the music was just perfect and it was quite incredible to see so many talented performers all in one show. Gandeys Circus The Greatest Show really does live up to it's name and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this tour to families.

For further information and full tour dates you can visit the Gandeys Circus website or their social media pages which can be found on the following channels:

Website: www.gandeyscircus.com
Facebook: facebook.com/gandeyscircus/
Twitter: @gandeyscircus
Instagram: @gandeys_circus

*Disclaimer - We were provided with a complimentary family ticket for the purpose of writing an honest review of the show. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.

Friday 15 February 2019

Aquabeads Disney Tsum Tsum Character Set - A Review

If you are a regular reader to the blog, you will know that we are huge fans of Aquabeads and over the past couple of years it has become one of our favourite indoor activities. With the weather being so awful lately, it has given us plenty of time to enjoy making some new creations and we have recently added a new set to our Aquabeads collection........The Disney Tsum Tsum Character Set.

The Aquabeads Disney Tsum Tsum Character Set includes everything you need to start creating, so it can be purchased and used as a set of its own, or you can use it as an add-on to your existing collection.


The box is small so it is easy to both carry and store, though despite its size, there are plenty of contents inside. The front of the box shows all of the characters that you can create, as well as showing an image of the display, sprayer and layout tray. This helps you to see exactly what is included in the pack, as well as giving you a good idea of what you can make. It is recommended for children aged 4+ due to small parts.

The reverse of the box provides a full contents list and this set includes:
  • 2 Template Sheets (Printed on both sides)
  • Display
  • 1 x Sprayer
  • 1 x Layout Tray
  • Solid beads consisting of 20 black, 60 white, 10 orange, 30 yellow, 40 light blue, 30 light green, 10 green, 40 pink, 10 blue, 90 light orange, 20 brown, 20 purple, 40 light brown, 80 ivory, 40 grey, 10 red
  • Jewel beads consisting of 30 pink, 10 brown, 20 green and 10 purple
  • Instructions

We already had an Aquabeads storage case* which came with a previous set, so to begin with I opened each of the bead packets and my son Riley sorted them into his case and arranged the colours. He then had a look at each of the templates and chose which Tsum Tsum characters he would like to make first. Once he had made his decision, we placed it in the layout tray, ready to start creating.

*Star storage case is our own from a different set and is not included in the Tsum Tsum Character Set.
Riley has made so many Aquabeads creations now that he knows exactly what to do and finds it really simple. I used to have to help him place the beads on the tray, as well as assist with finding the right colours, but now that he is 6, he manages all this on his own with ease. After a short while, Riley had completed the first characters so decided to continue with the other templates using an additional tray that we already had.


Once the templates were finished, Riley filled the sprayer with water and began to spray his creations. The water then fixes the beads together and you then simply leave them to dry for a short period of time. After the recommended time of 60 minutes had elapsed, Riley then began to remove his creations from the tray and place them into the display. 


We did have a peeler from a previous set on standby to help with this, however due to the Tsum Tsum characters being quite small, we were actually able to remove these easily with our hands and no beads became separated. 

I really liked the idea of the display and Riley enjoyed setting out all the characters exactly where he wanted them. The display is made from cardboard and is really easy to slot together, but should you have any difficulties, then the instructions provide guide images to help you.

As with all the Aquabeads sets we have tried, Riley really enjoyed this. He loves being able to create the designs all on his own and he feels a sense of accomplishment once he has finished. I think that this set is great value for money as you get quite a lot of contents included. It is a great set to use as an introduction to Aquabeads, but also a fabulous set to add to an existing collection. It is currently available to purchase from Amazon and other good toy retailers.

For more information on Aquabeads you can visit their website or social media pages, which can be found on the following channels:

Website - https://www.aquabeadsart.com/en-uk/catalog.html
Facebook - facebook.com/aquabeadsuk
Twitter - @aquabeadsuk
Instagram - @aquabeadsuk


Disclaimer: We were sent this item for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. Opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link which means that I may receive a small commission should you choose to make a purchase from this retailer. 

Thursday 14 February 2019

Pointless by University Games - A Review

You may be familiar with the game show Pointless, which regularly features on BBC television. My children Emma aged 12 and Ben aged 11 first introduced me to this show after they had been watching it with their gran. I must admit that it took me a couple of times watching the show, to fully understand how it worked, but since then its become a programme that we watch regularly. My two eldest children really enjoy it and although the questions are sometimes a little too tricky for them, they do like to challenge themselves and guess some of the answers.

We were therefore really interested to find out more about the Pointless board game by University Games, which replicates the BBC TV quiz show in the comfort of your own home. It features plenty of new questions as well as the ability to download the infamous scoreboard on your phone using an app. The app is free to download and it helps to keep a record of all the scores. It also calculates the (pretend) jackpot in addition to stating the reigning pointless champion.


I really liked the idea of the app and love the fact that the game incorporates modern technology. I have often found with other games that the play can be slowed down a lot when you have to make manual notes of scores or write things down, so with the assistance of an app, it certainly makes things much more simple.

The front of the box features familiar Pointless graphics, including the logo and the scoreboard. It suggests that it can be played either as 2-4 players or in teams and the reverse tells you a little bit more about the game as well as providing some information on the app, along with several images. It is a small sized box, so very simple to carry and store away when not in use, and all the contents fit neatly inside.

The box contains -
  • 270 x questions
  • 1 x Answer Sheet Pad
  • 3 x Question Card Holders
  • 1 x Pointless Trophy
  • 1 x Rules of Play
It is recommended for players aged 12+, though I feel that this is purely down to the amount of general knowledge required for the game as the concept itself is actually really simple. I had a quick glance through the questions and whilst some would have had my children completely baffled, I think the majority worked fine for their age group. For the first couple of games my children went head to head, but after this both my husband and I teamed up with the children and found that a team of one adult and one child worked great.


Unlike many other games where you need to gain the highest score, Pointless is actually quite the opposite. The object of the game is to score the least number of points and this is done by providing a correct answer that you think fewest of 100 people surveyed would have given. If you are able to provide a correct answer that the people surveyed had not thought of, then that provides you with a Pointless answer scoring zero points.

Setting up the game is really easy and is simply a case of installing the app and entering the players details. Someone then needs to be chosen as the Question Master and the remaining players can then be split into teams. The Question Master can also be part of a team, but must ensure that they do not look at the answers on the question card whilst placing it in the holder. Once it is in the holder, the answers are hidden so there is no chance of someone taking a sneaky peak at the answers. During play the app will show the current (pretend) jackpot, which will then rise during the game if a pointless answer is found during the rounds.

As my children were playing the first couple of games themselves, I did remove some of the question cards to ensure that the remaining cards were all topics that they had some knowledge of. I then sorted them into four separate piles for Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 4 and placed the cardholders next to them. When my husband and I joined in with the later games I simply returned the cards I had removed back to the piles. I really liked the fact that I could adapt the game to suit us and found that this worked really well.

For example the cards I kept for round four included Books by David Walliams and Harry Potter Teachers. My daughter Emma is a huge Harry Potter fan, but even she commented how hard it is to think when being put on the spot. She was determined to win that round and also managed to get a pointless answer after much deliberation over which teaching staff member to choose.

In round one each team decides who will answer first and the Question Master reveals the question. During this round there is no conferring allowed between team members and once the answer is given the Question Master enters the relevant score into the app and then turns it to face the players. Once you press "Go" the scoreboard counts down just like it does on the television show and this creates lots of ooh and aahhh moments as everyone waits to see the results. If there is a second player in the team then they take their turn at answering the same question. The app will then automatically add the score and reveal the winner of that round. The highest scoring player or team is then eliminated. Round two then continues in the same format with the remaining teams.


Round three is the head to head round where the two remaining players or teams battle it out. During this round players are allowed to discuss their answer with each other and the first team to win two questions will have the opportunity to win the (pretend) jackpot as well as receiving the "Pointless Trophy".

In Round Four, this is what is known as "The End Game", during which the Question Master randomly selects three questions and reads them out. The remaining team then has just one minute to come up with three answers. The answers can be from any of the questions, so they can come up with three answers to one question, or one answer for each of the questions asked. It is completely up to the players how they choose to use their three answers. If one of the answers proves to be Pointless then the jackpot is considered as being won. If not, then the jackpot will simply roll over to the next game.

My children became very competitive whilst playing and they actually surprised me with some of the answers they gave.


Overall we really enjoyed this game, the rules are simple to follow and it was a great game to enjoy with my older children once my youngest son Riley had gone to bed. I think the idea of integrating an app into the game is great and we loved the concept of a traditional board game being combined with modern technology. The trivia element definitely got us all thinking and we had plenty of competitive fun trying to think of the most 'pointless' answer. I can definitely see this being a game that we will play regularly and I would definitely recommend to other quiz loving families.

This game has an RRP of £14.99 and is recommended for 2-4 players aged 12 years and over.

For further information on Pointless or other University Games, then please visit their website or social media pages which can be found on the following channels:

Website - www.university-games.co.uk
Twitter - @ugamesUK
YouTube - University Games


*Disclaimer - We were sent this game on a complimentary basis, for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.

Thursday 7 February 2019

Dates for your Diary - Regal Entertainments presents The Wizard of Oz at St Helens Theatre Royal starring Linda Lusardi as The Wicked Witch - 6th to 22nd April 2019

Click your heels together and join Dorothy and Toto as they journey along the Yellow Brick Road with new friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, to meet the Wizard so he can make their dreams come true.

Regal Entertainments production of The Wizard of Oz will be returning to St Helen's Theatre Royal this Easter between Saturday 6th April and Monday 22nd April 2019 following sell out seasons in 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as a hugely successful Merseyside tour in 2017.

The show, complete with a brand-new script and music for 2019, will feature dazzling costumes and sets, show-stopping choreography and unbelievable special effects, which audiences have come to know and love from all Regal Entertainments' productions.

It has also recently been announced that star of stage and screen, Linda Lusardi, will be playing the role of The Wicked Witch in this wonderful pantomime, in a production that is sure to entertain families of all ages.

Linda Lusardi's career has spanned nearly 30 years, after first rising to fame in the 80's. Her major TV roles have included playing Carrie Nichols in ITV's Emmerdale, Maggie Lyons in The Bill and Frankie in Brookside. She has also appeared on numerous reality TV shows such as ITV's Loose Women, Dancing on Ice 2008, Come Dine With Me and Celebrity Masterchef 2011.

Her leading stage roles include; Funny Peculiar, Bedside Manners, Not Now Darling, No Sex Please We're British, and Rock with Laughter. She is also no stranger to panto and has played roles up and down the country since 1988. In her latest production she received five star reviews appearing as The Wicked Queen in Snow White at The Playhouse Weston Super Mare, which also broke box office records.

St Helen's Theatre Royal Manager, Chantelle Nolan said: "We are delighted to announce Linda Lusardi as our Wicked Witch - she has had such a prolific career and is a seasoned panto pro. I know audiences of St Helens will love her - when they're not booing her that is.

"The Wizard of Oz is a real favourite with our audiences, and I am certain they will love this brand-new version which includes a new script and lots of wonderful new songs to sing and dance to."

For further information on this wonderful Easter pantomime, please visit the St Helen's Theatre Royal website or their social media pages which can be found on the following channels:

Website - www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/St-Helens-Theatre-Royal
Twitter - @TheatreRoyalStH

Listing Details

Event - Regal Entertainments presents The Wizard of Oz
Dates - Saturday 6th April to Monday 22nd April 2019
Times - Monday to Friday 1pm / Saturday & Sunday 1pm & 5pm
Tickets - From £13*

All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat transaction fee. On-line bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat on-line processing fee.

Disclaimer: This post is written based on a press release provided by BEA. All details provided believed to be correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change. I would therefore always recommend visiting the venue's own website in order to obtain the most up to date information.