Tierra Verde Golf Club Named One of Top 35 Public Courses in State of Texas

Tierra Verde Golf Club
7005 Golf Club Drive
(817) 572-1300
http://www.arlingtongolf.com/default.aspx?tabid=81

The beautiful, award-winning Tierra Verde Golf Club in Arlington was recently named by the Dallas Morning News panelists for the special “2010 Golf” section as one of the top 35 public courses in the entire state of Texas. In fact, Tierra Verde finished #33 overall and was one of only seven public courses in the Dallas-Ft Worth Metroplex to make the top 35.

Tierra Verde also holds a special distinction as the first municipal golf course in the world to be certified as an Audubon Signature Sanctuary. Opened in 1998 and carved from 250 secluded acres, the course is where golf and nature come together in harmony. The course won the 2004 Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Award which recognizes environmental excellence. The course’s layout encompasses a variety of natural settings…but don’t just go for the scenery. Go for some serious golf.

Tierra Verde includes a state-of-the-art golf learning center, a lighted driving range, a three-hole practice course, and a large area for chipping as well as a putting green complex. Lesson taught by PGA and LPGA pros and apprentices are available.

Green fees (includes cart) on weekdays (Mon-Thurs) are $49 and go up to $55 on Fridays and $65 on Saturdays & Sundays. There are “twilight specials” (3 ½ hours before sunset): weekdays $32; Fridays $39; and Saturdays/Sundays $42. The “super twilight specials” (2 hours before sunset) are even cheaper: $25 weekdays and Fridays; $29 Saturdays/Sundays.

There are discounts for seniors (ages 62-and-up): $39 (Mondays-thru-Thursdays only, not good Fri-Sun). There are also discounts for juniors (ages 6-17): $25 Mondays-thru-Fridays and $48 on Saturdays/Sundays.

If you are visiting Arlington and didn’t bring your golf clubs with you, don’t worry. You can rent clubs for only $25.

Driving Range prices are $3.50 for a small bag and $7 for a large bag. The 3-hole Practice Course is $10 for adults and $7 for juniors.

The course is open from dawn until dusk everyday except Christmas Day. Weekday tee times are accepted at 8am up to a week in advance by phone or in-person. Call (817) 572-1300 for more information. Cash and credit cards are accepted, but no personal checks (except for tournament deposits). Weekend/holiday tee times can be made on the Tuesday prior to the desired date beginning at 6am by phone or in-person.

Each player must have his/her own clubs & bag (or the rental from the Pro Shop). The maximum is two players & two bags per cart. No outside coolers are allowed on course premises. There is an age restriction: youngsters who are playing must be at least 6 years old and have an understanding of the game and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Observers on the course who aren’t playing must be at least 10 years old. Junior golfers ages 12-and-up do not require a parent/guardian to play.

Tierra Verde is also home to the Ventana Grille, a full service restaurant that’s great for you & your golfing foursome…or special events like corporate outings or fundraising tournaments. Ventana Grille’s weekly “Party on the Patio” resumes in April, and there are special holiday events such as Easter Brunch (reservations recommended). In addition to breakfast/lunch/dinner menus, there’s also a tapas menu. Click here to link to the restaurant’s Web page: www.ventanagrille.com

Located in southwest Arlington off of Highway 287 South (exit Eden Road, then go westbound until you hit Golf Club Drive), click here for a map/directions to Tierra Verde Golf Club: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Arlington&state=TX&address=7005+Golf+Club+Dr&zipcode=76001-2815&country=US&latitude=32.632019&longitude=-97.187629&geocode=ADDRESS

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Hibachi97 Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Hibachi97 Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Lincoln Square Shopping Center
770 Road to Six Flags
Lunch: Mon thru Fri, 11:30am-2pm
Dinner: Sun thru Thurs, 5pm-10pm (last season 9:30pm)
Fri & Sat, 5pm-10:30pm (last seating 9:45pm)
(817) 459-1070

http://www.hibachi97arlington.com

For over 10 years, Hibachi97 in Lincoln Square Shopping Center has been hibachi cooking authentic Japanese food and serving sushi to loyal customers in Arlington. Hibachi cooking makes for a fun night out with family & friends as the cooking is actually a “show” and your food is cut/cooked/served by the chef at your table (yes, just like Benihana’s, the famous national chain of Japanese hibachi restaurants).

If you are going for dinner with your family or group of friends, you don’t have to make a reservation, but it’s a good idea if you have a little bit larger group. Each of the Hibachi tables seats about 10 people, so there’s a chance that smaller groups (and certainly individual diners) will be joined at the hibachi by other patrons. But that’s fun because hibachi isn’t just about the food, it’s the presentation as the chef cuts the meat/seafood/veggies right in front of you and add the butter/seasonings.

Sesame chicken, teriyaki (or filet mignon) steak, shrimp and salmon are popular choices…and, of course, fried rice (click here for menu items, then use tabs to select from hibachi or sushi or drinks & desserts: http://www.hibachi97arlington.com/entree.html).

Obviously you don’t have to eat Hibachi; you can go with the sushi. And if you enjoy ice cream, you can be adventurous and try these Japanese flavors for dessert ($2.75 each): green tea ice cream, plum wine ice cream, or ogura (red bean) ice cream.

Japanese beer (Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban, Kirin Light) are obviously on the bar menu ($5.75 each) along with domestic brands (Bud, Miller, Coors; $3.75) and, of course, there’s sake ($5.25 small, $9.75 large) and plum wine ($5).

Lunch is served on weekdays (Mon thru Fri) from 11:30am to 2pm and I was surprised by the number of people who were holding business lunches on my most recent visit. Previously, I had only dined at Hibachi97 in the evening. But the lunch prices are very reasonable, and you still get the same “show” at the hibachi grill.

I would definitely recommend this place for a light, healthier lunch alternative. The prices are the same as what you would pay (maybe a buck or two more) at nearby overcrowded restaurants that feel like they are rushing you during the lunch hour.

Prices for the Hibachi lunch menu are as low as $5.95 for Fried Rice or $6.50 for the Sesame Chicken and go up to $10.25 for the Filet Mignon Steak & Calamari. All Hibachi lunches include a small salad, steamed rice, and veggies. I had the lunch Hibachi Shrimp & Calamari ($8.95) and my lunch companion had the Teriyaki steak ($7.95).

You can also do side orders of soup ($1.75) or fried rice ($3.95), or add items like: hibachi shrimp (7 pieces, $6.25), salmon steak ($6.25), hibachi scallop ($6.50) or lobster tail ($17.95).

If you are going for dinner, be sure to go to the restaurant’s Web site and click on “specials” for printable versions of discount coupons. For example, a recent coupon was two-for-one dinners on Sundays thru Thursdays on specific dinner items. Click here to link to the “specials” page: http://www.hibachi97arlington.com/specials.html

The restaurant’s Web site also has info on specific sushi rolls (including photos) which are helpful to customers still familiarizing themselves with sushi (e.g., what’s a “warship roll”?, what’s “nigiri”?, what’s a “rolled sushi/cut roll”?)

Hibachi97 is located in Lincoln Square at 770 Road to Six Flags. The restaurant is tucked into the corner on the south side of Road to Six Flags (half block west of Collins, one block south of I-30) nearest to Half Price Books. Click here for map/directions: http://www.hibachi97arlington.com/location.html

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The Downtown Arlington Farmers Market

The Downtown Arlington Farmers Market
215 E. Front St (Front St. at Elm St.)
Fridays & Saturdays; 9am-1pm (or until vendors run out of produce/goods)
(817) 633-2332
www.downtownarlingtonfarmersmarket.com

The Downtown Arlington Farmers Market has begun weekend operations and will be open each Friday & Saturday morning beginning at 9am and staying open until the vendors sellout of produce/goods (usually well before 1pm).  The market is  located at 215 E. Front Street  (the corner of E. Front Street & Elm) on the northern edge of downtown Arlington.

The market will feature: farm fresh produce, fruits & vegetables, herbs, unique food products, organic products, Texas olive oil, beef, farm fresh eggs, pastries, breads, sweets pickles, dog biscuits, soaps, honey, coffee, plants and more.  Sometimes the vendors run out of goods.  On a recent visit, the lady selling fresh eggs left at 10:30am because she was already sold out. 

The vendor’s list includes many of the most popular businesses in Arlington including: Biscuit Head Baking Company; The Sanford House; Pierre’s Mardi Gras Café; The Kessler Cookie Company; Round Rock Honey; The Country Store; Homemade Gourmet; Sweet Treats; Carter Farms; Vann Farms; Dread Head Chef; Scott Farms; Coffee Haus; Roberts Relish; Fresh Farms Soap; Texas Olive Oil; Arlington Flower Company; Pure Beef Texas; Busy B’s Market; and Aduro Bean.

There are a couple of vendors which may show up only on Saturday (usually The Sanford House is only there on Saturdays) or maybe just on Friday.  But most vendors are at the market on both Fridays & Saturdays.  Some vendors are set up outside on; others are inside a small building.  Most of the parking is on a dirt field rather than a paved parking lot.

Easy to find in downtown Arlington, the Farmers Market is located at 215 E. Front Street (intersection of Front Street and Elm Street; about a block behind the Arlington Public Library). Front Street run east-west and lies between Division Street and Abram Street. Click here for a Mapquest map to 215 E. Front St: http://downtownarlingtonfarmersmarket.com/contact.html

If you or your company is interested in becoming a vendor at the market, please click here for more info: http://downtownarlingtonfarmersmarket.com/Vendor-Information.html You can also click here for a vendor’s application form: http://downtownarlingtonfarmersmarket.com/Vendor-Application.html

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