RunAmuck Mud & Music Fest: Titusville, NJ

Mud runs are all the rage lately, and for good reason. They give you a great workout, give you a sense of accomplishment and confidence and give you an opportunity to appease your inner child by running around in mud!

The RunAmuck Mud and Music Fest is an awesome family friendly event that is a perfect couples' or family activity (children must be 10 years old +). This 5k event takes you through the wooded terrain of Washington Crossing Park and challenges you with various obstacles including muddy water pits, rock climbing walls, ground crawls, hurdles, balance beams, rope climbs and more.  The course is fun and challenging, but mild enough for older children to easily navigate and participate in.

The event has plenty of grassy and picnic areas for viewers along with  food and drink stands. The main stage features a DJ who gets the crowd pumping. Some events also feature live bands. There are heats for individuals, couples, teams as well as costumed and non-costumed heats. It's a guaranteed blast!

Some Tips From the Pit:

• The event course has you navigate through wooded areas that have poison ivy. Bring along a small bottle of Original Dawn dish soap and use it to clean your skin with off right after the event.
• Bring a trash bag to throw dirty clothes and sneakers in.
• Consider wearing bikini bottoms underneath your shorts. I found this to be beneficial in getting more of the mud rinsed off me in the shower. Also change into a pair of flipflops to shower off muddy feet.
• Bring a towel and sunblock! Seems like a non-brainer, but I spotted quite a few people who forgot these two items.

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Throwbacks Bar and Grill: Delran, NJ

Throwbacks Bar and Grill is a sports bar that is easily accessibly off of Route 130 in Delran, New Jersey.  The bar and grill is clean with brand spanking new furnishings. There's several HD televisions around the bar and restaurant with all the sports games ready for your viewing pleasure. Throwbacks is definitely shiny and pretty and has all of the visual appeal you would want in a local sports bar.

The waitstaff and employees are personable and attentive and the atmosphere is casual and fun.  Throwbacks has a host of theme nights, weekly specials, and even dancing on Saturday nights.  The daytime crowd is very family friendly and kids are welcome by staff and you'll find several menu selections for little ones.  A game room complete with a pool table, Ms. Pacman and Centipede also await you. Drinks are aplenty for mama and papa and the bartender does a great job of mixing up whatever your little heart desires.  Beers on tap are fairly limited and mostly domestic.

The only disappointment found with Throwbacks is the food.  It wasn't the worst, but did leave a lot to be desired.  Throwbacks is definitely a fun place to grab some drinks and watch the game, but I'd recommend eating somewhere else to avoid disappointment.

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Lambertville Station Restaurant: Lambertville, NJ

This is the place where my hubs popped the question. Romantic and classy, the Lambertville Station Restaurant is located at the front of the entrance to the Lambertville Station Inn which sits on the bank of the Delaware River. Can you say "ambiance"?!

The restuarant offers American cusine and is considered casual elegant dining which is the perfect answer to upscale dining without the stuffy feeling. The food is delish! There is also a variety of dining experiences you can have as the restuarant offers outdoor seating, platform seating, pub seating and room seating. The menu features everything from lobster, to rabbit, to duck to pasta to Fillet Mignon! Can you also say "yum"!?

A breathtaking location. Wonderful food. Excellent service. What more could a mama ask for on a date night?!

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Jon's Bar and Grille: Philadelphia, PA

If you're looking for a good food and a laid back dining experience, Jon's Bar and Grille on South Street is your place. The restuarant features indoor and outdoor seating along with a small bar. The menu offers a selection of sandwiches, salads, pastas and entrees as well as a variety of delicious bar drinks plus a selection of beers on tap.

During the warmer months, outdoor seating is a coveted choice and a great spot for people watching. The service is fairly quick once you get a seat, but be prepared for a long wait during weekends. Once you're in though, you'll discover the cheese fries and daquaris are worth the wait!


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Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: Bensalem, PA

Without a Cue Productions puts on Murder Mystery Dinner Theater events all around the Philadelphia area. The professional cast puts on a variety of shows ranging in everything from a 50's sock hop theme, to a western theme to a Brady Bunch spoof and lots more.

The shows are extremely interactive so it helps if you aren't the shy type because you'll never know when you'll be put on the spot to participate. You may just find yourself getting a G-rated lapdance from an actress dressed up as a 50's vixen! '

The cast is fun and puts on a great show. You can even hire them for private parties. This is a super fun date night activity. Check out their website for times, dates, and locations.


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Cock 'n Bull Restaurant: Lahaska, PA

The Cock 'n Bull Restaurant is located in Peddlers Village which is a quaint little shopping area in Bucks County, PA. Although the name may cause less mature minds to go straight to the gutter, this is a terrific place to grab a bite to eat with friends, family or dare I say, a date with the spouse. The establishment serves up traditional American classics such as Pot Roast, Meatloaf and Slow Roasted Turkey just to name a few. Diners are treated to a hearty and tasty meal and friendly service.

Cock 'n Bull also offers weekly traditions. Thursday evenings enjoy King Henry's Feast, an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring fresh seafood and hand-carved roasts. Every Sunday morning, there is a Sunday brunch buffet. Monday evenings, during January, February and March head on over for "Evenings in the Colonial Kitchen", cooking demonstrations, special menu, live music, historical characters from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Those who want a little adventure with their dinner should check out the weekend Mystery Murder Dinner Theater feature. You'll enjoy a great meal and interactive murder mystery fun.


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California Pizza Kitchen: Cherry Hill, NJ

You don't have to be a pizza lover to enjoy the menu at California Pizza Kitchen. Non-pizza eaters can enjoy a hearty selection of salads, pastas, sandwiches as well as chicken or seafood dishes. Pizza lovers will feel as if they have died and gone to pizza heaven with a selection of everything from traditional toppings to less traditional toppings like Pear and Gorgonzola. Whatever you order will delight your taste buds. I've never had a less than delicious dish here.

The environment is relaxed and casual and the service is friendly. The restaurant also offers outdoor seating which is perfect for warm summer nights. Cooler summer nights can still be enjoyed outside as the seating space has overhead heaters. Genius!


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Maggianos Little Italy: Cherry Hill, NJ

Maggianos offers decent Italian fare at a reasonable price. The menu offers a nice variety of food and even offers a family dinner style option, which although has some restrictions, is great for a larger crowd. Maggianos also offers an extensive wine list, Italian coffees and desserts to round out the meal.

Although the restuarant is family friendly, it does have an element of a romantic ambiance to it. It's the perfect location for a date night as you can do a little shopping beforehand in the mall and then catch a movie at the theater across the street afterwards.

The wait can be a little long on weekends, but usually the service has been timely and pleasant. Reservations are available and you can either make them by phone or online. Valet parking is also available.


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Brio Tuscan Grill: Cherry Hill, NJ

YUMMY! That's the word I would use to describe Brio Tuscan Grill in Cherry Hill. I had no idea this was a chain establishment! Chain restuarant food has a tendency to be lackluster in taste and often has that "pre-prepared" air about it. Not the food at Brio!

The salad was crisp and fresh. The soup was hot and tasty. The main course was downright finger lickin' good! I devoured a delicious serving of Penne Mediterranean and my husband ravaged his meal of Whole Roasted Chicken. The Dolchino Sampler Dessert was a mouth watering ending to the meal. I also rather enjoyed my Frozen Mango Bellini!

The resturant was crowded on a weekend night but the wait was certainly worth it. The service was excellent and the Italian style menu was fairly priced. This is an excellent date spot but is also suitable for a family dinner as well.


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Bahama Breeze: Cherry Hill, NJ

Bahama Breeze is the perfect food destination when you are longing for an experience to transport you from the blustering cold East Coast weather to a tropical island destination. The moment you step into the restuarant you feel as though you are on a Carribean resort.

The menu is reaonably priced and has a wonderful selection of island inspired dishes and drinks. There aren't really any options for non-meat or fish eaters unfortunately. I think adding a vegetarian selection or two to the menu would be nice. Service is friendly and is fairly quick - for those of you worried about the establishment being on true Carribean "island time."

This is a wonderful place to grab a casual lunch or dinner when you want to escape from it all!


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Robin's Nest Restaurant: Mount Holly, NJ

Robin's Nest is a quaint establishment that sits in the middle of historic downtown Mount Holly by the Mill Village shopping district. The restaurant serves American-French cuisine that is sure to delight the taste buds. The seasonal menu isn't that extensive, but offers enough variety to please both meat and non-meat eaters. The mama enjoyed a delicious Vegetarian Portobello Napoleon entree which is grilled Portobello mushrooms layered with sautéed spinach and aged Parmesan cheese finished with a sundried tomato vegetable sauce, served with rice pilaf and vegetable medley. Can you say YUM?! The papa couldn't stop talking about his Barbecue Beef Brisket and being that he is a picky eater, his raves must be well-deserved! Although the Robin's Nest is most appropriate for date night, the restaurant does offer a children's menu on monthly family night events.

The only downsides of our first dining experience at Robin's Nest was that we had a waitress that was a bit on the slow side and the groans of her other nearby customers let us know that we were not the only ones with hungry bellies. It took us just a little under 2 hours to complete our dining experience due to the slow service and only 10 minutes of that was actually spent shoving food down our faces in an effort not to be late for our after dinner plans.

All in all the food was such a delight that we are sure to return!


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