33. HALLOWEEN IN THE TREASURE VALLEY

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

In honor of fall ending and Halloween today we decided to share with you some of our favorite places to Trick-or-Treat in the Treasure Valley.  If you read this early enough you can adjust your plans accordingly, if not you'll have to wait 'til next year.

1. Boo at the Zoo located at Zoo Boise (10am - 5pm) (Zoo admission applies)

2. Boise Factory Outlets (10am - 8pm); Kids costume contest at 6pm

3. Towne Square Mall (6pm - 9pm);  Make sure to visit every store to get the goodies

4. Downtown Nampa (3pm - 5pm)

5. Cabella's (during stores hours); Visit every department for tasty treats

6. Harrison Blvd. (an actual street in Boise) big houses = big candy!

7. Your neighborhood!

Have fun and be safe we will see you in November!

(p.s.  The pumpkins in the picture above are from the pumpkin patch we visited and blogged about Monday October 8th.  Hans Jans the pumpkin pirate and his pet bat Lou turned out pretty good, eh? ;)

32. Idaho Candy Company, Boise, ID

If you have a few minutes while in downtown Boise take the time to stop by the Idaho Candy Company.  The Idaho Candy Company was established in 1901 and is located on 412 S. 8th Street. It is home to the famous Idaho Spud Bar and other regional candy. Store Hours: Monday- Friday 7:00am- 4:00pm

This is a candy mold of the past.

31. Lewis & Clark Discovery Trail, Boise, ID

The Lewis & Clark Discovery Trail is located in Pioneer Village next to the Idaho History Museum at 610 N. Julia Davis Dr. Take the time to walk around and learn how Lewis & Clark identified animals and plants. 

Look for animal footprints and try to identify the animal

30. REEL THEATERS, All

Country Club

 4550 Overland

Boise, ID 83705

One of three Reel Theatre treasure valley locations, the Country Club Reel is a great place for everyone.  Older but still newly released movies are shown at a discounted price.  You still get the big screen, traditional concessions and the comfy seats, you just pay less.  It is a great deal the whole family can enjoy.

On top of the amazing prices, they offer midnight movies on Friday and Saturday nights. This was one of my favorite things about Boise as a teen.  I could stay out past curfew(with permission) and watch a movie for a buck; 4 quarters that was it! Now my bed time is earlier but I'm sure that this is still a popular teenage hangout.

During the summer there is a kid movie pass.  They offer an early matinee for kids.  This is perfect for mothers with children who are still learning movie theater skills and their quiet inside voice.

With two additional locations in the treasure valley there is no excuse not to check out these great movie theaters.

Northgate

6950 W State St.

Boise, ID 83703

Nampa

2104 Caldwell Blvd.

Nampa, ID 83651

29. PANDA GARDEN, Boise, ID

This delicious destination is perfect for the Chinese and Japanese cuisine lover. They feature a full menu from both cultures so there is something for everyone. Located on the Bench at 2801 Overland Rd., Panda Garden is close to the freeway so it is easy to access even for out-of-towners.

The restaurant is small and relatively unadorned but the menu offers over 100 items; featuring traditional Chinese food and a full sushi bar.

Our menu included Crab Rangoons, a Roast Pork Egg Roll, the California Roll and Curry Chicken. (Side note: I have tried the curry chicken at many different restaurants in town and this place wins hands down.)

These are the Crab Rangoons, the perfect appetizer if you love crab, cream cheese, and fried food.  Who doesn't love that combo?

This is the Curry Chicken.  It is as good as it looks!  Make sure to have plenty of water because it has lots of spicy goodness.

This is the California Roll.  Though it is simple sushi, it is delicious.  The perfect mix of crab, avocado, cucumber, rice and sesame seeds.  Delicious, delicious!  (p.s.  Their other sushi is good too!)

They offer pick-up and delivery also a drive thru for the consumer on the go. 
This place is so good even the fortune cookies are tasty. 
So take all your friends and visit our favorite local Chinese/Japanese restaurant. 

Visit their website www.bosiepandagarden.com for hours and a complete menu.

28. BRONCO STADIUM, Boise, ID

picture from broncosports.com

The blue turf in Bronco Stadium is no secret to locals and is becoming increasingly popular around the country, known as "the blue" or the "smurf turf".  Since 1986 this 

unique field has set Boise State apart from other campus football fields.

Not only has the color of the turf set Boise State apart but the talent and hard work of the football team has placed us as one of the top teams in the nation. 

picture from broncosports.com

Bronco Stadium first opened in 1970 with 14,000 seats. Today the Stadium and Stueckle Sky Center hold 33,500.  On Sept 25, 2010 the stadium was overflowing with a record setting 34,137 fans as Boise State scored a 37-24 victory on neighboring Oregon State.

Support the Broncos! Watch a game. 

The rest of the 2010 home football games:
Tonight, Oct. 26 6:00 pm
Sat, Nov. 6 noon
Fri, Nov. 19 7:30pm
Sat, Dec. 4 1:00 pm

GO BRONCOS!!!

27. MILITARY RESERVE, Boise, ID

 The Military Reserve is located in northeast part of Boise on 750 Mountain Cove Road.  The reserve has many family friendly biking and hiking trails. The reserve also has a off-leash area, a archery range and a old military cemetery.

One of the goals of the Park & Recreation is to have the cemetery look like the natural surroundings. For more history on the reserve you can go to http://www.cityofboise.org/and look under parks.

The trails have some beautiful views of the desert and the city.

26. MISS TAMI'S TEA HOUSE, Meridian, ID

This shabby chic tea house located at 1031 N Main St. in Meridian, ID was originally Miss Tami's house and a gift shoppe.  The gift shoppe out grew its space and throughout the years she has added on a tea time and full lunch menu.  It is open daily from 11am-3pm.

The old Victorian style decor and charm is sure to make you feel like royalty.  

With high back chairs, cloth napkins, and old-school tea cups, I felt like I was dining with 

Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennett and Emma Woodhouse.

Their tea collection includes regular, decaf and herbal.  The Cranberry Orange herbal tea was rich in flavor and naturally sweet.  For lunch you can choose a wide variety of salad and sandwiches.  The monte cristo is my personal favorite.  If you don't want to pick just one menu item try the Saturday Brunch Buffet from 9:00am-1:30pm.  This delightful option allows you to choose from crepes, cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs and seasoned potatoes.  Other delicious options include the mini monte cristo, biscuits and gravy and speciality mac & cheese.

Miss Tami's not only offers a unique and traditional dining experience,

they have outstanding customer service.

Thank you ladies.

For a complete menu and information on special occasion tea parties, check out their website:

http://www.misstamis.com/

25. DISCOVERY CENTER, Boise, ID

"The Discovery Center of Idaho's mission is to inspire lifelong interest and learning in science, technology, engineering and math."-mission statement taken from http://www.scidaho.org/

This place rocks! Filled with all kinds of fun hands-on experiences.  I was immediately taken back to my childhood days as a scientist, making potatoes conduct electricity, growing butterflies and protecting an egg from a two-story fall.

The Discovery Center's current exhibit features light. Trust me it goes way beyond your basic on/off switch.  I learned about why the sky is blue and sunsets are orange, I looked through a telescope and saw the flag on the moon (on the wall, not the real moon), and watched a shadow of myself appear on a wall.

Here are some of the other exciting exhibits:

Art without Polarizing Filter

Art with Polarizing filter. If you spun the filter the art changed.



Air pressure, vacuum and velocity




It's magnetic!



So put on your lab coat and head on over to discover your inner Einstein.

Address:

131 Myrtle St.

Boise, ID 83702

Admission:

General $6.50

Children (3-17yrs) $4.00

Seniors (60+) $5.50

Members & 2 and under FREE

Winter Hours

Monday : Closed

Tuesday-Thursday : 9am-5pm

Friday: 9am-7pm

Saturday: 10am-5pm

Sunday: 12pm-5pm

Go Friday afternoon between now and Nov. 19 and it is FREE.

Thanks to Fred Meyer stores.

24. GREENBELT, All

 The idea for the Greenbelt originated in 1964 and became an actuality in 1966 and 1967 when land was donated to the city.  During the decades that followed plans, guidelines and ordinances were developed to bring the city of Boise this outdoor treasure.  The Greenbelt quickly becomes a favorite attraction to the city newbies and another reason we love Boise. 

This amazing trail runs for 23 miles along the Boise River.  Running from Discovery State Park near Lucky Peak all the way to Eagle.

Many local parks provide parking lots with pedestrian Greenbelt access; Discovery State Park, Municipal, Reid W. Merrill Sr. Community Park, the BSU campus and Julia Davis to name a few.  These allow people to access this trail from almost anywhere.  The Greenbelt offers a scenic view of wildlife in its natural habitat.  Greenbelt lovers include so many different types of people—photographers, students, runners, walkers, cyclists, in-line skaters and many more.

Go check it out for yourself and find out what you love most.

23. BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY, Boise, ID

Home of the Broncos!  The Boise State University campus has so much to offer the whole community.  Established in 1932 as Boise Junior College, the campus has been serving the community for education purposes for almost a century.

Some of the better known features on the BSU campus include the Student Union Building, the Albertsons Library, Bronco Stadium, Taco Bell Arena, and the Morrison center.  BSU also offers other hidden gems that we are going to explore.  Don’t think we will ignore these more well known places; we just plan to visit them later, one at a time.

A favorite for Bronco fans besides the stadium is the Bronco Statue in front of the Business Building. This statue is one of the many art pieces featured on campus.

Not far from there, between the Business building and the library, is the Friendship Bridge. This bridge crosses the Boise River and leads from Boise State to Julia Davis Park. Occasionally you can see the giraffes from the zoo peaking out at the park, just across the river.

The amphitheater is another fun place to stop for a picnic or just to relax.

The Excellence Bell, located behind the Student Union Building is another fun thing on campus.  Go on, give it a ring! Just make sure you have achieved excellence first.

Stay tuned for more BSU fun and in depth campus insight.