Review: Tiburon Restaurant

I recently found out that there was a fairly new restaurant near our home that advertised having a 60,000 gallon shark tank in the middle of the restaurant. Of course, we had to check it out. The restaurant is called Tiburon and it is located inside of the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in Litchfield Park, AZ.

I went to the website and thought it looked amazing. There was beautiful music playing, gorgeous pictures and a fantastic looking menu. The menu listed many different items to chose from and the price didn't seem half bad. Of course, the more elaborate menu items were more expensive, but they all seemed within reason. I was really looking forward to visiting.

My hubby and I decided to try the restaurant out on a Saturday night in April. Upon arriving, we noticed that the restaurant was located to the east side of the park, and appeared separate from the amusement area. As we entered the building, into the lobby, I was excited and the decor upon entrance seemed like what I expected. Until, we came through the lobby doors.....

To the right, was the "Flamingo Lounge" which looked like nothing more than a bright outdoor cafe (at an amusement park). Immediately in front of me, there were several small fish tanks that seemed a little murky, but had some pretty fish. This is also where the restrooms were located, which, by looks of the ladies room inside, it had not been cleaned for days. To our left, we could see the shark aquarium which was very impressive. The dining area was dimmed and seemed cozy, but definitely not high class by any means. The hostess seemed confused as to where to sit people as she walked back and forth from the dining room to the lobby, without communicating to the waiting guests. Eventually, a host came by and asked us if we wanted to sit next to the aquarium and we of course said, "yes!".


Our view of the tank kept us mesmerized for some time. It was interesting to watch all the different fish and how the sharks reacted to them and visa verse. We were finally greeted by our somewhat "rough around the edges" waitress who just seemed a little too casual for the type of restaurant we "thought" we were coming to. Overall, she was a nice gal, but again, not what we expected.

The menu seemed different than the one online and the prices seemed much higher. We also noticed that they wanted to serve asparagus with EVERYTHING! We chuckled that they must have gotten a good deal from their vendor. We decided against the Duck Tacos (yikes!) and got a couple other items from the menu. I liked my food, although the presentation was a little odd. My husband was not real impressed with the very large, under cooked vegetables that came with his meal.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was very family oriented and seemed like a restaurant attached to an amusement park. I don't mean to be so harsh, what did I expect, right? But, I guess with the prices on the menu and the impression I got from the website, I expected more.

Have any of my Arizona readers been there? What did you think? I am curious if I am being too critical or did they just have an off night?

Diabetes and Icky Fish Oil

So.....I have Diabetes, Type II.

I was diagnosed back in March after having blood work done through my Nurse Practitioner. If you recall, I have been complaining about my weight for awhile now and am carrying about 30 extra pounds than I should. One of the obvious reasons for the diabetes is the weight. But hearing that I have a medical issue that can become quite serious, even life threatening if not taken seriously, really kicked me into gear! Since that call, I have visited a Cardiologist (because of some other potential factors) and I have sat down with my NP and talked about all my options. I began following Weight Watchers online more diligently, trying to exercise a few times a week (although it should be more) and taking medication and vitamins (including yucky fish oil - which I have to take 10, huge, gel caps a day). I am limiting my alcohol intake to one drink a week as well. I also have to prick my finger and use a blood glucose monitor three times a day to start. I must say that when I sat down with my meter and the very long instructions, I was pretty overwhelmed and scared. But now, the process is quite simple and my fingers are getting used to the poke. I am not following the numbers, but my NP wants me to submit my results after two weeks. Then, I should be down to doing it three times a week instead.

I am proud to say that in the last five weeks, I have lost 8.5 pounds!!!!! This is a big deal to me and I am very proud of myself! I see eating differently now, although every now and then I am tested and I do not always do well. But, what is life without temptation - right?

Ripping My Heart Out

Last night, I sat with my kids to try to comfort them as they mourned the loss of their Grandpa, Larry. Their Grandpa was a special man who really knew how to make people laugh. He always had a smile on his face and was quite the character. He was a great Grandpa to his grand kids, as he taught them many things, including gardening. My kids grew up around their grandpa and saw him often, so his passing was pretty tough. And although I am no longer considered part of "that" side of the family, I too am mourning the loss of the man who was my second father for over 14 years. And even when things were tense, Larry always knew how to welcome me into his arms for a big, strong, bear hug. This was the first time my kids really had to deal with death of a family member, and to see them hurt so bad, it rips my heart out. I know the best thing is to remember all the good memories and to know that he is in a happy place, watching and protecting everyone. Rest in Peace, Larry.