Raymond's Pizza

We were up in West Chester awhile back because we were out petting puppies with the kids (since we don't actually want a dog and this is the next best option) and we heard of a place up there that had a lot of pets that you could take out and play with. I can't remember the dog place, but the reason it is relevant is because it was right next door to Raymond's Pizza. So after we played with some puppies we walked next door to get some pizza.



I guess we were there before the lunch rush because there was only one other table when we arrived. This worked out to our benefit because we were able to have them change one of the TV's to a kids channel for our tow young kids while we waited for our pizza to arrive. They also had a pizza game where you could build your own pizza with Velcro. At first I thought it was going to be a modern version of the old "Pizza Party" game I used to play as a child, but turns out it was nothing like it.



Anyway, we got some wings and some pizza. Both were actually very good. It made the idea of moving to West Chester ever, not such a bad one. I don't think there are any Raymond's around on the West Side, but I haven't actually checked. The wings tasted like I was actually at a wings place and the pizza was a nice change from the normal Larosa's or Domino's. But now that we have Romeo's I just go there when I need to change it up.



But if you are ever in the area, or if you want to pet some puppies, stop by Raymond's for some pizza and Velcro pizza toys.

Chuck E. Cheese's in Colerain

So I just got back from Chuck E. Cheese's. As an adult with children I have been here about 3 or 4 times now. Every time I go, I wonder how they keep people coming back. I don't know if it is just the "magical" aspect and that this is the closest thing to Disney World around here, especially in the winter. But the game selection for young children is awful. Almost 80% of all the games there are just driving games where you have to be like 4 feet to even reach the pedals or games that require a push of ONE button to try and time it right to get a "prize" or the SUPER BONUS! We all know those games are rigged and almost impossible to win these awesome prizes and in turn just get 3 tickets for every token you waste. There is little to no fun involved in those games. Then 10% of the games are for newborns where you just strap your baby in to a machine and let it rock back and fourth for 15 seconds.



So after trying out EVERY game, my kids finally know which games they can play and have to go back and fourth from the 2 or 3 games they can actually play and have some sort of fun with. Maybe Chuck is marketing to teenagers now, but I always thought it was for the young kids and arcades (such as Doc Holidays, RIP) were for the real arcade gamers and for the older kids.




None the less something is working for them. The game selection is poor, the robot singer and dancers usually just scare the kids and it costs 4000 tickets to get a Barbie, but one thing I can't complain about is their pizza. I have always been a fan of their plain as can be pizza. And now that I have found online coupons, we can get a large pizza, 3 drinks and 45 tokens for $20. So that is what Grace and I did today. We ate, we played, she thinks I am the greatest dad, we got our prize of cotton candy (200 tickets) and we only spent $20, not a bad day I'd say.




So I will give Chuck some credit. Somehow they stick around when the Doc Holidays, the Choo Choo's, the funky dunks and whoever else I am forgetting fail and close. We will be back and I will continue to complain until my kids are older and they can play the driving games and like wasting a token at a time with one push of a button. But of course by then, they will have changed everything.