PhotoMoment: “The Kick”
It’s called “The Kick” and stands in front of the National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium here in Frisco, Texas. This cold-cast aluminum sculpture was inspired by the bicycle kick made famous by Brazilian soccer player Pelé. The sculptor was Jacob Burmood and the art consultant was Paul Dorrell. The 800 pound sculpture was placed in front of the Hall of Fame on October 4th, 2018. It’s a stunning work of art that you can’t help but admire as you walk or drive by on Main Street.

Checkout the Hall of Fame website for more information.

*“The Kick” Sculpture - National Soccer Hall of Fame (Sony RX100vi f/4.5 61mm 1/2500s ISO 125)*

*(Sony RX100vi f/4.5 45mm 1/2500s ISO 125)*

*View of Frisco Square from Frisco Public Library*

Frisco Square - A Great Place to Live
Located in the heart of Frisco, Frisco Square has a great deal to offer any resident of the area. City Hall, the Frisco City Library, US Post Office, Cinemark theater, Toyota Stadium, the The Frisco Heritage Museum and a host of restaurants, bars and coffee shops call this area home. All of it within easy walking distance. Not since I lived in Seoul have I enjoyed an area so easily walkable as the Frisco Square region. I’m not saying it has all the options of a city the size of Seoul. Obviously it’s no where near the size nor does it have the options; but it is as walkable as the neighborhood I lived in for many years. A walkable neighborhood to me, is the gold standard of living comfortably.

The list of restaurants in the area that one can walk to is actually quite impressive with a wide selection of choices. We have tex-mex, sushi, Thai, pizzerias, burger joints, tacos, chicken, steak and a few I’m probably forgetting. If you like to start your day, pick-up your day or end your day with coffee you are covered with three different coffee shops each with it’s own ambiance and selections. Have a hankering for an adult beverage? See the above list of restaurants and then some.

*Giant Pong at the National Video Game Musem*

But you say, what about all the other things of life, like say getting a hair cut, your nails done or just mailing a large package? The area has you covered. Beyond the aforementioned US Post Office branch there is also a FedEx store. There are a couple of places for a man or woman to get their hair styled or their nails/toes - whatever you do with those. Want to go bowling? Sure, no problem. Want to check out the history of video games? Yep, the National Video Game Museum is nearby (although it’s more of a bike ride than a walk - but you can walk it easily enough). Are you a cigar aficionado? You have two great retailers to choose from and enjoy that well earned cigar on sunny spring day or after a hard day at work.

*National Soccer Hall of Fame - Toyota Stadium*

Then there is Toyota Stadium, the home of FC Dallas. It’s a 20,500 seat stadium that plays host to soccer games, football games and concerts. They recently completed a renovation and opened the new state of the art National Soccer Hall of Fame. Since 2010 it’s also been the home of the NCAA Divison 1 championship football game and in 2017 the Miami Beach Bowl was moved to Frisco and renamed the Frisco Bowl.

Every year Frisco Square hosts a month long ode to the holidays with Christmas in the Square. Running from the Thanksgiving Holiday to the first week of January the event includes a nightly Christmas light show made up of over 175,000 lights. Some 750,000 visitors travel down Coleman Boulevard to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. It’s not the only event hosted in Frisco Square either. Throughout the year there are many 5k races and various cultural and arts events with more being added every year. It was also recently announced that the monthly farmers market was moving to Frisco Square too.

It’s all quite interesting to watch at times from my 4th floor window overlooking Coleman Boulevard. Throughout the year there is always something to see and I’m never at a loss for something to do. I’m not alone, with a few thousand units of apartments all within walking distance plus two growing neighborhoods of houses the Frisco Square family is not tiny anymore. More and more people are moving here and an ever increasing number of people come to the area to have a great meal, meet up with friends or just enjoy a few hours reading a book at the library.

*Christmas In the Square as View From My Apartment*

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out my personal favorites. It’s hard to choose just a few because there are so many good options; but I have a few places I like to frequent with great regularity. You might find me there on your next visit.

For a perfect pint of Guinness, a well made cocktail or just a bottle of Bud you can’t go wrong with First Round Draft Bar & Grill. They also have an excellent menu of some of the best bar food in town. They are the embodiment of the neighborhood bar. They are also, as the name implies, a sports bar. So on game day you have the place to be to root for your favorite team and take pot shots at the other guy’s team. If you work late or just someone that enjoys a late-night night cap, they are opened to 2 am every day of the week.

Looking for that perfectly relaxing coffee shop with wonderfully made coffee drinks and tasty pastries then stop by Renew Coffee & Bakery. They only recently opened and I’ve been a regular customer since day one. Like First Round Draft it’s family owned and operated, which makes all the difference in atmosphere and hospitality. My favorite beverage is the matcha latte and their almond croissant is fantastic. They do have a great deal to choose from. All of the pastries are made fresh daily. If you enjoy tea then this is the place for you. The owners love both coffee and tea. At some coffee shops tea is a second class citizen; but at Renew they take tea seriously. There are some excellent choices and it’s all served perfectly in a wonderful tea pot and Chinese style tea cups. Try the green tea or the jasmine, you can’t go wrong with either.

If you enjoy sushi, sashimi or sushi rolls then you should definitely check out Sake Toro. I will be the first to admit their selection isn’t inexpensive; but it’s not overpriced and it’s all served fresh, delicious with an excellent presentation. Their miso soup is some of the best I’ve ever had and their matcha green tea is absolutely wonderful. If you are looking for more of a deal on Sushi, Hikari Sushi & Grill is nearby and they offer an amazing all-you-can-eat lunch deal during the week. While it’s a limited menu, don’t think that means just 4 items; it’s a pretty extensive selection and includes several side dishes and miso soup. Makes for a great lunch! They also have a nice happy hour special to with reduced prices on their sushi rolls.

Want a great burger, but like to have a ton of choices? Jake’s Burgers is for you. While I enjoy their burgers, they also have several other items on their menu. One of my favorites is their Chicken Fried Chicken plate. It’s a huge slab of Chicken Fried Chicken, surrounded by fries (or you can ask for my favorite tater tots) and some Texas toast. They also have a chicken salad, served healthy with grilled chicken or unhealthy with fried chicken. I’ll let you guess which way I swing when I order. You can wash it all down with tea, sweet tea if you prefer, or they do sport a full bar so enjoy your favorite beer or cocktail. They have a decent selection of wine as well. They run daily specials on drinks and they have a monthly burger special. The service is friendly and the prices are quite reasonable. They aren’t open as late, so have dinner there and then head over to First Round Draft to end your night.

I don’t want to live out Babe’s Chicken. I don’t eat there very often, but only because it’s a family style restaurant with family style serving. What does that mean? If you are asking this question I must wonder if you have been living under a rock or you are just don’t live in North Texas. We shall assume the later. It means that you are sat a large to crazy large table. Everyone is brought a plate. Everyone orders their main course, typically some form of chicken. Then you order some sides. The sides are all brought out in dishes you could lose an elephant. Mashed potatoes, green beans and a host of others. At this point you “dig in” and when you are done they role you to your car or in my case they pat me on my back and point me towards my apartment. Babe’s in Frisco is located next to the Frisco Heritage Museum. So before you feast upon the fatted calf, walk around and check out some very old homes that were all moved to the museum site. They are beautiful and quite old (by Texas standards of old anyway).

For movies there is no lack of cinemas in Frisco, but there is a great one right in Frisco Square. Cinemark Frisco Square is a large multiplex that includes a fantastic IMAX screen. I love to go on a Monday night when the screening of my selected movie includes me and a handful of other people. However, going later in the week when there are far more people is perfect for a that great comedy or a good old fashioned horror movie. Don’t forget to pickup some popcorn and your favorite cold beverage in the lobby before heading for your reserved seat. I’m strictly popcorn and soda, but they have lots of other items. No booze yet; but maybe in the not to distant future.

Those are just a few of my favorite options, places I visit regularly. There are many other options to try. If you live nearby and haven’t investigated all the options; you are missing out. If you happen to be looking for a new apartment, hundreds of new units have recently opened and will be opening over the next several months. Definitely worth investigating all the options Frisco Square and the surrounding areas have to offer for your dinning, drinking, living and shopping options. I know I’m very happy with my choice to move here and don’t see myself moving away anytime soon.

All images were taken by me with one of my various cameras. - Kelly