Brickyard Bar & Grill, Baldini's Casino, Reno, NV

9/7/15 - Brickyard Bar & Grill, inside Baldini's Casino, Reno, NV

My group of 3 ended up at Baldini's on the night of Sept. 5th after an online reservation gone-wrong left us with no place to stay, except the welcoming parking lot outside this casino, that is RV friendly. It was about 2 am by the time we arrived and I needed some food while my husband and friend gambled a little bit.
I found Kay working inside the Brickyard Bar & Grill and she happily recommended the Chicken Tortilla soup. It was served in a Styrofoam soup bowl which is not very earth-friendly, but everything aside from that was awesome. I ended up having 2 cups and adding some crunchy croutons on top. The table where I ate was clean and after I finished and bussed my Styrofoam, I told her how much I liked the soup (as if going back for seconds hadn't said it all.)

The soup hit the spot that night and warmed me up before bed. After sleeping in our van (towing a packed to the brim trailer), we woke up and hoped for some coffee but found the bar and grill is more of a lunch/dinner place and doesn't have a breakfast menu. Too bad for us.

Save Mart Supermarket, Reno, NV

9/13/15 -
Save Mart Supermarket, Reno, NV
4995 Kietzke Ln
Reno, NV 89509

This was one of the last stops we made on our way to Black Rock City, NV. We ran inside to grab some postcards to send to ourselves at Burning Man, but only found a card aisle instead. We ended up buying several birthday cards and tearing off the backs to make them into a one-page postcard. We stood in a slow line and paid for the cards and stamps, but were then told they have no outgoing mail or nearby PO boxes. They also wouldn't let us leave the cards and put them in their own outgoing mail. (We luckily found a fitness equipment supply store nearby that was happy to mail our cards for us.) Service was friendly but it would have been nice to have a place to mail out the cards that they sell here.

Los Chismosas Taqueria, Concord

9/16/15 - Los Chismosas Taqueria, Concord, CA
1955 Monument Blvd
Concord, CA 94520

This small taqueria sits in the Four Corners shopping plaza at the Monument and Oak Grove Rd. intersection. It's across the street from Milo's Lounge (http://www.yelp.com/biz/milos-lounge-bar-concord) which may be important if you want a beer with dinner. I think I saw sangria in their soda fridge, but I don't recall seeing any Coronas.

My husband and I came in for dinner tonight and I ordered 3 tacos ($1.50 each): pollo (chicken), carne asada (beef), and adobada (seasoned pork). They didn't have a fish option or a veggie option (perhaps they will add to their menu as they grow). I also didn't see guacamole on the menu (side note: today is National Guacamole Day!) but you won't need guacamole with your chips if you like spicy salsa. Free chips are served to guests dining in the restaurant in a basket with a large bowl of a red salsa that was more like a hot sauce. It was a really liquid consistency, but maybe that's to protect the consumer - this stuff is spicy!! They also have two bowls of salsa on the counter (the type that they make the salsa in by smashing all the ingredients on the rough walls of the bowl). When they bring out your food they include two more hot sauce bottles (both a red and a green), plus they have a variety of premium hot sauce bottles on each table.


It's a family owned restaurant and so other menu items may appear and the salsas may change based on ingredients/tastes; and so far, so, so good! Our tacos quickly came out with steaming grilled onions on top. Each taco is served on two small, fresh, corn tortillas, and they pile on the meat and fresh onion/cilantro topping in large mounds on the warm shells. Really great value and the food was delicious. Honestly, I was so in love with the salsas and hot sauces they could have served me anything and I would have been drooling, but the tacos were indeed very tasty.

My husband finished both of our glass-bottled Coca Colas and I'm not sure that did a lot to help put out the fire in his mouth. And for me, the heat level was PERFECT (which means it is definitely spicy!!) - so I'll be back here again very soon!

CoCoJewelry, Fountain Valley

9/17/15 - CocoJewelry, Fountain Valley, CA
15916 Sterling Court
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Picked up an adorable pair of Thanksgiving turkey earrings from CocoJewelry on Amazon. They have a great selection of dangle earrings and other pretty jewelry and accessories. My purchase was $12 with shipping included. It arrived three days after I ordered it.

If youre on amazon, be sure to check out CocoJewelry for cute stuff at reasonable prices!

Parking Concepts, Inc. - Concord, CA

6/9/15
Parking Concepts, 1575 Grant Street, Concord

This parking garage is only a block off of Clayton Road, near the Concord BART station. They have parking for monthly tenants and also guests who can pay by the hour. Two lanes of guest traffic flow into the garage and you take a ticket as you enter. The first time I pulled in, the ticketing machine on one guest side wasn't working and it took a few minutes for the car behind me to figure out that I had my reverse lights on for a reason. They gave me room to back out, then pulled up themselves to the broken machine instead of following me to the other side. Ha!
Parking rates are really reasonable - $1/hr, and you can pay quickly with your credit card as you exit. Don't lose your ticket. (And perhaps you can ask for validation, depending on where you are going?) Guest parking has a lot of "compact spots" and our Altima is more of a mid-size car, but fits in the little spots pretty nicely as long as the surrounding cars aren't on the line (which they always seem to be).



It's a convenient garage for visiting friends in the Bank of America corporate building, and a short walk to Todos Santos Plaza. The garage itself is really pretty on the outside with green vines decorating one side of the building. The stairs are clean and there are also elevators to move between floors. The doors are automatic so push the big button to walk out of the garage - but do NOT push on the doors themselves. (There are signs to remind you of the auto feature). And don't forget to pay attention to where you are when you park - it's a big garage with many levels.

New Day Spa Massage, Walnut Creek

6/9/15 - New Day Spa Massage, Walnut Creek


This day spa is connected to the building where I work. I walk by it all the time, promising myself that "one day" I'll stop in and treat myself to a massage. I usually take very short lunch breaks so I have been putting off this promise to myself for over a year. On my lunch break a few weeks ago I walked over and decided to get a foot massage - I didn't have time for the full hour, but told the woman working I was happy to pay full price for half an hour of treatment. The woman offered a better solution to my dilemma, and she and another girl working simultaneously rubbed my tired feet. (It was slow that afternoon so this isn't their usual practice, but I really appreciated the extra special treatment and excellent customer service.)

The massage was nice and started with my feet soaking in warm water before being dried, massaged, and then hydrated with a nice lotion. They didn't forget my calves and I really enjoyed a lower leg massage as well, leaving me feeling spoiled and refreshed as I walked a few yards back to the entrance of my office building. I received a few compliments from the woman on my legs and skin condition as I paid (perhaps because that's about the time you start calculating tip?) :) Either way, it was all around a terrific way to spend a short lunch break.

Club 21 - A's Coliseum, Oakland

4/12/15 - Club 21 - A's Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, CA

The Oakland A's 2015 baseball season kicked off on April 13th at home, and we watched the unveiling of the new and improved scoreboard from the brand new and quite impressive Club 21 suite.





The Coliseum's brand new suite is nicknamed the Presidential Suite, and once you're in there that makes perfect sense. The view of the field is outstanding; seats are comfortable, plush, black leather. There is lots of room for standing, counter space for food and drinks, and a terrific staff tending to your needs.

Elaine and Martin were working in the suite for Game 1, hosted by LexisNexis. Hot food and cold food were beautifully displayed, and they happily opened wine and refilled glasses. They were both friendly and attentive.

This was my first experience in a suite, and it was pretty impressive to be in a brand new one for the first game of the season. The experience was really memorable and so much fun!

Plaza Bonita, Concord

4/26/15 - Plaza Bonita, Concord, CA


You could easily drive past this shopping plaza on Monument without stopping. It sits between Costco and Todos Santos Plaza, not far from the Concord Police Department and across the street from the skate park.  Las Montanas is a family-owned grocery store and in the biggest building in the plaza. They share space with Ruby's Nails and Spa, Guanatos Ice cream, a phone store, florist, and some small vendors selling goods like painting and piñatas. There are also some small rides for children for $0.50, the kind that used to decorate the front of supermarkets.

There are several other businesses in Plaza Bonita. Restaurants include El Yahualica taqueria, Red Onion burgers and shakes, and Chopan Kabob. And there is also a Laundromat, computer repair, Yelena's Signs, and the Michael Chavez Center for Economic Opportunity. The parking lot is shared between all of the business and it's usually easy to find parking, but be warned, you'll probably be asked by someone for change when you get out of your car. A big man smoking a car today asked my husband for change, but had to settle for a smile.

This isn't the kind of plaza I'd go out of my way to stop in, but if youre in the neighborhood, you can find some great food and services, and terrific deals!

Southwest Airlines, Oakland Airport

5/4/15 - Southwest Airlines - 1 Airport Drive, Oakland, CA 94621

Spent Friday night in Orange County and didn't feel like driving six hours each way from the Bay Area for a one-day get-away.  Southwest to the rescue. We received texts before takeoff saying our flight would be delayed an hour. Guess Southwest didn't want to the pay the after-hours fine to John Wayne airport because our flight was back on track and left at the scheduled time.

I love the two carry-on allowance, but seriously Southwest, some of these "carry-ons" are really, really big. I know that you have a box they are supposed to fit in, so why don't your employees ever check the bags that aren't within the limits you set?

Southwest has consistently friendly in-flight service. Perhaps our return flight from John Wayne to Oakland on Saturday night had a lot of room for improvement. The stewardess was more concerned about getting her frilly, pink apron on, than asking if we'd like something else to drink. She never came back, so when I wanted to use my final free drink coupon, we were getting ready to land and she said no. Guess I shouldn't be shy about pressing the call button when it's apparent someone isn't zealous about doing their job.

All in all we love flying Southwest. Had some bad experiences on other airlines, and really we've just had good ones with these guys. Very sad news for fliers: No more SkyMall.   :(    Your flight just got longer!

American Family Hot Tube & Massage, Pleasant Hill

5/9/15 American Family Hot Tub & Massage and Sauna, Pleasant Hill, CA

This place has been on my "to-do" list for waaay too long. I kind of want to keep it a secret from everyone, but it's just too awesome not to share the love.

My home-sweet-home is a condo association with an ice cold pool and no hot tub, and sometimes, a girl's just gotta soak! This beautiful outdoor garden has private spas for rent to small groups, couples, or individuals. They also have a sauna on-site for hour rental, by reservation. Massages and couples packages are available too.

The spa my husband rented for us was $15 per hour pp. We picked the uncovered option, but they have covered spas also. There are showers next to the spa so you can rinse out before and after you get in. Also a bench for the provided towels and a little privacy if you need it for changing. The spa area itself is completely private with high walls around the tub and a locking wooden latch door. The attendant will notify you when your hour is up.

The temperature was great! Very hot water with strong jets!! Place was clean, pretty, and very refreshing. I can't wait to go back. It's the perfect place to date, or double date!

Euro Hut, Honolulu, HI

Euro Hut, Honolulu, HI - 5/9/15

This store is a little bit small, so it's kind of cramped as you walk through looking at all the sparkly jewelry and treasures. But don't let that stop you from coming inside.

I found some wonderful, comfortable sandals for less than $10. Also some accessories, gifts, and jewelry. Toe rings and anklets and crystal and shell necklaces - everything they sell will help remind you you're on vacation - (like you need a reminder!)

This is a great touristy stop for folks wanting to take home a little part of Hawaii with them. The sales associate was very helpful and friendly. Just make sure you have a small group -- very little room to move around once inside!

Taqueria Carnitas Tijuana, Concord

4/1/15

The key to a successful business: be nice.
(Delicious food and cleanliness help too.)

But nobody needs to tell that to these guys. This taqueria operates on the principle that you can go anywhere to eat, but the attitude of the staff will bring you back here, and the food speaks for itself. We agree! This location is relatively new and they are already talking about opening another one. They are popular!

My husband and I came in for dinner on a monday night and even though only one family was in line ahead of us, we had our food started before we reached the register. I ordered a fish taco and a shrimp taco and my husband had 5 carnitas soft tacos. We snacked on chips while we waited for our meals. I like thin, crispy chips better than the traditional thick ones they serve here, but at least their hot salsa had a kick to it. Their salsas weren't labeled and the hot one is in the middle - be warned: it's hot!

The food came out quickly and my tacos were beautiful. They had a creamy sauce on top that I'll probably request them without next time, but the fish was lightly fried and tender, and the shrimp were delightfully seasoned. Fresh lettuce and tomato on top of my crispy taco. Not at all greasy - I felt particularly healthy (minus the creamy sauce).


Husband's carnitas weren't cooked well-done, like he'd requested. He wanted crispy pieces, but still finished his plate and left saying that he'd found his new favorite Mexican plate. Both our meals with two large bottles of Coke were just under $20.

Before we left we were offered a sample of a smoky pork dish with a salsa verde marinade. Delicious!! We'll definitely be back.

Mariachi Mexican Grill, Walnut Creek

4/5/15












We recently came here for dinner and walked in to find an empty restaurant and a handful of employees ready to help us. The menu is near the front, so we walked a few steps further after deciding what we wanted.




I ordered a veggie soft taco and a carnitas soft taco, and my husband had five carnitas tacos. While we waited for the food to cook, we found a dirty table (all of the tables were dirty so this wasn't hard) and ate some of their delicious light and thin tortilla chips. The chips were awesome and their salsa (and salsa bar) were great also They even had fresh serrano peppers on it. I commented on the yummy chips when our food was brought out and another basket was scooped full and given to us.



My tacos were absolutely yummy! Husband's carnitas were really crispy, just like he'd requested. Everything was great! Except that one guy behind the counter was chewing his own food while cooking the order behind us. Save your snacking for your lunch break. The fountain drink machine was out of order, but ice water and bottled/cans sodas are available. Finally, you have to bus your own plates when youre done eating. Not a big deal, just worth mentioning.



The food was really good, but nothing stood out about service, and a filthy dining area is pretty gross.

PhotoBarn, Knoxville, TN

1/26/15

8x10 - $15 + S/H

Received my wood photo order today and it's beautiful. High quality, great print - terrific price!

I used a picture taken on a Mexican cruise the week before Christmas 2014, and ordered shortly after we returned home.

I've ordered on Groupon before and usually it's service places (nails, car detailing, etc.) that get overwhelmed by responses and customer orders and can't fulfill the demand in the promised time. I'm not surprised to read a lot of yelp reviews saying the same thing for these prints, and while unfortunate, I don't think that deserves the kind of criticism they're getting.

The final product was beautiful! And they have similar items that with coupon codes for the same price as you'd get with Groupon. Some have free shipping offers and they have cute wooden heart prints for upcoming Valentine's Day.  (If I do order for a V-Day gift and it hasn't arrived, I'll just wrap a screenshot of my coming order - my loved ones are pretty understanding.)

Order. Be patient. Enjoy.



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Delicia's Falafel (food truck), Walnut Creek

1/28/15

I found myself at the Concord Farmer's Market a week ago on a day off. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started walking around. The last stand I came to was Delicia's and it sounded the best of any of the options.

I looked at the items they were passing to guests ahead of me and became very excited for a healthy salad with falafel on top. I had the Greek salad for $7 and was given a choice of regular or spicy falafel. I love spicy food so this wasn't a hard choice - plus I was given a sample first to try before deciding and that sealed the deal. Delicious Delicia! The salad had a lot of yummy toppings (olives, cheese, etc.) and some small bread slices on top (pita bread?).

I ordered the watermelon drink ($2) and it tasted just like when my grandmother used to make Agua Fresca.

The falafel was hot and fresh and my drink and salad were cool and crisp. All in all, very tasty and filling.

Tacos Adeline (Taco Truck), Hayward

2/24/15

My husband and I WERE running on time for a meeting in Hayward, until I spotted this taco truck; I decided we were going to have to show up a couple minutes late for our meeting. I have a hard time driving by parking lot taco trucks without stopping and spending a couple bucks, especially if I see other people milling around the truck, waiting for their food. That's usually a good sign.






I ordered two tacos - there were a few people ahead of me in line but my to-go order somehow came up first. Tacos were great - hot salsa (on request) topped off the chicken and they were even better than they smelled (they smelled AWESOME).

I'd definitely stop here again! They have a special plate thing that looked amazing - a couple people were eating it. I think it was Sundays only - not even sure what it was, but it looked really good! Look for these guys!!!