12/23/13
Thank you one more time to Yelp's search app. As one of my yelp friend's headlines reads: "Driving around, I'm yelping it." Yep. That's me, too! Except that I have a driver so I'm just yelping it while he drives. :) (Driver = husband)
Wanting a quick bite we found this gem and have since returned. It's thin crust pizza varieties are only made better by the nice employees. Lots of veggies options. Lots of options in general, which is great for pizza by the slice.
They even crumble garlic pieces on top if you like. Seating for about 10 downstairs, but we heard mention of an upstairs the last time we were there?!! What, what?! We were in a hurry to eat-and-run and didn't explore.
Not sure if soda is free? But Casey's had a free soda twice. (I bring my re-useable water container everywhere I go). Then again, his nickname is "Lucky Casey", so don't go in with expectations of free soda.
The manager that was tossing the dough (I think he was manager) was giving out appropriate times for people calling in, regarding how long their order would take, based on the orders ahead of them. He seemed very organized and had his sh*t together. Not sure how long he's been managing this or any company (if that's actually his position) but he was good at his job, especially for looking very young.
Great experiences twice. Incredibly pizza if you like extra thin crust. (We order extra crispy and they sure do it RIGHT!!) I guarantee we'll continue to return, even though it's not in our neighborhood.
Monday, December 23, 2013
NEW 7-11, 1096 Monument, Concord
12/17/13
GREAT big 7-11, and it's finally open! It was so spacious and clean inside. This corner of Monument has had some trouble but hopefully that will end as they continue to improve and build new stores. The new-ish Walgreens across the street told me they recently found needles in their bathrooms and had to secure the place up better. So 7-11, be warned.
Lots of fresh fruit in here (at low prices!) A nacho BAR with lots of free toppings to choose from. Hot food, hot pizza, and all the regular snacks. The pizza didn't look bad at all and only $6 for a whole! That's amazing.
A long wall lined with beverages and even a frozen foods section. Oh, and for you coffee drinkers... they had an entire island of coffee selections.
There were several friendly, smiling employees. Best of luck to them all. Monument has it's moments.
GREAT big 7-11, and it's finally open! It was so spacious and clean inside. This corner of Monument has had some trouble but hopefully that will end as they continue to improve and build new stores. The new-ish Walgreens across the street told me they recently found needles in their bathrooms and had to secure the place up better. So 7-11, be warned.
Lots of fresh fruit in here (at low prices!) A nacho BAR with lots of free toppings to choose from. Hot food, hot pizza, and all the regular snacks. The pizza didn't look bad at all and only $6 for a whole! That's amazing.
A long wall lined with beverages and even a frozen foods section. Oh, and for you coffee drinkers... they had an entire island of coffee selections.
There were several friendly, smiling employees. Best of luck to them all. Monument has it's moments.
Wells Fargo Bank, Lafayette
12/18/13
I do not bank with Wells Fargo, but I do work with their investment professionals. My first experience walking into this Lafayette branch was a great one. A lovely woman greeted me at the door and another employee smiled and said hello as I made my way to the back for my meeting. It's a smaller branch but parking was easy.
It's also easy to find (if you know Lafayette just a little bit). It's right on Mt. Diablo Blvd. at the Happy Valley intersection, so getting on and off the freeway is pretty simple (less than a mile).
Service was fast and friendly.
I do not bank with Wells Fargo, but I do work with their investment professionals. My first experience walking into this Lafayette branch was a great one. A lovely woman greeted me at the door and another employee smiled and said hello as I made my way to the back for my meeting. It's a smaller branch but parking was easy.
It's also easy to find (if you know Lafayette just a little bit). It's right on Mt. Diablo Blvd. at the Happy Valley intersection, so getting on and off the freeway is pretty simple (less than a mile).
Service was fast and friendly.
T J Maxx, Concord
12/18/13
As I walked from my car at the very far end of the parking lot to the entrance, a man accosted me with crazy talk. I humored him until I could make my escape into a more public area. Poor guy. Once safely inside, I was greeted by a smiling face who offered me a cart. When I declined and opted for a basket, she then fetched a nice shoulder bag instead. (Although, after a bit of shopping I ended up going back up front for a cart).
I'm not a big gift giver and I hate shopping for myself. So, that being said, I had fun walking around in here. I found a couple of clothing items for sister, brother-in-law, mom, and dad. There were a little bit pricier than I was looking for, but I liked the brands, the styles, and the quality. Even got some undies for my husband. Not the animal-style thongs that I like to see him in, just some regular well-fitting Puma briefs. Too bad they don't sell men's thongs. Who doesn't love to come home to an elephant or peacock-clad man cooking dinner?!
Most importantly, the girl at the fitting room (though I tried nothing on) was extremely nice and helpful. Tall, slender, African American girl. I complimented her on her outfit and showed her a pair of tights I was thinking about getting for me. I told her I don't know what to wear them with (husband usually helps me dress because he's more stylist than I am) and she offered to come help me find something cute, but I had to run. I was out of shopping time and needed to make a quick exit.
Medium speed check-out with a nice intercom service telling you which cashier was free. Out of there for less than $200, and now I'm done shopping.
As I walked from my car at the very far end of the parking lot to the entrance, a man accosted me with crazy talk. I humored him until I could make my escape into a more public area. Poor guy. Once safely inside, I was greeted by a smiling face who offered me a cart. When I declined and opted for a basket, she then fetched a nice shoulder bag instead. (Although, after a bit of shopping I ended up going back up front for a cart).
I'm not a big gift giver and I hate shopping for myself. So, that being said, I had fun walking around in here. I found a couple of clothing items for sister, brother-in-law, mom, and dad. There were a little bit pricier than I was looking for, but I liked the brands, the styles, and the quality. Even got some undies for my husband. Not the animal-style thongs that I like to see him in, just some regular well-fitting Puma briefs. Too bad they don't sell men's thongs. Who doesn't love to come home to an elephant or peacock-clad man cooking dinner?!
Most importantly, the girl at the fitting room (though I tried nothing on) was extremely nice and helpful. Tall, slender, African American girl. I complimented her on her outfit and showed her a pair of tights I was thinking about getting for me. I told her I don't know what to wear them with (husband usually helps me dress because he's more stylist than I am) and she offered to come help me find something cute, but I had to run. I was out of shopping time and needed to make a quick exit.
Medium speed check-out with a nice intercom service telling you which cashier was free. Out of there for less than $200, and now I'm done shopping.
ABA Retirement Funds, Braintree, MA
12/18/13
The unique 401(k) plans ABA offers to law firms feature no out-of-pocket expenses for the firm. Ours includes professional fiduciary services and we receive quarterly independent reviews.
When I initially set up this 401(k) several years back, I set mine to be aggressive since I'm young and can take risks. It has so far done very well for me.
I have only dealt with customer service once (in order to change my name). Now I guess I have 1/2 of a 401(k) :) The customer service people were friendly and easy to deal with. I love seeing how much my account has grown in six years. While I'm not even thinking about retiring, I am thinking about retirement, and this is a great Program to have my funds carried with.
The unique 401(k) plans ABA offers to law firms feature no out-of-pocket expenses for the firm. Ours includes professional fiduciary services and we receive quarterly independent reviews.
When I initially set up this 401(k) several years back, I set mine to be aggressive since I'm young and can take risks. It has so far done very well for me.
I have only dealt with customer service once (in order to change my name). Now I guess I have 1/2 of a 401(k) :) The customer service people were friendly and easy to deal with. I love seeing how much my account has grown in six years. While I'm not even thinking about retiring, I am thinking about retirement, and this is a great Program to have my funds carried with.
Cirque du Soleil - Amaluna
12/18/13
All men should wear thongs, especially if they have big, hard, long tails. The Lizard-Man performing at Amaluna's Cirque performance started off the night stealing popcorn from the crowd and dumping it on the heads of other guests. It was hilarious. Made even funnier by his thong and tail costume.
Our $100 (each) seats were about 4 rows behind the ones for $160, and I thought ours were better. The seating was one of the best things about the night: there was not a bad seat in the house, and the center stage rotated so that you often could see a performer from more than one angle, even if they were holding a position perfectly still.
The very beginning (first 30 minutes) there were some amazing performances using one body to toss another (somersault) using just hands and feet, the kind of thing that's great at Cirque. After that the best part of the show was the music. The all-female band was powerful. The musicians were wild to watch and the singer's strong voice was actually quite moving. It was pretty incredible, all night long.
Then there were scenes of clowns just mumbling and attempting humor. These filler scenes were very dissatisfying. While they applied to the story-line, it's unfair to add that much talk-time in to the "performance".
A hula-hoop chick came out and impressed me with her multi-hooping skills, but without trying to be a hoop snob, I've seen better hoopers at Burning Man, and theirs are on fire. Fuego, b*itches!
So then there's a girl in a white bikini in a pool. I think all the girls should've been wearing bikinis. Perhaps if they were all scantily clad I would have been slightly more interested in their dancing. It was a lot of just dancing all night. If youre going to dance, take it off ladies! (and men too!!) The pool thing was shallow so it was neat that she could stand and the edge and dive in right up against the glass. I couldn't do it, but I have seen Le Rêve in Vegas (similar to Cirque) and they were diving from the ceiling into shallow pools, so nothing about this girl had me going. Except the wet white bikini.
Then there's a huge intermission where you can buy over-priced food. I snuck in a giant bag of amazing popcorn I made at home. I wasn't going to pay $8! And it gave me a reason to use a big purse I'd never used. I brought my refillable water bottle and there was a free water station (cold and hot) which was awesome. Bathrooms outside were portable but clean and had a nice handwashing station. But the intermission was waaaaay too long. We had time to photobomb at LEAST five couples.
So then the "show" continues. In my head after every scene I'm hoping I can clap; that we've reached the finale. A teeter totter that bounced men high enough to do aerial somersaults came out. But I've been on the teeter totter of death (also at Burning Man). Again, not impressed. The 15 minute, silent balancing act that followed was also very, very slow. Several loud sighs were let out around us. I wanted to "accidentally" drop my metal water thing. Casey asked if he could screen "BOO" and get us kicked out. Gymnastic bars with no real acrobatic or team flips followed. It was stuff I did on the playground in junior high. Well, not going back and forth between bars, but I actually saw Casey land a flip off a similar bar at playground not long ago. He should do this show - he'd at least add some personality.
My thonged lizard-man came out again at the end, this time without his tail. Full, unobstructed thong shot. He did some juggling and then it was pretty much over. He had to thrust around a bit while he juggled. Thrust, thrust, yum. Quite a bit more entertaining than the current, controversial Joe Boxer commercial.
A few weeks ago I yelled at my husband for never planning dates. So he planned this. So $200 for tickets and $25 for parking and $5 for Bridge, this is what I got. I will now resume date-planning for us and he's off the hook. I believe our next Cirque date will be saved for a Vegas trip.
All men should wear thongs, especially if they have big, hard, long tails. The Lizard-Man performing at Amaluna's Cirque performance started off the night stealing popcorn from the crowd and dumping it on the heads of other guests. It was hilarious. Made even funnier by his thong and tail costume.
Our $100 (each) seats were about 4 rows behind the ones for $160, and I thought ours were better. The seating was one of the best things about the night: there was not a bad seat in the house, and the center stage rotated so that you often could see a performer from more than one angle, even if they were holding a position perfectly still.
The very beginning (first 30 minutes) there were some amazing performances using one body to toss another (somersault) using just hands and feet, the kind of thing that's great at Cirque. After that the best part of the show was the music. The all-female band was powerful. The musicians were wild to watch and the singer's strong voice was actually quite moving. It was pretty incredible, all night long.
Then there were scenes of clowns just mumbling and attempting humor. These filler scenes were very dissatisfying. While they applied to the story-line, it's unfair to add that much talk-time in to the "performance".
A hula-hoop chick came out and impressed me with her multi-hooping skills, but without trying to be a hoop snob, I've seen better hoopers at Burning Man, and theirs are on fire. Fuego, b*itches!
So then there's a girl in a white bikini in a pool. I think all the girls should've been wearing bikinis. Perhaps if they were all scantily clad I would have been slightly more interested in their dancing. It was a lot of just dancing all night. If youre going to dance, take it off ladies! (and men too!!) The pool thing was shallow so it was neat that she could stand and the edge and dive in right up against the glass. I couldn't do it, but I have seen Le Rêve in Vegas (similar to Cirque) and they were diving from the ceiling into shallow pools, so nothing about this girl had me going. Except the wet white bikini.
Then there's a huge intermission where you can buy over-priced food. I snuck in a giant bag of amazing popcorn I made at home. I wasn't going to pay $8! And it gave me a reason to use a big purse I'd never used. I brought my refillable water bottle and there was a free water station (cold and hot) which was awesome. Bathrooms outside were portable but clean and had a nice handwashing station. But the intermission was waaaaay too long. We had time to photobomb at LEAST five couples.
So then the "show" continues. In my head after every scene I'm hoping I can clap; that we've reached the finale. A teeter totter that bounced men high enough to do aerial somersaults came out. But I've been on the teeter totter of death (also at Burning Man). Again, not impressed. The 15 minute, silent balancing act that followed was also very, very slow. Several loud sighs were let out around us. I wanted to "accidentally" drop my metal water thing. Casey asked if he could screen "BOO" and get us kicked out. Gymnastic bars with no real acrobatic or team flips followed. It was stuff I did on the playground in junior high. Well, not going back and forth between bars, but I actually saw Casey land a flip off a similar bar at playground not long ago. He should do this show - he'd at least add some personality.
My thonged lizard-man came out again at the end, this time without his tail. Full, unobstructed thong shot. He did some juggling and then it was pretty much over. He had to thrust around a bit while he juggled. Thrust, thrust, yum. Quite a bit more entertaining than the current, controversial Joe Boxer commercial.
A few weeks ago I yelled at my husband for never planning dates. So he planned this. So $200 for tickets and $25 for parking and $5 for Bridge, this is what I got. I will now resume date-planning for us and he's off the hook. I believe our next Cirque date will be saved for a Vegas trip.
Vic Stewart's, Walnut Creek
12/18/13
Our office holiday lunch was celebrated at Vic Stewart's. We made plans and submitted our menu choices in advance. Unfortunately for Vic's I'd had lunched at Forbes Mill Steakhouse the day before, which raised the bar for fine lunch experiences and Vic's just couldn't reach my standards. Over and over I was disappointed with our office lunch.
Perhaps more intimate settings receive better service but I would never suggest a group lunch here to any of my peers. As we arrived and were shown to our private room, we took our seats and then had to get back up and grab our name tags, which were color-coordinated to match our menu choice. While that was a convenient way to maintain professionalism with food service, it could've been made more convenient for the patrons by having the server (who was standing in the room) greet us with a welcome and suggest we take our tag before sitting down.
Appetizers including pot stickers, hummus, veggies and ranch, and bruschetta were set on a table in the corner after we had all arrived. Our server did not make any mention what to do next. Which was unfortunately to have all twenty of us get up from the table and serve ourselves. Never have I seen this at an elegant, sit-down lunch. It was disorganized and somewhat chaotic. Plus, having to get up for seconds, rather than just reach to a plate in front of you, is not cool. How hard would several small serving plates across our long table have been? The bruschetta was awful but the veggies were fresh and crisp and it was a huge serving and good variety. The pot stickers were good too, but only served with sweet and sour, nothing for us salty fans like a soy or teriyaki sauce. Bleh. Too bad there was no bread for the people who were receiving their appetizers last. The bread came after we'd eaten the apps. Knowing there was a vegan in the group, we shouldn't have had to ask for oil and vinegar. Hey Vic's! Vegans don't eat butter on their bread. The four frozen pre-packaged butters squares that came in the large basket of bread (11 slices in our basket) were laughed at by all, after I related that at my lunch the day before, each person had received a personal size tiny cup of their own fresh butter. Much classier: no sharing, no squares. When will fine establishments get a clue about serving hard squares of butter?! I don't know one person who enjoys trying to spread HARD butter on soft bread.
Our salad arrived in a fun, tilted bowl shortly after the bread. Mine was over-dressed Caesar and I LOVE salad but did not finish it; it was too much dressing. And I'm not a skimpy dresser (hehe, still talking about salad here) so this was disappointing.
Now entrees: My salmon was amazing. I had to ask for lemon (because I love lemon) and it was nice to get a few slices because then I put one in my water. Infused water is pretty popular now, but at least a slice of lemon is a nice touch. I even bring in lemons from home and serve them to our clients at work. Yes, at a law firm; it's just a nice touch. (And my Meyer lemons are amazing.) Salmon was perfectly flaky and the butter sauce on top was nice, though I did scrape some off. Broccoli was slightly over-cooked. (Broccoli is my favorite food though so I love it no matter how over or under cooked it is). Rice was dark and yummy. Not sure what the mix was but I mashed the broccoli in with it and some of the frozen butter and it was great! So overall at least my entrée was good. Perhaps 4-star? (Which is why I'd maybe give the place another try perhaps on a date nice.)
Dessert was a light cheesecake which I also enjoyed, served in the same cool bowl as the salads. I ate every bite. Delicious coffee and cream washed it down and my stomach was content.
Service was sad. While we had everything we needed, never once was I asked if I was enjoying my food or if I needed anything else. Robotic filling of water and clearing of plates. Even with group settings, servers can make an effort to be fun and personable. Guess that guaranteed tip really gives them no motivation to make this small effort. That was the feeling I got here. Not friendly, not welcoming, and not something I'd want to return for. Service is half the reason people go out - something that should be noted and improved on at Vic's.
Our office holiday lunch was celebrated at Vic Stewart's. We made plans and submitted our menu choices in advance. Unfortunately for Vic's I'd had lunched at Forbes Mill Steakhouse the day before, which raised the bar for fine lunch experiences and Vic's just couldn't reach my standards. Over and over I was disappointed with our office lunch.
Perhaps more intimate settings receive better service but I would never suggest a group lunch here to any of my peers. As we arrived and were shown to our private room, we took our seats and then had to get back up and grab our name tags, which were color-coordinated to match our menu choice. While that was a convenient way to maintain professionalism with food service, it could've been made more convenient for the patrons by having the server (who was standing in the room) greet us with a welcome and suggest we take our tag before sitting down.
Appetizers including pot stickers, hummus, veggies and ranch, and bruschetta were set on a table in the corner after we had all arrived. Our server did not make any mention what to do next. Which was unfortunately to have all twenty of us get up from the table and serve ourselves. Never have I seen this at an elegant, sit-down lunch. It was disorganized and somewhat chaotic. Plus, having to get up for seconds, rather than just reach to a plate in front of you, is not cool. How hard would several small serving plates across our long table have been? The bruschetta was awful but the veggies were fresh and crisp and it was a huge serving and good variety. The pot stickers were good too, but only served with sweet and sour, nothing for us salty fans like a soy or teriyaki sauce. Bleh. Too bad there was no bread for the people who were receiving their appetizers last. The bread came after we'd eaten the apps. Knowing there was a vegan in the group, we shouldn't have had to ask for oil and vinegar. Hey Vic's! Vegans don't eat butter on their bread. The four frozen pre-packaged butters squares that came in the large basket of bread (11 slices in our basket) were laughed at by all, after I related that at my lunch the day before, each person had received a personal size tiny cup of their own fresh butter. Much classier: no sharing, no squares. When will fine establishments get a clue about serving hard squares of butter?! I don't know one person who enjoys trying to spread HARD butter on soft bread.
Our salad arrived in a fun, tilted bowl shortly after the bread. Mine was over-dressed Caesar and I LOVE salad but did not finish it; it was too much dressing. And I'm not a skimpy dresser (hehe, still talking about salad here) so this was disappointing.
Now entrees: My salmon was amazing. I had to ask for lemon (because I love lemon) and it was nice to get a few slices because then I put one in my water. Infused water is pretty popular now, but at least a slice of lemon is a nice touch. I even bring in lemons from home and serve them to our clients at work. Yes, at a law firm; it's just a nice touch. (And my Meyer lemons are amazing.) Salmon was perfectly flaky and the butter sauce on top was nice, though I did scrape some off. Broccoli was slightly over-cooked. (Broccoli is my favorite food though so I love it no matter how over or under cooked it is). Rice was dark and yummy. Not sure what the mix was but I mashed the broccoli in with it and some of the frozen butter and it was great! So overall at least my entrée was good. Perhaps 4-star? (Which is why I'd maybe give the place another try perhaps on a date nice.)
Dessert was a light cheesecake which I also enjoyed, served in the same cool bowl as the salads. I ate every bite. Delicious coffee and cream washed it down and my stomach was content.
Service was sad. While we had everything we needed, never once was I asked if I was enjoying my food or if I needed anything else. Robotic filling of water and clearing of plates. Even with group settings, servers can make an effort to be fun and personable. Guess that guaranteed tip really gives them no motivation to make this small effort. That was the feeling I got here. Not friendly, not welcoming, and not something I'd want to return for. Service is half the reason people go out - something that should be noted and improved on at Vic's.
Aztecca Sport
12/23/13
Before I even walked through the door, I knew that myself, as an English-speaking, white girl with no children, who's never played soccer, is probably not the target demographic for this business, at this part of Monument; but we wanted to check it out anyhow. My husband played soccer and competed internationally when he was younger, so I knew he wouldn't mind going in.
LOTS and LOTS of brightly color, fun, cleated shoes. An entire wall of them, actually. A lady greeted us with a nod of the head. I checked out the socks (I love socks) and walked around the entire store, which isn't very big. That's when we saw "key making"!
Casey pulled out a key we want copied and asked her if she could copy it. Her extremely limited English responded and she took the key and went to go check. She came back and said she didn't have the right key size. (It's for our mailroom and says "do not copy" but I don't think she realized that, so that was a bummer because it's $25 from our ***** HOA to replace it, if lost. (Which is has been, but just once.) We also need a copy of our actual mailbox key, which I think she said she could do, but we decided to head home instead of waiting.
A few watches were on display and we looked at them but Casey was pretty sure the brands were fake. But hopefully you're not headed to a Sport store to get a watch. :) They prob have the shoes and socks you need (and some jerseys) if you play soccer or have children who do!
Before I even walked through the door, I knew that myself, as an English-speaking, white girl with no children, who's never played soccer, is probably not the target demographic for this business, at this part of Monument; but we wanted to check it out anyhow. My husband played soccer and competed internationally when he was younger, so I knew he wouldn't mind going in.
LOTS and LOTS of brightly color, fun, cleated shoes. An entire wall of them, actually. A lady greeted us with a nod of the head. I checked out the socks (I love socks) and walked around the entire store, which isn't very big. That's when we saw "key making"!
Casey pulled out a key we want copied and asked her if she could copy it. Her extremely limited English responded and she took the key and went to go check. She came back and said she didn't have the right key size. (It's for our mailroom and says "do not copy" but I don't think she realized that, so that was a bummer because it's $25 from our ***** HOA to replace it, if lost. (Which is has been, but just once.) We also need a copy of our actual mailbox key, which I think she said she could do, but we decided to head home instead of waiting.
A few watches were on display and we looked at them but Casey was pretty sure the brands were fake. But hopefully you're not headed to a Sport store to get a watch. :) They prob have the shoes and socks you need (and some jerseys) if you play soccer or have children who do!
Monument Grill, Concord
12/23/13
We went in for breakfast and we'll have to return for lunch in order to give this family business a second chance. Our breakfast was taking place close to noon and there were several patrons seated in there. We ordered at a counter after staring at an overhead menu.
I ordered three eggs with an English muffin and hash browns. Husband had two sausage, two bacon, three eggs and hash browns with sourdough. I ordered my eggs over-medium and him over-easy. I'm very particular about NO runny whites and all three of my eggs were under-cooked. I had to keep pulling the runny white aside because I just can't eat it. Unless it's in cookie dough, of course. :) We also ordered our hash browns to be extra browned. I said burned was okay because it's like food establishments just refuse to make them crispy. While they arrived with a sorta browned outside, they were cooked in such a thick pile that the middle was all just white potato flakes. Neither of us were very happy with these.
The bacon was good - not very fatty which was a nice surprise and cooked very crispy. Sausage was linked and okay. Sourdough toast was great. But the English muffin was like a knock-off English muffin. I can't explain it but it was very disappointing and I didn't eat it.
The prices were great and the place was clean. I even had a pineapple slice from each of our plates that was tasty and sweet. I'd give it another try but only because the nice guy working the register said it was his family's place and I like supporting the local families. His mother (I think) was cleaning a table and checked on us to ask how everything was. I told her that about the undercooked eggs but didn't really get a response. I was done eating by this point but thought an apology was at least appropriate. She was certainly keeping the place clean though. Will go again, eventually.
We went in for breakfast and we'll have to return for lunch in order to give this family business a second chance. Our breakfast was taking place close to noon and there were several patrons seated in there. We ordered at a counter after staring at an overhead menu.
I ordered three eggs with an English muffin and hash browns. Husband had two sausage, two bacon, three eggs and hash browns with sourdough. I ordered my eggs over-medium and him over-easy. I'm very particular about NO runny whites and all three of my eggs were under-cooked. I had to keep pulling the runny white aside because I just can't eat it. Unless it's in cookie dough, of course. :) We also ordered our hash browns to be extra browned. I said burned was okay because it's like food establishments just refuse to make them crispy. While they arrived with a sorta browned outside, they were cooked in such a thick pile that the middle was all just white potato flakes. Neither of us were very happy with these.
The bacon was good - not very fatty which was a nice surprise and cooked very crispy. Sausage was linked and okay. Sourdough toast was great. But the English muffin was like a knock-off English muffin. I can't explain it but it was very disappointing and I didn't eat it.
The prices were great and the place was clean. I even had a pineapple slice from each of our plates that was tasty and sweet. I'd give it another try but only because the nice guy working the register said it was his family's place and I like supporting the local families. His mother (I think) was cleaning a table and checked on us to ask how everything was. I told her that about the undercooked eggs but didn't really get a response. I was done eating by this point but thought an apology was at least appropriate. She was certainly keeping the place clean though. Will go again, eventually.
Fairytale Brownies, Phoenix, AZ
12/23/13
YUMMMM! Every year around the holidays, companies that our business works with start sending us baked treats. Our law firm represents public agencies, many of whom cannot receive gifts of any kind, but the ones that can, also give them out. See's Candy, various cookies, boxed treats, and these F***** incredible brownies, from the building's management company where our suite is located!!! They're the best treat we get every year! (In my opinion anyhow - and I'm not much of a sweets person most of the time!)
There are lots of flavors. I enjoy the caramel the most but they are all pretty good. We end up cutting them up and taking little bites all day from the community table in the kitchen. They're rich, so eating a whole one at once is pretty indulgent.
Great gift, especially since they're individually wrapped and packaged nicely. If you don't live near enough someone make a homemade baked treat as a present, these make a great substitute. Especially for an office with several people - the box we receive lasts a few days, (which says something for our group!!) A not in the box says something along the lines that if you can resist finishing them within the first week arrived, refrigerate or freeze. Which is always a good sign - anything that lasts for a long time freaks me out. Except Twinkies.
YUMMMM! Every year around the holidays, companies that our business works with start sending us baked treats. Our law firm represents public agencies, many of whom cannot receive gifts of any kind, but the ones that can, also give them out. See's Candy, various cookies, boxed treats, and these F***** incredible brownies, from the building's management company where our suite is located!!! They're the best treat we get every year! (In my opinion anyhow - and I'm not much of a sweets person most of the time!)
There are lots of flavors. I enjoy the caramel the most but they are all pretty good. We end up cutting them up and taking little bites all day from the community table in the kitchen. They're rich, so eating a whole one at once is pretty indulgent.
Great gift, especially since they're individually wrapped and packaged nicely. If you don't live near enough someone make a homemade baked treat as a present, these make a great substitute. Especially for an office with several people - the box we receive lasts a few days, (which says something for our group!!) A not in the box says something along the lines that if you can resist finishing them within the first week arrived, refrigerate or freeze. Which is always a good sign - anything that lasts for a long time freaks me out. Except Twinkies.
Tokyo Playground, Dublin
A yelp event in May 2013 brought me here - I knew that Karma Lounge sat next to Buffalo Wild Wings, but didn't realize it has fuzed into this Japanese scene.
The food we sampled at the event was great and we enjoyed some drinks from the bar. Most notably were the female staff in their cute uniforms. They weren't just there to look at though. The girls were all hard at work and friendly. I talked to several of them and they were all nice and happy to tell us about Tokyo Playground.
Not sure if the area we used as a dance floor is always open but at night there's a great spot for dancing and comfortable seating all around the room, including some private booths that overlooked the open floor. A bar and sushi bar sit next to one another.
I used to live in Dublin and I imagine if I still did I'd make a point of coming here often for dinner, drinks, and dancing if it didn't close down. It was a lot of fun. And we didnt' even have to miss any of the games that were on because lots of screens had the sports going! Score! The large screen of music videos to go along with the DJ was pretty cool too.
The food we sampled at the event was great and we enjoyed some drinks from the bar. Most notably were the female staff in their cute uniforms. They weren't just there to look at though. The girls were all hard at work and friendly. I talked to several of them and they were all nice and happy to tell us about Tokyo Playground.
Not sure if the area we used as a dance floor is always open but at night there's a great spot for dancing and comfortable seating all around the room, including some private booths that overlooked the open floor. A bar and sushi bar sit next to one another.
I used to live in Dublin and I imagine if I still did I'd make a point of coming here often for dinner, drinks, and dancing if it didn't close down. It was a lot of fun. And we didnt' even have to miss any of the games that were on because lots of screens had the sports going! Score! The large screen of music videos to go along with the DJ was pretty cool too.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Shibuyasf, Japantown Mall, San Francisco, CA
11/22/13
If I showed up for sexy time in a négligée with a cat face on the front my husband would probably laugh me out of bed. If he showed up for bed with cat-face-attire it'd be the best night ever. So we're different like that.
ShibuyaSF has all your lingerie needs covered (with and without kitty decorations, but mostly lacy stuff!) Unfortunately, being a relatively tall white girl, their selection wasn't exactly made for my body type. But hot damn, the stuff is cute!
Our friend's bachelorette party landed us here, and lucky her (beautiful Cambodian heritage) she found something sexy to take home to her fiancé. I did get a free pair of panties with a facebook check-in, but I think they were meant to make me laugh because the "large" wasn't even close to whatever great size I needed.
The boutique store is adorable with it's pretty decorations. It also had a nighttime fashion show playing on the TV which def appeared to be from overseas. It was a lot of fun to watch while I waited for the bride-to-be.
If I showed up for sexy time in a négligée with a cat face on the front my husband would probably laugh me out of bed. If he showed up for bed with cat-face-attire it'd be the best night ever. So we're different like that.
ShibuyaSF has all your lingerie needs covered (with and without kitty decorations, but mostly lacy stuff!) Unfortunately, being a relatively tall white girl, their selection wasn't exactly made for my body type. But hot damn, the stuff is cute!
Our friend's bachelorette party landed us here, and lucky her (beautiful Cambodian heritage) she found something sexy to take home to her fiancé. I did get a free pair of panties with a facebook check-in, but I think they were meant to make me laugh because the "large" wasn't even close to whatever great size I needed.
The boutique store is adorable with it's pretty decorations. It also had a nighttime fashion show playing on the TV which def appeared to be from overseas. It was a lot of fun to watch while I waited for the bride-to-be.
Nimbus Arts, Saint Helena, CA
11/24/13
I love walking through art galleries. It's even cooler when they offer demonstrations and you can learn about how certain types and forms of art are created. We happened to stop into Nimbus Art during the hours they were showing a ceramics and fire demonstration yesterday.
The demo was taking place out front, and we went inside for more information about the gallery. We were greeted and offered champagne or wine. Welcome to Napa Valley! Many students had art on display and most of it was for sale. Very unique creations and beautiful displays captured our attention as we walked around. We saw fliers that listed information about classes being offered. There was even a table of nice cheese and other hors d'oeuvres sitting in the back.
If youre in this area, this little store within the small strip of businesses here is definitely worth a stop in. Support the students and bring home some art! Next door is a soap-making company and a couple businesses down sits the Napa Valley Visitor Center, so if youre not a local you can find good ideas of what's going on in the Napa Valley during your trip.
I love walking through art galleries. It's even cooler when they offer demonstrations and you can learn about how certain types and forms of art are created. We happened to stop into Nimbus Art during the hours they were showing a ceramics and fire demonstration yesterday.
The demo was taking place out front, and we went inside for more information about the gallery. We were greeted and offered champagne or wine. Welcome to Napa Valley! Many students had art on display and most of it was for sale. Very unique creations and beautiful displays captured our attention as we walked around. We saw fliers that listed information about classes being offered. There was even a table of nice cheese and other hors d'oeuvres sitting in the back.
If youre in this area, this little store within the small strip of businesses here is definitely worth a stop in. Support the students and bring home some art! Next door is a soap-making company and a couple businesses down sits the Napa Valley Visitor Center, so if youre not a local you can find good ideas of what's going on in the Napa Valley during your trip.
Michael's Arts and Crafts, Pleasant Hill, CA
11/25/13
Oh, your employees get to come in and work on Thanksgiving? Well isn't that nice of you, Michaels. I hope the deals are just amazzzzzing and you get lots of business. (Just kidding, I hope that NOBODY supports your horrible holiday business practice.)
Aside from that, this is a good store to find all your arts and crafts needs. Want to make a turkey outfit for the Walnut Creek Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning? You can get beads, feathers, shirts and puffy fabric paint pens. Get creative!
They also have lots of great coupon deals which you can easily pull up on your phone while waiting in line. Or the helpful employees will talk you through this if you need help like I do. I received friendly assistance from our cashier, Deidra, when I couldn't figure it out on my own. We were able to use TWO coupons with our small purchase and ended up saving a good deal of money. The employees here always seem to be happy to help you find something or suggest a good idea.
But don't all of these already good deals sort of negate the idea of "better deals" on Thanksgiving?! Come on, give your employees a break and shut your doors for family! Youre a craft store - people can wait a day to get their glitter glue.
Oh, your employees get to come in and work on Thanksgiving? Well isn't that nice of you, Michaels. I hope the deals are just amazzzzzing and you get lots of business. (Just kidding, I hope that NOBODY supports your horrible holiday business practice.)
Aside from that, this is a good store to find all your arts and crafts needs. Want to make a turkey outfit for the Walnut Creek Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning? You can get beads, feathers, shirts and puffy fabric paint pens. Get creative!
They also have lots of great coupon deals which you can easily pull up on your phone while waiting in line. Or the helpful employees will talk you through this if you need help like I do. I received friendly assistance from our cashier, Deidra, when I couldn't figure it out on my own. We were able to use TWO coupons with our small purchase and ended up saving a good deal of money. The employees here always seem to be happy to help you find something or suggest a good idea.
But don't all of these already good deals sort of negate the idea of "better deals" on Thanksgiving?! Come on, give your employees a break and shut your doors for family! Youre a craft store - people can wait a day to get their glitter glue.
Bonanza Bar, Virginia City, NV
12/15/13
On a 3-day trip to Reno with my in-laws and a French club they're members of, we spent one afternoon in Virginia City. Our charter bus dropped us off and we walked up one side of the street and then back down the other. We were able to spend a couple of really fun hours, and our last stop was at Bonanza Bar.
Standing in front of the place a man gave us coupons: "Buy one drink, get one free", "$3 buys $4 in slot play", etc. We played some of the 5-cent slots and they were the fun, old-school machines that pay you in nickels, rather than using a sheet of paper for every transaction.
It was a cool bar to walk around and had a great view out back. "Home of the 100 Mile View", they say. I bought a bag of popcorn for a couple of dollars and then we ordered drinks. I had a Bloody Mary and husband had a mixed drink with well vodka. My drink was a small cup, but the price was right, and husband's was in an even tinier cup that yielded only a couple of sips. We couldn't figure out why they were different sizes, except that maybe his was the free one?
If you're in Virginia City, try to make it into every store and business. They're all unique and fun, and downtown isn't very big so it's a great way to spend a day. Definitely check out Bonanza!
On a 3-day trip to Reno with my in-laws and a French club they're members of, we spent one afternoon in Virginia City. Our charter bus dropped us off and we walked up one side of the street and then back down the other. We were able to spend a couple of really fun hours, and our last stop was at Bonanza Bar.
Standing in front of the place a man gave us coupons: "Buy one drink, get one free", "$3 buys $4 in slot play", etc. We played some of the 5-cent slots and they were the fun, old-school machines that pay you in nickels, rather than using a sheet of paper for every transaction.
It was a cool bar to walk around and had a great view out back. "Home of the 100 Mile View", they say. I bought a bag of popcorn for a couple of dollars and then we ordered drinks. I had a Bloody Mary and husband had a mixed drink with well vodka. My drink was a small cup, but the price was right, and husband's was in an even tinier cup that yielded only a couple of sips. We couldn't figure out why they were different sizes, except that maybe his was the free one?
If you're in Virginia City, try to make it into every store and business. They're all unique and fun, and downtown isn't very big so it's a great way to spend a day. Definitely check out Bonanza!
Texaco, Clayton Valley, Concord, CA
12/15/13
Located at an intersection on Clayton Road with a Wells Fargo on the other corner and McDonald's across the street, this Texaco is easy to spot and pull into. It's a small station with only a few pumps and a very small mart, but it does have a car wash and that's exactly what I was looking for.
While filling my tank, the credit card machine asked if I'd like to purchase a car wash. Yes, please. The first option was $8 and that's what I went with. I just really wanted the dust off. There were many other options, including a full service with vacuum and interior detail.
Gas stations don't have a lot to differentiate them, but this one was clean and spacious. Really easy for cars to get in and around one another. They also had a propane filling station.
Wences, Pleasant Hill, CA
12/15/13
Stopped in here about noon on a Saturday. Trying to decide between breakfast and lunch was complicated by a delicious brunch menu. Having had a recent bad crab cake experience (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…) I decided to pass on the crab cake Benedict and went with a Wedge Salad ($8).
We started with an order of Fries ($5) and added truffle oil ($1). They were probably the best thing on our table. So thin (my favorite!), crispy, and amazzzing flavor. Husband's BLT ($9) came with French Onion soup (or salad or fries). The soup came out with our fries and while it didn't look that appealing, I enjoyed it more than Casey. It kind of reminded me of a salted beef broth, like what you'd make using bullion at home. I think true French Onion soup lovers (like Casey) would like it less. The cheese was good, but it swam in the middle of the soup, rather than crusting over the entire top of the cup. ($3.50 cup, $5 bowl, if not ordered with a sandwich). I'd order a cup again!
The prettiest item on our table was Casey's BLT. Two huge sandwich halves on crispy bread with lots of lettuce, tomato and bacon. There was also avocado, melty cheese, and a pesto aioli. He let me have a bite and it was awesome. Too much veggies for him so those ended up on my plate. His also came with a giant pickle spear, which I didn't see him move off his plate until it was too late and I was full.
My wedge arrived and it was smaller than I've seen them served before, but I ate every bite and wasn't hungry at the end. It ended up being the perfect size for me. I would have liked to see more toppings, but the bacon and cheese crumbles were great. Really crispy, really flavorful. There was another topping, perhaps a roasted pepper, but I literally had a teaspoon worth of it (yes, teaspoon; not tablespoon) and I couldn't identify it with the one bite.
We sat on their front patio which had 3 tables and a heating lamp, but it wasn't needed yesterday. Both tables had furry friends sitting with their owners as they ate so the place is pet-friendly (outside). Service was good. Casey had to ask once to get a refill on his Pepsi ($2) and we had to ask for our check even after every dish had been cleared from the table. But Paulina was professional and nice, and had really pretty eyes. :) We look forward to returning. Perhaps I'll try a Bloody Mary ($7) with some oysters, since they offer several varieties.
Stopped in here about noon on a Saturday. Trying to decide between breakfast and lunch was complicated by a delicious brunch menu. Having had a recent bad crab cake experience (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…) I decided to pass on the crab cake Benedict and went with a Wedge Salad ($8).
We started with an order of Fries ($5) and added truffle oil ($1). They were probably the best thing on our table. So thin (my favorite!), crispy, and amazzzing flavor. Husband's BLT ($9) came with French Onion soup (or salad or fries). The soup came out with our fries and while it didn't look that appealing, I enjoyed it more than Casey. It kind of reminded me of a salted beef broth, like what you'd make using bullion at home. I think true French Onion soup lovers (like Casey) would like it less. The cheese was good, but it swam in the middle of the soup, rather than crusting over the entire top of the cup. ($3.50 cup, $5 bowl, if not ordered with a sandwich). I'd order a cup again!
The prettiest item on our table was Casey's BLT. Two huge sandwich halves on crispy bread with lots of lettuce, tomato and bacon. There was also avocado, melty cheese, and a pesto aioli. He let me have a bite and it was awesome. Too much veggies for him so those ended up on my plate. His also came with a giant pickle spear, which I didn't see him move off his plate until it was too late and I was full.
My wedge arrived and it was smaller than I've seen them served before, but I ate every bite and wasn't hungry at the end. It ended up being the perfect size for me. I would have liked to see more toppings, but the bacon and cheese crumbles were great. Really crispy, really flavorful. There was another topping, perhaps a roasted pepper, but I literally had a teaspoon worth of it (yes, teaspoon; not tablespoon) and I couldn't identify it with the one bite.
We sat on their front patio which had 3 tables and a heating lamp, but it wasn't needed yesterday. Both tables had furry friends sitting with their owners as they ate so the place is pet-friendly (outside). Service was good. Casey had to ask once to get a refill on his Pepsi ($2) and we had to ask for our check even after every dish had been cleared from the table. But Paulina was professional and nice, and had really pretty eyes. :) We look forward to returning. Perhaps I'll try a Bloody Mary ($7) with some oysters, since they offer several varieties.
Beauty Lounge, Palos Verdes Mall, Walnut Creek CA
12/15/13
While shopping in Palos Verdes Mall yesterday, I ashamedly lowered my face as I realized how long it'd been since I'd touched my eyebrows. My last wax was below the belt and I hadn't even thought then to touch up my brows, since I've been trying to grow them out and hopefully get some shape out of them.
Husband and I walked in and saw several people waiting with drinking in their hands and small, personal bowls of peanut snacks. (Shared, community bowls that you sometimes see at bars kind of freak me out). We were immediately greeted by a girl who appeared to be finishing her shift. Even though she was walking out, she stopped and asked us if we had an appointment. We did not. She asked what service we needed and we said we both just wanted our brows waxed. Sitting next to us was Janelle, and she said she could fit us both in before her next appointment (in 20 minutes). So cool. I hadn't even thought to make an appointment.
Janelle really listened to me as I told her that Caitlin had previously talked with me about growing out my brows for better shaping. I told her I don't use a brow pencil (because I don't know how) :) and she then took her time waxing, plucking, and shaping! I was really happy with the result. I then enjoyed watching her work on Casey. She even asked me how I wanted his waxed, telling him that I'm that one who has to see them. Love her. We both left looking and feeling much better. Less than $20 each and awesome service.
We then sat down at the bar and asked bartender/owner Mark about the $1 drink check-in offer on Yelp. He said that they no longer offer this, but he honored it for us anyhow. We enjoyed a glass of champagne, turned down the little peanut bowls, and talked with him while we relaxed. It was a great way to start our afternoon.
I also saw a stylist named Robin who I met once before at Katy's Kreek http://www.yelp.com/biz/…
and he even paused with his client and gave me a hug! xoxo
6/18/2012 Experience:
I came in here last week and had my eye brows waxed and shaped by Caitlin.
I had last had my eyebrows done about 8 months ago. I usually do not go that long between waxesI had gone to European Wax Center on Ygnacio Valley Road and they recommended that I wait several months before returning for a wax in order to properly shape my brow. I had no reseason not to go back there, but was interested in trying somewhere new. I've met an associate of Beauty Lounge (Jared) but I don't know him well and so I emailed him and asked if he could recommend one of his staff to work with me. He suggested Caitlin for what I needed done. I'm glad he did!
I was very happy with what Caitlin did and I look forward to returning in a few weeks for her to go at it again. I told her that I'm getting married in five weeks so it was important for me to feel my best. She explained what she was doing and what type of wax she would be using, etc. She also gave me a brief work (and life) history. She was very pleasant to talk to and I will definitely be back to see her again.
I mentioned to Caitlin that I'm interested in getting highlights and she recommended a girl there and told me a lot about what she does and how that's different from other stylists. I appreciated the explanation.
I was in and out in a short period of time or I would have stopped to enjoy a drink at the bar they have in the front. Next time for sure! What a terrific idea! ($7 mimosa)
While shopping in Palos Verdes Mall yesterday, I ashamedly lowered my face as I realized how long it'd been since I'd touched my eyebrows. My last wax was below the belt and I hadn't even thought then to touch up my brows, since I've been trying to grow them out and hopefully get some shape out of them.
Husband and I walked in and saw several people waiting with drinking in their hands and small, personal bowls of peanut snacks. (Shared, community bowls that you sometimes see at bars kind of freak me out). We were immediately greeted by a girl who appeared to be finishing her shift. Even though she was walking out, she stopped and asked us if we had an appointment. We did not. She asked what service we needed and we said we both just wanted our brows waxed. Sitting next to us was Janelle, and she said she could fit us both in before her next appointment (in 20 minutes). So cool. I hadn't even thought to make an appointment.
Janelle really listened to me as I told her that Caitlin had previously talked with me about growing out my brows for better shaping. I told her I don't use a brow pencil (because I don't know how) :) and she then took her time waxing, plucking, and shaping! I was really happy with the result. I then enjoyed watching her work on Casey. She even asked me how I wanted his waxed, telling him that I'm that one who has to see them. Love her. We both left looking and feeling much better. Less than $20 each and awesome service.
We then sat down at the bar and asked bartender/owner Mark about the $1 drink check-in offer on Yelp. He said that they no longer offer this, but he honored it for us anyhow. We enjoyed a glass of champagne, turned down the little peanut bowls, and talked with him while we relaxed. It was a great way to start our afternoon.
I also saw a stylist named Robin who I met once before at Katy's Kreek http://www.yelp.com/biz/…
and he even paused with his client and gave me a hug! xoxo
6/18/2012 Experience:
I came in here last week and had my eye brows waxed and shaped by Caitlin.
I had last had my eyebrows done about 8 months ago. I usually do not go that long between waxesI had gone to European Wax Center on Ygnacio Valley Road and they recommended that I wait several months before returning for a wax in order to properly shape my brow. I had no reseason not to go back there, but was interested in trying somewhere new. I've met an associate of Beauty Lounge (Jared) but I don't know him well and so I emailed him and asked if he could recommend one of his staff to work with me. He suggested Caitlin for what I needed done. I'm glad he did!
I was very happy with what Caitlin did and I look forward to returning in a few weeks for her to go at it again. I told her that I'm getting married in five weeks so it was important for me to feel my best. She explained what she was doing and what type of wax she would be using, etc. She also gave me a brief work (and life) history. She was very pleasant to talk to and I will definitely be back to see her again.
I mentioned to Caitlin that I'm interested in getting highlights and she recommended a girl there and told me a lot about what she does and how that's different from other stylists. I appreciated the explanation.
I was in and out in a short period of time or I would have stopped to enjoy a drink at the bar they have in the front. Next time for sure! What a terrific idea! ($7 mimosa)
La Sen Bistro, Todos Santos Plaza, Concord, CA
12/13/13
My husband is a French citizen and we enjoy French food very much. He purchased a deal for this place (pay $25 and get $50 of food) and we'd been meaning to come for a while. His experience was more of a 4-star, but mine was NOT. The place was empty except for two people. We were asked if we had a reservation and I laughed and asked if we needed one. The server said he was just curious. We did get a cool seat in the back in a little private enclave-ish area. That was nice.
Fresh baked bread came with the menus. The dipping sauce for it has sugar added and even though our server said it's not much, I thought it was terribly sweet. Luckily the bread was good alone. Crispy crust, soft center. Yum.
I started with a Caesar and husband started with French onion soup. The only two things worth eating in my opinion. I usually hate onion soup but this one had lots of cheese and my husband shared that with me. My salad was fine. I'd finished one glass of water on the table at this point and took my husband's because he'd ordered a can of Coke.
Our entrees arrived. He had a rare rib-eye ($23) and I had crab cakes ($18). I've only ordered crab cakes at Flemings and there was no comparison. These seemed over fried yet had no flavor. No salt or pepper on the table. My 2 small cakes and 5 green beans were almost gone by the time the server checked back (which he didn't really, I beckoned him over) and a requested slice of lemon added a little bit of zest to my last couple of bites. So disappointed.
Husband's steak was cook perfect, very well seasoned, and riddled with fat. It was marbled all the way through it and he had a large pile at the side when he was done. While the steak was very tender and good, I kept picking up the pieces of fat to investigate because I couldn't believe they were ALL fat. Yep. Great quality meat but I'm not sure I'd ever let a piece that fatty leave my kitchen.
Finally the two empty waters were filled. Which was good because it was an eternity before we were offered the dessert menu. No thanks, just the check. The place was busier now and this took a long time also. The total was $61.04 before the $50 coupon was applied. Not worth that kind of money. Especially when you throw in slow, robot-like service. The server was very professional but slightly soft-spoken and with little personality. Formality can still be achieved while smiling, being engaging and providing excitement to an otherwise quiet setting. He's lucky my husband was doing the tipping.
My husband is a French citizen and we enjoy French food very much. He purchased a deal for this place (pay $25 and get $50 of food) and we'd been meaning to come for a while. His experience was more of a 4-star, but mine was NOT. The place was empty except for two people. We were asked if we had a reservation and I laughed and asked if we needed one. The server said he was just curious. We did get a cool seat in the back in a little private enclave-ish area. That was nice.
Fresh baked bread came with the menus. The dipping sauce for it has sugar added and even though our server said it's not much, I thought it was terribly sweet. Luckily the bread was good alone. Crispy crust, soft center. Yum.
I started with a Caesar and husband started with French onion soup. The only two things worth eating in my opinion. I usually hate onion soup but this one had lots of cheese and my husband shared that with me. My salad was fine. I'd finished one glass of water on the table at this point and took my husband's because he'd ordered a can of Coke.
Our entrees arrived. He had a rare rib-eye ($23) and I had crab cakes ($18). I've only ordered crab cakes at Flemings and there was no comparison. These seemed over fried yet had no flavor. No salt or pepper on the table. My 2 small cakes and 5 green beans were almost gone by the time the server checked back (which he didn't really, I beckoned him over) and a requested slice of lemon added a little bit of zest to my last couple of bites. So disappointed.
Husband's steak was cook perfect, very well seasoned, and riddled with fat. It was marbled all the way through it and he had a large pile at the side when he was done. While the steak was very tender and good, I kept picking up the pieces of fat to investigate because I couldn't believe they were ALL fat. Yep. Great quality meat but I'm not sure I'd ever let a piece that fatty leave my kitchen.
Finally the two empty waters were filled. Which was good because it was an eternity before we were offered the dessert menu. No thanks, just the check. The place was busier now and this took a long time also. The total was $61.04 before the $50 coupon was applied. Not worth that kind of money. Especially when you throw in slow, robot-like service. The server was very professional but slightly soft-spoken and with little personality. Formality can still be achieved while smiling, being engaging and providing excitement to an otherwise quiet setting. He's lucky my husband was doing the tipping.
City of Petaluma, CA
12/12/13
Butter and Eggs Day Festival takes place here every year and it is pure awesome. There's a parade, free butter to eat, and poo tossing competition. I have a terrible problem with eating butter by itself, so this really, really makes me happy.
My husband is from Petaluma. He's very close with his parents so we get to visit them up the hill in Victoria quite often. Several parks near their house, and an awesome water tower (yeah, I like water stuff.) They actually just purchased a new home on D Street, where all of the beautiful Victorian beauties are (literally only a couple of blocks from where they live now.) It is rumored a Giant's player lives on the same street.
I love when we visit - it's so fun to go downtown and get ice cream, walk by the river, play pool, hit up the cool bars like The Hideaway. It's such a pretty downtown. I'd only driven thru a few times on my way to Dillon Beach before I was married. Now I'd really love to move to the North Bay and it'd be so fun to live close to his family in this awesome little town!
There are two high schools (Petaluma High and Casa Granda.) There's are beautiful golf courses (one course's country club hosted Petaluma High's class of 2002 10-year reunion). Parts of American Graffiti, Basic Instinct, Flubber, Peggy Sue Got Married and more movies were filmed in Petaluma. There's a horseshoe court at McNear Park and we've participated in a couple tournaments. And best of all, the people are really awesome. I love all the friends I've made in Petaluma. Particularly, the one who gave me his last name.
Butter and Eggs Day Festival takes place here every year and it is pure awesome. There's a parade, free butter to eat, and poo tossing competition. I have a terrible problem with eating butter by itself, so this really, really makes me happy.
My husband is from Petaluma. He's very close with his parents so we get to visit them up the hill in Victoria quite often. Several parks near their house, and an awesome water tower (yeah, I like water stuff.) They actually just purchased a new home on D Street, where all of the beautiful Victorian beauties are (literally only a couple of blocks from where they live now.) It is rumored a Giant's player lives on the same street.
I love when we visit - it's so fun to go downtown and get ice cream, walk by the river, play pool, hit up the cool bars like The Hideaway. It's such a pretty downtown. I'd only driven thru a few times on my way to Dillon Beach before I was married. Now I'd really love to move to the North Bay and it'd be so fun to live close to his family in this awesome little town!
There are two high schools (Petaluma High and Casa Granda.) There's are beautiful golf courses (one course's country club hosted Petaluma High's class of 2002 10-year reunion). Parts of American Graffiti, Basic Instinct, Flubber, Peggy Sue Got Married and more movies were filmed in Petaluma. There's a horseshoe court at McNear Park and we've participated in a couple tournaments. And best of all, the people are really awesome. I love all the friends I've made in Petaluma. Particularly, the one who gave me his last name.
Central Florist, Alameda, CA
12/12/13
Ten days ago I left work for lunch, and when I returned there was a BEAUTIFUL floral bouquet on my desk. My husband sent them to me for no reason, which made them extra pretty. A thoughtful note sat on top of the arrangement.
I have enjoyed them for over a week. I've thinned out a few of the ones that didn't last this long, but I still have a mostly full bouquet that I get to enjoy all day long.
Fragrant, well-arranged, and long-lasting. Thanks, Central Florist. (And Casey P.) xoxo
Ten days ago I left work for lunch, and when I returned there was a BEAUTIFUL floral bouquet on my desk. My husband sent them to me for no reason, which made them extra pretty. A thoughtful note sat on top of the arrangement.
I have enjoyed them for over a week. I've thinned out a few of the ones that didn't last this long, but I still have a mostly full bouquet that I get to enjoy all day long.
Fragrant, well-arranged, and long-lasting. Thanks, Central Florist. (And Casey P.) xoxo
My Napa Valley Driver, Napa, CA
12/10/13
While touring around Napa a couple weeks ago, we weren't in need of a driver, but we were in need of a photographer. We stopped at a perfect photo spot, but it was just the husband and me. All of a sudden a car pulls right up to us, a well-dressed man hops out and I swear the first thing out of his mouth was "would you like me to take your picture?"
*jaw drops*
The driver (Manny) then took our picture, a pic of the couple he was with AND volunteered to take one of another couple that arrived after them. This courteous gesture was appreciated by everyone! We spoke with the couple he was driving with and they told stories of the day. They were thrilled with the service they received. I asked for his card because a classy person like this is EXACTLY who I would recommend my friends to call when they come visit. Everyone always wants to see the Napa Valley when they stay with us, and even though I'm not far, I don't know the area well at all. How lucky that we found someone who does!
While touring around Napa a couple weeks ago, we weren't in need of a driver, but we were in need of a photographer. We stopped at a perfect photo spot, but it was just the husband and me. All of a sudden a car pulls right up to us, a well-dressed man hops out and I swear the first thing out of his mouth was "would you like me to take your picture?"
*jaw drops*
The driver (Manny) then took our picture, a pic of the couple he was with AND volunteered to take one of another couple that arrived after them. This courteous gesture was appreciated by everyone! We spoke with the couple he was driving with and they told stories of the day. They were thrilled with the service they received. I asked for his card because a classy person like this is EXACTLY who I would recommend my friends to call when they come visit. Everyone always wants to see the Napa Valley when they stay with us, and even though I'm not far, I don't know the area well at all. How lucky that we found someone who does!
Ann's Sunshine Cafe, Pleasant Hill, CA
12/1013
Congratulations to Ann on her retirement! Lucky for us, we came in for our first time before this big event. 30+ years at this location and I'd say a retirement is much deserved.
Aside from the hints on yelp, we weren't sure what to expect when we walked in for a weekend breakfast. Reviewers are spot on with the homey feeling. It's much smaller than expected, and we happily made ourselves comfortable at the counter.
It was fun watching the cook (Jesus) at work. He will be taking over after Ann's retirement, so the place isn't going anywhere. My breakfast was awesome - eggs, sausage, and extra crispy hash browns that were done right. Very inexpensive. I did receive sausage links when I had seen a patty earlier, so I don't know if they have both (?) The links were good but I was a little disappointed that I hadn't thought to ask.
Ann was our server but another woman bustled around as well. A steady stream of traffic came in as we ate, including a man and his son who were also there for their first time. They sat next to us at the bar and we made friends. This place is very close to my parent's home (and not far from ours). We'll be back for sure. Can't beat the price!
Congratulations to Ann on her retirement! Lucky for us, we came in for our first time before this big event. 30+ years at this location and I'd say a retirement is much deserved.
Aside from the hints on yelp, we weren't sure what to expect when we walked in for a weekend breakfast. Reviewers are spot on with the homey feeling. It's much smaller than expected, and we happily made ourselves comfortable at the counter.
It was fun watching the cook (Jesus) at work. He will be taking over after Ann's retirement, so the place isn't going anywhere. My breakfast was awesome - eggs, sausage, and extra crispy hash browns that were done right. Very inexpensive. I did receive sausage links when I had seen a patty earlier, so I don't know if they have both (?) The links were good but I was a little disappointed that I hadn't thought to ask.
Ann was our server but another woman bustled around as well. A steady stream of traffic came in as we ate, including a man and his son who were also there for their first time. They sat next to us at the bar and we made friends. This place is very close to my parent's home (and not far from ours). We'll be back for sure. Can't beat the price!
Elegant Nail, Concord, CA
12/9/13
I can't say "run, stay away!" because it wasn't that bad, but unless I was in a pinch and needed quick service I prob wouldn't return here. It's unfortunate because I live across the street. I actually purchased my home 3 years ago today :D and this is the first time I've been in here.
Husband and I came in together on a Saturday afternoon and the two people working were the owners. They've had the place several years, which we only knew because I asked. Aside from my questions to them, we weren't once engaged in conversation. $30 each for a mani-pedi, and absolute silence.
I had Mr. Owner working on me, and Casey had the wifey. My guy took his time with foot massage and I didn't feel rushed at all, and I quite enjoyed the little reflexology moments with his gentle snapping of my wrists and ankles. BUT he rounded my toenails before I could stop him, never asking if I wanted them squared. :( So instead of a French pedi like I'd planned I just went with solid pink. On my toes and thumb skin, tiny sprecks of polish remained after he was done. Not a lot, but I am pretty good with polish and prob could have done an equally imperfect job on my own at home. Mani was a little rushed in comparison to pedi.
I think $30 is a good value for both services, but I've def had better service at other salons.
I can't say "run, stay away!" because it wasn't that bad, but unless I was in a pinch and needed quick service I prob wouldn't return here. It's unfortunate because I live across the street. I actually purchased my home 3 years ago today :D and this is the first time I've been in here.
Husband and I came in together on a Saturday afternoon and the two people working were the owners. They've had the place several years, which we only knew because I asked. Aside from my questions to them, we weren't once engaged in conversation. $30 each for a mani-pedi, and absolute silence.
I had Mr. Owner working on me, and Casey had the wifey. My guy took his time with foot massage and I didn't feel rushed at all, and I quite enjoyed the little reflexology moments with his gentle snapping of my wrists and ankles. BUT he rounded my toenails before I could stop him, never asking if I wanted them squared. :( So instead of a French pedi like I'd planned I just went with solid pink. On my toes and thumb skin, tiny sprecks of polish remained after he was done. Not a lot, but I am pretty good with polish and prob could have done an equally imperfect job on my own at home. Mani was a little rushed in comparison to pedi.
I think $30 is a good value for both services, but I've def had better service at other salons.
Katy's Kreek, Walnut Creek, CA
12/2/13
Katy's Kreek, I'm sorry this is so overdue! Next to my couch at home sits my computer. Next to my computer a small chair is littered with receipts, all awaiting my attention for review. You'd think I keep them in some sort of order, but the cat likes to scatter them about from time to time so they're a mess. September's receipt from my solo lunch at Katy's finally made it to the top!
I eat lunch alone all the time, which I find incredibly boring; just as boring as working through lunch. I was happily surprised to walk into Katy's for my first time a few months ago and see they had a small bar I could order food at. There was another girl sitting at the bar, and Robin was the bartender behind it. Food was a little slow to come out, but the wait was very enjoyable. I liked my taco salad and iced tea ($18.39) because the food was good, but I LOVED my lunch hour because the company was great! I felt like I had the lunch date I oh so wanted. Robin kept me entertained and totally engaged me (and the other girl) in conversation. He also kept my drink full and brought me delicious Pepper Plant hot sauce.
A month or so later I returned for breakfast with my husband. We were famished after running a race on Mt. Diablo. Our server wasn't memorable, but this time the food was what stood out. I had trout and eggs and it rocked my world. I've thought about it a lot since then (no joke). I even told someone about the trout this weekend while away on vacation.
Katy's can get packed and it's much bigger inside than it looks, but service has always been good and it's a great place to bring a lunch date (sit on the patio out front!) or perhaps to find one who is there on the clock!
Katy's Kreek, I'm sorry this is so overdue! Next to my couch at home sits my computer. Next to my computer a small chair is littered with receipts, all awaiting my attention for review. You'd think I keep them in some sort of order, but the cat likes to scatter them about from time to time so they're a mess. September's receipt from my solo lunch at Katy's finally made it to the top!
I eat lunch alone all the time, which I find incredibly boring; just as boring as working through lunch. I was happily surprised to walk into Katy's for my first time a few months ago and see they had a small bar I could order food at. There was another girl sitting at the bar, and Robin was the bartender behind it. Food was a little slow to come out, but the wait was very enjoyable. I liked my taco salad and iced tea ($18.39) because the food was good, but I LOVED my lunch hour because the company was great! I felt like I had the lunch date I oh so wanted. Robin kept me entertained and totally engaged me (and the other girl) in conversation. He also kept my drink full and brought me delicious Pepper Plant hot sauce.
A month or so later I returned for breakfast with my husband. We were famished after running a race on Mt. Diablo. Our server wasn't memorable, but this time the food was what stood out. I had trout and eggs and it rocked my world. I've thought about it a lot since then (no joke). I even told someone about the trout this weekend while away on vacation.
Katy's can get packed and it's much bigger inside than it looks, but service has always been good and it's a great place to bring a lunch date (sit on the patio out front!) or perhaps to find one who is there on the clock!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)