Kate "SADISTIC" K.'s Profile

What can one really say about Virginia (aka, the Tamale Lady) that hasn't already been said?

All I know is this: a trip to the Zeitgeist isn't complete unless you soak up some of the booze you're consuming with one of her homemade tamales.  She is "street food" at its finest in San Francisco.  She is a beloved San Francisco tradition.

If you have ever read anything by rock n' roll Chef Anthony Bourdain, you'll know that he is a huge advocate of "fast food" being non-corporate, homemade food you can find at a street vendor... his thought is that this is ALWAYS some of the best local, regional cooking you can find when you travel.  I wholly agree.

The only rival to Tamale Lady is the difficult to find on a regular basis Bacon Dog... and, really, it's no comparison, they are so different - yet, the same in that they are wonderful little piece of the SF Mission that you have to be here to really understand.

Viva La Tamale Lady!!!

My dog, Max Tango - Canine Private Eye, (pictured here: http://static.px.yelp.... ) would like to offer the following review of the Ohlone Dog Park:

"Woof woof woof woof.  Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof.  (Woof woof growl growl woof growl woof woof Mom.  Woof growl growl growl growl.)

Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof Ohlone Dog Park.  Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof wood chips woof woof mud.

Woof woof woof woof woofers woof woof woof woof poop woof woof Mom woof.  Woof woof woof poop woof woof woof!

Minus one star woof woof woof water bowls woof doggie drinking fountains woof woof woof.  Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof?  Woof woof woof woof woof?

Bitch, woof."

Translation:
I like this park.  There are lots of friendly dogs to play with.  (Except that stupid dog who jumped on my Mom.  I didn't like that dog.)

There are lots of good smells at Ohlone Dog Park.  It's much improved since they put down wood chips over the mud.

I wish all the dog owners were as responsible about picking up poop as my Mom is.  She even picked up poop that wasn't mine!

Minus one star because there aren't water bowls or doggie drinking fountains at this park.  What's a dog supposed to do on a hot day after playing ball and chasing their friends?  Suffer until they get home?

Bitch, please.

This is the first time I've been asked to write a review on behalf of a neighborhood group. Sooo...

I HEAR the patrons of this bar are almost as atrocious as the staff.  Here is what my non-Yelpy friend asked me to say:

Zero stars.

With the recent change in management the neighbors of this establishment have been bombarded by the drunk obnoxiousness on a nightly basis.

When called the management says "It's not my problem."

Well guess what? YOUR NEIGHBORS have decided to whip eggs at patrons as they leave this bar from here on, so drink here at your own risk, you douche bag club going asshole.

It's not that hard. Leave a bar, be quiet, go home.....OR get pelted with eggs. Your decision.

Love,
The Residents of 14th and Mission

POST SCRIPT: I have been to Levende, it is an overpriced  douche bag club and the staff is rude - so I don't have a problem supporting the posting of this review.

Three and a half stars.  (But again - Yelp doesn't allow half stars! *coughYelpHQcough*)

Here is why:

The food was great - lots of Southern treats like fried green tomatoes and deep fried pickles and pulled pork and ribs and brisket.  TONS of yummy sauces.  I was very very full when I left Old Glory.

The downside: the service sucked ASS.  My brother & dad got to the restaurant about twenty minutes before my mom, sister-in-law and I did.  They were seated right away, because it wasn't all that busy on a Thursday night in June.  When we arrived no one had even gone over to the table to say hello - let alone get a drink or appetizer order (which was the whole reason they got there early - they wanted a drink while we were getting ready to go.)

After the three of us arrived to join the boys we waited an additional TWENTY MINUTES before anyone came over to get a drink order.  We were all grumbling loudly and I was about to get up and go find the manager when our server overheard us and came on over.

I will say that after that it seemed like our drinks and food came pretty fast.  Though it was at the hands of expediters and we still had a hard time flagging down our server.

Given that three of us had been on an airplane all day and two of us had been driving in the car for six plus hours, the initial poor service didn't sit very well with us.  We were all hungry and in need of libation.

Don't fuck with my family when we're hungry and in need of libation.  It is recipe for mockery.

In the end, the meal was good.  Which is the bottom line.  But, I doubt that the next time I'm in D.C. I'll be going back to Old Glory as a first choice.

I find it hilarious that the place holder for this review got F/U/Cs though I clearly stated it wasn't the review... go, me!

ANYHOW!  Down to business!  I met one of my oldest and dearest friends at Square tonight - I hadn't seen him in more than 15 years - to have a cocktail and play catchup.

Honestly, I didn't notice too much about the bar due to being totally engrossed in conversation with Eric.  Though I do know they have a really charming little patio for smoking.  The drinks are tres cheap and the bartenders are very friendly and quick.  I loved the music Craig was playing - a nice mix of 80's and 90's dance club/alternative.

I did have to leave rather early; but, I noticed that when I did it was very packed inside.  Nice business for an early Saturday night.

Cool things I gleaned about Square from their website: They have a Wii bowling league.  I think they also have karaoke.  They have good drink specials and often have special events.

A very cool little hip bar in a cool little hip area of Akron.  I will for sure be back the next time I'm in town.

Yes, Virgin has WiFi.  I'm using it as I type.  It cost me $12 to use for the flight.  TWELVE DOLLARS FOR FIVE HOURS.  That's a third of my Comcast bill for a month.

Virgin also charges for snacks and food - only providing one drink per flight.  Because I'm broke I'm sure that my blood sugar is going to be completely fucked by the time I reach DC.  Come on Virgin, serve up a little pack of peanuts for those of us unwilling to pay SEVEN DOLLARS for a snack pack of cookies.

They also charge $15 per bag to check your luggage.  (Seriously - they should give you at least one checked bag free - who goes on vacation for two weeks with only a carryon?)  They also charge to fly with your under 14lb dog.  $75.  That may not be as bad as some of the other airlines as far as expense; but, what I'm saved in expense I've had replaced with the Virgin ground staff being complete dicks to me.

Yes Virgin has television.  It's been out for an hour now.  What's the point if you can't watch it?

And, again: the SFO ground staff?  Complete tools.

NOT TO MENTION: I am seated towards the back of the plane and it's not a full flight.  There is a seat between me and my row-mate.  I politely asked her if it would be okay if I put Max (in his SHERPA) on the seat between us after take off to help sooth his nerves.

Her reply?  "I really, really, really, REALLY hate dogs."

Who the fuck hates a 14 lb dog IN A SHERPA?!?

I am particularly displeased that I am seated next to not only a non-dog lover, but a bitchy one at that... Not that Virgin can control who flies with them, I'm sure... But, still.  Have you seen my dog? http://static.px.yelp....

Even people who hate dogs love my dog.

AND HE'S IN A SHERPA IT'S NOT LIKE HE'S GOING TO SIT ON YOUR LAP AND LICK YOUR FACE, LADY!

I am not impressed at all.  Though with all the extraneous charges it's really clear to me how/why Richard Branson is a gagillionaire.

I won't be flying Virgin again if I can help it.

Twelve different flavors of fro-yo.  20 toppings.  .36 cents per ounce.

I give it a hearty thumbs up!

*eats chocolate fro-yo with carmel and coconut toppings in blissful and reverent silence*

$1 ice cream scoops.  Seriously.  ONE DOLLAR.

Plus they make much of their ice cream in the shop.  I think they actually have more than 31 flavors, too...

My new favorite place to go with a pocket full of change.

If you are broke, hungry and in a hurry this is the place to go.  Pho Hoa has tasty, cheap and fast pho -- my friend Liz and I ate here before going to the theatre -- I think we only spent $21 with tip and we were both stuffed.

Don't get a large - it's WAY too much pho for one person - the regular is almost too much pho for one person.  I liked the spring rolls; but, my friend Liz did not.  I did appreciate the fact that they had fresh sprouts, basil and lime on the side of the pho (I am personally a lime and basil person, don't much care for the sprouts.)

Despite claims in other reviews that there is a ton of MSG in the broth, I really doubt this is the case -- I'm really allergic to MSG (gives me an upset tummy and a headache) and I didn't have any after effects from the pho at Pho Hoa.

The broth is rich and hearty; the noodles are awesome; and, there are a variety of meats you can choose from in your pho... they didn't have tofu pho, though (a little rhyme) which I would have liked.

I'm sorry - any place that makes spot on perfect Eggs Benedict and has fresh squeezed SUPER YUMMY orange juice at 2:00 pm on a Wednesday gets five stars from me regardless of anything else.

It's that simple.