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"If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much"
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Review votes:
349 Useful, 164 Funny, and 311 Cool
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Location
Phoenix, AZ
Yelping SinceJuly 2007
Things I Loveknitting (I sound like I'm 90), traveling, pit bulls, orgies
Find Me InPhoenix
My HometownSeattle, WA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm probably about to get on an airplane
Why You Should Read My ReviewsYou shouldn't, but you will.
The Last Great Book I ReadThe Code of Federal Regulations. Best way to fall asleep in 5 minutes.
My First ConcertI'm a tad ashamed to admit this...the Dixie Chicks
My Favorite MovieI think Yelp wants me to admit I have no depth. Knocked Up, Super Troopers
My Last Meal On EarthI think I'd ask someone for a high limit credit card and eat non-stop for days.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I really want to spend money on a Swarovski encrusted mouse for my laptop.
Current CrushBryan
Date
I originally joined Bally's in 2007 and was a member at the Scottsdale club. I actually went pretty faithfully; my routine was to hit the place up on my way home from work since it was literally a mile from my office. Times change, I left that job, started traveling a ridiculous amount, and my card collected dust. A few months ago, I was informed by Bally's that the Scottsdale club was closing and my membership was being transferred to this club. It's actually better for me since this is closer to my home, site of my new office.
I've been getting back into the habit of going recently (hello vacation to Cabo!) and making the most of my membership before it expires next March. Bally's is pretty basic, but like previous posters mentioned, it has just what you need to get the job done.
Pros: Equipment is clean. I do see people cleaning, and unlike the Scottsdale club, the patrons are better at wiping down the machines after they use them. The locker room is clean, the common areas are clean. They do have plenty of equipment. I went at a peak time (like 6 pm) and could still snag an elliptical. They have a pool. I have a pool at home but it's hardly the type of pool that you can do laps in and get a work out from.
Cons: It's old. It's just dated and it shows. The equipment is in good working order, but it's nothing fancy. The classes are sort of boring and I think the schedule is pretty whack. There are like no later evening classes which would be awesome. I work during the day, and even though I'm home, I can't exactly step out for 1.5 hours to do a gym class.
So there you have it. If you are interested in the basics, Bally's is your place. If you need excitement, hot people to look at, and innovation...go some place else.
I've been getting back into the habit of going recently (hello vacation to Cabo!) and making the most of my membership before it expires next March. Bally's is pretty basic, but like previous posters mentioned, it has just what you need to get the job done.
Pros: Equipment is clean. I do see people cleaning, and unlike the Scottsdale club, the patrons are better at wiping down the machines after they use them. The locker room is clean, the common areas are clean. They do have plenty of equipment. I went at a peak time (like 6 pm) and could still snag an elliptical. They have a pool. I have a pool at home but it's hardly the type of pool that you can do laps in and get a work out from.
Cons: It's old. It's just dated and it shows. The equipment is in good working order, but it's nothing fancy. The classes are sort of boring and I think the schedule is pretty whack. There are like no later evening classes which would be awesome. I work during the day, and even though I'm home, I can't exactly step out for 1.5 hours to do a gym class.
So there you have it. If you are interested in the basics, Bally's is your place. If you need excitement, hot people to look at, and innovation...go some place else.
Living in the desert, far from the ocean, you sort of have to rate sushi in two different categories. The phenomenally fresh stuff you get in a place where someone can literally walk to a dock and take their pick, and the stuff that gets the fish flown in on a regular basis. Occasionally, there are the exceptions to this rule (see Yasu in Phoenix). I always enter new sushi restaurants with the hope that I will be blown away.
Unfortunately, The Last Samurai doesn't quite deliver. First off, the restaurant has wonderful ambiance. So I really hope that I had some off items that are not representative of their overall menu, because it sucks eating crap in a nice restaurant. They have a beautiful tropical fish tank in the front, and the walls are decorated with prints and items from various historical periods.
I have a couple of items I like to order at a sushi restaurant to gauge whether or not I should take the plunge and order more. Tonight I stuck with the house salad, gyoza, and a spicy tuna roll. The house salad was swimming in dressing. The gyoza were meh. A little too mushy and the filling wasn't seasoned well enough. The spicy tuna roll was different than other places I've ordered it at. The used pieces of tuna with a spicy sauce. The sauce was actually spicy which I loved. The presentation was a little lacking. There wasn't the usually precision and perfection I usually see.
Additionally, the restaurant has an area filled with teppanyaki tables. They do serve Kobe beef (although wagyu would be a little more exotic) at $59. I can't imagine coming here and ordering Kobe though...that's a meal that needs to come from a place you can trust to prepare it right.
The Last Samurai is one of those places that is good for satisfying a craving. I wouldn't come here when I wanted to be blown away by quality, perfection, and freshness.
Unfortunately, The Last Samurai doesn't quite deliver. First off, the restaurant has wonderful ambiance. So I really hope that I had some off items that are not representative of their overall menu, because it sucks eating crap in a nice restaurant. They have a beautiful tropical fish tank in the front, and the walls are decorated with prints and items from various historical periods.
I have a couple of items I like to order at a sushi restaurant to gauge whether or not I should take the plunge and order more. Tonight I stuck with the house salad, gyoza, and a spicy tuna roll. The house salad was swimming in dressing. The gyoza were meh. A little too mushy and the filling wasn't seasoned well enough. The spicy tuna roll was different than other places I've ordered it at. The used pieces of tuna with a spicy sauce. The sauce was actually spicy which I loved. The presentation was a little lacking. There wasn't the usually precision and perfection I usually see.
Additionally, the restaurant has an area filled with teppanyaki tables. They do serve Kobe beef (although wagyu would be a little more exotic) at $59. I can't imagine coming here and ordering Kobe though...that's a meal that needs to come from a place you can trust to prepare it right.
The Last Samurai is one of those places that is good for satisfying a craving. I wouldn't come here when I wanted to be blown away by quality, perfection, and freshness.
Good but nothing special. I stopped by for lunch and immediately fell in love with the surroundings. Lucca has great ambiance and I think that raised the bar a little high for me.
I was seated immediately and waited. Waited a bit more. Finally got a drink order. Finally ordered. Mean time, I watched others around me sort of sit. Everyone seemed to be engrossed in conversation, but it honestly seemed like the staff was overstretched.
Lunch was sort of meh. I had the Mediterranean wrap and a side salad. The wrap was ridiculously salty. Something I should have realized when ordering as it contained goat cheese and olive tapenade. But this just seemed beyond the normally saltiness of all of that. The side salad wasn't as bad, but definitely need a little pepper as the seasoning seemed off.
The portion size and price for lunch were definitely reasonable. It's close to a location that I frequently travel to for work, and I'll be back if I can't find another consistently good lunch place.
I was seated immediately and waited. Waited a bit more. Finally got a drink order. Finally ordered. Mean time, I watched others around me sort of sit. Everyone seemed to be engrossed in conversation, but it honestly seemed like the staff was overstretched.
Lunch was sort of meh. I had the Mediterranean wrap and a side salad. The wrap was ridiculously salty. Something I should have realized when ordering as it contained goat cheese and olive tapenade. But this just seemed beyond the normally saltiness of all of that. The side salad wasn't as bad, but definitely need a little pepper as the seasoning seemed off.
The portion size and price for lunch were definitely reasonable. It's close to a location that I frequently travel to for work, and I'll be back if I can't find another consistently good lunch place.
Oh so super cute. I loved this place. I picked my sister up after a day of driving here, there and everywhere, and told her to pick a place for dinner. She choose Viva Madrid and I'm glad she did.
Service was top notch. I was really suprised how quickly we got everything. While the restaurant wasn't full by any means, it was definitely busy. The two waitresses kept everything going, drinks refilled, and plates picked up and brought out in record time. That said, service was never intrusive or obnoxious. Really freaking perfect.
The food was good. Not the best tapas I've had, but definitely very tasty. The portion sizes were perfect for two people to share. I can't say that four could share comfortably, but then again normally one of my dining companions is my husband who eats as much as 2-3 people. I personally loved the bread with cheese and poached pears. I could have seriously ordered a bajillion orders and ate that the entire night. Really really good. I wasn't wowed by the sangria, but my sis loved it.
Best of all, the prices were very reasonable. Tapas can add up, especially when your eyes are bigger than your appetite. We left very satisfied, but definitely not stuffed. Thankfully, our wallets (actually mine) weren't drained.
Service was top notch. I was really suprised how quickly we got everything. While the restaurant wasn't full by any means, it was definitely busy. The two waitresses kept everything going, drinks refilled, and plates picked up and brought out in record time. That said, service was never intrusive or obnoxious. Really freaking perfect.
The food was good. Not the best tapas I've had, but definitely very tasty. The portion sizes were perfect for two people to share. I can't say that four could share comfortably, but then again normally one of my dining companions is my husband who eats as much as 2-3 people. I personally loved the bread with cheese and poached pears. I could have seriously ordered a bajillion orders and ate that the entire night. Really really good. I wasn't wowed by the sangria, but my sis loved it.
Best of all, the prices were very reasonable. Tapas can add up, especially when your eyes are bigger than your appetite. We left very satisfied, but definitely not stuffed. Thankfully, our wallets (actually mine) weren't drained.
15111 N Hayden Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 609-1116
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(480) 609-1116
Saigon Nites Vietnamese Cuisine
Category: Vietnamese
I had gotten up at 4 am for a flight to San Diego and flew back that same night. I was tired, I was hungry, and I wanted something fresh and tasty. Husband rolls up to the curb and I jump in and say "You want Vietnamese food?" "Sure".
Saigon Nites has been on my list of places to go for some time, and last night seemed like the perfect time. When I travel, I want food that is filling, fresh, and tasty. There is always a time and a place for something greasy, but not after I've been flying the friendly skies.
We ordered enough food to feed a small army. I'm glad we did as we got to try plenty of things (plus have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow). The dishes were brought out as they were done in a staggered fashion which was perfect. As soon as we'd ate a bit of something, there was another platter of food to feed us. All of it was flavorful and fresh. Not the slightest pre-packaged taste. And the portions...HUGE.
As we left, we sat in the car and discussed what we would get next time. We'll definitely be back for Pho, I'm dying to try their Banh Mi, and there were a couple of entrees that warranted trips back. But for now, I'm off to eat leftover chicken vermicelli.
Saigon Nites has been on my list of places to go for some time, and last night seemed like the perfect time. When I travel, I want food that is filling, fresh, and tasty. There is always a time and a place for something greasy, but not after I've been flying the friendly skies.
We ordered enough food to feed a small army. I'm glad we did as we got to try plenty of things (plus have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow). The dishes were brought out as they were done in a staggered fashion which was perfect. As soon as we'd ate a bit of something, there was another platter of food to feed us. All of it was flavorful and fresh. Not the slightest pre-packaged taste. And the portions...HUGE.
As we left, we sat in the car and discussed what we would get next time. We'll definitely be back for Pho, I'm dying to try their Banh Mi, and there were a couple of entrees that warranted trips back. But for now, I'm off to eat leftover chicken vermicelli.
4001 E Bell Rd Ste 120
Phoenix, AZ 85032
(602) 992-5600
Phoenix, AZ 85032
(602) 992-5600
Paradise Valley Dental Care
Category: Dentists
From the street, this appears to be the nastiest dental office. It's located in a strip mall with a drive through liquor store, a baby daddy Maury lab testing place, and a Burger King. For the record, I didn't choose this place. My husband picked it off a list of dentists our insurance provided.
Inside however, it's very nice. Seriously. I hate the effing dentist with a passion. If I wasn't vain and concerned that my teeth would fall out forcing me to wear fugly dentures, I may not go. The office is small but efficient and clean. My husband and I almost never wait for appointments. Patty knows both of us. She ribs my husband about being clueless of my travel schedule, commiserates with me about the cluelessness of men. And then I get my teeth cleaned, a clean bill of dental health. I don't walk out with a bill for thousands of dollars of work that I probably don't need. I don't get sold whitening treatments. I am not bleeding profusely from my gums because the hygenist is into S&M on my mouth, and I'm not puking because they cleaned my teeth with a gallon of that polishing scrub. So five stars for the easiest 30 minutes out of my schedule every 6 months.
Inside however, it's very nice. Seriously. I hate the effing dentist with a passion. If I wasn't vain and concerned that my teeth would fall out forcing me to wear fugly dentures, I may not go. The office is small but efficient and clean. My husband and I almost never wait for appointments. Patty knows both of us. She ribs my husband about being clueless of my travel schedule, commiserates with me about the cluelessness of men. And then I get my teeth cleaned, a clean bill of dental health. I don't walk out with a bill for thousands of dollars of work that I probably don't need. I don't get sold whitening treatments. I am not bleeding profusely from my gums because the hygenist is into S&M on my mouth, and I'm not puking because they cleaned my teeth with a gallon of that polishing scrub. So five stars for the easiest 30 minutes out of my schedule every 6 months.
Husband is from Chicago and every so often (like once a week) the craving hits for a Chicago style hot dog. We had a local place, but they went out of business so my husband resorted to making them at home instead of seeking out a new restaurant. However, after eating his homemade creations the husband decided that it was absolutely necessary to have something more authentic.
Thanks to the amazingness that is Yelp, I found Luke's. So after work it was over to this location to fill up. Please note that I don't eat hot dogs. Not even the all beef kind, so I can't comment first hand on the hot dogs. I had a cheeseburger and fries with a diet RC. The burger was pretty good. It was fresh, not over done, and well seasoned. The crinkle cut fries were crisp and tasty. Not too greasy.
But the whole reason we were there was the hot dogs. Within minutes of biting into his hot dog, husband was at the counter ordering another one. He never said another word until the hot dog was gone. And after that...a smile and a thank you for finding Luke's.
It seems like Luke's is a regular stop for a lot of people. The staff there was friendly and quick, but also seemed to have a rapport with some "regulars". Good for Luke's, we'll probably soon becoming regulars too. For $23 we got two hot dogs, a cheeseburger, three orders of fries, and two drinks, we can't help but become regulars.
Thanks to the amazingness that is Yelp, I found Luke's. So after work it was over to this location to fill up. Please note that I don't eat hot dogs. Not even the all beef kind, so I can't comment first hand on the hot dogs. I had a cheeseburger and fries with a diet RC. The burger was pretty good. It was fresh, not over done, and well seasoned. The crinkle cut fries were crisp and tasty. Not too greasy.
But the whole reason we were there was the hot dogs. Within minutes of biting into his hot dog, husband was at the counter ordering another one. He never said another word until the hot dog was gone. And after that...a smile and a thank you for finding Luke's.
It seems like Luke's is a regular stop for a lot of people. The staff there was friendly and quick, but also seemed to have a rapport with some "regulars". Good for Luke's, we'll probably soon becoming regulars too. For $23 we got two hot dogs, a cheeseburger, three orders of fries, and two drinks, we can't help but become regulars.
My sister and I stopped by for Happy Hour last night. I fell a little more in love. 1/2 price margaritas, mojitos, and sangria. Awesome deals on appetizers. We split the gaucummus, which was a good size (although a little more pita would have been nice). Sister recently turned 21 so she had to try as much as possible...she had a blood orange margarita, mojito, and the watermelon sangria. I stuck to sangria. She loved the margarita and said it was fresh, the mojito was a little too sweet and light on the alcohol (21 and she's already a connoisseur). The sangria was definitely tasty. 5 drinks and appetizer came out for $28 after tip. It's an amazing deal. Bonus is that the staff are incredibly awesome.
I officially pink sparkly heart Ticoz.
I officially pink sparkly heart Ticoz.
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3/28/2009
It was hard trying to convince my husband that instead of going to Fez, we should try Ticoz. He wanted the fries but I can be very persuasive. The wait on a Friday night was not that bad honestly (I think we waited for like 20 minutes which is far better than waiting 45 minutes at some craptastical place). We were seated and began looking over the menu. Our server was very friendly and got things out quickly.
We started with an order of the beef empanadas. Freaking enormous, enough that one of us could have easily made a meal out of them. I normally don't care for empanadas normally, but these were great. They were made from puff pastry instead of the normal dough and the beef was slow cooked, shredded, tender, moist, flavorful...you get the drift. It was served with a small salad. Husband had the Ticoz burgers and I had the street tacos with tilapia. My tacos weren't as good as the fish tacos at Anthony's in Seattle, but still very tasty. The fish wasn't dry or overbreaded. Husband's sliders were decent sized and very tasty. He loved the coleslaw and the fries.
Like I said, our service was great and I thought it was nice that the chef came out and asked us about our food. We were able to squeak out a "very good" between mouthfuls. It seemed as if there are regulars there as she really talked to a couple of tables about specials and things they had last time.
The decor was pretty lacking and I wasn't loving the bottles of designer imposter perfume in the ladies's room but whatever.
We walked out with enough food to feed us for the next day, a bill that didn't send us screaming, and very full bellies. I cannot wait to return to have some sangria, bring a few friends, and try more of the menu.
Pita Jungle is good solid food, nothing fancy. The location isn't anything fancy either but it is good people watching. I'm with Dominick, the Chicken Shwarma pita is my standby. It's monstrous but the price is right. Since this location is close to my house, I'm tempted to zip on over for lunch to grab take-out instead of eating at home. The service I've gotten isn't anything amazing, but it hasn't been horrible.
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That said, hands down this hotel has some of the most comfortable beds. The decor is funky but beautiful. The staff are RIDICULOUSLY friendly and helpful. It's a luxury hotel in some ways without luxury prices. I love the wine hour and the free wi-fi. I just wish that the computers downstairs were free for use and printing. I wanted to print my boarding pass but I couldn't justify paying $1.49 a sheet for printing plus $6 for 15 minutes of internet access.
I'm really sad I just took my last trip for the forseeable future to SLC. I love the Monaco and I can't wait to come back.