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Location
Chicago, IL
Yelping SinceJanuary 2008
Find Me InB-N
My HometownBattle Creek MI
Why You Should Read My ReviewsThey're a study in hyperbole.
My Second Favorite WebsiteGaper's Block
The Last Great Book I ReadAnimal, Vegetable, Miracle
My First ConcertRobert Plant and Jimmy Page
My Favorite MovieLittle Miss Sunshine
My Last Meal On EarthEthiopian Diamond, or open-face mozzarella & heirloom tomato sandwiches
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...working from home sucks.
Most Recent Discoverygardening!
Current CrushSherman Alexie
Date
1505 N. Main St
Bloomington, IL 61701
(800) 679-2300
Bloomington, IL 61701
(800) 679-2300
Casey's Garden Shop & Florist
Category: Florists
2401 E Washington St
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 664-5890
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 664-5890
Friar Tuck's
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Unfortunately the prices here are no better than Meijer or the grocery stores, but on every other measure this wins.
Excellent, extensive cold beer selection and a very decent wine stock. Hard liquors, too, although those aren't my speed. Perhaps one day I'll pick up a limoncello for those special occasions.
Chicago folks: think Binny's. Smaller, but absolutely in the same category.
Friendly staff, to boot!
Excellent, extensive cold beer selection and a very decent wine stock. Hard liquors, too, although those aren't my speed. Perhaps one day I'll pick up a limoncello for those special occasions.
Chicago folks: think Binny's. Smaller, but absolutely in the same category.
Friendly staff, to boot!
FANTASTIC.
We went on a Thursday night to hear Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers. We arrived around 9 and it was pretty empty, but actually this was nice. Gave us time to settle in and appreciate the very cool staff and very friendly Kermit chilling out and drinking before the show.
As the music started things only got better. It gradually became busier but never got overwhelming. People started dancing, the free gumbo started rolling out, and servers stayed on top of the drink orders. We stayed until the first intermission (so until midnight or so?), where most patrons pour out onto the street for some fresh air. It's fun out there, too.
This is a must-do!
We went on a Thursday night to hear Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers. We arrived around 9 and it was pretty empty, but actually this was nice. Gave us time to settle in and appreciate the very cool staff and very friendly Kermit chilling out and drinking before the show.
As the music started things only got better. It gradually became busier but never got overwhelming. People started dancing, the free gumbo started rolling out, and servers stayed on top of the drink orders. We stayed until the first intermission (so until midnight or so?), where most patrons pour out onto the street for some fresh air. It's fun out there, too.
This is a must-do!
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-4544
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-4544
Cafe Du Monde
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts
What can I add? I'll just say YES. GO.
We arrived here at about 10 on a Friday night, lured in by the blues we could hear out on the street and the colorful lights inside. Grabbed a spot right at the bar directly facing the musicians. Began to sip a beer (bottles only, plus mixed drinks) and then noticed... that guy is playing a bass guitar with his toes and a regular guitar with his hands.... and wait... there is another guitar on his shoulder.... which, shit!.... he plays with his other hand sometimes, too. THREE GUITARS! He plays THREE GUITARS at once!
I realize that is a review for Cafe Negril, not that guy. But it set the mood perfectly. It was intimate, fun, with lots of interaction with the band (3-guitar guy plus two awesome drummers who also interacted with us a lot). People kept pouring in, and eventually there was dancing. Music was excellent; really lively blues with a sense of humor and plenty of soul. Staff were friendly, 99 out of the 100 patrons were not pretentious (oh, I could tell a story about Bud Light Guy), and we just kicked back and had a good time.
I think you'd have to try to not have fun here. We left grinning and happy for the walk back to the hotel.
I realize that is a review for Cafe Negril, not that guy. But it set the mood perfectly. It was intimate, fun, with lots of interaction with the band (3-guitar guy plus two awesome drummers who also interacted with us a lot). People kept pouring in, and eventually there was dancing. Music was excellent; really lively blues with a sense of humor and plenty of soul. Staff were friendly, 99 out of the 100 patrons were not pretentious (oh, I could tell a story about Bud Light Guy), and we just kicked back and had a good time.
I think you'd have to try to not have fun here. We left grinning and happy for the walk back to the hotel.
Great setting, a good mix of people (not exclusively young or old), and the opposite of Bourbon Street.
Lots of beer selection of tap and by the bottle. And we were able to nab one of the 4-5 window seats, which is like a little cubby: no table but two benches with windows on each side, which was perfect for hearing the music but still being able to talk.
Great stage on one side of the bar, with music that was fun without being overwhelming. Staff were cool without being snobby, and prices were fair.
I really liked this area of town.
Lots of beer selection of tap and by the bottle. And we were able to nab one of the 4-5 window seats, which is like a little cubby: no table but two benches with windows on each side, which was perfect for hearing the music but still being able to talk.
Great stage on one side of the bar, with music that was fun without being overwhelming. Staff were cool without being snobby, and prices were fair.
I really liked this area of town.
This place is worth four stars alone for having ample vegetarian options in a city that otherwise only offered me pizza and grilled cheese. The food here is truly exceptional; I had the grilled radicchio, the goat cheese balls, and patatas bravas. It was a bit pricey (as tapas always are), and I didn't order more for that reason, so I was still kinda hungry when I left. But I still couldn't complain, since I was eating in N.O.!
Other items worth noting:
1. hipsters; oh my goodness hipsters (take this as you will)
2. friendly folks
3. Food doesn't really get going until 6:30 or so, and the upstairs is empty then. So basically we walked into a bar that seemed to have very little table space to eat. But it worked out.
4. Decent beer selection
5. Certainly, it seemed to me, off the tourist beaten path.
I'd absolutely come back here. And if you are a vegetarian foraging for something other than 5-hour-old slices of cheese pizza in New Orleans, you absolutely must know about this place!
Other items worth noting:
1. hipsters; oh my goodness hipsters (take this as you will)
2. friendly folks
3. Food doesn't really get going until 6:30 or so, and the upstairs is empty then. So basically we walked into a bar that seemed to have very little table space to eat. But it worked out.
4. Decent beer selection
5. Certainly, it seemed to me, off the tourist beaten path.
I'd absolutely come back here. And if you are a vegetarian foraging for something other than 5-hour-old slices of cheese pizza in New Orleans, you absolutely must know about this place!
300 Bourbon St
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-0300
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-0300
Royal Sonesta Hotel
Categories: Hotels, Restaurants
Convenient location, walkable to most parts of the city. It does sit right in the heart of Bourbon Street, which is worth seeing even if you decide within 5 minutes that it's the last place in the city you'd like to be. The rest of the French Quarter is right there, and it's fun to stroll around those other areas. Really, we walked everywhere in the city (other than the airport) from here.
Hotel itself is clean, comfortable, with great meeting spaces and a friendly staff. I didn't use the pool but it seemed to be quite popular, with plenty of room to lounge and even a little bar nearby. If I weren't there attending a conference (which to me makes things awkward) I'd be planted there, too.
Price was fair, but like most hotels of this caliber, internet was not free (10 bucks per day, until noon the next day --so if you buy it late, you get even less bang for your buck). This is a pet peeve of mine, but nothing new to this type of hotel.
I'd certainly stay here again.
Hotel itself is clean, comfortable, with great meeting spaces and a friendly staff. I didn't use the pool but it seemed to be quite popular, with plenty of room to lounge and even a little bar nearby. If I weren't there attending a conference (which to me makes things awkward) I'd be planted there, too.
Price was fair, but like most hotels of this caliber, internet was not free (10 bucks per day, until noon the next day --so if you buy it late, you get even less bang for your buck). This is a pet peeve of mine, but nothing new to this type of hotel.
I'd certainly stay here again.
Three strikes:
1. Drinking fountains only on the ground floor.
2. Cramped seats, and I'm a small girl.
3. Horrid parking situation.
Lemon out.
1. Drinking fountains only on the ground floor.
2. Cramped seats, and I'm a small girl.
3. Horrid parking situation.
Lemon out.
2311 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 384-9546
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 384-9546
Handlebar
Categories: Bars, American (New)
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
This review is for brunch only, as I know from the last time I came here YEARS ago the menu is a lot broader.
But for brunch? I'm just underwhelmed. Maybe it's because I don't really like eggs, which knocks out half the menu. Still: black beans, avacado, seitan chorizo: I love all those things. But for a vegetarian and vegan focused place, I suppose I expect something....yawn... not so.... yaaaawn...... nyeh. (gum smack) I mean really, with a menu like that, why come HERE for brunch?
To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of breakfast food. So I opted for a sandwich, and went for the thing I make less often at home (a BBQ seitan sandwich) over something I make a lot these days (grilled cheese with avocado, tomato, etc). Wrong move. The sandwich tasted only like BBQ sauce, was way too big to manage, and just bored me.
Don't get me wrong. We sat outside on a lovely sunny day. We had a party of six and were happily accommodated. Our server was super friendly. Good beer on tap. Great samosas and nachos for an appetizer. I'd come back for the seitan chorizo and black bean nachos alone.
I know from experience their African ground nut stew and other entrees are worth the trip out here. But the brunch menu which hangs around like a clueless guest until 3pm on weekends? No thanks.
But for brunch? I'm just underwhelmed. Maybe it's because I don't really like eggs, which knocks out half the menu. Still: black beans, avacado, seitan chorizo: I love all those things. But for a vegetarian and vegan focused place, I suppose I expect something....yawn... not so.... yaaaawn...... nyeh. (gum smack) I mean really, with a menu like that, why come HERE for brunch?
To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of breakfast food. So I opted for a sandwich, and went for the thing I make less often at home (a BBQ seitan sandwich) over something I make a lot these days (grilled cheese with avocado, tomato, etc). Wrong move. The sandwich tasted only like BBQ sauce, was way too big to manage, and just bored me.
Don't get me wrong. We sat outside on a lovely sunny day. We had a party of six and were happily accommodated. Our server was super friendly. Good beer on tap. Great samosas and nachos for an appetizer. I'd come back for the seitan chorizo and black bean nachos alone.
I know from experience their African ground nut stew and other entrees are worth the trip out here. But the brunch menu which hangs around like a clueless guest until 3pm on weekends? No thanks.
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Their selection is amazing, their staff is friendly, and their prices seem fair. Still getting my feet wet, or perhaps thumbs green, at this point. But wow, what's not to like?