jessica "the original" d.'s Profile

Let me tell you all... cheaters never prosper.

I'd been with the same stylist for over 3 years, but it's geographically difficult to get to her now, so I strayed.  I walked Caledonia last week to check out the hair salons for a cut.  I wanted one that wasn't trying too hard to be trendy or had a neon sign in the window that said, "We Grow Hair!"  

All I wanted was an extreme, asymmetrical a-line.  I explained it.  She began cutting.  I knew I was in trouble when the stylist said, "if I have to cut it 3x to get it right, I will" and "wow- I don't think anyone will ask for a cut like this."  Holy.  My eyes immediately darted around to find certificates of some coursework or to see what products they used.  There was no music in the background and I was wearing a leopard smock.  I suddenly realized... this was bad.  Very bad.

When I told her the cut wasn't right, she admitted she hadn't been listening to me explain it.  And then she still didn't get it right when I showed her a picture.  It wasn't even close.  Wasn't listening!!!!  I was panicked.

One side of my head looks like it did before I walked in, the other side looks like a little Dutch boy.  I could do one of those Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton "Islands in the Stream" half-costume duets.

Moral of the story, take your $50 elsewhere and don't cheat on your stylist. Show owner comment »

I only want to say one thing:

eating a cup of the clam chowder is as near to a religious experience as I get these days.

Lighthouse is a very tiny place, so there is usually a line out the door, but everyone seems very respectful of the order.  Nice, even.  The line goes relatively fast and it is worth the wait.

Clam chowder!

Delicious.  Fast.  A little pricey for breakfast, but in the Acceptable range.  I had the egg white primavera omelette, which comes with cottage cheese and fruit salad.  I got a side of hash browns.  The coffee was good, the omelette was fantastic and the hash browns were just okay.  I was a great breakfast and far too much food for me to eat.

My husband got the deep fried french toast that everyone raves about.  "Oh!" I tasted it.  "It's like the fried dough at the county fair!"  But better.  He also had a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and couldn't stop smacking his lips and murmuring little "ooh babies" to it.

The only thing that I didn't like was that we were seated with another couple at a larger table - it's open seating.  Like some of the Sausalito residents I've encountered, they were lifeless.  Doesn't anyone say hi anymore?!?

All in all, Fred is the man.

I am very familiar with Cafe Trieste, which was the predecessor to Taste of Rome.  So when I stopped into Taste of Rome last weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they offer more options for drink and food than Trieste.  We were only there for beverages and fraternization, however, so I had a cup of camomile tea, while my companions had soy chai and freshly squeezed OJ.  

Note: we walked in the side door and there is a sign almost directly above the register that says, "Line Forms Here."  Well, that's a little silly - of course the line forms at the register.  There was one person ahead of us, so we stood behind him.  Another person walked in with a toddler in a back-carrier.  He started blustering and fuming about how we were in the wrong place for the line.  OK, big freakin deal, right?  I moved to the opposite side of the person ahead of me.  He followed suit.  While I ordered my and my husband's bevs, he stared me down (apparently - my husband told me afterward since I am selectively oblivious to most creepsters).  My husband stared him down from our table next to the counter and when the man looked up and saw him, he stopped glaring at me.  Before I even placed my order, he barked his order at the staff.  Um... wasn't he the one kvetching about a line?  Respect and step off.

But the staff knows what's up.  They made and delivered the orders in order of the line.  I got my beverages and sat down.  You could tell that Waspy McStarer hated that.  When the staff was preparing his cappuccino to go, he complained, "you weren't paying attention when you were putting sugar in my cappuccino and now it's on the floor.  I guess I'll just put my own sugar in it."  OK?  Really?  His tone of voice had such a ... sense of entitlement to it, but also a frightening hint of rage.  This guy could easily be pushed over the edge, I thought.  His poor toddler just stared at me with her big brown eyes.  :(

He left, we sat there enjoying our beverages and there was too much tea for me to drink.  Taste of Rome gives you a teacup, a single-serve tea pot and a strainer.  It was very good tea.  My friends were done with their orange juice and my husband was 1/2 done with his chai.  I had more tea, but was sipping and not sure I would drink the remainder.

In walks this 50-60ish man wearing a black beret.  He impolitely said, "you've been sitting at this table for a long time.  Are you leaving soon? I want to sit there."  Um, it had been 20 minutes and there were other available tables.  We told him we were almost done.  He sat down on a stool next to our table and proceeded to stare at us, pound the counter with his fist, grumble about how f*ckin slow we were and how we just needed to get up and leave his table already.  

I decided to drink the rest of my tea purely based on that.  And it just pushed Jack Kerouac over the edge.  He said something like, "oh, give me a f*ckin break!  you're drinking your tea!  get up and leave already!  this is my table!"  I mean, he was really buggin.  I told him that we were paying customers and had every right to sit there to enjoy our beverages and that he could wait or sit elsewhere.  My husband chimed in, as did our friends, by informing him that he was the rudest person they'd ever met.  He didn't care; he told my husband that if we didn't move, he would move us.  Which would have been pretty funny.

Needless to say, we got up and left.  I complained to the staff and I got the impression they were upset that 4 customers were chased off by their resident crazy, but that they weren't altogether surprised.

My review: the beverages at Taste of Rome are great.  The clientele, not so much.  Do yourself a favor and get your beverage to go... and the line forms to the left of the register.

I had the BEST veggie burger here.  Seriously, the California Burger was bright red like a red velvet cake, so I was a little wary, but... man.  You really can't beat it.  It has very nice flavors and is very filling.  The portion is very large and I couldn't finish my salad.

I shared a fat free cupcake with a friend and had a glass of red wine.  The cupcake was amazing. The wine, not so much, but that's hardly the fault of the cafe; I chose poorly.

It is a little pricey for cafe food, but since it's organic and delicious, it's worth it.

Smitty's is definitely an "oh no, wait.  That IS her real face" kind of bar on any given night.  It's the kind of place that you could walk in one night and have a blast, only to start a fight the next.  You just never know.

Halloween at Smitty's is INSANE.  I couldn't bring myself to go in costume, but sort of wish I had because so many people were dressed up.  This is the night when the pickled regulars go all out and really bring the heat.  Live band, dancing ghouls and witches, lots of beverages sloshing around in the humidity.  You could tell that the patrons were really into Halloween and out to hurt themselves in the celebration.  Great people watching!

"I'd like a Stella please."
"We're out of Stella."
"OK.  How about an Amstel Light?"
"Sure."
"And an ice cream sunday?"
"We're out of ice cream."
"Hm. OK.  How about the creme brulee?"
"Sure"

Creme brulee - warm and untasty, even with the extra hair.  Complained.

"Can I get you something else?"
"Um, maybe just another beer."

And that's why we don't eat at Jones.

The line for the Aerosmith ride is WAY shorter than the line for a marriage license.  It was horrible.  Terrible.  Brutal.

We arrived around noon, filled out our application, waited in line for 2.5 hours... for a 3 minute processing meeting with a clerk.

Yikes.

I have to say that their arrangements are gorgeous and Katrina is very nice.

However, the shop's location is in total sketchtown, so when we went to have our consultation, I was a little creeped out.  I digress, though.

I was on a seriously limited budget for my wedding party flowers.  I described what I wanted and she appeared to listen.  However, she quoted me for orchids, which I didn't want.  I wanted a fuller flower like a peony that wouldn't be expensive.  I re-stated this and the result?  Orchids... and 2 massively expensive altar pieces of... calla lilies (the 2 altar bouquets cost more than all of the other flowers combined!).  Being that my time, patience and budget were short, I relented on the orchids - they're just freaking flowers right?  And I canceled the altar pieces.

The arrangements were average and suitable.  I guess you get what you pay for.  Oh wait - no you don't.  They forgot to send a throw-bouquet we ordered and I ended up having to toss away one of my $65 bridesmaid posies.  :(

Hungover, the morning after my wedding, we wandered down the street to find something greasy... quick... cheap... and breakfasty.  FOUND!  The Broadway Restaurant is OLD SKOOL.  It's not great for groups and seeing as there were about 15 of us, I chose to peel off from the group and sit at the counter.  I arrived later than everyone and was not into lines and waiting.  Turns out, it was my morning!  I was served first, ate, and took off for the hotel to see other relatives off.

The food was pretty good.  I had a cheese omelette that was just right for my hangover, some standard diner coffee, good toast and great potatoes.  I think it cost me $7, ridiculously cheap!

I'd go back!