mei n.'s Profile

problems:
(1) 2 cut & bleeding cuticles.
(2) lint under polish.
(3) nails filed unevenly.

...and yes, i pointed all this out while i was still at the nail salon.

responses:
(1) me: my cuticles are bleeding. them: "oh, haha..."
(2) me: there's lint under my polish. them: no response but paints a second coat of polish. me: no, there's lint. them: again, no response and paints a third coat of polish. me: remove the polish. them: disgruntled look but changes the polish. finally!
(3) me: this nail is not even. them: "oh, haha..." but files away

time for check out...
me: can i get s discount because two of my fingers are bleeding
them: "nghiashdnaxx (something in vietnamese)... [then] sorry, no discounts"
me (getting loud): what do you mean you don't give discounts? my fingers are bleeding.
them: okay, $2 off

the next day:
hang nails galore for the next week and a half

you be the judge.

the bf surprised me with a massage and facial for vday here. he paid for everything including tip. however when it came for me to check out, the receptionist said that all was taken care of except for the tip. so i tipped (generously) and headed out. i called the bf on my way out to tell him about my experience here and he alerted me that he already tipped. he had to call back and double check with the spa. after his confirmation, i had to drive back for a refund on my tip. if not... the tip would've been WAAY too generous (and might have been more than some of the services offered there). so, just a word of warning, double check on the tipping.

i expected a place like this to be more spa-like and less nail shop like. since i had both a massage and a facial (which i didn't know about), after the massage i got up, got dressed, grabbed all my belongings, and THEN the receptionist told me i had another treatment. however, i had to wait in the small waiting area before heading to my facial. it just didn't feel like a spa experience. where was my robe? it was just too awkward getting undressed, dressed, walking out, waiting, and getting undressed again, and shuffling to another room.

the service itself however was wonderful. the massage was just the right pressure and the music was soothing. i almost fell asleep (i have a tendency to do that during massages). lastly although the facial was nice and relaxing, the towels that were used... well they could have smelled better or had no smell at all.

i think most people don't realize or forget that this is a "tapas" restaurant. so when you complain that the portions are small (or smaller), well... they are SUPPOSE to be small.  

with that said, ZEN is a gem in alameda. the dishes are creatively put together and the service is great. the ingredients are extraordinarily fresh because the owner purchases everything fresh the day of.

everything here is worth a try. but if you don't try anything else (but i recommend trying everything!), try the asian fries (taro and sweet potato) with aioli.

i give this place 5 stars because this is the best coffee place around here within a 5 block walking distance. i've gotten a latte there 2 days in a row and it was been consistently good. strong enough... just what i need when i need  mid-morning kick. the gelato there isn't too bad, but i haven't had enough to really rant about it.

the only thing i would change about the place is where you order.

avoid the crowds... come here on a random tuesday or wednesday night. the bbq was finger licking good. i can't believe i was able to finish 1/2 a rack of baby back ribs and a small side of potato salad all by myself. i'm such a fat-ass.

the beef rib... yummm... and the cole slaw had a hint of wasabi - different from others i've had in the past.

i felt like the ribs were almost a little too saucy. not too saucy like it had attitude but too saucy like i needed to eat it with rice or something anyway, come here if you're hungry. come here with boys. well... just come here.

love the photobooth... drunken pictures are priceless. random people in your pictures... man... it's worth a laugh or two the next day when your sober.

however, this bar... is very much... well not my kinda bar. great just to stop by to grab a drink or two... but seriously that's it. we went there during a reggae night... and i was very surprised to first, smell weed, then see people smoking...

hey not my kinda place but i'm sure there are those who enjoy it here

so its hard to give this place a real rating because umm... i don't remember too much. but i do remember that the toppings were falling off my pizza slice and it was hot and messy...

i do remember the buffalo wings. i remember that it was messy and hot (spicy hot) and... it was pretty good.

but again... i can't fully assess a place without eating there 100% sober first

yumm... only a short walk from campus. this place is well worth my loan money (yeah, i live off loans)

it was the happening place when we arrived there at 12:15 but the line moved quickly, however my food didn't (thus, minus 1 star)

got the half dilly-yo: half sandwich with salad or soup. i got the italian panini and greek salad. the sandwich was tasty (a little too much meat in it for me but never the less good). the salad, was a bit wilted but still very good. oh yeah... and the pickle? yeah, the pickle was spicy

so how does a bar run out of vodka?

first time customers get $5 off. umm... where was my $5off? anyway, i went in for a brazilian just to check out a new place. it was easy to get an appointment. so that's a plus. well... maybe not. ha. when i arrived there, i was quite confused about the parking situation. i parked 2 blocks away cuz the construction crew took up all the parking spaces.

i walked in to the lounge and all i hear is, thud, thud, thud. construction inside the lounge. so not good for a place like this during business hours! you should be able to relax here.

anyway, so the brazilian... well... it was quick. so that's good, right. but during the entire experience, the aesthetician well... she applied the wax, applied the cloth strip, and attempted to pull... not once, not twice, but thrice. talk about, ouch! this happened more than once. and there were strays and broken hair. the hair started growing back in less than 3 days. this is not good!

the room i was in was so not ventilated that at the end of my 10 min experience here, i was drenched with my own sweat (ew, i know!). and... i noticed that there were dirty rubber gloves laying on the floor and i couldn't believe that no one there noticed it. when it was time to pay, my aesthetician pronounced my name wrong, despite me correcting her. she also seemed really distracted during our appointment.

it's cool that they give you a discount for advance booking. but... i don't think i'll be coming back.