Ruth "Bathroom Reviewer" N.'s Profile

Marla is making my life so much more pleasant by taking care of finding good folks to do work on my house and property!  My realtor, Troy Patterson of Brandon Green & Assoc. (also reviewed), suggested that I contact Urban Referrals for help with some repairs on our new 1940s brick home.

I admit that I tried finding people myself off CraigsList first, in hopes of some cheaper prices on good work.  That turned out to be a bad idea, as 75% of them failed to show up when scheduled, often without calling.  It makes me glad that they never came, since their attention to customer service is so poor.

Enter Marla and Urban Referrals to save the day!  She called me back within minutes of my online request to clarify details and explain the process to me.  They'll even take care of screening for quality and credentials - which is something that usually doesn't happen with CraigsList jobs.  Within a day I had someone lined up to clean the gutters and am setting a date with an electrician.  To my joy, Marla is now taking care of finding a mason so I don't have to keep calling around and hoping for the best.  She has called to make sure referrals are getting in touch with me (plus all info is emailed), and will take care of it if they fail to call or show up.  I'm in heaven, and can now spend my time on my own business instead of frustrating myself over repairs.  All of this is at no cost to me, and the prices are comparable to what I found on my own - the difference is that these people are following through and I'm calm and happy.

Thanks so much, Marla!

It's rough trying to find greek food (other than spanakopita or tiropita) when you're a vegetarian - so I'm particularly glad that I wandered into Zorba's.   Yum!  

An easy walk from the Q st. exit of the Dupont metro station, Zorba's is a casual place with lovely indoor and outdoor seating.  While it looks small at first, don't forget that you can sit upstairs.  Walk in the front door and keep going straight, down a few stairs, and order at the counter.  Then walk around the counter and wait for your food to come out on a tray.  Take it to any table you like, and leave your mess because they prefer to clean the table for you.  

I enjoyed the vegetarian special, which was an eggplant dish, the day I was there.  Their vegetarian section isn't huge, but there are half a dozen or so options plus a rotating daily special.  My friend had a meat dish (I have no idea what) and also enjoyed it.  We did try the spinach and feta appetizer dip with pita chips and it was only so-so.  I returned again for desert and had the rice pudding while my friend had the custard pie.  Both were fantastic!

Bathrooms are clean and fine - but be aware that ordering and potties both require that you can take some stairs.  Not for folks on wheels, unfortunately.  On the plus side, if you're not on wheels then you can order until 11pm.

Delicious, delicious, delicious!

I love Indian food and have visited restaurants in many states and even a few different countries (but not India...yet) so this review is based on lots of yummy experience.  Thank goodness we live in Takoma Park so that we can visit Udupi Palace as often as we like!  We go for the buffets that they hold every day for lunch, with the best being on the weekends.  I've actually never ordered off the menu, so I can't speak to that.

The dishes are consistently delightful, with lots of fresh vegetables and all of the scrumptious seasoning you want.  Entrees range from mild to somewhat spicy on the buffet - if you need more heat then I suggest ordering from the menu.  The buffet offers a delicious line up of breads as well as a variety of main dishes, and lots of rice.  There is always a desert and a side-bar for salads and chutneys.  On the weekends another table is set up to offer pakoras and other delights.  Regardless of the day, another dish will be offered at your table (it comes with the buffet) that is an eggy crepe-like bread with seasoned mashed potatoes and veggies in the middle.  Soda and water are quickly refilled upon request - like most Indian places they tend not to swoop in with soda refills but they are good with the water.  Bathrooms are clean and convenient.  The whole inside is a neat yellow color with interesting architectural features.  

When you're done don't just walk out - stop at the little store that is built in.  They offer a wide variety of burfee (or barfi) for take away, along with other deserts and snacks.  Try the amriti, a drizzled honey treat eatten cold or warm (but usually not hot), or the gulab jamun which is best served warm or hot.  

Important tip - park around the side and then exit out onto New Hampshire by driving behind Udupi and turning so you can exit at the lights.  It's too crazy trying to get out at the lights onto University.

Madame S and Mister S are two combined boutiques.  Enter through either side to find the gender-segregated goodies, then continue into the larger shared space for books, art, S&M gear and lots of toys and men's fetish wear.

Stuff here is not cheap - but the presentation is amazing and the quality of the things I picked up looked pretty darned good.  I should mention that this was clearly the place where many of the guys at Folsom St. Fair got their sexy outfits.  As usual, it's tough to find much in women's plus sizes while men had far more options, thus a docked star.

Stormy leather is luscious and a bit pricey, with a delicious offering of leather and vinyl clothing in a wide range of sizes, unique leather gear, and some sex toys.  The staff is delightful and eager to help, and the layout of the store is easy to navigate.  So why only three stars? Their selection of vanilla sex toys is fairly poor, in spite of ample floor space for those products, and I was surprised by the lack of s&m implements.  Furthermore, they're lacking in affordable goodies for plus sized female shoppers although they offer some cheaper things for the skinny folks or men of various sizes.

Stormy felt like a chain, to be honest, and that made me sad.  There was no visible evidence on-site craftsmanship and it's worth repeating that I was able to buy an far less expensive garment for my male partner than anything available for my female body in my size.  I had dreamed for visiting stormy leather for years, and it just didn't do anything for me or the friend who joined me.

Other reviewers seemed a lot more impressed, especially those seeking custom work.  I wasn't shopping for that sort of item - just a sassy leather tank or something like that.  Oh well.

Whether you're a lifestyle kinkster or just curious about peeping into a kinky space without the risk of getting flicked by a stray whip, Whicked Grounds will be a fun spot for you to grab some coffee, check your email, and stare at some unique items for sale.

I visited Wicked Grounds shortly after the Folsom St Fair, so everyone was a bit worn out and stock was low.  That said, I was greeted by very welcoming staff and offered a delightful cup of chai.  It was served in a pot with a glass of milk, and I added the tea and mixed it with honey myself.  At first I was surprised, but I it turned out great because I was able to make it just the way I like it plus it was a very generous portion.  No food was available, but I chalk that up to a successful fair the day before.  Net was readily available for free, and the space was comfy and very interesting.  Check out the greeting cards, books and photography from locals, not to mention the lovely leather gear and jewelry that is sold here.  Restrooms were clean and easy to access on the main floor - just get the key from the barista.

Best of all, this is a place for kinksters to gather without alcohol, and that makes it an even more valuable addition to the community.  Leather bars have their place, especially in gay leather culture, but the opportunity to talk, mingle and relax without the loud noise and beer-stink is also important.  I might also add that this space is clearly welcoming for all genders and sexualities.  Thanks, Wicked Grounds!

I sincerely hope to be able to come back and give a better review next time!

I saw Annie Sprinkle's ad on FaceBook for a class to be hosted here, so I gave 'em a call.  In fact, I left two messages and they never bothered to call me back.  Plus I popped by in person, but the office had a sign asking not to be disturbed, so I turned around and walked back from whence I came.  

As a result, I wasn't able to attend the classes.  This was particularly sad because I'm not a local, and so I can't just try again for another class.  Bad customer service can really tarnish an otherwise great place.

Good Vibes is the first adult store from which I ever made an online purchase - way back during my time in New York.  It changed my life, because the atmosphere of their website encouraged me to learn about what I was buying, as well as myself, without shame.  When I finally found myself in San Francisco I knew I must make the pilgrimage in person and I was not disappointed.

What a fantastic store!  I know good vibes was recently acquired by a larger company, but rest assured that the independent, feminist, service-oriented spirit is very much alive.  

I walked into this store and was immediately greeted by their inspiring and entertaining selection of antique vibrators.  As a proud owner of an early 1900s vibe myself, I was thrilled to see her sisters on display here.

As one might expect, this excellent store sells a variety of toys for all genders and sexualities, as well as some uniquely tasty BDSM gear and plenty of books, condoms and lubes.  Toys are usually on display, so you can check them out, and the lay out of the store is comfortable and easy to navigate.

Let me take a moment to compliment the staff, who are all far more trained and approachable than those are your typical (smuttier) store.  As a professional sex educator, my questions tend to be picky and unusual.  I was thrilled that staff were able to advise me on their items without hesitation, in spite of my detail-oriented needs.  I left feeling well educated about the products that I was interested in, and confident that I could call later, if needed.

I should also mention that they have an art gallery space in the back are easily accessible by bus.

Hm.  Most of the positive reviews for this places seem to be based on eating there after drinking all night. We went just to meet up with friends.  The food is ok, but not worth the price (even though it's decently cheap).  It's mostly pre-made and heated up.  I was too afraid to use the bathroom, as the place is just as dirty as the other reviewers say it is.

I'm new to the trend in fancy soft-serve, so I'll make that known upfront.  Tangy is an accurate description of the fro-yo, especially the pomegranate flavor that I had.  Sweet was not really part of the fro-yo or cupcake experience.  The fro-yo was somewhat enjoyable, but not good enough to finish a small serving.  But here is the kicker: they offer cinnamon toast crunch but no vanilla flavor to mix it in!  So my sweetheart had it mixed with their basic flavor (as recommended), which turns out to have a citrus undertone, and it did NOT taste good together.

Cupcakes - I asked which was the freshest flavor and was told they are not made on site.  So, I asked if she knew which were delivered most recently and she repeated herself.  I tried again, and asked if she could tell me when any of them were delivered, whether it was this morning or earlier in the week or what.  She said gave the exact same answer again, just with a more crabby tone.  Clearly the staff have no idea when the cupcakes are made or how old they are, which is not a good sign for bakery.  It was no surprise that my devil's food cupcake was a bit dry (they're out in the open on the counter, too), but otherwise the flavor was rich like dark chocolate.  The frosting, however, was not memorable at all.