Ligaya "rhymes with papaya" T.'s Profile

As a last ditch attempt to keep our money in the country, and pack our suitcases to the gills with unnecessary memorabilia, duty free shops are the best and worst ways to get rid of leftover currency. Best, because there's always someone you forgot. And worst, because the prices for little plastic China made trinkets are often astronomical.

This duty free is no exception, thus the slew of awful reviews. However, the trick to getting good deals is that you have to know what to buy where. Be it liquor, cigarettes, perfume/cosmetics and other higher ticket items, you'll likely be getting a break from retail. Like I said, just beware of the little tchotchkes; they're overpriced and add up quickly, so stick to Robson or Denman for these.

Let's do a little comparison of the things purchased here:

Inniskillin Reisling Icewine (2006)
Winedotcom = $71.99 US vs. PADF = $29.75 CAD

Cartier Panthere eau Legere Parfum (1.7 oz)
Sephora = $90 US vs. $74.75 CAD

Can ol' Molson Beer (750ml)
Cheap wherever the hell you buy it.

Even without considering our depressingly plummeting exchange rate, it seems that we've got ourselves a clear winner. There are other perks at this location; it's far more spacious with a broader inventory than an airport terminal shop and uber clean. The spirit selection is solid, and they also have this cool Bombay Sapphire display of martini glasses made by different renowned artists.

The cosmetics were meh, but the shelves of perfumes were endless. I worked myself into a dizzy tizzy in my attempts to find a new scent. After a bit of a chat about my preferences with the floor manager, she produced the perfect one and even kicked in a sample bottle. Canadians are just so darn nice!

Oh, and note your license plate number before you dive in, you'll need it when you check out.

strips of red piled high,
delicately sinuous and glistening
after an interlude of
clacking.
a dozen little squares of ban chan
pixel perfect saucer array,
they hold everything:
the bounty of the sea,
briney and cold.
plants and seeds,
sweetness and tart.
weaving their colorful course.
to gaping mouths, staining white
leaving smears.

with time, fire browns meat
then the blackness creeps
under a watchful eye
turning slowly.
eyes crinkle, arms raise
clinking.
gathered round the heat
and anticipation,
we drink deeply
polishing the bottom
of bowls
with our chopsticks.

From: Desperate Friend -[nobooty@cluelessdater.com]-
Date: November 17, 2009 8:16:21 PM PST
To: ligaya@helpyelp.com
Subject: HALP!

So I met this chick, and she's pretty hot. I want to see her dressed up... a little bit. ;) She's a self-proclaimed foodie, and from what I gather from her FB photos, a total lush. But a classy one. Don't want to drop too much coin though. Where the frack do we go?

From: Ligaya T -[ligaya@helpyelp.com]-
Date: November 18, 2009 3:03:41 PM PST
To: nobooty@cluelessdater.com
Subject: Re: HALP!

Hey, good for you! Actually scored the digits this time, eh? I know just the place. It's got three dollar signs on Yelp, impressive but not going to clear you out. But the wow factor is there: the ambiance is striking, neato art everywhere, menu projected on the wall, unique touches, you know. Plus there are mirrors on the ceiling so you can watch her on the sly.

As for the food, it's bold. The portions are ample, the preparation flawless and the ingredients superb. You can do a close-your-eyes-and-point, and you'll strike pay dirt. We had the bison carpaccio (just don't think about the poor herd in GGP when you're chomping on it), the heirloom beet salad (with bright, anime looking veggies) and the most incredibly seared sablefish with fancy Japanese accompaniments. *eye roll to the back of my head*

And of course, the drinks are phenomenal, creative and strong. The March 33 almost brought the boy to tears. The service is on point too. The owner checked on us, and sent over complimentary amuse bouche and pieces of tonka bean chocolate. He even banged out a list of a dozen places to visit in town.

Boneta's the magic word. Top notch, all the way. Good luck, dude. If you don't score, it's your own fault.

Top ten reasons to eat at Rangoli:

(10) Their dishes got more spice than that Puerto Rican chica you dug in middle school.

(9) If Design within Reach and CB2 had a fashion show, the place woulda walked fresh off the runway.

(8) The drink choices that'll get you tipsy are the bomb.

(7) It's the one Indian place where you'll never have leftovers, just too good.

(6) Vacuum packed, reheatable bags of to-go curry are the perfect office lunch, sick food, or I'm-too-lazy-to-cook meal. Hello, lamb. I love you.

(5) Their grill makes sweet love to the eggplant. Divinity on a plate.

(4) Raita.

(3) They provide fleece blankets for al fresco diners

(2) Where else can you use the potty while watching Bollywood built into the mirror, then wash your hands with ginger-scented soap?

(1) You deserve the best.

What better way to spend a sunny afternoon than with a gaggle of yelpers yelpers gallivanting around Oakland and Berkeley stuffing our faces with cupcakes! We were like the critical mass of cupcakery, sucking people into our sugary vortex, inspiring our fellow citizens to eat down the righteous path. Marc A, thanks for organizing such a well thought out, yummy route!

Evals, below:
La Farine - carrot cake, dense and moist with optimally tart cream cheese frosting but served too cold
Sweet Adeline - red velvet with extra chocolate topping and pomegrante seeds on top. smooth cake, light cocoa, yummy, rather light frosting
Cupkates - TBD. I promised to not have one until after dinner. We'll see how good my discipline is.
Bittersweet Cafe - dark chocolate with vanilla frosting. nicely textured, richer, less sweet cake than most, but topping was unremarkable

Did I mention that those were my first "meal" of the day? Breakfast of champions! That's in addition to the tomato focaccia, goat cheese and leek tart, morning buns and oh, Bakesale Betty's fried chicken sandwich that I somehow consumed in the span of four hours. The sugar high's worn off, and I'm due for a nap. How are y'all feeling?

It was awesome to see folks from all over the Bay come together to honor this special treat. In between our third stop and lunch, a truck driver asked if we were part of a peace rally. That's right, buddy. Make cupcakes, not war! And he actually joined us later on the trail. Now that's community!

There's a very good reason Voya is nestled into a place of rest: their uttering ravishing, potent cocktail menu. It's no doubt sparked a few twilight trysts and/or impromptu horizonals. These are the things of date night, nightcap dreams.

Divided into inspirational and aspirational libations, the selection runs the gamut, from gentlemens classics to contemporary styles. Tipplers, brace yourselves...

Serendipiti (enchanting) - morin calvados vsop, stellar's jay brut, apple, mint

Twentieth Century (timeless) - plymouth, lillet blanc, white chocolate, lemon. This tasted like a light, frothy lemon merengue and was executed flawlessly.

Mackinnon (philosophical) - drambuie, havana club anejo, citrus

Wax Poetic (sassy) - maker's mark, agave nectar, peychaud's bitters, grapefruit

Extra points for guessing which one I sipped, falling deeper into their sunken leather armchairs. The interior offered a splash of vintage and sumptuous textures in a relaxing palette with a few estate sale decorations scattered about in Ian Schager-ish fashion.  

Don't write this place off as just another boutique hotel lounge with fine-boned servers, dim lights and a deep house soundtrack; the spouts pour forth liquid gold.

For those who dread the interminable waiting and impatient staff so often found at USPS, there's a solution! You Send Me is a wee one stop postal shop offering everything the local mail office does and more. Comparisons from different carriers? Check! Shipping and package supplies and accoutrements? Check! Faxing and notary services? Check! Even free parking. And the obliging, outgoing folks make the whole experience effortless.

In and out in five minutes, and I left with a smile.

I had a life altering slice of pizza today. I kept looking at it like, "Are you real? Am I really eating you?" incredulous of the NY style perfection in my hands.

It began with crimini mushrooms, roasted in olive oil and thyme, layered atop gooey cheese and a light, sweet tomato sauce. The pie was still cooling from the oven, thin bottom slightly bendy but crust bubbly and firm.

I left no bones.

Sitting at the narrow counter stunned, I followed it up with a piece of thinly-sliced squash and gorgonzola. Certainly an odd combination, free from the distraction of acidic red sauce, and re-heated to the ideal toastiness. Bitter, salty, sweet, unique, pushing my pizza envelope.

Combined with the tartness of the pomegranate lemonade, the flavors were so alive, I wanted to cry, I wanted to stand up and dance on the counter to the Lady Gaga blasing, and kiss the hands of its dread-headed creator.

Instead, I started talking to the pizza, "You're something special, you know that? I will come back for you. I will pay double what other slices cost just to have you."

And every word was true.

An exercise in critical mass: how much chickpea, beet salad, cabbage slaw, seasoned carrots, cauliflower, kalamata olives, cucumber, hummus and Yemeni hot sauce from the topping bar can fit in one decapitated pita without splitting the sides? Enough to fill my belly to the hilt, I'll tell you that!

Built on the Maoz concept of all-you-can-gorge-salad-bar, this green falafel joint offers lovely little green discs of fried goodness, speckled with herbs and perfectly crispy yet lovingly moist in its interior.

The trick to enjoying these fully is in the technique; gotta get some of everything in each bite. I like to employ the layering approach: cut falafel in half and line the bottom. Then rainbow the toppings and sauces, place another row of falafel, and repeat. After the dam broke, with beet juice running down my wrist, I extracted every morsel of yum from its paper sheath in praise.

Plus, the place is so sustainable the building itself may just be biodegradable. I know the affable employees are! And with the cute little seating outside, and kick ass foosball table, Shattuck's got a winner.

Some days meals are a chore; give me a pill of fullness and nutrition and I'll wash my hands of it. Those days I eat Chinese food. Those days I wander into any old spot as long as its cheap and quick without doing my Yelp research. Those days I anticipate disaster.

This was my state when we entered Tsing Tao. A group of Mandarin-speaking folks yapped loudly outside, so we figured whatever awaited us wouldn't be all that bad if we stuck to the specialties.

Settling into the clean, brightly colored booths, we were greeted with bag steeped tea (point deduction) and cabbage kimchee. Wait, Korean, what?! *shrug* It lacked a fermented kick, and was made with regular (non-napa) cabbage, but who's to complain when the price tag's a whopping zero. Seafood and tofu claypot and mustard greens with garlic down, we concluded that in comparison to the NutriPill, we fared pretty well.