Betsy D.'s Profile

My burger rivaled Fudrucker's, which is my all-time favorite burger place. I love that their buns are grilled and come without sesame seeds. Minus one star for the cramped, loud dining area and surprisingly small burger selection. Props for their beers on draft and yummy floats. I'll definitely be back.

Hefenweizen on tap! Breakfast all day long! They had me at beer and breakfast...

Speaking of strange and wonderful combos: the chicken, bacon, & raisin curry salad is addicting. Can't wait to come back and try one of the other 1000+ items on their menu.

Downgraded to 2 starts. I rarely go to this gym anymore. It's ridiculously overcrowded in the evenings, and it's gotten that musty gym smell (it's a shame since it's still pretty new). The Pro Fitness training sessions underwhelmed me, and I had to report an inappropriate trainer.

Also, I am desperate for Zumba classes here. PLEASE LA Fitness, get some early morning (7am), late night (9pm), or Saturday Zumba classes going!

This review is purely based on their new "Fit to Fight" (adult) bootcamp classes. I had my first session with Daniel this morning at 6am. I've never been a morning person, and definitely not a high-impact exerciser. But...so far so good! He was extremely encouraging, and helped me find the extra "umph" I needed to do those last few reps...

Best of all, he seemed pretty knowledgeable about how to exercise with injuries (of which I have THREE), so he made sure to modify when necessary, and didn't make feel me like a burden on the class.

UPDATE: Fall 2011: I'm not sure if these boot camp classes are still happening, but Daniel is available for personal sessions and I highly recommend him!

I took my new wiper blades to them and the super helpful (and super busy) manager removed my old ones and installed the new ones for free, no questions asked. THANK YOU!

Dr. Farid Engbali was pretty excited that I found his office through Yelp, and asked me to post a review about my experience. So here is it, doc...

Bottom line: Dr. Farid Engbali is wonderful, and I'm grateful for Yelp pointing me in the right direction. He took the time to answer my questions; he didn't seem rushed or distracted. His assistant, Jessica (the one who measured my eyes) was patient with me during a very uncomfortable process (photographing/flashing light into my eyeball). This was my first-ever eye exam, so I wasn't sure what to expect. As it turned out, I needed glasses, and I'm now the first-time owner of a pair of cute frames, which were recommended to me by the optician. I no longer have eye strain and headaches at work. Praise God.

Another great testament to Dr. Engbali: A few days ago I sent my boss to him for an emergency eye appointment, since his office is so close to ours. She raved about him and thanked me for sharing such a great doc with her.

My only complaint is that their optician hours are limited to the doctor's hours, so if I need to get my glasses adjusted, I'd have to take time off work. You don't HAVE to get your glasses there, though...so that's a separate issue.

Montana's takes me back to my roots, and gives me a good excuse to bust out my cowgirl boots (not that I really need one). I've tried the other 3-4 country bars / dance floors in the greater LA area, and Montana's is, by far, the most fun. Good crowd (which gets younger as the night progresses), free dance lessons, cheap drinks, hilarious people watching, and a DJ who does you the favor of calling out the dances before a song starts.

I come for the line dancing (which is pretty amazing) and I occasionally join in for a two-step or barn dance. The songs rotate between blocks of couples dancing and line dancing, and later in the night, the DJ even throws some booty shakin' music into the mix. Who doesn't love to watch a bunch of cowgirls shake it to Lady Gaga?

Yeehaw.

Details:
21 and over only

Open at 6pm
Admission $5
($10 after 9pm)
Dance Lessons 7-8pm

The glowing cross of the 118 freeway hillside isn't just a recognizable west valley landmark, it marks the spot for The Church at Rocky Peak. The church meets in the building just behind that hill, right off Santa Susana Pass.

As you might guess from my 5-star rating, I love this church. Even though I live on the opposite side of the Valley, I don't mind driving all the way to Chatsworth for the weekend service. The Rocky Peak church community is welcoming and authentic, and the services have an intentionally reverent-yet-casual vibe (you may notice that the lead Pastor wears flip flops every Sunday--just part of the charm). This is definitely a church that is focused on teaching the Word. The pastors explain the historical and biblical context of scripture passages in profound yet easy-to-understand ways. I'm a big fan of the organized "fill-in-the-blank" sermon outlines, because writing the key points keeps me focused, and it also helps to reinforce the message (much like taking notes in class, but with spiritual "aha!" moments.). On another note, I also appreciate that the pastors don't always project the Bible passages up on the screen; this subtly encourages each person to bring and use his/her own Bible. It's a small thing, but I like the message that it sends.

The music is contemporary worship (it's growing on me). The community is very family-friendly, with lots of classes and programs available for all-ages and all stages in life. They even have their own sports leagues, which are open to everyone. I love the spring/summer volleyball league.

While I love the weekend services, the great treasure of this church is in its Life Groups, which are smaller groups that meet in people's houses once a week.  I've been a part of two different groups within the last few years, and each one helped me grow deeper in my faith, find encouragement and accountability, and build meaningful relationships. After I joined a Life Group, Rocky Peak really started to feel like a family.

I didn't get to see a show here, but based the ambience and food, Doug Fir gets 5 stars. Our waiter recommended the Buffalo Burger, and it was fantastic. I'd never had Buffalo before, but I liked it more than beef. I paired with some tasty salmon chowder, which was another first for me. Unique food, awesome vibe. I'd love to come back and see a show here eventually.

If you're looking for an easy way to help others on a global level, volunteer at the Children's Hunger Fund! You're sure to get a few warm fuzzies for just a few hours of work.

My friends and I decided to join the food pack assembly line on a Saturday morning, and within hours we (along with several other local volunteers) packed hundreds of boxes of food for those in need. It was a very tangible way to help others, without much commitment on our end.

During our water and snack break, the lead staff member explained exactly how we were helping the organization on a larger level by showing us a video and letting us know where our particular boxes would be shipped. It's nice to know how your labor is contributing to the overall goal of the charity.

If you're interested, call or email Children's Hunger Fund for available opportunities. Their Saturday sessions fill up fast, which is a testament to the experience!