Beah "Beah" B.'s Profile

So far, Sycamore is my favorite restaurant in the history of the world.

I was reluctant to buy running shoes somewhere new after experiencing the thrill of buying shoes from Donnard, the foot-whisperer, at Metrosport in SF. But the Marina is now 1.5 hours away and I didn't want to spend my day in a car.

So after reading a zillion reviews of the zillion runner specialty shops that dot the peninsula, I headed out the The Runner's High, which seemed to have a slight edge over The Running Revolution and Road Runner in proportion of 5 star reviews to non-five star reviews. Plus, it doesn't get much cooler than Menlo Park....

that sarcasm would have probably read better if Menlo Park's un-coolness was actually in contrast to other parts of the peninsula. Boy, I've really given up on making yelp friends, haven't I).

Anyway, I have no regrets. While the woman that worked with me (well, the first woman -- by the end of my epic session a second, even more expert sales person was sharing my case) didn't quite measure up to Donnard in terms of sheer, freaky foot-whispererness, she knew how to do a decent gait analysis and -- most importantly -- did not want me to leave that store with anything less than the perfect shoe. Over the course of an hour or so, I probably tried on 15 pairs of sneakers (and each one was rigorously tested in the parking lot) until I found my perfect pair.

At no point was a made to feel like I was wasting anyone's time, except possibly my boyfriend's. When I was being indecisive about the first 5 or so pairs and having trouble articulating what I wanted, rather than give up on me or try to push a pair, a second sales person jumped in to help. The two watched me walk/run/stand in various other shoes and talked the riddle out until I had a pair that felt just right.

Just in case this fantastic glut of patience and dedication to giving the customer what she (I) wants didn't seal the deal on 5 stars, the return policy -- or lack thereof -- does. Basically, if the shoes don't work out as we expected, bring them back. I wasn't given a timeline, I was just told to bring them back. Wear them outside, run a marathon in them, commit crimes in them, whatever... if they are not the right shoes, bring them back.

Eating out in Mountain View is all about settling, and Shana is probably my favorite Mountain View Thai restaurant, in the spirit of settling. The curry's are too sweet and goopy for my taste (maybe Americans like this? it's a reoccurring problem for me). But the staff is nice and the beef larb is kick ass -- all limey and salty and cilantroy. Maybe you just have to order smart here (like beef larb for dinner, every night).

Ah! And they serve Beer Chang, which us in-the-know blue collar have-lived-in-Thailand types like to love.

We visited the Village Pub in our continuing effort to find South Bay restaurants to stand in for the Incanto, Range, Delfina, and Bar Bambino trips that used to organize our Saturday nights. It wasn't a home run but it wasn't a disappointment either.

I decided to try to confuse the waiter by ordering the shaved foie gras salad as my ap and the bar menu burger for a main. Don't pigeon hole me, man. The salad was actually exceptional -- competes with any starter I've had at any SF venue. That phatty duck liver melted in my mouth like butter. The burger was very good but nothing to write home about. The bun was a little dry -- I would have preferred a bun of the English Muffin persuasion.

I like this place. It's cozy and filled with middle aged rich ex-hippies who have shamelessly given into the pleasures of fine wine, foie gras shavings, and velvet chairs -- which is basically what I did but at age 23 (I'm pretty mature).

kinnnnnnnnd of disappointing. I sort of hate to bring the rating down with a two-starer, but our meal just wasn't that good. Call me a snobby ex-San Francisco Range-loving, marrow-eating, wine-swirling blowhard, but I like a little more complexity in my flavor profile when the entree price jumps up over $20.

I got the lamb tagine -- and I LOVE a good tagine -- but it was mostly just sweet and goopy. And the lamb wasn't even THAT tender.

Service was friendly but not oustandingly professional. And my glass of wine was a bit of a let-down; I don't think they stored the bottle cool enough. This is not uncommon, but always disappointing at more upscale venues.

Maybe my standards will drop as I settle into South Bay/Peninsula living, at which point I will try to remember to update this review with an additional star.

Eh. Sorry.

The name was just so appealing I had to try it.

I've ordered for Fast Pizza Delivery twice now -- once for Thursday movie night(!) and once for New Years Eve pizza night (!). I lead a very exciting life, made that much more exciting by sausage pizza.

Don't be a dongle-head and order a salad and then write a one star review because your $3 salad wasn't exactly Chez Pannise quality. This is a pizza joint with the words "fast" and "delivery" in the name -- order some mother-lovin sausage pizza.

Dollar for pound, this is really decent pizza. The delivery experience has been good -- reasonably fast, and very competent/friendly. I think we've found our Mountain View pizza delivery joint.

Old women with handcuffs dangling from their shoulders; x-large, middle-aged mexican men wearing snakeskin boots and $-patterned windbreakers; carts filled entirely -- yes, entirely -- with boxes Pop Secret.

This place is a hot anthropological mess.

Basically, the opposite of Beretta. And I mean that in a really good way.

Why in the world would you eat here? Oh, I remember.. because I was in Noe Valley. Anyway, it basically sucked. I mean, it's clean and pleasant enough and stuff. But you can create an equally as tasty meal and save yourself a few bucks by stocking up on Trader Joe's frozen pastas and serving them to yourself in the comfort of your own home.

I had a very fulfilling shopping experience here today. After recently being informed by the foot whisperer at MetroSport that I have shamefully overpronated and bunioned feet (TMI?) and that I will probably require surgery in a few years if I continue to wear the cheap Tommy Hifiger flip flops I bought at DSW EVERY day, I decided to invest in a pair of "comfort shoes." After briefly considering just buying from zappos a pair of those khaki-colored loafer-sneakers with toe pleats that 103 year old women wear, I figured I'd make the trip to Foot Print first to see if I could find something slightly less death-inviting.

The fellow who assisted me (presumable the proprietor) was quite friendly and willing to help. He seemed to know a fair amount about the shoes he carried and about foot health and listened to my special needs with great care. He diplomatically encouraged me to try on a pair of shoes that had not "caught my eye," to say the least (they were Keen, so -- as someone more literarilly adept than myself wrote -- they pretty much make me look like I'm wearing two platypuses on my feet). BUT, they were so awesomely comfortable that my feet and knees must have tricked my brain into thinking they looked.... well, sort of cool. The proprietor said that "middle class America" loves these shoes. Needless to say, that pretty much sealed the deal -- middle class America has rocking good taste.

Anyway, I bought them for what -- after some retrospective online research -- was a pretty decent price and have been wearing them all day. They basically feel amazing and I basically love Foot Print for making me buy shoes that might warn off surgery a few more years. Plus I just wore them out in public and nobody laughed at me.