Devon "Mama Yelp OC" B.'s Profile

Ahhhh...pure bliss and relaxation.  I purchased a Romantic Couples Escape on living social, and never having been to this spa before, I didn't know what to expect.  What my husband and I experienced was one of the best massages either of us has had in a long time.  Both Lucy and Dana are amazing at what they do.  When I wasn't melting into the table, I couldn't help think of words I wanted to use later in my review.  Lucy's hand movements were purposeful and skilled.  She didn't rush, and used her entire body to apply just the right amount of pressure.  There was one instance when I had hot stones behind my shoulder blades, warm towels wrapped around my feet and as she massaged my tired legs I felt completely at peace.  The champagne, truffles and strawberries at the end were a nice treat.  So nice, that my husband and I didn't even want to leave.  I was extremely impressed and I will be looking for any excuse to come back soon.

We booked this hotel for our 7th wedding anniversary right on the Hyatt website and got a great deal with the AAA discount.  Great location, right next to the Pike and within walking distance of Pine and Shoreline.  That area of Long Beach is so different than it used to be, and it's really cleaned up now.  The only thing my husband commented on is that he wishes there weren't so many chain restaurants taking up all the prime real estate right on the water.  

The hotel itself is so new looking a clean, you'll forget where you are the minute you step inside.  I loved the colors - muted dark lavenders and green, with sleek retro-modern furnishings.  Our King room was just the right size with a large bathroom and unique, roomy shower.  Free internet access and $7 overnight parking (normally $24) were a definite plus.  Service was friendly and nice, and the guy who checked us in even gave us a pocket walking map and pointed out the local spots to have dinner.

We visited the rooftop bar, and although the view was amazing, the place was deserted.  I think they should have later pool hours or louder music to draw more of a crowd.

Room service prices were actually reasonable and we enjoyed french toast and an omelet in bed the next morning.  The french toast was a bit too thick and overly dense for me, and while the omelet was a bit too salty, it was loaded with ham, cheddar and avocado, which I loved. The in-room coffee was actually really decent.

I would stay at this hotel again, given the chance.  My favorite part was the look of the place - it almost made me want to repaint our own bedroom lavender and green!

This event was a blast as always.  80's wear, yummy Italian apps and free-flowing champagne and vodka made for one lovely Sunday getaway.  Thanks to Hazel for throwing a great party and special thanks to Grampa for the last minute babysitting.  Even though we were looking forward to the games, cake (me) and cigars (hubby), we still enjoyed hanging out with our fellow Yelpers.  Elite events in the OC are always a guaranteed great time and a definite 5 stars! :)

I received a Groupon massasge as a gift from a friend and it was lovely.  I probably wouldn't return here on my own though.  I had my massage with Nina, and while she was very nice, she used oil instead of lotion and by the end I was super greasy!  Another thing that bothered me was that I had to ask for more pressure.  I think a good masseuse should always ask the client if the pressure is ok, not the other way around.  I probably spent way too much time thinking about how to best phrase my request before I actually said anything, but once I did, things got much better.  I finally felt like my muscles were being worked on and I could relax.

She did massage some strange parts of my body, like the inside of my ears and the tops of my feet.  Umm...okay...but other than that, I enjoyed the experience.  When she was done, she whispered "thank you" and walked out of the room.  I was drowsy (and oily); and realizing the treatment was over, I tried to wipe some of the oil off on the sheets before changing back into my clothes.  A couple of minutes later, she knocked on the door and I said I wasn't ready.  She asked if I could please hurry because she had another client waiting, which I thought was a bit rude, especially since I had arrived on time and had to wait before I was seen.

Was it a good massage?  Yes.  In the end it was.  But because of the grease factor and the attitude, I think I'll stick with Burke Williams.

I feel so guilty for never writing a review of Henry's.  As long reining duchess, I feel it is my duty to say something about this wonderful store.  It's not my favorite grocery store (of course nothing compares to Trader Joe's), but it a close second.  If you're looking for natural, organic, bulk and hard to find gourmet items, this is a good place to try.  Think of it as kind of a less expensive, smaller Whole Foods.  

It was actually taken over by Sprouts, and I've only been there once since the change, but overall things seem about the same.  The deli, cheese, and bread sections are fantastic, and they have a great variety of produce, beverages and dairy items.  I love buying spices in bulk, especially when I only need a little bit for a recipe and don't want to spend too much on a whole jar.  

Since it's within walking distance of my house, I practically lived at Henry's when I was on maternity leave.  I could put my son in the stroller and stop by for a muffin and coffee, plus pickup some fresh veggies to puree for his babyfood later.  The vitamin section is great, and I always enjoy looking through the soaps and lotions section and trying out the testers.  

The staff is very friendly and helpful, and if you bring in your own bag you get 5 cents off your bill.  It's just a small savings, but it's a nice incentive.

I'll take my bacon burger with a side of AWESOMESAUCE please! This event rocked! Slater's is one if those places we discovered because of Yelp (bacon event at the OC Fair in '09), and from my first bite I knew I'd found something magical. This time I went for the peanut butter and jealousy and it was amazing. A lot of work to chew with all that sticky, meaty goodness mind you, but totally worth it. Great service, super tasty food and delicious tangerine wheat brew all made for one fabulous night. And it was a nice change to go solo and meet some new elite friends. You guys are cool, even if I did feel old. ;) We debated on what is the superior dessert: cake or pie (cake by far!) and I learned about where to get the best Asian food in the OC. All this and a Yelp elite wrist watch?! Be still my nerdy, yelpy heart. This was one of the best events yet!

What an awesome bunch of people you Yelpers are!  It was so fun to see everyone dressed up and the warm summer evening was the perfect setting for a country club party.  My husband, Paul "no reviews +1" B, loved the free-flowing bourbon.  The art exhibit was awesome and we enjoyed the apps and champagne.  A super-cute marriage proposal was the icing on the cake.  Cheers to Hazel and crew for another spectacular event!

Best kid-free kid-themed birthday party ever. I mean, come on, who really needs an excuse to eat appetizers and cupcakes, drink vodka and bowl with new friends? An un-birthday party is a great idea and an even better reason to do all of the above. I can't remember the last time I went bowling when bumpers, greasy pizza and a bunch of screaming kids weren't involved. No, this event was all class - from the photo montage of baby yelpers to the goodie bags as we walked out the door. You know when you go to one of Hazel's parties that an awesome time is guaranteed for all!

Ok, here's the thing.  Maui is already really casual and laid back when it comes to, well...everything.  You just learn to chill and wait a little longer for stuff because you're on "island time."  But when you visit the hippie town of Paia, that's even more true.  At least that was our experience with trying to order pizza from Flatbread Company.

We were on our way to the airport and had to make a stop at Anthony's Coffee to return our cooler so we thought, why not order some food to go?  I checked the Yelp reviews and decided on the Mopsy Kalua pork Hawaiian pizza and a salad with local greens, pineapple vinaigrette and Surfing Goat Dairy cheese.  I called it in and they said it would be ready in about 30 minutes.  When we got there about 10-15 later there was no parking to be found.  After returning the cooler, I waited in the car while my husband went to check on the pizza.

He came back in about 10 minutes and told me it was going to be another 15 minutes.  Okay.  He went back and right as the pizza was nearly done, they started to make the salad and ring him up.  The crunchy, clueless girl at the counter asked if he needed anything else.  

"Umm...a fork and some napkins?"

"Oh, I don't think we have any more of those, let me see if I can find some."  

At this point she went in the kitchen only to return with an actual metal fork.  

"Sorry," Patchouli Girl said, "We're out.  You can have this one though."

So about an hour after we called in our order, we had our food, plus a souvenir Maui fork! :\

It was a mad dash to the airport to make our flight home.  Luckily, pizza boxes are ok to put through the surveillance cameras, as long as you can protect them from hungry TSA personnel.  The food was delicious, just don't go here if you're in a hurry!

One of my favorite meals in Maui. After a week of traditional fare: Mahi-Mahi, Mai-Tais, Kalua Pig, etc, Star Noodle was a refreshing change. It's a hip Asian fusion place, on par with something you might see in LA. Modern décor, small plates and young servers dressed in American Apparel shirts. So this is where the twenty and thirty-something locals have been hanging out!

The pork buns were out of this world and I washed them down with a sparkling jasmine: Citron Vodka & Jasmine tea liqueur. We started with the local mixed greens salad with shiso Ranch dressing...very tasty. The Vietnamese crepe was outstanding - a crispy, veggie-filled crepe with lettuce, mint, cilantro and basil on the side to wrap it with. I think we literally licked our fingers and the plate clean. The only strange thing was that we ordered the Star Udon and it was not the star of the meal at all...quite bland and average actually. Other than that, we enjoyed everything we tried, including the incredible malasalas, which are warm, doughy donuts on sticks rolled in sugar. The butterscotch caramel was all I really needed as far as the dipping sauces went. They were even good the next morning for breakfast.

If I'm ever in Maui again, I'm definitely coming back here.