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"Sometimes I let my inner fat kid play"
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Location
Berkeley, CA
Yelping SinceJune 2008
Things I Lovelive music, gin and tonics, cooking, comic books, used book stores, thrift stores, photography, kittens, fresh laundry, hugs, old jazz records, EE Cummings, soup, fuzzy things
Find Me InChinatown and the Fi/Di with working, or North Berkeley when at home.
My HometownSacramento CA
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm cooking, taking photos or reading
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI have simple roots with refined tastes
The Last Great Book I Read"Einstein's Dreams" by Alan Lightman
My First ConcertIncubus for big venue. Groovey Ghoulies for small.
My Favorite MovieEat Drink Man Woman, Diving Bell and the Butterfly or High Fidelity
My Last Meal On EarthObachan's chicken katsu curry or Avo's kale soup and salt cod
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...Spam sushi brings back so many childhood food memories
Most Recent DiscoveryNutritional Yeast
Current CrushYou
Date
55 Webster Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Oakland, CA 94607
Yelp Elite Brunch Bonanza @ Bocanova
Category: Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
This was my first yelp elite event. Through a combination of prior commitments, midterms and swine flu, I never managed to make it to any prior events, but Ligaya T threw an amazing party for the soft opening of Bocanova's new brunch menu. ( I love Bocanova for dinner, so my expectations were pretty high even though I think brunch is pretty standard across the board).
Logistics: Overall, a bit of a cramped space for the amount of people, but it quickly became cozy. I know the buffet style was less work for the restaurant, but based on the portion sizes was not the best orchestration (for example, the beef and yuca hash that came out three servings at a time, took the most time to prepare and were gone instantly). It might have worked better had they been served family style at the tables instead. They ran out of plates and proper glasses several times and there was no consistency with the bartenders (will explain later)
We tried a little of everything starting with the sweet dishes and moving to savory.
- Homemade tropical Granola with Strauss yogurt: Great texture but was not brunch food. That's the sort of thing I eat at home on Wednesday mornings before work.
- Corn Waffle: Fluffy with a great persimmon cream, but I expected a heavier corn flavor from my waffle. Again, unimpressive.
Menudo: I hate menudo. That being said, I thought this was a stellar dish! A bit heavy on the black eyed peas, but the broth was flavorful and the tripe was perfectly sized and did not overpower the dish. Well seasoned, though perhaps not something I'd order for brunch unless I was really hung over.
Eggs Huarache: This was a dish that sounded promising with pumpkin, fresh mozzarella, sage, eggs, pancetta, etc. I tried it and thought the flavors were great, but I didn't know how you would serve it. It's a bit of an awkward dish that feels too complex to be a side dish and is certain not a main.
Beef and Yuca Hash: My favorite part of the meal. The hash was extremely flavorful with a perfectly cooked over easy egg.
Thought the brunch sample was a bit heavy on egg dishes and could have used a fruit side or some form of vegetable as balance (but I remember non-starch vegetables are not the strong point of Bocanova, even at dinner)
There were two specialty drinks available: The Elite (champagne, gin, orange juice and aperol) was great, but our bartenders were inconsistent. We ordered our first round from the female bartender and she forgot the orange juice. We ordered it a second time and it was much better and very refreshing.
However, I also ordered the Sangra Maria and it was not good... (and I am a huge bloody mary fan). The tomato flavor was very weak and all you could taste was salt and a little too much black pepper. No spice of actual peppers, no brine from the olives... nothing that really makes a bloody mary special.
I am glad we got to experience the trial of this new menu. The restaurant has some kinks to work out, but thank you Ligaya T for organizing a very fun event, (even if it involved a bit too much alcohol in the early afternoon)
Logistics: Overall, a bit of a cramped space for the amount of people, but it quickly became cozy. I know the buffet style was less work for the restaurant, but based on the portion sizes was not the best orchestration (for example, the beef and yuca hash that came out three servings at a time, took the most time to prepare and were gone instantly). It might have worked better had they been served family style at the tables instead. They ran out of plates and proper glasses several times and there was no consistency with the bartenders (will explain later)
We tried a little of everything starting with the sweet dishes and moving to savory.
- Homemade tropical Granola with Strauss yogurt: Great texture but was not brunch food. That's the sort of thing I eat at home on Wednesday mornings before work.
- Corn Waffle: Fluffy with a great persimmon cream, but I expected a heavier corn flavor from my waffle. Again, unimpressive.
Menudo: I hate menudo. That being said, I thought this was a stellar dish! A bit heavy on the black eyed peas, but the broth was flavorful and the tripe was perfectly sized and did not overpower the dish. Well seasoned, though perhaps not something I'd order for brunch unless I was really hung over.
Eggs Huarache: This was a dish that sounded promising with pumpkin, fresh mozzarella, sage, eggs, pancetta, etc. I tried it and thought the flavors were great, but I didn't know how you would serve it. It's a bit of an awkward dish that feels too complex to be a side dish and is certain not a main.
Beef and Yuca Hash: My favorite part of the meal. The hash was extremely flavorful with a perfectly cooked over easy egg.
Thought the brunch sample was a bit heavy on egg dishes and could have used a fruit side or some form of vegetable as balance (but I remember non-starch vegetables are not the strong point of Bocanova, even at dinner)
There were two specialty drinks available: The Elite (champagne, gin, orange juice and aperol) was great, but our bartenders were inconsistent. We ordered our first round from the female bartender and she forgot the orange juice. We ordered it a second time and it was much better and very refreshing.
However, I also ordered the Sangra Maria and it was not good... (and I am a huge bloody mary fan). The tomato flavor was very weak and all you could taste was salt and a little too much black pepper. No spice of actual peppers, no brine from the olives... nothing that really makes a bloody mary special.
I am glad we got to experience the trial of this new menu. The restaurant has some kinks to work out, but thank you Ligaya T for organizing a very fun event, (even if it involved a bit too much alcohol in the early afternoon)
10 Mark Ln
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-7152
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-7152
The Irish Bank Bar & Restaurant
Categories: Pubs, Irish
Neighborhoods: Nob Hill, Union Square
.This is my absolute favorite bar to stop at after work with a group of people. It has outdoor seating during nice weather and it has a decent sized indoor seating area as well, especially if you're ordering food.
We go in around 6 and start our evening with a round of Irish car bombs,. The bartenders are friendly, the mixed drinks are strong, and they have a nice selection of beers on tap. We order some cheesy chips and chicken wings (not hot wings sadly, just normal chicken wings) but the savory food more than takes us through the evenings. A pint of Magners, a pint of Smithwicks, a pint of Leffe.... we alternate what we drink throughout the evening and occasionally will order another around of car bombs.
Their food is a bit pricey, but it's solid and goes well with my Smithwicks or Boddingtons. We can drink at a relaxed pace and get away from the madness of work by walking only 2 blocks.
Their bathrooms are quite small, but I won't begrudge them that. Overall, it's a fantastic place to spend the evening and a favorite place of mine for Friday nights. See you there.
We go in around 6 and start our evening with a round of Irish car bombs,. The bartenders are friendly, the mixed drinks are strong, and they have a nice selection of beers on tap. We order some cheesy chips and chicken wings (not hot wings sadly, just normal chicken wings) but the savory food more than takes us through the evenings. A pint of Magners, a pint of Smithwicks, a pint of Leffe.... we alternate what we drink throughout the evening and occasionally will order another around of car bombs.
Their food is a bit pricey, but it's solid and goes well with my Smithwicks or Boddingtons. We can drink at a relaxed pace and get away from the madness of work by walking only 2 blocks.
Their bathrooms are quite small, but I won't begrudge them that. Overall, it's a fantastic place to spend the evening and a favorite place of mine for Friday nights. See you there.
655 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 409-0679
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 409-0679
Bar Crudo
Categories: Seafood, Live/Raw Food
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
The boy and I went to Bar Crudo last Saturday since we have both been wanting to try it for ages.I love sashimi but I get bored by Japanese flavor combos, so we were both very excited.
We were seated upstairs, which was not nearly as cramped as downstairs. It was cozy, but you still had room to have private conversation. We couldn't help but look over at the couple across from us who were like the dining dead they describe in Eternal Sunshine. Both were texting or checking email on their iphones instead of talking to each other... how sad.
The crudo sampler started with the scallop with micro greens and what was very much like a chickpea puree. The flavors with subtle and the textures were perfect together. After that they recommended we try the tombo tuna with lemongrass and siracha. That was probably one of the most delicious pieces of fish I've had in a while. It was extremely fresh and none of the flavors overtook the dish (which is difficult with siracha).
They followed this with a kampachi with hazlenuts and pears. It was sweet and salty at the same time, acting as a perfect following to the tuna. Finally we ended with the arctic char, which had horseradish and wasabi tobiako. It was one of the freshest pieces of fish I've had in a long time and the spice of real wasabi was also not overpowering.
We continued with the lobster, beet and burrata salad with watercress. Dear god please get that salad. It had giant pieces of lobster and they served golden beets with it. Everything was so fresh and the flavors were absolutely perfect together. This came with a very large bowl of mussels simmered in a Belgian beer sauce with scallions and bratwurst. This dish went splendidly with my pint of Rocket Red ale. The mussels were very large, very fresh and came in a huge portion.
We ended with a cup of the seafood chowder and that was the only thing neither of us were crazy about. For me, it was far too heavy and a cup would be great for about 4 people. It had a good flavor, but it's essentially bacon flavored cream that happens to include squid. If I hadn't enjoyed the rest of the meal and much as I did, I might have favored the soup more.
It was casual, but a fantastic evening. The service was attentive and we were very pleased with our first dishes. I will certainly go back, and I'll probably give them a higher rating if I switch out the soup for some oysters or crab instead :-)
We were seated upstairs, which was not nearly as cramped as downstairs. It was cozy, but you still had room to have private conversation. We couldn't help but look over at the couple across from us who were like the dining dead they describe in Eternal Sunshine. Both were texting or checking email on their iphones instead of talking to each other... how sad.
The crudo sampler started with the scallop with micro greens and what was very much like a chickpea puree. The flavors with subtle and the textures were perfect together. After that they recommended we try the tombo tuna with lemongrass and siracha. That was probably one of the most delicious pieces of fish I've had in a while. It was extremely fresh and none of the flavors overtook the dish (which is difficult with siracha).
They followed this with a kampachi with hazlenuts and pears. It was sweet and salty at the same time, acting as a perfect following to the tuna. Finally we ended with the arctic char, which had horseradish and wasabi tobiako. It was one of the freshest pieces of fish I've had in a long time and the spice of real wasabi was also not overpowering.
We continued with the lobster, beet and burrata salad with watercress. Dear god please get that salad. It had giant pieces of lobster and they served golden beets with it. Everything was so fresh and the flavors were absolutely perfect together. This came with a very large bowl of mussels simmered in a Belgian beer sauce with scallions and bratwurst. This dish went splendidly with my pint of Rocket Red ale. The mussels were very large, very fresh and came in a huge portion.
We ended with a cup of the seafood chowder and that was the only thing neither of us were crazy about. For me, it was far too heavy and a cup would be great for about 4 people. It had a good flavor, but it's essentially bacon flavored cream that happens to include squid. If I hadn't enjoyed the rest of the meal and much as I did, I might have favored the soup more.
It was casual, but a fantastic evening. The service was attentive and we were very pleased with our first dishes. I will certainly go back, and I'll probably give them a higher rating if I switch out the soup for some oysters or crab instead :-)
600 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 487-2600
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 487-2600
Tartine Bakery
Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Mission
I finally went to Tartine.
I arrived at 2 in the afternoon with no line and no empty tables. I ordered a gougere, a nonfat cafe au lait and a cup of apple bread pudding. The moment she asked "For here or to go?" a table for 2 outside opened.
Fortune was smiling on me on my sunny Saturday in the mission.
My cafe au lait was served extra hot for my outdoor table in a large bowl. My gougere was exactly how it's was supposed to be, though it retrospect I should have ordered a pain au jambon instead.
The bread pudding was mind blowing. It was sweet and creamy and had a slight rum taste. It made me want to give up a search for a meaningful relationship. It made me with I had bought the bowl sized bread pudding (which I will do, in the future).
The outside provided a great area for people watching and I did not feel rushed in the slightest. I felt like I could sit and enjoy my Saturday without hurry or purpose. Isn't that the purpose of Saturdays? Books and two hour lunches alone to reflect on life?
Perhaps the more I try, the more my rating for Tartine will increase. I will update when I have tried the morning bun, a tart and another bowl of bread pudding
I arrived at 2 in the afternoon with no line and no empty tables. I ordered a gougere, a nonfat cafe au lait and a cup of apple bread pudding. The moment she asked "For here or to go?" a table for 2 outside opened.
Fortune was smiling on me on my sunny Saturday in the mission.
My cafe au lait was served extra hot for my outdoor table in a large bowl. My gougere was exactly how it's was supposed to be, though it retrospect I should have ordered a pain au jambon instead.
The bread pudding was mind blowing. It was sweet and creamy and had a slight rum taste. It made me want to give up a search for a meaningful relationship. It made me with I had bought the bowl sized bread pudding (which I will do, in the future).
The outside provided a great area for people watching and I did not feel rushed in the slightest. I felt like I could sit and enjoy my Saturday without hurry or purpose. Isn't that the purpose of Saturdays? Books and two hour lunches alone to reflect on life?
Perhaps the more I try, the more my rating for Tartine will increase. I will update when I have tried the morning bun, a tart and another bowl of bread pudding
2025 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 647-2949
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 647-2949
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Category: Performing Arts
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
I've seen a few shows here but I most recently went to see Green Day's American Idiot. Although it was a little like Mama Mia for punk rock (no real plot and the music makes the show...) it was still fun to watch at the perfect venue for this type of show.
To start, it's accessible, close to bart, in the center of downtown and quite reasonably priced (especially if you're under 30). There aren't really bad seats because everything is tiered appropriately so you can always see the stage. Nice gift shop, helpful staff, and they'll even let you bring your drinks into the theatre.
We went to the courtyard for drinks before the show. They had special "American Idiot" themed cocktails. My friend had a "Whatshername" (absolut grapefruit, campari, pomegranate juice etc) and I had a Jesus of Suburbia "midori melon, skyy, tonic, a couple things I can't remember)
My drink was not good at all... her drink was fantastic. But they're not a bar so I'm not going to fault them (but $8 for a bad drink...)
The show was only 90 minutes, but catchy and well acted. The lighting, set design and use of media was FANTASTIC (though I wish I could say the same for the costumes). For what it was, it was a quality show.
It reminded me of being 16 all over again. The sex, the music, the apathy, the rebellion against life (everything except the drugs... I watched Requiem for a Dream one too many times...). It reminded me of who I used to be: I read Naomi Klein's "No Logo" multiple times, I wanted to be a culture jammer and write for AdBusters, and I even thought you could actually fuck the man.
The show was a bit pointless: no plot, no point, no resolution...but isn't that the point of youth anyway?
To start, it's accessible, close to bart, in the center of downtown and quite reasonably priced (especially if you're under 30). There aren't really bad seats because everything is tiered appropriately so you can always see the stage. Nice gift shop, helpful staff, and they'll even let you bring your drinks into the theatre.
We went to the courtyard for drinks before the show. They had special "American Idiot" themed cocktails. My friend had a "Whatshername" (absolut grapefruit, campari, pomegranate juice etc) and I had a Jesus of Suburbia "midori melon, skyy, tonic, a couple things I can't remember)
My drink was not good at all... her drink was fantastic. But they're not a bar so I'm not going to fault them (but $8 for a bad drink...)
The show was only 90 minutes, but catchy and well acted. The lighting, set design and use of media was FANTASTIC (though I wish I could say the same for the costumes). For what it was, it was a quality show.
It reminded me of being 16 all over again. The sex, the music, the apathy, the rebellion against life (everything except the drugs... I watched Requiem for a Dream one too many times...). It reminded me of who I used to be: I read Naomi Klein's "No Logo" multiple times, I wanted to be a culture jammer and write for AdBusters, and I even thought you could actually fuck the man.
The show was a bit pointless: no plot, no point, no resolution...but isn't that the point of youth anyway?
601 Vallejo St
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 392-6739
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 392-6739
Caffe Trieste
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
I realize I was a lot more high strung a year and a half ago when I wrote my first review.
I think my initial change occurred on my trip to England in May. For those who don't know, I have a strong aversion to mayonnaise and had to deal with the fact that it's on or comes with just about everything in the UK. I adapted and I've become a little less high strung since then.
The last time I went to Trieste, I threw a Yelp bitchfest about the lack of outlets, the lack of nonfat milk, the rude service, the poor quality pastries, etc.
But I've gone back several times and have come to the conclusion that the problem before was me, not the cafe.
There are few outlets in the shop, but it's a place that's more conducive to conversation and reading than computers. The pastries are poor, but apparently their savories are good (never tried them). They may not carry nonfat milk or soy, but the coffee is really good anyway. On top of that, they have the nihilistic history of Jack Kerouac and beat idealism as well as Gypsy-esque music every Wednesday.
They create an atmosphere. And if you look past the little things, you can appreciate this place for what it is. It's an old building with a lot of history and old ideals.
I normally order nonfat caps, but I went in this afternoon and ordered a double cap with presumably whole milk. It was rich, frothy, flavorful and exquisitely made. I took it to go and it was hot when I got back to the office to have my homemade blueberry lemon scone (which I made this morning).
It's not the best espresso I've ever had and it's not the best coffee house environment, but I like it in the evenings. I like the history and I can look past little things like soy milk now to appreciate the place for what it is. It feels like old North Beach and if you care that much about soy milk, go to a damn Starbucks or learn to bend a little from time to time.
I think my initial change occurred on my trip to England in May. For those who don't know, I have a strong aversion to mayonnaise and had to deal with the fact that it's on or comes with just about everything in the UK. I adapted and I've become a little less high strung since then.
The last time I went to Trieste, I threw a Yelp bitchfest about the lack of outlets, the lack of nonfat milk, the rude service, the poor quality pastries, etc.
But I've gone back several times and have come to the conclusion that the problem before was me, not the cafe.
There are few outlets in the shop, but it's a place that's more conducive to conversation and reading than computers. The pastries are poor, but apparently their savories are good (never tried them). They may not carry nonfat milk or soy, but the coffee is really good anyway. On top of that, they have the nihilistic history of Jack Kerouac and beat idealism as well as Gypsy-esque music every Wednesday.
They create an atmosphere. And if you look past the little things, you can appreciate this place for what it is. It's an old building with a lot of history and old ideals.
I normally order nonfat caps, but I went in this afternoon and ordered a double cap with presumably whole milk. It was rich, frothy, flavorful and exquisitely made. I took it to go and it was hot when I got back to the office to have my homemade blueberry lemon scone (which I made this morning).
It's not the best espresso I've ever had and it's not the best coffee house environment, but I like it in the evenings. I like the history and I can look past little things like soy milk now to appreciate the place for what it is. It feels like old North Beach and if you care that much about soy milk, go to a damn Starbucks or learn to bend a little from time to time.
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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7/2/2008
Ah Caffe Trieste... I was so excited to try this place for quite some time. Anyone who knows anything about the Beats and 1960s literature has heard the name "Trieste" as it was the meetingplace of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg (among others) to write on their ideas of change (or, rather, their nihilistic drug induced fantasies of how human nature never changed, a la On the Road and Big Sur). It's where Coppola wrote much of the screenplay for the Godfather. It has a lot of history.
So with all this history, I expected so much more from this North Beach hangout. The photos on the walls are fun and the patrons consist mainly of old men speaking Italian and young hipsters trying to blindly recapture the spirit of the Beat generaltion. But the atmosphere really is lacking. The tables are so close together that you are forced to almost be on top of your neighbor and strike up conversation. This may be excellent in the evenings or if you're a local in the neighborhood, but it is not preferable when all you want to do is read some Faulkner on your lunch break.
The pastries and not good and not fresh. I had an abismal strawberry rhubarb pie from the pastry cabinet (why oh why would I ever buy something from a pastry cabinet!) but it looked good and I wanted something sweet. It was overly sweet... not tart... and the crust was chewy (a sure sign that that pie has been in there longer than I want to know). At first i thought I should have gotten a pastry, but upon reading other reviews I see those are not good either. Perhaps abismal is a bit harsh since I ate the entire thing (but after paying $4 something for a pie that can only be described as "meh" I was sure as hell going to get my money worth)
There is free wi-fi, but there are a total of 4 outlets. I'm not joking, and I don't mean 4 sets for 2 plugs each. I mean a total of 4 outlets in one box along the north wall. Seriously? How the hell are you supposed to use a computer in here with so few plugs?
The coffee was good. I will give them that. The espresso is strong and flavorful, but they did not oblige my request for low foam NOR for extra hot. I want to sit and nurse this coffee my entire lunch break. I want it to be extra hot... not something that gets cold so quickly.
Additionally, THEY DO NOT CARRY NONFAT MILK. This is California... how can you not carry nonfat milk? That's like saying you don't carry soymilk or Decafe (though the decafe is not that odd, since most Northbeach coffee houses will laugh at you or look at you strangely if you ask for decafe)
I like the music and the coffee and the people. I want to like this place... but when you don't steam it extra hot and you can't make a nonfat cap... then I most likely will not return.
Oh Trieste, I wanted to like you. I really did. If I do return, I will be sneaking in outside food from Brioche Bakery http://www.yelp.c...
Treasure Island
San Francisco, CA 94199
San Francisco, CA 94199
Treasure Island Music Festival
Categories: Local Flavor, Music Venues
Every muscle in my body still hurts after a weekend at Treasure Island. I've been to Outsidelands and Coachella and I feel like TI was one of the better organized music festivals I've been to. I love the intimate feel of only two stages and not having two bands play simultaneously. I love being in the back of the crowd and still having a great view of the stage. I love that I never have to miss a band I would love to see because they're playing at the same time as another band. I love the view of the city and every aspect of this festival except for a few logistics.
I went to both Saturday and Sunday, which was a mistake in retrospect. I absolutely loved Passion Pit, MSTRKRFT and MGMT on Saturday (especially being basically front center for MSTRKRFT) even though I got decently bruised by a bunch of people trying to rave/mosh while shoulder to shoulder. They even closed with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and it was amazing to hear the entire crowd burst out with "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,for me,for me-" (extreme emphasis on the high note slide at me)
MGMT played their entire album all the way through followed by a few new songs. I was in front for them too, though I retrospect I probably should have left to go see Girltalk on the smaller stage, as I heard their show was fantastic.
There are quite a few cool art projects and vendors with free and sale items. The weather Saturday was absolutely beautiful and the view of the city was amazing. However, the line for the shuttle did take about an hour because we waited until the end of MGMT...
Sunday Beirut and Yo La Tengo stole the show for me. Flaming Lips put on as amazing a stage performance as ever and Decemberists are still the English major's band (especially when they play all of Hazards of Love all the way through). We made sure to leave 15 minutes early and only waited in line for shuttles for 10 minutes. Perhaps they increased their service, I don't know.
In retrospect, my body can't take two days of music festival, even if one day is significantly more mellow.
I went to both Saturday and Sunday, which was a mistake in retrospect. I absolutely loved Passion Pit, MSTRKRFT and MGMT on Saturday (especially being basically front center for MSTRKRFT) even though I got decently bruised by a bunch of people trying to rave/mosh while shoulder to shoulder. They even closed with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and it was amazing to hear the entire crowd burst out with "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,for me,for me-" (extreme emphasis on the high note slide at me)
MGMT played their entire album all the way through followed by a few new songs. I was in front for them too, though I retrospect I probably should have left to go see Girltalk on the smaller stage, as I heard their show was fantastic.
There are quite a few cool art projects and vendors with free and sale items. The weather Saturday was absolutely beautiful and the view of the city was amazing. However, the line for the shuttle did take about an hour because we waited until the end of MGMT...
Sunday Beirut and Yo La Tengo stole the show for me. Flaming Lips put on as amazing a stage performance as ever and Decemberists are still the English major's band (especially when they play all of Hazards of Love all the way through). We made sure to leave 15 minutes early and only waited in line for shuttles for 10 minutes. Perhaps they increased their service, I don't know.
In retrospect, my body can't take two days of music festival, even if one day is significantly more mellow.
1067 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 355-1734
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 355-1734
San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology
Categories: Hair Salons, Makeup Artists, Cosmetology Schools
Neighborhood: SOMA
I went in for an appointment this afternoon because my hair was in desperate need of a cut and Iv'e been trying to save money. I heard good things about the Paul Mitchell school, so I thought i'd go check them out.
Making an appointment was painless and I was seated right away for my 6pm appointment. My stylist is very considerate and did a fantastic job with my haircut. It's a bit longer in the back than I usually have my A-line bob, but I think it looks quite nice the length she made it.
So why the three stars, you ask?
Because my appointment didn't end until 8:20.
Even though the appointment was only $20 and even though they have me a very nice lavender mint wash/scalp massage, I still think my time is worth more than that. I don't have the money to spend $50 for a cut at my normal stylist, but she knows how I take my coffee, keeps the Economist as well as People and Glamor in her shop and a cut doesn't take almost two and a half hours. I can give her vague instructions like "short" and "sharp" and she knows how to take care of me.
This was a good experience. I may go back if this cut holds its shape well. However, I think I understand why I spend $50 at my other stylist...
Making an appointment was painless and I was seated right away for my 6pm appointment. My stylist is very considerate and did a fantastic job with my haircut. It's a bit longer in the back than I usually have my A-line bob, but I think it looks quite nice the length she made it.
So why the three stars, you ask?
Because my appointment didn't end until 8:20.
Even though the appointment was only $20 and even though they have me a very nice lavender mint wash/scalp massage, I still think my time is worth more than that. I don't have the money to spend $50 for a cut at my normal stylist, but she knows how I take my coffee, keeps the Economist as well as People and Glamor in her shop and a cut doesn't take almost two and a half hours. I can give her vague instructions like "short" and "sharp" and she knows how to take care of me.
This was a good experience. I may go back if this cut holds its shape well. However, I think I understand why I spend $50 at my other stylist...
668 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 558-8375
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 558-8375
Danny Coyle's
Categories: Pubs, Sports Bars
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Overall, this was not my favorite pub I've been to. It was clean and spacious inside, but it didn't have a lively pub atmosphere. It felt like a typical sports bar based on the number of TVs and the fact they were playing baseball, soccer and golf simultaneously.
I ended up at Danny Coyle's with some co-workers on friday night because we couldn't find a table at Bean Bag. We ended up getting a table here, at a place with decent lighting, fair bartenders and Journey playing on the electronic jukebox.
The place seemed like it had potential
I looked at the tabletop menus and ordered a pint of Magners but was informed after they opened a bottle that they didn't have it draft and the menu must have been a misprint. One of my friends got a cocktail, which was strong and well prepared. I probably should have ordered that instead, but oh well.
The crowd wasn't very big, but there was one obnoxiously loud older gentleman who probably wanted to kill himself when his baseball team lost. He was quite amusing to watch, but I didn't mind that we only stayed at Danny Coyle's for our first round.
It seems like a find neighborhood joint, but not a place I'd make the effort to go back to. Overall, a very "meh" experience.
I ended up at Danny Coyle's with some co-workers on friday night because we couldn't find a table at Bean Bag. We ended up getting a table here, at a place with decent lighting, fair bartenders and Journey playing on the electronic jukebox.
The place seemed like it had potential
I looked at the tabletop menus and ordered a pint of Magners but was informed after they opened a bottle that they didn't have it draft and the menu must have been a misprint. One of my friends got a cocktail, which was strong and well prepared. I probably should have ordered that instead, but oh well.
The crowd wasn't very big, but there was one obnoxiously loud older gentleman who probably wanted to kill himself when his baseball team lost. He was quite amusing to watch, but I didn't mind that we only stayed at Danny Coyle's for our first round.
It seems like a find neighborhood joint, but not a place I'd make the effort to go back to. Overall, a very "meh" experience.
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2 Events
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Holiday Brew Tasting
December 17 7:00 PM -
Sex: The Musical
February 12 8:00 PM
Yeah, that's the sort of night that led me and a group of 7 old high school friends to the Santa Cruz Diner.
They live a block away and we all decided to be a lazy as possible. They said the place was decent so I trusted their instincts. I then remembered that I always had much higher standards for food than they did, even when drunk or hungover (I know my McDonalds indiscretion may suggest otherwise, but I hope my fellow yelpers know better).
We were seated promptly and our orders also arrived in a speedy fashion. I ordered the California omelet (bacon, avacado, jack) that came with hashbrowns and either pancakes or toast as well as a coffee.
First thing that tipped me off to the probably quality of the food: the size of the menu. I try never to eat at a restaurant with a lengthy menu as it usually turns out to be lackluster since they are trying to do so many things to be good at any one thing (side note: they have pho on their menu... I shudder to think what that must be like).
My omelet came and though it was a good size and had a sizable amount of bacon, the eggs were very dense and rubbery. It had obviously been sitting on the heater while they waited for the rest of my food to arrive. The hashbrowns were the flat squared things, as though they'd been previously frozen and the pancakes lacked a true fluffiness. Worst of all, the avocado on my omelet was brown and bruised... they hadn't even attempted to make it look presentable.
The coffee was good. I will give them that.
The service was friendly enough but I really just can't get past that bruised avocado and rubbery eggs. Breakfast is one of the easiest meals of the day. It's very hard for me to give breakfast 5 stars but nearly impossible for me to give it 1. This, however, was a 1 star breakfast, even when a picky food snob is hungover...