Tina E.'s Profile

Ummm. I don't think I missed this listing when I wrote my "first review" on the other Blue Dot yelp page. Dagnabit. Since this seems to now be the official page, here is a repeat of what I said. With one addition:

Molly cake is an amazing fruity vegan bread that was the perfect little breakfast on a Sunday morning, And I purchased a regular drip coffee which I am happy to report was perfect.

"I am so excited that the Blue Dot is finally open, and I am now savoring a slice of their homemade lemon bread and cappuccino.

Yesterday evening I spotted the brown paper finally down off the windows and the tables festooned with flowers. Today, I went in with my arms flailing and hip hip hooraying. The sandwiches, breakfast offerings, and the baked goods looked amazing. The owner and staff politely introduced themselves and hopefully weren't taken aback by my zealous entrance. I haven't thrown my arms in the air like that since  gained back my CA residence at the DMV last fall. My excitement over a good cup of coffee often reaches the heights of my elation over this fine state.

The sign outside has said "coming soon" for several months now, and I am now sure it was worth the wait. With the cafe only steps away, the blue dot will be my spot. You might find me stopped in a flurry, on my way to work. Or I might need a coffee to get re-energized for an afternoon of painting or gardening on my days off. I might need to relax on a lazy weekend over breakfast with my husband Don and my favorite cafe explorer, Michelle M. or a host of other innocent passersby.

Alameda continues to be full of little surprises. It is a splendid island that I am happy to call home."

Millennium has been around since the days of yesteryear, before civic center got all dolled up and before the tenderloin bordered on trendy. I remember it as the site of dreamy menus that I would have to save up weeks and weeks to enjoy. It was the magical place that I could order anything off the menu and be offered something new and exciting. It wasn't the old school veggie fare of the Moosewood era.

I went here for the first time since being back in the bay area. My husband Don treated me to a birthday dinner. I had the melon margarita and he had beer from his home state of Maine. We shared the apple salad which had cabbage and seaweed and an enticing name I can't remember. I had the tamale and he had the roulade. Then we split the chocolate zucchini cake.

Our server was friendly and we met a nice couple from FL with whom we shared restaurant suggestions. The new atmosphere is classy and comfortable. I just had a petty fixation with the burlap and rope light decorations ("fixtures"). I know that that was my own issue, but in moments of silence I felt myself reaching to pull down the potato sack like decor. I refrained.

Thanks Millennium for still being there for a special night out and for keeping your menu current. I will come back soon.

This farmers market, the Tuesday version, has allowed me many pleasant lunch breaks. A Donna's tamale is always a welcome meal enjoyed at the picnic style tables located just behind the bustle of activity. After sustenance is had, the produce shopping follows. Free samples of various fruits, nuts and vegetables abound.  I am usually inspired to buy vegetables I have never tried.

Last week I bought fava beans for the very first time. There was a bit of a learning curve while cooking them but I finally realized I needed to take off not only the exterior pod but also the shell of the bean itself. But all was a success.

A few months back I fell in love with leeks and bought them on every visit. Also the small heirloom tomatoes are a favorite cooked on our outdoor grill with those lovely little potatoes.

And if you can't yet get up the stamina to head back to the office, Blue Bottle is there to offer you a lovely cup of joe.

Strangely enough I have not made it here on a Sat, when the market is three times the size of Tuesday. But I am sure it is a site to behold full of bountiful treasures.

This was my first night out to dinner since the exodus of my gallbladder. It was a welcome back to the world of food containing oil. I dip dip dipped the bread in the olive oil balsamic mixture and ate it freely. I ordered a celebratory glass of wine and was even offered a free glass if the one suggested was not to my liking.

My entree was gnocchi with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and white bean sauce. It was excellent. Don enjoyed a nice piece of fish with a side of roasted vegetables and potato. He ordered a porter which I tried and liked (I normally hate beer).

I asked to take my left overs to go and forgot them. Worried they were tossed with the table cleaning, we went back. They saw me coming and double wrapped my little box of cherished pasta.

I don't want to imply that my enjoyment of Asena was only due to my reclaimed freedom eat what I want. It was more than that. Unlike some places in town, it was not lost in time or in meat heavy oversized portions. It was pleasant and the food was good. Plus there was enough variety to keep me coming back.

Man. How could I not have reviewed Big Longs? This is my one of my favorite gardening stores. What? Gardening? Longs? Yes Gardening! The selections are huge. The plants are in wonderful shape. The tools, potting soil, fertilizers, are great. The indoor plants and ceramic pots are fabulous.

What else is in the store? I am not really sure. I have never gotten past the plants and gardening supplies. The staff is so helpful and friendly. One gentleman turned my serious concern for dry soil into a light hearted expedition into the world of compost. A nice woman turned an unmarked ceramic pot into an instant bargain. The proactive checkout gal added an additional discount by pointing out the coupon book. Another staff person loaded six bags of compost into my car. I loaded in  8 new plants for my back yard. This is a typical visit.

Sure you can go to the other Longs to get your toiletries and whatnot, but this one is different, a jewel on the hill. I have even taken the 51 bus  home with plants and garden tools in tow.

If your thumb is only a minor shade of green, hop on over and check it out. I guarantee you will leave inspired and ready to play in the dirt, or at least a small bag of potting soil.

I visited Frogs Leap one week ago today and now I am having separation anxiety. It is wonderful and welcoming, what a winery should be after all.

We took a day trip to Napa and my pal Dana had this on the top of her list. We didn't have a tour scheduled or a tasting, but no bother, we did both anyway. A nice young woman greeted us with wine in hand. A cat lounged freely in a chair in the welcome area. Smiling visitors sported garden hats and fresh pours.  

We were encouraged to take a self guided tour of the gardens, check out the barn, visit the chickens. But first I bought myself one of the cool gardening hats they had for sale, a reasonable $20. Off to the garden I went dreaming of what my own could be.(Because of the Frogs Leap inspiration, I added organic compost to the soil this week)

After my cohorts enjoyed their free wine and a rest on the porch, they joined me for picture taking among the flowers. The staff were working hard pruning plants, giving tours, picking cherries, making wine. I sometimes have a tendency to walk off the designated paths and no one stopped me, so I felt at home.

As we decided to make moves down the road we were offered fresh picked cherries. "Take a bag if you like"  We were also  given the list of open and friendly picnic areas. Lets just say it was hard to leave. I imagine, if we had actually made an appointment it would have been even better.

If you are looking for a genuinely pleasant Napa Valley experience, then Frogs Leap is bounds beyond the rest.

On my days off you can find me in the back yard or in this nursery trying to talk myself out of spending my whole paycheck. On my last visit, I decided the best way was to only buy what I could carry. This just means more frequent visits.

I spent years on the east coast trying to garden in a small window box that frequently met its demise under the soot filled air. So to have a yard to play in is a dream come true. And the dirt is now filled with flowers from this nursery.

On a recent visit I reluctantly, and with question, repeated to one of the gardeners what I had heard on a TV garden show. "Don't just buy what you like. You must have a plan for the garden." I shared that I simply buy what looks good to me. At first he said " You really should have a plan or you could end up spending a lot of money" Then he paused to correct himself. "Hey, if it makes you happy, then you should just do what you want."

I am not a technical gardener and have failed to learn the names of all the plants that I have purchased. I try to buy perennials and things that like full sun, because my yard is dry. I plant the flowers, water and wait for them to grow. So far, I am very pleased. The quality of the plants at Encinal nursery is high, improving the quality of my garden and thus improving the quality of my life.

A friend recently brought Trouble to our attention so we made a trek to the end of the N Judah line to try it. I remember the old days of riding the line down to the beach and making a stop at Java Beach Cafe. Back then, it was the only place to get a bite and some joe before or after playing in the sand.

Now there is a new community of young interesting businesses in the neighborhood. Trouble, like some of its coffee compatriots, is housed in a very small storefront and has a funky home grown feel. The walls are covered with interesting objects and found photos. My eyes stayed busy as I waited for my coffee to be served.

The staff was friendly and humble. A few people came in as we waited and there was a healthy rapport and familiarity. It felt like a nice place to be. And if it were in my neighborhood I would find myself being a regular. Oh. I guess I should mention the coffee. It was nice smooth and satisfying. My husband really liked his Mocha as well.

One thing about this neighborhood that I noticed, is all the boys had their jeans rolled up in a clumsy sort of way. I thought it was a little mini fashion trend, but now it dawns on me that when you are at the beach, you have to roll up your pants or you end up soggy. Boy, sometimes I think I spent too much time in the "big city" that I think everyone is trying to hard, when some are just simply being. And so too is Trouble.

Sometimes writing a review on yelp is like walking the streets of New York , bumping into hundreds of others as you make your way through the busy streets. And I ask myself, what I might offer to a place with already 444 reviews. Probably not a whole lot. However that doesn't mean that my experience there was any less, or diluted by the masses. New York taught me to elbow through.

Well who needs New York pizza when you have the likes of Delfina and Gialina in the offerings? I sure don't. The small scale might make you feel like you are visiting the "big city", minus the attitude. Just write your name on the chalk board, hang under the heat lamps and wait a short bit for a worthwhile meal.

I am sure you can peruse the other reviews to see the offerings. What I will tell you is that I like it, and although not a real review, it is what the left over New Yorker in me has to offer. Thankfully I do not miss New York at all. I love the bay area and I love its wonderful food and I love Delfina. I think you will love it too.

Ici has become a fairly regular weekend field trip with a couple of my favorite yelpers. Last time I lived in the bay, we thrived on Ben and Jerry's, Double Rainbow and Tea ice cream. We sometimes mixed it up with a trip to North Beach for some gelato.

These days ice cream has gone the way of gourmet coffee and the cupcakes that took over New York. This is not a bad thing. It is delightful in fact. What it means is the boutique bakeries, coffee shops and ice creameries have to work that much harder to please the more flavor savvy clientle.

Ici offers up some unusual and sometimes subtle flavors. The cones are homemade and allow the last bite to be a soft bit of chocolate goodness. This last visit I had the chocolate almond and the pistachio black pepper. My favorite has been the lemon ginger. The flavors change up enough that you have to visit often to try new things and to remember what you savored on your last visit.

Don't be afraid to taste what you want. The staff is sweet and accommodating to ice cream enthusiasts. I am always impressed with the attention to the signage, always enticing one to gaze longingly at all the glorious flavor names. And If I could have chosen a more fanciful font to write this review, I would have.