Chaviva "Hot for Teacher" G.'s Profile

For the love of Moses ... stop what you're doing and get in your car or on your bike or mount your horse and make your way as fast as humanly possible to Tiffins. In the middle of massive surgery? In labor? I. Don't. Care. This is one of those restaurants that commands your immediate attention. It's *that* good.

The boyfriend and I hit this joint up on a whim, after I searched Boulder on Yelp for some veggie restaurants with gluten-free options. When we pulled up to the strip-mall location and saw that Tiffins is wedged next to a Coldstone, I was hesitant. There were four people inside, and as I pulled in, I suggested perhaps we should go somewhere else. The boyfriend, of course, is much more persistent than I am.

We went in to the fairly sparse establishment, walked up to the counter, and were immediately engaged by the purveyor of the Southern Indian restaurant. My first question? What can I -- a glutard -- eat? He proceeded to check just about every single item on the menu as "okay." Things to avoid? "Pav" -- it means bun!

Not being incredibly familiar with Southern Indian cuisine (let's admit it -- we've all had Punjabi and Northern cuisine with oodles of curry), the owner explained just about everything to us, and we made our choices.

I went with the Cheese Masala Dosa -- a (ginormous) rice crepe stuffed with cheese and a spiced potato and onion sabji (vegetable mix). The boyfriend opted for the Pav Bhaji, sans pav (how sweet) -- Cabbage, cauliflower, and pea puree masala served with ... well, in this case they subbed some "idlis," which are this spongey lentil cakes that are unlike anything you've ever experienced. I also picked up a Mango Lassi and after the owner let us sample the desserts (both gluten free!), we decided to get what I believe was Shrikhund -- sweet saffron flavored strained yogurt.

So how was it? The Dosa was gigantic and delicious, and the spicy peanut sauce that came with it was outstanding. The soup was very, well, soupy, which I'm not usually a fan of (plus, are Indian soups usually thicker?), but then I remembered -- after looking at the boyfriend's soup -- that this is Southern cuisine, so things are different!

The idlis are just amazing. Imagine little spongey spaceships that are just the slightest bit sweet but perfect for sopping just about anything up. That's them. I want the recipe! And the dessert? Heaven. Just, unbelievable creamy Indian heaven.

And the best thing about the entire experience (I mean, the food was orgasmic to the point that the boyfriend ordered a bunch of food to go) was the management. I mean, here's a guy who checked in on us, gave the boyfriend some soup, let us try the desserts before ordering, and who stood and talked with us about the differences between Southern and Northern cuisine in Indian, not to mention the variety of vegetables that they, themselves, the owners of Tiffins, produce! A restaurant that is self-sustaining like that must be applauded.

Oh, and when he gave us a vine gourd and told us of his childhood picking them and salting them and eating them raw ... we were touched. And then? He gave us one to try! Imagine a cucumber crossed with a squash and be amazed. It was sooo good.

Now? I'm off to find an Indian grocer. I'm also off to Tiffins, again, tomorrow, because, well, I can't possibly get enough. It's made from the heart, with the soul, and it's authentic as anything I've ever experienced in the way of Indian food.

You might think I'm partial because my manfriend works here, but I pride myself on being without bias when it comes to coffee shops and reviews.

Mad Beans is wedged between the Wine Cafe and Mad Greens. When you walk into the location (which is across the plaza from the Art Museum), you can go right for salad and soup or to the left for some delicious coffee, pastries, wine, cheese, and -- my favorite thing -- games! Yes, there are about 20 copies of Scrabble, some Balderdash, and a variety of other games for your playing pleasure!

The coffee is Illy, and the baristas know how to make some delicious drinks. My personal favorite from this locale was a Caramel White Mocha (topped with some cute drizzled coffee art). It tasted beyond anything I've ever procured from Starbucks, without a doubt. There are gluten-free granola bars and plenty of pastries, too.

The ambiance is to die for, with a pillar decorated with wine bottles set in cement, comfy lounge-able chairs, plenty of light, and it's quiet  and cozy.

I can definitely recommend this as a different kind of coffee shop, and I made sure to suggest that the locale pick up some gluten-free beer (go New Planet!) for the booze bar.

I've got three words for you: Santa Hat Cookie. Make that five ... GLUTEN FREE Santa Hat Cookie!

I met my friend Dan here three days a few weeks back and all three weeks I partook in boatloads of coffee and, yes, you guessed it, cookies. I'm a sucker for gluten-free sweets, especially when they remind me of childhood favorites, and the simple nature of an iced and frosted sugar cookie was enough to make me giggle with joy. I mean, if you want childhood: eat a cookie.

I also had the simple breakfast meal one day, which, I'll be honest, was less than impressive. The potatoes were too small and overcooked and the eggs were less than stellar. I have to give mad props to the green chile, however, which was delicious. The salad, unfortunately, was more a garnish than a salad. Bummersauce.

I love the ambiance, the character of the ridiculously inspiring phrases in the women's bathroom, the light fixtures, and, of course, the servers. The clientele is so diverse -- hipster chic to soccer mom to biker-studded dudes. I feel like it's a microcosm of Denver, without a doubt.

So, after several visits, I'm sold. Yes, you can sit in the corner and work on your laptop for hours on end without being pushed out, but anything up to eight  hours might get your water jug taken away. Note this!

Overall? Definitely go here for drinks or coffee and dessert -- it's definitely worth it.

EDIT: Skip the salad and soup combo and go for pizza. The soup was subpar and the salad was super disappointing. If you're there for dinner -- PIZZA ALL THE WAY. The tapenade was an orgasm of Italian goodness in my mouth.

Sweet Vegetarian Vittles! I didn't expect Lincoln -- where I grew up -- to have vegetarian offerings, so I was elated to discover Maggie's. I dragged my little brother and his girlfriend to this restaurant in Lincoln's Haymarket for lunch today, and considering it was their first vegetarian experience, I think we all left absolutely thrilled and stuffed.

I opted for some kind of delicious Vegetarian Black Bean Casserole, which was layers of corn tortillas, black beans, some cheese, and a side salad. I also picked up a Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter muffin. The casserole was killer -- hearty and flavorful without feeling overwhelming (as black beans can), and the muffin was so rich and delicious, creamy with peanut butter and chock full of chocolate.

Also? I popped my Kombucha cherry!

My little brother and his girlfriend were pleased with their black bean burritos, and I assured them that being vegetarian doesn't always mean tofu.

The digs are bright and snug, with probably seven tables with chairs, a grab-your-own place for silverware and napkins, and some tubs to bus your cute plastic plates. It's a simple joint, but it gets the job done and for some reason, the ambiance makes you feel healthy while you're eating healthy.

Next time? I'll opt for something similarly mexilcious. I can't wait to go back!

Met SOOO many awesome people!

Are the pictures up?

Not gonna' lie: When I arrived here, I was in a shitty mood, and I remained in a shitty mood until the scalp massage, and then I was soooo sold.

I called the other location to make my appointment, and they set me up for a 6:45 with Dana and a post-cut with Laura for eyebrows. The gal on the phone asked if I'd been to the location before, I said no, and we went on our merry ways! So come 6:30 and I show up overly prompt to the 9th Street location only to have the girl be all like "Oops, our bad, they'll still have time for you!" So I got into my car and jetted over to the Broadway locale and was, as I mentioned, in a shitty mood. I got my hot tea, Dana came to get me, and bam, I was in the chair.

I explained -- in a very detailed manner -- exactly what I wanted. Imagine my surprise when, after a delicious scalp massage (seriously, I could have fallen asleep) and hair-washing/hand-massage combo, she did exactly what I asked. She cut my hair perfectly, perfectly in a way that it hasn't been cut for a long, long time. And my bangs? Beyond perfect. So I should mention that when I explained what I wanted in a detailed manner it was something along the lines of "You know, I want it cut, but not too short, and, you know, my bangs used to look like, you know, kind of like, you know?"

Bravo Dana!

And then came Laura and her mad eyebrow skills. Mind you, this was the second time -- in my entire life -- that I've had my eyebrows done professionally. I had a friend do some threading a few times, but the last time left me with some unpleasant skin stuff around my eyes, so I was hesitant, but she did an amazing job, and I was very comfortable with the entire experience.

Overall? I came pissed, I left on Cloud 9. Yes, I dropped a heavy chunk of cash that I spent four hours working to make today, but, well, it was worth it. Will I come back here every month? That depends. If I can manage a full-time gig, then I'll be back.

If you want top-notch service, go any time. Seriously, there are five million employees wandering around in seasonally fun red shirts, and you can always nab someone walking past you.

Want a Genius Bar appointment? Make it before you go! Otherwise, once you're there, you can use any of the laptops or iPads to schedule an appointment.

Want to make a purchase? Download the Apple Store app and you can buy your accessory or over-the-counter product from your iPhone or iPod Touch!

Want to hang out and check your mail? Do it.

This store is a little heavy on the male employees, but they're all friendly, super geeky, and willing to help you out in any way humanly possible. I've been to many an Apple store, and so far the dozen times I've been here so far have been outstanding.

I find myself struggling to write a review of a pet store, but I have to say that this particular PetSmart's employees are ... less than excited about their jobs and are not in the slightest bit friendly.

Yes, every time I go in someone asks me if I need help finding something, but it's usually as they're walking past me, which one would assume means "I'm only asking because I'm required, but seriously, please don't ask me anything."

The stock just seems confusingly thrown onto the shelves, and in certain places the stock is completely lacking.

I need to find a better store ... got a suggestion?

Sweet Skeeball!

I had the privilege of experiencing The 1up during an E-3 event in honor of the jazziest Jewish gathering (the The Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly), and I was instantly satisfied with the presence of 40s, arcade games, and ... wait for it ... giant Jenga!

I nabbed a hard cider from the bar (which, by the way, came out of an arcade machine turned booze machine) and got my skeeball on while waiting for an open table of giant Jenga, which luckily opened up super quickly.

And then, as a shorter Eminem look-alike came over and asked if he could join in the game, my buddy and I got started. If you thought Jenga at home was fun -- even if you have your *own* giant version -- it will never be as fun as it is with a 40 in your hand at a bar full of arcade games. Holy. Pacman.

The best thing about this bar? The variety of people. You had the guys who look like they haven't showered in months because of a need to maintain that high pinball score, and then there are the white-rapper lookalikes, and, of course, the groupie girls who just can't get enough of the XBox their boyfriend's playing at home so they're willing to follow him to a schwanky bar for some social time. It's just all around awesome.

Go and be blown away by Pacman, Mortal Kombat, skeeball, pinball and ... without a doubt ... giant Jenga.

I'm a bit of a coffee house snob, and nothing really compares to The Coffee House in Lincoln, Nebraska, for me, but Stella's comes very close in my book.

From the outside, it really doesn't look like much, but once you're inside and nab your coffee from the front room, you have the opportunity to wander through several other rooms to find a seat. There are a few small rooms, and one very large room, and when there's not someone there drilling on the door, it's got the vibe a coffee house should have.

Laptops abound, books and notebooks pepper the tables, and people are beyond busy at work. I'm guessing that the demographic was a mix of students and starving artist scholars, and I fall into that random category of "work-from-coffee-shop" types.

I've only had the run-of-the-mill coffee, but the offerings of milk types are outstanding and the atmosphere is killer. I'm eager for spring so I can catch the digs of the outdoors -- but there are a lot of smokers, so beware.