Gina "The Second Fiddle" V.'s Profile

The prices are the lowest you'll find and the service is very friendly. You won't find one-hour or even same-day service, but if you're looking for a cheap run-of-the-mill dry cleaners, I highly recommend this place.

Most items are $3.50 to dry clean, and the organic option is close to the price you would pay elsewhere.

They are closed on Saturday, but open on Sunday, which I find more convenient for running errands. They also have an after hours drop, which is a lifesaver.

I have a habit of leaving clothes there for weeks on end and have yet to lose an item.

This place gives new meaning to the words 'cold' and 'sterile', and I'm not referring to the facility. I have been here on three different occasions and all three times I felt like I was being ushered through a medical assembly line.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, but don't count on getting much personalized attention. They like to 'prescribe' over the counter treatments and tell you to follow up with your primary care physician. Case in point: I went in with a kidney stone and they told me to take extra strength Tylenol.

Star's Cafe is my go to place for vegetarian takeout on the west side of town. My biggest complaint is that it's not Jerusalem Garden, but they're close to my house and have parking, which counts for something.

The service is always friendly and fast. You can ask for substitutes and add-ons without getting the stink eye. I'm always coming up with choose-your-own-adventure sandwiches and they never charge me extra.

Best Mediterranean food in Ann Arbor, hands down. The lentil soup and falafel are to die for.

The ambiance is lacking, at best. Sure, it's has "character", but so does the alley next to the Michigan Theater. Outdoor seating is nice in the summer, if you can grab it, but the space inside is really cramped and it's always freezing. The bathroom is best described as the closest thing to an indoor port-a-potty (on a good day).

Despite the atmosphere, I still considered giving this place a five star rating because the food really is that good.

Exceptionally friendly staff who also happen to be exceptionally attractive. Good thing they only carry expensive stuff or I would probably end up shopper stalking their manager.

I went in looking for a good fall fleece to keep me warm waiting at the bus stop. They really knew their products and could easily list off pros and cons. Plus, they played fun music and made me laugh.

Granted, I'm no lumberjill, so I can't comment on the selection of professional equipment, but I would definitely shop here again.

Common folk beware... this place is ripe with opportunity for committing social faux paus. But don't worry because you won't find yourself here by accident - you have to be or know a member of the DAC to make a reservation.

I had a hard time picking a rating for this place because it's just not my scene. I can appreciate the history of the building and the club, but any restaurant that serves an amuse bouche and segregates people based on dress code makes me feel pompous by association (not to mention inadequate due to my lack of skeet shooting experience).

To add to the awkwardness, the host greeted my friend and I as "The Allinghams" and I had to resist the temptation to flash my empty ring finger and call him out on his sexist assumption.

The food was okay but nothing to rave about.

The five star rating for this nail salon is based on my historically low expectations of nail salons. Quick and dirty is about par for the course for strip mall nail salons.

Bebe's may give a fast pedicure, but this place is incredibly clean with an atmosphere that makes you feel like you could actually be in a legitimate salon. Also, they have pretty decent ventilation so you don't have to worry about taking years off your life just from walking in the door.

If you're feeling lazy and want to pay someone else to deal with the mess below your ankles while pretending to enjoy a mechanical chair massage then this is your perfect oasis. At least you don't have to worry about them using dirty tools, and you can count on at least 15 seconds of hot stone massage. That's right, seconds. Did I mention that they're fast?

Note: I realized from observation that they only put latex gloves on to do pedicures for certain people. This is how you'll know if it's been too long since your last pit stop. Don't be that guy/girl or you'll have to accept the fact that people like me will be silently judging you.

A lil' something extra: http://www.youtube.com...

Repeat after me: "I'd like that to go"

If you don't speak up, rest assured you will be handed a giant bowl of coffee. The surface area is huge, which means your coffee will be cold before you finish half of it. Also, I'm not sure I trust the dish washing process at a place that rarely stocks hand soap in the bathroom. Last time I was there they were using an old ketchup bottle labeled 'detergent' that was filled with what appeared to be watered down dish soap. (You can't make this stuff up)

Sure using a paper cup with a lid is not environmentally responsible (and may very well get you a few glares from the tree-hugging regulars), but trust me on this one.

Coffee and tea taste pretty much the same everywhere to me, so I couldn't tell you how it stacks up against competitors. Plan on fighting for a decent seat and make sure your laptop battery is fully charged - outlets are a precious commodity.

You may also want to bring headphones if you're planning on working or studying during the daytime. On several occasions I have had to dart disapproving stares in the direction of parents toting unruly kids and crying infants. Not sure why anyone would bring a child to a coffee shop, but they do and it's obnoxious.

Despite all of the things I hate about this place, you'll still find me there on the weekends catching up on work and blogging. Why? Because there is something uniquely Ann Arbor about this place and it just feels like home. Call me earthy crunchy, but supporting local business is important to me, even if that means carrying my own hand sanitizer. Show owner comment »

Disclaimer: We kicked the night off with a 2003 bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet, which may have positively skewed this review.

I have come here twice before and walked out due to a wait of an hour plus. I now understand why there is always a line.

The atmosphere is a mix of cozy and classy - great for dates or in my case a night out with your parents. The food was pretty good, but the real gem of the menu is the dessert section.

I nearly had a When-Harry-Met-Sally moment over the warm carrot cake, and I consider myself to be a carrot cake snob. I'm not sure there is a more perfect version of a vegetable infused with butter, sugar, and cream cheese. The chocolate cake? Almost as good (which is saying a lot).

I say skip dinner, sit at the bar (chat up Dave the bartender - he's fab and not a creeper) and work up a good buzz on wine and dessert.

Atmosphere: 5 Stars
Service: 1 Star

Great lounge-y environment for wasting a few hours of your life. Plenty of comfy chairs (though any public upholstery is always suspect) and lots of space to spread out.

However, the point of chain coffee shops is to ensure that your coffee tastes the same everywhere. Mission: failed.

I ordered a grande soy latte and stood by the pickup counter waiting as I watched the guy who ordered after me get his no-foam latte. Apparently there was a foam situation, which they addressed before acknowledging my impatient loitering.

She asks me what I ordered and I repeat it. She offers the other man an extra shot of espresso and continues multitasking. Upon handing me the cup she says, "Oh, wait, there might be three shots in here. I'm not sure where I put that extra shot. Is that okay?"

No. No, it is not okay. I mean, if you're not sure whether or not you put an extra shot in my coffee, what else might you have misplaced in there? Also, who needs three shots of espresso? I do plan on sleeping again before I die.

"How about I make it a Venti?"

How about you make me a grande soy latte?

I realize that everyone has a bad day every now and then. I just don't want your bad day mysteriously landing in my coffee cup. Don't offer me something that may or may not be a lethal dose of caffeine. Simply apologize for the wait and remake it.