Maggie "Loose Lips" Q.'s Profile

This is kind of a weird review where I have to talk a little bit about personal health here. Stick with me.

I went in for ear and throat swelling (like cold/flu symptoms) that would arrise every 6-8 weeks. So after seeing an allergist, and getting the all clear, I was recommended to see an ENT. I picked this place mostly because it was close to home and it was covered on my insurance.

The receptionist seemed irritated that I was a couple minutes late, even though I apologized for missing the turn in to the clinic. I waited in the waiting room for a half an hour past my appoinment time. When I finally got called back, the nurse was quiet at first, but when the doctor came in they started talking about another patient as she was taking my pulse. Worse yet, she seemed irritated by what the doctor asked her to do and left the room without saying a word to me and slamming the door as she left.

My time inside the office was less than 20 minutes. Although I had said I was tested for allergies, I was given allergy medication to try. Just in case. I didn't feel like I was listened to and that I was just getting pushed out of the office for some other issues.

I'm going some place else for a second opinion. Just in case.

My dog has been off of canned dog food and kibble for over six months now. It's like we have a completely different dog! She's lost weight and looks very trim and healthy. She's calmer! Her fur is all cleaned up and dandruff free. She actually sheds less. Her bathroom habits are a dream (if you dream about that sort of thing). I will never be going back to regular dog food. We give our dog about half ground meat (usually turkey or chicken) and half sweet potatoes, since we can't afford to do all meat. We also give her a teaspoon of fish oil for her coat. I have received so many compliments from vets and groomers as well as people in the park about how beautiful she is.

Woody's, the St. Paul location in particular, was awesome at helping us select and choose a diet that would be most beneficial for our dog as well as checking in and monitoring her health. The woman at this store always remembers us and when we bring our dog in, she is always talking about what our dog looked like before we changed her food. They are obviously very excited to see their food helping and improving the health and well being of dogs.

I recommend this food for all dog owners even if you don't think there are issues with your dog's food. I promise you will notice a difference if you make the transition. Best of all, the combination of meat and potatoes ends up being cheaper than the high quality kibble we were feeding our dog.

My BF took me here on a date night and seemed to fit what he had in mind. It's a cute little restaurant with three little rooms. I was surprised to learn they have a full bar and good drink list at that. I got their sangria and my BF got the gimlet (a gin drink). Both were very tasty, although I'm not a fan of gin. We got a bowl of olives and bruchetta for appetizers. They were so yummy! For dinner I got gnocchi with strips of ribeye. Oh my goodness. The gnocchi was so soft and the ribeye was extremely tender without being bloody all over the gnocchi. For dessert we got the tiramisu and had I not eaten so much before dessert, I would have destroyed it. Overall a pleasant atmosphere and good food!

So I got this coupon for a hot stone massage from Living Social. It was totally worth the money! I got an hour long massage as well as some help with other conditions I struggle with. Ruth knew exactly how to treat me and really worked to give me a "healing" massage. They specialize in massages for TMJ and craniosacral therapy (a massage therapy for people with mental/emotional stress). I received a sample of both of these treatments and it was wonderful! My massage was amazing and I felt so much better! The best part was that my massage actually went a half hour longer than it was supposed to and I got a coupon for next time. I will definitely be back!

So I'm a teacher. I always look for cheap books to buy my kids since they are usually destroyed and/or stolen. Most of the time I find them at library sales. But this week, I needed 11 copies of The Secret Life of Bees. This place had way more than I needed. I don't even know how they got that many, but it was amazing. And they were all the same edition. Hello, amazingness. I was able to also find an ACT prep book for $2 and a couple popular books in their clearance aisle for cheap. The thing I like about HPB is that they have a lot of textbooks and learning materials. I was able to find a teacher's guide for teaching English language learners that looks pretty awesome. There were more books, but I still need to eat this week. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because they offer a 10% discount for being a teacher and a 10% discount for selling to them. For some reason, the employees all think this is like the best deal ever. It always makes me smile inside.

I generally like B&N if for no other reason than it smells like new books. And there is usually a wide variety of magazines if I feel like reading one. Sometimes I like going here because they usually have most things, in a slightly unorganized fashion. I don't understand the logic in where they place genres.

I found out this store has a used books section. But, I then tried to return two because I found out one of the graphic novels I bought for my student library had frontal nudity (I thought the administration may have a problem with this) and they informed me while I was returning them that they do not take returns on used books. First of all, it doesn't say that anywhere on their receipt. Second, nobody told me as I was purchasing them. And there was no sign anywhere in the store to indicate all sales were final. And finally, it was $10 in used books. Seriously B&N?

I would prefer to give my money to local businesses who actually values me as a customer and can actually make specific recommendations rather than a bland Oprah BC recommendation. Maybe it is more expensive, but for some reason, it feels really generic and less specialized at B&N.

I like Umbria. Mainly because there are lots of noodles involved with garlic and bread. Aaaaand they deliver! It usually takes a while (at least 30 min -1 hour). But trust me, it is definitely worth the wait. The food is always super hot and amazingness in every sense of the word. I've never been inside, but the deliverers are really nice. They like my dog too. I hear they have good pizzas, but I always go for the pasta and cheesy bread. I get the cheese filled tortellini with half Alfredo and half red sauce. They always mix it together (which is why the place gets four stars instead of five) and put a thick layer of cheese on it and then bake it.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My bf always gets a build your own calzone. They are also wonderful (though I don't like the stuff he puts in it). I've had a taste of the crust and it was awesome!  If you live in Eagan, you should definitely order for delivery.

Their sandwiches are good, like every other Jimmy John's in the state. I almost always get the Pepe sandwich with French bread, Mellow Yellow, and on occasion, a chocolate chip cookie. I work at a school blocks away from here, and they deliver to my job, which is nice.

Here's why I cannot give it a higher score: it's because of the delivery. It is so spotty. One time I waited 45 minutes for a sandwich. 45 minutes. My lunch is only a half hour long. I've tried pre-ordering it for a certain time, still doesn't work. They show up a half hour early. I'm just so frustrated with this aspect. Sometimes I wonder if I'll actually get my lunch, or they will charge me, tell me they delivered it and that the office person ate it instead, just so they don't have to deliver it to me.

Okay, so here's the thing: It's a French restaurant. In Eagan. It's not old. It's not stereotypically French (which I like). I like the ultra modern vibe with brown woven chairs (wicker?), with the soft green cushions. There are plenty of couches and chairs to snuggle up in. I feel like this is how an actual modern day French place would look. It has some French-esque features to it, but not overwhelming like Mpls and STP restaurants.  They have a cozy fireplace and there was a group of older women playing the real mahjong, which to me, is impressive. They have a massive wine bar. Also, there is a computer for use if you don't have your own.

The thing that I like about this place is that they have a patio to sit in the summer. They very much welcome your dog there with water bowls and everything. When I was there in the summer, I had bruschetta; it was nummy. The New Age wine was delicious, especially for people who don't like wine. This time I got the mozzarella and tomato sandwich. They serve it hot and it was amazingness. I also got a chocolate chip cookie. It was surprisingly good. The manager who works there has so much energy and suggested great wine and food for us. I always like it here because they show you what everything looks like before you buy it and they have different daily specials everyday.

My co-workers and I go to this place frequently. They all love it here. I would prefer to never step foot in here again. I don't understand what I'm not seeing.

Good:
Decent happy hour specials

Bad:
On Fridays they have a free taco bar. Trust me, it's not as amazing as it sounds. Unless you only like unbearably spicy meat and only lettuce, cheese and sour cream on them.

Good:
A big menu and unlimited chips and salsa

Bad:
Their food makes me feel like I will have a heart attack. Think McDonald's in burrito form. Their entrees are too big for me and they don't really offer a ton of variety. Also their guacamole is not so great. It tastes like it comes from some distributing company who wanted to make "guacamole for non-Latino/as". I got the cheese nacho appetizer with chicken. There were 6 chips on the plate. I'm not joking. 6 chips.

Good:
Makes a good spot for large groups to meet

Bad:

Poor wait staff and seems extremely disorganized and inexperienced-and a bit crabby and inflexible

Good:
Close to work

Bad:
Close to work