Serena Y.'s Profile

Beware - they're scheduling system is really bad. I got confirmed onto the wait list, but then somebody else scheduled over me before I even showed up. I didn't even find out until I got to the class. Nor did I get an email about it or anything.

UPDATE:  I'm revising my review now that my dog has successfully come out of surgery.  Not only that, because now I've had experience with the actual doctors, who, as their reputation suggests, are quite good, as well as nice.  

My dachshund, Pumpkin, had to have emergency back surgery last Friday due to a herniated disc.  At first, I was really unhappy with this place - the attitude of the staff leaves A LOT to be desired.  However, the surgeons are great - they have a reputation for being the best - and they have been very helpful.  The first couple of days home, I must have called at least 2x a day, and they've taken the time to answer my endless questions, assure me of her progress, and even watch a video that I sent because I was worried.

I wanted to update this review because (1) I don't want to put off people and pets who need good, surgical care because of the bad attitude of the staff.  They are some of the best specialists, and do back surgeries 3 - 5 times a week, with great results.  And (2), I don't think it's fair that the poor behavior of the staff reflects on the doctors.  Dr. Mehl and especially Dr. Watt were fantastic, and super nice.  They gave me a lot of helpful advice during a very confusing and stressful time.

So - for the doctors and surgery itself, FIVE STARS.

However, I'm knocking off 1.5 stars because of the below.  Usually they'd be pretty big deals, but the success of the surgery trumps everything.  Just be forewarned:

- As mentioned above, the customer service is truly HORRENDOUS.  I got there about 5 am on Fri morning, and the ER doctor diagnosed the herniated disc right away.  At that point, Pumpkin was already paralyzed in her back hind legs, and we knew she needed a CT and surgery.  However, the nurse who was checking her in said that they couldn't even CALL the surgeon until they received payment from me.

I didn't have my checkbook, so I had to drive home and get it.  I asked if I could leave P at the hospital - I was willing to put down a deposit on my credit card - but that wasn't enough.  So I had to drive home with my 1/2 paralyzed dog on my lap, just so they would call the surgeon.  And her response?  "We're a private business, we need payment up front."

OK, I get that they need to be assured of payment, but it was cold and corporate - NOT what you want to hear when your baby is paralyzed!  Plus, she wouldn't even just check her in and keep her there when it was obviously dangerous to both my dog and me to race home and get the check.

When she finally was checked in and all, another dr called me at about 6:30 am and told me they'd done the blood tests and she was cleared for CT, and that they'd call me around 9 to let me know if she was heading in.  Come 9am, no call, so I called them.  Guess what?  The surgeon was just heading in!  No CT done, nothing.  The woman at the desk said, "Oh, well, it takes time, we still need to do her blood work", but I knew for a fact that they'd already done that!  Such bs, especially since that first, awful woman had made it seem like every minute that they didn't start the surgery, P's chances of permanent paralysis rose.

Thankfully, from that point on, I was dealing with the doctors themselves.  But I will say - the lack of compassion, excuses and bad communication made this 100x more stressful than it needed to be, at a time when parents need assurance.  I also had trouble trusting the doctors before she came out of surgery because I was worried that they would be as heartless as the staff.

- Regarding cost: Yes, they're expensive - my dog's surgery cost more than my friend's dachshund, and she only stayed in the hospital for 3 nights, not 10.  However, for me, I am willing to pay the price for good care, and at that time, I was not about to drive up to Santa Rosa just to shop around.  I would say that if your pet has a condition that is not immediate or acute, you can afford to get a 2nd opinion for sure.  

- The neurology nurse who discharged her was very, very nice.  However, the post op instructions that I was given was completely contrary to what both surgeons said to me after surgery, and in my check up today.  I had to call a couple of times just because of that.  It totally freaked me out because I was worried that things weren't going a certain way, and I almost didn't try working her legs because I was told no moving for 4 weeks.

TOTAL: 3.5 stars

Great cocktails, mediocre and overpriced food.  We basically had a bland ham pâté, boiled duck hearts (it was better with whatever spread they put on scraped off) and ribs and meatballs that I could have gotten in Chinatown for $5 total.  Oh and the only have fancy beer, none of which I liked or wanted to pay $8.50 for.  Our bill came out to $50 a piece.  Thank goodness we only went for happy hour.

Too bad - the space is really gorgeous, and they seem to have a great wine selection.  If they got a better chef, they'd be golden.

Elena is fantastic!  She has a lot of knowledge about ayurvedic principles of the body, and takes the time to explain them to the novice.  I've read those magazine articles that picks which one you are, and was actually completely off base once she did my evaluation.

Best of all, Elena sees her practices as health coaching, not just recommending some herbs and food based on your type. She really focuses on helping you change lifestyle habits - one reasonable step at a time - so that they'll stick.  A great resource if you are looking for an Ayurvedic practitioner!

Marty is AMAZING!!  Best massage I've ever had.  I am super tense - my neck and shoulders are like rocks - and he's the only one who can go deep enough to alleviate the tension.  He's also got such a rich background of different styles that he can really blend something to suit your needs.

Plus, his prices are totally reasonable, and he is a super nice guy to boot!

Highly, highly recommended!

I loooooove Bund Shanghai, especially since there are few and far between options for non-Cantonese Chinese food in the Bay Area (outside if Cupertino).  I am from Taiwan, but my grandparents were originally from shanghai, and Bund truly has food that tastes like home.

Let me just say that I almost NEVER eat Chinese food because it's usually nowhere as good as authentic, home cooked meals by mom.

I think the trick is that you have to know what to order, since their menus aren't terribly descriptive.  It also helps if you speak Chinese.  Some super good dishes are:

- Courtesan Chicken Wings
- Fish in Wine Sauce
- Shanghai Style Shrimp
- Shrimp with Egg and Chives
- Chinese Squash with Small Dried Shrimp
- Shanghai Style Chicken
- Kao Fu
- Stir Fried Spinach and Bamboo
- Bamboo with Pork and Chinese Spinach
- Any of the stir fried rice cakes
- Cucumber Salad

I love that they have "street style" snacks. I haven't tried them all yet, but I'm just excited that they have them!

There are a few things I didn't love:
- Eggplant with Garlic Sauce - too saucy
- Lions Head Meatballs - too much anise (but I don't really like anise, so you might like it if you do)
- Braised Carp - a little too fishy for me

But overall, there's always something delicious that makes up for it.

I don't know about the dining experience, since I've only gotten delivery, but theyre pretty fast at getting your food to you, packaged nicely so it doesn't spill all over your bag.  Also, I've asked them a few times to dial down the oil and salt, and they totally accommodated.

Highly recommended.  Might not be for everyone, but I'd give it a try, especially if you are a homesick Taiwanese/Shanghainese, or looking to try something different from the Kung Paos of the world.

Michaels is still my go-to place for beading supplies, even though the inventory is limited and predictable.  It has the advantage of having other craft items there, and when items are on sale it can be quite inexpensive.  I wish there was more stock though.

Meh.  Large, but crowded and disorganized.  And the beads were on the cheap side, quality wise.  Maybe good if you're looking for party beads, but not for serious jewelers.

Easily my favorite bead store in SF - if not ever!  The place is packed with gems - pun intended - and has a very nice, wide selection.  Prices are reasonable.  But what I love most is that it is amazingly organized, given the selection that they have.  It must take them forever to keep it so neat!

Some guy was getting a Feng Shui reading in there while I was shopping, which I found entertaining.  Since I'm a feng shui fan myself, that gets an extra star!

This store certainly has character.  The little space is filled with beads and beads and beads and beads - everywhere!  I think that the beads secretly mate and make more beads.  There is every possible kind of bead in there, and the quality varies, like the prices.

If you go, be prepared to be there a looooong time.  Not only does it take forever to go through the selection, but once you select them, the owner manually finds the bead in one of 1000 boxes/baggies.  Since Herman is probably like 110 years old, this can take a while :-)

I personally liked it and found it charming.  But it's certainly not for the impatient.  Plus, the place is pretty disorganized, so I can see how it could be overwhelming.  To me, it was like a treasure hunt, but if you want a quick trip in and out, I'd skip this place.