Susan "The Urban Muse" J.'s Profile

Maybe I should not have entrusted my wedding dress to them. I chose them because they're in a convenient location and I've never had a problem in the past, but this transaction made me very uncomfortable. They said they do dry clean wedding dresses but they'd have to get back to me on the price since it varies depending on the number of layers, embellishments, etc. "That's fine," I said. "Can you call me when you know how much it will cost and we'll go from there?"

A week goes by and I start to wonder if I'm going to need a new dress. I call them and they say they'll get back to me. This time, they did get back to me within a day or two and I agreed to pay $95 for the cleaning, since everything related to weddings is expensive. "How long does this usually take and will you call me when it's ready?"

They said it would take 10-14 days and assured me they'd call with an update. Two weeks go by and I haven't heard anything, so I call and ask for an update. It takes multiple tries because they didn't answer the phone and there's no voicemail but I finally reach someone, who tells me, "I'll get back to you with in an hour or two once I hear back from the cleaner." (I guess they don't do the actual dry cleaning on the premises.)

I don't hear back for several hours and I'm starting to get nervous so I call back that afternoon. She still doesn't have an update so I call the following day and get the same song and dance. I mention this to my future MIL over Thanksgiving and she tells me I need to call and ask to speak with a manager. Fortunately, I call back after Thanksgiving and am able to pick up the dress that day, but not being able to reach them for updates was EXTREMELY nerve-wracking for this bride-to-be. The cleaning itself was fine. Some of the beading was coming off, but I didn't buy the dress brand-new so that may have happened before I dropped it off, although I didn't notice it beforehand.

In short, they're fine for everyday use but I would hesitate to use Davis Square Cleaners again for important articles of clothing.

At first glance, everything seemed too pricey but I hung out while my friend tried on clothes and pretty soon my eyes gravitated to a rack of workout tops. $19 for a lululemon tank top? Yes please! The salesperson was super-friendly (not pushy) and suggested I try on a different lululemon top I hadn't seen, and I wound up loving the one she picked out even more than the original one.

We wanted a centrally located hotel that wasn't too expensive and Hotel Five completely blew us away with its bold modern decor and friendly service. The city views from our room at night were pretty incredible and we could walk to Pike Place Market and most other attractions.

Breakfast was not included but the trade-off was that instead of a few stale bagels and pastries, you get made-to-order omelettes, eggs, and other goodies (my fiancé raved about the skillet scramble) for around $10 per person. Our floor had just been renovated with an uber-stylish bathrooms, stenciled window shades, and funky paintings on the wall, but  (at least when we were there), if you ventured to the ice machine on the second floor, you could see the bland colors and generic paintings from when it was a Ramada (which we found funny rather than off-putting).

Now, given how inexpensive Hotel Five is compared to other hotels in the area, I really can't complain, but I was a teensy bit disappointed by the fitness room. It's tiny (as are most hotel fitness rooms) but the cross-trainer and treadmill don't have a ledge for holding a magazine or iPhone. It's a small thing, I know, but it made my workout a bit of bummer. Just adding one of those plastic book holders would have improved my experience, but overall, I'd highly recommend this hotel.

I wanted an alternative to the breakfast at our hotel, so I checked Yelp and saw that this place was nearby. There's not much seating (hence four stars instead of five), but the menu is extremely varied and the food is generously portioned and delicious.

My fiancé let me take the lead on picking out an engagement ring, so after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp, we checked out Leo Carroll and felt so confident in their expertise and selection that we didn't feel the need to shop around elsewhere. We got engaged while on vacation and, unfortunately, the first ring went missing. We looked at new rings on our trip but I didn't like anything as much as what I'd originally picked out at Leo Carroll (plus, the other rings were a lot more expensive). My fiancé called Leo Carroll the next day in a panic and they had a second (very similar) ring ready for him to pick up by the end of the week. They even stayed open a few extra minutes when he got caught in traffic. We would definitely recommend this place to our friends!

Met a friend for brunch and found it hard to choose since the menu looks so varied and delicious. Settled on the blur corn pancakes, which were a tasty mix of sweet and savory. If I lived in Seattle I'd definitely come back.

The main dining room gets a little stuffy but the back patio offers a little more privacy plus pleasant breezes. The sangria isn't too sweet and the happy hour prices are a good deal (tapas tend to add up quickly). We especially enjoyed the grilled veggie sliders and the toast topped with goat cheese and honey. If I lived nearby (we were visiting and I purchased a groupon) I'd definitely go back.

Cozy, rustic coffee shop with wifi and ample seating. Great place to relax with a book or laptop.

I bought vouchers from both KGB Deals and BuyWithMe. I knew the BWM deal was inexplicably cancelled but I'd already scheduled my cleaning through KGB Deals, so I'd hoped that the BWM thing was a fluke. Called the week before to confirm my appointment, which they confirmed, then I got my confirmation email two days in advance. Waited for two and a half hours on the day of my appointment and they never showed or even called to say they were running late. Called two different phone #s I had for them and both were apparently out of service. Emailed and never heard back. KBG Deals agreed to give me a refund but they offered no explanation of what had happened and I feel like they should been more proactive like BWM (surely they'd gotten other complaints, judging from the number of negative Yelp reviews). The Homework Crew appears to be a scam.

Thank you, Yelp, for introducing me to this gem!!

I'm a city girl who's only recently started driving again, so I'm a little intimidated by dealing with auto repairs and worrying that the guys will rip me off because they sense I know nothing about this stuff. But Mac's Auto Body put me completely at ease, explaining the scope of repairs in simple terms and offering a very reasonable quote (which turned out to be right on the money).

They did a very professional job on replacing the front grill and had the car good as new within a few hours. My only (minor) complaint is that they don't take credit cards, so have your checkbook ready.