lily "Miss Zein if you're nasty" z.'s Profile

I've read all the bad reviews and need to stick up for my Dr. Dean.

I've had unbelievably bad TMJ from my first round of orthodonture when I was 13. 23 years later, I can't believe I don't have to live in severe pain any more. I went everywhere - acupuncturists, massage therapists, other dentists, pain management studies at UCSF - nothing helped.

Sure, the idea of spending $6000 on braces at 33 seemed ridiculous at best - my teeth were straight. But finally i figured i had nothing to lose and I went for it and I'm so happy I did. The first year was spend moving my teeth outward with appliances and this last year I've had brackets to realign my bite. I'm still not 100% done but it's immeasurable how much my quality of life has improved.

On the dentistry side, she's incredibly gentle, especially with novacaine. I've been seeing her for 6 years now (as has my husband) and haven't had to have any unnecessary procedures. Just cleanings and one root planing.

Yes, she's expensive, and dammit, if you want to know what she's doing you have to ask her - she's not one of those dentists that tells you everything she's doing (thus, why she doesn't have children patients)  and sometimes it's a little disconcerting to have her rattle something off and then there are three dental assistants in your mouth doing god knows what...so you do need to speak up.

I love her staff too. they're all really pleasant and know their stuff. and they're really good about squeezing you in for emergencies or changing appointments on a dime.

I grew up on the east coast and am always on the prowl for full belly clams and a decent chowder.

This place is a transplant's dream...

I brought 6 people here last night for my 86 year old father's birthday party and was just hoping it would be good - no one had one complaint. The service was great - they were very attentive, and the food was delicious.

We had a wide range at the table - but the stars of the night were really the full-belly ipswich clams. There are a few places in SF that have them, but these were fresh and FAT. And the batter was perfect. The clam chowder was also to die for, but I'll give anything rave reviews if it has bacon in it...

The hot lobster roll was good, but a little dry. The homemade chips were pretty delicious - a much better alternative to french fries. We also had sea bass, tuna tartare, calamari, cherrystone clams and all were fresh and delicious.

The desserts were also pretty spectacular. The chocolate cupcake sundae was divine, as was the fresh strawberry cake.

My father commented how nice it was to sit in a restaurant where the table next to / behind you wasn't right on top of you. He was very pleased.

I've seen the bad reviews and a lot seem to be based on price. I'm sorry, but if I'm going to eat a plate of clams that were flown in fresh from the east coast within 24 hours of them being caught, I'm willing to pay the $20 for them and save myself the cost of the flight. And $20 for dinner in the bay area is not really expensive, unless you're comparing it to Chevy's...

Okay, so I'm lazy. The reason I started coming to Tru is that it's the closest spa to my house. But that was 5 years ago - so obviously there's gotta be something else.

And it's the masseuses. Every single massage I've had at Tru has been fantastic. And, again, I'm lazy. I always forget who I've had by the next time I book an appointment so I try someone new. And again, never disappointed.

But then I met CC. And now I will see no one else.

CC is strong, sensitive - talks if you want to talk, doesn't if you don't. I've had both the most detoxifying of deep tissue work with her and not been able to walk for a week after (but those are my favorite kind...) as well as the more relaxing ones where it was still deep, but just really got out the stress. I love that she can do whatever you ask - and she never skimps on time - even if I'm the one running late (within reason) she'll do my full 75 minute massage. She also really understands female muscle tension and my TMJ issues and always has a ton of suggestions afterwards (not upsell upgrade suggestions - which i hate, but more like anti-inflammatory creams to use or certain bath salts...)

As for the facials, I've had both good and not so good. Never bad - but definitely some where I felt like I just wasted the $.

However, if you go, you must join the Tru Club - they have great specials that I've never had a problem taking advantage of - even on weekends - and they also will take gift certificates from other salons and double the value!  That's just fantastic in my book.

The salon itself is always clean and the light therapy schtick is pretty cool, whether or not it works... I would love it if they had saunas or steam rooms, but the rainfall shower is all i get.

The only pet peeve I have about the place is that they have all these fantastic creams for sale out front but the vanity area is lacking - old cheap hairdryers, a cheap flat iron that i singed my hair on, and very little in the way of putting creams/lotions/etc. out for the clients. Maybe they always get stolen - who knows. But it could definitely help take them up a peg.

I've been going to Bayspring for, oh, 11 years now since my first HMO.  Been through 3 PCPs as the first two left for greener pastures, but have stayed because i just adore the one I was left with, Dr. Osman.  

There are definite pros and cons to this place, and I have tried to go elsewhere, but, of course, there's a 2 month waiting list to see anyone new.  So I still dutifully trek to Bayspring.

The main pros are Dr. Osman, who, while definitely on a schedule and you better get all your concerns out there right away, knows her stuff and isn't afraid to tell it like it is.  The other pro is Tara Reilly.  She's awesome, friendly, and really listens.  There are many good reviews of Tara on yelp and they're all true.  The other pro is that you will not have to wait for your appointment.  They've become nazis about time - so, while you should know not to be late, they won't (as many other doctors do) disrespect your time and have you waiting an hour.  EVER.

Cons:

The other doctors.  If you need a same day or same week appointment there's really no way to get who you want.  Some are rude.  Some don't listen.  Some will just tell you to go home and see if you still feel the same way in two weeks and come back. And the worst is, as mentioned in another review, the ones that will actually call in the wrong prescriptions.

When all you need is the same ones you've been taking renewed, how freaking hard is it to mess that up?  I went in for my yearly and Dr. Osman was on vacation and saw Dr. Tisi, who represcribed everything incorrectly, from mg amounts to just the wrong drugs in general.  and i didn't figure it out til i got home from walgreens, where they won't take prescriptions back in exchange (makes sense) but i certainly didn't need to pay for the wrong prescriptions.  Then i had to go back in just to have them all corrected.

Bottom line, it's a crap shoot...

when you walk into a bar and can't find your ID easily, it's nice when the bouncer recognizes that you're with people over 21 and that you're probably over 21.  It's not nice, however, when you say to the bouncer, as you're ruffling through your purse "oh believe me, i'm over 21" and the bouncer says back,

"uh, you're over 30".

okay, minus one star.

so we go into the bar.  filled with douchebags.  some with mohawks, some with tiny shiny tank tops.  Try to get a drink.  For a half an hour.  Apparently wasn't enough to stand there with money in hand, i would have had to crawl over my friend in the tiny shiny tank top and shout at the bartender.  

I guess i choose to not do that because i am, as you all know, over 30.

Go up to see my friend's band play - decent space, good sound, no bartender, so you must go downstairs to get the drink that takes 1/2 hour and then get back upstairs to the show.  Because of this separation, people supporting their friends' bands only go upstairs when their friends' bands are on - not very cool for any of the other people playing.

Did i mention the douchebags?

All in all, not a HORRIBLE place, but not someplace I'd go back to, ya know, ever.

Miller's has made my life complete.  I get my life in beautiful san francisco, but no longer do i have to scorn my new york tongue.  

I love the fact that every time i come here it takes me 20 minutes to figure out what i want to eat because i don't want to miss anything.  And then i leave sad and full because i might not have had the other 5 things i was craving on the way in. The choice is so important - what you'll get will be great and familiar, but what if you just could've slid down one more blintz???

So, the latkes are a little dry.  And so the chopped liver has a little too much thyme.  There could be worse things.  Like, it could be a noah's instead.

Wanna get punched in the face?  Traumatized for life?  then THIS, my friend, is the PERFECT cinematic environment for you.

Sure.  Call it my mistake for going to see the Hulk on opening weekend and expecting the crowd to be semi quiet.  Even call it my mistake for not walking out when the douche next to me and his girlfriend started chatting the second the credits started to roll and instead saying "Shhhhh".

But when you're just there for nostalgia and the big seats and some hot hulk action, the last thing you think is that you're going to get into a row brawl.  Sodas being thrown, me being bitch slapped in my seat by the guy that was talking to his girlfriend about NOTHING.  Screaming all over the place from the people around us...We all got pulled out by the cops who later told me to just drop any assault charges as all it would do is give said douchebag access to all my personal information so he could follow me to work.

WAY to install CONFIDENCE SFPD!!!

in any case, never been back.  wasn't really crazy about it to begin with, but did like those nice tall seats.  sigh.

I was hovering near the Yerba Buena Center for the Pretensious Arts one evening contemplating my next martini and why i didn't have one in my hand at that exact moment, when i ran into a group of women my husband knew from work.  

Sitting, I stared at one's stomach while trying to ignore the conversation and noticed she had on one of Kyra's buckles.  I was like "Oh!  You have a Kyra".

She was all like, "uh, no...THIS is a BOO-TEE BOO-TIQUE".

I'm like "yeah, Kyra. She makes great stuff.  where did you get it?"

"Well, she let me into her home!  We designed it together"

And it's true - Kyra will make your dreams come true, all in a 3x3 perfect package that you can jauntily hang above your hoo-hoo for all to see and admire.  I'm now trying to get her to make me a bustier completely out of buckles.  We'll see how that goes.

Two words: ovah rated.

I wanted so badly to like it - took years to actually plan enough to make a reservation, it was my husband's birthday, I've heard so many great things...but I thought it was mediocre at best.

Service - our server was obviously slammed, but the pacing was odd.  We never got cocktails (or the wine that we ordered) before the food, so we were constantly in a state of  "boy i wish i could enjoy this carpaccio with something besides water..." or saving 2 pieces of shaking beef desperately hoping to have some wine to enjoy with it. and that's one of those things that will drive me nuts.  Our server also had an issue with passive aggression when we questioned the wine (fizzy means bad in my book) so that made things a little uncomfortable.  I've never heard the word "effervescence" said with such undertones!

Food - eh, okay.  the carpaccio was so overloaded with lemon juice that i couldn't taste the sweet raw meat.

scallops.  Tasted like...scallops.  The sauce barely had any flavor.  scallops were cooked nicely, tho.

chicken in clay pot.  Tough and tasted a little off.

The desserts were fantastic - best part of the meal.  But to me, the upscale quality was only in the location and the look of the restaurant and the shmancy wine list.  There was nothing upscale to the flavor.  I'll go to a vietnamese dive any day and squirt on my chili sauce and be much happier.

this place is very good.  Pricey?  I don't know about that.  It's San Francisco for chrissakes.  Wanna save money?  go eat a latte.  I'll take the oxtail, please.

But on that note...food's a little rich.  drinks are a little, uh, okay they're REALLY good.  Best slightly dirty martini i've had in a while.

What I am over about the sf restaurant scene, and what i have to think about before coming here is, rubbing outer thighs with the people at the table next to me.  If I'm going to be ingesting copious amounts of rich animal fat, i'd like room to swell, please.  But I can't hold that against the alembic.  It's just tooooooo cooooool.