Carrie B.'s Profile

For takeout, this place is pretty decent. Value-wise it was the higher end of middle of the road. The spicy salmon roll was fresh-tasting but "just okay". The inari piece that I had was very delicious. The young lady working the register was kind and enthusiastic. However, they did not have any takeout menus to give out and the gentlemen behind the counter and other employees didn't acknowledge me being there (only 2 other tables full in the place, so it wasn't a rush). I'm not in a rush to go back.

Melissa, our group's self appointed "entertainment coordinator", suggested that we have a fun group activity one week in lieu of our Bible study. Luckily Painting With a Twist was suggested and even luckier for me... The nearest location is just a mile down the road from my house!  

I had always wondered exactly what was behind the idea and I was honestly scared for the place when it opened on West 9 Mile Road in Ferndale. I figured it would be gone in six months, but I was definitely wrong. The idea is simple: Get a group of people together, choose a painting to recreate, add snacks and "BYOB" wine and beverages, mix it all together, and voila!

Our group chose to do "Moonlit Cherry Blossoms" (or something to that effect), which was a good "beginner" painting. They look sort of complicated at first, but the way that our leader, Wendy, broke it down, the painting was actually a snap. Complete with bedazzled apron, Wendy was our homegrown "Bob Ross" and walked us through each step of the painting. I have painted for many years, so it was easier for me than for some. However, everyone people really owned their painting and made each "masterpiece" their own, from changing up the colors (the original was a pinky-purple) to changing the placement of the branches, etc. I was impressed at how well everyone did.

The wine was "BYOW," but you can bring just about anything you like. They provide some tiny snacks and silverware. I brought some dessert to contribute. Others brought wine, non-alcohol beverages, cookies, cheeses, cured sausage, etc. I wouldn't eat a full-on meal, but I'm sure you could probably pull off a pot luck!  The rule was if you took yourself too seriously, you're supposed to take another sip of wine and reevaluate. (Wink.)

Overall I really have to say that the Ferndale Painting With a Twist has their stuff together! I would absolutely book a private party (minimum 10, prepaid individually or as a group online or in person) or take a couple friends to an open paint session. For Michigan folks, there are two locations, Ferndale and Farmington. Even if you don't have an "artistic bone in your body," you can still make a painting you'd be happy to hang in your house.

I really appreciate The Pampered Pooch. They are in Royal Oak and do a very nice, thorough job at a ridiculously reasonable price. As of February 2012, they have increased their prices to $30/35 depending on the dog (from $25 for all dogs, all sizes), but this is still a major steal if you're comparing against most of the Royal Oak and Birmingham groomers or the big chains. They did run a package special during the price transition that was helpful, which shows that they care about their loyal customers even though economics required an increase.

We have been taking our dog Bruce there since they opened. Granted, he is a 62-pound lab/bulldog/st. bernard-type mix and other than some shedding there isn't a special "cut" that he has to have. We get him shaved down during spring shed time and "deshedded" during the rest of the year.  They do a great job on his nails and ears as well and they don't force you to get that awful "puppy cologne" if you don't want it like one of the chains does every time without fail. (Both the dog and I are allergic to that stuff.) I guess they will also express anal glands if that is a problem, but with our dog it's not (thank goodness!). I presume that's more for smaller breeds.

Some days the pickup time is MUCH longer than others. However, I can say that they have done me the great service of a same-day squeeze-in appointment for a bath/nails before I had to board Bruce with family and therefore the wait was okay and expected. The day's groom took a pit-pat two hours. I camped at Caribou Coffee around the corner and in two hours he was super-clean and ready to go.

We will be taking our greyhound-pitbull mix Winston in next week for his "treatment" as well. They "poochettes" are very sweet to the dogs and they know how to wrangle them much better than their "dad" and I can. Nice work.

I began seeing Dr. Vanloon while she was working at another popular Royal Oak chiropractic office. I almost always was assigned to her for my care and I "clicked" with her. When she left this practice to launch Synergy Wellness, I couldn't help but follow her! Luckily she accepted my new insurance and I was able to make a new appointment.

I was appreciative of the time she was able to take when doing her initial intake. This wasn't always the case before, but it seems that in her new practice she is able to give more specialized attention. No X-rays are used to my knowledge and because I don't like the radiation, I appreciate that fact. Dr. V uses KST, which I find restorative. It's not the whack-n-crack-type of adjustment, although I know she studies traditional chiropractic in school and is able to should the need arise. Unfortunately I had problems with that approach before, so KST is why I sought her out in the first place! She uses a gun-like adjuster to target the affected areas and she is able to say things like, "Have you been sleeping well?" And I hadn't. Or, "Have you been under a lot of stress? I see that pattern in your body." And I was!

After an adjustment, which feels like "nothing special" at the time, meaning it doesn't hurt or anything... I can't explain it. I feel more balanced and my neck doesn't pop like it usually does. (I find my adjustments last longer when I get massage, too.) I wish I had the money and an unlimited insurance plan, because I would go once a week. I can go every 2-4 weeks though, and she respects my budget concerns.

The new office is nice. There are other massage, chiropractic, and miscellaneous service professionals in the building. It's just around the corner from Woodward on 14 Mile. The office space is shared with a massage therapist who specializes in Bowenwork, but it is a different business. I haven't experienced his massage, so I cannot comment. However, the office is super-clean, tidy, and pretty inviting overall. The office looks fancier than the building it is located in, which is older.

Booking is easy for the most part. Dr. V does not have a staff right now, so sometimes if she is in session you can't get her directly. I own a similarly-structured small business, so I know that can be a plus and a drawback. But if you are flexible, she is flexible. I've never had a problem getting an appointment. I think you can also contact her on Twitter and Facebook, which is a plus for people on the go. I would certainly recommend her services and will continue going myself.

We chose between a middle eastern place and the newer Salvatore Scallopini on Southfield Road. We had been to other Salvatore Scallopinis, such as the one on Miller Road in Flint, which was big and open. This Salvatore Scallopini's is in a remodeled Coffee Beanery, long-since shut down. They did a good job remodeling it, but the restaurant is tiny. Don't bring small kids or groups larger than 4-5.

We went on a Thursday evening, but it was prior to a holiday. We arrived around 7:45, and the dinner rush was in full force. My sister-in-law had a 9-month-old, and there was my mother-in-law, her boyfriend, my husband and myself. They said they weren't going to do reservations, but seemed put out when we arrived with a party of five and a baby. We tried to stand in the front and the hostess not-so-subtly tried to get us to go by the bar, finally repeating herself five times, louder each time, until we complied. Unfortunately she didn't realize that not everyone could fit well over there, even though my sister-in-law took the baby carrier back to the car. My husband squeezed his small frame by the wall and I shoved in beside him, but we still couldn't fit. The bartender was then seemingly irritated that only one of us was going to order alcohol.  They really need a heated lobby with additional seating! We waited about 30 minutes to get a table for five people and one baby (held on a lap). They seated us just as we were getting ready to leave to go to the middle eastern place.

The initial time at the restaurant was a disappointment, but the waitress was very sweet and the food was excellent. We all had different items from chicken breasts to eggplant parmigiana, and nobody was disappointed at the quality. The dessert tray also had several options and both the tiramisu and cannoli were delicious.

While the food and service were very good overall, the initial experience was a downer. I will certainly return to the location, but at a lighter time (say, Monday evening around 8 p.m.). I most definitely wouldn't be going with more than 2 people!

We had high hopes of delicious brew and fish & chips when we got our Restaurant (dot) Com gift certificate for $10 off $20 of food and drinks. Noting that Buckminster's opened at 4 p.m., we headed out to Northville to do some boutique window shopping before stopping in for an early dinner. We walked through the door at 4:45 to a near-empty house and expected the best.

The person behind the bar (also serving as waiter and possibly as cook) handed us the scant menu. Typical bar food at mid-level bistro prices. The husband ordered a Guinness and I ordered an iced tea and a glass of Pino Grigio. The Pino was fine, though at $6.50 a glass ($1 off at Happy Hour 4 - 6ish) I could've just bought the bottle for a dollar or two more and took it home to enjoy in peace. The Guinness was good, well-poured, and delish like most Guinness is!

I ordered the house-made chili and the Michigan Salad. My husband ordered the Reuben. The chili was "eh" and I didn't really taste the Guinness they supposedly make it with. The salad was standard fare and other than wanting protein on it, it was pretty good for the price. My husband's Reuben was on a TINY piece of marble bread and was maybe 3/4" thick. For $8.50+ it was a disappointment, as it also only came with crinkle-cut chips. For bread that small it had better be stacked for $8.50. It was really about $5.50 worth of sandwich and it didn't have any "zing".

The atmosphere was nice. It was kinda-sorta British pub-style, but with a bland American charm. It was VERY clean and the windows had a nice fog about them, which was sort of nice-looking from the outside. It is a pretty unassuming place.

The verdict is that we're definitely not in a hurry to go back. It wasn't BAD, but it wasn't GOOD, either. If you live in the neighborhood, it might be a good place to pick up a beer after work. But don't go there expecting gourmet!

I'm definitely a fan of the Southfield Planet Fitness location. My husband and I were going to a less-than-stellar gym in Royal Oak, and then we decided to try PF because of the pricing and location. The staff was friendly and the facility was CLEAN and smelled about as fresh as a gym could smell, which sold us.

First, bring a lock to the gym! Their locker rooms are definitely nice, but that doesn't mean your stuff is safe. Staff can't monitor is 24/7 and you should take responsibility for yourself! I use a good lock and haven't had problems.  

There are oodles of cardio machines, which we never have to wait for, even if you go at peak times. I've never seen any machines out of service, except for a row at a time as they clean during off-peak hours. They actually lift them up to clean! Gasp! That's awesome.

I really enjoy the Curves-like 30 Minute Express Workout station. There are usually one or two people working on it each time I'm there. Do a few minutes of cardio to warm up and yes, that thing can certainly kick your butt if you rise to the occasion. If "Curves-like" isn't for you, there are the same machines elsewhere in the circuit training equipment.

I haven't tried the abs circuit, stretching/abs area, or cable/free weights area yet. One thing I would like is instruction on how to use the cable area and also information on my form for free weights. I asked the desk staff if someone could show me how to use the cable machines and they said they couldn't because they're not Personal Trainers. I said, "Okay, but most people should be able to tell you how it works."

Lack of instruction and lack of Personal Training availability (and choice of trainers as they only employ one) is my biggest beef with Southfield PF. I would like to learn once so I can be more knowledgeable and appear confident in the areas I'm not already confident in. I guess I'll have to take time off work to do a [free] PT session where the PT designs a plan for you. If you go on an off hour, I guess that you have a better chance of getting a one-on-one session, as you can't pay for individual sessions.

One thing I really love about PF is the massage chairs and access to Infrared and UV lights. My husband has the access-only ($10) membership and I have the Black Card ($19) membership. I can usually make myself work a little harder if I know I get to plop in the massage chairs afterward at no additional cost. Kudos to the staff/company for really keeping everything in working order!

We're not all hip to yell "Lunk!" if some big, beefy guy is working out. (There are some big, beefy guys that come often that may do better at another gym, but for all I know they have two memberships, because the cardio equipment is superior to most gyms.) I don't really care about the Judgement-Free part of it. I care about access, cleanliness, friendliness of staff, and basic amenities. They deliver these in spades. I don't see myself lifting dumbbells over 60 pounds, so for the people complaining about lack of poundage at other PF locations... Duh! This isn't the gym for you! It's the gym for the rest of the country who is afraid or just beginning to get out and move. Go to your Gold's or Powerhouse and shut your craw!

Overall two thumbs up.

Howe's has been our go-to place for the last eight years. Whenever friends come in from out-of-town they usually say, "Let's go to Howe's." We typically go one or two times per year.

Service can sometimes be hit-or-miss and some days are busy and other days you can hear proverbial crickets in the place. But the food is typically tasty and novel when you have guests.

The normal fair: pulled pork po' boys with a side of either garlic smashed or sweet potato fries, atchafalaya chicken, catfish, or Pasta N'Orleans. (I should note that only the husband eats the catfish. I don't eat bottom feeders.) On the whole these dishes are quite good and the quality is solid meal after meal. Some of the other entrees we've tried (last night's pork chop with homemade applesauce or the etouffee) haven't always been winners.

They do have a decent wine and beer selection, with a select Michigan beer on tap at any given time. Last night it was Bell's Best Brown and it went pretty well with my pork chop and mashed sweet potato special, though I liked the beer better than the pork chop plate.

Some days it's a two-star experience and some days it's five, so I think my "Yay! I'm a fan!" is pretty warranted. It's a good joint every so often and the owners are always nice. We'll keep going back as long as folks still want to go there.

First let me say that the Halibut dish featured in the Restaurant Week menu was probably the best fish dish I've ever eaten. Period.

Second, I'll say I *wanted* to absolutely love it. But...

We had a good meal overall. My sister-in-law booked during Restaurant Week for the prix fixe menu ($28/person for 3 courses) in honor of my mother-in-law. Some plans got changed around and my husband and I ended up going along as well. We were happy to get the chance.

Parking near Roast on a Sunday evening wasn't very troublesome, as there were no games going on downtown at that time. I would not go during a game or during prime weeknight dining hours, because I can see how the wait would be terrible. However, we had reservations and we were seated very promptly.

Like other Yelpers, we noticed that the "leisurely" dinner pace was in full swing, with our waiter taking his sweet time between explaining the menu, getting drinks, taking the order, between courses, etc. (We got there just before 7:15 Sunday evening and left at 9:30.) Although we had reservations, the table wasn't properly set and we had to wait for one more place setting before we could all enjoy the bread.

Let's do some pros and cons.

Pros:
* Nice hot tea, and the water person always kept the glasses full
* Delicious halibut
* Large salad portions, not overdressed
* Complimentary bread was not too big and it was very soft with a light, crusty outside
* The prix fixe menu had ample choices, considering
* The ambiance is very classy, though a bit underlit
* The waitstaff and hostess were very kind
* Other staff brought water, appetizers quickly and cleared dishes quickly
* Reasonable valet

Cons:
* Time between meal elements (ordering, food arrival, etc.) too long
* Mushroom soup was more like the gravy from grandma's gravy boat
* Steak was WAY oversalted and undercooked
* Red meats come out woefully undercooked. Take Yelpers' advice and order your meat a level UP from where you normally get it. Their "medium well" is really a "medium" or "medium rare". My husband's was half-medium-well, half-medium rare, which should be considered unacceptable.
* No real options for kids (PS: The mac n cheese side has herbed breadcrumbs. Kids and mac purists beware.)
* Lighting too low to really see what you were eating
* Price is definitely higher than this "casual diner" typically pays

It was nice to try Roast. I could see myself going there maybe once every two or three years, but there are other places downtown I'd rather head to for the price. I like the idea of the "Roast Beast" and the downtown vibe. I'll say it was a "3+" and not just a solid 3. I've had better and if it didn't have Simon's name on it, it wouldn't have nearly the buzz.  It was certainly worth trying for the Restaurant Week promotion.

Try it yourself. Then review it! I'm interested to hear what you thought.

We drove down from Ferndale because we've been buying Calder milk for a while when we can find it. We wanted to go to the farm itself, but it was a bit more of a drive. Some friends came down from Flint who expressed interest, so we decided to get ice cream and buy dairy at the store. It was easy to find (though Google directions are goofy, per usual).

We all tried different ice cream flavors and found that the Blue Moon was "one of the best Blue Moons I've ever tried" (quoth my husband) and the maple nut and butter pecans were delightful. They also had banana, which was a real treat!  

The store is tiny, but effective. You can pick up any milk that you'd like as well as fresh eggs ($2.07 for a dozen brown eggs), candy, and canned items. For a glass-bottled gallon of milk and a dozen eggs, we spent just over $5. The person behind the counter also said that if we bring our bottle back, you get $1.25 off the next one because they will reuse the bottles. That's reason enough for me to save up the bottles!

Support local farmers and local products and take a little trip to the dairy. :-)