Spartevan "Spartalicious" V.'s Profile

Oh yeah. This aint no juicy couture, based on the divey atmosphere ...but notorious b.i.g JUICY. And Delicious!!!!!

Wheatgrass the wonder elixir for $1.50/oz. with an orange slice chaser for the uninitiated. That's a smokin' deal. Fresh squeezed juices - starting at $2.50/12 oz - some with unique recipes (even one called VAMPIRE juice * hint: it has beets!) I vant to try it next time.

Salads ..again, such affordable prices and such generous portions with fresh ingredients. Substitutions and doubling up on certain veggies didnt cost anything extra. I kinda want to boycott the rest of Downtown in one fell swoop now - if Jugos can hang, why can't the big boys, eh?

Oh - and PS: The extremely personable cashier said they'd be willing to deliver anywhere in Downtown. So the dubious C street proximity is no longer an excuse. Stay juicy!

I love this place - it's so swank and swarthy. This place - ladies - is where you'd meet an undercover sheikh worth bajillions discretely alternating toking the hookah and the cubana.

Good music, (think: Cafe Del Mar ....Ibiza-esque) interesting artwork, muted sophisticated tones and comfortable plush seating relax you instantly.

And then you might also find me. I'm the total geek in the corner slurping spumoni gelato. Heeeeey! Does it count that i ask for a shot of espresso with it? PS: Rumor has it that actual espresso gelato is back on order by popular demand - which means my homebrewed exotic experiment is going down the tubes. I'll pile on the kohl eyeliner for next time.

I REALLY  like this place.

Hate to be a buzzkill but I don't see the big deal. At all.

I had pesto scrambled egg whites, and there was more foccacia and potato on my plate than egg. Disappointing. Lest I forget the orange slice and Smuckers Strawberry Jam blister pack like they provide at chintzy continental breakfasts at the Ho-liday Inn. What, no peanut butter? Very overpriced for nothing special.

Maybe i didn't try the right thing, and will give pumpkin pancakes and this peanut butter and banana french toast a whirl if i can find a friend to split - no, dominate the portion with me because neither are really my taste but I want a bite. Any takers?

Update and hopefully upgrade pending - I'm a tad dismayed that I'm at odds with 9000 San Diegans and Bobby Flay on this one. Alas, I firmly stand two star tall.

Beyond the food: The seating is dismal and there is NO wifi. Even IHOP has wifi.

Will give it another chance ....

Okkk . . . this was not the dim sum I expected. I expected the cart ladies and sport. Am I the only one that turns even dim sum into a competition? (I do steer shy of turning into a full-on contact sport - there is no need to tackle anyone ever. *for food, that is.)

That said - the portions were perfect, albeit small, but a perfect controlled portion. The food was fresh and so CLEAN. I had the Won Ton soup which at first muster seemed a little too clean and healthful -  I asked for lemon wedge to squeeze in for some extra zest and salted it up which did the trick. My friend had mustard prawns (she won - ah, so it CAN turn into a competition after all) . . . which were delicious and had just the right amount of tang to offset the succulent shrimp.

Overall, not a bad choice! The 3 star is for ambiance. We both felt like we were in a strange Hitchcock-esque film noir - it was dimly lit, cramped, and the ominous music was . . . well, ominous and threw us both off as it seemed to overpower such a cozy environment. Nevertheless, a delightful meal.

I thought this tour was impeccably done.

Yes - there are mandatory photos (but - mandatory only if you're a monkey. In other words, you can always politely opt out, like my friend did. As for me, I'm delusional and like to pretend I'm a celebrity, so I gladly mugged for a photo solo. AND? I didn't pay for it but liked knowing I had the option should I truly be a celebrity and the photo came out flawless.. C'est la banana)

I liked the fact that you could leave at various times from the island, the video tour highlighted history of the island itself, while the audio tour seemed to focus more on the prisoner/guard experience and tell the tale of the riots and of the only successful (or was it?) escape. I can't imagine having nearly as interesting an experience without the narration on the audio tour. While we were there, (I'm not sure if this is standard), but the former youngest guard from Alcatraz was in the gift shop signing copies of his book.

I learned a lot from this tour that I'm not sure is necessarily common knowledge, but I never claimed not to be a total monkey :) All in all, a really enriching experience and money wisely spent.

This review is for the FOLD N' FLUFF SERVICE ONLY:  (which only accepts cash or check - FYI)

I'm a snob. Yes. I've never not had a washer/dryer in my home, until now. It is SUCH an adjustment. I never used to understand why laundry was a hated chore - it was so much fun, so easy, and - true confession: I even enjoyed the ambient noise of the dryer going while I did the rest of my chores or went about my day. *sigh* Not anymore. Now, I don't have that luxury.

Correction: I have a laundry facility on-site, but . . . then that means many negative things - such as waiting, mingling with neighbors, seeing their underclothes drying (weird) and potentially even being forced to talk to them. Small talk at the laundromat has got to be the worst. "I LOVE those socks, where did you get them?" . . . . BARF.  

All these factors that make me anxious, because for the most part, I hate people, wasting time, and wasting time in public with people.(kidding. Kinda) I just hate it when they give me weird looks when I do my "Dryer Dance". (kidding. Kinda) I especially hate laundromats. (Not kidding, at all.)

SO - if you fall in my category (a self-admitted snob/weirdo with a pinch of frugalista) Posh Wash will make you feel better about your options. JUST AS LONG YOU DO THE FOLD N' FLUFF.

Chris, the kid/man that works there was extremely helpful, polite, and even gave me a call 1 hour before my 18 lbs of laundry (@ $1.00/lb) were supposed to be washed, fluffed, folded with good news - they were done! That was such a nice treat! my 18lbs were done in 2 hours, which would have taken me much longer at the laundry facility on site. He asked me if there were any special instructions, and prompted me through options:  (fragranced detergent or no? Are you OK with fabric softener? Do we need to hand wash any delicates? Do you want your whites bleached?) . . . I have a feeling that Chris could cover all corners for even the MOST discriminating and posh snob - after all, I'm up there.

OH - and there is free parking, which factors into the pinch of frugalista satisfaction rating.

I went here specifically for the ceviche.  My favorite is a simple fish, non spicy ceviche for $6.99/lb. Yes, i'll take a metric ton, please. There were 8 different varieties and I am romantically swooning over the love affair MY fridge and Northgate's ceviche (all 8 different kinds!) are about to have.

Other amazing prices include: cucumbers 3/.99 and hydroponic alfalfa sprouts - $1.99. Pan dulces 5 for $2.99 *I might have that one wrong, but it's 5 for something amazingly affordable.

I speak un poquito espanol, and probably not as nino friendly as it should be, so for all intensive purposes - i handled this place just fine speaking ingles solo.

I was a little nervous about the Kreation Kafe, wondering if it was yet ANOTHER Kardashian venture. (Oh, how the letter K has korrupted the masses in such a way that even David Duke is scratching his head . . . . )

Fortunately, nary an extension, faux eyelash, or junk in the trunk to be found. There was NO junk, period.  What DID we have here? Fresh cold pressed juices and smoothies, organic fresh food (including organic pancakes - served all day!) and . . . . entrees with a Mediterranean lean (may I STRONGLY recommend chicken kabob with yogurt sauce and hummus?)

The juice list is extensive and it ain't couture, baby. I thoroughly enjoyed Greeen #3 which the waiter seemed impressed by, as he mentioned it was the strongest juice on the menu. *Yeah, you hear that you artisanal beer snobs? Hearty JUICE! BRING IT. This blend contained kale, spinach, romaine, cucumber, parsley, and spinach. If that isn't strong, what would be!?) and sampled the Glow (aloe vera/cucumber combo) which was not only delicious, much milder than my strong brew,  but also killed my friend's sweet tooth. (Juice for thought . . . )

Eco-friendly use of space. Overall: inKredible. Why not a 5? As mentioned, it is a little heavy on the koin, but worth it - after all, kash is king.

SEEREK!  - translation: LOVE IT!

Believe the hype! May I recommend . . . hmm . . . . everything on the menu, twice?

We didn't come for a belly dancing show, but I imagine it being a helluva lot cheaper than a Cirque de Soleil production and a helluva lot more satiating. Yum.

Here's how me, a "white" girl (debatable on numerous occasions, but that's neither here nor there) knew that this place was the real deal.

When I asked my favorite Latino/a's about where to find the best ceviche in Dallas, they prompted me to La Calle Doce. I gave them a look, (you know, the "Seriously? Do I need to turn up the volume and speak slowly?" look) and asked the question again. "Where is the best ceviche in Dallas?"

All of a sudden, they were singing a different tune. La Reyna, they said. Fitzhugh and Capitol. Then they looked at me with admiration. "You'll really go there?"

Uhhh. Yes. I REALLY will. I'll even write the 1st Yelp review. With all due respect to La Calle Doce, I was looking for a place where I could find a language barrier and feel like a minority. I wanted sloppy, loud, and even some telenovelas. Guys, if you want good ceviche (tostada) . . . look no further. It's good, it's mouth-watering good. Not as good as ceviche in El Paso, San Diego, (or Mexico, for that matter) but for our landlocked slice of Republicana, it will do.

*Brought to you as a public service announcement from a gringa. My apologies in advance for letting out such a well kept secret! (It's SO good though . . . . . . . )