Mat "mutton buster" B.'s Profile

Really... just incredible.

First off, he's a nice dude. Very easy going. He comes to you, and he is fully self contained.

With that being said, I have never seen a more meticulous detail job. Top to bottom, inside and out, just spotless. My truck even smells new again. Here's the crazy part: he worked on my truck for almost 5 HOURS. I was in the house doing some work, and I would stick my head out periodcally to see if he needed anything, and every time he would have some different apparatus out, detailing every last inch.

For all of this, inside and out, top to bottom- 5 HOURS worth... he charged me 180 bucks. A bargain, really, for what you get. I am sold. VERY highly recommended. He's got an evangelist in me.

I have participated in CM in several different cities over the past 11 years or so...I support the concept, the community, the activism.

But San Diego CM- you are fucking blowing it. consistently. I understand the old adage of " a few bad apples", but Jesus. Theres a whole grip of rotten apples involved in SD CM. I live north of Adams in Univ Heights, I see the bullshit they pull all the way up Park and on to Adams, and it is offensive to actual cyclists. That means you, asshat with the fixie that you bought because you read about it in VICE as a fashion accessory. You are not a cyclist. You are a trend jumping hooligan with no desire to engage in the hard work involved with actual activism. You are lazy.

Repeat, you are not a cyclist, and you are certainly not contributing to velo culture (the actual culture, not the shop in SP where you bought your bike), nor are you making it easier for actual cyclists that desire increased awareness and access.

Speaking of bike shops, I have had conversations with two different local bike shop owners on different occasions, and they are both alternately pissed off and saddened by the retarded circus that SD CM has become.

to quote the internet- *you're doing it wrong*.

Oh Eldo. I have spent more time and money within your walls than I care to admit. The experience has always been solidly mediocre, yet I continue to spend time with you. Why? Perhaps its your central location, easy access....i dunno. Cant really come up with a compelling reason as to why I return time and time again. It's certainly not the food, the quality of the service and guestrooms, or even the gaming.

At least I have a reason now NOT to return. To wit:

I am putting together a large event in Reno in February. Having lived there for many years, and having worked very closely with many of the casino properties (including the Eldo) in a marketing capacity, I am not a novice when it comes to this sort of thing.

In any case...for this event that I am putting together: I wanted to book five or so suites, preferably within close proximity to each other. Additionally, I wanted to block out several guest rooms, also in the same general vicinity. It was at this point that I had the unfortunate experience of speaking with Jenna, who identified herself as an "admin", and Michelle who works in group sales. It has been years since I have been treated so poorly. By anyone. They were dismissive, distracted, and generally very unpleasant. Scratch that. They were a-holes, plain and simple. Worse, they seemed unable to answer basic questions about the guest rooms and property itself. Total amateur hour.

I was at the Eldo over this past holiday...played cards for a couple of hours... the place was D E A D. We literally felt like we were the only people in the casino. Some people might enjoy that feeling...for me, it was unsettling. Creepy.

What does that have to do with anything? One would think with business as bad as it appears to be, they would not want to turn away any possible business, especially a group that would, at worst, contribute upwards of ~20K to their bottom line in one weekend. We still have a significant budget for this event, including a great deal of gaming. Now I just need to find a place to take it. Grand SIerra is looking mighty good right now.

Don't be scared. This is really, truly legit americanized sushi.

Please understand. This is not the place to order toro, uni, chawanmushi, etc. This is not an Izakaya. There's not much Japanese about this place.

With that being said, the sushi is really exceptional for what it is. The rolls are creative and tasty, and the nigiri is consistently fresh. The decor is pleasant, as is the staff.

This place also has the uniquely Nevadan "all you can eat" sushi thing going on. 20 bucks, I think. As far as I know, this is the only sushi joint in the Gardnerville/Minden area, and as I said...it is legit.

This is one of those places that is cool in theory/on paper, but something that is hard to put your finger on sets it slightly askew. In reality, I would give it 3.5 stars, but ill round up.

The good: rooms are very cozy. The entirety of the room feels like a comfy overstuffed couch. It is very well appointed, with the Kiehls products and flat screen TV. The rooms are also brand new, as of this year.

The bellhops are beyond friendly and helpful. I really wish I remember their names, one in particular...just great, helpful gentlemen.

The bar downstairs is AMAZING. It's like a hunting lodge, but not redneck. Big fireplace, great bartenders, great ambiance in general. If I lived in Seattle, this would be a main haunt of mine.

The bad: as of September 08, this hotel was not finished. Period. Lots of dust, broken elevators, noisy construction, etc. The parking situation is terrible. I am accustomed to paying for parking, but 40$ a night is excessive, especially if you are paying ~250 a night to stay here.

Is this a 4/5 star hotel? Yes, probably. Its just not quite "there" yet. Wherever "there" is. It was like a nice painting that never quite looks centered on your wall.

But dude, what an awesome bar.

A few months ago, Yelp saved my ass. I found myself in Bishop, CA, and I was starving. Bishop seems like a nice enough town, but none of the dining options that I could see appeared to be particularly trustworthy. Then I remembered my handy Yelp mobile app, and lo and behold, there were some reviews for restaurants in Bishop. It was nice, knowing that other weary travelers had previously been in my position and had lived to tell/yelp the tale.

So, consider this review paying it forward. If for some reason, weary traveler, you find yourself in Carson City and you are in need of a casual dining option...this is probably your safest bet. It really is rather pleasant and cozy. Lots of cold beers, lots of chain restaurant kitsch all over the walls (why do restaurant owners insist on stapling garbage to every square inch of the walls and ceiling in places like this?). The building itself is pretty cool. Its like being inside a huge mineshaft or something.

As for the food, the BBQ is really good. not a 10, but definitely better than average. The service is friendly to the point that its flirty...If one of the waitresses takes a liking to you, you'll know it.

So, if you are in Carson City, feeling uneasy about your dining options, wanting to eat and get the hell out of town...this would be your spot. This or El Charro.

BTW- next time: stop to eat in Minden or Gardnerville. Or wait until you get to Reno.

It's true...it is very difficult to evangelize for a mechanic in this day and age. It is generally such a unpleasant experience in itself...prior to even picking a mechanic you're already pissed off at the inconvenience, right?

With that being said, these guys are the best. I've got a 4-Runner and my wife has a Corolla, and we have had all the work done on both here. They are super friendly and accommodating, and I have never had any repair take longer than a day. Literally drop it off in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. A total no-stress experience. I don't even bother to price check around anymore because the service I get here is worth the cost.

Totally trustworthy, totally worth your business.

Since Ruggy is such an elitist, I will provide you with some anecdotal evidence as to why this is the most important liquor store in the neighborhood, possibly the entire county.

Yesterday, when I was at this establishment, I thought about getting some ice cream from the freezer that is adjacent to the counter. Upon peering into the ancient unit, I saw the following things:

A broken and crushed box containing 1 and a half slices of an ice cream cake from somebody's 3rd birthday party.

A brown bag, possibly containing somebody's lunch

A bottle of Juicy Juice that said "NO SALE" in sharpie.

An Orange.

A friend of mine who frequents this place jokingly asked if the ice cream cake was for sale. The nice old lady behind the counter appeared to ponder the question for a moment, but ultimately refused to part with it.

Two other things to look for here:

The Jay-Z and Biggie posters on the wall. They are for sale. The Jay-Z poster is 17.99 (!), and the Biggie one is 19.99 (!!!). What makes them so expensive is unclear, but they are for sale.

Look, I mean really LOOK at the bottles of booze for sale. Holy. Shit. Some of them are 15+ years old, no exaggeration. Swear.

The lone bottle of Wild Turkey features a logo on the label that has long since been retired. There is shit in there that is completely unidentifiable because the label has faded to white. BUT- rest assured, it is still for sale.

That gets me to thinking...that would be a fun game/event. Unidentifiable Booze Roulette.  

The best way to describe this place, in all honesty and seriouslness:

It looks as if it survived an earthquake several years ago, and nobody bothered to clean up afterwards. Both in terms of the merchandise and in terms of the stability of the structure itself.

That is why it is a treasure.

BTW- I would advise against buying anything perishable from here.

I live in San Diego. I don't think that anyone would realistically challenge SD's total domination and superiority when it comes to two things: Mexican food and fish tacos. Our incredible fish tacos are a source of great pride for many that live here.

With that being said, it is with a heavy heart that I regret to inform my friends and neighbors...

Freshies, an unassuming "healthy food" joint with a hippie vibe in a shitty strip mall in South Lake Tahoe has THE BEST fish tacos in California, maybe the west coast, maybe the world. They are to die for.

I cant wait to come home for Xmas and gorge myself after a long and awesome day at Kirkwood.

And for what it's worth...my parents still eat here at least once a week...for like the last 6 years or so.

The only word of warning...if i remember correctly, at some point in the year they shut down for a month or so for vacation. Call first.

Four stars normally, five stars for Boise. Outside of the Grove, the only 3 to 4 star-type hotel in Boise.

The comparisons to the Jupiter in PDX and the Pearl in SD are warranted, but unfortunately this place is not attached to a kick ass music venue like the Jupiter, nor does it have an awesome pool scene like the Pearl.

What it is- a 50's style travelodge that has been COMPLETELY redone, down to the frame. Rooms are small, but really well appointed. Flat screen TV's, AWESOME showers with the rain head mounted in the ceiling, and free wifi. Very comfy beds as well.

The best part: the bar. Great bar with friendly bartenders, great outside area with firepits.

The Modern is a winner, and it's definitely replaced the Grove as my favorite place to stay in Boise.

OH! and its cheap! like 70-100$ a night!