deb n.'s Profile

Went on 10/5 Monday and had the following menu and listened to a macrobiology speaker.
October 5
White Bean, Leek and Onion Soup
Butternut Squash Savory Bread Pudding
Quinoa-Corn Salad
Steamed Broccoli with Red Onion Dressing
Mixed Green Salad
Poached Pears with Whipped Tofu Cream
Tea Kukicha

Verne Varona speaks on Macrobiotics for Dummies -
A 21st Century Multi-Cultural Approach Toward Body, Mind & Spirit Health http://www.cancercontr...

First time to dine in, have been ordering to go.  Went with some friends and we all met up there, one was a meat eater and the other a vegetarian and both were pleased.  Street parking was packed at 6:30pm.  Had to park a couple of blocks away.  Paid, signed in and got a table, excellent turnout, around 90 people, I think because of the lecturer who was very good and dynamic and entertaining.  

Picked up our soup and took it to the table and met our tablemates.  Everyone is friendly and welcoming, you can tell the old timers because they have their own name badges.  Then your table is assigned a number to wait in line to be served.  Volunteers were asked to help serve the meal, buffet style.  A trivia game was played to decide who would be the first table to go up.  My friend gave the correct answer, so we got up first....score!  Around 7:50pm announcement is made that the presenter Verne would speak and to bus your own tables and first 4 tables are broken down by everyone and chairs setup for the presentation.  Even though the lecture was to end by 9pm, there were so many questions, we stayed til 9:20pm.  Donation/pass the hat was requested for the speaker, $5-10 pp.  

A great meal, met new nice people and learned more about macrobiotics and health.  Pretty good for $15.

Didn't know about this korean spa or Jjimjilbang http://wiki.galbijim.c... till a couple of weeks ago.  Been open a couple of years and seems to cater to asians and some russians. Small facility compared to Lawrence http://www.yelp.com/bi...  in Sunnyvale and Psy Health http://www.yelp.com/bi... in San Leandro.

Went on Friday around 4pm, was surprisingly empty on the womens side.  Was greeted by Kenny the hair stylist and Linda Kim the acupressure masseuse.  Very friendly and their English was very good.  Linda said to ask for her if I want to make a phone reservation. I get the impression, not everyone speaks English here.  It gets really busy after 5pm and on the weekends.  I noticed after 5pm, groups of girls would come in together and older ladies.  You get an orange lounging outfit of top and shorts and towels when you check in, wish they offered toothbrushes and toothpaste.  Love they are open til 12 midnight.

In the womens bath area, 6 sit down showers, and 2 stand up showers.  Around 4 scrub tables in the womens scrub area.  Small cold and hot pool.  Wet sauna.  Only one womens bathroom in the changing area.  Free, shampoo and conditioner and soap but definitely Costco quality.  Take your own if you are sensitive.  Very clean, especially in wet areas.  A small warm heated raised floor in the womens dressing area to nap and rest.  Dressing area can get busy and packed after 5pm, no where to put your stuff other then the floor or your locker when you change.

Had Soong do my body scrub and massage ($70, 90 min body massage) $80 including bathing facility fee, her English is excellent and very friendly with strong hands, thumbs, elbows and forearms.  Started with scrubbing my back, front then sides, then soaped me down then the facial then dry then oil massage then hair washing and scalp massage, she even got on my back with her knees and feet, took around 2 hrs.  She kept checking in with me on her massage pressure and she uses aloe instead of cucumbers on my face so I didn't feel so dried out afterwards.  Would definitely ask for her again, she works Thursday-Monday.  Heard they are getting larger padded scrub tables for the American and Russian women, thought that funny.

The tiny restaurant open til 10pm, ordered a couple of hard boiled eggs, soda and spicy kimchee ramen for $11.  The cook will bring it out to you in the rest area and you can eat in on the heated floor on the mats or lazyboy chaises.  Pictures of food items on the wall, mostly noodles, one item not pictured that I want to try next time is fried rice in an omelet with ketchup drizzled on top, think it is written on the korean menu that I couldn't read.

I spent around 4 hours including eating dinner and just relaxing.  There are 4 sauna rooms off the communal men/women resting area.  Jade, Crystal and Clay and a cold room, never seen this before.  Rock salt does get tracked onto the communal areas floor and mats from the dry sauna room.  There is a flat screen TV playing korean TV in the communal room, I prefer it quiet time and listening to my mp3 player or reading a magazine.

Plenty of parking.  Seems like a safe area.

Have gone to the Redwood City Thursday free summer outdoor movies and have had a great time.  http://www.ci.redwood-...  During the week there are free events going on, Shakespeare, dance classes and the music.  http://www.redwoodcity...  Have sat next to the fountains on the steps which they shut off during the movie and the cement is warm from the sun.  There are snacks like sodas, hot chocolate and popcorn and cotton candy on sale under the gazebo.  The restrooms are fairly clean.    Have bought local to go food from nearby restaurants.  You have to get there an hour before if you want to  snag bistro table and seat.  Many family's show up with their own chairs and blankets and their kids in PJ's.  Some make it a night with friends bringing their own chairs, wine and cheese.  Once we even went to the Century movie theater across the street to buy real popcorn with butter to watch the outdoor movie.  When the nights get colder I bring a thermos of hot drinks and a blanket to cover.  It is fun and cozy.  It can get noisy with the kids and babies. Some people smoke...bleh...Plenty of street and business lot parking around the area.  Close down Broadway for more room to sit in the street with your own chairs.

Had the scallops which were excellent and their macadamia nut butter with hawaiian bread was excellent, the jambalaya was bland, not spicey at all.  The owner came by and checked in and asked how dinner was, he agreed the jambalaya isn't spicey, we can ask for it spicey next time. Salad was average.  Staff was very attentive.  Parking lots behind the main streets.

Went on the 4th of July and the crowds were good size but scored an excellent parking space.  Arrive around 1.5 before closing.  Checked out the animals, the food and homemade contests and the idiots booths.  The fireworks were very good, lasted a long time.  Surprised people still go to the fair.

Came here for the crab sandwich, went on Sunday for an early lunch, the restaurant was full so ate in the lounge.  The sandwich was ok, the bread sort of hard and the sandwich small but the clam chowder was excellent.  With hot tea, $30, pricey.

The good thing was the latin band that came in to play at 5ish in the lounge.  Then came in the grey haired dancers, actually they came just to listen to the music not many of them danced but it was a great place to dance with a decent clean dance floor and west coast swing dance to.  Would love to take a group of my WCS dancers to this venue for an early Sunday night.  Parking lot was packed but did get a street slot.

Went to Free Target Sunday day to see the Daimyo exhibit, I arrived 15 minutes before the opening and the line outside was around 2 of the blocks but got in 40 minutes.  The exhibit was small but full of good exhibits and loved the various docents located throughout the museum.  Didn't check out the other areas, have seen them before and came for the Samurai exhibit.  Did get street parking across from the museum so lucked out there.  There is a small farmers market behind the museum.

Ordered three dishes of beef maraman, salmon and chicken satay and Pineapple rice, was plenty since my friend is a big eater and he was very happy with the selection and quantity.  No leftovers but he was happy.  The staff is very friendly and welcoming.

Easy to get from the airport to NJ via the train.  For my first time, with luggage was definitely doable and didn't get lost.

Caught the NJ trains at this station, don't know why they only announce which track the NJ train will be on till right before it arrives.  The crowd rushes to the correct track, seems so barbarian and ghetto.

But it is amazing and huge and all the activity going on there is amazing.