Julie T.'s Profile

I'm actually REALLY surprised that the rating for Union isn't higher because this is precisely the kind of place that I think most Yelpers like.

I've been to Union twice now, both times for brunch. The first time, I was in a group and we shared four of the menu items (wings, monte cristo, Cobb salad, and beet salad). The second time, I had the shrimp and grits and my boyfriend had the pork belly brioche egg-in-a-hole. Every single dish has been absolutely superb. Not just good... Superb. There's something unique and utterly scrumptious about every dish.

The other awesome thing about Union is that they have a lovely and extensive draft beer selection, as well as a lot of delicious cocktails (including three "skinny" options, of which the rosemary cosmo and mojito are fantastic). A nice wine selection is available, too. On our first visit I ordered the Dark & Stormy cocktail and wasn't crazy about it. I would have finished it and just selected something different for my second round, but our server expressly asked how I liked it and as soon as she knew I wasn't in love with it, she took it and insisted on bringing me something different. The service was fantastic.

My ONLY complaint about Union was not enough to warrant the deduction of a star: I would love it if there were more appetizer options during the day. It's nice to have some drinks and finger foods during the day so it would be nice if there were more options. Nonetheless, everything I've had there is absolutely fantastic so I suppose I'll just have to try them for dinner so I can sample some more menu items.

Whenever I buy a new car, the very first thing I do is tint the windows. It makes a huge difference not only in the comfort of the vehicle, but also in the way it looks.

I chose these guys for window tinting on my new Prius because of all of their rave reviews on Yelp. As it turns out, I'm just as pleased as everyone else seems to be!

Scott and Carrie, the owners, were as cheerful and nice as could be both on the phone and in-person. They were able to schedule me for an appointment the day after my phone call, and they started tinting my windows within about 30 seconds of our agreeing on tint levels (and, by the way, Scott was REALLY great about helping me select the appropriate levels for my car). You can tell these guys know what they're doing and it is obvious that they're perfectionists.

When I picked up my car, I was provided with detailed manufacturer and warranty information about the materials they used, which are top-notch. The price was right, too!

I would definitely use Sun Solutions again and I recommend them without hesitation. They are really great.

I have been to the European Wax Center three different times now and have had great experiences all three times. On my second visit I went to Sherri, who has been there since the center opened and is absolutely awesome. She is an experienced, knowledgeable, and professional wax technician who couldn't be nicer and exhibits great artistry on things like brow waxes (I never thought I would actually LOVE my eyebrows... generally after a brow wax it's like "eh... they're fine. Whatever.")

Aside from Sherri, there are a few other things that I absolutely love about this place:

1. The receptionists (at least the ones I have met) are friendly and personable and are clearly concerned about your experience.

2. The facility is clean and beautifully-decorated. It's as clean and tidy as any doctor's office I've ever been in.  

3. The prices are AMAZING. $39 for Brazilians (and even cheaper if you buy them in a pack). Wow. That's almost too good to be true.

4. The wax is awesome. It will not burn you and it comes off as easily as anyone could ever expect a wax to come off. It's the first wax I've ever experienced that doesn't feel like your skin is being ripped off.

I've had several different treatments at the European Wax Center, and I cannot recommend it enough. The low prices and quality of treatment has actually made me consider trying additional treatments I've never tried before. This was a fabulous addition to the Encinitas community.

Having lived in North County San Diego for most of my life, I've seen a lot of small businesses come and go. A handful of great ones are still around (and hopefully thriving), and this is one of them. It is the kind of place that makes me WANT to support local business. The service that's provided here simply goes waaaaay above and beyond what you can expect from major chains, snotty boutiques, or online retailers.

Alan Tanitsky, the owner of the shop, is about as cheerful as shop owners come. He carries quality products, is an absolute master at his craft, and, most importantly, he CARES a tremendous amount about his customers and their satisfaction. He has treated me and my family incredibly well and we'll continue to always patronize (and recommend) Encinitas Optical & Sunglasses.

Don't even consider going anywhere else!

I actually would have rated this place with three stars because despite what I'd definitely characterize as a substandard pedicure, the owner and manager were very nice people. But rating it three stars would imply that it's a "better than average" experience... and it wasn't.

It was also only their first week open, so I'll give them that... maybe they'll improve.

However, especially BECAUSE it was their first week open and because their charge for a standard pedicure is nearly double what I've paid at my regular place (just 1.5 miles away) for years, I definitely expected more.

I was drawn to Beachy Toes because of its organic focus and proximity to my house. And it is a darling place... they've done a really nice job setting it up. Your foot soak is in a sterilized resin tub, so the typical concerns about the massage chair tubs are not an issue here.

My problem... and why I issued two stars... is that the quality of the pedicure was the lowest I've had in a very long time (maybe ever). It was a huge letdown. I've never had a $35 (pre-gratuity) pedicure before and I was really looking forward to whatever special treatment it might include. In reality, though, here are the specifics about what ended up being:

- A nice soak in soothing warm lemon water. This part was great, but not necessarily any better than the usual.

- A nice cucumber scrub. This part was great!

- A nice scrub of the bottom of my feet to remove all the dead skin. Also great!

- No trimming of nails (which really wasn't needed so it's okay) or cuticles (was definitely needed and wasn't done).

- Very minor and inadequate filing of toenails.

- A really, really, really poor job of painting toenails. I mean, really, I almost wanted to take it off and re-do it myself (and I suck at painting toenails... hence my willingness to pay for pedicures). She missed such a large corner of one of my big toenails that I had to ask her to please paint it (which she did, willingly). Then after she was done, upon further inspection, I found that she'd missed the edges on almost all of my toes. So, while I was waiting for my friend to finish her pedicure, I went ahead and got the polish back off the shelf and touched it up myself. She noticed me doing this but did not offer to fix it for me.

I get pedicures regularly and my usual $21 pedicure lasts at least three weeks without showing signs of chipping, even with my extremely active lifestyle. But this pedicure? Well good lord. It's less than 48 hours old and it's chipping like crazy. I'm disheartened. :-( What a bummer. I have a wedding to go to on Friday and I guess I'll be heading up to my usual nail place for a polish change. Or maybe a new pedicure altogether.

So happy I'm the first to review this place! It just opened today.

I should start by saying that the Solana Beach/Encinitas/Del Mar areas were DESPERATELY in need of a good sandwich place, as confirmed by the enormous line of people who were there at 11AM for lunch. Before today you had to go to the grocery store (or Subway... gross...) to get a sandwich. So good for these guys for noticing and jumping on the opportunity.

The coolest thing about this place is that you walk in and immediately feel like you're on the east coast. They've done a remarkable job recreating the authentic eastern seaboard deli! The meat for your sandwich is cut right there in front of you and your sub (or wrap or salad) is made-to-order.

Now for the sandwich. Oh my god. Best sandwich I've ever, ever had. I'm not exaggerating. Absolutely delicious. Comes in three sizes. I can't wait to try everything on the menu. I'm not sure whether it's a good or bad thing that this place is so close to my house.

My awesome local gym! I like it because it's almost always mellow and I never have to wait for machines. The staff is friendly, machines are rarely out of order (and are fixed immediately when they do break) and the gym is always nice and clean.

Minus one star for no cycling classes. And NOTE: this is a tiny gym that includes plenty of weights (machines and free weights), cardio equipment, stability and Bosu balls and a nice group fitness room, but there are no showers. So if you require a shower you'll have to find another location.

It's with great pleasure that I grace this place with its VERY FIRST YELP REVIEW!

Bentley's moved into the space formerly occupied by Marie Callender's. Except that they didn't just "move in"... they totally remodeled the place and it's now chock-full of thoughtful interior appointments, a pleasant atmosphere, and a whole slew of very friendly staff members.

I was attracted to Bentley's via a coupon that came in the mail. My mom and I went for lunch. I had a blackened Ahi sandwich and OH MY GOOD LORD. Seriously, ridiculously delicious. It was basically everything I love about sushi combined with everything I love about sandwiches, delivered to me via the nicest waiter I've had in a very long time.

The bread they serve is also REALLY good... it comes with this fabulous butter concoction that contains either maple syrup or honey or something of the like. We ate an entire loaf.

Bentley's would be an awesome place for a family dinner, a casual lunch, a nice north county date (when you don't want a loud, trendy atmosphere), or just about any kind of dining you can imagine. Totally kid friendly, very reasonable prices. I can't say enough good things about my first experience. And I'll definitely be going back!

I could almost give this place five stars just because of its proximity to my house. I don't have to cross the 101 for yogurt anymore.

Excellent plain tart, pretty good chocolate, and an absolutely scrumptious raspberry pomegranate sorbet that I was craving for most of the next day. Lots and lots of toppings including mochi, coconut, fresh fruit (strawberry, kiwi, mango, Mandarin orange...)

I love that you pay for the weight of your yogurt and therefore can try as many different things as you want. And it's 39 cents an ounce! Totally reasonable.

Marit's invitations, save-the-date cards, announcements, desk calendars, and stationery are some of the most creative pieces of correspondence I have ever seen. If you're planning an event and you're looking for something really different, she is absolutely the designer to provide it. She's spent time developing thoughtful designs that fit with just about any theme. She can modify color schemes and layout elements to meet her clients' specific desires, or can design totally custom pieces that leave you assured that yours is really, truly unique. I can spend hours thumbing through her existing designs (all of which are online), simply because they're so much fun to look at.

Since Marit Hanson Weddings is a boutique design house, she is able to maintain total control over the quality. This means that the final product is simply no less than wonderful... from the quality of the paper, to the exact color tone of the ink, to the fonts, to the images, to the coordination with other important elements. Her work is just awesome, and her pricing extremely competitive. Because she works with standard, semi-custom and full-custom pieces, she can tweak her projects to meet just about any reasonable budget.

In addition to her talent and the quality of her products, Marit is educated in graphic design at the collegiate level, and continues to expand and develop her craft in every possible way. She is also one of the nicest people I've ever met. She's positive, upbeat, and funny, and an absolute joy to work with. If you're planning a wedding, regardless of where you live, make sure you contact her for a bid. You will not be disappointed.