Marlena "marmar" G.'s Profile

Greggs is a hit or miss depending on location.  While their wraps and salads are great lunch options when dining out with the coworkers, overall, their food is honestly mediocre.  Not bad, not great: it just is.  Their bakery goods certainly aren't terrible, but again, a bit overrated.  

While I much prefer the Pawtucket location, I've passed through this location enough times to leave me.. confused.

After hearing the constant raves and hurrah's for their strawberry cheesecake, the fiancee, myself and three other buddies stopped by late one recent Wednesday evening.  Dreary and dark, the dining area was all but totally empty.  After an oddly random five minute wait at our table, the waitress appeared, took our drink orders (four waters & one soda) and hurriedly left us sans menu, silverware or those funky little paper place mates.  No connect the dots for moi.  Chatting it up and relaxing, we quickly lost track of time before I realized it had been nearly fifteen minutes since the drinks were ordered and still not a sign of our waitress in sight.  Finally, after Charlie flagged her down, she plopped our beverages down, menus in hand.  Before pulling her disappearing act and much to her irritation, we placed our orders, all dessert & one appetizer.

Again, we waited.  Time trickled by, minutes ticked on.  The dining floor still empty & after nearly twenty minutes had rolled past, I finally spoke to the hostess who shuffled somewhere in the back.  Eventually the waitress finally appeared with our food, a cool attitude and, well, rushed off before leaving us silverware.  

And thus, after another unnecessarily long wait, flagging down any employee who passed on our radars and eventually receiving the check, we left our payment sans decent tip and headed out to the parking lot.

We had barely made it to our cars when the waitress actually dashed out the front door and called us over waiving the check.  For a moment I thought we had short changed the total by accident before I overheard her angrily asking about the tip.  ("That's it??")  Yeah.  That's it.

The cheesecake was decently priced but was a little too wet for my tastes while the strawberry topping was typical.  (I prefer my cheesecake firm.)  As for the service?  ...No.  I'll pass.

Tuesday is officially our designated take-out night.  Every Hump Day, after work, I like to curl up on the couch, munch on Chinese eats and watch a corny 80s flick with Charlie.  This week's highlight was Masters of the Universe, the ultimate rip-off of every action/super hero movie to ever come hit the screen before its release.  Hilarious in all the ways it shouldn't be.  Totally psyched, we decided to try something a little different when I recalled passing by a brand new Chinese delivery near our job.

Peking Station is not unlike the dozens of other take out places in Rhode Island.  Great menu options, friendly service and a clean restaurant, what truly sets it apart, is the beef lo mien.  ..... It's that good.  Identical to Uncle Chen's beloved mien (State College, PA), the beef is large, in charge and full of sweet and savory flavour.  Jam packed with mushroom, cabbage and other delicious veggies, it's worth ordering on its own.  Their grilled chicken, on the house when making a purchase over $18, is also absolutely scrumptious and tastes more home made than take out.  The brown gravy and boneless chicken also checked out perfect: moist, crisp and not a dry taste to be found.

In addition, they also offer priced down appetizers when added to a dinner combo as well as multi-dish combinations for around eight bucks.

Parking can be a little tricky since it's street but it's seriously worth a stop in, even if just for the lo mien.

Five stars because they the bomb.

Clean, well stocked, well lit and well kept, Asiana is your go-to place for Korean food, supplies and munchies with a few Japanese items sprinkled within.  Unlike other Asian markets, I appreciate and prefer that Asiana specifically caters to the needs of its community by stocking consistent themed items as opposed to a blotchy mix of random goods.  Ther' be quite a difference between East and South Asian ingredients.

The store may be small but the family who owns and operates the joint, does a splendid job of packing a wonderful assortment into every nook and cranny.  Looking for purple yam noodles?  Check!  And only 2.99 to boot.  Hot pepper sesame oil?  Check!  Shirataki in five different varieties?  ..Gotcha covered.  Picked daikon?  Hell yeah!  I've found all the necessary basics to make a booty kickin' dinner and get back to my Asian roots for a fair price.

They also stock lots of pre-made frozen meals, sauces, fresh vegetables, kitchen wares, candies, teas, snacks and of course, a surplus of Hello Kitty fun.  In the evenings or when the owner is around she also heats up vegetable pork buns for a dollar & some.  ....Which are so delicious, I get one -every- time: she laughs, I eat.  Sweet.

They also have a frequent customer points card: for every $15 bucks spent, you get a stamp.  Fill up the card and you score free rice.

My only true complaint would be that I wish they expanded.  It's rare to find an Asian market in these 'parts that keep things so clean, dust free and, sadly, expired food-free.  If you're looking for South Asian or Chinese goods though, you won't find much in the way here.  Otherwise, it's certainly worth a trip.

While I certainly don't discriminate chain operated restaurants, at all,  I've found a disturbing trend among "family friendly" steakhouses: they suck.  Hard.  Chili's?  S'ok.  Applebees?  Bland.  Uno's?  Decent but overpriced.  Outback?  Sends me straight to the outhouse.  Fridays?  ...Where'd the rest of the portion go?  With the exception of Garfield's (which I left back in PA), I can't say I'd honestly do back flips for any of them.  Sure, if work/friends/whoever is picking up the tab, no complaints here but otherwise, I'm more likely to hit Newport Creamery or Papa Gino's for better value.  

Ruby Tuesday however, rocks.  A frequent diner at this location in particular, I really appreciate how fresh, well priced and diverse their menu is.  Unlike the others, Ruby's actually tries to present interesting side dishes and appetizers aside from the typical norm.  Their grilled green beans are seriously delicious with just the perfect amount of flavour: I try to order these with every entree.  They're that good.  I also love their Asian pot stickers.  Served on a bed of greens with peanut sauce, they're always fried to perfection and never overdone.  Their steak and ribs?  Awesome.  My main gripe with most eateries, especially regarding steak, is that there's a certain texture in the meat that just seems.. artificial.  Yes, it's real beef but the quality and chew is more like something you'd get at McDonald's than a steak house.  The seasonings are usually minimal, probably not to offend sensitive diners or to better appeal to the masses.  Ruby's goes a step beyond this and actually seasons their meat.  Yup.  Not just a sprinkle of pepper and loads of salt but actual seasoning.  The meat is just, melt in your mouth cloud 9, like something I made myself from House o' Marlena.  Charlie can't get enough of the Asian sesame ribs which are fall-off-the-bone perfection.

They also have a fantastic drink menu, fresh, healthy salad bar and delicious desserts.

The staff are also consistently on time and I've never had to excessively wait for a meal even on a Friday or weekend night.  The prices are very affordable and reasonable plus the garlic cheese crumbles (on the house) are lip smackin tasty.

I honestly recommend Ruby's: I can guarantee there's something on the menu for everyone.

Believe or not, I'm not a JCPenny fan.  At all.  I think the last time I've ever stepped foot in one, I was about ten sporting frizzy hair and a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt.  However when I heard the Warwick Mall was opening a Sephora inside, the alluring whispers of pricey make-up were calling my name.

This review is actually for the mini Sephora located toward the back of customer service as I could find no official number or listing for them separate from JC & crew.

The section is small but cute with most of the middle priced brands from the full sized store.  Lots of Sephora brand items, Too Faced, Benefit, Bare Escentuals, Stila, Smashbox, Philosophy, Tarte, etc.  Aside from a few select items (mascara and fragrances), don't expect much Dior, Yves, Clinique, Laura Mercier, Lancome and so forth.  They do have a rather nice selection of Nars which is a wonderful addition.

Beauty Insider?  While they unfortunately don't accept yo' point cards nor dish out the freebies, you can still rack up your well deserved points by keeping the receipt and calling a handy 800 number.

The sales staff are completely peachy.  I've never been harassed into making a purchase nor have I been ignored.  If anything, they've provided exemplary service.  Yesterday, one of the busiest "mall" days this month, Charlie & I went to return a couple items.  However, at the bottom of the bag was also a lipstick I had purchased, still wrapped in the red paper.  At no fault of Sephora, I had totally forgotten it was left in the original bag... and unfortunately, when we returned the other items, it went right along with it.  Around an hour or so later as we were leaving the mall, it suddenly hit me that the lipstick had been left in the bag.  We rushed back thinking that perhaps, they may have noticed and put it aside.  D'oh.  It was thrown out.  I fulled expected to eat the cash since it was my fault totally but surprisingly, not only did the sales woman insist on a refund, she also provided us with a bag full of samples.  Wonderful!

Granted they don't stock many of the items I usually purchase but I would definitely stop here anytime over trekking to Providence Place.

I love Broadway.  I love the kitty cats.  Thus, what better show to see than CATS?  & the kicker, for free?!

Luckily for Charlie and I, the day before our anniversary in December, we received a letter in the mail from news Channel 6 informing me that I'd won two tickets to see CATS.  My oh my were we excited.  Unemployed, bored and craving some excitement, it was a timely, almost magical treat especially since we hadn't been to the Zeiterion Theatre prior.

Downtown driving, unknown places & Charlie do not mix.  Unfortunately for us, we had 23 minutes to pull out of work, make the drive to New Bedford and find parking before the start time.  What a relief that the area is not only wicked easy to navigate but city parking is plentiful and not difficult to find (also for free to add).  Fantastic!

The theatre is small but lovingly kept, the architecture not stunning but nonetheless quite beautiful.  Stage-wise however, it makes PPAC look like the Rockefeller Center, which for those of us who hail from RI, would know is a very, very sad thing.  (The CATS ensemble made wonderful use of it though and totally transformed every inch of space, it was beyond awesome.)  We had seating in the third row from the stage so overall, the size didn't matter whatsoever.  But.  My main gripe, is with the seats.  ....Yeah.  If your booty is a cm larger than a size 2 or you're no greater than 5'0 tall, your poor body is in for a twisted treat.  Charlie (who's a whopping 6'7) spent the entire two and a half hours with a strained look on his face, some very irritated folks behind us and his legs doin' some serious yoga instructor level stretches.  As for me?  My butt went numb after the first ten minutes.  Eventually I lost feeling in both my legs which were totally smashed against the poor woman in front of me.  And to think, I'm only 5'7ish.  Damn.

Exiting the theatre was a snap: thankfully no trampling stampedes.

Not specifically counting the actual show we went to see (although, it stands to be said, that CATS was awful, flippin' sweet),  Zeiterion isn't a terrible place to see a performance or two.  It's easy to find, simple to park and pleasant on the eyes.  Sadly, the seating made myself and Charlie totally cringe.  (And bear in mind, I'm the same chick who finds standard airplane seating comfy.)  Most theatres I've been to had relatively small seats but they top the list.  Still, I'd go back if the show's tantalizing enough.

There are few things I adore more than designer goods.  I'm boco for Burberry, totally coo-coo for Chanel, campy for Chloe, gaga for Gucci, the list goes on.  Unfortunately for poor 'lil me, my middle class wallet would rather spring for Mossimo than Miu Miu.  The outlets can be a temporary relief but there's something sketchy about driving an hour north for a poorly constructed Coach purse that looks like it was made for a toddler.  And while TJ Maxx/Marshall's & I are total BFF's, it's unlikely to walk out with Fendi or Prada (although, surprisingly, I did spy a small collection of Gucci scarves and bags last summer).  Consignment and thrift shops can also be fantastic resources however depending on the individual store fronts, they can also be a rip off trap.  I can't even begin to count the many, many times I've spied bootleg Louis Vuitton being passed off as the real deal at absorbent prices.  Obviously, this is especially frequent at local thrift shops where their "guarantee" is the equivalent to a glass case & screaming orange tag.  Thankfully for us fabulous ladies, Karma Couture exists.

Nestled at the very end of East Greenwich's Main Street, Karma is a fashionista's oasis in this dessert of knock-offs and fakes.  A consignment shop specifically for the sale of lux and high end items, they have a nice collection of purses, cute accessories, jewelry, clothing and shoes at extremely affordable prices.  A Louis Vuitton shoulder bag for under $300?!  A Burberry bucket bag for under $200?!  Adorable kate spade wallet for around $45 bucks?!  Amazing.  While I unfortunately didn't have much time to browse, I found serious deals throughout the store that totally knocked my socks off.  If you're a shoe 'gal, definitely check out the special room they have in the back (I was practically salivating for the 2.5 seconds I popped in).

The perks don't even end there.  One of the lovely shop ladies pointed out that they offer progressive discounts on the items: goods on the floor for over 30 days get a 20% discount, over 60 days, 35% and over 90 days, a whopping 50%.  Their consignment guidelines are also very fair and reasonable (I have quite a few items I plan on bringing by).  Most importantly, all items sold are authenticated so shoppers can feel secure and assured that they're not plopping done hard earned cash on a Canal Street replica.

The store is small but clean and well organized.  I had no issues searching through their stock for that special little something.  To add, their staff was wonderful: one pet peeve that crawls under my skin to that point of no return are pushy or snobbish associates.  I've found during my many designer sales excursions in the past, that if I'm roughin' it with, you know, a single hair out of place or nail polish a chippin' I'm given the total cold shoulder (see: Burberry).  Judgment Day?  The T-1000's got nothin' on those chicks,  And man, was I "Pretty Womanin'" it today.  I've been sick for the past week with a terrible respiratory infection that's left me with a swollen face, rings around my eyes and the voice of an 86 year old chain smoker.  Regardless, the sales ladies were fantastic, knowledgeable and very friendly making the entire atmosphere welcoming and inviting despite my looking like a soulless zombie.

I usually avoid these long winded reviews but the "wow-factor" was totally there from my very short but sweet visit.  Overall Charlie and I were completely pleased and I left with a smile on my face and an adorable Burberry change purse for practically a steal: sixty-eight bucks.  This cute lil store front is wholeheartedly recommended.

I've been MIA all these months due to unfortunate, temporary unemployment.  Unemployment typically = conservation of dinero.  Which typically = no shopping/nothing new to review.  However, in my 'lil neck of the woods, it also means thrifty fun on Sundays with Charlie and what better place to stop than the Big Top.

....... which isn't nearly as grand nor adventurous as I remember it being from my childhood.  I have many 'a fond memory of buying lemonade and fruit from the vendors parked along the streets, digging through the seemingly infinite boxes of toys, books and games and watching the pet shop animals in awe at the top of the long, spiraling case of stairs.  All of which, are gone.  Granted things will naturally change with time, but unfortunately for Big Top, most if not nearly all of the individual sellers are gone and in their place, are vendors.  All selling.. the same crap.  Want a knock off Burberry silk scarf?  We gotcha covered!  ....The exact same patterned items, from the same cheap company, available well, anywhere.  We quickly noticed a pattern.  While digging through at least five or six vendors' stacks of boxes, we spied the same exact items in the same packaging as the previous sellers.  Over.  And over.  Again.  As for the very few individuals selling legitimate used goods?  Expect plenty of way overpriced junk electronics, bootlegged Spanish CDs and dime a dozen, jacked up NES games.  No comics, no books, no retro trinkets.  Nada.  This makes for one overhyped snoozefest of a shopping extravaganza.  

The only booth we found mildly interesting was a mini Asian dollar store in the back.  Loads of baskets full of fluorescent hair clips, AA batteries clearly from the 80s, pastel coloured nylon panties and plastic Spiderman silverware.

It's so seriously not worth it when there are a wealth of other flea markets in the hood.  Unless you're specifically looking for bottom of the barrel fake Coach bags or bootlegged Timabalands, I would definitely head elsewhere.  ....You know you're in trouble when a booth accepts VISA.

I've been a long time fan of their delicious cakes for a couple years now.  Their sheet cakes have some of the tastiest, creamiest icing around while the strawberry shortcake is no joke.  The fresh whipped cream is -to die for.-  No small exaggeration.  So, for a change of pace, I decided to treat Charlie and my folks to some indulgent desserts (neither my parents nor Charlie have had the 'Wrights Experience' until today).

The fiancee and I took the lovely drive to up to Smithfield with our last couple fun bucks and some mad munchie cravings.  Located smack dab in a quiet residential neighborhood, Wright's is a sight to behold with its rolling hills, cute baby cows and mobs of crazed sweets lovers splattered across the parking lot.  The inside is incredibly cramped considering their popularity but the dozens of different cakes, cookies and pastries are worth shoulder rubbin' with strangers.  Not sure what to buy, we ultimately decided on a full carrot cake, chocolate chip cookies, two spinach pies, cinnamon twists for the fam, a single serve choco milk, a liter of whole milk, coffee milk and a pint of light cream for coffee.  Total came to about $29 big ones which, comparatively, isn't much at all for fresh diary products and a full cake, never mind the pastries.  Despite being chaotic, their parking lot is amazingly organized with two exits available (thus eliminating that pesky issue of having to back out in tiny spaces).

To start with, the cookies were good.  Not incredible or quite worthy of their five dollar price tag, but good.  The diary products were, simply put, amazing.  The coffee creamer is so rich and sweet, a couple drops is all it takes to lighten my cup o' joe.  I'm not really a fan of coffee milk (surprising) but theirs is so frothy, creamy and delicious, I'll definitely have to pace myself.  As for the regular whole milk, also equally perfect.  It's so naturally sweet and thick, I can easily drink a glass.  (Believe it or not, I do not drink milk.  At all.  I use it on cereal or as in ingredient for cooking.  That's about it.)  The carrot cake?  Also delicious.  It's difficult to find delectable, moist carrot cake.  It's even more difficult to find carrot cake without that horrific, artificial cream cheese abomination slathered all over the top.  Wright's totally did it hardcore with fluffy, whipped cream icing with just the perfect, cheesy taste.

So why the three stars?

Especially with its less than economical price tag, the cinnamon twists were awful.  Scratch that: they -would- have been awful if they were actually cinnamon twists.  Instead, I basically dropped the dinero for a box of large, delicious-appearing bars of uncooked, unsweetened plain dough.  They were not flaky.  They were not sweet.  They were not even cinnamon flavoured.  They were literally twisted shapes of raw dough in every sense of the word.  Raw, not as in somewhat soft like a coffee roll or french crueler, but raw, as in someone pulled it out the oven before it actually cooked.  Unfinished: no sugar, barely a trace of cinnamon.  If I didn't know any better, I'd never bother stopping in again after tasting these.  However, based on their history of delicious cakes and fresh diary, I can't help but think a little more positively and assume perhaps this was just a bad batch that somehow made it out to shelf.  Even so, with their wonderful bakery and highly regarded goods, I should hope someone actually checks products for quality before packaging.  

Unfortunately, as much as I was dying to give them four or five stars, three is tops after bringing home six bucks worth of unfinished/uncooked pastry.  I felt wicked bad seeing the 'rents have such a disappointing first taste of Wrights' (especially after I couldn't hide my excitement on how great they are).  Under usual circumstances I would just bring 'em back to trade but since getting there during the week is impossible, buttering, sugaring and re-baking these puppies will have to do for now.  Either way though, I'll definitely stop by again for more carrot cake and milk.

Your basic Fedex Office (it's not longer under the Kinko's sub-brand) with various self service options and an abundance of inexpensive office supplies.  I frequent this location for all of my printing and faxing needs since it's in an extremely convenient area.  (Sadly, we don't own a printer.)

The real surprise, though, is the staff in particular.  All of the gals are absolutely lovely.  No matter what time of the day or evening I stop by, they're always so friendly and more than happy to assist.

It also helps that they're open relatively late even on weeknights and don't charge ridiculous printing fees for self service like other neighboring companies (ahrm, UPS Store).  Simply pop your USB device into the machine and voila: printable documents for cents.  

Great job Fedex.  Reliable shipping -and- cheap prints?  Rockin.'