Megan "megmo" M.'s Profile

Sitting on my ass all day at my (albeit) awesome desk job, I've developed a lot of tension in my head, neck, shoulders and upper back. I knew from past experiences that massage would help me tremendously, but since I'm on a budget I decided to try Massage Envy's introductory $39 massage to see if I wanted to join their club (and the independent massage therapist I'd seen years ago now charges upward of $90/hour--not in my budget anymore).

My first appointment was with Lindsey, and she was great. (Although my initial request for a female therapist seemed to irritate the woman on the phone.) Lindsey gave me hands-down (no pun intended!) the best massage I've ever had--perfect pressure, hit all of the areas I mentioned were bothering me, and she was super-friendly. I immediately signed up for their program, which is $50/month with a one-year commitment but includes one massage per month. Since $50/month is about the best price around I could find for a one-hour massage and since Lindsey was so awesome, I signed up.

And then it all kind of went to hell. I called back to book my next appointment and was told Lindsey had hurt her wrist and would be out for a month. So I booked an appointment with another therapist, and it just wasn't great. I had to ask her three separate times while she was massaging my lower back to please ease up on the pressure a bit. She would for a few minutes, but then I went back to feeling like she was grinding a shovel into my lower back. Afraid to say anything a fourth time, I just grit my teeth for most of the remainder of the session. It was not pleasant.

The next month I called again to see if Lindsey was back yet, and was told that they didn't think she was coming back at all. Bummer--she definitely has a talent and I hope that she's recovered and has just gone to work elsewhere. But I didn't want to go back to see the second therapist again, so I requested an appointment with another female.

And this receptionist seemed to bristle at my request, too. She rattled off a few appointments with male therapists, and I repeated myself that I really feel more comfortable with a female therapist. I honestly didn't think it was that uncommon of a request, or a rude one at that, but her tone changed and she got very short with me.

Unfortunately, this massage wasn't any better than the previous one. Again the therapist continued to apply too much pressure despite me asking for her to please ease up. And she even missed a few of the areas I specifically mentioned I'd like worked on (the base of my head, where it meets my neck, as well as my legs).

I'm locked into this year contract with them so I'm going to have to go back, but I'm already dreading calling to request another appointment based on the unfriendliness of the front-desk staff alone. Hopefully I'll eventually find a therapist that I like, but right now I'm pretty skeptical.

If you like greasy, fatty, tasteless barbecue served on dirty, sticky tables by disinterested servers, this is your place.

If you actually care how your barbecue tastes, head down the road to Kirkenburt's Smokehouse Grill, where they actually smoke the barbecue themselves.

Um, hello? They provide incentives for drinking beer. How does that not make this place awesome??

Seriously, guys. As if beer isn't enough of a reward already, Old Chicago has one of the best beer clubs I've ever encountered. And I've been around the beer-club block. Here, you don't have to get to 200 before you get your name on a plaque and you start getting your prizes after your 10th beer on their World Beer Tour, which is completed after 110 beers (and don't worry, you still get your name on a plaque on the wall). They also run mini tours throughout the year, for which you receive a t-shirt upon completion.

The variety of beer is impressive, and not really any more expensive on average than what you'd find at a similar restaurant. Methinks some of the other reviewers complaining about the price haven't been to The Flying Saucer and tried to order a Duvel or Corsendonk.

The food is great, too--their deep dish Chicago-style pizza is as close to Chicago-style as I've seen in the south, and I should know: I'm from Chicago. You can also order a personal-sized pizza, something that's not listed on the menu but is a much easier size for one person to handle on his or her own.

If you're looking for a place to duck in after work, grab a quick table and order a few Bud Lites, you might want to head down the road to Toot's or Applebee's. But if you're a serious beer drinker who enjoys good pizza and a fresh, laid-back atmosphere, you'll be at home at Old Chicago.

(I also hear that the prize for completing your 20th World Beer Tour is a liver transplant, but that hasn't been confirmed.)

A pretty good Ulta as far as the variety of products, organization of the store and sales that are run here. I haven't ever used the salon, so I can't speak to that part.

I will say that I shop here about once every one to two months to stock up on my usual hair products (about $50 a trip), and there is only ONE employee I would identify as being pleasant, and I believe she is one of the managers. The rest of them seem like sorority bunnies with a chip on their shoulders. Maybe they're pissed because I never accept their offer of THREE FREE ISSUES!! of InStyle Magazine, maybe they're freaked out because I don't wear makeup and I bite my nails. Who knows, but they can't seem to crack a smile or speak without spitting their words.

Fortunately the attitude is the only thing keeping this otherwise great establishment at three stars, so if you can easily brush off bitchiness you won't find a better place to buy your hair supplies.

I really wanted to like Raz'z. I really did. But they didn't make it easy.

My husband and I stopped here before a movie about 6:30 on a Tuesday night, and the atmosphere was great--business casual, with several tables filled with what looked like after-work dinners or business meetings. The room was lit dimly and each table had a candle. I felt a little underdressed in my jeans, but soon noticed a few other patrons wearing similar attire so I relaxed.

As a vegetarian I was happy to see several options available to me, including a vegetarian pasta, a veggie burger and, sadly on Fridays only, a vegetarian lasagna. I opted for the vegetarian pasta al fresca and my husband ordered the beef lasagna.

But then, trouble started. As he was eating his house salad, my husband discovered he was chewing on a shrimp tail--and he's very allergic to shrimp. Then, as he was eating his lasagna, he not only pulled out several pieces of gristle but an inch-long piece of what appeared to be plastic. My pasta al fresca, which was described as including a "medley of vegetables," only had broccoli and carrots, which were undercooked and almost impossible to bite through.

The chef and our server apologized for the shrimp incident, although they were conflicted as to how it could have happened (our server told us seafood and lettuce are chopped in separate areas of the kitchen and never come in contact; the chef told us they are both chopped side-by-side next to the sink). We weren't upset, just a little surprised and wanted to bring it to the server's attention, but they both were very apologetic.

As an apology, our server offered us a complimentary walnut-brownie dessert, but unfortunately my husband doesn't eat walnuts. She didn't offer up any of their other desserts instead, so I accepted the brownie. I'd like to say it ended happily, but the brownie was so hard I would have had to use my knife if I wanted to eat most of it. I ate as much as I could, and we decided to cut our losses and leave.

It's unfortunate that we had a bad experience at a restaurant with such a great menu, cool atmosphere and friendly wait staff, because I would have loved to have been able to leave them a great review. At this point, I'm not sure if we're going to return. One problem with the food is enough, but finding shrimp tails, gristle and plastic all in the same meal seems like a symptom of a larger issue.

Despite it being a little after noon on a Wednesday and counting at least six servers standing around talking (with a clear view of our table), it took us nearly 15 minutes to be greeted and more than an hour to get out of there. There were maybe four tables seated in the place. Otherwise, it was a ghost town. I guess now I know why.

All we wanted was two beers and the soft pretzel plate. What we got was shitty service, a bored attitude from our waitress, crappy local beer and mediocre pretzels.

My husband and I had planned to try to visit all of the Flying Saucers, but our experience at this location has us reconsidering that plan now. At least the one back home in Nashville doesn't suck this bad.

We stopped here a little more than halfway through a drive from Murfreesboro, Tenn., to Austin, Texas. We actually were hoping to stay at the Holiday Inn Express, which was going to be $93 instead of the $103 we paid to stay here, but ended up getting off at the wrong exit and after 10 hours of driving I was not about to get back on the interstate for $10. (Side note: Why the hell is it so expensive to stay in Mount Freaking Pleasant, Texas?!)

This hotel must be brand-spanking-new, as everything was pristine. Our room smelled of freaking new paint still. As an admitted hotel snob, I was in heaven.

Free WiFi, free breakfast, eat-off-the-floor cleanliness (ok not really but you get the point) and super-nice front-desk staff? YES PLEASE.

My husband and I stayed here for three nights on the second leg of our 10-day, 2100-mile roadtrip, and it couldn't have been a better stay. Everyone on staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and we even had a nice card and bottle of champagne waiting on us in our room (I had mentioned it was our delayed honeymoon when booking the room) from the manager.

I am obsessive about cleanliness in a hotel, and the W delivered 100 percent. The hotel is not brand-new, but our room was impeccably cleaned and I didn't feel gross walking around without shoes on the carpet at all. The size of the room was perfect, the bed was extremely comfy and we had a nice LCD TV directly across from it mounted over the desk.

But just to convince you that I'm not a covert W employee kissing my own arse, I'll point out that the bathroom door wouldn't stay open on its own, but we fixed that by using the in-room hair dryer to prop it open when necessary. Not a big deal at all.

Everyone complains about parking in these reviews, but the fact is you're going to pay a ridiculous amount to park ANYWHERE in New Orleans at ANY hotel, at least downtown or in the French Quarter. Get over it. We valeted with them for $29/night and never had to get our car out until we left, but when we did it was returned quickly and without damage.

The hotel is in a great location--a quick two-block jaunt to Bourbon Street, one block to Canal, half a block to Riverwalk and 10 steps to Harrah's. And if you want to go anywhere else that isn't within walking distance, the W has several drivers who'll ferry you there in a sweet-ass Acura (but they won't pick you up--so hone your cab-hailing skills before you leave).

We did a little too much drinking on Bourbon Street our second night and didn't get to see everything we wanted to in New Orleans, so we'll be making a return trip at some point. And more than likely we'll be staying in the W when we do.

My husband and I were headed home from work on a Monday night and wanted to try a restaurant we hadn't been to yet when we decided on Bricktop's, which is only a couple blocks from my office. I'd heard it was a good place to grab after-work cocktails and a casual dinner, but as soon as we walked in I immediately questioned what "casual" meant to some people. We were in business casual so we weren't out of place, but I don't think I'd want to wear jeans here unless they were paired with heels and a fancy top.

The menu was disappointing for me, a vegetarian, because save for a few appetizers there was only one vegetarian item on there. One. Just one. Now, as a vegetarian married to an omnivore I've come to expect limited menu choices from steakhouses, but Bricktop's isn't a steakhouse. Yet the only vegetarian option they have on their menu is the margherita flatbread, which is what I got. Luckily it was very, very good, but I was still caught off-guard as I'm used to there almost always being a pasta or vegetable (usually mushroom) dish available at most non-steakhouse restaurants.

Oh, and my husband ordered the ribs which, at $23, were a little small (less than half a rack, probably), but he said they were really flavorful and tender.

The service was excellent, though, and the wine glasses were filled tall, which is always a plus. It was pretty dark in there for 7 p.m. on a Monday night, too, but I guess that's part of what they're going for.

I'd give this place four stars if it weren't for the lack of vegetarian options. Even when I wasn't strictly vegetarian I appreciated meatless options on a menu, and Bricktop's was severely lacking.  It also seemed a bit pricey for the size of the meal: Our total for two people (flatbread, ribs, two Blue Moons and one glass of house wine) came out to about $75 including the tip.

Despite being small, this place has an awesome selection. Obviously not as big of one as one of those mega-wine warehouses, but what you get in exchange is a knowledgeable staff that is always ready to suggest something new or offer their take on any wine they've got.

I frequent wine shops a lot, and I have to give this place props for their ever-expanding selection, and the fact that every time I come in (about once a week) I can find a new Malbec, my favorite grape EVER.

That alone, folks, is worth five stars.

Oh--they also have a great champagne (ok, sparkling wine), high-gravity beer and liquor selection.