"I believe in swordfish"
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Review votes:
287 Useful, 141 Funny, and 195 Cool
Wilmington, DE
Yelping SinceMarch 2007
Things I Loveyour mom, The Industrial Jazz Group, pho, dorkitude
Find Me Ina bee hat
My HometownWilmington, DE
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm touring with The Industrial Jazz Group
Why You Should Read My ReviewsBecause nobody else loves Wilmington.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThe Time Traveler's Wife
My First ConcertBilly Joel, baby. 1984.
My Favorite MovieOh hell. I don't know. I'm a Star Wars geek, so let's say Episode IV.
My Last Meal On EarthTom kha gai and mango with sticky rice from Sticky Rice in Falls Church, VA.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I have a secret crush on Southwest Airlines. *All* of Southwest Airlines.
Current CrushSteven Page... John Flansburgh... Jack Black... Captain Hammer... *shrug*
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-7000
Doubletree Guest Suites
Categories: Hotels, Restaurants
Neighborhood: Downtown
Ordered room service for breakfast which was tasty-good and simple; eggs, bacon, toast, the usual.
I wish I stayed there longer than one night!
Easy location to find and navigate, though the driveway's a little tight. Aim carefully. :-)
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Austin, TX 78741
(512) 386-6000
Comfort Suites
Category: Hotels
Neighborhood: Southeast Austin
Pretty lobby, decent breakfast (yay, hot waffles!), free wi-fi, decent coffee, fridges and microwaves in each room, unremarkable (totally fine) beds.
Each room also has a HEPA air purifier, which is great if you have allergies. Love this!
The hotel looks like it was renovated fairly recently, so it is clean, comfortable, and nothing significant at all to complain about. Friendly staff, too.
My only gripe is that the water pressure is slightly unenthusiastic-- yes, yes, I'm totally nitpicking.
Next time I'm in the area, I'll stay here. Easy breezy.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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12/31/2007
First to Review
I keep going back here because I'm a regular, and old habits are hard to break. While they do a totally serviceable job on my nails, I'm growing tired of apologizing when *they* cut *me.* Shouldn't they be the one apologizing?
Yes, I know manicures are a delicate thing, and cuts are bound to happen. But daaaaaaaaaamn if I don't spend the whole time tense as a frikkin' super-tense-thing-fo r-which-I-cannot-com e-up-with-a-suitable -analogy the entire time, waiting for the next slice.
And considering it's not the cleanest place in the world, I should be more squoobed out than I am.
There's a dude who used to work there who was my favorite; definitely the most gentle, and also pretty friendly. I couldn't understand him very well, but one day he asked me if I liked to go clubbing. I said, "Uh, sure, I guess, every once in a while." And then he asked me if I "smoke weed." I was sure I misunderstood him, until he mimicked the classic "joint pinch" a la Jeff Spicoli. And then he got up to dance. I am not shitting you.
Annnnnnnyway, their prices run about $20 for a full set of acrylics, $15 for a fill in. $15 for a regular ol' manicure, and I think pedis run around $20.People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (2)
Wilmington, DE 19810
(302) 475-1469
Sanctuary Spa and Salon
Categories: Cosmetics & Beauty Supply, Day Spas, Hair Removal
When you walk in, you are warmly greeted by their receptionist/scheduler, and you're offered some coffee. She escorts you a comfy lounge with a fireplace, magazines, couches, etc.. As you get settled, she brings in your coffee, prepped to your liking. 10 points right there. :-)
Your aesthetician meets you and brings you back to your treatment room. The treatment rooms are immaculate. My treatment room was a dedicated wax room (from what I could tell), so it had a slightly clinical feel to it. This is fine with me; I want my chick to be able to see what she's doing; brazilian bikini waxes are not the time for mood lighting and Enya.
The Sanctuary has two waxers on staff; Michelle was the gal worked on me, and she was great. She has the perfect gift for gab so you're gladly chatting away while she's slathering your nether-regions with blue wax.
Speaking of blue wax: This salon uses Cirepil as their wax, which is AWESOME. It doesn't require strips of fabric-- it just goes on with a spatula and is given a minute to cool off. Cirepil only adheres to hair (not skin), so you won't be finding bits of mystery wax in your girl-bits for two days afterwards. Cirepil doesn't hurt nearly as much as other kinds of wax because it's not ripping off a layer of skin along with the hair. SRSLY. Accept no substitutes. Listen to your good ol' pal Jill.
Other good stuff to know:
[] ATTENTION MEN! The other waxer-gal (not Michelle) specializes in men's brazilian waxes. So if you've always wanted that magically slick sack and crack, you know where to go. I hear she has a very devoted following.
[] I usually avoid spas that also offer nail services because you can smell the nail stuff while you're trying to enjoy the scented oils of your massage. These folks figured it out, though: The nail salon is up front by the receptionist, so the acrylic nail smells (which were barely noticeable) stay very far away from the very-separate treatment rooms.
My only complaint (which is why I took off a star, perhaps unfairly) is that my wax girl had me drop trou while she was standing there. Yes yes, I understand she's about to have extreeeeeme full contact with my personal smushie equipment, but one last moment of sanctity would have been spiffy. But really, I'm over it already, and I will totally be back.
I can't wait to try their massages and facials-- they seem very reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is ideal.
Give them your business!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
On this perfect August day I got the turkey burger (the one with roasted red peppers and mozzarella) and enjoyed the hell out of it. I left room because I really wanted a shake for dessert, so I nabbed a small coffee shake (16 oz, and I couldn't finish it-- imagine if I ordered the large!) and it totally hit the spot.
(Lactose intolerance be damned, that's what I say! Harumph!)
My dining compadre got the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and he loved his as well, and he finished it with a small scoop of chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream. (Note: Their "small" is like two generous scoops in a cup-- it's plennnnnty.)
The service was absolutely delightful-- it's got a mom and pop small-town vibe, which is exactly what I wanted.
YUM!
Wilmington, DE 19803
(302) 777-7170
Campanella Paul Auto Service
Category: Tires
I had a slow leak in my rear tire caused by a nail, so I was filling my tire once a week. It was annoying... but I also knew it was probably kinda dangeresque to be driving around like that.
I called Campanella's and asked to make an appointment to have the tire plugged, and they said, "Just bring it in." So I did. And after a whopping ten minutes, it was done. Tadaaa!
I went to the desk to pay, and the guy said, "You've been here before, right?"
I said, "Yeah, a zillion times."
He said, "The fix is free."
And I said, "Huh? Really? Like, *free* free?"
He said, "For repeat customers, little stuff like this is free. Yeah."
Dude... that totally made my day.
To recap: Annoying tire thing that had been bugging me for 2 months was fixed in ten minutes for FREE. Hell yes.
Give them your business, folks!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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4/4/2007
First to Review
I've been bringing my cars to Campanella's since 2003 and have been super-happy with their service. I go there for everything from new tires, head gasket 'splosion repair (good times) to routine oil changes.
They know their customers well, and they have a friendly, knowledgeable staff who will take the time to explain things to you. They didn't even balk when I asked them to talk to my mechanic dad on the phone so he could give the Official Dad Approval on the proposed repairs. :-)
Their prices are fair, they won't start working until they give you a quote and you approve it, and the turn-around time is pretty quick.
They won't take advantage of you, even if they sense you're a dumb girl who knows nothing about cars.People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
This place was a touch more expensive than your typical pho place, but the broth was so delicious and complex it was worth it.
Bummer.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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4/17/2008
I agree with everything Matt L. said and more. I wanted to add that the restaurant has two levels; the downstairs area has a beautiful bar and a bunch of tables, as well as a market area where you can get sandwiches, gourmet prepared foods and take-out. And yo: DI BRUNO BROTHERS CHEESE. Woooooooot!
Looks like the market is open for heading-to-work foot-traffic in the mornings-- smart move. When you want something better than the Dunkin' Donuts across the street, now you've got options.
Their lunch menu seems delicious and reasonably-priced, though I haven't tried it (yet).
As for what to wear for dinner, if you're staying in the bar area, nice jeans and a funky shirt will do ya; I wouldn't wear sneakers, shorts or flip-flops. If you're dining upstairs, don't look like a schlub!
Also handy: Valet parking for $5; makes going a total no-brainer.
For those of you afraid of downtown Wilmington; don't be. It's cute, and that section of 9th is especially spiffy.
Go Wilmington, go! You can be a cool city!People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (4)
If you want to hang with the locals (especially those with a nice geek streak), eat here. It's a teeny place with only 6 booths and one waitress, friendly service, and perfectly simple and unpretentious food. Best of all, you have a view of the planes taking off and landing.
My dad and I went this morning, and the airport had a few ultralights, gliders, and propeller-powered parachutes floating around... not to mention a few hummingbirds zipping about.
Simple pleasures, yo.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (3)
Date

The hotel has the perfect combination of cushy comfort, business traveler amenities and value that I've been seeking for a while.
Free wireless? Yep!
Room service? Yep!
Comfy beds? Yep!
Decent toiletries? Yep!
Convenient location? Yep!
Clean? You betcha!
Helpful people at checkin? Sure, why not?
Mini-fridge and microwave in the room? Yep!
Free covered parking? Yep!
Views of the water? If you think to ask, sure!
Quiet rooms? Yep!
Fast elevators? Yep!
Shuttle service? Yep!
Sure, it's an older hotel, but it is fabulously maintained, and you'll love staying in the kitschy round building.
What's not to love?
(OK, their chicken tortilla soup was tragic. But other than that, just groovy.)