Nichole "Nix Sidhe" M.'s Profile

On my brief vacation to San Diego my first meal just happened to be at Jimmy Carter's Mexican Cafe. I couldn't have asked for a better choice.

We went on a sleepy Thursday morning, and the entire restaurant was deserted. Having the place to ourselves and our pick of the tables was lovely. I, of course, went for a window seat so I could people watch. The exterior and interior of the restaurant is bright primary and solid colors, cheerful and most certainly enough to wake you up for breakfast. Huge beautiful paintings, spacious seating, and completely clean.

The service was friendly and prompt with no frills. The waiter was not pushy in any way, which is something that I find really important in a breakfast meal especially. (Breakfast is usually far too early for me to be able to handle pushy wait staff.) Sadly, I did not take note of the exact meal I was having. Although I have learned my lesson and from this trip on I will be sure to note all the items I'm eating for Yelp purposes.

I did have a wonderful morning bloodymary and some of the best chips and salsa that I've ever had. I must say that living on the East Coast has seriously put me at a disadvantage for having real delicious Mexican food.

While I can't point out exactly what you should order, I can say that if you want a large filling breakfast with authentic Mexican taste don't hesitate to go to Jimmy Carter's.

Ok. So you're in the mall (I'm sorry for you, really I am.) you smell that salty baked pretzel smell and suddenly you think going to Auntie Anne's is a good idea. You're wrong. Dead wrong.

Hold out for some Pretzel Shop love. The place is not only easy to find being right on East Carson Street in the Southside of Pittsburgh, but it has the absolute cheapest and FRESHEST pretzels ever.

The downside, you can't sit down to eat inside and there is always a line. Honestly neither of these deter me as I am perfectly happy being a stoop-dweller and taking up someone else's front steps to eat one of these salty snacks. The line just tells me that it's worth it.

The prices literally are rock bottom. Don't miss a chance to get something, even just to take home, from here. Delish.

I have been to The Smiling Moose exactly two times now. Both were for shows of friend's bands.

While It is inconsequential to my review of the bar, I have to advise that if you're coming into town from afar and need to get a parking spot try to make an afternoon of it. Rolling into the South Side at 10pm on a Saturday ensures that you will NOT get a parking spot anywhere. That place is like homecoming weekend on a college campus EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND.We drove around the crowded tiny hectic streets for 45 minutes before we found a spot blocks away.

The bar it self is easy to find as it's right on E. Carson street with a neon sign outside. The ground floor has a long bar with a room that has a stage for shows. There are also arcade games, which is awesome if there isn't a show. If you go upstairs there is room to dance (if you're that type pf bar patron), pool tables, darts, and another bar.

The bathrooms... well... i mean it's not Roboto, but it's still a place to use your p-style if you're a lady. It's about on par with what you would see in more of a "dive bar" then a club restroom. (I can say this, at least there wasn't any vomit splattered about. Thanks, ladies.)

The drinks are cheap and plentiful. The bartenders and the doorman are always polite and quick to get you your drinks or in the door. More importantly, the patrons are always personable. This can be a very very diverse group of people all mixed together and it just always seems to go well.

Very laid back. Very unassuming. Good place to dance to a weird mix of 80s/goth/current music too.

I really want to be able to give the UFO (Used Furniture Outlet) a better review. The people who own it/work there have always been so accommodating and friendly to me and I haven't ever left there empty handed.

Think of an antique store going out to the club, falling in love with a swap meet, and then having a little baby that's half flea-market and half thrift store. The building is old and creaky, and honestly a little water damaged. There just always seems to be water pouring from the ceiling into some sort of bucket. The only reason this concerns me is that you are buying items from this establishment and well, a mildewed and water stained piece of furniture can be picked up from the side of the road.

The prices are extremely low. You can find a lot of really weird, although not particularly valuable pieces here. It takes a bit of searching but you can really find some hilarious items and some really kitschy housewares.

It's worth checking out, especially if you're looking for some weird decorative stuff for your home. I have to admit though, since they stop carrying all the old books I haven't been back nearly as much.

Having never been a fan of big-box chain stores, I am always really excited to find a small community-centered shop of any kind. I also like to be able to walk in to an establishment and know that when I hand over my money for something that it's helping someone directly, not just some corporate conglomerate and their annual numbers.

While I have to admit to using Joann's as my fabric/sewing needs outlet here in Greensburg, I have never purchased a single piece of art supply there. When I need drawing pens, sketch books, carving blocks, ink, anything really... I know I can make the walk up to Art-Tech on Pennsylvania and not only find what I want but get really honest and knowledgeable advice on various art processes and procedures.

The staff that work there are creative people themselves and not only sell these products but use them too. They can tell you exactly which printing ink is best, which drawing inks are the least fade resistant, and it never feels like they're trying to sell you something.

While the store is a little cramped for space, I just see that as the business being fully stocked. When you go in you almost feel lost among all the products, tall shelves and bright colors. It's a lot for the senses and it may put some people off. I find it inspiring.

Quite possibly the best part about Art-Tech is that they not only have comparable prices but they are a part of the community here. Two sure signs that they aren't just in it to make money but to inspire creative and a sense of family within the community.

DV8 Espresso Bar and gallery is really the only place in Greensburg to get a real shot of espresso or natural loose leaf tea. They go above and beyond what any of the chain coffee houses offer in product, service, and atmosphere.

They offer a huge variety of drinks (both hot and cold) and baked goods (from local establishments in Greensburg). The space is dualistic and works as both a coffee house and a gallery with not only regular showings, but musical groups, a knitting night, philosophical discussion groups, and an outdoor movie night. The events are well planned, include the community, and are almost always appropriate for all ages. The gallery openings are very intimate and a great way to integrate yourself into the local art scene and meet new people. The clientele are varied and almost always friendly, as well as the staff who are artists themselves.

The prices are low and they accept both cash and credit (minimum $5). They sell various art and crafts items there as well as coffee and tea to take home. One of the best things about the place is the music, not only do they have a huge selection of cds that they play, but they have a variety of music. From Miles Davis, to Billie Holiday, to Prince, to Clutch. It's always interesting and new.

I can't say enough about how friendly, laid back, and comfortable the space is. If you're new to Greensburg and want to know whats going on around town this is the place to go to.

A few years ago for my birthday I was the recipient of a massage gift certificate. This started my down hill slide into the world of salons and the massive amounts of money I was going to drop on things like massages and pedicures. In hind sight it's probably a little ridiculous, but when I am moving somewhere one of the things I look at is the number of massage offering salons in the area and the quality vs. price.

After I moved here to Greensburg I tried several different area salons, and found it consistently near IMPOSSIBLE to get an appointment. Six of these salons must have the same woman working for them, or they just never call in their massage therapists. I have written off 3 other salons for just this reason.

From Head to Toe not only made last minute arrangements to take me for an hour swedish massage but also for a deluxe spa pedicure as well. All for my birthday last year. How lovely. They offer everything from hair cuts/color, to massages, to pedicures/manicures, to saunas, to facials and body wraps. They have the most inexpensive prices and best package deals around. Their website shows their monthly specials and an updated price listing.

The salon itself is clean and usually pretty bustling. My only concern is that it wasn't really a calming environment. During the massage I could hear the loud laughing voices of people outside of the massage room. Although this has a lot to do with the space the salon is in, I think that there is a certain atmosphere that the regular salon patron expects and while FHTT is almost there a drop in the over all noise level would help immensely.

Each time I have been there they have not only offered fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, and drinks; but have advised me that if I would like to bring my own wine I could do that as well. (I live within walking distance to the salon.)

The prices are insanely cheap and all of the staff is very friendly and competent. In all I have and will continue to recommend it to friends, especially first time salon goers.

I feel as if I may be a little unfair in my review of this establishment as I cook a lot of pasta and rarely find a dish that can compare to home made sauces.

I live within walking distance to this cafe and surprisingly hadn't ever been there. One early evening we decided to give it a try. While we did walk there is ample parking for guests in several places nearby. Private lots mostly. There are several signs outside that denote a dress code policy, but state things like "no muscle shirts." So, maybe there is a dress code? Maybe weigh lifters are not welcome as they carbo-load too much? I'm still not sure. There were definitely people in jeans and sports team t-shirts inside though. I felt over dressed in my skirt and dress shirt. Attempting to make the restaurant seem more affluent and high brow may have been their way to justify the prices we paid.

We were seated promptly, and I have to admit it was very small inside. Almost akin to being in someone's house. We were given a window seat overlooking... the roof of the salon next door. Lack luster, but essentially out of their hands I suppose.

We ordered beer from a small-ish selection and salad before the pasta. The salads were the run of the mill "house salad," which means iceburg lettuce, a single cherry tomato, two rings from an onion, 6 croutons (which were actually rather good), and the usual "ranch, light ranch, italian, french, and vinaigrette" choices for dressing. (I am biased as I nearly loathe iceburg lettuce though.)

After a surprising wait, we were presented with our pasta dishes. The servings were quote large (Another reason to charge more? It was more pasta than I would have eaten in two sittings. Read: Excessive.), but I was hugely disappointed with the flavor. The pasta noodles (angel hair) was cooked well, although perhaps a little over done. The sauce I had ordered was nothing different than a jar of "pasta sauce" from the grocery store. The bread severed with dinner was acceptable, although nothing impressive.

I think that was the theme of the entire meal. There wasn't really an atmosphere set in the restaurant what so ever and the food was merely "ok." In all none of that would have bothered me if we hadn't dropped FIFTY DOLLARS on this meal. As much as I hate chains like The Olive Garden, I've had more flavorful meals from there and at a lower price.

It's not fair of me to not give it a second chance, but I can't imagine going back there to drop another fifty dollars on a meal that was less enjoyable than something I could spend my day making at home for far less than half the price.

It's rare that I become fanatical about a restaurant as I like to cook so much, but there is just something so wonderful about the atmosphere at the Red Star Brewery & Grill.

Built into the Greensburg train station the brewery and restaurant has an amazing venue to serve their products. When walking in you get to see a glimpse of the brewing process with large copper vessels right inside the front doors.

The vaulted ceilings and original architecture make the experience for me every time. Various seating options keep each visit interesting, especially with the large original train station benches with high backs and dark painted wood. Large plants and air-born trapeze artist sculptures make it visually appealing.

The beer selection is always changing and you can buy beers buy the glass, pitcher, or growler to take home at the end of the night. The food selection is consistently delicious, although I did find there are fewer vegetarian options than I would like to see. We've had such amazing service that the chef threw together a honey mustard for us one evening since they didn't have any that they provided with sandwiches.

Although, on a Friday and Saturday evening the dinner crowd can become quite hectic so reservations may be necessary. Just something to keep in mind for dinner guests. In all it's a great place to take an out of towner when they're visit Greensburg. Great food, moderate prices, wonderful atmosphere, and amazing crafted beers. By far and large the best restaurant experience Greensburg has to offer.