May 15, 2010
A Grab Bag: Catching Up on Writing, Movies, Etc.
I’ve been too busy to blog. So here is some of what’s been going on.
I had a good writing session at Panera this morning. (I'm bummed though that they took my favorite egg soufflé off the menu. Grrr.) The story I’m working on is getting better. Thanks, in part, to a crit from Rick. Thanks, Rick!
I guess improvement is really all I can ask for. I am trying to reinforce and reward trying and progress instead of only perfection. ‘Cause if only perfection counted then we’d all be in big trouble. ;)
In other news...
I have a new favorite restaurant. Hubby and I went out to dinner for our anniversary. We decided to try Sinigual, a new Mexican place in the neighborhood. We had a great experience. I can't wait to go back. The Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup is exceptional.
Also, we've instituted "movie night" on Fridays. Recently we've watched:
"The Men Who Stare at Goats" – surprisingly good. I was leery at first, but was quickly won over.
"Avatar" – very good. Why didn't the buzz and advertising clue me into how much I would like the movie? After watching it, I suddenly didn't mind the blatant "Avatar" pimping on that episode of "Bones." (I still hope "Bones" got paid a fortune for it though.)
Speaking of "Bones," I continue to love, love, LOVE that show!
Posted by Selena at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2009
Mimi's Brunch = Yummy
Had a great brunch at Mimi's Café this morning. (Huevos y Papas = Yum.) The food was fantastic, as usual, and the service was good.
Overall, the experience was positive, but it annoyed me that the server brought our check before we had even finished eating our entrees. Come on! That's not polite. I know there are people waiting, but at least let me finish my meal before you start shoo-ing me out the door.
Still, who am I kidding? I'll be back at Mimi's in no time. I just can't stop myself. Already I'm craving their French Onion Soup.
Posted by Selena at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2009
Olive Garden: Three Quick Reviews
Blogging about Crispers reminded me that I never did post my reviews of a few recent visits to Olive Garden. So here they are...
Olive Garden Lunch 8/5
I ended up at the Olive Garden in Pinellas Park at about 11 a.m. and the place definitely had that “just-opened” feel. I hadn't really planned to go in there at all because I was traveling on a budget and thus was trying to eat cheap. But I kept seeing this huge billboard saying that there was an Olive Garden just a little further down the road. (Brilliant move that! 'Cause there are a half-dozen restaurants right there and if I hadn't known there was an Olive Garden just around the corner, I might have stopped at one of those instead.) Plus I was somehow reminded that they had an unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks special for lunch. (Maybe I saw an ad. I can't remember.) So, I figured: “hey that's just as cheap as Panera or Five Guys, (other places I had patronized that week), so why not?”
Not only was I not disappointed, I was so blown away by the great food and stellar service that I immediately started plotting to come back that night for dinner. (Which I did, but more on that later.)
For lunch I ordered the unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, which turned out to be a little more expensive that I remembered. (I had it in my head as $4 and something, but it was really $6.95. Still, a very good deal.) I wanted the Pasta e Fagioli (soup) but also wanted to try the Chicken and Gnocchi soup. Since it was unlimited refills, I had both. In the end I liked the Chicken and Gnocci, but not as much as the Pasta e Faioli.
The salad and breadsticks were also delicious. I can't remember the last time I liked a salad so much. (Really, me and healthy foods have a somewhat strained relationship.) The breadsticks were exactly the right consistency—soft with a slight crustiest on the outside—and nicely flavored.
While the food and the ambiance were great, it was the service that really blew me away. Throughout the meal the server was attentive, friendly, and efficient. But the real test came when I was paying the bill. The check was $9 something and all I had was a $20 and a couple ones. I paid with the $20 and waited to see what sort of change she would bring me. She proved to be the consummate professional by returning my change not in the $10 bill I so often get—(Duh, people, how am I supposed to leave you a decent tip if you don't give me any small bills?)—but in a five and five ones. That alone earned her an extra dollar on her tip, bringing the tip total to $3 on a $9 check. Not bad.
I enjoyed lunch so much that I spent the afternoon trying to figure out how to get back for dinner. Then a little extra money came my way and I knew I would be back at Olive Garden for dinner. Huzzah!
Olive Garden Dinner 8/5
When I went back for dinner that night, the experience was again excellent.
I had the soup and salad again. With just Pasta e Faioli this time. (No second soup.) It again came with breadsticks. (Yum.) I also ordered an appetizer that I had noticed on my previous visit: Lasagna Fritta.
Again, everything was delicious and the service was great.
If pressed, the only thing I would point to as being "not quite perfect" was that one of the breadsticks was a little overdone—just a little too crusty and not nice and soft in the middle like it should be. But what did I care? The other breadstick was perfect, as was the rest of the meal.
When it was time for the check, the server informed me that the manager would be bringing it. Turns out I was the lucky winner of a survey invitation. (Which is lucky for the restaurant too because I was certainly gonna give them all A's after two stellar experiences in one day!) The manager gave me the news with my check. (He looked exactly like you would expect for the manager of an Italian restaurant: a big guy with a warm face and happy disposition, dressed in a personalized chef's jacket.) I assured him that I would be giving them a good report.
I filled out the survey that evening. I could hardly wait to use the $4-off coupon that came with it.
Olive Garden lunch sometime later in August
Once I got home I decided to try my local Olive Garden. Although the food and atmosphere was just as good as I had experienced in Pinellas Park, the service wasn't up to the same standards. Don't get me wrong, the server was efficient and kind of friendly. But here's a helpful hint for all you servers out there: complaining to your customers about how tired you are and how much you can't wait for your shift to be over doesn't increase your tip as much as you might think it does. Come on, guys! How am I supposed to feel good about being in your restaurant if you are so obviously resentful and angry about being there? I'm just saying.
I've been meaning to go back and give the local Olive Garden another chance, 'cause it was only one server and maybe she was just having a really bad day. But I haven't been back yet, and honestly I'm not so anxious to try again. I may just save my coupon for the next time I'm in Pinellas Park. After all, it's not that far away.
Posted by Selena at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)
Crispers
It was so rainy today that I really had a taste for meatloaf flatbread and potato soup at Crispers. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered they no longer served meatloaf flatbread. (First they get rid of baked potatoes, and now this! Aargh!)
I ordered the Margherita flatbread instead. It was good. (Although the recipe seemed different than I remembered.) The soup was good too. Hubby liked the Italian sub.
All in all it was a nice lunch.
Posted by Selena at 03:54 PM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2009
Mimi's Onion Soup Rocks!
I went to Mimi's yesterday, courtesy of a gift certificate I received for Christmas. (Yeah! Let's hear it for the people who know me well enough to get me what I really want!) The service and atmosphere were great, as always. The food was—well, mixed maybe, but none of it was actually bad. It just wasn't as good as I had hoped.
Let me explain...
The French Onion Soup was FANTASTIC! Which I guess one should expect from a place that bills itself as "French." I was so relieved to see that they took the time to melt the cheese over the cup of soup. That's the way it's supposed to be done! I've been in places recently that try to skate by with just throwing croutons and shredded cheese on the top. NOT okay! It's gotta be a round slice of bread placed on top of the soup then a slice of cheese melted over the bowl. Seriously, people. Otherwise it's not French Onion Soup.
The sandwich, however, did not live up to my expectations. Turkey Pesto Ciabatta sounded so good when I read it on the menu. But once I got it, I didn't like it. I admit, I tinkered with the recipe by asking for it sans avocado and tomato. I think I would have liked it better if the turkey was thinly sliced and it had more pesto mayo. There did seem to be some kind of condiment on the sandwich, but I didn't actually taste any pesto. So the sandwich was too bland for me. It should be said though that hubby thought the sandwich was great.
Even though my meal wasn't perfect, I still enjoyed my visit immensely and plan to go back soon. After all, I've still got some money on my gift card. ;)
(P.S. The Mimi's website actually has their onion soup recipe listed. So you can try it at home. Just be sure to make it "au gratin.")
Posted by Selena at 04:19 PM | Comments (0)
December 26, 2008
Home Again, Home
I've been too busy to blog. But I'm finally "back in action," so here's what's been going on.
I spent most of December in my beloved hometown Washington, DC, visiting family and friends and the local sites that I miss the most.
I arrived at National to the feel of cold air and the tempting smell of Five Guys. (It's a miracle I managed to get out of the airport without a little cheeseburger and a bag of fries.)
My trip to DC was just one highlight after another. Besides visiting loved ones, I made time for ....
Breakfast at La Madeleine. Yum. An egg, bacon, and cheese on croissant so delicious that I have blogged about it before. This time the croissant was a little soggy and falling apart. In the past, it seems that the cook took the extra step of lightly toasting the croissant so it can hold up to the weight of the eggs and such. But not this time. I guess the cook was a little off his game, maybe due to the holidays looming. Still, it was very, very delish and you can't beat La Mad for awesome ambience. (And free wireless internet!).
The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center. How's that for a traditional holiday outing?! It was a very well done production. But I had missed dinner, so by the second act all I could think about was how hungry I was. Bummer.
Two lunches with friends:
one at Mike's in Springfield because our traditional spot, Bennigan's, was no more and thus we had to choose a new place.
and one at an Indian place on Capitol Hill, which just reminded me why I like the other Indian place better. Both have great food, but one has snooty, annoyed service and the other has friendly service. It's worth a little longer walk from the Metro to not have the waiter give me a hard time about not ordering an entrée. I like to order samosas (an appetizer), onion kulcha (bread) and raita (a yogurt and cucumber dip). But that's never enough for this place. So annoying. Next time, I'm going to the nice Indian place.
Kicking around the National Harbor with Mom. So cool. The shops and fancy hotels were impressive (although lunch at one of the fancy restaurants was disappointing.). The coolest part was visiting my favorite sculpture in its new location. Here are some of the pictures I took of The Awakening. The sculpture is too big to get into one frame at street level.
And...
Taking the Metro and walking around DC, stopping by my favorite familiar places like the Lansburgh, Penn Quarter, Teaism, and Eastern Market. I even dropped in on the new theatre in the neighborhood: Sidney Harman Hall. It's gorgeous.
All in all it was a wonderful trip. And as usual I was torn about leaving. It's tough to have a hometown in one place and a home in another. It's like I'm always leaving home to go home, and vice versa. But I got home in time for Christmas, and I guess that was the point. So, now I'm sitting in my perfect house, looking out at the amazing view, and waiting for Granddaughter Lily to come over for a visit. Which reminds me, here are a couple of my favorite recent pictures of Lily:
So cute.
Here's hoping all my loved ones near and far have happy holidays and a happy new year.
Posted by Selena at 12:46 PM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2008
Homesick
I am so homesick right now!
Here's a stream-of-consciousness list about some of the "things" I miss about living in the Washington Metro area:
I miss hanging out with my mom. I miss having lunch with Dad at Don Pablos most weeks. I miss being able to walk places like the grocery store, the library, the post office, a wide assortment of restaurants, and the Metro (gateway to most everywhere else I'd want to go). I miss breakfast at La Madeleine. (The yummiest egg, cheese, and bacon on croissant EVER.) I miss churches that consider "Godspell" an appropriate reference for a Sunday morning service. I miss that Indian place on Capitol Hill. (No, not that one. The other one.) I miss having dinner with my girlfriends and trading wacky stories of our wacky lives. I miss fitting in and being understood. I miss being on a train full of people either reading books or listening to iPods, sometimes both at the same time. I miss a theatre community so big and diverse that you could see a show every night (except Mondays, of course) and still not see them all. I miss art, and museums, and art museums. I miss The Awakening sculpture at Hains Point. (Huh? What do you mean it's no longer at Hains Point?! Bummer. Where's the National Harbor? Clearly I've been away too long.) I even miss confused tourists asking for directions.
Suffice it to say that I miss Washington.
Good thing I have a trip to DC planned soon. I can't wait.
Posted by Selena at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 08, 2007
Tea Fussy
I like tea a lot, but I've also become really fussy about it. I realized today that when I order iced tea at a café or restaurant, I send it back about half the time and get something else. I make my own iced tea at home, so I think I don't like the massed-produced kind anymore. I don't even like most bottled teas. I guess I've been spoiled by all the premium tea.
At home, I make iced tea out of decaf black tea and decaf green tea with mint. Plus a pinch of stevia to sweeten it just a little.
My favorite tea is Lipton's Black Pearl. Yum. Followed closely by Bigelow's Constant Comment. Beware the "orange spice" teas of other brands. They don't cut it. Trust me. I have been disappointed more than once.
I also like a bunch of the Celestial Seasonings teas:
Today it's Honey Vanilla Chamomile (with extra honey 'cause I've got a sore throat)
Other favs:
Mandarin Orange Spice (not the same taste as Constant Comment cause it's an herb tea not a black tea, but still it's the only other "orange spice" tea I like)
Sweet Clementine Chamomile
Golden Honey Darjeeling (although I can never find this flavor in the store anymore)
Madagascar Vanilla Red
Out and about, my current favorite is the vanilla chai latte at Joffrey's. Yum. I just wish they had a better location. I'd go there a whole lot more often if they weren't out of my way. Why can't they have a space in the shopping center where I get my groceries, prescriptions, and pet stuff? Grr. It's one of life's little annoyances. ;)
I also like the tea at Teaism. Great place. Delicious tea. Problem is: I haven't been able to find a Teaism down here in Florida. I guess they are only in Washington, DC. Bummer for me.
Posted by Selena at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
July 30, 2007
Joffrey's
I finished the book and sent off the query. So, naturally I had to go out for breakfast to celebrate. I chose my new favorite dining out (and/or working off-site) spot: Joffrey's café.
I have been there a few times and had a great experience every time. The place was recommended to me by a receptionist in a doctor's office. I had gone in for a cholesterol check. So, of course, I was starving afterwards. (Bleh. I hate fasting, even if it is only overnight.) I asked the lady if she knew of a good place for breakfast. Score one for the medical receptionist! She was so right. I loved Joffrey's so much, I've been meaning to blog about the place ever since.
My favorite breakfast item: ham, egg and cheese on ciabatta roll. Yum. Also, today I had their vanilla chai latte. Also very delicious. If they started serving hash browns with breakfast, I would be in heaven.
In addition to the tastiness of the food and bevs, the service is always great and the atmosphere is lovely, quiet, and comfortable.
Plus they have free wireless internet, which makes it the perfect "I just have to work away from home today!" spot.
Now all I have to do is accomplish some other big goal so that I can justify going back. I'm already craving more of their vanilla chai. Dang, I should have taken them up on their offer of a refill before I left! Ah, well, live and learn.
Posted by Selena at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2007
Craving Don Pablos
For the last couple days I have been craving Don Pablos like mad!
Problem is – tortilla chips, queso dip, and tacos aren't on my new heart-healthy, low-sodium diet.
So, instead it's another round of salad, whole grain toast, and an apple for dessert.
Bleh. It's just not the same.
Posted by Selena at 06:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2007
Meatloaf at Mimi's
Yesterday was a stressful day at work. I knew it would be because I had decided to resign. Even though I was (and am) sure of my decision, I knew that actually giving my notice would be an uncomfortable, guilt-ridden thing for me to do. So I promised myself dinner out if I went through it.
I did go through with it, of course. (There was really no question, just a lot of discomfort.) So, last night featured meatloaf at Mimi's.
Mimi's Café is one of my favorite restaurants in Brandon. It’s actually the first one I visiting upon arriving in Florida. After driving 16 hours straight with a car-load of miserable cats and my helpful, non-complaining mother, Mom and I unloaded the cats into their new home then went looking for dinner. We turned into Mimi's because I liked the looks of the place.
We had meatloaf that night, just like I did last night. Situations such as these call for comfort food. (I rarely eat meat, but sometimes I just want meatloaf.) I've eaten at Mimi's several times and have never been disappointed. (Well, expect for that time I discovered they had taken my favorite breakfast, Mediterranean Vegetable Omelette, off the menu. Bummer.) The food is always delicious and the service good. The meatloaf though holds a special place in my heart.
I almost ordered dessert but decided to try a near-by ice cream place instead. I had a craving for a vanilla shake. I got one at the Cold Stone Creamery and WOW it was great! That place is dangerous. I don't know how I managed to get out of there with just a small vanilla shake!
Posted by Selena at 08:13 AM | Comments (0)
A Near Perfect Night at Carrabas
Recently, hubby offered to take me out of dinner. I jumped at the chance and suggested an Italian place that I had seen advertised and that looked good. So, we went to the Carrabas in Brandon, Florida.
(I specify which location because not all restaurants are created equal, even if they are the same company. Sure, the menu and such are the same, but the execution often varies from place to place. And execution really matters.)
When we first entered, I was surprised (and a bit put off) by how dark it was inside the restaurant. There was spot lighting on each of the tables, presumably so diners could see their food and companions, but otherwise it was too dimly lit for my tastes. My eyes did adjust though and then it didn't bother me anymore.
We were warmly greeted by a waiter who started off great and continued to provide first-class service the whole way through, despite the fact that he seemed to have an obscene number of tables to care for. (We were pre-dinner rush, about 4:30pm, so maybe not all the staff was on yet.) He was knowledgeable, friendly and attentive – all the things you want in a waiter. I realized too late that I should have jotted down his name, but I'm pretty sure it was Sean. (Not sure if he spells it that way or not.)
I ordered a sangria because I love sangria. But it was too wine-heavy for me. I wanted it to be sweeter, fruitier, and fizzier. More fruit juice and Sprite, less red wine. I'm sure it was fine, just not the type of sangria I'm used to. (My favorite sangria can be had at Jaleo in Washington, DC. Yum.)
The sangria didn't appeal to me, but otherwise the meal was delicious in the extreme! We had sausage and peppers as an appetizer. I just ate the peppers since I don't like sausage and hardly ever eat meat. The peppers were so good that I saved some to add to my entrée.
I was in the mood for a ravioli or tortellini dish with veggies instead of meat, but didn't find such a thing. So, I ordered the Mezzaluna: "Delicate half moon ravioli stuffed with chicken, ricotta and spinach, in a tomato cream sauce." I hoped it wasn't big chunks of chicken, because I don't really like chicken that much. I needn't have worried though because the dish was all kinds of wonderful. (No discernable chunks of chicken in ravioli that small.) I was in heaven. I don't think there was a scrap of food left on my plate by the end.
I asked about dessert and Sean became our "walking, talking dessert menu." I ordered the Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and (what my memory recalls as) sugared walnuts (or maybe pecans). It was also delicious.
All together, it was a stellar experience. Delicious (and plentiful) food. Great service. Nice ambiance (once I got used to the dim lighting).
I'll be back at Carrabas for sure. (Is tonight too soon?) And I highly recommend it to you. Probably most Carrabas could provide you with the same stellar experience I got at the one in Brandon. (At least that's the way it's supposed to be.)
If you've had a similar (or dissimilar) experience at a Carrabas, feel free to post about it in the comments. (The comments are moderated and won't appear until I approve them, but I'd still like to hear from you.)
Happy dining, everyone!
Posted by Selena at 07:44 AM | Comments (0)
Dining Out Intro
I love dining out. It is one of my favorite things in the world. It probably has something to do with how I hate to cook and how I worked for about six years in the restaurant business and loved it. Whatever the reason, I dine out any chance I get.
As much as I love going out to eat, I also have high standards about it and it really annoys me when I get bad service, bad food, or both. My restaurant experience has taught me how it should be done and I hate to see it mucked up.
I note the quality of food and service so much that people have often told me I should write restaurant reviews. After a particularly wonderful meal at Carrabas, I decided to go ahead and start that restaurant review blog I'd been thinking about for so long. But then I couldn't get the new blog to work. So, I decided to just make it a category on my main blog.
So, here it is people! The good and the bad. But mostly the good because I hate to name names on the bad.
One exception though. My biggest pet peeve is waiters who bring me the check before asking if I want dessert. (Because, let's face it, I am always on the verge of ordering dessert, even though I know I shouldn't. And it's just dumb for waiters to not try to sell me dessert because HELLO if I order dessert then that increases my check total which increases the waiter's tip. Get it? What waiter doesn't want a bigger tip? Apparently, a whole lot more waiters than I would think.) So, if someone brings me the check before offering me dessert, you'll probably hear about that.
Happy dining!
Posted by Selena at 07:40 AM | Comments (0)