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The traffic here and lack of signs for parking is insane. Came for the first home game of the season for the Coyotes; so I was definitely expecting some traffic but not the absolute nightmare that ensued for FORTY FIVE minutes. We couldn’t even pull into Westgate for 20 of that because the 4 way intersections surrounding Westgate have the worst light system. If you’re trying to take a left turn into there, DON’T. Because all the people turning right or going straight jam up so bad that when you get the left turn arrow you can’t even turn because everything is so backed up. We just sat in our car in disbelief of the absolute cluster fuck. I even said to my fiancé that maybe we should just park across the street and then walk but at that point we were already committed. You’d think it would get better when you get into Westgate but it just gets worse. People walking everywhere so you can’t even move and the people that are supposed to be directing traffic were just standing there doing nothing. There are no signs saying park here, or parking lot full. And there were so many entrances to parking lots that were blocked off for no apparent reason because I could see open parking spaces. Finally after we had already missed 20 minutes of the hockey game, we pulled into a parking lot using the exit side when a lady comes up screaming saying the lot was full even though we could see spaces. At this point we are incredibly frustrated and just said “well where the heck should we park, we’ve been driving for 45 minutes?!” The lady said they were directing everyone to park across the street. So why even let people enter Westgate to just tell them they wasted 40 minutes of their time? There were no signs saying that and no one was directing anyone so we just gave the lady a $20 which I’m sure she just pocketed for herself and pulled into one of the many available spots. Crazy you can’t come here to enjoy a cocktail for 30 minutes before a game because you’ll be spending that time in your car. Will be avoiding Westgate when I can and will ALWAYS park across the street from now on.

Taqueria burro loco – Menu with Prices – 4014 Cherry St, Winston-Salem

We got the al pastor tacos today at lunch and the pork was savory good with the right amount of crunchy bits. Mmmm… crunchy bits. The food was fresh and tasty. Four tacos for $5 and loaded with meat, onions, cilantro and two kinds of spicy sauce. There wasn’t a line, but the traffic coming in and out of the parking lot was nice and steady. They now have a picnic table set up in the shade under some trees and also a bench nearby. The owner is super nice and very hard-working. The taco truck is situated over to the side of the parking lot now, and although I’ve never seen the parking lot filled up, there seem to be plenty of spaces as people complete their order and leave. They are located in the parking lot on the corner(-ish) of Polo and Cherry Street…. more on Cherry Street.

101 Bagel Cafe – Menu with Prices – 3126 US-23, Duluth

Happy that I tried it once and didn’t give up on them. I’ve been to 101 5 or 6 times since they opened. In the beginning, I think they were going through some normal opening/training pains. When I saw that they were opening up on Buford Hwy, I laughed that it was a horrible location and would not survive. I’m glad that I gave them a chance and tried… and now I hope they thrive. They seem to have really fresh salad ingredients. That’s what drew me in. There are plenty of places around where you can go and get fast food and a couple ‘meat and three’ places around (directly across Buford Hwy) but sometimes, I just want something a little healthier. I’ve taken several co-workers, clients, and now family there and we’ve all seem to enjoy it. Not too expensive and I come away feeling filled. Looks like they’re getting ready to update their outdoor sitting area (still not sure how that will do on Buford Hwy with traffic/noise/and exhaust) but we’ll see. If you go, just know that you’re probably going to park in the parking deck behind. It’s not inconvenient at all. If you’re going north bound on Buford Hwy, turn right into deck and park. When you leave, I suggest driving one level up on parking deck and exit to the rear of the deck into the ‘District of Duluth’ development. Turn left and you’ll be right at 120 where you can easily turn left or right depending on your next destination. Great Coffee (try the cold brews and ice ‘coffee cubes.’ I have yet to try hot coffee. One day soon perhaps. If they seem to be low on salad ingredients in the bar, don’t be shy. Just ask and they’ll bring out some fresh. No idea who the owners are, but here’s the Howard Brothers marketing guy who’s happy to have you in town!

Riverbend Music Center – Menu with Prices – 6295 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati

Great venue for a summer concert. TRAFFIC ADVICE: Avoid the pre-concert crush by Taking I – 275 from the North into the venue. Use exit 71 not exit 72 and follow the signs to Riverbend. If you do use exit 72 on the Kellogg Avenue remember all lanes lead to Riverbend parking. If you’re coming from Anderson township, Indian Hill or Newtown simply take Sutton through Mount Washington and into the main gate of Coney island. As with any venue try arriving a little early to avoid the major crush. If you took Uber, Lyft or a cab to the concert remember that parking and pick up is across the street in lot number 10. When you leave to get your Uber at the end of the night walk out the main entrance of gate number 2. Thinking about parking at a pay lot outside the venue, don’t waste you money. Concert parking is free for everyone with a ticket. The old days of 3 hour exits are long gone and most traffic is completely out 45 minutes after the end of the concert. If you have VIP tickets remember to use gate number 5. All Riverbend concerts use gates 1, 2, for, 8 and 9. PNC concerts use gates 2 and 4. Finally when you exit the concert remember no matter what direction or road you end up on, there is signage to get you back to 275.

Renaissance Family Practice – Menu with Prices – 111 Sheridan St, Pittsburgh

Where do I begin? My disappointment isn’t even with the actual appointment because I did not end up having an actual appointment because I was refused to be seen even though I called to let them know I was running just 10 minutes late. I felt that I would be nice enough to call and let the office know that I was 10 minutes late but was literally at the corner of the street, only to be put on hold for several minutes. For the period of about four minutes that I was at the light in the rush-hour traffic as well as just sitting on hold in general only for the lady to get back on the phone and tell me that I had to reschedule. I told the lady that I could understand if it was over 15 minutes due to the policy of most offices but I found that a little absurd. She then had the nerve to tell me that though I couldn’t come in and see the doctor because I need to reschedule, I could always just come in and try to talk to the doctor to see if they will see me. So first I’m told that I can’t be seen but then I’m told that I should go ahead and come and waste my time trying to convince the doctor to see me? No thanks I’ll go to a different doctors office. It would be understandable if the office was packed but I could even see the office from down the street where I was at and there’s no way they would not of been able to see me.

Saigon Bistro – Menu with Prices – 1325 Veterans Blvd, Metairie

This is a great little place to grab a quick bite to eat! It’s small and has homie-like feel. Now… parking is another issue. Its on Veterans… busiest street in Metarie, next to CVS. Four front tiny parking spots shared by four businesses. Supposedly theres more parking in the back… but don’t park at CVS or you’ll be ubering home. What made me want to try this tiny, family owned restaurant is their Pho and Banh Mi Combo. Usually I can’t decide what I want more… pho or Banh Mi….now I can have both!! You can choose whatever pho you want with whatever banh mi you want! i choose the grilled pork banh mi with a combination small pho bowl. Delish! Pork was flavorful! I ate half my sandwich and finished my bowl of pho! Pho was hearty and taste just like my sister-in-law’s recipe…a slight sweeter. Always do exactly the same thing to my pho…. 1. taste the broth (with out additives) 2. add siracha and hoisin sauce 3. Always put basil, jalepenos and bean sprout in your pho! 4. Squeeze that lime or lemon wedge into the pho 5. Enjoy! The menu isn’t extensive…it has your basics like rice plates, pho, vermicelli and banh mi. Also contains variety of bubble tea and smoothies. They did inform me that certain fruit smoothies are made with fresh fruits combine with syrups or sauces…none the less…as long as its not completely powder forms…i will drink it! I got the strawberry smoothie with boba (tapioca). It was really good…not overly sweet…just right… I gave it a four star b/c of the limited amounts of parking spaces. If you park in front of the store, it would be very difficult to reverse out of that spot with all the ongoing traffic. I would still come back cause i like to pho and banh mi combo!

Chick-fil-A – Menu with Prices – 3113 W Olive Ave, Burbank

I have been to many different Chick-fil-A. I was hungry and I have been watching all this hoopla all over the Internet about Popeyes and Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich challenges. Now, I have always enjoyed getting a spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A I’ve never had the one from Popeyes yet… So on this day I decided to go to Chick-fil-A in Burbank. First of all I was extremely irritated because there was no parking. When I say no parking I mean no parking zero. Like literally there was not a space at all they were people going around and around trying to get a space even the street parking was full. Thats my biggest problem with this place. It’s too big for the amount of parking spaces allotted. I finally found a spot… One small victory I thought to myself. I get out and I go inside and the line is like 30 people deep…I was like how am I ever going to get a sandwich and get out of here in less than 20 minutes… Well I was completely surprised to see how they streamline the service inside someone comes around with like an iPad type situation and asks you what you want, you give the order to them and then you go and pay and then wait and then they call your name I have never been to a Chick-fil-A that was like that or maybe they all just changed like that but it was actually very efficient and I got my sandwich in 10 minutes…faster than in and out! Let’s talk about my sandwich, I got the spicy chicken deluxe…just a sandwich I don’t need all the other stuff. The sandwich is enough on its own. It was the best Chick-fil-A spicy deluxe sandwich I have had in my entire life! Burbank puts it down and they know what they’re doing! I ate it in my car and inhaled it in like seven minutes! Yaaaasssss!

Narobia’s Grits & Gravy – Menu with Prices – 2019 Habersham St, Savannah

Visiting from Atlanta and had to stop by Narobia’s. We heard this was a great BLACK OWNED breakfast restaurant and we weren’t let down. The Atmosphere: The inside is quite small. You’d want to get there as early as possible to ensure your wait isn’t that long. Also, like most black owned businesses with small spaces, it can get pretty hot since the kitchen is close and of course, it’s already Savannah. The Service: The service is good. No matter how many people arrive, the staff does their best to get people seated as quickly as possible. The more people in your party, the longer it may take for you to be seated. With just my wife and I, it took maybe 20 minutes to be seated as we were next to be seated. Luckily, we got there when we did, because 3 or 4 more couples came after us to wait for a table. The Food: I honestly didn’t know what I wanted. There were too many food items that sounded good. Eventually, I panicked and settled with the 2-piece fried fish fillet with eggs and substituted the grits for hash browns. ($7.50 + $1.50 for substituting). DELICIOUS! I also ordered a chicken biscuit to go ($2.25), which was good the next morning, so I’m sure it would’ve been even better fresh. The Parking: There are some street parking spaces as well as a small lot. Overall, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. If we come back to Savannah, we’ll be sure to come back here again!

Noble Barbecue – Menu with Prices – 1706 Forest Ave, Portland

I needed a quick bite to eat on my way through the area. I called in the order ahead of time for a chopped pork sandwich. The pickup was quick and easy, as the counter had signage directing me so I didn’t have to wait in the same line as those ordering. The cashier was attentive and took care of me promptly. Noble is your friendly neighborhood barbecue joint. They have all the staples and have taken the time to smoke all the meats to perfection. In fact, you can see the smoker sitting in the parking lot. Many times, I’ll need to add extra sauce to my pulled pork sandwiches because they may be dry or under seasoned. Not here! It honestly never crossed my mind! The slow smoking process becomes evident as soon as your mouth nears the bun. You can literally taste the smokiness in your mouth. The sandwiches are plentiful. I certainly left full and I didn’t even order a side. As I usually do, I’d like to offer some constructive criticism. More parking is needed. I’ve tried to grab a bite here before and been detoured because the parking lot was chuck full. Other then that, I’m a happy lady. Great food!!

Breaking Bread Café & Catering – Menu with Prices – 1210 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis

While in Minneapolis, MN my daughter and I stopped into the Breaking Bread Cafe and we were very pleased. Parking: Being from out of town and unsure of how street parking is handled in the city, we are unsure if we could park on the main street in front of the restaurant. We saw a small driveway which wrapped around the building and there we found the parking lot for the restaurant. They could do with a couple signs so that the people aren’t familiar with the location can be directed to the parking. Inside the restaurant it was clean, brightly lit with beautiful artwork covering the walls and they played fun 90’s music. Our server was Keyla and she could not have been any nicer. She greeted us from the door and got us seated right away. When I asked her to tell us “what was good” she advised right away that we should get the chicken and waffles. We did ordering that along with some lattes and another delicious Turkey Bacon hashbrown dish. The food was very good and we even ordered dessert to go (Sweet Potato Pie and Peach Cobbler). Pricing was very reasonable and the restaurant was extremely popular. Back at the Airbnb we dug into the desserts later that night. Unfortunately we did not love them so perhaps they are an acquired taste for the locals but if you stay with the savory menu items you cannot go wrong. I would definitely go back again if I am ever in Minneapolis.

Shoku Ramen Bar – Menu with Prices – 1221 Alhambra Blvd Suite 107, Sacramento

I suggested and bookmarked this new ramen spot after coming across it on Yelp while ever searching for gems to eat at in the 916. My fam trusted me. So off we went. It is near my wife’s work UC DAVIS on Folsom Blvd. This shop is nearby on Alhambra. Ok they have their own lot. Funny they have signs barring Kru, Star Ginger etc from parking in their spots. Parking is at a premium downtown. Sad but true. I got a black garlic ramen $8.99 and asked for extra spicy. Damn. I coughed and choked on the ripping ass hot heat. Nice. The broth I could taste was good. Better than Natomas Fins and Koshi. Not as good as Ryujin and Raijin. Those are the Sac top standards for ramen and ramen broth. But this place is killer! Decent portion and good stuff in the bowl. My daughter got the tofu ramen $6.50 and a breaded pork sammy. She liked both. This kid likes ramen at home, away, anywhere. Lol. She liked the sando. I tried it and it was ok. But can’t beat the $5 tag. Wife got the Tonkotsi ramen $8.99 and liked it. They also have apps and udon too. Plain ramen is just $5! Good for meatless lovers. Just a note that you get 2 pieces of pork in the black garlic and tonkotsu. They were yummy and the egg was def the porn variety and was cooked perfectly. Conclusion: My ass is coming back here as often as I can. Drawback? It is downtown. Traffic is always messy. At least parking is not street so no gouging by the gentrifying Sac downtown due to councilmembers and the city trying to turn Sac into SF and Bay Area #2.

Gypsy Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 555 W James St, Lancaster

After living very close to Franklin and Marshall for many years, I had no idea that this place existed. It took some good friends to invite me out to lunch and explain to me how to get there. First — directions. If on Harrisburg Pike, turn right onto College Ave, as if you were going into the city. Go past the first two side streets on the left. In the next block you will see the entrance to the Lancaster Theological Seminary on the left — Gypsy Kitchen is in the back off this entrance. (Don’t worry — there is a sign out front which is small and low, but it alerts you to having found it.) Parking is tough, so park in one of the back-in spaces on the street. Also many of my friends used the next street over to park and walked through the back of the property. Second — Decor. This is such an interesting place as it is located in the refectory (room for communal meals in an educational or religious setting). There are high ceilings with exposed beams, a beautiful fireplace, a few individual tables, and a lot of long tables. The windows are of soldered glass. There are also tables outside. Lastly — The food. The food was delicious ! You order at the front table, they make the food and then deliver it to your table. At the end you pay back at the table. Water is in a cooler on the side. The menu was very interesting. From a BLAT (BLT with avocado), to soup, to a Greek Salad, to dinner type entrees, there is something for everyone. I had the salmon which was cooked to perfection and very yummy. They are open for lunch everyday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 9 PM.Now that the secret is out. . . give it a try !

Thump Roastery Menu with Prices 549 NW York Dr #200, Bend

Eh. The best part of this Thump location was getting there. As someone just visiting Bend it gave me a chance to see a part of town that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Also, Google navigator does traffic circles surprisingly well and I got a kick out of that. Had a Belgian mocha. “Belgian” is the type of chocolate used. Not very sweet, which I’m sure many prefer, but I like my mochas a tad sweeter. And, of course, these are the fancy mochas that don’t come with whipped cream on top. Also had a Snickerdoodle cookie. Always on the lookout for a good Snickerdoodle, I wouldn’t order this one again. Had that weird lemon-y flavor often awkwardly noticed in baked goods, I’m not sure what it is but it doesn’t belong in what’s essentially a sugar cookie with cinnamon. Also, at $2.50 each, yeah, nope. Slow service. I get the whole “hand crafted” thing, but I was the only one in line and it still took probably 5 minutes to get my drink. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty, but not sure why it took so long. Parking could get tight. This location is in the back corner of a professional office park so Thump shares a parking lot that’s essentially employee parking for many businesses – meaning most parking places won’t turn over during the day while people are working. On the upside, the place does have a good vibe with plenty of seating – both inside and out – and the wifi signal seemed strong. Outside is a fire pit which could be neat at night, especially in the winter, if the place is even open at night. Generally speaking, Thump probably isn’t for me but it could be for you depending on your personal taste, and this location specifically would be a nice break for people working / going to school / passing through the the neighborhood.