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I took my Audi for service at Europa recently. The staff have a good understanding of German cars, and pay significant attention to detail. They are also very service oriented. Your car is...
I took my Audi for service at Europa recently. The staff have a good understanding of German cars, and pay significant attention to detail. They are also very service oriented. Your car is returned clean (they give it a very thorough exterior wash) and they offer to drop you off if you're going somewhere nearby.
We had our brake pads and rotors replaced. After we picked up the car, we heard a sound in the back right. We took the car back, and they found that a few bolts used in the brake assembly had rusted a bit. I would have liked them to have taken care of this when they replaced the brakes, but they replaced the bolts and didn't charge us for anything. I really appreciate this level of service, and it indicates that they are an honest shop.
Europa is not cheap. They are very service oriented and you pay for that. I believe their mechanic labor rates are around $95 an hour.
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Although I've never seen the TV show 'The Closer', it is an apt description of Pontevecchio. The restaurant is a perfect place to bring someone on a third date, or to take your significant other for...
Although I've never seen the TV show 'The Closer', it is an apt description of Pontevecchio. The restaurant is a perfect place to bring someone on a third date, or to take your significant other for a special night. Pontevecchio is upscale Italian (Sicilian) nestled in a an unlikely location off 34th in Fremont.
Nearly all of the tables are set for 2, and all of the other diners were couples some out for a special night. The owner is warm and friendly and makes every guest feel right at home. His pride in the restaurant, their staff and the food they serve is very endearing.
The service is appropriately relaxed (takes time), as you savor the Italian wines, the food and the very romantic atmosphere. Our food was extraordinarily good. They regularly feature singers from the Seattle Opera, jazz trios, and Flamenco dancers. The night we were there, the restaurant was occasionally serenaded by a Soprano.
Parking can be found next door to the restaurant - a huge plus in Fremont.
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I can't imagine that there is a restaurant in DC that hasn't hosted a senator or congressman at some point. Anyway, they are pretty excited about it (they have the excerpt from his book on the...
I can't imagine that there is a restaurant in DC that hasn't hosted a senator or congressman at some point. Anyway, they are pretty excited about it (they have the excerpt from his book on the wall).
The Bombay Club is a good Indian restaurant in downtown DC. Although the experience seemed high end, the prices were on par with other Indian restaurants. The service was friendly and attentive, although I did get a quizzical look when I ordered my dish 'spicy'.
The food was good but not standout. The dal was clearly the standout of the evening. The menu featured dishes from a number of different regions within India. The interior decor was more colonial India than traditional, which seemed to suit DC just fine.
Anyway, great restaurant & worth checking out.
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Jerry's is a small sub shop chain in the MD & VA area. I ended up there for lunch at one point. Their buffalo wings are very good, however the subs that we tried were just ok. I'm not likely to...
Jerry's is a small sub shop chain in the MD & VA area. I ended up there for lunch at one point. Their buffalo wings are very good, however the subs that we tried were just ok. I'm not likely to make a return trip.
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We're in the process of having Mike do more extensive work in our bathroom. We haven't started yet, but he came highly recommended from a friend of ours.
I don't have a great handle on the...
We're in the process of having Mike do more extensive work in our bathroom. We haven't started yet, but he came highly recommended from a friend of ours.
I don't have a great handle on the full range of work that he does, but you should give him a call and ask.
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Sound Mind & Body is the highest quality gym that I've ever been a member of. They have ample cardio and weight equipment. Parking is easy and free in their parking lot, and of course you can't...
Sound Mind & Body is the highest quality gym that I've ever been a member of. They have ample cardio and weight equipment. Parking is easy and free in their parking lot, and of course you can't beat the location. They have a full basketball gym (which I haven't used), and it looks like a ton of fitness classes as well.
Their monthly fee structure is a breath of fresh air to the gym market - it is great not being locked in to long term contracts that require your half of your first-born to cancel.
It can get a bit crowded between 6 & 7, but I've still always been able to find parking and the piece of equipment I'm looking for.
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I like Wonder Bar a lot. It is a small little place just across from the Wallingford Market. It is small and cozy inside. They have a number of very comfortable couches and a giant square couch,...
I like Wonder Bar a lot. It is a small little place just across from the Wallingford Market. It is small and cozy inside. They have a number of very comfortable couches and a giant square couch, with a pile of pillows in the middle.
They regularly have latin jazz bands in to play, and a decent number of people show up just to dance (kind of impresssive as there is no real dance floor to speak of). A few people bring their own instruments and join in the merry making.
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I've heard a lot of hype about Tutta Bella, and I fully expected to be disappointed with the pizza. The converse was true.
We tried a number of Tutta Bella pizzas, and all were excellent. The...
I've heard a lot of hype about Tutta Bella, and I fully expected to be disappointed with the pizza. The converse was true.
We tried a number of Tutta Bella pizzas, and all were excellent. The ingredients were clearly fresh and tastes were well-balanced.
Tutta Bella is very large inside, and seems to always be full. The interior is spacious and noisy and is a great place to go with a group of people. They don't take reservations, but do allow you to call ahead. I was also incredibly suprised at how affordable the restaurant was. Our group of 6 walked out with a check around $100.
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Friends from out-of-town visited this weekend, so I took the time to visit the Ballard locks for the first time.
The locks themselves were pretty fascinating to the engineer in me. Even cooler...
Friends from out-of-town visited this weekend, so I took the time to visit the Ballard locks for the first time.
The locks themselves were pretty fascinating to the engineer in me. Even cooler was the fish ladder for salmon and steelhead to get back to their original rivers. Unfortunately January is not a great time for fish migration, so we saw no fish. I'm definitely putting the locks on my list for early-April (Steelhead run) and again in July (Salmon run).
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Last time I heard lots of hype about a burger joint, it was for In-N-Out Burger in CA. I was skeptical, but learned that the hype was justified.
I've seen the long lines and I've heard the local...
Last time I heard lots of hype about a burger joint, it was for In-N-Out Burger in CA. I was skeptical, but learned that the hype was justified.
I've seen the long lines and I've heard the local hype, so I expected a great greasy experience when I decided try Dick's for the first time. Naturally, I expected something on par with In-N-Out.
It was fast. Probably the fastest burger I've ever had. The shake was really good.
However, I was fully disappointed by the burger. I suppose I've been spoiled by In-N-Out, where every ingredient is super fresh, and moderately customizable.
At Dick's, you take what you're given. 3 options for burgers. No tomatoes on mayo. No Deluxe without mayo. The ingredients are moderately fresh, but not crisp. The meat is your typical low-quality meat found anywhere. Overall an OK burger - nothing to get excited about though.
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