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We recently purchased a car (the Freestyle -- great car, not that you see any of them on the road) from Walnut Creek Ford. The sales experience was generally very positive; definitely not a hard...
We recently purchased a car (the Freestyle -- great car, not that you see any of them on the road) from Walnut Creek Ford. The sales experience was generally very positive; definitely not a hard sell, but plenty of information and assistance. We were ready to give them a full endorsement on the evaluation sheet they provided.
But within 2 weeks of buying the car, we discovered a small problem with it, called in, and were told to bring it in for while-you-wait service. From there, it all went downhill. No aspect of the service experience met our expectations. Any wait was twice as long as we were told it would be -- at least. My pregnant-and-towing-two-kids wife was never offered assistance. The loaner they gave us was a two generations-old, paint-chipped minivan -- not up to par with what we'd just purchased. In general, we felt suckered, as if having signed on the line that is dotted, we really didn't matter to them any longer.
In sum, we do like the car, but if you decide to buy a Ford (does anyone else these days?), go somewhere else.
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Unfortunately, not everyone does get to choose, but if you do, choose Alta Bates. No great revelation, I know; it's been called the East Bay's baby factory. But we'd also heard some disappointing...
Unfortunately, not everyone does get to choose, but if you do, choose Alta Bates. No great revelation, I know; it's been called the East Bay's baby factory. But we'd also heard some disappointing comments about Alta Bates recently -- that private rooms were hard to come by, that some rooms were not only shared but shoddy, and that service wasn't always friendly. Based on the one data point of our very recent experience, though, we were thrilled with every aspect of having our son at Alta Bates. The delivery itself went very smoothly, but I felt confident that had problems arisen, we would have been in very good hands. Afterwards, the three of us stayed in a spacious, very comfortable room -- with a view of the Bay! The staff was so eager to help it was almost embarrassing, and the food wasn't half bad. Karen recovered very quickly, but when asked if we wanted to go home early, we said we preferred to stay!
Of course, we've had positive experiences elsewhere, but I'm happy to say that our third birthing center-experience was the best!
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This might not be much of a revelation to people working in SF -- and I apologize for switching to the City on this Oakland forum -- but Working Girls' sandwiches are something special. I've tried...
This might not be much of a revelation to people working in SF -- and I apologize for switching to the City on this Oakland forum -- but Working Girls' sandwiches are something special. I've tried all the chicken versions and the Blackened Red Snapper, and all are delicious, with my favorite being the Spicy Thai Chicken. The ingredients seem suitably fresh and the bread is good, but the toppings and sauces make the quality.
The other aspect of Working Girls' that I appreciate is the service. On one hand, it's just your basic lunch counter-style cafe -- but the manager knows my name, knows what I like, throws in free chips or a drink and generally sees to it that, even in a hectic midday lunch situation, my experience is a positive one.
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I never considered writing a "review" of a non-profit organization until I saw this category on Judy's Book -- and when my kids went on a field trip to Books for the Barrios with their preschool....
I never considered writing a "review" of a non-profit organization until I saw this category on Judy's Book -- and when my kids went on a field trip to Books for the Barrios with their preschool. This organization sends donations of books and other educational supplies to tiny communities in the rural Philippines. B for the B serves as a great educational resource for kids, who learn not only how good it feels to give to others, but also all about life in another country where things are very different but where the kids are "just like us." This proved to be one of the most popular field trips of the year for the preschool, and we plan to take our kids there in the future, either as a family or with larger groups of kids.
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We see an excellent dentist, Laurie Shepherd. She's very professional, always letting you know just what she's doing and why. She seems very up-to-speed with her practices and techniques -- and...
We see an excellent dentist, Laurie Shepherd. She's very professional, always letting you know just what she's doing and why. She seems very up-to-speed with her practices and techniques -- and doesn't mind letting you know that she's using something cutting-edge, and once again, why she's doing so. And her practice is tightly run, so scheduling and billing go smoothly.
Her chairside manner is fine -- she's very personable -- but she's not exactly sunny, and she doesn't indulge the kids with her gimmicks, so I'm more comfortable recommending her for adults than kids.
BTW, she doesn't really specialize in cosmetic dentistry -- though she did a great job on my chipped tooth.
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Reviewing Rockridge Kids is hardly digging up a lesser-known little parents' treasure; most moms and dads around here know this toy/kids gear all-too-well, having watched our kids duke it out over...
Reviewing Rockridge Kids is hardly digging up a lesser-known little parents' treasure; most moms and dads around here know this toy/kids gear all-too-well, having watched our kids duke it out over the well-worn train table. But be sure to go to the other side of the store, where strollers/car seats/high chairs and other more "durable" child goods are sold, if only to hear from Christian, the lanky red-headed local expert of the parent set. This guy knows EVERYTHING there is to know about anything that allows you to carry, push or otherwise bear your child (excepting, of course, the mother). He is remarkably friendly and goes out of his way to ensure that your child is safe and that you are satisfied. We recently brought a slightly dysfunctional car seat to him, and he came out to the car with us and worked with us for quite awhile to demonstrate just how it should work. I give Christian 5 stars - and that's not just Stanford grade inflation!
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Wheels of Justice (named for proprietor Justice Baxter) on Mountain Blvd. in Montclair is staffed by very friendly folks who definitely don't make you feel silly for asking low-tech questions....
Wheels of Justice (named for proprietor Justice Baxter) on Mountain Blvd. in Montclair is staffed by very friendly folks who definitely don't make you feel silly for asking low-tech questions. They're trying to form a cycling community around the store with group rides, semi-annual "Grand Re-Openings" (with beer, pizza and karaoke) and an amazing trade-in policy for kids' bikes. They also offer free lifetime repairs and maintenance for bikes bought in the shop.
The store can be a bit of a mess, and the selection could be better, but as someone who spends a lot of time on my bike and in bike shops, this is where I choose to spend my money.
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Movie Express, Montclair's locally-managed (and I think owned) video/DVD store, gives us reason enough to drive -- or walk -- for our movies instead of getting them in the mail. Good selection,...
Movie Express, Montclair's locally-managed (and I think owned) video/DVD store, gives us reason enough to drive -- or walk -- for our movies instead of getting them in the mail. Good selection, solid and friendly service, great prices (including some good pre-paid deals)...and they give you free popcorn with every rental! This is an opportunity to give your business to the local guys.
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