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I've had good luck with Procraft for windows and doors. The customer service rep we worked with on both occasions, Samir, was nice and helpful. The reps come bearing binders of product brochures...
I've had good luck with Procraft for windows and doors. The customer service rep we worked with on both occasions, Samir, was nice and helpful. The reps come bearing binders of product brochures showcasing the doors and windows that Procraft sells and installs. We went with Milgard windows to replace our house's original windows. I don't remember what brand of doors we bought, but we got a solid wood one for the front and a metal door for the side of the house. We were advised to stick with our plain, but functional solid wood basement door. I appreciated that the rep would be honest and suggest we stick with what we had even though it probably meant less commission for him. The windows and doors have always arrived looking just as we thought they would and the quality has been great.
The installers were different each time, but both groups were professional and efficient. When they leave, you would hardly even know they were ever there. I was home when our new doors got installed and the guy even unscrewed and rehung our bathroom door and tried to fix up a scratch on the tile when he used the bathroom and noticed the door wasn't shutting quite right. My only complaint is that they didn't install a peephole in the front door, but I didn't remember until after they'd left. I'm pretty sure it was added to the work order and I feel confident they'd come out and install it now if I could just get off my butt and call them about it.
Our doors and windows were always installed in one day and within several weeks of the original estimate and order date.
I don't know if they do installations of products not purchased through Procraft...
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If you're in Redmond and want to eat pho, go to Than Brothers in downtown Redmond instead of Pho Hoa. The Pho Hoa experience is a mixed bag. Overall, I was not impressed. They have nice menus that...
If you're in Redmond and want to eat pho, go to Than Brothers in downtown Redmond instead of Pho Hoa. The Pho Hoa experience is a mixed bag. Overall, I was not impressed. They have nice menus that explain in detail (verbally and visually) what goes into each bowl of pho. The menus even helpfully categorize the offerings into those for newbies or the less adventurous all the way to those bowls geared toward people who can't get enough tendon (yum!) or tripe. They have more Vietnamese fare, like shrimp rolls and fruit smoothies, but I'd rather my pho restaurants focus on pho. Their broth was too sweet for my taste. They also use lower quality cuts of meat with too much fat and gristle still on them. The meat was already cooked when it came to the table. A good bowl of pho has meat that is still rare and cooks in the hot broth as you stir it up yourself. They only offer two sizes (small or large). While the small is about the same size as Than Brothers' medium, it also costs quite a bit more (just over $5). I prefer to get a small for $3.85 at Than Brothers. Also, you only get free cream puffs at Than Brothers!
One of my lunchmates said he thought the chicken pho was better at Pho Hoa than Than Brothers, but I wouldn't know since I've never had it at either location.
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I'm a little biased because this is the restaurant my husband and I go to most regularly, so I'm sure we get special treatment. But, then again, we go so frequently because the sushi is good and...
I'm a little biased because this is the restaurant my husband and I go to most regularly, so I'm sure we get special treatment. But, then again, we go so frequently because the sushi is good and pretty inexpensive. Jae's sushi comes in wonderful slabs, thick and extra long so that you can squeeze a mini order of sashimi out of your nigiri. How else could we stuff ourselves to the gills with fresh fish, cold nigori sake, and Kirin beer and spend an _average_ of $25 per person? When we do large takeout orders, it usually comes to less than $40 total (because we don't get the soup and drinks) and we still end up with more than we can eat. This isn't some supposed 25 for $25 situation either, where you actually end up spending at least $35 a person once you figure in drinks.
A steamy, salty dish of edamame gets delivered to you shortly after you're seated. You can order from the pan-Asian offerings, the best of which are the big bowls of Vietnamese rice noodle bowls with egg rolls and charbroiled pork, green bean chicken, and Thai garlic shrimp. I also like the crispy bird's nest noodles for the perfect egg noodles and variety of meat and vegetables, but ask for extra garlic if you're afraid it'll be too bland. Or, you can order from the sushi menu. The fresh list isn't always up-to-date and Jae always has fish that aren't on the menu, so ask if you're hankering for something in particular.
You'll have the best dining experience if you sit at the sushi bar, but you can't sit there unless you order some sushi. Sitting at the bar is good for pacing and for attention from the chef. It takes a little longer to get sushi to the tables, especially when it's summer and the capacity doubles because the patio's open. I think it's easier for the chefs to slip you a plate of sushi while they're working on other orders when you're sitting right in front of them with an empty plate. If you sit at a table, expect a leisurely dining experience.
It's a pretty casual restaurant, but its atmosphere suggests a classier experience. All the walls have wonderful murals on them of scenes taken from Japanese prints and Asian motifs. There's a dry riverbed along one side of the ramp leading to the diningroom. Lighting is subdued. Classical music plays on the speaker system. In the summer, you'll feel like you're in another world on their large, brightly painted patio in the back.
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Nishino
Category:
Restaurants
3130 E Madison St
Seattle, Washington 98112
(206) 322-5800
After living in the neighborhood for years (and having been a sushi lover for even longer), I finally tried Nishino this week. Granted, it was a trip to feel out the place using the 25 for $25...
After living in the neighborhood for years (and having been a sushi lover for even longer), I finally tried Nishino this week. Granted, it was a trip to feel out the place using the 25 for $25 promotion as an excuse, but I was happy with even that meal. I decided that I'm still happy with my usual haunt (Chinoise on Madison) for my daily sushi needs, but will be back to try the omakase (roughly translated, "leave it to the chef") fixed price dinner. I could tell there were subtle differences in the quality of the sushi as well as in the nori. The fish was just a bit fattier, fresher, and a touch more tender, but the differences weren't pronounced enough for me to make this my regular sushi restaurant. Besides, Jae puts so much more loving care into his presentations than I saw Kazu do at Nishino. Maybe it was an off-night? All things considered, I still savored my meal.
The restaurant seemed really busy when we came in mid-week and it took a few minutes before we spoke with the hostess. That turned me off at first, but the polite and attentive service that followed made up for it. The decor wasn't particularly Japanese and was more "classic" in the 80's sense of the word. The art was a little incongruous, too, all bright and abstract in contrast with the dim lighting and beige walls.
The 25 for $25 deal got me and my husband each our choice of three appetizers, three main courses, and three desserts. The meal also came with miso soup. I ordered a dungeness crab cake as an appetizer, the sushi assortment for my entree, and sorbet for dessert. My husband ordered the yellowtail sashimi as an appetizer, sushi for his entree, and mochi for dessert. We also started with an order of albacore sashimi (5 pieces), well-priced at $9, melt in your mouth delicious, and significantly thicker than the yellowtail sashimi that came with the 25 for $25 meal.
The crab cake was generously meaty and moist, although my husband thought it was too wet for his taste. The napa cabbage-mayo salad on the side was limp and bland. The "salsa" for the crab cake was also unnecessary and needed to be chopped more finely, besides. I much preferred the seaweed salads that came with the yellowtail. The sushi entree came with more sushi than I expected: two pieces from what appeared to be a maguro/salmon roll with avocado and tobiko, three pieces from a pickled vegetable roll, and one piece each of the following nigiri: amaebi, maguro, hamachi, and salmon. The sorbets were fine, but the shiso-flavored one was very icy when compared to the mango and strawberry. My husband's mango and strawberry mochi were little cold to start with, but defrosted a bit as we ate them and turned delightfully gummy and creamy.
I left stuffed, happy, and ready to come back for the omakase dinner.
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Because Something Silver carries pieces by so many designers (often local), they're likely to offer at least one collection that appeals to you or the taste of your gift recipient. My tastes are...
Because Something Silver carries pieces by so many designers (often local), they're likely to offer at least one collection that appeals to you or the taste of your gift recipient. My tastes are kind of eclectic, so I always end up cooing over and trying on multiple pieces when I'm here, whether it's a leather and metal cuff bracelet or a dainty pair of gemstone earrings that I'm after. It's a good place to buy stuff for girlfriends, something that my own very thoughtful friends have picked up on for when Christmas or my birthday rolls around!
The store's emphasis is on fairly casual pieces you could wear everyday in a bunch of different settings. There's nothing super fancy or pricey here, although you could drop over a hundred dollars if you got several items at once. Say, a necklace from Mimi & Marge, a ring and a necklace from Smallthings Design, and then a pair of earrings from Baroni. I usually try to refrain from buying more than two items in any given trip to lessen my guilt about frivolous spending.
Cases are grouped by designer or by style. Their "generic" chains, rings, and charms are in various carousels throughout the store. Take notes in case you like the style of a particular designer because none of the Something Silver stores ever carries a designer's full collection.
In addition to sterling silver jewelry, they also carry a lot of glass pieces, plain metal pieces, and items made from wood. They also carry money clips, card cases, and other items you usually find in an establishment that specializes in silver.
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We go here every few Sundays or so with friends. Their menu is extensive, several pages packed full of text, but we pretty much always get the thali dinners from the back page. They have several...
We go here every few Sundays or so with friends. Their menu is extensive, several pages packed full of text, but we pretty much always get the thali dinners from the back page. They have several thali dinners to choose from (vegetarian, chicken, lamb, lamb and chicken), but don't bother asking about substitutions. It says right on the menu that they won't swap out items in the thali dinners and they stick by that. We often ask anyway. They're nice when they refuse, but we've never gotten an exception.
The spiciest rating is sometimes so fiery hot that it's inedible, so be careful. The next step down is considerably less hot, though, so pick your poison... Or, get a delicious lassi drink to mitigate the heat.
Their naan is wonderfully fluffy, chewy, and charred. They are very generous with it, each person getting a whole piece with their thali dinner instead of just half. Their samosas sometimes lack a little something (not enough amchur powder?), but the sauces that come with the samosas, pakoras and pappadams are plenty sweet and flavorful.
Last of all, there are always Indians eating here. I think that's a pretty good indicator of how good the food is.
See a menu here: http://www.pablaindiancuisine.com/mainmenu.htm
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Ped
Category:
Shoes
1115 1st Ave
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 292-1767
The shoes, bags, and jewelry at Ped are heaven-sent. This is where you go when you want to get special accent pieces that will make an otherwise plain outfit interesting. You'll pay through the nose...
The shoes, bags, and jewelry at Ped are heaven-sent. This is where you go when you want to get special accent pieces that will make an otherwise plain outfit interesting. You'll pay through the nose for the privilege, though, unless you get lucky and find just the thing on their 50% sale rack. If you wear a 7, 8, or 9 and are at least mildly daring with fashion, you'll find some fun hold-outs on the sale rack.
Even if you're just browsing, the salespeople are nice and happy to help you try things on. There's not the hoidy-toidiness I'd expect from this kind of boutique. That makes them a winner in my book regardless of their designer prices.
I love that they display their handbags along the walls. It makes them easy to see. The prices on the bags are not as well displayed, but that's okay because you'd probably never pick one up to try on if you saw them. I try to forget that I can't afford the bags so I can lose myself in stroking the buttery leather or testing out how a bright yellow or funky purple bag looks with my outfit.
They carry shoes that you'd never see in a department store. When no one else was carrying peep toe heels, they had a bunch to choose from. In the past year, they seem to have had a steady rotation of wedge heels (especially espadrilles), Mary Janes, t-straps, and boots. They carry far more women's shoes than men's; their men's selection only takes up two or three shelves.
Ped also carries jewelry by local designer Jamie Joseph, who has been hyped in all the local magazines as well as Sunset. Her pieces are both delicate and daring at the same time. Think really girly colors (mint green and pearlescent shell) and delicate details put into action using chunky stones. Needless to say, I lust after this jewelry... and everything else in this store.
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I love this beach. It tides me over when I'm longing for the summers I spent on the beach in Southern California. The only thing that ruins the illusion is the water. Waves aren't huge and the water...
I love this beach. It tides me over when I'm longing for the summers I spent on the beach in Southern California. The only thing that ruins the illusion is the water. Waves aren't huge and the water is always cold. It is Seattle, after all. It never gets as hot here as it does in California, but at Golden Gardens, you can be a pretend beach bum for a day. Wade in the water, make a sand castle, throw frisbees and footballs, fly a kite, or just lay out on a blanket.
This is a wonderful location for picnics. They have a number of tables underneath shade trees on the grassy part of the park. In the summers, you have to make a reservation or have good timing in order to catch a party as they're vacating their space for the day. Come early in the evening or late in the afternoon if you want a bonfire. Bonfires outside of the fire pits are not allowed, but people obviously make them anyway because the beach sand is half charcoal. Your feet and ankles will get VERY dirty. In the summer, you can catch performers doing cool routines and stunts with fire when the sun goes down.
As beautiful as this place is during the day, it's especially gorgeous when the sun goes down and you see the silhouettes of sailboats against the red-orange sky. At night, it's magical to hear the sound of trains coming out of the darkness on the tracks that border the edge of the beach.
Parking's tough, but it's worth it to make some rounds of the parking lots. There's a decent amount of turnover.
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If there's something you suspect you can't get at Safeway, go to Trader Joe's first. Or, if you want to save a bundle on gourmet cheese or like dried fruits, nuts, or trail mixes, come here. None of...
If there's something you suspect you can't get at Safeway, go to Trader Joe's first. Or, if you want to save a bundle on gourmet cheese or like dried fruits, nuts, or trail mixes, come here. None of the Trader Joe's I've been to in Seattle have as good a selection as the ones I visit when I see family in California or Reno, so I was hoping this new one would be an improved experience. It turned out to be too small a store, but you'll still find the most popular Trader Joe's far. This location is very popular, so be strategic about when you shop if you don't want to confront empty shelves and throngs of people. The parking garage when they opened had the worst design ever. They repainted the lines soon after to create angled parking. They also changed the traffic circulation to reduce accidents, but the garage is still horrid. Compact cars are a tight fit in the angled spots!! Walk here, park on the street, or try to score one of the spots along the southside of the garage.
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The tables along the window seat four, but they are always occupied by singles on their laptops, so you inevitably have to steal chairs and squeeze four at one of the tiny round tables.
Their...
The tables along the window seat four, but they are always occupied by singles on their laptops, so you inevitably have to steal chairs and squeeze four at one of the tiny round tables.
Their cupcakes aren't as big as they used to be, but they are still just as expensive. They sometimes are a little stale, but their icing flavors are fun. I like the ones with lavender icing and the ones they do around holidays (like the gingerbread cupcakes and minty cupcakes). There were only three or four types to choose from the last time I went, which was disappointing. Be sure to get coffee or tea to cut the sweetness because the icing is some of the sugariest stuff I've ever eaten.
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