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I will start off my review by saying that I have never used a maid before this – so maybe my expectations were off or maybe I didn’t instruct them correctly regarding what I wanted cleaned....
I will start off my review by saying that I have never used a maid before this – so maybe my expectations were off or maybe I didn’t instruct them correctly regarding what I wanted cleaned.
Earlier this Spring I decided that I wanted to have a maid service come in for a one time cleaning of our home. We live in an older home in a wooded area and we don’t have forced air heat, so we have a lot of cob webs and dust that accumulate. I keep my home clean, but I don’t do the extra stuff very often – like cleaning the ceiling fans or getting the cob webs off the ceiling. So, that was what I wanted them to do.
When they arrived, I walked them through the house to tell them what I wanted cleaned. It was the kitchen, dining room, living room, family room, and 2 bathrooms. I didn’t have them do the bedrooms since ours was under construction (we are removing wall paper and painting), my daughter was napping in hers, and the other is a storage room. I asked them to clean the insides of the windows, get rid of the cobwebs/dust from the ceiling, and then do any usual cleaning tasks. Then they went to work.
When they were done, I walked around and thought the house looked good. The kitchen faucet was shiny, the ceiling fan was cleaned, and the floors looked clean. Then, after they left I started to notice everything they missed. There were things in the kitchen that didn’t get touched. There were still cobwebs in every corner of the house. They bent the window screens when they cleaned the windows. And there were many other things that I would have expected to be done that weren’t.
Again, maybe I didn’t make my needs clear enough when I walked them through the house, but I would have expected a little more out of the price I paid for this service. I did notice that they had other really good reviews – so maybe it was just the people that came to my home. Not sure.
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This is a new restaurant in Prior Lake, MN – it just opened in Summer 2006. They serve lunch and dinner (and now breakfast). Their menu includes appetizers, salads, pizzas, burgers, pasta, and...
This is a new restaurant in Prior Lake, MN – it just opened in Summer 2006. They serve lunch and dinner (and now breakfast). Their menu includes appetizers, salads, pizzas, burgers, pasta, and seafood. There is also a decent sized kids menu. They also have a selection of beer and wine.
We saw that this place opened but we weren’t sure if it was fancy or casual but then we received a coupon and thought we would check it out when my parents were in town. The restaurant is pretty small but it wasn’t overly busy on a Sunday night. Each of us tried something different and I think everyone enjoyed their food. I had the steak sandwich and thought it was delicious. I had a hard time choosing since so much on their menu sounded yummy.
The owner even stopped by to see how we enjoyed our meals. He was also serving as the bartender that night.
My one complaint, since the place is small, it felt a little crowded. But there was a party of 16 nearby that probably contributed to that. I also wish they had a website so I could have looked at their menu ahead of time – but they are new and appear to be a “mom & pop” type place.
I would definitely check this place out again!
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I recently made a trip to the Great Harvest Bread Company in Burnsville, Minnesota because I had a coupon for a free cookie with the purchase of a loaf of bread. I had driven by several times but...
I recently made a trip to the Great Harvest Bread Company in Burnsville, Minnesota because I had a coupon for a free cookie with the purchase of a loaf of bread. I had driven by several times but never stopped in. Before I went I checked out their website at greatharvestmn.com to check their hours and verify the location. While I was on their site I was able to read a little bit about the companies bread making philosophy. They specialize in making whole grain breads – according to the site, it has “been their forte for more than 30 years.”
After checking the site, I took a drive to their Burnsville location. When I walked in, I was immediately offered a sample. There were several breads that they had available for sampling. I tried the Santa Fe Corn Bread and it was yummy! Nice and soft with whole corn kernels baked right in.
Then I stepped over to the rack to check out the other varieties available.
While I was shopping my daughter was entertained by the basket of kids books they had sitting on a bench. All the breads looked so good, I made a tough choice to get the apple crunch bread. We also picked up a chocolate chip cookie. The cookie was delicious – it was soft and stuffed with chocolate chips and oats.
When I got home, I had a slice of the bread and thought it was delicious!
The next morning I also made a few slices into French toast with cinnamon and nutmeg – and it was very delicious cooked up too. There were little chucks of real apple in the bread and it had a crunchy cinnamon topping. If you are ever in the area – I highly recommend checking them out! You can take a look at the newsletter on their website to see what bread varieties they will have each day that month. When I visited you were also able to pre-order breads, goodies, and even pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
Here is a http://www.greatharvestmn.com/ to their website.
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When we recently stayed in Mason City, Iowa for a wedding, we stopped at the Bonanza for the Sunday breakfast buffet. They did have a wide variety of food to choose from – including eggs,...
When we recently stayed in Mason City, Iowa for a wedding, we stopped at the Bonanza for the Sunday breakfast buffet. They did have a wide variety of food to choose from – including eggs, breakfast meats, French toast, waffles, potatoes, and an omelet bar. There were also interesting options, such as nachos. They also had a large salad bar and dessert bar. The food was all pretty good and reasonably priced ($7 for adults and children under 3 were free).
The odd thing was their hours – they served breakfast from 8:30 to 10:30. Then it looked like they closed until 11 when the re-opened for lunch. Most places do a brunch on Sundays instead and simply start switching out some breakfast items for lunch items as the morning wears on.
Check them out online at http://www.bonanzarestaurants.com/home.htm
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We recently stayed at the Holiday Inn in Mason City, Iowa because we were in town for a wedding. I have always been pleased with the Holiday Inn hotels that I have stayed in, but this one fell a...
We recently stayed at the Holiday Inn in Mason City, Iowa because we were in town for a wedding. I have always been pleased with the Holiday Inn hotels that I have stayed in, but this one fell a bit below my expectations. Even though the website stated that their rooms were recently renovated (in 2004) – the room we were in didn’t seem like it. The door had to be shoved shut each time we opened it. The room felt very cramped and I didn’t like the layout.
The other areas of the hotel also seemed a bit out of date. There was a pool that appeared to be partially under construction and some oddly placed meeting areas.
There were some good things – the staff was all very kind and helpful, the rooms were very clean, and the check-in/check-out process was very quick and easy. This hotel was also very easy to get to from the highway and was conveniently located near to a wide variety of stores.
Check them out online at http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/masia?_requestid=1441332
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This apple orchard is an old family tradition in our family. We would take a drive north every fall to pick apples at the apple farm. This place has changed a lot over the years and it now has a...
This apple orchard is an old family tradition in our family. We would take a drive north every fall to pick apples at the apple farm. This place has changed a lot over the years and it now has a lot to offer for a fun filled fall day. Near the main building, they have a petting zoo, pony rides, walking trails, horse trail rides, and more. Inside they have a place where you can watch the apples getting cleaned as well as a little bakery and a place to sample all the apple flavors and apple cider. This year is the first time in a long time that we actually went out on the tractor ride to pick apples. It was as fun as I remember. They color code the trees by variety with ribbon to make it easy to choose your favorites. The only thing I would change – they should mark their pick up locations for those of us who wander a bit too far – that way we can find the next pick up stop.
I highly recommend you check out their cider and their bakery items. Their caramel apple pull apart is so yummy! Even if you don’t live nearby, I recommend you check out their website http://www.minnesotaharvest.net/ for some great information on a wide variety of apple varieties and a long glossary of apple terms.
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Emma Krumbees has been in Belle Plaine on HWY 169 as long as I can remember. My family used to stop there for a bite to eat on our road trips between Mankato and the Twin Cities. Back then they...
Emma Krumbees has been in Belle Plaine on HWY 169 as long as I can remember. My family used to stop there for a bite to eat on our road trips between Mankato and the Twin Cities. Back then they were just a restaurant, bakery, and little gift shop. Now, they are all that plus a hotel, apple orchard, strawberry farm, and more! They are a fun family destination – especially in the fall. We recently took a trip there for the u-pick strawberries. It was such a neat setup – all the strawberries were planted in hanging rotating pots – so you never had to bend down! You simply picked up a basket and a scissors and went off to the field. They were some of the best strawberries I have ever had. They also had a selection of other fruits and vegetables for sale as well.
During the fall they have a scarecrow festival and contest along with many other activities for families. I recommend you check out their website http://www.emmakrumbees.com/ to get a full calendar of events.
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If you are in Baxter and in the mood for some great Mexican food, then drive right on by Poncho & Lefty’s. I am a huge fan of Mexican food and I was definitely not impressed.
They started the...
If you are in Baxter and in the mood for some great Mexican food, then drive right on by Poncho & Lefty’s. I am a huge fan of Mexican food and I was definitely not impressed.
They started the meal with chips and salsa – I thought the salsa was okay but the chips were flavorless. The chips looked store bought rather than the homemade looking (and tasting) ones you tend to get at most Mexican restaurants.
We ordered Mac & Cheese from the kids menu for my daughter and it looked like runny Kraft Mac & Cheese that I could make better at home.
Then when our orders arrived, I was not at all impressed with the flavor. I ordered a combo of an enchilada and a mini-burrito – but I couldn’t tell a difference. The chicken in the filling was pretty stringy and flavorless. I ended up adding some salsa on top to get any flavor in each bite.
The highlight of the meal was the mashed potatoes. Those were actually very good – but not worth trying to force down the rest of the meal.
I would give the place another chance since my brother did say he really liked it – maybe I just didn’t order their specialty dish.
You can see more details at http://www.10best.com/Baxter/Restaurants/International/index.html?businessID=71906
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I have been to other Green Mill locations before and this location was just as good as the others. They have a wide variety of good options on their menu – everything from soups, salads,...
I have been to other Green Mill locations before and this location was just as good as the others. They have a wide variety of good options on their menu – everything from soups, salads, appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and of course pizza!
Their most recent menu includes some additional healthier options – such as the low calorie chicken pizza that I tried and really enjoyed.
As with other Green Mill locations, this one offered a wide variety of alcoholic beverages to enjoy as well as several large TVs to watch a game on.
Check out their full menu at http://greenmill.com/
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We recently made a trip to northern Minnesota for a wedding. Since I am a member of the Holiday Inn Priority Club Rewards Program, I decided to book our room at the Holiday Inn Express in town. I...
We recently made a trip to northern Minnesota for a wedding. Since I am a member of the Holiday Inn Priority Club Rewards Program, I decided to book our room at the Holiday Inn Express in town. I have always had good experiences when I stay at a Holiday Inn Express – and this time was no different.
I called ahead and asked for an early check in – which they couldn’t guarantee – but they were able to accommodate when we arrived. I had also requested a crib for my daughter and they were able to get one to us within 5 minutes of our check in.
The room we stayed in was a King size Jacuzzi room. It had a king size bed, TV, chair, desk, and a Jacuzzi right in the room. There was also a nice sized bathroom which included the standard amenities (shampoo, body wash, etc).
I wasn’t a fan of the heater – it was difficult to adjust the temperature easily. When we went to bed it was pretty cold and then I woke up in the middle of the night steaming hot! But then again – many hotels have this same problem.
They did offer a good continental breakfast which was included in the price of the room. Others in my extended family stayed at a more expensive hotel in town and wished they would have had the breakfast that we received rather than their limited offerings.
This stay didn’t change my perceptions of Holiday Inn Express as a great choice for a hotel!
You can find out more info on Holiday Inn’s website: www.holiday-inn.com
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