|
Dr. Epstein is one of the few doctors that I have encountered at Kaiser who hasn't treated me as if I am some sort of bothersome pest in an endless queue of nameless faces (I can see how a doctor...
Dr. Epstein is one of the few doctors that I have encountered at Kaiser who hasn't treated me as if I am some sort of bothersome pest in an endless queue of nameless faces (I can see how a doctor might feel that way working at Kaiser, but that's a whole 'nother review). He always makes an effort to read your file before you see him so that he can talk intelligently and informatively about your issues. He actually follows-up about your condition and/or concerns at your next appointment, which is pretty rare among doctors too. And probably best of all, he is not condescending and has a great attitude. The only problem is it can be difficult to get into see him but that is probably just the nature of an HMO.
Hide
|
|
At the tender age of 13, the dentist was already threatening to dig in my gums and pry out my wisdom teeth. My stubbornness (and well-founded fears) kicked in and I have successfully kept the...
At the tender age of 13, the dentist was already threatening to dig in my gums and pry out my wisdom teeth. My stubbornness (and well-founded fears) kicked in and I have successfully kept the dentists away from my wisdom teeth for almost two decades. My dental phobia has increased over the years (having several say "oops!" as they are drilling in your teeth and/or administering shots will do that to you) and several years had elapsed since I had last dragged myself to the dentist. Needless to say I feared the worst. Especially since the dentist I had gone to a few months ago for a check-up had the world's worst office and staff with a massive attitude. I gave her the boot.
Enter Dr. Charlton. I know this will sound silly, but I chose him because a) he has a website and I like that rare sort of forward-thinking in the medical and dental field b) he distracts his patients by giving them movies to watch during procedures c) his receptionist was nice. Like uncommonly nice.
I was really relieved to discover that Dr. Charlton is a very caring and gentle dentist. I confessed all my fears and he put my mind at ease. His assistants, dental hygenist and other staff are all very friendly and polite. No grouches like at other places, and I take this as a sign that he treats his staff well. In the end, I even allowed him to pull a wisdom tooth after all these years. Unbelievable! And I didn't even experience any pain.
I'd give 5 stars except there have been a few cases of mix-ups/absentmindedness with my procedures and appointments. No big deal, I'm happy that I have a dentist that I don't have to break out in cold sweaty panic about.
Hide
|
|
We headed to Moonlight Beach one Saturday but before we could make it to the beach, I was already starving. This place was closest to our car (I am lazy when I'm hungry) and it was pretty crowded,...
We headed to Moonlight Beach one Saturday but before we could make it to the beach, I was already starving. This place was closest to our car (I am lazy when I'm hungry) and it was pretty crowded, always a good sign. But my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw how giant their "giant pizza" is! One could build a card table out of the box.
We grabbed a pepperoni and jalapeno pizza -- it took about 5 minutes for them to whip one up for us. It was really good, especially considering our recent disappointments with pizza places in our own neighborhood. The crust was perfect -- chewy and not too thin or thick. Tomato sauce was not too goopy, and man, those jalapenos were HOT (not the usual pickled/jar variety).
We've since gone back to Encinitas a couple of times just to get this pizza . Forget the beach!
Hide
|
|
After dismaying pizza experiences at the nearby Lefty's, we decided to take a chance on the much quieter San Diego Giant Pizza, which is conveniently located kitty-corner from Lefty's. This place...
After dismaying pizza experiences at the nearby Lefty's, we decided to take a chance on the much quieter San Diego Giant Pizza, which is conveniently located kitty-corner from Lefty's. This place looks like your generic pizza place: linoleum floors and booths, nothing fancy about it. But it was the word "giant" that drew us in, after visiting the Manhattan Giant Pizza in Encinitas, we thought maybe this place would be decent too, considering they are members of the "giant pizza" family.
We got a simple pie -- pepperoni and mushrooms -- because you've got to see if they can pull off an easy pizza before you move onto the crazier ones. It was a decent pizza (really good if I'm going by San Diego standards). The sauce was spicy and not overly acidic, and the crust had a nice chew. We will be trying fancier toppings soon!
Hide
|
|
Sahara Designs vacated their store on University and have relocated over to Park Ave -- just up the street from the North Park library and Henry's. They have a great selection of "ethnic" type...
Sahara Designs vacated their store on University and have relocated over to Park Ave -- just up the street from the North Park library and Henry's. They have a great selection of "ethnic" type furniture -- beautiful lamps and lanterns, inlaid mosaic tables and lots of fun, colorful accessories for the home. Prices are reasonable and they are always getting new stuff in. Fun store to browse and great place to pick up nice accent pieces for the home (or for gifts!). Really friendly shopkeepers too.
Hide
|
|
Wood Fx
Category:
Retail Shopping
4219 Park Blvd
San Diego, California 92101
(619) 291-2466
Wood Fx is a small gallery of sorts dedicated to wood furniture, accessories, and artwork. They opened about 9 months ago to see if there could be a potential retail offshoot of their custom-made...
Wood Fx is a small gallery of sorts dedicated to wood furniture, accessories, and artwork. They opened about 9 months ago to see if there could be a potential retail offshoot of their custom-made wood work. This space functions as a showcase for their work, and a place where you buy one-off, unique furniture. They do beautiful work -- my favorite are the coffee tables that feature light wood with black "stripes" (it is some kind of inlay that I can't remember the name of). They also have credenzas, tables, chairs and huge picnic-table style dining tables. Apparently they will be offering some lower-cost tables in the near future -- so why spend your money on shoddy crap from the big box places when you can have much nicer (and unique and made of REAL wood) pieces for about the same amount?
Hide
|
|
This place always has a long queue, so we thought it was a shoe-in for good pizza. The bf is not a big fan of deep dish pizza, so we ordered the thin crust. They told us it would be ready in 45...
This place always has a long queue, so we thought it was a shoe-in for good pizza. The bf is not a big fan of deep dish pizza, so we ordered the thin crust. They told us it would be ready in 45 minutes, so we left and amused ourselves elsewhere, and then returned to pick it up...cold! Apparently it took nowhere near 45 mins, but too bad for us. Anyway we got the pizza home and proceeded to bite (or shall I say crunch?) our way through the pie. It was absolutely abysmal -- the crust tasted exactly like a saltine. Maybe I was hormonal or something, but it was so disappointing (and I had been so looking forward to it after a lousy day) that I almost cried. Top 5 worst pizzas of my life.
Forgave and forgot, thinking the deep dish might be another story. Nope. Greasy thick pizza, not even with the right bite or chew to the crust. Sob!
Two stars given because they do have a cheery, nice staff.
Hide
|
|
I originally found this retailer at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market. She had a small booth selling her candles and soaps. We were there as a large group (gaggle?) of girls, and she chatted with all...
I originally found this retailer at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market. She had a small booth selling her candles and soaps. We were there as a large group (gaggle?) of girls, and she chatted with all of us, and gave us all free samples of her newest scent of candle. A friend told me she had purchased her candles before and that the scent (as well as the candle itself) was very long-lasting. She was so friendly and nice that I made a mental note of her and plan to go back to purchase gifts for friends at Christmas time and for birthdays.
All of her products are made using bee's wax. The scents she offers smell so good -- there are several that are quite unusual as they incorporate scents like green tea and port wine.
Hide
|
|
Architectural Salvage has all those bits and pieces that are removed from a doomed house -- by doomed, I mean, will be remodelled or, sigh, pummeled by the wrecking ball. It is strange, and I'll...
Architectural Salvage has all those bits and pieces that are removed from a doomed house -- by doomed, I mean, will be remodelled or, sigh, pummeled by the wrecking ball. It is strange, and I'll admit, a bit sad sifting through bins filled with these old vestiges of houses. Luckily Architectural Salvage allows you to give them a new life by resurrecting them in your home.
Naturally there is plenty of that stained glass that everyone seems so fond of hanging in their windows. There are also clawfoot bathtubs, old vanities, those cool old crystal doorknob, ancient (real wood!) heavy doors, door knockers and every other little detail from historic houses that you can imagine. I even saw an ancient toilet there once -- not sure if I want to be that architecturally/ historically precise, but the option is there, I guess!
Prices tend toward the high side, but the store is located in trendy Little Italy. Parking can sometimes be a problem at busy times, like the weekend.
Hide
|
|
I must confess, I don't own a dog, but I do sort of "own" a stray/ lost cat. I went into South Bark Dog Wash to look for a flea collar for her (South Bark's name is a bit of a misnomer, as they do...
I must confess, I don't own a dog, but I do sort of "own" a stray/ lost cat. I went into South Bark Dog Wash to look for a flea collar for her (South Bark's name is a bit of a misnomer, as they do have supplies for cats too -- I'm guessing that most cats do not take kindly to baths though!)
The front of the store has your basic pet supplies -- leashes, collars, food, combs/ brushes and treats. The rear of the store is where all the action occurs. That is, the tubs with the scrubbing action. There was plenty of room, and the facility was clean and very friendly. The front of the store has a bulletin board too, handy if you need to post up any notices.
The neighborhood itself is very dog-friendly, as it is located near the dog park (where you can allow your dog to run free during certain hours of the day). This seems like the perfect place to stop off to wash off muddy paws or get a doggy treat.
Hide
|