SCAM: fromyouflowers.com DO NOT Order Flowers Online from www.FromYouFlowers.com!

Ordering flowers online?

Skip this company www.fromyouflowers.com

I used them and they provided horrible service and when I requested a refund for a $60 botched order, they gave me a verbal runaround and $12.95 refund!

The flowers were crushed, tiny for price and also not delivered by noon, which I paid extra for. I had to make two phone calls just to be told "they are on the truck for delivery."

What? How does that help me when I needed them here by noon and they arrived closer to 1 p.m. and the recipient had left.

If you're looking for online flowers, skip this company. They do not stand behind their services!

DO NOT Order Flowers Online from www.FromYouFlowers.com!


UPDATE: REFUND RECEIVED BUT DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE :(

Harvest: Re-Reviewed by Local--Has it lost its charm?

We gave it another try. Reluctantly. We decided to go for a drink and then decide.

So...we ate on the patio. The server was nice; good, not overly friendly, but good. The food was good, not amazing, but good.

Here's the thing: When Harvest opened it was great. Really good. High-level, fresh, original food.
Every table featured various salts; they served only the best.

Then, what happened? It got sold.

Our two carryout trips were disasters: Horribly dry burgers plopped haphazardly on buns and then another tip gave us "homemade" (yeah, right) gnocci that was perfectly uniformly shaped, just like what we had in a box at home. Those who get it know that gnocci are NEVER uniformly and perfectly shaped.

So we gave up on it. Too bad since we live literally around the corner and this would be a frequent go-to option for us.

Since then, it seems like they are trying to stay good, but in business. They've given up some of the extras (no longer the various salts) and dare I say? They seem to be pandering to the considerable older population Tucson has by making nothing too this or too that.

In other words, it's rather bland, but not horrid. Just not worth the price tag or the excitement it used to garner to go there and really enjoy one of the best in Tucson.

Oh well.

Tucson: Pizzeria Biano to Come to Tucson

Phoenix no longer will have hold on one of the best pizzerias in the country (according to media as I have no been inspired to wait in the long lines they have in PHX). Pizzeria Bianco coming to our fair little town... http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2013/04/16/the-rumors-are-true-pizzeria-bianco-is-opening-in-downtown-Tucson

Napa: The Thomas does it right

Here's a quick glimpse into one of the best appetizers I had while visiting Napa. It's the Wild Mushroom Mousse with Whiskey Jelly at the newly opened The Thomas on Main Street in Napa.

OMG.

I absolutely love pate. Not the country, chunky kind, but the smooth, velvety delight that spreads like satin on toast. However, I know it's so unhealthy and I can only get it here and there so I don't indulge often.

This is the best alternative I've ever found. The Wild Mushroom Mousse is silky smooth, rich in both taste and texture and it will have you scraping the jar clean. It is topped with an odd jelly that almost looks like aspic (ick), but once you get past that thought and combine a bit of the mousse with the jelly on the toast, it is sublime and addictive.

The jelly is a bit sweet and smokey and combined with the somewhat earthy mousse, it has a balance that is heavenly. It arrives in a little glass jar with some grilled sourdough bread. Combine with a glass of red or white and enjoy.

I miss it already.

Harvest Restaurant Review: Tucson loses another good one

Used to be great; now Harvest is a MESS

I literally live around the corner from this place and was so glad to be so close. However after visiting it and loving it a couple years ago it is now a real let down.

We have ordered burgers (carryout), which were quite burnt and thrown together. Yuk.

We then again and got the gnocci, which stated that it was homemade. What an outright lie. This gnocci looked like it was from a box and tasted like it, too. Bottom line, we won't bother again with this place until it can figure out how to make the fresh and unique food it used to serve.

Calling Gordon Ramsey to help what used to be a unique and fresh "harvest" restaurant. Now it has new owners who obviously couldn't care less about real food.

Tucson Resturant Review: Best Pasta in Tucson

This is my opinion, but I love the pasta at Tavolino. This place has the most authentic I can find (so far) in the Old Pueblo. I love the Ravioli al Caprino (homemade beet pasta with goat cheese). So light, but so rich! I crave this dish. Also, the burrata mozzarella is wonderful. Check it out: http://www.tavolinoristorante.com/dinner.html

Check out our site at Tucson Life and Style for more goodies about Tucson! http://www.tucsonlifeandstyle.com/

Summer In Napa, CA...Eating downtown: First Look

I'm in Napa, CA this summer. I know, rough life, right? :) I am working while here so it's not a total vacation!


Anyway, here's a nugget of reviews from the food I've discovered. We are downtown in Napa, so that's where I'll start:


Where to SKIP:


Tuscany...skip this! It's a large, nice looking restaurant in downtown Napa, but it's what I call "tourist Italian." For those who feel most comfy at the Olive Garden. It's not good.


Another SKIP: Ca Momi at the Oxbow...the pizza anyway. After being spoiled by our delish pizza in Tucson (who'dda thunk it?), I was MAJORLY disappointed in the canned mushroom Funghi pizza and horrible Quattro Formaggi. Yikes! The crust was pretty good, too, but the toppings really let us down. Badly done pizza is a crime. My theory? If you just don't know what you're doing, don't do it!


Where to GO:


Zazu...I love tapas and this place is small and wonderful. Very intimate, very friendly and very good. While we were standing on the street checking out the menu, two passersby (different people, not couples) said "Great food!" as they walked by. Two unsolicited great reviews? So glad we tried it. Will go back!


Angele...Very nice, very popular. I had a great burger and fries, but this is NOT a burger joint. The lady next to me had a wonderful looking chicken cassoulet and my hubby had deeply rich risotto. Will go back!

Goose and Gander in St. Helena: Had my first taste of pork belly here. To some that may be old news, but I hadn't tried it. Very nice. Great patio and lunch. The only complaint? Waitress brough appetizers with the meal. This is a no-no, but the food was good enough to recommend.

More to come...:)

Best Pizza in Tucson, Arizona

Yum, who doesn't love pizza? I'm a bit of a pizza snob and will always try to search out the best in whatever place I'm in. So while Pappa Johns and Dominos are OK for some, give me Patsy Grimaldi's (amazing brick oven flavor), Veros Italian Kitchen (very light and easy), Pizzeria Vivace (so good it is addictive) and Zona 78 (great, great, great). These are all really good. Also, Sauce is a good choice for a light 'za and truly good and consistent salads at Casa Adobes.


Grimaldi's has one of the best pepperoni pizza's I've ever had. The only caveat is to not load it up with too many toppings. It gets soggy. With just pepperoni and mushrooms, it's heavenly. Great brick oven taste. Too bad there is only one here in Tucson. Patsy...give us another one up north near Foothills area!


Vivace's is probably my favorite all-around. Super nice service, great flavors and salads. Love this place. I like Veros at Dove Mountain. Good and light and what I would consider authentic pizza. Not too much sauce or cheese or anything. And Sauce is great for a wafer-thin crust, delicious toppings and the best salads. Zona makes one of the best caesar salads in town and their pizzas are the perfect mix of not-too-thin, not-too-thick. They are always busy.


If visiting Tucson and salivating for pizza, try one of these. Even the most jaded will be happy (especially Vivace...delicioso!).

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Review: Amco Enameled Lemon Squeezer

I love lemon juice and love lemony things, but the task of getting the juice out (sans seeds) was always a bit tough.

I thought I liked my wooden lemon reamer, but nothing compares to this baby: http://www.amazon.com/Amco-Enameled-Aluminum-Lemon-Squeezer/dp/B0002V23BG

It’s powerful, tough and can get the juice out of lemons and limes and oranges easily. The only con is that it does take a powerful grip to use. This can be tough if you’re not too strong, but other than that, it works great.

I got mine at World Market and I see them everywhere. Definitely worth the $$.

Best Dinner in Tucson?

I  live in Tucson and I eat around town quite a bit, however, I still cannot find food that surpasses Wildflower. while there the other night, we not only got amazing service but the food was outstanding. Again.

I had the salmon (so good!). I lived in the Pacific NW for 10 years so I know good salmon and what I had at Wildflower was the closest I've gotten in years. Of course nothing is going to beat something caught fresh that morning and expertly prepared, but the Scottish organic salmon was very good.

Also, I had the affogato (espresso over ice cream) and it was terrific. Again, I haven't had it since I moved here several years ago, but I can say this was delish!

Best Biscuits in Western North Carolina...

And it's not even a breakfast place!

RED DAWN

Oil on Canvas

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They serve a little basket of these gems before dinner (which is pretty delicious, too). I will go back just for these. Super light, a little salty and served with fresh Amish butter. YUM! http://frogsleappublichouse.org/

OH NO... Red Velvet Wine Bar in San Diego Closed?

Say it isn't so... I just found out that one of our favorite spots in San Diego has closed its doors. So sad. This place was killer...great wine list, cozy setting, nice food (actually really nice) and walking distance in Little Italy. Total bummer.

San Diego needs more places like this...

Boo hoo!

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Restaurant Review: Santa Fe Grille, Santa Rosa, New Mexico

OMG, I don't think it could get much worse. On a trip east from Tucson to NC (see other reviews), we spent a night in Santa Rosa, NM. While not a large town, it had a nice Hampton Inn and they referred us to the Santa Fe Grille.

We drove up to a restaurant that had bright lights and a diner feel. We still decided to try it. Mistake #1.

My husband ordered tacos and I ordered a fish fillet. Both Mistake #2.

We each had one beer and were informed by a card on the table that there was a two drink maximum. We didn't want more, but just the chastising of "don't even think about having more than two drinks" made us feel unwanted and uncomfortable.

This place serves the unlucky tourists who roll through town to stay in one of the many hotels they have. Unfortunately it's not a good choice and as we go back through we've decided to spend the night in nearby Amarillo, TX with more options and drive right on by Santa Rosa.

I suggest you do the same.

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Tucson Restaurant Review: Harvest Restaurant and Miguels

Are there foodies in Tucson? Recent vists to Harvest & Miguels leave questions…

As a self-proclaimed foodie, I was dismayed at my latest restaurant visits to two old standbys here in the Tucson area: Harvest Restaurant and Miguels.

Let’s start with Harvest. Harvest is literally moments away from my front door and we visit frequently. Although it used to be a winner, the last few visits have been disappointing. Especially the last visit: We ordered two carry-out hamburgers on a Saturday night and the order took nearly 1.5 hours to be ready plus the burgers were burned and the fries ice cold. Say what? I’m scared to try it again after this last horrible showing. They usually have great, fresh fare, but lately things are uneven. I’ll stay tuned, but right now I’m a little gun-shy. And a note, in case anyone from there cares: Please put some good salads on the dinner menu! They’ve all disappeared (Farmers Salad, for instance).

Miguels: Miguels was one of those places where you just knew you’d have a great meal and a killer margarita. Although more Latin than technically Mexican food, they still have good, salty chips and a nice guacamole. Unfortunately, they were nearly out of the organic tequila we like, so the ‘ritas were a bit light in flavor. But of bigger disappointment were the dinners: I ordered the bacon-wrapped prawns and my hubby got the chicken enchildas. Two of our former favorites–you know, the kind where you look forward all day to eating them?

The prawns were cooked fine, but unfortunately the yummy, complex sweet-yet-spicey barbeque sauce they usually serve with it was missing. This tasted like they dumped a pump of KC Masterpice on the plate and put everything on top. Truly a disappointment. Where did that amazing sauce go?

My husband said the same of his dish–the complex flavors that we had come to know and love with Miguels were gone. In their place were ordinary bland food. While edible, it sure isn’t the Miguels we have visited so many times and enjoyed. Either their chef was off (on a Saturday night at prime-time season in March?) or they’ve gone the way of so many formerly good restaurants and tightened their belt so far as to squeeze out all of the flavor.

As a great town, Tucson has its own charm and its own restaurant flavors. We have lots of great food here (no, not just Mexican) and it makes me sad when those I know and trust start favoring saving money over delivering quality. Either the chefs or managers were not on their toes for these recent visits and unfortunately, most won’t give you a second chance. Especially during the key season of March here in southern Arizona. Buck up! Get your acts together and re-join the special few we’ve all come to savor.

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Review: Chef's Table, Waynesville, North Carolina

I recently wandered into this restaurant and was literally salivating at the chance to eat there...BIG mistake.

First of all, the service could not be more rude. We were asked three times by everyone we encountered if we had a reservation. No, we didn't. Oops, we realized (after being treated like silly children who should know better) that this was our first error.

Second, as the website claims "Sit and sip wine while watching the chef worlk in the open kitchen," This is a NO-GO. Obviously this chef and staff did not want us to sit at the kitchen bar. We got dirty looks and looks of disdain by trying.

While a server did his best to accomodate us and was friendly, we decided not to stay. We've eaten in numerous wonderful restaurants and many no-so-fab. I can tell you when a meal starts off like this, it doesn't get much better.

Oh yeah, it was a Wednesday and most of the front of the house was empty save for one couple and a large dinner party. There was plenty of room for us, but if the kitchen is thrown by two extra diners, forget it!

Too bad, so sad.

GET YOUR SPOTLIGHT!

Review: SNAPPY'S of Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Snappy's is an institution in Maggie Valley. This small, kitchsy valley town of mostly summer and fall homes has housed this Italian restaurant for several years. I first visited almost 20 years ago on a visit to my boyfriend's parents summer home. I loved the salads, homemade dressings and pizza.

Since then, admittedly my tastes have refined and changed (thank a 10-year stint in foodie mecca, Portland OR for that). I still looked forward to visiting this little cafe on my recent visit. Mostly things are the same. Still in a strip mall storefront with very little to entice passersby to come in, but still a pretty good choice for simple pastas, salads and pizza.

Our first order of salads, pizza and garlic bread sticks was good, basic food. Not amazing, certainly not memorable, but good enough for a go-to, close-by carry-out option.

WEALTHY WAHM

Our second order was the ravioli (cheese and spinach), more breadsticks and salad. The antipasto salad was good and the homemade dressing pretty good (I can make better, but that's being picky). Breadsticks could use more flavor. These are your basic white bread, doughy sticks with pats of butter. Not bad, no great. The spinach ravioli was a surprise. It was light and very flavorful. The cheese ravioli was disappointing--heavy, not homemade and boring. You can get this stuff in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Blah.

Our next visit got experimental with ordering the salmon and sweet potato. An interesting duo, I agree and a true disaster. The salmon was nearly white, not a rich pink, horribly "fishy" in smell and taste and just plain awful. The potato was not cooked thoroughly, but did come with some brown sugar and cinnamon to top it. Also, Snappy's forgot to include my dinner salad, so all-in-all, a real mess.

Bottom line: Stick to the basics like pizza and salads and simple pasta. Skip anything more than that.

EDIT: Later, we went back for salad and they actually remembered they had shorted us a salad and had a note posted with our name! They made good!