Ann Taylor Hires Discount Sign Company

I LOVE when I catch moments like these!  I happened to be at Bellevue Square Mall, when I looked up and noticed this signage on Ann Taylor.  Someone needs to be fired. 

Arosa Coffee and Waffles: Breakfast of Champions

Great customer service gets me every time.

I could overlook high prices and even mediocre products when the service dazzles.

Fortunately,  you don't have to sacrifice a thing at Arosa Cafe in Madison Park.  The prices are average, the coffee is good, and the service is stellar.  The owner, Michelle, is the perfect local business owner, working behind the counter, greeting people by name,  and starting their orders the minute they walk in the door.  Warmly engaging each customer and thoughtfully remembering the minutiae of their lives, she gives away something you just can't buy...the DESIRE to be a regular.

It's strange.  Arosa is about a block from my house, and I never felt compelled to go until a year ago.  Seattle offers about 152 places per square mile to buy excellent coffee, so picking a favorite is a multi-faceted endeavor.  Proximity is important, quality matters, prices probably don't even show up on most addict's radar, but service reigns supreme.  Loyalty is the name of the game in this town, and people resist venturing far from their favorites.

I had my faves, but only an uptight social misfit would refuse to leave the confines of their comfort zone when someone else invites them to try someplace new. (You know who you are!)

Needless to say, I was taken by the comfortable ambiance inside Arosa, and couldn't resist the power of local neighborhood conversation, the language spoken here.  Agnes, the cheerful, engaging barista who remembered my name, my kids' names and where I went on vacation, sealed my fate as an Arosa-loyalist.

And if all of the above weren't enough, (**insert Cheers lyrics) then did I mention homemade waffles??  Michelle makes the dough fresh daily, and grills them up on a waffle maker in the store.  They are the kind of treat you eat with your hands, like a doughnut...sweet, sticky, warm.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........ain't nothin' like hot coffee and a waffle.   



**Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name. 

Making a statement: Clearwire sucks

If you exaggerate, equivocate and deceive long enough, do you start to believe the lie yourself? That is the question.

Clearwire salespeople definitely buy into the marketing mania, spinning off the benefits with wild abandon.

Yes, there are only 3 simple items in the Starter Kit: the modem, the plug, the ethernet cable.  Yes, you can walk right into the mall and take it home today!

Yes, you can set it all up yourself, connecting these 3 simple items together, then connecting the modem to your own router, which you must purchase separately.

And, YES, Clearwire is the only internet service that is PORTABLE!  Take it with you when you travel!  

Ironically, though Clearwire has hijacked the simplicity message, the Starter Kit for Qwest was virtually identical.  Modem, phone cord, ethernet cable, plug.  I set it up myself, and didn't need to block out a 12-hour window waiting for a technician.

Both don't work as well as promised.  Both require several calls to technical service to get a decent internet speed, and both leave me slightly disappointed within the first week, resigned to the fact that it's easier to lower my expectations than switch AGAIN.   

The most annoying thing about Clearwire is the absolute limitation on where the modem can be placed within my house.  Because it's relying on a cell signal, the ONLY place (and I know this for a FACT after trying every single goddamned window in my house) I can position the modem is in the east-facing window of the master bedroom, in an exact 15 degree angle to the window pane.  If you move it even 10 degrees in either direction or move it to the next window, the signal literally disappears.  LAME! 

And portability??  The most compelling reason to buy Clearwire, and I realized on my first roadtrip that it was annoying to carry all 3 simple items with me, AND that they had neglected to mention that Clearwire only works in a handful of major cities in the Western US.  NOT a benefit by any stretch of the imagination. 

I FINALLY changed from Clearwire after two years, and got online to cancel.  Of course, this is one area that will NOT BE SIMPLE.  They fight tooth and nail to prevent cancelations.  They say they have customer service 24/7, but that doesn't include canceling, because they pull out the big guns for that.  No, you need to CALL them M-F, during business hours, so they can put a REAL HUMAN on the line to beg you to stay, offering all the deals and benefits they should have given you in the first place. 

I had already hooked up my new internet service with Qwest, so I politely declined and was told that I would receive an email with a UPS shipping label sometime within 48 hours and that I had to pack up the 3 simple items in my own box and hoof it down to the UPS store to mail it back.  Hopefully, for my sake, the package would arrive back at their warehouse before my next billing cycle to avoid another month of service charge.

No, they don't provide a box for the return.

No, you can't just take it to the storefront at the mall where you purchased the damned thing, because they "aren't equipped for that."

No, UPS can't pick up the return from your home; you have to drive it to them.  (Ever heard of Zappos, people??? Talk about a lesson in GOOD customer service)

Back to the photo above.  Since they didn't provide a box for the return, I thought it apropos to send the 3 simple items back to Clearwire in the Qwest box.  A little farewell from RVmamma. 

Rant-ophile: Line it up, B of A

Here's my simple rant for B of A.  This is a photo of their ATM screen at the IKEA in Renton.  Look closely.  Do you see that the buttons don't align with the choices?  Is it really so hard to make it easier for your customers?  Lame. 

Skuut: Save your lower back

Here's a recommendation for all parents with kids at least 2 years old and ready to graduate from a tricycle to training wheels.

STOP and read this FIRST!

Having experienced the trials of teaching a 5 yr old to ride a bike sans training wheels a few years back, I can say with absolute authority that it SUCKS.

My daughter was hell-bent on learning to ride confidently the summer before Kindergarten.  We spent several agonizing hours together, with me running behind the teetering bike, arms outstretched to support her weight, while yelling a stream of encouragement.  The day was spent wobbling, falling, scraping, bandaging....and that doesn't even consider what my daughter went through.

I'll admit that on the fourth day, knowing that my lower back could not withstand another weekend of torture, I offered her $10 if she could ride down the street by herself.  I have to hand it to her, she is nothing, if not goal-driven and obviously money-motivated.  She spent the next couple of hours determined to do it alone, refusing any more help, while testing the resiliency and regenerative powers of her body.  Thank GOD for helmets and skateboard pads.

Anyway, all's well that ends well, and needless to say, I handed over the green just as sunset approached, pride swelling my heart.  Or was it just my blood pressure returning to normal, as the stress of watching my baby soar projectile-motion over the handlebars, finally dissipated? Either way, we both went to bed proud and satisfied, with the effort and subsequent success, of hurdling this latest milestone.

Flash forward a few years to my son.  I knew, unequivocally, that we had to do things differently, and not just for my own selfish reasons.  Yes, my back spasmed with the memory of that tormenting experience, but more importantly in this case, my son has no stamina for pain and suffering. He'd gladly suffer personal humiliation as the only 5th grader on training wheels rather than willingly risk skinned-knees.  For him, risk-aversion is where it's at, and that's that.

Burdened by this knowledge, I began my search early to find an alternative approach to the training-wheel dilemma.  What I discovered was brilliant and logical, yet oh-so-hard-to-find here in Seattle two years ago, despite being commonplace in Europe.  The Balance Bike.

As you can see above, the bike has no pedals, but rather, is propelled forward by pushing with your feet.  From a purely logical perspective, it makes sense that you would learn to balance first, which is the challenging aspect of riding a bike, then add on the pedaling after, which is easy. 

After searching high and low, I found the LIKEaBike at Tottini, that super-pricey, adorable kid-store across from REI downtown, and had our 3-yr old son try out the demo-bike in the store.  He was literally comfortable within a couple minutes, whizzing around between the aisles.  The $300 price tag did make me choke, but the owner of the store assured me that this was the type of heirloom-quality toy that would be passed down through the generations.  That's nice and all, but it was really that bike-training memory that haunted me enough to bite the bullet and throw down the credit card. We bought the demo-bike, cuz we all know how I feel about "assembly-required", and watched, in utter amazement, as our 3-yr old hurtled down the sidewalk in front of the store with his feet off the ground, balancing like an old pro.

He learned so quickly on this bike, actually, that he was ready for a 12" real bike almost immediately.  Yes, there was that 15 minutes of a steep learning curve the first day to adjust to pedaling instead of scooting, but my back was singing the praises of the balance bike when my son was off and biking around the park, without training wheels, in less than 30 minutes.  

I did learn one other lesson I can bestow upon anyone who wants to benefit from my experience. My son used the LIKEaBIKE all of 10 times, which brings the cost-per-use down to a gag-inducing $30 per hour.  Do I have any younger children to further justify this "investment"?  NO, (and that's a firm I'm-absolutely-NEVER-going-to-have-another-kid-EVER kind of NO).   Yes, I could probably send it back east to my cousin's daughter, but really, do I need to add on shipping to the whole experience? 

The solution was to get online and sell it.  Considering the little rubber hairs on the tires were still intact, the LIKEaBIKE was practically new and in stellar shape.  I advertised it for $200 and had a taker within an hour, cash in hand.  Wow.  Mind you, this was two years ago, and these balance bikes were hard to find.

So, my advice is to buy an inexpensive or used one and save yourself the regret of paying too much.  Today, there are TONS of options, from Costco, to Target, to any local bike store.  The one above was at REI, and it sells online for under $100.  Frankly, I still think that's too much unless you're Octo-Mom and can really get bang for your buck. 

Of course, the other option is to remove the pedals from any small bike, 10" or 12" is ideal.  I hear of parents doing this all the time, but of course, that would require tools and re-assembly, both absent from my repertoire.

Chiropractors all across America are cursing the Balance Bike as we speak.....

 

The Battle in Seattle: Let it RAIN!

It's a sold-out show, but the head chefs from Enotria and Rain Modern Infusion Cuisine are going head-to-head in an Iron Chef-style competition for fame and glory.

Our 9 yr-old daughter LOVES Rain, chats up Takashi and Jenn, the owners/sushi chefs, and has had her manga sketches of each Rain employee posted on the wall behind the sushi bar for weeks at a time.  Needless to say, we'll be the fans in the front row, waving signs and cheering Takashi to certain victory. 

Here's an excerpt from their website:

The Battle in Seattle
Crudo vs. Sashimi

August 25th, 2009 from 7:00-9:00pm

The Battle in Seattle is a bit of summer fun and a bit of culinary adventure. Two restaurants, Enotria and Rain Modern Japanese Cuisine, have decided to spice up the long summer months with a little competition. Which is better, crudo, the Italian preparation of raw or cured meats and seafood or the well-known and much beloved Japanese counterpart, sashimi? You already know and love sashimi, come try crudo and decide which chef can best walk the walk when it comes to mastering the raw or cured.
Tickets are $25.00 each. The battle will take place August 25th from 7:00-9:00pm. Both chefs, Enotria's David Hahne and Rain's Takashi Ogasawara, will each prepare three dishes featuring an as yet undisclosed crudo/sashimi ingredient. Their dishes will then be judged by a panel of guests including Q13 Fox News sports director and anchor Dan Devone, Georgetown Brewing Company co-owner Manny Chao, best-selling author Jonathon Evison (All About Lulu), Jay Friedman, blogger for Gastrolust and Grant Donesky, Director of Design of the Cornish College of the Arts. They will also be judged by the unforgiving public…

(a couple tickets may still be available at Enotria)

Review of the event to follow tomorrow night!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here's the follow-up in a nutshell:

The food was amazing!  It was such fun to taste 3 courses from each chef....the dueling flavors, the edible imagination. 

The event itself was a bit chaotic and disorganized, though I will be forgiving here because it was their first time and planning a large event like this while slinging sushi full-time is rough. 

The Travel Channel covered the event, so the place was filled with bright lights and cameras of all shapes and sizes.  It definitely interrupted the organic flow of the competition, but also added a touch of excitement and Hollywood energy. 

Of course, it lasted far longer than the anticipated 7-9pm scheduled time.  We took two 9-yr old girls, so eating three small tastes of fancy raw fish over the course of 3.5 hours wasn't ideal.  Live and learn. 

Our man, Takashi from Rain, emerged victorious, and the crowd went wild.  Clearly, he has a loyal following. 



Overall, it was fun and we're glad we participated. 

IKEA: Assembly required

On my recent visit to IKEA, host of the world's largest and most colorful labyrinth, I stumbled across a most curious sight.  Proof that the assembly directions are NOT as easy as they claim.

You never really think about it while navigating the passages of staged rooms, plastic and pressboard all tightly arranged to look like your dream home, but each and every component has been assembled by SOMEONE.  In Renton, that someone was sitting quietly in dirty overalls in my fantasy kitchen, trying to decipher how to attach Part 23 to Panel 3B with Screw ee using only the included Universal Allen Wrench.  Her brow furrowed with intense concentration, she looked perplexed, bewildered, and frustrated. 

So, all you DIY Weekend Warriors, don't beat yourself up the next time you console yourself with a cold beer after a long, hard battle with the latest IKEA monster.  Even the pros succumb to defeat once in a while.  

FB tip: How to auto-post your blog entries to Facebook

Like all things internet/computer-related, it's always so much more confusing than it needs to be.  You can see that others have their blog entries posted on your wall, yet trying to figure out the trick is an exercise in frustration. 

Here's the trick, wrapped in a bow.  Just for you. 

1. Start a blog.  Why?  Because it's the cool thing to do, of course.  
2. On your FB page, go to the upper right-hand corner and click on the Settings tab
3. Click on Applications Settings in the drop-down menu
4. Click on Notes
5. Go to the rectangular box on the right side of the page that says Notes Settings
6. Click on Import an External Blog
7. Enter the address of your blog and Voila!  FB will check every couple hours and import the first couple lines of your entry like a status update.  It will also allow your readers to click on a link to go to your website and read the entire blog entry.  

You're welcome.   

The Quest for Qwest

I've had Clearwire internet for the last two years and have hated it for nearly that long. I could recount the fluffy reasons I chose Clearwire, but they all seem so obtuse in retrospect. Certainly the most compelling reason was my desperate and immediate need to kick Comcast to the curb, but that's not an excuse to put up with mediocre service and slow internet speeds for TWO years. My husband finally gave me an ultimatum last year.....change or stop complaining. Again, being the aficionado of the Path of Least Resistance, aka POLR, I plugged my ears, shut my eyes.... la la la la la la la la la la.....

Of course, all lazy things eventually come to an end, and last week, the internet stopped working altogether. Yes, I tried unplugging to reset the box, etc, etc, to no avail. Sometimes you need a swift kick in the ass to get things moving along in a different direction.

So, I did the least logical thing, and called Comcast to hook me up. Believe it or not, I went through the autobot on the line, entered my phone number, waited for them to connect me to a salesperson, and voila! the autobot informed me that they, "were unable to process (my) request at this time." Since when did COMCAST, the money-grubbing behemoth, ever turn away customers due to technical problems? Cut employees in the technical service department, sure. Massive lay-offs in the customer-complaints department, fine. But SALES????

Naturally, I thought it was just some quick error that would be instantly resolved, so I called back an hour later, jonesing hard for my internet connection (why else would I come snivelling back, tail between my legs, were I not completely desperate) and was told the same thing. Weird. So I got online (some neighbor has an unlocked Netgear account...slow but sometimes intermittently works in a pinch) and went directly to the Comcast site and opened a Chat with a sales rep. Almost there! The only downside was the 6 day wait for installation, but I could overlook that, I think, when......the connection failed and I lost the Chat. That was the end of the line. Obviously God did NOT want me to use Comcast. Simple as that.

So, I got online AGAIN, and this time tried Qwest. And, with all companies who pride themselves on immediate and personalized customer service, the highly impersonal person-to-person Chat is the way to go. Who needs to connect a face to a voice when you have neither? This is SO my style.

Anyway, I'm Chatting with Daniel, my uber-helpful sales rep, and I'm ready to sign up. I chose the 3.0Mbps for $30/month (along with $9.99 set-up fee, $9.99 to ship the modem, and $59.99 for the modem itself), which is purportedly adequate for web-browsing and streaming live movies and tv. The Chat was moving along smoothly, prepping me to take the plunge and BUY, when my pirated internet connection FAILED!! Seriously, someone is trying to tell me something, but I refuse to listen.

Trying to re-establish a Chat with someone at a huge company like Qwest is beyond impossible. I had failed and would have to start from square one. Deep breaths were in order.

Luckily, helpful Daniel recognized my plight, and signed me up anyway, spinning off a friendly email telling me that he would be happy to cancel the order immediately if he misunderstood my interest in the service. DONE!

UPS delivered the modem the next week (sadly, it still took several days for the do-it-yourself method, even after I offered to go to the Qwest office to pick up the modem myself, which is NOT DONE) and I set up the system (modem plugged into the wall, plug in the phone cord, plug into Apple Time Capsule router, pray for a miracle) in just over 30 minutes. Of course, it didn't work the first time out, so it took another couple hours of figuring out why, why, why! Basically this involved internet research on how to configure my Time Capsule properly and following the directions to a T.

I realized early on that the speeds varied wildly within a single sitting, an irregular sinecurve that bored straight through my patience, leaving me to wonder if everyone else passively endures these frequent lapses or if I am all alone.

However, it was Netflix that finally did me in. Based on the package I purchased through Qwest, I should be able to stream video with ease, but as I warmed up on my treadmill, gearing up for 40 minutes of Lost, it froze and said that my internet speed was insufficient to play the program. Annoying. I checked the modem, and sure enough, the internet light was off, indicating a big problem. After 30 minutes of mind-numbing frustration, I made my first call to Qwest. The service tech was amiable and told me that by plugging the phone cord directly into the jack, rather than through a splitter, my problem would be solved. Wow. I thanked her profusely for her help and hopped back on the treadmill, ready to sweat and relishing my decision to choose Qwest.

Three minutes later, Lost froze again, and I cursed that decision. Perhaps Comcast wasn't so bad after all? I called again, this time getting Monique on the other line, who was less efficient and seemed slightly put-out with my annoyed tone. I assured her that I had JUST called and thought my problem was resolved and YES, all the cords were plugged into the correct spots.

She told me that I needed to move the modem at least 3 feet from any other electrical devices to avoid interference and then we ran Speedtest.qwest.net. What we learned was that it was running at 1.614Mbps rather than the 3.0 that I was paying for. She then spent the next 25 minutes putting my service onto a different circuit, whatever that means, and then coming back to ask me to do the Speedtest again. This time it indicated 2.279, which was an improvement, though not the 3.0 they advertise. I ran it again, to be accurate, and this time it was at 2.034. Monique was perfectly satisfied with this speed telling me that it was CLOSE to 3.0.  I don't know about you, but to me, 2.034 is only 68% of the expected 3.0 speed, which is a D, failing in my book. When I brought this to Monique's attention, she dismissed it by telling me that it didn't matter what the speed was because "the Speedtest isn't accurate anyway." What?? That begged the question, "then why bother to do the Speedtest?" to which she responded that it was only to check for IMPROVEMENT, which we did prove. Agreed, 2.034 IS better than 1.614, but is it acceptable? Apparently it is to Qwest.

I haven't tried to continue Lost on Netflix because I'm frankly exhausted by this ordeal, and feel better venting here rather than exercising.  The quest continues .....

Canlis...Timeless

Set against a backdrop of blue skies above and Lake Union below, a photo of the Canlis Restaurant wine list, a venerable tome, roughly the length of War and Peace. 

And reminiscent of my pathetic endeavor to study War and Peace in college, (thank you Cliff's Notes and a patient professor), I still have no desire to tackle anything as complicated as this wine list,  but instead, defer that responsibility to the sommelier.

At Canlis, the sommelier happens to be my friend, Phil Dunn.

I've known Phil for several years, as he moved from sommelier of the Jak's steakhouse chain, to sales for a wine distributor, to finally finding a home in one of the most coveted positions in Seattle, as a sommelier at Canlis.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Here's an excerpt from the Canlis website:

18,000 bottles. 2,500 selections. 8 Sommeliers.

One of the finest cellars in the world, Canlis became Seattle's wine destination in 1997, the first year of its thirteen consecutive Wine Spectator Magazine Grand Awards. The restaurant is one of 72 worldwide to be trusted with such an honor.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dinner at Canlis is always a treat, but in the flawlessly capable hands of a sommelier like Phil, the experience transcends all others.  The wine cellar is not just prodigious, but thoughtful and deliberate.  Hearing the history and heritage behind each selection further enhances the overall experience, fusing the various sensory and intellectual elements of the night into an unforgettable occasion. 

Fred

We were at our friends' house for dinner last week, chatting in front of the fire (yes, wood burning in AUGUST...and who was complaining about the heat a couple weeks ago???) while the kids were playing all over the house.

Suddenly, we hear J, the 5 yr-old boy, yell, "I FOUND FRED!!!!!"

OK, Fred was their beloved pet snake, who escaped the confines of his terrarium, like, 2 MONTHS ago. Well, despite their most valiant efforts to find him, the assumption after all this time was that he had escaped into the vents, possibly outside and was never to be seen again.

Not so.

Here is Fred, thoroughly dessicated, yet looking oddly alive in this action pose. J pulled him out from behind his desk, where he had lived the last moments of his life, probably wondering why he had left the safety and comfort of his cage where food and water were delivered by human servants.

Pike Place Fish: Keep on Chuckin'!

Did you hear that PETA was protesting the Pike Place Fish Market, the seafood stall in Pike Place Market, famous for throwing the DEAD fish customers purchase?

************************************************************************

From the LA Times June 13, 2009:

"Asserting that the practice of lobbing fish above the heads of patrons and tourists at the market and other venues is "disrespectful" to creatures that already have gone through a lot, an animal rights group is protesting plans to stage a flying-fish exhibition at an upcoming national veterinarians conference in Seattle.

Ultimately, they would like to see the practice banned at the fish market too, arguing that tourists would not be nearly so eager to snap photos if dead kittens or gutted lambs were sailing over their heads.

"Killing animals so you can toss their bodies around for amusement is just twisted," said Ashley Byrne, senior campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in Washington, D.C."

****************************************************************************

The fishmongers' voices boom across the market, calling out orders to their cohorts behind the counter and tossing whole, slippery salmon 10 yards through the air, only to be expertly caught on the other end, wrapped quickly in paper, and packed in ice for ecstatic customers and applauding tourists. It's quintessential Seattle, a living history of our seafood-loving culture.

Enter PETA. Protesting the throwing of DEAD fish.

You do realize that PETA would never waste their time on something that INANE.

No, bigger forces are at work here, which reek of a marketing ploy to attract more tourists, devised by none other than the Pike Place Market itself!! Talk about GENIUS!!

Cutest Mini-van Ever. Subaru Dias Wagon

Nothing to really say about this little vehicle except that I want it. It's adorable. Look closely and you can see a full-grown bicycle in the back, along with sun-roofs and enough room to take a nap in the back. The top photo shows its length compared to a couple of small econo-cars, which really puts into perspective how tiny it is. It's made by Subaru and of course, it's imported from Japan, the country famous for shrinking everything to fun-size.

Check out the link to the Subaru site, with a view of the interior.

http://www.subaru.jp/sambar/diaswagon/interior/index.html

LOVE how the seats all fold flat!

I'd bet this baby would give VW Eurovan a run for its money.

Random Photo: The Un-Brand

No-Name Apple Beverage. Yes, it's on sale for 67 cents a quart, but do you really want to drink it? Perhaps pouring it into that old Treetop jug would make it more palatable by pretending to be actual JUICE?

Even worse was the No-Name Bologna in the refrigerator section. Now, in my opinion, you are seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of health and quality when you ingest ANY bologna, but when you go for the No-Name brand, the manufacturer isn't even willing to claim responsibility or credit. Buyer Beware.

Sushi Sen is sushi ZEN

Squamish BC is a strange little town. It's small and unwilling to promote itself, unfettered with the trappings of materialism. Downtown is outdated and plain, boasting a few quality shops that greet the street with tired and worn facades. The main drag, Highway 99, is blossoming with strip-malls and fast-food, probably to accommodate the waves of workers tackling the highway to meet the 2010 Winter Olympics deadline.

In a strip-mall, hidden behind the discount grocery store, you just wouldn't expect to find a sushi joint. If, on the off-chance you did find sushi, any health-inspector would firmly advise you to avoid it like the plague.

After a long day of climbing, we were starving and after being appropriately frightened and discouraged in the discount grocery store, we decided the wise choice was to skip cooking and go out. Jokingly, we saw the sushi sign in back, and without a second thought, decided to check out the Mexican food next door, because everyone agrees that cooked Mexican food beats raw fish in the sanitation department, right?

But then, to our astonishment, we saw the crowd of people bursting out the seams of Sushi Sen, spilling into the parking lot. Now, that gave us pause. Still not convinced, we checked out the Mexican restaurant, to find it nearly empty. In this equation, jam-packed with raw fish, tops empty booths in my book.

So, we took the risk and put our name on the list.

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

• Yes, the food rocked.
  

• Yes, we would go back. (Nothing makes my day like finding excellent sushi in unexpected places)

• and YES, it was cheap! For four hungry people, with edamame, agedashi tofu, tofu potstickers, miso soup, and enough excellent sushi and sashimi to leave us stuffed, our tab came to a mere $80 CANADIAN. Granted, it's not like the old days when the exchange rate made everything in Canada practically free, but still a hell of a deal.

On a side note, there was a constantly-revolving line of customers at Sushi Sen just for take-out. Nothing like sushi by the campfire.

Burnt Sugar in Fremont

FAVORITE store in Seattle. Period.

Gifts Galore.
Purse Perfection.
Best Books.
Maaahvelous Makeup.
Ass-kicking Accessories.
Great Games.
Cool Computer-bags.
Shoes for Sure.
Stellar Service.
Word.

Oh! Chocolate: Madison Valley

Dream this.

Warm, genuine greeting from a third generation chocolatier.
Immaculately clean, inviting atmosphere
Free samples every time you venture in.
Delectable chocolates to suit your every mood.
Exquisite, hand-made jewels of perfection.
Hot, creamy chocolate drink not found anywhere else outside Italy.
Gift boxes graciously wrapped.

NOT a dream! Oh Chocolate is ALIVE!

Go visit Margot, the owner, and you will not be sorry.

Try the hot, chocolate drink, and prepare yourself for the most orgasmic chocolate experience ever.

Home Comforts in Ballard

The unappealing exterior, somewhat reminiscent of Holly Hobby, dissuades all but the most tenacious window-shoppers, but inside you will discover an array of charming housewares, gifts, it-bags, and accessories you never knew you needed.

Walking down Ballard Ave NW, we had our sights set upon this cute, upscale doggie store (thriving in this economy, I'm sure) but were waylaid by a raucous display of colorful toiletry bags and hip sunglasses on the sidewalk. Everyone knows it's bad luck to ignore such necessities.

And, once sucked into the sidewalk display, it's virtually impossible to escape the magnetic pull that drives you through the door to the inner recesses, where the merchandise delights and surprises at every turn. I couldn't resist purchasing some gorgeous (and practical!) wine goblets and cocktail glasses, all fortuitously on sale for $6 each. Colorful wallets, fun baby items, reusable lunchbags, and this fabulous rolling overnight bag that made me drool.

Home Comforts is owned by a group of cousins who also serve as the buyers. I love their eclectic taste that clearly follows no rulebook, but rather pulls together a hodgepodge of interesting and whimsical items at sensible prices.

Yahoo Small Business Email Tip

(Entirely apropos that this photo came out fuzzy and hard to read. It gives me a headache)

Yes, I'm sick of Yahoo. Sick, sick, sick of it. But, the reality is that I'm still trying to figure out how to LEAVE Yahoo, which is slightly more complicated than I'm prepared to deal with right now, so the path of least resistance is to simply stay and bitch about it.

Besides the fact that my Yahoo Business Email doesn't work on a regular basis, bounces emails right back to the sender with no explanation whatsoever, and bars access to my paid account by looping me back to my free account. It's ridiculous.

It sucks, but I am currently a Yahoo hostage, so I need to make the most of it. And if I'm going to use this lame email account, then I also might as well customize it with my personal signature, right? Sounds simple, but I swear, finding the pathway feels like crawling through a maze, hitting dead ends and cursing the absolute lack of user-friendly options.

Since I've actually suffered through this very maze several times, you would think I would have this down pat. Not so. I always assume that I'll remember next time....you know what they say when you assume.

So, after spending the better part of an hour doing this today, I decided I would post the directions for my own benefit, that I might actually refer back to this post in the future, thankful that I am saving myself the frustration and angst of reinventing the wheel yet again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. Sign in to Yahoo and go to Mail
2. Look for Options in the upper right-hand corner, which pulls up a drop-down menu. Click on Mail Options
3. On the left will be a column of options. Choose Accounts.
   
4. On the Accounts page, click on Add or Edit an Account
5. You will see all the associated email addresses.
   
6. Choose the email address you wish to edit with a personalized signature
7. Click Edit
   
8. This takes you to the editing page where you can choose your font, size, text, etc, for your signature. You can even get fancy and create a link to another webpage.
   
9. Hit SAVE

User-friendly and intuitive? NOT!

Scrooge Lives In Squamish, BC

On a climbing trip to Squamish with a bunch of kids this weekend, we decided to take a break from bouldering to hit the town with a group-game called "Bigger or Better". The object is to start with a small item (e.g. a toothpick) and trade up for something bigger or better at a local business. "Good afternoon. We are with the Pacific Northwest Climbing Club and we are playing a game called Bigger or Better. We have this toothpick. Would you like to trade us this toothpick for something bigger or better?" At the end of this Boys vs Girls challenge, they compare the final item and declare a winner.

The girls blew away the boys, ending up with really nice stainless steel mugs for EACH girl, courtesy of a ridiculously generous and spirited small-store owner.

But the story isn't about the winner, but the loser. As in, the LOSER hardware-store owner who immediately adopted a strange, defensive posture and literally asked a 9 yr-old if he had DOCUMENTATION, then added, with a nervous twitch, that he doesn't "do things like that." Yeah, cuz giving a group of little boys a free paper bag or a box from recycling in exchange for the sweet flashlight they were trading was such an imposition. Guess customer service and general goodwill aren't in his business plan. Which explains all of TWO customers in his store on Sunday at noon, while the parking lot at Home Depot was jam-packed, in a town that covets its small, independent businesses. Sad. Some business owners get it, and some obviously don't.

Bald-Faced Hornets

(Hornets nest, the size of a basketball, made of masticated wood, stripped from fences and decks right in my neighborhood)

You know it's scary when the Hornet Exterminator is nervous.

Tom, our friendly neighborhood exterminator, expertly wields a can of poison and a 10-foot pole with deadly accuracy. (you know the phrase...wouldn't touch that with a 10-foot pole??)

He knows the consequences of slight lapses in concentration or judgment, and puts on his game face before meeting his foe.....a swarm of angry, desperately territorial hornets, with 1/4 inch stingers. He admits his heart races before he tackles this particular species.

As I reflect on this from the safety of my house, behind the closed windows, I realize how dangerous this situation might have been. The nest is large, about the size of a basketball, and hangs in a rhododendron bush about a foot off the ground. My two large dogs play, wrestle and run through those very bushes every day. Frankly, I think it's miraculous they haven't accidentally knocked it down.

Tom agreed, and said that this type of hornet is highly aggressive and will swarm out of the nest to attack anything that disturbs it. With 1/4 inch stingers. Yikes.

Apparently, this season has been particularly favorable to wasps and hornets, who thrive in the warm weather, and exterminators have been working tirelessly to eradicate them. If you see a lot of them flying in your yard, take a few minutes to watch where they are heading. Any small opening under the eaves of the house, in the vegetation of the yard, or under the siding, is free game for these insects.

I recommend Eagle Pest Eliminators

Water, Water Everywhere......

....and not a drop to shower!

After staying up until 3:00am in a writing frenzy, I was awakened at 7:00am by my husband, who calmly informed me that the water heater had burst and that our basement was consequently submerged in a warm bath. Not my best day.

Bleary-eyed, I summoned the energy to call the Home Owners Club, and then awaited the calls from the water-damage company and the water-heater company. Once the action plan was in place, I ventured downstairs to witness the damage for myself.

The water had soaked into the carpet and underlying pad, and the floorboards were already buckled and bloated. The dank air was suffused with the scent of freshly laundered drywall, with mold and mildew circling to stake a claim.

Below is a photo of the the wet tile and normally LIGHT grey carpet.

Needless to say, this explains why I will probably not be posting any entries the next few days as I sift through the flotsam this catastrophe left in its wake. Sigh.

Lesson: Water heaters are good for 10 years. TEN, not twenty! Check yours for the expiration date and spend the cash for a new one before yours expires. It's worth it.

Madison Park: No Hunting!

This sign was posted in the heart of Madison Park, not your typical camo-wearing, rifle-toting kind of neighborhood.

Guess the Cougars will have to move back to Belltown for fresh meat.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Unethical

Does anyone else see the potential conflict of interest here? Representing the buyer AND the seller goes beyond greedy; it seems downright unethical.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Handy Mamma Tip: Overflowing Kid-art

We all cherish every single piece of artwork, homework and award each of our children brings home. We all treasure them forever, hermetically sealing each piece and storing them away in temperature-controlled rooms dedicated to the preservation of said memories.

NOT!!

If the above scenario were true, we would be living on the streets, our homes completely overwhelmed with the deluge of proof that our tuition or tax money is well-spent; prolific reminders that their teachers are doing a good job.

I, for one, vigorously employ the recycling bin because I'm allergic to construction paper and cheap tempera paint.

How do I manage this feat without tears of recrimination from my 9 yr-old and accusatory tantrums from my 5 yr-old?? Well, let's just thank the wonders of modern technology.

DIGITAL CAMERA, people.

We have chosen our powder room between the kitchen and living room for our artwork display, but as the kids get older, that toilet association will surely offend my 9 yr-old. This room DOES get the most in-depth appreciation from our guests, who provide a captive audience while viewing, but again, the SYMBOLISM can be misinterpreted. Sigh.

Anyway, the kids get to choose any blank space on the walls of the powder room to hang their work, they write their names on the front along with the DATE, slap it up with tape (aaahhh, the benefits of semi-gloss paint) and voila! charming artwork for all to enjoy.

We continue this pattern until all the walls are relatively full, then grab the digital camera and take photos of all the pieces individually. This takes less than 5 minutes and represents months of effort from the kids. I then download all the photos to my computer, do the requisite photo editing (mostly cropping, but the occasional Photoshop to correct any mistakes or coloring outside the lines, color correct paintings to match my decor, etc) then upload it all to Kodak Easyshare and Apple's MobileMe as an album. This album is then sent off to all the relatives, wh0 are the only people obligated by blood to oohhh and aahhh over my kids' creations.

At this point you have a couple options.

1) Keep the truly amazing pieces and have them framed. If it's not worth framing, it's not worth saving. Got it?

2) In about 5 minutes, the digital album of artwork can be arranged into a hard-cover coffee-table book, delivered to your home (or Grandma's for her birthday) for under $30 on the Kodak site. This beats the hell out of loose pieces of construction paper stored in mildewy boxes and crawling with book-lice in your attic for years to come. Kids LOVE to see their work in a book.

3) The rest of the photos can live happily on your hard drive in a file simply labeled (I keep a separate file of artwork for each kid), safely copied on the photo storage site of your choice, periodically shared with your kids or relatives in slide-show format.

Recycle everything else.

Funny

(Help Wanted sign for a Japanese Restaurant, written in Spanish)

This is one of those random gems which begs to be photographed for posterity. I LOVE these moments of discovery!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

iPhone and Yahoo Business Email: The Low-Down

(Photo of ants, pouring out of their enormous ant-hill, desperately crawling over each other in piles to escape the inevitable collapse of their domain; searching, searching, searching.....chaos trumps order)

Here's another iPhone tip, in case you pay for a Yahoo Business Email account (yes, I know you HATE it, but that's another story) and are becoming homicidal trying to make it work properly on your iPhone.

Like me, you probably had a Blackberry before, which syncs seamlessly with your email like a hand in a glove. Or perhaps the Treo, which seemed to be magnetically drawn to the Yahoo Bizmail, working flawlessly whenever the operating system wasn't crashing.

However, the allure of the iPhone overpowers us, doesn't it? Apple is so cocky about user-friendly simplicity that no user-manual is included....or is it a brilliant ploy to save money on printing costs for the manual. hmmm....

Anyway, rest assured, the Yahoo Business Email, which is used by A LOT of people out there, is not simple to set-up. Below is the email from the Yahoo Web-hosting Support team, giving the directions. Your eyes do not deceive you...there are FIFTEEN steps!!

I only post this here because I actually went to the Genius Bar in the Apple Store for tech support on this issue, and the GENIUS was utterly incompetent and had never heard of Yahoo Business Email, and most certainly was incapable of figuring out these FIFTEEN steps.

Yes, you can google this and probably figure it out eventually, but hopefully this saves you about FIFTEEN hours of effort.
**********************************************************************************
Hello,

Thank you for contacting Yahoo! Small Business Support.

I understand you are having trouble sending email from your iphone and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
To send and receive Business Email messages on your iPhone, you'll need to set up a new POP account in your iPhone settings. (Please note that the instructions below may vary slightly depending on the version of software running on your iPhone.)
To add your Business Email account to your iPhone:
1. On the iPhone's Home screen, select Settings, then Mail, Contacts,
Calendars.
2. In the Accounts section, select Add Account....
3. You'll see a list of the types of accounts you can add. Don't select
Yahoo! Mail — instead choose Other, then select Add Mail Account.
4. You'll be prompted to add your account information. Enter your name,
the email address for the account you are adding, your Business Email
password, and a description of the account (by default the description
will appear as the email address you entered in the Address field).
5. You'll return to the New Account screen. Near the top of the screen,
you'll see an IMAP and a POP button. Select POP.
6. Now look partway down the screen to the Incoming Mail Server section.
In this area you'll need to type the POP (incoming mail) settings for
your Business Email account.
Host name: pop.bizmail.yahoo.com
User name: your Business Email address, such as you@widgetdesigns.com
Password: your Business Email password (the password field will have
been completed when you entered your account information)
7. Below the Incoming Mail Server section, in the Outgoing Mail Server
section, enter your SMTP (outgoing mail) settings.
Host name: smtp.bizmail.yahoo.com
User name: your Business Email address, such as you@widgetdesigns.com
Password: your Business Email password
8. Press the Save button near the top of your screen to save your settings. Your iPhone will attempt to verify your POP and SMTP settings. If you see an error and a message asking, "Do you want to try setting up the account without SSL?" select Yes.
9. Save your work so far by pressing Save. You'll return to the Mail,
Contacts, Calendars screen.
10. Select the account you just created (such as you@widgetdesigns.com).
11. Scroll to the bottom of the screen, past the account information you
entered already, and select SMTP.
12. On the SMTP screen, select your primary server
(smtp.bizmail.yahoo.com).
13. On the following screen, confirm that both Server and Use SSL are set to "On," then change the Server Port setting (at the bottom of the screen) from 25 or 587 to 465.
14. Press the SMTP button at the top of the screen to save your change and return to the previous screen. It is advised that the AT&T SMTP Server is also turned on.
15. Select Advanced, and ensure that SSL is on, using port 995.
Your account is now ready to send and receive mail on your iPhone.
Return to your Home screen and select Mail to begin using your account.
Suggested Configuration: Using Fetch instead of Push.
If you return to Settings: Mail, Contacts & Calendars, you will see the button for Fetch New Data. We do not suggest turning Push off in general, as the customer may have other push-dependant applications or services. From this menu, select Advanced.

You now have the ability to select the account, and specify Fetch or
Manual for data retrieval. Fetch will follow the schedule set forth on
the previous screen.

Please be aware, SSL is not supported by all ISP’s and carriers. While
it’s useful to have in general, it may be necessary to disable SSL for
the incoming and outgoing servers if the customer is having a hard time
with these functions. Remember to verify the port settings are back to
proper non-SSL standards, 110 for incoming, 25/587 for outgoing.

Please do not hesitate to reply if you need further assistance.

********************************************************************************

After following all FIFTEEN steps, my email does work, but the interesting/odd thing is that the folders I use to organize my read emails do not appear on my iPhone. Not a deal-breaker, but annoying because I can't file emails while reading them on my phone but instead, have to go through all of my emails a second time and file from my laptop. Isn't technology supposed to save us time???

Daily Dozen Doughnuts: hot and ready

Everything is better deep-fried.

Little doughnuts, made on the spot, floating down a chute of boiling fat, mechanically flipped with pinpoint precision to produce perfect little golden-brown gems of delight. Choose them steaming hot, fresh off the conveyor belt, or shaken with powdered or cinnamon sugar. The greasy paper bag attracts the greedy eyes of all the local addicts mustering the willpower to resist this sinful temptation.

The Family That Plays Together Stays Together

I've heard arguments from all sides about video games. This is definitely one of the subjects self-righteous moms love to debate, quoting studies and stats from Cosmo magazine to the Journal of Psychology. How video games affect the obesity rates of American children; a study finding that surgeons who play video games perform better in the operating room; how our kids are spending too much "SCREEN TIME"; .......blah, blah, blah.

I'm here to tell you: Throw all of that out the window and buy the Wii

We don't have all the games available, of which there are millions (or at least enough to give this Mamma a headache at GameStop), but we do have Wii Sports, Wii Fit, MarioKart Racing, and the Star Wars Force Unleashed.

Between Wii Sports and Wii Fit, our entire family ends each gaming session sweaty and winded, laughing and cheering (never EVER talking smack) to the point of exhaustion. No kidding.

Wii Sport features games such as tennis, bowling, golf, boxing, and baseball. Sure, you can burn minimal calories swinging a golf club (what's new there???) or a baseball bat, but bowling....aaaah, you've never seen aerobic bowling until you've watched my 5 yr-old flailing for strikes! He's achieved "PRO" status, by the way, which brings me to my next point.

In real-life sports, a 5 yr-old cannot really play against a 9 yr-old. Their coordination and ability levels vary too greatly to make it a gratifying endeavor for either. Enter the Wii. Even Andre Agassi could play tennis with my kids because the user has the ability to choose the game and position of any player to make it fun and fair for everyone. Whether you choose to bounce on the balls of your feet and lunge for the passing shot, or confine your feet to a single square-foot, beer in-hand, even the most passive lounge lizard will elevate their heart-rate. Oh, and did I forget to mention the applause? The video spectators cheer you on all the way....talk about positive affirmation. And, in all honesty, form really holds no sway in this game. So, although Andre may beat the 5 yr-old, both will have fun and it won't be a total blow-out. That's gold.

For rigorous activity levels, try boxing, (otherwise known as Burning-Arm-Man 'cuz your arms will be BURNING, man) or some of the games in Wii Fit designed to step you up a notch. There are four areas of games in Wii Fit: Yoga, Balance Games, Strength Training and Aerobics. All are fun and great for fitness, but it's the latter that brings on the glisten.

Our personal favorites are:

• 2-People Run: Racing against someone else is FUN! It's great to play, hilarious to watch, and curious to observe that while laughter impedes running, it gives the added benefit of a solid ab workout. As you progress, you unlock longer-distance races, ostensibly because you've proven you won't die of cardiac arrest.
  
• Hula Hoop: Really, who doesn't have fun with a hula hoop?? Ask my friend, Anne Weiss, owner of Seattle Hoopla: http://seattlehoopla.wordpress.com/ ...... Sure, hooping it up with good friends in a grassy meadow, surrounded by wildflowers on a clear sunny day beats the hell out of Wii in my basement, but let's face it, ersatz hooping is better than NO hooping!
  
• Tennis: My advice? Get up and treat this like the real deal...clear out a large space, throw on some sweat bands and do it right. It surpasses an aerobics class in countless ways, brings out the competitive fire in us, and just admit it, who doesn't love the roar of a cheering crowd??
• My 5 yr-old insists that Star Wars Force Unleashed, where he personally saves the Empire from the evil clutches of Darth Vader, is the best game. Little boys love light sabers. Period.
  
• A close second for him is Wii Sports Boxing. Again, the freedom to hit people with impunity is irresistable.
  
• MarioKart: Fun. Not active. But really, really fun.
  

Yes, I've heard anecdotal rumors of lazy-ass people sitting on their considerable behinds, dissecting the tricks to playing with minimal caloric expenditure. It's certainly possible. However, like teaching your kids anything else, modeling active behavior ultimately reaps kids with an active lifestyle. In a rainy city like Seattle, the Wii gets top-rating in my book for great indoor fun for the whole family.

Permanent Eyelash Extensions, not just for the Rich and Famous

(Photo taken on iPhone, cropped, then enlarged to show detail. Photo quality highly diminished...sorry!)

Thought I'd share the final results of my latest permanent eyelash application. This woman's natural lashes are very straight and are about half the length of the silk lashes you see here.

The full set takes about an hour to 90 minutes, depending on density. This application took 65 minutes.

Each artificial silk lash is tapered at the tip and applied individually to one of your real lashes, giving a completely natural look. Because the glue bonds them together, the real lash adopts the curved shape of the silk lash.

Like acrylic nails, the lashes need to be "filled" about every 3-4 weeks due to silk lashes dislodging or natural lashes falling out at the end of their growth cycle.

The best part about permanent lashes? Saving time getting ready in the morning because the lashes look long, dark and lush without any mascara and automatically curl upward. That said, they are absolutely spectacular with a light touch of non-waterproof mascara on the tips.

This is a great alternative to the eyelash growth products available by prescription, which are analogous to Rogaine for your lashes. Yes, the pharmaceutical products (the active ingredient is a glaucoma drug) work relatively well for most people, but are expensive and require daily application. More importantly, you still need to curl your lashes and apply a lot of mascara.

Being lazy in general, I'd personally choose the option that requires the least effort every day!

Hot iPhone Tip #1

When you first purchase any new electronic toy, the learning curve is steep. Some people are content to know the basics, rarely venturing beyond that small, warm comfort zone. Others boldly go where no geek has gone before, reading the manuals, crawling the web, and using trial and error on the road to discovery.

I definitely don't have time with two kids to fully embrace the latter, but I'm pretty close! I am the person who craves the latest electronic gadget and may know more about Smartphones than any other human I know. Having used all of the Big Three (Treo, Blackberry and iPhone) extensively, I can compare and contrast features and benefits to the point of ridiculousness.

Need someone to give you the quick tutorial when you buy your brand new phone? I'm your gal. I've been known to meet friends for coffee and customize their settings (ringer, volume, alarms, font, calendar, email, etc) in 30 minutes, saving them the agony of figuring it all out themselves. Why reinvent the wheel, I say.

So, to that end, I know that these little tidbits I've discovered about my iPhone will probably come in handy for some of you. Depending on how long you have been an addict yourself will generally determine how much you already know. Newbies will probably feel utter gratitude with each posting, reveling in how these gems enhance the overall iPhone experience. Old-timers will fondly remember that Aha! moment when they, too, discovered each secret.

******************************************************************************

Hot iPhone Tip #1:

Sending multiple photos at one time via email.

1. Click on your Photos icon
2. Click on the Photo Album
   
3. On the bottom left-hand corner of the screen (you should see all the small thumbnails of your photos) click on the Function icon (looks like a box with an arrow protruding out)
4. Click on each of the photos you would like to share (you can also copy or delete them from this screen) and as you click, the thumbnail will show a checkmark.
5. You can select up to 5 photos to share
6. Click the Share icon at the bottom of the page
7. Your email (the one you selected as your default email address) will appear, with the selected photos embedded in your email.
   
8. Add addresses and Subject like a normal email. You can also add captions and text to the photos.
9. Send

How simple is that???

I had purchased ePhotos before the new 3.0 software update was released to send multiple photos, but the big downside was the limit of one recipient per email. Now I can delete that App and use this iPhone built-in option, which is far superior. Yay!

Booby Tubes

Another brilliant find at Whole Foods. I'm sorry, but this challenges my ability to embrace the bizzarre. Seriously, the kid sucking on the nipple doesn't make me bat an eyelash, but BOOBY TUBES???? What kind of freak thinks a name like BOOBY TUBES is a good marketing decision? I'm embarrassed to even stand in front of it in the aisle.

Eat Obama?

Does anyone else find this slightly disturbing? If you love Obama, it's odd; if you hate him, it's even more odd. Whole Foods will do anything for a buck these days.

iPhone Must-Have App: Text Later

Have you ever remembered someone's birthday a few days prior to the big day, then promptly forgotten all about it until weeks later? Anniversaries are even worse.

Here's a quick cheat. TextLater, the iPhone App you must have.

Simple:

• Choose the recipient
• Write the text ("Thanks for making me the happiest husband on earth for the last 10 years! You are the most remarkable woman and I'm so lucky to be married to you. Happy anniversary, my Darling. I love you more than life itself...")
  
• Choose date and time for delivery
• Send

Go through your calendar once a month and send out your texts for the following month. You'll never forget a birthday or important date again!!

Save your Get Out of Jail Card for something far more fun than forgetting your anniversary.

iPhone App Must-Have: Photogene

The iPhone is standardly equipped with a pretty darned good camera. The photos are clear and vibrant when taken in good lighting, and no other smartphone on the market comes close to this picture quality.

That said, the iPhone camera is desperately lacking in the Photo Editing department, most notably missing any cropping ability. I'm not talking about fancy footwork here, just your basic cropping, which is particularly necessary on a camera that doesn't zoom.

Photogene to the rescue!

This App is a MUST-HAVE for anyone who uses their iPhone camera ever. It provides all of the essential tools in one neat package for $2.99

Crops
Sharpens
Contrast
Color Saturation
Rotate
Mirror
Effects: B/W, Sepia
Temperature
Correction
Framing
and many other options too numerous to mention

This is not for fancy editing, just the nuts and bolts that are absolutely necessary.

Buy this App now. You need it.

Made in Japan: Better Living Through Technology

Not that I expect hand-crafted, exquisite sushi when a conveyor belt delivers my food at Blue C Sushi in U-Village, but the SUSHI BALL MACHINE???? It's the OC of sushi: pleasantly uniform, conformist and cost-effectively boring. The sushi Masters from Japan, the true purists devoted to the art, must be saddened at the mockery that is the Sushi Ball Machine. The irony, of course, lies in the fact that this Master of Efficiency is the brainchild of some sushi-Master's cousin in Japan.

Rusty Pelican

Worst breakfast ever?

I finally managed to schedule both my kids in the same place for camp, but because of their age difference, they start an hour apart. Not as bad as racing across town driving to separate locations, but does create this void in the day which compels us to seek shelter in any establishment that sells coffee.

Yesterday we did Fuel on 45th, which hit the spot with good coffee and an apple turnover.

Today we decided to do the full-meal deal and go to the Rusty Pelican which serves breakfast all day. My advice is to avoid breakfast all day.

My son got the banana and strawberry kid crepe with a side of bacon. We are not much for animal protein as it is, but this bacon pretty much did me in. The smell and taste were somewhat feral, but the texture is what ruined me. Rubbery and almost alive. God.

After one experimental bite each, I instructed my son to leave the rest because "this bacon is disgusting." He emphatically disagreed and said it was DELICIOUS. Five year olds don't have discriminating palates and fail to understand quality, they just respond to that primal urge to consume fat and salt. His opinion is resoundingly discounted.

The crepe seemed fine, though the "fresh strawberries" seemed somewhat distressed. I ordered a skillet full of potatoes, veggies and loaded with shredded cheddar cheese. Someone please explain to me why all savory foods in this country must be enshrouded in cheese, like we don't consume enough fat without slathering it in more fat. Anyway, I'm sure the average McDonalds-lovin' consumer would deem it just fine.

The pancakes were a totally different story. Yes, the skillet came with a side of pancakes. Don't even get me started on the gluttony issue presented there, but fear not, as these pancakes were inedible. Can you say cardboard smothered in generic maple-flavored syrup product? Eww.

The service was quite good, but nothing could compensate for food like that. Call me demanding.

iPhone Must-Have Apps: Visual Dial

There is definitely a forward to this entry that needs to be written highlighting my marriage to my iPhone. Why I divorced my Blackberry Curve after a pedestrian but stable relationship of two years, and how I stormed out of the Verizon store after hitting the wall in customer-service negotiations and walked straight into the beckoning White Light of the Apple Store.

That's a story for a different day, but suffice it to say, I'm now addicted to the joys of new love with my iPhone, though we do have our volatile moments of anger and frustration when things go wrong. Yes, I even vent that frustration on the Disciples of Knowledge in the Genius Bar when I detect lapses in their Omniscience. Unacceptable.

As one obsessed with the App Store and loving the enhanced functionality of the iPhone (as a result of myriad hours poring over all the options), the least I can do is share those findings here. I will review each in its own posting with a screen-shot of the App, and hopefully I can save someone else the agony of late night App Store searching....

Visual Dial is the replacement for One-Tap Dial. Strangely I had the latter initially, but when my iPhone crashed (yes, that does happen to about 1:10000000000 people and that Lotto-winner was ME) and was replaced with a brand spankin' new one, I somehow lost all record of that App, and have never been able to find it again despite repeated searches. WEIRD.

Why you MUST buy this App:

Because you can call a contact by tapping on their photo icon right on your Home Page.
For example, if I want to call my sister, I tap on her icon (which is a photo of her face, but you can choose any photo) right on the bottom of my home page and it calls her without having to go through my Contacts or Phone. Apple did add this annoying step with that latest update which causes another screen to pop up to ask whether you want to call this number, to which you just hit Yes.

Beats the HELL out of going through Contacts or Phone AND is better than all the other Apps I have found (and used) that require you to go into their App then scroll through photo icons. That's just one extra step I don't need. The ability to put the icon right on the Home Screen is GOLD.

Set-up is simple, though it takes a few minutes of playing around to figure out how to do it. Once you get it, you can set them up fairly quickly. I'd suggest putting all of these speed-dial contacts on one page for quick access.

Cost is low, $2.99 when I purchased it, and frankly, I'd pay $20 for the ease of dialing the people you call most.