Reviews by michelina

michelina says "Freshest tasting pizza outside of Italy!" about Homemade Pizza Co. - Arlington Heights, IL

michelina — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:46:41 GMT

If you like a fresh taste to your pizza instead of heavy or rich and cheezy, Homemade Pizza Co. is for you. There are multiple locations in Illinois and other states, but not very many.

I was hesitant to try Homemade Pizza since I've been a regular customer for years at another pizza place, but I took the advice of a young neighborhood girl who can't stop talking about this fresh pizza.

The menu is pretty straightforward and has a the typical variety of toppings plus special combinations, some salads and cookies. The pizza and the cookies are "take and bake at home". I ordered two pizzas - one with cheese only and the other had basil, prosciutto, mushroom, fontina cheese and tomato sauce which tasted just-picked-from-the-garden fresh.

So the idea is that you build the pizza of your dreams by choosing from their list of ingredients or you can order the typical combinations and they'll assemble it for you. You bring the pizza home and bake it in the oven on the parchment paper that...

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michelina says "Bix is a hidden 1930's supper club worth visiting often." about Bix Restaurant & Lounge - San Francisco, CA

michelina — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:52:31 GMT

Bix was recommended by a Sears friend during a recent trip to San Francisco, CA. We met after work and weren't quite hungry yet. While we waited for our 9pm reservation, she gave me a private tour of the Golden Gate bridge, Union Square and other neighborhoods.

Bix isn't that easy to find since it's tucked away in a financial district alleyway, but its entry is lit by a neon sign. It's a popular place - reservations are highly recommended. Plan to arrive a little early to find a parking space, unless you decide to use the valet service.

When we arrived, we were met with a dimly-lit, soaring two-story interior reminiscent of the 1930's. This venue's acoustics really made the live piano and sultry vocals come alive.

Bix is a supper club with lots of choices to appease our inner carnivore, including steak tartare. But the menu has enough variety for vegans, as well. I ordered the daily special of grilled swordfish on a bed of grilled aspargus, which was perfectly adorned with a romesco...

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michelina says "Great for labelling all those back to school items!" about Sanford Peel Off China Marker, Box of 12

michelina — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:44:14 GMT

These China Markers are so much fun to use! Just pull the string to sharpen and you have a colorful way to label those back to school items. Nice variety of colors and very easy to use on most materials.

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michelina says "Great little boutique hotel, very romantic, convenient location." about Hotel El Convento - Old San Juan,

michelina — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:34:07 GMT

After celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary on a 7 night Southern Caribbean cruise, a group of us stayed at El Convento for a few nights. We arranged in advance for my parents to renew their wedding vows at the 400 year old Cathedral which is located across the street from El Convento.

Pros: Rooms are beautiful, spacious, clean, and very comfortable. Atmosphere is very elegant, romantic with authentic old-world charm; It's called El Convento because it was a Carmelite convent over 350 years ago! Restoration of this building was done very well. Great dining on site and nearby. Lot's to do in the vicinity of Old San Juan. Kids were welcomed.

Cons: Pricey but you can find deals on Expedia, etc. Make sure to print out confirmation of your advance booking pricing and accomodations request to present to front desk. The swimming pool looks nice on the site but is actually the size of a hot tub. Still very quaint though.

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