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Matt R.'s Profile
The Places I Go
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1. Tioga Gas Mart & Whoa Nellie Deli
Lee Vining, CA 93541
(760) 647-1088
Categories:
Delis,
Gas & Service Stations,
American (New)
With nothing but mountain road, desert highway, and sleepy towns for hours in each direction, the Mobil Mart is truly an oasis. An extensive regular menu (burgers and pizza, to lobster taquitos and buffalo meatloaf) is extended with a specials…More »
2. Chicago Architecture Foundation
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 922-3432
A wonderful introduction to a great city. And, it just so happened that the "treasures" tour fit perfectly inside my 4-hour drive-by (OK, fly-by) visit.
This totally justified a "mileage run" detour through O'Hare.
3. Camp Richardson Resort
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96152
(530) 541-1801
Categories:
Hotels,
Ski Resorts,
Campgrounds
Repeat visits make me appreciate this place more and more. After a few visits to the cabins, I finally tried the lodge itself. Very nice. The rustic-woodsy theme continues (all rough-hewn furniture, wall-to-wall) in the hotel-style rooms. The Great…More »
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/3/2008
Yeah, I'm not really into the South Lake scene. I like the mountains, I like the scenery, I know the… Read more »
4. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
A beautiful park at the high point of a glorious winding mountain road.
I used to trail run up here when I was in Tri-Valley exile, and would stop off after work when I was a reverse-commuter. That one-lane road is one of the finest short drives in…More »
5. Continental Airlines - CLOSED
A few years ago, nobody would have guessed that a United-Continental merger would contain the hope that United culture would rub off on Continental. But the nature of a race to the bottom is that the slow and lazy win. Huzzah, United! You have exceed…More »
6. Fasttrack Parking
S C A M
But a very helpful and polite scam, I must say. The pros--quick shuttle pickup, friendly service, and they even helped me jump my car when I returned to a dead battery. +1.
But beware, the discounted website rates are not honest. No matter…More »
7. Blink Restaurant & Bar
Came back a year later, and still, heavenly. Happy Birthday to me.
This time, we started with mushroom soup and a beet salad. The beets, while something I usually hate, were prepared so well that I was willing to negotiate. The mushroom soup, a…More »
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/11/2010
A little bit of the Bay Area up in the frozen tundra. The influence of Alice Waters goes far and… Read more »
8. Teatro
After I visited with Occupy Calgary to fill them in on happenings in Oakland (Ha! You guys protest in sub-freezing weather despite already having health care and progressive government!) I stepped into Teatro, despite the 1% vibe offered by the menu…More »
9. Le Garage
Ah, you're in Marin on a glorious Sunday morning in late summer. You've been hiking, you've checked out a few beautiful yachts you can't possibly afford in three lifetimes, and you've nerded out at the Bay Model.
Now you need truffle butter.
…More »
10. US Airways
Eh. At least the planes are a bit newer and cleaner than, say, United. Boarding staff is poorly organized, but at least they recognize Star Alliance status. If it's not crowded, they'll pull you from the express line and do the check in for you,…More »
11. City of Oakland Free Broadway Shuttle
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 444-2489
Category:
Public Transportation
Neighbourhood: Downtown Oakland
Finally! The shuttle covers the most important territory in Downtown Oakland, and also gets nervous folks past that last sketchy section of Broadway at 14th.
Sadly, it only runs on weekdays. Evenings and weekends need to be the next step, to ferry…More »
12. Eat Real Festival
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 336-6042
Category:
Festivals
Neighbourhood: Jack London Square
What an amazing second act. 100,000 gluttons swarmed Jack London Square for 2.5 days for this amazing event. Adding more food to the Friday night festivities was a great idea (although there were more hungry people that food stands). Saturday and…More »
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/2/2009
Great location, well organized, affordable...but not "cheap."
There's nothing like spending two days… Read more »
13. Hugo's
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 524-7744
Categories:
Mexican,
Breakfast & Brunch
Neighbourhood: Montrose
Updated again 8/18/09. Still a wonderful dining experience. This time I started with a mezcal tasting paired with a nice glass of gazpacho. Then, an excellent salad. And finally, one of the best seafood plates I've had in ages.
In the last year or so,…More »
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/3/2007
When traveling, I'd never think of going to the same place two nights in a row. New places, new… Read more »
14. Lehigh Valley International Airport
It's nice to see the upgrades to the streetside terminal. It's clean, modern, efficient, fast. The ugly 70's styling that I grew up with is getting swept away.
Too bad it serves America's #7 Dying City.
The airport doesn't doesn't deserve that,…More »
15. Kirkwood Mountain Resort
It was like invasion of the body snatchers.
I've been a Kirkwood passholder for eight years now, and I've loved the mountain while complaining about the customer service. Yes, it was called Kirkrude on various skiing discussion groups. Nearly every…More »
16. The Tinder Box
Palm Springs weekend. Rental upgrade to a Mustang convertible. Cool hat to beat the sun. Poolside wedding and party. Feeling very Rat Pack. I can do that era.
We wander into the Tinder Box looking for something interesting. The smells were wonderful…More »
17. Squaw Valley
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(800) 403-0206
Categories:
Ski Resorts,
Special Education,
Trainers
Maze of lifts. Ridiculously and conspicuously ostentatious village. Ridiculously and conspicuously ostentatious clientele. High prices. Endless boring cat tracks and a full-scale skier freeway down the center that's tough to avoid (they need traffic…More »
18. Brewery At Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 544-2739
Categories:
Pubs,
Restaurants,
Breweries
Solid American food served in a comfortable, if often crowded, space just off the main drag. If you're craving grilled meat go. If you want ribs, certainly go. The slab of swine was slow cooked to absolute perfection, despite the sweet sauce (not my…More »
19. South City Kitchen Midtown
Ooops. Nouveau Southern doesn't mean "small plates." Ouch.
I needed to try something local, but Atlanta was nothing like the small towns in NC, SC, or TN that I'd hit in previous escapades of foodie tourism. The 'hood was upscale, and I wondered if…More »
20. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
As much as flying sucks (doubly so when stuck on USAirheads, the Fredo of the Star Alliance), a nice airport makes up for a lot of the crap.
This was the best possible airport to get stuck in. You can sit, listen to live music, drink some beer, and…More »
21. Sodolak's Original Country Inn
Shit yeah.
I went as the guest of a local, and it was exactly as described.
My first coronary stent will be named "Sodolak."
22. Heavenly Mountain Resort
Despite the STOP THE BRUTAL GROOMING stickers I've been flying for years, sometimes the choice is between accepting nature's limitations or busting out heavy, diesel-powered equipment to create some skiable terrain. During the front-end of a corn…More »
23. San Francisco International Airport BART Station
Four stars, although it took a few years of expectations management to not simply assume that a fast train to the airport is a given and the default way of life. But still, you can BART in, exit the station, print your boarding pass at a kiosk mere…More »
24. Oakland Art & Soul Festival
Oakland, CA 94620
Categories:
Jazz & Blues,
Festivals,
Local Flavor
Neighbourhood: Downtown Oakland
They really got it together this year.
Art & Soul has grown into a great event, with rides for the kids, booze for the adults, junk food for everyone, and plenty of music, all for a $10 entry fee (prepurchased) that helps maintain the whole…More »
25. Lake Merritt Boating Center
Among the many surprises in Oakland, this place lets any Oaklandish person learn to sail and rent sailboats at dirt cheap rates. Start with the ~$110 basic sailing class (three days over two weekends) to get the most basic certification, then stop…More »
26. La Quinta Inn
Nicely renovated and large, well-appointed rooms, free breakfast, reasonable rates for summer season, good location.
Too bad about the BEDBUGS.
Also too bad that they think a $10 discount is fair compensation for exposure to bedbugs. Almost paid for…More »
27. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
Flying through this airport makes up for the fact that you're probably on USAirheads instead of United. But hell, your Premier status carries over via the Star Alliance, and at least you're not changing planes in Phoenix.
But for the time you're not…More »
28. Jimboy's Tacos
I spend a lot of time wandering around in the foothills, the crispy edge of the housing implosion Ground Zero. I love new places and new experiences, and I can get along pretty well anywhere or with anyone... however, some of the small towns in Gold…More »
29. Homewood Mountain Resort
I had limited expectations for this place, and only suggested it because pre-spring conditions and strong winds meant it was too warm for snow and too early for corn. Going low elevation, with our backs to the wind, seemed like the only safe bet. And…More »
30. Kirkwood Inn & Saloon
One key to good Yelp reviews, IMNSHO, is to properly scale expectations to promises. Rosamunde's will not have the same level of service as French Laundry, The Alley will not have the same clientele as the bar at the W, and Ying Kee will not be as…More »
31. Bosco's Bones & Brew Restaurant Saloon
Bosco the Dog was once elected mayor of Sunol. Bosco is no longer with us, but a stuffed replica has been formed into a beer tap, functioning just like, well, a dog would function.
This is really all you need to know about this fine establishment.
…More »
32. Silver Fork Store and Gas
Kyburz, CA 95720
(530) 293-3172
Categories:
Gas & Service Stations,
Convenience Stores
Hey, the bathroom was functional, and the $1 fee is a suggested donation. Considering the crowd that rampages through here on holiday weekends, I'd say it's fair.
Decent prices compared to the usual mountain outposts, and the non-branded gas didn't…More »
33. Starbucks Coffee
As I've said before, Starbucks is the new McDonalds for the upscale wanderer. Clean bathrooms and sanitary chain-sourced food and drink from sea to shining sea!
This Starbucks is particularly convenient, located next to an In-N-Out and a Shell gas…More »
34. Fishwife Seafood Restaurant At Asilomar Beach
When you're a tourist, you need to use time-tested techniques to avoid the tourist hype and chamber of commerce confusion. Brochures lie, concierges are paid off, and not everyone can hit Yelp with their iPhone while on the road. So, after finishing…More »
35. Starbucks Coffee
Chains can serve a purpose. It's one thing when they displace high quality local businesses. It's another when they're the only folks willing to provide a service in a less lucrative location.
Looks like the housing bust and oncoming recession have…More »
36. Trump National Golf Club Restaurant
Ever been to Atlantic City? Yes, it's got the vices of Vegas with the ambiance of Newark. Lots of plaster and plastic shaped into over-the-top representations of opulence, mimicking palaces and temples and tropical resorts. But really, it's just the…More »
37. Delta Air Lines
I can't image giving a positive review to any US-based carrier these days, but given the low expectations, my recent return to Delta was a "positive" experience.
Yes, my first flight of the trip was late due to a missing plane (never sent overnight…More »
38. United Airlines
Just when I thought they'd gone done it and screwed me (walked off with $1200 in flight credits), I figure out how to connect to the old United customer care center in Hawai'i and find somebody who took care of the problem.
You do not want to fly this…More »
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
1/4/2011
The great thing about a race to the bottom is that the slow and lazy might actually win by losing.
… Read more »
Recently updated lists from Matt R.
It's Not Cal-Ital (18)Finding good Italian in the Bay Area is not trivial. This list summarizes my journey. |
My Neighborhood (40)It's Grand Lake, Lakeshore, Lake Merritt, maybe "downtown, but certainly not "Lower Hills." What's that? |
Pizza (11)Don't waste time and money on that tomato soup in a bread bowl. |
It's not Napa and Sonoma (27)I took a break from Napa and Sonoma (and also supermarket wine) and will build a wine collection out of everything ELSE California grows and ferments. All wine regions are fair game, with an initial focus on the Valley, foothills, and the Monterey area. |
The Mokelumne Wine Trail (16)I'm taking an official break from Napa-Sonoma wines. This list explores the wineries along the 580, 5, 12, 88 corridor between Oakland and Kirkwood, including Livermore, Lodi, and the Sierra foothills. For this list, I'll also add other signs and services along the way. |
Mayberry, Mountains, Mileage, Menus (9)Extreme culinary road tripping in the Carolinas. Follow the map to get some of the best old- and new-school Southern cuisine. |
"That's not right. That's not even wrong."
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Review votes:
1043 Useful, 705 Funny, and 898 Cool
Oakland, CA
Yelping SinceJuly 2006
Find Me InOaktown by the Lake
My Hometown When I'm Not Yelping...I spread sunshine and dispel myths
Why You Should Read My Reviews My First Concert My Favourite Movie My Last Meal On EarthI can make it myself.