I just stepped in a big pile of sassy!

1) Teasource.
This place rocks.
There’s not much I enjoy more on a windy fall day than a hot cup of tea. They have a large selection of decaf, too. My favorite! This place is cheaper than Teavana (located at the Mall of America), has a much larger selection, and it’s closer to my house!
I bought a two ounce tin of the “Evening in Missoula” tea and can’t wait to try my first cup tonight! It’s the most popular tea sold in the store.

2) Jersey Mike’s Subs
I’m addicted to this place.
The service sucks and the staff are either lazy, borderline rude, or both - but I keep going back!
Twice I’ve been there and had an awful experience. Once, I was there 15 minutes before closing time and they’d already shut down the grill. Then recently I was there at 7:20 on a night that they were supposed to close at 8:00. All of the stools were up and one of the employees was mopping the store. Not exactly an inviting environment. I hadn’t been there in well over a month - until tonight. Delicious!

3) Pop!
I was wrong about Pop! I tried to go there back in June, just after I moved to NE and the place was packed. I checked out the menu and everything seemed SO OVERPRICED! I was convinced to give the place another try after I read a local blog’s review of the joint - full of praise. I was not disappointed. The prices were *much* more reasonable, and the food was unbelievably tasty. I’m not sure if they’ve got a rotating menu there or what. My server was very pleasant, the food was crazy delicious (I had the special, and split a HUGE cheese fondue appetizer with a friend). I’d recommend it to everyone. It’s a taste sensation!

(the first two are on the border of NE/Saint Anthony Village, and for my money - it’s close enough to call ‘em NE businesses)

I’m off to nurse my cold and watch more Asian horror flicks that my coworker lent to me. Never a dull moment in the house ‘o sassy, I tell you what!

I spent an hour or so last night looking through wordpress themes on multiple websites in an effort to spruce up my blog. No luck. I mean, COME ON! My “about” photo is 3 years old and I’m totally over this background. Humph. Perhaps I’m too picky? Perhaps.

Any-hoo, on to the foodstuffs.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of dining at Bonnie’s Cafe, and was waited on by none other than Bonnie herself! The woman is all sweetness and light with an extra cup of smiles and sunshine tossed in for good measure. The food is also super tasty! I ordered the 2X2X2, which comes with french toast (2 slices), 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon or sausage links, and hashbrowns. I gave the meat away to my dining companion, drooled to the max over the best french toast I’ve had in quite a while (though, to be honest, I am not a connoisseur), and my tummy thanked me for such a tasty, tasty breakfast.

I loved Bonnie’s - it has the look and feel of a small-town diner, nearly small-town prices, on the edge of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Also, Bonnie’s opens at FOUR A.M. - they had a killer 4-6am breakfast special, too. I have no idea why I’d ever be up for going out to breakfast at that hour, but if I am, you bet your hot ass I’ll be taking myself to Bonnie’s.

Less fortunately, I ate dinner at Pi and was extremely sick afterwords. On Thursdays they have “all you can eat tacos,” so naturally I ordered tofu tacos. I only ate one plate of them (two gigundo tacos), and for what it’s worth I do remember remarking that the rice “tasted funny.” It was chewy and had a strange consistency, so I didn’t eat much of it. Now, I don’t want to diss Pi, because in theory and most of the time in practice, I really dig the joint, but I am afraid we have an abusive relationship - Pi hit me right where it hurts - in the gut! Oof!

Pros:
*tasty food - I couldn’t decide between the Huevos Rancheros and the Veggie Sandwich. Well, at first. Eventually I chose the veggie sandwich - mmm… avacado…
*cute (though a bit too kitschy at times) atmosphere

Cons:
*menu is spendy - Chicago spendy, though… not NYC spendy
*they don’t accept credit cards

I want to support independent food places - especially non-corporate coffee. But, dang! What’s a girl to do when she doesn’t get paid until Friday and can’t afford the fees at their on-site ATM?

I’d go there again, as long as I have enough cash handy. I won’t go there as often as I’d go to, say, Brownie’s, though due to the spendiness (and distance).

I ate a mid-afternoon lunch at Uncle Franky’s today.
Yum!
I had a grilled cheese, fries, and a coke.

I was told that I am, “too cute” by the sweet young gentleman working.
Thanks, Sir! You made my weekend.
Happy early birthday to me, indeed.
(score 10 points for the pigtails)

Hunting around on their website - I noticed that they have a web cam inside - I had no idea!

In surprising and seemingly out-of-nowhere local news, Soba’s is closed.
Soba’s (26th & Lyndale) - home of the slow service and rude hostesses/bussers. :)
Aaah Soba’s - I will miss your vegetarian eggs benedict complete with guacamole for that added kick.
I barely knew ye, Soba’s and am surprised to see you gone after a recent renovation.

Anyone have more details? I could only find one website that mentioned the cafe’s closing (see above).

(especially when you don’t have a camera with you)

On my way to work, I drive past a billboard for Salut Bar Americain in Edina.
The billboard says, “Taking the E.D. out of Edina,” and mentions something about oysters below.
Naturally, I’m a bit slow, and I puzzled over it for a minute. Seeing as it is in Edina (ooh! fancy!), I thought “E.D.” stood for “Eating Disorders.”
Notsomuch.
Oysters. Erectile Dysfunction. Bob Dole.
I figured it out…
eventually.

I’ve actually eaten there once, with Stacia, we only wanted to go because it says “Le Cheeseburger” on their sign (awning) and we were super amused by it. The food was not my favorite, though the woman next to us eating dessert was hilarious.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), between 2pm and 3pm at any Caribou Coffee location, you can get a free 12 oz cooler.
You don’t need a coupon or anything.

Go - drink - free - damn the man!

I can never correctly state the name of the joint on my first try…
Galaxy Pizza?
Galactic Pizza?

Well, their heroes (I like to call ‘em “fear-oes” because seeing all that spandex makes it hard to stomach the food) have done it again.
So funny.
This story is all over the blogosphere.

You know what?
I ate there the other night, and the pizza was AWFUL.
I’ve eaten there once before and it was tasty - some mushroom concoction.
The other night?
Plain cheese pizza.

What kind of joint screws up cheese pizza?
I mean, really!

As my dinner companion said, “It’s one step above frozen.”
Basically ranked between frozen and Dominoes.
Now that’s just sad.

So, yay for saving the day, and boo for bland pizza with a lackluster sauce and far too much spandex (my eyes! MY EYES!!!!!).

I had dinner at the Midtown Global Market last night with my parents.
TASTY!
We ate at Manny’s Tortas (why haven’t I eaten there before?), and it was delicious.
My current love for jalapeños has been confirmed.
Life is good.

I’m avoiding the place at all costs on Saturday (tomorrow), however, as it is the grand opening.
Go, eat, be merry!

I find it funny that people are afraid because it’s in “such a bad part of town.”
To me, it’s in my grandma’s neighborhood (my second home), which was never scary as a kid (perhaps I was/am naive).
Aah well.

I reiterate:
Go, eat, be merry!