Monday, August 4, 2008

Zupas' Nuts About Berries Salad


I've been to Zupas several times over the last few months and I've found the combination that for me is the absolute best! I get Zupas' Turkey Artichoke Panini Sandwich with 1/2 of a Nuts About Berries Salad.

Zupas' Turkey Artichoke Sandwich is pretty tasty! However Zupas' Nuts About Berries Salad is awesome!

The Nuts About Berries Salad is made from fresh, crisp romaine lettuce mixed with a light candy sweet dressing! It is topped with humongous blackberries, fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. To top it all off they sprinkle chopped cinnamon roasted almonds over the salad!

The reason that I love this combination at Zupas is for a variety of reasons. First, it gives you a variety of food. You're not stuck with one thing. Second, it's original! I've never seen or tasted a salad like the Nuts About Berries Salad! And third, it is enough food to keep you satisfied but it's light enough that you walk out of Zupas feeling refreshed and energized, not heavy!!

So when you go to Zupas I highly recommend that you try this combination! You won't be disappointed.

Oh I almost forgot.....another reason to love Zupas Restaurant is that they give you a chocolate covered strawberry with every meal!!

Friday, August 1, 2008

The Egg and I Restaurant is "eggcellent"!!


It's been a while since I last posted and so I've got some catching up to do! After a three month hiatus and the constant nagging and begging of the thousands of "golf and grub" fans, I've decided to post!

Let's start it off with The Egg and I Breakfast Joint in St. George, Utah. A while ago we were in St. George and decided to try The Egg and I which serves only Breakfast and Lunch. We had seen The Egg and I several times in St. George but for some reason never took the time to try the food. I am glad that we finally got around to it!!

The Egg and I Restaurant is an upscale breakfast and lunch concept. It was created by Rayno and Patty Seaser. They opened the first The Egg and I Restaurant in Ft. Collins, Colorado in 1987. Since 1987, the Egg & I has grown to 29 restaurants in Colorado, Texas, Wyoming, and Utah. It is anticipated that over the next five years an additional 40 to 50 restaurants will be opened throughout the U.S. Their website says that one is coming soon to the Salt Lake City area!!

That particular morning in St. George I was pretty hungry so I got The Egg and I's Taos Skillet which consists of diced chicken, salsa, black bean and corn relish on a bed of ranch potatoes with melted cheese and two eggs any style. It is topped with guacamole, diced tomatoes and green onions and served with a warm flour tortilla! It was delicious!

My wife ordered their Whole Wheat Raspberry Granola Pancakes. The Egg and I's Whole Wheat Raspberry Pancakes are whole wheat pancakes with whole raspberries and granola served with low fat raspberry yogurt instead of butter. When she first ordered them I was thinking how gross they sounded! Whole wheat pancakes with low fat raspberry yogurt??? However, after devouring my Taos Skillet she offered me some of her pancakes. They were awesome!! I could have easily ordered the Raspberry Granola Pancakes and walked away a happy man!!

The service at The Egg and I in St. George is "eggceptional"! The atmosphere is very comfortable and the prices are veryreasonable! If you happen to be near one of The Egg and I Restaurants it is definitely worth the time and money to sit down and have a very enjoyable breakfast! I highly recommend it!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Bajio Mexican Grill's "Rice Chimichanga"??

A few weeks ago I was in line at Bajio Mexican Grill in American Fork and had just ordered my favorite entree, Bajio's Chicken Green Chile Stuffed Quesadilla when I noticed that the two people behind me ordered Bajio's Beef Chimichanga. As I watched them prepare the Beef Chimichangas I instantly wanted to change my order. Not wanting to upset the cooks I restrained myself and stuck with the Chicken Green Chile Stuffed Quesadilla. However, I swore to myself that the next time I entered Bajio's I would try their Beef Chimichanga.

Well fast forward three weeks and here I was again at Bajio's anxiously awaiting the opportunity to devour their Beef Chimichanga smothered in green sauce. I was stoked. As they prepared my Beef Chimichanga my heart sunk at the small amount of beef that was put in the tortilla. Just two seconds before my order I watched them load up two beef tacos with mounds of beef. I felt like I was getting royally cheated. However, they did load my Chimichanga up with enough rice to feed a small country! I thought "okay maybe this won't be so bad if they really load it up with a lot of green sauce!" Again I was sorely disappointed! Apparently "enchilada style" doesn't mean a whole lot at Bajio's. To add insult to injury the beef that was put on the Chimichanga was very, very dry!

So here I was with Bajio Mexican Grill's latest addition to their menu, Bajio's "Rice Chimichanga"! Next time I'll stick with Bajio's Chicken Green Chile Stuffed Quesadilla!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

California Pizza Kitchen - Mango Tandoori Chicken Pizza


On Monday we went out to eat at the California Pizza Kitchen in Orem. The California Pizza Kitchen is a great place for the whole family! One of the deciding factors of us choosing The California Pizza Kitchen in Orem that night was that kids eat free Monday through Thursday as long as the accompanying adult orders an entree that is more than $10.

The first California Pizza Kitchen opened in 1985 in Beverly Hills, California by Rick Rosenfield of Chicago and Larry Flax. Rick and Larry wanted to capitalize on the growing popularity of a "California Style" of pizza (thin crust with non-conventional toppings). One of their first pizzas was The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza which is a huge phenomenon and delicious to say the least. California Pizza Kitchen is now in over 28 states and in over 13 different international locations. CPK has also partnered with Kraft to create their frozen pizzas which are sold in all 50 states. So in case you wanted to know a little history about CPK there you have it!


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Now back to what I ordered on Monday night. I ordered the Mango Tandoori Chicken Pizza. The Mango Tandoori Chicken Pizza is made of Grilled Tandoori Chicken (kinda spicy), mango, mild onions, red peppers and Mozzarella cheese on a SPICY golden curry sauce. Topped with fresh cilantro and a sweet mango-chili sauce. I found that the Mango Tandoori Chicken Pizza was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy with a tangy kick to it! I thought it was delicious and give it five exclamation points!!!!!

Here are a couple of other Pizzas at California Pizza Kitchen that I highly recommend. First you have to try The Original Barbeque Chicken Pizza. It's awesome! Second and on the lighter side try the California Club Pizza. I'm definitely looking forward to my next outing to the California Pizza Kitchen.

If you have any pizza recommendations at CPK please let me know in the comment section!

Thanks

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Panda Express Beijing Beef Is Awesome!

When I think of great Chinese food I normally don't think of Panda Express. However, this past week I've changed my tune a little bit. Last week I visited The Panda Express in Orem and was totally awed!!

In the past when I've ordered from Panda Express I've usually ordered 1/2 Fried Rice, 1/2 Chow Mein, Orange Chicken and Mandarin Chicken. I kind of got sick of their Mandarin Chicken so I was ecstatic when I found out about their newest addition to the Menu, Panda Express' Beijing Beef! I tried it and I was hooked!

Panda Express' Beijing Beef is made of crispy strips of marinated beef, with crisp bell peppers and sliced onions all wok-tossed in a tangy sweet and spicy sauce. It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It just might be their tastiest dish yet.


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Make sure that you get the Beijing Beef when it is hot, fresh and at the right location! I actually went to 2 different Panda Express locations last week, the Provo (by the hospital) and Orem (Center and State Street) locations. The food at the Provo location wasn't that great but I was thoroughly impressed with the food at the Orem Panda Express! I thought the food was so tasty I even complimented the cook on a job well done!

Anyway if any of you out there have tried Panda Express' Beijing Beef please let me know your experience by writing a comment below!

Fun Fact: Panda Express is now approaching 1,000 restaurants across the United States, Puerto Rico and Japan.

Fun Fact: Panda Express founder Andrew Cherng grew up in the Yangzhou region of China and his father was a master chef!


Sunday, April 13, 2008

Cafe Rio - Let's just be friends!

After nearly an 8 year relationship with Cafe Rio I've come to the conclusion that it's just not working out between us! What's really confusing to me is that I'm having a hard time figuring out the reason why! Last week we went out to eat at Cafe Rio in American Fork and after leaving I just didn't feel the same way about her as I did 8 years ago!

After contemplating my experience at Cafe Rio last week here are some reasons for my wanting to "break it off".

#1 - I've eaten at Cafe Rio too many times. They say that too much of something (even a good thing) is bad for you. Well, this could possibly be the case! We've just seen too much of each other in the last 8 years!

#2 - Cafe Rio got too big! Ever since Cafe Rio started opening up more and more restaurants the food went downhill! The meat is soggy, the beans are watered down and the food in general just doesn't taste as fresh! As Cafe Rio expanded in size she decreased in quality.

#3 - Cafe Rio lost her passion! In the good ol' days you could feel the excitement while waiting in line to order. You'd hear yelling each time a customer received a free meal. You'd see smiles on the faces of the cooks and employees. Now it's like "what do you want?", "hurry up and order", "we need to shove as many people through this line as possible so we can make as much money as possible".

Do I feel bad about breaking this off? Heck no! I've got a new Mexican Grill. Her name is Bajio and she makes a mean Chicken Green Chile Stuffed Quesadilla!

Oh! By the way, if you need to lose some weight like me then Click Here!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Dairy Keen in Heber, Utah - Home of the Train

Last week we visited Heber, Utah again and we stopped by the Dairy Keen so that I could put on a few more pounds.

I just wanted to comment on how impressed I was with The Dairy Keen in Heber! I ordered the exact same thing as I did last time, the Train Burger Combo with a Raspberry Shake. Hey if it ain't broke don't fix it, right! The Train Burger was awesome once again and the Shake was delicious. As always the miniature train was a big hit with everyone and we all had a great time.

If you're not on a diet and want to have a great hamburger in Heber then stop by The Dairy Keen, Home of the Train in Heber!

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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The Cheesecake Factory's Chicken Madeira

Last night my wife went out to dinner with some of her friends to The Cheesecake Factory in Salt Lake City and absolutely loved it. She ordered their Chicken Madeira, The Cheesecake Factory's most popular chicken dish and she was only able to eat half of it due to the large portion! So she boxed it up and brought home the rest for me to try!

Yep! That's right I'm blogging about leftovers. A lot of people have a problem eating food the second day but not me! Growing up I always ate leftovers. In fact a good dish is generally better the second day! That extra time gives the food time to properly age and the flavor time to soak into the food.

Anyway back to the Chicken Madeira.....The Cheesecake Factory's Chicken Madeira consists of Sauteed Chicken Breast Topped with Fresh Asparagus and Melted Mozzarella Cheese, Covered with Fresh Mushroom Madeira Sauce. It is served with Mashed Potatoes. Leftover Chicken Madeira consists of all of that minus most of the Mozzarella Cheese and the Madeira Sauce!

Well today for lunch I opened up the box and dug in. It was fantastic! Definitely get the Chicken Madeira when you go there! My wife was also sweet enough to order me a piece of The Cheesecake Factory's World Famous Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake which I devoured at midnight last night! Thanks honey!

So, when you're at The Cheesecake Factory looking at the 500 choices for entrees don't forget the Chicken Madeira! Now when you leave the Cheesecake factory and step on the scale you might not like what you see! Click Here! to see how you can lose some of that excess fat!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Carrabba's Italian Grill - Sirloin Steak Marsala with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This past Saturday we went out to eat at one of my all time favorite restaurants: Carrabba's Italian Grill in Orem. I was craving Italian Food in Orem and the only place that I really like is Carrabba's Restaurant.

I ordered Carrabba's Sirloin Marsala and it was awesome! Carrabba's Sirloin Steak Marsala consists of a 10 oz USDA Choice center-cut sirloin grilled and topped with mushrooms, prosciutto and their Lombardo Marsala wine sauce. I ordered Carrabba's Garlic Mashed Potatoes along side the Sirloin Marsala. This was the first time that I had tried this dish and it won't be the last. If you like Carrabba's Chicken Marsala dish then you'll love their Sirloin Marsala. You can't beat Carrabba's Marsala Sauce! This is one of those dishes where you won't leave anything left on the plate!!!

As usual the service was outstanding! One of the nice touches at Carrabba's in Orem is that the manager always comes over to ask us how our meal was! They really take care of you at Carrabba's in Orem.

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Thursday, March 27, 2008

Paradise Bakery and Cafe's Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich with Fire Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup

Last week I ate lunch at The Paradise Bakery and Cafe in Sandy and my food was pretty darn tasty! I ordered the 1/2 Sandwich and Soup Combo Meal.

For the Sandwich at Paradise Bakery I got the Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich on Whole Grain Bread. The Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich is made of Paradise Bakery's Mild Curry Chicken Salad, Craisins, Sunflower Seeds, Granny Smith Apples, Lettuce, Tomatoes and Mayonnaise. I would rate Paradise Bakery's Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich an 8 out of 10.

For the Soup I ordered Paradise Bakery and Cafe's Fire Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup. The Fire Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup came highly recommended from my Dad so I decided to try it. I'd give Paradise Bakery and Cafe's Fire Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup about a 7 out of 10.

Paradise Bakery and Cafe's Sandy location is located at 10431 South State Street, Sandy, Utah. Their phone # is (801)676-7323. Paradise Bakery's Sandy location should be a great hit for them. It is located across the street from the South Towne Mall.

If you get a chance go try Paradise Bakery and Cafe's Chicken Curry Salad Sandwich and their Fire Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup!!!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Kneader's Bakery and Cafe

Kneaders Bakery in South Jordan is on my top ten list! Tonight we decided to stop by Kneaders for dinner. For those of you who haven't tried Kneaders you've really been missing out.

I frequent the place at least monthly but have never ordered a piece of Kneaders carrot cake. Tonight I caved. Forget having a Sandwich or Soup for dinner. I was having Carrot Cake and a tall drink of milk and no one was going to stop me!!

Kneader's Carrot Cake is moist and loaded with Cream Cheese Frosting. It has juicy raisins and is lightly sprinkled with walnuts. I loved every bite of it. I usually get their Berry Cheesecake which is delicious as well. I believe that all of the food at Kneaders is made from scratch, from the breads to the desserts. And you can really taste the difference!

Next time you can't decide what to eat for dinner head out to the nearest Kneaders and get a piece of Carrot Cake!

Oh, I almost forgot! Try their "All You Can Eat French Toast" breakfast! It rocks!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Dairy Keen - Home of the Train in Heber, Utah

If you are in the mood for a great hamburger in Heber, Utah then "hold on tight" because I have a great recommendation for you! Let me suggest The Home of the Train, also known as Dairy Keen in Heber, Utah. No that's not a typo! It is really called Dairy Keen. The building used to be a Dairy Queen Restaurant and when the new owners took over the building they renamed it Dairy Keen because it was cheaper and easier to just replace the "qu" with a "k". You can read the history of the Dairy Keen in Heber by visiting their website http://www.swissalpsinn.com/.

Dairy Keen is located on Main Street in Heber, Utah. Normally I don't blog about fast food but I have to because this place is unique. It's a great place to take your kids. To celebrate the history of the Heber Creeper (which is a train that used to deliver supplies to Heber City and sheep to Salt Lake but now is a tourist attraction) the owners have created a miniature replica of the Heber Creeper overhead inside the Dairy Keen. Thus the Dairy Keen in Heber is also referred to as the Home of the Train. My son, along with the other kids thought that the train was awesome!

Now to the Food!!! When you make it to the Dairy Keen try the Train Burger Combo. It's delicious. The Train Burger has on it a Juicy Hamburger, Ham, Melted Swiss and American Cheese, Special Sauce, Tomato, Lettuce and Pickles. The combo of course comes with fries and a soft drink. My son and I also ordered a large Raspberry Shake to share. It was awesome! We had a group of eight people and we all loved the food at the Dairy Keen in Heber.

So if you're passing through Heber and you want a great Hamburger or Shake then stop by the Dairy Keen. Their parking lot and the restaurant will be jam packed because people love the Dairy Keen's food but don't let that deter you. The service is fantastic and you won't have to wait long to get your food!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Bajio Mexican Grill's Chicken Green Chili Stuffed Quesadilla

If you've never tried Bajio Mexican Grill then you are really missing out!! Bajio's has several locations in Utah. I eat at Bajio's at least once a month. If I don't then I have severe withdrawals. Their food is always fresh and full of flavor.

I especially like Bajio's Chicken Geen Chili Stuffed Quesadilla. It is awesome! If you haven't tried it then stop whatever you are doing and head to the nearest Bajio Mexican Grill.

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Anyway I just wanted to do a quick post about Bajio Mexican Grill. I just wish that I had their recipe to be able to make their Chicken Green Chili Stuffed Quesadilla!! Try it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Other items that are good are their shrimp tacos and their salads. I saw Bajio's Chimichanga for the first time the other day and it looked tasty!!

Here's their link to find a location near you. http://www.bajiogrill.com/

Monday, March 3, 2008

Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe

I just wanted to do a quick post on Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe in American Fork. The real Title to this post should be "Cobblestone, Lose the Cafe!".

About a week ago we went out to dinner at Cobblestone and instead of ordering a pizza for the family we made the huge mistake of ordering sandwiches and salads. I ordered their Chicken Artichoke Sandwich on a Wheat Hogi Bun and it was a "box office flop". The artichoke sauce had zero artichoke in it. It tasted more like someone mixed sour cream and fettuccine cream sauce. It was tasteless. My wife ordered their Southwest Chicken Salad (I think that's what it was called). It was lack luster!

Anyway the bottom line to this post is: If you go to Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe in American Fork stick with the Pizza. Their Pizza is Awesome!! Sandwiches and Salads are mediocre at best. So Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe you might want to consider either revamping your sandwiches and salads or lose the Cafe in your name.

"That's all I have to say about that!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Epic Casual Dining in Midvale

Last night for Valentine's Day we went out to one of my favorite Restaurants, Epic Casual Dining in Midvale. Epic Casual Dining is located at about 700 East and Ft. Union Blvd in Midvale. Epic Casual Dining is open from 5pm to 10 pm.

One of the things that I like the most about Epic is their menu because it is simple. Epic's menu consists of about 5 appetizers, 5 salads, and 5 entrees to choose from. This is great for guys like me who have a tough time choosing their dish if there are too many to choose from.

For an appetizer we got their Flatbread with chicken, walnuts, cranberry cheese and a tasty green sauce lightly drizzled on top of it. We always get this appetizer when we go to Epic and it is tasty!

This year neither one of us was in the mood for a salad but in the past we have ordered their salads and I would highly recommend any salad at Epic!

This year I decided to try something a little bit different on their menu, the Ahi Tuna with Epic's Peanut Sauce over Rice and Vegetables. It was fantastic! My wife got their Chicken Marsala dish and it was also tasty!

We topped the our "Dining Experience" off we shared a piece of cheesecake which was delicious!

If you love flavor then try Epic Casual Dining in Midvale! Perhaps the best thing about Epic is that every dish is full of flavor! I highly recommend this Restaurant!!!!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Holiday Inn and the Palms Restaurant in St. George

Right now I'm down in St. George at the Holiday Inn which I would highly recommend to any family traveling in St. George.

The Holiday Inn in St. George has a great setup for families. For the price you can't beat it. It has an indoor/outdoor pool, small arcade and a game room with both pool and ping pong tables.

The Holiday Inn in St. George also has a restaurant attached to it, The Palms Restaurant of St. George! Their breakfast is great! Yesterday I had the Colossal Breakfast Burrito which was excellent and like the name says it was Colossal! Today I had the Cinnamon French Toast with Eggs and Ham. The portions at The Palms Restaurant in St. George are huge. I couldn't finish my breakfast this morning it was so big! One added bonus is that kids under the age of 12 eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for free!!!

I would highly recommend The Palms Restaurant in St. George especially for Breakfast.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Paradise Bakery and Cafe

Last night we ate out at Paradise Bakery and Cafe off of 72nd South in Salt Lake City. Paradise Bakery and Cafe is a Franchise based out of and was established in 1976.

I ordered the Chicken Artichoke Panini Sandwich. It was about a 7 out of 10. My wife ate the Thai Chicken Sandwich. She liked it.

The pros of Paradise Bakery and cafe are that they have a wide selection on their menu. They have various sandwiches, soups and salads. They also have a decent selection of desserts.

The cons of the Paradise Bakery and Cafe definitely outweigh the pros. I didn't like the atmosphere...too big. It almost felt like you were in the school lunchroom. I had two major issues with the way that Paradise Bakery and Cafe operates. The first is that they reuse their cups. Are they so cheap that they can't give you paper cups that you can throw away or take with you? Second was the fact that their food is pre-packaged! At least some of it. My wife originally wanted their Thai Chicken Wrap but when she asked them to make it without the green onions they said that they couldn't because they come pre-packaged. To me that's a huge turn off...especially for an establishment that calls itself a "bakery".

I would have to give Paradise Bakery and Cafe about a 6 out of 10. Go try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Rule #1 and Steve Madden Shoes

I wrote a post a while back about the book that I read called Rule #1 written by Phil Town. In the post I mentioned one of the companies that I had done a little bit of research on, Steve Madden, Ltd. Steve Madden Ltd sells mostly women's shoes and accessories. The ticker symbol for Steve Madden Ltd is SHOO.

Anyway my wife really likes their shoes and so I decided to research the company and run the numbers to see if it might be a good business to own (invest in). I did a little bit of research into the company as a whole, however I mostly just ran the numbers the way that Phil Town suggests in his book, Rule #1.

I wanted to see what price the stock would need to be at in order to earn a great return on my investment. The number that I came up with was at or around $14 dollars per share which was half of $28 per share (the real value or sticker price of the stock). That was on January 2nd, 2008. That was the same day that I did my first post on Rule #1 and the stock was trading at $19.52 per share.

Well since then the stock did go down into the $14 range. On January 14th it did bottom out at $14.62 per share which was probably a good time to buy. Since that day Steve Madden's stock has gone up to where it is at today which is $17.73 per share. I'll keep a close eye on SHOO to see if it gets up to "the real value" or "sticker price" of $28 per share.

Like I said in my earlier post on Rule #1 I intend to reread Rule #1 and post on each chapter of the book to better explain Phil Town's way of investing. At the same time I intend to follow Steve Madden Ltd. to see how the company and stock perform. I need to do a little more research on the company to qualify it as a Rule #1 business to own.

I also intend to develop my "watch list" of businesses to own (stocks to invest in) and will include those in my blog.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Vonage - The Nightmare

We signed up for Vonage about a year ago and have regretted it ever since! We originally signed up for it specifically for the fax service and the long distance (both of which didn't work very well at all). We tried to cancel the service one month into the service but we would have to pay a early termination fee of $150 so it was actually cheaper just to keep it for a while. We decided to keep it after that because occasionally the phone worked and it saved my wife from going over her minutes on her cell phone. Still the service was poor at best.

Well we finally decided to get rid of it once and for all last month! So my wife called the number to cancel it and was connected to several people who barely spoke English in India (apparently Vonage outsources the customer service outside of the U.S. which is another reason to not use them), upon telling these people that she wanted to cancel the service she was put on hold for 35 to 45 minutes. Now keep in mind this scenario happened several times! Obviously Vonage does this for a reason. The harder that they make it for you to cancel the service then the longer you have the service and the more money Vonage makes! Well after several attempts and much wasted time she was finally able to cancel the service or at least she thought so!

Now this whole experience happened about a month ago. Well today she received an email from Vonage saying that there was an error with our account. So again she called Vonage to tell them that we shouldn't even have an account because it was cancelled last month and again she was connected to various people in India, put on hold for 45 minutes and passed around. Upon asking why the service wasn't cancelled she was told that we had a late payment fee that was never paid. She explained to them that that was impossible being that the account was set up on automatic withdrawal from our checking account. Again she was put on hold!

She was getting pretty frustrated after being on hold for about 45 minutes with someone who barely spoke English in India. Seeing her frustration I decided to take bold action and suggest to her that she hang up the line and call back but this time get connected with the sales department at Vonage. Of course she got right through to a Sales Associate! She lit into them and demanded that the service be cancelled (hey, you don't mess with a woman who is 7 months pregnant). A couple of phone transfers later and they told her that the service was cancelled!!

What a complete nightmare! The funny thing is that my next door neighbor had the same problem trying to cancel her Vonage service. Never, ever get Vonage!!! There has to be better VOIPs out there!! Vonage flat out stinks!

I'd bet that our's and our neighbor's experiences are not isolated! I'll bet that this happens to thousands of people with Vonage. Someone needs to look into their practices as far as people trying to cancel the service. I'll bet that Vonage make millions of dollars by making it as difficult as possible to cancel the service!! It's a scam!! There needs to be some law or protection for the consumer!!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Carrabba's Italian Grill in Orem - Chicken Marsala

Tonight we went out to eat again at Carrabba's in Orem. I was a little bit disappointed with their Chicken Marsala tonight. I've ordered it before and it's been great, but tonight I wasn't too happy with it. The Chicken itself was good but the problem was that they didn't put enough mushrooms and sauce on it! I guess I should have asked for more sauce but I wasn't in the mood to wait any longer. Carrabba's also needs to spice up their presentation on the Chicken Marsala dish.

I also ordered Carrabba's Garlic Mashed Potatoes with the chicken and they were good. I also got Carrabba's Caesar Salad with it....it was good!

My wife got Carrabba's Mezzaluna which is a ravioli with chicken, ricotta cheese and spinach in it and she loved it.

I'll still frequent Carrabba's but I'll make sure that I either order something different or ask for lots of mushrooms and sauce on the Chicken Marsala!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe's California Pizza Rocks!!

I want to give a quick "shout out" to Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe in American Fork!! If you want a unique Pizza then you need to try Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe's California Pizza. Actually the name might be the "California Club Pizza", but whatever it's called you need to get on over to Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe and eat one!!!

Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe's California Pizza has fresh tomatoes, avocados, spinach and onions on it! But what makes it unique is what lies beneath the layer of cheese! Beneath the cheese lies a special sauce with ground bacon that blends all of the flavors of the Pizza together beautifully!!


Cobblestone Pizzeria and Cafe is located in American Fork, Utah at 632 West Main Street just south of the Old Navy and Famous Footwear. Their phone # is (801) 756-2800 just in case you want to order "The California" take out!!

Mimi's Cafe in Orem

This morning my wife and I went to Mimi's Cafe in Orem for breakfast! She went there a few months back with her friends and loved their French Toast!

I'd been to Mimi's Cafe before....actually several times but never for breakfast. I've always been fairly impressed with Mimi's Cafe because the food is good, the price is reasonable and you can count on it being consistent whether you eat at the Mimi's Cafe in Orem, Utah or at the Mimi's Cafe in San Diego, California!

Well this morning my wife ordered the Pain Perdu Breakfast which was Petite French Toast stuffed with cream cheese and orange marmalade. Served with two eggs, bacon or sausage, red skin potatoes and fresh squeezed juice.

I got the Three Berry Stuffed French Toast Breakfast French Toast stuffed with cream cheese and orange marmalade, topped with blueberries, fresh strawberries and raspberry puree. It also came with two eggs, bacon or sausage and fresh squeezed juice.

Check out what they look like right here http://www.mimiscafe.com/menu.aspx?ID=23

Now if you're not hungry after looking at that then something is wrong with you!

Both breakfasts were fantastic! I ate mine and half of my wife's. The French Toast was great and the Red Skin Potatoes were perfect! My only regret was not ordering a second order of the French Toast.

Mimi's is a great choice for breakfast!!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Zupas

If you want to try a great soup, salad and sandwich place then try Zupas. Zupas has three locations, Provo, Draper and South Jordan. I've been to the Provo and Draper locations. Their website is http://www.zupas.com/

I've had their Thai Lobster Soup, the Chicken Enchilada Soup and the Hawaiian Barbeque Sandwich and they were all pretty tasty. My wife got salads both times that we went there (you design your own salad). The salad and all of the toppings were fresh and tasted great!!

The first time I went there I got a piece of cheesecake as well and wasn't that impressed. However aside from that the food was very good!

The price is reasonable and the food is good so all in all I would recommend trying Zupas!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Rule #1 Rules!

A couple of weeks ago I finished Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week! by Phil Town. This book is awesome! In fact it is so good that I am reading it again and will publish more posts about the book in order to explain it in more detail.

Phil Town teaches you how to invest in quality companies for 50 cents on the dollar and at the very least make a 15% return on your money. He has successfully used his strategies to become a multi-millionaire. The best part of the book is that it is relatively simple once you understand the principles and strategies. What amazed me was how much I learned about what makes a business a solid investment!!

Anyway after reading Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week! I have begun to research a few business that I might want to invest in in the future. The first company that I am researching is Steve Madden, Ltd. It's ticker symbol is SHOO and it is currently trading at $19.52 per share. If I did my calculations right then it should be a good buy once it gets down to about $14.00 per share.

Anyway as I reread Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week! by Phil Town I'll explain a little more in detail about the book. I'm also going to create my own "watch list" of businesses that I think are solid investments as well as the price to buy those businesses (stocks)!

LEGOS - The Greatest Invention Known to Man

I think that Legos have got to be the greatest invention ever! For Christmas we bought my son some different sets of Legos. He has a real knack for building things. We got him the Ferrari set, the 3 in 1 set (you can either build the F-16 fighter jet, the helicopter or the hovercraft), one of the Mars mission sets and one other that I can't remember and am to lazy to go upstairs and see what the name of it is.

Anyway, these are fairly complex vehicles to build so I decided to help my son. Boy am I glad that I did. Together we built the Ferrari F430 which took us about 3 to 4 hours and we had a blast. The next day we built the F-16 fighter jet. I think that I'm becoming addicted to Legos. In fact I just might go buy me my own Ferrari F430 set and go from there.

If you want to do something fun go buy some Legos. You'll have a ball!!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Chez Betty - Overpriced and Overrated

Last night for New Year's Eve my wife and I went to Chez Betty's in Park City. Chez Betty's came recommended to us by a relative of mine. Chez Betty's is a French-American Fine Dining establishment at the base of main street in Park City. Chez Betty's is on the pricey side so I expected the food to be awesome! Boy was I disappointed!

The ambience wasn't as great as I expected. They basically squished a ton of tables in a very small room with nice tablecloths and tableware and called it a restaurant. I didn't feel very comfortable having a nice conversation with my wife because the people who were next to us were only about 3 feet away...you could literally hear their whole conversation!

We started off with the Crab Stuffed Portabello Mushroom as an appetizer. To me it tasted like someone took Tuna Fish and slapped it on a Portabello.

Next we split a salad. We had the Warm Spinach Salad. My wife loved it and I thought it was just so so. The salad itself was all spinach with some bacon, feta cheese, croutons and I think a balsamic vinegar dressing served warm. Looking back I don't think that the pepper shaker/grinder was working as the waiter tried to put pepper on our salads. All in all the salad was maybe a 5 out of 10 in my book.

I ordered the Grille Beef Tenderloin on a Crispy Potato Pancake and it was lackluster. Not a whole lot of flavor. My wife ordered the Frenched Chicken Breast. It was so so. Both entrees were about a 5 out of 10.

I wanted to try the dessert to see if it would make up for the lackluster food but again I was highly disappointed. I ordered the Apple Bread Pudding and I will guarantee you that I can make a better bread pudding than Chez Betty's. My wife had a Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Cake and after tasting her dessert I was still stifled why people raved about Chez Betty's.

My brother recommended the restaurant to us probably a couple of years ago. Maybe we should have eaten at Chez Betty's 2 years ago...maybe the food was better back then. Not!!Check out some other reviews here: http://utah.citysearch.com/review/10358460. Even though the reviews were written a couple of years ago I think these people are nuts! They probably had a lot of alcohol with their food.

I will never go back to Chez Betty's and do yourselves a favor, don't waste your time nor money at Chez Betty's. It seems to me that Chez Betty's is a true reflection of Park City. Overpriced and Overrated!!!

On a funny note my wife overheard the waiter at another table explaining why the Duck dish at Chez Betty's was so special. Apparently the duck that Chez Betty serves flies away during the summer and returns in the winter thus making it a better tasting duck. If anyone can explain that one to me please do so that I can understand how that makes a duck taste better.