First heard about this service when I was living in Boston just before moving to NYC, but I had a car at the time, and did not need it. Thought it was a cool idea, though. Fast forward seven years later, I'm not only living in NYC but have moved to the more sensible bourough of Queens. Still need a car though. The husband came with a car, (a fun little white jeep to be exact) but that was bartered off for more necessary items. So we find ourselves in the suburbs, without a car. And it sucked. Borrowing the in-law's car worked sometimes, but when you have plans and they have plans, they trump you.
So, Zipcar to the rescue. Signed up at the beginning of the month, and have used it three times already, borrowing a Honda Element, a Scion (what maker?), and today a Toyota Prius.
The good things: damned convenient, and they have cars in lots all over the damned place. I like the choice of cars you have, kind of like a sample tasting, or like having a wardrobe for various occasions - the mountaineer, the furniture mover, the eco-conscious tree hugger, the sexy zippy hipster, the yuppie (those still exist?). I like the ease with which one can select a car and see what is available in any location. I like the option of borrowing cars in various major cities with a single membership. I like the switch from hourly to daily rates based on whichever is less. I like the card system, I like the gas card included (once you figure it out). I like how my application, done and submitted online, was finished and approved in record time of like 10 minutes, maybe less, and how I got to just head on into Manhattan to pick up my card that very day rather than waiting for it to get to me via snailmail. By golly, I like an awful lot of things about this service!
The bad: Not a lot so far. Uhm, the cleanliness is.... what is expected in a community car. It's not sparkling clean, and the Honda Element had definitely whiffs of wet dog (and the dog hair) when we picked it up. And it's not exactly the bargain we thought it would be, easily spending $60-100 per use. Once upon a time I thought the mileage was unlimited, and now there is a 180 mile cap on what's included, but can you blame them I guess with the wacked out gas prices and all? What's also terrible is the temptation to use it more than necessary, and watching your wallet bleed because of it. I mean, if you need it in NYC, chances are anywhere you want to go is about an hour out, making it two hours round trip, then calculate the time spent at desired location is minimum an hour or two, and if you're not luck, you've got to figure in traffic time... so yeah, it adds up.
Showing posts with label 4.5 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4.5 stars. Show all posts
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Sushi You
on 51st between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
A tiny sushi restaurant and bar owned by a married couple (he the sushi chef, she the domineering hostess)in a basement space about the size of my living room. Cozy atmosphere, predominately Japanese customers with a few non-Japanese as well. We sat at the sushi bar, but because our host was friendly with the owners we got a few of the homemade Japanese dishes - croquettes and some potato and pork dish, both delicious. We sat and chatted, ordered sushi by the piece, a couple at a time. We sampled two kinds of eel (fresh and salt water variations), sweet sea urchin, mackerel toasted with a blow torch, tuna, salmon, salmon roe, conch. All were delicious, very fresh. The sake flowed, as it was served in square wooden cup atop a saucer that caught the overflow from the cup. Lick a pinch of salt and chase it with a swig of sake - a new "poor man's drink" that I learned, and a new way to savor the sake layers.
A tiny sushi restaurant and bar owned by a married couple (he the sushi chef, she the domineering hostess)in a basement space about the size of my living room. Cozy atmosphere, predominately Japanese customers with a few non-Japanese as well. We sat at the sushi bar, but because our host was friendly with the owners we got a few of the homemade Japanese dishes - croquettes and some potato and pork dish, both delicious. We sat and chatted, ordered sushi by the piece, a couple at a time. We sampled two kinds of eel (fresh and salt water variations), sweet sea urchin, mackerel toasted with a blow torch, tuna, salmon, salmon roe, conch. All were delicious, very fresh. The sake flowed, as it was served in square wooden cup atop a saucer that caught the overflow from the cup. Lick a pinch of salt and chase it with a swig of sake - a new "poor man's drink" that I learned, and a new way to savor the sake layers.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Petrossian
at the corner of 58th and 6th
Went there for a special celebratory dinner - my husband and I are both licensed professionals now, and our companion couple just got engaged. I picked the restaurant having fantasized about dining in such a beautifully decorated building that Petrossian is housed in. Was glad to have finally gotten the opportunity. It was also Restaurant Week in NYC, in which Petrossian was participating, so we had a nice alternative to the normally extremely pricey entrees.
The place was livelier than I thought it would be, having seen not only it's reputation as a high class French restaurant and the old establishment decor. Perhaps it was the Restaurant Week, because we went on a Tuesday evening and it was loud, lively, and full - but not so full as to make us uncomfortable.
The decor was a muted pink, darkened lighting, Art Deco-style. We sat near the entrance, and so missed the mirrors over the bar that were etched in huge Erte figures. Sad for me as I really like Erte's art. The tables were beautifully and simply set in white, silver and blue and the high fluted champagne glasses insisted we order champagne, which we obliged. A toast of champagne we followed by our order. The female friend and I ordered from the less expensive $35 prix fixe menu with the caviar supplement (additional $16), getting the caviar appetizer, and I got the duck while she ordered the halibut. The men ordered from the other prix fixe menu ($65) which came with its own caviar appetizer, then scallops and foie gras served warm (a surprise), and they both got the same seared coriander-encrusted tuna entree. The desserts were varied, and my comment on my blueberry and citrus dessert was "It tastes like it looks." which unfortunately was not a compliment, more a disappointment. We ordered coffee, cappuccinos and espresso to accompany the desserts. Our reservation was at 7pm, and we did not leave until 11pm, so kudos to the staff for not bothering us as we sat there talking and talking, even as the dishes were cleared and tab was paid.
The service was excellent, marred only when as we were finally ready to order, our waiter was caught up in some snafu and left us waiting more, until a secondary person was sent to take our order. Otherwise, the service was professional, prompt, efficient, and friendly without being overly friendly. The waiters seemed to take pride in their jobs, and made the meal all that much more comfortable.
Additional comments - the bathrooms, located in the basement, were clean and decorated to fit the rest of the restaurant - not huge or overly ambitious but with enough character to be memorable. I've never seen a black commode before. The restaurant's space was surprisingly shallow, but the mirrors situated as such one had to look twice to realize that the room was merely half the size it appeared to be. The other patrons were all dressed well and to the nines, and it was obviously a place for special dining and special occasions.
We went there for an adult feeling, and certainly got it, much more so than your usual hippest of the moment trendy restaurant. No attitude, just class. The food was good, high quality, but I admit to being spoiled enough with great food that it did not knock my socks off. But it was classy, and maybe that was enough so as to not detract from whatever special occasion was being celebrated.
Went there for a special celebratory dinner - my husband and I are both licensed professionals now, and our companion couple just got engaged. I picked the restaurant having fantasized about dining in such a beautifully decorated building that Petrossian is housed in. Was glad to have finally gotten the opportunity. It was also Restaurant Week in NYC, in which Petrossian was participating, so we had a nice alternative to the normally extremely pricey entrees.
The place was livelier than I thought it would be, having seen not only it's reputation as a high class French restaurant and the old establishment decor. Perhaps it was the Restaurant Week, because we went on a Tuesday evening and it was loud, lively, and full - but not so full as to make us uncomfortable.
The decor was a muted pink, darkened lighting, Art Deco-style. We sat near the entrance, and so missed the mirrors over the bar that were etched in huge Erte figures. Sad for me as I really like Erte's art. The tables were beautifully and simply set in white, silver and blue and the high fluted champagne glasses insisted we order champagne, which we obliged. A toast of champagne we followed by our order. The female friend and I ordered from the less expensive $35 prix fixe menu with the caviar supplement (additional $16), getting the caviar appetizer, and I got the duck while she ordered the halibut. The men ordered from the other prix fixe menu ($65) which came with its own caviar appetizer, then scallops and foie gras served warm (a surprise), and they both got the same seared coriander-encrusted tuna entree. The desserts were varied, and my comment on my blueberry and citrus dessert was "It tastes like it looks." which unfortunately was not a compliment, more a disappointment. We ordered coffee, cappuccinos and espresso to accompany the desserts. Our reservation was at 7pm, and we did not leave until 11pm, so kudos to the staff for not bothering us as we sat there talking and talking, even as the dishes were cleared and tab was paid.
The service was excellent, marred only when as we were finally ready to order, our waiter was caught up in some snafu and left us waiting more, until a secondary person was sent to take our order. Otherwise, the service was professional, prompt, efficient, and friendly without being overly friendly. The waiters seemed to take pride in their jobs, and made the meal all that much more comfortable.
Additional comments - the bathrooms, located in the basement, were clean and decorated to fit the rest of the restaurant - not huge or overly ambitious but with enough character to be memorable. I've never seen a black commode before. The restaurant's space was surprisingly shallow, but the mirrors situated as such one had to look twice to realize that the room was merely half the size it appeared to be. The other patrons were all dressed well and to the nines, and it was obviously a place for special dining and special occasions.
We went there for an adult feeling, and certainly got it, much more so than your usual hippest of the moment trendy restaurant. No attitude, just class. The food was good, high quality, but I admit to being spoiled enough with great food that it did not knock my socks off. But it was classy, and maybe that was enough so as to not detract from whatever special occasion was being celebrated.
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