I stopped by this place for a small beautiful gift for a friend who's birthday had recently past…read more The lady there was friendly and helpful. Beautiful hand painted plates, authentic quality items. I would love to come back here whenever I get my own place! I got some gold hand painted plates and some cute nic nacs. She had blank cards too so I didn't have to stop somewhere else for a birthday card.

Maria's Customer Service, french fabric selections, vintage antiques and lighting is outstanding…read more Time and time again Deborah and Rita, the daughters of Maria, generously spend much of their unending time advising on just the right selection and and placement of items. The sisters work well together whether it's with home photos or drawings prepared by Rita on the spot. They have a vision that works within the paramaters of your likes, preferences, and comfort zones. Over the past several years, with their mentoring and guidance, I have learned how to coordinate Maria's french fabrics ~ table cloths, french chair pads, chandeliers into our existing decor. Deborah and Rita are very creative and have a very good spatial sense. An example of Deborah's design skill that is viewable in the shop or on-line, is when she folds a rectangular table cloth into thirds and turns it into a runner. Deborah then places a 2nd runner on top creating an illusion of great depth and interest with complimenting fabrics. The china collections of gien, staffordshire, spode, etc. pair up quite nicely with the french fabrics as well as the vintage silverplate trays, ice buckets, silverware, and crystal presentations located throughout the store. Drop in for a custom-made cup of coffee and enjoy the view and graciousness of Deborah and Rita.

This is a vintage looking gift shop located in the downtown of Los Altos …read more It is filled with holiday items now and very festival style with stuffed animals, desk top decorations, light up home decorations, a few old fashioned looking TV and when it lights up , it is a moving musical box with street scene in cold winter . Many cute cards and home decorations. Prices are reasonable. The lady will give you free gift wraps for either birthday or Christmas . We bought a Christmas photo frame ,a desk Decoration with a cute mouse and the candle lights , plus a soft bear which is a " warmies" that you can microwave for headache . So many beautiful things and cute stuffs . I can come here every day !

Little store in a small town. Nice area to walk around…read more Went there to check out their jellycat collection. They don't have much. They are a bit more expensive than other places. I rather buy them online. The lady is not friendly.

They carry a wide variety of foreign goods from foods to furniture. I'm especially impressed with…read moretheir selection of Torani syrups and snacks from all over the world. Snacks such as Lays chips have a global appeal with flavors spanning different cultures. One flavor that has been absent from their inventory however is Croatia's tomato and basil flavor. It is delicious and would be a perfect addition to their snack section.

Credit card : The worst experience I have ever had with a bank…read more They kept charging hidden fees out of nothing - even with a closed account which I paid every single dollar. I ended up paying more fees because they just keep accumulating due to sending a statement for $2.75 Then $5.75 I ended up paying out of nothing: $8.75 DO NOT APPLY for the Credit card. It is the most unfair customer service- Manager the Worst.

This is an interesting store located on Castro street , Mountain View…read more It is called " Therapy Stores " because it carries so many cute items that would made you smile I love the painted shells , mini ceramic vases and trays . Some handmade dolls and animals: men and women mini felt dolls , stuffed animals that are so cute ! There are earrings , hair clips , leather handbags , wallets , pens , umbrellas with colorful duck heads , etc You would definitely find one that will make you smile !

IMHO Just go in…read morealready! This is a great store to browse through after you've had a great meal on Castro St. There are so many fun, hilarious, whimsical and cute items to look at, from tea towels, coffee mugs, coffee table books, clothing, plush Jelly cat animals, jewelry, etc., etc. I didn't buy anything this trip, but it was sure fun looking around!

Went here with some friends and it was a super cute experience! I loved the aesthetic of the…read morerestaurant both inside and outside. They have a chef's choice experience for 35 dollars per person, but we decided to just get the corn cake plus the Jamaica tea. The corn cake was really delicious and flavorful, and not too sweet. It also had a really good texture. The tea was also really good! Also not too sweet, and had a lot of flavor. I would love to go back and try the chefs choice pre fix meal!

I was intrigued by Tal Palo after reading about it on a couple food sites. It was an…read moreunconventional restaurant concept that had me very curious. So a few days after returning from an overseas trip, I made a lunch reservation with a friend. Apparently, reservations are required if you want a proper meal experience. At $35 per person for lunch, including tip but excluding drinks and additions, it still seemed like good value. Finding parking during lunch time in downtown Los Altos was surprisingly difficult. There were no spots available on the Main Street, so I had to park in the lot behind the buildings. As I walked inside, I admired the high ceilings, curved alcoves and glass-enclosed dining room by the entrance. The entire space seemed to be illuminated by a central skylight. Aaron is a co-owner of Tal Palo along with his partner, Chef Adriana. He greeted and complimented me on my Mikkeller Taipei t-shirt. Aaron told us he was once the co-owner of an Oakland bar specializing in Belgian ale called The Trappist and subsequently knew Mikkel's brother, Jeppe, who founded Evil Twin Brewery quite well. It was cool to meet a fellow artist and Renaissance man. Fittingly, the beautiful space was largely designed by Aaron. We had our choice of seating. It didn't seem as if there were any two tables and chairs that were alike. Each part of the dining room was unique. There's a really nice patio in the back with a cool huge mural on the wall that is undoubtedly popular during warmer months. We chose a nice broad two top table near the entrance, lit brightly by the skylight above it. Chef Adriana introduced herself and brought by what was essentially an elote muffin, and offered it as an optional appetizer. We took her up on it. It was delicious and buttery with the texture of corn kernels, not simply pureed into a batter. I also ordered a Cafe de Olla, which was pleasantly sweet and blended with cinnamon and spices. She then brought a plate with skillfully prepared green salad. It was then clear that each dish was meant to be shared family-style. The portion-size of each dish is about the size of an individual portion, but there were three dishes included in the lunch course. I could see how this might be an issue for those who eat larger portions, leaving them unsatisfied. Me and my friend don't generally eat a ton, so this was perfectly fine for us. Next up was the highlight of the meal, Chilaquiles Verde. The egg was perfectly fried atop tortilla chips that still had a bit of crispness to them. The tomatillo salsa was a perfect balance of flavor, tanginess, spice and temperature. It was a superb dish that outpaces any chilaquiles that I've been able to find locally, and I've certainly been trying out many for the past six months in search of the best one. I think Chef Adriana's version at Tal Palo may be the winner. There was one more interesting dish remaining: fried quesadillas served with a creamy red beet mole sauce. The quesadillas were light and fluffy, made from masa rather than flour. The beet mole sauce had pine nuts and sesame seeds and several other ingredients blended into it. Very unique and creative rendition unlike any mole I had ever tried. The overall experience at Tal Palo was very unique. There is no set menu, and you are served whatever Chef Adriana has prepared that day. So one needs to approach this restaurant with an open mind and leave preconceptions at the door. As I mentioned earlier, the shared portions might not be enough for people with a higher caloric intake. If these are showstoppers, this is probably not the right place for you. I personally really enjoyed the concept and experience. I look forward to trying their dinner course and going to their workshops for things like making tamales.

Cute little shop I found after dinner in the area. There were a lot of cute kitchen knick knacks. I…read morepersonally came for chocolate though. I tried the cherry cordial. I never had a dark chocolate one and I may not go back to traditional milk chocolate. If Im ever in the area in again, I try some of their other seasonal chocolates.

For a guy that takes an inordinate amount of photos, I am surprisingly unobservant. This place is…read morejust three doors down from the Posh Bagel on Main St. How is it I just noticed this fantastic store? I mean, stores that sell candy and chocolate are my jam. But it was invisible to me. Until today, anyway. I am so happy I finally found it. Because Gourmet Works is much more than a store that sells candy and chocolate. In fact, as the name would suggest, it's more of a Gourmet food store and Gift Shop than a Chocolate Shop. But it's also a hella cool chocolate shop and that's the main reason I will be sure to return. Right when you walk in the door you are surrounded by an astonishingly large variety of items that would make the perfect gift for a loved one, or for yourself. Because, I ain't gonna lie, there were at least a dozen items that I considered buying for myself. I thought to myself, you know, I do so much for me, and it seems I rarely properly thank myself for my devoted patronage and self care. If you are interested in high quality gourmet gifts, Gourmet Works is definitely the place to go! They carry so many products you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Gourmet Salts, Dried Herbs, Pasta Sauces, Dried Pasta, Curry Sauces, Masala Simmer Sauce, Special Preserves and Jams. An impressive, well-curated selection. Then, at the back of the store you find the kind of Chocolate display case that dreams are made of. Oh my Lord! Just the Truffle side alone would be enough to melt anyone's heart. But the other side, with the astonishing variety of hand dipped chocolates is where I lost it. I saw the Almond Bark and stopped dead in my tracks. I stared at that Almond Bark. The Almond Bark stared back at me. We were locked into that stare down for what seemed like an eternity. I was sure neither of us would ever give in. But then I blinked. Somehow I became aware that the wonderful woman behind the counter was asking me if she could help me. As I regained my senses, suddenly I felt so embarrassed. How long had I been staring at that Almond Bark? How many times had she tried to get my attention? I had no idea. I tried to play it off like there was nothing going on between me and that Almond Bark. I casually inquired about some Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt on a totally different shelf in the display case. Then, of course, I had to buy a couple of those Chocolate Covered Carmels with Sea Salt, to cover up the whole situation with me and the Almond Bark. I purchased a couple ordinary, un-chocolate covered Caramels with Sea Salt too. The woman behind the counter couldn't have been more gracious. She didn't let on that she knew exactly what was happening and I wasn't fooling anyone with the whole Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt charade. So, my thanks to Gourmet Works, and the gracious woman behind the counter, Padmaja (her family owns Gourmet Works). It was such a pleasure to shop at your wonderful store! Mikey C says: I'm coming back for you, Almond Bark!

I did not even have a clue what these stores were the first time I stepped into one, so glad I did…read more When i am in this area, I make sure I stop in for a few items. All that said, with friendly staff and nice selections, the only downside is waiting in their lines, which can be slow. Outside of that, make sure if in the area, you stop in!

I wanted to check out the Homegoods in Cupertino. I think it's one of the nicest locations. It's…read morevery well organized inside and tidy. Makes easier to find things. I found these cute ceramic turtles that are hand painted in Mexico. They have an excellent selection of outdoor dishes and serving trays for the summer. Prices are good too. I bought a few rolls of wrapping paper. And decided on the teal colored turtle. Usually the check out line is very long. But I got lucky today. The line was short and I was all done in less than 5 minutes.

I happened upon this amazing little local shoppe in the middle of a residential neighborhood…read moreyesterday. It was phenomenal. I have never seen any little shop like this before with truly curated gift items that are so unique. You won't find these items anywhere I can say with confidence. The outside is very inviting and back into you in. The shopkeeper had a big smile on her face and offered me wonderful Homemade Cookies. The fragrance of Christmas was in the air. I am sharing some of my photos and videos I took because I want everyone to know about this hidden gem in Menlo Park.

The owner is very friendly and made good recommendations for a brother hard to buy for. Very…read moresatisfied and I'll be back and bring my wife! Lovely eclectic and whimsical merchandise of good quality!

Almost three months now since I received my sofa and I still can't believe how much I really like…read moreit. It is just so comfortable that I don't want to get up from it. I had been looking for a while now to replace a rather "lived in" sofa and I couldn't find anything out there I really liked, that is until I came across "WhatARoom". Their numerous custom designs, sizes, incredible fabrics and seating comfort choices available I knew I was at the right place. I was a bit hesitant about buying without trying/seeing as I'm from out of state but through many back-and-forth emails with staff I felt at ease with my decision. Delivery was fantastic too and the care taken by the delivery company was perfect.

I purchased my first adult couch from them about 10 years ago. No more hand-me-downs. What A Room…read moremakse your coach to your customization so everything's going to fit exactly as you need. Their customer service is great and they're responsive. They have lots of fabric to choose from and most are machine washable. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is because of the price. They ain't cheap - but most things in this world that last long aren't. If you're considering buying new couches, drop by and test out their cushions, it may only cost you the loose change in your pockets.

We had such a great experience shopping at BoConcept! The staff was super friendly and really took…read morethe time to listen to what we were looking for. They were patient, thoughtful, and made the whole process feel easy and enjoyable. We originally went in to buy just a sofa, but our designer, Michelle Winter, helped us think about the bigger picture -- how everything would fit together in our space. She has such a great eye for design and gave us so many helpful suggestions on how to decorate and pull the whole room together. While we waited for our order, Michelle kept us updated every step of the way, which we really appreciated. The communication was excellent, and it made us feel taken care of. The furniture itself looks amazing -- super stylish and great quality. We're so happy with our purchase and would definitely recommend BoConcept to anyone looking for beautiful, modern pieces and an awesome shopping experience!

I received my new sofa from BoConcept today and it was worth the 3-4 month wait! There was one…read moreslight delay in the shipment due to something out of their control but once they quoted me the second delivery date they stuck with it. Delivery people were on time, super nice, and efficient. My only complaint is that I was interested in the stain-resistant treatment but wanted to know if it was made of toxic chemicals. They weren't able to provide any details so I didn't get it.