Rigatoni's Restaurant

This is almost like fast food Italian.
Foods are prepared VERY fast, which is a good thing.

Place orders at the counter and they are served to your table.

During the short wait for your entree, you can help yourself to bread at the bread bar.

My favorite here is the chicken Alfredo. The sauce is creamy and good yet not too buttery.

Only wish they included a small salad with the meals.

Price points seem to be around $10 which is a tad high for counter service I think.

Staff is friendly and accommodating.

If you're in a pinch for time and want a decent meal, I recommend this place.

Charlene N. Hu, MD

Sadly, I do not recommend her for a neurologist.

I had a couple appointments with her and the waits to be seen were 1-1.5 hours.

The lobby is very small and during all appointments, many patients were very frustrated by the lack of seating and the waits. A couple people had to wait outdoors.
(This office is shared by two doctors.)

During one appointment I was seated in the exam room with the door cracked open. I heard the doctor complaining to the receptionist about having another patient (me) to see before she could go to lunch.

Well, it is not my fault she was running so far behind with her appointments.

She performed a very, very painful test yet did not tell me I would have pain for many months afterward from the testing.
The pain was in my nerves and directly related to the testing.

I was there for treatment for nerve pain, not to endure more nerve pain.

Medical notes were inaccurate and I had to request they be corrected twice.

Bay Books

This is a great place to find older books. I had one specific book I needed and was happily surprised when they sold it. The price was $5.00 which was a real bargain.

The place is very well organized yet aisles are pretty tight and it is a challenge to maneuver when it is busy or when the shelves are being re-stocked by staff.

Overall I recommend.

Pier 1 - Closed

During my last visit here recently, I noticed many changes made and they all great changes.

The store layout is different and an improvement, I think.

The merchandise seemed of much better quality than in the past.

I admit that I was on hiatus from this store for the past couple years because I felt there was a decline in merchandise quality.

Another reason I stopped shopping here was because the inventory rarely changed and I like change.

During that recent visit, I bought many items which were fairly priced and some were on sale.
Staff was very nice and made shopping a pleasure.

My only wish is that some of the furniture was a bit less expensive.

I do hope they change up the inventory more often because that will get me through their doors a lot more often.

Michaels

The inventory is enormous.

I think they offer the largest selection of craft items in the Tri-Valley area.

As a price-comparison shopper, I have found some items to be priced higher here than some other stores; keep that in mind if you are price savvy.

Customer service just does not seem to be a priority here though which is a shame. I have a very hard time finding staff working the floor to answer questions.

I try to avoid going here on weekends simply due to the extreme waits at the register. Registers are often not staffed appropriately for weekend shoppers.

Taking all aspects into consideration I feel it is 3 stars and satisfactory worthy.

Applebee's

I think Applebee's restaurants offer a great menu variety.

Unfortunately, the Tri-Valley locations have been a huge disappointment.

On the bright side, the staff here has been nice. Nice yet not always right on the ball.

My last visit was not a happy one.
My salad was made completely wrong.

I nicely requested a new salad.
The new salad was served 10 minutes later yet that was also wrong and missing 2 key ingredients.

I didn't know it was so easy to mess up a simple salad.

I gave up and went to Saladz 'n More in San Ramon where my salad was properly prepared.

Applebee's

Sorry to say that I really do not recommend this restaurant.

The service can be slow and/or forgetful.

My table has gone forgotten for very long periods of time. I later learned the staff was on the other side of the restaurant rolling silverware in napkins. Too bad they all forgot about their tables of customers.

The male manager never pitched in to help when it was obvious his staff needed help. He only stood around the back area watching others work.

Too many times my dining partner or I have gotten incorrect foods which had to be sent back the kitchen which was hate to do.

It is a shame because I think the menu is fantastic; a variety that is sure to make everybody happy.
Yet, the visits have been too frustrating and take the joy out of dining out.

Nation's Giant Hamburgers & Great Pies

Do recommend this establishment for burgers, breakfast and definitely the pies.

The prices are very reasonable for great semi-fast food.

This is one of my favorite indulgent spots.

Sweet Tomatoes

This place has been OK as a whole.

The salad fixings are usually very fresh and the salad area kept clean.

The variety of foods offered at the other stations such as soups, breads, entrees,, etc. is good. The menu does change so keep that in mind.

On Sundays, brunch is offered. That has been a hit or miss for us. Some foods sit too long and others are not replaced quickly when they run out.

I like the coupon concept. Yet, in order to use the "2 for 1" coupon, 2 beverages must be purchased. My SO and friends only drink water so we cannot use the coupons.

McDonald's

It is very rare I indulge in fast foods. Sometimes due to time constraits I have to.

The location of this Mc Donald's is convenient for me.

Unfortunately, the service and foods have not up to par. I have gotten the wrong foods when ordering at the drive thru. And my favorite item here, the French Fries have been very over-cooked on several occasions.

In a pinch, maybe I will give them another try. Yet I would prefer driving a little further for more reliable foods and service.