Getting lost after walking out of NYC Subway

I often use public transportation in major cities like New York and Washington DC to get to locations I want to review. Unfortunately being somewhat directionally challenged that often gets me lost since I rarely know which exit to take at my designated stop or which direction to walk when I come above ground. On the way to my appointment at Dashing Diva Salon at 8th Street and University Place in New York I called to make sure that I had the directions correct. I was told to take the N or R train downtown from 34th street to 8th street. So we did that only the problem is that there are two exits at 8th street (8th Street and Waverly Place and 8th Street and Broadway). He never told me which exit!!!!

So we did the total tourist thing and asked someone. Luckily we were blessed to ask a friendly local who told us to take the Waverly exit. So we did! But above ground we realized our problems were not over. Do you walk right or left down the street? Is this 8th street or is it Waverly Place? Of course we walked the wrong way several times and ended up having to walk back to where we were.

Word of Advice: Always ask for exit information if someone gives you subway directions. And don’t forget to ask which direction to walk when you come above ground. It will save you the embarassment of having to pass the same street vendor multiple times because you are so turned around! Not that it has ever happened to me.

Manicures and Pedicures in New York

I often get requests for places people can go for group manicures and pedicures during a girls weekend. To test out a place in New York my sister and I headed to Dashing Diva Salon at 8th Street and University Place near NYU. This international chain of nail salons is located in New York, North Carolina and California in the US. Their other locations are in Japan, Kuwait, The Philippines, Australia and Singapore. The 8th Street location is the flagship store for the chain that opened in October of 2003. Find them online at http://www.dashingdiva.com./

We both decided on the Spoiled Diva Manicures and Pedicures which is the middle service type between the Basic Diva and the All-Out-Diva Manicures and Pedicures. It includes a little more extra attention to problem areas than the basic and is perfect for someone who does not get pedicures regularly. My Nail Technician was Michelle and Sherry worked with my sister. Both were extremely friendly and did a great job of making sure that we were comfortable. One of my pet peeves is when nail technicians spend more time talking to each other rather than talking to you. I am not saying I want my ear talked off but don’t have a whole conversation with the nail technician beside you and never once ask me how I am doing today!?!

So how was it you ask?

The pedicure and manicure were wonderful and exceeded our expectations!

Highlights:

The microdermabrasion treatment softens your entire legs and arms leaving them smooth and baby soft.

The callus removal treatment makes even the worst feet look and feel soft.

The massage during the manicure and pedicure were both long and extremely relaxing.

The products (lotions etc.) were great and not overly fragranced or oily.

After the pedicure’s massage they wrap your feet in cellophane while they polish your toes instead of rinsing off the lotion with a towel. This holds in the moisture and stops your feet from becoming dry and cracked soon after your pedicure is finished.

The pedicure area is set up to allow you to sit next to your friends and have a great conversation. They time the services so that you also sit next to your friends while you are getting manicures.

They give you the tools they use (nail files, buffers, cuticle stick) and you bring it back next time you have a service. She opened a brand new set of cuticle nippers and toenail clippers when she started on my feet. The place is clean and bright and they seem to take hygiene seriously.

Negatives:

The pedicure stations are fixed so if you are shorter or taller you may have to stretch or feel uncomfortable in order for the nail technician to have the best angle for your feet. I was shorter and had to spend some of my pedicure slouched down in the seat to stretch my foot out.

The nail polishes are a little thin so my manicure did not last as long as I would have liked.

Overall: I think this place is perfect for girls weekends, bridal parties, or friends wanting to have manicures or pedicures. The price is a little higher than you will find in other places but the service fits the price. Over a week later my hands are still baby soft. This place is on my list for New York’s Best!

Dashing Diva Nail Salon

41 East 8th Street, NYC 10003

212-673-9000

Review of Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk

Hotel: 

After arriving after midnight we were greeted at the hotel by Justin at the front desk. He was very friendly and nice and we quickly were checked in and on our way to our room. Unfortunately, though the lobby is very nice and spacious do not get your hopes up, the rooms are very different. The beds seem to be on the newer side but the dirty carpet and older bathroom make the room seem dingy. Many of the travelers in our group complained of weird smells, non working light fixtures, and even a dirty bathroom. The beds though large with newer mattresses had three very small pillows. Luckily there were extra pillows in the closet. The rooms have a portable phone allowing you to walk around and talk on the phone. The hotel offers free wireless internet access but unfortunately the network is not secured and the data over the network is not encrypted. For individuals that are unsure of the security there is also free internet access right next to the front desk in the lobby.  One other problem in the hotel is the lack of signage. The lower floor is very maze like and finding your way to and from the restroom can be a bit of a challenge. Also the wake-up calls are inconsistent so if you have an important meeting or early morning flight have a back-up method to wake you in the morning. The hotel offers a diverse channel selection and the Wyndham By Request program is one of the best hotel reward programs. Regardless of status or how often you stay at Wyndham’s all members receive a welcome drink and snack of their choice waiting in their room upon arrival.

Restaurant:

I have never in my life received such horrible service in a hotel restaurant. The serving staff paid no attention to details and was extremely slow. One group waited over 20 minutes for a menu before giving up and leaving. As a diet soda drinker, I often order a lime or lemon with my Diet Cola. I am still waiting for the lemon I asked for 5 times. Our diverse order of entrees took over 45 minutes to arrive to our table and included the spinach and chicken quesadillas, burgers, and a southwest salad. Unfortunately, though the burgers were requested to be cooked medium well to well done all were served extremely rare with both having middles of uncooked hamburger meat.  The Quesadillas were good served in a tomato basil tortilla with chips and salsa on the side. There are several other restaurants in walking distance (see our review of b.b.’s) so if possible eat somewhere else. 

Overall Review: Hotel has some great things (free wireless internet, friendly hotel staff, Wyndham by Request Program) but the overall experience was not the best. Hotel restaurant avoid if possible.

Review of b.b.’s in Jacksonville, FL

This restaurant is cozy and small but has a very modern cool atmosphere.

Drinks: Expensive but good. The fun cocktails start at $12 and for an added twist the Luxury Cosmo has a rock candy stirrer. My dining companions ordered more simple drinks, a glass of Pinot Noir and a Gin and Tonic, which were reasonably priced compared to the cocktails. When ordering a Diet Coke later in the meal it was brought out in the can so no free refills on the soda.

Food: The Almond Crusted Calamari on the “little b’s” section of the menu was amazing. A little salty, the crispy fried rings come in a large wonton shell with carrots, bell peppers, and onions as a base. It is surrounded by a sauce that is described in the menu as tangerine cream but tastes like a lighter version of a peanut sauce and is an excellent compliment to the calamari. Perfect to share with a group. The pizzas were good and thin crusted with fresh ingredients in an individually sized portion. The grilled mahi mahi blt sandwich was also very good and served with a choice of a fields greens, caesar or dried fruit and nut couscous salad. The couscous was dry and not very tasteful so the traditional salads are the better choice.  Only one member of our group chose to eat one of the daily specials and was not blown away. They seem to have mastered the regular menu and everything we tasted off of it was great. Forget the specials and stick to the menu.

Dessert: The choices may be different everyday so you must venture to the dessert case in order to hear the full selections for the day. The Eclair and Coconut cakes were just okay and did not get rave reviews from my fellow diners. The cake with a strawberry filling, white cake layer and cheesecake layer was amazing. Each layer was delicious making it a perfect dessert for moist white cake fans. The Chocolate Ganache cake also was a perfect treat with enough chocolate to satisfy any extreme chocolate fan.

Overall: Good!

Not Amazing and not entirely consistent from dish to dish but many great things on the menu and for dessert. The atmosphere is also fun and a great place for small groups and couples. Not a very child friendly place as the tables are a little close to each other and it has a very “adults only” vibe. Perfect for celebrations and special dinners of less than 10 people.

Location: 

b.b.’s - a groovy place to b.
1019 Hendricks Ave. 
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-306-0100 

Other Suggested places in Jacksonville, FL - Chart House and River City Brewing Company.

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