First Restaurant Review

One of my great passions in life is supporting small businesses! My greatest dream in life is to be a successful small business owner myself (really, since I was not even ten years old!) I am in-tune with the start-up trials and tribulations, the fear involved, the courage one must muster, the passion needed to succeed, the deep well of energy you must have, and so on and so forth. I am charmed by each new business that I visit. I find myself trying to imagine exactly the vision of the owner. Looking for every little piece they have done so very right in their execution of that vision. Then looking for places they can improve, not because I want to find flaws but more as an exercise to hone my own business creating skills. Finally, I always try to search out some small treasure that will fit into my budget as a token of my appreciation that they took the chance to follow their dreams.

A recent lack of budget, well actually complete non-existence really, has slowed my ability to support small business. However, on a recent weekday I was the lucky guest at a luncheon date with my mother! We visited a new little restaurant here in my home town called "Mangia! Mangia!" And so I got the idea to start reviewing restaurants as part of my call to support small business and expand my blog topics! Here is my first restaurant review! (What fun now I can be my own food critic!)

Mangia! Mangia!

Who: Not sure who took the chance, but I may find out in the future.
What: Little Italian Place
When: Lunch and Dinner
Where: Just off of the main drag in Woodland Park, CO. (Behind Pizza Hut.)

*Note: In the future I will improve my information gathering skills!

Review: Mom and I decided on Italian as a last minute choice at lunch one day and she suggested the new little Italian place in town. It is called "Mangia! Mangia!" So we drove down to the place and went in for a little luncheon break. We were greeted and seated right away, in a little side booth, though they are small they have several booths along the side of the restaurant and a gaggle of table in the center (as the building was originally an Arby's it is rather difficult to change the setting inside.)

The waitress was prompt and friendly. We only asked for water, though I overheard an odd conversation regarding one of their fountain drink offerings (which piqued my curiosity.) I wished that the waitress would have given us the information on the specials and soups, but she chose not to - perhaps because they are written on a cute little chalkboard on the wall.

We decided on spaghetti and meatballs. This was prompted, I think by the fact that there are a number of lunch offerings, but only three that are not sandwiches (as I recall.) The meal is accompanied by a house salad and garlic bread. First, we received our salads. Which were a pleasant surprise. They were most enjoyable with mixed greens, red onion, an artichoke quarter, grape tomatoes...I need to take notes...and a very tasty vinaigrette (not too much thankfully!) Then came the entree. The entree, I believe, was a lunch portion (which makes sense.) It was pretty standard spaghetti and meatballs. Though, the sauce is chalk full of Italian Sausage slices. For me the sausage was different - but very welcome, as there was, in fact, only one, single meatball in their "spaghetti and meatballs." Should have been labeled as "spaghetti and meatball." The sauce had a nice home cooked and satisfying taste - very good tomato flavor. The only complaint I had was that the noodles were too wet for my pallet; I find it frustrating when my sauce is diluted by soggy noodles. The garlic bread was, well, garlic bread. Good for cleaning up left over sauce bits in your spaghetti bowl. Finally, we skipped dessert (trying to be good girls!) But I asked to see a menu to glance at the dinner offerings and desserts (sorry no cannolis - my favorite. But for my husband - tiramisu!)

Overall, it was a satisfying experience. And it is really great to have an Italian offering in our town. I say, if you are in town and have a taste for a little Italian flavor give Mangia! Mangia! a try. The dinner menu looks tempting. Perhaps, I will drag my dear husband in for an evening meal here at some point. Then I will report back here! Ciao!

My Thoughts/Suggestions:

*Enjoyed cute decorations that help to cover Arby's feel. The grapes are a good touch!
*Could work on increasing intimacy of the space - perhaps room screens could be employed.
*Liked the open kitchen - seems like there is less to hide!
*Needs music for ambiance (and to mask refrigerator noise!)
*Would love to see waitress slightly more professionally dressed. (Vintage would add flair and ambiance! *wink*)
*The place was clean, but I thought it could have used a slightly more thorough scrubbing in some areas! But I am PICKY!
*Liked the rose scented soap in the bathroom!

Woodland has a Christmas Parade!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Current mood: awake Well, okay. In reality they have a Christmas Parade every year. But on the whole, they barely resemble what most of us would term a "parade." Usually, what can be said about Woodland Park parades is that, well, they are...um...cold. Yep. Cold. This year was an exception though. Well, okay. It was still cold. BUT! It was a really good parade. I would like to extend my hearty congratulations to the organizers for actually putting on a spectacle that was entertaining and had content!!! There were really floats!!! It was really great to see members of our community do something for a change! I was also knocked back when apparently the Ute Pass Historical Society supposedly entered. (I still think it was a hallucination - or I can't read or something. I have never met a bigger bunch of dead beats in my life. And I can say that - I was a member in days past. One of the few with any life in me at all.) There were really real floats. It was amazing. I really would like to pat the little kids who were soooo enthusiastic on the back - they really made me chuckle! "AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!" Too cute! I want to say to that I appreciate the people who - dressed up - the costumes you put the time into (or even rented - but put on) really added color and life to the whole thing! Please, please don't get discouraged - people really do like to see costumes!!! Let's see more of them!! Let's see new ones!! Let's get creative!! I enjoyed the heck out of it. And I hope that next year there will be a repeat performance. (If anyone knows who coordinated the parade - please let me know. I would like to send a letter to them, letting them know how good a job they did. But don't burn "old tires" next year. k?) It would be nice to see this town get up and get in gear. Have something of value in this community! Today a good parade - tomorrow an "un-lame" Old Fashioned Fourth! So hopefully next year will be as good. And if you are looking to see a parade and you want to stand next to one of the most enthusiastic parade goers of all time - come on up! I might even pack a thermose of cocoa and some cookies!! AND I might even share if you have been a good boy or girl!

Farmer’s Market

Friday, September 26, 2008

Current mood: warm Category: Life One of the things I love about summer is the Farmer's Market. When I was working I would get a little down every Friday, because I would drive past all of the people setting up for the day and I knew some lucky people would get to go and purchase fresh produce and homemade goods while I sat in an office all day. Farmer's Market is so special to me because it is a throwback to a more simple time. It is a chance to slow down and feel like you are actually a part of a community. Today is the last Farmer's Market of the season. I have already grabbed my basket and put on my favorite wool sweater so that my mother and I can walk to market one last time! For me it is part of living a "beautiful life." I always carry a basket because it feels nostalgic and it makes me smile. (Plus, it is good for the environment - no plastic bags!) It gives me a chance to live for a moment in another time and another place. I can imagine I live in a quiet village with people who live harmoniously and joyfully. After the Farmer's Market today we will celebrate the harvest for a few more weeks and then it will be time to celebrate in other ways, for other seasons. There will be so many joys to keep me occupied. I won't be sad that Farmer's Market is over for the season, I will already have a little part of me looking forward to when the weather begins to warm and the days become longer and the Farmer's Market comes to life again. So for today, try finding a little way to slow down for a moment. Enjoy the fall colors, breath in the crisp air, cozy up in your favorite sweater, or maybe walk to the Farmer's Market one last time this year.