I've Moved!!

I love this blog, but moved over to another one...
please visit my little orange kitchen here!

Laura

If The Shoe Fits...

Wear it…

A mini super-rave to Kenneth Cole and Unlisted (his women’s shoe line). I have a terrible time finding fashionable shoes that are comfortable and fit well, but 6 out 10 times this line works for me and that’s a great ratio. I have a wide foot and thicker ankles (how’s that for a sexy image?) and am often frustrated by tiny ribbon straps that never stay put, plus I often feel like one of Cinderella’s stepsisters as I try to cram my feet into the tiny little slippers other companies pass off as women’s shoes.

My mother was along on a sandal buying quest recently and witnessed me try on shoe after shoe after shoe. Finally, after about the eighth store and sixtieth pair, my pent up rage over not getting the maroon Gap pants I wanted when I was twelve started to surface in the form of threats. My poor mom chose to get lost in the aisles and stay as far away from me she could while I tried to force my way into yet another pair. She conveniently returned after I'd kicked of the most recent “misfit” and with forced optimism asked, "So, any luck?" She and the sales woman exchanged looks as I told her that this was because she smoked when she was pregnant with me (It's my unproven theory that low birthweight babies are fed due to guilt!) . My poor mother. I was so frustrated that by the end of the day you’d think I had been in dressing rooms trying on bathing suits for 14 hours!

Thank God for Kenneth Cole! The vintage floral Mary Jane’s are not going to be a favorite among my male readership (my brother, husband and father in-law), but the black heels pictured below knock my husband out! Woo-hoo! I have a formal event in Atlanta at the end of July (Congratulations Mom! This year the Golden Heart, next year the Rita!) and am planning on wearing them with a new wrap dress and Dita Von Teese undergarments (I love old fashioned words) ordered yesterday.

If you have a wider foot…skip the Unlisted line of skinny strappy heels and go for the ones you see below..in all colors…even purple!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, I have to practice walking …I’m a little wobbly (among other things!).

These shoes are available at most better shoe stores…even Shoe Carnival and Yonker’s carry them. They are very inexpensive running from $25.00-$80.00. I got these on sale for about $30.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hisses & Boos! Oohs & Ahhs!

Mini Reviews

(without much flare)

Hisses
To Perry’s Cherry Diner in Green Bay for intimidating the help. When my husband asked for no olives on his made to order gyros salad, the young girl working said the olives had to be on the side. He was puzzled and asked her if she could just serve the salad without any olives. She leaned in and told us the two men cooking in back yelled at her if she let the customer make changes, so could we please just let her “serve the olives on the side?” An older more experienced waitress might have handled the situation with a little more ease, but this girl was clearly intimidated by the very loud cooks/managers who could be heard arguing with one another about a procedure. Who could blame her?

Boos
To the Black & Tan Grille in De Pere for not allowing my mother in-law to make a substitution on a side dish. Not because they weren’t serving the side dish she wanted, but because the chef did not want the “integrity of his dish compromised” by an incompatible side. We dined there three times in one month after discovering the place because it was such an enjoyable experience, thought it is pricey. Dinner for two people was approximately $90.00 each time and we're not heavy drinkers. We thought it would be a nice anniversary dinner for my in-laws and brought them along on our fourth visit. We were stunned by the server’s insistence that what the chef says goes. My mother in-law simply wanted the onion haystack instead of potatos. Integrity of his dish? Unacceptable. This is De Pere folks. Upscale restaurants in large cities make accommodations, even if the chef thinks you’re a rube for asking. Too bad we have an extended family and friend boycott of the place because the food was very good.

Oohs
To Cy’s Asian Bistro in Neenah. Great service, fresh authentic food and quality ingredients. This is what I refer to as “Big City Thai Food” because for some reason all the Thai restaurants in small towns drown the noodles and meat in sauce and overcook the vegetables. Whereas, in larger cities (and at Cy’s) the emphasis is on fresh flavor, synergy of ingredients and wonderful presentation. It’s a family run business and is consistently the best Thai food I’ve had. Try the fresh spring rolls, the Pad Thai and the sticky rice with coconut ice cream! My friend Janice (the only true cook/foodie I’ve ever known besides myself) and I went for lunch and we felt like queens as we split two appetizers, soup, three entrees and desserts. So good! The iced coffee is perfectly prepared. It’s a regular stop for us on Friday afternoons. They don’t have fresh spring rolls on the lunch menu, but be sure to ask for an order. They’re happy to oblige.

Cy’s Asian Bistro
208 W Wisconsin Ave Neenah, WI 54956
920-969-9549

Ahhs
To School House Gems in De Pere. Shockingly low prices on gemstone beads. I bough a length of mid-quality kyanite for $11.00!!! Full service jewelry repairs and custom designs. My friend Kim found some neon yellow apatite and had earrings and a necklace made…beautiful. They’re down to earth and while the selection isn’t huge, it’s a great start. Natural rock and crystal lovers will be pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices. I found a beautiful crystal chunk for $30.00. At other stores it would have cost at least three times that amount. My only criticism is that not all of the pieces on the floor are priced and pieces not for sale are mixed in the for sale merchandise. It’s disappointing to bond immediately with a crystal only to find out it'll never go home with you! However, this is the place to stop for unusual pieces at nice prices.

School House Gems
309 Reid
De Pere 54115
920-336-4885

Double Hisses & Boos!
To Chef Chu’s in Green Bay for one of the most uncomfortable experiences we’ve ever had in a restaurant. We walked in and were seated next to the only other diners in the place. They looked very unhappy. All of the sudden it became clear why. We realized we had walked in during a brief lull of what was a full blown “rage-athon” by the middle aged male manager who was screaming at the top of his lungs at a young female bartender about how her mistakes cost him money. He was relentless in his high octave abuse. The line cooks and the hostess were clearly as uncomfortable as we (and the other couple) were. The bartender was crying (sobbing) and the manager yelled so loud and with so much force that spit actually flew from his mouth! She finally ran to the bathroom and he followed her and continued to yell through the door!!!!!!!!!!! It was abusive and sickening. The other couple got their check and left. Finally the guy stopped yelling and the red and puffy faced bartender came out of the bathroom. I pulled the hostess over and told her that what we just witnessed was beyond the pale. That losing money because of a bartender’s mistakes was the least of that manager’s issues. The energy in the place felt tight and stagnant and for us the experience was ruined. However, the service is usually right on and the food is always good.

My $30.00 crystal point from Schoolhouse Gems.

Koko’s Sushi Bar & Lounge

Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge
Rating:**1/2

(so, so close, but no cigar...yet)

I’ve neglected my readers for far too long! My four closest girlfriends, my mother, my brother and my grandmother are growing impatient! Hmm, I’ve not done much to let the masses know about this blog, but considering how often I neglect it…perhaps it’s all for the best.

Does this mean that I’ve stopped dining out and shopping? Unfortunately not. I’m sure many of the good business owners in our area will vouch for my addictions. My newest culinary drug of choice is the Toyko Skirt Steak at Kokos Sushi. It’s incredible. My husband and I have eaten at Koko’s no less than once a week for the past four months. Why then, with my addiction to “tender ribeye steak marinated in a delicious yet not overwhelming soy, ginger, mirin and basil sauce” am I only giving Koko’s two and a half stars?

It’s hard to say, but I’ll do my best. The décor is great even if the atmosphere is rather cool…and I don’t mean hip. I mean cool as in “cold shoulder/aloof.” The two exceptions would be the male servers who work weekday lunches. One is especially nice. He's warm, friendly and if the kitchen makes an error, he always apologizes. You never feel like a royal pain in the ass for pointing out that the steak you requested well-done was served positively dripping with blood. He has a good memory and always remembers our usual order. Unfortunately, he often works the noon hour in a moderately full restaurant…alone. If you go in the evening you can expect the service to be average. Unless they’re busy and then you can expect it to be poor.

I won’t make any more mention of the service except to point out that the waitresses seem bored and really can’t understand why they should have to refill your coke when it’s more fun to chat in the kitchen. But, please read on...there is some hope.

The food is creative and tasty if not consistently good. The specialty maki rolls take the cake for ingenuity and even non-sushi eating people will become addicted. The blending of Asian and America flavors is truly remarkable. The Big Bang with its scallop nestled in a Japanese pepper sauce, tuna tartar, green onion and lemon zest is a sure win. And what proud Wisconsin native wouldn’t just have to try the Packer Backer out of loyalty? With grilled salmon, mango, avocado, cucumber, sesame and miso ginger sauce, it could make a die-hard Bear Fan reconsider. The miso soup was an especially pleasant surprise since I’m not usually a miso fan. It has a mild smoky flavor and is not overwhelming at all. The Spicy Thai Shrimp soup is out of this world. Had a bad day and can’t wait to get home and curl up on the couch? Swing by and get a bowl to go. It’s nouveau comfort food! My husband loves the Green Bay Seared Ahi appetizer (Yellow fin tuna seared in a spicy pepper mixture, served thinly sliced with daikon radish) and believes the portion to be very generous for $9.00.

The lounge and dining areas are separated and this makes for completely different experiences depending on which room you’re in. Those who love a good martini will appreciate the inspired drink menu. Who could pass up something that tastes so deceptively non-alcoholic as the Punchtini? With Absolut Mandrin, Stoli Raspberry, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and orange juice...it’s the very grown up version of what we threw together at my eighth grade graduation party (yes, I did say eighth grade…I had some issues.) Seriously, I seldom do, but this is place to let loose if you feel like imbibing. Quality and creativity make for a nice cocktail.

The eclectic music floating out of speakers in both areas adds to the whole experience. Unless you're seated directly under one as my good friend Nancy and I were...but our server (the great lunchtime guy) was happy to turn it down a tad. Koko’s has received some good press on their Virgin Sushi nights and are doing their best to make trying sushi for the first time a fun and not at all intimidating experience. They do a good job trying to get people to see it’s so much more than “raw fish”.

In short, Koko’s is a fun new place and when the food is on…it’s on! However, the service is inconsistent and this is a real negative. The odds of having a fantastic meal are about 7 in 10 which keeps us coming back. However, when the kitchen makes a mistake and the servers are gently told (very nicely and gently told), they (except our one lunchtime guy) never ever apologize and usually get a little defensive. This makes it difficult to give Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge the rave review they deserve on a good night.

With a little work on the service and consistency among the chefs, this could be one of the best places for a reasonably priced meal in the area.

If you visit the nicely done website you’ll no doubt be impressed by the menus. The variety ensures that everyone in your party will find something. http://www.kokosushi.com/

Note: They used to bring complimentary Seroogy’s chocolate dipped strawberries (one for reach member of your party) after your meal, but we found out last night that they no longer do it. However, they did a smart thing and added the strawberries to the ample dessert menu for only $1.00 apiece. For a Seroogy’s chocolate dipped berry plated on white with a little fruit puree…it’s a fair deal.

I'm with you Koko's, but please get with the Customer Service program!

Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge 2066 Central Drive Bellevue, WI 54311Tel: (920) 884-9332http://www.kokosushi.com/
Hours: Mon - Wed 11:00am - 10:00pmThur - Sat 11:00am - 11:00pm

The Red Silk Purse

The Red Silk Purse

Rating *****

I think I may have to rename my blog. I feel many more of these more personal musings coming on, but I can’t help it! My husband thinks I should call it “All About Self Absorbed Me.” An unfair comment, yet isn’t there a grain of truth in all unfair comments? Plus, my love of commas is truly getting out of hand!

My latest rave is about my purse. I found the purse at Primal Eye (see address below). As soon as I laid my eyes on it, I knew it was going to be the start of a great relationship. The tiny prosperity coins on the sides only sealed the deal. I love this purse for lots of reasons; it’s red, it’s silk, it’s unusual, it’s roomy and it was only $21.00. In the days of $1800.00 Prada satchels…it’s a steal.

However, the main reason for this outpouring of devotion is that the purse has made me a man magnet! I, at 5’1 (and a half) and moving along well past plus sized model proportions, have become an absolute…man draw. I love it! My husband just poked his head in my office to ask what’s for dinner. I ignored his question and told him I was finally going to let my readership in on the secret of my newfound popularity.

He pointed out that my seven regular readers will be deeply disappointed when Oprah comes a calling and they find out I pulled a James Frey. I indignantly reminded him that he has been with me on at least nine occasions when men (rugged looking manly men) have taken a second look and complimented me…or at least the purse. Not to mention that women actually cross streets to ask me where I got it.

Needless to say, he didn’t have to be reminded of the time I left my purse sitting on the table at Fetaz Mediterranean Bistro (great gyros, felafel, hummus, salads and super fast) while I went to the counter to see about a fruit salad. He was reading the newspaper and a handsome male server stopped to fawn over the purse. Fearing that now he was becoming a man magnet, he explained loudly to the entire place that the purse “belongs to my wife!”

He just left my office in a huff when I suggested that if men come up to a woman and stare longingly and lustfully at her purse in front of her 6’3 218 pound husband, imagine what they do when he’s not around? I love sending him off with a little something to think about. I’ll do damage control later. He’ll be getting chips and my famous onion-cucumber dip. What? Don’t all couples have make-up dip?

I’m officially letting all women in on the secret of the red purse. If you carry this purse, I guarantee you'll begin having conversations with men the minute you arrive on the scene...wherever it is. Waiting in line at stores is the best. There I am, standing in line wearing my yoga pants, t-shirt, and no make-up (except lipstick-I LOVE lipstick) looking rather frazzled and usually in a hurry, only to find myself the object of lots of male attention! Men of all ages, races, sizes, and professions cannot resist staring and eventually commenting on it. Some even sheepishly joke with one another about how they’ve never noticed a purse in their lives and now they want to look at mine!

Purse envy…the dark side of female behavior. I must address it. When I’m being hoisted onto the shoulders of male admirers and paraded through the bank like a goddess, women have either one of two reactions. The nice and normal women scoot over and get in on the purse excitement…it’s contagious. However, the nasty ones give me the once over, quickly assess me as a non-threat, and start all kinds of strange “look at me, look at me” posturing. They flounce their hair, run their hands over their legs to adjust stockings, and well, you get the picture. Anyway, it’s all in vain. Once a man has been magnetized by the purse and then held captive by my charm, it’s all over but the crying.

My husband sometimes watches from afar and then mimics me later. “Oh, you like my purse? I do too! Isn’t it the best! I love, love, love it! Ooooh, do you like my smile? I think I’m so cute when I smile. Please sir, tell me how cute I am. Oh, you want to make love to me? Here? Oh my, my, my…big fella, you’re just incorrigible! What? You want to see me smile again? Hee-hee-hee! Now stop it you! Oh, there I go again being cute, I can’t help it! I’m so adorable.”

I think he exaggerates slightly, but I do counter compliments on my purse with enthusiasm. Speaking of enthusiasm, I must confess that when the first red purse began to show signs of wear and tear, I panicked. I raced over to Primal Eye (an ironic name considering…) faster than Cinderella at midnight and was told they couldn’t get any more from their supplier!!! Oh Hell!! Fortunately, my husband insisted that the young staffer didn’t have a clue and that I go in the next week. He’s usually right, so I did.

I’m ashamed to admit that not only did I buy all three they had in, but I bought two other purses as well! Let it be known that the black one (see picture) has already begun to work its magic. At my last playwright’s group in Madison, I put copies of my play in it and my personal things in the red one. One of the men complimented the black purse and when I set the red one down next to it, he did a double take and agreed with me that it was “pretty fantastic” too!

So, there you have it folks…more self indulgent ramblings to follow!

My Primal Eye collection!

Primal Eye
(Shop for fun & functional art, bath items, gifts, lighting and furniture for the casual lifestyle-and of course purses)
128 N Broadway Street
Green Bay WI 54303

Fetaz Mediterranean Bistro

(Try the gyros, house cut fries, quiche of the day and baklava)

229 N Washington

Green Bay WI 54301

920-432-3382

The Acupuncture and Herb Center

The Acupuncture and Herb Center

****

This is a rather self indulgent review, but since Dr. Hou gets four stars, I assume he’ll forgive me!

I’ve been working out and eating reasonably well, but I’m not losing weight as fast as I think I should. While having a midnight snack, I found myself pondering the idea that something could be seriously wrong. When I expressed concern to my husband of my fear that the only thing standing between me and svelte is a sluggish thyroid, he innocently (so he would have me believe) suggested that I try a food log. This was “just in case” I think I’m eating less than I am. A shadow of darkness must have passed over my otherwise cherubic face because he felt obliged to throw in the comment that it must be my thyroid since there’s no doubt “you’re an exercising maniac.”

I, in the sweetest and non-defensive tone I could muster, basically told him to go “take care of your own gut!” Poor guy. He thought he was just helping out and ended up being told he’s looking a lot like Homer Simpson. Well, maybe the anorexic version, but still.

Then, in a tone that clearly indicated the conversation was over he suggested I see doctor if I was that concerned. I decided to go to the acupuncturist and just knew he was going to confirm my suspicion that my weight battle is glandular. Sleek and leggy here I come!

I arrived at the clinic and began telling Dr. Hou my suspicions about my thyroid. He checked the pulses of various meridians, looked at my tongue, eyes, felt the temperature of my hands and feet and then he began to frown. In fact, he looked quite perplexed. Wow, he must be wondering how to break the bad news. My thyroid must be shot to hell! I began imagining how we would get it working again and how in a matter of weeks dozens of pounds would roll off my body into the ethers never to be seen or heard from (?) again! I could start a Thyroid Awareness campaign so other women wouldn’t have to suffer over their weight the way I have! I might even be on Oprah! Not to mention all my new clothes! I’m thirty-seven and my life was going to change forever!

I was so excited that when Dr. Hou asked me what I ate in a typical day I could barely remember. Good thing I’d decided to follow my husband’s advice and write it all down. I took out one of my four notebooks and proudly listed my daily intake and the carefully measured quantities. He began to frown and by time I reached my pre-afternoon workout snack he was pushing my hair aside and hurrying to put tacks along the meridians in my ears. I leaned over to accommodate him and said, “Ok, now how long until these help my thyroid and I start losing weight Dr. Hou?” I mean, now that I had a book tour to plan, an upcoming appearance on Oprah and all the other things that go along with being an inspiration for all women, time is of the essence! Dr. Hou said, “Keep these in for a week.” A week! My wildest dreams come true! Who says you can’t wake up thin! Thank you! Thank you! It was all I could do not to throw my arms around him! I could barely contain my newfound enthusiasm for life!

Then Dr. Hou gently put his hand on my arm and said, “Nothing wrong with thyroid, appetite the problem, keep these in for a week, come back next week and we put in the other ear…pinch daily and decrease the appetite. Big appetite the problem. Not thyroid. Thyroid healthy and vigor.” Oh. So much for my new line of inspirational note cards.

Despite the fact that my view of the road was blurred by tears of humiliation, I managed to arrive home safely. Wouldn’t you know, my husband didn’t have the courtesy to be buried in a book or absorbed in an episode of the Family Guy as I walked through the front door. Nope, he actually had the nerve to jump off the couch, greet me and ask, “So, what did he say about your thyroid babe?” “I DON’T CARE TO DISCUSS IT!” I yelled. I threw my purse on the table and went up the stairs two at a time (I really do work out you know) and stomped into my office.

He followed me and was extremely convincing at feigning his concern, “Babe, you have to tell me what’s wrong. Are you ok?” I showed him the tacks. "These are what’s wrong! Dr. Hou thinks I have a big appetite and need to pinch my ears whenever I feel like eating! I’m never going back!” I spun around in my office chair and though it shames me, I’ll admit I rather childishly kicked the file cabinet.

My husband said nothing for a minute or so and then all of the sudden began to laugh so hard I cried! Now I have to suffer his numerous comments about my “glands” To make it worse, if I’m eating so much as a carrot stick he dashes over, pinches my ears and says, “My woman has a healthy appetite!” He’s also made a few comments about how maybe he’s been pinching me in the wrong place all these years! He says he should have known, since I’ve never grown so much as one promised inch…upwards! Now I get my ears pinched as well as my most well….ample area…just in case. It’s a good thing I’m secure in the fact that he loves every single pinchable inch of me!

Hmm, like I told a good friend, the tacks were a dud and I ate the caramel to prove it. He thought this was wildly hilarious. I’m still not sure why.

It should be said that of course I’m going back to Dr. Hou. I like honesty in an acupuncturist. He’s not only a wonderful acupuncturist to me and many of the Green Bay Packers, but to the average person as well. He is thorough, has an excellent beside manner and all he asks of me is that I be patient when it comes to healing deep seeded physical/emotional issues. I think he means my weight, because several years ago when I went through a brief bout of a condition called “no periods, but not pregnant” he quickly got me on track or should I say back on my courses! He also told me to relax about my weight. Apparently I may have too much damp, but I have “sparkling alert eyes” indicating my general good health. He’s a wonderful practitioner who cured a friend of migraines permanently, helped my mother with chronic back pain, helped another friend with her painful fibromyalgia and has a stellar reputation in town. He has twenty-five years of clinical experience and comes from generations of family practitioners.

His office is immaculate, his healing table sheets are a soothing pink and the music is very relaxing. He’s professional and direct (obviously). Unless we’re talking about my weight issues, he is nothing short of a miracle worker…and well, enough said. I have a friend coming over in a few minutes. Funny, I didn’t know until she was coming (until ten minutes ago), but I baked a cake. Could that be part of the problem? Sorry, Dr. Hou…Against my cookbooks, the tacks didn’t stand a chance.


Dr. Hou and Dr. Zeng D.O.M., L.Ac
The Acupuncture and Herb Center
450 North Military Rd Suite 8
Green Bay WI 920-713-6880

Also in Appleton:
2911 N. Ballard RoadAppleton WI 920-832-8888

Tips For Small Retailers

These tips may seem obvious, but believe me, some of the most basic customer service principles are often forgotten at smaller establishments. The sad part is that people have become resigned to accept poor service in larger less personal stores, but when they shop at a small boutiquey type shop, they expect everyone to be on and are far less forgiving when you're not.

1. When customers see your clerks chewing gum or with chipped nail polish they often expect poor service. When this (usually unconscious) assessment is made of your business, they tend to spend less or deem your products not worth the price you’re asking.
   
2. When a customer says thank you as you hand them their bag or change, the only acceptable response is something along the lines of, “You’re very welcome and thank you for stopping in.” When a clerk says, “no problem” or “no biggie”, a huge mistake has occurred. Serving a customer should never be a problem. This tends to be a habit of high school and twenty-something clerks, but if informed, they usually understand why it’s not a good practice.
   
3. Train your staff to be polite on the phone. If they have to ask someone to hold, they must do it politely. “Hang on a second” is rude. Likewise, when they come back on the line, they should thank the customer for waiting. And chit-chatting with friends while customers are in your shop is totally unacceptable.
   
4. If a customer calls and asks if you carry a certain product, you either say “yes”, “no” or offer to find out. Saying you’re not sure and then half-heartedly asking if they want you to check and see is considered poor service.
   
5. You have to trust that you own a competitive business in order to not get caught up in competing with shops in your area. Set your prices, arrange your merchandise and plan your sales according to the plan best for your business. You cannot panic when you see a shop has the same soap you sell or just purchased an ad in the paper twice the size of yours. If someone calls and asks if you still have lemon body wash in stock and you happen to be out, it is your duty to refer them to the shop down the street. As long as they're on the phone, they're your customer and you're giving great service if you help them find what they need, even if it’s not in your store. They will remember. People are much better about this than you realize. Be generous of spirit and you will reap customer loyalty beyond belief.
   
6. Never let anyone overhear you saying, “She’s a good customer, she spends lots every time she comes in.” It may be true, but the person who comes in once a week and treats herself by spending four dollars out of her already tight budget is likely to consider herself a good customer and your comments may sting.
   
7. Samples. Either everyone gets one or no one does. There cannot be exceptions to this rule, unless the store is empty and you just have to shower a regular customer with the extra treats your supplier sent along with your order. Women notice if the woman ahead of them in line gets something extra slipped into her bag. We then get a little boost thinking that we’re going to get that cute little bar of soap too, when we don’t, we wonder why. When I had my shop, we gave away samples to everyone as long as we had them. To the two hundred dollar spender and to the person buying a two dollar pack of incense. Kindness and generosity distributed evenly creates loyalty.
   
8. Counting back change. Teach your employees to count back change correctly and not just drop the money into the customer’s hands. Counting back change is old fashioned, but it prevents mistakes and usually ensures that both the clerk and the customer are certain the transaction was completed accurately.
   
9. Do not have ridiculously high minimum purchase amounts to use a credit card. Yes, as retailers, we hate those fees, but as customers who tend to carry less cash these days, it’s frustrating. In my opinion, anything higher than five dollars is offensive and if you can avoid a limit, you’re better off. There's a shop in town with a fifteen dollar limit. Considering a four ounce bottle of their lotion is thirteen dollars, the limit is ridiculous.
   
10. Pricing. If it’s for sale, price it. If it’s for display only, mark it clearly. This trend of not pricing items in order to encourage customer/clerk interaction is for the birds. Fine jewelry stores can get away with it, but boutiques and smaller shops should avoid it.
    
11. Your clerks should greet customers immediately when they walk into your shop, offer assistance if needed and then let people wander freely without pressure. When I had my shop, I was advised to maintain a certain level of contact and eventually apply subtle pressure to boost my sales. NO WAY. My philosophy was service before sales. I posted product information on shelves, trained my staff rigorously on all items, and made sure that customers realized help was there if needed. This worked well for me. My products basically sold themselves and the service came in during interactions at the counter and when customers needed something specific. No one felt neglected, no one felt pressured and natural conversations developed because they weren't lead-ins to sales pressure. At my shop we blended perfumes and in that case, the service and interaction was high, but there was no pressure to buy. It worked.
    
12. Don’t charge for gift wrap unless you go above and beyond. Either you gift wrap or you don’t, but unless your gift wrap is a lot different than your normal packaging, you cannot expect to please customers by charging extra. Tissue paper and pretty bags are the norm and adding some curled ribbon to the handle doesn't justify an extra charge.
    
13. If you own a shop usually frequented by women, but often swamped during the holidays by men, and you also happen to offer free gift wrapping…never let a man tell you it’s not necessary. Many men are at your shop because their wives have raved about it. They come in hoping to find a gift that will make an impression. When asked if they want it gift wrapped, there are two types. The first is the man who’s so grateful the gift shopping is done and that you can take care of the wrapping, they practically throw themselves at your feet in gratitude. The second is the man who feels kind of sheepish about having someone wrap the gift for him. He might need a little coaxing. However, when you make him look like an absolute Super Hero as his wife oohs and ahs over the pretty paper and whatever little baubles you include, you will have two customers for life. A tip; House of Marbles is a company that makes the tiny glass hearts, stars and moons we sprinkled over the tissue with a few rose buds in every gift we wrapped. They cost about six cents each and while they added a little to the cost of our complimentary gift wrap, they were worth it. There is nothing more personally satisfying and lucrative than having your shop completely packed with men on Valentine’s Day all joking with one another about how you make them look like heroes. If you make it easy...they'll keep coming back. Believe me.
    
14. Never ever complain to customers that business is slow. They come in expecting to shop, maybe chit-chat, browse, and enjoy what you have created. Never make them feel uncomfortable. I was once in a shop and the owner told me that I was her first customer of the day and if the trend continued she might have to close. Wow! I couldn’t find anything I really wanted, but bought some note cards. It was a charity purchase and yes, I should have more backbone, but I felt bad. Though, not bad enough return. It was too uncomfortable. When asked about business…if it's been slow, just say “Well, we’re getting a break, it’s not as busy as last week and now we can catch up” or something positive. You don’t have to gush or lie, just don’t complain.
    
15. If you have a bathroom for customers, for God’s sake, keep the door closed. No one wants to look at your gourmet jams and mustards in full view of the toilet. Plus it's considered bad Feng Shui.
    
16. If you have a small parking lot, instruct your employees to save the spaces close to the door for customers.

Nala's Fromagerie

Nala’s Fromagerie

“I never said I was a cheese whiz.”

Rating: ***1/2
(Five stars is a perfect score.)

When I heard a cheese shop had opened in our area and was actually calling itself a fromagerie, I almost fell over in a dead faint. A fromagerie? In a mini strip mall? Did I dare get my hopes up?

In the first days of moving here from Chicago, my father in law, in a well-meaning effort to help me acclimate, took me on the fifteen-minute city tour. First stop was a “cheese shop.” Saying I wanted to drown myself upon leaving would be an exaggeration, but it isn’t an untruth when I say I actually burst into tears on the way out. Had I really moved to “Dairy Land”, former home of the World Cheese Exchange only to find cheddar footballs dipped in yellow wax, nestled in phony grass and displayed with those chocolate caramel nut clusters called “Cow Pies?”*

And this whole cheese curd phenomenon? I never even realized people actually ate cheese curds, let alone deep-fried and dipped in ranch dressing! Oh how Little Miss Muffet would have loved my father in law. She would have graciously accepted her tray of curds and I’ll bet she wouldn’t have rolled her eyes and rudely inquired as to how much longer the tour of the "one horse town” was going to last. Fortunately, my father in law is quick to forgive and having never raised daughters, he mistook my now regretted insolence for feisty girlish charm.

Anyway, I wasn’t optimistic as my husband and I headed over to check Nala’s out. I mean, how old world could a fromagerie in a new strip mall possibly be?

My husband has a few old world charms of his own and one of them is his mind-boggling tolerance when I leave a business thoroughly enraged because of a customer service breach. He knows he’s in for a loud and perhaps verbally abusive ride home.

Early in the relationship, he learned the cheery light energy I have as I venture into a new place could turn on a dime or as quick as a salesperson responds with a “no problem” when I say thank you as they hand me my bag. He waits in the car and holds his breath. If I’m smiling and nodding my head as I skip out of the business…he relaxes. However, if I come out stomping and rolling my eyes, he reaches toward the glove compartment for the aspirin and earplugs. Thank God, the first visit to Nala’s was a no aspirin kind of day. After all, if they didn’t meet my standards …it’s not as if we have other options.

I walked in and was cautiously relieved. It looked good. Even a little "Old Worldy." I appreciated, but declined the owner’s enthusiastic and warm offer of help. I wanted to wander and take it all in. Wow! Hundreds of cheeses, not to mention the vinegars, pates, truffle oil, crostini, olives, salami, cocktail toasts, olives, capers, Parma Ham, chorizo, jams, nuts, fig cake, cheese tray accoutrements and chocolates. I was impressed.

The husband and wife proprietors, Alan Trick and Linda La Cluyse have managed to do the impossible…create the feeling of being in an old cheese shop in France…while actually being in a strip mall one minute off the highway. The only things missing are the open barrels of pickles, the charming old crumbling walls and the lack of counter space …but open barrels of pickles always creep me out anyway. Nala’s gets almost everything right. The cheeses are perfectly faced in the shallow cases and description cards sit cleverly balanced on little corks…did I mention the wine shop next door? Besides, I’ve been to France and while I loved it…I must admit I was disappointed by the fromageries…they seemed to offer exclusively French cheeses, while Nala’s has cheese from all over the world…and some organics too.

When you make the first visit (and you must), please allow extra time. You will want to study the cheese description cards, read the labels on the fifteen to sixty year old vinegars, accept the samples the owners offer, gently (and I mean gently) handle the fragile Mozzarella di Bufala …marvel at the cranberries in the white Wensleydale cheddar from England and if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to try one of the chocolate truffles in the case on the counter…Oh, and speaking of truffles…they have real ones…the deep earthy black kind…perfect with butter, pasta and perhaps some of their grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Great care has been put into this new business and the cheese inventory is astonishing! I was delighted to find Quark, a soft easily spreadable goat’s milk cheese with a mild taste. The website is equally impressive and you will lose hours of precious family time as you peruse written descriptions (prices included) of every cheese they offer. My new favorites are the Iberico; this is a cheese made from cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk. It is a hard, oily cheese, yet mild and aromatic. I also love the Belletoile Brie – a triple cream brie from France with seventy percent butterfat. And don’t get me started on the feta. Guess who needs to go back to Weight Watchers? No, don't...you'll hurt my feelings!

On my first visit, I bought three pounds of assorted cheeses. I was back in a few days and I think Alan forgot himself for a moment as he allowed his face to register surprise when I listed off my order for two and half more pounds. He asked me if I was having a party. Oh dear, I had forgotten that maybe five and half pounds of cheese to be consumed by a household of two within less than a week was not a good thing…maybe even something to keep secret! Even as the profiteer of my purchases he seemed concerned, but jovially said, “We want to see you back soon, but not too soon.” Other women would have laughed at his gentle teasing, but I, being a little self-conscious of my overly ripe plumpness, felt my face burn with shame. Oh well, I managed to stay away for three months, but not out of sheer will power. I happened to be out of town almost all of last summer.

I recently ventured in again and was especially flattered when as soon as I came through the door Alan ran from behind the counter to welcome me and treated me like a queen. Linda said I had missed their one-year opening anniversary and they gave me a light canvas bag imprinted with the business name. Perfect for Farmer’s Market! I discussed business with them and promised I would attend a class. They offer classes on cheese (what else?) and for those of us who are not in the know on all there is to know about cheese…these classes could be fun. Want to know differences between goat’s, sheep’s or cow’s milk when it comes to flavor? Which cheeses are best for desserts? Is room temperature cheese really the most flavorful? Sign up!

At Nala’s they make great gift baskets from $20.00 to $155.00 or you can ask them to assemble one with your favorite selections at market price.

When I admitted I sometimes feel like a gourmet defective because I don’t like blue cheese, Alan sliced and wrapped a generous sample of a mild blue for me to take home and try. I cannot say I was sold on the cheese, but I was sold on the customer service. I appreciated the effort.

If you are a blue cheese enthusiast, you will appreciate the various choices. Even if you don’t like blue cheese, you may find yourself fascinated by the story of the Maytag Blue. Fritz Maytag, son of the founder of the appliance company set out to make a great cheese and I’ll take the assurance of the experts that he succeeded. It is enjoyed throughout the world and made just about a mile down the road from the appliance factory at where else…? The Maytag Dairy. Who knew?

I asked where the name Nala’s came from and Alan’s wife laughed and said it was Alan spelled backwards. Oh. It took me a moment to find my own laugh because being a romantic at heart, I had expected to hear a story about his great great grandmother and her little shop in some European country and how the tradition was being carried on, etc. But it matters none in the big picture, because Alan and Linda are on their way to creating their own great tradition. I cannot wait to see how this business develops over the years. Between the inventory and the friendliness of the owners, they are off to a great start.

Nala’s Fromagerie
2633 Development Dr.
Green Bay, WI 54311
Store: 920-347-0334 http://www.nalascheese.com
Mon 10-6 Tue 10-6 Wed 10-6 Thu 10-8 Fri 10-6Sat 10-5 Sun Closed

* My husband laughed when he read my snobby sounding “Cow Pie” line. He teased, “Oh yeah, like you haven’t eaten ‘Cow Pies’ before? I seem to remember you ate four that day.” I hardly think that was my point. Where I come from, we feel much more sophisticated when we call them “turtles”.

Alpha Delights

Alpha Delights

Rating: ****
(Five stars is a perfect score.)

I am a raving maniac about fresh food, good presentation and customer service. Anyone who knows me will verify that when disappointed, I can go from raving maniac to raging maniac. Fortunately Alpha Delights offers much to rave about. I hardly know where to begin.

The moment you walk in and see the dessert case full of elegant cakes, tarts and tortes, you know you’ll never go back to Sara Lee. A second case is loaded with dainty cookies, mini almond tea cakes, baklava, Corinthian apple pita, numerous varieties of elegant pastries and sweet rolls. The offerings seem endless. It’s agony to choose, but it’s the kind of agony I fantasize about daily. Everything is beautifully presented and somehow you get the feeling the pastries are bubbling over with high self esteem…Trust me, they seem to enjoy being noticed. Did you ever read Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris, the woman who wrote Chocolat? Ms. Harris has the gift of making food sound magically alive. The bakers at Alpha Delights have the gift of making food look and taste magically alive. I almost can’t go on…but I will.

The counters are piled high with crinkly little parcels of cookies and crackers. The owner and her staff have mastered the appeal of abundance. One cannot help but feel secure on all levels when you see beautifully decorated cookies in elegant packages of four ready to be plucked up and handed out to co-workers, baked ham and cheese croissants heaped in a basket reminiscent of cafés in Europe, and stacked by the register are more cookies in white paper sacks, their cellophane windows giving full view of the self-assured contents. A look behind the counter reveals the kitchen and its racks piled high with more delights in the making. Even the most restrained crane their necks for glimpses. The baked goods range in price from $2.75 to $3.75 a slice for cakes and from .50 to $3.50 for various cookies and pastries. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality.

One look at the wedding cakes (particularly the Grand Gretchen with ladyfingers and fruit) and even the most devoted of spouses may ponder annulment, an ad in the personals and a second chance at happiness beginning with the right cake this time around.

Move along and you’ll find yourself at a rack loaded with jars of pesto and Iliada olive oil. “Iliada olive oil?” my husband asked as I was listing all I had discovered, “What’s the big deal?” Hmm. What’s the big deal? Not wanting to break my enthusiastic ramble, I gave an especially exasperated sigh and confidently said “It’s only one of the most high quality olive oils ever! Jeez, get with the program!” Then, when he wasn’t looking, I crept to my computer to look it up and see if I knew what I was talking about. It looks like my guess was good, “Extra virgin olive oil, harvested from Koroneiki olives in Kalamata Greece. The perfect salad oil coveted by chefs everywhere and considered a premium find.” Whew, saved by the truth! The important part is that Alpha Delights not only sells Iliada olive oil, it, they use it in their wonderful salads. Wait, salads you ask? How did we move from cookies to salads? That’s the best part! This café that already had me at the taste of the first torte also serves breakfast and lunch!

The menu changes weekly and is published on their website. Lunch can include spanikopita, a Greek tradition of spinach and cheese baked with phyllo, roast pork panini served on their own focaccia, salad Nicoise (a tuna salad made with green beans, red potatoes, olives, hard boiled eggs, tuna, anchovies and tossed in a light vinaigrette instead of the usual mayonnaise.), and always on the menu is their chicken salad…which is promoted as “The Best Chicken Salad Around.” Now, I’m very picky about chicken salad and consider my own to be the “best around”, so that, my friends, is a bold statement.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to use a chit from my “lunch out” budget for something I could easily make myself. Fortunately, the Alpha Delights stars must have been in alignment because I chose the chicken salad and it’s more than the best around…it’s better than mine and that’s saying something (if I do say so myself!). With perfectly cooked chicken breast, herbed mayonnaise, pine nuts and cranberries…you cannot go wrong. It should be mentioned that the cranberries are soft…not the hard red pellets that pass themselves off as cranberries at many salad bars. Even my husband, who isn’t big on fruit in salads, said it, “did the job”. You must understand this is his version of high culinary praise. The entrees are reasonably priced from $5.95 to $7.95.

Ok, now for the best part…the staff is fantastic. The other day I visited and was marveling aloud how clever an idea the single petite black and white pinwheel cookies in a cellophane envelope are. At .50 cents each, they’re the perfect token present to leave on a friend’s desk. You cannot help but think up people to give one to. As I was raving, the woman behind the counter joined in and said enthusiastically, “Aren’t they the best? I’ve only been here two and a half months and I can’t wait to see what we do for the holidays.” I love this! It’s so refreshing to hear an employee marvel with you! These days, when it seems clerks act bored and sort of casually disinterested about what they’re selling, it’s fun to see someone actually as enthusiastic and as enchanted by the offerings as you are. Everyone at Alpha Delights is pleasant and accommodating. Even their catering menu accommodates while gently reminding us that ordering early means “more choices for you.”

My only advice for those who choose to visit, is to expect it to feel a little closed in during lunch…there is ample seating room, but it can get a tad cramped and noisy. Though, this takes little away from the upbeat pleasant atmosphere. Mid morning is my favorite time to visit and when the service is best.

If you visit the website, you will read the following:

“Alpha Delights is a locally owned business that's brought together people with a passion for treating customers right and for creating exceptionally good bakery and cafe' foods.”

I could not agree more. The owners at Alpha Delights do exactly what they have a passion for and it shows.

Alpha Delights
143 N. Wisconsin St.
De Pere WI 54115
(920) 339-9144http://www.alphadelights.com/

Z Harvest Cafe

Z Harvest Café
The Good, the Bad and the Decidedly Ugly
Rating: **
(Five stars is a perfect score.)

Visit Z Harvest Café when you want to dine in a chic yet cozy space, choose from fantastically prepared soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta and entrees each more wonderful than the next, and then work yourself up into a raging frenzy of irritation and insult.

My Z Harvest experiences have been going on for years…perhaps the owners and I need to attend some sort of relationship therapy. My husband and I discovered the café shortly after it opened. Wow! We were impressed. Crisp Italian breadsticks and real butter upon being seated, a great menu with choices for everyone, a view of the bistro style kitchen, a loaded dessert case filled with cheesecakes and cookies and the tinkling sound of jazzy funk piano playing in the back ground.

My husband’s salmon burger was perfect and the side of pasta salad was worth raving about all through the meal…and I did. Really…pasta, light vinaigrette, sugar snap peas, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and red pepper flakes…so delicious! I had a hot corned beef sandwich and could not believe so simple a sandwich could taste so good…One bite and I was transported back in time to my first corned beef sandwich at Mort’s Deli in Chicago. The meat was the perfect combination of salt and tang and the bread a grainy French peasant instead of the usual rye…surprisingly perfect. I should also mention my husband is the kind of guy who cannot have any meal (including breakfast) without a soda (Have we fallen from your good graces forever?). He was especially impressed when they served him Coke in those tiny glass bottles which he always insists taste better than fountain cola. Because of the size, he still maintains to this day that ordering five was not excessive.

We were so excited to finally find moderately priced good food made with fresh ingredients that we overlooked the ten minute wait to be seated (though there were empty tables) and the fifteen minute wait for our check (some sort of staff huddle was going on in the back). We raved on and on to our friends about our discovery and made plans to go back. Hmm…how did our raving turn to ranting?

Frankly, the service sucks. The servers are pleasant and try to accommodate, but there is clearly a breakdown on the owner/management level. We arrived to find the restaurant empty and yet we waited ten minutes to be seated. One of the owners indicated the person who seats customers would be with us shortly and went back to preparing (Prepping? The place was empty?) a salad. A wait person walked past and seemed uncomfortable seeing us still standing there and looked to the owner for guidance. The owner indicated (again) that someone would seat us in a moment and he seemed annoyed as he sighed deeply and called for “Mary.”

So determined were we to make this our favorite place, we just busied ourselves looking at the small section of French garden soaps, candies and gourmet potato chips. Clearly, the wait staff was not empowered to step into the host/hostess role even if they had no one to wait on. Finally, Mary, the other owner/hostess came from the back and sat us. Again, we enjoyed our meals (I had the best tuna salad of my life and my husband had a chicken breast grilled to perfection…no complaints about the food.) so we overlooked the long wait for our check and the fact that the owners were obsessively trying to hang fabric from the ceiling almost directly above our table. We left still endeared, but perhaps a bit less enchanted.

In the meantime, some of our friends checked the place out and agreed the food was great and the service was terrible. One of our friends never did receive the second coffee she ordered. When the owner walked by and my friend asked her if she could get that second cup, the owner glared at the wait person. Did I mention she never received the coffee?

We were at a party with other friends and began to talk about Z Harvest and everyone exchanged various horror stories about…yep, you guessed it…the owners! We agreed that this is the kind of business you hate to reward with financial support, but the food is just so damn good!

The last straw was when we decided to take my mother and in-laws there to celebrate my mother’s birthday. The salads are worth comment…fresh greens with apples, nuts, pears and a sweet dressing…my mother in-law had the other salad offered and got to enjoy the darkest of plump blackberries tossed with tender spinach in January! We were served absolutely fresh “makes you feel vital” kind of food as usual. Too bad it all went south from there. My mother in-law is not the culinary adventurer I am and had questions about the entrees, “what is in the sauce?” The wait person did not know and very nicely asked the owner (female) for some help. The owner was clearly irritated at having to answer questions as “obvious” as my mother in-law’s, but managed to spit out answers in such an unpleasant and condescending manner we were certain she took some pleasure in making us feel like a bunch of rubes.

Then, as the restaurant began to fill, it was apparent our table of five was a nuisance. I mean we had the unmitigated nerve to order salads and entrees…how much time were we going to have to hang around being pests when more important people needed to be seated? The owner could not hide exasperation behind her permanent frown when we took out our own cake (sugar-free—my father in law is diabetic) and ordered coffee dessert drinks to go with. I should tell you I called ahead and asked someone (apparently the wrong someone) if we could bring in a dessert since they had no sugar free offerings and we would be ordering a substantial amount of food…(no splitting of entrées for this clan, believe me). I was told it would not be a problem. I pity the poor employee who made such an egregious error, I suspect she must have been terminated or sentenced to some sort of “How Dare You Accommodate the Customer” prison camp. Anyway, the owner served our coffee herself and suggested we have paper cups since we would probably want our coffee to go. To go? After all, the Weidner Center show had just ended and they needed the table. To go? Paper cups and coffee to go after dinner for five? How considerate of her to offer.

Needless to say we left and this time we were not at all endeared. In fact, the bloom was so far off the carnation we didn’t think we would ever return. I wrote a letter explaining how troubling this type of consistently bad service was. I also indicated that it was not just us…sadly they were becoming known as a place with great food and lousy service. I wrote we had been their biggest fans, but it was getting hard to keep watching them lose. The owner called me and told me my letter (very nicely written and I assure you … kindly constructive…I’m serious…no joke.) had upset her terribly. She said it was just a terrible thing to read.

I felt bad, but pointed out it’s better to know when a customer is disappointed. She then complained about how she and her partner never have time off and they had no one they could rely on to leave in charge if they wanted to go somewhere. I listened and was very understanding…Glad to have written the letter because clearly she needed an outlet for her troubles. I explained that as a business owner myself, I understood the problems and it was never my intention to make her feel bad, only to point out the issues. I told her my husband and I wanted to return, we wanted to be customers but felt after eleven (no exaggeration) visits we had to stop spending our money there. I tried to make her feel better by insisting that we really did love the food. Do you see the problem here? It was a fifteen minute phone call and I did my best to make her feel better about my disappointment in the service? She offered me a gift certificate and said we could pick it up at any time. My husband and I never picked up the certificate because he decided to boycott the place entirely. I went along with the boycott until the lure of a good deli sandwich made me secretly try them again. Unfortunately, I met with the same bad service. In fact, it took twenty four minutes just to get someone to take my credit card so I could pay my bill. If my husband reads this he is going to say it serves me right…I’ve managed to keep him in the dark about crossing the boycott line. So much for couple’s unity…oh the secrets and lies!

Since my last visit in April, I’ve bumped into three people (all strangers) who just in conversation mentioned the bad service there! At Farmer’s Market I overheard a woman saying she wanted to make a salad similar to one she had at Z Harvest. Her friend said, “Hey, we made a deal never to go back there!” The woman sounded ashamed as said, “Oh I know, but it’s such good food!” I can relate.

My mother returned with a friend for lunch and was determined to have an enjoyable experience. When her dessert arrived differently than described and she pointed it out to the server, she was informed that if she “had just read the whole description” she would see it was served as described. My mother did get the dessert sheet, read further and saw that it was not served as described…no apologies were offered.

In summary: Great food, great décor, but the management has issues….

Go for the food and hope you get lucky with the service. The wait staff is almost always friendly, but they seem to be at the mercy of micro manager/owners. If you do go, please try the hibiscus flower water with lime and brown sugar…truly remarkable. I guess I’ll make my own. And soak up the trendy atmosphere; the owners have a real knack for decorating and a great sense of style.


Z Harvest Cafe
2475 University Ave
Green Bay 54302 • 920-468-1685
Mon-Tue 11am-3pm, Wed-Sat 11am-9pm

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