Monthly Archives: August 2021

How A Google Review Helped Improve a Bad Experience

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A month and a half ago, I wrote about how I had started to do Google Reviews. Well, six weeks later I am still writing them and I have already received my first “payoff” for doing so.

The only thing that went wrong for Sidney and I in Las Vegas last month, except for losing a small amount of money, was a pretty bad dining experience. Our last night there, Sid made reservations at Benihana. We both really enjoy hibachi and wanted to try the “granddaddy of them all” when it comes to that style of restaurant. I am not exaggerating when I say that my wife was over the moon excited to eat there.

When night fell, this was the Benihana location on the Las Vegas Strip that we went to (photo courtesy of Eater Vegas).

Unfortunately, our visit to Benihana turned into a major snafu. I won’t get into the particulars (you can skip to the next paragraph for the link to my Google Review) but our reservation wasn’t honored, the hostess was extremely rude, and we didn’t even get to sit at the grill once we were seated hours later.

I am usually generous when it comes to Google Reviews. I heap praise rather than dish insults. Don’t believe me? Take a look at my more than 30 reviews. But I couldn’t hold back with our Benihana nightmare. Although written in a diplomatic tone, I did outline our evening and air out our frustrations.

We never got to eat at the actual grill and had to settle for ordering food at the bar. Dinner was good but it wasn’t the experience we were after.

A few days after I wrote the review, the restaurant replied to my review. The restaurant rep who responded apologized and asked that I visit a link to provide more information about our visit. I went along with it and answered questions about the date, time, and other details from that July night. I then forgot about it.

A couple weeks ago, I looked down at my phone after driving home from Pullman to a missed call from a Las Vegas area code. A voicemail was left so I curiously tapped the message and listened. It was one of the managers from Benihana. The voice on the other end asked me to call the restaurant back at my convenience and ask for April Silver.

I called back soon after I listened to the voicemail and the staff connected me with April. She thanked me for calling and mentioned that she read my review (ummmm…yeah…about that…). Before I could answer to what I wrote she genuinely apologized for our bad experience and started asking questions about the hostess we encountered that night and other details from our visit. She mentioned that they received a lot of complaints from that particular evening and shared with me the fallout from it.

April then turned the conversation toward “making it up” to us. She asked if we were locals. Nope. She asked if we had a Benihana location near where we lived. No. She asked if we planned to return to Vegas soon. Nah. After we struck out with those three questions I did suggest that sometime in the near future we might find ourselves in a location that has a Benihana restaurant and that we would be willing to give it another chance. “Great” she said and asked for my mailing address.

I was about to receive something in the mail from Benihana.

Yesterday in the mail I received the below letter and gift cards. Each gift card is good for $20. April mentioned in the letter that if we return to Vegas and visit the Benihana restaurant on the Strip (the one we went to) that she would make it special for us.

I received this letter and two gift cards from April Silver, a manager at the Benihana on the Las Vegas Strip.

Not going to lie, we were disappointed in pretty much every facet of our first Benihana visit. But it was therapeutic to have the option to write out our qualms in a Google Review and then to be contacted by management added closure and vindication.

Thank you to Benihana for these gift cards.

Thank you to Benihana and April Silver for making this right. It goes a long way with us. Don’t Blink.

Totally Satisfied by Tokyo 2020

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Okay, I know all the knocks on the 2020 Summer Olympics. Nobody watched them. Too hard to watch even if you wanted too. Mired in controversy and political angst. Athletes not patriotic enough. While I understand that not everyone enjoyed the Tokyo Games, please don’t lump me into that group.

I don’t watch the Closing Ceremony because I find it a little sad but I will look at a picture from it.

Our family had an awesome time watching the games. From the Opening Ceremony to the end of Saturday night (I don’t watch the Closing Ceremony because I always find it too depressing), we were dialed in and engaged. From the mainstream sports to the obscure events, we were thoroughly entertained.

Perhaps we were just set up to enjoy them this year. We watched everything on our TV from the NBC app, making life easy. It allowed us to switch around from the live coverage on all the NBC networks and provided the opportunity to watch any replays we desired just with the tap of a button. It seemed like we were following the developments and drama of Tokyo in real time.

To be honest, I probably enjoyed them a little too much. Sidney will tell you stories about waking up at midnight to find me watching water polo or perhaps even speed walking. She will testify to other times when she would have to tell me to shut up because I would cheer a little too loudly during a relay. But what can I say? I was at a stage in life during this Olympiad that allowed me to truly consume the games and I took full advantage of it.

As I expressed in an earlier blog, the 2020 Summer Olympics were also special in the fact that I was able to introduce them to Sloan. She became more aware of the world around her and developed an increased sense of pride for the United States of America. Years from now, I will associate the Tokyo Games with “Sloan’s Games.”

When it comes to my personal favorite moments from these games, watching the 4x100m freestyle men’s swimming relay from my parents’ basement is up there. Also, watching the epic 400m hurdle men’s race from a treadmill at the gym early in the morning also ranks as a top moment. Cheering on the men’s basketball team was also fun and, speaking of basketball, I tried to catch as much 3×3 basketball as possible. But just in a general sense, it was nice at the end of the day to just relax on the couch and watch the Olympics with Sid and the kids.

I wanted to congratulate Team USA for once again performing at an elite level. America came away with the most medals, including most golds. Just another reason why I am proud to be an American. There is nothing like the Summer Olympics and I am sad to see them go. However, I find consolation knowing that I got to enjoy the games to their full extent this year. I am already looking forward to Paris. Don’t Blink.

Celebrating 40 Years of Marriage

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On Saturday night, we had the chance to celebrate my parents’ 40th anniversary. We did it in a truly special way as my dad surprised my mom. He organized reservations at one of Spokane’s best and swankiest restaurants, Clinkerdagger. My mom knew that after the Saturday night vigil mass they would be heading to the restaurant but she didn’t think anyone would be waiting for her.

My dad and mom last night on their 40th anniversary dinner at Clinkerdagger.

My dad was adamant that the three of us children and our spouses be at the dinner. He wanted us to join in the celebration and to help my mom’s night be just a little more special. My sister coordinated a babysitter for all our children so they could play together while we all enjoyed a night out. As to be expected, when we go out to restaurants for large family dinners, things can get a little hectic, so it was nice to just have the adults present on Saturday night. Sure, it seemed a little strange at first to just have the eight of us at a table but we quickly realized that the peace and quiet was quite spectacular.

All eight of us around the table at Clinkerdagger. It was a little weird without our kids!

Clinkerdagger gave us one of their best tables that overlooked the Spokane Falls. They put tiny celebratory streamers on the table in recognition of the joyous occasion. The staff went out of their way to inquire about the beautiful marriage and to extend their congratulations.

This was the view outside of my window at Clinkerdagger.

When my dad brought my mom into the dining area, she didn’t even recognize all of us sitting there. She literally saw right past us. We had to quietly call out to her to grab her attention. Once she saw us the surprise took full effect. After a bewildered moment she was finally able to speak.

My brother-in-law, Jay, looking out the window at Clinkerdagger.

“Where are the kids?” she stammered.

My dad with the prawn and scallop fettucine.

From that point the dinner was on. We savored the moments we had from one of the best views in Spokane as we talked and relaxed. Oh yeah, there was food too. I ordered ribs and Sid ordered Dijon chicken but we split the two dishes right down the middle when they were brought to us (can’t go wrong with that!).

I ordered ribs last night. Just a couple seconds before I cut into it and split it between Sid and I.

After the dishes were cleared but before the Clinkerdagger staff brought out complimentary crème brulee to my parents, our table discussion narrowed. We started chatting about the marriage of my mom and dad. I asked the cliché question of what has been their “secret” over the past four decades and then other people at the table asked follow up questions dealing with their first date, favorite vacation, and more. It was an intimate way to put the focus on my parents and let them distribute some golden nuggets of knowledge to us regarding marriage.

Sid and I at Clinkerdagger on Saturday night.

My parents will celebrate their actual anniversary a week from today (Aug. 16). It will be an additional opportunity to congratulate them on a fantastic marriage. However, I sure enjoyed the opportunity to recognize the milestone in the setting that we did this past Saturday. Thanks for always being the best example, mom and dad! Don’t Blink.

Here is a slide show that chronicles some of the best moments from my parents’ marriage.

An Elusive Thursday Rundown

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It looks like you have returned. Good. I have my latest Thursday Rundown fully prepared for your enjoyment. Off we go….

Vacation Bible School – This week Sloan is attending Vacation Bible School. All the parishes in the Spokane Valley combined together to offer this year’s faith camp. The theme is “the Vatican Express” and Sloan has had a blast learning about Peter and the Holy Papacy that he started. Each day is full of games, crafts, music, teachings, and everyone’s favorite—snacks. I have a lot of fond memories from attending Vacation Bible School myself so I am glad that Sloan is getting the opportunity to start making her own.

Sloan holding a couple of the things she made at Vacation Bible School yesterday. She has her fishing pool so she can be a “fisher of men” and her “I am re-lion on God” craft.

Camp Snack – With my sister and brother-in-law providing dinner and breakfast at camp this past weekend, the least we could do was bring snacks. One item my wife made was Rice Krispies treats. I don’t know your personal opinion, but I don’t think it gets much better than this childhood (and adulthood) snacking staple. My wife always makes a delicious batch of Rice Krispies treats and it was evident at camp because there wasn’t one remaining when we went home on Sunday. Do you have a special trick for making your own?

Sidney working hard to bag up the Rice Krispies treats she made for camp.

Meeting the Mouse Himself – I have kept you updated on the adventures we have had with our Chuck E. Cheese summer pass. Well, I have something new to report this week. Sloan finally met the living/breathing costumed Chuck E. Cheese! Although she posed for a photo with an inanimate Chuck E. Cheese, she never had the pleasure of meeting the actual person…umm…mouse? The reason for this is that we haven’t even seen the costumed character until this latest visit. He is tough to track down during this COVID era. Despite his elusiveness, Sloan was happy to finally get a hug.

The different stages of Sloan’s interaction with Chuck E. that resulted in a hug.

Cheetos Mac’N Cheese – I am known to be a sucker for novelty products so it might not come as a surprise that I bit on the below item. I found this macaroni and cheese box at Grocery Outlet for 79 cents and knew I had to give it a try or deal with lifelong regret. I cooked it up yesterday for lunch and when I went to put the seasoning on something became very apparent to me. The orange stuff I was sprinkling on the pasta smelled exactly like a crunchy Cheeto. There was little doubt in my mind that it was the same “dust” that tops Chester Cheetah’s most popular snack. As for the actual taste of the dish, it definitely wasn’t the best boxed mac and cheese I have ever had. It tasted like it smelled (like a crunchy Cheeto) with some spice thrown it. I won’t be getting it again.

Trying Cheetos Mac’N Cheese once was enough for me.

Beau At 1.5 – Today Beau turned a year and a half. To commemorate his 18-month milestone, I made the below collage to show him at 0 months, 6 months, 12 months, and today. Our little boy is a tornado full of energy who loves to pull his sister’s hair. But he is also one of the most affectionate little dudes you will ever meet. We sure love him.

Beau on February 5, 2020 (top left), Beau on August 5, 2020 (top right), Beau on February 6, 2021 (bottom left), and Beau on August 5, 2021.

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That will wrap it up for tonight. Hope your August has started off on the right foot and that the first full weekend of the month is an exciting one. Don’t Blink.

Eating At A Retro-Esque Pizza Parlor

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I think we all have that pizza place from our childhood that was the place to go after sports games or for birthday parties. You know what I am talking about, right? Subpar pizza, pinball machines, a ball crawl, air hockey, and redemption games. Ah, these places were more like palaces for us as kids.

I am about to share with you a place in the Hillyard district of Spokane called Market Street Pizza.

These days, the joints I just spoke about above are few and far between. Gourmet pizza ristorantes and giants like Dave & Buster’s dominate the market that these blue-collar pizza parlors once claimed. The nostalgia remains but the profit does not.

Another look at the exterior of Market Street Pizza.

Unless of course you can offer modern disguised as nostalgia. That is the formula that Market Street Pizza in the Hillyard district of Spokane has championed.

A glimpse into Market Street Pizza from the front entrance.

My mom’s birthday was yesterday and she requested that we try out Market Street Pizza. It opened rather recently in November 2019 but it had to tangle with the pandemic so many locals are trying it out for the first time. We were in that boat last night.

Beau and grandma enjoying Market Street Pizza.

Our entire family gathered for this special occasion. My parents, my sister and her family, my brother and his wife, and the four of us all gathered at Market Street Pizza. The 13 of us sat around a large round table and celebrated the end of Monday.

The table that we sat at last night.

We admired the spacious and retro-inspired interior. The sectioned areas, checkered décor, classic salad bar set up, and colorful memorabilia made it feel like a parlor of yesteryear. But the old school was balanced with a sophisticated bar, string lights that zigged and zagged throughout the restaurant, and an indoor brick wall that made the place feel warm.

This photo I took shows the brick wall in the background.

Of course, Mikayla, Johnny, Sloan, and Beau couldn’t be kept out of the arcade. They milked us for all our coins and managed to turn the silver into tickets upon tickets.

The arcade was a big hit with our kids.

Let’s be honest, the real draw of Market Street Pizza was its namesake. Each couple chose a pie and then we all shared with each other. Although I enjoyed the carnivore pizza that Sid and I ordered (your classic meat pizza) I thought the Goodfella pizza my parents ordered (olive oil, tomato sauce, meatball, red pepper, multiple cheeses, garlic, and more) was especially on point.

You can’t go wrong with the pizza at Market Street Pizza.

After we ate, the whole staff came out to sing my mom “happy birthday” and present her with a big bowl of ice cream. There was almost enough in that bowl to give everyone at our table a little scoop to go with the cakes that my sister and brother brought.

Market Street Pizza definitely had some charm.

What a nice time we all had at Market Street Pizza. As I have said before, I feel so fortunate that our family is able to consistently get together and have so much fun. I will never take it for granted. But back to Market Street Pizza—if you are ever in Hillyard, give it a try. Don’t Blink.

Camping in God’s Country

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The “Best Summer Ever” continued this past weekend when we went camping with my sister and brother-in-law. Wanting to “be one with nature” and stretch beyond our comfort zones just a bit, we eagerly accepted their invite to join them at a remote campsite a couple miles north of Usk, Washington (aka God’s Country).

Sidney and I enjoying a camping weekend.

This wasn’t a glamping excursion. Although they have a camper, we spent most of our time in the middle of the woods disconnected from the world and cell phone service. It was glorious. My parents watched Beau so Sid, Sloan, and I could have a relaxing time with Miranda (sister), Jay (brother-in-law), Mikayla (niece), Johnny (nephew), and Duke (family dog).

We did get away from the campsite to visit a lake and also this gravel area where the kids got to climb a “mountain.”

A lot of the weekend was spent sitting in a circle of camp chairs just chatting…and hydrating. While the adults talked, the three kids ran around the campsite and played in the creek that flowed right by us. It was quite the scenic backdrop.

Sloan and Mikayla hold hands while walking in the creek at our campsite.

We did get away from the campsite to spend a couple hours at a nearby lake. After we swam and ate rice krispy treats, we headed to a large area where the kids could play on gravel mountains at one end while Jay and I could safely take target practice at the opposite end.

The kids (and Duke) enjoying the lake that was near our campsite.

On Saturday night, Miranda and Jay prepared venison tacos for everyone. We also made s’mores, played Taboo, and busted out the glow sticks. The kids retired inside the camper to watch a movie and the four adults stayed up well past midnight just talking about life.

Sloan decked out in glow sticks on Saturday night.

It is easy to forget about the magical world we live in. God truly designed a picturesque planet. Taking time to literally smell the fresh air, listen to a stream flow, and taste a cold beer while surrounded by nature are things we should all try to do more often. I am glad we took the opportunity to experience all three this past weekend.

Thank you to Miranda’s family for inviting us camping!

Of course these experiences are enhanced even more when you get to do them with people you sincerely enjoy. It was so nice spending quality time with Miranda and Jay while watching the three kids have an absolute blast with each other. To be isolated from the outside world but connected with family is a special thing. Don’t Blink.