Q-Tips Reviews

MESA VERDA & DURANGO CO –

FAR VIEW LODGE – in Mancos – Mile Marker 15, (888) 493-8950, mesaverde.com Very rustic. NO TV and NO View from our room. Yes you have a view, only if your room is in front by the Restaurant but many of the rooms are in a row behind one another and there is no view except for the other row of rooms ahead of you. However, it did have a balcony. Caution: You must walk to the restaurant from the back row rooms – so if you have a disability or health problem or elderly, be sure to request a room up front, especially since the outdoor lighting is not that bright.

METATE REST at Far View Lodge 6262 Far View, (970) 529-4422,
GO EARLY TO ENJOY THE VIEW AND THE SUNSET. Caution: They do NOT take reservations. Decent food, drinks (a full bar) and good service. Prices are on the high side but can’t complain about the food. Mrs. Q says: Yes, it was raining but we did get to see a double rainbow when the skies cleared.

David Night Eagle was our tour guide for Mesa Verde Natl Park. He did an excellent job of explaining the history, customs, and ruinsof the native American people. Should you get Mr. Night Eagle for your tour guide you are in for a treat when he plays his hand made flute.

GRACELAND CEMETERY FREE Walking TOUR – Graceland Cemetery is one of Chicago’s best-known and most historic cemeteries. It was established in 1860, originally outside city limits, but engulfed as the city grew northward. The original City Cemetery was on the lake front, and was considered a health hazard due to overcrowding and water-borne diseases. The bodies were moved to nearby Graceland in the town of Lake View, with the old city cemetery becoming what is now Lincoln Park.

Graceland is on the north side of Chicago, with its main entrance at the corner of Clark and Irving Park roads, extending north and east from that point. Graceland’s office is just inside the main gate at the southwest corner. Within, free maps and pamphlets are available, as well as a $10.00 book published by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, A Walk Through Graceland Cemetery.

https://plus.google.com/photos/105872209976286752488/photo/6061553482073479330

HARRY CARY’S 7th Inning Stretch Rest. in Water Tower Place – Water tower – 835 N Michigan Ave., 7th Fl., Chicago, IL 60607

Q-Tips say: Good food, nice drink/food menus, service and ambiance. If you are looking for a steakhouse this is not your place. The Q’s had a cup of soup, and shared a sandwich, the Short Rib -Italian beef sandwich which came w/ a small side of Fries or salad, along with a soft drink made for a great late lunch. A tad too early for the Q to have an alcoholic drink but they do have a full bar and if you order a 20 oz. of Harry’s favorite beer it comes with a complimentary souvenir beer glass. Holy Cow! Yes, there really is a replica of a cow with holes in it. It is full of sport memorabilia, TV screens, it is a sport bar after all, and music. There were quite a few mall people and elders in for a late lunch. Then we walked to the Sports Store to look around and get our FREE tickets to the Sport Museum. Nice deal and a great place to visit for any hungry Chicago Sport fan.

WATER TOWER PUMPING STATION TOUR – Chicago Avenue and Michigan Avenue., Chicago, IL 60686
cityofchicago.org

Q-Tips say:Stop at the visitor’s Center located inside and then see the Pumping Station – there is also a “Hot-Tix” Booth inside. It was built in 1869 two years before the Chicago Fire. This survived along with the Water Tower itself which are landmarks in our city. Yes, it is a working Pump Station. Also, presently showing, at the Historic Water Tower is an exhibit showing the photos of Jason Reblando’s three US greenbelt towns, Greenbelt, Maryland : Greenhills, Ohio; and Greendale, Wisc. that were developed in the 1930’s which was part of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Not a very large exhibit but wonderful to see on your day at the Water Tower Touring in Chicago.

Mrs. Q says: Go and see a part of Chicago History that survied the Great Chicago Fire.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE & other Dementias by Natalie Rubinstein – A practical guide to caring for someone with Dementias.

Mrs. Q says: An outstanding book about caregiving, understanding Dementia, getting an Accurate Diagnosis, Medications, communicating with a person who has Dementia, dealing w/unwanted behaviors, safety (yours and others), the argumentative stage and the combative stage, etc. A must read for those who are living with someone with Dementia or Alzheimer.

Goes through each step: what type of Dr. to see, what to take and what type of tests might be given. How to get a patient to the appointment (many times the patient will refuse to see someone because they don’t feel they have a problem), how to handle a belligerent patient. What the care giver is in for during the long haul. How long the Dr. exam might take – many times it can take all day and you might not get a complete evaluation on the first visit. Medications, etc. Most important of all – there are many types of Dementias and neither Dementias nor Alzheimer’s disease ever gets better or goes away. As of this moment, there is no known cure for either.

LA YOU JU 2002 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616, in Chinatown, Red Line to Cermak (312) 225-7818

Q-Tips say: The Q’s went to Lao You Ju after a Chinatown Tour. We had Dim Sum (3 to 4 pieces on a small plate). Everything was fresh, tasty and served warm. Service was good. We shared the very tasty BBQ Pork bun (3pc), Black Pepper Short Ribs (for those who might think it was very spicy, it was not), Green Chive Dumpling (3pc), each had a bowl of Won Ton Soup. One of Mrs.Q surprise picks – Cheese Roll w/ Shrimp (4pc). She was apprehensive about the Cheese roll w/Shrimp – but not to worry, a light batter, very little cheese and large pieces of shrimp in the crispy light batter was outstanding.

Mrs. Q says: There are many Chinese restaurants in Chicago and Chinatown but several have the name “Lao” – they are owned by the same person. She was glad they had pictures of the food along with the written description because it helps to get an idea of what you will be eating. Our waitress was super helpful and attentive. The entire meal delicious and reasonably priced at around $15.00 pp with tea. They also offer Chow Fun & Chow Mein lunch specials for $5.95 from 11 AM-4 PM. Go and enjoy. We and our friends did enjoy.

CHINATOWN TOUR – Take the Red Line, CTA buses: 21,24, 62 or a Water Taxi
( www.chicagowaatertaxi.com ), or car to Cermack and ENJOY!

Q-Tips say: This tour was with a Groupon coupon. Mrs. Q says: DO NOT go with Groupon for the Chinatown Walking Tour – it is a waste of your hard earned money.

The Q went two years ago on their own walking tour after stopping at the:
Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, 21687 S. China Place – www.chicagochinatown.org
Get yourself a FREE brochure which includes all the sightseeing stops, a detailed map of all the sights and stops and a explanation of each one. Also many restaurants you can choose from for Lunch, Dim Sum, or Dinner.
Mrs. Q says: A must see is the Chinese American Museum of Chicago – there is a small fee but worth every penny.

The Chinese American Museum of Chicago tells the story of how the Chinese came from the EAST and WEST COASTS because of discrimination and abuse to settle in the inner city of Chicago because Chicago is where they were accepted & then moved to the present location.  How the Family Associations (no, not gangs) formed.  Then the Q’s were off to the:  Buddhist Temple. Buddhism was brought to China from India around 200 AD and began to flourish due to the decline of the Han Dynasty and its strict Confucian beliefs.  The basis of Buddhism preaches that suffering is inherent in life and one can only be liberated from it by mental and moral self-purification.

CHICAGOLAND GHOSTS by Dylan Clearfield

Mrs. Q says: Ever wonder if the Museum, Restaurant, Watering hole-pub, Church or perhaps the town in Ill that you live in has ghosts? This book covers it all and sometimes with humor. Mrs. Q says: Yes, even in Berwyn at 1941 Ridgeland a story of a gohsts of a Green Bay Packer fan in Ill.

The Hundred Foot Journey – In “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a culinary ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant – the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant, the Maison Mumbai. That is, until the chilly chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin starred, classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Academy Award (R)-winner Helen Mirren), gets wind of it. Her icy protests against the new Indian restaurant a hundred feet from her own, escalate to all out war between the two establishments – until Hassan’s passion for French haute cuisine and for Mme. Mallory’s enchanting sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), combine with his mysteriously delicious talent to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue Saint-Antonin with the flavors of life that even Mme. Mallory cannot ignore. At first Mme. Mallory’s culinary rival, she eventually recognizes Hassan’s gift as a chef and takes him under her wing.

Q-Tips say: A cute story but a tad long and slow at times but nothing special. Mrs. Q says: RENT IT! Even tho it has humor, and is cute, you can get the same enjoyment from a rental. Helen Mirren is Helen Mirren – good actress, does not look her age (wonder why), and the outcome of the movie is just what one would expect. RENT IT!