Category Archives: Uncategorized

RAVE review for new Indian Restaurant in Lake Forest

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It’s called Royal Rasoi, Flavor of India, 24288 Swartz Dr., Lake Forest, CA 92630, Ph 949-454-9600.
It’s located off of El Toro Rd, the very first street north of the 5 in the shopping center with Big 5 Sporting Goods and Tommy’s Burger. If you’ve reached Muirlands, you’ve gone too far. The food is excellent, very reasonably priced, generous portions and best Naan I’ve ever had in my life! The ambiance is simple but lovely.

They also have a buffet 7days/week, 11am-3pm, $9.99. Haven’t tried it yet but I will next week. My very picky best friend, who is from India, gives it thumbs waaaay up. She heard about this place from other Indian friends who said it was excellent. If you’re worried about the food being too hot or spicey, just tell the server when you order your preference – they can prepare it so its not spicey and ‘hot’ at all or whatever your preference.

Don’t believe me?  Read the Yelp reviews!  http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-rasoi-lake-forest

www.theroyalrasoi.com    Rasoi is prononounced with 3 syllables: raw-soy-ee

DMV real time wait times at local DMV’s

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Not having to visit a DMV for many years since all needed transactions I’ve been able to accomplish in AAA office, I had no idea it has become a third world country experience

All agree the Laguna Hills office is the worst with average waits of 3 1/2 to 5 hours

Reported better experiences at San Clemente, Fullerton and Westiminster locations but it’s still subject to problems and luck

Go here for real time wait times:

http://apps.dmv.ca.gov/web/fieldoffice.html?number=542

Haggen Market on Los Alisos is closing

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Less than a year after opening in Mission Viejo, Haggen, a grocery chain out of Washington, is closing its Mission Viejo store on Los Alisos along with 3 other Orange County locations in Tustin and Irvine.  The chain has struggled to attract customers.

“Haggen’s goal going forward is to ensure a stable, healthy company that will benefit our customers, associates, vendors, creditors, stakeholders as well as the communities we serve,” Haggen CEO Pacific Southwest, Bill Shaner said in a written release. “By making the tough choice to close and sell some stores, we will be able to invest in stores that have the potential to thrive under the Haggen banner.”

It looks like the Haggen’s on Muirlands at La Paz has survived – so far.

Thumbs WAAAY down on the new Smart & Final Extra Supermarket at Trabuco & Alicia Parkway

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If I didn’t happen to be in the shopping center already for something else, I wouldn’t have gone in on the first day it opened knowing there would be a crowd – and there was.  You could only walk a step or two when you’d find yourself trapped in a bottleneck.  What made the overcrowding worse is a problem that won’t go away after the curiosity factor fades away — the aisles are very narrow for what we’re now used to in modern supermarkets.  The store lighting was dim, and made to feel even darker by the dark brown paint used liberally on store signs hanging on the walls.   It felt dismal and, frankly, depressing. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

Before the grand opening yesterday, I heard several people voice what I had been thinking – how are they going to fit a Smart & Final Extra size store in what was considered a ‘small’ Ralph’s market.  I don’t know what the planners were thinking. Narrow dark aisles, merchandise jammed packed everywhere, it felt a little too claustrophobic for my comfort.

I’m sticking with the El Toro Rd store in the Twin Peaks Shopping Center between Rockfield and Muirlands.

Are you aware of NextDoor.com for specific communities or those nearby?

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screen-shot-2013-02-11-at-10-06-39-pmNextdoor allows neighborhoods to easily create private websites allowing communication among neighbors and make them stronger and safer.  Nextdoor is strictly about connecting with the people who live around you. When you sign up, you must input your real name and address. And you must verify that you live in the neighborhood either via credit card confirmation or by having the company send you a postcard that you can then verify you received.

I belong to active Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, and use it often as a key resource and where I share neighborhood info of interest like a new supermarket opening, days La Paws dog park will be closed for re-sodding, and I’ve posted items for sale. Others have posted about missing pets so all could be on the look-out. One pet was found by a fellow NextDoor member due to the alert on the website.

nextdoor

Members can:

  • Share local recommendations (plumbers, auto mechanics, babysitters, etc.)
  • Sell or give away household items.
  • Publicize local events.
  • Exchange information about crime and safety issues, and features a Urgent Alert, which makes it possible to blast out urgent information (emergency, crime, etc.) by text message as well as email.
  • Find neighbors in the directory.
  • View a neighborhood map.
  • Ask for advice.

You have the ability to create public or private groups (sub-groups) within the neighborhood, or to communicate with people who live near you but outside the neighborhood through the Nearby Neighborhoods feature.  On Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, sub-groups have been created for Palmia, Crucero Park, Lake Mission Viejo, Arroyo Vista/Arroyo Oaks, Pinecrest/Mission Viejo.  To access any of them, from Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, you simply click on the community of interest and request to Join.

Residents can choose to view and respond to updates via email or directly on the website.

Here’s a 2013 ABCNews story on NextDoor, http://abcn.ws/1IZUt43.

The national NextDoor website:  https://nextdoor.com/about_us/

Nextdoor offers two mobile apps, Nextdoor for iPhone and Nextdoor for Android.

Original Hems Studio in Lake Forest – Buyer beware

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I was so excited to be able to give you a great lead on a good, super super cheap place for clothing alterations – Original Hems Studio at 23034 Lake Forest Drive.  My girlfriend, who is very picky, highly recommended them, said they only charge $2 to hem a pair of pants.

For my first (and only) visit, all I can say is thank God I didn’t give them expensive and/or new clothing to repair. I brought in 5 pairs of jeans, all of which had frayed at the bottom because I didn’t hem them when I should have, when they were new. I instructed them to create a new hemline slightly above the highest area of fraying whether that highest point was on the left leg or right. But that’s not what happened. On all pants, one leg was longer than the other and on some hems, the front of the leg wasn’t the same length as the other side. Not on all, but a few, the hem line wasn’t sewn straight but followed a curvy line. The owner and the young women tried to convince me it was because the way the jeans were sewn originally. They did offer to repair all the work and said would be ready next day. I was thinking about it, but then she asked if I wanted the new hem to be the same length as the shorter or longer hem. I just picked up all the pants and left. Ok, so my newfound $2/hem dream place is no longer a reality. From now on, I’ll go to the place at Laguna Hills Mall next to Macy’s on the side of the mall facing the medical center. They only charge $6/hem.

See Yelp for reviews from other customers:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/original-hems-studio-laguna-hills

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Mission Viejo supermarket news

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You may know already that the smaller Ralph’s market at Trabuco and Alicia is gone.  In its place will be Smart & Final Express opening September 12th.  It’s my understanding that the ‘express’ stores are the size of a regular grocery store vs their ‘Extra’ stores which are larger than their warehouse stores.

So what do you think of the Haggen’s Market that has replaced a few Vons and Albertson’s markets in So Cal?  My local store tells me that by December, 45% of what they carry will be organic!  They have a commitment to local, and over the next 30-60 days, they’ll be continuing to convert new stores and “Haggen-izing” their already converted stores. They’ll be introducing three-day weekend sales, signature items throughout the store, dedicated end caps for gluten-free, local and new items. Those are just some of the ways they’re working to drive excitement and traffic into their stores.

I’ve been MIA on blog, now back

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I’m a business owner and recently re-launched my two products this past January, Cold Sores Begone Stick™ and Canker Sores Begone Stick™.  Unless you’re a small business owner, you can’t imagine all the work, obstacles, long hours, no vacations – in fact no days off and, hopefully, eventual joy with a product (or service) that both improves the quality of someone’s life and allows me to make a living.

If you are prone to cold sores (outer lips) or canker sores (inside mouth), you’ll be interested in this.

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You know that ‘tingle’ when you feel a cold sore coming on? Cold Sores Begone Stick™ is now an all natural balm stick. Apply at the early warning symptom to instantly prevent your cold sore from surfacing, even if on-the-go.  Cool?  www.ColdSoresBegone.com

 

 

 

 

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Or are agonizing canker sores inside the mouth the problem?  How about a remedy that’s all natural, doesn’t sting, and typically heals the canker overnight, or perhaps in a day or two.  Canker Sores Begone Stick™, a soft balm stick, is small enough to always keep with you, and starts to soothe immediately. www.CankerSoresBegone.com

 

 

Not to worry, both are organic and safe even for very young children.

Both items available now in all Mother’s Market locations, and soon, Sprout’s Farmer’s Market. Otherwise, they can be purchased from the websites.

MIssion Viejo’s Apple Ranch Market now closed

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ImageLook’s like another one’s bit the dust.  The Apple Ranch Market is now closed. They were located in the shopping center at Alicia & Jeronimo.  It’s been difficult for any business to success in that location since Coco’s Restaurant 9 or so years ago. 

Lake Mission Viejo’s Tortilla Flats, recently re-named Lago, has closed

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Tortilla Flats in the Lake Mission Viejo Shopping Center, which was renamed Lago last summer, has shut their doors.  A sign on the front door reads “Due to unfortunate circumstances, the restaurant is closed”.
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Peppino’s Italian Restaurant to become Lyoness Loyalty Merchant

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This popular chain restaurant in south Orange County has recently signed on with the Lyoness Shopping Network.  As with all Lyoness loyalty merchants, Lyoness members will soon be able to save and make money when patronizing all four Peppino’s locations – Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest, and Foothill Ranch.

I’ll post again when they’re up and ready with ability to scan Lyoness membership cards and when it’s confirmed what the cashback and loyalty benefit amounts will be.

Click the Peppino’s website link below for restaurant locations, hours, menu, etc.
Peppino’s Italian Family Restaurant

For information about Lyoness, the world’s largest shopping community, email Robin@robinbarr.com.

My new favorite pizza in the entire world, at Brizio’s Pizza, Lake Forest

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Last night, my friend and I had a yen for some pizza, and looking for coupons to get a cheapie. We found one for a restaurant neither of us had been to before, Brizio’s Pizza, offering a 14″ Chicago Style Pizza (somewhere between thin and thick crust) with one topping, $11.

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Oh my gosh!  We both loved it!  We got to talking to some of the other customers, their favorite, too!

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When I love or dislike something, I’m prone to spread the word. Another reason to support this wonderful small restaurant — they have a sign out front, “Free pizza for the homeless on Monday’s, 3-5 pm”.

And they deliver, $2.50 fee.

www.briziopizza.com/

21771 Lake Forest Dr, Lake Forest, CA (in the Ralph’s shopping center at Trabuco & Lake Forest).

(949) 951-7333.  They’re open 7 days a week, you’ll have to call for hours, they don’t indicate them on the website.

Unisys left behind toxic chemicals in the groundwater at former location

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Unisys, a computer parts manufacturer formerly located on Jeronimo south of Los Alisos, has been mandated by the State of California to clean toxic solvents in concentrations as much as 145 times the legal threshold found in the site’s groundwater.  It’s speculated that the contamination may have occurred during the 1970’s when the company manufactured computers, conducted plating operations, and stored some hazardous materials.  The clean up is expected to take 4-6 months.

There doesn’t seem to be drinking water wells within close proximity of the facility, so residents need not be concerned about take precautions, according to John Odermatt, a senior engineering geologist for the State’s water quality board, adding it seems unlikely that Unisys’ former employees would be impacted.

MV Universal is the property owner.  When they sought to sell it in 2010, a groundwater review revealed the contamination.

Earlier in the year, Unisys moved to Irvine from its Mission Viejo location of over 30 years.