Connie "Miss Silicon Valley Yelp" C.'s Profile

A friend of mine had his 30th birthday bash on this battleship -- talk about doing it big!! Okay, so it's not really a battleship -- it's a liberty ship, which means it was a cargo ship built during WW2 -- but telling people that you're going to a party on a battleship just sounds a lot cooler. ;)

Located between Piers 43 1/2 and 47, you would never suspect a warship to be docked in the middle of Fisherman's Wharf. We must have asked 5 people for directions, and no one had a clue. Luckily, we spotted a friend who was hanging outside the pier to wait for his motion sickness medication to kick in. Yes, there is a very slight sway you'll feel inside. Just keep drinking and you'll just think it's the booze.

What a unique spot to have a party! Although the ship is available to rent for cruise parties, the one we were at was a moored event. It was nice to be able to come and go as you pleased, though it would have been amazing to cruise along the bay in a huge warship. The event space was below the docks, and there was a large dance floor and nice bar area. While it would get stuffy down below, you could easily cool off by going up on the deck and look out onto the gorgeous bay.

The ship goes on cruises about 6 times a year. The one coming up is next weekend during Fleet Week. For $150, you can watch the Blue Angels from the deck, enjoy breakfast and a BBQ lunch and be entertained by a live jazz band.

There's a lot of history to be learned from the tour you can take during the week. I don't remember why Jessica and I were talking about Titanic the other day, but we were both saying how much we loved the movie. You know you liked it too. An interesting factoid for movie buffs (Titanic fans):

"Many interiors, sounds and visuals for Titanic were captured aboard the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, including her fully-operational triple expansion marine steam engine, which provided the dramatic massive and churning metallic parts of the famed White Star liner's engine room.

A wide range of Jeremiah O'Brien Academy Award-winning sound effects were also captured for Titanic, including metallic door closes, hatch openings, distant engine rumbles (which run throughout the film, to give the sense of movement), bells, clangs, etc. The O'Brien also was taken out into San Francisco Bay so Cameron's sound team from Skywalker Sound could capture a tremendous variety of bow wash, mid-side wash, propeller wake, hull laps, and other water movement sounds, which occupy much of the movie's first 11 reels before Titanic 's iceberg collision. The O'Brien's crew even threw the engines into full-reverse about 20 times, simulating the climactic iceberg collision moment, which provided a wealth of creaks, groans, distant rumbles, perspective shifts, and countless backgrounds used to re-create the factory-like ambience of the steerage compartment."

I woke up this morning at 5am, was out the door by 6am and thought, "Is it 6am or 6pm?!?! It's frickin' still dark out!!!"

Clearly, I am not a morning person.

After my speaking engagement in Palo Alto, I checked the time and it was a quarter to 9am. I was just down the street from Stanford Shopping Center, and remembered that I still hadn't gone to Sprinkles yet. PERFECT!! They open at 9am, so I headed over there.

Got there at exactly 9am, and I wasn't the first in line. However, I still made it INSIDE the cupcakery, and was customer #5. SWEET!!

I was disappointed that they didn't have carrot cake, but red velvet and anything chocolate is my favorite anyways. I also got a lemon coconut. The chai latte and pumpkin sounded interesting, but I decided to stick with just a box of 4. Anything more for myself would just be a bit too gluttonous. Sharing? What's that? J/K ;P

Service was very friendly, but their system is a bit slow (1 person to take your order, 1 person to ring you up, 1 person to put your order together). I guess it helps regulate, otherwise they'd be way too overwhelmed. The poor guy behind me had an order of 50 from all the female friends who called him and made him take down their order on a napkin.

Worth the 5 minute wait? HECK YEAH!! Worth anything over a 20 minute wait? Not so much. Mara T still makes my favorite red velvet cuppies!

Mizu is a tranquil spot to de-stress and get pampered. Its minimalistic, industrial-chic interior is surprisingly cozy and conducive to falling into a deep meditative state.

I've only been here for a mani/pedi, taking advantage of their early bird $15 off special. A Signature Manicure/Pedicure Combo is only $45, while a Classic Manicure/Pedicure Combo is $35 on Tuesdays-Thursdays before 4pm. Facials and massages are also $15 off on those days before 3pm.

They enforce a no cell phone policy (although I've been guilty of answering a work-related call here and there -- I just speak really softly!) and the technicians are pleasant and not very chatty. You can see why people tend to fall asleep during their nail treatments. It's just such a soothing atmosphere.

All the tools are sterilized and the place is spotless. It's amazing how the lounge chairs stay so white when there's nail polish handled around it all day long. I love that they carry Lippmann Collection colors. I much prefer those over OPI and Essie, which they also carry.

I'm definitely coming back here for a massage soon! You'd think I would have gotten rid of those knots while I was on vacation in a sleepy beach town.

Happy Hour shabu style? I'm SO there! Get your spicy miso swirl on between 5-6pm 7 days a week and get 15% off.

Go for a regular sized order and that's more than enough food. Free refills on rice, as it should be ;)

Pronounced: "knowledge"

I feel that it is my duty to share Nalej with all fashionistas. Come to this chic little boutique on Bryant for both indie and brand name designs, and come often because they carry limited size runs.

I love their selection of lower price point line Kenzie pieces, and adore the Indah Uluwatu cutout bottom dress I took home with me. (the cutout detail at the bottom isn't shown here: http://static.px.yelp....)

There are a few mens' pieces, cute accessories and gift items as well, so even though it's a small shop, you are bound to find something you like.

It's shops like these that make me love fashion and dream about owning a boutique one day!

Out with the old, in with the new! This weekend only, you'll get 40-50% off Zoe's gorgeous bikinis. $80 for a bikini, especially one created by a local designer, is so worth it. I got 2!

Zoe's got some new designs brewing in her studio for next season, and it's going to be hot! It's just more reason to go on vacay somewhere by the beach in the fall and winter.

Lucky for me, I am already headed thousands of miles away to lay on the beach for a week! Don't hate me because I tan easily ;) See you all when I get back!

Guys who don't want to seem pervy, move on from reading this review unless you're looking to get a Manzilian. Ladies, read on.

My threshold for pain is pretty high, so to me, a Brazilian is a breeze. Lonni is super fast, but very thorough, and before I knew it, my 'nani was hair free. I was in and out in 10 minutes. Easy, free parking in Potrero too, so I was back in the office within 30 minutes -- so efficient!

Cash or check only, and her rates are really reasonable. I've found my Brazilianista!

The hotel rooms could use a major face lift and there's no AMC (we missed Mad Men), but the beds are super comfy. As long as I can get a good night's sleep on a bed that's more comfortable than my own, I'm happy!

Wish there were more pools in a picturesque outdoor setting like theirs!

If I were to open up a fro yo place, this is what I would've named it too! Yolicious is Downtown San Jose's newest cafe to offer tart fro yo in original, kiwi and mango flavors, gelato from Gelato Classico, and free Wi-Fi. So you can satisfy both your sugar and Yelp addictions in one spot!

The owner is super friendly, and offers the largest samples I've had anywhere. The fro yo samples he gives are in a Dixie cup, and could actually be a whole serving if you sample all three flavors. The kiwi was really yummy, and the acai gelato was delicious. They don't offer a huge variety of toppings -- maybe 6-8 including fresh fruit and mochi balls.

I'm sure if I was a SJSU student, I'd be stopping in here a lot. It is a much better spot to do some studying than at the library next door. ;)

I had an evening of wine country without actually being in wine country. In fact, I was only half a block away from work! What a fab concept!

Located around the corner from Four Seasons Hotel on Yerba Buena Lane, this chic urban tasting room offers personalized tasting sessions with representatives from 8 wineries from Napa, Sonoma and Santa Cruz: Chateau Montelena, Fritz, Hanna, Landmark, Miner, Mount Eden, Pahlmeyer and Saintsbury. In fact, this is the only public site where you can have a tasting of Mount Eden and Saintsbury wines.

As you enter, you're greeted by the concierge who checks you in, much like being checked into a hotel or spa. You receive a "credit card" which allows you to go around to each winery and purchase tastings. Just be mindful of how much you "charge" -- you aren't rung up until checking out, so don't shock yourself on the way out.

The swanky and relaxed setting is far from being pretentious, and for amateurs like me, the staff is really helpful in educating you about their wines. And although the 8 wineries have their own separate spaces, they all work together like one big family. Each winery offers something unique, so you might just want to take home a bottle from each one of them. For an amazing white, be sure to have Landmark's Overlook Chardonnay, which is comprised of 22 vineyards. Landmark also has an amazing Pinot and Syrah that is not to be missed.

Tasty bites are also be available, which makes this a wonderful after work, pre-dinner/party spot to converge before a night out on the town!