Why a Carrot?
 |
| Maggie O'Hare eating dill |
Why
not? Actually, I selected carrots because rabbits are my favorite critters and
they are rumored to love carrots. In truth, the ones who have graced my life
would just as soon have had a piece of dill, banana or apple rather than a carrot.
For those unfamiliar with lagomorphs, rabbit personalities are a varied as
those of any other animal. Miss Drucilla Wigglesworth was laidback and cuddly
with a penchant for surreptitiously chewing computer cords. Maggie O’Hare was a
reincarnation of Attila the Hun, thoroughly enjoying hiding under the herbs in
the backyard when she wasn’t eating the woodwork around doors. Pepper Bun only
really liked men, rarely tolerating the attentions of females; however, she
would allow young children to gently rub her nose. Cadbury Z-man loved crackers
in any form and was quite willing to sleep on the back of the sofa. Lily was
curious and very opinionated as to who she did and did not like. Dutch loved
everybody and would hop up into your lap any time you sat still. Whether they.
So in honor of the rabbits whose company we enjoyed, whether they were part of
our family or only visitors, I’ve selected carrots to represent levels of quality.
To review what the rating system means for food, lodging or
activities, click on one of the links.
Restaurants, cafés, road houses, bistros, cafeterias,
diners, and eateries: We’ve eaten food that we’ve called fabulous, wonderful,
great, good, okay or nasty, and yes we can be snobs about certain things (if
chocolate isn’t dark I probably won’t even taste it). The reviews give dates
and our impressions. Pictures give you some idea of the portion size and
presentation of the foods. Prices change, but I’ll also add whether or not the
food, service, setting were a good value for the price at the time. You may
also see my reviews through other travel sites (i.e. the one with the owl
face), but those generally don’t provide a place for thorough explanations of
good/bad points. The
‘must haves’ for restaurants depend on the type of eatery: well prepared food,
good quality ingredients (don’t give me ground meat with hard bits of gristle
in it), a table large enough to accommodate the diners and their plates and
drinks, cleanliness, attentive wait-staff (I expect someone to check that my
food is tasty and that I have what I need), readable menus, and efficient
staff. Although I hate giving negative reviews, nothing irritates me
more than poor service and/or not delivering on what is advertised, so when
that happens the reviews will be harsh no matter how personable the staff
appears to be. As to setting, if the restaurant is highly rated, I expect a
quality experience. I don’t anticipate linen table cloths or wait staff in
tuxedos at a café on the beach, but I do expect a certain level of decorum and
certainly cleanliness. When I have a meal with someone, I want to be able to
hold a conversation without shouting; this includes giving my order to a
waitperson. Earsplitting music is fine at an outdoor concert, but not in a
restaurant. Most of the folks I travel with are willing to walk into any eatery
that has a number of other guests, looks inviting, or seems like a reasonable
alternative to ‘fast food’. I agree with that philosophy but I really prefer
table service; the exceptions are parts of the world where table service is not
common or highly recommended restaurants that happen to serve buffets. Cafeterias
are simply ‘not my thing’; I only eat in these establishments if there is no
other choice.
 |
| Five Carrots |
This is the perfect eatery. The food, service and setting are
excellent; the value is reflective of what the customer receives. Really good
restaurants give you the appropriate amount of food ~ no one needs four cups of
pasta, for instance. They also have interesting offerings, a reasonably broad
drink menu, and a chef/cook who can adapt to special diets. For
instance, since I have food allergies, it is sometimes a challenge to choose
from a menu without asking about how the food is prepared. When a waitperson
knows about the food preparation (or goes and finds out), then tells me that
the chef can alter most dishes to my needs, I am impressed. This also implies
that many of the menu offerings are made to order rather than prepared hours,
days, weeks earlier. I am also impressed when the chef comes to discuss the
meal either before or after I’ve eaten. This is a busy professional making an
extra effort to please one customer who he/she may or may not ever see again.
At an excellent restaurant, the waitperson is attentive yet not suffocating; he/she
does not ask a question just as you take a bite of food! The setting supports
the offerings on the menu: no stuffed animal heads and loud, heavy metal music in
a tearoom or fine china and white cloth napkins in a barbecue joint. What makes
this sort of restaurant a cut above is that the experience provides extra,
surprising things to make me smile.
 |
| Four and one-half Carrots |
Almost perfect, but the food, service, and/or setting
are as expected rather than having an added touch that would make the
restaurant stand out.
 |
| Four Carrots |
This sort of restaurant is much better than average. There
is a good value to cost relationship, but something isn’t quite right. Perhaps
the waitperson is having a bad day, the ingredients aren’t as fresh as
expected, there’s a packet of sugar supporting one table leg but the table
still wobbles, or the hostess is screaming at a pigeon…any one of these things
makes the experience less comfortable.
 |
| Three and one-half Carrots |
 |
| Three Carrots |
Average restaurants are simply that: average. No one aspect
stands out as very good or very bad. In this sort of place I don’t expect that
I can get anything beyond the most basic foods prepared at the time I order. If
I ask for a burger without onions, I can probably get it but I can’t get a
tossed salad without onions because the salads are already prepared.
 |
| Two and one-half Carrots |
With a bit more effort, these establishments could be
average. The cook could choose fresher produce, the wait staff could be
attentive, the tables and chairs could be ‘de-crumbed’. I’d give a place such
as this another try if there was something on the menu I particularly liked
such as homemade pie.
 |
| Two Carrots |
Pretty much everything in this restaurant needs improving,
but the restrooms are clean. I won’t be returning here unless it is the only
place to eat and I’m really hungry.
 |
| One and one-half Carrots |
 |
| One Carrot |
Oh my, how did I end up eating here??
 |
| One-half Carrot |
This place has royally irritated me and the only reason
there is any sort of rating is as a place holder so the reader won’t think I accidentally didn’t give a rating.
Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, guest
houses: We’ve stayed in fabulous, wonderful, great, good, okay and
no-way-ever-again places. The reviews provide dates and our impressions.
Pictures give you some idea of the size and décor of the rooms and bathrooms.
Prices change, but I’ll also add whether or not they were a good value for the
price at the time. You may also see my reviews through the booking company
(Travelocity, Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com, etc.), but those generally don’t
provide a place for thorough explanations of good/bad points. These reviews are based on many
things including our enjoyment, the quality for price paid and truth in
advertising. We tend to be relatively easy to please but do not tolerate
incompetency, lack of manners, or misrepresentation. Although I hate
giving negative reviews, nothing irritates me more than poor service and/or not
delivering on what is advertised, so when that happens the reviews will be
harsh no matter how personable the staff appears to be.
|
| Five Carrots |
This is the perfect place to stay. The comfort, service
and setting are excellent; the value is reflective of what the customer
receives. There
are a few ‘must haves’ when we write about lodging: cleanliness, heating/cooling,
available necessities (soap, toilet paper), sufficient space (for ourselves,
luggage, toiletries), two rubbish bins (one in the room and one in the
bathroom), comfortable bed/pillow, sufficient bathroom linens, hair dryer (at
least available if not in the room), fast and reliable internet, and on-site
parking. Breakfast at the hotel is always nice but if it is available, it must
be well prepared. It’s also nice to have in-room coffee/tea makings, a
refrigerator and a microwave. Places that really make me smile have a 24-hour
reception desk, free and fast internet in the room, free on-site parking,
facial tissue (I hate having to use toilet paper to wipe my nose), a ceiling
fan and a sheet between me and the comforter. What makes this sort of hotel/motel
a cut above is that the experience provides extra, surprising things to make me
smile.
|
| Four and one-half Carrots |
Almost perfect, but the comfort, service, and/or setting
are as expected rather than having an added touch that would make the hotel/motel
stand out.
|
| Four Carrots |
This sort of hotel/motel is much better than average.
There is a good value to cost relationship, but something isn’t quite right. Perhaps
the windows overlook a noisy street, the rooms aren’t cleaned early enough that
I can come in after lunch for a nap, or the purported view is only if you hang
your head out the window.
|
| Three and one-half Carrots |
Whether it is the comfort, service or setting, there is
an effort made to see to the customer’s needs in this type of hotel/motel. For
instance, the comfort is average but the free parking area is more than
adequate to allow guests to always find a place for the car. Or this could be a
lovely setting with average comfort and barely adequate service. Most aspects
are good with the one or two others being at least average.
|
| Three Carrots |
Average hotel/motels are simply that: average. No one
aspect stands out as very good or very bad. In this sort of place I don’t
expect that I can get anything beyond the most basic accoutrements; there may
be a hairdryer, but you’d do better with a comb and a good strong wind.
|
| Two and one-half Carrots |
With a bit more effort, these establishments could be
average. I’d give a place such as this another try if there was something I
particularly liked such as an ocean view or a location next to one of my
favorite places.
|
| Two Carrots |
Pretty much everything in this hotel/motel needs
improving, but it is relatively clean. I won’t be returning here unless it is
the only place to stay and I’m really tired.
|
| One and one-half Carrots |
Everything needs improving.
|
| One Carrot |
Why did I choose this place? Do I need to put the mattress
between me and the door to keep the bullets from coming through?
|
| One-half Carrot |
This place is completely awful and the only reason there
is any sort of score is to show that I did give a rating.
Museums, galleries, gardens, hikes, amusement parks,
aquaria, zoos, sights: We’ve done some adventurous, exciting, stimulating, interesting,
dull and we’re-not-doing-that-again activities. The reviews provide dates and
our impressions. Within the reviews will be links to pictures that give you
some idea of what. Costs vary, but I’ll also add whether or not they were a
good value for the time spent. You may also see my reviews through the booking
company (Travelocity, Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com, etc.), but those generally
don’t provide a place for thorough explanations of good/bad points. These reviews
are based on many things including our enjoyment, the quality for price paid
and truth in advertising. We tend to like adventurous and thought-provoking experiences;
we do not ‘suffer fools’ at all, including accidental or purposeful misrepresentation.
While I hate giving negative reviews, nothing irritates me more than
poor service and/or not delivering on what is advertised, so when that happens
the reviews will be harsh.
|
| Five Carrots |
This was a wonderful combination of physical and mental adventure.
It lives up to recommendations from both professionals and the general public. What
makes this sort of activity a cut above is that the experience provides extra,
surprising things to make me smile.
|
| Four and one-half Carrots |
Almost perfect, but the activity is as expected rather than
having an added touch that would make it stand out.
|
| Four Carrots |
This sort of activity is much better than average. There
is a good value to cost or time relationship, but something isn’t quite right. Perhaps
the hike is longer or shorter than the signage indicates, there is no specific about
how to get to the area, comfort areas are not clean or some other shortcoming.
|
| Three and one-half Carrots |
There is an effort made to see to the customer’s needs. For
instance, the comfort areas are average but the parking area is graveled so
that you don’t track mud into the car. Or this could be a lovely setting with
average cost and barely adequate signage. Most aspects are good with the one or
two others being at least average.
|
| Three Carrots |
Average activities are simply that: average. No one aspect
stands out as very good or very bad. In this sort of place I don’t expect to be
particularly surprised by a collection, information or event.
|
| Two and one-half Carrots |
With a bit more effort, these activities could be
average. I’d give a place such as this another try if there was something I
particularly liked such as an exciting zip through tree tops or a great place
to watch a sunset.
|
| Two Carrots |
Pretty much everything about this activity needs
improving, but it was sort of fun. I won’t be returning here unless someone I’m
with really wants to see/do this.
|
| One and one-half Carrots |
Everything needs improving.
|
| One Carrot |
Why did I choose to do this? Why would anyone spend
money/time engaged in this activity?
|
| One-half Carrot |
This is entirely dreadful; it has a score only
because I need to show that I was there.
No comments:
Post a Comment