TD Canada Trust Branch & Green Machine ATM Locator

If you’re like me and tons of other Canadians, you probably have jars full of coins lying around the house. Now it’s not like you’ve won 6/49 and the coins are purely incidental, it’s probably that you can never get around to sorting your coins, rolling them up and then taking them to the bank. However if you’re a customer of TD Canada Trust, they’ve just made that green armchair just a little more comfy rolling out a new service, pardon the pun, making rolling up a thing of the past.

To help you rid yourself of all that excess coin, TD Canada Trust has installed over 300 automatic coin counters in their branches across the country. Even better news, if you’re a personal banking customer, is that this new service is available for free. For small business banking customers, however, there will be a small fee, 3% of the transaction that will be deducted for the total. Non-TD customers may also use the coin counters but they will still need to pay a fee and that’s 8%. See more from: http://www.canpan.com/blog/td-canada-trust-branch-green-machine-atm-locator/

MK Restaurant Review

I think I might have found my new favorite restaurant in Chicago. The food I enjoyed on my recent visit was every bit as excellent as previous yelpers lead me to believe it would be. I was happy to find that the portion sizes were adequate: not too little, not too much. My co-diner often leaves hungry while I'm often stuffed and I think we both left just feeling full - which is a difficult thing for a restaurant to accomplish, especially when we both order the same entree.
But the thing that I truly enjoyed about my MK experience was the service. From the first moment of contact - making the reservation - everyone was exceedingly nice. They weren't nice in a creepy, I'm just doing this because I have to, sort of way, but in a way that was fairly genuine - showing that they take service seriously. And, while we were there there was a very slight issue with our food, which we were happy to overlook because everything was so great and it really wasn't a big deal, but when the issue came to their attention everyone on staff made sure that an apology was offered. Really, it was by-the-book service, but it was basically the first time (in ages) that I've received good service in a Chicago restaurant [note: after dropping out of culinary school I couldn't eat out for several years because I was so appalled by the lack of service, so it really does take a lot for me to compliment an establishment on their service].
Another plus: while this is a more "upscale" restaurant, there is very little pretension - a welcome experience! So many blase restaurants in this city have servers and bar tenders with attitude & it's really just a big turn off. This is a restaurant that my mid-western mother would find "fancy" and yet would feel completely comfortable in the atmosphere.
If I ate there every week I might get tired of the food, but as a location to have a "nice" dinner out I highly recommend it and doubt that it could be a disappointing experience.

868 N Franklin St
(between Chestnut St & Locust St)
Chicago, IL 60610
Neighborhood: Near North Side

(312) 482-9179

Ogden Automotive Center Review

My poor neglected '98 Honda Civic.  How, I've mistreated you.  Years of under servicing, random oil changes, infrequent trips to the car wash...yet you've stood by my side from the very first day.  It's not that I don't love you.  I've got bills and get paid in scraps and driving is great and convenient but maintenance, I'm not so good at.

So when my car is sick, I know it's serious.  Taking my car to the repair shop is probably an emotional equivalent of going to the dentist.  Oh gosh, it's going to be miserable.  Unless you are lucky enough to know about Ogden automotive.  The service department  (Andy and Paul) are so friendly, that I just want to crack open a beer with them.  They have been up front, prompt and accommodating with my repair needs.  
The last time I brought in my car it sounded like a pack of dying and wheezing pugs.  I thought I would have to sell a kidney to foot the bill.
When Andy called me with the estimate, I was shocked...the price was so reasonable.  Ogden Automotive, my kidneys thank you.

A mechanic shop that I feel comfortable and can trust, that's saying A LOT!

430 N Ogden Ave
(between Hubbard St & Grand Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop

(312) 421-4141

331 Cortland Review

I had the great fortune of visiting family in San Francisco this weekend and with this marketplace opening in their neighborhood, we decided to check it out and have a picnic in the park. I had an odd sampling of food since I live in Los Angeles and was not sure when I would have the opportunity to return. A couple of the empanadas, some sushi, and some very delicious organic fruit. Others with me sampled the brisket sandwich from Paulie's Pickling and there were also some vegan treats from Wholesome Bakery, ohh, and the fresh baked bread from Sour Flour was delicious. I am excited to try this place again next time I am in SF. Kudos to the creative minds that developed 331, I wish you lots of success, how about a second location on Main Street in Santa Monica.

331 Cortland Ave
(between Bocana St & Bennington St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Bernal Heights

Kiva Review

It's Christmas eve, the forest in back is covered with a hard rime.  It gets foggy at night, and in the chill crystals form.  It's stunning.

I need to get to wrapping these presents.  I need to get out of these pajamas.  I need another cup of coffee.

I am Uncle Santa.  My brother is used to it, and over the years he's come to tolerate this annual demonstration of largess.  He teaches the kids the value of thrift 363 days of the year.  Twice Uncle trumps thrift.

To balance, this year E will have something a little different in her stocking.  It's thin in physical appearance but oh so not once opened and undertaken.  I have for her an account with Kiva.

As is described better in their own words (go to the site to learn the details), Kiva is an organization that facilitates micro-lending, with the lendee an entrepreneur, often individual, usually in a developing country.  Kiva bridges a credit-gap, allowing access to funding otherwise completely unavailable to those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.  World Bank funds typically flow only into the pockets of the connected and powerful; these individuals are neither.  But perhaps what they lack in connection is made up for by other attributes.

That's the hope, anyway, and Kiva gives those of us fortunate enough to have discretionary resources the opportunity to put them to a better purpose.  E is 13.  Her Dad has a bent for numbers and investing.  I'm hoping this is a project they'll undertake together, leveraging the benefits of my modest contribution many-fold.

Thanks, Kiva, for what I hope will be the best thrice-given Christmas present ever.

3180 18th St
Ste 201
(between Treat Ave & Folsom St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission

(415) 358-7500

The Health Insurance Shoppe Review

I found myself with somewhat difficult problem of trying to get short term health coverage for my son who was bumped off my family plan when he turned 19.  I was told by several other insurance agents that the best I could do was pay a very high Cobra premium due to several preexisting conditions.  I had resigned myself to writing a big check (basically throwing money away) but as a last resort I called some more agents. I was lucky enough to find Jordan Wishner at the Health Insurance Shoppe.

He was the first insurance broker I talked to that had the breadth of knowledge about the ins and outs of getting coverage with preexisting conditions in this complicated market.  Within a week we had approval for coverage for my son at about one third the price of Cobra.

Jordan literally saved me thousands of dollars of Cobra payments.  I highly recommend you consult Jordan for your health insurance needs.  He's extremely competent and patient and knows the market very well. He went out of his way to help solve what seemed like an unsolvable problem before I talked to him.

1900 W Belmont Ave
(between Wolcott Ave & Damen Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village

(773) 880-8484

Visual Media Solutions Review

I recently had some very custom business cards made with John and I think the results are fantastic. The output product is exactly what I wanted. In more detail:  I knew what I wanted to produce but not how to format the files, the dimensions, or the color.  John was patient and took the time to truly understand my project. He provided the necessary advice for me to understand what kind of design and media would work best for my situation. He was easy to reach by phone, prompt in returning e-mail, on-time with predicted estimates, and accurate in the cost assessment.

4239 21st St
Ste A
(between Eureka St & Douglass St)
San Francisco, CA 94114

(415) 269-3341