Category Archives: Entertaining

Can someone tell me what’s up with Austin’s New Hot Spots not placing

the name of the business in big bold print for you to see? I didn’t notice the small two signs on both sides of their very large wood-paneled entrance until I literally got out of the car to look. Yes, that is steam in the photo as well. I didn’t know that I made a reservation at DipDipDip Tatsu-ya for a meal and a facial but it happened at no extra charge. 💰

Reservations Only Austin Restaurant

As I waited outside for my girlfriend to arrive, (they will not seat incomplete parties) I watched at least 6 people be turned away for not knowing you had to have a reservation. It was hot, and we were kind of all cramped in an area waiting to enter the beautiful wood 🚪 door. Water would have been appreciated for sure!

Thanks Goodness For An Austin Outside Bar

I was trying to figure if the music outside was from the Taco place next door because it was a little shocking. However, once inside I realized it was directly from the restaurant. I’m a hip hop lover so that was cool, 😎BUT they have an ice cream 🍦 place that is adjacent to the dipdipdip Tatsu-ya 🥢which attracted families with children 🧒. I don’t think “Shooting at her blankety blank blank blank outside the club on some fuzz ish is appropriate for outside music where ice cream is served in a cute colorful child friendly looking zone. 🎶
Instead of offering anyone water as we waited they offered their menu which had their few cocktails and wine list. I saw a few peoples cocktails with more ice than liquids so I passed for wine 🍷. Very small wine with a few buy the bottle options. But I’ll quote my friend Erin here and say “At least they have bear and Sake” 🍺

Entry Into Austin’s Hottest New Restaurant Beyond The Big Wood Door 🚪

After waiting outside for your reservation to be called, the big wood door opens and you are immediately greeted with a loud chant from the staff in Japanese which I later found out meant Welcome! You are then brought into the very dim lit cozy area and seated at a very unique seating arrangement.
Cool 😎 Idea 💡that your chair swiveled around and the menu was in a pocket on one side and your under the seat was an open area for personal items. 💚💙 It swiveled with you when you were seated so your purse is hidden. 💎
After being given an introduction by Michael, our very polite quiet spoken server, we both felt lost 🧐. If you have never had a shabu shabu meal before you got crash courses in 39 seconds. I had been to a place similar in NYC but it was a tad bit different and I wanted more than a quick crash course and GOOOOOOO ❗️

You Become The 👨‍🍳 Chef

We both went the easy route and ordered off the already paired menus which had three options. House, Tatsu-ya, and Baller. My girlfriend Cheryl (who recommended the spot)💚💙 had visited before, so she gave me the inside scoop that The Baller was too much food for one. We opted for the Tatsu-ya for two. (I should have got the Baller because I’m a 🐖 that loves to eat.

After we ordered our choices of broth, and pairings, another waiter comes over and gives us yet another 39 second crash course on which meat to shabu shabu and which meats to let sit for 3 minutes. 👀 (There was a cute cheat sheet stuck to the table to remind us and also a sand timer ⏳ for you to remember to use. (Four glasses of wine in and I don’t think 💭 that was priority ⏳and I forgot a few times.) don’t shame me in the 4 glasses🍷🍷🍷🍷. They were 3 oz each🤦🏻‍♀️ maybe

The Shabu part is taking the 🥢 and swishing your meets two to three times in the boiling broth. The Dip part is the three smaller bowls. We had two dips to choose from, then you set your meat on the rice 🍚 to soak in flavor, and eat. Repeating this process as your rice or noodles get the flavors of the shabu and dip. 💚💙👨‍🍳about:blank

The Extras that Made Up for The Not So Good Choice

Everything was delicious minus one thing… the Pot Pockets raclette and mushroom 🍄

I regret even eating that one but there was also a Al la carte menu that they pushed by in the tiny spaces between tables for us to choose from. We chose oysters, and I’m glad I did, to remove the taste of the pot pockets.

The Dessert

One offering was offered and it tasted better than it looked. Kind of like Melon flavored Italian ice. Delicious enough for me to want more!

I PURPOSELY DIDN’T COVER IT ALL IN THIS BLOG BUT GAVE YOU SOME INSIDE SCOOP SO YOU CAN SCOOT ON OVER AND MAKE A RESERVATION. OH BY THE WAY, THE RESERVATIONS ARE WEEKS OUT IN ADVANCE. DON’T FORGET TO TRY THE ICE CREAM 🍨 SPOT THAT IS ADJACENT TO THEM. YOU ORDER ON A SCREEN! I’M LACTOSE INTOLERANT AND WITHOUT A LACTOSE PILL SO I PASSED.

I’LL BE BACK BECAUSE THERE’S BETTER THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE OF PROVIDING AND AUSTIN CLEANING SERVICE EVERY DAY SO WE EAT. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hosting People Can Be stressful and fun at the same time, but if you place yourselfin your guests shoes, it won’t take long for you to be able to personalize your GuestRoom for your specific guests.

The W Hotel In Austin BackUp Plan

No I’m not suggesting you drop your guests off at The W Hotel In Austin. I am however suggesting that you take this tip from inside their guest rooms. On every toilet they have an extra roll of toilet paper in a bag called the BackUp Plan. 😂 www.ruelala.com has the cute bag for sale online. When we provide cleaning services in Downtown Austin and surrounding areas, we always add an extra roll of toilet paper 🧻 to every commode for our own Personal Touch Back Up Plan. ( I felt like Alicia Keys in the part of that song “You Don’t Know My Name” where she tells the guy 🎶 … And you always order the special, with the hot chocolate … But I always use some milk and cream for you

Fresh, Fine and Fluffy 😳

You don’t need to know everything that goes on in your guest bedroom, and you sure don’t need Aunt Louis yelling for a towel from the 🚿 shower either. Stock your GuestRoom with towels specifically for guests. You know the kind that are fluffy and fresh without being used by the entire household. The Jewel Song comes to mind 🎶 “ You were meant for me” where she randomly says Don’t leave the keys in the door I never put wet towels on the floor anymore ’cause Dreams last so long, even after you’re gone
I know that you love me💙💚

The Unspoken Truth Of Matches

Candle scents can change a mood and so can the smell of 💩 number two. Let’s keep it real and straight to the point. Keeping a set of matches and a candle in the bathroom allows your guest the personal right to hide their lingering scents. If your guests have children then I wouldn’t leave matches around for sure. It’s all about personalizing the space to make your guest feel at home and welcomed.

Sometimes Things Don’t Flush 🚽

We clean about 340 toilets a week when providing RoundRock maid services. One of the things we require clients to have in each bathroom are toilet scrubbers. It’s not sanitary for us to drag a toilet scrubber from one side of the house to the other to scrub poop 💩 Your HouseGuest May have an oops moment that won’t flush. The last thing someone wants to do is scream the toilet is overflowing tampons and 💩 🤦🏻‍♀️ Every guest bathroom should have a visible toilet scrubber and plunger.

A Personal Touch Every Guest Will Remember

If you’re inviting someone into your home, we can guess you know them pretty well. Personalizing a welcome gift 🎁 can be as simple as leaving your LSU fan a University of Texas Longhorn shirt on the bed 🛌 Now that’s memorable and will be talked about for years. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be right!

A Personal Note From Penny 🙋🏻‍♀️

​I’ve learned a lot from each home we’ve cared for over 23 years. Every home is as unique as the people that live there. Even if your home may be the same floor plan as your neighbors, your guests will experience a different vibe in your home for sure. Make it memorable and personal by personalizing your GuestRoom to meet your guests needs.

“Spring cleaning is fun!” Said no one ever but it’s a good way to feel accomplished since New Years Goals failed. Finding a place to start Spring Cleaning can be overwhelming, but with my help, and your bar, we are going to drink our way through a spring cleaning with ease. There’s a keyword in the phrase “Aging like fine wine” and the word is Fine! So that wine that Becky got you at the company Christmas party as a white elephant gift may not be fine!

What Wine Is Best Aged and What Wine Expires Quickly?

If you’re wondering why there’s a sherry Vinegar next to this aged wine then you’ve never sipped bad wine before. Bad wine tastes like straight vinegar.
When To Pour The Wine Down The Sink Instead of Down Your Throat.
Oxygen kills wine over time but oxygen is giving humans life….interesting. Once a bottle is opened, it starts to oxidize. Just think of an apple that’s been cut open. To extend the life of the wine you need to expose it to less oxygen (put a cork in it, or if you’ve been blessed with a Coravin then use it).
Temperature is another factor in bad wine. For a fine wine to age nicely it needs the proper temperature, no light, and no oxygen.
If you understand wine’s structure, balance, and Producer then you will value how to keep it so it will be fine.
If you don’t understand what I said above and you’ve had that wine for more than a year in the pantry. Toss it.

When Does Tequila Expire

The only thing Tequila has in common with wine is that dizzy feeling you get after too much of it. So saving a bottle of tequila for years won’t make it taste better.
Tequila has an indefinite shelf life if unopened, unlike me after three shots of it and I’m done.
Air in the bottle equals faster evaporation and oxidation which makes the quality of the tequila deteriorate.
Tequila can expire if you leave it unopened because it will begin to evaporate. Don’t store it with a pourer or without its cap.

Do Liqueurs and Cordials Go Bad?

The more sugar a liqueur has the faster it will deteriorate. Many have preservatives to slow spoilage down but it all boils down to the alcohol content. A liqueur with a higher proof contains more alcohol and will last longer than a lower proof. So when my friend Ikem’s father-in-law opened his signed Grand Mariner bottle that he saved for years in the back of the pantry it was still good. Oh, he was PISSED 😡 that the seal was broken on that particular bottle for sure!
Cream Liqueurs are a different story. Even if they are unopened they will spoil after a year and a half. Cheaper ones will deteriorate faster. I guess Liqueurs have something in common with wine on this one.

Will a a Cognac, Whisky or Bourbon Expire?

Unless you’re a major Liquor aficionado then you won’t be able to taste if a dark liquor has been collecting dust on my bar. Opened bottles should be consumed in less than two years as long as it’s kept in a cool dark place. Unopened good quality bottles will not expire as long as the cork is sealing it tight. If you’ve got a bottle of some cheap stuff then you may want to give it a sniff before you give it a sip.
QUALITY DOES NOT EXPIRE 😉

When Does Vodka Expire?

The High Alcohol Content makes vodka susceptible to spoiling but it will oxidize. Clear vodkas are easier to tell if it’s time to toss it by crystallization around the cap and discoloration from what it originally looked like. Some people like to freeze vodka but that does change the taste of it and doesn’t make it last longer. Keep it sealed tight in a dark cool place to keep it strong for the long haul.

I didn’t cover Gin but I’m sure by now you’re either drunk, tipsy or you get it.
1. Keep liquors in a cool dark place.
2. Wine will go bad if opened and not at the right temperature.
3. Quality doesn’t expire 😉
4. Toss cream Liqueurs even if unopened after about a year and a half.

When we provide Apartment cleaning in Austin or House cleaning in Spanish Oaks we’ve noticed that people realize that they too have a shelf life. Why spend time cleaning, when you can hire a pro who knows how to give you back your time to enjoy drinking with family and friends.

Do you like to host friends at your home for gatherings?
Do those gatherings end up with you  being the Host, Chef, Bartender, and Maid?
I call those parties the Ghost Parties.  The Host is usually a ghost that floats in and out of the kitchen to the company trying to cook, clean, and host her guests all at the same time.  

Hosting a party should be fun filled with laughter, conversation, music and great food.  With all of that of course comes tons of dirty dishes, breakable wine glasses, dirty pots and pans.  I’ve attended many Austin Luxury Home Dinners where I forgot about the host because they were too busy hosting the food prior, and clean up after than entertaining the guests. 

Check these 5 tips out on how to be the host with the most without getting ghost on your guests.

THE PLAN
Plan to cook your food in disposable aluminum containers and decorate the scene around the containers such as the table cloth, flowers, napkins with adorning holders, candles and decorations.  
Unless it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas there’s no major need to pull out the fine china!  
Plastic wine glasses or champagne flutes can be purchased and adorned with cute wine tag holders. Plan to buy items that will save you clean up time in the end.

SERVE
Like a great outfit you can combine Gucci and Target and as long as one is the statement piece the rest are just complimenting factors in the set up.  The same can apply with your meal.  Your cooked contents itself is the Gucci and your food containers can be the Target.  You can however give it a pop by pulling out some nice serving ware.  
Wouldn’t you rather clean Serving ware  than Serving Pots?

DINE
If you are having over more than 5 people there is absolutely no need to pull out the China plates.  Now I wouldn’t go as far as flimsy Styrofoam  plates either but places such as Party City have some gorgeous color or occasion themed recyclable plates.
You can still use silverware with hard recyclable plates.  I have even come across some great recyclable plates at Whole Foods and Central Market that are quite durable.  
Durability for use and recyclable for trash are a an amazing combination

THE CLEANUP
Fill one side of your sink with hot soapy water and place your serving utensils and silverware to soak.
Instead of fully scrubbing your pots and pans you can rinse the food out of your recyclable serving containers into the sink side with the disposal and toss them in the recycle bin.

WINE
Now you can pour an extra glass of wine because most of the plates have been thrown in the trash rather than your sink and you don’t have to stay up and do dishes!

Now we can all agree that buying recyclable food serving containers, plates and glasses may not be as cost efficient as scrubbing, washing, rinsing, drying and reusing those items again however as busy as we all are Time is Money and Money can sometimes buy us some time.

Cheers