Sc@-tt3r-ed Thoughts

I felt compelled to create this post on my blog due a recent experience I had with Mimosa Systems: An email-archiving solution that I had the misfortune of getting involved with for my school district.

Before I continue with this account, let me qualify myself, as to not risk the possibility of losing your attention, under the pretext of being “just another disgruntled customer”.

I am an IT professional for 12 years now, and have been specifically involved in system administration, engineering, architecture and design, for most of that period. I have implemented quite a few robust products and infrastructures: i.e: Exchange 2000, 2003, migration from Active Directory to 2000 to 2003, full implementation of VMWare vSphere  4.0, VMWare View 3.5 and 4.0, multiple SANs, Digital Imaging solutions (Viatron), Desktop Management solutions (LANDesk) to name a few. I have done most of those, either on my own, or with the assistance of an implementation company, or working directly with a manufacturer. All this to say that I have had enough experience to know the difference between a professional service, well designed product, efficient implementation, and the polar opposite of the former.

The reason I felt the need to write this review is because I (my school district) has been robbed close to a $100,000 from  Mimosa Systems, with not so much as an apology, ok, not a sincere one at least.

..Continue reading..

I went to Restaurant Omakase with 9 people for my friend’s birthday. It was a suggestion from my friend initially, and I had some reservations at first due to the $$$$. Before I say anything else about this place, let me get the cost piece out of the way. It’s expensive. For a minimal satisfactory experience, don’t think about spending less than about $70 / person, with wine pairing, about $110 / person. That being said, if you have reservations about the cost, but are really in it for a culinary experience, then I promise you that this will be a well spent $70!

Decor and atmosphere: The decoration was very modern, it gives you a warm feeling when you enter. it’s very simplistic, yet makes a statement. It’s pretty quiet, all candle lit, could be great for a party, or a tête à tête evening with your loved one.

Service: The service was excellent. at the door we were greeted by the Maitre D, and our party was seated at the table. During the meal, there were 2 waitresses for our party, and they were literally waiting on us the whole night. Granted, there was almost only us in the restaurant at the time (We went at around 6:00pm) , but with our party of 10, we literally almost filled 1/3 of the total capacity of the restaurant.

The Menu: the menu was not very long, it’s categories into 5 sections, Salad, Appetizers, and Entrées, desserts and drinks. They also have a full wine list, though we didn’t really look at that. Their specialty is the Chef tasting menu, which consists of a salad, 2 appetizers, 1 entrée and a dessert. I wouldn’t recommend anything but this, even though the other individuals may sound appealing, if nothing else, price-wise. You would need at least 2 of the items to even fill you up. The Chef’s tasting menu is portioned perfectly, and you will leave with a beautiful rich taste in your mouth.

The Food: That was the highlight of this experience. I have to be honest, when I went in to this place, I had no idea what to expect. But when I started, I started seeing the worth of this place. All their food is home grown, they have their own gardens to grow their greens/herbs, etc … They have their chicken for the eggs and other things. the food is delightful. One thing I HAVE to recommend, it’s going to sound silly, but you will know exactly what I mean, is the croutons in the salad. pay special attention to those, and I promise they will be the best croutons you have ever eaten in your life. we had 10 people in our party, and every single one of us commented on these croutons. This must tell you something about it.

Overall, the experience at restaurant Omakase has exceeded all expectations I’ve had. my girlfriend is a professional chef, and after going there, she was really wanting to see if she can get a job there. from a Chef, that is saying a lot. Forget about the price, it’s a priceless experience, and the $70 you’ll spend will be the best one you’ve spent for a fantastic culinary experience.