Green, Dan Roy, Dds - Family Dental Practice
I visited Family Dental last year for a routine cleaning and initial x-ray exam. I was in the waiting room for quite a while, but when I finally went back, the staff were very friendly. The office was clean and everyone was very professional. X-rays went fine, and it was revealed that I was missing part of a filling. They repaired that and I was on my way. I would definitely go back there again (and I am - I have an appointment next week!) Nicely located in downtown Modesto.
PROS: Professional staff & great location
CONS: A bit of a wait to get in
Modesto Symphony Orchestra
I've taken my eldest daughter to see the Modesto Symphony Orchestra twice in the past year. Not just boring old music. The programs that we've seen have been geared towards kids, and they do an outstanding job of entertaining both the young and old alike. Very fun, engaging, and beautiful music, too! The conductor is amazing. They even taught the kids about music, as well as music terms. Highly recommended!
PROS: Entertaining & beautiful
CONS: May be hard for very little ones (1-2yrs) to sit still through
Oh For The Memories
I finally stopped in on a recommendation from my sister. I'm glad I did! If you're not familiar with this store, they sell everything scrapbooking related. They have a humongous selection of stickers and papers! Things I didn't even know existed! Most all the stickers are on rolls, so you can buy as much (or as little) as you want. Prices were pretty affordable, too - some sheets of stickers were as low as .25! They even have local high school themed scrapbook pages, stickers, etc. They also offer classes, too. Nice, clean store with a friendly staff. Not a whole lot of parking, and the aisles were kind of hard to navigate a stroller through.
PROS: Huge selection of scrapbooking materials
CONS: Kind of a small store. Limited parking
Magic Shoe Svc
This is a wonderful shopping center that has a huge variety of shops. There's truly something for everyone here - bookstores, clothing stores, restaurants - you name it! A really nice hometown feel to it, with a touch of elegance. They host events from time to time (taste of Modesto, etc) I always feel safe when I'm there, too. Their only downfall is that when it's busy, parking is hard to find.
PROS: Lots of shops
CONS: Needs more parking
Sam's Food City
The only reason I come to Sam's is to shop their weekly coupon sales. The coupons make for some incredible deals. Their produce is also one of the cheapest in town. But, I've found that the rest of their items, the non-sale ones, are a lot higher priced than other stores. So, I usually just purchase the coupon items. The neighborhood isn't the greatest and the store isn't the cleanest either. Pretty friendly cashiers, though.
PROS: Great coupon sales
CONS: Pricey and bad area
Safeway
Safeway is, by far, the cleanest and friendliest area grocery store. Huge store, wide aisles, and well-stocked shelves. Their prices are high on some things, but their sales are usally pretty awesome (especially the buy one get one free sales!) Their meats are nice, good quality. But the best part about this grocery store is their fabulous customer service. Employees are extremely friendly and helpful. Great, huge parking area.
PROS: Customer service is second to none
CONS: Can be pricey for some things
Flowers By HP Papadopoulos
We use Brothers every time we need flowers. The shop is always in immaculate condition, and the employees are friendly. The flowers are just beautiful, and long lasting, too! Rates are very affordable - they have nice bouquets starting around $3! Not the best parking if they're busy, though.
PROS: Lovely flower arrangements
CONS: Not a whole lot of parking
Fastlube
I've taken my car there for an oil change on more than one ocassion. Family run business - very nice people! Rates are reasonable, competitve with other companies. Get in fairly early otherwise you might have to wait a while until they work on your car. They send out coupons periodically in the mail, too. Will continue to do business with them.
PROS: Affordable and friendly
CONS: Busy at times, so there might be a wait
Vintage Faire Mall
I love this mall! They have a great selection of shops, lots of parking, and even fun things for kids! At the JC Penney side of the mall, there is a really nice play area for young kids. Especially helpful after a hectic day of shopping to just be able to sit down and relax while the kids play. They even have a mall walking club called Club Fit (ask about it at the center court). They also offer things throughout the year in their main court (like photos with Santa/Easter Bunny etc). Our favorite is sometime right around the end of Thanksgiving, they offer storytime with Santa! Tons of parking, too!
PROS: Great location, lots of shops & extras
CONS: None!
Casual Male XL
This place is always clean and the staff very friendly. They carry lots of large size clothes, great quality, too. However, the store is small, so the selection isn't very wide (no pun intended). Their prices are also extremely high. Definitely a nice place to go when looking for plus size men's clothing, however the "casual" styles are few and far between.
PROS: Quality, plus size men's clothes
CONS: Small selection