Problem: One of my favorite places to get away and just experience nature. The preserve encompasses 17,000 acres, and the city is working to add thousands more acres in the next few years. Residents of the northeast part of Scottsdale and Fountain Hills are blessed with sweeping views of the McDowell Mountains every day. I am lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that borders the preserve, and try to take short hikes as often as possible. The easiest way to access the preserve is via the Gateway Trailhead. Located off Thompson Peak, it provides ample parking and a very upscale visitor's center with clean bathrooms and maps. During peak times, volunteers are there to answer your questions and guide you on the appropriate trails. A good introduction to the preserve is the Gateway Loop Trail, a moderate hike of 4.4 miles. The trail leads up to a saddle and then back down. I typically take the trail clockwise, so I encounter the steeper part first (1.7 miles up to the saddle). Great for trailrunners and mountain bikers, although parts of the incline are quite rocky. The Gateway Loop Trail offers access to the Bell Pass Trail and Windgate Pass Trail. I would recommend the Gateway Loop Trail to those in moderate shape. The flatter trails closer to the Gateway Trailhead, such as the Saguaro Loop Trail, are better for those out of shape or new to hiking. Here's a basic map of the trails in the preserve: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/Public+Website/preserve/Preserve+Trail+Map.pdf The Tom's Thumb trailhead is currently understand construction, and the Brown's Ranch Trailhead will begin construction in 2012. If you want to check out the trails at Brown's Ranch before the new trailhead opens, just head east on Dynamite from Pima and turn left on Alma School Road. Follow it until it ends and park. You can navigate using the power lines, rock piles, and Brown and Cone Mountains. Here's a link to the current map offered by the city: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/AssetFactory.aspx?vid=57627
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A: positive

Problem: This store is just amazing and so are the people that work there. I started training for a half marathon and my trainer suggested I get new shoes. I went into the store and two sales people evaluated how I walked, then they gave me shoes to try on... they wanted me to go outside and run in them. Most places once you wear a shoe outside it is yours. I found a great shoe and they threw in a free pair of socks. It was a little more money than you might find online, but the customer service makes it worth every penny. They told me to come back if I had any issues. Well, a week or so later I found that my ankles were hurting, so I went into the store, explained my problem and the sales person explained that I had tendinitis. He had me use this foot rocker to stretch out my calves and said I should do that three times a day. I never felt pressured into buying the foot rocker, but I ended up getting it. He also said if it doesn't go away to come back and they can give me the contact information of some great physical therapists. If you are starting out running I would highly recommend you go visit these guys... and if you are an experienced runner and want the attention to detail and great customer service, this is the place to go. I was so impressed.
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A: positive

Problem: I am very disappointed to say that I did not enjoy my experience here. I really wanted to love this place but I just did not. It wasn't the food that disappointed me, although it wasn't great, it was everything else. To start off we were the only people in the restaurant when we came in and got seated at a dirty table. Instead of moving us, the host sprayed down the table while we were sitting there. I thought it was a little 'diner-esq'. This didn't bother me too much though because the host was VERY kind and pleasant. Along the lines of cleanliness, I was not impressed. There were flies EVERYWHERE and in fact, were distracting when I was talking to my date as flies landed all over them. I understand that fly traps are not attractive for a restaurant of this caliber, but something needs to be done. The real problem was with with service. I am a server at a Latin restaurant with a very similar price point so I expected the server to be of very high quality. I felt like we were putting the server off and waiting on our table (when there was only one other in the restaurant) was inconvenient. I once had a boss say to me 'Not everyone will love our food, but if nothing else, it is your responsibility to make them feel like you care about them'. I couldn't agree more. I just did not feel like the server cared about us at all. For dinner we split three different Tapas. The chorizo and potatoes, which were GREAT! Great flavor, great presentation, and the perfect amount of spice. I LOVED this dish. We also got the tomato bruschetta, which were good, however a quick sprinkle of mild chess would have brought out the flavor of the balsamic a little more in my opinion. We also got the tilapia ceviche which I think lacked flavor. When it came time to pay our check, I used a groupon that I had purchased. As a server, I understand how groupons can be frustrating, but it was the restaurants decision to sign up so this is not my problem. The server returned and said my 20 dollar groupon only saved us 12 dollars. I asked if we could speak to a manager and they responded, 'there is no one here that is in charge here right now'......My options were to come back and try again, or accept the 12 dollars. How was there not ONE person there that couldn't solve this problem, or even explain to me why this was the case??? Overall- I thought that food was not good enough to justify my experience.
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A: negative

Problem: A new find for me - and what a find it is. Great French cuisine - at surprisingly affordable prices. Just had a very tasty meal: a piece of smoked haddock, topped with a poached egg & wilted spinach, served with a side of beans, broccoli and potato dauphinoise. It was superb. They've also got a selection of more cafe type desserts (key lime pie, coffee creme brulee, cheese cake, croissant) and a little coffee corner - which I've yet to explore
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A:
positive