Time Busters

BASIC NEEDS



FOOD



No time to cook? Order out or rent a chef.

Takeout Taxi delivers lunch and dinner to North Dallas, Addison, and Park Cities. Full menus from 40 restaurants, with a $10 minimum order per restaurant, $3. 50 delivery fee, plus tip. 214-661-9991.

Home Delivery Network (see page 46) brings lunch and dinner from 200 restaurant menus to offices and homes in Dallas, Addison, Richardson, Carroll ton, Irving, Piano, Arlington, and H-E-B, $10 minimum, plus $4 delivery fee, plus tip. 214-248-4006.

Entrees On-Trays, Inc. This new Piano service lets you call participating restaurants directly to place orders from 5 p. m. to 9 p. m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 5 p. m. to 10 p. m. Friday and Saturday. Delivery fee: $1 per entree or $3 minimum. 214-530-6866.

Diet Gourmet delivers individually packaged, low-cal meals to your home. Several pricing options. 214-934-0900.

Good2 Meals sends a chef to your kitchen to prepare low-fat meals for the entire week or for a special occasion. Will also grocery shop for you. $35 consultation fee applicable to first chef visit; $50 per hour, four hour minimum. $25 shopping fee. 214-824-6267.

Dining In of Dallas. A good-natured chef shops for you and prepares traditional or low-fat entrees in your home at a cost of $99 per week. A number of meal options are available. 214-398-7000.



No time to shop?

Kroger supermarkets. Call in your list and your credit card number or fax the information, and they’ll bring you what you need at your home or office. (They’ll even keep a list of your regular items on their computers. Delivery: l p. m. 4: 30 p. m. and 6: 30-9: 30 p. m. $7. 95 for delivery ($2 tor seniors); $5. 95 for pick-up. 1-800-284-7467 or fox to 1-800-333-5478.

Simon David offers same-day delivery to your home or office. $10. 214-352-1781.

SHELTER

Get it cleaned.

Mini Maid. Numerous cleaning services are listed in the Yellow Pages. We tried Mini Maid (see page 50), which serves Dallas and the suburbs and will give free estimates over the phone. 214-343-6464.



Get it organized. Start with the basics.

Lisa Kanarek is a systems specialist, and if you’ve got a system that needs unkinking, she’s the person to call. Her company, Everything’s Organized, specializes in paper management, office organization, and productivity improvement. She helped us. She can help you. 214-361-0556, Space planner Karl Kauffman will transform your closet or work space by installing adjustable fixtures and shelving. He claims your new closet will save you 15 minutes a day. Free consultation. Prices start at $200. 214-255-1889.



Get it fixed.

Handy Husband Repair will take your list of Honey Do’s and get it done-without whining, Stop the faucet’s drip, get the ceiling fan hung, and change out that light fixture. No job too small, says handyman Barry Cohen. $40 per hour; plus possible travel expenses. 214-867-0079.

Total Furniture Restoration and Custom Woodworking saves you time by bringing their workers to your home or office. They’ll do minor repairs and refinishing or build workstations or entertainment centers. 214-484-6710.

OnCall Craftsmen specialize in handyman-type jobs at your home. Free estimates. $50 minimum per job. 214-620-9000.

Allied Trades, Inc. will do small painting projects and repairs with 24 to 48 hours’ notice, Serves the Park Cities and North Dallas. $12. 50-$21 per hour. 214-681-3492.

America’s Handiman technicians will go to your home or office to tend to your to-do list. They specialize in small jobs. Same-day service is often available. $45 per hour. 214-247-2700.

Grill Doctor comes to your house to install or repair your gas grill so you don’t have to lug the unwieldy appliance across town. $39. 99 first half-hour, pro-rated every 15 minutes after; additional cost tor parts. 214-386-5311.

Dr. VCR owner Bill Springer makes housecalls to install, clean, and repair your VCR. He can even show the mechanically impaired how to program the thing. $32. 50 per visit. 214-748-6955.

Macintosh man Howard Upchurch will install, upgrade, or troubleshoot your Mac computer in your home or office. $75 first hour/$50 subsequent hours. 214-272-78226.



Get it ready for baby.

Dr. Baby Proofer will cover your electrical outlets, put stoppers on your kitchen drawers, and generally prepare your house for the onslaught of toddlerhood. From $75. 214-824-3964.



Move it.

Boxes To Go. Order what you need by phone and have them delivered to home or office. A wide range of box sizes and packing materials is available. $50 minimum order for delivery. 214-348-3000.

The Wild Rose owner Leslie Rose specializes in organizing the mechanics of a move, including packing and labeling and unpacking and organizing. $2 5/hour. 214-369-4832.

Quick Move specializes in same-Jay service if you’ve got to get out fast. $65 per hour for a two-man crew, $85 for three; plus a travel charge of S32. 50 or $44. 50. 214-352-1146.



CLOTHING

Buying.

The Tom James Company will send a representative to your house or office to custom tailor business and leisure clothing for men. Prices vary; No charge for consultation. 214-776-7824.

Around Your Neck. Need a new tie or a Father’s Day gift? The retailer will bring their selection of silk ties to your office. 214-713-9797.



Cleaning.

Avon Cleaners offers pick up and delivery service to home or office. No extra charge. 214-521-9927 or 214-521-4803.

Fishburn’s new drive-though window on Hillcrest in Snider Plaza means fast pick-up and drop off. All locations also offer free pick-up and delivery. 214-361-9703 (Hillcrest) or 214-826-4101 (main office on Ross).



TRANSPORTATION

Beat the carpool blues.

KangaKab Transportation Services

offers door-to-door service for kids 3 to 16 in 15-passenger vans. Serves North Dallas, Piano, and Park Cities. $6-$7 per ride. 214-931-7433.

Kid Kourier will transport your little loved onse in family sedans to and from school or their various activities. Serves Richardson, Garland, Mesquite, and Lake Highlands. $25 annual registration fee plus $7 per trip for first 7 miles, $1 each subsequent mile. 214-697-2945.

You’ve gotta buy a car.

Kelly Auto Sales, Inc. owner Mike-Kelly locates and keeps an inventory of pre-owned high-line foreign autos, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Ferrari. The $500 finder’s fee, due upon completion of transaction, includes an evaluation of car’s value and cosmetic condition. 214 -352-1520.

Nurnberg Auto Works owner John Nurnberg does a comprehensive pre-pur-chase evaluation of the mechanical condition of pre-owned foreign cars. $75. 214-905-1964.

Mobile Auto Service will meet you at home or the office to give a bumper-to-bumper inspection of pre-owned domestic or foreign cars. $79. 95. 214-235-1206.

Auto Buyers Assistance referral service will help you locate dealers that may have what you’re looking for at a reasonable price because they have retail fleet departments. No charge. Ronnie Shipper, 214-361-0090.



You’ve gotta clean it.

On Site Detail will bring a mobile unit to your office or home to hand clean and polish the interior and exterior of your car. Basic service $20. Expanded packages available. Ray Rougeaux, 214-314-4010.

You’ve gotta fix it.

Pyramid Auto Glass mobile service replaces cracked windshields. Price varies. 214-340-5794.

Dent Man repairs hail damage, dents, and dings on your car at your office or home. $65-$ 135 per panel. Free estimates. 214-902-8200.



You’ve gotta sell it.

Love Field Antique Mall Car Showroom will handle the sale of your car, depending on its make, model and condition. $150 per month plus 5 percent of sales price. 214-357-6500.



The COMFORTS of LIFE



PETS

Choosing them.

Lilley Clay Pet and Plant Nannies. Looking for a cat, a turtle, or a gekko? Lilley Clay matches your needs with area breeders, vets, and pet stores, 214-697-1425.

Training them.

Park Cities Obedience School offers a Latch Key program for working owners who drop their dogs off at 7: 30 a. m. and pick them up by 5: 30 p. m. $200 per week. 214-369-7267.



Grooming them.

Puppy Love mobile grooming and dipping service will come to your home or office. Starts at $35. 214-243-8331.



Healing them.

The House Call Veterinarian Dr. John Sohmer will do it chezvous, tending to your sick dog, cat, bird, or other small animal. 214-517-2222.



PARTIES



Patty’s Parties is a “turnkey” service for birthday parties for the under-10 crowd. Owner Patty Fleming handles everything from invitations to games, refreshments, and party favors. $100 for up to 12 kids, $2. 50 each additional child, $175 for more elaborate tea parties, 214-239-7877.

The Hamburger Man provides turnkey parties for older students’ graduations, pool parties, or school bashes. He brings an old-fashioned grill and two helpers/servers. $325 for up to 50 people; $6. 50 for each additional person. 214-522-1223.

HOW TO BEAT THE TIME BANDITS: PART 3

WAR ON THE HOME FRONT: GOOD-BYE GRIME



HOW TO BEAT THE TIME BANDITS: PART 2

NOW WHERE ARE MY KEYS?



YOU’VE HEARD OF THE FABLED KEY FINDER-YOU KNOW, CLAP YOUR HANDS and it says, “Hi, we’re your car keys, and we’re over here under the dish-towel!” or something like that. But just try rinding the Finder!

I started with the Sharper Image. They’d heard of it, even had numerous requests for it, but didn’t stock it. On to high-tech gadget heaven Brookstone. Nope, not in the stores or the catalog. Seems it was in the catalog once, 10 years or so ago. Next, Elliott’s hardware store. They’d never seen one but get calls about it. Was this an urban legend ?

For two weeks I perused dozens of high- and low-tech mail-order catalogs. No luck. On the brink of calling the secretary of state’s office for patent information, 1 pored through an obscure Lifestyle Fascination catalog that had just slid through the mail slot. There it was: “Never loose [sic] your keys again-clap your hands- this key chain clock speaks aloud!” $19. 95 on the Visa card later, I had one of my own (see listing, page 50).

Did it work? Well, sort of.

It does announce the time when you clap your hands. If you’re within four feet of the thing.

Still, overall, it’s better than nothing. Let’s see… chip over the counter top.,. over the couch… over the desk.

Hmmmm. I guess it doesn’t help if you leave the keys in the car.

-Dell Turtle

HOW TO BEAT THE TIME BANDITS: PART 3

WAR ON THE HOME FRONT: GOOD-BYE GRIME



I’M CONSTANTLY PICKING UP AROUND my place, yet tor some reason it neverstays clean enough for me to invite Mom over. So I called Mini Maid (see listing, page 48), who promised to whip my one-hedroom/one-bathroom apartment into shape for about $50.

While I sat quietly working in the dining room, two women went to war against my mess. Hailstone-size dustballs? Sticky goop on the kitchen counter? No fear. They vacuumed and scrubbed and dusted and swept and wiped and mopped every surface in sight-and many that were out of sight. They took brooms into corners that I didn’t even know existed. They attacked the inside of my microwave. They even found $ 1. 78 in the cushions of my sofa.

I could have spent three or four hours trying to clean so thoroughly. Even so the tile grout would not have been scoured and the faucets would not have been shined. And that rust-ring, from the can of shaving cream sitting on the edge of the bathtub, would still be visible.

But with a maid service, in less than one hour my place was transmogrified. All I did was write the check when they were done-and dial the phone to invite Mom over for dinner.

-Dan Michalski

Have you hit the wall? Exhaustion in the ’90s is real and epidemic. If we feel like we’re doing the work of more than one person, it’s because we are. And we’re dog-tired. In response to our collective cries of distress, time-buster services have sprouted up as the cottage industries of the decade. These services are aimed at all aspects of our busy lives, covering a hierarchy of needs. From meeting the basic needs, like food and shelter, to providing high-end luxuries, these folks will help you squeeze time back into your day.