Don't lose your cool...

We recently replaced two of our old, crappy window unit air-conditioners with newer models.  The new units were from Home Depot and the installation was do-it-yourself, and when I was done I realized that I had two undisposable hunks of junk to deal with.  You can’t just throw away a system loaded with refrigerant, so I figured all I had to do was figure out how everybody else did it, then do that.

My first strategy was to ask at the local recycling center here in Brenham.  They said I could probably take them to the collection station (dump), so the next time I went to the dump I asked at the office if they would take window unit air-conditioners.  They said they would, as long as all the coolant had been recovered by an authorized contractor, and the units were officially tagged as being empty.

That sounded good, so I started calling the local AC contractors around town, and found that 90% of them responded with “we don’t work on window units”, 5% took a message and called me back looking to schedule a coolant recharge, and 5% had no idea what I was talking about (and/or feigned ignorance because they didn’t want to do it).

At this point I’ll clarify that I clearly expressed that I was willing to pay a fee for this service, I wasn’t looking for it to be done for free, or anything, and still no takers.  I finally started doing some serious web searching and found this site:

http://www.texaspowerfulsmart.org/rebate/recycling_partners.php

Which bills itself as “Official Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program”, and that link goes to their list of recycling partners.  That list looked very promising, especially when I saw that all Best Buy locations were drop-off locations that take room air-conditioners, as shown here:

Problem solved?! Nope...

With a song in my heart and a ‘green’ aura, I figured my problems were solved, so I loaded up the air conditioners (one of which was a 25,000 BTU model weighing 200+ pounds) and prepared to get rid of my albatrosses…albatrossi?…albatri?  Before heading out I figured I’d make a quick call to my local Best Best buy to confirm, and that’s when I got the bad news – they didn’t take air conditioners.  They didn’t really care too much about the fact that they were listed on the Texas site as being an authorized recycling center that took window units, it was no dice.

I figured I’d double-check on the Best Buy website, where I found this:

Confirmation of misinformation, frustration

I figured, oh well, just some miscommunication and/or old information, no worries, and I’ll just work my way down the list of nearby listed recycling centers.  Unfortunately, each one I contacted had variations of the same story, they either didn’t deal in window units, or they only recycled old units when they were selling you a new unit.

My strike-outs continued and my frustration mounted, until I got to ‘Barker’s Heating & Cooling Inc’ in College Station.  They knew what I was talking about, told me the fee ($75), said I could drop them off, and that they were open until 5pm.  I headed out as fast as I could, overjoyed at finally being able to finally get rid of these units in an ethical way.  Dealing with Barker’s could not have been any easier, they knew what they were doing, offloaded the units quickly, I paid the invoice, and I was on my way within 15 minutes.  Whew.  Here’s their website:

http://www.barkerservices.com/company.shtml

We’re planning on eventually installing central AC, and when we’re ready Barker’s will be getting the first shot at it due to their efficiency and friendliness in dealing with the recycling/disposal of these two window units.

I’m posting this in case it might prove helpful to somebody else in the same dilemma.  Those of you Texans in bigger  cities and/or in towns that already have a straightforward way to recycle air conditioners, be thankful.  For the rest of you, I hope this saga includes information that may prove helpful to you if you happen to be finding it frustrating to figure out how to get rid of your old window units ethically and legally.

Related posts:

1. Tender and Juicy Texas-Style Barbeque Brisket on a Gas Grill
2. Asian Cajun Bar and Grill (***½)
3. Review of the BT Longhorn Saloon & Steakhouse (***½)

Asian Cajun Bar and Grill

18088 State Highway 105
Washington, TX 77880
(936) 878-2224

Between Navasota and Brenham, on Highway 105, on the south side of the highway, nestled in the trees stands a unique dining and drinking experience for the intrepid – the Asian Cajun Bar and Grill.  As you can see to the right, it looks like a typical Texas ice house, but it’s not.

First, a little back-story.  We live in Brenham, and circumstances often dictate that we have to head up to College Station.  Marie made that journey a couple of times in the last few weeks, and took a different (and more efficient) route than we usually took, and upon her return one day she mentioned seeing an establishment out in the middle of nowhere that claimed to serve both Asian and Cajun food.  We made a half-hearted mental dog-ear to remember to try the place out, but we figured that given the combination of factors it was probably a long shot that we’d end up liking it.

Tonight we headed to College Station to see a movie (Extract), and on our way up there we passed the joint again, and agreed that if it was still open on our way back we’d stop and check it out.  It was, and we did, and we’re glad we did.

It turns out that it is exactly what it seems, which is a combination of an ice house (which for non-Texans is a particular type of open-air, laid-back neighborhood bar), a sports bar, a Cajun restaurant, and an Asian restaurant.  The place appears to be run by a Cajun man and an Asian woman.  Our assumption is that they are a couple-type couple, but that’s just an assumption.  The place had a nice feel, and the proprieters were friendly.

I had the fried shrimp and Marie had the fried crawfish, and we also ordered some fried dumplings, and had a couple of Shiner Bocks to round out the meal.  The piece de resistance was that the Dallas Cowboys game was on in the dining room.  The food was excellent, the beer was cold, the service was good, and the Cowboys won (beating the Vikings in preseason!).  All in all, an excellent evening.

We’ve already made plans to go back, and foresee the Asian Cajun Bar and Grill becoming part of our regular dining rotation.

Related posts:

1. Dragon Bowl Asian Bistro (**½)
2. Chappell Hill Cafe – (***)
3. Review of the BT Longhorn Saloon & Steakhouse (***½)

BT Longhorn Saloon & Steakhouse in Brenham, Texas

In Brenham, TX there are only a handful of non-chain, sit-down dinner restaurants, and the BT Longhorn Saloon & Steakhouse is one of our very favorites.  It’s high up in our dining rotation because of its combination of good food, friendly service, and kitschy atmosphere.

The Longhorn is located in historic downtown Brenham, and is just a block off of the main street, meaning that it’s convenient both to us Brenhamites whose day-to-day activities regular take us downtown (court house, banks, shops, etc) and to visitors, who typically tour the Blue Bell Creamery and then head downtown for dining and shopping.

It’s located in one of the historic old buildings (pictured at right), and the interior has soaring high ceilings, the floor is wood planking, the decor is upscale western kitsch, and they have a massive, beautiful wooden bar.

The service is also very friendly, and usually prompt, although they are sometimes slammed at the height of tourist season.  But even with a small wait, the food is worth it.  We’re addicted to their crab cakes, which comes with fresh wild greens and a delicious creamy sauce.  I typically have a steak, and it’s usually very good, and have also delved into other offerings and specials, like fish, pork chops, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, etc, and all have been very, very good.

Also, their offerings run from moderately priced fare like burgers and sandwiches, up to surf and turf with lobster and filet mignon, so you should find something that fits with your particular dining budget.  And although some of the higher-end items are pricey, the overall atmosphere is casual and friendly, but with some style and polish, so whether you’re dining mid-scale or upscale you should expect a very enjoyable experience here.

Related posts:

1. Asian Cajun Bar and Grill (***½)
2. Backstreet Cafe – Highly Recommended
3. Beck’s Prime – Highly Recommended

Build It By Yourself, We Won't Help

We were doing some Christmas decorating on the outside of the house, and it turned out we needed a couple of things to finish off the process – like one last string of icicle lights, green extension cords, stakes to hold down a big snowman and nutcracker, etc, etc – typical Christmas stuff, in other words.  So we headed out to Lowe Depot, as we like to call it, as our town has a Lowes and a Home Depot across the street from each other, and we typically use them interchangeably and as alternates when we can’t find what we want at one or the other.

Today is Sunday, December 14, 2008 – Christmas is still eleven days away.  We had noticed that both of these stores had started putting out their Christmas merchandise before Halloween, if you can believe that.  Well, today, fully eleven days before Christmas, we were surprised to find – at both stores – that the Christmas merchandise was already being taken down and replaced with regular hardware and gardening stuff.  In both stores the “Christmas Section” was a pathetic little cluster of huddled, leftover crap.

Now, I’m a realist and I understand we were buying this last-minute stuff late in the season, but this wasn’t just slim pickings, this was the store actively taking down the Christmas stuff and getting it out of the way.  When you couple with with the pre-Halloween setup of the Christmas stuff, and we now have a “Christmas Season” that, at least from a retail perspective, runs from before Halloween up until mid-December, then gets shoved out of the way before it can become inconvenient, or something.

It was very dispiriting.  I mean, I know Christmas has a commercial aspect, but this is ridiculous.  Do they really need to be that coldly calculating as to start taking down the Christmas merchandise before Christmas?  I mean, shouldn’t they have healthy sales of the merchandise until at least New Years?  Don’t “The Holidays” equate to Christmas + New Years?  Are they trying to avoid having to sell the stuff at a discount after Christmas?

Sad.

Related posts:

1. A Christmas Story (****)
2. Burn Notice (***½)
3. My dogs eat Scotts® Organic Choice® Lawn Food

If you live in, visit, or travel through Brenham, TX, be sure to put Mo’s BBQ on your itinerary.  Mo cooks up some of the tenderest, juiciest, tastiest barbeque I’ve ever had, and, brother, I’ve had a LOT of barbeque.  Click here for a map, phone number, and directions. 

Mo’s is tucked in back from the street in a cedar shingled building with a front porch, between a carniceria and a gas station.  Most days Mo will greet you herself, and she and her friendly, efficient staff are always a pleasure to interact with.  The restaurant is always spotlessly clean, and the food is always, ALWAYS excellent, with generous portions.

And, oh baby, the barbeque is to die for.  Tender, juicy, tasty, hot, fresh…perfect.  It doesn’t even need sauce, but if you choose to use it Mo’s sauce is tangy and sweet, not vinegary and harsh.

Our only complaint is actually a compliment – we wish that Mo’s would stay open later and be open on Sundays, too.  Monday-Thursday she closes at 3pm, Friday-Saturday she closes at 5pm, and she’s not open on Sundays.  Now, I understand completely – she’s a sole proprietess and can’t work 7×365 – but there are times in the evenings or on Sundays when we get a big old craving for her food and we simply have to wait.  Hmph.

So do us a favor and go to Mo’s - if enough of us become regulars maybe she’ll be able to stay open more so we can always get her great BBQ!!

Related posts:

1. Must Be Heaven restaurant – excellent food!
2. Phoenicia Deli – Highest Recommendation
3. Spaghetti Western – Highly Recommended

Schön Ruhe Salon and Day Spa

Originally written April 7, 2007, updated March 28, 2008

706 Seelhorst
Brenham, TX 77833
(979) 421-6044
www.schonruhe.com
Quick disclaimer: since writing this original review I've become great friends with Lindsay and designed the Schön Ruhe website for her as well.  But my original review stands… this is a GREAT salon, by any city's standards.

Do What You're Born to Do

See, I'm a born programmer. I didn't quite realize it until I was an adult and, armed with a degree in the very touchy-feel field of Sociology, I found out that the best part of my job out in the business world was teaching myself how to program in a then-very-cutting-edge technology called Lotus Notes. After years of being in technology and loving the process of programming I realized that I loved my job and although Sociology was interesting, Programming was my passion.

Um, isn't this article about a salon, or something?

The point is, I was lucky enough to find what I was supposed to do with my life. And that's the joy of going to Schön Ruhe — Lindsay Scheel, the owner, is absolutely, 100% doing what she was born to do. She glows when she greets you, she radiates with joy as she walks through and checks on you at the pedicure station, bringing you a glass of wine (from a local winery, of course). She happily walks on air through the beautiful, welcoming space, checking on folks getting facials and escorting clients to the massage room. She has created a perfect salon — by any city's standard — simply because it is what she was born to do, and this perfect salon just happens to be here in quaint, picturesque, low-key Brenham.

The salon itself is well named. Schön Ruhe means "beautiful rest" in German, and Lindsey has completely created the whole salon around this concept. I've been in swanky salons (Urban Retreat in Houston — both the skin care center and the full salon), bare-bones salons (any number of acrylic nail assembly-line shops in Houston), quirky salons (Bogart's in the Heights) and friendly neighborhood salons (Heights Spa in the Houston Heights), but none of them compare to Schön Ruhe as an experience. It's the perfect mix of luxury, relaxation, unpretentiousness, and exactly-what-you-need.

Massages to Die For

I've become addicted to the massages there.  Both Barbara and Sheila are amazing!!  My last massage by Sheila was completely restorative… I walked in with every joint aching and I left relaxed and filled with well-being.  And no more sore joints.

Before coming here, I'd always liked massages but they were never worth the indulgence of money for me, at least none that I'd had before. But not only are the prices fabulous by Houston standards, it's hands down (pun intended, I guess!) the best massage I've ever gotten. The room is so welcoming, a soft shade of not-quite-Robin's-egg blue with a tree and appliqued blossoms on the wall. The eyelet window coverings let in the exact amount of natural light, augmented by an old-world-feel chandelier. And the massage itself is heaven… and the therapists are so caring, making sure nothing's too hard to too soft, checking with you ahead of time for any injuries they need to consider or areas that need special TLC.  And as a perfect touch, the massage table is heated… removing one of my major objections to all previous massages, which is that as soon as I'm naked and on the table I'm cold and uncomfortable, and then I have to pee. I know that's not very delicately put but it's quite true, and it's made many a massage an unpleasant, tense, gee-when-will-this-be-over waiting game. Totally different at Schön Ruhe!

A Facial I Never Knew Existed

Prior to Schön Ruhe I'd gotten a facial at Urban Retreat before, and it was… okay. I mean, my skin was probably better when I came out but it wasn't an experience at all. It was actually sort of painful and the bright lights on my skin (they use this giant lens to light your face and pick at your pores) made my eyes water behind my closed lids. It was kind of like being at the dentist – uncomfortable and a little painful.

So imagine how unprepared I was for the facial at Schön Ruhe!! Yes, there was a little bit of lit face-picking (which is a good thing, actually), but it was SO relaxing! The room was very welcoming with warm tones, a nice-smelling candle, and the friendliest facialist on the planet, Carol. The experience was great… soft touches on my face to smooth the creams on, tea bags on the eyes, and a little mini-massage for my shoulders, neck, arms, and feet while the creams "set". Heaven! I'd never known a facial could be like that!

Since that first trip Carol's given me many a fabulous facial as well as expert eyebrow waxing. 

Perfect toes, perfect hands

Of course, the pedicures and manicures maintain the standard — the pedicure chairs are heavenly and Lindsey and crew place a high priority on sanitation (an issue near and dear to my heart). All metal tools used come out of an autoclave, each chair goes through a 10-minute sanitation cycle between clients, and the buffers/nail boards are all sterilized before your use. And it feels fabulous… you get the choice of sugar or salt with your scrub (to match personality, I guess? I like salt best!) and a dizzying array of fabulous Aveda potions and lotions that not only smell great but leave you with great skin.  Debbie is an artist, without a doubt the best darn pedicure and most perfect toe-paint job ever.

Although I'm generally a toe girl, I've done the manicure route a few times and they're great too!!  It's kind of a sumptious experience of mini-massage, skin conditioning, and having your nails look like you're actually a lady of luxury rather than a construction worker (maybe that's just me and my dishpan hands).

Crowning Glory: Hair

Of course, they do hair too. (Can you tell I've already been about a million times?)  Katie is such a sweet young girl at first you worry she's inexperienced, but one haircut will change your mind.  She is expert.  My hair comes out PERFECT every time.  And she's great at counseling me through my awkward-growing-out hair phase that I'm in right now. 

A Spa Gem in the Country

All in all I just can't believe it exists, and that I found it. It's such a high-end spa experience, I was surprised and amazed to discover it in sweet little Brenham. Top-notch services and facilities at prices that always surprise me (having cut my spa teeth in pricey Houston). What makes it so special, of course, though is Lindsay and the the entire staff and the care they bring to the entire place… from the paint and the decorations to the welcoming smile and the full attention to your every need, it just feels good to be there. You get to be part of someone doing what they love, and what they were born to do. And you just can't help catch a little of that joy when you're there.

Footnote: Now Aveda!!

I didn't think it could get any better.  But if you'd asked me a year ago when I started coming here what could possibly make Schön Ruhe any better, I'd have been hard-pressed for an answer.  But now it's AVEDA, which is without fail my very favorite kind of salon.  They must put an addictive chemical in their product, because I – who am so sensitive to smells I can tell if my daughter has put on perfume when she's still in her bedroom — love how Aveda salons smell.  And how my hair looks after the full-on Aveda experience.  So fabulous, can't recommend it highly enough!!

Related posts:

1. Heights Spa (***½)
2. Aromassault: Why America Needs to Go on a Fragrance Diet
3. Ragazza (**½)

8966 Highway 290 E

Chappell Hill, TX 77426

Phone: (979) 836-0850

We recently moved to Brenham, and today (Sunday) we decided to follow one of our old Houston traditions of going out for a big Sunday breakfast. The only problem is we couldn’t find a single restaurant in Brenham that was open for breakfast on Sunday morning! We drove around to several likely candidates, but Mynagirl had already suggested the contigency of heading to the Chappell Hill Diner if we couldn’t find anything open. See, we have learned in our few months here in Brenham that almost nothing local is open on Sundays. Sure, the normal chain restaurants and retail outlets are open, but just about anything owned and run by locals is closed (which is strange for a town that is such a weekend tourist destination, but oh well).

Also, note that we have heard rumors of an IHOP being built in Brenham next door to the new Walgreen’s that’s being built across the street from HEB. We CANNOT wait for both of them!!
Anyway, back to the Chappell Hill Cafe. True to its roots as a highway crossroads establishment, the diner was in fact open, and was busy but not crowded and there were no delays with seating or food. We were extremely surprised and happy to find that there was no smoking allowed, as the place has the rustic feel of a die-hard, countrified, don’t-tell-me-what-to-do, smoker’s last-gasp stronghold. But it wasn’t…yay!

The place was clean but not fancy, the wait staff was pleasant and efficient, and the patrons were a mix of farmers, local townies, transplants (like us), and highway voyagers. We both ordered indulgent breakfasts including eggs, grits, hash browns, bacon, sausage, hotcakes, and french toast (we didn’t each get all of these things, but we purposely ordered more than we could eat in order to sample a broad swath of the bill of fare). The food was served quickly and was hot and fresh (the skillet sausage could have been a titch warmer for my tastes, but I ate it anyway). The only thing I didn’t at least take a sample of was the coffee, and Mynagirl said it was good diner coffee.

Everything was delicious. We both ate more than we intended, but less than we could have given how tasty everything was. Overall this was a great place and we’re defintely going to keep it in our rotation.

Okay, now for our one minor quibble. When we were about 3/4 of the way done with our meals the waitress comes over and cleaned the tables on either side of us by spritzing Fantastic on the table tops!!!!!!! The acrid, chemical stench was overwhelming and we each had to stop eating/drinking and cover our mouths to keep from gagging. She spritzed and spritzed enormous clouds of the stuff out into the air like Tinkerbell spreading magical pixie dust!! It was dis-gus-ting! If we hadn’t already almost finished our meals this might have ended up ruining the entire experience, but after a minute or two the stench died down and we were able to finish our meals.

But, WTF??!???!!? Don’t restaurants know by now not to spritz atomized chemicals into the airspace of the tables where patrons are eating?? And if you must use something, how about water with vinegar or lemon juice or something a little less toxic than Fantastic!!????? Sheeeeesh!!!!!

Anyway, end of rant. Overall, barring that one issue, we really liked this place and will be coming back. However, if they continue to assault their patrons with chemical weapons we just may end up skipping this place and just waiting for the IHOP.

Related posts:

1. Chatter’s Cafe and Bistro (**)
2. Asian Cajun Bar and Grill (***½)
3. Cafe Le Jadeite (****)

We recently moved to Brenham from big, old Houston, and quickly found this place. We’ve gone there for lunch several times in the week or so that we’ve been here, and have found it to always be fresh, friendly, and delicious. One time the line was a bit long for us, but we were time-constrained or we would have stayed and eaten in spite of the wait.

So far I’ve focused on the french dip, and boy do they make it right. Freshly toasted/grilled bread, juicy, tender roast beef, delicious melted cheese…yum! One minor complaint is that they serve only chips, not fries, but that’s just quibbling. We’ve also had pies, soups, salads, and other assorted menu items, and all have been just great. Plus it has a charming ambiance and just a great all-around karma.

We actually hesitated to go there, thinking it might be a tourist-trap type restaurant feeding of the Blue Bell Creamery Tour crowd, but they aren’t. Well, they might certainly be servicing that crowd, but they’re not doing it with sub-standard, over-priced goods – they’re doing it with fresh, delicious, reasonably priced, wonderful offerings. We only wish they were open more often, because we’d go all the time!

Related posts:

1. Nino’s Italian Restaurant (***)
2. Shanghai River Restaurant – Highly Recommended
3. Mo’s BBQ – Excellent!