ihop

In the market for a few new ac units. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the Daikin Swift models? They're less expensive than the Inverter models.

We have an LG unit that has been disappointingly loud, very difficult to get to sleep with the unit running.

Pasta Cafe on Nimman, Soi 5 offers a delicious caesar salad and i'm pretty sure it's available with chicken as an option.

BTW, it's pretty obvious what the OP wants - why get so worked up about it?

And with the spelling on Thai menus...i'm sure a 'chicken ceaser salad' can be found in town as well.

Stop by Suan Buak Haad Park in the southwest corner of the moat in the early morning. It's been awhile since i've been but there are usually two tai chi groups and one dancercise session going on. I used to see them around 6 or 7am.

If it's pics you want the park is probably more scenic than a tesco parking lot.

3. The Chinese Restaurant on the Superhighway

It's almost opposite of BUPA in a Chinese-style shopping market. The market is slightly behind a main row a buildings. The easiest way to find it is to look for a green sign that looks like Starbucks but is not. (I tried going last week and the restaurant was closed. I'm not sure if it was just for the day or permanently).

Sounds like Shanghai Restaurant inside the 'Chinatown' complex off the Superhwy just before the ChangPuak/MaeRim Rd intersection. As far as I know they have been closed the past two months, possibly longer. This is very sad because they are one of my favorite restaurants in town. I believe the husband of one of the two sisters that ran the restaurant owns the complex, hopefully maybe they will reopen.

In the meantime, you can also give Mei Jiang inside ChangKlan Plaza a try. They also have a newer restaurant in the Nimman area, I think on Soi 7 or Soi 11. No Panda Express in town...sounds like you aren't looking for that type of chinese-fare anyways. Let us know if you find a fav, i'm in the mood for anything but thai these days.

As promised:

The company: Nim Si Seng

The telephone numbers: 053 306619 and 053 306560

These are private companies and I am not sure if they speak English.

Good luck

This is the same company that moved my household items a few years ago for 4500 baht. Next time i'll tell them i have a house full of trash that needs to be moved and save myself $$$baht.

THanks for all the legwork fiscalist.

I'm trying to recall where i saw a huge landfill awhile back, my memory is worsening these days. I've seen some recycle centers on Ring 1 near Rd 1317, near BKK Furniture.

Whole Earth has the worst indian food i have ever eaten in Chiang Mai. MY OPINION of course ..

I agree about Whole Earth. Nice atmosphere but pricey and the "indian" dishes were very disappointing.

Best indian food i've had in Chiang Mai was at the Royal Flora Expo from an indian restaurant from Bangkok that set up shop during the expo. Can't recall the name but the waitress said they were in CM only for the expo. dam_n.

Le Spice and Royal satisfy my naan n' curry cravings.

I was looking for these awhile back for our attic. Smoke bomb or insect fogger. Surprised I could not find any. I know Raid still makes them. Maybe Rimping can import a few cases? Let me know if you get ahold of some.

Honda Dealer One > head east out of the city and cross Narawat Bridge onto ChareonMaung Rd towards the SuperHwy > take a right at the SuperHwy and the Honda Dealer will be on your left well before BigC. Do not enter the SuperHwy.

Honda Dealer Two > head north out of the city towards MaeRim on ChangPauk Rd/107 > pass the SuperHwy > pass City Hall/Ring 1 > pass the military battalion > look for the big Honda sign on your right > make a safe U-turn.

The attached maps will give you a rough idea.

Had nice, efficient service at both dealers. Never been to the one in HangDong.

Once in awhile we see one of these around our house, about 7 inches long not including his tail. Not sure about his specifics but he's pretty quick and I wouldn't want to wake up with him above me.

Here's a pic. FYI, I am not a geek.

Don't know about 'Pasta House' but the one on Soi 5 off Nimman is the always pleasant Pasta Cafe. Good stuff.

Some funny goings on in the background at Nang Nual instigated the closure- family/money/issues we heard - now up for sale at 70 million I believe.

First 30m now 70m...me thinks you were quoted the farang price.

Much thanks!

Haven't seen Lysol disinfectant spray in any of the markets (C4, Lotus, Rimping) or any similar Thai product. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough or can't read the Thai labels correctly. Anyone know if it's available around here?

Drove by last night on the way home...entire complex is closed and dark 'cept for the security guard post.

Shame...one of the better thai restaurants in town. Hope they come back.

My list of favorite places to dine in CM is getting shorter and shorter.

I believe both Beer Lao and Beer Lao Dark are available at Drunken Flower which is located on Soi 17 off Nimman. They used to be at the end of Soi 1 but have moved to a smaller location on Soi 17.

Can't remember what they were charging...that was our third pub stop that night.

If you haven't already, pick up a copy of Home Buyers' - Chiang Mai edition mag. for 20 baht from DK or Suriwong Bookstore or Lotus. Most of the housing developments have advertisements in it and there is a very comprehensive project listing with starting prices. The articles are in Thai and English but the location map is in Thai so you'll have to match the number to the ad page. You'll also get a basic idea as far as the style of homes offered in town from the ads.

If you already have an area you prefer in mind that will narrow choices down. I would suggest keeping an openmind and drive to and from that location a few times from places you go to often. And as mentioned, allocate some of that 6 mil for a larger plot of land between you and your neighbor and where you can plant your oasis.

Happy house hunting.

Is there anything else out there similar, ie. lots of trees, well maintained, streets NOT laid out in grid formation, houses of decent build quality, some with views of surrounding rice fields.

Thanks for any help.

At the current rate of development, I wouldn't get too attached to any views of surrounding rice fields.

Hey ST...thanks for a most entertaining thread and I wish you luck in your endeavor.

...on second thought, after reading your last post, if I were this woman's father/brother/or friend I wouldn't let you near her but that's just me.

Good luck with that mix tape...maybe putting it on an ipod or walkman will help.

I'll just add that a warm smile goes a long way and cost nothing.

I found Luang Prabang VERY charming and worth VISITING

and I found Chiang Mai VERY livable and worth STAYING.

Walking through the half empty ground floor of Pantip I noticed they've rented (or alloted) a shop front to the outfit selling retail space in the new centre opening up just across the road. Unless the rents are sky high in Pantip and the building is doing OK from the few tenants they have, it must be haemorrhaging money so who knows where anyone expects to find more from.

Tawan Centre - isn't that the new name for the space they divided under the bowling alley on the inside of the moat near Central?

Yep, just to confuse everyone the name of the recently renovated bowling alley/fitness center/spa at the northwest corner of the moat is Tawan Center. Why not, there are two Centrals.

Back in CM for 3 weeks now and discovered Le Spice. Excellent food, half the cost of the one I used to use above McDonalds. Happy to deliver take aways to what ever bar you are in!

Just finished a chicken vindaloo with bombay potato for breakfast that i had from there! Thats made up for the poor valentines size set meal of last night!

The Indian restaurant above the MacD closed down a few months ago. They were ok but yes, abit pricey for the portions they were offering. Nice view of the Night Bazaar though!

Did you order the cheeseburger or the bacon, cheeseburger? They use two different kinds of beef, depending on which you order.

The only time I had a really terrible bacon, cheese burger at the CM Saloon, Ron told me that the staff had used the wrong (Thai) beef and promptly refunded my money.

I have noticed that people who like the Duke's burgers, generally don't like the Saloon's and vice versa, but I can't tell you why. I am usually a big Duke's fan, but don't like the burgers.

I had the 'CityLife awarded' cheeseburger. Again, why offer the thai-beef at all?

Sitting there waiting for my burger I was thinking about sampling the menu on future visits but after that first impression...probably not. At least now I know how those scrawny white thai cows taste like.

I've got to try the #1 voted Chaing Mai Saloon before I can solidify this opinion.

Please try the CM Saloon Bacon, Cheeseburger - it always comes with Aussie or American imported beef. Ron's cheaper burgers use Thai beef, but one of them won the original Citylife #1 prize.

Both sabaijai and I feel that the CM Saloon bacon, cheeseburger is GREAT!

CM Saloon's burgers aren't anywhere near as good as Duke's, imho. The beef was almost as good, but the cheese was just an ordinary slice of cheap packaged cheese; the bacon was a soft piece of what an American would call "Canadian bacon". Duke's uses crispy American-style bacon and better cheese. CM Saloon has served me limp french fries both times I've been there. The oil wasn't hot enough. Duke's fries and onion rings are always perfectly crispy. I've tried both branches of CM Saloon and I won't be going back (well, maybe for next year's Super Bowl).

I had one of CM Saloon's cheeseburgers this week and was really looking forward to it. I'm not sure WHERE the beef came from but it was a whitish-pink, tasteless, and appeared undercooked...got through half of it thinking it was just me and the dark lighting but all i could taste was the tomato. Probably the first time I couldn't finish a simple cheeseburger.

I thought this odd since CM Saloon was considered to have a decent burger. Did I get a thai-beef burger??? What-the-h***, why not just offer one type of beef and stick with it.

I go to about 8 of the burger joints listed but not this one again.

Totally agree...the chicken tikki masala is very good and the naan is probably best in town. Very convenient location compared to the old locale. I usually hop between Royal and Le Spice for indian. I save about 20-30 baht going to Royal so end up there more often.