cochran

PM sent.

Thanks for the input so far. Excel Language doesn't show Mandarin on their webpage, but I've sent a message to them anyway to check and see what's available. If I find anything, I'll post here.

I would like to take a beginner's Mandarin class on weekends in Pattaya, but I'm having trouble finding options. So far, I see only ProLanguage is offering private classes, and I'd like to have other places to review before choosing. I need a native Chinese teacher who speaks English, so this leaves out some of the schools that are only offering Chinese for native Thai speakers.

Can anyone offer advice or perhaps a recommendation from experience?

Thanks in advance!

Yep, new batteries, cleaned battery contacts, reset the remote repeatedly, etc.

One of the air conditioners in my house needs a new remote control unit. The old unit isn't working. We've verified this by using another remote control from one of the bedrooms, and it works fine.

I tried an universal remote control unit from PowerBuy, but no luck. One of the 501 available codes was able to turn on the power to the unit, but no adjustment, no power off, etc.

Brand name is Yashima. Does anyone know where I could find a replacement remote for this brand?

We are in Pattaya.

I need to send a very small money order to the USA for some documents. Must of course be in US funds as its going to a government entity. They don't take credit cards, EFT, PayPal, personal checks, etc.

Does anyone know where I can get either a money order or a cashier's check (some kind of certified instrument) in US funds in Pattaya?

Bayboy,

Thanks! Just what I needed. Where can I find this plant?

I am looking to find out what types of plants are available in the Pattaya area that would be suitable for use in a hedge along a property border. Would like to find something that will top out over 6' / 2m high, responds well to pruning, and does not require massive babysitting. Evergreen much preferred. Can anyone contribute some advice? Also, where can you go to see plants of this type?

Thank you in advance,

Cochran

The old gym (across the street from the new one) has also removed all the water coolers, and posted A4 sheets in various spots explaining that due to the bad economic climate and in order to maintain service levels, they will take out the free water and only sell water. Unfortunately, they've taken away the mineral water they were selling prior and the only option now is some offbrand bottled water.

I agree with previous comments, in that while the older location does have pretty much all the equipment you need, it is really crowded and limited on space. Difficult to get from one side to the other without feeling like you're intruding on someone's workout space. I'm hoping the new gym will "thin the herd" at the old gym and maybe make it more convenient to navigate.

Insufficient! All you lurking slackers out there - sign up now! I know there are more than 18 people on this forum - I've gotten smart-a$$y replies to posts from more than that!! Come on now, out of the woodwork and into the light.

The last one was a real blast. I would hate to see so many miss out.

ROBJSThailand - exactly what import beers are available at The Beach pub you mentioned? Always interested in that.

At the last event, there was some grilling going on. It created a nice little conversation pocket during the event, and if this is possible again the location should take that into account.

Agree with 5th as a solid date. 12th and thereafter aren't good for me...but don't let that stop you!

If we can do it in early June, I'm in. Three week business trip to Germany will kill all of Mid and Late June.

Not too particular on location, but we should make sure the place has an area that welcomes our smoking members as well...without risk of getting hit by cars!

Last one at Pattaya Beer Garden was pretty good, but other places would work as well. Really like Bert's idea of a TV-only night, provided we get the headcount committed.

Hasn't ever really come up, so far as I know. You should check the place out. There's this one amateur guitarist who gets up there occasionally and then he......umm, never mind.

No worries, raro. The rules are not overbearing here.

Rules are now clarified, so back to topic? Or is this one dead now?

I don't want to give the impression that the place is a dump. It certainly looks nice, has good views, and is physically comfortable. However, you can't escape facts and experience: bad electrical issues, bad plumbing issues, and really bad external noise exposure.

Like everything else, it all depends on what you're looking for and what tradeoffs you're willing to accept. If a very convenient, central location is your highest priority, you can't beat this place. But be willing to deal with traffic, noise, and the potential for electrical and water gremlins based on my experience with a 20th floor unit on 2nd road side.

Not free advertising really. We all discuss restaurants by name, with opinions and prices and etc, on multiple threads. No harm, right?

Don't pout, Aussiechick. I'll buy you a SangSom & Soda next time I see you out, okay? By the way, recently had lunch at Jameson's. We should discuss later.

RabC, I thought so too.

I'm totally bummed now to know (for sure) that there won't be a price decrease on alcohol. And double-whammy - no cost break on drowning my sorrows!!

I don't so much mind the beer prices that much (just the dreadfully meager selection most places), but the wine and liquor prices are what I was looking forward to seeing drop.

If you have any option of getting a house instead of a condo, we've had a very positive experience in making that kind of move. Of course, I'm renting instead of buying, and I know its complicated to buy a stand-alone house.

For condos, try Ananya (sp?) next to the Naklua branch of Mum Aroy. Best views ever, lowrise buildings. Kitchens very small, but otherwise nice enough. A colleague lives there and really likes it.

Lived in that building for one year. Miserable. Terrible infrastructure. Wireless internet so slow as to be useless, and also frequently completely unavailable. Very easy to trip the breakers for the electricity, and no, they're not in the room, but down the hall. Hot water pipes blew off of heaters 6 times in twelve months. Music from across the street (beer bar on 2nd road) is louder on 20th floor than at ground level - quite difficult to sleep at all.

AVOID.

PattayaParent, I had to take a different position at work and the load has been very, very heavy since mid January. Not so much on a diet, as being forced to grab quick meals wherever and whenever due to schedule. Seriously, 6 days a week and 12 to 14 hours a day, plus the commute, really makes it tough.

Anyhow, we did manage to get out last night to a place that was recommended quite some time ago - Romanasia off of Pratumnak on soi 9.

When you get to Romanasia, there is a feeling that the surroundings are meant to be sort of neo-Classical, with a footbridge over a pool, small villas on each side, and the restaurant straight ahead. The restaurant is quite nicely decorated, earth tone paint on the walls, bric-a-brac here and there and fabric screens to break up the room. The dining room is small, and according to their website seats 28 people. When we arrived at about 7:30 pm, we were the only people there.

Like pulling off a band-aid, let's get the bad news over with quickly.

When we first arrived, we were easily able to hold a conversation while waiting for food and drink to arrive, with some music in the background. A short while later, another customer arrived, and asked the staff to turn on the television so that he could watch the soccer game. Until this happened, I had been blissfully unaware that there was a big screen tv in the place, just over the bar. So they turned on the game, which pretty much ruined the ambience that we'd been enjoying up to that time. In a restaurant that's this nice, it was really an out of place touch. Party foul.

Secondly, the drinks menu needs some work. I was fine with a gin and tonic, but there are no real cocktails available. House wines are not very tasty, as usual, and the red was served well chilled. Strike two.

Finally, one of our entrees was roast lamb, which came to the table a little dry. Not a major calamity, but detracted from the overall experience.

I have to say that the food here was a very pleasant surprise. The aforementioned gaffes aside, dinner here was, gastronomically, quite successful!

My girlfriend started out with a mushroom and garlic on toast appetizer. On a base of sliced small baguette, they pile on tender mushrooms that have been sauteed in butter with garlic, onion, black pepper, and (I think) a little white wine. Very smooth and savory, with the bread not toasted too hard and the mushrooms at the perfect consistency. The flavors were very complimentary in this dish. Serving size is three pieces. Not enough for a meal in itself, but perfect for an appetizer.

My appetizer was salmon chunks sauteed in butter. The fish was in small, bite size pieces, in a specialized iron pan with little divots (think tiny round muffin pan, maybe), with each morsel capped by a ceramic lid to hold in the heat. This comes to the table sizzling and tastes great. The fish is not overcooked, but buttery and hot and supported by a ton of finely chopped roast garlic. The only warning: its hot! I burned my tongue because it was too good to wait for it to cool. Outstanding dish.

For mains, she ordered a roast lamb with rosemary gravy, mashed potato and mixed vegetables. Presentation on the plate was decent, but not spectacular. When it arrived, it looked like a quite small portion, but turned out to be the perfect size. We didn't leave hungry, and we didn't leave stuffed either. No complaints there. The rosemary gravy was not overloaded with rosemary; used just enough to lend bouquet and flavor to the velvety sauce. With the only negative being that the meat was a little dry, this was still a good meal.

I chose the Indian style butter chicken with garlic rice. Decent portion size, very tender and flavorful chicken, and a nice gravy (sauce?) over the meat. While Indian by Nature puts out better, this was still very good, especially considering this isn't an Indian restaurant. There was more rice than I felt like finishing. Overall quite tasty.

We capped this off with a blueberry crumble each. These are served in a tiny tartlet pastry shell, with one small scoop of vanilla ice cream, a decorative sprinkle of strawberry syrup on the plate, and a couple sprays of whipped cream. While the ice cream was nothing out of the ordinary, the little blueberry crumbles were delicious!! The pastry was crisp, the filling was sweet, but with a touch of tartness to offset it perfectly, and melting a little ice cream on top made this a hot and cold, sweet and tart, soft and crispy delight. Outstanding dessert!!

With two glasses of wine for her (one each of red and white, and both best avoided) and two completely acceptable gin and tonics for me, this three course meal for two came to just under 1100 thb. We've added this to our list of favorites and will for sure return.

And to think we only went there because Au Bon Coin was all booked solid!!

Can you believe we're in April already?

Not much time today, but wanted to post a quick blurb about a few places I've been in the interim.

Suan Beer, just off Sukhumvit on the Farside. Best potato salad ever, bar none. Really quiet place, with retro American pop playing at a reasonable volume, good (not great) beer selection, and outstanding sauerkraut. RaRo's earlier exhortation to "try the Thueringer" is dead-on - really good sausages, served with a decent mashed potato and the aforementioned sauerkraut. Prices are very very reasonable as well. We've been twice, ordered two 0.5L German beers, two appetizers, and two entrees each time, and I think under 700thb each trip.

Easy Corner, off of Pattaya Nua near Differ night club. Its really dark in there! The music is sometimes okay, sometimes not, and always loud, but the best three-flavor fish I've had anywhere. Stop in for the fish and for the smoked salmon terrine, but beware - cocktails here get expensive quick.

Blue Terrace on Pattaya Nua. This is convenient to my home and has pretty decent Thai food and fairly typical pricing. If you like Tom kha gai, they do a good one here. Moo daed daew, three-flavor fish, steamed veg, and cabbage in soy sauce all good choices at this place, and the green curry with beef is also recommended. Huge projector TV outside for soccer matches, live band, etc. On more than one occasion, they've not been able to fill drink orders (Singha beer has been out on two occasions, and no gin and tonic available another night). This place is not extraordinary, but decent.

Tried to get a table at Au Bon Coin for tonight, but all booked up. Will try to get in at Romanasia instead. Let's get this thread "happening" again!!

Syd, wth is "capernoited"?

??? I thought there was a recent ASEAN agreement that was supposed to DECREASE all the costs of alcohol among member countries? Did I hallucinate that bit?