Tingting

Absolutely Opiere---excellent service from start to finish. 

And here's another side/rant:  restaurants that start off well, have great staff and reasonable/fair prices and do well. Once they get established, they start to cut corners and expect customer loyalty when the food goes from great to meh. Original Tony's looks like they may be heading down that path. When it was changed over to his children, hubby and I raved over the plating and food. All was the consistent quality that we had come to know and love. Now, it seems that the portions are shrinking and the quality is going downhill. Ribs are being cut into slices and the portions are ridiculously small and drowning in sauce to hide their shrinkage. Hubby's last order of French fries took a magnifying glass to find. We're hoping that this was just a blip and they'll soon get back to their usual high standards. At any rate, I'll give them another chance because the other dishes have stayed pretty consistent...

BUT...we tried several times to go to Tony's Campestre when it first opened, but could never get the timing right. Finally went several weeks ago. BIG mistake. Hubby had ribs and I had fish. Hubby's ribs had been cooked to hell and back and were then cut up into pieces so it looked like there was more than there was. Overall, they were dry, grisly and inedible...and Tony was the chef. My fish was to be unbreaded and grilled. It came to me swimming in its own ocean of oil. The waiter was befuddled (trying to be kind) and barely able to handle the order. Merlot couldn't be bought by the glass, only by the bottle. The red that did come was refrigerator cold (!). That was our first and last trip to Campestre. Honestly, it was horrible.

There is one side effect that I never expected...I can't cut onions without crying. Holy crap, is it sharp! I'd never had a problem before and now I do. Hmmmm….good vision, no readers and I cry cutting onions versus contacts/readers and Coke bottle glasses? Gee...what should I have done, what should I have done? 😁While I still have issues, it's with my crappy retinas and nothing to do with with the cataract surgery--THAT was the best thing I've done for myself.

Just curious -- there are two new hospital groups that have been advertising that they accept most insurances and I'd love to hear the actual experiences of TRICARE users. How has the paperwork been handled, including the deductible? Any information/direct experiences would be appreciated. TIA!

Lupita, if you could tell us, what insurance plans do you accept, etc. Any information would be appreciated!

On ‎9‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 6:53 PM, purpleflower said:

There are new construction ones - a few that a spouse died and they returned NOB and were renting and now the owner decided to put on the market since the market is better than a few years ago - one wants to travel more - personal reasons (not related to crime) - people splitting up - one wants more space - some just want to go back NOB - owner death and house put up for sale - weekenders wanting to sell - just the trend now - plenty on the market everywhere.

Exactly this. Take the advice already given and TAKE A WALK AROUND THE AREA (for emphasis, not to be screaming). How does it feel to you? Would you like this style of living or do you need to be closer to town? There is a LOT of activity everywhere. We have a lot going on here because the area is really picking up. Some folks are selling to flip a quick peso, some because they're getting older and can't handle the hills, etc, etc. Regardless of what anyone tells you, only you can decide if it's a good fit for you.

I've always used an Android tablet (usually Samsung) and have been extremely happy. I never liked the way that Apple conducted business, so I try to avoid them, although I do have an IPOD. Of course, YMMV. 

17 hours ago, pappysmarket said:

Both myself and my wife went through this procedure and what we paid might well be way more or way less than you will pay. Good for you that you got 2 people to tell you how much they paid. Are your eyes the same as theirs, do you want single, double or triple lenses? Are your eyes even a good candidate for the surgery? If saving up for the procedure is that important you should see the Dr. ASAP to get the true cost for your eyes and perhaps even be able to work out a payment plan or at least get on the waiting list for the surgery.

Good luck, if you truly need it you will be amazed at the difference.

I think he accepts that what we paid isn't going to be what he pays, but at least it gives a rough starting point. Gosh, why is this such a controversy? At any rate, you're absolutely right about the difference. While my eyes were more towards issues with cataracts starting, I still marvel every day at the sharpness of leaves on trees. Also, sunglasses are a must...just like they were when I wore contacts. Life is good!

Gringohombre, I had the surgery with Dra. Claudia and will PM you.

3 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach said:

Every time the subject of CH comes up so many that do not live here seem to know it all.  We have lived here for almost 10 years and would not change for anything. We originally bought and lived in Ajijic and it was not for us, talk about rules or regulations not being adhered to!  Talk to the people that do live here and have for years. Mosquitoes, we had more when we lived NOB. If you are looking to live in an area that is for the most quiet and want a country feel, then this is it.  You will have your occasional Mexican party with music but believe me nothing like they have in either town. Dogs, yes, you will hear dogs at times, like widesky said above. When we have an issue we speak to our Security-Maintenance person (who lives here) and he is pretty good at getting it settled.   Break-ins, sure we have had some just like the other towns. We have never had one but we practice common sense security. Do we feel secure here, yes. Would I walk around at night, yes.        If you are really interested, then please come out here for yourself, stop at the office and speak to our office Manager, ride around and talk to us, the people that do live here. Good luck.

Exactly. I've lived here for 15 years and love it. While we have problems, like any community, I feel safe enough that I walk every morning when it's still dark. Not once have I ever felt threatened. Many others take advantage of the suburban feel to walk/run. The arroyo is behind us, too, and in 15 years, we have never had a mozzie issue. Quite frankly, I can count on one hand the number of mozzies that I've actually seen/heard.  As another said, the arroyo is usually dry. If it's rainy season, the water is rushing...you just don't often see standing water. While you'll get that neighbor who might party, it's usually a one-off thing (except for our neighbor, the wannabe drummer who can't sing worth shi*, but that's another topic  ). This fracc is undergoing some serious gentrification. If you look around, you'll see that there is new construction and renovations. You get a lot of house/land for the money. In other words, it's whatever experience you make of it. The best advice you were given is to come out and just walk around (use a map, it can be confusing, at first).

Dra Claudia, Dra Claudia,, Dra Claudia!!!!! Yes, she's that good.

I prefer to use á nom de plume. Those who need to know who I am, do, and those who don't, don't. Sorry, but there have been some really, ummmmm, interesting folks on these boards and I've actually been stalked by one very loopy person (different board) that took a bit to shake off. Nothing sinister is behind it, but it's just more comfortable. Either that, or I'm just an old, grumpy goat who's too lazy to change my name (more than likely).

Sorry, Donenrique, I just saw your questions. I don't know if the new server was part of the reason for the issues or not, but everything has been great, so far, with the new modem. I don't know if it makes a difference, but when the new hotel went up on the carretera, our speeds drastically improved. When there's a problem, they usually get to it relatively quickly because the hotel is a major customer. Our problems seemed to appear overnight and then continued. That was our first clue that the modem could be the culprit. No matter what we tried, the buffering was horrible. It was about that time that I remembered the previous posting that others had made about modems and I went back to it. Like I said, I figured the $340mxn was worth it to save me a fruitless trip to TM's Ajijic office. We figured that things were so bad, what's $17usd? At worst, it was money down the crapper and at best, it would resolve the problem.

Wow, this has really taken off since I first checked in. To answer some questions:  1) the modem I bought was a Huawei, same as TELMEX. Here's a link for anyone interested:  https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-632599189-modem-router-telmex-dos-bandas-hg659-nuevo-envio-gratis-_JM  (Obviously, just type in "modems" on ML if this doesn't match what you need--there seem to be a LOT for sale.)The only thing I wasn't sure about was the line type. This one is copper. I bought it because every time TM goes down, it's usually because someone has stolen some of the copper cable...so...I just figured that our line was copper. I'm sure someone a lot more technical than this technodino will be quivering in his/her boots at my ignorance, but it worked. 2) We have routers because our house is a bit large and hubby has "his" tv downstairs and I have "mine" upstairs (we like to watch entirely different programs). The signal has a bit of distance to travel, with dead zones, so the routers help, but they can be a bit of a pig when you're trying to get everything working (hence, the tweaking we had to do when the modem arrived.) The speedtest is usually around 13-15mbs download with 2+ upload. 3) The buffering was happening all of the day with it sometimes improving a bit at night. Many of the channels wouldn't come in. Now, we pretty much get everything out there. 

I hope that helps. Please feel free to ask if I missed something. 

On ‎8‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:17 PM, chapalence said:

For those of us who cannot mentally, spiritually, or emotionally bear to step foot NOB again, and/or who no longer feel safe in a country of gun nuts and mentally deranged white supremacists, they couldn't pay us to get care there.

Furthermore, all the constant nattering about health care is enough to make anybody sick. Can we please talk about shitty internet service some more?

Wow, just wow.

ILOX isn't an option for us right now (area), plus there appear to still be glitches with them. While I think they're going to be better, it's not a rush for now. I like that we now have our own modem and can just replace it if/when it craps out. It sure beats dealing with the Ajijic office. For GringoHombre, that's exactly what we did...we got rid of DISH and have the Firestick (installed by Derek who's advertised in GR) with all of the choices it brings. Now that our internet is working as it should, I'm one very happy camper.

We get our TV via the internet and lately things have been buffering like the whole system was about to crash. The same thing was happening when using our computers and it was getting really bad. We tried all of the usual -- range extenders, professional opinion -- and nothing worked. Right about this time, there was a posting about TELMEX modems and all of the problems the OP and others were having in getting reliable service and/or help at the Ajijic office. Long story short,  one poster mentioned getting a replacement modem via Mercado Libre. I went online, checked out what matched our service and type of cable (?) and ordered the best one I could find. The cost, INCLUDING shipping, was $340 pesos. We figured that the worst that could happen was that we wasted approx. $17usd on it -- worth it if it saved us from having to go to the Ajijic office, only to get blown off. So, after installing it, tweaking it for the routers, a few rounds of cursing (me), and other tech stuff (hubby), we were off...and it WORKED!!!. lol, in reality, it was pretty simple and worth it. Now, our service is consistent...imagine that!

The service is currently suspended and may not return. It's not my place to say what happened (just something unexpected, not any glitches in the business), so he should be sending out information to folks in the following weeks. I know that it is a much-appreciated service, so I'm sorry to see  it not active. Fingers crossed it comes back or someone else fills the gap...operating in the same safe, by-the-book manner as Hugh and his crew.

I've PM'd you.

On ‎8‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 3:49 PM, oregontochapala said:

HandiArtistic Upholstery a few doors down from from Pancho's in Riberas.

They did great work on two of our favorite chairs. Highly recommend them!

Newf, is your billing actually showing that your generating roughly 400KwH energy or just your solar panel? I can't explain on the board why I'm asking, but if it isn't showing, I'll PM you and tell you of our experience and what it took to fix it. No, nothing illegal, but CFE was NOT helpful. Shocking, I know.

Just as a suggestion, you might want to add whether you're willing to share expenses, etc.

LOVE this place! We often go 2x or more a week. It's nothing fancy, but it's consistent and good. The noise is a bit obnoxious, but you learn to tune it out...it's worth it. As for the dogs, people stay outside with them and I've never been bothered. If you prefer not to be in a dog-friendly place, fair enough, but I'd hate for others not to even try El Fogon de Charlotte simply because of one comment. If you haven't already tried them, go! I can also recommend the Chiles en Nogada...diet-buster, but omg, so good! ('scuse me while I mop up the drool).

7 hours ago, Ferret said:

Ah purists. Love 'em. I just use the bagged variety plain for the microwave.

However, MANY Mexican families ALL love popcorn but not all have the equipment or a microwave. I wrote a letter to Jiffy Pop in the U.S. about 15 years ago and suggested that the old fashioned jiffy pop (remember shaking the foil plate over a burner until the foil on top expanded?) would sell in Mexico to everyone, even those who only had one burner or cooked over a campfire. Heard nothing back and have never found it here. I don't even know if it's still available?

Oh, if only I could....but, sadly, I'm trying hard to be healthy. If I had my "druthers," I'd load about a stick of butter over a small bowlful and go hide in a corner with "my precious."

Jiffy Pop missed a MAJOR opportunity here!

I wanted a couple of bags of popcorn for my air popper and searched high and low in the snack section of Wally's World. Nada. Only by chance (and needing a few more items) did I think to search in...the bean section. Yup, nestled amongst the frijoles of various shapes and varieties were the popcorn "beans." Love it!