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An oil change may lead to needing a tire change

September 27th, 2012

Generally speaking, I’ve had no trouble with Fast Oil & Lube on Highway 31 in Tyler, just a mile from the loop. That is until a few months ago when I decided to never go back there again, and it’s a shame because my house is located just down the road.

Anyway, I had just gotten off work and I needed an oil change for a road trip I was taking the next morning.  I got out of my car and let the employees do their thing when one of them asked me if I had a spare tire. I answered, “Yes, but why would I need it?”

He then proceeded to show me my flat tire and the valve was completely torn out.

Not that there’s a good time for this to happen, but the timing couldn’t have gotten worse for me. I had to be leaving town no later than 7:30 the next morning and most places don’t open util 8 a.m. Yes, I made them pay and I made a decision as to where I will never go to get my oil change.

I never got an understandable explanation but I was obviously extremely upset with them. The most logical explanation I could come to was that when they did their courtesy tire check, they decide to add more air the were careless as they yanked the hose while it was attached to the valve. Not sure if that’s accurate, but that’s not important. What was important was they made a stupid careless mistake that cost them at least one customer. I’d advise you not to go there either unless you don’t care about keeping your vehicle in good shape.

Songwriters Lab, Learn from Christian Lyric Writing Legends

July 10th, 2011

Songwriters Labhttp://www.songwriterslab.org/

Songwriters Lab on Facebook

For all those that aspire to write Christian songs and even non-Christian lyrics this lab is absolutely one of a kind.

Boogie Wynne of Tyler TX has put together this lab that allows you to learn from award winning song writers and speakers like: Sue C. Smith, Jennie Lee Riddle, Twila LaBar, Todd Wright, and David Cook.

Jennie Lee Riddle wrote “Revelation Song” which is one of the most influential Christian songs of the last 10 years.

Some of the more impressive credentials of just a few of those that will be teaching at the LAB.

  • Sue C. Smith – 5X DOVE AWARD WINNER, author of 100’s of songs
  • Jennie Lee Riddle – 2X DOVE AWARD WINNER, author of “Revelation Song”

This is the real deal guys. If you are a worship leader at a church and enjoy singing and writing your own songs this will help you get past that learning curve, hone your craft, and market your song.

The Songwriters Lab will be giving away some pretty amazing prizes to the winner of the best song that comes out of the lab.

The prize: 1 song music publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and/or Brentwood-Benson Publishing Group (BBPG) in Nashville to be decided by the judges.

The lab is super cheap to attend at only $30 but is a must for those truly committed and with the attitude to succeed in Christian music writing.

How to attend: Visit their website and click on the “Register” link: http://www.songwriterslab.org/

Location:
Faith Baptist Church
268 S Broad St
Chandler, TX 75758
Phone: 903.372.4143
info@songwriterslab.org

Chandler is located on State Highway 31 just 8 miles west of Tyler, Texas. Should you choose to make a weekend of your visit to the LAB, there is plenty to do in the area. Tyler offers many places to stay, visit and eat while you are in East Texas. The natural beauty and slower pace also make a great place to just sit and write for a while.

Fat Dogs Liquor Store Near Tyler TX

April 18th, 2010

Open M-Sat 10 -9pm Sunday6731 Highway 31 W
Kilgore
(903) 984-7791
Fat Dog Liquor

www.fatdogbeverages.com
709 W Broadway St
Big Sandy
(903) 636-4360
Fat Dog Beverage

www.fatdogbeverages.com
7630 State Highway 155
Frankston
(903) 876-5400s

 

Fat Dogs is a fairly large liquor store on the Hendersen county border – a ‘wet patch’ sandwiched between two non-alcohol selling counties. From Tyler you will find it on the right just after the bridge crossing Lake Palestine, in a place called Coffee City. Fat Dogs is probably one of the closest stores to Tyler selling a range of alcoholic beverages. And as it is well lit and clean, it is distinctively less seedy than most!

Fat Dogs sells a large range of wine, beer and liquor – both domestic products and imports. They have cheap wine in boxes to high end international wines and champagnes. The beer selection varies but always includes Henieken, Harp, Guinness, Bass and Sparten plus the more familiar beers like Miller and Shiner. You can buy them individually, in 6 packs or in boxes and crates.

We’re not big spirit drinkers but it looks like they sell a good variety of liquor too. Certainly there is lots of Tequila, vodkas, rums and whiskeys plus Baileys, Ameretto, sherry and mixers.
Lookout for the specials and reductions at Fat Dogs and if you are regular customer, it is definitely worth getting a ‘dog tag’ which will give you discount on frequent purchases.

Fat Dogs has the appearance of a small supermarket so you don’t need to feel uneasy shopping here. I’m sure there are some shady characters who make their purchases at Fat Dogs but the majority of the customers seem to be just normal social drinkers! The staff are friendly and for the most part, knowledegable and they will try and fulfill any special orders and requests. They will bring your shopping cart out to you car and load it for you too.

Finally, if you are on the way to a party, Fat Dogs does have beverages already chilled just waiting for you to pick up. Don’t let your companions drink it on the way though – it’s illegal to have an open bottle of alcohol in your vehicle.

One final tip from an ignorant European who thought she was being hospitable– don’t offer your Baptist neighbours a glass of something from Fat Dogs!

Chandler Family Chiropractic Near Tyler

January 31st, 2010

Chandler Family Chiropractic

323 Hwy 31 E (PO Box 1894)
Chandler, TX 75758
Office: (903) 849-2200
Fax: (903) 849-2600

Chandler Family Chiropractic, Acupuncture & Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is located in Chandler, TX directly off of Highway 31 E. It is only ten miles from Loop 323 in Tyler. It is easy to miss, as the town is very small and their sign is not very pronounced. Several times we have driven right by it. A good tip: It’s right across from the Mexican restaurant and within the main section of town. If you find that you’ve passed all of the gas stations and fast food restaurants, you’ve gone too far.

Dr. Charles R. Dixon has been serving the Tyler-area community since February 2001. His services include spinal decompression therapy, acupuncture (with or without needles), massage therapy, heat and ice therapy, electric stimulus therapy and more. His staff includes his wife and niece who run the front office and massage therapist Mindy Terrell.

Dr. Dixon runs his family practice with skill and enthusiasm. As a patient, I have been shown genuine kindness from all the staff and I have only good things to say about the quality of treatment. I am one of the many patients who used to be in chronic back pain, but that pain is now history. My husband has also been pain-free for months. He had horrible low back pain to the point where he would fall over.

I am always greeted at the door with warm and welcoming smiles. More than once Dr. Dixon has met me at my car and carried my daughter’s infant car seat for me to the office to save me from heavy lifting. He has repeatedly worked late or into his lunch break for us. Once on a Friday evening he even came back to the office after hours to adjust me because he didn’t want my weekend to be miserable.

I first came to know of Chandler Family Chiropractic through a friend of mine. I had been in pain for a year and had never gone to see a chiropractor because at the time I was in school, uninsured and could not afford it. This friend of mine gave me Dr. Dixon’s phone number, which I assumed was the number to his office. It was actually his cell phone number, and Dr. Dixon himself answered and discussed treatment for my back pain. He assured me that he would do his very best to make me pain-free, payment or not, and set up an appointment right then and there.

When I went into the office I was pleasantly surprised by how charming the little office was. The patients all seemed content and relaxed. The staff was more than simply welcoming. They made us feel like family by the time our visit was over, and they sent me home pain-free to boot! My husband and I have been his patients and friends ever since.

I am so thankful for the good care Dr. Dixon has afforded us over the years. He and his wife are good people who have a heartfelt compassion for the needs of others. They go above and beyond what is required or expected of chiropractic care in their hospitality and even in their very thorough and comprehensive medical care. It seems that they would give their services away if there was another way to support their family. They are some of the most giving people I know. I highly recommend his office to anyone who is in need of chiropractic care.

Taco Bell on Highway 31 and Loop 323 in Tyler, TX

January 19th, 2010

Of all fast food chains available in the United States, I prefer Taco Bell, and if you found this by searching for Taco Bell, then I assume you also love the chain. In Tyler, there aren’t a lot of non-burger fast food restaurants. They exist, but for a city our size, there seem to be relatively few.

This Taco Bell branch is located at the corner of Highway 31 and Loop 323. It shares a parking lot with Blockbuster Video which together make a great combination for a lazy evening. Also in the same shopping center are a Burger King, a Little Caesar’s Pizza, a Family Dollar, and interesting enough a Mexican grocery market which has a real taqueria (taco restaurant). I’ve tasted real Mexican tacos. They are amazing. In fact, Tyler offers several locations that will sell you tacos as close to authentic as possible this far North. Yet, I so often find myself pulling into this Taco Bell.

What makes it special? Well, the location has nothing to offer in the visual realm. The parking lot is as depressing as a parking lot can be. It’s as huge as you would need for a mall or a Wal-Mart and so it is rarely even close to fully occupied. This allows for making the potholes visible. Taco Bell itself feels very scrunched against the corner of the two busy roads. The drive through tends to make me claustrophobic like driving on an interstate that is under construction. It is not very wide. It curves and does not allow for exiting it once you’ve committed. I sometimes wonder what I’d do if I was in line and had an emergency. I guess I’d have to attempt hopping the six inch curb.

The things that are special about this Taco Bell in Tyler are the food, of course, and the employees. I have become a bit of an expert on Taco Bell dining around the United States. This is purely from eating at so many of them and hanging out with people at them. Only once have I been disappointed by this Taco Bell’s food, and it was because I made the number one fast food ordering mistake. I tried to go healthy. I ordered some sort of chicken and rice burrito that was close to disgusting. I didn’t spit it out, but I didn’t smile either. That was such an obvious mistake on my part that I could never hold it against the restaurant.

This Taco Bell has been very consistent with their food production. The burritos and tacos always come out as expected. They look close enough to the enhanced commercial examples and consistently taste exactly as I want them too. The “grilled stuffed burrito” is an item that is so often messed up by Taco Bells. When I’ve ordered them at other locations they’ve been dry and overcooked. One common mistake with it is overstuffing it with the rice which needs to be there but not noticed. This location does it right every time. I was even able to convert my wife from a chicken sandwich only customer to being a burrito fan with this branch’s consistently wonderful “grilled stuffed burritos”.

The other cool thing is their employees. I know that fast food doesn’t pay well, and that the employee turnover rate is pretty high. It should be hard to keep good workers. And though I can’t say for certain that they have been the same employees, I can say that the service has stayed the same. They must have a manager who understands customer service. When I pull up to the window, the worker may appear rough or unfriendly, but they inevitably smile at me and offer some small talk. One employee in particular actually had me laughing at loud. It really made the difference in where I will choose to take my eating business.

One last thought to encourage you to check them out…their soda is perfectly mixed. They are always strong with the initial burn that a good soda should offer, and the syrup mix has never been off when I ordered. They also have really good small ice and the really thin straws that make for a nice drinking experience. Give this slightly unattractive location a shot. You might become a regular like me.

500 S Southwest SL-323
Tyler, TX 75702‎
(903) 597-9244‎