You're In Luck At Chuck's: Food Review of Chucks Roadhouse

It's great to see new restaurants are popping up all over the place here in Windsor-Essex County. We've had to say goodbye to several favourites over the years, but things change and people move on. It's all part of life.

On Saturday evening, Bill and I decided to check out Chucks Roadhouse (4001 Legacy Park, across from Silvercity!).  I thought there would be a lineup to get in, but even though it was rather busy inside and outside on their patio, we were able to be seated promptly by the hostess. There was no booth available though, but she did offer the option of the higher tables. However, we both just preferred a regular table to sit at.

Chuck's has a varied menu, everything from salads and wraps, to a carnivore's dream of so many different cuts of meat. I was leaning towards the New York steak, but my stomach whispered “ribs.”

Prices are ridiculous! Oh and by ridiculous, you have to do a double take because you cannot believe how much you are saving on a meal.  There is no lack of quality with the food nor will you complain that you didn't have enough. The portions are large enough to feel satisfied or even take-home a doggie bag for leftovers the next day.

What did we order?

Appetizer:  Spinach and Goat Cheese Dip

Photo by Melissa F. Arditti

Yum! Rich and creamy.  My only complaint is that we had to ask for more pita (1 was not enough – also $1 extra) and we didn't actually get another order of it until after our meal was half way done. So a little disappointed there because the dip ended up being luke-warm and stuck to the plate from sitting.

My meal: Texas Beef Ribs with a side caesar salad. Delicious sauce on the ribs and a huge quantity of tender beef ribs that literally fell off the bone when I cut into them.

Photo by Melissa F. Arditti

Bill's meal:  Smoky Bacon Turkey Wrap with a side garden salad. Bill enjoyed his wrap a lot, plenty of turkey, smoked bacon and toppings, and it was very tasty with the oven-baked tortilla. He just felt it was overly-sauced. So for next time “light on the dressing.”

Photo by Melissa F. Arditti

Dessert: A bit of a let down in all honesty that they only have one dessert; funnel fries. After a heavy meal, I cannot say that either of us really wanted something deep-fried. Someone else may, but not for us. The waitress told us that they used to have more variety, like apple crisp, which would have been perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Alas, no dessert for us at Chuck's!

Overall, we had a delicious meal, the staff were extremely friendly, and it was a relaxed atmosphere. We would definitely return.

Check out the website for their full menu, specials and other locations:

http://chucksroadhouse.com/


Updated 2018: Chucks is now located at: 6675 Tecumseh Rd East

Ask Bill: Drinking Water Safety

Welcome to this week's “ASK BILL”

Bill has been overwhelmed by the number of requests that he receives from people asking him a variety of questions related to science and scams that circulate on the Internet and elsewhere. To manage his time effectively, Bill has decided to do a weekly fun and educational "Ask Bill" segment.

Every Wednesday, Bill will choose one question from his e-mails and answer another science or hoax question. Get your questions into him ASAP.

Check out below for today's question about: "Is city water safe to drink?

Answer:

This week's question is quite interesting.

I was sent a link to a Facebook post about a guy (we will call Jean-Claude) who is complaining about the quality of Windsor's drinking water. I will admit that this is an area I don't have that much knowledge in but I have taken one course on water treatment and health so I have the beginnings of an understanding in this.

Jean-Claude's concern was about the chlorine concentration and also asking “doesn't chlorine lower immune systems, cause cancer and other bad stuff?” He showed a picture of a pool water testing kit which he claimed contained tap water (I will assume he was honest in that claim). He suggested that the concentration was at pool level (1.0..although when I look at the photo it appears to be at 0.5) and also claimed that since people say that you shouldn't drink pool water, then that means the tap water is unsafe. He also made a claim that showering for 15 mins allows for you to absorb 1 gallon of water through the skin by absorption.

There is a lot to go through here but lets get to the short answer first. Is the city water safe to drink? Yes. According to Enwin, “Chlorine is added on a continuous basis to the water leaving the treatment process at a strictly controlled concentration of 1.5 mg/l...the concentration of chlorine in the water is monitored at 18 locations through the distribution system on a daily basis to ensure an adequate concentration is maintained to ensure a safe supply of water to the customers.”

In regards to “lowers immune systems, causes cancer and other bad stuff”: “Health Canada has classified chlorine as unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans. Studies in laboratory animals and humans indicate that chlorine exhibits low toxicity, regardless of the route of exposure (i.e., ingestion, inhalation, dermal). Studies in animals have not been able to identify a concentration of chlorine associated with adverse health effects, in part because of aversion to its taste and odour. No adverse health effects have been observed in humans from consuming water with high chlorine levels (up to 50 mg/L) over a short period of time.” Now some people may not like the taste or smell of chlorine but they can easily install a filter in their home to remove it.

Jean-Claude said you shouldn't drink pool water. This I agree with, but not for the same reasons Jean-Claude thinks. He thinks it's because of the chlorine content. I would say it's because a pool is an open system where it has continual exposure to pollutants. People are swimming in the pool just for starters. Would you want to drink water from a bath tub that had someone was bathing in? I would think it unlikely. A pool also has insects (and other animals including birds), dirt and debris all entering it. Water from your tap is not accessible to the same type of contamination with the exception of water pipe breakage.

So now to the final claim of water absorption through the skin. This is the real reason why I chose this question because I do love laughable claims and this one sure made me laugh that I did my best Mark Wahlberg impression from The Happening.

Seriously though, the skin can absorb some things although it generally is water-resistant but is not water-proof. It's the keratin and sebum (an oil), that helps keep it at bay. You can see its effectiveness when you start to prune when in water too long. So yes it can absorb some water, but it wouldn't be enough to stop you from dehydrating. A gallon of water is a lot of water considering we only need to consume 2.5 quarts, or just over half a gallon, per day depending on individual needs. By Jean-Claude's meter, we would never have to consume water. It is interesting to note that during my looking up info for all this, I found a Danish group did do a study, albeit a small and no control study, to test an old myth of getting drunk by absorption of alcohol through the skin. As you can probably guess, it was confirmed a myth.

Well I hope that answers your question.

Sources:
Enwin FAQ Water
Water Guidelines
Danish Urban Myth

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*For over 30 years, Bill has been a professional magician and has traveled all across Canada, performing for all ages. Along with his passion for entertaining, Bill is an educator and life-long learner. He continues to study biology, psychology, neuroscience and chemistry.  Bill has also written many articles on science and scams for various blogs, newspapers and other publications.

Visit his business site, Nuvo Entertainment: www.nuvoentertainment.com

Danielle Creations Beauty Review: All Rolled Up and Ready To Go!

A lot of times, we think that having the right makeup is the most important part of our daily beauty routine. News flash, it's not. It is essential that even before a decision is made about what to put on our faces (foundation, eyeliner, mascara, etc...) we need a set of good quality makeup brushes. This will help us satisfy whatever look we're trying to achieve.

Searching for some new makeup brushes, I came across Danielle Creations, a vibrant company with an eye for innovation and and over 46 years of success in the beauty industry. Keeping personal care products locally developed and manufactured here in Canada is one aspect that they really pride themselves on and creating formulas that leave out potentially harsh chemicals and preservatives. (Remember we all react differently!)

Also, if it is important to you, they have made great strides in providing consumers with a commitment to never test any of their ingredients or products on animals.

I immediately fell in love with their purple collection (if you haven't guessed by now, my favourite colour is purple!) of brushes.

Here is a photo of the gorgeous purple houndstooth patterned roll-up case, which includes 7 high-quality synthetic brushes.

Angled Powder/Blush Brush
Foundation Brush
All Over Eye Shadow Brush
Liner Brush
Angled Liner/Definer Brush
Sponge Eye Shadow Applicator
Brow Comb/Brush
Brush Roll

Instead of carrying a huge make up case and rummaging through all the different brushes that I may or may not need, I really like that this rolls up so easily, especially without damaging any of the brushes. It takes up very little room in a suitcase, so it's great for taking on trips.

A couple photos here of the brushes that I use most often when i'm applying my pressed mineral foundation  (I have extremely sensitive/reactive skin) so for coverage, this type seems to work well.

Honestly, I don't think these brushes are designed very different from many other makeup brushes that I have used. Aside from the bold colour combo and nice soft bristles, i'm not feeling like they are setting a trend in any way. It's just a good quality set that you can use, plain and simple.

My only complaint is that I wish both of these brushes were a little bit thicker.

I'll have to report back on how this set will hold up with regular use, especially when cleaning them!

I'm still interested in finding something that really distinguishes itself from the rest of the makeup brush pack though. I guess you could say that when it comes to products, I am always excited when companies break the mold out of current marketing trends and really present me with that "wow" factor.  This is a difficult task to always achieve, but that aspect can really secure customer loyalty, which in this day and age is pretty important.

If you'd like to purchase these lovely brushes, you can go here.  Keep in mind, if you haven't fallen in love with the purple, you can choose from cream, silver or even black.


Remember, when thinking of beauty, it can often be expressed through functionality and art, all rolled up into one.

Windsor Restaurant Review - Blooming inside and out: A look into the Sunflower Organic Cafe

Remember the days when you couldn't even order anything “on the side” because it just came prepared however the restaurant made it. Substituting was met with a sigh or “I'll have to ask if we can do that” reply. Choices were really limited and if you had any sort of allergy or special request, you'd have to phone up days in advance to figure out if they could arrange an alternative. I actually went through a time period when I just stopped eating out at restaurants because it was always a frustrating experience and slightly awkward, especially if I was the only one in the group with restrictions.

Now, a new way of thinking has sprouted for certain businesses, especially one that I recently had lunch at last week called Sunflower Organic Cafe, here in Windsor, Ontario.

I loved the vibrancy of the space with all the knick-knacks, neatly organized above the green trim. It kind of reminded me of entering into grandma's house, with a eco-hipster twist.

I was very impressed with how much this cafe caters to each individual and whatever circumstance you're dealing with. Celiac? No problem. Lactose intolerant? Many alternatives available.  Have another kind of auto-immune issue or follow a certain lifestyle, like vegetarian or vegan? Just let the waitress know and she'll figure out a way to make your meal completely customized to your liking. Oh and if you're into the whole organic movement, then you'll feel right at home.  Personally, I don't subscribe to one philosophy when it comes to food, I hold many beliefs that may align with yours, or perhaps be totally contradictory, so take my review with a grain of salt, if you wish and try it out for yourself.

Customer service was top notch. There's no two ways around that.  Our waitress was really friendly and offered to answer any questions that we had about the menu. Speaking of... the menu is large, so there is a lot of variety to choose from.  Start the day with an energizing breakfast, grab a salad, or just power up with one of their smoothies.

Another plus is how reasonably-priced everything is. Many items are under $10, like the Black Bean Wrap, Grilled Cheese, Baby Bella Mushroom and Cheese Omelette, and more.  Check out the menu here: http://www.sunflowerwindsor.com/cafe-menu/

I have to say that my Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes rocked for only $8.95! I couldn't taste the cinnamon all that much, but the mixed berry compote, side of pure maple syrup, plus some refreshing apple splices hit the spot. 3 pancakes might seem stingy since we live in a society where quantity is valued far more than quality, but it was the right amount. I will say though that if you are not familiar with buckwheat, it is rather dense and a little bit on the heavy side, so it won't taste like your traditional pancake.

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

On a personal note, I am also happy that there is a new place that I can take my parents. With all the major changes going on for my dad, eating healthy is a top priority. Having a nice customized meal that will give him lots of energy is important because he is so active. Oh and of course, this gives my mom a much-needed break, so she doesn't have to cook.

Thanks to my friend Gail for suggesting this spot for our lunch date! :)

Make sure to check out Sunflower Organic Cafe on Facebook!

Update as of Jan 2016: Sadly, it looks like they have closed their doors for good!!