Big V’s Last Chapter: I Don’t Honky Tonk Near Often Enough

Faust Brewing, Belle Waxing, Buc-ee’s, Rent-a-Center, Comal County Tacos, Anytime Fitness, ShadeTree Saloon, The Loft, & Richter’s Antler Cafe

                                     A 5-Year Personal Diary & South Texas Business Review
                                      Written by Verna ‘Big V’ S— from New Braunfels, TX 
                                                  “Trying to Make My Way in this World”

Faust Brewing Company
$$ Sports Bars, Breweries, Burgers
499 S. Castell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130

9/20/2012

I love a good IPA so Faust Brewing won my heart over right away. These days I've got to be careful not to drink too much. I'm taking antidepressants to help me over the hump of my divorce.

Turns out too many IPA's don't mix so well with my meds! JAYSUS!! LOL!  

But seriously this place is cool. I met a blind date here and we had a good time. The atmosphere is laid back and it was easy to talk and get to know one another. I left the brewery questioning if I'm at a place emotionally to make a true connection with anyone. But then I figured as long as I don't rush into anything I'm fine. Or maybe I just need to be on my own for a while. But on a date on my own Faust Brewery works for me.

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Belle Waxing and Skincare
$$ Skin Care, Waxing, Massage Therapy
224 E Faust St, New Braunfels, TX 78130

9/20/2012

I came here for a facial before my 25 year high school reunion. WHERE has the time gone?

I scheduled the facial a week before the reunion in case my skin had any adverse reactions. I have pretty bad acne scars and sometimes my rosacea acts up. But this facial was great!!

I felt like it erased 25 years of skin damage from smoking and the sun. I was in the middle of a life-shattering divorce right around the time I headed out of town for the reunions.

Thanks to this facial (and Prozac LOL) I am pretty sure that on the outside it appeared to my old classmates that I had it all together. My fresh face was just the thing I needed to get my confidence back. I went to my reunion and had an amazing time reconnecting with everyone. It was truly one of the best times of my life.

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Buc-ee’s
$ Gas Stations, Convenience Stores, Car Wash
2760 Ih 35 N. New Braunfels, TX 78130

9/20/2012

This place is right around the corner from my rent house. It has a huge selection of everything. Good gas prices, great jams and jellies, yummy kolaches, awesome sandwiches, and a nice cigarette selection.

Recently I've had a a bit of a backslide on smoking. I hadn't had a smoke in over 6 months. Once I even went as long as 2 years with no smoking, but for now nicotine is helping me through a tough time in my life. I'm just rolling with it and so should everyone around me. At Bucee’s I can get beef jerky, beaver nuggets, pickled veggies, and Marlboro Lights. One-stop shopping!  

Hopefully I can quit this disgusting habit of mine one day soon, but until I do I'll make the best of it at Bucee's!

Nice selection of my smokes!

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Rent-A-Center
Furniture Stores
651 S Walnut, New Braunfels, TX 78130

9/20/2012

After almost 20 years of marriage I found myself in a place I never expected to be: Rent-A-Center!!!  

It'd been a long time in the making, or so I told myself as I shopped for a sofa.

We all show love in different ways and finally my spouse and I realized we spoke different love languages. My spouse's love language included having an affair but that's in the past. I've let it go. Time for me to start a new life.  

First stop Rent-A-Center, for some furnishings for my new rent home. I'm a little bit of a neat freak so the idea of rental furniture bugged me at first. But the furniture was all in great shape. I left with a living room set, entertainment center, and dinette set.  

Everything looks great in my rent home. And I keep it a lot cleaner than my ex ever did. All I ever really wanted was a clean organized home. But I am happy now and adapting to my new life. In fact just last night I created an online dating account on my new rental lazy boy couch!! I'm a good person and I deserve good things.

Freedom is not given to us by anyone, we have to cultivate it daily ourselves. Thank you Rent-A-Center for helping me move one step closer to that freedom.  :)

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Comal County Tacos - CLOSED
$ Mexican
15405 State Hwy 46 W, Spring Branch, TX 78070

9/20/2012

Unfortunately these days there's not much right in my life.

My personal life and professional life are falling apart. So it's the little things that keep me going. And these tacos definitely count as one of those little things. They are perfection. Plus they have great prices.

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Anytime Fitness
Gyms, Trainers
2351 Loop 337, New Braunfels, TX 78130

9/19/2012

I joined this gym a few months ago. For the most part I am pleased with it. It's clean and has all the basics.

My one issue has nothing to do with the gym but rather the clientele. There is this one very weathered-looking man who, it never fails, is working out there the same time as me. He creeps me out. I've seen him out front of the gym smoking.

Hey I've backslid with my smoking too but not during or after workouts. That's just gross. I've caught him smiling at me before and accidentally made eye contact with him one time. Something in his eyes struck me as very unstable. But the gym and the facility are great though.

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Shade Tree Saloon & Grill
$$ American (Traditional), Pubs, Music Venues
13430 Hwy 281 N Spring Branch, TX 78070

9/19/2012

I hit the Shadetree the other night and realized I don't honky-tonk near often enough!  If I'm honest about it, I probably had a few too many cold ones here! Too many cold ones combined with my current meds doesn't always equal “the best me” so hopefully they'll let me back!! :)

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The Loft Coffee House: Coffee for a Cause
$ Coffee & Tea, Community Service/Non-Profit
6260 Us Hwy 281 N Spring Branch, TX 7807

9/19/2012

I love this place. The perfect way for me to start a weekend is going here grabbin’ a cup of jo and heading out to their porch to write in my journal.

Most of the time I feel like I've got the weight of the world on my back but not on their front porch. It's a place I can find peace and be in touch with the wonders of life.

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Richter’s Antler Cafe
$$ American (Traditional)
1 Sun Valley Dr, Spring Branch, TX 78070

9/19/2012

Comfort food never tasted so good!!!

I tried this place for the first time a few weeks ago. I've been going through a tough time lately. I guess you could say I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. But the chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and large glass of ice tea made me momentarily check my emotional baggage at the door.

Also the server felt like an old friend. I got the feeling she understood some of what I've been going through. Oh, and the pie for dessert provided me with a few more moments of welcome relief before picking up my baggage at the door and heading back into reality. Thanks Richter's!!

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Big V’s Profile on Yelp

Location: New Braunfels, Texas

Yelping Since September 2012

Things I Love: Homebrewing beer, yoga, my ex, low-brow humor

Find me in: My Ford 150 truck driving in the hill country

My Hometown: Reynoldsburg

When I’m Not Yelping: I’m tryin to figure it all out

Why You Should Read My Reviews: I’m authentic

The Last Great Book I Read: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation, by Thich Nhat Hanh

My First Concert: Steely Dan

My Favorite Movie: Pretty Woman

My Last Meal on Earth: A pack of smokes

Don’t Tell Anyone Else But: Yelping is like therapy for me

Most Recent Discovery: GROUPONS!

Current Crush: Every man on Tinder!!!

LOL!!!!

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This is the last chapter of Big V’s Yelp Diary. You can still find all of Verna’s original entries on Yelp today. Her profile says she had 143 friends, and I wish we could all band together and find her.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Trying to Make My Way in this World

Chapter 2: Boning, Buddhism, and Existence

Chapter 3: Brutal Therapy, Fingerbanging, and Meditative Practice

Chapter 4: Full Moon and a Fresh Pack

Chapter 5: Debt, Divorce, Prozac, & Pumpkin Spice

Chapter 6: The Past is Not Dead; It’s Not Even the Past

Chapter 7: Post-Divorce Spoils, Baby Brother, & Smokes

Chapter 8: I Don’t Honky Tonk Near Often Enough!

From September 2012 to July 2017. Verna (Big V) wrote a personal diary in the form of Yelp reviews. She had many fans who read her reviews and recognized it was something special. Please get in touch with me if you know where Verna is today.

© Big V’s Yelp Reviews, September 2012 to July 2017

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