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Post by claypoolfan on Dec 2, 2023 23:33:50 GMT -6
Our single "go every time" in Vegas is Craftsteak in MGM. The best, though, was Guy Savoy. Came here to say Craftsteak. I’ve been four times and it has never not been amazing. |
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Post by kb on Dec 6, 2023 12:56:11 GMT -6
heading to marco island, fl, for christmas, so any recs for there (or naples, i guess, since it's nearby) would be appreciated. i don't know shit about it, i don't think i'd ever even heard of it until we booked this trip. husband and i were pushing for PR or mexico but the other family going didn't agree.  |
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Post by claypoolfan on Dec 21, 2023 13:28:02 GMT -6
Random question - does anyone know if I pay for a flight with an airline gift card, do you usually get miles as you normally would if you paid in cash or is it like a credit card point flight where you don't get miles?
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Post by ten15 on Dec 21, 2023 13:35:12 GMT -6
Random question - does anyone know if I pay for a flight with an airline gift card, do you usually get miles as you normally would if you paid in cash or is it like a credit card point flight where you don't get miles? Should definitely get miles. Should be same as if you paid cash. |
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Post by zircona1 on Dec 30, 2023 11:39:24 GMT -6
Paris trip was a great time, for the most part. Did a Viking Cruise with my family down the Seine for a week where we visited Vernon, La Havre, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen (where Joan of Arc was executed), Les Andelys (where Richard the Lionheart's castle is), and ending just outside of Paris. We couldn't dock there because the river was so high the boat wouldn't be able to go under the bridges. The Viking staff was great at adjusting to the circumstances, getting us shuttles to go into the city. Got a spectacular view of Paris one morning at Montparnasse. Palace of Versailles is enormous. They're still fixing up Notre Dame from the fire a few years ago. We didn't go up in the Eiffel Tower, but it's incredible to see in person. All the meals on board were fantastic. Bread and wine with every lunch and dinner, yes please.
After the cruise, my wife and I spent a few days in Paris. The first day we did a Food Tour in the afternoon with a group, where I had the best croissant ever. The Louvre and Musee D'Orsay are both worth the hype if you're an art person. The hype/crowd around the Mona Lisa was ridiculous, but the Winged Victory on the staircase was amazing. It was tourist season, the crowds at Montmartre and Sacre Couer reminded me of Epcot in December. By the end of the trip, I was tired of being around large groups of people.
We used the Paris Metro to get around, a bit pricey for a trip (2.15 euros), but the trains run every 2-3 minutes. The weather was remarkably consistent, cloudy some days with highs in the mid-50's. Very light rain at times. Got the sun a few times.
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Post by dij22 on Jan 2, 2024 14:14:12 GMT -6
We had another wonderful time in New York this weekend and I'd literally move there tomorrow if our rent wouldn't triple. We stayed at a hotel in Astoria since Airbnbs are so expensive now. We flew into Newark Friday morning. Got a shuttle into the city, which was more convenient and less expensive than I thought. Might fly in here more often since it's always noticeably cheaper than LaGuardia.
Killed time before our hotel check-in time at Selo, a Croatian place in Astoria we wanted to check out last time we were there but didn't have time. Probably the best burek I've ever had honestly and I'm still thinking about it. Took a nap at the hotel and got dinner at Via Vai, an Italian place that got Bib Gourmand the past few years. I don't eat a lot of pasta, but holy shit this was incredible. We split tagliatelle with branzino and bucatini with pork cheek, both of which were astoundingly good. Ended that meal with the strongest espresso on earth before going to MSG for Phish. Great show but the 400's were basically empty, so huge groups of people would show up to smoke cigarettes and talk which was not ideal.
Had literally nothing planned Saturday so we just winged until the Phish show. Got lunch at Merguez and Frites. Holy shit. Elite sandwich for a weirdly cheap price. One of the customers there was saying how he recently moved to New York and this neighborhood and this restaurant specifically reminds him so much of growing up in North Africa. Highly recommended. Then we got coffee at Mokafe, which is one of the best looking coffee shops I've ever seen but ultimately was just okay. One of the few things Chicago does better than NYC is coffee and I don't think it's particularly close. We then had a great time playing darts and drinking beer at Wolfhound. The bartender was a guy from Dublin who gave us a free shot so I think that means a year of good luck? Had a terrific time at the Phish show. Incredible section in the corner with small rows of 4.
New Years Eve was extremely busy. We took an Uber into the city but I didn't factor in how far south the street closures would go for NYE in Times Square. Basically had to walk an extra two miles but we were thankfully on time for Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theater. This is the musical responsible for getting me into theater. I had never seen a play before my high school performed this like 20 years ago, and I fell in love. We got amazing seats, like 4th row to the side, and had an incredible time. Corbin Bleu played Seymour, and he was fantastic. We got the understudy for Audrey instead of Constance Wu, but she was honestly better based on what I saw from YouTube videos of Wu performing. Bucket list item seeing that production and seeing a musical up close like that. Got dinner at Peppercorn Station, which was unreal. Never really tasted flavors like that in Chinese food. Got way too much food though since we incorrectly assumed the low prices meant small portions. We then went to the last night of Phish at MSG, which was a magical experience.
I'm not a Gamehendge guy and I actually dislike a lot of Phish's early dorky composed stuff, but it was still incredible to be in that building that night. We were side stage and had a great view of the actors/performers, and it was so cool to see how genuinely overjoyed Trey was to see this come to life. AC/DC Bag was also one of the best jams I've ever heard. So glad we were there since the FOMO would have been outrageous, especially since we're at the point in life where we actually have the means to attend shows like this. That was #45 for me so hopefully 2024 will bring show #50 for me.
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Post by alady on Jan 2, 2024 15:25:40 GMT -6
I'm honestly so jealous you got to see that. Happy for you, how incredible!
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Post by scoots on Jan 16, 2024 11:52:41 GMT -6
Booked an Airbnb near Dovetail and Begyle for my daughter's spring break in March. My kids still haven't seen Millenium Park or gone to the aquarium or Museum of Science and Industry, so we'll be doing all that touristy stuff when we're not hanging out with my parents in the burbs. Place we're staying at looks incredible and has a bar/coffee shop on the ground level.
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Post by dij22 on Jan 16, 2024 11:56:46 GMT -6
Place we're staying at looks incredible and has a bar/coffee shop on the ground level. Hi neighbor. Long Room? |
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Post by scoots on Jan 16, 2024 11:57:57 GMT -6
Yyyup.
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Post by claypoolfan on Jan 16, 2024 12:02:23 GMT -6
Bluebird Inn! Place looks awesome, I've chatted with the owner a few times about it and am always bummed I don't have a reason to stay there.
Long Room is probably my favorite bar in the city right now FWIW.
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Post by rango420 on Jan 16, 2024 12:03:18 GMT -6
Long Room is one of the better bars in the city, altho the last cocktail I had there was one of the worst ive ever had but that was on me a lil bit I shouldn't have gotten a stupid sounding cocktail
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Post by rango420 on Jan 16, 2024 12:04:07 GMT -6
it was some kinda mushroom fernet thing but instead of tasting like a forest floor it was sweet as hell not sure what was going on there
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Post by doso on Jan 20, 2024 14:38:16 GMT -6
Just a data point for anyone who may need to renew their passport: the process was shockingly fast for me this time.
Friday, Dec. 29 - dropped the application in the mailbox where it most likely sat until...
Tuesday, Jan. 2 - presumed actual mailing date
Saturday, Jan. 20 - new passport received
I'm low-key amazed at a turnaround of 2/1-2 to 3 weeks total which includes mailing time.
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Post by thebosma on Jan 20, 2024 14:38:59 GMT -6
It was insanely long last year for me around this time, glad it’s sped up
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Post by concertgoer on Jan 20, 2024 15:03:53 GMT -6
It was insanely long last year for me around this time, glad it’s sped up Same. After 4 months I contacted my congressman's constituent service office ( shoutout to Mike Quigley) and they had it resolved within 3 days and I had my passport a week later. |
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Post by doso on Jan 20, 2024 17:17:00 GMT -6
I also received a " next generation" passport - the primary page with all my data is like a big plastic ID card bound into the booklet. |
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Post by nanatod on Jan 20, 2024 18:20:57 GMT -6
so, stats on supertweedness, the rolls, AND 950. |
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Post by doso on Jan 20, 2024 19:49:40 GMT -6
so, stats on supertweedness, the rolls, AND 950. also London Air Shrapnel, No Wave, Goofy Grandma, The Whoopeecats, and The Quagmires. |
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Post by fiveiron83321 on Jan 21, 2024 17:34:59 GMT -6
Just a data point for anyone who may need to renew their passport: the process was shockingly fast for me this time. Friday, Dec. 29 - dropped the application in the mailbox where it most likely sat until... Tuesday, Jan. 2 - presumed actual mailing date Saturday, Jan. 20 - new passport received I'm low-key amazed at a turnaround of 2/1-2 to 3 weeks total which includes mailing time. good to know. just dropped mine off at the post office on Friday to send it in |
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Post by llamaoftime on Jan 22, 2024 8:29:24 GMT -6
Finalized our plan for a Europe trip we have booked for late April/early May because I found a really crazy good flight deal last year
April 25-28 in Amsterdam
April 28-May 1st in Porto
May 1st-May 3rd in Salema (in Algarve, Portugal)
May 3rd-May 7th in Lisbon
May 7th-May 8th in Paris
then fly home
That last day there, the flights home all had a ~one hour connection in Paris and I've heard that's a nightmare airport for connections, so I called and was able to arrange it as a stopover ticket for the same price where we basically have a 21 hour layover in Paris and fly out the next morning. Got a hotel at the airport there and we're just gonna taxi into the city for an evening there including dinner somewhere fun.
Longest trip I will have taken in quite a while
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Post by llamaoftime on Jan 22, 2024 8:32:48 GMT -6
re passports
My partner was trying to renew her passport for the trip above and while it got handled quickly, somehow USPS delivered it to the wrong house despite having the right address which was a huge headache, and they weren't able to recover it. Passport office recognized the mistake and agreed to reissue for free, though apparently a different office handles reissue and it took her like a month to actually get someone on the phone. Once she finally did get someone, they processed it quickly and she had it within the next week
Apparently they are giving her a free one year identity protection thing as well because presumably someone has her original passport. Realistically they probably just threw it away but who knows. It was a pretty annoying thing.
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Post by scoots on Feb 7, 2024 9:35:29 GMT -6
If you're traveling through Denver and have a Priority Pass card, DIA just added Mercantile in concourse A to the already available Sweetwater Brewing in concourse B - you can get $28 off your bill at either spot for yourself and a guest. It'd be better if we had access to airline clubs, but it's still a pretty useful benefit.
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Post by claypoolfan on Feb 7, 2024 11:16:05 GMT -6
This seems more fitting for here than the credit thread - Southwest launched a new signup bonus for any of their cards yesterday that gives you companion pass until 2/28/25 and 30K points after hitting a $4k spend.
In other news I am now a Southwest credit card holder.
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Post by llamaoftime on Feb 7, 2024 11:20:26 GMT -6
This seems more fitting for here than the credit thread - Southwest launched a new signup bonus for any of their cards yesterday that gives you companion pass until 2/28/25 and 30K points after hitting a $4k spend. In other news I am now a Southwest credit card holder. We did a similar deal last year and saved a ridiculous amount of money by the end of it. |
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Post by kb on Feb 14, 2024 9:38:40 GMT -6
going to mexico friday and my husband has the 3 year old convinced they dont' have tv there lol. i bet that ruse lasts about 6 hours.
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Post by monasterymonochrome on Feb 23, 2024 13:30:29 GMT -6
Headed to the airport for Emma and I’s big U2 extravaganza weekend! Huge s/o to jazzpolice for being a U2 Club member and making this happen. Achtung Baby is one of Em’s all-time fave albums so this is about to be lit. |
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Post by chvrchbarrel on Feb 23, 2024 14:24:36 GMT -6
i am very, very excited for you and not even remotely jealous or bitter
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Post by jazzpolice on Feb 23, 2024 14:39:52 GMT -6
Be careful not to walk ON the Sphere, apparently they frown on that.
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Post by scoots on Mar 14, 2024 22:26:09 GMT -6
I have a work trip planned to Boston at the end of April - haven't spent time in Boston in about 20 years. Any restaurant/bar/venue recommendations are appreciated. I'll be staying near Boston Common.
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