My Travels

I didn't plan on being in Vegas month after month but it just happened. This time, came out to show some out of town relatives Sin City. I stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton because I can't say no to free food and drinks. :) I only noticed with this trip that the food and drink coupons were no longer limited to a certain time. Before, the free buffets were only for breakfast but now open anytime of the day. Also, the free drinks had to be around happy hour time, now it is useable anytime. I was hoping to arrive at the sweet spot hour where they automatically give you suites but I ended up arriving way later than ideal and I wasn't able to negotiate much at the desk. After a room mixup (they tried to upsell me a suite upgrade and it ended up being occupied already), we were settled in. Between trying to get homework done and catch a some zzzz's, spent the day checking out the penny slots and Aria . I don't usually gamble at slot machines but ended up doing so whi...

Went to Chicago for a weekend getaway. I had heard from a friend that it has been muggy lately and packed accordingly for this weekend. With the new complimentary upgrade program at United, I was able to get into First class enroute to Chicago. I don't know if it is coincidental but I found the meal very good even the bread!  The carrot cake was ok though. Since I arrived so late in the night, opted to stay at the Hilton O'Hare Airport hotel and get some sleep (mostly did homework). It has been sometime since I've stayed at this hotel and remembered it being smaller for some reason. Word to the wise, the breakfast buffet can be passed unless you are looking for very basic items like cereal. Went into the city the next day and checked into the Conrad Chicago hotel .  Situated a little north of the loop, I liked the hotel when I stayed there when it was a Le Meridien hotel.  I haven't stayed here since it converted to a Conrad in 2005.  It also didn't hurt that I was...

I'm here for a couple of days for family reasons. I was put into First Class on a United flight and wasn't sure if it was because they had room or that I requested a wheelchair. In any case, it was a pleasant experience particularly for my companion. I also found the snack box amusing and it was sufficient for my needs. Too bad, I can't get the return flight in the same class! ;p As this is my first time travelling with special needs, it was interesting going through the airports escorted about even through customs. I don't know if it was faster than walking around but it certainly was interesting the routes they take you through the airport. Grabbed a Nissan Versa from Avis after landing. I haven't driven one in awhile and I think it has somewhat improved in handling. The mileage remains undetermined since I can't figure out liters to gallons to miles per gallon.... I checked into the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown hotel. I haven't been in a few y...

First trip to Vegas for 2010. I chose to stay at the Las Vegas Hilton from a promotional email they sent. Those things actually work time to time and I was able to snag the $60/night room rate which included a couple of free drinks and breakfast buffets. There were also an assortment of coupons for the various eateries in the hotel but I didn't utilize them. When we first arrived, we decided to grab a late night snack at the HofBrauhaus . I've actually never went and have seen the restaurant many times while in Vegas. It reminded me of a smaller versin of the Alpine Village in Torrance or Old World in Hungtington Beach. The food seemed ok to me and I don't recommend any of the desserts. I had a very good glass of reisling though! Afterwards, checked into the hotel. I've come to the conclusion that any room that requires you to go to the "Central Tower" elevators is bound to be a dissappointment. The room was very worn and could use some TLC. It was ...

A somewhat impromptu trip, I was incentivized by United Airline's cheap fare and discount coupon expiring to head out to the east coast. So here I am this weekend, out to enjoy some good eats and see some friends in the city. Arrived rather late and was able to crash at a friend's place in Brooklyn. Nearing midnight, she was able to take us to a local bar that still served food. Bar Tabac is sort of french gastropub. I had an assortment of brochettes from the bistro bites section of the menu and the brochettes were very good. My favorite was the lamb kebab, excellently prepared. On a side note, the bar takes only cash or Amex....not sure why only Amex but c'est la vie. My friend also introduced me to panache - a half sprite and Stella Artois beer combination. Good stuff. Took off for the city the next day and checked into the Hampton Inn Manhattan Chelsea . The hotel has been around for a little bit. As expected, the hallways and lobby felt a little small but t...

I'm in the Bay area for a conference, looking forward to seeing old colleauges and meeting new ones. After some hunting around, I decided to stay in the Fisherman's Wharf area. I usually like being in this area during the work week as it isn't as crowded as the downtown area and there is a 24 hour fitness gym within walking distance of the Hilton Fisherman's Wharf hotel . I also like coming to this hotel because they tend to treat me a little better than the others, maybe because they don't get as many HHonors members. Also, the internet provider here is AT&T . Normally not a big deal but I am an AT&T internet customer and can access the internet without charge. Always a plus to not pay additional money for internet. I was given a junior suite and it is rather comfy and large. The only odd thing about the room is that it is a little dark as there is only one window and it is rather small for the size of the room. The continental breakfast offered is...

I had a wedding to attend to this weekend and decided to stay closer to the venue since I was part of the bridal party. After running around Friday afternoon for the rehearsal, checked into the Hilton Checkers in Downtown LA. I've always wondered about the hotel as I usually don't have a reason to stay overnight. The hotel itself has a very boutique feel to it with the boutique pricing too! ;) The room was tastely decorated although it did feel a little cramped. I saw this cool audio box thing by the TV, it looked like you could plug in stuff and have it displayed on the flat screen TV. Didn't try but it looked cool. Parking in downtown is always difficult but I wouldn't recommend parking at the hotel, they charge $40/night. Yikes! Street parking is available overnight but you have to be willing to walk a couple of blocks and find a metered space. I was also able to check out the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Garden since the ceremony was at this hotel. I've hung ou...

It seems ironic that I'm delayed home on this vacation trip. One of the main reasons of going to Puerto Rico was that I had a voucher from United Airlines from a previous vacation and now I'm going to get another one. :) Due to mechanical problems, arrived into Dulles Airport too late to catch any other flight towards the West Coast. Upon landing, the steward handed out little cards directing me to a website to choose my goodwill compensation. I was notified via email that I was rerouted to the next day's flights, customer service informed me that checked luggage will remain at the airport, and was handed hotel and meal vouchers. The hotel voucher was good at the Hyatt Dulles Airport . I forgot to grab the United toiletry bag before leaving the airport. Luckily, the hotel already has toothpaste as part of the toiletries and the front desk had a toothbrush. The room was spacious and modern with some tech amenities, I haven't come across a Hyatt that isn't ni...

Spending a week on the enchanted island. Arrived in the evening and checked into the Doubletree San Juan in the Ocean Park area. It seemed relatively new, I think there were some literature that referred to the location as a Best Western in its previous life. It looks recently renovated and the location is convenient. The room was nice, it was interesting that the room was a psuedo double. In other words, a double/queen bed was in the room but the murphy bed would make the room a two bedded room if you pulled it down. I think I should have asked for a king room when checking in but it wasn't a big deal. The bathroom was designed in a way that I've always wanted for my own at home. It was nice to see it in real life and made me think of redesigning my own back home. The hotel was attached to a residential complex and sits across a 24 hour supermarket. The lobby restaurant bar, Michael's Bistro, has very tasty appetizers and the breakfast items were good. Then aga...

Not exactly an out of town trip but headed towards Pasadena for the weekend for a bridal shower/bachelorette. I was going to overnight in Pasadena, I decided to take the MTA light rail into the city and be carless for the weekend. With my handy TAP card, I meandered my way north taking a combination of local city bus and MTA gold line. I checked into the Pasadena Hilton which was conveniently located near the Del Mar station and the Paseo Colorado Plaza . I was upgraded to an accessible suite, it made the suite feel even larger! The decor inside was a mixture of modern and craftsman style. The lobby looked recently done and the rooms were convenient. One might say that the room could have been updated but I thought it was suitable and the TVs were LCDs. Luckily, the suite had adjoining rooms and the group was able to make it feel like a very large apartment. Perfect for our purposes!! Also, I was pleasantly suprised at the level of customer service at this hotel. Everyone mad...

This *might be my last trip to Mammoth for this snow season. I grabbed a couple of people to head up for a very short trip up to Mammoth given the amount of snow this past week. With such short notice, I was able to book a room at the Motel 6 Mammoth Lakes . Since we only stayed in the room for five hours to sleep, I don't have much to say about the place. It is a rather large facility and reminded me of an older apartment building. The rooms were serviceable and cozy. It is always a hit and miss regarding toiletries in these types of lodgings - soap yes shampoo no. Tromped out in the morning to enjoy the excellent snow conditions on the mountain. On our way back, I visited Upper Crust for the first time this season and missed our usual waitress. The food continued to be as good as memory served but don't eat the tiramisu. If you get a chance, grab the coupon from their website to save 10%.

"This posting is out of sync as I forgot to put this up before the Mammoth posting..." Went to DC on a lark, visited some friends and family. Since it was a short weekend trip (bolted out of Santa Barbara to catch my redeye flight), didn't really expect to do much. I was lucky enough to get free transport between Dulles and the capitol area with a pit stop at a family acquaintance home. Walked around the Mall area and visited the National Museum of American History , cruised past the National World War II Memorial and the Washington Monument . Although it was late January in DC, the weather was fantastic. A very brisk 60 degrees made the sightseeing manageable and the crowds were not overwhelming. Bunked down at the Capital Hilton . The hotel was undergoing some renovations and most of the upper floors were under construction. The room I was given smelled musty and hopefully that will be resolved once the remodeling is done. The next day, strolled over to Old Ebbit...

With the recent storms in California, I decided to make a day trek up to Mammoth and check out the snow conditions. Left late in the evening towards Mammoth and was planning on making an overnight stay in Bishop. Unfortunately, I was too tired to get past Lone Pine. After stopping at several lodging facilities in town, the Dow Villa Motel was our best option at $55 for the night. The front desk person was willing to give me 10% discount after some chit chat and it being almost midnight. The room was spartan but very functional. If I had to stay in Lone Pine, I would be willing to stay here again. Headed up to Mammoth mountain the next day, stopping in Bishop for some snowboard repairs. Had a blast snowboarding even though the snow was a bit packed and not enough powder for my taste. After leaving the mountain, stopped in Bishop again to eat some bread and crunch cake from at Erick Shat's Bakery for the road trip home.

It isn't too often that I can travel within California on the Amtrak . I've been going once a month to Santa Barbara for work and have enjoyed travelling via train. Seats are comfy, electric ports readily available, and a wireless card makes the travel easy and productive. I'm working on my motion sickness and trying to get myself use to working on moving vehicles. On the bright side, I think I can use my laptop on trains and planes for about an hour before getting woozy. Being without a car, I rely on my colleagues to take me around the area for lunch. I was taken to South Coast Deli for lunch one time. I'm usually not a fan of sandwiches (except Vietnamese, of course) because it seems to be the catch all option for lunch for most people. I was pleasantly suprised at the quality and tastiness of the sandwich at South Coast Deli. Easy and quick, not a bad option if you're cruising through SB.

Over in Hawaii for the holidays, a nice change of scenery from the winter on the mainland. I found a really good hotel/car package at the Hilton KauaiBeach Resort and decided to stay here for a week. I've only been to Kauai a couple of times in my visits to the islands and this will be the first time I'm staying only on this island. I ended up driving the Dodge Caliber from Dollar Rental Company . Not a very exciting car but ended up being useful on this trip. It is wagon-like plus it is built for a road trip with the can holder space in the glove compartment, the auxiliary jack on the radio, and a two prong electric plug for all your electronic needs. Within a week of arrival, I received an email stating that the the resort wasn't going to remain a Hilton after Dec 31, 2009 and becoming the Kauai Beach Resort . I guess the next time I'm staying in Kauai, it'll have to be a Starwood property. There were some reservations about going to the hotel given the tra...

I've flown into Phoenix for work and extending the stay to watch the 'SC game. I flew on United and noticed that the LAX United terminal has some new eateries. When 9/11 hit, United's terminal 8 lost so much business that the concession closed down. It seems business must have picked up because there are new eateries such as Karl Straus and Gordon Biersch. I'm happy to see that there are more options now! Flew into Phoenix, picked up my rental and headed to Tucson. I opted to rent from Thrifty and got a Subaru Impreza. My first time driving a Subaru sedan, it was a pleasant experience. Nice amount of power for a compact car but the trunk space was a little odd. Got into Tucson late and checked into the Hampton Inn Tucson North . The hotel seems to run some random raffle as I was left a bag of goodies because I was the "guest of the day." I got a little hungry and looked around for some eating options. Apparently, alot of restaurants close at 9 pm an...

My first foray into Oregon outside of Portland. I'm here for the 'SC game against the Oregon Ducks. Got into the Eugene airport, surprisingly large for its location and locale. I'm staying on the outskirts of downtown at the Hampton Inn Eugene . It feels relatively new because of the decor and design. The room is rather spacious, two double beds and room for a couch/loveseat area. I didn't see much of the school but Autzen stadium is fairly nice, reminds me of Stanford's stadium. The concession areas seem to have gotten a nice remodeling as everything looked fairly new. I was told by a Ducks alum that they expanded the stadium and increased its capacity to fit 54,000 plus. There doesn't seem much to Eugene. Compared to other college towns, Eugene has a higher edge than South Bend, Indiana in my opinion. There doesn't seem to be much going on and the selection of eateries suggest limited palate of tastes. Makes sense since the average age of the Ore...

I've headed down to San Diego for a couple of days on work events. Cruised through the University of San Diego and thought it a very nice laid back campus. I think this is the first time I've been at USD and the campus reminds me of the University of Redlands except for the weather difference. I stayed at the Doubletree Hotel San Diego Downtown . With several teleconference call meetings the next morning before my work event, I thought it best to stay in San Diego. The hotel appears to have gone through recent renovations and has a warm interior design. The lobby and restaurant has an open feel and I wouldn't have minded hanging out there. The complimentary wireless internet helped as well. I decided I would opt for street parking instead of the hotel garage. If you're willng to walk a couple of blocks, this part of downtown San Diego is manageable for parking. The gaslamp district is not too far but far enough. I think since Little Italy is nearby, there are...

I'm in San Francisco for an extended weekend visiting some friends and going to the 'SC vs. Cal game. Decided to drive up instead of flying and check out the fuel efficiency of my car - averaged 37 to 38 mpg. Since I was driving into the city so late, I stayed at the Homewood Suites SFO North for a quick sleep. Fairly convenient to SFO and freeway accessible, the hotel suited my needs. I got a queen studio and it was fairly comfortable and roomy. The hot breakfast buffet and free Internet/business center helped out. The next day, met up with an old friend in Japan town at Sophie's crepes at 1581 Webster St # 275, San Francisco, CA 94115-3658. Very tasty crepes, made to eat with your hands. Mostly the sweet variety, the texture and thinness was appropriate for the scoop of ice cream and mixed fruits inside. To help with keeping the crepe "dry", they spread Nutella first so that the fruit and ice cream doesn't make the crepe smushy. Moved hotels and stayed at t...