My trip to Kansas City was pretty uneventful flight-wise. Upon checking twitter, I saw LJ was arriving around the same time as me. To save KH two trips to the airport (since she was picking someone else up later that night), I offered to pick up LJ and meet at Oklahoma Joe's for dinner. While conversing with LJ, we discussed hotel rooms and rooming situation (see my previous post). We decided it was best to switch roommates because LJ had an early morning flight on Wednesday and didn't want to bother KH with driving to the airport.
We met at Oklahoma Joe's and KH was eating with some other American Outlaws people who I met for the first time. I honestly don't know where they were from, and frankly, I never saw them again the rest of the trip. This is not uncommon, as we sold out the entire supporters section at Livestrong Park, so there were lots of American Outlaws members in the vicinity for the game.
KH agreed to the roommate switch and went to pick up AS at the airport (who was supposed to be my original roommate). LJ and went to Fairway Liquors next door, which is connected to OK Joe's with a tiny strip of concrete. It seems Fairway Liquors is my go-to place for alcohol after OK Joe's. LJ and I decided to get some Woodchuck amber (of which we are both fans) and drink before the party.
I should state for the record I don't have cable. People are always amazed at this, but frankly, $150/month for television isn't a justifiable expense, considering being home two nights in a row is a rarity. As a result, we watched the Food Network, and we watched a couple of shows. The first was about diners and dives from around the nation. As the show discussed the cities which I am assigned to, I kept bookmarking restaurants on Yelp. The other show featured eating in Boston for $25/day. Since Boston is one of my cities, I also bookmarked. I wanted to continue watching tv, but LJ reminded me we flew into KC to go to the party, LOL.
The party itself was good. I ran into the usual AO suspects from Detroit and DC. I hadn't seen San Diego since Phoenix in January, so that was good; I also met a twitter follower from Denver. We have had several twitter conversations but never met in person. Alexi Lalas and Ian Darte attended. Johnny's Tavern graciously gave every single person at the bar a free American Outlaws shot, and Rob Stone from FSC opened his tab for everyone at the bar. We had a good time, and I called it a night around 1AM.
The next morning we severely needed breakfast, so we ate at Fran's, which wasn't too bad. The Hilton President hotel is in the power and light district. This makes it convenient place to stay whenever AO has a party; no drinking and driving is involved. Since the hotel was free, I can't complain too much.
After breakfast and checkout, we headed to a liquor store near the tailgate (20 minutes away), recommended by KH. The name of the store is Village West Discount Liquors. It's like a miniature Spec's, and they carry Woodchuck amber in cans. I should note because of Nascar, we were not allowed to tailgate/park in the usual asphalt parking lot near the stadium. Instead, we tailgated on a gravel lot next to Community America Ballpark, former home of the Kansas City Wizards. [Yes, I went to a MLS game there when they were the Wizards instead of Sporting Kansas City.]
The game itself was a bit nerve-racking when Guatemala scored the first goal of the game at the tenth minute. Thankfully the US pulled through with a win for a final score of 3-1. We were in the Cauldron's section, which was pretty big. I happened to run into a Texian Army member who no longer stands with us but used to stand next to me during the Dynamo games in the front row when we were at Robertson Stadium. It was good seeing him again.
One thing to note is that being in a section with AO means you are often surrounded by people who aren't used to soccer games and having tifo. A guy next to us kept waving his flag so that it was in people's faces. Even KH had some words with him, and that is unusual for her to openly criticize (usually my job). Nonetheless, as far as I know, we didn't have any problems in the section, and no one was thrown out. I know a smoke bomb went off at some point, but we were on the opposite side of the stadium.
Geoff Cameron must have read my tweets. In Columbus, Hexsel and I held up Cameron's Texian Army banner like crazy, trying to get his attention. The player banner is orange, and everyone in Texian Army signed the banner to bid farewell and good luck as he's moved from Houston Dynamo to Stoke City. We failed in Columbus, and I tweeted my disappointment. This time, in Kansas City, AS and I held up the banner again, hoping he'd come, and he did. He climbed over a barricade to get to us, and I pushed my way to the front telling people to move so I could give him the banner. I told him it's from Texian Army, and he thanked me. There wasn't time for chit-chat because idiots kept trying to mob him. I was afraid his shirt would be torn; I suppose most people aren't used to having their players approach them. Coming from Houston, we are used it. Of everything that happened, giving Cameron his player banner was the highlight of the trip.
After the game, we hung out at the members bar and then went to Yard House for after-game food. We were all tired, and it was funny how none of us ordered anything but water to drink. The food was half off pizzas and certain appetizers. Overall, the food was pretty good. I think I spent $8 on a cup of soup and some noodles; it's the cheapest I've spent in a while.
From Yard House, LJ and I proceeded to the Hampton Inn - Kansas City Airport. Some may think it's crazy to drive after a game to the airport area (20 minutes drive), but not only was it half the number of Hilton Honors points compared to the AO hotel (Hampton Inn next to the stadium), but I could sleep in and be near my next destination. I also am glad I booked an airport hotel in advance, as work at last minute (as in, didn't finalize itinerary until 11PM while at Yard House after the game) required me to go to North Carolina instead of Miami as originally planned.
Overall the trip was a success. Both LJ and AO San Diego commented on my planning skills (yes, I'm bragging). Neither had ever considered changing hotels in the middle of the trip. The AO bar, stadium, and airport are all about 20-30 minutes from each other. Therefore, it made sense to move wherever was needed. If the US play in Russia next month as the current rumor says, this means I will have made all but one domestic USMNT game this year (didn't make the Brazil friendly in May) - awesome!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
KC Plans - USMNT vs Guatemala
Since I am now on the road 3-5 days per week, it's really hard to keep track of my leisure trips now! To give an idea of how much I travel now, I probably visit 15-20 airports per month. I'm on a 15-city rotation schedule. Each city has to be visited every 8-12 weeks, so I am really racking up the miles and points!
For those who don't know, you can always reserve rooms (no credit card charged) and then cancel the day of (time is set by the hotel-read their cancellation policies) or the day before. This is originally what I had reserved for Kansas City this week:
For those who don't know, you can always reserve rooms (no credit card charged) and then cancel the day of (time is set by the hotel-read their cancellation policies) or the day before. This is originally what I had reserved for Kansas City this week:
- Best Western Kansas City Inn (free shuttle to/from Power & Light District): 2 nights, 1 King Bed ($90/night)
- Best Western Kansas City Inn: 1 night, 1 King Bed ($90/night)
- Best Western Kansas City Inn: 2 nights, 2 Double Beds ($90/night)
- AO hotel (near stadium): 2 nights, 2 Double Beds ($114/night)
Instead, as of the 1st of this month (been too busy to book earlier!), I decided book the following:
- 1st night: Hotel across the street from the AO bar (20 minutes from the stadium), so no driving/extra parking needed (35,000 points). The hotel is sold out, but the rooms when I last checked, retailed $300/night.
- 2nd night: Hotel near the airport (20 minutes from the stadium), so that on Wednesday, I just need to wake up and go to work (12,500 points). Remaining rooms are available for $150/night, and there is a free shuttle to/from the airport.
I have one free day of rental car at $42/day. Unfortunately a week-long trip in August for some reason didn't count towards rental car points and were converted into miles instead, sigh. Otherwise, I'd have enough points for the base price to be completely free.
My flight going to Kansas City is free because I am using rewards miles. My outbound flight is being paid for by work, since I am headed to audit a site the next day. Most likely this will be a recurring pattern for my trips.
I am traveling with AS for this trip, as he is willing to pay hotel taxes and parking at the hotel the first night. We are splitting the remaining car rental fees and gas. I don't mind if people share a room with me, but I do ask they pay whatever is remaining (taxes, surcharges, etc), since I am covering 100% of the base price. Even if we were splitting the room, there is no way taxes would equal half of the hotel room. Furthermore, this eliminates any potential resentment I may have for moochers. If someone pays the taxes, at least I will feel there is some sort of contribution.
KH is already in Kansas City and is complaining of the wind. Apparently I need to pack the whole nine yards - ski mask, gloves, beanie, etc. The temperature looks like it will be in the 40s at night! From Kansas City, I go to Miami where it will be 80 degrees, so packing will be tricky. Let's go USA!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Columbus for USMNT
The trip to Columbus didn't start well on Monday, but we managed (traveled with KH). We had booked a flight with American Airlines for $280. Although United is my preferred airline (due to miles accumulation), United wanted $1100 for a nonstop flight from IAH to CMH. Our AA itinerary had us connect through DFW, but upon arriving at the airport, our flight kept getting delayed by an hour. Finally, the flight was cancelled. The plane had mechanical failure, and there were no more planes left.
I stood in line to have our itineraries re-issued. Luckily we were only traveling for leisure and weren't in a hurry, per se, to get to Columbus. I tweeted to @AmericanAir, stating, "this blows!" They requested I direct message our confirmation number; within 5 minutes, I received a reply that I was confirmed on another flight to CMH, and that all I had to do was collect our boarding passes from a gate agent. I was quite impressed because this all transpired via twitter.
About 15 minutes later I reached the front of the line. I showed the gate agent the direct message conversation. She pulled the record locator and noticed we were actually flying to Chicago and then on to Columbus. However, the ORD flight was delayed, so she said, "You'll never make your connection in Chicago." She finally found us a US Airways flight (connected through Charlotte), which had about the same arrival time in Columbus, so we were set.
I should note there are two complaints I have about US Airways. The first is that they don't have a mobile app. When checking in, you need a paper boarding pass. I don't know how I am going to be able to handle this when I don't have access to a printer and am busy traveling for work. The second complaint is that their boarding passes don't have the landing time. I had to ask the US Airways gate agent what time the plane landed in Charlotte, just to be sure we were able to make our connection. The landing time isn't posted at the gate where you're taking off either. However, they do have the nicest airplanes I've ever flown.
Our US Airways trip went smoothly without any problems. From IAH to CLT, we were lucky that the flight wasn't full, and we had a row to ourselves. Luckily I have been to Charlotte's airport recently in April for work. It's not a big airport, but definitely nice with its food court and a live piano player! We hung out at Chili's, which was ok. It wasn't my first choice, but we needed outlets because all the outlets in the food court had been deactivated for some unknown, odd reason. I will definitely need to keep this in mind for future trips. From CLT to CMH, we sat in the aisle seats next to each other.
When we landed, we went straight from the airport to Fourth Street Grill, where the American Outlaws were having their night-before-game-day party. The party was ok. It was good seeing people again that I've seen on the road, but I have to admit sometimes it's hard just chit chatting with people. One nice thing about having so many games for Houston Dynamo is that you really get to build meaningful friendships, and it's much harder to do this in the US Soccer world due to so much spacing between games. Remembering people I had just met in June is difficult for me, as I am so bad when it comes to names and faces.
After the party, we went to a pizza place and headed to the hotel. MF had already checked into the hotel earlier (met us at the bar). We called it a night around 2-3AM. The next morning we left around noon and headed to German Village. It's a quaint area of town. We walked the streets, which were real cobblestone! We felt sorry for anyone wearing heels or perhaps would be too drunk to walk. We had lunch at High Beck Tavern and were joined by Rebecca, a KC Cauldron member. I had met her in March when I traveled to Kansas City for the Olympics CONCACAF semi-final and final.
From the tavern, we went to get tailgate supplies and then the American Outlaws tailgate. AO Columbus did an EXCELLENT job of setting up. They had a beer trailer (free beer), huge screen projector for American football, a DJ, and merchandise tents set up. It was good seeing people again, but probably in the future I will not show up to a tailgate 6 hours prior to kickoff when I don't have tailgate chairs, a canopy, etc.
The game itself was incredible. Words cannot truly describe all of the things that happened. The moment of silence for those who lost their lives on 9/11 was impactful. It's hands down the longest moment of silence I've ever experienced at a soccer game. The section itself was jammed packed, and typically we are the only section in the stadium on its feet. Not in Columbus. EVERY section in the sold-out stadium stood for the full 90, and to hear nearly 24,000 people chant "USA!" in unison is something that cannot be put into words.
After the game, we headed to a late night eating place called Tip Top Kitchen. It's surprisingly very difficult to find a place open in Columbus downtown late at night. We were so tired though that we just quickly ate (had skipped dinner) and left. We had to be up at 6AM for our flights, which were pretty uneventful.
Next stop - Kansas City for USMNT!
I stood in line to have our itineraries re-issued. Luckily we were only traveling for leisure and weren't in a hurry, per se, to get to Columbus. I tweeted to @AmericanAir, stating, "this blows!" They requested I direct message our confirmation number; within 5 minutes, I received a reply that I was confirmed on another flight to CMH, and that all I had to do was collect our boarding passes from a gate agent. I was quite impressed because this all transpired via twitter.
About 15 minutes later I reached the front of the line. I showed the gate agent the direct message conversation. She pulled the record locator and noticed we were actually flying to Chicago and then on to Columbus. However, the ORD flight was delayed, so she said, "You'll never make your connection in Chicago." She finally found us a US Airways flight (connected through Charlotte), which had about the same arrival time in Columbus, so we were set.
I should note there are two complaints I have about US Airways. The first is that they don't have a mobile app. When checking in, you need a paper boarding pass. I don't know how I am going to be able to handle this when I don't have access to a printer and am busy traveling for work. The second complaint is that their boarding passes don't have the landing time. I had to ask the US Airways gate agent what time the plane landed in Charlotte, just to be sure we were able to make our connection. The landing time isn't posted at the gate where you're taking off either. However, they do have the nicest airplanes I've ever flown.
Our US Airways trip went smoothly without any problems. From IAH to CLT, we were lucky that the flight wasn't full, and we had a row to ourselves. Luckily I have been to Charlotte's airport recently in April for work. It's not a big airport, but definitely nice with its food court and a live piano player! We hung out at Chili's, which was ok. It wasn't my first choice, but we needed outlets because all the outlets in the food court had been deactivated for some unknown, odd reason. I will definitely need to keep this in mind for future trips. From CLT to CMH, we sat in the aisle seats next to each other.
When we landed, we went straight from the airport to Fourth Street Grill, where the American Outlaws were having their night-before-game-day party. The party was ok. It was good seeing people again that I've seen on the road, but I have to admit sometimes it's hard just chit chatting with people. One nice thing about having so many games for Houston Dynamo is that you really get to build meaningful friendships, and it's much harder to do this in the US Soccer world due to so much spacing between games. Remembering people I had just met in June is difficult for me, as I am so bad when it comes to names and faces.
After the party, we went to a pizza place and headed to the hotel. MF had already checked into the hotel earlier (met us at the bar). We called it a night around 2-3AM. The next morning we left around noon and headed to German Village. It's a quaint area of town. We walked the streets, which were real cobblestone! We felt sorry for anyone wearing heels or perhaps would be too drunk to walk. We had lunch at High Beck Tavern and were joined by Rebecca, a KC Cauldron member. I had met her in March when I traveled to Kansas City for the Olympics CONCACAF semi-final and final.
From the tavern, we went to get tailgate supplies and then the American Outlaws tailgate. AO Columbus did an EXCELLENT job of setting up. They had a beer trailer (free beer), huge screen projector for American football, a DJ, and merchandise tents set up. It was good seeing people again, but probably in the future I will not show up to a tailgate 6 hours prior to kickoff when I don't have tailgate chairs, a canopy, etc.
The game itself was incredible. Words cannot truly describe all of the things that happened. The moment of silence for those who lost their lives on 9/11 was impactful. It's hands down the longest moment of silence I've ever experienced at a soccer game. The section itself was jammed packed, and typically we are the only section in the stadium on its feet. Not in Columbus. EVERY section in the sold-out stadium stood for the full 90, and to hear nearly 24,000 people chant "USA!" in unison is something that cannot be put into words.
After the game, we headed to a late night eating place called Tip Top Kitchen. It's surprisingly very difficult to find a place open in Columbus downtown late at night. We were so tired though that we just quickly ate (had skipped dinner) and left. We had to be up at 6AM for our flights, which were pretty uneventful.
Next stop - Kansas City for USMNT!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Chicago Labor Day Weekend 2012 Part II
Sunday morning one of the Texian Army guys drove from MI where he was staying to Chicago. The plan was for him to provide us transportation in exchange for him crashing with us. He arrived mid-morning. It should be noted at the hotel parking is $37/day. This seems outrageous, but parking is so limited downtown that this rate is on par with the area.
We went to Gino's East and had a delicious time. I've aforementioned Gino's is my favorite, so this should be no surprise. By the time we were done with the meal, it was about 2PM, and the Toyota Park lots opened at 3PM. After returning to the hotel to gather belongings, it was about a 20-30 minute drive.
On the way to Toyota Park, we stopped at Joe & Frank's Market (7147 W Archer Ave at Harlem, Chicago, Illinois 60638). Although we were just there to get tailgate supplies (ice, water, beer, chips, etc), next time we have decided to pick up some deli meat, cheeses, and bread for the tailgate. The selection is amazing with sausages hanging from the beams for your choosing. This market caters to the Polish population (staff members were speaking Polish), and there's lots of Polish snacks to try. The guys bought a Polish beer which wasn't bad. I definitely need to try this next time we're headed to Toyota Park.
Aside from the 5 of us Texian Army members, we were joined by a college student from St. Louis and his parents. So, we had a tailgate of 8. Things were pretty lackadaisical. We were supposed to have stadium security meet with us at 4PM, but that never happened. They just showed up whenever it was time to go in. We've never had a problem during a game, which is probably why. We also didn't have that many people.
The game itself is really nothing to write home about, since we lost 2-1. We scored the first goal, but it was then disallowed. To date, I still don't know why the goal was disallowed, since the linesman didn't put up an offside flag. We should have tied (even Chicago fans who thought it was a goal were disappointed), but so goes MLS refereeing.
After the game, we went back to the tailgate, and the St. Louis' guy's car was keyed and tire was cut. It was the first problem we've ever had when at a Chicago Fire game. It was a good thing he had a spare tire and knew how to change a tire, but no one ever deserves to have their car vandalized. Security apologized profusely, but there was nothing they could do. Nearby Chicago fans offered cookies as a peace offering and were available for assistance. So, lessons learned - be careful if you're taking a car to Toyota Park.
From the game, we returned to Miller's Pub because it was conveniently a couple of doors away from the hotel. We called it an early night around midnight since we were tired. The guy crashing with us had to be up at 6AM to drive to his parents' place.
The next day on Labor Day we slept until noon, had lunch at Macy's, and walked around. I stopped at Garrett's Popcorn again to take popcorn home for my dad. One of the gals who was staying an extra night allowed us to put our bags in her room until we needed to leave later in the afternoon, which was nice of her. We then walked to Millenium Park (had to take a picture in the bean) and Michigan Avenue until slightly north of the river, had a gelato, and returned to the hotel. We left for the airport around 3:30PM (flight departed at 6:30PM), since it takes an hour to get to O'Hare via L train (blue line - $2.25 each way). ORD is either #1 or #2 in terms of the nation's busiest airports (always competing with ATL), so it's best to get there two hours prior to departure, although this time we had no problems going through security.
So, that was my trip to Chicago for the Dynamo game. I love Chicago for its eating places and unique city vibe. On to Columbus today for the USMNT world cup qualifier against Jamaica!
We went to Gino's East and had a delicious time. I've aforementioned Gino's is my favorite, so this should be no surprise. By the time we were done with the meal, it was about 2PM, and the Toyota Park lots opened at 3PM. After returning to the hotel to gather belongings, it was about a 20-30 minute drive.
On the way to Toyota Park, we stopped at Joe & Frank's Market (7147 W Archer Ave at Harlem, Chicago, Illinois 60638). Although we were just there to get tailgate supplies (ice, water, beer, chips, etc), next time we have decided to pick up some deli meat, cheeses, and bread for the tailgate. The selection is amazing with sausages hanging from the beams for your choosing. This market caters to the Polish population (staff members were speaking Polish), and there's lots of Polish snacks to try. The guys bought a Polish beer which wasn't bad. I definitely need to try this next time we're headed to Toyota Park.
Aside from the 5 of us Texian Army members, we were joined by a college student from St. Louis and his parents. So, we had a tailgate of 8. Things were pretty lackadaisical. We were supposed to have stadium security meet with us at 4PM, but that never happened. They just showed up whenever it was time to go in. We've never had a problem during a game, which is probably why. We also didn't have that many people.
The game itself is really nothing to write home about, since we lost 2-1. We scored the first goal, but it was then disallowed. To date, I still don't know why the goal was disallowed, since the linesman didn't put up an offside flag. We should have tied (even Chicago fans who thought it was a goal were disappointed), but so goes MLS refereeing.
After the game, we went back to the tailgate, and the St. Louis' guy's car was keyed and tire was cut. It was the first problem we've ever had when at a Chicago Fire game. It was a good thing he had a spare tire and knew how to change a tire, but no one ever deserves to have their car vandalized. Security apologized profusely, but there was nothing they could do. Nearby Chicago fans offered cookies as a peace offering and were available for assistance. So, lessons learned - be careful if you're taking a car to Toyota Park.
From the game, we returned to Miller's Pub because it was conveniently a couple of doors away from the hotel. We called it an early night around midnight since we were tired. The guy crashing with us had to be up at 6AM to drive to his parents' place.
The next day on Labor Day we slept until noon, had lunch at Macy's, and walked around. I stopped at Garrett's Popcorn again to take popcorn home for my dad. One of the gals who was staying an extra night allowed us to put our bags in her room until we needed to leave later in the afternoon, which was nice of her. We then walked to Millenium Park (had to take a picture in the bean) and Michigan Avenue until slightly north of the river, had a gelato, and returned to the hotel. We left for the airport around 3:30PM (flight departed at 6:30PM), since it takes an hour to get to O'Hare via L train (blue line - $2.25 each way). ORD is either #1 or #2 in terms of the nation's busiest airports (always competing with ATL), so it's best to get there two hours prior to departure, although this time we had no problems going through security.
So, that was my trip to Chicago for the Dynamo game. I love Chicago for its eating places and unique city vibe. On to Columbus today for the USMNT world cup qualifier against Jamaica!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Chicago Labor Day Weekend 2012 Part I
It's been a while since I've written on here mainly because I didn't take any footy-related trips last month. I am now a monitor for a contract research organization - someone who visits sites to routinely audit and ensure clinical research trial compliance, adherence to federal regulations, and conformance with international guidelines. My territory for my assigned clinical trial is the east coast, TN, and Houston (of course), so I am traveling 3-5 days/week. This may seem like a lot, but the perks are free mileage credit, hotel rewards, and car rental points.
Unfortunately since I just started, I didn't have enough hotel points for my Chicago stay last weekend for the Dynamo game. I departed last Saturday morning thanks to rewards miles; I also didn't want to use vacation time. One thing to factor is that although it would've been fun to fly into Chicago Friday, you do have to add a night of hotel and perhaps a higher flight cost (since flying on Fridays is more expensive than Saturdays). I went with four other Texian Army members, although one flew into MI to visit friends.
I chose the Palmer House Hilton because I stayed there last year for the Dynamo game, and it's a great location. Thanks to the entertainment book you can buy from your local school, the room rate was 50% off - $143/night during a major holiday weekend. I should note the hotel was completely sold out Saturday night (don't know about Sunday). The hotel is located on Monroe Street, which dead ends into Millennium Park - 1.5 blocks away. The hotel is also within a block of the blue and orange lines for the L train, which is perfect for the airport (blue line ends at the airport - $2.25 each way) and games at Toyota Park (orange line ends at Midway, then take the Toyota Park bus). Although the rooms themselves are nothing spectacular (we're just there to sleep anyway), the lobby is absolutely gorgeous due to its HIGH ceiling and painted frescos. If you plan on ever going to a game at Soldier Field, this is also a great location. I do admit it's a bit on the south side if you want to do any shopping (high end stores are north of the river), but you can always cab it for $10 to the northern end of Michigan Mile.
Speaking of cabs, since my last entry, I've discovered an android app called Taxi Magic, which works wonderfully. You book your cab, receive a text upon dispatch with the name of the driver, and there's even an option to flag your cab (flashes the taxi number). You can also map your taxi as it is en route, and there are updates every 20 seconds. The app works in most major cities.
Saturday upon arrival our room wasn't ready because we were so early (arrived around noon). We left our luggage with the bell hop and proceeded to find a meal. The concierge recommended Exchequer, which happened to be full of U. of Iowa Hawkeyes who were headed to a game against N. Illinois for American football. The beer selection was pitiful, so we moved to find the USWNT game (played a friendly against Costa Rica in Rochester for the Olympic celebration tour). We stopped at Miller's Pub, who said they weren't going to show the soccer game due to college football. We ended up at Tilted Kilt and had a great time.
After the game, we headed to the hotel to check in, chilled, and while waiting for others, walked to Garrett's Popcorn. I know it's just popcorn, but words can't describe the phenomenal taste. After getting popcorn, we headed to the hotel to meet others, and then walked to Lou Malnati's for dinner, since one of the gals said she wouldn't mind having deep dish pizza twice in a row for meals. We agreed we should try different pizza places, and since we scheduled Gino's East the next day for lunch, I suggested Lou Malnati's based on a co-worker's recommendation (former Chicagoan). It was okay, but I probably won't return because Gino's East is still my favorite Chicago style deep dish pizza.
From Lou Malnati's we started walking back to the hotel, but halfway there, I flagged a cab to take us to Water Tower Place. Whenever I'm in a different city, I love going to the Adidas store because each store is unique in what they carry, and what is carried in store may not be online and vice versa. Chicago is the only city I know of that has two Adidas stores within walking distance; the performance store is four blocks away from the originals store. Unfortunately it was too late at night to visit the latter, which closes at 8PM. Nonetheless it was fun shopping in Water Tower Place.
We decided to chill in the hotel room Saturday night because I was getting over a cold, and my roommate didn't want to spend a lot of money. I needed hard cider for the tailgate, which meant the usual CVS Pharmacy down the street wasn't going to work for me. I Yelped a place called Warehouse Liquors within walking distance of the hotel, and it was an awesome place. I highly recommend it in the future. So, that was Saturday, on to Sunday!
Unfortunately since I just started, I didn't have enough hotel points for my Chicago stay last weekend for the Dynamo game. I departed last Saturday morning thanks to rewards miles; I also didn't want to use vacation time. One thing to factor is that although it would've been fun to fly into Chicago Friday, you do have to add a night of hotel and perhaps a higher flight cost (since flying on Fridays is more expensive than Saturdays). I went with four other Texian Army members, although one flew into MI to visit friends.
I chose the Palmer House Hilton because I stayed there last year for the Dynamo game, and it's a great location. Thanks to the entertainment book you can buy from your local school, the room rate was 50% off - $143/night during a major holiday weekend. I should note the hotel was completely sold out Saturday night (don't know about Sunday). The hotel is located on Monroe Street, which dead ends into Millennium Park - 1.5 blocks away. The hotel is also within a block of the blue and orange lines for the L train, which is perfect for the airport (blue line ends at the airport - $2.25 each way) and games at Toyota Park (orange line ends at Midway, then take the Toyota Park bus). Although the rooms themselves are nothing spectacular (we're just there to sleep anyway), the lobby is absolutely gorgeous due to its HIGH ceiling and painted frescos. If you plan on ever going to a game at Soldier Field, this is also a great location. I do admit it's a bit on the south side if you want to do any shopping (high end stores are north of the river), but you can always cab it for $10 to the northern end of Michigan Mile.
Speaking of cabs, since my last entry, I've discovered an android app called Taxi Magic, which works wonderfully. You book your cab, receive a text upon dispatch with the name of the driver, and there's even an option to flag your cab (flashes the taxi number). You can also map your taxi as it is en route, and there are updates every 20 seconds. The app works in most major cities.
Saturday upon arrival our room wasn't ready because we were so early (arrived around noon). We left our luggage with the bell hop and proceeded to find a meal. The concierge recommended Exchequer, which happened to be full of U. of Iowa Hawkeyes who were headed to a game against N. Illinois for American football. The beer selection was pitiful, so we moved to find the USWNT game (played a friendly against Costa Rica in Rochester for the Olympic celebration tour). We stopped at Miller's Pub, who said they weren't going to show the soccer game due to college football. We ended up at Tilted Kilt and had a great time.
After the game, we headed to the hotel to check in, chilled, and while waiting for others, walked to Garrett's Popcorn. I know it's just popcorn, but words can't describe the phenomenal taste. After getting popcorn, we headed to the hotel to meet others, and then walked to Lou Malnati's for dinner, since one of the gals said she wouldn't mind having deep dish pizza twice in a row for meals. We agreed we should try different pizza places, and since we scheduled Gino's East the next day for lunch, I suggested Lou Malnati's based on a co-worker's recommendation (former Chicagoan). It was okay, but I probably won't return because Gino's East is still my favorite Chicago style deep dish pizza.
From Lou Malnati's we started walking back to the hotel, but halfway there, I flagged a cab to take us to Water Tower Place. Whenever I'm in a different city, I love going to the Adidas store because each store is unique in what they carry, and what is carried in store may not be online and vice versa. Chicago is the only city I know of that has two Adidas stores within walking distance; the performance store is four blocks away from the originals store. Unfortunately it was too late at night to visit the latter, which closes at 8PM. Nonetheless it was fun shopping in Water Tower Place.
We decided to chill in the hotel room Saturday night because I was getting over a cold, and my roommate didn't want to spend a lot of money. I needed hard cider for the tailgate, which meant the usual CVS Pharmacy down the street wasn't going to work for me. I Yelped a place called Warehouse Liquors within walking distance of the hotel, and it was an awesome place. I highly recommend it in the future. So, that was Saturday, on to Sunday!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Kansas City Part III
There are some newly learned lessons now that I've taken my first road trip to KC. The KC turnpike costs $6 going towards KC and $6 returning, which isn't bad (was led to believe it's double the amount each way). The turnpike accepts both credit card and cash. In addition, in a Ford Escape (a SUV), it roughly takes about 3 tanks of gas each way to get to KC; you should also add another tank while you're driving in the city, just in case.
I have also learned who I can travel with and who I cannot travel with. I cannot travel with people who decide to have a bad attitude the entire trip. My roommate either had a bad attitude or bitched the entire time. As a result, I barely talked to her and really didn't wish to be around her, even though things had been find on previous trips (although previous trips went smoothly without any hiccups). My goal for a vacation (no pun intended) is to visit the city, hang out at good bars and restaurants, see a great game (hopefully win), and most of all, have fun.
My roommate had decided to ride home in another vehicle because she didn't want to ride "cheek to cheek" in ours. [We were offering a ride to someone in ours.] She then proceeded to be pissy and resentful the entire weekend due to shuffling vehicles, but I cannot feel sorry for people who make their own choices. The person who had an empty backseat wasn't offering to help the people whose vehicle broke down (same guy who got mad at OK Joe's); I don't think I am that kind of person.
I drove my roommate at 7AM on 08-Jul-2012 to the other driver (since he was staying near the stadium), and the car ride was completely silent. I said, "I may need your help with the GPS." <silence> I worked the GPS myself, and even though I swerved a couple of times, she did not bother to help me drive HER to HER destination (which by the way, I figured out what hotel to bring her to - she had no idea). When we arrived at the hotel, she did nothing but grumble and then slammed the door shut. I was going to text a passenger in the vehicle to let them know she was in the lobby, but I decided to refrain. I refuse to aid ungrateful people. Later she apologized via text for being upset, but given that she was livid while with me to the point of putting us in jeopardy (even though I did nothing), I will not travel with her again.
Furthermore, it is my opinion the owner of the vehicle decides who rides in the car and who doesn't. Thus again, I could not feel sorry for my roommate, especially when she wasn't offering to help drive in the first place. At least the passenger from the broken vehicle drove most of the way home.
In addition, I found out at breakfast (after dropping off my roommate) that there was some drama the previous night. We took care of one of the passengers from the broken vehicle. The other three passengers went with a friend of theirs. As a result, there was an empty double bed in one of the rooms. MF told a couple, who initially was going to sleep on the floor in her room, to take the empty bed in another room. The couple felt as if they were being kicked out and were quite offended for some reason. This couple failed to bring bedding, pillows, sleeping bags, etc. so I am not sure why they became so irate. In conversation, they had made some sort of reference to the slight when I was talking about my roommate. The couple said, "Well she's not the only one that's mad." I had no clue about the drama until MF explained later.
Traveling with people is a tricky business because you are always then tied to them in a certain way, especially when going together as a group. It's a fine line. You don't want to be away from the group too much, but you also don't want to be a part of the group too much. Hopefully when I get my promotion at work soon (will be traveling 4-5 days/week), I will be able to stay in hotels, rent cars, and book flights for free!
I have also learned who I can travel with and who I cannot travel with. I cannot travel with people who decide to have a bad attitude the entire trip. My roommate either had a bad attitude or bitched the entire time. As a result, I barely talked to her and really didn't wish to be around her, even though things had been find on previous trips (although previous trips went smoothly without any hiccups). My goal for a vacation (no pun intended) is to visit the city, hang out at good bars and restaurants, see a great game (hopefully win), and most of all, have fun.
My roommate had decided to ride home in another vehicle because she didn't want to ride "cheek to cheek" in ours. [We were offering a ride to someone in ours.] She then proceeded to be pissy and resentful the entire weekend due to shuffling vehicles, but I cannot feel sorry for people who make their own choices. The person who had an empty backseat wasn't offering to help the people whose vehicle broke down (same guy who got mad at OK Joe's); I don't think I am that kind of person.
I drove my roommate at 7AM on 08-Jul-2012 to the other driver (since he was staying near the stadium), and the car ride was completely silent. I said, "I may need your help with the GPS." <silence> I worked the GPS myself, and even though I swerved a couple of times, she did not bother to help me drive HER to HER destination (which by the way, I figured out what hotel to bring her to - she had no idea). When we arrived at the hotel, she did nothing but grumble and then slammed the door shut. I was going to text a passenger in the vehicle to let them know she was in the lobby, but I decided to refrain. I refuse to aid ungrateful people. Later she apologized via text for being upset, but given that she was livid while with me to the point of putting us in jeopardy (even though I did nothing), I will not travel with her again.
Furthermore, it is my opinion the owner of the vehicle decides who rides in the car and who doesn't. Thus again, I could not feel sorry for my roommate, especially when she wasn't offering to help drive in the first place. At least the passenger from the broken vehicle drove most of the way home.
In addition, I found out at breakfast (after dropping off my roommate) that there was some drama the previous night. We took care of one of the passengers from the broken vehicle. The other three passengers went with a friend of theirs. As a result, there was an empty double bed in one of the rooms. MF told a couple, who initially was going to sleep on the floor in her room, to take the empty bed in another room. The couple felt as if they were being kicked out and were quite offended for some reason. This couple failed to bring bedding, pillows, sleeping bags, etc. so I am not sure why they became so irate. In conversation, they had made some sort of reference to the slight when I was talking about my roommate. The couple said, "Well she's not the only one that's mad." I had no clue about the drama until MF explained later.
Traveling with people is a tricky business because you are always then tied to them in a certain way, especially when going together as a group. It's a fine line. You don't want to be away from the group too much, but you also don't want to be a part of the group too much. Hopefully when I get my promotion at work soon (will be traveling 4-5 days/week), I will be able to stay in hotels, rent cars, and book flights for free!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Kansas City Part II
After a night out, I definitely slept until there was pounding at my door around noon. Sigh. A third vehicle of friends had arrived. We had booked rooms with a middle door in between us; it was nice of the hotel to be so accommodating. MF had booked one room where at one point as many as 6 people were going to cram into the room. I booked a room for just me and the fourth passenger in our vehicle because I didn't want to be so cramped in one room (which means there would have been 8 total in a room).
I woke up and we went to Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. The line was out the door as usual, but the food was cheap and good. The guy from the previous night who drove out to Ottowa, KS arrived just as we were finished eating. He was then upset we didn't stay and hang around to watch him eat. For those who have never been to OK Joe's, it is so packed that the line always wraps around the building. Due to the small number of tables and chairs, this is not a place to lollygag. You sit, eat, make small talk while eating, wipe your mouth, and leave.
I should note this same guy decided to stay near the stadium instead of where everyone else in Texian Army was staying (about 20 minutes away). For a minimum of four games, even before I decided to go on this trip, I told him not to stay near the stadium due to lack of a nightlife. I strongly encouraged him to stay where everyone else was staying and to move hotels, especially since he didn't pay for his room up front. I cannot feel sorry for people when they are upset because the rest of the group has an agenda (and they chose not to be part of the group).
Since I am becoming more and more familiar with Kansas City, we stopped at Fairway Liquors, which is in the adjacent parking lot. I remembered stopping here in November during the Eastern Conference Final trip. The prices are decent, and it's convenient after eating at OK Joe's. I say "adjacent parking lot" according to my standards. The reality is, if you don't look for the minuscule strip of asphalt, you will easily miss the fact the parking lots are connected.
After the liquor store, we went to Jiffy Lube because MF's "check engine" light came on during the previous night. We were worried, especially after what happened to the other vehicle. Thankfully there were minor problems, and surprisingly the Jiffy Lube guy did not try to tell us to get the oil changed. He assured us we'd make it back to Houston safely; later on the way to the stadium, the light turned off.
We regrouped at the hotel, shuffled people, drums, and coolers around because we had about 15 people needing to fit in two vehicles. We received an invitation from the KC Cauldron (supporters group for Sporting KC), and we decided to take the invitation, though with caution. I drove us to the stadium, and it was hot. It was 107 degrees, and we parked near the speedway. The parking lot had no shade and black asphalt. A parking attendant in a truck took pity on us, so we loaded the drums and coolers into the bed; he then headed to the Cauldron's tailgate with our stuff.
Thank God for KC Cauldron. We would have roasted. They had lots of canopies, welcomed us with open arms, provided water bottles, and a girl had pudding shots. It was funny how there was barely any trash talking, and we all found common ground by talking about other MLS teams. This was the first time I've actually tailgated with the opposing supporters group, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were no altercations. I am so used to Dallas that it was a positive change. I am not saying I would do this with every supporters group, but KC definitely has changed my mindset. It also was a lovely 180 degree contrast to the bottle-throwing, fist-punching, let's-flash-passport-cards regular KC fans experienced during the Eastern Conference Final last year.
We marched into the stadium with no trouble. I drummed the whole game, and I should note I've now established myself as a drummer for Texian Army, since I've been drumming the last six games now. It was odd being the only bass drummer (another drummer had a snare), but it was still fun. I hardly see any of the game while drumming. Sometimes I get to see the highlights, but only if I really pay attention. My support for the team comes in a different format, I suppose. I know we tied 0-0, which made me feel better about accepting the Cauldron's invitation to the Members Bar.
This was my third time at the Members Bar. I have to admit, when people ask, "How's the new Houston Dynamo stadium?" I always say, "I wish we had a Members Bar like Kansas City." No joke. The setup is incredible. Their drummers were jamming inside, and the Cauldron started motioning and waving their hands for us to join. They demanded a Dynamo chant, we jammed, and when everyone started joining arms to sing, "When the Saints Go Marching In," I thought it was beautiful. Cauldron people were joining arms with Texian Army, and it was wonderful. Somewhere I hope there's footage, but a search of YouTube failed to show results.
After the Members Bar, we went back to the hotel. I called it a night. The drive the next day was mundane as well. CS and I drove most of the way back home to Houston, and we made it in 12 hours. My next post will be lessons learned and about other things that happened during the trip, but for now, I bid adieu. Have a good day!
I woke up and we went to Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. The line was out the door as usual, but the food was cheap and good. The guy from the previous night who drove out to Ottowa, KS arrived just as we were finished eating. He was then upset we didn't stay and hang around to watch him eat. For those who have never been to OK Joe's, it is so packed that the line always wraps around the building. Due to the small number of tables and chairs, this is not a place to lollygag. You sit, eat, make small talk while eating, wipe your mouth, and leave.
I should note this same guy decided to stay near the stadium instead of where everyone else in Texian Army was staying (about 20 minutes away). For a minimum of four games, even before I decided to go on this trip, I told him not to stay near the stadium due to lack of a nightlife. I strongly encouraged him to stay where everyone else was staying and to move hotels, especially since he didn't pay for his room up front. I cannot feel sorry for people when they are upset because the rest of the group has an agenda (and they chose not to be part of the group).
Since I am becoming more and more familiar with Kansas City, we stopped at Fairway Liquors, which is in the adjacent parking lot. I remembered stopping here in November during the Eastern Conference Final trip. The prices are decent, and it's convenient after eating at OK Joe's. I say "adjacent parking lot" according to my standards. The reality is, if you don't look for the minuscule strip of asphalt, you will easily miss the fact the parking lots are connected.
After the liquor store, we went to Jiffy Lube because MF's "check engine" light came on during the previous night. We were worried, especially after what happened to the other vehicle. Thankfully there were minor problems, and surprisingly the Jiffy Lube guy did not try to tell us to get the oil changed. He assured us we'd make it back to Houston safely; later on the way to the stadium, the light turned off.
We regrouped at the hotel, shuffled people, drums, and coolers around because we had about 15 people needing to fit in two vehicles. We received an invitation from the KC Cauldron (supporters group for Sporting KC), and we decided to take the invitation, though with caution. I drove us to the stadium, and it was hot. It was 107 degrees, and we parked near the speedway. The parking lot had no shade and black asphalt. A parking attendant in a truck took pity on us, so we loaded the drums and coolers into the bed; he then headed to the Cauldron's tailgate with our stuff.
Thank God for KC Cauldron. We would have roasted. They had lots of canopies, welcomed us with open arms, provided water bottles, and a girl had pudding shots. It was funny how there was barely any trash talking, and we all found common ground by talking about other MLS teams. This was the first time I've actually tailgated with the opposing supporters group, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were no altercations. I am so used to Dallas that it was a positive change. I am not saying I would do this with every supporters group, but KC definitely has changed my mindset. It also was a lovely 180 degree contrast to the bottle-throwing, fist-punching, let's-flash-passport-cards regular KC fans experienced during the Eastern Conference Final last year.
We marched into the stadium with no trouble. I drummed the whole game, and I should note I've now established myself as a drummer for Texian Army, since I've been drumming the last six games now. It was odd being the only bass drummer (another drummer had a snare), but it was still fun. I hardly see any of the game while drumming. Sometimes I get to see the highlights, but only if I really pay attention. My support for the team comes in a different format, I suppose. I know we tied 0-0, which made me feel better about accepting the Cauldron's invitation to the Members Bar.
This was my third time at the Members Bar. I have to admit, when people ask, "How's the new Houston Dynamo stadium?" I always say, "I wish we had a Members Bar like Kansas City." No joke. The setup is incredible. Their drummers were jamming inside, and the Cauldron started motioning and waving their hands for us to join. They demanded a Dynamo chant, we jammed, and when everyone started joining arms to sing, "When the Saints Go Marching In," I thought it was beautiful. Cauldron people were joining arms with Texian Army, and it was wonderful. Somewhere I hope there's footage, but a search of YouTube failed to show results.
After the Members Bar, we went back to the hotel. I called it a night. The drive the next day was mundane as well. CS and I drove most of the way back home to Houston, and we made it in 12 hours. My next post will be lessons learned and about other things that happened during the trip, but for now, I bid adieu. Have a good day!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Kansas City Part I
I've been so busy or exhausted with soccer that I have neglected this blog. On July 6, 2012, I left my friend's apartment at 7AM for Kansas City. In the car was MF, her brother (who happens to have the same initials), and me. We stopped along the way to pick up a friend as well and then met another vehicle at the Bucee's in Madisonville.
The plan was to caravan with the other vehicle, but no one seemed to discuss the route upon leaving Madisonville. In Dallas (about 4hrs later), my GPS said to take 75N and merge with 69N. So, this is the route we decided to follow. Starting in Van Alstyne (a little north of Dallas), we noticed the other vehicle wasn't behind us anymore. Phone calls and text messages ensued. The other vehicle was taking 35N the entire way. As a result, we decided to meet a little north of Denton, TX so we took 75N to 82W (went through Sherman, home of my alma mater - great memories!) to 35N. After meeting with the other vehicle at a gas station, we were well on our way.
Even though I only lived about 15 minutes south of the Texoma border while at Austin College, I never had a desire to enter Oklahoma. With that said, it is a surprisingly beautiful drive. OK is full of hills (unlike TX) and lots of limestone. There were lots of trees, beautiful scenery, and some controlled burns along the way. In contrast, Kansas is pretty boring, although this is due partly to the turnpike. Since you're on the turnpike, there's really very little branching off, in terms of small towns, due to the limited number of exits.
The drive itself was pretty mundane until we were about 20 miles outside of Ottowa, KS when the other vehicle broke down. For some reason, when JH (driving at the time) pushed the accelerator, the car slowed down. It was very strange because I was driving at the time. At one point JH was nearly 2 miles ahead of me, and all of a sudden, he was behind me. We stopped on the side of the road. The guys attempted to figure out what was wrong with the vehicle while MF called AAA. Thankfully they didn't take too long, considering that they were totally swamped. In the meantime, we were trying to figure out logistics - people's stuff, who would ride with whom (no one could fit in the tow truck itself), etc.
A tow truck arrived, along with the AAA supervisor in his own vehicle. JH determined the closest Nissan dealer is in Lawrence, KS, about 40 miles away from Kansas City. Luckily AAA only charged $150 to tow it there; technically they should have charged $4/extra mile over a certain amount. The AAA supervisor graciously took 3 people in his car to a gas station in Ottowa, KS while I followed; we took 1 passenger from the vehicle. We waited for about 1.5 hours for another Texian Army member (who had already arrived in Kansas City) to come pick up the other 3 people. We did not want to leave anyone stranded.
I will say a situation like this gives great insight as to how people react to curve balls. One of the people in our vehicle became visibly upset, yelling, "I just want out of here!" She could not understand why we stopped to help people in need. Neither MF nor I had the heart to leave people stranded. In addition, I kept thinking, "What if we had been in that situation?" I would have hoped friends would have helped. Besides, it isn't like we are all strangers. Being part of a supporters group is like being with a family. I am with these people constantly, and I've known the people in the other vehicle since 2007.
One of the people who drove from Kansas City to the gas station in Ottowa, KS later revealed to someone, "That put me in a compromising situation." I am not sure how this was warranted. He was already in KC, and according to another person, wasn't going to go out anyway because he was too tired. I really don't understand people like this. But nevertheless we made it to our hotel, Best Western - Kansas City Inn, around 10PM. The drive, which should've taken 12 hours, ended up taking 15, but the important thing is that we were safe.
Of course, we did not stay in the hotel that night. After a couple arrived at the hotel from the airport, the hotel graciously shuttled us (with the exception of the friend who was upset by the whole car situation) to dinner at Gates BBQ. We then returned to the hotel for a brief stop, and the shuttle again took us to KC Live, a place in the Power and Light District. I like KC Live because there's a perimeter of bars around an outdoor courtyard. You can move from bar to bar with your open container, listen to live music in the middle, etc. Johnny's Tavern is adjacent to KC Live, home of the KC Cauldron and American Outlaws KC chapter (was there in March & April). There's also Pizza Bar where you can buy a big slice of pizza for only $3.50. My only criticism of KC Live is that the bars close at 3AM, but the bathrooms close at 2AM. Due to lack of bathrooms, we left around 2:30AM, headed back to the hotel, and I called it a night.
Another blog post will follow. Have a good evening!
The plan was to caravan with the other vehicle, but no one seemed to discuss the route upon leaving Madisonville. In Dallas (about 4hrs later), my GPS said to take 75N and merge with 69N. So, this is the route we decided to follow. Starting in Van Alstyne (a little north of Dallas), we noticed the other vehicle wasn't behind us anymore. Phone calls and text messages ensued. The other vehicle was taking 35N the entire way. As a result, we decided to meet a little north of Denton, TX so we took 75N to 82W (went through Sherman, home of my alma mater - great memories!) to 35N. After meeting with the other vehicle at a gas station, we were well on our way.
Even though I only lived about 15 minutes south of the Texoma border while at Austin College, I never had a desire to enter Oklahoma. With that said, it is a surprisingly beautiful drive. OK is full of hills (unlike TX) and lots of limestone. There were lots of trees, beautiful scenery, and some controlled burns along the way. In contrast, Kansas is pretty boring, although this is due partly to the turnpike. Since you're on the turnpike, there's really very little branching off, in terms of small towns, due to the limited number of exits.
The drive itself was pretty mundane until we were about 20 miles outside of Ottowa, KS when the other vehicle broke down. For some reason, when JH (driving at the time) pushed the accelerator, the car slowed down. It was very strange because I was driving at the time. At one point JH was nearly 2 miles ahead of me, and all of a sudden, he was behind me. We stopped on the side of the road. The guys attempted to figure out what was wrong with the vehicle while MF called AAA. Thankfully they didn't take too long, considering that they were totally swamped. In the meantime, we were trying to figure out logistics - people's stuff, who would ride with whom (no one could fit in the tow truck itself), etc.
A tow truck arrived, along with the AAA supervisor in his own vehicle. JH determined the closest Nissan dealer is in Lawrence, KS, about 40 miles away from Kansas City. Luckily AAA only charged $150 to tow it there; technically they should have charged $4/extra mile over a certain amount. The AAA supervisor graciously took 3 people in his car to a gas station in Ottowa, KS while I followed; we took 1 passenger from the vehicle. We waited for about 1.5 hours for another Texian Army member (who had already arrived in Kansas City) to come pick up the other 3 people. We did not want to leave anyone stranded.
I will say a situation like this gives great insight as to how people react to curve balls. One of the people in our vehicle became visibly upset, yelling, "I just want out of here!" She could not understand why we stopped to help people in need. Neither MF nor I had the heart to leave people stranded. In addition, I kept thinking, "What if we had been in that situation?" I would have hoped friends would have helped. Besides, it isn't like we are all strangers. Being part of a supporters group is like being with a family. I am with these people constantly, and I've known the people in the other vehicle since 2007.
One of the people who drove from Kansas City to the gas station in Ottowa, KS later revealed to someone, "That put me in a compromising situation." I am not sure how this was warranted. He was already in KC, and according to another person, wasn't going to go out anyway because he was too tired. I really don't understand people like this. But nevertheless we made it to our hotel, Best Western - Kansas City Inn, around 10PM. The drive, which should've taken 12 hours, ended up taking 15, but the important thing is that we were safe.
Of course, we did not stay in the hotel that night. After a couple arrived at the hotel from the airport, the hotel graciously shuttled us (with the exception of the friend who was upset by the whole car situation) to dinner at Gates BBQ. We then returned to the hotel for a brief stop, and the shuttle again took us to KC Live, a place in the Power and Light District. I like KC Live because there's a perimeter of bars around an outdoor courtyard. You can move from bar to bar with your open container, listen to live music in the middle, etc. Johnny's Tavern is adjacent to KC Live, home of the KC Cauldron and American Outlaws KC chapter (was there in March & April). There's also Pizza Bar where you can buy a big slice of pizza for only $3.50. My only criticism of KC Live is that the bars close at 3AM, but the bathrooms close at 2AM. Due to lack of bathrooms, we left around 2:30AM, headed back to the hotel, and I called it a night.
Another blog post will follow. Have a good evening!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Dynamo & USMNT Travel Plans
I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've written on here, but I've been so busy. I also still have a lingering cough since Tampa. I went to a doc-in-the-box last weekend, but since my lungs are clear, it seems I just have an annoying cough. I've had walking pneumonia before, so I guess that's good news.
Since my last post, I have:
Since my last post, I have:
- Reserved the AO Columbus hotel for the Jamaican game in Sept. $129/night is a reasonable rate.
- Found a rental car rate in Columbus for $10 cheaper a day after initially booking. Originally I had booked the rental car through United a month ago for $46/day, and now it's $36/day (also through United). I guess I'll need to keep checking periodically regarding rates (sigh).
- Booked a one-way flight to Kansas City in Oct. for the Guatemalan game. A return flight is pending work, although I'm not sure how much longer I should wait. The one-way, nonstop flight was only 10K reward miles on United (as opposed to the usual 25K miles). Return flights (with one stop) are still 10K miles.
- Reserved the AO KC hotel. $114/night is a reasonable rate. I still need to work on a rental car because KC's airport and stadium are far from each other, with no public transportation.
- Secured a place to stay in downtown Denver for the Houston Dynamo game in Oct. A co-worker has an apartment, and his complex rents a studio apartment to its tenants for guest use. It's $40 the first night and $20 each subsequent night. So far, there's 3 of us (KH, MF, and I), and we'll need to budget $60 total for "hotel" while there - awesome!
- The Denver rental car I reserved is $45/day through Hertz.
- The Denver flight was $268 round trip on United (no stops).
- Received approval for vacation time Nov. 13-15, 2012. Nov. 14th is an international FIFA date, so it's better to be safer than sorry when it comes to reserving days off. The rumor at the AO Tampa tailgate is that we'll play Russia in LA, although this is pure rumor.
In addition, I've decided to go to Kansas City this upcoming weekend for the Dynamo game. Two weeks ago, the cards all fell into the right place, and the MLS Gods gave signs I should go. A spot opened in MF's SUV, and she also didn't need a game ticket (although was on the list to pay). So, due to her encouraging words, I've decided to take the 12-hour road trip (one way). This will be my first time going to Kansas City by car, and we're staying at a Best Western with shuttle service to the Power and Light District ($207 total for two nights). Texian Army is bringing about 50 people.
I think that's it travel-wise for now. I'll probably be blogging on the road tomorrow. Safe travels!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Tampa USMNT 6/8/12-6/9/12
Since my last post while eating macaroni and cheese at MacDinton's (could you tell I was really hungover?), I've had a blast. Thanks to KH for paying for the mac and cheese, and thanks to AH for buying the $10 water (just kidding). Once I became human again after a walk to Starbucks (been drinking a short toffee nut mocha almost daily since 2004), I joined the rest of the bar instead of sitting in a corner. By the way, whatever local told me Starbucks was "just at the corner of the intersection down the street" was wrong. The closest Starbucks to the AO Tampa bar is past the light, and you should drive there (not walk) when it's drizzling. These are just things to know next time.
I hung out with people from DC, Albuquerque, and Detroit. A Dallas guy was also sitting at the table. It's funny how he knows I am from Houston, but doesn't say hi (while sitting across from him). When "God Bless the USA" was playing Thursday night, I gave a loud cheer when Fera sang "from Texas." Apparently some people looked at me funny, and I overheard him say, "She's from Houston." The club hatred between Houston and Dallas apparently doesn't stop at country events. When I went to Dallas for the USWNT game in February, someone from the Dallas chapter went to ALL the booths surrounding ours (the only Houston group) to invite them to the bar. As a result, I never consider AO Dallas true AO members because they can't put aside their club differences and extend hospitality to all chapters. In contrast, this same Dallas guy hung out with us during the Gold Cup semifinal in Houston last year, so it isn't like our chapter treated Dallas differently when they visited. [In fact, he actually gave one of our members a really nice hat.] To quote a national AO board member while in Kansas City, "Houston and Dallas are two chapters I will never get involved with" when it comes to relationships, and he's right to say that.
After the second half of the Russia-Czech Republic game (UEFA Euro Cup Qualifier), we decided to make a move towards the tailgate. The Phoenix guys, who were staying at the same hotel, needed a ride, and KH needed to pick up her cooler. I should state for the record that the Phoenix guys are really great. They travel so much for the US games that the first time they went to their own AO chapter's bar was when we had a friendly in Phoenix in January. One of them works for US Airways, so he and a companion always get to fly for free as long as they're on standby (JEALOUS!!!). Another "works from home" so traveling and working is a suitable situation (JEALOUS!!!). Just to give you more of an idea of how much they travel, when they stayed with us in LA last year, they left the hotel around 5AM to catch a flight to Belgium (JEALOUS!!!).
We made a stop at a liquor store called Total Wine & More because I don't drink beer, and I remember the Jacksonville locals suggesting it as a great place (FL chain). They were right. It reminded me of Spec's (TX chain), and it suited our needs perfectly - Southern Comfort, large selection of beer definitely cheaper than a gas station, and ice. Since we were giving the Phoenix guys a ride, they paid for everything. It is so refreshing to be with gentlemen and guys who don't totally mooch off of you. It also good having three backseat drivers help you navigate around the stadium and ruin The Fray's "How to Save a Life" for you as you're driving. Ok, but really, the Phoenix guys are great navigators from traveling so much, and they really are helpful when I couldn't remember how to get around to find the correct parking lot (they paid for parking too).
We made it to the tailgate, and it was pretty soggy. The parking lot is actually grass (not concrete), which made for some wet times. AO was selling rain ponchos. We actually didn't have much time to drink, since we arrived around 5PM, and we started packing up around 6PM. I had an extra ticket, which I managed to sell to ReasonableDoubt on behalf of a friend via twitter (gotta love the power of social media). [It's also funny how we ended up next to each other in the stadium section.] I'm also glad I got to see TK after meeting her in Nashville last year. After we went inside, the game was delayed due to lightning. I happened to run into PH, and it was great seeing him again since he last came to Houston (initially met in Cancun during Atlante trip several years ago).
Someone who was constantly refreshing twitter finally saw the announcement that we could go out into the stadium, as security had made us stand inside under the roof for protection. The game itself was of course a blast since we won 3-1, but I can say that at 2-1, it was a nerve-racking situation. After all, we were playing Antigua (so should be able to beat), and we had been standing in the downpour for goodness knows how long. But looking at the scoreboard, all you can think is, "Come on USA. I've spent money to travel here, and I'm drenched. I need another goal!" Thankfully we scored an insurance goal, and it made me feel better about traveling. I realize this is selfish, but when you spend a lot of money on flights, hotels, rental cars/ground transportation, and meals, you really want the US to win.
Afterwards, the post-game tailgate lasted quite a while because traffic was so bad. One of our national board members (who will remain anonymous for now) took all but his boxer briefs off (remember, everyone was pretty soaked) and then went to a strip club. I should note this is not surprising, since this guy used to live in Houston (so I know him), and well, it's just him. I also met a couple of guys from Baltimore (who the Phoenix guys knew) who were really nice. One of them enters boot camp for the Marines a week after 9/11/12, so we were trying to convince him to make it to Columbus for one last trip. Once we decided to leave, we crammed 6 people (3 Phoenix, 2 Baltimore, and myself, the driver) into the Nissan Altima and drove the Baltimore guys to their hotel down the street.
From there, it was makan time (Bahasa Malaysia for meal). We stopped at a McDonald's near the hotel. It's not our preference, but that was the only thing we knew of open late at night. It seems Tampa downtown doesn't have very many late-night eating places. The Phoenix guys paid for my quarter pounder extra value meal since I was driving. In fact, one of the guys in the backseat double-checked that the guy in the front seat paid for my meal. "You took care of hers too, right?" This was very nice of them.
We went back to the hotel, one of the Phoenix guys helped bring stuff to my room, and KH was there. I should note at halftime I left the Detroit/DC group to stand with Phoenix. I am a bit of a wanderer when it comes to games. I like moving, not standing still. KH had put her phone in my bag during the game, so after the game, she had went to MacDinton's with DC, and the DC people dropped her off at the hotel. It should be noted AH from Detroit lost her wallet, so she was busy filing a police report (her husband, RH was with her) and went home (stayed with family) straight after the game. So, if anyone knows or hears of a found wallet (thinks it fell out of her purse in the parking lot), please comment.
The Phoenix crew was concerned KH and I were separated (I guess since we arrived together), but I told them she was fine. I was right. When she got to the hotel, she used her tablet to tweet, and all was well. She wasn't really that concerned either; we've traveled enough together to know each other well enough. Like she said, "It isn't like you left me alone. I was with people we both knew." In fact, after unloading at the hotel, we decided to go out to MacDinton's last night/this morning. It's so odd though how MacDinton's is a soccer pub by day and a hipster club at night. Although we met some AO Tampa people, we only stayed for about an hour and found a local late night pizza place (glad we found a McDonald's alternative right before leaving).
Today, in contrast to yesterday and reminiscent of MLS Cup 2011 in LA, it was a gorgeous day in Tampa. It was sunny and cool - not a cloud in the sky. Oh well. Somehow the rental car's rate was free. All we paid were the surcharges, taxes, and gas (signed up for pre-fueling, since only $3.26/gallon). I am not complaining, but it's just odd how I only paid half price for the rental when comparing receipts pre and post rental.
The flight itself was uneventful. I will say flying nowadays is extremely comfortable. I had brought a CLIF bar, chips, & a pub snack mix with me (thank you $1 snack bags at Kroger). While eating and drinking a beverage, I splurged the $6 to watch the first half of the Holland-Denmark game on Direct TV. It was worth it. I have to admit I do somewhat root for Holland during a neutral game (as in, not playing the US) because my family is from there. I can see what RH means now after watching a few UEFA Euro games, how the style and level of playing is really great. Some of the footwork is beautiful, almost like a dance.
So, that was my Tampa trip. The next USMNT home game won't be for a long time - Columbus in October. It is so odd to say goodbye to people that I won't see again for four months, but that's just the way it is. Thank goodness I follow Houston Dynamo too!
I hung out with people from DC, Albuquerque, and Detroit. A Dallas guy was also sitting at the table. It's funny how he knows I am from Houston, but doesn't say hi (while sitting across from him). When "God Bless the USA" was playing Thursday night, I gave a loud cheer when Fera sang "from Texas." Apparently some people looked at me funny, and I overheard him say, "She's from Houston." The club hatred between Houston and Dallas apparently doesn't stop at country events. When I went to Dallas for the USWNT game in February, someone from the Dallas chapter went to ALL the booths surrounding ours (the only Houston group) to invite them to the bar. As a result, I never consider AO Dallas true AO members because they can't put aside their club differences and extend hospitality to all chapters. In contrast, this same Dallas guy hung out with us during the Gold Cup semifinal in Houston last year, so it isn't like our chapter treated Dallas differently when they visited. [In fact, he actually gave one of our members a really nice hat.] To quote a national AO board member while in Kansas City, "Houston and Dallas are two chapters I will never get involved with" when it comes to relationships, and he's right to say that.
After the second half of the Russia-Czech Republic game (UEFA Euro Cup Qualifier), we decided to make a move towards the tailgate. The Phoenix guys, who were staying at the same hotel, needed a ride, and KH needed to pick up her cooler. I should state for the record that the Phoenix guys are really great. They travel so much for the US games that the first time they went to their own AO chapter's bar was when we had a friendly in Phoenix in January. One of them works for US Airways, so he and a companion always get to fly for free as long as they're on standby (JEALOUS!!!). Another "works from home" so traveling and working is a suitable situation (JEALOUS!!!). Just to give you more of an idea of how much they travel, when they stayed with us in LA last year, they left the hotel around 5AM to catch a flight to Belgium (JEALOUS!!!).
We made a stop at a liquor store called Total Wine & More because I don't drink beer, and I remember the Jacksonville locals suggesting it as a great place (FL chain). They were right. It reminded me of Spec's (TX chain), and it suited our needs perfectly - Southern Comfort, large selection of beer definitely cheaper than a gas station, and ice. Since we were giving the Phoenix guys a ride, they paid for everything. It is so refreshing to be with gentlemen and guys who don't totally mooch off of you. It also good having three backseat drivers help you navigate around the stadium and ruin The Fray's "How to Save a Life" for you as you're driving. Ok, but really, the Phoenix guys are great navigators from traveling so much, and they really are helpful when I couldn't remember how to get around to find the correct parking lot (they paid for parking too).
We made it to the tailgate, and it was pretty soggy. The parking lot is actually grass (not concrete), which made for some wet times. AO was selling rain ponchos. We actually didn't have much time to drink, since we arrived around 5PM, and we started packing up around 6PM. I had an extra ticket, which I managed to sell to ReasonableDoubt on behalf of a friend via twitter (gotta love the power of social media). [It's also funny how we ended up next to each other in the stadium section.] I'm also glad I got to see TK after meeting her in Nashville last year. After we went inside, the game was delayed due to lightning. I happened to run into PH, and it was great seeing him again since he last came to Houston (initially met in Cancun during Atlante trip several years ago).
Someone who was constantly refreshing twitter finally saw the announcement that we could go out into the stadium, as security had made us stand inside under the roof for protection. The game itself was of course a blast since we won 3-1, but I can say that at 2-1, it was a nerve-racking situation. After all, we were playing Antigua (so should be able to beat), and we had been standing in the downpour for goodness knows how long. But looking at the scoreboard, all you can think is, "Come on USA. I've spent money to travel here, and I'm drenched. I need another goal!" Thankfully we scored an insurance goal, and it made me feel better about traveling. I realize this is selfish, but when you spend a lot of money on flights, hotels, rental cars/ground transportation, and meals, you really want the US to win.
Afterwards, the post-game tailgate lasted quite a while because traffic was so bad. One of our national board members (who will remain anonymous for now) took all but his boxer briefs off (remember, everyone was pretty soaked) and then went to a strip club. I should note this is not surprising, since this guy used to live in Houston (so I know him), and well, it's just him. I also met a couple of guys from Baltimore (who the Phoenix guys knew) who were really nice. One of them enters boot camp for the Marines a week after 9/11/12, so we were trying to convince him to make it to Columbus for one last trip. Once we decided to leave, we crammed 6 people (3 Phoenix, 2 Baltimore, and myself, the driver) into the Nissan Altima and drove the Baltimore guys to their hotel down the street.
From there, it was makan time (Bahasa Malaysia for meal). We stopped at a McDonald's near the hotel. It's not our preference, but that was the only thing we knew of open late at night. It seems Tampa downtown doesn't have very many late-night eating places. The Phoenix guys paid for my quarter pounder extra value meal since I was driving. In fact, one of the guys in the backseat double-checked that the guy in the front seat paid for my meal. "You took care of hers too, right?" This was very nice of them.
We went back to the hotel, one of the Phoenix guys helped bring stuff to my room, and KH was there. I should note at halftime I left the Detroit/DC group to stand with Phoenix. I am a bit of a wanderer when it comes to games. I like moving, not standing still. KH had put her phone in my bag during the game, so after the game, she had went to MacDinton's with DC, and the DC people dropped her off at the hotel. It should be noted AH from Detroit lost her wallet, so she was busy filing a police report (her husband, RH was with her) and went home (stayed with family) straight after the game. So, if anyone knows or hears of a found wallet (thinks it fell out of her purse in the parking lot), please comment.
The Phoenix crew was concerned KH and I were separated (I guess since we arrived together), but I told them she was fine. I was right. When she got to the hotel, she used her tablet to tweet, and all was well. She wasn't really that concerned either; we've traveled enough together to know each other well enough. Like she said, "It isn't like you left me alone. I was with people we both knew." In fact, after unloading at the hotel, we decided to go out to MacDinton's last night/this morning. It's so odd though how MacDinton's is a soccer pub by day and a hipster club at night. Although we met some AO Tampa people, we only stayed for about an hour and found a local late night pizza place (glad we found a McDonald's alternative right before leaving).
Today, in contrast to yesterday and reminiscent of MLS Cup 2011 in LA, it was a gorgeous day in Tampa. It was sunny and cool - not a cloud in the sky. Oh well. Somehow the rental car's rate was free. All we paid were the surcharges, taxes, and gas (signed up for pre-fueling, since only $3.26/gallon). I am not complaining, but it's just odd how I only paid half price for the rental when comparing receipts pre and post rental.
The flight itself was uneventful. I will say flying nowadays is extremely comfortable. I had brought a CLIF bar, chips, & a pub snack mix with me (thank you $1 snack bags at Kroger). While eating and drinking a beverage, I splurged the $6 to watch the first half of the Holland-Denmark game on Direct TV. It was worth it. I have to admit I do somewhat root for Holland during a neutral game (as in, not playing the US) because my family is from there. I can see what RH means now after watching a few UEFA Euro games, how the style and level of playing is really great. Some of the footwork is beautiful, almost like a dance.
So, that was my Tampa trip. The next USMNT home game won't be for a long time - Columbus in October. It is so odd to say goodbye to people that I won't see again for four months, but that's just the way it is. Thank goodness I follow Houston Dynamo too!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tampa USMNT Trip 6/7/12
So far, Tampa has been a blast. My journey began yesterday with an unusually high amount of traffic on the road on the way to the airport, to the point where someone on the shuttle made a comment. Airport security was also extremely busy so that the United Premiere Access section was just as busy and crowded as non-elites. Perhaps this is due to the summer holiday and fact that flights tend to be cheaper on Thursdays.
The flight itself was a bit turbulent as we approached Tampa. I was unable to fully nap, thanks to the 7-month-old in front of me. Babies are cute until they can be heard, whether whimpering or playing with an empty snack bag. I noted the parents bought 2 snack boxes for $16, which I find extravagant.
The Hertz rental car center at the Tampa airport is atypical of other Hertz counters. There is no marquee board listing your spot, and instead of the key being in the ignition, you have to collect the key from a kiosk. Later we found no one checks your car or contract upon exiting, which is strange. I also now know a Nissan Altima is in the same car class as a Toyota Corolla.
We arrived at the hotel with no problems. American Outlaws did a good job with picking the hotel, bar, stadium, and airport all being witin a 10-minute drive.
After checking in, we went to the bar. Detroit, Phoenix, and others I've met on previous trips were there. On the third try, I finally found a bartender I liked and had 2 long island iced teas. RH bought a round of white gummy shots (delicious - contains Bacardi strawberry). I bought another round of shots, drank BH's shot, and another random shot BH had on his table. Thankfully one of the Phoenix guys, who needed a lift anyway, drove us back to the hotel.
I did not sleep well last night, but oh well. I'm watching the Euro 2012 game between Poland and Greece at MacDinton's. I like this AO bar because it's homey and has delicious macaroni and cheese, perfect after a night of shenanigans. On to the tailgate and game!
The flight itself was a bit turbulent as we approached Tampa. I was unable to fully nap, thanks to the 7-month-old in front of me. Babies are cute until they can be heard, whether whimpering or playing with an empty snack bag. I noted the parents bought 2 snack boxes for $16, which I find extravagant.
The Hertz rental car center at the Tampa airport is atypical of other Hertz counters. There is no marquee board listing your spot, and instead of the key being in the ignition, you have to collect the key from a kiosk. Later we found no one checks your car or contract upon exiting, which is strange. I also now know a Nissan Altima is in the same car class as a Toyota Corolla.
We arrived at the hotel with no problems. American Outlaws did a good job with picking the hotel, bar, stadium, and airport all being witin a 10-minute drive.
After checking in, we went to the bar. Detroit, Phoenix, and others I've met on previous trips were there. On the third try, I finally found a bartender I liked and had 2 long island iced teas. RH bought a round of white gummy shots (delicious - contains Bacardi strawberry). I bought another round of shots, drank BH's shot, and another random shot BH had on his table. Thankfully one of the Phoenix guys, who needed a lift anyway, drove us back to the hotel.
I did not sleep well last night, but oh well. I'm watching the Euro 2012 game between Poland and Greece at MacDinton's. I like this AO bar because it's homey and has delicious macaroni and cheese, perfect after a night of shenanigans. On to the tailgate and game!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Tampa Here I Come!
I'm ready for Tampa! I've packed:
clothes
amenities (toothpaste, toothbrush, etc)
slippers so I can be comfy in the hotel
extra pair of Adidas flip flops (quick-dry, fit foam is AMAZING)
snacks
proof of car insurance
Park 'N Fly membership card so I can get 1 day free parking
money and ID
game tickets (very important!)
laundry bag
rain poncho, since it's supposed to rain =(
bathing suit in case there's an indoor hotel pool
two chargers & an awesome extra battery (came w/a case that functions as a stand!)
FM transmitter in case rental car doesn't have auxiliary port
Since this is a quick trip, I've decided to travel light with just a backpack (pictured at left, bought from Adidas Outlet in Kansas City) and tote bag (pictured at right, bought from Adidas Outlet in Allen, TX). The backpack has a water bottle pocket, a place to put your cell phone in the front of the backpack strap, and a microfiber compartment for electronic devices. The tote bag has more room than what appearances may seem and is of manageable size. I am always on the lookout for travel gear!
For those who don't know me, I love Adidas! I love how the clothes are durable, comfortable, and breathable (love the quick-drying Climalite material), can easily coordinate, and roll into a ball for easy packing. Tampa here I come!
clothes
amenities (toothpaste, toothbrush, etc)
slippers so I can be comfy in the hotel
extra pair of Adidas flip flops (quick-dry, fit foam is AMAZING)
snacks
proof of car insurance
Park 'N Fly membership card so I can get 1 day free parking
money and ID
game tickets (very important!)
laundry bag
rain poncho, since it's supposed to rain =(
bathing suit in case there's an indoor hotel pool
two chargers & an awesome extra battery (came w/a case that functions as a stand!)
FM transmitter in case rental car doesn't have auxiliary port
Since this is a quick trip, I've decided to travel light with just a backpack (pictured at left, bought from Adidas Outlet in Kansas City) and tote bag (pictured at right, bought from Adidas Outlet in Allen, TX). The backpack has a water bottle pocket, a place to put your cell phone in the front of the backpack strap, and a microfiber compartment for electronic devices. The tote bag has more room than what appearances may seem and is of manageable size. I am always on the lookout for travel gear!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Jacksonville May 27-28, 2012
After going to bed at 4AM, we understandably awoke around noon with the exception of MS, who can't go back to sleep once awakened by an internal clock at 7AM (sucks to be him). At the recommendation of a Texian Army member who used to live in the area, we headed to Singleton's Seafood Shack for lunch. From there, we went to the Mayport ferry, but it was closed due to impending weather.
After lunch, we decided to go back to Jacksonville Beach, where we were the last two nights. I was craving ice cream. "That is such an Erin Dallas thing to say - wanting ice cream after this huge dish!" exclaimed CS. I replied, "Yes, mint chocolate chip please," and he grinned, "That sounds amazing." So, we went to Rita's Italian Ices, which was okay. [See links for reviews.]
The weather was starting to turn, becoming windier, so we sought refuge at a club called The Beach, since Fionn MacCool's across the street is closed on Sundays. After I sat at a table awaiting a waitress for 20 minutes and CS & MF stood at the bar waiting for a bartender for 20 minutes, we gave up. The place only had one table of four people, and the bar was only 1/3 full of people sitting down with no one dancing to an inexperienced DJ (too many abrupt transitions). We left despite the manager's pleas.
We then walked to Lynch's Irish Pub and had some drinks. There were Scottish people there, and the guys in our group felt the need to bond and console them. I should note this was a running trend, especially with JM, who wanted to talk to every Scot after the game. MF was on the hunt for a frozen margarita (not available at Lynch's); after talking with a gal at the bar, we headed to Mango's.
When you think of a bar named Mango's, you probably imagine tiki furniture, beach decor, and lots of drinks with umbrellas. We walked in, and there were lots of bikers, basic bar stools, and no decor. Needless to say, although the waitress greeted us IMMEDIATELY upon walking in, they didn't have a frozen drink machine. We were very sad after experiencing such poor service at our previous two bars.
We then walked to the Da Big Kahuna next door and struck gold. Not only did they have frozen drinks, but long island iced teas (my signature drink) were also available. However, after walking around, MF and I asked the bartender what "the big clam shell is," and she explained that it's full of jungle juice, the same price as a fish bowl, but has more liquid. We decided to try it.
Jungle juice is heaven. I also think you will feel the affects of the alcohol more if you eat the fruit. During our first clam shell, we asked the price, and it is only $25. I can't explain how cheap this is for the amount of drink/fruit you get considering a 60oz mojito during happy hour at the Cavalier Hotel in Miami's South Beach is $40. We decided to ride out the beginnings of tropical storm Beryl with two jungle juices.
At one point, I decided I wanted to go out to the beach, and MF came along. It wasn't really raining too hard, so we darted across the parking lot, climbed some stairs, and dipped our feet into the Atlantic Ocean. The water was cold, unlike the previous day. As we left, a gust of wind arrived, and the sand coming off of the beach seriously felt like pins and needles. But, I only live once, and I can say I've been in the ocean during a tropical storm.
After Da Big Kahuna, we decided to call it a night, but first stopped at Pizza Hut. JM was worried about missing the Oklahoma City NBA game, so MF took him to the hotel while we waited for the pizza (and then came back to pick us up). It's a good thing we made a stop for food, even though we weren't really too hungry.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we took advantage of the breakfast nook area, using the paper plates, utensils, cups, and napkins. We left the light off because the hallway light outside the area provided enough light. The manager came over and said, "You guys can turn on the light!" After we told her we liked the ambience, she said, "You need a candle!" She was very nice. During our soiree, the power went out, and tropical storm Beryl started to take effect.
Despite being about 15ft from the hotel's front desk, shenanigans ensued. CS decided to somehow tie a napkin to the back of his shirt. MF and CS wheeled each other around on the luggage carts. At one point, a guest who waiting for a flashlight (handed out by the hotel staff at the front desk) asked, "Sir, do you know you have a napkin on your back?" CS replied, "Why yes, it's a cape!" and ran quickly in circles to demonstrate. The guest replied, "It would work better with towels," and CS admitted he had yet to go upstairs to the hotel room. Of everything that happened that night, that was the best incidence.
I don't remember the exact time we decided to head to the room; it was probably around 12-1AM. The room was hot, but luckily we could open the large window (drizzling with little wind). I took a shower; thank goodness for the Tiny Flashlight + LED Android app. I remember the weather was quite muggy, but it's interesting how no one complained. Everyone found their sleeping areas in the dark quietly without a fuss. Within an hour, just as I was getting to sleep, the power came on. As MF had predicted earlier, every light in the room turned on, the group groaned, turned off the lights, and returned to sleep.
Around 8AM we all woke up and started preparing for departure. The group left impressively on time at 9AM, including packing the trunk and strapping the canopy to the roof of the SUV. Super Shuttle was scheduled to pick me up at 9AM, but instead a taxi arrived around 9:15AM. My flight left on time; the airport was eerily empty, most likely because people must have panicked the previous day about tropical storm Beryl. My friends only took 12 hours to arrive to Houston, which was impressive.
So, that was pretty much my Jacksonville trip. On to Tampa!
After lunch, we decided to go back to Jacksonville Beach, where we were the last two nights. I was craving ice cream. "That is such an Erin Dallas thing to say - wanting ice cream after this huge dish!" exclaimed CS. I replied, "Yes, mint chocolate chip please," and he grinned, "That sounds amazing." So, we went to Rita's Italian Ices, which was okay. [See links for reviews.]
The weather was starting to turn, becoming windier, so we sought refuge at a club called The Beach, since Fionn MacCool's across the street is closed on Sundays. After I sat at a table awaiting a waitress for 20 minutes and CS & MF stood at the bar waiting for a bartender for 20 minutes, we gave up. The place only had one table of four people, and the bar was only 1/3 full of people sitting down with no one dancing to an inexperienced DJ (too many abrupt transitions). We left despite the manager's pleas.
We then walked to Lynch's Irish Pub and had some drinks. There were Scottish people there, and the guys in our group felt the need to bond and console them. I should note this was a running trend, especially with JM, who wanted to talk to every Scot after the game. MF was on the hunt for a frozen margarita (not available at Lynch's); after talking with a gal at the bar, we headed to Mango's.
When you think of a bar named Mango's, you probably imagine tiki furniture, beach decor, and lots of drinks with umbrellas. We walked in, and there were lots of bikers, basic bar stools, and no decor. Needless to say, although the waitress greeted us IMMEDIATELY upon walking in, they didn't have a frozen drink machine. We were very sad after experiencing such poor service at our previous two bars.
We then walked to the Da Big Kahuna next door and struck gold. Not only did they have frozen drinks, but long island iced teas (my signature drink) were also available. However, after walking around, MF and I asked the bartender what "the big clam shell is," and she explained that it's full of jungle juice, the same price as a fish bowl, but has more liquid. We decided to try it.
Jungle juice is heaven. I also think you will feel the affects of the alcohol more if you eat the fruit. During our first clam shell, we asked the price, and it is only $25. I can't explain how cheap this is for the amount of drink/fruit you get considering a 60oz mojito during happy hour at the Cavalier Hotel in Miami's South Beach is $40. We decided to ride out the beginnings of tropical storm Beryl with two jungle juices.
At one point, I decided I wanted to go out to the beach, and MF came along. It wasn't really raining too hard, so we darted across the parking lot, climbed some stairs, and dipped our feet into the Atlantic Ocean. The water was cold, unlike the previous day. As we left, a gust of wind arrived, and the sand coming off of the beach seriously felt like pins and needles. But, I only live once, and I can say I've been in the ocean during a tropical storm.
After Da Big Kahuna, we decided to call it a night, but first stopped at Pizza Hut. JM was worried about missing the Oklahoma City NBA game, so MF took him to the hotel while we waited for the pizza (and then came back to pick us up). It's a good thing we made a stop for food, even though we weren't really too hungry.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we took advantage of the breakfast nook area, using the paper plates, utensils, cups, and napkins. We left the light off because the hallway light outside the area provided enough light. The manager came over and said, "You guys can turn on the light!" After we told her we liked the ambience, she said, "You need a candle!" She was very nice. During our soiree, the power went out, and tropical storm Beryl started to take effect.
Despite being about 15ft from the hotel's front desk, shenanigans ensued. CS decided to somehow tie a napkin to the back of his shirt. MF and CS wheeled each other around on the luggage carts. At one point, a guest who waiting for a flashlight (handed out by the hotel staff at the front desk) asked, "Sir, do you know you have a napkin on your back?" CS replied, "Why yes, it's a cape!" and ran quickly in circles to demonstrate. The guest replied, "It would work better with towels," and CS admitted he had yet to go upstairs to the hotel room. Of everything that happened that night, that was the best incidence.
I don't remember the exact time we decided to head to the room; it was probably around 12-1AM. The room was hot, but luckily we could open the large window (drizzling with little wind). I took a shower; thank goodness for the Tiny Flashlight + LED Android app. I remember the weather was quite muggy, but it's interesting how no one complained. Everyone found their sleeping areas in the dark quietly without a fuss. Within an hour, just as I was getting to sleep, the power came on. As MF had predicted earlier, every light in the room turned on, the group groaned, turned off the lights, and returned to sleep.
Around 8AM we all woke up and started preparing for departure. The group left impressively on time at 9AM, including packing the trunk and strapping the canopy to the roof of the SUV. Super Shuttle was scheduled to pick me up at 9AM, but instead a taxi arrived around 9:15AM. My flight left on time; the airport was eerily empty, most likely because people must have panicked the previous day about tropical storm Beryl. My friends only took 12 hours to arrive to Houston, which was impressive.
So, that was pretty much my Jacksonville trip. On to Tampa!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Jacksonville USMNT May 25-26, 2012
Memorial weekend was great because I spent it in Jacksonville. While my friends (from Texian Army & AO Houston) drove 15 hours to get there, I took the easy way out and departed on May 25th. From Houston, it's about a 2-2.5hr flight.
One thing to note about flying out of IAH is that TSA policies vary from terminal to terminal. In terminal C, you need to have your boarding pass before you enter the scanning machine. In terminal B, which is where I was for Jacksonville departure, you only need to have your boarding pass before you enter the scanning machine IF it is in paper form. If you have a mobile version of your boarding pass, you don't have to show it to the TSA agents prior to entering the scanning machine. I find this oddly ironic.
It's funny how my friends left Houston around 10:30PM the night before, but arrived at the hotel about 10 minutes later than me. At the hotel, two of the four decided to sleep and not attend the public training (LAME!). I paid for a US Soccer membership so that we could have field access (will be useful for future games this year), and it was great. One of my friends, JM, was also able to get a couple of locals (Adam and Nikki) onto the field by showing his US Soccer membership card despite failure to pre-register (take note!). It turned out Adam and Nikki were AO members of the Jacksonville chapter, so we made instant friends.
We took many pictures with the players (Boca, Timmy, Dempsey, and Cameron being my favorites), and MF was able to get her jersey signed by Beckerman. At one point, Clint was training by himself, and I yelled, "Nacogdoches!" I'm not sure if he heard me, but during the autograph session he and MF compared Texas tattoos. He thinks his is better because he has Nacogdoches starred, but everyone knows that it's really NacaNoWhere.
From there, we went back to the hotel, picked up the sleepy lame ones (CS & MS), and headed to Fionn MacCool's for dinner, based on Adam's recommendation for food. His recommendation did NOT disappoint. The scotch egg and beer cheese soup in a bread bowl were both delicious and excellent in quality. The portion sizes were generous for the prices, and $3 pints of Yuengling satisfied the sleepy lame ones, since they weren't eating. Just FYI, Yuengling cannot be found in Houston (or Texas from what I've been told), so apparently it is a hot commodity.
From Fionn MacCool's, we walked to Lynch's Irish Pub a block away, home of the AO Jacksonville chapter. This was definitely a happening place, not just because of all the American Outlaws, but because it seems to be a local's favorite hangout (based on the line at the front door). I ran into the two Phoenix guys (hung out with them in Miami and Los Angeles last year) that always travel, which was good. AO Jacksonville seems to have unique chants, and we now have in our heads images of Oompa Loompas with the gold ticket forever associated with this chapter.
The next day (May 26th) after free breakfast at the hotel, we decided to hit Jacksonville Beach - same area where we were the previous night. The beach is non-alcoholic, but we still brought alcohol. As long as you quietly pour beer into a cup (get free cups from Whataburger), the cops won't disturb you. The beach was pretty packed, although not uncomfortably crowded. My friends had brought the canopy from Houston (strapped to the roof of the SUV). Apparently there had been a huge argument prior to driving as to how to secure the canopy, but one of the guys said, "Thanks for making us bring the canopy" because it was extremely hot. The sand was so hot it wasn't uncommon for small children to cry.
The waves were pretty rough. Unlike the beach in Surfside, TX, it was impossible to make it out to sea past the break where the waves started. Nevertheless, the water was clean and there was no seaweed being brought ashore, which was a nice change. CS and MS rented boogie boards ($15/hour), but MS had a hard time since he didn't know how to boogie board in the first place. Many of us returned sunburned, but it was worth it.
Around 1PM or so we headed back to the hotel to shower and change. I will say it is impressive when you can get five, sandy people to shower, change, and get ready for the game (tailgate supplies included) within an hour. We also had sandwich stuff from the store (luncheon meat, bread, and condiments), which was helpful throughout the whole trip. We also had a refrigerator, and that was a lifesaver (not all hotels provide fridges).
The tailgate was one of the best I've attended at the USMNT games mainly because the Jacksonville chapter had a HUGE grill. Typically at AO tailgates, we just order pizza, but this time were were grilled hamburgers and Ballpark hot dogs. [The hot dog brand makes a difference, so take note!] We met people from all over the nation - El Paso, Dallas (not a FC Dallas fan/supporter, whew!), Jacksonville, Phoenix, and goodness knows where else. People were cool, although when we initially entered the parking lot (grassy area), someone asked MS rudely, "Why are you wearing a kilt?" I should note MS, being of Scottish heritage, wore a kilt (nothing underneath!) with a US Soccer jersey.
The game itself was a blast, of course, since the USMNT won 5-1. Everbank Field is your typical stadium with no shade. There was a woman checking every ticket for our section. I will say security was quite lax. There were probably about four or so small smoke bombs lit. You can tell whoever was setting them was an amateur, sending up smoke within a couple of minutes of kickoff (no goal). The smoke bombs were so small though that they may not have made it on television. Nothing was done (that I know of) in terms of consequences, and we can still bring banners to this week's game.
After the game, we headed back to the tailgate area at Russ Doe's sandwich shop. The sandwich shop made quite a bit of money on parking, allowing us to park for $10 on their grass lot. We hung out with the Phoenix guys for so long that there were only four vehicles left (including each of ours). Someone needed a jump, but we didn't have jumper cables.
We were still wide awake, so we decided to have a pool party at the hotel (thanks hotel for having unlocked gate). CS, being a board of director, invited everyone in Texian Army via Facebook to join us (of course, some couldn't make it to Jacksonville on short notice). However, upon review at the hotel, there was no more beer. I found a 24-hour Walgreens within a 5-min drive who sold alcohol until 2AM. At 1:40AM, to quote CS, "I've never seen us so motivated to go somewhere; I like it." We managed to make it to Walgreens in time. There were at least three other people who also had the same idea at 2AM. We finally went to bed around 4AM, despite my suggestion that we should stay up another two hours to have breakfast.
I will resume this chronicle tomorrow. Good night.
One thing to note about flying out of IAH is that TSA policies vary from terminal to terminal. In terminal C, you need to have your boarding pass before you enter the scanning machine. In terminal B, which is where I was for Jacksonville departure, you only need to have your boarding pass before you enter the scanning machine IF it is in paper form. If you have a mobile version of your boarding pass, you don't have to show it to the TSA agents prior to entering the scanning machine. I find this oddly ironic.
It's funny how my friends left Houston around 10:30PM the night before, but arrived at the hotel about 10 minutes later than me. At the hotel, two of the four decided to sleep and not attend the public training (LAME!). I paid for a US Soccer membership so that we could have field access (will be useful for future games this year), and it was great. One of my friends, JM, was also able to get a couple of locals (Adam and Nikki) onto the field by showing his US Soccer membership card despite failure to pre-register (take note!). It turned out Adam and Nikki were AO members of the Jacksonville chapter, so we made instant friends.
We took many pictures with the players (Boca, Timmy, Dempsey, and Cameron being my favorites), and MF was able to get her jersey signed by Beckerman. At one point, Clint was training by himself, and I yelled, "Nacogdoches!" I'm not sure if he heard me, but during the autograph session he and MF compared Texas tattoos. He thinks his is better because he has Nacogdoches starred, but everyone knows that it's really NacaNoWhere.
From there, we went back to the hotel, picked up the sleepy lame ones (CS & MS), and headed to Fionn MacCool's for dinner, based on Adam's recommendation for food. His recommendation did NOT disappoint. The scotch egg and beer cheese soup in a bread bowl were both delicious and excellent in quality. The portion sizes were generous for the prices, and $3 pints of Yuengling satisfied the sleepy lame ones, since they weren't eating. Just FYI, Yuengling cannot be found in Houston (or Texas from what I've been told), so apparently it is a hot commodity.
From Fionn MacCool's, we walked to Lynch's Irish Pub a block away, home of the AO Jacksonville chapter. This was definitely a happening place, not just because of all the American Outlaws, but because it seems to be a local's favorite hangout (based on the line at the front door). I ran into the two Phoenix guys (hung out with them in Miami and Los Angeles last year) that always travel, which was good. AO Jacksonville seems to have unique chants, and we now have in our heads images of Oompa Loompas with the gold ticket forever associated with this chapter.
The next day (May 26th) after free breakfast at the hotel, we decided to hit Jacksonville Beach - same area where we were the previous night. The beach is non-alcoholic, but we still brought alcohol. As long as you quietly pour beer into a cup (get free cups from Whataburger), the cops won't disturb you. The beach was pretty packed, although not uncomfortably crowded. My friends had brought the canopy from Houston (strapped to the roof of the SUV). Apparently there had been a huge argument prior to driving as to how to secure the canopy, but one of the guys said, "Thanks for making us bring the canopy" because it was extremely hot. The sand was so hot it wasn't uncommon for small children to cry.
The waves were pretty rough. Unlike the beach in Surfside, TX, it was impossible to make it out to sea past the break where the waves started. Nevertheless, the water was clean and there was no seaweed being brought ashore, which was a nice change. CS and MS rented boogie boards ($15/hour), but MS had a hard time since he didn't know how to boogie board in the first place. Many of us returned sunburned, but it was worth it.
Around 1PM or so we headed back to the hotel to shower and change. I will say it is impressive when you can get five, sandy people to shower, change, and get ready for the game (tailgate supplies included) within an hour. We also had sandwich stuff from the store (luncheon meat, bread, and condiments), which was helpful throughout the whole trip. We also had a refrigerator, and that was a lifesaver (not all hotels provide fridges).
The tailgate was one of the best I've attended at the USMNT games mainly because the Jacksonville chapter had a HUGE grill. Typically at AO tailgates, we just order pizza, but this time were were grilled hamburgers and Ballpark hot dogs. [The hot dog brand makes a difference, so take note!] We met people from all over the nation - El Paso, Dallas (not a FC Dallas fan/supporter, whew!), Jacksonville, Phoenix, and goodness knows where else. People were cool, although when we initially entered the parking lot (grassy area), someone asked MS rudely, "Why are you wearing a kilt?" I should note MS, being of Scottish heritage, wore a kilt (nothing underneath!) with a US Soccer jersey.
The game itself was a blast, of course, since the USMNT won 5-1. Everbank Field is your typical stadium with no shade. There was a woman checking every ticket for our section. I will say security was quite lax. There were probably about four or so small smoke bombs lit. You can tell whoever was setting them was an amateur, sending up smoke within a couple of minutes of kickoff (no goal). The smoke bombs were so small though that they may not have made it on television. Nothing was done (that I know of) in terms of consequences, and we can still bring banners to this week's game.
After the game, we headed back to the tailgate area at Russ Doe's sandwich shop. The sandwich shop made quite a bit of money on parking, allowing us to park for $10 on their grass lot. We hung out with the Phoenix guys for so long that there were only four vehicles left (including each of ours). Someone needed a jump, but we didn't have jumper cables.
We were still wide awake, so we decided to have a pool party at the hotel (thanks hotel for having unlocked gate). CS, being a board of director, invited everyone in Texian Army via Facebook to join us (of course, some couldn't make it to Jacksonville on short notice). However, upon review at the hotel, there was no more beer. I found a 24-hour Walgreens within a 5-min drive who sold alcohol until 2AM. At 1:40AM, to quote CS, "I've never seen us so motivated to go somewhere; I like it." We managed to make it to Walgreens in time. There were at least three other people who also had the same idea at 2AM. We finally went to bed around 4AM, despite my suggestion that we should stay up another two hours to have breakfast.
I will resume this chronicle tomorrow. Good night.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Kansas City USMNT Flights
It's funny how ESP somewhat works. After a heavy discussion yesterday during Mexico/Brazil game about the FIFA and CONCACAF schedules, I decided this morning around 9AM CDT I'd go ahead and put a vacation request for Oct. 15-17, 2012.
Little did I know US Soccer would release the final US city this year for a world cup qualifier this afternoon - Kansas City.
Kudos to Kansas City. I like the Power and Light District, the BBQ is definitely better than North Carolina (gag), and let's face it - it's a soccer-dedicated stadium.
But, I have to admit, I am kind of getting tired of going there. Between the MLS Eastern Conference final last year and the Olympic qualifiers this year (when the USA failed to show up - let's not say more), I've now been to KC twice in the last year. October 2012 will be the third time in nearly a year I'll be there.
Nevertheless, I am looking to book a flight next week. My allowance is 1 trip booked per credit card statement. Is there something going on in KC (besides the USMNT game) that I should know about?
Little did I know US Soccer would release the final US city this year for a world cup qualifier this afternoon - Kansas City.
Kudos to Kansas City. I like the Power and Light District, the BBQ is definitely better than North Carolina (gag), and let's face it - it's a soccer-dedicated stadium.
But, I have to admit, I am kind of getting tired of going there. Between the MLS Eastern Conference final last year and the Olympic qualifiers this year (when the USA failed to show up - let's not say more), I've now been to KC twice in the last year. October 2012 will be the third time in nearly a year I'll be there.
Nevertheless, I am looking to book a flight next week. My allowance is 1 trip booked per credit card statement. Is there something going on in KC (besides the USMNT game) that I should know about?
- United: $867 nonstop <insert HUGE gasp>
- Southwest: $314.70, 1 stop each way
- American Airlines: $312.70, 1 stop each way
- Airtran: $321.70, 1 stop each way (5-6 hours)
- Delta (don't ever leave the airport): ~$900, 1 stop each way (uh, no)
- Frontier: nearly $400, actually operated by Republic Airlines (?!?!), 1 stop each way (~5 hours)
- Travelocity hotel/flight package: $584.30 through American Airlines (1 stop each way) with hotel near Power and Light District. Orbitz also has a comparable package.
- Air Canada does not conduct USA domestic flights.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Jacksonville USMNT Trip Logistics
Planning a trip is always fun and lately it's been somewhat of an addiction. Jacksonville was a unique situation in that I had 4 friends drive to FL from TX (15 hours to get there and 12 hours to come back), so I didn't need to rent a car. As the date approached, WorldMate (excellent app!) kept reminding me to rent a car, and I had to ignore the reminder after doing a double-check every time.
I had booked the trip in February, shortly after US Soccer made the announcement of the USA vs Scotland friendly on May 26, 2012. I have learned it's best to book as quickly as possible before airlines figure out there's a game scheduled and raise their prices. The cheapest option was a hotel and airfare package through United Vacations for about $600. While this may seem extravagant, the trip was booked during Memorial Weekend for three nights of hotel. Within two months of the date, airfare began to soar, costing as much as $450 alone without the hotel.
I should note that even though I had booked the trip in February, United does give a 100% refund if you cancel about a month in advance. After that, the percentage is prorated, e.g. 80% refund if canceling within 3 weeks of departure. Of course, if you wait until the week of departure, there is no refund.
I don't always do these kind of packages (because you do have to pay all of the money up front), but if I can afford it, I will do it. I have learned never sign up for a hotel/airfare/car rental package, as I always have cheaper options for a car rental (whether it be a coupon or free double upgrade). Car rental coupons can only be applied if you book directly with the company; you cannot apply car rental coupons when booking through a third party (in this case, United Vacations). Since I've made this mistake before, often the third party will allow you to cancel the car rental portion of the package with no penalty.
I did book ground transportation to/from the hotel and the airport. Typically when I need ground transportation, I book through Super Shuttle because they are the only company nationwide with whom I can book online. Although I support local businesses, many independently owned companies require you to complete a form with your flight information, and someone will call/email you later to confirm. I prefer instantaneous booking. [I suppose that's the American in me.]
We stayed at the Best Western Mayport Inn and Suites in Atlantic Beach, FL, about 40 minutes from the airport. The cost of Super Shuttle was $105 round trip. Although this seems like a lot, a one-way cab fare can be as much as $75 if you were to book directly with the cab company. For ground transportation, instead of a shuttle van, a taxi was sent. Super Shuttle will send a taxi if their vans are unable to make the trip, and will reimburse the taxi company the fare. I had to sign a voucher each time so that the cab driver could account for the fare.
The company who brought me back to the airport is Checker Cab. I thought it was neat I received a text message when the taxi was dispatched to the hotel. If you need to be picked up, you can fill out the form online or text the address and zip code to 904-222-8507. I've kept this number in my contacts in case I visit Jacksonville again.
In a nutshell, this was my experience when booking hotel, airfare, and ground transportation in Jacksonville. It may seem easy when I write the logistics in a nice little blog post, but this trip took weeks of research to plan. Nevertheless, the trip was worth it, and we had a blast!
I had booked the trip in February, shortly after US Soccer made the announcement of the USA vs Scotland friendly on May 26, 2012. I have learned it's best to book as quickly as possible before airlines figure out there's a game scheduled and raise their prices. The cheapest option was a hotel and airfare package through United Vacations for about $600. While this may seem extravagant, the trip was booked during Memorial Weekend for three nights of hotel. Within two months of the date, airfare began to soar, costing as much as $450 alone without the hotel.
I should note that even though I had booked the trip in February, United does give a 100% refund if you cancel about a month in advance. After that, the percentage is prorated, e.g. 80% refund if canceling within 3 weeks of departure. Of course, if you wait until the week of departure, there is no refund.
I don't always do these kind of packages (because you do have to pay all of the money up front), but if I can afford it, I will do it. I have learned never sign up for a hotel/airfare/car rental package, as I always have cheaper options for a car rental (whether it be a coupon or free double upgrade). Car rental coupons can only be applied if you book directly with the company; you cannot apply car rental coupons when booking through a third party (in this case, United Vacations). Since I've made this mistake before, often the third party will allow you to cancel the car rental portion of the package with no penalty.
I did book ground transportation to/from the hotel and the airport. Typically when I need ground transportation, I book through Super Shuttle because they are the only company nationwide with whom I can book online. Although I support local businesses, many independently owned companies require you to complete a form with your flight information, and someone will call/email you later to confirm. I prefer instantaneous booking. [I suppose that's the American in me.]
We stayed at the Best Western Mayport Inn and Suites in Atlantic Beach, FL, about 40 minutes from the airport. The cost of Super Shuttle was $105 round trip. Although this seems like a lot, a one-way cab fare can be as much as $75 if you were to book directly with the cab company. For ground transportation, instead of a shuttle van, a taxi was sent. Super Shuttle will send a taxi if their vans are unable to make the trip, and will reimburse the taxi company the fare. I had to sign a voucher each time so that the cab driver could account for the fare.
The company who brought me back to the airport is Checker Cab. I thought it was neat I received a text message when the taxi was dispatched to the hotel. If you need to be picked up, you can fill out the form online or text the address and zip code to 904-222-8507. I've kept this number in my contacts in case I visit Jacksonville again.
In a nutshell, this was my experience when booking hotel, airfare, and ground transportation in Jacksonville. It may seem easy when I write the logistics in a nice little blog post, but this trip took weeks of research to plan. Nevertheless, the trip was worth it, and we had a blast!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Intro
After much prodding by a friend, I've decided to start a blog about my soccer experiences. I live in Houston, TX, and I am a supporter of Houston Dynamo and USA. I've been a member of Texian Army since 2007 and a member of American Outlaws since 2009. Effective this year, I am also a member of the US Soccer Supporters Club.
To give you an idea of how much I travel for games, last year I attended 8 away Dynamo games and 4 US Men's National Team (USMNT) games. So far this year, I've traveled to Phoenix and Jacksonville for USMNT and Dallas for the my first US Women's National Team game. I also have trips scheduled for Tampa Bay and Columbus (USMNT). This year I will probably not travel for Dynamo as much mainly because the schedule contains many cities I've already visited, and the away schedule is not conducing for those who work full-time. I have yet to go to a Dynamo away game, but I do have a trip scheduled in Denver for the last game of the regular MLS season.
I also paid the deposit to American Outlaws for the first plane headed to the 2014 World Cup. The trip is going to be epic. We have filled three planes, but a waiting list has started for the fourth plane. For those who don't know, the total package (including the deposit) is about $5500. This may seem like a large sum of money, but you have two years to save. The package includes airfare from Houston to Brazil, transportation between cities, hotel for 13 days (breakfast included), and ground transportation between hotel/pre-game party/stadium. Given the size of the country, paying the $5500 is worth it so that you don't have to worry about the logistics of traveling. The San Diego AO chapter has already booked my house in anticipation of needing accommodations in Houston prior to departure.
In a nutshell, attending games is my first and foremost pastime. Between Dynamo and USA, there are as many as three games per week. For example, this past past week, the Dynamo had two games (San Antonio on Tuesday for US Open Cup and home game on Thursday against Valencia for Dynamo Charities Cup), and the USA played Brazil in a friendly on Wednesday. My parents keep track of both team's schedules, which gives them an indication as to my whereabouts on games nights. Given my involvement, recent graduation (Masters of Science in Health Sciences from George Washington University in Clinical Research Administration), and love for writing, it is fitting I start a blog (with mobile capabilities) devoted to this subject.
To give you an idea of how much I travel for games, last year I attended 8 away Dynamo games and 4 US Men's National Team (USMNT) games. So far this year, I've traveled to Phoenix and Jacksonville for USMNT and Dallas for the my first US Women's National Team game. I also have trips scheduled for Tampa Bay and Columbus (USMNT). This year I will probably not travel for Dynamo as much mainly because the schedule contains many cities I've already visited, and the away schedule is not conducing for those who work full-time. I have yet to go to a Dynamo away game, but I do have a trip scheduled in Denver for the last game of the regular MLS season.
I also paid the deposit to American Outlaws for the first plane headed to the 2014 World Cup. The trip is going to be epic. We have filled three planes, but a waiting list has started for the fourth plane. For those who don't know, the total package (including the deposit) is about $5500. This may seem like a large sum of money, but you have two years to save. The package includes airfare from Houston to Brazil, transportation between cities, hotel for 13 days (breakfast included), and ground transportation between hotel/pre-game party/stadium. Given the size of the country, paying the $5500 is worth it so that you don't have to worry about the logistics of traveling. The San Diego AO chapter has already booked my house in anticipation of needing accommodations in Houston prior to departure.
In a nutshell, attending games is my first and foremost pastime. Between Dynamo and USA, there are as many as three games per week. For example, this past past week, the Dynamo had two games (San Antonio on Tuesday for US Open Cup and home game on Thursday against Valencia for Dynamo Charities Cup), and the USA played Brazil in a friendly on Wednesday. My parents keep track of both team's schedules, which gives them an indication as to my whereabouts on games nights. Given my involvement, recent graduation (Masters of Science in Health Sciences from George Washington University in Clinical Research Administration), and love for writing, it is fitting I start a blog (with mobile capabilities) devoted to this subject.
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