If you're a USA supporter, this is a busy year with the world cup qualifiers and Gold Cup. I plan on attending all of the home WCQs, so here it goes for my travel plans and tips:
June 10-12 in Seattle: I've already booked my inbound flight. I arrive late into Seattle around 10PM, but the flight was only 12,500 miles (versus 25K miles). I'm waiting to see what kind of deal AO national has for the hotel, as downtown Seattle is quite pricey, anywhere from $250-$300/night. I've looked endlessly for a 3-star hotel downtown under $130/night; for once I'm not having any luck. I do have my eye on a Best Western though, which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium, since I've earned a free night voucher (should arrive in a few weeks). Thankfully I did have enough points for a rental car. Hertz's price for an intermediate car right now is $127/day, which seems outrageous to me. Some have advocated use of public transportation, but as of now, I'll keep the rental car reservation, as I can always reconsider and cancel later. The problem is that if the AO bar is going to be used (still to be determined, per AO Seattle president), a bus from the stadium/downtown will take 45min per Google maps (no train/subway available). I'm also not sure how late buses run at night. As for my outbound flight, I have to wait on work.
June 17-19 in Salt Lake City: I've already booked my inbound flight. Again, I'm arriving a bit late (around 8:30PM), but the flight was 12,500 miles (have to wait for work regarding outbound flight). I am working on my own room block, as I am impatient and don't want to 100% rely on AO national. I always like to have a contingency plan if possible for hotels. I am awaiting the hotel's response, but it will be for 10 rooms at the Hampton Inn downtown (about 5 blocks from the AO bar), $119/night for either a king bed room or 2 double beds, free parking/breakfast/wifi. We are under no obligation to fill all 10 rooms, no deposit is required, people can pay individually, and we can cancel 24 hours prior to arrival. This room block is being set up via my work travel agency who also can arrange leisure travel. I will notify friends when the room block is ready. I just emailed the hotel Friday night, so I expect I won't know anything until Monday at the earliest. It should be noted there is another convention during these dates called Young Living with ~5K attendees, causing hotel prices to skyrocket. David may drive, so I have not booked a rental car, although I have enough points to do so.
Sep 9-11 in Columbus: I can't believe that a round trip plane ticket on United from Houston to Columbus was over $1,100! Thank GOD for miles (25,000 round trip)! Within 30 minutes of when the USA vs Mexico game was announced during the hex draw, I booked the Holiday Inn downtown. I am currently awaiting a link for them to provide so that others can book as well; I'll have a 10-room block for 1 king or 2 double bed rooms for $109/night. I should note during the hex draw, there were at least three sold-out hotels that I encountered; since then, other hotels, such as the Residence Inn by Marriott, have limited rooms, e.g. only a queen bed room. I've booked a free car rental. I should note for car rentals, even though base price is free (whatever the rate is per day), you still have to pay airport taxes and surcharges (unlike free hotel rooms). In this case, the estimated total cost of taxes is $20.
Oct 11-12 in KC: I am waiting for Friday's Philly to Houston flight to register into my account, and then I'll have enough miles (10K) to buy a plane ticket from MCI to Houston. I should note even when you buy a plane ticket, there is a fee of $2.50 or $5, depending on the flight, but that's definitely not a bad price! I will have to await work for my inbound flight, but it'll be a busy time of year, so most likely I will only be able to fly in on game day. I will wait and see about a rental car, as it's possible I will A) get one for free B) not need one at all if friends are driving or C) get work to pay if the cost of the inbound flight + rental car is cheaper than flying me home. I've booked a free room at the Four Points by Sheraton near the airport, as I prefer to be closer to where I need to be in the mornings. Four Points hotels are really not that great and the lowest on the totem pole of Starwood hotels (Westin, Sheraton, etc), but it's a free room.
That's all I have for now for the WCQs. At this time I have no plans to attend any USMNT friendlies. Stay tuned for Gold Cup plans!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
It's Been A While
I've totally neglected this blog, and I accept full responsibility. Work keeps me quite busy, as I'm now traveling 5-6 days per week. The life on the road can be tiring at times, but my alternative is to sit at a desk in a cubicle. So, I choose the life on the road. This also means I am racking up miles, car rental points, and hotel rewards. My company will also fly me anywhere on a weekend, as long as it's cheaper than coming home - score!
Since my last entry, I've attended the following games:
October 27, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs. Crapids was in Denver for our last regular MLS season game. We lost, but we played our entire reserve team, since we already knew at the time that we were going to the playoffs. It was cold, but not as chilly as you would think. We stayed in a studio apartment right off of 16th Street Mall thanks to a co-worker; his complex keeps an extra apartment for rent ($40 first day, $20 each subsequent night). The highlight of the game was when the Houston Dynamo academy players joined the Texian Army section and immediately started, "Oooooohhhh puuuuttooooo!" We were flabbergasted that the young-ins were using such language, but they had a great time.
November 11, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs DC United for the Eastern Conference Final in DC. We won, so it was a great game. We stayed with some friends who are Screaming Eagles, but we met through American Outlaws (they're country over club). It was cold, but not bad. RFK sold hot cocoa and funnel cakes; no matter what anyone criticizes about the stadium, selling those two items at the same booth gets an A+ in my book. Because our friends lived in Aldie, VA it was cheaper for us to rent a car through Thifty for $60 versus taking another form of ground transportation to/from the airport (no public transportation available).
December 1, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs LA Galaxy for MLS Cup in LA. I was with David, so it was a good time. We stayed at the Hampton Inn near the Home Depot Center, since it was a free room. He drove from San Diego, so no rental car was needed. We had our second date at a nearby Italian restaurant, which was pretty good, thanks to Yelp. The night before party was at Naja's on a harbor, which was okay. They only serve beer, had one cider, and that was it. It's also a small place, so we didn't stay long. The game was the next day; we managed to see Amy and Robert from AO Detroit. Although they were wearing LA Galaxy gear, they admitted they were posers (country over club). Houston Dynamo lost, but we still had a good time. I left immediately after the game to come back home to Houston. Since kickoff was at 3:30PM, catching a 7-8PM flight was perfect timing and also a cheap flight on Southwest.
January 29, 2013 - USMNT vs Canada friendly in Houston. As of November or December of last year, I am Vice President of the American Outlaws Houston Chapter. This was our first USA game under new chapter leadership, and we had a blast. A lot of planning was involved, but well worth it. We tied this game, but that's okay, since it didn't really matter. I drummed the whole game, which I enjoyed.
February 23, 2013 - Houston Dynamo vs Charleston Battery for the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston, SC. Work sent me to SC this particular weekend, so I decided to swing by Charleston, especially since I had a free rental car and hotel room. Due to flight delays, I barely managed to make it at halftime. Of all away games, the Charleston Battery by far is the most difficult to obtain a ticket. I went back and forth intermittently from December to February to determine where the away supporters section is or where the Dynamo bench would be. So, plan early if you want to go to a game. We lost, but it was good to see the men in orange on the field again. Apparently I was on television as the orange backpack.
March 17, 2013 - Houston Dynamo vs FC Dallas for a regular MLS season game in Dallas. I have to admit, I came back to this post just to edit, since I completely forgot about this game, especially since it's like a home game (Houston supporters are always louder). The powers that be wanted me to be in Dallas this weekend since a former college roommate was getting married. As a result, I was able to get the wedding room rate of $89/night at the Marriott near the Dallas Galleria (including parking) for Texian Army, huzzah! Work paid for my rental car because it was cheaper to fly me from Atlanta to Dallas + rental car vs flying home. We lost, but it was still a fun time. The highlight of the trip was making an In-N-Out run for those who took the bus. I ordered 10 cheeseburgers, and of course In-N-Out was pleased. It should be noted the location in Frisco opens at 10AM, not 10:30AM as the website says.
March 22, 2013 - USMNT vs Costa Rica in Denver for a WCQ. I was with David, and we stayed at the co-worker's apartment again. This time the price was $60 for the first night, and $10 each subsequent night. It's still very cheap for staying right off of 16th Street Mall. Of all games I have attended, this was the coldest game ever! The referees nearly called the game - that's how much snow was accumulating. Words cannot really describe the experience, but it's definitely a game I will never forget!
And so, that brings us to the end of March. Stay tuned for other travel plans this year!
Since my last entry, I've attended the following games:
October 27, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs. Crapids was in Denver for our last regular MLS season game. We lost, but we played our entire reserve team, since we already knew at the time that we were going to the playoffs. It was cold, but not as chilly as you would think. We stayed in a studio apartment right off of 16th Street Mall thanks to a co-worker; his complex keeps an extra apartment for rent ($40 first day, $20 each subsequent night). The highlight of the game was when the Houston Dynamo academy players joined the Texian Army section and immediately started, "Oooooohhhh puuuuttooooo!" We were flabbergasted that the young-ins were using such language, but they had a great time.
November 11, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs DC United for the Eastern Conference Final in DC. We won, so it was a great game. We stayed with some friends who are Screaming Eagles, but we met through American Outlaws (they're country over club). It was cold, but not bad. RFK sold hot cocoa and funnel cakes; no matter what anyone criticizes about the stadium, selling those two items at the same booth gets an A+ in my book. Because our friends lived in Aldie, VA it was cheaper for us to rent a car through Thifty for $60 versus taking another form of ground transportation to/from the airport (no public transportation available).
December 1, 2012 - Houston Dynamo vs LA Galaxy for MLS Cup in LA. I was with David, so it was a good time. We stayed at the Hampton Inn near the Home Depot Center, since it was a free room. He drove from San Diego, so no rental car was needed. We had our second date at a nearby Italian restaurant, which was pretty good, thanks to Yelp. The night before party was at Naja's on a harbor, which was okay. They only serve beer, had one cider, and that was it. It's also a small place, so we didn't stay long. The game was the next day; we managed to see Amy and Robert from AO Detroit. Although they were wearing LA Galaxy gear, they admitted they were posers (country over club). Houston Dynamo lost, but we still had a good time. I left immediately after the game to come back home to Houston. Since kickoff was at 3:30PM, catching a 7-8PM flight was perfect timing and also a cheap flight on Southwest.
January 29, 2013 - USMNT vs Canada friendly in Houston. As of November or December of last year, I am Vice President of the American Outlaws Houston Chapter. This was our first USA game under new chapter leadership, and we had a blast. A lot of planning was involved, but well worth it. We tied this game, but that's okay, since it didn't really matter. I drummed the whole game, which I enjoyed.
February 23, 2013 - Houston Dynamo vs Charleston Battery for the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston, SC. Work sent me to SC this particular weekend, so I decided to swing by Charleston, especially since I had a free rental car and hotel room. Due to flight delays, I barely managed to make it at halftime. Of all away games, the Charleston Battery by far is the most difficult to obtain a ticket. I went back and forth intermittently from December to February to determine where the away supporters section is or where the Dynamo bench would be. So, plan early if you want to go to a game. We lost, but it was good to see the men in orange on the field again. Apparently I was on television as the orange backpack.
March 17, 2013 - Houston Dynamo vs FC Dallas for a regular MLS season game in Dallas. I have to admit, I came back to this post just to edit, since I completely forgot about this game, especially since it's like a home game (Houston supporters are always louder). The powers that be wanted me to be in Dallas this weekend since a former college roommate was getting married. As a result, I was able to get the wedding room rate of $89/night at the Marriott near the Dallas Galleria (including parking) for Texian Army, huzzah! Work paid for my rental car because it was cheaper to fly me from Atlanta to Dallas + rental car vs flying home. We lost, but it was still a fun time. The highlight of the trip was making an In-N-Out run for those who took the bus. I ordered 10 cheeseburgers, and of course In-N-Out was pleased. It should be noted the location in Frisco opens at 10AM, not 10:30AM as the website says.
March 22, 2013 - USMNT vs Costa Rica in Denver for a WCQ. I was with David, and we stayed at the co-worker's apartment again. This time the price was $60 for the first night, and $10 each subsequent night. It's still very cheap for staying right off of 16th Street Mall. Of all games I have attended, this was the coldest game ever! The referees nearly called the game - that's how much snow was accumulating. Words cannot really describe the experience, but it's definitely a game I will never forget!
And so, that brings us to the end of March. Stay tuned for other travel plans this year!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
USMNT in Kansas City
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!
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 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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)