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!
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