Review of Alamo Fullsize Rental at (RNO) Reno/Tahoe International Airport

Alamo RNO Fullsize Rental Review

After deplaning from my flight from Las Vegas to Reno, I headed
straight for the counter of Alamo Rent A Car at RNO.  I was greeted by
Pedro, who predictably tried to up sell me on their insurance and
prepaid gas options, neither of which I opted for, since I was only in
town for 36 hours.

I did not get to pick, when I went out to the cars, but he gave me a
choice between a 2013 Chevy Impala and a 2014 Chevy Malibu.  Since the Impala had the
leather seats, I chose it.  The car was actually situated in a National stall, K3, instead of an Alamo one.  The dark gray Chevy Impala LTZ, unfortunately, had an Arizona license plate.  I like to keep my rental cars to those with more local plates, but I did not know about it, when I made my choice.  They gave me a lone key for the car with no clicker or other remote access to the vehicle.

As I drove from RNO to the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Sparks, I barely had to adjust the mirrors.  The Impala LTZ drove very nicely.  When I had to go to Incline Village, located in North Lake Tahoe, the car performed well on the Mount Rose highway.

I filled up the tank at the Valero on Mill Street prior to returning it to Alamo.  Alfredo was my Alamo car return attendant and he did a great job.  He helped me the last time that I was in Reno and rented a car from National.

Review: Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Sparks/Reno

I arrived at the Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites in Sparks/Reno at about 9:45pm after having picked up my 2013 Chevy Impala rental car from Alamo at the Reno airport.  There was a noticeable haze in the air from all of the wildfires in the area.

When I arrived at the hotel, I was able to find a spot near the entrance.  After retrieving my bag, I entered into the lobby to find the front desk agent, Connor, just leaving his post to go do something.  When he noticed me, he immediately went behind the desk to check me in.

Fairfield Inn and Suites Reno Sparks Review

Connor was very amiable and upgraded me to a King Suite in room 314, which was located on the top floor and above the portico at the entrance of the hotel, which faced opposite the highway, which made the room quiet from outside noise.  Connor remarked that I had reserved a "double points" stay, which was close to accurate.  I booked a Marriott Rewards promotion, where I would receive 2000 Marriott Reward points for each night of my stay.  In this case, I was staying two night, so I should receive an extra 4000 Marriott Rewards points.  Connor then confirmed with me that I would like the 200 MR points as my welcome gift.

When I entered my room, I noticed that the suite was similar to one that I had stayed at near the Newark airport.  The room was spacious with the large bathroom to my left as I entered the room.  I entered into a separate seating area with a couch and chair, plus a tv and work desk.  The walled off bedroom area, also had a television and a seat.  The room looked newly remodeled, except for the thermostat, which looked like it was original to when the hotel was built.  Nonetheless, the thermostat worked.

I was awoken at about 6am to the sound of the next room's television.  The rooms must be poorly situated, where the television is on the opposite side of the wall of the the next room's bed.  The walls seemed pretty thin that morning.

I went down to the complimentary breakfast at 7:45pm and found only two businessmen working at a table.  I poured myself a cup of coffee - definitely not Starbucks quality - and perused the offerings on the breakfast buffet.  Nothing new jumped out at me.  Warm items were waffles, oatmeal, scrambled eggs and turkey Canadian bacon. The other offerings were the same as you would find at any other Fairfield Inn.  I did notice that they only offered orange and apple juice.  I decided to try a bit of the scrambled eggs (actually pretty good) and Canadian bacon (very so so).  I am always a sucker for Belgian waffles, so I made myself a waffle and put lots of butter and syrup on it - yum!

I went down to the front desk before a conference call at 9am to see if they might have some hair gel, but he could not find any behind the desk.  He suggested looking in their market or heading over to Target, which was less than a mile away.

The noise from the neighboring room in the early morning occurred again on the second morning, but I was checking out anyway.  When I awoke, the night auditor had conveniently slid the bill under my door.  I brought my key card down to the front desk when I checked out, hopped in my rental car and headed to the airport.

Southwest Flight 2332 from Reno (RNO) to Las Vegas (LAS)

After returning my 2013 Chevy Impala to the Alamo car return, I breezed through TSA security at the Reno Tahoe International Airport.  I went into the Fly By Lane, but didn't really need to since there wasnt even one other passenger.

Southwest Flight was leaving from Gate B3, so I made my way there.  At 9:56am they had the A Group line up.  I had not checked in until that morning, so my Business Select boarding position was only A6.  I boarded at 10:02am and sat myself in the aisle seat, 4C.  The doors closed at 10:12am.  We pulled away from the gate at 10:16am.

Southwest Flight 2332 Reno to Las Vegas

Thankfully, unlike my flight two days before, this Boeing 737-700 was wifi equipped, so I logged into the wifi while the other passengers were boarding.  The pilot came on the intercom at 10:26am to say that there was a delay due to traffic in Las Vegas.  We were already six minutes late for our 10:20am departure at that time.  We ended up taking off at 10:30am.

The two ladies sitting next to me in seats 4A and 4B were headed to a meeting at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  When the flight attendant, Tasha, took our drink orders they ordered ginger ale and tomato juice.  I requested a can of cran-apple juice.  I tried to pawn off my Business Select free drink coupon on them, but they, like me, were headed directly to a meeting after we landed.

Just before they passed out the packets of pretzels and lightly salted peanuts, Tasha brought our drinks and included a cup of ice and some napkins for my cranberry apple cocktail.  She chuckled when she gave me the napkin, since my neighbor's tomato juice had slightly spilled on it.  She wanted to assure me the the red liquid was not blood.

We started our initial descent at 11:05am and landed at 11:28am.  We taxied into gate B11 at the McCarran International Airport at 11:35 and I was able to deplane at 11:37.

Lunch at One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom in Grand Rapids, MI

We dropped our daughter off at the Grand Rapids Fencing Academy again, but this time at 11am, so we decided to head off to lunch, before doing our grocery shopping at the Meijer on E Beltline Rd.  Like we did the day before, we had to find somewhere that had a gluten free menu and also, if possible, participated in the Rapid Rewards Dining program.

Luckily, we found a restaurant that fit our needs - the One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom.  We saw online that they offered gluten free options, so we headed in that direction.  One Trick Pony was pretty easy to find and parking was easy on the street, because of the time of day.  Since it was a Sunday, we didn't have to pay the meter.

We entered the restaurant, using the door handle that was in the form of a meat cleaver, which we thought was a cool touch.  Later, our waitress, Courtney, explained that the meat cleaver means that the restaurant is co-owned.  I did a quick Google search, but could not verify her information.

We were seated at the window at Fulton St.  I ordered a Diet Coke and my wife ordered a water.  We looked at the very small menu and wondered if it was the normal menu.  When Courtney came back with our drinks, she told us that there were also two specials - corn pancakes and huevos rancheros.  She confirmed that the corn pancakes were both vegan and gluten free and the huevos rancheros were gluten free, as well.  My wife ordered the corn pancakes and I ordered the Cider Poached Sausage Pizza with the gluten free crust, so that my wife could try it.  Though they did not have a gluten free menu, each menu item was marked as being gluten free or vegan.

Courtney did a great job refilling my Diet Coke as needed.  When she brought our food, we were very happy.  My wife's corn pancakes seemed very "earthy".  They had a rich, earthy tone and readily soaked up the syrup.  My pizza looked great.  It came with bbq sauce as the red sauce and gouda cheese and included some carmelized onions, along with the cider poached sausage.  The corn pancakes and pizza were excellent.  My wife tried some pizza, but later that evening had some ill effects.  We never verified if the sausage was gluten free, so we came to the conclusion that it was the culprit.  Either that or there was some cross contamination in the kitchen.

When we go to Grand Rapids the next time, I will definitely consider One Trick Pony again.

Takeout from the Mitten Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI

After having eaten a big lunch at Brann's earlier in the day, we thought it might be better to limit that amount that we had to eat, plus we wanted to hang out with some friends.  We knew that the Mitten Brewing Company had a gluten free menu and was close and convenient to our friends' condo, so we decided to place a takeout order.

We ordered two regular pizzas, a gluten free pizza, an order of gluten free breadsticks and an order of gluten free cheesy breadsticks with marinara and ranch.  On the regular pizzas, we ordered half cheese/half pepperoni and sausage and on the other we ordered a Deluxe.  We ordered Da Meat Hook for our gluten free pizza.  All of it was great.  My wife and daughter loved the pizza and the leftovers that we brought for our oldest daughter was eaten by that evening.

My friend told me that they have had some bad luck ordering takeout from Mitten Brewing in the past - the pizza was burnt - but this time it came out great.  The toppings were fresh and the pizza crust was crispy.

I have been to Mitten only one other time and that time it was just as busy as when we picked up our order.  I would love to be able to eat in and try some of their beer choices.  For now, I must say that I do like their pizza and breadsticks.

Lunch at Brann's Steakhouse and Grille in Grand Rapids, MI

My wife and I were up in Grand Rapids, MI due to a clinic our daughter was participating in at the Grand Rapids Fencing Academy.  Our daughter started at 10am, so we dropped her off and headed quickly to a movie, which started at 10:20am.  After the movie, we could not decide on where we wanted to go for lunch, but knew that we needed to find somewhere that had gluten free options, since my wife suffers from celiac disease.

Since it participated in the Rapid Rewards Dining program, we decided upon Brann's Steakhouse and Grille on Leonard Street in Grand Rapids.  It was a great choice, since it was close to the fencing club and also had a gluten free menu, which was actually pretty big.

After a few minutes, we decided upon what we wanted to eat.  Unfortunately, our waitress took some time to get back to us.  When she did finally get to us, we ordered 2 pounds of the bbq ribs with buttered steamed broccoli and the vinegar and oil coleslaw to split.  We also added a shrimp skewer to it, so that we would definitely have enough to eat.  To drink my wife ordered a water and I ordered a diet Mountain Dew - it's always nice, when a restaurant has a different diet choice than just cola.  Our waitress arrived with our drinks and with a couple of yeast rolls, which includes their cinnamon butter, which is awesome.

When the huge mound of ribs, sides and shrimp skewer arrived, we knew that we would have enough to eat.  The ribs were falling off the bone and tasted great.  The bbq sauce was a perfect blend of tangy and sweet.  Plus, there was enough bbq sauce.  Sometimes restaurants really skimp on the bbq sauce - not Brann's!  The shrimp skewer was decent and the sides were pretty good.

The value that received for what we ordered was great.  We were able to get out of Brann's for the two of us for less than $25 and we were stuffed.  Add to it that they participate in the Rapid Rewards Dining program, we will definitely be back.

Dinner at Penn Station East Coast Subs in Mishawaka, IN

I had a quick dinner at Penn Station East Coast Subs, located on Main Street in Mishawaka, IN, near Day road.  I had a hankering for their fries - I would rate them just behind those at Five Guys for a "fast food" joint.  At this location, the parking by the main entrance is reserved for the salon next door, but I arrived at about 7:30pm, so the salon was closed, so I parked in one of their spots.

For dinner, I ordered a chicken teriyaki sub with the mushrooms and onion included, plus an order of fries (of course) and a Diet Mountain Dew.  One of the other things I like about Penn Station, outside of their fries, is that they have Diet Mountain Dew on tap.

I usually go to the Penn Station location on the corner of Ironwood and US23, but the Mishawaka location is closer to my house.

I ordered an extra order of large fries, because my wife and daughters had a hankering for fries.  Luckily, Penn Station has a dedicated fryer for their french fries, which allows my wife and daughters to eat them, since there is no gluten cross contamination.  My wife, in particular, suffers from intestinal distress after being "glutened" due to her celiac disease.

Lunch at Carmela's at Macri's Bakery in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with several work associates at Carmela's, which is located at the old Macri's Deli and in the same building as Macri's Bakery.  I had been to Carmela's several years ago with my wife, but had not returned, so I was interested to see what I would think of it.

As we entered the building, I could see the wear/cracks in the brick walkway leading to the entrance of the building.  As we entered, though, the inside of Carmela's looked very inviting.  We were seated at a nice corner table.  There were only about 4 other tables occupied, so the restaurant was not noisy at all.

We had two waitresses - one was training the other.  They did a good job of serving us and keeping up on our drinks.  They were not the greatest servers I have ever had, but they did their job efficiently.

I ordered an Italian Beef sandwich with french fries.  I joked that, since we were at an Italian restaurant, that it should just be a Beef sandwich.  Though my co-workers go the joke, the waitresses were a bit too preoccupied to laugh.  Or - it was a stupid, corny joke.  My coworkers all ordered salads.

The orders came pretty quickly.  All of the salads looked pretty good and my Beef sandwich looked tasty.  I asked for some ketchup, since there was none at the table.  It took them about 5 minutes to finally bring it to the table.  Luckily, I was enjoying dipping my sandwich in the tasty au jus.  When they brought the Hunt's ketchup, I remembered why we always buy Heinz at home.  I am not a huge Hunt's ketchup fan.

The price of the sandwich was not overly exorbitant, really not much more than one would spend at Penn Station, though Penn Station's fries are much better.  I would probably go to Carmela's again for lunch, if I was in that area of town.

Lunch at Ho Ping House in Roseland or South Bend, IN

Had lunch at the Ho Ping House in Roseland, North of the University of Notre Dame campus.  The location had once been a Denny's and before that a Shoney's.  I believe that the owners are somehow related to the owners at the Mandarin House. I like Ho Ping better, since they give you free refills on your drinks.

We were going to ride together, but he ended up having a last minute meeting, which pushed our noon lunch to 12:45pm.  I told him that I would just meet him there, since I had an appointment at 2pm at the office for which I needed to return.  I arrived at Ho Ping at 12:45pm with my stomach grumbling.  My counterpart did not arrive until 12:55pm.  Prior to his arrival, I had ordered a diet coke from our waiter, Jin.

When my guest arrived, we ordered very quickly.  He ordered the Sesame Chicken with fried rice and some lo mien noodles.  I order the General Tso's chicken (like I had done at Cre-Asian earlier in the week) with white rice, a spring roll and won ton soup.  The presentation, like always was great.  Jin brought my won ton soup out quickly and I inhaled almost as fast.  Soon both of our entrees appeared.  As I started eating the chicken, I noticed that either their recipe had changed or my taste buds had.  The General Tso's was not very sweet, as I had been expecting, but was still good.

Of course, I ate everything on my plate and was very satisfied after doing so.  Jin brought the check and the fortune cookie, which I ate straight away.  After paying and on the way out, I took a peppermint candy to help freshen my breath after the feast.

I will definitely be going to Ho Ping again in the near future.

Happy Hour at Brother's Bar and Grill at Eddy Street Commons in South Bend, IN

I went to Brother's Bar and Grill at Eddy Street Commons for happy hour on Thursday, September 18.  Brother's is a small, regional chain that originated in Lacrosse, Wisconsin.  I have been to Brother's for happy hour before and enjoy the plethora of craft beers that they have on tap.

On this day, I entered the bar and sat myself at a table in the bar area.  Though no one greeted me, when I entered, the waitress was quick to come to my table.  As I stared at the beers that they have on tap, she brought me a beer list.  I immediately spotted a Green Flash West Coast IPA and ordered it.  Since I was meeting someone from San Diego, I thought that it would be fitting to order a craft beer from San Diego.

The bar was not too busy, when I arrived at 3:45pm.  There were some revelers at the bar and a few tables had some folks at them, but there was no one seated at the tables in the restaurant area.  Of course, since it was a nice day outside, there were a few people seated outside.  Inside it was a bit sticky and humid, but I quickly got over that, when the waitress brought my beer.

My guest was about 20 minutes late, so I had almost downed my first beer, when he arrived.  I am not sure what he ordered, but he ordered me a second Green Flash West Coast IPA.  I did not realize how strong they were, but could start to feel it a little, once I was halfway through the beer.

I will definitely be back to Brother's since I like them better than O'Rourke's for that type of bar scene and because they have Green Flash beers on tap.

Southwest Flight 745 LAS to RNO Trip Report

Since the cost to upgrade to Business Select was minimal (less than
$60), I decided to upgrade to a Business Select ticket for my round
trip flight between Las Vegas and Reno.  Since I did not check in
until the day of my trip, I was only given a boarding position of A4.
I did get a coupon for a "free" drink, as well.

Southwest Flight 745 LAS to RNO

After my flight on Delta from Minneapolis arrived in Las Vegas at gate D37, I deplaned and headed over to the C Terminal to Gate C25 to board my Southwest flight to Reno on Monday, September 22, 2014.

After exiting the tram from the D gates, I started following the signs to the A, B and C gates, but noticed one of those ominous signs that notified me that I would need to go through security again if I passed
that point.  I stopped immediately and looked around.  I noticed a
door that was emblazoned with a Do Not Enter sign beyond which I could
see the tram to the C Gates.  I passed through the doors and took the
tram to the C Gates.

The gate agent made her first pre-boarding announcement at 7:34pm and
had us line up at 7:38pm.  We boarded the plane at 7:43pm.

As I boarded the plane, a 737-700, I noticed about 10 passengers that
must have been throughs, so I sat myself on the aisle in seat 4D.
Even though I received the email about wifi the day before, this plane
did not have wifi capability, like my flight from Newark to Midway the
previous week.

The flight attendant closed the door at 7:54pm .  We pushed back from
the gate at 7:59pm and we took off at 8:07pm.

Since the flight was not full (about 80 passengers), the middle seat
next to me remained empty.   In the window seat sat a young woman from
the southern edge of Lake Tahoe.  I asked her if she might have an
issue getting there from Reno due tontine wild fires, but she seemed
to think that the fires were on the western side of the lake and would
not hinder the drive.

When the flight attendant came by, I ordered a can of Coke Zero and
with my coupon that I received with my Business Select ticket
purchase, I ordered a Fat Tire Amber Ale.  The flight attendant seemed
a bit put off that I ordered two drinks and questioned me to see if I
thought I would have time to drink both.  I answered in the
affirmative.

She brought my Fat Tire Amber Ale to me right away, even before she
started to prepare drinks for the other passengers.  The Fat Tire came
to me very cold with a bit of ice formed, so it was quite good.
Shortly thereafter she brought my can of Coke Zero with a glass of
ice. For a snack, they handed me two packets of lightly salted
peanuts.

We started making our initial descent at 8:51pm and landed at RNO at
9:07pm and arrived at gate B3 at 9:11pm.  I deplaned at 9:13pm.

Lunch at Elia's Mediterranean Cuisine in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with some friends at Elia's in South Bend, which is located near the corner of US23 and Ironwood, not far from Cre-Asian, where I recently had lunch.  I have been going to Elia's since they opened at their location on US31 North in Roseland.

As usual, there were quite a few people scattered throughout the restaurant.  The four of us sat down and just ordered waters.  Our server was quick and efficient and took our orders.  Most at our able order the Shish Tawouk, a great chicken dish.  I ordered the Midardara Bowl Combo, which is a mixture of lentils and rice topped with tabouli, hoummos and garlic paste.  Just after we ordered, our fifth joined the group.

Our orders were prepared pretty quickly, but the presentation is always spot on at Elia's.  Everything was in the right place on our plates and looked delicious.  We quickly accepted our server's suggestion of some pita.  The pita at Elia's is of the thin, but quite delicious variety.  My coworkers devoured their Shish Tawouk.  I was pleasantly surprised with my dish, since I had never ordered it before.  All of the flavors complemented each other very well and the garlic paste was tasty, but not overpowering.

The price was just right for what we ordered.  It is awesome to have a good Mediterranean restaurant in our community.  I will definitely continue to frequent Elia's on a regular basis.

My Trip to Metuchen, NJ from September 13 to September 14

I took my daughter to a fencing tournament in Metuchen, arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on September 13, 2014 and departing from EWR the next day, September 14.

September 13

My daughter and I drove to Midway Airport and parked our car at Midway Park Saver across from the CTA on 59th Street.  We boarded Southwest Flight headed for Newark.  We rented a midsize car from the Hertz location at EWR and drove down and spent the night at the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge.

September 14

We went to my daughter's fencing tournament at the Metuchen Sportsplex and then drove back to Hertz and returned the vehicle.  We hopped on Southwest Flight to Chicago and then drove back home to Mishawaka, arriving home at almost 2am.

I am not sure when we will be doing another fencing trip, but it is sure to be a longer trip than this one.

Lunch at Cre-Asian in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with some friends at Cre-Asian, a Vietnamese restaurant that has recently expanded it's menu to Chinese and Taiwanese food.  I had been here once before a couple of years ago, but had not been back.

I knew where the restaurant was located, but I still missed the entrance, as I was going North on Ironwood.  The entrance to the complex is BEFORE you actually see the restaurant.  After doubling back to get to the restaurant, many of the parking spaces are reserved for the two other businesses that are located at the shopping complex.  Since there was no parking up front, I made my way to the back, where there was more parking.  I noticed that many patrons were parking in the parking lot next door (to the North), where the business is currently vacant.  In fact, as I was walking from the back of the building to the front, where the entrance is located, one of my friends pulled up in that lot.

As we entered the restaurant, we encountered our other friend and were seated at a table.  They seemed to be doing a pretty good business, since most of the tables were full.  It became apparent pretty quickly that there was only one waitress on duty, so we made sure that we were ready to order when she came by.

As a group, we ordered the pot stickers and I ordered the General Tso's chicken with an egg roll and white rice and a Diet Coke.  My friends order the Chicken Pad Thai and the other the Drunken Noodles with Chicken.  While they both ordered theirs to mild heat, I ordered mine to be nice and spicy.

The pot stickers were very good, followed by our entrees.  It was quickly that we noticed that the heat index we had discussed with the waitress was not followed.  My chicken was not spicy, but the Chicken Pad Thai had a very large kick to it.  Even though my General Tso's chicken was not spicy, it was still good.  Even though our waitress was alone, she did a good job of refilling my Diet Coke, so that I did not have to wait too long.

The price was very reasonable for what we purchased and the food was decent.  I will definitely consider Cre-Asian again, when I have a hankering for Asian food.

Delta Flight DL1451 MSP to LAS Trip Report

Prior to my trip, I had reserved an aisle seat in Economy Comfort, but
was upgraded to First Class seat 7C a few days before my trip.  I was
definitely glad to get the upgrade!

We boarded at Gate G22 at 5:13pm. The storage above my seat, which was
at the back of first class, was just big enough for my bag.

When I arrived at my seat, there were some Billboard headphones and a
bottle of Dasani water.  There was an inflight entertainment (IFE)
screen on the seat back in front of me and a plug in between my seat
and the seat next to me.  When I plugged in my phone, when I boarded,
it did not charge my phone.    Unfortunately, my phone did not charge,
even after we took off.

The flight attendant took my pre-flight drink order at 5:24pm and my
margarita made with Avion tequila.  It came in a plastic cup, instead
of a glass one, as I have been accustomed to.  We pulled back at
5:42pm and took off at 5:56pm.

On the IFE, I decided to watch Godzilla, starring Bryan Cranston,
since I had never seen it.  As I began watching it, before take off,
the flight attendant hurried me to finish my margarita, which
surprised me.

Another flight attendant, Antwan, later came through to take our
dinner order.  We had a choice between a Mexican Chop Salad with
jalapeño chicken and a turkey and swiss hot sandwich.  I chose the hot
turkey and swiss. To drink, I ordered another margarita.

It was nice, since Antwan starting taking orders at our row, the rear
of the first class cabin.  Usually I have found that flight attendants
start at the front of the cabin and by the time they reach me, I only
have one choice.

The other flight attendant then came through with the hot towel.
After retrieving all of the used towels, the same flight attendant
came through and place napkins on our tray.

My margarita was brought first in a glass, then they came by with
snacks - a choice of peanuts, pretzels and Biscoff cookies.  I chose
the Biscoff cookies, as I had chosen on the flight from South Bend to
Minneapolis.

When the sandwich arrived, it was accompanied by some fruit (grapes,
sliced apple and a strawberry), a Dancing Deer Baking Company maple
oatmeal cookie, and a package of Cape Code kettle cooked potato chips.
The sandwich was also accompanied by a pickle and a packet of
Hellman's real mayonnaise and a packet of Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

I dispensed the mustard and mayonnaise on to the sandwich and
proceeded to take a bite.  Overall, not a bad sandwich.  The bread was
nice a crispy.  The fruit was fresh and the chips and cookie were
quite good.

DL1451 MSP to LAS

After dinner, I thought that I would try one of the new mixed drinks
that is featured in the Skymiles magazine.  As I talked to Antwan, he
ascertained that I would enjoy the Silver Horizon, which is Avion
tequila and Fresca, garnished with one each of lemon and orange
wedges.  It was quite tasty and was served in a glass.

I found it interesting that the New York based crew was fully African
American.  I wonder if the flight attendants assemble their teams or
if Delta determined that such a team would be beneficial.

For my last drink I ordered a Platinum Take Off.  It was Woodford
Reserve small batch bourbon, cranberry-apple juice and a splash of
club soda.  It had a nice, deep fruity flavor.

We started our initial descent at 8:29pm Central time.  The flight up
to that point was quite smooth.  The pilot came on the intercom to let
us know that it would be another 25 minutes and that we would be
heading to Gate D37 after we landed.

We landed at 6:50pm in Las Vegas - it was an easy landing.  We taxied
to Gate D37 and arrived at the gate at 6:57pm and deplaned at 6:59pm.

Delta Flight DL4449 SBN to MSP Trip Report

As I tried to park at South Bend, the machine to the extended parking
did not spit out the ticket and the gate did not go up. I waited
about 60 seconds and hit the button again. This time the ticket spit
out of the machine. Although the entrance to the parking took some
time, I did find a prime parking spot closest to both the terminal and
the exit for when I would return.

I got through security pretty quickly. I had to wait for two couples
with one couple having a baby. They were a bit slow, but I still made
it to Gate A5 within 10 minutes if exiting my car.

On this trip I reserved seat 5C, an aisle seat. I have normally
reserved a spot in the exit row, but have found that it is usually
populated by someone even larger than I, which makes for an
uncomfortable trip. I thought I would try a different tact and get a
regular seat.

The only problem with Delta flights out of South Bend are that all of
the planes are CRJs. Not only is it a small plane with few seats, it
also requires one to check their bag. It is always disappointing,
since I have a carry on to facilitate a quicker, more efficient trip.

DL4449 SBN to MSP

The gate agent came around well before we boarded and attached a pink
baggage claim ticket to my carry on. This time I received claim
ticket 9006493238. I have never had to use a claim ticket for my
carry on, luckily enough.

Boarding started at 3:45pm for a scheduled 4:10pm departure. I always
wait until the end to board, since I have to check my carry on. This
strategy has sometimes ended with a small confrontation in the exit
row with someone who has tried to poach my seat.

I was nearly the last to board the CRJ200 and was greeted by our
flight attendant, Allie. I cozied into my seat in row 5, joining an
older lady, Diane, who was headed to Oceanside/San Diego, CA. She
manages self storage units in North County San Diego. She was
originally from Goshen, IN and is a practicing Jehovah's Witness.

The doors were shut at 4:05pm and we pushed back from the gate at
4:08pm and took off at 4:20pm. The pilot came on the overhead and
said that it would take an hour and five minutes to get to Minneapolis
and said that it should be a fairly smooth flight. We took off late,
because the pilots were waiting for a landing gate. That was curious
because the Delta app indicated that we would be landing at Gate A2.

When Allie came around, I asked for a can of Fresca with a cup of ice
and Biscoff cookies.

We started our initial descent at 4pm Central time and touched down at
4:25pm. Our flight and landing were both smooth. We taxied to Gate
A2, arriving at the gate finally at 4:34pm.

After deplaning at 4:39pm, I was able to get my bag at 4:52, though it
came through the side door behind me, instead of on the lift rack near
the exit into the terminal. There must have been too many bags to fit
on the lift rack.

Review: Courtyard by Marriott Edison Woodbridge near Metuchen, NJ

My daughter and I stayed at the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge for a fencing tournament taking place on Sunday, September 14 at the Metuchen Sportsplex.  We chose this hotel for it's proximity to the sports complex and the low price - a AAA rate of $89.  I could have used Marriott Rewards points or a free night certificate, but I like getting better value for my points and certificates, so I decided to just pay for it, since it was a very low cost.  To top it all off, it is the top rated hotel on TripAdvisor in the area.

Courtyard Edison Woodbridge Review

When we checked in, we were told that I would be receiving 400 points for my arrival gift and could choose a Market item - my daughter selected Baked Lays.  We were given the key to Room 209, which initially disappointed me, since I requested a high floor room, but was surprised to see a nice welcome spread in my room.  There was a water and chocolate on the bed, with an elephant constructed from 3 wash clothes to greet us.  Also, on the footstool was a fiber pillow, as I requested.

The room itself was like any other Courtyard, though there was a 50 inch flat screen tv in the room, which made viewing of Notre Dame's Shamrock Series defeat of Purdue that much sweeter.  The bathroom was of decent size and the separate vanity area was adequate.  Some of the walls and furnishings showed some wear, but it did not detract noticeably from the experience.  The tub had a large stain, but the shower had good pressure.

At halftime of the game I ran down to the Bistro to order to go some Thai chili wings and a diet Mountain Dew.  It took about 12 minutes to bring it out to me, but it was placed into a nice handled bag that I could easily transport to my room.  It was expensive at around $13 for 6 wings and a 20oz diet Dew.  It tasted good and was adequately filling.

I had a hard time sleeping that night between not trying to toss and turn, so that my daughter could sleep and the radio that was loud, though not quite blaring from the room next door.  I finally became enlightened at 4am and turned on the air conditioner fan, which drowned out the music.

The next morning, the receipt was conveniently placed under our door.  As I looked over the expenses, I noticed that the "free" Market item from checkin was not quite so free, as my bill showed a charge of $2.57 and tax.  I had some time and headed down to the front desk, where the front desk agent rectified the charge.

If the price (or points) were right, I would stay at the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge again.

Southwest Flight 2496 Newark to Chicago Trip Report

Southwest Flight 2496 Newark to Chicago

We flew out of Gate A15 at EWR, which is the same gate at which we deplaned the day before.  Our boarding assignments were A17 and B13, respectively.  As I did the day before, we boarded at the end of the A30-A60 line without a problem.

As we made our way down the jet bridge, I noticed that the plane was an older model 737-300, which made me worry about wifi availability.  We found a spot in row 10 in seats 10A and 10B.  After getting situated, I noticed that the seats do not recline.  Luckily, I don't normally recline my seat and the person in front of me did not recline theirs.

We pulled away from the gate at 8:48pm, 7 minutes prior to our scheduled time of departure and took at at 8:59pm.  As we were ascending, a flight attendant announced that there was no wifi on the flight - surprise!  I had received an email the day before from Southwest touting the ability to use wifi and watch Dish, but no one must have told the email marketing folks that not all of the planes are wifi equipped.

When they came by for drinks, I ordered a can of Coke Zero with ice and my daughter ordered some apple juice.  When they came around with snacks, they only offered pretzels.

We landed at 10:45pm in Chicago after a pretty uneventful flight, except for an interesting nose dive during the descent.  As we were descending the pilot maneuvered the plane at a steeper nose angle than usual, so much so that everyone on the plane noticed.  There were quite a few gasps for the second or two it took for the pilot to make the correction. We deplaned at gate B18, having reached the gate at 10:52pm.  Since I was with my daughter, it would have been nice to deplane at B1, like I had done that Friday.

My daughter's foils had already arrived at baggage claim, but we had to wait briefly for our two other pieces of luggage, but they came out on to the conveyer within a few minutes.

Review of Hertz Midsize Rental at (EWR) Newark Liberty International Airport

I had first reserved a full size car at the EWR Hertz location through the Southwest portal, but as I always do, I recheck the prices several times before the day of the rental, the last being the day of.  When I checked it the day of the rental, I noticed that the price of the Midsize car was about $14 cheaper for the day and would be adequate for our needs, so I reserved the Midsize for $32 and cancelled the Fullsize rental that I had reserved for $46 for my 24 hour car rental.

We were able to get to the Hertz airport location on the Airtrain at the P3 stop.  I had forgotten to add my Hertz Gold number, so we had to head to the normal counter, which wasnt a big deal, since there was no one else there.  I was really impressed by the look of the location, since it looked very modern and had lots of tablets for kids and adults to spend time, while another family member gets checked in.

Diane, the agent who helped us, went through the normal rigmarole, asking me if I needed any of the add-ons.  I bit on the per-paid fuel option, since, if I drove less than 100 miles and I don't have time refill the car, they will only charge me $0.31 per mile driven.  Diane, also, upgraded us to a Fullsize car, a white 2013 Ford Fusion.  Though it had over 40,000 miles on it, it did have Sirius XM and leather seats.  There was a slight cigarette smell in the car, but it dissipated pretty quickly.  I had to ask for an EZPass transponder, since the Fusion was not equipped with one.

The car drove well on the wet, ill-lit New Jersey Turnpike.  We arrived at the Courtyard Edison Woodbridge with no issues.  The next day we headed to the Metuchen Sportsplex and then back to EWR.  I filled up the car at the Gulf station, just across from the Hertz location by P3 parking.

When we returned the car, the return agen found a ding on the front right side of the car.  I had not inspected the car before driving off, since we were in a hurry to get to the hotel.  They did not hold me liable for the damage, since they had not properly inventoried the vehicle the day before.  Even though I drove less than 40 miles, the receipt had me down as having driven more than 200.

Southwest Flight 1815 Chicago to Newark Trip Report

The horror - I forgot to check in at exactly 24 hours before the flight.  It wouldn't be such a big deal normally, since I am an A List member, but on this trip I have my youngest daughter with me on my Companion Pass.  I am usually really diligent, when she travels with me, but I was tired from my flight from San Diego to Chicago earlier in the day.  I am too cheap to buy the Early Bird Check In, but I was thinking that I might have made a mistake this time.

When I clicked "Check In" at 8pm, almost 2 hours past, when I should have done so, I thought that she would get a boarding pass in the B50 range.  Imagine my surprise, when I saw that she received B4.  I received an A16, so I can board with her without worrying about trying to sneak her on with me.  We got in line after A60 and boarded without a problem, something I had read about on Flyertalk.

Southwest Flight 1815 Chicago To Newark

We had to check two bags, since her foils cannot be taken on to the plane.  we were able to use the Priority Line, since I am A List Preferred.  Someone tried to cut in front of us from the regular line, but the agent, Fran, quickly rectified the situation and let us get our bags checked.  Going through TSA was easy, since we were picked to go through the PreCheck line, just like I had been able to do the previous Monday, when I was on my way to San Diego.

Our flight, Southwest Flight 1815, was taking off from gate A17, which is at the end of the A terminal, so it was a bit of a hike, but nothing like O'Hare or any other large airport.  As we were sitting by the gate, we noticed passengers deplaning at Gate A18.  It was the flight to Philadelphia that had already been 45 minutes late pulling back from the gate.  The plane had a valve issue and return to a gate to turn off the engines to get the issue fixed.  When they called our flight to line up, they were still sitting in the gate area.

When we got on the plane, a 737-800, all the way to row 10 was close to full, except for middle seats, so we made our way to seats 18E and 18F, the window and middle seat, since my daughter likes to look out the window - the window seats from row 10 to 17 are obstructed by the wings. The flight was not full, so I moved to seat 18D, leaving 18E empty between the two of us.  It was nice to have so much space!  The only issue I found was that the light over 18D did not work.

The doors to the plane were closed at 5:02 and pulled from the gate at 5:06pm, 4 minutes earlier than our scheduled departure.  We took off at 5:15pm, only 5 minutes after our scheduled departure.  Checking the Flight Tracker, I noticed that our estimated arrival time would be 7:42pm, 33 minutes earlier than our scheduled arrival.

The WiFi on the plane initially worked, when we boarded, but as soon as we backed out of the gate, the WiFi reset.  It was a pain, since I was typing this blog post in the plane at the time.  The WiFi returned at 5:14pm.  The WiFi is a must, when I travel with my 10 year old daughter.  Thankfully, it is free for me, because of my A List Preferred status.

When the flight attendant came by, I ordered a can of Coke Zero (with ice) and my daughter ordered a cup of apple juice.  We were given lightly salted peanuts and pretzels as a snack.

The flight was very smooth with only a few bumps as we descended through the rain clouds.  We landed with a bit of slipping on the wet tarmac at EWR at 7:44 and arrived at the gate at 7:52.

We only had to wait about 5 minutes for our suitcase at baggage claim and only a couple more minutes for my daughter's foils at the oversize baggage area.

My Trip to San Diego From September 8-12, 2014

I had a good trip to San Diego from September 8 through September 12, 2014.  I stayed at several hotels and ate at many different restaurants.

Monday, September 8

I started by flying on Southwest Flight 449 from Chicago Midway Airport to San Diego.  I rented a midsize rental car from Alamo in San Diego and checked in late to the Sheraton in Mission Valley on the first night.

Tuesday, September 9

I had breakfast at The Mission in North Park and then lunch at The Poseidon restaurant in Del Mar, CA.  I then checked in to the Hotel Solamar, a Kimpton Hotel, in downtown San Diego before heading to the San Diego Yacht Club for dinner.

Wednesday, September 10

I had my first breakfast at the Bruegger's Bagels in Pacific Beach and then headed to the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe for "second breakfast".  Later, I went to the La Jolla Country Club for lunch and then happy houred at Harry's Bar in UTC.  I, then, checked into the Sheraton Mission Valley again.  I had dinner at Taverna Blu in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center.

Thursday, September 11

I had breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club before heading to lunch at Las Olas in downtown Carlsbad.  I, later, did happy hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar and then finished with dinner at Taverna Blu yet again.  My hotel for the night was the Courtyard in Old Town.

Friday, September 12

I flew back to Chicago on Southwest Flight 4567 and then drove home to Mishawaka.

I don't travel to San Diego again until October, but will be heading to Las Vegas at some point in later September.

Dinner at Taverna Blu in Del Mar, CA

Had dinner at Taverna Blu, which is situated in the Del Mar Highlands shopping plaza off of Del Mar Heights Road in Del Mar, CA.  I have gone to Taverna Blu because they participate in two separate dining programs, Mogl and the Reward Network or Rapid Rewards Dining.  Anytime that I can double dip on points is a great opportunity.

Though the restaurant is in a strip mall, albeit a high end one, they do a good job of creating an inviting, modern Greek atmosphere.  It always seems pretty busy when I go there, so it does attract the locals.

I arrived to find Hasani, a late 20's body builder originally from the Bay Area, tending bar.  He is a very attentive bartender and a great conversationalist.  I ordered a Trumer Pils to drink and the Gyro Plate with feta fries, as I have done in the past.  I have never seen Trumer Pils anywhere else, but it is quite refreshing.  As I ate and drank, I watched the replay of the Spain vs France FIBA 2014 game from earlier in the day.  Spain, the co-favorite of the tournament with the US, was upset in the game by France.

I returned to Taverna Blu on Thursday, September 11, after my happy hour at Jimmy O's.  Hasani was again tending bar.  I stayed until the end of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers' game, which the Ravens won.  Like the night before, I ordered a Trumer Pils and the gyro plate with feta fries.

I will definitely be going back to Taverna Blu on my next trip to San Diego.

Happy Hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA

I met some folks for happy hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA.  Since it is sometimes hard to find parking, I arrived about 15 minutes early.  Jimmy O's didn't open until 4pm and I had arrived at 3:45.  Luckily, they allowed me to be seated inside, since it was unseasonably warm.  At about 3:55, a waitress asked if I would like something to drink, so I ordered a Ballast Point Pale Ale draft.

My first guest arrived at about the time my beer arrived, so she asked for a vodka tonic.  We deliberated over the menu for a few minutes and decided on chips and salsa, plus an order of the steak bites, since the waitress had highly recommended it.  It was, actually, quite tasty.  The steak was very tender and the gravy complemented the bread bowl in which the steak bites were served really well.  My second guest arrived after having mistakenly gone to The Poseidon, where I had had lunch the day before.  He ordered a Stone IPA.

If I want to watch a football game in Del Mar, I will definitely do it at Jimmy O's.

Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club

I had not been to the La Jolla Country Club for some time and here I was for the second time in two days, dining there.  Unlike my lunch the day before, we were seated in the more informal dining area.  We enjoyed the same great view of La Jolla village, as we were seated alongside the window.  The waitress and I had a nice chuckle, as she was the same one that I had for lunch the day before.

Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club

The breakfast menu is not as extensive as the lunch menu, but it was adequate.  My host and I each selected the "Golfer's Special", which included eggs, two pancakes and a choice of meats of which we both chose bacon.  I ordered my eggs scrambled and she ordered them over easy.  I had coffee to drink and she ordered the cappuccino.  Her cappuccino came very well presented with a stick of rock candy and a peppermint stick for flavoring.

When our breakfast arrived, it was garnished with one strawberry and one slice of de-ridsed cantaloupe, which was a nice touch.  The food was good, though my scrambled eggs were a bit dry.  The bacon was okay, but not as good as the bacon I had at The Mission in North Park.

Overall, breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club was adequate to good.  The service, like the day before, was excellent.  The view was spectacular.

Review: Courtyard Old Town San Diego

On the night of Thursday, September 11, 2014 I stayed in Room 428 at the Marriott Courtyard in Old Town San Diego.  I had stayed there many times before, since it is convenient to the 5 and 8 highways and usually has very competitive rates.  My rate for this night was the $134 AAA rate and I did not pay for parking, since I normally find easy parking on the street.

Courtyard Old Town San Diego Review

The outside of the hotel is different from any other Courtyard that I have seen.  It was constructed in the Mission style to match the architecture of Old Town San Diego.  The pool here is small, but the outdoor covered patio is very nice and relaxing.

Check in was easy, since they know me.  The front desk person informed me that I would be getting 400 points as a gift for my stay and a Market item for which I chose a diet mountain dew.  He also informed me that they would be having a wine hour from 4:30-5:30 that evening - an event that has taken the place of the free bistro item cards that they used to hand out to me when I arrived.  He said that they do the wine hour Monday through Thursday.  I have participated in one of their wine hours before and they usually have one choice of red and one choice of white.  I could not make the wine hour, since I had a happy hour appointment at Jimmy O's in Del Mar.

Since the hotel was busy, they could not give me an upgrade, but did put me on the 4th floor in a room that faced the courtyard, rather than the highway.  My room was much quieter because of it.  The room looks like any other Courtyard room, since it was recently renovated.  One nice feature was the Keurig machine in the room.  I do not remember that the last time that I stayed here.

The bathroom was large with the normal tub/shower combo.  The light took a few seconds to flicker on, while the same switch controlled the noisy overhead fan, so there was no way to turn the fan off without turning off the light, as well.  The vanity sink outside the bathroom was small, but adequate for my needs.

Unlike the Sheraton Mission Valley and even the Hotel Solamar, the air conditioning at the Courtyard Old Town was great.  I was able to get my room cooled down quickly and was very comfortable in the room.

My wake up call on Friday morning rang 4 minutes earlier than requested at 4:26am, so I got up, showered and packed up the rest of my belongings.  The receipt for my stay was conveniently delivered under my door and had the correct charges.

I will definitely be staying here again in the future, because of its convenient location and affordable price.

Lunch at Las Olas in Carlsbad, CA

Had lunch at Las Olas in downtown Carlsbad, CA.  I found parking on the street in front of the restaurant, but convenient, free (during the day) parking is located on the back side of the restaurant.  I arrived a few minutes early and was told to take whatever table I would like.  The front of the restaurant was very warm and had no cross breeze, so I sat inside, where a nice cross breeze made the temperature much more bearable.

The waitress brought me some chips and fresh salsa and the diet coke I ordered as I took a seat.  The menu is quite extensive with many different Mexican dishes.  It was hard to make a choice, but I quickly decided to choose an entree with fish or seafood.

As I deliberated, I overheard a conversation about Notre Dame's 31-0 destruction of the Michigan Wolverines the prior weekend.  I commented that it was a truly great game.  As we talked it became quickly apparent that one of the group was a Notre Dame graduate, like me.  She graduated in 1994, a year after me.  She and her family were in town from Denver to have some fun at Legoland.

When my guest arrived, we ordered our lunch.  My guest ordered a chicken tostada and I ordered the baja style fish burrito.  My baja style burrito came with refried beans and rice, but I only ate the burrito, since it was large enough to fill me up.  It tasted great - light, but filling with good, but not overpowering flavor.

The customer service was very good.  At first it looked like I might have two waitresses, but finally they talked and only one waitress served me.  At first, she was a bit preoccupied, but later warmed up.  It's not to say that she did not fulfill her role well at first, since she kept refilling my diet coke, as I needed them, but she was not overly hospitable.  She became increasingly more friendly as we continued our lunch.

I have not been to any other Las Olas locations, but I would return to this one, when I am in Carlsbad.  I am interested to see what might be in store at another one of their restaurants.

Southwest Flight 4567 From San Diego to Chicago Trip Report

I took the very early morning direct flight (Southwest Flight 4567) direct from San Diego to Chicago Midway, due to depart at 6:35am, so that I could get home at a decent time.  You lose so much time every time you go from West to East.  On this flight I received a boarding assignment of A19, one better than my flight to San Diego on Monday on Southwest Flight 449.

I arrived at the airport on the Alamo shuttle at 5:15am  after returning my Chevy Cruze.  There was a line of about 20 people in the TSA line, which I was able to bypass due to the A List Fly By Lane.  I got through TSA in less than 5 minutes, since there was only one person that I needed to wait on to put my belongings through the scanner.

Southwest Flight 4567 San Diego to Chicago

Boarding was a breeze on this newer 737-800.  I ended up in aisle seat 5D, since A1-A15 was full for this flight.  Amazingly I didn't see any preboards on this flight and I can't imagine that there were any "through" passengers as it was a 6:35am flight.  We backed out of the gate at 6:45am and took off at 6:51am, since we were the first in line to take off.  Take off was a little more difficult, as the plane leaned left a bit just after take off.  The pilot easily corrected it.

While in-flight I chose Ritz cheese crackers and the Chips Ahoy 100 calorie pack for my snacks.  To drink I chose a can of Coke Zero.  I always ask for a cup of ice, as well, since I have not received ice on occasion when I have not specified as such.

In seat 6D, the row behind me, sat an older gentleman, who was a chair puller.  He would use my seat as an aid to get out of his seat and to sit down as well.  Luckily, he did not get up and down too often during the flight, or it would have gotten very annoying.

The whole flight was turbulence free, except with bumps during the descent and we landed at Midway airport in Chicago at 12:10pm with a very rough landing.  The plane landed roughly and then reversed engines really quickly, which caused a large jerk.  We arrived at the gate, B1,  at 12:12pm , 28 minutes early!  It made up for my 30 minute late arrival in San Diego on Monday night.

Review of Alamo Midsize Rental in San Diego from September 8-September 12

As I usually do, I made my rental car reservation through Southwest, since I have found it to be consistently the cheapest method to rent vehicles, when I travel.  This trip was no different.  I was able to reserve a midsize car for my entire trip for less than $25 a day.  After landing in San Diego on Southwest Flight 449, I proceeded to the shuttle to take me to Alamo.  Luckily, my wait was less than 5 minutes for the shuttle.

When I arrived at Alamo at around 10:30pm, I tipped the driver, Enrique, and then proceeded to the kiosk to check in and get my rental car.  I took the prepaid fuel option, since I would most likely use up the whole tank on my trip and I would be leaving at an ungodly early hour on Friday, September 12.

After my rental contract printed at the kiosk, I exited the main building and proceeded to check out my choices in midsize vehicles.  I normally select a Kia or a Hyundai, since they have XM or Sirius satellite radio installed.  This time I chose a silver 2014 Chevy Cruze, since the only two other choices were a Chrysler 200 and a Toyota Corolla.

I picked the Chevy Cruze because it had California plates (I always try to have "local" plates, just in case the police like to stop out-of-towners), looked brand new and it had leather seats.  The car also drives well.  It is not a car that I would purchase, since I normally look for dependability and longevity in a vehicle, but I usually rent cars that I would not normally drive.

I returned the car at 5am on Friday, September 12.  As usual, the return was quick and painless, since they know me well at this location.  The shuttle bus arrived just as they handed me the receipt, so I made my way to the shuttle.  After boarding the shuttle, I noticed that I did not have my cell phone.  The shuttle driver, JR,  held the bus for the two minutes it took me to retrieve my iPhone.  In fact, he radioed over to the car return area and they met me half way and handed me my phone.

The shuttle dropped me off at the Southwest terminal and I was the only person to deboard.  All of the others on the bus were headed to the Delta terminal.

My experience with San Diego Alamo was what I have come to expect, since I go to San Diego at least once a month.  If you need to rent a car in San Diego, I would recommend Alamo highly for the low cost and prompt and friendly customer service.

My First Time At the Sheraton Mission Valley

Since I am almost re-qualified for Marriott Platinum status, I decided to stay a couple of days at the Sheraton in Mission Valley on Monday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 10 at the AAA Parking nightly rate of $130, which included parking (parking is normally $16 per day). I wanted to get two stays on this trip in order to eventually qualify for Starwood Gold status.  With Gold status I will be able to get Starwood points when I fly on Delta and Delta Skymiles, when I stay at Starwood properties via their Crossover Rewards program.  After these two stays I have 4 total stays for the year due to having the Starwood American Express card.  I only need 6 more stays this year until I qualify for Gold.

I reserved a King size bed for my stay.  At check in on Monday, September 8 I received an upgrade to a King Deluxe room, which the front desk agent told me includes a pullout couch.  Though I booked the AAA rate, I did not have to show my card.  When I entered the room, Room 907, I was surprised by the size of the room.  It was definitely larger than most of the Marriott Mission Valley rooms that I have gotten through the years.  The room faced  the highway, US8 or "The Eight", so it was a bit noisy.

My Sheraton Mission Valley Stay Review

The bed was hard, but not uncomfortable.  The decor was modern and none of the furnishings showed wear.  The bathroom was adequate with a normal tub shower with the sink, which had great lighting, in a sizable, separate area.  The toilet, though, is ill situated in the bathroom.  You either need to have the door closed to sit straight on the "throne" or you need to sit angled to the left, so that you can fit your legs by the door.  Also, I am lucky that I am tall, since the toilet paper is some distance from the toilet.

The greatest attribute of this room, outside of it's size, is the balcony.  It is just plain huge.  The view is not anything special, but the balcony is big enough to hold over 15 people with some room to spare.

The parking at the hotel is adequate with one lot right in front and another to the left when facing the hotel from which one can use the side entrance to enter the hotel.  Parking is $16 per day, but my rate included the parking.  If parking was not included, I am not sure how competitive pricewise the hotel would be for me in the future.  I did have troubles on both days getting into the parking, since the machine would read the key card, but the gate would not go up for me to enter the parking.  Luckily, the side lot's exit gate was up, so I entered by that way.

I had a bit of trouble checking out on Tuesday, September 9, since the front desk clerk could not get the computer to cooperate.  Eventually, she was able to check me out and gave my my receipt.

When I returned to the Sheraton on Wednesday, September 10, they had assigned me to the same room, Room 907, and it was ready for my early check in at 2:15pm.  I was so glad to be able to get into the room early!  The room looked the same as before, as if no one else had used it in the interim.  I was so tired that I was not at all harmed by the noise from the highway.

When I checked out on Thursday, September 11, the front desk clerk asked if the room that I stayed in was okay and if the traffic noise bothered me.  I told him that the size of the room was more important to me than the noise that came from the highway.  I also told him about the problems parking and he told me that they were working on it, but were unsure of the cause.  He did tell me that the call button on the parking does go to the front desk and they can open it for anyone that cannot get into the parking areas.

Overall, I was happy with my stay at this full service Sheraton.  I do not think it was my best stay, nor my worst.  It was definitely adequate enough to get me to Gold status with Starwood this year.

Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill

No day is complete without a great Happy Hour!  I was able to enjoy a happy hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill in the UTC area of San Diego on La Jolla Village Drive.  I have been to Harry's several times and mostly during their happy hour.

I arrived a few minutes late, which was exacerbated by no valet attendant being on duty at that time.  I made my way to the visitor's parking lot and then swiftly walked to the bar to meet my two guests.  I made a 4pm reservation on OpenTable, but, since there was no hostess, I was unable to tell them that I had arrived.  Thankfully, I saw that I received the 100 points for my reservation!

Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill La Jolla

We did not get an appetizer, but shared two rounds of cabernet sauvignon and Budweiser.  The service was fine, though I always got the feeling that when we did not order anything, they didn't want to bother with us.

Harry's is a convenient spot to meet people and the ambiance is good, though I have never been impressed with their food, though we did not order any food this time.

When I left, I got my car out of the parking garage and had to pay $8.75!  It would have been much cheaper to valet it.  My friend had parked in the valet lot, since there was no valet person there, so I might try that the next time.

Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club

After a day with a first breakfast at 6:15am and then a second breakfast at 8:00am, I was happy to have a later lunch, 12:30pm, at the La Jolla Country Club on High Avenue in La Jolla, CA.  I had been to LJCC a few times in the past, but never for lunch.

Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club

I arrived about 10 minutes early, since traffic into La Jolla can sometimes be heavy.  I found the hostess, who said that my hosts had not yet arrived, but would seat me in the main dining room, which is a bit more elegant than their other eating venues.  She seated me at a table on the window that had a beautiful, panoramic view of all of La Jolla village.  While waiting I ordered a diet coke.

In the main dining room, at dinner you have to wear a coat, but at lunch I was fine in khaki pants, dress shoes and a golf shirt.  I ordered the prime rib french dip sandwich with a side of fruit.  The fruit was a mixture of fresh fruit and some canned mango.  The sandwich was very delicious, but I always love to have french dip sandwiches.  My hosts ordered a Caribbean salad and an enchilada meal with refried beans.  The presentation of all of our entrees was top notch.

The service at the Club was great and they were all very attentive.  They all knew my hosts and continued to use their names every time they served them.

If I get the chance to be hosted at the La Jolla Country Club again for a meal, I will jump at the chance, since the view is to die for and the food is decent.

Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club

Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club

I have been to the San Diego Yacht Club, but only for lunch and drinks, so when I received the invitation to go there for dinner, I jumped at the opportunity.  Being from Indiana, yacht clubs are few and far between.

We had dinner out on the deck, which is on the water in Point Loma near Shelter Island, surrounded by all of the boats that are moored at the marina.  It was a pleasant evening with great company.

My dinner started at 7pm and, as luck would have it, Tuesday nights is Prime Rib night, so I ordered the prime rib done medium.  It came with a potato, rolls, salad bar and ice cream.  We ordered some roasted brussels sprouts for an appetizer.  We all had wine with our dinner.  Unsurprisingly, I was stuffed when all was said and done.  The food was very good, so I would definitely come back, if I was to be invited by a member of the Yacht Club again.

The service at the Yacht Club was good and prompt, though they did initially bring us asparagus instead of the brussels sprouts that we had ordered.  They promptly returned them and brought us the brussels sprouts.

Another Stay at the Kimpton Hotel Solamar in San Diego

Any time a Kimpton property in San Diego falls within my price range, I try to stay there.  Though I prefer the Hotel Palomar San Diego due to the nice suite upgrades, I settled on the Hotel Solamar for my stay on September 9, 2014. I was able to book a AAA rate of $172, which included half price valet parking.  Since Kimpton is running their secret word ("Summer of Karma") campaign right now, I hoped that I could get free valet parking.

I truly love the service that I receive at Kimpton properties and the upgraded experience I receive due to my Inner Circle status.  I had heard of Kimpton in 2013 and thought that my wife would really like them - at least, she would like them above the normal Marriott property.  I received a status match to Inner Circle from my Marriott Platinum status.  I was definitely right about my wife liking them!

Kimpton's Hotel Solamar in San Diego, CA

I drove to the Hotel Solamar and valeted it at the door.  They were very quick and efficient.  I went to the front desk at around 2:20pm, hoping that my room might be ready.  As luck would have it, my room was available and I had been upgraded to one of their corner King rooms.  She had some trouble making my key, but after a short time they were ready.  With my keys she gave me my Raid The Bar card.  I said the secret word and they added a drink coupon, plus a free movie.  Not the free valet that I had hoped for, but at least it was something good.

When I entered the room, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the room.  The room itself was huge and the bed was more like a California King than the normal sized king bed.  At the entrance of the room was a nice seat in front of a full length mirror.  The desk, though thin, had a power strip that gave me enough plugs to power my ipad, iphone and laptop.

Unlike my room at the Sheraton Mission Valley, my bathroom was huge!  There was a huge whirlpool tub and right next to it was a large, standalone shower.  The vanity and sink were equally large.

After getting settled into my room, I took my laptop down to the pool/LoungeSix to get some work done.  While there,  I used my free drink coupon I received for using the secret word.  The bartender made me a margarita from scratch without sour mix, which was quite delicious, especially since it was unseasonably warm in San Diego.  As payment, I gave him the the free drink coupon and a tip.

Wine Hour is from 5pm-6pm each night and the one at the Hotel Solamar was no different.  In their foyer area they served a plethora of alcoholic beverages.  They offered a beer on tap, Nut Brown, three wines - a red blend, pinot grigio and chardonnay, and then a rum, honey, bitters mixture that was quite tasty.  I met a nice couple from Virginia, who are originally from Texas, that were in town for a conference that ended that day.

When I returned to my room after the Wine Hour, I found that my "amenity" had been delivered.  The concierge had brought me two local brews, a bottle of water, a bowl of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and a bowl of cashews.  It was presented in a nice way with a great note from the concierge.

After having dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club, I returned to the Solamar and got a drink at the JSix restaurant.  The great bartender prepared me a wonderful Old Fashioned.  It was a great way to use my Raid the Bar credit.

In the morning I had run out of shaving cream, so I went down to the front desk and they gave me a trial size can of shaving cream - much better than the shaving cream in a packet that I have received at other hotels.

Check out was a breeze.  I had the $10 Raid The Bar coupon credited to my bill from JSix the night before and headed to the valet, who promptly got me my car and off to my luncheon appointment at the La Jolla Country Club.

The only thing missing from my stay was the Kimpton smell.  I did not get a whiff of the patented Kimpton fragrance anywhere in the hotel.  I hope they haven't done away with it - I love the smell!