I like to travel and write so I created this blog to share my travel experiences with family, friends and anyone else who's interested.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Andezz99 Airport Security Tips
1. Don't wear your suspenders to the airport and if you do wear them, remember why you wear them when you take those bad boys off and put them in the security tray. (Full Moon over Miami)
2. Leave that pocket full of nickles at home. If you are going to Vegas and these are your "lucky" nickles, leave them at home anyway.
3. Shampoo, this is a liquid, most people don't drink it and that may be confusing but it is indeed a liquid. Take it out of your bag and put it in the tray.
4. Slip-on's- These are a good idea if you plan to tie your big boy shoes in knots and have trouble taking them off before you go through the screening process.
5. TSA will not buy you a drink before your "pat down", they hear this joke a hundred times a day and the only thing you may get by asking this question is a full body cavity search.
6. The people giving you the stink eye behind you are not amused and would appreciate you hurrying through the security line. I'm not sure where you're going be we are probably going to work, or returning home and the last thing we want to do is miss our flight because you don't follow simple directions.
7. Water? Really, you didn't know that was a liquid? I'll give you a pass on the shampoo but the water is like "the original liquid". TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR BAG AND PUT IT ON THE TRAY.
8. If you don't know what toiletries are you should probably take a greyhound bus instead.
9. When you get through security, please, please, remove your tray and your items from the conveyor and move along. It took you 15 minutes to get through the metal detector, don't make us watch you put your mess back together on the other side too.
10. When you walk to your security line (assuming you have a choice of lines to choose from), carefully evaluate your fellow travelers. I have a ranking system of who to avoid, this may be similar to Cloney's list in "Up in the Air":
- Older people are completely confused by the airport, and they should be. In the good ol days, they walked to a ticket counter, bought a ticket, sat in their over sized seats smoking a pack of Marlboro's and eating a 4 course meal. They are questioning whether they are even in the U.S. anymore when they approach the airport security line. Nothing looks familiar and now one can blame them but you can avoid them when going through security.
- Kids- Kids are generally excited to be at the airport, to go on a plane. However, the younger and older people are, the more confused they are by simple instructions. Put your shoes in a bin (why in the world do shoes come off the feet?). We adults have quit asking these fundamental questions, and they are valid questions "why are we taking our perfectly good shoes off our feet and exposing them to the fungus of millions of dirty traveler feet"? Has anyone done a test on the 10' path that leads through the security metal detector, I'm sure the Aborigines wound never survive the exposure to bacteria. Back to the kids, they don't follow in structions, they come with a lot of extra stuff (diaper bags, toys, etc.) Avoid them...
- International travelers- ok language is a barrier to following instructions. I feel it when I travel abroad and acknowledge my lack of concise follow through.
The Good
- Business travelers who have a simple roller board and or back pack. If they have any kind of airline loyalty bling like a frequent flyer status card dangling from their luggage, they probably know the routine and will not delay your journey.
- Airline staff or airport employees
- Men over women, I'm sorry ladies, the guys travel light and usually carry one less bag
I hope you find these tips helpful on your next airport trip.
1. Don't wear your suspenders to the airport and if you do wear them, remember why you wear them when you take those bad boys off and put them in the security tray. (Full Moon over Miami)
2. Leave that pocket full of nickles at home. If you are going to Vegas and these are your "lucky" nickles, leave them at home anyway.
3. Shampoo, this is a liquid, most people don't drink it and that may be confusing but it is indeed a liquid. Take it out of your bag and put it in the tray.
4. Slip-on's- These are a good idea if you plan to tie your big boy shoes in knots and have trouble taking them off before you go through the screening process.
5. TSA will not buy you a drink before your "pat down", they hear this joke a hundred times a day and the only thing you may get by asking this question is a full body cavity search.
6. The people giving you the stink eye behind you are not amused and would appreciate you hurrying through the security line. I'm not sure where you're going be we are probably going to work, or returning home and the last thing we want to do is miss our flight because you don't follow simple directions.
7. Water? Really, you didn't know that was a liquid? I'll give you a pass on the shampoo but the water is like "the original liquid". TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR BAG AND PUT IT ON THE TRAY.
8. If you don't know what toiletries are you should probably take a greyhound bus instead.
9. When you get through security, please, please, remove your tray and your items from the conveyor and move along. It took you 15 minutes to get through the metal detector, don't make us watch you put your mess back together on the other side too.
10. When you walk to your security line (assuming you have a choice of lines to choose from), carefully evaluate your fellow travelers. I have a ranking system of who to avoid, this may be similar to Cloney's list in "Up in the Air":
- Older people are completely confused by the airport, and they should be. In the good ol days, they walked to a ticket counter, bought a ticket, sat in their over sized seats smoking a pack of Marlboro's and eating a 4 course meal. They are questioning whether they are even in the U.S. anymore when they approach the airport security line. Nothing looks familiar and now one can blame them but you can avoid them when going through security.
- Kids- Kids are generally excited to be at the airport, to go on a plane. However, the younger and older people are, the more confused they are by simple instructions. Put your shoes in a bin (why in the world do shoes come off the feet?). We adults have quit asking these fundamental questions, and they are valid questions "why are we taking our perfectly good shoes off our feet and exposing them to the fungus of millions of dirty traveler feet"? Has anyone done a test on the 10' path that leads through the security metal detector, I'm sure the Aborigines wound never survive the exposure to bacteria. Back to the kids, they don't follow in structions, they come with a lot of extra stuff (diaper bags, toys, etc.) Avoid them...
- International travelers- ok language is a barrier to following instructions. I feel it when I travel abroad and acknowledge my lack of concise follow through.
The Good
- Business travelers who have a simple roller board and or back pack. If they have any kind of airline loyalty bling like a frequent flyer status card dangling from their luggage, they probably know the routine and will not delay your journey.
- Airline staff or airport employees
- Men over women, I'm sorry ladies, the guys travel light and usually carry one less bag
I hope you find these tips helpful on your next airport trip.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
New Orleans Weekend - January 2012
One of those rare moments when the stars align occurred last week. My wife and I were both able to tack on a weekend trip to our business trips, me from Jacksonville, FL and she from Dallas, TX. Our kids were away at winter church camp so we decided to meet in New Orleans.
This trip was a mix of business and pleasure, we recently purchased our 3rd rental property down in the Gulfport area of Long Beach, MS and hadn't visited the property since the completed construction.
The trip was pretty much paid for by using my frequent flyer points and Hilton honor points so that's always a nice reward.
We stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel, Waldorf Astoria http://therooseveltneworleans.com/ just off Canal Street. It's just outside the craziness of the French Quarter but a short walk to all the action.
The Roosevelt is one of the nicest hotels near the French Quarter and I recommend it highly.
Prior to our trip I made reservations at 3 restaurants. This is a good idea because it gets very crowded, very fast and unless you want to wait hours for a table, at least make a place- holding reservation. We never waited more then 5 minutes anywhere.
Here are the restaurants we had diner at:
Friday
The Bombay and Martini Club in the Quarter
http://www.thebombayclub.com/
Great Shrimp and Seafood stuffed egg plant
Saturday
Pascal Manales, in the Garden District
http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/pascalsmanale/
Turtle Soup, Barbecued Shrimp and Pecan Pie - a must! This is not a real fancy restaurant but the food is excellent and loved by locals.
Sunday
Commanders Palace- in the Garden District
http://www.commanderspalace.com/
Besides being located in the Garden District which features some of the nicest Victorian homes you'll ever seen it is also one of the best meals in town (which is why American Express featured it in one of it's commercials).
I had the turtle soup, blackened steak fillet and sauteed shrimp.
Commanders palace had been closed for two years after hurricane Katrina so I was glad to see it open and as good as ever. The service was exceptional and I recommend the strawberry shortcake, order it with diner because they start baking it early.
We had plenty of other good meals for breakfast and lunch but I only highlight the above because they are classics that should be visited.
Friday night we walked around Bourbon St and Royal Street. For newbies, Royal is for shopping and Bourbon is for drinking. All intersecting streets are combinations of the same. We were in by 12pm on Friday because we had business in Mississippi (checking out our new home).
Saturday, we rented a car and drove to Long Beach, MS to meet our property manager and tour our home. I was pleased to see how nice the beach in Long Beach is and how close it is to our home (future vacation home?).
We found the house and spent about 30 min taking photos and checking out the neighborhood.
Further east from Long Beach you run into Gulfport and Biloxi which is a very nice area with lots of hotels and casinos. We stopped to eat at a restaurant called The Oyster House so naturally I had the broiled Oysters and they were ridiculous good!
After our drive back to New Orleans, about an hour away, we started to get ready for our diner at Pascal Manals and then hit Bourbon St for some live music and libations.
We were out until about 2am which is late for us old people. It's a lot of fun walking through the different clubs and listening to the different music. Another alternative to Bourbon St is Frenchman's which is a few miles away but much more Blues oriented.
Of course we stopped at Pat O'Brien for a Hurricane (too sweet) and be warned, if you order a beer at happy hour they give you three. Every bar has a cocktail waitress trying to sell you a shot of some unknown shot, avoid the pressure and be strong (or pay $3 just to make them leave).
Sunday we spent some time in Jackson Square watching street performers and we also bought some art from Hank. Hank has Cerebral Palsy but that hasn't stopped him from making some very unique art. he paint on tiles gathered from the rubble of Hurricane Katrina. We've started collecting art from some of our trips and have a nice collection growing.
Sunday morning on Royal Street is also a good place to have brunch and a few Bloody Mary's, just ask Betsy. We had a great spot on the balcony overlooking the street action.
We also took the opportunity take a carriage ride around the city and hear a little about the history of the quarter. The highlight was passing Brad Pitt's house or as I call it Angelina Jolie's house.
We finished our day off with coffee at Cafe Du Mond and headed back to our hotel to get ready for Commanders Palace.
New Orleans has a lot of things to do and we had a great weekend. We are already considering a return visit for Mardi Gras. I never get tired of Cajun gumbo or shrimp.
This trip was a mix of business and pleasure, we recently purchased our 3rd rental property down in the Gulfport area of Long Beach, MS and hadn't visited the property since the completed construction.
The trip was pretty much paid for by using my frequent flyer points and Hilton honor points so that's always a nice reward.
We stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel, Waldorf Astoria http://therooseveltneworleans.com/ just off Canal Street. It's just outside the craziness of the French Quarter but a short walk to all the action.
 |
| Out side the Roosevelt Hotel |
The Roosevelt is one of the nicest hotels near the French Quarter and I recommend it highly.
Prior to our trip I made reservations at 3 restaurants. This is a good idea because it gets very crowded, very fast and unless you want to wait hours for a table, at least make a place- holding reservation. We never waited more then 5 minutes anywhere.
Here are the restaurants we had diner at:
Friday
The Bombay and Martini Club in the Quarter
http://www.thebombayclub.com/
Great Shrimp and Seafood stuffed egg plant
Saturday
Pascal Manales, in the Garden District
http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/pascalsmanale/
Turtle Soup, Barbecued Shrimp and Pecan Pie - a must! This is not a real fancy restaurant but the food is excellent and loved by locals.
Sunday
Commanders Palace- in the Garden District
http://www.commanderspalace.com/
Besides being located in the Garden District which features some of the nicest Victorian homes you'll ever seen it is also one of the best meals in town (which is why American Express featured it in one of it's commercials).
I had the turtle soup, blackened steak fillet and sauteed shrimp.
Commanders palace had been closed for two years after hurricane Katrina so I was glad to see it open and as good as ever. The service was exceptional and I recommend the strawberry shortcake, order it with diner because they start baking it early.
We had plenty of other good meals for breakfast and lunch but I only highlight the above because they are classics that should be visited.
 |
| Royal Street |
Friday night we walked around Bourbon St and Royal Street. For newbies, Royal is for shopping and Bourbon is for drinking. All intersecting streets are combinations of the same. We were in by 12pm on Friday because we had business in Mississippi (checking out our new home).
 |
| Betsy on Bourbon Street |
Saturday, we rented a car and drove to Long Beach, MS to meet our property manager and tour our home. I was pleased to see how nice the beach in Long Beach is and how close it is to our home (future vacation home?).
 |
| Long Beach, MS - White Sand for miles |
We found the house and spent about 30 min taking photos and checking out the neighborhood.
 |
| The newest rental in Long Beach, MS |
 |
| The kitchen |
Further east from Long Beach you run into Gulfport and Biloxi which is a very nice area with lots of hotels and casinos. We stopped to eat at a restaurant called The Oyster House so naturally I had the broiled Oysters and they were ridiculous good!
 |
| I almost ordered 2 dozen! |
After our drive back to New Orleans, about an hour away, we started to get ready for our diner at Pascal Manals and then hit Bourbon St for some live music and libations.
We were out until about 2am which is late for us old people. It's a lot of fun walking through the different clubs and listening to the different music. Another alternative to Bourbon St is Frenchman's which is a few miles away but much more Blues oriented.
 |
| Pat O'Brien's, flaming fountain and hurricanes |
Of course we stopped at Pat O'Brien for a Hurricane (too sweet) and be warned, if you order a beer at happy hour they give you three. Every bar has a cocktail waitress trying to sell you a shot of some unknown shot, avoid the pressure and be strong (or pay $3 just to make them leave).
Sunday we spent some time in Jackson Square watching street performers and we also bought some art from Hank. Hank has Cerebral Palsy but that hasn't stopped him from making some very unique art. he paint on tiles gathered from the rubble of Hurricane Katrina. We've started collecting art from some of our trips and have a nice collection growing.
 |
| Hank and his art |
 |
| More of Hank's art in Jackson Square |
Sunday morning on Royal Street is also a good place to have brunch and a few Bloody Mary's, just ask Betsy. We had a great spot on the balcony overlooking the street action.
 |
| Brunch and Bloody Mary's on the Balcony |
We also took the opportunity take a carriage ride around the city and hear a little about the history of the quarter. The highlight was passing Brad Pitt's house or as I call it Angelina Jolie's house.
 |
| Who Dat? Two tourists in a carriage. |
 |
| Jackson Square |
 |
| The Cornstalk Hotel |
 |
| Just because you can doesn't mean you should. |
We finished our day off with coffee at Cafe Du Mond and headed back to our hotel to get ready for Commanders Palace.
New Orleans has a lot of things to do and we had a great weekend. We are already considering a return visit for Mardi Gras. I never get tired of Cajun gumbo or shrimp.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2011 Olympia Weekend: Highlight Reel
2011 Olympia Weekend: Highlight Reel
You know as the new year begins, so do those New Years resolutions. Well this years is probably similar to everyone else, lose some weight, exercise more, eat better. For inspiration, I found the above link summarizing the dedication of the Mr. and Mrs Olymipa contestants. I always am impressed by the dedication of these competitors. I've been to only one Mr. Olympia competiton but really enjoyed the show and the pre-contest convention.
I started my diet weighing in at 225, an all time high for me. After about a week, I've already dropped 6 lbs on to my goal of 185. That's a total of 40 lbs but I think I can do it if I eat well, quite drinking beer and exercise daily.
For those of you who are also dieting, I found a pretty neat web site that allows you to track you daily diet and exercise progress. It's called MyFitnessPal.com, they also have a pretty cool mobil app for your iPhone that allows you to enter your meals and see if you are staying within you calorie range. It's also good for checking food selections before you order.
Good luck with your own resolutions!
You know as the new year begins, so do those New Years resolutions. Well this years is probably similar to everyone else, lose some weight, exercise more, eat better. For inspiration, I found the above link summarizing the dedication of the Mr. and Mrs Olymipa contestants. I always am impressed by the dedication of these competitors. I've been to only one Mr. Olympia competiton but really enjoyed the show and the pre-contest convention.
I started my diet weighing in at 225, an all time high for me. After about a week, I've already dropped 6 lbs on to my goal of 185. That's a total of 40 lbs but I think I can do it if I eat well, quite drinking beer and exercise daily.
For those of you who are also dieting, I found a pretty neat web site that allows you to track you daily diet and exercise progress. It's called MyFitnessPal.com, they also have a pretty cool mobil app for your iPhone that allows you to enter your meals and see if you are staying within you calorie range. It's also good for checking food selections before you order.
Good luck with your own resolutions!
Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools
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