That’s the British spelling of course. Because now that Gordon Brown is gone, my vow not to visit the UK is over.
I took this vow a few years back when shortly after taking office, Brown imposed an £80 airport tax for people who fly in “premium” cabins and a £40 tax for those in economy. Either way, it’s an outrageous tax that was supposed to be “for the environment”. Except after the first year of the tax, forensic accountants found out that the money collected went to the general fund, instead of the “environment”. As a result, I vowed not to visit the UK until Brown was tossed out.
Except now we have Cameron, allegedly a Tory that sounds more like a limousine liberal. If he’s truly a Conservative, how about repealing all those airport taxes imposed during his predecessor’s regime?
If he doesn’t pan out, maybe they can draft Jeremy Clarkson for PM? It’s not like if it hasn’t been tried before. His manifesto reads a bit libertarian to me…
Guangzhou impressions
Canton (Guangzhou) has a lot of history. The treaty ports were here. The Opium Wars were fought here. The sparks that led to the 1911 Revolution were, erm, sparked here. Many of the first generation Chinese-Americans from back in the day migrated from here.
One of the few colonial-esque buildings left on the Pearl River. This ain’t the Bund…
Despite being a pivotal part of modern Chinese history, modern Guangzhou is, like the rest of urban China, a construction zone with new high rises and an aspiring populace. I’m currently staying at the Grand Hyatt in the Tianhe new town. This area eventually will be the new CBD and looks like they’re building on the Pudong model.
Two pleasant surprises greeted me when I did my 6 mile walk last night; the Guangzhou Metro is surprisingly clean and quick (the downside is that it begins to shut down at 2230!) and Shamian Island, which despite also being a construction zone, still oozes historical charm due to the colonial buildings still there, warmly lit treelined streets and lots of couples meandering about. Almost like the opposite of what modern China is and a welcome respite.
But that’s the past. Let’s look at the present, which is my stunningly modern room at the Grand Hyatt.
The layout of the room is different; you enter the room through the bathroom with the glass walled shower being directly behind the head of the bed with a couch at one side and the desk/TV on the other. Mounted on the wall is an iPod dock that is hooked up to the TV so you can listen through its sound system. I like!
The afforementioned shower/bath is directly behind the bed and is a wet design. You walk inside, close the door and fire up the shower, getting everything wet. I like too! It also has a square shaped tub which if you were to decide to have a soak, you’d have to sit cross legged. Not a fan of that.
The side room that has the bog has a square shaped very kawaii sink so you can wash up in there. Neat. And inbetween the shower and the closet wall is an island with a sink and mirror. Think of it as a kitchen island except you brush your teeth, gargle and shave here. Very nice! Think I will stay here again on my next visit here.
Grand Hyatt Guangzhou
12 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River New City, Tianhe District,
Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China 510623
http://guangzhou.grand.hyatt.com/
Experiment! Nexus One
I currently live in the US and I have an iPhone. I like my iPhone. The apps you can download to it can be extremely useful (or extremely dumb), it works well, the design is great and it’s easy to use. These are the traits that made the iPhone a market transformer.
However, since I’m in the US and stuck with AT&T as my carrier (since they have the exclusive to the iPhone here), there are some serious downsides. In the US (unlike Singapore, for example), the iPhone is SIM Locked. Fine. AT&T does that to all their phones. So wait until your contract is up and get it unlocked. And AT&T does that for every other phone EXCEPT the iPhone. A call to Customer Service blames Apple. A call to Apple blames AT&T. So in the end, the status quo remains and the problem isn’t solved. It’s not like this in Europe where people whose contracts are up have their phones unlocked via Carrier Update that is synced with iTunes. The carrier update is sent by Apple by request of the carrier. And AT&T ain’t doing it.
Of course, if you want an unlocked iPhone, you can always jailbreak and unlock it. The problem is that sometimes the jailbreaking process kills certain functions, like push notifications. All things being equal, it’s best to get an unlocked phone unlocked from the factory.
Which brings us to the Nexus One, an Android powered device sold direct and unlocked. Since practically all phones in the US are sold with a subsidy that justifies the SIM lock, this is a first over here. For the past few trips back to Asia, I’ve been using an original iPhone (EDGE data) that’s been nothing but a glorified phone since there’s no 3G data and no GPS. The point of using a smartphone is to make your life easier and more efficient. So this trip, I will take the Nexus One with me, keeping notes on how useful it can be using prepaid services in various countries. So let’s see how it goes…
Fly into SFO instead of LAX if you’re coming from Oz?
So the SF Airport publicity team released a Australia-targeted video touting SFO’s charms over LAX’s, although not naming the latter specifically.
It’s merely called “the other airport” and since flights from Oz go to either SFO or LAX, it’s not hard to figure out what airport the video is calling out. This is the most obvious example of airport competition in the US, although since they practically all suck rocks, it’s a matter of advertising how much less airport A sucks compared to airport B.
True, LAX is a deep dark hole with no facilities and in some areas, very old, outdated and sketchy (if it’s possible to be that way while still remaining an airport). The train connection is a 20+ minute ride from the terminals and you have to wait forever to get from one end of the airport (say, Terminal 7) to the International Terminal (TBIT) because all there is to get you there is a bus. One. That’s it.
SFO is not all peaches and cream either, despite the upbeat tone of the video. First off, the nicer, more modern planes (like the A380) fly into LAX. Why? Because LAX has the runways and the jetways to handle the big fat hen. SFO’s International Terminal, despite being designed for the A380, does not have the runway space (due to inbound parallel runways too close to each other) for landing nor the long runway needed for takeoff. A few years ago, Mayor Brown proposed to build a new runway that would need a tiny bit of reclaimed land. The environazis whined about “wanting to fill in the bay” and got the plan killed. So SFO wants more flights without having to provide more space. Typical.
The video goes on to show typical happy things, like a BART train, flight attendants riding kick scooters in the terminal and waiting with you for your baggage and for the eco-mentalists, a Pious Prius taxi being held open by Mayor Newsom. Some caveats: You will pay US$8.10 for a 30 minute, 12 mile ride on trains that show up every 20 minutes. If you choose to take a cab, you will pay close to US$65.00 including mandatory optional tip to get downtown. And contrary to popular belief, relatively few of the taxi fleet are Piouses.
LAX is definitely a hole. Transit from the airport is such a non entity, you either get a local to get you or you rent a car. Since you’re down in LA, you will need a car anyway. SFO, the International Airport is probably the nicest in the USA. The building is new (2001) and it’s reasonably thought out. However, the connections to the airport still suck rocks if you insist on taking transit. The best way is to get a local to collect you and to buy said local brekkie/lunch/dinner/supper for the ride into town.
So if you’re coming to California from Oz, take the advice of a fellow flashpacker. Fly into the airport that is near where you want to visit. And on the airline that can upgrade ya!
Damn Fast (and Damn Nice)
I’m spending my last night in Tokyo at the Sheraton Miyako in a standard room on the 6th floor. A lower floor again but I get a view of the neighborhood. The hotel is next door to a Toyopet dealership and at the bottom of the hill from the Shirokanedai Station off of the Namboku Line. The lobby has an early 60s design that would fit in the world of Mad Men or 花樣年華. It doesn’t look retro; it was probably how it was built many years ago and spotlessly maintained since. My room was recently remodeled and was quite comfy and plush. I can only imagine how the “nice” rooms look like.
The bed is awesomely firm, like most nice beds in Asia. The opposite of North America…
Nice desk and loafing couch. I think that’s the same TV I have in my bedroom.
Internet here is free but wired. Check out the speed!
Damn fast!
Sheraton Miyako
1-1-50 Shirokanedai Minato-ku
Tokyo, Japan 108-8640
Phone: +81 3 3447 3111
Contrast at Coffee Time
It’s not always bad on the lower floors
Often, travelers will groan when they check into a hotel and they get a lower floor. Usually, higher floors are reserved for elite guests (much like upgrades and E+ are usually for elite flyers). In some cities, like New York or Hong Kong, a higher floor is a must because you get a feel for the city. Hong Kong and New York are defined by their skylines so it’s best to able to see them.
Having a lower floor at the Grand Hyatt Roppongi, for example, isn’t the end of the world. In fact, it gives you a sense of having bearings since there’s not really an outstanding icon of Tokyo to focus on. No million dollar skyline or Art Deco canyons here. What Tokyo has is street life. It’s the best city to explore on foot (provided you’ve not twisted your ankle before the trip) and its full of neat things you won’t find riding on the Hato Bus. The hotel is part of the Roppongi Hills complex and it serves (along with Tokyo Midtown) as an oasis from the silliness that Roppongi is known for.
The question will arise; how could I stay here on my usual low budget? My stay here was an award night from Hyatt’s Faster Free Nights promotion. During my last stay in LA, I stayed at two Hyatts, thus earning me a free night anywhere there was availability. What’s important is that the service was sublime, the room was comfortable and I had a place to fall flat faced after the 10 hour flight from SFO. Despite being on a “lower floor”.
Grand Hyatt Tokyo
6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-Ku,
Tokyo, Japan 106-0032
Tel: +81 3 4333 1234 Fax: +81 3 4333 8123
FIG Santa Monica and a 2 hour grilled cheese
On a recent “suicide run” to LA (despite my vow a few years back not to do them ever again), I had a three hour brunch at FIG in Santa Monica.
But first, what exactly is a “suicide run”? A “suicide run” is when you drive to LA from SF when the return is 3 days or less. Having not done these in a few years, I was amazed to find that the Tejon Ranch near Grapevine had been developed and even has an In & Out, thus bringing the amount of restaurants on the 5 to two! Exciting if you’re a fan of driving. And I&O. Despite the suicide run character of this road trip, I’ve not taken the MX5 out for a proper shakedown cruise. I took the MX5 there on the 5 and back on the 101 and learned that Kumho Ecsta tires are noisy and new struts are in order. But never mind the logistics of driving…
So I met up with a friend and she drove me to FIG at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica. It’s basically American cuisine in nice surroundings. This was the first time there for both of us. It was a fun brunch; I think I spent more time laughing and chatting than eating. It took me two hours to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and another hour to have a couple of drinks in the Southern California sunshine with wonderful company.
I need more meals like this.
Signage is excellent; you definitely know where you are.
Sea salt. Looks good and tastes good too.
When you’re seated, they serve you arugula butter with warm mini baguettes.
This is how a 2 hour grilled gueyre cheese sandwich looks like
The aftermath, a half finished pasta-less lasagna, fries and the second half of a grilled cheese. And someone’s pair of Ray-Ban aviators…
Great service and validated parking at the Fairmont Hotel. Worth a visit then a stroll afterwards.
FIG
101 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1106
(310) 576-7777
http://www.figsantamonica.com
Sights (but no sounds) of the Emerald Bowl 2009
This is my second year attending this local Bowl game. Since USC (and Boston College) is in it this year and it’s at PacBellPark, it was an opportunity to watch the Trojans win again. Which they did, 24-13.
Then of course, like any other SC game, there’s the sideline show. Song Girls performing in San Francisco winter.
Yell Leaders and the Spirit of Troy, The Greatest Marching Band in the history of the Universe.
One day turn to LAX and Phillipe’s
Mmmmmacaroni salad!
Conversation over Ping! for iPhone…
Pally: “Hey, when are you coming down to LA? I’ve got some friends I’d like you to meet…”
Me: “As soon as I get some time, I’ll swing down for a few days. Think the weather will behave?”
That initial chat was over a month ago. Despite my best laid plans (which involved driving my MX5 down the coast and visiting friends along the way), I’ve not been able to make the drive to LA. I’ve been just plain busy! Since I returned to SF from Japan, the weather has been cold and rainy and issues have come up with the money pit that required me to go “out there” to fix things. I don’t like being flaky (cuz I absolutely LOATHE it when people are flaky with me) so when I found a SFO-LAX same day turn flight on UA for US$100, I went for it. I figure it’s been a long time since I’ve been to LA strictly to putter. Longer still since I had a french dip sandwich from the place that invented the yummy thing. And since I was arriving around lunch time, I figured that this was a sign.
Nah, THIS is a sign!
Phillipe’s is an 91 year old Los Angeles institution; basically a deli that makes short orders (and sells cuppa coffees for 9 cents) and french dipped sandwiches with your choice of meat. It doesn’t sound like much. A sandwich (with your choice of meat and cheese) dipped whole into au jus. But like alchemy, the ingredients themselves aren’t that fantastical; combine everything and it’s wonderous!! There’s also hot spicy mustard at all the tables for that added kick. Bam.
I arrived at the restaurant just after 1300 and parked in the free parking lot. A very fast 6 minutes later, I was ordering a French Dip Beef with swiss cheese, macaroni salad, homemade custard and a Diet Coke (burp). $12 or so for the entire thing; if I nixed the custard, it would have been under $10.
Ah, what a healthy lunch!
Oh yeah, the whole reason why I came down to LA? I’ll have to cover that next time. I did have the fastest sashimi dinner ever and got from Little Tokyo to LAX in 29 minutes during the evening commute. So I accomplished something else besides satisfying my french dip craving…
Three Los Angeles icons: free parking, Phillipe’s and an LAPD radio car
Phillipe the Original
1001 N. Alameda St
Los Angeles CA 90012
+1-213-628-3781
http://www.phillipes.com
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