Must-read Earlier Installments: Singapore, Cathay, and Qantas First Class.. Some of the Best Meals of My Life, and a Tour of Hyatts in Bangkok, Singapore, and Sydney This was my first visit to the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX since it was renovated, and boy what a difference. You notice it from the moment you step up curbside. It’s no longer entirely an entirely an embarassment (well, it’s still part of LAX). It’s modern and bright and far better organized. Ok, it’s still part of LAX. But it’s a huge improvement. I checked in and proceeded through security. Unfortunately there’s no PreCheck, but the nude-o-scope was backed up with passengers and so they allowed me to proceed through the metal detector only — no opt-out required. I was confronted by the array of shops…
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Sneak Peak: Inside the Pre-Opening of the San Francisco American Express Centurion Lounge
The new American Express Centurion Lounge San Francisco airport is ready and will open tomorrow (as was leaked last week). I had an opportunity to see the lounge last night and try the food since I was invited to the pre-opening party and dinner there. What American Express has created is a stylish, comfortable departure lounge with good food and drink. I actually think this is the most gorgeous, sexiest domestic lounge American Express has built to date. The entry is dramatic, the lighting is great. At ~ 8200 square feet it’s about 10% smaller than Dallas while substantially larger than New York LaGuardia. It features a kids room like Dallas and Las Vegas, and it has a shower. There’s no spa, but its ‘plus’ feature is a self-pour wine wall with real premium wines.…
Review: American Airlines First Class Buenos Aires – New York JFK
You’ll Also Want to Be Sure to Read: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines First Class, New York JFK – Buenos Aires Review: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires Eating Around Buenos Aires: Four Notable Meals to Consider In Search Of — and Forgetting — the Past in Buenos Aires American Airlines Admirals Club Buenos Aires I arrived at the gate a minute or two after boarding had commenced, and the crowd was descending on the gate. When I reached the front of the line I was flagged for additional questioning. Perhaps it was that I was in Buenos Aires for just a weekend, or perhaps it was that I didn’t have any checked bags, but I got several inquiries about what I had been doing there and also whether or not I had…
Review: American Airlines Admirals Club Buenos Aires
You’ll Also Want to Be Sure to Read: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines First Class, New York JFK – Buenos Aires Review: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires Eating Around Buenos Aires: Four Notable Meals to Consider In Search Of — and Forgetting — the Past in Buenos Aires Once checked in in the departures hall, and without a bag to check, I proceeded upstairs to clear formalities. Once you cross through passport control and security, you’ll head towards gate 9 — which is in the opposite direction from the American Airlines gates, but none are especially fare — and then head upstairs. American has built a new lounge, quite stylish, and I wanted to check it out. On the same level is the LAN lounge, and as a oneworld top tier member…
In Search of and Forgetting the Past in Buenos AIres
You’ll Also Want to Be Sure to Read: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines First Class, New York JFK – Buenos Aires Review: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires Eating Around Buenos Aires: Four Notable Meals to Consider I’m not by any stretch an expert, scholar, or specialist in Argentinian politics. But what I wanted most while in Buenos Aires was to see first-hand some of the political history, to try to gain a better understanding — the country is very much in the midst of transition and instability. There’s a widening gap between official exchange rates and black market rates, the government has accessed airlines of manipulating the currency, and there are restrictions for instance on the purchase of American Airlines tickets inside of Argentina — no doubt the airline is wary of…
60 Hours in Buenos Aires: Eating Around the City, Four Notable Meals to Consider
You’ll Also Want to Be Sure to Read: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines First Class, New York JFK – Buenos Aires Review: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires I had a chance to try some of the best restaurants in Buenos Aires on my recent visit, at least as judged by my own eclectic tastes. Read on and you’ll seen if our preferences match, and if you should pop into some of the same places when you visit. Though I had a relatively good sleep on my American Airlines first class flight from New York, it was still an overnight flight that put me into Buenos Aires before 10 o’clock in the morning. And Buenos Aires is a city that goes late. So despite not having a significant time difference, I followed my…
Review: Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.. and Great Elite Recognition!
You’ll Also Want to Be Sure to Read: American Airlines Flagship Lounge, New York JFK American Airlines First Class, New York JFK – Buenos Aires The Park Hyatt Buenos Aires is a great city hotel, set in an upscale neighbor apart from the hustle and bustle of the city and just a few blocks from the Four Seasons. Service is excellent, and it’s a great value to stay there as a Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member especially when cash and points is available. My Park Hyatt Buenos Aires review begins with arrival at the property. There are two separate buildings, connected via underground walkway or outside through the garden. There’s the original Palacio and there’s a new tower. I came in through the historic wing, which is their main reception though the building has only…
The Importance of Innovation: Why I Love Elephant Jumps
Back in April I wrote that Elephant Jumps Thai restaurant in Northern Virginia is cooking at a whole different level (and implored that you should go now). While I thought it was really good four years ago, it was more or less just at the top tier of Thai restaurants. But it started getting even better 18 months ago. And since then my meals there have helped me understand the difference between a good restaurant and a great one and what makes a restaurant really worth going back to. They don’t just reproduce the same thing, day in and day out. They strive to do better. They research. They experiment. They innovative. In other words, (1) they have a personality, and (2) they improve. When I go into Elephant Jumps, my strategy is – in…
One Last Hurrah in American’s First Class Flagship Suite!
American’s 777-200s are being retrofitted, and the first one is now in service with a brand new business class that looks fantastic but no longer offering first class. Since American’s 777-300ER aircraft got a new first class, that means the old Flagship Suites are being retired. I reviewed American’s first class lounge at New York JFK at the start of the trip. From the lounge I proceeded to the departure gate just as boarding was already starting to commence. And there she was! It’s like a throwback to what feels like an earlier time. There’s great space, even some ingeniousness to the seat. They’ve enhanced the soft product over the past three years. But at its core is a large first class cabin (too large for modern economcis) with a seat that’s been left behind…
Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge JFK (And Bottom-line on the Rest of the First Class Lounges, Including the Secret One)
American continues to offer ‘Flagship Lounges’ or first class lounges in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York JFK, at London Heathrow. There are no longer Flagship Lounges in Dallas or Miami. The Dallas lounge still has the dedicated room, just walk into the Admirals Club in the A terminal and when you get upstairs and come out of the elevator you are facing the desk with reservations agents. Turn completely around, because right behind you is the room that used to be the Flagship Lounge. Almost no one is ever in it, it has separate restrooms, it’s great for quiet and privacy even when the rest of the lounge is busy. In Miami the Flagship Lounge closed, and didn’t re-open. My favorite flagship lounge is Los Angeles, I think the food offerings are pretty good and…
