Travel
Next Entries »Chicago (again)
This is the fourth or fifth visit. Found the North Side! Ate at Pick Me Up Cafe on 3400 N. Clark. Belmont exit off the red line has coffee shops, book stores, vegetarian food. Spent a day there. Don’t like corporate food, but liked Potbelly. Not Giordanos. The red line is great, but someone I know calls it the NARL. Nasty Ass Red Line. Still, I like it. Chicago Hyatt Regency.

Chicago Hyatt Regency - from Hyatt.com
Hawaii
Waikiki. I’m not a big fan of the tourist zone – there was a Denny’s! Snorkeling was great. First attempt at surfing – I made it to my knees.
I love the ocean, but salt water pickles me raw. Liked the Korean restaurant. Hyatt Regency Waikiki – the hospitality was unparalleled.

Hyatt Regency Waikiki - from Hyatt.com
Chicago
Great subway system (actually elevated train, but I call it a subway). Breakfast at Yolk twice – fantastic. Fun area along Wabash in the look, under the L-train. Chinatown there, compared to Chinatown everywhere else I’ve been, leaves a lot to be desired. Yuck. Even the food was atrocious. Saw some brutal police action – didn’t like it. They seem more threatening and pugilistic that yankee police. Hyatt McCormick.

Hyatt McCormick - from Hyatt.com
Seattle
Great chowder. Love the ocean, of course. Downtown is fantastic. Good coffee. Grand Hyatt Seattle.

Grand Hyatt Seattle - from hyatt.com
Las Vegas Again

- Image via Wikipedia
Personally, I find Vegas boring. If you don’t want to drink, gamble, or patronize prostitutes, what else is there? I know, I know there’s nature out there – canyon, desert, etc. But unfortunately, with this business trip, no time to see it.
As it is, it’s like visiting a giant strip mall in North Texas (the main attraction is even called “the strip”). I know, again, there are shows. But come on. There are shows in other cities, too. Las Vegas strikes me as a city that has nothing inherently unique about it. Take away the hotels, and what is there?
Lastly, I know, the hotels are the point. But do you hear that? Who wants to go on a trip where the hotel is the point? That’s lowered expectations.
I went to a movie at an older hotel… and…. it was about Las Vegas! Arghghgh!!!!
I saw a group of girls walking around with whips, though. Woo hoo!

Orlando, Florida

- Image via Wikipedia
Humidity. Serious humidity. Not really seeing much but the hotel. I got by Disney World – but I’ve been there a time or two as a kid, so not deeply fascinated by that.
One of those kinds of work trips where you’re tied to the job and don’t get to do anything. But still, it’s Orlando. Unless you’re headed for a theme park, what’s the point? At least it’s not worm season. That’s when it rains every morning, and fat worms come out all over the sidewalk. Bleh.

Las Vegas

- Image via Wikipedia
Bleh. Vegas. You know, in Arkansas, in the little towns people make a big deal about “goin t’town”. You drive in, you get ice cream, maybe a movie, etc. This is like that, only for people coming from slightly bigger towns.
I can’t see, honestly, if you’re from a place with shows, great pubs, and access to the natural world, why you’d want to go to Las Vegas. Just the gambling? If that’s all it is, just lock the door and call some friends you can rely on. Happens everywhere, all the time.
Nah, this is really boring.

Atlanta, GA

- Image by Stuck in Customs via Flickr
In Atlanta for an interview. It’s bigger than where I live, in ways, but it’s a driving town. Nothing grabbed me and said “you must live here”. In all other ways, it looked like more of the same.

Arizona & New Mexico
Went to Phoenix Arizona and through New Mexico. I found Phoenix to be too much of a car town, except for the little area around the university. The Taqueria was fantastic, though. I preferred New Mexico – at least Albuquerque. I’d rather have come back through Santa Fe, but we were pushing time.
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