Last week I wrote that it is possible that I may have too many inquiries when BOA said no to my Alaska application. When BOA rejects you, you may have a churning problem that warrants medical attention. Recognizing that I hit rock bottom, I vowed to take some time away from the game and get my life together.
That lasted less than a week as I read about Chase offering 55k United Miles after spending 1k and after adding an authorized user. There’s even a $50 statement credit to sweeten the deal.
I applied then called in and was approved which may help me fly first on Lufthansa but will do nothing to curb my churn addiction.
An Choi isn’t your grandma’s pho house. This upbeat, trendy pho spot has a lounge feel. Instead of a serene Asian tune whisking you away to lands in the Far East, An Choi spins tracks like Biggie’s Mo Money Mo Problems. While many first and second generation immigrants shy away from their parent’s heritage, the young staff at An Choi embrace it by serving quality Vietnamese food without selling out their roots. Although I was impressed with the atmosphere, I was not there to be social. I was there to evaluate the food. As a lover of pho, I cringe when I see this perfect food fused with a medley of other cultures. The broth speaks for itself and does not need a superficial twist. From the looks of dishes in adjoining tables that did not seem to be an issue here, but there was only one way to find out: It was time to order.
The barThe atmosphere
The Spring Rolls
Delicious spring rolls are not a deal breaker for whether I recommend a pho restaurant. In Vietnam, most of the restaurants I went to had terrible spring rolls. What separated An Choi from other restaurants was their selection of spring rolls. For $8, I ordered a combination plate which included the traditional shrimp and pork along with shrimp and avocado, and my favorite, catfish.Innovative spring rolls do not run afoul to the notion of staying true to tradition. Although I’ve never had an avocado and shrimp spring roll in Vietnam, the one I sampled at An Choi had me convinced that this pairing was authentic.
The Pho
The moment of truth arrived by way of a medium-sized bowl which was a bit disappointing considering that it cost $12.50. The meat, the onions, the noodles, and the broth were all placed in a tidy arrangement, though I was willing to sacrifice the nice presentation for a more generous portion.
Anxious to get to work, I slurped my first spoon of broth and waited for my stomach to provide affirmation if this bowl was worth the price. Immediately, I was overcome by the taste of pepper that seemed to be concentrated in the center of the bowl. Another sip produced the same reaction, too much pepper.
Patient, I mixed in the sriracha and hoisin and hoped that this would balance the broth. It definitely did. Moments later I found myself in pho heaven but now I faced a new problem: the ratio of noodles to broth was askew. I asked the waitress if I could have more broth and she said it would cost $1.50 extra. In order to enjoy this bowl, I agreed to the charge.
The supplemental bowl
When the broth arrived, I was able to taste it without the corruption from pepper. It was much, much better. I poured it into my bowl and was happy it was filled to the brim. Starting over, I was at peace with my additional purchase.
As the end of my adventure was drawing near, I found one more imperfection: the noodles were cut too short. I’m not sure if this was done to save space but this along with the imbalance could have easily been avoided if the pho had come in a larger bowl.
Short noodles!
Conclusion
An Choi is certainly a cool place to go for pho if you’re looking for a more upbeat atmosphere. The creative spring rolls were a welcomed change to the traditional delight. The pho, thanks to my degree in broth chemistry, was where it needed to be. The price, though higher than most places, is acceptable because of the experience. Overall, I would recommend An Choi as a casual, fun place to get pho but would look elsewhere for a daily spot.
TPOL fell off the pace in 2016 by not writing as often as he should have. Distracted by the bright lights of NYC and the rats of the metro, I only posted 31 times. Like they say in the fishing industry, it’s quality over quantity that counts. Here are the best posts from January 2016.
If you are not impressed by this award booking than you must be flying private jets. Not only are the flights absurd but the destinations covered are once in a lifetime for the second, third, and fourth time. Please allow me to explain how my Tahiti Triumph all went down.
Every year the Merriam-Webster dictionary adds new words that have become part of the English lexicon. Examples include ‘selfie’ and ‘dab’. When Amex Served notice of my account being closed, I noticed that they used the term ‘manufacture activity’ in the reason for account closure.
Calling to cancel a flight or make changes to a flight is never a fun experience. Did I confuse the cancellation rules? Will I have to beg to receive my miles back immediately? Why can’t the agent find my reservation? One of the biggest problems I face when calling the airline is the lack of clear communication. Too many times my phone has dropped the call right before the award is booked. Many times after waiting on hold for an eternity the agent will come on and claim that he can’t hear me then disconnects. Then there are the situations when the agent simply can’t understand what I am saying.
Besides blaming Sprint for lousy cell phone service, I also have to blame myself for not knowing the alphabet.
Agent: Can I please have your confirmation number?
Me:Yes it’s A as in apple, C as in cat, U as in, well you know U as in you, the number 4 and Z as in Zebra.
Agent:That’s A as in Alfa, D from David, U like Uniform.
Me:No, C as in California.
Agent:Can you please start from the beginning?
Annoyed, I start again but this time I use different representations for each letter further confusing the poor agent.
Every time I’m on one of these calls, I promise myself that I will learn the uniform phonetic alphabet so I can communicate efficiently. Every time I forget to follow through. After this last call that took longer than it should have, I decided that enough was enough and looked up the code words for each letter.
To my surprise, N is not for Nancy but November. Z is not for Zebra but for Zulu. What is Zulu? I is for India not Igloo? How can Y be for Yankee and not Yellow? As a lover of John Daniels, I can appreciate that W is for Whiskey but can’t comprehend why F is for Foxtrot, J is for Juliett, and S is for Sierra. And shouldn’t X be for X to the Z Xzibit?
Instead of fighting it or the agent anymore, I’ve decided to learn it. One interesting point is that D is not for Delta in the aviation industry for obvious reasons which is why the agent said David.
For the illiterate among us, here is the full Nato phonetic alphabet. Let’s sing it together:
The Amex Centurion Lounge New York LGA Review is part of the Trip Report: Citrus Bowl 2016 which covers the following cities:
Orlando, Florida
Miami, Florida
Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. I’m including the Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City as part of the Citrus Bowl Trip Report even though it was part of my move to New York in 2015.
When I left for Florida, I couldn’t go to the lounge due to the abysmal airport known as LaGuardia. After a memorable trip to Orlando and Miami, it was time to fly Southwest back to NYC. I arrived at 5PM and decided to wait out the traffic by visiting the Amex Centurion Lounge. For the next three hours, I drank, ate, and chatted with passengers who had one thing in common: they were leaving NYC.
A few were surprised that I had nothing better to do than hang out in the airport. I tried explaining to them the concept of an arrivals lounge was not revolutionary. I cited Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong, Virgin in Heathrow, and Etihad in Abu Dhabi. Since the lounge closed at 8PM which is quite early, I quit trying to convince them that I was an unscrupulous free rider, choosing to drink and eat as much as I could before the last call lights came on.
The lounge experience was great because I didn’t have to worry about being late to the gate and I didn’t have anything better to do in New York like I would had I been on vacation.
In terms of the food and drink, I rather enjoyed the pasta and was very impressed by the signature cocktails, so much so that I sampled as many as I could. Overall, I can’t wait to fly somewhere so I can return to LGA and redo what I just did.
Central Park will have to waitCenturion LaGuardiaThe entranceWith the clubsSeating areaSnacksSaladFoodDrinksWineBarRound 1: The journeymaker +H20Round 2: Malbec + Blood Orange?Round 3: Tomcat collins, Sauvignon BlacStill people thereLast one out
Here’s something you don’t ever hear from BOA: “I’m sorry we can’t approve you for a card at this time.”
Currently, I have a balance of 7,000 Alaska points which would get me from Juneau to Fairbanks if I was lucky. In order to shore up this meager balance which is a result of booking another Emirates flight to Shanghai en route to Tahiti, I applied for an Alaska Airlines credit card. A week ago, I successfully made a $32,000 purchase on my current Alaska card to fund my Citi Gold Checking account, a topic for a separate post.
I figured that 32k + 25k + 7k would be a nice way to start off the new churn year and that this time I would be more judicious with my use of Alaska points. Flying Emirates in Shower Class is great but because the walls of the points hustle are closing in, it would be more advisable to save the precious Alaska points for a round trip in business.
I was not afforded the opportunity to apply this wisdom because I was rejected and given the lame US Bank/Barclays excuse, “too many inquiries.” Hearing this from BOA is like being called a drunkard by your alcoholic friend. Have I hit rock bottom? Do I really have too many inquiries? Should I reevaluate my points life? (see what I did there?)
Maybe I’ll take a small break. I mean Citi did just approve me for a Citi AA personal and Citi AA business last week. Hmm, maybe that means things aren’t out of control. Maybe things are fine.
There’s only one way to cure this rejection hangover: more applications!
Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. I’m including the Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City as part of the Citrus Bowl Trip Report even though it was part of my move to New York in 2015.
If Obama resigns from office NOW, thereby doing a great service to the country — I will give him free lifetime golf at any one of my courses! Trump
I’m not sure how long this offer is open but as Obama’s term comes to a close, the value of such a proposition increases exponentially. The reason is because a round of golf at Trump National in Doral goes for $250. Think about that, $250 for a mental game of exhaustion.
And with that, I present to you my review of the Golden Palm at Trump National.
Trump National
Trump National
Trump National is Bushwood Country Club only Judge Smails is the Donald. Everything about it is over-the-top and gaudy, Emirates style.
I came via Uber and checked my golf clubs with the valet. From there, they are delivered to the golf course. To get to the course, I walked through the lobby, past restaurants and shops. Traces of Trump were everywhere from the Carlton Banks personalities that chatted it up in the lounge to a pic of the Donald himself.
Bushwood, a dump!Lovely people, great people
The Pro Shop
As is custom, I bought a souvenir ball at the pro shop that said Trump National. It was the last one in inventory. I passed on the hat.
The Restaurant
Golf is a tiring game. I made the mistake of showing up with an empty stomach so I decided to treat myself to lunch before heading out. For $26, I had one burger and one beer.
Trump National DoralGood ranch, burger could be biggerTrump National Bathroom
The Driving Range
I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me —and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words. Trump
Most driving ranges at high-end courses have the artistic triangle of balls right there ready to go. This was not the case at Trump National. Guests have to go to a kiosk and check in before they receive a great big sack of balls. I waited and waited for clearance that I had indeed booked a tee time. The experience was annoying. The ball man explained to me why they had to verify that my papers were in order. Originally a wall was built at the driving range to keep poachers from coming in hitting balls for free. This did not work. Now, everyone who comes to practice must show proof of citizenship.
BYOB: Bring your own balls
The Course
We will have so much winning if I get elected that you may get bored with winning. Trump
The Blue Monster is the most challenging course at Trump National. I can only imagine how difficult that course is because the Golden Palm was ridiculous. The reward for hitting a great shot off the tee is a place in the sand bunker. Hook it right or left and you’ll find yourself in the water.
Now teeing offGet in da Trump choppaWindy dayThat’s going right in the lumberyard
The Greens
The greens were impossible. It didn’t help that it was a very windy day but I’m not sure it would have made a difference either way. Does it break left? Does it break right? I had no idea. I was in way over my head. On the first hole, the green was a funnel, put-put style. After a circle ten on that whole, I was on my way to more misery.
The funnel green
The Cart
This is a very frustrating course for carts. Unexpectedly and without warning, the carts freeze for crossing into a restricted area. The only way out is to put the cart in reverse and slowly get back on the cart path.
Success was the worst thing you could experience on this course. On a par 3, I came as close as I ever could to a hole in one, impressing the Brazilian gentlemen that were part of my group. On the next par 3, I put, Lebron style, not 1, not 2, but 3 in the water.
Forget etiquette. The rest of the day curse words in English, Arabic, and Portuguese filled the air.
Par 3Zoom in for my best shot everNot as scenic as it would be due to weatherAny tips on this approach?Seriously windy
The Airplanes
As a points enthusiast, I have an affinity for airplanes. As the location of the course and many of my balls were MIA, many planes flew overhead. I spent a lot of time staring up at the heavens identifying the livery of the aircraft while simultaneously asking a higher power for help.
Qatar Airlines
Overall
This was a great course, the best course, a wonderful course. It taught me a few things: First, I have a lot to learn about getting out of sand traps. Second, money doesn’t buy happiness. The affluent people I played with had a terrible outing and grew more frustrated as the day went on. Finally, I either need to get rich or die trying to get approved for more Citi Prestige cards because Trump National set the standard for what a golf course should be.
Getting on 18
And Now Deep Thoughts by TPOL…
Could it be that I played golf at the future President of the United States’ course? Discuss that among yourselves in the comments section.
TPOL Rating: 4.5/5 Tees
Let’s make America Great Again: One Bogey at a Time
Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. I’m including the Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City as part of the Citrus Bowl Trip Report even though it was part of my move to New York in 2015.
Taking advantage of my Citi Prestige free round of golf, I booked a tee time at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando. The golf course is part of the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton resort and a round goes for $200 depending on the season.
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club
Overture
It’s always nerve-wracking to tee off at a new course. I was even more nervous because I hadn’t played golf in months and because the course marshal had put me in a group with two other golfers. Needless to say, the first shot was hooked to the right and lost forever. Hooked it just a little bit.
The Course
The course is very playable meaning that there weren’t too many sand traps or water hazards. Drives often landed on the fairway even if they were not perfect.
The bunkers were easily avoided
The Greens
This was my first time golfing in Florida so I wasn’t used to the fast greens. Putting is a strong part of my game but I struggled during this outing.
The Alligators
Alligators on Florida golf courses are a reality. Chipping next to a small pond, my fellow golfers were on the look out for a gator to come chasing after me. On that day I didn’t see any. We did see a snake eliminating my favorite part of golf, ball retrieval.
I see you gators
The Price
I was expecting food and drinks to be expensive because it was the Ritz-Carlton but the beers were affordable and the chicken wrap at the turn was decently priced at around $8.
Snack Bar
The Cart
I don’t pay attention to the carts as much as before since I have GPS on my Garmin but the data is displayed for those who need it.
The Scenery
The course is well manicured and the hotel in the background was picture worthy but other than that there wasn’t much distinguishing one hole from another.
Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. I’m including the Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City as part of the Citrus Bowl Trip Report even though it was part of my move to New York in 2015.
We play to win the game.
TPOL travels to explore. First class is great and swanky hotels are lovely but you still have to leave the Prison of Posh if you deem yourself to be a world explorer. For sports fans, this means traveling the globe, often into enemy territory, to support your alma mater. On January 1st, 2016 I went to Orlando to see Michigan play the University of Florida in the Citrus bowl for what would be the third time that Michigan has beaten this worthy adversary in this match up.
While the stadium cannot compare in size to the Big House in Ann Arbor, the bowl game experience can’t be beat. There’s a raging tailgate, no open container laws, and, of course, the ball game where the leftovers from the Big Ten meet the ugly stepchild of the SEC.
On the field, the players battle for territory with power and might. In the stands, the fans battle with standard insults ranging from ‘Tebow molests collies’ to ‘App State!’ On the concourse, the band battles everyone by blasting the school’s fight songs and by setting up a blockade to prevent certain Michigan fans from getting to their seats.
Tickets went for $90 through the university though there were plenty of scalpers on the scene leaving me to wonder if I could have hustled better tickets than the decent ones I procured.
The final score was Michigan 41 Florida 7 though the real winner were the refreshment stands selling water at $3/bottle on a day where the sun was more oppressive than the staunch Michigan defense.
The blimp, high in the skyPicking up the tickets at will callMI vs FLThe clown crewTailgateGetting inFighting through the band, one of us didn’t get throughPre game: Our seats were at the exact opposite corner of where we wereClub seatsMI takes the fieldMichigan bandWalk to the seatsDecent seatsMI scoresMI wins making all the points spent well worth it
