Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

You Don’t Have to Order a Bottle of Wine

thepointsoflife

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June 9, 2023

A Bottle of Wine is part of The Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España Trip Report. Read, Why a Second Residency?, to see why I am here.

I write down lessons during my time travel or during residency (see Travel Lessons & Expat Lessons) to prevent myself from making similar mistakes in the future. After an underwhelming dinner at Cadaques where I received 6 pieces of shrimp and a bottle of wine, for an outsized bill (see Don’t Take All Advice: Meh Restaurants in Madrid), I decided that ordering a bottle of wine at dinner should be eliminated for future evenings out: Here’s why:

Pre-Dinner Drinks: In Madrid, it is common to go to a few tapas bars before dinner (see Best Tapas Madrid: No Budget Cuts Here). By the time I arrive for dinner, I have already had a few glasses. Alternatively, if I went straight to the restaurant, I would order a martini before ordering a bottle of wine. Pure vodka before vino is overkill.
Good till the last drop?: I enjoy perusing the wine list and I enjoy the pomp and circumstance of the sommelier opening a bottle of wine. It is a treat when the sample is poured and the result does not disappoint. Besides that experience, I have to question whether it is worth splurging for the whole bottle. By the time I finish my fourth glass, I am too inebriated to distinguish this fine bottle versus something basic.
Cost: When I go on a TPOL adventure, I typically run around for 24 days. When I go on a residency it is for 5 weeks. A $100 bottle of wine at dinner is cost-prohibitive.
Unnecessary Pressure: If I purchase a full bottle, I am compelled to finish the bottle for two reasons: First, I paid for it. Second, I cannot let good wine go to waste.
After dinner outing: Assume I drank before dinner and assume a whole bottle of wine was consumed at dinner. That is a significant amount of alcohol. The wise move would be to go home, but that is not fun. Neither is the hangover the next day if I stay out all hours.

Solution? Going on a pub crawl or tapas tasting in new cities, I fool myself into believing that the effects of a drink from one bar do not carry over to the next. The number of drinks consumed does not reset just because I enter a new establishment or because I switch from liquor to vino. Accordingly, my new rule is to order one drink when I am first seated, cheers to the experience, and sip slowly. From there, the time should be centered around enjoying the food. Indeed, being too buzzed detracts not only from embracing the intricacies of the wine but also from savoring the taste of food. At the time, I know that the wine and food are delicious, but the next day I cannot vividly remember the subtleties of the flavors. That is regrettable. Caveat: The one-drink strategy at dinner may not always work as I found out in Copenhagen, where I had the wildest Michelin experience (see Punk Royale Copenhagen: Michelin Restaurant on Acid). After that dinner, I should have gone home instead of overindulging (see Guns & Butter: Copenhagen Travel Guide). Here’s TPOL’s tip from that Travel Guide: Don’t overlook the alcohol consumed at the 16-course Punk Royale. I learned this the day after. Overall In order to maintain figurative and literal balance in my life, I am giving up the pleasure of ordering a bottle of wine at dinner. I will reserve the experience of trying new wines at wine tastings (see Global Vineyards) or at home where my Coravin Wine gadget allows me to sample a fancy or souvenir bottle of wine without opening the bottle itself.

a glass decanter with a red liquid in it — Imagine, we used to order two bottles of wine in Argentina.

Capital One Venture X Approved: First Time Ever

thepointsoflife

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June 8, 2023

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The good news about remodeling is that hitting minimums is easy to do. The bad news about remodeling is that I need new minimums to hit. Looking past the usual suspects, I decided to apply for the Capital One Venture X. Historically, I have had no luck with Capital One. Indeed, the four times I applied for the Capital One Venture card, I was rejected (see Capital One Says No, Again). My fortune has changed as I was approved. The offer is 75k after 4k spend. It does come with an annual fee of $395, but this is offset by the points bonus and the $300 travel credit. Keep vs. Cancel will be interesting a year from now as the card also gives 10,000-anniversary points.

TPOL to LIV PGA Trip Report

thepointsoflife

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June 7, 2023

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TPOL likes but does not love golf (see Golf Course Reviews). The reason I say this is because I have been playing since 2015 and I am still, to quote Chuck, turrible. Follow me, not on IG, but on USGA GHIN to verify this statement. That 29.4 handicap took many, many swings to earn. While I’m finally shooting under 100, I have yet to break 90. All of that is going to change. Why? First, I no longer believe that golf is hard. That is an institutional discriminatory line meant to create a mystique that only the elite can play this gentlemen’s game. That’s simply untrue. I will concede that it’s difficult if you want to shoot in the 70’s but anyone, fat, thin, athletic, or uncoordinated can shoot in the 80’s. How? The first step is to read my friend’s book: Golf: How to Break 90 in 42 Days or Less: Mastering Just 6 Critical Golf Skills is a Proven Shortcut to Lower Scores. The second step is actually to follow the blueprint and practice with a purpose. Many of us go to the range, hit a few drives, practice a few chips, and do not return until a meltdown on the course. That’s akin to going to the gym once a month, maxing out on the bench, and wondering why you aren’t in shape. While practicing more often may improve your game, it serves no purpose if you continue to practice the wrong thing. So what’s the solution? I have no idea. What I do know is that if I am going to succeed, I’m going to have to do it my way. And my way means going all out and going all in on training aids. Like my beach and aqua gym (see VIDEO: Battle Ropes in Puerto Rico! & TPOL’s Achilles Rehab Secret: Hydro Revolution), I have researched every training method and believe I have the right combination of gadgets and gizmos to correct the many flaws in my game. More importantly, I have invested in technology that provides real-time data after each swing versus the old-school approach of trying to find that magical feeling and then replicating it. My eccentric Tin Cup/Moneyball philosophy combined with lessons from a golf pro will ensure victory over my non-believing critic, Zjamahl. As I did when I documented my training for the Athens Marathon (see Athens Marathon: Complete), I will document my journey from the worst golfer in Rio Mar to Club Champion (see VIDEO: Golfing Rio Mar, Puerto Rico). Like all TPOL’s trip reports, this one will take years to complete.

a man holding a golf club — I will celebrate this glorious achievement one day.

Don’t Take All Advice: Meh Restaurants in Madrid

thepointsoflife

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June 6, 2023

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Meh Restaurants in Madrid is part of The Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España Trip Report. Read TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency?

I have written extensively about where to eat in Madrid. From excellent tapas (see Best Tapas Madrid: No Budget Cuts Here), organic pizza (see Mo de Movimiento), burgers (see Junk Burger Madrid: Way Better Than Shake Shack), tacos (see ¿Qué pasa, güey? Mexican Tacos in Madrid), Asian cuisine (see TPOL’s Tip: Arrive Early to Avoid Sushi, Terrorists, A Taste of China, Hong Kong, and Japan…in Madrid, & Shogun Madrid: Hibiki, Kobe, & Wagyu), to authentic local flavor (see Espectacular Carne, Callos, Y Vino: Taberna El Rincon Madrid), TPOL has covered it all. That does not mean there weren’t some duds along the way. The first mediocre restaurant is called Pastamore. Typically, I do not on Google or Yelp reviews to tell me where to eat. I’d rather stumble upon something and end up tremendously surprised (see El Doble: Happiest Hour in Madrid. And There’s Fresh Seafood). That isn’t feasible when I’m looking for a specific type of food. Overfed on tapas, I was in the mood for Italian. Searching ‘best Italian food Madrid,’ I read a few reviews, checked out the website, and thought it might be worth visiting. When I learned they did not serve Italian wine, I should have left. I stayed and committed another mistake. I order a calzone, something that sounds better in theory than in reality. This I blame on George Costanza and my marathon watching of Seinfeld with my newly acquired projector (see Nebula Projector: Mandatory Travel Technology While in Residency).

a plate of pasta with mushrooms and sauce — Ms. TPOL had the mushroom pasta.

To be clear, the food itself wasn’t terrible. The reason I am writing about this experience is because as temporary residents, we only had so many opportunities to go out to eat. It is a tragedy when that dining experience comes up short. The second mediocre restaurant came highly recommended by a reliable source. He recommended Ten Con Ten in Madrid and put together the list of restaurants in my epic New Orleans weekend (see Guns & Butter: New Orleans Travel Guide (Binge Edition)). Trusting his taste for the finer things in life, I made a reservation at Cadaques, an upscale restaurant in the Salamanca neighborhood. I have nothing good to say about this place. Indeed, I will list the bad.

Price: It was 36 euros for 6 shrimp.
Disproportioned Portions: I was told that it would be too much to order shrimp, another appetizer, and rice as an entree. Disappointed with the shrimp, I ordered ganxet, white beans with cod and spinach. I would have preferred more beans and less rice.
Price & Proportion: The main course was rice with cuttlefish, monkfish and seafood. It was 32 euros per person. For that amount, I received an abundance of rice and a meager amount of seafood. Including the bottle of wine, the price of the meal was $200. I can’t comprehend how small amounts of seafood, beans, and rice could cost so much. Simply put, it wasn’t worth it. Thirty minutes later, I was hungry. That explains why I ended up at the cookie counter (see Most Wanted: GUILTY Cookie Shop Madrid).

Overall Like opening a bottle of wine, dining out can be a wonderful adventure. Like opening a bottle of wine, sometimes the experience can be disappointing. Unfortunately, all the research and recommendations cannot prevent this from happening. This is why it is important to appreciate the great times out.

El Doble: Happiest Hour in Madrid. And There’s Fresh Seafood

thepointsoflife

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June 5, 2023

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El Doble is part of The Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España Trip Report. Read TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency?

I enjoy receiving restaurant recommendations from locals or from friends who have been to where I am going. In Madrid, I was told to go to Ten Con Ten and Taberna de Rincon. Both were excellent. While it’s nice to have insight into great places, it is more rewarding and fun when I discover such places on my own. Enter El Doble, an internationally known seafood cervecería right down the street from my apartment. After waking up promptly at 3 PM (see Espresso? Beer? Both?: My Madrid Morning Routine), I left my apartment in search of my morning café. I headed west on Calle de José Abascal. At the corner of Abascal and Ponzano, I came across a place that was as lively as anywhere I had been in Madrid. I popped my head inside to see people eating, drinking, and chatting. But, there were no signs of coffee. Groggy, I thought that I should go get a double shot and then return to join the festivities. I walked out. Seconds later, I walked back in. I have been to enough places to know that when you see something you do something (see E xpat Lessons). I found a spot at the bar and took it upon myself to order fresh shrimp, octopus, and draft beer.

a row of beer taps and bottles on a wall

TPOL’s Tip: Order shrimp or octopus, not both. It’s a bit pricey to pay over 20 euros per plate. TPOL’s Tip: Check the prices before ordering anywhere and everywhere (another one for the E xpat Lessons). Pointing at what looks good instead of referencing it on a menu because you don’t know the name in the local language is a recipe for disaster. I switched from beer to wine and from jumbo shrimp, an oxymoron, to little shrimp, a redundant combination of words.

Before I could order more, the owner came by with the check. 4:15 PM is closing time. I was happy that I got there in time but sad to go home so early.

a group of people sitting at a bar — From slammed to empty in a matter of minutes.

a building with a sign on the side — One would never suspect that there was a raving party going on in here just minutes ago.

My friends gave me great recommendations for places to eat and drink in Madrid. And now I can do the same.

a wall of pictures of people — What does it take to get your picture on the wall?

Simply The Best: May 2023

thepointsoflife

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June 2, 2023

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Best of May you say? I have that here:

Iraqi Homecoming: My 40th Birthday in Baghdad
The birthday arrival trip theme will be impossible to top in terms of culture, family, and meaning.
This Is The Best Use of 40k AA Miles
For 207,000 points, I am paying $235 for a business class itinerary that retails for $13,075 and flying 27,237 miles.
Espresso? Beer? Both?: My Madrid Morning Routine
The idea of a residency means living like a local. In Madrid, locals may have a drink at brunch. The difference is they probably did some work that morning before indulging.
Bangkok Residency Booked! BKK-SIN-JFK SQ Return
The residency plan gets better and better, making me, TPOL, Simply The Best.
Ejected! Taxi Bangkok
Early Bird Audible: BKK to Full Moon Party
There are good ideas and then there are great ideas. The decision to leave Bangkok after a night out in Bangkok was a great one.
One Night in Bangkok: A Marathon Party Guide
I couldn’t imagine running this gauntlet for another night.

This Is The Best Use of 40k AA Miles

thepointsoflife

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June 1, 2023

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40k AA Miles is part of the Over Under Trip Report.

I am not excited when I book a boring awards flight from point A to point B. The fun comes from finding crazy routes to get to my destination (see The Marginal Return of Booking An Added Segment) that do not require an outrageous amount of points (see No Fun Round The World Trip Planning). My Melbourne residency begins with a flight to Fiji for 55k Alaska Miles (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence). After that is complete, I immediately move to Bangkok for my next residency. To get back to the US, I booked SQ business for 112,000 miles (see Bangkok Residency Booked! BKK-SIN-JFK SQ Return). This left me with one last flight to book: MEL-BKK. Doing an awards search for that exact route yielded no results. Trying to find routing ideas, I searched for revenue flights. There was a direct flight on Thai Airways, but the rest connected in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. If I wanted to pay, the cheapest option was on Scoot.

a screenshot of a flight schedule — I’m not flying Scoot again (see Scoot SIN-BKK: Hard Product: Dreamliner, Soft Product: Not).

I searched for award availability from MEL-SIN and MEL-KUL. Again, I came up with no good options. Recalling my epic JFK-YVR-HKG-BKK trip (see Cathay A350 HKG-BKK: I Miss First Already), I searched AA.com for an award flight to Hong Kong. To my surprise, my new friend, Fiji Airways appeared. For 40,000 AA miles, I could fly business to Nadi then lie flat for 11 hours to HKG. I put the itinerary on a courtesy four-day hold while I searched for the final leg from HKG-BKK. Searching on BA.com, I saw the same Cathay flight as I mentioned above available in business departing the following day at 9:55 AM. All that was left to do was to call AA and have them add the extra segment. That led to three different calls to AA. Call #1 Agent: We can make the change but you have to book it now. We can’t put it back on a courtesy hold. If you do book it now and want to make changes in the future, we would have to cancel the itinerary, refund your miles, and refund your taxes. Me: Let’s book it now. Agent: Let me put you on hold for a few minutes while I finalize this. Me: [pacing to AA hold music] AA: Please give us feedback on your call. Me: What? Feedback? AA: Goodbye! Call #2 Agent: We can’t make changes to this itinerary. And I can’t find any award availability from Melbourne to Bangkok. Me: Thank you. I’ll keep what I have. When I get stuck with points bookings, I email Matt from Live and Let’s Fly. Before doing so, I Googled ‘adding a segment on aa flight award on hold.’ Google must be spying on me because the first result was this article written by him American Airlines Restricts Changes on Partner Award Tickets. After reading this bad news, I emailed him to explain my predicament. He said to keep trying but was not confident that it would work. Call #3 Me: I would like to add a segment. Agent: Sure, please hold while I confirm that. AA: [hold music] Agent: [Post cc info being exchanged]. It’s confirmed. Me: It still showing as ‘on hold.’ Agent: Let me check it. Oh, it seems there is a problem. Me: [silence] Agent: Let me have your credit card one more time. Me: No problem. Agent: Go check it now. Me: It worked! Agent: Anything else? Me: Nope! AA: Please provide feedback on your call. Going forward, I will put my AA itinerary on hold and then try this technique again. If that doesn’t work, I will attempt to feed the agent the flights manually. If that doesn’t work, then as Matt wrote, this would be a major devaluation and a major buzzkill to the process for booking creative routes. Here, instead of paying 27,000 Avios for adding the extra HKG-BKK segment, I paid $40 extra in taxes. Though I usually reserve the bus schedule spreadsheet for the trip recap, I could not resist sharing a draft of it, along with the Great Circle Mapper. For 207,000 points, I am paying $235 for a business class itinerary that retails for $13,075 and flying 27,237 miles.

a green and black table with numbers and letters

TPOL: Simply The Best.

Espresso? Beer? Both?: My Madrid Morning Routine

thepointsoflife

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May 31, 2023

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My Madrid Morning Routine is part of The Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España Trip Report.

As I wrote in the post, Why A Second Residency?, I left Puerto Rico because I faced a daily battle of trying to do everything before the sun went down more or less around 6 PM throughout the year. Sleeping in is not an option. In Madrid, I could wake up every day whenever I wanted, knowing that there was always something to do regardless of the time (see Best Tapas Madrid: No Budget Cuts Here). It didn’t take long for me to abuse this process. During the first week of residency, I was up no later than noon because I heard the afternoon church bells. I would make my way to the kitchen and drop in a Nespresso pod before going about my day. By the second week, I had closed the window and lowered the blackout curtains. The wake-up time was a reasonable 1 PM. By the third week, I was lucky if I woke up before two. To make sure I didn’t turn into a complete night owl, I transitioned from Nespresso to espresso doubles at one of the many cafes in my intimate Chamberi neighborhood. I didn’t come all the way to Madrid to spend all my time in my flat, regardless of how nice it was (see Say No to Airbnb, Show Up Start Living at The Blue Ground). Everything was back on track until I ordered a beer to go with my espresso, a vacation breakfast tradition that goes back more than a decade. The first problem is that I was in residency, not on vacation. The second problem is that one beer turned into multiple. Going into the fourth week, I had to get back on track. I responsibly set my alarm for 12:30 PM and went back to budget-conscious Nespresso. The idea of a residency means living like a local. In Madrid, locals may have a drink at brunch. The difference is they probably did some work that morning before indulging. In my next residency, I will be sure not to make such deviations again (see TPOL’s Expat Lessons). But, ever the optimist, I might as well share with you TPOL’s devolution from Morning Joe to drunken toad.

My Apartment: It gets boring drinking Nespresso every morning, even with dessert.
La Sana: This was the first and best coffee shop. This was pre-drinking.

a woman sitting at a table with drinks — Look at those sweet treats.

TPOL’s TIP: La Sana is located at Calle de José Abascal, 44.

Local Bakery: More sweets and no alcohol. Still behaving.

two cups of coffee and a plate of food on a table

Local Bar Follow-Up: I didn’t take a photo of every espresso but after going to a coffee house, it was natural to go to the bar.
Rick’s: And this is where I knew I had lost it. In addition to ordering an espresso and enjoying tapas, I also had a burger and multiple beers.

a building with a green awning and a blue sign

a group of people in a restaurant — 3 PM, on a Friday, no one working.

a machine with buttons and a game — All that was left to do was to compulsively play slots.

TPOL’s Tip: Located at Esquina, Calle de Espronceda, Calle de Modesto Lafuente, 23

Mazál Bagels: But Mimosas are acceptable on Sunday.

TPOL’s Tip: Located at Calle de Bretón de los Herreros, 35, 28003 Madrid, Spain

VIPS: Trying to get back on track, we went to Madrid’s version of Denny’s.

El Doble: I came across this iconic restaurant by accident after waking up after 3 PM on a Friday. Fresh seafood, crisp beer, and great vino made me want to abandon the residency life and stay in vacation mode. ~~Houston~~ Madrid, we have a problem.

a building with a door and a sign on the side

a tap with a tray of shrimp in front of a counter

TPOL’s Tip: Located at Calle de José Abascal, 16, 28010 Madrid, Spain TPOL’s Tip: Don’t sleep in too late, the lunch rush ends at 4:15PM.

Gracias Padre Coco Bongo: If you’ve been to Cancun, then you already know. If you’re doing Cancun things for breakfast, you already know where the day is headed.

a group of beer bottles and mugs on a table — Send help. Gracias, padre.

SQ Mile Transfer Anxiety: Come on Chase!

thepointsoflife

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May 30, 2023

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SQ Mile Transfer is part of the Over Under Trip Report.

Planning award trips is not easy. We’ve all been there when we go to book and the website errors out. In those situations, it is a waste of time to call the airline and complain that there is phantom availability (see Delta’s Website: The Phantom Of the Opera). Another issue is transferring points from a credit card to a travel partner. Glitches are inevitable (see Amex Transfers Points Twice! The Fight Is On!). Searching for a flight from SE Asia back to the US, I was surprised how easily I found a business class flight on SQ from BKK-SIN-JFK for 112,000 points. The next step was to transfer miles to Singapore Airlines. I deliberated which currency I should use. I value URs the most but have the most of them. I value MRs second and have the second most of those. I value TY points the least, have the least amount of experience in redeeming them, and have the least amount of those points. I checked the transfer time for Citi and found it to be less than one day. I checked the transfer time for Amex and found it to be less than one day. I wasn’t concerned about Chase because their points transfer instantaneously. I decided not to use my Citi points, opting to save them for a time when I can learn more about their unique transfer partners, like Turkish. For Ms. TPOL’s flight, I sent 112,000 from her Amex account. For my account, I split the points transfer evenly between Amex and Chase, sending 56,000 from each to my account. Refreshing my SQ account, I saw that 56,000 was already deposited. But where did that 56,000 come from? I checked MS. TPOL’s SQ account and saw that the 112,000 had already gone through. Amex beat Chase? How could this be? Confused, I took to Google to investigate further. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Chase can take up to 7 days to transfer points to SQ. Nervous, I booked Ms. TPOL’s flight, while contemplating what to do about my trip. I debated if I should send over another 56k from Amex. I took to Bing to see if there was a search result that would say that Chase actually transfers much faster than 7 days. I did not find comfort in those results either. Ultimately, I decided that I would wait for Chase and deal with the consequences of not being diligent in my research. I kept refreshing the SQ page to see if the transfer had gone through. All I kept seeing was 56,000 written in the beautiful SQ font. I didn’t dare to search for availability as I did not want to see that the flight had moved from available to the dreaded wait list. Almost 48 hours later, I hit refresh once again. This time it showed 112,000 points. I searched for availability and swore to the gods of points that I would not be so reckless should the flight still be available. Fortunately for me, it was. The ticket was booked and the email confirmation was received. The next morning, 60 hours later, I received an email from Chase saying that my points transfer had been completed. Lessons Learned

It was smart to use 56k from Chase and 56k from Amex to keep my balances high in each.
It was stupid to assume all Chase transfers are instant.
It was smart not to impulsively transfer over another 56k from Amex as SQ miles expire 3 years after they are earned.

Overall, this worked out perfectly for me but perhaps it is wiser, given the unknown transfer times, to send the points from one card all at once.

Bangkok Residency Booked! BKK-SIN-JFK SQ Return

thepointsoflife

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May 29, 2023

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Bangkok Residency is part of the Over Under Trip Report.

I don’t bother comparing what I do versus that of my friends, colleagues, or strangers because there is no competition. By no competition, I mean that there is no wrong way to travel. You want to explore the world on a Disney Cruise? Be my guest. But should you want to compete either in Country Count or experiences, you are going to come up short. Last year, the native son went to Iraq for his 40th birthday (see Iraqi Homecoming: My 40th Birthday in Baghdad) and Doha for the World Cup in December of 2022 (see Booked! Qatar Qsuites Round 3 for the World Cup). The World Cup was supposed to be the start of my bold residency idea, whereby I live in first-class cities throughout the world twice a year (see Vote for Where TPOL Will Move Next And…) I was supposed to start in Dubai so I could commute to more matches. Due to logistical issues, I had to cancel that plan (see Finalizing the ANA RTW Trip, World Cup & Luck Included). Undaunted, I decided that my first residency would be in Melbourne, Australia in the spring of 2023 (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence). I called it the Over/Under Trip Report because of the location and because I did not know the odds that I could actually pull off a second residency. In February of 2023, I made good on my promise to live somewhere else (TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency?). However, I opted for Madrid, (see Adios Puerto Rico, Hola Espana), delaying the Melbourne move to November. The problem with this plan is that it did not take into account my new desire to be abroad during the holiday season (see Living It Up: Favorite Cities, New Residencies, Summer @ the Sea). Accordingly, I had to add an economically reasonable and practical place to go after Melbourne. The obvious choice was Bangkok. While I am still trying to decide how much time I should split between these two cities, I did secure my long-haul flight home. For only 112,000 SQ miles (see Mile Transfer Anxiety), I am flying this glorious route in business:

I flew the longer version last September, JFK-SIN, and declared it to be the best business class flight in the world (see World’s Longest & Best Business Class Flight: JFK-SIN). The residency plan gets better and better, making me, TPOL, Simply The Best.