Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Viva Southwest to Vegas!

thepointsoflife

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July 21, 2014

My inaugural post for the flight reviews page has to begin with Southwest Airlines because I fly it domestically more than any other airline. I have had the good fortune to have a companion pass on Southwest for what will be three years and enough Rapid Reward points to only pay the TSA tax (which is going up as of today). Southwest has no business class, no lounge asccess, and there is no champagne, but there is free on-demand TV if you want to want to watch International House Hunters on Dish (with in-flight Wi-Fi for normal web browsing only costing $8 per flight). There are complimentary drinks and snacks. Wine, spirits, and beer are available for $5. Vitamin Water is $3. Specifically, I will be reviewing what may be the best route in the entire United States- Phoenix to Las Vegas, a flight path I know far too well. SWA flys about a dozen nonstop hour long flights daily to Sin City on the standard Boeing 737. My only gripe with Southwest is the unassigned seating because I always forget to check in exactly 24 hours before I take-off. This is annoying if you are stuck in a middle seat flying from Phoenix to Newark because the flight time is 5 hours. Even on cross country flights, the seat size is not too uncomfortable in comparison with other US commercial airlines. However, if you do get the dreadeed C60 seat assignment on the way to Vegas, fear not. It means that you will end up sitting in the middle next to two strangers who are just as excited as you are to make the trip. The flight attendants are as happy as can be as they serve you a welcome cocktail, most likely free from a drink coupoon. Try to schedule a flight that gets you into Vegas at night because the strip lit up on approach to McCarran airport rivals any international skyline. Don’t worry, if you scheduled a day flight, Southwest does allow changes with no fees. I will not be reviewing any other Southwest flights because they are all the same. And that’s a great thing!

Westin DTW: Leaving the D in Style

thepointsoflife

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July 21, 2014

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I had a flight departing at 6:00AM to New York until I checked into the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport at midnight. This is not some inn located near an airport providing its guests with a marginally comfortable place to lay their heads anxiously waiting to see if they upset the wake up guy. This is not the Phoenix Aloft hotel that may provide comfy service but still requires a shuttle to get to the terminal. The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport is a 4 Star gem directly connected to the McNamara Terminal at DTW. Convenience unlike Detroit Metro in general is well within reach. It starts with the hotel entrance that is located right at the end of the departure terminal. It continues with the quick check-in where the front desk informed me of the on-site restaurant and bar.

Entering the room, I saw all the amenities of any Westin, which I took for granted. After all, this was suposed to be my sanctuary for only a few hours.

Rain Shower for what may be one of the most luxurious hotels in SE Michigan. It just happens to be at the airport. Draw all the irony you want.

The standard issue pointy soap. I’ve said enough.

For all the hotels and resorts I have stayed in throughout the world, I would say that the view from this has to be the coolest.

20140720_235726 — Better than an ocean view!

Settling into the snug Westin Heavenly bed, I reached for the phone to ask for a wake-up call. Intead, I asked for a late checkout. New York will have to wait because I’m staying for a few more hours in Michigan.

Goodnight.

On the Run Again

thepointsoflife

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July 20, 2014

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I’m ready to leave the nest. At the ripe, young age of 32, I am finally leaving moving out of my parents’ house. I was just here for a week visiting before I move you know where and I couldn’t help but reminsice about growing up in sunny Flint, Michigan. I’m on my way to the airport right now so this is a quick goodbye to Michigan and memories before I stay at the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Anyone care for a review of that hotel? I needed it to requalify for platinum. Here’s a pic of the best place to get ice cream, if you’re ever in Grand Blanc!

Simply the Best: May 2014

TPOL's Best

thepointsoflife

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July 18, 2014

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Admittedly, there’s not much to do in Flint, Michigan besides eat and eat. So, before I leave for New York on Monday and things get back to the speed of life, I am doing another installment of Simply the Best (here is March and April) from The List that everyone enjoys reading. Starting in August, these will only happen once a month to recap the previous month but since I just joined Prior2Boarding, the Donatello pupil to Splinter’s BoardingArea, I feel obligated to catch everyone up on what they have missed with a Top 7 list for the month of May. So here it is: 1. “TAXI MY FRIEND?” THAT IS YOUR HINT TO RUN. 2. LIVING DOESN’T HAVE TO SUCK: 5 MYTHS ABOUT EARNING POINTS

a plate of food and a glass of wine on a tray — Even though I tell everyone about how easy it is to accumulate points, nobody follows the Points101 guide or comes up with reasons why the points game is not worth their time. Then they fly first class for the first time for next to nothing and are finally believers, posting pics of candy buffets.

3. DO YOU HAVE A VISA?

a woman sitting on a bench in a building

4. THE PARK HYATT SYDNEY AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING KOALA

a man taking a selfie with a stuffed animal in front of a body of water

5. SINCE I CANNOT PERSONALLY GO TO SE ASIA WITH MIKEY AND SHOW HIM THE LADYBOY BARS IN BANGKOK…

6. 30 MINUTES TO COSTA RICA: EASY AS STEP 1, 2, 3

7. #7: PHO PEACE SUMMIT: SHANGHAI, CHINA

And because no post should ever go without promoting my book, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine, I am adding the link that hints at the greatest marketing promotion of them all which I actually will reveal soon because the book is finally ready for publication. I know I’ve cried wolf in the past but this time it is official, the publication is right around the corner. So please check out this teaser that got a whole community talking about what I did just to sell some books

The Farewell Feast

thepointsoflife

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July 17, 2014

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The countdown to Mongolia is on and I am in Michigan prepping for the cold winter by fattening up on home cooked food. Today, I stopped by at my grandma’s to have a light lunch and tell everyone goodbye. Since I’m too full to type, I’ll just post the pics. (Courtesy of new LG G3)

#6: Pho Tenderloin

Pho

thepointsoflife

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July 16, 2014

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a car parked on the side of a street — While the Pho 2000 should file a trademark suit over its namesake because the pho was simply divine, it still has no case against Turtle Tower.

Rice-A-Roni is still for sale in supermarkets and I may open myself to legal liability by saying that I disagree that it is the San Francisco treat. That distinction belongs to pho in San Francisco. I stayed at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square right in the heart of the city and asked the concierge where the best place was to down a bowl of pho. She told me of a fusion restaurant nearby that made pho with a twist. Not interested in fusion or twists, I asked her about two local spots that I had seen on Yelp. A troubled look came across her face as she once again suggested the modern Asian restaurant. I pressed her for a reason why and she told me that the restaurants I had mentioned were not in the best neighborhood. Reiterating again, I was going for pho and not fashion, I pressed her for directions. She relented and wrote down the directions of two restaurants located in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. I opted to walk from the hotel, bypassing the advice to take a taxi, feeling that once again luxury was being unnecessarily overprotective . Every big city from Baghdad to Baltimore has poses some degree of danger and being aware of your surroundings is advisable no matter where you go. Hungry, I made my way to Larkin street and came upon two restaurants, side by side, Turtle Tower and Pho 2000. The casual pho diner would toss a coin, leaving his pho future in the hands of fate. The discerning pho connoisseur would notice that the names of the establishments had significance. As a well traveled, world traveled Pho King, I am that connoisseur. Turtle Tower is a landmark in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam and Pho 2000 is the name of a terrible Pho restaurant in Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) made famous because of a visit by former President Bill Clinton.

This terrible Pho establihsment will not make the list.

A little uneasy from reliving the queasy feeling I had when I last visited Pho 2000, I opted to start my day at Turtle Tower and it was a delightful choice.

The waiter said that sprouts are not an ingredient in traditional Hanoi Pho

The NYT also ignored the concierge’s rec for fusion pho

Full, I debated whether to head back home to take a much needed nap after another satisfying bowl. Instead, I decided to give Pho 2000 SF a chance, calculating that this was not a franchise of the same establishment in Ho Chi Minh.

While the Pho 2000 should file a trademark suit over its namesake because the pho was simply divine, it still has no case against Turtle Tower. Verdict: #6 Best Pho in the World: Turtle Tower San Francisco WARNING: TPOL NO LONGER BELIEVES THIS IS TRUE. Pho Tenderloin may be #6 but Turtle Tower is now terrible. Read the updated review here.

The Calm Before the Frost

thepointsoflife

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July 15, 2014

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I opened my passport to see a shiny new visa with the words Mongolian Work Visa. This means the time has finally come to do 2 things: 1. Move to freezing Mongolia 2. Get Back to Work. It’s been an interesting summer from moving out of Arizona, selling the BBQ, and trying to get rid of the Cadillac without being arrested. Of course, I have been boasting about the release of my book, Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine, which should be named Everyone’s Release Date Is Wrong . . . Including Mine because the ‘custom interior’ is still being finalized. So, let’s be hopeful for an August release date. It wasn’t all work this summer as I went to Costa Rica, then flew 26,000 miles around the world in style to see Mikey in Shanghai and Bali (neither place counting towards the country count competition because I am running out of places to go). From there it was on to Anytown, USA for some Ranch and upscale lodging (after dealing with more problems at Chinese Customs). Then I headed for Chicago where ThePointsOfLife almost predicted the World Cup outcome. And now I’m home again in Flint, Michigan. Tonight I’m going to Empress of China for the best Chinese food in the world but beyond that I’m really going to have to dig deep to find some meaningful content to keep me and you entertained. That can only mean one thing…Canada this weekend!

It Could Be Worse

thepointsoflife

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July 14, 2014

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I’m still reeling from defeat after yesterday’s World Cup final. Walking around Chicago with my Messi jersey, I met fellow fans who also were distraught. I also met German fans and exchanged pleasantries about how good the game was, regardless of the outcome. A couple of random German fans did yell out, “Messi sucks,” to which I took great exception. No need to publish my retort. Anyhow, today is my last day in Chicago and being a tourist I had to go visit Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley is celebrating its 100 years anniversary, a time marked by one common theme- losing. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was way back in 1908. Today, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars, the losing continues. What’s worse is the owners who are now suing their own fans. The Cubs are trying to install a jumbotron and ads in the outfield which would block the view of the rooftop bars that surround part of the stadium. The owners of the bars are rightly against it. Such dysfunctionality is unprecedented. In any event, my visit to Wrigley put things into perspective: yes I am annoyed Argentina lost, yes my Michigan sports teams have been struggling but at least I’m not a Cubs fan.

Glory Was on His Foot

thepointsoflife

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July 13, 2014

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Glory was on his foot and he let it slip away. Was it Messi’s fault that Argentina lost? Certainly not, but fault is irrelevant. What is relevant is cementing one’s place in history. And Messi had his chance, several times. Argentina played better than Germany but failed to capitalize time and time again. In the end, Goetze’s remarkable goal in extra time will forever be the iconic moment of this World Cup. The spectacular strike was nothing short of perfect. Messi’s critics at home may continue to question his greatness and whether he is truly Argentina’s son which is, for lack of a better term, stupid. But the result will forever be, Germany 1 Argentina 0. Glory was on his foot and it tragically slipped away.

IMG_20140713_135515 — Messi almost made Germany look silly.

Simply the Best: April 2014

TPOL's Best

thepointsoflife

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July 13, 2014

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Friday saw a huge jump in traffic with my announcement that I’m going back to Flint, Michigan. To capitalize on that action and my recent addition to Prior2Boarding, the beautiful sister of the original beauty BoardingArea, I am continuing the series of publishing my Top 7 posts of each month in The List section. The blog started way back in March and the top 7 for that month can be found here. And as soon as I catch everyone up, I’ll also have a “Why did you miss it?” link for posts that should’ve received more attention but slipped through that impossible to crack Facebook algorithm. The one from April is at the very bottom. April had a lot of dandies!

1. WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE BEST CHINESE FOOD IN THE WORLD? FLINT, MOTHERF$@KING, MICHIGAN.