porcupine

Didn't care for the Harry Potter movies.  Hated Robin Hood.  But Dr. Lazarus? Hans Gruber? Oh, no...

Glad you have found it to be useful.  Let us know of any good tricks you discover while exploring it!

roger that

Have you used pre-check or global entry? Curious if the time benefit is worth the cost and necessary advance paperwork. 

I'm not Keithstg, but fwiw...  TSA pre-check is somewhat useful.  It isn't always available, but when it is, it's nice not to have to remove your shoes or take your computer out.  The lines get longer as time goes by, but they always move faster (for the afore-mentioned reasons, and because you don't have travel n00bs slowing things down).

As for global entry, I love it.  Coming into LA from Fiji, our several-hundred passenger plane landed at about the same time as a larger plane from Australia.  Every customs station was staffed, yet the lines were spilling past the ropes - 30 or 40 people per line, easily.  We went to the kiosks and got through in ten minutes, and the only reason it took that long is that a traveler new to global entry asked for our help and we walked him through it.

OTOH, with things like pre-check and global entry, 1984 is getting closer every day.  I just hope I die of old age before things get that bad.  I half expect to be placed on a watch-list just for posting this.

John, thank you so much for posting this!  I'm planning another trip in September and having fun playing with ITA matrix.  One thing I haven't figured out yet is how to choose a different return flight from the one suggested, although I can peruse all the combinations (which is tedious).  Still, this is so much better than any of the other sites I've tried.

The short answer is you will get the level of service you are willing to pay for.  I have yet to see a single rant that shows the writer actually understands that.  Most flyers buy the cheapest ticket they can find, and then feel they should get treated substantially better and are at liberty to bellyache about it when they don't get it.   There is a disconnect here.  The result of always buying the cheap ticket is the level of service comes down to match the fare, both in the immediate case and in the long term.  

Over in another forum, Rocks started the fascinating discussion about airline economics.  The bolded sentence from johnb quoted above got me to thinking, how do people choose their flights?  There are so many options.  Do most people really choose the cheapest seat?  I don't.

I start by looking on Travelocity or Expedia for what flights are available to a given destination on a given day.  I search on WAS (all Washington area airports) for departures.  Then, I arrange my search by departure time, and usually filter it for nonstop or one stop.

After I get a sense for which airlines depart from which airports at what times of day, I'll do a search on seatguru.com to see what equipment is flying, and how the seats are arranged.  I'll often go to individual airline websites to find even more details.

The point of all this research is that I don't necessarily want the cheapest seat.  I want a reasonably priced seat that departs at a reasonable time (from DCA, IAD, or BWI, in that order of preference) and gets me to the destination reasonably quickly.

For example, last time we flew to Montreal, I found an insanely inexpensive deal on Porter Air - something below $100, I believe.  But, the flight went to Toronto first and had something like a six hour layover before heading to Montreal.  When I'm going somewhere for just a few days, it isn't worth it to spend half a day on each end hanging around in an airport.

Another example: for our Fiji trip, I found a reasonable first class fare (low four digits).  I decided to play around with the dates.  Every other departure/return date I checked offered the same flight at twice the price.  So even though I wanted to spend a little longer in Fiji, I stuck with the original plan. $X was not too much for me to pay.  $2X was way too much.

A final example: for our upcoming trip to Iceland, I saw that the nonstop options were limited to Icelandair and Wow air.  The latter is a lot less expensive, but it departs from BWI, offers economy class only, and charges $60+ for the first checked bag, and well over $100 for the second.  Given that we're going in winter and planning on doing some outdoor activity, we absolutely need to check bags (we're taking a lot of stuff).  Icelandair offers two checked bags for free and a premium economy class in which only two people are seated in a row designed for three.

I also checked Icelandair's website, which gave a calendar view with prices - so I could see which days of the week cost more and which cost less.  So even though I paid for premium economy, I chose the least expensive days of the week to fly.  All told, we're paying a little more (but not much more) than we would have paid on Wow Air, and departing from a more convenient airport.

So, how do you choose?  What factors are important to you, and why?  What other considerations do you have?  What websites do you recommend checking?  What are your tricks and tips for finding your preferred itinerary?

One thing I love is having my prejudices challenged, then destroyed.  I did a silent "oh, come on" eye-roll at "chocolate chip cookie dough soufflé".  Fortunately Mr P doesn't have my food snob issues; he ordered it.  It was excellent.  No comment on the rest of the experience, as other people have written much more and better than I could.

Much to my chagrin, the mushy, soft, mashed-potato like fried potatoes on the old Palena Fry Plate are gone

Are you referring to the pommes dauphine? 

I sort of agree with Don about not taking it off, but I'm not sure what bar has to be cleared to get on the list. If it's just an indi shop that isn't bad, I'd keep them on (along with Misha's). If quality consistency has anything to do with it, then not sure...

It's a good question.  Since the map is subjective, the "bar that has to be cleared" is, would I go there?  If there were Filter, TCB, Peregrine outposts in Alexandria, I wouldn't go to Killer ESP, but since there aren't, I probably would.  If I were desperate.  I guess what it comes down to is, if there's nothing good in an area, a mediocre place goes on the map; if there is something good, a mediocre place doesn't.

As soon as I get over this effin' sinus infection I'll revisit both Killer and Misha's.  I love having an excuse to go try things.

How do you feel about Society Fair?

It's narrative posts like pras' that make this site unique and interesting.  I love when people take time to write more than just the facts, and make it personal.

[On day five of being sick and housebound, I've decided to finally write about the biggest travel adventure of my life. Warning - this post is more about me than Fiji, so skip past the introductory paragraphs if you want any useful information.]

I don't normally celebrate my birthdays. I've been known to attend club business functions or eat carryout pizza on those days. Why not? it's just another day. "Hey look, I'm a day older!" Big deal.

But as my 50th approached last January I thought more and more about doing something special. One friend had rented the Mansion on O St and hired a comedian - that was a hell of a party! Did I want to do something like that?

Nah. My idea of a wonderful night out would be a quiet dinner with a few close friends, then home and read a book. But I do that all the time. I wanted to do something different.

Then I thought that maybe the best way to celebrate half a century of living would be to challenge myself. Do something completely different. Do things that I never thought I would like. Do things that I find intimidating. Wake up someplace spectacular, thinking that my life was really in high gear and not slowly going downhill.

I love the mountains, dislike the beach. I love getting around and seeing everything, so resorts have never appealed to me. I've always been mildly terrified by the thought of being cooped up in box for hours at a time with a few hundred strangers, so most of my travel has been in the US and Canada. So I came to a decision, and texted my husband.

me: i know what i want to do for my bday

Mr. P: what?

me: go to Fiji

Mr. P: uhhhh....

me: no, really

Mr. P: and how are we going to pay for that?

me: my racing budget. i'll do only one race next year to keep my license. frees up a lot of money.

Mr. P: if you're sure that's what you want, okay

And so I planned a week at a private resort on the other side of the world.

Fiji is a nation comprised of two large-ish islands and about 300 smaller islands. There's pretty much a resort for every budget and activity, some of them on private islands, some sharing islands, some on the "mainlands". My first choice was the Jean-Michel Cousteau resort, but it was booked that week. So I booked us at the Royal Davui, an adults-only 8-acre island with 16 private villas, an eco-conscious design philosophy a la Post Ranch Inn, and a laid-back but not casual vibe.

Getting to a place like this is an adventure in itself, at least for someone like me. We flew economy to Los Angeles, then first class nonstop to Nadi. It pays to investigate: I lucked into a relatively inexpensive fare. When I considered alternate arrival/departure dates, that fare doubled, so I stayed with the original plan. My experience with first class is not extensive, so take it with a grain of salt, but I thought the Fiji Airways experience was lovely. We arrived in Nadi at midnight, which meant a stay in an inexpensive hotel before the resort plane leg of the trip. Unfortunately I didn't see the sign in the bathroom about the source of the tap water being perhaps less than ideal until after drinking some. Uh-oh. Fiji is considered well-developed and clean, but if you have a tender tummy don't drink the tap water. More on that later.

At 9 the next morning we went to the Royal Davui counter in the domestic terminal to "meet our pilot", as the literature said. Sure enough, our pilot - a tall, slender Aussie wearing a Henley top, shorts, and flip-flops - checked us in, then walked us through security and out onto the airfield to get in the Cessna Stationair for the flight across the island. Mr. P had never flown general aviation and was quite nervous, but I have, and so enjoyed the hell out of it. Be warned, though, that a ride like this is going to be noisy and bumpy. The pilot told us that a lot of people, upon seeing the plane, request the three hour car ride instead. Either way, the cost of the transfer is rolled into the price of your stay. Anyway, the pilot asked if I wanted to sit up front with him (HELL YES!), helped us in, and kicked off his flip flops before taking off. Half an hour later we landed on a bumpy airstrip in the middle of a pasture. Yes, there were cows next to the airstrip.

At this point I was already having the time of my life.

A quick drive over to a dock, then we went on a motorboat for the final leg of the trip, a half-hour ride across the lagoon to the resort.

Royal Davui is lovely. The buildings are sited with care, respecting the environment as well as tourists' desires for luxury and privacy. We stayed in one of the lowest-price units and had no regrets at all; indeed, I think it had about the best location on the island, about 30 feet above a beach shared with only two other well-hidden villas.

The staff there can arrange for a number of activities. We went snorkeling for the first time (awesome, but nausea-inducing), kayaking for the first time (even more awesome, I raced Mr. P around the island), a village visit and hike to a waterfall (as an avid hiker, I would describe this as more of a stroll), and a private picnic breakfast on a tidal sandspit: a twenty minute ride in a motorboat, they set up a blanket, umbrella, and chairs, leave you with towels and a picnic basket with your lunch, then speed away, leaving you alone on a 100-yard long beach. Just a beach (the whole thing is underwater at high tide). No one but you and a bunch of mildly annoyed seabirds, alone on the sand in the middle of a lagoon, a few islands visible on the horizon.

This was the culmination of a lifelong fantasy. The only downside was that they came back to pick us up three hours later. I would've been fine staying there all day, but we had to be off before the tide came in and drowned the sand.

The other activity we did was a day-long excursion to Suva, Fiji's capital city. This could have been a wonderful experience, but our very pleasant driver insisted on taking us to places where "my friend will give you good price on souvenirs". Oy. It was a Saturday, market day before the new school term, and therefore teeming with people. I wanted nothing more than to get lost in the markets for a few hours, sampling food and chatting with locals. Instead, we walked through one market, went to a department store, ate lunch at a very nice Indian restaurant, and went to the Fiji Museum, which was worth doing for a look at history, culture, and artifacts.

Tipping is not customary in Fiji (we were advised not to even try), but our driver was happy to dine with us and tell us about his family and life in Fiji. We paid for his lunch.

And speaking of lunch, I should write a little about the food (not that we got to experience much outside the resort). There isn't much to Fijian cuisine. Coconut. There's coconut in everything. Coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut meat. It's the universal flavor. There's lots of fish, not as much meat, and surprisingly little produce. I had hopes of gorging on luscious tropical fruits, but they just weren't around.

A large portion of the population is descended from Indian indentured servants imported by the British in the colonial era; as a result, Indian food (restaurants, street snacks, groceries) is everywhere. Fiji's major economy is tourism, largely from Australia, New Zealand, China, and Japan, so foods from those countries are well-represented.

The food at Royal Davui was supposed to be some of the best in the nation, but it was nothing special. There was nothing wrong with it, but I got bored by about day three. But then, I eat a wide variety of foods most of the time, and lots of produce, so meals consisting of coconut/fish/rice or coconut/chicken/rice or coconut/beef/rice got old.

Remember what I wrote about the tap water? By day five, the day we went to Suva, my tummy was not happy. I don't know if it was the water, or the "reef fish" I'd eaten at the resort, or what, but I realized that sampling street foods was not a good idea. I spent most of day six in bed (I needn't elaborate).

On day seven, with a lot of time to kill between leaving the resort and catching the plane in Nadi, we opted for the three hour drive along the coast, stopping to explore vistas and shops, but not food stands (my symptoms were under control and I wanted a trouble-free flight). Roadside food is a big thing there; our driver explained that it was common for working-class people to stop and pick up dinner on the way home. Little boys dangled strings of fish on the highway shoulders. Many rural people, if not working in the tourist industry, are fishers and farmers; most villages had a stand or two selling their produce and fish. There were lots of little shacks selling cooked foods: fish, barbecue (meat type unknown), halal barbecue, and boiled nuts. But because of my gut, we didn't stop at any of these. Talk about torment. But that is truly a first world complaint, so forget it.

A few other thoughts. Fijians are modest. If you're going to visit a village or spend time in a city, read about how to dress and comport yourself. Mr. P and I are both shy, reserved, and introverted, but I'm the more forward one, so I did most of the talking to our driver. It didn't take long to realize that he was made quite uncomfortable by the woman being the one seemingly in charge. I actually started texting info to Mr. P so he could answer the driver's questions and appear to be the one in charge. This made a noticeable difference. The other thing that loosened him up (our driver, that is) was when I saw rugby matches advertized on a few billboards and asked if he was a rugby fan. Oh my, yes. Rugby is huge there. You want to make friends with Fijians, talk about sports.

Did I set myself up for disappointment by doing all the things I thought I didn't like? Hell, no. I did confirm that resorts are just not my thing, but I'm glad I tried it. I now own a kayak. I'm no longer afraid of long flights (though first class makes a huge difference).

Jet-lagged, I awoke at 4:00 am on my 50th birthday. I got my camera and tripod, walked down to our beach, and spent an hour photographing the sunrise.  Sunrise on Fiji, on the other side of the world.  Birthdays don't get much better then that.

I can't wait for all the travel awaiting me in the (new) prime of my life.

edited to add: pics

Sadly, Killer ESP is rather a crap shoot. It has so much potential, but ends up as a hodgepodge in decor, products, and quality. I've had a decent macchiato and espresso there; better than most places in Alexandria. But service and product are VERY inconsistent and many times poor...

Porcupine, thank you for your wonderful map.

This is pretty consistent with what I've heard.

Guess I'll take it off, then.  Any recent report on Misha's?

And, you're welcome.  

I've posted this before, but I'll post it again: Shattered Myths. Even though it's about stemware, it's a good follow-up to what johnb wrote above.

Closed.

Thanks for reminding me about that place, Rocks.  I didn't care much for the coffee there, but only tried it once, so it's worth a repeat visit, and in the meantime it'll go on the map.

We had a Christmas Eve feast for extended family (17 adults, 2 children).  It was the first time in 50 years that I have not had cappelletti in brodo on Christmas Eve.

assorted cheeses, salumi, spiced pecans, marinated olives, caponata, crackers

sauerbraten

ham

biscuits

spaetzle

haricots vert with garlic and almond

(lightly) candied carrots

tiny new potatoes

asparagus with smoked salmon and lemon creme fraiche

lots of wine and beer

dessert:

angel food cake (nephews' favorite)

chocolate cake with caramel icing (for my brother, belated birthday)

jam tarts

apricot/cheese pastries

brown sugar ginger crisps

bee stings

chocolate-dipped cardamom pistachio cookies

pine nut cookies

forgot to make coffee but no one seemed to miss it

Inspired by tales of the Icelandic "Christmas book flood", we did a book-exchange in the form of a white elephant game, a fun choice since most of us are (avid) readers.

Breakfast today: coffee.

Merry Christmas, all.

I'd just like to say how much I've enjoyed this discussion.  Thanks, johnb, for sharing your knowledge with us.

Map's been updated with a few new entries, including Sweet Science in Adams Morgan.  Once again, if there's a place you feel should be included, please post here, and thanks.

 who in the hell wants to eat WOOD?).

I suspect you're being rhetorical, but I can't help but point out that wood is a very popular flavor.

There is, however, a lot to be said for seeking out specific seats on certain planes 

Totally agree with this.  It's worth researching.  In addition to carrier websites check out seatguru.com. Be aware of the user comments, though: they're as full of pissy complaints as any other review site.

Since there are apparently 3 Ramen places in Rockville within a very short distance of one another (Temari, Maki, Ki No Spoon), would anyone care to chime in on if any of them are particularly worth a visit and/or which one is the best of the bunch?

Take this for what it's worth: I've been to all three.  It's been several years since I went to Temari and have never been back.  I had completely forgotten about the existence of Ki No Spoon until creating the map.  I ate at Maki last week with a friend and enjoyed it, and would consider going back, but it was nowhere near as good as Toki, Daikaya, SUshi Taro, or even Marumen.  (I had tonkatsu; the broth was not overly rich or fatty, nice flavor, but the noodles didn't have the characteristic springiness that makes ramen so delightful.)

I'm on a map kick again.  Here's my map of places in the area that serve bubble tea.  It's heavily weighted to bubble tea shops and bakeries over sit-down restaurants.  Happy to add suggestions, except that I don't want to overwhelm the map with restaurants that serve poor or mediocre product (there's a lot).

Thread merge?

Zento on N Washington in Alexandria (bad, but for completeness), and Ichiban on King St in Old Town Alexandria (decent). Still have to go to Tanpopo for reasonably good ramen, if we don't want to go to or through DC.

Thanks.  I didn't see ramen on Ichiban's menu (plenty of udon, but that's different) so I didn't include it.

Daikaya not included? Or am I being stupid?

Serious oversight on my part - thanks for catching it!

Love the map! People should have those for other items, very handy!

Add "Streets Market" off Mt. Vernon in Del Ray. Had it the other night. Details later. Toki is gold standard of 10 for me. Daikaya 8. This was a 4-5 (only tried pork).

In the past I've made similar maps (and posted links to them on dr) for cheeses, bakeries, restaurants in western Virginia, and coffee.  The coffee map is pinned in that subforum.

I don't see how you get, from my comment, that I thought that porcupine was clueless.  I was responding to the request for suggestions, while noting that I might have just failed to see it.

No worries!  I didn't read it in a negative way.  :-)

Green Pig Bistro has it at brunch.

Here's a link to my google map of restaurants serving ramen in the DC metropolitan area.  No recommendations are implied, no rankings, it's just a map.  If you know of a place that's not on the map please reply here and I'll include it -thanks.