Citi AA 75K Visa/Amex

Offer extended to 2/28/2011, $4k spending needed in 6months. Get them while you can. 

Apply for two at the same time to get 150K AA miles.

Visa: https://www.accountonline.com/car...eenID=3001
Amex: https://www.accountonline.com/car...eenID=3033
Visa Business: https://www.accountonline.com/car...eenID=3006

See what can 75K/150K miles get you:
AA Award Chart
http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimer...-chart.jsp

OneWorld Partner Award Chart
http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimer...rChart.jsp

EQM vs RDM

Airline miles are not hard to earn these days, but not all miles are created equal. Do you know the difference between of EQMs and RDMs? Do you want to get upgraded every time you fly or do you just want a free ticket?

Elite Qualification Miles (EQM), often times also known as Butt-in-seat miles (BIS) are miles that you earn the hard way, meaning you actually have to sit for these flights to get the miles. These miles count toward your qualification for elite status with the airline. 25K EQMs can get you Silver with the major U.S. Airlines. Granted, Silver will not get you the best upgrade percentage, but it's still better than nothing. You get free checked bag, some bonus miles for flying, priority check-in, etc...

Redeemable Miles (RDM) include bonus miles you earn from flying aside from EQMs and miles you earn without flying. Such as promotional miles you earn from credit cards, hotel stays, rental cars, shopping, dinning, etc... These miles do not count toward qualification of your elite status. They, however, can get you free ticket to your dream destination provided that you have enough of them for an award redemption.

25k miles may sound like alot of flying consider NYC-Hong Kong is less than 8k miles. But occasionally, airlines will run promotions that give out bonus EQMs. This year's example is Delta and American's Double EQM promotion for RT flights from/to any of the 4 airports (BNA, STL, PIT, RDU). I did one run out of PIT which I will discuss later.

Also these days, you can have enough EQMs to be a Silver or even Gold Elite without even stepping your foot on an aircraft. Although I think that sort of defeats the purpose of having Elite status in the first place. If you're not flying enough, you won't really benefit from having status with your preferred airlines. There are numerous credit card offers that reward EQMs when you sign up with promise you additional EQMs when reaching a specific spending threshold. Airlines often transfer from one program to another. This year's example is Delta's offering of 25K EQMs for transfer of 50K Amex Membership Rewards points into Delta's SkyMiles account.

41% Off Gourmet Pasta Delivery & Pick-Up at Hello Pasta! (NYC Only)

$11 for 2 meals

http://www.giltcity.com/newyork/hellopasta

Offer Ends 11/02 at 10AM ET.

Includes lunch for two people for the price of one. This comes with any two pastas with any two sauces.
This offer can be redeemed at the Hello Pasta locations on either Lexington Avenue or Third Avenue.

http://hellopasta.com/

Airline Experience: ChinaEastern (MU)

I consider myself pretty well traveled, at least within the last 3 or 4 years. For me, the journey of getting to my destination is just as important as the destination. I actually enjoy getting on a plane. Believe it or not, I get a 'high' every time the plane takes off the run way. If I don't fly somewhere every 3-5 months, I'll get withdrawal symptoms. Okay, I digress...

Every airline has its ups and downs service wise, and also pros and cons in terms of its hard product (aircraft configuration, in-flight service, route, schedule, etc...). However, there's one airline I vow to never fly again, ChinaEastern (MU), due to the following reasons:

1) Seat configuration in Economy/Coach Class is ridiculously tight. They sure want to pack in as many passengers as they possibly can without violating laws and regulations. Both tray space and leg room are the worst I've ever experienced, even worse than Air China.

2) In-flight meals are terrible. I wish I've brought my own Nong Shim cup noodle on to the flight. In fact, I saw people taking it out of their backpack and eating it. Just ask the FA for some hot water. It's 1000 times better than their garbage fried rice and chow mien.

3) No entertainment system or in-seat power on long-haul flights. Imaging going from JFK-PVG, 15 hours in the air with out AVOD or power? Lord have mercy. It's tough, my laptop can only hold out for 5 hours max. And did I mention the sears are extremely uncomfortable, good luck of trying to get any sleep in it. 

4) Rude staff and not exactly nice fellow passengers. Maybe the airfare is usually cheaper and generally sold through asian or more specifically chinese travel agencies, MU flights tend to be fully loaded. You have too many passengers lacking basic flyer etiquette. They have too many (or too big of) carry-ons, they don't sit in their assigned seats, they speak like they're shouting, they block the aisle, etc... Flight attendants get frustrated over a few ill-mannered passengers, and this ruins things for everybody.

Usually, Asian airlines offer a much better product and services than the U.S. carriers. Singapore Airline, Cathay, Thai, and Korean are consistently rated as the best in the industry. But I will avoid carriers of Mainland China like the plague if you are flying coach due to lack of seat comfort, inedible meals, poor if not nonexistent entertainment systems (AVOD), and rude staff/novice fellow passengers. However, if the $ difference in airfare justifies your decision to fly with them, by all means go with it and experience it for yourself. To me, my personal comfort is worth no less than $200 on a 15 hour flight even if I need to connect somewhere. And considering I can earn better rewards with the other airlines, I just do not see myself on another MU flight for a long while. Sure MU has its own FFM program, but it ain't worth bothering given my travel pattern. Unless they have a mistake fare like JFK-PVG for $99, then maybe, just maybe, I'll bite.

MC Event: Locande Verde

This is the first MasterCard dinning event I was able to get in. The competition was fierce, so I was really excited to be one of the lucky few. The best part? It's a fried chicken feast, something not available on Locande Verde's regular menu. I've heard a lot of Locande Verde and its Michelin Starred chef Andrew Carmellini. This is my first taste of AC's culinary skills. Menu first.

Appetizer - shrimp was large, sweet, and fresh. If I had to be picky, I would prefer to have the head removed, so eating it would be easier. The sauce actually tasted like salsa, not very memorable.

Sides - I'm not a veggie person, the salad was alright, and the collard green reminded me of a very traditional Chinese dish. The mashed potatoes and the honey biscuits are absolutely the best I've ever had in my life. Yup, you heard me right, the best I've ever had. So smooth and buttery, I can eat them every day.

 

 

 

Main - The fried chicken was piping hot, perfectly fried, juicy inside, and crispy outside. My only and biggest complain? It's under seasoned/marinated. In a way, it tasted kind of bland to me. My dinning companion agreed with me. But we also wondered if it's because both of us have a salt heavy diet, our taste buds ain't easily stimulated no more. However, others who attended the event seem to agree with us on the lack of seasoning part, so obviously there's room for improvement.

Dessert - I don't really remember the names of the two pies offered. One is banana cream something with shaved almond and shredded coconut. The other one is honey blueberry something served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I liked the banana cream better because it was lighter, the blueberry was overly sweet, like a sugar bomb.

I had great expectations about the fried chicken at Locande Verde, especially since they were ranked #3 on New York Magazine's "Nine fried chickens to eat before you die".  I mean, they were good, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't consider it 'to die for' good. The mashed potatoes and the biscuits, on the other hand, were right on point. Unfortunately, they ain't available on the regular menu either. However, rumor has it that Andrew C. is planning a new restaurant featuring his fried chicken. I would definitely go there just for the sides and maybe give the fried chicken another go.

Hhonors Account Reinstated

I have accumulated some Hilton Honors(HH) Points from a previous life. Yet due to a number of factors, I no longer stay with them. In fact, my last stay at a Hilton was in June 2009. This past weekend, I don’t know what made me check on my HH account, but I’m glad I did because I discovered a shocker. I was not able to log in as my account is 'no longer active'. This of course spurred a moment of panic within me. Then I looked up Hilton’s expiration policy on points. Voila, points expire after 12 months of inactivity. Somehow, I thought it’s the standard 24 months like most pf the other programs. Really wanted to kick myself that very moment.

So what to do now. No way I’m gonna let it go without a fight. I sent an email to HH Customer Service pleading my case. Then as impatient as I am, I called them up, begging them to reinstate my account and give back my points. The CSR said I’ll need to have one paid stay within the next 60 days with Hilton, then call within 3 days to have my points re-deposited into my account. Okay, I think that’s pretty fair considering I’m the one that dropped the ball. But then it occurred to me, in this great city I live, hotel is not cheap. I suppose shelling out a few hundred to for these points is worth it. So I made a random reservation and gave up, but still secretly wishing that the HH Email Team would come up with something more favorable.

Lo and behold, 2 days later, I received a response from HH Customer Service, Saying that they’ll credit back my account as an one-time courtesy. OMG, my prayers worked, thank you God.

Moral of the story, never give up without trying. Try different alternatives, you never know...

Yummy Chicken Nuggets

During my layover at CVG last Friday, I got the Chick-Fil-A nuggets as a mid-day snack. I love CFL, too bad they don’t have a presence on the east coast. The nuggets were tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned the way I like it. It was the best Chicken Nuggets I’ve ever had, period. Maybe the best airport food I've had in years. They were real chicken meat from the breast or perhaps the thigh, not the mushy & mashed up kind you get from McDonald’s & Wendy’s. I don’t know if they were fried or not, they certainly didn’t look like fried, at least not heavily with coating. All in all, I think the quality and the taste along justifies its price tag, 2X of McD’s yet nugget size is half of a McD’s. I devoured these and almost went back for more. But I refrained, for my belly’s sake and knowing there’s Biscoff Cookies to be had on my next flight…

MC Event: Nobu Next Door

Went to Mastercard's Event at Nobu Next Door tonight with my good buddy Jin. Here's the menu. The meals are served family style except the dessert, so what you see is not what I had all to myself. Although I wish I did.

First up, the appetizers. The sashimi is alright, a bit too vinegary for my taste. The spinach salad on the other hand, was perhaps the best salad I've had in a long time. I've never been a salad person, but I definitely this one.

Next comes the mains, the signature black cod with miso was fork tender. I'm a big fan of the fish, but not so of the sauce, a little too sweet here covering up the umami of the cod. Beef filet was seared to medium-rare, it's a good cut of meat, perhas a bit underseasoned. Or tmaybe here's something wrong with my palate?

Third course is the Sushi, we got Salmon, Yellowtail, Hamachi, and Tuna. The rolls are shrimp with asparagus and yellowtail with scallion, I think. I'm not entirely sure. These are fresh, and you can't go wrong with fresh fish with well-seasoned sushi rice.

The dessert includes a decadent Chocolate Souffle and home-made Green Tea ice-cream. How can one say no to such combination? Alright, I admit I like the Green Tea ice-cream better because of my Asian pride.

All in all, it was a great meal. Hey, it's free, I really can't complain. Nothing tasted bad, but nothing WOWed me either. The salad was my favorite dish of the night. The sauce/seasoning in the entrees are a bit too sweet for me. It's just me though, I like things salty, MSG laden, and with a spicy kick. Think Szechuan.

So Long...

Looking back, my last blog entry was in October last year. What has happened since then? Well, I went to Madrid in November and Barcelona in March. I've officially fell in love with Spain and its cuisine. I would go again on a heartbeat if the airfare is priced right. 

 

Oh yeah I also went to Mayday's concert in Atlantic City a few months back and Wonder Girls' conert in Hammerstin Hall in NYC earlier this month. The latter absolutely crushes Mayday's in terms of guest, atmosphere, and performance. It's a show worth attending.

Zurich

So I'm back from Zurich... with lots of Chocolate, probably gonna take me a few months and a few LBs to consume them all. There are really two things you can call cheap in Zurich: Milk and Chocolate. Milk there tastes better than milk I've had anywhere else, yep, better than what we have in the US of A, no wonder they have world-reknown chocolate and spectacular cheese. Other than that, the cost of living is sky high in the most well-known city of Switzerland. Mercedes Benz are all over the street, except they're taxis for hail. FYI, Zurich is not the Capital of Switzerland. I believe that honor goes to a small town called Bern not far from Zurich. The exchange rate from US dollar to Swiss franc is close to 1:1 (to be specific, we exchanged $400 USD for $396 CHF), but for comparison's sake, let's assume it's 1:1.

 

My palate is truly blessed as I live in New York where there's no shortage of delicious cheap eats. To give you an idea of how expensive things are in Zurich, the $1.25 for 4 pork buns in Flushing near the #7 train will cost you $11 in Zurich. 7 small steamed veggie dumplings (smaller than the $1 for 5 type of fried dumplings in Chinatown or $1.25 for 4 type in Flushing) will set you back another $11. And the pork buns and veggie dumplings aforementioned all come from a small Dim Sum place close to my hotel (I stayed at the Marriott in city center, yuck, expensive) that the locals dubbed it as one of the best cheap eats in Zurich. To me, they don't taste all that good and is certainly far from being cheap. Those who know me, I have an extremely healthy appetite, almost in a scary way. In other words, I can eat, especially on the road. I spent 4 days in Zurich, and I think I had about 10 wursts (Swiss version of sausages) since they're large enough to fill me up and are among the cheapest street-stand food in Zurich (about $7).

 

Of course, I didn't travel across the Atlantic Ocean to skimp on food, I did dine at Zeughauskeller, a place recommended by many on the web that serves up local specialties at affordable prices. Let's see, my order consisted of Hungarian goulash soup, pork shank, and Kalbsgeschnetzeltes (essentially just sliced veal and mushroom in a creamy white wine sauce served with 'Rosti', the menu says it's a must try when in Zurich). So 1 soup and 2 entries, tap water, no complimentary bread basket like what we're used to in the great US of A cost us $80. Not terrible I will say, but my verdict on the food is: too salty, I can do better in NYC. I guess I'm not used to Swiss cuisine, I'll stick to the Chilliwurst at the central train station.

 

On my last day of my stay in Zurich, I decided to load up on food before heading to the airport as I'm not expecting much from the my flight back to NYC. So a brunch consisted of 1 order of pork buns, 1 order of veggie dumplings, 1 order of chilliwurst. Ka-Ching, $29 bucks of food right there. I tried the Dim Sum place mainly because of my curiosity. My interpretation on Dim Sum is really those Morning Tea sessions at a Cantonese restaurant, and should include items such as Har Gow (shrimp dumplings), Siu Mai, congee, chicken feet, etc... It turned out this place only have buns and veggie dumplings, not even tiny juicy buns/soup dumplings, what a big let down. You have to know that after 3 days of wursts, I was really looking forward to some quality Chinese eats. Oh well, it really makes me appreciate the abundance of good tasting cuisines we have in NYC and reminds me again just how spoiled I am to have access to all these foods and still complain there's nothing to eat from time to time. What a Brat! Now I truly understand the pain and feel for all those people who live in the Midwest (or middle of nowhere), especially those with a Chinese (or in this case Asian) stomach.

 

No trip is complete without souvenirs. So what did I bring back? You guessed it! Things you can put in your mouth. In addition to lots of chocolate, extra fine milk and dark as per my momma's request, I also went to the famous Confiserie Sprungli and got some Luxemburgerli and limited edition truffles. Granted, they're pricey, but hey who knows when I'll be back in Zurich.

 

Allah, I did done more than just eating in Zurich. I visited a couple of historic sites, churches, buildings, architectural structures, witnessed a wedding @ lindenhof, toured the shopping district, took a stroll along the Limmat river as well as got on a boat to cruise the Zurich river, even unsuccessfully went to look for a gay bar, yep Zurich has a very sizable gay population. But I'm sure these have been covered by all the touristy guides out there, so I should just limit myself to what I'm most fond about: FOOD! Oh FYI, almost all the stores in Zurich are closed on sundays, but there usually will be some kind of street fairs, I caught myself in one of them.

 

P.S: Oh yeah forgot to mention, public restrooms ain't free in Zurich, it'll cost you $1 to get into the facility and it's super clean. Wow, we need that in China and India. Also, it's weird to see alot of the supermarket cashier ladies are Chinese, interesting... And I do love the curry potato chips I got there, taste different but delish nevertheless. 

                                                                                                     

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Hmmm... Filet Mignon

Went to Wall Street to meet up with my friends last night, it's been a while since we last saw each other... Our original plan was to hit theMercantile Grill on Pearl. However, we soon found out Goldman was having an drinking event there, so we ended up in St Maggie's on Wall.

To me, food is just as important as catching up with friends. Aside from our usual sarcastic remarks
towards each other(hahah, that's our way of communicating love and care), the food was fantastic
as well. I had the daily special Filet Mignon served with Lobster & Crabmeat Ravioli and White
Truffle Sauce ($26)... Yeah Yeah I know, for that price, it better be good. Otherwise I'm never
going back again. But it's always good to have a perfectly done steak(medium rare is how I like it).

On the flip side, the small portion reminds me of the days in Argentina, where I can get 10X amount
of meat for half the price. I can't help but wonder where the Argentinians get their beef from.
Seriously, they serve like it's free... I still recall once my guy co-worker asked for the half portion,
the waiter was like:"Um... Sir, you sure about that, that's really for a girl..." Hahahah, that has
been noted in the team forum, and we haven't stopped teasing him ever since...

Bario Chino on Saturday

So I ventured out to the little known Chinatown in Buenos Aires on Saturday. It was indeed tiny, only 2-3 blocks with a couple of restaurants, grocery stores, and other small shops selling miscellaneous stuff. Me and my colleagues just wandered around and had lunch at 'Lai Lai', the food was quite oily, but still... it was good to have something other than steaks and empanadas. Then I got myself some 'oriental' snacks such as cup noodles, milk tea, sushi rolls, and sweet congee, etc... Believe it or not, the supermarkets actually carry alot of stuff from Korea and Japan, I recognize alot of brands I'm used to getting back at home. Anyway, depends on how long I'll have to stay in Argentina, I might go back for more. Bario Chino is a bit far from my hotel, and it is such a hassle to get around here if you can't speak espanol. So far, my spanish vocabs are only limited to food items... That is such a shame consider I took one year of spanish in junior high.