violist
Mar 6, 04, 6:19 pm
1. pre-hammer
0306 UA 165 BOS LAX 0835 1154 752 3D
Got to the airport at 7-odd only to be confronted
with huge lines everywhere. Asked a girl who looked
young enough to know these things what was going on,
and she said, I dunno, probably spring break. I
suppose in retrospect she was about thirty and thus
far removed from these things.
The security line was all the way into the children's
museum store and took a fair amount of time; I got
to the gate around 8:20 as boarding looked pretty
complete; discovered the front cabin at 10 or so but
with some guy assigned next to me. He seemed jolly
enough but opined that when the time came he would
be inclined to excuse himself for one of the several
empty rows. But at door's close, a huge influx, and
every seat but a couple ended up occupied up front.
The flight was very bumpy, and the purser was somewhat
cross (in her 50s, gray haired, Boston-based by the
sound of her very townie accent; she consistently
ignored me except when I directly addressed her (she
offered water to the rest of the passengers, not to
me, things like that; I wondered if she was on of
those old-style racist Southie people or whether
perhaps I'd done her wrong decades ago (doubtful; she
didn't seem to be my style). However, the FA who
shared the first-class duties with her was pretty
nice, though, and cancelled out her unpleasantness.
Two colors of tablecloths; I got a gray one.
TO BEGIN
Fresh from the bakery: a selection of Danish,
croissants and bagels with butter, cream cheese and
fruit preserves
MAIN COURSE
Mediterranean omelette with tomatoes and smoked
mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese grits, Canadian
bacon, chicken sausage and fresh fruit
French toast with a dried fruit filling, Canadian
bacon, pork sausage, maple syrup and fresh fruit
Fresh seasonal fruit platter: for the lighter appetite,
we offer a variety of fresh fruit with yogurt.
FEATURED WINES
Your flight attendant will inform you of today's
selections.
SPARKLING WINE
Villabra non-vintage Prosecco
WHITE WINE
Montevina Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc 2002
Guenoc California Chardonnay 2002
RED WINE
Luis Felipe Edwards Colchagua Reserve Merlot 2002
Canyon Road California Shiraz 2001
The French toast, stuffed with eggs, cranberry bits,
and lots of orange peel, was okay; the fruit appetizer
kind of sour and unripe.
Butter was unsalted; for salt and pepper there was
instead of the economy paper packets or the F shakers
a new dual envelope of stiffer paper. Sort of chic
looking, but not so nice as shakers.
There was of course no sparkling wine; also no Guenoc;
I had my usual.
On the whole an insignificant flight, but my seatmate
was amusing to talk to.
The movie was something about a guy who is going out
with both a mother and her daughter, or something
like that, with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. I
didn't watch it. We got in right at noon; I didn't
feel like reading any more grant proposals, so I paid
my annual visit to Encounter, where it was nice and
quiet, and I got a 6-top booth all to myself.
There was nothing that called my name on the menu;
even at lunch in the past, there were interesting
things. I guess there's no chef any more, just some
kid in the kitchen reading recipes off cards.
I thought about the ahi tartare, but it looked to
me as though maybe I shouldn't trust it, so I didn't.
Had a most welcome Sam (5.75) followed by a burger
rare (11.50) and a side of spinach (5). The waitress,
a very pretty Somali-looking girl, came back to ask
if I wanted the burger medium-rare. No, rare rare, I
said. She chuckled. When the burger came, it was
medium and tasted like nothing at all, despite its
being billed as being made of Angus chuck. In fact,
the bun was much more interesting than the burger,
and bear in mind I don't like bread much. Also,
the meat was hugely salted, not the greatest thing
in the world for those who are, as I am, watching
their sodium. It came with a pickle spear that looked
as though it had spent most of its life under a heat
lamp and some of the yummiest potato chips I've had,
thick-cut, crunchy, spiced with lots of cayenne.
The spinach was delicious, though, a huge serving
that must have been about a bag's worth, with a
similarly huge amount of crushed fresh garlic.
The help was pleasant if a bit scattered: my check
didn't come for a good fifteen minutes after I was
ready for it, and when it came, two people came by
to pick up my credit card. Oh, someone already got
it, the second person said.
Back to the RCC to do some work, get the mail, and
write this report. LAX is pretty ugly, isn't it,
with lost people everywhere, baggage screening
stations all over the place, TSA and UA guys milling
about apparently without aim.
0306 UA 165 BOS LAX 0835 1154 752 3D
Got to the airport at 7-odd only to be confronted
with huge lines everywhere. Asked a girl who looked
young enough to know these things what was going on,
and she said, I dunno, probably spring break. I
suppose in retrospect she was about thirty and thus
far removed from these things.
The security line was all the way into the children's
museum store and took a fair amount of time; I got
to the gate around 8:20 as boarding looked pretty
complete; discovered the front cabin at 10 or so but
with some guy assigned next to me. He seemed jolly
enough but opined that when the time came he would
be inclined to excuse himself for one of the several
empty rows. But at door's close, a huge influx, and
every seat but a couple ended up occupied up front.
The flight was very bumpy, and the purser was somewhat
cross (in her 50s, gray haired, Boston-based by the
sound of her very townie accent; she consistently
ignored me except when I directly addressed her (she
offered water to the rest of the passengers, not to
me, things like that; I wondered if she was on of
those old-style racist Southie people or whether
perhaps I'd done her wrong decades ago (doubtful; she
didn't seem to be my style). However, the FA who
shared the first-class duties with her was pretty
nice, though, and cancelled out her unpleasantness.
Two colors of tablecloths; I got a gray one.
TO BEGIN
Fresh from the bakery: a selection of Danish,
croissants and bagels with butter, cream cheese and
fruit preserves
MAIN COURSE
Mediterranean omelette with tomatoes and smoked
mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese grits, Canadian
bacon, chicken sausage and fresh fruit
French toast with a dried fruit filling, Canadian
bacon, pork sausage, maple syrup and fresh fruit
Fresh seasonal fruit platter: for the lighter appetite,
we offer a variety of fresh fruit with yogurt.
FEATURED WINES
Your flight attendant will inform you of today's
selections.
SPARKLING WINE
Villabra non-vintage Prosecco
WHITE WINE
Montevina Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc 2002
Guenoc California Chardonnay 2002
RED WINE
Luis Felipe Edwards Colchagua Reserve Merlot 2002
Canyon Road California Shiraz 2001
The French toast, stuffed with eggs, cranberry bits,
and lots of orange peel, was okay; the fruit appetizer
kind of sour and unripe.
Butter was unsalted; for salt and pepper there was
instead of the economy paper packets or the F shakers
a new dual envelope of stiffer paper. Sort of chic
looking, but not so nice as shakers.
There was of course no sparkling wine; also no Guenoc;
I had my usual.
On the whole an insignificant flight, but my seatmate
was amusing to talk to.
The movie was something about a guy who is going out
with both a mother and her daughter, or something
like that, with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. I
didn't watch it. We got in right at noon; I didn't
feel like reading any more grant proposals, so I paid
my annual visit to Encounter, where it was nice and
quiet, and I got a 6-top booth all to myself.
There was nothing that called my name on the menu;
even at lunch in the past, there were interesting
things. I guess there's no chef any more, just some
kid in the kitchen reading recipes off cards.
I thought about the ahi tartare, but it looked to
me as though maybe I shouldn't trust it, so I didn't.
Had a most welcome Sam (5.75) followed by a burger
rare (11.50) and a side of spinach (5). The waitress,
a very pretty Somali-looking girl, came back to ask
if I wanted the burger medium-rare. No, rare rare, I
said. She chuckled. When the burger came, it was
medium and tasted like nothing at all, despite its
being billed as being made of Angus chuck. In fact,
the bun was much more interesting than the burger,
and bear in mind I don't like bread much. Also,
the meat was hugely salted, not the greatest thing
in the world for those who are, as I am, watching
their sodium. It came with a pickle spear that looked
as though it had spent most of its life under a heat
lamp and some of the yummiest potato chips I've had,
thick-cut, crunchy, spiced with lots of cayenne.
The spinach was delicious, though, a huge serving
that must have been about a bag's worth, with a
similarly huge amount of crushed fresh garlic.
The help was pleasant if a bit scattered: my check
didn't come for a good fifteen minutes after I was
ready for it, and when it came, two people came by
to pick up my credit card. Oh, someone already got
it, the second person said.
Back to the RCC to do some work, get the mail, and
write this report. LAX is pretty ugly, isn't it,
with lost people everywhere, baggage screening
stations all over the place, TSA and UA guys milling
about apparently without aim.