SFO777

Thanks Vaclav and your wishes for Mrs. SFO. Writing the TRs have morphed into a hobby and I now find it very relaxing. I started this one in the BA lounge, uploaded and edited pics in the Priority Lounge at YVR and wrote a lot of it on the YVR-PSP flight.

Thinking about doing YVR-JFK next time but I'm concerned about connecting inbound from SFO without allowing an extra cushion for SFO ATC weather delays. Is the CX Flounge at YVR worth spending a lot of time? I wasn't really impressed with the new SFO lounge. Now if it was like the Wing, that might change things.

Thanks macabus. Will definitely do this one again and next time, see if I can finish two PD bottles.

Thanks gohima. Go for it.

Almost. I posted that one from the gate just prior to boarding the VX flight.

What QF 744?

Thanks noniron, but I think I was the one being spoiled.

It is not for everyone mind you. You arrive at YVR in the middle of the night, sleep in the terminal for a couple of hours and then connect to where you were actually trying to go. Most people (even many who have flown CX) would think this is simply crazy.

Thanks blackmamba. I'm just bummed that I didn't have my Canon this trip so some of the pics are not as good as I'd like.

FA Carrie kept apologizing for the delay and was pretty amused when I told her that I hoped the flight was delayed even more and once airborne, we encountered strong head winds.
I won't spill the beans. But, your plan sounds fun, and tempting.

Even better since you are actually traveling between YVR and NYC. Enjoy!

Thanks 31dany.

zookeeper, thanks for your concern.
Imagine if CX flew a few more transcon routes.

Quasiconvexity

Ah, brings back great memories of our ORD-HKG trip on CX. Does CX hand out PJs on JFK-YVR in F? Thanks for the excellent report - sorry about the circumstances in which the trip had to be planned.

Vaclav

Where are you going next?

Oh, it may be a secret...

SFO777

JFK-YVR
CX 889
continued...

Shortly after take-off, and I do mean shortly, Stephanie and Carrie were in action. First and most important order of business, close the curtain to keep out those J pax.

While the JFK-YVR segment features a somewhat abbreviated Supper menu without the caviar, it was more than adequate and again puts the NA airlines to shame. While we were waiting at the gate, Carrie and I had reviewed tonight's menu and the wine list (yes, the '04 Lynch-Bages is preferable to the '07) and I had already made my choices.




New York - Vancouver
Supper

Starters
Smoked Salmon carpaccio with avocado creme fraiche timbale and capers
Truffle potato soup
Caesar salad with marinated prawns

Main Courses
Grilled USDA prime beef tenderloin with creme de cassis onion marmalade, mashed potatoes, baby carrots, asparagus and artichoke
Rigatoni with gorgonzola cheese sauce and mixed vegetables

Chinese Favourites
Double boiled duck with winter melon soup
Cold plate - vegetarian duck
Stir-fried lobster with scallion and ginger, steamed jasmine rice, kailan with black mushroom and carrot flower

Cheese and Dessert
Cambozola, St. Paulin, Goat Cheese, Yellow Cheddar
Raspberry yoghurt cake with raspberry coulis

Tea and Coffee
Pralines

SNACKS
Wontons in noodle soup
Ice cream


The wine list was exactly the same as our SFO-HKG list from last month.



Champagne
Krug Grande Cuvee Champagne

White
2007 Estancia Reserve Monterey Chardonnay
2008 Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes

Red
2010 Sauvion Deliction Chinon
2009 Finca Origen Gran Reserva Malbec
2004 Chateau Lynch Bages Grand Cru Classe Pauillac

Port
Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10 Year Tawny


With meticulous item by item placement of each table item, my 1AM dinner began. The Smoked Salmon carpaccio with avocado creme fraiche timbale and capers was sensational.





Carrie already knew my wine sequence preferences and had already presented and poured my first glass of the wonderful 2008 Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes. I recall having 3 glasses of this, but quite frankly and as you will read later, it could have been more.



As I usually do on CX, I went for the Chinese menu tonight starting with the nice Double Boiled duck with winter melon soup, even better with chili sauce.





The Cold plate - vegetarian duck stumped me. Vegetarian duck? No idea whether it was really duck as it seemed more like mushrooms (which I love in pastry). Didn't really matter actually as I slathered more chili sauce on it and devoured it, and another glass of the Puligny.



OMG, the stir fry lobster with scallion and ginger was fabulous. Another glass of the Puligny, and for fun, a glass of the 2010 Dilection, which I had enjoyed from SFO-HKG.





Kailan with black mushroom and carrot flower were lovely. And another glass of Puligny.



One of the wonderful things about First on the CX 777 is that you can't see or generally even hear anyone else. I know that the fool in 1A passed on supper and went to sleep right after take-off. Not sure about 2D and 2K, but at this point, I'm thinking that Carrie and Stephanie are wondering just how much this guy in 2A can drink and eat.

I believe this qualifies as a double cheese portion, accompanied by a glass of Ramos Pinto port.





Mr. SFO, do you still have room for dessert? Silly girl. Bring it on, and perhaps another glass of Puligny??? We're getting to the best part of Money Ball, for the 6th time in the last month.



Pralines? Why not?



No idea what time it was but I'm guessing around 2:15AM-2:30AM EST, I head to the lav and tell Carrie that it's bedtime. I changed into my PJ tops and returned a couple minutes later to a beautifully turned down bed. Apparently I passed out soon after lying down as the next thing I remember is the captain announcing that we were 25 minutes to landing in YVR. Wow, I guess alcohol is indeed a substitute for Ambien. Or at least two bottles worth are. macabus, how you could have consumed 8 bottles of Dom in 27 hours is beyond me. My hero indeed!

A quick trip to the lav to freshen up (more like try to wake up), brush teeth and change, and I was back with Carrie offering me juice, coffee, tea, etc.. Sadly, we touched down at 3AM just a little over 5 hours after take-off. Thanks to the wonderful Carrie and Stephanie and CX for another memorable CX experience. ^

jmw2323

I wouldn't waste more than an hour in the YVR Flounge. Very disappointing.

jmw2323

flight is definitely too short. too short to enjoy and too short to sleep. I stayed up and slept when i got to the hotel near YVR

NYBanker

Thanks for sharing.

GetSetJetSet

Well, I figure if I went from he airport to a hotel, spent a few days in YVR then took the Amtrak Cascade down to visit friends in Seattle it could be a nice west coast swing. Do they do the full service (caviar, PJ's, amenity kits, etc...) for the transcon?

jmw2323

as mentioned above, no caviar on JFK-YVR-JFK legs. yes to pi's, amenity kits, krug, etc...

SFO777

While the caviar is great, the salmon carpaccio was so good that I didn't really miss the caviar. Double yes to the PJs and I actually took them home with me this time. This flight was so amazing that I already told Mrs. SFO that I'm doing it again next month. Since she's in bed by 11P, I rationalized "what's the difference with me getting home at midnight or 9AM the next day"? She actually thinks I have a point. ^
What could be better than a monthly CX First fix?

flyingstudent

Yeah you should tell her you don't want to interrupt her sleep if you get back at midnight!

So are we going to get a review of poor man Westjet YVR-PSP and subsequent PSP-SFO on VX F?

GetSetJetSet

^

Betteronacamel

Sensational TR as always.

I can confirm that the CCR at JFK is much nicer than the FIRST Lounge, but the WiFi is also painfully slow. The pre-flight dining is better too; it looks like you were eating where the CW passengers eat if they're on Sleeper Services.

I've been mulling over doing a JFK/YVR in the summer; good to see that you get the works in terms of PJs etc. I find the flight times a bit 'anti-social' though; is it easy enough to get taxis at 3am and are there reasonable hotels nearby?

Really enjoy your reports SFO777.

briantoronto

There is a Fairmont in the terminal. I would say it is one of the better Fairmonts in the system, and the best airport hotel I have ever stayed in by far.

jmw2323

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express (literally) with 24 hour airport shuttle.