House Hunting in Orange County via AA and UA First Class
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
House Hunting in Orange County via AA and UA First Class
After four enjoyable years in Denver, Mrs. SFO777 is ready for a change of scenery, away from wildly variable and extreme weather, but especially the lack of humidity. With the white hot Denver real estate market, our home was under contract in 48 hours and above asking price.
So we have to scramble to find a new home in Orange County and something with an ocean view please. Ordinarily, we'd fly United to SNA but F prices this weekend were crazy. So we're off to LAX on AA at only $74 with free EXP upgrades. With Mrs. SFO vowing to never eat another AA meal, we headed out early for a late lunch at the DIA branch of wonderful Root Down, in the C concourse.
A table with a view!
Mrs. SFO went with the fabulous Root Down Bento Box, with grilled salmon.
I couldn't resist the amazing Colorado Lamb sliders with sweet potato fries.
At around T-45, we headed for the train back to the A concourse.
Denver-LAX
AA 5977
E75
4:15p-5:55p
April 23, 2016
With bulkhead seats, we headed to the empty Priority lane, where boarding commenced a couple minutes later.
Loads of leg room in row 1.
We passed on today meal options of Oriental salad with Salmon or Charcuterie plate. But did have the crème brûlée cheesecake.
Well, you get what you pay for... the AA Bus Terminal and the bus shuttle to Terminal 4.
And the tunnel to the T4 exit.
First a little cash refill. Seriously? I select English and am asked if I really mean it???
Still recovering from foot surgery, Mrs. SFO rests while we wait for the Avis shuttle.
With a great off-peak weekend rate, we headed for the St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel in Dana Point. Despite a couple of accidents on the 405, we made it from the Avis LAX lot to the hotel in 75 minutes. Welcome to LA traffic. Very nice hotel although the courtyard and pool area are under construction.
Pleasant standard room on the 2nd floor.
Gorgeous sunset. I think we can get used to this.
The hotel bar was packed so we headed to the bar at Michael Mina's in house restaurant, the outstanding Stonehill Tavern. Great menu and wine list.
Next morning, I headed out for breakfast while Mrs. SFO decided to forgo.
So we have to scramble to find a new home in Orange County and something with an ocean view please. Ordinarily, we'd fly United to SNA but F prices this weekend were crazy. So we're off to LAX on AA at only $74 with free EXP upgrades. With Mrs. SFO vowing to never eat another AA meal, we headed out early for a late lunch at the DIA branch of wonderful Root Down, in the C concourse.
A table with a view!
Mrs. SFO went with the fabulous Root Down Bento Box, with grilled salmon.
I couldn't resist the amazing Colorado Lamb sliders with sweet potato fries.
At around T-45, we headed for the train back to the A concourse.
Denver-LAX
AA 5977
E75
4:15p-5:55p
April 23, 2016
With bulkhead seats, we headed to the empty Priority lane, where boarding commenced a couple minutes later.
Loads of leg room in row 1.
We passed on today meal options of Oriental salad with Salmon or Charcuterie plate. But did have the crème brûlée cheesecake.
Well, you get what you pay for... the AA Bus Terminal and the bus shuttle to Terminal 4.
And the tunnel to the T4 exit.
First a little cash refill. Seriously? I select English and am asked if I really mean it???
Still recovering from foot surgery, Mrs. SFO rests while we wait for the Avis shuttle.
With a great off-peak weekend rate, we headed for the St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel in Dana Point. Despite a couple of accidents on the 405, we made it from the Avis LAX lot to the hotel in 75 minutes. Welcome to LA traffic. Very nice hotel although the courtyard and pool area are under construction.
Pleasant standard room on the 2nd floor.
Gorgeous sunset. I think we can get used to this.
The hotel bar was packed so we headed to the bar at Michael Mina's in house restaurant, the outstanding Stonehill Tavern. Great menu and wine list.
Next morning, I headed out for breakfast while Mrs. SFO decided to forgo.
Last edited by SFO777; May 3, 2016 at 7:35 am
#4
Obviously I do not read every word of every trip report (that's the purpose of pictures), so when I saw the shots of the courtyard at St. Regis I mistakenly thought that it was your house and felt incredibly inadequate.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 66
As it continues to snow here in Denver, I am also contemplating selling my house. I will be moving back to Florida instead of back to California, though; earthquakes and major traffic woes versus rising sea levels and hurricanes--there's no perfect place in the US.
I will be hoping for such a lovely real estate transaction, SFO777!
I will be hoping for such a lovely real estate transaction, SFO777!
#12
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PLT; PriorityClub Gold
Posts: 31
Congratulations
First of all, I hope you moving doesn't mean it would curtail any of your adventures in the air :-)
Secondly, from another Denverite, yes it's odd to have snow falling in May. Something makes me think that won't affect you in SoCal.
Hopefully the SNA Admiral's Club is up to MrsSFO777's standards - pretty small but probably better maintained than the DEN club.
Congrats on the move and quick sell.
Secondly, from another Denverite, yes it's odd to have snow falling in May. Something makes me think that won't affect you in SoCal.
Hopefully the SNA Admiral's Club is up to MrsSFO777's standards - pretty small but probably better maintained than the DEN club.
Congrats on the move and quick sell.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
Root Down is probably one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in an airport. When doing work travel with other co-workers I like to be the dictator, I mean planner, of where we stay/eat so when we were departing Denver I went through all the options and "suggested" we eat there. Even though flying UA requires back tracking to another terminal.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
Fun report as always; funny comment from Tom Ford. Good comments are always a plus to any trip report, and you know that you attract way more than your fair share, right?
I always eat at the Centurion Club here in DFW boarding a Spirit Flight; I'm also surprised to see this tactic used for AA's domestic F service.
I always eat at the Centurion Club here in DFW boarding a Spirit Flight; I'm also surprised to see this tactic used for AA's domestic F service.