UA 171 BOS SFO 0610 1000 319 2D Ch9^^

I rather dazedly found my way through security (which took
all of five minutes, even with our crew cutting in front)
and to the club, where I bestowed my annual Christmas
tribute of Sweet Sloops upon the desk people. Then to the
gate, where boarding had begun - about a dozen people in
the red line, of whom some were rather curtly turned back
during the process. The captain, whose name started with a
T, was out on the freezing jetbridge greeting and shaking
hands with all the pax. Set the scene for caring service
throughout. I'm still not sure about doing transcons
in the little 319 but coped with my misgivings by going
straight to sleep, missing the omelet or fruit plate dance.
Woke somewhere over the Great Plains, where the solicitous
crew offered me the fruit plate, all that was left (turns
out that every one of the other pax had requested the hot
breakfast). I asked for a croissant and a Courvoisier; the
former came speedily; they had to get some of the latter
from the back. Back to sleep. Woke to find us docking at
G ninety something in the international terminal, which was
nice, as it gave me extra time to enjoy the SKL, whose
vigilant gatekeeper welcomed me just as she turned away
some lesser soul, banishing him to the RCC down the way.

Catering was uninspired: peanuts, chips, granola, Special
K, assorted Danish. I had a George Dickel #12 followed by
a Remy VSOP - the booze selection is better than at the
RCC, and the price is right. Shortly before I left, some
savories came out: hummus and vegetables and a breakfast
selection of scrambled eggs, home fries, and sausage.

There were 5 guests in the club, outnumbering the staff
by 2.

I decided to catch the beginning of boarding so hoofed it
back to gate 100; on the way, I met restlessinRNO, Fredd,
and Mrs. Fredd. restless had row 16 upstairs, and the
Fredds, irroped from the day before, had been demoted from
row 15 to row 6. With the new alignments, there really
isn't that much difference any more, truth to tell.

UA 837 SFO NRT 1128 1530 744 15A Ch9

We got to the gate to find boarding delayed due to some kind
of IFE issue, which prevented F from boarding; so we C
people got to board first, and I saw the curious sight of
an F pax being turned away a la gate lice. He took it
surprisingly well.

Eventually we all got aboard, but then it was announced that
a valve in the #2 engine had to be replaced, so we all had
to chill our jets, as it were. We took off an hour late.

Good service of an Asian standard.

Warm nuts (lots of pecans, no macadamias) with seconds.

to begin
smoked salmon and vegetable crudite
With a sun-dried tomato dressing

Good salmon, abundant, strewn with capers. The cruddities
were as usual dry and pathetic.

fresh seasonal greens
Lite Ranch or Roasted Garlic Red Wine Vinaigrette

OK, a little wilted.

main course
[b]mustard thyme scented chicken T[b]
With warm horseradish potato salad

grilled sirloin steak with three peppercorn sauce
Au gratin potatoes and steamed broccoli with carrots

The beef was extremely strange, a big knob of mystery meat:
usually I can tell a cut of meat by its fat if nothing else.
This was chuck (not sirloin by any stretch of the
imagination - more like what UA serves under the name "short
ribs"), identifiable only by its fat in an incredibly acrid
pepper sauce. The sides were salty spinach and salty cheesy
potatoes mit viel nutmeg. Bear in mind that since my recent
health issues I have had trouble tasting salt (mixed nuts,
for example, taste sweet to me); these things tasted, well,
salty. I shudder to think. I should have had the Japanese
meal, but I'd decided to take pity on the assorted 1Ps and
things aboard.

washoku zen selection
Appetizers of barbecued eel in layered eggs, grilled scallop,
lime-flavored beef tenderloin, shrimp with vegetable sushi
rice, poached tuna with karashi miso, steamed leeks,
buckwheat soba noodles with marinated Japanese vegetables.
A main course of salmon teriyaki, braised tofu, simmered
shiitake mushroom and daikon, green beans, fresh julienne
ginger served with steamed rice and Japanese pickled
vegetables. Served with green tea. Items in this meal may
contain traces of MSG.

dessert
international cheese selection
Sartori Bellavitano, Montchevre Sun-dried Tomato and Basil
Chevre

Eli's tiramisu

I passed on dessert.

midflight snack
honey roasted turkey with baby Swiss cheese
Sandwich may be served either hot or cold

assorted sweet and savory treats are available
throughout the flight

hot noodles are available upon request

The crew provided little cups of grapes, leftover formerly
hot nuts, and a few other things, in addition to the foil-
wrapped sandwiches (heated on request) and the noodle
bowls. Also Ghirardelli 60% chocolate squares, Kit Kats,
and raisins. Most welcome.

prior to arrival
stir-fried chicken and vegetables
With egg noodles

Quite good-tasting though dry soy-sauce chicken with
nice baby bok choy and a big tangle of extremely salty
noodles. I ate a few noodles, and my ankles swelled up
immediately. Well, they swelled up worse immediately. One
issue I am having is swelling in various public and not
public limbs owing to the heart problem.

fresh seasonal fruit plate
With creamy yogurt

The wines on offer were a tolerable fairly dry Masterpeace
Shiraz 2007 (SE Australia), with some fruit and a bit of
oak, and a most disappointing bright cherry-ful Trapiche
Oak Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Mendoza). There was also
advertised a Medoc, which didn't appear on either flight.

The guy next to me watched some amusing martial arts movies
while I kept the map on. We periodically stole glances at
each other's giant screen. How can you not like a film that
invents a kung fu move called BBQ pork hock? and that
contains the line "You said you cared for me. Now I know
you're not." (According to the subtitles.)

We landed half an hour late, but there was no line at
transit security, so that sort of cancelled out. restless
went hunting for Lori_Q off the Chicago flight at the ANA
lounge, but I, in my dubious condition, chose to stick
closer to home. There was no line at the shower, so I had
one: the water pressure kept me going from scalding to
low cool, but all in all running water after a long flight
is a good thing. Then on to the Amazing Beer Machine, yay,
and then to gate 46 - which as it turns out is right by
the ANA lounge anyway, so whoops.