Caught a ride with dedehans and Hans, and we repaired to the
Lobby Bar for drinks. In bed at an unconscionably early hour
... but then got up at 2. Words of experience: there's
nothing to do around the Sheraton at 0200, unless you want
to get in major, major trouble.
monitor called around 9. There was a ride to be had to the
airport, if I wanted to get there early. Fine with me, more
time to schmooze.
Got to the airport in jig time, said bye to monitor and
Franny, and arranged to check out the Board Room with lili
and Nick, who had invited me to join them. Screening was a
snap, and I was in front of the room in about 10 minutes,
but owing to a security breach and accompanying lockdown, I
didn't find them until after 11. I'd even had them paged and
everything.
Turns out that even with her first-class ticket and numerous
elite status she doesn't have guesting privilege, so I ended
up springing for a day pass (she felt guilty for not being
able to follow through on her invitation and split the cost
with me).
We ran into Cholula and his lovely wife and chatted with
them for a good long time.
There's a 3 drink max at the club! Oh, well. I had one of
lili's and one of Nick's, as they headed off fairly early,
and stole one, and ended up with 6. I am mildly fond of
Alaska Amber, and after dropping the dough I felt entitled
to as many as I could choke down.
At noon soup comes out. This day it was "basil chicken chili
with beans," but despite that inauspicious monicker it
turned out to be filling and fairly decent, though rather
bland - a dose of hot sauce would have helped quite a bit.
Up to the N gates, where I bade goodbye to Cholula and +1.
The RCC men's room has three sinks. Two were inop, and the
other was clogged with blown chunks. What a classy airline.
0817 UA 980 SEA DEN 1438 1815 752 2A Ch9^ Empower
A full flight, mostly smooth and uneventful, it seems: I
must admit that I slept from before the safety briefing
until the meal order and then from the conclusion of lunch
to touchdown.
The meal was the deli plate that I recall from numerous
redeye flights: one slice of salty but real roast beef; two
of smoked turkey; one slice each of very bland semisoft
cheese and very bland yellow Cheddar; one slice each of
watermelon and pineapple; and a spray of grapes. Not bad,
but not first class, either.
UA 980 DEN BOS 1905 0053 752 5D Ch9
^ Empower
A peculiar dinner, served on one tray:
hummus and crackers - this came without explanation, a big
ball of the stuff on a lettuce leaf, more than your average
diner would want to eat, unless a middle easterner, in
which case it would be the whole meal; the stuff was okay,
somewhat underseasoned and underlemoned;
chicken teriyaki with vegetables (green beans, red Bell
peppers, carrots, zucchini) and soapweed rice - a half
breast, surprisingly tender, with a sweet ginger glaze;
okay veggies, too much cilantro in the rice;
mixed fancy greens salad with red Bell peppers and dried
apple - pretty standard, served with that Asian sesame
dressing;
crumbly, slightly stale Black Forest cake.
The red wine was a weird, cooked-tasting Zin whose identity
I didn't run out to seek; speaking of running out, it did,
whereupon it was replaced by a Malbec, but I was on
Courvoisier by that time.
We landed a bit late, but that's not a big deal as I didn't
have anyplace to go.