Live update:
Happy St Pat's Day one and all. Greetings from the 33rd floor of the Waldorf Towers. Operating on about 3 hours sleep so bear with me please...
Flight Details
We arrived PHX Sky Harbor about an hour before flight time for UA 684. Having read the weather forecasts at least 3 times per day for the last week, we had to check luggage -- cold weather gear tends to be bulky. This is rather new to us -- we're worshippers of the sun. Our shorts to sweater ratio is about 11:1. As much as our host enjoys Jimmy Buffet, I realized the aloha wear would need to stay in the closet. But I digress...
FC check in had 7 people waiting when we arrived. One poor soul was on the 810am flight to ORD which was already an hour late. His connection to somewhere would be missed so he was going with us. The agent handed him his boarding pass for row 31 -- poor guy dang near died. Our check in after a 10 minute wait was smooth and effortless. Love to watch those worthless little priority tags disappear on the belt into the bowels of the airport only to reappear near the end of the load at our destination.
Raeban had developed a powerful thirst from our standing on queue so we headed straight for the smoking bar (the RCC in PHX is non-smoking and your correspondent refuses to fly for 3+ hours without having several nicotine fixes). Raeban immediately orders Absolut bloody marys (double for a dollar more? Silly question!). We decide to head for Gate C (my favorite gate because you can smoke all the way out to the gate) about 20 minutes before departure. Gate C is deserted when we arrive -- we've missed the pre-boarding and all the rest too. As we wind around the Gate C jetway maze we find out the plane isn't empty -- everyone is hiding on the jetway. We make the usual left turn at the door to arrive at seats 1CD. Overhead space full but we manage to find places to stash the cameras and laptop, etc. Offered OJ. Is the champagne open yet? No... Mimosas appear in seconds. Decent run of the mill UA FC service to ORD. Catering didn't load the new movies (UA switches movie offerings on the 16th of the month). Stuck with The Bachelor. Ignore movie, listen to Channel 9. Raeban has the fruit plate, I get the carbo-plate (kudos to Quiet Lion for the name). Arrive on time in ORD. Deplane to hit the RCC, the outside frigid smoking area and shop for beanie babies. Re-board the same plane only to find my personal magazines have disappeared during the cleaning process. On time departure. Lunch service (filet or salmon -- we both opt for filet which is overcooked as usual). No channel 9 (boo hiss catcalls!)
The -DO begins
Put on our winter outerwear upon arrival and trek to LGA's ancient baggage area. Immediately begin sweating (perspiring for our more genteel members) profusely. It's 60+ dang degrees in NYC. This is winter? At security we meet our host, The Catdude himself. After hugs and kisses, I turn on my cell phone to discover that work has several simultaneous disasters for me to handle. Our priority tagged luggage arrives near the end (as usual).
Off to the taxi queue and then into the city. I have no true recollection of the ride in -- I was on the phone the entire time...
Arrive at the Waldorf Astoria. Long line. Ask for the HHonors line -- there isn't one. After 10 minute wait admiring the Waldorf clock, am courteously greeted, told we have a marvelous upgraded room in the Waldorf Towers. Given two drink coupons, told to help ourselves to the Evian in the mini-bar. Room is nice -- a bit small but on the 33rd floor with a view into several other buildings.
Catdude and Raeban unpack us while I talk (yell, swear, curse, threathen, cajole, cry) on the phone. We decide to head for cocktails after I determine all is lost at work. We head for the Towers lounge on the 26th floor where I immediately make a lifelong friend of the lounge maiden by helping myself to generous portions of gin and re-arranging furniture. Nice lounge, good spread. We head downstairs to have more cocktails and admire the beauty of the Waldorf.
Sir Harry's is packed, the Bull and Bear is packed, so we end up at the Cocktail Terrace where a wannabe piano-diva (fortunately) goes on break as soon as we arrive (has my luck turned??
)
Catdude, the host with the most, has made reservations for dinner at Sparks. We invite SXJ to join but she has plans. Sparks is a steakhouse that is hopping. Incredible wine list, terrific service and I had a veal loin chop the size of some states just north of here. Wonderful dinner with great friends. Who wants more?
We head for our 11pm rendezvous with SXJ and Patrick at the Rainbow Room. We walk in the rain (singing of course) and Raeban admires the sites and sounds of her first NYC evening. We have a lovely view of the Empire State Building for maybe five minutes before the low clouds literally take away the view of everything. SXJ and Patrick arrive and another online friendship goes live and in person. We enjoy cocktails until they tell us to leave. We agree with them because it's 2am and raining and we all have a big Friday planned. Catdude hails a taxi and drops us at the Waldorf before heading across the river to see his kids, complete final preparations for the -DO and, hopefully, get a bit of sleep.
It's 921am now -- we meet SXJ in the lobby in about 2 hours. More later -- including a report of Raeban's first encounter with Kripsy Kremes. Also coming: pictures...
Signing off...