84fiero

I noticed that - must have been a coordinated posting with OMAAT's "my travel is real, too" post.

lwildernorva

So, if first come, first served isn't set in stone, how about Z being served before L, Gary? Or the check out girl's favorite at the Whole Foods over you although that person is behind you in line? http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....et-land-first/.

Of course, if that were really to happen, Gary would be screaming about the devaluation of whatever program did it.

It's just whose ox is getting gored, which is why "first come" generally works. And priority schemes based on any, ANY individual's preferences don't work. Although I may agree that priority schemes based on a business's preferences may work (that's why there's priority check-in for airlines and hotels), we all know ol' Gar's preferences mean he gets landed first, checked in first, acknowledged first, feet (or something else) kissed first every time.

84fiero

Managing ATC can be complex and challenging enough as it is, I can't imagine adding in another variable like that on a routine basis.

I did enjoy today's post on food in Paris though

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....breads-sweets/

kokonutz

I thought it was odd. Lots of photos of groceries.

I guess Gary was hungry...or is it a game attempt at throwing in some 'travel blog' type posts?

But then I learned that Ray’s Hell Burger went Hell because, well, Obama.

But USDA is a-ok.

Yeah, I thought it was odd...

FallenPlat

The non-restaurant "food" post is actually a travelogue staple. Points & Pixie Dust had a pretty decent one a few months ago about Paris's rotating outdoor food markets.

I thought the post was interesting. The especially interesting point, for me, was that the first comment ignored the post completely and simply lambasted Gary for staying at the Park Vendome rather than at some boutique hotel. To me this seems, like a lot of stuff I've seen lately on the we're-all-blog-critics front, silly to the point of being affirmatively weird -- as though the comment poster has a personal and vindictive agenda of some sort. Local food markets and Gary's hotel are two completely unrelated topics.

The irony, from my personal point of view, is that I agree with the comment! From a local-market and reasonably-priced-restaurant perspective, the Vendome area is also practically the Sahara. Close to some chic stores, though.

kokonutz

The post was about the grocery shopping, but the PV was featured in the post as a link to a previous trip report post:



BTW, that's how we grocery shopped in NYC when I was a kid: butcher, fruit stand, fish market, etc. Maybe that's why it feels to me like a trip report trying to make something as mundane as grocery shopping seem fancy.

st1575

I am waiting for someone to review the actual Place Vendome and its surroundings. Seriously, some pictures of the Van Cleef & Arpels bling juxtaposed against shots of the Ministry of Justice would make a nice post, n'est-ce pas?

lwildernorva

Just as Gary probably doesn't give a damn about my opinion of him (although nice mention of Whole Foods in this post!), I'm sure Michael Landrum doesn't give a damn about whether Gary feels his restaurants jumped the shark because Obama ate there.

Nevertheless, a refreshing change from posts designed to insert tons of credit card links--although maybe with similar posts in the future about grocery shopping, we'll see mentions of the category bonus for grocery store shopping if using the Amex Everyday cards with the appropriate links. . .

FallenPlat

Yes, of course I had seen the prior Park Vendome post. And didn't read it. Life is too short even to read about saying there, let alone actually staying there.

But st1575's comment? Now that's funny -- pure greatness!

gpapadop

I must admit i learned something new lately in VFTW: I had no idea what macarons were. I do now. Look like a calorie bomb but to each their own I guess

YoungSoloTraveler

Mmacarons are not that bad for you if you eat 1-2 small pieces. Around 35-50 calories each. Problem is when you eat the entire box in one go. Good thing my wallet can't handle the prices.

kokonutz

Speaking of eating too many cookies,

Unfortunately for those who need to lose weight:


HT: View From the Cookie

1848

It's sad that so many people just eat these stories up. The idea that this passes as important, interesting, or even valid news just seems so wrong.

kokonutz

Gary appears to have read the joshing around and responded yesterday in another blog entry emphasizing that the point is not the cookie itself but the fact that AA was paying attention to the cookie and peoples' reaction to it and are working to improve 'soft product.'

Personally, I think that's silly. Airlines are always tinkering with offerings. Sometimes a cookie is just a cookie.

To me the funny thing is how into the minutia some of us get and how much some of us read into it. I seem to recall it being the end of the world when some airline or another went from two to one olives on their salads in domestic F.

And, of course, the whole cold nuts disaster that occurs from time to time.

But here is the thing: how many of us would have a cookie after lunch unless we were on an airplane? 300 or so empty calories?

I almost never get the cookie or the sundae on a plane ("I stopped accepting them," so to speak).

I prefer to get my empty calories from inflight alcohol!

lwildernorva

I'm sure someone smarter than me can explain what this post is all about!