CHRIS PELUSO

Here I am at SFO. This was a familiar place last year, where I departed on flights totaling around 90,000 miles. These trips took me to more international destinations in one year than I had ever been in any year prior, and I'm not even including Canada. A total of 3 countries outside the US- the UK, Philippines, and China. All places I had never been before. All places I knew I would visit sometime in my future. Who knew they'd all happen in 2009, a year that will probably be looked back on as a more negative than positive period in history.

During all those trips however, I never stepped foot in the SFO Delta SkyClub, a club I am free to visit because of my Amex Delta Reserve Card. I'm not going to tell you if the card is worth it ($495/year), but if you have the option of visiting the SkyClub, it's a great way to spend your stay at the airport. For some reason, I had low expectations of the SFO club. Perhaps it's because the Delta terminal at SFO is a second-rate terminal. United has a great terminal, obviously, but even Virgin America is moving to the currently-being-renovated Terminal 2, which should be pretty slick when it's done. The Delta terminal is this hob-bob of old gates with shiny "high-tech" gate numbers, unfamiliar chain stores, and some smoothie place at the very end. So, you can see why my expectations for SFO SkyClub were low...

Well, I'm happy to say, my expectations are exceeded. Don't get me wrong. This place is not the Tokyo SkyClub, which served sushi and variety of other snacks and drinks, but it is clean and has a wide variety of drinks. Plus, it's got decent Internet access, which is what I'm using right now. The only other unusual thing abou this SkyClub is it's outside the terminal, before you go through security... Maybe that's the only way it can stay away from the ugliness that is Terminal 2, Delta.

If you get a chance, check it out, grab a drink, and use the private restrooms before that long flight.

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Just got back from a work trip to Austin and Dallas, Texas. I gotta admit, Texas is much better than I expected, but also less than I expected in certain aspects.

I landed in Austin on Tuesday evening and was picked up by Peter in his relatively new, white Honda Accord. We were both hungry so we decided to immediately grab some Tex-Mex food at Guero's. This place, as well as South Congress, really got me into the local scene of good food, good looking people, and cheap eats, and all with this cool, low-key vibe. I had Queso for the first time, but this was no ordinary Queso. This Queso had chorizo and green onions in it. Amazingly good with the tortillas and freshly made chips. My dinner consisted of chicken and steak tacos. Both were tasty, but I got sort of full from the Queso.

Another really cool thing on South Congress was the "Trailer Eateries". This is a little trailer park, but the trailers were actually walk up restaurant-trailers with such places as Hey Cupcake! and The Mighty Cone! (yes, both places have exclamation points in their names). We didn't stop here as most of them looked closed for the evening. Our night, however, did not end at Guero's.. I got a quick tour of all the greatness known simply as 6th Street. Say "6th Street" anywhere in Texas, and probably anywhere west of the Mississippi, and people immediately know what you're talking about. The blocks on and around 6th contain something like 250 bars and music venues.. Wild! 6th (East of Congress, that is) has many of the bars, while the Red River District has some of the most well known music venues. I think this East 6th area is often referred to as "Dirty 6th". As you head West on 6th and cross Congress, 6th becomes a little more foo-foo. A little nicer bars, furniture stores, and a crazy Whole Foods supermarket. I say "super" because that thing took up a whole downtown city block! I was told this is the corporate headquarters as well, so it makes sense.

We ended the night at this amazingly cool bar called Lustre Pearl. Oh. My. God. This place was frickin cool. Wish I had the chance to see it on a weekend night. This was Tuesday. It still had a really cool vibe... Chill. Cheap drinks. Fun people. Ping Pong. Hoola Hoops. This place was a converted home that must have been built in the late 1800's or early 1900's. It had that old home charm, but was a bar with full indoor and outdoor areas to hang out. Really cool. Really hot. The neighborhood, though, is weird. House across the street is boarded up. A couple houses down is a beautiful example of the original architecture. Then empty lots with overgrown weeds, grass, dirt, and some abandoned vehicles.  In San Francisco, realtors might call this an "up and coming neighborhood".. (sarcasm).. And then... Lustre's sister location, more upscale bar- Clive Bar. We just went to see it because it opened a couple months ago, but wow! I am impressed! Clean. Streamlined. Comfortable. Warm. This is a place, along with Lustre, I would definitely take people visiting, or looking for something different. Similar formula as Lustre with Indoor and Outdoor areas, built from a converted, old house, but you can feel the dial move from casual to "pop your collar". It's interesting because Clive doesn't feel pretentious or overdone, but you can feel the simple opulence around you. From the white, leather bar stools to the clever Patron tequila bottle chandeliers, Clive does a great job making you feel special being there. I just hope the neighborhood finds its identity. Seems like its at a crossroads of high rise condos, old school beautiful homes, run down lots, boarded up homes, and these two bars. I guess we'll see in the near future since I plan on making a visit to Austin at least once per year.

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While Chris is in Vegas working (partying), I wondered to myself what I should do after work today. It has been a long and stressful week as usual with some "wins" peppered throughout. I didn't feel so drained at the end of the day, but I didn't feel like going out. Tonight was the first night I took a walk by myself in San Francisco. Usually I am with with other people or at least the dogs. It was a cool, breezy night and on the quiet side. There were some folks walking around, having dinner at Amici's, fishing in Mission Bay and hanging out at the yacht club facility. I didn't walk far, just up until I caught view of the Bay Bridge. It's a sight to take in - the bridge in the backdrop, the water and the many sailboats docked close by. It felt very refreshing and I think I should take the 45-60 minutes sometimes to simply look around without the cell phones, laptops, and constant "buzz" we're always surrounded by. Sometimes people think that it's not worth it to give time to themselves or that they can't spare a few minutes to do it, but it really does soothe the soul. 

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This morning flew by for me. I was sitting in front of the computer working away when I suddenly felt faint. I looked at the clock and it was way past 1pm already. Time for some lunch! I decided to brave the crowds and go out to grab some food. After walking to Citibank to get some cash, I roamed around the streets wondering what I should eat. Hmm, I don't want to sit down by myself so I try to find a quick and easy takeout spot. I find myself near the Times Square mall where there was a booth for "Hot crispy sandwiches" so I go over there to grab one. They are hot pocket-like sandwiches in the shape of fish! I get a bacon, tomato and mushroom flavored one. I eat that while I continue to walk the streets and almost squirt tomato sauce all over myself. LOL. I'm still hungry and the famous quote of "Do something that scares you everyday" repeats itself in my head. I go over to one of the vendors and say "HI!" really loudly. I point to the chicken wing and rice dish and say "TOGO". She says "TAKEOUT?" and I say "YES!". I have to say this loudly since it's so noisy out on the streets with people walking/whizzing by on each side. I wait while they cook it up. They give it to me and I am so happy and proud of myself! I go over next door for a drink. Hmm, what shall I order. Milk tea in a bottle? Score! I trek all the way back to the hotel to devour my lunch, but first I have to share with the whole world my small accomplishment of the day. Now, time to eat!

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Lan_Kwai_Fong.zip (363 KB)

Just a couple pics from our visit to this bar and restaurant district. These were taken around midnight.
 

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We're staying at the Jia hotel in Causeway Bay which is at the center of bustling activity, restaurants, markets, nail salons, massage shops, stores and much much more. Only a few steps away from the hotel, we came across a restaurant that was open at 8am. Honestly, I'm intimidated by some of the storefronts here because they are so foreign to me, but this restaurant had some english on the menu displayed outside. Chris and I sat down in front of a window into the "kitchen". Inside, there was a man who was flipping dough into tasty goodies like green onion pancake and pork buns. We decided on xiao long bao, shu mai, har gau, and beef noodle soup.

We ate every bite and I felt happily satisfied at the end of the meal.

In the spirit of James Oseland -

Quick service, affordable prices, tastey morsels and a feast for your eyes and stomach... four and half stars.

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First_24_Hours_in_Hong_Kong.zip (3881 KB)

I love it here... This is my second trip West.. errr.. to the Far East this year, that is, if you consider the Philippines part of the Far East. We've been in Hong Kong for a little more than 24 hours and it's been a blast, but exhausting. Charlene took work calls using Skype from 1AM to 4AM HK time, and I was in and out sleep that whole time. I woke up around 7AM to catch up on some work and chat with San Jose before the work week ended. I got a lot done and feel confident for the work events on Monday and Tuesday.

After finally putting work to bed, we got to get outside and experience the City. It is really hot and humid, and I'm thankful that there is some overcast to soften the sun's power. The people here are very nice and English in commonly spoken. That makes it very easy to feel comfortable and enjoy everything rather than worry about language barriers. Hong Kong is huge and mostly beautiful. From fish stench to sweet bakery aromas, the smells all over the City vary dramatically. A couple times, we followed the bakery smells to some great food stops...

Originally, we were going to swing through Macau on this day, but I decided to pull the plug on that idea. I wanted to make sure we stayed relatively close to the hotel in case we got too tired to keep going. Instead, we did a subway ride around the City and to Tung Chung to check out the Tian Tan Buddha. That was a great site to behold, but put us over our energy limit for exploring. We did a little outlet shopping around Tung Chung then headed back to our hotel to get some rest. The MTR (subway system) is amazing. Reminds me of the London Underground, but maybe even better. I don't think we waited more than 3 minutes for a train all day long! Wish I could say them same for San Francisco's MUNI system. On the way back, I was able to get a haircut so I can look decent for the press interview Monday (did I mention I'm in Hong Kong primarily for work?)... Hopefully everything goes smoothly, and we impress the press with Kerio's vision.

Anywho.. After resting for a while at the hotel, we went to Lan Kwai Fong to hang out and see what the hype was all about. It's a pretty crazy place with bars, clubs, and restaurants all vying for the tourist dollars. We ended up in a place called Chocolate, which is a cool spot to hang out and have some expensive drinks. Music was good 90's hip-hop, and the crowd was entertaining. We called it a night around 12:30AM and headed back to Jia Hotel in Causeway Bay. We did grab a last minute bite just outside the hotel, which made me happy before having to get some rest.

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Sailing_in_Santa_Cruz.zip (349 KB)

Today, after a long night of poker, we met some friends in Santa Cruz to BBQ and go sailing. It was a great day for both, even though the fires in the area were cloudying up the sky a bit. It was great to see everyone, as we don't get to see them as much as we would like.
 

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I missed my normal 6:59AM train this morning, but that's ok because I get to hop on a newer train. This "baby bullet" takes an hour and gets me to San Jose right after the earlier train. This newer train has nicer, cleaner(!!) seats and outlets to stay powered up the entire trip. That's good because my 3 year old MBP can barely make it an hour unless I turn the screen brightness all the way down. Anyway, have a great Friday!
 

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Most likely going to the Asian Art Museum in the City tonight to check out "Lords of the Samurai". I heard about this from a colleague a couple months ago, and he said it was amazing! He was ecstatic about how the swords that were forged as early as the 1100's looked like they could have been made today (meaning they were still in *PERFECT* condition). All this made me very curious to check the exhibit out myself. Thursday is the only day of the week the Asian Art Museum is open past 5PM, plus its only $10 ($7 discount). If anyone is interested in joining Charlene and me tonight, hit us up!

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