As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Go west, young [travel] thread

1959698100101

Posts

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    It's good to know that you can apparently hack your way into being goddamn Sky Captain for sixty bones.
    To be sure, I don't know if this is what they would do normally or if it was just because they affected my itinerary with a schedule change necessitating the additional flight.

  • SkeithSkeith Registered User regular
    edited September 2019
    edit- nevermind

    Skeith on
    aTBDrQE.jpg
  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    Yesterday I had my first truly bad experience with an Airbnb. I had looked up an apartment in Northern Virginia a few months ago, and found a place with a reasonable price in an easily accessible location. My requirements were that it was cheaper than nearby hotels, it had a washer and dryer, and free parking. I figured I knew enough about the area to find something decent, having lived here for a while.
    I was turned off immediately after arriving, when I discovered that the building didn't look like any of the surrounding, nicer apartments - it was one of those tiny whitewashed cinderblock buildings stuck in the back of a used car lot. I figured it couldn't be that bad inside, because the pictures from the ad were very nice, so we gathered our stuff and walked in.
    The first thing that greeted us in the doorway was one of those rubber mats like you find in the gym - it's comprised of these interlocking parts that look like puzzle pieces - and it was just there in the middle of the floor. I looked in the direction of the living room and spotted another mat sticking out from underneath the carpet in the sitting area, like they started to cover it and only discovered after they started that it wouldn't be big enough, but said Fuck It. Same for the bedroom, visible from the front door.
    It looked atrocious, but I figured "Okay, I guess there are sound issues to the apartment below. I guess it's fine." So I started to walk around the rest of the apartment and it dawned on me that the reason the building was hideous and in a weird location is because they clearly had bought an old 4-unit office building and flipped it specifically for renting out. Questionable zoning practices aside, it looked like shit. They must've done the job recently, and incompetently, because there were marks and unfilled holes all over the walls from wear and tear, furniture looked kinda crappy, it all just gave a very weird air.
    Now, I'm an extremely forgiving person when it comes to being a customer. I do my very best to be understanding of people that I'm giving money to. In the case for all other Airbnbs in the past, I viewed them as someone's home where they were allowing me to stay...but this place had none of that atmosphere. They might've even gotten away with it too, if I hadn't collapsed disappointedly on the bed and been confronted by the worst goddamn mattress I've ever felt in my life. It was hard, and not in a "I've got a bad back so I need a stiff mattress" way, but in a "Let's roll some packing foam out over some recycled palettes and call it a day" one. I'd had enough. I opened the Airbnb app to look at the original ad, thinking all along "How could I have gotten this so wrong? I always look at the photos and I wouldn't have stayed here if it looked like this."
    Turns out, it didn't look like this. The apartment photos were nice, because it was a different goddamn apartment. The furniture was in a different arrangement and there was more of it, there were decorations on the walls instead of marks and divots, the rooms were different sizes. I contacted the owner, first by phone (they didn't answer), then by message, asking for an explanation of why it didn't look like the pictures. I'd already decided we were leaving but I wanted to know a reason so I would have some ammo when I went to Airbnb for a refund. They answered my message pretty promptly (figures they'd message instead of answering the phone) and explained that "This has never been a problem before" and that they own the entire building and rent out all of the rooms. So these assholes basically decorated a model unit and put those pictures up on Airbnb, then rented the shitty one out to me. The crazy thing was they had a reasonable number of five-star reviews. Was I just so unlucky that I got the bad one? Did the other three apartments look okay? Were the reviews faked? Anyway.
    I took screenshots of all the photos in the ad, then went around the entire apartment taking pictures to compare in case I needed evidence for a refund, though when I told the owner why I was canceling suddenly (this unit doesn't match what I paid for), he said it's slow season in DC so if I'd just check out so they can re-rent it I'd get a full refund.
    So we came to a hotel nearby. It's more expensive, but the experience yesterday made me so angry I didn't want to try and find another Airbnb on short notice. Unfortunately, now we don't have an in-unit washer and dryer like I wanted. And despite the owner fairly promptly answering my messages yesterday when I was angry, they've been mysteriously slow to process the full refund request I sent at the end of the conversation. Go fucking figure, right? So I guess they've got 72 hours to respond before I can get Airbnb involved to mediate.

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular

    I used this promotion back in February to fly from Tokyo to Sapporo to Fukuoka back to Tokyo for about $300 total, and the deal is still active. Also, it's under their international flight baggage allowances, so 2 pieces of up to 23 kg/50 lb is included in the fare.
    https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/promotions/share/experience_jp/

  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    I'm going to New York for a work trip this weekend, and I have Sunday free. I've previously done a fair bit in Manhattan, such as Central Park, the Cloisters, the Met, Natural History Museum, High Line.

    I'm struggling of what to do with so little time, but I never went to Brooklyn, and I'm thinking of checking out DUMBO, and (if dock/dockless bikes are worth a damn there) biking from prospect park down to coney island, wandering around, then heading back. Is that a thing people would recommend? I'd probably be happy enough going back to the Met to see what I missed the first time, or going to Governor's Island, or wandering around some Manhattan(where I'll be staying) neighborhoods.

    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited September 2019
    Septus wrote: »
    I'm going to New York for a work trip this weekend, and I have Sunday free. I've previously done a fair bit in Manhattan, such as Central Park, the Cloisters, the Met, Natural History Museum, High Line.

    I'm struggling of what to do with so little time, but I never went to Brooklyn, and I'm thinking of checking out DUMBO, and (if dock/dockless bikes are worth a damn there) biking from prospect park down to coney island, wandering around, then heading back. Is that a thing people would recommend? I'd probably be happy enough going back to the Met to see what I missed the first time, or going to Governor's Island, or wandering around some Manhattan(where I'll be staying) neighborhoods.

    hi
    brooklyn is fun
    the dock bikes are doable, but nyc is not the most bike friendly place in parts, and i dunno if the bike ride between prospect park to coney island is that nice (like the stuff in between, not that pleasant / scenic)
    if you want to go to coney island i'd say take the subway

    the transit museum is interesting if you like that kind of stuff, and not far from dumbo
    dumbo and brooklyn bridge park are not bad to walk around, and brooklyn heights is a pretty neighborhood too. cobble hill has a lot of cool restaurants and bars and stuff too.

    brooklyn museum isn't bad and currently has a cool fashion exhibit that i've been meaning to see, and the neighborhoods around it / prospect park area are pleasant

    hmm what kinda stuff are you into?

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    Bad news, there ain't no Citibike dock stations at Coney Island. Good point I suppose about the ride there, I picked it because it looks like it could be one of the safest routes in the city, using Ocean Parkway. If I'm not going to bike, I don't think I would really go much further into Brooklyn than Prospect Park.

    I'm not sure what to say I'd be looking for, other than I really like museums and parks, but I've done the obvious ones of those in New York. I might consider the Guggenheim, but it might be a little moderny for me. Is the Intrepid museum worth doing for a moderate fan of ships and planes?

    I may look into seeing a sketch/improv show, UCB jumps out at me but I don't know if it's hard to get into or whether there's good alternatives.

    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • EddyEddy Gengar the Bittersweet Registered User regular
    pooka wrote: »
    anyone got Charleston, SC recommendations? we'll be there for a wedding in October, and between its rep and never having visited, the beau is up for spending a few extra days.

    looking at staying French Quarterish or near the bridge in Mt. Pleasant, making it easy both to explore downtown and get to the wedding site (and hopefully the airport.) we're not super-luxury budget, but splurging a bit for a B&B or modest boutique hotel is a consideration.

    also, he's got a recent Celiac initial diagnosis (gotta wait to double-check), so any travel tips there are welcome. continental breakfasts ain't got the same appeal :/ i'm also considering short-term rentals so we could cook, if i can't find safe restaurant options.

    he's real into history, i've got a shallow appreciation for architecture, and we both like just walking around seeing what we can see, so i'm sure i can dig up some good stuff on my own. but again, i welcome any tips.

    Husk is a cool restaurant there but I'm not sure how it jives with Celiac's

    I visited the aircraft carrier that's anchored nearby and that's actually pretty cool

    Architecturally the city is interesting but I ended up just walking around and enjoying the general semi-NOLA-esque vibe

    "and the morning stars I have seen
    and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    @tynic and other relevant parties, where ought a person eat in Boston these days? And are there any new cultural things that have popped up over the last few years that should be on a must-see list? So far my list has been the Isabella Stewart Gardner, the Arthur M. Sackler and the Fogg, and... Although my brother and I are very similar he gets a certain glazed eyeball after the third hour in art museums so.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2019
    Oh boy, big questions.
    Picnic in the arnold arboretum is nice if it's not winter, and the museum of bad art is worth a look just because it gives an excuse to go to my favorite wine bar afterwards (Spoke). I find most of the stuff worth doing in Boston are one-offs, like art markets and weird tech events (there's a Star trek jewelry making session on this weekend). So it's definitely worth checking out things like Meetup or what's on Boston for specific dates.

    I'll come back to this if I think of anything else, this is just off the top of my head - also I spend most of my time north of the river, so I'm gonna divide up recs geographically:

    In and around Boston
    I've already mentioned the museum of bad art and there is such a thing as too much museum, but the Warren anatomical museum has some cool shit in it, including the skull of Phineas Gage. I've heard excellent things about The Trolley of the Doomed (in a corny way), and you can recover with one of north America's best old fashioneds upstairs at the Omni Parker, which is also just a fun late night hangout. Shopping is obvious (Newbury st, not much else) but there's some interesting places up on the west end if you keep your eyes peeled.

    There are also several genuinely good escape rooms around the city centre, if that's of interest I can give more specific recs.

    Food/drink: forum standbys are buttermilk and bourbon, Moliere, and maybe the salty pig for charcuterie. Brownstone does a good brunch, Douzo is fantastic. I don't explore much beyond that very often, other people might be able to hook you up better here.

    In and around Cambridge and Somerville:
    La laboratoire in Cafe Art Science is erratic but on a good day can be brilliant and fascinating. And at the worst, still has some of the most innovative cocktails on the east coast.
    Harvard natural history museum and anthropology museum hit all the private-museum-nutso buttons, plus it has some cool dinosaurs. And if you have a friendly contact with a Harvard ID (wink wink) you can even get in for free. And there's a makers and artisan market somewhere in Somerville which I can't remember the name of, but I'll come back and fill it in later .
    There's also a bunch of breweries - lamplighter is fairly chill.

    Food - Central has the most vibrant food scene, monkfish and little donkey are two I always recommend, also La Fabrica for carribean jazz and cocktails. Somerville has red bones and sugidama, two of my favourite places, as well as the aforementioned Spoke wine bar. Harvard proper is largely student-oriented, but the dumpling house on mass Ave is cheap and good, The Abbey has a fantastic scotch and bourbon list, Orinoco does authentic Venezuelan, and the Boston Tea Stop has the best bubble tea in the city. Inman square also has some great places for food and coffee, but it's a bit out of the way.

    tynic on
  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    If only they'd given me this sale last month. 34k Skymiles round-trip to Tokyo would have been much better than 68k.
    https://thriftytraveler.com/delta-skymiles-flash-sale-tokyo/

  • JuggernutJuggernut Registered User regular
    I think I missed my window. Found out I'm probably getting two weeks or so off for Christmas but now everything thing I'm looking at is like, $1500+ one way as opposed to $700ish a month or two ago.

    Boo.

  • SabreMauSabreMau ネトゲしよう 판다리아Registered User regular
    SabreMau wrote: »
    Just booked a hotel room in Osaka that was only $19 a night, individual rooms not bunkbed dorms, getting really good reviews from reviewers on multiple sites, and is so new that the current Google Street View is of it under construction and the one before that is of an empty lot.

    Now my only concern is that they can sustain that level of quality through next year and it wasn't just that new-hotel smell keeping everyone happy.
    Well, I figured this might happen. Then it happened.
    Orbitz World Wide has an urgent message regarding your reservation on 1/27/2020.

    STAY Vintage NAKAZAKI EAST (34869835) has recently informed us they’re unable to accommodate your reservation because they will no longer be open during your travel dates.
    Thank you for responding and we apologize for any inconvenience. The hotel will be permanently closed so they will not able to accommodate the reservation.
    Guess they weren't able to keep going with rates that cheap.

  • Houk the NamebringerHouk the Namebringer Nipples The EchidnaRegistered User regular
    Ahh, that sucks dude. I just got done booking lodgings for my last-minute trip to Japan next week, so I definitely feel your pain.

  • ShadowhopeShadowhope Baa. Registered User regular

    My next trip is booked! I'm assuming/hoping that the UK won't become a desolate hellscape immediately after Brexit, and I'll be heading there in April. I'm looking forward to the sunshine and dry weather.

    (It really is warmer and drier in the UK in April than it is here in Halifax).

    7ey8iwt6iwle.png

    This trip is pretty much all about castles - there are nine or ten that I hope to visit. I have a rail pass to get from whichever city I'm staying in to whatever place I want to see. Some of this might get compacted a bit by opportunity. For example, if I can see Ludlow in the morning, and make it to Chester for the afternoon, that would buy me back a day that I might use to go to another site - Carlisle Castle comes to mind as a likely target. And yes, I'm aware that some of these rail trips will be long - most notably Manchester to Caernarfon, which will be about three hours each way. I'll manage.

    The only destination that's absolutely locked in is Bovington on the 25th. In one of the non-castle stops on the trip, I'll be going to the Bovington Tank Museum. They're having Tiger Day that day, where they'll be rolling around the world's last operational Tiger tank. In order to go on that day, I've had to pre-order my ticket. I also bought a few raffle tickets for the chance to ride on the Tiger tank.

    I'm also planning on going to the Imperial War Museum North while in Manchester, Old Trafford, the Imperial War Museum in London, the D-Day museum in Portsmouth, the King Tut exhibit in London, the musical "Come From Away" in London, and hopefully other musicals or comedies each other night in London.

    Right now, the biggest unplanned section of the trip is "what do I do in Manchester at night." I'll be staying close to the Piccadilly train station, close to the Gay Village and Chinatown. I'm planning on walking through those areas in the evenings, and there's a few bits of Victorian industrial stuff that I'll try to get pictures of during the evening golden hours (any particular suggestions would be welcome). But as someone who doesn't drink, and doesn't enjoy pubs/clubs, I'm somewhat at a loss of what else I might do. I might end up just walking around and/or reading.

    Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
  • Houk the NamebringerHouk the Namebringer Nipples The EchidnaRegistered User regular
    I've been thinking about planning a trip to the UK in the spring, but I haven't committed to pulling the trigger just yet. There's sooo much I wanna see, it's a little overwhelming.

  • SkeithSkeith Registered User regular
    James May's show has me jonesing for another Japan trip. This is less than ideal because I can't swing the costs for at least a year, probably longer than that.

    aTBDrQE.jpg
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    Random observation: don't ever take modern conveniences for granted.

    I miss having a shower. About 1 week left.

  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    edited January 2020
    In related news, because we had to run into town today and I had some time, I went to a barber shop and got a shave (because shaving without a mirror and with our water from the well being not super great atm, which is also getting fixed, but we're limiting "good" water use for the time being).

    Getting those sorts of things done while traveling can be fun! Turns out hair cuts (which I knew) and shaves (which I did not) in the Philippines also include short (1-3 minute) scalp and upper back massages, and are quite inexpensive compared to in the states. I highly recommend it!

    Jragghen on
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    I am enthusiastic about being in Sydney at the end of this week.

    I am less enthusiastic about Australia generally being served en flambé at the moment. :bigfrown:

    And then two weeks until Bali for CNY, woo!

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • JMan711JMan711 6'8" weighs a f*&#ing ton He's coming, he's coming, he's comingRegistered User regular
    I’m currently on my flight to New Zealand for my Honeymoon! We’re going with friends of ours who also got married a few months ago as sort of a co-Honeymoon.

    We’re just sticking to the north island for two weeks. We’re landing in Auckland, heading to Wine Island, Hobbiton, Rotorua, and then Wellington before taking a train back to Auckland for our flight back. We have a bunch of stuff planned, but also several days for doing nothing.

    The only real thing I have to worry about is where to get food since I have a shit ton of food allergies and it’s always a pain to find out where I can eat. I’ve already been researching though and with everyone speaking english it shouldn’t be too difficult.

    steam_sig.png
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    I am enthusiastic about being in Sydney at the end of this week.

    I am less enthusiastic about Australia generally being served en flambé at the moment. :bigfrown:

    And then two weeks until Bali for CNY, woo!

    Might be worth getting a mask to bring ahead of time, instead of trying to find one there

  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    JMan711 wrote: »
    I’m currently on my flight to New Zealand for my Honeymoon! We’re going with friends of ours who also got married a few months ago as sort of a co-Honeymoon.

    We’re just sticking to the north island for two weeks. We’re landing in Auckland, heading to Wine Island, Hobbiton, Rotorua, and then Wellington before taking a train back to Auckland for our flight back. We have a bunch of stuff planned, but also several days for doing nothing.

    The only real thing I have to worry about is where to get food since I have a shit ton of food allergies and it’s always a pain to find out where I can eat. I’ve already been researching though and with everyone speaking english it shouldn’t be too difficult.

    My mother is sensitive to Dairy, my wife is sensitive to Gluten, and one of her best friends is Vegan.
    I may be able to point you in the direction of eateries in Wellington if you wish.

    Although Wellington is actually a low-key foodie city with a range of options on par with a much larger cities and you'll probably do alright with whatever you find.

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Right now, the biggest unplanned section of the trip is "what do I do in Manchester at night." I'll be staying close to the Piccadilly train station, close to the Gay Village and Chinatown. I'm planning on walking through those areas in the evenings, and there's a few bits of Victorian industrial stuff that I'll try to get pictures of during the evening golden hours (any particular suggestions would be welcome). But as someone who doesn't drink, and doesn't enjoy pubs/clubs, I'm somewhat at a loss of what else I might do. I might end up just walking around and/or reading.

    Manchester City Centre isn't that big as far as a city centre goes, so to say that you're staying near Picadilly / Canal Street means you're about ten to fifteen minutes walk from anywhere interesting depending on your walking speed. For anything further out there's tram lines that go in every direction just in case you fancy a trip to Oldham. Don't go to Oldham, though. If you get tired of walking do use the free bus services that operate in a loop around the centre. Those can be very useful

    From Picadilly it takes me about 15 minutes (down Portland Street then left onto Oxford Road) to get to the Manchester Museum. There's a fake dinosaur skeleton and a fair bit of Egyptian stuff.

    It'll be about twenty minutes to walk across town to MOSI. My son loves the rail yard section, and there's rennovated station buildings if you go for a wander down the train tracks so you can pretend to be a Victorian Gentleman

    HOME is about 10 minutes walk down Portland Street and is a fantastic venue that has a gallery, independent cinema and a bunch of stuff. I've not been here since they moved from their old location on the corner of Oxford Road but it's expanded massively since then so it can only get better, I guess?

    As far as evening entertainment goes Manchester has an incredibly vibrant live music scene, although the two dates are Wednesdays so not much is on. Lamb of God are playing on the 22nd at the Academy if that's your bag

    If you fancy spending a little, the Yang-Sing is a very well regarded Chinese place that routinely wins awards for the quality of it's food. Otherwise you could just head into Chinatown and look for somewhere filled with locals. You're unlikely to have a bad meal.

    Otherwise you could:
    It's been a while since I've been out in Manchester, and I mostly just go to gigs so all I see is the Deaf Institute, Academy 2/3, Night & Day, Satan's Hollow, Ritz, Gorilla, Soup Kitchen, DanceHouse, etc and the walk to / from the University car-park where it's £2 after 5. Hope this helps a little!

    The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
  • JMan711JMan711 6'8" weighs a f*&#ing ton He's coming, he's coming, he's comingRegistered User regular
    Fishman wrote: »
    JMan711 wrote: »
    I’m currently on my flight to New Zealand for my Honeymoon! We’re going with friends of ours who also got married a few months ago as sort of a co-Honeymoon.

    We’re just sticking to the north island for two weeks. We’re landing in Auckland, heading to Wine Island, Hobbiton, Rotorua, and then Wellington before taking a train back to Auckland for our flight back. We have a bunch of stuff planned, but also several days for doing nothing.

    The only real thing I have to worry about is where to get food since I have a shit ton of food allergies and it’s always a pain to find out where I can eat. I’ve already been researching though and with everyone speaking english it shouldn’t be too difficult.

    My mother is sensitive to Dairy, my wife is sensitive to Gluten, and one of her best friends is Vegan.
    I may be able to point you in the direction of eateries in Wellington if you wish.

    Although Wellington is actually a low-key foodie city with a range of options on par with a much larger cities and you'll probably do alright with whatever you find.

    I have celiacs, I’m lactose intolerant, and I’m allergic to soy and tree nuts. It’s a fun combination to have.

    It’s honestly not too difficult to navigate, it just takes a lot of questions which I hate doing.

    My wife is vegetarian and our friends don’t have any issues, so any recommendations to must try places for while we’re in Wellington, even if they might not be able to accommodate me, they would be appreciated.

    steam_sig.png
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    I don't remember specific restaurants, but from when I visited in general, it was recommended to get a pot pie, which I definitely liked. Not sure if there's gluten free ones available.

  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    JMan711 wrote: »
    Fishman wrote: »
    JMan711 wrote: »
    I’m currently on my flight to New Zealand for my Honeymoon! We’re going with friends of ours who also got married a few months ago as sort of a co-Honeymoon.

    We’re just sticking to the north island for two weeks. We’re landing in Auckland, heading to Wine Island, Hobbiton, Rotorua, and then Wellington before taking a train back to Auckland for our flight back. We have a bunch of stuff planned, but also several days for doing nothing.

    The only real thing I have to worry about is where to get food since I have a shit ton of food allergies and it’s always a pain to find out where I can eat. I’ve already been researching though and with everyone speaking english it shouldn’t be too difficult.

    My mother is sensitive to Dairy, my wife is sensitive to Gluten, and one of her best friends is Vegan.
    I may be able to point you in the direction of eateries in Wellington if you wish.

    Although Wellington is actually a low-key foodie city with a range of options on par with a much larger cities and you'll probably do alright with whatever you find.

    I have celiacs, I’m lactose intolerant, and I’m allergic to soy and tree nuts. It’s a fun combination to have.

    It’s honestly not too difficult to navigate, it just takes a lot of questions which I hate doing.

    My wife is vegetarian and our friends don’t have any issues, so any recommendations to must try places for while we’re in Wellington, even if they might not be able to accommodate me, they would be appreciated.

    I'd probably recommend Egmont St Eatery off the top of my head.
    They completely change their menu every couple months to update with what's in season, so it's like a brand new restaurant opens there 6 times a year. But their chefs are great and they're consistently excellent, using all-fresh local produce and new fun dishes. Their staff are great too, they are comfortable catering to dietery requirements, and because the menu changes so often the staff are generally comfortable about answering questions.

    It also sounds like seafood might be a goer, so you could crack over to Ortega Fish Shack. Well regarded as some of the best seafood in a harbour city on an island in the middle of the world's biggest ocean, if you're in to fish, the Fish Shack has you covered.

    But like I say, it's a foodie city and I could probably list a couple dozen places that would sort you well. Boulcott St Bistro, Charley Noble, Fidel's, The Old Quarter, Apache, Mama Brown's...

    Oh, I also recommend The Library if you're interested in cocktails or dessert.

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I am enthusiastic about being in Sydney at the end of this week.

    I am less enthusiastic about Australia generally being served en flambé at the moment. :bigfrown:

    And then two weeks until Bali for CNY, woo!

    Might be worth getting a mask to bring ahead of time, instead of trying to find one there

    Smart. I have an N95 mask from when the haze here was bad in August, I'll bring it along with me.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • ShadowhopeShadowhope Baa. Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Right now, the biggest unplanned section of the trip is "what do I do in Manchester at night." I'll be staying close to the Piccadilly train station, close to the Gay Village and Chinatown. I'm planning on walking through those areas in the evenings, and there's a few bits of Victorian industrial stuff that I'll try to get pictures of during the evening golden hours (any particular suggestions would be welcome). But as someone who doesn't drink, and doesn't enjoy pubs/clubs, I'm somewhat at a loss of what else I might do. I might end up just walking around and/or reading.

    Manchester City Centre isn't that big as far as a city centre goes, so to say that you're staying near Picadilly / Canal Street means you're about ten to fifteen minutes walk from anywhere interesting depending on your walking speed. For anything further out there's tram lines that go in every direction just in case you fancy a trip to Oldham. Don't go to Oldham, though. If you get tired of walking do use the free bus services that operate in a loop around the centre. Those can be very useful

    From Picadilly it takes me about 15 minutes (down Portland Street then left onto Oxford Road) to get to the Manchester Museum. There's a fake dinosaur skeleton and a fair bit of Egyptian stuff.

    It'll be about twenty minutes to walk across town to MOSI. My son loves the rail yard section, and there's rennovated station buildings if you go for a wander down the train tracks so you can pretend to be a Victorian Gentleman

    HOME is about 10 minutes walk down Portland Street and is a fantastic venue that has a gallery, independent cinema and a bunch of stuff. I've not been here since they moved from their old location on the corner of Oxford Road but it's expanded massively since then so it can only get better, I guess?

    As far as evening entertainment goes Manchester has an incredibly vibrant live music scene, although the two dates are Wednesdays so not much is on. Lamb of God are playing on the 22nd at the Academy if that's your bag

    If you fancy spending a little, the Yang-Sing is a very well regarded Chinese place that routinely wins awards for the quality of it's food. Otherwise you could just head into Chinatown and look for somewhere filled with locals. You're unlikely to have a bad meal.

    Otherwise you could:
    It's been a while since I've been out in Manchester, and I mostly just go to gigs so all I see is the Deaf Institute, Academy 2/3, Night & Day, Satan's Hollow, Ritz, Gorilla, Soup Kitchen, DanceHouse, etc and the walk to / from the University car-park where it's £2 after 5. Hope this helps a little!
    This is awesome, thank you. I'll likely be skipping the Chinese places; they have a tendency to use fish sauces, and I have allergies.

    I looked at the menu for Pieminister and said "Yes." Then I went to google maps and plugged in the address, and the hotel address, and they're 700 meters away from each other. Surely, I can burn off all of the calories in a 700 meter walk? (Narrator: He won't be able to, no matter how many trips he makes, no matter how fast he walks). The Free Ranger, Heidi, Chicken of Aragon, Moo & Blue, and Chooks Away! all look fantastic, as do the patties. And I'll probably try the “HONEY I ****** THE BURGER” and PHOK-MEAT burgers at Almost Famous Burgers.

    The Science and Industry and the Manchester museum will probably be the stops after the war museum on the day I have devoted to Manchester itself.

    Any suggestions on a good cafe or coffee shop or similar to sit down in and just read in the evenings?

    Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    This is awesome, thank you. I'll likely be skipping the Chinese places; they have a tendency to use fish sauces, and I have allergies.

    I looked at the menu for Pieminister and said "Yes." Then I went to google maps and plugged in the address, and the hotel address, and they're 700 meters away from each other. Surely, I can burn off all of the calories in a 700 meter walk? (Narrator: He won't be able to, no matter how many trips he makes, no matter how fast he walks). The Free Ranger, Heidi, Chicken of Aragon, Moo & Blue, and Chooks Away! all look fantastic, as do the patties. And I'll probably try the “HONEY I ****** THE BURGER” and PHOK-MEAT burgers at Almost Famous Burgers.

    The Science and Industry and the Manchester museum will probably be the stops after the war museum on the day I have devoted to Manchester itself.

    Any suggestions on a good cafe or coffee shop or similar to sit down in and just read in the evenings?

    The war Museum is out in Stretford, so you'll definitely either have to get a taxi there or take the tram to the end of the line at MediaCityUK. It's then a quick walk past the BBC buildings and across the bridge.

    Extremely good pie choices. I've had all of those except for the Moo & Blue and had a good time with them all. You maybe won't walk off the calories from hotel -> restaurant -> hotel but if in one day you walk from MOSI to the Manchester museum that's a good mile and a half down past the theatres. Then another mile or so back to the hotel and you'll have worked off the mash, maybe.

    The Koffee Pot does good food and coffee, but it's more of a restaurant really so I'm not sure you'd be able to spend much time there without feeling extremely guilty

    North Tea Power has fantastic tea and coffee and is more suited to sitting and reading over a few drinks. They've also got a harder drinks menu if you want to party it up

    Idle Hands would be closer to your hotel as it's in the Northern Quarter. Good coffee and cake. The tall chairs by the window can be nice to sit in and look out to see passing people on Dale Street. It's also not far from Travelling Man Comics which always has a nice selection

    There's a place inside Afleck's - Urban Grind Cafe. I've not been to Affleck's in years but it's a bit of a Manchester institution for indie shopping

    I forgot to mention This & That which is one of the best curry houses I've ever been to. It was described by a co-worker as being "better than my mother-in-law makes" which is truely high praise. It's down an alley and looks extremely ropey (bench seating, plastic chairs) but the focus is on the food and it's always fantastic

    I feel like I'm just throwing things at you hap-hazardly but there's a lot of great places!

    The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    b5we2t2yfxwx.jpg

    Took a walk up the street from the house my wife grew up in. Quick edit to make shadows lighter, because this phone camera is kinda crap, but the break in the trees seeing the rice paddies and the river facing the sunset was lovely.

  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    edited January 2020
    When you get to your AirBnB and it's not ready because they're "having to do a deep clean" and replace the table after last night's tenants "shattered the glass tabletop" and "left the place a 'bombsite'" and the whole property reeks of air freshener. :bigfrown:

    Fishman on
    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • chromdomchromdom Who? Where?Registered User regular
    edited January 2020
    That's when you tell them to leave it as is and just go ahead and contribute to the destruction
    Don't do any of that

    chromdom on
  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    Siri, find me "where to buy a Black light in Picton".

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Oh no dude
    there is some knowledge you do NOT want to have

  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    I just assume every rented room I sleep in is a CSI SVU situation and shove that assumption right back to the part of my brain that doesn't talk to me.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    Update: we have now taken occupancy of the room. The table is not so much 'replaced' as 'obviously absent' from a roughly coffee table-shaped space in the lounge. And despite the extra cleaning,
    while the top surfaces of the chairs have all had a quick wipe, there's clear fingerprints of what I hope is food grease (and not some other bodily fluid) on the backs of several chairs. They've also had to give the patio balcony a thorough hosing down.

    At this point I'm just telling myself the likeliest probability is the best case scenario of a slightly messy house party that was a bit out of control, and not the less encouraging possibility of an elaborate and deliberate sex orgy designed to include every flat surface (and some of the vertical ones) in the rental.

    Either way I think we might eat out tonight.

    Fake edit: fortunately the smell of air freshener is not quite so overwhelming given some time and a breeze to disperse.

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    Further update on the AirBnB party house:

    We've had to be moved over to body corporate Wi-Fi, because they managed to reset/change the password on the unit guest Wi-Fi. The door intercom no longer appears to work. And it's possible they set some kind of child lock on the dishwasher and tore off the instructions, because we no longer appear able to open the door after washing our first load.

    Honestly, I'm beginning to admire the kind of malicious genius of it all, really.

    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    How long has it been since you ran the wash? Some dishwashers have a lock feature that won’t let you open it while the inside is still warm.

  • FishmanFishman Put your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain. Registered User regular
    edited January 2020
    Turns out there's a small release lever that's been snapped off in the handle that's supposed to open it, but no longer exists. You can still open it if you a) have a screwdriver, or b) stick your fingers into a tiny hole a pull on a small doohickey that used to be connected to an actual thing designed for human interaction.

    Which explains why we still couldn't open it after it beeped to signal it was done. I mean, I was open to the possibility it was safety locked even after the beep, because all designers of machines hate human existence but I'm relieved to know that there's an actual mechanical impediment and I'm not just inept.

    Malicious. Genius.

    Fishman on
    X-Com LP Thread I, II, III, IV, V
    That's unbelievably cool. Your new name is cool guy. Let's have sex.
Sign In or Register to comment.