We bring you details how the Kimptons expand internationally, a review of Ichiran Ramen, a documentary of the father of all nonstop cruising, we go to Tokyo underground, how the AI society will take shape, visit Ukraine and burning Hawaii, learn about the Greek economy, laugh at the other Cavaliers, the dude who wanted to bag Starwood is going to the slammer for a very long time, Alaska Airlines becomes like all the others and much more freeee!
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It is getting really much harder to post worthy news about our travel hacking hobby. To all who thought that SPG Golds/Marriott Golds from the Amex Platinum cards will become Platinums in August, well lol to you.
And Alaska Airlines finally had to relent with some too friendly fee policies. Where is the outrage? 🙂
I can not believe all the hype about the “special” Kimpton hotels. And now they are going to be taken global. Yawn!
This guy almost bought Starwood SPG before Marriott swooped in. And now he is going to jail lol. I had called this guy a nut case, way too non transparent business practices screaming for, well, more scrutiny. But I am not going to take credit for it. Because I am no thought leader <rolleyes> China is sending the tycoon who bought the Waldorf Astoria to prison for nearly 20 years.
Chris Elliott, an old friend, writes about how all these apps are reviewing us travelers!
How is it to eat ramen at Ichiran in Japan?
Meet a guy who has been cruising non stop for the last 7,300 (and counting) nights. He calls himself the happiest guy in the world. You watch this and, I don’t know about you, but I felt incredible sadness about this guy. Hey, we ‘re all different.
If you want to find out more about Greece and its economy ( I like to cal the Greek economy byzantine communism) you should read this Twitter thread.
Humor break. SNL again. Cut for Time: The Other Cleveland Cavaliers. LOL BIG TIME!
Lets go deeper now…What Will Our Society Look Like When Artificial Intelligence Is Everywhere? Author lays out five scenarios. Probably not going to be around to watch it all unfold in all its glory. Maybe.
Another mega scammer taking gullible people to the cleaners. In the Instagram age, sad!
Excellent personal finance post: Three Investing Lessons from my Mom.
Be prepared, just in case. Temporary losses are okay and expected in investing, get comfortable with it. But the last point, “enjoy your journey” is the best takeaway imho.
Research validates what my mom knew all along: Happiness has very little to do with the size of your nest egg. It’s about the quality of your experiences and maintaining close relationships with family and friends — lessons my mom taught us by example. Another driver of happiness? Finding a new activity or challenge. The key is to find something you’re passionate about and truly immerse yourself in it. Happiness, she would say, is in the journey itself.
I am telling you, the journey of my blogging career to finally make minimum wage per hour and never quite reaching it lol!
These look incredible! Photos of Kilauea’s Newest Lava Fissures on Hawaii’s Big Island.
I had no idea you can book to tour this place! Go Inside Tokyo’s Massive Underground Storm Drain.
Megan Starr with Druskininkai, Lithuania Travel Guide. I am becoming a big fan of this blog!
Another weird TBB fav song, a collaboration of David Byrne and Brian Eno. Video has AMAZING pictures!!!
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts – The Jezebel Spirit
Why are we still asking questions like this? Are bloggers deceitful? More than five years of hammering this point and my blog does not even get a mention anywhere in the body of the post and the comments. And this is why my blog has gone soft all positive 🙂
Enjoy my blog while it lasts. Losing money on it (with Amazon returns) just plain blows, come on!
No, I am not going to post anything about that Amex business Platinum offer for 100k MR points that requires 25k spend like so many other bloggers. No wonder I lose money here lol.
And I leave you with this…Love this pic!
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Good morning!
Wow, the Greek economy tweets are insane! If I didn’t know better, I’d think those were excerpts from a work of fiction. Greece is awesome to visit but I can’t imagine living and working there with all that BS to deal with.
I’ve never stayed at a Kimpton so maybe I’m missing something, but agreed on not understanding the hype. I’ve looked at some Kimptons online before (their own site and reviews by others) and, judging from that, they seem nice enough but not anything extraordinary compared to their peers.
George, I don’t think you are deceitful! 🙂
That was a clickbait post. Everyone knows TPG, MMS, and the majority of Boarding Area bloggers are dishonest. Why not just write a post ‘Do dogs bark?’
Dustin is my contributor and he had been frustrated with some of the more recent things as of late. I told him to go ahead with it as those same things frustrate me.
As it turns out, if you had read some of the conversation, there are many people who read several blogs that did not realize some of the points Dustin made.
Thank you for blogging, a great read this Friday morning. Have a wonderful weekend ahead.
Cheers,
PedroNY
Ditto. Lots of bookmarks for the gym today!
I’m staying at my first-ever Kimpton in a couple of weeks. I’m confident I will be blown away by how unbelievably amazing it is.
Who’s winning Eurovision 2018?
That other Greece, Cyprus?
Maybe this will work for some:
[YMMV] IHG Members: Free ANA Platinum Status
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ymmv-ihg-members-free-ana-platinum-status/
Stayed at a Kimpton for the first time just this last weekend. (Seattle). Great location, but underwhelming for what they charge. Glad I had a Freeeeeeee night cert! Lumpy mattress, no coffee in room, either. (I hate going to lobby before coffee and wake up. Ugh!)
Not sure what all the rave is about but the staff were all very nice though, great folks!
A few years ago when Kimpton was matching other chains’ status to Inner Circle (their highest), we had some of the most amazing stays ever. A 2-story (2 stories!) suite in Portland, a giant suite in Boston and they would get your favorite alcohol and treats for free before you checked in. I got a 12-year Macallan and vegan cupcakes from a famous bakery, as an example and my wife got an expensive bottle of wine and a dessert.
I can completely understand the fawning if Kimpton still treats its top-tier members (and even better IHG elites) this way (though I don’t know if they do since I couldn’t retain the status).
My first stay was at the Fireskye in Phoenix when I had that Inner Circle matched. Got me a whole lot of nada treatment in a room that resembled a renovated Best Western. Second at Miami Surfcomber and not even a one hour late checkout with a room not much better….I still can’t get over the fact I blew both my IHG nights on it!
Glad it worked out for you. There will not be a third try for me at these Kimptons!
Buzz, only one week until my wife should be free to get Citi Prestige card. Hoping you have link to it. (Do you know if Citi is one of those that counts their 18 or 24 months to the day, or do I have to wait until end of month?)
Attended a tax changes/tax planning seminar from Schwab…. Was kind of funny how the guy talked about how most people would be “getting more money” from the 2017 tax overhaul. (He failed to mention that my kids and their kids, etc. will be paying for all these winners…oh well)
Anyway, the point came up about maybe cutting my college-age kids “loose” onto their own 1040s next year. I still pay >50% of their college (even though they make good side money) but, apparently, won’t get much of a tax benefit with them as a dependent anymore. At this point, my head started to spin… He suggested maybe that I hire a CPA for an hour consult but not sure I know if they know the answers yet…
Do you know a good write-up/link anywhere on this topic ?
Jezebel Spirit! Read an article at the time saying the samples were from a call-in religious radio show huckster doing a live on-air exorcism (over the phone).
Like Tubby Gary if he’d been born sooner.
That Anna story was pretty scary. Keep a level head.
Beware of that Airbnb you are renting or going or sub-renting.
https://nypost.com/2018/05/10/famed-artist-booted-from-tribeca-loft-fined-185k-for-renting-pad-on-airbnb/
@DML: It’s Friday, so it is a good morning! But cold today in Michigan, so much for Spring is here!
@Ryan: Yeah, it is always so amusing watching “experts” who have never been to Greece talk about the business conditions there and giving investment advice lol. 2 Kimpton stays, so forgettable!
@Nick: It is all about expectations. Keep them low and you will likely exceed them. And oh, the pics of the hotel have NO relation to real life. Like…NONE!
@ Helena: I hope you win 🙂
@ ABC: I saw that. Sometimes I feel some of these are traps for them hackers 🙂
@ Carl: I have no idea why Kimptons get so much rave. Like NONE at all!
@Charlie: Thanks 🙂
@PedroNY: Thanks again. But I am getting tired. At least today I broke even, as in zip/nada/zero!
@bluecat: I think Citi goes to the exact day. As of now, no Prestige card links here in my blog. Only Premier at 50k 🙂 I will keep an eye on a good article about this topic, we will see more in the coming months for sure. I cut son loose last year BUT he made enough to pay more than half of his own support, which is KEY of course.
@Diff Paul: Did not know that, thanks.
@ PT: Yeah, unbelievable really! And VERY sad too.
@John: Ouch, that is Yuge!
Hope you are profiting at least some off of Amazon. A couple of weeks ago, I was constantly using your link.
Yes, there has been some activity, thanks.
Yesterday it was $1.42….TPG is shaking right now 🙂
Regarding Google’s new personal assistant Duplex
https://ai.googleblog.com/2018/05/duplex-ai-system-for-natural-conversation.html
I expect this to enhance our experience with a certain type of robots.
Take my money now!!
Take my clicks now too!
me too
Awesome! Thanks for sharing my ramen post! I made it to the TBB headlines!
I love all things Ramen!
Holy cow, I think I met that guy in 2000 or 2001, the guy I met had already been cruising for 3 years then. I haven’t watched the whole thing yet, and his face is a kind of old guy generic face, but is it the same guy who spent 3+ years living on the Isle of Capri cruise boat? This was in the Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean… I can’t be the only one who remembers that guy.
There was no mention of Isle of Capri cruise boat in the documentary…I think.
It takes a special kind of douche bag to still pump the $25k min spend Amex Business Platinum card wow!
Points, Miles and Martinis are the worst!
speaking of thought leader douche baggery;
Watch: Woman Finds Cheating Husband at the Airport, Grabs His Paramour By the Hair at Check-in – View From The Wing
I wonder people who click on these….are they retarded or just morons?