One more RTW hurrah... oh whY not!

[HUGE AL]

...better than any W Hotel.

WoW! That's saying a ton, coming from KeithMEL!

We then had lunch at The Counter, a burger joint which seems to be fast becoming an SQTalk institution. You build your own burger from the gazillions of ingredients on the menu – I had mine with medium rare beef, swiss cheese, caramelised onions, vegies – and some other things which I can’t remember.

Went back home for a hard earned rest after a hard day of shopping. HUGE AL arrived in LA at about 10pm and drove us out for a late night snack and some drinks at the Peninsula Hotel. Given how tired he was after a long week that must have taken some effort – cheers mate! The bar at the Pen serves v yummy beef burgers served with Mac&Cheese with truffles, all for an insane value price and washed down v nicely with Veuve and some red wine.

OK, didn't you (and everyone else) say this was by far the best burger in LA -- WAAAAAAAAY better than The Counter? Hell, at US$16 you get a half pound USDA Prime burger WITH Truffle Mac & Cheese -- and I'm not talking truffle oil here...it's large pieces of shaved black truffle.

If you're going to be revealing HUGE AL's secrets, please do so politely.

Finished the night with partying in WeHo! We were supposed to go to The Abbey but it looked pretty dead and HUGE AL dragged us to the club next door <insert name when I remember> which looked more happening.

Note to All: For some bizarre reason, this was a very difficult thing to get KeithMEL to do. He wanted to hang out at a place with like 10 people in it! And look what ended up happening...

The cover charge included free raspberry vodka shots, pretty cute server in Speedos sitting in a jacuzzi pours it into your mouths. The others all declined their shots and so I was ‘forced’ to take them. I'm advised that HUGE AL has rather incriminating pics of this. I don’t normally do shots and now I know why – 3 consecutive shots is a killer (not in a standard shot glass either, straight from a bottle :/). The server was cute though and v friendly – so all good. Had some cocktails and wandered around mingling with the rather good looking crowd. Mr Speedos insisted on pouring 2 more shots down my throat and said I didn’t even have to tip him (i did of course) – now THAT finished me off for the night.

After seeing this, HUGE AL promptly ran for the hills.

[KeithMEL]

I don't remember saying that the burger at the Pen was better than The Counter. It was good though.
The Mac&Cheese with large slices of truffles sure was noice.
However for USD16 the Pen > the Counter value-wise by far.

Note to All: For some bizarre reason, this was a very difficult thing to get KeithMEL to do. He wanted to hang out at a place with like 10 people in it! And look what ended up happening...

I didn't think either of you were gunning for an overly happening, umm,... 'scene.' You know... crowded and potentially involves lots of body contact. I did change my mind and ceased caring the minute I glanced at the crowd at the 2nd place.

[HUGE AL]

I didn't think either of you were gunning for an overly happening, umm,... 'scene.' You know... crowded and potentially involves lots of body contact. I did change my mind and ceased caring the minute I glanced at the crowd at the 2nd place.

Notice how we stayed in the sparsely populated outside area by the entrance!

[SQ218]

Corrr that looks huge, yummy and a heart attack waiting to happen..

[nickbot]

...I normally head out around 10-11pm or so...

eek,..that's about the time I go to sleep hehe! (actually, closer to 10 than 11!)

Very much enjoying the report thanks KeithMEL -your updates are putting me to shame

[KeithMEL]

Corrr that looks huge, yummy and a heart attack waiting to happen..

Scary thought indeed, but I guess I live for the moment... Thank goodness I still have a fairly good metabolism, but I guess I ought to invest in some sort of gym membership when it all ends...

Very much enjoying the report thanks KeithMEL -your updates are putting me to shame

High praise indeed, coming from you. Don't worry your trademark updates are perfectly fine!

[KeithMEL]

Sector - LAX-LHR
Flight number - AA136
Class - Business
Equipment - B777-200
Seat - 9B, then 9A

Checked in quickly and easily with AA at T4, as the EXP queue was empty. Got BPs all the way through to VIE with bags tagged the same. I then proceeded through TSA which was fairly quiet and hence wasn't too much hassle, and I was soon sitting in the FlAAgship Lounge though not before fumbling with opening the door due to the defective access cards I'd been given.

The FlAAgship Lounge wasn't anything special, but at least one doesn't have to pay for drinks or rely on drink chits like the Admirals Club. OK selection of food, rather limited range of drinks. There was free wifi - you'd have to obtain the login info from reception.













Boarding commenced on schedule, and soon I was settled in the fairly comfy NGBC seat. Though at least a generation behind what other airlines are now offering or starting to offer, the angled flat NGBC seat represents a vast improvement over the previous cradled version, especially for a night flight. The FA came around offering a choice of pre take off bevvies, shock and horror - I reached for the Pommery. Amenity kit was already at the seat; it looked identical to the kit when I flew AA F in Feb.











My neighbour and his wife soon arrived. They were seperated with him in 9A and the missus in 9E. He'd tried to convince me to switch seats with his wife - as if I was going to give up an aisle seat pre-allocated in advanced for a middle one. The FA took my side and promised to look for spare seats together for them after doors had closed, and they were then spirited off to a pair of seats in row 11. So I'd ended up with 9AB all to myself and so moved myself over to 9A whilst leaving my stuff in 9B.



There was a slight delay on departure as apparently the runway was occupied by a Malaysian 747 which had just landed. Bose headsets were given out after take off, and I had the pinot noir along with the warm nuts when the first bar service came around.

[KeithMEL]

I had to miss out on the appetiser as it was a shellfish dish, so the FA simply served me the salad. This was followed by the lamb main which didn't look all that great but actually tasted v nice and had a rather pleasing blend of flavours. Dinner was concluded with dessert, another v yummy ice cream. The absence of freshly baked cookies was felt on this trip - missed 'em cookies but the sundAAes are just as good anyway.







It was far too early to sleep and so I watched a couple of things on the AVOD-enabled IFE. Sex and the City: The Movie, which I'd shamefully missed when it was out at the cinemas, was a rather entertaining one with the famous NYC glamour posse. I still wasn't tired after one movie so went on to a few episodes of House, as the other movie selections didn't look all that exciting.

Contrary to other reports, I slept fairly well on the NGBC bed. It wasn't as comfortable as the Qantas Skybed but on par with other sloped type products like the Singapore Airlines Spacebed or Cathay's ONBC bed. No sliding/vegie effect even.

Breakfast was served about 2 hrs prior to landing, and I had the omelete which wasn't great but edible. Washed down by some Pommery which made it taste a bit better. Airline coffee is almost never great and this was no exception.



Just before landing I had an opportunity to chat with the purser Linda who had served me when I flew AA F in the other direction back in Feb - she's a v nice lady who did such a great job and made my time in AA F v memorable. The best part was she remembered me so we had a jolly good but short catch up as she was busy with pre-arrival preparations. I felt the service was just as good on this flight, we were looked after v well by the v cheerful lot in J who were most accomodating and responsive.

After some holding in London airspace, we landed at LHR and docked at our gate in T3 about 10 mins behind scheduled arrival. It must have been a rather quiet hour, but I almost literally 'flowed through' the transfer to T5. The walk to the transfer lounge wasn't too long, the bus to T5 was waiting for me at the transfer lounge, not much queueing at T5 and apart from being yelled at by a BAA Goonette at security for daring to prevent my tray of stuff from falling into the hole at the end of the carousel thingy where the tray goes back to be reused (you're not actually supposed to lift your tray but I had no opportunity to collect my stuff until it was almost too late), this was the smoothest transfer at LHR I've ever experienced.

Next: LHR-VIE BA704 whY; Le Meridien Wien; Vienna

[jhm]

The ice cream looks good!

[HUGE AL]

Man, that looks narrow...and 2-3-2 is never a good thing in C...

[KeithMEL]

Sector - LHR-VIE
Flight number - AA6643 (operating as BA704)
Class - Economy
Equipment - A320
Seat - 13D

My flight hadn't been assigned a gate when I got to T5, so I'd simply went to Galleries South. Got into the Flounge in no time. BA have done v well with their new Galleries concept; the decor is smart and refreshingly clean line. It might not be as visually stunning or as hip as the Qantas Flounges in SYD and MEL, but I felt that the Galleries F is more suited for long term comfort (ie layovers of more than 3 hours) as there is an abundance of v comfy couches to rest one's tired bones whereas the Qantas Flounges are more suited for quick short stays - eat, have a drink or 5 then leave for flight, there's just nowhere to spread out for a good rest. Somehow Galleries F just feels more restful; I find the retro flicking flight display board in the Qantas Flounges especially irritating.











My favourite feature of all is of course the champagne bar. And after the doom and gloom about the depleting Bollinger Grand Annee '99 supply, I was pleased to find the lovely fizz still flowing when I was there. Love the sweet honeyed taste, yet grounded by the nutty aromas. Other champagne choices were Taittinger Grand Prelude and Cattier Clos du Moulin. Are you reading, Qantas and SQ?









I triumphantly posted on one of the boards I read that Bolly was still available. But I'd spoke too soon. No sooner had I finished the last bottle that was there, it was swiftly replaced by another bottle of the Taittinger. Oops... I also like the Taittinger GP, but it was a downer after the Bolly '99.

[KeithMEL]

Boarding soon commenced and I dutifully made my way to the departure gate which was just around the corner. Made it in time for the JCL and shiny cards boarding call, and settled into seat 13D. This was as far forward as I could've gone for an aisle seat at time of check in at LAX. I'd booked this flight under the AA code to earn more miles (1588 miles booked as AA6643 vs a measley 250 if booked as BA704), but as a consequence couldn't allocate my seat on MMB.





Unfortunately the 'flow through' experience ended there. Due to computer glitches the day before, ATC was still under some sort of distress which resulted in our flight not getting its take off slot for an hour after scheduled departure. Meanwhile we sat and waited on the tarmac...

Take off couldn't come sooner as I was getting restless sitting on the tarmac knowing that we're going nowhere. Now I know how all those people getting stuck on the tarmac for 7 hours must have felt, and it was only an hour for me!

The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. Got the usual BA Euro Traveler sandwich, and the Nobilo Sauv Blanc was still served so had quite a few drops of that.





We arrived in VIE about an hour behind scheduled arrival. We got a remote stand and so had to be bussed to the terminal, probably due to our late arrival. I was then fighting against time to rush through the airport, to my hotel and to the restaurant in time for my dinner appointment.

Next: Le Meridien Wien; Vienna

[jhm]

Made it in time for the JCL and shiny cards boarding call

Pretty rare for a BA shorthaul flight! Usually, it's just everyone for his/herself regardless of JCL or shiny cards.

[KeithMEL]

Report on the Le Meridien Wien has been posted here.

Next: Sighted in Vienna

[KeithMEL]

Vienna, and SQTalk VIE DO
(co-starring florianwagner, petz, Guy Betsy, jhm, phaleesy, jjpb3, Kyo, and our lovely musical lurker)


Day 1
The DO commenced with dinner at Figlmüller's at Wollzeile. I arrived fashionably late (i have an excuse this time - LHR delays!) to find our gracious hosts florianwagner and petz, as well as other SQTalkers Guy Betsy and Kyo already waiting. Kyo then presented to me my early bday present - a bottle of Austrian red, quite a quaffable one that which I'd managed to consume the night before leaving. Thanks mate! Our musical lurker soon joined us, followed by phaleesy. We were all famished and couldn't wait to tuck in to the delicious sounding Viennese cuisine. I was introduced to a beverage that I hadn't had before - 'young' wine. It tasted like dessert wine and was quite tasty, but got a bit too sweet after a while.



The place supposedly serves the biggest schnitzel anywhere in the world. Whilst I've yet to personally verify that claim, the schnitzel I had was definitely big and I could only finish half of it. We also had v yummy potato salad.





Though the waiters were formally dressed in black tie, the service at the place was quite relaxed. Our waiter even joined in the festivities a little as he showed Kyo the proper way to enjoy <insert name of some Austrian spirit he ordered>

Post dinner, we hunted for a special torte that phaleesy and Kyo were wanting to try but unfortunately the place was closed. We then decided to drop in at Onyx bar, supposedly one of the coolest bars in town as recommended by VC10 Boy via PM, at the DO+CO hotel which was right where Kyo was staying so we got some form of access privileges. Unfortunately the bar was totally full, so we decided to hang out in Kyo's room. Quite a nifty, well-designed one and v reflective of contemporary European decor. The room he switched into the next day was similar but had a jacuzzi which can fit quite a few people...


partial group pic, sorry I don't have a better one
(Copyright petz; reproduced with permission)


view of the room; me snooping around
(Copyright petz; reproduced with permission)

Guy Betsy and phaleesy left close to midnight as they had early morning sightseeing plans the next day. The rest of us went to a traditional Austrian beer place (IIRC it was also a microbrewery), where we enjoyed some local beers. I had an ale, if my memory serves me right I think the rest had lagers (or bitters?). Music was quite good at the place, v crowd pleasing pop/rock though we couldn't hear much of it over the din. A group of girls were also doing rather merry sing-a-longs.





As petz was feeling rather ill from flu, we decided to call it a night. Kyo and I decided to try our luck again at Onyx and managed to get in. Surprisingly it was already winding down even though it was only 1am on a Friday night. It was certainly a rather stylish place, with pretty good music. They had a rather interesting take on several drinks we ordered. The crowd was a mix of the trendy set, as well as some suits.





We finally called it a night after several drinks, and I walked home to the LM which was actually nearer than I thought it was. Despite flying in from LA and feeling a bit spaced out before, the walk actually woke me up a little and so I ended up having a few drinks at the LM's Shambala Bar which was still pumping.