Saturday, April 29, 2006

Hotel: Austin Hilton

Moved to Hotel: Austin Hilton

City: Austin, TX
Chain: Hilton
Property: Hilton Convention Center
Address:
Phone Number:

Check Out: April 21, 2006

9 stars out of 10

Attached to the convention center in Houston, near the 7th street section of dining and entertainment.

Finn & Porter dining is very nice, emphasis on sushi & steak.

Rooms very nice (in a business way), quiet, comfortable. Lobby is large and not really inviting - dark lighting, tends to be somewhat chaotic with crowds. Starbucks in the lobby.

Rating:

  • Safety: 1
  • Dining: 1, both room service & dining good.
  • Bar: 1
  • Internet: 1, $12 daily - over priced. Wired or wireless.
  • Wireless in Common Areas: 1
  • Work Space, Power: 1
  • Shower: 1
  • Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
  • Common Areas: 1
Total: 9

Directions:


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Last Visit: April 21, 2006 ($$$)

Friday, April 21, 2006

Flight: United #382 ORD-IAD

Departing From: Chicago Ohare (ORD)
Traveling To: Washington Dulles (IAD)
ETD: 09:15pM April 21, 2006
ETA: 11:54PM April 21, 2006
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Equipment: Boeing 757-200
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The last Ohare-Dulles United flight on Fridays, always crowded, always full of tired business travelers. Departure was delayed 45 minutes due to late connecting flights coming in. Even though you're tired and want to get home, you know how you'd feel if United didn't hold this flight for you so its OK. They want to get home too, and no more flights out of Ohare usually means an overpriced hotel without your luggage for 5 hours sleep before they place you on the 6:30 out the next morning. Unless you're not carrying anything of value - then you can sleep on the floor with everyone else.

Huge luggage delay once back. My bag had come on an earlier flight (one I tried to get on, but was full), but of course I didn't know this until waiting for all the bags to come out from this flight and then waiting in line at the United luggage counter. Hey United - how about using the flight status paging messages to let passengers know where their bags are?

Flight: United #6870 AUS-ORD

Departing From: Austin, TX (AUS)
Traveling To: Chicago Ohare (ORD)
ETD: 04:58AM April 21, 2006
ETA: 07:35PM April 21, 2006
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Equipment: Canadaire Regional Jet
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Thursday, April 20, 2006

Restaurant: Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

Article moved to Restaurant: Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill)

City: Austin, Texas
Location: 303 Red River
Phone: 512.236.9599
Website: www.moonshinegrill.com

August 10, 2004

Another business dinner with a group that was attending a convention.

This may be one of the most deceptive restaurants I have ever been in. From the outside, it is a small group of buildings that seems like a house and some sheds. As you get closer, you see that some people are sitting outside. Then, when you see the valet out front you realize its something more than a drinking place.

Moonshine is located very close (kind of across the street, but in the back) to the convention center in Austin. It is not too expensive, with a varied menu, and you have your choice of sitting inside or outside. The atmosphere is casual, the clients are a mix of business people and locals. The wait staff are pretty casual, but boy are they knowledgeable!

Our waiter that night (Steve) was one of those that memorizes the orders instead of writing them down. But he had the whole menu down, and made great recommendations to everyone about what to order (I had a fish special from the gulf -- a "drumhead" fish I believe) and made a tremendous wine recommendation. The dishes were a little creative but very good, the wine went well, and the service was top notch.

A great dining experience!



Visited again April 20, 2006. Meat loaf made with ground buffalo. Very good!

Flight: United #7273 IAD-AUS

Departing From: Washington, DC (IAD)
Traveling To: Austin, TX (AUS)
ETD: 08:35AM April 20, 2006
ETA: 11:10AM April 20, 2006
Est. Duration: 3 hr 20 min
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Arrival Gate:
Seat:
Equipment: Canadaire Regional Jet
Miles:
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