Sunday, July 18, 2010

Hotel: Hampton Inn Phoenixville, PA

City: Phoenixville, PA
Chain: Hilton
Property: Hampton Inn Phoenixville
Address: 100 Cresson Blvd, Phoenixville, PA
Phone Number: 610 676 0900

Check Out: July 2010

Right off the highway (422) in the Valley Forge area.

Basic Hampton Inn experience.

Stayed in a "suite" room which had a small kitchenette. Separate doors for the sleeping area and corner building location made it quieter for sleeping.

The AC units almost wake the dead when they kick in. Didn't disturb, but creates problems setting the TV volume as it cycles on and off.

Somewhat sparsely decorated for the amount of space. Shower head was wonderfully up at the 7 ft level.

Rating:

  • Safety: 1
  • Dining: .25 (breakfast only)
  • Bar: 0
  • Internet: 1
  • Wireless in Common Areas: 1
  • Work Space, Power: 1
  • Shower: 1
  • Air Conditioning, Bed: .5 (bed OK, AC loud)
  • Common Areas: 1
Total: 6.75

Last Visit: June 2010 ($130)


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Sunday, July 04, 2010

Restaurant: Shinbashi, New York City

Restaurant: Shinbashi Japanese Cuisine
Web Site: http://www.shinbashinyc.com
Address: 7 East 48th St., New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212.813.1009

A high end Japanese restaurant in mid-town Manhattan.

We were directed here from the concierge at the hotel we were staying - it was only a two or three block walk from the hotel and we're both sushi fans. The interior was very stylish; street front space set back a little from the sidewalk with a high ceiling and large windows facing the street. A large sushi bar runs along the side, and the interior was all cool green - a very natural, clean, and modern look. Service was top notch and they helped us navigate the menu which was not very "americanized".

We had an assortment of sushi and it was all very good. Dessert was unusual - green tea ice cream. Not very sweet but an intense flavor of green tea. Not what I expected but I enjoyed it immensely and it complemented the meal perfectly.



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Saturday, July 03, 2010

Airports: Minneapolis/St. Paul International

Airport Name: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
FAA Sign: MSP
Location: Bloomington, MN USA
Airport Web Site: http://www.mspairport.com/

I used to spend a lot of time going through MSP. I worked a lot in the twin-cities area and other parts of Minnesota, and this is the main airport for the state. While it is brutally cold there in the winter (in my relative opinion), the area is filled with interesting places to go and populated with people that are very nice and fun to interact with.

So, my opinion of MSP has a lot of history to it. I remember the airport as a somewhat small "H" that was nice and easy to get around in, through the current state as an extremely large "H" with islands connected through underground passages and automated little trains and a gigantic parking garage that dominates the architecture. The central area behind security is a little shopping and eating area, but you may go through the airport without ever touching the central area, particularly if you are connecting flights.

There are extremely long corridors with motorized sidewalks to make things go faster, and certain points where you can step into a little train. I recently went through here and went through sections that I had never been through before. Very pleased with the signs, passages, and places to grab some food. Lots of people, but didn't really feel crowded. The only complaint was the blockages from people standing on the belts as you try to walk by (which is hardly unique to this airport - all are complicated with the friction between those in a hurry and those that are not).