(301) 657-3740
4613 Willow Lane
Bethesda, MD 20815
A sister restaurant to China Gourmet in Kensington, and the former Moonlight Gourmet in Rockville. Moonlight Gourmet was our go-to place for a long time until it closed down a little while ago. We miss it a lot, including the staff there.
Moon Gate is similar in downtown Bethesda. Similar menu with some minor differences. Municipal parking across the street, so easy to park and get to, right off Wisconsin avenue.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Miami
City: Miami, FL
Chain: Four Seasons
Property: Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Address: 1435 Brickell Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131
Phone Number: (305) 358-3535
Check Out: May 2008
Obviously, as nice as hotels get, and the only reason I was here was because of a convention in the building. The hotel is incredibly nice and stylish, and also in the heart of Miami. The bottom 9 or so floors of the building are office space, so the common areas, dining, pools, etc. are actually about 10 stories up. So, while in the middle of town, its up and away from the noise of the street and overlooking water. A resort in the sky.
Service and staff were as good as they could be, influenced by the culture of Miami. A lot of fun dining on paella and sangria, and also funny teaching a temporary bartender how to make a martini ("just pour gin in the shaker with ice").
Note: this hotel is beyond the expectations of an expense account for business travel.
Rating:
Directions:
Last Visit: May 2008 ($345 through convention)
Chain: Four Seasons
Property: Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Address: 1435 Brickell Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131
Phone Number: (305) 358-3535
Check Out: May 2008
Obviously, as nice as hotels get, and the only reason I was here was because of a convention in the building. The hotel is incredibly nice and stylish, and also in the heart of Miami. The bottom 9 or so floors of the building are office space, so the common areas, dining, pools, etc. are actually about 10 stories up. So, while in the middle of town, its up and away from the noise of the street and overlooking water. A resort in the sky.
Service and staff were as good as they could be, influenced by the culture of Miami. A lot of fun dining on paella and sangria, and also funny teaching a temporary bartender how to make a martini ("just pour gin in the shaker with ice").
Note: this hotel is beyond the expectations of an expense account for business travel.
Rating:
- Safety: 1 (never left 10 stories up, don't know about the neighborhood)
- Dining: 1 (unbelievably good, pricey)
- Bar: 1 (top notch)
- Internet: 1 (not free, should be deducted at this price)
- Wireless in Common Areas: 0
- Work Space, Power: 1
- Shower: 1
- Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
- Common Areas: 2 (bonus)
Directions:
Last Visit: May 2008 ($345 through convention)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Hotel: Marriott Courtyard Collegeville PA
City: Collegeville, PA
Chain: Marriott
Property: Courtyard by Marriott Collegeville
Address: 600 Campus Drive, Collegeville, PA 19426
Phone Number: (484) 974-2600
Check Out: June 2008
Chain: Marriott
Property: Courtyard by Marriott Collegeville
Address: 600 Campus Drive, Collegeville, PA 19426
Phone Number: (484) 974-2600
Check Out: June 2008
Updated: February 2012
Your basic Courtyard experience. The hotel sat on top of a hill with nothing near it for a while, but there is now a large shopping area across the highway with several places to eat including Olive Garden and PF Chiang, a Best Buy, Wegmen's grocery, and many others. 15 min drive to King of Prussia if you need shopping overload.
Your basic Courtyard experience. The hotel sat on top of a hill with nothing near it for a while, but there is now a large shopping area across the highway with several places to eat including Olive Garden and PF Chiang, a Best Buy, Wegmen's grocery, and many others. 15 min drive to King of Prussia if you need shopping overload.
The lobby was redecorated late 2011, and a sit down bar and dining experience has been added. This is a stronger feeling of the "home away from home" Marriott seems to be trying to create with the Courtyard brand, with a living room type seating area with a fireplace. An improvement of the original hotel, more of a full service experience now.
Rating:
Directions:
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Last Visit: November 2008 ($109 a night through Orbitz)
Rating:
- Safety: 1 (in the middle of nowhere)
- Dining: .5 Breakfast only (didn't try it). Free coffee & tea
- Bar: 0, beer for sale though
- Internet: 1 (free)
- Wireless in Common Areas: 1
- Work Space, Power: 1
- Shower: 1
- Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
- Common Areas: 1
Directions:
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Last Visit: November 2008 ($109 a night through Orbitz)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Flight: US Air 3088 DCA-IND
Flight: US Air 2043 BOS-DCA
Departing From: Indianapolis, IN (IND)
Traveling To: Washington, DC (DCA
ETD: 4:10PM February 18, 2008
ETA: 6:15PM February 18, 2008
Est. Duration: 1 h 30 m
Departure Gate: D1
Arrival Gate:
Seat: 9D
Equipment: Embraer 135
Miles:
Other:
We had made a pack to avoid US Air, and this reminded us why. Switched to an earlier flight because we got to the airport way earlier, and the flight was delayed back to the time of the original flight. US Air's ability to hit schedules is getting very bad.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Restaurant: Sakura - Olney
(301) 260-7676
18143 Villiage Mart Drive
Olney MD 20832
Combination Japanese steak house and Sushi Bar. In a strip mall.
18143 Villiage Mart Drive
Olney MD 20832
Combination Japanese steak house and Sushi Bar. In a strip mall.
Restaurant: Cafe Deluxe Bethesda
Elm Street (Bethesda Row)
Bethesda, MD
Same menu as the Tysons Corner location. The small pizzas are great, the salads are great. Seared tuna is a personal fave. This location is just a big square room - noisier than the Tyson's location (which is no quiet joint either), and the crowd is much more families than kids compared to Tysons which is more of an adult gathering place.
Parking is easy behind in the municipal lot. Lots of alternatives in the neighborhood as well.
Bethesda, MD
Same menu as the Tysons Corner location. The small pizzas are great, the salads are great. Seared tuna is a personal fave. This location is just a big square room - noisier than the Tyson's location (which is no quiet joint either), and the crowd is much more families than kids compared to Tysons which is more of an adult gathering place.
Parking is easy behind in the municipal lot. Lots of alternatives in the neighborhood as well.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Restaurant: Carrabba's Italian Grill - Southport
4690 Southport Crossing
Southport, Indiana 46237
317-881-0844
Same as others. A little heavy on the fried and cream sauce options, but nice place for business trip dining with others when trying to not spend too much.
Southport, Indiana 46237
317-881-0844
Same as others. A little heavy on the fried and cream sauce options, but nice place for business trip dining with others when trying to not spend too much.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Restaurant: The Rusty Pelican
2735 West Coast Highway
Newport Beach, California 92663
949.642.3431
Upscale seaside restuarant, next to a marina. Had lunch there, and it was dark inside, bright outside. But, very good food and service.
Not too far from Long Beach airport, 10 miles or so.
Newport Beach, California 92663
949.642.3431
Upscale seaside restuarant, next to a marina. Had lunch there, and it was dark inside, bright outside. But, very good food and service.
Not too far from Long Beach airport, 10 miles or so.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Flight: US Air #3088 IND-DCA
US Air flight 3088 from Indianapolis to Washington Reagan, sat seat 11A, we got airport early and we were able to catch a flight should've missed or delayed two hours early. Tiny little Embraer 175, about 5 feet of headroom in this little guy.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Flight: American #1442 ORD-DCA
Departing From: Chicago, IL (ORD)
Traveling To: Washington, DC (DCA)
ETD: 4:10PM September 26, 2007 CST (Actual 5:30 PM)
ETA: 6:15PM September 26, 2007 EST
Est. Duration: 2 h 30 m
Departure Gate: H4
Arrival Gate: 28
Seat: 31D
Equipment: MD-80
Miles:
Other:
Full flight, way in the back next to the engines. Thank God for Etoymonic Isolator earphones. Two days of endless stress traveling due to delays, wait listed flights, and no hotels available in the Ohare area. This one left reasonably on-time and was just glad when it was over.
Do yourself a favor and avoid Chicago Ohare whenever possible. Its a chaotic place without customer service and few options if there is a problem. Gates change frequently and you'll never hear the announcements. Gate agents are overloaded, customer service counters are non-existent or unstaffed, food choices are bad or too busy to use.
Had to grab a sandwich from Starbucks - the only portable things available outside McDonald's as our gate was changed three times. Back of an MD-80 has good things - the left side is a galley area so less passengers (meaning less crowded, less noise, less luggage, etc.), but the engines mounted on the side are noisy so plan accordingly.
Traveling To: Washington, DC (DCA)
ETD: 4:10PM September 26, 2007 CST (Actual 5:30 PM)
ETA: 6:15PM September 26, 2007 EST
Est. Duration: 2 h 30 m
Departure Gate: H4
Arrival Gate: 28
Seat: 31D
Equipment: MD-80
Miles:
Other:
Full flight, way in the back next to the engines. Thank God for Etoymonic Isolator earphones. Two days of endless stress traveling due to delays, wait listed flights, and no hotels available in the Ohare area. This one left reasonably on-time and was just glad when it was over.
Do yourself a favor and avoid Chicago Ohare whenever possible. Its a chaotic place without customer service and few options if there is a problem. Gates change frequently and you'll never hear the announcements. Gate agents are overloaded, customer service counters are non-existent or unstaffed, food choices are bad or too busy to use.
Had to grab a sandwich from Starbucks - the only portable things available outside McDonald's as our gate was changed three times. Back of an MD-80 has good things - the left side is a galley area so less passengers (meaning less crowded, less noise, less luggage, etc.), but the engines mounted on the side are noisy so plan accordingly.
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