Cashing 'Em In

Another Summer of Travel Beckons
Barcelona, Venice, Vienna, Berlin and Madrid

Using Up My Incredible Shrinking Points

With all the news about a merger between US Airways and American I decided to go look at American's reward structure as it will undoubetly get adopted by US Airways. YUK!

Then comes quiet little announcements by both Marriott and Hilton that they'd soon recompose their point redemptions.

All of this prompted Roadboy to get off his butt and get summer travel all booked. 

Good thing too. Hilton's new structure is now in place and in the days leading up to it, it was almost impossible to find anything on the HHonors website clearly describing what was about to happen. Calls to the "800" were required. When connected customer service reps routinely had to "talk to a supervisor" before answering simple questions. Roadboy knows that whenever the travel industry announces "changes" in their loyalty programs their most loyal clients are about to get screwed. 

Actually I marvel at the travel industry business model. A model I assume was carefully created by Max Bialysotck of Broadway's "The Producer's." I mean who else perfected selling products they don't actually have?

Hotels and airlines offer a myriad of ways to accumulate loyalty points, then find ingenious ways to prevent anyone from actually redeeming them. Anyone who as tried knows that without (very) flexible travel dates you'll have to double or triple points to obtain any desired reward.

I've heard statistics suggesting only 10% of the points earned by consumers are actually ever used.

So after carefully evaluating the tea leaves at the bottom of my commuter cup (and some relentless searching) I determined that (like last year) it would be best to book my business class seats (at a good rate - 50K each way!) through Spain during August.

Barcelona

This year we will fly into Barcelona. I never tire of Barcelona and my son wants to see the home of FC Barcelona. Ms. M wants to explore Barcelona's revamped Design Center (which was closed last summer) which should now be open.

Venice

From Barcelona we'll fly to Venice for two nights. I love Venice and want Mr. B and Ms. M to see the amazing map rooms in the Doge's palace. And yes, my personal plans include acquisition of more eyeglass frames at Ottica Carraro. 

Vienna

From Venice we'll travel overnight via sleeper rail arriving into Vienna at 8:00 am. I figure a few palaces and some schnitzel will be good for the soul. Also Vienna is probably a damned fine place to buy a birthday cake for Mr. B. As for me, I was 18 the last time I visited Vienna (please don't do the math) so it will be all new.

Berlin

From Vienna we fly to Berlin. This will be my first visit to Berlin and I am eager to experience it. Friends always tell me how much they enjoy Berlin. My list includes visits to the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, the Alt (Alternative) Berlin free Street Art walking tour, the Brandenburg Gate and just time to absorb Berlin's explosion in contemporary architecture.

Madrid

We wrap up with a flight back to Madrid (perhaps a tour of another soccer stadium?) Me, I plan to eat some of Spain's spectacular tapas, delicious ham, and drink some Sangria. I also want to see if I can secure a definitive answer to my open question - who is the dead guy in the Palacio Real Chapel?

For those noting that we are beginning and ending our trip through Spain?

Here's a Roadboy Tip:
Travel via Spain is both a joy and a bargain. The people of Spain are wonderful. Sadly, Spain is currently experiencing fiscal hell and can use our tourist bucks. Spain has two gorgeous and modern airports: Madrid's Barajas (the fourth busiest airport in Europe) and Barcelona's glistening El Prat.

Now consider this, a "free" flight to London Heathrow results in $289 in added per passenger fees. Whereas a "free" ticket into Barcelona accrues added per passenger fees of only $54!

In fact, here are some current sample airport fees to consider. Amazingly (at least to me), the big winner in bargain fees is Venice's Marco Polo airport!

London: $289 (a jolly good rip-off?)

Paris: $139    
Frankfurt: $139

Athens: $80

Zurich: $69

Amsterdam: $64  
Rome: $64

Brussels: $62

Madrid: $60

Barcelona: $54

Dublin $53

Venice: $51 

Our planes, house sitter and hotels are all booked (at those great old redemption rates.) We just need to reserve the puppy resort.

Roadboy's Travels © 2013

Roadboy's Hotel Fire

One Night in Denver

This week I received my lifetime Platinum membership card from Marriott Hotels. To get one a road warrior must spend a minimum of 750 nights in a Marriott and earn at least 2,000,000 Marriott Rewards points.Year in and year out I have been platinum with Marriott and most of those years I also reached gold or diamond with Hilton too.

I spend a lot of time each year in a hotel room.

Now, anyone my age (old) can probably remember the 1980 MGM (Now Bally's) fire in Las Vegas. This fire quickly spread through the casino creating toxic smoke. The smoke spread up through the hotel elevator shafts. 735 people were killed and injured from smoke on upper floors of the hotel. America watched the airlift of over 1000 guests from the roof of the 23 story hotel on TV.

After that fire I began to routinely look for a fire alarm, fire detector and fire sprinkler in any hotel room I enter.

With so many of my nights spent in hotels I've lost track of how many times I've been awakened by an aggressive fire alarm Regrettably, my strongest impulse is to pull a pillow over my head and wait for the alarm to stop.

Although usually the alarms are the result of some careless guest incinerating popcorn in a microwave, I've also experienced three real live hotel fires. One in Alexandria VA, One in Bellevue WA and (this week) one in Denver CO.

My word up? Staying in your room during a fire alarm is downright stupid.

It can kill you.

Hotel fires don't just happen in dumps. My first major fire was in the elegant Bellevue Club in Washington. In Bellevue I was awakened by someone madly pounding on my door to "Get out! The hotel is on fire". It turned out the new building's sophisticated fire alarm had false alarmed so many times the hotel management had disconnected it. That turned out to be a bad move when two giggling trust fund tweakers lit up a mattress in their room.

Amazingly, after almost a whole night spent sitting on a cold curb, the hotel offered nothing but sympathy and a cup of coffee. I had to argue for a room refund, which was refused.

This week my hotel in Denver caught fire. When the alarm sounded I did not wait. I put on pants and shoes, grabbed my coat and car keys and headed for the stairs. At the first floor the smell of natural gas was pungent in the stair well.

Smelling that made me exit the building and keep walking as far as I could.

Within minutes seemingly every major piece of Denver's impressive fire fighting equipment arrived along with dozens of firefighters who worked hard to put out the upstairs fire.

Wednesday Night At The Doubletree North In Denver

Initially Guests Waited In The Lobby

Firefighters Soom Required Everyone Vacate

The Hotel Delivered Blankets

Around 3 AM, car keys in hand, I decided to go check into another hotel. The next morning I came back to try to retrieve my suitcase (It was fine.)

So here are Roadboy's tips.

1. Avoid rooms near elevators (they act like smoke pistons).
2. If you have any walking issues ask for a lower floor.

3. If you have any hearing impairments make sure the alarm in your room also has a strobe. My room alarm in the Doubletree was audible only. If I'd been deaf, I'd have been completely unaware of the fire.
4. If the room alarm sounds never try to ignore it.
5. Gather up your car keys, wallet, coat, and medications.
6. Unless your other belongings are all packed up and ready to go, leave them.
7. Before opening your room, look through the door peep scope and touch the surface to check for heat.
8. If you see fire or smoke or if the surface of the door is hot, don't open it. Soak bath towels and use them to seal the threshold of the door.
9. Go near the window and make yourself plainly visible to firefighters.

By the way, unlike the Bellevue Club.....The Doubletree North staff were great. They brought out comforters and blankets to cold guests. They displayed genuine concern at every turn. Without prompting at check out they covered my stay elsewhere plus a full refund for my nightly rate.

To Denver's Fire Department, you are awesome!


Roadboy's Travels © 2013

PS: To those that burn popcorn in hotel microwaves, you know who you are, it is 2 minutes (and never more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds) on high!

The Gamble House

Pasadena's Arts and Crafts Masterpiece

The Gamble House

Between 1900 and 1910 Southern California suddenly became a very desirable destination for wealthy midwesterners to spend the winter. With first class pullman rail service from Chicago to make the trip safe, swift and comfortable, they could come and enjoy California's sunshine, citrus and beaches. Arriving in November and staying until April they could simply pretend that the winters back home did not exist.

With few residents LA County enjoyed lots of open space, lush foliage and crystalline air.

For many the migration became an annual ritual. When they departed at the end of "the season" they left a standing reservation for the next. They stayed at such exclusive resorts as Frank Miller's stunning Mission Inn nestled among Riverside's fragrant orange groves or at Pasadena's elegant Huntington. 

After a few seasons, many concluded it was time to build a second home, or perhaps simply retire and live year round in Southern California.

As a result by 1910 the permanent population of Los Angeles County had swelled to 500,000. LA's image and cachet (as the first motion picture studios began filming in Hollywood) now positioned it to begin a meteoric explosion in population.

It was a magic place to be at a truly magic time.

The Southern California land rush was on.

Pasadena became the epicenter of the "City Beautiful" movement and the birthplace of a new California style of architecture that would become known as "California Arts and Crafts". The pioneers of this style were the Brothers Greene.

Charles and Henry Greene were born near Cincinnati and grew up in St. Louis. Their father was a homeopathic physician who stressed the curative values of natural light and fresh air. The brothers completed 2 year architectural training courses at MIT and worked in a variety of architectural offices in Boston.

In 1893, at the request of their parents, they moved to Pasadena California. On the way they stopped in Chicago to see the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. It is believed that the Japanese exposition at the fair had a profound impact on them.

Once in California in 1894 they established their architectural practice and began developing a holistic style they referred to as "Ultimate Bungalow".

In 1895 David Berry Gamble, heir to the Proctor and Gamble Company in Cincinnati, retired.

In 1907, the Gambles after wintering in Pasadena for many years decided to build a home and selected a site. At some point they hired Greene and Greene to design the new residence. Perhaps they met the Greene's while they were overseeing construction of the nearby Cole House.

Together a perfect client, the right architects, and a superb set of builders and craftsman produced one of California's most splendid homes.

An Example of the "Cloud" Motif Used Throughout the Home

The Entry Lobby

(Took This Through a Window, Alas No Photography is Allowed Inside)

Gutters and Downspouts

A View From the Back of the Home

Slip Joint Fasteners

(Although Built to Include Telephones, Electric Lights and Power, it was Built Without Power Tools) 

One of its Much Copied Light Fixtures

We arrived about 40 minutes before the bookstore opened (where tour tickets are sold.) That gave us time to walk around the house and photograph it. Once the bookstore (in the detached garage) opened tickets for the first five tours sold out almost immediately.

The Bookstore (gift shop) is actually quite good with high quality items at fair prices. Great place to secure a holiday gift for anyone with an interest in architecture.

The home is owned by the City of Pasadena with tours operated by USC (two lucky USC architecture students are allowed to live in the home). Consult the website for special events.

A glimpse into a Southern California we can only now imagine.


Roadboy's Travels © 2013

Angels in an Airport

Mecklenburg County's MEDIC 

I witnessed a miracle this afternoon at gate C11 in Charlotte's Douglas airport.

Awaiting a connecting flight to Baltimore my travel stupor was broken by a shout for help. A look over my shoulder revealed a young man on the floor convulsing wildly. His Sbarro lunch on the floor where it fell when he slid off his chair.

I felt helpless. Although CPR certified this was clearly something else. It looked like the diabetic seizures my father used to suffer.

The young man's color was all wrong and getting worse, his eyes were rolled up in his head.

I found myself doing the only thing I could. I prayed. 

I prayed as intensely as I've ever prayed before. And, as I looked around it was clear many fervent prayers were being offered at gate C11.

As if in answer to our prayers, a calm well dressed women (perhaps a physician or an RN) stepped in and began clearing a space around the victim. She placed something soft placed between his rocking head and nearby steel chair legs. Almost as quickly she was joined by another traveler complete with a tiny baby on her back. Together they attended the young man who (I could not help thinking) was about the same age as my son.

Within 2 minutes the first paramedic arrived and I noticed his arm patch. He was a member of Mecklenburg County's elite MEDIC team. I knew the convulsing young man was in very good hands.

Coincidentally I have worked with MEDIC and in the past have told friends "if one is ever to get sick, pray it is in Charlotte". But until I saw the patch I had not made the connection that it would be MEDIC staff responding at the airport.

They attended to him and administered oxygen. The convulsing soon stopped. His color returning. Now there were two additional MEDIC staffers assisting. They smiled gently and comforted the young man, asking if there was anyone traveling with him and if he had suffered seizures before. Clearly he was uncomfortable realizing that everyone at Gate C11 was concerned.

I wanted to take a photograph of MEDIC staff in action, but I decided not to. It just seemed like it was important to protect the self esteem of the victim. I also worried that use of the photo might be perverted by some opportunistic lawyer. To my lawyer friends (you know who you are) whom I know to be filled with incredible integrity, my apologies.

My flight was called.

The well dressed woman collected her laptop and joined us on the Baltimore flight. I was quite glad knowing she was on our flight.

Medical emergencies happen everywhere every day. But, in Charlotte, paramedics arrive much faster than almost anywhere else in the country. This is due to MEDIC's reliance on a computer model to anticipate demand and deploy staff accordingly. And when MEDIC paramedics arrive they will be superbly skilled as they use advanced simulators and cadavers in their training.

I work with first-responders everyday. It is not often I get to see the people I design buildings for in action. Today, as if answering my prayer, I did.

Roadboy's Travel © 2013   

Pasadena's Huntington Hotel

A Southern California Treasure 

Once a year all of the shareholder's in my firm convene for a retreat. This year I suggested the Huntington in Pasadena. I knew it was quiet, had perfect spaces to sit and chat, and would be close enough for me to slip off for a tour of Greene and Greene's Arts and Crafts masterwork The Gamble House.

The Huntington proved to be a perfect hotel for us to gather, consider the future and just collect our thoughts. It is a one-of-a-kind property with an amazing pedigree.

In 1905 Henry E. Huntington, A. Kingsley Macomber, and William R. Staats began development of what would eventually become Pasadena's prestigious Oak Knoll Neighborhood. As it turns out the "knoll" was actually a 150' high ridge formed by the Raymond Fault. A year later San Francisco's disastrous earthquake and fire provoked the need to begin to understand California's delicate geology.

Henry E. Huntington
Henry E. Huntington is a story unto himself. Henry was the nephew of Colis P. Huntington. Colis, along with Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Mark Hopkins, were the builder's of America's first transcontinental railroad.

Henry owned his own rail empire, the Pacific Electric Railway, which by 1910 offered comprehensive 24/7 streetcar service knitting together LA's patchwork of emerging neighborhood's and suburbs with 1300 miles of track. Huntington's name is found all over Southern California from the Huntington Library (where he is buried) to Huntington Beach.

When uncle Colis died in 1900 Henry took over Colis' shipyard and drydocks in Newport News VA. In 1913 he scandalized San Francisco society by marrying his uncle Colis' widow Arabella. Arabella became the richest woman in America. Arabella, with her son Archer, became legendary art collector's and benefactors.

The Hotel

In 1906 General Wentworth, a Civil War veteran, selected a prominent 23 acre site in Henry Huntington's emerging Oak Knoll neighborhood to construct a grand Spanish Mission Revival style winter resort which he unabashedly christened "The Wentworth". The hotel opened in February 1907, failed after one season, closed and was mothballed.

In 1911 Henry Huntington (perhaps weary of having the empty hotel as a neighbor?) purchased and began renovating the vacant Wentworth. In 1914 Huntington's posh redesigned Italianate style "Huntington" (again no ego...) hotel was opened. Four years later in 1918 Huntington (nearing 70) sold the hotel. He died in 1927.

The Huntington thrived throughout the 1920's in service to rich winter visitors. In 1926 it opened as a year-round resort complete with California's first olympic sized outdoor swimming pool.

The Pasadena Huntington Hotel

After many years under the ownership and direction of Stephen Royce, The Huntington was purchased in 1954 by the Sheraton Corporation. By 1985 the unreinforced concrete main hotel (sitting upon a fault) was deemed unsafe and closed. The original Huntington was demolished in 1988.

The Main Reception Lobby

The Ritz-Carlton Chain spent a little over 2 years constructing an earthquake-resistant replica of the original Huntington which it opened in 1991.

The Art Bridge Links the Hotel with Lanai Rooms, Pool and Tennis Courts 

In 2008 the Huntington was purchased by Langham Hotel's (China) becoming their first North American property.

The Langham's Japanese Gardens

The Royce Dining Room

The Pool and Lanai Rooms

Well Appointed Quiet Rooms

The Best Amenity Box Ever 

The Huntington features a great fitness center and spa. It offers full conference and ballroom facilities. Every room has a truly amazing amenity box, great stationary and a copy of Alice in Wonderland (with odd cover art.)

So lets sum it up. The hotel offers quiet, elegant rooms with perfect beds and large marble bathrooms. The hotel grounds and location are unmatched. Staff is friendly and efficient. Prices, by LA standards, are a bargain when compared to the breathtaking $600+ nightly rates now routinely charged by 5-star hotels in LA.

It is an easy zip downtown, yet the hotel is close to Pasadena's wonderful restaurants. The adjoining Oak Knoll neighborhood is perfect for walking or riding a bike.

Regrettably, the free internet is rubbish (real internet adds about $13 / night to your bill). Also, there is no self parking (add another $25 / night to your bill for the valet). Also, the hotel does show signs of wear. Lampshades are broken, chandelier crystals are missing, carpet seams in rooms and halls are frayed. In both of my recent visits the tub drain in each room left me standing in water.

I hate that.

Overall, though, I love the Huntington. It is a quiet, romantic and elegant address in Southern California.

As an aside, since taking over the Huntington, the Langham chain has opened the Langham Boston (the old Le Meridian) in Boston's old federal reserve bank.

Update: The Langham has also created the Langham Chicago by repurposing Mies Van Der Rohe's iconic 52-story 330 North Wabash building. 



Roadboy's Travels ©2013

Sold!

Scenes From the 2013 Barrett Jackson

Like the annual return of the swallows to Capistrano each January petrol-heads from all over the world arrive by car, commercial airline and private jet by the thousands to Arizona. They come to experience Arizona's five collector car auctions.

They know there will be glorious cars at Gooding & Co., Russo and Steele, R&M, Bonhams and the big kahuna, the Barrett Jackson. 

This year Ferrari's drew the record bids. The highest being gaveled at Gooding & Co for a 1958 250 GT California Spider fetching $8.25 Million. Right behind it at the RM Arizona Biltmore Auction a 1960 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione commanded $8.14 Million.

For me however I love the "event" of the Barrett Jackson Auction. In fact, it is the only event each year that can lure me to North Scottsdale.

For the uninitiated North Scottsdale unofficially serves as Arizona's color coordinated containment area for self indulgent golf enthusaists and their surgically augmented third wives. They all live comfortably in supersized pink McMansions in uber secure walled desert enclaves.

Yeah, I'm petty. It's my blog. Get over it.

In years past I've always gone on "High Dollar" Saturday (when the best of the best are gaveled over to new owners.) This year I broke tradition, took a vacation day, and went on a tuesday. I found Tuesday to be pleasantly crowded, but not overcrowded. It was also much less expensive than Saturday.

My visit is always pretty methodical. I start in the kitsch tent where I laugh at the "I have no taste" booths selling old slot machines, huge massage chairs, arctic fishing trips, garish jewelry, scary ninja knives, some hideous clothing, and (my soft spot) restored neon gas station signs and antique gas pumps.

I then move on to the west side of the main hall to gawk at the Salon cars (the rarest cars expected to draw the highest bids.) After that I spend most of the day wandering through the six or seven huge (down the hill) tents admiring all of the various cars, scooters, and boats.

One of the Many Staging Tents

Along the way I stop and select a highly caloric (and exquisitely satisfying) lunch.

About 4 pm I make my way back to the auction hall and witness the rarest and most amazing rolling history in the world as it moves across the auction block.

The Auction Tent

Bid runners in suits and ties run up and down the aisles on the floor, on stage, and in the sky boxes to assist (and cajole) bidders in their quest to buy a car. Traditionally Saturday from 4-7 PM is when the finest cars pass the auctioneer at the rate of 5 minutes each.

This year Fatty Arbuckles 1919 Pierce Arrow, Clark Gable's gullwing Benz 300SL, the original Batmobile, Virgil Exner's Chrysler/Ghia Diablo concept car (an inspiration for the soon to be designed Jaguar E-Type/XKE?), and a truly magnificent Delahaye filled the Salon tent.

Sadly, there were also the usual (and hopelssly boring) 70's era muscle cars...... Yawn!

Enough with my blah, blah. Here's some pictures.

Some of This Years Neon

The 1949 Delahaye

(Sold for $1,210,000)

The 1955 Chrysler / Ghia Diablo Concept Car 

(Sold for $1,375,000)

Fatty Arbuckle's 1919 Pierce Arrow

The Most Expensive Auto in the World at That Time

High Bid Was $1,100,000

Unsold - Reserve Was Not Met

Exhaust Detail 1955 Hudson Italia

(Sold for $396,000)

George Barris' Orignal Batmobile

(Sold for $4,620,000)

Clark Gable's 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing

(Sold for $2,035,000) 

The 1967 Scooby Doo VW 21 Window Custom Bus

(Sold for $110,000)

The 1939 Bentley Royale Custom

Sporting a Lalique Crystal Hood Ornament 

(Sold for $374,000)

I Love Hood Ornaments 

(Sorry Can't Remember What This One Belonged To)

The Elegant LaSalle Hood Ornament

Randy Grubb's "Decopod" Art Scooter

(Sold for $25,300)

For Roadboy's photos from 2010 and 2012 (I didn't post for 2011):

2012 Event

2010 Event

2013 was a truly wonderful year at "The Auction".

Roadboy's Travels © 2013

  

Welcome 2013!

Over 30,000 Roadboy Hits!

Well I start 2013 passing a happy new milestone. Roadboy's Travels now consistently averages well over 1,000 hits a month with a total that has zipped past 30,000 hits (since the summer of 2009 when blogger added its little hit counter.)

So what is ahead in 2013 for Roadboy? 

Well I'm tossing around a whole bunch of ideas. Maybe Istanbul and/or the Greek Isles. There would be the advantage here to stop in and visit a friend's archeological investigation site in Cypress.

I'd sure like to see the cloud forest and volcanoes of Costa Rica. Then there is Machu Pichu.... 

I pine for a visit to Buenos Aires with a side trip to Mendoza to sample those awesome Malbecs! And, of course, there is Iguazu Falls. And, while in the neighborhood, Hmmm, Patagonia.

I would very much like to visit my roots in Ireland and Scotland. And it has been a long time since I visited beautiful Vienna....

Any offer to return to England, Spain and/or Portugal would be greatly appreciated. France or Italy? Just ask, I'm packed already.

Maybe a cruise? Lately I've seen some cruise deals that price out cheaper than staying home....

In between I've got a whole slew of business related trips on tap for 2013 (yahoo! racking up those frequent flier points!)

There's an exciting project on Alabama's exquisite Gulf Coast. I will be taking many trips to the DC area - with some welcome detours to stately Richmond VA! That suggests a side trip to a new EOC / 911 center well underway in the Tidewater.

There will be (I sure hope) a trip (or three) to the City of Big Shoulders! Sweetening the deal is the fact that Chicago now hosts a stage edition of The Book of Mormon.

I will be welcoming new clients in California in four different locations up and down the Golden State.

And, of course, I won't forget my friends in beautiful and wonderfully caffeinated Seattle!

In 2013 our elegant and highly sustainable new police and fire HQ in Salt Lake City will cease being a construction site and become the well deserved home for many of the heroes we refer to as "first responders" serving Salt Lake City!

So some trips to SLC are in store.

A Winter Sunset Over North Central Phoenix!

Yes indeed, so much to do and only 12 months given to us in each calendar year!

So, from my little mid-century rancher in the Valley of the Sun, Roadboy says "Here's to 2013!" 

Oh the places we will go!

Roadboy's Travels © 2013