On the Road: NYC Hotel Highlight

After 4+ years, its time to backfill the log here, which this was meant to do. 

Overall, spent around 4 months (a guess) in NYC and the metro area while working in the pre-sales field. 

These were fun times. Many restaurants were taken in, but really just a few hotels. For the price, convenience and quality (and something that was ok with expense budgets), The Carlton Hotel was -and still is - my choice for NYC hotels. Of course, this just depends on the person and budget. 

Positives: 

- Great grande entrance (take your wife or girlfriend here)

- Concierge services are very good

- Great bar thats open late - super handy during blizzards! Huge ice cubes! Has that 'NYC feel'!

- Good restaurant food, Mediterranean selections

- Can easily work from restaurant

- Everyone is friendly 

- Location: Gramercy - central to everything but UES / UWS

- Easy cabs, even at rush hour because its a ...

- Neighborhood, e.g., it's not Times Square et al

- Reasonable prices, usually between $230 and $330, depending on season. (In fact, this is pretty cheap for NYC).

- Great location if you want to do something eclectic like go to Korea-town for karaoke or a LES gritty brewhaus.

- Depending on when your booking, you may get a 2 room suite for under $300.

- Full mini bar. 

Downsides: 

- It gets booked pretty fast so get arranged a few weeks out. 

- It had been in need of updating 3-4 years ago, might be even more in need now. 

- Gramercy isn't really that happening itself, you probably want to go somewhere else. 

July 11th, 2010

San Francisco. Fogged in this morning, but I welcome it; my eyes weren't game for sun just yet. Chestnut Street at Judy's cafe. Huevo's ranchero - skipped 3/4 the potatoes, the tortilla and the toast. Weigh in was 210. Highest I've been in 3 months.

Gear: Ever Hoodie, white CK button down, CK jeans grey T, 7 jeans, Diesel sneakers, ic! berlin glasses, black face Tissot watch.
Equip: Dell e6400 (work), Verizon MiFi device, iphone 3GS, Blackberry Bold, Tumi leather bag, tons of cables.

Just received a cheap Fender Twin yesterday ($299?!) - it's a little busted up but I think some screws would fix it well enough (thus price - they go for $675+ used around here). Snags need to be averted when hauling.

Background on the Author

Background:
I lived in Lore City, Ohio - a heavily Czechoslovakian rooted, 500 person, early 20th century 'coal town' in the Ohio Valley - until I was 14. Onto the Ohio River for a year in Belpre, Ohio then onto North Canton, Ohio to live out my high school years.

The biggest years are noted by going to The Ohio State University. It's here I attained not only career direction but also the Sigma Alpha Epsilon secret handshake and how to boogie on the dance floor. And met, seemingly, the best people at their best that I may come across in my years here on the 3rd rock. I say "may"; I've yet to go to Great Britain.

Launching the career was first a move to Raleigh, North Carolina. Then back to North Canton when the bubble burst to tap into a growing network of small business, thanks to my entrepreneurial mother. After a few years an opportunity sprang up in the San Francisco Bay Area and figuring as how I'd always liked to have gone, went ahead.

Zeal for life always leads to interesting directions, so when a few chapters had ended in San Francisco I ended up trying out New York and St. Louis, just to end up in San Francisco again due to career.

Recently (June 2010), I secured a new career direction as a consultant for a growth sector company. The above history puts this into perspective - no fear of moving around or being on the road; it's much more than "traveling" when life's success hinges on the ability to do it well.