Cook 'em Dan-O

Seen in SF

Really? In the trees? I could buy in and around the trees. Or on the trees. But in?

Cactus Anyone?

Got adventurous at Dos Amigos tacqueria and ordered the cactus and goat cheese burrito. Pretty tasty. Cactus is a bit like gelatinous bell pepper. No really you should try it.

The Cobbler's Children...

I take the train to work most days, traveling from Gilroy to San Francisco. And for most of that time I'm communicating. E-mail, texts, conference calls. All part of (a large part) of the job. So I use my cell phone (iPhone) a lot.

Can you guess the two places where I always lose my connection? Rolling into the Mountain View and Palo Alto train stations.

It's not about lack of demand. Or customers willing to pay. I'm guessing it's about NIMBY. Cell towers clash with the color schemes. So no connection for you!

Blackberry Power!

This is your brain.

This is your brain on vacation in Lake Tahoe.

This is your brain if you are a Blackberry addict on vacation in Lake Tahoe...

The Tracks of My...

Greetings from Toronto

Notes from another trip to Toronto...

OK, I've been here three days and I don't feel inspired to write anything witty about the weather.  Here's the summary:

• Monday: High of -8'C, low of -20'C.  It's cold enough that if you spill your coffee you can scrape it up into a cup a few days from now.
• Tuesday: High of maybe 0'C, low of maybe -4'C.  It's amazing how warm you think it is when it warms up a bit... and I know it's warmer because some of the ice is actually melting. 
• Today:  not sure of the temperature, but it's now warm enough (I know, an odd concept for Californians) to snow.  It's been snowing steadily since early this morning, and the 3-8 cm of snow they forecast has been upped to 12-20 cm.

Since I walked from my hotel to the office, I had to roll/drag my travel bag through the snow.  Nice to know I could provide plowing service for some of the merchants and banks along the route!

Yes, those are my wheel tracks! 

Some other items of note this trip:

• I had to declare whether I was carrying (among other things) a surfboard, or "hunter's bounty" (horns, antlers) in my luggage.  Wow, tough to fit that bag into the overhead storage! 
• I was able to watch a movie from the pre-talkies era, that featured dialogue in German with French subtitles.  On average, it seems you can say the same thing in French with about 30% fewer words. 
• Since hockey was still on holiday after the NHL All-Star game, I tuned into a curling match.  You know, the sport that looks like they're throwing granite teapots down the ice, with people madly sweeping the ice in front.  I can't say I know what was happening, except that they do a better job sweeping than I ever did. 

  I'm on a direct flight back to California, which is good since they just cancelled the flight into Chicago.  Hopefully the snowplows can keep the runways clear and I won't be posting from Pearson International Airport again for a while!
  
   

You Are Here--Another Road Trip

Sunday, 14 December 2008

On my way to Toronto for meeting with my Product Managers.  I now own Product and Project Management, and most of the staff is in Toronto.  So I expect I'll be making this trip on a regular basis.

Once again, I've outsmarted myself.  I've booked the United flight from SFO to YYZ, but through Air Canada because it's cheaper.  So it's an Air Canada flight, being operated by United.  As I did last time, I check in at Terminal 3 (aka United-Domestic) and begin looking for Gate 96, which (as it turns out) is really Gate 92.

Gate 92? Oh, that's in the International Terminal.  Which means I have to exit security, walk over to the International Terminal, and go through security--again.  Of course, I'm not worried, because I've also just learned that the flight is delayed by about an hour.  Yes, I could have signed up for text alerts or something like that, but never got around to it.

The Bad News:  having gone through security, all the best restaurants are now beyond my reach, as they're outside the security area.

The Good News:  I stop in at Andale!, a reasonably good Mexican restaurant (one of two decent choices) for a bowl of tortilla soup while I watch the 49ers play Miami.

The Bad News:  after stopping Miami's drive and driving down the field with no timeouts remaining, Shawn Hill is sacked on the Niners' 4th-and-10 play.  Baby steps!  Besides, it could be worse:  I used to follow the Detroit Lions.

The Good News:  despite word that the 777 was sold out, I'm sitting in an aisle seat, with three empty middle seats next to me!

The Bad News:  42 seconds after we push off from the gate, as the flight attendants are showing how to put on the life vest and blow into the ridiculously short tubes to inflate the vest, the babies who were strapped into their seats are now all crying, in a crescendo that even howling dogs would admire.

The Good News:  the captain comes on to say we're going to make up some of the time on our way to Chicago.  Maybe I'll make my connection to Toronto after all!

The Bad News:  that bottle of white wine now costs six bucks!  I can just imagine the bullet point on McKinsey's "route to profitability" presentation to United's CEO...

The Good News:  my gate for the Toronto flight is close by my landing gate in Chicago.  I even have time to get a hot dog (don't you dare use ketchup in a Chicagoan's presence!) before I get on the flight!

The Bad News:  there a couple of divas on the plane who are upset because they're going to have to put their carry-on luggage (which is all of their luggage) in a space behind their seats (a frequent flyer no-no).  I can't be separated from my L-V!

The Good News:  I get through customs and immigration in record time.  The body armor on the customs agent is a little unsettling.  And my Toronto airport shuttle drop-off is across the street from my hotel... woo hoo!

The Bad News:  the hotel has given me a room that smells like onions... and the bed isn't made... and--oh!--that's because there's someone sleeping in the bed!  Back to the lobby...

The Good News:  I get a room that doesn't already have an occupant.

The Bad News:  I'm not sure this bed came with a blanket.  And the bed's a few inches too short.  And the cold is coming right through the brick walls.  Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!  Wait, that was the other hotel...

Monday, 15 December

The Good News:  I figured out how to turn on the heater... 

The Bad News:  ...this morning, after I spent the night sleeping under my winter coat.

The Good News:  it's warmer here in Toronto than when I left Gilroy yesterday... a little wet, but probably in the low 40's.

The Bad News:  when I leave our Toronto office Monday evening, the temperature has dropped to about 28˚F (-2˚ C for my metric friends), and that's before the wind started blowing.

The Good News:  found a way to sleep with my feet on (vs. hanging off of) the mattress.

The Bad News:  it's even colder today, -3˚ C.

Tuesday, 16 December

The Bad News:  even though the hotel serves "Wolfgang Puck" coffee, it still sucks.

The Good News:  I figure out that it's a short walk (maybe five or six blocks) from our office to my hotel.  I have a couple of restaurant ideas in mind, but definitely don't want to wander around in this weather!

The Bad News:  the temperature has dropped further, and my ears feel like they're going to snap off in the cold.

The Good News:  Bardi's, the steakhouse next door to the hotel, is pretty reasonable for a steak dinner.

The Bad News:  I get the waiter who was the understudy for Lurch in The Addams Family.

The Good News:  The Fairmont Royal York is across the street, so I can go there for a decent glass of wine.

The Bad News:  $14!

Wednesday, 17 December

The Good News:  it snowed while I was sleeping, about 10cm (or maybe 2.5 inches).  I got into the hotel before it started coming down!

The Bad News:  The street cleaners are just getting out, so every corner is a slush long-jump event.  See if you can clear the slush! Try not to land in the water! Leap for the snow! Hope there's no ice underneath!

The Good News:  I read about a great wine/tapas bar, Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar.  They pair small plates of food with great wines, I can't wait!

The Bad News:  I thought it was at 6 Church Street... apparently not.

The Good News:  9 Church Street--we're in!

The Bad News:  I have to sit at the bar, the place is packed!

The Good News:  the bar server can see I appreciate good wine.  Pretty soon he starts bringing the extra goodies over.

The Bad News:  OK, there really isn't any!

Thursday, 18 December

Last day of my trip (as planned, anyway).

The Good News:  weather is clear (and cold), no more slush ponds to jump over at every corner.

The Bad News:  time to drag my suitcase to the office.  Nothing says "tourist" like a guy dragging his roll-along suitcase through the financial district.

The Good News:  looks like I'll make it to the airport before the weather turns nasty.  Air Canada sent an email out saying I could change to an earlier flight for free, if I wanted to get out before a storm rolls into Toronto.  Translation:  we warned you, don't blame us if you get stuck at the airport!  I'm leaving Toronto mid-day so I should be alright.

The Bad News:  everyone else had the same idea.  And I'm headed to Chicago, where the forecast is for two inches of ice.  And the weather has basically made today the start of the Christmas travel season.

The Good News: made it out of Toronto on time, now in Chicago.

The Bad News:  I feel like I'm in the middle of filming Home Alone.  I expect to hear "Kevin!" at any moment.

The Good News:  We're due to leave Chicago before the ice storm arrives.

The Bad News:  The storm has already stranded aircraft in normally warm-weather locales like Las Vegas.  No aircraft means no flights, which means some of my fellow travelers on their way to winter vacations in Hawaii, Australia, etc. are scrambling to find a flight out of town.  I have time to make an earlier flight to SFO, but don't bother as I'd have to wait for my bag to arrive anyway (the one downside of checking your luggage).  

More Bad News:  My flight is delayed, about an hour.  We're all watching the weather, trying to see if we'll be leaving before that wall of blackness descends on us.  I head to the only  bar on this concourse, and everyone is in it.

But Some Good News: We finally board and make it out of Chicago!  Ride's a bit bumpy, but we make it to SFO OK.

Some Final Bad News:  my bag doesn't roll off the baggage carousel.

Some Ironic Good News:  Turns out my bag was placed on that earlier flight to SFO; it's been waiting for me all along!

The Best News:  home safe and sound, and not flying anywhere for the holidays!

On the Road Again

Notes from Another Product Manager's Road Trip

OK, so the first thing you need to know about me is that I'm cheap.  Not like in everything I do.  It's just that, among the traits I inherited from my parents, one of them was not wanting to pay for certain things--taxi's in this case. (Parking is another.)  What this means is that you don't want to let me make the airport transfer arrangements if we're traveling together.

This is my third trip to Toronto for SOMA Networks, and I'm still exploring hotel options that balance a minimum level of comfort (I'm not going back to the hotel where I suffered flea bites), proximity to our offices, and cost (here's where the CFO appreciates my parsimoniousness).

So I've chosen to stay at the Comfort Suites about 10 blocks from our office.  I'm on the Airport Express bus (remember how I feel about taxis) and I've figured out the stop that will take me within a few blocks of my hotel.  I'm on Google maps (thank you, iPhone) memorizing (since I'm too, um, parsimonious to turn on data roaming and so can only use Google maps while taking advantage of the bus's free Wi-Fi connection) how many blocks and which direction to go, so I don't get turned around as has happened once or twice before.  It's raining off and on, so I don't want to wander aimlessly about (pronounced like "boot" if you're getting into the story).

Everything is going fine, except for one thing.  Dundas Street is not marked, at least not where I'm walking.  Maybe it's like Boston, where I was told that you're supposed to know where you're going, so they only mark the cross-streets.  Who knows.  At any rate, I proceed to walk two blocks up, expecting to find Dundas.  What I find out later (much later) is that I was actually starting from Dundas.  So I walk two more blocks.  And two more. And two more. And two more.  I'm pretty sure that, even if the map was only showing me major streets, I would have crossed Dundas by now.  So I'm thinking about the 8+ block walk back to where I started, so I can try this again.  Note that at no point do I ask for directions; mainly, I don't want to hear the answer.

And it's raining.  Hard.

Miraculously, I head to an ATM (I forgot that I gave Brian my last $20), get some cash, and wave down a taxi.  I give him the address (or something close) and soon enough I'm pushing past the beggars and into the hotel lobby.  Of course, it's now 11 PM and the hotel restaurant has closed for the evening.

Side note.  You can assess the quality of your hotel's surroundings by counting the number of vacant or boarded-up businesses on the way to the hotel.  Also how pawn shops.  And whether the spare-change requesters make regular rounds in front of the hotel.

At least there were no fleas.

And not to leave you with the impression that it was all bad, I found a great restaurant ("resto" seems to be the hip abbreviation), Adega.  It's a Portugese restaurant with wonderful wine, very salty olives, and great dishes.

Which leads me to another topic...

How To Spot a Good Restaurant

When I was traveling with my sister and some of our offspring on a cross-country trip (for me and mine, stopping at New Orleans) we made a pact with the mostly-teen passengers--no junk food.  No McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc.  Any place we stopped had to be of the non-chain variety.

Pretty quickly, the task of finding restaurants fell to me.  We found a great place in Pecos, Texas (which has a reputation much bigger than the town) where the owner and cooks all laughed at my attempt to eat the spicy Mexican food.  We had what Sean still considers to be the best tamale ever at a place in Albuquerque that was located at the back of a souvenir shop (I had my doubts about that one).  OK, there was the place outside of Baton Rouge where seemingly everything was deep-fried.  But all in all we ate at some amazing places.  And with no Internet or Lonely Planet guides to help us.

Some tips on how I did it:

• Look for locals in the restaurant.  Lots of people know this one.  It's especially true in San Francisco's Chinatown.
• Skip the chains.  It doesn't take long to figure out that Waffle House is going to be a lot like Denny's.
• Stay away from the high-rent districts.  Not entirely (as I'll explain), but just remember that if the restaurants are paying a lot for rent, they're going to have to charge a lot.
• The less neon the better.  Neon is the visual equivalent of the barkers in the French Quarter or North Beach trying to get you into the peep shows.  And as with those shows, once you're in you're likely to be disappointed.
• Look for a side street.  I found the restaurant Adega by walking up Yonge Street, past the Eaton Centre (think Toronto's version of Picadilly Circus) and lookiing down side streets.  Eventually I cam to Elm Street and found Adega, along with a number of other places.  If you're on the main street, all the neon and glitter will get people into the restaurant; the food doesn't have to speak for itself.  On the side streets, you only go there if you're lost or if you're looking for good food.
• And don't ignore the ethnicity of the neighborhood.  If there are lots of Middle Easterner's, you're going to find some great falafel places.  One of the best gyros I've ever had was purchased from a hole-in-the-wall place near Athens, for a Euro.

That should be enough to get your started.  And once you've gone to the trouble of finding a promising place, follow through and try something that's a signature dish.  Don't wimp out and stick with your starched-tablecloth version of a cheeseburger.  I had the octopus carpaccio at Adega and it was fantastic--thin slices of (cooked) octopus, with a great olive oil and pepper sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Flying the Way It Used to Be

On this trip I decided to go to Ottawa to visit our office there.  My boss had given me a tip that I could take a regional airline that flew out of Toronto City Centre airport, which is located on an island right offshore from downtown (it has a great view of the CN Tower and Skydome er, Rogers Centre).  I took a taxi (ahem, see above regarding our narrator's character development) to the ferry that takes you out to the island.  The ferry ride took all of about 20 seconds, as the island is about 100 yards (excuse me, meters) across the water; the ferry just chugs straight across and straight back; makes me wonder if the driver ever gets crazy and takes everyone out onto Lake Ontario for an impromptu cruise.

Anyway, the nice thing about the flight, besides the fact that you don't have to burn a couple of hours getting out to Toronto's main airport and going through all the security, is that you get all the SWAG that the carriers now charge for.  The airline, Porter Air, has its own terminal in Toronto so you feel like you're in one of those airline frequent flyer clubs, with the free stuff and comfy chairs.

And once you take off, you get coffee in a real coffee cup, as well as drinks and snacks.  All very nice.

More Ways for the Airlines to Make Money

Here, inspired by comments from my son Brian, are some more suggestions for ways the airlines can make some money. Capitalism rules!

• Seating arrangements should be auctioned off. Want seat 8A? You'll have to bid for it!! This way you can get the standby customers in on the action as well. And people will have to arrive early!
• Want a tray table? Seat belt? Head-of-the-line pass to the bathroom? A working air-sickness bag? We take cash, Master Card, and Visa. 
• In a bow to the FAA, charge passengers to watch the safety briefing.  Reimburse (most of) the charge if they can pass a test about the briefing. 
• Most planes have those personal entertainment units (much preferred over bumping my head on the TV hanging down in the aisle of a 757).  So put them to good use:  sell porn!  Plus, you get the added benefit of selling those screen filters that don't allow a person to view your screen from an angle.  These you sell to the scandalized parents next to the porn-watching passenger.  And, if you want to get really sneaky, you sell the magic reverso-glasses to the kids themselves.  Doesn't matter if they don't work, what are the kids going to do, complain to their parents? 
• And why stop at porn--bring hookers on board!  Airlines could set up a deal with the hookers:  no charge for filling a previously unsold seat, and revenue-share on the activity.  Plus, airlines could charge for the mile high membership cards!
• Charge for arriving on-time. Anytime the plane gets to the gate on time, there's a surcharge. Of course, this won't raise much since planes have about the same on-time record as Amtrak.