OT: General OT Thread [NO POLITICS, RACE OR RELIGION]

[Ryan5UW]

Went to Tornado Room last night with the wife for a birthday dinner. I've had plenty of great steaks in my life, but every time I go to Tornado Room, I'm reminded that their bone-in tenderloin reigns supreme.

I have to go back there.

I went like 10 years ago and it was **** awful, but everyone loves it.

Gonna try again.

What did you order, salmon?

[chonestown]

Been meaning to hit up Tornado for the late night menu. Steak sandwich supposed to be bona fide.

Love dropping in there for drinks.

I grabbed a cranberry orange scone at Reverie near the intersection of Atwood and Winnebago last Saturday. Your boy likes baked goods, it's a lifestyle innit. Anyway, this might have been my favorite piece of pastry I've had here. I hit up Batch, Bloom and Madison Sourdough on the reg, so you can miss me with the accusations of a crude palate unaccustomed to top-tier pastry.

It might be because they were still warm, but they were not super fresh out the oven because I was waiting in line. Tell'em Chones sent ya, watch the confusion envelop their faces.

[buckboy]

Went to Tornado Room last night with the wife for a birthday dinner. I've had plenty of great steaks in my life, but every time I go to Tornado Room, I'm reminded that their bone-in tenderloin reigns supreme.

I have to go back there.

I went like 10 years ago and it was **** awful, but everyone loves it.

Gonna try again.

What did you order, salmon?

It was steak that's all I remember. They had to make it 3 times and even the 3rd one kinda sucked.

[ReasonablySober]

Was just gifted an all expenses paid four night trip to Vegas for the Packers in October. Haven't been there in 20 years. What's good?

[MickeyDavis]

Was just gifted an all expenses paid four night trip to Vegas for the Packers in October. Haven't been there in 20 years. What's good?

Where are you staying or do you get to decide? Renting a car? There's a lot of fun stuff to do in the area besides gambling and the strip.

Pinball Hall of Fame
Red Rock Canyon
Valley of Fire
Hoover Dam
Mob Museum
Mt. Charleston
Downtown Vegas/Fremont St.
Various pool parties

If you do want to gamble don't do it on the strip. Go downtown or one of the locals casinos.

There are a lot of clubs that are suppose to be cool. On the strip. Not my thing so no recommendations.

[ReasonablySober]

Was just gifted an all expenses paid four night trip to Vegas for the Packers in October. Haven't been there in 20 years. What's good?

Where are you staying or do you get to decide? Renting a car? There's a lot of fun stuff to do in the area besides gambling and the strip.

Pinball Hall of Fame
Red Rock Canyon
Valley of Fire
Hoover Dam
Mob Museum
Mt. Charleston
Downtown Vegas/Fremont St.
Various pool parties

If you do want to gamble don't do it on the strip. Go downtown or one of the locals casinos.

There are a lot of clubs that are suppose to be cool. On the strip. Not my thing so no recommendations.

Where I'm staying probably won't be up to me (though recommendations wouldn't hurt), but once I'm in town I'll be able to go and do whatever I want. The group I'm going with is looking to me for setting up dinner reservations. They're probably going to see a show but on that night I'm sure I'll be happy with a pai-gow table. I have absolutely no idea what to do during the day. I'll be there from Fri-Tuesday morning. Pretty psyched.

[MickeyDavis]

Assuming you're staying on the strip there are a ton of dining options. Just stay away from the celebrity places, you pay a lot for the name. I did have a good (and expensive) meal at Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen at Caesar's a few years ago.

Pinball Hall of Fame moved to a new location since I was there but it was a blast. Tons of machines from every decade that you can play.

[MickeyDavis]

Poker legend. 89. Played till the end. I don't really watch televised poker but after the Brewers game last night World Poker Tour came on and there was Doyle.

Read on Twitter

[DingleJerry]

Spoiler:

Was just gifted an all expenses paid four night trip to Vegas for the Packers in October. Haven't been there in 20 years. What's good?

Where are you staying or do you get to decide? Renting a car? There's a lot of fun stuff to do in the area besides gambling and the strip.

Pinball Hall of Fame
Red Rock Canyon
Valley of Fire
Hoover Dam
Mob Museum
Mt. Charleston
Downtown Vegas/Fremont St.
Various pool parties

If you do want to gamble don't do it on the strip. Go downtown or one of the locals casinos.

There are a lot of clubs that are suppose to be cool. On the strip. Not my thing so no recommendations.

Where I'm staying probably won't be up to me (though recommendations wouldn't hurt), but once I'm in town I'll be able to go and do whatever I want. The group I'm going with is looking to me for setting up dinner reservations. They're probably going to see a show but on that night I'm sure I'll be happy with a pai-gow table. I have absolutely no idea what to do during the day. I'll be there from Fri-Tuesday morning. Pretty psyched.

I'll probably be going out for that too. I'm a bit of an LV regular, actually going this week too. That game is early enough in Oct that there's a good chance weather will still be warm enough for at least some time at pools in the day, though it won't be full summer level pool partying (which if you're not 25 years old is probably a good thing). Besides that, the things listed here are all good day non-drinking/gambling activities. There's a Top Golf at MGM too as something a bit active. Just wandering around Downtown is an easy people watching afternoon.

And yea Vegas is pretty much the restaurant capital of the world. You really can't go wrong, almost anything you pick will be good. Lately I've been exploring off strip and off downtown things, basically going to more locals stuff. If you're up for a show I'd recommend Absinthe, mix of comedy and Cirque stuff. But really any main show will be good. Plenty of stand up comedy to be had for relatively cheap too.

The football stadium is way down on the MGM/NYNY end of the strip behind Mandalay Bay. So if you want to be near the stadium stay on that end. I'd probably recommend Park MGM on that end since its newest remodeled. Personally, that area is usually way crowded and with Packers fans in town that will probably be even more than usual so I'd probably go further down and just uber to the stadium on game day. If you have the means Venetian/Palazzo/Wynn are nicest and less crowded.

[MickeyDavis]

Absinthe is a great show. Crude and not PC if that matters. Brad Garrett has a comedy club at MGM. He performs there himself one or two weekends a month. Really funny if he's there that weekend.

Park MGM is the only non smoking casino, which I love. That would also be my choice if staying on the strip. I also like Mandalay Bay. Off strip I like to stay and play at the Palms, Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch. I like to also play at the Orleans and Palace Station but don't stay there.

[KidA24]

Was just gifted an all expenses paid four night trip to Vegas for the Packers in October. Haven't been there in 20 years. What's good?

Where are you staying or do you get to decide? Renting a car? There's a lot of fun stuff to do in the area besides gambling and the strip.

Pinball Hall of Fame
Red Rock Canyon
Valley of Fire
Hoover Dam
Mob Museum
Mt. Charleston
Downtown Vegas/Fremont St.
Various pool parties

If you do want to gamble don't do it on the strip. Go downtown or one of the locals casinos.

There are a lot of clubs that are suppose to be cool. On the strip. Not my thing so no recommendations.

Where I'm staying probably won't be up to me (though recommendations wouldn't hurt), but once I'm in town I'll be able to go and do whatever I want. The group I'm going with is looking to me for setting up dinner reservations. They're probably going to see a show but on that night I'm sure I'll be happy with a pai-gow table. I have absolutely no idea what to do during the day. I'll be there from Fri-Tuesday morning. Pretty psyched.

I was there, 2019, pre covid. For me, the single best bang for your buck is the Buffet at the Wynn, get there at the end of lunch, stay for the start of dinner. Eat until you die.

If you're drinking, buy the all you can drink pass there.

[Kerb Hohl]

I've maybe put this on here before - "budget" airlines - what is the aversion for some?

Whenever I go on trips there is generally one person in the group that is "Delta only" in the crowd so much so that I'm generally afraid to even mention there are other airlines.

I understand sometimes the seat comfort/legroom is a thing sometimes and if you're bringing baggage that there are fees even for a carry on. But the trips I am going on are domestic "just bring a backpack" weekend things. The only options presented are the Delta ones - I think people are drawn by mileage/credit card points and the TVs? I personally would rather just pocket the $250 flight difference and each time I do that I will have 5-10x as much as you've earned in points/miles to simply buy my own extra ticket(s) at some point. Am I crazy?

[jschligs]

I've maybe put this on here before - "budget" airlines - what is the aversion for some?

Whenever I go on trips there is generally one person in the group that is "Delta only" in the crowd so much so that I'm generally afraid to even mention there are other airlines.

I understand sometimes the seat comfort/legroom is a thing sometimes and if you're bringing baggage that there are fees even for a carry on. But the trips I am going on are domestic "just bring a backpack" weekend things. The only options presented are the Delta ones - I think people are drawn by mileage/credit card points and the TVs? I personally would rather just pocket the $250 flight difference and each time I do that I will have 5-10x as much as you've earned in points/miles to simply buy my own extra ticket(s) at some point. Am I crazy?

I've flown them all. Spirit, Frontier, even Ryan Air over in Europe. Never had an issue for the small and quick flights I was looking to do.

My airline preference is: Delta > United > Southwest/American > Sun Country > Budget Airlines

I'm not counting Virgin because I have only done a few flights, but holy cow Virgin Atlantic was simply the best I've ever been on.

[MickeyDavis]

Non stop is my priority for vacation flights. I'll pay more for that. Next is time of day. I want an early morning flight when I leave. Extra vacation time and morning flights are much more likely to not be delayed.

I do like Southwest because of no change fees. If the price goes down I just rebook at the lower price. And if you need to cancel for some reason you get the cost of your flight as a non expiring credit.

But I don't have an aversion to budget airlines. Just get me where I'm going.

[Kerb Hohl]

I've maybe put this on here before - "budget" airlines - what is the aversion for some?

Whenever I go on trips there is generally one person in the group that is "Delta only" in the crowd so much so that I'm generally afraid to even mention there are other airlines.

I understand sometimes the seat comfort/legroom is a thing sometimes and if you're bringing baggage that there are fees even for a carry on. But the trips I am going on are domestic "just bring a backpack" weekend things. The only options presented are the Delta ones - I think people are drawn by mileage/credit card points and the TVs? I personally would rather just pocket the $250 flight difference and each time I do that I will have 5-10x as much as you've earned in points/miles to simply buy my own extra ticket(s) at some point. Am I crazy?

I've flown them all. Spirit, Frontier, even Ryan Air over in Europe. Never had an issue for the small and quick flights I was looking to do.

My airline preference is: Delta > United > Southwest/American > Sun Country > Budget Airlines

I'm not counting Virgin because I have only done a few flights, but holy cow Virgin Atlantic was simply the best I've ever been on.

When I say "budget" at this point, it means almost anything that isn't Delta, American, or United.

I have basically the same hierarchy as you. I have a ton of Sun Country options these days that I find undercut Delta too often.

A lot of Delta-only travelers were gushing about Delta just giving everyone "free" wifi. Sweet - it used to be $7 or whatever to buy on the flight. Now they'll just tack an extra $15 on to each ticket for "free" wifi.

And that said - there are still cases where Delta is the cheapest or close in price. Sure, if it's $350 round trip for Delta vs. $320 for Sun Country or Spirit for basically the same flight times - I'll go Delta. I just happen to currently be looking at a trip where my group has selected a $450 Delta flight and I can get there for $200 on basically any other airline (or Delta if I want to fly out at 6 AM).

[TroyD92]

I was a big Delta guy for a while, but going to be trying out United in August for when I go to Japan. Will say when I lived in Japan their airlines were amazing. Even the super budget ones to get around the country were quick, well staffed, and good amenities.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Direct flights are always my priority, absolutely hate layovers especially with kids.

If you're not afraid of the budget airlines and have some flex on the days/times of travel you might want to try Allegiant Air. They are a little **** airline that flies out of little airports. They fly from the secondary Phoenix airport in Mesa to places like Appleton and Rockford. I fly it whenever I can back to Wisconsin because I absolutely love the small airport experience. So so much more chill than the major airports and getting in and out is super fast. Downside is they typically only have a couple flights a week to destinations.

IMO the airport matters more for the overall experience than the airline. Like if I have to go to O'Hare it's probably going to suck regardless.

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

[vital_signs]

Frontier used to be alright for budgets if you can occupy yourself for a few hours with a book or some phone games. Not sure if they stopped, but they were getting really picky with their carryons and were slapping people with $100 fees at the gate this past holiday season over stuff they would have let slide in the past.

My parents are coming to visit and usually flew Frontier but knowing my dad, and how upset he can get when money is involved, I talked them out of it.

[MickeyDavis]

O'Hare is almost always cheaper than MKE with more flight options but it sucks. I flew out of there once a few years ago. There were 5 of us, it was $200 each cheaper, it was non stop (not available on any airline in MKE) and we had a free ride down there and for pick up

[MickeyDavis]

That pneumonia front is crazy.