Text 23058, 90 rader
Skriven 2009-04-08 09:44:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: higher than I can go 446
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A quick cab ride to the R-C Phoenix, where I was greeted in
a most friendly way but with the unwelcome news that the bar
was going to close in 20 minutes. I hustled over and had a
Bass and the news that the front desk was wrong, either that
or she'd meant that the kitchen was closing in 20 minutes.
Nonetheless, I cut myself off after one and went to check
out my room, which was quite nice - the equal of the Atlanta
Marriott but not superior, I'm surprised to report. The
furnishings, though kind of elegant, had a well used aspect
to them.

glasses: nice, heavy, well-designed glass
toiletries: Bvlgari
wireless: $9.95/day
bed: king with nice mattress, 4 pillows, 2 large bolster
pillows, 2 other bolsters

The bed was quite comfy and the room reasonably quiet,
except that as with almost all hotels, sounds leak through
the doorway, so that what goes on in the corridor is almost
as though it were in the room. Most notable was that the
room had no hotel-room or mildewy or disinfectant smell.

Two problems, both of them alarm clocks. The clock radio is
very hard to set and beams an annoying bright light; and at
the desk there's a battery alarm clock that though elegant
in appearance ticks loudly. Solution: put clock radio face
down; removed battery of other clock.

Breakfast in the club lounge, where Jean took good care of
me. OJ was fresh squeezed with very ripe, somewhat alcoholic
oranges. There were two smoothie type offerings - a murky
red one that must have been strawberry banana and a mixed
berry one that was a muddy green and must have had algae
and/or acai or some similar trendy but not-great-tasting
antioxidant fruit. Both tasted weird and had a weird overly
healthy texture.

Smoked salmon was good but had begun to dry out - I think
turnover is slow. An almond croissant was delicious.

There were weird hot offerings: oatmeal in a crock and
vegetable frittata - frightening-looking things the size
and shape of a toddler's shoe - on the griddle. I passed.

Coffee was odd - what was labeled as regular was a watery
mess, and what was labeled as decaf was robust and good
tasting.

In-room wired Internet was slow and intermittent. Wireless
was, surprisingly, more reliable.

Instead of trying to catch a baseball game ($30 cab ride
each way, plus ticket, plus beer and snacks) I decided to
take as full advantage of the Ritz as I could and sleep
extra and return to the club for lunch.

At the club for lunch. The wines included:

Veuve de Verney was a nondescript sparkler, toasty and
citrusy and reminiscent of the better sort of airline wine;

Steven Kent Ritz-Carlton Cuvee Cabernet, though soft and
rather wimpy, tasted pretty good, with black fruits and mint
and a touch I thought of smoke, but that might have been due
to the proximity of odd foods in the room;

Sterling Vintners Reserve Merlot had bright cherry fruits
and a bit of intriguing spice, and was also way soft, but
had a bit more character than the above. I think that
Jean brought this out because the Steven Kent was running
out.

I had a shrimp salad BLT, a small sort of slider-size
sandwich, with at least as much bacon (in chopped, uncrisp
bits) as shrimp; it was delicious. Also they had smoked
turkey and mozz-and-tomato sandwiches, neither of which
appealed to me so much as shrimp and bacon.

Great thick-cut potato chips.

Little macaroons - orange, plain, and chocolate. The Cab
went well with all of these; the Merlot not so well. I
ended up eating 7 macaroons, which filled me up nicely.

Jean was as before attentive and charming.

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