u/PedroRuiz51

Is this too good to be true? Should I trust that this package is a wise choice? In several decades of traveling for work, I've never booked a package through an airline. My husband and I going to Chicago in mid-October, and hotel rates are getting pricey. (Airfares are not too bad.) But I was shocked to find a really great deal on air + hotel (DFW-ORD) on AA Vacations, specifically with the hotel we are most interested in ($1900 for 4 nights, including our flight). Purchasing separately is about $500 more total. (I'm an AAdvantage member; I have several hotel loyalty accounts but none with significant points-I rarely travel anymore.) Can anyone with experience please share some wisdom? Thanks.

We're going to San Antonio mid-July to celebrate a birthday. In addition to some everyday kind of eating, we want to enjoy one very cool dinner somewhere. It does not need to be crazy fancy or pricey but I'd love something locally owned with individual style and great food. We have enjoyed places like Bliss and La Fonda on Main and Mon Chou Chou and Clementine and Cullum's Attaboy and Claudine and Bohanan's in the past -- all good experiences. I like the idea of Nicosi but not the price tag!!! What are we missing? What has a good vibe and interesting menu? Thanks for your advice!

This is not a healthcare issue but a vanity concern. I have one weepy eye for which I’m getting good medical treatment. My problem is that I can’t find a way to safeguard my eye makeup. With one to two hours of applying eyeshadow, it’s washed away with an ugly streak in my eyelid. I’m good on waterproof mascara. It’s the shadow that looks awful…. is there a base I can use to fix it?

I don’t wear heavy makeup. Just enough to look nice. Thanks for any suggestions!

I did my first shot of treatise compound 2 nights ago. I’m feeling fine. Good energy.
What should I expect as this journey begins?
I find myself a little hungry, but not too much. I got full fast yesterday. I’m a very enthusiastic cook and am wondering if I’m less interested in food, will I be less inclined to cook creative meals, as usual? Is sleep affected by the meds?
Should I anticipate quick weight loss? Do the meds make you thirstier?
NOTE: I know everyone is different and there are no standard answers. I’m just nervous as a cat. Curious about others’ experiences. Thanks.

Another uneventful, pleasant journey PHX-DAL. Talked to a nice woman deadheading back home while waiting for our flight. She’s in customer care and was gladly listening to passengers’ comments on Southwest’s function with all the recent changes. She says they’re listening and want to make things work to our satisfaction. They know what the difficulties are and are working on solutions. (Don’t shoot me. I’m just repeating what I heard.) Bonuses: flight was on time, FA were great, everyone played nice, it was a textbook-good flight.

Edit to add: this was my first trip on Southwest in a year. I was extremely anxious after all the bad experiences shared here. I offer my good experience so that others know it’s not 100% awful. I would have appreciated that myself. It feels like those who disagree with this logic are committed to misery.

Please recommend an experienced, reliable carpenter to repair a porch on a 100-year-old home. Tell me your experience with the person you recommend, please. TIA.

Nothing to report except all went perfectly today. Full flight DAL-ELP. Nobody seemed unhappy among FAs or passengers. Just thought it should be noted that not all has gone to hell.

I know May 5 honors the battle of Puebla and has nothing to do with Mexican Independence Day, which is in September. But it’s celebrated like the biggest fiesta of all time. Why? Is that just something non-Latinos (as in white) people came up with to sell margaritas? Or did a tequila company mass-produce a celebration excuse for marketing?

Based largely on research here on Reddit, we had five good days of eating in SF. In no particular order, we would gladly return again to eat at these.

Frascati: charming (we requested and got a table window); loved the risotto and panna cotta. Excellent service.

Wayfare Tavern: popovers and Dungeness crab salad stole the show. Thoughtful service.

Bouche: delightful and funky, with superb bone marrow, duck, halibut. Savvy servers.

Hon’s WunTun: soup dumplings, spicy dumplings, cucumber salad with peanuts, all exceptional. (Loved the nearby fortune cookie factory, too.)

Brioche: divine pastries.

Fino: a last-minute choice, close to our hotel, with very good service in spite of a huge crowd in a cozy dining room. Asparagus salad was off the hook. Scallops with linguine a strong dish. A nice surprise was a beautiful gelato presentation.

Cafe Chez Panisse: our only venture into Berkeley was well worth the effort. Halibut tartare was sublime, as was rigatoni with peas, fava beans, mint.

Edited to add: Hog Island Oyster Co at the Ferry Bldg was phenomenal. Loved the oysters, obviously, but the abalone with smoked tomato-chile sauce was extraordinary!