TSA Precheck

Of course, I drove to the airport. I will not start ranting about Uber rates. Besides, I did not leave my house until 5:15AM, and my flight boarded at 6:30. I made it to the parking garage, flagged down the shuttle in the rain, and breezed through TSA. I arrived at the gate with eight minutes to spare.

Not a Frequent Flyer

It was a full flight. I am a window seat girl. The woman in the center seat nearly sat in my lap because her husband could not fit comfortably in the aisle seat next to her. She complained about flying through MDW because the planes were better at ORD. Okay, I know that does not make sense. I couldn’t believe she reached over me to raise the shade as I tried to sleep. Finally, I gave up and watched a movie using SWA WiFi. I could see them looking at my screen, and I did not tell them how to get to the free movies.

I Love New York

Although the welcome center was digital, I looked up public transportation and noted the fare was only $5.50 to get to the hotel. I continued to the rideshare area. When Uber wanted $53, and Lyft wanted $50, I turned around and purchased a 7-day MetroCard for $34. The ride to The Quin was under an hour, one bus and one train. The stop at 57^th was less than 300 feet from the hotel. I thought I would drop off my suitcase and have lunch nearby because it was 11:30AM and check-in was 3:00PM. Guess what? I checked in early. Jefferson highly recommended the Italian restaurant across the street.

Quality Italian

Central Park

I took a walk. No, I walked four miles, and after my walk, I saw New York differently. When I tell you I got lost in Central Park, I got lost. There are so many things to discover, like the Central Park Zoo and street vendors throughout the park. I also came across a dance and martial arts class. People were sitting on giant rocks, couples enjoyed a picnic on the grass, and there were plenty of dogs. I saw a dog in my future. I took a different route back to the hotel and ran into the Plaza Hotel. Can you say Home Alone 2?

TODAY

NBA Draft

The 2021 NBA Draft was in New York. I purchased a ticket. Because I knew someone who entered the draft, this event was meaningful. The Chicago Bulls only had one pick, so I knew I would hang around long enough to see that pick. I boarded the Q train, and the stop for the Barclays Center was across the street from the stadium. I found my seat and then made my way to the refreshment stand. Although the chicken sandwich and waffle fries were tasty, the meal was not worth $36. I tried the Budweiser spritzer, and the drink was pretty good. This event is up there with my ticket to the first All-Star game in Chicago. Congratulations to Ayo. 

Owners Update and La Barca Cantina

My appointment for the owner’s update was at 11:00AM, and my reservation for the floating Mexican restaurant was at 4:00PM. The presentation lasted 90 minutes; I did not upgrade, but I am glad I attended and picked up Hilton Honors points. Let me say this first. We sailed for less than an hour. Someone shared with me the sunset cruise is better. Plan accordingly. The traffic was horrible. Although I left the hotel at 2:45PM, the bus took 45 minutes to get to the pier. The weather was perfect for a quick sail on the Hudson. I had one cocktail because I was on public transportation. The quesadilla was okay. My adventure on the Hudson ended my planned events in New York.

The Quin by Hilton Club New York

The Quin is a great location, and proximity to public transportation is an added benefit. However, this is a club property, and there are some differences in operations compared to my timeshare ownership. Housekeeping service is daily. Check-out is at noon instead of 10:00AM, and I received two bottles of natural spring water daily. During the presentation/portfolio review, I learned club owners do not pay a registration fee. Owners receive complimentary breakfast and evening happy hour. My original reservation was at a different property, but I enjoyed my vacation on Billionaires’ Row. If I did not own HGV, I could not have afforded to stay here for three nights.  

The Centurion Lounge LGA

I am disappointed that I did not hang out in the Centurion Lounge because of the new rules. You are only allowed in a lounge three hours before your flight, and my flight was at 8:55PM. Even though the lounge closed at 5:00PM, they would not allow me to enter. You know I could have lied and said SW changed the flight. I think the check-in person was trying to give me a hint, but it went over my head. Yes, I called customer service, and she looked up the rules and blah, blah, blah. There are no Priority Pass options at LGA. I guess it was for the best because I finished writing this post before I arrived home. You can visit my website for more information about how I earn and use points to travel. Do not be afraid to travel solo. I love New York.