Wander Words

Southwest Airlines
http://www.southwest.com/
Originally Air Southwest, it changed its name to Southwest Airlines in 1971 servicing their first flight on June 18, 1971. Southwest Airlines is headed by Gary C. Kelly. Kelly has served as the airline’s CEO since 2004, replacing James F. Parker, who had been the CEO for the last 3 years. Southwest Airlines is currently the largest American based low-cost airline with headquarters in Dallas, Texas servicing its most numerous flights to Las Vegas. Southwest carries the largest number of passengers each year than any other airline and owns the second largest passenger fleet of aircraft in the world. They host over 3,500 flights daily. Southwest is also one of the world’s most profitable airlines, posting profits for the 25th consecutive year in January 2008. They became popular for their short hops, no-frills service, and simple fare structure which is what they still remain famous for. They manage their own website and refuse to syndicate with the multi-fare search engines like kayak.com, orbitz.com, priceline, etc. Tickets cannot be purchased through common online venues like Orbitz or Travelocity; a minority are booked through travel agents. Most of Southwest’s tickets are issued directly by the airline over the phone or online at the company’s website which features Web-only fare discounts. They are well known for their rapid turnaround keeping its aircraft on the ground for a short twenty minutes to maximize profits. Southwest Airlines currently flies to 64 destinations throughout the United States. The airline will add its 65th destination in March 2009 when it begins service from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and it’s 66th destination will be in New York at LaGuardia Airport. Unlike other major airlines, Southwest allows passengers to change reservations without additional cost. While this provides flexibility to customers, Southwest does not allow same-day standby travel on a different flight (usually a free service at other airlines) without upgrading to maximum fare. Customers are not assigned seats; rather, they are assigned to one of three “boarding groups” depending on their check-in time (earlier check-ins get to board earlier), and are left to choose their own seats on the plane, which helps the airline to board passengers faster. Southwest historically allowed three pieces of luggage to be checked in free as opposed to the limit of two on the domestic flights of some other U.S. airlines. Starting January 29, 2008, passengers will be able to check up to two bags for free. A third bag will be checked for a $25 . You may also check a 4th through 9th bag for a charge of $50 a piece and any other pieces after that are $110 a piece. Unlike most services today, they still serve snacks on board even short flights. Southwest has had their fair share of lawsuits and legal pressures, the most recent in March 2008 when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors submitted documents to the United States Congress, alleging that Southwest allowed 117 of its aircraft to fly carrying passengers despite the fact that the planes were “not airworthy” according to air safety investigators. In some cases the planes were allowed to fly for up to 30 months after the inspection deadlines had passed, rendering them unfit to fly. Records indicate that thousands of passengers were flown on aircraft deemed unsafe by federal standards. Southwest declined comment at the time, and US Representative James Oberstar advised a hearing would be held. On March 12, 2008, Southwest Airlines voluntarily grounded 44 planes to check if they needed further inspection. Federal Aviation Administration claims that Southwest Airlines flew almost 60,000 flights without fuselage inspection. Southwest Airlines could be facing a $10.2 million fine if they violated FAA regulations. There have also been rumors that the FAA knew about Southwest Airlines violations but decided not to fine the airline because it would disrupt the service of Southwest. Regardless Southwest has had only three major incidents of note and has never had a passenger fatality due to an accident. My flights to the Pacific Northwest with Southwest over the Xmas holidays of 2008 were spectacular from Denver to Portland, and Seattle to Denver. Mucho thanks to Southwest for everything they do. Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

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Alki Beach

Alki Beach * West Seattle, Washington
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=445
Alki Beach is a long beach strip that runs that runs from Alki Point to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. A wonderful location for joggers, rollerbladers, beachcombers, sunbathers, bicyclists, and volleyball players. Equipt with plenty of parking, picnic tables, bathhouses, art studio, and a restroom - there is also a monument to commemorate the arrival of the first white settlers on the beach in November 13, 1851. This is where Chief Seattle and his tribe greeted them and assisted in building their cabins. North end of the beach is protected by a bulkhead and flanked by cottages with spectacular views of Puget Sound, the Olympic mountains, ferries, sailboats, as well as downtown Seattle. Popular spot by Seattleites for swimming, the water temperature from 46 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit. Over by cafes and shops that dot the landscape along Alki beach is a small replica of the original Statue of Liberty that was a gift from Reginald H. Parsons and the Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1952. The statue has become such a symbol of liberty and courage that it became a place to mourn, to reflect, and to leave mementos after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. One of the great sites of Seattle that most tourists don’t know about. Rating: 3 stars out of 5. Visited 12/29/08.

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Alki Cafe

Alki Cafe * 2726 Alki Ave SW * Seattle, WA 98116 * (206) 935-0616 * http://alkicafe.home.comcast.net/~alkicafe/

A wonderful medium-sized cafe right on Alki Beach in West Seattle with full views of the mini-Liberty Goddess statue and the bay. They are open daily from 8:00 am til 8:30 pm. They have plenty of seating in their two rooms, each with views of the ocean. The service is prompt and friendly, and the food delicious. On 12/29/08 I ordered the Salmon sandwich which was perfect and hit the spot wonderfully. Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Tully’s Coffee * 1401 4th Ave * Seattle, WA 98101 * 206-625-0600 * http://www.tullys.com/
Tully’s Coffee, another Seattle favorite like Starbucks, that is slowly growing to be a large world chain - most notorious for its coffee. Tully’s opened its doors in 1992, they boast proudly about their handcrafted blends that are different than the rest. They also claim to be the last independent pedigreed-Seattle coffee company even though they are spreading quickly. They claim community is the big part of their stores. My visit to Tully’s at this location on 12/29/08 went very well, but not much different than a Starbucks experience. The chai and the pumpkin loaf I tried, not much different. However they do have free wifi internet, so my wifi n’ chai experience was much nicer than the pay per hour that Starbucks has. Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

Wired Monk

Wired Monk Coffee Bistro * 2610 4th Avenue West * Vancouver, BC V6K 1P7, Canada * (604) 742-1752 * http://www.kitsmonk.com/
Artsy fine-elderly design coffee bistro with food and drinks, coffees, chai, teas, and pastries. Free wifi. Didn’t find the service that great, employees seemed bored and bitter. Not many plugs available for laptops. Service was still good. Wifi good. Plain and not a place I’d go out of my way to go back to. Rating: 2 stars out of 5.

Crab n’ Avacado Bennie at Hell’s Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen * 2041 4th Avenue West * Vancouver, BC V6J 1N3, Canada * (604) 736-4355 * http://www.hells-kitchen.ca/

Ah, Hell’s Kitchen. I’ve been wanting to try out this bar/restaurant for awhile. Glad I did. Its artsy, comfy, odd, and decorative in a modern kitch sense, with you-got-it … down under decor. Great service, great dishes, and decent prices. Several of the patrons were recovering from their saturday nights, so we weren’t alone at noon in that endeavor. The crab and avacado bennie was fabulous. The raspberry mimosa was good too. Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Fritz Fries

Fritz European Frie House * http://www.belgianfries.com/bfblog/?p=647 * 718 Davie Street * Vancouver, BC V6Z 1B6 * 604-684-0811
Ah Belgium Fries. Poutine. Gravy/Curds/Potatoes/Oh My! The french fries are to die for. The Poutine …. mmmm spectacular. But then again, I’m a big fan of Poutine, which is a Quebecoise dish I can’t get in the States. But popular in Canada, especially amongst the French Canadians. To the level that even most McDonalds in Canada serves it. But here? You’re getting your best poutine experience you can have outside of Quebec. Fries everywhere and a great place after clubbing to grab some good grub. Beats pizza. Lots of dipping sauces for your fries. Curries and peanut sauces are wonderful. Its a small place/hole-in-the-wall with very little space to dine, but at 3 am, that really doesn’t matter. Great place! Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Fritz Menu

Poutine

Dancefloor at Sanctuary (Club 23 West)

Sanctuary Saturday @ Club 23 West * http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2321964024 * 1st/3rd/5th Saturday every month @ Club 23 West: 23 West Cordova, Vancouver, British Columbia
Ah, back in the day when I first moved to Vancouver, this was the only Goth/Industrial club I could find in Vancouver late as Y2K was taking place back when it was at the Purple Onion. This fabulous night was established in 1997 and is the longest-running night in Vancouver that’s dedicated to the Goth/Industrial/Underground and alternative music culture. DJ Pandemonium who started the night is still keeping it alive and beating serving the best of alternative/synth/electro/new wave/80’s/90’s/rock/goth/industrial/ebm/ and synthpop. Now joined with DJ’s R-Lex, Vortex, Contrasoma and periodic guests; its taken hold on Saturdays instead of Sundays in the infamous thriving ground of Sin City at its home in Club 23 West. Doors at 9 and the party lasts til 3 am. Free before 10, students free till 11, and two-for-one’s with cab receipt all night. $6 cover after 10, $1 off if dressed to impress. I’ve been a fan of this night since early 2000 attending every year since then, when I lived in Vancouver it was a weekly attendance, when living in Seattle it was a bi-monthly venture, and even when I was living in L.A., Miami, and Colorado … I still came back at least a half a dozen times throughout the year with Sanctuary and Sin City as driving forces to selecting calendar dates to visit. Its a must visit venue for anyone in the underground scene that wants a great place to dance, meet people, and slam some drinks down. Dress to impress! Now with two floors: upstairs and downstairs spinning the best in the dark scene. Rating: 5 stars out of 5. Previous reviews I’ve written: http://www.technogypsie.com/reviews/?p=17, http://thesinglelife.net/archives/2005/12/13/sanctuary-celebrities-vancouver-bc, http://wanderwords.com/archives/2006/11/04/272, http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/Canada/Province_of_British_Columbia/Vancouver-903183/Nightlife-Vancouver-Celebrities-BR-1.html

Dancefloor at Sanctuary (Club 23 West)

Dancefloor at Sanctuary (Club 23 West)

Cuppa Joes - Jericho Beach/Kitslano

Cuppa Joe’s Coffee Shop * 3744 West 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC * (604) 224-3687 * http://www.cuppajoecoffee.com/cajc/stores/kits.html
A great little local (but Vancouver chain) two story coffee house right off of 4th, conveniently located in Kitslano bordering Point Grey bordering Jericho Beach. Just a short jolt of a walk from the Vancouver HI. Free wifi internet just ask for the password at the counter. Great chai, pastries, and coffee. A Starbucks alternative. Carries organic and free trade. Always good music and apparently has great beer on tap (I’m not a beer drinker so can’t comment on that one). Staff and regulars are very friendly. Its an artsy joint with good music. Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

Salmon Bennie

Jeremiah’s Neighbourhood Pub * 3681 4th Avenue West * Vancouver, BC V6R 1P2, Canada * (604) 734-1205 *
Its a typical Kitslano pub that is dime a dozen in the area, but has some of the best and prompt friendly service of your selections. Its only a five minute walk from Jericho Beach and its youth hostel, so great place to rest, chill, and recover from your travels. Its a favorite hotspot for Kitslano residents offering a sports bar atmosphere, lotto, pulltabs, Kino, and other gaming fun. Its decked in the style of a traditional English pub with two stories, hard wood floors and burgundy tones, but very Canadian. We dropped in on 12/27/08 for brunch around noon. They have a great brunch menu. I had the salmon bennie which was to die for. The Hangover sandwich is also very good. Bennies on croissants. Gotta love that more than the English muffin. Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Jeremiahs’ Pub