"We're working out of the bridal suite of the La Quinta in in Oklahoma City, conference calling from a cell phone and sharing an internet connection."

 

If some of you have wondered where I have been lately, I have a new job and have been travelling a lot.  The job is great (but you will never find out any more specifics on this blog).  The associated travel is a different story, it's a good topic, I think.

 

A few thoughts:

 

--La Guardia airport on a Monday morning sucks.  That's not particularly suprising.  But what is suprising is that there is only one place to get breakfast in the entire American Airlines terminal.  Since lots of people like to eat breakfast in the morning, and since it's too early to eat right when you get up, and since the airlines don't even serve peanuts on morning flights any more, you and everyone else go to this place to get breakfast.  That makes a line.  A very long line.  And when you've already waited in line to get your boarding pass (or check your bags, if you're into that) and to go through the security check (which now, by the way, requires you to take off your shoes even if you have sneakers on), you don't want to wait in line any more.  But you do, because the awful coffee and rubbery bagels are your only chance to eat until lunch.  And that lunch is in another city, probably another time zone.  So, add one more line to the list. 

*(for those of your familiar with this part of La Guardia, you might be saying, "wait, there is another place...right?".  Well, yes, Pretzel Time, and one morning at 6 am I did indeed order a pretzel with zesty nacho cheese, making the "it's pretty much the same thing as a bagel" argument to myself.  Well, it ain't.)

**(you'd think the manager of this place would say "Hmm, if we're going to be open at 6 am MAYBE WE SHOULD SERVE BREAKFAST FOODS)

 

--As for the comment at the top of this post, yes, two weeks ago I worked out of a bridal suite at a La Quinta in OKC.  Pretty bad ass, I know.  Various issues with the client we were visiting necessitated us getting out of their building (a converted Best Buy with 8000 sq ft or more of space and three windows).  But anyway, this is again a case of not suprising/suprising.  Not surprising: there is a La Quinta Inn and Suites in OKC. Suprising: It has EIGHT luxury suites, one of which in particular is aimed at newlyweds.  What does this mean?  There is an untapped market for honeymoon destinations of Oklahomans who do not have the desire or means to travel far, yet are able to spend nearly $300 a night on a Suite situated in a (shiny new) strip mall.  If you have some bucks to invest, look at this market.

 

More thoughts later.