Evil Penevil

Here's the Web site for the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit. It used to be one of the Mystery Hotels on www.wotif.com and you could get exceptionally good rates, but I don't know if that is still the case. Evil

I sure as hell haven't stayed there, but I have seen it. The place is a dump, about 10 notches below the Nana. It's not guest friendly, either. Don't confuse the Pinnacle In Sukhumvit with the Pinnacle Hotel Lumpinee across from the Suan Lum night market. Neither is very good nor intended for farang mongers, but the Lumpinee property at least is relatively clean. Stock up on rubbing alcohol and disinfectant if you stay at the Pinnacle Inn, then get all your clothes dry cleaned after you check out. Otherwise, you'll be scratching the rest of your trip. There are much better options in the area - the Majestic Suites, the Dawin, the Grand properties, the Ibis and the NAP-Inn. Even the Nana is a five-star in comparison to the Pinnacle Inn. If you're on a tight budget, book a night or two at the Majestic or Nana, then look around for something cheaper. There are dozens of budget places in the area, but it is better to inspect them in person. You also have the opportunity to bargain for a better rate. Evil

A minor update - apparently it is possible for an "outsider," someone not registered as a guest at the CGMBR, to use the swimming pools, water park facilities and beach after payment of an appropriate fee. I don't know the details, but you can email or call the hotel should this sound interesting to you. Evil

Just to keep things straight, there wasn't actually a medieval debate about how many angels can dance on either the head of a pin or the point of a needle. I'd have to look it up to be 100% sure, but as I remember from a long-ago course in the history of philosophy, the actual (written) debate concerned how many angels could exist in one place at the same time. Later writers referred to it sarcastically as "how many angels can dance ... ?" Evil

To do some pin-dancing myself, "cilantro" is the Spanish word for "coriander." Ground coriander seeds had been used in America since colonial times, but use of the fresh leaves is much later and came through Mexican cuisine. Hence two different names for two different products (coriander for the ground spice, cilantro for the fresh leaves). Evil

Joe is refering to the famous question, "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" (sometimes "point of a needle" is used). The 'angels on a pin" question is used to make fun of nitpicking arguments and arcane debates. It goes back to the theological battles of the medieval scholastic philosphers, with particular reference to St. Thomas Acquinas and his propositions about the nature of angels in Summa Theologica. Evil

The Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort is a new "themed hotel" on Wong Mat Beach in North Pattaya. It's a very impressive facility - 18 stories and 555 rooms overlooking a big water park and a 230-meter stretch of private beach. I've already written about it in the Trip Report section (30th Anniversary Trip) and have posted quite a few pics from my stay at the end of October. This is more a summary review for those who don't have access to the Trip Report section. Bottom line: The Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort isn't guest friendly. It is a fantastic hotel for families with children or even for a romantic weekend with a special lady, but its out-of-the-way location and 1,000-baht joiner fees severely limit its appeal to mongers. Here's the Web site for more info and pictures: CGMBR You can read about the facilities, restaurants, bars, etc. and all other details. Rates: You can get rooms through hotel booking sites for about 3,500 baht a night, which is huge value for money. Aside from the overwhelming negative of it not being guest friendly, the CGMBR has a few other pros and cons. Pros___________________________________________________________Cons Incredible water park with five swimming pools, slides and_____________Its location on Wong Mat makes it a a "lazy river" for inner-tube rafting. It also has a long________________ hassle to get to and from the hotel. stretch of private beach for those who enjoy ocean swimming ________________________________________________________________The food and drink at the hotel is very expensive, ­­­­­­­________________________________________________________________even in comparison with other five-star hotels. Numerous activities for children beyond the water park, i.e. game room, play room, arts and crafts, classes in dancing, etc. Evil The rooms are a generous 42 square meters and hold a similar standard to other five-star hotels. All rooms have balconies with ocean views.

Writing on the fly from handheld. Check out www.wotif.com for mystery deals. Can figure out which hotel by copying hotel description into Google search, see which hotel turns up. Some mystery hotels are not guest friendly and charge joiner fee. Evil

Five star is the Dusit Thani. Four star is Siam Bayshore Resort. Evil :

That's right, as long as you mean Kobe beef from cattle bred and raised in Japan. You can get Kobe-style beef from wagyu cattle outside Japan. The real Kobe beef is raised on 262 small farms in Hyogo Prefecture. Most of these farms produce only one to five animals a year and the most any farm produces is 15. Demand for Kobe beef outstrips supply by an astronomical margin and all the domestically produced Kobe beef stays in Japan. Production can't be expanded because of the shortage of suitable land in Hyogo and the huge price it would command. But Japanese meat producers have allowed a limited number of wagyu cattle to be bred and raised in the U.S. and Australia. These cattle are shipped back to Japan for final feeding prior to slaughter. You may be able to get this sort of Kobe beef outside Japan, but it is enormously expensive, like USD$300 a serving and is still hard to find. What you most likely will get is "Kobe-style" beef, which means beef that is several grades higher than USDA Prime because of its abundant marbling. It's very doubtful that most of what is sold as Kobe beef in Asia and elsewhere has anything to do with Japan or wagyu cattle. It is often tender and well marbled beef, but not the real Kobe. Remember, Kobe beef isn't like the beef with which most of us are familiar. It is more like fioe gras than an American Porterhouse steak. In Japan, it is eaten very thinly sliced and barely warmed. Many say the only cooking a slice of Kobe needs is what it gets on top of a bowl of hot rice. If it is prepared "Western style," it is seared quickly on both sides over very high heat in an iron pan, much like tuna is prepared. The inside shouldn't be much more than warm. The photos illustrate the difference in marbling between Kobe and the top two USDA grades of meat. Kobe beef: ____ And the top USDA classifications. Evil

Very funny! Enjoyed it much. Thanks. Evil

Yup - nice bar, but not in the best location to attract customers. Anyway, Hammer - best of luck for the future! Evil

Specifically, Kesté at 271 Bleecker St., near Morton St. Here's what New York magazine says about it: "Tucking into Kesté’s “Regina Margherita” can seem like eating pizza for the first time. A few bites in, and you’re struck by the sensation that life, such as it is, may have nothing more to offer." It's difficult, if not impossible, to find really good pizza in Pattaya. It's one food I leave to NYC. Evil

Yes, indeed, if you desire a proper Thai meal in the wee hours, Marine seafood is open until 6.00 a.m. The girls love the place. Evil

They didn't ask to hold my passport when I stayed there at the end of May. Good thing, too. I would never surrender my passport to a hotel. They have to see it when you check in and most will take a photocopy of the first and visa-stamped pages, but they have no grounds under Thai law to demand to hold your passport. Evil

A real deal! That offer is back to where discounted prices were in the spring of 2006. Let's hope it stays that way (will depend on fuel costs). Evil

This is a legit press release, sent to major publications in many countries this morning. Make of it what you will. Evil PADDY POWER PRESS RELEASE 24 JULY 2009. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IRISH BOOKIE IN HOLY WAR WITH CANADIAN GAMING GIANT Ireland’s largest bookmaking outfit, Paddy Power, have today declared holy war against online casino operator GoldenPalace.com who this week put forward a bid of CAD$5,000 to purchase a tree stump from outside an Irish church. The tree stump, which was recently discovered in the grounds of the Holy Mary Parish Church in the rural Irish town of Rathkeale, allegedly depicts an image of the Blessed Virgin which remains be authenticated by the Roman Catholic Church. Canadian based gaming company, GoldenPalace.com, already own Pope Benedict’s old VW Golf along with a slice of toast allegedly bearing the face of the Virgin Mary and are now keen to add the Irish tree stump to their portfolio of strange religious objects. However Paddy Power have launched an aggressive counter bid in an effort to secure the future of the revered tree stump and are offering €6,200 (twice the Canadian’s original bid) for the stump. The offer which will be made in writing to the Rathkeale Parish Priest, Canon Joseph Dempsey, will remain open until the end of the August. Paddy Power said “We don’t want to see our holy tree stump paraded around the world in some kind of pseudo-religious carnival of the bizarre alongside a mouldy slice of toast. If we are successful with our bid we will endeavour to preserve the tree stump and make it accessible for all those who choose to visit it. You can bet on it” Paddy Power are also taking bets on where the next sighting of the Blessed Virgin will take place in Ireland. The Blessed Virgin’s usual haunt, Knock Shrine, is the bookies 5/1 favourite followed by holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, at 12/1. Less likely locations include the moving statues venue of Ballinspittle at 33/1 and the Galway Races at 100/1. Next reported sighting of the Blessed Virgin 5/1 Knock Shrine 12/1 Croagh Patrick 12/1 Lough Derg 16/1 Glen Columbkille 20/1 Glendalough 20/1 Clonmacnoise 33/1 Ballinspittle 100/1 Galway Races Others on request All prices remain subject to fluctuation. Ends For more information contact; Paddy Power plc

It's very funny. Some say it was originally a Buddy Hackett joke. Evil

It's an urban myth. It's been busted many times. http://www.snopes.com/quotes/mrgorsky.asp Evil

The Citin Loft falls within your parameters (1,200/baht night). It opened in April. Great place, I stayed there in May. http://www.citinloftpattaya.com/index.html Evil

I checked in and out of the GG without incident. It went like it usually does at most hotels and I didn't have much contact with the reception staff beyond that. The other service staff - the maids, tuk tuk driver/bellman, security guard - were very helpful and friendly. Evil

Here's the address and contact information on the Garden Grove Suites: 51 Sukhumvit Soi 16 Bangkok 10110 tel/fax: +66(0)2663 3120 e-mail: sales@ggrove.com Web Site Below is the floorplan of the 90-square-meter unit I had: Just two pictures from The Dawin on Suk Soi 4, the most recent addition to the Dynasty hotel chain. Contact details: 35/1-2 Soi Sukhumvit 4 (Nanatai), Sukhumvit Rd., Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 THAILAND Phone: (66)-2-2535555 Fax: (66)-2-2556380 E-mail: thedawin@dynastyinn.com Web site

Has a TG ever reacted to you in this manner? Evil PS- What name would you give this puppy? My suggestion would be "Harris Black."

Hey, GreenSlime, how's it going? You've been very quiet for a long time, haven't you? Evil PS - A lot of places for Thai food on Pattaya Klang between 2nd Rd and Soi Bukhao.

The OP was selective in his quote. What he quoted were the Terms & Conditions for one type of discounted promotional rate that has to be booked 30 days in advance. From what I can see on the Citin Web site, that particular promotion (Early Bird) isn't available right now. Other promotional rates are available and they allow changes/cancellation and don't require pre-payment. Many hotels have "early bird" rates for those who book and pay in advance. They are often about 10% lower than the next cheapest price level. I stayed at the Citin for six nights in May. I had booked the Early Bird rate a month prior to my arrival, but the charge didn't show up on my credit card, even though I had received an email confirming my reservation at the Early Bird rate. I emailed them about it and they essentially answered, "Don't worry about it. You'll be charged at the end of your stay." And that's how it went down. I paid in cash when I checked out. Those strict Terms & Conditions cited in the OP are most likely used in a "worst case" scenario and pre-payment required only when there is a lot of demand for the discounted rates. You can see some pics from Citin in my trip report here. Evil