I love credit cards so much!

[SBWB48]

Weather looks sunny and warm this weekend, but bring a jacket or sweater for the microclimates!

For Chinese food,
Mister Jiu's (in Chinatown, upscale Chinese-Californian cuisine)
R&G Lounge (in Chinatown, classic Cantonese cuisine, known for their salt and pepper crab)
Great Eastern (in Chinatown, classic Cantonese cuisine)
Yank Sing (2 locations off Market Street, upscale dim sum)
City View (in the Financial District, good dim sum)
Koi Palace (in Daly City, authentic dim sum experience, expect crowds)
Dragon Beaux (Koi Palace's more upscale dim sum restaurant in the Richmond)
M.Y. China (Under the Dome in the Westfield Mall, Martin Yan's collaboration with Koi Palace, hand pulled noodles, get the Chinese donuts)
Mission Chinese Food/Lung Shan Restaurant (Danny Bowien's famed joint in the Mission)
Hong Kong Lounge I & II (authentic dim sum)
Din Tai Fung (needs no introduction, but in Santa Clara)
Sam Wo (casual eats, newer location, but historic roots)
Yuet Lee (classic Cantonese after hours restaurant, known for their salt and pepper shrimp)

Golden Gate Bakery (in Chinatown, love their HK-style egg tarts)
Bake Cheese Tart (recently opened in the Westfield Mall, first US location, serves authentic Hokkaido-style cheese tarts)
Lots of HK-style dessert cafes in the Richmond.

State Bird Provisions (not Chinese but served dim sum style, award winning Californian cuisine)
Liholiho Yacht Club (recently enjoyed a fantastic meal there, not Chinese, but Hawaiian-inspired)
'āina (another wonderful Hawaiian-inspired restaurant)

Ramen is also really popular right now:
Ippudo (I think I mentioned this NYC favorite opened up a SF location near the Metreon)
Mensho (SF spinoff of one of Tokyo's famed ramen restaurants)

Boba tea cafes are popping up (again) all over, but Boba Guys is really trendy.

For coffee,
Blue Bottle Coffee (they have a location in the Ferry Building)
Philz Coffee (several locations downtown)
Sightglass Coffee

Check out the Ferry Plaza and its Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Off the Grid organizes a big gathering of food trucks on Friday nights at Fort Mason, and Sunday afternoons at the Presidio Main Parade (in front of the Walt Disney Family Museum with beautiful views of the Bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz).

And in honor of Anthony Bourdain: 30 restaurants where Anthony Bourdain got to know San Francisco.

Let me know if you're looking for anything else. If I think of any more, I'll follow up.

Remember, as a Platinum cardholder, you have access to a Platinum Concierge who you can tap to get hard-to-get reservations.

Thank you SO much!! I’ve jotted all of these down. Super excited for all of this, and I’m fully prepared to utilized the Plat concierge if needed (kind of excited to try if I need to Hehe). Ramen is decent in the DC/MD, but I’m way more excited to try what SF has to offer

If you have any seafood must dos, all ears

 

[Ngwira]

@Ngwira Here is what @wendow shared with me via PM about the Hyatt House Carlsbad:

I’ve never stayed at a Hyatt house before so didn’t know what to expect. I had called last week to request connecting rooms. Gal said non of the room connected but that she would put two rooms on hold for us across the hall from each other. Get to check in and it’s same gal I talked to but she didn’t do it. Now they are sold out and not much they can do. So rooms are on same floor but not that close. Fairly big hassle going back and forth with stuff all the time.

Other issues:

-Really outdated. Tub is stained. Grout around tub is nonexistent or dirty.

-king bed has huge jump in center. Feel like I have to hold on so I don’t roll off lol

-couches in both rooms have pretty big and dark stains.

-in the king room, the toilet paper holder is so far that you cannot reach it from the potty. Yet there is a wall right on the side of the potty. So weird.

-we are right off the i-5 here so the road noise is very loud as well as there is a train I keep hearing. The noise goes all night.

-Spiders. Big spiders in both rooms. My dd15 and I both have some arachnophobia so this is no good!!

I also just don’t care for the room layout. Glad I didn’t book this for Disney!

Thanks for copying this and wendow thanks for the honest review so that other disboarders don’t waste their time.

 

[amalone1013]

Just had a thought... think Minnie Van's will count as Lyft for Q3?

 

[Expiry]

Just had a thought... think Minnie Van's will count as Lyft for Q3?

I would think so because you call for them and pay for them within the Lyft app, right?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just got this offer for Amex Business Gold for 75K MR and no AF for the first year. Is this a good offer? If I go for this, I will save the wife's CSR/CSP double dip until this spend is complete.

Edited to add the previous post with all the details.

This super confused me for a second, lol. Somehow you quoted your post but it looked like I was the one who said it. I'm like...ummm I never asked any of those questions. Perhaps the quoting skills were a bit off on that one

 

[calypso726]

as someone who has tried a ton of coffee, i walked from fishermen's wharf to this place(about a 1.2 mile) in 20 mins just to get this coffee. Its super delicious. #coffeeaddict #ihaveaproblem
i ditched a SF harbor tour for it... lol

*Begins to plan a weekend trip to SF for coffee, food trucks and good Chinese food. Thinks this is reasonable*

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Churner Frustration...Get to entertain clients in a luxury suite tonight...Spend $3,000...all of it has to go on company card due to bank policy...BOOOOOOOO!

 

[wendow]

@Ngwira Here is what @wendow shared with me via PM about the Hyatt House Carlsbad:

I’ve never stayed at a Hyatt house before so didn’t know what to expect. I had called last week to request connecting rooms. Gal said non of the room connected but that she would put two rooms on hold for us across the hall from each other. Get to check in and it’s same gal I talked to but she didn’t do it. Now they are sold out and not much they can do. So rooms are on same floor but not that close. Fairly big hassle going back and forth with stuff all the time.

Other issues:

-Really outdated. Tub is stained. Grout around tub is nonexistent or dirty.

-king bed has huge jump in center. Feel like I have to hold on so I don’t roll off lol

-couches in both rooms have pretty big and dark stains.

-in the king room, the toilet paper holder is so far that you cannot reach it from the potty. Yet there is a wall right on the side of the potty. So weird.

-we are right off the i-5 here so the road noise is very loud as well as there is a train I keep hearing. The noise goes all night.

-Spiders. Big spiders in both rooms. My dd15 and I both have some arachnophobia so this is no good!!

I also just don’t care for the room layout. Glad I didn’t book this for Disney!

Thanks for posting! I was typing to you from the beach. Sorry for all the typos!

 

[Albort]

*Begins to plan a weekend trip to SF for coffee, food trucks and good Chinese food. Thinks this is reasonable*

lol, plan a trip to whole foods ASAP. they sell them at whole foods!

 

[calypso726]

Churner Frustration...Get to entertain clients in a luxury suite tonight...Spend $3,000...all of it has to go on company card due to bank policy...BOOOOOOOO!

I feel your pain. I’m in Antingua teaching CPR classes this whole week at some all inclusive resorts. Since it is business and not vacation, any expenses have to go on the company card. DH came with me on his own dime (we’ve never been to Antigua) so he used the Amex Platinum for 5x on the airfare. There was no availability on miles for the flight and business class was sold out anyhow. I’m laughing because between the China ABD’s internal flights and this work trip of mine, the plane princess will have been subjected to a whopping 7 economy flights all in less than one month’s time

It’s very bizarre to have an entire week of no churning, stacking of bonuses or earning any points and miles. I’m about to go pull the trigger on all 5 Hilton Amex offers I have on various cards just to feel as if I’ve accomplished something. Not really, but at least the one on the Aspire since I will also get 14x Hilton points per dollar and the $20 statement credit.

 

[calypso726]

lol, plan a trip to whole foods ASAP. they sell them at whole foods!

The coffee? Oh good! DH does all the grocery shopping so I had no idea. Yay! When I get back home, I’ll pick up some WF gift cards for 5x at Staples with my Ink Plus and then venture into the grocery store in search of Blue Bottle coffee.

 

[Albort]

The coffee? Oh good! DH does all the grocery shopping so I had no idea. Yay! When I get back home, I’ll pick up some WF gift cards for 5x at Staples with my Ink Plus and then venture into the grocery store in search of Blue Bottle coffee.

 

[kmc8826]

Just had a thought... think Minnie Van's will count as Lyft for Q3?

I would think so because you call for them and pay for them within the Lyft app, right?

Yes Minnie Van's will count! It codes as travel on the Reserve. Just make sure Freedom is your default card on the Lyft app. Good way to justify the expense. (I've only used it to go back and forth to HDDR).

 

[Lain]

Churner Frustration...Get to entertain clients in a luxury suite tonight...Spend $3,000...all of it has to go on company card due to bank policy...BOOOOOOOO!

I feel your pain. I’m in Antingua teaching CPR classes this whole week at some all inclusive resorts. Since it is business and not vacation, any expenses have to go on the company card.

Ah, yes. Same story with my wife’s work travel and expenses. Everything — flights, hotel, car rentals and transportation, expenses — is charged to the company; she has a company card and it’s an Amex Green card! At least she gets points and miles from the loyalty programs.

 

[Lain]

I was seriously addicted to Blue Bottle’s Nola iced coffee for a long time. The boxed stuff isn’t as good as made to order, but it’s available at Whole Foods and in bulk at the Costco here in SF.

 

[Judique]

I was seriously addicted to Blue Bottle’s Nola iced coffee for a long time. The boxed stuff isn’t as good as made to order, but it’s available at Whole Foods and in bulk at the Costco here in SF.

I'll be watching for this also @Albort. I see the beans are on Amazon. They have a few different versions. I see Three Africas, Giants Steps, Bella Donovan. Any favorites?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Good News ! My husband P2 was approved for the CIP.........”he” applied on Monday....received the 30 day message...I may or may not lol of called quite a bit to check on the status.....it was at 30 days last night...this morning he’s approved....
This game is very addicting, 3 months ago I was happy with my SW points and CP....now trying to rack up UR points

 

[Lain]

Good News ! My husband P2 was approved for the CIP.........”he” applied on Monday....received the 30 day message...I may or may not lol of called quite a bit to check on the status.....it was at 30 days last night...this morning he’s approved....
This game is very addicting, 3 months ago I was happy with my SW points and CP....now trying to rack up UR points

CONGRATULATIONS!!! If you want to rack up UR points, you really can't go wrong with the CIP.

 

[amalone1013]

In case anyone was questioning the Starbucks Amex offer, I reloaded through the app on June 15, got an email about using my offer immediately, and got a $5 credit june 17.,

 

[Lain]

I'll be watching for this also @Albort. I see the beans are on Amazon. They have a few different versions. I see Three Africas, Giants Steps, Bella Donovan. Any favorites?

Taste is personal, so I'd recommend you try all three. Three Africas is the lightest blend, Giant Steps is the darkest blend, and I believe Bella Donovan might be their most popular blend among the three. I personally veer towards the Bella Donovan and Giant Steps and enjoy them brewed in a French press or pour over. Blue Bottle also has a guide for making their New Orleans iced coffee at home: https://bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides/new-orleans-iced.