San Jose Fairmont

Normally I am always on the prowl for a bargain, but on this trip I decided that it would be easier to stay in the headquarters hotel for the convention that I was attending. In this case it was the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, CA. I paid a convention rate of $130 and since I was a member of their Presidents Club I had free wireless internet access. The normal internet fee is $13.95 a day. If you don't want to pay the fee, then I suggest locating a hotspot in downtown San Jose and logging on the city's free wi-fi network.

The hotel has a good deal of security during the day and night due to the homeless people wandering around downtown. In the evening you need to use your room key to gain access from the plaza side to either tower and in the south tower a room key is needed to access any floor.

As for dining, I did go somewhat sheap by eating at the local Chinese Guormet Express where 2 items plus rice or noodles costs $5.62 with tax and provides a decent meal for the tightfisted.

For a higher level of dining there are several restaurants close to the hotel like P.F. Changs China Bistro, to the Gordon Biersch Brewery as well as many local establishments serving steak, seafood and more.

The downtown area is still devoloping, but the city has seen tremendous growth and is becoming a good travel destination for conventions.

If you can get a decent rate, stay at the Fairmont as the service is impeccable and the rooms are some of the largest that I have encountered in my travels.

For this trip I experienced luxury living at a discount and I'll take that any day of the week.

Cheap Car, High Fees

This is a problem that plagues the car rental industry and unfortunately their is no relief in sight.

The problem? Outrageous fees and taxes when you rent a car.

My latest experience was a 4 day rental at the DFW airport. The total cost of the car was $51 which was a fantastic deal. The outrage was the $40 in fees and taxes tacked on to the rental. That's right! The fees and taxes added nearly 80% to the rental cost.

Heck, income taxes as bad as they can be don't climb that high. But in this case the politicans who approved these taxes and fees love them since they normally are paid by travelers who aren't voters in the cities they travel to. I am just so happy to know that my money is paying for things like fancy car rental facilities, sports stadiums and even police stations. And since travelers don't have a vote you can expect the fees and taxes to continue their upward spiral and I bet we aren't that far awy from the day when taxes and fees exceed the rental cost.

My answer to this is to use shared rides whenever possible and skip the rental. In some cases it would be far cheaper to use a shuttle van to and from the airport along with a taxi to get around town than to rent a car.

I have already reduced the number of car rentals on business trips to save money and aggravation.

Try it. You might find it both liberating and rewarding.

Fairfield Inn Grapevine

This property located off of Highway 121 in Grapevine provides a very good all around experience for the budget conscious traveler.

Conveniently located a few miles from the DFW Airport, the hotel also benefits from it's close proximity to the mammoth Gaylord Texan hotel which is less than 10 minutes away. For less than $100 a night on this trip I got a clean comfortable room, free wi-fi internet access and a free breakfast. The breakfast isn't fancy, fruit, cereal, bread, bagels, waffles and oatmeal along with the obligatory juice and coffee, but it is perfect for a person who isn't too fussy about their food.

The hotel is also close to the Grapvine Mills Mall which offers just about everything a person is looking for.

My only complaint was that it doesn't have an automatic sliding door at the entrance which forces you to struggle a bit when bringing luggage in and out of the hotel. Why they opted for the old fashioned non mechanical doors is a mystery, but only a minor irritant.

You can't go wrong by staying here and you can earn points in the highly regarded Marriott Rewards program which is another plus.

The next time business brings me to the Grapevine area, I plan to pay another visit to the Fairfield.

Colters Barbeque

Barbeque is a proud tradition in Texas and rightfully so. I have eaten a quite a few barbeque joints over the years on my many visits to the Lone Star state and my most recent visit was one of the more memorable ones.

I was in Grapevine and ate at Colters Barbeque located at Bass Pro Rd. and Rt. 26 right next to the Embassy Suites hotel. The decor is simple and all you have to do is place your order and then wait at a table until your pager buzzes, notifying you that your meal is ready for pick up.

They have an all you can eat beef, chicken, ribs and sausauge for $15.99 or on Tuesday when I went a $12.99 all you can ribs special. This includes as many sides as you want. The portions are generous and since I am not a large eater it was all I could do to get a second order of ribs and finish those off. Choose from original, spicy or a honey barbeque sauce and you have a great meal. As for the sides I suggest the apple cobbler which is delicious.

The staff is friendly and the food is great and I plan to eat there again on my next trip to the Dallas area.

Cozymels

If you are looking for a good mexican meal I wouldn't choose Cozymel's Mexican Grill. I ate at the one in the Grapevine Mills mall in Grapevine, TX and came away very disappointed. As a big fan of fajitas I ordered the roast pork variety hoping for a mouth watering experience.

Unfortunately for me what I received was a portion of tender but dry pork that nothing could turn into anything remotely tasty. I am rarely disappointed when eating Mexican food but this qualifies as my biggest disappointment to date.

Maybe my mistake was ordering something that doesn't lend itself well to being used a fajita meat, but I have tried lots of different types of fajitas with very good results.

My advice is to either looks for an authentic mom and pop type of Mexican restaurant if you are in the Grapevine area or try a Chevy's if you can find one.

Sushi Texas Style

Having grown up with a Japanese mother I hava eaten plenty of Japanese food and visited numerous Japanese restaurants.

My experince tonight was at the Edohana Hibachi and Sushi in Grapevine Texas. When you enter you are given a choice of seating for sushi or at the hibachi table. I chose the hibachi section and wasn't disappointed. While I have never seen the food cooked at the table in Japan this is fairly common in the U.S. The cook was entertaining and the food was good and reasonably priced with a chicken dinner going for $13 and steak for $16. The food is served with rice and vegetables and shrimp along with clear chicken broth soup ( where's the miso?) and a small salad with ginger dressing.

While I was there I was treated (?) to four birthdays. It's kind of cute but gets titing after the first two. You know a birthday is about to be celebrated as a gong like device is played and the birthday boy or girl gets a special hat and the obligatory ice cream on the house. One nice touch is a free polaroid picture of the celebrant.

There isn't anything special about the restaurant, but it's a nice break from steaks and barbecue which are so prevalent in Texas.

So if you are hungering for a little food from the Orient, this place is worth a try.

Great Steaks in Dallas

Looking for a great steakhouse in Dallas? Then make a visit to Kirby's Steakhouse. I ate at the one on Highway 114 in Southlake and it was a real treat. I ordered the 12 oz Randy prime rib and it was one of the most succulent pieces of beef I have ever had. The horseradish sauce was unlike anything I had ever tasted and added some zing to the meal.

Kirby's like most high end steakhouses is not for those on a budget. My prime rib cost $30 and came with a small salad. Add a baked potatoe and and then you will cough up another $5. Others in my party ordered a 7 oz. filet mignon ($27) and a lamb appetizer ($14). The atmosphere is great and includes a small band playing a wide variety of jazzy tunes throughout the night. I wasn't hungry enough to go for dessert, but the next time I am in town I will probably succumb to a tasty treat.

While this place isn't for the budget minded, it offers a superior experience to Outback and is worth the extra shekels.