# Booking.Com Is A Scam



## g5000

In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.  

The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.

Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.

We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.

As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.

The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.

We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms. 

Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.

I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.

A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.

I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.

I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.

The circuit breakers all tripped again.

I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.

So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.

We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.

I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!

This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.

The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!

We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.

This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.

*Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.

Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.


----------



## Ringel05

That's why I always staty at the Mandarin Oriental............


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

Yet another reason to avoid NY.
I've been once when i was 16 and hated it. I've had multiple invites from the wife to go to NY for free on a business trip and we'd/she stay at the Lowell on Madison Avenue.
    Ain't worth it....


----------



## Votto

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.



Just pretend it was Obamacare that was sold to ya instead of that death trap.  That way you may pretend to like it again.


----------



## Votto

HereWeGoAgain said:


> Yet another reason to avoid NY.
> I've been once when i was 16 and hated it. I've had multiple invites from the wife to go to NY for free on a business trip and we'd/she stay at the Lowell on Madison Avenue.
> Ain't worth it....



I've had offers to go as well.  I say no before they can finish their sentence.


----------



## SYTFE

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.



Damn!  Sorry to hear that, but that is informative.  I personally have reservations about booking anything in an "apartment" or someone else's condo or home, whether through booking.com or airbnb...I think it's bizarre and mostly a crapshoot exactly because of situations like this.  Shitty, scumbag apartment managers, shitty scumbag condo/homeowners and the inevitable communication difficulties involved if there are any issues.  Plenty of high quality hotels out there who respond instantly to problems and take care of their rooms and guests.  Hotels specialize in travel, accommodations and customer service.  "Landlords" and people who invest in properties to rent out do not specialize in customer service.


----------



## SYTFE

HereWeGoAgain said:


> Yet another reason to avoid NY.
> I've been once when i was 16 and hated it. I've had multiple invites from the wife to go to NY for free on a business trip and we'd/she stay at the Lowell on Madison Avenue.
> Ain't worth it....



NY city has nothing to do with his experience.  Nothing whatsoever.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

SYTFE said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yet another reason to avoid NY.
> I've been once when i was 16 and hated it. I've had multiple invites from the wife to go to NY for free on a business trip and we'd/she stay at the Lowell on Madison Avenue.
> Ain't worth it....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NY city has nothing to do with his experience.  Nothing whatsoever.
Click to expand...


  Been there and hated it.
Must be the redneck in me.....


----------



## MarcATL

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.


Welcome to New York!

I used to live there, so whenever I go back, I always have a place to stay.


----------



## g5000

I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.

But the food!  Oh my god the food.

I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.

My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.

I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.

Everyone should see New York City at least once.

I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.


----------



## iamwhatiseem

I wish I could remember if booking.com was a part of a scam alert segment on the news about these very type of services. The segment said they are hit and miss, some are legitimate - some not and the services do little to nothing to investigate/ensure consumers are nor ripped off.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

g5000 said:


> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.



  According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
  They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.


----------



## Wyatt earp

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.




If you bought an RV you wouldn't have had this problem..


No?

RVs Make No Sense!


----------



## g5000

HereWeGoAgain said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
Click to expand...

I did both.  One of my most satisfactory meals was a gyro from a food cart. 

But if you have not eaten at Il Cortile in Little Italy, you haven't lived.  I could almost cut the Filetto di Manzo di Puglia with a fork.


----------



## MarathonMike

New York IMO is a fun city to visit. I took the family there for 4th of July and caught a Yankees game. Your experience doesn't seem to have anything to do with New York and everything to do with an unscrupulous apartment owner renting through booking.com. That's a bummer, you spend that kind of money you hope for a great experience.


----------



## g5000

MarathonMike said:


> New York IMO is a fun city to visit. I took the family there for 4th of July and caught a Yankees game. Your experience doesn't seem to have anything to do with New York and everything to do with an unscrupulous apartment owner renting through booking.com. That's a bummer, you spend that kind of money you hope for a great experience.


Correct.  As soon as I heard it might take up to three days for the situation to be rectified, I determined then and there I was not going to let this bullshit impinge on my jam-packed plans with my family and friends.

I had no choice but to immediately abandon the place and find lodging elsewhere.  We then commenced to have the time of our lives for the next seven days.

It will be a while for my credit card company to battle it out with the apartment manager, but I can handle all that post-vacation no problem.


----------



## Wyatt earp

g5000 said:


> MarathonMike said:
> 
> 
> 
> New York IMO is a fun city to visit. I took the family there for 4th of July and caught a Yankees game. Your experience doesn't seem to have anything to do with New York and everything to do with an unscrupulous apartment owner renting through booking.com. That's a bummer, you spend that kind of money you hope for a great experience.
> 
> 
> 
> Correct.  As soon as I heard it might take up to three days for the situation to be rectified, I determined then and there I was not going to let this bullshit impinge on my jam-packed plans with my family and friends.
> 
> I had no choice but to immediately abandon the place and find lodging elsewhere.  We then commenced to have the time of our lives for the next seven days.
> 
> It will be a while for my credit card company to battle it out with the apartment manager, but I can handle all that post-vacation no problem.
Click to expand...



They didn't give you a refund or anything right away? This is why I won't do any of that stuff just to try to save a few bucks.


----------



## g5000

bear513 said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MarathonMike said:
> 
> 
> 
> New York IMO is a fun city to visit. I took the family there for 4th of July and caught a Yankees game. Your experience doesn't seem to have anything to do with New York and everything to do with an unscrupulous apartment owner renting through booking.com. That's a bummer, you spend that kind of money you hope for a great experience.
> 
> 
> 
> Correct.  As soon as I heard it might take up to three days for the situation to be rectified, I determined then and there I was not going to let this bullshit impinge on my jam-packed plans with my family and friends.
> 
> I had no choice but to immediately abandon the place and find lodging elsewhere.  We then commenced to have the time of our lives for the next seven days.
> 
> It will be a while for my credit card company to battle it out with the apartment manager, but I can handle all that post-vacation no problem.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> They didn't give you a refund or anything right away? This is why I won't do any of that stuff just to try to save a few bucks.
Click to expand...

Nope.  No refund.  That's why I went to my credit card company.

I wasn't trying to save money.  It was the most convenient way to find an actual apartment in NYC for eight days.


----------



## fncceo

Ringel05 said:


> That's why I always staty at the Mandarin Oriental............



Very nice hotel.  Stayed there in Hong Kong.


----------



## g5000

I ended up at the Sheraton at Time Square.  They told me I was lucky they had rooms available.  They usually host the Clinton Initiative every year at this time of year, but the convention went somewhere else this year.

So I joked, "Why?  Did you guys vote for Trump or something?"

They were not amused.


----------



## Wyatt earp

g5000 said:


> I ended up at the Sheraton at Time Square.  They told me I was lucky they had rooms available.  They usually host the Clinton Initiative every year at this time of year, but the convention went somewhere else this year.
> 
> So I joked, "Why?  Did you guys vote for Trump or something?"
> 
> They were not amused.




How much a night,  just curious ..


----------



## g5000

bear513 said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I ended up at the Sheraton at Time Square.  They told me I was lucky they had rooms available.  They usually host the Clinton Initiative every year at this time of year, but the convention went somewhere else this year.
> 
> So I joked, "Why?  Did you guys vote for Trump or something?"
> 
> They were not amused.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How much a night,  just curious ..
Click to expand...

$2907.10 for 7 nights for one room with a king size bed and a foldout bed.  Same price for the second room with two queens.  That includes all the various taxes.


----------



## TNHarley

I have used VRBO multiple times and never once had a problem.


----------



## g5000

I usually do my own booking and negotiating.  It has always worked out cheaper that way.

This time, I got lazy and fell for an ad while I was booking my airline tickets.

Never again.


----------



## rightwinger

HereWeGoAgain said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
Click to expand...

NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world

From pizza all the way to five star


----------



## rightwinger

g5000 said:


> I usually do my own booking and negotiating.  It has always worked out cheaper that way.
> 
> This time, I got lazy and fell for an ad while I was booking my airline tickets.
> 
> Never again.



I would have worried when they said the apartment was unlocked and the key was on the counter


----------



## g5000

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
Click to expand...

Exactly!

There is nothing like New York style pizza.   It's the best.


----------



## g5000

rightwinger said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I usually do my own booking and negotiating.  It has always worked out cheaper that way.
> 
> This time, I got lazy and fell for an ad while I was booking my airline tickets.
> 
> Never again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would have worried when they said the apartment was unlocked and the key was on the counter
Click to expand...

The apartment building was guarded.  Every resident had to show proof of occupancy to be allowed to enter.  It took us several minutes to convince the guard we belonged there.  I had to call up my reservation emails and whatnot before we were allowed in.

The guard was not aware the apartment manager was renting out an apartment via booking.com as a side business.  That caused additional delays.


----------



## rightwinger

g5000 said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I usually do my own booking and negotiating.  It has always worked out cheaper that way.
> 
> This time, I got lazy and fell for an ad while I was booking my airline tickets.
> 
> Never again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would have worried when they said the apartment was unlocked and the key was on the counter
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The apartment building was guarded.  Every resident had to show proof of occupancy to be allowed to enter.  It took us several minutes to convince the guard we belonged there.  I had to call up my reservation emails and whatnot before we were allowed in.
> 
> The guard was not aware the apartment manager was renting out an apartment via booking.com as a side business.  That caused additional delays.
Click to expand...


Seems he was making money off of unfinished units until they were ready for occupancy


----------



## g5000

rightwinger said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I usually do my own booking and negotiating.  It has always worked out cheaper that way.
> 
> This time, I got lazy and fell for an ad while I was booking my airline tickets.
> 
> Never again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would have worried when they said the apartment was unlocked and the key was on the counter
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The apartment building was guarded.  Every resident had to show proof of occupancy to be allowed to enter.  It took us several minutes to convince the guard we belonged there.  I had to call up my reservation emails and whatnot before we were allowed in.
> 
> The guard was not aware the apartment manager was renting out an apartment via booking.com as a side business.  That caused additional delays.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Seems he was making money off of unfinished units until they were ready for occupancy
Click to expand...

Yep.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
Click to expand...


  Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.


----------



## martybegan

SYTFE said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Damn!  Sorry to hear that, but that is informative.  I personally have reservations about booking anything in an "apartment" or someone else's condo or home, whether through booking.com or airbnb...I think it's bizarre and mostly a crapshoot exactly because of situations like this.  Shitty, scumbag apartment managers, shitty scumbag condo/homeowners and the inevitable communication difficulties involved if there are any issues.  Plenty of high quality hotels out there who respond instantly to problems and take care of their rooms and guests.  Hotels specialize in travel, accommodations and customer service.  "Landlords" and people who invest in properties to rent out do not specialize in customer service.
Click to expand...


I've used them for hotels and have not had any issues. For AirBnB I've only used it to rent dedicated vacation homes, not someone's main home while they are away.

Surprised Booking was so anal about fixing things though.


----------



## airplanemechanic

I heard there is a beautiful 2 room suite on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay, if you don't mind a little draft from a couple of open windows....


----------



## rightwinger

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
Click to expand...


Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
Click to expand...


 No dumbass...we use spices.
You fools dont even know how to BBQ.


----------



## rightwinger

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
Click to expand...


The hell I don't...I have a rub that is to die for
My BBQ sauce is second to none


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> 
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The hell I don't...I have a rub that is to die for
> My BBQ sauce is second to none
Click to expand...


  Let me guess...you try and BBQ on a Weber.


----------



## strollingbones

i have a good and a bad apartment renting in nyc....first most of the stuff is on the down low and the door man isnt too friendly..always use a credit card...always

faulty wiring or bad ground breakers in the bathroom and kitchen would do that...you were right to leave  many outlets in the bathroom and kitchen has little push button breakers on them that have to be reset


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
Click to expand...


We use spices.  I always use spices and herbs.  What gives you the idea that we don't know how to cook here in the northeast?  What is your problem?  Yankee hater.


----------



## ChrisL

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
Click to expand...


Or stuff to burn your tongue out of your mouth.  They only THINK their food is good because their tongues are numb most of the time.


----------



## strollingbones

i loved the food in nyc except the dirty dogs....yall dont have real onions


----------



## strollingbones

please dont start with the bbq fuss..grilling is not bbq


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
Click to expand...


If your food was so good, you wouldn't need that hot sauce to drown the flavor!


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> i loved the food in nyc except the dirty dogs....yall dont have real onions



I don't know about New York, but here in MA, we have plenty of farm stands and all kinds of places to get freshly picked fruits and veggies.  Upstate New York is also like that.  It is very beautiful and very much "country living."  The whole state doesn't consist of New York City.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> 
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We use spices.  I always use spices and herbs.  What gives you the idea that we don't know how to cook here in the northeast?  What is your problem?  Yankee hater.
Click to expand...


   It's the same in Canada and the N. west.
When you eat Cajun,Mexican and Southern cooking in general everything else is bland.


----------



## strollingbones

hot sauce ....are you talking about tabasco?


----------



## strollingbones

who eats 'southern cooking' in the north?    now i hear harlem does a mean chicken and waffle


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Or stuff to burn your tongue out of your mouth.  They only THINK their food is good because their tongues are numb most of the time.
Click to expand...


   While we eat a lot of spicy hot food,it's more about the intensity of the spices.


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> who eats 'southern cooking' in the north?    now i hear harlem does a mean chicken and waffle



I eat corn bread.  Love me some corn bread!  I really prefer my chicken baked to fried though.


----------



## ChrisL

I like to glaze my chicken in the oven.  I like my chicken sssssaucy, like me!


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> If your food was so good, you wouldn't need that hot sauce to drown the flavor!
Click to expand...


  The only time I use hot sauce is on Mexican food.
The flavor profiles in the South are just more intense.


----------



## strollingbones

o and how does one make one's corn bread?


----------



## strollingbones

now i like wings in tabasco  1/2 tabasco and 1/2 melted butter....toss them wings in and stir


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

strollingbones said:


> o and how does one make one's corn bread?



  From scratch of course.


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> o and how does one make one's corn bread?



What?  You need a recipe or something?  I use Paula Deen's corn bread recipe on Foodnetwork.com.  It's a good one!  I like to add just a teensy bit of cayenne pepper to my corn bread.  Just a TEENSY bit makes all the difference.


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> now i like wings in tabasco  1/2 tabasco and 1/2 melted butter....toss them wings in and stir



We call those "Buffalo wings" round here!  I'd prefer honey chipotle wings.  If it's spicy, I like to have that bit of sweetness along with it.


----------



## strollingbones

do you have  cast iron skillet for this corn bread


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> now i like wings in tabasco  1/2 tabasco and 1/2 melted butter....toss them wings in and stir
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We call those "Buffalo wings" round here!  I'd prefer honey chipotle wings.  If it's spicy, I like to have that bit of sweetness along with it.
Click to expand...


  Then you'd love my Jerk Chicken.
Of course I'd have to tone it down a bit. I usually use three Scotch Bonnets between the marinade and the sauce.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> If your food was so good, you wouldn't need that hot sauce to drown the flavor!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The only time I use hot sauce is on Mexican food.
> The flavor profiles in the South are just more intense.
Click to expand...


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> now i like wings in tabasco  1/2 tabasco and 1/2 melted butter....toss them wings in and stir
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We call those "Buffalo wings" round here!  I'd prefer honey chipotle wings.  If it's spicy, I like to have that bit of sweetness along with it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Then you'd love my Jerk Chicken.
> Of course I'd have to tone it down a bit. I usually use three Scotch Bonnets between the marinade and the sauce.
Click to expand...


I hate Scotch bonnets!  You heard my Scotch bonnets story!    Those are MUCH too hot for me.  They made my tongue and my lips numb.


----------



## strollingbones

Moist and Easy Cornbread

i am sorry you think this is good cornbread.....baking dish lol fucking baking dish?


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

strollingbones said:


> do you have  cast iron skillet for this corn bread



  The best cornbread you'll ever eat comes out of this.....


----------



## strollingbones

good gosh why would you try scottish bonnets?  want some ghost peppers too?


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> According to the wife and the Guy who owns Redstone the food sucks.
> They hit the top restaurants in NY when they go for business.
> Sounds like you might be better off hitting the street level eats.
> 
> 
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> If your food was so good, you wouldn't need that hot sauce to drown the flavor!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The only time I use hot sauce is on Mexican food.
> The flavor profiles in the South are just more intense.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


  Oh God that stuff is NASTY!!!!


----------



## rightwinger

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> NYC  has the best  restaurants in the world
> 
> From pizza all the way to five star
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The hell I don't...I have a rub that is to die for
> My BBQ sauce is second to none
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Let me guess...you try and BBQ on a Weber.
Click to expand...


Bingo
Weber Smokey Mountain does an outstanding job






Let me guess...you use a converted garbage can


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> Moist and Easy Cornbread
> 
> i am sorry you think this is good cornbread.....baking dish lol fucking baking dish?



She must have other recipes, because the one I use is baked in a cast iron pan.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

strollingbones said:


> good gosh why would you try scottish bonnets?  want some ghost peppers too?



  They aren't all that hot to me.
I did eat a Carolina Reaper about a month or so ago just to see how hot they were.
   It wasnt nearly as bad as I expected but it was the hottest thing I've ever eaten.


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> good gosh why would you try scottish bonnets?  want some ghost peppers too?



I didn't know that they were so hot.  I just thought they were cute little peppers and all different colors and would look nice in my macaroni salad.  Those cute little peppers are very evil though.


----------



## strollingbones

o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The hell I don't...I have a rub that is to die for
> My BBQ sauce is second to none
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Let me guess...you try and BBQ on a Weber.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Bingo
> Weber Smokey Mountain does an outstanding job
> 
> Let me guess...you use a converted garbage can
Click to expand...


   LoL......
Nah,I use a real BBQ pit,Webers are for yankees.




Pitts & Spitts - "The Best Looking, Besting Cooking Smokers & Grills."


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yankee food is way to bland for Southerners.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes...It doesn't have enough lard, sugar and grease
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> No dumbass...we use spices.
> You fools dont even know how to BBQ.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The hell I don't...I have a rub that is to die for
> My BBQ sauce is second to none
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Let me guess...you try and BBQ on a Weber.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Bingo
> Weber Smokey Mountain does an outstanding job
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me guess...you use a converted garbage can
Click to expand...


  Yeah....I had one of those when I was a kid.
They rust out in a couple of years.


----------



## strollingbones

best ....old barrel a coon ass did ....make it from la to here...rusted out after a few years.....


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

strollingbones said:


> best ....old barrel a coon ass did ....make it from la to here...rusted out after a few years.....



  Yeah they cook well if made right.
They just dont last.


----------



## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly



One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!  

I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> best ....old barrel a coon ass did ....make it from la to here...rusted out after a few years.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah they cook well if made right.
> They just dont last.
Click to expand...


I watch a show on PBS (of course, I can't remember the name of it).  It's about a guy who grills everything and he has a whole bunch of different styles of grills.  He will even grill things right on top of an open fire or on rocks.  It's a pretty interesting show actually, if you like cooking.


----------



## rightwinger

ChrisL said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
Click to expand...


I don't appreciate that kind of heat

The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure


----------



## strollingbones

yea thai food....can be that way way too hot


----------



## ChrisL

rightwinger said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
Click to expand...


I agree.  It ruins the flavor for me, and I just can't enjoy eating something that is like torturing myself!


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
Click to expand...


  It's all about what you're used to.
I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.


----------



## ChrisL

I'm growing some poblano peppers right now.  Those are about as "hot" as I like it.  They are very very mild and just add a tiny bit of heat.  

This is MY pepper plant that I grew up from a tiny little sprout.    This was taken about a month ago.  I should take more pictures because there are more peppers on it now.  That was my first pepper though.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> I'm growing some poblano peppers right now.  Those are about as "hot" as I like it.  They are very very mild and just add a tiny bit of heat.
> 
> This is MY pepper plant that I grew up from a tiny little sprout.    This was taken about a month ago.  I should take more pictures because there are more peppers on it now.  That was my first pepper though.
> 
> View attachment 153735
> 
> View attachment 153736



  Those are great for Chile Relleno!


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm growing some poblano peppers right now.  Those are about as "hot" as I like it.  They are very very mild and just add a tiny bit of heat.
> 
> This is MY pepper plant that I grew up from a tiny little sprout.    This was taken about a month ago.  I should take more pictures because there are more peppers on it now.  That was my first pepper though.
> 
> View attachment 153735
> 
> View attachment 153736
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Those are great for Chile Relleno!
> View attachment 153737
Click to expand...


That is one thing I want to make with them.  I don't think they will get big enough though because I'm growing them in a pot.  I suppose I can make little ones though!  My first one I had to pick before it got that big because it would have started to rot.


----------



## rightwinger

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
Click to expand...


I know where you are coming from

I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second

He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat


----------



## ChrisL

You who like the wicked hot foods, do you poop molten lava?


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

rightwinger said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
Click to expand...


   I like crab cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
    The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
  When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> You who like the wicked hot foods, do you poop molten lava?



   Never had that problem.
Maybe my butt is as used to it as my taste buds.


----------



## frigidweirdo

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.



Well, this isn't necessarily Booking.com's fault here. The person who did all this is responsible for the place they're renting out. Booking.com is merely an intermediary. You have to understand what they are.

I've used them many times, but only stayed a few times in the places I've booked. Mainly because there are visas you can get where you need to show all your travel itinerary, and booking.com is great for that.

I've had one place cancel on me, it was so cheap it was ridiculous, but I was going to cancel on them anyway. It's what it is, you just have to understand what it is. 

The best thing about these sites are the reviews left by people. That's how you use the site to find a place. If no one has stayed there, don't book.

I use other sites, similar, like hostelworld especially, and it's been great because I can see what sort of place I'm going to. The only bad experiences are either when there are very few places in the place I'm going to, or the decent places have been sold out. It's all about how you use these sites.


----------



## ChrisL

I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
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> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> o that i can see...they do look eye appealing....they are cute but deadly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
Click to expand...


I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.



   Love all of those myself.
Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
   And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
   This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
Click to expand...


I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> One time, I was making snacks for a Super Bowl party, and I marinated chicken wings overnight in this Chinese "sweet and spicy" Garlic sauce.  That was the HOTTEST stuff ever.  We could barely manage to even eat them.  It even burned your cheek if you got some on your cheek!
> 
> I probably should have tasted it first before I just marinated the chicken in it, but I was kind of trying to hurry and get things prepared.    Any time it is some authentic Chinese sauce, be sure to taste it first.  They have some REALLY hot sauces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.
Click to expand...


  Not fishy tasting at all but it's far from sweet.
When we make it we do it in the outdoor kitchen because it produces a crazy amount of smoke.
   Here's whats in the seasoning to give you an idea of taste.
Blackening Seasoning Mix Paul Prudhomme Recipe - Genius Kitchen


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't appreciate that kind of heat
> 
> The hotness should complement the main course, it should not be a contest over how much pain you can endure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Not fishy tasting at all but it's far from sweet.
> When we make it we do it in the outdoor kitchen because it produces a crazy amount of smoke.
> Here's whats in the seasoning to give you an idea of taste.
> Blackening Seasoning Mix Paul Prudhomme Recipe - Genius Kitchen
Click to expand...


Have you ever had stuffed quahogs?  Those are delicious too, and it is normal to eat those with tabasco sauce around here!


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
Click to expand...


  We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
  We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
  The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's all about what you're used to.
> I wouldnt cook with the Carolina Reaper but the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero is well within my comfort zone.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Not fishy tasting at all but it's far from sweet.
> When we make it we do it in the outdoor kitchen because it produces a crazy amount of smoke.
> Here's whats in the seasoning to give you an idea of taste.
> Blackening Seasoning Mix Paul Prudhomme Recipe - Genius Kitchen
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Have you ever had stuffed quahogs?  Those are delicious too, and it is normal to eat those with tabasco sauce around here!
Click to expand...


   I've never even heard of em.
But if it's seafood I'm sure to like them.


----------



## PredFan

g5000 said:


> In June of this year, I made a reservation through *Booking.com *for a three bedroom apartment in New York City for the period 26 September – 4 October 2017.  The name of the apartment corporation was listed as *Bloc Away From Central Park*.
> 
> The total cost of the apartment was listed as $5227.
> 
> Two days prior to our arrival in New York, I contacted the person named in the emails I had received from Bloc Away and let him know our airline flight arrived late on the evening of 26 September.  He told me he would leave the apartment unlocked and the keys on the kitchen counter.
> 
> We arrived at the apartment building about 9:30 pm on 26 September.   It was evident this was a residential apartment building, and the lobby guard seemed unfamiliar with the side business which the apartment management had going with *booking.com*, and it took some time for us to be allowed to enter the building.
> 
> As we finally were allowed in, and exited the elevator on the 8th floor where the apartment we rented is located, we could see the whole floor was under renovation.  The hallway carpet still had plastic covering it.
> 
> The apartment is a three bedroom apartment, with a living room and kitchen.
> 
> We entered our apartment and found the kitchen and one of the bedrooms were completely dark.  Nothing was working in either of these rooms.
> 
> Two bedrooms and the kitchen had window air conditioner units.  The darkened bedroom had a portable air conditioner unit and a halogen lamp.
> 
> I immediately went down to the lobby to inform the guard there was no electricity in half the apartment.  She contacted maintenance, and a man came and showed me the circuit breaker box by the front door.  He showed me where the tripped circuit breaker was and then left.
> 
> A minute or so after the maintenance man left, the lights went out again. And this time, they also went out in the master bedroom, as well as one of the kid’s bedrooms and the kitchen.
> 
> I opened the circuit breaker panel and found SEVERAL breakers had tripped.  As I reset them, the surrounding metal frame of the circuit breaker panel swung down.  Three of the four screws which are supposed to secure the panel were missing!  It was barely attached to the wall and a major safety hazard.
> 
> I reset several circuit breakers, and they immediately tripped again.  So I went around the darkened rooms and shut off all light switches, and unplugged all the lamps and air conditioners, and tried again.
> 
> The circuit breakers all tripped again.
> 
> I contacted the lobby again, and they informed me the maintenance people had left for the night, and they informed me the apartment manager would not be back until 9 o’clock the following morning.
> 
> So I called *booking.com* and expressed my outrage to them they had booked us into a firetrap, and demanded they immediately relocate us.  They told me there was nothing they could do until the apartment manager returned in the morning.
> 
> We spent the evening in a darkened, hot apartment.  The temperature approached 100 degrees.
> 
> I also noticed the air conditioner in the kitchen had a power cord which could not reach any outlet in the kitchen.  It was too far away!
> 
> This whole deal was an obvious sham from the start.
> 
> The following morning, I contacted *booking.com* at 9 sharp.  They contacted the apartment manager while I was put on hold, and then* booking.com* informed me the apartment manager would respond to our situation in TWO OR THREE DAYS!
> 
> We were booked for eight nights.  They wanted us to live in the dark in a firetrap for three out of those eight nights.
> 
> This apartment was clearly not completed with its renovations, and there was something seriously wrong with the wiring.  I absolutely was not going to live for three days in a $5227 firetrap with no electricity, and put the safety of my wife and children at risk.
> 
> *Booking.com refused to relocate us,* so we were forced to pack up and leave and find a place in New York City on our own with no notice.  It was at this point I contacted my bank to cancel the $5227 charges to my credit card.
> 
> Avoid *Booking.com* at all costs when planning a trip.



Man that sucks. Thanks for the heads up.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> rightwinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know where you are coming from
> 
> I used to work with a guy from Arizona. We went out to eat at a Maryland crab house and he ordered crab cakes. When they came, he asked for a bottle of Tabasco sauce. They looked at him oddly and brought out a bottle still in the box. He went through that bottle and asked for a second
> 
> He explained his taste buds are burnt out and he  can't enjoy food without the heat
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Not fishy tasting at all but it's far from sweet.
> When we make it we do it in the outdoor kitchen because it produces a crazy amount of smoke.
> Here's whats in the seasoning to give you an idea of taste.
> Blackening Seasoning Mix Paul Prudhomme Recipe - Genius Kitchen
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Have you ever had stuffed quahogs?  Those are delicious too, and it is normal to eat those with tabasco sauce around here!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never even heard of em.
> But if it's seafood I'm sure to like them.
Click to expand...


Quahogs are just a big clam.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
Click to expand...


I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like crab cakes cakes and wouldnt think of putting hot sauce on them.
> The only time I want some heat is in Mexican food and Jamaican food.
> When I say spicy I mean more robust flavors like say Blackened Redfish.
> 
> View attachment 153739
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've never had it.  Is it very fishy tasting?  I don't like the fishier tasting fishes.  I like the fishes that are white and flakey and kind of sweet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Not fishy tasting at all but it's far from sweet.
> When we make it we do it in the outdoor kitchen because it produces a crazy amount of smoke.
> Here's whats in the seasoning to give you an idea of taste.
> Blackening Seasoning Mix Paul Prudhomme Recipe - Genius Kitchen
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Have you ever had stuffed quahogs?  Those are delicious too, and it is normal to eat those with tabasco sauce around here!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've never even heard of em.
> But if it's seafood I'm sure to like them.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Quahogs are just a big clam.
Click to expand...


  Damn those things are Huge!!


----------



## KissMy

g5000 said:


> bear513 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I ended up at the Sheraton at Time Square.  They told me I was lucky they had rooms available.  They usually host the Clinton Initiative every year at this time of year, but the convention went somewhere else this year.
> 
> So I joked, "Why?  Did you guys vote for Trump or something?"
> 
> They were not amused.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How much a night,  just curious ..
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> $2907.10 for 7 nights for one room with a king size bed and a foldout bed.  Same price for the second room with two queens.  That includes all the various taxes.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a much better deal than that Booking.com mess.


----------



## KissMy

Must be why Muammar Gaddafi would never stay in apartments or hotels in NYC. He always pitched a tent somewhere.


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
Click to expand...


  The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
  They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
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> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had crab cakes, clam chowder and coconut shrimp for dinner the other night!  I don't usually like coconut, but I love coconut shrimp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
Click to expand...


Nice place!


----------



## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
Click to expand...


  Yeah.....we always make plans to go sightseeing but we always end up laying around doing nothing but soaking up the atmosphere and drinking and eating all day.
  Although we always make a point of visiting Three Dives at least once. It's a little hole in the wall place with the best jerk ever!!!
   The guys there showed me how to make proper Jerk chicken.


----------



## westwall

g5000 said:


> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.







"Starting"?  Hell, depending on which section of town you're in it has already gone back to nature!  But, I do love Broadway!  Saw Hamilton there a few weeks ago.  Fantastic show.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yeah.....we always make plans to go sightseeing but we always end up laying around doing nothing but soaking up the atmosphere and drinking and eating all day.
> Although we always make a point of visiting Three Dives at least once. It's a little hole in the wall place with the best jerk ever!!!
> The guys there showed me how to make proper Jerk chicken.
> 
> View attachment 153754
> 
> View attachment 153756
Click to expand...


Looks like my kind of place!


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## ChrisL

westwall said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Starting"?  Hell, depending on which section of town you're in it has already gone back to nature!  But, I do love Broadway!  Saw Hamilton there a few weeks ago.  Fantastic show.
Click to expand...


Sure, New York has it's ghetto sections like most big cities.  Definitely have to be careful where you go.


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## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yeah.....we always make plans to go sightseeing but we always end up laying around doing nothing but soaking up the atmosphere and drinking and eating all day.
> Although we always make a point of visiting Three Dives at least once. It's a little hole in the wall place with the best jerk ever!!!
> The guys there showed me how to make proper Jerk chicken.
> 
> View attachment 153754
> 
> View attachment 153756
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Looks like my kind of place!
Click to expand...


  When we were younger we used to explore Jamaica from one end to the other.
   We even went into the bush in the mountains and visited a Rasta weed farm.
  Super cool people.


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## g5000

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> Love all of those myself.
> Although it's a little hard to find decent Clam Chowder down here.
> And dont get me started on Coconut shrimp.
> It took the wife and I about a half dozen attempts before we got them right.
> This is the secret to getting that sweet taste.
> View attachment 153743
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
Click to expand...

That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.


----------



## g5000

westwall said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love New York.  To visit, anyway. Would hate to live there.  The traffic is atrocious.
> 
> But the food!  Oh my god the food.
> 
> I gorged on Italian food while I was there, as well as several other venues.  If anyone is going to Manhattan, I can recommend some fantastic places.
> 
> My biggest disappointment was that a large organization like booking.com did not act to make things right immediately and relocate us.  I even sent them videos so they could see for themselves what a gross safety hazard the place was.  To no avail.
> 
> I've always stayed in hotels when I travel to Manhattan.  I wanted an apartment this time because we had a lot of friends and family who were going to visit with us while we were there.
> 
> Everyone should see New York City at least once.
> 
> I did notice the infrastructure is starting to go to hell.  The subway system especially is floundering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Starting"?  Hell, depending on which section of town you're in it has already gone back to nature!  But, I do love Broadway!  Saw Hamilton there a few weeks ago.  Fantastic show.
Click to expand...

I've seen New York at its worst and at its best.  It is nowhere near its worst right now.  Not even close.


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## HereWeGoAgain

g5000 said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I usually use a beer batter with coconut milk in it and then I dredge them in shredded sweetened coconut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
Click to expand...


  Wrong.
You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.


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## g5000

HereWeGoAgain said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> We tried that and the deep fry burns the sugars in the coconut and made them bitter.
> We do the coco lopez first,then a beer batter and finish with unsweetened coconut.
> The beer batter protects the sugars in the Coco Lopez.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
Click to expand...

I've been there several times.  The real Jamaica.  Not the tourist Jamaica.


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## ChrisL

g5000 said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've been there several times.  The real Jamaica.  Not the tourist Jamaica.
Click to expand...


What do you think those people would do to earn a living on that island without the tourism industry?


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## ChrisL

I'll bet most Jamaicans are thankful for the tourism industry and the money and wealth it brings to the island.  Of course they aren't going to place tourist resorts in the ghettos!  WTF?  Lol.


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## HereWeGoAgain

g5000 said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't deep fry them.  I just put a little oil on the bottom of a cast iron skillet and keep turning them.  They only need to cook for a couple of minutes, and they are really good that way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've been there several times.
Click to expand...


  Several? 
I've been dozens of times.
   You're thinking of the walled in compounds that discourage the guest from exploring the island,places like Couples or Beaches which we avoid like the plague.


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## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've been there several times.  The real Jamaica.  Not the tourist Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> What do you think those people would do to earn a living on that island without the tourism industry?
Click to expand...


    Exactly.
I know the staff at Catcha make pretty good money from the guests.
   Which is why we avoid the mega resorts which forbid tipping.
We tip the bartender Kevin at least $200 at the end of the week and the maids $100 each. In Jamaica that goes a long way.


----------



## ChrisL

HereWeGoAgain said:


> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> The best I've ever had before we perfected the recipe was in Jamaica.
> They actually stock up on shrimp when we go.
> Catcha Falling Star Jamaica: Ocean front cottages and suites
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've been there several times.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Several?
> I've been dozens of times.
> You're thinking of the walled in compounds that discourage the guest from exploring the island,places like Couples or Beaches which we avoid like the plague.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I've seen commercials for those places (Sandals, etc.) that look way overcrowded.  If I was going to a resort, I would want more private settings than that huge "Disney World" type of place.


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## HereWeGoAgain

ChrisL said:


> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HereWeGoAgain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g5000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice place!
> 
> 
> 
> That's one of those resorts spoke of in an earlier post which Americans go to which has no connection to the reality of life in Jamaica.  Those resorts are staffed by natives paid slave wages to provide color.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wrong.
> You obviously dont know shit about Jamaica.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've been there several times.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Several?
> I've been dozens of times.
> You're thinking of the walled in compounds that discourage the guest from exploring the island,places like Couples or Beaches which we avoid like the plague.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yeah, I've seen commercials for those places (Sandals, etc.) that look way overcrowded.  If I was going to a resort, I would want more private settings than that huge "Disney World" type of place.
Click to expand...


  You might as well go to Florida if you're going to stay in those places.
  We like to get out and meet the locals and Kevin the Bartender also owns a little restaurant in the hills we frequent.


----------

