US help.

[vofzxy]

Yep: I recommend don't use coffee powder. Find yourself a nice little coffee shop (check Yelp), or learn to use the coffee-makers that are in every hotel room - you'll get yourself a stronger, better-tasting coffee every time.

Also, if you're headed to NYC, give Bluestone Lane a crack: even the Aussie prime minister approves of them.

hahaha, im not a coffee person,
its to bring back to the peeps in SG

 

[vofzxy]

Outside your typical NYC or SF depending where you are can get great coffee

Lots of list and recommendations.but certainly fancy roasters are all downtown and you may get some small cafe brewing coffee sourcefrom these places.
https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-coffee-roasters-in-america

Depending on how such list is generated you would be surprise that NYC or SF are missing
https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-coffee-roasters-in-america

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-coffee-cities-in-america


these coffee roasters have stores outside their home city.
https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/the-21-best-coffee-roasters-in-the-country


In any case coffee powder bad idea, coffee snob will tell you stay away from ground coffee. Try fancy cold brew

Try La Colombe they stated in phillly and now trying to be Starbucks number 2 serving up better coffee.
https://www.lacolombe.com

If you can tahan Starbucks many hotels serve that, just add milk and sugar. Your local wholefoods carry beans from local roasters often dated. If you bring your own hario to grind great! You making better coffee than those hotel or motel cheap coffee

bookmark!
10 chars

 

[audioenslave]

hey all


any tips for just plain shopping and eating.


for 4 days 3 night


Planning a trip to US for next trip


Which state will be suitable for the following?


SO wants to go all the branded outlets and Victoria secret etc..and where most factory outlets are located for branded luxury labels


any suggestions?

 

[patryn33]

hey all


any tips for just plain shopping and eating.


for 4 days 3 night


Planning a trip to US for next trip


Which state will be suitable for the following?


SO wants to go all the branded outlets and Victoria secret etc..and where most factory outlets are located for branded luxury labels


any suggestions?

You flying so many hours (20+hrs 1 way) to stay 3 nights to shop!
Not to mention the cost associated with it, must just want the experience of outlet shopping and dining in nice places.
Go nyc best... no need to drive. just take metro.

I have ppl from china and Japan for such trips in NYC, but it's flying Saturday returning Friday. It's experience not savings or $$. Sure deal
These ppl don't care about quality as they donate stuff after a year of few wear. Outlet quality don't matter

go to your fav outlet, I hope they have the brands U seek... else go 5th Ave
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/woodbury-common/stores

Michelin stars makan places
http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/09/michelin-stars-2016-new-york-city.html
https://www.thrillist.com/eat/new-york/michelin-star-restaurants-in-nyc-cheapest-new-york-options

 

[Shiny Things]

hey all


any tips for just plain shopping and eating.


for 4 days 3 night


Planning a trip to US for next trip


Which state will be suitable for the following?


SO wants to go all the branded outlets and Victoria secret etc..and where most factory outlets are located for branded luxury labels


any suggestions?

Mate I have to agree with Patryn - you're high as a kite if you think you're going to fly eighteen hours each way for a three-night shopping trip, especially one where you just come back with cheapo factory-outlet rubbish. (Pro tip: the stuff they sell at the factory outlets is not the same as the things they sell at the regular stores! Most brands make cheaper, lower-quality product especially for their outlet stores; they're effectively knocking off their own product.) Change "three days" to "three weeks" and then we'll talk; on your current idea you'll spend more on the plane tickets than you'll save on the clothes.

If you're seriously insisting on doing this: fly into LA, drive out to the Desert Hills Outlets; then keep going over the hill to Palm Springs and spend a couple of days soaking up the 50s Hollywood glamour.

 

[invisible999]

Feedback on using Starhub prepaid data roam in US

Arrived at SFO today and before travel specially purchased Starhub prepaid SIM for $18 and enabled 1.2GB of data on it for $12 (it came with $18 credits). Here are observations:

The conclusion: if you have to have data network available in all places you go, then please a) get a phone/device which works at 4G frequencies in US and b) use/purchase SIM card which uses AT&T network. It will cost you 4x-5x the amount of mentioned above but you won't have accessibility problem.

Now a little bit more detailed explanation, it works, but... that but would make some people not to use this option.

First, I specifically took with me a small mobile 3G/4G/cell wifi router (called mifi device as well) which worked fine in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia for this purpose - the same SIM card shows 4G connectivity after powering on and speed was good. However in US the device could not connect to T-mobile (destination roaming network) for speed >2G. Which makes it completely unusable here. If you leave settings in 'cell connectivity' as auto, it will take about 3-5 min to connect to the Tmobile network. You can speed things up by logging on to router's management interface and selecting Manual and after that - Tmobile network, but it won't affect the speed it will connect - you will have 2G at the end.

Then I put the SIM card into my Singapore iphone 6 and after restart it came with 3G. It will NOT be working with 4G here because the phone does not support required frequencies.

Now the bad part of the situation is that coverage disappears in number of places. Moreover, while it shows that there is no coverage at the particular area, T-mobile's own SIM at the same phone shows excelled 3G connectivity. Even if you have 3G, it also introduces huge delay - tested number of times and it showed as 550ms and very low up/dl speeds - like 450kbit down and 200kbit up.

If you do not mind paying US30/SGD45 for a SIM card for the time you are in US - go for it. If speed/connectivity coverage is not that important for you then this option might work.

I personally won't use it again during my visits in US.

 

[fone]

First, roaming will route all your traffic through SG. I was using Singtel Dataroam saver in Japan, ping was 1s with 4G connectivity (ok, my phone only had 1 of the 4G bands there). So if you are using roaming, do not expect excellent speeds.

Even if you get a local sim card, you might still have the problem of LTE bands or even 3G frequencies. Even different local carriers use different 3G / 4G bands. So unless you are very sure of that carrier, then get sim card, otherwise, you might need to get a local mifi.

 

[lcpteck]

Will try to catch some pokemon like the rare Tauros when I'm in San Jose California.

 

[theanser]

Hi all,

Any recommended website to search for US domestic flights deal? I am looking to travel from SFO to LA. Currently looking at Southwest airlines but for some reason their website seems to be blocked in Singapore (Mobile app is working though).

Any other airlines would you all recommend? I am considering Southwest mainly due to its free 1st and 2nd check in baggage allowance

Thanks alot!

 

[Shiny Things]

Hi all,

Any recommended website to search for US domestic flights deal? I am looking to travel from SFO to LA. Currently looking at Southwest airlines but for some reason their website seems to be blocked in Singapore (Mobile app is working though).

Any other airlines would you all recommend? I am considering Southwest mainly due to its free 1st and 2nd check in baggage allowance

Thanks alot!

Use Hipmunk. You'll need to check Southwest separately though, because they don't share information with the aggregator sites.

 

[theanser]

Use Hipmunk. You'll need to check Southwest separately though, because they don't share information with the aggregator sites.

Thanks Shiny!

Would like to ask if Hipmunk is also a good website to search for hotel deals in US? Im personally using agoda.com. Wonder if there is better ones. Thanks for sharing!

 

[cscs3]

Mate I have to agree with Patryn - you're high as a kite if you think you're going to fly eighteen hours each way for a three-night shopping trip, especially one where you just come back with cheapo factory-outlet rubbish. (Pro tip: the stuff they sell at the factory outlets is not the same as the things they sell at the regular stores! Most brands make cheaper, lower-quality product especially for their outlet stores; they're effectively knocking off their own product.) Change "three days" to "three weeks" and then we'll talk; on your current idea you'll spend more on the plane tickets than you'll save on the clothes.

If you're seriously insisting on doing this: fly into LA, drive out to the Desert Hills Outlets; then keep going over the hill to Palm Springs and spend a couple of days soaking up the 50s Hollywood glamour.

May be he is travelling using those airline reward ticket?
About those comment you made about quality. I think is not true. Stay long enough in USA to know it. Those cheaper items you get in factory is usually those outdated or old model. If you are buying the latest model, they basically cost the same.

Also, take note the factory outlet location. Those around the big city or tourist spot are usually not that cheap. If you happen to travel to Arizona, Pheonix or Tucson. You get real bargin!

 

[ceecookie]

Hi all,

Any recommended website to search for US domestic flights deal? I am looking to travel from SFO to LA. Currently looking at Southwest airlines but for some reason their website seems to be blocked in Singapore (Mobile app is working though).

Any other airlines would you all recommend? I am considering Southwest mainly due to its free 1st and 2nd check in baggage allowance

Thanks alot!

Jetblue - their seat pitch is great and comfortable

 

[theanser]

Jetblue - their seat pitch is great and comfortable

Arriving at LONG beach airport instead of LAX?

 

[qianhan91]

I just book directly via southwest airline, but seats are first come first serve. U can check in online first. They have free drink and snacks.

Hi all,

Any recommended website to search for US domestic flights deal? I am looking to travel from SFO to LA. Currently looking at Southwest airlines but for some reason their website seems to be blocked in Singapore (Mobile app is working though).

Any other airlines would you all recommend? I am considering Southwest mainly due to its free 1st and 2nd check in baggage allowance

Thanks alot!

 

[patryn33]

Also, take note the factory outlet location. Those around the big city or tourist spot are usually not that cheap. If you happen to travel to Arizona, Pheonix or Tucson. You get real bargin!

That I agree, the one outside Phoenix I seen great deal, dessert hills, Allen Texas, vegas deal all weak.

 

[theanser]

I just book directly via southwest airline, but seats are first come first serve. U can check in online first. They have free drink and snacks.

Thanks! But recent months their website seems to be down from
Outside of US access. Any issues booking through mobile app instead?

 

[ceecookie]

Arriving at LONG beach airport instead of LAX?

No idea sorry, I used jetblue for a ny flight

 

[theanser]

Hi all, is all the hotels in US subjected to city taxes? Generally 14%

I am going through some hotels in agoda, for the same hotel, different rooms have different memo as below:

1) Not included in room price:
Hotel tax and service fees SGD 17.82

2) Not included in room price:
Tax SGD 22.58 (collected by hotel), City tax SGD 3.63 (collected by hotel)

Is it right to say option 1 room price is already taking into account city tax as compared to option 2?

Thanks!

 

[Jataro]

Thanks! But recent months their website seems to be down from
Outside of US access. Any issues booking through mobile app instead?

No problem with booking through mobile app as computer cannot access their website also.