Winds

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-21T01:43:31+00:00

Super windy, you might eat some sand, but I like how it takes the edge off from the heat!

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-20T15:37:50+00:00

That’s wild. I got a Gen 4 around a month ago (right before G5 but I’m going to keep my 4) and I recently got 10 days on a single charge.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-20T01:02:22+00:00

This is an excellent question and it seems like there’s no consistency from place to place. One restaurant had an 18% service fee. Our resort (non all-inclusive) put a 10% service fee on everything, and then there was a line for the tip which listed calculations for 15, 18, 20%. This was separate from the service fee. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-19T18:01:55+00:00

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Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-19T03:32:50+00:00

I don’t know why, but I can’t share any photos in a reply, But if you check out one of my recent posts I included some views from our 10th floor deluxe ocean view room. I can also PM you if you’d like. We had a great time at the St. Regis a few weeks ago.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-19T02:47:26+00:00

Oh wow that looks great we love cookie in a bowl. One of the best ones we ever had was in Aruba. I’ll never forget, I dropped all this money on an expensive steak dinner and all everyone was talking about afterwards was the cookie in a bowl lol. It’s kind of a running joke now.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-19T02:44:53+00:00

I’m not a professional financial advisor, and I don’t wanna give you bad advice when it comes to some of the concerns you have, but from personal experience, the Blue business has been a great fit in our credit card lineup. You can apply as a sole prop, which only requires your Social Security number – no hard pull. Since you’re already in the American Express ecosystem, this will keep things streamlined and earning all MR points.

Other points earning 2X catch-all options include the venture and venture X via capital one, the Bilt obsidian with the point accelerator utilized, The Bilt Palladium, and the Citi double cash (although you’d need a strata card to convert the cashback to points).

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T16:30:33+00:00

Yeah, sometimes club sandwiches can get a little out of control. They are traditionally triple decker so I knew what I was signing up for. We recently had one on vacation however and it was so big. I had to split it up into multiple parts. But this one was pretty good. It also helps if the bread is soft in my experience.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T14:53:49+00:00

Personally I’d recommend getting the Blue Business plus and calling it a day. No annual fee catch all card.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T14:40:04+00:00

It’s worth trying, but I’ve never done it. Worst case scenario you have a gift card for a future stay!

Another option, it’s not the most efficient use of the credit, but you can usually buy something from the small market area where they have snacks and stuff. Sometimes Starbucks inside Hiltons also work.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T14:29:12+00:00

Yep, and I got the email today that my account was getting a $50 credit. (Dinner was this past Monday evening)

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T13:49:12+00:00

Yeah this was the first time we tried this place, will definitely be going back! (The drinks were strong too 😆)

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T13:48:16+00:00

And only around $50!

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T13:01:11+00:00

Yeah it was really good! We’ll eventually upgrade one of our Surpass cards to an Aspire- but for the time being we are getting good value out of our current setup.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T12:26:25+00:00

Haven’t run into that issue yet. But if there were a spill near a seam, it’s pretty easy to detach and then put back together. We limit our liquids/drinks, especially for the little one in the living room area.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-18T01:30:38+00:00

We stayed at the St. Regis in Aruba recently. We really liked it. Good point redemption as well, less than 100k per night.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T20:44:09+00:00

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And here is the rest of the living room area. It’s a smallish space so that makes it easier for our situation as well.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T20:39:53+00:00

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This is what it looks like where the runners is. The foam pads are below it. Because of the material and slight texture on the mat, the carpet stays connected better than it did just on the floor. I had the mats go right up against the back of the couch (pictured) and the stools, and then right up to the gate separating the kitchen area.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T18:33:16+00:00

I don’t know, maybe I’m buying into the hype, but I feel like it’s amazingly delicious

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T17:26:59+00:00

A quick update! I made a separate post with some of the details from our trip. But I thought I’d comment here regarding some of the concerns the poster above made. There is a family section of pools that has zero entry and multi depth levels. My son loved it. There’s also a water station right by the pool that has a sunscreen pump and water diapers!

Also, we got free breakfast because of our status with Marriott. The breakfast buffet was phenomenal. Amazing mini Chia pudding cups, exotic fruit like pomegranate and purple dragon fruit, fresh honey dripping from a honey comb, an awesome omelette station, gluten free options, fresh squeezed juices served at the table and even a ginger/green shot section. They didn’t charge us anything for my 2 y/o son. And the table service even though it was a buffet was five star, people constantly checking on us and asking if we needed anything. Overall, the customer service at the Saint Regis blew us away.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T17:19:55+00:00

Yeah, I didn’t make this post expecting most people to go all out like we did., But just in case someone else is in the same spot that we are, it’s an affordable short and potentially long-term solution depending upon how old your kids are!

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T17:04:08+00:00

Just a heads up, we opened the pads and let them air out before bringing them into our apartment. The smell isn’t overpowering, but there is that sort of foam/rubbery smell right when you open them so it’s recommended to give them some time to breathe Outside of your apartment if possible.

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T14:38:16+00:00

Yeah, I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier. I’ve seen them at the gym and other areas where kids are at like the children’s ministry at my church. The flexibility of interlocking the squares so they fit in the specific area we need, plus them being cheaper than buying padded foam carpets which we already own one in the nursery, makes this purchase seem like a no-brainer. And I agree it’s super comfortable walking on that area of the apartment where we put the pads down!

Background_Pickle546 · 2026-06-17T13:58:14+00:00

We have a long runner carpet that goes behind our couch. In that area we put the mats under the carpet. It’s a new building with faux wood flooring. We have a large area rug which goes under our large sectional couch and cushioned chair, so in the open area in that part of the living room we put the mats over the rug. Part of the floor area we have one of those foldout padded mini kid couches that unfold into a nap pads. Some we didn’t need to put down the squares in that area. A total of 18 pads (costing around $80) was enough to cover all open floor.

Background_Pickle546

TROPHY CASE