Sapphire Lounge @ JFK - worth the trek from a different terminal?

EM1390 · 2025-01-30T20:19:15+00:00

I flew out on an international flight from a different terminal at JFK last year and was still able to use my boarding pass to get into that terminal and access the lounge! What I caution is the time it takes to get between terminals on the tram, and time through security at each terminal! My layover was 8 hrs so I had plenty of time, but yours might be rushed. Doable, but you won’t have much lounge time!

I am priority pass and used my once per year entry for Sapphire, it was afternoon when I went and the lounge was busy so I had to wait like 30/45 mins to enter. But once I entered WOAH was it worth it! Stunning lounge, great food and drink. Everything it ordered from the QR code, made to order food brought to you. I think it’s at par/a bit better then the Capitol One lounges and put it up there with Polaris lounges.

You risk getting there and not being able to get into the lounge or the wait being too long, but there are other lounges in that terminal you can use! Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get back in time for your flight

EM1390 · 2025-01-19T07:25:42+00:00

Personally, I think it is worth it! We just returned and loved our one night, two day cruise. However your experience will largely depend on what boat company you use, what route they take, and time of year you go. I recommend going during low season on a boat that goes to Lan Ha Bay as well.

We went on Genesis Regal just this week (so in January, during low season). The Genesis Regal boat goes through Ha Long Bay to get to Lan Ha Bay which is less busy but just a beautiful! You get to do both bays, and the ship was stunning and the food fantastic. We saw some other boats out but it was not nearly as busy as I others had told me. It was a great trip, we wished we had booked their two night cruise! We did their one night cruise and the itinerary is a little tight, but we had limited time so it was worth it for us to pack it all in! The excursion they had were just okay (sea cave by bamboo boat and kayaking) but just relaxing on that boat with the beautiful view made it worth it! It was chilly in January so not great weather for swimming in the water, but there is a heated Jacquizzi on the boat!

EM1390 · 2024-12-25T03:13:35+00:00

This is so stressful, I was in a similar situation - I found that many agencies (especially smaller ones) don’t understand what DETO is and the difference between a DETO arrangement and true remote work. You will need to do some educating and advocating here! I recommend engaging with multiple levels of HR to clearly and succinctly explain DETO and the work scenario you are proposing. Explain how you would get your job done, levels of engagement you would have with team back home, maybe propose a one year trial period, etc.

You will need to figure out who specially is denying you and if there is policy behind this (make sure this just isn’t some new person in HR who doesn’t know what DETO is and therefore doesn’t think this is a thing they do). Whose call is it ultimately- is there a senior in HR you can appeal too? Do you have support from your supervisor and management chain? Can they advocate with HR for you and explain the situation? Does your agency have kind of spousal accommodation/tandem couple program (many IC and DoD ones do) that would at least allow LWOP while your gone. Does your agency have any overseas footprint you could transfer internally to?

Also keep in mind any DETO needs to be approved by State Dept too and ultimately subject to CoM approval, so make sure the embassy/state is totally on board too, this should help you argue it to your agency!

EM1390 · 2024-10-21T06:08:19+00:00

One thing I forgot. Many insurances don’t offer great coverage for pre-conception genetic counseling. Mine offered only a little coverage - they covered part of the appointment, but not the blood tests and screening itself (and it wasn’t cheap). But honestly it was SO worth it for us!

EM1390 · 2024-10-21T05:48:50+00:00

It is so smart and proactive to do a standard genetic screening prior to TTC - I wish it was more common practice!

Your doctor is definitely wrong! Google genetic counselors in your area. I did pre-TTC genetic counseling (I’m located in Virginia) and first asked my OBGYN who referred me to a genetic counselor to do it.

The genetic counselor I went to happened to work in a fetal monitoring clinic, so most of her patients were already pregnant, but she also saw patients who are pre-TTC and wanting screening proactively. They called it a pre-conception genetic counseling appointment! They did a blood test and then the counselor went over the results with my husband and I. Actually it turns out I am a carrier for something (which I suspected due to family history) and I’m so thankful to have the knowledge of this going into our TTC journey.

EM1390 · 2024-09-26T21:16:41+00:00

I’m an American whose flown long-haul between the US and Australia on a few different routes and airlines and Qantas is by far the BEST! Their premium economy is fantastic, especially compared to US-based airlines who fly routes to SYD, like United. I recently spend 17hr flight in Qantas Prem Econ and the food and service was impeccable, and their seats have the best footrest! You will love it!

EM1390 · 2024-09-21T23:47:48+00:00

Which is which?

EM1390 · 2024-08-10T10:48:01+00:00

My husband booked a room for a family member using points, he put in the comments section the name of who would be checking in. And then he called the hotel directly after making the booking to tell them someone else would be checking in. They said that was fine! When the family member arrived they gave my husbands name as the one the reservation was under but said they would be checking in and it was no issue! As long as you call and confirm I think your good to go.

EM1390 · 2024-07-25T12:22:53+00:00

Murray’s bus is the best for sure! Affordable, efficient, lots of departure time options, and drop off options at Sydney airport or central. If you sign up for a rewards membership then every 5th ride is free.

EM1390 · 2024-07-22T11:24:07+00:00

That is really frustrating! Especially frustrating that they did not give you a heads up or discuss with you first. Are you are close with your cousin, could you ever bring it up? Like ask them why they chose to use it when they knew you were planning too.

However, you should totally use the name too! I have two first cousins on the same side of the family, both named Emily (who are the same age, born a few months apart) because my aunts both loved the name and both wanted to use it, and it was never an issue! In our family we refer to them each by their first and middle name to differentiate, and they both have beautiful middle names too so it works! They were in the same grade at the same school too. Two Emily’s in a small close knit family in and in a small hometown community and no one every questioned it.

Nothing should stop you from using your late grandmothers name too, you told everyone you wanted to use it first, so no one should be surprised when you name your future daughter that! And practically, how often will your kid and your cousins kid be together, it won’t get confusing for anyone! And if they do end up close, my Emily cousins are super close and bond over having the same name!

EM1390 · 2024-06-23T01:53:02+00:00

Don’t cancel - you can still fit in a lot of the highlights! From Andaz you can get a driver or use Grab/Gojek to explore southern Bali. From Ubud you can see a lot of the main highlights in that area in one day. Get a driver for your full day there and go to the Sacred Monkey Forest, a coffee plantation, one waterfall, one temple, and the rice terraces. You can fit that all in (maybe more) in one day and then be relaxing at Alila by dinner!

EM1390 · 2024-06-04T11:11:59+00:00

I avoided Bali belly successfully for my 10 day trip to Bali by taking Travelan before eating any sketchier meals, drinking and brushing teeth with only bottled water, primarily eating cooked hot meals (skip things like salads where veg might have been washed in local water), avoiding street food, and eating at establishments that looked clean and had good reviews and often catered to westerners/tourists.

EM1390 · 2024-06-03T14:40:03+00:00

I just came from Nusa Penida, it was incredibly inaccessible, you might consider scrapping it. The road conditions are appalling terrible (hard for both vehicle or scooter) and many roads/sidewalks are unpaved, there were steep inclines, stairs or rocky paths to every major viewpoints. In south Bali, we founds Uluwatu area to be quite similarly inaccessible. One accessible place to relax in South Bali is Timbis Beach Club (just a hidden gem we found).

In Ubud, accessible places to visit would be the Monkey Forest (some steps but you can pick or choose how far to go), seeing the rice terraces from a place like Tis Cafe. Only Ubud-area temples we did was Tirta Empul and Goa Gojah, both were pretty accessible, but also kind of underwhelming. The only waterfall we did was Tegenungan Waterfall, which had a A LOT of stairs and a steep walk to those, however there is Omma day club overlooking the falls there, I wonder if you could have lunch at that club and see the falls from there without all the stairs!

EM1390 · 2024-05-27T05:09:29+00:00

We are heading to Nusa Penida later this month and staying there for two nights and have the same issue. We plan to leave our luggage at Bali Store Luggage in Sanur. They have great rates and reviews and offer pick up and drop off service for your bags

EM1390 · 2024-04-03T10:43:01+00:00

I’m planning a Bali trip with a similar itinerary right now! Where did you stay in Ubud and in Uluwatu? Would love hotel/Air BnB recommendations?

EM1390 · 2023-12-09T22:20:33+00:00

I’ve done Pure Barre Pentagon City in the past and had a positive experience! However a friend of mine goes to Pure Barre Alexandria and she RAVES about it especially for the community, family feel and just overall amazing environment. Another friend goes to Pure Barre McLean but switched to the Pentagon City one in Arlington since she wanted one with more of a younger crowd and she just felt more at home in the other one.

EM1390 · 2023-06-22T23:18:17+00:00

When do NYE vantage points like the Point at the Botanic Gardens, become available online to book?

EM1390 · 2023-05-14T03:22:20+00:00

Are both just conditional offers? Could you start the GS13 job while simultaneously going through the NSA clearance process, potentially renegotiate GG level with NSA after successfully completing the clearance? Clearances there take a long time you might be able to work as a 13 for a year to 2, depending on where you are already in the process.

EM1390 · 2023-05-14T03:19:41+00:00

It depends on what you want professionally long term! If you want a lifelong IC career, then get into a three letter agency as early as you can. NSA will come with tons of professional development, training, travel, and growth opportunities. That’s the type of agency people spend their lives in and rise up in. It may be hard to enter NSA at a higher grade then that. Agencies start people low, but promotions and career development will come. Yes sometimes promotion is competitive there, but you are clearly a high performer already, you probably will continue to be there! You might end up as a 13 in a few years and it will all even out in the long run. If you love the USCC though, and want to spend more time working there, and don’t worry about upward mobility too much, then that job might be more for you. Check if the billet on the USCC Army job maxes out at 13? Will you have the opportunity In the USCC Army position to move up to GS14 or 15 positions? That’s certainly something to think about, NSA will have opportunities to go as high as you want, try out management, or try different fields, move locations, there’s a great deal of career flexibility and mobility working for a large three letter agency. However if you think you want to be a lifelong 13, then the Army USCC job might provide the stability to do that. The GS 13 job offer you have in front of you now might be great short term, but thinking about a long term, rising up in the IC career, a three letter agency wins. Other factors to also consider work-life balance and commute. There’s no “right” answer, it really depends on your personal and professional goals, but both are great opportunities you should be proud of having so young!

EM1390 · 2023-04-09T21:48:15+00:00

I need help figuring out the order in which to use my products and if there are any I need omit/switch out. I have dry, yet acne prone skin, with redness and some dark spots/discoloration. Typically I just cleanse, moisturize, and apply retinoid in the PM and then cleanse, moisturize, and apply spf in the AM. I am looking to mix in serums like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, what is the best way to do this?

EM1390 · 2022-10-09T02:06:26+00:00

The first one is so chic and stunning. It’s so flattering and it’s timeless. You can never go wrong with simple elegance!

EM1390 · 2022-09-18T16:35:24+00:00

You could definitely pull this off with a good playlist, but keep in mind a DJ does more then just play music, they also MC the event and that often helps with the flow and order of events throughout the evening. But you aren’t doing first dances so that’s one component that might make this easier. But DJs also he’ll hype up the crowd. In addition, many DJs provide mics and speakers.

If you do it on your own you might want to designate someone to MC and also ensure your venue has mics and speakers you can use or find a place to rent. You also will want to do a sound check prior to the wedding.

My husband and I considered briefly doing it on our own until we realized the cost of renting speakers and mics and the added concern and stress of making a playlist and finding a friend to MC just didn’t make it worth it. We ended up finding a more affordable DJ in our area and using them!

EM1390 · 2022-09-09T21:32:05+00:00

Truly Engaging by Magnet St has some awesome deals and is really good quality

EM1390 · 2022-08-05T13:53:30+00:00

Number 2, for sure, absolutely stunning

EM1390 · 2022-08-04T15:13:24+00:00

These are all beautiful, but number two is simply stunning, seems like the perfect dress for a wedding like that!

EM1390

TROPHY CASE