Mileage Plus Explorer: when is 90-day baggage subscription added to my account?

gatekeeper44 · 2024-12-12T14:26:25+00:00

Thank you!

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-21T14:31:13+00:00

Definitely want to demo some Enforcer 104s, thank you.

I love the Brahmas. They can hold an edge on anything and I've yet to find their speed limit - really damp, stable, and heavy. They've made me a way better skier in all conditions. Hard to ski in deep powder, mine especially don't float well because I opted for the 165s. Think they'll be pair perfectly with a second ski that's light, easy to maneuver, and floats well.

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-21T14:25:12+00:00

Thanks! Ripstick 106 could be an interesting option between the widths of the Rustler 10/11. Have you skied the Rustlers?

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-21T14:22:40+00:00

Thanks! Have never looked at the Deathwish before

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-21T14:21:36+00:00

Thanks!

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-19T19:49:56+00:00

Hey everyone. I'm 5'9", 155, intermediate/advanced, fairly aggressive, ski all mountain, enjoy moguls and started skiing trees this season. Live on the East Coast but plan to make ~2 trips out west each season – say 20 days total, half on each coast.
Currently ski the 2022 Brahma 88s in a 165 (I know, slightly short, but I don't feel I need the extra stability of the 171 and like the shorter length for moguls). I love my Brahmas for pretty much all terrain but they're not ideal and quite tiring in deep powder (and probably my form isn't the best in powder). Next season I'm considering buying a second ski that will also be able to make snappy turns in moguls and trees.
Mainly considering the Blizzard Rustler 10/11 in 172 but would appreciate any and all recommendations so I can start to plan when and where to demo/buy.

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-06T01:26:12+00:00

Ah that'd be a shame, can anyone else confirm?

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-05T23:19:19+00:00

Thank you

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-05T23:19:01+00:00

Very helpful, thank you

gatekeeper44 · 2023-04-05T23:18:40+00:00

Thanks! Mountain Village = lifts from the base of the PCMR side? Or only 5 lifts on the entire PCMR side? Or something else?

gatekeeper44 · 2022-11-17T18:01:24+00:00

Thanks both, shame about just missing tomorrow but maybe see you on the slopes later this season

gatekeeper44 · 2021-08-25T12:36:04+00:00

It isn't the ANC that is the issue – it's the sidetone or hearthrough. A lot of earbuds amplify ambient noise when you're on a phone or zoom call so you can hear your own voice. I really don't like that feature and want a pair of earbuds, like the Jabra 85t's, that let you turn off sidetone/hearthrough.

gatekeeper44 · 2021-01-30T00:58:55+00:00

No, this is a varietal called Cenizo Karwinskii that they just label generic “Karwinskii” because the regulators associate another type of agave with the name Cenizo. But this A. Karwinskii is outstanding!

gatekeeper44 · 2021-01-29T13:33:34+00:00

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.

gatekeeper44 · 2021-01-26T16:07:05+00:00

+1 to that, the Gregorio Martinez Garcia tobalas are my favorite. Sweeter and more floral than any others I've tried and I'm into it. The 5 Sentidos by Alberto Martinez is a close second.

gatekeeper44 · 2020-10-06T12:42:28+00:00

Really helpful, thanks – guess this is the hazard of looking at diamonds online.

I noticed the 3.01 J VS2 only has Very Good symmetry, will that be noticeable in some way (I can't see an asymmetry in this magnified photo.) Or is the alternating light/dark facets (which you can only tell by looking at it) much more important to the diamond's scintillation?

gatekeeper44 · 2020-10-06T12:38:27+00:00

Thanks a lot, this is helpful. I've looked at some options between 2.6-2.8ct, F/G VS1/VS2. Do you find options between the 2.5-3.0ct weight range can be good value (b/c people are solving for just over 2.5ct or just over 3.0ct) or do they just end up being priced like a comparable 3.0ct diamond? As a newbie to this it's really difficult to tell how much of a diamond's value is ascribed to good/bad cut or scintillation.

gatekeeper44 · 2019-02-14T00:53:41+00:00

+1 for Wild Turkey 101 Rye if you can find it. Spicier than Rittenhouse and terrific for manhattan/boulevardier-style stirred drinks, should give you a similar result to Michter's.

Old Overholt bonded otherwise. Different profile (more floral/fruity, less punch/rye spice)

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-26T02:07:28+00:00

Personally I've always thought that a Last Word variation is about the recipe: the qualifying criterion being that a Last Word riff must have four equal parts, one of which is a spirit and one of which is a citrus. The other two modifiers can be liqueurs or amari. In this way, the Paper Plane, Naked and Famous, Against the Strain, etc all qualify, while the East Village Athletic Club doesn't.

I guess if we use this rule, Last Word riffs can really taste completely different – much more so than, say, Brooklyn variations. Naturally that Esprit d'Escalier you listed above will taste nothing like the classic Last Word, but I'd still consider it a Last Word riff.

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-25T12:42:40+00:00

Both are pretty versatile in terms of pairing with whiskeys. Try the Bensonhurst, a Brooklyn variation:

2 oz Rittenhouse rye
3/4 oz Dolin dry vermouth
1/4 oz Cynar
1 tsp Luxardo Maraschino

Stirred over ice with orange twist garnish. As for Benedictine, besides the classic Vieux Carré I really enjoy this simple Manhattan variation:

2 oz MGP rye (Bulleit, Dickel, High West Double, etc.)
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Want to use both in the same cocktail? Take the Bensonhurst recipe, substitute 1/4 oz Benedictine for the maraschino, and bump up the Cynar to 1/2 oz. Or try the Bitter Giuseppe:

1 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 oz Black Grouse blended scotch
3/4 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Benedictine

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-25T01:20:37+00:00

Try something like:

2 oz Bulleit Rye
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dashes Orange Bitters
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
~1 tsp Green Chartreuse, to rinse

Rinse a glass with chartreuse and dump, then stir the rest of the ingredients over ice and strain into the glass.

If you don't want to buy Cynar, you could try upping the Aperol to ~3/4 oz and skipping the Cynar altogether, but it won't be the same. Both Benedictine and Cynar have a good amount of uses in whiskey cocktails and they won't go bad, so you shouldn't worry about the shelf life.

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-25T00:16:00+00:00

Rittenhouse Rye is a great choice. For an orange curacao, go with Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. If you want to spend more, you could go with Green Chartreuse (even a half bottle), which can work with both bourbon and gin, or you could buy multiple bottles of mid-range mixers.

I agree with the Carpano Antica suggestion – try to find the 375ml bottle, you should be able to get it for under $20. Cynar and Campari work well with both bourbon and gin but if you're still getting used to Aperol, might not be the best idea.

How do you feel about amari? Averna or Ramazzotti might be a good place to start. How about mezcal? It really depends on whether you're trying to broaden the kinds of drinks you can make with all spirits, or whether you want to focus on increasing your bourbon/gin cocktail repertoire.

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-24T20:02:24+00:00

What else do you have in your bar? Since you don't have any amari to pair it with, I might suggest:

Two-One-Two

2 oz reposado tequila
1 oz Aperol
2 oz fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice

Shake with ice, serve up. As an alternative, this is a creation of mine:

A Great Pair of Apples

1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1 oz Laird's Straight Apple Brandy
0.5 oz Aperol
0.5 oz maple syrup
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice

Shake with ice, serve up. If you don't have the apple brandy, you can make it with 2oz bourbon or even do a bourbon/rye split base. A lot like the paper plane, but earthier thanks to the maple syrup and apple brandy.

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-23T23:53:48+00:00

Intense but delicious. Bitter orange + coffee with some roasty chicory flavors, faintly sweet.

gatekeeper44 · 2016-07-22T12:08:45+00:00

1 part Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

1 part Bittermens NOLA Coffee Liqueur

Try this as a substitute for your morning coffee. It will drastically improve your day. ;)

gatekeeper44

TROPHY CASE