Trap Draw: Chicago

JB’s city hood takes spot on. Marianos take I would agree with pre Kroger’s purchase. Now it’s a toss up between a mix of jewel/ fresh thyme/ Marianos. Suburban knowledge lacking in particular the i90 corridor/ nw burbs. Restaurant takes kind of weak. no Au chaval/ Chicago cut/ girl and the goat?

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Gotta admit, I was really hoping Andy Johnson was going to be the guest host. Any chance we can run this back… a do-over, per say?

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I can’t imagine Randy would support a mulligan in any form.

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Budget starts when they leave their homes for the destination. Who will enforce it before arrival?

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Check it out, Randy DOES have lounge access because we’ve got amex business centurion cards for the lounge access and just put everything on those. We’ve gotta have a bazillion amex points - have never redeemed them and put everything on there.

So he could be abusing the shit out of that on Strapped for all I know!

Also, @far_and_sure we could def line up Andy for a mea culpa ep down the line. And @cjordan929 I was highly underwhelmed by Girl and the Goat. Have a bunch of Chicago restaurant takes but haven’t been there in a few years so who knows if they’re still correct.

Lastly, I DEEPLY DEEPLY apologize for calling him “Kevin McAllister, the father” when, in fact, it is “Peter McAllister, the father.”

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Scummy, and right in the Strapped lane.

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My god…

The post is going to blow this case wide open.

I like @Tron and everything, but please don’t encourage more people in the TSA-pre line.

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You think the airports in Peoria and Des Moines have premium lounges tied to an airline/CC?

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I am all aboard if you want to start throwing out your Chicago restaurant takes here. Let’s get into it.

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Glad there was mention of dogs but no beef joints mentioned? Pod came up well short with(out) this take.

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Everyone has pre check these days, Clear is the real move.

I have Clear and precheck (through Global Entry). I think I can count on one hand the times Clear added any value. And if you don’t have precheck too, Clear just cuts you to the front of the taking-off-the-shoes line.

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Clear has been a lifesaver at Denver and Atlanta airports. The only time that Global Entry would have made a difference was when I had business in Mexican border towns and had to drive across the border.

Clear + TSA Pre is the ultimate move. I was always less than thrilled when Clear owners cut me in the pre check line Monday mornings at ORD and Thursday afternoons at LAX.

I considered getting Clear @Tron so I take my comment back (shout out United perks) but then Covid hit and I’m no longer on the road M-Th.

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Johnnies, ride or die.

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Global entry is a must flying back into DFW. It’s saved me hours.

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Global Entry is worth about 45 minutes at customs for every international arrival at LAX.

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Agreed. Shrink the game situation here

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Whoa, Centurion or Platinum? $25,000 in annual fees?

(I can’t believe I’m linking to The Points Guy): https://thepointsguy.com/guide/amex-centurion-black-card/

Fees and payments

The initiation and annual fees for the Centurion Card make the charges for other top-tier cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) and the Citi Prestige® Card ($550 and $495, respectively, per year) look like child’s play. There’s an initiation fee of $10,000, along with an annual fee of $5,000. This means that you’re looking at a tab of $15,000 — between the initiation fee and first-year annual fee — before you can even start using your card. You’ll pay $5,000 for an additional cardholder, and you’re only allowed to add two. There are no foreign transaction fees.