Our first trip to Las Vegas, NV back in 2017 was a unique experience that we'll never forget. We went for a timeshare presentation by Bluegreen Vacation Club, which is associated with Choice Hotels. They lodged us for a couple of days at the Tuscany Suites & Casino. We flew out of McAllen International Airport (MFE) to McCarran International Ai

There are many great places for barbecue in Texas. In fact, some Texans will occasionally make the weekend pilgrimage to their favorite barbecue spots, which may be hours away. And then, there are local favorite barbecue spots that everybody in town knows and frequents. The Drunken Chicken is one of those local favorites in Mission, Texas.  Entranc

This has been an unusually active month between me and American Express. I have upgraded one card, opened up a new card, and am having another replaced after a fraud alert.  An Old Personal Platinum Card Business Platinum Card Upgrade First, I upgraded the AMEX Business Gold card to a Business Platinum card. When I first got the Gold card, I was ce

We recently booked a stay at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had never stayed at this property. However, we had visited their bar and restaurant when we have gone out on dates. We generally like Embassy Suites hotels. We enjoy their evening Happy Hours, their attentive staff, and the l

Taking a Break I have been reading about uric acid and its effects leading to diabetes and other maladies. I originally intended to get a haircut. But, as it is Independence Day, the shop was closed. I decided to stop for a beer. Ironically, beer can increase uric acid levels in your blood. But, I haven’t finished reading the book, so I’m OK. 🤪

We have written about our relationship with American Express over the years, the good and the bad. We fell out of their good graces for a while. Now we are rebuilding our relationship. At the moment, we have opened four cards with them since April 2022. We expect that we will open more cards at some point. But, before going into that, let's go over

The City of Falfurrias, Texas is a small community in South Texas. It is a two-hour drive south from San Antonio, and a one-hour drive north from the Texas border with Mexico. Falfurrias is on the way between many destinations. But, it is not often a place people intentionally choose to visit. Falfurrias Historical Marker Admittedly, Falfurrias is

As travel is starting to bounce back after two years of lockdowns, I decided to take a closer look at the Choice Privileges Visa card, which we have had for several years without scrutiny.  About Choice Privileges Choice Privileges is the Choice Hotels loyalty program that awards points for stays, which can be redeemed for free stays. As with most

Today, Mrs. TWM and I went out to the local Embassy Suites Hotel restaurant named On The Border. The hotel is in McAllen, Texas. Our motive was to try out the Hilton Honors Business Card by American Express. The card earns 12 points per dollar of spending at Hilton properties. Of course, it’s better to verify. So, we had lunch and some drinks.

Image from AmericanExpress.com Yesterday, I decided to apply for the American Express Green Card. I made the decision for several reasons. First, I have never had the Green Card, which means that I still qualify for the signup bonus. Second, I have an American Express card through my job. One of the benefits of having a corporate card is that I get

I used to joke that you have to go to San Angelo, Texas. You don't end up there by accident. That was before we visited Fort McKavett, Texas. If you are looking for remote destinations, this historic site is definitely for you.  Our family traveled from Junction, Texas to Fort Stockton, Texas last year. We saw signs on the highway advertising Fort

The Hilton Honors loyalty program has a benefit that can prove useful for long stays. The benefit is that you can get a fifth night free stay when you book with points. This means that you are getting a 20% discount on your stay with points.  The only requirement to take advantage of this benefit is that you need to pay for the full stay with Hilto