Gotcha! Python list manipulation

As if Python in keyword overloading wasn’t enough (Think if x in aList: vs for x in aList:), one other subtlety is when modifying the iterable itself during the iteration. It so happens that python maintains an internal counter that does not gets updated to reflect any “in iteration” manipulation of the iterable itself. Let’s take an example:


In [21]: a=list(range(10))
In [22]: a
Out[22]: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

In [24]: for x in a:
...: if x == 5:
...: a.remove(x)
...: print(x)
...:

0
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9

You see – poor 6 never got printed. This is because the internal counter get’s the current index but the updated list has number 7 at that index due to change in the size. This is also mentioned in the python documentation. Well, often you learn something by stumbling and it’s good to look back at the documentation to verify your observation.

Delta SkyClub @ SFO

I am headed to NYC later tonight. Flying a Delta 757 in the main cabin. I don’t mind flying the main cabin with Delta although I preferred their older main cabin seats. The flight is an overnight one that leaves around 11:15 PM. It so happened that a professional connection of mine was flying out the same day but much earlier and the only near term possibility to meet was today and we decided to meet at the SkyClub. I have been hearing about the updated delta skyclub at SFO for a while but since I usually fly domestic routes out of San Jose airport, I never got a chance to step in to this club.

I have a Delta Amex Platinum card which gives me a discounted entrance to the sky clubs for 29$ per visit/person. Considering I would have spent at least 20-25$ on a meal+coffee at the airport, I think it is a fair value of money where you get to have a lot more comfort and not so bad selection of food.

The club is located in terminal 1 right after the security check with sliding glass door on the left side. You are greeted by the agents manning the entry just across the door. After passing the credentials/paying off, you take the elevator up and are greeted by amazing views of the airfield as soon as you exit the elevator.

The design is modern – the ceilings are high and the layout if chic. I was particularly impressed by a modern take on the ski/aviator portrait in red/metallic/blue.

Further down the rectangular layout is the usual seating areas with both low back chairs with power ports and the high back booths that are very comfortable and great to work with your laptop on your lap (isn’t that the reason why they are called laptops?). I parked myself in one of the high back booths and plugged the cables in for a long stay. I was a little bit amused at the color choice though – white/beige and grey/blue? I would have liked to see a bit more red or red/blue to match the delta livery as opposed to the signature united blue. It looked attractive though, just didn’t match Delta’s signature colors.

The bar area looked very attractive too with the backlit ice-blue, a well stocked bar and plenty of high chairs to sit and work while sipping on the beer. Since I was eventually supposed to do a bit of computational math, I decided to just get half a glass of beer. It was the complimentary local brew, the Anchor Steam Orange Splash Lager. It was robust and very good complimentary on tap.

There were quiet a few workstations around and even areas where you could stand and work and I love when you have power ports around standup work desks. I continued working from the booth since I was enjoying the comfort of a back rest and good padding. However, I did have an option to go to one of the standup work desk which I eventually did.

The lounge itself is L shaped with the main area having a lot of seating that I mentioned above and the bar where as the food buffet follows the L shape on the shorter side. The other part of the L is where I found some interesting ethnic art frames on the wall. Simple, but definitely adds a personality to a lounge.

The most impressive part of the lounge is the back wall though.

It is a very interesting Mosaic that shows up as the famous Golden Gate bridge of San Francisco and really gives this lounge a San Francisco feel. If you see up close, you will realize that the whole image is composed of smaller plates which are all pictures of different places/things/elements of San Francisco. Very impressive for a lounge.

 

 

There is one more thing that sets this lounge up be a true SF lounge. The food!!! Have you been to a lounge that serves PHO??? That is so awesome – they actually have Pho!!! I am a big fan of Pho and these guys just made my day – the broth was in a soup warmer and the bowls were setup so that you can simply grab them, pour the broth, add a bit of sriracha and you are golden. I think the pho tasted very good – the broth was actually one of the better broths I have tasted and since they pulled it off in the lounge, I was very impressed. Besides the Pho, the lounge had the usuals for a skyclub – cheese cubes, veggies and hummus, mushrooms, another soup, crackers, coffee etc. For me it was pho all the way 🙂

 

Apparently this skyclub also has a shower and I may hop in to one before my flight. Overall, a great skyclub and absolutely worth the visit.

 

United Club at Sea-Tac airport

I had a long layover at Sea-Tac and I used a United club one-time pass that I got at the beginning of the year thanks to my chase explorer visa credit card.

It is located in Concourse A of convoluted Seattle airport across gate A9 – take elevator or the stairs up. It has three separate sitting areas. Inside was nice and clean with ample seating and not a lot of people.

The food was standard for a US based airline’s lounges. I had a bowl of red pepper gouda soup which tasted more like a tomato soup, some veggies and hummus to go with it. A diet coke provided the wash down.

After snacking on the lunched, I grabbed a cappuccino from the self serve coffee machine and  parked myself on of the high chairs by the counter that had a view of airport access road and a few trees. Lots of power ports place strategically allowed for effective work.

Time for some savory snacks and a soda refill

A final run to the tea area before I stepped out and headed to the gate located within 30 seconds of the club.

Off to board the bird

Welcome

I have been meaning to chronicle my travels for a while but never got to it. My recent flight route from Prague to SF had a long layover in Seattle and I made the best use of it by getting this blog started. Hope you find it enjoyable and get some inspiration and meaningful information to travel better. I travel cheap, walk a lot on my trips and love finding quirky non-touristy things to see, do and eat!!