Crown Plaza Ravinia Hotel

I'm staying at Crown Royal Ravinia Hotel in Atlanta and am very disappointed with a number of small nusances that add up to a big irritation.  Here's what's happened:

• Went to the bar/grill called "Mix".  No place to sit inside - so I go the lobby seating area.  Waitress comes out - I ask if I can order food.  She says yes but their computers are down and it makes the food come out slower.  What???  That doesn't even make sesne but ok.  She says she'll bring me a menu.
• I wait about 10 minutes.  Note - in the Mix - while it's full - there are less than 20 people in there.  Where is the waitress with a menu??
• While waiting for a menu, I grab another waitress and ask if the TV channel can be changed to the election coverage (it' election night!).  She tells me the remote control is at the bar (Mix) - and she walks away.
• I go to the front desk...I'm getting irritated.  The front desk gal is polite and concerned - she hands me a remote, and says she'll get someone to bring a menu.
• The TV remote doesn't work.  Channel won't change.  Front desk gal brings me a menu and I hand her back the remote.
• Quite some time later the waitress comes and takes my order.
• The hotel manager comes over to change the channel.  He's very friendly and polite, and I'm grateful I can now watch the election results.
• My food comes about 30 minutes (at least) later.  It's good - thankfully.  But I'm nervous that someone spit in it.
• I have to go find the waitress to get my check so I can leave.  She's chatting with 2 guys/patrons in the Mix.  As politely as I can I ask if I can get my check.  She says "sure" in a friendly way.  But stands there talking to these guys for another couple minutes.  I am starting to steam.
• After I leave the Mix, I go to the hotel store for botteld water.  There's a sign on the door that says "Come In - We're Open".  But the door is locked.  Two other people walk up and say "Yeah - door's locked - the front desk think she's on break."  How hard would it be to have an "I'll be back in XX minutes" sign?
• Back in my room.  Free wi-fi.  But slower than molasses.

I think that's all I need to say to help others decide whether it's worth staying here or not!

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Kennedy Blue - The Wedding Shoppe, Inc. St. Paul, MN

Kennedy Blue - Last Saturday, 9/8/12, my cousin (the Bride), the MOB, and we three bridesmaids had an appointment at The Wedding Shoppe, Inc. on Grand Ave. in St. Paul, MN.  I had been there previously when bridesmaid dress shopping for my wedding, and now we ventured on a gorgeous Fall day (yes, I say Fall because I refuse to give up Summer just yet).  Parking is always an issue in that part of town, and the narrow parking across the street from the Wedding Shoppe, Inc. tests your driving maneuver skills.  Upon our arrival, we were directed to head downstairs to begin our fitting/dress hunting session.  This is where there are more bridesmaid dresses than you can imagine in any one place!  We were greeted by a very friendly and knowledgeable consultant who assisted us with finding just the right bridesmaid dress.  In large fitting rooms, the three of us tried on a few rounds of bridesmaid dresses and ultimately found a Kennedy Blue dress that suited everyone just right - with approval from the Bride, of course.  Now, while I can't tell you which one (have to wait until the wedding!), I can tell you the quality of the dress seemed a bit better than some of the lower priced dresses we had tried on in similar styles.  The crinkle textured chiffon looked beautiful and added a bit of uniqueness to the dress.  Looking forward to a wearing a beautiful dress while standing up with my cousin!  Can't wait until it arrives!

Simple Human - Great Warranty and Great Service

I have two products by Simple Human - a 3-cylinder shampoo/conditioner dispenser and a shower caddy.  I'm writing mainly about the great customer service that I've experienced twice with this company.

The shampoo/conditioner dispenser has broken twice.  You may wonder why I would still recommend this company and their products - but here's why......

The first time it broke - it was because I'd bumped the lever that you use to dispense the shampoo.  We'd had the dispenser for over a year, and I just assumed that I would need to buy a replacement cynlinder.  I called Simple Human, and the customer service rep asked me when I'd bought the product.  I told her that I thought it had been over a year, but she told me that their products have a 5-year warranty and she quickly offered to send me the replacement.

Then a couple weeks ago, I broke the lever that dispenses the shampoo while pulling it.   This time my husband contacted Simple Human on-line, filled out a form and we received an automated reply right away.  A couple days later we received a personal note from a customer service rep.  This was impressive...here's what it said....

"Thank you for your inquiry and we apologize for any difficulties you are experiencing. As part of our warranty program, we will be glad to send you a replacement part, free of charge, to solve the issue. Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery.

At simplehuman, we stand behind our products 100% and are working to offer the best possible service. We hope that our products can continue to serve you well for the years ahead.

Best,
Customer Support"

This is very impressive.  Even though the product broke twice - I would STILL do business with this company regardless.  They have a great warranty to begin with, but it is their service that compelled me to blog about them.  Two thumbs up!

BeBop Sport Bar - Blaine, MN - Great Cheeseburger

I've been to BeBop Sport Bar several times over the past few years.  Today I was there to watch a sand volleyball tournament.  My husband had a cheeseburger that I took a few bites of and I was so impressed with how it tasted I wanted to blog about it.  It was really good - and huge.  Served with tator tots if you want them - and those were cooked just right too - nice and crispy.  It was a beautiful day today - we sat outside, had a great burger and tasty bloody Mary too - yum! I'd recommend it if you're in the Blaine area.

Biscoff Cookies

These cookies are a favorite - and they're served on Delta flights.  They're a crisp, caramel cookie - goes great with coffee.  In fact the name was derived by combing "biscuit" and "coffee".  I just found them at Target - didn't know they carried them.  Give them a try - 4 cookies per serving, and 150 calories per serving.  I'm hooked!

2012 Chevy Malibu 2LT - Economical Luxury - Polar Chevrolet, White Bear Lake, MN

Well... now that I've got 6 months under my belt with my brand new baby, I have some insight into the 2012 Chevy Malibu 2LT that we purchased in December 2011.  No, I didn't opt for the fully leather seats and Bose sound system of the LTZ... wanted to, but the pocket book said "no."  In the 2LT, I'm still rocking the heated front seats ("high" for those of us who enjoy fire roasted buns in the winter, and "low" for those who prefer lightly toasted), bluetooth through the vehicle, Onstar, XM radio (well, my subscription has ended and I refuse to pay for what my ipod and radio can give me for free), half leather & faux suede seats (looks sharp!), 120V outlet in the back, roomy front and rear seats, power windows, etc.  Here's what it boils down to...

Likes:

• Car payment is very affordable for a brand new car (had 48 miles on it when I drove it off the lot)
• Heated seats work like a charm
• Car heats up quickly in low temps
• Quiet engine
• Smooth ride
• Averaging 32 mpg on my 31 mile, one-way commute to and from work (mind you, it took a couple months to break in the car so I could consistently get that mileage - before that I was just shy of 30 mpg most of the time)
• Bluetooth handsfree calling is probably my favorite feature
• Onstar is fabulous - I like the turn by turn directions that mute the radio when a new direction is being spoken (this is free for the first 6 months and I'm fully taking advantage!)
• Incentive discounts
• Sweet color - Mocha Steel Metallic - it really does turn brown in some lights, and pewter/gray/silver in others.  Hides dirt fairly well :)
• GM Military program - if you are military, look this up - Polar Chevrolet actually beats the reduced price that GM dealers offer - so you do one better by going to Polar
• Jeff Foxx - he was our salesman - not pushy, answers my several questions without exasperation, and seems to really work to find the right fit for you - HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM.  Tell him Luke & Desiree sent you.  They have pre-owned vehicles as well.

Gripes:

• Wish I had known about the 37 mpg eco they came out with shortly after we purchased this vehicle - but likely the price difference would not have been recouped.
• Seat belt gets temporarily caught on the paneling on the driver side door when trying to put on seat belt - if that's the worst thing so far, I can't really complain.
• I wish it cleaned itself. :)

As you can see, my likes far outweigh the gripes.  I know a few people who have 2011 or 2012 Malibus and they all LOVE their vehicle.  If my car hadn't died in the middle of December when we then needed to find a car quickly, we may have done more searching for a slightly used vehicle in order to reap the cost savings, but all in all, very affordable for a new car.  For me, it is an economical approach to "luxury".  And the customer service I've been receiving from Polar Chev is second to none.  Plus, it's an American Company and MADE IN THE USA, Baby!!!

Go see Jeff - Here's Polar Chev: http://polarchev.com/