Alright, maybe hate is too strong of a word but this place (Westin at Grand Central) is leaving me less than impressed. Typically at Marriott Hotels (Westin is now part of Marriott) they kill you with kindness. I remember being at the JW Marriott in Austin thinking that I had died and gone to heaven. Patrice had all sorts of places she wanted to visit and I didn’t want to leave the hotel. This place has been bad from the beginning. The front desk person was rude at check-in. We asked if we could get a room with a view. The clerk said we could have a view of the Chrysler building. That sounded great. This is what we got.
The next day at the hotel breakfast I asked the waiter for a mocha and was told “We only have coffee”. On my way out I asked if they had hot chocolate and when I was told that they did I asked if I could get half of a hot chocolate and half of a coffee and essentially make my own mocha? The waiter said I could but the next day when I asked for it he looked at me as if I was crazy, “You want what?”. When I explained I wanted a mocha he said, “Then I will give you a mocha”. But yesterday you told me you only have coffee. “That was yesterday, this is today”. Not the way I like to be treated.
Today we spent the whole day discussing the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation research grant proposals. Patrice and I are “stakeholders” who review the research proposals and give our opinion from a patient’s (or patient’s caregiver, in our case) point of view. Each proposal is rated prior to the meeting starting. The ones with the lowest ratings are not discussed at the meeting. Patrice and I were each assigned 6 proposals to review. All 6 of hers were discussed, only one of mine made the grade. Obviously we know whose opinion they value around here. One of the scientists came up to Patrice after the meeting and told her that she was the best reviewer. Her presentations were succinct and to the point. Then the scientist glanced at me and said, “Have a nice flight home”.
Tonight we had dinner with an old friend from Iceland. John and his fiancé, LaRae, were dining at the same restaurant in Reykjavik as Patrice and I when we met. They are from the States and live in New York. When we met in Iceland we spoke about all the wonders of Icelandic cuisine, specifically gander, whale, shark and horse. The next night at dinner Patrice and I had a window seat and saw them walking by. We got their attention, and encouraged them to join us. We had just ordered horse and wanted them to have the experience with us. Once you share horse together you are friends for life.
After dinner we saw Keri Russell and Adam Driver in “Burn This”. After seeing “Network” two nights ago we were anxious to see another play. I loved “Network”, wish I could say the same about “Burn This”. Adam Driver was very good but I found the jokes very trite. Lot’s of cheap jokes about gays for one thing. That gets very old very quickly.
Tomorrow we head for home. Next trip will be in a month when we visit Erica in Spain. Yippee!!!!!
Robert Reiss Travel Blog and Other Ramblings 