Customer Service Props

I am constantly complaining about customer service. Either I am just a stickler with high expectations, or I am totally jynxed most of the time.

Because of this, I would like to give props to 2 businesses that have offered us amazing customer service lately.

We went on our first vacay since Phoebe was born (sans Phoebe and overnight) and stayed at this amazing boutique hotel in the T. and had dinner and saw a concert.

While at the hotel, we were given beyond the expected service-given a free umbrella to walk around Toronto with, free cappucino machine (to name a few).

The room was impeccable as well.

The best part of the service at Le Germain in Toronto was that after we had gotten the beep out of dodge and were on our way home, I realized that I didn't have my lifeline (aka Blackberry)

Total gongshowmommy fashion dictates that I freak out and call the hotel to tell them of my discovery.

The were very nice, offered to send the custodial mgr to the room to check for it and that they would call us back.

In the meantime, I found my BB in my suitcase and was so elated forgot to call back the hotel (my bad!).

About a half hour later, they called us and said there was no sign of the BB in the room. I thanked them and explained that we had found the BB and not to worry.

Then about an hour later, we get another call...it was the hotel. They had a blackberry returned to them by a Taxi driver and just wanted to confirm with me that I had the correct one? Are you kidding me? as if ! this NEVER happens to me.

It wasn't my bb, but that is okay. It goes to show how much they value their customers.

Le Germain-Toronto

I was so thankful to them that I am writing a huge satisfaction email to them and posting on their website my good fortunes with them.

Enjoy the following pics and website. The hotel was dreamy.

Another spot we recently went to was Boston Pizza here in London. Unlike most restaurants they catered to us having a baby and what I call a "limited window". They were amazingly quick with everything. It was a great experience.

Any of you guys have any good or bad customer service experiences lately you would like to share?

Gong show vacay

I guess it wouldn't be me if I didn't have bad luck even on vacation!

I need to preface this blog by saying that I never get to go away for pleasure. This was the first time in 17 months that George and I went out of town OVERNIGHT-without Phoebe.

It was supposed to be a much needed and enjoyed vacation...and for the mostpart, it was...I guess...

We had an amazing time on Wednesday at our amazing hotel (Le Germain)-we used a bunch of points we had collected on our MC so that we could stay there and it was great! there was an amazing tub and rain shower and the room was so modern (I got inspiration from that hotel for our basement and bathroom reno!)

Then we walked around King St. and looked in some design shops and found the perfect light fixture (we have been looking for YEARS) to replace the fugly one in our hallway leading to our basement. So exciting!

We then had drinkies on a patio and then returned back to our hotel for a nap and to get ready for the Kings of Leon concert at the Ampitheatre. It was a fun concert-not as good as the one we saw in London, but very fun!

We then went to Ultra Supper club where we sat in the bottle service section (but didn't pay bottle service-we were such scrubs) and watched their midnight fashion show for Coach. It was so much fun and so different than the bars here in London. Not that I really go to the bars in London anymore: )

So, all in all, the first part of our vacay was good. Then something must have happened in the cosmos that caused everything to become a gong.

Things that were gong shows on our trip:

• Toronto traffic
• Ontario place-gongs didn't have our tix at will call
• Both our cell phones died-no chargers
• I lost my lifeline (I mean my Blackberry)
• We forgot to arrange a sitter for our dog-had to call in the troops to help out!
• it rained, didn't have an umbrella
• iphone app for finding a breakfast place failed and took us out of the way by 4 km, and to a place that didn't exist. Gongshowmommy was hungry, bitchy and had major blisters from her sandals
• George had a work EMERGENCY while we were on our way home. Had to hit Toronto DVP traffic to go to Concord to pick up a cable.
• George ate cous cous by accident. He can't have wheat
• Skunk at home sprayed 2 of the workers doing renos at the house. They thought it may be in the house afterwards because they couldn't find it!
• Yia Yia backed my car into her garage door and caused some damage.

Yeah, it was a gong, but in the large scheme of things, I am beginning to realize that even though the gongs listed above were stressful at the time, they are really just the "small stuff" and I shouldn't have let them put a damper on the vacation.

It is great to realize this once everything is over, eh? I need to start working on realizing this when these types of things happen-so it doesn't get out of control.

Way easier to say than to do, I know.

Even though I missed P. to bits while we were away, I still need another vacation from my vacation.

It's been awhile...

since I have posted to my blog. This is pretty much a result of me being EXHAUSTED from all the fun we have been having this summer!

Here are a few of my fave pics from the fun family and friend activities we have had in the past few weeks. I am sure there are lots more to come this summer!

Phoebes was behaving badly during our photo op. I really wanted to get a cute pic of the two cuties together but no such luck. Lincoln looks cute, though!


He's like "what the beep is up with that kid?"




Truce?



Beebs and I at the lake. She is in her straightjacket-which I think is an amazing rule. No kids outside the cottage unless they have on their lifejackets.

I am such a rule geek.



The fam. It looks like P is pretty happy to be with us, but really, she is just having a love affair with her salt and vinegar chip



BFF's to be...water babies!!!

Beebs and I loving the exotic poolscape at A.S and U.D;s house!

Fab find

My husband's pet peeve about me is that I often overcook my eggs and they get really stuck on the pan- then the pan sits in the sink for day soaking till I decide to take the time to clean it properly.
This wouldn't happen if I used a non stick pan, but because I refuse to use a teflon pan (toxic!!!), I deal with this stuck on egg every time.
I was at Homesense today (my fave store) and I was checking out their pans (Because I had to throw ours out last week cuz it just wouldn't come clean) and they had this cool ceramic eco pan. It is pretty funky. I haven't used it yet, but it is totally non stick and doesn't use any of the harmful coatings that the other non stick pans do.
Pretty cool.

Oh, and it was only $24.99 at Homesense, but retails for $40 elsewhere.

Happy Canada Day!

We had the most amazing long weekend EVER!
P. is at such a fun age and we have been able to push out bedtime twice this weekend to enjoy the Canada Day fun and festivities.
She couldn't stay up long enough to enjoy the fireworks, though. Maybe next year.
Here are a few pics from our weekend of celebrating!
We are so lucky to be so close with our friends and families!

News...

In the past few weeks, 2 people in my life were diagnosed with cancer. Both are still young.
I am sending this blog out to those who read it and asking for prayers for both of them. I know both are extremely strong women and they will get through it.

Um, Mum!!

So today was a breakthrough.
Phoebe is saying words. Most of them aren't that clear(ie. hat, bubba (bottle), ella (stella), some are clear as a bell and reappear once and awhile (book, purse, hat, up). Others are words that are said once, and we never hear the again (peeze (please), yep, yummy!).

One of the consistent words we hear daily is Mumma. It was her first word at 6 months and even though, at that point, she didn't know what it meant, the fact that the Mumma sound came out of her mouth first made me proud.

When we refer to P's Mumma, we always say "Mum". "Can Mum help you?", Say "Hi Mum!" and at daycare, they call me "Mum" as well when they refer to me or when I come to pick her up.

So, today was amazing. It was 7am and P. was still in her crib. I couldn't hear anything so I went to her room and peeked in. She was awake, but her eyes were closed and she was still sucking her thumb and caressing her blankie.
I thought I would sneak away quietly so I could make a tea before she really woke up.
I turned around and started to tip toe away and then I heard it. Crystal clear and loud.
"MUM!!!", she said with precision and emphasis.
It was so awesome. I turned around to see her all smiles sitting in her crib.
I love her so much.