Good Customer Service is NOT optional!

In a time where we need to stretch a dollar that's lost all it's elasticity, great customer service is the order of the day. Point blank, if you are giving lousy customer service, you need to shutter your doors because people aren't making much money, and for sure they will NOT be forking it over to you when your attitude and goods are crappy.

Case in point, LIMOS OF MIAMI. I just filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau due to shady business dealings, unprofessionalism and a few other issues surrounding my wedding day. Oh and by the way, aside from LIMOS OF MIAMI our day was super amazing, beautiful, elegant, romantic and just downright INCREDIBLE. I have 500+ pics taken by family and friends, but I want to wait for the professional ones to come in before I create a slide show. Hopefully I'll have something to put up within a month.

But back to LIMOS OF MIAMI. Here is the complaint I filed with BBB. I'll wait to hear from them to see if we can forge an amicable solution to this situation. To date I've only posted this complaint here, and on a BBB affiliate website. But the internet reaches far and wide and there are PLENTY of other places that I'm poised to post this review. So LIMOS OF MIAMI, do the right thing. Admit your driver was unprofessional, tacky and out of order. Utilize excellent customer service skills and ask me, the customer, if there is anything you can do to resolve the situation. If not, expect your prom season calendar to be wide open. You WILL NOT do business in our communities if you don't respect us and our buying power!

Without further adeiu, here is my review on LIMOS OF MIAMI:

My wedding was on Saturday 9/19/09. The driver was to pick us up in a stretch Hummer at 6PM. He arrived at 637PM, long after most of the guests had left, thus defeating the purpose of us having a high profile vehicle. The driver did have the red carpet, as promised, but no disco ball, no complimentary champagne, no water or anything but hot club soda to drink. When I asked him about the drinks he told me it wasn't included in the package. I passed my blackberry up to the front for him to review the e-mail I pulled up between myself and one of their employees when we were working out the details of the day. The driver scanned the e-mail, and dismissed my request stating that the drinks came with a hourly rate package, not a transport. Nowhere in the chain of e-mail communique with their company did they specify a difference between the hourly rate and a transport. I told the driver this fact. He put the car in park on a busy Miami street, jumped out, opened up my door and confronted me in front of my entire wedding party. When I tried to diffuse the situation by telling him to forget it, and just to drive on, he demanded that I, the bride, produce a credit card for him to take an imprint of and sign it immediately or he would throw my wedding party out onto the street. He assumed that I would try to stop payment on the account, which was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. I asked was he serious, and he said "very". I didn't even think I had a credit card on me at first because what bride walks around with a wallet on her wedding day? Thankfully, one of my bridesmaids had removed my purse from my vehicle and brought it along in the limo with us so I had a card to give the driver. Humiliated, I signed the bill so we could stop the embarrassing display. He had second thoughts about what he did because after dropping us off at the reception site he tried to apologize. I didn't want to talk to him at that point but I e-mailed the company one week after returning from my honeymoon to find out why he did what he did. To date my e-mail has gone unanswered so it's safe to assume they take no issue with the unprofessional behavior of their driver and condone his actions.

Moving Right Along...

I may not have a lot of money. I may not be the picture of perfect health. I may not be exactly where I want to be in life. But you know what? i am HAPPY. For the first time in my life I can say I an truly happy even through all lifes trials and trips.

I think it has a lot to do with me going back to church. My grandmother begged me for years to get back active in church and I resisted her at every turn. In a nutshell I thought church was for losers. Yes I loved The Lord and considered myself to be a God fearing individual. But sit up in a holier than thou sweaty hot church all day on a Sunday when I could be napping, eating out, on the beach, or just staring at the four corners of my living room? No thanks.

I found myself walking through the open door at Church of the Open Door on First Sunday, March 1, 2009. I admit I was skeptical. I thought I'd find myself in the midst of naive old ladies pouring their life savings into some charlatans fat daddy pockets. Said fat daddy would be pushing a benz through the streets of Miami while the little old ladies tinkered around in 1987 Dodge Darts. Suffice to say I was VERY pleasantly surprised to be greeted with warm embraces, open hearts and kind words. I truly feel that my church- yes, MY church because I took my new member vows on Sunday May 2, 2009- accepted my girls and I as part of the family and I have never felt so tranquil. So at ease. So lovED and lovING. People warn me not to spread myself too thin in working for the church but I love servicing and doing the work of The Lord. As I pinned pink flower after pink flower, made pink bow after pink bow and toiled away to awash The Lyric Theater in pink my mind was in a calm state of nirvana. I was humming. ME, humming!

I could go on and on and on, but I think it's obvious that I an passionate about my faith and my church. I can't wait until tomorrow! We kick off our 41st Annual Pink Tea and paint the city of Miami PINK! I got the cutest matching outfits for the girls. One is almost 18 and the other is 15- far too old for dressing alike but the outfits were so hot that I had to get them for the girls. I will put up pictures of the event sometime next week.

In the meantime here is a picture of our wedding cake tasting that took place today.

We decided on a 5 tier buttercreme cake with 3 layers in vanilla rum, the other 2 in amaretto. The picture to the left is what it will look like except with the extra 5th tier. The flowers on top will be baby pink and white. It's going to be soooo beautiful! The closer I get to our wedding day and the more we confirm details the more excited I become. I'm practically bouncing off the walls at 1 in the morning!

Miami Herald Spotlight: Pink Tea at Lyric Theater honors heritage

Posted on Friday, 05.08.09

BLACK IN TIME | BY DOROTHY JENKINS FIELDS

Pink Tea at Lyric Theater honors heritage

BY DOROTHY JENKINS FIELDS

Special to The Miami Herald

History will be made when the historic Lyric Theater in Miami's Overtown hosts an inaugural performing arts series in the setting of ``the Pink Tea.''

The occasion is the Church of the Open Door's 41st anniversary Pink Tea and a celebration of the performing arts from 4 to 6 p.m. May 17.

Church history states ``the Pink Tea originated many years ago by the Church of the Good Shepherd in Chicago, Il. Other churches adopted the idea and held World Mission Pink Teas where ladies dressed in costumes of other countries.''

In Miami, the Pink Tea idea was introduced at the Church of the Open Door by Pastor Emeritus, Reverend Harold D. Long.

From the outset, the Pink Tea at the Church of Open Door featured outstanding concert artists and local talent. It began as an annual fundraiser and continued on the church's campus in Liberty City. Kervin Clenance, chair of the Pink Tea and the Men's Fellowship Summer Music Series said ``the decision was made this year to combine the annual Pink Tea with a performing arts series in Overtown at the historic Lyric Theater connecting us to our heritage and community's roots.''

The 2009 Pink Tea performers, Samuel Eudovique, tenor, and Marshall Davis Jr., tap dancer, will salute Sammy Davis Jr. Eudovique and Davis will bring back the genius of Sammy Davis Jr., who during racial segregation was equally at home on Miami Beach and Overtown in the 1950s and 1960s.

The great grandson of Overtown pioneer Bishop Randolph Williams, of the Church of God in Prophecy, Marshall Davis Jr. began tap dancing in Liberty City at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. His honors include the coveted 1991 Star Search Teen Dance Champion.

Samuel Eudovique was born in Barbados and was exposed to classical music at an early age by his grandmother. He has performed with the Coral Gables Symphony, the Miami Lyric Opera and the Opera Company of Brooklyn.

The Pink Tea will follow immediately after this performance. The ladies of Circles I, II, III; the Men's Fellowship; the Youth Group and Young Adults will host their respective tables competing for the title of ''Winner'' of the annual competition. Each table will contain pink pastries, tea sandwiches and the traditional pink punch.

According to longtime decorating committee member Shirley Archie ``both the outside and inside of the Lyric Theater and Welcome Center Lobby will be decorated in pink. Everyone is encouraged to wear something pink.''

The Men's Fellowship Summer Music Series is comprised of the John Hobbs concert on June 21 and the Nicole Henry Concert on July 26. Born in Miami, Hobbs grew up with his grandparents in Augusta, Ga. A self-contained performer, he plays guitar and piano; sings gospel, jazz, pop, and adult contemporary music -- from traditional to classical.

The performance series ends with internationally renowned jazz artist Nicole Henry. Born in Philadelphia and raised with a mom who played classical music, Henry is a singer/songwriter with a voice that combines jazz with pop to produce soulful music. She performs regularly around Miami.

Beginning at 4 p.m., each performance promises an afternoon of music, culture and fun. For ticket information, call 305-759-0373.

Dorothy Jenkins Fields, PhD, is a historian and founder of the Black Archives, History and Research Foundation of South Florida Inc. Send feedback, questions or news to djf@bellsouth.net.

Hands On Miami Hot Project

Community Cinema Independent Lens is in Miami!
		Hands On Miami in partnership with Independent Lens, Florida International University's Center for Leadership and Service, Channel 2 your local PBS station and Generation Engage are excited to present the Community Cinema series, showing on Friday, January 23, 2008 beginning at 7:00pm at Florida International University's University Park campus in GC 140. Join us for free popcorn and screening of Tulia, Texas. About the film: A lone undercover cop moves into a small farming town. By the end of the blazing summer of 1999, 46 people are arrested for selling cocaine--nearly all of them African American. It was heralded as one of the biggest drug busts in Texas history, until a team of lawyers set out to uncover the truth.Please note: you may sign yourself up to attend this event as you would sign up for a regular service project, or you may just show up to the event. For more information about the Community Cinema please click here! or contact Judie Stork at judie@handsonmiami.org or 305-646-7462.
New Policy for County projects
		Due to a new county ordinance, beginning in January 2009, HOM volunteers will be required to provide a Social Security or Driver's License Number along with their name during signing in at all projects related to Miami Dade County Parks and Recreation. At present, that includes the Calendar projects Zoo Beautification and Pelican Harbor Clean Up. All volunteers will be asked to provide this information on a separate sign in sheet at all Parks projects. In addition, after having volunteered at any Miami Dade County Parks project three (3) times within six (6) months, volunteers will be required to be fingerprinted and go through a background check with the County. Thank you for your flexibility on this issue and for volunteering!

Great Escape #3: Fort Lauderdale Beach

I wrote this blog months ago. I want say like over six months ago and saved it as a draft. I'm publishing it now after another washup of a NYE. I swear I'm going to NYC to party this year. I just can't take another boring NYE.

Remind me- what is the allure of South Beach?

Don't get me wrong, I've had some really good times there. I broke my Miami teeth back in the days at The Clevelander (is it ever coming back)? Back when I could actually squeeze into a size 7 I strutted my stuff up and down the sandy shores, club soda in hand, perpetrating like it was vodka. But for me, South Beach lacks something. I think it lacks personality. Alas I divorced SOBE to marry FLLB.

People like lists. So I'll give the people what they want. Here are the top 10 reasons why Fort Lauderdale Beach trumps South Beach:

1. Less traffic: you can't park on the strip that runs along the beach. So traffic is far more free flowing than on Ocean in SOBE.

2. Piggybacking off #1, less pousers: I saw a man with a broken neck getting down at Fat Tuesday's on FLLB. No one would dare make a complete ass out of theirself on SOBE.

3. Parking is existent: There are tons of public parking lots and even a few paid ones sprinkled throughout the FLLB area. A stark contrast to SOBE where your car could easily become a liability.

4. More things to do: Along with a bigger Fat Tuesdays, which is free to get in to, there are a bunch of great restaurants that serve great food that won't put a dent in your wallet. Add in a bunch of nightclubs where people aren't afraid to dance and you're already miles ahead of the game.

5. The ocean is a lot closer to the FLLB shoreline than it is to the SOBE shoreline: How annoying is it to have to carry a heavy cooler, blanket, umbrella a mile down to the ocean? You don't have to worry about all that in Fort Lauderdale. The ocean is literally a few steps away from the sea wall. Bad for residents if a big wave or hurricane washes in. Good for visiting beach bunnies like us. :)

6. The beach is very family friendly: I wouldn't recommend taking your infant to one of the ocean front bars, but you could most certainly take them out on the actual beach for a day of fun in the sun. No worries that your child will see exposed breasts or booty meat hanging out of thongs. True story- I had my kids out on SOBE one Sunday afternoon and there were ACTUAL PORN STARS recruiting men to sleep with them on film back at whatever seedy hotel they had booked for the occasion. Said porn stars APPROACHED not only my brother but MY FIANCEE and I on camera while my kids were but a few feet away. So far that hasn't happened on FLLB and I doubt it ever will.

7. The drive down to the beach is scenic and beautiful: Las Olas Boulevard is spectacular. Water front mini mansions with yatchs docked out back is a dream life and it's nice to be so close to prestige and affluence. You don't have to crane your neck to see Fischer/Star Island while speeding down the interstate or pay $40 to take a boat cruise past mansions. You can drive slowly by and imagine yourself living in the lap of luxury. Aside from the opulent homes there is beautiful blue water, interesting wildlife and swaying palm trees beckoning you to enter into paradise.

8. Like USA Channel, characters are welcome. Self explanatory.

9. Cheaper airfare, cheaper hotels, just cheaper everything.

10. The Hard Rock Casino area. Nuff said.

Consider taking a vacation to Fort Lauderdale and skip Miami. It's your chance to do something different. Everyone does SOBE. But few can say they did FLLB.

7 Long Hours In The Pouring Rain...

^^^^
That's my ballot up above. Aint it grand? :)

I voted early today in Miami Gardens. I got there a little before 11 AM thinking I would beat the crowds by arriving two hours before the polls opened. WRONG. The line was already wrapped around the block twice. In the end it took me exactly seven hours to vote. But boy was it worth it. Now I can kick back on election day with my fiancee and watch the pundits go crazy.

Some crazy things that happened today:

1) A puerto rican family set up shop to sell t-shirts to voters standing in line. But at $30 a pop no one was buying.

2) Poll workers started handing out tickets to make sure that people who stood in line for hours would still have a chance to vote, even though the poll was supposed to close at five.

3) A fender bender took place right before my eyes because some dude thought he could stop in a six lane street to drop his wife off at the curb. Even though it was his fault he wanted to call the police because he was bumped from behind. There was no damage to either vehicle so the guy who hit him pulled off. When he tried to elicit pity from us in the crowd we shamed him so bad that he pulled off without calling the cops. LOL.

4) One of the few white voters out there tried to skip the line and got ratted out and kicked to the back of the line.

5) McCain had his shyster lawyers out in force trying to disenfranchise voters but we weren't having none of that!

Not the blazing Miami sun, nor pouring rain, nor long lines, nor snake in the grass lawyers could deter the thousands who poured out today no doubt in support of Obama. I could have voted in Aventura but I wanted to be amongst my people and I have to say I was very proud and moved to tears at the amount of people who came out today. Yes we most certainly can!

Miserable Miami Memorial Monday

Try saying that three times fast.

Miserable Miami Memorial Monday/Miserable Miami Memorial Monday/Miserable Miami Memorial Monday.

One of the things that I've pledged NOT to do is to continually bash Miami like it's the worst place on earth. No one wants to read a blog full of moaning and groaning about how much better XYZ city is than MIA. Yes, it's a culture shock. No, people aren't as friendly and welcoming as they are in other cities. Yes, the sense of style is non existent. But Miami has many great things to offer which is why I moved here in the first place. It's also why I stay when there are jobs a' plenty back home if I ever want to gracefully bow out. I'm staying. For now.

But I must say, this past weekend makes me grateful that I will not be here for the next summer holiday- July 4th. The sheer ghetto, ignorant, just out right ridiculous crowd that descended upon Miami this past weekend was embarrassing. Shootings, rapes, macings, fights- you name it. It's no wonder most South Beach businesses close up shop for Memorial weekend and don't even bother. They won't make any money any way. 99% of the tourists don't patronize any of the local shops, so no money cycles into the economy. Why bring money when you can stand in front of the business, blocking customers who would actually spend a few dollars? While stopping the flow of much needed revenue, make sure to sexually harass every scantily clad female that walks by. Now THAT'S a party.

I'll end this post right here. I don't want to exert any more energy into rehashing Memorial weekend. Hopefully July 4th will be better.

Great Escape #3: Las Olas

A mere 30 minute drive from the upscale pulse of South Beach lies Las Olas Boulevard, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Those of you who want to get away from the oftentimes pretentious vibe of Ocean Drive can mosey on over to Las Olas and have a more gritty, seedy, but fun night filled with dance, cheaper drinks, and a more down to earth environment.

Las Olas reminds me of New Orleans, a city known for it's sizzling hot night life with an undercurrent of danger that can spring out at any moment. Upon entering Las Olas on a Saturday night we were immediately challenged to a fist fight and a drag race by drunken patrons who were too wasted to a) know what they were doing and b) follow through on their threats. After searching for parking for 20 minutes we strutted our stuff down the Boulevard and witnessed a huge melee by a group of drunk college boys. The scuffle was quickly broken up by a pack of police officers and who were a few feet away. That's the main difference between Las Olas and the N.O. The cops are just a devils breath away, waiting to slap a pair of handcuffs on you if you get too out of pocket.

It only cost ten bucks to enter the The Palace nightclub, which was dark, hot and had an even darker and hotter dance floor. The djs were from NYC which meant they knew how to blend their sounds to entice everyone to get loose on the floor. They played hip hop, both old and new school, and Caribbean music, both old and new. I teetered around in 5 inch stiletto heels and gave it my best, but after a while I kicked off my shoes and danced all night barefoot. I couldn't help it. Las Olas is not a place for the wallflower, prissy, poseur crowd. If you go to Las Olas come prepared to get down!

There was a raffle towards the end of the night and my fiancee won! To my surprise, the prizes were pretty nice. We won two 14k gold pieces of jewelry from Macy's, with the gift receipts attached so we can return them. I plan on keeping them though, because they are really nice and would look great with a little black dress, which is what I plan on wearing tonight when I party at my new buddy Darius' graduation party at Crazy Horse...