I don't know if anyone noticed, but the Blue Water Cafe at Carillon Point is gone. It's no surprise, given how Carillon Point is managed and how they've treated exotic owners.

In the summer of 2008, John E and I would drive our Lamborghinis there for dinner and go often. We'd normally be allowed to park in the circle in front of the Blue Water. One day I get there and the valet insists they must park my car below. I asked him if he was familiar with the LP640 and he said, "no problem". I've met some great valets, so I normally don't worry. After lunch, the other valet tells me my car was not easy to keep running. The valet emerges from the parking garage with my car stalling every ten feet and smoke coming from the engine compartment. I run over to see what's going on and see that the idiot was dragging my car up from the garage with the parking brake fully engaged. He never noticed the big red light on the dash or that he could possibly be doing something wrong or the smoke coming out from behind.

I decided to write a letter to management suggesting they better train their valets and I even offered to help with some tips. I got a very polite response with an offer to fix any damage. There wasn't any, and I thought that was the end given that I'd brought it to their attention. A week later I go back and that same moron gleefully tells us that exotics were no longer welcome because of the liability. I called the manager directly to find out of this was true and she said it was. From that point on, if I was going to Carillon Point, I took my cars to the Woodmark Hotel and they took good care of me and I rarely dined at the Blue Water. The Woodmark also got my business and the valets are excellent.

I now find it ironic that the Blue Water Cafe is now closed and I can't help but think that Carillon Point's management's preference for the lowest common denominator had something to do with it. Rather than improve their standards, they let the inadequate training of a valet set exotic car policy.

Most good restaurant managers know that most people can't name their ten favorite restaurants. This is because there are few recollection points to keep them in their top-of-the-mind awareness. Things like interesting decor, memorable experience, location, in addition to great food all work to keep restaurants in that instant recall portion of our brain. This is why so many restaurants welcome exotics in the first place. It helps make the location memorable. Carillon Point doesn't understand that. Anyhow, after that experience we found other places to go and we didn't even consider Carillon Point for Exotics at RTC, and the Blue Water is no more. It may be a coincidence entirely, but I can't help but think that such a willingness to step back rather than step up had something to do with it.

 

Ouch, good story though.

 

There are several ways to run a business... Excellent one's face their problems, adapt and excel... weak ones run, side step and hope to break even.

In a strong economy, both with survive on different levels.... in a weak one, well, you know the answer.

 

Tommy, of course the valet is familiar with the LP640. He drives one occasionally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6c2_p0Y2EU


Seriously though, that is a sad situation with a bit of karma mixed in.

 

I would not trust any NW valet with my Lambo

 

Most valets are really cool and this one gave me a bad feeling when I handed him the keys because of his dismissive response to my asking if he knew anything about the car. Most valets will be straight up with me and are really decent. The ones in Orange County are outstanding just about everywhere you go and they are nice at the Woodmark. In this case, no surprise. Still, I can't help but think Carillon Point's lack of stepping up, gave me some idea how little they valued customers and thus tenants.

 

the valet that messed up my former D-90 Land Rover at Wild Ginger was not "really cool"

NW valets... no way IMHO

 

Yea, I do have to watch it up here. I stopped going to the Bravern because I have no confidence in where they take my car. Besides that, there is little reason to go there anyway.

 

I like to go to the bravern to look at Mark's RS that is always in the parking lot :-)

 

i've got no reason to go to the Bravern either. CV as well. I did buy her a hermes purse for xmas and I've shopped at LV but I have no need and never will buy anything from Neiman Marcus. We will hit Wild Ginger for lunch after shopping elsewhere though.

I've read 30% of restaurants in 2010 will fail. That's not good. Same with construction companies. I hope 2011 looks like a shiny new penny compared to this mess our wonderous Banks, Appraisers and good old American Greed got us into........it will not be a fun year indeed

 

^ just messing with you...